Welcome to the second part of Links in a Chain. To recap, the Great Forest Freedom Fighters have struck a piercing blow against Dr. Robotnik. The evil dictator's city of Robotropolis is so badly damanged he has gone to hiding behind the defensive barrier. With the threat of robot attack subdued for a time, Sonic and the others are going to make a long overdue trip to Sanctuary, the only Mobian city to never fall against Dr. Robotnik's forces.
Still, much has changed for the freedom fighters. Sally is still mutated and time is running out before the virus will enter its final stage. Even if the virus is stopped, how to turn Sally back to normal is still a mystery. How will the residents of Sanctuary take to seeing Sally, the heir to the throne, mutated. Wil our heroes try to capture the Mobile Fortress or will Dr. Robotnik bounce back from his humuliating defeat even more dangerous.
Each event will lead to another, each one just a link in the chain.
Part 2 Cracked Acorn and the Mobile Fortress
Chapter 10
A furious wind following in his wake, Sonic ran across the wastelands that surrounded the Great Forest, head gently bumping as he hummed a tune in his head. It had been about a week since they had really hit it hard to Robotnik, and the old chrome dome had been hiding behind his city's defensive barriers since. It was almost like the doctor had disappeared, and everyone was enjoying the sensation of not having a threat of a robot attack looming over their heads.
Sonic skidded around a corner before quickly flipping over and doing a hand spring, jumping down a well hidden hole and motoring through the tunnel before skidding to a stop in the small entry area of Knothole. Without even pausing a moment, the blue blur zipped up onto the bridge, looking around as he smiled. Everyone was bustling around, and for good reason. It wasn't often when they made a trip to Sanctuary, and a lot had to be prepared.
Sitting in the center of the area just in front of the freedom fighter headquarters was a large vehicle. It had once been one of Robotnik's air bombers, but it had gone down in the forest a few years back. Now, the air ship had its wings replaced with wheels, turning it into the only motorized vehicle in Knothole.
Knowing he'd get a few angry shouts if he blew through at full speed, Sonic went about tenth his max, zipping through the crowd that were swarmed around the transport, which Rotor had named the Rolling Thunder.
Even with such a large effort against Dr. Robotnik, every person in the village, official freedom fighter or not, had to do their part. Sanctuary gave each registered freedom fighter group a semi-annual budget. The city, since it was the one place where the old Mobian economics was still working, was basically paying to keep every freedom fighter group feed. Still, the money they were given could only be spent in the city and only on food.
Thus, since the city needed several supplies of its own that it couldn't obtain, a sort of trade economy had developed between the freedom fighter forces and the city of Sanctuary. It gave them food to keep fighting, and they could bring in different supplies, from scarp metal to even home grown food. Anything brought to the city could be traded for money that could then used to purchase anything desired. It allowed the city to thrive and allowed the freedom fighter groups, like the populace of Knothole, to have some more advanced tools and modern comforts.
Tails was standing on the back of the Rolling Thunder which had been gutted leaving a very large open storage place in the back for a cargo area. Every person or family in the village had something they had grown, made, or scavenge that they wanted sold in Robotropolis. They each also had some things they wanted to purchase with the money made from selling their items. Basically, it was a trip to the market for the entire village that only happened a few times every year.
Usually, Sally was the one that kept track of everything being loaded into the Rolling Thunder, but because of her recent mutation, the task had been delegated Tails, who was writing everything down diligently. Sonic quickly zipped up behind the two tailed fox, smiling and rubbing his head. "And how's my little buddy today?"
"Hey Sonic," He replied, laughing and glancing back at the blue blur. "I'm… I'm good."
Sonic's own smile weakened a little, knowing that Tails was still trying to come to terms with the fact that his father was the roboticized commander of the mobile fortress. Still, Sonic didn't push the issue, quickly asking, "So, what's the damage?"
"At this rate, we may even need to strap some things to the roof."
"No kidding, that much."
