Zoids: Battle Dawn

Chapter 1: Loser

by Silver

Disclaimer: I do not own any rights to ZoidS mecha, characters, or storyline.

Author's Note: Hello. This is my first Zoids fic ever. After spending two years on Digimon fics, it feels good to try my hand at another series.

This story will hopefully be the start of an arch, depending on how focused I am. This is a Zoids New Century fic, but ignores the events of Zoids Fuzors. It's my hope that this story will be slightly more serious than the actual television show, but not too severe. I hope you enjoy, and reviews are always appreciated.

The stars had always dictated Zi's history. It'd been the stars that had sent the life ship full of humans, forever altering the planet's future. Death had rained from the stars when a meteor shattered the third moon and forced debris upon the surface. And it was one celestial body, moving slowly across the night sky, that sent the judge.

It came down like a shooting star; a red streak against the black night. It smashed into the ground with a resounding boom that reached to the farthest corner of the desert wasteland. A cloud of sand and dirt flew into the sky and slowly began to settle. The resulting crater was small, considering the size of the object that had crashed. The capsules were designed to limit the crater size. Rising from the ground on four pointed legs, the cylindrical chamber spun to face the gathered opponents. The seal clamps released and half of the cylinder rose into the air, exposing the white skeletal form of the judge. Standing atop its disk, it moved its head with the regality of a king overlooking his country. The judge's head resembled the capsule that carried it to Zi, with a thin speaker lining the lower third of its face.

Leo sat in Fang's cockpit, adjusting his belt harness while the judge surveyed the battlefield with its black visor. He mouthed along wordlessly with the judge during the all-too-familiar preparations.

"This zone is now restricted. Only competitors and personnel have authorized entry. Danger: all others must leave the battlefield at once."

Leo switched on the night vision, which sputtered and flickered on his display screens. He swatted it lightly with his gloved hand. "Come on, Fang, focus!" The screen fixed with a view of his four opponents. "That's better."

"Leo," The comm. crackled. "I want you to focus on the Hel Digunner. Watch out for the blades on its tail." Leo acknowledged his leader's command. His target waited on the other side of the battlefield. It rested on the four squat legs protruding out of its side and stared at him through the visor that covered its bullet shaped head. It hissed eagerly, awaiting the start of combat. A Hel Digunner was an okay target, though it would have been nice to take on the enemy's Zaber Tiger instead.

The judge continued its announcement. "The Bright Fire Team versus the Wild Pack. Battle mode: 0985. Ready…" It held up its red and blue paddled hands in a sweeping gesture, then quickly snapped them to its chest. "FIGHT!"

Leo pressed down on the foot pedal and Fang charged forward. The enemy's Hel Digunner was moving towards one of Leo's teammates. Leo caught its attention by firing two bursts from Fang's back mounted blaster. The dual laser shots went wide of the target, but attracted it towards Leo.

I'll win this time, thought Leo. He fired again, and he would have hit the iguana Zoid if it hadn't buried itself underground. He only caught the glint of moonlight off the creature's four blades as its absurdly long tale vanished underground. Leo watched as a mound of sand rose up and began to move across the landscape, leaving a small trench in its wake. All of Leo's shots failed to connect with the target. For an amphibious Zoid, Hel Digunners moved with surprising maneuverability underground.

"Leo! I need support. Get over here!"

"I'm tied up right now, Jace." Leo fired again and again, but the Hel Digunner evaded all his attacks.

"You're still tied up with that Hel Digunner?"

"It's buried underground. I can't hit it!"

"Don't aim for the mound, fire in front of its path!"
"I know!" Leo fired and fired and fired but the damn thing refused to take a hit. The moving mound turned at a sharp angle and streaked towards him. Leo pressed the fire button again, and nothing happened. Fang's power readings were down to critical. He couldn't fire any more blasts. Damn it!

Okay, no problem. He'd just have to move in for close range combat and use the Zoid's fangs. Leo charged forward, intending to dive into the mound and pull the Hel Digunner up by force. But just as he came within striking distance, the Zoid's bullet-shaped head erupted form the sand and leaped upward. Its eyes glowed pink underneath its blood red mask, and the four laser cannons under its chin fired a barrage of super-hot energy as it descended. Fang took several hits, and his night vision began to flicker again.

"Hold together, Fang!" Leo backed his Zoid away before renewing his charge. The screen returned to normal lighting, forcing Leo to look for his opponent without the aid of enhanced vision. The Hel Digunner turned and lashed out with its tail, easily crossing the distance between the two and slicing into Fang's right front leg with its curved blade. The scythe only grazed the area above Fang's paw, but it managed to hit several connections, reducing Fang to a limp. Leo swore and backed away even more. "Jace, I need help." Jace had been knocked out of the battle, as had the rest of the team. Oh well. At least he hadn't been the first one to go down this time.

The Hel Digunner spun around and targeted Fang and Leo with its large back mounted cannon. It only took one blast to pierce Fang's exhausted armor and damage the command lines. Fang's command system froze up and he fell to the ground. Leo gritted his teeth as he bounced around in the cockpit. One of his belts tore loose and he had to hold on to his seat to keep from slamming into the transparent cockpit.

The judge lifted its red paddle-hand. "The winner is the Wild Pack!"

Leo's team carried their damaged ZoidS back to their hanger, where Leo spent the rest of the night working repairs. By the time the first rays of sunlight filtered into the hanger, the ZoidS were once again combat-able, with only minor work on their armor and weapons left. Leo swiped the sweat from his face, leaving a greasy streak. He smiled as he looked up at Fang, his white armor reflecting the sun's rays. "Feeling better, partner? I took out that stupid night vision equipment. Fat lotta good it did us."

"The night vision generators work fine. It's your Zoid that was the problem." Jace approached with a stern expression on his face. "I paid top dollar for all four generators and they worked perfectly on the other ZoidS. I think we both know who the weak link is."

Leo scowled, "I warned you that the generator wouldn't work with Fang but you didn't listen!"

"It didn't work with your Command Wolf-"

"Fang." Leo corrected.

Jace didn't even try to hide the roll of his eyes. "Fine. The generator didn't work with Fang because Fang's systems are so outdated. I honestly don't know why you hang on to that old clunker. If it were a horse I'd shoot it."

Leo said, "What kind of a guy would I be if I ditched my partner? Getting rid of him would be like throwing aside family."

"What would you know about having a family?" Jace sighed. "Leo, we can't keep losing like this. One more defeat and we'll go straight down to Class F. I've decided it'd be better if we hired on a new warrior. I want you to become our mechanic, full time."

"No chance!" Leo spat. "I'm not going to be your grease monkey full time."

"Why not? You love fixing up ZoidS."

"Yeah, but I don't like being shoved into the background while you guys pilot ZoidS and claim all the credit. I'm not giving up my spot on the team."

