Me: Welcome back everyone. Just past the halfway mark. Thanks for stayin' with it.
Zero: Hey, author-type, not happy.
Me: (sigh) What did I do now?
Zero: What kind of 'worse shape' am I in? Samuel was a bit cryptic and I don't like that.
Me: No spoilers. You'll find out soon enough.
Zero: You do realize I could just beat you down and make you tell me, right?
Me: Yes. But I'm pretty sure SHE wouldn't be too happy with you. (Points over Zero's shoulder to Iris)
Zero: You're an ass, Sypher. You know that right?
Me: Yup. Disclaimer, good sir.
Zero: (sigh) Sypher owns nothing but the story and its OC's. MMX related items are Capcom's. You better not be making a mess of things.
Me: You'll find out soon enough. ~he's gonna be pissed!~
Chapter 17- Hero Shattered
"WHAT THE HELL DO YOU MEAN MY FAIL-SAFES ARE FRIED!?" Zero roared as Samuel showed him the data readouts from his systems.
"Your last Mode Switch did irreparable damage to the Fail-Safe Sub-System. It literally burnt out the entire system. I don't understand it either, as there was no indications from your capsule or Systems Check that suggested any issues. I personally assume it was a freak overload from the Omega transformation. In any case, you're gonna have to be cautious in combat situations now. Conserve power when possible by refraining from use of Special Attack systems and do more retreating. This'll help prevent a situation from arising."
"Are you kidding right now, Doctor? The Armada just made a major move and you're telling me to back off? And how, exactly, am I supposed to help end this war if I'm sidelined?"
Zero was seething, more with his failing body than anything else. However, his rage was unfocused and he aimed it at whoever placed them self near it. Unfortunately, Roto made himself a target by speaking next.
"No one said 'sidelined', Boss. Just need to take it easy an' keep safe"
"Oh, and how should I go about that? I'm a fighter! A Warrior! I don't skulk around in the shadows avoiding the fight! Do I LOOK like an Infiltrator?!"
Almost immediately after the words had left his mouth, Zero regretted saying them. He saw Roto's jaw go slack for a split second. The unintended insult had cut him deep, but he collected himself quickly and gazed back at Zero with equal parts fury and hurt.
"Wow... That was kinda harsh and reeked of assholeism. You may not see it, but we're tryin' to look out for YOU. And, ya know, the rest of the world. I get that this complicates things, but that's no reason to be a total dick to your friends."
"Roto, I didn't mean it like that."
"Whatever, man. I get it. You only respect those who throw themselves head-first into the fight, without care or reason. Maybe that's why X had to put you back together more than once. Think on that. I'm gonna go clear my head."
Roto stalked out of the workshop, his obvious hurt permeating the air. Zero looked around at everyone in his guilt. Cordelia had buried her attention in a terminal monitor as soon as Zero's outburst started and never looked away. Avery was aimlessly fiddling with random parts on a workbench, completely unsure of what they were but keeping himself as far from Zero's wrath as possible. Samuel and Iris both stared at him in disbelief at his hard words towards Roto and Samuel shook his head before joining Cordelia at her terminal. Iris walked over to him and unloaded a slap that cracked loudly across his cheek.
"What is WRONG with you?! That Infiltrator jab was completely uncalled for. Roto is kind and brave and you needlessly lash out at him for how he's designed?"
"It came out wrong." Zero defended himself while rubbing his stinging cheek. "I didn't mean HIM specifically."
"That doesn't make it better! Go and fix this now. And don't talk to me until you do."
"What? But..." Zero stammered, but Iris held up a hand to stop him.
"There's a couch in our quarters that you can rest your head on until you make this right. Understand?"
The fire in her eyes left no question that she meant what she said and with a sigh Zero nodded and responded with a slightly depressed "Yes, ma'am" before heading out to find the younger Reploid. Although Zero didn't know where Roto would go to 'clear his head' the Reploid's fiery retort to the insult gave him a place to start. Descending to Level B4, which had been excavated by the Imperium extras sent in, Zero arrived at the Training Center.
The entire floor was devoted to sharpening both physical and mental skills and divided into three sections. The first was a series of classroom-like areas where one could use terminals to take various quizzes to enhance mental reaction time, problem solving and logistical reasoning skills. Zero remembered spending some hours there during the Maverick Wars, trying to better prepare for Sigma's various mind games and destabilizing quiets between large assaults. 'Maybe I should've spent MORE time there. Would probably be more patient.' he thought.
The next section was the gymnasium/obstacle course. Zero had fond remembrances of hours spent there, and had even reworked some of the course to increase its difficulty. At first only he had be able to reach the goal line, but eventually X had also made it along with a few other Elite Hunters. None of them, however, had beaten his best time and he wondered if that was still the case. He'd have to find out later as this section, like the classroom section before, was unoccupied. Realizing his hunch about where Roto had gone was correct, Zero made his way to Section 3.
