Chapter 8: Agenda
Author: Lady Blue
Disclaimer: Nothing to say... getting bored of saying the same thing every chapter. All this character use belongs to Capcom.
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It was dark, to dark for that matter. X felt his body floating in air as his consciousness faded in and out, like he is in a dream and reality at the same time. He tries to open his eyes, but he felt that he had no control over his entire body. Then there was that feeling again, the feeling he thought he felt before, but could never remember. The feeling of serenity and the sense of secure ness.
"How is he doing?" X heard a girl voice. He had a strange feeling again that he felt he heard this voice before.
"Fine, actually he is doing great" a man's voice said. This one seems a little older and rough "The procedure was a success" the man continued.
"I hope he'll be alright" the girl said in a worried notion. X then felt a gentle hand touch his forehead and pat him slowly.
"Don't worry so much. They will look after him from now on" the man said
"I hope so" the girl said as the same time X felt her hand stop moving. He tries to open his eyes again and this time he was successful. But to his best, all X could see is that something round and bright were shining down on him and the two people around him looks really blurry. All he could make out were the color of their robes. One wearing a pink dress and the other figure were wearing a white coat like a doctor.
X tries to say something, but to his best there only thing that comes out from his vocal unit was a long silence. Then to his surprised a small dark little reploid flies in front of his and stare straight into his eyes. The guy was no smaller then his hand and seems to look like a cyber-elf.
"Seraph, get back in there" the girl said. "SERAPH" she shouted real loudly as the little thing flies away. The girl try to catch hold of the little thing accidentally knock on something and a loud breaking sound hit his ear like a boom.
X sprung himself up as he start to pant heavily.
"Sorry, did I wake you?" a familiar voice asked.
The room was relativity dark, but X could see it quite clearly who it is standing in the middle of the room, looking back to him with her glittering emerald eyes. Rina squat down to her knees and pick up some tools and motor parts that she drops by accident when she walks into the poorly lit room.
"No, not really" X said, shifting his sitting position and looked at the wall clock, it was three in the morning.
Rina placed her stuff away and look back to X. "What's wrong?" Rina asked.
"I think I just had a dream" X replied.
"A bad one?"
"Not really. Kind of a weird one to be more exact" X smiled and climbs down from his bed. "I dream that I was in some old Frankenstein movie" he joked.
Rina just shook her head "Well Mr. Frankenstein, whatever it was you can tell it to me tomorrow" she said as she takes off her vest and placed it aside. "I really need to regenerate" she said with a tiring look on her face.
"Busy day?"
"Something like that. I have been planting my head in that simulator room on level 4 the whole entire day" Rina said sitting on her bed not looking at X. She could barely keep her eyes open.
"I have to-" Rina yawn "recalibrate the simulation program for the airborne unit..."
X stand watch as Rina fall a sleep, sitting on her bed. X gives a shook and takes her blanket to cover her. He doesn't know why he does it as he understands; reploid doesn't actually get cold from such a low room temperature. He shrugged his shoulder and retreated back. Looking at Rina, sleeping calmly.
"Don't try anything... funny.... blue... boy" Rina mumbles in her sleep.
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Just two floors above X, Ciel sits in her room as she taps on her computers keyboard. She was going through to her old record about the Maverick Hunter in her workstation. She has long stored this information before she decides to leave Neo Arcadia and officially form the reploid resistance. Though she has never asked herself why then, but deep in her she knew she might need these records someday.
"Computer sort and display all information on Alia X....X" Ciel said, thinking about Alia designated number. She always have problem remembering their initial numbers. That was why she prefers giving them names instead of calling them by their number. "Alia.... X521D of the 17th Maverick Hunter unit" she finally remembers.
The hologram image flow with a list of files and display it to Ciel. She leans back on her seat and glanced at the information shown. Not much information regarding about Alia. It seems that Neo Arcadia have store most of the important archived deep in their central database.
She takes a sip from her coffee before she turn to the files listed. "Computer access Alia's biography" she orders.
Files listed down on Alia profiles, her background, history and skills. Ciel carefully read through every detail listed and try to find out as much as she could about Alia. All she remembers about the Maverick Hunter Alia in her early engineering school days was that she was one hell of an engineer of her time. Listed top of her class, she was selected by the Maverick Hunter right after the forth war by Dr. Cain. Alia was also credited in many fields, especially during the Maverick Wars times when she develop a resistance program to allow reploids to be more immune against the Sigma Virus.
