DR: Okay this one is a little short, but it will lay to rest a lot of your questions and concerns...
Zeke: But it will raise other questions...
DR: Hush.
Chapter 37: The History of War
The Blitz Team staggered under the weight of such a claim. How could someone have created such a race of monsters?
As Bit's face began to darken and scowl, Christian shook his head. "No, not here, and not by me or the people in this city. Not even on Zi."
"Then where?" Sarah asked in a small voice.
Christian looked up the gentle path that led to the mansion, before glancing at his watch. "First, we eat. It's getting late and I doubt any of you have had a chance to sit down and eat something." Most of the Blitz suddenly realised just how hungry they were. None of them had dared while they had travelled here, too tense and worried to worry about such mundane stuff as food. Even Naomi had forgotten to eat, and her stomach rumbled emptily.
Christian led them up to the mansion, his home. It was large and airy, with the structure built from more of the pale stone and timber. The furniture was also wooden, and looked hand carved. Fittings and details were done using more semi-precious metals.
He led them to a large patio with a huge dinner table in the centre. Places were set, and bowls of vegetables had been placed in the centre. As the team moved forward to sit, two women came out from the house, one carrying a large carving tray piled high with roast meat, the other holding a pair of gravy jugs. The first one was the woman who had led them though the mists, but had changed her clothing to a long, dark red wine coloured sleeveless dress, with a thinner shirt made of the same material over the top. The other was the brunette woman from the ball, dressed comfortably in a loose pale shirt with a simple knee length black skirt. Her long hair hung down her back in one long waterfall. Once they had placed their loads on the table they sat either side of Christian, sitting at the head of the table.
"Allow me to introduce my ladies Susan…" He gestured to the brunette, who blushed slightly. "…And Samantha." The redhead bowed her head slightly.
As the team ate, Sarah counted the number of spaces on the table. "You often have large dinner parties?"
"Sometimes." Christian replied. "Our, team I suppose, is a half dozen strong. We often have some friends around, including two couples…"
"Sometimes we have some of the Council members too…" Susan put in, her voice a gently lift when compared to Christian's deeper tone.
"Yes, the Council." Christian grimaced. "The City Council is the government for these lands and the city. Nine members, including myself, representing all the major branches of the populace..."
The Blitz team listened to him go on about the council, but mainly concentrated on eating. None of them were going to pass up free food, particularly food this fine. It wasn't rich or extravagant, but simple fare filled with goodness and care. And there was lots of it, enough to feed even a ravenously hungry Blitz Team.
At last even Naomi was full. The team retired to a set of chairs in the main patio area, flanked by a sweeping garden on one side and a huge pond on the other. Samantha took the meat tray inside, and shortly afterwards brought it back out. Both huge cats were waiting, a pleading look in their eyes.
"All right, here you are…" She said as she gently laid the tray down on the ground. Both cats moved forward and began to chew at the remaining scraps of food, licking up the juices with the meat scraps. Susan meanwhile had snuggled up to Christian, who had put an arm round her.
Quickly the two huge cats polished the tray clean, and sat back, licking their lips. While the one began to wash itself there, the other came over and laid down at Christians feet to wash – to the consternation of the Blitz Team, since the cat must have been at least twelve feet long, not counting the tail.
"It's all right, she won't hurt anyone." Christian gently stroked the huge head, and the cat responded with a rumbling purr.
"I've never seen animals like that." Pierce commented her eyes wide as she took in the strongly built body. "What are they?"
"Their Ligers. Real flesh and blood Ligers. Any of you know anything about Earth's wildlife?" Of all the team, only Sarah nodded. Christian looked sad for a moment.
"Well, I'll explain another time then."
Sarah took the opportunity to ask her earlier question. "So, these 'Cybrids', where did they come from?"
Susan shuddered fractionally when Sarah said the word 'Cybrids'.
"The story of the Cybrids goes back a long way, to the days well before mankind first set foot on Zi. Humans were setting up colonies throughout the Earth's star system, and were still warring with each other." Christian sighed. "Mankind has always been fighting itself over the ages. Eventually scientists and engineers began to create machines equipped with artificial intelligence to fight the wars on behalf of the humans. Unlike any previous human war machine, these machines walked, instead of rolled along the ground. These new machines of war, called 'Herculean Fighting Machines' or 'HERCs' for short, were the first true 'Cybrids', built to wage war for mankind. But shortly after mankind had finally begun to settle down, the main control intelligence, known as 'Prometheus', turned on his creators. And with him, the legions of all the Earth's countries turned on their former masters.
"During those first few months of war, the Cybrids extracted a heavy toll on human life. Many cities that had stood for hundreds of years were razed. Millions died in the carnage." The Blitz Team shuddered at the thought of a worldwide massacre, a world stained red with human blood.
"At first, the human race survived by running and hiding. But sooner or later we had to fight back. But it was not until the discovery of pre-Cybrid HERCs that we could fight back on an almost even footing." Christian took a moment to have a drink.
"We narrowly managed to defeat the initial uprising, but Prometheus escaped, and set up a new base on the dark side of Earth's moon. There he rebuilt his legions, calling in all the Cybrids that had been off world at the time, guarding small outposts scattered throughout the star system. Within two years, he launched a new assault, intended to once and for all wipe out humanity for good." At this point Christian smiled.
"Prometheus had one flaw though. He could never think outside the box like a human can. We fought off his initial attack wave, but Prometheus was drowning us in Cybrids. In the end we came up with a desperate gamble. After capturing a set of Cybrid landing craft, we took the fight to Prometheus himself, on the moon. And we got him that time."
