Chapter 52: The Calm Before The Storm
The amphitheatre was a buzz as several dozen voices talked at once. The Blitz and Raider teams sat to one side, slightly apart from the gathered pilots of the City Guard. Over fifty men and women were seated in there, some of which were not dressed in the black and silver uniform of the Guard. Captain Cortez sat next to the Blitz, catching up with Derek. Apparently, the two of them had known each other growing up here in the city.
Bit sat besides Leena, his arm round her waist. Compared to all these professional types, he was feeling distinctly amateurish. Most of the other team members felt the same way.
"When is he going to get here?" Brad moaned. Christian and his team, along with Van and Raven, were conspicuous in their absence.
"He'll be here when he's ready." Cassandra spoke up, giving him a withering glare.
At that point the door slid open, revealing the man in question. Everyone quietened down as he walked to the central podium, his team following him in and sitting down in a set of seats off to one side. Van, Raven, Fiona and Resse joined them as Christian leaned heavily on the stand before him. Slowly he swept his gaze around the chamber, making eye contact with each person in turn. When his eyes met Bit's, Bit was stunned at the transformation in them. Tiredness, a coldness completely at odds with his easy-going nature, and something else; something that Bit would never have expected to see.
Fear.
"Thank you all for coming so quickly. I know rumours are already flying so I'll get to the point. The Cybrids are almost here." The air temperature of the room dropped several degrees, and even the most jovial of the Guardsmen paled. "They are currently smashing their way though the mountain chain, using a mobile base structure to tunnel right though the mountains. At their current rate, they'll be able to attack the city early this evening.
"The force we face is… large. Almost ten thousand units." Gasps rose from the gathered pilots, and Bit felt short of breath himself. 'Ten thousand!' Not even the Guylos Empire at the height of its military power had that much hardware!
"That figure does not include their air support or their infantry models. Plus, we have reason to believe the Death Saurer itself may also be part of the attacking force. Make no mistake; this is going to be bloody." He paused, and Bit could see in his eyes the reflection of all the past battles the man had fought. Battles that still haunted him.
"The purpose of this briefing is to ensure that our battle plan is understood, and to allow you to pass on crucial information to your men." He tapped a few controls, and in the centre of the room a holo-projector crackled into life. Above it, a plan of the City was displayed, the main gates at the top.
"Our first line of defence is the outer wall. We have to blunt their strike force before they can get inside the city. Have no illusions; they will breach the city walls. The only thing we can affect is how soon and with how big a force." A series of white lights appeared along the wall, while a number of blue ones were positioned behind it. Clusters of five green dots lined the walls, while a number of yellow dots congregated around the gate. A row of black dots lined up just inside the inner gate. Red dots were scattered throughout the city.
"The Gojulas units will take up firing positions along the wall. Their job will be to disrupt the advance and pound the primary assault units. Each Dibison group will concentrate fire on a single Cybrid formation at a time. The Blade Ligers are to remain behind the wall, ready to counter attack when it is breached, while the Rev Raptor Packs will support them and provide assistance where needed." Christian's hand ringed the yellow dots.
"I ask that the Blitz Team, Raiders Team and Captain Cortez defend our weakest point; the gateway. I'll let you discuss deployment amongst yourselves. If the gate way is breached, fall back within the city and support our internal defence line."
"Which is?" Cassandra asked, to which Christian smiled. But it did not touch his eyes, and sent coils of dread round Bit's gut.
"A line of Apocalypse mark III class HERCS." The map of the city faded out to be replaced by a display of a new war machine.
