Space Hog S.S.T.K Part II: The Hunt
By Stargazer The Hedgehog
Everybody onboard the TX heard a hum that gradually got louder. Tails then put his hand on the brake lever and released it. The TX lurched forward and began to accelerate down the runway.
"Were off!" shouted Tails
The force of accelerating forced everybody into his or her chairs.
Rotor, Bunnie and half of the engineering team were in side the TX Hanger in side the side office watching the takeoff on a monitor. Everybody knew if anything were to got wrong it was here, because the TX had experimental power and systems. The tracking camera running along the runway could barely keep up with the TX.
"Okay," said Rotor, as he looked at the distance meter "They should be starting to lift the front wheel now to hit the launch ramp correctly."
Tails pulled on the control stick, because Fred's display showing the distance left to the launch ramp was at the prearranged distance. The front wheel began to lift.
"Yes, yes go on!" yelled Rotor
"There in the perfect angle for take off." Called one of the engineers.
As they continued to watch the TX hit the launch ramp perfect the engines kicked out more force to put the craft in the air.
Tails pulled on the lever that would allow more energy into the main engines as they left the launch ramp.
The communication system barked into life.
"Good luck!" came Rotors voice
"Thank you. Well be back!" said Tails
"Well be waiting!" yelled Bunnie and with that the TX went out of communication range
"Little bumpy." Said Sonic
"It'll be fine, its only till we've cleared the atmosphere." Replied Tails
After a minute it did and the view changed from cloudy sky to an unbroken view of stars.
"Wow!" said Sonic
"Its beautiful." Said Sally
"Leaving Mobius gravity in one minute." Called Fred
"When ready Fred, activate gravity generators." Commanded Tails
"Ready."
"Fred status of systems?"
"Power at 100, Structural integrity at 100, Power stores at 10 and rising."
"Can we get up yet?" called Knuckles
"Hang on a few more minutes." Replied Tails
"We have left Mobius gravity now." Said Sally
"Gravity generators online." Said Fred
"Fred plot course for the Titan solar system."
"Course plotted."
"Prepare to activate the 'Star Drive'."
Sonic looked over at Tails "'Star drive'? What's that?"
"Tell you later. Okay Fred begin countdown."
"Warning prepare for star drive activation in, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1."
The crew in the cockpit watched as the stars began to stretch in front of them, Knuckles glanced left out a window and saw the same thing. Then all of a sudden the TX shock for a few seconds and then a flash of light, and then it faded and the TX stopped shacking.
Sonic opened his eyes and looked out into space and watched as the stars flew past. He checked himself the looked over the others.
Tails unbuckled himself "Fred autopilot."
"Autopilot engaged."
Tails got up and entered the living area followed by Sonic and Sally where Knuckles was just getting up out of his seat.
"We can relax now." Said Tails
"For how long?" asked Sonic
"Don't know."
"So what is the Star Drive?" asked Sally
"Okay, I've told you how the Chaos Core powers the main engines via two power conduits that go from the core to the engines. Well to power the Star Drive three conduits join in a three to one junction box. This mixed energy passes into a bigger Chaos Turbine which then generates very high speeds."
"That flash," asked Knuckles "what was that?"
"That happened because we broke the light barrier."
"Light travels at over 300000 km per second." Said Sally
"So we are traveling faster than that? How fast?" asked Knuckles
Tails unclipped a small devise and switched it on "I can't tell. The read out is messed up." Tails showed the read out to everyone and the saw the numbers did not make sense
"Are we in any danger from jumping to light speed?" asked Sonic
"Fred, status report?"
"Power distribution at 100, structural integrity fell to 98 but now returned to normal. Power stores at 50 and holding."
"Will we always get that drop?" asked Knuckles
"More than likely."
"Okay," said Sonic "who's hungry?"
It is now the third day after the TX broke the light barrier and as it flies though space it shows no sign of any problems. Just to make sure the crew decided to set up a rotor system so that either Sally or Tails the only two who could deal with any problems will be up. So the morning shift was Knuckles and Tails while the night shift was Sally and Sonic.
Sonic was awake and lying in bed with Sally's arm draped over his body, he looked over at her sleeping form then at the clock on the wall.
'Time to get up.'
He looked at Sally again; it seamed a shame to wake her. So he decided to go and get her a cup of tea. He moved Sally's arm trying to be as quiet as possible he then sat up on the edge of the bed and started putting on his shoes.
"Mmmm… Sonic?"
"Yeah." Replied Sonic disappointed that he woke Sally
"What time is it?" asked Sally lifting her head off her pillow
"2100 hours. Do you wont anything?"
"We don't have to get up yet do we?" asked Sally draping her arms over Sonics shoulders and she looked into Sonics eyes
"No we don't, Knuckles and Tails can stay on duty a bit longer." With that Sonic kissed Sally
In the cockpit Tails was at the science station looking over in coming data while Knuckles was snoring loudly from the tactical seat, with his leg crossed on top of the console.