Ciel continue through some of the other documents to get more information; most states the same thing she already knows about Alia's life. Her relationship with Gates and her dedication to the hunters. There were even rumors of her relationship with X that lead to her disappearance just before the first cyber-elf was used in the Maverick Wars.
When she was about to closed the last document, something else caught her eyes. A photo taken right before her disappearance. Then picture was taken inside a lab, most probably one inside the old Hunter base.
However, what surprised her was the last photo takes of Alia inside the lab. She was looking rather annoyed with the cameraman and placed her hand over the camera lens.
"Computer enhance picture" Ciel ordered. "Move towards the right and sharpen the image ten times"
The computer conveys the order and enhances the image. Ciel open her eyes wide and look at the image. "What the?" she whispered. "Who's that?" she said, she looked closer and sees a female reploid looking at the camera's direction. The girl seems to be incomplete from the way her body is shown. Most part of her internal exoskeleton is still visible, from her back of her head to her arms, she was covered in a pink vest, much like those wear by reploids this days. The girl in the picture gives a stun look on her face, probably cause by the flash from the camera.
"I wonder" Ciel mumbles to herself. Then a beeping sound comes from her communicator.
"Sorry to disturb you this late Ciel" Chris voice said over her headset.
"Yes Chris"
"I have an incoming transmission from Commander Elpizo" Chris said.
"Put him through my room Chris" Ciel said.
Within second a hologram picture of a young man appear in front of Ciel. Ciel got up from her seat and gives a respective bow to the blond hair man. He smiled back a little before giving a gentlemen like bow.
"Good Evening Ms. Ciel" Elpizo said "Forgive me to intrude at such and hour"
"That's alright Commander Elpizo" Ciel said as she takes a step closer to the holographic image of Elpizo. The image gives constant flickers, due to the distant and security encryption of the transmission.
"Ms. Ciel, please call me by my name" Elpizo said in a polite manner.
"Forgive me, but I still feel more comfortable calling you by your status" Ciel smiled and placed her hand in front.
Elpizo gives a disappointing look on his face "As you wish... I am actually glad that nothing happened to you in the restricted zone. You should have waited for me to return before you decided on such a harsh decision" Elpizo said, Ciel can tell from his voice that he was honest in his feeling for her safety "Please promise me that you won't do that again"
"I will try" Ciel lied. She didn't want to do it, but she felt that Elpizo is too protective of her. She also can tell that the commander has also some feelings for her, even though he has never said anything, but the way he shown to her, clearly gives out a big hint. Unfortunately for him, the truth was that she doesn't really have the same feelings for him, she just treated him as a friend just like any other reploid she knew, all except one. "Anyway Commander, you shouldn't worry too much... I got a guardian angel watching over me"
"Yes, I heard Juan mention that you brought a drone back with you as well" Elpizo said blandly.
"He is not a drone. He is actually X-" Ciel hesitated for a moment. Knowing that the not believed her even if she explain it too him. She made a decision that she would keep the truth from Elpizo and the others for now, until it was the right time. "A perfect replication of the legendary X"
"Whichever the case. He is nothing more then a mere copy of the original dead hero, just like Nova Hunter" Elpizo said X's name with a little anger. "I hope he is not a burden for us Ms Ciel... I don't trust this drone at all"
"Actually X did help us a lot..." Ciel tried to protest in a polite manner.
"In that case, I shall give him a chance Ms. Ciel. If that is what you wished" Elpizo smiled and nod his head, Ceil can still see the doubtfulness in his face "Anyway the real reason I call is to inform you about the progress of our new base. It is progressing as schedule" he said trying to change the subject.
"I am happy to hear that" Ciel said giving an honest smile.
"I will return once the construction is fully completed and we can coordinate our forces from there" Elpizo said.
"Commander... please don't push the others too hard. Try to be a little linear with them" Ciel said.
"As you wish" he bowed "Till we meet again Ms Ciel. Good night"
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On another side of the planet, Zero standing in his office as he gazed out to Neo Arcadia. He gives serious look as he turn to the blue Z drone behind him. The Z drone bow before leaving the room.
"What is the progress of the satellites?" Zero asked walking back to his chair. A hologram image of a bird like creature stands in front of him. The bird bow down to Zero and gives a grin on its face.
