Battle Dawn

Chapter 19: Dusk

by Silver

Author's Note: I want to thank everyone for their patience and support as I've sluggishly updated this story. Thanks again to Zeropioneer for proofreading every chapter and sparing us all the pain of my terrible spelling and grammatical errors.

Believe it or not, this is the final chapter of Battle Dawn. Can I wrap everything up in just one chapter? Let's see…

X X X X X X X X X X X X

Atory was trying not to cry, which made Angela happy. The world was often cruel to people who showed their tears, but that was because many people had forgotten how to cry altogether. Given the strength of his parting hug, Angela wondered if she'd have to travel to Jusight with her son still clinging to her neck. "I'll be back before you're an inch taller." Which wasn't true. Atory seemed to be growing by the hour. How tall would her son be by the time she returned?

Her husband did not fare much better. In some ways, parting with him was even more of an ordeal. His embrace was just as tight, but as they held one another she could feel his head turn slightly to regard Lady Reese, who stood on the opposite side of the landing pad, regarding Angela's family with a mixture of humor and envy.

The Lady's arrival had been a tumultuous event at best. Henry was livid at the thought of his wife leaving to live in the ZBC capital. "You'll be in danger, and too far away for me to help! If tensions should break out, you'll be the perfect hostage."

Angela had replied as calmly as possible. "I am more than able to care for myself, and I am confident in your negotiating skills. There will be no war so long as you hold the safety of our people first and foremost."

"I don't need a lecture on my duties as king, but what about my responsibilities as your husband?"

"You need to care for our son in my absence. And I am going to Jusight to fulfill my duties as a wife and mother as much as I am going as queen of Arcadia. Lady Reese would not have told me about Leena Toros unless she held a great significance. If helping her contributes to protecting you, Atory, and our people, then I cannot refuse."

"But you don't even know the true significance of this girl!"

"The Lady is rarely so forthcoming."

"And that's another matter. You're leaving your family's inheritance in the care of a woman we barely know."

"You barely know her. I would not be the woman I am today if not for her tutelage. Isn't that reason enough to trust her?"

Henry sighed and allowed some of the tension to leave his body. His next words were tender. "I love you for who you are; not for your etiquette or upbringing. The Lady may have taught you much, but you were wonderful long before you met her." They shared a rather powerful kiss after that. Henry was always exquisite with compliments. "But can this Lady properly control Fylak?"

The Lady answered his challenge by materializing from nowhere, grinning and delicately confiscating Angela's locket. Holding it aloft in one hand she motioned for the couple to look out their bedroom window. Outside the people stared in awe and fear as Fylak's shield began to shimmer like a rainbow, coloring the sky with a torrent of colors that danced from one end of the city to the other. Lights rippled across the menagerie of hues and Angela swore she could hear Fylak singing somehow.

The Lady had not shown one bit of stress during the whole event. She merely slipped the pendant around her neck and regarded the king. "I trust I have proven my worth. Now I shall wait and see if you yourself are apt enough to rule without your wife's input."

The Lady had chartered a Hammerhead transport for Angela's trip to Jusight. She'd paid for the whole fare, though Arcadia had to contribute some of its own funds for a brief stopover in the desert. Captain Stoller, who stood across the way bidding farewell to his teammates Pierce and Sanders, would be accompanying Angela as far as the Blitz Team's base. He would await their inevitable return and conscript the young pilot Leo to be the first member of the Arcadian Guardian Force. That was the plan, at least.

Angela bid goodbye to Chancellor Hancock and Ambassador Gray before boarding the Hammerhead. After Stoller had entered and both passengers seated themselves, the Zoid's engines flared to life and it floated upward, passing through a portal that had opened in Fylak's shield. Angela did not speak as they departed. She only watched her city, her home, her country outside the window.

All that was left to do was hope and pray.

May this land be safer and stronger by the time I return, and all my loved ones happy.

X X X X X X X X

The underground chamber thrummed quietly as Vaez regarded the submissive figure before him. Kneeling with her eyes averted, Leviathe was the absolute model of obedience and loyalty. Such an odd outcome; given their history.

He'd first met Leviathe while pointing a gun at her. It was the climax to a long and rather drawn-out hunt during his early days in the ZBC. Leviathe had been the leader of a bandit troupe, gaining notoriety as they plundered independent states and even raiding ZBC supply routes. Vaez made a name for himself within the ZBC ranks by eliminating her group with a force deemed "too small" by traditionalists. But as he pursued his future servant and wore down her forces, he began to appreciate her skill and resourcefulness. He'd also had the chance to battle her and witness her piloting skills, further testifying to her abilities.

When the moment of checkmate arrived, Vaez made sure he faced Leviathe alone, so that when he finally gained the upper hand he made her an offer. "Serve me and I'll report you as dead. I'll protect you and give you a new identity. You can start a whole new life; one you could never dare dream." Had she not accepted, he'd have killed her on the spot, but Vaez had suspected how invaluable she'd become under his tutelage.

Her skills as a pilot and hand-to-hand warrior put her on par with most Class A teams, perhaps even Class S. Her stealth abilities made her a perfect shadow guard, and her unwavering loyalty spared him the trouble of looking over his shoulder. Even more, Leviathe could perform all the functions of a woman, save one: she could not bare children.

This was perhaps her most treasured asset. It meant that Vaez could indulge in the desires that fueled mankind's survival without having to worry about illegitimate offspring and future power struggles. She made it possible for him to conduct his work without being distracted by primal, undeniable, urges. Just the other night he'd allowed Leviathe to share his bed. He wondered what he'd have to do once Leena Toros became his bride. Leviathe's usefulness would dwindle. If her loyalty diminished even slightly, Vaez would have to part with a great asset.

