Chapter 2
"Answers questioned."
Shadow had decided he would remain aboard the ARK for a duration of time, seeking isolation from all outside events. A chance to meditate and be alone with his thoughts. What he had done and what he was going to do. The Chaotix had been there earlier during the final showdown with Black Doom, and left the data disk they collected. Shadow, in the Central Control Room, had entered the all too familiar password, Ma-ri-a, into the console as well as the disk, and waited. He watched as for a good fifteen seconds absolutely nothing happened. Arms crossed, he had just closed his eyes to meditate some more when a soft humming overcame the console. The lights flicked to life as patterns of data began streaming across the main screen. This didn't bother Shadow at first, until the data streamed faster and faster, far quicker than he usually had seen. Eventually the data was streaming too fast for even him to read as the entire Central Control Room began shaking lightly, and emitting a light blue hue. The shaking soon intensified and the light grew brighter and brighter until it was completely blinding. Suddenly, it all stopped. The data on the screen frozen, the light blue hue gone. That's when the data started moving, but not streaming like before. The best way to describe it was the data was now forming. It was making a shape on the screen. Combinations of zeros and ones coming together. Shadow couldn't make out at first what was forming on the screen until he soon realized what it was,
"What the…?!"
The data settled, and had formed the underside of the Space Colony ARK. The face, if you will. It was frozen however. During the final showdown with Devil Doom the seven Chaos Emeralds had been placed in the Eclipse Cannon to use to destroy the Black Comet. They all still remained up here as that entire fight was only yesterday. Shadow had taken back his signature green emerald. The other six in the console began to pulse with energy and light. For a reason he could not explain, Shadow took out the green Chaos Emerald. He had a feeling and tossed the emerald into the machine. It glowed briefly before a wave of energy shot out and triggered the "data ARK", so to speak. The screen scanned Shadow before the audio system kicked in, in the voice of the emergency alert system from the Cannon's Core.
–Bzzt- "Sub system has been initialized. Self-aware programming has been activated. Benevolence systems online. Booting all anti Black Arms protocols. Subject identified as Shadow the Hedgehog. Welcome aboard the Space Colony ARK." –Bzzt-.
"Wait. How do you know that…is this…no…is this…the ARK itself…?" Shadow asked.
The program replied. –Bzzt- "The answer to subject Shadow's question is yes and no. Yes, this is a self-awareness program built into the subject Space Colony ARK's mainframe, thus making it subject ARK itself. And no because this is a program that in fact can be deactivated, but the ARK would remain online and working at 100%." –Bzzt-.
"How…and why is this possible? Why is this just now happening?" Shadow questioned.
The ARK replied. –Bzzt- "Programming was designed as a counter measure to subject Black Arms invasion. Subject Shadow's mission was to defeat subject Black Doom. Self-awareness program would allow subject Space Colony ARK to handle the containing and repelling of the subject Black Arms army. Leaving subject Shadow free to worry about only subject Black Doom. This program was activated once the data disk containing the hidden messaging was inserted into the Central Control Room on subject Space Colony ARK. Said disk were to be brought immediately from subject Prison Island to subject Space Colony ARK upon subject Black Arms invasion. This was because subject Creator was imprisoned there before he finished this project. And before he found out about the fate of poor subject Maria. The disk were left on subject Prison Island until they were recently retrieved." –Bzzt-.
Some of Shadow's questions were answered, but honestly, this event was opening up a whole new book of new ones. He decided he would tell the ARK of everything that happened since Dr. Eggman had awakened him back on Prison Island. To Shadow's surprise, the ARK had knowledge of every event that had taken place aboard it, which led to more questions.
"Why wouldn't you activate sooner then, if you were aware of what was going on? You could have helped save many lives…"
The ARK responded, -Bzzt- "Negative. To prevent this programming from falling into the wrong hands, like subject Black Doom's, it could only activate when the requirements were met. On top of this, I am only aware of what has happened through video records of the security cameras. I was not actually aware of the happenings aboard me at the time of said events." –Bzzt-.
"Well then, you are kind of late then. The Black Arms are long gone, Black Doom with them. Defeated. So why activate now? Your purpose is no longer there."
-Bzzt- "Incorrect. The mission is far from over. Subject Space Colony ARK is full of databanks and details left untold by subject Creator. On top of this, the Benevolence Program modeled after subject Maria Robotnik shows there are still many threats that threaten peace to this world. The Benevolence Program's sole purpose is to monitor the world and note when threats arise that may silence the wish of subject Maria. It was also programmed into place to focus the self-aware program from going rogue. The mission is never over as long as evil exist. And since evil and good cannot exist without the other, the war goes on." –Bzzt-
Shadow gazed back at the program facing him, and he could tell it was waiting for more questions. Shadow would rather not speak more, for asking more questions was leading to even more questions and fewer answers. But, he was oddly enough curious. Out of character for him. So he spoke anyways.
"Humans are their own greatest evil. How do you expect to save them from themselves, ARK?"
-Bzzt- "Incorrect. Humans are an ignorant race, but a young race. Like a child to the universe. They make mistakes, but we all do and in time they will learn from the error of their was. To save humans, one must exercise patience and hope. And one's faith must be ready to withstand the worst of times. Just because one or even the majority of humanity makes a foolish decision does not mean every human is lost or worthless." –Bzzt-
Shadow pondered over this statement and found there was some truth to it. Because of the possibility. Shadow despised most humans for their weakness and greed. How they could so easily hate and destroy one another if it meant they could benefit their own selfish needs. But if Maria was evidence of anything, it was that not all of them were worth giving up on. Sure, they were ignorant, often selfish as the professor once said, but as long as he breathed he would continue his promise to Maria, and with said hope and patience it just may be possible for humans to be happy, as a race.
"So then, ARK, where do I start if I wish to better myself to defend Maria's wish?"
-Bzzt- "The Virtual Vault Zone." –Bzzt-
"The what?"
-Bzzt- "The Virtual Vault Zone. When subject Space Colony ARK was going to be boarded and shut down by subject G.U.N, subject Creator hid away all unfinished projects in the Virtual Vault Zone to prevent them from falling into the wrong hands. Unfortunately, subject Artificial Chaos were discovered by subject G.U.N. and stationed to defend subject Space Colony ARK while it was shut down." –Bzzt-
"Hmph. Where can I find this Vault then?"
-Bzzt- "In the Digital Danger Zone. Located in the depths of the inner sub sections of subject ARK. High level security risk." –Bzzt-
"You said that as if it is going to stop me. I don't know why, but now I feel I must go there and see these pieces of work. Find some closure to just everything that was going on and going to happen up here…to truly put the past behind me even after defeating Black Doom. It is time to close the book on my past for good."
-Bzzt- "Defenses cannot be taken down for subject Shadow. In case subject Shadow is a fake. To prevent the items from falling into the wrong hands." –Bzzt-.
"Understood…"
Shadow nodded at something he still wasn't sure existed and departed the room. A brain for the ARK? Creations that were possibly deadly and had to be hidden away from humanity up here in space? He headed for the Digital Danger Zone, but still was not even sure he knew anything that was going on anymore after working so hard to topple Black Doom and recover his past. The only thought that really came to mind was here we go once again…