"Adam will be ready for testing in two more weeks Master Zero" the bird said.
"Good, Jade Talon. By that time we should have the coordinates for all resistance base on the planet" Zero commended "And the others?" he asked.
Talon gives Zero an unsure face and said "They are still in development and will only be ready in another twelve more months Master Zero"
"Twelve months is too long Jade Talon, I want the others to be ready by six" Zero said with a little anger as he smashed his fist on his table.
"Is not possible Master Zero" Talon protested "If we rush in the development of the other satellites with such a short dateline, I cannot guarantee if they will be in their fullest capacity"
"You doubt my judgment?" Zero asked, tapping his fingers on the table.
"No, Master Zero. I am only protecting your interests. If the satellite should go live in six months, there is a high risk of security and the stability of the satellites"
"Very well Jade Talon, Nine" Zero said in a stern manner. Talon looked at his master and bow, knowing that he has already gone beyond his boundaries when he argued with his master just then.
"Nine it is Master Zero" Talon said before his hologram image faded. Zero got off his chair and walk into the middle of the room. There he waited for a short time as a shadow figure slowly approach him and bow to him. Zero glanced over to the shadow figure, it shape itself reveal its giant size towering over Zero.
"I want you to keep an eye on Nova and report his every move to me" he said, the shadow figure nods its head in acknowledge.
"Make sure he does not suspect your motif" Zero continue "If you are successful, I shall reward you worthily and allow you into my inner circle of generals"
The shadow figure gives a low snarl and grin back.
"But know this, if you fail. I will make sure that your punishment will be worse then what I have install for Nova" Zero warned "Now leave"
The shadow figure gives a nod before disappeared into the shadow it comes from.
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Passy slowly strolls down the corridor as she flies aimlessly towards the room at the far end. Her mind buzzing with question as she passes by other reploids. She didn't even hear the greeting they gave her. As she hovers just outside Ciel's door, she often wonders what is waiting for her inside.
The last thing Ciel told her when she was in the medical lab was that she wanted to see her about a new assignment. Passy shook her head, she thought that Ciel have placed her under X, it seems that that position was only temporary and she is going to be shifted off elsewhere with another captain. To think that she was getting used to be around with that old relic.
Passy gives a heavy sighed before her body emulates a low magenta glow and the door slide open. Passy raised her head and glanced inside Ciel's quarters. She could see Alouette and Yuna playing a friendly board game with Ciel.
From the look of things, Passy didn't actually feel like disturbing them at all. She slowly retreated quietly, hoping to leave the room unnoticed. However, someone caught her before she could make her leave. Yuna stare back to her with her big puppy eyes and smile back innocently. Ciel sensing that Yuna was looking at something turn her head over her shoulder and found Passy hovering in silence.
"Passy" Ciel said, got up and turn to the little cyber-elf.
"Ciel, you wanted to see me?" Passy said softly as she fly into the room. Ciel nod her head before turning to the girls, she gives a smile and gentle thump on Alouette back. "Alouette dear, can you take Yuna outside and play for a moment, while I have a little chat with Passy here?" Ciel asked, bending down a little.
"Yes Ciel" Alouette said cheerfully. The little girl looked back to Yuna and grabs her on her hand gently as she pulls Yuna out. "Come on Yuna, let's see if Grandpa Andrew will tell us another one of his stories"
Passy and Ciel watch as the two girls leave the room. Once the door close, Passy turns her attention to Ciel, she continues to give her a gentle smile. Ciel walk over to the carpet and sat down watching Passy most of the time. Passy didn't know what to do.
"Passy, please make yourself comfortable" Ciel said. Passy nods her head and hovers to the carpet and sat down across Ciel. She raised her tiny head and looked back to Ciel. Feeling a little scared for what Ciel is going to tell her.
"What is it that you wanted to see me about Ciel?" Passy asked.
"Actually I want to talk to you about your new assignment. Since Captain Daker's gone... I am thinking of transferring you to Sera's team" Ciel said, clearing up the board game.
"Sera?" Passy said in surprised and fell silence for a moment.
"Anything wrong with Sera?" Ciel asked.
Passy just shook her head. Sure, there was nothing wrong with Sera, but she was hoping for something else. Well at least she knows that she is in good hands. She heard winds that among all the other captains in the base, Sera seems to have a reputation of keeping her cyber-elves intact.
