Sonic and Tails were at the outskirts of a small village "Step outside of yourself. Make a connection with another being". Tails concentrated as Sonic threw a rock into the grass hitting a small non anthropomorphic cheetah ran up and growled. Tails backed away "I don't think he wants to connect" "You're resisting. He can sense it". The cheetah then lunged at Tails making him fall to the ground. Sonic tried not to laugh "You don't seem to be getting this" "I get that this thing is trying to kill me!" Tails threw the cheetah off. "Give me your lightsaber and I'll make a connection!", Sonic stared at him disapprovingly "Excuse me?". Tails sighed "I'm sorry. I just don't see the point of this" "The point is that you're not alone. You're connected to every living thing in the universe. But to discover that, you have to let your guard down. You have to be willing to attach to others". Sonic raised his hand and the cheetah suddenly calmed down and meowed. Tails doubted himself "What if I can't, though?" "If you hang on to your past, if you always try to protect yourself, you'll never be a Shinobi". Tails looked frustrated "Then maybe I'll never be a Shinobi". Sonic could tell something was going on "Kid, whatever's going on with you, you need to spill it". Tails sighed "I'm sorry, Sonic. Today's juts not a good day" "Today?" "Empire Day". Suddenly three TIE fighters flew over them and headed towards the village, Tails and Sonic glanced at each other "What are TIEs doing this far out?" "Nothing good. Come on!" they ran in their direction.
They entered a bar where the three-fighter pilot were sitting down at a table with their helmets off, one was a shark and the other two were panthers. They weren't bothering anyone but there very presence seemed to be causing fear in everyone else in the room. "Don't do anything unless we have to" Sonic whispered to Tails before they calmly walked past the pilots. They sat down at a table where Sally, Wave and Tex were "Were they doing anything?" Sonic asked. Sally shook her head "They came in with a holo-picture and had a quick look around. They were probably looking for someone. But then they just sat down and ordered drinks". Sonic glanced at the pilots, they seemed to be minding their own business "Did you see who they were looking for" "Some chicken" Wave answered. Tails raised his head slightly at this, but the others didn't notice. He got up and walked over to the pilots "Excuse me, I heard you were looking for someone". One of the panthers nodded and took out the picture "Yeah, you seen him?". Tails recognised the chicken but managed to hide it "No, sorry. I'll keep an eye out" he went back to the table where the others were staring at him in disbelief. Before they could say anything a screen above the bar suddenly showed the Imperial symbol "Today is Empire Day". Tails angrily glared at the screen as it continued "Celebrating the 15th anniversary of the galaxy's salvation, when our great Emperor Solaris ended the Clone Wars and founded the glorious Empire. On Emerald Hill, Governor Nephthys has commissioned a parade". The pilots raised their glasses and didn't seem to notice that no one else was. The pilots eventually left which seemed to remove the tension in the room. The Hurst crew went up to the dog bartender "TIE pilots out here. What's going on, Ben?" Sonic asked. "Imperials have locked down the ports and put Scarships in orbit. It's a full planetary blockade". Sonic pondered "They're after a chicken", Wave shrugged "Just be glad they're not after us for once". Sonic smirked "With what we've got planned for today's parade, they'll be after us again tomorrow" "Well, you're gonna have to do it without me" Tails said before walking away. Sonic was confused "Where do you think you're going?" "I just need to be alone. Today's brought back some memories". He left the bar as the others watched concerned.
Tails was back at his tower staring down "Why are they looking for Scratch?" he thought to himself. He entered his old hideout and took a small box out of a secret compartment in the wall. He took out a small object and held it to his chest, he closed his eyes and remembered his parent when "Miles". Tails eyes opened wide with surprise "Mum?" he looked around the room. He looked down at the object again and "Miles" "Dad?" "Miles, we have to stand up for people in need, especially those in trouble with the Empire". Tails then realized "Scratch. I know where he is".
