The Phoenix
Chapter Two: Questions…
AN: Hello again! Here's chapter 2… and I didn't mark all of the POV's this time but you should be able to figure them out easily enough! Have fun and review por favor! Arigato! ~Sierra Omega~
Donna nanigamo One More Chance
Hakjimete nai koto mada aru hazu yo…
Donna itami mo One More Chance
Sore wa kakkiake ni dekiru kara
Sukoshi demo ii…
Atarashii nani ka…
Mitsuketai…
CAIN*******************************************************
I heard the news quickly enough. A red Maverick had been taken down… by Commander Sigma himself should the rumors and buzzings of ensigns and lower-level Maverick Hunters prove true… and was being brought back to the lab for careful study.
Needless to say I was eager to begin the analysis, for the Maverick Virus, discovered some decades ago in the newly developed robots called 'Reploids', and there was no known cure.
Reploids, or Human Replica Droids, are robots built with a unique anatomy mimicking that of humans, and are installed with a special chip that defines their personalities and growth. Until recently it had only been speculated as to the true creators of the chips, let alone the robots who were predecessors of today's reploids.
The Maverick Virus became a problem some time after the perfection of reploids, though no one knew exactly when it came about. It is a program that affects the very chips that gives a reploid life, and turns them into feral, lethal monsters with the mission to kill anything and everything. Though they were few in the beginning, they grew steadily in number though no one understood how, and banded together as a group to take over the planet, their mission: kill humans.
Many died then… but thanks to a group of reploid scientists including myself, the Maverick Hunters came into existence-- simply an organized small army of powerful robots designed to protect mankind and destroy Mavericks.
Things could have been a lot easier if we had been able to capture a live Maverick, One that had not self-detonated or been smashed into pieces by a Hunter… For I needed to study an intact (or somewhere close to that) specimen to attempt to try and find a cure, or even a vaccine, for the Maverick Virus. This red Maverick was key to human survival, should he qualified for study.
"Doctor Cain!" a reploid nurse called out from her post, one hand tapping her headset. "Transit of the captured red Maverick is complete, and he is being taken to your lab immediately."
I nodded assent. "Good. Any news on the status of Sigma?"
She paused, speaking into the comm for a moment. "Alpha Commander Sigma remains in critical condition."
So it was true. The best Hunter in the HQ was sent to dispose of this robot… and apparently barely came out of the struggle alive. My adrenaline rose at the thought of what I could discover from this Maverick! I could see myself finding the cure… a forming utopia of reploids and humans living together in peace at last… so close…
"Doctor?" the nurse said again. "Shouldn't you be heading to the lab? A pair of security bots are waiting for you."
I snapped out of my dreamworld, temporarily frazzled as I tried to make sense of her question… I was getting old. "Huh? Oh, yes… of course. Thank you."
I turned around to walk down the hallways to my lab, nodding acknowledgement to many of the Hunters brushing past me. I smiled to myself. If all went well, I could celebrate with a glass of vodka or two that night… my grin widened.
***********************************************************
I stepped from my small office to get some air, silently crossing the corridors where a Hunter walked by here and there. There wasn't much bustle now, for the Maverick emergency had past a few hours ago. My mouth pressed into a thin line at the thought of Sigma's fate. How could he just jump into a battle with an unidentified Maverick alone? I should have gone with him. But I wasn't even notified of the situation until well after Major Gamma's team had been obliterated except for two lucky ones, and Sigma was in the middle of his fight.
It's not like I would have been in any better shape if I'd gone in his place, but two against one had better odds when going against Mavericks. I was easily Sigma's equal, though I never dared to admit it in front of anyone aside from one single soul… it wouldn't be right, and I had no desire to humiliate the Commander, especially since I was just barely below his rank in the chain of command… Beta Commander.
I had fumed the entire time I had waited for news, having no place to vent my anger since every training room was occupied. I always tried to tell Cain to build a set of training areas for the Commanders alone, but he never got around to it… he was always drunk. Even when operating on severely injured reploids he was rarely sober… and I had yet to discover what his fascination was with alcohol.
I shook my head in frustration, clenching my fists. I passed the training areas, but swiftly turned around to see if one was free. There was. Breathing a sigh of relief I made my way through groups of trainees and rookies, who all began to whisper amongst themselves when I neared (and for what reason, I had no clue.)
"Commander X!" one trainee waved as he sparred with a friend. I grinned back in reply, trying not to betray the dark emotions I felt. It wasn't a good idea to show others you were angry unless it was necessary… I found that out early enough. I looked back at the young reploid, who was still grinning in my direction as his sparring partner side-kicked him across the face. I had to force myself not to laugh… I knew Fiero held me in high esteem, what with his schematics and armor designs spawning from my own… so I humored him once in a while with a smile or even a word of merit for his strengths.
At last I reached the unoccupied room, where upon stepping inside I let out a heavy sigh of relief.
"Computer," I said aloud. "Close and lock doors, authorization Alpha Epsilon Omega." The heavy titanium doors slid shut, and I heard the satisfying double-click of the locks. A smile crept across my face, now that I was able to let out the pressures of command without distraction or interruption.
"Computer," I continued, "…activate Beta Commander X training program OmicronTheta.exe."
"File loaded," came the dull and lifeless tones of the computer's voice. "Now awaiting activation code, level voiceprint."
Immediately after speaking the designated series of words a loud beeping ensued as the interior lights dimmed. The noise faded into a low hum, indicating that the holo-projectors had been turned on.
"Activating Omicrontheta.exe, level 6."
A shimmering figure appeared before me, and the spar began.
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So this was the troublesome red Maverick. I must say that his design was quite ingenious… and all at once familiar to me in some fashion. I resolved to myself dimly to run a check on the schematics… even for a century-old reploid this Maverick's construction was easily fifty years ahead of today's robots!
I marveled even at his eye-catching armor, the blood-crimson color bright; the well-crafted face embracing unblinking emerald eyes and framed by such a helmet to give the mind's eye the image of a devil…
Feh… not much of a devil right then… I looked again, seeing not something of a hellish or demonic nature but similar to that of a fallen angel. No clues stuck out as to his true personality before the virus permeated his systems… but perhaps I could help him somehow…
My excitement rose at the thought. At last I could study the Maverick virus up close! Hurriedly I connected various equipment to his outer armor, wanting to get much done before my late appointment that night.
The sensors picked up readings the instant they were switched on, and the hunt for the virus began. I grasped a bottle of strong vodka in my left hand, taking a sip now and then to ease my nerves. While watching several graphs and data tables blinking on and off my computer console my mind raced, for all of the technology I was using was purely experimental. As I had before mentioned, no one had ever been able to capture a live Maverick, so there had been no real chance to test it all. Hence, all the while of waiting began taking its toll merely over the course of minutes on me. I thought of all the years I had worked to study and perfect reploids… To destroy their impurities and find out such debatable question such as whether or not a reploid could ever have a soul. Such an inquiry has existed to man about Artificial Intelligence for decades, even centuries!
So many questions, so much to learn… I only hoped I would live long enough to answer them.
No matter how many tears One More Chance
There ought to be things that have yet to begin
No matter how much pain One More Chance
For I can do it…
Even if it be small…
I wanna discover something new…
AN: Yay! It's done! Chapter Three will be out soon! Review!!!! ~Sierra Omega~