The final area on the floor was the Holo-Combat Arena. Zero had insisted that the Imperium techs get the place up to spec immediately after they unearthed this level. It was the tool any and all aspiring Hunters would use to hone their combat prowess in real-time. Capable of projecting Hard-Light holograms, the system was uploaded with the data of many of the Hunters fallen foes, and some Elite Hunters as well, allowing for simulated combat scenarios. With adjustable difficulties, one could simply spar with an opponent or dive into full throttle combat. Safety Programs built into the chamber itself didn't allow for anyone to be destroyed inside, but a hologram set to 100% could do hard, physical damage that could send you to the repair wards quickly via an Emergency Teleport. As a rule, no one could use the chamber at 100% without having a second in the Control Room to monitor the situation and end the program immediately in a serious case, as at maximum the holograms wouldn't deactivate.
Zero looked through the window into the arena and spotted Roto squaring off against three very familiar faces causing him to rush into the Control Room. Checking the readouts, Zero saw that the holograms were set to 50%, which meant if Roto's levels dropped below 45% the program would Auto-Terminate for safety purposes. As Zero monitored the battle, he was certain that the younger Reploid had engaged the program with these parameters for just that reason. Because in the area with him was Sigma, Vile and Colonel, three of the toughest combat sims uploaded into the system. Sitting down in the Control chair, Zero shook his head and let the situation unfold.
Boxed in by the trio, Roto had armed himself with a wicked looking dagger and his Buster. Vile moved first unloading with his Arm Vulcan while advancing. Roto juked and dodged away from most of the shots with amazing speed, dropping into a sliding sweep that caught the purple Maverick and dropped him hard directly into the path of Roto's Buster shot. The blast sent Vile skidding across the arena floor and away, but had left Roto open to a huge kick from Sigma that tossed the green armored Reploid into a powerful uppercut slash from Colonel. Quickly recovering in the air, Roto spun his Buster to Sigma and unloaded three more shots which the large Maverick easily evaded, but allowed Roto to toss several Napalm Grenades at his feet which exploded in blue flaming fury in his face.
Landing, Roto dashed at Colonel firing as he closed the gap between them. The skilled sword of the Repliforce officer deflected the shots and intercepted Roto's blade as he got close enough to use it. They exchanged a furious series of blows before Colonel parried Roto to the side and lashed him with kick that left him open to the incoming Plasma Shot from Vile's Shoulder Cannon. Roto tumbled away from Colonel only to be caught by Sigma once more, the Maverick's usual Saber becoming two and blazing the unfortunate Roto with several heavy slashes. A warning flashed in Roto's HUD exclaiming armor integrity was down to 66% and Energy Levels were near 50%. Gritting his teeth, Roto leapt into the air once more and tossed a large spread of explosives down at his foes.
Sigma jumped back, but two Sticky Grenades caught him and exploded, sending the Maverick Overlord flying into a wall. Vile tried dashing under the spread, but found himself caught by Proximity Charges and was enveloped in flames. Colonel's Saber cut down several of the explosives, but he too was caught in the spread as he cut through three EM Shock grenades and unleashed electrifying fury throughout his body. Roto landed again and fired at Vile his Buster finally doing the job and shattering the hologram, the programs way of simulating defeat. Rushing towards the still writhing Colonel, Roto struck out with several quick and powerful slashes with his dagger that drove Colonel back until the more skilled sword countered and disarmed the dagger. "SHIT!" Roto exclaimed as his blade went flying and Colonel delivered a sidekick that sent him careening towards Sigma's crushing blades, driving him to the floor.
Suddenly the arena lights started flashing orange, followed by a computerized voice booming out 'Safety Protocol Engaged. Program Terminated'. The two holograms faded away, leaving a battered Roto to lay quietly and catch his breath. Zero remained in the Control Room with a sympathetic wince on his face. Although Roto was bested in the end, he'd put up more of a fight against three of the five most difficult sims in the training program. All in all, Zero was impressed and even more ashamed of his earlier comment. Flipping a switch, Zero activated the arenas' PA system.
"You ok down there, kid?"
Roto jerked at the voice then raised a 'thumbs up', seeming to not have the strength to do much else. Zero couldn't help but chuckle.
"That was one helluva run. Rezzed Vile and almost had Colonel too. Impressive."
"For an Infiltrator, you mean?" Roto's voice sounded over the monitor speakers with much less sting then before.
"No. I mean in general. I'm pretty sure I'd get my ass handed to me in that kinda match up. Should I come get you or can you make it up here?"
"I'll be right up. The floor's nice an' comfy right now."
A moment later Roto entered the Control Room, his armor sporting some charring and sweat plastering his neon green hair to his forehead but otherwise looking unscathed. He dropped into another of the seats and connected to a charging port, sinking into the seat and looking at Zero with his usual goofy grin. Shaking his head and leaning forward with his forearms on his knees, Zero returned the grin.
