Neo Slash Zero: Believe
Chapter 2: Awaken
Author notes: ARRRRG! This took even longer! Forgiveness please, everyone. Hmm....not too many reviewers yet eh? I thought that I would finally get some more...I guess people don't like long chapters anymore. Oh well, the reviewers I did get were very kind in their reviews! Thanks for the support guys!
BlackHole Army CO - I'm glad you like the character portrayals, it's good that they are in character. Tragedy.....supernatural...thinking eh? All will be revealed in time, but don't worry, I won't go killing everyone.
Mercenary Pen - Hey, we're all in this together, and all writing is good writing. It shows creativity. Leon is being critical because that's his personality. He has always been a somewhat serious competitor when it came to Bit, and now the military has reinforced his serious side because of its protocols. I wouldn't call Leon's outburst at the briefing insubordination, but Leon was out of line...maybe General Winters can't afford to punish one of his better commanding officers? I wasn't exactly going to use the conversion armours heavily or at all, but, you've given me an idea . Yeah rock music rocks! lol. And I've read your Chaos fic...nice to see so far. Keep it up.
BladesDeath - I'm torn between this fact. Does the Liger have an organoid? Or just an organoid type system like Thomas' Shubaltz fake system? Hmm...either way, Bit screwed up during that battle and yeah, Leon's gonna have some words with him lol. Yup, Brad was silent for the whole chapter, so you knew he had to show up later. Do you think he knows who he was fighting against there? Or was he too far away to see? Hey thanks for the feedback on the fic BHC writes, it's nice to know people like it!
Zero Stalker - Hey! I'm glad you're intrigued. Now if only I could get some more reviewers! Thanks for the review!
Steam Detective - Thanks Knuckles! And it's nice to see that you're awake lol! I'm glad you see my WWII influence in there with the appeasement stuff, that's nice to be noticed. I'm a huge history buff. Don't worry about taking long, so long as you review I'm happy. Thanks for the info, it will help, and I'll get Knuckles that beer, no matter how hard you try to stop it, muahahah!
Disclaimer: Don't own Zoids yo! Nor do I own Disturbed dog! I have their album, and just bought a Switchfoot and a Shinedown CD! Yessss!
Now! On to the story!
"Just what the hell did you think you were doing!"
It was the next day at the New Helic Military's Zerros Base, situated just off the coast of the Zerros ocean, connected by a system of canals and roads, allowing easy access for both land and aquatic Zoids to deploy out into the field. The skies always seemed to be calm and inviting, so training and flying aerial Zoids became a main feature of the base, though it still remained a major staging point for the Republican forces on the Eastern Continent.
"Look, I was just trying to get the battle underway!"
The hanger technicians were busy scurrying overtop of various Zoids, either repairing, reloading, or readying Zoids for launch into action. Several techs were poring over schematics for Guysack units, figuring which parts to use to help repair the Guysacks of the scouting unit that had manned the mission the previous night. They didn't repair Zoids per se, but actually aided in the Zoid's natural healing process, which fixed battle damage over certain amounts of time, depending on the extent of the wound. They were arguing over whether or not to scrap Scout Three's Guysack, as it had become mostly wreckage when its tail mounted beam cannon exploded, though the Zoid itself had not died. The current topic of discussion was of whether to perform the Zoid version of euthanasia; the merciful killing of the Zoid to end its suffering.
Stripped of life, alone
in the midst of something that I
want to play with your evil inside
The main question had been whether or not it was immoral to do so. Of course, to kill a human was immoral, but then that was the reality of war. Lives had to be sacrificed to end the conflict and bring about peace.
"You could have gotten yourself killed!"
The techs eventually decided against that course of action, opting instead to put the Zoid in dry dock and begin the long arduous repair process, citing that it would be more expensive to replace the Zoid. The group then turned to survey the damages done to the Fierce Lion Squadron. The majority of the battle scarring had been superficial nicks and dents, and they noted the major task would be to reload the weapons on each Zoid. The Red Blade Liger in particular had been immaculately pristine in its condition after the melee, showing barely a sign of having been in the middle of it. In fact, most of the squadron had escaped harm. Most of the squadron. One Zoid had been damaged enough to require attention, having a torn booster engine that would cause problems if started up again. The Liger Zero growled at the techs as it looked through the window in the hanger office, watching its pilot, who was currently being reprimanded by his commanding officer.
"I think I've proved my skill to you long ago. How about when I won the Royal Cup?" Bit pointed out.
