Robotech: Secrets of the Flower
By Jeremy Kaufmann aka Ginrai
email: ginraiATmasterforce.org
Robotech is a trademark and copyright of Harmony Gold. This document is in
no way intended to infringe on Harmony Gold's rights. This document is copyright
1996 Jeremy Kaufmann. It may be only transferred in any form if it is not modified.
It may not be included in any collections without the author's permission.
*****************
Chapter One
It was nearing dawn, and Ron struggled to keep his eyes from closing. He had
gotten very little sleep the pervious night, but of course, it's what he'd been
expecting. Well, Ron thought, the cockpit of an Alpha was never the best place
to sleep. Ron started powering up the Alpha, and the HUD came up. He turned
on the comlink. "Bill! Wake up!" he yelled. William was startled awake.
"Ronald! I told you to call me William!" he yelled in response, in
a rather groggy version of his usual English accent. "Sure, Bill. What's
the condition on that old bird? "My Veritech is in amazingly good condition
considering what that Invid did to it." he whined. "Oh come on Bill.
I blew that thing's arm off before it could get too deep. Stop crying about
it already!" Ron countered. "Anyway, how come YOU got the Alpha and
I got this old VF-1? This thing looks like it got stomped by the Zentraedi,
Masters, AND the Invid! And that Shock Trooper's claws almost ripped the arm
of this old VF!" William continued to whine. "Bill if you don't shut
up I'm gonna blow the OTHER arm off that Veritech! Now listen! If you haven't
already, power up your Veritech, turn on your HUD, and start looking for targets!
I'm gonna try and see if I can find any other REF groups out here. While I'm
doing that I want you to try and find a good place to snipe at some Invid. Find
some trees or something. Our job is to try and hold the fort down here and wait
for the REF's main fleet." Ron said, calm, and in control of the situation.
"But Ronald! What if they come after me! How long are you going to be?"
William said, his voice pleading. It was quite apparent that he was looking
for a way out of it. "Will you stop whining?! I'll be along shortly!"
With that, William sullenly turned his VT (in Guardian mode) towards a small
clump of trees. As William's VT stomped off Ron muttered to himself "Well,
that should keep that slacker busy.... Like there's any Invid over there....
Glad he never thought to check his sensors...." Ron thought a minute and
started trying to conctact other members of Mars Division, sliently cursing
at the memory of the failed invasion. William did his best to hide in the forest,
and look for Invid, but suprise, suprise, no Invid showed their faces. As William
sat there he began sulking. Why does he get the good Veritech? Just because
he was in that crappy try at foiling those Invid slugs, he gets the good VT,
AND he's always telling me what to do.
On the other hand, I suppose he was in the REF, and it's not like I was more
than just a
civilian. I could barely handle this thing in Battloid mode. It's lucky I took
such an intrest to flying in my younger days. During our short-lived peace before
the Invid. What a stroke of
luck it was coming across that old jet! It didn't take long for Wally to teach
me how to fly it. Well, I daresay he was a good pilot. He certainly knew his
way around a Logan! What about Ronald, though? It's obvious he knows how to
handle that Alpha well enough... I wonder... A REF pilot... Maybe... No. He's
almost gotten me killed quite a few times. I suppose the next logical thing
to ask is could I do any better? Ridding the planet of those loathesome Invid
does have it's cost. I wonder... Is my life part of that cost? I once heard
somewhere that a
long-dead man once spoke of liberty or death. How many have to die for earth's
freedom?
*****
Meanwhile, Ron began to get frustrated. He ran a hand through his short, wiry, black hair. This radio wasn't getting him anywhere, and he knew it. His anger rising, he eyed the gleaming metal radio control. Without so much as a thought he brought his hand down on it swiftly. The slight pain that accompanied the slam jarred him back to reality. He remembered William, and William's protests to going on his little quest. Ron turned the radio back on, and told William to come back. As he waited for William's return, he began to hum. Ron eyes unfocused, and he was soon lost in thought, still humming vaugely. Ron slowly became aware of a rising tone in the air. Somewhere in Ron's mind it registered that the tone sounded familiar... Suddenly Ron's mind snapped to attention, and Ron threw the Alpha to the right, narrowly avoided a barrage of anni dics. As Ron struggled to reorient himself a giant claw loomed into view, a claw Ron knew belonged to an Invid Shock Trooper. Ron threw a nearby switch marked 'B', and the Alpha, in it's Gerwalk, or Guardian mode suddenly straightened up, and became a gleaming robot. The Invid seemed almost awed. Almost. Ron took this oppertunity to blow a gaping hole in the purple, crab-like Invid's sensor. Instantly the craft was engulfed in a ball of flame, and a sticky green liquid covered all nearby objects, including the Alpha in it's Battloid mode, standing over it's kill. Ron imagined the green goop was already beginning to eat through the Alpha's white and red paint. It occured to Ron the leaving this area probably made sense, not only because of the green liquid, but in case the Invid brought any of his buddies along. Ron fired his thrusters, and the Battloid rose above the ground. The Battloid's head turned left and right, and inside the cockpit Ron searched for William. What he found was something else entirely...
