Eight
A minute later we appeared in one of the rooms at Robotropolis headquarters.
"Wha- what? What are we doing here?" said the King in shock.
Snively quickly came over and snapped a collar around of the King's neck, and then one around Naugus.
"Snively!" said the King. "What is the meaning of this?" he looked at his collar, which held a glowing green jewel.
"It is your life force, Your Majesty" he said dryly. "You will not turn to crystal as long as you wear that."
"But what am I doing here? I want to see my daughter!"
Naugus and Snively exchanged looks.
"Naugus," said the King warningly.
"I am sorry to have deceived you, your Majesty, but I need you to lure the Freedom Fighters into the fortress," said Naugus.
"Is Sally in Robotropolis?" the King asked.
Snively passed a button on a remote he was carrying and a panel opened to reveal a computer console. "Computer," said Snively. "Show me sector 17-B." The computer monitor showed the Princess, a walrus, and that half-rabbit half-robot creature kneeling over a computer. I fumed as I looked at Bunnie Rabbot, my unfinished work.
A blue blur covered the screen then and it cleared to reveal… the rodent! "The hedgehog!" I cried, clenching my fists at the creature who nearly did me in. I ran towards the monitor.
"Uh, uh, uh Doctor" said Naugus waving a finger. "I think we should greet the Freedom Fighters, personally."
He was about to snap his claw when Snively yelled "Don't" Naugus stared at him.
"You can't leave the fortress," Snively explained. "You didn't give me time to tell you about the catch, Naugus."
"Catch?" said Naugus and the King in unison.
"I have harassed the life force from several plants across the planet," said Snively. "But plant energy is limited, and one of the limitations is that you cannot leave the castle, without turning to crystal," said Snively.
"From one prison to another," said the King sitting down dejected. But Naugus was thinking.
"Well," I said grinning evilly. "Since I was only in the void for a few months I can leave the fortress. It appears I have the power once again, Naugus." I laughed wickedly, something I hadn't done in since the day I was pulled into the void.
"No," said Naugus. "No!" Suddenly he shot out sparks of power at the King causing the King to rise into midair. Naugus's green jewel suddenly turned a bright red and the King fell to the ground. The King's jewel was now a faint green.
"He's unconscious," said Snively. "Robots! Take the King and put him on life support!" Two robots came and took the King away.
"Animal energy," said Naugus wickedly. "It's quite simple really. Animals provide more energy than plants. Now I have to power to roam wherever I please!"
"But you will have to wear that necklace always. If you take it off, you will turn to crystal," I said, my eyes gleaming evilly at Naugus.
"I know," said Naugus. "But if it means I will finally have my revenge, then so be it!"
"There is one problem, Naugus" Snively began slowly. "That energy will eventually run out."
"Then I will replenish it," Naugus replied. "Are there any Mobian prisoners?"
"Yes, but very few" said Snively.
"We will have to remedy that," said Naugus looking at me. "But in the meantime I will draw life energy from them. Each time the prisoners replenish themselves with food, I will draw energy from them again."
"But Naugus!" Snively cried. "If you do that we will never be able to roboticize them for they will be too weak to withstand the roboticizer."
"So?" said Naugus. "There are plenty of worker bots already. And if we need more, we an always build them synthetically."
"I suppose," said Snively.
"Now then," said Naugus. "Let us go greet the Freedom fighters."
"That won't be necessary!" said an all too familiar voice.
We looked up and saw the rodent peaking out of the vent overhead. He dropped down into the room with the Princess following behind.
So much for them waiting for Snively to leave the fortress.
"Robotnik," he said in slow shock. "You're alive." His eyes narrowed.
"How?" said the Princess asked, her voice quaking with anger.
I looked at Naugus and raised an eyebrow.
"Never mind that now," said Naugus. "I am glad you are both here."
"Oh, yes Naugus!" the Princess cried. "You got out of the void! And you're not crystal!"
I was amused. They still thought Naugus was on their side!
"Do you have my father with you Naugus? Where is my father?" the Princess asked, her eyes begging Naugus for an answer.
"What an appropriate question Princess," I said sardonically.
"If you've hurt him Robotnik-" she began.
"Oh no Princess," I said holding up my hands. "This time I'm innocent."
Snively pulled out a remote and pushed a button, which brought a transport for us to board. "Take us to the hospital," said Snively.
"The hospital!" the Princess gasped. The rodent comforted her. I made a mental note that Princess Sally wasn't her usual collected self when her father was involved.
"Say Naugus," said the hedgehog a moment later. "What's that jewel thing around your neck?"
The Princess peered closely at it. "Is that what's keeping you from crystallizing?" she asked. "Does my father have one, too?"
I glanced amusedly at Snively.
We arrived at the hospital and the Princess was the first to jump off. She ran. "Daddy! Where are you!" She stopped short.
In the room beyond, the King was inside a large tube, suspended in mid-air. The faint-green jewel was still around his neck.
"Daddy!" she gasped pathetically. "What's happened to him Naugus?" she said turning.
"It's quite simple," Naugus replied. "I've harassed his life force."
A slow dark whisper rose like chimney smoke from the Princess's lips. "What?"
The calm before the storm.
"The King and I must wear these jewels, to survive outside the void," he replied. "We must draw upon life forces."
"But why would you take his?" she said in venomous whisper.
"To exist outside the castle," Naugus answered. "The plant life we were drawing from wasn't strong enough to allow me to leave the castle. So I took your father's life force, leaving him with only enough to remain alive."
"How could you do this Naugus?" said the Princess.
"If it's any consolation, Princess," he began "Your father will survive as long Snively provides him with energy from plants."
"You monster!" she cried. "You're as evil as Robotnik!"
She lunged for him, but the rodent held her back, knowing it would do no good. Naugus snapped his claw and beam of light pushed them back. Naugus floated into the air.
"Don't try to stop me," he said. "I am now the ruler of Robotropolis." Snively's eyes widened in shock. The lackey was just now realizing that he had been a fool to trust Naugus. "As long as I have prisoners I have the energy to survive outside the void!"
His laughed echoed throughout metal room.
"How could you do this to the citizens of Mobius?" said the Princess. "You would keep them as prisoners, only to drain their energy at your will? I almost think roboticizing would be a better fate."
It was in that moment that I realized the evil I had inflicted on Mobius, might be nothing compared to evil that Naugus had in store. If I was right, the citizens of Mobius were about to see an evil worse than any they had ever known.