FIVE
DUEL OF FATE
Note: The character with a Diablo Tiger zoid belongs to Ezekiel. Thanks for submitting (4 characters!). I am in need of a bad guy at this point so I use your bad guy first. The rest of them (the good ones) will appear on the next chapters.
Review Corner
Mobmal: We'll come to that point, but unfortunately it'll be far far away in the future.
Rose City,
Eastern Continent, Planet Zi,
January 15, 2128
Rose City was a simple settlement, far in contrast with Eastern Continent's center of civilization that was Blue City. Most residents commuted to Blue City to work or to get daily needs, and only a small portion of inhabitants stayed within the city limit during work hours, just enough to keep the city's heart beating. The life of the small city was drawn from the metropolis.
The small city, however, was the home of ZoidMart. It was not a zoids supercenter like ones in Blue City. This was more in the line of 'mom-and-pop', family-owned store that sold home-made products. The selection of zoids was limited; only half a dozen antique zoids like Godos and Pteras in mediocre condition. But the store was well known for exotic collection of weaponry. Rare, state-of-the-art, and more often than not illegal weapons were available for those who were willing to wait and those who were willing to pay high price.
It was for the very reason Royce DesGagne decided to pay the store a visit. The piece he found at Saskia's place was not a common zoid part, and if somebody knew anything about that part, he suspected this store was one of them.
Rose City barely squirmed when he drove his Command Wolf through the dusty streets. He parked his zoid in between two Godos on display, then walked inside the store. As expected, the store was empty save for the owner, or shop attendant, checking out a zoid catalogue behind the counter. She was a woman in her mid twenties, with very fair complexion and shoulder-length hair that was nearly white. She wore a sleeveless jacket with a tank top underneath. She shot a warm but suspicious stare at Royce, and he could see a glint of red ring around her iris.
"How can I be of assistance?" the albino girl greeted him.
"I have but one quest," Royce took out the zoid piece and put it on the counter. "Shed a light on this bit."
"Hmm…." the albino girl took it, showered it with light from a desk lamp, then inpected it with different kinds of magnifying glass. "A fine piece of weapon. It will pierce any zoid armor and kill the beast below."
"What did it come from?" Royce took the piece and held it against the light.
"Anywhere," the girl pulled out a catalogue of weapons. "This is a melee weapon which endears to many zoid pilots in favor of close-quarter combat. I have sold many melee weapons in recent past…"
Her words stopped as Royce slammed his palm on the catalogue. He grabbed the book from the girl and skimmed through it until he opened a page with a Madthunder image on it. "This piece came from a Magnezer Drill," he pointed at the picture, "the same weapon system that was used in Madthunder. Only the wickest, most malicious, or most desperate gambit will see the use of Magnezer Drill."
"You overvalue the Magnezer Drill," the girl replied with a casual shrug. "It is not that exotic, and many zoids are armed with it because it is dependable in various situations against most zoid armor, no matter how thick it is…"
"Exactly my point," Royce flipped the catalogue until it showed a picture of the Death Saurer. "Magnezer Drill is so dependable it is reserved for the most evil of enemies. Helic Republic used it against the Death Saurer." He flipped the catalogue again until it showed a picture of an Orudios, a winged unicorn with a long slender blade on its forehead. "Then again against the Gilvader. Both times it delivered admirably."
"It proves nothing," the girl scoffed.
"It proves everything!" Royce sneered. "There is no zoid worth of Death Saurer to warrant the use of Magnezer Drill! Somebody is doing something 'naughty'. Now I ask you again, and don't hold tongue this time: What did this piece come from?"
"You ask, yet you renounce answer," the girl snatched the catalogue back. "You search not of the truth. You search of but what you want to hear. What difference does it make, then, if I speak with true or false tongue? My assistance is but wasted."
"Is the truth worthy of your life?" Royce pulled his blade and pointed it between the girl's eyes. "I know you are linked to underground weapon trafficking. I know you are aware of the Magnezer Drill. If you have to know, I am a Rottiger agent. I am excelled in the art of interrogation. Fear and pain will slacken your tongue!"
"Then I suppose you will proceed with your investigation absent clear direction," the girl replied, completely undaunted by Royce's intimidation. "So go ahead. Strip flesh from bones. See it stretch to void. Keep in mind you won't regain time lost in this insanity."
It was rare that somebody wasn't intimidated by Royce's bluffing. Most of the time people buckled under the extreme pressure of Rottiger agent. But this girl was different. She had the strength of a Rottiger agent, and Royce was tempted to test out her will. However, the steel in her eyes told him she had a strong backup. Something that he might not be able to handle if he pushed forward. He had to find another way to break her.
"Perhaps ZoidMart is not as cognizant as what I am led to believe," Royce sneered.
"Or perhaps you have wandered to the wrong place," the girl fought back. "Nothing here can see your quest filled. Leave before you waste both of our time!"
Royce looked deep into the girl's eyes. "Whatever it is you are holding, I will accrue it from your throat!"
