Battle Dawn

Chapter 6: Transitions

by Silver

Author's Note: Sorry for the delay in updating this story. I have a hard time balancing between a job search and finishing two fan fics. This chapter is going to establish some of the bigger picture to the story. It'll also feature the return of some New Century characters in an unlikely place.

I'm a little disappointed right now because it seems that Zoids Fuzors has been cancelled. It was not a great series, but I don't like having to abandon a story halfway through (that's why I don't like half-finished fan fics). I guess I'll have to write an ending for Fuzors some time.

Thanks to everyone who's been reading this story and to those who have left reviews. I really appreciate the input.

What a remarkable show. Now he could see why Grandfather had so adored watching unsanctioned battles. Such conflicts held the possibility of death, just as a true Zoid battle should. Yet this had been more than a Backdraft battle; this was the unofficial start of a war. Here the enemy was intent on killing, and the Zoid warriors had responded in turn. Not a single Diloforce had escaped destruction. True, they were only in a command system freeze—what would be described as unconscious by humans—but they'd be scrapped soon enough. There'd be an investigation (which would lead absolutely nowhere) and then, their purpose having been fulfilled, the Zoids would be destroyed. Failure in war meant death, no matter how benevolent your foe might try to be.

And this battle had held an added attraction: Leena Toros. To see her in combat was a true affirmation of Vaez's plans. He'd intentionally set a great number of Diloforce upon her, and watched her battle prowess via a video link with each unit. Here was a woman who appreciated power, as displayed through her very liberal use of firearms. She'd torn apart unit after unit, almost faster than Vaez could switch signals. Her custom Zoid was an embodiment of her appreciation of power; power that could not be supplied by any lower-class fool. Vaez had been disappointed when her ammunition ran out. Her vulnerability showed when she did not have access to the power she required. The Blitz Team did not have the financing to keep her ammunition well stocked. Only someone with Vaez's power could truly provide for her. And provide he would.

Panic almost set it when one Diloforce had toppled her and been poised for the kill. Vaez had prepared to use his personal Hammerhead's cannons to destroy the rouge unit when that antiquated Command Wolf had abruptly launched an offensive. Vaez gave the Zoid little mind as it was not registered to any team and the pilot was obviously sub-par. To think that a Princess would be saved by a commoner. Vaez hated those kinds of fairy tales. Leena Toros—a diamond in the rough—should not owe her life to any grunt. Vaez would have to introduce himself soon lest she start to associate with even more commoners.

The battle now concluded, the Zoids Warriors of both Blitz and Flugel teams had moved from their Zoids to the fallen Command Wolf, and the bumbling warrior who'd allowed himself to be hit a second after saving Leena Toros. High above, beyond any human eyesight, Vaez's hammerhead hovered silently, focusing its belly cameras on the gathering crowd. He zoomed in on the Command Wolf cockpit, curious the see who had been fighting alongside two of the ZBC's top teams.

The pilot was young, about the same age as Leena Toros and Bit Cloud. His smoky gray hair was an unusual shade and somewhat stained by the blood draining from his wounds. He was unconscious, and thus Vaez could not make out the color of his eyes. He suspected they were a dark navy. What was 12515 doing with the Blitz Team?

His communication console chimed, interrupting his query. What a bother. He'd worked very hard to slip away to witness this performance and now someone had the gall to interrupt him. He slapped the receive button and Alteil appeared on screen. Vaez frowned. "I don't remember giving you permission to call me."

"… forgive me, sir." The words grinded past Alteil's teeth. "But I thought you might want to know that the Fuma-"

"Yes, I know. Fuma and her men escaped."

As usual Alteil was three steps behind him. "How did you?"

"I am the ZBC Chairman after all. I received word just before setting out. Tell me, what base will Fuma head to?"

Alteil pondered for a moment. "I would guess our base near Porto. It's still in our control, and is near the prison." The expected answer.

"No. She's a master of stealth and won't go to the most obvious base. Remember, she attacked the Berserk Fury and will most likely be eager to avoid anyone who witnessed that little betrayal you cooked up."

Alteil look stricken. "Why bother asking me a question when you already know the answer?"

"A good director must always know how capable his performers are. You fit the roll of a puppet nicely." Such a rewarding scowl. "I want you to head to the base near the Guerrial Plateau. It's sparsely staffed and the mountain cover would make it easy to move three Genosaurers at night. Fuma will most likely appear there."

"That will take them at least several days travel."

"Safety over expediency; that is Fuma's best option now. Go there, Alteil, and be ready to bargain." He held up and stroked the trigger to Alteil's heart machine to ensure this was taken as an order.

"Yes… sir." The screen clicked off.

Several days, provided Fuma was being cautious. Vaez had no doubt she was as he had reviewed all of Fuma's personnel file, including a psychoanalyst's report. Fuma was a calm and collected warrior who knew how to move with utter stealth and struck when an opponent was most vulnerable. Grandfather, Alteil, and even the mad scientist Dr. Laon had all failed to grasp Fuma's true potential and thus her skills had been squandered. Vaez would put her skills to the best use; and she would serve him. He already knew how to assure it.

Vaez keyed a text message to some of his most loyal agents, the very ones who'd acquired Alteil. They'd be able to finish the mission in several days, provided there weren't any complications. Of course there wouldn't be any. Vaez had been too careful in crafting this drama. All would go according to script.

