"Are we done yet? Please tell me we're done. Not sure if I can take much more of sittin' around like a hunk of metal."

Shortfuse was sitting in a chair in the center of a small lab, his neck connected to a giant computer right behind him with a long, wide tube. The lab itself was filled with all sorts of machines and doodads, as though it had everything any scientist or computer expert could want. Or at least as much as one could fit in a small village in the middle of a forest anyway.

As for the computer, Nicole was sitting right atop it, connected with a long, thick red wire. Her screen was flicking back and forth, almost as though she were running some sort of logistics program. "SORRY— sorry about that, Shortfuse, but not just yet. Besides, I thought you were the one who wanted to make sure you weren't going to turn into a killer Badnik and slaughter everyone like some wild beast. Or am I imagining things?"

Shortfuse was cut to the quick. "That's not—!"

"Oh, I think it is. Or else we wouldn't be having this conservation, would we?"

Shortfuse wasn't too pleased. "Mind your own business."

"Oh, I do. But the minute you came to me for help, it became my business. Now, if you would please stop bellyaching, perhaps we could get somewhere."

"If you say so." Shortfuse lay back in his chair, his eyes gazing up at the ceiling as though he wasn't sure what to make of anything. "Hey, since when did you start talkin' like everyone else? Didn't you use to talk like Bobbie the Robot most of the time?"

"Yes. I suppose I did. I guess I'm trying to make myself seem more… Mobian. To try and understand you all better. Perhaps if I did so, I might have been able to help Antoine's father. Or at least help Antoine grieve."

"Hey, Ant's a big boy. He can take care of himself. I think."

"That is not the point. To be honest, ever since that day, I've begun to wonder."

Shortfuse leaned his head back further, his interest starting to become piqued. "Wonder what?"

"If this is all there is to me. If all I am is some handheld computer who can't be counted on when needed most. I'm not even widescreen for Gaea's sake!"

"Hey, you are what you are. We all are. Ain't nothin' gonna change that."

"I wonder."

"Wonder what?"

"If you what you say is true. Or if perhaps I can truly change. In more ways than one. If I could truly change, then perhaps I could prevent something like that from happening again. Plus…"

"Oy. Didn't know androids were such talkers. Plus what?"

Nicole's monitor flashed, briefly showing an image of the night sky. It was just as beautiful as in person. "I've always dreamed of seeing the stars. That is to say, I have seen them. But as a machine. As a little rectangular computer who can't even move around without another providing transportation. I would still wish to see them as you do. To gaze up at the stars and bask in their full splendor. To know them for the beauty and wonder they possess. Perhaps one day."

Shortfuse scoffed, the very notion ridiculous to him. "Well, if you ever suddenly spawn a pair of legs and start walkin' round Knothole, let me know. In the meantime, I got my own crap to deal with."

"Yes, I believe we've gone over that quite sufficiently."

"It's just, bein' stuck in here like a sardine can, it's hell. Plain and simple. It's like I'm trapped in some prison. Like solitary confinement. Can't feel nothin' or touch nothin' or do nothin'. But honestly? Sometimes I'm… I'm afraid. Afraid that if things go back to the way they were, the whole thing's just gonna start up all over again. And who knows if we'd be gettin' out of there in one piece? But I'm also afraid that the longer this thing stays on, the more I'm gonna lose myself. And if I do, it ain't gonna be pretty. It's like I'm…"

"…trapped?" said Nicole. "If I may be quite candid, I've started to feel the same way. Not exactly, obviously. But when you get down to it, I'm still entrapped within a prison full of metal and circuits. Stuck within one little metal container, unable to feel the breath of the wind or the warmth of one's caress. At least you've had that privilege."

Shortfuse chuckled a bit as though he'd just heard a rather funny joke. "Feelin' the wind, maybe. Feelin' the 'warmth of one's caress' not so much. When all you're doin' is tryin' to make ends meet, you don't really got time for romance."

"I see. But you have the time now, do you not?"

"I guess. But stuck in this sardine can, what chance do I got?"