Jace's anger began to show. "You're not doing us any good as a warrior. Just look at your performance last night!"

"Don't even try to blame that loss on me! You guys got knocked out before I did."

Jace snarled, "I sent you after the weakest Zoid on the enemy team and you couldn't even touch it. Furthermore, you didn't break away to help me with the Zaber Tiger. Had we double-teamed the Tiger and taken care of it, we could have overpowered the rest of the team."

Leo didn't have a counter for that. "Why didn't you just ask someone else to help you?"

"Everyone else was engaged with much stronger ZoidS. You were the best option. At least, I thought you were." Jace folded his arms. "Leo, I'm offering you a choice. We're hiring a new warrior with or without you. Either become our mechanic full time or get out."

Leo spun on his heel and headed for his room. "I'll be seeing you, then. If we ever bump into each other on the battlefield, you'll be my first target." That had become his phrase for saying goodbye to a team.

Leo spent the next several days wandering Noon Shine City, trying to find a place in Zoid teams. He knew where to look since most towns were arranged exactly the same. Any team would do, since they were so damn similar. Too similar, in fact, because they all gave him the same answer. Word of the battle with the Wild Pack didn't help his search at all, nor did the fact that the season was almost over. Losing his place on a team again left a bitter taste in his mouth. No matter how hard he tried, everyone always wanted to shove him into the mechanic's spot. He had no intention of spending the rest of his life in Zoid fluids and spare parts.

A month of searching did nothing to improve Leo's spirit. And by the season's end he still didn't have any prospects. Alone again, and frustrated, Leo decided to spend a little of his dwindling funds on a drink.

Denied any company, Leo instead focused on the televiewer, which was broadcasting the local news. It was the same story as usual. Bandits were wreaking havoc on the outlying settlements, and the Zoid Battle Commission couldn't find them. People protested the use of satellite lasers on the bandits due to the dangers of misfire and damage to the environment. Those same people had no problem with judge capsules smashing down from orbit, forming new craters, and kicking up dust clouds.

The Gulyos Empire and the Helic Republic were both offering to deal with the Zoid raiders, but only if they could establish bases on the continent. The Arcadia Kingdom denounced such proposals and instead offered to take care of the bandits for free. Then, of course, they'd raise the offer to have the territories join their virgining kingdom. Too bad they didn't have the power to do defeat the gangs.

"Hey," Leo asked the bartender, "what do you think about this whole land struggle?"

The bartender shrugged. "I'm not a big fan of being a Guylos or Helic citizen. Just doesn't seem right to be ruled by someone who doesn't live on the same continent as us. But Arcadia just doesn't have the power to hold together. I don't think they're gonna last long. How about you?"

Leo answered, "Governments never had much appeal for me. It's not like it'd change anything. I'd still be a Zoid warrior, with or without a government telling me the rules."

"You're a warrior? How'd the season go?"

"Don't ask."

The bartender smiled. "That bad, eh? Want some advice?"

"No."

"Then how's about a quote? 'Courage, Liberty, and a Sense of Justice. Only someone possessing these qualities can become a true Zoid warrior.'"

Leo glanced up. "Who said that?"

"Arthur Hancock, when he congratulated Bit Cloud on winning the Royal Cup." Another damn fan.

"Appreciate the quote but that's not going to get me on a team." The bartender wasn't listening anymore. His attention, like those of everyone else, was fixed on the white Liger Zoid displayed on the televiewer screen.

Noon Shine City was still abuzz from the Royal Cup. As if to add salt to his wounded pride, the news spent the rest of its time slot covering the tournament results, which everyone knew by heart.

Despite Leo's irritation, he couldn't help but envy Bit Cloud's piloting skill. He watched with an intensive awe as Bit's Liger Zero dodged and struck at the Backdraft Group's Berserk Fury. The lion-like Zoid moved with amazing speed, its golden claws shinning with power as they ripped off its opponent's armor. The T-Rex Berserk Fury was equally impressive, using its back-mounted rotary blades to slash at the Liger. Both Bit Cloud and Vega Obscura were incredibly skilled pilots and almost evenly matched. It was only through one desperate charge that Bit managed to win the match and claim the title of Royal Cup Champion for the Blitz Team, now Class S warriors.

Class S… Leo would be lucky if he ever saw Class B. It was clear from this season that he still had a long way to go as a Zoid warrior, and no one would wait for him to improve. How could he train when Fang needed new parts about once a week? That Zoid was held together with duck tape and spit.

Leo sighed and returned his attention to the news. Because of the Royal Cup, the Backdraft Organization, usurper of the Zoid Battle Commission, was broken and on the run. ZBC troops were overtaking Backdraft bases, but the ZBC chairman, Arthur Hancock, was being criticized for allowing the Backdraft the chance to strike at the ZBC in the middle of the tournament. It looked like the Commission would be electing a new chairman soon. Welcome to my life, Chairman Hancock. Leo took another sip.

Leo needed more training if he was going to survive the next season. Maybe he should join the Guylos or Helic military and get some experience there?

No. They'd never let him keep Fang. And he despised becoming a mindless drone for the military. He'd never go back to being 12515. Besides, it'd cost a fortune to sail over to Nyx or Delpoi, and there were no recruiting stations in southern Europa. That left more searching, and a reliance on luck. That wasn't too frightening. It had mainly been luck that'd kept alive this long. No reason to change one's style when there was no hope of improvement.

Leo paid the bartender and left, not sure where to go. Fang needed several new leg parts if he ever wanted to run at full speed again, but Leo didn't have the money. He'd only been able to affect repairs using parts he'd salvaged from local scrap yards; which was a far cry from Fang performing at one hundred percent.

In no hurry to go anywhere, Leo wandered the city, hoping that he'd just bump into someone who needed a pilot or a mercenary. Hell, he'd even settle for someone who needed a part-time mechanic.

Touring the city did nothing to cheer him. The all too familiar organization of stores, shops, and services reminded him of all the other cities where he'd been kicked off a team. There were no special monuments or centers to visit. Most people just visited a Zoid arcade for fun, and Leo didn't feel like being beaten by some kid in a mock-battle.

This was the mark of a town that feared becoming popular. The land struggles between the Guylos Empire and Helic Republic only caused tension throughout the area. Everyone feared becoming the first battleground in over a century. People were afraid to be the cause of a war, and so they hid. They hid their creativity, their passion, their culture. Leo had heard that there'd been a time when people on Earth would have fought with every ounce of strength to defend their identity. On Zi, they sacrificed such a treasure.