Wanting, letting go
Of what never could be again
Lost and alone
Leon rolled his eyes, "Please Bit, that was over three years ago. And besides, this isn't some tournament battle. The skills required for one are not exactly the ones that work in a real fight!"
"I think I know my own skills Leon!" Bit fired back, refusing to back down in the argument. He had been the best before, it was the least of his skills to progress easy in battle and turn the tide against superior numbers.
Leon turned back to the conversation, having paused a moment to see how the techs were doing with the squadron's repair. "You think you know your own skills?" he questioned, "You don't even know what that Liger will do half the time, just going along with what he does because it benefits you in battle!"
Bit narrowed his sea green eyes, "Oh, so you think I can't pilot the Liger huh? Let's not forget who the Liger ejected when a certain person tried to pilot it."
Leon ground his teeth together in frustration. "The fact that only you can actually pilot the Liger is well documented. Still, remember how you knew nothing about piloting Zoids? I seem to recall you smashing your face off the cockpit restraints."
Bit chuckled sarcastically, "Oh yeah, big deal. Is this goin' anywhere?"
Leon threw his hands up, "You used the Liger as a crutch since the beginning! For all we know, your skill could still just be the Liger compensating!"
Bit grew angry at this, "Well excuse me, sir, but it sounds like someone is being jealous!"
Leon got a dangerous look in his eye, "Well, Private,how did you conceive that notion?"
Bit glared at Leon, "Look, you've been on me ever since I was moved into this squad, I wanna know why."
Leon sighed, "Is that it? I can easily tell you." He began ticking points off on his fingers, "First, you need to learn to follow orders, I know in the Blitz Team you were used to doing your own thing with little regard for tactics."
"Yeah, so," Bit said.
Imprisoned now inside your mind
With the way you tried to destroy me again
You were waiting and living for no one
"So this is the military. Sure you can duck tactics when you're only fighting three opponents, but try pulling a stunt like that against thirty. It won't happen." Leon ticked another finger off, "Second, I don't want to appear to play favouritism, seeing as how we are already familiar with each other and also because of your fame as a Zoid pilot."
Bit's jaw dropped, "What? That's ridiculous and you know it!"
Leon paused, raising an eyebrow, "Is it? Just so you know, I've fought alongside these guys for a while now, and I've noticed that anyone of them could fight me or you to a standstill, of that I am sure." He ticked a third and final point off his hand, "Finally, I don't know if you realize this, but people are going to be watching you."
Bit looked surprised, "Why would people watch me?"
"Look, didn't you ever wonder why you got moved up so fast?" Leon questioned.
Bit frowned, "No, I figured they just knew how good a pilot I was. That's what General Winters said anyways."
Leon sighed again. "These people see you as a quick fix, a hot pilot who is going to pull them out of a jam. But what you don't realize is that General Winters has ulterior motives behind his choice."
Bit leaned forward expectantly, "And those would be...?"
Leon pointed at Bit, "General Winters wanted to keep you out of the hands of the Empire, or more simply, the Liger Zero."
"What!?"
"He feels that the Liger may have within it a secret to victory." Leon provided.
Bit groaned, "So it wasn't even me that got me here?"
Leon nodded, "That's correct. And remember how the Backdraft hunted you for the Liger? Well it'll be just like that, but with the whole Guylos Empire. That's why you are in my squadron, to stay protected and to learn to fight conservatively. If you Command System Freeze like that again, nothing can stop the Empire from walking out onto the battlefield, shooting you in the cockpit, and taking the Liger back to their labs for study."
Bit looked shell shocked. Was it true? Had he been chosen just because of the threat he possessed if the enemy got ahold of him? Leon had certainly been correct in his reasoning, it had seemed a little too strange; his quick advancement in the New Helic Military. The stone cold facts had been laid out by Leon in front of him and that thought galvanized him to his current situation. He was the same as everybody else. There would be no special treatment here, no second tries either.
With the way you triedTo completely refuse all your life
Feed on your nothing
You'll never live up to me
He had tried a foolish stunt, and almost paid for it with his life. A stray shot from one of the enemy Helcats could have easily pierced his cockpit windows while he was Command System Frozen, burning through him and instantly ending his life. Then it was a simple matter for either the Imperial or Republic armies to hose out the interior and stick a new pilot in the cockpit. All he was, all that he mattered for, was to be a dangerous weapon, or more importantly, for the Liger to be a dangerous weapon. That was probably why they wanted his conversion armours so badly, if only to add to his arsenal.
Well, I'll show them, Bit resolved. He would become a better soldier, one capable of following orders and producing results. One capable of dodging enemy fire and helping out his squadmates.
