Fly Away
Note: I'll be away for around three weeks, so I felt like I had to post this before I left. Enjoy! Oh, and thanks for the reviews...and sorry I couldn't include any Talho in this chapter. Chapter 3 will have Talho, I promise!
Another Note: All constructive criticism, flames, and "zomg i cant believe u didnt include this"s appreciated. Feedback is always good, because I like to know what I'm doing wrong with my writing. So thanks!
Start Chapter 2.
"Eureka, (A/N: Yoo-ree-kuh…) it's finished!" said Stoner triumphantly, holding up a sheet of paper. It was entitled "Funny Pages Volume 4."
He folded his arms behind his back and yawned, knocking over a cup of coffee on accident. "Oh snap!" He hurriedly picked up the cup and rushed to save his documents from the black liquid. It scorched his hands. "Ah, hot, hot, hot, hot, HOT!" he howled.
A pair of footsteps quickly ran into his studio. It was Moondoggie, the newest member of Gekko State before Renton. Only 16 years old, he had blonde hair and a relatively fair complexion. He wore baggy white pants, something the other members often ridiculed him for. "Stoner, are you okay?"
It took the publisher of rayout a few minutes to recover his documents. He turned around calmly and sighed. "Whew. I didn't lose the new article." He held up the sheet of paper, covered with spidery black ink. Grinning, Stoner gave it to Moondoggie. "Read it?"
"Er—okay, Stoner…" As he deciphered the handwriting, his worried look transformed into one of good humor. Before long, he was rolling on the floor laughing. "Ahahahah…hoohoohoo…heehee…"
"How is it, Doggie?"
Moondoggie popped to his feet and returned the paper. "Hi-la-rious! …Just don't show it to the leader when he comes back, eh? He's been fuming since this morning—seems like something happened between him and Talho. Just between you and me, I think he's worried about Renton getting too attached to Eureka. After all, she has been the leader's favorite since Gekko State was formed."
"If you ask me," said Stoner, "I think Holland's just going through the regular new-member phase. Since you're new here, you probably don't know this, Doggie. Whenever someone joins Gekko State, Holland always acts a bit strangely. Don't know why though, but we've gotten used to it."
"Odd behavior…" commented Moondoggie. He recollected a few memories about his first day on board the Gekko-Go, when he first met Gidget. The two had gotten along until Holland had caught the couple kissing in the catapult control room. He still had the scars on his back—marks closely resembling the ones hidden beneath Stoner's shirt.
"Yeah…but that's the leader for ya. Seems like he hasn't really grown up, even after leaving the U.F. with Talho and Eureka to combat the military. Despite his occasional childishness, Holland's still a capable leader of Gekko State."
"And one of the best reffers around, isn't that right, Stoner?" intruded Hap, who stood at the door. Hap was the second in command of the Gekko-Go and Holland's childhood friend. "A legend."
Stoner and Moondoggie nodded solemnly. "A legend."
"Anyways," said Hap. "Doggie, I need you on deck. Something happened with the mission—a whole lot of something. The Nirvash is battered and has its cockpit window shattered, Eureka is gone, and Holland has gone out by himself to rescue her."
"What! How are Renton and Matthieu?"
"They're boarding the Gekko-Go right now. Seems like the 606 can't carry the Nirvash much longer. That's why I need you to open the hatch to let 'em in. Got it, Doggie?"
The teenager saluted smartly. "Aye aye!"
-
Matthieu wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and jumped out of the dual cockpit of the TR-606. The orange LFO Terminus typeR606, bashed and dented from the fight, stared down at him. Matthieu, the lackadaisical dark-skinned pilot of the 606, swept his hand caringly over the 606's sleek leg.
He sighted Jobs analyzing the damage taken to the Nirvash typeZERO and waltzed over. "Hey Jobs, what's the condition of the Nirvash?"
"The entire frame has taken enough hits to take down any ordinary LFO. However, it seems as if the vital sectors and hardware weren't damaged. It will take at least two weeks to repair the armor and even then, the Nirvash won't be as sturdy as before. That's if we don't upgrade the shell. Seeing how thin Gekko State's funds are at the moment, it's unlikely."
"How 'bout the cockpit?"
