ECHO Data Recollection Files
NAME: Robin Edge PASS CODE: *****Life is a funny thing. Just a moment ago I was ready to take my own life. Then I saw Pixel in the midst of celebrating hers. Then Vyzerman decides to quietly skip out of ours. The effects of other lives on us have varying magnitudes. Me, I'm just starting to wonder what it is like to live as a human. I can tell you one thing, though. It is not as easy as it seems. In fact, it makes me wonder is humans can be anything more than human.
End transmission.
[O Satellabs, another normal day. After receiving aid from Vyzerman, Rob, leader of Sonic Five, begins to have another thought on his mind after watching an INN report.]
Hutchence: Progress is going far faster than anyone has ever expected on the reconstruction of the technical laboratories of famed cybergeneticist Watson Oppenheimer. Once thought to take six months to a year, engineers for O Techlabs are now putting watch on three weeks to a month's time before everything will be back online. Of course we will have more developments as they become available, but for now, in New York City, I'm Eric Hutchence for INN. Back to the studio.
[Dr. O steps in after watching Rob watch the television.]
Dr. O: These three months have really flown by.
Rob: Affirmative. They say that we may get to rehabituate in a matter of weeks. But what will happen to the Satellab?
Dr. O: It'll stay here, just in case Arachness wants to give us a welcoming party. And that reminds me. We have to go to LaGuardia tomorrow.
Rob: Why's that?
Dr. O: You remember Dr. Roland Emerson from last month's talk about the future of compugenesis?
Rob: Yeah, what about it?
Dr. O: He's giving a follow-up talk at the University next week, and I've been selected among the visiting faculty to moderate the talk.
Rob: Interesting guy?
Dr. O: Well, if the fact that he has a teenage daughter is any indication...
Rob (snickering): Say no more, father. You oughta know how those types are like.
Dr. O: What makes you say that?
Rob: You've been around two teenage 'girls' before.
----------
Neil (reading off-screen): "Welcome to iMuck chat. Please enter handle." Okay. (typing) Not... Sonic... Yellow... Now, initiate auto login.
[The computer makes a ping noise.]
Echo: Welcome to General Chat Room number 2. You are currently logged in as "NotSonicYellow."
Neil (sarcastically): Thanks for the update.
[Within moments, Neil gets an incoming message.]
MESSAGE from LadyTara (temerson@ryswick.edu): Hey Neil... I thought you weren't coming tonight. You know, your big projects and all.[Neil jumps at the chance for a response.]
MESSAGE from NotSonicYellow (notsonicyellow@otechlabs.org): They're not THAT big... I just help out around here whenever I can.[Correspondence continues.]
MESSAGE from LadyTara (temerson@ryswick.edu): Oh... And here I was thinking that you were the big hero type. ;-)[Neil cascades windows and sees a picture of Tara. She is a tanned brunette beauty with everything in all the right amouts in all the right places. Neil then makes another one of his classic snap decisions as Carter walks in and sees the pictures.] Carter: Who is THAT?MESSAGE from NotSonicYellow (notsonicyellow@otechlabs.org): You'd be surprised. *L*
MESSAGE from LadyTara (temerson@ryswick.edu): You know, my dad is taking me to New York with him tomorrow. Maybe I can catch up with you once I get there?
MESSAGE from NotSonicYellow (notsonicyellow@otechlabs.org): Let me see...
Neil (paused): DAAAAAAAD!
----------
Raybin: So, Doctor Emerson's coming. Maybe I can turn this to my advantage.
[Raybin picks the phone up from his desk, but after he dials the number, hears an automated message.]
Message: We're sorry, we cannot allow you to access the #Galtean Embassy# at this time. Please do not try again.
[Raybin slams the phone down.]
Raybin: Damn it! (calming down) Fine! The Galteans do NOT know what they're missing.
Argox's voice: Do we, Raybin?
[Argox appears out of nowhere in the corner of his office.]
Argox: Tell me. WHAT are we missing?
Raybin: Dr. Emerson happens to have something that may be of interest to you and your squadron.
Argox (pulls out his golden blaster): Don't make me take it from you.
Raybin: I don't have it. It actually involves his daughter.
Argox (putting the blaster away): Go on...
----------
Kevin: This should be interesting. A six-way link.
[Kevin continues to program the program, which is illustrated by a yellow hexagon.]