"Roto, I'm sorry for what I said before. It came out badly and very much wasn't meant to slight you in any way. The last thing you are is weak. And you damn sure aren't a coward."
"Listen, Boss, like I said before: I get it. I understand that powerless feeling. It sucks knowin' there's nothin' you can do. Been there. But, you can keep going, just gotta tone it down an' leave the heavier liftin' to your support. Me an' Av'll be joining you from now on, just in case."
"I appreciate it, Roto. Speaking of Avery, how's his training coming along?"
"Great, actually. So far he's taken out a maxed Chill Penguin and Sting Chameleon, an 80% Flame Mammoth, Spark Mandrill, Slash Beast and Jet Stingray. An' finally, one of those dragon mechaniloids at 65%. The kid's gettin' good."
Zero's eyebrows raised in admiration as Roto listed off the young soldiers' training kills. Avery was indeed getting better, and he would need all that skill in the near future as Zero was certain things would be getting harder. Shaking away the thoughts of war he wrapped his arm around Roto's shoulders and started walking towards the exit.
"I think I owe you a drink after that session. Let's see if the Mess has anything worthwhile."
Samuel was face deep in the monitor, equations and schematics dominating his view as he worked fervently on the Upgrade Capsule. Cordelia was tuning the Capsule itself, adjusting it as Samuel specified when he pulled away from the screen. Iris and Avery had retrieved several sets of blueprints and data cards from the containment area to assist the pair, but because neither had any technical background they couldn't do much more.
It had been almost three weeks since Samuel and the others had come to the base and, aside from a few breaks, he'd been working on the Capsule full time and made little headway in completing it. Frustration finally set in and he slammed his fists into the desk causing the monitor, and the others, to jump. Leaning back in his chair, he closed his eyes and rubbed his temples as another headache threatened to overtake him.
"I don't understand. EVERYTHING is according to specification. Why won't the program hold?"
Cordelia approached him slowly, her eyes glancing at the numerous windows of information being displayed. According to what she saw, everything WAS in place. Armor and Weapons upgrade was complete. The enhanced sensor suite was optimized and ready to install. And the Primary Drivers and Sub Routines were fully functional. However, the Purge coding meant to delete the Omega personae wasn't activating or would fail less than halfway through the testing simulations. As this was the primary goal of the Upgrade, Cordelia understood the doctors' frustrations and gently laid a hand on his shoulder.
"Maybe you should step away from this for a little while, Doctor. You've run over 100 simulations in the last hour, with almost as many modifications. Staring it down won't help. You need some fresh air. Some food wouldn't hurt either."
Samuel sighed, continuing to fend off the headache.
"I'm ok, Cordelia. It just doesn't make any sense. It's like the Omega personality is FIGHTING the Purge off physically. But, again, that doesn't make sense because it's a dormant sub routine."
"Is it though?" Avery asked.
Everyone turned to look at the young Reploid, who immediately blushed from all the sudden attention and tried to busy himself with something to get everyone's eyes off him. Samuel, however, rotated his chair and gazed at him fully.
"Explain, Avery." Iris said.
'Me and my big mouth...' Avery thought, then sighed before responding. "What if Omega isn't JUST a program buried inside Zero's systems? We all know that was his original programming and 'Zero' was a masking reprogram. What if Omega IS fighting off the adjustments because he's ACTUALLY much more sentient then we think? Zero always says that he's constantly fighting a battle to keep him at bay. Maybe that's less metaphorical then we assume."
Samuel's eyes went wide in realization and he slapped himself in the forehead, immediately regretting it as his headache struck back.
"Avery, you're a genius! I've been treating Omega as a regular program this whole time, when I should've been treating him as an aggressive artificial intelligence. Of course he would fight back against what's effectively his 'death'."
Samuel spun back to the monitor and began typing furiously, a new set of algorithms appearing. Cordelia, Iris and Avery stood behind him watching as his fingers flew across the keys, strings of data and coding replacing older information. After a handful of minutes, Samuel hit the 'Execute' key and started another simulation run. They all watched as the status bar slowly rose from 0 to 85% before the 'Failure Imminent' screen appeared. Samuel smiled and sat back once more. Iris tilted her head in confusion at the doctors' expression.
"I don't understand why your happy at this turnout Doctor. The Upgrade still failed."
"Yes it did, but it failed at 85%. The others simulations never made it past 20. All I need to do now is find the EXACT sequence that can override Omega's positronic thought process. It may take some time, but now that I'm treating him as a conscience threat, as opposed to a program I'm pretty sure we can scrub him out completely. Someone should go find Zero and tell him to come back so I can ask him some questions. A little more information from him should help."
