THE TENTH DISK
By blackhart
copyright MM Abacus Fiction, revised 6/26/2001
Chapter Seven
Zero
The blast struck my friend X full in the chest, sending him falling to the floor, undoubtedly unconscious. I saw his chest armor smoking, turned him over to see how badly he was injured. He'd taken a hard hit, had a chunk of his armor burned off.
Upset as I was, I plugged an Infolink cable into my friend's arm cannon, getting his vitals. He was alive, but very badly injured. Auto-repair couldn't even begin to work on this. We needed to get him back ASAP. "Guys," I called to the four who now hung their heads low, "get your commander back to HQ, now! He needs serious medical assistance! That's a direct order! We'll talk about what you four did back at base later."
They picked up their fallen comrade with great sighs and sad eyes. They knew what they'd done was wrong. All I cared about was how Cain would handle them, and if X was going to be okay. They started a mass teleport out of the building and flew off, while I had a quiet moment with Delta.
"Well, you'll meet your sister now, I suppose," I said. With a smile, I remarked: "You and I are going back to HQ on the double, you little troublemaker."
Picking her from her resting place there, I closed my eyes and focused on my destination. Back to Maverick Hunter Headquarters I flew, through a cold, black night sky.
* * *
Sigma
I opened my eyes cautiously. Or were they my eyes? Had the transfer worked? I couldn't tell yet. I took a look around. From somewhere to my left, I heard "He's coming to, Doc."
Such a familiar voice...that was Zero! And, though it had been remodeled since I was last here, I recognized my location...the Maverick Hunter Headquarters' medbay!
So the transfer of my will to X's mind had gone off perfectly. Wonderful... I thought. Just wonderful...
I search X's mind for what to say. While using his body, I had to act the part. "Hey Zero," I said. "How am I?"
"Good question," he said back. "Doctor, lemme see the vitals monitor."
I glanced to the left and found Dr. Cain, the founder of the Maverick Hunters, moving around a monitor to give Zero a look.
"Looks like all that hasn't been repaired is that gash in your chest, buddy," he said.
I looked down there at X's chest, where Zero had gestured with his hand. Some enormous blast had ripped open a hole in his armor. "Yeow," I said faintly. "Still hurts me just to look at it."
"I can imagine," he said. "Just take it easy for awhile, bud. Give the rest of the pain a bit to subside, will ya?"
I faked a smile. "You know I'm an active kind of guy, Zero. I'm gonna eventually break my healing cycle."
He cracked a smile back at me. "You're right, of course. Just take it easy, huh?"
Out of nowhere his face conjured a concerned look. "By the way, while I'm thinking about it, have you had any other problems with Sigma lately?"
I went completely blank. I couldn't think of anything to say for a second. Zero began to twist his face into a questioning stare.
"You are all right, aren't you, X?"
I nodded. "Yeah, I'm alright. Guess he's just makin' me a little scatterbrained, that's all."
"Maybe you should sit out of the mission to Epsilon's," he said. "I'm worried you might zonk out during a shoot-out or something."
"No, I'm okay, really. He won't cause me any more trouble for a while, I don't think."
"If you say so, X. I trust you, man."
Deep within my mind, a voice screamed to be released. X. Trying to get help from Zero or Cain. It won't work, X, I said to him. You can't use your own faculties anymore! You're a slave inside your own body!
He spoke. Zero's been my brother since I joined the Hunters. He'll notice something's wrong sooner or later. He's not as dense as you think.
I smiled. We shall see, X. Until then, however, I am in full control of what happens to you. Welcome to your nightmare, Hunter.
"Did ya hear me, X?" Zero asked, apparently for the second time.
"Oh, sorry, Zero, I skipped out for a sec. Must be the air in here."
"I said 'You need to rest for awhile.' Get me?"
I nodded, with a smile. "Just try an' strap me down, pal."
He shook his head with a grin. "Yeesh. Just get some sleep already, will ya? Don't give me any more grief than you already have."
I said nothing more, just turned over on my side and closed my eyes.
Once Cain and Zero had left the room, I sat up and opened my eyes again. I thought for a second. Was it possible X could actually be right? Of course not. I held his mind in my hand. I could tap into any memory he had. Nothing was secret from me anymore. I would eventually rule again, now that I had the most powerful Reploid body ever created.
The only drawback here was my lack of coordination and training with an arm cannon like X's. This I would have to get used to. It could work, I thought as I flexed my gun arm. Yes, this will work out well, I think.
