DR: And now the big event... Leena's new zoid, the Iguanosaur, shows just what it can do!

Zeke: Oh goodie!

Shadow: Hey, where'd my popcorn go?

DR: Oh, I've played psychologist here, my way of accounting for Leena's personality. This is my rough theory about her, and I have no psychology training at all.

Chapter 51: Resolution

Van, Fiona and Zeke went next, followed by Raven, Resse and Shadow. To those members of the Blitz team who watched in the control room, it was immediately clear to them not only why those two were considered the best zoid warriors ever, but also that their skills had not faded with time. Both zoids tore through the course, each in their own style. Van was a constantly shifting white blur, darting back and forth across the valley. Raven however was a juggernaut, ploughing through everything in his path. Turrets would pop up to engage them – and be either blasted apart or physically smashed before they had time to fire. Both zoids shifted in subtle ways, always just enough to evade hostile fire. It was the greatest display of zoid piloting that any of them had witnessed.

Bit felt humbled as he watched how the cloned Liger Zero and Van Flyheight worked as one. While he knew he was good, Van was so much better; it was almost unbelievable!

Meanwhile Vega was awed at the level of control and power that Raven threw into the course. He had glimpsed this kind of power before in the Fury, but never had he believed he would get such a demonstration! It was no wonder why Raven had been, and was still considered, the most feared pilot ever.

Van and Zeke tore into the final area without scooping it out first, and laid waste to the defenders. Van raced around, running rings round the slow tanks and flattening all the small vehicles, while blasting each turret apart one by one. At last only the gate stood before him, which was as quickly dispatched by a Strike Laser Claw as everything else. The three of them scored 14897.

Raven however stopped at the mouth of the valley. Vega realised what he was going to do first, but everyone knew the second Shadow straightened his body. Very quickly a burning stream of charged particles swept across the defences, wiping out everything – vehicles, turrets and gate – in one go, leaving only scorched rock and the walls remaining. The zoid seemed to swagger as it cruised over the line. Ravens score was 14912.

Lastly it was Leena's turn, and everyone was nervous about this. How would she cope, with a new, unfamiliar zoid after a serious injury like hers had been? Each of them expected different results of her. Stroller figured that she'd never beat his score, since her zoid was both larger and heavier than his, and therefore would be slower. Naomi worried that she would not take into account the larger zoid she now piloted, and would try to do things and go places that a Gunsniper could, but that beast couldn't. Brad expected her to use all her ammo on the first half of the course, if not sooner.

Sarah, Pierce and Jamie all were expecting her to score rock bottom of the teams' scores, simply because she was in an unfamiliar zoid, piloting it for the first time in a combat type situation. Vega knew the power of an Ultimate X, so figured the zoid would be able to help her out. Leon prayed that Leena would not annoy her zoid. Steve… drooled at the thought of watching that wondrous zoid in action.

And Bit… smiled to himself. He noticed that Christian too was smiling, another of his half smiles that practically screamed 'I know something you don't'.

"Okay Leena, your turn now. Ready… Go!"

With a bellow the zoid charged forward. The fore legs took only two steps though before the zoid reared up onto its hind legs and belted into the course. The body was held flat, the fore limbs tucked in close. The tail and neck were almost flat, and the pounding feet tore up the ground.

"Would you look at that! That is so cool!" Steve bellowed in pride, his eyes round as saucers. Strollers jaw hung a little lower, his earlier confidence crumbling.

Inside the Iguanosaur's cockpit, Leena looked about in wonder. "You didn't tell me you could do that!"

#How did you think I could reach my top speed?# The zoids growl was distinctly amused.

Leena opened her mouth to speak, but movement ahead cut her off. Grinning evilly she primed her main guns, the twin Anti-Zoid 60mm Hyper-Velocity Vulcans. As soon as the aiming reticule was close to the centre of her HUD, she pulled the trigger.

The roar of both guns opening up drowned out the sounds of the running zoid as twin lines of tracer shot forth blindingly quickly to land on the turret. It was instantly shredded – along with a large part of the rock it was based on.

