DR: Since several of you have asked, Leena's new zoid will appear at the end of chapter 49, with more detailed information in the beginning of chapter 50. I know, I was surprised myself at how long it took...
Shadow: Yea right.
DR: (glares at Shadow) In compensation, the 'final battle' is even longer than I first thought...
O'Neill: How?
DR: (Grins) It starts at the end of chapter 52, and finishes mid chapter 59!
O'Neill: (Stunned look) oh.
DR: Now then, shall we continue?
Chapter 44: Of Gods, Zoids & Men
Christian removed his coat before entering the chamber. One did not go to see her in anything less than a neat and respectful condition.
The chamber he entered was near the heart of the mountain on which the city had been built. Accessible only via the top level, it was the most holy place in the city. A spar of rock jutted out into a vast underground cavern. Small lights had been placed along the rim of the spar, but apart from that there was no light. Slowly he walked to the end of the spar before dropping to one knee. He was prepared to wait as long as was needed.
Almost as soon as his knee touched the rock, mists began to rise up from the lower reaches of the cavern. They swirled around him before forming a vague shape just beyond the spar.
"Arise Christian. You do not need to bow to me." The gentle feminine voice filled the cavern.
"Never the less, I do, my lady. You deserve it." Christian said as he stood up. The other laughed gently.
"You pay me too much respect. Now, tell me why you have come."
"My lady, I have grave tidings. The Evil that I came to defend against when I first arrived has arisen, and is in league with Hiltz." Christian could see the mists begin to twirl faster. "They have already struck out, and I am convinced that they plan to attack our city soon."
"I was afraid of this. I thought Hiltz was dead, but if Ambient survived…"
"I know. But what I truly fear is that somehow the Death Saurer may too have survived."
The mists spun faster, coiling together into a smaller form just before him. Faster and faster they spun, before dying down. Revealed was a female figure, her features plain, her form completely covered in a single pale blue colour. "How?" Shock and fear were rampant in her voice.
"Parts of Hiltz's body were covered with zoid core scales. In other areas his skin had been split to expose more." Christian looked into those featureless eyes. "I believe the Death Saurer is using him like it used Prozen last time."
The figure trembled. "You have a plan?"
"I intend for this city to become what we always planed for, a bastion against the darkness. But to do that, I will need your help."
"How so?"
"I have two zoids, both on the verge of death. Neither will last long. They both once belonged to the same pilot. I wish to combine them both."
The figure turned away, clearly troubled. "You're sure about this?"
Christian sighed. "No, but I can see no other option. But in my heart I believe it is the right course."
She turned back to face him. "Let me see…" She held out her hands. Without reply, Christian held out his as she stepped forward. They both gripped each other's forearms, while mists swirled round them both. Christian closed his eyes as they both fell into the trance. He could feel her gently probing his mind, gathering everything he knew about the case at hand.
…Yes, it can be done. It has too. But what form would such a zoid take? Neither zoid is strong enough, nor are the cores complete enough, to exert a dominate self image…
'That is where you come in. You're the only one who can impose a new form.'
…I ran out of ideas centuries ago. Do you have any ideas?
Christian raked his mind, trying to think of a form that would fit the two zoids starting point. Then unbidden an image slid in, of a gentle creature from Earth's distant past. He knew instinctively that it was the right one.
'How about this?'
…Perfect. It combines the traits of both… Slowly they parted. Christian opened his eyes to look into her featureless ones.
"I will help you in this task, but you must find others to help as well. I have to conserve my energy."
"What for, if I may be so bold?"
"When they arrive, call me. I will stand alongside you."
"Eve, it's too dangerous. If what I think is true…"
"It is something I should have done a long time ago. I am tired of hiding from him!"
Christian bowed his head. "As you wish. After all, you are a goddess, so to speak."
X-X-X-X-X-X
Leena was struggling to understand what Bit was telling her. "He wants to MERGE my Gunsniper with a DIBISON?"
"Not just any Dibison Leena, your old Dibison. The one you used to pilot when I first joined the team."
Leena sat back, shocked. The very idea that one could merge so radically different zoids… it took some getting used to. But then again, in the last couple of days she had met her ancestors, heroes from almost a hundred and sixty years ago, and inherited something made on Earth!
"Can he do it?"
"I don't know, maybe."
