-Chapter 184-

Trouble with Dingoes


Angel Island

All was quiet on Angel Island. In the dead of night, in the midst of the remains of Robotnik's Launch Base Zone, the quiet was ended when purple sparks formed in the darkness, followed by purple flames. The flames dissipated, and an entire horde of dingoes appeared. Many of them were dressed in military regalia, others in civilian clothing, but all looked confused, concerned, and shocked by their sudden return to Angel Island. As they looked around, they also noticed one other thing.

"General Stryker!" one exclaimed. "Cavem Canus… it didn't return with us!"

"What?" the general demanded. "Damn. Do a headcount. Make sure nobody was left behind. Everyone else, begin looking for anything we can use for shelter. It's the dead of winter, the last thing I want is any of our people to get cold."

They quickly did so, verifying all the Dingoes had arrived and finding what they could from the ruined base. Unfortunately for the dingoes, there wasn't much left. What hadn't been crushed when the Death Egg landed oh so long ago, Robotnik had taken for himself for repurposing. This meant that they had nearly nothing to work with, and dawn was many hours away. One Dingo snarled in rage.

"So once again, the Echidnas live in luxury while we have to survive on their scraps." he hissed.

"It's nothing new to us, Kage," Stryker replied. "We'll make do, as we always have. Right now our people are our main priority."

"Make do?!" Kage repeated. "Dad, there's nothing here! There's nothing for us to use. We can't make do. If we're going to survive the night, we need to act now!"

"Kage!" Stryker snapped. "Enough!"

The two stared silently at one another before Kage walked off, grumbling. Once he left, Stryker sighed, sitting down on a rock.

"I hate to say it sir, but he's right," one dingo soldier chimed in. "We have sick, elderly, and young children here, and without proper supplies, I don't think we'll last tonight. We need to do something."

"I know," Stryker sighed. "But there's no need for unnecessary bloodshed. I learned my lesson after the nuclear attack went wrong. For now, we focus on lasting through the night."

"As you command, sir," the soldier nodded. "I'll send out some of my men to gather some firewood. With luck, we'll find enough to build a big enough fire. Maybe we'll get lucky and some of the winter berries are still on the bushes."


Meanwhile, near the shrine, Knuckles and Kat were on guard duty. The latter was heavily bundled up, but still shivering.

"I can punch through solid walls, I can make my hair light up like glow sticks, and I can bench press my gym class," she sighed. "So why is it that I can still feel this cold when I literally burst into flames?"

"Chaos energy doesn't work like that," Knuckles explained.

"Well it should, because it's seriously cold out here," Kat grumbled as she stood up. "I'm going to go grab some wood and get a fire going. Maybe then I'll finally be able to feel my toes again."

"Go ahead," Knuckles nodded. "I'll handle things until you get back."

Kat gave him a thumbs-up before heading out into the jungle.


Around the same time, several dingoes were there scavenging. One in particular wandered off, looking for food. Neither he nor Kat saw one another until they bumped into each other.

"Oh, sorry," Kat said. "Didn't expect anyone else to be-"

She cut herself off when she saw who and what was in front of her.

"Y-you're a dingo…" she let out.

"And you're a human…" said the dingo. "What's a human doing here?"

"I... live here," Kat explained. "I thought all the Dingoes were extinct."

"No, we were in another Zone. One minute, we were engulfed in purple flames, the next, we're back on the island."

Kat looked away in thought. "Solaris… has to be."

"What?" the dingo asked.

Kat shook her head.

"N-nothing. What are you doing out here?"

"Looking for firewood and supplies so we can make it through the night."

"Same. It's freezing out here." A cold wind blew through and she shuddered, pulling her coat closer. "What I wouldn't give for actual fur… Would make these damn winters more bearable."

"Well if you want, you can share my fire," the dingo offered. "Just help me get some firewood, and it's all yours."

"Gladly," Kat smiled. "Always willing to lend a hand."


They gathered the firewood, going back to the remains of the Launch Base Zone. The minute the other dingoes saw Kat, they stared as if she had grown three heads and a tail.

