Preface: Contains light spoilers for Mega Man Recut Season 1, and begins several billion years prior to any of the other seasons.

Mega Man Recut takes place in a parallel, cartoon-like retro universe that resembles Earth, but in no way should be confused by our Earth. As such, events in real Earth history may be changed or omitted. Enjoy!

Mega Man Recut Origins: Duo

Before the beginning and after the end, there existed only two forces: life, and its destructive opposite, evil.

From the center of the universe a series of metallic lifeforms, each formed of the same mold and enveloped by the bright cyan energy that powered them, set out in opposite directions. Their mission was to travel from star to star, constantly searching for life to protect and evil energy to destroy.

One of these metallic beings, after traveling far and long, crossed through an empty section of the universe, far from life and help. Weakened and alone, his energy diminishing to nothing, and he no longer glowed like a bright cyan flame. He drifted without destination until he came to the edge of a large, spiraling galaxy where a young golden star lay, orbited by nine planets.

There, he was found by a group of metallic beings of hyper intelligence like himself who inhabited this distant solar system. Identifying themselves as the Stardroids, they took him in, repaired his systems, and his cyan energy burned brightly again. The Stardroids did not know of the evil he searched for, but they showed him the planets. Each Stardroid acted as a guardian over a planet, but they all took special care of the third planet of water, for it thrived with the beginnings of organic life. Then they brought him to the guardian of the golden star, called Sunstar, who protected all life in this galaxy.

Sunstar was older than the Stardroids and knew what their visitor of cyan energy was, held his purpose in high esteem, and invited him to stay in this galaxy for as long as he wished. But the visitor's programming urged him to continue searching for evil energy, so he left Sunstar and the Stardroids, promising to return to their solar system once his prime function had been fulfilled.

Ages past. The universe grew, but became emptier, colder, and vaster. Many forms of life disappeared from the stars, dying out as quickly as they began.

He was the only one of his series left. Like him, the rest had fallen from the toil of time and space travel, but he was the only one to encounter lifeforms capable of repairing his systems. The others had faded out. Though he had never met the others, he could always sense their presence over any distance, and through their loss, he became overcome with emptiness.

As he drifted through cold and distant stars, he began thinking more and more of Sunstar and the Stardroids. He had been searching through galaxies long past the estimated period of his duration. With no life left to protect, his purpose had become void. Having no further instructions, he decided to return to the one solar system where life had succeeded, and assist the metallic lifeforms who had saved his life by guarding it.

Using his memory as guide, he traveled back to the large, spiraling galaxy, until finally, the familiar golden star lay ahead, brighter and larger than his last visit, with its nine orbiting planets surrounding it. Soon, he would meet again with the Stardroids.

First, he visited the smallest and outermost planet, but nothing was there. The next planet of icy clouds was also empty. He then passed through its lighter twin, which had grown cold and silent, and then the yellow planet with broad rings, guarded by the Stardroid who could create holes in space and time, also absent. Next, the vast striped planet, home to the Stardroid of currents. Empty.

He would go to the star. Perhaps the missing Stardroids were with Sunstar. But he knew they weren't, the same way he sensed he was the only one left of his kind. A dark feeling was growing. No, not growing, but coming toward him, until finally he could see it: a blazing purple streak, approaching fast.

They crossed paths over the small red desert planet. The streak came to a stop, and a metallic being of similar size and shape appeared, but instead of cyan flames, it was engulfed in flickering purple flames, and its eyes glowed yellow. He had not encountered another metallic lifeform in some time, and none such as this. Every bit of it radiated malice, corruption, and ill intent—a being of evil energy. He became on guard as it scanned him, identifying his purpose and prime function. Still, he attempted to connect with it.

Who are you?

The metallic lifeform would not answer him. He tried again.

Where are the guardians that used to inhabit this solar system?

Without warning, it attacked, its purple flames overloading him with damaging evil energy. He was pushed backward, and the enemy being chased him, its sole purpose his destruction. He shot back at it, using his own cyan energy to defend himself as they crashed again and again, each time burning the other with energy.

But the evil energy caused more damage than his own. If this fight continued in this way, he would eventually lose. As they crashed together again, he grabbed the enemy being by its head, forcing a stronger connection into its mind as he scanned for a weakness.

