Chapter 1.- The end of peace... again.

In a beautifully decorated garden, a ten-year-old tan cat with blue eyes who wore a green jacket and pants with a pink blouse, and white gloves and boots, was moving swiftly and carefully, trying to make as less sound as she could. As she passed under a tree, a figure looked at the cat and grinned mischievously, and as the cat felt that she was being watched, she quickly looked at the tree, however, she saw nothing. Even if she hadn't seen anything, the cat stayed wary and kept her guard up.
Unfortunately for the feline kid, she wasn't looking where she walked by, so she inadvertently got her foot caught in a trap and ended up hanging upside down. The cat growled under her breath and unsheathed her claws, then she cut the rope that held her hanging and fell over her back, sighing heavily. And as she stood up, someone tapped her head.
- Tag! You're it! - A human boy who wore a white and blue jumpsuit said as he jumped over the cat.
- Hey! You cheated, Jake! We said no traps! - The cat snapped.
- The trap's not mine, Kelly, it's Cameron's, do you remember the War Games we played last week?
- You knew it was there! You still cheated!
- Stop whining and just play along, Kelly! - A black-haired human kid said as he popped his head from behind a bush.
- Hey, where are the others? - Kelly asked.
- I dunno, they were here a couple mins ago. - Said a red-haired human as he popped his head from the same bush than the black-haired boy.
- Hey, this is my hiding spot, Andy, go get yours! - The black-haired boy snapped at the redhead.
- Learn to share, Jim.
- Stop calling me Jim!
- Would you two quit it? - Kelly snapped. - You all always get on my nerves!
- Maybe you should learn to relax a bit more, you stress way too much for a kid. - Said a kid with spiky black hair wearing a teal and green dogi, and black boots.
- Shut up, Gohan!
- Make me!
- I'll make you shut up, alright! - Kelly said and charged towards Gohan as she unsheathed her claws.
The cat pounced on Gohan, who used the cat's momentum against herself and threw her as gently as he could, to a tree. Then, Kelly managed to land on a branch of the tree, she turned to Gohan, grinned mischievously and said:
- Tag, you're it.
- Say what?! - Gohan said surprisedly. - Darn it! How could I fall for the oldest trick we invented?!
- And you say you are the smartest? - Andy laughed.
- Don't make fun of me, Stark!
Gohan ran up to the bush and tried to lunge at Andy, but the latter just smirked and jumped out of his way, using some metal gauntlets and boots to stay in the air as everyone glared at him.
- You're cheating, Stark! We said no powers! - James snapped.
- I'm not cheating! - Andy chuckled. - I may be the most intelligent capable person in the galaxy, but that's not a superpower!
Then, a yellow blur jumped from a tree and held onto Andy's legs, making him yelp and look down to see a blond boy with whisker-like scars and wearing a black and orange jumpsuit, holding onto his boots.
- Loopholes are also cheating, Andy! - The blond said as he held onto his legs. - Now, are you gonna land the nice way or do I have to bring you down again?
- Get off me, Boruto!
While Andy flew around, trying to get Boruto off his legs, a blue female bioandroid smiled and chuckled as she checked the kids from afar, then she projected some sort of holographic panel in front of her and sighed in relaxation.
- Ok, let's increase the compound temperature by one unit... oh, and it's getting late, I should start the lunch program. - Cortana said to herself as she selected a few commands in her panel. - And today's activity will be Tag Team Combat.
Meanwhile, in a remote part of the garden in a small hut, a brown-haired girl with a slight gap between her front teeth, was facing a holo-computer, doing an entry for her daily log. The girl was very tall, her muscles had developed much more than the average, she had freckles and she looked at least two years older than she actually was. She wore a dark green tank top, camouflage pants, brown combat boots and a pair of dog tags, one with her name and the other just had a big number 117 engraved on it.
- March 16, 2012, according to the military calendar of the now extinct United Nations Space Command. Log of Sierra-117, McArthey, Cameron C. - Said the girl. - Like every night, at least since I can remember, I dreamed of my father, the original Spartan One-One-Seven. This time, I dreamed of the little adventure that he lived on Installation 04. I managed to imagine every detail of the stories that Pepper, Dudley and Cortana have told me, everything from the Pyrrhic victory of the Covenant at Reach, 'til my father blew up the Halo with the overloaded engines of the Pillar of Autumn, I could even visualize how Sergeant Johnson could survive the explosion, it was rather simple...
While the young Spartan was telling her dream to her blog, raccoon who carried a brown cane with a golden hook, wearing a red blouse with a blue jacket, tight jeans and dark brown combat boots, stealthily approached to a table where a helmet green with an orange visor was resting. The young raccoon tried to take the object but before she could even lay a finger on it, Cameron moved at an incredible speed and held her arm in a rather ungentle grip.
- Don't even try, ringtail. - Cameron snapped.
- Hey, I just wanted to get your attention so you'd come play with me and others. - Laura said as Cameron let go of her.
- I have no time for games, Cooper, I must train and become a true Spartan, worthy of carrying my father's serial number and continue his legacy.
- Oh, come on! Do you have any idea how ridiculous you sound right now?
- Think whatever you want, you ain't making me follow you. - Said the Spartan and turned her back as she crossed her arms.
- Not even if I'm wearing your precious helmet? - Laura asked while she ran out of the hut with Cameron's helmet in her hands.
- Not even if you're wearing my... My helmet! - Cameron said as she ran after the raccoon. - Give me back that helmet before I kick the rings outta your tail!
Laura kept laughing and put the helmet on, while Cameron chased her, the former using her master thief skills to stay away from the Spartan. However, Cameron was much faster than her, but every time the former was about to catch her, Laura used the technique of her ancestor, Ollinkauitl Cooper, and teleported away using the shadows.
