Battle Dawn

Chapter 18: Twilight

by Silver

Author's note: Happy New Year to everyone. My personal resolution: stop apologizing for being late with chapters. It's a heck of a lot easier than actually trying to be on time. ;)

Thanks goes to Zeropioneer for proofreading this chapter and preventing me from making a mockery of my own story via spelling and grammar errors. I also want to thank you readers for your nearly infinite patience and continued support of my story.

And now, on with the chapter…

X X X X X X X X X X X X

The days following Desert Flower City held no peace. The Backdraft struck again with an audacity that made the whole planet tremble. Several bombs destroyed a series of Zoid factories, crippling their respective cities' economies. The Champ Corporation magnanimously stepped in to offer defensive weapons, rebuilding efforts, and employment for a local militia, absorbing several rivals in the process.

On the continent of Nyx, a Zoid battle came under attack as several Zaber Fangs ripped the competing Zoids and the pilots within to pieces. Before the Super Satellite could maneuver into position to fire, the Zaber Fangs took refuge in a nearby town, holding the people hostage while using the Judge Robot's built-in cameras to broadcast their declarations to the whole planet. People watched transfixed as a wild-eyed pilot stood atop his Zoid's head. "The days of stagnation are at an end!" he proclaimed, "The Backdraft shall reshape this world into a paradise of pure strength! The weak shall be culled; sacrificed to build a warrior's realm! If you survive this evolution, then you may take your rightful place among the strong. Fail and you shall not have time to curse your own weakness!"

The Guylos army surrounded the town, trying to outwait the Backdraft extremists while the whole world watched. Just before dusk, several sharp fins cut through the hard ground, encircling the hapless army units. The entire Guylos unit was wiped out before even one soldier saw the shadows of the Fuma Team's Warsharks. The Backdraft pilots then fled, leaving behind another explosive that tore away a cluster of lives.

The Backdraft was everywhere. In the shadows of alleyways, in the corner of a child's bedroom, in the very bed of a nation's leader. No longer a mere annoyance or the ice-breaking conversation at parties, the Backdraft had carved a place in the front of everyone's mind, demanding enough attention to make anyone wary of a sideways glance.

Many said that their home could never be the target of an attack. After all, what value would it serve? "There was nothing special about our home, so why would the Backdraft waste time and energy striking us?"

This question always brought up "the Lost Flower," even if no one spoke the answer aloud. Desert Flower City had no significance in the larger picture; that was why its loss had such an impact on everyone. Nowhere was safe. The Backdraft didn't care about importance, only fear. Fear made people stupid. It made them implicitly trust their leaders for protection, and the leaders in turn became stupid with power.

President Vereor, whose term once suffered predictions of stagnation and underachievement, suddenly enjoyed an amazing approval rating with a re-election almost guaranteed. He immediately proposed several bills granting him access to Helic's citizenry's personal information and enabled police forces to ignore specific rights that were "obstacles" to the protection of freedom. Several more amendments, each intended to weaken Helic's checks and balances system, were in the works.

On Nyx, Emperor Kamuffel further subdivided the landscape amongst the noble classes, entrusting them with security and management while he dealt with the political crisis with the other nations. The land was so divided that one need only look across the street to see a separate protectorate. Many neighbors now envied one another based on the level of taxes and available security.

Alteil had little rest, what with the whole world crying for his head and demanding blood for blood, but in the few moments he could afford to not look over his shoulder he would laugh. The people feared the Backdraft's threat against their peace and freedom. But that was silly. The people's own leaders were stripping away their rights without any help from BD. Sen Vaez or the current governments; they were all interested in gaining more and more control.

Aiteil had abandoned such dreams, along with any hope of real wealth or power. All that was left was to survive until sundown, and then start the process again for the next day. Alteil also began to plan for the eventuality he'd rather ignore.

The people of Zi secretly yearned for a distraction; anything to take their minds of all that was suddenly happening. The media pounced on the news of the Blitz Team's withdrawal; honoring it with the spot of the Zoids Battle News.

"Last year's Royal Cup winners, the Blitz Team, have officially withdrawn from the tournament. While team leader Steven Toros has not made any official statement, this sudden notice supports rumors that star member Bit Cloud is injured and unable to pilot. Additionally, team tactician and Raynos pilot Jamie Hermeros has tendered his resignation from the team and disappeared. Experts say it's only a matter of time until the Blitz Team's Mercenary, Brad Hunter, also withdraws from the team. Many other teams are quite eager to put in a bid for Mr. Hunter's skills. Many suspect the Champ Team-"

Brad turned off the televiewer with a scowl. After everything that'd happened, the top news was his possible resignation? Even he hadn't made up his mind about staying or leaving. What gave those "experts" the right to speak for him? And where did people get off thinking he'd just jump ship because the Blitz Team was done with the season? He hadn't left the team before Bit arrived, and they'd been desperate for money back then. The Blitz Team was in a much better state, even with so many personal losses. He knew that mercenaries usually left along with the money, but he didn't consider himself an average mercenary.

