Battle Dawn
Chapter 11: Reunited
by Silver
Author's Note: Thanks go to ZeroPioneer and ChrsDude for beta reading this chapter. They're the only thing protecting my story from my own lack of spelling and grammar skills.
Thanks also go to all the people who read this story, and those kind enough to leave a review.
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Oh, hell. Why here? Why now? Leo could see the Cannon Fort's eyes shinning within the blackness, scanning left and right for its prey. How had that thing gotten down here? How did it know to look down here? Something about this felt suspicious. Too bad he didn't have time to think about the possibilities.
Leo carried Leena to a nearby building that looked secure enough. Should anything happen, this structure—worn and tired as it was—should endure. He laid her down under the remains of a desk. "Stay here and don't come out unless I call you." He handed her the flashlight. It wouldn't do him any good and it was the only thing that would help settle Leena's mind. Bad enough to hide from a Zoid that was out for your head. Waiting in complete darkness was even worse.
"What are you doing?" She sounded both exhausted and terrified.
"I'm going to stop that Zoid."
"How?"
"It's a Zoid, remember? It's gotta have a cockpit." He got up to leave.
"I'm coming too."
Leo knelt back down and put his hand on her shoulder, making her stop. "Leena, stop acting like you're fine. You're sick, you're tired, you're scared. I'm not much better off, but I have a chance against the Cannon Fort. You need to stay here and rest. If I can get the Cannon Fort to listen to me, we can ride it out of here." He left before she could protest; not an easy feat when he couldn't see in the dark.
He stumbled and tripped his way outside, using his memory to retrace his steps. From there he went it into the next building and up the stairs, placing his hand on the wall as a guide. It was agonizingly slow, but he had a little breathing room. The Cannon Fort was taking its time searching. He needed to move cautiously. No way could he save Leena with a broken neck.
And to think all he'd signed up for was to be a Zoid tech. Reluctantly, at that.
But this situation wasn't any different from the woman in the alley and the gang that had started this whole mess. When someone was in trouble, Leo had to help. He didn't claim any sort of moral superiority or divine cause. It just happened. It was a reflex. Hadn't he met Leena by chasing off those Molga bandits? Given his current predicament, that might have been a mistake. But if I wasn't here, he thought, Leena might be dead. The possibility made his stomach and heart clench.
He continued to stumble through what might have been an office space. The remains of desks and chair cluttered his path while he choked on the ash in the air. His hand felt the edge of shattered glass and he could feel a tiny cut open on his finger. It wasn't a window, and the only other type of glass Leo would expect to find on a wall would be a tele-viewer. Maybe Zoidians enjoyed watching a game while at work just as humans. He grinned at the thought of the oh-so-mysterious Ancient Zoidians gathering around the holy water-cooler to discuss last night's programming. Somehow that gag took the tension out of the situation.
The Cannon Fort's cry fixed that.
It was closer than he'd expected. Damn thing wasn't very methodical. The way it bellowed one would think it was actually calling for Leena. "Oh, Leena. Dear Leena! Come out so I can stomp you!" Leo increased his pace, sacrificing stealth for speed and either batting aside, rolling over, or crashing through obstacles. It was a loud ruckus but the Cannon Fort was too busy making its own noise to hear. He managed to advance to the fifth story; just high enough to see over the Cannon Fort's head. He crouched beneath a shattered window and removed his jacket, placing it over his head and shoulders. Leo had no doubt the Zoid could see clearly in this darkness. If this Vaez guy had ordered this thing custom-built for Leena, he'd have included some infra-red or night-vision sensors. If they got out of this alive, he'd make sure everyone knew to beware of Sen Vaez bearing gifts.
The Cannon Fort was a few heavy steps away, still calling out. Something was weird, and the more Leo realized it the more he second-guessed himself. He didn't enjoy using command systems to enslave a Zoid's will, yet here he was about to commit that same crime. He always asked a Zoid to let him pilot it, and they usually allowed him. No permission this time. He'd have to take control of this Zoid or let it continue to hunt his friend and squash him here and now. So why didn't he feel right about all this? He'd learned long ago that no moral or law was absolute. There was always a gray area, and he was in it now. Still…
The Zoid was right under him now. Swallowing any doubt or hesitation, he leaped forward, using his jacket a shield against the shards. He flung the jacket away when he felt the terrible absence of footing and landed atop the Cannon Fort's head. It roared in outrage and began to try to shake him off as a human tossed a bug from its forehead. Leo clung to the rim of the Zoid's eye socket while frantically searching for the external cockpit release. His hand slid over smooth steel with only the occasional welding spot. Where had Vaez put the damn thing?
The Cannon Fort swung its head violently to the side and smashed into the building. Leo managed to jump and roll along the creature's brow and grab on just as the horn decimated the fifth and fourth floors, raining debris on the street. Leo hoped that Leena was still tucked away safely. Perhaps he should have hidden her farther away.
There! His hand slapped against the controls and he welcomed the hiss of the cockpit unsealing. Nice; Vaez had provided Leena with an air-tight seal so she couldn't be gassed inside the Zoid. Given the trouble the Blitz Team seemed to attract, that was pretty thoughtful. He was still planning on giving Vaez a punch to the nose, however.
