FIFTEEN
BLINDFOLDED
Note: It is widely believed that Zoids New Century Zero takes place 200 years after Chaotic Century. But the origin of the Backdraft Organization is never clearly established. It's an organization whose intention is to take over the Zoids Battle Commission by sabotaging sanctioned zoid battles at every turn. I have researched the web and haven't found more information about the background of Backdraft beyond the aforementioned data.
So I am taking the liberty to include Backdraft Organization in this story (and the story after this), but bear in mind that this story is only 25 years after Chaotic Century. Backdraft may have been existed in this time frame, but the characters on NC0 are not. So don't ask if Bit, Leena, Brad, Jamie, Naomi, Vega, Harry, and all your favorite characters in NC0 will make appearance. They will not. I'm following canon and general consensus of Zoids timeline.
New Helic City,
Central Continent, Planet Zi,
February 19, 2128
Saskia was aware that Mio would not see Empress Muroa until the following week, so she anticipated that she would have to stay in New Helic City for at least a week. She didn't have a place in the city anymore, so she rented a small apartment in New Helic City ghetto. The place was far from comfortable. But she couldn't afford a better one, especially since none of them were employed at the moment.
However, waiting drove Royce mad. He couldn't stand doing nothing, so he ventured out to find work, and came back with a job flyer. The flyer showed an organization called the Backdraft Group searching for mercenaries to do simple jobs all around New Helic City.
"You overstep mission parameters," Saskia miffed. "We are to move out as soon as Mio passes the location of Wolff Muroa base."
"When? Next week? You expect us to sit and rust for a week?" Royce sneered. "You're the engineer. You know how machinery rots when sits idle for a long time."
"It doesn't mean we push fate beyond fortunes," Saskia cringed. "Our money is barely enough for food and lodging. I can't fix zoids as I did after Cassiopeia fight."
"The flyer says 'simple jobs', no complicated skill required, and the reward would rectify money shortcomings. Our combined skill stands tall above these requirements. We would see ourselves walk through all objectives absent sweat. Come on, Saskia. Where is your sense of adventure?"
Saskia replied with an exasperation sigh. "Who is this Backdraft Group?"
"Why don't you ask them yourself?" Royce walked toward the door. "Their office is within walking distance from here. Give them a visit and see if you like the job."
Saskia still didn't consider it a good idea, but she could see Royce's logic With Mio's uncertainties, money could potentially be disastrous in the near future. If the job description was accurate, if they only needed a fraction of their skill to complete the tasks, this should be a good opportunity to make money.
So she finally agreed and followed Royce to visit the Backdraft office. It was a small building far removed from the extravagance of ZOITEC. It was mediocre at best, with mold creeping up the outside wall. Some children played soccer at the front yard, kicking and screaming in delight, oblivious to what was taking place inside the building.
"Welcome to the Backdraft Organization," a young woman with voluptuous figure greeted them at the front door. "I am Laeta, Backdraft Public Relation. I take charge of outsource work and sub-contractors. Our hearts swell with such consideration to join organization. Come! I shall fill you with information about the organization, and the nature of your job."
Royce and Saskia followed Laeta into a small room with a round table. As Royce and Saskia took the seat, Laeta closed the door behind her and dimmed the light. She turned on a holoprojector and a holographic image appeared on the center of the table.
"Backdraft Organization is a young association thrives in zoid trades and entertainment," Laeta started her presentation. The hologram showed a picture of a middle-aged man with shoulder-length hair and round, dark sunglasses. "This is The Count, the head of the organization. He led a Committee of Seven to oversee all Backdraft operations. I have not been blessed to meet The Count myself, but various tongues in the organization state that The Count is a very good man with sharp vision of the future. He is but passionate for Backdraft's progress, and all members of organization submit confidence in his leadership. The future for Backdraft is but a bright one."
The hologram switched to shots of various zoids.
"Backdraft primary interest is zoid entertainment," Laeta continued. "Blue City in the Eastern Continent holds a zoid arena where zoid teams fight on a daily basis. Such festivities are not prominent in Central Continent, and Backdraft Organization tries to promote said fights. We are building infrastructures: zoids, pilots, logistics, rules, judges, broadcasts, advertisements, ranking system, everything there is to have to hold such extravaganza. It is a work in progress, but once again we have faith in The Count and the Committee of Seven to lead this venue.
"With hands tied to priority projects, we need to outsource side jobs to tie loose ends. This is where sub-contractors will come to play. Mercenaries and freelances are needed for simple tasks. Backdraft Organization offers competitive bonus for each completed assignments. No employment history matters. All there is to have is own zoid.
