TWENTY SIX

UNFORSEEN LIAISON

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jdoug4118: Thank you for your continuing support. It is rewarding for me (and any author, for that matter) to know that somebody out there reads and enjoy my work. I hope you stick around for a few more, we're getting close to the finale.

Somewhere in the Desert,
Western Continent, Planet Zi,
March 11, 2128

For an unknown period of time Saskia just lied motionless in her command chair. Her body had gone past its endurance threshold, and her mind was thrust into dark moments in her life, revisiting one nightmare after another. She went far back in time, when she was seven, running around with her new toy, only to meet four big boys that snatched the toy from her hand and took turns stomping it to pieces, all the while laughing and mocking her helplessness. Her screams pierced the darkness as if splitting a black curtain, taking her to another time when she was kicked out of Helic Military for failing to report of her absence. All her life up to that point Saskia tried to live up to her father's name, but everything she did – up to that point – proved that she was anything but. Major Diavel's ear-splitting voice seemed like the death knell to her life. She tried to reach for the major, hoping to change his decision, but the scene abruptly ended as she was thrust into a deep, dark, suffocating dungeon. As she sat secured to a torture chair, maniacal laughter pierced her ears as his old nemesis poked and probed the soles of her feet for hours, testing the limit of endurance. She mustered every bit of energy to deny his demented pleasure, but soon her feet betrayed her, leaving her screaming and crying in ticklish agony. And then she found herself tied to her command couch inside the cockpit of her zoid, naked, barefooted, unable to move. A large shadow bludgeoned her zoid mercilessly, and she tried to take control of her zoid but she was completely immobilized. She could only watch as her zoid crumbled piece by piece…

The final nightmare suddenly dispersed and Saskia was thrust violently into reality. Her eyes could barely open, her ears rang, her head throbbed and her ribcages twinge. She tried to reach for her joystick but her muscles defied her; she could only move her fingers. She couldn't even lift her head. And then the scenes of destruction from the duel with the Drillgan Gilvader slowly came back at the back of her mind.

"Gilvy?" she called for her zoid.

Nothing happened within minutes. Saskia summoned all energy she didn't know she still possesed, and cried out for her zoid again, but the result was the same. She heard nothing but the whistles of the wind. She recalled the murderous hit her Gilvader endured, and she realized it probably killed her zoid.

"Oh, Gilvy…" she whimpered. Her mind drifted again, flying back 5 years to the cave near the fortress when she found her zoid for the first time. She was utterly mesmerized despite having no idea what she was dealing with. Fast forward to the time they flew together, busting through clouds, kissing the edge of the atmosphere, and watching the blue Planet Zi from a point of view she only saw in books or movies. It was the single happiest moment of her life, bar none. Then a montage of battle scenes flashed in front of her eyes, one blurry image after another, until all she could see was white void.

And then she abruptly returned to reality, only this time Cassiopeia, Kenny, and Maia tried to remove her from the cockpit.

"No, no, no…" she griped. She tried to hang on to her chair but she was powerless against three adults pulling her out. "Let me die in peace…"

"Get her out!" Cassiopeia ordered. She held Saskia's head while Kenny and Maia cut the harness and pulled her body off the command couch. Saskia's body sagged without the harness and it took the three of them a couple minutes to carry her 175-pound body out of the cockpit.

Lying on the sand, Saskia managed to open her eyes but swallowed a whimper upon seeing her Gilvader's condition. Most of the armor platings were ripped apart. Its wings were shredded like a piece of paper. The head was grotesquely disfigured, which prompted her to question her survival. How could she survive such a brutal punishment? She shouldn't. She should've died inside that cockpit. But she did survive, and her question might never be answered.

"Oh, no, Gilvy…" she lamented. "Apologies, apologies for leaving you alone…"

"You did no such thing," Kenny blurted. "You stayed with him until the bitter end."

"I asked none of this," Saskia broke down into tears. "I merely desired to right the wrong…"

"He knew," Maia tried to calm her down. "He knew heart's desire. He did such thing at own's will. Zoid of pride, with the breeding for honoring his master. He would do it again in a heartbeat, given the chance. Nothing you do can stop it."

