*A little atmosphere: watch?v=_zD4p_2gWpo (youtube)*
Prologue
The harsh winds that whipped the dry soil had started to die down, but the dust and sand that clotted the air like a thick fog would obscure any traveler's vision for a while yet. A massive wasteland on a southern continent had proven to be an excellent location for a hidden base. The landscape offered vistas of what could only be described as post-apocalyptic. Ash, sand and dust covered everything, not allowing plant- or wildlife to bloom in any significant shape or form. Forests had never had a chance to grow and any fertile soil was hidden beneath layers of rock and debris. As night had fallen, the heat slowly dissipated, being replaced by a chilling cold that seemed out of place in the environment that looked like the surface of Mars. The darkness, coupled with the fog that lingered, didn't allow for much in the way of visual feedback, but this natural camouflage worked as an advantage for some.
The base was meant as a hideout, a retreat when things went to hell. Built into the rocky sides of a ravine, it was nigh impossible to spot from the ground or air. A descent of over a hundred meters was required just to reach solid ground that didn't consist of unstable outcroppings along both sides of the ravine. The only part of the base that was remotely visible from above were the two manned turret towers that guarded the base from threats originating from above and below. The entrance had been hewn far enough into the face of the scaling rock wall that no angle was possible from the top of the ravine to get it into sight. As such, there was no telling how many guards were stationed down there, out of view. Because of its covert and remote nature, it didn't have all that much in the way of defense systems. About a dozen guards, at the most, those two turrets and perhaps a handful of Mechaniloid drones were all it could muster. It was meant to disappear into the background, not stand out by being protected by a legion of private Reploid forces. Its façade and interior would be unmarked, not yielding any answers as to its allegiance.
Two silhouettes had managed to descend down to nearly ground level from above, unseen and undetected as far as they could tell. Both dropped down onto the last outcropping, which gave them enough cover to serve as an excellent location from which to observe their target. Both were Reploids, Maverick Hunters even, and they were well known in the organization. They both belonged to Sigma's unit of crack hunters; the best of the best, but that didn't mean they could stand one another. They were ace hunters Zero and Vile.
One clad in a crimson and gold frame; Zero was an expert at using an arm-mounted energy weapon called a Buster. However, most Reploids possessed the ability to deactivate the weapon and hide it behind their hand until they required its use. Zero's own was an improved version was called the Z-Buster and it was feared by many. His red and white helmet allowed for his long, blond ponytail to descend along his back, adding to the visual aspects that made him stand out among his fellows. The other followed a very different style, both visually and in combat. Armed to the teeth, most of Vile's weapons were hidden within his purple and black frame. Less angular in shape than Zero's body, Vile's facial features were entirely hidden behind a menacing helmet. Despite the absence of eyes and mouth, he had an odd way of still being able to get expressions across through the lifeless T-shaped visor centered on the helmet. The only weapon that could be seen at a moment's glance was the deadly shoulder cannon that currently rested on his right shoulder pad; deactivated, and tilted slightly upwards to signify its non-lethal setting.
Zero and Vile were very different. The crimson hunter was methodical in his approach to hunting; following the rules to the letter but still being nigh zealous in tracking down his prey. He still fervently believed that Reploids who turned Maverick were not just a danger to humanity and themselves, but to all other Reploids, as well. Vile was another story. He reveled in destruction and mayhem, his raw firepower in battle and undeniable skill were the only reasons he had gotten away with breaking nearly every rule as long as he had. He had already been incarcerated numerous times for disobeying orders and breaking protocol. No one understood why he took such pleasure from causing collateral damage, sometimes even getting innocents killed and rarely giving his prey a chance to surrender or come with him alive and well.
Regardless, this mission was one they had both been sent on and commander Sigma had ordered them to stick to the plan. Zero already knew Vile had no such intentions, but there was very little he could do to stop the renegade.
"So Vargas is down there, is he?" Vile asked as he crouched behind one of the boulders that littered the outcropping, hiding his frame from the sight of any visual onlookers. From there, he lifted a set of binoculars to take in the base's front and its security detail.
"Yeah. He's been hiding there for a while now, so we can safely assume he's relaxed at least a bit. He probably knows we're coming, though. He's too high profile a Maverick to get away with what he's done and he knows it," Zero replied, following his comrade's example and hiding from the threats below.
Vile lowered the binoculars and handed them over to his right, not gracing the other with so much as a glance. "Two manned turrets up on the towers. They're not enclosed so they're easy to take out. I count six others patrolling the front or sitting in the guardhouse on the side. Why Sigma thought I needed your help for this, I'll never know," Vile scoffed at the end of his reasoning, already flexing his hands to loosen up and prepare for combat.