Besides them both, Iycan continued to mentally talk to Mnementh. …How did she switch from a Dibison to a Gunsniper? Those two types are so radically different in style…
…She didn't change her style. She went to a specialist Zoid dealer. Sunk a lot of money into custom parts. Poor thing got lumbered with a top end 'Wild Weasel' unit, fully loaded…
…Ouch. That must have hurt…
…Indeed. The zoid loves Leena, but is still deeply embarrassed at being used in such a fashion…
Leena gazed out of the window for a long while. "Bit, I want to see them, before…"
Bit nodded. "I understand. Think you can walk there?"
"With you besides me?" She grinned. "Easily."
X-X-X-X-X-X
The pair of them slowly walked out of the hedge gate that led to the health centre. Leena's leg was still stiff, but the Doctors had told her that it would ease up quickly if she stayed active. Right now gentle walking was the best thing she could do to help herself heal.
Leena looked about her again. "I never realised how big this place was."
Bit chuckled. "Wait till you see the rest of the city lower down…" He trailed off.
"What?" Leena asked. When she noticed his eyes tracking something behind her, she turned to look. Van and Fiona were gently walking along a path that led somewhere off up the mountain. Each of them carried a wreath.
"Wonder where they're going…" Bit murmured.
"Let's find out…" Leena stated, turning to follow them.
"You sure?"
"Bit, I'm not going to break."
Shrugging Bit joined her as they followed the older couple. Fortunately Van and Fiona took their time, which allowed Leena to keep up. The path wound up the hillside gently, before coming to a solid stonewall with a gap allowing entrance. Both older people walked inside while Bit and Leena remained outside.
"Bit, this isn't stone. It's dead zoid plating."
Bit looked closely at the wall they were leaning against. Sure enough it was a dead zoid part. Bit took a good look at both sections of wall. Each wall looked like one of the segments of a Gustavs back…
"Well old friends, it's that time again." Van's voice drifted out from inside. Bit and Leena looked in to see him and Fiona standing over a pair of graves, side by side. Each grave was raised up from the surrounding ground, and on each side stood stone carved statues of zoids, clearly scaled down. On the one side was a Command Wolf, flanked by a Lightning Saix. The other side had a strange pairing, a Gustav next to a massively scaled down Ultrasaurus.
"Things are coming to a head again." Van continued. Fiona brushed a tear from her eye. "We could have really used your skills Irvine, or one of your sassy jokes about now Moonbay."
Bit slowly shrank back, stunned at the names spoken. Even Leena knew those two, the Companions of Van and Fiona. Those four together had been the core of the Guardian Force during those early years. While their names weren't held in quite as high regard as Van and Fiona, people still knew about them. Many gravesites claimed to have them buried within their walls, but not one had been able to prove it.
"I think we'd better leave them to grieve."
"Yea…"
X-X-X-X-X-X
When they got to the hanger, they saw a hive of activity. The Blitz team's zoids were still within the hanger, but the remaining spaces were filled with a mixture of Blade Ligers, Dibisons and Gojulas's, while a number stood off to one side, awaiting their turn. All were in the black and gold trim of the City Guard.
Bit gently led Leena off to the left, towards were the reserved hanger section was. Before they reached it though they turned right, and entered the region know as 'Zoid Intensive Care Region'.
Leena almost choked when she saw the state of both zoids. Death was creeping up on them both. Clearly it was only a matter of time before they died. Christian stood before them, hard at work at a console. Off to one side was the massive zoid Mnementh, dwarfing everything else.
Christian turned to face them both. "Ah Leena. Good to see you're up and about again." He greeted them both.
"Thanks to Bit." Leena snuggled into Bit's arm, sending a flush up Bits face and a twinkle into Christian's eyes.
"Good to hear. Has Bit told you?"
"Yes."
"Good. I want you to understand now that we will not proceed without your consent. They are your zoids, if you don't wish us to do this, then we won't."
Leena stood there for a long time, staring at the two zoids in their tanks. She could almost feel their pain. She nodded slowly.
"Do it. I only wish…"
"That you could help? I think you can." Leena frowned at him. "Do you remember how the Fury was saved?"
"Yes, Vega had to…" Leena's shot open. "You're the one who had those headsets sent to us!" Christian just smiled.
"Yes, that was me, since I'm constricted as to how far I roam with Mnementh. He's the one who would have done the link. For it to work here though, he has to be a part of the process."
"How so?" Bit asked.
"Merging the minds of such radically different zoids is going to be difficult. Both care deeply for you, but they both have mental scars." Leena shivered as she recalled her own recent plunge into her own darkness. "The Dibison is angry with you for selling it, while the Gunsniper is ashamed."
"Of me?"
"Of itself. It thinks it failed you, not only when you were attacked, but as a zoid in general."