One capable of winning the battle.
Leon noticed Bit had been silent for a while. He cleared his throat and indicated outside of the window, "You'd better get to the Liger. It doesn't seem to want to have the techs work on it."
"You're right," Bit mumbled, a troubled look on his face as he left the office.
Leon's eyebrows lifted in surprise. I didn't have that effect on him did I? I guess I'm better at disciplining my troops than I thought.
He sat back down at his desk, setting about the task of writing a letter to the family of the pilot of Scout Guysack Three, explaining to a family why their husband and father wasn't coming home.
The New Helic Operations Room was usually a hectic place, with the various noises and clicks of computer operation and the din of an array of techs and aids talking to each other in hushed tones while others strode throughout the room, distributing papers to superior officers, or simply bringing coffee to those who needed it. However, during the wee hours of the morning, activity usually dropped off to nothing, save for this night, where a lone computer screen lit the darkness. The shadow of a slouched form could be seen in front of the glowing screen, wearily typing away at the keyboard.
I could sure use a coffee right now, thought Jamie Hermeros, Ensign and military analyst to General Trexen Winters. He yawned and continued his work, scratching his head as he looked into possible leads and connections between the Guylos Military's recent movements and the even more concurrent discovery and loss of an ancient plaque, one that had been determined to be ancient Zoidian in origin. Luckily for his research, and for the Helic Republic, Leon Toros had the foresight to take pictures of the plaque before bringing in the excavation team. Then, in an even more brilliant stroke of luck, Bit Cloud's Liger Zero had been able to decipher the writings on the plaque, saving the decryption team at least a weeks worth of work. Unfortunately, besides what the words said, they had nothing to go on, no direction or location was given in the words themselves. It seemed that the rest of the monument must have contained directions to wherever the plaque was talking about, as it appeared that the Empire was on the move.
But where?
He rubbed his eyes blearily, making some final notes on the computer. The Imperial forces had been seen moving over too many separate routes to pinpoint exactly where they going as of yet. But as soon as they neared their destination they would have to reveal their final location; the location of the secret contained within the Zoidian ruins from Lake Eve.
Until then, we'll have to be on high alert.
Jamie made a note to let General Winters know as soon as morning came upon the base.
Ugh, he groaned, It'll be morning in three hours.
The dull rumble of Zoids shambling across the ground broke the morning stillness that had once settled across the river valley as various Gustavs moved rubble from a large excavation site at the narrowest point in the valley. Over two dozen Iguan units, the Imperial answer to the Republican Godos, were working at the valley walls and floor, utilizing their specially equipped cutting lasers to free large boulders before moving them away to be taken for transport to the dumping site. All of this activity occurred under the watchful eye of an Iron Kong, its red armour glowing in the morning sun's rays.
"Hey!" the pilot inside cried indignantly as one of the Iguans dropped a bolder onto another's foot, causing the leg joint to buckle and spark. "My father paid for those units, so be careful!"
Awaken you
With a little evil inside
"Yes Major Champ, so very sorry sir," the pilot apologized profusely.
Major Harry Champ, son of the wealthy Zoid manufacturer and Imperial citizen Lord Garrington 'Gary' Champ, sighed. Good help is so hard to find these days.
He had been put in charge of the mining operations largely in part of the fact that his father's Champ Foundation had donated much of the mining Zoids and equipment to the Imperial cause, not to mention countless other Zoids and munitions for the Guylos Empire's military. Unfortunately, the men he had been given to work with were not of the hard working, efficient caliber that he had come to know in his servant robots. Many were washouts of the Imperial Military training program, others were simply just those under arrest for various small offenses while serving in the military, finding themselves relegated to work details as punishment. In any event, the men were poor at best and progress was slow, which didn't bode well for him. The Empire had been cracking the whip on his operation, urging him to the utmost speed.
I don't even know what I'm looking for!
He turned his Iron Kong towards the moving line of Gustavs, making sure they, being piloted by actual transport pilots, were at least making progress.
"Slow moving as usual huh?"
Harry jumped in his seat, startled by the Shadowfox that had seemingly appeared out of nowhere next to him.
"I told you not to do that to me!" he cried in alarm.
Brad Hunter's face appeared on his cockpit screen, "Lighten up Harry, Jesus, you're so uptight."
Harry narrowed his eyes, "That's Major Champ to you Hunter."
Brad leaned forward, "Oh really? And why should I call you Major?"
Harry grinned, "Because not only am I the man destined to be King, I'm also your commanding officer out here."