The thing was so similar to a Cybrid that at first Bit thought it was one. Built along the same lines, the whole thing was a collection of boxy sections. The legs were thick, sturdy structures with four joints, the 'Knees' ahead of the hips. Above that was the body, with a central section that was sloped to a sharp edge at the front, with a tinted canopy on top and a large calibre rotary cannon underneath. To each side were huge boxy sections that rose higher that the central body. The front of the side pods were formed from four distinct angled panels. The top two were grey and rounded at the top, with a set of four prongs that were an almost exact match for the lightning weapons the Cybrid had used on the Fury. The panels below were studded with missile tubes, twenty-four of them. The next panel was covered with an intricate symbol, while the one below sloped backwards, and had a smaller rotary cannon protruding. Outside the side compartments four odd looking weapons were attached, each had a part held out in front of the rest of the gun by four thin bars, the inside of which glowed. The entire construct was painted black with gold weapons and edging.
"Improved over the models we used in the last war on Earth, these HERCs will make any Cybrid that tries to force its way though the gate suffer." Christian's smiled faded.
"I won't attempt to lie to you all. Ultimately, we can't survive this attack, unless we can kill the command element, Helios. Therefore my team, joined by Van and Raven, will be hunting for that super computer. I expect that Hiltz and the Death Saurer will be guarding it, so hopefully they won't bother you." The image faded to display a machine that the Blitz was all too familiar with. They had faced four of them before. Stroller shuddered as he recalled three of them firing a devastating missile salvo into him.
"The Diablo makes up the bulk of the oncoming force. Fast – for a HERC – with heavy firepower and good armour, these things can take a beating. However these are just the grunts. What we need to look out for are these…" The image shifted again. "The Cerberus."
Vega shivered as once more he looked upon the machine that had practically flayed his zoid apart. The sense of dread and evil that the thing produced was almost palatable, even though it was only a hologram.
"The data we have suggests that the mix of Diablo's to Cerberus's is ninety-eight to one. That suggests that the Cerberus's are the command sections. Take them down, and hopefully the attendant Cybrids will become confused, and will have to rely on their own, poorer intellect."
The display shifted once more, to display a very different machine. While clearly Cybrid, it had a radically different layout. It stood on four legs, the long heavy body held flat. A huge turret was mounted just over the back legs, and the entire machine seemed to be composed of armour.
"The Bulldog, the Cybrids primary siege/heavy assault unit. These are the Dibison's primary targets. They can carry weapons no other Cybrid can, weapons ideal for smashing our walls. A number have been noted without turrets. According to scans, these units are being used as armoured carriers, transporting a number of much smaller Cybrids within their armoured hulls. Both types must be destroyed as fast as possible." Christian closed down the projector.
"Now go round to your men, and make sure they understand the situation. Tell them the defences have to hold for as long as possible. I'll address everyone later. Blitz Team, Raiders, Captain Cortez, could you stay a moment?"
With none of the bustle or muttering they had had when they arrived, the men of the City Guard exited the chamber. Once the last of them had left, the two teams and Cassie stepped down to the main floor.
"I wanted to know roughly what you're planning on doing." Christian asked tiredness in his voice. The projector powered up again, this time displaying the gatehouse and the surrounding region. Blips appeared showing the location of the City Guard units, each type of zoid with a different symbol. Christian turned to Naomi.
"Naomi Fluegel, as I said before I think I've found an ideal sniping position for you. There's ledge on the second tier of the city's walls. Has a good view out over the plain. With your new Snipe Master, you should be able to snipe from there in safely, with little chance of direct attack."
Naomi bowed her head, thinking while Cassandra looked over the three-dimensional display.
"I'd say we place myself and Derek here and here." Her thin finger pointed to the two towers each side of the gate, before shifting to a point directly over the gate. "With the Fury sitting here, the Raiders Dibison behind it. That way we will have clear lines of fire for our charged particle guns."
Michael nodded, before placing his stubby finger just before the gate. "I can park myself here, and blast anything that gets close."
"Meanwhile everyone else can engage in the shadow of your guns." Jamie commented.
"Good thinking. Pierce, Jamie, I have special favour to ask of you both. The one thing we lack in this city is air power. However the Cybrids are bringing a lot of Land Skimmers to the battle, at least two thousand. I'd like you two to engage them."
"Two zoids against two thousand?" Pierce's eyes shot wide open. "Are you nuts?"
