I don't think I ever put down a disclaimer. Sorry about that.
Disclaimer: I don't own the characters of Avatar: The Last Airbender, nor do I own Avatar in general (If I did...they'd probably be a giant robot in there somewhere, lol) I do however own the designs for all the machines, Rangers, bases, etc, as well as several characters that will basically make themselve known as the story progresses. Basically, if you don't recognise it as something you'd see in Avatar, chances are it belongs to me.
Okay, now that I've got that off my chest, enjoy.
003
PACIFIC BASE
"Pacific Base is one of mankind's greatest achievements," Alistair smiled fondly as he watched the boundless ocean through Avat's cockpit window as the giant machine flew a few metres above the waves, "It was the first of three bases constructed underwater, at the very bottom of the world, and is the only one to be suspended above the trenches that litter the ocean's floor. In this case, it's situated over the deepest ditch on the planet, a part of the Mariana Trench we call Challenger Deep. It's design also uses thermal vents to power it, which allows the base to be relatively self sufficient,"
"You seem excited to be completing your mission," Katara smiled as she draped a arm over the head rest of the cockpit chair, leaning her head on the limb lazily as followed the officer's gaze towards the horizon, "It's nice to see, considering that you were in such a funk most of the way here,"
"I was just thinking about all those people that died when the British Isles just…disappeared," Aang's smile quickly disappeared, "Also…I still can't quite believe it's been over a hundred years since I left Atlantic Base,"
"Do you think maybe some of the Black Core survived down there?"
"I hope so," Aang's hands closed tightly around Avat's control sticks in apprehension, "I mean I know a hundred years can be a long time but…I hope at least…something survived,"
It was often said that New Gibraltar was the most beautiful place in the world to the eyes of a weary G.U.N. soldier. A former colony of the British Empire, the small city and military base was nothing more then a small stretch of land near the very tip of the Southern African continent just north east of Cape Agulhas, colonised during the five year lull between the death of Hitler and the rise of G.U.N.. Taken shortly after the day of Blood, the facilities at the local airbase were expanded to include that of the Navy and the army and was now considered to be the primary base of operations for all Nationalist armed forces in the North Pacific.
It was also commanded by a man Zuko despised intensely.
Limping slowly into port, the Captain sighed as a dark shadow passed over the Bismarck from the neighbouring dock, the darkening caused by a immense Super Heavy Ranger Sea Carrier, the name Sovereignty emblazed on it's dark grey hull. Zuko tried his best to resist the shudder that ran down his spine as the sun was blotted out by the amazing size of the ship beside them, his eyes narrowing into a dark scowl as the Bismarck came to halt in it's own berth.
While Sovereignty was the greatest navel achievement of G.U.N. to date, Bismarck was a fifty year relic, a further shame bestowed upon him by his father for the travesty that had sent him into exile in the first place. Although seen few and far between due to their size, it was no secret amongst the crew that Zuko hated his ship every time he saw the sheer magnificence of ship's like the Sovereignty.
"I want repairs made as quickly as possible," The scarred Captain muttered fiercely to his Uncle as the picked their way across the scorched Launch Deck from the Island to the gangway as it approached the side of the carrier, "The longer we stay here, the colder his trail becomes,"
"Zuko, ninety percent of the flight deck is destroyed and we have no defence short of a few AA guns," Iroh gave his nephew a pessimistic look as he kicked a lump of hardened tarnished steel off the side of the ship, "We have to accept the fact that the Courier and Avatar have pushed back your search with their little light show,"
"Don't mention their names here!" Sozin rounded on his uncle angrily, "If word gets out that the Courier and his Ranger are still alive, every G.U.N. soldier from here to Berlin will start searching for him. I don't need the competition…especially is Colonel Zhao finds out,"
"Colonel Zhao does love his competitions, doesn't he?" Zuko froze as a new familiar voice entered the conversation, "Perhaps it would be best that you kept whatever your talking about a secret from him, eh Herr Sozin?"
The captain closed his eyes as he clenched fists at the sound of standard issue boots against fragile burned steel and concrete, the sound of his Uncle's elated voice only adding to his frustration.
"Captain Artirius Meridiano! I haven't seen you since…well…since I left Berlin! How have you been my friend?"
"I am well General Sozin," the man's voice was warm and friendly, something that made Zuko hate the man even more, "I was promoted to Major recently. I've been station here for almost a year now,"
His shoulders slumping slightly, Zuko sighed as he turned to face a man from his past, an enigma he had never quite figured out.
Major Artirius Meridiano of G.U.N.'s Marine Corps stood half a head taller the Captain himself, yet was only three years his junior. A pale man, contrasting slightly with his short, neatly combed chocolate coloured hair, and supposedly the result of spending countless hours within the cockpits of Rangers, there was a certain strength about him that went beyond that of the muscles he lacked, something that made people turn to him for aid, something Zuko just plain hated about him.
It was a certain scarf that irritated the scarred man to such a degree however.
Ordinarily, it wouldn't have been something to annoy someone so much. It was just a simple band of cloth, blood red in colour. It was just where the Major wore it that irked him.
Around his eyes.
For as long as Zuko had known him, Artirius Meridiano had worn that scarf around his eyes, tucked over his ears to keep his hearing clear. As far as he knew, the man was as blind as a bat, yet he piloted Rangers with expert precision, spoke to people directly as though he could see as clear and day, and would often take the initiative in simple gestures such as a handshake. The only indication that the man before him was truly blind was his fluency in brail, although Zuko had once sworn on his life he had seen the man reading a letter with that infernal scarf around his head.
"Major Meridiano," Zuko's voice was laced with forced politeness, "It's certainty nice to see that G.U.N.'s equal opportunities amendment is helping you rise up the corporate ladder,"
Artirius merely smiled good naturedly from under his cap, tipping the brim towards the Captain with respect as Iroh scowled at his nephew's rudeness
"I am honoured that the Führer allowed me the privilege of serving in his armed forces. My only wish is to serve him to the best of my abilities. As such, on behalf of Colonel Zhao, I welcome you to New Gibraltar. It isn't every day the son and brother of the Führer come to harbour. If you don't mind my asking, what brings you to this lowly harbour?"
"Lowly my ass,"
"This Bismarck was heavily damaged in a resent assault by the U.S.A.C.," Zuko mentally congratulated himself at the even level of his voice for such a blatant lie.
"Oh?" surprise laced the Major's voice as he stamped his heel into the deck below, the grinding crunch it made causing a wince to make it's way to Zuko's eye, "What did they do? Carpet bomb your Launch deck?"
"That's…exactly it," The captain's eyes darted to his uncle beside him as his lie began to crumble underneath him, "Uncle…tell the major about the attack,"
"What? But I was…" the old man grunted as his relative elbowed him hard in the ribs, "I mean yes! A terrible carpet bombing attack. Two dozen Alaska bombers. Terrible damage,"
"I'll take your word for it," that sincere smile crossed Meridiano's lips once more, "I'm sure you will be able to regale the Colonel with all the thrilling details. He has requested your attendance for a late lunch while Bismarck is being repaired,"
"Tell the Colonel thank you, but we must decline his generous offer," The last thing Zuko felt like doing today was facing down Zhao over any meal of the day, "I would prefer it if we logged in with the deck master before spending the rest of our time here aboard…"
"Zuko, where are your manners?" Iroh scolded his nephew as though he were talking to a five year old, "You never turn down a good meal, especially with one of G.U.N.'s top brass," he turned to Artirius with a sincere smile, "Inform Colonel Zhao we shall be honoured to join him at his table. Incidentally, do you have any ginseng tea while we wait? It's my favourite you know,"
"I'm sure we can find you something sir," Artirius continued to smile as he led the old man off the scorched deck, "Herr Sozin?"
"I'm coming," the Captain's voice was nothing less then a threatening growl, but he quietly stalked after his uncle down the gangplank, his amber eyes kept dead ahead, and away from the crimson cloth that adorned Major Meridiano's eyes.
"You sure this base is around here?" Aang rolled his eyes as Sokka's whiny voice came up from the periscope, "Because all I see is water, water and more water,"
"It's a secret underwater base Sokka," The officer smiled as Katara smothered a giggle, "It's not exactly going to be surrounded by open land you know,"
"I know," The elder sibling scowled as he looked up from the eyepiece, "It's just we've been down here for over an hour. You'd think something would of shown up wouldn't you?"