Brad rolled his eyes, You're only a Major because of your daddy's donations to the military. "Why should I obey your orders?" he said aloud.
"Because you and your squad were assigned to my group to protect the mining operations, so that makes me your superior."
"Whatever you say," Brad replied flippantly.
"Good," Harry said, "Now where are the rest of your men?"
Brad looked surprised, "You mean you haven't heard?"
Harry frowned, "Heard what?"
"My men are currently meeting up with the rest of the Colonel's forces who are already on their way here," he informed Harry.
"Why would the Colonel come here?"
Brad groaned inwardly, You moron, "Don't you know what we're sitting on?"
Harry looked confused. It had never occurred to him to ask what he was searching for in the valley.
"What are we looking for?" he asked Brad.
Brad's face looked off into the distance before turning back to Harry.
Feed on your nothing
You'll never live up to me
"The key to winning this war."
"The key to winning this war, we believe, is to stop the Guylos forces at this point of the campaign," the voice of General Trexen Winters boomed from his place at the head of the same briefing room that had been used to brief the commanders involved in the Lake Eve mission.
He continued, "And that is because they appear to be at their most vulnerable state at this time." He gestured to Jamie with his right arm, "I will let Ensign Hermeros elaborate further."
He took a seat as Jamie walked over to the podium, "Thank you General." He adjusted some papers before continuing, "After a week of movement, the Guylos forces have begun to stop moving and we have been able to locate the area where they have been massing."
He hit a button on the controller built into the podium, and the familiar screen descended from the ceiling. He hit another button and a map appeared on the screen.
"Realizing that the recent deployments of Imperial forces has correlated directly with the theft of the Lake Eve artifacts, our Intelligence department has narrowed down the location of Guylos troops to a single area."
Jamie hit a few more buttons and the map began to zoom in over a certain area, enlarging until a river valley could be seen.
"This river valley is where funds, troops, and equipment have been flowing to over the past week. After consulting highly encrypted archive files, we have determined that this valley has existed in our books under a more notable name: The Valley of the Rarehertz."
I've stricken you
I don't want to live with the lie
Astonished murmurs went up around the room, which was surprising, as the fabled Valley of the Rarehertz had long since been considered a myth, a story who's actually fact had been lost to the sands of time and the battle tales handed down by the veterans of the Chaotic Century.
Jamie waited until the noise died down before continuing, "Now I'm sure all of you have heard the legends surrounding that place, and with Guylos' recent activities, we can at least confirm the veracity of some of those rumours."
Leon raised his hand, "What about the fabled Rarehertz effect?"
Jamie nodded, "Lieutenant Toros' question is a valid one. The Rarehertz effect has been documented in other areas on Planet Zi."
He hit the button once more, a picture of a glowing metallic rock formation appearing on the screen.
"This," he said, "Is a metallic mineral known as Zoid Magnite and is known to be responsible for small Rarehertz pulses when found in significant quantities. It has been determined that the Valley of the Rarehertz used to contain vast quantities of this mineral, but for reasons unknown, deposits have all but disappeared."
A Commander voiced his thoughts, "What does the Rarehertz effect do?"
"The Rarehertz effect occurs in pulses, shorting out all systems on any Zoid within the area of the pulse." Jamie elaborated, "It has also been known to disable conventional electrical systems as well, though this has not been confirmed in all cases."
Feed on your nothing
And you'll never live up to me
As Jamie continued the briefing, General Winters sat back, steel gray eyes glinting thoughtfully.
Once we stop the Empire from utilizing what they've found, we can turn the tide of the war against them.
He leaned back in his sit as his analyst Ensign Hermeros went over the finer points of the plan of attack.
A small rivulet of water ran along the cavern floor as its source, a slow drip emanating from stalactites on the roof of the cave, filled the air with a dull noise. The sound of the water's passing echoed forlornly through the cavern, bouncing off the many walls and columns as it traveled until it reached the furthest limits of the cave, dying out in the process. Beyond the still image of a petrified waterfall, a pair of broken down walls marked the entrance to a sanctuary untouched by the citizens of the Planet Zi in over two millennia. Within the sacred walls a presence came into consciousness.
Awaken you, you know
Can't live up to me
This was not the first awakening that had been felt throughout the cave. Over two thousands years in the past the ancient consciousness had risen from slumber, during the days of the ancient Zoidians.
I've stricken you
Feed on your nothing
And you'll never live up to me
The cycle had begun again, bringing the force to life from eternal slumber. Eyes slowly opened, senses revealed themselves. The mistakes of the past would soon be rectified once more. It would soon be time. She smiled once again.