- Stop moving! - Cameron snapped as she tried to pounce on Laura unsuccessfully.
- You gotta catch me first...! Oof! - Laura said before she crashed into a tree.
Laura fell on her back and the helmet fell from her head. Then as her vision cleared, she saw Cameron stand beside her and lift her by the lapels of her jacket.
- I got you now! - Cameron said triumphantly.
Laura closed her eyes and prepared herself to get hit, but just before that, a boy that wore a red sweater and blue jeans appeared right next to the Spartan, stopped Cameron's fist and said:
- Tag, you're it. - James said.
- I'm not playing, Potter, now go away, I have to give this raccoon a beatin'. - Cameron snapped.
Immediately, the rest of the kids walked up to where James, Cameron and Laura were. Kelly, Gohan, Jake, a black-haired boy who wore a gray trench coat and a gray fedora, and a blond kid wearing some kind of black outfit and with a lightsaber hanging on his belt. But before anyone could speak, they all heard some yelling and watched as Andy and Boruto slammed against a tree and fell to the ground, moaning in pain, making the others shake their heads and roll their eyes in annoyance.
- We're ok... - The two kids said.
The kids sighed and then looked back at Cameron.
- Is there any day in which you're not trying to kill any of us? - Gohan said.
- Is there any day in which you don't provoke me?
- Everything is a provocation for you. - Kelly snapped.
- That ain't true, Kelly.
- Just last night you tried to stab Jake with a fork because he didn't leave enough milk for you at dinner. - Boruto said.
- Two days ago, you wanted to shoot G3 in the knees because he didn't let you concentrate on your homework. - Jake said as he pointed at the boy with the fedora.
- Four days ago, you challenged Gohan to a death battle because he inadvertently made you trip. - The blond with the lightsaber said.
- Ben, like always, you say nothing but the truth, and two weeks ago, when Jack beat you at Capture the Flag, you threatened to disarm him with a punch. - Laura said.
- Speaking of the devil, where the hell is Jack? I couldn't find him anywhere in the garden. - Asked Andy.
- Where do you think he is? - Boruto asked in a sarcastic tone.
- Obviously, like always, JJ must still be sleeping. - Gohan said.
- Well, I think it's time for "His Majesty" to wake up from his beauty sleep. - Cameron said as she turned to a small hut that was not even thirty feet away.
- Before we go there, whose turn is it? The shot, the scratch, the seal, the spark, the push, the shake, the alarm, the reflex, the spell or the repulsor ray? - Asked Laura.
- If I remember correctly, I think it was time for Inspector Gadget to jump into action. - James said while he smirked mischievously.
- I hate you, Potter. - G3 growled.
The kid with the fedora sighed heavily and walked to the hut, then he set his bionic eyes on a red-haired skeleton wearing black and red pajamas, who was sleeping in a rather uncomfortable-looking position, and murmured:
- Go go Gadget-Speaker.
Immediately, the top of the boy's hat opened like a lid and a speaker popped out of his head. Again, G3 sighed and just after, a loud alarm sounded by the speaker, waking the skeleton up all of a sudden, who reflexively hit him in the stomach with a green slimy mass that was tied to his right arm, which he had transformed into a wrecking ball.
G3 flew out of the hut and crashed face first into the ground while the skeleton walked out the door, yawning loudly and stretching.
- What's the matter? Why don't you guys let me sleep in peace? - The skeleton snapped in a tone of annoyance.
- It isn't bedtime, Jack, you not only missed out breakfast, but you also skipped classes with Cortana. - Laura snapped as she crossed her arms.
- So what? So what if I didn't have breakfast or if I skipped classes? What's the point?
- The point is to not be such an idiot, Jack, we're training to save the fucking universe! - Cameron said.
- Oh, of course, how couldn't I have realized that Dudley wants us to be cannon fodder?! - Jack snapped. - You can play around that you guys are Defenders and Cameron can think that she is a Spartan until the Wookiees learn to speak English, but the reality is that we are not Defenders, we're just a bunch of kids whose parents were killed by an unstoppable being, which, for some reason that I still can't understand, hasn't found and killed us yet!
- Shut the fuck up, Jack! You don't have the foggiest idea of what you're saying!
- Of course I do! I understand our sad reality and what, sooner or later, will end up happening!
Before anyone realized what was happening, Cameron and Jack had launched energy waves at each other and tried to counter each other's attack.
- If you want to die so much, then I'll kill you myself! It will hurt a tiny bit less! - Cameron roared.
- We'll see about that! You know I'm not afraid of you! - Jack snapped.
- That's enough! - A white dog ordered as he collapsed the attacks of both children.
When the attacks collapsed, a shockwave made the children fall backwards, then everyone turned towards the newcomer and gasped.
- What's going on here? - The dog asked.
- Dad... - Kelly said, somewhat nervously. - I was about to tell them to stop when you arrived.
The dog sighed heavily, then he looked at Jack and Cameron, and said:
- Jack, Cameron, go to your huts and calm down a bit, we'll talk later.
James, Jake, Boruto and Andy started to chuckle, but their laughter faded when a redhead woman appeared behind them and cleared her throat a bit.
- James, Jake, Andy, Boruto, you four and the rest too. - Said the woman with a slight smile.
Cameron snorted and walked to her hut, while the others did the same. Jack sighed heavily and rubbed his face, then he turned to go to his hut, but the dog grabbed his shoulder gently and stopped him.
- Is there a problem, Jack? - The dog asked.
- No. - Jack replied dryly.
- Jack, please, if you're upset, don't take it out on your brothers and sisters, better take it out on me.
- Or on me. - Said the redhead. - In any way you need it.
