The Flames of Retribution
Chapter 2: The Zoidian
Fiona sat up covered in sweat, her breaths quick and uneven. "What was that?" Her bones seemed to rattle in the after-effect of the dream. This whole thing had started the night Irvine had gotten the Lightning Saix, but she didn't know why the Zoid seemed slightly familiar to her. She made herself a cup of coffee and looked up at the two moons her ruby eyes glazed slightly in thought. Deep in the forgotten catacombs at Red River, a pulsing was growing stronger. The life support computer had finally registered that the conditions were met for resuscitation.
The pulsing was growing stronger to any who heard it would have described it like a heartbeat. The larger capsule shattered first revealing a large Wolf-like organoid, its sleek black form covered in the capsule goo. It shook its self as it settled to await the awakening of its mistress. The second smaller capsule exploded and its inhabitant fell to the floor the naked from the result of a chemical error in the capsule. The organoid nudged the fallen form gently. The woman coughed and woke, her purple-blue eyes were unfocused. "Damienth?" The organoid purred at the sound of his name.
It was a few minutes of sitting there that Astra felt her head clear. "Oww that hurt. Where is Kenpachi?" The organoid only shook his head in response. Astra got up and strode naked to the rock formation that she had left her Zoid behind. As she turned the corner she noticed that he had turned to stone. "Will you revive him Damienth?" the organoid nodded before merging with the Zoid in a flash of black-silver light, the Zoid took on the same glow as the organoid as it regenerated. Astra noticed that there was a locker shoved against the wall near the pods. She walked over her hair nearly to her ankles shielding her tanned form. By the time her organoid was finished she was dressed and her hair was placed into a long tail.
She heard a growl and turned to see her Zoid back to his former glory. "Hello, Saix." Astra stroked the zoids nose in greeting. Damienth reappeared at her side and she stroked him for a job well done. She took everything from the locker before she left, Including a rather old book. She climbed into the cockpit and buckled down. Saix got to its feet and she piloted them out there, Damienth running at her side. When she found her way out of the caves she was just outside a huge fence. "Wow, this isn't the same as when we left it. What happened?" She turned her Zoid away and set off, She found a decent-sized cave farther away from the base. The cave was cool and dry she was lucky enough to find some wood for a fire. "What has happened?" She dug through the bag containing the stuff from the locker by firelight Among the objects she found were some ancient maps and another couple of journals that were written by Kenpachi.
She pulled out the first book her eyes now finally able to read the front cover. Kenpachi's Journal was scrawled on the front. "By the Eve, was Kenpatchi right about the Deathsaurer?" As she settled down to read across the desert a black organoid was watching over his master, his head turned as he felt the awakening of something from ancient times. Astra and Damienth slept until dawn she sat at the fire roasting a desert hair Damienth had caught for her. She looked over the journal as she ate her eyes not truly believing what it said. "We are going to head north across the desert, following the map and then making a new one to see how much has changed since we have slept." Damienth nodded. Astra got up and packed up camp.
As she finished packing it all into the storage compartment of her Zoid she wondered where the others were then she sighed and climbed into the cockpit. Astra resumed her trek north until her zoids censors picked up a distress call coming from the east. "This is Fiona Elisi Linette, We are under attack from unidentified zoids" The message went on to say the coordinates and then repeated its self. "Do you think it's her Damienth?" the organoid howled and she smiled. "I do too" And with that she turned Saix east and headed for the battlefield. Fiona was still getting used to piloting a blade Liger alone. She and Moonbay had found it abandoned in the desert. Its leg had been hurt and a few crucial wires snapped. Luckily for the Zoid Fiona could help it. Fiona felt the zoids loneliness and decided to take it with her, she had felt cramped lately always riding in Van's Liger. So she was now happy to have her own, Moonbay had said the Zoid suited her perfectly.
