Mega Man X 1.5
by Tremor3258
'In case you missed the last SEVEN disclaimers' Disclaimer (in this story alone...) Capcom owns Megaman, not I.
Maverick! Maverick Fire Burning Bright, in the Fortress of the Night
(Author's Note: I couldn't resist, it was too tempting to use that title)
Bebop lowered his head for a moment, feeling defeated. Whatever command Jazz was under was far more powerful and more insidious than the one used on her thirty years ago. That one would have merely put a shell program in the place of her personality, turning her into a sophisticated drone, a shell of what she was. That plan merely temporarily suppressed her personality, and could be broken through by a strong will.
This was far crueller. In many ways, it was worse than the Maverick Virus. The Maverick Virus boosted your emotions, your hatred most of all, and made you easily controllable. You instinctively recognized the container for Sigma, the Master Virus, and bowed before him. However, the Reploid who once lived was dead forever. Jazz would, with this, remain to a large extent, but her will subverted to serve another, but some part would remain aware and helpless.
Bebop had run a scan on his love when he got her to the highly sophisticated systems of the Amazon Control Center. It would be a pain to clean everything off afterwards, because Jazz had activated the Shadow Armor program, increasing her defense, speed, strength, and firepower, but at the cost of a slow drain on active energy. It also had an advantage of tapping into Jazz's old battle programming, laid down by Dr. Wily. Normally those chips were off-line, since activating them would have bound them as slaves to whoever held the control codes. Bebop had a similar set.
But the Shadow Armor program had at its core the Maverick Virus, or rather, a greatly weakened version of it, twisted and transformed, and integrated with their systems, and the Virus laughed at attempts to be controlled. Normally, it made them act slightly felinoid due to the instincts of their support animals, which were tied into a similar location in their neural nets. However, it also dropped their need for self-preservation low enough to tap their auto-repair systems at a rate greater than the fusion plant could resupply energy. If left on long enough, they would collapse into stasis from exhaustion.
Jazz had the program on for almost fifteen minutes now, as she sent powerful commands that were trying to drive her berserk into combat programming, fooling the commands. Jazz's attention was focused inward, and she was having seizures as her brain battled itself to try and retain control. Bebop had found most of the standby energy containers he could, as the place was well-stocked, but eventually he would have to activate the generators to save her life by offering that power stream, and someone would almost certainly notice if a major power source appeared where none should be, and then they would be found, and as long as either of them had a Shadow Armor program in effect, they would register as Maverick on scanners. "X, Zero, someone shut off the transmitter. Please hurry up, if Jazz falls asleep, she won't be able to resist," he whispered. Bebop knelt by her in the darkened control room, trying to sooth his other half as she continued to spasm, being torn apart from the inside by her Father's final gift.
Zero wasn't doing much better. He was strapped down to a medical table, teeth gritting with exhaustion. Zero's mind's hardware was a bit more complex, and he was losing himself at a slower rate. Lifesaver looked at him in desperation. His best efforts to stop the transmitter's effect were failing. Gate was still frantically looking for programming, or a firewall that could slow the progress, while Yammark buzzed nervously in the background.
"Douglas! I said we needed Cain Labs doctors over here! We don't have enough trained programmers on our own to handle this!" Signas yelled at the screen to the mechanic on the other side.
The green-armored technical wizard, and one of Isoc's right-hand Reploids, held his hands up placatingly. "Giving Hunters the ability to teleport to almost anywhere on the planet is bad enough right now, do you think that doctors are allowed to have it? They're moving in by helicopter. What's the problem? Everyone going Maverick or something?"
Signas glared daggers even through the screen, "Don't even joke about that. Signas out."
Isoc ran into the doorway, quickly assembling a tool kit. "It's happening, just like the Doctor feared it would. I picked up the transmission. Make sure no one messes with Rock while I'm gone, will you? He should be waking up shortly!"
Douglas said, "I'll need the command codes to the mainframe if you're going to be gone for any length of time."
"Why?" asked Isoc, "The communication systems are on-line, right? Unless you're going to need to look at X's schematics or the old Repliforce data for some reason, I can't see why you need to browse my private files, and somehow you don't seem the type who would be interested in pawing his way through old pictures of dead Reploids."
Douglas flushed and crossed his arms, "I am NOT into dead people." Isoc laughed, and waved it off
"I was teasing. You should lighten up Douglas. Cain Labs is safe from attack, since the Hunters are busy tracking down a Maverick fortress. You don't want to be all depressed when the casualties start rolling in," Cain finished grimly, heading off to get a helicopter over to HQ.
