Tobar turns and fires again at a new target – The boys do the same and another Mech is destroyed. Tobar yells out, “They’re trying to kill our warriors before they can get to their Mechs. We must get between them so they have a chance. Tobar places himself so his warriors have a safe route to their Mechs. Woody yells, “Roadrunner! …Three o’clock!” just as he fires. Roadrunner sidesteps out of the fire of an enemy Holmes and fires back. Tobar finishes it off with a salvo of rockets. Roadrunner yells out, “Tobar! Ten o’clock!” as he fires. Woody fires as well and gets a lucky shot hitting its power supply. The Mech shuts down. Tobar quickly moves behind it, using it as a shield. Just then Tobar sees three Mechs moving in on his father’s position but before he can say anything, his father’s Mech ignites in flames. Tobar cries out, “FATHER!!!” then quickly shouts, “Keep fighting warriors until they’re all dead. “
As he fires at the lead Mech that destroyed his father’s Mech, the boys move into position to do the same. As both boys fire, they cripple the enemy Mech. Tobar fires a single shot – his second shot freezes the Mech and the boys finish the job. Just then at least a dozen Mechs emerge from one of the hangers. “Some of our warriors made it!” yells Tobar as they move up to support Tobar and the boys. Woody notices one of Tobar’s tribe Mechs that has just been sitting in one place and not firing. All of a sudden, it powers up and Woodman sees Makar in the pilot seat. It quickly points its weapons at Tobar. Woody instinctively yells to Tobar, “Six o’clock!” as he runs and jumps in front of the blast. As his Mech flies through the air, he hits the eject button – His cockpit flies up as his Mech explodes into pieces. “Woody!” yells Woodman as he unloads on the Mech. Makar’s Mech is completely disabled and on fire. Tobar yells, “Why brother???” “With both you and father alive I would never be chief so I made a deal with the Death Eaters.” Makar says. “You dishonor our family and so you will die with no honor,” Tobar says as he destroys his brother’s Mech. “I now claim the throne in honor of my ancestors and the right as eldest son!” Tobar yells out over the com for all to hear. More and more of the tribe’s warriors are able to get to their Mechs. ‘The tribe has many more than the twenty Mechs that Song was led to believe.’
Woody thinks to himself as he scrambles across the battlefield and back to the hangers. He finds himself another empty Holmes and gets back into the battle. “Hey Roadrunner! Miss me? I’m coming up on your six o’clock.” “Woody! You made it you tough son of a bitch!” Woodman yells. As Woody pulls back into formation the three with the other warriors push forward and after an hour of heavy fighting, the enemy begins to retreat. Tobar orders his warriors to pursue the cowards and the retreating Mechs are easily picked off. As Tobar and the boys return to camp, the women look for and treat the survivors. The warriors stand guard for several hours before returning to camp. Just to be sure there isn’t a second wave on the horizon, the surviving warriors begin to gather the dead. Woody and Woodman help as best they can. Shortly after the battle has ended, Clan Exile arrives to assist in defending and also to provide the injured badly needed medical assistance. The girls soon arrive and find the boys. “Oh my God! … you’re ok!” Kalli says to Woody as she hugs him. “Your helicopter pilot leaked the battle over the net hoping Exile would see it. They had someone jamming all the radio transmissions somewhere between the tribe and Exile’s base. It was quick thinking on his part – We got here as quickly as we could.” “Please tell our people to stay outside of the tribe’s camp. Only let the medical teams set up a medical field tent. You’ll have to go – I’ll explain later.” Woody says. “Oh ok,” Kalli replies. Minutes later Exile forces are on the outskirts of the tribe. After about ten minutes, the medical tent is up and running. The boys join Tobar and start assembling the ceremonial deathbeds.
Woody explains to Woodman that these people are much like the native people of his planet. “I’m beginning to think that they were brought here long ago -There are many similarities. These beds are where the warriors are going to be cremated and released to the heavens to become one with the planet again.” Tobar looks at Woody and says, “You know much of our ways – Why is that?” “I think we were distant brothers my friend. Some of my ancestors were tribal warriors on my planet.” Woody explains. Tobar says, “The elders pass down a story of strange beings bringing our people here many generations ago – So long ago that it became an old myth the woman would tell the children when they did not listen.” After the warriors’ death ritual, Tobar invited the boys back to his home where they all rested. All three slept until the following morning.
Submitted by Woodman1201#832644