Space Race
It was finished. The entire ship. Three days of working, and it all boiled down to this. The yellow furred vixen dragged her arm across her head, wiping the sweat clean from her forehead. The individual droplets fell to the metal ground, making small 'PING!' noises, with every touch. She brought her silver blue gaze up, staring at the Silver Fish, and all of its awe. Her tongue snaked out next, so she could lick her lips. And as she did that, she shuffled her wrench back into her coveted lab coat, showing that she was done. They were done. All of it, was done.
"Perfection..." Ivo whispered from behind.
Yes, the mad doctor. The fox wished she could say that they grew some sort of respect for one another, but they didn't. He was a genius, and she was a genius, but that's where the similarities ended. He still called her a G.U.N. Geek, as well as other various forms of insults. But the fox had a guardian angel, throughout all of it.
"Miss Prower..." that red robot's cold voice called.
She stared up and at him. In his arms, a sandwiched, made by Orbot, no doubt. The female fox couldn't help but to smile. She would never understand how Ivo designed his robot's with emotions and personalities, but she was happy he did. Without Gamma, she wasn't sure if she'd be able to remain sane throughout it all.
But now it was all over. The Silver Fish was complete, and with a newly redesigned body. No longer was it silver and white, the color scheme that gave it its name, for now, it was red, black, and grey, matching the color scheme of Eggman's perception of greatness. Not only that, it held the madman's insignia on the ship's body. Just looking at it should have been labeled an eyesore.
"Thanks Gamma..." the vixen said, grabbing the sandwich from his arms.
He merely nodded, as he gracefully handed her meal.
With the Silver Fish, or Egg Silver Fish as Ivo called it, completed, there's was but on last loose end to tie up. Herself. What would the mad genius do to her, now that his work was complete? Surely, he would put her down, and not even pleasantly. He'd probably torture her, or use her for some insidious experiment. It would be wrong to say, that she felt she didn't deserve it. If Ivo or Maria or one of those robots ended her life, she'd feel like it was a kind of atonement. Repentance for all she did during her G.U.N. career.
She watched as Ivo flew forward in his Egg Cart. He scanned the Silver Fish up and down, nodding with pleasure whenever he found something to be in tip-top shape. He flew into the vehicle next, checking the many halls and doors the spacecraft had to offer. Everything was perfect, to say the least. He exited a moment later, smiling that evil smile of his, while he bounced about jovially.
"It's so perfect!" he announced, "If I do say so myself!"
The sliding metal doors to the great station opened up next, revealing a certain blonde agent, and her black and white friend Orbot.
"What's so perfect?" she asked, completely unaware of the completion of the Silver Fish.
"This!" Ivo announced, showing her the great spacecraft, "It's complete, Maria dear!"
She took in a deep yawn, while her blue eyes scanned the black and red machine. One look at Ivo's insignia set her off.
"Really Ivo?" she said, "Aren't you narcissistic enough?"
"What do you mean?" he asked, flying up, "I think it looks perfect! Now all will know Ivo claimed space first!"
"Ivo, that doesn't make any sense. People have been to space already. I've been to space already. What are you going to claim first? Your sanity?"
"Oh, ha, ha," he laughed sarcastically, "Keep that humor, Maria dear, it'll get you places..."
As he shifted his gaze back to the spacecraft, he and Maria's demeanor grew serious. They eyed the ship closely, as images of Ark and the secrets aboard it. What would they find? For Maria, she wished for knowledge, understanding, memories gone. For Ivo, he wanted the floating orbital cannon that was charged by Emeralds. Maybe Maria knew of it, maybe not, but he sure did. And with two Chaos Emeralds, he could wipe out an entire continent, or even more. Though bits of him felt bad for using his cousin like this, the other parts could care less. Power, that's all he wanted.
"Ivo, are you okay?" she asked, glancing at him, "You have that stupid little face on your lips."
"Oh I do?" he said, not noticing the near satanic grin among his lips, "I must be giddy then!"
"Oh shut up..." his cousin murmured.
Suddenly, Ivo got closer, wrapping his arm around Maria's shoulders. She felt terrified by the lack of space, as she never enjoyed being in such close profile with her beloved cousin. Even now, it sent shivers through her.
"Ivo..." she grumbled, force in her voice.
"What of the Mobian?" he asked instead, "Can't we just kill her and be done with it?"
Maria's eyes floated over to Samantha, who was glaring back. It seemed as if the fox had reached a resolve, and was patiently awaiting whatever fate would befall her.
"Do you really wanna kill her?" she asked.