"They may have the advantage of numbers certainly, but the Land Skimmer is mainly designed for ground attack. It is a poor dogfighter. Both your zoids are faster, more agile and better armoured than they are." The shock in Pierces eyes faded a little.
Jamie shrugged. "We'd have to deal with them anyway, might as well tackle then head on."
Bit nodded, before turning to Christian. "That plan firm enough for you? We don't do solid plans…" He joked. Christian smiled again, but this time there was warmth in his eyes.
"Firm enough. In the final analysis, your chaotic styles are more likely to be effective against them. Computers hate chaos." Everyone laughed politely at the small joke. They all needed as much humour as they could get.
X-X-X-X-X-X
Leena watched as the techs reloaded her zoid, restocking it after her run though the gauntlet that morning. The Iguanosaur gleamed once more, all the paint stains removed. But Leena got no comfort from the spotless condition of the zoid. Nor could she find reassurance in the incredible arsenal that the zoid carried. Despite the plan that she had heard, and the sight of the ranks of City Guard zoids waiting to defend the city, she felt fear coil round her spine. Wrapping her arms round herself, Leena tried to push her fears to the back of her mind. But she couldn't help but worry about what the evening would bring. Death and destruction were certain, but whose death?
"Hey, you okay?" Bits voice accompanied his arms as they encircled her waist. Leena leaned back into him, drawing comfort from his presence.
"Now I am…"
Bit grinned as he looked up at her zoid. His Liger Zero stood in the bay besides it, with the Fury the other side, the canopy open. Within, Vega sat running a last diagnostic on the powerful zoid. But he was watching Bit and Leena surreptitiously, hoping that at last the two of them would agree to tie the knot. While the whole team knew that the pair of them had been sleeping together, it was hoped that it was the beginning of something deeper. Christian clearly thought it was, but not everyone was convinced.
Vega wasn't the only one watching the pair. All three zoids were focused on them as well. Both Liger and the Iguanosaur knew how deeply they cared for each other, and it was obvious to Fury. The only question was were they prepared to take the next step? After the incident with Harry Champ, they had started dating, but neither had been ready to take their relationship to the next level. Would everyone have to wait several more months – at least – before they took the next step?
"Your worried about what's coming, right?" Bit asked, his grin fading a little.
"Yea…" Leena half whispered back, reluctant to air her fears even to him. She half turned in his arms so that she could hug him in return. "I'm… afraid. Come the morning some, maybe all of us, could be dead…"
"Nonsense" Bit snorted. "We're some of the best pilots around. We have the best zoids going, and we're backed up by a whole army of dedicated pilots." Leena looked up at his face, her eyes shining as she took in his supreme confidence. "We'll all pull through. No walking toaster is going to end my career!" Even with death staring him in the face, Bit refused to acknowledge despair. This attitude was one of the reasons she loved him.
"You really think we can survive this?"
"I know we will." Bit smiled down at her. "And not because we can't be beaten. We have to. After all, it is considered impolite to miss your own wedding." His grin had widened even further and his voice had dropped lower.
Leena's eyes widened as she took in what he had said. "Bit, are you…?"
Smiling shyly, Bit removed one hand from her waist to reach into his pocket. He pulled out a small velvet case, just like the one that Leon had used. He had talked to Leon earlier, and Leon had recommended the same store where he had got his ring for Sarah.
"I guess I am," he said gently as he snapped open the case.
Leena's eyes went as wide as dinner plates as her breath left her in a gasp of astonishment.
#What's going on? Liger, you've got a better view. What's he doing?# Fury rumbled gently, lest he disturb the two lovers.
Liger however was too entranced by the sight before him to answer.
The ring gleamed in the overhead lights. It was composed of a central violet gemstone surround by a ring of turquoise, set in gold. Ruby red lines banded the main ring, and the craftsmanship of the gold around the gems was exquisite. The ring must have cost as much as the Liger Zero!
