Battle Dawn
Chapter Fourteen: Desert Flower City
by Silver
Author's Note: Long time no type, eh? I have been busy, and (as usual) my fan fic suffers because of it. Writing would be so much easier if I didn't have a life.
I want to thank all of you once again for your patience, reviews, and support in this story. Knowing that there are people who are actually reading my works is a big motivator to hit that keyboard, even though I sometimes feel like doing nothing.
Some people have commented that the formatting of my chapters is all screwed up. I think undoes all my indentations and spacing. I've tried to correct it for this chapter, but please let me know if the format is off (like you can't tell when the story shifts scenes right away). Thanks for reading, and now on with the chapter…
"Vengeance!" Harry Champ, a man allegedly destined to be king, thrust his bandaged fist into the air. "I demand vengeance!"
"Hold still!" Benjamin used his extendable arm to pull Harry's limb back down. "You're lucky you didn't break something in that tumble. Don't go looking for trouble so soon after having a wreck." The Champ Team had retreated to Desert Flower City to patch up Harry's wounds. He'd hit his head and bruised his arm in several parts while fleeing the Blitz Team's new member. They'd bought a room in one of the ritziest hotels available, naturally. Plush carpeting, hot tub, large furniture, and a fully-stocked kitchen. Nothing less for a man destined to be king.
Sebastian shook his cylindrical head. "Honestly, Harry, how many times is this girl going to land you in recovery? You just got of the hospital and we're already patching you up again. You humans aren't as efficient at self-repair as we robots, and it's not like we have a lot of time to spare. We need to talk to a few ZBC officials if we're going to get into this season." The Champ Team had missed the registration deadline due to Harry's recovery. Now they'd have to talk to some of the officials that owed Harry's father a favor.
"Both of you be quiet!" Harry stood up, knocking over the medical supply table and nearly toppling Benjamin. "How can you expect me to even consider Zoid battles when yet another ruffian is making advances on my Leena?"
"I keep telling you, for her to be 'your' Leena, she'd have to return your affections."
Benjamin took his place beside his counterpart. "That woman's got ice for blood and stone for a heart when it comes to you. Give it up, Harry."
"NEVER! The moons could fall and the sun grow cold, but my love for Leena will burn bright for all eternity!" Both Benjamin and Sebastian cross-referenced Harry's dialog with their literary databases, trying to determine where he'd learned such ridiculous prose.
"Excuse me?" A knock from the door and a female voice. Harry frowned and motioned for his robots to answer the door. They had not ordered room service; though Harry had been thinking about fillet minion or lobster for dinner. A young woman stood in the hallway, her hands clasped nervous in front of her. She was a Zoid Warrior, given the battle costume she wore. The blue and pink of her top swirled into heart patterns on her chest and just above her white skirt. She wore similarly designed knee-high boots. Her hair was a light, creamy brown and her green eyes didn't dare look anyone in the eye. She actually bowed to the robots. "I-I'd like to speak with Mr. Champ, if I may."
Harry motioned for her to come in. "I'm Harry Champ."
"Oh my. Are you all right?"
Harry was suddenly very self-conscious about his bandages. "Why this is nothing! A mere paper cut for the king!" Both robots groaned with exasperation. Not a small feat when they didn't have any lungs.
The girl's sigh was one of relief. "Oh, thank goodness! I was so concerned that I wouldn't get the chance to meet with you!"
Harry put on his best grin. "Ah, so you have heard of my exploits and come to bask in my glory, eh?"
"Um… n-no, that's really not my reason." Harry wobbled a bit.
Sebastian broke in, "Now hold on a minute! You haven't even introduced yourself or explained how you knew Harry was here."
The girl bowed again, "Yes, I'm sorry. My name is Elizabeth, but most of my friends call me Lizzy. One of my friends works here and saw you had checked in. She told me about it because she knew I'd been trying to contact you for some time."
Harry frowned, "Really?"
"Y-yes. I've tried e-mailing you, but apparently all my messages were filtered out as spam. I couldn't get your vid-phone frequency either, and your base is too far away for me to reach on land. It's been very hard to contact you. I'm sorry if I sound like a stalker. I'm not, really!"
"Uh, okaaay… But why have you been trying to contact me?"
"Because… because…" The girl, Lizzy, blushed and bowed her head yet again. "I would very much like to join your team, Mr. Champ."
"Lifts spoil you." An old tech had once said. "They make you forget how big these Hover Cargos can be. Just try to crawl through one when you're in a hurry; then you'll appreciate 'em." Leo had heard that nugget of wisdom during one of his many temporary mechanic jobs. It was ringing especially true now. The access paths winding throughout the Hover Cargo's body were just large enough to fit one person, often climbing up or down. This was both a convenience and a safety measure. Larger access-ways meant less room on the actual decks, so people preferred to keep the mechanics and techs cramped up while people strolled about on their nice, open floors. It was also smart in case an invading force tried to use the crawlspaces to invade the bridge without accessing a lift. Easier to take out a group of people traveling in a line than a mass of invaders at once.
Either way, the narrow spaces made for a very arduous journey, and Leo was low on time. The Hover Cargo was just beginning to roar to life while Leo emerged into the hanger. Fang waited impatiently on his platform. "Sorry to keep you waiting." He knew his partner expected him to pursue Jamie and Yuki. "Let's get moving."
"Wait!" Leena emerged from the crawlspace as well. Leo hadn't even known she was following him. "Just where do you think you're going?"
"After Jamie, what else? I'm going to launch as soon as we're out of the judge tempest."
Leena's metallic pigtails stood straight up in anger. "Are you nuts? You can't go off again! We need you here. The Zoids haven't been fixed from the last fight, and we can't afford to wait around. We'll barely make the deadline now!"