"Sigma gave strict orders to keep casualties and combat to a minimum. These are employees of an international company, they have nothing to do with the Maverick inside, they're just doing their jobs," Zero rebuked, his eyes narrowing angrily as he watched the front of the installation.
"Ha! You think they're going to ask questions first and shoot later? Besides, the way that place is set up, we're not going to be able to sneak in without taking down at least one of those guards. Where do you propose we hide him where he can't be found? I don't know if you looked around, but other than pavement and sand, there's not a lot in the way of dumping grounds," Vile explained and, while he had a point, Zero knew he was only making it so he got permission to unload on those Reploids.
"Then don't get carried away. Knock them out, disarm them, and arrest them. I don't want to see you blowing off heads like last time," Zero responded. He proceeded to put away the visual aid before turning to his fellow hunter, his stern expression stressing his words.
Vile merely waved a single hand at the other's orders, a cold chuckle contrasting Zero's deeper, passion-filled voice. "I'm not taking orders from you, Ponytail. You ready?" Vile questioned before suddenly rising up, his dash boots activating as the renegade prepared to propel himself down at his targets. "Because I sure am!" He added before boosting off, the propulsion force of his boots enough to launch him from the platform and have him clear the distance enough for him to land right in the middle of the small courtyard in front of the base.
"Vile! Get back here! Damn that idiot!" Zero cursed before activating his buster and vaulting over the boulder he had been using for cover. He wasn't quite so gung-ho, reckless and tactically inept as Vile, so he quickly took the calmer approach, using the distraction Vile was causing to dash towards the base from the ground and hopefully slip under the radar.
Vile, in the meantime, was already laying down the hurt on the security detachment. The instant he landed, crouched, on the paved courtyard, his shoulder cannon hummed to life and released a deadly sphere of light blue energy. His accuracy was as good as ever, as he immediately dispatched the guard closest to him, a young Reploid whose chest was lethally blown open by the impact. Alarms began to sound instantly, with the two gunners trying their hardest to turn their guns around to face the intruder in their midst. The other five guards dashed for cover, displaying more skill than one would expect for underpaid private security guards. They were armed with energy rifles, whose rounds were certainly capable of punishing the likes of Vile and Zero. The purple hunter was a moving target, however, and his dash boots gave him a degree of freedom few Reploids had. Zigzagging from one side of the courtyard to the other, his shoulder cannon dispersed more shots, taking down another guardsman who had chosen a poor time to attempt to take a shot.
By that point, the turrets had turned around and were ready to lay down some rapid fire to support their allies. Before the leftmost could unleash a torrent of solid shells, however, a hand grabbed the guard who sat strapped into a seat to control the weapon. Too surprised to react, the guard was knocked out cold when Zero smashed his face into the turret's control panel. From that high vantage point, it was easy for Zero to bring his buster to bare and fire a single shot at the Reploid arming the other weapon. He preferred not to use lethal force on them, but side panels protected the gunner to the point where a lethal shot to the head was Zero's only option. He took it, ending the threat of the emplacements quite permanently.
Down below, Vile had noticed how Zero effortlessly took out the only real threat to them, so he knew his back was covered. Without delay, the renegade activated another of his weapons. His fingertips opened up to reveal the barrels of his Vulcan guns; weapons that fired a spray of bullets that, on their own, were low caliber and not very dangerous. However, in the true fashion of the loose cannon, he had ten of them, allowing him to dispense quite a lot of pain. One by one, the guards fell under the joined fire of Zero's buster and Vile's shoulder cannon, coupled with the spray of solid slugs. When the last one dropped to the floor, Zero had managed to non-lethally take down but two of the personnel.
"Blast it, Vile! I've just about had it with you!" Zero exclaimed as he walked up to the other hunter, who stood by the blast door that would grant them access to the facility.
"And I've had enough of your incessant whining. Let's just get this over with," Vile replied as he searched one of the nearby Reploid remains for what looked like a keycard into the base. Finding what he needed, a grunt escaped him as Zero gripped his shoulder, pulling him to his feet and forcing him to turn and face the crimson hunter.
"One more time and I'm putting in a request to have you dismissed from the hunters and incarcerated on the grounds of being a Maverick yourself, do I make myself clear?!" Zero stated, not wanting to head in there, knowing Vile might get them both killed.
Zero was reflected in the emotionless visor of Vile's helmet as the renegade stared back at Zero silently. It was all too obvious that the loose cannon was seething with anger at Zero's confrontational attitude, but he swallowed his pride and nodded slowly. "Fine, whatever. Let's go," Vile responded, his shoulder roughly shaking off Zero's hand. A single slip of the keycard allowed them access and the two entered the base's bowels.