Most teams had treated him as a passing guest; someone who stuck around just long enough to make good on a promise then leave. The truth was most mercs developed solitary attitudes because people continually treated them in such a way.

The Blitz Team was different. They considered Brad a team member from day one and treated him as such (though that was a disadvantage at times). He'd never met a team like this before. Even Leo hadn't treated him as a placeholder for another team member. It might have been easy to leave if they simply thought of him as an average mercenary, but Brad didn't think about "what-if's" very often.

But, thought Brad, I have obligations beyond the Blitz. I need to think about what I'm going to do next.

He needed a steady income, that was a given. Even so, jumping ship was appalling. Brad had never enjoyed so many liberties while serving with teams before the Blitz. They allowed him to do as he pleased and didn't try to confine his style of piloting. Even famous mercs like Jack Sisco admitted they hated being weighed down by a team's specific tactics. He'd shown as much when he worked for Harry's Champ Team. Mercenaries fought best when people simply let them do their job, no questions asked. Jack was good enough to have the luxury of selective service, but Brad was even luckier: he was on a team that always let him pilot his Zoid the way he wanted. They'd even taken him back after he shot down the Raynos and Gun Sniper with his brand-new Shadow Fox. Any other team would have forced him to sign over the Zoid as a permanent unit.

Doc had simply said, "You lost your Command Wolf, so I guess it's only fair you keep this new Zoids. But… you're gonna have to take a little bit of a pay cut." Doc was always lousy with numbers. The pay cut Brad received was barely a gentle prod, especially when weighed against the tremendous value and superiority of the Shadow Fox. Brad was never sure if Doc had been generous, or stupid. Either way, the thought of leaving the Team made him feel sick.

Ma, Pa, this is a tough one.

He sipped his coffee and turned the televiewer back on. Word was that Chairman Vaez was going to address the planet. Pretty late to make an address. Vereor and Kamuffel had already tried to pin the blame on the enemy, their staff, and each other. Brad wasn't a fan of politics, but he knew that Vaez had left himself vulnerable by not addressing the people first. As the ZBC Chairman, his words held a lot more power in foreign nations than the heads of Guylos and Helic. What was he thinking?

Vaez was standing at a podium with a green background and the ZBC insignia glittering proudly. It looked very much like the layout Leena had endlessly described after the team reunited. Vaez was probably still in transit between obligations.

"In the face of such a tragedy," Vaez said, "words have little meaning. Action is required now. The Zoids Battle Commission's blade must cut away the cancer known as Backdraft. If only to do away with fruitless squabbling and blame, I hereby take full responsibility for failing to detect the strike on Desert Flower City. If the board demands it, I will step down as ZBC Chairman. If President Vereor and Emperor Kamuffel will allow it, I would be honored to work with both Helic and Guylos to strike down this evil. As of now, I am hereby postponing all Zoids Battles indefinitely. We cannot simply ignore this threat to peace. I ask that all Zoids teams wait. Do not disband, for I will need to call on your strength soon.

"The Backdraft seek to unravel our society. Let us show them how strong our bonds are and rip them apart instead! I ask for the support of all of Zi. Guylos, Helic, or independent; please work with me to defeat the Backdraft and avenge the souls that have been lost!"

Not bad. Brad turned the televiewer off. The man didn't mince words, unlike most other politicians. There was no way the ZBC would ask him to stand down now. He'd humbled himself before the whole planet and people would want to charge into battle with him in the lead. Making him step down would be political suicide. What's more, Vereor and Kamuffel would be in a tight spot. They had obviously diverted the blame, but here was a man of equal station (maybe higher) who took the blame and asked for the people's help. They'd lose a lot of respect after this. No wonder Vaez waited. He wanted them to fire the first shots so he could go in for he kill. He sounded like a nice guy, but Brad recognized a vicious streak. After all, no one became a high-ranking politician without a darker edge. Vaez was willing to risk short-term damage to gain the high ground in the end. The world would probably be a lot more interesting with him leading the charge against the Backdraft.

And now Brad's worries about joining another team were pretty much gone. No Zoids battles meant no more freelancing. Maybe the ZBC would hire mercenaries who could pilot better than those wind-up "sir-may-I-take-a-breathe" soldiers. Plenty of work available, fighting the BD. It wasn't as if Brad hadn't done enough of that already. Getting paid to do it, however…

The loudspeakers within the entertainment area pinged, signaling an incoming message on the vid-phone. Nothing better to do, so Brad picked up first.