Leo regarded the remaining Zoids. "You guys didn't take any serious damage in the last fight."
"Bit's Liger has sand in all of its joints! How can he move around with that stuff grinding in the Liger's gears?"
"He's a great pilot, he'll manage. You can get through one more fight without me. I'll find Jamie and Yuki, figure out what's going on, then meet with you guys before the next battle. Just go ahead without me." He climbed into Fang.
Leena didn't let up. "Why do you even have to go after those two? If Jamie's so set on getting left behind, we shouldn't have to worry!"
"I'm not worried about Jamie being on his own. He's more competent and mature than most members of this team." Especially you, Leena.
"So it's the girl then? She didn't look like she wanted your help anyway!"
"She's with Jamie, so I'm not worried about her being in good hands either."
Leena looked ready to throttle him. "Then why are you going out there!"
Leo sighed. "Yuki's Redler was shot down by something so powerful, it nearly tore the Zoid apart. She mentioned 'a monster' when she heard about Jamie's Pteras, remember?"
"So that's why you're abandoning your team? Because some girl you only just met mentioned a monster? You said it yourself, she's with Jamie. He can take care of her!"
Leo regarded her coldly. This was the Leena he didn't like. "Do you think Vaez or anyone at the Rarehertz base took that attitude when you and I were stuck in the Valley of the Rarehertz?" That made Leena flinch a little. "I'm going to make sure Jamie and Yuki are okay, and confirm whether or not this monster exists. You can leave me behind or take me off the team if you want, but people are a lot more important than Zoid Battles. I'm launching." The platform ascended, leaving Leena below. He waited until Bit signaled they'd left the judge tempest. Now there was nothing to slow him down. "Fang, GO!" The Command Wolf rocketed off the catapult and on to the desert. He ran off on the Raynos' last confirmed path. Nothing like a good monster hunt to make an already weird life even stranger.
This was awkward. Very awkward. Jamie hadn't counted on ever having a passenger in the high speed Raynos. Now he had a cute girl sitting on his lap with her arms wrapped loosely around his neck. He'd never met anyone as pretty as Yuki. The contrast between her hair and skin was amazing. And those pure eyes. Just looking at her reminded him of trips to Mount Iselina; where everything looked white and pure in the winter.
"Your piloting is very tense." said Yuki. "Is something wrong?"
"Um… n-no. Hey, I never really introduced myself. I'm Jamie Hemeros."
Yuki smiled. "And I am Yuki Summit. Thank you for getting me away from those strange people."
Jamie smiled. "I should thank you for untying me." No, wait. He shouldn't leave it at that. "Um, I know my friends back there are a little weird, but they're not bad."
Yuki nodded. "That red-haired girl scares me."
"She scares everyone, even her own teammates." Jamie laughed nervously, "But she's really a nice person."
"I know that the men who rescued me were good people but… I don't trust strangers. I've lived in my village all my life. I'd never met anyone from beyond our village; and when people from the outside did come they… they…" tears welled up in her eyes.
"You don't have to say anything." Jamie tried to be reassuring.
Yuki smiled slightly. "Jamie, even though I don't usually trust strangers, I think you are very good and that I can rely on you. That's why I asked you to take me away from the others. I need to get to the nearest town or city. After that, I can try to buy a new Zoid and move on from there. I won't trouble you any longer."
"It's no trouble, really." Jamie smiled. Besides, he wasn't planning on going back to the Blitz Team until he found his Pteras. That gave him pause. He'd hijacked the team's transport, sabotaged it, and left them stranded. They'd be safe from the storm inside the Cargo's strong armor, but they might miss their next match. He knew he might not have a team to return to.
I can't give up now, he thought. Not when my Pteras is so close. "One question, what kind of Zoid do you want to buy?"
"Well, my family owned a Redler, and I learned to pilot it as soon as I was able. But I think I'd like to buy another flying Zoid. Maybe a Raynos like yours."
"That'd be hard. Raynos are pretty rare and expensive."
"Really?" Yuki reached into her pocket and fished out a small purse. Inside were several gold bars. "Would this cover the cost?"
Jamie's eyes widened. He'd never seen anyone carry around gold bars before. "Where did you get those?"
"This is my family's savings. I had to take it with me after… after the strangers came."
Jamie counted the bars and tried to convert them to standard currency. "That's a good amount of money, but it probably wouldn't buy a Raynos."
"It wouldn't? Oh no. I knew I should have conserved more."
"'Conserved?' Wait, you had more than this?"
"Yes, but I had to pay for food, and fuel, and sometimes I had to buy maps because I do not know much of the area around my home. I have never traveled this much before." Something was wrong.
"How many bars did you start out with?"
"Ten." One bar of gold should have sustained Yuki for at least a year. The truth was so cruel that Jamie didn't dare mention it. People had taken advantage of her. It made Jamie clench the controls even tighter until he thought they would break.
"Yuki, where do you come from?"
"I…"
"I can't help you out unless I know more about you."
Yuki was silent for a long while. Jamie could tell it had been a long time since she trusted anyone. "I grew up in the eternal-snow mountains of Nyx."
"Nyx? Then what are you doing in Europa?"
"I was flying home in my family's Redler after practicing piloting. Since the first wars between Guylos and Helic, my family has been charged with dropping off minerals we mined to Zoid factories on Nyx. My father was the latest in our line to inherit the roll. Using our Redler, he would carry our product beyond the mountains and would then transport the payment back to our homes. He was the only member of our village to see the outside world. I was to assume that duty when my father grew too old, so I was trying to learn as soon as I could. But when I got back…" More tears in her eyes. "When I returned, my village, which had been my entire world since the day I was born, was in flames, and all the people missing."
