Rotor led Sally to the edge of the scrapyard. He explained that the hover barge never piled the junk it dropped in the same place twice. Sally could see broken trees that had been snapped from falling scrap. "So how long until the next one?"

The walrus pulled off his backpack and pulled out a small device from it. "If it keeps to its regular schedule, a couple of hours. The robots typically come from the jungle so we should hide in the scrapyard."

"Alright. I just hope I can get some answers."

Sonic groaned and rolled onto his stomach. He had found a small cave near the beach to rest in. The survival pack didn't have a sleeping bag and the leaves he had gathered to form a bed had done little to make the stone more comfortable. The small campfire had burned out next to the small water spring he had found. A quick glance at the entrance told him that it was morning.

"Nicole?" He sat up when he did not get a response. He had set his belt on a small rock and the portable computer was still clipped to it. He picked the belt up and saw the small flashing green light on the computer. "Right! Low power mode."

Nicole's portable computer only had a few days of use at full power, but it could last several weeks as long as power usage was minimum. He was on his own for now. With a small sigh, he filled a metal cup with water and dropped one of the purification tablets into it. After another one of those "tasty" powdered meals, he would try to find the others.

The hover barge was on time as it flew over the scrapyard. It was essentially a large box with four large engines mounted to the sides of it. It bore no identification marks, but Sally recognized it as one of the barges used on the main island. The engines were nearly twice the size of the ones she had seen. As Rotor had said, it flew over an area that was relatively free of scrap. The bottom doors slowly opened and a large amount of scrap fell from it. None of it appeared to be garbage, just metal and bits of technology. When it was empty, the doors closed and the barge turned around to fly back wherever it had come from. Sally used a few bits of metal to mark the direction the barge flew. After a few moments, the pair could hear the sound of metal scraping against metal coming from the jungle. Several robotic crabs scuttled out of the jungle with a few robotic wasps flying over them. They went right for the pile of new scrap and began to dig through it. Each crab pulled out a large black box that looked brand new. Apparently satisfied with their finds, they moved back into the jungle.

"Let's go!" Sally jumped up and started to follow.

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Rotor was hesitant.

"Not really. You have done enough for me; I can take it from here."

"No, I'll be fine. It would be wrong to let you go on by yourself."

They followed the robots for several minutes until they reached the opening of a tunnel that appeared to slope down. The wasps flew into the trees near the tunnel as the crabs went in. The wasps attached themselves to the trunks of the trees and seemed to go to sleep. Sally and Rotor waited for a few moments until the last of the crabs had entered the tunnel before approaching it. The wasps didn't seem to notice them. The tunnel wasn't very long and opened into a fairly large cave with a small harbor that led out to the ocean. The crabs were loading the boxes onto a boat that was lashed to a metal dock in the harbor.

Sally and Rotor hid behind a rock formation and watched the robots load the boxes. There didn't seem to be anyone else in the cavern or on the boat. Sally looked for a way to sneak aboard the boat, but there wasn't enough cover. "Need to find out what is in those boxes."

Rotor pointed towards the water. "Good thing I am a walrus."

Many of the rocks were wet, so with a short run, he flopped onto his stomach and quickly slid across them into the water. The crabs stopped at the sound of the splash and looked around the area. The pause lasted a moment before the robots returned to work. Rotor pulled himself onto the boat on the side opposite of the one the crabs were loading at. The boxes on the boat ranged in sizes. Some as small as a shoebox and others almost as big as him. He opted to grab one that he could carry under his arm and quietly went back into the water. He swam to the edge he had originally entered the water from and pushed the box out of the water. Sally grabbed it and pulled it behind the rock formation. When it was clear, Rotor pulled himself out of the water and joined her.

"What is in it?"

"Not sure." Sally ran her fingers over the box. It was made of a simple metal, possibly steel. Square in shape with the opening seal running around the middle of the box. Her fingers hit a small button above the seal. The seal hissed and released. Sally pulled the top half off and set it aside. Inside the box was a series of large industrial screws and bolts.