The big men were angry again, which meant that they'd starting hitting again. This time he was being hit by a new man, someone he hadn't seen before. But he still wore those long black coats and a weird pair of glasses that hid his eyes. They looked more like goggles. They made him look silly, even though he was trying to be scary.

"What the hell do you think you're doing with this Molga?" he asked in between kicks. This beating hurt more than any other. Even the angry man from the desert didn't hit this hard.

"I was fixing him. His left wheel was hurt!"

"'Him?' 'His?' It's a Zoid, not a person you stupid brat!" More kicking. "And don't touch those parts! That work belongs to the techs. You're a Zoid pilot!" Some of the "techs" were watching from farther back. They had seemed a lot nicer. They'd even said he was doing a good job. Another man in a black coat was yelling at them as well, but they weren't being hit. Many of them were looking over at him with worried faces. Why couldn't he be a tech too?

The new angry man that was hitting him dragged him by the back of his shirt and tossed him back in his room. "Stay in there until we call for you!" He locked the door.

It was stupid. These men were stupid. They kept saying, "You'll be a pilot, 12515." "You'll shoot to kill, 12515." "You're not a tech. Don't fix the Zoids, 12515." Why was being a pilot so important to these angry men? He was a lot better at fixing Zoids than blowing them up. Let 12516 fight; he loved to kill.

His chest hurt, and there were new bruises on his face. He tried not to cry, but it hurt real bad. He crawled over towards his bed, but it hurt to move and he wouldn't sleep like this. He wanted to run away. This was a bad place and he wanted to leave it. But there was no way out; they locked the door. And those guards were everywhere. They made sure nobody walked out unless they were allowed.

He lay on the floor, cry silently. He stared at the wall, hoping maybe his mind would forget the pain, but it didn't. What it did do was notice the weird metal plate in the wall. He'd once heard the techs call it a 'vent.' It was small, but not too small. He might actually be able to fit. He crawled over to the vent and pulled on the plate. It was screwed in place.

He looked closely at the screws. The techs had always had to 'improvise' with their work. A lot of them didn't have good tools so they used things like knifes from the mess hall to unscrew things. There was a plate from breakfast next to his bed, and so was knife. It still hurt to move, but maybe he could open the vent with the knife. It took a long time just to get to the bed. His leg wasn't moving right, it kept dragging. When he finally got the knife and crawled back to the vent, the knife wouldn't fit right. It took a long, long time just to get one screw out. And it took almost as long to get the second screw.

By the time he was ready to try the third screw, he heard voices come towards him. They almost came in before he could slide the knife and screws under his bed. This time it was the angry man from before, and apparently someone old enough to boss the first man around. "Look at him. You idiot! He's no good to us crippled!" It felt kinda good to see one of the angry men get hit for a change. "Get him to the infirmary." Now the first angry man looked sad and there was more dragging, this time to a place with doctors who looked at his leg and put some kind of stingy liquid on him.

When they were done he could walk a little better, and the pain was going down. Another dark man came to get him, without mentioning what happened to the first dark man who'd been yelled at. "There will be no training today. But you will do twice as many exercises tomorrow, so sleep now." They went back to the room, and the door was locked again.

The knife was still under his bed, and he didn't sleep. He worked on the last two screws as fast and as quietly as he could. The plate came off real easy with the screws finally gone. He set it down next to the opening and crawled inside. It was too snug. His clothes kept dragging against the metal, slowing him down and making him hot. So he crawled back out and took his uniform off. Now it was easy to move through the vent. It hurt a little as he crawled since the space was still really small, but it didn't stop him and it didn't hurt as bad as the beatings. He crawled deeper into the vent, and everything started to go dark.

"Leo? Hey, Leo." Funny, everyone else called him 12515. There was something almost familiar about that name though. The darkness around him seemed to lift slightly, and soon he realized his eyes were shut. Leo blinked under the sharp ceiling lights. He was lying on a bed, much softer than the one in his dream. And the faces around him were much friendlier. Leena, Brad, Jamie, Naomi, Leon and Doc Toros were gathered around him.

"Hey," Brad grinned, "nice of you to finally wake up."

Doc grinned. "You had us all worried there for a while."

Leo pressed a hand to his throbbing head and felt the bandages wrapped there. "What happened?"

Jamie explained, "Once Bit showed up, we were able to defeat the remaining Zoids. You passed out after we got you out of your Command Wolf's cockpit. It was touch and go there for a while. You were bleeding badly. How many stitches did you give him?"

Naomi answered, "About twenty."

"Right, twenty. Good thing Naomi knows some first aid."

"Comes with being a Zoid Warrior."

Leena folded her arms. "More like having too much free time. I don't know first aid."

"Pardon me. I meant it comes with being a good Zoid Warrior."

"What was that?"

As Leena and Naomi quarreled, Doc Toros stepped beside Leo. "Leon told me what happened with those strange Zoids and that maneuver you pulled. I want to thank you, Leo, for saving my daughter's life."

Leo shrugged, embarrassed. "Lucky shot."

"Not so lucky from what I saw." Leon said. "I reviewed some of the footage from an enemy Zoid. Your move was incredibly well played. If you'd jumped to your right instead of your left, you would have been right in the enemy's firing line. But instead you jumped out of their sights and landed two hits fast enough to disable an enemy."