"Oh, no. Oh, Yuki, I am so sorry."
"I looked for my friends and family, but there weren't any bodies or signs that people had been in the fire. There were tracks in the snow from both Zoid and trucks. I think someone kidnapped my people for some reason. I managed to follow the trail to Europa and I'm sure I was getting close. But then I was attacked and-"
The Raynos' sensor beep cut her off. Reluctant to let the subject change, Jamie checked the reading. It was the signal he'd been looking for! The signal of his Pteras! After all this time, he was finally close to reclaiming his Zoid! At first he was elated, but that quickly changed to conflict. Yuki needed to get to the nearest city ASAP so she could follow her family's kidnappers. But he might never have another chance to find his Zoid. What should he do?
"Jamie, what is that signal?"
"It's a special tracker I set up to hone in on my Pteras. I found it earlier when I was scanning for my friends and… well, I went a little crazy and that's how I wound up being tied up." He blushed.
"Jamie, the signal is coming straight towards us." It was, and coming much faster than it should. No Pteras could match those speeds. "Jamie," Yuki was trembling." We should run. Y-you can't face that monster."
"My Pteras isn't a monster!" Jamie knew he shouldn't sound offended, but this was his Pteras they were talking about.
"NO! You don't understand. It's not a normal Pteras, and we need to run, now!" The signal was closer now, almost in visual range. Jamie scanned the skies where it should be appearing. He saw something, but it wasn't a Pteras. It couldn't be a Pteras.
"What is that?" It was easily as big as a combat-designed Hammerhead, maybe a little bigger. Jamie wasn't sure if he should classify it as a dragon or something different. It's head was vaguely like the legendary Earth monster, but it had no front legs, It looked like a biped. Its massive wings glowed with the power of an anti-grav field. Perhaps Yuki mistook it for Pteras because of the triangular holes in the wings.
The Raynos detected several types of weaponry on this approaching monster. Twin missile pods on its back, dual-barrel laser cannons on the wings, and a pair of heavy-grade cannons slung from its belly. Jamie couldn't understand how something that massive could fly at high speeds, nor did he understand why his sensors were picking up the Pteras' signal. Yuki's idea about running was sounding pretty good right now.
Jamie swung the Raynos around and headed away from the oncoming mystery Zoid. With its smaller frame and strong engine, the Pterosaur Zoid would have no trouble outrunning the newcomer. Then Jamie's warning alarm sounded, and he knew he'd overestimated the Raynos' speed.
That thing back there was too slow to catch them. Its missiles were another matter. One large projectile, easily half as long as the Raynos' wing, flew along their belly and exploded. Jamie and Yuki screamed as the shockwave hurled them backwards, spinning the Raynos around its nose. Jamie reached forward against the thrust of their fall and pulled back on the Raynos' stick with all his might. He didn't understand why the spirit of the Wild Eagle hadn't asserted itself yet. Maybe Jamie knew that a beginner like Yuki couldn't survive the maneuvers his alter-ego performed, or maybe Jamie just didn't want her to see him as a different person. Leo wasn't too far off thinking that his condition was a split personality. There were times Jamie wondered if he wasn't really insane. He'd certainly lost it when he'd detected his Pteras' signal.
That still begged the question, why was that thing registering as a Pteras? The implication was obvious, but Jamie just couldn't fathom it. It couldn't be true. That thing was faster than a Pteras, and definitely stronger. It swooped in with its two massive feet outstretched and kicked its falling prey. The Raynos bounced against the sand, which mercifully absorbed a good deal of the impact. It was still functioning, though a few more hits like that and Jamie doubted they'd be able to fly again. Still laying prone on the ground, Jamie fired the tail-mounted lasers. The barrage forced back their assailant long enough to get the Raynos back on its feet and in the air.
This new enemy outclassed the Raynos in power and weaponry. The only advantage for Jamie was the Raynos' speed, and that was handicapped by Yuki's presence. People didn't appreciate the strain high-speed battles placed on pilots. Accelerations could often lead to black-outs. Even the best pilots still suffered gray-outs. Sudden acceleration could cause blood to clot behind the eyes, leading to temporary blindness. Jamie couldn't force that on Yuki, who was still learning to pilot the far slower Redler.
What am I going to do? Jamie fought against his own panic while avoiding more attacks and retaliating with a few of his own.
The monster Zoid swooped down at them again, weaving around Jamie's shots. It was about to strike at them with its feet once more when suddenly a single shot cut the space between them, forcing the aggressor back again. A white Command Wolf stood defiant on the sand, its sniper rifle already taking aim. "Run, Jamie." A familiar voice ordered and Jamie didn't hesitate to obey.
"What the hell are you?" Leo wasn't sure if Fang's ID computer was reading this right. That thing was giving off a Pteras' signal, but if that was a Pteras then Leo would have to double-check his eyes, assuming he survived this.
The mystery Zoid was now totally fixed on Fang. Just as intended. The Raynos could be clear of the battle zone in under a minute if Jamie pushed it. All Leo had to do was distract this thing. Focus on one large goal, Bit had said. Well, his goal was to prevent this thing from harming anyone else. If that meant shooting it down, fine. He'd find out who had created it after he fixed it.
The creature opened up with the cannons on its belly. Fang barely dodged before the shots created two mini-craters in the landscape. All that sand from the judge tempest was grinding into Fang's joints. The friction was slowing them down considerably. Not a good thing when going up against an aerial opponent.
Another two bursts just barely missed but the shockwaves from both rocked Leo in his seat. He retaliated with two shots of the sniper rifle. One shot struck the Zoid's shoulder, the other passed through the triangular opening on its wing. Of all the stupid luck.
