The Encore of Batch 89

Chapter 3: First "Town"

In the heart of Nova Corps headquarters on the planet Xandar, Lylla, Floor, and Teefs found themselves in a cold, sterile interrogation room. A stern Nova Corps officer sat across from them, his expression a mixture of curiosity and skepticism. He wore the distinct uniform of the Nova Corps, which consisted of a sleek, dark blue bodysuit adorned with silver and gold accents. His attire was neatly pressed, reflecting the precision of his organization. The officer had a composed demeanor, his posture straight and attentive. His face was chiseled and rugged, bearing the marks of years of dedication to upholding the law and safeguarding the peace of Xandar. His eyes, a striking shade of deep blue, exuded both intelligence and a stern sense of responsibility. A badge on his uniform's chest denoted his rank and affiliation, and a high-tech wrist device allowed him to access crucial information and communicate seamlessly with his colleagues.

Lylla, with a steady voice and a hint of vulnerability, began to recount their story. "You see, sir, we're not criminals. We're a group of genetic experiments, the result of a madman's tinkering. But then we were marooned on this planet, lost and struggling to find our place in this galaxy."

The Nova Corps officer listened attentively, his expression gradually shifting from suspicion to understanding. He had encountered many unusual cases during his service with the Nova Corps, but this was a unique situation.

"We were just trying to survive," Lylla continued, "and when we overheard those criminals talking about their plans, we knew we had to stop them. We had to make things right, to protect others from suffering as we have."

Naturally, Lylla left out the part about their return to life, focusing on the events that had transpired on this planet. Their situation was strange and precarious enough, and she didn't want to give this imposing authority figure a single reason to doubt their sincerity, or sanity.

The officer nodded, a glimmer of appreciation in his eyes. "I see. So rather than look the other way and focus on yourselves, you took action to prevent further harm."

Lylla nodded her head, and she could feel Floor trembling nervously and hear Teefs gulping audibly as they awaited the officer's verdict.

The Nova Corps officer's gaze was fixed directly on Lylla, who appeared to be the de facto leader of this trio of misfits. After a moment of consideration, he nodded and extended his gratitude. "I believe you, and I want to thank you for helping Nova Corps by trapping those criminals. You've done a great service. Which is why I am pleased to present to you the collective bounty for those five criminals, which amounts to 200,000 units."

A sense of relief washed over the trio, as they were happy to know that they weren't in any trouble. However, a sudden idea came to Lylla, as all the units in the galaxy weren't as important as what, or who, she and her friends really wanted.

Lylla took a breath, and she carefully chose her words as she broached her request. "Sir, we would greatly appreciate such a generous reward, but we're searching for a dear friend, and we really need a ship to continue our journey. Could we perhaps keep the ship instead of the reward? It would mean the world to us."

The officer, a hint of sympathy in his eyes, contemplated their request. While his appearance may have appeared stern at first glance, there was a warmth in his eyes that revealed his compassion and understanding. It was this combination of strength and empathy that made him an excellent representative of the Nova Corps, capable of making just and compassionate decisions. He realized that granting the ship to the three experiments would mean less paperwork and a chance for them to continue their quest. "You know what? I think that can be arranged. In fact, I'll do you all one better. You've earned the ship and the reward. It's the least we can do."

Teefs was speechless, a deep sense of gratitude swelling within him. Floor cheered with her characteristic enthusiasm, her insect-like legs dancing in delight. Lylla was almost overwhelmed with emotion and eagerly expressed her thanks. "Thank you, sir! You've given us hope and a chance to find our friend! We won't forget this kindness."

The Nova Corps officer nodded with a warm smile, extending a hand to shake Lylla's prosthetic metal gasper. "You're welcome. Good luck on your journey, and if you ever need help, don't hesitate to reach out to the Nova Corps. Safe travels, friends."

As Lylla, Teefs, and Floor emerged from Nova Corps headquarters, they stepped out into the bustling streets of Xandar. The alien cityscape hummed with life and color, a vibrant mosaic of species and cultures. The three friends took a moment to absorb the sights and sounds around them.

Teefs, his walrus form adapted to walking on land, turned to his companions and asked, "So, what do we do now?"

Floor, her insect-like legs carrying her with a delicate grace, chimed in enthusiastically, "We should go find Rocket!"

Lylla, with a thoughtful expression, offered a tempered perspective. "As much as I'd love to, we can't just go searching blindly, Floor. We don't know where Rocket is or how long it might take to find him."

