Chapter 4
The "Space Cab" approached the giant ISS. Clearly, the Space Shuttle Discovery was docked onto the large facility as well. "I would rather not dock near the Space Shuttle," Tails said. "Others in the Space Shuttle Discovery may be able to see us dock. I think there should be 2 other docking outlets on the other side." "Whatever you say!" Sonic shouted. Knuckles, Amy and Shadow just stared out the window. The Space Cab carefully glided around the ISS and the Space Shuttle. Tails carefully directed the Space Cab to go below the ISS where there are no windows.
Soon, the Space Cab was approaching the docking bridge. The Space Cab was just a meter from it when… "Stop!" Sonic screamed. Tails hit a button, which stopped the Space Cab from going any closer to the ISS. "I know the radar is disengaged, but wouldn't the main computer in the ISS detect the docking. The door is closed, and it only opens when a confirmed human spacecraft is detected and confirmed by a human. If we dock right away, they will demand that we identify ourselves before they open the airlock door. If they know it is us, they will try to arrest us!" "Exactly!" Shadow spoke up, "They will try to arrest us. We can knock them out easily." "We are still trying to maintain stealth, Shadow." Sonic replied. "I never thought of that!" Tails exclaimed. "I forgot that the ISS was built in such a careful way. The space colony Mir didn't have such secret detectors. I know how to disengage the door problem though. Three of us have to go outside. One can disengage the door, while the other two can watch out for humans. Shadow, you go out to the dock. Bring this sheet of metal." Tails picked up an old, rusted sheet of iron, which he found beside the chair he was sitting, and pushed it into Shadow's hand. "Sonic and Knuckles should go outside and watch out for him. I found some full air tanks in the back. Use them for oxygen." Tails pointed to the rusty tanks. "Shadow, use your spin-ball attack to break a hole in the door. As soon as you get inside, put the sheet of metal flat across the breakage so no air will escape the ISS. As soon as you get inside, there should be a plate. Break it. Inside should be a few buttons and switches. Make sure you put the switch lever for auto detect off, but turn on the auto open. Got it?" "O.K!" Shadow replied. "Make sure you don't let me down." Shadow pointed to Sonic and Knuckles.
All three knew already how to come out of the Space Cab. They went to the back. At the back, they pressed a button. A seal slid up and blocked them from the front of the Space Cab. The door to space slid open. Being very careful, they climbed to the top and made there way to the ISS. Sonic positioned himself close to one window; Knuckles positioned himself at another window, frowned and looked. Shadow stopped at the wide seal. He got ready for his attack and soon, sparks flew away as he carved a hole through seal. As soon as he got inside, he threw the sheet of metal to the breakage. Nothing was sucked out. Immediately, he looked to his right. After one punch to it, the thin covering was off and he got set to turn off the detectors. Beside a lever was a label saying, "auto detector." Shadow quickly turned it to off position. Beside that lever was another lever labeled, "auto open." Shadow quickly turned it to on position. Shadow ran to the window where Sonic was staying and mouthed "ready!" Sonic in turn put a thumbs up to Tails. Tails turned on a few engines and slowly approached the dock. The seal opened and soon, everyone was out.
Unfortunately, that was when the alarm sounded. "Dock three breeched! Dock three breeched!" The alarm was so annoying to everyone. It was so loud till everyone had to put his or her hands over his or her ears. "Well, well, well!" A voice ahead of them said. None of them knew who it was. The alarm finally quieted down. "Sonic and his friends decided to stop by," he (the human) said. "Yes, and we need to hurry up and get going!" Sonic taunted. "We may need to borrow Discovery (the Space Shuttle), so it would be very easy if you just give us a clear, unobstructed pathway to the Discovery so we can get home!" "It would be much better if you had a Chaos Emerald." The human replied, "Too bad you're not getting anything from anyone!" "Hold on a second!" Shadow shouted, "You can't be telling me that you have a Chaos Emerald, and you would fight us over it!" Clearly, everyone was shocked. They were amazed on how quickly and easily Shadow can read what the person is thinking with such a small amount of information…Or was he just making it seems that way. "How did..!" The human stuttered, "You are..!" "There you go." Shadow said coolly, "You just gave yourself entirely away." Everyone sighed. He was just taunting the human's mind. "Well you are definitely not getting mine!" The human screamed.
He tried to punch Shadow. Shadow quickly caught the blow, raced behind the human, forcing him to curl his arm (human), and shoved his (human) arm upwards. The human let out a shriek! "First of all," Sonic began. "Don't ever try to punch one of us again! We have enough presence of time and mind to counter. Second, what is your name?" "My name is Anthony! Now let me go!" "Not so fast!" Shadow shouted, "You will be staying right here." Shadow took a tether, and tied up the man onto the nearby pole. Anthony tried to get out, but he was tied far too tightly for normal humans to actually break the tether.
Team Hedgehog and their friends raced to Dock 1, where Discovery was stationed. They ran into the Space Shuttle. As soon as he got inside, Sonic shouted, "No time for arguing or fighting, calmly leave the Shuttle. We will pick you up later!" Other people started to stand up and make there way to the front. They knew they had no chance against four pro fighters and one amateur (Amy).
