A/N: The revisions continue!
COVER ART BY metalhime. I commissioned this piece based on the chapter "Fate". BEAUTIFUL WORK! Check out her stuff on DeviantArt/dA (search 'metalhime'. I don't think I can post a link here)
X jumped up from his workstation and soon as his CO relieved him of duty. To avoid alarming from his peers, however, he held himself back from sprinting down the long corridors of headquarters. X avoided the elevators as well, and descended below ground using the rarely used stairwells. The route took time as the research and development of headquarters descended far underground, and the farther down it went, the more limited access became. As one of the last research facilities, Lab 44 required maximum security clearance. X had no such clearance as a Class B, a fact which prevented him from going beyond Lab 25. However, X hoped Dr. Cain had remembered to grant him that clearance, and once he reached the access door to descend beyond Lab 25, he took a deep breath and punched in his code. If Dr. Cain had forgotten, it would embroil X in an embarrassing security uproar. A remedial lesson in security protocol was the last thing X wanted to deal with at the moment.
Thus X sighed with relief when the input panel blipped happily, and the door to the descending stairwell unlatched with a soft hiss. Keeping up his pace, X hurried further down, and when he reached the door of Lab 44, he punched in his access code again. These labs required confirmation from a designated researcher on the other side, and so X waited several seconds before the door swished open.
X met with the intimidating figure of Sigma. X froze at the unexpected sight, but noticed Sigma wasn't standing as straight as usual, and was cradling his left arm. His face, too, changed for the worse - dark, diamond-shaped scars marred each of his eyes.
"X?" Sigma spat. "What the hell are you doing here?"
X shifted, too afraid to reply immediately, until Dr. Cain's voice called, saying "It's alright. I asked him to come."
Sigma grunted, making no attempt to hide his displeasure, and made no movement to allow X in. "With all due respect, I think it would be better if he did not know about this."
"X is trustworthy, you know that," Dr. Cain said. "Let him in, I say."
Grunting again, Sigma stepped back, and X cautiously entered. "I'm sorry to impose, Commander," he said. Sigma growled in reply. X noted why Sigma was cradling his arm: it was brand new, among other parts whose sheen contrasted sharply with the scuffing that mottled the rest of his body.
X then noticed Dr. Cain at one of the many large workstations, who rotated his robotic hoverchair to greet X. "Thanks for coming, X."
"No trouble at all, Doctor. But may I ask what the big secret is?" X asked.
Dr. Cain took a deep breath, glancing at Sigma briefly before saying, "I think you should just follow me."
X nodded, and Dr. Cain moved from the workstation through an open portal to an auxiliary, cylinder-shaped room. A thick column rose from the center with a singular stasis capsule rooted to its base, looking like a gnarled tumor on an old tree. Computer terminals lined the perimeter, outputting data on their screens in continual cycles. X had never seen the inside of these labs, and glanced around as he followed Dr. Cain. Eventually, his eyes fell upon the lone stasis capsule. An an opaque, green-tinted forcefield sealed the capsule, preventing him from seeing inside. Dr. Cain entered something into one of the computer terminals before moving next to the capsule.
"X, come here," Dr. Cain said. X moved closer and stood on the opposite side of the capsule, while Sigma leaned against the door frame and folded his arms. Dr. Cain tapped the control console of the capsule and the forcefield retracted.
X's eyes fell upon the sleeping Reploid inside. The peculiar sight gripped him instantly, his fascination evident in his roving stare. The creature's red armor was even more jarring when contrasted against the bed of drab, gray wires he was nestled within. Even more fascinating to X was the Reploid s youthful, handsome features, crowned by a shattered blue crystal, as blue as X's armor. X also noted on his left shoulder a mysterious Z-shaped marking.
"Who ?" X began, looking up from the strange Reploid, glancing between Dr. Cain and Sigma.
"Meet the Maverick of point CSO-5," Sigma said bluntly.
X blanched. "You brought it back here!" he exclaimed. "A Maverick as dangerous as this should be deactivated immediately, not studied! X remembered his ranking status, and added, With all due respect, of course."
"I knew we shouldn't have let him see it," Sigma said. "He won't understand."
"Understand?" X said hotly, trying his best to keep his outrage outside the bounds of insubordination. What s to understand?
"X, calm down," Dr. Cain said. "I can't say I disagree with you, but I think you'll reconsider when I tell you that this specimen may very well be related to your own origin."
X scoffed. "I have no relation to any Maverick."