At last Leena was able to look up into Bit's eyes. In those green eyes of his, she saw a whole range of emotions. Pride, anxiety, fear, hope and most dominate of all, love. She felt tears form in her own eyes, as in her heart a hundred thousand fireworks went off at once. Never before in her life had she felt so happy!
"So, will you marry me, Leena?" He asked a mixture of hope and dread in his voice. What if she said no?
Leena had to take a moment to find her voice. "Oh god YES!" She cried out, before collapsing into his arms. She gripped him tightly round the neck as everyone in the hanger turned to see what the commotion was about.
Grinning with pride, Bit took the ring from the case into his free hand. Leena obligingly brought her arm down so that he could slide it over her finger. As the ring slid home, all three zoids exalted, their combined roars of joy rocking the hanger itself and echoing throughout the plateau.
X-X-X-X-X-X
Bit sat fidgeting in the cockpit of the Liger Zero, waiting. Before him the entire City Guard was arrayed in the central square they had first arrived into. It was now packed with zoids, Blade Ligers with gleaming gold blades, Dibisons with racks of cannons, towering Gojulas, and row after row of Modified Rev Raptors. The Blitz and Raider teams, along with Captain Cortez's Genosaurer, stood at the back of the arrayed ranks, close to the gatehouse. Only Naomi was missing; she had taken up position on the ledge Christian had told her about. Mingled amongst the zoids feet, and lining the bridges along the sides of the square, were rows of people, all heavily armed. Just behind the team the Hover Cargo waited. Bit planed to use the Panzer armour to try and even the odds for Jamie and Pierce, before switching to one of the other armours.
The heads of all the zoids and people were upturned, staring at the massive gatehouse that marked the centre of the fifth level. Stood there in all his glory was the huge dragon zoid Mnementh. As he stood there, the fading sunlight gleaming off his smooth hide, Bit felt a surge of confidence. With such allies, nothing could stop them!
Christian's face came up in a comm window, his features grave. "All right people, this is it. You all know me, so you know I've never been one for reassuring lies.
"Take a moment to look around you, at your colleagues, your friends, your homes. That is what we will be fighting to defend today. I know that you will fight with every last breath you take. If it's our time to die, it's our time. The only question is how. You going to go out on your feet, or on your knees? Personally I've always been the stubborn kind.
"If there is one thing that makes our race worth saving, it is our courage. The will to stand before hell, look upon death itself, and spit in its face! It is the mark of true heroism to be willing to risk everything, not for glory, or fame, or fortune, but for a friend. A companion. If we are to die here, then let us make our deaths worthy of remembrance. You're already heroes, just by being willing to stand and fight, to make them pay for every step they take. All I ask, if we have to give our lives to these bastards, WE GIVE THEM HELL BEFORE WE DO!"
At once every person and zoid roared together at Christian's final line, the combined noise loud enough to shake the surrounding buildings. The heavy metal shutters that covered all the windows rattled in their hinges, the few remaining non-combatants covered their ears, and the water in the rivers trembled.
"Now, defenders of humanity, to your places! May fortune smile on you all, and may Zoid Eve's presence spur you on!" As one the massed ranks of zoids turned and sprinted to their positions. As Bit turned towards the gateway, he fell instep with Leena, her Iguanosaur dwarfing the Liger Zero. The Hover Cargo, Sarah at the controls, followed them. The massive three-horned zoid, the unicorn zoid and the Apocalypse HERC that was part of Christian's team followed them out.
"You ready Leena?" He called, anxious about her, despite his confidence in her skills.
"As ready as you." Her voice had all the hallmarks of her old strength, but Bit could tell that she was worried too, underneath.
Vega was the first of the Blitz to reach his position, and as such the first to look out and see the force arrayed against them. 'Holy mother…'
A black tide of Cybrids filled the far side of the plain, the rows of blood red sensor eyes staring back. In the air a cloud of Land Skimmers blotted out the sun, and at the very back a pair of massive blocks, each supported by massive treads and as large as a skyscraper, framed a hole bored right though the mountain chain. The idea of ten thousand units was bad enough, but to see it with your own eyes…
The Fury growled, before taking a couple of steps to the side. Glancing right, Vega watched as Shadow, the Fury's twin, stepped up besides him.
