UNIVERSE BOWL VI: CHAPTER V: DESOLATION IN THE DESERT

 

            A solitary figure stands on top of a crested dune and stares at the sky above. Paul Atreides has long been haunted by his visions of the future.  The man’s past has displayed that his gifted foresight has inevitably proven true to life in most instances.  Hauntingly, Atreides recalls that his vivid dreams often become painful nightmares. 

            Atreides places his thumper and waits for Shai Halud to enter as his steed.  While he calmly shifts his weight on the sand beneath him, a feeling in his gut tells him that this day may not be one for The Makers.  Atreides shakes his present fugue state off and latches onto his Maker Hooks to pull himself onto the back of the enormous sandworm as it bursts forth from beneath the granules to greet its master.  Once Atreides mounts the worm, he directs the beast toward the action which will transpire before them.  He moves the worm in the direction of two beings of such immense size that they both far exceed the largest thinking machines ever created, or banned within the boundaries of his own Imperium.  A few hundred feet away, a sixth sense speaks to Apollo to assist his teammate. Apollo rushes to the aid of Atreides in what is sure to be a showdown of monstrous proportions. 

            Two immense mechanical cities sit idle next to each other in the center of the desert.  Suddenly, the whirring and grinding of mechanical sections is heard as the two metropolises begin to stir.  While the cities begin to change, two combatants careen out of the purple-colored city.  Tommy Oliver, flying with his Legion flight ring and Vampire Achilles exit speedily while the area from which they began slowly transforms into a massive T-Rex constructed of Cybertronian metal.  In an almost instinctual response, the white city to its east morphs into a massive robot.  The two arch-enemies never thought that they would be gifted with the unique opportunity to do battle against one another on such a grand stage.  Although they would like nothing more than to fight one-on-one in a showcase of vocational skill, they are both aware that they will be interrupted by the interactions of several other powerful combatants whom they share the spotlight at this location.  Tripticon and Metroplex violently crash into one another, causing intense vibrations which scar the entire area. 

            The deafening blow to his eardrums is more than enough cause for Tommy Oliver, also known as the Green Ranger, to pull out his dagger and use it like a flute for the purpose of summoning the Mighty Dragonzord.  Metroplex is forced to break off his existing battle and instead readies himself to face an incoming Dragonzord.  Meanwhile, Atreides barely is able to dismount from his sandworm as the monster rushes toward Tripticon.  The Transformers’ fight will have to be continued at a later time.

            While the monstrosities ready themselves for their respective skirmishes, the humanoid combatants prepare to face one another themselves.  Tommy Oliver pulls out his Green Ranger weapon and former lightsaber of Jedi Master Plo Koon and combines the two to create an energy blast which targets Apollo as he approaches the Saban-spun hero from the air.  Atreides unsheathes his blade, ready to confront Vampire Achilles as the former and current Horseman races toward him. 

            Sandworm #8 crashes into Tripticon and knocks the immense Decepticon down onto the dunes.  Tripticon is able to utilize the momentum of the worm and uses its T-Rex arms to throw the Maker off him.  Tripticon then brings down a massive foot onto the monster, crushing the center of it into the sand.  Tripticon takes advantage of the worm’s wounds and unleashes a massive wave of energy from his inner-mouth mounted cannon.  The burst strikes the bearer of the will of Shai-Halud with a thousand times the heat of the sun of Arrakis and kills it instantly.

            Meanwhile, the Dragonzord hits Metroplex with two skyscraper leveling punches to knock him backward.  Metroplex responds by throwing some “wicked” metal punches of his own.  The two behemoths trade blows until the Dragonzord takes a step back from the fracas and begins charging his primary finisher weapon.  As the Zord conjures the proper power, Metroplex rushes in and fights through the initial energy burst.  The enormous Autobot sends a flattened ridge hand directly into the metal beast’s chest.  Circuitry and sparks fly out of the exposed cavity as Metroplex places his massive foot on the damaged chest of the Zord and grabs a hold of its head.  Metroplex then pulls with all of his might until the head is no longer attached to the body of the Dragonzord. 