- Dudley, Pepper, everything's fine, ok? I'll apologize to everyone later. - Jack said in a rude tone.
- Look, maybe Pepper and I aren't your parents, but you know that if you want or need to talk, she and I will always be there to listen. - Dudley said.
- But it's not the same, right? - Jack sighed. - As you said it yourself, you and Pepper are not my parents.
Dudley and Pepper sighed heavily as Jack walked to the entrance of his hut, but just before he could set foot inside it, a loud alarm sounded all over the place, accompanied by several flashing red lights. Dudley and Pepper around, both quite alarmed occurred.
- What is it?! What are all these alarms?! - The children said as they appeared, getting ready for combat.
- Everyone, go to Jack's hut! - Dudley ordered.
- What? - Andy said as he put both of his repulsors down.
- Obey, and don't leave until we come here to get you! - Pepper ordered as she and Dudley ran away.
The children sighed heavily and walked toward Jack's hut.

(Several minutes later)

The children were waiting for Dudley and Pepper to come back for them, and in the meantime, James and Andy were reading some of Jack's old comic books, Laura checked a few entries in the Thievius Raccoonus, Cameron was lying on Jack's bed, G3, Boruto, Ben and Jake chatted a bit, Jack was staring out the window, Kelly looked around contemptuously at the mess in which the skeleton lived, and Gohan paced nervously until he stepped onto a sticky and disgusting substance, which made him look at Jack with disdain.
- Have you ever cleaned up this place? - Gohan asked while he tried to clean the sole of his boot on the floor.
Jack just shot a cold glare at the half saiyan boy and looked out the window again.
- What do you think is going on? - Kelly asked.
- Perhaps we're in danger. Perhaps... - James said, pausing for a dramatic tone. - Perhaps it's the Messiah.
- Don't be silly, James, of course it's not the Messiah, if it really were him, we'd be dead already. - Jack sighed.
- Thanks for always encouraging us, Jack, you really take after your dad in leadership. - Cameron said sarcastically.
- I'm just telling the truth.
- Well, you're right on something, it's definitely not the Messiah. - Kelly said with a smile of relief.
However, Kelly's relief didn't last, because suddenly they heard a huge crash and felt a slight tremor. Immediately, the children got ready for combat again and ran out of the hut.
Outside the hut, something had caused a huge crater, which was still releasing smoke. The children walked closer to it carefully and saw a strange white and green android, which was severely damaged and had the word "CYTRO" carved into its chest.
- Cytro! - Jake said as he moved closer to the android.
- Hello, Jake, good afternoon, children... - Cytro said gently, with a weary tone.
- Cytro! - Cortana said as she materialized on the scene. - Oh, god, what happened?
- The defenses on Coruscant have been updated... I had a confrontation with several androids, and I guess one of them ruined my navigation system and my electronic keys... Because this place does not look like the maintenance workshop... And I set off the alarms of the compound...
The Created sighed and helped Cytro to stand up, then both Created walked towards a small monument in honor to the Order of the Defenders, being followed by the children.
- Cortana, what's happening? - Cameron asked Cortana.
- Dudley, Pepper, Cytro and I will tell you everything later, for now, I ask you to wait here. - Cortana said as she made sure that Cytro could walk well.
The kids sighed while Cytro and Cortana walked away.
The two Created walked to a small column, which had the shape of the helmet of Cortana's late partner. She lightly pressed the Master Chief helmet that was carved into the column and a secret entrance opened right in the middle of the monument, revealing a staircase that lead to a somewhat dark place.
Then Cortana and Cytro started walking down the stairs slowly, not realizing that the kids were watching them.
- Okay, now we know where the maintenance workshop is, it's time to go. - Kelly said.
- I agree with Kelly. - Gohan said. - Let's go.
- You're kidding, right? It's time to find out the truth. - Cameron said.
- This time, I agree with Cam, I think we should find out what's going on. - Jack said.
As Jack and Cameron tried to step forward, Gohan and Kelly got in their way, both transforming into super saiyan, while the latter also unsheathed her claws.
Jack and Cameron raised an eyebrow, then both also transformed into super saiyan and Cameron grabbed a knife from her boot.
- Damn, I forgot that you guys can do that too. - Gohan sighed as he and Kelly returned to their base form. - How can you do that, anyway?
- Our parents had some alterations in their DNA, and apparently, the changes in them were inherited by us. - Cameron said as she and Jack returned to normal said. - Well, time to move.
- I have a bad feeling about this, I say we should obey Cortana. - G3 said.
- It's because you have no sense of adventure, Gadget. - Jake said with a smile.
Laura, Jake, Cameron, Boruto, James, Andy and Jack walked to the column of the Master Chief, being reluctantly followed by Gohan, Kelly, Ben and G3.
Cameron pressed the figure carved into the column and the door opened again, then the children went downstairs and ventured into the dark.
While walking through the dark and cold aisle, Jack narrowed his eye sockets and couldn't help but feel some familiarity with what he saw, as if he had been there before.
- Walk faster, Skellington. - Cameron said.
- Sorry, it's just that I think I've been here before when I was younger. - Jack sighed.
As they walked down the corridor, the boys noticed that there was an intersection, both roads lead to a couple of bridges, one was well illuminated while the other led to a dark room.
The kids took a moment to think, then the young Spartan and the skeleton guided the others to the dark room, thinking that they'd find the answers that they wanted.
- I don't think we'll get any answers in that room. - G3 said.
- I agree, we should've taken the other way. - Gohan sighed.
- Too late for that, we can't go back until... - Cameron said.
- We can go back, we just have to turn and calmly dismiss this stupid plan. - Kelly said.