"Rise, Leviathe." He motioned for her to approach the edge of the Zoid birthing pool. "I have a mission for you. One of absolute importance."

Leviathe bowed her head. "Whatever you wish, I will make it happen."

He nodded, pleased. "Leena Toros has just accepted my offer to come to Jusight." Leviathe stiffened, but said nothing. "She is a pivotal piece in the construction of our new empire. To ensure her safety, she must stay close to me. If she is ever tempted to return to that hole in the desert from whence she came, much of my work will be set back and possibly fall apart."

He reached over and placed his hand on her cheek. He could feel the blood rushing under her skin, her heartbeat shaking her very soul. "In this moment of absolute importance, I rely on you to ensure Zi's future. You are the only one I trust with such a task."

The pool's waters began to recede, and metal tracks whirred to life, lifting a platform from beneath the fluid. A new Zoid, the first of its kind and the spearhead of his new army, arose.

Its color was unlike any other Zoid's. A bright neon green with dark purple plug caps. It stood on two powerful legs and balanced with its long slender tail. Its forearms seemed too short to serve any purpose other than mounting the twin cannons on its shoulders. Its snout held a sharp array of teeth that could easily bite through smaller Zoids, and its glowing red eyes surveyed the surroundings and its future pilot.

The row of tall, narrow spines that served as its main weapon and namesake towered above its head while resting on an orchid support track. The track connected just behind the Zoid's head on a pivoting motor that could elevate the spines to almost a perfect right angle.

"The Dark Spiner." Vaez introduced. "The first unit of my new army. The tip of the sword that will cut away the usurpers of this world and restore rightful order. Leviathe, I trust this important tool to you and only you. Other Dark Spiners will follow, but yours is the first; the symbol of my new campaign."

"I am honored." Leviathe bowed deeply. "How may I serve you?"

"The Super Satellite has kept track of the Blitz Team's trek home. They'll arrive in less than a week and Leena Toros will leave several days thereafter. The moment she is away, I want you to destroy the Blitz Team. Blow up their Hover Cargo, burn their base. Strip away any remnants of Leena Toros' old life."

"And the Blitz Team members themselves?"

"My puppet will attend to Leena's father and brother. I'd rather have them alive, but believed to be dead. Bit Cloud shall live, for I have plans for him. If the Blitz are gone, Bit Cloud shall return to his wandering days until such time as I need him. Brad Hunter and Naomi Fluegel should be gone long before your attack. There is only one person I want you to kill in this mission. He goes by the name 'Leo' though he has no true name, other than perhaps 'refuse.'" His existence is an unwanted variable, and I would have you remove it. Can you do this for me, Leviathe?"

"Easily. It shall be done just as you ask."

Vaez nodded approvingly and Leviathe entered her new Zoid. A section of the dome wall retracted and slide away, revealing an elevator large enough to transport the Dark Spiner to the surface. A Backdraft Whale King would provide escort from there. Vaez watched his most trusted servant depart and dreamed of the future that was to come, whether Leviathe lived to see it or not was only of fleeting significance.

X X X X X X X X

Leo hadn't panicked, truly panicked, since that day so many years ago. The day that he heard the angry men were going to seal him away with the others, in the "freezer." At the moment he'd discovered their plans, and they in turn discovered his crawling within the ducts, his mind had become a blurred mess of fear and confusion. He'd crawled through the darkness, the metal sides burning his bare skin, but he'd ignored the pain. There was no place for it in a mind already overflowing with terror.

He didn't want to be frozen. He didn't want to disappear like everyone else. He wanted to run away with Fang, and if he didn't do that very night he'd never get away.

Mercifully, he'd found the route back to the lonely Command Wolf. Fang stood where he always waited, almost like a statue. Except that, for the first time, Leo had sensed Fang's feelings and intentions. He had been panicking as well, and was waiting for Leo to come so they could leave.

No sooner had Leo climbed into the cockpit than the long-sealed door to the hangar blew open and several angry men rushed inside, shouting. They'd almost reached him before Fang's cockpit fully closed. They screamed angry words and pounded on the glass while looking for external release switch. Leo hadn't waited to see if they found it. Using the very skills they'd taught him, he'd powered up Fang's core and tried out his repairs on the rear-mounted cannons. It took several vollyes to blow down the hangar door, which had long since rusted over. The angry men ran away, now screaming in fear from the first shot.

With a howl of excitement, Fang charged forward. Leo had been too short to reach the floor pedals, but he'd managed to use two metal poles and an abandoned pair of boots to make leg extenders. He wasn't a very good pilot, but even he could move a Zoid forward. Fang sprinted into the night, moving as fast as he could to any place other than where they'd been.

The angry men had sent out searches, mostly Zabats and Rev Raptors. Leo and Fang managed to outrun them into nearby mountains, where they hid for several days. Leo had almost starved, but he and Fang managed to escape to a town nestled in a small valley where the kind people offered him food and clothing.

But he hadn't stayed long. For the next two years he stayed on the move with Fang, learning to pilot his partner and hoping that they were still one step ahead of the angry men. Somewhere along the line, Leo got used to wandering and never stopped until he met a wild, red-haired, fiery-tempered woman who made him stay with the Blitz Team. Now that same girl, who had carved out a place in Leo's heart, was leaving. The Blitz Team had disbanded, and Leo left to wander again.

He wasn't panicking. After the fear he felt that night, a situation such as this wasn't nearly so terrifying. He'd survived as wanderer for over a decade. He could do it again. He'd only been with the Blitz for a few months, though it felt like forever. Unlike when he left other teams, he didn't vow to target them in the next match, and there was no eagerness to be gone.

