Chapter 2: In Memory of R
"Here are the latest reports on the repairs of Docking Bay 3 as you requested, ma'am," a young Reploid engineer placed a small datapad atop a bare desk in the control room of Giga City's central tower. A pink-haired Reploid looked to the engineer from over her shoulder, an appreciative smile tugging at the corners of her lips.
"Thank you, Diode, that'll be all for now. It's late, you should go home and get some rest."
"Are you sure? I mean, I have-" the engineer was cut-off mid-sentence by his superior, who sat before the facility's main terminal.
"Positive. Don't worry. I've got things covered," after the two exchanged an affirmative nod, the female Reploid was left by herself. Her attention returned to the massive viewscreen before her once again. Its soft glow added a blueish tint to the hue of her pale skin. She could only sigh at the reminder of how far they had come, but also how much further they had to go. Giga City was a long way from recovering from Epsilon's Rebellion and Redips' treason.
Anyone with any knowledge of Reploid design would instantly be able to identify the young woman as an operator. Operators were optimized in every conceivable fashion to process and relay information rapidly and efficiently. Specialized operators often served the Maverick Hunters on a daily basis, some of them even making quite the name for themselves in doing so. They would feed them vital details about their surroundings, opposition and prey, as well as man the transfer systems that could teleport them out of trouble in an instant. But this operator? She had been working on an exciting, scientific frontier. Her name was Nana, and she found herself in the nucleus for the metropolis that had been built out onto ocean waters.
Her frame was slender, with the metallic plating covering her chest, shoulders, lower arms and lower legs a milky white. Contrasting the bright color of the hardened surfaces, as well as her pink hair, was the black undershirt that covered the rest of her body like synthetic skin. Perhaps her most striking features were a set of bright, saturated blue eyes, and a single, white bang that forever found its way over her forehead. She was tired, though, and her body language revealed as much. For months she had been working non-stop to help restore Giga City to its former glory. It had taken almost all of that time just to get basic transportation in, out and around the city back in working order. But, as the Maverick Hunters X, Zero and Axl had learned during their mission there, she was nothing short of one of the best when it came to logistics and organization. And no one was more driven to return life to normal.
Central Tower's command room was a large chamber filled to the brim with high tech equipment. A dozen terminals hummed as they processed and displayed endless streams of information on the floating city's status. This room was the city's brain, the hub through which every bit of information passed. External data arrived and was processed, stored and transferred again. Internal communication between the various nodes that made up the man-made island similarly had to pass through the watchful eyes of staff and automated programs alike. And at the helm of it all, at least for now, was Nana. Overworked, but content.
She closed her eyes briefly, fondly remembering some of the more peaceful times she'd had during the troubling events of the Rebellion. She'd met so many new people, many of them becoming lifelong friends. X. Zero. Massimo. She couldn't help but wonder what they were all up to. She knew the Hunters were most likely out saving the world again. But the others? She hadn't really had the time to stay in touch with Massimo or Marino. Only Cinnamon – a unique Reploid if ever there was one – had stayed on Giga City to help with its reconstruction. The Force Metal Generator within her had proven to be a tremendous aid. Nana stretched her arms out over her head and leaned back in her chair. She felts a few kinks in her body pop with the motion. A slight groan later, and she had straightened up again, her eyes once more focused on the screen. The stream of data that passed over it moved rapidly, far faster than any set of human eyes could process it. In fact, most Reploids would be unable to keep up.
But then, she pressed a single key on the dashboard to freeze the analysis mid-execution. She'd been running a complete diagnostic of central tower's security systems, which included a wealth of logged events, such as transmissions.
'What's this?' her white hand came to rest upon a glowing trackpad to her right, allowing her to manipulate the computer's user interface with mental directions. A few commands later and she had filtered out the log entries of interest to her.
'Outward data transmissions from engineering?' to all but herself, she would appear to be frozen in place, as she focused all of her attention on what she was reading. She was trying to think of scenarios where the inevitable assertion she was making would not hold. 'Engineering never has to transmit any data, let alone to an external target,' even if the attack on Giga City hadn't happened, those logs would appear as being highly suspicious.
'The transmission included files.'
"What on Earth is going on?" Nana stated out loud as she managed to reassemble some of the remains of the files. Whoever had sent the transmission had been careful enough not only to mask the log entries and encrypt the documents, but also dispose of it all after confirmation of reception. That required savvy of the communication protocol well beyond what any engineer stationed at the tower during the crisis would have had. The timestamps of the logs were equally worrying. The transmissions had occurred mere hours before Redips had made his move on Giga City; a mere few hours before Chief R had been brutally murdered while signaling in the Maverick Hunter vessel for landing.
