TWENTY THREE
WE ARE HUMANS
Author's Note: The Drillgan unit mentioned in this chapter (and the rest of the story) is based off Scitex Drillgan unit, an extremely rare (and expensive) power-up weapon for Gilvader zoids. There have never been stats or capabilities of the weapon. The facts of the Drillgan unit in this chapter is solely made up by me and should not be used as general facts of the weapon.
Somewhere in the Desert,
Western Continent, Planet Zi,
March 11, 2128
The information relayed from Mio was accurate to the tiniest detail. The Neo Zenebas built a secret base inside a rocky cliff, concealed by rock formations. It was invisible to the naked eyes, and could only be spotted by following a periodic logistic delivery. The secret base had only one access: a secret door in at the bottom of a tight pass. The pass was hundreds of miles long. The logistic delivery had to go to one end of the pass and followed the slithering tight path, for 2 days straight, until they reached the access to the secret base. When it got out, it took a different way and exited the pass from the other end.
Royce and Saskia had observed the supply delivery vessels, a Gustav with five or six flatbeds hauling crates under the tarp, from the top of the pass. The tight pass didn't allow the Gustav to crawl much faster than human walking speed. The contemplated to walk through the pass, but considering they had to do it in a searing-hot desert for 2 days, they decided sneaking into one of the flatbeds was the best solution.
Fortunately for them, the pilot of the Gustav was a creature of habit. He always stopped at a small coffee shop at the mouth of the pass before committing to his 2-day journey to the secret base. It didn't take much of Royce and Saskia to wait until the Gustav stopped at the coffe shop and sneaked into the last flatbed, making themselves comfortable under the tarp.
Saskia knew she was closer to her Gilvader than she had been in months, and getting closer still. Yet her mind was full of Royce, the look on his face, the way he touched her, the he moved, the way he smiled, which was not very often. They had not spent a night together since they consummated, and she missed him. She missed her soft moist lips on hers, on every inch of her skin. She missed his teasing fingers lighting fire on her skin. It made her dizzy just to think of their first night together.
"You do realize the end of our mission is nearing, don't you?" Saskia purred as the flatbed rocked and shuddered. "The destruction of Neo Zenebas?"
"How can heart be so sure?" Royce replied unenthusiastically.
"I will reunite with Gilvader presently. Then you will call upon Rottiger to level Neo Zenebas base. Then everything is done. We are free from burden cast upon us against will. And then, you owe me a big celebration."
"To what purpose? The freedom from burden? Or the establishment of our committed relationship?"
Saskia smiled. "Let's see it for both."
"Tongue flaps like the future was secured within grasps," Royce huffed. "We shall see it done after Neo Zenebas meets end. Try to rest presently. We will arrive soon."
Saskia opened her mouth but Royce already closed his eyes. It troubled her, seeing Royce was not as enthusiastic as she was to talk about their future. But she could see his rationale. It was too early to talk about celebration or their future. They still had a monumental task: to break into Neo Zenebas secret base. Saskia had a few disastrous break-ins in the past. She knew how dangerous and deadly it was, even for a highly-trained military agent like Royce. Perhaps it was the thing she needed to do, to get some rest, instead of mulling over her future.
Minutes turned to hours, hours to day, and before long the transport stopped. Saskia and Royce tried to listen to some muffled conversation between the driver and some people on the ground. Then they heard a few people – presumably Neo Zenebas soldiers – walking around the flatbeds. They hammered the tarp with the butts of their rifles, making sure there were no hijackers under the tarp. Saskia and Royce creeped closer to the crates but one soldier stopped right in front of her and shoved his rifles at the tarp several times. The butt of the rifles knocked the crate inches away from Saskia's head. She closed her eyes, thinking that the next hit would land squarely on her forehead. But the soldier moved away, apparently satisfied with his inspection.
Saskia exhaled in relief as the transport started moving. Soon the light grew dim and the ambient noise turned louder, as if they were in a large hall. The sound of machinery blended with shouts from people giving orders to each other. Saskia's heartbeat doubled, and she had to lean back on the crate, taking deep breaths to calm her nerves. Sweat beaded in her forehead.
