OBOZRYONEYO PROSHEDSHYEGO
(FLASHBACK)





It was strange to see it this way.

Knuckles could swear he was nothing, yet everything, at the same time. He knew he was dead, but he could still see through his eyes. And there was the light.

He didn't know how it got him here. But he was falling. Back to Tokyo.

But it was not the Tokyo he remembered. It was a Tokyo from long ago, a Tokyo that has not existed in his lifetime, not in the way he remembered it. Parts of it were missing. Being built.

The Infinity Delta.

The Tokyo……of his father?



------------------------------


"……lo……….Hello….."

The eyes slowly opened up. Two figures stood over him. Overlander female. Overlander male.

"Are you ok?"

The creature blinked. He had fallen through a gopher hole, on his way to see Horatio……..and had…
He looked quizzically. He didn't quite understand.

"….This animal seems to be sentient with human-like thought, but he doesn't understand the language, sir."
"Indeed." The man smiled. "But it is still a large step for Valhalla. I'll see what's in this book and I'll log this into the computer immediately."
"Yes." The female smiled. "It is."

The creature struggled to understand. He didn't know what it was these people wanted from him. All he wanted was to get back home.

He was already regretting taking the Creed.

-----

"…Hello?"

The bald man frowned as a voice shouting in German began to seemingly berate him on the phone. Once again, it was a so-called General from Washington.

"Sir, it takes time to fully see any progress in…..Yes, sir, I know that there are some, we just have to….sir! Sir?!"

With a curse, the scientist put down the phone. He looked over towards another one of his bedfellows, a black-skinned person who was screwing something onto a large metal machine.

"Nekemo, that was-"
"I know who it was." The black man shook his head. "He wants his land."

The doctor gave a sigh, sitting down in a chair as he did. It was long, arduous work they were doing. Seven years….eight years, almost, but nothing was there.

"The rate we're going, we're not going to get it to him." The pale man rubbed his forehead. "We might be reverted back to private funding, and then we're screwed."
"The Pentagon is demanding, Dr. Wesyche."
"Indeed. We're supposed to deliver." The pale man, Dr. Wesyche, looked up. "A supposed twenty five exploitable wormholes in the construction of the Delta area using atomic smashers to find them. Not one has turned up yet. Perhaps this is nothing more than a wild goose chase, Leikombu."
"We cannot give up all hope, George. It is possible that we are simply not looking in the right places. And if we are wrong…"
"If we are wrong?"
"We will announce the failure next month in Paris."
"Oh, but Nekomo, if we announce failure, the Russians will have won the race, the horse and the roses." Wesyche shook his head. "Truly selfish, yes, but ever since intelligence informed us that the Russians have known of an existing wormhole for twenty years….and we learn it from the niece of the man responsible, one of our own workers, no less…..why, to fail would make us look like communists. It is a label I do not care to hold in my native land, especially if it bars me from supporting myself in any way."
"George, there are those in my world whom haven't such a luxury of supporting themselves." Nekomo's face seemed darker that that. "All because of the people I work for. You know nothing of the word 'Mobutu', and how here I am safe from that word."
"Yes, yes. But won't you be sent back to Kinshasa if we fail?"
"No." Nekomo shook his head. "I have an offer to research elemental physics in Berkley, California. I have told them that if Project Valhalla fails I will most readily accept to be apart of the Elemental Discovery Project."
"….Indeed…."

Wesyche rubbed his head again. The future was bleak indeed for the scientists of the Infinity Delta.

-----

Slowly, the fateful night went.

"Hmm…." Tomoe turned over to his right. "Rania, do you have any coffee?"
"….Of course."
"I'd like some."

She willingly obliged, and Tomoe took it gladly. With a gulp, half of it was gone.

"What's that, dear?"
"Something I found on the creature." Tomoe smiled. "You call me 'dear' quite a bit."
"I…" Rania turned red. "Excuse me."

Tomoe gave a chuckle as Rania left, her face red. It was no secret to him that Rania seemed to profess feeling for him. However, he knew that his work did not allow him to really be as forthcoming with his own feelings. He had a duty to the science community, and he knew it. Rania could come later, after the completion of Valhalla.

He returned to the book, this small book that he had recovered off of the creature. There were a few things the creature had when Tomoe looked through – some sort of stationary, a change of clothes, and the book he was reading. Nor was it hard for Tomoe to get all of these items; it was nothing a sedative for the creature couldn't do.

Slowly he poured through the book, examining it, looking at it…..until it hit him as to what exactly it was.

One moment.

This book…..is an experiment log!

Indeed, this is advanced…….

But how do I crack it?


Something tugged at Soichi's mind; it was like being at college again. The excitement of learning something new always intrigued him to no end. It was what drove him, to experiment, to implement. All a part of science, for that was the purpose of a scientist. To discover the unknown.

Another quick swig of coffee, and the professor was taking out sheets of paper, jotting down notes, looking at numbers and formulas of a different language. It was one o'clock when he began; but to him, the night, the journey, had just started.

------

It would be three more days before Tomoe decided to reveal his findings to his companion.

"George!"
"Soichi."

Older by twenty years, Wesyche looked up to see the youthful glimmer in the young scientist's eyes. He was quite surprised by it; it was something he had not seen since the beginning of Valhalla's conception.

"What are you..?"
"I'm planning the future. What's that on your desk?"
"Oh…" Wesyche looked down at the computer he was typing at. With a shrug he picked up his coffee and sipped it. "Nothing more than our report to the ISC. Anything you'd like me to put in? Any type of greeting?"
"No."
"Ok-"
"I found a wormhole three days ago."

The coffee sprayed all over the desk.

"You what?!"
"I found it. Over the vicinity of the Meiou Zone. And a creature. It fell from it-"
"Why the hell didn't you tell this to me three days ago?!"
"Because…" Tomoe's hand went into his pocket. "Of this."