"Damnit, Fang." Leo sighed from the pilot's seat within his partner's head. "I don't want to go."

Fang growled quietly. He too had his fill of wandering.

"But what can we do? Hang out here with Doc until Leena realizes she's making a mistake? I might be as old as you by that time." Several lights in the cockpit winked off. Fang was pouting. He didn't like being reminded of his age. "Come on, don't be like that. You know I love you. I don't want to think about where I'd be if we hadn't found each other." The lights blinked back on. "You've been the only being on all of Zi that I could count on, Fang. But now… now we have friends, good friends, and they're all going away. We're the ones who're supposed to walk out, not everybody else." He sighed. "This sucks."

"Only in the short-term." Doc arrived on the platform, carrying a six-pack of beer. Leo felt a little embarrassed and wondered if he'd heard all of Leo's conversation with Fang. "Join me for a drink?" Leo nodded and climbed out of Fang's cockpit. They seated themselves on a pair of cargo crates, took a can for each, and toasted. "To new beginnings," said Doc, "they're never easy, but they can be very rewarding." They drank. The beer was cheap and a little bitter, but Leo didn't complain.

"I remember," he said, "you shared a drink with me after I first arrived. You said that if I gave the team a chance they'd grow on me."

Doc nodded, smiling. "Was I right or was I right?"

"You were right… I've really loved being on this team."

Another nod from Doc. "Is the one team in the entire league that can accept anyone and everyone, provided they're willing to be accepted as well. I know you had a rough start, Leo, but you've become a true Blitz member."

Leo exhaled. "And now it's all over, in more ways that one."

"Oh? This wouldn't have anything to do with Leena, would it?"

Leo was silent for a very long time. How was he going to put this? After over-thinking the phrasing, he went with the simplest answer. "I told her I liked her and she turned me down. I never even had a chance."

Doc patted his shoulder. "More of a chance than you might realize. I can't say what will happen, but don't let one setback disappoint you. Leena didn't accept your feelings this time, but that doesn't mean you'll never find love. Maybe she'll change her mind or maybe you'll meet someone new and wonderful. That's the nice thing about life: so unpredictable."

Leo finished off his can with one last swig and reached for another. "I don't know, Doc. I'm not exactly the most sociable person."

"Ah, yes. You're not planning on going back to roaming about all of Zi, are you?"

"I don't know about any alternative."

Doc pondered for a moment. "Bit would welcome some company. Maybe you'd join him in the junk trade business for a while?" Leo grinned, remembering how he and Bit had quarreled over Shield Liger parts like two dogs fighting for the same bone. It might be fun to outrace Bit for spares after he healed. Doc also suggested, "You could come to the Zoids Academy. After the Royal Cup, the Academy offered me a teaching position for engineering. Given your skills, I could either recommend you as a teacher or make you an assistant. It's good work and you'll meet a lot of new people." He grinned. "New women too."

Right now, Leo didn't feel like meeting any new women. He wanted to be with Leena, no one else. Still, getting out and meeting people was supposed to be healthy in these situations. At least, that was what Leo had always heard. Being turned away had been a harsher blow than he would've expected. He wasn't panicking, but he was nowhere near happy either.

"I would have to help you move your toys, would I?"

Doc laughed aloud. "HA HA! Seriously, they're model kits."

"Toys."

"Model. Kits."

"Toy-zz."

"Model Kits!"

"Toys!" They both stared each other in the eye for almost a minute before they broke out in complete laughter.

X X X X X X X X

Alteil regarded Fuma as calmly as possible. She, like almost everyone else on the planet, looked at Alteil but only saw his execution. She didn't see the chains that held him, or the puppeteer who laughed in the shadows. No, Alteil was to pay for all of Vaez' sins and no one knew the truth. This simple fact made Alteil hate everyone on Zi. He would gladly laugh at their deaths.

"It's the price of your ignorance! You gave Vaez power! You made him your leader! He slaughters you without a second thought and in your stupidity you only act by what you see! I'm your scapegoat, your sacrifice. I become the demon so you can feel better about your own weakness! One day you'll all curse how stupid you were, and whether I'm on this planet or in hell itself, I'll laugh!" How he wanted to say that to Fuma at this moment.

Instead, he said, "Take two of your men to the Elemia desert, near the Blitz Team's base."

Fuma stiffened. The Blitz had defeated Fuma's team twice. "Warrior's pride" demanded that Fuma avenge her disgrace and that of her men, but common sense said for her to stay away.

You're as powerless as I, Fuma, thought Alteil. No, you're even more powerless. I serve because there's a knife to my throat. You serve me out of foolish pride and devotion to someone else. That's what makes you weak.

"Are we going to hold an unofficial match against the Blitz?" asked Fuma. "I thought the Backdraft was past all that."

Alteil leaned back. "No matches. No Dark Judges. This time the mission is the eradication of the Blitz Team's base and Hover Cargo, as well as the Liger Zero's conversion system. We'll be holding bets, of course, but the outcome is not in question."

"My men and I are ready to carry out the attack."

"No need. I'm not sending you to attack."

Fuma's expression danced between relief and disappointment. Alteil said, "I want the Blitz Team dead to the world, but they may be of some use, so I want them to be physically alive. There are two specific targets you must retrieve. Let the assault team deal handle the rest."

"But my team is far more experienced in fighting the Blitz Team. We know from experience how unpredictable-"

"You've lost twice already. I won't risk failure on another mission."

"But-"

"Incidentally, we've been having some trouble with food resources. I understand your mother is in danger of having to skip a few meals for the next month or so." It was a tactless threat, totally lacking in subtly or cleverness. Fuma hated him for such an obvious attack and that made Alteil loath her all the more.