They had been on their way back to the base carrying some parts for Van's Liger and Thomas' D-bison. The attack had come without warning, Fiona had told Moonbay to head for the base and she would hold them off because the Gustav was damaged by the shelling and couldn't keep up with Fiona's Liger. Moonbay had done as asked but was making calls to the base as soon as she was in range. "This is Moonbay, Anyone there?" She waited for a moment, and heard a familiar voice she almost cried in joy. "This is Guardian Force HQ, Moonbay is that you?" "Van! Irvine! Fiona and I were attacked, she stayed behind so I could get out! We need help!"She told him her coordinates, and before she could tell him Fiona's, her Zoid was hit with a high power round "We are on our way Moonbay!" Was the last thing she heard on the radio.
Fiona on the other hand was doing alright, she had managed to take out three Guysak. She was trapped they had backed her into a corner they were going to kill her. She closed her eyes when she heard weapons fire, when she felt no pain she opened her eyes to realize the Guysak in front of her had all been taken out. A familiar face popped up onto her screen. "Elisi." She didn't even feel the tears that coursed over her cheeks. The memory surfaced and she remembered a name, from days long past. "Astra!" "You sounded like you needed help." A few shots hit the sand between them, both looked to see a great many Guysak coming towards them. Both the Liger and Saix roared the challenge and were answered. "This is like home." Astra said her voice finding new strength. She charged and fired her lesser back-mounted rifle. Her targets were thrown back by the rifle's round entering them. Fiona used her powers to call Zeke for help. The organoid startled Irvine by turning into a streak of silver light and vanishing into the sky back the way the Gustav had come. "Fiona must have called him." With the white organoid's arrival, the battle was decided.
As they were ready to go looking for Fiona there censors went off that two zoids were approaching quickly. Moonbay cheered at seeing the first Zoid. "That's Fiona's new Liger, But I don't know what or who that is." She gestured to the second larger Zoid. Fiona's face appeared on Van's screen. "Hello, Van." "Are you alright Fiona?" She nodded and smiled at him. "Yes, I got help from an old friend." The second Zoid was a type they had never seen before. A new face popped up on the communications screen. "Elisi, who are they?" The Zoid stopped on the hill. "They are new friends Astra, They will cause you no harm." Astra nodded before following Fiona back to the base they were staying at. Thomas was antsy as the zoids approached he prayed that Fiona wasn't hurt. He noticed the two new additions to the party, as they walked through the gate and into the hanger.
The dark Zoid stopped next to the red Liger and the cockpit popped open a shadow emerged. The sun was directly behind the person so all you could see was the basic outline of a cloaked figure. Then the shadow jumped down landing in cat-like grace in front of them. "Astra!" Fiona screamed as she charged the figure, the one now known as Astra ran for Fiona and swept her into an embrace. "Elisi!" The figure growled against her hair. Van and Thomas were growling quietly at the guy who was putting his hands on their girl. "Come let us get you a bath and some new clothes." They watched in shock as Fiona tugged on the clocked 'man's' hand and led him into her quarters.
Once Fiona closed the door Astra shed her cloak and chuckled. "You upset those males dear." Fiona shook her head. "I don't think so, Where is your organoid?" Astra shook her head with a small smirk. "With Saix, He doesn't trust these whatever they are." Fiona shook her head and shoved Astra into the shower she had prepared. "They are humans from a planet on the other side of the solar system." She received a snort and a pat of thanks as her friend stripped and departed into the shower. "I am going to the control room, Get your organoid and I'll leave Zeke to guide you." She heard the agreeing rumble and left her quarters. Astra looked over her shoulder at the door wondering why Elisi didn't remember anything about what happened. When she read her mind it was nearly blank it was mostly filled with images of a guy, blue Liger, and Zekeial. But there was no memory of the others and it worried her. She decided she would keep what she knew from these people until she could figure out if they were trustworthy.