He threw a pile of papers onto Wesyche's desk, and the Brit reluctantly picked it up. For about a half hour, Wesyche did nothing but read, his face becoming blanker from shock as he went along. Tomoe's expression, on the other hand, didn't change; he knew exactly what he was doing, he was no longer shocked, but instead was triumphant.

"Tomoe…..is…." Finally, Wesyche stammered as he looked over the first page. "Is this…"
"Yes."
"But….its impossible!"
"It isn't."
"Who wrote this….what….what the alien's name?!"
"…He's calling himself…..Aaron Sabre."

For good reason, too…

"Soichi…." Wesyche stood up, his face pale. "You realize what that is, right?"
"I know exactly what it is." Tome smiled. "It's a formula. A formula, and a map. A gene map of the components of deoxyribonucleic acid."
"DNA?"
"Precisely."
"….From the alien…?!"
"George, this is a breakthrough." Tomoe's voice was excited. It was as if he was back at Harvard once more to Wesyche. "This proves that all genetic material through the universe is the same. This is the discovery that science is looking for! For years we have studied DNA, but never quite understood how it made us up, or even if DNA is the same for different types of creatures. Look, George! This entire paper is the diagram that proves that it is! This is the image for one chromosome in particular….Chromosome 4."
"Good god….."
"We have always thought of this chromosome to be that which holds more than half of the genetic physical data for the body. I tested the hypothesis when you were teaching me, George, remember? I failed that time. But this is it. I tested this one, and it's the real thing. This has what I was missing. This is our ticket to discovery!"
"You think…"
"I do." Tomoe's eyes sparkled. "If we can crack Chromosome 4 of the human genome using Lo-er, Dr. Sabre's formulas, why…..we could use drugs to chemically modify the immune tolerance of human embryos! It could be a major breakthrough in biogenetics, a cure for thousands of diseases! Why, Chromosome four is, after all, considered the physical gene, as it supposedly holds all physical information pertaining to the composition of muscles, bones, even the brain!"
"Physical modification…" Weschye slowly shook his head. "Soichi, your current team is not qualified to do that."
"I am, doctor."
"Yes, but….you were trained in it." Wesyche pointed to the lab. "Many of the guys here are only trained in quantum physics. That's what they're here for. And that's what the grant said. For Project Valhalla."
"Who says we can't bargain a new grant?" Tomoe laughed. "Remember, the Infinity Delta and everything around it – including these labs – are ours on loan until 2011. They can't kick us out under any circumstances, and I don't think asking for a change of our project's emphasis is going to upset our investors."
"Well, Soichi…"
"Come on, George." Tomoe slapped Wesyche on the back. "What have we got to lose? Find that scientific spirit, and have Rania compose the letter by tonight for post tomorrow!"

-----

January 25, 1984


Secretariat Charles Bournes
ICSU
51 Bd de Montmorency
75016
Paris
France

To Whom It May Concern:

Mons. Soichi Tomoe of Tokyo, Japan, and Mons. George Wesyche of Bedfordshire, Great Britain, do request of the Secretariat a change of research emphasis in the Infinity Delta projects. We hereby ask that emphasis be shifted onto GENETICS, starting on February 4, 1984.

In the course of the past several months, certain points of compound discharge that has come from the wormholes has given us reason to believe that certain genetic material within the confines of deoxyribonucleic acid is constant throughout the universe. We have also been given reason to believe that said discharge is usable for research into Chromosome 4 of the human genome, and therefore research into the human condition itself. Such findings from Project Valhalla have not been beneficial to the original intent of the study.

Therefore, it is through that, the current failure to find a path to the stars, which we wish to change the course of our program to make of greater use of what is here upon earth.

We thank the Secretariat for his consideration.


Sincerely,


Soichi Tomoe, Ph.D, M.D.;
George Wesyche, Ph.D;


Tokyo





"Is this all?"
"All of it."

Wesyche rubbed his head as Rania indignantly handed him the letter.

"This is a bad idea, sir."
"I can't do anything about it, Rania." The doctor shook his head. "Tomoe's the head, and obviously he's piqued by this…..this Aaron Sabre. If he so wants to change the objective from…atom smashing and wormhole conquering to genetics, and the council and US government allow it, its his call."
"Well, sir-"
"Rania…" Wesyche nodded. "I know. Your father would have wanted to continue the atom smashing. The…..exploration of the wormholes and the planets within. But your father is in Russia. This is Tokyo. He's not here. And in Tokyo, to a great extent, Tomoe's word on the project is law. I wish I could change his mind, but I can't."

Looking down at the letter with a bit of reluctance, Wesyche gave a huff before taking off from Rani's office. From where she stood, Rania could only stare as the door slammed.


------


"How does that feel?"
"…..Strange."

The creature could only look at himself as he donned the strange suit. It made him look like an Overlander, a rather handsome one, but nevertheless he felt uncomfortable doing it.

But I have no choice…

"It is a special suit designed to help you correspond like a human. It teaches your body the proper mannerism within, so that you aren't known to be alien."
"…..You told me already."
"Well, now." Tomoe beamed. "Let us have you come meet the team, shall we? And….remember…..remember the phonics I taught you."
"…Of course."

The …."english" phonics for a whole week, all day……every day….

The creature hated Tomoe deep down in his heart. He had taken his work, his work, and that which was supposed to be secret, and stole it. And now he had to dress up in this goofy looking costume and pretend to be a part of his race. At the rate he was going, he would never be able to fulfill his promise.

My promise…..to do it….

"Colleagues!"

He was corralled through a door. Outside were twenty white smocked figures, and one woman in black.

"Friends…" Tomoe beamed. "I would like you to meet…..Dr. Aaron Sabre."