That first shot managed to stagger the creature, so Leo charged in with Fang's jaws and latched on to the throat of the enemy Zoid. Now it could use its cannons without causing serious damage to itself. The monster thrashed and screeched, but did not use its weaponry. Instead, it began ascending straight up. Not a good idea. Leo grinned and released Fang's bite before they were too high up to take damage. On the way down, he let loose two more shots and struck the belly-mounted cannons. Both became scrap.
The now damaged Zoid evaded the remaining shots and swooped around. Its wing-mounted blasters were much weaker than the rest of its arsenal. The rapid-fire patter was probably used for air-to-air combat. Leo managed to evade most of the shots, but several struck Fang's shoulder when the sand caused movement problems again.
Suddenly, the large Zoid curved upright and hovered over Fang by a few feet. Not sure what the pilot was planning, Leo readied to press the fire button. Red-hot flames leaped from the other Zoid's mouth, raining down on Fang like a mini version of the Great Calamity. Fang managed to dodge the worst of it, but the temperature in the cockpit rose considerably. If it got too hot, Leo might pass out and then they'd really be in trouble.
Take him out while he's finishing his fire attack, Leo's instincts urged him. Too bad the pilot wasn't waiting. The flying monster dove forward while still spewing flames. The wind forced the fire back upon its caster, burning the Zoid's body as it moved. There was indeed a monster here, but now Leo knew it wasn't the Zoid itself.
The cruel maneuver succeeded in closing the gap between Leo and his mystery opponent. The larger Zoid's long neck and beak found their mark in Fang's side and knocked him to the ground. Leo was still trying to focus his eyes from the tumble while the air-born Zoid took aim with its missile rack.
"Strike Laser Claw!" A blue flash shot past and the Zoid's missiles exploded in their launch tubes. The Zoid itself screamed under the heat of the blast, far more intense than the flames that had scorched itself. Liger Zero Jager skidded to a halt on the desert sand. "Leo, are you okay?"
He was speechless, actually. He'd seen the Jager in many fights, including the Royal Cup tournament; but seeing it in real life was something completely different. The simple-looking Liger Zero now looked far more fearsome with its blue, streamlined armor and the twin ion boosters mounted atop its back. The attacking Zoid was less impressed and lunged at Bit immediately after recovering. The Jager jumped to the side and activated its boosters, thrusting it even further away. The moment it landed, Bit sent his Liger into another booster-augmented jump and dodged another assault,
Leo couldn't understand why Bit was hopping around like a bunny, but it was buying him time to get Fang back on his paw. It was not easy to stand upright again with the sand burning Fang's joints.
Wait, the Liger must have the same problem, yet it wasn't slowed in the least. That's when Leo understood Bit's actions. He was jumping and using his boosters as a means of avoiding the enemy's attacks. By relying on the boosters for movement, Bit put the minimal amount of strain on the Liger's joints and avoided most of the sand friction. Amazing.
Once Fang was upright again, he resumed firing on the enemy. Leo was pleased when several of his shots struck home, but the ensuing explosion was far too large for his own weapons, and why were there more explosions suddenly?
Ballistic the Gun Sniper and Shadow the Shadow Fox stood on top of the nearest sand dune, bombarding their target with a mixture of laser and conventional weaponry. The outnumbered mystery Zoid managed to weave past the fire and ascended, then turned and disappeared into the waves of clouds. Leo looked in amazement at the other Zoids. "What are you guys doing here?"
Bit laughed. "That's a weird way to say thank you."
Ballistic and Shadow joined the group. Leena snarled over the comm. "We came to get you because we knew you'd end up in a situation like this!"
Bit was still chuckling. "Don't let her fool you, Leo. Leena's the one who insisted we go back." Leena's growl was her only defense. Bit shut up when he noticed Ballistic's arsenal was pointed his way.
Brad was coldly silent, turning his Zoid around and moving towards the incoming Hover Cargo. Leo realized that the Blitz Team now had no hope of reaching the battle site on time. They'd lose by default. He'd have to stay out of Brad's way for a while.
"Leo," Doc called over the comm. "Did you find Jamie?"
"Yeah, but he got away when that weird Zoid attacked. He's not hurt."
"Good. Knowing Jamie, he'll head for the nearest city to make repairs and re-supply. We should do the same. Everyone into the Hover Cargo. We're heading for Desert Flower City!"
Six hours to hell. The minutes ticked away Alteil's slim ray of freedom. He already feared for his life because of one man, but soon he'd fear an entire world. Thousands of voices would soon howl for his blood, demand his head, and plan how to display his corpse. Every government claimed civility, but Alteil knew that with enough pushing, any mass of people could become a savage mob.
Far below, armed guards supervised the labor force as they tuned up the air fleet while the demolitions teams finished hardwiring the explosives into the Demantis units' cores. Alteil knew that this would push the entire planet over the edge. He would have nowhere to escape. If only he could get a warning out, gain some kind of disclaimer. "It wasn't my fault! I was being coerced! I didn't even plan the attack. I'm not responsible!" But even then there would be people who would denounce him for not "nobly" sacrificing his life to save others. Such an easy thing to say when one did not have to actually endanger one's own life. Why should Alteil put himself on the line for a mass of strangers? Yet he would become a criminal because of all those strangers. All those dead strangers. It wasn't fair.
The hanger alarm sounded and the gates opened. The Salamander, jokingly nicknamed the "Pteramander," swooped in and nearly collapsed onto the hanger floor. Scorch marks laced its chest and neck and the wings trembled while they sagged to the hanger floor. It's weapons systems were practically unrecognizable. The pilot all but catapulted himself out of the cockpit and tossed his helmet to a tech. "Clean 'er up for me, will ya?"
