TWENTY EIGHT
FINAL RETRIBUTION
Author's Note: Apologies for semi-abondoning this story, especially when it's so close to completion. But I had another project in deviantArt that occupied most of my free time. To make myself feel better, all works in this site had to be put on hold to give way to that project. But now that it was done, I can come back to this one. Like I said, this is very close to being done. So it will take probably a couple more months to wrap everything up.
Central Continent, Planet Zi,
March 14, 2128
Standing at the hangar bay overlooking the vast desert of Central Continent, Kenny observed the charred remains of Helic zoids. As far as his eyes could see, blackened corpses blemished the tan desert, both organic and mechanical. The scene of bloodshed, added by the acrid smoke, made his stomach churned, triggering his gag reflex. He couldn't even get a grasp why so many lives lost to correct one mistake.
Kenny wasn't much of a combatant. He spent his entire life in the city. Unlike typical boys and girls of Planet Zi who dreamed of commanding zoids and bashing each other with powerful weapons, Kenny had no ambition to strap himself in a zoid. All he wanted was a normal, mundane civilian life, running delivery jobs with his organoid Cleto. Being thrown into the world of zoids – giant mechanical animals with guns capable of destruction of a city block – scared him. He didn't want any part of it.
"Lives wasted like insects washed in rain," he mumbled loudly. "When will it ever stop? Where reasoning plummets, suffering rises."
"One's death warrants another's life," Saskia stood beside him. Blood-stained bandages covered the majority of her body. Yet they didn't seem to bother her. "An unfortunate fact, yet we are all bound by it."
"Truth but bears little note," Kenny spat. "I merely want my life back."
"And it will return to you, lush in bounty of hardwork," Saskia put her harm on Kenny's shoulder. "Yet we had more pressing matter. The Neo Zenebas beast is marching toward New Helic City presently. Marshall Diavel is but the city's last line. Should his defense fall, New Helic City would soak in blood. We must attend to this, or see your pledge for peace forever denied."
"And if we all fail?" Kenny
"Then the twilight of men and zoids would be upon us," Saskia sighed exasperatedly.
In the mean time the Whale King flew lower to the ground. Numerous Sinkers joined formation with the massive Whale King. On the ground a horde of Killerdomes made a tight in-line formation, then buried themselves into the sand, leaving a thick cloud of dust.
"I believe not in impossibility," Laeta arrived with a holoprojector. "We have assembled a few Backdraft units. Zoids of purpose, with proper arms for it."
"The beast slaughtered half Helic Republic zoids," Kenny blurted. "Elite war machines, with ample steel and explosives. What warranty could deficient Sinkers and Killerdomes offer?"
"Marshall Diavel sent sitrep of Gilvader," Laeta activated the holoprojector. A holographic image of the Drillgan Gilvader popped up between them. "Broken wings, breached leg, critical core energy. The beast is succumbing to its wounds. It does not take much to further the state. The Sinkers shall occupy its mind while Killerdomes attack from below. The loss of another leg shall put an end to its run." She put out the holoprojector and gave Kenny a sincere look. "We can always use extended hands."
"Me? Taking arms?" Kenny scoffed. "I could barely survive a Zaber Fang! What fever grips mind, that you think of me worthy of combat against Neo Zenebas Gilvader?"
"Then what does head perceive the purpose of zoid?" Laeta huffed. "You own one, furnished with deadly weapons and organoid to optimize the using of them. Having it stand idle forfeits its purpose."
"I would not have us fall in the desert!" Kenny grimaced.
"Are you scared?" Laeta looked at Kenny with pity.
"Kenny, put ears to work," Saskia stepped in front of Laeta, blocking her from the visibly-nervous Kenny. "Search memory, a few months back at ZOITEC. Seek my words. I spoke of organoid and fate."
"And the life of our choosing," Kenny shot an awkward smile. "I have every single word carved in mind."
"This should be the life of your choosing," Saskia looked into his eyes in the earnest. "An organoid is not bred for idle, nor should it deliver goods downtown. The destiny of an organoid lies in zoid, far in the frontline, squared against forces greater than itself. Organoid takes zoid's capability beyond its limit. And you, you had Cleto since the day you were born. You might be an ancient Zoidian, Kenny. You are one among the few left. Your fate, your destiny is not running around city. Your destiny is here."
It was hard for Kenny to digest Saskia's assessment about him. He always saw himself no more than a street rat, running small jobs around the city. Now this ancient Zoidian thing was suddenly thrown at his face, and people started looking at him like he was the next Van Flyheight. His timid, feeble organoid Cleto merged and created a monster, something he didn't know possible. Everything he believed had turned upside down. He was not ready to accept all these things.
But as things started to sink in, he realized that it was his own stubbornness that held him back from all these stuffs. Deep in his heart he knew everything would materialize eventually. He knew Cleto and Zeke were of the same kind. He knew Cleto had the same capability as Zeke, no matter how weak and docile Cleto looked. And it was not the first time Saskia told him about his true nature. She did it many times. He ignored her at every single turn.