The group simply stared at him, and the creature did likewise. There were a variety of people in the group – black, white, yellow, red. He had never seen such a variety of Overlanders in his life.

"Soichi…" One of them finally spoke. "Is he someone Paris has sent us?"
"No."

Wesyche's voice filled the room before Tomoe could reply. He entered from another direction, a paper in hand.

"Tomoe enlisted him personally." Wesyche looked neither happy nor angry as he approached. "For 'Project Superhuman'."
"Project what?"
"Project Superhuman." Wesyche handed the paper over to Soichi. "The new research study that will be performed here in the Delta, starting in three days."

Soichi snatched the paper and began to read. His eyes widened, and he let out a gasp of happiness, as if he had not expected the outcome of his request:


Mons. Soichi Tomoe
1 Mugen-To
Tokyo Prefecture
Tokyo
Japan

To Mons. Tomoe and Wesyche:

It is by the approval of myself, and of Mons. Ronald Reagan of Washington, D.C., that 'Project Valhalla' be postponed indefinitely as of February 4, 1984. 'Project Superhuman' shall replace above said project upon that day at midnight.


Sincerely,


Charles Bournes, Ph.D, PoS
Secretariat




For a moment, there were no words to be spoken. No one could say anything. Rania, far in the back, could only keep her head down, as so not to show her worried face.

"……As of now," Tomoe finally found his words. "All those who are part of Project Valhalla are officially released from their contracts." Tomoe smiled at them. "Seven years, I worked with you. You were all like brothers and sisters to me. While the project was ultimately a failure, it nevertheless reaped in incredible bounds of new knowledge for all of us to use in the future research of atom smashing and wormhole tracking. I cannot simply let you, and your contributions to science, go unrewarded. Tomorrow, we may part, but tonight, we shall celebrate. Join me!"

It was with reluctance, but nonetheless all of the twenty five men whom helped Tomoe onto the path of glory and destruction celebrated, and caroused in memory until the morning. All but two.

"Rania…." George Wesyche could only look at Rania with pity. "I am sorry. But perhaps this time will be better.

Rania gave no reply. She simply looked down the whole night.

-----

It was another week before the new team arrived. Ten of them, and only ten.

"My dear Rania…." Soichi smiled at her. "This is the beginning of my chance to take it all back."

Rania did not smile. She did not speak. She simply looked down.

"Ah…" Tomoe, not noticing her mood, laughed as the new scientists came in. "Brothers, welcome!"
"Hello, Professor Tomoe."

Out of the group, one of them, a seeming Vietnamese, came over and embraced the scientist.

"Soichi." A warm smile was on his face. "Ten years makes so much of a difference. Why, already your hair is starting to go white! You should relax! The US government is not that terrible compared to Pol Pot."
"Well, Dien Tsun Nyung, that's what's you get for studying in Cambodia!" Soichi pat the friend on the back. "And now is the time for greatness to return to us."

Nodding, the ten shuffled together, watching as Tomoe pulled down a projector and screen.

"Project Superhuman," he began, "is what our new objective is. Being the most renowned of all in your respective fields – genetic engineering, developmental biology, human chemistry, drug development – I know how excited you will be when I say that we may have discovered a possible outlet to prolong life and improve the human condition. It lies in the enigmatic Chromosome 4…" At this a picture popped up of a cartoon chromosome. "….forgive the diagram…but in this chromosome, we believe we have found certain proteins and liptons within its code which dictate the entire physical make-up of humans."

The scientists began to murmur excitedly; only Rania and Sabre seemed unmoved.

"What are we going to do with this?" Someone asked.
"We," Tomoe smiled. "Are going to produce it."

The screen turned off with a flip. Tomoe then took a deep breath.

"Our goal is to create a method to genetically modify Chromosome 4 using drugs derived from our findings."

There was a slight uproar at this, both shocked and excited. There was, however, a small note of nervousness towards the professor as he spoke, which Sabre quietly noted to himself.

"As this could be man's greatest leap to godliness…" Tomoe looked around at his colleagues. "Who is in on the bold path of discovery?"

-----

Work began within the next two weeks. It was busy and hectic, but with how swift the group worked, the way they stayed up almost every night, they finished what the creature had started within three weeks.

"Dr. Sabre, come over here!"

One of the scientists motioned to the strange newcomer, who hastily walked over to address the man.

"What is it?"
"This here…." The scientist motioned towards his lens, smiling. "I've gotten the end of it."
"The end of…." Sabre's eyes widened. "The chromosome?"
"Yeah!"
The man quickly stood up and began to collect his fellow scientists in the other room, leaving Sabre by himself.

So quick…..these creatures are….

Sabre smiled with a small touch of deviousness. It was going faster than he had thought. He even allowed himself a chuckle in the moment of privacy he was given.

Despite the setback this place poses, perhaps by the time this is over I-

His thoughts were interrupted by the slamming of a door behind him. With a gasp, he turned, only to see the silhouette of a female running away.

Was that R…….did she see me smile? His face turned hard. She has problems……I must be more careful as to what I do around her. She seems not to enjoy my company…

A whoop came from the other room, and Sabre decided that, to avoid suspicion, he would join in for a while.

-------

"Come in."

Tomoe was drunk from victory of the completion of the gene mapping, and it was painfully obvious to Rania.

"Soichi…"
"Ah! Rania." A glint came into Soichi's eyes. "Come in."

Reluctantly, the girl sat down, not once taking her eyes off of Tomoe. When she spoke, her voice came out slightly with force.

"Soichi, I want you to call off Project Superhuman."
"What?" Soichi laughed. "What is this?"
"I do not trust Aaron Sabre." Rania shook her head. "I do not trust that alien you're parading around everyone!"
"Come now, dearest." Tomoe smiled. "Just because we are no longer going upon your father's work doesn't mean you need to be so uptight about a change of plans."
"This isn't about my father."

