Tiger had trouble keeping up with Lord Faust. Although she had been built for speed, she knew that her Master hated anyone walking ahead of him. So she dutifully kept several paces behind. They walked briskly down a long steel corridor illuminated dimly with fluorescent lighting.
"Lord Faust?" she asked. He glanced at her over his shoulder without breaking his stride.
"What?" he demanded tersely.
"What's she like?" she inquired, "This Saber like me." Faust paused for so long she began to wonder if he had even heard her.
"I don't know," he admitted bitterly. Tiger blinked in confusion, she had never heard him say that before.
"But surely you have the Fourth's memory…," she began. He whirled around and caught her by the collar. She gasped as he drew her closer, his face contorted with range.
"I told you I don't know!" he bellowed in frustration, "How dare you question me!" Tiger's whole body began to tremble.
"Forgive me Fuhrer," she begged sorrowfully. He sighed angrily and released her. She slumped to her knees like a rag doll. He stared down at his hand and frowned as he slowly made a fist.
"How could the Fourth have hidden those memories from me?" he asked, "Could he have erased them somehow?" Tiger sat there and put her hands to her face. He stared down at her, annoyed at her weakness, but then thought the better of it. After all, it was his duty to guide her and show her the right path. He held out his hand.
"Get up Tiger," he commanded. She looked up at him, still shaking. She reached out her hand and he pulled her to her feet.
"I'm sorry for doubting you Lord Faust," she said gingerly.
"You are forgiven," he said, "Let's go."
After some more walking they came a across a massive hexagonal blast door. A pair of Sabers stood on either side of the door. They snapped to attention as Faust approached.
"Open up," he ordered. The pneumatic pistons in the walls hissed as the slowly trundled open.
The room beyond defied the imagination in terms of scale. They stood inside a gargantuan octagonal tower that stretched vertically into the infinity above. In the center of the room was a giant metallic pillar with a flared base that tapered rapidly down to a narrow cylinder. The whole surface was covered with multicolored lights and panels, illuminating itself and the rest of the room. About 25 meters up the pillar narrowed a bit, with a set of double doors embedded on the surface, ringed by a circular platform with short staircases. The SVC Mainframe had been constructed to run every facet of existence in Gartlant: from the rationing of food to the legions of Sabers. Faust squinted up at the double doors and saw a small brass plaque mounted over them. He smiled smugly.
"Go up there," he ordered Tiger. She leapt up the surface of the computer core until she reached the platform. She ran her hand over the doors. They felt cool to the touch. She looked up at the plaque, which read: Gartlants Geist.
"The Soul of Gartlant," she read. Faust nodded.
"The Soul of Gartlant," he repeated. The Mainframe began to rumble ominously as the double doors silently slid open, revealing a small room. Nestled inside was a high-tech throne connected to the computer by dozens of thick cables. The throne shot forward, nearly plowing into Tiger. She nimbly leapt backwards as it came to a sudden stop, like a roller coaster car. Steam hissed out of vents as Tiger approached it cautiously. A Saber was embedded in the throne, but form fitting panels covered her arms, legs, and torso. Even her eyes were covered by a dark translucent dome. All Tiger could see of her was the lower half of her face framed by wisps of ocean blue hair.
"Hello?" asked Tiger as she waved a hand in front of the dome. The Saber didn't respond. Rungs sprung out of the base of the Mainframe and Faust climbed up to the platform. He joined Tiger, who was still lost in thought. She was genuinely curious about this other Saber, but she didn't like the idea of competing for Lord Faust's attention.
"Has she revived?" asked Faust. Tiger shook her head.
"I don't think so," she said.
"Report status of the Saber connected to the Mainframe," commanded Faust.
"GSM-02L is inactive," reported the Mainframe in a soothing feminine voice.
"Activate the Maiden circuit of GSM-02L," ordered Faust. They heard faint clicking sounds emerge from the throne.
"Maiden circuit activated," reported the Mainframe.
"Revive GSM-02L,"said Faust. Tiger winced as a load buzzing sound filled the air.
"Unable to comply," said the Mainframe, "Incorrect naming input."
"Naming?" snarled Faust, "How the hell should I know what her name is?"
"Naming input is required for activation of GSM-02L," blithely reported the Mainframe. Faust punched an intercom button near the double doors behind the throne.
"Hess," said Faust, "Stop whatever you're doing and get here on the double!"
"Yes Fuhrer," said Hess' voice cheerfully, "What is the problem?"