Jobs gestured at a cylindrical piece of gleaming metal resting on the floor. Its size could be compared to an umbrella and it was pointed at one end. The code "SH-102" was painted on the side in yellow. "That's the bullet that pierced the wind shield of the Nirvash," Jobs explained. "It's not the standard size and is a lot lighter. The tip is compact with dormant hydrogen ions capable of creating extremely concentrated impact with its target."
"So…what about it?" asked Matthieu with a shrug.
"It's lightweight, so that means that it was meant to travel extensive distances. The hydrogen ions means that it was meant to fire at specific points on a target with strong force. So…"
"Aha! It's a sniper bullet."
Jobs gave an approving nod, pushing his glasses up. "Precisely. I'll need you to tell me what happened at the installation with this unknown LFO, Matthieu. What do you recall of it?"
"Well…" Matthieu fingered his chin pensively and closed his eyes in deep concentration. After a few moments of mental struggling, he looked back at Jobs with a blank expression. "It was white, fast, and didn't use a ref board. Nothing else I can think of."
"Very well. I'll go ask Renton for more details. I'm sure he could see more from the Nirvash than you could. Do you know where he is?"
Matthieu shook his head. "Nope, haven't laid eyes on him since we got back on the Gekko-Go. I'm betting that he went to the storage room or he's in the kitchen. I'll go check."
"Thank you."
-
Renton walked out of the storage room into the living room with a bag of potato chips. Nearly the entire crew was in the living room, enjoying themselves. Moondoggie and Gidget were listening to music with shared earphones, the kids were playing some card game, and the others were crowded around a television, playing video games.
He trudged across the room, his mind still processing the events that had just happened. The mission was going as planned, when we were ambushed by several KLFs, even though I warned Holland about it…Holland! If only he had listened…if only Eureka had listened!
"Yo, Renton," called Stoner. "You wanna check out the new GameStation? We have Ref-180, Ref-180 MAX, and Advance Combat: Terminus. All multiplayer!"
Renton glanced at the screen and turned back, choosing to ignore him. These guys! Eureka's in danger and they're—they're, what?—playing video games! Is this how Gekko State treats its members?
"Oy! Renton!"
They don't care about Eureka…and Holland's out there alone. She's in danger! What should I do? I need to protect her! These guys won't do anything…they're playing video games!
"Renton!"
He turned around again—it was Matthieu. "Huh?"
"Jobs wants you on deck. He wants you to tie up some loose ends 'bout the white LFO."
A chance to help! Renton nodded, pivoted, and burst straight for the dock. His feet carried him around the many corners of the Gekko-Go's interior and sent him rocketing down the open halls. He arrived in half a minute, an extraordinary record. He approached Jobs and, between fatigued panting, said: "I'm here."
Jobs revealed a composed smile. "That was quick, Renton."
"What can…" He took a huge breath and exhaled. "…can I help with?"
"The white LFO. Matthieu wasn't too keen on the details because of the angle he was at. All he could tell me was that it was white, fast, and board-less. Is there anything else you can recall?"
"When we first saw it, it was quite far away—at least three aerial miles away. After that, it seemed to almost teleport to where Eureka was falling. Really, really fast. It was probably faster than I've ever seen the Nirvash or the Terminuses go. From what I could see, there weren't any weapons aside from whatever it shot us with; I couldn't see any secondary weapons slot or turret hatches."
"Anything else?" inquired Jobs.
"Yeah, its shape was pretty odd as well. It wasn't humanoid like all other LFOs, the ones based on the structure of the typeZERO."
Jobs looked curious. "Go on."
"The LFO was somewhat shaped like a spider, just without the eight legs—it had a pincer-like thing it used to grab Eureka. It was also segmented, with the top half a little ahead of the bottom. I could see this when it reached out to capture Eureka from the sky. As it turned to run away from the 909 and 606, the top half rotated 180 degrees back before the bottom could even move."
"A two-part LFO…interesting…" remarked Jobs, recording the information in a notebook.
"And about the way it flew…it was like reffing, only without the board. I could see Trapar particles flying behind it, so I guess the LFO was riding the waves as well. However, the absence of a board would mean that it wouldn't be able to get a strong hold of the Trapar, right?"