"No, that's not true…"
"Never the less, that's what it believes. If this is to work, you'll need to reconcile both zoids feelings." Leena shivered at the thought of taking on such a task.
"You will have help though. Mnementh will protect your mind, and try to apply cold logic to the case. Also another has offered to help."
"Who?" Leena asked, but then the sound of a rolling trolley came from behind. Turning, she saw the organoid she had been visiting wheeled in. "What? I don't understand."
"Iycan is dying, but somehow she's found something in you that she likes." Christian's eyes showed that he was as surprised as they were. "Maybe it's your no nonsense personality. She's always been a loner before." He shrugged. "I think we're ready. Shall we begin?"
Leena slowly nodded as she was led deeper within. At the back of the chamber there were three massive zoid pools, far larger than the one they saw in the Whale King. Both wounded zoids were slowly raised out of their tanks before being gently lowered into the central pool along with the still form of Iycan. Mnementh laid himself down on the floor, his nose almost touching the pools side. Stretched out like this his massive length was clear.
"We're all set here." Susan called from where she had been working at the poolside.
"Okay. Leena, Mnementh wants you in his cockpit."
"Can I stay with her?" Christian regarded Bit for a second, before turning to his zoid.
"What do you think? Would his presence hinder or help?"
…Bit Clouds presence would help. He can be used as an anchor for Leena…
Christian turned back to Bit. "Okay. Don't try and wake her, just be there." Bit nodded solemnly.
The massive zoids canopy opened. The cockpit revealed was larger than most bedrooms, with a forward seat, a pair behind that each surrounded by consoles and three long seats forming three sides of square at the rear. Christian motioned them to the back row of the square, the total seating arrangement enough for eleven people.
"Remember Leena, you have to reconcile the zoids, while maintaining a firm grip on yourself. Mnementh and Iycan will do what they can, but you're the central focus. Ready?" She nodded nervously.
Christian backed out. The huge canopy closed, sealing them both in. The lights dimmed as Mnementh began to reach out with his mind.
"What ever happens Bit, don't let go of me." Leena gripped his hand tightly.
"I won't."
Smiling once more, Leena closed her eyes. She heard the voice of the zoid again in her head.
…Leena, are you ready? Remember, you don't have to do this…
'I have to. Let's do it.'
…All right, hang on…
With a sudden rush, Leena's mind left her body…
X-X-X-X-X-X
Leena found herself walking though dense mists. She could see nothing ahead but thick tendrils of mist drifting back and forth. It was dark, damp and cold too. Dressed in her favourite yellow top and sky blue skirt, she shivered slightly.
…Cold? … The voice of Mnementh reached her ears, and she turned her left. There was the silhouette of the massive zoid, walking towards her. But something was different…
When at last he emerged from the mists, Leena gaped in shook. "Your, your…"
…Much smaller here than you were expecting? The now pony sized zoid chuckled. …I find it easier to relate to those I help in this form…
#Here, everyone is the same size# Leena turned to her right, to see Iycan standing before her. She too was smaller than before.
…Now, shall we do what we came here to do?
Leena nodded, and together with her zoid companions began to trek though the mists…
X-X-X-X-X-X
Outside, in the real world, Christian stood watching the poolside displays. Nodding to himself, he turned to face Susan. "It's up to them now, we've done all we can." He said to her, tiredness in his voice. She looked up at him, worry in her eyes.
"You sure this is going to work?"
"It has to. Those three will not survive otherwise..."
They both looked at the small porthole into the pool. Already a soft glow came from within, slowly brightening. At the heart of the pool, the body of the organoid Iycan glowed, slowly extending tendrils of light to both damaged zoids. As the light reached the zoids, they began to glow, dimly at first, but growing brighter…
Christian sighed. "This is going to take a while, even if Leena can reconcile the zoids…"
"You said it yourself. We've done all we can."
"I know, but still…"
Susan gently pulled him away. "You're not going to do anything just standing there. Come on, you need to relax for a while. There are enough things for you to worry about right now as it is, no need to wind yourself up trying to affect something you can't touch."
Christian smiled. "As always you're right. So what did you have in mind?"
She smiled sweetly back. "Oh a number of things…"
"Such as?"
Susan paused for a second. What she really wanted to say could not be said there. "How about we spar for a while? That always cleared your mind…"
Christian smiled another one of his small smiles. "Lead on, Mrs Masters."
DR: Well, it has begun...
O'Neill: Okay, get your bets down people!
Shadow: My money's not going down.
DR: (Sighs) Anyway, next chapter has a lot of romantic fluff, a bit of heartache, and passions start to rise...