The lair of the Eggman Empire and someone would find it beyond a joke that the faction was still going by that name ever since Dr Starline took over as the self appointed 'regent' of the Empire that had no territory, suffered losses after another, lost Geoffrey St John's body as a possible power source, the Warp Topaz was gone, so was Dr Zachary so he was stuck with Bean & Bark the incompetent minions who were doing more to hinder his plans trying to do their chores than Sonic and his friends were!
Right now he was having Bean using bombs with mini EMP devices that Starline had quickly cooked up to try and bypass the security of a discovered door to a secret chamber. Soon Bean was sent by the impact of the explosion of the last bomb that damaged the door's security enough for Bark to be able to force it open.
"At least you two are good for something..." Starline remarked shaking his head as he made his way down as he had come up with a plan but needed to find more projects that his idol had been working on that he could use because he could ill afford to put it into action without any back ups because every loss dwindled the already small resources of the Empire.
He got Bean & Bark to stand there as he went down and found some sort of pod chamber and it was marked 'PROJECT: JJ' and he found it peculiar as it looked like it was sparking Chaos energy. he managed to find the mechanism to turn it on and it said that it was beginning process to last a few hours.
Curiously he went back up and to the main computer and then found the file on this project; there was a data description written by Robotnik himself:
My mind is greater than any other feeble specimen on this planet; while I will someday claim the entire planet under the united leadership of the Eggman Empire... My human body is not up to par with the mind that inhabitants it. One day I shall be gone and this planet will no longer have my mind to guide it. I have come up with a project to create a new specimen that shares my IQ; lead my Empire with me and shall take over once I depart. While I was robbed of Dr Ellidy's research into roboticization; that was not the only data I had taken from him. He had failed in his efforts to clone his daughter but I have made greater stride in figuring out how to clone my own body and I shall artificially create a son of my own. He shall be Julian Robotnik Jr or JJ for short. I have the machine to birth him all set up with Chaos energy from my gathered Emeralds to power it; it shall happen once I claim Mobius and I will greet my son as Emperor of the planet that shall be his inheritance one day!
Starline was in awe and excited glee; a junior Robotnik to help him... They shall work together to restore the Empire and to rescue the true Dr Robotnik!
Now he could afford to go on his mission but then looked to Bean & Bark and grimaced; "You two... Come here... You will be personally accompanying me on a mission!" Starline demanded to them and they were shocked and excited.
"You hear that Bean? The boss wants us to come with him!" Bark told Bean excitedly while pulling him up for a hug that Bean returned.
"He realises our skills!" Bean replied and Starline shook his head.
"It's more that I don't trust these 2 buffoons not to destroy the lair and especially Project: JJ while i am gone..." Starline thought and motioned them closer and he brought up a picture of a brightly colored casino building. "Here is our destination... Casino Night the ultimate source of gambling and betting on the entire of Mobius! Owned by this one gentleman; one of the richest on the planet... Clutch!" Starline said as the camera showed an aged smirking light green opossum Mobian in a white business suit and holding a cane.
"So he is really that rich from the people that gambles?" Bean asks as Starline grins.
"Clutch's fortune isn't strictly from gambling as he is also a notorious criminal kingpin. He deals in protection rackets in smaller kingdoms, a loan shark business, money lending and especially dealing in black market technology and weapons. In fact during the War he dealt to both Kingdom of Acorn and the United Federation from what I hear. Seems that even the anti-Mobian human regime at the time wasn't above having to do bussiness with lowly Mobians in order to support their war." Starline said as he finished a chuckle.
"So we are going to do business with him? We don't exactly have money and you don't pay us..." Bark asks as Starline sighed.
"I will be going in to get a meeting with Clutch himself as a distraction while you two break into his supplies vault. He has valuable salvage as in the aftermath of the great Dr Robotnik's last encounter with Sonic; while the kingdoms were cleaning up the destroyed parts of the Badniks and his giant robot: there are criminal scavengers who had claimed parts for themselves to sell and many of which has come into Clutch's possession. You will be given special devices to make your way through the defences. I have a man of the path that you will take after you both sneak in and try and actually do your best to remain in stealth until we get away!" Starline explained to them and they nodded.
After a long journey in a craft they came across the island which housed the massive Casino Night building and Starline used the ejector of the crat to send Bean & Bark out with their map and devices hoping that they don't mess this up.
He made his way to a back craft entrance; the map of the building that Robotnik had in his network should be simple enough that even these two should understand that. He found the guards waiting for him and he casually walked out saying "I am Dr Starline the regent of the Eggman Empire here to make a meeting with Mr Clutch."
"We are in Mr Boss sir; it looks like it does on the map..." Starline heard in his communication link on his ear device that were also given to his minions and he whispered to them to give a move on as the guards were communicating with their own phone devices.
"The boss is free to give you a meeting." one of the guards said and the guards then led Starline to a massive office filled with all sorts of photos and portraits of Clutch. Everything from the carpet to the wood of the desk looked like it was really expensive; including the gold of the frames of the portraits. There was Clutch at his desk to greet him with his guards at his side.
"Well if it isn't the infamous Dr Starline himself." Clutch greeted Starline taking his hand to shake as he motioned for Starline to take a seat. "Been a long time since I have dealt with anything Eggman related. Would you believe that during the War; Dr Robotnik was my contact with doing business with Eggman Industries?" Clutch asked and Starline nodded as it was in the files. "What can I do for you?" Clutch asked as Starline got ready.
"I want to discuss buying your entire supply of Eggman tech." Starline said as Clutch looked perplexed.
"That is a tall request and from what I hear... The Empire has not done so well ever since you took over and I doubt that you would have the capital to cover it..." Clutch replied as Starline frowned.
"Consider it a loan to be repaid; once the Eggman Empire has taken Mobius then you shall have a valuable position in the Empire. Perhaps you could be be made a Baron on one of the former Kingdoms?" Starline offered and Clutch shook his head causing Starline to frown.
"I might buy that if there was any hope of that coming to pass but with Robotnik on Prison Island where not even I have influence and his stupid fanboy running his operations; I know there is no future in the supposed Empire. Negotiations are over." Clutch said as Starline stopped himself from appearing as angry as he was as he needed to distract him further so he had to think of something.. However he was internally groaning as he heard his communication link go back on.
"Uh boss... We see the entrance to the vault and... There are a lot more guards than the map said there would be and... We tried to go back and... There are a lot of guards coming that way and Bark isn't sure he could outfight them all..." Bark nervously told him and Starline had no time to react as the door to the office opened and soon a lot of guards came in as Clutch chuckled.
"I have security cameras in the sky and you are far from the first fool who thought that he could successfully pull off robbing me." Clutch told Starline as he panicked and saw the guards aiming their weapons at him. Clutch then smirked saying "you should have known Dr that this is my house and here... The house always wins..."
I am reworking an idea I had since before I planned to have multiple Robotnik clones that would make up a council to help Starline lead the Empire in Robotnik's absence and it would be like the Chaos Council from Sonic Prime.