Space Hog S.S.T.K Part I: The TX Project
By Stargazer The Hedgehog
It was nighttime in Knothole as Rotor sat down on a bench just out side the main hall. He was waiting for the groups to arrive back from their missions, to make sure that no one was left behind in Robotropolis.
'Robotropolis.' He thought 'Soon might be Mobotropolis.' And he smiled at the thought. Everyone knew that it wasn't long before Robotnik was finished. His main generators were gone, thanks to Paul. His Half built nuclear reactor was gone, thanks to Paul again. His HQ was rubble, thanks to Sonics hyper state that no longer exists in him. Plus his swat bots were being smashed left, right and center by Super Sonic. There was also another thing occupying his mind and every one else's around Knothole and other freedom fighter groups, Sonic and Sally.
After his 'healing' on the Angel Island, he went off with Sally somewhere to speak to her about something. When they returned every body was surprised. Sonic had asked Sally to marry him and she had accepted. Just to show everybody it was for real and not a joke Sonic did it there in font of every one present. He was only marrying her for his love of her not because she holds the throne of Mobius; Sonic couldn't care less for that. But there's on condition, they defeat Robotnik once and for all.
Just then an explosion was heard then a second explosion bigger than the first rocked the forest. The groups had done their jobs for tonight. A sonic boom then filled the air and Sonic rushed past Rotor saying
"They'll be back in ten minutes." Then the door to his and Sally's hut closed.
Robotnik knew he was finished. It was over. The dream was OVER. He was standing on a balcony from his temporary HQ looking over the city, when he saw the small explosion.
"Back up generator 3 destroyed." Announced the computer
He was losing it, he was losing it all and there was nothing he could do about it.
His main generators have gone his nuclear unfinished generator, his advanced Buzzbomber factory, his tech bots and their factory.
All of a sudden a bigger explosion rocked the city.
"Swat bot factory one and two destroyed."
He now had a limited number of swats remaining. It would only be a matter of time before the freedom fighters come after him, but luckily he had an escape plan.
He turned and entered his command room; he sat down in the chair grabbed a bunch of discs of the side of the table. He then spent the next hour downloading all his files from his computer core onto the discs. He paced the last one in the drive and the monitor switched to a view of him sitting in the chair. He pressed a button and on the screen appeared some red letters they were 'REC'.
"I quit Mobius." Robotnik shouted then the REC disappeared from the screen. He removed the disc and wrote on it the words
'To Freedom Fighters'
He then programmed the computer to wipe all info from its core and he also setup an auto-shutdown programme that would shutdown all his generators in four hours time. By that time it would be morning. He then got up looked around the room then left.
Morning now and Tails and Chuck were out in the Tornado checking on how well the teams did and what Robotnik was going to do about it.
"Perfect." Said Chuck looking over the Swat bot factory "Completely wrecked."
Tails glanced over the side of the plane then looked again, as he did the lights throughout Robotropolis started to switch off.
"Uncle Chuck look!" shouted Tails pointing
"Huh?"
"The lights."
Chuck then looked over the side and watched as the remaining lights went out.
"That's weird."
"Didn't we only hit one back up generator last night?" asked Tails
"We did." That's when Chuck noticed group three out in the open, not moving just standing in a circle. There were no swats around them so it wasn't that.
"Chuck to group three come in please?" asked Chuck into the radio
"This is group three, Durk here."
"What's happening down there?"
"We don't know. All the buildings and swats are offline in this section."
"Every section is shutting down." Replied Chuck
"This is group two to Chuck."
"Go ahead."
"Sir, were in the north eastern sector of the city its all shutdown here too, houses, factories and swat bots."
"This is group one to Chuck."
"Group one report?"
"Were near Robotnik's temporary HQ and its shutdown to."
"You sure?"
"Yes sir."
"Well be there soon." To Tails "to the HQ sunny fast as you can."
"Will do."
"Group two and three proceed to temporary HQ well meet you there."
"Roger." "Yes sir."
Tails landed the Tornado on a patch of land next to the HQ. The HQ was a disused iron works factory on the edge of Robotropolis. The smelting vats and workshops were moved from here after the coup to a bigger facility where they smelted the metal for the swat bots, but Robotnik reopened the factory as his back up HQ if both the HQ1 and his HQ2 were destroyed.