"It will," Alistair smiled mysteriously as he flicked a few switches on the left hand panel, several lights on the display blinking amber as he twiddled several dials, "All you have to do," He paused as the lights went green, "Is find the right frequency,"
Up ahead, a single shaft of light pieced the darkness from a hollow in the seabed, the wide beam sending several bizarre looking creatures of the deep flurrying off in different directions as another ray streaked across the murky ocean, then another and another.
By the time Avat reached edge of the "hollow" sixty beams of white light formed a circle suspended above a bottomless pit, allow Katara her first real look at one of the many marvels of The Black Core, the sheer sight taking her breath away.
"Whoa…."
Suspended high above the Mariana Trench by over a thousand strengthen metal beams embedded in the hard rock, Pacific Base was comprised of a giant bubble, roughly the size of a small town and made of a glass like material that allowed her a view of the Complex's innards. It was as though someone had taken a slice of the earth above and sent it down into the murky depths below. From her view at the cockpit, she could see trees and houses, parkland and sky scrapers. An entire world, hidden from humanity.
Or so she hoped.
"Alien technology eh?" Sokka smiled as he shook his head with disbelieve, "Thank all that's good for those little green men,"
"Attention unidentified craft, this is Black Core Installation Zero Six: Pacific Base calling. We have received your transponder code, please confirm,"
"There are people still here?" Katara's heart leapt as she stared at the speaker in amazement as a feminine voice filled the cockpit, "Alistair, do you know what that means? The Black Core might have survived! They…"
"Sorry to disappoint, but that's Pacific Base's AI," Alistair smiled sadly at his friend's crestfallen look, "The only way to know for sure if Black Core abandoned this base is to get in there and see for ourselves,"
"You don't think G.U.N. managed to get down here?"
"G.U.N. may have been more advanced then most nations at the time, but they still had nothing against Black Core," Alistair shook his head at Sokka as the former climbed up the catwalk ladder to join them in the cockpit, "If no one's home, chances are Washington headquarters pulled everyone back to regroup after the Day of Blood," Pulling a set of headphones and mic over his dark hair, the officer spoke slowly and clearly as he manoeuvred Avat into a slow orbit around the underwater base.
"This is Flight Lieutenant Alistair Samuel Aang, ID number 796019571-21 of Installation Zero Two, Everest Base Ranger Flight Oh-Seven-Nine. Fulfilling Order Omega Zero Zero One: Take command of Advanced Vehicular Armoured Transport from Installation Zero Four: Atlantic Base and transfer to Installation Zero Six: Pacific Base. Orders dictated to by Professor Richard Roku, Commandant of Installation Zero Four, and to end Orders via report of Professor Nami Kyoshi, Commandant of Installation Zero Six. In addition, have two passengers not included in Orders. Require clearance,"
"Flight Lieutenant Alistair Samuel Aang, ID number 796019571-21, confirmed. Orders confirmed and still standing. Be forewarned that you are thirty six thousand, six hundred eighty one days, nine hours, thirty-eight minutes and fifty-one seconds overdue on estimated arrival time. You have been granted docking access at berth three. Welcome to Installation Zero Six. I hope you have a pleasant day,"
"Kinda chatty for a security system," Sokka gave the communication speaker a queer look.
"Forge is more then a security system," Aang smiled fondly as he set Avat towards the ting of metal that supported the land below the bubble, "She's one in a million that monitor,"
Brother and sister looked up as one into each other's eyes, confusion blatantly crossing their faces in unison.
"Forge?" Sokka turned to look at the pilot.
"She?" Katara followed suit.
"Monitor?"
In Zuko's humble opinion, Colonel Takanori Zhao was an egotistical giant, whose vocabulary, while large, didn't seem to include the words, defeat or lose.
A seven foot tall giant hailing Japan, Zhao was a rarity within the G.U.N. armed forces, given that Tokyo remained sovereign from any of the Main Nations, the cluster of islands now sparsely populated as a result of the Day of Blood. As cruel as he was ruthless, rumours had often circulated for the exact reason the colonel had turned against his people to join the enemy that had devastated his homeland almost a hundred years ago. The most widely excepted answer was simply that Zhao's ambitious and merciless way of thinking simply did not match that of the small and simplistic nature that the Japanese armed forces had been forced to take.
G.U.N. on the other hand, seemed to be run by people that followed the enormous man's way of thinking. Iroh had once joked that it had been love at first sight.
Zuko had once scathingly remarked (behind the Colonel's back of course,) that they'd be announcing their engagement any day now.
So it was however, that the Captain found himself sitting across a table from Colonel Zhao in the small fortress that was New Gibraltar's base of operations, a meagre hastily prepared feast sitting between them as his Uncle heartily dug in from where he sat between them, Major Artirius standing ever calmly at ease at his superior's side.
"Have you heard the recent news from the front line Captain?" Zuko resisted the urge to react to the shiver that went up his spine at the sound of Zhao's voice; a long drawl of a tone. Uncaring, unfeeling, "I imagine it must be hard to stay up to date with your constant…travelling,"
When anyone throughout the world made a reference to the "front line", it was more then likely there were referring to the conflicts that raged across the north and south American continents, rather then the neutral territory between G.U.N. and the New Soviet Union.
While battles were usually restricted to either coast, most of the U.S.A.C. was still on edge for paratroopers threatening their fair town or city. Not every dwelling was well equipped with the defence network at New York, or the immense dome that covered Washington DC. In a sense, most, if not all, of the old United States territory could be considered as the front line. Even Zuko, as far from the politics of his father's empire as he was, knew however that it was only a matter of time before the first foothold held more for more then a few weeks.
"I've heard a few things," The Captain chewed thoughtfully on a overdone chuck of chicken, "I was in Cuba a few months ago, while we held a base there. Terrible tragedy,"
"So I heard," there wasn't a note of regret in the older man's hardened voice, "Well, you'll be pleased to hear your sister has begun adding her own ideas into the proverbial mixing bowl," he smirked slightly as Zuko almost swallowed his fork, "I read a rather interesting mission profile from her, concerning a AC-DC. Fairly ambitious, even by my standards, but I believe the plan may have merit. It is still in the planning stages of course, but if the Führer accepts it…well, the flag of G.U.N. may be flying over Washington by the end of next year,"
"If my father thinks that taking the capital will bend an entire nation to our way of thinking, he's more of a fool then I thought," Sozin stabbed another slice of chicken with his fork vehemently, his amber eyes scowling down at the pristine white china plate, "The U.S.A.C. territories are huge, they won't just fall because Washington does. They'll simply regroup at another city. New York, Chicago, San Francisco…hell, they might even head for Toronto or Vancouver if the old school American's could swallow their pride,"
"I see two years at sea has done nothing to sooth that sharp tongue of yours," Zhao's voice betrayed the irritation that was masked by the tight smile across his face. He paused for a full minute as he indicated to Meridiano at his shoulder to refill his wine glass, the officer doing so with expert efficiency as he turned back to the scarred Captain, his piercing brown eyes almost boring into Zuko's mind as he swirled a vintage red liquid within it's glass confines.
"And speaking of your voyages…how goes your hunt for the Courier, and the ever illusive Avatar?"
All heads turned as Iroh suddenly let out a violent coughing fit, clutching his chest as he groped for the nearby glass of water, sighing with relief as the crystal water cleared his throat, smiling embarrassedly at the bemused (and mildly disgusted) looks that were sent his way.
"Sorry," his cheeks flushed a deep scarlet as he looked down at his plate, "Went down the wrong way,"
Zuko sighed at his Uncle's stupidity, before turning back to Zhao to give him a simple answer.
"We haven't found him yet,"
"Did you really expect too?" Zhao's eyes flitted towards the door as a green clad soldier slipped in and walked silently around the edge of the room, before coming up to Meridiano's side, whispering reverently in the blind man's ear, "The Courier was killed in the Black Core raids, along with the rest of his organisation,"
"If that's the case, then why did my father, and his father, and even his father search for him and his infernal machine before me?" The captain felt a uneasiness overcome him as Artirius leaned down to whisper quietly in the Colonel's ear.
