Mega Man X: The Beast Within
Summary: My very first Mega Man X fic. An ancient reploid is uncovered on a dig site. When the Maverick forces find out, chaos ensues. But who, or what, is the enigmatic warrior in black combat armor?
Disclaimer: I do not own Mega Man X. I think Capcom does. I'm just fiddling around with the setting and the characters. Don't sue!
(--*--) Prologue (--*--)
"This is Surveyor Beta reporting to the Stormhammer. I am ahead of schedule. I have concealed my transport in the cavern system roughly half a kilometer south of the target." The voice of the armored warrior echoed eerily in the quiet tunnel, distorted by the echoes and the heavy breathing mask of his helmet.
"According to the computer evaluations, the crystal formations will contain enough energy to sustain the Stormhammer for approximately thirteen months. Mining operations should be initiated as soon as possible. However, there seems to be some hindrances; the caverns the crystals are located in are unstable, requiring massive efforts of reinforcing the tunnels. As an addition, the target seems to be located only fifteen kilometers northwest from a large native dwelling. Mining operations would require the Stormhammer to reveal herself; this could cause unnecessary trouble among the natives of this world, especially as the planet's original inhabitants have not yet developed a single planetary control system. Instead, the planet appears to be divided into several geographic nations, thus dropping the planetary cultural index below level Theta. Planetary technological index is, however, at level Epsilon; the natives have already developed fusion power, but have not yet developed any kind of interstellar Leap- or hyperdrives. Recommend situation evaluation by the Council: Should the Storm reveal their presence to the populace, and possibly compromise our security in this system to achieve vital resources, or should the Storm ignore these resources and proceed to investigate the asteroid belts roughly three distance units away from the planet? End report. Surveyor Beta to the Stormhammer, signing off."
The warrior shook his armored head and turned back in the tunnels towards his makeshift camp. No natural light was visible in the dark caverns, but the advanced sensor units in his helmet allowed him to see in the dark like he was in bright daylight.
--- Warning: Seismic activity detected. Cavern wall structural integrity 78.6 %. Recommend immediate relocation.
Red letters streamed past the eyes of the warrior as the computer chimed a second warning in his ear. The rock around him shuddered suddenly.
--- Warning: Cavern wall structural integrity 63.9 %. Collapse imminent.
The warrior swore heavily in several languages. Small pieces of stone fell from the ceiling. Blue flames erupted from the ports in his back and in the bottoms of his feet, lifting him slightly off the floor and pushing him forward towards the cavern exits.
--- Warning: Structural integrity 52.6 %.
The rock around the warrior rumbled and groaned. Cracks appeared in the walls around him as he sped down the narrow corridors at almost 90 km/h.
"This is Surveyor Beta to the Stormhammer! Requesting immediate assist! Seismic activity detected- these caves are collapsing! Transport compromised- requesting imm- Arhh!"
A large chunk of stone fell and hit him squarely in the chest, striking him off course. He hit the wall at over eighty kilometers per hour. The rock around him moaned and screamed- the strength of the collision rang through his armor.
--- Warning: Damage detected. Reactor containment failure. Shutting down non-essential systems.. Stasis mode engaged.
The last thing the warrior saw before the suit's computer put him into deep stasis sleep was a shimmering blue force field rising between him and falling rocks.
While the warrior slept, his suit sent out a distress signal screaming for help to the distant Stormhammer. However, the mineral formations around him proved to be too thick for the small emergency transmitter. No one heard him and no one came to help as decades passed. The stone around the sleeping warrior was in later quakes reduced so he was buried only some hundred meters from the cavern entrance. Still, no one came to look for the missing warrior..