"And then got blasted myself." Yep. It was all coming back.

"Regardless, that was no small accomplishment. Before that battle, Leo, I only saw enough potential in you to reach Class B. But after seeing that move, I can't even guess how far you can go." Leo wasn't sure how to react to that compliment. At first it almost sounded like criticism. He hadn't the skills to get into Class A, and Class S would be an eternal dream. But now even Leon couldn't tell how strong Leo could become. That gave some hope.

"Well." Doc clapped his hands together. "Jamie, I think it's time we got started on dinner."

"What? You mean you didn't start already? I thought you were going to handle dinner tonight!" Boys as young as Jamie shouldn't have veins bulge like that.

"Well… I was going to… but then something came up."

Leon nodded. "You were playing with your toys again."

"Oh, Dad." Leena sighed.

"Not toys! Model kits. An extremely rare one in this case; a brand-new model commemorating the Helic Republic's latest discovery. It's called the Mad Thunder and-"

"Whatever." Jamie sighed. "Guess I'll go start on dinner. Anyone want to help?" No takers. "Thought so." Jamie slumped out the door.

"I'm afraid we can't stay." Leon and Naomi began saying their goodbyes. "Word is the new season is ready to be revealed. We need to get our Zoids prepped and start gathering supplies."

"Goodness, I guess we'd better get on that too. I'll go have to have a word with Jamie about it." Doc followed Naomi and Leon out the door.

Leo frowned. "Why is Jamie team mother?"

Brad shrugged. "That's the role he takes on. Don't expect me to fill in for him."

"My Dad will never change. If it weren't for Jamie, we'd lose all our financing on weapons and toys."

"They're all the same to Doc. And you burn a lot of money on ammo too, Leena."

"You would too if you didn't have that laser Vulcan cannon!"

"Remember that Command Wolf I used to pilot? No lasers on that Zoid, and I still only used a tenth as much ammo as you."

"Why you!" Leena snarled.

Uh-oh. "Time to go." Leo rolled off the bed.

"Hey! You shouldn't be moving around." The fight abruptly forgotten, Leena was surprisingly gentle as she tried to get him to lie back down.

"I'll be fine. I heal quickly. Besides, I need to check on Fang."

Brad said, "We brought him back to the hanger along with Leena's Gun Sniper."

Leo thanked them and went to check on his partner, who still remained in a system freeze. Fang might as well have been a broken marionette given his slumped form. The damage to his side was extensive, though thankfully the core remained undamaged. Fang would heal in time, although this would set their plans back a good while.

Crawling into the cockpit was not as easy as it should have been. In addition the glass shards that had once been the readout screen littering the pilots chair, Leo found he'd lost so much blood the climb up made him dizzy. He slumped down Fang's leg and rested on his paw. What a day. What a miserable, challenging, hope-filled day. Having run the gauntlet with the Blitz and Flugel Teams, and then fighting a band of unknown Zoids, Leo was surprised to still be alive. He'd neither the skill nor the power to defeat either force, and yet he'd survived both trials, just as he'd done countless other times.

He thought back to his dream, or memory, and grinned at how he used to envy the techs while the men in black coats beat him day after day. That air duct hadn't led to his freedom, but it had given him a future. After he'd finally left that hell behind, it seemed as if the life of a grease monkey would be ideal for him. But he hadn't noticed how all the techs were taken for granted. Every team in the Commission seemed to forget about the men and women who kept their precious Zoids and weapons tuned. There were no awards for techs, no ceremonies, and usually less pay than a warrior received. Leo hadn't fled a life without a name to just so he could be forced into another void. So he'd become a Zoid Warrior, just as the angry men had always wanted. And now he was back to being a tech, for the Blitz Team no less.

This isn't what I had in mind when I left, he thought. This isn't the life I wanted. He wanted his name to be on the lips of every admiring Zoids fan, for all people to see how skilled a pilot he was without ever taking the life of a Zoid. Zi was a planet of conflict, even the sky had shown violence against the people. It was naïve to think that Zoids would exist without battling, but people could take measures to lessen the killing. As long as Leo didn't take the life of a Zoid, he didn't feel guilty about knocking it unconscious. He'd just fix it later as an apology.

Clang.

Something metallic hit the floor nearby and Leo wondered if his weariness made him drop a part. But he realized he wasn't doing any maintenance. The sound had come from across the hanger, near an open garage door. A blond head of hair poked in from the outside and glanced around, not noticing Leo in Fang's shadow. The figure then vanished.

Intrigued, Leo slowly slipped off Fang, promising to return his partner to consciousness later, and stalked after the lurker. Outside a large truck with a crane hanging over the cargo bin backed towards one of the base's storage sheds. It was on the border of the base, nearly resting on the desert sand and looking as though it hadn't been touched in weeks.

Bit Cloud, the most renowned warrior on Zi, revered (and feared) by his peers slumped out of the driver's seat and skulked to shed's doorway. He then began to silently curse as he tried to pick the shed's lock. The idea that the victor of the Royal Cup and a Class S warrior would resort to sneaking and breaking in made Leo laugh aloud. Bit made a small yipping sound and whirled on him, a look of panic on his face.

