"Like the project name, Bronlux? Obviously it's an amalgamation of you and the armours' names, so I think it would be better if we referred to you as Sylux from now on."
A row of people-shaped targets popped out of slots in the walls, ceiling and floor of the room and started moving about. Sylux used the shock coil on them, and felt more energised as he did so.
"Good going Sylux, now try the other weapons."
Sylux destroyed the rest rather easily.
Schmidt whispered to Braun, "This is going far better than expected. Every test so far has been a success. Prepare for armour/subject bondage. If this works this may be the federation's ticket to victory against the space pirates."
Braun was obviously distressed by this suggestion. "Armour/suit bondage? That hasn't been tested at all and if it doesn't work he won't be able to get out of that suit!"
"He would die anyway, Braun, don't be so naïve. Besides, if it works the suit will connect directly with both his mind AND the ship we have prepared to work in conjunction with the suit, the Delano 7. The possible profit outweighs the possible loss." He turned back to the microphone to speak to Sylux.
"Sylux, we-"
"-Wait a minute professor, mind if I ask a few questions while I'm here?" Sylux was looking at himself in the mirror.
"Go ahead," the professor asked suspiciously.
"How can I see through this green slit in my helmet?" he asked.
"Ah, I'm glad you asked that, Sylux. A complex system of mirrors goes from your eyes to that 'green slit' and allows you to see perfectly well. Better, in fact, seeing as how the mirrors are connected directly to your retinas and are image-enhancing. Now Sylux, before we proceed to the next phase of testing, I must warn you. We are going to attempt to bond you straight to your armour, seeing as how you can't take it off anyway because of the life support. This involves quite a bit of pain, but will greatly enhance your speed and strength. Also it will connect your mind to the ship we have prepared for you, the Delano 7. You will be able to control it with your thoughts. Are you ready?"
There was quite a drawn out silence. When Sylux spoke again, there was a nervous edge to his voice, and a slight tinge of suspicion.
"I don't know, professor. I think we should continue testing the other features for a bit first."
The professor was nervous also. "Sylux," he said. "I'm sorry. Our funding to this project might be cut any time soon. It gives me great pain to do this, Sylux… but you have no choice in the matter." He tapped in the buttons required and hung his head in shame.
"Professor?" Sylux was fearful. The professor had sounded sad, almost mournful. "Professor?" this time he shouted. "PROFESSOR!" the intercom came on again, and for a second there was nothing save the crackling of the static and the regretful, slow breathing of the Professor and Braun. Then the voice spoke again over the microphone.
"I'm sorry, Sylux."
Then pain. Immense, incredible pain. Nanobots and tendrils and parts of the armour were drilling their way straight inside his skin! He could feel cold hard steel crawling up his vocal chords, altering his voice. He screamed, and what came out sounded like a dinosaur shriek.
Tendrils of metal were forcing their way into his muscles, strengthening them. Building them up. But the pain that came with it was unbearable, and it wouldn't go away. Nanobots were forcing their way into his brain, filling him with knowledge but pure, unadulterated hatred for those that had done this too him. He fought through the pain, got up off his knees and stood still for a moment, swaying. He dragged himself over to the one-way mirror, behind which Braun and Schmidt watched him.
"Should we run, sir?" Braun asked, clearly worried.
"Don't worry, Braun. That glass isn't glass. It's the toughest Glass-like alloy known to the federation. I can't even remember where it's from, some planet called betamax 15 or something."
"Betamax is a prehistoric recording device," Braun muttered, stepping away from the glass-like alloy. Sylux was thumping it, and it was starting to crack slightly.
"WHAT?" yelled Schmidt. It was getting hard to hear over Sylux's beating of the glass. He was pretending not to be worried.
"I SAID, BETAMAX IS A-" Braun never got to finish his sentence. Sylux's blue and green-metal fist crashed through the alloy, and a shard of it caught Braun right in the head. He was killed immediately. Schmidt ducked down under the table.
"SCHMIDT!" Sylux's call for revenge was an inhuman roar that echoed throughout the room and the corridors beyond. Federation troopers started gathering round the door to the room, waiting for the potential threat to come out. Sylux scanned for Schmidt, found him and picked him up from under the table.
"You did this to me…" he panted. Schmidt was too busy snivelling and crying to speak.
"You turned me into a monster. The pain is gone... but the hatred you filled my mind with remains." It was true. Sylux hated them all. The federation for allowing all this to happen to him, the space pirates…
And Samus Aran.
Her missile had brought him here, and the studies of her power suit had lead to him becoming this, this monster.
"Sylux…" the professor had pulled himself together. "Sylux, remember, we saved your life. Return me the favour, please…"
Sylux brought Schmidt's face right up to his.
"I'd rather you have let me die. I am not a hypocrite."
Sylux started charging his power beam, so that the arm cannon and the dagger became red hot with the energy. The last thing Schmidt saw was that arm cannon and dagger, heading straight towards his face.