Chapter 19: Dangerous Chao
The meeting lasted over an hour. The gist of it went as follows:
Silver and Blaze were in Prower Tower, receiving a very engaging tale from the head of Prower Global Enterprises. Lady Veronica Prower explained all about how chao all around the world were at the brink of complete extinction due to a rare and extremely dangerous virus that exclusively targeted the adorable gelatinous lifeforms. Her story was all the more believable for the complicated diagrams and authentic-looking stacks of research reports that she placed on the table before the pair, knowing full well that neither one would have the opportunity to actually read any of the material. The main point, as the Lady put forth, was that the only way to produce an effective cure for the impending viral outbreak was to locate the purest strain of chao in existence.
Silver asked what was meant by 'pure' chao, and any observer would be happy he did, since that had never been properly explained aloud by this point.
"It's about the affinity principle," said Veronica, in a teacher's voice. "As chao come into contact with other life-forms they draw affinity from the creature and adapt themselves to match certain defining traits. Although chao do not evolve, they do abandon some slight element of their natural selves every time they undergo an adaptive transformation. Don't worry, it would take millions of years of constant change for any chao to deplete its reserves of self. However, because chao constantly interact with their environment, it is almost impossible to find a 'pure' strain of chao that has never been drained of self."
"But you've found this strain, haven't you?" Silver asked.
"Indeed we have. There is a cave in northern china that leads to an underground natural chao garden. Unfortunately, the reason why these chao are kept free from interference is also the reason why we cannot reach them."
"If you can't reach them, then how do you know they're there at all?" the ever suspicious Blaze inquired.
"Good question," said Veronica nodding approvingly. "The truth is that my researchers have been allowed the privilege of taking advantage of PGE's satellite network during their search. Scanning the entire planet for one specific faint energy trace would have been an impossible task even twenty years ago, and even with the cutting edge technology employed by my company, the odds were very low. Nevertheless, we found them. The energy signal has been broken down again and again to make certain, until there was now doubt at all that this hidden chao garden contains what we need to save the entire chao species from extinction."
"I see."
"If I may continue... As I was saying, the reason we cannot reach these chao is because they are protected by a deadly force that has so far claimed the lives of every single person who has entered the cave that leads to the chao garden. For the sake of preventing more deaths, we put all our resources towards discovering what was responsible for the slaughter. The findings were disturbing, to say the least." Veronica looked hard at each of the super-powered animaloids in turn. "I trust you know about Dark Chao, chao that absorb negative personality traits and twist their form to match? Yes. Imagine chao that strayed into a domain of everlasting darkness, where thousands of innocent people were worked to death, and their tormented spirits remain trapped for eternity..."
Lady Veronica Prower looked out of the corner of her eye for a second, then continued in a more normal tone of voice.
"It sounds like a silly ghost story, but the archaeologists working the site surrounding the cave have found more than enough evidence to substantiate the theory. Before China was united, when constantly-warring factions fought for control of the region, a particularly nasty warlord whose name has been lost to history attempted to construct a monument, a grave, actually, that would stand strong until the end of time, keeping him safe from the clutches of death. You know the old story. Thousands of slaves died in the construction of the sanctuary, and as fate would have it the warlord himself was killed in battle, ending his dynasty, and putting a full stop to the grand work he ordered. Now, as civilised modern individuals, we know that supernatural occurrences do happen from time to time."
Silver and Blaze nodded. Every couple of years some ancient evil or dark god emerged and wrought havoc before being destroyed by the many heroes of Earth. Even the two of them had fought and defeated one or two in their career.
"Ghosts. Perhaps. Whatever phantasms haunt that old cave, what matters is that the chao that strayed from the innermost chao garden drew affinity from something evil and extremely dangerous. They are only Second Stage chao, yet their violent nature surpasses any Third Stage Devil Chao. The only benefit is that these 'Super-Dark Chao' have acquired a sensitivity to light that prevents them from being able to leave the darkness of the cave. They cannot reach daylight or the illumination offered by the chao garden that their ancestors came from. We cannot use toxins effective against chao to fight those monsters, in case we might accidentally endanger the pure strain that has to be recovered at all costs."
"I get what you're saying," said Silver, who really did. "You want the two of us to go into that cave and get those pure strain chao for you."
"Not quite," Veronica responded, showing that Silver didn't after all. "If either of you got too close to the chao garden, the chao would react to you and the point of the effort would be ruined. No, what we need the two of you to do is to clear a path through the cave so that PGE's scientists can collect the chao in proper containers. Miss. Blaze, as a pyrokinetic, you can generate light to harm and frighten the chao monsters, whereas you Mr. Silver can keep them at bay with your psychokinesis. The Super-Dark Chao are not cowardly creatures. The researchers who attempted to carry strong lights with them for protection were killed nonetheless. The blood-lust of the monsters is greater than the fear and pain they feel from anything that interrupts the complete darkness of their lair."
Silver and Blaze looked at each other.
"You will of course be greatly compensated for your efforts," Veronica added.
There was a brief exchange of whispers, then Blaze nodded. "We'll take the job," she said.
"Excellent! Oh, there is one tiny little problem," said Lady Veronica Prower.
"What's that?"
"You're both carrying Chaos Emeralds. Now, don't look at me like that. The security of this building is state-of-the-art. The scanners you went through on your way to my office were designed to detect anything out of the ordinary, and I'm sure you'll both agree that Chaos Emeralds are about as far from ordinary as anything could be."
"Why are the Chaos Emeralds a problem?" Silver asked.
"The god-like monster that destroyed Station Square two centuries ago was created from a reaction between the Chaos Emeralds and a chao, as I'm sure you both know. Would you take the risk of having a Super-Dark Chao draw power from a Chaos Emerald? There really is no telling what might happen."
"She has a point," said Silver reluctantly.
"I agree," said Blaze aloud, walking closer to her partner, then whispered in his ear "but leaving the Emeralds with her people would be a really bad idea."
"When you are ready, you may use any of the company teleporters stored in this building to travel directly to the base camp from where you will be escorting my people into the cave," said Veronica. "Feel free to take whatever time you need to safely dispose of those Emeralds, but I would prefer if you departed today."
The rest of the meeting was for sorting out the formalities. It was an official job, so there were papers to sign and things to sort out, as always. As soon as the two heroes has left, Veronica whipped out her cell phone and spoke a name, which activated the voice-operated speed dial function.
"Lars, tag the two leaving my office and send word to Jedo that there's a gift horse coming his way. Once he delivers the last two Emeralds, kill him as messily as possible and leave the body in plain view. Evidence of his crimes will arrive in the hands of the police in time to recognise his death as a natural cause and effect within the criminal underworld. Sad state of affairs, really. Goodbye."
Why the chameleon believed that story about being set free with erased memories was beyond her. It would be a waste of resources just to tie up so messy a loose end.
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End of Chapter 19.