Alteil felt a vein bulge. "Raid!" Of all the damn annoying names. The minute Alteil shouted at the newly returned pilot, several techs ducked down to dodge the expected gunfire. Moments like this made Alteil wonder if the Backdraft had failed simply because the lower ranks were all idiots. Why couldn't Raid's parents have named their child something simpler? Alteil didn't have a problem with many names besides Sen Vaez, Bit Cloud, and Stigma Stoller. And now Raid.
The cocky youth smiled at him. "Hope you liked my dramatic entrance." He ran a hand through his spiky, short brown hair. Raid was a new addition to BD. He'd only joined a few weeks before the Royal Cup. Raid had been the unlucky victim of the Tigers Team's new weather-control devices, cooked up by Dr. Laon. The Tigers had used lightning to short out Raid's Storm Sworder, costing him the match. After the Blitz Team ended the Tiger's charade, Raid had filed a complaint with the ZBC and demanded his loss be void because the other team had cheated. But the Blitz Team had destroyed most of the evidence and Laon took back the rest of his equipment, so Raid had no case.
His dreams shattered by cheaters, Raid did the only smart thing: he'd cheated himself. He joined the Backdraft and won many unofficial battles that yielded wealth and respect. A shame that success had also made him insufferably cocky.
"What have you done to the Salamander?" demanded Alteil.
"Okay, it was like this. I'm out over the desert, having a little fun with that annoying Redler that'd been chasing our labor force all the way from Nyx. I finally downed the little gnat and was on my way back when I spotted a Raynos."
Raynos? Another vein bulged. "I decided to have a little more fun and play with the Zoid. You know, show it what a real aerial Zoid can do."
"And that is how you managed to burn our newest Zoid?"
"No, that came later. I was just about to finish it off and call it good when this really old Command Wolf starts shows up and butts in, so now I gotta deal with some ground-pounder who thinks he can take me. The burns are from a little maneuver I had to pull. Stupid flames don't shut off fast enough."
"Did you at least get rid of the Raynos?"
"Chicken flew off while I took care of that old clunker. Then, these weird Zoids pop out of nowhere and I decide to call it a day."
"'Weird Zoids?' Was one of them a white liger?"
"It was blue with these really big boosters. Hopped around like it was tryin' ta fly. As if it could take over my sky." Raid laughed. Alteil did not.
The Blitz Team. Again. How did they always manage to pop up at the worst possible moment? Alteil's first hope was that they might thwart Vaez's plans and spare him the planet's wrath. But even if they did succeed, he'd end up shouldering the blame. Besides, failure meant punishment; and Vaez was far too happy to hold that switch to Alteil's heart. Damn it all. Why did all this have to happen to him?
"Raid, I want you running escort for the operation tonight. Destroy any opposition, understand?"
"You got it, boss." The brat spun on his heel and whistled back to his Zoid. He'd terrorize the techs for the next six hours, forcing them to repair his Zoid to beyond perfection. Maybe there'd be some good news tonight. Either Raid would kill a few of the Blitz Team's members, or they'd shoot him down and that would be the last Alteil would ever have to see of that punk with a dumb name.
Leo found the best service spot available. Prime location, good tech staff, low cost. "It's the same everywhere." Leo just shrugged. That didn't stop Doc from being grateful. With several Zoids now in desperate need of maintenance and a team member gone rogue, the Blitz Team couldn't waste money. Doc was still trying to puzzle out Jamie's motives while he issued instructions.
"Bit, I want you to help me oversee the Zoid maintenance. We need to make sure every particle of sand is cleaned out of the Zoids' joints and the Hover Cargo's components. Brad-" Brad was already gone. "Uh, right… Leo, Leena, I want you two to go search around for Jamie."
"Us?" Leo frowned. "Shouldn't I help with the repairs and all that?"
"You seem to know your way around cities, so I want you to figure out where Jamie might go. Leena, I'm counting on you to talk—I repeat—talk Jamie into coming back. Not a hair out of place on that boy's head, understood?" It helped to be a father as well as team leader.
"Why do I have to go?" Leena demanded.
"You can't help with the maintenance and this isn't the time for shopping. Helping Leo find Jamie is your contribution to the team." He folded his arms to signal the end of discussion. Leena could submit to her fathers will in the right circumstances. This qualified.
The remaining team members filed out. Leo gave Doc a confused look, only to be rewarded by a wink as the bridge door slid shut. Alone in the stillness of the room, Doc could almost imagine conversing with his wife in situations like this.
"You're meddling, Steve."
I know, honey. But I want to give Leo and Leena a chance to better know each other.
"Are you not happy with her interest in this Sen Vaez?"
I just want her to realize that she has a choice, and that she shouldn't be distracted by this Vaez guy's wealth.
"Leena is a smart girl."
But is she mature enough?
His wife would have laughed. "This from a man who plays with Zoid toys?"
Models, dear, models. And does this mean you aren't going to help me assemble that Mad Thunder model I bought?
"Whatever makes you happy makes me happy, my love. But seriously, trust your daughter. She will make the right choice."
Yes. Leena would make the right choice. That was how conversations with his wife went. A little jabbing, some cute remarks, and complete honesty. They always reached the same conclusion, but with greater confidence for having shared their thoughts. Steve Toros missed his wife. Would Leena have talks with Leo the way the Toros family used to? Could Leena even try to talk to Sen Vaez like that? Vaez had money and power, but whenever Leena needed help, Leo stood closest, not Vaez. More than money, more than models, more than the newest and shiniest parts, Steve Toros wanted his daughter to be happy. Leo could make her happy.
So I am biased, and I am meddling, he thought. So long as Leena chose wisely and was happy, he didn't mind playing favorites.