Tails stopped the engine then got out of the plane followed by Chuck who lent back to pick up the radio. They then met up with group one who had come over to them.
"Were have checked the area sir, no swat bots active and no active power sources."
Tails grabbed his backpack from out the plane with a couple of laser pistols, he handed these out to the group and gave the last one to Chuck
"Right lets move." Commanded Chuck
They reached the big main doors and after signaling the all clear Chuck taped on the pad, just to make sure the HQ was out of power. No response.
"Tails you have a go."
Tails reached into his backpack and pulled out a small computer like Nicole, so much so that Chuck had to look twice. But then he realized it wasn't Nicole it was Fred. Fred was Tails version of Nicole that he and Rotor had been working on, on and off since Doomsday. There were some differences, they have managed to link three processors together so they run in parallel, this meant Fred was faster at finding and processing information and instead of the older P411's that Nicole used Fred had some of Robotnik's higher power processors the ZX11's. It also had advanced form of artificial intelligence, and bigger storage capacity also the power source could last up to three times longer than Nicole.
Tails opened the pad and disconnected some leads then plugged them into Fred.
"Fred, access power systems for temporary HQ only."
"Accessing," replied Fred in a voice that could be almost like Sonics "Activating back up generator one. Diverting power away from other facilities."
They could quite clearly see the lights go on within the HQ.
"Fred open main door."
"Open sesame."
The door opened slowly
"Ok," said Chuck "you three check the basement, you check the ground floor, and you three the second floor and you two follow us. Check everywhere in case of trouble just call, and keep your radio channel open."
With a nod from everyone they entered. Once the immediate area was secure the teams split up. Chuck and his group climbed the stairs checking each room as they pasted until they reached the main room. One of the group signed for them to stop while he checked out the room. He walked slowly towards the door and tapped on the pad, the door opened silently. He peaked round them moved inside. After a couple of seconds he appeared round the door and signaled for them. Once inside the others went to check the adjacent rooms. They came back and nodded the all clear.
Chuck then nodded to Tails who went up to the terminal, pulled an interface lead out of his backpack and plugged it into Fred then into the computer.
"Fred, access the main computer core."
"Accessing…" the files that were on the core popped up on the screen.
"Hang on, Fred where's the rest? Asked Chuck
"Cannot find." Responded Fred
"Why?" inquired Tails
"I would suggest massive deletion of files has taken place."
"Open a file Fred."
A file titled 'Launch Base' opened but a lot of lines of information were missing.
"Fred could you try to sort out this information? Or to try and recover some?" asked Tails
"Search in progress. Estimated time ten minutes."
"Fred could use some help from Nicole."
"About time I called in away." Chuck took the radio out of his backpack and switched it on "Knothole this is Chuck come in please?"
Static. Then
"Prima here."
"Could you get Sonic and Sally for me please?"
"Sure. I wont be a minute."
After a few minutes came
"Hi uncle, what's up?"
"Hi. Listen where currently in Robotnik's HQ and…"
"Your where? I'll be right over." Interrupted Sonic
"No Sonic, every thinks fine."
"How can it be?" asked Sally
"He's not here," at that point the other groups entered the room and shuck their heads "He's gone."
"Gone?" asked Sonic and Sally at the same time.
"Where heading over now." Said Sonic
"I'll meet you out side." He then shutdown the radio he then said, "You four stay here, the rest follow me."
When Sonic and Sally arrived, Chuck was just finishing up giving the groups some orders. They then moved off.
"What's the word uncle?" asked Sonic his super glow fading
"I have just sent the groups off do search the entire city, just in case he's still here. Tails is still trying to get some info from the computer."
"Lets see whether he's dug anything up."
They entered the HQ.
"The groups have checked every where don't worry."
"I don't like this uncle. Its too quiet."
They walked up the stairs and into the control room. Tails swiveled round in the chair
"Hi guys. Sally do you mind if I borrow Nicole?"
"Sure Tails." Sally handed Nicole to Tails
"Fred? Co run with Nicole."
"Linking… Link established."
"Tails play this disc." Said Chuck
"What is it?"
"I don't know its labeled 'To Freedom Fighters'."
"Okay." With that Tails opened the disc drive and placed it in the drive. It closed, and as Tails was about to ask Fred to boot it did automatically.