Royce slid on the bed of the tarp and peeked outside. The Gustav pilot exited his zoid and handed in a clipboard to a couple of soldiers. One of them inspected and signed the clipboard, the other started talking to a walkie-talkie. Two Iguans that had been modified for labor duties approached the transport, presumably trying to unload the transport.
"Move out! Now!" Royce whispered as he jumped off the flatbed. Saskia followed him, sliding on the flatbed and crawled out from under the tarp. As soon as she jumped off the flatbed, Royce grabbed her arm and violently tugged her under the flatbed. Half a dozen soldiers came and unhooked the tarp from the flatbed before the two Iguans stripped the tarp and started taking the crates away.
Royce made a gesture to wait it out until the soldiers dispersed. Then he calculated the pattern of the Iguans as they loitered back and forth. When both of them were facing the other direction, he bolted out of flatbed and slipped behind a pile of drums. The dim light helped covering his maneuver. From behind the pile he made hand gesture to Saskia, telling her to follow his direction. Saskia waited until no one was looking at her direction, then ran toward Royce as fast as she could. Panting hard, she slid behind Royce and waited patiently as he tried to figure out their next move.
The hall was an enormous docking bay, several hundred feet in height, giving easy access for even the tallest zoids to wander freely. Iguans made up the bulk of the labor force inside the hall, with cranes and small trucks and towing vehicles filling the gaps. Technicians and workers scurried every which way like ants collecting crumbs on the ground. Soldiers occupied every corner of the hall, and several weaponized Iguans stood fast near the end of the hall, guarding what seemed to be a door to the other part of the secret base.
"They are up to something," Royce whispered. "These people are working around the clock."
"Zoids manufacturing?" Saskia suggested. "Using my Gilvader as blueprint?"
"Possibly," Royce pointed at the door at the end of the hall. "That door shall set us to purpose."
The door could only be accessed through an open field. It was nigh impossible for the two to sneak unnoticed. The only way was to use cover. Royce inspected the vicinity to find something that could give them cover, but the more he searched, the more frustrated he became. There was absolutely nothing they could use that wouldn't trigger the alarm.
Just as Royce let out a despairing breath, a small vehicle stopped near the pile they were hiding. Two technicians jumped off the vehicle and proceeded to a dark area behind the pile of drum. They conversed in low voice, obviously doing something prohibited during their work hours. It was a small window of opportunity, and Royce knew he had to seize it as soon as he could. It might be his only chance.
As the two technicians sank deeper and deeper into their misuse of chargeable hours, Royce tiptoed closer until he was only a few inches behind the two. Saskia followed his steps but Royce raised his hand, asking her to maintain position. He unseathed his blade very slowly and waited until the two technicians decided to get back to work. As soon as they started walking, Royce pounced like a tiger, smashing the hilt of his blade at the back of the neck of the closest technician. The hapless technician tumbled like a log, face flat against the ground. The other one stopped dead on his track, but before he could do anything Royce grabbed his collar and yanked it down hard. The technician spun in the air and fell on his back. He tried to squirm but Royce pressed the tip of his blade on the technician's bridge, subduing any further movement.
"Where is the Gilvader?" Royce whispered hoarsely.
"I don't know! I don't know!" the technician muttered in panic.
"Jog memory and set tongue to purpose, or see blade in its place!" Royce pushed his blade slightly. "This is your last chance! Where is the Gilvader?"
"I don't know! I swear!" the technician replied with trembling voice. "Research and development work is done on the red level floor, accessible but to red-level scientists!"
"And where is this red level?" Royce growled.
The technician hesitated to answer, but when Royce started to carve his bridge with his blade, he blurted in terror, "Lowest level! Lowest level! Elevator to the lowest level!"
Royce slammed the hilt of his blade to the technician's forehead, knocking him out. He rummaged the technician's pocket, but groaned in utter displeasure upon finding the technician's access card. It was only green, which he assumed to be the lowest level with the least access possible.
"Anything?" Saskia came.
"We need red," Royce replied showing Saskia the green level access card. "This piece of crap would only take us to the chamber pot or mess hall."
