ROAD ROVERS: RETALIATION

Tested

The Fire Breathes, Part 2

Written by Pyrover

Drink Pepsi

Season: 2

Episode: 4

---

It has been three days since the Rovers last met with William Malary. Things have been at a bit of a standstill. Dreadclaim has not shown himself since his message to the team was sent, and there has been no word on the situation of General Parvo. It has been an uneasy calm.

The Rovers are practicing in the exercise room. Blitz and Exile are lifting weights, and Hunter is jumping rope at breakneck speed. Colleen is sparring with Shag, who is wearing a giant, marshmallow-like body suit. Pyro is circling a target dummy, blade extended from his open forearm plate. Colleen notices the weapon and stops to watch for a second. He is circling slowly and rhythmically, no expression on his face. He stops, crouches and springs into the dummy. A knee hits it square in the face, and an arm grabs it by the shoulder. Pyro flips it head-over-heels in midair. It lands on its back as Pyro comes down. His foot stomps into its stomach. Colleen recalls her nightmare as Pyro raises his blade over the paralyzed dummy. He swings it down with lightning speed, stopping it inches from the face of the dummy. The weapon retracts, and the plate closes. Pyro hops off.

PYRO: Way to go, Marty. Good game. You never seem to win at these things, do you?

Colleen catches herself staring at the dummy, still lying on its back. Shag taps her on the back, startling her.

COLLEEN: Wha...? Oh, right. Sorry.

She regains her merciless beating on Shag's puffy suit. Seconds later, a bell rings. Everyone stops. Shag thankfully yanks the helmet from his head, panting.

HUNTER: (tossing a smoking jumprope aside) Okay, guys. That was pretty good for today.

BLITZ: Whew! I'm getting a drink.

EXILE: I go with wierd boy. We'll be in kitchen.

The two head for the door.

BLITZ: You know I don't like it when people call me that?

EXILE: You know I don't care?

PYRO: You guys wanna come see what I found on the Biochem hard drive?

HUNTER: Sure, why not?

Shag woofs an "okay."

COLLEEN: No...I've got some things to go over, I'll catch up with you all later.

HUNTER: Suit yourself, we'll see you in a few minutes.

The three walk off. As the door closes behind them, Colleen is seen staring at the targeting dummy.

---

In the observation room, the three are gathered about a computer screen. It displays some slightly garbled text and a picture of a human male's head. He is skinny and brown-haired, a smile about his face.

HUNTER: Who's that?

PYRO: Jason Malary. William's son, from what I gather. Brilliant guy, was in charge of all cybernetic research for quite some time.

HUNTER: "Was?" Did he get fired or something?

PYRO: He was killed. This picture was taken fifteen years ago. It's still on record for some reason.

HUNTER and SHAG: Ohhhhh...

PYRO: It doesn't say directly how it happened, but there's mention elsewhere of a "small accident" on the date of his death. I'm betting he had something to do with it.

HUNTER: Well, we know William isn't talking. Are there any relatives we can go to?

PYRO: Funny you mention it...they're all dead. Every immediate relative is listed deceased. William's our best bet. Oh, and here's another funny one. I found out why I was able to stumble upon the SIEGE mainframe. Dreadclaim had every phone line and computer network tapped within about five miles of the building.

HUNTER: You think he's looking for a way to sneak in?

PYRO: No, Dreadclaim doesn't sneak in. He attacks full-force and decimates his opposition. And he's had soldiers in that sector for a while now. I was one of them. He knows William and the Biochem building inside out. He must think there's something going on in there. And if he's keeping his ears open, I suggest we do the same.

HUNTER: Do we really need to tap a businessman's phones, though?

PYRO: Oh, he's not exactly clean. There's records of Malary Biochem making some big weapons deals with a few illegal militias, and even a drug lord or two. William Malary isn't the "Mr. Nice Guy C.E.O." that he's shoveling everybody.

HUNTER: Hmmm...yet another unexpected twist.

Shag woofs a "bummer."

PYRO: Anyhow, I'm convinced this Jason here was somehow involved with SIEGE. I'm just not sure how. I'll keep going over the hard drive and let you know what else I get. And I'll tap Malary's line as soon as I can.

The Comlink crackles to life.

BLITZ: Hey Shag, there's nothing to drink down here! Can we get a couple of shakes?

Shag turns to Hunter, who waves him off. Shag stands up and goes grumbling out the door. It closes as he leaves.

PYRO: Can I ask you a personal question, sir?

HUNTER: Sure, anytime.

PYRO: Do you think the team trusts me?

HUNTER: Yeah, I think they're getting along with you great. Why'd you ask?

