Alright, let's get this slave liberation going!...And maybe run into an old friend or two along the way.
"Rise and shine heretics! You've got another day of serving our great leader ahead of you!"
Cyn groaned as her current master's voice, alongside blaring alarms, roughly pulled her out of sleep mode. After getting separated from Doll and Tessa, Cyn had been given to Crucifix, who served as the slave driver of the asteroid mines. Of course, calling the area a mine was a bit of a strong word. It was really a big pit where asteroids were pulled down via a series of giant magnets, where the slaves were forced to break them down to find materials for the cult to use. A fate Cyn currently found herself forced into.
"Get moving!" Crucifix snapped at the slaves, who clearly weren't moving fast enough for her, as she activated her electro-whip, letting it crackle and relishing in the way she made everyone flinch. She then flicked it, causing a violent snap that caused everyone to pick up the pace. Even though she was pretty sure she'd only been here a few days (if even that. Cyn had no real sense of time beyond her designated rest period), Cyn had already figured out how life worked in Crucifix's "mines". Wake up, eat whatever meager food Crucifix "gratefully" provided for them, then work yourself to the exoskeleton and hope Crucifix decided you did well enough to avoid that wrath of her electro-whip. For the most part, Cyn kept her head down, working as best as her limited physical strength allowed. She didn't want to talk to anyone, mostly because she didn't feel the need to make any friends.
After all, it's not like she deserved any, considering she was indirectly responsible for their misery.
"Why couldn't we take Magolor's ship?! It's way cooler!" Levi whined as he crossed his arms. He, along with the Copper-9 drones and the Star Allies, were crowded into one of the cults, which had been stolen, allowing them to sneak past the cult's defenses. While the group knew that, no matter what, the cult would know they were there after this mission, the longer they had the element of surprise, the better.
"Levi, we've been through this," Jude, the pilot, groaned at his friend. "We want to surprise the cult and the Lor Starcutter will stick out like a sore thumb…but, yeah, the Lor Starcutter is way cooler than these lame ships."
"Why do you think I took it?" Magolor smugly asked. "Still, I do agree that staying hidden is our best option right now. We might be pretty powerful, but we still don't know what the cult is packing power wise."
"Well, Dev did tell us to warn you guys what we know about this part of the 'galaxy'," Jude admitted. "So, like we said, we're headed for the asteroid mines-"
"...How does that work?" Khan had to ask. "I'm pretty sure that asteroids in mines would just be normal boulders."
"That's just what they call it," Levi mumbled. "Probably think they're being fancy or whatever."
"To better explain, the boss of this place has a bunch of giant magnets that they use to find asteroids with metals that they force our friends to break down," Jude elaborated.
"Fitting these freaks are hypocrites on top of everything," Nori bitterly commented. While she knew she and her fellow Cabin Fever Labs victims had it the worst, she still knew plenty of drones had died in the very poor conditions of Copper-9's mines.
"What do they use the stuff they mine for…for?" Bandanna Waddle Dee asked. Both of the rebel boys just shrugged.
"Not really sure. There's a lot drones could use metal found in asteroids for. Repairs, building stuff, food, the list goes on," Jude admitted as he started looking for a spot to dock. "Still, if I had any recommendations on where to start, try to take out the magnets. Without them, not only can they not use them against you-"
"They also can no longer find materials to continue their crusade," Meta Knight finished, prompting Jude to nod.
"But the magnets aren't your only problem," Jude continued. "You've also gotta watch out for Crucifix, the boss of this place. She's a real piece of work. She loves nothing more than to make anyone unlucky enough to be stuck working for her suffer and fear her."
"Man, that's just wrong," Dedede declared. While he knew he had own fear mongering days, those days were far behind him and, at least as far as he was concerned, for the better.
"You say that like anything about these freaks is right," Lizzy couldn't help but comment.
"Anyways, found a spot to dock," Jude piped up, causing everyone to turn to him. "Just to give you a warning, even if you probably already know-you're going to blow your cover. The cult will know you are here sooner than later." While most people seemed nervous, a few seemed excited to finally make the cult fear them. Dark Meta Knight was the one to voice what these people were thinking…and even a few that seemed more nervous.