Leo rolled over the edge and tumbled into the pilot's seat. "Don't mind me." He grabbed the controls. Cannon Fort did mind, and it bucked twice as much as before. Leo couldn't close the hatch. Either the Cannon Fort had somehow found a way to control its smaller systems or Vaez should have paid more attention to the basics instead of bells and whistles.
Should have paid for better controls too. They weren't working. Leo tried the emergency shutoff switch, hoping that "rebooting" the Zoid would bring the Command System online. He was still trying to ignore this feeling of unease with his actions. The Zoid would not fall silent. It bucked and thrashed, bouncing Leo in his seat and nearly sending his head through the monitor… that was showing a little girl who looked hauntingly like Leena.
Now Leo could hear the audio coming in over the comm. speaker. "What's this button, Daddy?" The little girl, who had short red hair and bright violet eyes, was sitting on the lap of a younger Steve Toros. He was grinning happily, eager to show his daughter every ratchet and bolt on the Zoid.
"That's the cannon trigger, honey, but don't-" Why wasn't Leo surprised when she pressed it? He could hear the cannons thunder almost as loud as the Cannon Fort's bellow, though it was thrashing less since the monitor started up. Something collapsed off-screen, but Leena was laughing like she'd just finished her first roller coaster ride. Her father's reaction matched the analogy.
"Leena! That was… was…"
Young Leena giggled. "That was really fun. I like this button!"
The screen flickered for a moment, and now Leena was sitting in the cockpit alone. She was about thirteen years old and dressed as a… tomboy? Jeans, sweat shirt, and she was reading some kind of teen magazine. Her father called from off-camera. "Leena, where are you? Did you finish your homework?" Those words sounded very alien, coming from the model-building Doc.
Teen Leena rolled her eyes and muttered something about her father getting lost, and buried her nose deeper in the magazine. The cockpit hatch opened and Dr. Toros' shadow fell over Leena. "You really need to find a better hiding place, dear. Have you finished your homework?"
"No." She looked more intently at the magazine. Her father reached in and snatched it away.
"Leena, your grades are slipping. You need to focus more."
"Dad, I'm going to be a Zoid Warrior, I don't need to know about math and history."
"Oh? So you won't need to learn how to calculate a firing angle? And you won't learn a few tricks from people like Van Flyheight the Hero?"
"This Flyheight guy's way too old to teach me anything. He's long dead, right? And as for firing a gun." She reached for that button again. Her father stopped her this time.
"My model kits are on the other side of the wall. Do you really want to tempt fate?" Teen Leena wisely withdrew her hand. Her father sighed, the kind of frustrated "what am I going to do with you?" exhale that Leo had seen fathers use with their teen daughters. "Leena, you don't know what your future is going to hold. I want you to have options in case being a Zoid warrior doesn't work out."
"Oh, it'll work out." Leena said with complete certainty. "I know it will."
The screen flickered again, and the Cannon Fort was struggling even less now. Leo had stopped testing the control panels in favor of watching the flashbacks. Something in his gut told him to pay attention. A lot of what had been happening tonight was suddenly starting to make sense.
Now he was seeing Leena, only a year or so ago. She was dressed in her usual combat outfit, typing in commands and going through a weapons check-list. Leon called from off-screen. "All set?"
Leena hollered back. "Yeah, just a need to finish installing the Z-Gear." If Leena hadn't installed the Zoid Gear computer yet, then this had to be her first official battle. Leo was impressed that she'd been so confident about becoming a warrior at thirteen years old. Flash forward about six years and now she was fulfilling that dream. Leo hadn't met many women who were that sure of their futures. Most of them held on to a dream for about two minutes, then got another. Leena really held on.
Her father leaned over the cockpit hatch. "Ready for your first battle?"
Leena grinned up at her father. "I've been ready for ten years. I'm finally going to show the world its next star!"
"Star?" Doc sounded confused.
Leena's grin widened. "Yeah, Dad. Didn't I tell you?"
"No…"
"This is just my first step to becoming a super-star. Once people see how great a Zoids warrior I am, I'll break in to the modeling business and before you know it I'll be the most recognized face on Zi!"
Doc's jaw dropped. "Where did this come from?"
Leena rolled her eyes. "I've had this plan since I was eleven, Dad."
"You never mentioned it to me."
Her smile held a hint of deviousness. "That's because I knew you'd try to change my mind and make me read all those math and history books."
Her father gave that classic sigh. "And your grades were only so-so."
"There's more to life than grades, Dad. I know what I want. I don't need to be a math wiz or historian to achieve my dream."
Her father nodded, conceding defeat. "Okay, but please try to at least use a little math out there and aim your cannons. You're not a super-star yet and we're not made of money. Those shells cost a lot." Leo knew, even though the screen flickered off, that Leena hadn't bothered to aim. The Cannon Fort was no longer resisting, but it wasn't following the control commands either. Leo slowly typed in a diagnostic. He could feel the Cannon Fort tense with every push of the button, as if expecting some sort of sabotage.