Echo: Kevin, Dr. O has requested your presence in the Shuttlecraft bay.
Kevin: Tell him I'm on my way.
[Kevin saves his work on a zip drive disk and heads out, disk in his pocket. The hexagon on his screen begins to revolve and there is almost faint snickering.]
iMuck screen: Ha ha haha...
----------
Kevin: Wow. What is this thing?
Dr. O: That's the new O Slider. NX-Delta-1. It can be used to shuttle people to the planet and back, and also, in cases needed, a weapon.
Kevin: Not bad. How long has it been here?
Dr. O: Actually, not too long. I've been developing it since we got here.
Kevin: That's understandable.
Dr. O: You're the most experienced flyer here, so...
Kevin: What about Sydney?
Dr. O: She's not here. She's taking her college placement tests at the high school.
Kevin: Oh. Well, what about any of the others?
Neil: Well, Carter's the mechanic, Rob's the gopher, and I'm the computer expert, so really, you're..
Kevin: I get the picture.
Dr. O: I want you to fly Neil and myself to Earth in a test run. A companion of mine is giving a speech at the University and his plane comes in one hour.
Kevin: You got it! But, umm.. Why is Neil coming?
Neil: You'll see...
----------
Argox: This human is unlike any other. Some of her neural responses actually run on computer processor inside of brain.
Arachness: What does this woman have to do with me, though?
Raybin: I suggest using her to get to Oppenheimer. Take her. Hold her. Maybe even remove her processor if we need to.
Arachness: Someone has their revenge plot written out clearly.
Raybin: Not revenge, yet. We have to see how this plan works out first.
Arachness: Indeed. Zenos. Get in here.
Zenos (entering): Yes, sister?
Arachness: Get all the information you can on a human named Tara Emerson.
Zenos: What is so special about a human?
Arachness: If Raybin is so sure of himself, plenty...
Zenos (sighing): I will. (mumbling) I can't believe I'm going by a whim made by a human of all people.
Arachness: It is my idea to investigate, fool. Now get out of here.
[Zenos silently exits. Raybin turns toward the mistress.]
Raybin: Arachness, you wouldn't happen to know who cut off the communication between us?
Arachness: I can't imagine.
[Argox takes Raybin and they both return to his office.]
----------
Clerk: No, I don't know where the plane is.... Yes?... 12:52, just like it said... Well, maybe there is a delay of some sort. I mean, it is raining.... Okay, I'll ask him... Bye.
[She hangs up the phone as the three make their way to the counter.]
Dr. O: Excuse me, I was supposed to wait for the flight from St. Louis.
Clerk: Flight 799B that was supposed to be here from 12:52? I know. We're running a little late. I'm going to see what's going on.
Dr. O: Thank you.
[The clerk returns to the phone.]
Neil: So now what?
Kevin: We wait. Luckily, I brought the schematics for the O Slider, just in case we get an unexpected visit.
[A plane captain speaks over the loudspeaker.]
Captain: May I have your attention, please? New WestAir Flight 799B from St. Louis has arrived at gate 17 after a 15 minute delay. All those boarding Flight 799B back to St. Louis, please make your way to gate 17.
[Dr. O stands up to see if he recognizes his old friend.]
Dr. O: Roland!
Emerson: Watson! I knew you'd be here. I didn't know you were bringing company.
[The two shake hands.]
Dr. O: Actually, they're more like family. They're two of the biodroids I told you about.
[Kevin and Neil make their way forward when Dr. Emerson's daughter, Tara, comes out of the gate.]
This is Kevin (Kevin shakes hands). And this is Neil. I think your daughter knows him.
Emerson: Yeah. I've heard about him before. And speaking of which. Tara, you wanted to meet Neil?
[Tara steps out of the gate. The picture and the person are a match.]
Tara: Neil? I don't believe it! (drops his bags and gives Neil a hug) Wow. I never thought I'd be meeting you face to face. Hold on. I'm getting mail from a satellite.
Neil: You're what? But I don't get it... Aren't you supposed to have some sort of laptop?
[Kevin pulls Neil away for a second.]
Kevin: Neil, didn't Dr. O tell you about the (cranking sound effect) in her head?
Tara: I'm sorry, Neil. I guess I should have told you that when we met. I hope that doesn't affect anything.