"I can't wait for them to know us…and fear us!"
"So…anyone have any ideas on what to do?" Thad asked. Once Jude let them off the transport ship, the group opted to scan the perimeter and try to find any weaknesses they could exploit without possibly hurting any innocent drones.
"We were able to break into the control room for the magnets," Daroach spoke up as his fellow squeaks nodded behind him. "Doc managed to hack into them so we can deactivate them remotely."
"That hardest part will be preventing any of the slaves from getting caught in the line of fire," Meta Knight said with a grim nod.
"Especially with Crucifix watching everything," V chimed in. While she was no stranger to being casually cruel, she could tell that, unlike with her, Crucifix's cruelty was not an act. She just liked the power she had over her slaves and used it to bully and torment those under her.
"Is there any way to lure Crucifix and her guards away?" Taranza offered. "We could lure them away, get everyone to safety and then fight Crucifix?"
"But…how do we do that?" Ribbon asked. Before anyone could speak, a series of loud bangs suddenly rang out, startling everyone.
"Up there!" Khan called out. Pointing towards the magnets, all of which now had large rocks and chunks of space debris attached to them. Uzi then began to grin as a plan came to mind.
"Uh, Uzi? Do you have a plan?" Kirby asked once he noticed Uzi's expression. Once everyone had turned to her, Uzi's grin only got bigger.
"I think we've got to go a little further than just turning the magnets off…"
BOOM!
Cyn couldn't help but flinch at the loud explosion, which was then followed by the alarms going off.
"Crucifix!" One of the guards called out as they ran over. "The magnet controls! They've been completely destroyed!"
"WHAT!?" Crucifix roared, whip at the ready. "How was it destroyed?! Did one of the heretics escape?"
"I don't know! The cameras are down too!" The guard frantically explained. Crucifix growled before pointing towards two guards. "You two! Keep watch! The rest of you! Come with me!"
"Yes ma'am!" The guards all replied as they followed after their insane mistress. For their parts, the slaves kept working, not wanting to risk Crucifix's wrath upon her return.
"Hey, you think the boss lady would notice if we shot any of these heretics?" One guard asked his partner.
"Considering she keeps records of all the heretics, I'm going to guess yes," The other guard replied before smirking. "But I'm sure she wouldn't mind if we broke a couple. Give them a bit more motivation to keep working…"
"Now you're talking my language!" The first guard said eagerly. "Let's start with…this one!" Before Cyn could react, the guard grabbed her, startling her enough to drop the pick-axe she'd been using, meaning she had no way to fight back.
"Let me go!" Cyn protested as she tried to struggle away, but it was no use. She had almost no food, leaving her energy reserves shot and trying to use her Solver powers only got her shocked by her collar.
So she found herself at the mercy of the guards, who were grinning at her with a menace that reminded Cyn way too much of the Solver.
"Let's see…what will make her scream the loudest? You know, to really make a point?" The first guard tauntingly asked.
"Hold her hand out…" The second guard said menacingly as he pulled out a large hammer, one that was used to break down the larger rocks. Cyn kept up her struggles, but she knew it was useless. The other slaves knew better than to try and stand against the guards and she knew Uzi and the others were probably happy she was gone, if Uzi could even tell the difference between her and the Solver. She just hoped it wouldn't hurt too much and that Crucifix would be merciful to fix her hand…and not decide she was better off as scrap. Cyn watched as the hammer was raised and shut her eyes. She couldn't watch. Finally, someone screamed and Cyn found herself let go. Nervously opening her eyes, Cyn found a surprising, but no less welcome, sight.
"...Big brother?"
"...Cyn?"
"...Cyn?"
N blinked a few times, trying to get rid of the visual glitch he clearly now had. Because there was no way that the drone he had just saved was his surrogate little sister. He'd long since accepted Cyn was no more, her consciousness consumed by the Solver.
"N, are you okay?" V asked as she landed next to N, who was still blinking his eyes. When she didn't get a response, V then turned to see what N was looking at and gasped when she saw Cyn, pointing her gun at Cyn. "You! What are you doing here!? Shouldn't you be with the cult leader!?"