The hanger buzzed once more with activity, the pre-mission noise all but rendering conversation useless. Leon walked with a purpose towards his Red Blade Liger when a hand on his shoulder halted his movement. He turned to come face to face with the red haired, gray eyed visage of General Trexen Winters.
He promptly saluted, "Sir, my squad is mission ready."
The General smiled, "At ease Lieutenant, I just wanted to give you some last minute instructions regarding the mission."
Leon raised an eyebrow, "Sir?"
"I need you to protect Private Cloud," he elaborated, "I don't want him to fall in this battle, or in any battle. His Zoid is too valuable an asset to lose."
Leon hid his surprise, So the General IS just trying to keep him out of Imperial hands! "I will fulfill your orders to the best of my ability sir."
Winters smiled, "Good then." He saluted, "Good luck."
Leon saluted back, "Thank you sir."
With that he turned away and dashed off to his Liger, conflicting thoughts entering his head.
Bit looked troubled, like he wanted to actually do good out there.
He frowned as he climbed up the ladder a tech helpfully set for him to get into the cockpit. He sat in the seat, relishing the comfortable feel of the cockpit chair that had served him so well throughout all of his battles.
How do I protect him while letting him fight his own battles?
He had a bad feeling about this mission.
The sun settled low on the horizon, the waning heat of the day causing the air just above the ground to shimmer and bend. Insects rolled and danced in the air, chasing each other in a gentle ballet while a small snake could be seen slithering between the cracks in the rocks. A group of twenty-four Zoids were working diligently to break through the canyon wall, and further up ahead a platoon of over two hundred Zoids could be seen, ranging in size from Molga and Rev Raptors to Lightning Saix and Dark Horns. Squads of Zabats and Redlers flitted overhead, leaving vapour trails that crisscrossed the skies.
A dull rumble caught the ears of the waiting soldiers. Shapes began to appear on the horizon, blurred in the heated air, looming larger as they neared. A whistling sound filled the air as the various Imperial pilots looked around anxiously. They did not wait long. A single three hundred millimeter shell landed within a rank of Molga units, blowing apart the two hapless Zoids it happened to land directly upon. The caterpillar like Zoids around the blast zone inched quickly away, avoiding any residual damage from the shrapnel.
The gauntlet had been dropped, and all hell broke loose as long range cannons from both sides ripped across the vast battlefield, fingers of destruction probing enemy lines, destroying whatever they touched. The battle was joined in the air as Zabats and Redlers met up with squads of Pteras and Raynos units from the Republic side, roiling in an intense cloud of firepower, dipping, dodging, and shooting down each other in an aerial dance.
Leon's hands tightened around the cockpit controls as he keyed his comm unit. "Alright Lions let's do this thing. Our assignment is to hold off their melee attackers while the big boomers take out their back ranks."
A chorus of affirmatives met his orders as he keyed the comm again, "Two, on me,"
"As ordered," came Bit's voice. Leon had changed the squad designations, making Bit his partner, citing that it would be easier for Bit to learn the ways of warfare if he were paired with Leon.
"Attention Fierce Lion Squadron," General Winters' voice said, "Advance melee units are heading for the line of Cannon Tortoises. Hold them off until we can move some heavy attack units your way."
"Affirmative General," said Leon. "Let's go Lions!"
The squad of twelve Ligers, ten Shield, on Red Blade, and the fabled Liger Zero broke towards the right flank of the Republic forces, dodging in and around cannon fire, laser beams, and guided missiles. He looked at the heads up sensor display, noting the line of Rev Raptors heading straight for the Tortoises' positions.
Twenty-four of them. Not good.
His group hit the Raptors at an oblique angle, coming from the side and opening fire with his dual impact cannon. The rest of the Shield Ligers did the same, triple impact cannon fire ripping across the hundred and fifty meters separating them from the Raptors. High impact shells ripped into the armour on seven of the enemy Zoids, taking five out immediately while two more fell after a few more shots hit them in the leg stabilizers. The remaining seventeen Zoids turned, and like a pack of dogs, rushed Leon's squad. They extended their scythes, utilizing the ion chargers that came back mounted on Rev Raptors to increase the blades' cutting strength.
Leon smirked, Bull-headed commander, head on doesn't work against my men.
"Heads up Lions, attack plan beta," he commanded.
The Fierce Lions began to accelerate towards the Rev Raptors, looking as if they wanted to embrace the razor's kiss from the Raptor's blades. Unfortunately for the enemy, the Shield Ligers deployed their shields moments before contact, causing the first ten Raptors to snap their blades against the shield energy before being knocked to the ground by the charging Ligers. Leon and Bit followed, Leon slicing as many Raptors as he could, severed arms and legs being joined by the occasional head section. Bit merely pounced from Zoid to Zoid, driving their faces into the ground and putting them into Command System Freeze.