"I said the Courier was dead, I never said anything about the Avatar," A Cheshire cat grin slowly made it's way onto Zhao's face as his subordinate rose to his original stance, "The Avat's we dismantled showed a Computer AI slot. It's entirely possible for the transport and it's cargo to fly off by itself if necessary. Not as reliable as a human babysitter granted…" he paused as Zuko's eyes remained firmly trained on the unfinished lunch before him, "Have you found some kind of evidence of the Avatar's survival after all this time?"
"No, none," the answer came without hesitation. Too quickly the Captain realised too late as Zhao steeped his fingers together, gazing towards the young soldier as though he were peering into his very soul.
"Zechariah Sozin," The Colonel rose from his chair as he slowly made his way around the table, "If someone were to find Project A.V.A.T.A.R., even the fragmented remains, they could potentially bring the Führer's plans for our blue and pure world down with a crash. Can you think of the trouble someone could cause with a Ranger that powerful? I won't even trouble you with how high our enemies' moral would soar if they thought they had the Avatar, or at least a copy of it, on their side," A heavy hand lent against the corner of the table as the older man leaned over him dominantly, his face so close Zuko could swear he could count every bristle of his rather threatening looking sideburns, "If you have even an ounce of loyalty left to your father, you should tell me what you know,"
"I know nothing," the Captain rose angrily from his chair, the Colonel rising to his normal height at the act of defiance, "I haven't found anything. If I did, don't you think I would of told you?"
"No," Zhao smiled again faintly, "I don't think you would. Not even if I told you that while we were enjoying this little meal, my men had the pleasure of interrogating your crew. Quite the story they wove. I especially like the part where you had both the Courier and the Avatar Ranger in your grasp…only for them both to escape. So remind me," Zuko winced slightly at the click of a safety catch, his Uncle looking up in surprise at the sight of the barrel of the Colonel's pistol firmly in the young captain's chest, Artirius standing ever emotionless nearby, "Exactly how did the Bismarck come to to have it's Launch deck so badly scorched?"
"What's a guy got to do to get a bite to eat around here?"
"Sokka, we're miles underwater, in a secret hidden base that's almost a paradise…and all you can think about is your stomach?"
"Hey, A guy's gotta eat. Got to keep my strength up," the elder sibling smirked, "So where's this Forge chick? After a hundred years, I'm sure she knows where to find some good eating spots around here,"
"Ugh," the tanned girl threw her hands up in the air in disgust, "You have to be the most immature man on the face of the planet! I can't believe I'm even related to y…"
"Shh!"
"What?" Katara stopped mid rant as she turned at Aang's request for silence, "What is it?"
"Can you hear it?"
The two siblings stared around the cavernous landing area cautiously, their eyes scanning the nearby buildings and hangers, Sokka's even uneasily going to the nearby curve of the transparent dome above them as several schools of bizarre looking fish skitted by.
Katara finally shook her head, "I don't hear anything,"
"Exactly," Alistair brought the brim of his cap down across his eyes as he took his gaze from the artificial sky above to the concrete ground below, "It's so quiet. The arrival area was always bustling with activity. You couldn't hear yourself think…now…it's all gone,"
"Oh Alistair…"
"Ah! Lieutenant Aang!"
Katara jumped, her hand outstretched to her friend's shoulder, only for her eyes to widen to the size of saucers as a small head sized object literally floated down from the glass dome above their heads, humming merrily as it came to a halt at the officer's eyelevel.
Comprised of a softly glowing green ball and larger shiny metallic cage, the strange machine had the appearance of a slightly deflated football, with three sides depressed to make a top, left and right, with a gentle blue aura emanating for it's base, no doubt the mechanism keeping it afloat. Finally, embedded in the object's front was a single emerald eye which pulsed with every word that came from it's (as far as she could see) hidden speakers.
"It is good to see you again!" the contraption's voice was high and ditzy, reminding Katara vaguely of popular high school girls she'd seen on old salvaged vids from Sydney, "Although you are thirty six thousand, six hundred eighty one days, nine hours, forty-one minutes and twenty-six seconds overdue. Run into trouble did we?"
"Hey Forge," Alistair smiled slightly as the ball contentedly orbited his head, "Yeah, I guess you could say that. The Cryostasis Chamber certainty came in handy though,"
"Yes…I'm sure it will be in your report. But what do we have here?" the green eye turned to the stunned siblings with surprise, "Visitors? Splendid!" Forge practically whizzed by Aang's face to come nose to nose with a surprised, and slightly wary, Sokka, "Are these the additional you mentioned in your transmission?"
"They are yeah," the officer suppressed a laugh as a pure green beam of light surged forth from the monitor's eye and travelled the length of Sokka's body, the young man squeaking with fright and embarrassment as the beam crossed his private parts, the small machine giggling to herself as she continued her scan, "They were the ones that found me. I'd probably still be on ice if it wasn't for Sokka's…ahem…fishing experiments,"
"My my," The ball sighed as it turned it's attention on Katara, "We do keep exotic company don't we? Is there any particular reason you strayed from mission orders by bringing non-Black Core personnel within a Black Core base?"
"Katara had a new kind of Ranger with her, a creation of the Russians, not the Core. I'd like you to have a look at it, maybe even refit it with some of our weaponry if the factory levels are still operational,"
"Oh? A Ranger pilot? Well why didn't you say so?" The monitor floated back slightly, as though to take a better look a the still stunned girl before her, "I haven't even introduced myself, how rude of me. I am Sixteen-eight-zero-seven Charlatan Forge. I am the monitor of Pacific Base: Installation Zero Six,"
"It…it talks?" Sokka finally found his voice albeit dry and stuttering, "And it's name is…Charlatan?"
"Do you like it? The officer's of the Black Core gave me that name after I soundly defeated them in their weekly game of poker," Forge sighed fondly as she seemed to dance around Sokka's head, "They accused me of cheating because they thought I was using nearby surveillance cameras to look at their hands. Well Miss Katara," the monitor turned to the tan girl, "I would be happy to analyse your Ranger and see what upgrades our factory levels can produce for you. The entire process is automated, and should only take a few days at most. Well, I better get started. Lieutenant, you know where to go from here,"
"Well…that was certainty interesting," Katara heard herself speaking as she watched the little monitor flying off towards the Avat in the airlock behind her, humming happily to herself as she disappeared from view,"
"Monitors are a bit of a shock to people who aren't used to them," Alistair smirked as he turned to Sokka, "I think she likes you,"
"Great," the young adult scowled at the officer darkly as he crossed his arms tightly across his chest, "You just love to keep pulling me further and further from my happy place don'tcha?"
Aang merely smiled as Katara smothered a fit of giggles, his grey eyes turning to wards the cluster of buildings that took up most of the base's centre.
"Listen…" he paused as he turned to face the two siblings, "This is all new to you two, so why don't you wonder around for a while? The park land's always beautiful. I think…I just need to report in by myself. That okay?"
"You sure?" Katara didn't even try to hide the concern laced through her voice, "I mean I don't mind coming with you if you want the company,"
"No, I'll be fine," the officer's smile didn't seem to reach his eyes as turned towards the buildings, "You just have fun exploring okay? I won't be long,"
"Okay if…" she trailed off as he started to walk away, her outstretched hand falling limply to her side with a sigh, "You're sure. Poor guy. It must be hard on him, seeing this place so quiet,"
"Looks like there's a pretty good reason for it though,"
"Huh?" Katara blinked at her brother with surprise, the elder sibling staring at something over the other side of a grassy hillock beside the path, "What makes you say that?"
"Take a look,"
The pit of her stomach twisting anxiously at the tone of her brother's voice, the young girl hesitantly peering over the bank at the object he indicated too.
The urge to be sick almost overcame her at the gruesome sight that lay before her.
A skeletal carcass, clearly having lain silent for the best part of a hundred years, lay half buried in the ground, it's bony fingers laying outstretched towards the complex of buildings ahead as it's eyeless head grinning almost maniacally up at her, the tattered remains of a uniform clinging desperately to it's bare ribs and arms.
It was the small metallic badge however, lying dirtied and bent near this ancient corpse, that made her chest constrict with fear of confirmation of what she already knew.
Her hand shakily violently as she reached down to the ground and picked up the silver medallion, her free hand curling into a angry fist as her thumb wiped away the dirt.
