ZOIDS ASTRAY ACT 018

 ACT 018: GUSTAV – ROCKY PASS – CONTINUOUS

The Sea Panther lies on its side, smoke hissing from torn panels. Inside, Nyssa grits her teeth, blood trailing from a split lip, face lit by sparking wires. Her shoulder hangs unnaturally—injured—but her eyes burn with defiance.

NYSSA
Come on... we’re not done yet.

The Gatling Cannon creaks, grinding as she manoeuvres it with one working arm, wedging the barrel against a boulder. Using it as a brace, she hauls the Panther’s Rail Cannon into position. It screeches into alignment, just enough for a shot.

Across the pass, the Zeke Dober looms over the Gustav, its blade humming as it rises for a second strike.

NYSSA (over comms)
CATCH!

She fires.

The Rail Cannon screams. A white-hot slug erupts from the barrel, punching straight through the Dober’s flank. Armour ruptures. One of its back cannons twists, sparking madly—then explodes, sending the Zoid crashing to the dirt in a heap of flame and smoke.

Inside the Gustav, a low hum builds.

Bob stands still—then he snaps forward, like a puppet yanked by its strings. His visor bursts to life, glowing a harsh red beam. Spikes hiss from his back, limbs elongating, glowing crimson at the edges.

 
He steps out, each footfall cracking the floor beneath him. Static trails behind like a cloak, sparks skipping across metal.

The Zeke Dober twitches on the ground, riddled with fire. Bob leaps—hitting the battlefield like a meteor.

His claws slam into the Dober’s neck joint. Sparks, black fluid, and shredded metal explode on contact. Inside, Vorheas jerks at the controls—nothing responds.

Bob’s claws rip into the cockpit, opening it like a can. His glowing visor locks onto the terrified pilot.

Blades lash forward—slicing the harness clean. Vorheas tumbles to the dirt, dazed. He looks up. Bob drops in front of him.

VORHEAS (terrified)
Please—no—

Bob doesn’t hesitate.

One scythed arm cleaves downward in a blinding arc. Vorheas screams, clutching at the stump where his arm was. He scrambles, tries to crawl—

Stops.

He stares at the blood pooling beneath him, at where his legs used to be.

NYSSA (running in)
Bob! STOP! He’s down!

She stumbles to a halt, shoulder sagging, arms raised. Bob doesn't listen. His blades descend again and again, carving through what’s left.

Vorheas’ screams turn to chokes. Then silence.

Nyssa slows, breath caught. Bob turns toward her—blades still glowing.

She freezes, terrified, hands up. Eyes shut.

Nothing.

She opens them again. Bob is back to normal, walking slowly—silently—toward the Gustav.

Nyssa exhales shakily. She glances down at the mangled remains of Vorheas, barely human. She swallows hard, stunned.

Then she looks up, watching Bob climb onto the trailer and disappear into the Gustav.

EXT. GUSTAV – ROCKY PASS – EVENING

VANESSA (rage-fueled)
HOW DARE YOU—!

The air goes heavy as a thwack echoes—pure instinct kicks in. Vanessa activates the Liger’s shield in the direction of the noise. There’s an explosion—but no impact.

She knows that sound. She knows a rail cannon fired… and she knows it hit its mark. A second explosion follows. Something catastrophic. Vorheas is down.

The Liger’s shields pop as Vanessa unleashes a volley of short-range slugs from her twin head cannons. The Foxes shield themselves as best they can and watch as the Liger spins around, bolting toward the Gustav.

VANESSA (furious)
Vorheas, situation?

VORHEAS (over comms, terrified)
Please—no—

The Aqua Fox appears from nowhere, its wrist-mounted blade slicing through one of the Liger’s head cannons and catching its shoulder armour. Vanessa snaps back to the present.

VANESSA (angrily)
Damn YOU—!

She slams the Liger down, deploying hexes from its shield underfoot like a springboard. One hex, then another—stacked resistance used as force. The Liger bounds into the air.

Mid-leap, Vanessa scans the battlefield.

The Sea Panther—on its side, guns lifeless.
The Zeke Dober—ruined.
Vorheas—torn apart, barely recognizable. A puddle of red.
Nyssa—running from the scene, disappearing into the Gustav.

VANESSA (quiet, shaken)
...What are you monsters?

The Liger slams down facing the Gustav as the Aqua Fox drops into place between them.

Neku’s eyes widen. Shock. Horror. The Fire Fox limps around the transport, its rear cannon flickering.

INU (over comms)
What in the hell…?

NEKU (cold, focused)
Later. We still have her to deal with.

The King Liger backs away as both Foxes close in.

Vanessa studies her monitors.
Damage warnings—flashing red.
Shields—offline.
Options—limited.

She breathes in slowly, then—

VANESSA (calmly)
Fuck this.
(as the Liger turns)
Virodahaka can have you.

The Liger bolts, disappearing into the tree line.

The Aqua Fox moves to pursue—

NYSSA (over comms)
Neku, Leave her. Paige is injured.

Neku’s fury vanishes, replaced by dread. She spins the Fox around, dashing back to the Gustav. Her cockpit pops before she’s fully stopped. She leaps out, running for the open hatch.