"I wish I could return the favor," Saskia buried her face in Maia's chest. "I would give up anything to return the favor…"

Just as Saskia proclaimed her earnest wish, a large flying object hovered over the downed Gilvader. It was so large its shadow covered almost the entire body of the Gilvader sans the tip of the wing. The object glided over and landed next to the immobilized zoid. It was a massive Whale King with Backdraft emblem carved on the side of its hull. The mouth opened and turned into a ramp. A few Spinosappers climbed down the ramp, followed by a Lord Gale. It landed next to the Arosaurer and knelt down to let the pilot jump down the cockpit.

"Laeta," Saskia recognized the pilot. "What are you doing here?"

"You ceased work absent Backdraft consent," Laeta replied with gentle but firm tone. "Backdraft committee returned and vouched upon your work, yet no hands extended for reward. So I traced your track and unraveled this Gilvader proceeding. Now Backdraft put interested in this antiquity and had me retrieve it."

"You cannot have him!" Saskia grimaced in pain as she tried to get up. "This zoid belongs to me!"

"Your zoid is dead, beaten up by the younger, better version of itself," Laeta replied. "A mere burden, worsened by stiff heart. Take leave and let it go. Find another zoid to bond. Backdraft will clean mess for you."

"I can bring him back," Saskia said, half whimpering. "I have done it and I can do it again. Please, don't take him away from me…"

"It is dead. Attempt to see otherwise is mere fooling yourself."

"It survived the meteor cataclysm. Surely it can survive a pale shadow of itself," Kenny came to Saskia's aid.

"A reckless conjecture, born out of observation impediment."

"Then what is of desire to procure it?" Kenny snarled as he took a step closer to Laeta.

"Backdraft interest in Gilvader affair is none of your business," Laeta spat.

"Or is Backdraft aware that zoid is not yet dead?" Cassiopeia joined in. "I am indifferent for the matter but I do not take thievery lightly."

"If choices were removed from hands, Backdraft would press charge upon zoid carcass," Laeta said firmly.

"Two companies of Rottiger zoids are on their way to wipe out Neo Zenebas base," Cassiopeia replied. "Seek to make escape with Gilvader and find self hunted down by Rottiger elites."

"Backdraft is not afraid of Rottiger."

"Then blood shall spill," Cassiopeia turned around and started dialing her comset. "See you in the battlefield."

"A common ground, perhaps?" Saskia stepped in, fearing for another unnecessary bloodshed. "Make attempt to bring him back to life. If we succeed, I keep him. If we fail, then he is yours to take."

Laeta looked back and forth at Saskia and Cassiopeia, pondering what the best course would be. She could enforce her mission and risk a full-blown confrontation with the Rottiger, or she could follow Saskia's suggestion with the possibility of failing her mission. In the end, Saskia's suggestion was more attainable than going into a bloody fight with the Rottiger.

"Alright, see it done your way," Laeta said. She talked to her comset, sending a series of order, then threw her stare back at Saskia. "Backdraft shall provide medical attention for you as well."
More and more Spinosappers came out from the Whale King, followed by Iguans that had been converted to labor duty. The Backdraft zoids looped some chains around the Gilvader, then hauled the knocked-out zoid into the Whale King's cargo bay. The Gilvader's wings were so wide they wouldn't fit into the cargo bay. The Spinosappers had to deploy their laser chainsaws to cut the Gilvader's wings at the seams. The stumps still had the Beam Smasher buzzsaws on them, but the outer part of the wings were cut clean.

As the Spinosappers worked on the Gilvader's wings, Backdraft paramedics tended to Saskia's battle scars. They took out plexiglass splinters from her body, mostly her arms, then clean and wrapped the lacerations with bandages. A few cuts were deep enough to require sutures. They injected some saline solution into her vein to stabilize her body. After a while, Saskia looked like a mummy with the majority of her body covered in bandages.