Douglas shook his head and whispered, "You old fool. You're sitting on a power that could change the world, and you refuse to even look at it, instead ordering us to help build your silly toy." Douglas turned back to the monitoring station, continuing to poke his way through the Maverick communication system. Douglas's comrades, One and Two, might have their occasional bug into the computer net, but only Douglas had true, unlimited access to the Hunter's surveillance systems, which the fools still thought was safe, as it used a different system than the internal computers or communication. Isoc hadn't guarded those secrets well enough, but they were trifling beside what Douglas sought.
X, meanwhile, had arrived at Skull Fortress, Mk. Last several minutes ago, and quickly dove for cover as heavy artillery cannons and lasers expended their energy against the innocent, and quickly pulverized, ground. "Well, at least we're speeding up reclamation work to get this area forested again," muttered X.
"Hi X! Glad you could join us!" said Alia, almost cheerfully considering the circumstances. Wolf and Alia were pinned down by the same large boulder, though it was getting eaten away steadily. They had come from being on patrol duty, but anyone trying to get to the fortress would get blasted away before they got close. Ride Armors were being called in, but they couldn't teleport, so it would take half an hour.
"Love to chat, but how close can those cannons get to the Fortress?" X asked hastily. There wasn't time to even explain.
"Perhaps sixty meters before the artillery is no longer usable, but that leaves approximately thirty meters without any cover whatsoever," Laser Wolf barked. He was definitely in his element. X nodded, and started crawling to the end of the steadily melting boulder. "Sir, are you crazy?"
X shook his head, "I've got some advantages you guys don't have. I'm just glad I've got three full sub-tanks and a weapon tank ready. This is going to HURT!" X ran out from behind the rock, watching the various gun barrels prepare to expel hot photon doom at the Hunter. When the cannons had about locked on, X quickly jumped into the air and triggered his Nova Strike.
The Nova Strike generator locked into his armor by Dr. Light's fourth set of upgrade capsules took a long time to charge, and did so by absorbing some of the energy from hits as well as excess energy X absorbed from other sources, like being hit by plasma weaponry. Once fully charged, the Nova Strike triggered a blanket of plasma around X, shooting him forward at great speeds, as an air dash, but besides a longer air dash, the plasma shell protected X from any attacks made during the short while it was activated, besides the fact that anything X rammed while it was on would suffer major plasma burns.
X could cover about twenty-five meters before the generator's capacitors gave out and had to be recharged, more with a tail wind. That got him through the initial barrage of fire intact, as the guns ionized the air around him. Most of the Hunters stared in awe at the sight. X rarely ever cut loose except when he was going solo through dangerous fortresses, and usually didn't even wear his armor modifications in training. Now, most of the Hunters got to witness the awesome display of death's avatar burned a trail through the air.
X hit the ground running as the Nova Strike generator petered out and began its recharge cycle. X's unexpected move to go THROUGH the enemy fire had thrown off the automated targeting systems, and it was a moment before the guns began tracking the Hunter, chewing their way through the ground. X continued to run forward, not looking back. He had gotten a good look at where the beams were when they were in front of him, anyway. His plan would push him to the edge of his abilities, but he felt fairly confident he could pull this off.
As the blasting destruction behind him got louder and louder as the cannons swivelled in on the father of Reploids, X held his path, and fired a Soul Body. When shrapnel began to ring off his body armor, X jumped to the right, heading through only a portion of the nimbus of energy behind him as it was distracted by the double. X gritted his teeth as his shields and armor were blasted upon by the energy beams, and quickly drained a sub tank as soon as he was through the torrent. Back near to full health, X jumped in the air as the energy beams turned to towards him once again in all their awful malevolence. But X had his own fury to bring to the meeting, and triggered his recharged Nova Strike. The excess energy that had gotten past the first layer of defenses had been partially channeled into X's capacitors. It was an added defensive measure and a weapon at the same time, and X was using it at the fullest effect.
X breached the energy column easily as golden fire met red and black energy beams, passing through them like a Buster through butter. That is to say with a lot of collateral damage and making a mess of things. However, the ground was already far too shredded for any additional splash damage to make an effect. The strike died out around X and he started running. He seriously doubted that he would have an easy a time with it this time if the defenses weren't on an automated mode, but with eighty percent of the defenses on this side attempting to strike one fast-moving white-and-blue armored Hunter, the other Hunters were also wiping out guns and sensors on this side as fast as their weapons could cycle. Though X was almost half way through the kill zone, the odds were staying about steady as the weaker close-range weapons that could be brought to bear couldn't match the long-range weapons that were being knocked out.
Pain, and recharge, pain and recharge. X soon ran out of subtanks, but he had perhaps thirty meters left to go to reach the primary gate, blown open long ago by the Hunters when Zero was found, and one nova strike ready, but he needed to push it a few more meters to make it inside to relative 'safety'. X looked up ahead of him, and cursed.