"Morning all." Shouted Sonic as he walked into the cockpit
"Arrrr!" yelled Knuckles as he fell off the seat
"Morning Sonic." Said Tails
"Anything to report?" asked Sonic
"No nothing. Can't still tell you our speed I've been working on it all day but nothing."
"Morning Knuckles." Said Sally as Knuckles passed her on his way to his room
"You mean night." Replied Knuckles
Sally then entered the cockpit taking her position from Tails who just updated her on what he had been working on. Sonic and Sally then stated there duties.
It is now the sixth day after leaving Mobius and Tails was sitting at a sloped desk drawing something, Knuckles was in his room while Sonic was reading a book with Sally's head resting on his shoulder with his arm wrapped around her. Even thought it was ten o'clock in the morning everybody was up. For the past two days they had changed the schedule. The reasons were because nothing was happening and if anything really happened Fred could deal with it if not he could get Tails. And if anything approached them Fred could navigate around them.
Then a rapid bleep came from the cockpit.
Sonic looked towards the cockpit then at Tails who got from behind his desk and walked up and into the cockpit. Sonic was just about to get up to have a look when over the intercom. System came Tails voice
"All hands report to stations."
Sonic put down his book and gently shook Sally
"Sally? Wake up Sal."
"Mmmm?"
"Tails has called us to stations."
"Why?"
"I don't know."
"Right." Said Sally as she sat up right and started to slip her boots on, while Sonic walked up into the cockpit, as Sally got up off the sofa she looked down the corridor because a sound had drawn her it was the engineering door closing, she sprinted up to the cockpit
"What's up?" she asked
"Were approaching the Titan system." Replied Tails
"So several light-years in just six days not bad." Said Sally putting on her safety webbing
"Knux?" asked Tails over the comm. "You ready?"
"Yeah, all set." Came the reply
"Ok Fred, when you're ready." Said Tails
"Prepare for deceleration. Deactivating the Star Drive in 5, 4, 3, 2, 1."
Everybody saw the same flash as they had seen six days before when they broke the LSB (Light Speed Barrier).
Tails looked out the main screen showing the Titan solar system, they were on the edge of the system.
"Fred report?" asked Tails
"Everything is AOK."
"Receiving sensor information." Said Sally
"What we got?" asked Sonic
"Okay, one planet and twenty moons."
Sonic got out of his seat and looked at her screen "Looks like its made out of gas."
"A gas planet. Amazing." Replied Sally "One of the moons has an atmosphere but very little life. No sign of Robotnik."
"Well that's this system of the list. Time to resume the Hunt." Said Sonic
"I'm saving the information for Rotor and the science team to have a look at."
With that out of the way the crew returned to seats and the TX headed for the perimeter of the system. Once there the TX entered light speed and was now bound for the Orion star system.
Two days after leaving the Titan solar system Sonic had just gotten up from a afternoon snooze and was walking into the living area heading for the cockpit when he noticed Sally looking at Nicole's display.
"Hey Sally what you looking at?"
"Nicole has just finished decrypting some private logs from the secondary HQ's computer."
"I thought all information was wiped?" asked Sonic confused
"It was. But I went back while you was away with Chuck and found some files. Maybe they weren't wiped because of the creator of the files."
"Who?"
"Naugus."
Sonic sat beside her and looked at Nicole's display, which was showing the number of files made by Naugus.
"Some of them are visual recordings. Play one Sal."
The fist log began to play; it was Naugus voice all right
"Finally after years locked in the Void the King and I are out and the best news is that with the destruction of the Void it no longer drains our life force. I'm now working my plan that will get rid of Robotnik when the time is right."
"Next log Nicole." Said Sally
"Playing…"
Naugus voice again "What a turn up Robotnik is dead. An explosion up in his levels has killed him. It has somewhat ruined my plans. Never mind time to start the newer plan, peace with the Freedom Fighters."
"Peace?" asked Sonic "He wonted peace? We thought he was against us."
"I know. Nicole next."
"Playing…"
"I have just worked out why my powers are weakening, I've been drawing power from the Void itself, but what remains I have used up. I have just recently received a message from someone, don't recognize him, but he's coming to take over, I need to contact the freedom Fighters but I do no know how."
"And the last one Nicole?" Asked Sally
"Accessing…"
"I'm losing my faith in my abilities. The Freedom Fighters have just destroyed the Adv. Buzzbomber plant, when I need them to combat Robotnik. He's the one from the message, how he survived I'll never know."
"End of logs." Said Nicole
"Some how," said Sally "there was also a clip from a security camera, Nicole play the clip."
On Nicole's screen the clip started, the area was the throne room of Robotnik's first HQ back when he returned. In the room King Maximillion was pacing around when off camera there was the sound of the lift stopping. The King turned
"Naugus? How did it go?"