Humanity's survival of the Meteor Holocaust had cost them their history. Everyone spoke the Zoidian language, even though the ancient Zoidians themselves were extinct. Towns and cities were all based on one surviving blueprint, so they were almost all the same. And the fear of war kept everyone grouped into one monoculture. All of Europa feared diversity, feared prominence. Every town looked and felt the same way, with almost no unique characteristics. The city-states didn't strive to promote their individuality lest they become the next target of the land struggle between the superpowers. The true cultures developed in the shadows, among the mercenaries and the junk dealers. The people who had nothing to fear from notoriety were the ones who evolved the most. Leo wondered what it was like in a country where the ruling party was already established. Did people strive for fame and prominence? Did they show how they could be different? How did people talk? Did they have dialects or different words? Earth had given birth to so many different languages, all lost now. Would Zi ever know a foreign tongue?

Leo shook his head and banished such questions. Why was he wondering about Zi's future when he couldn't even predict his own? And he, who was without any history, was certainly no one to talk about the past.

He ambled through the shopping district and grimaced at the fashion shop windows. The ones closest shops to the ZoidS district boasted the newest fashion trends for Zoid warriors. The men's costumes all featured coats and jackets in bright colors and shinny materials that would make them stand out on the battlefield. Women could wear flashy body suites that accentuated their forms without restricting movement. Leo could never understand why most warriors felt the need to play dress-up for a fight. Many warriors wouldn't be caught in their Zoid's cockpits without wearing their battle costumes; it was an unwritten rule. Leo didn't buy into that mentality. He always wore the same clothing inside Fang as he wore in daily life. The only addition for him was a pair of non-slip gloves for better piloting. He moved on, ignoring all the other stores' merchandise.

He eventually found his way to the local grocery store, which only made him hungry. He kicked himself for buying a drink instead of buying food.

"Hey there, honey. How's about I help you with those?" A gruff voice from the parking lot caught Leo's attention. Several boorish-looking men had gathered around a woman placing groceries in her jeep.

"Buzz off." Most people would have looked a little fearful, but this woman didn't show any foreboding. That probably meant she was a Zoid warrior. Leo stepped to the side to get a better look at her. She had short red hair that ended in flat-tipped bangs and her violet eyes warned her "suitors" not to try anything funny.

"Your words say no but your body language is telling me something very different." Talk about cliché. Even the punks were the same in this town. Leo was about to step forward when the woman struck.

"Let's hear what my fists have to say!" She punched the man square in the jaw and sent him sprawling. Another thug tried to grab her from behind but she clamped down on his arm and tossed him right at Leo.

"Whoa!" Leo moved too slowly and the thug landed right on him, his crushing weight resting fully on Leo's chest. The man reeked of liquor and sweat. Leo gagged from the stench and tried desperately to shove the heavy man off. How had that woman lifted him?

By the time Leo worked his way to freedom, the rest of the gang was either unconscious or limping away with their comrades in tow. "You'll regret this!" They threatened.

"Yeah, yeah." The woman jumped into the driver's seat. "Serves you right for picking on a gentle lady like me!" She revved the engine and took off, nearly running Leo and the unconscious gang member over in the process. She swerved around the corner and was gone in an instant.

Leo stared after her, awed by what he'd just seen. Gentle lady? More like barbarian woman. He dusted himself off and dragged the man to the sidewalk where careless drivers wouldn't be a threat. Leo then "borrowed" some money to buy a sandwich (his service charge for dragging the man to safety), but decided to hold off on eating until it was absolutely necessary. Taking money from gangs like a twisted Robin Hood wouldn't earn him a long life.

He walked back to Fang and piloted the Zoid out of the city towards a nearby mesa. Fang stood perched atop the cliff and howled at the moon. Leo put his feet up on the piloting console and looked up at the stars. He left the canopy hatch open so he could feel the cool evening winds brush through is ash colored hair.

The stars were beautiful when one got away from the city. They sparkled with a light that surpassed any human invention. One star was actually moving, and twinkled with less brilliance than the others. That had to be the ZBC Super Satellite, the new deployment base for all judges.

Thinking of the judges only made Leo refocus on his current problem. He sighed, "What are we gonna do, Fang?" Fang remained silent and rigid as a stone statue. Leo wished that he could communicate with his Zoid better. For living creatures, ZoidS acted too much like machines some times. Leo had heard that Bit Cloud's Liger Zero could actually communicate with its pilot, something that most ZoidS were incapable of thanks to their command systems.

Boom!

An explosion blossomed on the desert road below. Leo settled back into the cockpit and peered down. Several giant caterpillars were racing parallel to the pavement. The moonlight shone off their silver armor, and their undulating round sections rose and fell rapidly as they raced on giant red wheels. Laser cannons on their round heads fired at a small patch of green, swerving on the road.

Several Molgas and a jeep. And Leo wasn't sure but thought he saw a small bundle of red hair in the jeep's driver seat. Probably those thugs getting their revenge. Despicable.

Leo felt Fang lean forward just slightly. He smiled. "You want to help too, don't you? Won't be easy. We're not at full strength." The foot pedals squeaked. "Okay. Let's go!" Leo grabbed the controls and pushed the petals against the floor. Fang surged and skidded down the side of mesa.

The Molgas were matching pace to stay behind the slower jeep, so Fang had no difficult in catching up. They were so busy trying to blast their target that none of the pilots noticed Fang approach from behind. Leo steered to the right and lined up the trailing Molga. The targeting display flashed red to indicate a lock-on and Leo fired both pulse lasers. The beams struck the ground beside the Molga. The insect Zoid was shaken, but not damaged.

Leo shook his head. Fang's sights were off, and he'd just recalibrated them that morning. He'd be in trouble if the Molgas started attacking in unison now. It was hard enough to hit a target when Fang's sights were fully aligned. Might as well keep blasting.

Fang sent burst after burst of laser fire, scoring a few lucky shots but missing the targets most of the time. The Molgas ceased their attack on the jeep and instead focused on evasion. None of them broke away to attack him. Leo grinned. Like all bullies, they didn't know what to do when someone actually challenged them. Molgas were usually less powerful than Command Wolfs, and these guys didn't realize they had the technological advantage.

Leo ceased fire and activated his comm. "You've caught me in a good mood, so I won't blow you away just yet. I'll let you go this time. But I don't want to see you around here again. Got it?" He fired one last blast for good measure, and managed to strike the lead Mogal in the tail.

"Y-yes sir!" The Mogals broke off and drove straight towards the horizon. Leo flicked off his comm. and laughed. I'm a better actor than I thought.

The jeeps horn drew his attention. The female driver had gotten out and was waving to him. Leo parked Fang next to the small vehicle and opened the cockpit. Fang lowered his head, allowing Leo to hop out. He grinned at the driver.