"Derek, Vega, Cassie, Raven, prime your Charged Particle Cannons!" Christian called as in a blur his zoid landed before the teams. "Sam slipped into position earlier, and she supplying the target coordinates of the Cybrid manufacturing unit. By combining our firepower, we can take it out now, while we still can! Leena, Bit, use your hybrid cannons!"
Vega watched as data flowed across his screens. All the zoids braced themselves, priming their most powerful weapons. One by one all five cannons reached full charge, while Bit exited the Hover Cargo, the Liger encased in the Panzer armour. All ready the heat was building up, but Christian had arranged for a fire truck to be there and to spray the Liger with water, to try and cool it down.
"Ready… fire!"
As one, five blinding bright beams blasted out, tearing across the plain. Leena and Bit fired their hybrid cannons as fast as they could cycle. Four of the particle beams slammed into the monstrous construction, their power drained by the shields that protected the mobile factory. The beam fired from Mnementh burned through Cybrid after Cybrid to strike the target, biting deep. The Cybrids shields were no match for the hybrid cannon blasts, each bolt punching through like they weren't even there. Bit's smaller bolts smashed deep, burning huge chunks of armour off. Leena's heavier blasts shattered the unfortunate Cybrids they struck.
Despite the heavy losses their fire took, it was merely a drop in the bucket when compared to the teeming horde of Cybrid units. The Factories shields slowly weakened…
"All Dibisons, hit the factory with your megolmax attacks now!" Seconds after Christian's command, bright yellow beams reached out from the walls, before splitting up and raining hellfire on the factory. Explosions obscured the target, but everyone kept firing. They all knew that if the Factory weren't destroyed, it would produce more Cybrid attack units, to the point that they would simply be overwhelmed.
Bit was the first to stop firing; the heat was getting too much. The Dibisons were next, one by one falling silent as their power cells were exhausted. Leena's own hybrid cannon ran out of power, just before Derek and Cassandra had to shut down. Shadow and Fury kept going for as long as possible, but even they too had to cease-fire or melt their own guns. At last Mnementh quit, his wings hanging a little. The sustained charged particle attack had drained him.
Everyone gazed anxiously at the target, hidden by smoke. Had they destroyed it? A red glow came from within, brightening as the smoke thinned…
"You did it!" Samantha's voice filled everyone's headsets. "The factories gone!" As if to confirm her words, the last of the smoke lifted to reveal a burning heap of twisted metal, a raging inferno within seen through the holes bored into the structure by the particle beams. The metalwork sagged and ran liquid from the heat of the blaze, and a towering column of smoke rose into the sky.
The zoids roared in joy, their exaltations echoing back and forth throughout the plain.
"YES! We did it!" Leena punched the air in joy, her eyes shining at the power her zoid had displayed.
Bit grinned in triumph, sweat running down his spine. The temperature was dropping, thanks to the cooling effect of the water being sprayed over him. Steam rose in a great tower from the Liger, the water draining away the heat.
Vega grinned with joy, but them he noticed that the Cybrids took no notice at all that they had just lost their factory. They continued to stand in their ranks, unmoving…
"Congratulations, you've taken out the factory." Hiltz's cold tones drained all cheer from the defenders as he appeared before them all. It showed him standing on a platform that jutted out from a cylindrical shape. Above him was a great mechanical eye, the pupil a blood red. Behind them both was the second large structure, red light shining from within seeping out of a thin line that ran up the centre.
"It doesn't matter though, since you'll still lose. It already had produced several hundred more units from the material gathered during our trip here. You've wasted a lot of firepower destroying that, which was useless, and now you're weak. Typical humans! I am so looking forward to crushing you beneath my foot!"