There on the screen Robotnik was sitting in the same chair as Tails was. He looked up into the camera and shouted, "I quit Mobius." Then the screen went blank which then when to the file that Nicole and Fred were trying to peace together.
"What was that?" asked Sonic
"Fred, play again." Said Tails
Fred opened the file again and it replayed the same thing.
"I quit? He's given up?" asked Sonic to no one in particular
"Its over. He's given up." With that sally though her arms around Sonic
"Yea," replied Sonic smiling "it's over."
Everyone in the room let out a cheer and hugged or shook hands with each other.
"What you found Tails?" asked Sonic
"They have recovered some co-ordinates."
"For what?" asked Chuck
"Oil Ocean Rig, err, the current position of the Juggernaut and some think labeled Launch Base."
"Possible locations Robotnik my have fled to?" asked Sally
"Most likely." Said Chuck "You know what Robotnik's like."
"Fred download to data base. Here aunt Sally." Said Tails handing Nicole back
"Were going to check them out." Said Sonic "Tails you got enough fuel to get to Emerald Bay?"
"Yes Sonic."
"We leave now. The sooner the better."
They made there way back out side, one outside Tails shut down the generator and then when over to join Chuck and the rest.
"We'll escort Sally back to Knothole." Said Chuck
"No I'm going…"
"You're staying here, its far to dangerous." Said Sonic
"But Sonic…"
"Just in case. I don't wont anything to happen to you. We will call in everyday."
"Ok you win." Said Sally and after she and Sonic exchanged hugs and kisses they moved off.
"You better get going," said Chuck to Sonic and Tails "it'll be dark soon."
"What you going to do?" asked Sonic
"I'm going to join one of the groups in the search."
"Ok then." Sonic jumped into the Tornado followed by Tails.
The engine started up then the Tornado began to move away from the temp HQ then turned round and headed back the way they came and when reached enough speed took off, heading for the west coast and Emerald Bay.
After resting for the night with the Emerald Bay Freedom Fighters Sonic and Tails took off for the Oil Rig.
"How far now?" asked Sonic
"Soon Sonic."
"Wow. That's a big fog bank heading this way, must be one hell of a storm coming."
"We'll be there before it hits." And with that the Tornado flew into the fog.
After a few minutes Sonic shouted, "I can't see a thing. We on the right track?"
"Yea we are," tails looked down at Fred's display "should be below us now."
"I see…" started Sonic then the fog cleared as Tails flew lower and that's when Sonic saw the three concrete cylinders sticking up out of the sea.
"Is that it?" asked Sonic
"Yes, that's it." said Tails checking the location with Fred
"What could do that?"
"Well," said Fred "server weather can damage an oil rig as long as its supporting struts are undamaged."
"You remember Sonic, during the Year Of Peace we attacked it."
"Oh yea. Ok Tails head for the next target I'll radio in."
"Remember Sonic you can only get the Emerald Bay Fighters its not a long distance radio."
"Calling emerald Bay. Come in Emerald Bay. This is Sonic Hedgehog Calling Emerald…"
"This is Emerald Bay. What can we do for you?"
"Relay a message to Knothole for us will you?"
"Sure. What's the message?"
"Have found Oil Rig destroyed completely. Now heading for the Juggernaut."
"Roger. We will relay that strait away. Good luck out there."
"Thanks over and out."
Back in Knothole Sally was sitting in the dining room.
"If Robotnik's gone that means we've gotta start to put the city back together."
"Yes Sally." Said Chuck "With your permission I would like to start to refurbish the city."
"Yes of course."
"Sally we just got this message relayed to us by Emerald Bay." Said Bunnie running over to Sally
"' Have found Oil Rig destroyed completely. Now heading for the Juggernaut.'" Said the message
"Oh thank you." Said Chuck receiving a note from some one else who had just arrived "Checked all over Mobotropolis, no sign of Robotnik."
"So he's not here and not on the oil rig. Chuck how long do you think it'll take to refurbish the city?"
"Don't know mouths, years. But luckily we do have some good people that we can call upon. The specialist engineering team."
"The what?" asked Sally
"It's a team which me, Tails and Rotor put together in the event of such an occasion."
"Who is it made up of?" asked Bunnie
"We went around the freedom fighter groups and select the best for team leaders."