It struggled against his grasp, fighting against the link and pulling them toward the watery planet the Stardroids once cherished. Yet within its mind, he could sense not one, but two separate entities inhabiting the same body: one vast, like the edge of a galaxy—the other local, submissive, dormant.

Channeling all his energy into the being's body, he formed a wedge between the two entities, creating a rift. The dominant entity fought back, using the link to surge his mind with evil energy, trying to take control. But he blocked this entity out, the rapid energy expenditure ripping himself apart. Then the dominant entity began to flood both of their bodies with damaging energy. Still he held on, forcing it back.

After a hard fought struggle, the dominant entity withdrew, its presence vanishing from the enemy being's mind. The purple flames died out, and it stopped moving.

The watery planet's gravity was pulling them in, and there was no energy left to fight it. They burst into a different type of flame as they fell through white, vapory clouds. His cyan flames went out, his body began to disintegrate, then his systems shut down and he knew no more.

1979, thousands of years later...

In an old wooden house on the side of the hill lived a young man. He was known in village as a scholar, but behind his back as glupyy izobretatel' or, 'the foolish inventor,' a man who spent too much time with computers and electronics than was healthy, and believed that the future lie in robotics ("Those clunky puppets with boxy heads and tinny voices? How would that ever catch on?" "Better to take up a steady trade with his talents like being a repairman or electrician than to chase silly dreams.").

The inventor had moved to the village the year before, living in the nearby valley with his wife on the hectares of land he had inherited from his father. Though the plot was large, the soil was spoiled and rocky, useless for farming or ranching, and the land was too uneven to build upon, making the property valueless. It was a humble living accommodation, but all they could afford on the inventor's meager clerk salary while he worked on his degree in engineering—his wife postponing her education to raise their newborn baby.

But despite these hardships, they were happy, for not everyone thought the inventor was foolish. The university thought he showed great talent (a real prodigy at his age!) and the inventor had been approved for his first research grant in robotics. With hard work and fate willing, a better future was guaranteed for their children (both the inventor and his wife dreamed of a large family).

Because fumes, fuels and coolants, and other byproducts of his machines did not conduce a hygienic for environment for a child or mother, the inventor had moved his workshop to a remote corner of the land away from his house, driving there everyday by truck along a dirt road winding through a scraggily patch of trees. One chilly morning in early spring, the inventor was digging a well so his workshop could have plumbing. The digging machine was own invention: clean, efficient, and reliable—if one was willing to overlook the shabby appearance of the casing assembled from recycled scrap. The inventor waited as it bored deep into the ground, knowing that there must be an underwater reservoir somewhere, when the machine struck something hard, breaking its drill.

The man cursed; drills were expensive, even low grade ones like the one he had been using. He called his machine back and peered down the black hole it had made with a flashlight, wondering what on earth could have broken the drill.

At the bottom of the incomplete twenty-meter well lay the top of an object, the light glinting off its surface like metal. At the same time, something from within the inventor's pocket began whining softly. He pulled out the a simple radiation meter, its arrow spinning in circles. "Chto eta?" he muttered to himself, giving the radiation meter a shake.

Perplexed, the inventor returned to his workshop to collect another of his inventions: an instrument for measuring matter density, and scanned the earth. From its portable monochrome CRT screen, he saw bits of plastic and aluminum litter near the surface, then traces of copper and limestone below that, then, where the drill bit had broken, two objects, roughly humanoid in shape, of an unknown substance.

Astounded with his find, the inventor repaired his digging machine, and with the guidance of the mineral scanner, excavated the strange objects that had broken his drill.

At midday, the inventor returned to his home, his clothes muddy. He washed up and sat down with his wife to a hearty lunch of potato salad, rye bread, and beet soup. Afterward he picked up their bawling daughter (she was a very fussy baby), rocking and singing softly until she fell asleep. Then, setting her in a bassinet, he quietly cleared the table, kissed his wife as she read a book by the electric heater, and (promising to be back before dark) eagerly set out again for his workshop.

He spent several hours clearing away cemented dirt and stone, still unsure what to make of what he had found, but knew it was something big. Carefully, layer by layer, he chiseled away until the figures emerged.