Neil: Of course not! I mean, you're still cute, right?
[Kevin buries his head in his hand.]
Kevin (to himself): Aren't we forward...
----------
Synchron: Nothing! I'm telling you, Argox. This idea is as foolish as Raybin is!
Argox: I have an idea. Look for any Sonics. If she's here, chances are that one of the Sonic Five is here as well.
Synchron: Okay.
[Synchron scans for the Sonic Five, and finds Kevin and Neil.]
SonicBlack and SonicYellow are at the terminal with the girl. Send the Lexicons to retrieve her. That processor will be mine.
----------
Neil: So...
Tara (flirtatiously): So?
Neil: Oh.. sorry. I was just thinking of the.. you know...
Tara: Oh. The processor.
[Tara gets comfortable while a flashback accompanies her story.]
Well, it was my seventh birthday. I got a new bike. I couldn't wait to try it out. Then I raced out onto the sidewalk, when a drunken driver jumped the curb and sideswiped my bike. My head hit a lamp post really hard. The doctors said that unless there was an automated frequency going from my brain to all of my vital organs, I would die. Then my father, who is also a neurosurgeon by hobby only, built a pentium processor to moderate my system.
[Flashback ends.]
And twelve years later, it's still there.
Neil: But how do you get online with that thing?
Tara: Would you believe that there is a phone jack in the back of my head?
Neil: Really? Where? (starts searching as Tara giggles)
Tara: No, not really. The truth is, I do have a laptop, but I don't type. I talk. The frequency in the chip allows me to control that sort of thing.
[The two keep talking, when suddenly, there is an announcement.]
Captain: This is the Captain speaking. We are currently under a code 3 emergency. Do not panic. Everyone evacuate the airport immedia---
[The Captain is cut off, his voice replaced by the burbles of Lexicons.]
Neil: I don't like that sound.
[Like lightning, the Lexicons diffuse throughout the terminal, until they reach the snack bar. Dr. O spots them pointing in their direction.]
Dr. O: Everyone! Under the table!
[The five comply.]
Emerson: What's going on?
Kevin: Trouble with a capital "L," maybe?
Dr. O: Exactly. You two better go.
Kevin: Right.
Neil: Let's go.
[Kevin and Neil get up from under the table and onto a nearby stairway, where several Lexicons are waiting. Neil and Kevin kick and punch their way through the horde. Just as they are defeated, though, there are more Lexicon coming their way.]
Now what?
Kevin: Let's charge.
[The two flip over the staircase, transforming.]
Sonic Charge, Black!
Neil: Sonic Charge, Yellow!
[The two begin to fight the supercharged group of Lexicons. They begin to grow weary.]
SonicYellow: Man, this many Lexicon at one time has to be illegal.
SonicBlack (holding V-Pager): I'll try and get the others.
[SonicBlack begins calling, when lasers start firing. They are the lasers of Argox and Synchron.]
Synchron: Where is the girl?
SonicBlack: We'll NEVER tell!
Synchron: Have it your way! Argox, do it.
[Argox pulls out his blaster and begins to fire all over the place, sending columns and such falling.]
Argox: Now tell me. Where is the girl?
[A cold metallic voice echoes in the background.]
Voice: He said that he will not tell.
[Vyzerman enters from the sky, landing on Argox's blaster and then kicking the alien in the head.]
Vyzerman: Sonic Soldiers, go! Protect the girl! I have readings of a Galtoid in the area.
[SonicBlack and SonicYellow head back to the snack bar to discover that the Galtoid Binarix, accompanied by Arachness, beats them to the punch. Binarix pushes the two doctors aside.]
Tara: What do you want with me?
Binarix: That brain, for starters.
Emerson (weary): You can't! She'll die!
Arachness: And why should I care about her life?
SonicYellow (from behind): Maybe because you'll need another brain as soon as yours splatters all over the place.
[SonicBlack and SonicBlue use their Bioblasters and shoot the Binarix until he is knocked into a wall. Then they turn their guns toward Arachness.]
Arachness: What do you think you're doing? I have diplomatic immunity!
SonicBlack: Diplomatic immunity my ass.
Dr. O: Wait, Kevin. She's right.
Arachness: Glad to see that we finally agree on something. Now if you'll excuse me, I'll be taking what I came here for. Binarix...
