Lykaios & Yuffie

[Lykaios]

Agni's eyes widened in horror at the voices new directive. Whatever motivation he had in helping them to crack the Geno Saurer's encryption, it now seemed to be gone. Dalgaard swore. This maniac was trying to get them into serious trouble. But he was out of time for thought; he needed action.

"Everyone, battle positions! Amaya, Tank: East-entrance. Zeke; is the Geno ready for combat?"
"Yes she is!"
"Good. Eira, take the South-entrance, I'll guard North. Someone get Xshu and Rai here, now. Rai will have to take to scouting, and Xshu will be posted on the West. Xshu in Night!" he ordered, and everyone moved.

Climbing the ladder, he leapt over into the Geno's cockpit and took a quick once over. Standing beside him, Zeke put Agni's hand on a pad, and before Hunter could react, a green light flashed, along with an on-screen prompt saying [AUTHORISATION. USER ACCEPTED. AGNI IACCHUS DALGAARD.]

Smiling, Agni took controls and the Geno came to life. Zeke stepped away as the cockpit closed.

"LET'S GO!" Hunter ordered as the hangar opened and natural light spilled into the previously poorly illuminated bay.

[Yuffie Kisaragi]

When the voice spoke in such glee over the battle that was about to ensue that HE had started, something in Eira snapped and she suddenly could no longer maintain her calm. Her expression contorted with fury, eyes burning with an anger like a raging inferno and a she couldn't hold back a harsh growl of hatred. "you sick bastard! murderous SCUMBAG!" she cried, her voice shrill like a chorus of angry screech owls, no longer the soft whisper it normally was. "I should kill you myself! Just you wait, when I find you I'll make you bleed and crush you until I can't hear your bones cracking anymore!" she was cut off of her angered ravings when Agni gave her orders to protect the south entrance, wishing instead that she could go and tear apart the little snake that had brought such a battle to this poor village. But she would not disobey his orders and so she reluctantly agreed, running off to find her zoid and climbing up to the cockpit, her Zoid waiting only for her to be inside the small compartment before it closed the hatch and began the run to the exit, being able to do that much on its own.
"Come on, Sora! We have to teach some Imperial lapdogs a lesson!" she growled, Sora seeming so attuned to her that he also felt her seething rage, a deep growl rumbling from his vocal systems as she took the controls, ready for battle.
Dark armour gleaming and weapon systems online and ready, Eira and her faithful zoid companion took their place at the southern entrance, Both their eyes fixed on the horizon, anger boiling within. Had Agni been able to see her face now, he would have seen the near wild fury in her one coloured eye, such rage being an unfortunate trait of her personality that she had never been able to control. She smelled imperial blood, and she was ready to spill it if necessary. It didn't matter to her, as long as she could keep these innocent villagers safe from their scourge. They were willing to take countless innocent lives, just for a few wanted criminals? what kind of 'heroes' did they think they were?! It made Eira sick, and she just wanted them gone, one way or another. She would show them no mercy, just as they showed these innocents no mercy.

As the cloud of dust blurred out the horizon at the approach of the pack of Zabers, Eira prepared herself for combat. She had spared no weapons, everything was prepped and ready...EVERYTHING. If it came to it, she was not inclined to hold Sora back from using his greatest weapon, even if it did leave her dangerously vulnerable afterwards. She hailed Agni's Geno Saurer on a vocal-only line, to confirm her position had been taken. "In position and ready for combat, Sir. Awaiting your order to engage the enemy." she reported, her voice so low and cold one might forget she was the same girl whom had been trying so hard to be the friend that she wanted Agni to see her as. The tone of her voice was again just like it had been that day she killed Agni's father: Emotionless, cold, calculating, almost robotic. It was as if the anger had taken complete control of her.

[Tifa Lockhart]

Fen found his toy's reactions endlessly amusing, and so as they departed he immediately withdrew from the network and took flight, wheeling silently over the town ready to watch the oncoming fight. He concealed himself for now, still not willing to give away more about himself then he had to.

