PART 1- WHISPERS OF THE PAST
Prologue: Dangerous Thoughts
A lone figure walked down the empty corridor with quiet purpose. His expression was bleak. Although the Maverick base had been empty for some time now--most of the other Mavericks (1) having been assigned duties elsewhere--he still felt troubled, almost as if he were being watched by unseen eyes. "Nonsense," he muttered to himself. "I'm just being paranoid. "Still, he glanced back the way he had come, as if expecting an ambush. "I must be losing my mind." he said to himself with a wry chuckle. Ahead of him, the cold gray walls stretched to infinity. It was easy to lose oneself within these corridors, as plain as they were. All was going according to plan, but still… If they found out, if they even suspected what he was up to, then it was all for nothing. He would be dead before nightfall. He shivered, and the chill metal walls had nothing to do with it. He paused for a moment, glancing out a nearby window. It was twilight, and the light from the dying sun cast flickering shadows on the walls. He sighed. Being a double agent was not easy, and Aero wasn't particularly optimistic. He knew the risks, had accepted them the moment he became a spy for the Hunters (2), but enough was enough. His mission had been to infiltrate Maverick HQ and see what he could find out. So far, he had not been discovered. But it was becoming too dangerous, and Aero hadn't had a great deal of success so far. Due to his low rank, he had to be careful of his actions, so as not to draw attention to himself. Truth to tell, Aero wasn't much to look at. Large green eyes set deep into a pale, boyish face, small nose and prominent mouth. He might have been considered cute, except for a strong chin. His armor, brightly burnished in rich colors of blue and white and pale green the same color as his eyes, contrasted nicely with the dark hair falling about his shoulders. All in all, Aero gave off an aura of quiet strength. He was dependable, honest, and loyal. He was of relatively small size, but his skills and intelligence more than made up for it. No doubt that was why he had been chosen for this mission. Aero did not fear death, not really; there were worst things. Part of his mission had also been to supply the Mavericks with false information; lure their forces into traps and so forth. He gazed at his reflection in the window, pondering--as he had done so often of late--if he was doing the right thing. Aero and his team were among the last of the Resistance. Millions of innocent people would suffer if he failed. They were counting on him. His comrades were counting on him, as their leader, to make sure they all made it home. Aero gazed out at the rugged landscape, wondering what to do next. Lightning flashed in the distance; the dark clouds on the horizon suited his dark mood. A storm was coming, and if Aero and the others couldn't stop it humanity was doomed. A particularly bright flash struck, illuminating a figure standing behind him. Aero whirled around, his hand going for the Beam Saber at his side, to confront.… Nothing. The corridor was empty, save for him. He looked both ways, trying in vain to determine where the figure could have gone. He swore under his breath. I'm getting careless. he chided himself. Jumping at shadows. He carefully re-checked the tightly wrapped bundle concealed beneath his armor. Their salvation. He resumed his journey down the dimly lit corridor. He was worried, with good reason. He had sent an encoded transmission to HQ two days prior, stating the situation. So far, there had been no response. It looked like they were on their own. Well, he had done what he could. He just hoped it was enough.
* * * * * * * * *
The unseen watcher did not stir from his hiding place, but stood there listening to the sound of Aero's receding footsteps. He watched the Maverick Hunter with a thoughtful air. He had, in fact, been there the entire time. Why, Aero had walked right by him and hadn't noticed, so absorbed was he in his dark thoughts. Dangerous thoughts. Not that he would have been noticed had Aero been paying attention; the watcher's magic saw to that. Or rather, his master's magic saw to it, for the watcher had no magical abilities of his own. He chuckled to himself. He had been seen. A lapse on his part, though fortunately not a serious one. He would have to be more careful in the future. Luckily, Aero had been too preoccupied with his troubles to question what he had seen, instead dismissing it as an illusion; the mind tended to play tricks on you under a great deal of stress. Likely he had forgotten about it by now. Clearly a mistake, and a dangerous one at that. Few people lived to make it twice. Most of those few were dead now. Only when Aero was gone did the watcher stir. With a wave of his hand, he dispelled the magic surrounding him. He pondered what he had overheard, the Hunter having been so distracted that he had uttered many of his thoughts out loud. Of course, he couldn't have known that anyone was listening. So, Aero is a Hunter. he thought. The watcher smiled. Actually, Aero had been under suspicion for weeks now. Always poking his nose where it didn't belong. The watcher had not failed to notice the bundle that Aero had been carrying. Amazing what could be done with X-rays these days. The unknown watcher wondered what it could be, having been unable to determine what the bundle actually was. Probably some sort of weapon. But what does he hope to accomplish? The watcher frowned. No doubt his master would want Aero's head on a pike once he found out. Unless..... His scowl deepened. His orders had been simple; find out exactly how much Aero knew, so that appropriate action could be taken. He was to report his findings to the Master and no one else. The watcher already knew about Aero's secret message, having intercepted it personally. There wouldn't be any help coming from the Hunter's base, not for a while anyways. By the time they got here, it would already be too late. When Aero failed to make contact, they would come looking for him. And when they did, the Mavericks would be waiting for them. The Hunters would die wondering if they had been betrayed. The watcher wondered if he should refrain from telling his liege lord about the object the Hunter was carrying. Knowledge was power, especially knowledge learned in secret. He dismissed the notion with a shudder; the Master had a way of knowing whether you were telling the truth or not. Lies sang out to the one whom the watcher served, and those foolish enough to do so once never did so again, so severe was their punishment. He shook his head, angry at himself. Dangerous thoughts indeed. He was wasting time. The Master would be expecting his report. The watcher turned to go, reinstating the magical spell that rendered him invisible to all, save those who knew how to detect it. An unlikely possibility, since the magic could only be detected by those who wielded it. As far as he knew, only the Master had access to this wondrous power. It's only vice lie in the fact that it was difficult for inexperienced users to control. Difficult yes, but not impossible, although few were foolish enough to try, as failure had drastic consequences. It was rumored that he had access to an even stronger power, although whatever could be stronger than the runes was difficult to fathom. Soon, the Master would create entire armies possessing this power. Then, the real fun would begin. Aero was just a pawn in a much bigger game. Still smiling, the watcher vanished, leaving the empty corridor behind him, its pale walls gleaming in the last rays of the fading sunlight.