"How many teams?" asked Sally
"We've managed to get around twenty groups, each group is lead by a experienced engineer leader the rest is made up of experienced to apprentices."
"Were you going to put the metal and junk?"
"Well for that your majesty we'll use the crater of the ammo dump. People have already starting to call it 'Scrap Brain'."
"Chuck?"
"Yes."
She held up her hand with the ring on it.
"So?" said Chuck
"I wont be able to marry him."
"Why not Sally-girl?"
"I can only marry some one from a house of Mobius."
"Make one for him. You two are meant for each other, anyway there are not many houses left. But you can marry whom you wont to. It's a brand new world."
"Thank you Chuck."
"Not at all."
It was nighttime now and Tails and Sonic had spent the last few days following the coast down towards the Juggernaut.
"Tails how close are we now?"
"Just a few more minutes now Sonic. Fred, activate the radio assembly."
"Assembly active."
Underneath the Tornado a radio mast flips out of its casing.
"Fred uplink with the Juggernaut."
"Connecting… Standby…"
Sonic started to drum his fingers on the side of the plane.
"Access complete." Announced Fred
"Open power relays. Activate the deck lights."
"Standby…"
A minute later Fred still flashed 'Standby'
"Fred?"
"Standby…"
"Yo Tails what's taking so long?"
"Don't know."
"Activating the deck lights." Announced Fred
Underneath them a row of lights lit up at least two miles long.
"That's it taking us down."
They landed and because it was very late they decided to have something to eat and have a look around in the morning.
Morning broke on the Juggernaut; Sonic woke with the sun shining on his face. He stretched then looked over to Tails bed. Empty. He got up and went over to the control room and there sure enough their was Tails sitting in front of a computer terminal searching thought the computer core.
"Find anything?"
"Just give me a few more minutes, the cores in the same state as the HQ's."
"Sure." As Sonic turned to got Tails said
"Sonic could you fill up the gas tank on the Tornado for me? Use the pipe labeled 'Delta'."
"Yea, I'll do that."
As Sonic filled up the tank he looked around, this was the first time since the Year Of Peace he had been here. So this is why Tails wonted to keep the Juggernaut afloat so if they were ever this way he could fill up the Tornado. After filling up the plane Sonic went back to the control center where Tails was packing up.
"Well?"
"System wiped. Managed though to find one file, co-ordinates for Launch Base. Wonder why that wasn't wiped?"
"We already got the co-ordinates though."
"I cross checked them. There the same."
"Oh right, just in case he gave false co-ordinates."
"Yea."
"Well I see no reason to stick around. Lets go."
Tails put on his backpack and the started to walk out of the control center. As they reached the door
"Intruder Alert! Intruder Alert!" Rang the computer
Tails and Sonic ignored this because on their last visit they took out all defenses. Or so they thought.
They stepped out side and were on their way over to the Tornado when the deck plates shook and a cylinder tower rose from the floors below. It opened up to reveal two missiles.
"Duck." Yelled Sonic as he signaled for tails to take cover, Tails ran back into the control room. Sonic saw the tower rotate he readied himself to intercept the missiles before they reached the control room. But it wasn't aiming for that.
The missiles activated and streaked towards their target. The Tornado disappeared behind a yellow explosion.
"Noooo!" screamed Tails
Sonic engaged his super stage and hit the tower with his spin dash attack before it could reload. The tower was ripped from its base by the force of the attack and crashed to the ground before sliding into the ocean.
Sonic walked over to Tails who was searching the rubble of the Tornado to see if there was anything salvageable.
"Anything?"
"Nothings survived, and we got no radio."
"So we still are going to LB?"
"How can we get there?"
"The Juggernauts engines are still intact aren't they?"
"Of course! We never touched them, lets hope there still operational."
After a few minutes of messing around in the control center the two massive anchors began to retract into there housing.
"Here we go." Said Tails as he pressed a button
There was rubble from underneath them, as the massive engines started up.
"Pedal to the metal Tails!"
Sally was getting worried, it had been almost a week since Sonic and Tails had reported in.
"Don't worry princess." Said Chuck
"What about if they run out of fuel and ditched into the ocean or…"
"Now Sally-girl," said Bunnie "Tails would of made sure he'll have enough fuel for any journey."