"Anything to get us past that door," Saskia tapped Royce's shoulder. "We shall figure out our next move inside."
Royce shot a small smile, then stripped the technician's uniform. Saskia did the same, then traded her clothings with it. They took the helmets and put the technicians' bodies inside the drums, then took their vehicle. They wore the helmets low to cover the majority of their faces. Royce drove the vehicle through the open pace, and just as he suspected, nobody paid attention to them.
At the door, they showed their cards to the guards. The guards scanned their cards then punched a button on the wall. The door slid open and Royce drove the vehicle through it. They arrived in a smaller room. It looked like a common room with several doors adjoining to each other.
Royce parked the vehicle and inspected the room. His eyes stumbled upon an elevator at the back corner of the room. He elbowed Saskia and pointed to the elevator door. "There. Our door. Accessible but with the right card."
"Let us look around," Saskia replied and walked toward one of the doors on her left. It led her to an office room with a row of cubicles and countless engineers wandering mindlessly in and around them. As far as she could see, everybody wore green access card on their shirts. Saskia took another door, and the scenery was pretty much the same as the first room. She kept looking, checking every door accessible. It was not until the last three on her right that she finally spotted somebody wearing red access card on his chest.
Saskia nodded to Royce, which nodded back and exited the room. She began to walk toward the guy with red access card when suddenly the fire alarm blared. All engineers and scientists immediately stopped working and proceeded to the exit door. Saskia fought the swarm to get to the guy, who himself started to follow the flow of engineers toward the exit door.
"Sir," she said in a fake urgency. "Sir, come with me. There is an emergency situation at the main hangar."
"Huh?" the guy looked at Saskia with utmost skepticism and disrespect. "What situation? Who are you?"
"My name is Saskia, I am new, just hired two days ago. You have to come with me."
"There is fire in the building. We have to evacuate."
"I know, Sir, I caused the problem. I don't want to get fired. Please Sir, help me out."
The guy looked at Saskia from head to toe, then decided to lend his hand. He followed Saskia across the hall to an empty room, but as soon as he entered Royce ambushed him. His head jerked violently as Royce's fist bludgeoned his jaw. He dropped to one knee, grabbing the edge of a table to stabilize himself, but Royce fired a second punch. The guy sloshed to the ground unconscious.
Saskia grabbed his red access card then jogged toward the elevator. She punched the button, pushed the card into a slot, then picked the lowest level available. Royce slipped inside the elevator just as the door slammed close. The entire car shuddered
"By the time they figure out the cause, we are out of bound," he said.
"What did you do?" Saskia cocked her eyebrows.
"I pulled the fire emergency handle," Royce replied with a smirk. "Freshman shenanigan."
Saskia smiled. The car rattled as it descended several hundred meters below ground, then stopped moving. She held her breath, preparing herself for what greeted her once the door opened. But the sight beyond the elevator door still reduced her to a whimpering heap of flesh. At the end of the long, dark corridor stood her Gilvader, aloof and proud, as if it was a naïve prince sitting on its father's throne.
"Oh My God, Gilvy…" she cried, holding back tears.
Royce walked out slowly towared the black dragon, and Saskia inched away behind him. The hallway was dark so they could only saw the head and some parts of the Gilvader's body. But as they got closer, they spotted something else: four massive weapon pods were attached to the Gilvader's body, two on the wings, the other two on its back. It was like nothing Saskia had ever seen before.
"What in the name of Zi…" she murmured. "What did they do to you?"
"Drillgan units," Royce whistled. "So that's what the Neo Zenebas is building. They don't need Gilvader army to carry out their vengeance. They need it to carry their Drillgans."
"Drillgan?" Saskia turned to Royce.
"A weapon based on maser technology. One has the power that put the Charged Particle Cannon to shame. The Gilvader has enough energy to power 4 Drillgans. You know what it means, Saskia? This zoid is unstoppable. This zoid is without equal! This… is the Ultimate Zoid!"
"But that is impossible!" Saskia bemoaned. "Gilvy has a damaged core. He does not have enough power to utilize one Drillgan, let alone four!"