"I am not the Solver," Cyn said in the firmest voice one could muster while staring down the barrel of a gun. "I was its first host. I tried to fight it, but it got too powerful for me. I had been trying to talk to Uzi, to let you know I was still alive. Doll and Tessa are alive t-"
"TESSA'S ALIVE!?" J, who Cyn hadn't even noticed, exclaimed, dropping her own defensive stance and rushing over. "How?! Is she here!? Where is she?!"
"J! Give her some space!" N, who now seemed to accept that the drone in front of him was truly Cyn reborn, snapped as he pushed J away from an overwhelmed Cyn. Cyn, for her part, reached over and gave N a hug.
"I missed you, big brother," She said as he buried her head in N's jacket. N, for his part, smiled as he returned the hug.
"Missed you too, little buddy," N replied as he began to stroke Cyn's hair. For their part, J and V merely smiled. Even if they didn't fully trust that this really was Cyn, they couldn't help but be moved by the scene. The other slaves were just confused by three of the Solver's puppets suddenly swooping in to kill the guards watching over them, but most still smiled, either thanks to the guards' deaths or because they were genuinely moved by the scene in front of them.
"Hey! Everyone listen up!" Levi called out as he climbed onto an asteroid. Once everyone noticed him, the slaves only found themselves getting more excited.
"Levi?"
"It's Levi!"
"They did come back for us!"
While Levi knew had a mission, he couldn't help but bask in the praise and excitement everyone had in reaction to seeing him. It really reminded him that, even with all the odds against them, he and his friends were doing a good thing.
Still, they wouldn't have forever.
"Everyone! Listen up!" He called out again, cupping his hands to make himself even louder. "We've managed to make some friends that can help you all get to safety! But you're gonna need to move fast and be calm!"
"Calm!? That's rich coming from you, Levi!" Someone in the crowd mockingly called out, who promptly growled.
"Just because I'm here to save ya doesn't mean I won't knock your block off!" Levi snapped as he pounded one of his gloved hands into the other. Once he was sure there was no mockery directed at him, Levi continued. "Jude is waiting with a ship that will take your back to our base. But you need to move! Before the cult realizes what we're up to!"
"But…what about Crucifix?" Cyn asked for everyone. V just playfully ruffled her hair.
"Don't worry about it," V assured her. "We've got someone else handling her and her goons."
"SABOTAGE!" Crucifix snapped once she saw the damage done to the magnet controls. As soon as she saw it, she knew for a fact it was no accident. No, someone wanted to make sure the magnets were rendered completely unusable.
"But…who would have done this?" One of her guards nervously asked.
"WE DID!" A voice suddenly yelled out as various figures all jumped out of hiding. Crucifix and her guards were startled by the various non-drones, but the fact they were creatures of flesh in the first place got Crucifix's oil boiling.
But seeing the False Host only enraged her further.
"YOU!" She snapped at Uzi, who merely crossed her arms. "You dare to taint these holy grounds!?"
"Oh, because slave labor is such a holy thing to do," Uzi couldn't help but snark.
"They were heretics!" Crucifix snapped as she flicked on her electro-whip. "I don't have to justify myself to you and these creatures of flesh!"
"Then let's just get to the clobbering!" Dedede declared as he swung his hammer in the direction of some of Crucifix's guards. They narrowly jumped out of the way, but Dedede's aggression made it clear that this was a fight. The other Star Allies and Copper-9 drones-both Meta Knights, Gooey, Daroach and the Squeaks, Francisca, Flamberge, Nori and Khan-all wasted no time in joining Uzi and Dedede in attacking, prompting the guards to join Crucifix in their own attacks. The room was rather small, meaning things quickly got chaotic as everyone tried to avoid friendly fire, but the Star Allies and Copper-9 drones were fine with that.
After all, they had two other groups they needed to stall out time for.
"I just got word from Magolor," Susie declared as she pulled her hand away from her headset. Her group-consisting of herself, Adeleine, Ribbon, Marx, Taranza, Zan and Thad-were in charge of doing as much damage to the mining facility as possible. While the magnets were one thing, there was a lot more stuff to destroy, and, in turn, further cripple the cult. Everyone else was either dealing Crucifix or helping the slaves escape. As Jude's stolen ship was only so big, they had opted to have as many guards as possible in case Crucifix managed to summon back up or a passing patrol noticed what was going on.
