Chapter 18: True Colors
During Snake and Liquid's fight, Otacon, Miyuki and Allen were kept busy.
Miyuki: I just sent him the Stinger.
Otacon: Good. It seems he got it. But I can't hear what's going on in there. It seems things got complicated.
Allen: What can we do?
Otacon: I don't think there is anything we can do other than wait. Snake has gotten himself out of situations against all odds. He'll be fine.
Miyuki: I hope so…
Otacon: That's weird…
He says, as he notices how few people there are around. They were in a large room with many computers and such devices. But there just seemed to be far too few people.
Allen: What?
Otacon: Is it normally this empty here? It seemed like there were a lot more people when we first got here.
Miyuki: Yeah well, most people are getting moved to another ship. It seems they need a lot of personnel there. It was just recently constructed and it's very large. I'm not sure what its purpose is yet, but it seems important. What was it called…? Oh, that's right! It's the Eldridge!
Gaignun: Ah, Sir Wilhelm. What a pleasant surprise. To what do I owe the honor of this call?
Gaignun was in his office. He had just received a call from Wilhelm and he was talking to him on his monitor.
Wilhelm: There is a favor that I must ask of you.
Gaignun: Anything.
Wilhelm: To increase our knowledge of the U-TIC Organization's activities, we need to know more about what they appear to be after.
Gaignun: Yes…?
Wilhelm: We need for you to deliver all the Zohar Emulators in your possession to us.
Gaignun: What? I am sorry, but it cannot be done. They are the property of Second Miltia. I would have to contact Representative Helmer to ask for his approval.
Wilhelm: There is no time. We need them as soon as possible.
Gaignun: I'm sure it will not take long.
Wilhelm: There is no need to inform the Miltian Government… or anyone else.
Gaignun: What? Sir, I do not understand.
Wilhelm: On contraire…
Gaignun: So… are you revealing yourself?
Wilhelm: About my association with the U-TIC Organization?
Gaignun: So my suspicions were true.
Wilhelm: You were always a clever man. Perhaps too clever. But you could not hide it from me.
Gaignun had always suspected Wilhelm's association with the U-TIC Organization and Wilhelm had noticed his suspicion.
Gaignun: Once I reveal you to Representative Helmer, the Federation will be brought into this. Do you think you can combat their entire army?
Wilhelm: Do you really consider me so careless?
Gaignun: No. I'm sure you have something in mind. But you should know that we're not going to hand the Emulators over so easily. You can expect a fight. We cannot defeat you, but we can keep you busy until backup arrives.
Wilhelm: What makes you think backup will arrive? And what are you going to fight us with?
Gaignun: We have our weapons. We also have our A.G.W.S. units.
Wilhelm: Which we created. What makes you think you can use them against us?
Gaignun: I see…
Mary: Masta Gaignun!
Mary and Shelley were in Gaignun's office. They had been paying close attention to his conversation with Wilhelm. They were shocked, but remained silent until now.
Mary: Our A.G.W.S. units aren't respondin'! And our cannons have gone off line!
Shelley: All communications other than to the Dämmerung are down. There is no way for us to inform the Miltian Government of our current situation.
Gaignun: You must have had this planned for quite a while.
Wilhelm: And I wish for the plans to continue on peacefully.
Gaignun: Just like the peace was kept at Ariadne?
Wilhelm: That was a mistake by the U-TIC.
Gaignun: You mean your people?
Wilhelm: They are associates, let's say. I don't have complete control over their actions. They did not realize that the Emulators could mimic the original Zohar. They also underestimated that power and it resulted in Ariadne's demise.
Gaignun: A billion and half lives lost because of a mistake! That is why we will not hand over the Emulators, even if we have to defend them with our lives!
Wilhelm: You speak for everyone?
Gaignun: …
Wilhelm: Perhaps a small demonstration of what can happen will make you reconsider.
Gaignun looks up from his monitor as two creatures materialize inside his office.
Gaignun: How is this possible! They are too large to teleport!
Wilhelm: You should know by now that our technology is more advanced than anyone's. Good luck. I'll see you in a little while… I hope.
The screen closes and Wilhelm's face disappears with it. Gaignun looks up to see two large robots. They had a rectangular body, with two legs sticking out from under them. The feet were composed of three long metal claws. The arms that came out from their sides were much the same. The creature had a reptilian look to them, but they had no recognizable head. They had no necks. Their rectangular shapes just turned into a dull point at the front where two red 'eyes' could be seen.
Mary: Masta Gaignun! What do we do!
Gaignun: Just stay back. Call for backup.
Shelley: All communications are down, even to the rest of the Durandal. Those machines are blocking the way out. There is no way we can escape.
Gaignun: They're coming. I'll have to take care of them. Get back!
Gaignun jumps over his table and dashes at the two oncoming creatures. They try to ram into him, but he brings up a wall of flames.
Gaignun: Arrghh!
The flames were having little effect on the machines. It slowed them down, but they kept moving on.
Gaignun: Ahhhhgh!
The machines began breaking through the flames. They started reaching for him with their sharp claws.
Gaignun: Tagh!
Gaignun stops creating the flames and leaps over the two creatures as they ram into each other. He lands a few feet behind them as they turn to face him. The one on his right dashes at him. He jumps up high and lands on the creature, slamming it into the ground. The other one moves towards him and tries slashing him. He again leaps over it and lands right behind it. He punches it with a furious fiery fist that shoves it into the other one. He jumps on top of it before it can try to get up. He puts his hands on its face and pulls back, crushing its dull point and ripping it off. The beast shuts down. Gaignun turns up in time to see the bottom of the remaining creature open, revealing a cannon. The cannon fires a beam of energy at Gaignun, which he cannot dodge. It strikes his entire body and sends him hurling against a wall.