"Hi." Leo felt a little silly waving hello after nearly scaring the man to death.

"Oh, it's you." Bit sighed. "I thought you were Doc or one of the others." He relaxed. "How's the head?"

"Throbbing, but at least I'm alive to feel it. Thanks for the save back there."

"Hey, don't mention it. I should be thanking you for saving my teammate. 'Course, if you wanna show your gratitude, you won't tell anyone I was out here!" There was a desperation in his voice Leo couldn't understand. He peeked over Bit's shoulder at the forbidden shed.

"You got a dead body in there?"
"No. I just... have some stuff."

"What? Naughty magazines?"

"NO!" Bit sighed. "Actually, it's empty right now. I want to use it to store these." He opened the back of his truck, which was crammed full of broken Zoids parts and weapons. All were coated in the fine grain of desert sand, and most looked like they'd take a substantial effort just to repair. Bit picked up on Leo's question even before he could ask. "When I left for vacation, I towed my truck behind Liger Zero. I wanted to spend some time salvaging stuff like I did before I joined the Blitz Team. This is how I make most of my money and it's… how I relax. I'm a drifter and I don't like being tied down too long, so getting out for a good salvage run helps me."

"Makes sense." Leo was a drifter as well, though not always by choice. "So, why are you hiding it all the way out there? There are storage areas in the hanger."

"Are you crazy?" Bit whirled on him, a fresh panic in his eyes. "Do you have any idea what Doc would do with all this stuff?" Now he was all weepy. The man changed moods faster than Leo could keep up. "When I first joined, Doc tricked me into signing away all my earnings to pay for Liger's conversion system. And when I tried to gather spare parts to sell for some extra cash, he found my stash and sold them all off to pay for maintenance. After all our wins and all those cash prizes, I still need to win at least thirty more matches to pay off my debts!"

He gripped Leo by the shoulders. "You haven't signed anything, have you? Tell me Doc hasn't trapped you too."

Okay, now this was scary. "Uh… no."

"Good. Don't sign anything. Let Jamie handle the paperwork."

"Yes, yes, fine. Please calm down." He gently shook off Bit's death grip. "So, why are you storing stuff in this particular shed?"

Bit grinned. "Glad you asked. I checked the base inventory just after we got back. There's nothing listed for this shed, so it must be empty. I can store my findings and fix them in just a few weeks, then sell them off. It's so far out of the way, no one will think to look here. Doc won't be the wiser and I'll finally have a little extra cash to line my pockets."

"What about your Royal Cup winnings? I thought you won a fortune."

Now he was sad again. "Doc used up most of it for Liger's parts and I spent the rest on vacation. It's so unfair." He resumed picking the lock. "I don't get it. This shed isn't being used, so it shouldn't be locked. And who made this thing anyway? I can't get it open."

"It helps if you have a key." Now both Bit and Leo jumped. Brad had materialized out of nowhere.

"Where'd you come from?" Leo demanded.

"I tracked you two out of the hanger. Dinner's ready."

Bit wasn't interested in food. "Brad, who locked this shed?"

"I did."

"What? Why?"

"For these." He produced the key and opened the door, revealing his own stash of equipment. Unlike Bit's, this set was in far better shape. The parts were smooth and clean, obviously never used. Brad's cache was far smaller than Bit's as well. "These are parts from my old Command Wolf. After the Backdraft blew it up, I stashed these parts to sell off later. But I kept putting it off, so I moved 'em out here where Doc won't find 'em."

"No fair!" Bit huffed. "This was my idea since before I left."

"Tough. I'm king of this shed."

"You barely take up any space! There's room enough for both our parts!"

"True, but why should I share? I might want to use that space to store other things. I'd need to be compensated for the lost space."

"Don't give me that. If you think I'm gonna give you one coin-"

"Forty percent of all sales you make off parts stored here."

"No way. Five percent!"

"I'll make it thirty."

"Try half that!"

"In that case, I'll knock it down to twenty-five percent."

"Twenty, and that's it!"

"Deal."

Leo grinned. "Nice comradely around here."

Brad shrugged, as usual. "Just doing business."

"Profiting off my hard work is more like it. If I didn't need to keep Doc in the dark-"

"Oh, yeah, about that. I'll need some hush money as well."

"Hush money?"

"I might accidentally let knowledge about this storehouse slip out, you know."

"You heartless-"

"Twenty percent of all sales, non-negotiable."

Bit slumped his shoulders. "Fine, you win. Would you like my soul while you're at it?"

"Next time." Brad made Bit shake on their agreement.

"Hey," Leo had been examining the parts while the other two men broke the uneasy deal. "Are you willing to sell any of these parts right now?"

"Are you ready to buy right now?"
"Fang's going to need a lot of repair work. It makes sense to install new parts now rather than have to rip him apart later. I don't have any money, though."

Brad pondered, then actually grinned. "Alright. Tell you what: I'll sell them to you on a discount, and you can pay me back over time by giving me a percent of the money you get from our teams winnings."

"How much of a percent?"

"Five percent."

"Five? Five?" Bit was understandably furious. "How come you're giving him a discount and going for the jugular with me?"
"He fixes my Shadow Fox. What have you done for me lately?"

"I won the Royal Cup!"

