THE CYCLE OF AGES

A NEW WORLD ORDER

Part 2

In peace there's nothing so becomes a man
As modest stillness and humility;
But when the blast of war blows in our ears,
Then imitate the action of the tiger;
Stiffen the sinews, summon up the blood,
Disguise fair nature with hard-favor'd rage;
Then lend the eye a terrible aspect.

- William Shakespeare
Henry V (III,i)


Angel Island

3255 MC

The city was dark: the only light came from the crescent moon far above, small slender streetlights and the ever-present Vigilance Drones that swept long searchlights down streets and in alleys. Those, at least, were purely psychological in function. The Drones, called "Anikis" or "Big Brothers" could see perfectly well in pitch-blackness, but the fear inducing power of a light from above was too appealing to leave out of their design. Whether you were in the beam or not hardly mattered, but it reminded you that someone from above was watching, and waiting.

It worked.

A single figure walked down the street, holding a slicker around its shoulders to ward off the drizzling rain. A dark blue boot slogged through a shallow puddle, as a searchlight passed by, partially illuminating the echidna's face. The purple eyes and hair were hardly unusual for a female of her breed, and the dark red fur coloring was similarly ambiguous. The white Guardian Crest on her upper chest, partially hidden by a blue vest under the slicker, however, would have stood out to any passers by.

Her name was Lara-Su.

Above her, across a giant billboard, the face of her father stared down sternly at the small subsection of Echidnapolis it overlooked. In the picture, he stood on a red and black colored balcony, one hand over his chest, the other reaching out, as if in the middle of a great lecture. Streamers filled the sky behind him, along with the black and red flag of the Greater Echidnapolis Commonwealth. In the picture he wore his now trademark black bodysuit, with white Guardian Crest over the chest, and long brown coat. Lara recognized the context of the picture, even if there were no words describing the scene.

It commemorated and idealized the "Great Oath" when her father seized power.

Her father: the Last Guardian, Knuckles.

Lara-Su continued on her way, not paying the scene any more mind. For the fifteen years of her life, she had been deluged by the 'Neo-Realist People's Art,' and scenes like what loomed over the street behind her. A similar one was a side shot of her father, in front of the sprawling city of Echidnapolis, with the words "Glory to the Avatar! Architect of the Commonwealth!" Another had an idealized looking father telling his son to 'serve your Mother, your Fatherland, and your Great Leader.' Yet another proudly espoused that 'All true patriots' should know the 'Heroes of the Commonwealth.' Another, newer, poster showed a parade of female mobians, of all sorts, with hands outstretched and locked in chains. Like the majority of Commonwealth posters, there were no words, just powerful symbolism.

A symbolism driving the Commonwealth to war.

Lara-Su shook her head sadly at the thought, and continued on her way. The Last Guardian may be Father of the Commonwealth, but she was no father to her. For most of her life, her mother had told her that her father had died. Looking back, Lara could see how blind she had been to believe her mother's appealing lies. The face of her father had loomed over her for her entire life and she had never made the connection between his crest and hers, or his knuckles and her own.

Her father had been a hero, to hear her mother speak of it, but for most of her life Lara-Su had known very little of her sire. That changed, two years ago to the day. Picking up her pace, Lara remembered feeling a strange attraction to a strange woman she had seen at the market. Heeding some unexplained curiosity or calling, she had followed the other echidna for several hours before gathering the courage to ask her for her name.

To Lara's surprise, the woman had known much about her, including the white crest her mother had always warned her to keep hidden, and the retractable knuckles she kept hidden in public. They met several times after that, before the older echidna explained that she was the assistant of a 'wise man' who know 'much about many things.' Her curiosity piqued, she had finally been given permission to meet this 'wise man' and ask him about her father.

At first, he had merely listened to her, and then dismissed her.

She had tried to use her secret powers, the legacy of her father, to make the cloaked stranger talk, but he had scoffed and rebuffed her with a gesture. Lara had been devastated for some time, before a letter summoning her arrived on the door to the family house. She had come as asked, hoping for answers, and instead ended up thrown into the past. The only warning she'd had was that her father's name was 'now that of the Commonwealth's Avatar.' The implication connected the dots that Lara-Su had long subconsciously never wanted to make sense of.

Her father was Knuckles – her father was the Avatar of the Commonwealth, the leader of the Dark Legion. And suddenly she was given the opportunity to change that future. Lara never questioned the ethics of changing history, or concerned herself with any resulting time paradoxes. She simply acted, and tried to save her father and mother, and while it had seemed that her father had died by Remington's hand, on her return to the future she had been told the truth.

Knuckles had survived.

She had been sent in the past to save her mother. She had been sent back because she was destined to do so, and she was destined to act as she did. Returning home, bitter and angry, she finally confronted her mother with what she knew. Lara's mother had admitted to everything and confirmed that her father was, indeed, the tyrant of Angel Island, and the Dark Legion's Lord. Days later, Lara had searched out the other echidna and the wise man, and found nothing.

Only recently, more than a year later, did she once again receive a summons.

Lara had debated whether to answer it or not. In the end, her own damnable impulsiveness and curiosity had gotten the better of her, as the wise man and his assistant likely knew it would. Lara paused at a nearby street sign, and looked down into the alley on her right, making sure that she was the right place at the right time. Walking into the alley she was a small wooden door to the left. Testing the handle, she found it unlocked, and slowly opened it.

Before her stretched a small flight of steps down, and another door lit by a small white light above it. Going down the steps and approaching the door, she grasped the handle, and found it warm to the touch. It opened inwards, and Lara entered a small blank room. There were no other doors. The only thing to stand out was a plain wooden chair.

It was just like before.

Lara closed the door behind her, and sat down, crossing her arms under her chest. She only had to wait for a minute, before the door she entered through opened. An older looking echidna stepped over the threshold. It was the assistant, and she appeared just like before: wearing a blue cloak that hid her body, except for her face and black boots. Like Lara, she had purple hair and red fur, but her eyes were concealed behind tinted reading glasses. And, while she had entered the same was as Lara…

There were no stairs behind her.

"We knew you would come," she said, with a knowing smile. "But you're late."