"Sorry for intruding," Kat said simply. "My new friend here offered a place at your fire in exchange for help."

The leader approached, a tall, well-built dingo with blonde crewcut hair and one blue eye, the other scarred and covered with an eyepatch.

"Harry, where did you find this girl?" he asked.

"Found her walking around the island," Harry replied.

"I live here," Kat explained. "Have for the past two years, give or take."

Another wind passed through. She shuddered and adjusted her coat again.

"And I'm freaking cold. Shall we start that fire?"

"Yes, of course."

As the fire burned, Kat sat down next to it, sighing.

"If you don't mind me asking, how is it a human found her way to Angel Island?" Harry asked.

Long story short, the last time I was up here, I was escaping from a madman," Kat explained. "One who killed my family. And that's where I was found by Knuckles."

"Knuckles?" the leader asked.

"He's an Echidna." Kat said simply.

Almost immediately, the mood soured.

"Did you say… Echidna?" the leader questioned.

"Yeah… Why, what's wrong with Echidna?"

Kat scooched closer to the fire, removing her gloves. Her burnt left hand caught many eyes, as did her thick, metal bracers.

"So... this is what kind of depravity the Echidnas have stooped to." the leader spat.

Alarm bells went off in Kat's head at his tone.

"Wait, wait, hang on," she insisted. "What's going on? Am I missing something?"

"You really don't know what's going on, do you?" the General asked, to which Kat shook her head. "I am Helmut Von Stryker, leader of the Dingo Regime. All my life and even before, the Echidnas have treated us as nothing but second-class citizens. And now it seems they've taken to enslaving and abusing human children!"

Kat gaped. Seeing her reaction, Harry nervously stepped in.

"Now hold on, General," he insisted. "Let's not jump to conclusions-"

"I'm not a slave!" Kat snapped. "Not to the echidna! They saved me, and never hurt me!"

Kage looked at her, eyebrows furrowing as he looked at her. At his stare, she winced.

"You're lying, aren't you?" Kage insisted.

"Are you?" Helmut asked, softer than his son. "Have they hurt you before?"

"Ah-" Kat hesitated, unable to withstand the scrutinizing stare. "Just once… But it wasn't that serious."

She rubbed her head absentmindedly. Seeing this, Kage grabbed her arm and then pushed up her headband, showing the gash from when she got hit with the boulder. The dingos whispered amongst themselves, wondering what could have happened to cause the scar.

"Well, Dad?" Kage challenged. "Still think we should hang on and 'make do'? It's obvious those filthy, holier-than-thou Echidnas are as rotten and disgusting as ever!"

"Wait!" Kat begged, pulling her arm free. "The echidna didn't cause that! A Tasmanian devil did when he hit me with a boulder. Locke only hit me once and knocked me out. He never left a scar, and he hasn't done anything of the like since, I swear!"

That didn't do anything to soothe the mood, and Kat realized she just said precisely the wrong thing.

"The Guardian…" Helmut growled. "I never thought he'd stoop that low."

"Damn it…" Kat whispered, slowly backing away.

"Change of plans," Helmut declared. We strike now. It's time the Echidnas learned their place."

Immediately, Kat turned and took off.

"The girl!" Kage screamed. "She's escaping!"

"I'll get her!" Harry volunteered.

"Go," Helmut ordered. "I will not have an innocent caught in the crossfire."

Harry hurried into the jungle at that.


Kat ran out of the woods and back to the shrine, where Knuckles was waiting.

"Knux!" she screamed. "Knux, I screwed up! I screwed up big time!"

"Hey hey, take it easy," Knuckles soothed. "What happened?"

"Dingo! There are Dingoes!"

"What?! That's impossible!"

"Solaris, it brought them over!" Kat rambled. "They're in the woods, and they're pissed! They- They're planning an attack! They think I- That you- And Locke-..." She crumbled to the ground. "Oh Aurora, what have I done?"

They heard the bushes rustle at that, and Harry emerged from them. Knuckles was immediately on the defensive. Harry yelped, holding up his hands.

"Wait! WAIT!" he screamed. "I don't want any trouble! I just want to talk!"