Naugus appears from the direction of the lift and walks over to the King and reaches out, supposedly to put his hands on the Kings shoulders but instead puts them around the Kings neck and twists. Sonic quickly looks away from the screen. When he looks back the time index has jumped about ten minutes, that's when Robotnik then enters the throne room walks up to Naugus drags him over to the window and fires his weapon.
"Naugus was going to offer peace." Said Sonic
"Yes."
"If we had been trying to talk to Naugus we wouldn't have to be doing this, flying into deep space to catch Ro'butt'nik."
"Tails' Log: TX Project one year, eight days.
Over the last couple of days we have all noticed that Sonic is becoming restless, maybe because of the cramped confines of the TX. What he need is a good run, so we have decided that the next habitable planet we come across we will land. The time spent on the next planet will give me time to inspect the craft and do some maintenance.
Another thing is just recently asked Aunt Sally to do a stock check. We have enough food for five weeks, enough fuel for the kitchen, but we've low on water. One of the water recycle plants is not working properly, so we had to dump the wastewater. We have rationed the remaining water, just hope that the next planet we do land on has water, luckily I have some water testing kits so I can find out whether the water will be safe to drink.
End Log."
Five days slowly passed for the crew of the TX not much happened, Sonic started to complain about not being able to have a run, Tails was concentrating on a new drawing, Knuckles started to get annoyed at Sonics complaining, Sally was catching up on some details about the TX she was missing. Finally at four pm Tails was called up to the cockpit by Fred.
Over the intercom Tails called "All hands report to stations."
Knuckles walked down to engineering, Sonic and Sally stepped into the cockpit and took up their positions.
"Deactivating Star Drive in 5, 4, 3, 2, 1." Said Fred
The TX jumped out of light speed. Sonic looked out into the system hoping that this system had a planet that was habitable, he looked over at Sally.
"Scanning system," Said Sally "okay, six planets two with an oxygen atmosphere. Hmmm the first one is in a state of heavy volcanic activity. No ships in the area."
"What's the make up of the other planet, aunt Sally?" asked Tails
"Similar to Mobius, though it has only one continent, large areas of forest. No indication of indigenous population."
"Well," said Tails looking at Sonic "I did say the next planet, didn't I? Taking her down."
Tails turned the TX to face the third planet and maneuvered the TX thought the outer planets. Taking them around four hours.
The TX entered the atmosphere and after a few minutes they broke though the cloud layer. Tails could clearly see the alien world, though it did look like home, with the notable difference being that this was a single continent were as the four main continents of home.
"Sally, can you scan for an area for use to land?" asked Tails
"Sure."
After around two minutes Sonic asked
"Well got anything?"
"No I haven't. I can't find a clear spot."
"Have you scanned for the TX itself or are you including a runway?" asked Tails
"Runway." Replied Sally
"Oh we don't need on. Just find a patch of land big enough for the TX."
"Why don't we need a runway?" asked Sonic
"I'll show you. Once aunt Sally has found a place…"
"I've found a space, also it's near a lake. 38 degrees 53 minutes north latitude, 77 degrees 0 minutes west longitude."
"Cool. Taking her down."
The TX slowed down and then hovered over the site, which Sally had indicated, the four under jets powered by chaos energy began to slowly decelerate which brought the TX down slowly. The landing gear activated and the TX touched down with a bump and then the noise from the engines grew very quiet.
"Fred, go to standby mode."
"Activating."
The tactical control console, science and all systems except for basic shutdown.
The door hissed open and the landing ramp extended down and made contact with the ground. Tails, Sally, Sonic and Knuckles walked out into the warm air of the planet. Tails and the group walked down the ramp and stepped onto the soft grass. Tails took Fred off his belt and ran a detailed scan of the local area. He reported the same as what the TX's scanners had found. Nothing. No life forms, except for the obviously small single cell bacteria, trees and lakes.
"Well," Said Sonic "I'll be off. Be back in a while."
"Wait!" called Tails "Take this with you."
"What is it?" asked Sonic looking at the item
"It's a tracking devise, we can lock onto you're position within a few feet, also if you get into trouble just press that button on the side, it activates a SOS distress beacon."
"Right." Said Sonic he then turned to Sally kissed her on her cheek then was off
"I might as well get to work on the recycle plant, before I get fresh water." Said Tails
"Need any help?" asked Sally
"No thank you, I should be fine. But if I have any trouble I'll call." Tails started toward the back of the TX.
"Knuckles, what you going to do?" asked Sally
"Might as well set up a fire out here plenty of fire wood. Anyway saves on the fuel."
"Ok then." Sally yawned, "I think I'll have forty winks."
Knuckles nodded then started toward the perimeter of the clearing, Sally turned and went in side the TX.
Sally awoke a few hours later and looked out the window. For a split second she though she was on Mobius, then she remembered she was on another planet, a long way from home. She put her boots on and when out side. The sun was setting, producing a beautiful sunset. She walked down the ramp to where Knuckles had set up the fire, cooking a meal.