Passy rubs her tiny hand together, feeling a little uneasy "If that is your intention. I guess I have no choice then"
"Passy, you know I would never force you to do anything that is against your wishes" Ciel said. Passy nods her head and understands what Ciel meant.
Ciel watch for a short time and knew what was in Passy's mind. She gives a small smirk on her face and lean closer to Passy. "Please tell me what is in your mind?"
Passy looked back to Ciel. She hesitated for a moment but then she finally made up her mind to ask Ciel "I thought that you're going to team me up with X, Ciel?" she asked in a low tone "I did gone through two missions with him"
Ciel almost blow her cover and giggle, but she keep it inside her and play along a little longer. She knew that Passy was going to asked her that question "Oh that, I thought you weren't very happy around him so I asked Rollo to team up with X" Ciel said "I sure they will get along just fine"
"Rollo!" Passy suddenly flies up and shouted.
"Something wrong?"
"Nothing..." Passy said with a little disappointment.
"You know Passy; I could swap you with Rollo if you want to stick with X" Ciel act as if she was not noticing anything wrong with Passy.
"You can do that?" Passy asked "I mean..."
"That won't be a problem. I can see that you are a better candidate compare to Rollo" Ciel pointed out "You do have more experience in the field compare to Rollo and I am sure that X could use all the help he can get"
"Thank you Ciel" Passy thank Ciel with a big smile on her face. Ciel was quite content that everything was going as plan, then she notice that Passy wanted to tell her something.
"Is there anything else?" Ciel asked
"Ciel, please don't tell X that I am... Bad Luck" Passy said lowering her head a little
"Pay no attention to what those people say about you" Ciel said "If it wasn't for you, I would not have found X in the first place"
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"You got any idea why Ciel asked us here?" X asked, leaning on the wall looking back to Sera. Sera stood silently and gazed back to X.
"No" she said in a low monotone manner.
X sighed and shrugged his shoulders. He never did figure out a way to make conversation with Sera. She was somewhat the non sociable type of person. X turns his attention elsewhere and caught the attention of a little cyber-elf jumping around on the table. It was waving its little lance around, play with its imagination.
"Aron! behave yourself" Sera scolded in a gentle manner. She walks over to the cyber-elf and picks it up.
"That's a cute little thing" X said.
"Aron's my first cyber-elf and my friend" she said placing Aron on her shoulder. The look however, remained him on Passy and how she like sitting on his shoulders.
"What are they?" X asked stepping closer to Sera.
"Who?" Sera asked.
"Aron and Passy I mean... I heard they are program but what are they?" he asked, crossing his arm.
"You mean you have no idea what they are?" Sera asked in surprised.
"No, I didn't get much time to catch up with the current news" X said and shrugged his shoulders "To the extend to my knowledge, cyber-elves are program created to help human and reploid"
"That is a short description of what cyber-elves are" Sera said, picking up Aron from her shoulder and placed it on her hand. The little thing glanced around Sera and X. "Take Aron for certain, he is an armor cyber-elf"
"Is there a difference?" X asked. He didn't know much of anything around him.
"Each cyber-elf is created for individual purpose... take Aron for a case his ability is to deflect enemy blast for a short limited time" Sera said as she placed the cyber-elf on her shoulder and smile to it. She later turns to X and gives him a serious look "However, no matter how advance our technologies are. Once the cyber-elf power is used and deplete, a cyber-elf will cease to function... and can never be resurrected again"
"I see" X understood. He looked at Sera; she seems to be very protective of her cyber-elf, like a mother to her child.
The door slide, Sera and X looked to the new comer.
"Ciel" X called out. He also notices the old engineer Cerveau and two cyber-elves, entering the room. One of them happens to be Passy.
"Thank you both for waiting this long" Ciel apologies as she stand in between X and Sera. Both of them stare back with questioning look on their face. "I have called you both here to make a short announcement"
Ciel turn her attention to X "First, I would like to formally welcome X into the resistance forces" she said. before turning to the little cyber-elf beside Passy "The next thing I would like to inform you all is that one of our nurse baby cyber-elf has just evolved and is prepare to be assign to a new guardian" Ciel continue.
Rollo hovers in front of Sera and gives a nervous smile on her face.
"Rollo, meet Sera" Ciel introduced. "Your new guardian"
"Nice to meet you, Captain Sera" Rollo introduce herself.