While the shots being fired couldn't be heard all the way into the dark office, the visual feed from the many cameras throughout the small facility was on clear display. The feed was being shown on a single, large viewscreen, that was divided up into over a dozen smaller windows. The two hunters could be seen disposing of the forces outside before piercing the base itself and making their way through the hallways. A door opened behind the figure that sat in the comfortable armchair and the captain of the guard entered to salute and make his presence known.
"Sir. We were unable to invalidate the access cards of the guard outside in time to stop them from entering. They've also managed to bypass our lockdown. We've kept the lights off and emergency illumination on in the hopes of slowing their progress, but they'll be here soon," the Reploid explained, clearly shaking in his blue frame with yellow trimming. His employer wasn't known for having a bad temper, or for dispatching his own personnel; if anything, working for Vargas had been a rather good job. That is, until he was labeled a Maverick for his actions and was forced to hide in this remote base.
The other Reploid brought his thumb and index finger to the bridge of his nose, rubbing the synthetic flesh in frustration. "Hmm... How much of the personnel remains?" He questioned, his voice maintaining a serene edge, despite the deep, masculine tone of it.
"Four guards and four other members of staff," the guardsman responded, a set of blue synthetic eyes trying to focus on the armchair that hid in the darkness behind a technologically advanced desk that sported all manner of expensive toys and gadgets. Computers, both installed and handheld, littered the desktop, and piles of papers showed the frustration of the Reploid in searching for answers to his predicament.
"Leave two men in the shadows. Let the hunters pass. The rest of you get out while you still can," the figure ordered before straightening himself and getting up from the seat. The tall Reploid had excellent posture and turned to face his subordinate slightly, one white-gloved hand moving to rest atop the backrest of the chair.
"But, sir, they'll take you in. This is our job, allow us to-" The captain was swiftly interrupted by a decisive answer from his superior.
"That was an order, captain. Are you suggesting you are stupid enough to think you can stop those two when you saw what they did to your men outside? My only hope was to remain hidden. However, they found this place and they found me. I can either accept my fate, or keep fighting pointlessly. Now leave me," he replied, taking a few steps away from his desk to gaze at a framed photo of a massive, multi-storied complex that hung on the wall. The office only had the barebones of furniture, containing but a few chairs beyond the desk and armchair. It was clear that this place wasn't meant as a residence, but as a last ditch effort.
The captain nodded and turned around to leave the Reploid named Vargas alone.
As was expected, Zero and Vile didn't need a lot of time to breach the inner sanctum. With the door easily forced open by a shot of Vile's shoulder cannon, Zero took point and entered the dark office.
"Was there any need for that? The door was unlocked, you know?" Vargas inquired as he still stood by the frame on the wall. His Reploid frame wasn't that of one designed for battle. He was an elegant model whose impeccable sense of presentation was accentuated by his posture, regal golden and silver color palette, and the purple detailing that had been put into place here and there. His plating resembled a long, expensive coat that flowed into his frame when it reached his shoulders. It hung open, with a lack of buttons as it was more ornamental than anything else. A single, purple, diamond-shaped gem was embedded in his chest and the high, sharp collar of his coat hid some of his facial features from sight due to the sideways viewpoint the hunters had of him.
"Vargas, you have been declared a Maverick and are under arrest for corruption charges and aiding terroristic threats against humanity and Reploids. Please raise your hands and drop down on your knees so you can be taken in for revision and incarceration," Zero recounted sternly, stopping his approach in the center of the room. Vile remained a few steps behind, remaining silent for now.
It was then that Vargas chose to turn and face them, an angular face that matched his eloquent and refined speech with narrow eyes, neatly kept, black synthetic hair and a set of silver, circular modules covering his ears. His eyes had a dark brown hue, which matched a slightly tanned skin.
"You really believe all that junk you spew, don't you?" Vargas questioned, his hands still folded behind his back.
"I'm not going to repeat myself, Vargas, hands in the air," Zero threatened, his raised buster not faltering.
This time, Vargas complied, raising his hands up into the air while he continued to speak. "I sold weapons and Mechaniloids to every army on the face of the planet. Every government wanted the advances my company crafted. But, when my policy of selling to everyone became a nuisance, I was suddenly labeled a Maverick. Do Reploid freedom fighters and other idealists not deserve a chance? They are silenced by mankind because they dare speak up against their absolute authority. So they are forced to pick up arms. I arm parts of the Repliforce and I'm hailed as a hero. I give the same deal to the freedom fighters, and I'm heralded a villain. What sense does that make, I ask you?"
