Chapter 51 - Spoliation of Being
Reaching the operation floor level at his base, Robotnik waited for the retrieval of the two items he needed. Going to one of the tables, a flashback came to him. It was the remembrance of a disfigured hedgehog. When he initially saw it, he thought the robot patrollers had captured it and were torturing the furry being. However from seeing it escape and leave with a child of the same breed, he investigated what really happened.
The aspect that the hedgehog would operate the panel was annoying. It made him wonder if there were others that infiltrated his base and access his database or supplies. From doing mild research, there were three other incidents of an intruder. All from the same figure with a ratty cloak that was alone. Concluding that this pest was just looking for food and water, it brought him back to operation lab footage. Going through transplant surgery with no anesthesia or painkillers made him wonder if the creature was an experimental from the war.
'I haven't found out who you are...yet,' Ivo said in his mind. Shaking his head, he refocused on what his current plan was.
'I will find out soon. You are in one of the databases. You have implants that only my old friend has made...so that creature must be in his data collection of war experiments...but that is not of importance right now.'
"Computer," he called out loud while doing prep work.
[Yes Dr. Robotnik?] an electronic voice spoke in through the loudspeakers.
"What is the rebuild status of the prototype?"
[...calculating...it will be completed in 38 minutes doctor]
"Good. Next question. Where is my requested robotized vermin?" he demanded looking up from the table he was at.
[...searching...the subject has been selected and is being escorted to your location Dr. Robotnik]
"Time of arrival?"
[...based on location and pace...within 10 minutes]
'That should be enough time before the operation,' the man thought placing a utensil on a nearby table cart. Looking up from the tools he laid out, he turned around and went to the control panel. Connected to the operation table with wires and fixture structure, he began accessing the inputs.
"...calibrating the settings...adjusting the parameters for the subject...all that is left is to connect this panel to the subject for ease of access and specifications," Ivo muttered to himself. At the same time, his mind drifted towards the surveillance video again. The disfigured hedgehog knew how to operate the control panel to activate the robotic arms and to conduct the procedure. The aspect made him frown again.
'After this...I am going to enact an anti-rat infiltration procedure to keep those damn pests out of my base. And install a passcode procedure.'
"..." Robotnik grunted with mild irritation.
Turning around and walking away, he went over to one of the storage rooms connected to the operation chamber. Retrieving items and bringing them back, he laid them out on a gurney like table. Feeling everything was in order, all that was left was waiting. Impatiently walking the inside perimeter of the large room, his mind kept thinking of what he came up with back in the testing area for the prototypes. About to call out to the computer again, double doors opened to the room.
"..." the scientist turned around and looked. Seeing three figures, he immediately smiled.
"Ah good! You finally brought one," he said out loud. Slapping his hands together and making a mild clap echo in the spacious room, he began rubbing them back and forth. Moving to be in front of the operation table, he stood there then moved his arms behind him.
"Come forth unit," the man ordered.
[...yes...doctor...Robotnik...] a mechanical voice responded with pauses. Moving forward clunkily, a being half the height of the human came closer to him. Smiling wider as the metallic figure approached, he breathed a sigh of satisfaction. When it close enough, Ivo raised his hand.
"That will be far enough my pet," he voiced amused.
Watching the thing stop, its mechanical red eyes began to look up from its black visor for its eye sockets. What used to be an organic pig hybrid breed, it was now an inorganic robot. Holding close to what its flesh structure looked like, its skin and internals were metamorphically changed to metal, gears, wires, and power sources. Even the head region had completely configured to a mechanical version. Without moving or blinking, it saw the scientist extend its right arm out. It patted the metal head's noggin.
"You have been specially selected to be a part of a new age of robotics," Ivo began. Retracting his hand, he turned to his left and began walking.
"It is an honor to be selected for this task rodent...you should be proud."
[...]
"Tell me vermin," he spoke out loud. Stopping and facing away, he grinned.
"What do you feel?"
[...I...am...a...robot...doctor...I...do...not...feel...] it answered in a monotone voice.
"Really?" he asked then slowly turned around. Still having the sadistic look on his face, he began making his way back.
"You don't feel...how about...thinking? What are you thinking right now?"
[...I...do...not...think...doctor...I...just...comply...to...orders...commands...]
"Oh?...and who's orders...who's commands do you...follow?" he asked stopping in front of the robot. Looking down at it, his expression never changed as it looked back at him.