((Sorry for the crap post...))

[Lykaios]

Agni was beside himself with anger. For someone to go and give him the security code for the Geno, only to then continue on and attempt to send them to their doom? What kind of sick, sadistic, psychotic bastard would do such a thing?! Inside the Geno Saurer, he was nigh unstoppable, in a Zoid; he was a terror. Hunter seethed with blind rage at the thought of the madman's glee at the predicament he put them in. It was indecent.
No, he was no second traitor...he was a vile, capricious lunatic with a microphone. Death would be his release.

Agni growled a few curses about what he would do as he dismembered this freak, to dampen down his rage. When Eira came in on comm, he'd arrived at his designated guard, with just enough time for Xshu and Rai to get into their Zoids. The Zabers had apparently borne down on Eira's position first. Turning his Zoid around as fast as was possible, he responded.

"Right, Eira. Coming to support you. Take out what you can!" he said to her; noticing the rage in her voice that he remembered from two years ago. It was unnerving; putting the towns safety in her hands, when she'd once been ordered to raze the village he called home.
"Tank, Rai, Xshu: Support Eira!" he ordered his friends.
They responded quickly; all four of their Zoids moving to Eira's position. A Hellrunner, Shadowfox, Dark Horn and the two Imperial Zoids: Geno Saurer and Ixion-Wing.

These five Zoids were tackling a half dozen Zaber Fangs. The Geno Saurer at least could remove two from the fight really quickly. Ixion-Wing probably the same.

No matter what; Agni knew that this fight would be over very quickly.

[Yuffie Kisaragi]

Eira acknowledged Agni's response with a quick 'understood' before she began opening fire with the canon mounted on Sora's chest, attempting to divert their course enough to scramble the small group of Zaber Fangs. It worked just as planned, the Zabers breaking formation to get away from the heavy gunfire, leaving them scattered and vulnerable; to this, Eira smirked before she pushed the control sticks forward, and twisting the handles down to activate the boosters on Sora's back, the zoid promptly powering straight into a sprint at the nearest Zaber, his claws, fangs and spined tail already glowing as the generators on his hips powered up to full safe output, ready to tear the enemy to shreds.

Sora manged to seize the Zaber's shoulder in his jaws, claws wrapping around his prey's nape like a Tiger on the hunt, and digging his long talons into the metal of the Zaber's thick armour, to ensure he wouldn't lose grip of the opponent. The Zaber growled in response to the wound, staggering under the added weight of the much larger Ixion Wing, its leg joints squealing and groaning in protest to the extra pressure, making the Zaber fall over sideways into the dirt. "Now you'll learn why you don't mess with me! Sora, finish him off!" Eira growled, her tone filled with a venomous hatred that warped her voice to near unrecognisable levels. Sora complied gladly with her command and bit down hard on the Zaber's armoured throat, preventing it from moving to stop him, before his long whip-like tail swung around to stab the long, glowing spines at its tip into the helpless Zoid's side three times over, until the Zaber ceased to flail its mechanical limbs, the pilot ejecting to try and flee to safety. Eira let the pilot be for now...he wouldn't get far on foot anyway, and he was a fool if he wanted to try and take the town without his Zoid. With that, Sora growled and ripped his fangs and talons from the defeated Zaber, standing up to his full height on his hind legs and roaring so loudly the sound echoed through the canyons behind the village. The pair then turned their attentions to the village, seeing Two of the remaining five Zabers headed straight for the gate, but as Eira was about to panic, Xshu, Rai and Tank's zoids arrived on the battlefield, blocking the way to the town. With a relieved sigh, Eira turned back to the remaining 3 Zabers in front of her, one of them -much better equipped than the one that now lay mangled in the dirt- charging forwardd to attack, her, the last two, one of which was obviously the leader, seeming to have their attention drawn by something else. Sora again prepared to kill, though he remained in his upright stance, rather than dropping to all fours again.