She continued, pointing out a practical concern. "Besides, our cybernetics are getting quite frail. Sire didn't exactly build us to last." Lylla sighed as she took a look at herself, "These arms of mine, they've been starting to feel a little. . . loose? And I'm worried about all those legs of yours, Floor. You could end up in big trouble if one of them fails. We should get them reinforced or replaced. Maybe we could find better wheels for Teefs."

Teefs, considering the logistics, asked, "Will the reward money be enough for that?"

Lylla admitted, "I'm not sure, Teefs."

Floor, ever the optimist, piped up with her characteristic cheerfulness. "Don't worry! Friends sell the strange object Floor found in that place we woke up in. Floor no need it, and we can use money to keep our arms and legs."

Lylla and Teefs exchanged surprised glances, not having expected this turn of events. Floor's willingness to part with the mysterious object was both unexpected and endearing.

With a chuckle and a shared sense of determination, the trio reached a consensus. "Well, Floor, it seems you've got a point," Lylla said, "Let's find a place here on Xandar where we can sell that object. It'll be a good start on our journey to find Rocket and ensure our cybernetics stay in one piece."

Although the Broker's new home was on Knowhere, he still maintained a presence on Xandar. Every so often he would return and open up his shop to anyone who wished to sell their wares. Lost, repossessed, stolen, it made no difference to the Broker, who never discussed his clients, or their needs.

Therefore, the Broker, his features refined and his attire exuding an air of sophistication, greeted his three new customers with a polite nod. "Well. . . You're a rather unusual trio, I must say. How can I assist you today?"

With the object they had discovered in hand, Lylla, Teefs, and Floor stepped forward, and the Broker's curiosity grew.

Lylla, with the strange relic in hand, stepped forward and began to explain. "We've come to inquire about this object we found. We're not entirely sure what it is, and we were hoping you could shed some light on it."

His voice trembled with surprise as he exclaimed, "By the stars, that's the Eternity Forge!"

Lylla, Teefs, and Floor exchanged uneasy glances as the Broker continued, "It's a legendary Kree artifact, capable of resurrecting the dead by consuming the lives of those killed in its vicinity. The idea of an object that can trade lives is a chilling one, to say the least."

The Broker, with a sense of wonder, took a closer look at the Eternity Forge. His voice trembled as he spoke. "Let me examine it further. . ."

The Broker put on a headset with several lenses that clicked down over his right eye. As he scrutinized the object, he discovered the extent of its damage. "The inner core has been shattered beyond repair. Turned to dust. Yes. . . the Eternity Forge is now utterly useless. I'm honestly surprised, and quite relieved actually, to see it in such a condition."

Lylla quickly reasoned that she and her friends had somehow been revived by this sinister relic, and that their revival had somehow resulted in its destruction. She couldn't help but feel relieved that the Eternity Forge was no longer a threat.

The Broker, maintaining his composure, turned back to the trio. "I won't inquire about where or how you obtained it, but I'm still interested in acquiring it for my private collection. The fact that it's destroyed doesn't make it any less rare."

With a sense of relief that the object would no longer pose a danger, Lylla and her friends agreed to the sale. The Broker's appreciation for their unusual find and their willingness to part with it was evident as he made a generous offer.

The transaction concluded, and Floor nodded eagerly and said, "Thank you, kind Broker! We need to fix metal bits now."

The Broker nodded and said, "Well, you'll find a clinic that specializes in cybernetics not far from here. They should be able to assist you with your . . . enhancements. Safe travels, my unusual friends."

With a valuable sale behind them and a sense of hope in their hearts, the trio left the Broker's shop and set off toward the cybernetics clinic.

As they left, the Broker scratched his chin and remarked, "Those three bring to mind a certain Guardian of the Galaxy." He thought on this a moment, then shook his head and dismissed the thought as idle nonsense. He never cared for details anyway, it was always all just business.

As the trio made their way toward the cybernetics clinic, their thoughts lingered on the Eternity Forge and the mysteries surrounding it. Teefs, ever thoughtful, voiced a question that had been on their minds.

"Lylla. . . Did innocent people have to die so that we could come back to life?" he asked, his British-accented words filled with a mixture of curiosity and concern.

Lylla, her gaze fixed on the path ahead, couldn't offer an immediate response. She pondered the implications of the Eternity Forge and the events that had brought them back from the afterlife.

Then, as if in response to a silent call, a vision of The One Above All briefly flashed before her mind's eye. She blinked, a newfound clarity in her gaze, and turned to Teefs to answer his question definitively.

"No," she replied, her voice steady and unwavering. "The Eternity Forge was not used in a way that required sacrifices. That's why it was destroyed when we came back. I'm sure of it."