"No… I'm right on time," Lara responded, standing up and following the other echidna through the doorway. "Midnight. That's what the note said."

The other female seemed ready to say something, but settled for nodding her head shallowly. They walked through a white walled hall, and into a great open space. Lara knew, somehow, that they were no longer in Echidnapolis. Perhaps no longer on Mobius. Lara-Su looked up and squinted her eyes, trying to see the ceiling of the great hall.

She couldn't.

It seemed to stretch on for infinity, and was hundreds of feet high at the least, before the top just vanished into darkness. Strange runes adorned the walls, which seemed to be cut stone, and Lara saw odd shapes placed within the walls, shrouded by shadow. The hall branched, and they took the middle way. Lara had come this way before, but never ceased to be awed by it all.

At the end of the middle passage, a magnificent arch, two stories high at least, was crowned by a trio of strange masks, each at least Lara's height in size. Here, the older echidna stopped, and stepped to the side.

"He has been waiting for some time for this…" The other woman said, and then added, "I hope you are prepared for what is to come."

"Another trip into the past?" Lara-Su smirked. "No problem!"

As Lara walked into the next room, the other female shook her head, and with surprising strength closed the massive doors. The room inside was dark, doubly so once the doors were closed ad Lara was sealed within. The walls all seemed to be far away, with specks of bright little lights in the distance. It was, Lara supposed, like looking out into space. The floor at her feet even seemed to become transparent, as stars flickered far below her feet. Still, it was solid, and she continued walking.

It was difficult to say how far or how long she walked to approach the center of the strange room. There was no effective perspective, and sometimes it seemed like she was walking but never getting anywhere. Then she saw it: a shape ahead of her, standing out against the stars.

She didn't bother to call out to him.

Picking up her pace, the figure ahead of her began to become more defined. He, too, wore a cloak, but it was darker than the one his assistant wore. He seemed to be wearing a rosary around his neck of gold hued beads, which glittered and sparkled eerily in the poor lighting. His gloves were white, and looked like fine silk. She could not see his feet. Close up, he was not as imposing as she always expected him to be. He was taller and wider than she was, yes, but not by a vast margin. She had seen bigger males her own age, though none were echidna. He inclined his head at her in greeting, and Lara could see his eyes.

Each one a different shade.

The one on his left was midnight blue, and the one on his right a very light pale blue. She suspected he was blind in that eye, or that it was artificial. Either way, there was something strange and off-putting about it. Before her own eyes, she could swear that she saw it hollow out and glow from time to time.

"Welcome," he said, in a tenor voice. "I am pleased you answered my summons."

"It is an honor to see you again, Elder." Lara gave him a customary bow in the female fashion, with her hands over her collar. It was difficult to tell how old this 'wise man' was, or how she should address him, so she defaulted to the respectful honorific given to echidna Elders. Plus, he always seemed to smile at being called 'Elder' so she figured he approved.

"It is a pleasure to see you again, Lara," he replied, with unusual familiarity. "I have brought you here to once more give you the opportunity to taste the past."

"Does this involve my father, my future… or am I once again simply doing what has already been done?" Lara asked, still a little angry.

"You could have done any number of things in the past, Lara," the wise man answered. "However, as I know you… I know what you will do. Remember this. Remember that you have free will, and you can change the future. However… you will not. Because then you would not have been sent back into the past in the first place. This is the wisdom, the power, and the paradox that come from an understanding beyond four dimensions."

"I don't understand…" Lara started to say, but held her voice when her host raised a gloved hand.

"And that… is why I picked you in the first place." Another small mysterious smile crossed his face. "If you choose, I will to send you to the time when your father became what he is now. This is what you wanted from the beginning, isn't it? To save your father from his fate?"

"I can… I can save him? Really?" Lara's eyes widened, and she stared at her benefactor with open admiration. "But what about the timeline? What if…? I don't know if…"

Lara made a small fist, and looked away.

"I mean…" She composed herself, knowing that the wise man had to know what he was doing. She could never think of a variable he hadn't already considered. "Thank you, Elder. Thank you for this. But why now? Why wait so long?"

His answer was typically enigmatic. "Because I felt it necessary, of course."

"I see." Lara didn't, but they both smiled.

"You will know where you are, and you will know what to do," he said solemnly. "I have absolute faith and trust in you, Lara."

The wise man then reached up, and pulled back his cloak, letting Lara see his face in full for the first time. He was a fox with dark orange fur, she could see immediately. Three long bangs fell over his face, partially obscuring his left eye. He looked only middle aged, if that.

"When you are ready to return… to your world. Seek me out."

Those were the last words Lara heard.

In that instant, his right eye flashed, and the universe became a sea of white.

Moments later, within the room, where there had been two there was now one. The stars in the walls glowed hotly for a few seconds before dying down, and returning to pinpricks of light. The fox took a few steps, and opened the room's great doors. His assistant was waiting, and at the sight of him, she too pulled back her cloak, long violet hair streaming down her shoulders and face. Reaching up, she quickly swept it back, and tied it in place so it fell down her back.

"Just like that," she commented, eyes half lidded behind her glasses.

"Just like that," he replied.

"She was late, you know…" The female lowered her arms, finished with her hair. "Five minutes late."

"She got here when she got here. That you arrived at a different time has no affect on the outcome, which is and must always be… the same." The fox walked past her, and she followed him.

"You know, Miles… you really should have sent her a few more months into the past. I'd love to have seen you as a sex crazed teenager." The echidna female laughed softly, one hand over her mouth.

"Foolishness."

"Oh, come now. Maybe then you'd have ended up in my bed, instead of Ro…" The female paused, as she felt his displeasure hit her mind like a hammer. "Instead of that rabbit girl, Cream's."

"Amanda…" Miles' displeasure drained away, replaced with a bitter tasting pallet of emotions. "You'd just have been another mistake, like she was. And you'd have ended the same way she did, if not worse."

"Yes, yes… that's more the Miles I know: dour and aloof. Maybe she'll change the past, and you'll end up with a sense of humor and excitement, hmm?"

"I wouldn't wager on it." He then added. "But it is possible, if unlikely."