"After I took out one of Vega's rotary blades, bought you the time to transform Zero, and smashed up my Shadow Fox in the process. Leo fixed it up without any major problems." Did he really have to reference that again? "Don't start thinking you won the Royal Cup all on your own." Bit couldn't retaliate. Leo and Brad shook on the deal, and Brad carted off a crestfallen Bit to dinner. Leo opted to stay behind and transfer the parts to Fang. "You should eat." said Brad. "You won't be much good as a tech if you're passing out." Leo was noticeably pale.

"I already said I heal fast. In fact, I feel a lot stronger now. I'll be fine." Brad didn't argue the point further. While Leo searched out a cart to load and transport the supplies, he grinned at his good fortune. Modern Command Wolf parts at a discount, and he didn't need to pay up front. Just five percent shaved off his winnings… would take forever to pay off all this stuff. Leo paused and realized that Brad had just ensured that Leo would have to stay on with the Blitz Team longer than a year in order to pay off all this equipment. He'd been tricked. That didn't sit well with Leo, even though staying on didn't seem that bad. He liked these people; they were funny and easy going, and unlike any other team he'd ever met. And he wasn't about to pass up a chance to update Fang's equipment But to be tricked into staying on longer than he intended...

He was a wanderer, like Bit. But now he wasn't sure if he didn't actually choose to wander.

The Storm Sworder continued to slice through the air, even after a short nap. Such a long trip by a supersonic Zoid was truly a testament to the distance Kenneth Gray had traveled to retrieve Hancock. He couldn't see well out of the cockpit screens, but it looked as though they were over the Elma desert. But there were patches of green growing steadily larger as they progressed southward. They were heading to the very bottom of Europa, far beyond the boundaries of most prosperous city-states.

"Excuse me." He addressed the masked pilot sitting the lead chair. "How much farther?"

"Not long now, sir. Less than half an hour." He already knew the pilot was female. The uniform did little to hide her figure; but why was that voice so familiar? It raised a small alarm in Hancock's mind, yet he couldn't understand why. Had this pilot intended him harm, she could have easily forced him out of the cockpit in mid-flight, or dumped him while he slept. To spend all this fuel just to assassinate him far from any familiars made no sense. This unease did not come from fear for his life. Perhaps it was just nervousness. Mr. Gray had been very tight-lipped about the proposal, only that he need ride the Storm Sworder for a while, hear the proposition from the representative's superiors, and if he chose not to accept, they would fly him back. It seemed reasonable enough, though Hancock had not anticipated this long of a trip, and he doubted anyone would want to take revenge on a retired Commissioner.

The land was much more prosperous now, although the towns far below looked unbearably crude. In the waning evening light, he could see the golden-colored tops of adobe and wooden homes, built around a town square. There were no cities or hubs this far south. Farming towns and ruins were the main feature. Even the people dressed as if they'd lived in a time warp. Given the local, Kenneth Gray's drab clothing now struck him as quite modernized. Whoever had arranged this trip had obviously been saving up a great deal of money to purchase everything from fuel to clothing; all to impress him. It was nice to know someone still appreciate him, even after Vaez and taken over all his former obligations. Hancock sighed and wondered how Cecilia's meeting with Paris would go. They would meet in a few hours. He would have liked to have seen his niece again.

"We've arrived." Hancock tired to peer over the pilot's shoulder. The… city (if one could call it that) was larger than any town seen thus far, but not due to any building. The structures were no taller than those of any other community seen on the trip. What distinguished this local was the towering wall that encircled the area. The octagon-shaped barrier stretched twice as high as the city it protected, and its surface was seamless, as if it had grown out of the ground as a whole. A thin ledge ran along the top of the wall, upon which Hancock could see people moving about. Such craftsmanship was far beyond anything capable among these poorer towns, and would be a waste of money. There was only one conclusion.

"Is that a..?"

"Yes, sir. That's a guardian wall Zoid. I believe you've seen one before?" Indeed he had. Oluga, the guardian wall of Mule, was a well known tourist site and one of the best defenses on Zi. Few of these strange Zoids had survived the great cataclysm. Those that had were coveted as the safest defense against bandits and even military units. Although they appeared exposed to aerial attacks, barrier Zoids had the ability to deploy energy shields that encircled the entire city. Nothing short of a Deathsaurer's charged particle cannon could break through those defenses. It was said that a barrier Zoid was the greatest guardian against both man, Zoid, and nature. "Arcadia's capital of Argos began in the middle of that barrier Zoid, Fylak. That protection drew many farmers, making it the most prosperous city in this region."

"'Fylak,' is that a Terran word?"

"Yes. From what I understand, it's adapted from a race of people called the 'Greeks.' Arcadia itself was named after an ancient Greek region. You'll get used to all the names."

"That presupposes I'll be staying for a long time."

"I have a feeling you will, sir. I know for a fact you're very committed to just causes." That raised an eyebrow, but not nearly so much as when Hancock spied one lone Zoid outside the city walls. At first he thought it to be a raid, except that the Zoid was facing away from the city as if to ward off any attack. But there was no mistaking that large boxy design, with the twin tusks glinting in the light and the cannons mounted at the end of a long trunk. Its dim purple paint scheme nearly hid it in Fylak's shadow, but Hancock was all too familiar with that Zoid to miss it.

"That's the Elephander!"