As she skimmed over the contents, she noticed most of it was still corrupt and unintelligible. It was clear, though, that those were schematics of Central Tower's security systems. More precisely, those that had been repaired and were operational again at the time. With this information, anyone could have easily bypass the grid from afar. Nana could do nothing but gasp at the frightening discovery.
'Spider wasn't working alone,' she concluded as Redips – or Spider as the Reploid with the Copy Chip had liked to call his disguise – had been absent at the time and unable to send those files. Redips had been brought to justice by her friends, but this traitor was still at large. Nana sat back in her chair, unsure of what to do with this information. Her hand reached for her forehead and her teeth gently sunk into her bottom lip. She reached for her upper arm with her right hand, stroking the limb slowly as if it would somehow remove feelings of misplaced guilt before they could take hold.
'How could I have overlooked this for so long? How could I have missed that transmission? So careless. I might as well have given the order to fire myself...' she could vividly remember the video feed of Chief R being torn to shreds by the on-board cannons of the Maverick Hunter ship. The aging Reploid had been a leader to the resistance against Epsilon. But, more than that, he had been like a father to the operator. He had been a calm, compassionate and wise leader who had given her a purpose again after her world had crumbled around her. It had been his dream to see Giga City rebuilt, free and its citizens in peace. It was his dream she was working so feverishly to realize. She took a deep breath to gather herself, and reached for the datapad Diode had left on the desk behind her moments prior.
Moments? No. It had been over an hour now. An hour of surprise, shock and ruminations.
She copied the logs, semi-restored files and any related information to the pad and rose up. She had to do something about this, but not from there. She couldn't trust any system hooked up to the main terminal now. Her personal office would suffice. She had to investigate further. Maybe she was jumping the gun? Maybe it had been Spider? But if it wasn't... There was another traitor out there to find!
Once the transfer was completed, she deactivated the main access terminal to central tower's mainframe that she had been using. She couldn't leave that running and open for just anyone to access, after all. She made her way out of the command center and only had to walk down the hall a few doors to reach a small office. An electronic plaque on the wall next to her door displayed her name, but the inside of the office looked bare and stale. She'd moved into that office once the repairs had begun, but she hadn't had the time to actually decorate it in any way. Blank, featureless walls, a single window overlooking some of the docking ports outside, and a single, metal desk, were just about the only things to be seen in there. She sat down behind her desk with a sigh, and booted up her own, personal computer.
Having developed a paranoid streak, she'd installed a variety of custom security software, as well as an emergency protocol that could isolate her computer completely from the rest of the network. It just about made her feel confident that what she did on there wasn't being watched by someone else. Just about. As the files she'd found were being copied over onto her device's memory, she leaned forward and tapped her fingers together. She didn't even know where to begin. She needed to identify who was behind this. So... the best place to start was with what she knew about the transmission. It'd been sent through semi-official means, so it had to be following some of the rules to slip by security like that.
Then it hit her. Each Reploid had been required to add his or her unique, numeric tag to any outgoing files during the entire Giga city incident. They were linked to their DNA Soul, meaning they were difficult to forge, and even harder for faked ones to stand up to any kind of inspection. If she was in luck, the perpetrator wouldn't have bothered forging a completely new tag, but rather pilfered one from someone familiar or nearby. Or maybe they had been foolish enough to use their own! Being undercover among the resistance would have meant they'd had limited resources, after all. Her fingers began to tap away as she dissected the logs and files until she exclaimed in excitement.
"Yes! Alright, now to see whose database this tag belongs to..." Nana was often in the habit of talking to herself once she had problem to mull over endlessly. She only needed to glance at the sequence to recognize it for what it was: a Maverick Hunter. That part wasn't all that shocking to her. After all, Colonel Redips had been a high-ranking Hunter and he had managed to commandeer an entire ship filled to the brim with combat mechaniloids right from under Hunter HQ's nose. It would stand to reason that he had had additional inside help in the form of another Reploid. That also meant that Hunter HQ could help with further identifying this Reploid. Even if it was a stolen tag from another Hunter, odds were high that that Reploid had turned up missing or dead. It was a breadcrumb trail, but it was better than nothing.
It did not take her long at all to write up an official inquiry to send to someone she knew on the inside. X had confided in her the names of a few operators he trusted after they went their separate ways, just in case she ever needed urgent help with something. Already, it was coming in handy. Even so, she would need to wait for a response on their part. No way was she reaching the ear of a Hunter with the clearances she'd need for this inquiry right away. She could feel some of the earlier guilt ebb away. She rotated her office chair to face her window. That angle yielded little more than a view of the night sky and distant waters on the horizon, but it was no less relaxing. And so, she began to wait.
