Brav: Wow, Sypher, shit just got real for Zero. He needed some downfall. Things were going too sweet for him.

Me: I guess so. Every hero needs a little strife to keep them interesting.

Brav: 'A little strife'? Not only did Vagrant smash him up AND destroy that Saber, Null totally mind-fucked him. Bravo!

Me: I fail to see why you're so happy about that. You caught some mind-fuck from her as well.

Brav: True, true. But I'm kinda used to her shit, and I'm awesome. Zero never expected it.

Me: (sigh) Before this gets outta hand, how 'bout a Disclaimer?

Brav: Sypher owns nothin' but OC's and story. Capcom, who by the way is available for a buy-out, owns the rest.

Chapter 16- Rogue

Sirens wailed throughout the city as emergency crews continued their work after the Armada attack, assisting the injured and repairing the destruction. The news had been reporting the event almost the entire time, the spin being pro-Imperium at its finest. Sitting on a couch in a mid-level luxury apartment was Brav, enjoying both a cold beer and the entertaining news footage of Null and Vagrant being forced into retreat by an Imperium attack cruiser. "Serves ya right, you twisted bitch. Wish they woulda slagged your ass, but as usual the hard work is up to me." Brav said to no one but the television.

Although he had no love of the Imperium and their 'Peace through Combat' philosophy, Brav felt deep down that the Armada's 'Annihilation Rebirth' principle was just as much a load of crap. This war had been raging for almost 200 years with neither side being any closer to ending it, although it couldn't be argued that the Armada had a definitive upper hand with Lacadian's capture and Void tech on their side. And Brav had seen his fair share of combat, fighting in the trenches and on the front-lines during The Five. 'It's getting old... Not that I would stop fighting. Just want a victor at this point. There'll be other battles. Other wars. But this one... This one just needs to end before there's nothing left to fight over.'. Deciding that sitting around watching the same news story over and over while brooding was counter-productive, Brav headed out.

Hopping on the hoverbike he'd stolen when he broke away from the Armada, he took off towards Alundara and mulled over the events of the last several days. He'd been released from the Med Floor after 8 days, which caused him a fair amount of annoyance. His injuries, as he had been informed, where internally sever and cosmetically minor. His endo-skeleton had suffered numerous breaks and fractures from Zero's attack requiring days of precision repair. Coupled with Sub-Systems, Primary Systems and Weapon Systems damages, it was a wonder it had only taken 8 days. After he'd been freed by the Med-Tech team he spent the next few days trying to piece together the fragments and flashes of memories he had during the state of semi-consciousness.

Time was a blur of lights, faces, machines and nothingness. However, one set of memories was mostly clear. He saw Vale. He'd spoken with her about Zero's return and her death. At the time Brav had written it off as a delusion, his addled mind attempting to give him some closure. But as he continued to delve into it, he noticed several things that were just too out-of-place to be delusional mind tricks, the first being Vale's sadness. In all their time together, both good and bad, she'd never once conveyed the ability to react with sorrow to ANYTHING. It just wasn't in her programming. So to what purpose would his brain concoct that falsehood? The second was her tenderness as they conversed. Although they'd shared many quiet moments together Vale was never so soft and light in her approach. She was too self-absorbed to care that much.

It was the final oddity that helped Brav pull it all together and realize what exactly was wrong: Her eyes. The eyes that he'd seen millions of times over the years, the deep and piercing blue eyes he always found himself lost in, weren't the eyes that looked at him that day. The eyes he saw were a ghostly violet. A shade so light they bordered on non-existent color. They were the eyes of a devil he'd come to loathe over the years, eyes he wished to gouge out whenever he saw them. They were Null's eyes. And in that realization, Brav had snapped. The master manipulator had crossed a line with him she shouldn't have ever thought to cross and played him in a moment of weakness. Never while his wits were about him would she have attempted that, never would she have THOUGHT about it.

Brav had stormed her study after the epiphany hit, laying the guards out and blowing the doors down. She hadn't been there for days, as he found out after interrogating another Armada soldier. He also found out about Kay and Andromeda. His trip to the Detention level had been satisfying for him as he swatted soldier after soldier and made his way to Andromeda's solitary confinement. She sat lotus on the cells' floor, eyes closed, face gashed and a nasty looking wound in her shoulder. Brav had aimed his Cannon at the control box when she spoke, her whisper tone even lighter than usual.

"Don't."

"What?! I'm bustin' you out and your coming with me."

"Open the cell and I'll end your life, Brav. You've committed treason against the Armada, and although I'm a prisoner, I'm also an Officer and will perform my duty."

"Are you fuckin' kidding me?! Look around! What did you get caged for Roma? Being an assassin? Null completely lost it and everyone's gonna pay for it. You come with me and..."

"And what, Brav? Run for the rest of my days? Always look over my shoulder for Null or some other assassin? I'm not like you, I CAN'T disobey. No one understands how YOU can."

"You come with me and I can get that 'Obey' program scrubbed. You do have free will, you just gotta exercise it a little."

She had finally opened her eyes and the sadness and pain behind them had almost crushed Brav.

