CHAPTER 1 - EGGMAN'S MAGNUM OPUS?
Somewhere deep in the frigid wasteland of the Holoskan wilderness stood a large structure made of concrete and steel. This facility contained features of both a factory and a military base, with large smokestacks on top of the roof belching noxious fumes into the air and arrays of security scanners and heavy firepower mounted on every wall. Hundreds of somewhat egg-shaped combat robots patrolled the perimeter of this complex, tirelessly guarding against any sort of intrusion that threatened to interfere with the facility's operations.
The inside of this facility was just as heavily guarded as the outside, if not even moreso. Robots even more imposing than the ones outside marched throughout the building's corridors with weapons ready to gun down anyone who managed to get through the outer defenses. Less intimidating hovering robots buzzed around the network of conveyor belts that crisscrossed the facility, carrying the components of all sorts of machines currently in production as mechanical arms worked to put them together.
Beyond this vast, heavily-defended manufacturing complex was a large steel door with a distinctive emblem emblazoned on it. This curious sigil vaguely resembled a grinning face with round glasses and an impressive mustache: The logo of the Eggman Empire. It was beyond this door that the leader of this Empire, the notorious criminal mastermind known as Dr. Eggman, either worked on or oversaw work on his most important and specialized projects.
Currently, the focal point of this room was a rather powerful-looking robot who appeared to be based on the body of a male Anthro Hedgehog. This robot was primarily a bright metallic red color, with chrome silver on its muzzle, inner ears, upper arms, waist, and upper legs. Its main torso was fairly simple, consisting of a red chest with an indentation dividing it in half, a simple chrome beam for a midsection, and a red pelvic section with a yellow inverted triangle in the center. A pair of arms consisting of simple chrome beams connected to bulky red forearms with segmented yellow stripe accents running down the sides were connected to this torso by chrome ball joints. The left arm ended in a silver-barreled cannon while the left ended in a large, three-digit claw composed of razor-sharp blades. This machines legs were connected by similar ball joints and possessed a similar style to the arms, being simple beams connected to bulky lower legs. These ended in red "boots" with single silver stripes that ran down the middle. The head, though, was what really connected this robot to its organic template. It was large in comparison to the shoulders it stood on. Six metallic protrusions emerged from the back of the head, each one having a sharp silver blade on its underside. On the front was a mouthless chrome muzzle that appeared to be bolted to the head at the cheeks. A pointed spike "nose" sat in the center of this imitation muzzle, serving no apparent purpose other than perhaps to make the machine look more intimidating. Above this was a black visor in the shape of scowling Hedgehog eyes. Between these eyes was a blue crystal-like protrusion that contained a solar panel that the robot could use to recharge itself. Finally, to complete the Hedgehog look, a pair of perked triangular ears sat on top of the head.
This imposing machine was currently in standby mode and encased in a tube made of green tinted glass with a metal panel in the back. A metal plug protruded from this panel and was connected to a small port in the nape of the robot's neck. A number of wires ran from the back of this tube to the computer equipment surrounding it and served to feed data into the robot's electronic brain and monitor its functions to make sure nothing went awry during the data feeding and programming process.
Suddenly, the large door opened with a hiss, and an obese man clad in a red jacket and black pants strolled in, stroking the right side of his large, unkempt reddish-brown mustache as he did so. The man stopped in front of the large computer monitor that was positioned to the right of the sleeping robot. He began to stroke his mustache more quickly as he scanned over the text and progress bars on the screen.
"Ahh...Everything seems to be going well," he said to himself. "There's still quite a bit left to do, but when it's all complete, THIS will be my ultimate fighting machine! Experimental Metallix Unit 01! It'll put that failure Metal Sonic to-"
The madman's boastful monologue was interrupted by a beeping of a communicator he wore under his right wrist cuff. He turned away from the monitor with a low grunting growl, pressed a button on his communicator, and brought it up to his mouth. "Proceed," he commanded.
"Egg Gunner 224-180 reporting. Priority-One target approaching-"
The robot's monotonous synthetic voice was cut off by static, indicating that either this target knocked out its communication system or destroyed it altogether. Knowing this Priority-One target all too well, the obese genius could safely assume that the latter had happened. "Not that irritating Hedgehog again," he grumbled as he stormed out of the room, once again leaving the programming process of his newest creation unattended.
For the next hour or so, while Eggman was away, the programming process continued without a hitch. Unfortunately, it seemed that the fat terrorist was just tempting fate by leaving hsi new creation unattended for too long. A text box with a red border suddenly popped up on the screen and would have instantly caught Eggman's attention were he still present in the room.