[Tifa Lockhart]

((Skip me for now. I'll post again when the battle is over.))

[Lykaios]

Dalgaard reached the engagement last, having been at the opposite end to where the Imperial scouts had attacked from. His lips a tight line in concentration, he broke into the fight: using the Geno Saurer's fierceness effectively. He broke one of the standard Zabers off from the pack; using his tail like a whip, knocking it away. Before it's pilot could remedy their situation, Agni brought the Geno Saurer's maw over the Zabers neck, shaking till it broke.

As the Zoid fell sideways, he jumped onto the dead machine, as he released the Geno Saurer's vice grip on it's throat. As the Zoid was destroyed by the Geno's weight, he bounced over to return to standing on the earth itself. The Saurer roared in triumph, before he sent it forward; his intention to trample at least one more Zaber while his comrades fought.

Tank and Amaya's Dark Horn kept it's distance, preferring to rain fire upon the Zabers at a longer range. Xshu was running circles around the Zabers in Night, using the Shadowfox's smoke systems to disorientate the Imperial soldiers. Rai was using his Hellrunner to knock about distracted Zaber Fangs to give Tank, Xshu, Eira and Agni a slightly greater edge in the fight.

"Die, Imperial scum..." he growled quietly, his concentration never waning.

[Yuffie Kisaragi]

Eira caught a glance of Agni's battle from her peripheral vision in the side of the virtual cockpit, silently approving of his almost innate skill with the Zoid, using all of its greatest advantages and avoiding it's weaknesses. Her focus was quickly drawn back to her opponent, however, as the Zaber charged forward, augmented limbs allowing a much greater speed than the standard Zaber. The extra speed didn't even make Sora flinch, the Ixion-wing holding its ground and hopping sideways at the last second so that the feline Zoid missed, before Eira quickly tugged the control sticks left, so that Sora pivoted around on one clawed foot, the typically reptilian structure of his foot allowing the dragon-like machine to effortlessly twirl nearly a full 180 degrees in mere seconds. As soon as he was facing the still-disoriented Zaber, Eira flipped the control sticks forward and down so that Sora thrust his clawed forelegs out onto to helpless feline's armoured haunches, before he dropped into his quadrupedal mode, the sudden change in weight distribution forcing weight down on the Zaber and slamming it into the hard packed dirt. But this modified Zaber had much thicker armour than anticipated and survived the brutal impact, rolling over and throwing Sora off-balance, kicking out a hind leg to scratch at the unarmoured plates of his underbelly, forcing him back and giving the Zaber a chance to get back up.
"rrrgh...tricky bastard! Do you have any idea what happens when you meddle in the dragon's nest?!" Eira snarled, Sora emitting a low rumble as he spun up the pumps in his long neck, lifting his head to face right at the Zaber as the smaller, feline Zoid foolishly came within range of his signature weapon. "you get cooked!" at that, Sora gaped his huge, fanged jaws wide and the deadly hot napalm spilled forth from his heat-proof jaws to coat the Zaber's neck and back, the pilot saving himself at least by ducking his Zoid's head just in time. But even a Zaber's thick armour was helpless against the intense heat of Sora's liquid fire jet, and melted around it's joints, freezing it to the spot as it's mechanics jammed up, leaving it unable to save itself. "DIE, imperial!" Eira snarled, Sora also bellowing a metallic call as her raised his tail and turned to crush in the feline's now un-guarded and vulnerable neck, severing the head from the rest of the Zoid and trapping the pilot in a no-longer functioning cockpit.

With that she turned her Ixion-wing to dash to Agni's Geno Saurer, preparing to take on the last Zabers, including the leader, whose Zoid was much bigger than its lesser comrades, and had armour at least 3 times as thick, not to mention the numerous cannons that covered its already heavily-laiden body. At least that meant it couldn't be very fast, it has traded in speed for vitality and lethality, and against a unique Ixion-wing like Sora and a rare Geno-Saurer, it hardly stood much chance.