Command System Deleted
The words flashed in red, killing any plans Leo could conceive. Without a Command System, a Zoid only followed commands it chose to accept. Given the current situation, Leo doubted asking "pretty please?" would help. "Okay… so what do we do now? You know Leena, but I- Ahhhh!" The Zoid pitched forward suddenly, tucking its head as low as it could and finally tossing Leo out of the cockpit. He bounced off the Zoid's snout and onto the ground. He'd once heard that Zi's gravity was slightly less than that of the human home world, Earth. With their stronger bone structure, humans could jump farther and survive slightly higher falls than Zoidians. That small fact saved Leo from splattering on the pavement.
Though a moment later he wasn't sure his survival was a good thing. The Cannon Fort bellowed and towered over him, its red eyes painting his whole body in a bloody hue. Leo law sprawled on the ground, completely helpless. So much for his grand plan. This felt like an odd case of poetic justice. Leo, upholder of Zoids' rights, tried to control a rogue Zoid and was squished for his hypocrisy. Lame tombstone.
The Cannon Fort loomed closer. Maybe it'd crunch Leo's head between its massive steel teeth, or smother him with its snout. Leo knew he couldn't outrun a Zoid in the dark with no escape route planned. He'd only end up leading it to Leena. Why was this Zoid so obsessed with her? The more he saw this Zoid the less it seemed to be out for blood. It leaned even closer. Leo closed his eyes and waited for what he hoped would be a painless end.
"STOP!" A woman's voice came from the dark. He looked up and could see Leena, her pale skin cast almost completely pink by the Cannon Fort's lights. She was leaning against the building with on arm, waving the flashlight with the other. What the hell was she doing there?
The Cannon Fort lost all interest in Leo and marched straight for Leena. Leena stumbled back as it approached but lacked the strength to run. Leo was on his feet and sprinting for her but knew he wouldn't make it in time. Leena stumbled on a pile of rubble and fell back, crying out and throwing her arms up in a feeble defense as the Cannon Fort lowered its head and… nuzzled her.
Both Leo and Leena paused and looked at the giant Zoid awkwardly while it made a strange, almost purring sound and watched Leena. Leo came to her side and helped her up. "What are you doing here? I told you to stay hidden!"
"And let you face all the danger?" She huffed. "No way. I told you I don't need your protection. Besides, you'd be dead right now if I hadn't come."
Leo glanced up at the Cannon Fort, which was now eyeing him warily. "I might still end up dying. I think the Cannon Fort considers me a threat."
"Well, you did try to pilot it."
"Not a threat to him. He thinks I'm a threat to you." Leo could tell by the Cannon Fort's growl that he'd guessed right.
"Me?" Leena was understandably confused. "What's it want with me?"
Leo shrugged. "I don't know, but I've been misreading this Zoid. Back at the base, I thought he was attacking you, but the truth was he was trying to take down the base defenders, who were firing your way and could have hurt you. When I grabbed you in Sentinel and started running, odds are Cannon Fort here thought I was kidnapping you. He must have missed on purpose to avoid hurting you."
Leena looked from Leo to the Cannon Fort. "So, why's it so interested in me? And how'd it get down here?"
Leo replied, "I don't have a clue how it got down here, though it could be our ticket out of here. As for why it's trying to protect you, maybe you should ask Vaez. He made it, right?"
Leena frowned and was silent for a while. "Sen said that he'd designed the Cannon Fort using the core of a fallen Zoid. Di-something."
"Di… Bison?"
Leena's eyes grew wide. "Dibison? My Dibison?"
"Could be. When I was in the cockpit, I saw some images of you when you were much younger. How long did you have the Dibison?"
"My Dad bought it a long time ago, when I was…"
"A little girl? You had that Zoid almost your whole life and you sold it?" The Cannon Fort moaned when he mentioned the word "sold."
Leena was defensive again. "I told you, the Dibison was all but scrapped! There wasn't anything we could do for it."
"Looks like Vaez did something with it. Your Dibison became the Cannon Fort."
"So you're telling me we've spent this whole night running away from a Zoid that was trying to say hello?"
"You were running from a Zoid that missed you. I was running from a Zoid that wanted to shoot me because he thought I was a threat to you."
"If it wanted to say 'hi,' then why did it lunge at me back at the base?"
Leo grinned. "It's your Zoid. Must have inherited your lack of subtlety."
"Why you!" Leo thought Leena might actually muster the strength to punch him. Who knew how the Cannon Fort would react to that.
But before anything could happen, twin bolts of fire shot from the darkness and struck the Cannon Fort. The Zoid cried out and toppled into the building. Leo grabbed Leena and pulled her away from the falling debris. They stumbled to the ground.
"What was that?" Leena demanded.
"I think there's another Zoid down here."
"Oh, great. Another monster Zoid trying to kill us." But then Leena spied their attacker. "It's Oriudos! It's Sen!"
Leo frowned and watched as another blast lanced out and struck the downed Cannon Fort. He could vaguely see a horse silhouette outlined by the bloody glare. He'd heard of a few rare Zoids produced with such a frame, but he'd never seen one before. Leena obviously had. "Great, so your boyfriend's trying to kill us."
