Chapter 22: The Arrival on Zebes
The Egg Dreadnaught loomed over the ruined surface of Zebes, its dark, metallic frame casting a long shadow over the desolate landscape. The once-thriving planet was now a wasteland, a testament to battles long past. Inside the vessel, Dr. Robotnik was in high spirits. His plan was falling into place, and he was eager to take the next step.
Robotnik marched down a cold, sterile corridor, his humming echoing off the walls. He approached a cell, where Tails sat, bruised and weary, yet his eyes still sharp and defiant. Robotnik grinned, his mustache twitching with delight. "Ah, my dear Tails! I have something I want to show you," he said, his voice dripping with a mock warmth.
Before Tails could respond, two hulking figures stepped forward—Pharaoh Man and Napalm Man. They roughly grabbed Tails, forcing him out of the cell and into the hallway. Despite his struggles, he was powerless against their mechanical strength.
Tails was dragged to Robotnik's Egg-o-Matic, and the group climbed aboard. The vessel detached from the massive Dreadnaught, gliding out into the open air of Zebes. Below them, jagged rocks and scorched earth stretched out in all directions, the planet's surface a chaotic mix of barren terrain and collapsed structures.
The Egg-o-Matic descended, the landscape of Zebes slowly coming into view. Tails squinted as they neared the ground. The planet's surface was scarred and cracked, with jagged rock formations jutting out like broken teeth. The air was thick, stale, and silent—almost as if the planet itself was holding its breath. The faint, distant echoes of metallic clinks and groans carried on the wind, remnants of battles long forgotten.
Tails shivered, not just from the chill in the air, but from the sense of desolation that hung over the place. It was as if the planet had been abandoned, left to decay under a blanket of dust and ash. "What is this place?" he asked, already knowing the answer but hoping he was wrong.
Robotnik's grin widened. "Zebes, of course. A relic of a time when chaos reigned supreme. And now, a stepping stone to something far greater."
He continued, as if leading a tour, "My experiments with the Master Emerald have led me here, you see. There's a Chaos Emerald on this planet, and you, my dear fox, are going to help me find it."
Tails clenched his fists. "I'm not helping you do anything," he spat.
Robotnik ignored him, his attention still on the landscape below. "Organic life is so... boring. So fragile, so prone to suffering. Imagine a universe where everything is mechanical, where there is no pain, no weakness. That is my vision."
Tails narrowed his eyes. "And no free will. No love," he retorted. "That's what you really want, isn't it? To control everything."
Robotnik turned to Tails, a dark, knowing smile curling on his lips. "Ah, yes. Love, free will... the most dangerous aspects of organic beings. It's precisely because of such unpredictable elements that chaos exists. My vision will bring order."
The Egg-o-Matic descended toward a large cave entrance, shrouded in darkness. The shift from the bleak surface to the shadowed mouth of the cavern felt like crossing into another world, where past battles had left silent witnesses in the rubble. Robotnik continued his flamboyant explanation, gesturing with his hands as if he were a conductor leading a symphony. "This cave system—once a stronghold of the Space Pirates—holds many secrets. And, I suspect, the Chaos Emerald."
As they entered the cave, the shadows swallowed them, and Tails could see evidence of a battle. Walls scorched black, broken machinery, and fragments of armor littered the ground. Robotnik scanned the area, his eyes narrowing as he noted the complex network of tunnels stretching out in every direction.
"So many corridors and pathways..." he muttered, almost to himself. "It would be terribly inefficient to wander through them all." He pressed a button on his console, a high-pitched whine emanating from the Egg-o-Matic as a laser beam shot out, cutting a direct path through the rock and steel. The debris crumbled away, revealing a path leading deeper into the heart of the planet.
The tunnel eventually opened into a massive chamber, the air thick with the smell of smoke and metal. At the center of the room, Tails saw what remained of a grotesque, pulsating machine—a glassy, dome-like structure shattered in pieces, with cables and wires trailing off like severed limbs.
Robotnik's eyes sparkled with recognition. "Ah, the resting place of Mother Brain," he said, almost reverently. "A battle was fought here, a clash between the leader of the Space Pirates and a hunter like no other. Do you know who defeated the leaders of the Space Pirates, Tails?"
Tails looked away, not wanting to give Robotnik the satisfaction of answering. But he already knew where this was going. "Samus," he said quietly.