*****
William cursed as his Veritech attempted to rise above the treetops, taking a large portion of a particularly tall Oak with it. With the added weight William was having a hard time stabalizing the VT. William pulled a switch that brought his Veritech to it's fighter mode, and started speeding off to where he saw Ron last. The tree seemed determined to become a permanent part of the Veritech, but as William increased the fighters speed, the tree could no longer take it. With a satisfying crack, a large limb broke and William smiled as he heard the tree's descent begin. William was so pleased to be rid of the trees that he put the Veritech through a triumphent roll. He flew on for several minutes, and as he reached the place where Ron had been, he put his VT back in it's Gerwalk mode, and started to descend. This turned out to be an unwise descision, because the VT jerked suddenly, and William was dismayed to see the the arm that had been earlier damaged fall to the ground. William dove towards the ground, and he heard several anni discs wizz by overhead. He leveled the VT moments before it reached the ground and flew directly towards the source of the discs, a Shock Trooper, desperatly trying to hit William with an anni disc. Just before impacting with the Trooper, William brought the Veritech's feet up, reversing his motion, and scorching the confused Trooper. It was then that William brought GU-II gunpod to bear, tearing through the Invid mecha, and after a moment, holing it's sensor, causing it to burst into flame, spewing green liquid everywhere. William climbed and yelled on the comlink, "Ronald! Where in god's name are you?!" Just then another anni disc flew by, grazing the VT's leg. Again William pulled a switch, and the Veritech's legs straightened out, it's arms turned out, and the nose area folded down over the front area, exposing a one-eyed metallic head, which began waving back and forth furiously as William searched for his assailant. He located it, yet another Shock Trooper, and moved some controls, causing the VT's arms to reach out towards his target, with both hands gripping the gunpod. William began emptying round after round into the Trooper, which finally gave an exasperated hiss, and exploded, indignantly. William mentally kicked himself, when he noticed he was out of ammo. William landed, and began searching for more enemies. Seemingly out of nowhere an Invid Scout charged towards William, claws outstretched. William parried the Scout's first blow of it's claws, using his depleted GU-II. He then took careful aim with the laser located on each side of the Veritech's head. The head tuned to face it's enemy, it's lasers looking for all the world like anntenae, or rabbit ears. The lasers themselves dispelled this illusion by firing, and shattering the Scout's sensor. The ensuing explosion sent William's VT into the air, but William stabilized the VT using his thrusters. Thankfully, no more Invid showed their faces, hiding behind shell-like mecha. William tried to raise Ron on the com again, but got only further silence. William wondered what to do, when suddenly the decision was taken out of his hands....
*****
Chapter Two
The Shock Trooper found it's target in a way the pilot's mind never would've considered... by ramming right into the Battloid's back. Ron spat blood as sparks flew from a hundred different places, and system after system shorted out. As both the Alpha and the Shock Trooper tumbled toward the ground Ron managed to laugh, finding it funny how both of them found their target. Ron wondered what dying was like, as the Shock Trooper made better use of his time by trying to pull out of the dive. Without warning William appeared on the scene, took a second to assess the situation, and in one smooth motion, brought his VT to Guardian mode, and shoved his GU-II into the the Invid's sensor. The ensuing blast was more than William had estimated it would be, and he was thrown some ways away from Ron's still falling Alpha. The blast had thrown the Alpha to the east a little, causing it to lose some of it's forward momentum, and gain eastward momentum. As William fought for control of his VT, Ron sat in his seat, stunned at the appearance of William. Ron had decided trying to escape the wreck his Alpha had become might be better than dying a warrior's death, so he tried to eject. A tense moment passed in which Ron thought the bolts holding the canopy on weren't going to blow, but before long there was a hiss and Ron's world faded to black....
