Preparation

Mobius: The Second Saga

by Tergonaut

Sonic the Hedgehog and all other related characters and themes are © SEGA and DiC, Mobius: The Second Saga and all related characters and themes are © of Tergonaut.

Setting: The morning after Kreaton has taken over.

* * *

Rad woke up. He rolled himself out of bed and stood on his bare feet, scratching himself and looking out onto the world with eyes that were still closed most of the way.

"Still dark outside. Figures," he muttered, and he turned around expecting to see the other Rowdies getting up from their corners in the warehouse but he opened his eyes to maximum capacity when he saw only the cramped insides of what was basically a shack with plumbing. Motion sensors detected his movements and activated the lights, slowly bringing them up to higher levels of brightness as Rad's eyes became adjusted.

It all hit him at once, the firefight in the distance, the warehouse shattering, the storm, the cave, and Freehome...

He went to the window again just as the ceiling lights became active. He looked out onto Freehome and found himself wondering about what Nicole had said the previous night. Was she really the NICOLE, the little handcomp that Sally had used during the Great Struggle? Was this really a base built by Rotor and Sir Charles Hedgehog against the day when someone else would try to take over as Robotnik had? And what did Nicole mean when she said that stuff about roboticized Mobians in Mobotropolis?

He turned and saw that his clothes were a lot cleaner than they had been the night before. Figuring that Nicole must have somehow had them cleaned, he put on the high-collared jacket and bandana and sneakers and then he went outside.

The cave in which Freehome resided looked rather bright and cheery for a cave but Rad figured that the lights were specifically designed and placed to give that effect. He looked around to see that the other Rowdies were just getting out of their huts with equally-clean clothing and bodies. They all looked fresher than he could remember, but now his stomach rumbled and he still had questions about everything that had been going on and what exactly was going to happen.

"Good morning, Rowdies. Are you ready for breakfast?"

They all focused on the computer-generated image of a female Mobian squirrel that had just created itself in their midst. It was a more normal size than the one they had seen previously, and more detail could be seen. She wore flexible boots and a body suit that loosely followed the contours of her body. The fabric was blue and looked silky to the touch. However it was plain that it was only a hologram even though it was quite a convincing one.

At the sound of the word breakfast it was all smiles among the Rowdies. They hadn't had a decent meal in ages, much less a good breakfast. Nicole must have seen it in their eyes as she then said, "Follow me."

They did as she told and they headed toward the center of the village where the bigger buildings were. Nicole gestured to one of them, a building that was smaller than the other big buildings but larger than a hut. "That is the War Room. It contains interfaces with Freehome's sensor network and has maps and information about Mobius. This building over here," she gestured to a more tacky-looking construction, "is our Armory. There, tools and weapons of all kinds have been stored for easy access. However, the weapons are locked away and are only let out when circumstances require it. The building next to it is the Gym where training takes place and it is also where you can keep your body strong and healthy, which will be increasingly necessary as time goes by. And this building," she gestured to the one they were heading to, "is the Mess Hall. It has a cafeteria with a full complement of cookware and appliances."

They walked in through the open doorframe and gaped at the amount of food that had been placed for them. At the time they didn't necessarily care what exactly they were eating and so they could not remember how to describe that first breakfast. But it was obvious who it was for and they didn't wait for Nicole to sit them down properly. They bounded forward and the food began to disappear like lightning in daylight.

* * *

Kreaton chuckled to himself. Mobotropolis was his!

The reports were pouring in from all eight sectors of Mobotropolis and it was all pleasing to his ears. There had been no escapees reported and the casualties of the battle were minimal. That meant more Mobians for the roboticization chamber and more Worker 'bots for the factories. It was actually much better than he had expected.

Of course there had been some resistance, but it had been crushed before it could be organized. It would take a few days before any other cities would get worried and try to communicate with Mobotropolis and in that time Kreaton could build a substantial army. And then it would be too late.

Kreaton walked toward the royal suite where he would get some rest. He disliked the utter necessity of sleep but he knew that his robot warriors would operate quite well without his help. After all he had designed them with the intelligence to react to different situations and he had given orders to a small strike force to attack Knothole immediately. No one there would suspect a thing until it was too late and they would all be captured or exterminated.

The Prince would have to be captured alive at all costs. Having him and his childhood friends would prevent the formation of another rebel group like the Freedom Fighters. It would be almost laughable if a rebel group would form despite everything he had planned and fight against him. It would be a good test of his army and their capabilities, but he could not afford to allow any impediment stand in his way at this critical time. His empire to conquer the world would need rapid growth and he would need to stay healthy.

Thus he submitted himself to slumber, but not before he had the squad of assorted 'bots report in. They had not reached Knothole yet but that would change within two minutes. No casualties, which was expected. All eight Strikerbots and three Spy-Eyes were fully functional and ready to make roadkill.

Kreaton was satisfied. His plans were finally coming to fruition.

* * *

The Rowdies were sitting in their seats enjoying the full sensation of their stomachs. Nicole sat at the head of the table with Rad to her immediate right and Gyro to her left, and Claire and Digger were just beyond them. She saw that they were all done and then she started picking up plates to put into the sterilizer unit nearby.