He had apparently made a fatal mistake. Several small cannons had emerged from the rock around the cave entrance, and X couldn't activate his Nova Strike when his defensive systems were ramped up to deal with impacts, which meant that if the guns hit, he would be swallowed by the energy column approaching behind him. The Soul Body would simply stand in front of him, so he would still be targeted. If he swerved, he would hit the side of the mountain and who knows what sort of defense could be resting in the apparently innocent looking rock? X shut his eyes, and prayed the guns wouldn't activate in time. Suddenly, a series of blue-tinted lasers and a yellow burst of electricity shot past X to smash the small, unarmored cannons to scrap.
"We've been watching your back, X! Kick butt until the ride armors get here and we can join you!" said Alia over a radio link. X smiled and nodded, though he knew she couldn't see him. Well, she might, with her remote sensor pods. X willed the Nova Strike to life one more time, arrowing through the gate and into the complex.
"No Nova Strike, no sub-tanks but for my weapons left, and I'll barely need that with my helmet system," noted X as he quickly shot the few small cannons near the entrance with a gaping dark hole beckoning further into the structure. "Looks like it's back to the basics. Rock could beat these, even if he nearly died, without Capsules; and it's time to set a new speed record for storming a Skull Fortress." X checked his buster to make sure it was working properly and started jogging further into Wily's final resting place. There were Hunters pinned down who needed to be saved.
Signas looked at the computer screens in frustration. There were security leaks all over the place, and no one knew how far they went. Zero was slowly tearing himself to pieces on the inside. The two trump cards they had for beating the Virus were hiding out in the Amazon, and nothing had been heard from them since they teleported down, and most of the Hunters were fighting one of the most fiendish war machines ever devised.
Now, Signas was doing something he had been working on in his precious spare time the last few days. He was carefully running security checks from the top down on Cain Labs. The Hunters had been running background checks on their own members as part of the general precautions after Double showing up in their ranks as well as the screening of Repliforce members. No one had dealt with Cain Labs.
The first person, naturally had been Isoc, and Signas soon found out why the Hunters had little data on him. Isoc was a relatively recently built Reploid, and had originally been intended for archeological work, and evidently interned with Dr. Cain for a while, picking up some interest in robotics at the same time. A year or so ago, Isoc met with Cain again after being on digs for several years of cities that had been devastated either during the Third World War or the Robot Rebellions. Isoc had been hired to oversee the project about bringing back some of the Robot Masters as a gateway to learning more about how the intelligence routines of Reploid functioned shortly before the Repliforce incident. People knew they worked, but not HOW.
"Which would be why Zero and Jazz can have little booby-traps hidden away inside of them," muttered Signas. Improvements on the design were difficult. Gate, in an interesting turn about, had partnered with Cain Labs before the Repliforce incident for a short time as well, and he was one of the foremost experts on Reploid Intelligence circuitry. In fact, his work was too cutting edge, and people feared what would be unleashed. Isoc had continued to work for Cain Labs through the Fourth Uprising, and was evidently a highly competent administrator. That was probably why the Hunters knew little about him. The Hunters were typically more interested in the newest plasma buster and the people who designed it directly rather than a Reploid who promoted team work.
Still, Signas made a mental note to ask Gate or Isoc the next time he saw them what they had worked on. "What was it that the two were working on that made Gate shut himself away in seclusion for so long?"
"I'll tell you myself if you want," offered Isoc, who was standing in the doorway to the war room. Signas spun around in shock. Isoc chuckled and said, "I'm glad you're taking the time to check Cain Labs. I've been busy the last few days keeping the lid on your security leaks, and haven't been able to perform any personnel checks myself, and most of the other high-ranking Reploids have been there longer than I have, and I don't know them well enough to know what THEY'RE hiding. You know how paranoid scientists get about their discoveries."
Signas nodded. Dr. Light's advanced weaponry, despite the advantage the Hunters would obtain from having it, defied all attempts at reproduction. Signas asked, "Now what was this mysterious project that would call the Finder of Reploids, the foremost expert on Reploid neural circuitry, and an archeologist whose next project was to build a copy of Mega Man?"
Isoc shrugged and said, "Not much. But first, you noticed how quickly Gate was able to decipher how the Shadow Armor system worked on the two of them?" Signas nodded, it had been fast for something that had been completely unknown recently, Isoc continued, "That's because Gate had previous experience with Reploid willpower expanding the shell's power beyond theoretical limits. Did you notice that the project was put together shortly before the Repliforce incident. Which major figures in the Uprising joined Repliforce during that time?"
Signas said, "Um, I know the Colonel and Iris met Zero and were activated only a few months before... oh Creator. Dr. Cain built both of them?" Signas paused, "Wait, so you know about Iris's weird battle armor, right?"