*****
Ron heard a noise. He lay there trying to figure out what it was, as it repeated itself, only slightly different this time. After a few moments thought Ron began to realize that it was a voice. Ron wondered whose it was. He panicked and wondered why he couldn't see. He opened his eyes. Nothing. He blinked them. Nothing. He opened and closed them furiously. Still nothing. Ron realized with rising panic that he might be blind. Then all at once he began to seee white spots dancing before his eyes, and these dots were accompanied by an intense pain. Ron forced his eyes closed and bit down on his lip. This added further pain, and Ron cried out from a mixture of pain and frustration. Tense moments passed and a hole appeared in the blackness, a hole which grew until Ron could see somewhat. Ron tried to focus his eyes, but everything remained blurry. Ron, biting down again, began to taste a salty liquid, which he noted after a moment was blood. Slowly his brain came to the conclusion that he would have to stop biting down, or risk more damage to his lip. He relaxed his jaw. He then concentrated on focusing his eyes, which he succeded in doing after a minute or two. Then he began to hear the voices more clearly, and soon he could understand them. "Ronaaaallllldddd!", an impatient voice began, "Ronald! Wake up this instant!" The voice, it became apparent, belonged to William. A more pleading voice requested that Bill be careful, lest he damage Ron any more. "Bill, stop it, please.... you'll hurt him...." the voice went on. The voice was distinctly higher pitched, a female voice, Ron's very groggy brain determined. In a rush all of Ron's senses came back and he gasped with shock. William spun around to face the female who spoke in Ron's defense. "I'm trying to get him to respond! Do you want him to go into a coma?! And I told you not to call me that!" William's ranting would've no doubt continued for quite some time had Ron not called out "What in the name of all that's holy is going on here!?!" William turned, shocked, while the female breathed a sigh of relief. Ron looked at the female, and guessed her to be a woman of about 18 or 19. He continued to look her over, taking note of her long brown hair, flowing over and just past her shoulders. He looked at her face, (maybe stared at her face would be a better way to put it) and in his own mind commented that he hadn't seen anyone as beauiful as her in quite some time. He looked into her shining green eyes, and began to lower his gaze, down to her neck, and slowly began following it down, when he caught himself, and decided that now wasn't the time; right now he should just find out what happened. "What happened?" he asked, posing the obvious question, much more calm than before. William got over his initial shock, and made a crack about how he got there just in time to see a Shock Trooper smack into the back of the Alpha. "Boy do those Invid know how to fly..." William muttered as Ron began to recall his fall to the earth. Ron began digesting all this when the thought occured to him that he had no clue who this woman sitting not two feet in front of him was. As if William had heard Ron's thought he said, "I suppose you are wondering who all these people are, huh?" Ron was suprised at that, having taken note only of William and the young woman, he then looked past them and saw a small crowd of people. Behind them, he noted were several black Veritechs, which he knew could only be Shadow Fighters. To the right of the Veritechs were a few APCs, one of which was battered and bruised beyond belief. "Well, yah," Ron lied, trying to hide the fact that he hadn't noticed the crowd. "It's who you've been looking for all this time, members of the REF!" William exclaimed. "What?!" Ron asked, "Are you guys from the Mars Division, or the main fleet or what?" Ron was filled with a mixture of suprise and joy; his search was over! William answered for them, "Main fleet, woudn'tcha know it, they just folded in! Ron, you've missed quite a bit, the attack on Reflex Point has begun!" "How long have I been out?" Ron demanded. This time the woman answered "A couple of hours at least, you were lucky to live..." "Oh, I'm sorry," she blushed, "I haven't introduced myself. I'm 2nd Lt. Rebecca Collins." She smiled a most beautiful smile, and hastily added, "I was going to be a nurse, but I changed my mind. Now don't get up, you'll hurt yourself. I know what I'm talking about." Ron heard an explosion, and looked up to see an Alpha burst into a ball of flame. Seconds later the Invid that destroyed it was engulfed in a similar explosion. "I should be out there!" Ron cried. "Not in that condition you shouldn't." said a baratone voice. Moments later the owner of the voice, a tall man in his late to mid-fourties, maybe even in his fifties, emerged from the group, and introduced himself as Cmdr. Robert Eaton. "Pleased to meet you sir," Ron said, attempting to get up. His body was racked with pain, but he forced himself to his feet. "Hey!" Rebecca yelled, "Be careful!" she added, a little more forcefully than she intended. "I'm sorry, ma'am, but I have to get out there. Sir!" he said, and saluted the Commander. "Your Alpha is totaled!" William informed him. "Isn't there anything else I can fly?" Ron asked. "Well, there is my VF-1, but it's out of ammo, and we used up all those missles when those scouts attacked." William responded. "Oh, yeah... You know you shouldn't have wasted those! We were really in a jam today because of that!" Ron said, berating his friend. "Sorrrrrryyy! It was my 1st time flying a Verit-" "Both of you stop it right now!" a commanding female voice insisted. "And who are you?" Ron demanded, quite rudely. "Your superior, that's who! Is that how you speak to a Commander, mister?! I'm Cmdr. Celese Xiclotl, and you aren't going anywhere 'till I get some answers! Am I understood?!" Celese barked. She was a woman of about Eaton's age, which intense brown eyes, which she was using to stare Ron down with. "Yes si-" Ron caught himself, "ma'am! I am Lt. Ronald Benton, Mars Division, Alpha Wing." "Hey! I know you!" a high-pitched woman's voice said. Ron made a small, short-lived groan when he saw the girl who had just spoken appraoching. "Maki! Of all the chances... What a weird coincidence!" Ron thought back to his time in the Valivarre system, and of his ex-girlfriend, Celina Bein, and her ever-present friend, Ikana Maki. Maki's family was Japaneese, and her parents Ryu and Kim had joined the REF before it left earth. Maki was actually born during a fold, much to everyone's suprise. Maki had made it her life trying to become a permanent attachment to Celina, and to protect her, and that meant protect her from Ron. Maki was actually one of the reasons the romance between Ron and Celina went sour, although she wasn't the only reason. Ron asked the obligatory question of "how's Celina" and Maki vaugly mentioned that she was on one of the ships in the fleet, and doing okay, no thanks to Ron. A few more people stepped forward, introducing themselves as Tai Zenus, Kang Schuh, Ren MooreDale, Greer Spain, John Thompson, Jennifer Sarah Underhill, Mai Chagunar Faugn, and a few others. Then, much to everyone's suprise, without warning, the air around them exploded into flame. It seemed that eveyone was so caught up in introductions they forgot about the battle raging around them....