Floor, curious and ever inquisitive, asked, "But how Lylla sure?"

Lylla couldn't provide a concrete explanation, but she spoke with a sense of conviction. "I can't explain it, but I just know. We didn't have to take innocent lives to come back. Please trust me on this."

Without hesitation, Teefs and Floor both expressed their trust in Lylla. Teefs nodded with a warm smile, and Floor, ever eager, chirped, "We trust you, Lylla!"

Lylla beamed at her friends and felt a profound sense of gratitude. "It really is good to have friends," she said.

The trio arrived at the cybernetics clinic, which according to its signare was called the "Cyber Enhancements Boutique". As they entered, they were fortunate to find themselves as the only patients in the spacious waiting area. The owner of the establishment, a female Xandarian surgeon with purple accented blonde hair tied in a bun, took one look at them and gasped in horror.

"Goodness gracious!" she exclaimed in a well to do, nearly aristocratic accent, "Darlings, what on Xandar are those cybernetics? They're simply... atrocious! They're like. . . a petulant child's attempt at mashing toys together! Look at those frail arms and crude graspers! Look at those poorly secured joints! Look at those archaic tires . Simply horrid! I cannot fathom how anyone could be so cruel as to give you all such crude prosthetics!"

Teefs and Floor exchanged glances, not quite sure how to respond. They turned to Lylla, who took the lead in speaking with the surgeon.

Lylla, with a polite and appreciative tone, introduced herself and her friends. "Hello, my name is Lylla, and this is Floor and Teefs. We were hoping to have our cybernetics reinforced."

The surgeon, her sympathy for their situation evident, shook her head and insisted, "Reinforcement alone won't cut it, darlings. You deserve better."

She turned to Lylla, a gleam of determination in her eyes. "You should have stronger arms with five-fingered hands. You'd be amazed at the difference it makes."

Lylla considered the offer, and she recalled that her beloved Rocket had paws with five fingers. She nodded with a smile and replied, "I think I'd like that."

The surgeon then turned her attention to Floor, her empathy shining through as she suggested, "For you, little one, we could remove those extra limbs and give you a pair of strong bipedal legs. You'll be much more mobile."

Floor, however, took a step back in fear, her voice quivering as she cried out, "No! Floor like legs! Floor like legs!"

The surgeon quickly realized her mistake and apologized. "Sorry, dear! I'm so sorry! We won't touch your extra limbs. We can simply upgrade and reinforce your existing legs. You're fine! Everything is fine, relax . . ."

Floor, relieved by the surgeon's understanding, nodded and said, "That sound better."

Teefs, who was always up for some improvement, was intrigued by the surgeon's suggestions so far. "And what about me?" he asked.

The surgeon's face lit up as she offered, "I can give you a pair of wheels made of lightweight materials and with better traction. You'll be zipping around in no time!"

Teefs liked the sound of that. The idea of improved mobility sounded appealing to him, so nodded enthusiastically. "Well, that sounds lovely."

Lylla looked to the surgeon and said, "Well, that all sounds fine, Miss. . ."

"Dr. Rareté, darling," the surgeon answered amicably.

Lylla gave a nod in return and said, "Yes. Dr. Rareté, how much will this cost us?"

The surgeon picked up a data pad from the front desk, quickly did some calculations and then looked back at the trio with a warm smile.

After a moment of consideration, she made a generous offer. "I'll tell you what, my dears. You'd already be giving me quite a great deal of business, so how about I throw in a special collar with robotic arms for Teefs. . .for half price! It'll surely help him with various tasks given his. . .well. . .lack of paws."

Teefs pondered the offer a bit. Although he technically could pick things up with his flippers, it never really did feel natural or easy for him. "That. . . sounds cool!" he finally said.

Lylla nervously hoped they had enough units for these new procedures. Dr. Rareté showed them the adjusted price, and to their relief, the trio found it within their budget. After giving their consent for their procedures, the trio was led into a large clean, chrome room with padded operating tables, a stark contrast to the dark and dingy labs of the High Evolutionary. Medical partition screens kept each of the tables separate from each other.

"Everything is clean!" Floor exclaimed, the shiny surfaces and gleaming chrome standing in stark opposition to their memories of captivity.

Dr. Rareté raised an eyebrow at Floor's comment but didn't dwell on it. She quickly explained the procedure they were about to undergo.

"Now, anesthetics would be administered through both gas and injections to ensure no pain is felt during the removal, replacement, and reinforcement of your enhancements-."