"With Dr. Robotnik and his armies hiding in Robotropolis, everyone's having us take more stuff along since there's isn't much chance of it being stolen."
"Way past cool." Sonic said, giving Tails a thumbs up. "Now, I got to go talk with Sal. You know where she is?"
"I think she's in the workshop with Rotor and Uno."
Sonic nodded, giving a foot a quick spin before zipping through the crowd and into the headquarters. In the past week it had been decided that they were going to try and seize control of the Mobile fortress, turning it against Dr. Robotnik. Still, such ambitious goal required a lot of planning. Rotor had been spending the week literally picking at Uno's brain, using his computer connection to search the vast amount of system information that was locked away in Uno's mind.
At that moment Uno was sitting on a table, most of the wires that were connected to his head connected to a number of different components in Rotor's lab. The technical minded walrus was sitting at his desk, typing out commands as he continued to search through the massive amount of files.
"Are you sure you can't tell us where to look Uno?" Sally asked, supervising the effort to find the plans for the mobile fortress.
"Yes, I'm sure. While I can access any of the information I know nothing of the actual filing system. Could you tell me where exactly in your brain you keep a memory or even the knowledge of your name?"
"No, I guess I can't, but if we're going to get my uncle to give us help attacking the fortress then we need to show him we have a solid plan, and we can't make that until we have the blue prints."
"If I may offer my assistance, Sally?"
The mutated princess blinked a few times, reaching into her vest and pulling out Nicole. The palm sized computer had been acting strangely all week. She sounded the same and did everything Sally asked of her, but she was also speaking up at weird times. That, and she was also doing things Sally hadn't asked of her, like offering her assistance.
"You think you can find the files Nicole."
"If they are present…"
Sally nodded, handing Nicole to Rotor, the walrus quickly connecting Nicole to one of Uno's free wires. Nicole's screen quickly began to flash, Sally and Rotor watching her while Uno stared off at the far wall, not enjoying the fact he had been sitting there for the past five hours. He could feel Nicole poking around in his head, strange memories or thoughts popping up inn his mind and Nicole opened files.
It was during the search that Sonic came zipping in, smiling as he skidded to a stop, "Whoa, Uno, that's some bed head you've got. Ever think about tying back all those wires."
Uno didn't reply, ignoring Sonic's usual attempt at humor as he prayed that Nicole would finally find the file Rotor had spent hours looking for. Still, while Uno brooded Sally drew Sonic's attention, "We're you able to find the mobile fortress?"
"I checked out the flatlands between New Haven and Robotropolis, just like you asked/ It looks like Dr. Robotnik doesn't want it going anywhere, that walking tin can is hunkered down and surrounded by bolt brains."
"At least we don't have a moving target, but if it's defended like that then we'll definitely need the help of Sanctuary to get through. Not only does Robotnik have some of his newest robot designs in that army, the mobile fortress is loaded with weapons. We'd have to at least disable the anti-ground defenses before we could even think about getting close."
"Don't worry Sal, when you've got me and I've got a power ring, nothing stands a chance."
"I applaud your confidence, but I'd like to stay on the safe side if you wouldn't mind." Sally replied, "How are things going outside?"
"Tails says that we might have to actually strap some stuff on the roof, but from the size of the crowd I'd say we're pretty close to being loaded up."
"Good, I'd like to get out of here before sunset so that we can arrive in Sanctuary by tomorrow morning."
"Now, are you sure you want to go with us Sally?" Rotor asked, "I don't think many people are going to see you, the heir to the throne, like this."
"I have to talk with my uncle if we're going to get help from the city's defense forces. Besides, I thought you were working on something to at least make me normal sized again."
Rotor nodded, turning and grabbing something off his work bench. It was a silver toned bracelet with a small yellow sphere attached to one side. "It uses some of Robotnik's size manipulation technology. It should be able to shrink you down to your old size, though you'd still have basically the same body. I mean, it would be able to do that but I've never been able to figure how to program the blast thing."