All the kids turned to look at Kelly, then they looked back at Cameron and kept walking deeper into the darkness.
- As I was saying... - The Spartan said as she glared at Kelly. - We won't go back until we see what Dudley and Pepper are hiding.
- They have reasons to hide stuff. - Ben said.
- That's no excuse, we trust them, why can't they trust us? - Jack said.
- This time I have to agree with Jack, it hurts a to see that they don't trust us, I mean, we're good kids. - Boruto said.
- Yeah, right. - Kelly snorted. - The only good kids here are G3, Ben, Gohan and I.
- You're the queen of humility, Kelly. - Laura said as she rolled her eyes.
- Hate to interrupt your chat, but I think we should focus on our mission. - Jack said. - And none of you has noticed that now we're in pitch darkness... Ben, can you light up the place a bit?
- Just if you want someone to lose a limb. - Ben said. - Aren't you a pyrokinetic skeleton? Can't you light the place up yourself?
- Just if you wanna become a roasted Jedi, can't you use the Force to feel your surroundings...?
- Ugh, you guys drive me crazy! - Cameron snapped. - Seriously, why aren't you Spartans? I can see in the darkness, and I found the light switch.
Cameron flipped the switch and the lights turned on, then they found out they were in a room with at least a hundred armors, almost all of them inside an appropriate case. But the ones that took the kids' attention were a series of seventeen armors that weren't inside cases, these armors were standing over some sort of balcony and had some resemblances to their parents.
- What are these things? - Jack asked.
- These must be my father's Defenderbuster armors... - Andy whispered.
- How do you know? - Jake asked.
- I... Uh... kinda created my own Defenderbusters.
- What's a Defenderbuster anyway? - Kelly asked.
- It's a special kind of armor that is specifically designed to beat, or kill, a member of the Order of the Defenders. - G3 said. - There's even one meant to beat Iron Man here.
- Wait, you created armors to kill us?! - Gohan snapped at Andy.
- No!... Well, I did and they can kill you... but I wouldn't!... Unless there was no other choice...
- Well, I think that coming here was in vain, we found nothing. - Cameron said.
- Actually, we did, look. - Kelly said.
Everyone turned to where Kelly was pointing and saw a small pedestal with an artificial intelligence chip on top of it. The children ran to the pedestal and Cameron took the chip, noting that it contained an AI.
- It's an AI chip, like Cortana's. - Said the young Spartan.
- But it seems to be offline for now, otherwise, it would have projected on the chip when you touched it. - Andy said.
- Perhaps our parents stored information for us into that AI. - Gohan let out.
- Or maybe it's Cortana's replacement, I mean, she has been in service since about twenty-five years ago. - Boruto said.
- Shut up, Boruto, Cortana will stay in service for many more years. - Cameron snapped.
- I was just saying.
- How do we activate this thing? - Jack asked.
- For now, we should leave, we will think about how to activate this AI later. - Kelly said.
- I agree, well, it's time to go back. - Gohan said.
- Just like I promised. - Cameron sighed and put the AI in her pocket.
Everyone but Jack and Laura, walked out of the room, while the raccoon and the skeleton stared the Defenderbusters.
Noting that Jack and Laura were not with them, Cameron stopped and turned to see where they had gone to, while the others took the road next to the one they had taken that had lead them to the armor hall.
On the bridge that lead to the second room, the kids saw from thirty feet high how Cortana, Pepper and Dudley repaired Cytro. While they looked around, they saw several weapons, many half-built projects, and hundreds and hundreds of maps and blueprints, all over the tables and scattered all over the ground. At the back of the place, they also saw that there was a double bed, and they assumed that was where Dudley and Pepper slept.
- This place is amazing. - Jake said.
- Shhh! - Kelly snapped with a whisper. - Do you want them to discover us?!
- Sorry.
- Silence, you're not letting us hear what they're saying! - G3 said.
The kids moved a little closer to the edge of the bridge and stayed silent.
- I am sorry to be such a burden, Dudley. - Cytro said.
- Don't worry, Cytro, you'll be fine in no time. - Pepper said as she removed his chest armor.
- Thanks for taking care of me, Mrs. Puppy. - Cytro said.
- I've told you a million times to call me Pepper, Mrs. Puppy makes me feel old... And don't even think about using my age as an argument.
- I was just gonna say that to call a person by its last name was in my protocols, but since you mention it...
- Don't push your luck, Cytro.
- Believe me, Cytro it's not a good idea to do so. - Dudley said with a smile. - Honey, please hand me the plasma melter, I have to cut this piece of armor if we wanna fix our aluminum friend.
- I've told you a million times that he's not made of aluminum, it's...! - A blue bioandroid tried to say.
- I know it's not, Cortana, it's bio-organical forcidium, but it's just an expression. - The dog said as Pepper handed him the tool he needed. - Thanks, honey.
- You're welcome. - Said the redhead as she handed the tool to the dog - We need a new ARC generator for Cytro, this one's damaged beyond repair.
- Activate your backup generator, we have to get the damaged ARC generator out of you before it explodes.
- Activating emergency power. - Cytro said as he turned off momentarily.
As Cytro turned himself off, Dudley activated the plasma melter, he cut the wires and supports that held the ARC generator in place, then he put on a couple of protective gloves and carefully removed the power core of the android.
Then Dudley handed the ARC generator to Pepper, who left it on the table and started to disarm it.
- Is my power core no longer a danger? - Cytro asked as he turned himself on again.
- No, I already disarmed it. - Pepper said while she prepared a new ARC generator.
- I am glad to hear it...
- Cortana, initiate the system repair protocols and the purge of Cytro's database.
- Purge of my database?