"I am absent life of a warrior," he sighed exasperatedly. "I know not how to fight."
"Let Cleto extend your arms," Saskia replied softly. "Trust him, he knows what to do."
"But Cleto is merely…" It was hard to believe what Cleto could actually do. He knew his organoid well. Cleto didn't even make a struggle when Royce brought it down with bare hands. However Kenny had seen a glimpse of what had been lurking beneath Cleto's soft shell. He saw how fierce the organoid reacted to Cassiopeia's aggressive advance toward it, and he saw Cleto holding itself well against Neo Zenebas' Zaber Fang, even though in the end Saskia had to bail them out. Merging with the Arosaurer might have brought the beast out of his timid organoid.
"Alright, let's do this," Kenny relented, and proceeded to the hangar. The Arosaurer perched proudly next to Saskia's Gilvader, overlooking the mauled giant, exerting its dominance. Just like Kenny, Cleto was overwhelmed by the discovery its true nature. But unlike Kenny, Cleto's new power gave it vanity, pride, and the sense of tyranny, that nobody could stand in its way. Not even the Gilvader.
Somehow Kenny could see what Cleto was thinking.
"Words from Saskia forced heart to believe that our heritage transcended to Ancient Zoidians," Kenny stood next to the Arosaurer, "powerful race, with the proper calling of it. Staple of a great army. Cries of victory over evil empires. Champion of bloodbaths. Can mind fall into such disposition? We, of all people?"
Cleto lowered its head and popped up its canopy, an invitation for Kenny to go into the cockpit. A series of low grunts escaped from its jaws, like a train of assuring chuckles. Kenny recognized that tone. The Arosaurer's growl was nothing more than Cleto's distorted chirps and tweets he had heard all his life. .
"If confidence soars, I'll forfeit reign to your hands," Kenny climbed into the Arosaurer cockpit. "Take note, we are taking on a monster. Foul beast of havoc, with a purpose to destroy Helic Republic. Battle damages downgrades it into but a mirage of its old self, yet it still have arms to kill us. Put eyes to work. I do not wish to waste life."
Cleto replied with a short growl, just as the bay door rumbled open. The Arosaurer trudged down the ramp and joined an army of Sinkers and Killerdomes. As the smoke from the Neo Zenebas Gilvader appeared on the horizon, the Killerdomes went underground as the Sinkers glided to greet the limping monster.
Kenny felt his heartbeat pounding in his ears as Cleto marched alongside the Sinkers. He awkwardly set his hands on his joysticks, but he didn't know what to do with them since Cleto had full control of the zoid. Its twin assault cannons dropped to line up with the Gilvader, and bright energy bolts zipped across the plain, stabbing the Gilvader's right side.
The Gilvader's agonizing cries served as a beacon for the Sinkers. Dozens of energy bolts blasted the Gilvader's right side. The Gilvader's armor, severely damaged from the assault of the Helic Republic, was too weak to fend off the Sinkers' rays. Fireballs burst all over its body. The right side of the Gilvader was set ablaze; tongue of flames raged out of control. Thick plumes of smoke blanketed the Gilvader like a smokescreen, and the Sinkers kept smothering the Gilvader with energy shots, turning its body into fiery mush.
But even under enormous pressure from the Sinkers, the Gilvader kept composed and mounted a counter attack few anticipated. The Drillgan units glowed behind the smoke curtain, then two powerful bolts swept the plain in a zigzag pattern. Half of the Sinkers erupted; many were still in attacking formation, believing that the Gilvader would soon fall.
A few quick-thinking Sinkers took evasive maneuvers and regrouped into a defensive formation, but the Gilvader was not about to be outdone. Its Plasma Cannons and Needler Guns barked in unison, spreading murderous bolts and ballistics in a wide area. The Sinkers dispersed, but the Plasma bolts and Needler bombs were so thick a few Sinkers were caught in the firestorm. The poor zoids spun in the air with engine parts flying about from their eviscerated hulls. Some exploded midair before touching the ground, others slammed onto the sand.
Kenny held the edge of his seat as the Cleto crisscrossed its path to dodge the torrential ballistic rain. Bombs exploded near the cockpit and splinters from exploding Sinkers bounched off the canopy, forcing him to wince and cringe. The Arosaurer took a lot of hits but its thick armor stopped the shots. But Kenny realized that it was only a matter of time until the armor breached. They had to get out of that situation soon. The problem was he didn't know what to do.
Fortunately the Gilvader had marched toward the trap where the Killerdomes lied in wait. More than two dozen crab-like zoids busted out of the ground and clung on the Gilvader. Their powerful claws shredded the Gilvader armor as if it was made from paper. Four Killerdomes hung on the shoulders of the Gilvader, trying to dismember the big zoid at the joints.