A Silver eagle, it's wings spread wide despite one of them being bent, glared up at her with it's single eye, it's cruel hooked beak pointing eastward, a wreath, long since broken due no doubt to the soldier's heavy fall, clutched tightly in it's dirty claws.
And even though only half of the circle remained, Katara felt her eyes narrow at the twisted cross that lay within it.
"G.U.N. was here," Sokka's voice was at her shoulder as she continued to glare at the insignia of the world's most hated enemy, "And I don't think Black Core got out of here in time. They didn't abandon the base, this proves it,"
"All this proves was that one German soldier managed to infiltrate the base, and got shot for his trouble," Katara clenched the emblem tightly in her fist, "We can't tell Alistair. It'd break his heart,"
"He's gonna find out sooner or later," Sokka gave her a sympathetic look, "I mean, who knows if there are anymore bodies out there? It's not that bigger place,"
"We'll just keep quiet," She let the piece of silver fall from her hand, crushing it into the soft soil, "Maybe we better speed this trip up a little though, just to be sure,"
"Al's not a little boy Katara," Sokka reached out to stop his sister from heading towards the complex, his hand grasping air as he fell short, "You can't protect him forever,"
Katara didn't even give him a second glance as she strode purposefully towards the towering grey buildings ahead.
"I can certainty try…for Alistair's sake,"
"So, the Courier's alive. How…interesting,"
Zhao turned from his study of the immense map of the world to the two captures that sat before him under guard, a small smug grin starting to develop across his features as he strode towards them triumphantly.
"And you're telling me, you had him in your very grasp…only to loose him?" the Colonel could barely contain his glee as he leaned in almost nose to nose with the young Captain.
"The Avatar unleashed a power I had never seen before," Zuko narrowed his eyes darkly, "There was nothing I could do to stop his escape. The next time we meet, he won't be so lucky,"
"It is a shame then, that you will not get that chance,"
"What?"
"With this new evidence to bare, I have decided that the hunt for the Courier cannot be left to a young spoiled brat such as yourself," Zhao smiled apathetically as he rose once more to his full height, "As such, as a loyal servant of the Führer, I have decided to take this burden upon myself,"
"Colonel Zhao!" Zuko felt himself rush to his feet in anger, only to be forced back into his chair by Artirius' gloved hand, "I have been searching for the Avatar for over two years! You cannot take this from me!"
"But I can," The colonel's smile grew even wider, "Capturing the Avatar and or the Courier is far too important a task for someone so young and inexperienced,"
"Why you…"
"But, I am not without sympathy," the look on Zhao's face showed the Captain otherwise, "Once your ship has finished repairs and restocking, I'm sure Major Meridiano would be more then happy to let you go. Of course…I'll be long gone by then,"
"Don't go planning your speech to my father just yet Zhao," Zuko scowled darkly under Artirius' grip, "You could give yourself a head-start of a hundred years, and I'd still get to the Courier before you,"
"Don't be so optimistic," A resound slap echoed through the map room as Zhao's hand impacted against Zuko's cheek, "You have one ship, a limited number of archaic Rangers, and only so many crewmembers and supplies. I on the other hand have an entire fleet of both sea and land battleships at my command, the latest in Ranger technology, and one of the most important supply posts in the Pacific Ocean! You're nothing but a scared little boy, sent away by his own father for misbehaving,"
"My father was right to exile me," The young captain scowled darkly at the back of his hands, "But once I return with the Avatar in hand, he will welcome me back with open arms,"
"If your father really wanted you home, he'd have let you return by now, Avatar or no Avatar," Zhao gave him a cold expression, "but in his eyes you are a failure and a disgrace to the G.U.N.. I'm surprised he only banished you from Germany. If it were me, I wouldn't allow you anywhere near our territory,"
"That's not true," despite his best efforts, Zuko cursed at the weak pathetic note his voice took.
"You think he gave you that scar as a memento? Face facts my young friend, it was clear when he sliced into your cockpit that he wanted nothing more to do with you…"
"You like scars?" The captain glared up suddenly at the colonel with renewed vigour, "How about I give you your own!? I challenge you to Ranger combat. One on one!"
"Don't be a fool," Zhao smirked mockingly as the Captain strained against Artirius' iron grip, "You couldn't hold your own against the Courier and a hundred year old machine. What makes you think you'd survive against me, equipped with the latest technology?"
"I guess we'll find out won't we?" Zuko growled as he felt the Major's grip loosen on his shoulder, allowing him to stand up in challenge to his far larger enemy, "We use standard Ranger duelling rules, as set down by my grandfather fifty years ago,"
"Very well," Zhao seemed to be barely able to contain the glee at the thought of crushing the young man that stood before him, "I suggest we use the airstrips. There's no aircraft scheduled in or out today and I'm sure the solid ground will aid you in giving me a proper challenge. Shall we make at say…1800 hours?"
"Sunset? Sounds good to me,"
"Excellent. Major Meridiano will preside to make sure there isn't any…foul play," He sighed dramatically as he headed out to prepare, "It's a pity your father isn't here to watch me destroy you. I suppose your uncle will do though,"
"How dare you!"
"Calm yourself Captain," Zuko glared at Artirius as he clamped down on his shoulder, what little of his face that was showing remaining calm under Sozin's angry glare, "He just wants to get you riled up. Don't get distracted, it'll only make you fail in the upcoming battle,"
"The Major is right Zuko," Iroh set the tea cup he had been drinking from on the table beside him, his face grave as he rose from his chair, "You have to focus, and banish all insults Zhao has thrown at you from your mind. You have to think of him as another enemy. Remember the last time you clashed against a master ranger duellist?"
Zuko shook off Meridiano's hand with a jerk of his shoulder, his eyes narrowing at the doorway where the Colonel had been moments before, one hand subconsciously tracing the dark horizontal slash that adorned the left side of his face.
"I will never forget,"
Alistair had always liked Marshal Leonard "Gusto" Gyatso. For all his quirks and strange sense of humour, he was something of a father figure to him, and thus, with his own dad long since dead, often went to him for advice, and not just for new orders.
An elderly gentlemen at fifty years old approaching retirement, Gyatso nevertheless still possessed a certain quality that made you want to trust him, even if the handle bar moustache and bald look made him seem slightly dated.
"In the year that I've known you Alistair, never in my life have I seen you look so uneasy," The Marshal looked up from his report with a small smile, his deep brown eyes taking in the officer at attention before him, "Neither have I ever seen you so rigidly at attention. At ease my friend, and tell me what's on your mind,"
"It's…it's these new orders sir," Alistair's form slackened slightly as he moved to a more casual stance, his hands still clasped tightly behind his back, "I don't think I'm best suited for a mission like this. Not by myself,"
"It's a baby sitting job isn't it?" the Marshal rifled through the mess or reports across his desk until he found the grey folder in question, "All you have to do is pilot an Avat and her cargo to Pacific Base. It's a simple enough mission,"
"It's not the mission particularly sir…it's the cargo. An Avatar," Aang couldn't help but fidget from foot to foot, trying to make his superior see, "This is the first completed prototype that Project A.V.A.T.A.R. has produced. I've only been here a year. Surely someone like Captain York or Flight Lieutenant Kuzon would be better suited. And Why are they requesting someone from Everest Base anyway? Don't they have anyone suited enough at Atlantic? And another thing…"
"Alistair," The Marshal held up a hand or silence, the officer's teeth clamping shut with a click as the aging man rose from his chair, "The reason we are sending you specifically is because you asked for specifically. Not York, not Kuzon. You,"
"Sir?"
"Have the request right here," he held up a wrinkled hand for emphasis, the pristine piece of paper clutched between his fingers, "Signed by both Professor Roku and Professor Kyoshi. They wanted you. I suppose Miss Kyoshi I can understand. You two of met before. But as to Roku's part. Maybe he just took Nami's word for it. I don't know why they decided on you, aside form my best guess, but that's just they way it is. We can't change their decision. You're to report to Atlantic base by the end of the week. I'm sure he will give you all the answers you seek. Now come on," a smile crossed the marshal's lips as he came around his desk and slung a arm around his friend's shoulders, "I hear Mr. Bumi has a new type of cake that's rather popular with the rest of the men, and I've just been dying to have a taste of it! My treat,"
Bodies.