You should only live long enough to realize your own weakness, Alteil mentally sneered.

Fuma saluted without comment and exited just and silently, blending into the hallway's shadows. Alone with his thoughts and his hatred, Alteil pulled out a pen and paper—the only means of communication that Vaez couldn't tap—and began writing a letter that he hoped would never have to be delivered. It was a letter of revelation. A letter of hatred. A letter that would prompt his laughter.

X X X X X X X X

The Blitz Team base, the starting place and ending for the team's second-season journeys, grew steadily in the Hover Cargo's monitor. Leena was visibly anxious, sitting in the seat closest to the monitor. Leon sat across the way, his glum mood clashing against Leena's anticipation. Doc sat at the helm, monitoring the auto-pilot and providing the role of the calm, mature leader (something Leo wasn't accustomed to seeing). For his part, Leo just sat and listened to chatter on the radio. Gustav drivers called out to one another, talking about the weather, sports, crude jokes. He only paid enough attention to keep from looking at Leena.

"Dad, can't we go any faster? Sen's going to pick me up in an hour and I haven't even packed yet."

Why bother packing? thought Leo. Vaez would probably buy her a hundred new outfits and Zoids parts if she asked. Leo wondered, not for the first time, what had become of the Cannon Fort. Maybe Leena would dump Sen if his next gift chased her as well. He stifled a laugh, even though it wasn't really funny.

Brad and Naomi had departed before dawn, almost without saying goodbye. It had not been a happy parting, and Leon seemed especially bitter after the Fluegel team's breakup. Leo had wondered if perhaps Leon would fill in for Brad as a teammate for the Blitz again, but with Leena going there wasn't any point. The Blitz was finished, and Leo still wasn't sure what he'd do next. Doc's offer was especially enticing. Leo could learn more about fixing Zoids, earn money to complete Fang's upgrades, and maybe meet some new people. He was sick of wandering, and now he could accept that Fang was just as tired of battle. With a few exceptions, they hadn't been the best combat team. They lost time after time, due to both Leo's poor skill and Fang's age.

But they didn't really like battling. That was a recent revelation. In the aftermath of the Backdraft attacks, Leo now saw Zoids Battles as trivial games; but they'd never had a huge importance for him to begin with. He'd only participated because he had thought Fang would be happy in combat again, but that wasn't true. He'd sensed Fang's happiness growing during their time with the Blitz, just as Leo had grown more comfortable. Fang wanted to be with people and other Zoids. He'd been so lonely for an unimaginable time. Fighting didn't bring him happiness, and now Leo could admit he hadn't been happy either.

It was decided, Leo would go to the academy with Fang and Doc. This brought a great feeling of peace. Now he had another plan. More specifically: a plan that meant doing something with his life, not just bouncing between jobs. I'll become stronger, he thought, strong enough that men like Vaez can't overshadow me with just money.

They disembarked and began individual tasks. Leon and Doc took inventory of weapons and parts, and everything that was needed to fix the Liger Zero. Leo wondered if he should offer to take the Liger with him to the Academy and finish his repairs, but Leo doubted Bit would be willing to part with Zero. He'd have to take a few trips out and help Bit get his partner up and running again.

Bit himself remained in the Hover Cargo, resting and recuperating. He'd been downloading books on self-healing and rejuvenating foods. Anything to speed up his healing.

Leena was, of course, packing to leave; throwing clothes either in a bag, on the floor, or in the trash. Everything Leo owned was on the Hover Cargo in a single bag. No need to worry about packing, and Fang was in as good a shape as possible without more parts.

With little to do, Leo wandered the grounds, remembering all that had happened since he first set foot on this base. The whole world had changed in just a few months, for the worse. Yet in the middle of all the destruction and fear, Leo had made true friends, fallen in love, felt the sting of rejection, and grown as a pilot and a person. Some parts he could do without, but Doc had been right. He did love being on the Blitz.

His meandering brought him to the storage shed on the base's outskirts; the one Bit had tried to use to hide his salvage. Brad had planed to charge both of them for secrecy and use of the shed, but he never once mentioned a fee or set up a way for them to pay him before he left. Leo took that as Brad's form of saying good-bye and good luck.

The hangar bay, where he'd hidden for a good deal of his time on the base, had gathered a fine layer of sand on the floor, despite the team's efforts to keep the bay sealed. Leo grabbed a broom and started sweeping the place clean. He almost set off the security system and had to sidestep several nets falling from above. The Blitz's security was laughable next to the training courses the angry men had set up. Leo could still dodge their traps without missing a step.

If only those bastards could see me now, thought Leo. He'd become everything they didn't want, and that made him especially happy.

The hour passed quickly and soon Leo stood beside Leena's family as she said goodbye. The girl he'd come to care for deeply now wore the clothes given to her by his rival, a man he didn't think deserved her, but Leena disagreed. She'd already bid farewell to Bit inside the Hover Cargo. Now she hugged her brother, kissed her father on the cheek, and said goodbye to both.

It was unbearably awkward when she stepped in front of him. What were they supposed to do? Shake hands? Hug? Say, "Sorry our time together ended with me getting shot down. Have a nice life and don't let Vaez sneak behind your back?"

I won't end this bitterly, Leo decided. He'd left too many teams with anger in his wake. He held out his hand and said, "Take care of yourself, Leena."

She looked from his hand to his face and back again, the abruptly leaned forward and wrapped her arms around his neck. "You too." She gently kissed his cheek. Leo felt fire, far more intense and pleasant than the flames from the Zoid pool, flow from his cheek throughout the rest of the body. He held her as well, but only enough to be friendly. If he held her any tighter he knew he'd never let go.