"Miles…"

"What are you going to do now, Lara?" The kitsune fox interrupted her before she could say anything more on the subject. "With this done, you no longer need serve me. 'I have returned you to your future.'"

"It took long enough!" Lara reached up to her collar and pulled it down, revealing both the white crescent crest of the Guardian above the swell of her breasts, and a glittering crimson gem almost invisible against her red fur.

"Now, now… don't complain." Miles chuckled. "After all, you had the honor of being the First of my Templar. And now, with things having come full circle, you can do as you wish without concern for it being scripted by the dictates of time and fate. How many would give everything for what I have given you? I have made you into one of this world's most powerful beings… if not the most powerful, save myself."

"I suppose you have." Lara-Su, daughter of the Last Guardian, raised her right hand and flexed her fingers, knuckles cracking. Swirling purple energy danced around her fingertips, into the palm of her hand, and down her wrist. Her smile slowly grew, revealing teeth.

"I think…" She finally said. "I think I'll pay a little visit to Daddy dearest…"


Location: UNKNOWN

3238 MC

Merlin's eyes opened. "What's this…?"

He closed his eyes, and extended his mind and senses a thousand fold. It took only a few seconds to locate the source of the disturbance, ad the identity of the anomaly. His brows creased, as he considered what it meant.

"Her again…"

'She arrived riding a wave of energy,' another voice spoke up. 'MY energy.'

"As she did before. But something is different now." Merlin sighed. "She will draw the attention of the Enemy. Already, the Devourer will have cast his gaze upon her."

'The time is approaching?'

"The Time is Now." Merlin opened his palm; revealing a single midnight blue eye. "You must assume form."

Merlin stood, and around him the world assumed solidity, forming into the small cabin that Miles had visited in his dream, before his 'death.' Without another word, the ancient fox and Destroyer left the unassuming sanctuary, moving purposefully towards the woods. His stride slowed, as he approached a small babbling brook.

'Here.' The small voice said. 'Here.'

Merlin held out his hand, and tilted it.

'Here!'

The eye fell into the shallow water.

Merlin stepped back, nodded once, and turned to leave. Behind him, a black and brown hand emerged from the stream. Flakes of mud and silt dried as they encountered the air, and fell away, revealing dark orange fur. The fingers on the hand flexed and moved, as more and more began to grow from the ground, mud becoming flesh and water blood. The stream started to shrink and dry up, and a howl shattered the morning calm, sending a flight of birds into the air.

Merlin heard the cry, but kept walking, a fanged grin on his face.

"The avalanche has begun…"


Amanda Rabbit had the distinction and honor of one of, if not the, most interesting posting in the Kingdom of Acorn. She suspected it had something to do with her injury, and her relation to her better-known sister: Bunnie 'Rabbot.' Whether those higher up thought it was an honor or not, Amanda would have preferred a nice long leave of absence.

She had personal pursuits that she felt more important.

But one did not become a Freedom Fighter for personal reasons alone, and if she had a seven-week tour to guard one of the state's most important investments, she would see it through. Amanda walked down one of the former Eggcarrier's many, many halls. The ship, renamed the HMS Nor'easter (Miles sure had some strange obsession for naming things after weather- she smiled, imagining him naming the ship El Nino), had taken damage during the Battle of Knothole but had executed a successful emergency landing.

Since the battle, it had become contested ground between the Kingdom of Acorn and the Terran Protectorate, who had done the majority of the work fixing it up after the Eggman had abandoned it. Both groups had sent teams to fix the damage done, with the expectation that their respective government would gain control of it. Amanda thought the whole situation was a disaster waiting to happen.

Along her patrol route, she crossed paths with one of the Terran Security personnel. He was an overlander, and so he towered over her by a fair margin, but Amanda had ran into this particular fellow before, and nodded to him in greeting. He did the same, and they walked past one another without incident. Over her six weeks here, Amanda had learned which of the human staff were cordial to their mobian counterparts, and which were openly hostile.

Sadly, there was more hostility than cordiality from both sides.

A powder keg, if ever she had seen one. The first week she'd been stationed in the ship, there had still been dingo around, and they had served as intermediaries of sorts between the humans and mobians. For some reason, the overlanders and the like had been more accepting of the dingo and other canines. Then the dingo had packed up and left, and things had slowly gone downhill. Fights were hardly unknown, with one every three or four days at least.

Amanda had been lucky enough not to have gotten involved in one.

Aside from being big, humans were (to her) more than a little mean looking. Some gave the impression of being willing to bite off an ear while wrenching an arm out of its socket. When the shit hit the fan, and the two sides finally went at it with guns and knives, and not just fists (which she was sure would happen eventually), she'd just be happy to be somewhere else.

Amanda stopped near one of the schematic maps posted helpfully on the wall at intersections. She had walked her patrol route many times, but she had no desire to get complacent and make a wrong turn into one of the human habituated areas. Her patrol was a particularly important one, because it circled around one of the three Engineering Sections on the ship. And the one part of the ship no one wanted to risk getting damaged was the invaluable Chaos Drive… the retrofitted power core incorporating one of the Super Emeralds that allowed the behemoth of a ship to take to the air.

Miles built it, and no one wanted to risk having to fix it themselves.

Amanda thought about Him, and fiddled with the Purple Cross on her dress uniform. It was pinned in place next to her Distinguished Service Cross, Bronze Star, Soldier's Cross, Overseas Service Medal (with Overland Bars), and her new Knothole Defense Medal. She sheer amount of accomplishment, and the impression it tended to give others, made her blush a bit. She had served Overseas in Overland, but had not done any fighting. Real veterans of fighting in Overland,w hat few were still alive, deserved their medal (which had oak leaves), but she got hers by virtue of simply surviving. The DSC she had gotten because of her delaying actions in the Battle of Knothole, and the Bronze had come from a previous campaign against the Eggman in the west.

It all seemed like a lot… but she didn't think of it that way.

She had just been a bit player in the big scheme of things. She knew it, and was comfortable with it. It disturbed her when others treated her differently because of the gold and silver and bronze on her chest. She didn't even like fighting… in fact, she hated it. But she hated death even more, and if fighting meant that lives would be saved, she had long since resolved herself to that necessary task.