"Sally drink?" asked knuckles looking up from the fire
"Thank you." She sat down and took the cup of Knuckles she took a sip "Sonic not back yet?"
"No."
"I hope he's okay. Where's Tails?"
"Under the TX somewhere, I guess."
Sally got up and walked under the TX. She looked down its then up toward the cockpit. But something was different. That when it clicked. A rectangular box under the front with what appeared to be a flexible conduit attached to it, which disappeared inside the craft. There were a lot of tools lying around it.
"Tails?" called Sally
"I'm over here."
Sally turned round just in time to see Tails land next to the boarding ramp, with some lamps in his hands.
"Everything ok?"
"Everything's fine."
"Did you get the plant fixed?"
"Yeah. All it was, that a control circuit had shorted out. Must have happened after the Chaos Core was brought online."
"Did you get the water ok?"
"Yes. The Tanks are filled. The water is safe."
"So what you doing now?"
"Just a few thing that never got finished like that." Said tails pointing to the rectangular box
"What is it?"
"Something that wasn't finished by the time we left. But I've finished another I'll show you." Tails walked round to the front of the TX "You see that there?"
"What?"
"That round disc, green in color?"
"Oh yeah."
"It's called a shield generator. A Chaos Shield generator to be exact."
"Shield?"
"Yes, its an advanced form of a force field that can absorb more punishment."
"Is it ready?"
"Yes the front one is."
"The front?"
"That generator only protects the front of the ship, we were planning to install more, but with no clear idea how far Robotnik was ahead of us, we had to skip a few things. In fact we only got the recycle plants and this generator installed the day before we launched."
"Wow. What's that box for?"
"Sensors."
"Sensors?"
"Yeah." Tails looked at a small pad on his belt "Sonics about 20 miles out. But he'll probably be a while before he gets back, the sun is setting."
"Yeah. He likes watching sunsets." Said Sally, but Sally was now thinking that Tails had been too quick to start another subject.
Around the fire that night Sally was sitting with Tails on the opposite side and Knuckles on her left. Tails was lying on his back holding Fred and looking at his display, also with an array devises around him. Knuckles finished eating some fruit and then drank some fruit juice. Sonic was sill not back, but then a Sonic Boom filled the night air and Sonic skidded to a stop.
"Hi." He said but before anyone could reply, "Tails? Can I speak to you? Over here."
Tails looked over at him "Okay." He put down Fred and walked over to where Sonic was waiting, after a minute Tails ran back to his collation of devises picked one up and went back over to Sonic who speed away from the area with Tails hanging on to him.
Sally got out Nicole.
"Nicole? Access last file received from Tails on project TX."
"Accessing… file display." On Nicole's screen came up a schematic of the TX
"Nicole, show all components that were not competed before launch."
"Displaying." Over the schematic arrows appeared pointing to different areas
"List please?"
"What you up to?" asked Knuckles
Nicole spoke "Chaos shield generators, and food freezer 3, which malfunctioned just a day before launch."
"That it?"
"Affirmative."
"What about the sensors?"
"The sensors were completed in the seventh month, installed the same time."
"Display location of sensors."
On Nicole's display the sensor location lit up, they were nowhere near the location of the rectangular box that Tails had been working on.
"What you up to? If you don't mind me interrupting you?" asked Knuckles
"Sorry Knuckles. I think Tails is hiding something from us and I want to find out." She glanced in the direction that Tails and Sonic had gone the walked round the fire and picked up Fred
"Fred?"
"Hello there." Replied Fred
"Fred? What wasn't completed before we left Mobius on the TX?"
"Chaos shield generators and the freezer number three which broke down a day before launch."
"Is that it Fred?"
"Yes."
"Fred? Give me access to all files, by order of Princess Sally Acorn."
"…"
"Fred?"
"Displaying." Said Fred in a surrendering tone and a list of files come up on his display
"What wasn't uploaded to Nicole?"
"One file only."
"Which is?" asked Sally
"Special weapon codenamed: Chaos Cannon."
Tails was wondering how far they were from the camp when Sonic stopped. Tails looked around then at his small watch display. They were over 3km from the TX. He looked over at Sonic who was looking at the ground. Tails glanced at the ground. It was charred and burnt.
"You going to use that scanner or not?" asked Sonic
"Sorry." Tails activated the scanner and held it just above the ground
"Well?"
"It's reporting back now. It identifies that this burning came from a rocket engine, the amount of carbon left suggests the same type of fuel that Robotnik uses."
"Got him."
"Also trace amounts of nuclear material, too small to worry about."
"So he has been here. How long ago?"
"Well the ground is starting to heal, with rainwater washing over the site and there are some blades of grass growing. I'm using an estimate of Mobius here to calculate, some where between four to five months. Of course I've allowed for the fact that this is a different planet with different growth system for plants."
"So were four months behind."
"Or less." Said Tails
"What?"
"It's only taken us thirteen days to reach here, Sonic."
"So what your saying is we might be closer to him then we think because of the speeds we can reach?"