It was indeed the woman from the grocery store. She looked about a year or two younger than himself, probably seventeen or eighteen. He couldn't help but notice her well-defined figure, and her eyes were still as fierce as in the parking lot, though they'd softened a bit. She wore a curious hairpiece. Two long orchid rods with purple tips hovered above a ruby, located at the top of her head. These magnetic "pigtails" were the latest fashion trend, and a trademark sign of impulsive shoppers who had a lot of money to throw around.

The woman gasped when she saw his face and stared at him. Leo wasn't sure but he thought she recognized him somehow. "Um… is there something on my face?" His joke didn't lighten her mood, but it did snap her back to reality.

"No. I, um, I just… you look like someone I know." The woman smiled at him. "Thanks for the help. But that was some of the worst shooting I've ever seen."

Leo gave his proudest smile. "I didn't feel like damaging their ZoidS, so I just fired some warning shots."

"Uh-huh. Sure." She rolled her eyes. "Well, better that you came along I guess. I could have handled those creeps with my Gun Sniper, but I had to take this thing instead." She kicked the jeep. Leo was surprised by how quickly her attitude had changed.

"Gun Sniper? You're a Zoid warrior?"

Now she was the one with the proud smile. "I'm Leena Toros. I'm sure you've heard of me."

Leo frowned. "Toros… Toros… that does sound familiar." He snapped his fingers. "Oh, wait! Are you related to Steve Toros, the owner of the Blitz Team?"

Leena's metallic pigtails stuck up in the air like a warning beacon. "Related to him?! I'm his daughter! You mean you haven't heard of Leena Toros, star member of the Blitz Team?" She looked at him with a cold rage that'd make the bravest warrior wet his pants.

Leo stepped back a bit, closer to Fang's cockpit. "Well… um… I've been outta touch for a while. Most people only mention Bit Cloud."

Leena huffed, giving Leo the chance to regain his backbone. "I'll have you know that I was on the team long before Bit came along. He's the new guy on our team."

Leo slowly grinned. "Oh? Then the new guy won the championship for you?" Teasing this woman was probably a death wish, but it was too tempting to resist. Besides, he could jump into Fang's protection before Leena got a hold of his throat.

"For me? I would have blown the competition away if it hadn't been for a few… unexpected interferences." She took a deep breath. "Look, I appreciate you helping me, but don't you have somewhere to be right now?"

Leo shook his head. "Nope. No plans for the night and this conversation is just too fun to pass up." There was a certain thrill to poking fun at this woman. It was like edging on a tiger in a flimsy cage. It was the sort of thrill people felt while riding roller coasters and bungee jumping off bridges over rocky canyons. The thrill of looking death in the eye and laughing, all to be found in one woman.

A loud grumbling cut off Leena's retaliation. Leo grinned and rubbed his stomach. "Sorry. Been a long day. Say… you wouldn't have an apple or something you could spare, do you?"

Leena folded her arms and smirked. She reached into a bag and produced the largest, reddest, juiciest apple Leo had ever seen. She held it in front of him. "You mean something like this?"

Leo's mouth watered. "Yeah." He reached for it and she snatched it back. She held it up to her open mouth and gave him a sideways glance. She's got me, Leo realized.

"Who's the star player of the Blitz Team?"

"… Leena Toros."

"I can't hear you."

"Leena Toros."

"Good." She took a bite and tossed the apple back in the bag.

"HEY!" Leo gaped at her.

Leena glided towards the driver's seat. She patted the seat next to her. "Get in."

"Huh?"

"Get in. You can have some dinner at our base. It's not far from here."

Leo glanced from her to Fang and back again. "I can't leave my Zoid here… I'll just follow you."

Leena shook her head. "You really think that old clunker can keep up?"

Clunker? How dare she insult Fang right to his face! "Watch it!" Leo snarled. "Don't insult my Zoid."

Leena blinked. "Geez, don't blow a vein. I'm just saying your Zoid won't be able to keep up, and my home's a long way from here. Just hide it behind those rocks and you can come back for it later." She waved her hand casually towards the mesa.

Leo frowned. How could she expect him to leave his friend? "Someone might steal him, or strip him for parts."

"You honestly think someone would want those parts? Trust me; I know a few junk dealers and they wouldn't touch your Zoid."

"Listen, you! I don't appreciate you saying that about my partner! I've got a good mind to go find those Molgas and tell them its open season on smart mouthed red-heads."

Leena scowled. "Just try it! After I deal with them I'll track you down and show you why I'm a class S warrior!"

"Why you-" Leo's insult never left his lips. Fang creaked loudly and listed towards the rocks. Leo frowned, "You're okay with this?"

Leena pressed her hand to her head. "Oh, great. Another one that talks to ZoidS. Are you coming or not?"

Leo's stomach rumbled again, commanding him to get in the jeep. "Yeah… sure. Just a sec." He returned to Fangs cockpit and left him in the best concealed spot available. He then ran back to the jeep, where Leena sat impatiently. She floored the pedal almost before Leo had his foot in.

They rode in silence for a good half-hour. Leo just watched the landscape fly by and enjoyed the moonlight scenery. Noon Shine City had vanished into the horizon, and he didn't miss it. He felt free out in the open, away from the uniform and monotonous cities. Out here in the desert, every dune was unique. They were in a constant state of change and let the wind wear them down or build them up without complaint or hesitation. The only concern Leo felt was concern for Fang's safety.

Leena remained quiet as well, but she kept peaking at him out of the corner of her eye. It wasn't so much that she was interested in him, but she seemed to be more curious about his resemblance to her unnamed acquaintance. Leo was content to let her start the conversation. Eventually, Leena's sigh broke the silence. "Look, I'm sorry we got off to a bad start. I didn't even ask your name."

"My name's Leo."

"Leo…?"

"Just Leo."

Leena shrugged. "Okay, Leo. Where you from?"

"Nowhere, really. I've been on the road most of my life."

"On the road, huh? Is that where you found that old Command Wolf?"

"His name's Fang. And I met him just before I started my traveling. He's been my partner since day one."

"How long have you been piloting him?"

Leo thought back. "Well… we met when I was eight… so about fourteen years."

"FOURTEEN?" Leena nearly veered off the road. "There's no way an eight-year-old can pilot a Zoid!"

Leo laughed, "True. But I didn't say I piloted him when I was eight. I just met him then. He did most of the driving at first." Leena looked completely bewildered, and Leo understood. A free-willed Zoid was almost unheard of. If anything, command systems were designed to make sure ZoidS didn't wander around on their own. He decided to change the subject. "So, what's for dinner? I'm starving."

Leena grinned, "I noticed. You'll have to ask Jamie. He's our resident chef."

"Jamie?" Leo frowned. Name wasn't familiar, but Leena Toros hadn't been mentioned much with regards to the Blitz Team either.

"You'll meet him when we get there. It's about another half-hour to the Blitz Team base. Too bad we have to ride it in this thing. My Gun Sniper's a lot faster than this jeep."