"Do you want to press the matter, then?" the girl didn't back down. "With the police, at your behest?"
Royce smiled curtly. "The police will not aid my cause. This is not the last time you see me."
"I'm always here," the girl said halfheartedly as Royce stepped out of the shop.
As Royce mounted his Command Wolf and walked away, the albino girl watched patiently until the shadow of the Command Wolf disappeared behind a building. She then pulled out a comset from a drawer in front of her and dialed a number. She connected the comset to a holo-projector. A man's face, wrapped in black apparel and covered in smoke from his chewed-in cigar, appeared in front of her.
"I told you not to call this number!" the man snarled, puffing a billow of white smoke.
"You're getting sloppy, Fat Bob," the girl muttered. "Your mess brought a Rottiger agent inquiring about the weapon bought from me."
"Rottiger, huh?" Fat Bob let out a curt chuckle. "Everybody wants the head of Wolff Muroa. Might as well kill him and hand his corpse to the Rottiger, see account filled with ample fortune."
"He did not ask of Wolff Muroa. He asked of the source of the weapon."
"You didn't speak of me?" Fat Bob hissed.
"No. I am not without my honor."
"Where is he heading?"
"Don't know. Don't care."
"Kill him."
"What's in it for me?"
"Come and see my new inventory. Saskia's the name. She is tough, mutinous, and can take punishment like none other. Just the way you like it."
"You will not see or hear of him again," the girl smirked before turning off her comset.
Royce was not even out of Rose City limit when his proximity alarm rang. His Command Wolf stiffened and dipped its head, as an animal in distress would. Its hind legs bent down like a spring and its paws dug deep into the ground, ready to pounce. Its turret swiveled left and right while its twin beam cannons rotated up and down, trying to track the threat before it fell into striking distance.
"All weapons hot!" Royce commanded his zoid as he toggled his radar.
A heat signature soon appeared in Royce's console, reading as a Diablo Tiger. It was a fairly new design, built with melee in mind with a massive pair of cyber fangs and four cyber claws that were just as lethal as strike laser claws. It was also well defended with a shield generator, smoke dischargers, and a cloaking device that would make the zoid invisible. The zoid prompted him to believe that the albino girl had came back for his blood, and his suspicion was confirmed when the albino girl appeared on his main screen.
"Well well, look what the devils brought in," Royce rotated his turret to line up his firing reticule at the Diablo Tiger. "Hypocrisy is the mother of all evil."
"And prejudice is her favorite child," the albino girl replied casually as the Diablo Tiger jumped onto the roof of a building. "I told you you have wandered to the wrong place, Rottiger. Now somebody wants your head."
"To what cost?" Royce jeered. "To see breath ripped from breast under my zoid?"
"To see my fortune rise and thirst quenched."
"Your mind is giving you false hope, white trash," Royce sneered, but kept his eyes peeled on the Diablo's movement. "Best if you rethink of your position because you will not kill a Rottiger agent. Just lie to your boss that you have killed me. That's what you're good at."
"Apologies, but you are the one with idle talk," the albino girl spat. "I come for blood, and I shall accrue it from your throat!" The Diablo Tiger suddenly jumped off the roof and fired its Cyber Metal Cannon. Royce was quick on his console; his lightning-fast reflex brought the Command Wolf veering heavily to the left. The Diablo's shots hammered the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust and debris, but failed to do damage.
"Bitch!" Royce cursed and fired his twin cannons. The Diablo Tiger crisscrossed its way, missing everything Royce threw at it. Buildings set ablaze, burning debris rained down on cars and pedestrians on the streets, and the calm Rose City suddenly succumbed into chaos. Royce's vain shots created a ring of fire on buildings surrounding him.
Royce realized that the Diablo Tiger was not to be taken lightly. The pilot clearly had skill, and the zoid had speed and agility matching those of the Command Wolf. Normal strategy wouldn't work; he had to bring his 'A' game to beat this enemy.
The Diablo Tiger slipped behind a building, then jumped onto the roof and fired its cannon in three quick successions. Royce swung right to dodge the shots, but the last one exploded too close to his zoid. The explosion jarred the cockpit, and the screen pronounced actuator damage. Royce quickly assessed the damage, and sighed a breath of relief learning that the damage was merely on the armor. The structure had not been compromised.
Royce took a steady footing and hammered the building under the Diablo Tiger. The Command Wolf howled long and loud as the twin cannons belched, spitting high-energy bolts at the base of the building. Concrete debris filed the air, and losing supports the building collapse under the weight of the Diablo Tiger. The metallic tiger jumped off to safety but the Command Wolf charged, jumping onto the tiger's back. The Diablo Tiger roared and bucked fervently, but the Command Wolf sank its teeth into the tiger's mane. The tiger writhed and tried to paw the wolf off its back, but the more it thrashed about, the deeper the wolf buried its teeth.
