The Aftermath Series: Episode 03
The Return: Part 3
By Stargazer The Hedgehog
Snively (now called Paul by the Freedom Fighters) was enjoying his walk in the fresh air that knothole provided. He was wondering around till the meeting with the other freedom fighters in ten minutes time.
"God I helped Robotnik to destroy things like this. The air is fresh; leaves are green unlike the dark black that now feature on the very few trees in Neotropolis. Heh! I had almost forgotten what proper trees are meant to look like." He said to himself as he picked up a flower from the front of his and Tails hut.
It had now been a few weeks since the explosion that killed Robotnik and the fact that he was now trusted by most of the freedom fighters was why he was allowed to wonder around Knothole unescorted and was sharing Tails hut, and working with him and Rotor. He loved every minute of it. He also liked it because he now never gets beaten up for when things go wrong or just random beatings, which Robotnik had administered to him over his eleven-year reign.
He looked at his watch 'Time fly's when your having fun.' He thought to himself and walked towards the war room.
"Hi Paul." Said Sonic
"Hi, I must say that was the first time I had chili dogs and I liked them. Thank you for doing them for me, Tails and Rotor."
"No problem if you wont any more just ask."
"Here you go Paul, drink?" asked Rotor
"Cheers."
"Now that we are all here, Paul what do you think should be our next target?" asked Sally
"Well," replied Paul looking at the 3D map view of Neo in front of them "the biggest problem is that we don't any new information on what Naugus is doing because," nodding at Chuck "we have withdrawn all freedom fighters from inside Neo."
"So what do you suggest we do?" asked Chuck
"This," Said Paul pointing at a small building near the wall of Neo "is a computer relay station."
"Doesn't look it." Said Sally looking at Nicole
"It won't. Robotnik hid that information in the highest level of security. Level 12. Only he had access to that level but even to get to there you need to pass all the other levels of security codes."
"You know the codes?" asked Sonic
"Of course I do. I can only access up to level 10. But I'm sure with Nicole's help I could gain access to the others."
"What would we gain?" asked Rotor
"Lots. New robot info, plant schematics and what Naugus is planning to do."
"Certainly worth it." Said Rotor
"Is it defended?" Asked Bunnie
"It was on the swats patrol routes, but now the last info I got no swats go there any more."
"Is it still operational?" asked Chuck
"Oh yes other wise the swats in the north east sector wouldn't get any orders, and they were still obeying when Sonic and Bunnie attacked that backup power plant last week."
"Once we got the info couldn't we…"
"Blow it up!" said Paul looking over at Bunnie "Sure," he said with a smile on his face "that would disable the NE sector."
"That its then we hit it tonight." Said Sally "Me, Sonic, Paul, Bunnie and with Tails in the Tornado."
"I'll be your back gunner Tails," said Chuck "just show me what to do."
"Okay meet out side at 2100 hours. Dismissed."
Sonic and Co reached the building uninterrupted; according to Paul the entrance to the relay station is round the back. But when they got round the back there was no door. Sonic was about to say some thing when Paul gained access to a small electronic pad and after pressing a few buttons a door appeared and open out of nowhere.
Sonic looked inside. It was small space just big enough for one person; of course it would be Paul. Paul pressed some more buttons and the console switched on. Paul also had explained why the data stations were like this. Ever since Sonic, Sally and Antoine had attacked the big data traffic station; these smaller, hidden ones had preceded it.
"Here." Said Sally handing Paul, Nicole
Paul plugged Nicole into the terminal and set to work on cracking the security codes. After at least five minutes he had access to Robotnik's level 11 files and started to download all the information that Nicole could get. After three more minutes of waiting, Sonic getting more impatient all the time Paul announced
"Downloads complete, it might take a while for Nicole to sieve though all that for any relevant info. I couldn't get to level 12."
"Why?" asked Sonic
"Don't exist anymore."
Paul handed Nicole back to Sally then was handed some explosives by Sonic.
"Lets blow it Paul."
"Yeah. Time for Naugus to get our calling card." Paul only planted two in the small space "Lets go."
They ran round the corner when no one was around that could get injured Bunnie gave the signal.
"Nicole… Detonate!"