"Um, Rotor, would you mind…" Uno asked, holding out his hand. Rotor blinked a few times, and then gently smacked his head as he realized that Uno could quickly program almost anything. After passing the bracelet to Uno the wolf held out his other hands, the claw like wires sticking out the back of his hand hooking into the bracelet. He closed his eyes for a moment, lost in concentration before opening them up and unhooking himself.
"You've used a status lock technology for the size manipulation effect, which I find a little surprising. Still, it should work now as it's designed. Why didn't you implement a more permanent feedback loop to allow for the effects to linger even after the bracelet was removed?"
"I didn't have the focusing rotor for a permanent effect system, and it would have required a system to reverse the effect and I barely had the parts to build this."
"Would you two mind talking English?" Sonic asked, not enjoying the fact he was a little lost in the conversation.
"While Sally wears the bracelet, she can press these two buttons to shrink down or return to this size, but if she takes the bracelet off she'll quickly snap back to this size."
"Now why didn't you just say that in the first place?" Sonic asked as Rotor handed the bracelet to Sally. Still, Rotor and Uno ignored Sonic's question as Sally gently pressed the buttons on the Bracelet. With a smile she quickly began to shrink in size, eventually returning to her normal height though still remaining fairly mutated.
"Her arm and leg proportions have changed." Rotor noted, a little surprised.
"Sorry, I did that. I was trying to get her torso and head back to their original size and make sure her arms and legs weren't so disproportioned."
"You can actually do that with that kind of size manipulation system."
Uno nodded, "You just have to introduce a modulation frequency into the core compartment to…"
"Come on Sal," Sonic whispered, grabbing one of her four hands, "Let's zip out of here and leave the two tech geeks to talk."
Sally smiled and nodded, letting Sonic quickly zip her away and outside. To say the least Tails was happy to see her back to at least normal size, as were many other people in the village. Two of which were slowly walking up, carrying boxes of their own stuff.
"It's good to see you're not as tall as you used to be, Sugah." Bunnie said, setting down her own box.
"Ya, now you don't have to ride outside." Knuckles commented, drawing a cold glare from Bunnie and a small laugh from Sally. Still, Tails changed the subject of the conversation, moving towards Knuckles and peering into his box.
"What have you got Knuckles?"
"Oh, just some stuff I've been collecting that I think the museum in Sanctuary would be interested in."
Tails reached into the box, eyes widening a little as he drew out something that looked like a stone statue. "Cool"
"Where did you find that Knuckles?"
"You'd be surprised what you can find when you're walking on a road, and I've been out to so many of the other cities that I've had plenty of chances to collect some stuff. This actually came from the Southern edge of the wastelands, from about half a year ago."
"What have you got Bunnie?" Sonic asked, his own curiosity starting to perk.
"Oh, just some things I've snagged from old junk heaps that are rusting in Robotnik's junk yard. Rotor told me what parts the mechanics in Sanctuary are running low on so that I knew what to look for. It's nothing we can use, but he says their essential components to some of their defensive system."
Sonic laughed a little, pulling out a Robotic eye and turning it over between his thumb and forefinger. "Well, I hope they keep an EYE out for the good stuff."
The others shook their head, ignoring Sonic's weak attempt at word play. Back in the lab, Rotor had gone to get himself something to eat, leaving Uno sitting alone in the workshop while Nicole searched his mind for the mobile fortress plans. The white wolf really wasn't paying much attention, his own stomach grumbling from the fact that he missed lunch.
"If you are hungry you should have asked Rotor to bring you something back."
Uno turned his attention to Nicole, the palm-sized computer still processing the search but, at the same time, finding enough free CPU power to do other things.
"And just how do you know I'm hungry."
"I'm connected to you, so I know everything you are thinking."
"That's a comforting thought." Uno replied.
"Sarcasm, a very interesting thought pattern. Updating system logs…"
"What exactly are you updating?"