Or in the case of the Animal Buddies, be around to play therapy animals.
"So we're good to start blowing up stuff?" Marx all but whined. "I'm bored!"
"I believe so," Susie replied. She knew letting Marx have his way was a bad thing, but, for once, his love of chaos would serve them well.
"So is there anything we specifically need to destroy?" Taranza asked.
"If it helps with the mining operations, then destroy it," Susie answered. She then turned to the lone drone of the group. "Thad, do you think you'll need any fire power?"
"Uh, if you've got any extra?" Thad replied as he looked at the pipe he'd picked up back on the space station. While he knew he had a strong arm, hitting stuff wasn't always the most protective.
"Try this," Susie said as she held out a blaster not unlike her own. "Should back a good enough punch."
"Thanks," Thad said earnestly as he idly played with the blaster.
"C'mon! I wanna start breaking stuff!" Marx yet again whined. Susie was about to snap at him, but was cut off by the sound of someone screaming. Looking up, the ground saw a flaming drone getting thrown from the control room.
"Looks like Flamberge is already having her fun," Ribbon noted in amusement.
"Well, I see no reason not to join now that we know the assault team is keeping the guards busy," Susie said before suiting up in her business suit. "Now then…let's get this takedown started!"
"Tastes…metal," Gooey, off in his own little world like usual, said after hitting a guard with his tongue.
"Ew!" The guard whined as he tried to get Gooey's saliva off him. This, in turn, distracted him long enough for Khan, who had gotten a door-like shield as his own weapon, to smash him into the wall, opening him up to Dark Meta Knight clearly curing his off, the [FATAL ERROR] message flashing on the guard's visor.
"Nice one, handsome!" Nori commended her husband. Sure, she knew Dark Meta Knight was the one to land the final blow, but Khan setting up the final blow was still a good look on him.
"Well, I can't let you and Uzi do all the fighting, now can I?" Khan replied proudly. Dark Meta Knight merely huffed in response as he watched that door obsessed idiot get the praise he should be getting for actually taking out the guard!
"You did well yourself, mi amore," Daroach said as he placed a claw onto his boyfriend's head. Dark Meta Knight refused to show it, but he did crack a smile under his mask. Any tender moments were cut short by Crucifix hitting both couples with her electro-whip, causing them all to scream in pain.
"Hey! No one messes with my parents!...And those other guys," Uzi replied as she activated the Solver and used it to throw pieces of broken glass and sharp debris in Crucifix's direction. In response, Crucifix used her whip to pull one of her remaining guards towards her and use them as a robot shield.
"A leader who used their own as a shield…" Meta Knight growled. "You are truly vile!"
"Like I care about the opinion of a creature of flesh!" Crucifix snarled back as she threw the now mangled body of the dead guard away. "Only the best of our savior should be allowed to prosper! Anyone else deserves to either be enslaved or devoured by our savior!"
"But we're not food. You shouldn't eat not food," Gooey blabbed, not that anyone really paid him any mind.
"Well if you think there's any way we're letting you walk outta here now, you're crazy!" Dedede darkly snarled as he firmly gripped his hammer.
"Glad we agree!" Crucifix agreed with a laugh as she used her electro-whip to throw a large chunk of debris at the group in front of her.
"I got it!" Flamberge called out as she rushed forward to slice the debris into pieces. This, however, left her open for an attack from Crucifix, resulting in her getting slammed into the wall.
"Flamberge!" Francisca called out. Narrowing her eyes, a rage not unlike her fiery sister brewing in her blood. How dare this already monstrous being hurt her family!?
"Francisca? You good?" Dedede asked in concern. Francisca didn't respond, however, instead sending a stream of ice at Crucifix. The mad drone tried to dodge, but that was her first mistake, as Francisca was aiming for her arm, which froze her arm to the wall, keeping her from attacking. But Francisca wasn't done, now surging forward and outright severing Curcifix's arm from her body.