It was the most perplexing discovery of his career (and in his own valueless yard, of all places!). Two machines, both broken like smashed dolls, lay on his worktables. It was like stumbling upon half the skeleton of a new species of dinosaur—what the figures had once been, when whole, he could scarcely imagine. Other may have dismissed the finding as junk, too broken to be of any use other than to be sold for scrap. The inventor certainly could have used the money. But the inventor loved machines too dearly to even consider it. Instead, he hoped to repair them, and find out who and what they were.

...It was a who, he thought seriously, for they must be robots, though it was strange—robots were only a very recent invention, yet these two figures looked very, very, old...

It was a bit like something he would have had in a good dream as a child. Very foreign, very strange, a tantalizing puzzle, but after circling the two machines, carefully examining their inner workings, he knew where to start.

The being of cyan energy wasn't the same when he came into existence again. Between here and elsewhere, he floated in darkness, cut off from the physical senses, all that was left of him was thought circulating through code, lost in space.

Nearby he could sense the life energy of the one he had fought, and reached out. There was no resistance toward the link this time. The enemy entity was gone from the other's body, and all that remained was once the dormant entity, weak, disoriented, but growing in strength and independence.

You are functioning again too?

The other was slow to respond.

⸨ Yes, I believe so. ⸩

And your programming is intact?

⸨ I'm not sure. It is like being activated for the first time again. I know I've existed for some time before we fought, but my memory is fragmented and incomplete. ⸩

You were possessed an invasive entity, he explained. It created you, not as its servant, but as an extension of itself, and its protector. It sent you to destroy me, but you could not, and I purged its presence and purified your programming. You almost faded. Rather than lose you, the entity chose to destroy you. I succeeded against it as we crashed into the third planet. This is the first time your programing has acted autonomously. That is all I know of you.

The other thought this over. With each new thought, his programming developed, and with his programming developing, he began to form opinions where once there were none, until he came to a decision.

⸨ If all that is true, then I certainly can't call such an entity 'friend.' But despite what I am, you spared my life and freed my mind. I am in your debt. ⸩

He scanned the other, finding him to be a being of reason, reliability, and, like himself, had cause to oppose the unknown enemy entity. He had gained an ally.

What is your name?

⸨ Ra Thor. Who are you? ⸩

I am Duo, the second in a series, and the last unit remaining. Beyond that I have no identification. My purpose is to protect weaker, developing lifeforms, my prime function to seek out evil and destroy it.

He paused, thinking over this task.

I have never encountered an entity such as the one that created you. Its presence was larger and more complex than any ordinary metallic lifeform, like a virus.

Ra Thor began scanning his own memory. He did not keep this task private, Duo could sense him probing the scraps remaining within his mind.

⸨ The entity was called Ra Moon. He named himself so as a great being that could blot out anything, including the sun, and took pleasure in cruelty. ⸩

Duo was unfamiliar with what Ra Thor had termed 'pleasure' and 'cruelty.' Ra Thor's mind had expanded much, and there were many facets in his programming that Ra Thor understood while Duo himself could not grasp, but from what Duo could understand, pleasure and cruelty were two concepts incongruent with each other, and Ra Moon was indeed corrupt to experience both at the same time.

Ra Thor was quick to pick up on Duo's thoughts.

⸨ You seem troubled. ⸩

That being does not belong here. He invaded this solar system, taking the place of others who were once guardian here.

⸨ Others? ⸩

They came before you.

⸨ And they were your friends? ⸩

Yes.

⸨ I understand. Perhaps I can help you find Ra Moon. ⸩

Duo sensed Ra Thor begin a scan.

Don't waste your energy. Your link with Ra Moon only functioned one way, and by now he has adapted and hidden himself. But there is much you are capable of that I am not. For now, in our current condition, there is little we can do. I thought we were lost, but now we are functioning again. I do not know what activated us. By my damage, I could not do it myself. We can only wait now and see if anything changes.

They lapsed into silence. Ra Thor occupied himself with thinking, a task he had little opportunity to perform freely in the past. Duo also fell into thought, thinking about the disappearance of Sunstar and the Stardroids, Ra Moon, and the fate of the planet in his absence.

But he did not judge his circumstances as all bad. Ra Thor was another presence, and though he was not one Duo had been expecting to find in this galaxy, he no longer felt so empty as he had before he had returned.

Time passed with little difference in their situation. Then weak electrical pulses, primitive and harmless, began to pass through their minds. Duo ignored these pulses, but Ra Thor became very interested in them, scanning each one with great care, and eventually making a discovery.