Gaignun: Arggh!
Mary: Masta Gaignun!
Shelley: No.
Gaignun starts getting up, but he isn't given time to recover. The remaining creature lunges at him.
Gaignun: Time to finish this!
The creature tries slashing him with his right claw, but Gaignun throws a right kick that hits the creature's arm. This tears off the arm and sends the creature staggering back. The arm flies off and crashes near Mary and Shelley.
Mary: Ahh!
Shelley: Ah.
Gaignun puts his right hand on the creature's face and slams it to the ground. He reaches over with his left hand and uses his power to punch a hole into its back. He pulls and then raises the creature over his head. He charges up his body and then jumps as high as the ceiling would allow and then comes down hard on the creature with all the immense power he had gathered. The creature cannot withstand it and chatters into a million peaces. Only scraps and some smoke remain of it. He looks down at his suit and sees that there are many burn marks from the beam of energy he was shot with.
Gaignun: They ruined a perfectly good suit.
Both Mary and Shelley run up to him and hug him. He puts an arm over them.
Mary: I was so worried, Masta Gaignun!
Shelley: I, too, feared the worst.
Gaignun: Nothing to it, ladies.
He says, acting nonchalant.
: Master Gaignun, can you hear me?
A voice came over Gaignun's desk. I was a female voice.
All three rush over to see who it was. They find a female face on the monitor.
Gaignun: And who might you be?
Miyuki: I'm Miyuki, a Vector employee.
Gaignun: Vector…
Miyuki: While I was looking around in our systems, where I guess I wasn't supposed to… I found that all communications from the Durandal, except to us, has been shut off. I didn't even know we could do that. What's going on?
Gaignun: Are you not aware of the situation?
Miyuki: No.
Gaignun: Vector is trying to force us to hand over the Zohar Emulators.
Miyuki: What?
Another face then appears over the monitor.
Otacon: This is Otacon. We met earlier.
Gaignun: Yes. Where are the others?
Otacon: They're at Pleroma.
Gaignun: I see…
Otacon: There was no time to inform you, but I will patch you to them via codec.
Gaignun: Codec?
Otacon: You'll see.
Otacon can be seen doing a few things on his computer.
Otacon: Snake, we've got trouble.
Snake over codec: What is it?
He sounded tired.
Otacon: Jr, are you there.
Jr over codec: Yeah, I'm here.
Otacon: I'm patching you over to Gaignun. There. We are all connected now.
Gaignun: Jr?
Jr over codec: Gaignun! I'm about to fight Albedo. I have no choice, we've been ambushed.
Gaignun: Damn. They've got us.
Jr over codec: What do you mean?
Gaignun: Wilhelm contacted me and he is trying to force me to hand over the Emulators.
Jr over codec: What! Damn it!
Shion over codec: It can't be…!
Gaignun: I speak the truth.
Jr over codec: Snake was right. He suspected earlier.
Gaignun: As did I, but after you left chasing after KOS-MOS, I wasn't informed of anything. I could have warned you before hand.
Snake over codec: Yeah. It makes sense know. Wilhelm told these guys we were coming so they could prepare an ambush.
Ziggy over codec: Are you going to hand them over?
Jr over codec: Of course not!
Gaignun: I think I have no choice.
Jr over codec: What!
Gaignun: Since they provided all of our weapons, they have somehow deactivated them all. We cannot fight. I have to consider the lives of everyone in the Durandal and The Kukai Foundation over the Emulators. I have no choice.
Jr over codec: Damn it!
Wilhelm: Your frustration will solve nothing.
Wilhelm had just patched into their conversation. He could be seen in a separate monitor for both Otacon and Gaignun.
Jr over codec: Wilhelm? You scumbag!
Wilhelm: Petty insults do not bother me. I wish for as little bloodshed as possible. Please deliver the Emulators now, or we will have to use force.
Gaignun: Fine. I will do so…
Wilhelm: As for you, Miss Miyuki Itsumi, Mr. Allen Ridgeley and you, whoever you are,
He says, referring to Otacon.
Wilhelm: I cannot allow having spies from within. You must be taken care of.
With that, Wilhelm's face disappears.
Snake over codec: Otacon, get out of there!
Miyuki: But how?
Allen: Oh my god, oh my god! Look!
He says, pointing at some guards that had just entered the large room and were heading towards them.
Allen: What do we do! Our own company is turning on us!
Otacon closes his eyes. He doesn't know what happens, but when he opens his eyes, Miyuki, Allen and him are in Gaignun's office.
Gaignun: What! How did you get here?
Shelly: They just appeared out of nowhere!
Allen: What the heck!
He was barely realizing where he was.
Miyuki: Master Gaignun, is this your doing?
Gaignun: No. I am as baffled as you are.
Otacon: It was me. I guess Snake wasn't the only one who was given 'gifts'. But there is little time. You must call back the Elsa before they go after them too. Since they are at the Dämmerung, you should be able to communicate with them. They should be able to get here safely if they depart soon enough.
Shelley: I'm on it.
Gaignun: Mary, can we communicate with the rest of the ship yet?
She types a few things into her computer.
Mary: Yes. I guess it's so we can order the sending of the Emulators.
Gaignun: Go ahead and do it. But don't alert anyone as to the situation. We cannot have a panic.
Mary: Sure thing, Masta!
