Zoids Original: Command Wolf RGC Story
Translated November 2013 ~ January 2014
(Originally posted to Phenotype's
Zoids Forum)
Contents: Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Bios | Footnotes
PART 1: "A Sudden Sortie"
Cretas Island, a stronghold of the Empire Remnant Army mopping-up operation located in the archipelago district west of the Central Continent. In the central part of this island, surrounded by precipitous cliffs and dotted with caves, was a base of the Trap Commandos.
Since the raid on the Federation Army's naval port one month ago by the Empire Remnant Army's newly-produced machine Geno Ritter, the scope of the Empire Remnant Army mopping-up operation had increased, and the pupils of the Federation Army Military Academy were performing combat practice on Cretas Island as elementary-level soldiers in preparation for an emergency.
One of these pupils, Tedd Spector, hid a desire for revenge against the Empire Remnant Army deep in his heart, thinking of his father Wall, who had died in action in an earlier battle.
However, since the existence of the Geno Ritter was a military secret, it had not been made known to him, and he spent every day along with his companions Eno and Parks driving his Zoid with youthful abandon, even during his strict training.
In this naturally rich land, a manoeuvrability training run was performed by Command Wolves driven by the pupils. This was combat training where they competed while sniping targets on an animal trail carved into the ground, and demanded excellent piloting sense.
Signalled by the starting gun, a dozen or so Command Wolves sprinted off.
The training advanced in the form of the other soldiers following Spector and Eno's machines.
"Keep up[1], Eno!"
"Spector! That's my line!"
Before long, when Spector and Eno's contest for the lead escalated and they strayed from the course, Parks approached at a fierce speed during the opening and called out to the two in amazement.
"Thanks for the trouble, you two - I'll be taking first place."
Master Zappa, former commander of the Trap Commandos, was watching over their behaviour, which was off the rails but handled man and machine as one, from atop his beloved Dragonhead.
After the end of the Central Continent War, Zappa had withdrawn from the front lines and become an instructor of the Federation Army Reserves, and he had been considering retirement, but the appearance of the Geno Ritter and the existence of Ash were pressing on his chest---.
[2]
A report hurriedly reached the base that a Federation Army supply base on an isolated island to the southwest had been attacked by the Geno Ritter.
However, since the main force of the Trap Commandos was absent, having gone out for a large-scale mopping-up battle, the sortie order was passed down to Zappa.
When Zappa judged the situation and made his decision to sortie, he rushed to the dock where sortie preparations for Dragonhead were advancing. Then he ordered the formation of a special force of three Command Wolf RGC machines, equipped with experimental-level railguns, and one Mirage Fox as a logistical support machine.
"Good grief, a world where I can retire in peace just won't come along. Call for Spector, Eno and Parks!"
"Instructor Zappa! Do you intend to use that lot!?"
"They may be inexperienced, but the good sense and resolution of those three is well-suited to this mission."
Pushing her way through the gallery and arriving at where Spector and Eno were continuing their dispute, even though training had ended, Parks' bellow rang out.
"Instructor Zappa is calling for us, Spector, Eno! Prepare to sortie immediately!"
Returning to themselves, the two rushed over to Zappa along with Parks. When the trio arrived at the sortie dock[2], while the mechanics were busy with emergency sortie preparations for the Command Wolf RGCs, they were given a briefing by Zappa as he stood on a platform.
"I shall now inform you of the operation! The enemy is the Geno Ritter. It is a newly-produced tyrannosaur-type Zoid of the Empire Remnant Army equipped with an Electromagnetic Shield and possessing high manoeuvrability and high melee abilities.
The railguns mounted on these three Command Wolf RGCs you will be piloting are at the experimental stage, but they are capable of penetrating the armour of large-scale Zoids with the long-range, high-speed 'Fang' bullet. In theory, they have the power to penetrate even the enemy's Electromagnetic Shield.
You can snipe without killing the machine's characteristics[3], but it is limited to one use per machine.
I was allowed to nominate you for participation in this operation. I expect a good fight!"
"What about our tactical actions after firing?"
Parks inquired, touching her hand to the edge of her glasses.
"Evacuate at full speed."
"Evacuate..." All three voices came together.
"I hate running away! Please let me battle directly!"
Spector stood up and shouted.
"Spector, do you want to die? You have no actual combat experience, and the probability of you being able to win against him in melee battle is close to 0%. As team leader, I cannot meaninglessly expose your lives to danger. That is all, now each of you, prepare to sortie!"