The sentence came out bitter and clenched. Her father, Andrei Googolov, had been almost forty when she was born, and at the tender age of twelve she became a lab assistant to Tomoe, whom she had admired ever since, in Valhalla. She had never been very close to Andrei; she resented the idea that anything she said about science would be compared to him. She especially hated that fact that her criticism of the new project was only more fodder for comparison.

"This is about scientific integrity." Rania put her head up again, her eyes flashing. "To simply take something that isn't ours, something we haven't proved just yet, and to just use in hopes of-"
"That is a non-issue, Rania."

The darkness in Tomoe's eyes at Rania's statement passed quickly, but the girl knew that the statement was a kick in the groin to him. Nevertheless, he pretended he had no feelings for it, as his expression was still that with a smile.

"Either way, Rania…" At this he stood up. "We are being given permission by the original scientist of this project. What kind of joyous project it is! This is truly a great step for all scientists and doctors everywhere."
"Giant step…?"
"Rania…"

Tomoe walked over to Rania and put his hand on her shoulder. Rania could feel herself blush at the tender gesture, and had she not been angry at him, she would have smiled.

"Think," he began, "of all the terrible diseases that have become rampant in the past five years. You can't deny that tuberculosis is on the rise again as penicillin's effects wear off on it, and the worst disease of all, the new GIDS, is on the rise in the homosexual population. If we can create an acid to alter a person's genetic make-up that will protect against those disea-"
"Let the fags die, I say." Rania turned around. "Do you really think that this work will affect them ? Half the people in this world could care less about genes."
"But this could persuade that half." Tomoe shook his head. "Don't you understand? Chromosome alteration is the future of medicine. Sabre has shown me what I have known to be true all along!" Tomoe began to pace. "Chromosome 4 is a good portion of the physical make-up of the body. If we can allow their body to live longer by altering its make-up, why, the possibilities which abound! Man could become smarter, live longer, live better. Don't you understand?"
"Of course." Rania mumbled. She stood up and walked to the door. "I understand perfectly…..you want to create a race of mutants!"

She slammed the door, the beginnings of Tomoe's guffaw searing into her as she did.

-----

A week went by with little incident. But Rania could then hold her suspicions in any longer, and she waited inside the small, Juuban district café for a man she hoped could persuade Tomoe. She was slightly tired, and there were sacs under her eyes from all of the worrying she had done.

Where is he…..he should be here by now….

As she looked up, she saw him.

"George."
"Rania." Wesyche looked at the girl with concern. "You look quite terrible. Are you all right?"
"Fine, perfectly fine."
"This way, sir."

The two sat down near the door, Wesyche with a smile of concern still on his face. He nodded to the young waitress who had seated them.

"Ikuko…..I suppose you can tell I come here often, Rania….Ikuko, I'd like a water."
"Of course."
"Rania?"
"A Coke."

The blue-haired waitress nodded to the two before shuttling off. After she left, Wesyche leaned over to Rania.

"This is about Soichi, isn't it?"
"…Yes."
"You are concerned."
"……Doctor, do you remember Fredrich Sanger?"

George sighed and rubbed his eyes. Rania could tell by that alone that Wesyche had somehow had the feeling that would come up and be what she wanted to talk about.

"Indeed. I cannot forget."
"I remember him well." Rania looked up at Wesyche. "Though I did not know him, I saw the effect he had on Tomoe. Remember what he did to him?"
"I know, Rania…." Wesyche shook his head. "The way Tomoe did the genome map key with me was wrong. Sanger took it and managed to perfect it and won a Nobel Prize."
"I know the way he still views it."
"He views it as a humiliation, I know…." Wesyche seemed unwilling to talk about it.
"Doctor." Rania's eyes seemed to plead with her voice. "You have to stop him. I don't trust Dr. Sabre at all, and you shouldn't either."
"Here you are."

Ikuko smiled as she laid the drinks down. Wesyche nodded, then cocked his head.

"Is that a ring I see, Ikuko?"
"Yes." Ikuko blushed.
"Is it that young man now?"
"The reporter."
"Ah, yes. Kenji." The scientist nodded. "Good luck in the future, dear."
"Anything to eat?"
"I'm not hungry."
"I'd like a chicken, Ikuko."
"Of course, Doctor."

With that, Ikuko left again.

"Lovely girl…." Wesyche turned back to Rania. "Do you think I enjoy watching Tomoe live in a fool's paradise? I want to stop him; I fear for his mental welfare also. Another mental breakdown like the one with Sanger could kill him. But I can do nothing."
"There must be something we can do."
"Rania…." Wesyche looked tired as he looked at the girl. "You know as well as I do that once Soichi has his mind on accomplishing something, he will stop at nothing to prove he is right. This is one of those things that little can be done to stop him. With everyone on his side concerning this project…."

Wesyche stopped. He didn't have to go on, for Rania understood completely.

"Then," Rania muttered bitterly. "He is a lost man if this fails."

-----

Work on building the protein chain went along smoothly for the next few months. In July, however, they hit a snag.

"Soichi!" Tomoe turned to see Wesyche and another scientist coming upon him. "Soichi, we need to talk!"
"Miyatomi…George…..?"

Within seconds, Tomoe was hustled into his office and sat down abruptly. Tomoe rubbed his head as he looked up on George.

"George, what is.."
"We've got a problem with the chromase."
"Chromase….a problem?"

Tomoe looked at the group, confused. Back in May, when the group began to work on the acid elixir based on their findings in Chromosome 4, Sabre dubbed the acid "chromase", after its primary purpose of creation. Since then, they had been working around the clock administering it to several rats, which, to some people's delight, spontaneously combusted as a result.