Why isn't he firing for the easy kill spots? Leon wondered.
After the initial head to head pass, the numbers looked promising for his squad. With the entire Fierce Lion Squadron intact and only seven Rev Raptors remaining, Leon took stock of the situation, smiling at the other commander's foolhardiness. The final seven Raptors broke rank and began to retreat back to their lines. Leon spurred his Liger after them, the rest of the Fierce Lions following. With any more luck, this battle would be over soon.
"Why haven't you finished yet?" came Brad Hunter's irritated voice.
"Hey, I'm the Major here, show some respect," Harry Champ's haughty voice replied. The Iguan units had met up with a particularly tough layer of rock, slowing their progress while the battle still raged onwards in the distance.
"Why should I?" Brad said.
"Well, Mr. Hunter, I believe I defeated you a while back in a Zoid battle. I think that proves my superiority over you."
Brad ground his teeth together, "I recommend you not bring that up," he said between clenched teeth.
"Or what?" Harry laughed, "You'll stop me?"
Brad growled, "No, I'll kick the-"
A new voice interrupted over the comm unit, "Sir, we've broken through the wall!"
"Good," said Harry, "Now it's time to see what this is all about."
The Shadowfox stepped across the Iron Kong's path, blocking its progress.
"Hunter, what are you doing?"
There isn't a thing that I can do
Watching this whole thing just wash away
Making me long
The laser vulcan on the Fox's back opened fire, spewing rapid laser bursts all along the legs of Harry's Iron Kong. Soon the knee joints snapped, causing the Kong to fall prone to the ground.
"What is this!" Harry cried angrily.
"I'm doing you a favour. Stay out of my battle, you're not fit for fighting anyway." said Brad as he bounded off for the cave entrance, scattering the unarmed Iguan mining units with a spray of vulcan fire.
"Oh shit!"
Lion Three's Shield Liger all but exploded under the extended fire of two Hiblit Vulcan cannons. They had followed the retreating Raptors right into a trap lain by a squad of four Dark Horns, who quickly opened fire, taking Leon's men by surprise.
"Evasive action," he called as the squad broke off into two man elements in an effort to disperse the massive weaponry that the Dark Horns brought to bear. He sent his Blade Liger into an evasive dance as shells ripped up the sand all around him.
"Missile spread on my mark!" he commanded. The squadron began to move itself into a net-like formation, surrounding the four Dark Horns as they pumped out massive destruction from their heavy weapons. Once they were in position, Leon called, "Mark!" Twin rocket boxes flipped outwards on the Shield Ligers, each quickly letting fly with eight rockets per box, for a total of sixteen rockets per Liger, one hundred and forty-four for the entire squadron.
The Dark Horn was one of the Empire's heavy Zoids, capable of withstanding intense fire and dishing it out at the same time. It had one of the best armour plating systems of all the Imperial Zoids. Unfortunately, the armour did little against one hundred and forty-four rockets. Fire blossomed along the flanks of the Horns, quickly engulfing the quartet in a flowering explosion that blinded Leon momentarily. As the smoke cleared, a shape began to stagger out of the blast zone, vulcan cannon beginning to spin. That was until Bit flew through the air, using his Strike Laser Claw to bring the remaining Dark Horn to the ground.
Why only attack the leg joints? Leon wondered.
He quickly disregarded that curious action, it had worked after all, and the remaining Dark Horn had been taken out of the battle. A buzzing comm system interrupted his musings as General Winters face appeared on the screen once more.
"Lieutenant, we've just received word that the Empire has breached the valley walls, they may have found something. I want you and your squad to beat them to it. Go now!" he commanded.
"Sir!" was Leon's only reply.
"Alright Lions listen up, we're gonna bee-line for that cave that the Imperial forces have opened up, got it?"
Nothing but affirmatives greeted his ears as he turned the Liger to run further into the valley towards where the mining site had been located. His squad, now only eleven strong, dodged between mortar fire and missiles flying between either side as melee units from both armies mixed it up all around them. Leon ducked to the left as a mangled Command Wolf landed beside him, the product of a sustained barrage from a team of Heldigunners. His squad continued onwards, managing to bypass the main battle zone and avoid any major attention. As they neared the valley wall, a large burrowed hole could be seen.
"Okay team, let's move in through that entrance, before any Imperial units spot us," Leon cautioned.
