Sleeper Trap

Summary written by John (Channel Zi). He has graciously given me permission to post several of his summaries.

Van & Fiona are slowly making their way across the desert in the Shield Liger. Zeke is keeping the pace, trotting alongside the Liger. The left rear leg of the Liger has been damaged from the battle against Rosso's Desert Alcavaledo Gang (see Episode 4), so they aren't faring all that well. Van notes the effects of the damage on his cockpit display, reiterating that it may be some time before the Liger is back up to full strength. He decides that they should find a place to camp for the night. It can be dangerous in the desert at night...as Van turns to remind Fiona of this, he cries out in horror as Fiona devours his last papaya whole, leaving him with no food.

Zeke find the papaya incident very amusing. At that moment, though, he also hears something approaching them from the rear. From the distance, we hear a sound...of music. From the trail behind Van's Liger comes a red Gustav, towing two trailers loaded with cargo containers. At the controls, keeping time with the music, is...Moonbay! Moonbay pulls alongside Van and stops to chat, as running across someone else this deep into the desert is rare. Moonbay is a transporter...a "Zoid trucker" if you will, and she's on her way to make a delivery.

Moonbay takes a look at the damage to the Shield Liger, making an assumption that missiles caused the damage to the Liger. Van is a bit taken aback by this. Meanwhile, Zeke has taken a shining to Moonbay's Gustav like a dog does to a fire hydrant. Van scolds him, telling him to leave the Gustav alone. Moonbay takes a look at Zeke, musing that he must be a wild Zoid. Van agrees that he can be wild at times.

Van queries Moonbay about places to stay the night in the area. Moonbay answers that she doesn't know, as she has never been this way before. She remarks that it must have been fate that brought them all together in the desert. Moonbay suggests they camp together up the road a bit. Van agrees, then introduces himself and Fiona. Moonbay introduces herself as well. As the crew gets underway, a familiar face watches them from just out of sight on the horizon...someone with an adjustable eyepiece and black Command Wolf...

Van, Fiona, Zeke, and Moonbay get underway...slowly. Van explains to Moonbay (in response to her questions) that he doesn't earn a living battling Zoids, despite having one of the more robust Zoids available. One day, he tells her, he plans to be the best Zoid pilot ever. But...

Suddenly, several Guysacks emerge from the desert sands and begin attacking the Liger and Gustav. Van & Moonbay put their Zoids into high gear, and begin speeding away. Van calls for Zeke to merge with the Liger, but Zeke can't, as he is too busy dodging fire from the fast-approaching Guysacks. Moonbay presses Van to use the Liger, but Van retorts that he is having trouble controlling it without Zeke's help.

Just as one Guysack has maneuvered in front of Moonbay and is about to crush her cockpit with one of its foreclaws, the claw is blown to bits by...Irvine! Irvine has decided to show up and help out....but only to protect Zeke. Irvine begins with his usual snide remarks, aimed this time at Moonbay for not travelling armed. Moonbay snaps back that travelling armed would have added too much extra weight to the Gustav. As Moonbay smarts off to Irvine, she calls him by name. Van is surprised that Moonbay knows him, and Moonbay senses Van's loathing of Irvine in Van's...colorful...terms for him. Irvine begins picking off the Guysacks one by one while taunting Van about his age. As Irvine pulverizes the second-to-last Guysack, the single remaining Guysack turns back to attack him. But, Irvine is following Zeke on his display, making sure he wasn't harmed in the attack. In doing so, he lets his guard down long enough for the last Guysack to score a crippling hit. Irvine's Command Wolf goes down, and is at the mercy of the attacking Guysack. Irvine's day is about to be permanently ended when...Van takes out the Guysack! Van wastes no time in ribbing Irvine about his damaged Command Wolf. Irvine sulks and swears, as Moonbay announces she has found their campsite for the night...an abandoned city!

Nighttime under the twin crescent moons of Zi. Van, Fiona, Moonbay, and Irvine have set up camp inside the abandoned city ruins. Moonbay and Irvine waste no time in trading sarcastic barbs with one another. With a heavy sigh, Irvine asks Moonbay to fix his damaged Command Wolf, and she agrees. Van seems puzzled that Moonbay would know how to work on the Command Wolf, but Moonbay tells him she can probably fix just about any Zoid. Moonbay sets to work on Irvine's ride through an access panel on the leg. Van questions Moonbay's choice of locations to begin the repairs. Moonbay tells Van that, by modifying the internal systems from this location, she can improve the Command Wolf's ability to repair itself. Van is amazed at Moonbay's skill...and sheepishly asks her to fix the Liger. Moonbay agrees, and also volunteers to cook dinner afterward.

