Disclaimer: I don't own Megaman X, any of its people, places or things. I do own My character Cyrus and any other character I make up as this story progresses.

Chapter 4: Return to Base

After the incident in the Ride Armor storage facility Axle, X and Zero made their way to the maintenance room. X supported the limping Axle as Zero walked along side them. They conversed as they walked down the hallway.

"So who do you think that was?" X asked no one in particular. "I've never seen anyone like that, do you think they were a Maverick?"

"Definitely," Axle answered weakly. "No way a Hunter would steal a Ride Armor and drill it through the wall X, she was a Maverick for sure."

"So it was a woman…" X thought out loud. "I was hoping it wasn't, I really don't want to fight a woman."

"Who cares if it's a man or a woman," Zero chimed in. "A Maverick's a Maverick, she's goin' down. I can't wait to see her again so I can fight her."

"Zero…"

"Don't be soft X. If that woman is a Maverick, then the next time we meet I'm taking her on and taking her down."

"She's got to have her reasons."

"Shut up X, that's bull."

"Either way," Axle interrupted before their argument could continue any further. "She's gotta be stopped, trust me though, she's a formidable foe." He motioned to the sparking cut on his back. "We've gotta be on our guard the next time we face her."

The three Maverick Hunters finally made it to the door of the maintenance room. Zero opened it and let X and Axle walk in first, then followed.

Two young women and a little girl were gathered around two long operation tables, looking at something. One was slightly shorter than X and had blond hair. She wore a red skirt with black trim and a red vest with white long sleeves, a triangle design was on her shirt. The other girl wore a light blue skirt with a white top and had peach colored hair. The little girl had short blond hair and wore a nurse's hat. She had long white boots with a black skirt and top. She also had two wings on her back that had a butterfly design on them, she was the shortest of the three girls.

"Cinnamon," X called as he walked up to the smallest girl, supporting Axle's weight. "We had a little…incident in the training facility, is it something you can fix?"

Cinnamon looked up at X, her eyes brimming with tears.

"…What did you say…" she asked her voice shaking. "I…I'm sorry X, I've…well we've got a lot on our minds right now."

"What exactly do you mean by-"

"What the hell!?"

X looked over at the two tables behind Cinnamon. Zero was standing with the two other women, staring down at the two people who were lying on the operation tables.

"Let's go X." Axle said, "Let's go see what's going on."

"Right."

Axle and X inched over to the two tables. X gasped when he saw two bodies lying on them motionlessly.

"Lair, Alia…" X whispered under his breath. He and Axle were at a loss for words as they looked at the two former navigators lifeless bodies. Their expressions were empty and their bodies were stiff.

"We…we just found them like this," the peach haired one muttered. "Me and Nana were coming back from an easy navigation mission, we just mapped out some new terrain. Anyway, we came through the back way and saw them just lying here."

"Yes…" the blond one agreed monotonely. "We…we've been trying to bring them back."

"Is there any way to bring them back Nana?" Axle asked the blond. Nana made no action to a response. The peach haired girl began to speak as tears trailed down her cheeks.

"We…they're central cores are destroyed. What ever attacked them pierced their core, we have no way of recovering that data. The only thing we can do is make another core, but that won't have their same memories and personalities, it'll just be another person in their bodies!"

"Pallet…" X murmured, he had nothing else to say.

Zero had a look of disgust on his face as he looked down at the lifeless reploids. He clenched the hilt of his Z Saber as tightly as he could, trying to with hold his burning rage. Finally, he couldn't hold it in any longer.

"Damn it!" he shouted.

Everyone stared at Zero in shock, he didn't notice.

"Don't you guys get it, it's that same Maverick. That same Maverick that stole our Ride Armor and cut Axle, the same one that was gonna fight X. She broke in here through the back way and killed them both!"

"Calm down Zero, we-"

"Shut up X!" Zero spat. X backed down, not wanting to test his friend's patience.

"When we meet her again, she's going down. I'm not holding back. That Maverick is dead the moment I lay eyes on her."

With that Zero stormed out of the room. X sighed as he looked down at Cinnamon.

"Well Cinnamon, can you heal Axle?"

"Yes," Cinnamon replied weakly. "Bring him over here please."

"Sure."

X brought Axle over to Cinnamon's small nursing center in the corner of the maintenance room. After setting everything up, she began healing the wounded reploid.

"I hope for that Maverick's sake, she doesn't run into Zero." X said. "If she does, there'll be nothing but scrap metal left of her."

"Same goes here." Axle said sharply. "I'm with Zero, if I see that maverick again, she's toast."

"I suppose so." X agreed. "If we see her again, she's done for. There's no forgiving her after this."

Cyrus rode through a robot junkyard, absent mindedly drilling through pieces of garbage. She dashed through the rugged terrain until she finally got back to the Maverick Base. She rode through the long hallway of the base until she reached the strategy room. She got out of the armor, knocked on the door and waited for a response.

The door opened. Silva stood before Cyrus, his eyes glaring at the smaller woman.

"Let her come in Silva."

Silva cringed as he moved out of the way, allowing the petite woman to enter.

"Yes Master Sigma."

Silva stood next to Cyrus. He slowly bowed to his knee, Cyrus however did no such thing. Silva glared at her.

"Bow down to Master Sigma girl." Silva spat through gritted teeth. "Show him some-"

"I don't care Silva." Sigma said sharply. He looked at Cyrus hopefully.

"Did you complete your mission Cyrus?"

"Yes Master Sigma." Cyrus walked out of the room and walked to the Ride Armor. Sigma smiled wickedly.

"Excellent, excellent my dear. Your everything I thought you would be."

"Yes Master Sigma." She replied, not commenting on the compliment he had given her. "What should I do with this suit of Ride Armor Master?"

"Keep it." Sigma said instantly. "It's a reward for your success. Now my dear Cyrus, time for phase 2."

"What is phase 2 Master Sigma."

"Phase 2, is to destroy X and Zero. I want you to track them down when their on some stupid mission and kill them."

"Yes Master Sigma. May I return to the laboratory?"

"Of course Cyrus, you need to rest. Be prepared for your mission tomorrow. Failure is not an option for you."

"Yes Master Sigma."

Cyrus left the room. Sigma turned to the bowing Silva and waved to him.

"Leave Silva."

"Yes Master Sigma."

Silva left, closing the door behind him. He snickered evilly as a plan formed in his mind.

"I'll just…tag along on that little mission of Cyrus'. I'll tag along…and make sure she fails."

Author's Note: Yes, I'm adding Cinnamon and Nana, because I love them so! The three girls in this story are gonna be these three, so get used to it! I don't care if I'm mixing games!