Her Hammerhead escort, painted in brilliant white with the ZBC logo on the side, descended from the heavens, come to spirit Leena away. Something within Leo cried for him to stop her, to make her stay and tell the Hammerhead pilot to shove off. Even if she hated him for it, he should make sure she stayed as far away from Jusight as possible.

But he didn't listen. No one would listen to such a voice, though Leo would soon wish he had.

X X X X X X X X

Leena had ridden in a few Hammerhead's before, mostly tourist vessels that showed off the finer sights on Zi. They'd been crammed full of seats with armrests that jabbed people in the sides as they passed down the narrow aisle. The inside of Sen's Hammerhead was so different that Leena wondered if he'd somehow magically whisked her back inside his personal Whale King. The hallway was a plush white carpet that lacked even the slightest blemish. The walls were a royal crimson and textured with a light plaster. Up ahead, Sen's personal robot waited for her.

"Good evening, Ms. Toros."

"Hello, Cura. Where is Sen?"

The robot swiveled on its wheeled legs and escorted her down the hallway, having no trouble maneuvering on the thick carpet. "Master Vaez regrets not being able to escort you home in person. They are planning a raid on a recently discovered Backdraft base and he could not break away at so critical a time."

Leena frowned, "So it's just you and the pilot on this ship?"

"No, ma'am. I am the pilot of this ship. I am fully programmed in the use of the Hammerhead's controls and weapons systems, and this ship has been customized so that I may directly interface with the Zoid in order to fulfill the role of several crew members simultaneously."

"Oh…" Leena tried not to pay attention to the uneasiness she suddenly felt. She didn't like the idea of traveling alone to a new place with nothing but a robot with the personality of a brick. It was easier to ignore her feeling when she stepped into her cabin. The room itself was twice as big as her cabin on the Hover Cargo, with incredible furnishing. Two small dressers bordered a tall mirror on the far wall, alongside the closet. Closest to the door was an oak desk with a build-in computer terminal and an e-mail account already set up. The queen-sized bed was white with pink silk sheets. A door in the far corner led to the bathroom with a Jacuzzi tub and showerhead stall. Leena was in paradise.

She stepped over to the closet while Cura excused himself—or itself—to start up the Hammerhead. Leena paid it little mind and began to examine the dazzling display of dresses, all in her size.

… All in her size…

She held a few up in front of the mirror and wondered how Sen knew her measurements so well. He'd been a bit liberal with her waistline, but everything looked as if it would fit. For a moment, Leena wondered if she weren't being watch.

The Hammerhead shook slightly with the power of its liftoff, then shuddered violently as suddenly veered. Leena nearly lost her footing and grabbed hold of the dresser's side, which had mercifully been bolted to the floor. Loud burst of thunder shook the hull and Leena could hear the unmistakable, heart-stopping sound of explosions outside.

"Ms. Toros." Cura's impersonal voice came over the intercom. "Please take your seat at the computer stand. It has a built-in seatbelt."

"What's going on?"

Cura spoke as if he were announcing a weather report. "An enemy Whale King has appeared above the Blitz Team's base and is bombarding the area."

"What?"

"I repeat-"

"Never mind!" Leena wanted to throw something at the tin can. "Turn the ship around and get ready to attack. We need to give my team cover!"

"Negative." The Hammerhead began ascending. "My orders are to escort you to Jusight and ensure your protection. The Whale King is not targeting this vessel. Attacking a superior ship would only place you in danger. We will go to Jusight." The line clicked off and Leena heard an automatic lock seal on the door to her cabin. She rushed to the window, helpless to do anything as her friends and family faced the very enemy she'd sworn to help defeat.

X X X X X X X X

It was hard to believe such a huge vessel could sneak up on the Blitz Team like that. The Whale King's black hull was enough to give away its allegiance; the stealth ability was merely a confirmation. In opposition to Helics's powdery blue color scheme, Guylos' noble crimson, and ZBC's pure white, the Backdraft always painted their Whale Kings with shadows.

This particular model bore a disturbing number of turrets and large cannons, a fact that drove the remaining Blitz Team members to flee inside. Doc activated the Hover Cargo's shield just before the barrage struck, but with the energy dome protecting their transport it was impossible to retaliate.

"We'll be okay…" Doc's voice was hollow as he watched the base through the monitor. The Hover Cargo could easily withstand such a barrage, but the base was unprotected. The hanger, storage sheds, and the dormitory all erupted in a blaze, consuming everything. Leo's heart clenched as he saw almost everything the Blitz Team owned vanish into the fire. Doc's models were in that inferno, but he didn't even mention them. "We're safe in here. That's what counts. Bases can be rebuilt."

"What about Leena?" Leo couldn't raise her Hammerhead. Either they were being jammed or the pilot didn't care to answer.

"She's fine." Leon assured. "The Hammerhead's heading straight for Jusight and is already out of range." Good.

Doc assumed the voice of a military commander. "Get ready to return fire as soon as the barrage stops! Those cannons can't keep up bombardment indefinitely!" In fact, the barrage stopped at that moment.

"Take this!" Leon triggered the Hover Cargo's autofire program. The cannons mounted on the rear stabilizers and the front hangar opened fire, pelting the Whale King's side and causing it to veer to port. The cannons followed their appointed target. Another volley came from the Whale King but Doc had already ceased their retaliation and had the shield up again.

"Leon," Doc said, "get ready to deploy your Blade Liger. The enemy will deploy Zoids when they realize that long-range fire isn't going to work. Leo, get Bit to Liger Zero, then prep Fang for launch. If anything happens, I want to make sure you can all evacuate."

Leon was already on his way to the hangar, but Leo hesitated. "You really think all that's necessary?"