"I suppose. Still. If I were Mobian…"

Shortfuse cocked his head, his interest piqued. "You'd what? Least you can do is spit it out. I'm curious."

"Well—"

"HELL!"

All of a sudden Shortfuse was screaming in agony, as though every cell in his body was needling with pain. He crashed to the floor prone, shaking and shouting like a madman.

"Shortfuse!" Nicole ran through her systems, trying to find someone to help Shortfuse. Because whatever it was, it wasn't normal. She needed to call someone, anyone. Sally and Tails were up with Mina, Sticks, and Big up north. Off to see a 'wizard for some harebrained reason. So that just left the rest of the Science Team. In particular, Tekno.

She called her up, not waiting for an answer. "Tekno, this is Nicole! Something's terribly wrong with Shortfuse! He just started screaming in agony until he collapsed! I'm still not sure what to do in this particular scenario! Please get here as soon as you can!"

She waited. And waited some more. And continued to wait. And cursed the fact that waiting was about all she could do.

She would have to do something about that.


"I must admit, it does defy expectations. And every single rule of science."

Tekno was looking over Thunderbolt in the workshop, mulling over a monitor and taking a look at what made her tick. Namely the various cybernetics that gave her her unique abilities. Typically someone like Rotor or Porker would be taking a look, but the fact was that the both of them already had. And they weren't quite sure what to make of it.

"Well, what can you say?" Thunderbolt was lying down on a table as Tekno examined her with an x-ray. "It's Doctor Eggman! Sure, he may be a would-be genocidal dictator, but he's still a genius!"

"I hope you realize that praising the man you just apparently defected from doesn't make you look particularly trustworthy."

"Oh, right. Sorry. I guess old habits die hard."

Tekno turned off the x-ray, apparently having gotten the results she wanted. "Just what did you see in him anyway?"

"Probably the same sort of thing you did at first. He was a visionary. A genius! Someone who could make you feel that you were more special than anything or anyone else! And who could make you special too. Someone you wanted to hug and kiss until you smothered him!"

Tekno attempted to bury that particular mental image in her noggin as best she could. "I would not go that far. But you may have a point."

Thunderbolt slowly started to slouch like a drunk sobering up. "And then reality rears its ugly head. And you see him for what he really is. And then you're not sure what to do with yourself."

"When did you anyway? See him for what he truly was, I mean? Because I am quite sure it was long before you decided to defect."

"Oh. That. It's kind of hard to talk about actually."

"Well, I'm still examining the results I have here." She pointed to a computer screen in front of her. "I believe we have the time."

"If you say so. Well, it was at a meeting for all of the Egg Bosses and some of the other staff. Myself included. It was for the big operation from a few days back. Eggman called everyone in, both to tell them about the plan and to let them know what it meant to fail him. He took one of his Egg Foremen from an earlier botched operation. 'Tassel Boy,' he called him. And then…" Thunderbolt winced her hands as though she almost didn't even want to think of what happened next.

"Is there something wrong?"

"And then he made him explode."

If Tekno had been drinking a cup of coffee, she would have done a spit-take. "I beg your pardon?"

"No, wait. First he stopped all his bodily functions. Paralyzed him from head to toe. And then he shot him out of a cannon. And THEN he exploded!"

"Gaea. Are you certain you are not making this up? Or perhaps contracted food poisoning?"

"You think I didn't wish I was making this up?! I wish to Gaea that I was! But I'm not. He put that guy in screensaver mode and made him go kablooey!"

"But why? And more importantly how?"

"Apparently it has something to do with our cybernetics. He can stop them with so much as a button press if he thinks we're getting out of line. Or make them blow up. As for blowing up Tassel Boy, he said it himself. It was a demonstration. If we failed him the same way he did, the same thing would happen to us. Still gives me the willies."

"So how come you have not been blown to smithereens? Considering that you are probably number two on his hit list."

"Well. That's actually kinda why I ended up leaving. See, he didn't install any of those in my parts. All they do is give me my powers. Which is great!"

"I see. But why didn't he do it?"