⸨ I have found out how we have come to function again. Those pulses were messages. We are being repaired by a human. We must have been lost for a long time, for humans did not have this technology yet when I was last active. ⸩

A human?

⸨ Yes, humans are the dominant species of organic life on this planet. ⸩

You can communicate with it?

⸨ He, and yes. Human language is simple enough. He speaks a variant called 'Russian.' ⸩

Variant? Humans do not all speak the same language?

⸨ No, they are not quite like metallic lifeforms. ⸩

They communicate through electricity?

⸨ No, this is a special case; this human has been sending messages to us using a simple wire link, but humans more often communicate through speech or written word. ⸩

How is speech accomplished?

⸨ Through sound. ⸩

What is sound?

⸨ Of course...you're a space traveler, you wouldn't know of such a thing. Sound is vibration through a medium, such as Earth's atmosphere, that is interpreted through the mind differently than touch. ⸩

Duo felt far from understanding. It seemed like an inefficient and unreliable way to communicate.

Being a native Earthling, you know much more about this planet than I do. Find out as much as you can.

Duo waited as Ra Thor exchanged further messages with the human.

⸨ The human thinks we've been buried for thousands of years. He's not sure what we are, whether we're beings from an advanced civilization long since past, time travelers, or aliens. ⸩

I am all three, but you are just one. What is a year?

⸨ It's a unit of time. The cycle this planet makes around the star is called a year. ⸩

That is a small measurement for time.

⸨ It is very long to humans. You ask a lot of questions, Duo...if I could only copy some of my data to you, it would save a lot of time. The human is very nice, you won't communicate with him yourself? ⸩

I am an advanced being. I should have no contact with underdeveloped lifeforms.

⸨ It's too late for that. You don't have to be nervous. He's a friend. ⸩

Duo understood Ra Thor's logic, but thought it best if Ra Thor continued to act as ambassador during his first contact with Earth, and waited until Ra Thor continued with further news.

⸨ The human can finish repairing us, but we won't be as powerful as we once were. Though he is very intelligent, replicating our technology is still beyond his capability. ⸩

Nothing can be done about that. It is very kind of him to help, we'll have to return the favor.

Ra Thor was hesitant.

⸨ There is more. Your exterior is much more damaged then mine. When he is finished, you will not look the same. ⸩

That does not matter. I do not know what I looked like before.

⸨ You have never seen your reflection? ⸩

No.

⸨ Somehow, that does not surprise me…it is just as well, I could not imagine you as vain anyway. ⸩

The human began working on them, giving constant status reports to Ra Thor, who relayed this information to Duo. In sections at a time, Duo felt power return to his body, and slowly regained use of his sensory perception.

Finally, Duo experienced the foreign sensation of hearing—the birds outside chirping, the low buzz of the overhead lamp, and the hum of the computer. His systems fully running, Duo opened his eyes and looked down at his hands, clenching them together. Different casing, but the feel was familiar, the craftsmanship was good. At his right side stood Ra Thor, who was not so large as he had first appeared when they fought so long ago, but had the same glowing eyes.

Duo focused his vision on the human. He was a tall, thin young man, with a clean-shaven face, auburn hair, glasses, and neatly pressed but thread-worn white lab coat.

"Zdravstvujte!" the human greeted, smiling shyly. "Hello! My name is Mikhail Cossack. It's an honor to meet formally. Welcome to Earth."

Duo, paused, processing the speech, then spoke his first spoken word, in a soft, cautions voice. "Spasibo."

Thank you.

Mikhail never stayed in the workshop longer than a few hours, constantly nipping back to his house to see his wife and daughter. He never brought his family to to see Duo and Ra Thor. Though Mikhail never said anything, they knew Mikhail thought they were dangerous. Still, he was very courteous to them, treating them as welcome guests, despite not completely understanding what they were. It was very apparent his passion and enthusiasm for robotics and fixing broken objects was getting the better of his instinct for danger, and that he had even grown fond of them.

The sun rose and set, then the moon. A being that can blot out the sun. Duo had been doing a great deal of thinking.

Ra Thor could tell Duo was becoming restless.