Now, all that was in the past.

The Eggman was dead, and the world was at peace.

"There's no more reason to fight…" She whispered, still fingering the Purple Cross. "Neither of us will have to fight ever again… Miles…"

Just then, something fast scurried by in the corner of her peripheral vision, and she turned quickly, rifle raised and ready. Light brown eyes searched the intersection, and down the hall to her right. She didn't flick off the safety, but kept her finger on it, just in case.

"Hello?" Amanda called, advancing down the hall. "Hello?"

What she had seen was definitely too small to be human or overlander. In fact, it was too small to even be a mobian. Her first thought then turned to it being a really big rat or mouse. Which was also odd: the ship was immaculately clean, for the most part. The old un-renovated parts of the ship were pretty much sealed off. She had never seen a rat in the ship, nor heard of one from anyone else.

She made sharp clicking noises with her tongue and front teeth, trying to lure the creature out. If it was a rat, she wouldn't bother shooting it, but it would be something to include in her report when she finished her patrol. It could imply that parts of the ship have unsanitary conditions.

"Come out… come on…" Amanda made more of the imitation-mouse noises. "Come on, fella."

Looking around a corner, she saw a sliding door only partially closed. There was a crack in it more than large enough for a rat to squeeze into. Looking up at the door's label, she sighed.

"A bathroom… great. At least no one's in there…" She peeked into the unlit room, nudged open the sliding metal door, and stepped warily inside. At the change in pressure, the room's lights obediently activated, bathing her in a warm glow. The bathroom had been installed by the humans (who had probably converted it from a Combot storage bay), and was relatively Spartan. There were several stalls, all separated by high walls, and a few metal sinks. Like all the bathrooms on the ship, it was unisex, and built to human sizes and proportions (much to the annoyance of the mobians on board).

"You in here?" Amanda made the noises again. "I won't hurt you. Come on out."

She paused, and listened, her large ears twitching.

Amanda then laughed, at herself. "Listen to me. Trying to talk an animal out into the open…"

A second later, she heard the sound of something scurrying. It didn't sound like a four footed rat, which only made Amanda more eager to find out just what she was dealing with. Her finger was still in the safety, really to flip it back into the off position. If it was some kind of giant mutant cockroach…

Then it'd get a face full of full auto.

Amanda went past three stalls, and stopped at the fourth one. Nudging it open, she looked around, ducking to get a peek behind the toilet. Nothing. She stood up, and was about to turn around and leave, when she heard a voice.

"I knew you would come…"

It was a deep voice, and she assumed it was some human playing a prank on her. She put on a frown, and turned around. "Now look here…"

Any words after that were cut off by a gasp.

Sitting next to one of the sink faucets was a strange little creature, unlike anything Amanda had ever seen before. Sitting next to one of the sink faucets was a strange little creature, unlike anything Amanda had ever seen before. It was light blue in color, with yellow highlights at the ends of the feet and arms and the top of the head, and was teardrop-like in shape. Two of what Amanda assumed to be eyes stared at her blankly – there were no pupils, only dark blue in a halo of white. The creature looked surreal and doll-like.

Only a second later did Amanda realize that it also had no mouth.

"Yes. I know you would come…" The deep voice resonated in the room and Amanda fell back against the wall of the bathroom stall.

"What… what are you…?" Amanda shakily raised her rifle and pointed it at the bizarre creature. "What the hell are you?"

"I am a child of Chaos. In times long forgotten, in the tongue of a dead race, my kind was called the Chao." The little creature cocked its head, and rose to its feet. "For weeks, I have listened to your desires… I have drunk the cup of your dreams. I have seen into your heart. And I know what you want more than anything in the world."

"Stay back… stay away…" Amanda flipped off the safety. "Don't come near me!"

"Be at ease, my friend." The voice became soft, and kind, despite its deepness. "I have shown myself to you… to help you… to aid you…"

"To aid me?" Amanda asked, not lowering her weapon. "What do you mean? What are you talking about?"

The Chao's blank blue eyes caught a glint of light.

"Tailsss," it said, with a bit of a hiss. "Milesss."

Amanda's eyes widened a bit.

"You… want him…" The Chaos cooed darkly. "Yes. I alone can help you find him."

"He's dead!" Amanda choked out, angry and sad and ashamed all at once. "He's dead… dead…"

The Chao laughed, and slithered forward in an anguine fashion. "Dead… and yet not dead. Living… but not alive. He is like I. Beyond such definition. He IS or he IS NOT."

Amanda felt her breath stop at the intensity and power of the Voice.

"And at the moment…" The voice calmed, and returned to what passed for normal. "He… IS."

"M… Miles…" Amanda felt a tear roll down her cheek.

"We can find him… together."

"Together?"

"Together…" The Voice seemed to come from every angle. "Together. Together."

"Together," Amanda repeated, slowly smiling. "Together!"

Amanda put down the rifle, and reached out, picking up the little Chao. It was surprisingly light, almost ethereal, but warm. Very warm. She stood, and looked at herself in the mirror, holding the Chao. She didn't notice the strange look in her eyes, and she didn't hear the alien chanting of the creature in her grasp. All she saw was herself finding Miles, lost and injured in some distant country. In her vision, he saw her coming, and smiled warmly as she ran into his arms. Like the dreams she had had for all her life. They would be together, and they would be happy.

Amanda grinned.

"He is hidden." The Chao hissed.

"We will find him," Amanda replied, still smiling.

"There may be those who stand in our way…" it then said.

"Those who…" Amanda wavered. "We will find him. We will."

"I promise we will." The Chaos growled, seemingly a little upset at something. Amanda pulled it up to her chest and held it like a baby. Gently, she stroked its texture less head. Still smiling, she bent over and picked up her rifle.

Two hours later, Amanda Rabbit left her post in the Nor'easter.

And disappeared.


"That is all, Honorable Ephor. I hope this information will serve you in the future."

"Your hard work in this matter is appreciated. You have my gratitude."