"And besides they would of planed the route out so they would be near the cost all the time. So if they had run out at least they would land on dry land." Said Chuck
"I just wish I knew where they were and what they were doing."
The juggernaut bobbed in the sea, anchors down just off shore to a small island called Launch Base.
Sonic was standing by the door of a small computer terminal office looking at the two structures in front of him that reached up into the sky.
'What ever he was doing here it was huge.' Thought Sonic
It had been several minutes since Tails had activated the terminal time to see whether he had dug anything up.
"Well, what we got?"
"Your not going to believe me if I tell you, so I'll show you."
Tails tapped a few buttons on the keyboard and on the monitor appeared a big craft.
"What the hell is that?"
"That's his 'Egg Carrier'."
"Egg Carrier? What's that?"
"It's a space ship."
"Really?"
"The two towers out there was for the two separate sections which join up once in space."
"So what's he planning to do with that?"
"I think I know what he meant when he said 'I quit'. He means he's left Mobius all together, and I believe," said Tails as he pressed a few more buttons and a picture of the night sky appeared "he's heading to one of these stars."
"What makes them so special?"
"According to scientific investigations these are the closest stars to Mobius, but there's nothing then for him to explore locally after them."
"So how long will he be gone?"
"Don't know. It depends on how fast he can travel, I can only find out limited information on the craft itself."
"So that's it, we just set up and wait till he comes back."
"No I don't think we should do that. I think he plans to conquer one of these solar systems, and then return and if that race has some advanced technology well you can work that out."
"I get ya."
"Here's a point though, do we go after him?"
"To stop that?"
"Yeah."
"Pack up the sooner we go the better."
Using a small boat they had found in the Juggernaut they headed back to the ship. Within ten minutes the Juggernauts engines started up, the anchors raised up and the ship started northward.
"I better try and fix this radio that we found so we can tell Emerald Bay that were coming."
"Yeah better."
The Juggernaut a big massive oil tanker could manage to scrape fifty knots while fully loaded on its mission from the Oil Ocean Rig to Emerald Bay which only took half a day, now with two of its massive tanks empty it could do over hundred and fifty knots yet it still took one and a half weeks to get to Emerald Bay.
"Home sweet home." Said Sonic as the front of the ship lined up ready for docking
"Emerald Bay?" asked Tails thought the radio "Still no good."
"Lets hope they don't…"
All of a sudden an explosion rocked the ship.
"Warning hull breach deck 2 section 4." Said the computer
Sonic looked out of the widow and watched as another wave of laser energy drove towards the ship.
"I think well have to stop here."
"Warning hull breach deck 4 section 3, 4 and 5."
"Lets hope they don't hit deck 10."
"Why?"
"Its at water level."
"Hull breaches deck 5 section 11 and 3. Warning fire detected in storage tank Alpha."
"That's empty." Said Tails as he started to turn the Juggernaut back around to open sea "Dam! The main fuel lines have been severed."
"Ok. No time to mess about let's get out of here."
A massive explosion rocked the ship.
"Warning hull breach desk 10, 11 and 12." Announced the computer
Out side the ship more laser beams drove towards the ship as Tails and Sonic dropped the small boat into the sea and started toward the shore. Someone on the dock must have noticed them because the laser fire stopped.
Sonic gapped the hand that was offered to him as he climbed up onto the dock as Tails landed beside him.
"Sonic! Sorry we didn't know."
"Its ok we had no radio to warn you."
Another explosion made them turn their attention back to the Juggernaut. It had stopped sinking aft first obviously it had stuck the bottom of the sea, and as they continued to watch and explosion ripped the ship in half.
"Got a hover unit spare?" asked Sonic
"Sure." Said the commander as he pointed to a line of three not far away
Sonic and Tails got in and headed back to Knothole.
Sally was sitting with Bunnie near the edge of the Great Forest looking out over the city.
"It's going well." Said Bunnie
"Yea."
Then they herd a familiar sound pass over them.
"It heading start for Tornado Field." Cried Bunnie
"They cant! Come on." Said Sally getting up and running toward the airfield with Bunnie not far behind her
When they got there the hover unit was already there, but no sign of anybody. Sally when over to the door and knocked.
"Excuse me but you can't stay here. I'm going to have to ask you to move."
From inside the hover a muffled voice said
"Just a minute."
A few minutes later and nothing had happened.