Ms. Elizabeth "Lizzy" Aaron was, technically, a nobody. A cute nobody, but in the world of Zoids she was a nobody all the same. She hadn't competed in any actual battles, hadn't won a single point, and hadn't the right to brag about a first kill on the battlefield. With no credentials, Ms. Elizabeth had no chance of gaining prestige in the now-weakened Zoids Battle Commission on her own. So instead she sought out the one man who could give her a chance to compete: Harry Champ.
"You're one of the few teams that I can actually be of some help to." She explained.
Harry frowned and followed her down the streets with the robots trailing behind. "Help us? What makes you think we need help?" He was confused, not angry, though Ms. Elizabeth seemed so nervous that she took it as a sign of offense.
"I-I didn't mean it that way. I'm sorry." She bowed apologetically. A miracle the girl hadn't thrown her back out by now. "What I meant was that I can join a team and expect to be useful unless the team can already support a… well, a very large ammunition bill." She led them inside a Zoids hanger center. Harry had never bothered to visit these places. After all, he owned several personal hangers and filled each one to the brim with Zoids. That was before the Backdraft took them all away, of course.
Various pilots moved back and forth, paying no mind to each other or the newcomers. While each small nook housed a fairly diverse range of Zoid (mostly Command Wolfs and Cannon Tortoises), they all shared the grimy look of public storage. Old oil stains, used up rags, broken parts. The stench made Harry want to spin around and head back to the hotel. But he kept following Ms. Elizabeth, who didn't share the other Zoid Warriors' arrogant and confrontational strides. She somehow managed to slide past or between the other residents. Everyone else seemed eager to bump into one-another and start a fight. One particularly burly and smelly oaf did so with Harry.
The confrontation didn't last long, however. The brute's chest rippled with muscles and bounced Harry back like a tennis ball shot out of a charged particle cannon. Harry collided with Benjamin and Sebastian, landing all three of them in a tangled mess. The bully laughed and moved on, deciding they were really too weak to bother with. "Halt!" Harry demanded. Ms. Elizabeth grabbed his arm and pulled him away.
"Please, don't!" She whispered and pointed to a gang of similar thugs. All of them carried some kind of blunt instrument. "With your fancy clothes and robots, everyone is looking for a chance to provoke and rob you. I know that man insulted you, but please don't fall for his bait."
"Oh my!" Sebastian nearly wailed.
"We'll be sold for scrap." Sebastian's head swiveled around a nervous 360 degrees.
Harry felt his face blanch. I'm in a den of thieves, he realized. The headlines flashed before him. Champ's life cut short in obscure hanger. Man destined to be King denied his future. Bit Cloud and Leena Toros to marry next week. Nooooo!
Ms. Elizabeth's abrupt stop snapped Harry back to the moment. She led him through a poorly-secured door and into one of the more private hangers. "This is the reason I need your support, and I hope it will be able to help your team as well." She flipped on the lights, revealing a gun rack with legs.
There wasn't a better way to describe a Gunbluster. The Zoid carried almost two-dozen barrels of various caliber on its back, leaving little room for anything else. Its body squatted low to the ground while golden spikes guarded its sides and tail. The horn atop its rectangular head seemed useless since it was just short enough to keep from being blasted off by the cannon array. "This is my partner, Gunbluster." Ms. Elizabeth made a formal introduction. "My father works on the Gunbluster assembly line and was able to get me a good discount. The only problem is that most teams can't afford the artillery this Zoid uses up. That's why… that's why I was hoping you'd let me join your team."
The same people always seemed to seethe at him. Brad had seethed at him for borrowing the Shadow Fox, and now he was off somewhere in the city, seething even more. Leo knew that the mercenary was upset because the Blitz Team now had no chance to arrive at the appointed challenge site; and that delay would make it even more difficult to reach the site after that. The Blitz Team would lose a lot of prize money because of this. But at the same time, Leo knew his friend didn't regret stepping in to save his teammates. It was an unfair, no-win situation. Brad had gone with the least amount of loss, but he couldn't just ignore the consequences.
But why was Leena seething? It wasn't like she valued money as much as Brad. Maybe it was the loss of a chance to show off? Gain stature in Vaez's eyes? It was so hard to tell with her. Maybe she was just mad because she'd given up something important for him. It was always him, wasn't it? Leo didn't voice these thoughts, but he found Leena's irritation contagious.
There were only a few places that serviced aerial Zoids properly. Jamie wasn't at any of them. They checked a bank to see if Jamie had dipped into the Blitz Team's accounts for repairs. No luck. Leo even went to a few shadowy areas where illegal mechanics performed "special" modifications to Zoids. He should have known better. Jamie would never go to someone like that.
It occurred to him that Jamie was simply too smart to be predicted. He managed all the Blitz Team's accounts and organized their schedule. He knew where he would be expected, so if he truly was trying to hide, he'd know where to avoid. Leena remained as angry as ever. Her only replies to his ideas and suggest were "fine" or "whatever." She was the only woman who could add several different edges to those words at the same time. She was both angry, bored, frustrated, and annoyed. Finally fed up with the search and her attitude, Leo suggested stopping for dinner. "Fine." Now there was a little hunger along with all the other things in her voice.
With his knowledge of urban monotony, Leo found a good dinning spot and, after making sure Leena's belly was full, asked her a simple but loaded question. "Why are you mad at me?"
"I'm not mad."
"Right, and I'm Van Flyheight."
Leena set her drink down a little harder than usual. "Funny you'd use that name. Seems like you're always trying to be the hero."
"I'm not trying to be a hero."
"Well you could have fooled me!" She stood up and slammed both her hands on the table. "Rushing off on your own, forgetting your team, and nearly getting yourself killed? Sounds like you're trying to be Mr. Hero to me."