"You followed me?!" Kat demanded.

"Please!" Harry pleaded as he dropped to his knees, hands behind his head. "I swear I mean no harm."

They looked him over, confused.

"The general would've sent someone after you anyway," Harry explained. "I volunteered so I could get the full story."

"Go get Dad," Knuckles ordered. "I'll take him to the prison."

Kat nodded, and hurried off. Knuckles picked Harry up, the dingo not resisting.


Later, at the prison, they all met there. Kat explained everything. The dingoes' return, how she inadvertently fanned the flames and set them on the warpath... she left out no detail.

"Damn it…" Locke cursed. "The Dingo Regime has returned as well. I was afraid of this."

"Locke, I'm so sorry," Kat let out.

"This would have happened regardless of if you were here or not, Kathryn," Locke soothed. "The Dingo Regime has always caused trouble for us Echidnas."

They turned to Harry in the cell.

"Look, you can think whatever you want," Harry said. "A soldier's life never sat well with me. But after your predecessor sent us into that pocket Zone, I didn't have any choice."

"The pocket Zone plan was only a necessity because your people launched a nuclear strike on Echidnaopolis, if you recall," Locke shot back.

"Believe me, many of us regret that day," Harry replied. "But we felt as if we were left with no choice. You and the other Echidnas always treated us as the second-class minority. General Stryker tried to reason with you and negotiate peacefully, but you didn't listen. You never listened."

"I know," Locke admitted, sighing. "I know…"

"Look, I've got nothing against you and the rest of the Echidnas," Harry insisted. "I didn't follow the girl to launch an attack. I know we didn't get the full story, but General Stryker and the others are too wound up to listen or care. That's why I came here."

"You want the full story?" Kat asked. "That's it?"

Harry nodded. "Yes."

"Locke… should we?" Kat questioned.

Deciding to take a chance, Locke nodded. Alternating between them, Locke, Knuckles, and Kat outlined the struggle with Dr. Robotnik, along with Kat's stay on Angel Island. To his credit, Harry listened the entire time, occasionally asking questions. When it was over, he nodded.

"Thank you for telling me this," he said at last. "Though it won't be enough to stop the others."

Knuckles turned to Kat. "You said they were holed up in what's left of Eggman's Launch Base?"

"Yeah…" Kat nodded. "What are you planning?"

"I'm going to try to reason with their general. The last thing we want is another Echidna-Dingo civil war."

"Knuckles, you can't," Locke objected. "They see you, they will kill you."

"That's a risk I'm willing to take." Knuckles replied.

"Wait," Harry piped up. "Take me with you. Maybe with me, they'll let you speak."

"No way," Knuckles shook his head. "They see you with me and they'll kill me no matter what."

"Keeping me locked in here won't help your case either," Harry pointed out. "How do you think they'll react if they find out you've taken one of their soldiers prisoner? At least this way, you'll have someone who can vouch for your story."

Knuckles found himself unable to retort. Locke went over and opened the cell.

"You can protect my son?" he asked.

"I'm going to try," Harry answered. "I don't want this war to kick up again any more than you do."

"I better come too," Kat insisted. "And this time, I'm going to be much clearer when I talk."

Knuckles hesitated before nodding.

All three began heading off, leaving Locke alone. As he watched them leave, he walked into his home and entered his son's room. He rummaged around in one of his drawers before pulling out a bag of Warp Rings.

"It's going to take more than us to end this conflict," he sighed.


Launch Base Zone

At the Launch Base Zone, the Dingoes were preparing for war when Harry emerged from the woods. Before anyone could ask what happened, Knuckles and Kat did the same. Several of the soldiers growled before Harry held up his hands.

"Wait, you don't understand!" he insisted. "General, we didn't get the full story. That's why I went after the girl. She was telling the truth. The Echidnas didn't enslave her. They've been taking care of her."

"You idiot…" Kage growled. "Physical abuse, gathering firewood while freezing half to death... That's not kindness, Harry! It's Stockholm Syndrome!"