Sally knocked again "look if you don't…"
The door opening interrupted her
"Okay. I'm coming out." Came the voice from inside the craft
"Sonic!" cried Sally as he stepped out and she though her arms around him and kissed him
"Okay, claim down. What do you think I was dead?"
Sally then released him and slapped Sonic across the face
"Why didn't you call? I've been worried sick!"
"Its ok aunt Sally, we encountered something we didn't expect."
"What happened? Why aren't you in the Tornado?"
"I'll tell everyone tomorrow." Said Sonic
"Sorry."
"For what?" asked Sonic
"Slapping…"
"Its understandable. Anyway," Sonic held her hand and pulled Sally close to him "I got something in mind for us to do at the moment."
"Oh Sonic! I love you."
"And I love you Sally Acorn."
"Err, come on Tails lets leave them alone." With that Tails and Bunnie walked off toward Knothole.
The next morning and Sonic had just finished telling everyone what had happened at the Juggernaut and at Launch Base, and what had happened to them as they entered Emerald Bay.
"I'm just glad your okay." Said Sally who had not let go of Sonics hand all the way throughout
"But we still have the question of do we go after him?" asked Sonic
"Why bother?" asked a badger named Cole
"So we can stop Robotnik from doing to whatever world he lands on the same as Mobius."
"Your right." Said Sally "But I think we need to discus this point."
After around an hour of discussion it was decided that they should go after Robotnik.
"One problem my princess," said Antoine "How?"
"I can answer that." Said Tails
"You how?" asked Antoine
"I'll show you." Tails pulled Fred from off his belt "Fred open file TXv1.0."
"Opening." replied Fred
In the middle of the table appeared a hologram of a big craft.
"What is that?" asked Rotor
"Eh? You don't know?" asked Sonic
"No. What is it?"
"It's the TX. Tornado Class X." replied Tails
"When did you come up with that?" asked sally
"When Paul left us he had hidden another letter for me in a damaged laser weapon. I found it while taking it apart. It told of a project he was put on long ago called 'Fortress project'. He said in the letter that just three months in he was taken off the project and returned to Robotropolis to help Robotnik search for us. He assumed the project was stopped, but he found out material was still heading there, but more then needed. He found out the project had changed names from Fortress to Carrier project. He couldn't find out precisely what was going on, but he considered it a fall back project, and since the original project was a space fairing ship, he considered this one too."
"But were did he get that?" asked Rotor
"According to the letter this was a original design for the Wing Fortress. But obviously changed shape and size and is now the Egg Carrier."
"So that's what he gave you?"
"Yes thought I have modified it."
"But that's a lot of work for you and Rotor." Said sally
"Princess," said Chuck "this is one of the situations in which the specialist engineering team was created for."
"But you're using them." Said Sally
"We can manage with just two teams." Replied Chuck
"How long will it take to build?" asked Sonic
"Well considering we have to make everything our selves, which would mean opening some factories and repairing them around a year." Said Tails
"A year?"
"Or more." Replied Tails
"What engine type does it use?" asked sally
"Ordinary fuel." Said Tails
"What's Robotnik using on the Carrier?" asked Antoine
"Two nuclear engines."
"He managed to get some material to LB?" asked Sally
"Yea."
"How soon can you start?" asked Sonic
"We'll have to start after winter I think." Said Rotor
"Ok. What do we need to do?" asked Sonic
Two days later and Sonic and Sally were walking together in the great forest, most of the factory repairs were under way and a site for the 'TX Compound' as Tails had called it had been selected. Then a big shadow passed over them and was gone.
"What was that?" asked Sonic looking heaven words
Then another shadow passed over them and Sonic managed to catch a glimpse of a hover lorry. Sonic and sally looked at each other, then sally jumped into Sonics arms the Sonic took off following the lorry on the ground.
They reached the clearing on the edge of Mobotropolis that had been designated as the compound, and there were two concrete mixers poring out there load. At one end of the site a digger was digging a hole and at the other nearest to the city was already cut a square trench. As a hover unit finished unloading metal sheets and moved away that's when Sonic saw Tails, Rotor and some other people standing round a table. Sonic ran around the site so not to cross the concrete and stopped next to them.
"Tails what's going on?" asked Sonic
"We are building the Compound."