"Brad, I'm glad you answered."

"Naomi." Brad was a little startled to see the Fluegel Team's leader. They were scheduled to have a battle miles away from here. Not that it mattered since Vaez had just cancelled all battles, but there was no way they could have known that already.

Brad signaled the team to meet in the hangar at Naomi's request. Bit had to remain in recovery, but the everyone else gathered and exchanged pleasantries.

"Nice new look." Leon complimented his sister's new outfit. She'd been on full alert since their return, careful not to spill anything on her clothes but totally unwilling to take them off.

Leena blushed, "Wait 'til you hear who gave them to me."

"That should wait." Leo said with an unusual edge in his voice. Brad suppressed a smile when he saw the red in Leo's face. "I'm guessing there's something important going on if you two came all the way out here to see us in person."

Now it was Leon who looked sour, but Naomi spoke first. "Actually, I came to talk to Brad, personally. It's Leon who wanted to meet with the rest of you."

In the short while Brad had known Leon, he'd never heard such frustration, even anger, in the man's voice. "I just figured I should ask if the Team still has a spot for me."

Doc frowned, "Spot? Does this mean you've left the Fluegel Team?"

"Fluegel Team?" Leon gave a humorless laugh. "There is no more Fluegel Team. Naomi's disbanded it."

X X X X X X X X

The secret chamber now housed three Zoids cores. The UDS and the DST cores had tripled in size to the point where they had to be transferred to larger containers. Dr. Baum was pleased to announce that the DST cells were ready for harvesting and testing. As soon as the cells were cultivated, the cores would be frozen to suppress any further growth until the final stages of the grand design. Vaez looked forward to seeing the results.

The third core, pulled from the carcass of the nearly-destroyed Genosaurer 3, now hung in a tank beside the birthing pool. The nutrient fluid cast a pale green glow across the core. Peering closely, Vaez could note small twitches in the outer shell as the core's DNA reconfigured to Laon's specifications. The virus used to alter the Zoid's DNA was unlike any other, and Laon made sure everyone knew it. "This will be my greatest creation!" Laon declared proudly. "Why, it may even surpass the Berserk Fury!"

"Really?" Vaez added more amusement to his voice than necessary. "How can this Zoid surpass an Ultimate X?" Laon's irritation cracked his fake smile. Vaez enjoyed blocking the man's self-praise. Compared to the Lilith, any other Zoid was a mere Toy.

Dr. Baum hobbled beside his reluctant colleague. "Dominance is not always determined by strength, my lord. Evolution favors the quick, the unique, the innovative. Dr. Laon's new system will make the Dark Spiner a lethal threat to almost any Zoid. Even the Ultrasaurus could not withstand multiple blows from the Dark Spiner's ionization field. This weapon exploits the one weakness of all Zoids, their own power cores." Laon nodded, furious that someone had stolen his thunder.

With the push of a button, the Cradle and its metallic platform retracted upwards and moved aside on an overhead track while the modified core swung into position. The thick, mucous-like fluids disappeared through one of the tubes fixed to the container's head. Now completely drained, the container lowered to just above the birthing-pools surface. The metal plates at the bottom hissed the release of their airtight seal and slid outwards, offering the core an unobstructed drop into the waters below. Upon breeching the surface, the core immediately sank out of sight and the entire pool illuminated a soft orchid glow that painted the entire laboratory.

Laon checked all the readings and nodded. "The metallic elements have already begun to gather. This time tomorrow, it'll be ready for deployment."

Vaez nodded. "Call me the moment it is ready. I have a mission planned that will provide an excellent test." He turned to leave.

"My lord, a moment if you please." Baum tried to keep pace with his master. "I understand that you recently encountered 12515; now using the alias 'Leo.'"

"You are well-informed, Doctor." Considering you haven't seen daylight in months nor enjoyed visitation from anyone but myself and my personal staff.

"It pays to keep one's ear to the ground; and a hack in to a few ZBC files every now and again. Is all this true? Is he still alive? And is he finally functioning as expected?"

"Why does it matter? You and I both know that the Children of Raven project was deemed a failure."

Baum nodded solemnly. "It is a matter of personal pride. A weakness, I know, but it would give me great pleasure to know if my most disastrous endeavor produced at least one success."

Vaez shook his head. "12515 still tinkers with parts while failing as a pilot. He's apparently bumped around between teams until settling as the Blitz Team's mechanic."

"Oh… how unfortunate." Veins bulged along Baum's smooth scalp. Despite his usual composure, blood swelled beneath his skin and his breathing hardened "It is infuriating to know he still mocks my underachievement with his existence! He should be frozen away with the others until such time as I know how to remedy the flaws."