Curiosity led Lylla to ask, "What are anesthetics?"

Dr. Rareté, somewhat surprised by the question, explained, ". . .Anesthetics . . . are medications that numb pain and make you sleep during the procedure. Darlings, surely you would have received them when you first got those. . . inferior cybernetics."

Lylla averted her eyes, and she nervously replied, "Well . . . I don't think we did. . ."

Dr. Rareté's expression shifted from surprise to horror as she processed this revelation. She quickly changed the subject, calling for her fellow surgeons to prepare Teefs and Floor while she addressed Lylla's needs.

The trio was laid out on the padded tables, and as the surgeons all prepared to administer the anesthetic, Lylla reflexively put on her wireless headphones, a habit she vaguely recalled from her time in the afterlife. She apologized and moved to take them off, but Dr. Rareté, offering a reassuring smile, said, "You can listen to music during the procedure if you'd like."

As the surgeons fitted the three with breathing masks to administer the anesthetic, Lylla's iPod began to play the song "Comfortably Numb" by Pink Floyd, its soothing melody filling the room and creating a calming atmosphere despite the unease they all felt.

Hello? (Hello, hello, hello)

Is there anybody in there?

Just nod if you can hear me

Is there anyone home?

Lylla felt herself drifting as she breathed in the gas. A sense of profound weightlessness enveloped her.

Come on (Come on, come on), now

I hear you're feeling down

Well, I can ease your pain

And get you on your feet again

She was caught in state between wakefulness and slumber. Memories of the past mixed with the present, and she could somehow feel the familiar sensation of wood shavings underneath her even as she laid on the operating table.

Relax (Relax, relax, relax)

I'll need some information first

Just the basic facts

Can you show me where it hurts?

Lylla's whole body ached, especially her head. Or to be more precise, her brain. Most likely because of all foreign concepts that Sire's scientists had forcibly pumped into it during the "uplifting" procedure.

There is no pain, you are receding

A distant ship, smoke on the horizon

Laying in the cage, words such as fear, loneliness, confusion, and pain ran through her head. It was so disorienting, not only being able to understand, but understand what it meant to understand.

You are only coming through in waves

Your lips move, but I can't hear what you're saying

Then, after what felt like an eternity, another was pushed into the cage with. Different from her and much larger in every way, with strange things stuck on his head and big round things stuck to his sides. There was also a pair long white teeth sticking out of his mouth, making him look very odd to her. But looking into his eyes, she could see herself.

When I was a child, I had a fever

My hands felt just like two balloons

She found herself reaching out to him, placing her metal appendage on his blubbery chest. A word came to mind, and she opened her mouth and gave it sound.

"Friend?"

Now I've got that feeling once again

I can't explain, you would not understand

This is not how I am

The memory faded, and Lylla was back on the table as the surgeon gave her injections, one on each side of her body, right where her cybernetic arms were attached to where her forepaws had once been before they were amputated.

I have become comfortably numb

Meanwhile, Teefs was in a daze of his own as his tires were removed from his body. Even as his head was looking straight up, he somehow felt the sensation of turning his head to one side. Doing this led him to look towards the smaller creature that had touched him and said the word "friend" to him. In that moment, the pain that came from the huge round things stuck into his body, the metal things stuck into his head, and the strange metal rings around his eyes to make them wider, all strangely started to hurt less.

I have become comfortably numb

The surgeon working on Floor had to give her six injections, one for each of her metal legs.

Okay (Okay, okay, okay)

Just a little pinprick

She trembled as she laid on the wood shavings, in terrible pain from her missing feet, extra legs, twin antennae, and metal mask on her face.

There'll be no more (paaaaiiiiiin)

But you may feel a little sick

She looked fearfully through the bars at the big, fat brown thing and the small, thin brown thing in the cage next to smaller creature was making sounds, which she somehow knew to be something called "words."

Can you stand up? (Stand up, stand up)

I do believe it's working, good

She knew what "face" and "eyes" were, the faces and eyes of the other creatures made her feel. . .safe.

That'll keep you going through the show

Come on, it's time to go

"Words". That's what they could do, and soon she learned that she could do it too. Although the others moved their mouths to do it while she had to make her metal mask do it for her.

There is no pain, you are receding

A distant ship, smoke on the horizon

The three of them made lots of words. Words about where they were, what they were for, and what would. Words about a New World. Sire's New World.

You are only coming through in waves

Your lips move, but I can't hear what you're saying

The three of them laughed as they moved around the small space, enjoying the impromptu game of tag. Before long they all fell down in a fit of shared laughter.

