Dr. Ivo Nikolos sat with his robotic eyes fixed on the bronze-tinted glass of the Egg-shaped chamber. Watching Robotropolis from above. He did not move.
Smoke curtained the horizon where Capitol Aero lay.
The man was a strange mixture of precision and spontaneity. He had not set a date on which he had planned to destroy Aero. He had only known that it had to be done. With the taking of Angel Island, he'd managed to gain most of what he needed. After the terrible failure of losing the relic, he could have continued with the truce game for years while he tried to uncover it. But he had sensed the unrest, and sure enough, he had chosen the right time. Had the puppet-Queen tried to resist him even a day earlier, perhaps some semblance of a war might have broken out and precious time would have been wasted. But, no, he had known the time was right.
Robotinik's own voice murmured from the recording he was playing in the room, the same recording he had sent out to all the planet.
Robotnik lenses flickered. He curled his hand around the armrest of his chair.
He had tried to deprogram his emotions, but until his brain was fully roboticized, they would still linger and distract him. Crying was the worst of all of them. He had already removed his tear ducts, but the sensation was still there.
Yesterday had been a wonderful day. He had been patient. He had worked for this every spare moment of his life, and now he had it. He had his own complete planet to maneuver as he pleased. He was going to create a utopia. An immortal empire.
The sensation of emotion continued to overwhelm him. He could not remember the last time he had wanted to cry at all, let alone out of pleasure.
Robotnik turned around to face the room behind him. It was a vast room, surrounded by glass and plated with six energy force fields. The only living person who could enter through them without being instantly killed by the energy rays was himself. He could open it to allow others in, but he had to be present to do so.
He had done so just that morning after arriving back from his endeavors at Aero. Rows of Mobians crouched on their knees on the tiled floor—what remained of the former People's Council of Mobia. They had been stripped of their weapons and clothing, scanned and all given doses of truth serum. A ring of combots surrounded them with their cannons at the ready.
Ivo Nikolos studied them. They were fine specimens and he was willing to let them live, but he had to be certain they were harmless. He did not want to make the mistake of overlooking one that might try to rebel someday. Not again.
Ivo pinched his finger, the one that the rodent had cut the wires to, and let his lungs decompress.
The only thing that darkened his total victory was the loss of the Ringweilder. Learning how to find and use the rings had been a huge part of his plan to prosper his new planet. He had to capture Sonic as soon as possible. Or kill him.
The recording ended. Ivo turned off the screen.
The Mobians sat in silence, their heads bowed.
"As you have just seen…the rest of the planet now knows of your wise decision to surrender rather than fight…you shall all be rewarded with your lives…" He approached them. "However, I hope you understand, you are all still downgrades. If something destroys your body, you will die instantly. You are lower citizens. Yet, if you prove loyal, you will still be allowed to retain some rank. It depends on what your new masters decide. I have invited them here and they are coming to claim their land. And you. I will strongly encourage them to treat you well and put you in positions of authority until you can be roboticized. Answer me, is this understood?"
"Understood," the Mobians chorused. Several fidgeted.
"Once you are roboticized, you will no longer be lower citizens. You will join the ranks of upper citizens and enjoy your new existence in my immortal utopia. Understood?"
"Understood," the Mobians replied again.
Ivo hmmed in pleasure. "Very good." He turned back to the window. "I will go ahead and test you to see if you are eligible for…positions of authority. Other rodents will be needed for the exhibit. I will have more than I will need in a few days, and your new masters will be here about that time as well. It will work out perfectly for the display…." Robotnik sighed. "Meanwhile, you all may go and rest and… prepare yourselves."
Ivo Nikolos' voice tone changed to monotone. "Take them out."
The combots straightened to attention as the Mobians climbed back to their feet.
Ivo turned to exit the room. He began to pass through the energy shields, towards a ramp. A ramp that led through the building to a great, hulking crater. A piece of workmanship that he had been crafting for years.
Yesterday had been a wonderful day. But today, there was more work to be done.