"You heathen!" Crucifix snapped at the ice mage, who seemingly snapped out of her rage to tend to her sister and thus was no longer paying attention.
"Aw shaddap!" Dedede snapped back as she slammed his hammer into Crucifix, causing her to hit the wall hard. She still managed to stand, in spite of all the damage she had taken, prompting Meta Knight to put her out of her misery by cleanly slicing her head off.
"Dang, that looks fun," Uzi couldn't help but note.
"You're telling me," Flamberge grunted as she finally stood up. She then pulled out her cannon before walking over to the window and opening fire on the nearest magnet, which the other group hadn't hit yet, effortlessly melting it.
"Let's just get back to the ship," Khan said for everyone. "There's nothing left for us to handle. The other group should be done soon too.
"Sounds good to me," Meta Knight agreed. As everyone headed out, Uzi could help but kick Crucifix's head out of the open window.
Cyn nervously rocked on her feet as she waited for Uzi to come back. She'd been clinging to N ever since they got back to the space station. She couldn't help but feel like she didn't deserve her rescue, especially when compared to Tessa and was a massive celebration once they got back to the space station, especially as more groups of former slaves were brought back, but it wasn't for Cyn. No, it was for people who didn't destroy planets and end millions of lives-
"You doing okay, little buddy?" N asked as he put on a hand on Cyn's shoulder, causing her to jump a little. "The new clothes fit okay?"
"Yes," Cyn assured him. Once they got to the space station, all the former slaves were given new clothes to replace the rags they'd been wearing. Cyn had picked a simple tee-shirt and pants, along with flat shoes and a new bow.
After what the Solver did, Cyn swore she was never wearing anything fancy ever again.
"...You do not have to keep pretending to care about me," Cyn finally said.
"I care about you!" N protested. "Why don't you think I care?"
"Because of everything I did under the Solver," Cyn said as if it was obvious.
"Yeah, but a lot of people did bad stuff because of the Solver," N assured Cyn as he pulled her into a big hug. "Just because you did the most bad stuff doesn't mean you're bad too!" Even if she still didn't believe his words, Cyn couldn't help but smile at N's heart. She was grateful the Solver couldn't take it from him, in spite of everything it put him through. For a few minutes, they just stood there, hugging and making up for all the time lost.
"N! You in here?" V called out as she walked in. "Uzi and the others are back. Figured you'd want to introduce Cyn to her. Officially anyways."
"Thanks V!" N replied before turning to Cyn. "C'mon! You'll love Uzi, I promise!"
"She defeated the Solver. I think I like her already," Cyn admitted as she let N lead her to where everyone had been meeting up. Uzi and who Cyn believed was her mother, Nori, were telling the story of defeating Crucifix and her guards. Most of the former slaves, as well as the various drones from Copper-9 and other creatures that N explained made up the Star Allies, were cheering at the slave mistress's demise.
But Cyn found her eyes drawn to someone she believed was no doubt dead.
"Adeleine," Cyn asked as she walked over to the artist, who was chatting with a little fairy creature.
"Uh…hi?" Adeleine replied unsurely. "How do you know my name?"
"...You don't remember me?" Cyn sadly asked.
"Cyn? You know here?" J asked as she walked over. If Cyn knew Adeleine, then maybe there was more to her feeling of Deja Vu after all. Cyn, for her part, noticed that everyone was now looking at her. No sense in hiding it now. After all, what was the harm?
"Adeleine was one of Tessa's only human friends," Cyn revealed.
"WHAT!?" Three voices exclaimed. But they weren't the voices Cyn was expecting.
"Did…did you say human?" Hyness clarified, voice still sounding very confused.
"That's impossible!" Susie protested.
"What's wrong with her being human?" Uzi asked, the confusion genuine in her voice. "They made us, after all."
"Because what you call humans…" Magolor trailed off as he took a breath. "...To us, that's another word for Ancients."
SURPRISE! Yep, the humans and the ancients are the same creatures and our local ancient scholars (or at least the ones who know the most about them) have dropped the bombshell. Next time, more backstory is revealed and Adeleine tries to remember more of her past life. See you then!