Unfortunately, that is exactly what happened.
Why can't I get a break out here! Leon groaned to himself, as a squad of eight Zaber Fangs made their way out of the cave entrance to face his forces.
He keyed his comm unit, "We don't have time for these guys. Four, take the rest of the squad and deal with these them, Bit you come with me."
"I hear ya Lead," came Bit's reply.
He bolted directly through the enemy group with Bit close behind, startling the Zaber Fang pilots, who were too surprised to move. Leon smiled grimly as gun fire and explosions lit the air behind him as he entered the cave.
Good luck Lions.
Brad slowly paced his Shadowfox through the large expanse of a cave that had been revealed by the Iguan miners. He wasn't alone. A squad of six Helcats were hidden, cloaked and waiting throughout the cave. He was certain something lay hidden within the cave, but he wasn't sure what it would be until he found it.
Regardless, it will be MY find, and no on else's.
He wasn't in this mission to help the Empire win, nor was he in it to end the war. He was in it for both the money and the recognition that he would get for turning the tide of the war. Finally, he would have his own recognition, not simply for being apart of a larger team that hinged on the success of others. This would be his own discovery, his own personal triumph.
His sensors beeped, the multisensor unit indicating the presence of two other Zoids. He brought up their energy signatures on his main monitor, the Fox growling slightly.
It knows these two Zoids!
The image of a Red Blade Liger and the Liger Zero appeared on his screen.
Leon and Bit are here? And they fight for the Republic? Shit.
He began to move his Zoid around a pillar, readying his systems for a hasty retreat.
I could've taken one of them maybe, but not both at once.
Then he realized that they were here to take his prize away from him, his recognition. The thing that he had worked so hard to obtain over the time he spent away from the Blitz Team was within his reach, and now it would be taken away by the one man who did this all to him.
I can't let Bit do this to me again!
There isn't a thing that I can do
Watching this whole thing just wash away
Making me long
Making you strong
He sent a message to his Helcat allies to attack once he was out of the cave. He activated the stealth systems on the Shadowfox and made his way along the walls towards the cave entrance.
I'm sorry, but this is my future, and I can't let you ruin it again.
Fully cognisant of the surrounding caves and the battle that was being waged outside the valley cave, the ancient presence readied itself for something that hadn't been seen on Zi for some time. It felt the ancient energies building behind it and the small skirmish being waged just outside its front doors. It would begin shortly, and then redemption would become a commodity all but foreign to the human aggressors.
"Do you see anything?" Bit asked Leon as the followed in the Liger Zero.
"Not yet," came Leon's negative reply.
They continued further and deeper into the dark cave, the only illumination coming from the spot lights built into the heads of either Zoid. A small mountain of rock tumbled to the ground from Bit's right, causing him to jump slightly.
"Lead," he keyed up his comm, "I think we have company."
A pair of Helcats decloaked directly in their aft scopes, opening fire before they were even completely visible.
"Move it Two!" Leon commanded as he and Bit ran further into the cave before turning around to face their attackers. Cannon fire screamed through the air all around them as the dodged behind a jutting wall to formulate their plan of attack. But before they could stop for a moment, four more Helcats made themselves visible, opening fire with a flurry of blasts that landed all around Leon and Bit, who were stuck in the small space behind the wall.
"I can't move out of here," Bit said angrily.
"I know Two, our Zoids are too big," Leon flinched as shots sparked the ground in front of him. "We'll have to continue further into the cave."
They broke into a run, dodging fire as it hailed all around them, until they reached what looked like a gate of some kind.
"What is that?" Bit said astounded.
Leon thought a moment before replying, "Maybe it's what we're here to find?" he suggested.
Their conversation was cut short as the Helcats rounded the corner, guns blazing. The Liger Zero jumped to the left while the Blade Liger jumped to the right. He and Bit crisscrossed paths until they reached the Helcats, Leon extending his blades on the first pass, catching two right across the cockpit as he ran by. Both Zoids fell to the ground sparking, their pilots either dead or incapacitated. He turned in time to see Bit finishing with his first opponent, Strike Laser Claw blazing as it ripped through the back legs of the enemy Zoid, rendering it inoperable.
Why is he taking so long to beat them?
Then he noticed one Helcat decloak behind Bit, cannons primed and ready to fire.
"Two! Behind you!" he called.
The Liger Zero whipped around, claws blazing in a swipe that caught the Helcat directly in the cockpit, crushing the glass and sending the Zoid to the ground limply. Leon turned and caught another Helcat with his back feet before turning his Zoid around and putting the Helcat out of commission with a pair of shots from his dual impact cannon.