Thunderbolt looked away as though she couldn't bear to look Tekno in the eye. "Because they'd interfere with my powers. And make me blow up without even doing anything. To make a long story short, the parts that let me do what I do are kind of touchy. So touchy that when Eggman tried to install the Lock Up and Blow Up features, he nearly came close to blowing me and him sky high. He didn't have a choice."

"I see. And that's why you left?"

"Kinda. Like I said, I thought Eggman really cared about me, you know? I thought he was someone you could look up to. Admire."

"And the fact that he wanted to put explosives in your chest caused you to have a massive reality check?"

"Yeah. I just thought I was different. That I wasn't someone he could just toss around like some commodity and call it a day."

Tekno continued going over the x-ray, making sure that there weren't any nasty unexpected cybernetics or other such oddities."It sounds like it couldn't have been further from the truth."

"Yeah. I mean, I started to have doubts even before then. He almost left me to die you know."

"And then seeing him deploy a group of innocent, brainwashed troops firsthand like lambs to the slaughter was the final tipping point."

"I guess. I just couldn't be a part of that anymore. Though I'll be honest. A small part of me wonders if maybe, just maybe I could go back. If things could be the way they were. But that would mean closing my eyes and shutting everything else off. Nevermind maybe giving him a chance to try and put those explosives in me." She shuddered and shook, almost as if in shock.

"You still love him then?"

Thunderbolt balked as though she'd been shot in the heart. "What? No! No. Of course not! Well, mostly. I guess I'd be lying if I said there wasn't the teeniest part of me that still had a crush on him. Still trying to work on that."

"To be honest, I wasn't trying to judge or condemn you. At least you know what love is. That is a step up from me." For a moment, Tekno looked straight into the middle of nowhere, her eyes vapid and unfocused. Her hands began to shake, and her fingers twitched ever so slightly. She then closed her eyes as if willing herself to focus, everything gradually snapping back to their usual states. And the mask of relative normalcy returned.

"I've never been in love," she said. "Not truly. I've been mildly attracted to a few people here and there, but never anything more than that. There has never been anyone I have ever felt so strongly for that I wanted to be with them above all else. And on the very rare occasions I have, I have never been able to put my feelings into words or act upon them. Partly because of my condition. And partly because of how I think they might have reacted if they found out. So even if it was strongly one-sided on your part, at least you know how that feels. If nothing else."

Thunderbolt wasn't sure if she was being praised or insulted. "Uh, thanks I guess? But that said. Even if I wanted to go back, Eggypoo— sorry, Eggman would probably skewer me the second I showed my face. So that's a no-no. No matter what feel."

"I suppose. To be perfectly honest, I still don't completely trust you. I don't imagine anyone here does. But at the very least, you don't seem to be malicious. In any case—"

Suddenly the phone rang like a warning bell. "Interesting," she said. "If you will excuse me."

She fluttered over to the phone and picked it up, all while it was outright blaring at her. "Hello? Nicole? What seems to be the—" And then she listened. Listened to all of it. Including the fact that Shortfuse seemed to be suffering a nervous breakdown. And for just a moment, her voice became ever so monotone. "I'll be there right away. I'll give Rotor and Porker a call too. In the meantime, try analyzing his systems, see what is wrong. I will see you shortly."

"What's going on?" asked Thunderbolt.

"I'd say it was nothing you should be too concerned about, but if this is what I think it is, I suppose it will concern everyone. Something is wrong with Shortfuse. And I need to go take a look. This will have to wait."

"Hey, can I come?" said Thunderbolt. She hopped off the table she had been sitting on, eager for action. "If something's happening, I want in! Beats sitting around doing nothing."

"Actually, that might not be such a bad idea. If this is what I think it is, you could prove most useful."

"Of course I'd be useful! I'm always useful! Useful with what exactly?"

"You'll see. In any case, I still need to make a few calls. When I'm done, we're heading over."

"Great! Trust me, you're not gonna regret it!"

And as Tekno pinched her brow, she already started to believe she just might at that.


"This isn't good."