"First off, there was no physical abuse," Kat cut in. "It was one incident that he paid for instantly. Second, I offered to gather firewood because the movement would get my blood flowing. And third, and I can't stress this enough, I'm not a slave!"

"She worded what happened wrong, and we just jumped to conclusions," Harry insisted.

"General Stryker, listen to reason," Knuckles begged. "More bloodshed won't get you what you want or make things better. It'll just make things worse."

"You know nothing of what we've been made to endure!" Helmut snapped. "You don't have a single clue what the Dingoes go through every day! We've tried diplomacy! We've tried peace marches! We've tried protesting! Rallying! Picketing, unionizing, holding demonstrations... all to be ignored! You Echidnas are deaf to the language of peace! Especially the Brotherhood of Guardians!" He pointed at Knuckles accusingly. "Violence is the only language you Guardians understand, the only language any of you seem to respond to... And so we must speak out loudly and clearly if we want to be heard!"

"And that justifies escalating things to Aurora-damned nuclear war?!" Knuckles challenged.

Helmut was silent for a few moments, sighing.

"I admit I went overboard," he said at last. "I acted rashly and lost sight of the proper way to achieve my goal."

"And you're doing the same thing again," Kat pointed out. "Listen, I've seen the supremacy of the Echidna firsthand, but they aren't the same anymore. They took me in and adopted me. Knuckles is my brother, in more ways than one."

She rolled up her sleeves, showing her bracers and popping them off.

"These aren't cuffs, they're Chaos Regulators. Watch."

She closed her eyes and her hair burst into flames. Everyone recoiled as she ended the flaring, slipping her bracers back on.

"A human Guardian…?" Helmut let out.

"Oh yeah, dad hated it at first," Knuckles confessed. "But he came around. And he's been making solid efforts to be more accepting. All of the Echidnas have. We're not the supremacist monsters we used to be."

Helmut was silent, thinking it over, as were several of his soldiers. Kage, however, was unmoved.

"You and yours will do anything to save your mangy hides!" he shouted. "There is nothing you can say to convince us you've changed or will ever do so!"

"Then how about getting an outsider's perspective?"

Knuckles and Kat turned to see Sally exiting the woods, Locke behind her.

"Sally?" Knuckles let out.

"Our words were not going to be enough," Locke admitted. "So I brought in a truly impartial third party."

After introductions, Sally approached Helmut.

"I understand wanting change, General Stryker," she began. "A better life for your people. But did your people really call for a bloody coup against the Echidnas? Or a nuclear strike?"

Helmut looked away. "I never wanted it to come to that…"

With that, Sally turned to Locke.

"Locke, what the Dingoes did was reprehensible. I'm not here to argue differently. But surely you understand you're just as responsible by pushing them to such extremes and not hearing them out."

"I do now, yes," Locke admitted. "That is why I want to do what I should have done from the beginning."

He turned to Helmut, then sat down cross legged in front of him. "Talk."

Sally turned to the dingoes.

"I'm the tactician and strategist of our team. I know a thing or two about negotiating. So... are you ready to talk?"

A few moments passed before Helmut sat down to do the same. Sally smiled, and thus, negotiations began.

-X-

It took a good three hours to air grievances, and there were a couple of moments where things did get heated. Thankfully, Sally was able to calm the pair down before things took a turn for the worse. Knuckles and Kat both sat behind Locke, silently supporting him as several Dingos, including Harry, did the same. Kage was not cowed, and would often interject and cause some of the more heated moments. Thankfully, Helmut continued to silence him, and soon, a compromise was reached. In the end, everyone was happy with the agreement... except Kage.

"All these years, and we just suddenly decide to be buddy-buddy with the Echidnas?!" he demanded. "Crawl into bed with them?!"

"Let it go, Kage," Helmut insisted calmly. "It's time to put the past behind us, and look to the future."

Kage stood up in a rage, punching a hole in a nearby tree.

"I'll NEVER let it go!" he roared. "Can't you see this is a trick?! The Echidnas agree to a truce, and they'll stab us in the back when we least expect it! Well, I'm not waiting until they do!"

