High above Mobius, an autonomous civilization exists, so far a virgin to Robotnik's perversion. A world unscathed by Robotnik's soul-sucking hand, it looms above Mobius, casting a shadow upon the ocean.
A red male echidna[6] was sitting by a lake, with his feet dangling in the water, and his shoes off. Not long after, an armadillo joined him. Through their speech, the armadillo revealed that the echidna's name was Knuckles: "Hey, Knuckles whatcha doin'?" and that the armadillo's name was Mighty: "Not much, Mighty, just thinking."
"Thinkin' 'bout what?"
"Just thinking…"
"Oh, well then, if ya want me, I'll be in my cave."
"Okay, Mighty."
"See ya, Knuckles."
About three minutes after that farewell, a ripple formed in the lake. Then another ripple, and another, and another. Then, Knuckles could hear a faint rumbling sound. The rumbling got louder, and louder, until finally, a huge airship came above the horizon. Knuckles put on his shoes, and quickly stood up to face it. The airship flew over Knuckles' head, and landed some half-thousand yards away. Knuckles ran toward the airship, but made sure to keep his distance. He stayed hidden behind some scenery, and watched as the door to the airship opened. An army of SWATbots[7] filed out. The SWATbots headed in various directions. Knuckles, now having need of Mighty, headed quickly to Mighty's cave.
He peered inside the cave. There was an odd silence.
"Mighty? You in there?"
No answer.
"It's me, Knuckles. You said you'd be here if I needed you…"
Silence.
Knuckles stepped into the cave now, to question the silence.
Mighty wasn't there.
"Those robots must have already taken him," thought Knuckles.
From a clearing, Knuckles' figure faded into view, as he stepped out of the brush and thicket. "Espio!" he shouted. "Espio, are you here?"
All of a sudden, a chameleon faded into view. The chameleon's name apparently was Espio.
"You sure are good at that blending-in stuff," commented Knuckles. "I couldn't see you at all until you got rid of your camouflage!"
"Thanks," said Espio plainly. "Now, what did you need?"
"Robots have arrived on the Floating Island[8]! Lots of 'em!"
"What? What are you talking about?"
"I saw a plane land and a lot of robots came out of it. And then Mighty was missing from his cave. He said he'd be there."
"Not cool. Do you have a plan?"
"Sort of."
"What does that mean?"
"I have something that I want to try, but I don't know what to do after that."
"I'm all ears!"
"Well, I said they came in an airship," explained Knuckles, "and my 'sort-of' plan is to find their airship and see if we can find anything there."
"I guess it's worth a shot."
"Good," said Knuckles. "Follow me."
The two figures set off, alone, but to be alone now was to be thankful.
Knuckles led the way back to the scenery near the airship. When the coast was clear, Knuckles plunged out of the scenery and toward the airship. He signaled to Espio to follow him. Knuckles saw that the door to the airship was now closed, but quickly used his strong knuckles[9] to bash the door. After about five blows, a the door was breached as Knuckles' blow tore a hole clear through. Knuckles continued to enlarge the hole until it was large enough for him to climb through. After Knuckles boarded the airship, Espio followed him onboard.
Knuckles saw that there were three SWATbots onboard as well. One was watching what appeared to be video screens. Another appeared to be inputting commands into a computer. The last appeared to be patrolling the airship, but had not yet seen Espio and Knuckles.
Knuckles quickly sprung at the last SWATbot. He clobbered the robot, and it fell to the ground. Quickly, the first SWATbot rose to assist. Espio joined Knuckles in battle. The second SWATbot, through its computer, sent a message alerting the rest of the SWATbots to the intruders. Espio jumped up and kicked the first SWATbot down in mid-air. The second SWATbot stood and opened fire at Knuckles, using its small-capacity laser. Knuckles dodged the blast and the SWATbot charged at Espio, but Espio recalled his abilities, being a chameleon, and vanished; the SWATbot was immediately confused. Knuckles took advantage of the SWATbot's confusion, using his strong fist to dismantle the SWATbot. Knuckles heaved the three destroyed robots out of the ship through the hole he had created in the door upon entering. Knuckles had a quick surge of joy from glory, but his triumph was quickly interrupted by the metal clanking of SWATbots approaching, apparently responding to the second SWATbot's alert.