- There are a couple of computer viruses that are trying to send data from our position to the lieutenants of the Messiah. - Cortana said as she projected herself on Cytro's chest. - But fear not, my friend, I already made a backup of your important data, so you won't lose anything.
- That is a relief.
- So, what happened, pal?
- As ordered, I was scanning planets in search for any signs of any living members of the Resistance. I had finished scanning Kashyyyk, and I am sad to inform that the planet is now a barren wasteland and the wookiees are most probably extinct...
- Those monsters... - Pepper growled. - How many do you estimate that still live?
- Less than one hundred, but since they are hiding, I am afraid they will become extinct eventually if the Resistance does not stop the Messiah's forces soon.
- Any other data you might wanna share? - Dudley sighed.
- The last namekian died in battle, and I finally located traces of members of the Resistance.
- Who did you find? - Pepper asked in interest.
- You should speak in plural, Pepper...
- Plural?! You mean...?
- Yes, the data I collected confirmed that Shining Armor and Nicholas J. Fury, as well as their respective groups, are still alive.
- Have you found anyone else? - Dudley smiled.
- I am afraid not... But those are still great news, are not they?
- Of course. - The dog smiled. - I just finished the repairs to the Falcon, we'll find Shining and Fury in no time.
- Not yet, I still need to make sure Ultron's synthezoids can't run into us by accident, and with the viruses he put into my metal friend, I finally got a sample of his standard programming. Now no one will be able to find us. - Cortana smiled as she worked on a couple of holographic panels.
- Ultron... He was the one who did this to me... - Cytro growled.
- I know, good thing that I still had the schematics of the Guardians and the Crib, and that we have the Tesseract, otherwise, we would've lost you long ago.
- Thanks for reminding me how useless I was, Cortana.
- I didn't mean it that way, I was just saying that thanks to Penelope and Jack, we're all still here... Hey, we have unexpected guests...
The adults, the robot and the AI looked up to where the children were, who in turn tried to escape somehow to avoid being seen.
Meanwhile, in the armor hall, Jack and Laura were looking at the suits designed to kill their fathers. Both were sitting in front of the Defenderbusters and were observing every detail of the armors, imagining various scenarios where their fathers faced the suits and defeated them, even though the armors were specifically designed to defeat them.
The sole action of thinking about their parents made them imagine what they would think about them right now. Would they be proud of the little stuff they had accomplished? Would they be able to measure up to them? Would they be proud because of how much they had managed to stay alive, or ashamed because they had done nothing to actually save the universe? The two kids spent several moments trying to figure out an answer to these and other questions.
And as they kept pondering and staring at the armors, their tallest sister in arms walked up to them and put her hands on their shoulders, making them snap out of their thoughts.
- Hey, what's wrong? - Cameron asked.
- Nothing, it's just... - Laura said.
- It's just that we were thinking about our parents and what they would think if they saw us right now. - Jack sighed.
- Jack, you are right about one thing... Even though I don't like to admit it. - Cameron said. - We are children, we ain't Defenders. If we have achieved basically nothing it's because we are just way too young, we still have to learn stuff, we still have to train, and then we'll become even bigger legends than our parents ever were.
In that second, the skeleton and the raccoon were taken aback by something that neither of them expected. Cameron hugged them both and smiled a little.
And I'm sure that wherever our parents are, they are proud of us. - Cameron said as she broke the embrace. - And we will make them feel even more proud when we end what they couldn't. Somehow, we will defeat the Messiah and we'll save the universe.
Jack and Laura smiled a little, then both turned to the Defenderbusters and thought: "I'll make you feel proud of me, dad."
Then they were snapped out of their thoughts when Cameron hit both in the shoulder and smiled.
- That's for making me give you that corny speech. - Cameron said.
- Good to have you back, sister. - Laura said as she rubbed her aching shoulder.
- I think it's time to go, let's go catch up with the others. - Jack said while he smiled.
The other two nodded with a smile, but then their smiles faded as the alarms were set off all over the compound. The kids had already gone through a thousand drills before, but something told her this was not a drill.
The trio of children gasped in horror, then they ran to the second corridor.
Meanwhile, the other children had tried to hide, but it was useless, because in an attempt to back away, they had inadvertently knocked James off the bridge, but he was caught by Gohan. The young wizard could do nothing but look down and smile nervously as Dudley, Pepper, Cytro and Cortana glared at him and his siblings of other parents.
- I told you to wait outside! - Cortana snapped, visibly upset.
- W-well... I just... - Andy stammered.
In that second, they all made a collective gasp as the alarm of their home was set off. Almost immediately, Pepper ran to the main computer and typed a few commands as she checked the monitors, while Cortana projected a star chart and checked every single one of them in a fraction of a femtosecond.
- The long range scanners detected a small battle group coming here! - Pepper informed.
- It's not a battle group, it's Ultron and a contingent of synthezoids. - Cortana sighed in defeat.
- Dudley, Pepper! - Jack said as he ran, being followed by Laura and Cameron. - What's going on?!
- Cortana, how much time do we have before Ultron finds us? - Dudley said, ignoring Jack.
- His ETA is around twenty minutes, but I already deployed Promethean forces to delay them, the Warden and Tony's old armors are loading the Falcon. - Cortana said as a pair of holographic screens appeared in front of her.
- Pepper, can you fix Cytro alone? - Dudley asked.
- I'll try... - The redhead said - I'll help her. - Andy said as the kids jumped from the bridge.
- Excellent, kids, go pack your stuff now; Cortana, I need your help to set up the Falcon and use Andy's armors to gather his stuff. - Dudley said as he ran away.
The Created dematerialized while Andy started helping his mother to fix Cytro, and while the kids ran back to their huts to get their stuff, grabbing their cases and stuffing whatever they treasured the most and they needed more into them.