Lots of bodies.
Lots of dead…skeletal bodies.
To Alistair, the command centre of Pacific base looked just like the one at Everest and Atlantic. It was a large square that took up the entire level of the tallest building in the complex, mostly filled with banks of giant computers, view screens and consoles, with a raised platform in the centre to allow the Commandant or whoever was in charger a clear view of all around him and the base below via the huge bay windows that made up the walls of the room.
But though he had prepared himself for the worst, he could still feel the bile trying it's hardest to claw up his throat as he took in the scene before him.
All around, skeletons lay where they had fallen, some lying prone on the dusty floor, others slumped over their consoles where they had been shot, a mixture of Nazi, Black Core, and civilian uniforms adorning their bare remains.
Computers sat blackened and dead where they had exploded from stray bullets, and even a hundred years on the smell of death reeked in the air.
Carefully picking his way through the debris and remains Alistair didn't say a word until he reached the central platform, his eyes doing their best to avoid staring at the civilian body draped across the railing beside him, it's lower jaw hanging open by it's hinges as it's upper head was showing signs of completely falling away.
After several failed attempts to reactivate the computer main frame by hand, a rough kick to the electronics proved to be the answer, several consoles beeping feebly as a static filled image of the Black Core's insignia rotated on the nearby monitor on a blue background.
"Char," Alistair's voice was quiet and calm, yet carried a strangled tone, as though he was barely containing a hidden anger, "Come here,"
Beside his hand, a small dome, around the size of his fist, lit up a oceanic blue on the top of the console, a flurry of silver lights bursting upward and outwards like a spectacular miniature firework. A few moments more however, and the particles quickly moved back inwards. Taking form. Legs, arms and body. In a few moments, Charlatan Forge's true image appeared standing atop the dome, her tiny features sad and unhappy.
Barely the size of Alistair's middle finger, the small hologram depicted a young woman, perhaps eighteen to twenty years of age, made entirely of strips of silver code. With her busty and curvaceous figure and only waist length hair to cover her (admittedly atomically incorrect) body, with a few shorter locks to cover her breasts, she turned more then a few heads of the male officers whenever she came online. Usually, as Aang has seen from past visits, she had as bubberly an personality as her monitor's voice conveyed. But right now, her features were sad and upset, like she'd been caught doing something she wasn't meant to do.
"Why didn't you tell me?" Alistair crouched down to eye-level as the small AI turned away from him, "Why didn't you just tell me when we met on the arrival area?"
"I…I don't know," Forge's voice was tiny as she hugged herself across her middle, "You just seemed so sad already. I'd been watching you since you arrived and…you were just so happy when you saw me…I didn't want to dampen your mood anymore with something as horrible as this,"
"Charlotte, it's not that big a base. I'd of found out eventually," Not many people knew the true origins of Pacific base's AI beyond the base's command staff, her programmers, and Forge herself. Even fewer knew her original name was Charlotte. Alistair considered himself privileged to be one of those few, "You should of just told me,"
"I know," a pair of digital tears leapt from her cheeks as she turned violently to meet his eyes, "I know and I'm sorry! I just…I just hate seeing you so sad and…"
"You should of told me," he repeated, "but right now, I just want to know what happened to a few people. Do you have access to the other base's surveillance files?"
"Yes," the AI sniffed as she wiped at her eyes, "Yes I do,"
"Good. I give you names, you tell me their status, understood?"
She flinched at the hard edge of his voice, but nodded silently.
"Marshal Leonard Gyatso,"
The nearby screen flickered at the sound of his voice, the image of his friend and mentor in his best Black Core uniform appearing moments later.
"Deceased. Everest Base, April 30th, 1945,"
Her voice carved hard into Alistair's heart like a cold knife, but he continued on.
"Flight Lieutenant Nigel Kuzon,"
Another image. Another Black Core officer. This time of a lot younger man, perhaps twenty five years old, a mess of black hair sticking out from under his cap, deep amber eyes mirroring the smile across his lips as he seemed to gaze down at his friend from the screen.
"Deceased. Everest Base Airspace. April 30th, 1945,"
Not wanting to hear the names of his other comrades and friends labelled as deceased, the officer decided to move on to those associated with his mission orders.
"Professor Richard Roku,"
The man that flickered onto the monitor was different from the past two. An aging man at sixty five, with a long grey beard and a thick head of hair, dark brown eyes gazing intensely down from behind half moon spectacles. Unlike the Black Core officers, he wore the uniform of Atlantis' civilian department; black knee length boots and matching trousers as before, but a different tunic, a wraparound, mostly deep azure with a layer of black across his shoulders and along the join, that came to a point just above his knees at the front, but curved up to half way around his thighs at the back, allowing his legs more freedom to move around, all held together by a pristine white belt around his waist. Over this he wore a simply ankle length lab coat, the sign across the Identification banks that he was one of the lead scientists for the Project.
"Deceased. Atlantic Base. April 30th, 1945,"
Alistair felt his hands tighten into fists, a deep sadness stopping him from lashing out as he continued to stare up into the eyes of those he had known so long ago.
"Doctor Adam Kroy,"
Another civilian. A timid young man no older then himself, and a doctor only by title. According to Roku Adam was Kyoshi's assistant and was to have met him at the arrival area and escorted him to the command centre.
He smiled down from the screen at the officer with sky blue eyes from underneath dark brown bangs.
Like Roku, his uniform was that of the civilian department, with the tunic crimson red of Pacific Base to show his different posting. With no lab coat, denoting his status amongst the ranks, black cuffs could also be seen where they had been hiding on Roku's image, and a certain pride radiated from him, as though he was pleased with the way his ID image had come out.
He had only started a month previously.
"Status unknown as of 30th April, 1945," Forge's voice held a note of hopefulness, "He was last seen near the emergency life pods. Maybe he escaped or…"
"Professor Nami Kyoshi,"
"Yes…right,"
Another image appeared, a Asian woman, just about to enter her early thirties. As with Roku, a long lab coat adorned her lithe form, her pretty face framed by straight shoulder length onyx hair, hands shoved in her pockets, as opposed to by her sides as the other ID pictures had been. Despite this, Alistair knew from personal experience the Professor wasn't just a pretty face.
After being accused of joining Project A.V.A.T.A.R. simply to sell the final prototypes to the Japanese government in front of him and a whole host of others, the poor officer that had charged her had found himself flat on the floor with her boot in his face. He had never gone near her again, as far as Alistair knew.
"She managed to survive the initial attack. After the G.U.N. Forces left, she and a small group of civilians and remaining Black Core survivors escaped. Her last log was on May 9th, 1945 she said something about returning home. Would you like me to play it?"
"No," the answer came after a moment's hesitation, "Show me the surveillance footage for Pacific Base for April 30th, 1945,"
"Are…Are you sure?" The AI looked up at the officer hesitantly, "I mean…it isn't pretty,"
"I'm sure," Alistair's voice was as hard as steel, "Play all footage on any monitor that works in this room, with one hour equalling to sixty seconds,"
"Okay…but your not going to like it,"
Around him, monitors came alive, each showing a different part of Pacific Base. The Park, downtown, several corridors of the command complex. Each peaceful and serene. The calm before the storm.
It started like any other day within the bases. In the span of a few minutes the lights slowly rose to full brightness, simulating the dawn that was deprived to a place where sunlight never reached.
Across the monitors, people quickly went about their morning duties. Whizzing around at an incredibly fast pace as mid day fast approached.
Suddenly, the entire base was bathed in blood crimson. Across the dome, from the bright artificial sky to the factory levels down below, crimson red light. Alistair knew from constant drilling that only a base wide red alert meant one of two things; a breach in the outer hull, or a imminent attack.
With all the dead bodies around him, it didn't take him long to figure out which it was.
"Reduce speed to ninety seconds per hour,"
Even marginally reduced, the officer could still make out the finer points of battle. How a hidden G.U.N. solider, or maybe even a traitor amidst the ranks, opened the main gate as a giant multi armed beast seemed to descend over the giant hatch, spewing forth tanks and soldiers like flies.
All he could do was watch as soldiers and civilians fell to gun fire. How trees splintered under heavy shells as Black Core officers tried bravely fight them off with rifles and grenades.
Pacific Base had no Rangers to protect it, only a few exo and mecha suits, which simply fell under the tank's superior firepower.
