Gen picked herself off the ground coughing on dust. Shaking her head back and forth quickly she watched the battle going off. She could see the soldier fighting off against Alice and Rizier. She looked down at herself and her clothes were ripped but any cuts and bruises she had on her pretty much nonexistent. She was faster than normal.
Others weren’t so lucky.
She looked around quickly and saw the crew that were helping and limping away. Gen ran over to help her costar whose leg was bent at a bad angle. He was panting staring at his leg and then looked at Gen. He tried to say things but she shook her head and carried him forward. “It’s okay. Let’s get out of here.”
She helped him forward as far as she could when Judy came up. Her glasses were broken and face was scuffed up. But as she looked at Gen she hesitated before taking the man’s arms and dragged him forward. When Gen went to continue to help Judy pushed her back slowly.
“What are you doing?”
Judy shook her head pointing to the fighting, “I know you have the power again Gen.” She froze looking at her assistant. “You have the same power as you did last year. Use it for good. Stop whatever that is.” An explosion went off and she flinched as Gen turned to face it angrily.
“I’ll stop that thing.”
“And I’ll help the crew,” she said nodding quickly.
Gen looked at her one more time then ran straight to the fighting that had expanded to the park proper. Just empty paths and grass. No people around since they’d already cordoned off so much of it. Perfect for a fight between alien powers.
She touched at the sleeve of her shirt and pulled it up revealing a tattoo. A simple lotus flower but in the center, pulsing was her stone. Not quite embedded in her skin but close. She covered it, her fingers digging into her hand. “Let’s go to work,” she said and she didn’t want to admit how good it sounded.
Her armor enveloped her body immediately and she took a deep breath of the fur at her collar before thrusting her hands forward. Coming from the alien energy coursing through her body the foxes sprang to life. She ran beside them and looked at the fighting. Whatever soldier Legion sent was stronger than the ones from before.
She watched the pair of Astro Knights dance backwards as this soldier came forward with savage swings of its fists. One of her foxes came up close and leaped at it mouth open. The soldier whirled around and raised its arm as the fangs dug in. The second fox came forward and unleashed fire covering it.
Alice and Rizier both jumped to the side, sliding to stand beside her. The soldier jumped out of the flames sliding across the ground. Its armor was smoking and blackened slightly but Legion’s symbol glowed against its visor and it stared at them.
“Tough son of a bitch,” Alice said.
“Took the words right out of my mouth,” Gen replied. “Any ideas of what to do with them?”
“Whatever they are their mind is hard for me to understand. It is likely the interreference from Legion having their mind under its sway,” Rizier said shaking their head back and forth. “I cannot break through it. At least not at great risk to myself.”
“Then don’t Zier. I’d rather fight them then lose you,” Alice said quickly raising her machete. It caught the light of the midday sun and she glanced at Gen. “Your foxes. Can they cover me?”
“They can do more than that,” she said folding her arms as the pair returned to her side. “Just don’t drop the slack.”
Alice glanced at her mother and smirked behind her helmet, “Just try and keep up. Rizier you ready?”
“Indeed.”
The foxes sniffed at the air near Alice and when she raced off they followed her. The soldier jerked its head up and rather than dodge caught the blade between its hands. She leaned forward pressing on the blade but it was strong enough to fight back. It did however shove the blade aside as the foxes jumped after it.
Their jaws bit at the air missing it but before it could land properly the air picked up. It stumbled and looked up staring at Rizier who was moving all four of their arms manipulating the currents. The wind snatched and sliced at its armor as it covered its face. It was shoved into the grass by the foxes into Alice’s range.
She stomped hard and the ground shook with a huge rumbling earthquake. The ground quaked under its feet and it buckled falling to its knees trying to keep balance. That’s when the foxes struck again. This time they clamped their jaws down on its arms deeply. They unleashed their fire and this time it let out an inhuman cry that sounded like it came from a machine.
“It’s on the ropes!” Gen said and she ran getting into close quarters. The foxes continued their onslaught but now she was in the mix. Once it got out of the flames she struck. Her fists were like lightning striking in a flurry of blow on its metal skin. It tried to retaliate but her fist turned to open palms, parrying and redirecting its blows. She brought down another series of strikes ending with her elbow the last blow sending it reeling backwards. She saw sparks fly from its chest and panels hung limply off.
“It’s a fucking robot,” Gen said narrowing her eyes.
“Zorg,” Alice said slowly. “That’s what that one is.”
Gen dashed forward flanked by her foxes. But before she could get close, her visor was flooded with green light. Her eyes widened and suddenly she was under an assault from a flurry of punches. Another soldier was here on the offensive to defend the first.
She watched them lean forward and raise their arms. She watched them sway back and forth and she and her foxes both hesitated. They darted forward and threw a series of quick hooks. She avoided and parried the first couple but one was too fast.
It hit her in the head and she slid backwards shaking her head quickly. The soldier stood up, the eye glowing along their visor. “Not bad Gen. I knew you meet my expectations.”
Gen stared at it her eyes wide, “Owen?”
Alice’s eyes went wide as well as Legion in Owen’s body, stood up and whispered, “Shit.”
The Harlequin Library 