#You fired for far too long# The zoid scolded her once Leena let go of the triggers. #You only needed a short sharp burst to knock that target out#

"Don't tell me how to fight!"

#Leena, remember what I told you before?# Another turret popped up, this time to the left. Cursing, Leena began to swing her main guns round – only for the target to be destroyed before she even got them aligned. A half dozen bright blue laser bolts had spat out from the left laser turret within a second, slicing the target apart.

'What the? How…' Leena looked down at the main displays. The pulse lasers had been used independently of her manual targeting. "Great! Now my own zoid is stealing my kills!"

#Leena, remain focused! You can't expect to use the same weapon all the time! Once a target is gone, go back to default and wait. You have to multi-task, and realise which weapon to use in each circumstance within a split second# As if to punctuate the zoids point, it fired two salvos of missile at a pair of distant targets while the right laser turret blasted a third. All three turrets were ruined.

"I… You can talk! My mind doesn't work as fast as yours does!"

#It's not a matter of thinking about it. Once you starting doing it by reaction and instinct, your mind will play no part in the process. Then you can direct your thoughts to forming a battle plan and executing such#

"Okay… How about 'Blast everything in our path'?" Leena snarled sarcastically.

#That will do… for now#

X-X-X-X-X-X

Up in the control room, everyone watched in awe as the huge zoid powered through the course, snapping off shots left and right with almost unerring accuracy. Turrets melted under the laser bolts, or were shredded by missiles. And when the main guns fired… chucks of the landscape disappeared along with the turret.

Most of the team were slack jawed in awe. This could not be happening! The Leena they all knew was never this good! At this rate, she'd be giving Bit a run for his money! Steve too was gaping, but mainly because he watching the zoid itself, rather than the effects on the surrounding landscape. The way it ran, balanced perfectly on its hind legs, the thigh plate dropping down to overlap the calf armour when the leg was folded, its weapons perfectly tracking their targets. The tail was being used both as a stabiliser and a rudder, helping to turn the large zoid around the tighter bends. For the really tight ones it would use its smaller forelegs to pivot round before pushing off with the powerful rear legs.

Bit however grinned openly with pride. He had known for a while that Leena was better than she seemed. She just needed to find the way to tap her potential. Plus he knew the zoid was doing most of the work. And talking to her, as he could see the zoid roaring as it pelted forwards.

Christian had nudged him early on. "Care to listen in on them?" He had asked with a sly smile on his face. Bit had nodded, and then he had begun to 'hear' the conversation within the Iguanosaur, relayed by the telepathic Mnementh.

#This time, use a short controlled…# On the screen, the main guns fired off several dozen rounds, blasting yet more rock into dust along with the turret. The zoid seemed to sigh. #Your wasting ammo just to annoy me right?#

"Get off my case, will you! If I want to be nagged about wasting MY ammo, I'll talk to Jamie!"

#He wouldn't nag if you didn't waste ammo…#

"Knock it off!" Bit turned to Christian.

"Does the zoid know the trouble it's getting into?"

"Sure." Christian replied. "She knows alright. Remember she has the memories of both her previous zoids. But Leena has to grow up sometime, and I guess she's decided to force the issue now."

Down in the valley, Leena snarled as another target popped up ahead. She began to swing her Vulcans to bear, but then they stopped moving. "Huh? What?"

#You've wasted enough ammo for now. Use the lasers instead# Suddenly she had control of the laser turrets. Cursing, she fired quickly, sending a hailstorm of bolts at the target. She fired for a few seconds after the target was destroyed.

"There, happy now?"

Suddenly the zoid slowed down, dropping to all four limbs. Leena wrestled with the controls, but nothing happened. Instead the zoid ambled to a stop behind a large outcrop of rock, safe from attack.

#Leena, why is it your mind is set on maximum overkill all the time?# The zoids voice had lost all of its resentment and strictness. If anything, it seemed concerned.

"None of your business!" She roared. "Now come on, we're loosing time standing here!"

Brad looked at Stroller, both their faces carrying an equally puzzled look. "Why'd she stop? She was doing so well…"

"Haven't a clue." Stroller shrugged.

Naomi and Sarah looked at each other. They had both grown fond of Leena in their own way, and this sudden halt set off alarm bells in their heads.