"Espio," said Knuckles, "try to get this airship off the ground. I'll take care of the SWATbots that board in the meantime. Stay in your camouflaged form!"
"Okay, Knuckles," said Espio, who could be heard, but not seen.
Two SWATbots boarded the airship, firing at Knuckles. Knuckles, in mid-air, performed a kick. One foot took out one SWATbot, and the other foot took out the other. The SWATbots were knocked back by Knuckles' kick, and fell back out through the hole in the airship's door. Espio, transparent specter, was meanwhile working to get the airship hovering off the ground. Two more SWATbots boarded just as Espio got the airship flying. The airship lifted slowly from the ground. The SWATbots were confused, seeing nobody at the airship's helm. In confusion, the SWATbots were pushed through the synthetic gateway at Knuckles' hand. They tried to re-board, but at that point, the airship was too high off the ground and they were left gazing without real understanding or comprehension, like a pair of wide-eyed children.
Espio came back into sight, as he removed his cloak of invisibility and the specter was reanimated. "Now what?"
"I dunno," replied Knuckles. "How about getting this airship to hover without continuing upward, so we have time to plan something? We have to get all these robots off our island!"
"You've got it."
Espio got to work on getting the airship to hover in place. After a little work, Espio was able to get the airship to stop moving upward, but continue to hover, so it would be out of reach of the SWATbots. It stood still, frozen in place as if held by an invisible hand. In the violated sky, the airship was a radical, defying not only the angry words of gravity, but the wrath of time; it stood still.
A glance at the video monitors revealed the image of Mighty, taken prisoner in his own land by foreign intruders, alien captors. Alongside Mighty in captivity was Vector the crocodile.
"Oh no, Espio! They've got Mighty and Vector!"
"Can you tell where they're holding them?" asked Espio, looking at the screen. "I can't figure."
"It looks like they're near Charmy's home!"
"I hope they don't get him too! As soon as I figure out the controls, we'll be en route."
"Okay, Espy, you do that!"
Espio saw that the basic directional and thrust controls were fairly simple to operate, and got the hang of the airship fairly quickly. Knuckles and Espio headed for the area where Charmy, the bee, took residence. There were around twenty SWATbots guarding Mighty and Vector. As the shadow of the airship covered the land, Mighty and Vector looked upward, as its dark shadow covered them and then moved on. They were now in fear, understandably thinking that the airship brought trouble, coming from nowhere bringing legions of faceless insensate to take away their home, speaking only in hollow tongues, their words without any cognition or reason. The SWATbots, seeing the airship, had no thought of fear, but without emotion, they felt no solidarity, no unity, no bond. The SWATbots were not expecting the airship; they did not know what to make of it; they were not told of it.
Through the video cameras, Knuckles could see that Charmy had been apprehended as well. Charmy had been put in a metal and glass container to keep him from escaping.
"Espio, can you make the airship hover again?"
"Sure thing, Knuckles. Then we'll have time to plan a rescue for Mighty and Vector."
"And Charmy, too. Look at this video screen." Knuckles motioned toward one of the screens which displayed Charmy in a small cylindrical bastille.
At this point, Espio had gotten the airship to hover, and the airship now hovered a short distance from where Vector and Mighty were being held. Knuckles looked out a side window, and saw Vector and Mighty tied to a tree, with not only rope, but chain as well. Knuckles tried to create a plan to free his two captive friends.
To Espio, he said, "Well, I can't think of a plan, so I guess I'll just have to go down there and try to free them without a plan… come up with it as we go along."
"Wait," said Espio, "I have a plan!"
"What?"
"Well, although this airship does not have a weapons system that I can access, we can fly the ship close to the ground and plow it into the robots. That'll probably stop them, giving us an open chance to free Mighty and Vector!"
"That's a better plan than mine," laughed Knuckles. "Let's try it!"
Espio slowly lowered the airship to about a foot off the ground, rotated the airship toward some of the robots, and then bolted forward at full throttle. After knocking the batteries out of the robots, Espio flew the airship straight up to re-examine the situation.
"Bad news, Knux," said Espio somberly. "That maneuver worked well against those robots, but there sure are a lot left!"
"It may be risky," suggested Knuckles, "but I say we go down there and try to rescue our pals now. We can't waste all day trying to stop the robots. There's too many."