"So this is gonna be my first battle. I can't wait to show my skills! Don't drag me down, Eno!"
"Same to you! It will be I who takes this achievement!"
"Geez... You two are always heated up."
While the three of them hid excellent piloting abilities, they were novice soldiers with no actual combat experience.
While the other personnel felt some uneasiness at them being selected, as they had no connection to the word 'teamwork', they boarded the Gustav custom transport ship and set out towards the Federation Army supply base.
[4]
The Federation Army supply base was engulfed in black smoke rising up from the supply tanks, the heaped-up wreckage of Gustavs stretched out into the distance, and the defence lines were on the verge of destruction.
From within the black smoke appeared the Empire Remnant Army, centred on armoured infantry and Ash Labone, driving the Geno Ritter equipped with huge swords, and they rushed into a state of intense combat with a small[4] reinforced-type Godos force.
The Geno Ritter crushed the reinforced-type Godos force with magnificent blade judgement which could even be called a demonstration of the Empire's revival, extended the swords on its back, and gave a dreadful roar.
PART 2: "The Young Wolves and the Three Arrows"
The special force led by Zappa crossed the sea and arrived at the supply base.
"This is Spector, I've discovered the target Zoid! ...T-that's- it can't be!?"
"Don't let personal feelings get in the way. We do not know what kind of attacks our opponent will launch. All machines, deploy! First off, you three, conceal yourselves in the forest and get into appropriate sniping positions, according to the strategy!"
Zappa's Dragonhead approached the Geno Ritter at high speed while scattering a smokescreen from its body, and let off a few dozen shots from its mounted Long Range Rifle from a short distance of 500 metres.
"...How's that?" And then, the Geno Ritter appeared from within the dust and smoke he had kicked up, and approached at high speed toward the Dragonhead.
"It's unharmed, even after shooting from this distance? Looks like it really does have a powerful Electromagnetic Shield."
"I've been waiting for you, Zappa! Why don't we settle things from the Central Continent War here and now?"
"Ash... You...?!" Zappa and Ash, who were old enemies of each other during the Central Continent War, confronted each other.
A Dibison of the Federation Army supply base force charged in, forcing its way between them.
"I'm here to back you up, Instructor Zappa! You demon, taste my Multi-Barrelled Shock Cannon!"
Ash made the Geno Ritter's huge body leap with its thrusters and evaded the charging bombardment, then swung down its huge swords from above its head and sliced the Dibison in two with one slash.
"So strong...! I'll attract that thing with my Dragonhead. The three of you, take on a support formation and wait for a chance to attack!"
[2]
The three Command Wolf RGCs took up shooting postures within the forest far behind Zappa's Dragonhead, and while locking onto the Geno Ritter on their target monitors with their Head Scopes, they waited for a chance to snipe it.
"How dare he do that to one of our machines! I can't hold back any more, I'm gonna fire this thing in style!"[5]
Driven by rage, Eno fired the railgun in a low posture without reliably locking onto the enemy on his monitor, so the first bullet missed.
Sensing the movements of the three machines from the firing noise and plasma released by the railgun, Ash spread the huge swords horizontally and glided, then leaped over the head of the Dragonhead and moved in the direction of Eno's Command Wolf RGC.
"This is Parks. At this rate, Eno's going to be killed.... I'll use my railgun too!"
"Wait! The destructive power of the railgun is incredibly great! You mustn't fire it as long as you can't maintain the shooting posture!"
Although Parks locked onto the target's figure with the Head Scope, she fired while the Spike Anchors were not completely lowered, so the bullet merely grazed the Geno Ritter's right shoulder, but its right arm flew away from the shoulder instantly.
"Ngh... Was that a high-speed physical bullet!? Perhaps a railgun...? Getting hit by that would be fatal, even for my Geno Ritter. So they have something troublesome..."
Ash judged that this situation was unfavourable and changed his course at once with nimble body management, then retreated inside the defensive walls of the base.
Zappa also rushed into the base, pursuing the Geno Ritter.
Spector, having lost his cool after learning that the opponent was his father's killer, lost his chance to fire the railgun amidst his companions' confusion, and stood there stock still.
[3]
Once the three Command Wolf RGCs reorganised their formation and returned their railguns to the running position, they ran at full speed out of the forest and up to the base.
"Everyone, listen carefully! The only bullet we have is Spector's one shot. Get into formation outside the wall, and watch cautiously for a chance to fire!"
Withdrawing the formation outside the defensive wall, Parks took a breath, then advised Zappa.