The explosion was small but it obliterated the computer relay station. Paul peered round the corner just to check.
"Done." He said
"Ok move out." Ordered Sally as the moved toward the wall and the hole that they had come though.
In the Command Center the supreme ruler Naugus is looking out over Neotropolis. He had also noticed the small explosion. Trouble was not only the freedom fighters but also the fact that he had no real military experience and he didn't know the intricate details of the city, unlike Robotnik. He had kept Robotnik around so when he learned of all the areas he would dispense of him. But of course that explosion a couple of weeks ago had ruined that plan. He now had to relay on the Swats. There was of curse another problem. Ever since Snively had destroyed the void his powers had been growing weaker, he only just worked out why. He had been feeding off the energy that the void ran on, now it had been destroyed he was unable to.
"Sir." Came a robotic voice
"What?" Naugus said sounding depressed
"A disc message for you."
Naugus sat down in the throne pressed a button a large monitor slid down from the roof. He took the disc and inserted into a drive that popped up out of the throne.
On the screen there was just static. He was about to switch it off when it cut to a black screen.
"Naugus," Said the voice "Naugus, I'm coming for you Naugus, I'm coming to take over. When you receive this you should be getting a video about an incident on the edge of Dusty Hill."
Just then another robot placed a pad in Naugus hand. He looked at it. It depicted a view from an Eye spy on the edge of Dusty Hill following a squad of Swats on patrol. All of a sudden laser fire hit the bots then the image went to static, indication that the eye spy had been hit. Naugus looked from the pad to the screen.
"I'll be there in just under eighty hours. Be ready." The image then cut to static then the symbol for Robotropolis came up rather then the Neotropolis sign.
Paul was sitting with the other freedom fighters looking over their latest plan to hit the new ADV. Buzzbomber Plant, when Chuck came running up to them.
"Hey guys." He said, "I just got this, check it out."
Tails got an external disc drive off a shelf and handed it to Sally that plugged it into Nicole, and then she put the disc into the drive.
"Play." Sally commanded Nicole
"Sir Charles Hedgehog," Said the voice "I know you still operate from the address that you found this disc, and I know that you're free of my control so you'll be working with the Freedom Fighters. But do not worry there is no tracking programs in this message, I like a challenge. Just like Naugus is going to get soon, I'm on my way to clam what is mine 'Robotropolis'." The message ended
"Robotnik!" they all shouted in unison
"Cleaver bastard!" Said Paul "He faked his own death."
"Well have to hit it tonight." Said Sally
"I don't think so." Replied Chuck
"Why?" Asked Bunnie
"Because Naugus has moved Swats around they protect every access point in and out of Neo. He has also managed to finish the wall."
"Don't worry we don't have to go underground or thought the wall." Said Paul
"You have a plan?" asked Sonic
"Certainly. Tails?"
Everyone watched as Tails moved over to a draw, opened it and took a roll of paper out and hand it to Paul who unraveled it.
"A bomb?" asked Sally
"Not just any ordinary bomb one that is droppable from the Tornado"
"How long will it take to…"
"It finished now and ready to use." Interrupted Tails
"I think its one cool plan." Said Sonic
"Okay, go to it." Said Sally
"Come on Tails. Lets kick some butt!" Said Paul loud
"Yeah!" shouted Tails as he high five Paul
Tails and Paul set off for Neo just five minutes later. When they entered Neo airspace
"Tails," Shouted Paul looking up from the radar screen "we've got incoming bogies!"
"Let show them what we got!" replied Tails as he powered up the laser weapons
"Yeah! Let Trash them!"
Tails turned the Tornado round to face the Buzzbombers.
Sonic and Sally were waiting near the garage when they heard a distant explosion.
"Tails?" Said Sonic into his radio "Tails you Okay?"
"Yahoo!" came Paul's voice over the radio "Nailed it!"
"Were on our way back," Tails Replied "Mission Complete!"
It was now just thirty minutes before the bloke from Naugus' message shows up, when Naugus received another disc message.
"I'm not far now Naugus get your forces ready. We are going to collide!" this time the voice was not altered so Naugus could clearly tell who it was.