A few minutes more and the battle was over. The time in the corner read 23:59:59.
Even under the blood red alert lights. The carnage was terrible. Some buildings lay in ruin, nothing but rubble and mortar. The parkland trees were splintered and devoid of leaves, heavy dirt tracks tearing through once luscious green fields and colourful flowers
And the bodies…so many bodies. G.U.N., Civilian and Black Core. He could even see a few in regular clothing. All dead. G.U.N. hadn't even bothered to clean up after themselves. They'd just left the base to rot, their job down.
"Char…" Alistair's mouth felt dry as he spoke his own personal nickname for Forge again, one he ever used when the two friends were alone, "Play the rest of the footage. From May 1st, 1945 to the present time and date, with a year equalling to sixty seconds"
"Sure,"
The years passed, and the base rebuilt itself. Automated drones rebuilt the crushed buildings, relay the cement, and even planted a few trees.
The grass grew back, vines engulfed the wrecked remains of a nearby take, the weapon of war slowly turning to rust and becoming a irregular hill as a nearby tree engulfed it within it's roots.
The bodies decayed into the ground, the grass swallowing up those that remained outside, the ones inside gathering dust.
Finally, he found himself staring at himself on the screen in front of him, the screens around him showing the base as it was, as though a small war had never been fought here.
"It was so lonely, being down here by myself," Forge's quiet voice went almost unheard as Alistair stared at each of the screens in turn, his hands curling into fists and back again as his eyes remained dry, "I didn't know what to do. I just powered down and hoped someone would come. But no one ever did. Not until you arrived…"
Subconsciously, Aang's hand trailed to the dome where the sniffing AI stood wiping at her eyes, a index finger held out as an act of comfort to his diminutive friend, tiny arms coming around the digit with the barest of pressure against his cool skin.
A sigh escaped his lips as the minute girl sobbed into his finger, releasing emotions, be them artificial or no, that had she had no doubt been holding in for a hundred years.
"I want you to download your program completely into the monitor once upgrades to the Lumber are complete. You're coming with us,"
"Coming with…but why?"
"Because I say so," Alistair scowled as he took the hand away, "Power down the base and prepare get ready to go. Now if you don't mind, I think I want to be alone,"
He didn't hear her reply as he stormed out of the Command Centre. He didn't even excuse himself as he ran into Katara in the doorway. He just barged right by her and down the stairs, leaving the stunned girl in his wake.
It only took one look into the desecrated Command Centre, the silver AI standing in the middle of it all, to realise what was on his mind.
New Gibraltar's airstrips were little more then a pair of long concrete runways set into an X-formation on the very edges of the Base's confines.
As promised, no aircraft adorned the strips today, save for a single bizarre black and grey fighter craft at one end of the Colonel's side of the field, Major Meridiano leaning casually against it's onyx side. Roughly nine metres in length, it's sleek shape had no identifiable cockpit from above, six almost bottlenose shaped concrete coloured wings, three on either side and settled within a X shape on either side of the main ion drive at it's peak, the appendages angled downwards in some kind of new age way to efficiently propel the craft into the air, so the Captain thought.
At it's front lay four rather lethal looking cannons glinted in the dying rays of the day two seated above and two slung below on specially mounted points running almost parallel to the secondary ion drives at the rear, competing for the limelight for the large broad blade that seemed to stem from the vehicle's streamlined nose.
While the Major's choice of craft seemed dubious at best, a part of Zuko wished it was him he had to fight, considering the giant mech Zhao had decided to fight him and Dominance with.
Standing at over thirty metres tall, the Colossus class Ranger made good on it's name. A giant hulking great onyx mech, each fist the size of a large Humvee, with arms and legs that were little more the giant cylinders, sacrificing mobility for raw strength, and emphasised by the two fairly lethal looking cream Pile drivers fixed each end.
Within the cockpit of his own Ranger, even Zuko shifted uneasily as the single blood red eye gazed down at Dominance from it's Y-shaped visor embedded into it's flattened cone of a head.
"Remember Zuko, Colossus' was built on it's raw power, no mobility,"his uncle's voice crackled across the cockpit's speakers, "Use that to your advantage. Remember your basic training my nephew. They are your greatest weapons,"
"I won't let you down uncle," the Captain's eyes narrowed as he set himself into a comfortable position in his chair, "I won't let him win,"
His Uncle never replied, but he knew the old man understood.
"Ladies and gentlemen of New Gibraltar, you're attention please!" Zuko winced slightly as Artirius' voice echoed vibrated through his head as the major addressed the assembled masses that had congregated around the airstrip, with the Colonel's consent of course, "With you honourable men and women of the German Unified Nation as witnesses, I present to you the Ranger Duel between Colonel Takanori Zhao of the G.U.N. Armed Forces, and Captain Zechariah Sozin, son of our esteemed Führer!"
A resounding chorus of cheers and boos resonated throughout the airstrip as the Major switched his radio to the internal frequencies the three had agreed on.
"Colonel Zhao, Captain Sozin. This is to be a everything or nothing duel. You are allowed to use all weapons in your arsenal, but you are not allowed to reload any ammunition, and if you loose your weaponry during the fight, it will not be replaced. The first to destroy the other's head is the winner. If I detect foul play, I will give you warning and if you continue to do so I will have no choice but to disable you and your opponent shall be declared the winner. In other words gentleman, I want a nice clean fight understand?"
"I'll try to remember that Major," Zhao's voice was icy calm, "What say you Captain?"
"Fight's are never clean Major," Zuko's voice was filled with determination as he gripped the control sticks tightly, "But I will stay to the rules set down by my grandfather. You have my word,"
There was a slight pause, the tiny image of Artirius on his left hand monitor staring up at him with blind eyes, as though trying to see if he was telling the truth through layers of crimson armour and machinery.
"Very good. If you will just give me a few moments to prepare Eternal, then we shall begin,"
"Well, this should certainty be fun,"the sarcasm laced through Zhao's voice sent pulses of fury through Zuko's veins, "It will certainty be over quickly though. A shame,"
With a roar and burst of blue light, the fighter craft flew across the tarmac and high into the air, barrel-rolling as it circled the playing field, a sheer silence overcoming the spectators as the combatants stared each other down.
"BEGIN!!!"
A pair of green beams of light sprung for from Eternal's upper barrels as Artirius' voice carried across the base.
The battle had begun.
Iroh could barely watch.
Slash after slash, the crimson Dominance struck at Colossus' armoured skin again and again, chips of steel the size of small cars flying from the huge blade as Zhao simply kept his arms in front of him.
"He's just tiring him out," even now, the old general could see his nephew panting heavily in the cockpit of his Ranger as each of his blows was simply repelled like he was attacking with a kitchen knife.
Priming his blade for a direct frontal lunge, the skeletal mech's attack was bested yet as his enormous opponent brushed the assault with a single massive hand, the sword crashing out of his hand and skewing a nearby hanger.
Not to be outdone, Dominance leapt high into the air, pushing off onyx Ranger's opposite arm as the cannons adorning it's shoulders slid into place.
One after the other the cannons let loose a barrage of heavy shells before Colossus could react, a storm of dirt engulfing the Ranger as Dominance sailed through the air, landing near perfect at the opposite end of the strip.
"Has he done it?" Iroh blinked through the dust and debris as the formerly cheering crowd went suddenly silent,"Has he won?"
A blood red eye suddenly opened amidst the dirt yellow clouds, making Iroh's blood run cold as wisps of smoke cleared away to reveal Zhao's Ranger, near unharmed.
Slowly and surely, Colossus' right arm slowly rose from it's position at the mech's side, the cylinder segmenting into four as the fingers became and straight and blade closed together.
The general swallowed thickly as he watched four stubby gun barrels within began to spin.
"Basics Zuko!" the old man was barely aware the radio had come to his lips, the panic in his voice all to clear, "Break his root! Zuko!"
Dominance's arms barely came up in time before Colossus' incoming fire came crashing down on it.
Blast after blast volleyed across the field, bouncing off the crimson Ranger's gaunt arms, the thin limbs barely giving the cockpit any more protection then he would have had he left them at his sides.