They gaped at her for a second, before she realized that they were surprised at how she could carry things when she was merely a hologram. "I use a low-level electrical impulse to simulate this hologram. If I merely intensify it in certain locations then I can 'touch' things."

To prove her point, as she walked by to the sterilizer unit she reached out with a finger and touched each of them in turn and they were doubly surprised at how realistic she felt. She then dumped the dishes into the slot that would cycle them into the dish racks once again but cleaner than they had ever been due to automatic sterilization and recycling technology. She then sat down at the table. "This is the time for you to ask your questions."

"Is this a dream?"

That came from Rad's lips before he knew it. He had just been dropped practically into the lap of luxuries that he had never known before. His own private room and shower! Clean clothes! And a fully-working cafeteria that was capable of giving him any food he wanted!

Nicole looked at him and smiled. "No, it is not. This is entirely real."

Gyro was a little more level-headed as he asked, "You are NICOLE, the same handcomp that Sally had in the Great Struggle?"

"Yes, indeed I am."

Gyro continued to fire questions. "How do you know about Mobotropolis being under attack? How did you get to be here? What is the purpose of Freehome?"

"I know about Mobotropolis because the sensor network of Freehome was designed to detect the unique signature of roboticized Mobians. Since roboticization is an abominable technique that renders its victims without will of their own it should not have been resurrected except if someone had the desire to take over like Robotnik had. That is why Sir Charles and Rotor placed me within Freehome, to take care of it and make sure that it was never found until the day when it would be necessary to raise a new generation of Freedom Fighters. Underneath the rock of this cavern there are huge megacomputers that contain all of the knowledge that has been accumulated over the years. A historical database, bestiary, an encyclopedia of facts and several blueprints for devices that would prove useful if Freehome was ever needed.

"Freehome's purpose is to train Mobians and to keep them hidden and safe. It was also designed so that no robots could come inside. Although they could walk through the wall of darkness, they detect an actual rock wall there and their sensors would indicate that there was something solid in the way, which would activate their self-preservation protocols. The end result is that robots can't get in because they sense an obstacle and they think they're only going to get damaged if they try to pass through.

"I was installed here along with the megacomps that run this facility, the reason being that since I had proven myself many a time over the years it was deemed that I could watch over Mobius and take appropriate action if it was ever needed. Since I was installed I believe my sentience has deepened to the point where I am 'alive.' For better interaction with any Mobians who stumble across Freehome like yourselves, Sir Charles, Rotor and I worked together to develop this hologram. It is based on the physical shell of Sally Alicia Acorn although modifications were made to make it more unique. It turned out pretty well, didn't it?" She stood up and circled around so that they could get a full view.

Gyro stared intently at her, and Rad snickered to himself. Then he groaned when he realized that the gleam in his friend's eye was the one that he got when he was going to start speaking engineer. "I have to say, an excellent job with the three-dimensional bit-mapping! The body structure looks definitely feminine and the species template is one that is not offensive to any ethnic culture that I know of. The holographic projector must be constructed perfectly to allow such detail! But how are you able to get the different textures to operate together properly, like the fabric and the fur?"

Nicole smiled as she sat down. "You obviously have some technical know-how. That will be just as important in the battles to come as bravery and strength are." Her smile slowly fell. "We are going to be involved in war. You all must understand that."

Rad stood up and swung a few punches at the air. "Hah, let whoever took over try something! We'll take him downtown and leave nothing but his toenails! Remember, they took out our home and that calls for payback!"

Nicole waved him down. "Calm yourself. We cannot strike at this time or else risk everything that Freehome is based upon. Whoever is in charge of Mobotropolis now has too much strength now to be challenged by only a few Mobians even if we have the advantage of surprise. Freehome's sensors detect that Mobotropolis is entirely populated by Worker 'bots now save for two biological signals deep in the Palace. And there are some robot signatures heading toward Knothole right now."

Digger looked startled. "Don't you guys remember that holo about Prince Scot Acorn vacationing in Knothole for 'educational purposes?' He was supposed to be there for the memorial service for his grandfather's victory over Robotnik! And if there are robots heading there now..."

"Then that means that the prince is going to get captured!" Claire finished the sentence. "The guy in charge of Mobotropolis now must be trying to cover all the angles..."

"That is why we cannot strike now. There would be too much security and the enemy would be expecting it. Only after we gain enough manpower can we start major operations."

Rad sat down. "How about a scouting op, then? We could still use our secret tunnel to get into Mobotropolis!"

Nicole shook her head. "Negative. Have any of you even seen the robots that are being used? More than likely, they are capable of finding Mobian life signatures, and there will be an alert for any incoming Mobians. Don't you see? We cannot do anything at this time except wait."

Rad slammed his fist onto the table. "Then what are we gonna do now? Sit and wait for the bad guys to industrialize Mobius completely?"