A few minutes later, the children were putting their cases and gear in one of the cargo bays of the Millenium Falcon while Andy and Tony's armors were loading the other bays with Dudley and Pepper's belongings, medical resources, food packs, water tanks and several other important stuff.
As soon as the Falcon was loaded, the armors walked into another cargo bay and deactivated themselves, either just standing against the wall or folding themselves into cases.
Then the children ran out to see if there was something else that had to be done before they evacuated the place. Meanwhile, Dudley took off his soldering mask and gave a thumbs up to Cortana for her to try the engines. The Created nodded and ignited the engines of the Falcon, which seemed to work just fine.
- Plot the course, Cortana, use Cytro's data to find a suitable planet to establish a new hideout. - Dudley said.
- Already did, Dudley. - Cortana said as she materialized out of the freighter.
- Pepper, are you done? - Dudley asked through his communicator.
- I have problems to calibrate his targeting systems, but Andy already has ANTIS fixing them up for us.
- Excellent, get yourselves and Cytro aboard, and activate the self-destruct sequence of this base. - Dudley said.
- Will do.
Dudley slid off the roof of the Millennium Falcon and shook the soot off himself, then he looked at the children and told them to board to the freighter with a gesture.
The children were about to board the ship, but something unexpected happened.
The roof of what was once called home collapsed, leaving a gaping hole and causing a thick cloud of dust. The children and the dog coughed as the dust dissipated, and when the dust cloud disappeared, Dudley gasped and gritted his teeth.
In front of the children, he could see a bunch of copies of all the Defenders of old, all of them surrounding one of the most infamous lieutenants of the Messiah.
Ultron had found them.
- Darn him... He must've used the electronic keys of my Prometheans to hide from my radar... - Cortana said as she materialized next to Dudley.
- You will pay for what you did to me, Ultron. - Cytro growled.
- Kids, board the Falcon and go away! Cytro, Cortana and I will distract them! - Dudley ordered while he glared at Ultron.
- Negative, Dudley Puppy. You will all be eradicated. - Ultron said as he raised his right hand.
While Ultron charged his repulsor ray, a figure wearing an armor flew into the hangar at a supersonic speed, hit the android in the face, knocking him back several meters, then the figure shot its unibeam against all the synthezoids.
After the figure made the attackers fall back, it raised the mask of its helmet and revealed to be no one else than Pepper.
- Cytro, Cortana, get the kids outta here, Dudley and I will stop Ultron and the synthezoids as much as we can. - Pepper ordered.
- Mom, I didn't know you still had an armor. - Andy said, feeling very surprised, as he ran up to the Falcon.
- Andy, this is no time for that, you and your siblings must leave.
The mask of Pepper's suit lowered itself and the woman in armor lunged at Ultron, only for him to grab her head and slam her into the ground.
After seeing this, Andy gritted his teeth and pushed on the attack, dodging Dudley and Cytro's hands while one of his armors assembled on him. Once the suit was complete, Andy took off and shot three repulsors at Ultron, but he simply deflected them with a wave of his arm. However, the young Stark wasn't going to give up so easily, so he shot three more repulsor rays, which hit a reddish energy shield.
- ANTIS, scan Ultron and look for his weaknesses! - Andy ordered to the AI of his suit.
- I'm afraid that's impossible, sir, the energy field surrounding Ultron is not only impervious to any of your weapons, but it also protects him from any sorts of hacking and/or scannings. - Explained the AI.
- Damn it!
- Watch your six, sir.
Andy tried to turn, but he was hit by the Iron Man synthezoid, which slammed him into the ground and shot a powerful repulsor ray on his back.
- Armor integrity at 67%, multiple concussions detected. - ANTIS reported while Andy tried to stand up.
- Yeah, I detect them too... - Andy gasped.
Andy gasped and kept trying to get up, but the android pressed him against the ground with its foot and began to charge its unibeam.
- Time to die. - Said the Iron Man impersonator, perfectly imitating Tony Stark's voice.
- DON'T YOU DARE TO TOUCH MY SON AGAIN! - Pepper roared as she lunged savagely at the android.
Pepper dragged, hit and shot at the synthezoid, then she shot several missiles and repulsor rays, all of them strategically aimed at the joints of the robot, severely damaging it. And finally, to top it off, she shot her unibeam and disintegrated most of the android that Ultron had created.
As Pepper defeated the Iron Man synthezoid, Ultron sent Jack and Kitty's impersonators against her, and the rest of the synthezoids against Dudley, Cytro, Cortana and the young heroes.
Dudley roared as his white fur turned golden and spiked up a bit, then his pupils disappeared completely and he lunged against Goku and the Superman's synthezoids. Meanwhile, Cytro attacked John and Sly's impersonators, turning intangible for a second as the armors were about to touched him, so they simply went through him. Then the android turned tangible again and grabbed the androids by their legs and slammed them into the ground.
However, even though Dudley, Pepper and Cytro were fighting against six androids and one of the synthezoids had been destroyed, there were ten machines still standing, which lunged against the children.
Cortana noticed that and summoned more Promethean soldiers to fight, one of them being the Warden Eternal. Cortana lunged at the synthezoids while the Warden teleported to Andy and picked him up, to then take him into the Falcon. After that, the ancient android materialized out of the freighter and took all the other kids into the ship.
Meanwhile, Dudley grabbed the Superman synthezoids to throw it against the Goku impersonator, then he teleported in front of the Millennium Falcon, attacking the synthezoids that were after the kids.
While the three Created, the dog and the armored woman kept fighting, they noticed that Ultron had not moved in the slightest, and that couldn't mean anything good.