"And where would I go? The Imperium? I am Darkhood, The Nihilist Shadow. They would imprison me for life just on that. I've been demoted and stripped of my command, but once the general is active again I'll be free."

"You mean 'released', Roma. As long as Null's alive, you'll never be 'free'. Why not drive a dagger through Null's empty heart and take her place? You do realize that's one of the reasons you were created, right?"

Andromeda shook her head.

"I can't command all of this. It's not in my nature. The playing field is too large for me. I don't lead armies, I run stealth missions. Forget about all of this and run. I pray we never encounter each other again, as it won't be as pleasant as this was."

"I hope we DO, Roma. I hate leaving comrades behind. Even more so when they're friends."

Andromeda chuckled sadly.

"'Friend'... Not sure I've had one of those before... I regret not realizing this sooner."

"I'm friends with just about everyone. You're just the only one that's never asked me for anything. Step to the barrier, got a parting gift for ya."

Andromeda had given him a quizzical look but stood and stepped forward. A small antenna extended from Brav's armlet and tight beamed a comm frequency into Andromeda's memory. She jolted slightly from the quick transfer and stepped back causing Brav to smile.

"Just in case you change your mind... Or just wanna talk to a friend."

Brav had then blasted his way out of the Detention level to the garage, commandeered the best hoverbike there and took off at Max speed for the city. Through out the years he'd collected funds from the Armada, and several 'independent' sources as well, amassing a small bit of wealth. He wasn't rich by any standard but he was more than well off and the apartment in Neon City was one of the first purchases he'd made. Brav knew one day he'd need a place to lay low from his former masters, and he figured why not someplace nice and comfy. So he made his way there as Vagrant and Null breached the city, watching the news as the attack raged.

'And we've come full circle.' he thought as he whipped his bike around a corner and onto a side street, never letting off the throttle and scattering pedestrians in his wake. After several more blocks he started to slow as his destination grew closer. Turning once more down an alleyway, Brav powered the bike down and activated the security system. Although Alundara was pretty safe, there were still would-be thugs and thieves who'd try their luck, and Brav was one to never provide an easy 'mark'. Walking back out of the alley and down a flight of stairs, Brav entered another of his favorite hideaways- The Max Torque tavern.

A 'hole-in-the-wall' bar if ever there was one, the Torque was one of the best kept secrets in Neon. But the place was always full even though there were no advertisements, and tonight was no different. Brav tossed a wave to the bartender/owner, Max, as he made his way to the booth in the back he'd purchased when he first found the place. Max tipped his head in response as Brav walked passed and pulled a bottle of bourbon off the top shelf, knowing his customer's taste. Brav smiled as he sat in the booth, away from the lights and general conversational din of the bar, and waited for the waitress, Lessa, to make her way over. He was shocked, however, when a few moments later Max had settled into the booth across from him with two glasses. Brav quickly tossed a grin to the older Reploid barkeep.

"Takin' a break, old man?"

"I make it my business to know my customers, Rav. You look like you got a metric ton of shit on your brain tonight."

'Rav' was Brav's cover when in the city, as he was wanted by the Imperium. He'd introduced himself to Max as such on that first night after delivering a brutal beating to a group of rowdy Reploids who'd been harassing Lessa. Although Brav was a soldier and killer, he wasn't fond of grown men stepping out of line with a female. He'd made his point quite violently that night and told Max where he could charge the damages to. Since then he and the barkeep seemed to build a rapport, understanding one another on a level the older Reploid didn't share with other patrons. Max filled the two glasses and pushed one to Brav before speaking again.

"So, what's the problem, soldier? You look like you just watched a buncha rookie walk through a meat grinder."

"Jeez, do I come off so obvious?" Brav grumbled. Max chuckled and sipped his drink.

"I've been around a while. Pretty good at gauging folks."

"I guess so." Brav sighed and drained his glass, Max quickly refilling it. "Left the job today, and let's say I made a bit of a mess before I did."

Max nodded understandingly and sipped again, silently prodding Brav to continue. Although he wasn't one to speak so freely, Brav felt the grizzled old barkeep was someone he could talk to openly. Draining the second glass he continued.

"Got sick of the shit from most of the higher-ups, ya know? Used to be fine with it. As long as I had something to do as far away as possible from them, I was ok. But, things started goin' FUBAR and I couldn't just overlook it. Feeling a little fucked up too, cause I left a friend behind. Pretty sure the job is gonna be the death of her."

Max gave him a questioning look as he finished his drink and refilled.

"Why not take her with you? She's obviously somewhat important to you."

"I tired, Max. But she's literally programmed for what she does. Can't defy the program. Told her I'd help her out, get shit sorted if she came along, but no-go."

"So, you came here hoping to drink yourself stupid and hope to avoid the nightmare of failure. That's pretty weak, Berserker Brav."

Brav slowly sunk back into his seat, not showing his surprise at the barkeep saying his actual name, and let one hand move towards the holstered pistol on his hip. Max chuckled, taking another drink and never looking away.