When I was a child, I caught a fleeting glimpse

Out of the corner of my eye

As they lay on their backs, they all seemed to remember something at the same time. They all looked toward the fourth corner, and that's when they saw him.

I turned to look, but it was gone

I cannot put my finger on it now

The child is grown, the dream is gone

They saw the striped bushy tail and could just make out the dark mask-like stripe of fur across his eyes.

I have become comfortably numb

The surgeries were a resounding success, much to the trio's relief. They had been painless and, most importantly, had resulted in significant improvements to their cybernetics.

Lylla felt the strength in her new arms, her five-fingered hands giving her a level of dexterity and grip she had never experienced before. They had actual elbows and shoulders that were attached securely to her body, clearly a remarkable improvement over her previous, fragile limbs.

Floor, despite her initial reservations, was content with the reinforced and upgraded legs. They provided her with newfound stability and strength, maintaining her unique insect-like robotic design while granting her enhanced mobility. She giggled as she hopped up and down on her legs. The fact that she could actually jump with them at all was a definite plus. The servos and hydraulics added to them made her feel far more capable than ever.

Teefs was happy with his lightweight and efficient wheels that would undoubtedly serve him well. Even better was the bright yellow collar that now hung around his neck. The surgeons were able to easily patch the new device into the cybernetic implants already wired into his central nervous system. Using the robotic arms was no different than using his flippers to him. With a soft click, twin panels on the collar would open, and out would come a pair of telescoping arms, each with a metallic claw with four digits each.

With a hearty laugh, Teefs used his new arms to scoop up his two friends and hug them close. "Oh, I've always wanted to do this!" he exclaimed.

Dr. Rareté, satisfied with the successful procedures, smiled as she observed their reactions. She had taken great care in ensuring that the enhancements met their needs and expectations. "I'm glad to see that you're all satisfied with the results," she remarked as Teefs eventually set his friends back down.

Lylla nodded and said, "Oh, we truly are. It was worth every unit. Thank you so much. If we meet anyone else in need of cybernetics, we'll send them right here!"

Dr. Rareté bowed and said, "Thank you, thank you, we at the Cyber Enhancements Boutique aim to please." She then stood up straight and held up one finger, "But before you go, one last thing. Naturally, during the surgeries, we did a thorough check of all systems built into your cybernetics. That's when we noticed. . . those antennae. . ." she pointed at the aforementioned antennae sticking out of Floor's head, ". . . they appear to have some form of wireless communication capabilities that haven't been activated. Now, we aren't equipped to handle systems like that here. You could perhaps find a specialist to help you utilize them, but such services are usually far more, ah, pricey. Leaving them inactive is a perfectly safe and valid option."

Floor blinked, and she said slowly, "Floor not sure what all mean. . . But Floor perfect way she is. No need turn anything on."

"That's fine, darling. Just something to keep in mind," Dr. Rareté said, then she clapped her hands together and said, "Well, I do believe my work here is done. I bid you all a good day and long lives."

And with that, the trio left the clinic and resumed walking down the streets of Xandar.

Floor couldn't contain her eagerness. She piped up, "Friends hurry up! Back to ship! Find Rocket! Floor, Lylla, Teefs, go now! Floor, Lylla, Teefs, go now!"

Lylla, the practical thinker of the group, interjected gently. "I understand, Floor, but the galaxy is vast, and Rocket could be anywhere. We need to make sure we're prepared for the journey ahead. We'll need supplies – food, water, spare parts for the ship, and fuel to keep us going. It's a big galaxy out there, and we need to be ready for whatever challenges we might face."

Teefs nodded in agreement, understanding the necessity of proper preparation. "Lylla's right, Floor. We don't want to rush into this and find ourselves stuck in the middle of nowhere with nothing. Rocket knew how to plan ahead, and so should we."

Lylla led the group as they gathered the necessary provisions, their hearts filled with determination as they took their first steps towards reuniting with their dear friend, Rocket.

Basically, if this were a video game, Xandar would be the "First Town"
Fans of the Telltale Guardians of the Galaxy game will recognize the Eternity Forge. Basically, The One Above All killed two snakes with one heel. He destroyed a dangerous relic and resurrected Batch 89 by forcing their resurrections through the Eternity Forge while it was underpowered.
Also, I know in most of these stories where Rocket's friends live, Rocket is the one who upgrades his friend's prosthetics. But in this story, it will be some time before the reunion, and the trio needs some upgrades in order to survive all the adventures they'll be going on soon enough.
Speaking of which, next chapter, our heroes finally see some action. . .