"It is. We keep in on guard duty most of the time. This area's plagued with bandits and it's not a good idea to rely solely on Fylak for protection."

"That's not the point! What is a Backdraft Zoid doing outside your city?"

"Guarding it, of course."

"I do not find this situation humorous, young lady." He tended to sound like a father when he was upset.

The pilot sighed. "I understand your feelings towards Backdraft Zoids and pilots, General Hancock, but you'd be surprised how much things have changed since the Royal Cup. This Storm Sworder itself came from the Backdraft, as did I."

Now he recognized her. She must have tucked all that neon-green hair under her flight helmet, and that mirror visor concealed her cool emerald eyes. For a moment Hancock pondered fighting for control of the vehicle and turning the Zoid around. But that would only succeed in a fast death, and now he wanted answers. "I never did know your name."

"Pierce, sir. My name is Pierce, and it's a pleasure to meet you. Now, hold on. We're landing."

The landing pad was brick square—cracked and broken from multiple takeoffs and landings—just outside the largest building, which barely stood a foot above its neighbors. Pierce disembarked first, removing her helmet and tossing it to one of the approaching service men. By the time Hancock stepped out, the Storm Sworder was surrounded by techs, fueling, measuring, and even polishing the Zoid for its next flight. Hancock glanced around for a Zoids hanger, which he discovered at the very rear of the city, protruding out of Fylak's side. The hanger was pitifully small and could service no more than three Zoids at a time, hardly enough to keep a military functioning. Then again, who was to say Arcadia even had a Zoid army? The techs servicing the Storm Sworder were unusually eager to perform their work, as if this was the first bit of activity in a very long period. Perhaps Arcadia suffered from a labor surplus, without enough goods to produce.

Pierce stepped beside him. "Since Ambassador Gray is still en route home, the captain of the guard escorting you to your meeting."

"And who might that be?"

"Me, sir." An older man with short silver hair and narrow eyes approached from across the pad. He was tall and lean, with a calm and composure found in most military commanders, even Backdraft. Hancock had no trouble placing this man. He'd actually spoken to him once before, a few weeks before the Royal Cup. He was the only Backdraft member to defect and join the ZBC as a legitimate contestant. It had taken quite a bit of convincing. It wasn't until Hancock had witness a video of this man blasting his Whale King out of a Backdraft base, and received the coordinates for the base itself, that he'd allowed Stigma Stoller to battle Bit Cloud in a one-on-one match.

"It's good to see you again, General Hancock." He held out his hand. Hancock didn't take it.

"I wish I could say likewise. Our last meeting left me in a difficult situation with my peers."

Stoller didn't appear phased. If anything, he seemed to have anticipated this reaction. "I understand. But I assure you I was not aware the Backdraft would attack in the middle of my match with Bit Cloud. I think their attacking my Elephander proves that I was not a part of the ambush."

"Perhaps." Hancock had actually argued that point himself. Stoller had seemed genuine, but the Backdraft was known for its scheming. "If you're here, who is piloting the Elephander outside?"

"That would be my chief aid Sanders. I believe you met him as well. I've retired from Zoid battles again. Now I am captain of the guard here in Argos. We don't want to be late for the meeting. Please follow me." Stoller thanked Pierce and started walking without waiting for Hancock. Reluctantly, the former Chairman followed a man who'd been his enemy a few months ago.

A Backdraft fighter pilot serving as transport, a Backdraft Warrior guarding the gates, and now a Backdraft captain of the guard. Who would be the head of this outpost? A resurrected Count Umbra perhaps? It seemed as though any criminal would appear next.

Stoller led him to the tallest building, which appeared to serve as both a home and center of government for the city. Stoller simply referred to it as "The Castle." While hardly living up to its name, the Castle was well furnished for a remote area. Carpeting and drapes, while plain, did add a small hint of elegance. Unable to vie for height, the Castle instead chose to draw attention to its length. The entire décor accented the stretching hallways and the space between rooms. The walk from the landing pad to the meeting place seemed as if it might take longer than the flight.

Already off-kilter, Hancock decided to abandon any pretense of disinterest. Besides, this walk was boring. "How is it that three Backdraft pilots are now members of a city's military force?"

"Former Backdraft pilots, sir. And we're not a military force per se. We're more of a protection force. Aside from the Elephander we have no true offensive capability."

"Fine, but that doesn't answer how you came to be here."

Stoller didn't lose stride as he explained. "After my loss to Bit Cloud, Sanders and I went underground, avoiding punishment from the Backdraft for our betrayal. We met up with Pierce while watching the Royal Cup and decided to head as far south as possible. We intended to wait until the ZBC and Backdraft finished their battles, then return to more modern surroundings. We came upon Arcadia by chance, and soon after its rulers convinced us to stay on as members of the guard. Here inside Fylak, we are relatively safe from Backdraft attack, and we're so far out of the way that I doubt the Backdraft currently has the financing to assassinate us. That of course means that we're depending on the ZBC to finish off the Backdraft before they regain their financial backing."

"Then perhaps you should have brought Sen Vaez here. He controls the Battle Commission, not me."

