Chapter VII
Hopeful Victory
"Sonic, look!" cried Tails as they neared the flying warship on the road to Eggman's base.
"That thing's loaded with Eggman's weapons," Knuckles dryly commented.
Not put off, Sonic declared, "Eggman, you're finished!"
Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles, the insipid Team Sonic, charged forward, straight into the guns of the Egg Albatross.
One would never know if the name was a flattering homage to, or insulting theft from, the great writer's designs. What was certain, however, was that the two architects of the similar ships, ironically, matched each other in psychological stability. Despite that, business was at hand.
At last…
Metal tossed his disguised hand into the sky, "All cannons ready!" A great sense of determination propelled the commands forward, "Open fire!"
There was no need to goad Sonic. All Metal had to do was stay in character. The Master's personage was bait enough. Metal was instantly proved correct when Sonic charged forward. The cur! His two lapdogs were quick to follow.
Once again, Eggman's design was ingenious, but questionable. The Egg Albatross was immodestly large and cumbersome. Speed was callously sacrificed for the merits of brute strength. The arsenal was, undoubtedly impressive, as Knuckles pointed out. There were a bow mounted cannon, port and starboard machine gun crews, and even wing mounted plasma cannons.
Might makes right!
Even better, the flying war machine was in its element. The space was wide enough for aerial combat, the ground too narrow to give Sonic an edge in maneuverability. Tails and Knuckles couldn't give an advantage either, their gliding and flying abilities couldn't match the, slight, speed advantage the Egg Albatross, narrowly, held over them. With the firepower aboard, Metal could send enough munitions down range to, expectedly, accomplish his mission, after all this time. There was no blind spot, after all.
Whether he wasn't aware of that, or more likely in spite of it, Sonic hurled himself, and his team, into the fray.
Go ahead, fool. I'd rather end this today.
Untutored courage is useless in the face of educated bullets, and Sonic knew that. The hedgehog, fox, and echidna maneuvered around the various rounds that flew in their direction. They seemed to look for an opening. Metal wasn't about to allow them much of a chance to do so. Still, they charged forward…
Guns to the left, guns to the right, and guns straight ahead…We'll break that charge. Stop them at any point on the track, and they won't survive long.
Metal used his controls over the bow-mounted cannon to zero in on Sonic. If Metal hit him, then Tails and Knuckles, following directly behind, would be destroyed as well.
Elevation, trajectory, velocity… Lock… FIRE!
The thunderclap splintered the air as the cannon ball rocketed toward the approaching column. The deadly projectile was unstoppable. It hit! A great wall of flame burst forth from the newly made crater, creating a small storm of dust and smoke.
Take no chances. Decrease speed, prep plasma blasters!
Atop his warship, Metal couldn't detect any sign of Sonic, Tails, or Knuckles. The flames between him and them blocked his sensors. Still, he watched the smoke, waiting for the first sight of blue, red, or yellow. If anything, they would bolt left or right, into the range of the plasma blasters. They would have to…
Smash!
The port propeller was disabled!
Crash!
Starboard motor was offline!
Metal's duplicitous features soured into a snarling image of sublime rage: eyebrows furrowed, lips curled back to bare teeth. His performance was flawless.
Again…
Metal slowly craned his neck back to look up at the airborne fox. Tails was sporting a child-like smile of accomplishment and malice. Metal then glanced toward the ground to watch Sonic and Knuckles running along the path. Finally, he clenched a fist and slammed it into the trigger for the plasma blasters. The broad waves of plasma washed forward, threatening to immerse the duo.
A sensation of incredulous fury flared across Metal's Eggman face when he watched, as if in slow motion as Sonic and Knuckles dived through a tiny opening, out in front of the ship, which afforded a haven for the hedgehog and echidna. At this point, Knuckles picked up his teammate and continued running toward the ship.
Metal knew what was coming. He reached for the cannon controls the same second Knuckles lept into the air. He didn't have to aim, just fire!
Sonic streaked through the air, aided by mighty echidna muscles, straight for the nose of the gondola. Split seconds before Metal could reach the proper switch, Sonic rammed the side of the cannon mount, collapsing the cannon's supports and dooming the powerful weapon. The tremendous roar that followed ripped a great fiery gash in the ship's bow.
No…
The worst possible thing had happened: a breech was made. Sparks and oil gushed from the gaping hole. The piranhas could smell the kill, sending them into frenzies. The flying fox swooped low, like a vulture and grabbed the two rabid dogs from the ground. The flying totem pole then rushed for the great sore, hurling themselves at the innards.
Losing all sight of his hated opponent, Metal could only imagine that Sonic was homing attacking the starboard crew, while Knuckles crushed the portside gunners like grapes. That's what got him, they were professional in their approach, and mixed a depraved sense of joy in with their work. He could see that smirk on Sonic's face, wretched thing that it was. The pummeling down below began rocking the ship to and fro.
Perhaps you should…
Ahead of you.
Metal was already, with a begrudging hand, reaching for the bright red "release" button. A forceful press detonated the small charges holding the gondola to the conical balloon, thus abandoning Team Sonic. It took some moments for Sonic and his friends to realize that their ungracious host had left them behind. But, they were quick to correct his rudeness.
Metal growled to his pursuers, blurring the line between acting and genuine sentiment, "You're going to regret this!"
The craft was still a lumbering monster, despite the loss of ballast. The main propeller that pushed the ungainly dirigible along was hopelessly underpowered. Metal and his remaining crew were similar to one of those white ducks in a shooting gallery.
Don't say it. I've already learned thelesson.
Have you now?
Yes. These reserves are meant to stop Sonic's gang. Their armaments are especially improved.