Iris dutifully left the workshop and headed off to find Zero, while Samuel continued his work. Cordelia gave Avery a nod and also went back to adjusting the capsule, making tweaks according to the data. With nothing to do, Avery decided to head to the Training Center and brush up on some tech subject matter. After his longshot idea he figured he could be more useful if he knew more and, stating his intent, left the scientists to their work.
"That was brilliant on his part." Samuel said without looking up.
"Yes, it was. Why didn't we think of it sooner?"
"Because we weren't viewing Zero and Omega as separate entities. We were treating Omega as a virus or dormant sub routine when we should've been focusing on the fact that he's almost symbiotic with Zero. What I have to do now is clone his physical structure as part of the upgrade and reformat it to function as part of Zero. Because, although they are similar, Zero and Omega aren't identical. It'll be a vast overhaul on the Upgrades' configuration, but with the same results. Adjust Acceleration Unit 22-F by 14ghz."
Cordelia did as Samuel asked then joined him as he called her over to watch another sim. This time the status made it to 88% before crashing and the doctor went back to work. Cordelia couldn't help but be impressed with the Human's dedication to this issue and felt bad about the topic change she was about to introduce.
"Doctor Mavris. I'm sorry to spring this on you now, but as we've not had a lot of time lately to talk..."
Samuel stopped in mid key stroke and spun his chair to face her, a very familiar look in his eyes.
"You're having the nightmares again?"
She nodded, unable to voice the dark dreams for fear they would manifest in the waking world.
"They've been bad lately. Ever since we got here, actually. I've tried readjusting my recharge patterns to see if that would help, but no dice. And I know you've said that it's a form of PTSD from my war experience, but it seems different than that now. I feel like I'm experiencing someone else's life like it's mine. But the bad part is, I'm still experiencing my own life in conjunction."
"Personality Displacement. Your mind has created a second reality that's attempting to subjugate your own. Tell me about it."
"It's the same event: the last Day of The Five. I'm with my unit, evac'ing and then suddenly I'm grounded and heavily damaged. I can feel everything shutting down and... Pain. Fiery pain all over, then I'm running again towards the dropship, but all of the pain is still there. All my indicators are screaming shut down, but I'm unscathed. As I hit the deck of the ship my vision goes red and blurs out, replaced by static filled voices and sketchy, hard to see figures talking about rebuilding me and I'm gonna be ok. But the oddest thing in all of it is this feeling of leaving someone behind."
"Someone? Like a fellow soldier?"
"No. Like a family member. Someone who was still alive and would be devastated by my loss. But that makes absolutely no sense to me. I'm a stand-alone unit. I wasn't created with siblings, so..."
"Trauma of the sort you experienced would account for the strange displacement of physical locations and conditions you're describing. But, I'll run a few tests on your neuro-relays and memory center and see if I can puzzle it out. That is, if you want me to."
"I'd appreciate it, Doctor. But, when there's time. Right now, we have a more pressing matter to attend to."
Days passed as the research continued, each day bringing the capsule closer to completion. The Armada had been quiet since the attack meaning, aside from some small skirmishes, no further incidents of extreme violence had broken out. After giving Samuel a full report concerning Omega, Zero and Iris hid themselves away to just enjoy each other's company. Roto and Avery had spent most of their free time in the Training Center, honing skills both mental and physical. And Cordelia, as usual, had remained with Samuel to assist him. They had also found time to talk and run several diagnostics. Although the doctor had said he could find nothing out of the ordinary, Cordelia's nightmare continued. Samuel noticed it very clearly one day as she was so distracted in thought she over torqued a bolt on the capsule, immediately causing a shower of sparks to rain on the pair.
"Oh shit! Doctor, I'm so sorry..."
"It's fine. I think, maybe, you should get some rest."
Cordelia sighed. "I wish I could. I haven't had a good night's sleep in days. Maybe I should just purge my memories from then. This is really starting to hinder me."
"That's a BIG purge. It might cause a memory gap that's just as bad as the nightmares."
"I know. But it's getting to the point where I wouldn't mind being blank. It has to better than this."
"I think you need to get away from here for a little while. Maybe see if you can steal Iris away for a few hours and have a 'Girls Night'. Might help get your mind off of all this turmoil."
Cordelia's face brightened more than Samuel had seen in weeks.
"That's a GREAT idea, Doctor. But, what about the research?"
Samuel waved his hand dismissively.
"I can handle running sims and making adjustments. Go. When's the last time you had another female around to bond with? You've been stuck with a stuffy human scientist and hyperactive jester for years who don't understand you completely. I'm sure Iris would be thrilled to have some 'girl time' with you. Get out of here and go have fun."
Cordelia smiled at Samuel and waved as she left the workshop in search of Iris. Samuel rubbed his temples as a sad smile came to his face. 'I'm sorry, Cordelia. I wish I would've handled your rebuild differently...' Shaking away the thoughts of actions past, Samuel returned to his work plagued only slightly by how he had handled piecing that shattered being back together.
