Author's Note: Well it's certainly been a trying few months. I do apologize for the delay and will try to update sooner from now on. I hope you're all enjoying my work and would like to see some reviews. And to all of you who keep reviewing, you have my sincerest thanks. Oh, and if anyone has any questions about this story(not pertaining to what will happen next) just leave them in a review and I'll gladly answer.

The Jackal's Gate

The Sands of Time

Shira winged her way over the cool desert sands. The sun was cresting the breeze caressed dunes and shades of blue were beginning to transform the sky. The medabot gazed down at the black form speeding beneath her. He had been acting strangely, but then he had always been anything but ordinary. Still, her heart swelled whenever she thought of him.

A burst of gun fire returned her to reality. This was madness, why would she be after them? "How much farther to the enclave?" she shouted down.

"Another mile or so" Zagan replied. But how did he know the distance, or even what she was talking about? A shell burst convinced him to save any further questions. Increasing the air intake he greatly improved the rate of his glide. Not having answers was much better than being scrap metal.

-

Isis shook Zagan none too gently. She had known immediately that something was very wrong. "Zagan, Zagn please answer me!"

"Guess I did some damage after all." Maverick's tone held a touch of what little pride he could muster.

The look Isis gave him could have demolished a mountain.

Devon's face was stern and unwavering. "He's fine." Every eye and optic held a look of genuine bewilderment. The emotionless medafighter would foster no questions and acted swiftly. "Let's get 'im in the car."

-

Dunes passed in a blur of amber and the last vestiges of pink faded from the sky. Zagan noted every passing mound, searching for something he was sure he had never seen before. The clamor of automatic weapons was right behind them and he knew that whatever he was looking for would have to be found soon.

A shell burst broke his concentration, as a shower of sand washed over him and the whistle of flying shrapnel filled the air. Quickly, almost desperately, he scrambled to his feet. There was no escape now, and even if there had been he would have fought anyway. Drawing the saber from his waist he savored the effect the newly reborn desert sun had on the golden blade. It looked as if it had been set ablaze with divine fire.

In that moment something surged back into his mind. Like a predator bursting forth from a thicket everything came back to him. All this had happened long ago, two thousand years or more. Fleeing through the desert, the appearance of his sword…even Shira, everything he was seeing was nothing but a memory.

Shira watched the scene from above. Puzzled she called out to him. "What are you doing? You can't fight that thing!"

Her cry only confirmed what he already knew. The words rang in his head, as clear as they had been when she first said them.

But none of that mattered now. The small piece of scorched steel embedded in his shoulder was proof enough that this was more than just a simple memory. The GDN readied himself as their pursuer came into view.

It was nothing short of a beast. Slithering along the ground on a massive tail the behemoth left an unmistakable winding trail. Its sickly yellow optics stared straight ahead; there was something soulless about them. Sunlight gave the armor a distinct olive tone. This was indeed a medabot built and bred for battle. The serpentine medabot's gaze fell on Zagan "I have come to apprehend you." The voice was just as dead as the optics.

He recognized the behemoth and greeted him with the arrogant courtesy that was often shown between friends who had met on the battlefield. "Hello Brazos."

The serpent did not even nod.

A wave of ice was building in the GDN's parts. It was not fear, fear was a luxury seasoned combatants like himself could not afford. Rather it was the excitement he felt before every battle. No matter the opponent it happened every time, that wonderful rush of frosty anticipation that plunged him into ecstasy.

Again the serpent spoke, a hiss in his voice. "Ssurrender to me and your destruction will be sswift."

Zagan considered a reply but never got the chance to use it. A shaft of light streaked down, its cerulean hue almost invisible against the sky. The angle was shallow, indicating that the attacker could not be too far overhead. Shira had always been a firecracker.

The feline medabot hovered at low altitude, the sapphire at her wrist still radiating an azure glow. A smoking crater in the sand was proof of her assault. Her optics were focused on the target, meaning she must have missed on purpose. Both her voice and her arm were unwavering as she spoke. "Stop this Brazos."