In a desperate maneuver, the Diablo Tiger jumped and slammed its own body to the ground, flat on its back. The impact tore the grip of the Command Wolf off, taking a huge chunk of metal from the Diablo Tiger's neck. Royce gritted his teeth as the Command Wolf rolled on the ground. His ears rang from the repeated banging on the cockpit. The twin cannon twisted in sickening screech as the body of the Command Wolf almost crushed it.
The duel had caused a massive exodus for the residents of Rose City, and attracted the attention of the police. Two Rev Raptors came into the vicinity, flashing its light and blaring sirene. But without warning the Diablo Tiger jumped at the one Rev Raptor and bit its head. The Cyber Fangs pierced the head of the Rev Raptor, instantly killing the pilot inside. With a forcefull tug the Diablo Tiger yanked the head of the Rev Raptor, then tossed the head aside. The other Rev Raptor put a fighting stance but before it could do anything the Diablo Tiger thrust its claws at the Rev Raptor's midst, crushing its core. The Rev Raptor crumbled as if it had no bones left to support its body.
Regaining control, Royce put his Command Wolf in attack position and fired his cannons at the Diablo Tiger which had just finished the last Rev Raptor. But even though his targeting reticule lined up perfectly with the Diablo Tiger's head, his beams zipped past the tiger a few feet off the mark. He tried again, and the result was still the same. His targeting system was off center as a result of the violent slam the Diablo Tiger performed against him.
"I take note that you have lost sight for cannons," the albino girl taunted. "The discomfort must be torturing."
Royce made a quick assessment of the Diablo Tiger, and immediately noticed that it, too, had lost its dorsal cannon. The slam had taken away his cannon, but she had to sacrifice her own. Much to his chagrin, the bite wound on the tiger's neck started to close. It was one of those rare features of Diablo Tigers that made them extremely hard to kill in the battlefield. Lucky for him, the Cyber Metal Cannon did not grow back.
"Speak like a double-tongued snake," Royce replied curtly. "You have lost yours as well."
"Then fate is decided by the claws of zoids," the albino girl sniggered. The Diablo Tiger crouched, burying its hind paws for better grip while the fore legs flexed, lowering its body almost to the ground. "I shall have you take notice that I have not lost a single close-quarter combat in my life. When I have your head, I will find your woman, and I will indulge myself in her cry for mercy!"
Royce didn't care how good the albino girl actually was. He had faith in his close quarter combat skill. However, Diablo Tiger was designed for melee. The Command Wolf, on the other hand, was more in the line of a generalist. It was good for everything but excelled at none. The fighting prowess of the Diablo Tiger could be a matter of life and death. Royce had never run away from battle, but this time he started searching for an exit door.
"I bless my fate for lacking the company of a woman," Royce chuckled as he screened the area. "You want my head? Come and get it!"
The Diablo Tiger growled and crept forward, locking eyes with the Command Wolf. Royce backed up his zoid, backpedaling until his zoid hit a building. Thinking that Royce was cornered, the Diablo Tiger pounced, claws extended and fangs protruded, aiming for the Command Wolf's throat. But Royce expected this. He yanked his joystick as hard as he could, and his Command Wolf bolted like a spring, swerving a fraction of an inch away under the murderous thrust of the Diablo Tiger's claws. The Cyber Claws grazed the barrel of his twin cannons, carving a deep gash on one of them. But the Command Wolf eluded the attack, and the Diablo Tiger went straight through the building, taking it down in the process.
Royce pulled his joystick, bringing his Command Wolf to a screeching halt. He swiveled the turret backward, then hammered the trigger like a madman. The twin cannons lit up the building wreck without clear target. Orange fireballs tore the entire place apart, tossing dust and debris to the air like a giant mushroom cloud. As the vicinity started to get darkened by the cloud, Royce put his Command Wolf in a running overdrive, sprinting as fast as he could toward the city line, away from the fiery wreckage.
Reaching a safe distance, Royce checked his radar. There was no sign of any zoid following him. He slowed down his zoid to a jog and punched a button under his seat. A recording device sprung from under his seat. He thumbed the 'play' button, and his lips curled into a smile as he listened to the recording:
"You're getting sloppy, Fat Bob. Your mess brought a Rottiger agent inquiring about the weapon bought from me."
"Rottiger, huh? Everybody wants the head of Wolff Muroa. Might as well kill him and hand his corpse to the Rottiger, see account filled with fortune."
"He did not ask of Wolff Muroa. He asked of the source of the weapon."
"You didn't speak of me?"
"No. I am not without my honor."
"Where is he heading?"
"Don't know. Don't care."
"Kill him."
"What's in it for me?"
"Come and see my new inventory. Saskia's the name. She is tough, mutinous, and can take punishment like none other."
In the center of Rose City, far away from Royce's view, the Diablo Tiger rose from the charred building. Its armor was shredded to bits. Coolant dripped like blood. Sparks burst from virtually every part of its body. But as it dragged its feet through the streets of Rose City, the coolant leaks lessened, then stopped altogether. The sparks puffed out. The armor platings remolded into new, unscathed version of themselves before the fight. When it reached the city limit, it was its old self again, standing with complete vigor, as if the duel had never happened.