"Correct! Samus Aran, the great hunter who has thwarted so many," Robotnik replied with a laugh. "It's admirable, really. I can understand why you'd wish she was here now, to stop me."
"I do," Tails said defiantly. "I wish she'd stop you right now."
Robotnik chuckled. "Wishes rarely come true, do they?"
Suddenly, a shadow darted across the chamber, and Tails caught a glimpse of something moving swiftly toward them. A creature, round and translucent, lunged out of the darkness, heading straight for Pharaoh Man. The Robot Master fired at it, but the shots seemed to have no effect. The creature latched onto Pharaoh Man, its tendrils sinking into his metallic shell as it began to drain his energy.
Pharaoh Man twitched and convulsed, his mechanical limbs flailing before his power core flickered and went dark. His body dropped out of the Egg-o-Matic and clattered to the ground, lifeless.
Robotnik quickly scanned the creature, his eyes widening with intrigue. "A Metroid..." he said, almost in awe. Without hesitation, he activated a freeze weapon, firing a blast that encased the Metroid in ice. "Remarkable. But fragile." He nodded to Napalm Man, who raised his arm and shattered the frozen Metroid with a single explosive shot.
The group continued deeper, entering another chamber, this one glowing with a dull, molten light. The air was thick with heat, and the smell of sulfur was overwhelming. Streams of molten rock flowed beneath the rocky platforms, casting an ominous red glow. Robotnik activated a shield around the Egg-o-Matic, deflecting the searing heat.
"This is where the emerald should be..." he muttered, frustration creeping into his voice. "But I can't see it." He adjusted his scanner, sweeping the area, when suddenly a bright flash of plasma shot past, hitting the side of the Egg-o-Matic and causing it to spin violently.
Robotnik managed to stabilize the vehicle and turned sharply to see a dark, towering figure in the distance. It was Ridley, his eyes glowing menacingly, his maw smoking from the recent blast. His wings were gone, jagged stumps where they had been, but his presence was no less terrifying. Hanging around his neck as if it were a prize was the Chaos Emerald, the gem shimmering with an eerie light.
"Wait!" Robotnik shouted, raising his hands. But Ridley did not wait. He fired another plasma shot, and Robotnik barely dodged it, the blast singeing the edge of the Egg-o-Matic. "You have something I want," Robotnik said, voice calm but urgent. "And I can offer you something you want in return."
Ridley's eyes narrowed, his voice deep and guttural. "Who are you?" he hissed. "Talk fast."
Robotnik's smile was wide, almost smug. "Dr. Robotnik. And I propose a trade—Samus Aran... for the emerald you hold."
Ridley's claws tightened around the emerald, and he leaned forward, his gaze piercing. 'Why do you want this?' he growled. Deep in his chest, a memory of searing pain and an old vendetta stirred, sharpening his resolve.
"That is not your concern," Robotnik replied smoothly. "But I can offer a gesture of goodwill." He pressed a button, and a small device launched from the Egg-o-Matic, hurtling toward Ridley. Instinctively, Ridley fired at Robotnik again and tried to dodge, but the device turned mid-air, attaching itself to Ridley's back.
For a moment, Ridley thrashed, trying to remove the object, but it quickly unfurled, encasing his back in a metallic shell. Slowly, sleek, robotic wings emerged from the device, attaching seamlessly to Ridley's frame. He flapped them experimentally, feeling the newfound strength.
Robotnik's grin widened. "There. A gift. If we have a deal, I can bring you the one you seek. And then, the emerald will be mine."
Ridley's eyes glowed brighter, a sinister grin spreading across his face. "Fine. But only after I've killed her. Then, you can have your precious gem."
Robotnik gave a mock salute, laughing. "Enjoy yourself, Ridley." Robotnik's eyes flickered with satisfaction. 'A pawn with ambition,' he thought, 'is the most predictable kind.'. As they turned to leave, the Egg-o-Matic gliding away, Robotnik's expression darkened. He glanced at Tails, his voice low. "What I didn't tell our friend is that Samus is already on her way... with The Great Fox."
Tails' eyes widened in shock, and for a brief moment, a glimmer of hope flickered in his heart. But Robotnik's cruel grin was a stark reminder of the danger that still lay ahead.