"You look like shit," Kenny quipped as the paramedics finished up wrapping bandages.

Saskia replied with a smile. She grabbed and squeezed Kenny's hand. "Gratitude," she said. "My heart swells for such kindness." She threw a glance at Maia and Cassiopeia who stood behind Kenny. "You too."

"You'd forged the path," Kenny replied shortly. "I merely walked through it."

"Your hands touched so many hearts everybody extended hands upon distress," Maia added. "Mind freshly recalls compassion at Hover Cargo, and the measuring of it."

"Put slushy schmaltzy talk to cessation," Cassiopeia huffed, annoyed at the lack of progress. "Royce is still at large, and we are burning hours."

"I shall check on Gilvy," Saskia rose and walked into the Whale King, followed by Kenny and Maia. The Backdraft zoids had finished cutting off the Gilvader's wings and dragged the unconscious zoid into the Whale King. The Iguans secured the chains to the Whale King's cargo bed. Backdraft technicians hooked up numerous power cords to various outlets on the Gilvade's body, making sure all critical points had been covered.

Saskia supervised the resuscitating booms around the zoid core, since she knew her zoid firsthand. She asked an Iguan to remove an armor plate at the Gilvader's lower chest to gain access to its core. She connected a power boom to an extended outlet just under the core compartment. Then she asked the techs to clear the floor while Laeta flipped the power lever.

A loud crackle exploded as electricity flowed down the power booms. Lightning bolts leapt from the cords. The Gilvader jolted and jerked with every strike. After a few seconds it started to raise its head. The eyes glowed bright red and its horns burnt radiant purple. It turned its head around, assessing the situation, then found Saskia covered with bloody bandages from head to toes. Then it realized it was chained to the floor and its wings had been clipped. The black dragon started to scream and thrash about, tugging on the chain, creating total chaos in the Whale King's cargo bay. The Whale King felt something wrong inside its body, and it too started to toss and turn.

"No no no no… calm down, Gilvy, please calm down!" Saskia screamed from the top of her lung, fearing her confrontational zoid would start ripping the Whale King from inside. "I am alright! You are alright! These people are helping us! So please calm down, everything will be alright!"

The Gilvader growled and sneered spitefully at everything in its close vicinity, but settled down upon seeing Saskia in good spirit despite her battle damages. It stared at the Iguans and Spinosappers for some time, then lowered its guard.

"I give you my word, Gilvy, we will be alright," Saskia rested her head on her zoid's massive body, drawing deep breath. "Now rest and let these people fix you. I shall have words with them presently." She walked toward Laeta, staring at the Backdraft rep with determination in her eyes. "He's awake, hence he is mine. Seek to turn from said vow and I shall let him loose."

Laeta could only nod. "Very well. The zoid is yours."

"If Backdraft still desires Gilvader, see yourself caught up with the other one," Saskia suggested. "Damaged rocket booster should slow it down."

"It is halfway to Helic Republic presently," Cassiopeia chimed in. "Even with Gilvader damaged booster, Whale King is still lacking."

"Then how should we prevent tragedy?" Maia blurted worriedly, inadvertently squeezing Kenny's arm. "Helic Republic will soak with blood and tears of civilians!"

"Rottiger is shorthanded. Our concern is Neo Zenebas hidden base. We do not have zoids to deal with the rampaging Gilvader," Cassiopeia muttered, "although I yearn to see it fall in flames."

"Then I shall have words with Marshall Diavel," Saskia suggested as a last resort. "Helic Military must stand tall against the rampaging beast. They can cease proceeding before it reaches Helic Republic."

"Follow me," Laeta said and led the way to the command center. Dozens of comm officers worked around several monitors showing maps, Whale King stats, terrain and weather conditions, and several other things Saskia was too indifferent to know. Laeta led Saskia to the main comm screen in the middle of the command center. She set up comlink with Helic Republic.

Two minutes into it, a man's voice crackled. "Serial number?"

It had been 5 years since Saskia used her Helic Military encryptions but she still remembered it. "C337-094-29349-BK. Top A-1 priority message for Blue Streak."