Leon turned to ask Bit for his opinion, but when he saw the far away look in his eyes he held his tongue. He looked across at Christian, who tapped the side of his head, before pointing towards the ceiling, towards where his zoid was sat. Leon got the message.

#You are my pilot, Leena, and on the battlefield we are partners. It is my business to know why you are the way you are#

Leena hung her head, eyes downcast. "You'd never understand."

#I do…# The main display cleared, and a new image faded in. It was a shot seen from the display of a zoid, looking at the cockpit. Leena immediately recognised the layout as belonging to a Dibison. Sitting in the seat was a lean, slim woman with her vibrant red hair worn long, falling away out of sight. Simply dressed in a pale coloured shirt and skirt, she appeared to be running a diagnostic on the zoid.

Leena's heart leapt into her throat. There was only one person it could be… her mother. Oddly, her father had almost no old photos of his wife, so Leena had never seen her mothers face. She had a vague memory from early childhood, and she had been told that she looked almost exactly alike to her, but that was it.

Now here she was; her features clear in the screen. It was amazing just how close the two of them looked. The only real differences were that her mothers chin and jaw line was a little sharper, and her eyes were a deep green. But the hair was an exact match. Before her, Leena saw how she would look within ten years. And she had to admit it was pretty good. No wonder both Steve and Layon had fallen for her; the woman was a knockout.

"Mommy!" The child's cry came from off screen, and Leena's mother turned her head, a smile of joy forming on her face.

"Hello baby…" She crooned, while reaching out with her arms. She brought back into the cockpit with her a small child with red hair, barely more than four years old, if that. Violet eyes turned to regard the screen.

"What you doing mommy?" The baby Leena asked cutely.

"I'm making sure the zoid is healthy dear…"

"Daddy said to Leon that he had to be on his best be… be… something, since we're having a party!" The child Leena looked up at her mother. "Really? We're having a party?"

"Yes dear Leena we are. I'll need to go out for a while for a few bits later…" the image faded from the screen.

Leena felt a tear run down her cheek. It had been the last time she had seen her mother. She had never come back from that shopping trip. It had only been recently that she had learned what had happened to her, when she overheard her father tell Bit.

#The few memories of your mother were centred around that old Dibison. After that the trail is easy to follow. Needing an outlet for your anger, you turned to the zoid. After firing those cannons, you felt a bit better about yourself. And so a cycle of destruction was begun# Leena couldn't refute the zoids assessment.

#But your anger never went away# The zoid continued in a gentle tone. #The firepower of the zoid only stated it. Outside of your zoid, you had no such means of releasing that old anger, so you became the fire-hearted woman you are now. As you fought more and more, eventually the poor Dibison's capabilities were outstripped by your need for damage. So you changed to the Gunsniper, tooled up for maximum destruction.

#The arrival of Bit Cloud awakened something in you. Something you believed had died with your mother. That is why he annoyed you so much. You felt he was intruding into an area that only one person could go.

#Leena, your mother is gone, but she still lives in our minds and our hearts. Nothing you can do will totally erase the pain of loosing someone that close, but if you can accept it, then the pain will grow less. That is why you must reach out, lower your guard and release your anger. For if you allow someone in close, they can help you balance yourself#

Leena looked up again to see another image on the screen. Her and Bit, standing together, his arm round her waist, hers round his shoulders. They were both smiling, his grin one of a cat who got the cream. Just seeing his image again brought back all the wonderful times they had had, ever since that horrendous evening after that last battle with Harry. The most vivid were those of the last few nights, but there were others, just as good. And there was one that was even older. When they had danced away the night, before this mad season had started. Leena had felt, for the first time in her life, completely at peace while encircled by his arms.

Another image was brought up. This time it showed the whole team, at the award ceremony where they had been awarded the GF citation. Everyone had been gathered together for a team picture. Jamie squatted down beside Vega, while Steve stood at the back, his arms wide. Everyone else was gathered together in the centre, except for Stroller who stood a little off to one side. Central though was Leena and Bit, again with their arms round each other.