[...your...orders...your...commands...doctor...]
"Exactly my little pest...I am the only one you need to obey...to follow...to have order," Ivo responded with holding his right arm out to do a fist pump. "I am...your savior...your leader...your god...your creator."
[...yes...doctor...]
"Exxxxcellent," the man cooed. Moving his other arm, he changed to put his hands together. Instead of palm to palm, he only pressed his fingertips together.
"Now...this is your newest command...get on the operation table."
[...yes...doctor...] the unit spoke motionlessly. Turning and moving forward, it slowly climbed to the operation. Having done the objective, it turned around to the human and stood on the furniture.
"Good. Now lay down facing up and wait for further instructions," Ivo complimented.
Seeing the machine's eyes move down, it lowered itself and lied down on the table. Staring up at the ceiling, it waited without moving. Hearing the scientist moving around, he walked over to the control panel that was adjacent to it. Grabbing a cable with an insert, he moved back to the metal subject. Finding an access port to plug it in, he inserted it then moved back to the module controls. Looking over, it continued to remain where it was until further notice.
'...now...' Robotnik wondered focusing back at the control panel. 'Do I personally conduct this...or should I let the machine arms?'
'The arms will have more precision and control...it is what is needed for this to be a successful event,' he began. Turning his head and staring at the prep table he made, the corners of his mouth began to pull up.
'But personally conducting this...would be a rejuvenating experience.'
"...no...no-no-no-no-no," Ivo repeated out loud and waved a hand in front of him. Flipping a couple of switches and typing code commands, he took his smile off his face.
"No mistakes. No screw ups. No more testing prototypes. This will be the crucial and missing component to make my new S.W.A.T. troops complete."
"Computer! Where is that damn prototype!? Is it finished yet!?" he suddenly shouted and looked upwards.
[...calculating...a newly built prototype has just finished getting through the assembly line. It is now going to the calibration chamber to-]
"Stop that action. Bring the prototype here to this room."
[...warning...deviation away from set calibrations may cause the unit to malfunction]
"Bah! I, Dr. Ivo Robotnik, order you to decline sending the prototype to calibrations. I order you to bring in the prototype here!"
[...processing...prototype is being redirected and transferred to your location doctor]
"Excellent," the scientist stated out loud.
Looking back at the control panel, he continued inputting more buttons in a sequence. A series of winding up sounds announced themselves in the room. Slowly, 4 mechanical arms rose from the ground. Simplistic and crude, the internal components for each could be seen moving and working as they were intended. Stopping themselves and curling inward to the center of the operation table, each end had Swiss army knife of precision instruments. Halting any more movement and acting suspended, they became like statues.
"Now then my metallic rodent," Ivo began and flipped a switch.
Small ports opened up on the operating table and sprung straps. Going over the wrists and ankles of the robot, two arm-like components clasped around the neck. Hearing all the restrictors tighten, the inorganic being was firmly set in place on the table. Hearing a button being pressed, the table began to recline upward. The sound of revolving gears echoed in the room until they stopped.
[...] the pig robot responded. Hearing another winding sound, the upper portion of the table began to recede into the lower portion of itself. The two small arms that clasped around its neck held firm. Reasoning that this would help keep living beings' head upward, there was no point to do so for a robot.
"We shall begin the first phase of finding the secrets. Are you ready?"
[...I...follow...your...orders...doctor...no...need...to...ask...] the metal head answered without turning or looking at the doctor.
"Ho ho ho ho! I admire your confidence and loyalty," the man said feeling a little charmed. Clicking more buttons and switches, the four mechanical arms moved. Each of their ends switched to a tool to be a short distance laser. Going to the pig breed's head, each arm pressed the energy tool to a point on the robot's head. They made an imaginary line starting at the top half of the forehead that was perpendicular to the rest of the body.
"This is just the beginning of my new era. We shall find out the secrets to make my new and improved S.W.A.T. troops. And when it is made, I will take over this island of damn fur balls," Robotnik ranted with a coyish and scheming demeanor. Grabbing a small lever, he pulled it down to a level three mark. The ends of the laser tips shined brightly and instantly began to cut into the robotized pig's metal skin.
"And then after that...the world...heh heh heh...hahaha...BWHAHAHAHAHAHA!" he roared in mirth and confidence as orange sparks flicked into the air.