"No, that's not necessarily true, Renton. Back when humans still lived on Earth, there was a popular sport called surfing. People would get boards and ride on waves of water along a giant pool of water known as the "ocean," very similar to the concept of reffing. Later, they figured out that the same thing could be done in the air using strong gusts of wind. Instead of riding boards, they used large wings to catch the drifts, creating an activity eventually known as hang gliding."
"Ah…but wouldn't the wings have to be large enough to support the frame of its object? In the case of a large-scale LFO, they would have to be enormous. In addition, the velocity of the Trapar could easily the wings off, so they would have to be attached very sturdily."
"Unfortunately, I can't draw any conclusions about that. Not bad though, Renton. You're pretty smart."
His cheeks went a light pink. "Only about LFOs…Grampa taught me well."
"Okay, you've told me all I need to know. Thanks for the help."
"No problem." As Jobs headed in the opposite direction, Renton asked, "What are you gonna do about Eureka? Isn't she in danger?"
Just then, Matthieu appeared in the LFO garage. "There's no need. Holland's out there and he's going to get Eureka back."
"Holland? But it's—"
"It's Holland, our leader," said Matthieu, "And we have faith in him. Holland's never let Gekko State down, let alone Eureka. He'll come back alright, no matter what it takes."
"Wait! Isn't it dangerous? I mean…for Eureka…"
"Just wait a while and you'll be able to see Eureka again, eh?" Matthieu winked and walked to his 606. Renton perceived a trace of sadness in his eyes as he leaned against the machine.
"It's true, Renton. Holland Novak is one of the best reffers and fighters in the world—ever. You can trust our leader to get his tasks done. Every mission that Gekko State has taken always has to be approved to be safe for all of us by him. Holland Novak never abandons his partners or friends," explained Jobs.
Renton hung his head low, debating whether or not to argue. It was true that Holland seemed like the trustworthy type and he was the leader of Gekko State. But he disregarded my warning earlier! Who knows if maybe he's just having a bad day and something bad will happen?
"Jobs!" beckoned Matthieu.
"Yes?"
"How long will it be before I can ride in the 606? It looks pretty battered up."
"It's fine. You didn't take too many shots—just a few missile collisions to the left shoulder. Otherwise, it's in useable form, although you probably shouldn't ride in it until I can repair the armor, which will take around half a week."
"—But it's still useable, right?" intruded Renton.
"Yes."
"How about the 808?"
"It's operational, although deploying it right now is not a wise choice. Until Holland comes back, the 808 is our only battle-functional LFO—if we get attacked, we'll need it. Matthieu's LFO isn't fit for direct combat right now—a few direct hits and it will be reduced to scraps."
"At least it'll be okay soon. What a relief," said Matthieu. "I'm going back to the living room. You should come too, Renton. Worrying over Eureka right now isn't good for you. Just relax—you'll be reunited with your loved one in no time…but I have to get back to my Honey."
"Hey!" he shouted heatedly. "I don't—"
Matthieu grinned. "Whatever." He exited.
"Well, Renton…I need to go back to my room to organize the data. Thanks again for the help," said Jobs as soon as Matthieu had left. He exited through the same door.
Renton looked through the corner of his eye, making sure that Jobs had left. He waited five minutes and then…
-
Behind the steel door, two men whispered to one another. One wore a suit and vest; the other was in a tank top and athletic shorts.
"You think he'll do it?"
"I expect that he will."
"Should we stop him?"
"No, Matthieu. This is not our concern, it's Renton's."
"But he's gonna take my LFO!"
"No worries. Renton already knows about its condition. He won't do anything reckless with it."
An audible sigh. "Oh well. Looks like Holland's gonna have to look after two kids now. I hope they all make it back…hey, there he goes. Nice handling!"
Jobs chuckled. "Holland's going to have quit a bit of fun."
-
"Damn…this isn't fun!" cursed the leader of Gekko State, wiping blood from his cheek. He whipped the 909 violently to the right, narrowly avoiding another shot from his opponent. "What the hell…he's still shooting me from behind."