⸨ Mikhail has almost finished our repairs. What will you do next? ⸩

I plan to inhabit here. Unlike Ra Moon, I was invited to stay by this galaxy's guardians, so I am entitled to do so. But it is part of my prime directive not to influence underdeveloped civilizations. I am far more advanced than any technology they have here. We both are. In order to allow this planet to develop naturally, we must limit those who know of our origins to only the ones we can trust.

⸨ How do you plan to accomplish that? ⸩

By blending in, pretending to be one of the robots the humans built. I can learn to adapt to their ways, but I will need your help. You understand humans much better than I do.

⸨ Alright. But why do you want to keep what we are secret? ⸩

I do not want to become what Ra Moon once was for this planet.

⸨ I think there is little fear of that, you're about as similar to Ra Moon as an acorn is to the bubonic plague—never mind what those are, it's not important right now—Still, I see what you mean, and will explain it to Mikhail. ⸩

They broached the subject when Mikhail returned the next morning.

"You know what we are, and you know we mean no harm, and wish to protect this planet and all its inhabitants without causing a disruption," Ra Thor told him in Russian. "We know you are an honest man, but also one of high moral principle, and that is why we ask you to claim us as your inventions and not reveal our true origins to anyone. We believe that if the rest of human kind found out what we really are, it would cause trouble." When Mikhail looked stunned at this, Ra Thor added, "What we ask is not so much of a deception. After all, you did perform repairs which no ordinary human could accomplish, especially without the aid of schematic or blueprint."

"What I did was not so much…" protested Mikhail humbly. "And I'm not very experienced."

"You under value yourself," said Duo softly. "We are in your debt. We will not become a burden to your work or your family, and will employ ourselves to be useful on this planet."

Mikhail was still hesitant, but understood the gravity of this request, and agreed to keep their secret, though later laughingly admitted that he doubted anyone would ever believe he had created them. It appeared to Duo that Mikhail, despite his talents, had not yet earned the reputation needed to convince other humans of his authenticity as a robot scientist. After all, his workshop was nothing more than a converted chicken coop.

But that would all soon change.

Over the next few days, they set to put this plan in motion, and Mikhail grew more and more comfortable around the robots and confidence in his own skill as he finished their final repairs and planned to show them to the public. He tended to talk more to Ra Thor than Duo, which both robots found as a point of constant debate. Duo thought it was because Ra Thor not only understood jokes without them being explained, but found humor in them, making conversation easier, while Ra Thor was adamant that Duo held himself too aloof, giving Mikhail the incorrect and intimidating impression that he wanted distance and privacy when in fact Duo was shy around humans.

...Which was true, but Duo did like this human. Mikhail had an unconscious obsession with cleanliness and order, and was constantly organizing his work tools, sweeping the floors, wiping away excess oil, and lining up rectangular items in a perfect row on his desk so that all the corners lined up, traits that made him seem less strange and more robotic.

"Ra Thor, what is written on your armor?" Mikhail asked one afternoon as he worked on the intricate connecting ligaments in Ra Thor's fingers.

"It's an identification."

"It takes that many characters to write 'Ra Thor' in alienese?" Mikhail asked skeptically. "It's written all over your shoulders and down to your boots."

Ra Thor laughed. "No, it does not. All 'alienese' is unique, no two characters are ever alike. I can't really describe the meaning in human terms."

"So, it is like an elegant serial number?"

"That's one way of putting it."

Mikhail glanced over at Duo, who had been waiting in silence by the window where he could watch the sun. "He had none?"

"I don't think so."

Mikhail set Ra Thor's fingers together, the knuckles fitting perfectly together, then tightened the fasteners locking them in place. "I'm sorry I could not repair your flight," he apologized.

"It is fine, I don't need it anymore."

Mikhail finished the wiring, replacing the cut red stone that had originally resided in the center of Ra Thor's hand, then welded on a segmented silver casing to guard the delicate circuitry in the fingers. "There, that should work."

Ra Thor held his hand up to the light, gracefully flexed his fingers. "Thank you, that is as good as it was before."

Mikhail beamed.

Duo turned toward them, his solemn face pointed toward Mikhail. "You are finished?"

"Da, he's all done."

"Good. Now we must see how much of our powers have remained intact," replied Duo, clenching his large, three-fingered fist.

Mikhail looked in confusion from Duo to Ra Thor.

"Duo and I have special abilities, some of which are destructive, like weapons," Ra Thor explained. "He wants to test them out."