Later that day, Cordelia and Iris set out for Neon City. Zero hadn't been excited to let them go alone, but Iris had told him they'd be fine and were more that capable of handling themselves should the need arise. After they left, Roto came to Zero and proposed a Guys Night. Skeptical at first, Zero gave in as Roto explained that it would serve dual purposes. The first, and obvious, being some down time away from the confines of the base. The second, and more subtle reason, was that they could be in the city as well just in case something happened.
"Better off right where they'd need us, right? 'Sides, Avery could use a manly experience like a bar brawl or somethin'."
Just before nightfall the trio headed out. Zero opted on the hoverbike they'd confiscated from Brav while Roto and Avery took a two-seater transport that arrived shortly after the Imperium had settled in to help with the base. It took a little over an hour at top speed to reach the city and they parked in a structure near the entrance gates, deciding to walk around for a bit before heading anywhere.
Zero was impressed at how quickly the repairs from the attack, only days prior, had been handled. Roto noticed him looking around.
"It's one of the good thing about the Imperium: they clean up quick. Can't have too much havoc, or else folks start feelin' unsafe."
Zero couldn't help but agree as they walked around, most of the reconstruction still in progress but nearly finished. They checked out a couple of shops, mostly new-age clothes and armor accessory places, before Roto suggested finding somewhere to sit down and get a couple of drinks. Zero and Avery let him lead the way, as neither had spent as much time in Neon City as him. Roto said they had a few good choices, whether upscale or dive was their choice. Zero had said nothing too obnoxious while Avery thought a small, quiet place would be best. Roto grinned and walked them over to a holo-map of the city, highlighting an area in the Alundara District.
"The Max Torque. Cool little spot. Out of the way and quiet. Good atmo, great drinks."
Hopping in a taxi the trip took less than ten minutes and Roto led the party down a flight of stairs into the Torque. They were greeted by the hostess/waitress, Lessa, and shown to a booth. Zero looked around at the interior of the place gauging both the potential for attack and the darkened decor choice. He couldn't help but think that the Torque would've been an optimal target for a raid back in the Hunter days. Fingers snapping in his face brought Zero back to the now as Roto's foolish grin again filled his face.
"Don't keep the good lady waiting, Cheif."
Zero's cheeks reddened slightly as he offered his apologies and ordered a house lager. Lessa smiled at them and scuttled away to fill their order. Avery looked around the bar, much the same as Zero had, his shoulders seeming slightly more tense than earlier. Roto rolled his eyes at the pair.
"Would you two just fuckin' relax? We're here to chill and have a good time and you two are gazin' around like a couple a militants lookin' to bust someone. Old Max over there don't let the unsavory in here. It's 'down time', remember? So, power down the combat protocols."
Avery's posture eased while Zero just shook his head. Lessa returned with their drinks a moment later, two neon orange concoctions in tall glasses and a dark amber brew in a stout mug. Placing the atomic orange drinks in front of Roto and Avery and the beer before Zero, Lessa gave a little nod before scuttling off to attend her other duties. Zero couldn't help but stare at the drinks in front of his companions.
"What the HELL is that?" he asked, his tone suggesting a note about the drinks' safety.
"An Omega Buster. House special." Roto informed him.
"Wow... They named a drink after the most destructive force this world has ever seen? I'm almost scared to know what the hangover feels like with a name like that."
Roto laughed as he sipped his drink, a look of satisfaction crossing his face. Both Zero and Roto laughed as Avery took a sip and his face screwed up tight and he began to cough. "We got a rookie at the table!", Roto jeered. For the next few hours things were good as the 'boys' enjoyed drinks, food and overall merriment. Roto and Avery pressed Zero for stories from the Maverick Wars, most of which included X and the old Hunters. One of the stories had the pair in stitches of laughter as Zero told them of a prank he and Alia had played on X.
"You did NOT." Roto exclaimed.
"I swear. It wasn't meant to go as far as it did, but Alia had a brilliant plan. I couldn't resist."
"But, ALL of his armor?" Avery asked through his laughing.
"Every piece. We scattered them all over the base while he was showering. And with a little hacking on Alia's part, he was locked out of his room. It was hilarious to watch him bumble around the base in a towel looking for his clothes and armor."
"Wow... Just, wow. I thought WE pranked hard in Deep Six, but we got NOTHIN' on that."
"X was good about it. And, eventually, got his revenge."
"Oh no... What did he do?" asked Avery, his words beginning to slur a bit as the drinks took hold.
"Had Douglas reconfigure my Saber. Every time I'd activate it, it hit me with a low voltage pulse charge. Numbed my whole arm the first time. And seeing as Douglas was part of the charade, everytime I went to get it checked out he'd tell me nothing was wrong. He'd deactivate the mod chip, ignite the saber to show me, reactivate the chip and hand it back. Luckily for the few days this went on, nothing Major was happening."