"Myself" Nicole replied, a second progress bar appearing on her screen. "I am an adaptive, artificial intelligence. Programmed to not only to assist Sally but also to grow and adapt based on the computer systems I have been connected to."
"So… you're updating yourself with things from my head."
"Yes and no. The Mobian brain is the most powerful computer ever created, not only processing thoughts and actions but also having the ability to create and think critically about complicated concepts. As per my programming, I am to improve myself whenever connected to a system with a superior software or system design. So, while I am not copying things from your mind, I am analyzing how your thoughts operate so I can update myself, allowing me to better simulate a true, natural Mobian intelligence."
"Great, so I'm the reason Sally thinks you've got a bug. Trust me Nicole, there are better minds you could try and simulate then mine. I've been treated as a computer component most of my life, not like a true Mobian."
"But that makes you a perfect hybrid system. While still possessing your creative, natural mind your thoughts and memories are organized in a computer like fashion. As one might put it in metaphorical literature, you are a stepping stone between humanity and A.I intelligence."
"Great, going from a CPU to a stepping stone. I'm really moving up in the world."
"Yes, such a great improvement."
Uno glanced at Nicole, eyeing the computer wearily. "Was that…"
"An attempt at sarcasm… yes, was it successful?"
"Mildly"
"Noting result of sarcasm attempt and will analyze to allow for better use in future situations."
Uno just groaned a little, bending forward and letting his head hang down low as he usually did when he had a headache. Not only was a computer sifting through his head like a hard drive, but he was talking with Nicole about how successful her attempt in sarcasm was. Things were so much simpler back in Robotropolis.
It was when the sun starting to near the far horizon that everyone finished loading their things onto the transport ship. With a little rearranging Tails had gotten everything tucked away inside, even with just a little room to spare on other things. Nicole had also managed to locate and download the blueprints for the mobile fortress from Uno's mind.
With all their preparations complete, it was time to head out. Sitting in the cockpit of the Rolling Thunder was Sally at the steering wheel, Rotor at navigation, with Bunnie, Knuckles, Tails, Uno, and Antoine in the passenger seats. Sonic was outside, standing by a control consol near the edge of the city.
To get such a large vehicle out of the forest, the freedom fighters had to use their launch tunnel. It was a fairly large passage that had been dug to the Wastelands just outside the forest. It was usually never used, since the size of the tunnel would allow Robotnik to send a huge army of robots right into the heart of Knothole. Still, it also could act as an emergency exit, wide enough to allow everyone to get out of Knothole fairly quickly in case of emergency.
Sonic tapped his foot, waiting impatiently. Finally, Sally gave him a thumbs up and Sonic pulled the lever on the nearby consol. Slowly, the rock wall boarder on the side of Knothole began to slide back, revealing a long wide passage with a gentle tilt upward. After a few moments the Rolling Thunder began to move forward, its engines grumbling gently. Once the ship was all the way into the access tunnel Sonic pushed the level up, speeding in before the doors shut and racing to the other end.
After reaching the far end of the tunnel Sonic found a second lever, and upon pulling it the end of the passage began to shift, opening up onto the Wastelands. With the sign of light at the end of the tunnel, Sally and Rotor made a few final adjustments before throttling up the engines. With a lurch the ship began to charge down the tunnel, soaring the air for a moment as it left, before landing on the sands and speeding away.
Sonic smiled, quickly pushing the lever to shut the door and slipping out, his amazing speed allowing him to catch up with the Rolling Thunder in a few seconds. The door in the back of transport began to open, allowing Sonic to jump inside. Once the door was shut and Sonic was in his seat, Sally and Rotor pushed the transport to full throttle, a sonic boom cutting through the air as the ship charged across the land, nearly matching Sonic's famous speed.
Beneath the energy barrier of Robotropolis, every maintenance bot worked tirelessly to repair the city, all other functions shut down as they tried to reassemble key structure from scratch, and on already drained power grid. Still, in the citadel, Dr. Robotnik took little concern in the reassembly of his city or the reconstruction of his armies. He was instead hidden away, in the darkness of his private lab.