"Then I shall head out tomorrow to resume my duties." A black furred kitsune bowed deeply, before turning and leaving the large hut. Tempest Se' Taima Na' Vidar, Ephor Anthal of his Clan, sat cross-legged before the fire and watched him go. He closed his eyes, deep in thought.

'Strange news indeed,' he thought to himself. 'Very strange.'

He opened one eye as the flap to the hut was pushed aside, and Chara stepped inside, ostensibly to take out or refresh the tea and remove the picked bones that had once been part of a deer. Instead, she sat down and helped herself to a cup of the biter tea, downing it with one gulp. Tempest watched her with mild annoyance, especially after she took a refill, and downed it too, a little more slowly. Kitsune ceremonial tea was strongly alcoholic, and for this meeting Tempest had ordered a fine vintage taken out of storage, but he let her indulge herself.

It was probably some remnant of his father.

He had always given into Chara's whims and wishes.

"Enjoying the tea, are you?" Tempest finally asked.

Chara leaned back against the wall of the hut and sighed. "Males get all the best drinks, I find. Regular Kalvra Tea can't hold a fang or claw to this Ceremonial Stuff."

"And that's why they're ceremonial," Tempest quipped.

"So: what's the bad news?" Chara asked. "Don't be surprised. You look unusually intense. It must've been something … interesting."

"You want to know?" Tempest closed his eyes and massaged his temples. "Very well. Tukaido is up to something."

"That's hardly unusual," Chara replied. "Thandothane is always up to something. What is it this time? Is he trying to woo the Turo again? Or play around with the Kalahen?"

"Tukaido… is up to something in the lands of the Jel'Arah," Tempest said, somberly. "And Tae-Uhl is keeping quiet about it."

"It isn't like Tae-Uhl to do anything, much less anything involving the Tukaido. From what I remember of him, Tae wouldn't have the moon set before morning if he could help it. He hates change."

"This is true! Very true!" Tempest shook his head. "I had heard that there were overlanders and humans in the lands of Jel'Arah when I first arrived. You remember hearing of that, of course?"

"I recall," Chara affirmed.

"Apparently this is still the case. And recently we have had more than a few Tukaido moving east, through our lands, to those of Jel'Arah. It seems that they would rather we know of it than the Turo do, yet they make pains to avoid any of the major settlements on their trips."

"Young males Questing, probably," Chara said with a little smile. "Looking for adventure and females. I'd expect that from Dae'th'ai, but not Tukaido."

"Yes. Tukaido males that go abroad usually prefer to act as advisors and the like. But we never get migrations like this. And they travel in groups! What could be going on out there?"

"A mass mating between Tukaido and Jel'Arah?" Chara then guessed.

"If that were the case then there would be an equal exchange, males and females, through our land." Tempest shook his head sadly. "No. It is something sinister; I can feel it in my bones. I can feel it resonate with the memories of my father and grandfather. Jel'Arah, Tukaido, and the humans. This is strange. And I fear it does not bode well for Clan Vidar. Or possibly the Southerners."

Chara scoffed at that. "Who cares what happens to Southern 'Tah?"

"I care…" Tempest replied, voice just above a whisper. Chara looked at him with wide eyes, as if expecting him to laugh and admit he was joking in poor taste. When he didn't, when she realized he wasn't going to retract what he had said she frowned and poured herself another cup of the bitter ceremonial tea.

For a while, neither sibling spoke.

"You're lucky you're so strong," Chara finally said. "You don't have to be afraid of saying something crazy like that. You're… you're the strongest male I know."

"I am Ephor Anthal," Tempest boasted.

Chara looked at him in a way Tempest couldn't quite interpret. "That's not what I meant."

Tempest's ears folded back. "What did you mean then?"

"Feh!" Chara brushed the conversation off in typical kitsune fashion. "I didn't mean anything. It was probably just the tea."

She quickly collected the cups and the porcelain flask of Ceremonial tea and put then on the serving plate. She then gathered the bones from the meal Tempest and his associate had eaten and put them in a wicker basket. With a small bow, she backed out and was about to leave, when she stopped.

"You know," she said, not looking over her shoulder. "If you're so curious about it, maybe you should just head over there and see for yourself. Ask Tae-Uhl to his face what he's hiding. You'll get an answer from him before you do one from Thandothane. And… while you're in their land, maybe you can visit that female you slept with last time. I never got her name, but from her smell I can guess you took a liking to her."

Tempest crossed his arms. "Kae'Arah Se' Naza Na' Jel'Arah."

"Are you… Thinking about her?" Chara asked, using the kitsune vernacular.

Tempest didn't respond for a few seconds.

"No."

Tempest couldn't see Chara's face. "Too bad."

And then she left.

Tempest's ice blue eyes watched her go, and he heard her walk away. Only when she was gone, really gone, did he stand up and walk over to a sealed chest propped up against the wall. Opening it, he reached in, a little hesitant, and took out a small handheld communicator. Sally had given it to him before he left, and forced him to promise that he would keep in touch with her.

Holding it in his hands he looked down at its blank screen.

"Damn it…" He cursed softly, and gently put it back in the chest. Closing the lid, he kept his hand on the top, as if holding whatever was in inside from getting out. He may have stayed in that position for some time, but the sound of approaching feet made him turn and look to the hut's entrance.

"Ephor! News from the southlands!" One of his attendants said from outside. "News from the Floating Island!"

"Eh?" Tempest quickly stepped out and faced his lieutenant, an unremarkable tan colored kitsune with a scar over his upper lip. "What news is this?"

The other kitsune told him.

Tempest's eyebrows raised more than a little. "Interesting…"

"Ephor?" The other kitsune queried, expecting some sort of order.

"This is none of our affair. Let it burn itself out." Tempest dismissed the other kitsune, but silently questioned his own assessment of the situation. This news was more important than any of the Ephor Anthal's would give it credit for.

So:

Angel Island was now At War.


The land at the border between Rocky Hill and Sandopolis was halfway livable. Just like in the desert regions of the Island, the nights were cold and the days hot, but the effect was diminished. During the day, a cool wind blew down from the nearby Ice Cap Zone, refreshing wary animals and plants alike. All in all, it wasn't a bad duty assignment, given that most dingo ended up in the deep desert.