"Vaez has his own plans for the future. We are hoping you can-" Stoller cut off with a light grunt as something rounded the corner and slammed into his legs. There was a loud thump and an outcry from what sounded like a child's voice. A twelve-year-old boy with spiked, fiery red hair was recovering from an unexpected trip to the floor. A tall and slender woman with flowing long hair of the same color as the boy's followed soon after.

"Atory! Are you hurt?" The woman was exceptionally beautiful, and wore a flowing dress that fit her regal manner. The golden medallion draping from her neck was the first piece of jewelry Hancock had seen in Arcadia. It suited her for some reason.

"I'm okay, Mom." The lad hopped up as if nothing had happened. The mother had not forgotten, however. She promptly grabbed his ear and presented him before Stoller.

"In that case, apologize to Captain Stoller!"

"Ow! I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" The woman released him, but kept a hand on his shoulder until he bowed formally.

Stoller almost grinned. "Prince Atory, running down the halls is behavior unbefitting royalty. If you're going to assume leadership of this Kingdom your father is building, you'll have to act the role."

"Prince?" Hancock could not believe the title. Royalty in this backwater region?

Stoller made the introductions. "This is Queen Angela Bethany Prasino and her son, Prince Atory Prasino."

"Greetings, General Hancock." The woman curtsied with the poise of many Guylos nobles. The boy's bow was far sloppier, but his intentions seemed true. "Welcome to Arcadia. I am glad you chose to accept our invitation."

"I have agreed to listen, nothing more." The declaration—or was it snapping—caught the "Queen" off guard. A small flash of pain appeared on her face, then quickly vanished as she recovered her poise. It struck Hancock that thus far he'd broken just about every rule a diplomat could set. He'd been inquisitive, direct—even rude, and allowed himself to be taken totally by surprise. Had he been serving as an envoy for the Zoids Battle Commission, this would be a true fiasco and a disgrace to his career. But I am not a representative for anyone but myself, he thought. I have no other responsibilities. It is these people who asked for me, my future is not linked to them. Still, Hancock had never been able to tolerate men and women who were unnecessarily rude. The shock of losing his position and having his future clouded had robbed Hancock much of his composure. He could admit he did not see much of a future with these people, but this was not a time to be harsh or blunt. If nothing else, Hancock was intrigued by this poor state that had worked so hard to deliver a message to him in person. No matter how wayward this adventure seemed, he would maintain the dignity he'd so cherished as a Commissioner. "I apologize. My words were too harsh. But I am not even sure what it is you ask of me. I cannot commit to anything until I learn more."

The Queen smiled. "I understand. We whisked you away so shortly after a dramatic change in your life. It is more than understandable that you feel somewhat off-center. But I think you will feel differently about our home once you speak with my husband."

"Madam, I don't think I've mentioned anything regarding your home." He gestured to the halls. "I think it is very beautiful."

"I was not referring to our house, or Castle as it is now called. This is the building we live in. Arcadia is our home, and you needn't say anything. I have met enough travelers to know how people from the central lands view our 'backwater' homelands. Those that have taken the time to stay and learn more have quickly changed their opinions." She indicated a pair of thick oaken doors at the other end of the hallway. "We should not keep King Prasino waiting."

She led him the rest of the way with Stoller following close behind. Prince Atory stayed silent his mother's side, but Hancock caught a couple of stray glances coming his way. The office she led him to was small and modest. Sparsely furnished with a map of Zi and a few books, plus several file cabinets. It looked more like a lawyer's office than a king's meeting chamber.

King Thomas Prasino was a powerfully built man, with hair as sharp as his son's, though a dark brown rather than the flame Atory had inherited from his mother. The King's face was etched in many premature lines and streaks of silver shot through his hair. Hancock had seen this type of face in the mirror every day while he was with the Commission as the Backdraft continued to cause problems. It was the look of a leader who sometimes felt as if everything might crumble beneath his feet, and everything he'd worked towards would vanish, discarding him into the void. Despite this aura, the man's handshake was powerful, and he spoke with confidence.

"Welcome to Arcadia, General Hancock. Thank you for accepting my invitation."

Hancock only nodded. "I was wondering what I'd do after retirement. I didn't expect a new proposal so soon. The timing is…"

"Suspicious." King Prasino finished for him. "I'll be the first to admit we were expecting you to be ousted."

Hancock blinked. Apparently he was not the only one violating protocol tonight. "And how did you reach that prediction?"

"Because Helic, Guylos, and now the ZBC are beginning to forget the older ways in favor of 'young blood.' I anticipated some backlash from the Royal Cup. That was why I made arrangements for your invitation and transport to my home. It is not that I doubt your leadership skills, General. On the contrary, I have need of them here in Arcadia. But the people of Zi are becoming more rash and headstrong every day. I'm sure you noticed it during the latter part of your term as ZBC Commissioner.

Hancock wanted to laugh. This was by far the most direct conversation he'd had with a dignitary in his entire career. Or was this man truly a dignitary? "You say that you need my leadership here in Arcadia. I doubt you want to turn the 'throne' over to me."

King Prasino chuckled. "I'm sitting in my throne right now. I can have it moved to your office if you join us and I can get a new one from the hallway. Tell me, General, what do you know about our small kingdom?"

Hancock had broken another rule of diplomacy: he hadn't researched his host. Although that would have been impossible given he didn't even know where he'd been headed. It was still uncomfortable to admit a lack of intelligence. "The Commission did not give much thought to this region. I ordered some of my assistants to keep an eye on events in the area should trouble arise, but nothing ever came up."