"You've had almost fifteen years to find a solution, Doctor."

"Evolution takes time!" Baum remembered who he was talking to. "My lord…"

Vaez let the lapse slide. Baum was too important to the larger play to be bogged down with disciplinary action at this time. "Rest assured that 12515's mockery will soon end. Part of the Dark Spiner's first mission is to relieve the world of that refuse's existence."

X X X X X X X X

Leo relished the quiet of the Hover Cargo's hangar. It wasn't the same quiet as the silence of the abandoned Backdraft base, or the muffled numbness of the ZBC Whale King. It certainly wasn't like the quiet of the dead he heard in Eveopolis. This was a quiet in which he felt at home. A low hum from the Hover Cargo's power core, the minute clanks and wrenching sounds as he repaired the Liger Zero; these were the sounds that told Leo he was in a safe place. For one moment, the danger had past. The whole world was more dangerous now that the Backdraft was on the warpath, but he couldn't be on edge all the time. This was a moment of peace and he was trying to enjoy it to the fullest.

Though it was hard to be equally quiet in his mind. Questions and worries continued to assail him, nudging for attention. The events of the pool were the most immediate. The glowing on his skin had vanished, though he sometimes thought he saw a flicker on his arm or at the edge of his vision. Probably just his mind playing tricks.

But that wasn't the biggest issue. That voice in the pool, and the heartbeat that came from somewhere else; no matter how close to death he may have been, Leo couldn't shake the feeling that those sensations had been real. That somewhere, something was waiting for him.

I already have a partner, he told himself. I already have Fang.

And "combating heresy while protecting the ones I love?" What the hell did that mean? Sure, he cared about the Blitz Team, they were a great bunch. But he'd just let Jamie leave. What kind of protector was that?

Somehow, the voice's use of "love" had carried a much stronger connotation than just friendship. That brought Leena's face to the forefront of his mind. She was the first clear sight after emerging from the pool. Drenched and panting, she was without a doubt the most beautiful sight he'd ever beheld. Matters involving Leena were especially forceful with his attention. Her attacks and sensations after the ordeal in the Valley of the Rarehertz? Troubling. The loss of her Zoid? Saddening. Her growing affection for this Vaez guy? Maddening! Leo didn't trust him and worried for Leena's safety. This guy always seemed to show up in troubled areas.

But so do I, he realized… but that was different somehow. Leo also couldn't deny that he'd been eyeing Leena a little closer since they got back. He'd always considered her a looker, but now he remembered how her warmth was the only thing he truly felt in the Zoid pool as she pulled him upward. He kept wondering about how it felt to have her close and feel her warmth again without fear of death. He'd had similar feelings before, but now it was more intensive.

"Grrr…" The Liger Zero demanded attention away from Leo's ponderings.

"Sorry. Gimme a sec." Leo tightened a bolt on the Liger's newly-installed leg components. "How's that feel?" The Liger shook its leg slightly and growled pleasantly.

This was pretty handy. Aside from Fang, Zero was the only Zoid that offered him obvious feedback on his repairs' comfort level. If he installed a part in a bad way or made something too tight, the Liger would let him know with an irritated growl or, in some rather extreme cases, a snarl. These Ultimate X Zoids were able to show more of their personality than any other Zoid. Leo wondered if they'd been born in a time before the more advanced command systems that suppressed a Zoid's quirks and intended actions. To tame Zi's beasts, people had effectively caged their minds. Leo felt sorry for the Zoids, but at the same time knew that completely free will meant that a Gojulas might go storming through a city, or a Zoid might decide to completely finish off an opponent just as the Berserk Fury had tried to kill Liger Zero in their last battle.

Leo reached into the Liger's cockpit. "Okay, Zero, let me check your self-diagnostic and then we'll-"

The Liger Zero roared and furiously pitched its head forward, flinging Leo out of its cockpit. "WHOA!" Leo's arm instinctively reached out and caught the maintenance platform's rail. He hung suspended for a moment, trying to collect his breath while dangling over a chasm. "Thanks a lot." He glared at the still growling Zoid.

"Liger! That was totally uncalled for!" Bit arrived in a wheelchair, escorted by Leon. "You could have killed Leo!"

"Grroowwrrrr!"

"I don't care what he was doing. That was totally crazy! Don't ever do that again!"

"Grrr…"

"And don't take that tone with me either. I've had a bad enough time already!" Bit winced as all the shouting inflamed one of his injuries.

"Take it easy." Leon cautioned. "Liger Zero used to throw fits like that all the time before you joined the team."

"Excuse me!" Leo slumped back onto the safety of the platform. "Did anyone bother to think about me while I was hanging there?"