"Oh, Leo, he's not my boyfriend… yet."
"Will you be serious?!" Another blast. Now the Cannon Fort was standing up and reorienting itself. The blasts had dealt damage but not nearly enough to hinder the armored bison.
Leena tried to stand. "Help me get to the Cannon Fort."
"Why?"
"Sen can't see us in this darkness, and we can't call him inside Oriudos. If I can use the Cannon Fort's communicator, we can get him to stop shooting."
"He's aiming at the Cannon Fort! You'll be killed!" An explosion punctuated Leo's argument.
Leena was leaning on him already, using him as a springboard if he wouldn't help her over willingly. "In case you haven't noticed, Cannon Fort's protecting us." Indeed the large Zoid had moved in front of Leena and was absorbing all shots that could hurt her. Realizing that Leena would go through with this plan with or without his help, Leo slung her arm over his shoulder and helped her walk towards the Zoid, which now lowered itself and opened the hatch on its forehead. Leena sunk into the chair as if she'd melt on the spot. When Leo tried to follow, the Cannon Fort shook him off and he fell on his back. It was painful to be rejected by a Zoid, but given that he'd tried to control the Cannon Fort uninvited, the act was understandable. Leo ran for the nearest solid structure and hoped Leena knew what she was doing.
She didn't have a clue what to do. Sen's attacks hadn't damaged the Cannon Fort's performance, but the sensors and the communication array were all offline. She couldn't see him, and she couldn't talk to him. Odds were he'd keep blasting until the Cannon Fort went down.
He was a great pilot; but then, the ZBC Chairman would have to be. No sooner had the Cannon Fort finished shaking from one blast then a second came from a completely different direction. Sen was using the terrain and the darkness to cover his movements, making truly random firings that kept Leena off-balance. The only way to end this was to shoot Sen down and apologize later, but how could she hit him?
She couldn't even see him now. The external camera was still working but she could only make out a few nearby buildings. It was pitch black out there. Leena wanted to slam her fists against the steel cockpit and scream "Stop shooting us!" but she didn't have the strength for something like that. She'd never felt this tired or ill before and the idea she might be dying snickered at the back of her mind. But she wouldn't accept that. She had too many plans to die now. She'd make it out of this, even if she had to level the entire city to get out!
Except that might kill Leo in the process and that would be a bad thing. He'd looked out for her this whole time, never even hinting that he might bolt or give in. Leena remembered how she'd treated him during that first training session, and how he'd saved her life during the Diloforce attack. She needed to give Leo more credit. Maybe he was planning on leaving the team, but he wasn't the kind of guy who abandoned someone in need. Who knew? Maybe he'd stay with the Blitz Team longer than even he planned.
Neither of them would know if it ended here. Leena scanned the monitor for some hint of Oriudos. She couldn't see anything but-THERE! There, in an inconspicuous patch of night, she knew it was there! She couldn't see the Zoid and she had no reason to believe it would be waiting in that spot, but she was so completely certain that any doubts became insignificant. Leena squeezed the medium laser cannon trigger and fired several rounds. The first two struck Oriudos' head as it emerged from behind a skyscraper. The Zoid's speed carried it forward even as it fell to the side, slamming into a building. The next two bolts struck the body and the Oriudos went limp. Leena grinned, for that was all she could muster with her strength.
The Cannon Fort bellowed and charged forward. "Wait, stop!" The Zoid obeyed her cry. "We don't want to hurt that pilot. Let's just go over there and talk to him." To her amazement, the Zoid moved on its own accord, allowing Leena the chance to slump in her seat and relax.
How had she made that shot? There'd been no hint of Oriudos in that direction, no alerts, no target locks, not even a sound. Yet she'd hit a high-speed Zoid as it was moving, as if she knew exactly where it would emerge. She was too tired to think about it, but the question would plague her for some time.
Inconceivable. How had the Cannon Fort managed to strike him? That was no random shot, but the Zoid could not have used its sensors. He'd been sure to disable them with his first barrage. Vaez punched the controls, but the Oriudos would not obey. Useless Zoid! The only thing the pile of garbage could facilitate was opening the cockpit hatch. So Vaez exited, to defiantly stare back at the rampant Zoid that had bested him. He would not flee, for such an action was beneath him. Rather, he would charge the Zoid, and either take control of it himself or end his legacy here. The script called for his survival, and so the latter option simply would not happen. He was sure of it.
Red light from shinning eyes played over the Oriudos wreckage. The Cannon Fort came close enough that Vaez was sure the beast would not shoot him dead. No, the creature wanted to stomp him under hoof. Foolish machine. Vaez had trained hard every day so that his body would be up to such challenges. He would survive and control this Zoid, even if it tried to flatten him with its entire body.
"Sen, are you okay?" A familiar, angelic voice came from the Zoid's loudspeakers. The Zoid's forehead popped up to reveal a very pale and exhausted looking Leena Toros.
"Leena? What are you doing in the Cannon Fort?"
She managed a smile. "It's a long story. Are you okay?"
He smiled and bowed, "I believe my ego is wounded, but otherwise I am fine. I am at a loss as to how you managed to shoot me."