"I can't activate GSM-02L without her name," he explained, "Hack into the SVC Mainframe and find out what it is."
"On my way," said Hess's voice in a crackle of static. Faust sighed wearily.
"This is pointless," he stated, "We're leaving."
"Where are we going Fuhrer?" inquired Tiger curiously.
"One of the other structures that predates the Fourth was Bauhaus 2," he explained, "And that's where she will be."
"The Fist of Gartlant?" asked Tiger. He nodded with a grin.
"Just as the Mainframe is the soul of this city," he said gleefully, "So the factories are our fist!"
"And the greenhouse is the heart of this city!" exclaimed Tiger putting her hands together. Faust wore a puzzled expression. Flowers had been important to him as a child, but he had more important concerns now. He shook his head.
"Not anymore," he elaborated, "Let's go." He didn't see Tiger's crestfallen expression.
A few minutes later they stood again on the catwalk overlooking the factory floor. Faust scanned the machinery and worker Marionettes carefully, almost as he had never been in this room before. Tiger instantly intuited what he was doing and began looking for a small brass plaque.
"Master the furnace!" she exclaimed triumphantly. He followed her gaze to the giant glowing forge and saw the plaque mounted above the door where the molten metal was pouring out.
"Well done Tiger," he said beaming at her. Tiger returned the smile and wished he could always look at her that way. He turned to the worker Marionettes.
"Halt production!" he bellowed, "Deactivate the furnace!" The Marionettes scrambled to comply with his commands. Within ten minutes they had the factory floor cleared. Then they marched through the lower doors into the storage room. Faust walked down the main staircase to the floor below. Tiger watched him from the catwalk as he approached the mouth of the forge. He could still feel the immense heat that radiated from the metallic monster. He looked up and read the sign that said: Gartlants Klaue.
"The Fist of Gartlant," he intoned as he spread out his arms wide. The furnace rumbled and shook as a jet black cylinder rose in the center of the forge. The waves of heat caused the image to shimmer and ripple. A small drawbridge in the front lowered, revealing a sarcophagus. Resting inside was a tall Saber dressed in skintight black leotards. Her arms were folded across her chest as she lay in repose. Her blond hair was cut short except for one massive tress that curved up from her forehead and down across her face, covering her right eye. She wore enormous bright green earrings but no other decoration.
"Activate the Maiden circuit of GSM-03P," ordered Faust. Again they heard the familiar clicking noises fill the air.
"Maiden circuit activated," reported the Mainframe.
"Revive GSM-03P,"said Faust, hoping his luck would change. It didn't.
"Unable to comply," said the Mainframe, "Incorrect naming input."
"Damn!" said Faust between clenched teeth.
"Fuhrer," said Hess' voice through a nearby intercom.
"You'd better have good news," said Faust.
"In a manner of speaking," replied Hess, "The Mainframe's file on Saber names is empty, except for Tiger."
"In other words," prompted Faust.
"In other words," said Hess, "There are no names because they haven't been named yet."
"So I have to give them names before they will revive?" he said.
"So it would seem Fuhrer," stated Hess. Faust looked up at Tiger.
"Do you know what a tiger is?" he asked her. She shook her head; she had never had to courage to ask the Ninth what her name meant.
"It was a wild and ferocious cat that lived on the First's home planet," he explained, "A symbol of strength and power, but also a solitary creature." Tiger gripped the railings tightly; a strange warmth filled her body. Her hands began to tingle.
"Master thank you," she said gratefully, "I will try to live up to my name." He nodded to her and returned his attention to the Saber in front of him. He walked forward and climbed up onto the conveyor belt. After the crossing the drawbridge he came up to the sarcophagus and ran his hand along the glass.
"Your name is Panther," he whispered, "A viscious powerful predator." Steam shot out of the vents along the sides as the lid slowly rose.
"Fight for me," said Faust, "Become my fists to crush Terra II!" Panther's eyelids fluttered, revealing a pair of sky blue eyes. She dropped her arms to her side and looked around her. It took her a moment to focus on Faust.
"Master Faust!" she said joyfully enfolding her arms around his shoulders in a crushing embrace. Tears spilled out of her eyes and ran hotly down her cheeks.
"Let go of me!" protested Faust angrily. Tiger had had enough. She leaped off the catwalk and kicked Panther to the ground. Faust backed away several paces, struggling to breathe.
"Unhand Lord Faust at once!" snapped Tiger. Panther glared up and Tiger and wiped her mouth with the back of her hand.