*****
"Get those fighters in the air!" yelled Eaton, trying not to notice the burning pain in his right arm. In one of the first volleys of anni discs, one had gotten very near to hitting Cmdr. Eaton, as it was, the heat of being right next to it had seared the flesh on his right arm. "This is my jurisdiction! You haven't the authority here, Eaton!" Xiclotl yelled at the top of her lungs, in her grating voice. "This is my command!" she added. "Xiclotl, you're overstepping you're boundries, I have just as mu-" Eaton's voice was cut short by another volley of anni discs. Everyone was charging in different directions, and Ron took this as a sign. It was a perfect oppertunity, he thought. He snuck up to a Shadow Fighter, and hopped into it's open cockpit. There were a couple of unfamiliar controls, but, after all, Ron thought, I'm a good enough pilot. These aren't too different from Alphas. William watched to pilots scrambling to their fighters, and thought how much they reminded him of ants. And he said as much, "Hey Ron, they look just like ants." When he heard no response, he turned around. "Ron?" he called. Suddenly it occured to William that Ron must've taken another VT. William dashed towards his old VF-1, and hopped into the cockpit, and closed the canopy. His Guardian rose to the air, and Ron pulled down the 'F' switch again, and took off after the departing Shadow Fighters. William called out over the com, "Ronald! You there?" When all he got was silence he took it to mean that Ron didn't want his presense known. William looked back over his shoulder and saw three specks fading into the distance...
*****
"Where's that boy, Ronald?" Eaton demanded. Eaton noticed a confused pilot sitting in the cool grass, bewildered. "You, soldier! Why aren't you in your Veritech?" The pilot looked up and sullenly stammered, "I-I... I'm not really sure... It... was just... gone!" "Wadda ya mean, gone?" Xiclotl barked in his direction. "And where's that Benton kid?" she added. "Benton!" the pilot said, as realization of where his fighter was set in. "He could barely stand up, let alone fly! He's going to get my VT blown to peices!" Xiclotl had hopped into one of the APC's driver seats and beckoned Eaton to get into the shotgun seat. As they drove by the confused pilot, Eaton grabbed the boy's armor and tossed him in the rear. "Looks like yer with us kid. What's yer name anyway?" Eaton asked, trying to make the boy feel more comfortable. What he succedded in doing was making the soldier feel like a small child. "Wallace," he said, and tone of rejection in his voice, "Micheal Wallace." He wore a dejected look on his face. "Welcome aboard Wallace," Eaton said, still trying to be friendly. "Now's not the time, Eaton! We have a job to do!" Xiclotl radioed one of other APCs. Maki's voice responded to Xiclotl's hails. "Yes ma'am, I read you." "Good. Where are the other commanders stantioned? For that matter are they alive?" Xiclotl asked. Maki responded, "Um... I'm not sure Commander, I can't raise them. They're..." "Spit it out child!" Eaton yelled, his patience running thin. "Well," Maki said reluctantly, "I tried to contact the Captain, but there wasn't any response. I'll try rasing one of the fighter wings." Maki twisted a few dials, and hit a button here and there, seemingly at random. "Fourteenth attack unit, this is Lt. Ikana. Do you read?" There was some static hissing, and a pilot responded, "This is <hiss> ert Jam <SCREE!>... I <hiss> d you. What's <hiss> Maki?" "Bob, there's little time. I can't raise the Captain, or any of the ground forces commanders! Do you know where they are?" Maki asked, in a pleading tone. "Hmm.... I dunno... I'll ask Cmdr. Stanson." A few minutes passed, and for lack of a better direction, the APCs made their way towards the central hive. Minutes passed, until Maki's radio crackled. "Stanson says the Cyclone leaders are too busy fighting for their lives, and that maybe your firepower could be of service. Hey, what are you guys driving, anyway?" Bob said. "APCs, tell Stanson we're going to help the Cyclones. Out." Maki then informed Xiclotl and Eaton what she had learned. The APCs took off towards the central hive at an increased rate.