"Those 'freedom fighters' used those weapons to instigate terrorist strikes that killed thousands of innocent people. They blew up a shopping center in Central City on a Saturday morning. It was filled with families," Zero replied, his eyes narrowing as he slowly approached the apparently defenseless Vargas. "I don't condone everything the government or Repliforce does; but I know for a fact they would never stand for something like that. You, on the other hand, let your greed justify everything. As long as you get paid and your company grows, you'll develop whatever you want and give it to anyone willing to pay up. Regardless of why the trigger will be pulled and who ends up in the crosshairs."
Vile started to grow bored at the conversation, but kept a close eye on Vargas, not trusting for a moment that someone faced with a lifelong prison sentence would remain so calm and composed. His attention was drawn behind him as he could have sworn he had heard something there. The situation smelled like a trap and he may have Zero distracted, but Vile wasn't going to go down by getting shot in the back.
"And tell me how many 'Mavericks' you've killed with that buster of yours? Reploids that had been driven into a corner because they had been labeled dangerous? Out of all of those, how many are you absolutely sure of deserved their fate, were actual Mavericks and not just Reploids who wanted to do something else in life. Not even necessarily something that would've been to the detriment of our lords and masters?" Vargas questioned, his tone of voice still eerily calm.
"Th-That's all just Maverick talk, Vargas. You can monologue all you want, all I hear is extremist nonsense from a man who wants to create chaos, sell arms and do it all under the guise of a revolution. You say all this so you can sleep at night. If you want to stand up for Reploid rights, follow the example of those who do so peacefully," Zero's patience was running thin and he wasn't about to repeat himself. He took another step forward, ready to force the Maverick on his knees.
"Just as I thought... Entirely indoctrinated and mindless. Still thinking change will come without effort and sacrifice," Vargas' train of thought was interrupted by an exclamation from Vile, who had remained quiet up until then.
"Zero! Behind us!" In a split second, the purple hunter had turned around to open fire at one of two guards that had tried to sneak up behind them, both wielding energy sabers capable of cutting a Reploid in half. The nearest one was killed instantly from the close-range shot, while the other was neutralized due to the rapid response from the crimson hunter, who had about-faced when he heard his dangerous ally's voice.
In that same moment, however, Vargas had attempted to make a run for his desk, his hand reaching into a drawer to undoubtedly grab a handgun and defend himself. He found himself unable to take aim as Zero returned his buster to focus squarely on the Reploid's chest. "Don't do it, Vargas. This can still be resolved without further bloodshed," Zero urged.
"Just shoot him, Ponytail, so we can get him out of here," Vile interjected, walking up to stand beside the other ace hunter.
Vargas' eyes shone in defiance, causing Zero to reiterate his plea, but it was to no avail. Believing his chances to be good enough, Vargas attempted to draw his handgun from the desk and take aim, instead finding a buster shot frying his hand, the weapon being knocked away. The Reploid fell back against his viewscreen, clutching his damaged right hand with teeth gritted in pain.
"You think you can take shots at us hunters, do you Maverick?" Vile questioned, angrily. "You're more trouble than you're worth. Why don't I do us all a favor and say you continued to resist arrest?" If Vile could, a vicious grin would've been on display as he spoke those words dripping with violence. His hand wrapped around his shoulder cannon, the arm guiding the weapon to fixate on the crippled Maverick.
"Vile, stop it, he's harmless now!" Zero stated, stepping in front of the renegade only to find himself shoved forcefully out of the way. That split second gave Vile all the time he needed to pull the trigger. The close range blast hit its mark, effortlessly destroying the target's right arm and taking out a chunk of his chest to boot. Vargas was pushed against the viewscreen, shattering the device as he slid down onto the ground, crying out in pain.
"Blast it, Vile! There was no need for that!" Zero exclaimed, about ready to punch the renegade hunter.
Vile approached the barely conscious, but living, frame of Vargas, who looked up at the t-shaped visor with intense hatred burning in his eyes. So many others had suffered similar fates at the hands of a Reploid who should have never received the rank and benefits he did. "Pff, calm down. He's alive isn't he? I'm breaking radio silence now," Vile commented, remaining utterly casual in his aggression. His hand reached up to cup the side of his helmet and open a communication channel to a hunter operator that had been monitoring their progress at the Maverick Hunter HQ.
"This is Vile."
"Y-You... Monster..." Vargas whispered, struggling to utter those words.
"One Maverick for transfer," without missing a beat, Vile's booted foot headed straight for Vargas' face. After this, there was only darkness.