"Why didn't you take the Sniper?"

"It's still being repaired from the Royal Cup fight."

The reserved lighting cast shadows over the board members' faces, dimming their eyes into obscurity. Such illumination had been specially chosen to reflect the mood of the group. Shadowed eyes mean that no one could read them, and thus all the chair members' insecurities would remain hidden. At least, that was what they believed. The lights were really just an indulgence. No one could ever hide their true weaknesses.

The Zoid Battle Commission's ruling body sat arrayed behind a horse shoe shaped desk, with Chairman George Hancock standing before them like a man on trial. Indeed, he would be judged this night. By dawn's break, a new power would come to rise with its leader given all the power in Zi. The planning and manipulation had been too well crafted to fail now.

The stand-in speaker for the board began the inquiry. "This meeting of the Zoid Battle Commission tribunal will come to order. The chair recognizes Colonel Sen Vaez."

Vaez stood up and looked at Hancock. "General Hancock, before I begin I must congratulate you on your success at the Royal Cup tournament. Were it not for you, we may very well have lost the battle to the Backdraft Organization and lost our control over regulated Zoid battles."

Hancock didn't smile. "The credit is not mine to take, Colonel Vaez. It was you who suggested we build the super satellite as a backup unit." How predictable. Vaez smiled inwardly. His attempt at humility only reminded the tribunal of Vaez's foresight and contributions to the ZBC, thus elevating him in their view. You're no politician, Hancock. And that's why you're being ousted.

"Nevertheless, General, it was you who oversaw the satellites development and deployment, thus ensuring our victory over the Backdraft. Still, this 'victory' has come at a high price. Our Judge Satellite Network and the judges those satellites bore have been destroyed. With only the super satellite serving as a deployment and a handful of judges to oversee battles on more than half the planet, our regulation abilities are severely limited. It will cost a fortune to reestablish a satellite network and I doubt we'll be able to have it up and running before the next season starts. Furthermore, several Class A teams were damaged beyond repair by that Backdraft warrior Vega Obscura during the Royal Cup. They've had to cancel any appearances next season so they can rebuild their ZoidS. We now have fewer high-ranked warriors to attract viewers and funding."

Hancock nodded, "This conflict has cost us dearly. I do not deny that there were incredible losses during the Royal Cup."

"Do you feel you could have prevented these losses?"

"What do you mean?"

"Could you have prevented this tragedy by curtailing the Backdraft's actions ahead of time?"

Hancock's eye twitched, a clear sign that Vaez was getting past his defenses. "We took steps to try to contain the Backdraft, but they are very skilled at hiding and springing from the shadows. They are not a force that can be easily blocked."

"Ah, yes." Vaez picked up a thick stack of papers. "You're referring to the surprise match between the Backdraft Organization and the Blitz Team. You used the Champ Team as bait, then tried to force the Backdraft to play by the Commission's rules in a battle with the Blitz Team. They did not follow the rules, did they?"

"No."

"Why didn't you shoot them down with the satellite network then?"

"The Blitz Team had deployed an air-born Raynos Zoid. Firing on the Backdraft meant risking a hit on the Blitz Team's Zoid. Besides, it wouldn't have sent a clear message to the Backdraft or our own members. We were trying to prove that cheating does not guarantee victory, as the Backdraft would have our younger warriors believe. Blasting them would have been a blatant and ineffective use of force."

"And what about your use of the Blitz Team in this battle? You involved one of our most popular Class A teams in this battle, and the Backdraft's illegal maneuvers nearly cost the team the match. Had they lost, the Backdraft would have confiscated all their ZoidS, including the Ultimate X Liger Zero. Why did you not send a Commission Team?"

Hancock sighed, "I understand the risk involved, but the Blitz Team had been forced into numerous battles with the Backdraft Group in the past. They were best suited to predict the Backdraft's moves and tactics. And they had the skill to pull off a victory against superior numbers."

Vaez nodded, "This was your only noteworthy attempt to curtail the Backdraft Organization. Why didn't you continue to pursue them?"

"The Backdraft halted its activities after the battle. There were only a few unsanctioned matches against the Blitz, Floogal, and some minor-league teams afterwards. Since the Backdraft had refused to follow the rules, even with our own judge standing before them, we decided another attempt such as before would have been pointless. I instead sent out search parties to try to find the Backdraft's leadership: a group known now as the 'Committee of Seven.'"

"And did you find this committee?"

"No. As I said, the Backdraft is skilled at hiding. I believe but cannot confirm that the Backdraft's command structure is hidden within the Zi aristocracy and bourgeoisie. They use their money and influence to cover their actions. I've presented this theory several times, yet I have been denied the ability to investigate."

"Of course. The upper class is the main contributor to the ZBC. How could we pry into their private affairs and still expect their support? Besides, why would our contributors fund our battles and then watch someone else's?" Because the gambling on illegal battles was far more entertaining and profitable, that's why. The contributions where a façade and shield for the elite.

Vaez posed his most poignant question. "General, where you aware that the Backdraft had charged particle cannon technology?"

"No. I was not."

"And therefore you were unable to protect our satellites from their cannon, which promptly blew almost all our judges to pieces. How do you think the Backdraft came into possession of such a weapon?

One of the tribunal members, Colonel Paris objected. "This inquiry is meant to deal with General Hancock's actions, not speculations on the Backdraft Organization." Paris was Vaez's chief rival for Hancock's position, so it came as no surprise he'd stick his comically long nose where it didn't belong.

Vaez said, "I ask this question only to discover the General's view on the Backdraft and the threat it may still present." The stand-in speaker upheld the question.

Hancock answered, "There are any number of ways to discover charged particle technology. We use charged particles in our strongest engines, so the technology could be adapted from non-military sources. Another possibility is that the Backdraft recreated the technology based on ancient records. They also apparently discovered several Genosaurers just before the start of the Royal Cup. I would say that it is most probable that they copied the technology from one of those ZoidS."

"But the cannon blast reached the upper atmosphere. How do you account for such amazing power? Genosaurers cannot possibly generate such a blast. In fact, only two ZoidS in history have such destructive force."

Hancock hesitated so much that he had to be ordered to answer. "It is possible that the Backdraft learned to increase the power of the cannons that was based on the Genosaurer."

He was trying to hide his suspicions from the tribunal lest he awaken their fears. But why hide your fear? Wasn't it better to face it? Vaez would rip the answer out of Hancock if he had to, all to see the fear in the tribunal member's faces. "Any other possibilities?"

Hancock nodded slowly. "It is also possible that the Backdraft was somehow able to clone of the two most destructive ZoidS in history: the Deathsaurer, or the Death Stinger. Since no one saw a giant T-Rex type Zoid during the shooting, I think we can safely say that the Deathsaurer has not been reborn."

"And the Death Stinger possibility?"