He whirled back, seeing the Liger Zero frozen over the prone body of the Helcat it had just downed.
"Two, what are you doing?" Leon questioned.
Bit remained silent, as did the Liger, both regarding the downed enemy in front if them.
"Bit? What's wrong?"
Bit's reply was quiet, "I killed him."
"Huh?"
"That pilot, I crushed the cockpit. He's dead."
Leon's eyes widened in realization, The kid's never had to kill someone before. That's why he was fighting the way he was, he was trying not to kill anyone.
"Bit, don't worry about it. It was either you or him, and I'm certainly more glad that you are alive."
Bit remained silent for a moment before speaking, "What would Leena think of me? How could she love a killer?"
"Jesus Bit, she's not like that and you know it," Leon said, surveying the damage done during the battle. He paused for a second, curiously counting the number of downed enemies.
Weren't there six Helcats?
Almost following his thoughts, a Helcat decloaked beside Bit, who was still in a daze over what he had done earlier. Leon reacted on instinct, sending his Liger into motion before he knew what was happening. He knocked the Liger Zero out of the way as a pair of cannon shots streaked through the air towards them, Leon returning fire with his impact cannon. The Helcat went down as the shots hit it in the chin, but not before its cannon fire hit on either side of Leon's cockpit, throwing the Blade Liger to the ground in a Command System Freeze. Leon felt the heat from the blast as it scorched the side of his face.
Bit snapped out of his daze, "Leon, are you alright?"
Leon checked the Liger's systems, "Yeah, aside from my face, I'm okay. The Liger's frozen though."
Just then a rumble filled the cave, shaking it down to the very bedrock. To Leon, it felt like someone had fired the Gravity Cannon directly into the cave they were in. Rocks began to tumble free from the ceiling, several large boulders landing on the remains of the downed Helcats, crushing them further.
"We've got to get out of here, this whole place is coming down!" Bit yelled, "Get out of your Zoid, I've got room in my cockpit if we squeeze."
Leon agreed, "Yeah, I'm coming out." He hit the button for the cockpit release. Nothing happened.
"I can't open my cockpit!" he yelled.
"Try manually opening it!" Bit said hurriedly.
Leon hit the manual hatch lever on the corner of the cockpit glass. Again, nothing happened. He grew panicked as he kicked at the cockpit glass, but it wouldn't budge. The Helcat's shots had hit the cockpit seals, melting them in place. He was stuck until someone could cut him out with a laser saw.
"Bit, I'm stuck," he said, his voice beginning to sound panicked. More boulders fell around them, some beginning to block the way towards the exit of the cave.
"Hold still," said Bit, "I'm gonna try and cut the glass away."
Another tremor violently shook the cave, one of the near walls coming down completely, cutting off one of the larger exit paths out of the cave. Leon sighed resignedly.
"No," he said.
"What!?"
"I said no," Leon explained, "We don't have time, you'll only be crushed if you stay."
"I can't do that Leon, you know that," said Bit angrily.
"Just go!" ordered Leon as rocks crashed down onto their Zoids. "Go now or I will self-destruct this Zoid, and then we'll both die."
"I don't care!"
"Does Leena care?"
This rocked Bit on his heels. He remained speechless as Leon continued. "You have to live. For Leena's sake, you have to live. Go now!"
The Liger Zero slowly turned away from Leon breaking into a slow run.
"Take care of her," Leon called after Bit.
"I will," Bit promised, tears streaming down his face as he left what felt like his brother behind to die.
Leon watched the Liger disappear as a hail of boulders and jagged rocks obscured the rest of the open paths out of the cave. He smiled sadly, knowing he had led a good life for the time he had been on Planet Zi. He then noticed a glowing light beginning to build further down into the cave between the two door-like pillars. The light grew in intensity until it was almost blinding. A loud clap and a flash of light blew throughout the cave as a large section of the cave roof collapsed onto the Red Blade Liger. The wave of light rushed throughout the cave, collapsing the remaining walls as it headed towards Leon.
So very beautiful, he thought as the light washed over him.
Author note: Ha! Damn that took much longer than I wanted to, and the song didn't fit as well as I had hoped, but what're ya gonna do huh? Nothing! Cuz I'm the author! Anyways, hope you don't mind the semi-cliffhanger, well it's not really a cliff hanger, but it still might bug some of ya! That was a pretty long chapter though! I hope you enjoyed the fighting and the twist, and don't forget to read and review!!!!!! REVIEW NOW!!!
