Okay, I'm pretty sure I have ADD now, because ideas keep popping into my head, and I just can't get rolling on 'Depths of Fear!' Anyway, thanks to those who reviewed 'Shadows' and 'HELP!' (Not that I wrote 'Help!'. That was the team, of course. XD) Anyway, here's another random idea that's stopping me from getting into Zoom's chap of 'Depths'! XD Procrastinating win.

"Dude, you totally nailed that turn!" Zoom exclaimed to Vert, slapping a high-five as he exited the Saber. The team was enjoying a lazy Saturday on the track, racing, competing and just plain showing off, when their wrist-coms rang with Sage's voice.

"All team members to the center of the Hub."

The Battle Force 5 looked to one another uneasily.

"Is something wrong?" Vert responded, a worried look on his features.

"No, there is no need to be alarmed. I simply wish to speak with you about a new…development." Sage informed.

"Alright, guys, let's head in." Vert shrugged, unsure of what to make of the situation. As they entered the Hub, Sage was there waiting for them, along with another Red Sentient. This wasn't as surprising as it typically would have been, seeing how the race was restored, but old habits die hard, and Vert felt himself tense at the presence of the Red.

"Greetings, team. This is Artis." Sage gestured to the Red.

"It is an honor." Artis stepped forward, and Vert warily shook his hand.

"Vert Wheeler. Nice to meet you." He said brusquely.

"Vert, Artis is a colleague of mine, from the Council." Sage stepped in, sensing Vert's suspicion. "He is one of the most prominent researchers of the Ancient Ones. I have called him here to aid us."

Vert simply nodded, more confident in Artis's claim but still not completely convinced. Agura gave him a warning side glance, unapproving of his hostile behavior, and stepped forward.

"We appreciate you taking the time to come, Artis." She said sincerely.

"Such graciousness." Artis sighed fondly. "You truly have a special team, Sage." He winked toward Agura, who blushed. Vert ground his teeth.

"The point is, the Ancient Ones are strong." Artis began. "And though your team is undoubtedly strong, they do not possess all the skills needed to defeat the Ancient Ones."

"Continue." Sage said, interested.

"Well, you have many different skills and abilities, but what you lack is…well, what you humans may call pizzazz. The Ancient Ones are strong, it will take more than mortal skills to defeat them." Artis remarked.

"What are you suggesting?" Sage asked slowly. Artis spread his fingers across the triangular computer screen, tapping it intently.

"Several millennia before the Reds were frozen, I encountered an alien planet. The life forms there are able to alter their appearance, disguising themselves as they wish. With your consent, I would be more than willing to revisit the planet, see if anyone is interested in aiding your team's cause." Artis said smoothly.

"Thanks, but we're good." Vert said bluntly, turning to go. Agura caught his arm.

"Vert." She whispered disappointedly. "Hear him out. He only wants to help."

"Yes, thank you, Artis. That would be superb." Sage shook Artis's hand.

"Anything to help out a fellow council member." Artis replied. "It may take some time. I will be in contact. It was lovely to meet you all." He waved, leaving.

"Sage, are you really gonna let that guy just grab some new member?" Vert demanded the second he left.

"Vert, what is your problem? He only wants to help!" Agura exclaimed.

"We're fine just the way we are." Vert said firmly.

"Vert, I sense that you are not comfortable with Artis." Sage said troubledly.

"Yeah, actually, I'm not." Vert said angrily. "Look, we don't need new members, and we certainly don't need a Red sneaking around the Hub!"

"Artis is a trustworthy member of the Council of Five! You have no reason to doubt him!" Sage exclaimed. Spinner, sensing fireworks, took a step back.

"It's called instinct, and it's never been wrong before." Vert said grimly. "I don't like this guy, Sage, and I don't want any of us associated with him."

"Well, I apologize for your discomfort, but I plan to look further into this new member." Sage said stiffly.

"What happened to being a team? Why do you suddenly make all the decisions?" Vert challenged. "Don't take this the wrong way, Sage, but you're still just a machine. And machines are a lot more likely to malfunction than me."

Sage gasped a little, clearly hurt, and Vert tried not to care.

"I need some air." He turned, angrily stomping to the upper level.

"I'm gonna go…" Spinner trailed off, and, trying to escape the awkward situation, hurried out along with Zoom, Stanford, Sherman and AJ.

"He didn't mean it, Sage." Agura tried, placing a hand around the Sentient's shoulders.

"It is no matter." Sage sniffed. "It was very kind of Artis to put so much time into the proposal, and hopefully we will be in contact again soon."

"Right." Agura sighed, knowing it was pointless to try and get through to her.

With Artis…

"R?" The Red Sentient called upon entering his hidden laboratory. Across the dark room, a figure lifted it's head, electric blue eyes glowing in the smooth metal of its face.