PYRO: I dunno, it just seems like Colleen isn't taking to me very well. She kinda...avoids me. She barely talks to me, and she won't spar anymore.

HUNTER: Colleen...doesn't trust people right away. I'm not exactly sure why. You've just got to give it a little time. She'll get used to you eventually.

PYRO: I sure hope so.

---

An alarm once again sounds, and the Rovers scramble to the transdogmafacation room. The Master is waiting for them. He speaks immediately.

MASTER: I apologize for your prolonged stay at Mission Control, Rovers, but the circumstances force it for now. There has been another SIEGE attack, this one at a major airport in London. There is an astonishing number of troops surrounding the area. No damage has been reported yet, and the airport is closed today for renovation, but its destruction would cut off air traffic to the surrounding area. Get there and break up the attack before things get bad.

The team runs into the hangar, where the fully-prepped Sonic Rover awaits. The Rovers enter the ship and it screams off. Hunter flies, beside him sits Colleen. Blitz, Exile and Shag are slurping on milkshakes, and Pyro is studying a computer-generated map of the airport.

HUNTER: Coming in on London now, everybody.

PYRO: Mostly standard-issue troopers around the perimeter, and they've got a few active walkers with Concussion Rifles and AutoMaG 1260's mounted. Heavy stuff, and it gets worse once you get in. All runways are surrounded by assault-class troops and transports, but the runways themselves are clean. It looks like they're waiting for someone to arrive.

COLLEEN: But the airport is closed off. Who'd be landing?

PYRO: (pause) Hunter, is there a Malary Biochem plant in London?

HUNTER: Sure, they're all over the world.

PYRO: You think William's trying to make a run for it?

HUNTER: Maybe. Is there anything on the radar?

COLLEEN: No...hey! There's a large cargo craft headed for the airport!

HUNTER: It's no learjet, but it just might be him.

A blast knocks the ship to its side. A loud rumble almost deafens the yelling from the teammates.

COLLEEN: We're flying too low! They've spotted us!

BLITZ: Severe damage to the left wing!

EXILE: Left engine is on fire!

Hunter hits a few buttons, and the Sonic Rover disappears in a cloak.

HUNTER: At least they won't know where we hit! Colleen, adjust the power! Jettison the left engine before it explodes!

COLLEEN: It won't respond! We've lost power to the cockpit!

PYRO: (running up front) Watch out! (forearm plate opens, snakelike wires protrude and attach themselves to the dash) Come on...she's right, we're dead in the water! Hunter, we need an alternative source of energy! Try and revert power from the right engine to the cockpit! Anything over 30 gigs'll fry the instruments!

Hunter turns a knob and the engine lowers its thrust.

HUNTER: There, that should be about twenty-five!

PYRO: Try thirty-five! Turn it down!

HUNTER: There!

PYRO: Try it now, Colleen!

Colleen presses a button. From the stillness of a slightly smoky sky, a burning hulk of metal streaks toward the ground, seemingly out of thin air. After a few seconds of free fall, the fiery engine explodes.

HUNTER: Whew! Now keep her even, we're coming down by one of the runways!

PYRO: Everybody brace for impact!

A still plot of wooded grass erupts into a fury of tossed dirt and trees, as if an invisible bulldozer had gone straight through it. Coming to a stop, the ship loses its cloak and its visibility returns. A door is kicked out. Hunter jumps from the ship. He motions for the others to exit as well. Shag is looking once again at his laptop. He barks something to Hunter and shoves the computer in his face.

HUNTER: Yeah, that's the big cargo plane we picked up. And that's the Malary Biochem logo on its side.

The airport control tower is now operated by SIEGE troopers. One grabs a microphone.

SOLDIER: Malary Biochem craft, you are hereby prisoners of SIEGE. Land now or you will be destroyed. Repeat, land immediately!

The lumbering craft begins a descent to one of the runways. It touches down and screeches to a halt. Troopers immediately surround it. There is a long, motionless pause as they stare at the steel behemoth. With no warning, panels slide open. Heavy laser cannons begin firing on the SIEGE as Cano-Mutant soldiers pour out. A barrage of shells and energy blasts ensues, with the Cano-Mutants taking a surprising upper hand. Their weapons drop the SIEGE instantaneously. Walkers now leave their posts outside the airport and close in on the ship. Lasers pummel its sides, but it remains unharmed. The Rovers are still behind their downed craft, taking in the scene.

COLLEEN: Whoa, this is too much...

HUNTER: Are those Parvo's men?!

Pyro's eye focuses out, then back in.

PYRO: Yeah, they all have the logo.

EXILE: How are we going to stop this?

HUNTER: ...I have no idea.

Shag begins to bark excitedly again. Hunter takes the screen.