The addressed stared up at her. He pondered for a moment. She seemed so familiar and yet as far as he knew he had never seen her before. A surge of pain ran through his medal and he remembered his mission. "I am here by order of the queen. Since you have failed to comply with my instructions I am now authorized to terminate you." There was not a drop of emotion in his words.

-

Grayson Stewart surveyed the city that would soon become his domain. Every man, woman, and child would bow down to him and those who resisted would be crushed. The players were always new but the plot was ages old, one exceptional person rose above the grunts to take their rightful place. But they were often labeled as egotistical madmen and far too often they were. The fools allowed their subjects to grumble and revolt because they were too caught up in themselves. He would not let that happen, no matter how powerful he became it was essential to maintain focus at all times.

Motion in the street below caught Grayson's eye. Looking down from his rooftop perch he smiled at the girl passing beneath, an awkward medabot at her side. It was a myriad of rounded designs. Each piece of stainless steel armor was smooth and geometric. For all the craftsmanship, it was impossible to hide the machine's broad shoulders and portly figure.

Keeping his eyes focused on the city Grayson gave a nod. He never saw his subordinate move but knew that the agent was already descending through the building. How could he resist a bit of fun? After all, times like these called for entertainment.

The girl was young, no older than fourteen. Her close cut chocolate hair was scruffy and unkempt while her eyes held an air of stubborn determination. Ripped blue jeans and a loose fitting tank top completed the tomboy persona. She strolled happily along the well lit street. Crime in Riverview was always related to medabots and with her partner Triceraton by her side there was nothing to fear. Her friends had laughed at her for not choosing a feminine bot but that did not matter. She admired the impaling horns protruding from the frill around his head and snickered at the thought of plunging them through an opponent.

"Excuse me."

The voice startled her. "Who's there?"

A woman materialized from the shadows. Flaming red hair fell over her shoulders and down her back. This river of fire was the perfect compliment to her hunter green eyes and cream complexion. The slit in her skirt revealed a good portion of her thigh and the one size too small top exposed a bit of midriff. "Feel like a robattle?"

The very word conjured a cornucopia of fantastic sensations. But something warned her not to trust this woman. Her appearance, her dress, even her voice was all too convenient. But something was over riding all those warning signs. She answered enthusiastically "Sure! My name's Sarah." She cursed herself almost immediately.

What a foolish little girl. The woman's eyes trembled with excitement as she touched a finger to the face of her medawatch. The medabot that appeared was just as beautiful as its owner. Her magenta armor was cut at gentle angles, forming smooth shapes and giving her entire body a slender, streamlined appearance. A fine gold trim accentuated her regal look and navy optics radiated a calming aura. Her fine green hair flowed freely in the wind. The medabot spoke for herself. "Hello, my name is Mitsuyuki."

The young girl's eyes filled with smoldering ambition. "Let's go!"

-

Zagan charged Brazos head on, his blade slicing through the air. The KCB surged forward, his outstretched arms reaching for the sword's hilt. As their collision neared Zagan jammed a foot into the sand, allowing momentum to carry him to the side. "Just like the first time." Rotating just enough to get a clear shot at Brazos' side he fired. It took several rapid bursts but the serpent finally wavered. The sword raised high over his head the black medabot rushed in to deliver the final strike.

Brazos lashed out, his powerful fist connecting with Zagan's side and sending him flying. Zagan cursed himself for not remembering the sudden counter. "Just like the first time." A stream of laser fire from above gave the GDN time to get to his feet. Hastiness had nearly cost him this battle all those years ago. It was a mistake he would not make twice. Waving a quick thanks to Shira he charged again.

The serpent opened his mouth, revealing a blaster where a tongue should have been. Zagan continued to advance. He knew what was coming and readied himself. A jade glow began to emanate from the serpent's mouth. He was charging the weapon to fire. All the while Zagan never wavered. He fired a few shots in an attempt to disrupt Brazos but the snake's head was small and made aiming difficult. His first two attacks flew wide of the target and the third was only a graze.