"Yes. Remember I could find any info on how fast the craft could go."
"So what we going to do?" asked Sonic
"Don't know. Why did you ask me that? Its up to you."
"Not for this trip. You're the Captain of the TX."
"Oh." Was all that Tails could reply
"Grab on. Lets get back."
Sonic and Tails arrived back an hour later. Sally was waiting by the boarding ramp, Knuckles was nowhere to be seen.
"Where's Knuckles?" asked Sonic
"He went to bed. Where you lot go too?" asked Sally
Tails told Sally about the brunt patch of ground and how far he estimated Robotnik was.
"He was here?" asked Sally
"Yeah. So," said Sonic turning to Tails "decided what we are going to do Captain?"
Half an hour later Knuckles, who had been woken up by Sonic, was helping Tails load tools, and other technical paraphernalia into the cargo bay at the back of the TX, while Sonic and Sally were readying systems for take off.
"Sonic?" asked Sally
"What?"
"Tails is keeping something from us."
"What you talking about?" said Sonic turning to face sally
"While you were out running, I found Tails messing with a rectangular box at the front of the TX. His explanation for it was not credible. So while you and Tails went away I consulted Fred."
"And?"
"I found out that what it is wasn't what he said it was."
"What?"
"Chaos Cannon."
"Chaos Cannon? What the hell is…" Sonic was interrupted by Tails voice from the living area
"Hey Knuckles, press that green button by the door."
"Yeah I got it." Knuckles called back
Tails walked up into the cockpit and sat down in his chair "Everybody ready?"
"Tactical ready." Said Sonic
"Science operational." Replied Sally
Tails turned back to his console and plugged in Fred.
The take off engines but up power then was relished and the TX was in the air within a few seconds the landing gear folded into there housings, with that the TX's main engines fired up and the craft accelerated up and away from the planet, and out towards the outer edge of the solar system.
"Fred lock course for the Avia system."
"Course locked."
"Autopilot."
"Autopilot on, beginning countdown to LS. 5, 4, 3, 2, 1." A flash and the TX was now heading for the final system
Once in LS Tails, Sonic and Sally got up and went and sat down in the living area, Knuckles was opening the hatch to the storerooms under them.
"Tails?" asked Sonic
"Yeah?"
"What is the Chaos Cannon?"
Tails looked at Sonic "How do you know about it?"
"I consulted Fred when you and Sonic went to see that burning patch." Said Sally
"I thought you had told us everything about the TX." Said Sonic "So what is it?"
"The Chaos Cannon was something me and Rotor came up with not about two months from completion. It draws energy from two pure energy storage tanks and holds it in a specially constructed weapon, where it stored for a few seconds before being released in a Chaos Shot."
"How powerful is it?" asked Sonic
"We don't know. Simulations were not compete before we launched off. Rotor is working on them now. It's very difficult to estimate the power it can generate, and the gun itself is not complete. We thought it might be done so we can use it on Robotnik's Egg Carrier. But of course we didn't know how far he was ahead of us."
"Why did you not tell us?"
"It wasn't complete."
"Still you should have told us." Said Sonic "But anyway we don't need a special weapon. We got you and the TX."
Tails looked up at Sonic and smiled.
Eight days later Tails was in the cockpit, Sonic and Sally were in their room and Knuckles was reading one of Sonics books, well trying to, he didn't read many books except the scrolls from Angel Island. Tails had now revealed all information on the TX. Tails though did hold info back on the future for the TX, if they ever got home. Tails had his legs crossed on the front console and was drifting off to sleep when Fred's display stated to flash.
Knuckles had now given up on the book and was planning to go to bed when the lights faded to low and a red light stated to flash.
'That's new.' Thought Knuckles
"All hands report to stations!" came Tails voice across the inter comm. Knuckles got up and headed down to engineering.
Sonic was awake when he heard Tails voice across the speaker
"All hand report to stations!"
Sonic turned over and shook Sally gentility
"Sally?"
"Huh?"
"Come on. Tails has called us to stations."
"Right." Sally swung her legs from under the cover and pulled on her boots, she looked over to see if Sonic was getting dress too, but he was gone already. Sally stud up stretched and then bolted for the cockpit.
"What's up?" asked Sonic as he jumped into his seat
"Were approaching the final system."
Sally arrived a few seconds later and bucked her self in.
"Fred?" asked Tails
"Deactivating Star Drive in 5 seconds."
The TX burst out of light speed and just for a split second all power went out.
"What was that?" asked Sonic
"Fred run a diagnostic on all systems."
"Running…"
After an hour and Fred reported "System check complete. No problems have been detected."
Tails looked at Sonic and shrugged "Maybe it was a space phenomenon that coursed it."
"Doesn't matter. What we got Sal?"
"A planetary system with eight planets, one with a oxygen atmosphere."
"Setting course." Said tails as he started to maneuver the TX into the system
Two hours later and they were just passing the sixth planet when Sally spoke
"Wait I'm getting something."
