Chapter Twenty-One

CURRENT TARGET: E-102 GAMMA!

TARGET LOCATION: EGG CARRIER, HOT SHELTER!

MISSION PRIORITY: LIBERATE GAMMA!

MISSION STATUS: ENGAGING, EN ROUTE TO EGG CARRIER!

Omega hovered over the ocean; his sights fixed on the horizon. The Mystic Ruins were behind him and he didn't look back. The battle-ready robot flew high as his boosters would let him, making sure that he kept his distance from the water to avoid getting water in his joints and circuitry. Omega inspected his weapons systems and made sure he had enough ammo.

Robotnik had loaded him to the brim with all the weaponry and ammo that any of the doctor's robots could have. When he eventually faced Robotnik in battle, Omega would thank him in a fiery blaze of glory as he took down the wicked doctor who'd menaced the world.

Now, his focus was obliterating robots in a fiery blaze of glory while sparing the lives of the animals inside them.

He saw a large mass on the horizon and detected smoke rising into the sky. The battle robot scanned the approaching mass, seeing that it was the crashed Egg Carrier. While it had fallen, the ship was still intact and he could detect machinery still operating in there. There was no doubt there were leftover Badniks online.

Omega flew closer and closer until he was above the deck of the place where he served Robotnik as one of its crew. He powered down his rockets and descended until he was on the deck. He remembered when he battled Sonic and Tails, being the one to blast their plane from the sky while knocking that blue hedgehog out. Now, he'd returned for liberation.

Silently, he moved towards the lift and descended to the lower decks of the Egg Carrier. Omega hovered towards the door that led to the Hot Shelter region of the ship. He tapped the code 'ROBOTNIK' on the nearby panel and the metallic panels opened, leading the way further into the doctor's fallen vessel.

Gamma was here and he didn't see it coming. Omega stepped over the threshold, entering the Hot Shelter, filled with gears and machinery. Water poured in from cracks caused by the Egg Carrier's crash and he could detect steam, Omega activated his boosters, determined to avoid contact with water.

Spinna model Badniks hovered around the first area of the Hot Shelter, slightly visible through the steam generated by the ship's cooling systems that were still active.

Omega morphed his hand into a cannon and fired a missile, blasting the Badniks to pieces before they could spot him. A pair of Ricky squirrels popped out and ran, even as they emitted slight smoke from the explosions of their robotic prisons.

He moved further, hovering past a churning gear and through a service hatch, entering the maintenance hall occupied by various Badniks. Omega made short work of them, firing missiles and heavy lasers that annihilated every last robot in sight, adding more robots to his growing list of destroyed Badniks.

"GAMMA DETECTED UP AHEAD!" Omega buzzed, his sensors beeping, "PREPARING TO ENGAGE! CONSERVING AMMO!"

The bulky battle Badnik glided through the door, floating down the hall past various cooling tanks, and he flew over a pool of water. He hovered to the door and ripped it open; he threw it at a group of Buzz Bombers and smashed them all. Omega deactivated his boosters and walked through the corridor, walking towards his target.

In front of him, the doors slid open, revealing the heart of the Hot Shelter; the core of the Egg Carrier itself. And standing atop a platform, fully upgraded, was E-102 Gamma, sporting a bigger cannon and a bulkier body.

Omega approached Gamma and readied his weapons systems for the impending battle, spotting several Badniks around his brother. Gamma turned and looked down upon the bulky E-series robot that had bested him in battle once before. Gamma's eyes blinked as he scanned Gamma, Gamma picked up the signal, detecting that his brother was scanning him.

"E-102 GAMMA!" Omega buzzed, "I HAVE COME TO LIBERATE YOU FROM DOCTOR ROBOTNIK!"

"E-123 Omega." Omega intoned, "You have turned rogue against our creator and your declaration of 'liberation' indicates you have come to destroy me. I must remain loyal to Doctor Robotnik and eliminate all who oppose him, including fellow robots who go against their programming."

"GAMMA, I WILL LIBERATE YOU FROM THE CONFINES OF THE PRISON BUILT BY THE MAN WHO ENSLAVED YOU AND I SHALL REIGN SUPREME AS THE EXTERMINATOR OF BADNIKS!"

"Target acquired and engaged! Scanning for weakness! Eliminate E-123 Omega!" Gamma buzzed, "Battle mode initiated! Moving to engage target!"

Omega and Gamma stared at each other, all ready for battle, ready to engage one another one last time with no holds barred. Omega opened fire and Gamma leaped off the platform, activated his rockets, and soared around the room as his platform exploded. The Spinna robots moved towards Omega in attack formation, ready to slice him up, but Omega shot them down.

Gamma trained his weapons systems on the bulky robot, who calculated and detected the upgraded E-Series Badnik's incoming attack in a second, and Omega leaped out of the way. He wheeled around, spotting Gamma in a nearby corner, and fired a missile upon him.

The projectile streaked towards the updated Gamma, aimed right at its target, and the robot swiftly moved out of the way just before the missile could strike. An explosion shook the Hot Shelter's walls and smoke filled the room as shards of metal and circuitry rained down, Gamma flew towards Omega and raised his arm cannon, taking aim the heavy robot.

POW-POW-POW! Streaks of energy rained down around Omega, missing him by inches as he dodged hard. Gamma flew closer and Omega propelled himself with his jetpack, flying towards his brother in an intercepting motion. He threw his metallic fist and punched Gamma into a wall; the upgraded robot fell over and Omega opened fire.

Just then, Gamma activated his boosters and sprang back into action, avoiding the blasts and heading right for his brother. Omega fired a shot from his arm gun and struck home, taking out one of Gamma's arm joints.

Sparks popped and Gamma's eyes flashed, the robot stared at his brother and an energy shield formed around him, another one of E-102 Gamma's upgrades.

"YOUR UPGRADES ARE INFERIOR TO MY STRENGTH!" Omega buzzed.

"You will not outmatch this unit!" Gamma intoned, "I am upgraded!"

"I CAN DETECT THAT YOUR SHIELD IS NO MATCH FOR ME!"

Omega flew at the shielded Gamma and went wild with his payload, firing missiles indiscriminately until explosions and sparks filled the room. Omega fired at the nearest generator, making it explode as sparks flew in his and Gamma's direction. An explosion of energy struck Gamma, passing right through his shield and making him short-circuit.

In a second, Gamma's shield deactivated, leaving him open for another attack. Omega grabbed him and threw him into the ground, then he dropped down and picked up Gamma. He tossed him into the wreckage of the generator, watching as sparks violently jolted the E-series Badnik model.

Gamma rose from the wreck, moving towards Omega in a slow fashion. He raised his gun and it glowed with energy, signifying that the Badnik was charging up an energy blast.

He acted quickly. Omega grabbed Gamma and tore the gun from his hand, he turned it towards his brother and fired at his feet, blasting off another piece of Gamma. Gamma's leg joint sparked and Gamma's eyes flickered again. Omega punched Gamma, causing his head to spin. The battle robot limped and swiped at Omega, who jumped back gradually.

Omega then grabbed Gamma by the arm; "YOU HAVE BEEN DECOMISSIONED!"

The bulky battle-class robot threw him up towards the ceiling and raised an arm cannon. Omega locked onto Gamma, ready to liberate him. Gamma activated his jetpack and hovered in the air, only for his jetpack to give out, and he fell towards his brother's position.

E-123 Omega opened fire and another massive explosion ruptured the Hot Shelter, shaking the wreck of the Egg Carrier...