"Directly after that thing takes a full swing with its swords, a momentary opening is produced. In that moment, we'll risk it on Spector's railgun through the defensive wall...!"
"That's reckless, to make a shot through the defensive wall you would need considerable power and an accurate grasp of its position!"
"I have an idea. We'll perform the railgun firing in a column of three. If we triple the length of the rail, its power should increase. Eno! Take a column position in front of Spector! Mirage Fox, please give us data on the enemy's position!"
"Column firing? The points of contact on our railguns are gone."
"It's okay, the current should be conducted through the plasma generated when we fire."
"...Hmm, it's a dangerous gamble, but it seems that is our only chance of victory! In that case, I'll draw him in alongside the wall where that observation tower is! Use that as the signal and send in the bullet! The three of you, stay calm and bold."
"Roger!"
Zappa's Dragonhead closed in on the Geno Ritter, and gradually lured it to the defensive wall where the observation tower was.
The three Command Wolf RGCs, which had been far from fighting together until then, formed a column formation in the order of Eno, Parks, and Spector from the front.
"Our contest for achievements is at a temporary truce. We'll combine our power here! Align the column formation with me, Spector!"
"I know, I'm doing precise adjustments of my location!"
"This is the final shot, you two, keep your feelings in order! Just one arrow will break easily, but if you stack three together, they won't break. Three arrows, one shot!"
Even as they adjusted their positions, the image data from Eno's scope, which was equipped with a new X-ray device, was transmitted to the monitors of the other two machines, and they tried to lock onto the Geno Ritter.
Zappa launched a desperate attack with his Long Range Rifle at point-blank range, but the barrel was destroyed by the huge swords.
"Ggh... I can't cross swords with him any more. Spector! Aren't you prepared yet!?"
"The thickness of the defensive wall is an obstacle... The image is blurry, and the shapes of that thing and the commander have combined so I can't tell them apart. D-damn it!"
"I'll leave you puppies until later. I'm going to repay our debt from the Central Continent War, Zappa. The time has come for the Empire to be revived!"
Just when it spread its immense swords wide and was about to finish off the Dragonhead, a transmission came in from the Mirage Fox on logistical support.
"This is Kai on logistical support, I've confirmed the Geno Ritter's location! I'll transfer it to you!"
Thanks to the data from the Mirage Fox, which was endowed with advanced scouting abilities, the form of the Geno Ritter was clearly projected on the monitors of the three Command Wolf RGCs. The tumbling Zappa raised the output of his power engines to the maximum, and succeeded in narrowly evading the Geno Ritter's swords by boosting.
There, he heard Spector's shout.
"Now I've got you, you monster! You're the one who killed my father, Wall. Take this!"
Spector's Command Wolf RGC lowered its Spike Anchors and bared its sharp fangs, and the high-speed bullet "Fang" fired from it ran at super-high speed with plasma along the three rails, with Eno and Parks lined up in the column, and pierced the defensive wall.
PART 3: The End of a Fierce Fight
When the high-speed bullet "Fang", having overwhelming power due to its acceleration by the long barrel of the column of three, hit the Geno Ritter, plasma gushed out all around and a tremendous shockwave was generated. Due to its impact, countless flashes and explosions burst out continuously, and flames and black smoke rose up violently.
"Well, did we get him...?"
After a while, within the bright red flames rising from the central point of the blast, the Geno Ritter appeared.
"...Gggh, my vision's distorted."
The bullet, which had been fired at its chest, had slipped off track slightly due to the thick defensive wall, and had gouged deeply into the left-hand side of the armour mask equipped on its head. It had not amounted to a fatal wound, but it had made the Geno Ritter's retreat from the battlefront unavoidable.
Zappa left it to the Mirage Fox to gain control over the rest of the Empire Remnant Army, and utilising his sensors, cornered the Geno Ritter at a cliff overlooking the ocean. However, Ash made up for the damaged machinery with his strong mental power, gained control of the Geno Ritter once again, and locked onto the Dragonhead with the broken armour mask.
[2]
"Surrender, Ash! You can't fight satisfactorily in a wounded machine."
"Not yet... Zappa, we'll settle things here!"
"Can we only talk to each other by fighting? ...Here goes!" The two great rivals slowly, quietly closed the distance between them.
And then, Ash brandished his swords using his mind's eye, and Zappa put his Dragonhead into a full drive state and bared its fangs. Silent time flowed between the pair.
This space between the two of them, soundless except for the output noise, was engulfed in a silence as if only they were left on this planet.