Nana had taken to pacing back and forth after a few hours. She could have made productive use of the time she'd just spent waiting aimlessly, but she knew she wouldn't have been able to focus on anything. Just as she reached the wall on one end of her office, her custom jingle for an incoming call began playing. Never before had Nana displayed the kind of speed and agility she had in that moment. In the blink of an eye, she was sitting behind her desk. After a sharp inhale, she pressed a key that would accept the call.
She was greeted with the view of a Hunter officer that she did not know. Clad in dark green and grey armor, his regal frame was littered with decorations referring to commendations for an outstanding career so far. His chest and shoulders were broad, which was a common design trait among Reploids intended for command. Short gray hair, a receding hairline and strict, narrow eyes complimented a square jaw and overall grim countenance. He exuded authority and Nana couldn't help but instantly feel intimidated. The Hunter – ranked colonel by the looks of his insignia – sat in what appeared to be his office, alone, though she was privy to only a limited view of it. The camera recording the transmission's video feed was more or less centered squarely and almost entirely on the Maverick Hunter, cropping out much of the background. The natural light shining in from behind him reminded her that it was day time over there, though.
"This is colonel Typhus. Who am I speaking to?" the Reploid posed his question in a deep and demanding voice. All the while, he leaned forward onto his desk, his fingertips steeped before his chin and his eyes fixed on hers; sending shivers up Nana's spine.
"My name is Nana. I'm the operations officer of Giga City Central Administrations," her voice was considerably less imposing when compared to that of the stern Hunter on the other end of the line.
"Giga City?" Typhus sat back in his chair and placed his hands flat on its leathery rests. "I thought the matter with Redips settled months ago, do you have a persisting Maverick issue?" there were hints of annoyance palpable in the deep timbre of his voice.
"I apologize for the implied urgency in my inquiry, but while running a diagnostic of Giga City central tower's records I found something... disturbing. I have reason to believe there may be another traitor among Maverick Hunter ranks. Someone who aided colonel Redips in overrunning Giga City as easily as he had," her proclamation was going to ruffle feathers, of that Nana had no doubt. But, she believed she was handling this the right way, by bringing it to the attention of interested parties. She hoped the Hunter colonel was not going to take personal offense, though.
Typhus' eyes narrowed slightly. "That is a serious charge, miss. I trust you have proof to back it up?"
Nana nodded lightly before tapping a few keys. "Permission to forward you some files over the open comm link?"
"Granted."
"This is from central tower's main server. Several hours before the attack, someone sent detailed information on our operational weapons systems and other defensive measures to an external destination. I've cross-referenced the information on the destination encoded in the packets with readings taken at the time of Redips' attack. They match his personal battleship," a progress bar appeared in the lower left corner of her screen as she explained her findings. Good, the files were being transferred over correctly.
"You are certain this wasn't just Redips' doing? As I recall, he was able to change his shape and had been impersonating a member of your Resistance for quite some time," Nana was glad the man's oppressive gaze had relented, as his focus shifted from her to the data that had arrived on his terminal.
"I highly doubt he had the chance to send this information. Spider was absent during the attack. Redips was also confirmed to be on his vessel. He would never have transformed, made it here and then back on time to spearhead the attack. In essence, the timeline just doesn't match up," she began to bite her lower lip, feeling nervous about the entire conversation.
"These findings are paper-thin and inconclusive. You cannot seriously expect me to start an internal investigation into our ranks based on nothing more than speculation?" Typhus' mood had switched from annoyed to angry in an instant.
"Speculation? Of course some speculation is involved, that is why we need a thorough investigation to gather more facts. These logs weren't forged, something was forwarded and we need to figure out by whom!"
"Redips turning Maverick, as well as the New Generation Reploid uprising have left Reploids as a whole, and Maverick Hunters in particular, in a precarious position. The reputation of the Maverick Hunters is fragile at best," Typhus leaned forward again, bringing his hands to rest atop his desk while he continued to speak. His tone was definitely one of anger now, and he was using the same voice he would when lecturing an underling. "The media will be all over such an inquiry. They are watching any further news regarding what happened at Giga City like vultures. They would love to have another excuse to shine the spotlight onto every stain they can find on this organization. It took an enormous effort on our part to restore at least some of the credibility and reliability of this organization in the public eye. It seems far more likely to me that a member of your staff betrayed your resistance."
"With all due respect, colonel, that is impossible! No Reploid that was part of the resistance had the knowledge necessary to abuse the tower's protocols, encrypt the data and then attempt to destroy all records of the transmission like that. No one but Chief R, myself and the Maverick Hunters stationed here even had access to the files!" she did not want to throw X, Zero and Axl under the bus, but it was true that they could have demanded the clearance required to see the files. "To pull this off, you'd need the resources, skills and experience of someone like a seasoned Hunter!" Nana had lost her cool by that point. She had the distinct feeling the man was trying to cover for his comrades. But, not only that, he was also accusing the people she had trusted with her own life of betraying their beloved home.