"..." Darcia stared with apprehension. Feeling her eyes widen and grimace, the one-armed hedgehog began to lift her off her feet. With his arm extended out, his muscles bulged and his veins surfaced. His fingers seemed to squeeze even more to which her jaw started to feel pinched.
"...why are you...expressing fear Oppressor?" Vermilion asked continuing to look at her with scorn. "You have none from...visiting here before."
"W-Wait!? WHAT!?" Chiara shouted with shock. Looking at both of them, she immediately got next to him and stared at both of them.
"Wha'the hell you mean!?"
"God damnit! Shut the hell up!" a nearby prisoner yelled from his bunk. "Trying to fuckin' sleep here!"
"Heh heh...squeeze her more man," another voiced from the cell to Speed's left. Gripping the barred door and grinning at them, the prisoner looked semi-crazy.
"I had a partner that was just the same...always ordering...always bickering...always bitching...squeezing her life out was so easy," he explained and drew in a deep inhale. Exhaling and shifting his eyes over, Sonic felt his fur stand on end.
"Don't worry kid...you'll have that in due time...it something everyone goes through...I can tell your cyber friend here...is really experienced in killing."
"..." Speed continued to stare with the same expression.
Feeling his left eye begin to move on its own, his right eye began to twitch. A sense of outrage and justice was pushing his mind to act. However, he wasn't too sure why. Thinking it was due from repressed memories and emotions that were resurfacing, his robotic eye pulsated. Feeling a stinging sensation like so many in the past, his riled-up emotions began to subdue. Feeling calm and collected again, blood began to seep through the underlid of the implant. Grasping what was coming, he decided to take matters into his own hands.
"...let me...enlighten you..." he threatened and began to vibrate. Reacting reflexively without thought, both Chiara and Sonic whipped their hands and touch him. Just as a large and heavy silhouette turned the corner down the hallway, the four individuals vanished.
"Commander. I have-" Ciloba began entering into the hallway. Stopping in mid-sentence and pausing, he blinked at seeing the four individuals gone.
"HA HA...AHA HA..." a cell dweller in the hallway began cackling. "I FUCKING TOLD Y'ALL THIS PLACE IS CURSED!"
"RRRRGGGHHHH!" the prisoner that was trying to sleep raged. Getting up and hulking to his cell door, he rattled it.
"Warden! Give me 5 minutes to knock that S.O.B out. If I can't sleep, I'm a gonna make him take a dirt nap."
"...all of you...calm down...unless you all," the tall officer began. Slowly turning around and grinning at all of them, each individual stared at him with pins of apprehension in their minds.
"...wish to go into...confession boxes."
"...!?" Darcia flinched from the rapid vision bending.
As her eyes were still adjusting, she felt herself falling backwards. Unable to catch herself, she landed on a chair and rolled back a little. Grabbing onto the arm rests and pressing her feet to the ground, she stopped abruptly. Seeing things clearer and about to reach for her firearm, she saw a computer monitor. Blinking, someone to her right was typing on the keyboard with one hand. About to move, there was a presence standing behind her and to her right.
"Hey..." Chiara asked sounding of a mixture of curious apprehension. "Do you even know how to operate that?"
"..." Vermilion stared at the screen with a stoic face.
Feeling crimson drip down his left cheek and onto his left arm, the cybernetic eye was whirling softly in his eye socket. A flood of red text was operating half of the robotic implant's vision. It seemed to be giving him instructions. Oddly when he began inputting keys and commands, there was no memory of knowing how to before. Yet, there seemed to be muscle memory of doing so. Ignoring the growing aspect that he lost his identity or memories prior to him waking up several years ago, he followed the red text verbatim without question.
'...what...?' Darcia thought seeing something on the screen. Turning her sights to it and focusing, her eyes widen.
'He's accessing OHP data files from this terminal,' she said in her mind. Remembering something on a file that flooded her mind, she snatched his hand.
"Wait. Stop a second," the cat woman spoke in normal voice. "What terminal is this? There has been a cold case of a hacker that keeps accessing OHP's database from time to time."
"..." Speed responded by moving his left hand.
Seeing that the officer didn't restrict his hand, she kept holding it. Frowning a little, he went to a small rectangular gray space on the monitor. Putting his finger on it, a pointer cursor appeared on the screen. Moving it to the top right corner, he selected an icon with a minus sign. The current window enclosed itself into a space on a gray bar at the bottom of the monitor. On the new background screen, it stated the terminal ID# that made Darcia lean forward.