With only a few giant computer screens and a few small ceiling lamps to illuminate his task, Dr. Robotnik worked. On the digital monitors, security footage kept running back and forth, Dr. Robotnik studying everything precisely. In front of him, on the work bench, were a large set of complex plans. He gently drew a line on the page with one hand, filling in technical details before looking back up at the screen.
"Core, switch to interior scanning software and zoom in on quadrant six in the center image."
"Yes, Dr. Robotnik." Core echoed, the screen soon reflecting the doctor's wishes. He studied the screen closely, his devilish eyes furrowed in a perpetual, hateful glare. The designs were ingenious, but copying them would not be enough. For what he wanted, he needed to improve upon and them. Still, before upgrades could be made he first have to finish reverse engineering the designs that took his technology and used it in ways he had never imagined.
"Doctor"
"What is it Core? I specifically asked for no interruptions."
"My apologies, but satellites have detected large, supersonic object has departed the Great Forest and his heading in the direction of the Mobian city."
"Hmm, those foolish rodents must think that just because they beat me once I am no longer a threat, risking themselves on a trip to their precious Sanctuary. No matter, even their sacred city will soon fall beneath the footstep of my machines, my precious machines."
"Also, Dr. Robotnik, you wanted a report on the other cities."
"Yes, what is the status of the rest of my empire?"
"Most smaller settlements are in the same state they were in upon last full empire diagnostic. There is one small city near the Northern Boarder where the freedom fighters who have been hiding in the Grimtooth Valley have started pushing against the defenders. If we do not send reinforcements there is a high probability the city will be lost."
"If those filthy rebels want it back so bad, we should just give it to them."
"Sir?"
"Order all robots in all boarder cities to fall back in the inner ring settlements, and to begin operation Nexus."
"Sir, we cannot begin operation Nexus in the empires current state. There are too few resources and processing plants to sustain such a…."
"That is why I want all the boarder cities stripped." Dr. Robotnik interrupted, "Gut them for what ever components we need. Tear them apart. I want Operation Nexus underway, no matter what the cost."
"Yes, Dr. Robotnik. I will send word to command systems all settlements outside the inner defensive ring are to be scraped and gutted, all viable components to be used in operation Nexus. Any other orders sir?"
"Just alter all inner ring robotic governors that they must direct all of their available forces into the project and that they should also initiate all high level defense protocals."
"Yes sir, sending commands. Will begin coordinating Project Nexus immediately."
"Very good," Dr. Robonik said, smiling as he continued to work on his technical designs. "I shall be rid of that hedgehog and all the freedom fighters, one way or another."
Back on the Rolling Thunder, Rotor had taken the wheel of the rocket propelled transport. The landscape outside was zipping by, the transport having locked onto the guided road, a last remnant of the once advanced railway system that stretched the entire kingdom. Dr. Robotnik had destroyed most of the rails outside his control, not wanting them to be used by the freedom fighter. Still, key rails had been repaired, allowing clear paths for transports like the Rolling Thunder to travel on.
Rotor yawned, shaking his head a little as he continued to keep an eye on the ship. Everyone one else was snoozing gently in their seats, except for Sally and Uno. After Rotor a had relieved her of her duties driving the Rolling Thunder, the mutated princess had tried to get some sleep. Still, after about an hour she got out of her seat, gently waking up Uno before guiding him back into the cargo hold, the expression on her face cold and serious.
"What do you want to talk about Sally?" Uno groaned, not enjoying the fact he had been waken up and then forced to stumble around in the back of the ship.
"There are a number of things I need to ask you, things I don't want the others to know about."
"And why couldn't this wait till morning?"
"Sonic and everyone else is asleep right now. If I wait till morning, there is always a chance Sonic or someone else can step in unannounced, and I don't want to risk that.