Tails stopped the TX and looked over to Sally "What?"
"A object around the third planet. I can't make it out." Sally pressed a few buttons, which transferred the view on her monitor to a monitor on Tails console "I can't get a better image no matter what I do."
"Fred you sure there's nothing wrong with the scanners?" asked Tails
"Positive."
"It may get better as we get closer."
"Okay." With that Tails restarted the engines and the TX was once again heading for the heart of the solar system
An hour later they were passing the fourth planet when Sally spoke up again "Here I've got a much better image."
The image appeared on Tails monitor a defiant shape was emerging.
"Fred place an out line of the Egg Carrier over this image."
Fred complied and a black line traced the shape of the Egg Carrier over the image. Once done Fred flashed 'Match' on the screen.
"Its him!" cried Tails
"You're joking?" said Sonic as he leaned over Tails shoulder "It is him!"
"We court up?" asked Sally
"We defiantly did." Replied Tails
The TX was now just minutes from entering orbit of the third planet, when Tails noticed something.
"He hasn't spotted us. From the info we could retrieve from LB's computer, we should be detectable by his radar."
"I'm getting a signal from the planet. Some kind of ship is leaving the planet."
Tails magnified the front screen and there coming up from the surface was a small craft with a big enough engine to have coursed the burnt patch back in the Orion system.
"That's how he's checking the planets out."
As they watched the small craft approached the Egg Carrier and two massive doors opened and the craft entered the ship. Tails keeping an eye out for any signs of danger edged the TX closer to the Carrier, so now they ere side by side.
"This is insane." Cried Sonic "Why hasn't he detected us?"
"If he can't now's our chance to get him. But how?" asked Sally
Just then the massive engines of the Egg Carrier started to harness the raw power of nuclear reactions.
"He's on the move." Called Sonic
"Don't worry I've got an idea." Said Tails
The TX flew side by side with the Carrier as it broke orbit, the TX then swung out at 90 degrees and accelerated away then turned back and headed on a collision course with the gargantuan ship. At the last moment it pulled up and started to climb up the starboard side.
"Ok, Sonic. Now!" called Tails
With that word from Tails, Sonic pressed the fire button, and the lasers on the underbelly of the craft fired at the hull.
"What was that?" cried Robotnik as he sat down and scanned his monitors of the outside of his ship, that's when he noticed it.
"Who the hell is that?" but he couldn't make it out because the ship was traveling too fast. So he activated his weapon systems to buy him time to slow the image down on the fly by recording.
After a minute he managed to slow it up enough to make out a group of letters followed by a number:
TX-01
Robotnik then noticed some smaller letters and under this and what appeared to be symbols underneath. The letters he saw were:
S.S.T.K
The symbol under the 'K' looked like a gem of some kind. The symbol under the 'T' appeared to be two tails joined together.
"No it can't be." Cried Robotnik as he identified the last two symbols. The one under the second 'S' was the symbol for the house of Acorn, and the other appeared to be a blue disc. Which could only mean one thing.
"SONIC!!"
Robotnik tapped away at his keyboard, which pumped more power into the defenses.
"Were too fast for his targeting computers." Said Tails as the TX came around for another pass
"Its only when we are at this point he may…" but Sally was interrupted by the TX rocking
"Forward shield down to 95." Called Sonic
Robotnik watched as his laser towers were taken out one by one.
"Bah! I've had enough of this."
The massive engines began to thrust the gargantuan ship faster as Robotnik put his foot down.
"We got him on the run." Cried Sally
"Yeah." Replied Sonic
"Aim for his engines." Called Tails to Sonic
"What?"
"So we can disable him."
"Oh right."
With that Sonic fired the forward lasers into the engine once Tails had put them in position.
On board the Egg Carrier the alert signs lit up accompanied by a waling sound.
"Warning coolant system on main engine disabled." Called the computer "Unable to reinitialize."
"Dam them." Cried Robotnik as he hit his hands on the console "Computer activate the separation sequence."
Tails watched as the impact of the weapons actually forced the Carrier to tip forward
"Got him." Cried Sonic "Now we need to find some way of getting on board."
"Wait something's happening." Called Sally
The Carrier appeared to be venting some kind of gas then four metal beams began to lift from off the ships forward half and the front section began to separate from the rest of the ship. Once clear two small engines fired up.
"An escape craft." Said Sally she then looked down at her screen "I'm reading some kind of energy build up of energy inside the rear section."
"Huh?"
"Never mind that." Said Sonic "Lets get after him."
"Right." With that the TX started to chase the forward half
"Whys he flying right toward the sun?" asked Sonic
"He's not. He's going to perform a…" tails was interrupted by a bright flash and a shock wave that shook the ship "As I was saying he's going to perform a gravity sling shot."
"I know what that means." Said Sonic feeling the others confusion of what he had said, "It was described in one of my Sci-Fi books."
"So were going in." said Tails
"But we can break light speed without doing this."