"Huh!" Rotor picked up one of the bolts. "Other than being slightly warm, I don't see anything special about these things."

"I do!" Sally took the item from Rotor. "These have been infused with gold rings. Making them a lot stronger and more durable than their non-enhanced counterparts. Only certain Mobians have the talent needed to infuse gold rings into objects."

Rotor glanced back towards the boat. "I guess it is a safe bet that the rest of the boxes have similar items inside them."

"Someone is smuggling ring enhanced items from the kingdom. This is the only advantage we have against the humans." She set the bolt back into the box and shut it. "I just wish someone was here to question."

"Maybe that is why there are only robots here. So there is no one to catch."

Sally nodded. "I need to find out where that boat is going."

"Are you sure? There are not a lot of places to hide on that boat. Its flat save for the motor housing."

"Maybe we can empty one of the larger boxes for me to hide in."

A loud clicking sound issued from behind them. One of the robotic crabs had walked to the rock formation. Sally and Rotor jumped away as it reached for them with its large pincers. While they braced for it to attack, the crab simply picked up the box and moved back towards the boat.

Rotor gulped. "Not to tempt fate, but why didn't it attack us."

"Must be programed only to deal with the boxes." Sally slowly stepped into full view of the robots. They ignored her as they loaded the last of the boxes. Once they were done, they scuttled to the end of the cave and like the wasps outside, seemingly went to sleep. Sally signaled to Rotor as she started to move towards the boat. Both froze in place when a bowl shaped object flew into the cave by way of the ocean entrance. Sally recognized the object and the nearly bald human flying it.

Snively chuckled. "Well, well, well. And here I was worried I would have a hard time finding you." He didn't seem to have noticed Rotor, so Sally made sure to keep her eyes locked on Snively. "And I suppose I should apologize for not knowing who you were the first time we met."

"I am sure."

"Oh I truly am sorry. It isn't every day one gets the chance to abduct the royal princess. I am sure the king will give anything for your safe return."

Sally motioned towards the boat. "What else do you plan to steal from my kingdom?"

"Oh dear." Snively flipped a small switch on the controls and two small laser cannons slid out from the hover pod. "You peaked. I guess your corpse will get me something."

"Hey!" Rotor jumped into view and heaved a large rock. It smacked Snively in the head and jerked the control wheel. The pod swerved and the laser cannons shot the boat. It started to sink as Sally and Rotor ran out of the cave. "Filthy animals." Snively pulled a small remote from his pocket after he regained control of the pod. He pressed a few buttons on the remote and the eyes on the robotic crabs flashed red. They got to their feet and started to chase the fleeing Mobians.

Sonic stopped running through the jungle as a hover barge flew overhead. It was clear it was flying out to sea, which gave the hedgehog two choices. Try to get aboard the barge or continue to look for the others. A loud scream issued from the jungle. Sonic shrugged, "Option three!" Sonic dashed towards the direction of the scream.

Raza stood next to the bound Antoine as she waited. She had spent over an hour preparing the area for the hedgehog. She had cleared out several of the trees save for the one Antoine was tied to. A dozen of the crab robots that Snively had provided had burrowed under the ground, ready to spring up at her command. Six wasp robots hid in the trees that circled the cleared area. Finally, she had the new rifle also provided by the bald one. Eight plasma cannon barrels that rotated when fired. Solving the half second delay issue the single barrel versions had, it would allow Raza to unleash a near endless stream of plasma fire. She jabbed the coyote with the butt of her cannon.

"Again!"

"I am so sorry?" Antione gasped. "I could use a drink. My throat is so parched."

Raza grumbled and unhooked a canteen from her belt. She unscrewed the cap and dumped the water on Antione's head. "Again!"

Antione took a deep breath and let out another scream.

"Hey Ant." Sonic appeared at the edge of the clearing. "No offense, you kind of scream like a little girl." Sonic waved at Raza. "Didn't learn from the last time?"

"Oh I learned."