"You said it was too close to winter to start." Said Sally
"We can get half the runway done and the TX hanger completed before then."
"What's what?" asked Sonic
"We'll show you." Said Tails "Follow us."
Sonic and Sally followed Tails and Rotor to a small wooden hut on the edge of the site and stepped inside. In front of them was a model of the TX and the Compound.
"The big hole at the end of the site is the launch ramp, obviously that's the TX hanger."
"We have been thinking about something." Said Rotor
"What?" asked Sonic
"The engines."
"What about them?" asked Sally
Sonic looked at them they looked sheepishly at each other
"What about them? You had sorted them out."
"Were going to have to change them."
"To what?" asked Sally
"Were not going to like this are we." Said Sonic
"No your not." Replied Tails
"Nuclear is the only way."
"Nuclear!" exclaimed Sally "That's too dangerous."
"But it's the only alternative Sally." Said Rotor
"I'm not allowing it."
"Okay. Okay. Me and Tails will try and find another way."
"Its for the best." Said Sally
"Keep us up to date." Said Sonic as they turned and left once out side they headed back to Knothole
Sonic opened the door to his and Sally's hut
"You know Sal what if Tails is right?"
"Sonic you know how dangerous that stuff is."
"Yea but Robotnik using it."
"He's using it, but he had to invent most of it himself and left us no real plan on how to create on or how to protect us against the radiation."
There was a knock on the door and Sonic opened
"Hi."
"Knuckles how are you?" said Sonic shacking his hand
"I'm fine. So what you been up to?"
Sonic told Knuckles about what had been happening, Robotnik leaving the planet and how they intend to go after him.
"But there's one problem." Said Sally
"What?"
"Normal fuel won't last long, nuclear is too dangerous."
"We need to find another way to power the craft."
"Well I might be able to help you there." Said Knuckles as he took his backpack off his back and placed it on the table, Sonic felt something he had felt before, but were? That's when it hit him
"You've got some Chaos Emeralds in there haven't you?"
"Chaos?" asked Sally
"I knew you would get it. The Chaos Emeralds hold enormous power. Sonic knows because he's been in contact with the Master Emerald. He can feel the present of these." With that Knuckles reached inside the bag and pulled out two emeralds one Red one White and placed them on the table.
"Amazing. Nicole analysis?" said Sally
"High power readings, cant calculate exact figure."
"Major power that's all we need to know." Said Sonic
"Question is can Tails and Rotor find a way to extract the energy?"
"I'm sure they can." Said Sonic "come on the sooner we tell them the better." With that they left Sonic and Sally's hut and headed toward the TX compound.
Four months later and Sonic was sitting looking over the ring pool with Sally asleep resting her head on Sonics shoulder.
'I'll never really have to use them again.' Thought Sonic 'Not if I got my Super stage when I need it.'
He looked back towards Knothole, not much activity anymore and why? Because most of the freedom fighters have gone back to the cities. Robots throughout the northern continent were being brought to Chuck who could free their minds.
But it was the TX project that now ran though his mind, it had been four months since work begin. Tails and Rotor and the team had been spending every day on it. The hanger was completed before the winter and now the rest of the runway was done and while over the winter season they had started on the TX itself. But Tails was keeping it all hush-hush for a grand unveiling to happen just before completion.
'But will we catch up to Robotnik?'
A year since the TX project and Sonic, Knuckles, Rotor and a few others were standing out side the TX hanger waiting for Tails to appear.
"Were is he? Not like him to be late." Said Sonic
"He's been working on this continuality," said Sally "he even forgot to come to his birthday party."
"He needs a break."
Just then Tails landed next to them "Hi. Everyone ready?"
"Honey we have been waiting for at least twenty minutes." Said Bunnie
"Ok. Meet the TX!" with the sun setting behind them the massive doors began to open, but they only opened a little.
"Step though please." Said Rotor
They all did once they we inside Rotor said, "I'll turn the lights on."
The lights flickered on one by one and slowly they reviled the TX.
Sonic had seen ever model of it but of course that could never amount to actually seeing the craft with its round body with its wings sweeping back towards the aft of the TX, looked unreal.
"As you can see," said Tails leading them around the outside of the craft "the body work of the hull still got to be complete in some places. But most of everything else is done."
"Did you manage to get energy from the emeralds?" asked Sally
"Yes we did."