"Just Sera" Sera said with a small smile on her face as she extended out her hands and hold Rollo. The little cyber-elf laughed by the touch from Sera. Ciel was glad that it turns out the she have plan it. She now has one last thing left on her list, she turn to Passy.
Ciel gives Passy a light thump on her back as she slowly flies to X. "X, I would like you to meet your new cyber-elf" Ciel said with a smile.
Passy felt silence for a moment, hovering in front of X. She glanced back to Ciel first before turning back to X, wondering if X will accept her. Unexpectedly X just crossed his arms together and smile back to the little thing.
"Well sugarplum, guess we are stuck with each other" X said. Passy nods her head in excitement and hug X on his face. "Hey, don't get too comfortable" he said as Passy gives him a big smile on her face.
"I will do my best to help you" Passy said.
"Congratulation young man" Cerveau said.
"Thanks I think" X replied.
"Now that everything is settled, I got a new mission for you X" Ciel said with a big smile on her face as she hit then panel and the screen lit up.
"Good, I was getting tired of wondering around the base the whole morning" X replied. He glanced over his shoulder and watch as Passy stand on his shoulder before turning to the screen.
"I hope you have enough rest young man, because we got a tight schedule prepare for you" Cerveau said as he stands on the opposite side from Ciel.
"Something tells me this is going to be a very long day" X smirk.
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The building around them starts to crumble as two resistance soldier barricade the door up, hoping to slow down whatever's coming their way.
"Hurry, we got to delete all records" the reploid said in a Japanese dialect. "They are breaking through"
"Done, the data base is deleted and so is every thing inside the workstation" the other reploid acknowledge. He turns to his comrade and pick up his weapon. Only three fighting men left out of hundreds. They waited for a short time before the door got blast open by the powerful force.
As the dust died down a blue figure walks in. his crimson eyes stare back as he lower his cannon. The resistance did not take long to react as they open fire on the blue reploid.
Nova dodges easily and with full charge cannon he blasts it directly at the three resistances. Obliterating two out of three attackers. The last wounded resistance tries to get on his feet, but was pin down by Nova. He placed his cannon directly on the resistance head.
"Report" Nova ordered. The Z drone came into the room and tap on the console.
"Master Nova, all records has been wipe clean"
Nova looked back to the wounded resistance "Bad mistake, now I have no use for you" he said before open fire. A scream came out of a corner as Nova and the other Z drones in the room looked back to the wall at the far end of the room. One of the blue Z drone approach the wall and smashed its fist into the wall, dragging out a little boy as it then hurl him over to Nova.
The boy looked back to Nova with frightening eyes.
"What do we have here?" Nova asked lifting him off his feet. He turns back to the hole in the wall. Two more child reploid emerge from the wall.
"Please.... please let us go" the boy begged in a frighten tone "We are not Mavericks"
"Why should I?" Nova asked hurling him over to the other two children.
"Master Nova, your orders?" the red Z drone asked.
"I will deal with them, personally" Nova said to the red Z drone "Captain, take your squad and wait outside"
The red Z drone nods its head and instructed the other blue drones out. Within second, all that left inside is Nova and the children. They all huddle together and stared back to the azure reploid with fear.
"No offence kids, but this is my job" Nova said charging up his cannon and points it to the children.
With a powerful blast, the other Z drones outside heard a loud screaming of the children voice, echoing through the corridor. Within seconds Nova emerges outside the room and glanced back to the other Z drones.
"Master Nova" the red Z drone called out to its master.
"Our job here is done. The resistance in Japan is totally eliminated" he said as he walks down the corridor followed by the other drones. "Captain, Re-group all drones on the surface, we are moving out now. I think we have overstayed our welcome and inform Night Shadow to see me. I wish to speak with her immediately"
"Yes Master Nova" the red drone acknowledged as the other drones move out of the base.
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Over an hour has pass in the abandon resistance base. As the young girl emerges from the room along with the other two children in the base. "Do you think is safe?" one of the children said to the girl.
"I don't know" the girl said in a stammering manner.
"It won't be if you stay here any longer" a female voice said as she suddenly dematerialized in front off the three children. They all huddle together as chrome black feline step in front of them with a grin on her face.
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Author Notes: Sorry for such a late update. I was hit by the dread disease of Writer's Block. I think I am still a little infected right now.