"I'm not trying to be 'Mr. Hero." It's just that I can't-"
"Can't stay out of trouble? Can't mind your own business?"
Leo's eyes narrowed. "If I 'minded my own business,' Jamie wouldn't be alive right now."
Leena matched his stare. "I'm not saying you shouldn't have helped Jamie."
"Then what are you saying? Why does my helping people make you so mad?"
She stood up and slammed both hands on the table. "Because you always attract trouble! You try to save some woman we haven't even met, we get arrested and stuck in some buried city! You try to help Jamie, we all end up losing a match by not showing up."
"I helped you when those weird Zoids attacked too."
"And you got shot up because of it."
"Should I have not helped you?"
"You don't get it, do you? I don't have a problem with you helping people! I even came back to help because of you!"
They now had the attention of all the other restraint patrons. Enjoy the show, folks. "You had the choice to keep going or turn around. I didn't make you help me."
"YES YOU DID!" Leena sunk back to her chair. "You went off without a second thought, and after you left I just couldn't stop thinking about you and Jamie and that girl and… and I couldn't keep going. I thought about everything you do and I felt selfish and childish and small… so I got ready to leave and Dad said that we should all go since we wouldn't have enough fighters to qualify… I think that was just an excuse though."
Leo chuckled a little. "Yeah, probably."
Leena looked at him with exhausted eyes. "Why aren't you upset? That's what's bothering me. You nearly got yourself killed, again, and now our whole team is taking a loss. We'll get no money, Brad's mad at you, and Jamie's still missing. Your Zoid's damaged, and we aren't going to make the next battle. We all get punished for doing something good. How can you be so calm?"
Leo smiled. Not a mocking smile, or a triumphant one. He was happy to see Leena's two halves conflicting. Maybe after he spoke to her, she'd better recognize her more generous self.
Slowly, Leo placed a hand atop Leena's. "We never did finish our talk."
"Our what?"
"Our talk. Back in the…" He glanced around at the other people. All had returned to their meals, but none of them were speaking. Instead, they were all watching out the corner of their eyes to see what happened next. "Back in that city you mentioned." He nodded his head a little and Leena signaled she understood. "You asked me to tell you about myself. Well, the first thing you have to know, is that I don't know that much about myself to begin with."
Leena shrugged. "That's true about everyone."
"Yeah, it probably is. But it's a little different for me. Long ago, I didn't even have a name and I was in a very bad place where no one would help me."
He had a name now, so they couldn't make him cry. They couldn't call him 12515 like he was just a part the techs used. They couldn't make him feel like he was trapped here. Now he had a name. Now, Leo was a person.
But that didn't stop them from kicking him. A name didn't stop the pain. His side still hurt while he tried to stand up straight with the other trainees. If he didn't stand straight, they'd hit him again. Maybe they wouldn't notice. 12512—who still didn't have a name—was looking pretty sick. His skin was all white, and it didn't look like he was watching anything. His eyes were kinda weird and he was really sweating. Leo watched 12512 as much as he could without turning his head. Was the other boy sick? Did he have what all the others got?
The newest angry man strode back and forth, lecturing them about something that Leo didn't want to learn. He had everything he needed now. He knew how to pilot to protect himself and his Zoid friends, how to shoot a gun without killing someone, and how to sneak out of the base. He'd broken out several times, but then the found him in the desert, too tired and thirsty to keep going. Then they brought him back and beat him.
That would change when Fang was fixed. Leo had been stealing parts and bringing them back to his new friend. Leo didn't want to steal from the techs, who were nicer than the angry men; but the angry men must have stolen Leo from wherever he belonged, because he didn't belong here. He was stealing enough to leave and find home. The Techs would understand. They had homes to go to, didn't they?
Just one more part, and then he could leave. He would pilot a Zoid, but wouldn't kill with it. He wouldn't kill anybody. He was everything the angry men didn't want him to be, and that made him happy.
"12512!" The angry man's shout startled Leo more than the sick boy. "What the hell is wrong with you?" The angry man got right in the sick boy's face. "Pay attention!"
12512 answered by throwing up right in the angry man's face. Leo had to try very hard not to laugh while the man used a lot of words Leo didn't want to know. Anything the angry men said was probably bad.
The now bad-smelling and even uglier angry man called for a pair of medics who took 12512 away. The boy was all limp and was still looking at nothing. Leo knew he wouldn't see the other boy again. The others had left the same way. He looked over at the only other trainee, the one he wanted to go away, 12516. There had been twelve of them at first. 12516 had come later, "unlucky thirteen" they all called him. He wasn't like the rest. His hair wasn't a weird gray shade, and he acted like he'd be leaving sooner than anyone else. He was mean to the techs, the staff, and especially the other trainees. Leo didn't like being the last one stuck with 12516, but it had to be better than where the others went.
The other boy, the nasty one nobody liked, grinned at him like he was gonna say, "You're gonna go away next." He would go away, but not to where the others went. No, he would be free.
"You two, pay attention!" The puke on the angry man's boots made the next beating really smelly.
Leena sat stunned for a moment. "I… I can't believe that."
"I don't have a reason to lie. I mean, if I did want to lie, I'm sure I could imagine a better story than that."
"But… I mean… who did that to you?"
Leo frowned and leaned back. "I've been wondering that for a long, long time. I didn't know for sure until I saw a picture of Count Umbra."
"Umbra? Wait, you mean that the Backdraft-"
"They were training a squad of young pilots in the hopes that we would become elite pilots, just like Vega Obscura." He ran his fingers through his smoke-colored hair. "I probably have them to thank for this permanent dye job, though it's been this way since as long as I can remember, so it's not like I miss my original hair color."