Upon that somewhat disheartening result, all in the group (with the inexplicable exception of Rania) began to think of human experimentation, and upon Tomoe's request, Rania had begrudgingly sent a letter to the Secretariat to allow it. After all, was the chromosome not of the human genetic make-up?

"What is it?"
"….Soichi…." Miyatomi Yamasaka, a novice bio-chemist, looked out into the lab. "We need a better way of administering the chromase."
"Better way…?"

At this, Yamasaka took his hands out of his pockets. For a man of science, the burnt, blackened, charred, almost animalistic look of his hands almost made Tomoe shudder.

"This." Yamasaka sounded disgusted. "As I began to administer it to one of the monkeys, a small bit of it spilled on me. And this was the result. Even with gloves on!"
"My god…" Tomoe stared. "How is that…?!"
"It seems," Wesyche replied, "That without the proper precautions, the acid is highly toxic and hazardous to the skin. And we don't even know what the long term effects of it on his body will be due to direct contact with the chromase!"
"Which is why," Yamasaka seemed angry at this, "I am leaving the project. Maybe I will return after I recover, after monitoring, maybe not."
"The point is that we need a new method of injecting the drugs without harming either the subjects or the scientists."

Tomoe rubbed his eyes. It was a long time since he had gotten real sleep, and this news only made him more stressed out.

"We'll find a way, George. I'll find some way."

-----

The way was found about three days later by one of the assistants.

"AUUUUUUUUGH!!!"

The scream resonated throughout the labs, and instantly everyone was at the side of this poor man. His hands were stuck with plexiglass.

"What happened here?!" Tomoe quickly came with some gauze and tweezers. "Tell me. How did this happen?"
"Professor..." The assistant was obviously in a great deal of pain. "I was.....working here.....and all of a sudden......the glass exploded as I tried to test the prototype machine.
"Dammit," Tomoe swore. "This means we have no prototype to.......test with...."

He stopped. On the table was a pool of chromase. Normally, the chromase was strong enough to eat through the table, and the glass. But, somehow, it didn't.

"What in..."

Tomoe looked down, then looked at Wesyche. The assistants hands were turning out like Yamasaka's, but the parts that were struck by the plexiglass were, in fact, unharmed by the chemical.

"George! Whats this table made of?"
"The table?"
"Tell me!"
"Well....." Wesyche looked around. "I....I don't know, I-"

He was interrupted by Tomoe running out of the lab, whooping joyously.

-----

"....And so the plexiglass, combined with a stabe aluminum-covered base, will create an upright sastitube into which we can insert needles into the subject and inject the chromase!"

Rania only glared at Sabre, then at Tomoe, as he finished his presentation with the scientists. On the table was a small, toy-sized upright sastitube.

"So....what do you think?"
"Not a hard job at all." Nyguen shrugged. "I've bult more complex machines for biological testing."
"Indeed." Another voice, that of a certain German, Jonas Schumaan, spoke up. "But, in all of this planning, all of this mechanical wizardry,you are forgetting something very important, Tomoe."
"Forgetting something?"

Tomoe crimped an eye; it was obvious that, in the last five days, he had been working hard on the model. Not only that, but he was not one to forget something; everyone in the room knew this.

"What have I forgotten?"
"The most intregal part of this experiment." Schumann waved his hand. "The test subjects! How will we conduct the experiment without any test subjects? Sure, we could go on using animals...."

The group murmured. Tomoe calmly looked over at Rania.

"Rania, you sent the papers to the Secretariat, yes?"
"The..." Rania nodded. "Oh, yes. Well, I did, but I have been trying to tell you for the past three days that.....he wants us to use one of our own for the experiment."

The group murmured even louder at that.

"One of our own..."
"How can that be!"
"I thought we had human experimentation backing...!!"

Rania silently smiled, for she and only she knew the truth about the contents of the Secretariat's letter.

In a little while after this meeting, I will tell him about the Secretariat's true words. She glanced over at Sabre, who seemed deep in thought. Let that creature decay another with his ideas, and leave Soichi alone!

".....I will do it."

Rania's plans instantly fell as Sabre himself stood up.

"Let me volunteer." Sabre looked at everyone, especially at Tomoe. "I have very little to live for. I only have myself. Let me do it."
"Dr. Sabre...." Wesyche stood up. "Your work is-"
"-the reason we have this project," Tomoe interrupted. "If it is his wish to be the first man - as none of the rest of you seem to wish this on yourselves - then let him."

Rania sunk back in horror, looking at the group as they began to talk.

"Well, when do you want to start it..."
"Next week, we need to make final preparations..."
"Wait!" Rania said feebly. "I lied.......fellow scientists....."

No one heard her; they were too excited, and they were leaving the room. Her plan had truly backfired.

"The Secretariat has forbidden us......I lied to you......stop!"

But there was nothing she could do, and with a scream she smashed the prototype satistube into the wall, shattering it into millions of pieces.

-----

Six days, seven nights. It came quickly for Sabre, and each day put a new thought into his mind.

I must be strong.....this will not last forever.

In his room, the emptiest in the laboratories save for his sacred notes. his Creed, he pondered the next day. He had managed to wrest the notes from Tomoe before he saw all of it.

Only Aurora knows what he did to this.... Sabre silently opened up the three yellowed, withered papers. And his girlfriend, that Rania......she is bent on cursing my plans.

He shook his head, chuckling.

But she knows not what I plan for her, he smiled. For once this experiment is over, I will ensure that my path is covered. When it is over, I shall be back in my world, singing the praises of the future and.......he shall be the fruit of my works here.

His thoughts were interrupted by a knock on the door.

"Aaron?"

Sabre turned to see a head poking into his room.

"Its time to start."

-----

Tomoe's hands trembled as he went over the checklist.