The Gilvader hurled its long battlecry then armed its melee weapons. Its Beam Smashers whirled in supersonic speed. The Gilvader twisted, doubled, recoiled, and trashed about to get rid of the Killerdomes. Its giant buzzsaws mutilated as many Killerdomes as it could reach, and its teeth finished the rest. Killerdome body parts were flung every which way, littering the area of almost 1 kilometer radius from the Gilvader. The Killerdomes swarmed the big zoid with murderous intention, but the Gilvader's unwavering savagery finally broke the spirit of the Killerdomes.
With 65-percent casualties, the remaining Backdraft survivors broke contact and scattered in the desert. But their effort was not without result: the Gilvader's right side was battered beyond repair. It bled fire and smoke, and burning pieces of machinery dribbled to the surface of the desert. The Killerdome action failed to severe any limbs, but it damaged the actuators and cut the Gilvader's land speed to just 10 miles per hour. It was beyond everybody's belief that the Gilvader was still standing, dragging its feet to continue its course toward New Helic City.
With the Backdraft force withdrawn, Kenny and Cleto were the only one left standing.
"Alright Cleto, take aim at its damaged right side," Kenny put his thumb on the trigger. "Don't let go until it falls."
The Arosaurer replied with a short grunt then fired every weapon in its arsenal. The assault cannons launched salvo after salvo, turning the hulking Gilvader into a scorching mess. Fire belched from the wound, and it was clear that the Gilvader would not stay up very long.
But the Gilvader had one more ace up its sleeve. With its remaining strength it turned sideways and faced Kenny. Its right side was completely destroyed, but its left side remained largely intact, and so were the two compact Gravity Cannons on its left wing. It steadied its legs and took an aim at the Arosaurer and its inexperienced pilot who had no idea what the weapon was capable of.
"RUN!" Saskia screamed over the comlink. "Run as fast as you can!"
"Run?" Kenny didn't understand it but he could read the urgency in Saskia's voice. He yanked the joysticks to the left just as a couple of muffled thumps erupted from the Gilvader's cannons. Cleto sidestepped the shells, which crashed onto the sand a few meters behind it, then broke into a sprint, but two overlapping gravity fields suddenly emerged, pulling the Arosaurer back toward the center.
"Run Cleto! Run run run!" Kenny roared in panic. Cleto screamed and buried its feet on the sand, but the gravity pull dragged it closer and closer to the center. The ion boosters roared, adding thrust to counter the gravity pull. But the gravity pull was so strong it ripped the ion boosters clean at the shoulders. The assault cannons whizzed toward the center of gravity field and were immediately crushed.
Left without means to counter the gravity field, the Arosaurer could do little more than to drop to the ground and clawed the sand for anchor. Armor platings were twisted and ripped off its body. Soon body parts followed suit. Kenny, not knowing exactly what to do, grabbed the edge of his seat until his knuckles turned white. His teeth clattered and sweat ran down his cheeks as he prayed fervently for his life to be spared.
For what seemed like hours, Kenny and Cleto endured the gravity storm until it subsided. As Cleto pulled itself up, Kenny inspected the damage control on his HUD. All sections were blinking red, signaling critical damage. The armor platings were almost completely gone, and those remained had been shredded beyond functionality. Cannon status display was completely dark. The Arosaurer stood virtually stripped from all weapons and protection.
But unlike the Backdraft Sinkers and Killerdomes, Cleto didn't retreat. It still had its raw power and its will to fight. It hurled a vicious battlecry then launched itself at the Gilvader in a spirited dash. Kenny pushed all buttons in panic, hoping to put sense into the zoid, but the cockpit seemed to have been disconnected from the brain of the Arosaurer. It lunged toward the Gilvader with carnal abandon, much to the horror of Kenny.
"Cleto! No! Stay away from it!" he yelled.
But the Arosaurer continued its dash as if it was possessed. The Gilvader saw it coming, and sluggishly swung its tail forward. Cleto changed direction but the tip of the tail managed to slap it in the face. Kenny felt the hit in his spine. His head flailed from side to side. Cleto crashed to the ground and Kenny felt the shoulder straps dug deep into his flesh. If he weren't secured to his command couch by the straps, he would've been thrown out of the cockpit.
Cleto pulled itself up, and the Gilvader launched another whipping tail, but this time it ducked low. The Gilvader tail swooshed inches away from its head. With its remaining strength Cleto powered its way toward the mangled side of the Gilvader. It thrust its snout into the billowing side of the Gilvader, and chomped on the machinery. It yanked its head behind, taking a mouthful of burning parts from the Gilvader's body. The Gilvader screamed and wildly whipped its tail to take out the Arosaurer, but the smaller zoid latched on the Gilvader's side like a leach, digging deep into its hull and ripping its guts apart.
Weakened by the minute, the Gilvader pulled one last swing, and unfortunately its tailblade stabbed the Arosaurer where its head joined its neck. The Arosaurer immediately went limp. The Gilvader flashed its tail and the Arosaurer flew like a rag doll before crashing and rolling on the ground for several hundred meters. Kenny wrapped his arms around his head as everything around him burst in geysers of cables and electronics. His stomach churned and an image of Maia flashed before his eyes before everything went completely dark.