Nicole was now in Tekno's hand. She was standing over Shortfuse, still writhing and twitching like he was about to vomit. Rotor was kneeling beside Shortfuse, desperate to see if there was anything he could make out or do to help. And Porker was sitting in front of the computer, analyzing any and all recent activity. Whatever was causing Shortfuse so much pain, they'd find it. The only question was whether they'd find it in time.

"Is there something wrong, Nicole?" said Tekno.

"You could say that. I've just finished analyzing Shortfuse's systems and I think I've detected the problem. His AI systems are starting to come back online."

Porker winced. "That REALLY doesn't sound good."

"Quite," said Tekno. "If his Badnik AI fully activates, it will no doubt try to kill us all. Or relay our location to Eggman."

Thunderbolt nearly ran in terror. "Oh please don't let him find me don't let him find meDON'TLETHIMFINDME—!"

"Hey, relax!" said Rotor. "He's not going to find you. Not as long as that jammer's working anyway. But yeah, this isn't good. What we need to do is hack into Shortfuse's systems and either try to shut the AI down or get rid of it altogether."

"Agreed," said Tekno.

"Honestly though, I'm not sure what even set it off. That thing had been defunct for over a month. It wasn't going to just turn back on its own. Something must have made it go haywire. Not sure what though."

"In any case, that's what we need to find out. Nicole. I hate to ask this of you, but we don't have much of a choice. You need to go into Shortfuse's systems. See what is wrong and shut down the AI if possible. But don't go too far."

Nicole considered Tekno's words ever so carefully, at least at first. But it wasn't long before she realized just what they truly meant. And it wasn't long after that that that she became a flustered wreck. "You can't be serious."

"I am. As far as I can see, this is the only way to save Shortfuse. I could attempt to hack into his systems myself, but this is far more efficient. And a lot less time-consuming."

"You're right, of course. But I just don't know if I'm truly up to it. If I can do what needs to be done. I still remember Antoine's father. How I tried my best to save him. And how I failed miserably. And I'm not sure if I could continue to exist if I failed again."

"HEY!" A spark of electricity surrounded Thunderbolt as her temper flared up, almost as if illustrating her current state of being. "That's quitter talk! Don't be so down on yourself! The only thing stopping you from doing what you've gotta do is you! You hear me?!"

Rotor got up from his knees and looked Nicole straight in her monitor. "She's got a point. Much as I hate to say it. Look, Nicole. I know what it's like to try and save someone only to fail. But you can't blame yourself for what happened. Because if you do, you'll just eat yourself up inside. And you won't be good to anyone. The only thing you can do is move forward. And help who you can. Does any of that make sense?"

Nicole's monitor remained perfectly still with no pops or lines of static to be seen. Could she move forward? Could she do what needed to be done? Or would she just fail again? Like she failed Marcus?

Shortfuse groaned as though he were about to puke. As every single ounce of him was about to hurl itself onto the floor. And she knew what she had to do. "Not completely. But I have to try."

"That's the spirit," said Rotor.

"Indeed," said Tekno. "And besides, you won't be alone. With Sonia as she is, she should be able to accompany you into Shortfuse's systems. And so can Thunderbolt."

Thunderbolt was shocked. Metaphorically speaking. "Excuse me?"

"Your powers involve control over electricity, correct? As well as the ability to turn yourself into it."

She gulped. "Uh, yeah, but I haven't really used it that often. Only once in a blue moon, if that!"

"In that case, consider this a blue moon. Do you want to prove yourself? Prove that you want to change? That you deserve to be here? This is it."

Thunderbolt stuttered and started, sparks of electricity flying from her person until she finally relented. "Oh, fine! Though I guess you're right. Just don't blame me if one of you gets shocked."

"That settles it then," said Tekno. She turned to Nicole. "Any questions before we begin?"

"Not really," said Nicole. "Besides. I know what it's like to be trapped. And if I don't help Shortfuse, he'll be trapped more than ever. So I'm not just going to leave him like this. And besides. This might just give me a chance to try out something I've been working on for a while."

She focused. Concentrated. Thought about her mission. What she had to do. And of Shortfuse. And began to upload her conscience right into his being. And the only thing she hoped was that this time, she wouldn't fail.