"Is the sastitube in place?"
"Check."
"All of the needles are ready."
"Check."
"Reclining table and straps."
"Check."
"The bioglass?"
"Check."
"Medsuit."
"Check."
"Chromase?"
"Five cc's as requested."
"Rejection meds?"
"One gram as requested."
"And........the subject?"
"On his way."
"Wonderful!" Tomoe seemed to leap high into the air. "This, indeed will be a deciding moment in science!"

Only Rania seemed not to share his enthusiasm, only Rania seemed to sit in the dark. For only she knew the terrible secret. All attempts to recant her lie were turned down, taken over by other obligations. She looked gloomy and angry.


"Rania!" Tomoe smiled. "Cheer up. There's no way you need to worry about this. We have made it as safe for Sabre as-"
"That isn't the problem."
"Come!" Tomoe laughed. "You're just jealous. Did you want to be the one in there?"

The look Rania gave could have killed Tomoe if they could, but the scientist simply walked off, making final preparations.

"And now we....." Tomoe looked over. "Ah! There he is!"

He came out, dressed in the green suit designed for the sastitube. He simply looked down as three assistants came up inside the test room and strapped him inside the sastitube.

"Are you ready?"
"I suppose." Sabre called out, wincing as all 100 needles were inserted into his body. "When you are."

Another knock on the door. Wesyche opened it, letting in a priest.

"What in...?!"
"I got a clergyman." The priest bowed. "Just in case."
"Just in case......get him out of here!" Tomoe brushed the priest away. "We don't need him."

Sabre took a deep breath. It was time.

"All right...." Tomoe looked at Nyguen. "How's the electricity on this?"
"It'll blow out some lights, but with the charge its expected." Nyguen loked at his watch. "A minute, no more. Any more and we might fry him internally with both the current within the mechanism and the acidity of the genetic solution."
"All right then.."

Slowly, the lights dimmed in the test room, and everyone was ordered out. Tomoe looked at all the people who were in the room with him. All of them, excited. Except for Rania. He could not understand.

But it was his moment, This would be his destiny.

It was time to start.

"ACTIVATE!"

The switch went on, and the effect was instantaneous. The body began to convulse under the electricity running through the tube, which pumped the chromase within his blood.

"One.....two.....three....."

Sabre fought hard to stay awake, but everything was so blurry. His thoughts went towards the group that was subjecting him to the cruel torture......this power he had.......that which he was receiving.....

"Five......six...."

What have Idone.......what.....

Rania stared at the body. For a moment, it was as if the suit was gone, and the creature was standing before her undisguised, mocking her with his glowing eyes. Her young mind played tricks, but to her it was all real.

You fool.......it's all your faaault.....it's all you faaauult...

"Stop.....stop....."

Rania started shouting, but no one paied heed; they didn't notice, they were too busy looking at Sabre, watching him and his heartbeats-

"His pulse is dropping!"
"Slow the flow down!"

I'm gonna wiiiin.......you're gonna loooose....

"Coughing up blood...."
"He's going into shock-"
"STOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Rania's angry scream cut through the room, into the sastitube, as the last things the dying Sabre heard. He gave a hack, and his eyes rolled up.

My....destiny........my.....son....

Then there was nothing.

-----


The black ink of nothing.

Knuckles felt the ground shift, felt the lab disappear briefly. He felt lifted.

This,....cant be.....

Yes.... his father's voice came, inexplicably, within him. This is the truth. But it is only part of it. There is still more....more of my sins to see.

No....don't show this to me......

You must see it. You must know the truth.

Dad...! How did you find me...!

The voice disappeared, and he fell again, back into this hell his father has come to....


-----

"Locke!"

The female echidna ran to him, folding her arms around him.

"I was so worried." She looked up at him with her beautiful eyes. "Where have you been?"
"Lara-Le."

The two hugged each other tightly.

"I must tell you this strange journey..."


".....S.......re....."

His eyes slowly opened. They felt like leads, as did his whole body.

"Morning........Good morning!"

The voices came into range. His brain slowly registered them to be those of the Earth people he thought he had left behind.

A dream.....my return....a dream.....

"Good morning, Sabre." Tomoe's smile seemed wider than ever. "I am pleased that you're feeling awake this morning. And a good day it is to be awake as well. The press wants to talk to you."
"Press....?"

Sabre looked at him, confused.

"What do you..."
"Get up, man!" Tomoe laughed as he forced the creature out of bed. "You've been in bed for two weeks, and all the while youre the topic of every scientific society on earth! They want to see the Miracle Man!"
"Miracle Man?!"
"Of course!" Tomoe's eyes sparkled. "You are the world's first superhuman, and the world must see you in all your glory! Come, we have to celebrate!"

-----

Sabre had the feeling that it would be a long time before things truly went to normal.

"Professor! We'd like a word!"
"One moment, Professor!"
"Doctors!! Sir!!"

The building was crowded; it was hard to get any privacy.

"Soichi!" Nyguen beamed as he held up a paper. "We are going to be in almost every paper in the free world! Can you blieve it? We're the Miracle Men, the beginnings of the future of science."
"Lovely."

Wesyche gave a sigh; he had been through the routine before.

"But I believe we're jumping the gun a bit, guys..."
"Nonsense!" Tomoe slapped him on the back. "This is the time to rejoice in our discovery!"

Wesyche shook his head. He excused himself, and began to walk off.

I must talk to Sabre...I have a bad feeling about this....

-----

The small flask of chromase sat on top of the Bunsen burner as Rania inserted a small slide under an electron microscope.

I don't believe it, she thought. I don't believe this stuff is as all-powerful as they say it is. Something is wrong.

As she focused, her mind wandered towards her mistake. It was a terrible one, and it made her want to scream.

Any day now.... she thought sadly. Any day, they'll find out about Bournes' true words.....and they will be disgraced when the world is alerted....

The cells finally came into focus. Staring for a moment, Rania's eyes widened in horror.