The trio laughed hardy, Roto and Avery because they'd found out that even Zero could be gotten. Zero laughed at the fond remembrance of his brother and the escapades they'd enjoyed together in between the chaos. Zero decided to give Iris a call after checking the time. He told Roto to order another round while he stepped outside then thought better of it for Avery, as the poor boy was plenty intoxicated. "Get him a water." he said as he made his way to the exit. It had gotten cooler out since they'd arrived, the breeze was gentle yet invigorating compared to the slightly stale air inside, and Zero basked in it for a moment before activating his ear-piece. Iris picked up almost immediately, her cheerful tone bringing a smile to his face.
"Hey! What's going on?" she asked.
"Nothing much. Me and the boys decided if you girls get a night off, we should too."
"Really? And what did 'you boys' do? Hopefully stayed out of trouble." Iris giggled.
"Yeah. Decided to come to the city and meander about. Had some drinks and heading back to base shortly. How's the outing on your end?"
"Great! Cordelia and I went shopping. I think you're going to like some of my purchases. We're finishing up dinner now then heading back ourselves. Maybe we can all head in together."
"Well, you can ride with me. But unless Cordelia doesn't mind outriding in a gunner seat, there may be a space issue with the transport. Roto grabbed a two-seat when we left."
Zero heard Iris confer with Cordelia, who's response didn't come over the comm, but when Iris replied it seemed that her nightly companion had no qualms with the nature of the gunner seat. Setting up a meet time and place, Zero said his farewell and started to head back inside when he caught sight of a black clad man near the entrance looking his way. Although Zero couldn't place his face, he did note a look of challenge in his dark red eyes.
"Something I can help you with?" Zero asked, his tone suggesting he'd be more than willing to accept this strangers' challenge. It wasn't until the man spoke that Zero realized the situation he was in.
"Yeah, blondie. You can suit up for Round 2, cause I owe you an ass whoppin'!"
Zero leapt to the side a second before the man fired off the pistol he'd been concealing, the shot narrowly missing his head. Quickly armoring up, Zero drew his Saber and set into a defensive position as his opponent followed suit, the familiar red and yellow armor of Brav replacing the black suit he'd just been wearing. Zero grinned a feral smile.
"So, the Armada pieced you back together? I was hoping I smashed enough of your processors that you'd be down and out."
"You got lucky, Red. I wasn't in a state of mind to handle you. Luckily, got myself some upgrades and a clear head this time." Brav responded, the fire in his voice burned with confidence. Holstering his pistol and drawing his blade, Brav returned Zero's grin. "Let's settle this."
Zero leapt forward and their blades crashed in a fury of buzzing and sparkling light. They matched each other's attacks with precision and graceful technique, Brav fending off the speed of Zero's flurries while Zero managed the reach and power advantage offered to Brav by his Broadsword. Their duel left the ground as the pair began to wall-jump and strike at each other from aerial positions. Brav attempted to reach for his pistol once more, but Zero lashed the gun with his Saber quickly destroying it. Undeterred, Brav snatched Zero by his chest plate and spun him into the wall, grinding him back down to the ground and kicking him square driving Zero further into the bricks. Grunting from the blow, Zero lifted his legs and planted them into Brav's chest and ignited his Boosters, sending the Maverick flying into the opposite wall and causing his blade to fall from his hands which Zero took advantage of and unloaded several quick slashes into his armor.
Brav countered the last slash with a viscous uppercut, catching Zero under the chin and lifting him off his feet enough for Brav to unload a spin kick that returned Zero to the indent his body made in the other wall. Before he could recover, Brav shoulder charged him, took hold of his arm and flipped him over his own shoulder and to the ground, Zero hitting the floor with such force that his vision blurred. It cleared in time for him to catch the stomping foot of Brav and roll to the side, twisting Brav's leg and dropping him to the ground as well. Zero fired off a blast from his Z-Buster catching the Maverick as he began to stand, the energy blast having the desired effect of pushing its target back and giving Zero pervious seconds to recover.
Checking his HUD, Zero noticed his Armor Integrity was down to 50% and his Energy Levels were just over 60. Whatever upgrades Brav had implemented were having the desired outcome, as Zero knew he couldn't keep this up much longer. Gritting his teeth and charging once more, Zero went for broke unleashing one of his most powerful combos against Brav. Starting with the dashing Shippūga that gouged deep into his opponents' armor, Zero followed up with light-to-medium horizontal strikes from right to left. A heavy overhead slash was next which further staggered and left Brav open to a powerful Ryūenjin leaping upper slash. Already airborne, Zero kicked his Boosters in to gain greater height in an attempt to crash down on Brav with the deadly Hyouretsuzan Ice Blade. Unfortunately, Brav had recovered much quicker than anticipated and slammed his fist into the ground as Zero was about to make contact unleashing his Kinetic Wave attack which shattered the frozen blade and threw Zero through the nearest wall. Zero HUD blared with Critical Warnings as he attempted to pull himself upright. The power drain from his attacks, coupled with the devastating impact from Brav's counter had left him nearly depleted. His vision was blurring between normal and red as Brav stood over him.