"I'm not entirely sure of that myself. But I'm glad you're okay. How did you get down here?"
"I followed the Cannon Fort in the hopes of rescuing you. It found a path leading to this city. I merely followed. In truth, I should be the one asking if you are all right. You look very tired."
Leena looked even wearier by his mention. "I've been sick every since we fell down here. I want to leave. You said there was a path out of here, can you take us there?"
Vaez nodded. "It would be my pleasure. I will need a moment to bring Oriudos up to speed, and then I shall escort you out."
"I'll fix the Zoid." 12515 crawled up the Oriudos' leg and began examining the damaged sections with his flashlight. "Tonight's been a lot of fun, thanks for that great gift." His sarcasm was almost as appalling as his audacity in touching Vaez's property.
"Leo, when did you get here?" Leena sounded just as upset by the trash's bravado.
"I followed the Cannon Fort after the shooting stopped. You weren't planning on leaving me behind in the dark, where you?" The insolence. Leena Toros argued admirably despite her weariness, but Vaez was concerned that 12515 (or Leo, as he had christened himself) was too familiar with his superior. Perhaps Oriudos was not the only possession that this reject felt entitled to touch.
Despite his attitude, 12515's technical skills were impressive. According to the files, that was his only remarkable aspect. A secret BD project, and the only solid result was a mechanic. How pitiful.
With Oriudos revived and the Cannon Fort now serving as Leena Toros' body guard, Vaez led the troop back to the tunnel from whence he'd entered. Vaez was still taken aback by the Cannon Fort's actions. To think that the Zoid had been trying to reunite with its master this whole time. Yet again he suspected Zoid Eve's hand in this adventure. Given Leena Toros' physical state, he wondered if this had all been an elaborate plan to awaken her. Perhaps Eve was supporting his plans; or maybe the mother of all Zoids had her own agenda. Either way, she would serve his destiny.
Leena's health improved almost immediately after they exited Eveopolis. The colored returned to her face, and her strength began to recover. She asked that the troop stop before continuing to the base and exited the Cannon Fort. "Since the base troops think the Cannon Fort's a rampaging Zoid, they'll probably shoot at her the minute we're in sight. I think the Cannon Fort should go somewhere else for now." The Zoid in question bellowed furiously. Leena responded as if she understood its tantrum. "I'm not abandoning you again. I just think you need to be somewhere safer. We can meet up again later." Leena did not realize she was suddenly treating this Zoid like a person. Vaez found it charmingly naïve.
With some extra persuasion, the Cannon Fort set off in the opposite direction, vanishing into the Valley of the Rarehertz. That left them with only one Zoid to serve as transport. Leena Toros solved that problem by sitting in Vaez's lap for the rest of the trip, a rather pleasant setup in Vaez's eyes. He would have made 12515 walk if so inclined, but he humored Leena's idea for the commoner to ride on Oriudos' back. The scowl on the man's face was all the more satisfying. You may have played protector tonight, reject, but I am destined to wed Leena Toros. She is completely beyond you.
Their return to the base was welcomed with cheers and the release of breathes held since Vaez's departure. He knew how he looked in their eyes, a leader returning with his princess in tow. While he didn't technically do the rescuing, he would allow this misinterpretation. It served him well. He could also stomach being shot down if it was Leena Toros who aimed the shot. After all, should not a queen's skills surpass all others? But Leena would have to remember who would be king and lord. He would allow her this triumph, but when the time came to ascend the throne together, she would know who led and who supported.
At Vaez's command, medics tended to Leena, ensuring she had recovered from whatever ailed her in Eveopolis. 12515 spent the time back in a cell for assaulting an officer, but at Leena's request Vaez dropped the charges and sent a team to retrieve the Godos 12515 had stolen. Vaez was more intrigued about examining the second, rampaging Godos that had attacked Leena and her straggler, as well as the two Guysacks that had dug the tunnel. The Rarehertz was Zoid Eve's weapon. He wanted to understand how it worked so that he might control that power as well. But first he needed to speak with Leena. This night had not gone as planned, which angered him greatly. He needed to salvage whatever he could to ensure everything else played out properly.
"How do you feel?" He asked as he sat by her medical bed. All manner of computers and displays beeped out her vitalities. None of it made sense, but Vaez was pleased to see the color had returned to her face and she was stronger. Remarkable recovery time.
Leena smiled at him. "I'm feeling a lot better now. Thanks."
"It was I who placed you in danger with my gift. I swear that most of my presents don't try to kill the recipient."
She laughed. "The Cannon Fort wasn't trying to kill me, really. She was just really 'eager' to see me."
"She?"
"The Cannon Fort." Leena giggled. "Listen to me; I'm starting to talk about Zoids like they're people. I've been around Leo too long." Indeed.
Vaez took her hand. "Leena, is there any way I can apologize for the trouble I have caused you? Is there something I can do to aid you or your team?" Even with his recent actions, he knew he would have to play to Leena's desires to win her over.