Leena said hesitantly, "You know… you look a lot like Vega. Older, and maybe a little rougher-looking, but have you ever thought he might be your brother?"
"I don't think so. Vega wasn't a part of our little group. And I really don't desire to gain any new connections to BD. They tried to make me something I hate, I got away, I'm happy with that." Leo leaned forward and look Leena in the eyes. "But I don't want to forget how helpless, scared, and angry I felt while I was trapped in that base. If it wasn't for Fang, I would probably have gone wherever they dragged off the other children. I can't just stand by when other people need help, because I know how it feels to be powerless. That's why I go 'looking for trouble,' and that's why I don't regret making sacrifices to help others."
Leena was back in stunned silence, and Leo realized what he must sound like. "Look, I don't mean to put myself on a pedestal. Like everyone else, I've done things that I'm not proud of; and there've been plenty of times I failed to help someone. Either I was being stupid, or immature, or… something just happened. I try to help when I can, but I've blown it more than a few times. I'm just trying to say, this is who I am."
Leena smiled and nodded. "Now I understand why you like Zoids more than people."
"I don't hate people."
"I didn't say that you hated people. I said you like Zoids more than people. You spend more time in the hanger than you do with us, and you talk to the Zoids more than you do with your teammates."
"The Zoids are part of the team."
"So you like to talk with half our team."
Leo was silent for a long while, trying to think up a response. It was true that he felt much more comfortable around Zoids. Zoids fought for a reason, it was part of their nature. They didn't beat children for their own sick pleasure, or steal from each other out of personal greed. There was a limit to their actions, even in battle. The only mention of a Zoid devoid of morals or limits was the Deathsaurer, and that monster had been a human construct. Leo had always minimized his time with his own kind. It wasn't that he feared other humans, or that he hated them. It was just that he felt more comfortable around Fang and the others.
But he never told his history to any Zoids besides Fang. Only today had that knowledge passed to a third person; a person different than any other woman Leo had ever met.
"Leena, you're the only living being, human or Zoid, that I've told this to."
"Well, you know there are a couple of eavesdroppers too, right?" She grinned.
"They'll go home and pass the story along and forget all about me as a person. I think you understand me. And I haven't thought about leaving the Blitz Team for a while now."
"Not at all? Seemed like you couldn't wait to head out the door not too long ago."
Leo shrugged. "I've thought about how weird you guys are. And how it's a miracle you haven't self-destructed yet. And how you're completely unlike any team out there right now."
Leena rolled her eyes. "If you had stuck with the 'not like any other team' bit, I might have taken that as a compliment." She grinned slyly. "But, then again, you're not like any man I've ever met."
"Well, I will take that as a compliment."
"I've never met a man who talks to Zoids more than people,"
"Still a compliment."
"And can't aim a cannon properly."
"I've learned. I'm better. Still complimented."
"And trips on sand dunes."
"…"
"And walks in on women in the shower."
"That was an accident! And you shot at me! And threw a tub…"
"I was teaching you a lesson."
"What kind of teacher uses bullets in a lesson?"
"The ones who want unruly students to learn a lesson."
"You just can't let me take a compliment, can you?" Leena burst out laughing. This was fun. Leo didn't understand it, but being around Leena made things more interesting. He'd walked through dozens of similar cities, eaten the exact same food, and had the occasional conversation with other Zoid pilots or short-term friends. None of them were as much fun as Leena.
"Leena, my darling!" Fun was over. Harry Champ sat down right next to Leena. "What an amazing coincidence! It must be fate that drew us together. How appropriate that I should meet the most beautiful rose in Desert Flower City! I-"
"Who invited you?" Leo demanded.
"How dare you speak to me in such a way? I am-"
"Interrupting our dinner." snapped Leena.
"Um… excuse me." A young woman stood a short distance apart from Harry. "We're sorry to interrupt, but-"
Leena was on an interruption trip. "Who are you?"
"My name is-"
"Don't trifle with such things, my darling! Let us just enjoy our-"
"Mr. Champ! I am not a trifle." The unknown girl was almost pure red and trembling. Amazing she could call Harry "mister" with that look. Leo had expected something a lot stronger. "My name is Elizabeth, and I have asked Mr. Champ to let me join his team. But as much as I want to be a part of his team, I will not be dismissed like that."
"Um… I… uh…" Harry finally had the sense to look abashed. Leena signaled Leo to make their exit and managed without Harry trying to waylay them.
"Who was that?" Leena wondered aloud.
"I don't know, but I'm impressed."
"Impressed? That girl was going to shake herself apart! I'm amazed she could even say two words to Harry."
"I'm impressed that she not only said those words, but did it while staying polite."
Leena frowned. "What's so great about that?"
Leo smiled. "People who can say their peace while staying civil demand more respect. The fact that they don't instantly start out with cussing and insults makes people more open to their words. You saw how quick Harry quieted down. I don't think you could get him to look that embarrassed."
"Oh, I've shut Harry up plenty of times."
"Yeah, by shooting him and blowing up part of the landscape. The only thing keeping him from talking back was probably unconsciousness."
Leena folded her arms. "I only shoot at perverts who walk in on women in the shower."
"And you shoot at people who steal your cookies, try to take your kills on the battlefield, and look at you lopsided. Bit's been telling stories."
Leena glanced back over her shoulder. Harry and his potential teammate were barely visible in the crowd, but she could have sworn she saw Harry trying to apologize to the lady he had insulted. "So, you're saying that girl is better than me at-"
She never finished her sentence. High above, a building shattered in a plume of light and heat, and the whole city began to fall down around their ears.
Author's Note: I just love cliffhangers, don't you?
… Yeah, I hate 'em too. Guess I'll just have to get the next chapter out quick. Please feel free to leave a review. Thanks for reading.
