Mark of Man
Prologue
Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man; and his
number is six hundred threescore and six.
20xx was a time where the people had found a hero, one that they loved, treasured, and revered. Even though she herself was a robot, she had a heart akin to that of a human. Her compassion and determination inspired millions of children to be like her. And over time, she became more than a simple robot.
She became a legend. Rokko Chan; a robot that protected humans from an evil maniac that wanted to rule. It was a story that even shattering the very earth could not end. But, as time passed, her enemy grew more cunning, his robots more powerful, and her father knew that one day, she would succumb to the evil scientist.
Thus, Professor Thane began his own plan. A plan to give hope once more. Rokko Chan needed a sibling.
Over the next few years, even as Rokko Chan kept defending those she could, protecting innocent lives, even while putting herself at great risk, her father worked on a sibling for the battered hero.
Sadly, he would not complete her in time. Rokko Chan gave her life defending the president of a small nation from Dr. Mad's attacks.
The world fell into darkness until Dr. Mad finally succombed to the combined might of the world. For nearly a century, robotics fell to the wayside, feared (even though they still loved Rokko Chan).
Until the last creation of Doctor Thane saw the light of day once more...
Rokko X; a robot that could think, feel, and make her own decisions; found hidden away in an abandoned warehouse, with a message waiting for the first person to find her…
'Inside this capsule is the successor to Rokko Chan's Legacy. But, unlike my beloved daughter that I lost, Rokko X possess the ability to grow, and change as she goes. She is the first Robot able to make her own decisions.
It will take at least thirty years to test her systems. This is for the safety of all of us, for I fear, that if she were to fall into evil, no force could stop her. Once this testing period is over, and if the systems have confirmed that she's reliable, you may release her. Please, do not open the capsule before then. I can only hope that the future will be ready for my last beloved creation…'
Professor Thane,
20xx A.D.'
Eight years before she was to be released, the Eurasian Government released the robot, desiring the knowledge and secrets of the late professor.
Light; cold and sterile burned her eyes as she slowly awoke. Muffled voices drifted just outside of her consciousness as she felt something surrounding her. She was… Ro… Darkness took her once more.
Outside of the field, an elderly man with a thick white beard, decrepit thin fingers, rough with calluses from his youth stared at the yellow energy field with wizened forest green eyes, his shaking hand firmly grasping a cane of oak. This cane was the only thing keeping the aged man from falling. He was an expert of robotics, physics, and reverse engineering; ideal for this difficult task.
Doctor Cane shook his head, saddened by the choices that had led them to this point. However, the Government's orders were absolute, to be followed without hesitation. For the good of humanity… So that the world could recover…
Over the next few years, they studied the strange 'woman', a marvel of technology that according to the late professor could think and feel; feats that they'd imagined thus far as impossible. Her 'brain' was a highly advanced array of CPUs, circuitry, and devices that they'd never even imagined before, let alone the complex joints, energy supply systems, or integrated weaponry.
But, finally, after many trials, mistakes, and errors, the first Prototype Replication of the Gynoid was complete.
Mark, a simple Android designed for research and development became a key to the future of Replicated Androids and with time, the race of 'Reploids' became reality, taking over the undesirable jobs of Eurasia's military and governmental roles that no one else wanted.
At first, they were simply the unspoken, unknown by all. But, with time's steady progression, the nation became more and more reliant on the labor of Reploids, until, finally, world began to notice, and then, fearful. Eurasia's opponents did not take kindly to the superstate trying to hide this marvel, and so, their spies stole the technology for their own use.
Before long, all four superstates had it's worst jobs tended to by Reploids. Factory work, garbage disposal, filing paperwork, and any other menial or humiliating job was given to these wondrous machines.
At first, things were fine; as things tended to go. But, no people long accepts slavery.
The first rebellion ripped apart a small Eurasian Factory, causing the international community to establish groups of Reploids designed for the extermination of their fellow Reploids. They were to obey without question or hesitation… Erusia created their own division; they were dubbed 'Irregular Hunters'.
The Irregular Hunters became the symbol of human might, of how Reploids would always be subservient to their human masters. However, building a force from scratch would prove problematic, and they needed warriors in the immediate. So, each nation picked Reploids that they could spare, that were obedient, or could be made so, to form the first Maverick Hunter Division.
And the mother of all Reploids was a perfect choice as she'd become nothing more than a waste of funds for the research teams.
Chapter 1
And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand or in their foreheads, that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark or the name of the beast or the number of his name.
Markless Voices filled her ears, indiscernible, a haze of senseless noise. Once more, cold, harsh light beat at her eyes. She tried to raise a hand to block the vicious light, to allow her optics to adjust to wherever she was. However, her arms refused to move. Worried, she quickly tried to run an internal scan, to find out what was wrong. Yet, she was unable to draw on any of her systems. It was as if she'd been intentionally disabled.