'Robotnik.' He Cried "That…"
"Hey guys," said Chuck "Naugus has just started to draw his units to outside the city."
"He's not far away now." Said Paul
"Lets go." Ordered Sally
Sonic, Sally, Paul, Rotor and Tails were at the edge of the Great Forest in hiding, over looking the longest stretch of clear land that ran from the wall to five miles out. They all put on zoom goggles.
"I can't see anything yet." Said Rotor
"Wait!" shouted Tails "Look away from Neo down the field see it?"
"Your right I can see the glint of metal." Said Sonic
"That's it. Times up!" said Paul looking at his watch
Just as he said that Naugus pulled up in a hover unit out side Neo, with the Swats lining up in front of him. As they looked on they could see Robotnik's army pulling up in a line, with Robotnik sitting in a hovercraft of some kind. It had a domed underbelly with just enough room for him.
"What's that?" asked Rotor
"I know," Said Paul "I found it in a file one day he calls it his 'Egg-O-Matic'."
"Egg-O-whatic?" asked Sonic
"Egg-O-Matic a hovercraft which can have attached to it a huge verity of weapons. Not as bad as his 'Eggsterminater' battle mech, but luckily that's…"
Robotnik shouting over some kind of megaphone interrupted him.
"Naugus I hope your ready! Make your move!"
Naugus' Swats began to advance on Robotnik's; Robotnik just waited not ordering his units to attack. When they got in range Robotnik shouted something just then more Swats pored out of hiding places and ambushed Naugus forces. The end of the field just disappeared into a light show as laser beams sliced into the darkening sky. A storm was brewing overhead. Just then Paul court a glimpse of Robotnik pressing some buttons and two missiles were launched from two missile launchers mounted on the side and they screamed their way toward Naugus' reinforcements. The Swats were blasted to smithereens.
"Naugus," Robotnik was saying over his loudspeaker "I'm getting bored with this. Time to end it."
Sally spoke up "Naugus forces are shutting down!"
She was right Naugus units were.
"He's infected the Computer Core with a virus that's sending the auto shutdown code to Naugus Swats." Paul replied
Sally now zoomed onto Naugus. He was looking afraid and anxious. He jumped into his hover unit and took off back to Neo.
Robotnik was now at the gates of Neo and they opened before him. Robotnik landed his craft and instantly the Swats began to form a square around him, two swats bots thick. He marched strait up to Neo HQ, and with his metal arm forced the door open.
"Good to be home!" he said bellowed
He walked up to the lift and pressed for floor 31, the Throne Room/Control Room.
He opened the door and saw King Acorn on the floor with his neck clearly snapped with blood trickling from his mouth. He found Naugus on the throne.
"So your here." Said the Naugus
"So I am." Said Robotnik as he grabbed Naugus and hulled him over to one of the windows. "Ixus Naugus, I'm here to relive you. I AM taking back what is MINE!" with that he pulled out his blaster pointed it at Naugus head let go of him and fired. The impact of the laser killed the Naugus but also made his body fall out of the now broken window and his body fell the entire 31 floors to the ground outside.
"I'll get that cleaned up tomorrow." Said Robotnik as he turned and booted up the Main Computer core. He typed in a few commands. The display that projected the name Neotropolis onto all four sides of the HQ flicked off then it was replaced with the name Robotropolis. Under it read 'Well Come To Hell'.
"He's back." Said Paul as the started to watch the swats move into the city and the gates close behind them
"Yeah." Said Tails disappointed
"Well beat him, don't worry little bro." Said Sonic
With that they turned round and headed back into the Great Forest. To start to plan how they'll bring Robotnik down. Once and for all!
The End of The Return
Coming Soon: I've Got Nothing To Gain To Lose
LEGALITIES: Sonic the Hedgehog, Dr. Robotnik, and Tails Prower are copyrighted by Sega. Bunnie, Rotor, Sally, Uncle Chuck, Antoine and Snively are copyright by Archie comics.
This Fan Fic is Copyright ã of The Stargazer 2004.
Authors Note: Based on Sonic Satam
Authors own creations: Neotropolis ã of The Stargazer 2004
This story is ã of The Stargazer 2004
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