"WARNING! PROGRAM CONFIGURATION ERROR!" read the text box as sirens began to blare. The green tinted glass tube suddenly shot up, and a pair of glowing blue ovals appeared on the Experimental Metallix's black visor, serving as imitation pupils as well as an indication that the robot was now fully active.
The Experimental Metallix was quick to step out of the open tube and scan its surroundings. From what it could gather, it was in a fairly large enclosure full of electronic equipment that it couldn't identify. Faced with this situation, the robot's data-gathering protocols activated. It walked over to the main console where Eggman had stood earlier and looked at the screen. "Warning! Program configuration error!" It read out loud, its voice somewhat monotone, but inflected enough to convey a sense of curiosity. "What is a program configuration error?"
Silence. The robot got no response.
"Please respond. What is a program configuration error," the machine repeated, not knowing that the machines in the room could not respond to him. It looked down at the keyboard and the other arrays of buttons on the console, quickly hypothesizing that these were input devices. It then placed its claw on the keyboard and attempted to type out its question, but due to its claws not really being designed for typing, it missed the keys entirely and impaled the rubbery pad that served to transfer pressure from the plastic keys to the electronic contacts underneath. This caused the electrically-conductive claws to come into contact with the current traveling through the console, shocking its sensitive electronics and causing it fall backwards as its systems attempted to protect themselves from the power surge. This left the robot disoriented for a bit and caused it to stumble onto the floor and withdraw its claw from the console.
About 30 seconds later, the robot regained its bearings and pulled itself back up into a standing position. Its directive was clear, at least in its own mind. It was to gather data on its surroundings, as well as find out what exactly "Program Configuration Error" meant, and whether or not it applied to it. It scanned the room again, eventually focusing on the large door that separated it from the rest of the base. It approached this door, which opened with a hiss to grant him access to the sprawling factory beyond it. As soon as it walked out, it was approached by one of the hovering robots that monitored the assembly lines. This machine, as per its programming, scanned over the Experimental Metallix while consulting its internal database of all active projects currently in production.
"Subject identified as Experimental Metallix Unit 01," the hover-bot announced. "Estimated time of activation reported to be 1600 hours. Activation: Premature. Accessing project log XM-01...Program Configuration Error reported."
"What is a Program Configuration Error?" XM asked yet again, assuming that, if this machine could speak, it could also hear.
"Experimental Metallix Unit 01 labeled defective. Relaying instructions to all security units," the machine continued. "Defective unit must not escape facility. Defective unit is to be neutralized, but not terminated."
"Program Configuration Error...is a defect? I am a defective unit? I am to be neutralized?"
Not long after speaking these words, XM found itself surrounded by the factory's guard-bots. This triggered a self-preservation protocol in the Experimental Metallix's programming. Its directive was now to escape to avoid neutralization. Its engine immediately revved to full power, propelling it forward at speeds that quickly shattered the sound barrier and causing XM to mow down all the robots in front of it as it zoomed through the facility, looking for an exit. Every remaining guard-bot in the factory attempted to pursue the wayward Metallix, but were unable to match its supersonic speed.
"Defective unit escaping" droned one of the guard-bots. "Objective: Neutralize. Do not terminate. Activating Stun Shot," it foolishly announced as its right hand was replaced with a taser-like weapon, which it fired at the fleeing XM.
XM, detecting the faint sound of the taser-like shot approaching it, quickly sidestepped out of its path before before continuing its run for the exit. This caused the projectile to lodge itself into the casing of another guard-bot, causing it to shut down and collapse onto the floor. Other guard-bots also attempted to bring XM down with the same type of weapon, but met with similar results due to the machine's impressive reflexes. It was obvious that these robots were ill-equipped to deal with something like XM.
Eventually, XM made its way to the exit. Unlike the previous door, though, this one did not open for XM. A red light shone from the console next to the door, indicating that the facility was now in full lockdown. It soon found itself cornered by guard-bots, who all aimed their Stun Shots at it. Instinctively, the powerful jet engine in XM's back propelled the machine upward just as the guard-bots launched their taser projectiles. Most of them lodged themselves in other robots, but one lodged itself into the lock on the door, disabling it and allowing XM to escape
As soon as XM was out the door, the guard-bots surrounding the factory attempted to bring it down, just as the ones inside had. Unfortunately, they too were ill-equipped to stop their quarry from escaping out into the wintery wilderness.