Additional Cast: HatC Trotter as Colonel Vi; Graham Green as Cherokee; Jane Luk as Heiko; Michael Woods as Overunit Webber
Additional Cast: HatC Trotter as Colonel Vi; Graham Green as Cherokee; Jane Luk as Heiko; Michael Woods as Overunit Webber
Database Journal 47-5 Mark 13. Power sends Hawk to find a group of resistance fighters, previously unknown, operating independently from the mainstream resistance. Mission: to find out why they are fighting Dread and enlist their aid, if possible. The mysterious resistance fighters attack a Dread supply convoy, shouting the battle cry "Wardogs!". Armed with heavy weaponry, they seemingly capture the supplies. However, a biomech in hiding still survives and drives off the raiders with a truck mounted blaster. Hawk arrives and destroys the remaining biomech, truck and all, with a wrist rocket from his power suit. The raiders, who were fleeing, assume the biomech has overloaded on it's own and shoot down Hawk, believing him to be a "clinker" (biodread). Power, aboard the Jumpship, is unable to contact Hawk by radio and sets off to find him. Meanwhile, Scout and Tank have found a hidden Dread base ("New Order Module 7", according to Overmind) and they radio in to Power with the information. Power decides that Hawk's situation is more urgent and continues on toward him. Power tells Tank and Scout to keep an eye on the base from a position of safety until he returns. Hawk recovers and gets the drop on his captors, who we have learned are named Cherokee and Heiko. Hawk recognizes "wardog" military insignia used in the Metal Wars, on their tattered uniforms. Hawk tries to explain that he's trying to help, but he's not believed. Hawk is then taken by surprise and finds a blaster pointed at his head. He turns to look at this new aggressor and, to his astonishment, it's Colonel Vi--a woman he fought beside during the Metal Wars. They embrace as long lost friends reunited. Hawk discovers that Vi is the leader of the raiders. A group comprised of the remnants of Wardog Company, an old military squad left over from the Metal Wars. Unfortunately, the Wardogs' motives are not as altruistic as his and Power's. The Wardogs only want Dread's supplies so they can escape to a place they call EdenII, believing the resistance effort is futile. Hawk dismisses EdenII as a myth. Vi and Hawk are attracted to each other. Vi, still feeling out Hawk, asks him about his wife JoAnna and son Mitch. It is revealed that Hawk believes his wife and son to be dead as the result of a Dread attack. Vi urges Hawk to join her, but before he can fully answer, Power and Pilot arrive in the Jumpship. Back at Dread's hidden base, Scout and Tank have been surreptitously discovered by a Dread flying spy camera. Dread sends Soaron on a mission to protect the base and trap Power. The Wardogs steadfastly plan their escape to EdenII, despite Hawk's advisement that their goal is suicidal. Power, safe in the knowledge that Hawk is in good hands, decides to check out what Tank and Scout have found. He departs with Pilot, leaving Hawk behind with Vi and the Wardogs. Soaron arrives at the base Scout and Tank have under observation and order it evacuated. Power, Pilot, Scout and Tank decide to take advantage of the evacuation and infiltrate the "unguarded" base. They find a computer with data on Dread's infamous "Project New Order" and plant timed bombs. As they explore, they also find some steel drums filled with ...? But it's all a trap and the team is surrounded. Scout creates a distraction by impersonating Lord Dread, but the leader of the Dread troops, Overunit Webber, is wise to the ruse and the battle is on. The team overpower the biomechs and escape from a room booby trapped with lasers, but they still have to get out of the base before the bombs go off. Hawk, still will the Wardogs, decides to leave them when Cherokee brings him word that Power is trapped. As Hawk flies to Power's rescue, he is engaged by Soaron. Soaron defeats Hawk, whose power suit has expanded all it's energy. But before Soaron can attack the now helpless Hawk, the Wardogs blast Soaron out of the sky and save Hawk. Back at Dread's base, with almost no power left in their suits, Power and his team are still fighting to escape. As Webber and the biomechs again get the drop on Power, the Wardogs, with Hawk at their side, blast through a wall to rescue them. The explosives detonate, destroying the installation. A grateful Captain Power bids the Wardogs farewell as the teams part company in search of mutually exclusive goals. Hawk again suffers the pain of separation. This time losing Vi, who departs from sight as Hawk painfully waves good-bye.