*****
A thought occured to William, and he set his radio to the frequency that he and Ron had used as an emergency channel. "Ron? You there?" Much to William's relief Ron responded. "Yah Bill, I'm here. You in that clunker of a Veritech?" "Yes, as a matter of fact, I am. Hope you're enjoying that commandeered Shadow Fighter." William said, bitterness showing in his voice. "Yah, this thing flys like a dream. You know, your VT doesn't have any ammo." Ron said. "Yes, well, I couldn't just let you go out here and get killed, not after all we went through." "Bill, I got an idea. Let's go to Battloid, and I'll give you this Shadow's gun, ok?" Ron said hurredly, the enemy fast approaching. Ron and William broke away from the formation, and their fighters went through their amazing metamorphasis once more, leaving behind two giant robotic titans, sparkling from the sun, now high in the air. "Steady now," Ron said, stuggling to keep his Veritech steady enough to hand his VTs' cannon over to the Valkyrie. After three attempts, the transfer was complete and Ron snickered and said "Don't spend it all in one place this time!" "Now you just better watch it with your missles Ron, you only have so many." William said sagely. "Hey Benton!" said a voice Ron recognized as John Thompson, "stop your little dance and get your tails up here! Those slugs are crashing the party!" Ron was suprised, and responded on the same channel John had used. "How did you know it was me?" "Well, one, your little dance. And two, Maki told us Wallace is down there whining." John answered. Ron rolled his eyes at the mention of Maki, and started to think of a response of his own, when all of the sudden the Invid were in sight. "Get ready," John said, "cause here they come!!"
*****
"Wallace shut up, and man that cannon!" Eaton commanded. Wallace groped for the controls, while mumbling, his pride hurt. He felt cast aside, treated like a spoiled child. As a matter of fact, at that same moment, that was what Eaton was thinking he was acting like. Brat. Eaton thought to himself. "What was that?" Xiclotl asked. For a minute Eaton feared he'd said that aloud. Instead, Wallace answered. "Nothing. Hey, why wont this fire?" "Maybe because it has a safety?" Xiclotl said in a patronizing voice. Wallace looked sheepish, and turned the safety off. There was a crash and the APC rocked from an impact. Wallace could see the claws of an Invid Scout, and screamed like a scared little girl. Wallace's face grew hot as he felt the front of his pants do the same. Eaton's head whipped around and he yelled "Wallace! Shoot that thing! Hit it in the mouth!" The thing slashed at Wallace's head and without thinking or aiming Wallace fired, knocking one of the Scout's arms off. The arm hit the ground with a hollow thud, and began kicking up clouds of dust as it rolled on the ground. "AAAAHHHHH!!!!" Wallace screeched again, and Eaton jumped in the back, almost in Wallace's lap. Wallace screamed another high pitched scream, and Eaton back-handed him across the face. He grabbed the control and aimed the cannon at the Scout's sensor. The air was suddenly still and slient for an instant. "Tell your mommy to pick up her brats and get your slimy bodies off our planet you son of a-" The last word was drowned out by the noise of the cannon fire. The sensor collasped in on itself, sending shards everywhere, and the Scout's body seemed to shrink for an instant, like a cat ready to pounce, giving the APC a few moments to get a couple feet away. A crack opened in the "head" of the Scout, and Eaton was momentarily blinded by the brilliance of the explosion, and deafened by the sound of the Scout's passing. Then Eaton felt his body fly to the east, and then his vision returned. Eaton heard a terrible ringing in his ears, and cursed. Funny he thought. I could of sworn I yelled that. Then it hit him. The ringing, it sounded quiet, even though he yelled. "IT JACKED UP MY EARS." Eaton said loudly. After a few minutes the ringing subsided and Eaton sighed a sigh of relief. Eaton looked over at the quivering mass the was Wallace and was disgusted. Pansy, he said to himself. "Hey!" Eaton yelled to Xiclotl, "What are you waiting for, the Invid to just up and leave?!" "I don't see you driving, Mister-I'm-better-than-you. Wow. You got one Invid, and a Scout at that! I'm really impressed. Get back to those controls." Xiclotl said, sarcastic. In response to his accusations, Xiclotl slammed on the gas, and sent Eaton flying back on his seat. Eaton pulled himseld forward, and gripped the cannon's trigger. He smiled to himself, and it occured to him that he and Xiclotl make a good team. Funny, Xiclotl was thinking the same thing...
*****
Chapter Three
This time, instead of simply LOOKING for targets Ron was using his radar. It
turned out that the targets were everywhere! Ron heard the woosh of an annihilation
disc fly by, and threw his eyes up toward to HUD, leaving the radar. Ron expiranced
a quick moment of pain, stabbing his eyes; he struggled to keep them focused.
His vision returned just in time to see a Shock Trooper with it's arm back,
ready to strike. The feet of the VT suddenly shot forward, sending a blast the
Trooper's direction. The VT went flying backwards, while the Trooper, scorched
but intact, only moved a little. The Trooper used it's boosters and started
to advance towards the Shadow Fighter. Ron brought the Shadow to it's Battloid
mode and flew to meet the enemy, laying on it's back, like some old man, lazily
floating in a pool, only moving several hundred miles an hour. Ron's VT flew
right underneath the Trooper's clawed feet, almost hitting them. Ron suddenly
took his VT to Guardian mode, and threw it's legs the other direction, flying
right towards the Trooper. The Trooper noticed that his target was no longer
in front of him, and threw his mecha around in time to see a missle screaming
towards him. His hands covered his slug-like face as he felt his body become
engulfed in flame...