Raza swung the cannon around and aimed it at the hedgehog. She pulled the trigger and opened fire. Sonic ducked low and ran around the edge of the clearing as the plasma bolts followed close behind him. The bolts ripped through the jungle trees as it followed close behind the running hedgehog. The robotic wasps took flight as the trees they had been hiding in fell due to plasma fire. They quickly gave chase, firing laser blasts from their stingers. Sonic sparkled with blue energy as he ran up the side of a tree. He launched himself off the tree and curled into a ball. He smashed through two of the wasps as flew in an arch. As seemingly bounced off the second wasp he destroyed and slammed into a third before landing in the clear just a few feet from Raza. Before he could make another move, four robotic crabs burst from the ground and each grabbed one of his limbs with their pincers and held him up.

Raza chuckled as she walked up to the captured hedgehog. "It takes more than speed to win a fight." Swinging the cannon so that is hung at her side, she pulled out a set of steel shackles from her belt. "It also takes skill and cunning, thinks you lack. Now you have two choices. I can take you to my employer in shackles or I can break your legs and drag you to my employer."

"How about you just let me go and we call it even?"

An evil smile appeared on Raza's face as she dropped the shackles. "Drag you it is."

Before she could touch him, a purple ball seemed to fly out of the jungle and slammed into one of the crabs that was holding the hedgehog's feet. The crab crashed into the one holding the other leg, and both lost their grip. Sonic planted his feet on the ground and began to run in place. He began to spin around, using the crabs still holding onto his arms as flails. Raza was knocked down as one of the crabs crashed into her. The last crab flew free of the hedgehog as he spun and smashed into one of the three remaining wasps. The purple ball turned out to be a walrus with a yellow cap on his head.

Sonic stopped spinning and gave the walrus a thumbs up. "Thanks."

"Don't thank me yet."

"Sonic!" Sally ran out of the jungle. "We are being chased by more of those robotic crabs."

"Stupid animals!" Raza kicked off the crab that had fallen on her and scrambled to her feet. Hitting a button on her armored gauntlet, the remaining crabs buried underground rose up. "I don't care if he wants you alive. I'll skin you all now."

A loud metal on metal sound issued from behind the Mobians and they dove clear as the robotic crabs that had been chasing Sally and Rotor emerged from the jungle and crashed into the ones in the clearing. Raza shouted to try and get the machines organized while the trio made their way to Antoine. Rotor produced a small knife and cut the coyote's bindings. Sally caught him before he fell.

"Antoine?"

"Good to see you are well my princess." Antoine's throat was very dry. "You wouldn't happen to have a drink?"

"After we get somewhere safe."

Several laser blasts hit the ground around them as Raza's two remaining wasps were joined by the swarm that had joined the crabs chasing Sally and Rotor. Sonic's quills began to vibrate. "You three take off, I'll slow them down."

"You can't take them all yourself."

Rotor grabbed Sally's arm. "We need to get to my scrapyard." Reluctantly, Sally helped Antoine as they followed Rotor.

Raza ordered the robots to wait as she stepped forward and readied her cannon. "Don't mistake stupidity for confidence. You're not fast enough to avoid all of this."

Sonic simply smirked and once again, sparkled with blue energy. He appeared to move, but suddenly split into dozens of semi-transparent versions of himself and surrounded Raza and her robots. None of them appeared to be the real one. The robots kept turning around and around, confused on which one to target. The crabs began to crash into each other while the wasps began firing randomly.

"Damn you." Raza let loose a barrage of plasma bolts and swung the cannon in wide arches. The bolts simply passed through the hedgehogs she managed to hit, and she accidently hit a several of the robot crabs.

A solid hedgehog broke from the semi-transparent ones and connected a solid uppercut to Raza's head. The impact was enough to crack her helmet's face plate. Raza staggered back as Sonic managed to pull her cannon free from Raza's grasp. "If you can't play nicely, I will have just have to take your toys." He stumbled a bit as he adjusted his grip so he could better hold the heavy weapon. "Catch you later." He disappeared into the jungle as his copies vanished.

Raza threw her helmet off and yelled so loud that the remaining robots stopped moving. "I hate that hedgehog!"