At the turn of the century Dr. Thaddeus Cain discovered the destroyed lab of the legendary robot designer, Dr. Thomas Light. Inside, Dr. Cain unearthed the old doctor's magnum opus, and the culmination of more than decade of robot engineering, a being known simply as "X." To Dr. Cain's discovery, X, an artificial lifeform, possessed an A.I. unlike anyone had seen before. From the original blue prints sprung a fountain of new Reploids, replicas of X, which would change the flow of Earth history.

As the Reploid population boomed, a terrible dilemma arose: a madness which spread like contagion. A peacekeeping force was created to hunt and slay Reploid gone berserk, the Maverick Hunters. So, for the first decade of Reploid history on Earth, the Maverick Hunters engaged in a ceaseless battle to subdue the virus and eliminate its herald, an Alpha Maverick named "Sigma."

But, by the start of the second decade, the struggle had changed, and so had the arena they fought in. The Maverick's actions had caused catastrophic damage to the Earth, forcing most humans underground, into domed cities, flying metropolises, or outer space, while Reploids began their effort to restore the planet. Mavericks, now more widespread than ever, banded together into an almost immutable force calling itself, "The Deliberation Army."

Emboldened by a rallying cry to revolutionize the world, the Maverick/Hunter conflict exploded into the first great Reploid war, "The Lightning War." Eleven years have passed since Dr. Cain discovered the blue armored Reploid who would go on to save humanity and Reploid-kind time and time again. X was imbued by his creator with an incomparable A.I., and the freedom to choose his own destiny; alas the world has its own plans for X.

* * * * * * * *

Maverick Hunter HQ, the Throne of Justice, for the last four years has garnered the reputation as the nexus of Hunter power. It was undefeatable during the Fall of Sigma, and impregnable during the Lightning War. Some of the world's most renowned Hunters mark their residence on the island at the Hive, the massive collective of reploid quarters. At the top of the Tower, a small skyscraper and the command center of all units in the sector, is the seat of Signas, the one reploid to hold that office longer than any other. Beneath him, in rank but not in status, is the humble office of X, leader of the Elite 17th Unit.

This day, Megaman X was returning from his three weeks of leave after his most recent brush with the schemes of the Deliberation Army. A high ranking Hunter had secretly gone Maverick, allied with the band of irregular reploids, and nearly positioned himself the leader of RepliForce. The disgraced general was retired and Signas had covered up his crimes; as a result, the famous Maverick Hunter was forced to challenge his view of the ongoing struggle. Where do we draw the line, where the cost of peace and order become criminal?

On his first day back, the blue reploid couldn't shake the question from his mind, though he hadn't stepped off the elevator yet. As much as he tried the past pair of weeks, the question gnawed at the back of his mind. Every scenario he envisioned, no matter how victorious, the means to an end left a sickening pain in his digital soul. Still, he had more pressing matters to attend to.

The lift opened to the 29th floor. While he expected to be greeted by Pallet, his overworked personal assistant, instead a short male reploid stood in her place. "Good morning, Colonel," the blonde Reploid welcomed him. His hair was short and combed back, and so brilliant it almost appeared white. With ink black eyes that shone like finely polished onyx lodged in his exquisite soft facial features. He wore a white coat, trimmed with gold, opened to a dark red shirt underneath, and white pants and boots. Reploids have always been remarkably handsome, however this young Reploid was designed to be, what the girls down in the lab would call, "cute."

"Yes, good morning," Colonel X replied, he extended him hand "and you are?"

"Pleased to meet you," he shook hands with the Hunter, "My name is Leo, and I'm Signas' new twenty-first secretary. The commander would like to personally welcome you back, and speak with you forthwith. "

X didn't bother to step off the elevator, instead Leo joined him for the trip up. The twenty-first secretary served as Signas' personal assistant, tasked with reviewing the reports of all nineteen units in this sector, the offices of which were located in the twenty-eight floors below. The Tower is a massive information center, all data from around the sector flows from the outer reaches to the top of the Tower. As such, the vacancy for a twenty-first secretary is quickly filled. Three weeks ago, Signas' past secretary was murdered.

When they stepped on to the 30th floor, a girl, also dressed in white, handed Leo a slate filled with information, and then slinked away into the pool of other secretaries. The platinum blonde reploid tucked the report under his arm, he and X continued to the den of the Hunter Saint, Signas.

As they entered, the Commander-in-Chief was in a call at his polished metal desk. Their leader spotted his visitor, "Goodbye" he whispered to the other side, and quickly stood up. "Welcome back, Colonel."

"It's good to be back, sir." X saluted.

"At ease," Signas ordered, then with a wave of his wrist he bid his assistant to leave.

Something made X uneasy. Something he tried to push farthest from his mind. I shouldn't start jumping at shadows, he told himself. But, when you think there's something wrong, all the words have double meaning. It would be impossible for everything to be connected. He had to hear what Signas had to say.

The Hunter Saint offered X a seat. The two reploids had mutual respect for one another, the current and a former leader of the Maverick Hunters, Signas made special exceptions for X when it came to the chain of command, and spoke with him candidly.

"X, undoubtedly, you've wondered why we used the methods that we used," he began, "I assure you, the decision was not an easy one. As Commander, I'm charged with the safety of over a million Hunters. But, my soul…"

"What are you saying?" X interrupted.

Indeed, Signas could sense his own rambling. It is a difficult task for a superior officer to admit his own short comings to one lower in rank. Signas valued the input of the blue reploid, but he could not let the opinions of a lower officer undermine his decision making. After a second to gather his thoughts he continued.

"General Go has left a space open on the Big Five. There's no current leader in the 5th Unit, so no one would object if you filled in the space."

"For the 5th Unit?" the blue reploid was puzzled.

"No, as General of the 17th Unit. You'll be on the board and have a voice in the direction this sector is going." It was the best course of action Signas could envision. There could be no telling how X would react to the modern workings of the Maverick Hunters, but the famous Hunter would at least keep them honest. "It's saddled with different responsibilities, so it means less time in real battle, but you'll still impact the Hunters in a different way. Maybe, even, a better way."

Is this all part of a plan? X wondered for an instant, before pushing the paranoia out of his mind. In fact, it might be exactly the opportunity he was looking for. Unless, that's what they want me to think. – Out, damned spot! He cursed the darkness. From Signas' inner circle, he would be in the ideal spot, short of Signas' seat itself, to monitor the Hunters and snuff out the invisible hand.

On his feet, saluting, the blue reploid responded, "I wholeheartedly accept this promotion, sir."

"Excellent." The Hunter Saint smiled "I'll finalize your promotion by this evening."

The year is 21XX, and fall is in full effect at the Throne of Justice. Outside the Tower, the colors of the forest have changed, and a new layer of soft white snow is drizzled over the peaks of the mountain ridge. The world of reploids is changing; whistling wind plucks leaves from the trees and scatters them wherever it may blow. Those who do not grip tightly of their own self-worth will be tossed by greater forces. On the morning of his first day since his return, the famous Maverick Hunter decided to grab hold of his own destiny, and the fate of reploid-kind will be determine by his strength.