Sergeant Goerdeler blew a long trail of smoke into the twilight air.

The sun was setting behind him, and the whole area was lit up in a dim glow. To the north, the mountains loomed protectively, and to the west a vast expanse of hills and grasslands looked verdant and appealing. He didn't bother looking to the east, at the trackless dunes of Sandopolis. For the moment the Dingo were entombed there, but soon they would have all the living space and rich farmland they could want. Of course, it would be off island, but beggars couldn't be choosers.

Goerdeler rolled a bit of the tobacco smoke around in his mouth, before blowing it out. He had to be careful and savor this last cigarette. Not only were the little things expensive, but also they weren't exactly easy to come by in a far off duty station like this one. He then looked behind him, at the radio tower he was tasked to guard. It stood about a hundred feet tall, and was one of three in what had been designated the Wesserburg Area of Sandopolis. Around it, a sturdy chain link fence coiled protectively. A small yellow sign served as a reminder that touching said fence was a bad idea, unless one liked the idea of ten thousand volts blasting through one's body. A small barracks was thoughtfully built into the brick and concrete foundation of the tower.

The defenses were somewhat light…

But that was to be expected, in the far end of nowhere. The closest town was an echidna outpost settlement to the west, called Echid Corodinir. It was from a trader there that one of the privates in Goerdeler's platoon had purchased two packets of overlander cigarettes. The weed was native to overland, and the humans had a monopoly on the production of the drug. At least for the moment. Goerdeler had heard that there were some enterprising dingo farmers in the New Territories trying to cultivate it. The dingo sergeant smiled at the thought. If things worked out for 'em, he was thinking of giving it a try, too, when his term of service cycled out and he resettled with the wife and kids.

Taking one last puff, before flicking the cigarette butt to the ground and stomping it out, Goerdeler headed back to base. He only got halfway there when he saw one of the two privates on guard duty at the door point at something. Another one ran out of the barracks having heard the commotion. Goerdeler looked over his shoulder, expecting to see one of the other two squads in their under strength Platoon returning from patrol, their ATVs kicking up dust.

What they saw were a trio of shapes, walking in their direction.

Goerdeler narrowed his eyes, and tried to get a clearer look at them, but it wasn't easy in the rapidly descending darkness. The sergeant shrugged, and motioned four of the privates to fall in next to him, and investigate. All three flicked safeties off, and headed to meet these three newcomers. He then ordered the rest of the squad to stations, and the other four dingo inside took up positions behind the fence.

As they got closer, two of the newcomers stopped, while a third kept walking. Goerdeler quickly figured that their leader wanted to talk. That was fine by the sergeant. It was possible they were collection agents here to take care of some overeager private's debt in town. If that was the case, Goerdeler would send them on their way with an assurance that whomever had accrued the unpaid debt would be punished and the debt paid by the Hegemony. And if it was some sort of gambling debt, then the punishment would be even more severe: probably ten to twenty lashes instead of five to ten.

"Ho!" Goerdeler called in greeting. "Who goes there? Identify yourself!"

The shadow figure seemed to be wearing a ragged black traveling cloak. The face wasn't immediately visible, but something seemed unusual about it. Goerdeler did see that their guests were thin, and obviously not carrying any significant weaponry. It made him relax a bit. Whoever they were, they were either unarmed, or using only sidearms.

"Alright now! That's far enough… identify yourself!" Goerdeler yelled, more forcefully this time. The approaching stranger paused, just a handful of yards away.

"That's better. Now…"

It was then, in mid-sentence, that the newcomer exploded forward. The cloak around his shoulders tore apart, as wings began to beat fast enough to mimic the sound of a machinegun. Surprised, Goerdeler and one of the private still acted as their military training demanded, and instinctively opened fire. Two of the others joined in a second later. The creature spasmed as 6.17 mm full metal jacket bullets tore into its body and punched holes in its torso. It continued forward on momentum alone for a few feet, before crashing into the ground…

And exploding.

Goerdeler felt himself go momentarily airborne from the force of the blast, and his vision go black. The pain of his back hitting the ground brought him back, but the sharp pain in his right arm was anything but a good sign. Then again: if he could feel it, then at least he wasn't paralyzed. He also heard sporadic gunfire, and the sound of another explosion.

"Suicide bombers…" Goerdeler half smiled, half coughed, and a trickle of blood inched down his chin. "Damn it all… MEDIC!"

Straining his neck, he looked back at the radar tower. It was intact, but one of their guests had blown himself up at the edge of the fence. There was twisted metal everywhere. Then, he heard the buzzing. Looking in the direction of the Rocky Hills, Goerdeler could just barely make out flying shapes. A dozen of them at least.

Heading in their direction.

"Oh…Great…" He reached for his side with his good arm and took out his ACS-112 gasdynamic laser pistol. Seconds later, the dark flying shapes descended, and the twilight calm was rocked by the sound of explosions.


"I don't like being away from My Ship."

"That much is obvious." Mya Florentine ran the handheld scanner past her sister's face, and wrote a few readings down on her clipboard. Elsewhere in the medical ward, the process was being repeated on a dozen other women.

"And I don't like being out of uniform."

"Obvious."

"And I don't like going around unarmed."

"Obvious."

"And I really don't like being away from my ship. Especially with it crawling with Mobians."

"Obvious."

"Are you even listening?"

"Obvious… llly I am." Mya sighed, and put the scanner down. She gave her sister a stern look. "Now just relax. You'll be back on your ship in no time."

"Don't take it so lightly, Mya! That ship, and the ones we're building, are going to be the centerpiece of our defense for the next ten years!" Aya frowned at her sister's lack of appreciation for the Fleet. And she frowned at the flimsy white medical raiment she had been forced to wear for the tests. Mya, Aya's twin sister, was similar to her in looks alone. While Aya had been eagerly groomed for a career in the military, Mya had always had her head in research. Both had vied for their father's attention in their youth before he had been killed in an accident onboard the ARK.

Aya had won that little battle, at least. Then again, it was generally easier to advance in a military career in GUN than it was for Mya to publish her papers and advance in her chosen career. The two had a fierce rivalry, but Aya thought of it as only a professional difference of perspective, and not something personal.