[Binarix puts his hand on Tara's cranium and begins an energy flux of data from her processor to his.]
Anything?
Binarix: Nothing! It figures. That's what happens when power is in the hands of a child.
[SonicYellow runs to Tara.]
SonicYellow: Are you okay?
Tara (grasps head): I don't... know.. everything's scrambled...
SonicYellow: Get her to a clinic. Dr. O, go with them. Kev's called for the rest of Sonic Five. they should be here by now.
Dr. O: Okay.
[Dr. O escorts the two to shelter. Meanwhile, the rest of Sonic Five show up.]
SonicBlue: Hey guys. What's going on here?
SonicBlack: A Galtoid took random data from her head and now is trying to escape.
SonicWhite: We can take this guy.
[Each SonicSoldier takes his or her turn at the Nominax monster, each of them getting knocked down.]
SonicRed: We need something stronger.
SonicBlack: What about the O Slider?
SonicWhite: The what?
SonicBlack: The O Slider has a dual function, remember? As a air travel tool and as a cryogenic weapon?
SonicYellow: Yeah, Dr. O mentioned something like that.
SonicRed: Then let's utilize it!
SonicBlack: Right. O Slider engage!
[From the parking lot, the O Slider rises into the air and begins to transform into a large cannon, with five seats for each of the Sonic Five. The cannon arrives from the parking lot as each member of Sonic Five hop into a seat.]
SonicRed: Systems nominal.
SonicBlue: Activating Slider Cannon.
[The main cell of the cannon begins to glow a robust blue.]
SonicRed: Slider Cannon fire!
[The Sonic Five push firing buttons simultaneously. The result, a blue ball of light crashes into Binarix and severely depletes him of energy. Argox and Synchron, meanwhile, are fighting Vyzerman on the other side of the terminal. Each Galtean is getting beaten.]
Vyzerman: Give me one good reason why I should leave you alive.
Argox (charging): I'll give you ten good reasons!
Synchron: Wait. I'm getting a reading. Binarix is almost defeated. We must tend to him first.
Argox: Right. (to Vyzerman) I wouldn't celebrate too much, Vyzerman. I'll be back.
Vyzerman: I will be waiting.
----------
SonicRed: They boosted his strength level!
SonicYellow: Nothing we can't handle. It's time for the Macrosonic!
[The Mechatrons appear out of the sky and transform into Macrosonic.]
Binarix: You think you can win over me with that machine? You hardly destroyed me with your cannon!
SonicRed: We'll just see about that.
[Binarix and Macrosonic begin to clash. Vyzerman watches from below.]
Vyzerman: I know how to eliminate that menace. Super Macrodroid mode!
[Vyzerman grows and transforms into SuperVyzerman.]
Binarix: Another machine? Don't make me laugh.
SuperVyzerman: I will make you bleed, Binarix.
[Binarix lays off Macrosonic to tend to SuperVyzerman. They duel for a while, leaving the Macrosonic with an out.]
SonicBlack: I'm trying to lock onto Binarix's movements, but he's moving too fast!
SonicRed: Try again!
SonicBlack: I think I got it. CarrierSonic missiles fire!
[The missiles fire, hitting Binarix in the back. He stumbles to the ground.]
SonicRed: Now for the final. Chargeblade mode!
[Macrosonic hops onto CarrierSonic as both move faster and faster. The blade moves faster and faster until it is charged and swiping through Binarix, leaving him to defeat.]
Vyzerman: Superlative work, Sonic Five. But do not think that this changes anything. Catch you later. (teleports)
----------
Sydney: They really trashed this place, didn't they?
Rob: Affirmative. But I think we'll have it up and running in a few moments.
Carter: Right about that. I mean, some flights are already coming in.
Sydney: So how come Neil isn't here helping us?
Carter: He's visiting Tara in the hospital. I think he's beginning to fall for her.
Rob: How human of him. (laughs) Come on, team. Let's finish this.
[The team continues to finish the clean up. As the day goes on, sure enough, flights increase their business at LaGuardia. On one of those flights, is a mysterious man in a military-issue trenchcoat with a suitcase in one hand and a piece of paper in the other. He reads off of the paper.]
Man: "Ramona Brayman. New York City, NY."
SONIC V STAND BY
Questions and comments are always welcomes and should be addressed to either Chris or myself.
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More than meets the eye...
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