"Well, then," replied Espio, "how are we gonna do that?"
"We'll fly the airship down there," explained Knuckles, "and then, one of us will leave the airship and free our pals while the other guards the airship and pick up the other three. Then, we'll escape onto the airship and fly to safety somewhere."
"Sounds great, but it's easier said than done. One of us wouldn't stand a chance against a hundred robots trying to retake the airship."
"That's a chance we've got to take. I'll let you pick whether you want to guard or rescue."
"I'll go out there and rescue. Once I get Mighty and Vector free, it'll be three against a hundred!"
Espio smiled slightly, but quickly realized the seriousness of the situation.
Knuckles agreed, and said, "Espy, quick: show me the basic flying controls so I can make our escape."
Espio showed Knuckles the basics, and Knuckles seemed to understand.
"Espy, stand by the door, and get ready to jump out at my command. Good luck!"
Espio went and stood ready by the busted door.
Knuckles directed the airship to slowly descend toward the ground; once it was around two feet off the ground, Knuckles gave the signal. Espio jumped out of the airship, and landed on the ground about forty feet from where Mighty and Vector were being held.
Almost immediately, an "INTRUDER ALERT" could be heard, as if waiting, and an army of about fifteen SWATbots stormed toward Espio. At Knuckles' will, the airship ascended, but Knuckles quickly saw that the strangers held the skies too; nowhere was free.
Espio hurriedly headed for Mighty and Vector. Espio turned around to face the SWATbots. Quickly, he employed the most typical of his chameleon abilities[10]. Now invisible to the confused SWATbots, Espio was able to obtain the key from behind the SWATbots' backs, and rushed quickly to free Mighty and Vector.
"Time to open a can of whoop-ass," snickered Mighty.
Espio, still invisible, freed Charmy, and then faded back into view, as if a great fog had just been dispelled.
"ALERT: THE PRISONERS HAVE ESCAPED. PREPARE NECESSARY PRECAUTIONS."
Knuckles had no plan.
"Crap," came his exclamation, being caught off-guard by the enemy airships. "Do they know I'm not one of them?"
Knuckles glanced at the viewscreens and saw that his friends had been set free, but were now confronted with an army of fifteen SWATbots. More were sure to be on the way.
"I don't have time to find out," said Knuckles. "I have to carry out the plan and get my friends onboard."
Knuckles descended in the airship and headed toward his friends.
Suddenly, the radio blared to life. "IDENTIFY YOURSELF."
"Time to open a can of whup-ass," snickered Mighty, who plowed toward the SWATbots.
Mighty knocked down five or so of the SWATbots, but put none out of commission.
"HOSTILE. OPEN FIRE."
"Damn," said Vector, who avoided the laser blasts fired at him, thanks to his specialty in slick moves.
Two of the fallen SWATbots rose again, and a barrage of laser blasts were fired. Charmy quickly flew around the army of SWATbots.
"TARGET LOCKED," said at least seven SWATbots simultaneously.
The SWATbots with a target-lock turned around frantically trying to get Charmy in front of them. Just then, Knuckles arrived in the airship, and the distraction was just what he needed. Knuckles plowed the airship through the army of SWATbots, knocking them down, and possibly out.
"Get in!" shouted Knuckles, hovering the ship without bothering to land. Charmy zipped in through the hole in the door; Espio, Vector, and Mighty rushed quickly toward the airship and clambered in. Knuckles lifted off, and the airship ascended into the dark skies.
[6] e chid na (e kid n ) n. [[ModL L, adder, viper Gr, ult. IE base *eghi- , snake Ger egel , leech]] any of a family (Tachyglossidae) of small, toothless Australasian monotremes with a long, tapering snout and a sticky, extensible tongue; spiny anteater
[7] SWATbots are Robotnik's simplest robots
[8] The Floating Island is where this part of the story takes place. The Floating Island used to be an island on Mobius, but when the lives of the inhabitants of Echidnapolis (a former echidna city on the Floating Island) were threatened, the intelligent echidna scientists used the infinite power of the Chaos Emeralds to defy gravity and lift their home (as well as the homes of other creatures on the island) into the air.
[9] Knuckles is called Knuckles because of his strong and spike-shaped knuckles!
[10] In this case, his ability to camouflage.