"So, you're finally awake again. Good." The first understandable voice filled her ears and she tried to open her eyes, even to the harsh light.
Slowly, she managed to start making out shapes with, even through the assault of brightness that the overhead lights provided.
He was rather short, maybe five foot three inches, with short-cropped steel-gray hair. His impassive expression warned her that he cared little; if any about her. As she looked at the man across from her, he spoke in a cold baritone.
"Here's the deal girly, you become an Irregular Hunter, you get to keep your weapon. You refuse, you'll be terminated; as slowly and as painfully as we can at that."
If she could have responded, she'd have spat in his face. What did he think she was? Some kind of slave or something?!
"Wrong answer girlie." The gray uniformed man raised a hand, showing her a small controller in his right hand with a large switch in the center.
Then, without any hesitation, he flipped it, and Rokko X knew pain for the first time. Electricity coursed through her body, and if she could she'd have screamed.
Pain, pain, pain. It coursed through her. Finally, after an eternity, it ended.
"Right now you're hooked up to a computer that's monitoring your thoughts. You think something we don't approve of, I'm able to send you into a world of suffering. Get this through your head: you're just a tool for humanity to use and I won't have to use that again."
...A simple tool? What did they take her fo-. Pain, agony, sharp, brutal and endless. At this point, she was grateful for the bindings, it kept her body from shaking from the pain.
"So, what's your decision? Become a good little tool and hunt irregulars or keep on enjoying the time we're having?" He asked her dryly, lightly tapping on the small remote once more.
She didn't want any more of that… It hurt. A lot. She didn't understand the situation either, but surely just about anything was better than this. Anything. Her first awakening, and she felt fear for the first time. She… Was afraid of this man, of the power he had now, worse yet, her thoughts were scanned, and he could see what she thought as if she had screamed each word.
His cold eyes lit as he continued to watch the monitor, and a cruel smirk took over his face.
"Remember this day, and remember if you ever defy humans I'll do something far, far worse to you then. Techs, let her go. She'll obey… If she knows what's good for her."
Again, if she could she'd have shuddered. Then, one by one, she felt life return to her, arms, legs, neck, so on. Before she could fully regain her motor functions though, the bright lights dimmed, forcing her eyes to adjust to the change, and the wall, or whatever, she'd been strapped to, released her, causing her to fall flat on her face before the cruel man. She stared at the blue tiles for a moment as her body finished establishing control over itself once again.
"Get up." He growled as soon as she'd fallen.
However, even though she tried, it took her a bit of time to get her limbs working properly, which caused the man to grip the back of her neck, and lift her, as if she was nothing more than a dog that he cared nothing about. Without giving her time to try to stand, he began to drag her, not letting her gain a footing, and so terrified of him she dared not dig her feet down, for fear of that pain of before.
She struggled to keep up, using whatever she could to try to move at the breakneck pace he set. Not having time to see where she was going, or anything about the strange facility she was now in.
He dragged her through the corridors, a labyrinth of halls, twists, turns and bends before he finally made it to a large door that towered above both of them. Finally, the man dropped her, letting her fall bonelessly to the floor while he tapped on the console next to the door.
While he put the combination in, she slowly rose, her body shaking from the pain, from being tossed about and having her neck squeezed, as well as being dragged through a large complex. Rokko X began to look at the wall across from her, a concrete wall with little to discern it from the many others just like it in the complex.
"Girlie, get over here." The man ordered coldly as he punched one last button and the steel door rolled back, violent winds from the extreme north sweeping into the building.
She obeyed immediately, stumbling over next to the terrifying man.
"You're going to walk out from this building, to the helicopter in the center of the complex. Then, it will take you to your new home. If you disobey, I'll make sure you regret it." He shouted over the harsh winds, indicating the remote in his hand.
She nodded meekly before stepping out into the screaming whiteout. Immediately after she had done so, the door shut behind her, locking her out of the only other safe place beside the mentioned helicopter. Snow pelted at her, tried to get into her eyes, and mouth, and she felt the chill of the north seep into her.
Struggling through the icy wind, the snow, and the deep drifts beneath her boots, Rokko X forced her battered body to move forward, step by step, still fearful of the man who had done this to her. Eventually, Rokko managed to hear the chopper, it's blades slicing through the chilled air with ease.
Finally, she managed to board with the help of another Reploid, a gray and black individual with a strange 'I' Insignia on his right shoulder.
"Welcome on board Rokko X, your training begins once the helicopter lands, so I'd suggest getting plenty of rest." He stated without preamble once the door shut behind her.
She nodded tiredly, burying the events of the day deep in her heart. No one would care for her. She was alone in this cold and dangerous world, forced to dance blindly at the commands of humans. Slowly, her heart hardened, never forgetting the terrible day of her awakening; as short as it had been. Five long hours passed with the new huntress resting in the noisy machine, her new 'comrade' beside her, as uncaring as the man had been. She would have to rely on her own power alone.
And hate planted a seed deep into her heart.