"I… We are still investigating that possibility. We managed to triangulate the source of the blast, but many Backdraft leaders and personnel escaped from right under the super satellites sensors. They dug their way out."

Vaez smiled. Hancock had been keeping this investigation quiet, trying to keep the public from mass hysteria. A shame his subordinates where not so publicly-minded. A few credits were all that he needed to loosen their tongues. "The Death Stinger can dig its way underground, can it not?"

Paris objected to the questioning again, and the speaker for the tribunal upheld his denouncement. No matter. Vaez had sown the seed of fear into the tribunal's weak little hearts. The outcome was inevitable.

Hancock was excused while the tribunal debated. Vaez sat back and watched as the fools argued with each other, as if they were still trying to decide the matter. Why bother? He'd already made up their minds for them. There could be a Death Stinger out there in the hands of a rouge organization. Now was certainly the time for new and strong leadership. But General Hancock has much experience and is a stable leader. Yet he couldn't control the Backdraft; he must be losing his edge. Such foolish arguments. This was why Zi needed a real war, not these petty games. Wars made people strong and decisive. A century of peace had left the people spineless and weak. Renewed conflict would certainly weed out the worthless.

It took an hour to reach the same conclusion that Vaez had found before the meeting even started. General Hancock was to be relieved of duty. As expected, Vaez was the chief nomination to replace Hancock with Paris trying to compete. But there was no contest. This meeting had been decided long before the Royal Cup. More than half the members stood to benefit under Vaez's leadership, with new positions offered as a reward for their support. The remaining members lacked the influence to dissuade their colleges from voting one way or another. Hancock's questioning had merely been the fire to light the fuse.

Paris was cut from the same cloth as Hancock. He thought and acted far too similarly to quell the tribunal's fears of a Death Stinger. If Hancock couldn't halt the Backdraft's activities, how could Paris? Besides, he was still needed to help the Republic develop the new Buster Eagle, which would surely help thwart a Death Stinger attack. No, this election was hardly a contest, and Vaez did not shed one bead of sweat during the deliberations.

Sen Vaez emerged from the tribunal meeting room as the new chairman of the Zoid Battle Commission, with a promotion to General to boot. General Hancock offered him a wooden handshake, then opted for retirement.

A pity.

He'd probably go back to serving the Helic Republic, which meant that he'd be on the receiving end of Vaez's first and last offensive. He'd hoped that Hancock would try to stay and fight; attempt to block and advise against Vaez's plans for the ZBC's future. But instead he'd chosen to run, to forfeit his place in history. Just another barrier knocked down, and Vaez hadn't needed to do anything this time.

The unstoppable juggernaut of change was finally gathering strength. Zi would see great revolution in the coming months, and it all began here. These fools had given Vaez the greatest power on Zi: the power to decide the people's interests. The power to control their attitudes and to direct the mob mentality. They'd practically handed him Zi itself! Thank you, outdated bureaucrats, thought Vaez. You've opened the door to the future, and carved the beginning of New Zenevas. And the irony is that you won't know what you've created until you see the LILITH standing over you, about to swallow you whole.

"We're here." Leena pointed to the small mass of buildings that stood out against the desert mountains. The Toros base was a roughly square shaped building with one side completely rounded off, making it look like a filled-in horseshoe. Off to the side was the Zoid hanger. It stood much taller than any other building with the front side sloping at a sharp angle. Aside from a few supply bunkers, the base was comprised of only those two buildings. Leo had expected a Class S team to be more… extravagant.

That wasn't to say he was disappointed. It hadn't occurred to him until he'd seen the base that he was going to actually meet the Royal Cup champions. He'd get to meet Bit Cloud, and see the famous Liger Zero. The Blitz team was renowned for rare ZoidS. Two of their warriors piloted one-of-a-kind ZIODS: the Liger Zero and the Shadow Fox. Another pilot, known only as the Wild Eagle, piloted the super-speed Raynos Zoid, a very rare unit. Leena had mentioned she piloted a Gun Sniper, which was far more standard than any of the Blitz Team's other ZoidS. No doubt that was the reason she and her Zoid hadn't gained more notoriety among the fans and warriors.

Leo couldn't help but grin. This was an opportunity unlike any he'd ever had. Few people every got more than an autograph from Zoid warriors. He was going to have dinner with a Class S team! His stomach was excited too.

Leena pulled into the garage and parked next to what looked like a tall white wall. But as Leo canted his head upward he saw that he stood next to the Blitz Team's hover-cargo transport. Someone had once refereed to these older-model transports as a hanger with engines. The blue disks that encased the internal Zoid hanger filled up most of the transport's body, with only a bridge and a forward hanger jutting out. The unit was sparsely armed with only two laser turrets branching out from the top of the hanger bays and twin blasters on the front bay. Even though this older unit was far outclassed by the newer Whale Kings, it was still famous as the choice transport of the Blitz Team.

Leo shook his head. What he wouldn't give to ride in this thing along with Fang.

"This way." Leena led him across, making him carry most of the groceries along the way. They entered the main building that held the team's living quarters. He followed down a long hallway of pristine metal. There were several surveillance cameras along the way, each one panning back and forth slowly.

"Tight security?"

"Comes with the lifestyle. A lot of people would love to strip parts off our ZoidS or steal them all together. We had to install new security after the Backdraft Group broke in and stole our Liger Zero."

Liger Zero. The Liger Zero. "Any chance I could see this Liger?"

Leena shook her head. "Nope. No chance."

"Why not?" Leo found himself sounding like a kid denied his choice for a toy.

"Because Bit's off on vacation. He took the Liger with him for some R&R." Damn, no Liger Zero.

"Here we are." The door slide to the side, granting Leena access.

"Leena! There you are!" A man dressed in a blue-tinted lab coat stood up within the wreck room. He was tall with dark brown hair styled similar to Leena's, but cut closer to his scalp. He was in his mid forties and benefited from that aura of wisdom that some men managed to exude at that age. His purple eyes, no doubt the ones he'd given to Leena, regarded Leo. "Who's this?"

Leena introduced them. "Dad, this is Leo. Leo, meet my father, Steve Toros."

"Pleasure to meet you." Leo offered his hand and Mr. Toros shook it.

The man regarded his daughter, "You were supposed to get groceries. Not bring home a date." He grinned at her with a playful smirk that ebbed his mature demeanor.

"He's not a date!" Leena didn't like the joke. "Leo just helped me out with some bandits along the way and I offered him dinner as a thank you. Actually, his stomach asked if he could come along."