Isoc agreed, "My portion of the project was related to information found upon further research of Dr. Light's lab. The plan was conceived in secret, and most of the results will hopefully never see the light of day. The most important ramification did, though, and many Hunters knew them well. We were trying to recreate X, a warrior who would fight only to defend as a leader for Repliforce, but we were unable to integrate the personality properly. The pacifist, caring program was developed first, and is the basic personality set, but Iris kept rejecting the war-like portions. Colonel was developed to at least create a team with the same effects. Unlike Colonel, however, Iris had the capability as a nurturer and a destroyer still built in, but it wasn't until she nearly lost her mind from grief and rage that she accessed the battle programs."
Isoc continued sadly, "That is what brought poor Gate's career off track. Iris, which by all public accounts was simply a sweet and caring Reploid turning into a berserk monster with no hint of the Virus made the World Council fear higher-level Reploids. Gate was unable to proceed with his research for a time. Commander Yammark, however, is a testimonial to the success of the basic design plans. Iris carried the system too far in the extreme, but Yammark's systems are reliable, and considering the dragonfly's stage of development, he shows far more initiative than any other modern Reploid. When he's fully trained he'll be a great force."
Isoc said, "Now here's why I need your help. We have people fighting to save Zero, but there's something only I and Dr. Cain know about Rock. He contains several chips found among the debris and notes of Dr. Thomas Light. In fact, Rock himself is about forty-five percent of the original Mega Man, found among the remains. The chips are locked by a password, but they contain information that was written AFTER X was placed in his capsule." Signas startled and looked at Isoc, who nodded in confirmation, "That's right. According to the notes, these particular chips contain information never found before, and may very well have the basic blueprints for Jazz and Bebop. I bring forth the information now as it will greatly help you, as we cannot keep this hidden for much longer."
Signas cheered, "That's great! If Gate had that information, he could crack the Virus a lot easier if he knew exactly what to look for and what not to! So let's get the chips!"
Isoc looked embarrassed, "Unfortunately, the chips will only work if placed into the circuit boards of a Light era robot such as Rock, and even then, we need to know the password. Even then, Rock is unaware of it himself. The only clue was 'something the family can recite on cue'. So it's some minor tidbit of information, and I didn't want to reveal the existence publicly because of the danger of it falling into the wrong hands, as well as the fact that Rock attacked for some reason. I believe I've traced it down to a fault in his battle detection programs. He took Zero's words for a true threat and overreacted."
Signas asked concernedly, "Have you figured out who did it? For that matter, can you fix it? It'll be difficult to try passwords when we could get attacked."
Isoc nodded, "I have managed to repair the system, I believe, but the changes to Rocks' personality matrix as a result are what's keeping him asleep. There isn't much time left, however. The problem is that if Rock wakes up, I'll need to get there quickly to determine if the programming is intact and ensure Rock is dropped back to sleep if it hasn't. Otherwise, he and his data may be destroyed by someone who says the wrong thing to Rock. I can't watch Rock and keep the lid on your little scheme here."
Signas thought for a moment and agreed, "As acting Commander of the Maverick Hunters, what's left of them in the base, I'll get Gate to check Rock's programming when he wakes up. You keep running interference. I assume you've been working on our security records?"
Isoc nodded, "The Council takes copies at the end of each month, but I have some of the best computer programmers anywhere in the solar system. The replacements to the communication system have made the job easier, but I don't think I can keep it up for much longer." Signas and Isoc quickly shook hands.
Sigma watched the little scene on a view screen. Three had sent this little tidbit to him, and his colleagues were taking frantic steps to counter the new information. He didn't get angry, though that was with effort. Anger would allow the Virus to take control, and Sigma desperately needed to be clear-headed right now. The Hunters had regrouped faster than Sigma had thought possible considering the number of Units involved, and X, as depressingly usual, was quickly tearing his way through the fortress, and would soon be AHEAD of the Hunters who had been sent into the castle originally. Still, he could perhaps utilize this slightly, but it would mean that he would have to leave himself. There weren't any Lieutenants he trusted right now, with Vile and Double chopped to scrap. Sigma dropped his cloak off and walked into the room nearby.
"Greetings my dear. Today's your lucky day, as you and your lover will be reunited." Iris didn't reply to Sigma's statement, instead merely hanging limply from her restraints, her eyes blank. Sigma hadn't QUITE managed to break her. Evidently there were a few Repliforce techniques she had managed to draw upon to increase willpower. Still, that Repliforce training made her vulnerable to those in positions of higher authority, and Iris would obey his orders, but she would do so mechanically, and she still wouldn't SUMMON THE WHOLE REASON FOR BRINGING HER BACK!!! Sigma took a deep breath, realizing he was about to hit her, and quickly stepped back. "Come dear, we should get you washed up. You'll have to look your best for Zero." Iris didn't reply, standing stiffly at attention when Sigma released the restraints with a mental command.