Can it be....this genetic material....its-

*BOOOOOOOOOOM*



A cloud cracking sound came from the vial of chromase. Her thoughts jerked from her discovery, Rania rushed to turn the Bunsen burner off.

Stupid! she cursed herself. I forgot.....its highly acidic and it reacts too well wi-

*BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!*



"aaaaaAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!!!!!"

The chromase spashed violently into her face, and she stumbled back, screaming, as the pain seared down through her scalp all the way to her neck.

"SOICHIIIIIIIII!!!! SOIIIIIIIIIIIIIICHIIIIIIIIIIII-"

*BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OM!!!!*



The fire, mixed with the boiling chromase, no longer contained by the flask, exploded violently, sending glass into Rania. Glass and fire. A fitting punishment for demons.

With a scream, Rania fell onto the glass on the table, in the middle of the fire, and hit her head. She would know nothing more of the life she had known before....gone in a flash of flames, as if it were hell itself....

-----

Her smothered body was found after the wing was completely burtn.

"Hey...! SOICHI!!"

One of the firefighters motioned to Tomoe, whose smock was charred black. Very carefully, he picked the girl up.

"She's alive; her heart's beating!"
"What?!"
"What do you want me to do with her?"

Tomoe's head went down. After a moment, he gave a nod.

"Take her into my lab. We're going to save her."

-----

".....Sabre?"

It was three days since the terrible fire, and much had changed since then. Sabre, it seemed, took over for some of Soichi's administrational duties when he began to care for Rania.

"What are you doing?"
".....Combustion."

Sabre's answer was blunt and simple, yet there was no guilt in it; after all, he had gotten rid of all he needed to be rid of. With a sigh he turned off the Bunsen burner.

"Nothing of interest. I was just testing to see if chromase was too acidic for ph testing."
"I see." Wesyche unfolded a newspaper. "Do you see this? This week-old paper says that the US government in considering to buy the chromase from us."
"...Indeed."
"But......I guess I am not in a celebratory mood about it." Wesyche sighed. "The price might be Rania's life."
"....I know."

Sabre moved around swiftly. With deft quickness he put all of his materials away, closing them in the cabinet as he did.

"A true shame....." Deep within his voice, there seemed to be little pity. "She should not have been taking such material with such carelessness."
"Hmmm....yes...."
"So….chromose will be on the market." His voice seemed angry at that.
"Why, yes…." Wesyche looked confused. "Dr. Sabre, is something wrong?"

Sabre looked at took a deep breath. It was obvious that he had been wanting to say what was on his mind for quite some time.

"I must tell you something….both from Washington and from myself…I found it today with Rania..."

-----

"Her heart rate is decelerating again...."

Tomoe rubbed his eyes; it had been several long nights since he had slept.

"Re-hook her up to the neuron wiring; she seemed to do better with it."
"Yes, doctor."

Tomoe took several deep breaths as the wiring was hooked up once again into Rania's cranium. The body shuddered slightly as several gentle electrowaves went through it.

80 over 50............100 over 75........

After several minutes, Rania's breathing became much more stable at 120 over 78, and Tomoe took a deep breath.

"Wonderful." he turned to the assistants. "Leave me for a few moments."

With a nod, the two left, leaving Tomoe alone ewith his girl.

Rania.... Tomoe thought. I sought to make a race of superhumans...perhaps.....perhaps I was wrong in my approach......if I can strengthen chromase....or find some other way.....I can bring you back!

He pondered his options. No human, save for Sabre, wanted to be subjected directly to the chromase; it was too dangerous, and Sabre wasn't even human. His mind drifted back to the animals he had tested; they would be suitable to retest upon.

Yet the chromase was missing something. A conductor that would allow for constant regeneration. In Sabre, an alien, it would work without such a conductor. He could tell by the change in Sabre's general appearance and disposition. But for humans.....

It was then he remembered. The metallic neurons. They were revitalizing Rania.

And she was infected with chromase.

That was when he understood. The perfect human.

The fusion of man and machine.....

He had to tell someone. Anyone. Suddenly, he found himself walking, spasming, as he burst through the door of his office, shouting.

"EUREEKA!!"

He was startled to hear two men give a shout. The two men in his office were Wesyche and Sabre.

"Gentlemen..!"
"Soichi...." Wesyche's face was pale. "We have a problem."
"Indeed, a problem," Tomoe replied. "But a problem we can handle! Friends, I have figured out how to fully regulate the chromase in the human body. All that is needed are a few inplanted cybernetic parts that can safely flow the chromase in the subjects systems and....."

Tomoe stopped. From the look on their faces, that was not the problem.

"Thats not it, Tomoe...." Wesyche stared at Tomoe. "That is the least of our problems."

Tomoe's face fell; he didn't understand.

"What do you mean?"
".........We've been terminated."

The words came from Sabre this time; they were blunt and cold. For a few moment, Tomoe didn't grasp. He laughed for a few seconds, guffawed, but the expressions did not change. Finally, he began to question how their looks could be so somber, and the words began to sink.

"What.....terminated....?" Tomoe gave another nervous laugh. "I......heh......I don't get it."

With no trace of comedy in his face, Wesyche gave Tomoe a piece of paper.




To Professor Tomoe and Co.:

We are highly dispeased by your seeming blatant disregard of the decision of the International Science Council to disallow any and all human testing. Due to the volitility of the experiment, the International Council for Laboratory Animal Science will begin to publicly investigate if you violated pact agreements as well.

As of January 3, 1985, all material and research for "Project Superhuman" will be officially terminated from the ISC inititive and officially passed to the US. Department of Energy at its request.


Charles Bournes, Ph.D, PoS
Secretariat




".........Terminated...."


Tomoe could only read it, over and over, for five minutes. He didn't want to believe it.