"Come on its time we took a tour of the TX." Said Rotor
They when to the port side of the craft just past the place where the wing started and Tails pressed a button on a wrist strap and the boarding ramp swung out from its housing and quietly unraveled itself and the door at the top opened.
"This way please." Said Tails
Once they had all got in Tails turned on the lights.
"Were currently running the craft off a generator, what to make sure all the systems are read for when we switch on the real generator." Explained Rotor
"This is the living area," said Tails "up there's the cockpit and toward the back of the living area that the kitchen on the left is the WC further back is two bunk bedrooms one single and one we are calling the 'Royal Suite'. Oh and underneath us are the storage rooms. But it's the door at the very end you want to see. Engineering."
Tails lead them down the corridor and pressed a button on the bulkhead.
The doors slid apart.
"Wow." Said Knuckles
"Come on in." said Tails
"Is that the engine?" asked Sally pointing at the white cylindrical object in the middle of the room
"Yes, we call it the 'Chaos Core'."
Sonic looked thought a square plate and saw the two chaos emeralds on holders. Sonic didn't know how Tails was transferring the energy, but how the craft used the energy was what he was telling everyone.
"To power the ships systems, oxygen, water pumps etc the energy from the core goes though a substation where it's powered down to what we call 'diluted' energy. Not all of the power is wasted though this process because it goes to an energy storage tank below us. Another three lines come off the core to three more energy storage tanks where 'undiluted' energy is kept. But his is used, as we went around the outside you may have noticed were we haven't put the outer hull on yet is a metal grid system, that metal combined with chaos energy creates a 'structural integrity' field also the storied energy goes to other systems as well. Now Rotor will tell you about the engines."
"Two lines come off the core and into two 'pure chaos turbine engines'. We have done some other modifications but there not operational yet."
"So how long till your finished?" asked Antoine
"Say around next week at the earliest." Said Tails
The week rolled on and the TX was now outside for the first time.
"No." said Tails "Its only so we can check on a few things." Answering Bunnies question
"Tails can you here me?" came Rotors voice over the comm.
"Yes I can here you. Ready?"
"Yeah were ready."
"Power up the core."
"Power system check? Asked Rotor
"Coming online now."
"Power levels?"
"100."
"Well that's it its ready." Said Rotor
"Hey Rotor call the control tower and tell them that were ready. We leave in five hours."
Sonic and Sally holding there backpacks looked up at the TX out in the sun. Sonic noticed the letters on the side of the craft. TX–01 and under that in smaller letters were S.S.T.K with some drawing underneath them.
"That's the last of the food and water Rotor." Said a technician
"Hi there." Sid Knuckles as he stopped beside them
"Hi. Ready?" asked Sonic
"All set."
"Yo Sonic, Sally and Knuckles everything's set you can go onboard now." Said Rotor
"Ok." Said Sonic and he lead the way up the stairs
Rotor walked over to a wooden hut on the edge of the compound and then turned round to watch the door shut and the boarding ramp retract.
Inside after putting there backpacks away Sonic and Sally walked up to the cockpit while Knuckles buckled himself into a chair in the living area. Sally sat in her chair in the cockpit; she buckled herself up and then activated her console that in large letters said 'Science Station'. Sonic buckled himself in and activated his console that in large letters said 'Tactical'.
"Rotor," asked Tails though the comm. System "activate launch ramp."
"Right." Came the replied as at the end of the runway a large sloping ramp locked in position. "LR locked."
"Right. Wish us luck." Said Tails "Hang on tight."
Fred's voice kicked in,
"10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, ingestion."
End Of Part ITo be concluded in Space Hog S.S.T.K: Part II: The Hunt
Story: The TX has launched and the Hunt begins for Robotnik's Egg Carrier.
Authors note based on Sonic SatamThe Tornado Class X (TX-01), TX Compound, Chaos Core, Chaos Turbine Engines, Fred, Oil Ocean Rig, Juggernaut are copyright of the Stargazer 2004.
LEGALITIES: Sonic the Hedgehog, Dr. Robotnik, and Miles Tails Prower are copyrighted by Sega. Bunnie, Rotor, Sally, Uncle Chuck, Antoine and Snively are copyright by Archie comics.
This Fan Fic is Copyright of The Stargazer 2004.