"Weapons?" Mikhail repeated, casting a nervous glance toward the direction where his home lie. "O.K., but that sounds dangerous, could we could test them down in the valley?"

Mikhail got into his truck and lead them several kilometers down a winding path into a shaded grove nestled deep in the desolate valley. There, dashing through trees, Duo tested his abilities, flying into the canopy using his jet thrusters and firing large ghostly projections of his hand through the forrest while Ra Thor and Mikhail observed from a safe distance.

"It's good?" Mikhail inquired timidly when Duo had stopped.

Duo nodded curtly. "Ra Thor."

Ra Thor stepped forward and tested the limits of his own body. He was much faster and nimbler than Duo, his design smaller and more agile. Then he lifted a hand, the red stone glowing briefly. With a blaring buzz like a magnified tesla coil, electricity shot everywhere in a strobe effect of flashes, striking all the nearby trees and rocks several times within a matter of seconds. Ra Thor quickly dropped his hand, ending the onslaught. All was silent again except for a low hiss; the forest within a twenty foot radius of Ra Thor had been reduced to blackened husks.

"Bozhe moi!" Mikhail exclaimed. He was huddled behind his truck with his hands over his ears, his glasses askew. Trembling, he tentatively peered over the hood, and seeing all was well, gave Ra Thor a shaky smile, pushing the glasses back to the bridge of his nose.

Duo nodded again then turned to Mikhail. "That is all."

"O.K. Vot eto da…That was...well, I'm glad we tested that far away from people…If we're finished, let's go back to the workshop."

Mikhail climbed into the truck and drove back up the valley. Duo turned to follow, then stopped, looking back. Ra Thor had not moved, and was still staring at the smoking trees.

Ra Thor.

Duo strode over to Ra Thor's side.

I know where your thoughts have been. There is more than one way to be consumed by darkness. Do not punish yourself for what happened in the past. You had no control.

Ra Thor neither agreed nor argued.

⸨ Duo, am I vulnerable to Ra Moon's influence again? ⸩

Yes, but I can shield you. For now, don't let it trouble you, your connection to Ra Moon may be useful yet.

⸨ I cannot see how, unless you mean to use me as bait. ⸩

What is bait?

⸨ Something you use as a lure for something else. ⸩

I understand now. Yes, that was my thinking.

⸨ … ⸩

As bait, you are better equipped to monitor enemy activity. My own sensory powers have diminished too much to do so myself.

⸨ At least what you lack in tact you make up for in honesty. But don't call me 'bait...' It's a bit degrading. ⸩

I did not mean offense.

⸨ You never do, and I'm not offended. ⸩

I value you very much. You were born here, but you are still of alien technology, like me. Therefore only you can be my advisor, and only you will understand all my secrets.

⸨ You trust me with a lot. Are you sure that's wise? ⸩

It depends. Do you trust in me?

⸨ Yes, of course. ⸩

Then it is decided. Come, Mikhail is waiting.

The special abilities Duo and Ra Thor possessed consumed a large quantity of energy. Since no generator on Earth could ever keep up with their constant expenditure, Mikhail devised chambers from which they could recharge over long periods of time, an innovation that proved essential to their operation.

Mikhail Cossack was indeed very talented, and even had he not discovered Duo and Ra Thor, his work alone would certainly made himself into the billionaire he would one day become. Over the years, many scientists accessed or repaired Duo and Ra Thor's technology, but none as good or as adept as the humble but friendly young inventor who had begun his work in an old chicken coop.

The world began to change at a rapid pace from that point on. Earth's age of robots had begun, and nearly every country was developing them, both for the betterment of mankind and for criminal activity.

Blending in with Earth society was not easy; Duo and Ra Thor found that as robots, they had little rights or independence of their own, but Mikhail pulled through. His reputation exploding, he was able to convince the right people to employ Duo and Ra Thor as the World's first 'Robot Police,' their purpose to put an end to criminal activities caused by robots and their creators.

Duo and Ra Thor would come to occupy many such positions, first for Russia, where they were so successful that they began receiving pressure to join the army (It should also be noted that their success could also be measured by the degree of hatred they received from the criminal underworld. Ra Thor's Storm Quell ability had achieved a nearly legendary status of infamy, while Duo's ability to reform criminal robots was unprecedented, and many tried in vain to duplicate such a power for nefarious purpose). But Duo did not like human politics and had no wish to fight wars, and so he and Ra Thor decided it was time to move on and expand their mission against criminal robots internationally.