Uno yawned, shaking his head as he took a seat on a cargo crate. "What are the questions then?"
"The first is about the Roboticizer, the chamber based one's Dr. Robotnik has been using since he first attacked Mobotropolis. Rotor was studying the plans but… something wasn't right. He had me take a look at them, and since then I've locked the plans in a safe only I know the combination to."
"Why don't I like where this is going?"
Sally ignored Uno's weary tone, "The Roboticizer turns flesh into mechanical parts, but the way it's designed it would take to much power to turn a single Mobian directly into a robot. I've seen the plans… but I need to be sure. How does Dr. Robotnik work around the issue of system power. ?"
Uno shifted, looking away as his memory of Robotnik's network kicked in. "Please…Uno," Sally pressed, knowing full well the partially metallic wolf had the answer.
"If you have seen the plans you already know the answer."
"But I need to know for sure. Plans can be misread."
Uno took in a deep breath, finding it difficult to even be in the same room as Sally let alone look in her direction. "The work around for the high energy requirements is the Roboticizer turns components of a Mobian's body into robotic systems a piece at a time. First the legs, then the arms, then the torso, then the head. This allows for much lower power consumption and the installation of the suppression software."
"And what about the physical design?"
"I assume you are referring to the laser saws."
Sally nodded, leaning in. "Yes".
"To…" Uno began, only to pause as he felt his courage starting to fail under Sally's expectant stare. She already knew the answer, it was clear by the expression on her face. She just wanted him to say it, to prove she was right, but even that was difficult. "Uh…… why must the world outside be so difficult."
"Uno…"
Uno nodded, "Yes, as you have probably discerned from the chamber's blueprints to Roboticize a Mobian using the design takes three steps. First is a preparation step, where the body is fed a special compound that causes it to naturally integrate with any robotic components. The second is… far more gruesome."
"Is it why Bunnie can't remember what happened when she was being roboticized, why we hear such horrible screams when it happens?"
"Yes, for in a true display of his malice Dr. Robotnik doesn't implement any system to numb the body during the second stage. Whoever goes through the roboticizer endures every step in full agony, with nothing to dull the pain of having…"
"No," Sally said, shaking her head as she stepped back, leaning against a stack of crates. She pressed her hand against her face, eyes closed. Silence passed, but slowly Sally sunk down to the ground, sitting on the floor with her back against the crates. They were all so naïve, so ignorant to the true depths of Robotnik's evil. Still, now the truth was out, and it had been haunting her dreams the past few nights. She would wake up in a cold sweat, her mind and imagination taking the truth and warping it into something much worse.
"I am sorry," Uno ventured, the silence in the back of the transport becoming unbarable.
"I can't believe Charles would design something like this."
"Well, to clarify, the designs you've been reading have been for Dr. Robonik's adaptation of the original roboticizer designed by Sir Charles Hedgehog. His didn't need to implement such… drastic measures because he was able to boost the energy in the system by using power rings, a technology Dr. Robotnik has not yet been able to replicate."
"Have… have you seen it?" Sally asked, letting her head hang down as she let her top two arms rest on her knees while her other, lower pair just laid sprawled out on the floor.
"There are camera's built into the chamber… they are on a constant recording feed. The doctor watches them on the odd occasion, but they still run… all the time."
Sally opened her eyes at this, looking at Uno sitting there. He had turned away, looking off into the distance. "You've… you've seen them all…"
"If someone was roboticized in the city, then yes… I saw it happen, saw their silent screams."
Sally just shook her head, closing her eyes as a heavy silence settled between her and Uno. The truth, it explained so much. Why were the ones who escaped partially roboticized unable to remember what happened? Why did such horrible screams come from the chamber? Why had all their attempts to reverse the process had failed? Each question answered by the unspoken truth, the one both Uno and Sally knew but couldn't bring to the surface, as if merely uttering the words would poison the air.
