Captain James T. Kirk and the away team from the Starship Enterprise could only watch the heated battle from the sidelines, unsure of what they were able to do. Sonic the Hedgehog was engaged in combat with a robotic version of himself, quickly joined by Mile "Tails" Prower and Knuckles the Echidna. The new fighters made no difference in the battle, however. The odds were still shifted toward Metal Sonic. Having scanned the data of all three of its opponents, it was as if the mechanized hedgehog knew their moves before they made them; seamlessly dodging each of their attacks with ease, launching counterassaults of its own, breaking its enemies' guards before beginning its own offensive; attack after brutal attack, each blow connecting with crucial power, inflicting critical damage. The robot did not speak, it only fought.

"I can't believe…" Sonic said between failed dodges, "Eggman built this thing again! Doesn't it . . ." he dodged again, "Usually end up losing fights and/or betraying him?"

"Whatever the case…" Tails said frantically, "It makes for a very effective security system!"

"Shut up and crush it!" Knuckles yelled as he charged toward the robot, fist raised for a devastating punch.

The robot quickly leapt to the side, causing Knuckles's attack to miss, then spun around and kicked him across the room. As the battle continued, Lieutenant Sulu took aim with his phaser and fired on Metal Sonic. The laser caused it to flinch for a moment before emitting a strange beam of light directed at the weapon. The robot beeped as the light shut off, then pointed its hand at the away team and fired a laser identical to a phaser blast that just barely missed them, destroying some of the machinery behind them.

Knuckles managed to land a hit on Metal Sonic from behind before yelling, "Stay out of this!"

"It can scan and copy the skills and capabilities of its surroundings!" Tails added, "That includes your laser guns! Knuckles may be right! You guys should lay low until we get this under control!"

"Of course I'm right!" Knuckles yelled, "Now quit yapping and give me a hand!"

The away team quickly took cover behind a large piece of rubble.

Once safely hidden, McCoy leaned over to Kirk and muttered, "This is strange. We're usually not this damn useless."

Kirk didn't answer, but he understood. It irked him to have to run and hide. Usually, when the Enterprise crew discovered at planet, they were the ones fixing the inhabitants' problems.

He leaned toward the doctor and replied, "Yes well, unfortunately, we're just gonna have to sit this one out."

Knuckles was just barely managing to avoid a rapid succession of Metal Sonic's attacks before getting hit and sent flying once more. Sonic and Tails tried to quickly charge it from behind, but it swung around and fired its own phasers, which the two just barely dodged. It continued to fire, keeping the duo moving defensively before quickly rushing at them and hitting them both with a series of physical attacks. As an incapacitated Tails was flung next to where Knuckles laid, also unable to fight any longer, Sonic continued to battle his doppelganger. However, as fast as he was, he could not connect a single attack with the robot. From Metal Sonic's perspective, however, the story was different. It had skills that rivaled not only Sonic's, but a number of the hedgehog's friends as well. It could not miss. It could not lose. As hard as he fought, Sonic the Hedgehog was worn down. With one final attack, the blue hedgehog was flung next to his companions in defeat. Metal Sonic moved in for a finishing blow, before it was hit in the back by a phaser blast. It turned around to face Captain Kirk with his phaser raised, an emotionless, yet determined stare on his face. The robot stepped toward him, but the Captain did not flinch. It pointed its arm, which glowed red with a charging phaser blast. Still, Kirk did not move. Just before it could fire, a loud bang rang throughout the room. Metal Sonic turned around to see a large dent in the wall. The bang sounded again, and the dent grew larger. It came again and again; damaging the wall each time until eventually a hole was blown straight through the wall, scattering dust and rubble everywhere. Metal Sonic looked on as the dust settled. It observed the large hole. But nobody was there. It stared in confusion for a moment before hearing a noise behind it and turning around for its face to be met with a foot. The Enterprise away team looked on in awe as a figured engaged the robot in combat. It moved too quickly for Metal Sonic to launch a counterattack, let alone for anybody to see it clearly. Kirk thought for a moment that it might even be teleporting. But it couldn't be. Metal Sonic quickly raised itself to its feet and began firing its phasers. It could not find its assailant to aim, however. It was almost like it had disappeared. Suddenly, the black figure shaped very similarly to Sonic appeared above Metal Sonic and fired four bright yellow arrows made out of some sort of energy toward the robot on the ground. The arrows met their target, resulting in a huge explosion. The away team finally got a clear view of their savior, a black hedgehog with red striped on its spines, as it landed on the ground in front of the resulting dust cloud.

It lifted its wrist to its mouth and said into it, "This is Shadow the Hedgehog, reporting from inside Dr. Eggman's base."

A voice responded from the cuff of its glove, "This is G.U.N. Command. Good work, agent Shadow. Have you encountered the doctor's security yet?"

Shadow eyed the robot hedgehog that was slowly standing up inside the dust cloud.

"Affirmative." He responded.

The voice came back, "You have permission to engage."

The black hedgehog remarked, unsmiling, "That's a relief. I already have."

"Very well, then. Good luck, Agent Shadow."

"Hmph. Luck has nothing to do with it."