"Ya know, after you beat me down so bad, I lost a bit of confidence. Thought maybe I wasn't as tough as I assumed. But now I see your win was a fluke. I wasn't on point, and caught a foul one for it. Enjoy your time getting patched up, cause it looks like you're fucked up real bad."
Before Zero could form a retort, Roto came outside.
"What the Hell's takin' so... Oh SHIT!"
Quickly Framing Up, Roto took aim at Brav causing him to chuckle and shift his arm into its Plasma Cannon mode.
"I'd stand down, neon wonder. If HE can't topple me, what the hell makes you think you can?"
"Wow... You Armada ass-wipes are all the same. Too bad you're dumb as shit an' have NO CLUE what the fuck you just did."
Brav laughed as he looked back at the heavily damaged Zero then back to Roto before noticing the green armored Reploid wasn't aiming at him but at Zero. His laughter quickly faded away.
"What are YOU doin', kid? He's banged up, but you're lookin' like you're ready to slag him. This the new Imperium protocol?"
"No, moron. You DO know who he is, right?"
"He's the 'Legendary' Zero. But I'm pretty sure that's a load of overhype."
"He's ALSO Omega. Ya know, the guy that turned General Kay into a scrap heap. Zero keeps that beast at bay, and now you fucked us all."
"You're kidding, right?" Brav scoffed. "I whupped his ass some, nothing too dramatic. He'll be fine in a few days."
"Again, not gettin' the big picture here. There were fail-safes in place to keep Omega checked. Those are GONE! Once he goes Crit, that's it, Omega Time! And he's not on ANYONE'S side here. We're ALL targets."
Roto reached up to his comm and called Samuel while Brav looked back to Zero who was now sparking and his armor was shifting between Crimson and Black.
"Gearshift to the Doc! We've got a Code OZ, repeat Code OZ! Need Emergency Beam Out ASAP! Activating Nav Beacon. Inform Hunter I an' Operator C of the situation."
Roto's comm crackled as Samuel responded.
"Shit! What the hell happened out there?"
"I'll explain later, just get us all back NOW! Zero's in Shift as we speak!"
Seconds later Roto and Zero were engulfed in teleportation energy and were gone, leaving Brav alone in the alley with a sinking feeling in his guts. Powering down his armor and dusting off his black suit, he shrugged. Nothing he could do about it now except wait. Walking down the stairs that led into the Torque, Max shouted "YOU'RE LATE!" causing Brav to chuckle.
"Had to handle something outside, old man. Or would you rather I trash the place some next time?"
"Shuddup and clock in. Just got jilted by a crew of guys. Beamed out without payin'."
"Put it on my tab, that's my fault. Had to rough up the blonde that was with them."
"Well, next time wait till they pay before you rough folks up. It's bad for business."
Brav thought about what Roto had said about Omega and quickly wondered if 'bad for business' was the least of their worries. Shaking it off he posted up by the door and tossed Lessa a smile and wink. 'Ill worry about The End when that bridge falls on me.'
Back at Hunter HQ, everyone was gathered in the workshop. Zero was inside the Capsule with it's safety and containment protocols on max. He looked to be asleep, yet his armor continued to shift between red and black every few minutes. Samuel, sitting at his terminal, broke the uneasy silence that had fallen over the room.
"Well, he managed to attempt a Manual System Shutdown. But because Omega was already in the process of activating, he only got into Standby Mode. I can't affect repairs or recharging while he's in this state, and if we let him wake up fully there's no way to stop the transformation."
"So what CAN we do?" Asked Iris, her concern unfiltered.
"Not much, really. Hopefully his self-repair will patch him up enough to cease the Critical System shutdown and help him fend Omega off. If not, our options are limited and distasteful, to say the least."
"Explain, Doctor." Iris said firmly.
"Option 1: I attempt to run the Upgrade and actively attempt to purge Omega in the process. That's extremely dangerous right now, as Omega is currently attempting to assert control. Battling a malicious AI of his caliber has never turned out well.
Option 2: Do nothing and hope he pulls through enough to repair him. After he's fixed up, however, he'll need to be lay down his weapon until we can update his fail-safe systems. And that's just as dangerous as fighting him. His 'warrior pride' is very strong.
Option 3: If we fail to contain Omega, we have to beam him as far away from civilization as possible and hope we can get that capsule to do its job properly. Once he turns, that's the only way we'd be able to get him back."