"The Fleet?" Mya laughed a little at the notion, while she prepared a small syringe.

"What else but the Fleet?" Aya countered, a little hotly. "We don't have enough men… or women… to plan our defense around a conventional Army. That leaves the Fleet as our one possible advantage over the Furries."

Mya have her sister a sly look, but didn't contradict her. "You're probably right."

"The interests of the Fleet… that's the only reason I'm going on this little trip. If the kitsune really are willing to negotiate, and sell us metals and materials mined in the north, it'll help the Fleet and it'll give us more leverage in forcing the mobians to accept our claims on the Nor'easter."

"Still calling it that?" Mya asked, as she tapped the syringe, and squirted a little liquid to get rid of any air bubbles. "What happened to the original name? Wasn't it going to be called the TFS Necromancer?"

"Mastermind wanted to call it that." Aya huffed. "He also referred to the ship as a 'he.'"

"So?"

"No ship is a he! Ships are always referred to as female!" Aya said this as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. Mya just took her wrist, and gave her sister the injection. Aya hardly seemed to notice.

"So?" Mya asked again.

"So… with all due respect, Mastermind doesn't know a whole lot about the Fleet or about naval Tradition. The three original names for the ship, once it was rebuilt and re-christened, were the TFS Invincible (if the ship was classified as a battleship), the TFS Prometheus (if it was classified as a carrier), or the TFS Emancipator (if it was a new class of ship). Since the ship's shielding and armoring were upgraded to withstand comparable power to the main armament, then the…"

Mya tuned out her sister's ranting, and momentarily pondered what she had just done. Looking from the now empty syringe, to her happily rambling twin sister, Mya felt a pang of pity and sadness. Would she be happy to see Aya out of the picture? Certainly she would. Her twin had always been the more fortunate of the two, when it came to glory and advancement… Mya even thought that Aya was the prettier of the two, because she was fortunate enough to wear a uniform she looked good in. Mya almost never got to wear hers, and the little gold streak she added to one of her bangs seemed to go unnoticed (or uncommented on) by most people.

So, yes, she would be happy when Aya was gone.

Aya, with her popularity among the common soldiers. Aya, with her outspokenness. Aya with her fame over the Battle of Knothole. While her sister was facing down the Eggman and avenging the decimation of the human race, Mya was hunkered down in Tesslik City, waiting out the Combot siege. With Aya gone Mya would finally be able to take her place as the second most powerful individual in the Terra Protectorate. And when the people saw that what would save humanity, and what would give them power enough to dominate the world, was NOT the Fleet… but the product of her research, and her hard work, and her blood, sweat and tears…

Then she would get the accolades and respect she deserved.

She would be the New Eve, giving birth to a race of Overmen!

Her works would remake the world!

But Aya had to be taken out of the picture, and that did, now, sadden her twin sister. It was too late to go back, of course. Too late. It was better to think of Aya giving her life in the name of humanity, and dying in the line of duty. That was something they could both think better of, and in a way, that was exactly what Aya was doing. She just didn't know it yet.

"…but with the fifteen inch guns, you'd never have classified it as a traditional armored carrier, even one of the Fearless class, back in the Great War. I actually had this same discussion with Miles, back when he was thinking what to rename the ship. HE was going to call it either Nor'easter or Maelstrom, and I preferred the latter… but he said that he was saving that last name for 'something special.'"

Aya laughed and shook her head. "Lord knows for what! Probably some doomsday weapon. Anyway… Long story short, the name will stay Nor'easter. The Mobians agree. The core of the ship is still Miles' and without that, it's a beached whale. We'll name one of the smaller escort carriers Necromancer, if Mastermind really wants a ship with that designation."

Aya slowly noticed that Mya was staring at her intently. "Mya?"

"Oh!" Mya shook her hand apologetically. "Sorry. My mind was somewhere else!"

Aya sighed. "That's ok, sis. I know you're not interesting in this kind of thing. We done here?"

"You're ready," Mya put away her equipment, and avoided looking at her sister.

"Good. The prospect of catching some kitsune virus isn't appealing." Aya pushed off the medical bed, and stood up Looking around at the other women in the ward, her eyes narrowed. "I still think it's odd that we're only sending women on this little field trip…"

"As you read from our research, female kitsune are the ones in charge of the defense of Clan lands, and other domestic concerns," Mya said, and that part was true, at least. "So: Mastermind thought it would ease negotiations if we send a similar single gender party. Intel believes it will increase the chance of getting a favorable deal by as much as 50."

"Is that why the kitsune only sent their own males here?" Aya asked, referring to the half dozen kitsune who had come down from the northlands over the last few weeks.

"Something like that. They did send down two females. But… they came and went very quickly. They were only with us for a day or so." Mya's glasses glinted in the light. "Still, we learned a lot from them."

"If you say so."

"Aya…" Mya took a quick step forward, and embraced her sister in a hug. "Take care of yourself up there, ok? And… I am sorry you had to go and leave all your work behind."

"Its all for the cause, right? For humanity." Aya hugged her back, ad then the two parted. "For humanity… this is nothing. No problem at all. I'm happy to do it, as long as it doesn't turn out to be a waste of time. I'll see you again before I head out tomorrow."

"Right." Mya watched her sister leave, and looked around the room at her other victims. "For humanity… for the cause… for the domination of the world… this is nothing. Nothing."

Mya left that lab, and headed for another.

Her favorite.

The Trans Human Enhancement and Augmentation Program had already had several resulting fatalities. What were a couple more, really, in the grand scheme of things? What were a hundred more, if the results were the evolution of a new race of supermen? Who could put a price on the achievement of a hundred lifetimes, and the fulfillment of human destiny? To take one step further… to take one more step on the road to godhood…

After a quick change of clothes, in another lab, deep underground, Mya approached a faintly glowing tube, sent into monitoring equipment built into the floor. It was but one of many incubation chambers in labs throughout the Lone Star Research and Development Complex. And it was, by far, her favorite. Her pet project, in a way. Inside this tube the body of a two-tailed fox floated, curled up in a fetal position. A mask covered the mouth and part of the face, and other tubes and restraints and wires connected to the arms and hands and legs, stimulating and building muscle, while chemicals artificially matured flesh and bones. For months, learning programs had infused the powerful mind with information… and indoctrination.