Factually enough, there were a considerable number of lancer and rifle corps troopers to the rear, prepared to strike down the first enemy they saw. Another fact, a very severe fact, was that Metal had lost all direct ability to intervene. He was now a sideline commander and spectator.
If only I could drop this act!
And then what? You're not ready for a direct engagement. Acting too soon, a frequent Dr. Eggman mistake, would strip you of your advantages: surprise, stealth, and strengthening. For now, let them take these pawns, all of them they want… The game is far from over.
Metal was unimpressed by this statement; especially after several wave of mechanically devoted egg pawns were reduced to recyclables. However, G.O.G. spoke facts. Everything had to follow the plan, and the expected outcome. The plan had to adhered to, no matter what: including when Sonic and his underlings caught up to the remainder of the Egg Albatross and proceeded to tear it to pieces.
"Retreat!"
The Egg Hawk 2.0 was not a frontline combat craft, unlike its predecessor. Instead, it was a "flying lifeboat" that was lightly armored for the sake of speed. Fortunately, it still maintained the original's armaments.
Retreating was becoming a common occurrence as of late. But, it was a measure of expediency. Complete defeat threatened to topple the works; it threatened to make a mockery of everything Metal had sacrificed to. Fortunately for him, Sonic's gang was being left behind, thanks to fatigue and vast fuel reserves. The gap between hunter and hunted was widening, much to Metal's benefit. Once again, however, a variable blundered its way into the situation.
Despite the wear and tear from the running battle, Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles moved into a speed formation column, perhaps to attack. But, no, that was not the case. Instead, they stopped in their tracks. Knuckles bent down and grabbed the legs of the fox to his front, Tails following suit with Sonic. Without warning, Knuckles proceeded to launch himself into an impossibly quick spin, bringing his teammates with him. They seemed to become a Neapolitan blur of colors. Metal was struck with an amazed curiosity at this most peculiar behavior. A great sense of dread soon followed.
Like an Olympiad athlete Knuckles released Sonic and Tails, in place of a weighted hammer, sending them high overhead, midway between their starting point and the Egg Hawk 2.0. They were within range of the guns!
The world seemed to take on a horrifyingly slow pace as Tails shoved Sonic downward, adding to his momentum. Streams of tracer rounds seemed to float by Metal's head, toward Sonic. Sonic proceeded, unscathed, as if the deadly bullets were buzzing flies. The egg pawns on either side of him gave it their best, but in vain. Metal caught glances of Sonic's face, from within his super-charged homing attack. Sonic was sporting an insulting, determined, sneer. When both realized the inevitable, Sonic's sneer grew into that smirk. Metal flared his nostrils and gritted his teeth.
Time resumed its normal flow as the explosion flared behind Metal. The Egg Hawk 2.0 began a dangerous wobble. Metal fidgeted with the controls, with half-hearted efforts.
Steering is disabled; the propulsion system is severely damaged.
Eject?
Metal responded by reaching for the secondary release switch. Pressing it again led to nothing. Several more, rapid, taps rendered similar results. As the ship began a hopeless tailspin towards a rapidly closing wall of the canyon, Metal clenched a fist with his hand over the button, and gently set against the switch. Sonic had severed the control cables all right, even the one that controlled the cockpit release.
Do you want to know a secret?
What?
I hate him.
Understandable.
The flaming machine splintered against the canyon wall.
The fight was over… The Egg Albatross had been blasted out of the sky! Now was the time to confront the badly beaten Eggman. Sonic dashed toward the wreckage, with his two dear friends close behind. As per the rules of their little tit-for-tat games, Eggman had suffered another ego-smashing defeat. This meant, like clockwork, Sonic had to show up and finish off the last of the doctor's dignity with a little smirking and gloating.
In practice, Sonic's plan was trounced as easy as one of Eggman's…
A shrill laughter echoed from the loudspeaker. As a part of the disturbing design, the loudspeaker, designed with the doctor's appearance in mind, was placed in the robotic copies abdomen. As Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles approached the loudspeaker had popped out of its hidden compartment.
A dummy? A dummy! Eggman had put a robotic duplicate aboard the Egg Albatross? Why that…
Tails squeaked in surprise, "It's a fake!"
The Eggman voice announced, "From these canyons watch as I conquer the world with my air fleet. And this time, you won't stop me!"
Sonic had recovered from the surprise well enough. At least until he looked to the rising sun…
It was horrible! True enough the doctor had assembled an enormous fleet of gigantic warships. And now, because Team Sonic had been too preoccupied by the fake Eggman, it was being launched unhindered!
Sonic looked to the swarm of ships, a bit of resentment in his voice, "Drats! A trap to stall for time!"
Before anyone could stop him, Sonic turned and made a full-tilt run for the quickest way out of the canyon. In a futile effort, Knuckles called after Sonic and then ran as fast as he could after him.
Tails stared at the crumpled robot a few moments longer. Something wasn't right. True it seemed like it was made of solid metal, but it had a peculiar mutability to it. The pool of quicksilver that seemed to be oozing out of its back especially bothered Tails.
Tails stepped toward the odd machine making an aside, "It's not an Eggman robot."
Unfortunately, time was against Tails, Sonic and Knuckles had just left him. He had to get a move on.
As was per an old habit of Tails he cried out after Sonic and Knuckles, "Sonic… Knuckles! Wait for me!"
He paid no never mind to the fact that Sonic, Knuckles, and he, himself, had stepped into the puddle. As Team Sonic took leave, the Eggman duplicate dissolved into the puddle on the ground. A few moments later, Metal Sonic rose from the ashes of the Egg Hawk 2.0.
"All life form data: successfully copied…"
He clutched a vengeful fist in the air.
Continued…