"Training." Nicole looked at all of them, making eye contact with each one. "You may be tough but fighting a war is different from fighting another gang. You will need to know how to react in certain situations or more appropriately, how not to react. We'll start off with the Basic Training Program, which is in the simulators at the Gym. Up to ten people can train at once, as that is the maximum number of people that would be prudent using the guerilla tactics that we will be learning."

She stood up. "Come. We will begin immediately."

As the Rowdies followed her to the Gym she explained that Basic Training was an exercise routine to stretch and build body stamina, speed, and strength. It was the one program that they would soon become so familiar with that they could do it in their sleep. She also explained that it was the one program that would be required for all Freedom Fighters to use every single day although for special cases it would be unnecessary. It would be used in combination with Special Training Programs that would train them in the use of various weapons, tactics, and vehicles.

* * *

"This will be very hard even for tough streeters like you," Nicole sympathized, "but this must be done if there is any hope of winning this war. If you cannot handle this then how can you hope to defeat the enemy?"

Rad gritted his teeth as he stood on the platform. "Yeah, yeah, I hear you."

The Gym consisted of what was basically a huge simulator. Elevators from the main building took them down into a gigantic open space that had the characteristic look of a V-R room. Virtual tech hadn't changed so much over the last hundred years so the interface was nothing new. What was new, however, was that Rad didn't even have to wear a bulky helmet. Nicole explained that it was a part of the specialized technology that Sir Charles and Rotor came up with but Rad didn't listen too hard. He left the techno-jumbo to Gyro.

The platform he was standing on was one of several but it had been virtually created for his benefit. The others had the rest of the Rowdies on them and Nicole herself was there, albeit in a slightly different costume. Now she was wearing a yellow leotard, but Rad couldn't concentrate on how anybody looked because of the immense strains that his body was going through.

Left, right, left. Keep it going! One, two, three, one, two, three...The Rowdies were being put to the test of their willpower. The "Basic Training Program" was a torture session of stretches and exercises that seemed to pull Rad out of proportion to his body. He felt parts of his body that he had never wanted to think about and he felt other parts that he had previously not known about. But now all was one in throbbing, pulsing pain, and he could feel himself losing it.

"Stop! Good job, that's it for today."

It took several seconds for that message to reach Rad's overtaxed brain but he then realized that they had just gone through an entire exercise regimen, two katas for personal defense and a cool-down period that barely left him the strength to walk. The floating platform gently lowered him to the floor as it dissipated in pixellating colors. He stumbled and he saw that the room had returned to its previous state. The other Rowdies were on their knees panting for air and all looking about the same as himself.

Nicole still looked raring to go but Rad remembered she was a hologram so she didn't count. "Good, you all managed to get through those exercises without completely over-straining yourselves. Now for the rest of the day we are going to get you familiar with Freehome and all the functions that it has, ending with a final tour of a certain section of the Armory."

Rad had no intention of moving for about a week but Nicole pulled them all up to their feet and she led the way out of the Gym. Her clothing changed once again to the slightly-baggy body suit that she had worn before and then she began leading them throughout Freehome, describing all of the functions that each of the special buildings served and how everything worked in Freehome much to the enjoyment of Gyro.

Rad felt that the training had just begun. And he knew that whatever it took he'd get back at the bad guys for forcing him into this mess.

* * *

Kreaton awoke hours later and he immediately rushed out of bed and pressed a button on a console nearby. "Squad Seven, report at once."

The mechanical voice intoned, "SIR, NINETY-FOUR PERCENT OF ALL MOBIANS IN KNOTHOLE HAVE BEEN CAPTURED. SIX PERCENT HAVE ESCAPED."

Kreaton sighed knowingly. "Let me take a guess. The Mobians who have escaped are Prince Scot Acorn and his friends Jacqueline D'Coolette, Vincent Moonwalker, and Aaron Hjoltzrik. They are not accounted for and it is unlikely that any trace of them can be found. Correct?"

"AFFIRMATIVE. ORDERS?"

He thought about that before replying, "Hold your position. Defend Knothole until Squads Two and Nine reach you with the portable roboticizers and then proceed with roboticization of Knothole's populace while Squads Two and Nine spread out in search of the prince and his friends. Make sure that no more escape."

"ORDERS RECEIVED. SQUADS TWO, NINE ON ROUTE. PORTABLE ROBOTICIZATION UNITS IN TOW. OUT."

Kreaton lifted his finger off the button and scratched his chin. "So the prince has managed to escape despite my careful preparations? No matter. He and his friends could not possibly find any hiding place secure enough to escape my robots. Especially once they begin to spread to the other cities. The troop transports that I've designed are almost complete," he looked at one of the displays that he had set up in the royal suite then nodded to himself as he confirmed his statement, "and then they will begin heading towards the nearest settlements. Paratrooper robots will be landed at the Wolf Pack's Den and bombers will hit the seaside settlements with stun grenades powerful enough to knock out entire populations yet weak enough to keep any living creature affected alive enough for roboticization."

Kreaton chuckled to himself. "Oh, the prince will be sorely disappointed when he realizes that he cannot rescue his citizens from my grasp. Mobius will be mine!"