X hesitated, glancing down upon Zero. Sigma had authorized X and Dr. Cain to carry out the gene therapy procedure, so they returned Zero to the stasis capsule to monitor his vitals while he underwent treatment. His cranium and torso lay open like a cracked egg, leaving the red Maverick's innards grotesquely exposed to their tinkering. Zero's sleeping face looked bright and orderly in contrast, and a final jolt of doubt hit X in the gut. In an instant, X's heart ached and he doubted his understanding of human emotion. Before, X thought emotions traveled a linear path of cause and effect, with some modulation depending on the circumstances. If someone wishes you happy birthday, you feel quite happy. If a Maverick kills your comrade, you feel great sadness.
Now, looking down at Zero, X felt lost. The linear path branched off and circled around. He crossed feelings of worry, wonder,
anger, and affirmation, then back again. He worried if he made the right decision. He wondered who Zero was. How could X be such a fool to go through with this? No, Zero deserved this chance. Or did he?
X grappled with the feelings prodded by his inner dialogue. Saying nothing, he nodded and took his cue, dialing in the command code. While is mind wandered, his fingers moved over the input panel on automatic pilot. The monitor, blooming like a flower from a tangled mass of cables, flickered and read: "Initializing...Deleting memory banks of all non-essential data..."
"How long should this take?" X asked, watching the cursor on the monitor blink.
Dr. Cain said, "Hard to say. Depending on how much is stored, it may take half a day, or many days."
"Then how long?"
"I'll have to hit him with a strong dose if the virus is to take hold. I don't know how he will react. It might be instant, or take weeks. " Dr. Cain wheeled hovered over to X and placed a gentle hand on his arm. "But try not to think about that, X. Until then, I insist that you take some rest. I won't need an assistant in my way while we wait."
"But-" X said.
"No buts!" the doctor interrupted. "I'll alert you when the memory wipe is finished."
X dropped his gaze but did not reply.
Dr. Cain went on, "Do you think Zero would want to meet you while you're exhausted? Imagine if your body forced a shutdown for maintenance. That would not make a very good first impression, don't you think?"
X smiled at the image. He said, "I see your point."
The doctor leaned back and looked at him before saying, "X, your compassion is what makes you unique." He then looked over to Zero. "It's why the fate of this miserable creature pains you. The unfortunate truth is that there are simply some things you cannot control."
X's face fell. Was that what he felt? The lack of control?
Dr. Cain patted his arm. "Don't look so dour. My advice is to worry about the things you can control, not what you can't." He chuckled. "If I worried like you, I wouldn't have made it to this ripe old age."
"I'm not sure if I understand," X said.
Dr. Cain sighed. "Whenever you feel restless, try closing your eyes and focusing on a picture of what you want to achieve. I don't know if it works as well for Reploids, but it always helps clear away the useless worry in my head."
X smiled at the doctor, happy for the suggestion. "I'll try it sometime if you think it will help."
"Let me know of your results," the doctor replied, returning the smile. "Now get out of here."
Coincidentally, X's time for visiting the lab diminished sharply. Word spread about the Federation's unification of the major anti-Maverick Police precincts. The public approved. Human and Reploid civilians alike expressed gratitude for the government's recognition of the Maverick phenomenon, as well as its efforts to combat it.
The news struck the various Anti-Maverick peacekeepers with a mixture of enthusiasm and anxiety. Questions and gossip abounded.
After learning of Sigma designation as Supreme Commander, much of the apprehension faded away. With Sigma at the helm, no one questioned the might of the Maverick Hunters.
The speed of the transition prevented X from pondering much on the new changes. The 17th unit expanded greatly, as B-class or equivalent transfers rolled in from anti-Maverick forces all over the globe. Some officers from the 17th were also reshuffled into other units. New Class A officers also transferred to headquarters: Chill Penguin, Sting Chameleon, and Storm Eagle, as well as a handful of other military-grade Reploids considered exceptional leaders by government standards. The A Class first demonstrated their high expectations through increased training schedules for all units. Group exercises and drills became more frequent, and they went on longer and harder.
Headquarters itself also expanded. Heavy construction transformed the once modest nine-storey structure into a lofty, state-of-
the-art hub of security and intelligence. Above ground, the concrete-reinforced base of operations X called home evolved into a towering spire of blast-resistant glass, glimmering in the sunlight above the hills like a beacon. Though the project was grand and awe-inspiring, X felt some regret, saddened that his former HQ disappeared into little more than a bittersweet memory without much of a warning.
The construction above ground did not trouble X as much as below. He feared underground laboratories would be searched and sealed off during the architectural overhaul. The blueprints given to the architects included the labs.
However, it seemed that renovations halted at lab 30. The final floors were closed off permanently but only officially. At least, that is what Sigma told Dr. Cain, who in turn informed X, much to the latter's relief.