"You're gonna regret that bitch," growled Panther narrowing her eyes.
"Stop it both of you!" barked Faust waving his hand. They both stood at attention reflexively.
"Panther, I am Gelhardt von Faust the Tenth," he stated, "That's Tiger; you'll be working together from now on." Panther and Tiger exchanged an uneasy glance.
"Master, what happened to Lord Faust the Fourth?" asked Panther sadly.
"He died a long time ago," replied Faust, "But I possess his memories." Panther felt a twinge of pain but she didn't show it. She had a new Master to serve.
"Fuhrer, do you remember Panther?" asked Tiger. He frowned slightly.
"No," he said, "Strange that I wouldn't remember her." Tiger smirked evilly at Panther's distress at hearing that. It served her right, she thought.
"What are your orders Fuhrer?" asked Panther fiercely.
"Get changed and report to the SVC Mainframe," he said, "Tiger will show you the way."
A few minutes later Panther and Tiger stood in a locker room. Panther was now wearing a white shirt with a belt that left her midriff exposed and long baggy pantaloons with high heeled jackboots. Tiger stood with her back to a nearby locker, her arms folded across her chest.
"It'll make things easier if we get along," said Tiger finally. Panther smirked at her as she tied a burgundy tie around her neck.
"I'll do whatever Lord Faust commands," she said with a stern glint in her eyes, "But I don't take orders from you!"
"You'd better start if you know what's good for you!" retorted Tiger. Panther put on a short jacket with enormous gold epaulettes. She took several menacing steps closer and loomed over Tiger.
"Make me," she said with a cruel smile. Tiger sighed.
"We'd better not keep Lord Faust waiting," she said quietly "He hates that you know." Panther began to look worried.
"Where do we go?" she asked.
"Follow me," said Tiger as she headed out through the door.
The computer core was more crowded now. A mobile console had been set up with dozens of wires connecting it to the Mainframe. Hess stood at the console looking like a demented organist. Goddel was pacing nervously as they entered.
"There you are!" he said angrily, "You sure took your time!"
"Where's Lord Faust?" asked Tiger doing her best to ignore this annoying little man.
"He's with the Saber," stated Hess with a grin and glanced to Panther, "You must be the other one."
"I'm Panther," she replied, "Who the hell are you?"
"Just a humble servant of the Fuhrer," replied Hess, his smile increasing by a few notches. Panther felt a goose walking over her grave.
"There you are!" shouted Faust from the platform.
"Lord Faust what can I do for you?" asked Panther.
"Hess, can you install the eyebeam weapon in Panther?" asked Faust.
"I can install it either of them," explained Hess, "Whichever you prefer."
"Allow me the honor Lord Faust!" exclaimed Panther putting her fist across her chest.
"Take care of it Hess," ordered Faust. Hess nodded and left the chamber, followed by Panther. Faust met Tiger's longing gaze.
"It's too bad you're not more like Panther," said Faust appraisingly. Tiger looked down, ashamed of herself. At the same time she felt a growing bitterness to this upstart that was taking her Master away from her. She ran outside, brushing past Goddel.
Faust congratulated himself on his good fortune. One Saber with a Maiden circuit would always be limited. With three of them, he could play them off one another to develop their abilities to the fullest extent. They would try harder to please him and fulfill his dreams. He walked up to the throne and paused; he needed a name for this one.
"Is GSM-02L ready to revive?" he asked.
"Affirmative," stated the Mainframe, "Is that what you desire?"
"Of course!" exclaimed Faust, "I need her to help me conquer Terra II!"
"A truly noble goal," sated the Mainframe, "But too risky to attempt it personally." Faust slowly looked around the throne at the Mainframe. Something was wrong.
"I didn't ask for your opinion!" snapped Faust, "Just prepare to revive this Saber!"
"Unable to comply," averred the Mainframe. Faust was flabbergasted.
"How dare you speak to me in that way you piece of junk!" he roared, "Do as I command!"
"Unable to comply," intoned the Mainframe, "You must be confined here, for your own safety."
Sabers poured in through side doors as the blast door slammed shut. Tiger was standing in the hallway outside trying to stop her tears as the guard Sabers raised their weapons and opened fire. She nimbly dodged and ran towards them at full speed. The last thing they saw was a blur of motion. Both exploded into showers of sparks. The smoke cleared, revealing Tiger pounding on the blast door.
"Open up!" she pleaded, "Lord Faust!" All she heard was silence.