            Tripticon notices that Metroplex is himself no longer in his encounter and begins to stomp his way to begin, once again, and subsequently finish, the fight.  While en route, Tripticon lends a hand to his teammate, Oliver, by sending a charge of energy toward Apollo.  Apollo is knocked backward from the detonation and weakened, which allows Oliver time to focus his Morphin energy at Apollo and conjure his own energy lashing.  The emanation knocks a scorched Apollo to the ground, which Oliver immediately uses to his own advantage.  The ranger wastes no time and drives both his mystical dagger and blue lightsaber into Apollo’s chest to finish him. 

            Tommy Oliver reminisces about his current circumstances as he lifts from the air with his Legion flight ring.  He knows that he has been a valued member of the Horsemen since day one of the League’s creation.  Seeing the demise of Apollo reminds Oliver of his first ever start in Season 1, Week 1.  Superman (now his teammate, but then a member of TEAM—a/k/a Team Ed) spared him that day after a stalemate skirmish with Seraph, but he has never quite lived down the stigma of being the only Horsemen to ever retreat from a match.  Now faced with what will undoubtedly be his last venture, the Green Ranger flies off to find his next fight.

            The ground shakes as Metroplex and Tripticon resume their battle, but it does not bother two hardened warriors such as Atreides and Achilles.  Achilles’ smirk and pomposity continue to shine upon his face, but he cannot help but think about how he has never faced a man like Atreides who moves with such speed and grace.  A master of numerous fighting methods and skills, Atreides is also secretly impressed by the prowess of his enemy.  Atreides parries the attacks of Achilles and allows the sword of the Greek to glance off of his personal Holtzman Shield when it is swung too quickly.  Nonetheless, Atreides senses that it will take more than a stab wound from the tooth of a Maker in the form of his crysknife to kill this undead soldier.  Atreides hollers out a scream to enact the weirding way taught to him by his Bene Gesserit mother to shatter the shield of Achilles with his voice.  Atreides then spins into the air and grabs a chunk of wood from the shield before it hits the ground and drives it into the heart of Achilles.  He then sends it further in by issuing a thrust from the butt end of his crysknife to finish off the vampire. 

            Atreides turns to his right and sees that he is not going to get even a second’s rest from fighting.  Tommy Oliver approaches his enemy slowly in the air, while still acknowledging the other FFL Year One Draftee.  Both men recognize that each was drafted by the very team they fight for now in The Season 1 draft.  Both men have remained through the many administrative changes occurring on their own teams.  Both men came to this fight prepared to die and both realize that after the skirmish that is about to take place, one will.  Oliver lands upon the ground and sheathes his lightsaber while Atreides deactivates his Holtzman Shield.  The two pull out their daggers in unison to dual in the truest form of combat.  Oliver nods, while Atreides issues the ancient Fremen adage reserved for only the most worthy of opponents, “May your blade shatter and crack.” 

            With the respective pleasantries completed, the two clash in a pitched battle, while they pay no heed to the enormous altercation taking place between two city-sized Transformers less than a few hundred yards away.  Atreides’ crysknife glances off of Tommy’s chest-shield several times, while the Green Ranger manages to get close enough to slice two of the catch pocket tubes in Maud Dib’s stillsuit.  The two   catch each other’s hands in a grappling position, but Atreides breaks the silence of their battle as he begins to overpower the Ranger. 

            “It would have been an honor to have your water amongst my sietch”, says Atreides as he releases the grapple and ducks down low, thrusting upward with his Fremen weapon and forcing it under Oliver’s helmet and into his head. 

            The damaged Transformers begin to show structural weariness due to the fact that they have pounded one another for such a lengthy period of time.  Tripticon attempts to gain an advantage over his current nemesis and, once again, unleashes a blast from his mouth cannon.  Metroplex’s agility is mystifying for such a giant as he is able to dodge the discharge by dropping to one knee.  The massive Autobot spins on its knee and delivers an uppercut to Tripticon.  The Horseman is dizzied by the blow, which allows Metroplex the opportunity to lift Tripticon up over his head and bring him down into an earthquake causing back breaker which extinguishes his arch-enemy’s spark once and for all.           

            Atreides looks to Metroplex and a smile creases across his face.