This was the product of a sample of blood obtained at the sacrifice of several expensive undercover cyborgs. They had been upgraded, specifically for the purpose, and while it had been a somewhat close thing, they had done their jobs, and drawn just enough blood for a fully functional clone to be made. Within the tube, Mya had learned only after the events surrounding the Battle of Knothole… within it, lay the secrets and keys to the power of a god: to power not just over existing Chaos Energy, but to the generation of it as well!

She leaned in close to the transparent plastic.

"The Last Secret…" She purred. "Open your eyes and let me see it. Let it shine through me. Open your eyes… I want to be the first to know, to feel it for myself. Open your eyes, Miles…"

And then, her cheek up against the cool plastic, she sighed happily. "Through you, we shall steal the powers of the gods themselves!"


Ice Cap Zone

"And an excellent run there… looks like he's going to be marked down as finishing with two minutes and twenty eight point three seconds. Not enough to challenge first, though."

"Which is a real shame, Jeff. It cut too widely around the boulder area of the obstacle course, and it really cost him."

"That's right Jim. Ericcson's two minutes fifteen seconds is going to be hard to beat, no question about it. That was just a masterful performance."

"Lewis still has a lot to be proud of. He's a true competitor, and a strong up and comer."

"No doubt about that. We can look forward to a lot of good things from this kid in the future."

"Next up is a mobian who needs to introduction…"

"But we'll give him one anyway, eh Jim?"

"Of course. Sonic the Hedgehog is approaching the starting point, with his customized snowboard, looking very confident."

"Well, he has a right to be. So far this Ice Cap Games, he's been able to win gold in every event he's competed in: the Downhill, at both one and two kilometers, the Nordic Jump, The five hundred meter Freestyle. We now have him going for his fifth gold medal, after only a week of competition. Is there anything this amazing athlete can not do?"

"How about avoid controversy for one?" Jim responded. "Not only do we have those two citations for un-sportsman-like conduct, but the debate now raging about the validity and fairness of allowing so called 'Chaos enhanced' players to compete with their un-enhanced peers."

"Yes, it seems one can hardly mention Sonic in respect to these games without wondering whether the committee will bow to ever rising pressure to retract his medals. A petition of players, kept anonymous, has been circling for several days now. I wouldn't mind seeing the names on that list, would you, Jim?"

"It is an interesting discussion, if in poor timing. The correlation of chaos enhanced abilities and steroids, or other performance enhancers, have definitely taken some of the luster out of this young mobian's impressive accomplishments. The argument, of course, being that almost anyone with this natural and apparently inborn ability has an unfair and undeniable advantage against their supposedly 'normal' competition."

"Well, he's at the gate. And it looks like he's ready to go. Let's watch."

Sonic stood at the summit, and looked down at the crowd assembled far below. Lights illuminated the entire way down, and the sun hadn't even totally set yet. Between him and them, a gauntlet of obstacles awaited. Sonic readied himself, and felt the calm before the speed. He was well aware of the controversy around his victories, but he knew, deep down, that he would have still gotten gold eve if he wasn't 'unnaturally overpowered.' He'd raced across and through some of the most treacherous terrain on Mobius. The only one…. The ONLY one… who had ever been able to keep up with him, on or off a board…

He was gone.

What possible competition could he have now, really? Knuckles was the only one, and he was either busy, had no interest in competing, or no ability to snowboard. Sonic set off, and focused on the race, and on his speed. The cold wind blew back his fur, and he savored the taste of it. It was crisp, fresh and free. Cutting past a block of ice, and going over a small jump, Sonic tucked in and grabbed the bottom of board.

He didn't get points for showboating.

He just felt like doing it.

Landing, Sonic mad an extremely close cut around a rock, and headed for the moguls. Left and right, he cut, never slowing, weaving between the piles of snow. Then came the half pipe, which he took to like a fish in water. Things like this – he had been doing for years. Was it any surprise he was so good at it? He hit all the markers, avoided all the trips, and before he was even getting a good adrenalin buzz, it was over. The builder section was comparatively easy. They even had padding, to prevent serious injuries in the event of a crash.

Sonic 'hmfed' and cut straight through, weaving expertly between the obstacles. He jumped, clipped the last small rock, and went airborne. Spinning like a top, he reoriented himself before landing, and cut-skidded to a stop after crossing the finish line.

"Amazing!" the announcer cried. Sonic looked to his side, and saw his time on the main screen, while the crowd cheered (Sonic did, however, hear a few boos, too).

01:46:22

He's beaten the next best by almost thirty seconds.

Sonic smiled smugly.

"Simply amazing, Jeff! Have you ever seen such a display of…"

The voice cut off, replaced by static. A second later, the main screen was replaced by a static image, indicating 'Technical Difficulties.' Around Sonic, the crowd started to get anxious, and even some of the other competitors began to talk curiously amongst themselves. Still, things were orderly.

Or they were, until the first explosion.

It made even Sonic jump, it was so sudden. He turned in the direction of the sound, and saw a plume of smoke in the distance. A second later, two more explosions erupted, and the entire resort was plunged into darkness as the lights gave out. Now, the crowd started to panic. Several women screamed, and people tried to yell to be heard over the din.

"Oh man… I've got a really bad feeling about this…" Sonic bent over and took off his snowboard. As he did, he heard several voices screaming about the sky, and saw the crowd start to look into the air. Sonic did the same. At first, he didn't see anything. Then, he saw shapes silhouetted against the moon… and fainter ones against the dark sky.

Just a few at first.

Then more.

Hundreds more.

And three large blimp-like shapes among them. By the time Sonic saw those, he could hear them too. He could hear the growing roar of their engines. In minutes, it became almost deafening, as they passed overhead, and as small shapes began to descend on the resort town.

Only then did Sonic realize it.

That deafening roar wasn't from an engine.

It was from wings.

The beating of tens of thousands of wings.