"Now that your head brims with Backdraft's future laurels, does commitment come forth?" Laeta asked.
"What would you have us do?" Saskia replied.
"A simple job, rewarded well above appropriate level," Laeta pulled a folder from a stack at the corner of the room. "Backdraft scientists are digging baubles at the northen mountain. Disturbances arose, provoked by bandits and indigenous thugs. Our zoids are tied up in other projects. If you accept, you are to defend the scientists from said attacks until excavation is completed."
"Baubles?" Royce sniggered. "What are these 'baubles', exactly?"
"My tongue is not furnished with such knowledge," Laeta replied, maintaining her professional stance. "I merely know what I tell you."
"Give us one moment," Saskia rose from her seat. "We need to talk."
"Sure. Take time." Laeta turned the light on and exited the room.
"How does mind measure task?" Saskia asked Royce as soon as Laeta left the room. "The statement of work is not clear. We are to defend an excavation of 'something' not properly described. We demand transparency but Laeta stood in defiance."
"You believe she keeps us in the dark?" Royce grimaced.
"My belief is grounded on what I see," Saskia hissed. "I see deception. What if this is a setup?"
"None that we can't overcome," Royce leaned on his chair. "Fights have us prepared against Cassiopeia."
"Inside zoid cockpit, I am but a burden."
"See yourself in higher station, Saskia! I put faith in your skill, one that merit escapes from hardships."
"I am merely of use in diplomacy and zoid maintenance. Zoid fighting requires a different sort, people with proper breeding…"
"You did well as such," Royce said with reassurance. "You are but a fine pilot. Besides, we are hemorrhaging money, drained for food and lodging while waiting for Mio. This mission levels the balance. Set heart to rest. Trust me, I would not see us harmed."
Her failures to command a zoid when everything was on the line still haunted Saskia. She barely knew the Leostriker, and even when she bonded well with it during a mock combat with Dagonet, it was just a mock combat. She was in no danger whatsoever, and the Leostriker knew it was in no danger as well. This mission was a reality. She had no confidence in her own piloting skill during real situation, not without her Gilvader.
But she had to agree with Royce's assessment. She didn't know when Mio would contact her, and staying idle would suck their money dry. She needed this job. She needed the money which, as Laeta promised, would be ample. Besides, Royce had faith in her. Nobody had ever had faith in her. Her own father didn't have faith in her, although he might just being an overprotective father, and was more afraid than insecure. Royce's faith gave her tremendous boost in confidence.
"My heart swells with such compliment," she said, blushing, "but you really see me in that regard?"
"My tongue speaks but the truth."
"Alright, then," she sighed. "Let's do this."
"I shall fill her ears with decision," Royce got up and opened the door, calling for Laeta, "We take it."
"Excellent." The Backdraft PR came back into the room and pulled up a holographic map across the table. "Northern Mountain is a mere hour away from New Helic City. The excavation yard is on the opposite side of the mountain. I shall upload this data onto zoids. Follow the waypoints. Once you arrive at designaterd spot, protect Backdraft science team until they finish digging. Then escort them back and collect reward."
"What is of oppositions?" Saskia asked hesitantly.
"None worth of excessive consideration," Laeta said firmly. "Amateur bandits and opportunists, that sort of disturbances. Nothing you can't handle."
"Then we shall be on our way presently," Royce nodded. He playfully nudged Saskia's arm, "Let's mount up. We're burning daylight."
Saskia took a deep breath, then exited the room.
Once the Command Wolf and Leostriker were loaded with data, Royce and Saskia headed out to the Northern Mountain. The journey was uneventful; they didn't pass a single zoid in the vast plain. She did, however, saw Raynos and Pteras in Helic Military cammo flying high in the sky, dancing around the clouds. The aerial zoids brought her memory 5 years back when she started the academy as a naïve recruit of Helic Republic dreaming of making it big to the Air Division of Helic Military.
One hour passed and the two reached the base of the Northen Mountain. Backdraft's overhead map showed a small pass going through the mountain. The trek was twisty and treacherous, and Saskia wasn't sure her piloting skill was good enough to lead her through the pass. But the only other alternative was to get around the mountain, and that would take longer time. As much as Saskia wanted to avoid the pass, she didn't want to waste another extra day to go around the mountain.