HUNTER: There's another craft approaching. This thing's monstrous! It's...

A shadow falls over them. Hunter turns and looks up. The others have already done so. A massive ship, the size of at least three runways, slowly passes overhead. It is completely black, save some blinking lights and windows. Panels slide from all around the craft and lasers slowly poke out.

COLLEEN: ...Bliiimey...

PYRO: Raven6.

The lasers open fire, dissintigrating every Cano-Mutant on the field. Heavy blasts form craters in the smaller ship's hull and make short work of its cannons. Swarms of SIEGE run into the crippled vessel.

Another panel slides away from Raven6, this one considerably larger. Wires and hoses whip down to the ground, their ends slamming the runway with a thud. They flicker with light, and the central pipe splits open. Dreadclaim steps out. He is at least seven feet tall now, completely CYbio except for the fleshy piece of face about his right eye. An assault-class trooper approaches him and salutes.

TROOPER: Malary is not inside, sir. The craft is empty. It was a decoy to thin our forces. We have dealt considerable loss at the hands of these new weapons. More similar craft are on the way, we assume they also contain Cano-Mutant soldiers.

DREADCLAIM: Pull your troops out. All of them. (forearm plate opens) Raven6, destroy the cargo ships as they approach. Leave the transfer cable down. (plate closes)

The Rovers are still speechles. As Dreadclaim steps away, a furious bolt of energy descends from Raven6 and into the empty cargo ship. The ship is broken like glass into thousands of pieces, which fling through the air and around Dreadclaim. There is no explosion. As three more ships approach, the same fate is dealt them. One by one they are torn to pieces by the weapon from Raven6. Not a sound is heard, not a scream. Colleen gasps in horror. Pyro's eyes have not left Dreadclaim.

COLLEEN: This is getting a little too intense...

HUNTER: I hate to say it guys, but there's nothing we can do.

A hologram of the Master appears on Shag's screen.

MASTER: Rovers, there's nothing you can do.

HUNTER: See?

MASTER: The Space Rover has locked onto your position. A rescue craft is on its way. Will you be safe here?

HUNTER: I think so, the SIEGE troops seem to be pulling out. I think they were expecting Malary to be on that ship. Don't send the rescue down until after Raven6 is out of here. We don't want to attract attention. We'll hide somewhere until...oh, no.

Pyro is standing in the open, facing Dreadclaim and clenching his SCaR.

PYRO: All-range battle armor. (the armor expands and layers around him) Concussion rifle. (the SCaR converts) Branched napaalm-discharge, impact active. (a barrel branches from the SCaR)

He fires at Dreadclaim's back. A burst of flames coarses over the cyborg as the steel body swivels around. The flames do not penetrate. Dreadclaim's dead, fleshy eye focuses on Pyro. His arm splits into three pieces, revealing a jagged two-pronged blade. Pyro opens his forearm plate and readies his blade as well.

PYRO: Come on!!! What are you waiting for? Go ahead! Take a shot!

Dreadclaim lurches forward, blade extended out toward Pyro. He suddenly closes it and lowers his arm.

DREADCLAIM: ...No. Not this time. I have better things to do. Raven6, drop the SA-80 prototype.

Through the transfer cable comes a cybernetic figure shaped like a humanoid male. It is totally steel and wires, with oversized lower legs and forearms. It has no face, only two glowing red eyes. It stands at attention.

DREADCLAIM: Allow me to test my new prototype weapon on you, P83-04G. The SA-80 is much more efficient than a SIEGE shock trooper, which you may remember...is what you were. I would very much enjoy killing you myself, but I have a few appointments to make with people who didn't keep their promises. And after all, revenge is short-lived. Enjoy. (turns to Hunter) Tell your master to draw up the terms of surrender now, Hunter. It is too bad I didn't get to you first.

Dreadclaim exits through the transfer cable. The dormant cyborg comes to life, eyes focusing on Pyro. It assumes Pyro's fighting stance. Pyro is stunned, but readies his SCaR.

PYRO: Concussion Rifle, full strength!

The weapon converts and Pyro fires into the machine. It leaps over the blasts. Upon its return to earth, its forearms split open and reveal energy shields. The concussion blasts ricochet off. With its left arm, SA-80 keeps the shield up, and the other arm is transformed into a large weapon. He fires it right through his shield at Pyro, who cannot dodge it in time. He is rocketed back into the dirt. His armor is badly damaged; it returns to its original state. Blitz and Exile run to assist Pyro as the cyborg patiently awaits another attack.

PYRO: (struggling up) Mobile Havoc Cannon. Stay away from him. I'd be dead if not for my armor.

EXILE: Stay down. I give it a try, comrade.