[Lykaios]

Agni rushed towards one of the Zaber Fangs, ramming the Zoid's side with his Geno Saurer. He wasn't using his guns or cannons because of the risk of damage to his village, but he could fight like an animal quite well, so guns weren't truly neccessary for him at the moment. Knocking the Zaber over, he jumped up; aiming to crush it's throat or at the very least damage it's limbs. The pilot was quicker to adjust than the previous: rolling just enough to escape the neck-breaking, but not far enough to avoid his Zoid becoming useless in the fight.

Agni then drew back, seeing Eira in his peripheral vision as she came around to assist him against the final few; including the scout leader.

"Eira, let's do it." he said to her over vocal only comm channel.

[Yuffie Kisaragi]

Eira issued a sound of agreement, reading herself for the last fight, her faithful Zoid taking up his battle stance and roaring threateningly at the Zaber, which growled back. "ready when you are, Agni. We will follow your lead," the girl said, her voice clear and instense through the audio-line. As the enemy Zaber would begin to open fire, Eira smirked, hopping her Zoid in front of Agni's Geno Saurer with a jerk of the controls, before she lifted her eyes to the main panel. "Sora! Wing shield!" she commande, and immediately, Sora folded his huge metal wings in front of his, protecting both him and the geno saurer behind him, as he powered up the magnesser field on his wings, refracting the energy bolts from the Zabers weapon off to the side of the two, leaving only the tiniest of scratches in the surface of Sora's wings. "you'll have to get closer if you want to harm us, imperial" she remarked, smugly, as Sora unfolded his wings again and deactivated the magnesser field, firing off a few rounds from the shock cannons on his chest.

[Lykaios]

Agni stood idly as she replied, and when she stepped in front to use her Ixion-Wing to take fire for him, he took the opportunity to stabilise his Geno Saurer to use it's charge particle cannon. He'd always wanted to fire one of these babies. Now he'd finally get his first chance. The problem he had, was his need to remain completely stationary: thus making him completely vulnerable to enemy attack.

Presently; Eira and her Ixion-Wing Sora were doing him a favour as he charged his cannon. Standing in front of him with her Zoid's wings raised, she was also providing cover in such a way that he also bore the element of surprise against his foes, for when he was ready to fire.

"Charging my cannon. Someone; occupy enemy forces!" hs called out over team-comm.

[Yuffie Kisaragi]

Eira smirked as Agni informed the team he was charging his Charged Particle Beam, yet another reminder of the huge advantage they held over the enemy. "I'll keep this old man in your line of fire as best I can, sir, let me know when to stand aside" she reported, continuing her tactic of "duck and fire", putting up her shields to deflect incoming fire and dropping them again to fire at the Zaber and keep it in a relatively square frame of view in front of Agni's Geno Saurer.

The Zaber seemed to be getting frustrated by this little game, growling furiously and attempting to charge the pair. Eira wasn't quite sure what to do at this point, without potentially endangering Agni. "Sir, how's that Particle cannon coming along?" she queried, nervously, bracing her Zoid to pounce on her opponent, if he got too close for comfort.

[Lykaios]

Hunter studied his screen as the Cannon charged to it's optimum firing strength. The screen told him the numbers, and he relayed it to the team. It was good, but just not quite enough.
"Reads say 83 percent. Odds are good it'll be ready to fire in twenty seconds. Tank, Xshu: Buy Eira some time!" he ordered them.

Without pause; Xshu rounded off, and put his full attention on the lead Zaber. Charging and firing Night's turret, he surprised Lead Zaber enough to push him back a few paces, and turn his attention onto himself. Then Amaya fired the back-mounted cannon of the Dark Horn. Striking the Zaber in it's right hind-leg, the Zaber roared in pain, it's pilot hissing and cussing in anger.

"97 percent; Eira, move, NOW!" he called over comm; his sentence ending just as the number displayed [100%].