"Oh… uh, sorry." Leon grinned nervously.

Leo gave them both an "I'll get you for that" look before asking, "Bit, shouldn't you be in bed?"

"I wanted to make sure Liger was okay." The Zero purred softly. "How bad is his damage?"

Leo shrugged and looked back at the Zoid. Despite his repairs, much of the armor and some of the metal components sagged inwardly, partially melted from the heat. There were burn marks across the main body. "The Panzer armor absorbed a lot of the shock and heat, so it could have been worse. A lot of joints were fused together by that monster Zoid's flamethrower so I've had to cut a lot of stuff out and replace what I can. The Liger can move now but I need a few extra parts to get it fully operational. It can walk, but running and fighting would be too much to ask right now." Bit sighed and leaned back in his wheelchair.

"I feel like I could die, right now."

Leon patted Bit's good shoulder. "You got hurt defending innocent lives, so don't think of this as a defeat. And your battles aren't done yet. This is just temporary. You'll be King of the Zoid Battles again in no time."

"I'm sorry, Bit." Leo said, "If I'd completed the work on the Panzer armor, you might not have been hurt so bad."

Bit shook his head. "Naw… We kept you busy enough with training and Leena throwing stuff at you. Besides, how could you know what was gonna happen? But… is the Panzer armor in the same shape as Liger?"

Leo suppressed a frown. "Worse. It may be cheaper to construct a whole new armor." Another moan from Bit. This was why Leo liked mechanics over medicine: he had no bedside manner.

At a loss for supportive words, Leo turned back to the stubborn Zoid. "Now how am I supposed to fix you if you won't let me check the systems in your cockpit? Bit's too injured to climb up there."

"Grrooar!"

"You'll be in trouble if Bit gets better before you're fully repaired."

"GROAW!"
"I don't have a clue what you're saying!" The Liger snarled unhappily. Zero wasn't the same as Fang and Leo didn't have the share the Liger's rapport as did Bit, so how were they supposed to communicate? Leo was used to the subtle shifting of a Zoid's body, the tiny hints that poked through the command system. Zero's way of communicating was like using a bull horn right next to a person's ear.

Leo sighed. "Okay… here's what we do. I fix your body and don't touch your cockpit. But that means you'll have to tell me if things are working properly. I'll ask you a 'yes' or 'no' question. One growl means 'yes,' two means 'no.' Deal?"

"Grrr." No hostility behind the growl, so Leo assumed it was a yes and started working. The Liger finally purred. If Leo didn't know better, he'd think he heard some smugness in the Liger's tone.

"Nice." Leon nodded approvingly. "Wish I'd thought of that a long time ago."

Leo set to work tightening connections, cutting away damaged sections of armor, and running what diagnosis he could. The Liger responded to his questions in the agreed form, aiding him in finding all the little kinks and frustrations that usually appeared during trial pilot runs. It'd be a while before Bit would be able to run such a test and Leo wanted to make sure the Liger was almost perfectly restored by the time he slipped back into his reserved cockpit.

All the while, Leo marveled at Zero's free will. He'd never seen such a bullheaded Zoid… except maybe the Cannon Fort, and that had tried to kill him as well. That was, after all, the main reasoning behind command systems. It was naïve to think that people could just let Zoids walk around freely when even a Molga could easily take several lives in an instant. But how much did people need to control Zoids? Wasn't it enough to keep them from rampaging? Suppressing hostilities was one thing. Suppressing free will… after all his time free of the dark, angry men, Leo had no intention of relinquishing his freedom.

Would Vaez and the ZBC take away people's freedoms while trying to stop the Backdraft's aggression? It had happened before many times over. Leo was suddenly nervous about the future.

"Hey, Leo!" Bit snapped him back to the moment. "Don't daydream on Liger! He'll send you flying again."

"Oh… sorry." Leo worked in silence until the attention shifted away.

"So, Bit," Leon leaned against the platform's railing, "what are you going to do during your recovery?"

"Well, I guess I'll be staying at the Blitz Team's base for a while. Once I'm a little better, I'm gonna take up salvaging again."

"'A little better?'" Leo and the Liger Zero looked at him. "You're not going to wait until you're totally healed?" Zero gave an affirming growl.

"No way! I'd go crazy, waiting around while my body healed."

"But if you don't wait," Leon pointed out, "your recovery will slow."

Bit would have nodded if he could. "A friend of mine sells salvage near here. I'm gonna crash with him for a while and work for him. Small stuff; nothing too big. I'll be back on my feet and winning battles with Zero before anyone can steal the title away!" The Liger purred happily.

"Except that all battles have been canceled." No more purring.