"The Backdraft's a lot more violent than before. I don't want to take stupid chances. Trust me on this and get Bit!" Leo moved.

The whole Hover Cargo shook under the Whale Kings cannon fire. Leo hated being inside while the battle took place beyond the armored walls, but he knew Fang would probably be blown to scrap if they went out now.

Bit was just as anxious as Leo, and was already trying to pull himself into a wheel chair. "Hurry up and help me! I gotta check on Liger!" Leo moved Bit as quickly as he could without risking more injury. Neither Bit nor Zero was ready for combat. If they left the Hover Cargo, they'd be little more than targets.

The shaking subsided and Doc's voice came over the intercom. "The enemy just launched a Zoid. I don't recognize it, but it looks powerful. Leon, launch! Watch out for enemy fire and fall back to the Hover Cargo's shield if the Whale King tries anything." Leo didn't hear Leon's reply, but the low hum of the Hover Cargo's catapult filled the room. At Bit's insistence, Leo sped them to the hangar.

Halfway there, the Hover Cargo shuddered and the lights flickered violently before dying. "Doc?" Leo punched the intercom button. "Doc! What happened."

The reply was almost lost behind a wall of static. "Th-czzzztt-id fired some-shhhhkkk-gy burst! Shield is off-ctz-ine! Launch now!" It was enough to get the point across. Leo had to pry the door to the hangar open. Whatever weapon the enemy was using had fried all the connections to the controls.

Zero growled angrily and opened his cockpit for Bit. "Take care of him, Zero." The Liger growled in a friendly way. Leo took it as best wishes and moved the Liger up to the head of the catapult. "Just run, Bit. I'll support Leon." He triggered the auto-launch and Zero streaked off the platform into the outside battle. Leo activated the auto-launch for Fang's platform, then jumped on as his partner passed.

The cockpit whooshed open hastily. Fang was just as impatient as Zero. "I'm sorry about this, Fang. I know you don't like fighting, and I hate it too. But right now we need to protect the people we care about. That's what we do best!" The weapons systems and power displayed flared to life. Fang felt the same way. Leo had just barely finished fasting his harness before the magnetic energy of the catapult grabbed hold of Fang and thrust them skyward.

The situation was grim from the start. Zero was sprinting away from the fight, no doubt to Bit's dismay. The Whale King had stopped using its larger artillery, but smaller, secondary cannons continued to punch holes in the Hover Cargo's armor. Without its shield, the transport Zoid couldn't compete with its airborne foe, and its cannons couldn't match its firepower. Two of the Cargo's turrets had been destroyed, and the others were running out of ammo.

Leon was faring the worst of all. It was hard to imagine how the enemy Zoid could have damaged him so badly. The Blade Liger's left sword had been ripped away, and its armor bore multiple burns and scourging. Judging from the sparks that jumped from multiple points on its body, the Zoids systems were shorting out.

"Leon!" Leo charged the moment he hit the ground, firing lasers at the weird new Zoid. It looked a little like a Genosaurer, but it was a bright neon green with a long, pointed snout and strange purple fins rising and falling in an arc on its back. It was using the twin laser cannons on its shoulders to bombard the Blade Liger, whose shield looked as if it were about to fail.

Fang's shots were going to hit dead on, but the Zoid miraculously noticed the blast and jumped skyward. The blasts passed just under its feet. "Leo!" Leon called, "Stay back! This thing's too much for your Zoid!" The Blade Liger extended its remaining blade and sprung at the enemy. Leon's booster pack was completely useless, but he'd managed to put enough force in his Liger's jump to meet its target.

It looked as if the blade would slice through the enemy's chest, but at the last moment its short arm lashed out and seized the blade's connection arm. The pilot of that Zoid was amazing. As the Blade Liger's momentum carried both Zoids up, the enemy planted the Zoid's foot on the Blade Liger side and pushed away, ripping out the remaining blade in the process. Leon crashed to the ground, his Blade Liger tried to wobble to its feet, but eventually slumped, defeated.

"Damn you!" Leo fired again. The enemy Zoid, whose Identify-Friend-Foe code registered as "Dark Spiner," leaned forward, pointing its nose to the ground. The array of spines on its back raised up on a platform. The spines then began to wave back and forth, leaving a trail of blue energy in their wake.

It's a shield, Leo realized too late. The shots bounced away harmlessly. The blue energy then shifted from a pure wall to an array of white lightning that quivered between the spines. Remembering the energy surges that racked the Hover Cargo, Leo began to move Fang to the side. The lightning lashed out and reached for Fang. With a desperate leap, Fang managed to dodge all but one of the bolts. The one blast that did hit sent a shock through Fang's rear leg, shorting out several joints. The Command Wolf landed hard and nearly fell over.

"Hang on!" Leo typed in rerouting orders into the command system, bypassing the damaged section. Another hit like that and they'd loose all maneuverability.

Long range wasn't working. Time to go in close. His leg now semi-functional, Fang sprinted left, right, left, zig-zagging between shots. Brad's upgrade parts made this movement possible, and it was the only thing that saved Fang from the Dark Spiner's shots. Fang lunged with his claws and the Spiner responded by sweeping out its tail.

Gotcha! Leo pulled Fang back and dove to the side. Taken off guard by the feint, all the Spiner's weight shifted to one leg as it tried to steady itself. Not that Leo would allow time to recover. Fang jumped again, this time aiming his teeth at the Dark Spiner's neck.

The Spiner's momentum continued forward, and it pivoted on one leg so the tail circled a full 360 degrees and met Fang in the side of the head. Leo's teeth nearly shook loose as the impact dashed them against the sands. Warning sirens screamed and Fang was suddenly having trouble standing upright. Half-dazed, Leo poured over the displays and tried to find the spot that wasn't fitting right. Out the top of the cockpit, Leo could see the Hover Cargo. It was little more than a smoldering wreck now. Its cannons had gone silent and its lights darkened. Leo hoped Doc was already outside, making a run to join Liger Zero.