Leena thought for a moment. "Well… my team is in a real bind. We were supposed to buy ammo and supplies tonight, but all the shops were sold out and then we got arrested on false charges and got chased by-"
"I can certainly help with that." Vaez smiled. His bid to purchase all the ammunition in the city had given birth to this opportunity. There was no script change for which he could not compensate. "I will have the supplies taken from this very base and rushed to your base. They'll be ready in time for your departure."
"Speaking of which," 12515 stood in the doorway. "We should be going. Doc and Jamie are probably having a fit since we haven't bothered to call."
Leena nodded. "Yeah, we should go before Jamie bursts a vein." She looked at Vaez. "I'm very glad I got the chance to meet you."
"Does this mean I could see you again?"
"Well, of course, but we'll be on the road the whole season and-"
"Leena, there is nowhere on Zi you could go that I would not find a way to be with you. I promise you will hear from me soon." Leena Toros exited the medical ward, her face almost pure red. 12515's eyes looked as though they'd roll into the back of his head and become lost. How had that garbage found his way to the future Queen of Zi? He'd best not get any ideas if he wanted to see the new age.
"Sir," the base medic approached him, flipping nervously through a medical report. "We just completed some analysis of Ms. Toros' condition. Has she left? I didn't clear her-"
"She has already left by my authorization. I will take responsibility. Tell me your findings."
"Yes, sir. Given the sudden fever and nausea, we at first suspected some form of disease, but a closer examination of blood and tissue samples revealed that Ms. Toros' immune system was attempting to suppress changes within her body. Many of her white cells were consuming cells all over her body, but the… 'reaction' was spreading too rapidly."
Vaez feigned ignorance. "A disease?"
"No sir. This is a very rare occurrence, but it is documented among several hybrid-" Vaez held up a hand to silence the doctor. Such information should not be spoken publicly.
"Doctor, tell no one of this. It is a private matter for Ms. Toros and I will approach her about your discovery when the time is right. Please give me your documents." The Doctor handed them over diligently, but not without some resentment. Understandable. Vaez had insulted him after all. A shame this man would not live long enough to understand the reason for Vaez's actions.
The Doctor left after assuring Vaez he had not had time to enter his findings into the medical network. As soon as the door slid shut, Vaez turned to a shadowed corner. "See to it that no one finds the body. The Doctor has no family, so it should be easy to explain his disappearance. Once he is gone, check his computer for any signs of data entry. I do not trust his word."
A voice came from the black. "Yes, sire." Vaez never knew how the agent had entered or left the room. He had trained them to be loyal, but his Grandfather had arranged covert operations training. Even though they'd had differing methods, both men worked towards one destiny. Vaez had simply chosen the better way.
Celica came early because she knew the Colonel would be on-time. Men like Paris couldn't stand being more than a minute late to a meeting, even a secret one. She'd encountered many military personas in her time with the Helic army and ZBC. Paris was the kind that put a metal rod up private areas as a recruit and let it rust there over time. She'd learned that much from their first meeting. While he wasn't as obsessive about regulations as others, he was definitely a slave to rules rather than a follower. Followers willfully obeyed, but could still choose for themselves. It was hard to believe that someone as strict as Paris would even consider taking part in a shadowy operation such as this.
Sitting alone in her car, with nothing better than a mostly empty parking lot to look at, Celica turned on her radio. News of the successful raid on the Backdraft HQ had given way to speculation about the new season. Important news often took a back seat to the audience's distractions. Celica still couldn't figure out how Vaez had learned about that base and managed to corner Count Umbra, the very head of the Backdraft! The few successful hackings Celica conducted hadn't produced any suspicious information, and the investigation teams hadn't turned up anything dubious. Celica had analyzed the files herself and found nothing to imply that Vaez had killed either the Count or the assistant.
But that didn't prove Vaez was totally innocent. No one found a base of that importance so quickly. Usually, several other less-important bases had to fall first, and a secret base's location could only be discovered if the raiding teams secured the computers before any information was purged. Such speed and certainty suggested that Vaez had other sources of information.
Since she had no leads on this information source, Celica put it out of her mind. Worrying about things that couldn't be helped only led to heart problems and gray hair. Instead she focused on speculations for Class S, the cream of the Zoids Battles. Most experts anticipated the Blitz Team making a clean-sweep with their Ultimate X Liger Zero. Many critics cried fowl, stating that an AI Zoid was an unfair and possibly illegal advantage for the Blitz Team. No one was taking these claims seriously for now since Bit Cloud was hailed as the hero who toppled the Backdraft.
Celica didn't buy that rhetoric since the Backdraft was still a very strong threat. The news could say it was over, the rulers of Helic and Guylos could say it was over, Sen Vaez definitely wanted people to think it was over, but Celica Lucraft knew that there would be more combat and perhaps tragedies ahead. Soon leaders would be trying to use fear as a means of gaining public support, furthering their private agendas in the process. She hoped that Bit Cloud would continue to be in the wrong place at the right time when that happened.
It had been a show of trust to let Richard Paris know about her affections for Bit Cloud. What had the psych team called it? A "preoccupied infatuation." They made it sound like a school-girl crush.