"Terminal ID#...SaLvAtIoN?" she read from the screen. Letting go of his hand and accessing the keyboard, she began typing. Accessing more menus, she got stopped by an admin access verification window.
"Hold up you," Chiara spoke crossing her arms over her chest. "He said you've access this before in the past...so speak up."
"I've been trying to get access on who this hacker is," the Captain spoke and tried a log in name and password. Pressing entered, another window popped up saying invalid.
"I get close to where I think the terminal is...but when I check again another time, the terminal name keeps changing as well as its location," she continued. Trying again, the same error occurs. Grunting in getting frustrated, her eyes darted to the right seeing a hand. Going to the keyboard, the amputee inputted a name ID and password. Hitting the submit button, access was granted.
"...continue..." he said retracting his hand. "The terminal logs shows you are this...hacker."
"..." Darcia was about to open her mouth to defend herself. Turning her head to him, he had a slight frown on his face. His organic eye stared at her while the robotic one stared at the screen. But it wasn't the awkward look or the accusation that made her feel anxiety. He moved his hand to her right shoulder and was tapping on it.
"Go on...Oppressor...prove your innocence."
"..." the cat woman blinked while opening and closing her mouth again. Feeling the tapping repeat again, it was with a certain number of taps then pauses. Feeling her mind flip a switch and able to understand, she wanted to ask questions and interrogate. At the same time given the circumstances, whoever she has been trying to track and find was watching them.
"...if you can..."
"Hmph," Darcia frowned at him then swatted his hand away. "Accusing an officer of the law of criminal activity borders is liable."
"Depending on which end the law is used...I'm sure it is...convenient."
"..." Sonic felt very confused standing a little behind and to the right of where the feline was sitting.
Scratching the side of his head and looking at Speed, he was staring intensely at the feline woman who resumed typing. Moving his head to where the female stoat was, she seemed equally engrossed and confused at the two as well. Feeling a strange chill go down his spine, he looked behind him. Seeing that the room was empty, he wondered if he was just cold.
Remembering something very specific from training in the forest, the boy slowly looked back at the amputee. Only seeing his black-red eye, it wasn't looking at the law enforcer or the monitor. Following his line of sight only with his eyes, the doorway to the hallway was closed. There was light from the corridor that seeped a little from underneath the door. The hedgehog's eyes widen from seeing a shadow cut across it. Blinking and continued to stare at it, the strange chill began to make his fur stand a little.
"...hey..." Chiara breathed a whisper. Barely louder than the clicks from the keyboard, she only saw eyes stare at her. The officer kept looking at the screen and doing inputs. However, the cat's left ear was completely turned towards her.
"That...thing...you said warden," she continued in the same volume. Her tail was straightened out and pointing down with its hairs raised. Her tone was of seriousness as she looked a bit unhinged.
"How was he...recruited?"
"Warden Ciloba?" Darcia repeated as she continued searching on the computer. "One of the recruiters mentioned and recommended him. He had a record of being at other prisons with similar experience as well as facility maintenance."
"..." the female stoat reacted with raised eyebrows. "Bullshit."
"I don't expect you to believe anyways so drop it," the feline woman scoffed then continue accessing the computer more. While doing so, she felt his tapping change.
"...hey...guys?" Sonic whispered that cut off any continuing conversation. Glancing at the child and seeing him beginning to point at the door, there was no light shining through the bottom of the door anymore. The aura of something standing behind it was felt.
"...his record of other prisons...how...convenient," Speed spoke readily as if to disregard the boy's concern. "...you still...have yet to disprove...accusations."
"..." the cat officer froze from deciphering the new morse code. Feeling unable to move for a couple of seconds, her mind raced to think. Clearing her throat, she resumed putting in inputs on the keyboard.
"Your accusations against me of being the hacker is ridiculous. Where on this terminal is there any proof that I accessed this?"
"Playing stupid for a cop. Ha. This is so rich," Chiara spoke more normally.
Causing Darcia to turn her head to glare at her, the feline blinked. The female stoat and the blue hedgehog were facing the door. Both looked defensive with Chiara being more on edge based on how her body was arching. Hearing keys being pressed, she glanced back at the amputee. The aspect that his robot eye was staring at the door while his real eye was staring at the screen felt unnerving. The impression of two people in one body came to mind.