"You really are painfully predictable, son. If I was gonna out you, I'd've done it already. Wasn't always a bartender. Did my time in the War. The Five got the better of me, so I AWOL'd first chance. I've seen you in action long before you thrashed those creeps messing with Lessa when you first came in here."

"You fought in The Five?" Brav relaxed some and put his hand back on the table, looking Max over for any hint of recognition. There was none.

"Yep. Former Sergeant 2nd Class. Demo-Infil Unit. Cloak & Dagger Company under Andromeda Darkhood, who was a Lieutenant 3rd class at the time."

This time Brav couldn't hide his shock.

"You were C&D during The Five?! I don't remember any 'Max' with that company."

"Changed the name a bit when I left the Nihilists. I was Maxsis Ulhoff, but that was a different life. After the Void Drops, I jumped ship. Couldn't stomach the thought of mass extinction as a tool to win a battle. I was stationed in Utah on The Day. Saw a lot of good men die. A lot of innocent lives as well and fought through the 'Obey' programming to get the hell out. Found someone smarter than myself, paid a nice bit and got myself some free will. Best decision I ever made."

"Well... Knew I couldn't've been the only one. How the hell did you stay off the radar? Keeping outta Null's sight ain't easy."

"Had my XID and IFF transponders removed along with the Obey program. I knew I'd be tracked once they realized I was gone, so priority one was make sure there was nothing to track. After that it was pretty easy to avoid the Armada." Max finished his glass and poured another. "My turn for a question. How's my old commanding officer doing?"

Brav stopped his hand in mid drink, his mind suddenly realizing he hadn't been prepared for the question. Max noticed the hesitation and his eyes grew hard.

"She's the 'friend' you left behind. What happened?"

Brav sighed again and recounted the tale of Andromeda's imprisonment for abandoning Kay to Zero, and Kay's extreme condition because of it. At the mention of Zero, it was Max's turn to be shocked.

"THE Zero? Like Maverick Wars and Legendary Hunter? THAT Zero?"

"Unless you know about some other long blonde haired, red armored Maverick slayer, yeah. That Zero. She did what assassins do: eliminated the target and got the hell out before the shootin' started. Null didn't take too kindly to it and tossed her brig side, after bustin' her down to a Sarge Deuce."

"Crazy bitch. Well, you got a plan for getting the Cap out? Knowing you, you're not gonna rest till you do."

Brav shook his head and drained his glass again. Although Max was correct in his assessment, Brav had nothing solidly formed in his head to get Andromeda out. Max smiled, a sly grin that made Brav curious and slightly uneasy for some reason.

"How about working for me while you figure it out? You need 'honest work' to keep up your funds and I could use a bouncer."

"You're kidding, right?" Brav asked almost incredulously. Max shook his head with a serious look on his face.

"You need a source of information that constant and current. Won't find a better one than a bar. I get Imperium soldiers in here all the time running their mouths. And you'd be surprised at how many Armada guys swing in here incognito. I'll gather intel as much as possible and relay it back if it's pertinent, you'll get paid to beat the hell outta rowdy individuals. I'd say that's a win/win for you."

"Um, kinda 'Wanted' by The Imperium AND the Nihilists Max."

Max scoffed and waved a hand at the argument.

"Dye your hair. Re-digitize your eyes. Re-modulate your voice. No one's gonna pay close attention to the guy watching the door, Brav. Trust me here. Beside, you already said you DON'T have a plan. Here's a plan. And it's better that the nada you have."

The pair sat in quiet for a while and just drank while Brav mulled it over. Max was right, it was a sound set-up and he DID need a way to keep the funding coming in. Mercenary work paid well, but even in this troubled climate work wasn't guaranteed and the risk of discovery by one side or the other was high. The bottle Max brought over was running low as Brav made his decision.

"You got a deal, old man. My service isn't exactly 'cheap' but I think we can come to a happy medium on weekly rates."

"Don't worry about the money 'Rav'. I can handle that. Worry about the important things, like the friend you wanna spring. Come back tomorrow evening, around 7, to start. Mid-week is high military volume."

Max extended his hand and Brav shook it as the barkeep began to get up from the booth. Brav reached into his pocket and pulled out two 50's to pay for the drinks, but Max waved them away stating this session was on the house and to give it to someone who could actually use it before he walked back to the bar. Brav chuckled at the comment and his eyes immediately found Lessa milling about serving patrons. She smiled as she noticed him looking and held up a hand to let him know she'd be right over. She was always here, open to close, working hard to make an honest living, and Brav figured who more deserving? She was also easy on the eyes, and that didn't hurt matters either. 'Maybe...' he thought, 'This won't be all bad.' As Lessa made her way over she smiled sweetly as she always did, making her green eyes seem brighter in the dark. Brav slid the 50's onto her serving tray with a smile of his own as the look of shock came over her face.

"Guess who's gonna be your new fellow employee?"

A/N: Not much here but it's a leader into other things. Hope you all enjoy it. Please, leave some more reviews. Good, bad, indifferent. Don't matter to me. Every opinion, like & dislike helps the process. Until the next chapter.