"Scratch one," Ron said aloud. Almost immeadiatly two Scouts rose to take the Trooper's place. The Scouts were flying a few hundred feet apart. I bet I could fit right between them, Ron thought. Hmm... wonder if I can kill two birds with one stone... An idea began taking shape in Ron's head. He pulled down the 'F' lever on his VT, and raced towards the enemy mecha, a stray bird diving just in time to avoid being sucked into the intake. Seconds before his wings were to be sheared off by the two Invid ships, Ron fired a single missle at one of the Scout's sensors, and turned his plane on it's side, barely fitting between the two Invid. The fireball of the Scout that took the hit caught the other, causing it to lose the arm, both legs, and thrusters. Thick black smoke bellowed from the craft as it dove to meet the earth, aglow with flame. "Scratch three." Ron said. Ron opened the comlink. "Hey guys, how you doing? Am I supposed to be doing anything special, or just wasting Invid?" Ron heard a laugh come from the speaker. A moment passed, and then a voice said, "Yeah, go blow up Reflex Point!"
*****
Wallace screamed. Again. And again. Xiclotl yelled back. "Eaton! Get rid of that spineless weasel" "Stop and I will!" Eaton cried back. Xiclotl slammed on the brakes, and the APC's occupents were thrown forward. "Wallace, you're gonna get us all killed! Get outta here!" Xiclotl yelled. Wallace's teeth chattered, and he jumped out of the APC and took off towards a nearby forest as fast as his wobbley legs could carry him. It was later said that Wallace hid in those woods for a week, praying all the while that no Invid would find him. When Wallace got his nerve back up he marched right up to the forest only to discover everyone gone. Later, it's said the he somehow found his way to Yellow Dancer's last concert and bragged about how he single-handly saved an entire squadron. "How did he ever get in the REF?" Eaton muttered. "Worry about it later, we've got better things to do!" Xiclotl growled, slamming her foot down on the APC's gas pedal, throwing Eaton hard against the back of his seat. Out of the corner of his eye Eaton saw something glowing. He turned his head to see an anni disc coming right towards him. Eaton threw his body down on the seat, knocking the wind out of him. When he could breathe again he smelled something burning in his quick gasps for air. Then he felt the heat. "My hat! My hair!" Eaton screeched as he threw his hat out of the speeding APC. It ignited some dry grass behind them. He patted his head over and over, making sure that his hair wasn't burning while Xiclotl snickered. "Nice work Eaton." Xiclotl said through a broad smile. "Oh just shut up and drive." Eaton said, flustered. He grabbed ahold of the cannon's hand again, and gritted his teeth, trying to drown out Xiclotl's incessent sinkering. Eaton didn't have to wait long for a distraction, because an Invid was suddenly barring their way. Xiclotl didn't have time to stop so she slammed on the gas pedal, hoping to take off the Shock Trooper's legs. There was a crash, as the APC tumbled through the Troopers legs, and a great cracking noise could be heard as those same legs broke apart. "Whew! That was close!" Xiclotl gasped, following it up with a sigh of relief.. When she heard only silence she glanced over her shoulder. "Eaton? Eaton?! Eaton, don't scare me like this! Eaton! Robert! Answer me!" Xiclotl screamed, and began to panic, slamming on the brakes. Xiclotl swung around and to her horror saw a bloody hand leaning on her seat's back...