Hearing him tap a little louder on the keyboard, she blinked and looked at it. His volume on the keys went down and began typing. Looking up at the screen, the cursor was on the search bar. Instead of accessing files or breaching data, he was writing something. When he ended it, her left hand twitched.
"Here are...the listings...of your voyeurism."
"...!?" everyone except Speed flinched. There was loud knocking at the door on the other side. Both the child and female stoat took a silent step backwards slowly. The officer could sense that whoever was behind was probably the warden. Glancing back at the gray hedgehog, his real eye was staring directly at her. The other was still boring at the door.
"Commander...are you inside?"
"..." Ivo observed as the mechanical arms finished their precision laser cut.
Seeing one retract a little, the others turned off power to their laser tips. Moving to be at 120 degree positions, they pressed to hold the horizontal cut portion of the metallic head. The remaining changed its head tool to a grappler. With direct movements and no pauses or hesitations, it closed its arms in open areas not occupied by the other arms. Whirling its gears and securing the head piece, the other arms retracted. Slowly going up vertically, the top portion of the robotic pig's head lifted up.
"Excellent," the doctor spoke from the control panel. Looking at the screen and inputting commands, the monitor turned on. Hearing gears and hydraulics moving, one of the arms had changed its head to a camera. Pointing at a bird's eye view at the exposed machine's noggin, that view appeared on the screen.
"So this is the mechanical form of a brain," he muttered in intrigue. "Tell me you swine...how do you feel?"
[...I...do...not...feel doctor...I...am...a...robot...]
"No sense of feel...interesting," Robotnik muttered then pressed a couple of buttons. The camera arm got closer and closer to see an up-close view of the metallic gray matter. From staring at it, the scientist just stared.
'There is so much here,' he thought astonished. Moving away from panel and grabbing a micro scanner, he approached the side of the operation table. Stopping and leaning closer, he stared at the intricacies of the robotized brain. Setting the scanner on the freshly cut rim of the machine's skull, he activated it.
"Do you have warning signs in your system?"
[...I...do...n...n...n...not...doctor...] the robot responded getting stuck a little before continuing. While it talk, a glow of electrical current could be seen flowing throughout portions of the inorganic brain.
"..." Ivo blinked and stood straight up.
"Did I actually miscalculate the scale of building the prototype?" he spoke to himself. Looking off to the side, he concentrated at the floor. Thinking about who gave him the new blueprints and designs, his face suddenly soured.
"I will not be played by you old friend."
[Doctor] the base computer spoke through the loudspeakers. [The prototype has arrived at the operation lab]
"..." the man turned around and stared at the double doors. Seeing the gate doors unlock, they began to slide open. Walking towards him at a slow pace, the newest prototype emerged.
"You may have already figured out how to make your units tinker to work," he began then looked down at the pig robot. Its eyes were staring forward when both of them slowly looked up. Matching his stare, the scientist grinned callously at it.
"But I have a way to speed up that discovery...I shall show all why I am the greatest scientific genius of the world!"
"..." Darcia remained still and continued to look at Speed. He didn't make any movements nor gave a signal of to be quiet or not. Hearing the knocking again, it sounded impatient.
"Commander Darcia...are you inside this room?" the tall official questioned. "Though you are of high rank of the OHP...you don't have direct supervision...of this penitentiary."
"...!?" the feline veered back slowly.
Vermilion's left hand moved so quickly that it was covering her mouth after she blinked. Focusing on not to move, nobody else around did. Directly looking at disfigured hedgehog, his cybernetic eye was staring at something to the right. Glancing over, it was just a wall. Darting her eyes back, the red eye slowly moved as if tracing. Looking back and forth, it seemed that the object was closing in on the door.
"...Commissioner-..." Ciloba began than immediately became quiet. His shadow at the door slowly went away which showed the hallway light through. Hearing muted footsteps, a thinner shadow came to the door. Hearing a jingle of keys, one was inserted into the lock cylinder.
"..." the four in the room stared with suspense as the lock was turned. The handle rotated and the door was pushed open. Walking into the room and standing there, a high rank officer was seen. That of an anteater breed, the humanoid figure gave a chuckle.
"Well well well, this is a surprise," he said with a nasally voice. "OHP Commander caught red handed planting files in a prison terminal...this will be such a...marvel of a report to make for the upper brass."