"Come." Artis demanded, flipping on the lights. The creature was fully visible now as it smoothly moved toward the Red, its loping stride perfectly matching that of a human. The creature was not human, no, not yet, and even then it would not be fully, but the metal frame it was designed from was made to mimic that of Earth's inhabitants. Artis smiled with pride as it stopped before him, taking in the being. Its measurements were painstakingly exact, compiled from average upon average of the typical seventeen-year old human female. Artis hadn't retained much information as to the Battle Force 5 when the experiment was started, but thanks to his recent meeting he had stores of data to base the final product off of.

"R, sit." Artis commanded his creation. The metal frame obeyed his command, taking a seat in the chair he had pointed to. Artis busied himself with the attachments, plugging multiple cables into the prototype's skull, torso and appendages and finally uploading the scans he had taken of the Battle Force 5.

"Take note, R. These will soon be your comrades." He grinned maliciously. "Computer, upload and compile personal physical preferences for the males." He commanded, and the computer screen set to work. Seconds later, he had four neat lists, labeled Hair, Skin, Ocular, and Figure. Artis reviewed the lists, picking and choosing and finally hitting "Upload." The cables connected to R began to glow, filling with data, and the transformation begun.

The metal was replaced with a tan mass of human skin, surrounding the skull with a vague outline of lips, nose and blank, colorless eyes. There was no shape or definition to the creature, its torso simply bare, naked skin, as Artis had yet to factor in the gender. The bare skull soon was covered by long, blonde hair. Artis frowned; he would have to adjust the finer points of the disguise later. The colorless eyes soon became to be bright blue, the lips filled in to a pink shade.

"Hmm…" Artis mused. R looked almost…familiar now…

The leader!

Artis hurried back to the keyboard, adjusting the Oculars and changing them into a green shade.

"Better." He nodded, more to himself than R, who remained silent. The personality factor was still absent, as were vocals.

"Now…Computer, upload figure." Artis mused, watching as a white dress appeared, covering R as the transformation took place. R's chest enlarged first, her hips growing while, in turn, her waist diminished. Artis watched in pride as the physical measurements on the screen changed in sync with the transformation; R's body growing slimmer, her face less angular and lips puffing out, eyes growing and hair becoming longer and shinier. He looked over the final product with satisfaction: slim calves, thighs and arms, curvy hip and a small waist, along with…Artis frowned, the breast size would have to be reduced somewhat, but it was no surprise, really. R was based off the preferences of seven adolescent human males. He made the final adjustments, allowing a large grin at his completed product.

Well, step one, at least.

"Computer, upload vocals." Artis commanded, making the wires glow once more.

"R, speak." Artis commanded when they dimmed.

"Yes, Master Artis." R replied in a girlish, yes emotionless tone.

"Hmm." Artis frowned in disappointment. "Right. Computer, show personality preferences for all team members." He mused, and soon a list of options appeared. Artis scrolled though them, comparing and contrasting.

"Sense of humor seems prominent…as does considerate, respect…yes, yes, all the typical weak qualities. Let's add a few of our own, shall we, R?" Artis joked to himself. R's emotionless eyes simply blinked.

"Loyalty…to me, of course. Cunning, strategy, ability to lie, innocence…that is, SEEMINGLY innocent…all necessary in our master scheme." Artis murmured. "Ah, yes, the final ingredient. Adaptability. You'll need a rather large dose if you ever wish to blend in, R. Computer, add the knowledge of Earth possessed by the typical adolescent human, and upload."

This was the most dynamic transformation of them all. The wires hummed with energy as R's eyes squinted shut with the overwhelming mass of data as she was programmed.

"Ah, it is complete." Artis sighed with satisfaction. "Rise, R." He said, and R lifted her head.

"Yes Master?" She asked.

"You are clear on the plan, yes?" He asked.

"Yes, Master Artis." R replied.

"R, do you know why you are named?" Artis asked. R shook her head, confusion on her face. Artis smiled in pride of the personality he had created.

"You are the eighteenth prototype of my experiments. Q came before you, and if you fail me…" Artis leaned close to his creation, his lips at her ear.

"S will come after." He hissed, drawing back. "You don't want that, do you?" R vigorously shook her head.

"Good. Now, you are clear on your mission and duty, but in order to join the ranks of Battle Force 5, you will need to be re-named…" Artis mused.

"But, Master-"

"Renee!" Artis snapped his fingers. "Latin, 'born again.' And it even holds significance to you, R."

"I have a name?" R brightened.

"Idiot! By the Council, did the intelligence not fully make it to the brains I designed?" Artis exclaimed, and R drew back. "No, R, you do not have a name, you are simply a machine, a tool. You have a cover. That will be upheld at all costs." Artis added firmly.

"Yes, Master." R replied meekly.

"Good. Now, in order to betray the team, you must have the proper physical aspects. Your structure has been influenced to allow maximum strength, endurance, speed and flexibility, but you must utilize these strengths through training." Artis said.

"Yes, Lord Artis." R replied.