*****
William risked a glance down at his radar. Three enemies were closing fast on his left, four on his right. "They must know the difference between an Alpha and a Valkyrie... They're not as foolish as they seem. Those ghastly creatures are ganging up on me!" William commented. "Roger that, Bill," a voice belonging to Thompson said over the comlink. William was suprised for a moment and then realized that he forgot to turn the comlink off. William took out one of the enemies, a Scout, with one shot to the sensor. William looked down to see the blip on his radar grow bigger momentarily, and then disappear. The other blips began converging on William, while two more blips joined the screen. Thompson! William thought to himself. In a quick burst of fire two of the attackers vanished. "Wooohooooo!!!" Thompson yelled, rolling his VT, relishing in his victory. "How's that, Bill?" Thompson asked over the comlink. "It's William!!" William yelled in response. "Sure, BILL. Sure." Suddenly the other two blips were gone and Ron's VT flew right under William's, went to Battloid, stood in front of William, and saluted. "So, BILL, " Ron said with emphasis, "having fun?" "Hardy har har." said William, "You are hilarious. STOP CALLING ME BILL!!!!" The had no further time to argue, as more Invid were upon them. William to brought his VT to Battloid, and the two Battloids stood almost back to back, picking off many an Invid, as Thompson flew an almost protective circle around the duo. Thompson banked hard and let fly a flock of missles, taking down two Invid, and almost instantly three more took their place. "MooreDale here, how you guys doing?" Ren said over the comlink. "We're okay," Thompson said, answering for the three of them. "How bout-" a gigantic explosion rocked the foursome, cutting off Thompson. An Invid had self-destucted almost on top of Thompson. Acrid smoke poured out of Thompson's VT, as systems came apart. Sparks flew and crackled, and Thompson yelled over the comlink in a rush, "Everyone! An Invid self-destruced. I think he had explosives on board. The explosion hit me hard. This bird's got it's wings clipped, and I can't eject!" There was another smaller explosion, this one internal. Thompson spoked faster now, "The bolts are fused to the cockpit! I'm going down!" "No you're not!" yelled Ren. "Not while I still breathe!" He threw his VT into a dive, going to Guardian as he fell. He dove underneath Thomson, and went to Battloid. He reached the VT's arms above, and with a loud clang the VT hit Ren's Battloid's hands. Ren set his thrusters to full, and gears and metal strained. Something snapped, and one of Ren's Veritech's arms cracked, but stayed on. Their descent slowed. Everyone breathed a collective sigh. Suddenly the air split apart as an anni disk tore through Ren's Battloid, severing it's chest. Ren screamed his last scream, and his Veritech's arm snapped. The other arm flew down with the weight of Thompson's VT, and the remains of Ren's Veritech pointed towards the ground, thrusters still flaring. Both VTs dove at an incredible rate and Thompson screamed and clawed at the canopy. His machine, his partner, his sanctuary, became a prision. A prison diving toward oblivion. Ron and William dove as soon as they saw the anni disc, but it was too late. They watched helplessly, wide-eyed and staring, as the ground rushed up to meet to two doomed VTs. When they realized the hopelessness of the situation Ron and William pulled up, and averted their eyes...
*****
Xiclotl's radio crackled, and she snatched up the reciever, full of rage. Maki's voice sounded over the microphone, "Is everything okay ma'am? Are you, the commander, and Micheal alright?" The reciever strained against Xiclotl's crushing hand, but at last it's frame couldn't stand up to the pressure. It caved in, shattering into tiny peices peircing Xiclotl's hand. She was too angry to care. She turned around and felt tears forming in her battle-hardened eyes, as she saw the lifeless form of Eaton laying there, blood all over his clothes. His face was covered wth small green specks. A strange green fluid Xiclotl knew to be native to an Invid's craft. "EATON!!!!!" Xiclotl cried bitterly. Maki soon became worried when all she got was static so she told the driver to turn around and see what had befallen her leaders. Like a mother hen chasing after her chicks, the driver reflected. All of the sudden Eaton's body convulsed, and he began coughing. "Eaton!! You're alive!!" Xiclotl yelled, her voice full of disbelief. "Yeah, <cough> <cough> you didn't <cough> think I'd let you take the <cought> ungh! <cough> uh... <cough> credit for taking out that <cough> Trooper, did you?" Xiclotl smiled. "Dear, it was a Scout, not a Trooper." "Can't pull the <wheeze> whool over your eyes, can I?" Eaton replied, forcing his pain-wracked lips to turn up in a smile. She reached her hand into the back seat and wiped the blood off of his lips with her sleeve, and then thought about wiping off rest of him. She soon thought better of it, and took off her jacket. She then tore off her sleeve, and began using it as a rag, and lovingly wiped the fluid off Eaton's face. Eaton himself was wondering if she was simply being motherly, or if it was something else. The APC carrying Maki pulled up, and Maki asked with a smile if she was interupting anything. "On your feet soldier!" yelled Eaton. Maki shot to her feet and jumped out of the car. Moments later the driver and gunner joined her. Eaton began to rant about how it was their duty to fight the Invid, not go joyriding up ahead. They were so far ahead that he and Xiclotl could've been killed and they wouldn't have known. Maki felt her cheeks grow hot, and for perhaps the first time in her life life SHE was the one being embarressed. "Yes sir, I'm sorry sir. I didn't intend-" Xiclotl cut her off, "What do you think you were doing running off like that?! Were you out of your mind?!" Maki and the two others began cringing. Eaton forced himself up to a sitting postition. "<Cough> You'll be lucky if we don't <cough> court-martial you!" seethed Eaton, glaring at Maki and her crew. "Ikana, you're going to stay here with Commander Eaton, you two come with me." Xiclotl said, as she ripped off the other sleeze, pulled open Maki's fingers and placed it in her hand. Xiclotl dug around in the APC until she found a canteen full of water and handed it to Maki. "Take good care of him, and dress those wounds as best you can." With that Xiclotl turned on her heels and jumped to the driver's seat that one of the soldiers in Maki's APC formerly occupied. "Well?! What are you wainting for?!" Xiclotl yelled. The two soldiers jumped, and climbed into the APC. Maki stood with a bewlidered look on her face. "But ma'am, what do I do with-" Maki's voice was cut off in the din of the engine starting. Xiclotl was off! Maki stood there, staring at Xiclotl's APC as it drove off. Maki was trying to figure out what to do next, when Eaton yelled, "Ikana! Get over here!"