"Oh, why'd you have to bring that up?" Bit moaned.

"There's always the ZBC." Leon's suggestion only brought back Leo's concern.

"Not a chance. There's no way I'd work for them. All those rules and regulations. I'd be better off taking on the Backdraft on my own. Betcha that's what Naomi and Brad are gonna do."

"How'd you figure that?"

"Well, what else could they be talking about?"

X X X X X X X X

"Son," Pa once said, "if it looks like a Gustav, moves like a Gustav, and makes noises like a Gustav, it doesn't matter how you pilot it; it's still a Gustav!" That saying always sounded so obvious that Brad never understood just what it had to do with real live. Until now; because the person standing before him looked, sounded, and moved like Naomi Fluegel, but Brad wasn't sure if he was really speaking with the Zoid pilot he'd come to know and respect. Naomi seemed so cold, so focused on just business. He didn't sense the warmth that always seemed to accompany her, and her smile was so strained. She didn't try to act cool while being friendly at the same time. She was doing everything she could to appear emotionally dead.

"I want to hire you." There it was. No banter, no re-acquaintance, not even a "how are you?" Even Naomi was only thinking of him as work-for-hire. She handed him a sheet. "This is monthly estimate of what I can pay you; depending on expenses." The figures made Brad's mind whirl. The rate she was offering tripled his current earnings from the Blitz.

"How did you save this much?"

"Snipers use very little ammo, unlike ballistic freaks like Leena." There. Just for a moment the Naomi he knew began to crack through the façade. But the cold armor that surrounded Naomi closed around the small bit of warmth almost instantly. "That money is yours if you accept my offer. I'll even give you two weeks advance if you want."

"Okay… what offer are we talking about, exactly?"

Naomi unconsciously folded her arms around herself, as if to form a shield from the world and Brad's inquiries. "Something's come up… something more important than Zoid battles or fighting the Backdraft. I need to leave for a while and take care of things, but I'm not sure I can do this alone."

"So why not take Leon with you?"

Naomi shook her head. "Leon's not cut out for where I need to go. He's too much into things like nobility and fair fighting. He thinks too much about Zoid battles and not enough about real life.

"When we first met, Brad, I wasn't sure who you were exactly. You were an opportunist and a hero, a mercenary and selfless at the same time. I need someone like you with me on this trip; someone who knows how to handle the real world but also someone I know I can trust. You know what they say, 'a true friend stabs you in the front.'"

It looked like Naomi, sounded like Naomi… had to be Naomi, no matter how strange. "Where exactly would we be going?"

"A lot of places; most of them unpleasant. I'm going to be looking for leads about a certain bandit group. That's all I can say right mow. There are conditions to this job; the two most important being that you don't ask questions and you follow my orders immediately. If you can follow those two rules then we can do this quickly and easily."

You gotta be kidding me. Brad moaned inwardly. Who in their right mind would accept those terms? Only a fool would agree to something like that.

But that's what people said about Brad joining the Blitz Team, or staying with them given how much trouble they attracted. Besides, he knew he wouldn't be able to simply let this go. Mercs weren't supposed to have attachments or curiosity, but Naomi wasn't acting normal and he wanted to know why. Plus, this beat fighting the Backdraft for a soldier's salary. As long as Naomi let him fight and operate in his usual style, he could handle a few orders and secrets… for a while.

"All right. I'm in. But you'll have to tell me what this is about sooner or later."

"You'll know as soon as I'm confident enough to tell you."

They shook on it.

X X X X X X X X

"Ragnarok Fang?" Leon peered a little too closely into Fang's cockpit.

"Don't touch that!" Leo almost climbed all the way up Fang's leg when he heard the term "Ragnarok." It'd taken him a few years to learn how to speak that term and learn its meaning. Every time he saw that damn button he reflected on how lucky it was that he didn't try pushing the button to learn its purpose.

Having finished what maintenance he could on the Liger Zero before arriving at the team's base, Leo had set about improving Fang after returning Bit to the medical unit. Despite their short time with the Blitz Team, Fang and Leo had grown much stronger. The parts Brad sold Leo had alleviated Fang's poor targeting and lethargic movement while Leo himself better understood how to pilot a Zoid and act as one with his partner. Surviving all the recent ordeals was proof of their growth, albeit a rather grim trial by fire. It'd be tragic if all that ended now just because Leon pushed a button.

"It's just that I've never seen this function in a Command Wolf before. The kamikaze attack known as 'Ragnarok Fang.' It's illegal to install this in a Zoid now." said Leena's inquisitive brother. "The only units that had this function were part of the Helic-Guylos war. I thought they retired all military-grade Command Wolfs."