"This number expired five years ago. Who is this? How did you come upon this line?"

"This is Saskia van Leewenhoek, former Master Technician of Helic Republic. I have no time to explain inflated security concern. Relay me to Blue Streak, or the blood of children of Helic Republic is on your hands."

The screen went to static, and Saskia thought the comm officer on the other side just killed off the connection. But just as she was about to leave, the screen went alive with the face of Marshall Diavel. He had aged quite a bit from the last time Saskia met him. Streaks of gray hair peeked from under his garrison cap. The wrinkles on his face gave false truth about his age, and the time that had passed since the last time they met.

"Saskia," Diavel said. "My expectancy falls short of acknowledging you as the bearer of a Top A-1 message. What offense did you do presently?"

"Neo Zenebas has been building a new weapon, with the fitting carrier for it," Saskia said. "They produced a copy of my Gilvader and put 4 Drillgan Units on it. It is taking a rampaging path to Helic Republic. We have put much effort in stopping it but we fall in our attempt."

"Do you have hands on this matter?" Diavel snarled, knowing that somehow Saskia was in the middle of this chaos.

"A rogue Rottiger agent had been fusing unsuccessfully with zoids. I led him to it."

"I told you Gilvader was a menace!" Diavel roared on the screen. "Helic Republic is in constant danger as long as it is alive!"

"Neo Zenebas fabricated the Drillgan guns with or without Gilvader. Had it not found my zoid, it would have put the Drillgan guns on any other zoids to scourge New Helic City. I merely suffered an unfortunate fate to be at the wrong place at the wrong time."

"And what fever gripped mind, assiting a Rottiger lunatic to drive the beast mad?"

"I thought he was a man of honor," Saskia said with trembling voice. "Defender of peace, with proper training to wage war against the wicked. I put trust in his hands, a decision I shall regret for the rest of my life. So please, I beg of you. Raise Helic army and put a cease to this madness."

Diavel let out a heavy sigh. "What is its current location?"

"Somewhere in Western Continent, but will cross the ocean soon. One of its rockets was damaged so it will not reach maximum speed. Give it 15 hours to reach Delpoi."

"I shall hold you responsible for this misfortune," Diavel grunted. "If your feet so much as to touch Helic soil, I will fire every single weapon in Helic Republic arsenal at you!"

"Understood, Sir," Saskia nodded, right before Diavel cut off the link.

"An unnecessary discourse," Laeta spat as she turned off the comlink. "You did part. He shall find little effort to kill the Gilvader. He should be thanking you."

"I give him grievance every time we cross path," Saskia sighed. "He is a man of labor and justice. He shall stop the rampaging Gilvader."

"And steal your laurel doing it," Laeta snorted. "I have seen too many men of his status. All of them are of no different from thieves."

"I stopped caring long ago," Saskia looked at Laeta in the earnest. "I merely wish to make amend."

"Then we shall proceed," Laeta said. "Backdraft will leave in 10 minutes." She looked at Cassiopeia, then Kenny and Maia. "Are you coming?"

"I am," Kenny replied quickly. "I shall bring Cleto presently."

"Rottiger contingent should arrive presently," Cassiopeia added. "As much as I want to see Royce fall, I must regroup with my compatriots. It is what I am trained to do: to hunt down Neo Zenebas splinter cells so disaster this magnitude shall be banished forever."

"Then I guess this is where we part, Lieutenant," Kenny offered a handshake. "It's been an honor."

"The honor is mine," Cassiopeia nodded and grabbed Kenny's hand. "Apologies for all ills I may have inflicted upon you. I was but doing my job."

"I wish we met in a more agreeable term," Saskia flashed a small smile. "Yet I bless fate that we meet at all. Gratitude for taking care of Kenny… and Maia, too."

"You're a good girl, Saskia," Cassiopeia gave Saskia a mocked salute. "Take down Royce for me."

Ten minutes later, the Whale King took off while the Leostriker broke into a sprint in the opposite direction, back to where it came from.