They all were pretty sure that the evil android was scanning and learning their moves and strategies, as well as every single detail about their bodies and abilities and weapons, as if he were looking for any weaknesses or a moment of distraction in which he could strike and defeat them in one hit.
Meanwhile, Ultron raised his hand and shot a powerful ray against the Millennium Falcon, which suffered a severe breach in its hull. Seeing the damage of the Corellian freighter, Dudley snarled and bared his teeth, now they had a severe problem; with a hole in the hull, the Falcon wouldn't be able to leave the atmosphere without bursting into flames, losing all the oxygen supply or simply explode.
- Cytro, fix the breach in the hull, the Warden, Cortana, Pepper and I will distract Ultron and the synthezoids! - Dudley said.
- Working on it. - Said the android.
Dudley, Cortana, the Warden and Pepper pressed onto the attack while Cytro flew up to the breach on the Falcon to repair it.
Repulsor rays, hard-light projectiles, energy beams and explosive projectiles were flying left and right, along with pieces of metal and sparks coming out of the synthezoids that were damaged.
Inside the ship, Jack had projected a holographic screen from a device on his left wrist and was trying to hack the lock that Cortana had put the door of the Falcon, but despite being the best organic hacker in the galaxy, Cortana's programming automatically adapted to any code he used.
- Why haven't you finished, Skellington?! - Cameron snapped angrily.
- If you know somebody else who can hack a Forerunner encryption algorithm of 6 million characters with just a homemade holo-projector to do it, I'd like to meet him! If you don't, shut the hell up and let me work! - Jack replied, visibly upset. - Cortana's programming is by far the best in the universe, not even Ultron has been able to hack it!
- Stop trying then, that annoys me. - Cortana ordered.
- Then open the damn door! - The youngsters snapped.
- I will not, you're supposed to head to the Outer Rim, to Harvest. My priority is that you survive, even if it is at the expense of the lives of Dudley, Pepper, Cytro and the Warden, or even my own.
- You've got to be kidding! - Shouted the young Spartan. - Are you really cold enough to sacrifice them?
- I'm sorry, Cameron, but I promised something to your father before his death, and I must fulfill my promise...
- A promise?! I don't give a fuck about your promise to my father! Especially if it costs someone's life!
- Stop! I'm tired of repeating this over and over! You are the last hope of the universe! Dudley and Pepper knew perfectly well that they would die at some point, and if by that time the Messiah had not been defeated, you had to stay alive. - A very angry Cortana explained. - You haven't realized it, right? Dudley, Pepper, Cytro, the Warden and I are risking our lives because we love you... Yes, perhaps we are not your parents, I'm not even a living being, but I have a conscience and I know what love is. We want you to survive by any means, no matter if we die for it.
- You can't do that! If you die, we would be alone! - Kelly said while she shed a tear.
- We lost our parents, we do not want to lose whatever little family we still have! - Said Andy from his suit.
- Open the damn door, Cortana... - Cameron said with a tone of anger and fear. - ... Let us save them...
For some time, a deadly silence filled the Millennium Falcon, Cortana then materialized herself in front of the children as she looked down at the floor.
- ... I'm sorry... - Said the AI just before disappearing.
The children groaned in frustration, then tried to attack the door to break it, but a series of devices were fired from the walls, embedding in the arms of the young heroes.
As the children felt the sharp pain when the devices embedded in their flesh, they looked at their hurt arms and displayed an expression of despair.
The devices on their arms were power nullifiers.
In the moment they realized it, the children ran to the cockpit of the Falcon, watching the synthezoids fighting against Cortana, the Warden, Dudley and Pepper, but they could see neither Cytro nor Ultron.
- Where did that walking junk go to? - Cameron wondered.
- Hey! Don't call Cytro that! - Jake snapped.
- I was talking about Ultron, you moron.
- Oh...
- What's Cytro doing up there? - Ben asked, pointing at the android repairing the hole in the hull.
- He seems to be welding something... - Andy said as he entered the cockpit. - By the way, thanks for helping me take my armor off... Luckily I put a fail-safe in it.
- Shut up, Stark. - Jack ordered.
Meanwhile, Cytro was still repairing the hole on the Falcon, he was about to finish, he just needed to put one last plate and he'd be done, but unfortunately, like the others, he hadn't noticed Ultron's absence.
The android worked as quickly as he could, and after five minutes, he had finally managed to close the gap.
- Cortana, the Falcon is ready, get the children out of here... - Cytro said as he stood up.
- I do not think so... - Said a mechanical voice.
Cytro tried to turn and attack Ultron, but he was not fast enough. Cytro grunted and looked down at his chest, managing to see how Ultron's hand had punched through him and was now holding his power source.
Inside the Falcon, the children watched as Ultron attacked Cytro, and in the meantime, Jake couldn't help but hit the glass of the cockpit as hard as he possibly could. Cytro had been one of his father's best friends, and as such, he helped Jake to know how his father was, and also became the best friend of the child. Yes, the droid had been much more than just a machine for both Max and Jake, and to see how his eyes were slowly losing their light was just devastating for the youngster.
- Useless waste of technology. - Ultron said contemptuously. - Enough games, Cortana, hand me the children...
While the evil lieutenant got rid of the remains of Cytro, Cortana materialized herself in front of the evil android, but unlike always, now she was glaring at Ultron and instead of her usual blue color, she was blood red.
- You'll pay for that, you damn pseudo-android... - Cortana growled as an intense blue light covered her hands.
- Always so human, you're pathetic... - Ultron sighed, visibly disappointed. - You could have lived.
- I prefer a thousand times to be a machine with a human complex and die than be like you.
- Then you'll have what you wish...
