Chapter: Headquarters
"You can not make me!" It was a scream that had echoed from the Lin Kuei headquarters ever since Sub Zero's return from Outworld. "I will not allow it."
"Face it Sub Zero," the reply had always been, "we own you. We can do what we like and once the work is complete on Cyrax and Sektor we shall begin work on the rest of you."
"You have no respect for your fighters, do you?" Smoke, a fellow Lin Kuei ninja, always asked to take the attention away from Sub Zero.
"Aren't you tired of this same old routine yet?" The Lin Kuei masters would always ask, "our minds are made up and there is no changing it. The future is in the machine so we are converting you all to Cyber-Ninja so you had better get used to the idea. Unless, of course, you wish to challenge us in battle and die instead."
"A move which would cost you two of your best fighters," Sub Zero retaliated. His masters were quick to cut him down.
"There are plenty of other people willing to step in to your shoes, Sub Zero. You are not the only one who can control the ice element you know. Lest we forget your brother killed in the tournament of Mortal Kombat."
Sub Zero silenced and bowed in both submission to his masters and respect for his brother. His elder brother was last seen in a battle against an undead fighter known as Scorpion. Unlike his brother, Scorpion was seen again in the Outworld tournament. It was presumed that Scorpion had killed Sub Zero in vengeance for his own death at the hands of the Lin Kuei fighter many years before.
"I shall expect you two in the parade hall at dusk," the Master said, turning to address Smoke as well as Sub Zero. "I have a couple of new moves I wish to instil in to each of you before you're automated."
"Yes Master," the pair replied as the masters left the room.
"I'd like to see some machine master the arts of the ice." Sub Zero complained when he was sure the coast was clear.
"No doubt they'd use some cheap mechanics and a water tank," guessed Smoke. Sub Zero turned and shrugged. "I do know one thing though," Smoke continued, "we have to get out of here."
"I couldn't agree more." Sub Zero was short on this answer as he looked around the room for a possible escape route. "Question is, when will we get the chance."
"Tonight."
Smoke looked around to make sure there was no one else around before he closed the large wooden doors, bolting them from the inside. Walking up close to the ice ninja, Smoke talked in a low voice.
"Once the master has finished with us there will be a great feast as we both know. It's when he's showing off Cyrax and Sektor to the entire clan. This means that there will only be the minimum two guards at he door. I'm more than confident we can beat them and escape in to the night."
"We'll be missed. Aren't we due for automation once the meal has ended?" Sub Zero talked in the same low tones that the grey ninja had spoken to him in.
"No, we're part of the second group," Smoke replied, "I was spying around and found the plans for the automation process. The first group are being automated as punishment."
"Punishment?" Sub Zero cut in.
"We are not the only ones who do not want the Lin Kuei to automate their fighters." Smoke answered. "We're only the most vocal. There have already been attempts to sabotage Cyrax's programming. Those responsible have been found out and although they don't know it yet, they are going to be automated first."
"So why are they sparing us?" Sub Zero asked, as it was something he couldn't fathom. Smoke shrugged.
"I don't know. I assume it's because we've only argued against it and not actually acted. I guess that will change when we escape." His voice trailed off in to a minor laugh as he ended his sentence. Sub Zero nodded and went to open the doors again, in case people got suspicious.
"Fancy a quick sparring bout before dusk?" The ice ninja asked.
"Why not," agreed Smoke, "it will give me a chance to perfect my teleport punch before we take matters in to hand tonight."
With that thought in mind, the two fighters battled against each other until the afternoon melted away and turned to dusk. It was at this time they were due in the parade hall to be taught their new moves by the master from whom they were planning to escape. Side by side they entered the parade hall, bowed to the master and took the first step in to their new destiny.
"You can not make me!" It was a scream that had echoed from the Lin Kuei headquarters ever since Sub Zero's return from Outworld. "I will not allow it."
"Face it Sub Zero," the reply had always been, "we own you. We can do what we like and once the work is complete on Cyrax and Sektor we shall begin work on the rest of you."
"You have no respect for your fighters, do you?" Smoke, a fellow Lin Kuei ninja, always asked to take the attention away from Sub Zero.
"Aren't you tired of this same old routine yet?" The Lin Kuei masters would always ask, "our minds are made up and there is no changing it. The future is in the machine so we are converting you all to Cyber-Ninja so you had better get used to the idea. Unless, of course, you wish to challenge us in battle and die instead."
"A move which would cost you two of your best fighters," Sub Zero retaliated. His masters were quick to cut him down.
"There are plenty of other people willing to step in to your shoes, Sub Zero. You are not the only one who can control the ice element you know. Lest we forget your brother killed in the tournament of Mortal Kombat."
Sub Zero silenced and bowed in both submission to his masters and respect for his brother. His elder brother was last seen in a battle against an undead fighter known as Scorpion. Unlike his brother, Scorpion was seen again in the Outworld tournament. It was presumed that Scorpion had killed Sub Zero in vengeance for his own death at the hands of the Lin Kuei fighter many years before.
"I shall expect you two in the parade hall at dusk," the Master said, turning to address Smoke as well as Sub Zero. "I have a couple of new moves I wish to instil in to each of you before you're automated."
"Yes Master," the pair replied as the masters left the room.
"I'd like to see some machine master the arts of the ice." Sub Zero complained when he was sure the coast was clear.
"No doubt they'd use some cheap mechanics and a water tank," guessed Smoke. Sub Zero turned and shrugged. "I do know one thing though," Smoke continued, "we have to get out of here."
"I couldn't agree more." Sub Zero was short on this answer as he looked around the room for a possible escape route. "Question is, when will we get the chance."
"Tonight."
Smoke looked around to make sure there was no one else around before he closed the large wooden doors, bolting them from the inside. Walking up close to the ice ninja, Smoke talked in a low voice.
"Once the master has finished with us there will be a great feast as we both know. It's when he's showing off Cyrax and Sektor to the entire clan. This means that there will only be the minimum two guards at he door. I'm more than confident we can beat them and escape in to the night."
"We'll be missed. Aren't we due for automation once the meal has ended?" Sub Zero talked in the same low tones that the grey ninja had spoken to him in.
"No, we're part of the second group," Smoke replied, "I was spying around and found the plans for the automation process. The first group are being automated as punishment."
"Punishment?" Sub Zero cut in.
"We are not the only ones who do not want the Lin Kuei to automate their fighters." Smoke answered. "We're only the most vocal. There have already been attempts to sabotage Cyrax's programming. Those responsible have been found out and although they don't know it yet, they are going to be automated first."
"So why are they sparing us?" Sub Zero asked, as it was something he couldn't fathom. Smoke shrugged.
"I don't know. I assume it's because we've only argued against it and not actually acted. I guess that will change when we escape." His voice trailed off in to a minor laugh as he ended his sentence. Sub Zero nodded and went to open the doors again, in case people got suspicious.
"Fancy a quick sparring bout before dusk?" The ice ninja asked.
"Why not," agreed Smoke, "it will give me a chance to perfect my teleport punch before we take matters in to hand tonight."
With that thought in mind, the two fighters battled against each other until the afternoon melted away and turned to dusk. It was at this time they were due in the parade hall to be taught their new moves by the master from whom they were planning to escape. Side by side they entered the parade hall, bowed to the master and took the first step in to their new destiny.