"I hate G.U.N. Geeks," Ivo grumbled, "The sooner she's dead somewhere, the better..."
"Fine then, Ivo..." she swallowed her spit, "I'll deal with Samantha..."
"Good..." he commented, floating away then, heading for the exit, "And hurry back when you do, we should be launching in the morning."
She didn't give a response, other than a shake of her head. That left only Maria, Samantha, and the many Badniks within. The blonde agent took in a deep breath, as she turned around to face the yellow vixen. Samantha straightened up, wondering what the woman before her would do. As Maria grew closer, the fox grew tensor, mind running rampant with thoughts. She was almost positive, the blonde agent would kill her. So all her thoughts were filled with it. What was death like? Would she go to Heaven or Hell? Would God forgive her for what she did during her G.U.N. years?
And what of Maria? Would the agent kill her quickly? Or would she enjoy her revenge, and kill her in the slowest manner possible? The thoughts made her swallow her spit in acceptance. Whatever happens, happens.
"Samantha..." Maria called.
"Yes... Maria...?" she asked, gazing up.
"Come with me..." the agent said coldly.
She pointed at the steel doors behind the fox, and started off for them. After buttoning up her lab coat, the vixen followed. Their footsteps clanked against the metal floors, the noise of it all bouncing from wall to wall. Samantha's heart began to race. To her, this could be her last moments alive. There was so much she didn't get to experience though. Falling in love, settling down, having children, raising a family. It was a bit childish, but it was a thought she had since she was child, so it was only reasonable.
But this would never happen. She was going to die here, and be tossed into the sea of sand outside. Forever forgotten by time and sound. It terrified her, and grieved her deeply. Years of working, and this is how violently it would end. It was terrible. She felt tears stroll down her face, and drop on the ground. Death was going to claim her, soon enough.
Maria stopped. She turned around, and faced Samantha. The fox didn't try to put on a brave front, she just continued to cry. Maria could understand too. She opened the door she stopped before, sending light into this artificial light.
"C'mon, Samantha..." Maria said, waving her hand in a moving motion, "let's get this over with..."
Though the fox wanted to run and hide, she knew it would be pointless against Maria. She would find him, and kill her then. If she ran, she'd only be prolonging the inevitable. So she kept walking, right out into the sunlight.
They were on this outdoor platform, one that jutted out from the hidden pyramid base. Samantha walked all the way to the edge of the platform, and gazed over. She could see the blistering desert sands, and the heat it gave off. This place would be her grave.
She could hear Maria load a gun behind her. The sound of it shifted through the air, and sent spikes through the vixen's body. She was just waiting, despite all the tears. Closing her eyes, she prepared for the end.
Then she felt air, rushing past her face. Her blue eyes opened up immediately, gazing down to the sands as they got closer and closer. She attempted to struggle against the rush, but she found she was being held by someone. Glancing up, she saw Maria, with this stoic and focused visage on her face. The blonde agent's blue eyes were red as always, as she prepared to meet the desert sands. But when she noticed Samantha gazing at her, she smiled. That, in turn, made the vixen smile.
Maria's feet touched the ground, and sand was thrown in all directions. Samantha held tighter onto the agent's body, as said agent exploded forward in a show of impressive speed. Opening up her eyes, she gazed around to all the images passing them. Ivo's hidden base was disappearing, as they moved farther and farther away.
As the sound of roaring wind echoed through their ears, the blonde fox gazed up. She found Maria's body to be engulfed in this shimmering blue aura. Did the blonde agent realize what was happening to her? She seemed to have, for this smile grew on her lips. She raised her other hand a moment later, revealing the green Chaos Emerald held within. And then, with a mighty roar, she barked out a command.
"CHAOS CONTROL!"
…
The light show ended immediately. Samantha didn't realize it was all over, until she heard the sound of the blowing wind. She opened her eyes a second later, seeing a blurred image at first. After a few blinks, the blurred sight focused itself, showing green fields, beautiful plants and trees.
Where was she? Was she not just in the middle of some unknown desert? Then how did she get here? Where was here?
Gazing along the arm that held her, she lined her sight back to Maria. And the woman was naked.
Samantha's muzzle heated up slowly, as Maria brought her hand up to her temple. At first, the blonde agent didn't notice the fact that she was naked. A sudden draft reminded her of her problem with Chaos Control, however. And cone she did, she turned as red as a tomato.
"Dammit!" she barked, "Not again!"
"Again!?" Samantha inquired, before Maria dropped her.