That night a large parade was taking pace in Emerald Hill capital. Multiple Imperial vehicles were traveling across the streets while people were cheering. Minister Angelica was on a stand in the city square with Slate and a raccoon pilot. Slate smirked "Minister, I'm honoured Governor Nephthys chose me to organise this spectacle" "This is no spectacle, Commandant". She then stepped forward to speak to the crowd "Citizens, I am Minister Angelica. Governor Nephthys sends her regrets, but she was invited to Mobotropolis to celebrate with Emperor Solaris himself!". Zomom was loudly cheering as Infinite was walking through the crowd looking for Scratch. He turned a chicken around and checked the picture, but it didn't match "Apologies. Enjoy the celebration, citizen". Sonic and the others were hiding in the crowd "Okay, let's start the celebration". Wave put her mask on "Copy that. Commencing festivities". Angelica continued her speech "Emerald Hill is just as important to our Empire as any world in the galaxy and she wanted me to show you why. Citizens, I present you with the latest vessel from Emerald Hill's Imperial shipyards, the Sienar Systems advanced TIE starfighter!". Sonic and Sally both smiled mischievously "Pretty, isn't it?" "Yeah. I almost feel bad about blowing it up". Sonic nodded "I sense we'll need to make a quick exit". Angelica presented a pink human looking man with a cape pilot "And who better to take this beauty on her maiden voyage than one of the best Imperial pilots on Emerald Hill, Erazor DJinn". Wave passed Tex a bomb "Okay, when I say now, throw this as high as you can". It started beeping "Uh, now?" it started beeping louder "Now?... Now?" "Now!". Tex quickly did so and it created fireworks making the crowds cheer. Angelica turned to Slate "Very good, Commandant. The governor will be impressed" "Uh, thank you, Minister".
Sonic sneaked passed two guards who were distracted by the fire works and placed a bomb under the new fighter. He ran back but as he was about to re-enter the crowd a stormtrooper spotted him "You there. This area's off-limits". Sonic suddenly grinned "Did you see it? It's so beautiful! All the colours! It's like a… rainbow" he acted as if he was drunk. He was about to reach for his blaster when Tails suddenly ran out of the crowd "Dad, what're you doing?" he got in front of the trooper "Sorry, mister. My dad is just so patriotic, you know". Sonic started cheering "Empire Day! I love it! All hail our glorious Empire!". The trooper lowered his baster "Uh, right. Move along". They went back into the crowd "Thanks. Where you been?" "Making some connections. How's the plan going" "Just watch". They watched the new fighter suddenly go up in smoke. The crew immediately ran and met up down the street "Nice of you to join us, kid" Tex said happily, "Where were you?" Wave asked. Tails smirked "Why? Did you miss me?" he joked, "Yeah, right". They stopped at a street corner and Tex saw Infinite searching down the street "Been sportin to finish things with him". He took his sword and was about to shoot him when Sonic saw Zik appear behind Infinite "Hey, if you want to take somebody out, take out that guy!". Tex groaned "Fine" he fired but missed. They quickly ran with the rest of the crowd causing Zik to lose them. Sonic took out his commlink "Naka-two, we're en route to the rendezvous" "Negative, Naka-One. The streets are blocked. I cannot, repeat, cannot reach rendezvous". Tails stopped "I know a place we can hold up till things calm down. But I think Tex might have some trouble". Tex nodded "Naka-Two can you make it to the Old Market?" "Affirmative". Tex climbed the building leaving the others "Get back to the Hurst!" Sonic yelled after him, they others followed Tails.
Angelica, Infinite and Zik were looking over the destroyed fighter "I want schematics of the city's ventilation systems, sewers, everything" Infinite told a trooper. Zik got on his commlink "Lock down the entire city". Angelica was angrily pacing "These insurgents have ruined Empire Day! They must be punished!" "We all want that, Minister, but our priority is still the chicken".
Tails took Wave and Sonic to an abandoned building with writing on it "That's an Imperial warning declaring this building off-limits. What is this place?" Wave said. Tails took out the device from his hide out and stared at it for a moment before slotting it into the doors control panel causing it to open. Sonic realized "You were coming here today. This was your home, wasn't it? Where you grew up" "I grew up on the streets, alone". They walked inside "Why here? Why now?" Wave asked. Tails looked around "I had a feeling". He moved a table out of the way revealing a hidden shaft. Inside was a crying half robotic chicken inside "Scratch. Scratch, it's…. it's me, Miles Prower". Sonic and the others turned to him except for Tex who scratched his head nervously, but Tails didn't notice. Scratch looked up and saw Tails, he climbed back out. He suddenly started walking around the room saying random words and walked right into a walk. Sonic watched him "You know him, Tails?" "His name's Scratch. A friend of my parents. But something's wrong. What's all the metal on him". Wave examined Scratch "The Empire's been known to implant lower lower-level technicians with cybernetic components. Personality sacrificed for productivity". Scratch turned to her with a robotic expression "Scratch's productivity is 19% higher than average Imperial data worker". Tails watched him "Scratch went to work for the Imperial information office after the Empire took my parents away" there was contempt in his voice. Sonic stood in front of him "Your parents? You never told us" "What's to tell? They've been gone for eight years. I've been on my own since I was seven".