The huge structure at the rear split apart, both halves falling away. Some fluid gushed out, but all eyes were on the form revealed. Slowly the segmented form straightened up, its massively clawed forearms unfurling. Blood red eyes gazed out from the monsters head, and as it stepped down from the ruins of its containment vessel the ground trembled. The monster opened its mouth, and a deafening roar of malice and hate split the air.
"I see you brought back the Ultimate Death Saurer." Christian said quietly, his voice dangerously low.
Hiltz smiled cruelly. "Not quite. We've got his body back, but to restore his mind, I have to join with him temporarily. Now that I am the master of the Death Saurer, I can merge with him freely. I can direct him without having to be joined, allowing him to destroy my foes while I attend to more, personal matters." He laughed again, insanity filling every note. "Fiona, Resse and any other pure blood female Ancient Zoidian will be spared. I'll enjoy hearing you scream as we repopulate the planet... Now Helios, launch your attack while I attend to the Death Saurer!"
Not one Cybrid moved. Hiltz stood there for a second, confusion written across his face.
"Didn't you hear me Helios? I said launch the attack!"
"The attack will be launched, but there is one last thing to do first…"
"What…" Hiltz began to say.
He didn't get the chance to continue his question.
The Cylinder behind him split open, twin doors opening wide, spilling forth a blood red light. Metal snake-like tentacles shot out and wrapped round Hiltz's body and limbs, squeezing tight. Sharp needles at the tips dug deep into his skin. The cables began to reel him inside the column.
"WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS?"
"The Planet will be repopulated, but not by any weak flesh creature…"
Hiltz was dragged inside, the cables pulling him into a spread-eagled position. Clamps locked round his wrists, ankles, waist and forehead, locking him in place. An array of whirring blades lowered.
"You fool! Did you really think I was going to follow you for the rest of your pathetic life?" Helios mocked him as the blades sliced off his clothing, not caring if they cut his skin or not. Where the blades had, his flesh peeled back to reveal more zoid core scales.
"My only reason for keeping you alive this long was because the Death Saurer resides in you!" Probes and wires with needle fine tips extended, before they all plunged deep into Hiltz's body.
"But now I know how to release it from your puny, weak body!" Helios continued as Hiltz screamed in agony. "Now, I will become the Death Saurer's master!"
Bit gaped in horror as core scales began to flow up the probes that were jacked into Hiltz. His body seemed to contract, the remaining skin too taunt for his bones. It was as if the super computer was sucking everything out of him!
The core scales, joined now by a dark green material that was unlike anything that Bit had ever seen, almost completely coated the inside of the compartment where Hiltz was being held. Hiltz himself was reduced to a skeleton figure, the scales disappearing from within his body. His hair had completely faded to a dull silver hue, and his skin shrunken. A little blood flowed from the scores of cuts in his body, but it was thin and brackish.
At last Hiltz stopped shaking, and hung from the restraints. The probes withdrew from him, before the restraints extended out of the casing, still gripping his lifeless body. Once clear of the narrow ledge, they snapped open. Hiltz's corpse landed in a pile of gangly arms and legs, several of the bones breaking on impact.
"Weak flesh thing…" Helios's voice had shifted, becoming deeper, more hate filled. As the compartment where Hiltz had died closed, blood red light shone between all the panels that made up the column, just before the comm window died. Looking out across the plain, Bit watched as the column slowly began to rise off the ground, while the Death Saurer stood taller. The titanic zoid opened its chest; the interlocking bars opening to reveal a round hole. Helios's column drifted up towards it, rotating as it did so, until it was lined up with the new opening. As it slid home, the bars of the Death Saurer's chest locked back into place.
Blood red light shone from within the Death Saurer, in much the same manner as a normal zoid would when an organoid fused with it. The eyes shone brighter than before, and seemed to pulse with evil.
"At last, I am whole once more. Now to finish what I started all those years ago... Zoid Eve, your time has come! All Legions; commence attack! Leave nothing alive!"
As one, the ranks of Cybrids stepped forward, their sensor eyes glowing brighter than before…
Shadow: That's got to hurt...
O'Neill: Nasty.