Outside the city, a lone sleeper Guysack has used its sensors to locate the camping Zoiders. It turns away to head to parts unnamed...

Around the heating stove, Van relates his story to Moonbay...how he met Zeke and Fiona...and that they are looking for the Zoid Eve. Fiona puts in her 2 cents as well. Irvine chimes in, only to have Van warn Moonbay about Irvine's...shifty...nature. Van asks Moonbay if she knows about the Zoid Eve, but Moonbay knows nothing. Van quickly finishes his dinner and decides to work it off by looking for treasure. Fiona and Zeke decide to join him. Moonbay asks Irvine why he wants Zeke. Irvine tells her it is because Zeke is an Organoid. Moonbay thinks Irvine is full of shit. Irvine asks Moonbay what she's transporting in the Gustav. Moonbay brushes his questions aside. Irvine then brings up the fact that the Guysacks that attacked them in the desert couldn't have been rogues. They must have been Helic Republic sleepers...automated Zoids triggered to attack for a specific purpose. Moonbay then admits that she is carrying arms for the Guylos Imperial army, which probably activated the sleepers, who were programmed to intercept Guylos armaments. Irvine lightly scolds her for living dangerously. Moonbay shuts Irvine's mouth with a single finger, and reminds him that she's never lost a transport load...a fact she's very proud of.

In the course of exploring, Van seems to have found nothing salvageable. He tells Fiona he had hoped the ruins might help her remember something, but...they haven't. Suddenly, Fiona senses something and directs Van into the ruins. As they head in...they are being watched by two sleepers hiding in the shadows...

Fiona finds a deep pool formed in the ruins. Fiona and Zeke decide against a swim, leaving the swimming to Van. Van dives to the bottom of the pool and sees the destroyed carcasses of several Zoids. Van returns to the campsite and relates what he has seen to Irvine and Moonbay. Later, after everyone has settled in for the night, Fiona seems restless. Something is bothering her, but she has no idea what. Van tells her to get some rest. As the night wears on, Irvine decides to attempt to sneak out with Zeke. Arming himself with his electro-whip, he almost gets an opportunity to try, but Van has awakened as well and confronts him. Fiona hears the commotion, and runs to Moonbay, who is also up at this point. Moonbay tells Fiona to stand back and let the boys fight it out when...

The sleeper Guysacks attack! This time, though, there are many MANY more. Irvine confirms to everyone that the Guysacks are indeed sleepers, and that the first attack of the previous day was probably intended to lead them into this city, trapping them. Irvine also tells Van that the Zoid corpses he saw at the bottom of the deep pool were likely victims of the sleepers. Moonbay decides to cut-and-run, leaving the boys to finish their fight. As she tries to break out, she quickly finds herself cut off by the sleepers. But! Van takes down one Guysack, noting that he can't repay Moonbay for repairing the Liger if she runs away. Irvine joins them...wanting to ensure Zeke remains safe...

Irvine pressures Moonbay to dump her cargo. Moonbay flatly refuses, but thinks to herself that if she doesn't, it may cost the lives of her new friends. Slamming on the brakes, Moonbay peels off into a deep narrow canyon, and attempts to draw the sleepers after her. Most follow her, some continue after Van & Irvine. Closing in, one sleeper knocks out the Gustav sensor antenna, leaving Moonbay with a diminished view of what's going on outside. As she burns through the canyon, a pair of sleepers attempt to cut her off, and succeed. Moonbay is trapped.

Lucky for Moonbay, Van & Irvine have followed. Van & Irvine begin to take down the sleepers, but there are far too many sleepers for them to deal with, and it isn't long before they run out of ammo. Moonbay realizes that it is the cargo they are after, so...she decides to dump it. Ordering Van & Irvine to follow, Moonbay guns it through the canyon, takes a sharp corner, and slings her load containers off the trailers. Van & Irvine follow, then each runs up opposite sides of the canyon and pulls back. The sleepers congregate around the containers, leaving Moonbay to escape. But the sleepers begin firing on the containers, and as soon as the containers are breached, both explode.

Van & Irvine see the enormous explosion from the distance. Van fears the worst...Irvine sloughs it off...but...as Van begins to shed a tear, Moonbay's familiar voice rolls over the comm system. She's fine, thanks largely to the fact that the Gustav armor is quite tough. Van is relieved, as is Irvine.

Afterward, Irvine heads off for parts unnamed, again taunting Van as he leaves that he will one day take Zeke form him. Moonbay, inspecting the damage to her Gustav, tells Van he owes her a good bit of cash for all the damage incurred and also for the repairs to his shield Liger. She makes him a deal to work off what he owes her if he'll travel with her as protection. Van readily agrees, and Moonbay agrees to cook breakfast, and the story continues...