"Cool it. That's an order," Sigma said sternly.
"He nearly destroyed you by the looks of it," X said, turning to Sigma. "After you fought him for Garma's sake!"
"For Garma's sake?" Sigma repeated. A burst of laughter erupted from him. "You thought I wanted to avenge him?"
"What?" X said. "What other reason would there have been? You even refused backup."
"Yes, but not because I wanted to prevent further casualties. I wanted a proper duel, not a reckless free-for-all that our forces are so good at." Sigma approached the sleeping Maverick. He said, "I haven't had such a fight in years, X. I've never felt such a thrill in battling a Maverick like him. AClass B officer such as yourself may not appreciate what I'm saying, but for someone like me, it was a moment where I felt truly alive. Such an exquisite foe may teach us many things. If only you could have seen the speed and strength this Maverick was capable of." As Sigma finished, he seemed to absent-mindedly rub his left shoulder where his new limb was still integrating with his old body.
The revelation shocked X, as well as his Commander's tone and choice of words. X had never heard him speak like that before. X turned back to view the Maverick, worried that it may not be the only thing that was malevolent in the room.
Sigma continued, "However, what you can appreciate is this: his battle specs are not based on my specifications. They are unique, which means he created by another human before the doctor here created me. Based on his construction, we think he might be nearly as old as you are. Does that not make you even the slightest bit curious, X?"
X admitted to himself that such information did spark his curiosity. In addition, the more he looked upon the mysterious robot's peaceful face, the more pity he felt, if for nothing else except to spite Sigma's cold-hearted words. His misgivings about the Maverick s true nature persisted, however, and he said, "I hope you aren't planning to revive him."
"Our studies would not be complete without observing his conscious state," Sigma said with a grin.
"Dr. Cain," X pleaded. "There must be some other way."
"X, I know what you must be feeling. You have a big heart, which must feel even heavier at a time like this. However, I must be the one to conduct this delicate research, and I am sure you realize that."
X did realize it. He knew that even if Dr. Cain refused, Sigma would no doubt find another researcher. X trusted no one else but Dr. Cain, and in going against Sigma's authority, X would lose, just as badly as he was losing the argument then.
"I can't believe this," X said.
"I don't care what you believe, but I think you should appreciate the sensitivity of this," Sigma said. "I'm expecting you to keep quiet about what is going on here. To anyone else except those in this room, you will say that I destroyed the Maverick at CSO-5. I don't care if you are a good officer and a long time friend of Dr. Cain's, for if you blow the whistle on this, I will see to it that you will never work for any anti-Maverick police force ever again."
"Don't worry," X said glumly. "I understand."
"Good," Sigma said. "In return, I'll allow you to observe the progress we make here, so long as you are discreet about your visits here."
X stiffened and replied, "Yes, sir. He fixated upon the red Reploid in the capsule once again, tapping his fingers along the edge of it absent-mindedly. X wished the right answer was easier to grasp sometimes.
"If that is all, I would prefer privacy for my work," Dr. Cain said.
"Of course," Sigma said. "Let's go, X."
X tore his eyes away from the capsule's occupant and shuffled out of the lab behind Sigma, still digesting what he had learned. A fitful night s rest lay ahead of him that evening, he determined that much.
"Try not to overthink this, though I know that's like asking the tide to stop coming in." Sigma said. "I will promise you that if he is too dangerous, that I will make sure he is completely disposed of."
X nodded at Sigma's promise, for it relieved him somewhat. They walked further before Sigma asked, "Don't you find it unbelievable, though, that someone might intentionally create a Maverick?"
The question made X pause. He then said, "Humans can be as good or evil as any Reploid, can't they? Whoever made him could have easily been just as mad." As X spoke, he was struck by his own words, and felt another jolt of pity course through him. His feelings confused him; how could he possibly feel sorry for a Maverick? But the Maverick could not help his programming. Someone - some human long ago - intentionally made sure that that Reploid would never know peace.
"Well said, X. How true that is," Sigma said, bringing his knuckles to his chin.
True to his prediction, X resisted activating his rest mode in his maintenance bed later that evening. The danger of having a monster on the premises concerned him foremost. Beyond that, however, the question of the Maverick s origin awoke questions X thought dormant. Questions that plagued him since the day of his own discovery. Why was he here? What purpose was he meant to serve? What about that Maverick? Why did Reploids have to hurt one another? Why was he himself built for war, but his heart made to desire peace?
He tossed and turned again. He resigned himself to the many long and sleepless nights ahead of him.