The blonde agent disappeared in a flash, diving into one of the many bushes in the area. After getting to her feet, Samantha neared the bush, before stepping back.
"M-M-Maria?" she asked.
"Just shut up!" the agent barked, "Damned Chaos Control! Why can't my clothing come along!?"
Funny. Maria was the most powerful being when it came to harnessing Chaos, and she didn't know how to use any of it. Glancing up, the yellow fox suddenly felt a red skirt fall upon her face. This was followed by a grey shirt, black stalkings, and other clothing Maria was wearing at the time.
"Uh... Maria...?" Samantha called, making the blonde agent's head poke out of the bushes.
"What!?" she barked, before seeing the clothing on her.
It didn't take long for the agent to get dressed, though she forced Samantha to look away during it all. It also took the agent a few minutes to regain her composure, after the free show. Boy, did she hate Chaos Control.
"You can look now, Samantha..." she called, readjusting the hold of her red vest.
Samantha's eyes opened up a moment later, and she turned to face the blonde agent. The sight of Maria naked though remained in her head, making her blush. The sight of the blushing fox made Maria snap up in rage.
"HEY!" she barked, "Get that look off your face! I don't swing that way, Samantha!"
"Oh, what!?" the fox questioned, "Nor do I! You were just naked before and I couldn't get the image out of my head... Wait, that's not what I mean! UGH!"
"Just shut up..." Maria commanded, covering her mouth, "And let's never speak of this again..."
"Agreed..." Samantha answered.
"Okay..."
The blonde agent pulled back, and crossed her arms. Eyes moving up, she stared into the orange skies and white clouds. Where ever they were, the sun was setting. It looked beautiful. But that did very little to relieve Samantha's feelings. Why did Maria bring her here? Was this place going to be her grave? It did look better than the desert, yes, but that didn't change the fact that Maria was going to kill her.
"Well," the agent suddenly said, "Have a good life..."
Or maybe not.
"What?" Samantha asked.
"I said, have a good life..." Maria stated, waving her hand.
"What? Huh?" Samantha called, still confused, "Maria, I'm confused, where am I? Aren't you going to kill me?"
"What?" Maria asked, feeling insulted, "No! Why would I kill you?"
"But... What about... Ivo said, and... all the things I did to you...?"
Maria shook her head.
"First of all, Ivo is not my master. I do what I want to do. Second of all, you did nothing to me Samantha, G.U.N. did."
"So... You're not going to kill me?" the fox asked.
"No, Samantha, I'm not..."
She suddenly hugged her. The yellow vixen let loose these tears, as the knowledge that today wouldn't be her death, flooded her mind. If she were that kind of woman, she would have kissed Maria. In fact, she did kiss Maria, right on the cheek. The feeling made the blonde woman growl, and forcibly pry the fox from her body.
"Okay, okay," she said, blushing, "I get it, you're happy!"
"You have no idea!" Samantha announced, "I mean... I'm not going to die today!"
"If you don't let go, I might reconsider..."
That made the fox leap back real quick. But her smile remained. She just couldn't contain the happiness she was feeling. Then it hit her.
"Wait, you're just going to leave me here?"
"Yeah," Maria stated, "I can't bring you with me, Ivo and I are planning on attacking the Ark, remember."
"But... where is here?" Samantha asked, "Did you just place me on a random island?"
"Listen, Samantha," Maria commanded, "I brought you to South Island. It's a place that Mobians inhabit, you know that. G.U.N. has little to know activity here. You should easily be able to make a new life for yourself. Free from me, and free from G.U.N. You can finally run away..." the blonde agent gazed up, and closed her eyes, "I can't wait for my turn to to leave it all..."
She gazed back down. And Samantha was crying. Only tears of happiness was here, and Maria could see that. It must have been overwhelming, and daunting, for the fox. The tasks she would have ahead were hard. She had to start off again, from the bottom, make a life for herself, and be away from G.U.N. But Samantha was a smart woman, a genius in fact. If anyone could figure out how to do this, it was her.
"Thank you... Maria..." she whispered, her voice constantly loosing itself to tears, "I don't know what to say..."
"Then let me say this..." the agent answered, walking forward, "Samantha... I forgive you..."
And like that, the vixen felt an extreme weight be lifted from her shoulders.
Maria continued walking, strolling right pass the scientist as she did so. Turning around, Samantha watched as the agent moved further and further away. Maria turned around and faced her as she walked off though, and a smile came to her lips.
"Have a good life, Miss Prower..." she called, her voice pure.
"Good luck, Maria..." the fox answered.