"So you were picking fights again." There was another person reclining on the couches arrayed inside the sunken area in the middle of the room. He was much younger than Mr. Toros, but older than Leena; about twenty-four or so. He too wore a long coat, but it had no sleeves and faded from dark gray to light the lower one looked. He wore an old Earth Native American necklace over his blue shirt. His walnut hair was rough and unkempt, adding a roguish look. His eyes were less exuberant than Leena's or her father's. This man had mercenary written all over him. "Brad Hunter. Nice to meet you, Leo."

"Likewise." Leo shook the man's hand. "You're the Shadow Fox pilot, aren't you?"

Brad nodded, "That's me." He noted the look in Leo's eyes. "Ah, you want to take a look, huh?" Leo nodded. "After dinner." Brad lay back down. "I'm too hungry to play tour guide right now. You're late, Leena."

"I told you! I got hung up with some creeps outside of town!" Leena's magnetic pigtails nearly struck her father in the face as she became more flustered.

"Sure." Brad closed his eyes, "You just don't know how to stay out of trouble, that's all."

Leena clenched her teeth for a moment and then shouted, "Jamie! C'mere and start dinner. We've got company!"

The door at the opposite end of the room slid open. "Company?" A young man, only in his late teens, stepped inside. He had short, dark gray, spiky hair and a frail looking body. His face had the look of someone who'd seen unusual sights, but still had a lot more to experience. He shook Leo's hand as well. "My name's Jamie Hermeros. Nice to meet you."

Leo returned the salutation and gave Jamie his name. Jamie took the groceries into the kitchen and began to cook. Leo sat down in the wreck area, and found himself sinking into the lush upholstery. He hadn't sat in something this comfortable in a long time. His body was so used to Fang's beat-up pilot's chair that he'd almost forgotten what normal seating felt like.

"So, Leo," Mr. Toros sat down across from him, "how did you bump into Leena?"

Leo decided not to mention his first encounter with Leena outside the supermarket. "I was on the outskirts of town when I saw several Mogals blasting at a jeep. Fang and I decided to shoo them away, and it turned out that Leena was their target."

Mr. Toros frowned, "Fang?"

"My Command Wolf."

Brad nodded, "So you're a warrior. I used to pilot a Command Wolf. Good Zoid."

"Not Leo's." Leena returned from the kitchen. "His was so old I'm surprised it didn't fall apart underneath him. And Leo's aim was so bad he didn't even touch the Mogals themselves." Leo scowled at her.

"Leena." Mr. Toros warded his daughter off. Her only reply was a shrug. "Are you a part of a team, Leo?"

Leo shifted in his seat. "I was over a month ago. We had a… disagreement and I split away from the group. I was trying to find a new team to hook up with when the season ended and everyone went back to training."

"Tough break." Brad asked, "Any plans now?"

Leo shrugged. "Something'll come up. Right now I'm more concerned about Fang. I had to leave him back at the town where I met Leena. He's probably lonely right now." Everyone arched an eyebrow at him. He was used to this reaction by now. He shifted the conversation and learned the story behind the Blitz Team's rise to success and their victory in the Royal Cup. Despite Leena's boasts, it was clear that Bit Cloud was one of the main reasons they kept winning.

"Dinner's ready!" Jamie came out and placed large platters of food on the center table. The kid obviously had experience cooking for a large group. Steak, chicken, salad, rice, peas; Leo hadn't seen a feast like this in forever. He tried to refrain from shoveling the food down. He didn't want to offend his hosts.

"So, Mr. Toros-"

"Call me Doc, please. Everyone else does."

Leo nodded and said, "How did you come across the Liger Zero?"

Doc chuckled and leaned back. "It was a couple years ago. A slick trader sold it to me for a small fortune, and then it turned out the Zoid wouldn't let anyone pilot it."

"Slick?" Leena chided him. "He barely had to name a price before you bought the Liger. You and you're impulse shopping."

"You're a fine one to talk." Brad said in between bites of his meal. Leena looked like she'd throw her plate at him.

Leo glanced at Jamie. "Is this normal?"

He sighed, "Too normal. What's scary is that I've gotten used to this." He ate his food pensively.

Doc continued. "The Liger gathered dust in our hanger for some time before Bit came along. He was the only one that Liger Zero would allow into its cockpit. Bit's one of the few people who can pilot an Ultimate X Zoid."

Ultimate X? "Then it's true? Liger Zero has an organoid inside of it?"

Doc shrugged, "It has an organoid system, but that's very different from an organoid. We've had several scientists scan the Liger's system, but no piece of equipment can get a reading on it. The whole system's a mystery."

Leo considered the power a Zoid must have with an organoid system. Organoids had been the trusted partners of the ancient Zoidian race, shortly before the great disaster. The organoids had the ability to fuse with their larger cousins, enhancing the Zoid's abilities to a whole new level. People had thought them to be extinct after all these years, but Leo couldn't help but fanaticize that there might be a permanently-bonded organoid within the Liger Zero.

Brad changed the topic, "Jamie, have you fixed the Shadow Fox yet?"

"Yeah. All the components are working fine."

"But it still squeaks. You did something wrong."

"I did not! I checked and double-checked all the attachments. Why are you making such a big deal over a squeak?"

Brad's tone became cynical. "The Shadow Fox is a stealth Zoid. How am I supposed to be stealthy if an enemy can hear me squeaking?"

"Ever think that maybe the Shadow Fox is trying to say something?" Leo asked. There was that look from the group again.

Leena said, "The Shadow Fox's legs were blasted off during the Royal Cup. We tried to repair what was left, but it hasn't sounded right since. Maybe Uncle Laon could fix it?"

Doc shook his head, "Not unless you want to post bail for him." He explained to Leo. "Laon was an old friend of mine until a disagreement of our own made us rivals. He spent all of last season trying to destroy us, until he ended up saving Leena during the Royal Cup. Laon built the Shadow Fox and we won it from him in a battle. It's highly advanced so it's hard to provide maintenance."

Leo nodded. "Sounds like you guys had a rough time in the Royal Cup."

Brad said, "No worse than usual when the Backdraft Group is involved."

Leena added, "But who cares what happened! We're the champs now."

Jamie was less enthusiastic. "You shouldn't brush off our losses like that. The Gun Sniper and the Raynos are still under repairs, the Shadow Fox is having difficulty, and we still haven't fixed the Liger Zero's armor sets. We're going to need more help if we're going to fix our ZoidS in time to train for next season." The group nodded solemnly.

"May I see your ZoidS?" Leo asked.

"Sure." Brad stood up. "I'm full now, so let's go." Leo followed him to the Zoid hanger. The Raynos was the first Zoid that Leo's eyes fell upon. Though it was marked and maimed by what looked like the effects of a crash landing, its true beauty shone to anyone who took the time to look. The top half of the Zoid's body was light green with dark gray splashed across its underside. The claws on the edges of its two wings glinted silver, as did the laser cannons on its belly and the twin blasters attached to its tail. The orange cockpit clung close to the Zoid's sleek, narrow head, with a small crest protruding out the back. Leo heard that this type of Zoid was based on an ancient flying creature from prehistoric Earth.