"They did. I think Fang was simply abandoned because his commander or pilot figured he wasn't long for this life." Leo patted Fang's muzzle. "You showed them, eh pal?" Fang's aura became one of intense pride. "The only downside is that the Ragnarok function is tied to Fang's core, so I can't remove it."

Leon added to Fang's growing ego. "I'm amazed at how well Fang is operating. Most Zoids would have fallen apart by now. You really know how to care for Zoids."

"Yeah… I've always been good with Zoids. Better with them than with people, if you believe Leena."

Leon smirked. "Oh? You put that much stock in my sister's opinion?"

Leo realized how easily he'd bumbled. He'd managed a short reprieve from his reflections on Leena and shouldn't be mentioning her name so often lest the others complicate the matters. In some teams, Leo might have expected a little discretion. This, however, was the Blitz Team. The most they could manage was winning a battle without damaging their allies. Anything beyond that level of tact was a naïve dream.

"She's not the first person who's told me that."

"But you only paid attention to her words, right? I know from experience that you can hear advice a hundred times and ignore it, but when someone you care for says the same thing it suddenly becomes a part of you." Leo shifted uncomfortably. "Don't be like that. Everyone on the team has seen how you two like to tease each other."

"Tease?"

"Your spat during the gauntlet race, your little quarrels, the way you two always seem to end up running errands together. I think the two of you are the only people who don't realize how much you enjoy each other's company."

"Yeah… well…"

"Well, maybe you should go talk to her before Chairman Vaez snatches Leena up, right?"

A hundred excuses rushed through Leo's mind. Fixing Fang, tending Liger Zero, checking the team's tools, resting from all the events, deciding what to do next with his life; Leon's expression crushed each feeble reason like a Zoid stepping on a decaying house. Leo sat quietly for several minutes, then silently slipped off Fang and entered the Hover Cargo's hallways. He had no idea where he was going, which was good since he also had no clue what he was going to say.

"Hey, Leena, I really like you. How about ditching the rich, powerful guy and going out with a lowly tech like me?" Brilliant.

Seriously, what could he offer that Vaez could not? Leo had never been ashamed of his lack of wealth. It was an inconvenience at times, but he'd seen how money could spur people to commit stupid and evil acts, often resulting in a loss of money rather than a gain. Leo was sometimes proud of what he'd managed to achieve by working for every last scrap. Maybe he wasn't an ace pilot or living an easy life, but he was healthy and strong and continued moving forward. Now suddenly he found that his poverty was the one thing holding him back from winning Leena over.

Don't be stupid, he told himself. He wouldn't like Leena in the first place if all she cared about was money. And he was willing to fight to earn her feelings if she'd let him. Now if he could just find her. How big was this damn transport anyway? He scoured top to bottom. The gym, the sleeping quarters, the lounge, the kitchen, the tactics room, even—despite his fear of punishment by death—the shower room. Leena had vanished. Anger boiled up inside him. He'd finally set his mind to meeting with Leena and talking about his feelings for her, and now suddenly she'd left with the wind! He'd loose his nerve before he found her!

Forcing a breath, he tried to list any other places Leena might be hiding. The cannon turrets were an obvious choice, as was the ammunition storage bay. No luck there. He double-checked the hangar, only to have Leon give him a teasing grin. "Leena likes to enjoy the view from time to time." Leo muttered a quick thanks as he turned around.

"Enjoy the view." That didn't narrow his search by much. Hover Cargos had an exceptional number of windows to prevent minor fits of claustrophobia. Besides, he'd combed every inch of the Hover Cargo's interior… meaning that Leena was outside. Leo called up a schematic on a nearby terminal and searched for any observation decks or platforms.

It didn't take long. Hover Cargos traveled at such speed that people would be blown off by the winds. Therefore, only a small patch of observation platforms extended from the lower levels, within the Hover Cargo's slipstream. The tallest point was still less than halfway up the Hover Cargo, and the most obvious place to look.

Leena stood at the platform's railing, admiring the scenery and not waiting for Leo. He stepped out and suddenly suffered an attack of muteness. He could only look at her. She'd changed back into her regular yellow top and green skirt, but the wind rippled her hair and clothes, giving her a flowing, graceful look even as she stood in place. Leo had often admired her beauty, but suddenly all he could remember was how she embodied life itself when he saw her outside the Zoid pool.

Do I even have a chance? Leo wondered unhappily.

Leena turned around at his footstep and smiled. "Hey."

"Hi." Why the hell was his voice so twitchy? "Um… what brings you out here?" Great pickup line.

"I was just… thinking… and I needed some air. Desert's not much of a view but it's better than some of the places we've seen, right?"