"Tomoe.....you know what this means." Wesyche's voice did not change. "ICLAS is a part of UNESCO, and is in official interaction with the World Health Organization, the International Council of Science, the Council for International Organizations of Medical Sciences, and the World Veterinary Association. They have officially blacklisted us, Soichi! Any more steps in this direction, and we will be scientific outcasts for the rest of our lives!"
".....No......"

Tomoe shook his head. He didn't want this. Not at all, and the look on his face made it clear.

"On top of that...." Wesyche looked at Sabre and nodded. "Rania Googolov knew of this and failed to tell you."
"....No....."
"And I know Sabre's secret."
"You...." Tomoe's eyes widened. "You know?!"
"I had to tell him." Sabre's cold tone began to seep into Tomoe's ears. "It was the least I could do."
"How could you?" Tomoe's voice was bitter, the first emotion. "You told me you would keep it secret for your stay here."
"I had no choice. I had to tell him. The chromase is flawed."
"Flawed?!" Tomoe's eyes flashed. He began to pace the room angrily. "Give me one reason why its flawed!!!"
"Because it won't work on REAL humans!!!!"

The angry tone Sabre took had both Tomoe and Wesyche by surprise, Tomoe far more. Sabre's blue eyes blazed with a strange fury.

"....Its true, Soichi." Wesyche said softly. "You know it too. From what we estimate, Sabre's DNA is 97.5% similar to ours. Thats 3% uncovered, a margin to sloppy for our line of work. Too dangerous for chromase."
"This isn't happening...."
"Why, if we tested 100 men with this stuff, think of how many it would kill! And there are other factors like medical histories and..."
"Stop.....stop it...." Tome's face darkened. "Stop..."
"And with all that considered, it could take five years at least to properly decode the code so thi-"
"WE DON'T HAVE FIVE FUCKING YEARS!!!!"

It was Sabre's turn to be shocked, this time at Tomoe's conduct. For a man that came from a culture that stressed emotionlessness in its men, the professor's expression would have defiled all codes of Japanese mannerisms.

"This is treachery!" he fumed. "We are being betrayed by the very government we are working for! My work is on the line here...."
"Soichi.....the project is out of our hands." Wesyche looked on with pity. "Soon our work with Chromosme 4 is done. But however flawed it is for humans, think! It would not be-"
"Get out." Tomoe's voice was low and angry. "You don't understand. Of course, you have you damned friends at Oxford or Berkshire or Pincushion, or wherever the hell you are, the spineless cowards that you can join again. Be a coward with them."

Wesyche only gave Tomoe a look of more pity before leaving. Sabre, shaking his head, began to follow.

"Wait!" The creature in the human suit froze. "Bastard. You're a virus to this race which you tricked!"
"How-"
"Shut up." Tomoe then pointed to Sabre, his eyes flashing. "And you! Mark my words!...You may have created the idea, but I'm the one who helped you realize it. I gave it to you. And I can take it away just as easily!"

Sabre's face furrowed as Tomoe held up some papers. His research on the subject before he came to Earth.

"See these? Mine now." Tomoe gave a twisted smile. "I'll continue my research.....explore the cybernetic field as a means of balance. And you'll return to the germ-ridden land of your genesis, your little hole, with less than what you started with. I pity you, Locke. I really do."
"Pity me, then." Sabre, nee Locke, returned the smile. "I expected as much. Now, mark MY words.....I'm going to leave. And when I do, you'll notice that some of the pages are missing."
"What...?"

Tomoe's face fell in utter surprise as the creature walked to the door.

"By then, I'll be gone." On Sabre's face was a smile more twisted than the very devil's. "Oh, double check all you want, but three pages your eyes never saw. And they will never see them. See, the three pages I have contain the most necessary formulas you would have to use to even be able to duplicate a fraction of chromase's power. And, of course, since poor, poor Rania just so happened to have destroyed the rest of that batch we made..."

Tomoe's eyes widened in horror. Opening the door, Sabre's face was almost the epitome of evil.

"Rania was foolish to try to stop destiny, Tomoe. She paid for her mistake in messing with me....very dearly." Locke went to close the door. "And now you, too, shall live with the fruit of my wrath, forever. Have a pleasant life."

The door slammed, and Tomoe stood, frozen, unable to move. All that Sabre said seemed too complicated. It was impossible.

Bewitched........he tricked me....!.....No........No, God, no....

Quickly through the papers he searched. He could have sworn. They had all been there. Yet more and more he searched, more frantic it became, and nothing yielded.

"Nohohoho......NOOOOOO....................."

Tomoe lost it.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"


---------------------


He could not believe it. Death, evil, so easily.

For him.

It had all been for
him.

What kind of Savior was born from such evil plan, from such dark guilt?

Was this Knuckles' destiny? To forever live in the shadow of this newfound guilt?

His father, he had buried so much upon him when he was alive. But the crimes of the dead were too much to bear.

He wanted nothing to do with it.

He wanted to go home.

It was truly all his fault.


------------------------

Death is life………my death…….dad……




…….I'm hungry.


The hazy, dead eyes began to flicker with life once more. The strange sceneries which had plagued him – the Overlanders, the hellish guilt – gone in an instant, it seemed.

"….Dad?"
"Knuckles."

The new voice startled the echidna; it seemed to strange that he was back to life. Impossible. Unless…..

"Where am I?"
"…..Life."

His eyes began to focus; it seemed to be impossible that such a person could be over him. He remembered little of her; yet when he binked, all understanding of who this person was came back.

"Sailor......Saturn.....!!!"

The soldier was pale, pale and seemingly weak. But her eyes were flashing with a strange power - the power of knowing Knuckles knew, that the first stage of the ordeal was over. But Knuckles did not sense it yet, and she knew it. She had to give him time to think.

"Welcome back," was therefore all she said.