*****
Ron was sitting in his VT, unmoving, as if considering what to do next. William, however, had already decided on a course of action. He yelled over the comlink, "Guys! Get over here! We've got a problem! Thompson and MooreDale just bought it! There are Invid everywhere!" And the sound of the word "Invid", Ron snapped to attention, and saw three Invid standing right in front of him, the tips of their guns beginning to glow. Ron hadn't time to think, and reflexivly threw his VT at the Invid, squeezing his trigger. All three Invid instinctivly pulled their arms up to block their face/sensor. "This is too perfect..." murmered Ron to himself. Two missles gouged two Invid, and both Invid dove to the ground. Ron vented his rage by landing his Battloid on top the Shock Troop, and ripping off the Trooper's guns, using only his VT's hand. He then hacked off the Invid's arms with his lasers. The Invid began twisting wildly, trying to lose Ron. The Shadow lifted off the Invid, and floated in front of it. He spoke over the external speakers, "Hey slug! Say hi to Satan!" With one hand the VT held the Invid, as the other arm pulled back. The Invid was terrified, and began firing his thrusters madly. Ron didn't let go. The Invid let out a cry moments before the Shadow's fist flew toward the Invid's mecha. The VT's hand tore through the shell, and the rest of the ship, finally reaching something fleshy, grabbing on, and yanking back. Almost instantly the wounded and now pilotless mecha dove to the earth, clouds of smoke rising from it. Ron brought the Invid up to the VT's head. He said nothing. The VT's hand soon crushed the pilot, and green blood pulsed between the VT's fingers, small sickly globs falling do the ground below. Ron let go, and the mush broke up into little chunks as it fell. Ron smiled grimly, and then simply knew no more.
*****
What William saw before him shocked him. He didn't know what to feel. He stared numbly at what appeared to be a human woman, floating and covered with flame. She was entirely naked, and this added to William's confusion. He wasn't sure if he felt happy, sad, offended, embarressed, frightened, angry, or what. He simply felt consfused. The woman was making her way to the central hive, and a couple other Veritech's were following. William guessed maybe he could too. So he was off. An Invid ripped by, and one of the Veritech's following flashed breifly, and was reduced to rubble. The last thing that particular Invid saw was the foot of a VF-1 flying at his face. The VT yanked it's foot out of Invid craft, and let it drop. Before long the Invid had become a permanent fixture on the landscape. William glanced around, and then put his VT through a full circle. The woman wasn't in sight. William pondered this strange occurance, as the comlink crackled. "Hey, uh guys? Is it just me, or did a flaming naked chick just fly by here?" "Ahem," the voice of Jennifer Underhill spoke, "please do not use that term to describe women."
The battle continued, and both sides suffered heavy casualties... William and
his team fared pretty well, but no one could find Ron. Whenever William got
a free moment he worried, and this hurt his combat performance. He took a slight
hit to the leg, but the VT still functioned.
Underhill took out a few, but eventually took a bad hit the tail, and had to
eject. Still none of the Shadows could make it through.... The battle raged
on. After about a half hour things changed a little, and a few Shadows made
it through, to the main hive. But none ever made it out.
*****
High above the battle below, in orbit, a single man decided the fate of every human at Reflex Point. That man wondered if he had done the right thing, but it was far to late to change his mind. "3...2...1... missles away." A man called Sparks reported the successful firing of the Nuetron S missles. Both the humans and Invid at Reflex Point were doomed. Sparks gasped as a giant column of light lanced up from earth, evaporating the missles. Everyone human on board was silent. The beam of light became a massive bird, a Pheonix, rising from the ashes of earth. A huge number of ships were decimated at once, and Sparks thought no more. The Pheonix left earth, and with it left the war.
*****
Eaton parted his blood-caked lips and let out a cry of pure shock. Nearly every Invid was gone, and Eaton didn't know whether to be thankful they left, or angry that they left once they started losing... Maki rushed to his side. "Uh, sir? You shouldn't move." Eaton ignored her and stood up, gritting his teeth, trying not to notice the pain. "They're gone. They're really gone." rasped Eaton, trying to keep from doubling over in pain. What will we do now, I wonder. Attempt to rebuild earth, I guess. Our lives have been based around conflict ever since I can remember. Did that bird-thing waste our fleet? Are the crews up there jumping and laughing, or are they millions or particles? Eaton scolded himself for thinking such morbid thoughts. "Ikana, get Xiclotl. Ask her what's happening." Maki stood up, and paused for a moment, as if considering what to do next. Unfortunatly for her, Eaton wasn't willing to wait. "Ikana! Get over there! What's the matter with you!?" Maki jumped, and dove for the microphone. It was badly broken, but it appeared that it would still function. "Um... Commander Xiclotl? Commander? Please respond Commander." The radio only hissed static...
Ginrai
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