Leo stepped beside her and leaned on the railing. Leena was one of the few people on Zi he could talk with comfortably, yet now he wasn't able to think of a complete sentence. Why was this suddenly so hard? It was stupid, but he didn't allow himself to retreat. "What were you thinking about?"

Leena was silent for a moment, gazing at the passing sand dunes. A thick cloud of sand billowed in the Hover Cargo's wake, but didn't reach high enough to trouble them. The setting sun cast the desert in varying shades of scarlet and amber with a few bits of white. Many dunes glittered as if they held small gems and a violet veil covered the sky. Leena was wrong about the desert. It could be incredibly beautiful, and Leena looked stunning pictured against the evening setting. Leo took his time admiring her while waiting for an answer.

"Well… you see…" She looked Leo in the eyes. "Sen asked me to join him in Jusight. He wants me to help with the effort against Backdraft." Suddenly the surrounding area looked darker. The gentle red atop the dunes now seemed more like a bloody hue and the sky lost much of its serenity. "I'm thinking about saying yes."

"Don't." Leo didn't bother to cover any sense of urgency from his voice; rather, he encouraged it. "Don't go."

Leena's expression soured immediately. "Not this again. I knew I shouldn't have sa-"

"I don't-"

"'Trust him.' I know." Leena sighed. "That's all you ever say. What makes you think we can't trust him?"

Leo's voice turned acidic. "Haven't you forgotten that rampaging bull he gave you as a present?"

"That wasn't his fault."

"And that his troop seem to arrest us every chance they get?"

"Not his fault either." She leaned in with a smirk. "Why don't you just admit you're jealous?"

"Fine." The words came before his better senses could hold them back. "I am jealous, but even if I weren't I still wouldn't trust that guy."

Leena was speechless for a moment, as was Leo. He hadn't meant to admit his feelings like this. He didn't want to admit jealousy, even if it was true. His feeling about Vaez wasn't just animosity between love rivals. There was something about Vaez that shook Leo; made him nervous. Whenever he looked at the head of the ZBC he felt an overriding sense of danger. More than anything he wanted to keep Leena away from that danger. "Don't go with him."

"W-wait a minute! You're saying that…" So all he had to do was confess his feelings to Leena to make her be quiet for a minute. He should have done this long ago. On impulse he leaned forward and pressed his lips against Leena's. For better or worse, he had done what he set out to do. Something like this was probably over the top. Leena would rip his lips off and chuck him over the railing shortly hereafter, but what a way to go. An odd, almost comical feeling of contentment passed over Leo. No matter what happened, he'd finally admitted the truth to both Leena and himself. He'd seen what had happened to people who hesitated indefinitely. They always put off the chance to enrich themselves for fear of failure, and ended up missing out almost every time.

I should have done this much sooner, Leo admitted. It was stupid of me to wait this long. Leena might not have even considered Vaez's offer if she already felt a real attachment to Leo.

He braced himself for Leena to pull away and maul him; but for one glorious moment, he felt her body relax and she began to kiss him back.

Then the moment ended. Her defenses returned and she stepped back with a gasp. Leo stood by passively, awaiting her reaction. No punches, no slapping, not even a curse. She just said, "I-I shouldn't have done that." And went inside.

Leo pursued. "I'm the one who kissed you. There's no reason for you to go."

"Then you should go!" She sounded more desperate than angry. Leo had to increase his pace just to keep up.

"I'm not going anywhere, Leena. I care about you and I want you to stay with me, not run off with Vaez. I can't compete with him in terms of money-"

"It's not about money, Leo!" Leena stopped so abruptly they almost collided. "I don't love you."

Leo felt his heart crack. Suddenly the term "broken heart" wasn't just a metaphor.

Leena turned and looked at him with apologetic eyes. "We've been through a lot together, and I really think of you as a good friend. I'm glad you stayed with the team, but I don't love you like that."

"But… after everything-"

"Almost everything we've shared has somehow involved us being arrested, chased, shot, or nearly blown up! I don't want a life like that, but that's what we always seem to go through. This isn't like a movie where two people nearly die and suddenly fall in love. Sen is offering me the life I've always worked towards; the life I've always dreamed about. I can't pass up this chance."

"He's dangerous!"

"No he isn't! He's working to stop the people who are the real threat! And I'm going to help him! I'm sorry, Leo, but I'm going to Jusight to be with Sen Vaez!"

X X X X X X X X X X X

Author's Note: Welcome to the heartbreak hotel, Leo.

I feel kinda bad. Not often I shoot down my own original character with romance. Then again, it would have been boring of Leo and Leena fell in love on page 3, right?

No promises on the next chapter, but as always I will try to hurry… and as always real life will get in the way. Oh well.

Reviews are always appreciated. Thank you for reading Battle Dawn.