Prologue

"You'll never get away with this, Julian!"
-King Maximilian Acorn

"Genius, pure genius," Dr. Julian Ivo Robotnik muttered as he lovingly stroked his pet, "Don't you think so Cluck?" He grinned as the robotic chicken looked up to him and returned a series of low chirps. "I thought so."

From his mechanical throne, he watched as schematics and images danced and flickered across the grand computer screens hanging from the ceiling. Faint chimes echoed through the cavernous room as computers completed calculations. On the display jutting from his chair's armrest, a few images quickly raced across the screen, followed by the words, "Data Logged – System Ready."

Robotnik grinned evilly at the small screen, and pressed a series of buttons along the other armrest. The images that once haphazardly filled the main computer display faded into blackness, replaced by a series of views from outside of the command center. With a few further button presses, the camera views shifted their focus to a single, broad area. Just visible in the distance, armies of workers toiled at the scene.

Robotnik took a deep breath, imagining himself at the site barking orders. That very site would mark the beginning of the end of any resistance to his ultimate rule over the planet. While his prior plans might have ended with less success than he had hoped, this time there would be no way to stop him. He failed to fight back a chuckle as the thoughts raced through his mind. He wondered why the scheme had never occurred to him before.

As he continued to watch the laborers milling about the site, he heard the irritating squeal of one of the room's poorly maintained doors grinding open. Instantly his mood soured, and he swiveled the massive metal chair to meet the fool who dared interrupt him. Standing well below eye level, a small and familiar, if somewhat detested, man nervously looked back. Cluck mimicked its master by scowling and letting out a hiss as it caught sight of the man.

"What is it, Snively?" Robotnik growled at his nephew.

"S-sorry to interrupt, sir. I just came to inform you that we are ready to begin work on the first phase of your plan," he stammered in a nasally voice. As he finished, his eyes caught the images of the workers on the computer screens. "I-I suppose you see that already."

"Yes, Snively, I am aware that work has finally begun. How long do you anticipate it to take?"

Snively swallowed hard and continued, "At the present work rate, I estimate it to take about three months before the first phase is ready. From there it's all speculation."

The news elated Robotnik's mood slightly, but he questioned, "Why so long? Surely this task isn't too much for you to handle, is it Snively?"

Snively fought back the first responses that came to mind. He looked down to his hand-held computer and offered, "No... sir. It's just that in light of the recent attacks we have sustained, we're short on workers. There's still a lot of repair work to be done in several of our industrial districts, and the old nuclear reactor that was destroyed is still leaking radiation. Did you think they were slacking off? They're robots..."

Robotnik's eyes grew wide as he demanded, "What was that Snively?"

"Oh, uh, I just said that perhaps they were slacking off? Just a joke sir!" he nervously replied, backing off slightly.

Robotnik sank back into his chair, cooling off. "Very well Snively... you are free to go."

Snively eagerly accepted his dismissal, and made his way to the door.

"Oh, and Snively..." the massive man called to him.

"Yes, Dr. Robotnik?"

"You know I hate jokes."

"Yes, sir," Snively swallowed, leaving the room.

Before Robotnik even had the opportunity to swivel his chair back, the image of two of his security robots approaching caught his eye. The two humanoid machines marched through the opened door up to him, saluting their master.

He gazed into their red-slit eyes and shouted, "What is it!?"

"Two intruders were captured my lord. What are your orders?"

Robotnik's mood shifted again, "By chance was the hedgehog one of them?"

"No my lord, the captured intruders were both ferrets."

He sneered at the news. Anyone who dared invade his city would be dealt with appropriately, but these two had interrupted him at a very bad time.

"Warm up the roboticizer. I will deal with them momentarily."

The two SWATbots acknowledged the command and left the room through another door. Alone with his pet again at last, Robotnik turned his attention to the work site once more. Already he could imagine his victory over the paltry freedom fighter groups. Once the grim cogs of his plan were set in motion, nothing, and no one could stop them. Not even that blasted blue hedgehog could. Soon, the whole world would be his city, with every creature on the face of the planet under his rule.

He continued to observe the site for several minutes before shutting the computers off. "This is going to be a great day, Cluck, but there are other matters to attend to for now. Perhaps we should see to our new friends?" He smiled broadly and placed Cluck on his shoulder as he made for the door, saying, "A great day indeed."