Authors Note: What the Hell did FFN do, making shit way to hard on me now. All right, sorry bout the cliffhanger but I'm trying to keep my chap sizes down. Yes Sam's the priest and maybe Ill give Masato what all you Raven fans think he deserves, depends if this becomes a series or not. But damn will someone explain to me why everyone loves that guy. Enjoy.
The Deadliest Team"Scramble the units!" The Republic commander shouted as the single Saber Fang continued its rampage of destrouction throughout the base.
Raven smiled as two more Command Wolves fell to the concrete ground. "These fools have no idea how to use a Zoid." He looked up at three Terrace bombers and quickly shot them down, the pilots bailing out before they crashed into the ground. Raven continued to fire upon the Zoids in the base, knocking anyone who dared step up to the challenge down to the cold ground.
"Deploy the Storm Sworders!"
"We can't, the hanger doors have been destroyed!"
The commander looked up at the screen, staring at the Saber Fang. "Who the Hell is this guy?" He pushed in a few buttons on the console in front of him. "Target the Saber Fang with are Anti-Zoid Missiles!"
"But we'll damage some of are units."
"Look at that Zoid and pilot, does it look like we have a chance! Target and fire, that's an order!"
"Yes sir."
Raven looked over at one of the plateaus, a large missile battery came up quickly and took aim at his Zoid. He smiled, Masato had trained him well against those damn missiles, and had the strategy memorized like the back of his hand. Raven waited for the missile to fire then ran towards the nearest building which happened to be command center of the base.
The base commanders eyes widened as the Saber Fang jumped over the fairly tall building, landing on the other side. "But that means!" He turned and watched as the missile ran straight into the building.
Raven smiled as the explosion occurred, his main target destroyed with the enemies weapons. But his smile died away as his Zoid shook from the impact of a shot, then fell to the ground as another shot froze his Zoids command system. "What!" He looked over and saw two Gun Sniper's standing on one of the plateaus, took aim again. But a pair of Lighting Saiex's came out from behind them and easily took them out. The Lighting Saiex was the main Zoid in Masato's unit, given to his Special Forces team. So Raven now knew Masato didn't have full confidence in him yet, and he had mixed emotions about the thought. But to his surprise, Masato came out of one of the Lighting Saiex's and walked over to the downed Saber Fang.
"You lost." Masato said watching as Raven un-strapped himself from the Zoid.
"I completed my mission, didn't I?" Raven said stubbornly.
"You mission is completed when you return back to base alive! I am not going to be watching your back much longer." Masato said staring at the boy, Raven was the only person who had no fear of Masato. "You did well, but not perfect. And perfect is the level you need to reach." Masato looked around at the base, fire and smoke rising from burning buildings and Zoids. A solider slowly got up and started limping away. "Have you ever killed a man?"
Raven looked at Masato and shook his head. "No sir."
Masato pulled out his handgun and threw it to Raven. "Kill him." He pointed at the soldier who was only a few meters away.
Raven looked at the man then looked at the gun. "He's wounded."
"Kill him now!" Masato shouted, the soldier trying to run.
Raven raised the gun and took aim, shooting the man twice, once in the stomach and once in the arm.
Masato nodded. "You can't show mercy to an enemy, if you do they may be the ones who kill you."
Raven went to hand the gun back to Masato, but he just stuck his hand out with his palm up.
"Keep it, you need a sidearm anyways."
Raven nodded and put it in his belt and turned to his Saber Fang. "What about this?"
"We'll get it repaired, and you'll get back to piloting soon."
Again Raven nodded watching as three gray Gustav's drove into the base, soldiers coming out of the back trailers and searching the base.
"Now this is what I hate about war. A war is for power, and power is something you must earn, and when you do you need to snatch it and hold onto it with your life. This though, is nothing more then stealing."
"Then why do you do it?" Raven asked looking at the soldiers picking up pieces of Zoids.
"Because of the wealthy bureaucrats sitting behind there desks at the palace. People like Prozen who order men to die for his personal petty glory."
"Don't you do the same?"
"I never send my men to die, if I did you would be dead already. I fight to win, I fight to show the power I have and the power of my men. Prozen has never served on the battlefield like you and I, he doesn't know what it's like watching your men bleed and die, hearing screams of mercy from friend's, allies, and enemies alike. He doesn't know what its like to sweat as you go into what maybe your final hour in life, and feeling the adrenaline rush through your veins and arteries, and a sudden taste for the enemies hot blood fills your mouth as you begin to make your one of two choices in combat. Survive, or die. You have that gift, Ill be damned if Prozen uses it for his ego and twisted mind. I told you once already, respect those who deserve respect. No matter how much you hate them." Masato walked away back to his Lighting Saiex.
Raven watched him walk away, and then took another look at the Saber Fang. He clenched his fist, clamed his jaws and felt the anger he had against the metallic creatures swell up again in his heart. "I hate you." He mustered up under his voice, saying it with his jaws closed and teeth gritted together. Then he walked towards a trailer behind a Gustav and waited for it to finally move.
"We couldn't expect much less from the Empire I guess." Sam said wrapping a bandage around the soldiers left arm, which had a gash extending across his entire bicep and most of his forearm.
"But one Zoid knocked out the entire. Ahh." The soldier bit his lip as Sam added on some alcohol to the wound. "The entire Black River base. And it's the third strongest we have on the border."
"What kind of Zoid was it?" Van asked. He sat on the chair, which was turned around. Van leaned his arms against the backrest and stared at the soldier who took the stinging pain very poorly.