"I know. But I wanna show him we can do whatever he can."
The TX shook as it stated to swing around the sun; up ahead a small flash of light appeared.
"That's it he's in light speed." Said Sally
"That trajectory he's on will put him on a direct course for Mobius. Time for us to catch up." Said tails as he pulled away from the sun, a flash indicated they were in LS.
"He's just ahead of us." Called Sally
"Fred, is it possible to do a burst from the Star Drive to cover the gap?"
"Affirmative a 0.014 second burst would be sufficient."
"Let go for it." Cried Sonic
"Okay Fred program in and start countdown from my mark."
"Ready." Called Fred
"Mark."
"5, 4, 3, 2, 1."
The TX speed forward then all of a sudden the lights went out the consoles sorted and fizzled out.
"What the smegs happening!" Yelled Sonic as he felt himself leave the chair
"Don't worry activating back up systems."
The lights came back on and so did other functions, but not all.
"Fred report?" asked Tails "Fred? Fred?"
Sally took Nicole off her boot "Nicole run scan of Fred."
"Scanning… processors one to three shorted out, voice recognition unit fused with data retrieval node."
"What?" Tails unplugged Fred from the console and lifted an up a small hatch and a small cloud of black smoke wafted out of the unit.
"Here Tails." Said sally as she handed him Nicole
"Thanks." Tails plugged in Nicole "Run system check Nicole."
"Hey were still above light speed." Said Sonic pointing out the window
"Yeah we still got momentum from the sling shot and from the star burst."
"For how long?" asked Sally
"Nicole?"
"At resent rate of deceleration approximately three and a half weeks."
"How long till we get back to Mobius?" queried Sally
"Four weeks."
"Excuse me but the numbers don't add up." Said Sonic
"Yeah I know. So we got three weeks, say, to find out what happened, and to repair the damage." Tails turned to the intercom "Knuckles meet us in the kitchen, we got to sort out what we going to do."
From the comm. System came "Right."
"So were still in light speed." Said Knuckles
"Yeah only for three weeks." Replied Sonic
"So we got to sort out some kind of repair system. So I think after I give you and Sonic a crash course in engineering, which Knuckles starts up in the cockpit repairing the consoles, then he moves down toward the aft of the craft. Sally and Nicole will keep an eye on the ships course and speed. While me and Sonic will start from engineering. By doing the repairs like this one of us will find the problem."
"Why will Sally be doing what she'll are doing?" asked Knuckles
"She's has had training in flying the TX."
"Oh right."
"Okay." Called Sonic "Lets get to work."
A few days later and Knuckles were under the tactical console rewiring it. He had already done the science console. After he finished this console he would begin to check the living area wires and systems. This console shouldn't take much….
FZZZZT!!!
"Yow!" Knuckles slid from under the tactical " Didn't you turn this console off?" he asked
"Yes I did." Replied Sally "Nicole check that tactical is off."
"Power to tactical is off."
"You see."
"Alright then. Just checking. Now back to that." Knuckles slid back under the console and touched the wire…
FZZZZT!
"Fucking hell!"
Meanwhile Sonic was doing the consoles in engineering. All the consoles apparently were saved, except one, the main console. Every time sonic replaced a wire and switched it on another would shot or burn out. Good thing he had that crash course he wouldn't know were to have started. The under belly of the console looked confusing.
Sally checked the readings again "Nicole are you sure that the tactical is off?"
"Checking… tactical is online."
"Why isn't it off? I shut it down."
"Checking… system check is malfunctioning."
"Nicole try and shut it off."
"Done."
Knuckles reached up for the wire slowly. He stopped just millimeters from the wire. Taking a deep breath he touched the wire. "Got it!"
A day later and Sonic was still under the main console in engineering, he knew that Knuckles was now working in the living area. Even thought Tails was down in engineering Sonic hadn't seen much of him, he knew were Tails was though. He was down the maintenance tube, which ran from engineering to the engines.
Sonic got up and turned on the console. It didn't fizzle out. He was about to go onto the next job when he heard the maintenance hatch opening. He looked over to see Tails climbing out feet first dragging something with him. Sonic went over.
"Need a hand?"
"Yeah. But be careful there heavy."
Sonic and Tails lifted the two boxes out of the tube and on to the deck.
"What's that?" said Sonic
"That's what the problem is."
"What?"
"It's the three to one junction box."
In the kitchen Tails had called a meeting.
"This is the problem." He said pointing towards the boxes on the table in front of them "The three to one junction box. It draws energy from the Chaos Core from three separate locations at once. It gets compressed, which is then forced into the chaos turbine of the star drive."
"So what's wrong with it?" asked Knuckles
"It burned out."
"What?"
"I thought this was one of them things that you had built specially for this?" asked Sonic
"We did. The junction box has two different metals one on the outside on the inside because that metal is in constant contact with chaos energy; we have been investigating other ways. The metal is fine as long as the energy is continuously used but when we did the starburst the energy reacted with the metal in such a small space of time it forced it to collapse. I believe Fred detected this just seconds from collapse and shut down the box, but it happen so fast the energy backed up and then discharged back into the chaos core and into every system of the ship."