So they took the shortcut through the mountain. The road was rough, the climb was often as steep as 40 degree and there were barely any place to get a firm purchase on the ground. The Leostriker showed a remarkable dexterity on the twisty path, as if it was designed specifically for mountain fight. Its long tail Zan Strike Sword proved to be a useful scaling device especially when the feet couldn't find purchase on the rocky road. The Command Wolf was not too far behind, but its large twin-cannon turret hindered its movement at tight turns. Its wide profile ensnared the 'Wolf on many occasions, so much that Saskia had to carve the mountain with her Zan Strike Sword to provide enough room for the Command Wolf to proceed.
At some point the pass leveled off and the two set their pace down, just to catch breath. But their leisure was short-lived. Saskia's radar picked up a heat signature of a lone zoid a few hundred meters up front. A quick scan of her radar revealed the zoid as a Double Sworder, a zoid designed for anti-infantry warfare. The zoid was inching forward slowly, as if sneaking on its prey.
"What do you make of this?" Saskia asked Royce.
"We both move toward similar end, yet different purposes," Royce replied as he pulled up the overhead map. "Backdraft digging site is fast approaching. We must exterminate pest before bullets fall on camp!"
"Full speed ahead!" Saskia pushed her throttle to maximum. The Leostriker jumped ahead and broke into a sprint, two steps behind the Command Wolf. As she got closer to the Double Sworder, her radar picked up more data and her main screen showed it was actually a group of Double Sworders. As much as a dozen Double Sworders marched together in tight formation in a clear intention to fool radars.
But as they got closer, the Double Sworders picked up the heat signature from the Command Wolf and Leostriker, then decided to run. Royce fired his 250-mm beam cannons, but the Double Sworders spread out, dodging Royce's attack. Saskia followed suit with her mortars, but the poorly-aimed ballistics missed the Double Sworders, knocking off boulders on the cliff. Rocks as big as the Command Wolf's turret crumbled down the cliff.
Using the falling boulders as shields, the Double Sworders regrouped and mounted up counter attack. A few Double Sworders formed a firing line and blasted their beam cannons, while the rest lunged at the incoming Command Wolf and Leostriker, bringing their massive claws to bear. Their beam weapons didn't have enough power to pierce the Command Wolf and Leostriker armor, but that was not what they intended to do in the first place. The beam cannons were merely distraction to cover for the rest of the Double Sworders before they came into melee range.
"Back up! Take shots from range!" Royce yelled as the Command Wolf skidded to a complete halt. Saskia pulled her joystick, forcing the Leostriker to backpedal. The lion zoid followed her command without questions, giving time for Saskia to take good aim at the incoming Double Sworders. She fired her mortars again, and this time her ballistics fell right in the middle of the Double Sworders pack, mutilating their limbs.
"Nice shot," Royce commented before coming forward with his own cannon. The twin-barreled beam cannons blasted in unison, knocking out one Double Sworder after another with murderous precision. Each beam lance ended up in a brilliant fireball that hurled burning splinters in every which way. Within less than 3 minutes all charging Double Sworder had been slaughtered.
Losing squad mates at blinding rate, the rest of the Double Sworder turned around and fled.
"There might be more from where they came," Royce said as he throttled up. "Form up on me!"
Saskia jerked her joystick forward. The Leostriker purred and broke into a full-speed sprint, trailing a few meters behind the Command Wolf. The pass turned into a steep slope. The Double Sworders slid down the ramp easily, but the Command Wolf and Leostriker were not as dexterous as the insect zoids.
"I can't do this, Leo," Saskia lost confidence in herself. "My hands will lead us both to injuries. Take helm. I will see you at the other side."
The lion, although not as agile as the Double Sworder, mustered all its animal instinct and took the descend, one jump after another. The cockpit rattled and jerked as the Leostriker bounced on one rock after another. Saskia had not had such great G-force in such a spasmodic fashion before, and she felt like she was going to throw up. But she held on, gripping her joystick as hard as she could, wishing that she were flying instead.
The slope soon ended on a placid plain and the Leostriker skidded to a halt. The Backdraft digging site was just a few hundred meters in front of it. Two Backdraft Black Rhimos and two Groundchars were being overwhelmed by dozens of Double Sworders and Saicurtis. The Black Rhimos were resilient; their armor was thick enough to stop the bullets from the insect zoids. The Groundchars, however, were slowly mutilated by the enormous pressure from the insects.
"Royce?" Saskia yelped as she lined up her cannons with the closest Saicurtis. "Break and attack?"
"Break and attack!" Royce replied, firing his twin beam cannons at the nearest Double Sworder. The poor insect zoid never had a chance. It disintegrated in a furious explosion. A few more Double Sworders and Saicurtis turned their attention to the Command Wolf, but before they could do anything the 'Wolf's dorsal turret swiveled, spitting bright energy lances at the incoming insects. Each streak ended up in a fireball that rattled the ground.