The Gilvader caught the animated conversation. It lowered its head, emitting a series of arrogant growls, then shot a loud roar that rattled the room. Scientists and engineers on the floor were made aware of Saskia's and Royce's presence, and started making their way to the Gilvader.
"You're not Gilvy!" Saskia backpedaled. "You are not my zoid! Where is my zoid?"
"Saskia, there is no time!" Royce hissed, watching the scientists and engineers coming toward their position. "Get in and get out!"
"This is not my zoid!" Saskia snarled in response. "I am not leaving absent my zoid!"
"Then I shall be one with zoid," Royce said, then drew a small talisman from his pocket. He raised the talisman and walked toward the Gilvader, chanting "O Revered Mother Zi, grant me the power of the fruit of your womb. Open your power so my flesh becomes the zoid, and the zoid's becomes mine…"
Saskia couldn't believe what she saw. "Royce?"
"Human body is weak," Royce said as he continued his advance toward the Gilvader. "As zoids, we shall live forever. As zoids, we are the true kings of Zi! As zoids, we will burn human infidels that use zoids for the sake of ideology of mere sports!"
"As zoids?" Saskia's breath got stuck in her throat. "You are not…"
"My mind, its body," Royce walked closer. The talisman in his hand started to glow.
"Oh My God…" Saskia put her hand in her mouth. Cassiopeia's words flashed inside her head, warning her about Royce's obsession about the Ultimate Zoid. She did see him defy logic, even his own mission, for a shot at the most powerful zoid in existence. First the Fuzor, then the Backdraft artifact. Only when he found out that both zoids were not up to his standard that he returned to his sanity. "Cassiopeia was telling the truth."
"Cassiopeia was a fool," Royce chuckled. "She wouldn't share my insight to be kings of all zoids."
"Is that how you see me?" Saskia said with tears welling up.
"No," Royce snapped. He turned around to face her. "I love you, Saskia. I really do. But I will not see myself rot as human." He put his arms around her. "If you love me, you will share my passion. If you love me, you will take my talisman, find your Gilvader, and see yourself fused with it. Then we shall live forever. We shall celebrate our eternal bond by obliterating Neo Zenebas. Nothing will stand against us."
"Royce, zoids are living beings," Saskia begged in the earnest. "They have minds of their own. You can't take what's not naturally yours." With tears streaming down her cheeks, Saskia looked deep into Royce's eyes. "Please, Royce, forget this absurd obsession…"
"I give you my words, I shall not love another woman as long as I have you," Royce replied. "As the Ultimate Zoid, I shall hold it true for eternity. Do you not desire it? Do you not want me, and be owned by me, for as long as Zi exists?"
"As a zoid? Royce, you will hurt yourself!"
"Hiltz did it, and so shall I," Royce grabbed Saskia's face. "Saskia, join me in the world of zoids…"
Before Royce could finish his sentence, engineers and scientists swarmed him and tackled him down. Saskia tried to reach him but half a dozen engineers pulled her away from him. She could only watch as the crowd pulled Royce up and dragged him closer and closer to the Gilvader.
Then the unthinkable happened. The Gilvader's lower torso busted open, revealing its glowing core. The talisman in Royce's hand turned into a ball of pure light, blanketing Royce like a cocoon and shot him up into the Gilvader's chest. The Gilvader jerked and writhed while screaming. Its wide wings grazed the wall, cutting myriads of conduits. Warning klaxons blared one after another. The scientists and engineers quickly dispersed and left the area, leaving Saskia alone.
After a while, the Gilvader calmed down. It lowered its head toward Saskia. Its eyes lit up in soft warm glow, and Saskia watched in complete awe as the sparkle mimicked the reflection of light in Royce's eyes not five minutes ago, when he was still a human.
"Royce?" Saskia whispered in tremble. "Royce, are you there?"
The Gilvader purred but suddenly the eyes turned off, and the black monster trashed about even more violently than before. It let out a shrilling cry, then pointed its massive Drillgan unit up. The pods glowed in bright azure light, then four pillars of light smashed into the ceiling. The entire room quaked as debris rained down. Saskia pulled herself up and ran toward the elevator, sliding just in time before large concrete blocks pelted the floor where she stood a split second before.