I'm not really sure if this counts as anime/manga, it probably 
doesn't, but it is fanfiction so...*shrugs*

C&C is appreciated
--------------------------------------------------------------------- 
  Disclaimer
---------------------------------------------------------------------
	Heavy Gear, the Heavy Gear universe and all it's contents, including 
the Iguana and Sand Cobra are the property of Dream Pod 9. They have 
been used here without the permission of their owners.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

     A lone Iguana stumbled down the side of the dune, stirring up a
     fog of fine, white sand.  It staggered forward, towards the next 
dune, a line of tracks stretching off into the horizon behind it, 
crossing endless rows of dunes, and as the battered Gear crested the 
next hill, it's optical pick-ups gave it a splendid view of row upon 
row of hills ahead, just like the one it now stood on.
	 A steady flow of lubricant dripped down from it's mangled left 
arm, quickly being absorbed by the pale sand.  It stood perfectly 
still ,watching the flare of light that heralded the dawn.
	A high steady whine intruded itself on the solitude of the     
desert's morning, although it was barely audible even to the     
Gear's sensors. Turning to the south it began to scan the     
horizon.  It unslung the autocannon from it's shoulder as a plume     
of sand became visible against the harsh glare of the sand.     
	External camera lenses moved slightly as they zoomed in, it was     
an unnecessary, reflex action.  No one knew it was out here except 
for it's enemies, still it would be good to know just who it was 
fighting.
	Two black specks became visable in the plume, growing rapidly 
larger.  They had the distinct profiles of a pair of Sand Cobra's. 
The Iguana bowed it's head in resignation and it's electronics beeped 
a warning as sensors detected it's presence.  Back pedalling it rolled 
clumsily down the dune moments before a pair of missiles dug a crater 
where it had been standing. 
	The gear rose, sand sluicing off of it's armour to land in little 
piles on the dessert floor.  The gun came up as the first Cobra 
crested the dune. Fingers tightened reflexivly on the trigger, and a 
burst of tracer bright rounds flashed out to meet the Cobra, ripping 
apart the canopy and the pilots inside.  A second burst stitched a 
line of holes along the side of the skimmer, igniting fuel as the 
crippled fighter rushed passed. It plowed into the next dune, smoke 
and fire belching from it's guts.
    	The second Cobra had gone low, and wide around the dune.  
Moveing lightly and with a speed belied by it's bulky form the Gear 
dove out of the line of fire, autocannon rounds hitting the sand 
beside it's head.
	The Cobra began a long wide turn as the Iguana picked itself out of 
the sand.  It paused and tossed aside it's spent gun, moveing closer 
to the burning wreck, hoping to gain some cover from the thick oily 
smoke.
	The hovercraft finished it's turn and accelerated back towards the 
Gear.  It's missiles blew the hulk of it's downed companion to 
pieces, but once again the gear dodged.  As the Cobra stormed past, 
the Iguana's arm came up, and a heavy grenade arced towards the 
fighter.
	The skimmer dropped its left wing, and the grenade continued on in 
it's graceful arc to detonate against the sand. The Cobra's pilot 
tried to level out his craft, but it was too late.  The luckless 
fighter's stubby wing caught the top of a dune, sending up great 
spray of sand as the Cobra tumbled across the dessert.  Sand tore 
at the canopy, and the crew clung desperately to their seats. 
	The skimmer's nose caught and flipped the craft over to land 
right-side up. It's crew quickly got it back into the air, but as 
they began to move again the co-pilot  saw something moving.  The 
Iguana charged the Cobra, it's  vibromachete extended as it leapt 
at it's enemy.
	The blade sliced through the skin of the skimmer, cutting hydraulics 
and severing fuel lines.  As the Cobra wobbled through the air the 
Gear rolled underneath, lashing upwards with it's weapon.  The 
powerful engine in stomach of the Cobra exploded, igniting fuel and 
detonating the remaining ammo.  Both combatants vanished in a ball of 
flame.
	The white sands of the dessert were already beginning to claim the 
wreckage, and once more the line of tracks continued, unbroken 
towards the horizon.

          -The End-

---------------------------------------------------------------------
Author's Notes

	I wrote this a year about a year ago after reading some of Dream Pod 
9's source books for the Heavy Gear roleplaying game that a friend 
brought to school.
	There was something about the story in them that I liked and the 
image of a Gear making a hopless trek across the Badlands stuck in my 
mind.
	For those of you who don't know, Heavy Gear started as a roleplaying 
game published by Dream Pod 9 (Activision recently released a Heavy 
Gear game for Win 95 that's not bad.)  It is set on the world of 
Terra Nova, one of Earth's colonies.  
	The colonies were cut off from Earth because of a growing 
isolationist movement and an ice age.  On Terra Nova the people split 
into two primary factions, the Confederated Northern City States 
(C.N.C.S.) and the Allied Southern Territiories (AST), divided by a 
wide band of desserts called the Badlands.
	Earth eventualy tried to reclaim it's colonies, launching the 
Colonial Expiditionary Force.  The Terra Novan's rallied and drove 
the C.E.F. off, using their most advanced combat vehical, the Heavy 
Gear.  Unfortunatly the C.E.F. left behind thousands of geneticaly 
altered troops, Grells.
	Based on construction units the Heavy Gear 
are humanoid robots ranging from 3.5 to 7 meter's tall and idealy 
suited to the rough territory of Terra Nova. (Is it just me or are 
most mecha originaly based on construction tools?)
---------------------------------------------------
"The truth rarely pure and never simple"
                   Oscar Wilde