In less than five minutes, all the humans where outside and Discovery was undocked. Tails did all the necessary preparations to get ready for re-entry. Heat shields were ready and no problems occurred. Discovery soon plunged into the Earth's atmosphere. At first, red consumed the Discovery. Normally, humans would be in the "red zone" for ten minutes. But Tails is a pro pilot. He knew how to get out of the "red zone" fast. He increased the incline of the Discover, which decreased the speed. Soon he was gliding the rest of the way down.
M-Sonic polished off the last policeman with a low round-a-house kick. The police flipped like a cartwheel and soon landed with a thud. "Don't try to fight me next time!" M-Sonic said. "I don't like breaking your jaw." After saying this, he raced ahead. He was still sighting for another Chaos Emerald, or Sonic. He really wanted revenge for stealing his precious green Chaos Emerald in the first place. M-Sonic monitored the news, and ran around Station Square to find either Sonic or other Chaos Emeralds. Unfortunately, he kept on running into policemen.
Where are Sonic and his friends? M-Sonic thought, what next am I going to run into! Some sort of huge machine, or Sonic himself. It seems like fate heard what he said because a large machine, with two legs landed right in front of him. M-Sonic skidded to a halt. On the front, just below the cockpit was a laser gun. On one side was label, which said G.U.N., and on the other side of the cockpit was a label, which said "Big Walker." Clearly, it's the same machine Sonic fought with at the beginning of his struggles two years ago…Or was it?
"Put your hands in the air!" The person from inside said, "And don't try to make any resistance Sonic! This isn't the same machine you destroyed before!" "Hahaha!" M-Sonic sounded off into a laugh. You can't be joking! He thought to himself. Do I look like I'm weak to you! "Just save yourself some time from boring me!" M-Sonic called out. "It would be a mistake to annoy me!" "Oh Yah!" The man inside replied.
The Big Walker fired a laser. It was way too fast for M-Sonic to even half-think a reflex. M-Sonic was cleared away about ten feet. Unfortunately for him, the "Big Walker" was walking towards him. You can use the Chaos Emerald's power for your own power! Yes he remembered what Eggman has said. Why not give it a try! M-Sonic thought to himself.
M-Sonic threw one of the Chaos Emeralds into the air and screamed "Empower!" The Chaos Emerald floated into air and slowly descended. It went around M-Sonic and slowly spun faster. A force field appeared around M-Sonic, indicating he had power. The Chaos Emerald then disappeared. "Are you sure you want to face me?" M-Sonic asked. "Even though you have one Chaos Emerald's energy," the man inside Big Walker replied. "I can still turn you into pieces!"
Big Walker fired another laser. M-Sonic caught the laser in one of his hand. In the other hand, he created a sort of fireball. He put them together and threw it at Big Walker. Big Walker's laser cannon soon was disengaged. M-Sonic was nowhere to be seen. Big Walker looked around to look for M-Sonic. M-Sonic however was hovering behind Big Walker. He grabbed onto one of Big Walker's legs, and pulled it back, which made Big Walker fall. Then he lifted Big Walker up, and kept on flying higher and higher. A fighter jet, which was just monitoring the fight from above, flew past. Seeing his/her friend in trouble, he/she fired a missile towards M-Sonic. M-Sonic did the most usual thing. He threw Big Walker into the missiles path. Big Walker ignited with flames. He fell, and hit the ground with a deafening crash. Unfortunately, a piece of debris flew up and hit the jet, which fell and exploded also.
M-Sonic chuckled to himself. The battle was over in less than a minute. And I can't believe he threatened me! M-Sonic thought. He soon teleported away.
The hedgehogs and their friends were just above Station Square. They all could see quite clearly that everyone who heard the Space Craft had looked up. "It looks like we are going to have to land at either an Airport or on the street." Tails suddenly said. "I don't think the airport is a good idea." Shadow spoke. "It would be too crowdy, and there has to be police there." What did we forget! Sonic thought. We went to the ISS and we came here. How come I feel we forgot something! O my gosh! That man in space had a Chaos Emerald. How did we manage to forget that! "Guess what guys!" Sonic shouted. "The man we met on the ISS had a Chaos Emerald and we forgot it." Before anyone could scream, shout or moan, Shadow said, "No we didn't. I have the beautiful yellow Chaos Emerald right here!" Everyone was puzzled. They all know that they didn't see Shadow pick up the Chaos Emerald while on the ISS. "Anyways," Tails said. "Let's land here!"
M-Sonic teleported to a large street. The military should know where the other four Chaos Emeralds are. I'm going down to force them into telling me where the other Chaos Emeralds are. Just before he could teleport further, he noticed, in the blackness of the sky, that there was a Space Shuttle preparing to land on the same street he was on. The Space Shuttle landed, and the airlock door opened. A blue and black hedgehog stepped out, along with a red echidna, a yellow two tailed fox and a pink hedgehog. "Well! Well! Well!" M-Sonic shouted. "If it isn't Sonic, Shadow and the others!" "You got that right!" Sonic shouted back. "And we are hear to pick up the other three Chaos Emeralds." Shadow said in a Mafia like tone. "And possibly destroy you!" "I wouldn't be too sure!" M-Sonic replied. "Destroy me! Maybe by a nuclear bomb or something but not by Sonic, Shadow or his friends. You might want to stay away from me. I'm armed and dangerous!"