By blackhart
copyright MM Abacus Fiction, revised 6/26/2001
Chapter Seven
Zero
The blast struck my friend X full in the chest, sending him falling to the floor, undoubtedly unconscious. I saw his chest armor smoking, turned him over to see how badly he was injured. He'd taken a hard hit, had a chunk of his armor burned off.
Upset as I was, I plugged an Infolink cable into my friend's arm cannon, getting his vitals. He was alive, but very badly injured. Auto-repair couldn't even begin to work on this. We needed to get him back ASAP. "Guys," I called to the four who now hung their heads low, "get your commander back to HQ, now! He needs serious medical assistance! That's a direct order! We'll talk about what you four did back at base later."
They picked up their fallen comrade with great sighs and sad eyes. They knew what they'd done was wrong. All I cared about was how Cain would handle them, and if X was going to be okay. They started a mass teleport out of the building and flew off, while I had a quiet moment with Delta.
"Well, you'll meet your sister now, I suppose," I said. With a smile, I remarked: "You and I are going back to HQ on the double, you little troublemaker."
Picking her from her resting place there, I closed my eyes and focused on my destination. Back to Maverick Hunter Headquarters I flew, through a cold, black night sky.
* * *
Sigma
I opened my eyes cautiously. Or were they my eyes? Had the transfer worked? I couldn't tell yet. I took a look around. From somewhere to my left, I heard "He's coming to, Doc."
Such a familiar voice...that was Zero! And, though it had been remodeled since I was last here, I recognized my location...the Maverick Hunter Headquarters' medbay!
So the transfer of my will to X's mind had gone off perfectly. Wonderful... I thought. Just wonderful...
I search X's mind for what to say. While using his body, I had to act the part. "Hey Zero," I said. "How am I?"
"Good question," he said back. "Doctor, lemme see the vitals monitor."
I glanced to the left and found Dr. Cain, the founder of the Maverick Hunters, moving around a monitor to give Zero a look.
"Looks like all that hasn't been repaired is that gash in your chest, buddy," he said.
I looked down there at X's chest, where Zero had gestured with his hand. Some enormous blast had ripped open a hole in his armor. "Yeow," I said faintly. "Still hurts me just to look at it."
"I can imagine," he said. "Just take it easy for awhile, bud. Give the rest of the pain a bit to subside, will ya?"
I faked a smile. "You know I'm an active kind of guy, Zero. I'm gonna eventually break my healing cycle."
He cracked a smile back at me. "You're right, of course. Just take it easy, huh?"
Out of nowhere his face conjured a concerned look. "By the way, while I'm thinking about it, have you had any other problems with Sigma lately?"
I went completely blank. I couldn't think of anything to say for a second. Zero began to twist his face into a questioning stare.
"You are all right, aren't you, X?"
I nodded. "Yeah, I'm alright. Guess he's just makin' me a little scatterbrained, that's all."
"Maybe you should sit out of the mission to Epsilon's," he said. "I'm worried you might zonk out during a shoot-out or something."
"No, I'm okay, really. He won't cause me any more trouble for a while, I don't think."
"If you say so, X. I trust you, man."
Deep within my mind, a voice screamed to be released. X. Trying to get help from Zero or Cain. It won't work, X, I said to him. You can't use your own faculties anymore! You're a slave inside your own body!
He spoke. Zero's been my brother since I joined the Hunters. He'll notice something's wrong sooner or later. He's not as dense as you think.
I smiled. We shall see, X. Until then, however, I am in full control of what happens to you. Welcome to your nightmare, Hunter.
"Did ya hear me, X?" Zero asked, apparently for the second time.
"Oh, sorry, Zero, I skipped out for a sec. Must be the air in here."
"I said 'You need to rest for awhile.' Get me?"
I nodded, with a smile. "Just try an' strap me down, pal."
He shook his head with a grin. "Yeesh. Just get some sleep already, will ya? Don't give me any more grief than you already have."
I said nothing more, just turned over on my side and closed my eyes.
Once Cain and Zero had left the room, I sat up and opened my eyes again. I thought for a second. Was it possible X could actually be right? Of course not. I held his mind in my hand. I could tap into any memory he had. Nothing was secret from me anymore. I would eventually rule again, now that I had the most powerful Reploid body ever created.
The only drawback here was my lack of coordination and training with an arm cannon like X's. This I would have to get used to. It could work, I thought as I flexed my gun arm. Yes, this will work out well, I think.