When the Geno Ritter spread its huge swords and approached at speeds the eye could not follow, the Electron Bite Fangs of the Dragonhead, which had been sharpening its senses and determining its aim, slipped through a momentary opening in the attack and bit into the throat of the Geno Ritter.
"...It's settled, Ash!"
The Geno Ritter's upper body tumbled down as if in slow motion.
Zappa came down from the Dragonhead, walked up to the Geno Ritter's cockpit and tried to determine whether Ash was alive or dead.
At that moment, a light came into the Geno Ritter's eyes.
"I'll leave this match to you for now! Zappa and those excellent pilots... Let's settle this one day!"
The Geno Ritter deployed the thrusters on its back and disappeared across the ocean, the damaged machine holding out.
[4]
The seas of an archipelago located to the west of the Central Continent. The battle in which Zappa and the three youths had made desperate efforts had prevented an advance on the Central Continent by the Geno Ritter.
However, the appearance of this Geno Ritter gave premonitions of the opening of a new great war that would soon occur.
Zappa and Ash, as well as Spector, who fought to avenge his father.
The time when each of their fates would cross once again was not that far away---.
MACHINE INTRODUCTION
Model name / Command Wolf RGC (Rail Gun Custom)
A custom-type Command Wolf equipped with a railgun possessing the miraculous power to shoot through even the armour of large-scale Zoids with a super-high speed physical[6] bullet.
The machine itself has been given remodelling suited to the precise firing of the railgun - in addition to the Variable Head Scope, Frontal Special Double Armour and Spike Anchors, it is equipped with Hyper Capacitors and Electric Transmission Units that can supply great amounts of power to the railgun, and contains Posture Control Devices in its shoulder parts.
Individual name / Dragonhead
Model name / Command Wolf MZ (later model)
A Command Wolf machine for superiors, possessing powerful combat abilities at both close-quarters and long range. For its colouring, green is used as the base colour, and it is equipped with red Scope Head Armour on an orange cockpit.
It is called "Dragonhead" after the characteristic shape of its head with that armour attached.
Its main weapons are its Electron Bite Fangs and Long Range Rifle.
Unlike the one used until the Central Continent War, this is a later model with its equipment changed based on the Federation Army's Command Wolf Interceptor.
CHARACTER INTRODUCTION
Name / Master Zappa[7]
The former commander of the Trap Commandos, an elite force of the Republic army composed of superior Zoid pilots and Zoids skilled in high-speed combat and secret actions. A veteran pilot who possesses both calm and composed judgement and leadership abilities, and has gained deep trust from his subordinates.
A long-serving hero who experienced various battles, piloting his beloved Command Wolf.
After the end of the war, he serves as an instructor of the Federation Army Military Academy in order to train pilots.
Name / Tedd Spector
He has a prodigious manner[8], and was given the label of 'problem child' by the instructors of the Military Academy due to his personality, where he would run off as soon as he had an idea, but his excellent dynamic vision is noticed by Zappa and he is selected as a pilot of the Command Wolf RGC, loaded with an experimental-level railgun. He has short black hair and is sharp-tongued, but also has an innocent side.
Name / Bligh Eno
Although he possesses excellent piloting technique, he dislikes cooperating and prefers solo missions. He is a quarrelling partner of Spector, and always competes with him for kills in practice.
He is older than Spector and Parks, and his long, unkempt hair and stubble are his trademarks. He is wild and manly, and wears a leather jacket.
Name / Diane Parks
A female pilot possessing calm judgement abilities. She has a cool personality and doesn't mind losing in disputes, but she heats up in emergency situations. She has a rational personality, wears glasses, and has an intellectual and elegant appearance.
FOOTNOTES
[1]: Original was mistyped as "着いて来い" instead of "付いて来い".
[2]: Original was mistyped as "dog" ("ドッグ") instead of "dock" ("ドック").
[3]: It's oddly worded, but I think this phrase ("機体特性を殺すことなく狙撃できる") means that the railgun allows the Command Wolf to snipe without affecting its other characteristics, such as speed and agility.
[4]: Literally "a few machines" ("数機").
[5]: It is really hard to find a sensible-sounding translation of "hade ni" ("派手に").
[6]: This is mistyped as "実態" (factual) instead of "実体" (physical).
[7]: This is written as if "Master" is his first name, which I really hope it isn't...
[8]: Uses the term "天才肌", which refers to somebody who behaves like a genius/prodigy, whether or not they are one.
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