X continued through the fortress, helping Hunters take out various chokepoints, and ordering them to spread out and cover alternate directions before running ahead, in an attempt to cut as much power to the outer defenses as possible. He was doing quite well, actually, and had managed to recharge a sub-tank and was half-way on his Nova Strike, having to use the super attack again to clear out some heavy cannon. It had been a while since the last Uprising, and X wasn't quite as up on training as he should be, due to the amounts of paperwork recently, but it was coming back quite well. Plus, all the enemy's in Wily's fortress were simple drones, not Reploids, and it was easier to dismantle them.
X saw a VERY large group of Hunters, probably a squad's worth, standing near a gateway and clutching burn marks and dents on their body in pain. X noted Ajax, the felinoid model who had helped in that battle against the simulator, seemed to be leading the group. Ajax saluted and reported, "Sir! there's a large guardian on the other side of this door, and we're waiting for Eagle armors before heading further, for caution reasons."
X shook his head, "I don't have that option Ajax," the Reploid blushed on realization the commander recognized him, "Something in this fortress has your Unit Commander in serious pain, and it's slowly killing him. Stay here and wait for backup. If I'm not back in a half an hour, start tearing this place apart." Ajax nodded and X checked his weapon set from the Fourth Uprising. All weapons ready, Helmet weapons energy converter standing by, sub tank prepped, and air dash/hover boots reading full charge. X ran at the gateway, having a full Plasma Shot ready.
X wasn't quite sure where the guardian was, seeing only some rocks. Then they came together. X looked up and up. "Oh, damn," X said mildly. Wily had put the latest version of that feared and dangerous creation, the Rock Monster, in his fortress. Though this particular Devil was painted more black than most to fit the local coloration. X mainly knew about them from horror stories about the ones that Bebop and Jazz had trained against back in the old days. X dashed and climbed the wall of where the monster was holding, and it paused, surprised. Evidently Rock hadn't come equipped with wall grippers, and this Devil was running off those battle files.
"Let's see, Jazz said only the eye is vulnerable unless you want to try and blast your way through solid granite. Actually, with the Plasma Shot, that might be an option," noted X. Another problem was his lack of a real electric beam weapon. The Lightning Web had its moments, and would make it easier to stay at eye-height, but it didn't have the range. Well, the charged one did. X shot a massive gob of lightning web out, which spread out and attached itself to all corners of the room. Lightning ran down the webs for a moment. Rock Monster roared and broke free, and X noted his eye was slightly singed. "Standard cannon it is then." X groaned. This could take a while, even if the monster was an idiot, and Zero didn't have the time. X revised the monster's opinion upward to dangerous idiot when it broke itself into pieces and started trying to ram him with the chunks. Hover boots were helping A LOT, but X was soaking up damage.
Sigma contacted Nova Skunk. "My general," lied Sigma, "I need you to deactivate your communication system when we are done speaking for perhaps an hour, and your teleport screens for maybe ten minutes. We have a chance to acquire both components of the weapon system, and unfortunately we'll need Zero's mind intact. I believe my compatriots are preparing to act foolishly in their search. I need Zero active and attempting to come through the base."
Nova Skunk frowned, "Lord Sigma, how can you be sure Zero will arrive? He's been injured badly mentally, and that means that Zero won't be anywhere near fighting strength."
Sigma smiled thinly, "We've been tearing at his mind. Zero will not appreciate that, and with Zero's temper, he will be sure to make his displeasure known. I'm transmitting you something I want to put into your communication system right before you shut it off. It WILL make it's way to Zero." Nova Skunk saluted and quickly punched in the information.
Jazz writhed in the command center, demons still howling at her mind. Their gibbering voices were becoming clearer and clearer, and eventually she made out actual dialogue. "Zero, your soul mate is waiting. Find your destiny and fight for her! I'll be waiting at your birthplace!" The demons cut out and Jazz shuddered, enjoying this moment of respite, but as it continued, something crossed her mind. The voice's accent had switched from Germanic to a rather smooth tone, like that of a certain bald Reploid Jazz had the misfortune to run into once.
This can't be good, thought Jazz wryly to herself, and then forced herself to focus. Her mind felt scattered, and it was difficult to bring it together. After she ran a diagnostic: she realized the reason. Her Armor program was activated, and self-reflection was a difficult process, as her systems kept shunting vital programs around her neural net to try and protect them. With a sheer effort of will, Jazz forced the adrenaline-like effects of the Shadow Armor down and focused on gathering herself for a few minutes. Once she felt ready, she opened her eyes and quickly readjusted them to infrared, spotting the warm glow of Bebop, looking very concerned. Focusing a little more carefully as her eyes cleared, she noticed that the heat glow was warmest around the gun barrels built onto his waist as well as his forearms, though he did have his hands out.
"Weren't expecting me to come back the same Reploid you left me for?" Jazz said, and coughed. Her voice had come out all scratchy. Before she could say anything more, Bebop pounced across the damage and hugged her desperately, whispering frantically, "When your armor reverted I was afraid you had been taken out." Bebop dropped back and hung his head, "I'm sorry for doubting you."