Then the super agent disappeared, in a brilliant flash of light. Samantha's hands gripped her chest, as her eyes peered high into the sky.
A second chance. She had been given a second chance.
…
Footstep after footstep, the two made their way down the metal halls. The white suits they wore were so rubber like, and because of that, they constantly squeaked. But that did little to relieve them of the action before them.
Ivo's face never lost his smile. Space he only dreamed of the place. But now, this day, this moment, he would be there. In the land of darkness and stars. A place where, one day, he would rule! If he played his cards right, of course.
Maria was much different. Her face was hard, stoic, and serious. Ready to face the unknown of the unknown. Space wasn't the end for her, it was the beginning. The place where she lived most her life. The land that constantly plagued her mind.
"Oh, I just can't wait, Madame Maria!" Orbot announced, bouncing jovially, "Space! Can you believe it!?"
"Yes, Jeeves," she yelled, "Now shut up!"
Suddenly Ivo stopped, in order to press a series of buttons on a panel to his right. The door before them opened up, splashing light into the hall. On the other end, the Silver Fish. Ivo almost ran for it, but Maria kept him from doing so.
They walked up to the ship, where the door slid open. Ivo stepped in first, with Maria walking in second. At that moment, she slid on her jump suit's helmet, something Ivo did as well. In unison, the cousins sat at the command center of the rocket ship, Orbot in the center, while their eyes aimed straight to the skies.
"Space!" Ivo announced, "The Final Frontier! I can't wait, Maria! Can you believe it!? We're going to space!"
"Jeeze, Ivo," the agent replied, "You're acting like a child!"
"As you say, dearest cousin," he suddenly grabbed a hold of a mic, "Computer, are you there?"
"Affirmative..." a cold robotic voice answered back.
"Are the E-100s ready as well!?" he asked next.
"Affirmative..." the machine confirmed.
"Good," his lips suddenly grew into a monstrous smile, "Prepare for lift off!"
They were suddenly strapped into place next. While Maria began to fret, Ivo started chuckling maddeningly. He really couldn't wait for this. Suddenly a screen before them descended. On the screen, the number ten.
Nine... Maria's fingers tightened on the hold of her chair.
Eight... Ivo's laughter grew even louder.
Seven... The ignition sequence started, thrusting up the rockets.
Six... The flames from the rockets thrusters made the entire ship jerk up.
Five... Jeeves began humming some annoying tune.
Four... The closed off panel at the front of the rocket opened up, revealing the night stars.
Three... The metal clamps holding the rocket in place left them.
Two... Maria closed her eyes. When they reopened, she saw the faded apparition of Shadow, sitting on the nose of the Silver Fish. He glanced back at her, and winked.
One... It was time to return. Return home.
Zero. Lift off had been achieved.
Fire, smoke, and sound was blasted throughout the area. The rocket tore through the air at intense speeds, breaking free of Ivo's launch pad. Maria, Ivo, and Orbot were pulled back in their seats, as the rocket went higher and higher. The blonde agent's heart began to race, and for a moment there, she thought she'd actually die. So, closing her eyes, she got so scared to face the heavens.
Minutes flew by, of her hearing the rushing fire beneath the rocket, and force of gravity escaping her. With all of this going on at once, she thought she'd be crushed to death. Fortunately enough, that never happened.
"Look Maria..." Shadow's voice whispered into her ear, "The colony..."
The blonde agent's eyes opened up.
Space. Everywhere. The stars were all the way there, and this blue glow came from behind. Through the darkness of this ship, Maria stared over to Ivo. He just stared up, slack-jawed, in pure awe. Then Maria gazed up. Floating there, in a slow orbit, as it collected dust and ice, was her old home.
Space Colony Ark.
"Wow..." Maria whispered.
…
"Uh... Sir...?" one astrophysicist called.
"What is it?" his commanding officer answered.
"Uh... It looks as if a rocket was launched..." the scientist continued.
"From where?"
"The Mazuri Deserts, it seems..."
"Mazuri? They don't have rockets... Do they?"
"Its heading into space, sir..."
"Space...? Now, I know Mazuri does not have space rockets. Pull it up on-screen..."
The great screen in the room flashed its sight, showing a red, black, and grey object moving through the stars.
"Can you make it any bigger?"
"No sir..."
"Fantastic..."
"Uh... Its heading toward the old space colony..."
"YOU MEAN ARK!?"
"Yes... Sir, what do we do..."
"Hmm... Keep your eyes on that thing, I'm telling Commander Taylor."