The next Zoid also resembled a long-dead creature. The Gun Sniper was as bipedal dinosaur Zoid with short claws and two long curved blades on its feet. It body design was boxy, a trademark of older-modeled ZoidS. Dents and scratches covered the Zoid from top to bottom, with some of the claws and limbs holding on by some sheer miracle. It had yet to be restored. It was colored the standard dark blue with an orange cockpit and gray legs and arms. The armaments were anything but standard, however.

In addition to the two machine guns on the claws, the twin missile pods on the back, and the long-range sniper cannon that served as the Zoid's tail, Leena had upgraded with Zoid with an even more impressive arsenal. Twin vulcan cannons jutted up from a wild weasel laser cannon set slung across the back. Two mortar cannons were fixed to the vulcans, and four larger-grade missile pods hung off the Zoid's arms and hips.

"That's… a lot of firepower." Leo shuddered to think what a woman like Leena could do with this much firepower.

"Tell me about it. Leena upgraded from a Dibision, so ballistics were the choice for custom parts. She wastes a fortune in ammo." Most of the armaments were as banged up and fragile as the Gun Sniper's body. Brad led him to the final Zoid in the hanger.

The Shadow Fox was a defaced work of art. The gold on its forehead and shoulder stood out against its almost pitch-black body. The Zoid was all angles, save for the cockpit hatch. Its red eyes peered out over the desert as if already searching for its next opponent. A six barrel Vulcan cannon jutted up from the Fox's back, but there were no ammunition chambers. Judging from the power connections, the cannon was designed to channel laser power. The tail was half black and light gray. The hinges betrayed the presence of an internal weapon. Nothing that small could be lethal, but perhaps it held a net launcher of some kind.

The only blemish to this masterpiece was its right legs. Both bore melted scars from where a high-powered beam had shattered them. The weld points were sloppy and disgusting. Their lumpy texture stood out in harsh contrast to the Fox's smooth surface. The Zoid itself was still held upright by a support frame, and it was clear from the tools lying around that the Blitz team had been trying to fix the Fox's legs for some time.

"Incredible…" Leo whispered.

Brad smiled with a small hint of pride. "You won't find a Zoid like this anywhere else. It's state-of-the-art and one-of-a-kind."

"And it squeaks." Leo reminded him.

Brad's smile became a grimace. "Yeah. Been reconnecting parts and oiling joints ever since the Royal Cup, but I still can't get the leg to pipe down."

"Maybe the problem isn't in the leg. Maybe it's somewhere else."

"So it squeaks in the leg because there's a problem somewhere else? Something tells me you haven't done much maintenance in your life."

Leo was about to contradict him when Doc Toros and the others entered the hanger. "Listen up, team." he announced. "Now that we can work on full stomachs it's time we got back to repairing out ZoidS. As it stands, only the Liger Zero is fit for combat, and all of the Liger's extra armor components are spent. We've got to get some major repairs done before we can start training again for the next season. Because time is so critical, I've decided we'll pool our resources and repair one Zoid at a time. Our combined labor should speed up the repairs and enable us to work faster. We'll start with Leena's Gun Sniper."

They might have worked well as a team in the battle field, but they were lousy mechanics. Leo stood back and watched, knowing that Zoid warriors didn't like other people to touch their "equipment." It was obvious that Doc, Jamie, Brad, and Leena knew how to repair a Zoid, but they lacked the cohesiveness to repair it as a unified body. Brad wanted to repair the legs while Leena opted to fix her precious arsenals. But refitting the Vulcan cannons strained the leg joints and slowed Brad's repairs. And since the legs were not yet balanced, Leena couldn't calibrate her weapons' sights. Jamie and Doc didn't excel in repairs either. Doc tended to give the orders to Jamie and have him work on complex systems that were probably beyond his understanding. Leo wondered if this was Doc's way of teaching Jamie about Zoid functions.

Whatever the case, Jamie was struggling, and that was making him frustrated. The same was true for Brad and Leena. As the evening droned on, tempers began to shorten and Leo often found himself stopping an argument from coming to blows. He had to steal several tools away from Leena before she bashed Brad over the head. By midnight, Doc Toros finally acknowledged the inevitable.

"Okay, everyone. That's enough. We've done all we can for tonight. Let's get some sleep and tackle this again in the morning." The team all too readily agreed and walked towards the sleeping quarters, covered in Zoid fluid, grease, and sweat. Leo, on the other hand was just getting started. He declined Doc Toros' invitation to escort him to the guest room, saying that he wanted to stay up and look around. Doc nodded hesitantly, and Leo noticed that he activated the security system on his way out. Good idea.

Too bad their security system was so obvious. Laser wires, cameras, and drop-down nets. Nothing Leo hadn't snuck around before. He'd been dodging security for over half his life and this team didn't have any special tricks.

He regarded the ZoidS assembled before him. Even without the Liger Zero, it was an impressive assortment. Amazing that one team could acquire such a unique collection of parts and ZoidS. He trembled to think how Fang could perform if he had this kind of technology on his side. And it was all right here, in front of Leo.

"Well then," he rubbed his hands together. "Where shall I start? Shadow Fox, let's see what wonders I can work on you."

Daybreak at the Toros base did little to improve everyone's spirits. They were still tired and cranky from the night before. Leena and Brad kept exchanging sour glares at each other while Doc Toros and Jamie opted for silence. They walked to the hanger as a solemn procession more befitting a funeral than a battle team. For all they knew, they might end up killing each other before the day was done.

But the sights that greeted them in the hanger washed away any thought of the night before. The change was obvious the moment the stepped into the large space.

"Look at my Gun Sniper!" Leena cried. "It's… it's… beautiful!" The fully restored gun barrels glistened in the morning light, and its body shone with a fresh waxing and polish. The Raynos and the Shadow Fox had been similarly repaired and polished, and upon testing Brad found that the squeak in the Fox's shoulder had vanished.

"How'd this happen?" Doc rubbed his head. The answer came through a snort.

Lying on a small workbench was Leo, sound asleep, using his arm for a pillow, and covered in stains and sweat from an obviously long night of repairs. He snored loudly and didn't stir at all as the others approached.

"He fixed all our ZoidS in one night?" Jamie stared dumbfounded.

"Not bad." Brad commented. "And he even fixed the Shadow Fox, a Zoid only we're familiar with."

Doc Toros nodded, "Impressive. This boy has a lot of mechanical skill." He smiled. "Team, I think we just found ourselves a new mechanic!"

That's all for Chapter One. We'll see how well Leo adapts to the unusual routine of the Blitz Team in Chapter Two. Once again, reviews and constructive criticism would be greatly appreciated.