He charged forward, ready to claw Locke apart. However, Kat got in the way, blocking the attack as best she could. His claws ripped through the arms of her coat and left deep marks. Kat hissed in pain, but remained where she was.

"Leave. Locke. Alone." she let out.

Kage snarled, only for Knuckles to jump in and shove him aside. He was about to attack again when Helmut yanked his son back, shoving him into a tree.

"Enough, Kage."

"I can't believe you're just... I don't approve of this, Dad!" Kage snarled. "Not one bit!"

"I don't need your approval. I'm the leader of our people, not you. And if you can't respect my authority or my decisions, then you have no place in the Dingo Regime."

"What?! After everything I've done for our people, you're choosing Echidna over your own son?!"

"I'm choosing my people over your hot-headed nature! Violence isn't always the solution! We resorted to it because the Echidnas didn't listen to reason before! But they are now, and I'm not about to let you ruin the best chance for the Dingoes' equality!"

"They're animals! Abusers! Supremacists!"

"Only animal I see is you," Knuckles growled.

Kage growled right back, stomping off.

"You'll see. I'll show you we should've just wiped them out."

He stomped off, heading into the woods. Sally sighed.

"There always has to be that one hothead who wants to ruin peace talks."

"Kathryn, are you alright?" Locke asked, approaching her.

"I've had worse," Kat replied.

He gently took her arms, examining the wounds carefully

"Thankfully, your coat took the brunt of the damage, but you should still get these tended to. Knuckles, get her to Lara-Le."

Knuckles nodded, taking her arm and gently leading her away. Helmut looked at where Kage disappeared, sighing.

"My apologies. Kage grew up on our anti-Echidna rhetoric, and he was always stubborn and short-tempered. I suppose it's too much to ask that he just drop his prejudices and beliefs overnight."

"It can be difficult to let go of preconceived notions, especially when you cling to them as closely as he does," Locke remarked. "Take it from someone who nearly lost everyone he loved because he refused to let go."

"I can only hope Kage learns to let go himself... before this leads him to ruin."


Robotropolis

The next day, at Citadel Robotnik, the good doctor found himself speaking to Kage in his throne room.

"So…" Robotnik began, "you hate the Echidnas of Angel Island, and because your old man won't go the route you want, you came running to me for help."

"The Echidnas are my enemy, especially the Guardians," Kage explained. "We share a common foe, Dr. Robotnik."

"And how exactly did you come to learn about me?"

"The squirrel sympathizer mentioned you by name. You understand that the only way to get what you want is to take it, and destroy anyone who gets in your way."

"So you came to me to get revenge on the Echidnas," Robotnik realized. "Make them suffer. I can always use more soldiers, especially willing ones. But know this, Kage. Once you're in, you don't get out. You fight for my cause and the Robotnik Empire."

He stood up as he went on. "The minute you put your own mission and desires above mine... they'll be lost to you. Do you understand?"

"So long as I get my wish in the end, I don't care how long it takes," Kage confessed. "I've waited this long, and I can wait even longer."

Robotnik smirked. "Excellent. Welcome aboard."

He offered a hand, which Kage took, shaking. They broke off and Kage was escorted off by Swatbots. Once he was gone, Eggatha came out from behind the throne.

"Uncle, he's a psycho," she pointed out. "Why are you hiring him?"

"Because as one of my Cyberized minions, I can control him and rein him in if need be," Robotnik replied. "That, and the Dingoes' technology is quite impressive, enough to merit his stay. But don't worry, my dear. I meant what I told him. If he steps out of line, we'll be joining Mordred in deep storage."

Eggatha nodded, satisfied her uncle had thought things through for once.


Author's Note:

And there we have it. The Dingo Regime from Archie enters the picture.

Since my Robotnik isn't as unhinged or murderous as the Archie version, Kage won't get nearly as far with his Echidna genocide as he did in the comic. But more on that later.

Voice cast for this chapter:

* Helmut - Clancy Brown

* Kage - Kevin Michael Richardson

* Harry - Billy West (Philip J. Fry from Futurama, Doug Funnie from Doug, Stimpy from Ren & Stimpy)

Please R&R. Until next time!