Jazz shook her head, "I'll expect a bit more of a repayment later. Right now, what happened to the medical bay?"
Bebop explained their location and the reasons behind, concluding, "Now that you're okay, we should be able to get a distance away and teleport out. The nanos you created for the Shadow Armor should decay before anyone comes looking, and we'll be able to make a communications call off a Hunter satellite once we get outside." Jazz nodded, ready to go and return.
The two quickly reached the entrance to the control center, and paused. It was late afternoon outside, though the control room was dark, and the two Hunters could clearly make out a group of Reploids moving up the trail, carrying some sort of equipment on there backs. "Those are Cain Labs' employees," said Bebop, seeing an insignia on their chests, "But why are they here? This place is in lock-down until Yammark is ready."
Jazz theorized, "Maybe Signas or X scrounged them up to get us some medical assistance." Jazz ran outside, "Hey guys! Over here!"
"There they are! Blast them!" Jazz ducked as the equipment turned out to be high-powered plasma rifles. They didn't have variable weapon's technology, and they were difficult to aim, but they were a bit more powerful than armed mounted plasma-cannon like X and Zero carried. The initial splatter of bolts went over Jazz's head, as she was far too fluid to be hit by a first clumsy salvo. Bebop, standing inside the door and out of range, wasn't firing oddly enough. Jazz quickly activated her ice technique, launching a scattering of blades. Several froze trees and broke off branches, but a greater number went into the front row, spreading ice into various systems in the Reploids who were attacking.
Bebop showed what he had been doing all this time and stepped out into the line of fire as his color scheme shifted to a special weapon. Chill Penguin's old weapon, grabbed as data in the simulator, proved its real world utility as the charged version generated an ice sled. Jazz saw what was going on and hopped on as the two kicked off. Bebop switched to his kinetic lance, going from blue and yellow accents (the armor didn't change colors) to blue and green and started knocking weapons out of the hands of the Reploids. When they got close, Jazz triggered her beam saber special weapon, her color scheme shifting to match Bebop's as she sliced apart the plasma rifles. The untrained technicians scattered as the Hunters barreled through the center of their ranks, heading over a slight incline and out of sight.
Jazz decided that this counted as a reason to break silence, "Headquarters, this is Jazz! Come in! Some Cain Lab technicians started shooting us when we came out of the control center! Right now we're running on an ice sled, and it won't last for ever. What's going on?"
Signas, usually fairly unflappable, replied in an elated tone, "Jazz! You're all right! The transmitter must have been cut off. Zero woke up a minute ago and is storming around base. If we hadn't hidden his Z-saber, he'd probably be off at the Fortress again by now. I'll run a quick check to see what's going on, but right now we're fairly tied up. Report back to base and we'll get you outfitted to do some retirement."
Jazz said urgently, "Once we stop moving. We're going a little fast now and we still should put some distance. Listen! The last thing I heard before the transmitter cut out was Sigma calling for Zero, saying Iris was at the fortress!"
Signas said somberly, "This is bad. Someone's been sending Zero messages to that effect for a while. He won't be going in straight, but I doubt I or the rookies can stop him alone, and I'm working on something as well here. I'll warn the Hunters to watch his back when Zero goes on his rampage. Now, teleport once you get a kilometer away so the station can't track you easily, and don't call again. It might get picked up. Signas out."
X sat panting among the ruined remnants of the rock monster. And X and Zero had laughed at Jazz and Bebop's tales of Wily's favorite Devils. The thing's defenses were way out of date, but it had still forced him to drain a sub tank, and he was still a quarter energy down. Luckily, he had his Nova Strike ready again, but had been unable to use it because the Rock Monster had flown around too much. He just hoped Zero still had time as he rushed forward, figuring the Hunters would come through the door quickly enough and onto the next checkpoint.
Shortly after X left, however, another two energy beams came down. "Go hide in the corner dear. This could get ugly." Iris trembled for a second, and Sigma ignited his beam saber as a warning. The ghastly yellow light tint made Iris cry out slightly and back into a corner. "That's a good girl," said Sigma kindly. Sigma could wait patiently. After all, the next moments would be interesting with the packages he had brought.
"And speak of the Hunter," Sigma said with amusement as the gate cycled. Sigma casually lobbed one of his surprises forward. It broke open into a cloud of diffused Maverick Virus. Sigma watched with sadistic pleasure as the Hunters turned one each other, reading each other as Maverick as their judgment decayed to the point that they believed they were free. Sigma waited, the survivors he would make Maverick, but he didn't want anyone touching Iris before Zero got here.
Signas sat over the console. He was comparing where the various Cain Lab Reploids had been from. He barely looked up as Douglas wandered through the war room, and quickly directed the mechanic along towards the medical wing. Signas quickly called up the radio logs, and noticed an emergency call for anti-Maverick activity in the Amazon, by Douglas, dated right after the conversation with Isoc was finished.