While the Zaber's attention was elsewhere, he got the correct targeting data, and initiated firing sequence. The blast was intense; buckled as the Geno Saurer was, the recoil Agni did feel: was still incredible. The shot didn't destroy the target completely however; missing his core by a foot. The pilot ejected with a curse as his Zoid toppled in a mangled wreck; destroyed beyond repair, yet as of that moment, still not disintregrated. Agni expected the Zoid to explode, but for now was disappointed.

"Run, Imperial dogs! Run away!" he shouted, for external comms, so both those Imperials still going, and those on foot; could hear his triumph. After a few moments, he reverted to his teams frequency, and opened a video line with Eira and his team.
"Nice work, guys. And Eira? ...please, don't call me sir. Agni's fine. Sir makes me feel old..." he said, rubbing the back of his head.
"You are, A!"
"Ah, shut it, Xshu. Just cause you're still the baby." he remarked, dryly.

[Yuffie Kisaragi]

Eira heard the command and immediately ducked Sora aside, the dragon just diving clear in time to be able to turn and watch the carnage. He missed the Zoid core...it's always more interesting when the core is destroyed, but for a first shot, Eira was impressed. It wasn't easy handling a Charged Particle beam, even in a Zoid as 'point and click' as a Geno Saurer. When the battle was over, Eira smirked, reminding herself they now had a trapped imperial in a decaptitated Zaber fang head that they could question and give messages to relay. It was a thrilling thought that they could stick it to the imperials without a complete slaughterfest. Even if she hated imperials, now, they had families too and she wouldn't condone excessive and unnecessary murder of them. When Agni opened the visual link, Eira couldn't help but feel obliged to smile and offer congratulations, so she did so, perhaps awkwardly, but it's the thought that counts, right?
"you handled the Geno well for a first timer, Sir. You are truly a skilled pilot" she remarked, offering a somewhat weak and lop-sided attempt at a smile. But one couldn't really fault for the attempt, since the rather awkward excuse for a smile was somehow too endearing to condemn. The emotion in the gesture was genuine, but she was clearly trying very hard to perform an action she was NOT well versed in.
As Agni reprimanded her on calling him 'sir', she looked a little embarrassed, fidgeting slightly as she responded "o-oh, yes of course...I'm sorry, I'm not used to calling others by name..." she apologised, brushing her silvery fringe out of her face. "I believe we have one imperial captive that we could perhaps persuade some clues from, si- uh, Agni. He is unharmed, I should think, just a bit restless" she turned Sora's gaze to the deapitated head of the melted Zaber, with its pilot still sealed within, sending a visual feed through the comm-line of the image. "I doubt he will need much of a push. Being trapped in a Zoid cockpit makes one easily swayed. Shall I retrieve him, Agni?" she asked, trying her best not to stammer on her name, trying very hard to break the habit of calling him 'sir'.

[Lykaios]

When Eira responded, she seemed a little flustered by his request. It was kind of cute to watch her in that moment, Agni realised. Apparently; calling him by name was going to be a harder task than was obvious. But he was grateful she immediately started to try. He really did feel that 'sir' was just a bit impersonal, and it did make him feel old.
When she suggested questioning the Imperial soldier, he took a moment to think it through. It would be a rare chance, to attempt to get information. Though it was likely the only means to acquire said information would be via torture. Agni did not condone the use of torture, nor did the concept sit well with him. That aside, the last few interactions he had ever had with Imperialists, had all ended in violence one way or another, and the trend was unlikely to ever end. Perhaps by 'whatever means neccessary' was appropriate, under the circumstances.

"Go ahead, Montero. I could use some extra intel on what we might be up against in future." he replied.

Tank, Rai and Xshu all said that they would head back to the hangar with whatever equipment from the destroyed Zoid's that could be recovered. It would take time for them to collect what they could, but it was a good idea. Particularly if they could repair a Zaber out of all the parts. Because then Xshu would have his own Zoid again. And Agni was uncomfortable with Xshu taking Night for a spin. Xshu had a hot streak with wrecking Zoid's...