Wave was listening to Scratch and suddenly smirked "Guys, he's detailing Imperial fighter deployments on Emerald Hill" "That's it. Scratch has intel the Empire doesn't want getting out. Wave, can you access it?" Sonic asked. Wave nodded "Uh, think so. I need a few minutes" she started examining the robotic parts of Scratch. Sonic turned back to Tails "You okay?" "I'm fine" Tails climbed down the shaft, Sonic looked concerned "I told you, sometimes you have to let your guard down" "I said I'm fine". Scratch hard him "Miles Prower. Son of Amadeus and Rosemary Prower. Born 15 years ago today". Wave sighed "Empire Day. No wonder he was acting strange". Tails went down to the hidden room and took a small disc shaped object out of case. He then remembered something Scratch said "The risk you Prowers take. Scratch say you must think of your son" "He's all we think about. We're teaching Miles to stand up for people in need" he heard his father say. Then his mother "We're fighting for our son's freedom" "Scratch not fight battle Scratch know cannot win. Neither should Prowers" "You'll want to see this" Tails turned and saw Wave next to him. She noticed what he was holding "What's with the old disc?" "My folks used to do underground broadcasts from here, speaking out against the Empire. It's probably just one of them". Wave stared at him "Is that why you don't use your real name" she said sympathetically. Tails sighed "Yeah. Last thing they told me was to not use it" he placed the disc back on the case, walked past her and back up the ladder. Wave climbed out after him and pressed a button on her wrist. Scratch's eyes lit up and projected a hologram of different Imperial information "What're we looking at?" Sonic asked. Wave examined the information "It's…. Well, it's everything. Specs on new TIEs and new shadow rifles. Schedules of troops movements, tactics, and strategies. Half of it's encrypted, but it looks there's a five-year plan for Emerald Hill and every other world in the Outer Zones". Scratch suddenly stumbled back clutching his head "That information's too such for him" Tails said sounding slightly concerned. Sonic pondered "The secrets in his head must be damaging to the Empire. We'll need to smuggle him off Emerald Hill" "We gotta smuggle him out of town first. You know the only reason the Imperials haven't caught him yet is because their forces were occupied with Empire Day. But the day's almost done".
Later two troopers were searching an ally when one got shot in the back, the other turned around only to get punched by Wave. She then clutched her fist and groaned "I miss Tex". Sonic ran out of the ally towards and Imperial transport and knocked out the driver. Tails led the confused Scratch towards the transport. The rest got in, Sonic and Wave got in the main sat sand drove away.
Slate, a group of troopers and walkers were waiting at the exit of the city when his commlink activated "Commandant Slate. An Imperial troop transport has been reported stolen from the Lower City. I'm on my way, but do not let it pass" "Acknowledged. We're ready. Positions!". They saw the transport coming towards them and targeted all their weapons. Wave smirked "I have no plans on stopping" "That's good to know!" Tails said. Wave tired to avoid the laser blasts, hit one of the walker's legs, knocking it over and made it out of the city. Wave then saw that another transport and two troopers on Extreme Gear boards. One of the doors suddenly blew open, a trooper jumped in kicking Tails and saw Scratch "The chicken!". Sonic lunged forward and grabbed the trooper; he then threw him back out hitting the other trooper knocking them both off. The transport started firing on them and Infinite climbed out and jumped onto the other transport. Suddenly though, the Hurst appeared, and the ramp opened revealing Tex. He took out his blaster and grinned "Remember me!?" he fired on Infinite who managed to dodge them. The Hurst's rear cannons fired on Infinite's transport destroying it and he fell off the other transport thanks to Tex but managed to hold onto the edge.
Sonic kept driving when Sally could be heard over the commlink "We'll have to be a scoop job. Sensors reading multiple TIEs incoming". Tails helped Scratch stand up who suddenly raised his head "TIE fighters will begin mass-production on Emerald Hill within the next six weeks". Sonic climbed outside and pulled Scratch out with him. Wave engaged the autopilot then she and Tails followed them out. The Hurst got lose and Tex helped Scratch on board. The others got on but Sonic then saw Infinite watching them. He ignited his lightsaber and protected the others before getting on the Hurst himself "Go! Go!" he yelled. Sally flew the ship away and Infinite watched from the transport and took out a commlink "Infinite to Inquisitor. The chicken Scratch is confirmed aboard the insurgent vessel" "Acknowledged. TIEs, assume attack formation. Fire at will". The fighters fired on the Hurst, Sonic and G-merl got on the guns and fired back at the fighters. The Hurst's engines got hit, throwing G-merl from his gun as he shrieked. The others were in the common room as the ship shook "Is that scrap heap even paying attention?" he and Wave ran to different gun placements. The ship shook again causing him to hit his head. Once he did, he saw tails and he looked surprised "Miles? Miles Prower?" he stood up and started walking towards a confused Tails "Yeah, Scratch, it's me. But now's not the time for a reunion". Scratch put his hands on Tails' shoulders "Miles Prower. I know what happened to your parents", Tails' eyes opened wide in shock.