A shadow fell across Fang, and Leo saw two bloody eyes staring at him through the window. The Dark Spiner raised its fins once again. A direct hit would probably overload Fang's core, destroying the entire Zoid. Damn it! It couldn't end this way!

The cry in Leo's mind found a partner in the physical world as a roar shook the world and the Blade Liger sprang from behind, sinking its teeth into the Dark Spiner's array. The Spiner screamed and thrashed, trying to shake off its attacker. It only succeeded in given the Blade Liger enough leverage to pry the support beam from the main body. The Backdraft Zoid screamed aloud and bashed the Blade Liger away with its tail.

"For damaging the Zoid my lord gave to me…" A fanatic, female voice came over the comm. "I will not forgive you!" The Dark Spiners cannons pounded the Blade Liger, decimating the remaining armor and severing joints throughout the body. The Blade Liger slumped again, and its bright crimson armor began to fade into a cold stone.

"NO!" Leo and Fang got up and lunged through sheer force of will. "You bitch! I'll kill you!" The Dark Spiner knocked them away again. It was faster, stronger, more maneuverable, and it had a better pilot. Leo cursed his weakness. All that training, and it wasn't doing him any good.

Something bleeped from the side console, and a red light illuminated a word Leo dreaded:

RAGNAROCK

"Fang… No! No, we are not using that attack." The Ragnarock sign beeped fiercely while the Dark Spiner kicked them away. "Absolutely not! I won't lose you! Not like this!" Leo managed to get his partner on his feet once more and dodged a barrage of laser fire. He sprinted at the enemy again, this time jumping and trying to strike with his paw in a mimic of Bit's Strike Laser Claw. The Spiner ducked the main blow, but the claw managed to hit a laser cannon on the shoulder and knock it off the main body. Fang landed and bounded away before the Dark Spiner's tail could reach them again, but just as they began to turn the Spiner's remaining cannon hit Fang's rear turret, destroying it.

"Now you try to destroy my Zoid? You'll meet the same fate as your friend!"

Leo didn't have the energy to curse back at the woman. All he could focus on was the Ragnarock button, which shone brighter than any other control. "Fang… don't, please. Don't ask me to use that attack." The light strobed and beeped loudly. It was deafening.

Somewhere beyond this battle, Bit and the Liger Zero were waiting to see if their friends made it back alive. Leo wasn't sure what had happened to Leon and Doc, but there was a chance they survived, a chance they could outrun the enemy. The Whale King hadn't made a move or launched any new Zoids. Leena would have called for aid by now. Maybe help would arrive in time.

But all that was meaningless if this Dark Spiner Zoid got to them first. Leo knew he couldn't win with his current power, and Fang hadn't the strength to lead the Spiner away. Using the Ragnarock, though… it was appalling. He'd worked so hard to learn to fight and not kill Zoids, in opposition to everything the angry men wanted.

Time slowed as options presented themselves. He could fight on to stall the enemy, with little hope of surviving and only a partial chance that help would arrive in time. He could try to flee, abandon his friends and probably still get shot down. He could use the Ragnarock and loose his partner, but definitely save his friends.

All scenarios involved him dying, but that didn't matter. He didn't trust the ZBC, they'd been late with aid in the Valley of the Rarehertz and at Desert Flower City. Bastards were probably dragging their feet right now. It was down to him. He had to win. "Doc, Leon, please be alive." He swung Fang around to face their foe. "All right, partner. Let's send this bitch back to hell. We'll fight together, and leave this world together." Fang howled, ready for their fate.

As one, they sprang forward, sprinting with all their power. Lights in the cockpit dimmed and went black and Fang poured all his power into his legs, streaking towards the right, to the Dark Spiner's unarmed blind spot. The Spiner wasn't able to pivot fast enough to keep up with Fang's all-or-nothing run. Digging Fang's paw into the sand, Leo swung his partner and friend around and pushed forward, right at the Dark Spiner's neck.

He up his fist and hit the Ragnarock button with all his might. It was the forbidden attack, the move that guaranteed victory against almost any opponent, but at the cost of the Zoid's life. It was also Fang's namesake, as if this were a fate assigned to them the moment they met in that dark, cold place.

"RAGNAROCK FANG!"

All lights blinked out as energy collected in Fang's jaws. It flared and glowed until Leo couldn't see the enemy anymore, but he knew Fang's jaws were upon its throat. There was one other light, however. One button that hadn't darkened:

EJECT

X X X X X X X X

The news spread across Zi like a shockwave, originating from the remains of the Blitz Team's base and shaking the whole world to its core. The Blitz Team's base was destroyed, their Hover Cargo and the Liger Zero conversion armors decimated, three team members dead. Bit Cloud, sole survivor of the encounter, was found barely a mile away with his Liger Zero. They had been forced to flee, lacking any ability to fight in his weakened condition. He was reportedly under ZBC protection at a nearby base while investigation crews poured over the remains of the Hover Cargo and Leon Toros' deceased Blade Liger.

Some elements of the Blade Liger's combat data had not yet gone offline and rescue teams were able to extract the data. The recording showed an antiquated Command Wolf using an unprecedented attack—not recorded in almost fifty years—to kill an unidentified Zoid that presumably belonged to the Backdraft. The enemy Whale King, also recorded by the dying Liger, had left the scene some time ago.

All this information was of little relevance to Leena Toros, who wept bitterly in Vaez's arms. "I couldn't help them! I should have been with them, but I left!" She sobbed.