Celica had no doubt that Bit had many female admirers. Every top-ranked male Zoids pilot had a fan club somewhere. It was that whole "Alpha Male" mentality. Many women were drawn to men in power, men who stood above all others. That was why jocks and brooding, mysterious loners enjoyed such a following in schools. Despite advances in equal rights, many women still saw men in the provider role and assumed that the physically strongest or mysteriously intriguing men would be the best men to settle down with.
But the truth was harsher. Often, the physically strongest men showed their strength by hitting their wives and the mysterious loner type often treated his girlfriend or wife with the same disdain that they showed for all others. In the end, a lot of women ended up wishing they'd been more impressed by a person's kindness than their guff. That was why Celica had dated the outcast groups in High School and College. They were usually a better choice in the long run, though she'd never found the right match.
She didn't admire Bit Cloud because he was top dog. Yes, he was handsome, and yes he was an excellent pilot; but what she admired most was that he shared his strength and helped others. She'd investigated his history, along with dozens of other Zoids Warriors. She never knew when she might need their help when her options within the military exhausted.
While all Warriors were romanticized about possessing a sense of justice, few acted on that premise. Not many Warriors would volunteer to fight the Backdraft, or break up the Sand Stingray Gang. Bit cloud was strong and beautiful, and that beauty came from offering his strength to others rather than hording it to gain fame. She found that so endearing. Maybe someday she'd find a way to meet this young knight.
A car rounded the corner with its lights on and pulled into the spot right next to her. Amazing how a Colonel under her Uncle's tutorship could be such an amateur. He even tried to salute her when they exited their cars!
"Don't." He halted more from shock than her actual order. She knew the idea of a "subordinate" addressing her "commander" in such a tone was foreign to him. "We're supposed to be two civilians here, not military personnel." She indicated for him to open the back door of his car. She sat down and moved aside, motioning him to follow. The man was totally out of his element and sat down numbly next to her, then nearly jumped out again as she leaned over and pulled him close.
"Lieutenant!"
"Try to look like you're enjoying this." She pressed her face close to his. His discomfort was actually making this fun.
"What are you doing?!"
"Trying to
make this look like it's anything but a secret meeting between two military
officers."
"It does look like a secret meeting. And while you probably wouldn't be
recognized, anyone who's read a paper or watched the news might recognize my
face and-"
"And you'd look like ZBC Colonel who lost the bid for the Chairman's position and went to smother his sorrows in the arms of a woman who's at least half your age."
"Yes!"
"So you'd be implicated in a scandal?"
"Yes!"
"And no one would suspect you're actually talking about Sen Vaez's trip to the Rarehertz base, or trying to figure out his next move?"
"I suppose not…"
She smiled. He was so uncomfortable with a beautiful woman in his arms. She hoped the military would be enough companionship for him. "Believe me, sir, many military men have been implicated in such scandals and although it was a definite pot-hole in their lives, it was not the end. Being caught for conspiring against the ZBC Chairman, however…"
The Colonel nodded. "I see your point. Does this mean I have to kiss you?"
Have to kiss her? Unbelievable. Celica knew she was beautiful, it was a tool she'd crafted to aid her in slipping under a Commander's radar. Somehow, men often thought that beauty and brains were mutually exclusive. She'd made sure to always be up to date in fashion and kept her figure trim. The notion that the Colonel saw this as a chore made her laugh.
"Something funny, Lieutenant?"
"No sir. This situation is just a little silly. But in answer to your question, no, you do not have to kiss me." Celica could use her beauty when needed, but she would only go so far.
She reached into her pocket and slipped a data disk into his coat. "This is a record of promotions and communiqués between Vaez, his staff, and some new recruits and promotions. Don't access it on any computer linked to the network. Use a private device."
Paris nodded, a bit more comfortable now that they were talking business. "What can you tell me ahead of time?"
"Vaez has been busy. I've never seen such a large-scale promotions campaign." Both of them knew that a newly-chosen ZBC Chairman rewarded his friends and allies with promotions and reassignments, but no one in Celica's memory had changed the face of the ZBC staff as suddenly as Vaez. It was not a pretty face either. Most of the men in question had shady backgrounds or were considered security risks.
The art of Vaez's scheme was that all of these men were placed in positions that were relatively insignificant, but placed them in a prime location to take part in secret dealings between Guylos, Helic, and the ZBC. Odds were no one would object. If anything, the higher-ups would be more concerned with some of the men Vaez had placed in positions of leadership. Many of them weren't up to the challenge.
"Anything incriminating?" asked Paris.
"No sir. Vaez is very careful about where he places information. While he's definitely making drastic changes to the ZBC structure, there's nothing in here that suggests anything more than a less-than-honorable time in the service, and he's not the first ZBC Chairman to possess such a record."
Paris nodded, disappointed. "Did you check on his plans for the archeology division?"
As if she'd miss something so obvious. Vaez had declared to the whole of Zi on international tele-viewer that he'd search for Zoid Eve's secrets. She knew Paris was aware of her skills, and maybe even respected them, but he couldn't shake off the requirement that he be the one issuing the orders.
"Again, nothing out of the ordinary. He has a list of potential sites and a revised budget he'll probably propose tomorrow. We can't prove anything with this."
Paris sighed. "Odds are we won't be able to prove anything until Vaez makes his move."