"Someone was monitoring our conversation, and the security links either go here or to Cain Labs. Let's see who was on security watch duty." Douglas's name came up, attached to both the call and security duty. "Oh no. Computer, locate Douglas in this building and tell him to report to the War Room at once!"
Douglas, several decks down, started to run when he heard the call. He was running out of time, and had moved too hastily, but they needed the Virus to be active for their plans, and eliminating Rock would help. Plus, Isoc should be near there, and then Douglas could finish his pet project. He smiled when he thought of the power he would have. His body had been weak, and he had often been laughed at as almost an accessory to the repair systems. Soon, he would show them all.
"Level One Alert! Begin Security lockdown process around the Medical Wing! All Hunters, prepare for battle!" Signas barked out, before he started running himself. There was a reserve armory near here, and Signas's plasma cannon alone wouldn't be enough, he needed to pick up something like a Ride Armor or old weapon's data.
Douglas cursed in frustration as the heavy plates started to come down around him. Sirens whooped as civilians got the hell out of the way. Douglas knew he was lucky. In the heart of their own base, underneath the dome, in normal circumstances he would be dead by now. But all the Hunters were out! Plus, the Medical wing didn't have weaponry systems, extending the Hippocratic Oath a bit, but damaged Reploids could possibly be targeted by accident.
Still, Douglas knew he was running out of time, and quickly activated the little program he had put together. It was still untested, but there was no time like the present. Douglas quickly summoned the form of the program, a green crystal, flashing intermittently with sparks. It didn't quite look solid, but Douglas was pleased it had come this far. Douglas raised the crystal over his head, before green fire sheeted over him. First came the surge of energy, then came the pain. Douglas started to scream as armor phased in and out around him. Staggered and maddened, Douglas put his hand to the bulkhead to steady himself, but tore through it instead. Douglas gave a mad cackle, and went off in search of Rock.
Isoc heard the sirens and quickly locked the door. With recent security issues, it was possible someone was coming for Rock. Gate looked up, and then dove into his work even more frantically, trying to revive the robot. Isoc looked around. There was nothing that could be used as a weapon, and Gate didn't seem like the type to have much fighting prowess. Isoc had been equipped with some drills in his original job, but he had them removed. The two scientists shared a look of despair.
Zero, meanwhile, was looking at Skull Fortress with approval. The ground was shredded, much of the rock and dust that had covered the Fortress had been pounded to glass under the heavy assault once the Ride Armors were brought to bear, and the weapons hung either quiet in their sockets, power cut from the inside, or blasted to wreckage. "Nice work team leaders. I assume X is in the fortress?" The Fourth Unit Commander nodded. Zero drew his saber, checking it out briefly before test-igniting it. "I have some catching up to do then." Zero began to march purposefully across the ground. The exterior had failed, but the inside was still very dangerous, but not for much longer.
X groaned as he jumped over a spike trap, narrowly missing being hit by the robot shaped like a giant boxing glove. "Note to self: Never critique any bizarreness of Sigma's drones ever again," muttered X. Still, he sensed he was getting fairly close to the structure's core. X felt his old Hunting instincts were back again, and he was depressed. He had started to move into a support role by choice, as there were enough Hunters to cover the world on active duty, but once more he had been called upon. Zero may have enjoyed the return to battle, but Zero couldn't be here. X reminded himself of that fact to urge him to keep going.
Signas had found a Raiden armor, equipped with a light plasma punch, in the armory as well as a heavier laser weapon to carry and a bazooka. He was now dashing the machine down the corridors. The bulkheads should keep Douglas in one place long enough for me to deal with him, thought the Training Commander, but that was before he saw the bulkheads by the medical wing. They had been torn apart by a great force who had ripped through durasteel like paper. Hunching over slightly, Signas tried to urge more speed from the machine.
Isoc and Gate's situation was a little better, as two junior Hunters wanted to guard the great Mega Man. Now they stood inside the door, with the confidence of under-experience. Roaring noises could be heard outside, along with a bestial gurgling and the howl of metal tearing. Gate had revealed that he had a heavy pulse blaster on stand by, one that fired energy bursts rather than plasma. Its efficiency wasn't incredible, but it would do damage in close quarters. Gate had explained, "I got it installed just in case the Council got a little rash." The door suddenly opened, and Yammark stood there, crouching behind a field of darting dragonflies. Eyes lighting up, Gate quickly pulled his creation into the room.
"He's coming. A big thing, in what almost looks like Ride Armor. It's green, but it keeps disappearing," Yammark reported, before going back to deploying more and more dragonflies. They were all armed with cannon, and though they were lightly armored, Yammark could pump out more if need be.