Christian sighed. "We didn't know at the time that he had a contingency plan. Several months later our observatories tracked a dozen huge star ships leaving our star system. So the Outreach Program was re-started and accelerated." He waved towards the huge fountain. "A number of colony ships of our own were sent out to the stars, each with a contingent of HERC pilots with the last of our top of the line hardware. Even if one of those ships returned packed with Cybrids, the human race would live on.
"Too bad fate decided to have the ship sent here, Voyager six, be followed by a Cybrid craft." He glanced up at the sky, as the light faded. "I think it's time you all turned in. You've had a long day and it's getting late."
Bit cracked a yawn, and the rest of the team felt drowsy. Susan appeared to be already asleep, and Naomi was nodding off.
"Sam will show you to our guest quarters on the fifth level, or you can sleep in your transport. Your choice."
Steve glanced at the others before answering. "I think we'll sleep in the Hover Cargo."
"Okay, that'll be fine. One thing: Tomorrow morning I'd like to have your transport lifted up to this level, and to inspect your zoids in the open air, if that's all right…" Steve saw no problem with either request, and so the Blitz Team bade them goodnight.
X-X-X-X-X-X
Next morning the team slowly awoke. Long travel with good food at the end had conspired to send them all to the land of nod for some time. But they were all up in time to witness some very fine handling of a Whale King, as it first manoeuvred into position directly overhead, then hovered while magnetic clamps were attached. The lift was so smooth and gentle the team hardly felt it.
When they were set down again on the upper level, a call came though the radio. It was Christian.
"Everyone okay in there?"
"We're all fine, thank you." Steve called back.
"Good. Now, why don't you bring your zoids out, say though the forward lower hatch? I reckon their feeling a little cooped up by now…" There was a playful tone in his voice.
After a few minutes to allow everyone to get to their zoids, they began to emerge. Stoller was first, the Elephander sending minor tremors though the ground as it walked. Once clear and away from the transport, it trumpeted proudly, at last back in the open air. It rolled its great, tusked head to loosen up both ears, before stepping forward to make room for the other zoids.
The next out was Leon's Blade Liger, its dark red head swinging back and forth. It rolled its shoulders, before standing tall and proud. The morning sunlight gleamed off all the golden blades and seemed to set the deep red panels aflame.
Pierce's Storm Sworder waddled out after a few seconds. The slivery grey flying zoid was not too comfortable about being forced to walk out of the transport, but once clear, it stretched its wings and cried out proudly. Each curved panel had a mirrored strip of sunlight on them, with a line of fire running down from the end of the crest to the tip of its long beak.
The Raynos of Jamie was next, the two-tone green zoid sliding out in a much more subdued manner than its flying companion. It slowly waddled next to the Storm Sworder. It did not engage in any great motion like the others, but stood there, calm and collected.
The Liger Zero roared as it emerged from within the transport, striding purposefully to be just ahead of the other zoids. The sunlight gleamed off its white armour panels brilliantly, and the gold teeth and claws seemed to glow. The golden-yellow eyes pulsed, and within the cockpit, Bit got a sense of complete peace emanating from the Liger…
The Shadow Fox, like its namesake, slid out in the Ligers shadow. It sidled up beside the Liger and growled, like some faithful pet. The gleaming gold sections of its armour almost obscured the jet-black body with their shine. Even stood still it seemed to be running.
Naomi was still able to pilot a zoid, and so she brought her flaming red Gunsniper out herself. After shaking itself, it quickly stepped up besides the Fox, and seemed to almost rest a fore claw on the Foxes shoulder. Like the Blade Liger, the crimson panels seemed almost aflame in the morning sun.
The Fury's roar heralded its exit from the transport. Its pristine shadow grey armour and clear power demanded respect, and by god the Fury intended to get it! It walked languidly to stand besides the Liger Zero, minor tremors resounding though the ground.
Bit and Vega both understood the Ligers growl. #Do you have to be so loud?#
#Just making sure everyone knows I'm here!# The Fury roared back.
#I think they knew already…#
Chuckling to himself, Bit quickly climbed down to join the other members of the team as they approached Christian and his female companions by the central fountain. Sarah and Steve joined the pilots.
"Most impressive." Christian commented, looking over each zoid with a keen eye. "You've clearly been taking good care of them all." Faintly behind them the Blitz heard the whine of one of those electric carts roll up and stop.
Suddenly the Liger roared out in joy, and the Fury was quick to follow.
#Master!# Vega at first thought the Fury was calling him, but the tone was full of joy.
Laughter carried across the air as the Blitz turned to see both great zoids had moved towards the cart, and the four people who had just stepped out of it. The Liger stopped just before one couple. The man was of medium height and compact build, his dark brown hair streaked with a few grey highlights thrown back in a series of spiky points. The other figure was a slim female; her pink clothing making a soft contrast to her companion's dark clothes, and a long tail of silvery blond hair fell down her almost to her ankles. As the Liger lowered its massive head, purring away like some over grown kitten, both people embraced its snout.
Besides them the Fury swung its great head low to almost touch the other male figure. The movement revealed the other person, with a head crowned in vibrant, bright blue hair.
Sarah gasped and her face paled. Leon too sucked in his breath, as the man reached out a hand to touch the Fury. The Blitz stared at him. Slim and athletic, his shoulder length hair was predominantly black, like a ravens, but had a few grey streaks in it too.
He threw back his head and yelled "SHADOW!" before clinging to the Fury. His out cry had been filled with relief and passion. His female companion was dressed in a selection of blue hues.
Slowly the Blitz team turned to Christian, a smile of satisfaction on his face.
"I guess I'd better introduce these four now, just in case you can't guess who they are." He said in reply to their looks. "The pair with the Liger Zero are Van Flyheight and his wife Fiona, while those two with the Fury are Raven and his wife, Resse."
Shadow: Raven's back!
DR: Yep, and so is Van. Enjoy!