Vaez held her tightly and stroked the back of her head. "It's not your fault. I know you ordered Cura to turn around and aid your team. He's not programmed to be so flexible. I am sorry." Leena cried in his arms for minutes. It was marvelous.

"I want to hurt them, Sen!" She said finally. "I want to rip the Backdraft apart! I'll make them pay for this! I'll make them pay for every life they've taken. I'll break them!"

Vaez smiled and nodded. "I would hope for nothing less. Tonight is a night of mourning, but soon we will celebrate our revenge on those cowards. Your family's death will not be in vain; your friend's sacrifice not wasted. I promise you, Leena, you and I will accomplish great things together."

He stayed with Leena just long enough for her to fall asleep. Laying her across her new bed, he pulled the cover over and let her dream of a time before madness gripped the world. Tonight, he would dream of the future they would build together.

Before he could savor that dream, he had business to attend to. First, a visit to Paris. Somehow, he'd been placed in charge of the investigation. Vaez hadn't anticipated a rival looking over his handiwork and he wanted to ensure his secrets were safe. He'd learned his lesson from the ill-fated medic: leave nothing to chance.

Just as he was about to knock on Paris' office door, it swung open and a young, shapely woman with chocolate-colored hair tied in a braid stepped out. She was dressed in a ZBC Lieutenant's uniform, though Vaez did not recognize her. She smiled at him; an alluring sight. A shame she was not what he needed for his future.

"Lt. Celica Lucraft." Paris said from within the doorway. "She's on her way to the G-3 excavation site. New expert in Ancient Zoidian."

He stepped through and saluted Paris, who returned the gesture. "What have you to report on the investigation?"

"Not much, considering the investigation just started." Paris was still upset that Vaez had pushed him to finish the Buster Eagle project using the Blox technology. Very soon, Paris, thought Vaez, you'll come around to my way of thinking.

"How soon until the autopsies are complete? We need to hold a public funeral for the victims."

Paris arched his eyebrows. "Has Ms. Toros requested a public funeral? As the sole surviving family member, it is her decision." Impudence.

"She will agree." Vaez said. "Her family died because of the Backdraft. A public funeral will help rally the people against our enemy. Please have all three bodies prepped as soon as the autopsies are complete."

"Two bodies."

"… Two?"

"Yes, two. We think they're Steve and Leon Toros, though they're so horribly burned I doubt we'll be able to confirm their identity. There was no sign of this Leo person, or the pilot of the Backdraft Zoid. It's possible they disintegrated in the Ragnarock attack." There was a look of suspicion in Paris' eyes. He wondered, but as always could prove nothing. Vaez left shortly thereafter and moved to his private chambers.

"Alteil." Vaez summoned his puppet.

A mockery of loyalty came through the speakers, "You called?" Alteil snapped into view on the screen. Behind him sat the unconscious forms of Steve and Leon Toros, miraculously resurrected. Both men were bound and gagged, ready for a prolonged stay with the Backdraft. "As you can see," Alteil gestured to his prisoners, "Fuma and her men brought the Toros men without incident."

"I am not concerned with that now. You planted bodies?"

Alteil nodded, "They match both men's height and weight, and no one will miss a few bums on the street corner."

"And what about the Command Wolf pilot?"

Alteil visibly faltered. "Well… he blew himself up along with his Zoid. There couldn't be a scrap of him left."

"And the Dark Spiner pilot?"

"Uhh… didn't she escape?"

Vaez folded his arms. "That is irrelevant. Whether she escaped or was vaporized, there needs to be some sort of evidence to confirm her death. The same goes for that Command Wolf pilot."

"I just assumed-"

Vaez held up the remote that could spell Alteil's end. "Never assume such things." He stroked the button with his thumb and Alteil paled.

"Y-yes."

"Yes…?"

"Yes, sire."

"I'll be watching you more closely from now on, Alteil. I won't let your foolishness upset my plans." He clicked off and exited his chamber.

You'd better be dead, 12515, he thought. Otherwise I'll be sure to make your life a living hell.

He had that power now. As he met with two officers, both secret members of his guard, he realized that he'd accomplished half his goal. He now had all the power on Zi. ZBC Chairman, Backdraft shadow ruler, Leena Toros' courtier, and soon he'd have the loyalty of the strongest pilot on Planet Zi. He'd prepared for this from the moment he realized that brutality and power weren't enough to rule. He couldn't have defeated his grandfather in such a way, nor could he have obtained this level of control. The people of Zi followed him willingly, too afraid or stupid to look elsewhere. Such an elegant, subtle domination was beyond any attempt by tyrants of the past. Gunter Prozen could only be watching from hell and seething with jealousy.

Now fingering a small vile of angry red liquid, Vaez would proceed to phase two: gaining the full control of all militaries on Zi. With such power, he could finally abandon this false name; this false lifestyle. He'd be regarded as an emperor, the rightful heir to all of Zi. Helic and Guylos would be crushed underfoot, the ZBC retired, and the Backdraft vanish into nothing. All that would be left would be the true empire, the supreme power of Zi, the era of Neo Zenevas.

Stopping outside a cell hidden deep within the belly of the ZBC Ultrasaurus, Vaez keyed in his personal code and regarded the youth who sat patiently on the other side of the opening door. "Hello, Vega. I've wanted to talk with you for some time."

To be continued….

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Author's Note: The answer is no, I can't wrap everything up in just one chapter. Wouldn't that be the worst end ever?

Anywho, this is but the first part in a larger arc. Keep your eyes open for "Relics" the next phase in the rise of Neo Zenevas.

If you'd like to see an image I drew of Leo and Fang, you can view it at are always appreciated. Thank you for reading Battle Dawn.