Exile fires a shot of ice at SA-80. It hits at the legs. The red eyes focus on Exile, and the ice is immediately broken. SA-80's arm converts and he launches a massive blast of ice into Exile. It carries him into the side of the control tower, freezing him to the wall. Hunter runs to help.

EXILE: I get off, don't worry. Go help the others!

Hunter heads for SA-80 and is hit with a fiery shot from its arm. The cyborg focuses on Hunter, and its legs convert slightly. It dashes at lightning speed and backhands Hunter in the face. He goes down, but rolls out of the way of a freeze blast. Blitz jumps upon its back and lands a few good slashes.

BLITZ: Ha! You like that, robot?!

An arm grabs Blitz and holds him up. As SA-80 focuses, Colleen lands a strong kick into its side. It is knocked off balance. As it kneels on the ground, its eyes meet Colleen. Its entire body changes, becomes lighter and more agile. With a leap it is upon her, punching and kicking with furious speed. It grabs her by the shoulder. As it raises its arm, two joined fists slam into its head, placing a large dent and knocking it off her. Pyro extends a hand down to Colleen, but she gets up herself.

SA-80 leaps onto the wing of a jumbo jet and stares down at the team. Hunter and Colleen waste no time in joining it. They run toward it together and leap onto the wing.

HUNTER: We'll both attack at the same time, maybe we can confuse it.

The cyborg reaches into an open panel on the plane's wing. The four engines under the wing rumble to life. Hunter jumps into SA-80 and lands a flurry of fast, powerful punches. As he attempts a right cross, the cyborg grabs his hand. Elecricity surges through him as he is thrown from the wing. Colleen remembers the sparring match he had with Pyro. She looks off the wing. A slightly charred Hunter gives her a thumbs-up as Exile and Blitz run to the vibrating wing. They cannot make the jump. Colleen turns around, remembering SA-80. He is gone.

BLITZ: Watch out! The ship's moving!

Raven6 begins to move from its hovering position towards the plane. As it ascends into the sky, the transfer cable screeches across the plane's hull. Colleen jumps away, nearly missing the wires that whip toward her. With a sudden burst of speed, Raven6 launches into the heavens. All is quiet save the rumbling engines under the wing.

HUNTER: Colleen! Where's the robot?

COLLEEN: I don't know, I think it's...

A flash of torn metal explodes in front of Colleen as SA-80 emerges from the wing. It grabs her by the neck and lifts her high over one of the engines. She struggles, but cannot break from the iron grip. Life begins to drain from her.

When she comes to, she is lying on the surface of the wing. The arm that held her is now at her side, no longer attached to its owner. Pyro is battling furiously with SA-80, blade drawn. Slash after slash penetrates deep into the cyborg's cold body, but it does not falter. Colleen runs to the fight, but SA-80 turns its head and sees her. A kick to her face sends her careening off the wing. She grabs hold of something. It is the outer edge of one of the plane's massive jet engines. Suction from the huge fan threatens to pull her in and dash her to bits. She looks up to the wing and sees Pyro reaching over the side, hand extended.

PYRO: Hurry, grab my hand!

She is motionless, grasping the engine with both hands.

PYRO: Come on! You have to trust me! Take my hand! I'll pull you up!

She slowly reaches up with her hand. Pyro grabs it and pulls her onto the wing. A steel fist slams him from behind. He almost falls himself, but grabs hold and swings his feet up into the metal monster. As SA-80 stumbles back, Pyro attacks simultaneously with Colleen. Overwhelmed and without the use of an arm, SA-80 cannot defend. With a desperate attempt at liberation, it swings its body into the attackers. Colleen is thrown, but still on the wing. Pyro never gives up his attack, unsheathing a second blade from his other arm. Each blade splits in two, and Pyro lets loose with a deadly series of perfectly timed slashes and gouges. SA-80 lunges with its fist for a punch. Pyro sees it and brings up his blade, lopping off SA-80's remaining arm. It slides to the end of the wing and stops. SA-80 stares at Pyro, motionless. Pyro pulls back his arm and buries his blade into the head of the killing machine. It gushes blood. Pyro leaps back, stunned. SA-80 sways from side to side, and finally falls off the edge of the wing and into the jet engine. Bits of steel spray from the engine's rear.

Pyro stares at the blood-covered blade. He retracts it and picks up the decapitated arm lying at the edge of the wing. Holding it up and staring at it, as if in thought, he finally tosses it into the spinning turbine. Colleen walks up to her.

COLLEEN: Thank you...

He stares down at her with an expressionless face and a glowing red eye.

COLLEEN: ...Friend.

He smiles.

TO BE CONTINUED...

All material © 2000 Pyrover, used only with written permission.