Fiona walked into the control room her thoughts on the zoidian female who was occupying her shower. She saw Van and the others gathered there waiting for her. "Who is that guy Fiona?" Moonbay said and Fiona chuckled. She was bombarded by questions until she held her hands in the air. "Astra is an Ancient zoidian like me." The control room door slid open to admit Zeke and he was followed by Astra. "Greetings Astra." The cloaked figure nodded before speaking. "And Greetings to you and yours Elisi." Astra settled her large frame into a chair just within polite speaking distance. "Will you remove the cloak?" Fiona asked and Astra laughed before standing and removing said cloak. The shock washed over those gathered there. The cloak pooled at her feet reviling her slightly form-fitting clothing, and her now thigh-length hair. "I'm no male" Her voice was sultry and low. Irvine allowed his eye to roam over her form noting her muscled structure. "You may call me Astra." That was all she said as her eyes made contact with everyones there. Fiona smiled at the woman who was settling into a chair. "Where is Damienth?" She received a snort from Astra's direction. "He decided to stay with Saix, something about fending off some crazy old man." Fiona nodded in understanding and Fiona stopped them from asking her friend questions. But decided to ask one herself out of curiosity. "How did you find me?" The room's occupants looked at the two. "It was by chance actually, I heard your call for help. I've only been awake a few days, and the world isn't what it was." It took a few hours of talking before Fiona called a halt to it. "Everyone Astra is new to this world and it's not polite for us to bombard her with questions."
They heard a chuckle from the chair, Astra looked out the window. "Astra, do you remember what Zoid Eve is?" Astra's head snapped around and she gave Fiona a puzzled look. "Yeah, I do." They looked at her in shock, but before they could open their mouths they heard Doctor D scream. The whole group was out the door in the blink of an eye, but when they arrived Astra and the group fell over laughing. The strange Zoid she piloted had Doctor D in its mouth and was using its teeth to form a cage. "I told you not to touch anything Doctor D!" Fiona sighed. "Astra do you mind?" the other zoidian chuckled before approaching the Zoid. "Saix drop him, he can't taste very good." The Zoid turned his head and dropped the man flat on his ass. The man got up and he walked towards Astra, and before Fiona could call out a warning a black-silver light was between her and the Doc. The black wolf-like organoid snarled at the man his claws and fangs an eerie silver. "What is that!" Thomas yelped. "That is Damienth, Astra's organoid." The organoid stopped growling at Fiona's voice and his tail wagged. The next thing Fiona knew she was laying on her back being cuddled by an over-excited organoid. They heard dark chuckling before Astra called her organoid back. "I've never seen that type of organoid before." Doctor D said as he was studying the organoid from behind Irvine. Astra snorted in distaste as she petted her organoid. Fiona knew what that snort meant Astra hated cowards and to her Doctor D was the biggest coward she'd ever known. The first week was tense whenever Astra entered the room it would go quiet she'd only snort, grab whatever it was she'd came for, and leave. As the dawn rose the morning of the second week Fiona found Astra working on her Zoid in the garage. "Astra?" The other zoidian made a noise in her throat to let Fiona know she was listening. "Do you wanna patrol with me this morning? We can leave now if you're ready?"
Astra turned to look at the smaller blond zoidian "You bringing your organoid?" She looked towards the door and Zeke stood there tail wagging gently. Astra smiled and greeted the organoid with a few soft pats and a hug. "Hello, Zekeial." She murmured and the organoid growled contentedly. "OK, let's go!" It only took Astra a few minutes to close everything up and put the tools away, she had just finished when Fiona came around with her Red-blade Liger. Astra climbed into Saix's cockpit and strapped herself in, when she was ready she backed him out of the garage and turned towards the Liger. Fiona's image popped up on her right screen. "Are you ready?" All she got in return was a grin and they set off at a good pace. They spent the first couple hours in companionable silence, Astra smiling at her memories of them doing this so many times before, and Fiona wondering why this felt so familiar, and yet she was at peace with the wild pilot. They enjoyed the several hours together, including stopping once to grab some fresh water from a well Fiona knew of.