"That's more than many men would have done. You at least considered that we might pose a threat. After all, I am not the first man to crown himself king."

Strange. There was no venom to those words; no prodding or jabbing. This was not a joust, but an invitation. This king wanted to get the doubts out of the way before getting to the meat of the issue. "So you admit you don't have any royal birthright claims?"

"I find such ideas silly. If I presented you a vile filled with the blood of a Guylos noble, and a second filled with the blood of a commoner, I'm sure you'd agree there's no real difference. There's no genetic code for royalty, so there can be no true 'royal blood.' I made myself a king out of necessity, not from naked ambition or self delusion."

"'Necessity?' What need granted you the right to rule?"

Prasino leaned back, obviously ready for a long story. "Arcadia began with my father, a mayor in a city even more remote than Argos. We people of the far south are farmers and labor men. We have nothing technological to offer to the cities, and we cannot afford to have Zoids battles destroying our livelihood. Our crops are our lives, even though we cannot compete with other producers such as Mule. My father realized that while our options were limited, we could gain some strength if towns within the region united in an alliance. He began to negotiate with other community leaders to form the Arcadian Commonwealth."

"Why Arcadia? Is you family descended from Terran Greeks?"

"I do not know. Like many people, we cannot trace our lineage back to Earth. But my father did have a relic from humanity's cradle: a book of Greek Mythology." He nodded to a glass-encased book resting on the shelving across the hall. "The Terran Arcadia was a small region populated by farmers. There was no wealth, but there was life and peace, thus yielding happiness. We wanted to tap that same happiness.

"Unfortunately, I realized something that my father could not. Living in a powerless region means a man covets what power he has all the more. The other leaders were only going along with my father's plan to further their own ambitions. The agreements had not even been signed yet men and women were making deals and forming alliances within the shadows. I knew that my father's dream would soon waver and die a few months after he succeeded in uniting the towns. I began to take measures of my own. I visited all the potential Commonwealth towns and began to speak to the people in secret meetings. The more I traveled, the more seeds of uprising I planted."

Hancock wasn't sure he liked where this was going. Prasino's tale made him sound like a revolutionary fighting for the good of the people, but history was written by the victor. "And is that how you came to live in a city such as this?"

"Not entirely. It was relatively easy to sway the smaller towns to my side, but I did not need to take such action here in Argos. I quickly learned its leader was not one of the conspirators. But my plans would have surely fallen if we could not bring the most prosperous town in the region under our banner. I could not turn the people against their leader for it would be an act of tyranny. And besides, the leader was so loved by the people I doubt I could have done anything to trick them. You see, the leaders of Argos are also the caretakers of Fylak. Mother passes the role to daughter, and both parents handle the affairs of the city."

Hancock leaned forward. The people of Mule had a similar system of government based within Oluga. Protocol had forbidden him from inquiring such a domestic issue, but now there didn't appear to be any guidelines for this conversation. "Why only mother to daughter?"

"I can answer that question." Queen Prasino stood beside her husband. She held up the medallion from her neck. "This is no mere accessory. This is my link to Fylak. It allows me to tap into the Zoid's mind and ask it to raise or lower the shields whenever we need. I can also request Fylak to open and close the gates. This can only be handled by the women of my family due to the inherited trait."

"Trait?"

"Yes. I am descended from Ancient Zoidians. I hold less that a quarter of their genes within myself, but it is enough to stay in contact with Fylak. As the Zoidian bloodline grows thinner, the ability to touch the mind of the Zoid will also fade."

"And what will you do then?"

"We will hope that Fylak still loves us enough to protect us without our asking."

King Prasino chuckled and took his wife's hand. "I cannot see how Fylak could not love someone such as you, my dear." He kissed her hand and addressed Hancock. "Angela is the reason I was able to win Argos to my cause. I met with its leaders, hoping to persuade them to join. I had no idea I would fall in love with their daughter and inherit the reigns of power after we wed. With Argos' backing, I executed my carefully-laid plans and led the people in an uprising, taking power from the conspirator leaders and giving it all to my father. He refused to take the title of king and told me that I would have to finish my own grand designs. I think he felt betrayed that I had acted behind his back, even though I held his dream of unity close in my heart.

"My father is dead now. His health was never that good. I have tried to show him the justice in my plan by constructing a kingdom that could one day become the democracy he envisioned."

Hancock frowned. "You'd give up absolute control for an electorate?"

"Monarchies and totalitarian states are not known for being safeguards of justice, but they are efficient. With my wife and myself as the only two leaders of the kingdom, there is no danger of being blocked by a competitive political party. So long as we stay within the good graces of the people, we can continue to build unimpeded, or so we'd hoped."

"You have found a rival?"

"Several rivals. The biggest rivals you could imagine: the Helic Republic, the Guylos Empire, and your former change—the Zoids Battle Commission."

Author's Note:Prasinos is Greek for "life."Fylak is taken from Fylakas, which is Greek for "guard;" a fitting name for a barrier Zoid. Porto and Mule are locations mentioned in the Zoids Chaotic Century manga series, and the Guerrial Plateau was a site Van and Fiona visited in the anime series (thanks to for the information).