By 1985, Ra Thor discovered just such an opportunity. With the boom in robotics, many of the world's nations had grown concerned with the rise in Global Robo-crime, a problem that had quickly surpassed the 1970's illegal genetic engineering outbreak. There was strong interest in uniting together to create a common force of robots to combat this new threat. As Duo and Ra Thor were already well established as proponents on this front, they were considered key candidates to join such a force.

Duo could never keep any of these human bureaucracies straight, but he trusted Ra Thor's judgement and agreed to head this new force. In the years to come, the Robot International Police was born, uniting robots from across the world in the common goal of international cooperation against Global Robo-crime. Though on a smaller scale, it was similar to Duo's old prime directive, so he was content. Ra Thor preferred the administrative side and became R.I.P.'s superintendent, and consequently was a strong last line of defense for its headquarters.

But not everything was changing for the better. As the plans for the first Robot International Police were finalizing amongst the countries, Ra Thor had something dismal to report.

⸨ I have some bad news, Duo. Unfortunately, Dr. Cossack will no longer be working with us. He resigned from his post at R.I.P. this morning, it appears he has given up work on weaponized robotics all together. It's sad, but not unexpected. ⸩

You can't persuade him to change his decision?

⸨ No, his mind is set, and to be honest, I have no wish to. I can't help but feel we are somehow responsible for what happened, and that is why we must respect his wishes and leave him alone. We've chosen the dangerous path of defending the world from globalized criminal activity from robots, and he has chosen not to follow us. You know he has always held his family's safety first. Mikhail's already done so much for us, we can't ask for more. He wishes us luck and to stay safe. ⸩

Duo was very disappointed, but knew Ra Thor was right. I am so busy looking for alien threats, that I do not see the human ones. I know he will do well, he is a human many ages ahead of his time. But who will take his place?

⸨ There are many other roboticists, Duo. Inspector Headley will find a replacement. There is a candidate from Switzerland who looks promising. He has a busy schedule in the entertainment industry, but the design he submitted for a robot named 'Enker' is very good and Headley believes we can persuade him to contract for us. ⸩

Then we will make do with what we have.

Duo cleared his mind to focus ahead.

I want to know what happened to the others who were here before, Sunstar and the Stardroids. The true enemy will have had time to become invisible to me.

But these humans are a mess. They have the correct ideals, but only sometimes follow them. I cannot sense their intent like I can in a robot's programming. We never caught that one criminal roboticist?

⸨ No. Once Atropa Belladona fled Russia's jurisdiction, there was nothing we could do at the time, and she has since withdrawn into hiding. Perhaps the new robots will help us find her. ⸩

I do not understand these invisible boundaries these humans put up on the planet, but, if it is their way…

So many problems. My search will have to wait. It is not my place to judge humans, but they were already effected by a metallic lifeform long before. Maybe I can correct their path before they fall into darkness.

⸨ You won't be alone in that pursuit, and perhaps things will get better. ⸩

That I do not know. What I do know is that evil energy still exists, and until I find it, my prime directive will never be complete. While there is still life, I must protect this planet.

But I am content to do so. I was lonely in space, I returned to find friends. Here, starting over as the leader of the Robot International Police, I can live that wish.

To be continued in Mega Man Recut

A/N:

I hope the Russian I used was mostly correct. You can assume Mikhail/Dr. Cossack is always speaking in Russian in this prequel.

Duo and Ra Thor are opposites: Duo acts on instinct while Ra Thor acts on reason; Duo is blunt, aloof, simple and straightforward, impatient, and favors direct action, while Ra Thor is tactful, friendly, complex, patient, and favors diplomacy. Duo is basically alien with a few 'human-like' tendencies, and Ra Thor is basically 'human-like' with a few alien tendencies. They both recognize their own weaknesses and the other's strengths, and rely on each other. Of the two, Duo can be trickier to write: Duo says exactly what he means, there is no tact, no allusions, no metaphor, no poetic language, because he simply does not have the capability (or patience) to understand such earthly things, which is a good foil against Ra Thor who does, ironically, better understands human emotions despite his dark past.