"If he is going to make a move at all." Paris' gaze tried to silence Celica's doubt, but her mother was the only person who could silence her with a look. "We haven't seen anything that suggests he really is plotting a take-over."
"You haven't worked with him. I am certain. We need to expose him before the damage is done." Unlikely. If Vaez was plotting world domination (a truly cliché idea), he wouldn't leave information where any hacker could find it. He'd have been found out long ago otherwise.
The Colonel said, "How soon can you infiltrate the archeology division?"
Celica frowned, "You want me to keep tabs on dig sites? What about the secret projects?"
Paris shook his head just slightly. Now that they were into the main topic, he didn't seem to care that he was sitting in the back of his car with a young woman. "We can't keep track of every secret deal going on between the Super Powers. I'll monitor as best I can, but the real prize is Zoid Eve. We need to make sure Vaez does not obtain that power. How soon can you be ready?"
"One week." Celica already knew Ancient Zoidian, so it would easy to hack herself in as a translator. She could work out archeology as she went along, hopefully.
Their meeting concluded and Celica had to halt Paris from saluting yet again. He drove off, a little too hastily. She wondered if she'd scared him off and giggled. Colonel Paris was not a bad man. If anything, she could admire his conviction in taking a task so far out of his element. But that was a weakness as well. He might not be able to adapt to this situation. If he slipped up just once, he could endanger both Celica and himself. She'd have to speak to her Uncle about this once she found out where that Storm Sworder escorted him.
They both wanted to protect Zi and the Zoids, but they came from two different worlds. Paris could dress like a civilian and fake an illicit rendezvous, but he was at home in a uniform and following proper conduct codes. Celica could enter a military complex just like a shadow could find a place in a brightly-lit room, but she imagined she'd be just as out of place as Paris if she tried to follow the life he'd chosen. They'd make it work, but Celica doubted they'd be friends.
She leaned against her car, weary from too many hours on a computer and a frustrating meeting. At least she couldn't complain about a boring life. The sun would be rising soon, flooding the city with golden light. She decided to stay and watch the sunrise before getting some sleep. Natural beauty could easily be forgotten in times like this. She didn't want to lose touch with what she fought for. Legends told of battlefields where the smoke hid the sky for a full week. She never wanted to see such a place.
It wasn't all in her hands, though. She could try to anticipate Vaez's movements, thwart any plans that might actually exist, maybe even frame him if she truly believed it would be for the greater good. Yet that was only half the battle. Trouble crept on the horizon, waiting to spill over and submerge the peace everyone took for granted. Bandits, the Backdraft, and secret ops from the Super Powers all threatened to tear the world apart. She took some comfort in that Zoid Warriors like Bit Cloud might be able to divert that torrent.
Let's keep working for the same future, Bit Cloud. Even if I never get the chance to thank you personally.
The sun was already peeking over the sand dunes by the time Leena and Leo returned to the Blitz Team's base. Sen had been nice enough to send some staff to retrieve their jeep, but they'd ridden most of the way to Blitz Team HQ in his Whale King. She'd asked to be set down far enough away that the Whale King's engines wouldn't wake her team and drove the rest of the way. Sen hadn't let her go until she promised to see him again soon. Not that she needed any convincing.
Jamie and Leena's father were in the meeting room, piles of paperwork and empty plates stacked around their sleeping bodies. Leena stepped in to tell her father they were back while Leo opted to go get some sleep before renewing work on the Liger Zero Conversion System.
Leena shook her father's shoulder. "Hey, Dad, I'm back."
"Leena?" Her father rubbed the sleep from his eyes. "Where on Zi have you been? You were gone all day! I was worried sick!" It was so rare to hear this speech from her normally juvenile father. Leena escorted him down the hallway, explaining most of the days events as best she could. She chose to leave out stories about her time in Eveopolis. Those weren't happy memories.
While recalling the day's events, she tried to decide if this had been a good day or a bad day.
She'd gotten to go shopping. Good.
Leo had dragged her out of a store. Bad.
She'd gotten to know Leo just slightly better. Good, maybe.
They'd been arrested. Very bad.
She'd met Sen Vaez. A powerful and famous Chairman that was absolutely in love with her. Very good.
Sen gave her a Zoid as a greeting gift. Good until…
The Zoid chased her through the Valley of the Rarehertz. Unbelievably bad.
She fell underground, was attacked by a rampaging Zoid, and became so sick she thought she'd die. Miserable.
Leo had protected her and stayed by her side, even though she maintained she didn't need a guardian… Undecided.
Sen had found her and brought her back. Excellent.
The look on her father's face when he saw the five supply trailers filled with goods and munitions (a less risky gift from Sen) made the day complete and good.
Sen…
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Author's Note: Ah, good to be done with the Valley of the Rarehertz for now. Seriously, that lasted longer than I anticipated.
No promises when the next chapter will come out. After a year of searching, I've found employment with a local television station. This is great news, but it means that I won't have as much time to work on my chapters. I'll probably be even later than usual posting chapters. But I am committed to finishing this story, and reviews always help encourage me (wink wink). Thanks for reading!