The explosions served as a beacon for the rest of the insects. They left the Backdraft Black Rhimos and Goundchars and came at the 'Wolf and Leostriker like a tidal wave. Saskia lobbed her mortars, creating a wall of explosions to halt the insects' advance. Two Saicurtis and a Double Sworder exploded into pieces, consumed by Saskia's firepower, but once the insects figured out Saskia's firing pattern, they dodged her attack and started firing back.
Saskia winced as bullets ricocheted on her canopy. She didn't know how durable the armor of the Leostriker was, and she didn't want to know. She yanked her joystick to the right and fired at the closest Saicurtis. Her beam strands stabbed the Saicurtis on the left side, pumping out sparks and smoke, but failed to stop it. She fired again, but her low-output cannons didn't have enough punch to knock out the Saicurtis. The LeoStriker growled impatiently as she fired her cannons in desperation. Her third shot finally dropped the Saicurtis dead.
But at that time the insects had come too close to the Leostriker. A couple of Double Sworders climbed onto the Leostriker's back and started peeling off the armor using their gigantic claws. The Leostriker cried out and trashed about, trying to throw the insects off its back, but they had sunken their claws deep into the lion's structure like ticks sucking up blood.
"Calm down, Leo, calm down!" Saskia screamed as she held her joystick, trying to fight the Leostriker's eratic movement. But the armor came off flying the Leostriker's back, making her panic beyond reason. "Royce! I'm in trouble!"
The Command Wolf circled the Leostriker and took a hard aim at the Double Sworders. The long cannons burst, sending high-energy streaks at one of the Double Sworders on the Leostriker's back. The hapless insect evaporated, spreading cinder mist into the air. The other Double Sworder raised its cannon to challenge the new threat, but the 'Wolf pounced and crunched the Double Sworder cockpit between its jaws, crushing the pilot. The Double Sworder immediately went limp, and the 'Wolf flung the mangled insect.
"Gratitude," Saskia took a deep breath as she inspected the Leostriker. Its back armor was depleted, but the wound was far from critical. "Apologies, pressure staggers mind."
"Yet it still pursues victory," Royce shot a short reply. "Forget misstep and continue fighting!"
Armed with newfound confidence, Saskia aimed for the legs and blasted her cannons with reckless abandon. The insect's legs were more susceptible to damage than the body, so one shot was all she needed to dismember them. Metal limbs swished into the air, followed by angry chatters from the mutilated Double Sworders and Saicurtis. One Double Sworder broke through Saskia's defense, but before it could jump on the Leostriker, Saskia armed her Zan Strike Blade and whipped the Leostriker's tail. The blade cut the Double Sworder in half. The parts crashed to the ground, and the pilot wasted no time to jump out of the writhing zoid and ran away.
The dismembered insect zoids were not yet dead, but they could only drag their bodies with the remaining legs. The Black Rhimos saw an opportunity to retaliate. They charged forward and trampled the dismembered Double Sworders and Saicurtis. Their nose-mounted power drills razed the insects with extreme prejudice. Scream of desperation blended with anxious grunts from the Black Rhimos and the screech of metal every time the power drills struck home.
Reliazing the tide of the battle had turned, the remaining Double Sworders and Saicurtis regrouped and retreated. Saskia leaned back on her chair, wiping beads of sweat on her forehead, as Backdraft personnel came out of their refuge with fists in the air. The Black Rhimos and Groundchars turned toward the Command Wolf, nodding and prancing with utmost gratitude.
"My name is Royce DesGagne," Royce hailed the Backdraft zoids. "This is Saskia van Leewenhoek. Backdraft HQ vested us to assist you."
"Gratitude beyond measure of words," one of the Black Rhimos pilots spoke. "HQ sent words of your imminent presence. Bless fate for well-timed arrival! Those pests have been nagging upon heels all week long."
"Who are they?" Saskia tuned in. "Why did they move against you?"
"Bandits, mercenaries, opportunits, none that merit consideration."
"One would not attack absent purpose. What are you digging?" Saskia pressed forward.
"Relics," the pilot replied with a sign of aggravation. "Nothing but relics."
"It is not of our concern, Saskia," Royce quickly dispatched Saskia's inquiries. "We are here but to fight and collect reward."
"To be granted in ample abundance," the Black Rhimos pilot added. "I would deliver words to HQ about your performance. See your job done absent complaints, and I would have you rich."
"Then deliver words about logistics and ammunition," Royce replied. "My gut feeling says we are not done with pests."