"Saber Fang."
"You know both the Empire and Republic had done some searching for Organoids which are supposed to increase the capabilities of a Zoid, maybe he had one of those."
"No, he was stopped by two Gun Snipers, but those got destroyed quickly by a pair of Lighting Saiex's. That pilot had a lot of skill, more then anyone I've seen in a long time."
"How far away was the battle from here?" Van asked.
"Not positive, maybe a 1."
Maria walked in and shut the man up before he could finish. "Don't tell him, otherwise he'll go out there and probably get himself killed."
Van looked at her. "Come on sis, how am I going to get myself killed."
"You mean like you almost did a few months ago with those bandits."
"That wasn't my fault they jumped me!"
"After you decided to follow them."
"Well. Yea, still though. Wasn't entirely my fault."
Sam shook his head. "Will you both relax. Van you're not going simply because you can't give me a reason for you to go."
Van looked down and nodded.
"He's right kid, the Empire is probably swarming all over the place now anyways. Very good way to get yourself killed."
"Any idea whose unit attacked you?" Sam asked patting the bandaged man on the back.
"General Masato's, those Lighting Saiex's had his units insignia."
"Masato." Sam knew the man pretty well; he had a grudge against Dan though he never found out why. "Nasty man."
"Very, best the Empire has. Cold-hearted, ruthless, vicious, every word you can think of fits the man pretty well." The soldier stood up and bowed his head slightly. "I thank you for the hospitably, but I should get going and get this info to the Republic."
"I can take you." Sam said. "I have a jeep behind the church."
The man nodded again and followed Sam.
Maria watched as Van ran to his room and got his hover board. "Where are you going?"
"For a ride." Van said, rushing to the window and waiting for the jeep to leave his sight.
Maria shook her head. "You heard what Sam said."
"I'm not going there ok sis, I promise."
"You better not, be back in a few hours. If you're late again Ill make sure you come back on time from then on."
Van ignored the threat and ran out, jumping on his board and taking off in the same direction the man had come from. An hour later he looked up at the sun and knew there was no way he would make it back on time if he went all the way, so he decided to turn around and head back home. He would try again soon, waiting until the Imperial army left the base behind.
A few days passed, and for the first time in his life Raven was able to relax a little. But he still trained on his own free will considering there wasn't much else for him to do on the base. Mainly he practiced his shot, finally getting it down, and almost matched Masato's skills. But he turned and watched as Masato's XO, Talon walked in.
"Get to your bunk, now." Talon ordered bluntly, watching as Raven rested the handgun on a wooden table.
"Why." Raven didn't ask, he demanded an answer.
Talon looked at him, knowing better then to mess with someone trained personally by Masato. "You have a visitor, a very important visitor."
Raven nodded and walked to his room, opening the steel door then closing it, sitting down on his small bunk.
Talon walked into Masato's office, surprised to see the General actually in there considering he was in it twice a year at the most. "Prozen's here sir."
Masato looked up and then rubbed his temples gently. "Damn!" He hated Prozen; he hated all wealthy people who used their money and political position to gain power. "What does he want?"
"He wants to congratulate Raven."
"Tell Prozen Ill do it for him."
"Sir. Prozen has the black Organoid."
Masato looked up at Talon, his eyes wide with fear and curiosity. "They found it?"
"Yes sir."
Masato rose easily from his chair. "Send him to Raven's bunk, Ill be waiting there."
Talon nodded and walked out quickly.
"They found the black Organoid." Masato smiled. "And Prozen wants to give it to Raven." He walked out of his office, holding back a laugh. "What a fool." A few minutes later he was outside of Raven's closed room and watched as Prozen and Hardin made there way towards him. Two men holding straps around the black Organoid trailed behind. "So you want to congratulate Raven."
Prozen smiled. "And give him a reward." He stared Masato in the eyes, looking at the hatred Masato had towards him.
Hardin walked over and opened the door, Prozen walking in.
Raven raised his head and stood up.
"I have to say Raven, you've accomplished several incredible feats. You are something much better then I expected you to be. Perhaps Masato should get some credit."
"He trained me." Raven snorted back quickly.
"I want to reward you and figured this was the best way." Prozen signaled to Hardin who moved out of the way. Two men burst in the room, bringing a black Organoid in with them.
"We've been searching for this Organoid for a while, and we finally found but for some reason no one can tame him." Prozen turned back to Raven. "If you can tame him, he's all yours."
Raven smiled as the two men released the Organoid, the large creature swinging his tail at him. But Raven was far to quick and dodged the vicious attack, tackling the Organoid to the ground and holding him there.
"Amazing." Prozen hadn't expected Raven to conqueror the beast that easily, but just smiled. "As I promised, he's yours."
Raven stood up, and gently stroked the Organoids head. "I don't need your charity Prozen." He turned and walked out. "Come Shadow." He said quickly, walking out of the room.
"He's good." Hardin said walking over to Prozen.
"He's another Masato." Prozen said furiously.
Raven listened as the door slammed, Masato standing against the wall outside of the room.
"So you now have the famous black Organoid." Masato smiled. "You have no idea how powerful you have just become."
Raven smiled with him. "Now there isn't anything that can stop me in my quest."
"There's always something. But now those something's have just become more scarce." Masato stood up straight and looked at Shadow. "You're Saber Fang is ready."
Raven nodded. "Good."
Authors Notes: There no beating on Raven happy. No way in Hell I got that speech like it was in the anime, but it's close enough. Send me those reviews or flames, whatever pleases you and screws me.