It was a simple truth. Due to the power required to roboticize flesh using the chambers original technology, the subject had to be roboticized in parts. In the journals Dr. Robotnik had explored numerous ways of fixing this, but had instead settled on something very simple for him but truly evil for the people being Roboticized.
After being pumped with a prepping liquid the chamber would initialize a set of laser saws. With no pain killers, no warning or mercy, the machine used the laser saws to dismember the subject. Both arms and legs were sliced off, separated from their body. And, as the person sat squirming and writhing in pain, the chamber roboticized each individual limb. Once an arm or leg was roboticized and suppression software had been installed, the part was reattached to the body. This was another terrible step in the process, the fusing of technology with the person's nervous system known to be an excruciatingly painful process, maybe even more then getting the limb cut off.
The final part of it was the worse, as the person's head was temporarily removed so that the torso, while still connected to the other body parts, was roboticized. The head was then reattached, the prepping stage of the process allowing the living flesh to graft itself to the mechanical components. Then, it was all but over as the person's head was transformed into a mass of metal and circuitry, their spirit and free will getting shackled by the suppression software.
"Uno, can I ask… How did Bunny survive the process with only three of her limbs roboticized?"
"From my memory of robotizaiton records and what I've learned about that incident, it's because she was being roboticized by an experimental mobile unit. To operate on its smaller power supply, it had to severe and re-attach each limb one at a time. Sonic had just been lucky he stopped the process when he did, before her other arm could be removed."
"And, is it truly possible to de-roboticize anyone that's been through the original chamber."
"Turning mechanical components into living flesh is possible, we have seen it done by the Roboticizer Cannon. The process of the original chamber is what cannot be reversed so easily. If a robot was disassembled and then deroboticized in pieces, as in the design of the chamber roboticizer, then there would be no way to reconnect the living components."
Sally groaned, pounding her fist against a crate in aggravation, "That was one of our biggest goals, that once Dr. Robotnik was gone we would turn everyone back to normal. But… if the process can't be reversed…."
"Sally," Uno began, "There… there was some preliminary research done on a de-roboticizer that was scrapped. It never even entered the theoretical phase, but… If you want… I can at least research the project's feasibility."
"Does it really have a chance of turning everyone back to normal?"
"I cannot say for sure, but… if you will allow me, I will try my best to develop the process. I was forced to watch so many Mobians become roboticized, I… I want to help you turn them back to normal. It is the least I can do… to pay you all back for helping me escape Dr. Robotnik. To repay the sins I have helped him commit."
"Whatever Dr. Robotnik's done, you can't blame yourself for any of it Uno. Still, I'll gladly accept any help you can give. But, until you have good news, promise me you won't talk to anyone else about this. If everyone found out that there may not be a way to reverse the Roboticization process, then the freedom fighters may fall apart at the seems. The hope of seeing our friends and family again, as flesh and bone Mobian, is a driving force behind the Freedom Fighters. If that hope left...."
"The contents of this conversation shall not be repeated to anyone." Uno replied, drawing a small smile from Sally. After staying with the mutated princess for a few minutes Uno went back to the front of the ship to go back to sleep. Sally remained seated against the boxes of cargo in the back of the ship, staring up at the ceiling.
They all had people dear to them. Friends, family, mentors, every Freedom Fighter possessing a large group of people that they wanted to save, that they were fighting for. Sure, they were fighting to save Mobius, but that was the goal of the Freedom Fighters as a whole. For each one they had a dream of being with their friends again, to see their mom and dad. Even Sonic, who wanted nothing more then to have his Uncle Chuck and his dog, Muttski back.
But the knowledge that the roboticization process may be irreversible… it was almost too much to bear. When Sally first realized the truth, even she was tempted to give up the fight. Her deepest wish, however, was different then most freedom fighters. It wasn't a question about wanting to have her father back, but to just know what happened. To know the full story, the real truth. Still, Sally now dreaded the day if or when she had to tell everyone that there was no such thing as a de-roboticizer.