Suddenly, the door before them stretched, and Gate quickly gave Isoc his laptop, "We need all the help we can get. Get him on-line!" Gate barked, before bracing his arm in a fairly professional looking pose. After a moment the door burst open, revealing the roaring apparition behind it.
"Douglas?" Isoc asked in shock. Isoc's assistant's face was barely visible under the helmet's transparent visor on the armor, and it seemed to be pulsing. Wires twisted with a life of their own around the armor, occasionally plugging in, but the armor seemed to be covered in worms. Add the way that some parts fell off and were regenerated, it was like looking at a zombie. That moment's hesitation as everyone digested the hideous appearance nearly killed them all, but Douglas roared in victory before moving to attack.
Zero, however, had worked his way through the fortress. Some drones had redeployed, and Zero was using the opportunity to make sure his skills hadn't left him. They hadn't. Zero was untouched when he came to the Rock Monster gate. There, even Zero was appalled. The scent of Reploid blood hung heavy in the air, and the bodies of the Reploids Zero had trained littered the ground, torn up with brutal effect, obviously from close range buster fire, or far too many slashes of a physical weapon. Zero's eyes hardened as he stepped through. He hadn't seen X out here, so he assumed he was still fighting.
Instead, however, the other side of the gate was quiet. Zero blinked in shock once as his mind had to change gears when he saw the pink-dressed figure with long brown hair inside. "Iris!" Zero said in delight, though he wasn't quite ready to sheathe his saber. The room had been through a lot, with heavy boulders littering the ground, and many of the lights knocked out.
Iris stared at Zero, uncomprehending for a moment, and Zero, even in the dim light, could see how glassy her eyes looked before they brightened with recognition. Iris uttered a sob that seemed to be ripped from her, and started running towards Zero. The Crimson Hunter, meanwhile, was so beside himself in astonishment that he dropped the Z-Saber and began to move forward.
Iris suddenly stopped, though still looking at him. Iris seemed to be struggling with something, and Zero was willing to wait. He had this long. Whatever words Zero was expecting, they weren't, "Look behind you!" Zero whirled in place, and barely triggered his dash thrusters to dodge an energy blast that would have probably left him helpless. Zero looked at his enemy, who was between him and the saber with horror. It was Ajax, though with no spark of recognition in his eyes. Zero focused himself. Ajax, evidently, had gone Maverick somehow, perhaps from the simulator, and he would be mourned later.
"Hello Zero! It's so nice to see you again," came a voice from the rafters.
"Sigma," growled the Crimson Hunter. He glanced around, but couldn't take his eyes off the very dangerous being in front of him.
"I see you got my message, and I have to say I'm very disappointed in Iris not running you through with a beam saber when she saw you. I guess you managed to hide a bit more of yourself away then I thought possible, my dear. Such a shame, the tragedy would have meant breaking you would be so easy. Now, I'll just have to let my newest recruit tear you apart and make you a willing receptacle. We'll speak again in a little while, Zero. Attack him Ajax!" With a roar, Ajax leapt forward.
To be continued.
Author's note
Cliffhanger ending. If you're not used to them by now.... Well, at least Jazz is better, but that's about the only good thing that happened.
I now have the entire post-X4 Maverick Hunter staff cameoed and accounted for. Somehow, I don't think Douglas will come out of this one intact, no matter what happens.
Note that, I believe in chronology of the series, this was X's first meeting with the Rock Monster. Luckily Jazz and Bebop knew something about Wily's favorite castle guardian. Notice this was Black Devil as well, so I've borrowed something else from X5
This part is long since I promised a lot in my 'next time' last time, and I tried to deliver.
I think I've just about got this story arc wrapped up. Iris didn't attack Zero, but she wasn't quite ready to defend him either. I hope they get some time to sort through their issues, since the next one should be quite hectic.
The password (to the blueprints) hasn't gotten much of a clue, but e-mail me if you have suggestions for what it might be. Anyone who guesses correctly will be immortalized in the next section's Author Notes. It's not much, but I'm poor. ^_^
Next time:
Iris is back with Zero, but is she really on his side, or is Sigma playing mind games?
Cain Labs staff walked through the Amazon to an off-limits area armed and ready. Were Bebop and Jazz the real target, or could it be something more sinister?
X has to fight a boss, weakened and slowed down, and having sat on the sidelines for a while. With Sigma behind him, does X have a chance?
Signas is facing down a monster, and if you think it's been awhile since X was doing some training...
Maverick Hunter security, obviously, is the equivalent of Swiss cheese. How much longer are they going to be able to hide the going-ons from the public? For that matter, how much longer are the remaining unidentified member of the Star Cabal going to LET them hide the going-ons?
I think that covers everyone, a lot sure happens around here!
I'm off to do some homework now, and meanwhile plot my Omake special for the end of this
Neon Genesis Xangelion! Or maybe not...