Cortana fired a powerful energy beam at Ultron, which the android countered with a repulsor beam of equal power. However, since Ultron had an Infinity Gem inside his chest, the android used it to increase the power of his beam, pushing Cortana's attack back to her.
The Created gritted her teeth and tried to push Ultron's beam, but her power was nothing compared to that of an Infinity Gem, and after a short while, Cortana was sent backwards as Ultron's attack hit her.
Cortana suffered a major damage on her arm and chest. Her adamantium-forcidium skin was broken and she had a significant hole in her abdomen. However, the beam hadn't just damaged her body, but it had corrupted her systems, but it wasn't Ultron's usual control programming, it was deleting her whole being. Once she discovered it, she knew that she had no chance of beating Ultron, but she could still stall him.
- Disappointing... You used to be a worthy opponent. - Ultron said while Cortana slowly stood up.
- You were never one for me, I always laughed at your stupid attempts to hack me. - Cortana snapped with a damaged voice.
The Created stood up and punched Ultron's face, denting his adamantium planting, then she punched the evil android in the chest several times and tried to hit him with his elbow, but Ultron caught it and used his other arm to break and rip her arm off. After that, Ultron hit her in the face with her arm and kicked her away as he scanned his body, noticing that Cortana's punches had damaged more than just his plating. He felt impressed and if he could chuckle, he would've done so.
- Impressive. You have also improved your database with knowledge of all the martial arts in the universe. - Ultron said.
- I can also say I'm impressed, you know Goku and Clark's styles, I thought only I had witnessed them. - Cortana said wearily as she stood up and analyzed the damage in her body.
- Their bodies proved to be quite useful, even after their defunction.
- Necrophilia? I thought you hated everything related to the organic beings. - The Created chuckled mockingly.
- Joke all you want, you can not stop me now, the children are finished.
Cortana laughed loudly as he said that, which confused Ultron.
- What is so funny? - Ultron asked.
- I knew beforehand that I couldn't stop you. - Cortana said with a mocking smile. - That was never my plan, nor it is my job to do so. I just had to stall you long enough.
- For what?
- For you to meet my little friend... - Said the AI just before dematerializing.
Just when Cortana disappeared, one of the new cannons of the Corellian freighter fired a powerful blue beam that hit Ultron right in the chest, piercing his shield rather easily and severely damaging him.
Inside the ship, Cortana materialized herself inside the cockpit of the Millennium Falcon and limped to the command console, entering one last code into the navicomputer, making the ship start the takeoff.
As the ship rose from the ground, Cortana fell and looked at the children, noting that while everyone was crying, only Cameron kneeled beside her.
- C-Cortana? - Cameron stammered as she wept with sadness.
- I'm sorry that you had to see all that... - The AI said wearily. - And I'm sorry for being so rude...
- Just hang on, you'll be fine, we'll fix you up!
- Cameron... I'll tell you the same words that I told your father long ago... - Cortana replied and looked at the Spartan with a weak but friendly smile. - ... Do not make a girl a promise if you know you can't keep it...
- The last time you said that, you were wrong...
- It's too late to save me, Cameron... Most of me was destroyed by Ultron down there... I can't recover from this...
- I swear I will avenge you... I will avenge you, mom, dad, Dudley, Cytro and everyone else!...
- No... Just do me a favor... Live your life beyond being a soldier... Love, play, explore, be happy...
The AI smiled and said:
- Sit down and fasten your seat belts... We're about to enter hyperspace...
The children obeyed without reply, but they never took their eyes off Cortana.
- Thank you, kids... For making these last ten years so funny and so nice... - Said the AI while she still laid on the ground. - Do everything I told Cam, please... Whatever happens... Be happy, stay together... Be human...
With that said, the Falcon entered hyperspace and Cortana's eyes and body turned off, signaling the demise of the first and the last of the Created.
Meanwhile, Ultron rose from a pile of rubble and examined himself, discovering that the pectoral plates that kept the Mind Gem hidden had been destroyed, leaving his Infinity Gem in plain view. The android angered, he could now understand why Cortana had not been able to repel his attack and why the cannon of the Millennium Falcon had damaged him so much.
Ultron roared and lunged at Dudley, who fought hand to hand with Sentry's synthezoid. The dog didn't even have time to realize what had happened before he was sent to the floor, with four ribs and his right arm broken, then he listened as something fell right beside him, accompanied by the cracking of various bones and followed by several moans.
It didn't take him long to realize that the one who had fallen was his wife, Pepper, and just before he could use his rage against the machines that were attacking them, Ultron stomped him in the chest, breaking two more of his ribs, and making him cough blood.
- Where did you send the children to? - Asked Ultron.
- You can kill us now... Because we'll never tell you... - Pepper growled.
- No... I have plans for you.
- You'll never find the kids... - Dudley said.
- I do not have to... They will come to me because I have something they want.
- They don't know anything about the Infinity Gems... - Pepper snapped.
- I was not referring to the Mind Gem... - Ultron said and picked Pepper up. - Curious, without Cortana's protection, corrupting your armor is child's play.
Ultron let go of Pepper while the lights of her suit turned red, then the armor stood alone and grabbed Dudley by the shirt.
- Take them to Cybertron, along with everything they have here. - The android ordered.
- That won't work, Ultron... - Dudley said some sort of suit of armor assembled over him.
- Incorrect, the children have strong emotional ties to you, and that will be their doom. - The android replied in front of Dudley's face.
The dog growled in despair. Although he knew it was useless, he hoped that the children believed that he and Pepper were dead, but he immediately realized that this would only serve to make them look for revenge.
While some kind of helmet was placed and sealed in his suit, Dudley prayed to whatever deity that was still alive, that the children weren't stupid enough to seek revenge or to try to find them.