Cruising the sky next to Holland was the white LFO. It was segmented into two halves. Trapar sparks flew out from the top half; the shots were being fired from the rotating bottom half. "Aha! The top part flies and the bottom shoots." He fired his shoulder-mounted laser at the top half to no avail—the white LFO dodged it easily and zipped off again.
The 909 was beginning to get shaky. Its balance on the ref board was strained.
"I'm gonna lose this one, huh…" Another shot came from behind, this time knocking off his laser cannon. Holland cringed as his cockpit was rattled again. "How's that thing so fast? These sniping shots are damn annoying."
Another close shot, this time skimming the 909's right leg.
"Calm down…clear your mind…assess the situation…" he recited. "Calm down…clear your mind…assess the situation…assess it…"
BOOM! A direct hit. Holland's entire body lurched forward—his head smashed against the video screen, spilling crimson all over it. "…I can't give up…Eureka…wait, I'll—I'll save you!"
As he groped the controls to sit back up, the screen lit up. He looked down at the transmissions log. Spelled out in small red font was "Incoming video transmission: Terminus typeR606." Behind the mess on the monitor, he made out Renton's visage.
"Renton!"
"I'm here to help you save Eureka."
Determined kid…he's definitely the son of Adrock. "Has the enemy spotted you yet?"
"No, I'm stabilizing outside of visual range. How's Eureka?"
"She's inside the LFO. Listen, Renton, I need your help. The 909's in terrible condition—hell, I don't even think I can ref in this for much longer. I'm gonna rush it and board the craft myself."
Renton nodded. "You want me to distract it."
"Heh…you catch on quick. I want you to fire into the air 23 degrees from where you're standing. Then, start snaking around—just make sure that the LFO doesn't hit you. Those sniper bullets do a ton of damage. Understood?"
"Yeah."
"Alright. Don't screw up, Renton."
The 909 drew its pair of boomerang knives, the staple weapon of Terminus LFOs. Specialized for close-range devastation of other LFOs, Holland was no stranger to them. The 909 crouched down, thus increasing its speed. Holland looked to the left—large explosions.
From the clouds burst the 606. It caught the Trapar at the deepest elevations, allowing for maximum speed. Holland watched as the white LFO shifted its focus from the 909 to the approaching 606. A shot was fired, but the 606 maneuvered away from it.
"He's better with a Terminus than Matthieu is," Holland said with a smirk.
The video screen established again. "Holland! You can go now."
"Here goes nothing!" Holland piloted the 909 on a straight course to the white LFO. As the 909 reached its target, it drew the two knives to its head, pointed forward. "Now for the finishing touch…" Holland pulled a lever on the right side of his cockpit—the 909's set of list-off boosters list, rocketing it unswervingly to the white LFO.
The knives struck the outer shell and penetrated through the entire LFO. A massive eruption followed, in which shards of metal and plumes of flame burst everywhere. Amidst the commotion, Holland quickly made his way to the back of the 909 and opened a locked cabinet. From it, he drew out a submachine gun.
Holland turned off the safety of the firearm and jumped out of the 909 into the interior of the white LFO. Gun readied, he made his way up from the bottom half. "Eureka…"
"Hello, Holland," echoed a very baritone male voice. Holland scanned the shaft he was in and saw nothing; he looked up and found the silhouette of a man. Instinctively, he fired his submachine gun upward, only to see the head pop away.
A different voice, much higher, spoke next. "It looks like we have a guest, Chester. And a rather violent one at that. O, what men dare do!"
"There's two of you?" said Holland roughly. "I don't want to kill you both—but I will if I need to if you don't hand her back immediately."
The higher voice responded: "And honor from th' access of gentle visitors. We appreciate that the infamous Holland Novak has stormed our own little LFO."
"Is Eureka up there?"
"She is." It was the baritone voice.
"But you won't get her, you villain!" The tch-tch of a cocked weapon sounded. "One move from you and you're mincemeat!"
Holland sighed. "Very well. I'm throwing my weapon over and coming up to your cockpit. You won't shoot an unarmed man, will you?" He tossed the submachine gun over the top of the shaft, climbed up by way of a steel ladder, put up his hands, and said, "I surrender. You got me. Now let me see Eureka."
"No," said both pilots of the white LFO.
Bullets were fired. Bam. Bam.
End Chapter 2