Slowly within her Leena felt something ease. It was as if there had been a vice gripping her heart over the last seventeen years, getting tighter and tighter, and only now was the pressure easing. She took a deep breath, and felt her mind clear.

#That's better, isn't it? Now…# The main display returned to the map of the course. #Shall we continue?#

Laughing freely for the first time in her life, Leena gripped the controls again and powered forward.

X-X-X-X-X-X

When the zoid charged out of its hiding place, the speed and suddenness of its appearance startled everyone. Tearing out from cover, it ploughed right past several turrets before they could track it. The side lasers stabbed out again and again, shredding each one in turn. As it pushed forward, everyone noticed a marked change in the behaviour of the zoid. No longer was it perfectly accurate with its attacks, neither was it engaging multiple targets at once like before. But it also had lost that precise quality that had marked it before.

Vega grinned widely as he understood what had been going on. Earlier the zoid had been doing most of the work, manning the side lasers while Leena had used the main guns. Now it let her have full control, and instead concentrated on evasion. It was a little slower, the turns not taken at full speed, but it was still making good time.

When they reached the penultimate bend, another helicopter rose up to attack. The zoid however realised it was there and the lasers swung round to point back over the hips. A burst of fire from both turrets shredded the craft.

At last they reached the final turn, slowing to a walk before stopping again. Leena was amazed at the feeling coursing though her. The last few minutes had been the most eye-opening ones of her life. She had pulled off shots and manoeuvres that she had never thought she could have, even that morning. And she had done it with plenty of ammo to spare! The once gleaming hide of the Iguanosaur was splashed in places from the paint guns, but there was nothing major to worry about. It was nearly all on the armour.

#Leena, we should scope out what's ahead. I'd bet my right foot that there's a large welcoming committee around that bend#

Nodding in agreement, Leena gingerly eased the zoids head forwards, low to the ground. She stopped once the nose was poking out, allowing the zoids forward sensors to get a look around the rock. On her main screen the open plain was revealed, and Leena was impressed.

"Look at all that firepower! If those were real guns I'd be impressed!"

#If they were real I'd be worried#

Leena shrugged. "Okay, I might be, just a little. Any ideas?" Over the course of the gauntlet, she had grown comfortable in asking her zoid for ideas and advice. She now truly understood what Bit had been going on about when he talked about learning from the Liger Zero.

#I suggest we wait here for the moment, until I can get target coordinates locked into the missiles. Then we charge in, all guns blazing. I'd suggest you take the main guns and hit the choppers before clearing the wall of turrets, while I use the lasers to clear our flanks. Once the fixed turrets are down, you hit the tanks, I'll take the smaller stuff#

Leena grinned at the thought of ripping up those nicely arranged defenders. "I like that plan."

#I thought you might. Right, I've just one last missile salvo to place… got it!# The zoid drew back from the bend before tensing up. #Ready?#

"Bring them on!" Leena cried as she pushed the controls forwards. The zoid used a convenient large boulder to alter direction without breaking stride, bringing itself in line with the opening. Leena triggered the missiles, before switching to the Vulcans and sweeping her fire along the line of helicopters.

The four salvos of four missiles screamed across the plain, before smashing the heavy turrets at their target points to small fragments. The 60mm Vulcan rounds tore the lightly armoured helicopters to shreds in seconds, before any of them had a chance in hell of reacting. As the side lasers stabbed out striking turret after turret, Leena walked a line of explosions along the top of the wall ahead, the multiple detonations smashing the turrets there. Quickly the fixed guns were removed, and the two of them began to deal with the vehicles. Rapidly all of them were obliterated. The last tank managed to get a shot off that struck the right upper foreleg armour, but it didn't get the chance for another.

Leena pulled up just before the gate. Its solid construction implied that it was tough nut to crack. Glancing at her displays, she smiled evilly again as she selected the shock cannons. With their armour cracking shells, they should smash this gate with ease.

The dual cannons beneath the zoids neck tilted upwards slightly and fired, the recoil rocking the zoid back a little. Both rounds struck dead centre, and the gate disappeared behind a veil of smoke. As it cleared, Leena was surprised and disappointed to see that the gate still stood. Its surface was cracked and pitted, and the whole thing had a huge dent in the middle, but it still bared the way.