The charging completed Brazos reared back to fire. As he lurched forward the sand around him began to boil like a lake in the rain. Someone was shooting but they were apparently well concealed. Zagan brought his legs back underneath his body. He hovered for a moment, watching as Brazos was pelted with a hail of fire. Shielding himself against the barrage the King Cobra cast an eye on his opponent. "Another day" he hissed before vanishing underground.

The shots tapered off. Zagan motioned for Shira to come down and the SPX was soon at his side. Placing one hand on his shoulder she kept a laser at the ready. Zagan too was ready, an electronic whine resonating from his cannon.

A cheerful voice called out suddenly. "No need fer that now laddae!"

Zagan's head snapped towards the source of the sound. To his surprise a medabot emerged from an unusually small mound of sand. His armor was the color of the desert and stripped with dark tan and flat black. A shell on his back combined with large forearms made him look like a rather odd cross between a gorilla and a turtle. An enormous gun protruded from his right shoulder and what could only be perceived as a smile was on his face.

Zagan recognized him instantly. "How've you been Cicero?"

-

Dr. Aki carefully examined the artifact that lay before him. His eyes were no more than slits behind the dark glasses and the dim lighting in the 24-hopmart's back room did not help. Never before had he seen such a seamless blend of technologies. Every circuit and system seemed both ancient and highly advanced. A few more tense moments passed before the old man finally threw up his hands in frustration.

The same familiar smirk came to Devon's face. It was always satisfying to see a know-it-all come up against a problem they could not solve. Brushing past the doctor he stared down at Zagan's sleeping form. He knew what he wanted to do and just how to do it. "Hey Henry," he called.

The young teen poked his head through the door. "Yeah." It hurt to speak. Each breath forced him to massage the throbbing pain in his gut.

"I need a few spare parts and a cutting torch."

He hesitated a moment. "Uh, sure."

Devon mumbled thanks as he continued to plan.

Dr. Aki was just as hesitant, if not more so. With an unsure tone he asked. "What are you doing?"

A cocky smile was on the medafighter's face. Placing a hand on the old man's shoulder he assured. "Not to worry, I've got it covered.

-

Mitsuyuki moved with the fluidity of water. Her technique was flawless; each attack swift and untraceable. The Kunoichi type medabot was no more than a flush blur and never striking from the same angle twice made defense a trying affair.

"Triceraton watch your left!" the young medafighter warned. But again she was too late. Drawing a hilt from behind her back Mitsuyuki activated the weapon. Like a staff, a white hot laser emerged from either end. Triceraton's armor sizzled as the blades cut deep into his arm. All the while the flame haired medafighter giggled, delighted at the opponent's worried expression.

"Enough of this!" Sarah growled. Her temper was rising and she could not stand being on the defense any longer. "Attack now!" Triceraton lowered its body, exposing the deadly impaling horns. The weapons were transformed from steel to tangerine. "HEAT RAM!" Triceraton barreled forward, relying on luck to overcome his lack of speed.

But fortune was not on his side. As he drew so close that it seemed he might make contact Mitsuyuki displayed her aptitude for acrobatics. She bounded into the air, rolling over the charging medabot's back, and landed flawlessly. Then, drawing the double bladed sword, she hurled it like a javelin. Her aim was just as unblemished as her gymnastics. The weapon plunged through Triceraton's medal hatch and the rest of his body, effectively pinning him to the ground.

A single tear made its way down Sarah's cheek. One word escaped her lips. "No…"

Mitsuyuki's medafighter smiled sweetly. "Can't win 'em all."

The Kunoichi retrieved her weapon, not deigning to look as Triceraton's limp body slumped to the ground. And then the two were gone, as swiftly and stealthily as they had appeared.

From his perch Grayson laughed heartily. Now this was the way robattles should be fought, no referee to tell everyone to play nice. A field where the only thing awaiting the defeated was certain destruction.

Now this took a while. I'm sorry for the long wait but school has been hectic and everything seems to be happening at once. Hopefully the next chapter won't take nearly as long. Don't forget to keep writing those reviews.