"Right." Said Sonic not following it completely "How long to install the spare?"
"We haven't got a spare."
"What?" cried the group at once
"We only managed to build one."
"So we got no way to…" started Sonic but Sally interrupted him
"This looks similar to the substations."
"It does because it must handle chaos energy."
"Can't we convert one of the spares?"
Tails fell silent, looking from Sally to the junction box "Yes." He said after a while "it may take some time to do."
"If we don't get it fixed we'll have the rest of our lives to do it." Stated Sonic
Over the course of the next few weeks Tails and Sally spent all of their time on changing the substation into a two to one junction, because the substations could not cope with the full energy of the three to one box. Sonic spent his time in the cockpit watching the speedometer go down slowly. Knuckles was in his room or not doing much either, because all the repairs that could be done had been done.
With just one day remaining before the TX dropped out of LS, Tails and Sonic were in the cockpit, while Sally and Knuckles were in engineering.
"Were all set down here." Called Sally though the comm. System
"Right. Nicole, start rotating the star drive turbine." Commanded Tails
"Rotation starting."
"Sally start to open the gates into the junction." Called Tails
"Opening."
The chaos energy surged along the power cables till it was forced to stop by the exit gate of the junction box.
"Ok everybody hang on." Called Sonic
Nicole's voice rang out "5, 4, 3, 2, 1."
With that the exit gate to the star drive turbine opened and the chaos energy charged down and hit the spinning turbine.
At first nothing.
Then all of a sudden everybody was forced into their seats, till the gravity generators compromised.
"Everyone alright?" said Sonic though the intercom
"Were fine down here." Called Knuckles
"We did it!" cried Tails
"We did?" asked Sonic
"Yeah. And according to calculations were just one week from Mobius."
Everybody cheered and celebrated.
Rotor looked around at the work being carried out around him. Not only at the TX compound but also in the distance the regeneration of Mobotropolis. It had been forty-nine days since the TX had left; he hoped were ever they were they we okay.
He wondered into the small wooden hut, which housed the radio, which was tuned into the frequency of the TX's radio. Nobody was here as usual. He was about to leave the hut when the radio poured static from its speaker. Then faintly
"Mob… Thi… This is… T…Of."
Rotor walked over to the radio and fiddled with the dials. He got it.
"Mobius this is the TX-01. Calling Mobius. Do you read me?"
Rotor smiled as he pressed the send button
"This is Rotor. Receiving you loud and clear. Welcome home!"
"Thank you very much." Came the reply "Tell them to clear the runway were about and hour out."
Rotor and the group watched as the TX ground to a halt a couple of meters from the doors of the hanger. The door of the TX opened first out down the ramp was Knuckles followed by Sonic then Sally and lastly Tails.
"Welcome back." Cheered the crowd
"Thank you all." Called back the first crew of the TX
"So how was it?" asked Rotor to Sonic the others were also being asked questions by other people
Sonic looked around "What time is it?"
"11:30am why?"
"By my watch its 8:30pm."
"Must be time dilatation, because of the speed we achieved." Said Tails walking over to Sonic
"If you don't mind Rotor we like to get rested, we've been busy over the last few days."
"Why?"
"Had repairs to do. We'll tell you later."
"Just one thing Rotor." Said sally "Any reports from the other freedom fighter groups of ships crashing?"
"No."
On a small island about 10 miles off launch base a child looked up into the night sky and pointed
"Mummy what's that?"
"A shooting star. Make a wish, but don't tell me or anyone else or else it wont come true."
After a couple of seconds "Done."
"Ok. Time for bed."
"You see one before?" asked the child as they walked toward their house
"Yes."
"Did what you wish for come true?"
"It came true for all of us."
All was peaceful on the island know as Launch Base until rocket busters helped the wounded ship to land.
The top hatch opened and from inside the ship:
"I'll get you! I'll get you ALL!" and with that a robotic arm hooked itself over the hatch and helped the owner out, his eyes glowing bright red.
The End Of Space Hog S.S.T.K Part II: The Hunt
Coming Soon: GAME OVER
Story: Robotnik has returned! After landing back at Launch Base he has virtually no way of gaining control. So he has only one option: capture the mighty TX. Will he fail? Or will he be victorious?
The Tornado Class X (TX-01), TX Compound, Chaos Core, Chaos Turbine Engines, Fred, Chaos Cannon are copyright of the Stargazer 2004.
Authors note based on Sonic Satam
LEGALITIES: Sonic the Hedgehog, Dr. Robotnik, and Miles Tails Prower are copyrighted by Sega. Bunnie, Rotor, Sally, Uncle Chuck, Antoine and Snively are copyright by Archie comics.
This Fan Fic is Copyright of The Stargazer 2004.