The general was just thankful for Positron armour,
With every blast, Colossus took one giant step forward, with every hit, Dominance was violently pushed across the tarmac, creating small grooves in the floor as it neared the boundaries of New Gibraltar as paint was simply vaporised from every impact under the seemingly never-ending barrage.
With one final blast, the two mech's nearly nose to nose, Dominance was blown fully across the fence into the desert beyond, Colossus standing tall and ready to deal the final blow.
"No," Iroh shook his head as the immense onyx machine raised it's loaded arm towards it's crimson enemy's head and upper chest. His nephew would die if the Colonel let loose his attack, "it can't end like this. Zuko, get up! Zuko!"
The first blow erupted across the silence.
Colossus fell back it's arm still primed as Dominance's legs pushed hard against it's chest, the giant mech's overbearing weight sending it into a unavoidable back peddle to avoid falling over.
But Zuko wasn't done, much to his uncle's joy.
One after the other, spent shell casings clattered to the desert floor as Dominance's cannons sent bullet after bullet into Colossus' chest, the fence tearing as the mech's once more entered the original battlefield.
Finally with one great combined shot, the giant mech fell to the concrete with a crash, dust and debris flying everywhere as the runways gave way under it's weight.
With a thud that shook the entire base, Dominance leapt clear across the airstrip, one foot firmly planted on the ground, the other on the defeated Ranger's chest as one cannon angled down ready to deliver the final blow.
"DO IT!"Zhao's voice echoed clear across the base as the two Ranger's seemed to be staring each other down, their pilots glaring at each other through their cameras, "I'D DO THE SAME TO YOU IF I HAD THE CHANCE!!!"
"He wouldn't?" fear suddenly clutched at Iroh's heart at what Zhao was suggesting, "He would sink so low…would he?"
The cannon went off.
Something exploded.
And pure silence reigned.
Zuko's breathing was heavy and laboured, like he had just run a marathon fifty times over.
He was alive though, that was the important thing.
And he'd one…there was that.
Colossus' head lay in a billion pieces across the airstrips, not even a stub adorning it's neck to be remembered from the blast.
He'd kept his word to Artirius. He had kept to the rules of the duel.
"That's it?" Zhao's voice was venomous, mocking, "You couldn't even pull the trigger. How cowardly,"
"Trust me Zhao," The captain's eyes narrowed as he stepped off the defeated Ranger's chest, "If you ever cross me again…you won't be so lucky,"
A breath he had been unaware he had been holding escaped his lips as he set Dominance to a forward walk back to the Bismarck, a small smile crossing his lips at his relived looking uncle that that strode beside him down below.
He had won. He had defeated a man he had hated from the moment he'd laid eyes on him. That in itself made for a good end to the day.
A resounding boom made him think otherwise.
A sudden violent side wind almost crushed his Uncle as Zuko forced Dominance to brace itself against it, one large foot coming dangerously close to the old man as a clang caused the Captain to clutch at his ears as it resonated within his skull.
"Meridiano you traitorous dog!"
Switching his cameras to rear view, Sozin became very aware of how close to death he had actually come.
Slowly rising to it's immense feet, Colossus' undamaged gun arm was pointed directly at Dominance's back, the cockpit door clearly open, no doubt due to the fact the Ranger was now headless.
And there, barrel rolling into of the coming night, Artirius' fighter, Eternal the Captain remembered, swooped out of it's steep dive across the base, what damage that had been caused by the shell against the sword, slowly falling away like ash.
The Major had saved him.
"Colonel Zhao," Artirius' voice was sharp and cold, the danger note clear in his tone, "Captain Sozin has defeated you honourably according to the rules of the duel. If you continue to fire against him, I will have no choice but to subdue you,"
"The hell you will! I am your superior! If you're against me, You're against the Führer! But if that's the way you want it, then I'll just have to get rid of his guardian angel first!"
Eternal slowly levelled out above the battlefield, the Major clearly weighing his options as he circled above them.
Suddenly the fighter arched into a steep dive as it came around for another pass.
Both mech's were in his line of fire. All four cannons could incinerate either machine if they wanted too.
But what happened next, caught the Captain completely off guard.
The lower rear thrusters…extended. Becoming longer before flattening out into feet.
The lower cannon mounts shunted forwards and together, combining the barrels into one giant rifle before arching gracefully down to the machine's sides, the left side's end relaxing into four fingers and a thumb as the right hand let it's new weapon stick to it's new left with a magnetic clunk.
The bottlenose shaped wings straightened to parallel with the back as they folded in one on top of the other, the X's arms closing around them, before rotating ninety degrees to meet up with the upper cannons as they slid downwards into place, locking them in a position that reminded Zuko of angel's wings.
Finally, the giant blade and nose arched gracefully up and over to lock between the machine's newly founded wings, allowing for a large humanoid head to extend slightly to form a neck, a V-shaped communications antenna extending fully across the top of it's Mohawked helmet as bolt yellow eyes flashed online from beneath it.
Eternal wasn't a fighter craft. It was a Ranger. A transformable Ranger.
Zuko had heard about these machines, prototypes that had never been fully developed, based on original designs from the Black Core's archives. He had thought no one had the sanity to pilot such complicated beasts. Apparently he thought wrong.
With the shriek of steel, the broadsword was grasped single handily by it's cruciform hilt, Eternal's left hand primed in front of it's head as it flew towards the two machines.
With a roar, slimmer onyx Ranger soared over Dominance's head with barely an inch between them, the blade now arched across the mech's face, ready to slice it's target to pieces if needs be.
"What are you doing!?" Zhao's voice sounded more angry that frightened, "Stop! Stay back! I ORDER YOU!!!"
The sword came around with a scream of pierced metal, sparks flying from Colossus' gun arm as it was neatly cleaved in two.
With a shower of dirt, Eternal landed expertly across the airfield a few metres from the base's boundaries, straightening up as it let the sword fall to a more casual stance as it's yellow eyes looked over it's shoulder, as though to appreciate it's work.
With a creak and a groan, Colossus fell back as it's right hand leg came completely clear of it's body, it's right arm sending a shower of gutted machinery from it's innards as it crashed to the ground.
Finally, the giant mech was well and truly defeated.
"That back stabbing bastard!" Zhao coughed up blood as he staggered from Colossus' smoking cockpit, "I'll have his head for this! Assaulting a superior officer, destroying G.U.N. property…"
"Fulfilling his duties as Overseer,"
The Colonel froze at the sound of a pistol's safety catch, his dark eyes slowly travelling up to come face to face with the wrong end of a McKinley Zwei, a pistol that was standard issue to all G.U.N. forces.
"So, this is how the great Takanori Zhao acts in defeat," Iroh shook his head darkly from his position just below the defeated Ranger's cockpit hatch, "Disgraceful. Artirius was right to destroy your machine Colonel. You fired on Zuko, not only when his back was turned, but mere moments after you were soundly thrashed. I shall be checking the Major's records ever so often for a while now, and if I find so much as a post-it concerning his acts today in a negative view on his file, I will see to it, no matter where I am in the world, that he will find justice in that matter," The general sighed as he holstered the pistol, well aware that the disgraced man before him had no more will to fight, "Even in exile, my nephew has more honour then you. In light of these circumstances, I expect the Bismarck to be given top priority in it's repairs and re-supply, as well as it's contingent of Endurances re-supplied. I believe that is fair, considering what you've done," gingerly the old man hopped down to the dusty ground, giving a sly smirk over his shoulder as he headed towards the docks, the Dominance in his wake, "Thanks again for the tea. It was delicious,"
Zhao said nothing as he watched the aging general walk into the darkness, before glaring hatefully up at the dark form of the Eternal as a small cheer rose up from the surrounding spectators, it's yellow eyes piercing the night.
It had been said during the testing phase of the failed experiments that had produced Eternal that any of the pilots that flew those machines were close to insanity.
A part of the Colonel wondered exactly how far alone the Major was.
"Did…did you mean that Uncle?" Zuko flicked to night-vision as the last of the sunlight disappeared beneath the horizon, the image of the old man becoming ghostly as it didn't try to hide the note of hopefulness in his voice, "What you said to the colonel…do you really mean it?"
"Of course," Iroh's voice was as wily as it had been a moment before, "You know Ginseng tea is my favourite,"
Zuko allowed a private smile as the lights of the Bismarck came into view, the Sovereignty framing it beautifully against it's grey hull.