Silence once again descended upon the room and Iris walked over to the capsule, resting a hand on the protective glass. Samuel had been correct when he described their choices as 'distasteful' as there didn't seem to be an option where everything would turn out fine. Iris understood that this choice rested in her hands at the moment, and she wrestled with the notions of losing Zero to Omega or his own disappointment and rage. 'You would tell me to do what's right and that the right choice is usually the hardest.' Making her decision, Iris turned to face her friends with uncertain determination in her eyes.
"Start the upgrade. Between yourself and Cordelia, I have faith that you can make it work. His self-repair hasn't kicked in yet, so you are his only chance."
"And if we fail?" Samuel asked solemnly.
"Then we beam him to the Antarctic. As far from civilization as possible, right? We'll worry about any other problems afterwards. Let's try to contain this one first."
Samuel nodded and took his place at the work station he'd occupied for the last few weeks, Cordelia taking the seat next to him, and activated the Upgrade Sequence. Beams of red-white light began to stream upwards from the capsules' floor filling it with an eerie glow as the program started. A status screen at the top right of the capsule began displaying several data readouts which included Weapons Augments, Armor Density Reconstruction, Sensor Enhancement and, finally, Purge Progression. All was quiet except for the rapid clacking of keyboard strokes and the gentle humming of the capsule as Iris, Roto and Avery kept a vigilant watch on the data feeds. Moments passed in this surreal silence until Zero's eyes popped open causing an alert from the data screen to start blinking. Iris looked from the screen to Zero in time to see that it wasn't his emerald eyes looking back, but the bloody crimson of Omega's.
"Shit! Omega's fighting back already! Cordelia, modify the equation by a factor of 12 and continue as fast as possible."
"Understood."
'No...' Iris thought as dread started to fill her from head to toe, 'You have to fight him, Zero. You can't let him win.'. She approached the capsule once more and almost jumped back as those bloody eyes looked through her, a deep demonic chuckle emanating from Zero.
"You are all fools for not destroying me when you had the chance. He's gone, little girl. Lost to you forever now, but trapped and aware inside me. I'll kill you last. Very slowly as well so he can watch EVERY agonizing second helplessly."
This time Iris did step away, a horror and fear washing over her that she hadn't felt since her encounter with Zero on the Final Weapon. She'd always know of Omega and his capability, but she never knew that he possessed a true conscience that understood anything more than death. Hearing him speak through Zero was like listening to the Devil announce his intentions of Damnation, and it chilled Iris to the core. Before she could attempt to respond the beasts eyes shifted back to Zero's. His voice was strained as he spoke, the surest sign of the fatigue he was enduring in his struggle. He gazed at Iris sadly as though taking in the sight of her from his deathbed then turned to Roto.
"You...you gotta...end this...kid. C-charge your...your...Buster. Av-Avery...too. You...can't...let...him...escape...ARGHAHHHH!" The voice of Omega replaced Zero's once more. "Silence! Their time is close at hand, false being. These Armor enhancements will be more than enough to stop even the power of a Neutron blast."
"Doctor!?" Iris cried in panic
"He's cutting us off at every interval! We've barely gotten it past 30%! We've got until the Upgrades complete to Purge him. After that..."
Samuel left the statement open as reiterating the consequences were irrelevant at this juncture. Iris looked to the data feeds, her heart further sinking as she saw the Upgrade Progress was nearly complete. They had minutes, at best, before their efforts would be useless. Gathering her wits and will, Iris manned another terminal and began the Emergency Transport start up. Seconds later she had the coordinates in place and Zero's IFF signature coded for immediate transport. She could feel herself breaking inside, every second passed as a painful reminder of happier times that would be no more than memories. It was how she felt right before facing Zero after she'd learned about her brother's death and it was once again threatening to tear her apart. Glancing to the data screen once more only heightened this, as the upgrades were at 95% completion. Cordelia and Samuel's joint exclamation of "Fuck! No!" was the last thing she heard before jamming down the 'Execute' key which engulfed Zero, now fully overtaken by Omega, in brilliant light and teleported him away.
The capsule erupted in small popping bursts and sparks raining all throughout from the massive surge of power that shorted most of its systems. Iris heard nothing, though, as she fell from her seat and howled with sorrow as tears cascaded down her face. Cordelia sprung from her seat and scooped the Reploid into an embrace, trying to quell the almost violent shaking from sobs racking through her. No one spoke. There were no words that could express the dark turn of events. Zero was gone and, after a thousand years of imprisonment, The Destroyer God Omega had returned.
A/N: The mighty heroes fall. The Darkness shall spread like plague. Abandon All Hope Ye Who Read Here. Sorry it took so long to get another chapter out, been pretty busy with work and the family. I hope everyone enjoyed it. Still working my way through it and won't quit till it's done. As usual, please give it a Review after your read. All opinions, suggestions, comments and critiques are welcomed and appreciated. Until the next chapter folks.