* * * * * * * * *
Sky tossed and turned on his bunk, unable to sleep. His thoughts were in turmoil. Earlier that day, Aero had paid him a visit, to go over the final aspects of the plan. The meeting kept replaying itself in his mind, as if trying to tell him something. But what?
"We must move quickly, Sky. I fear that they are beginning to suspect us." Aero said, pacing back and forth anxiously. "Is everything ready?" "Almost." Sky had replied. The other two members of the team had been absent, so as not to arouse suspicions further. "Just got a few bugs to correct." He disliked seeing his leader so agitated. Sky was worried about him; he had been under tremendous stress lately, and if something should happen to him.... Sky dismissed such dismal thoughts, as they weren't helping matters any. As if he knew what Sky had been thinking, Aero walked up to him and looked him in the eyes "If anything should happen to me, you are to take command. It'll be up to you to get us home." "What!?" Sky was shocked. "You can't be serious!" "You heard me Sky." Aero's tone had been final. This team needs a competent leader. If I fail, I will at least know that we're in good hands. I can think of no better replacement that you." Sky was speechless. "I…I'll do my best." he answered. "I know you will. Better get some sleep, we've much to do yet." And he was gone.
Sky sat up, resting his head on his hands. Why me? he wondered. I'm no leader! Earlier, he had sensed that Aero was holding something back, though Sky couldn't fathom what. Well, he must've had good cause to do so. Sky's task was to upload a virus into the Maverick's main computer, which would cause massive systems failures and general chaos throughout the base. The virus was complete; all he had to do was download it. It would be no easy task, as the central computer was off-limits to all but a select few. Luckily, HQ had provided all the necessary equipment for this mission. But it wouldn't take long for the Mavericks to realize what was going on, or who was responsible. They would have to beat a hasty retreat once the virus was activated. Sky hoped it would buy them enough time. Just then his comm link chirped. Right on time. "Sky here." There was a brief moment of static, then the picture resolved into Aero's stern features. "Are you ready?" he asked. "Ready. You can count on me." "Good. Report to your position and prepare to download the virus on my signal." "What about the others?" Sky asked. Aero's eyes narrowed. "I tried to contact them, but I couldn't reach them. I hope they remember their orders. Aero out." The picture faded to black. Sky stood up and walked towards the door, glancing at the mirror hanging on his wall as he did so. Though not nearly as handsome as Aero, he could not be considered ugly, with flaming golden hair, an interrogating gaze and winning smile, and glorious blue and gold armor shined to a mirror polish. If they were going to implement this plan, now was the ideal time. It was the sleeping cycle, so most if not all of the Mavericks were off-duty. As a final thought, he tried to raise the other two members on his comm link, without success. Aero may have been satisfied, but Sky was not one to take chances. Although it was a relatively secure frequency, there was to be no further contact until Aero gave the signal. Sky wasn't really surprised when he didn't receive an answer; Blaze and Neo were probably in position by now. He grabbed the vial containing the virus, then added his Dragon Saber as an afterthought. Sky was suspicious by nature, and something told him to expect trouble tonight. He quietly slipped out of his quarters, scanning the hallways for Mavericks. There was no one. He silently headed towards his destination, within the heart of the Maverick base. In his haste, Sky failed to notice the figure watching him from the shadows. After a moment, the figure detached himself from the shadowy darkness, and began his silent pursuit.
(1) Name given to Reploids who have turned against humanity. Formerly led by
Sigma, who was once the leader of the Maverick Hunters.
(2) Name given to those who oppose the Mavericks. Now led by Mega Man X, they are
dedicated to "hunting" down potentially dangerous Reploids before they can cause
harm to others; in addition to this, they fight to defend humanity. Zero, leader of a
special #0 class unit, is rumored to have been a former Maverick. Some say he was
the first, but this has yet to be proven.