#Back up a bit Leena…# Leena did so, wondering why the zoid wanted her to do so. Then the weapons display selected the last weapon on her list… the hybrid cannon.

The rest of the Blitz watched the screens as the Iguanosaur spread its feet, each placed solidly on the ground. It lowered its head until the neck was perfectly straight. The mouth opened up, and the muzzle of a cannon extended out. Strollers eyes widened in shock as he guessed what the weapon could be…

Leena sat back, a grin of triumph on her face. "HYBRID CANNON FIRE!" She yelled, laughing manically once more.

A bright spear of yellow light blasted froth from the gun, which recoiled back into the zoids neck. The beam was clearly a hybrid cannon like those fitted to the Liger Zero Panzer, only much brighter and larger. The lance of energy stuck the gate dead centre, and burned right though. The detonation blasted the gate in two, the cracked metalwork completely breaking apart.

The two of them took a moment to study their handiwork, before the zoid sprinted for the finish line. Once over the line, the Iguanosaur eased back to a gentle amble.

"Well done Leena!" Over the open radio, Leena could hear the whoops of delight of several people. Loudest of all was Bits, followed closely by her father. "13520 points scored, minus 2130 for hits taken. Your final score is 11163, just a point behind Vega, and three behind Bit." Leena felt her heart beat with pride.

X-X-X-X-X-X

As the five zoids strolled back to the hanger, Leena relaxed in the back seat of her zoid. The rear seat was much more laid back than the main cockpit seat was, and had a lot of legroom. A central armrest could be folded down, in which was the main console for the back seat crew. But right now the armrest was folded up and out of the way.

"We have got to name this zoid."

"We'll it's yours. You should name it." Leena had offered Bit a ride back down, an offer he had eagerly accepted. Allowing the zoid to pilot back, Leena was now curled up with Bit, their arms round each other.

"I haven't any clue. I mean, how do you name a zoid? You and Vega got it easy…"

Bit smiled down at the crimson hair that rested on his chest, despite her not being able to see his face. "I wonder if the zoid it… herself has any ideas?" He asked aloud.

#To be honest I hadn't thought about it# The Iguanosaur replied after a few seconds, its tone suggesting amazement.

"What about the others in our team?" Leena asked.

"Let me think…" Bits eye half closed as he tried to recall everything the Liger had told him.

"You, thinking?" Leena joked. Bit grinned at the sound of her free and easy laughter, which had none of the deranged maniacal notes it had had before.

"Well, we have Zero and Fury. Leon Blade Liger is called Blade while the Raynos is known as Eagle." They both chuckled at the reference. "Naomi's old Gunsniper was Comet, and I expect that her new zoid will keep the name. The Elephander is Tusk; the Storm Sworder is Sonic, and the Shadow Fox… Wraith, I think."

#Correct Bit. The names my old forms were called were Bull and Rack, on account of all those missile racks you added Leena…#

The zoid trailed off, and both humans sat up quickly to see what was wrong. Looking out the canopy, they saw that all their zoids had stopped just outside the hanger. The Liger Zero, Fury and the other ancient zoids were there too, along with one other…

The new zoid that stood before them blew everyone away. It was clearly a flyer, but unlike any other flying zoid, this one was based on a bird rather than a pterosaur. The golden metal was in a range of shades, some brown tinted, others gleaming gold. The lower legs looked incredibly thin when compared to the rest of the zoid. Each metal plate overlapped the others, and as the zoid extended its wings slightly, they saw how the plates on its wing slid over each other seamlessly. The zoids skin was made of metal feathers. As it stood there, Leena got the sense that the zoid was tired, its wing hanging just a little.

A comm window popped up in everyone's cockpit, displaying a woman's rounded face with long brown hair. Her hazel eyes looked out, filled with worry.

"Chris, we've got trouble. The Cybrids are just outside the mountain chain."

DR: The honeymoon is over, people!

Irvine: I'll say.

DR: Well next time we have the opening shots of the 'End of Days' battle, Hiltz gets what he deserves, and Bit has a little talk with Leena...