And for the first time in a while, Zuko was glad to return to that fifty year old relic.
They had searched the entire base, Katara on foot, Sokka up in the Command Centre, but no sign of him.
According to Forge, Aang knew the innards of Pacific Base second only to his vast knowledge of Everest. If he didn't want to be found, he wouldn't be found.
That didn't stop Katara from trying however.
And after two full hours of searching, she found him.
Sitting quiet and alone in the middle of the forest area, his uniform was covered in scratch marks and small tears, signifying it had taken him a while to push through the undergrowth that had accumulated there over the past one hundred years.
He didn't move when she approached. He didn't even turn to look at her. He just stared ahead into the oncoming gloom as the base began it's daily cycle into artificial night, his hat lying discarded by the trunk of the tree he lent against, perhaps discarded after running a hand through his hair one to many times.
The only constant sound was the faint clunk, clunk, clunk of something as he kept hitting it lightly against his hand.
As she rounded the tree slightly, she realised it was his pistol.
"Alistair?" he didn't reply, but he didn't make a move to keep her away either. She continued to tentatively approach, "I know you're upset…and I know how hard it is to lose the people you care about. I know this doesn't sound like the same thing but…I went through the same thing when I lost my mom. Your friends, your comrades, your family…the Black Core may be gone, but you still have a family. Sokka and I, we're your family now,"
The clunking stopped as she knelt down beside him, his pale face turning to her silently, almost emotionlessly, save for the watery tears that rolled down his cheeks, breaking her heart to see him so sad.
"We're not going to let anything happen to you Alistair," she placed a hand delicately on his shoulder, taking the pistol from his grip with the other and tossing it into the upturned hat, "The Black Core will live on in you. I promise,"
It started with a sniff. Then a hiccup.
In a matter of moments Katara had gathered up the broken man in her arms as fresh tears poured down his face, accompanied by pain ridden sobs as he clung to her desperately, his hands clutching at her coat as he cried into the crook of her neck.
"Shh, It's alright Alistair," she smiled slightly, mostly out of relief as a single droplet of salty moisture made a small path across her tanned skin, "Shh, it's alright now. I'm here,"
ON THIS SITE LIES THE LAST REMAINS OF THE BRAVE MEN AND WOMEN OF BLACK CORE INSTALLATION ZERO SIX, PACIFIC BASE, WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES IN THE LINE OF DUTY, AND WHOSE SPIRITS CONTINUE TO GIVE US STRENGTH FOR THE FUTURE.
WE SHALL NOT FORGET THEM.
ON THIS SITE LIES THE LAST REMAINS OF THE MEN OF THE GERMAN UNIFIED NATION'S SS ARMED FORCES, WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES FOR WHAT THEY THOUGHT WAS RIGHT, AND FOR WHO WE CAN SHOW NO ANGER TOWARDS FOR FOLLOWING ORDERS, IN THE HOPE THEY SAW THE ERROR OF THEIR SUPERIORS BELIEFS IN WHATEVER LIES BEYOND THIS WORLD.
MAY WHATEVER GOD THEY BELIEVED IN HAVE MERCY AND PITY ON THEIR SOULS.
It had taken the best part of the following morning, and even then Alistair wasn't sure they had found all the remains of those that had died, but as he hammered the last memorial stone into place, he felt he had done the right thing.
Before him stood two fields, one for Black Core, the other for G.U.N. He hadn't the heart to allow the remains of either side to stay untouched when they left the base, and had insisted that they bury everyone they could find, not even taking Sokka's suggestion about ejecting the SS forces through the Arrival Area's airlock into consideration.
Now, small hills dotted the two grassy plains where Alistair and Sokka had dug each person their own personal grave while Katara and Forge had done their best to recover as many of the skeletal remains as they could.
As Alistair had said to her before they started; Every ordered soldier deserves a descent burial.
"Hey,"
"Hey," The officer smiled as his feminine friend walked down the path from the Arrival Area, "We all set to go?"
"Nearly," Katara smiled as she came up beside him, her azure eyes cast across the memorial stones freshly made by the factory levels, "Sokka's just seeing what we can salvage from the farm area. Forge's definitely out-done herself with the Lumber's rearming. A lot of energy based weaponry. Missile racks, a rifle, duel pistols…she even upgraded the armour and thrusters. It's going to take a lot of getting used too,"
"You'll do it," Aang flashed her a smile, "I know you will,"
"Thanks Alistair," she mirrored his grin slightly, before a seriousness overcame her, "So…where too know?"
"I decided to go over Professor Kyoshi's logs before we left," the officer sighed as he lent on the shovel heavily, "She said something about returning home. I think she was talking about her homeland rather then Washington though," he smiled fondly, "She always did want to return to Kyoto,"
"So…we're going to Japan?"
"Right now, I think it's best that I try to find out what happened to any survivors of the Day of Blood," Alistair stood up from his leaning post as he hoisted the shovel over his shoulder, the pair making their way back down towards the Avat in time to see Sokka and Forge, in he monitor form, bickering over a crate load of food he was trying to bring aboard, "Since Professor Kyoshi was a Commandant, I think we better start with her. She's also our strongest lead. I'm not sure what the States are like at the moment, and I don't really what to find myself on the front line if they find out I have Avatar with me. Kyoto will be quiet…I hope. I'd like to start there,"
Katara nodded understandingly as she looped her arm with his, leaning her head gently against his slightly dirty shirt as they watched the commotion continue.
"So…what about Forge?"
"I was thinking we'd bring her along," Aang smiled down at the bemused look she gave him, "There's a small nook for her Monitor to interface with the Avat, so she'd really be useful and…"
"Do you have a crush on her?"
The officer blushed scarlet at the lazy smile the tanned girl gave him.
"Erm…Doesn't every guy?"
"OUCH!!! SEE WHAT YOU'VE DONE!!! LOOK AT THE MESS!!! THESE ARE MY FAVOURITE BOOTS!!!"
Katara merely laughed at Alistair's attempt at humour, a little extra chuckle at Sokka's outburst as the couple headed towards the bickering pair to defuse the situation.
"Apparently not every guy. She's sure going to make this an interesting trip, that's for sure,"
Artirius could sense the danger when Colonel Zhao ordered him to his office in the darkening hours of the evening. The tension was thick enough to cut with a knife as he 'gazed' at the hulking man's back as the Colonel poured himself tea from the urn.
"Heil Sozin," the Major saluted smartly, "You wanted to see me Colonel?"
"Has the Bismarck departed?" Zhao did not even bother to return a salute.
"A few hours ago. We had to shift the launch deck from the Maria to get them underway within the day, but she was due to be scrapped anyway so…"
"I am willing to overlook your….actions yesterday," the Colonel still hadn't turned to face him yet, "I will admit, I admire your devotion to the intricate workings of the G.U.N., but mark my words Artirius," his voice took on a dangerous tone, "if you ever attack me again, Iroh will have to look a very long way down in the earth to find you. You're loyalty is to me and the Führer. Am I clear?"
"Crystal sir,"
"Excellent," the giant man turned to face his right hand man, one hand holding the saucer carefully between his thick fingers as he sipped his hot drink, the china clinking together as he smiled darkly at the officer, "I am assigning you command of the Sovereignty, and am giving you charge of the 501st Ranger legion. Take Lieutenant Ming with you. You two have…worked well in the past. She can act as your liaison with the crew in case someone decides a Marine cannot command a entire carrier,"
Artirius raised an eyebrow from under his blindfold, "Do you have a mission for me Colonel?"
"Of course I do," the smile that cross Zhao's face became almost maniacal, "I need you to find something for me Artirius. Something that's been lost…for a very long time…"
I think I forgot to mention this, but monitors are from Halo and thus belong to Bungie. Charlatan Forge belongs to me though, because she's a character that was breifly mentioned in my halo fic, A Man Named John.
Whew, that chapter was long one. the fighting was hard to write, as was Eternal's transforming sequence. Eternal by the way is inspired by my design for the Eternal Mk. II from my origianl Gundam series, Mobile Suit Gundam Eternal Zero (The as current unwrittten sequel to Mobile Sut Gundam Eternal). Just a little infomation for you there.
Hope you enjoyed this chapter, and stay tuend for future ones
Thanks for reading
Dearing