7. Doctor Eggman's Ultimatum
"Shadow, what do you think it's like on Earth?" Maria was pressed against the window in the observation room, staring out at the planet. It was a full Earth today, the entire visible portion glowing with reflected sunlight.
"The Professor said his life's work was dedicated to all of those who live down there. He once told that the reason for his existence was making people happy through the power of science."
"Shadow..." He could hear her voice so clearly in his mind.
"Maria...," he said silently to the girl in his memories, "I just don't know anything anymore... I often wonder why I was created; what my purpose is for being here. Maybe if I go down there, I... I will find the answers...maybe..." An old refrain that, from when both of them had been eager to journey to the planet that had seemed as magical as any fairyland. He gazed unseeing out the window, again remembering a day that was both a few weeks and a half century distant. But he had gone down there, and things had only become more confusing; he had to gather the Emeralds in for the Eclipse Cannon, he knew he had to do that, but he wasn't sure WHY...and every time he tried to catch the 'why' there was nothing there, just the certainty that things must be so. Maria... He missed his sister's presence desperately; even if she couldn't help him figure things out, her mere presence was reassuring and her smile could always raise his spirits.
"Why so melancholy?"
Shadow started as Rouge appeared behind him. Uncertain how to reply, he hesitated, but she continued, "That was so unexpected. So unlike you, Shadow, to come and rescue me. But your ability to use Chaos Control certainly comes in handy." She cast him a sly look as she came to stand beside him.
"Hmmm," said Shadow non-committally, returning his gaze to the window, "you know...I didn't come to save you. I came back for the Chaos Emeralds." Which wasn't the entire truth, but he didn't trust her yet.
"Yeah, yeah," Rouge brushed his remark away with the wave of a hand and the flip of a wing. "But then again, that's not the whole story, now, is it?"
Before he could answer, Dr. Eggman strolled into the room stretching his arms and neck and clearing his throat for attention. Looking at the pair of dokan, he announced, "Everything is ready to go!"
Rouge frowned slightly. "Are you sure? We only have six of the seven Chaos Emeralds, you know."
"That's more than enough for the demonstration," said Shadow, that strange certainty coming over him again. "So let's get this show on the road!" He strode towards the door, barely noticing Rouge's thoughtful glance or the startled doctor moving out of his way.
Back in the central control room, Shadow began the activation sequence for the Cannon, his fingers moving purposefully though the patterns Professor Gerald had shown him so long ago. Somehow it felt right, even though he knew this was not what the Professor had intended the Cannon for; it worried him slightly that he was so certain about this course of action, when he was so unsure of everything else. But it was too late to change his mind even if he'd wanted too; the plate bearing the Chaos Emeralds dropped out of sight down the central column. He looked over the edge of the narrow walkway around the computer. Way, way down he thought he could make out a faint glow as the Emeralds were positioned around the shrine. After a few moments a steadily rising hum indicated that the Eclipse Cannon was powering up and ready to be activated. Now Dr. Eggman stepped up to the computer.
Shadow only half-listened as the human made his speech, declaring himself the new ruler of the planet or some such thing. The hedgehog was watching one of the remaining remote cameras orbiting the ARK and feeling the shuddering of the asteroid-based colony itself as the shield of debris and meteorites that had hidden the face of the colony for decades shattered and dispersed. Then the stabilizing 'whiskers' that mimicked Gerald's (and his grandson's) moustache unfolded again into the light and briefly the face of the space colony was as Shadow had known it. But as the scientist pulled the activating lever, the central spire of the colony - the 'nose' if you will - split open like a flower, revealing for the first time the actual barrel of the most powerful laser cannon ever constructed. Then the colony abruptly spun off the side of the screen and out of sight; apparently one of the now scattering rocks had collided with the camera.
As the camera turned in space, the moon edged into view - then a truly incredible beam of blue-green light flared past from behind the camera and part of the moon blazed briefly red-hot, then exploded.
Shadow felt his jaw drop. He couldn't believe it - not the sheer power of the cannon, nor the fact that this human had actually blown a huge chunk out of the moon. You showed him the Eclipse Cannon, he reminded himself. You helped him get the Chaos Emeralds. What did you think he was going to do, blow up a car?
The doctor was busy with the communications equipment on one side of the computer console. Shadow regained his composure and kept his eyes on the remote camera's view, which was slowly rotating across the ARK's face again, then back to the moon. The molten glow was almost gone, but nearly a third of the sphere was missing. He blew up the moon. I just helped him blow up the moon! But there was a far worse undercurrent lurking at the edges of his consciousness. Why do I know that this is mere drop in the flood that's to come?
Something else wasn't right. Doctor Eggman was slamming his fist against the console and swearing. Shadow glanced around, noted that Rouge the bat was absent from the control room and asked "What's wrong, Doctor?"
"They're refusing. They want 'time to consider'. They don't believe I can do it again. Well, I'll show them...I'll charge the cannon back up and blast a piece out of the planet itself! How long, Shadow?" His fist slammed against the console again and snarled in frustration.
Rouge appeared before Shadow could respond, sashaying across the bridge with some sort of paper in one hand. "Why are you so upset? Well, that was really impressive. You managed to create complete havoc on the whole planet!" She looked to the human with an innocent, eager expression that Shadow suspected was as fake as it was ill-timed. "Does this now mean we control the planet and can do as we choose?"
"At this rate, the cannon will take too much time to charge up," Shadow spoke to the doctor, ignoring the bat. "If you want to unleash its full potential, you'll need all seven Chaos Emeralds."
Eggman rounded on Rouge, "Where in the world have you been!?" Shadow wasn't sure if the man had even heard him.
The bat blinked, looking curiously between the two males. "Has something happened?"
Eggman growled and swatted the console again. Shadow frowned at Rouge. "Our threats fell on deaf ears," he said smoothly.
Rouge accorded him the barest nod, then eyed Eggman stomping around the walkway with disdain. "Look at you, throwing a tantrum like a little kid. How embarrassing."
"Don't forget your end of the bargain, bat girl," the human snarled back at her. "What about the last Chaos Emerald!? We had a deal, right!? So where is my Emerald?"
"Here you go," she trilled immediately, "I found this!" She proffered the paper she was holding, which was now revealed to be a news printout. The doctor snatched it out of her hand.
"Why didn't you show me this before!? What's this...?" He scanned the paper rapidly. "'Station Square saved from a life-threatening missile attack. The city has awarded its famed prize to the boy who saved Station Square...'" From you wasn't it, Doctor? thought Shadow, as Eggman muttered his way through the article. Finally he cleared his throat and announced "This makes things a whole lot easier. Hurry, go back and find them fast! I want that Chaos Emerald!!" He strode across the bridge, climbed into his walker and entered the elevator.
The two dokan were left to their own thoughts as they waited for the lift to return; there wasn't room for them and the walker in the car. Shadow felt that strange ambivalence again. He dreaded what the Doctor was planning - someone, probably a lot of someones, were going to get hurt and he didn't know how to prevent it; but at the same time, something eagerly anticipated it. Revenge for all the innocents on the ARK, especially Maria. He saw it again, the terrifying flight down that final corridor...
"Did you get that?"
He glanced at Rouge, who wasn't quite facing him, standing with her head slightly cocked. Was she talking to me? There's no one else here. He didn't feel like answering her though. He twitched an ear and looked past her - the lift was returning. "Soon enough...Maria," he said softly, and walked towards the opening doors. He waited in the car, staring blankly at the wall. Rouge was saying something out there, he thought he caught his name...but then she joined him in the car and they rode down in silence.