"This conversation is over," Typhus' tone of voice deepened and lowered as he sat back again. The anger was less evident now, but no less palpable in his overall demeanor. "Under the extra-legal authority granted to me by Maverick Hunter status, you will dispose of this information and never speak of it again. If you do, you will be charged for levying false allegations, disturbing the peace and obstructing Hunter activities," he almost sneered as he spoke those words. His right hand reached out for what she could only assume was his own virtual keyboard. "Good day to you, operator."
And with that, the link was severed, leaving Nana to seethe in anger and slump back down into her chair. Mere seconds later, the datapad she had used was sent flying across the room, its screen cracking after it collided with the wall opposite her desk. 'I can't believe this, that thick-headed...' the operator gritted her teeth, but managed to calm herself by taking a few deep breaths. She had to keep her head clear if she was going to figure out what to do next. She couldn't let this slide. Either the colonel was hiding something, or he was more interested in helping his friends and colleagues hide their own corruption than doing the right thing. If nothing else, Chief R had taught her to hold justice and truth in the highest regard.
Any action on her part was going to get her in a lot of trouble with the Maverick Hunters, and possibly a number of governments that give the organization their full support. The Hunters couldn't deal with another scandal so soon. While she understood that, she couldn't allow for this person to continue to lay low and vanish. If the Hunters weren't going to help, she'd have to do it herself. She would also have to investigate this alone. That meant it could get really dangerous, really fast. Fear gripped her at that thought. It was the least she could do for her fallen mentor, who had died in anonymity despite everything he had done for Giga City. His efforts had brought Force Metal back to the forefront, and revitalized its study and export.
She steeled her resolve and rose to her feet. 'I need to pack.'
"Excuse me, you can't take that on-board, sir. That's not hand luggage and you know it," the docking platform was busy as ever, with a stream of people embarking a transport ship headed for Central City. Nana took another deep breath as she walked up a long ramp, a single bag of belongings swung over her shoulder. She had to go to Central City. There, she might be able to gather more information. It was going to mean hacking into restricted systems, but it was the only course of action open to her. She needed a lead, now that she was fresh out.
The operator turned around to look at her beloved city one more time. She couldn't help but smile at the sight of the pristine white, steel city. The doors of the vessel closed once the ramp was brought in. The engines fired up, propelling the vehicle through the skies. She had never done that before. Just up and left. Giga City had been all she'd ever known. She'd been designed and built to serve in central tower. She would be lying if she claimed she felt no trepidation. She had failed to contact X or Zero, and the others would not be of any help anyway. She was on her own.
Nana set her bag down and began rummaging through the datapads and printed files she had hastily shoved inside of it. "I'm so sorry, I know I've got it in here somewhere. Just..." she flashed an apologetic smile up at the guard before her. "One moment."
She had gone from never having traveled in her life, to having taken a transport ship to Central City, only to go from there to West City. She had traced records on the possible traitor there. Sector A-7. It housed an old archive facility belonging to the Maverick Hunters. It amazed her that it was still standing after the calamity that had befallen the city when the Eurasia Colony had dropped. It was a miracle that she hadn't been attacked by any criminal elements on her way to the sector by secure transport. Some of the characters she had seen outside of the vehicle didn't appear to be the sort to be deterred from attacking an armored car.
"Ma'am, we have better things to do tha-" the human guard was interrupted by a triumphant 'Got it!', courtesy of the pink-haired Reploid. She pulled out the keycard and necessary documentation. She'd gone through an awful lot of trouble to get proper clearance for entry into that sector. And all of that to check out a long shot lead. It was all she had for now though, so she remained hopeful.
The armed guard looked over the paperwork while he handed the card to his colleague. She proceeded to insert it into a small wall-mounted terminal behind them. A green lamp lit up on the control panel to indicate she was cleared, and the large gate opened up.
"You are cleared for entry, ma'am. Welcome to sector A-7. I see your stay might be long duration. You'll find accommodations down the street and to the right. Have a pleasant stay," the best wishes at the end were soaked in sarcasm, as the ruinous West City was hardly pleasant for anyone.
"Thank you, I'm sure I will," she hastily jammed the paperwork and card back into her bag and hurried on through. There was nothing overly suspicious about an operator visiting the sector. Her falsified documents would identify her as an expert coming to help with the reclamation efforts. She couldn't help but behave nervously, though. She knew the facility she needed to get into was off-limits to the public. She had no business there, and so wouldn't be granted entry either. Which meant she was going to have to break in and she was anything but keen on getting caught. The female Reploid just hoped her nerves wouldn't get the better of her.
Taking a deep breath she hurried on, walking as fast as she could through the somewhat restored streets of the sector.