???: "....up...stop...shut....wa-...not..time to..-leeping, boy! Wake up! You cannot stop. I will not shut up until you do!"
Shinn: "...uhhh..?"
Dr. Saotome: "Shinn!? Don't open your eyes! Don't speak! I'm speaking to you through your implants. I can see from your brainwaves you're conscious. But you're in big trouble!"
Arquebus Staff 1: "Got no luck, this one eh. Barely grown yet already at the end of his life once this is done."
Arquebus Staff 2: "I think it's a shame. Look at these scans. He's got very few augmentations. In fact you can't really call this 'augmentation'."
Arquebus Staff 1: "Some nanoprobes in the blood to counter pathogens and toxins... improved blood oxygenation... A few microfibres to reinforce and prevent muscle degeneration. But no significant strength enhancement. Corneal nanoweave to receive visual data. No actual improvements to vision. A couple of cerebral devices to manage it all. There's a few others, but really these are barely the basics people would have in space faring societies."
Arquebus Staff 2: "Maybe he's from yet another poor family and just got the government sponsored procedures in a colony. Then again, Commander Aznable also has minimal augments and implants like this guy. Yet he's still so strong and intelligent."
Dr. Saotome: "I've quietly reactivated the auditory device so that you can hear me, my boy. You need to escape from there in the next few minutes. You don't want to know what those two quacks are going to do to you."
Arquebus Staff 2: "Atleast the devices themselves are new. Ninth and Tenth generation, that should make the procedure easier."
Arquebus Staff 1: "Shouldn't matter really. In the end, that brain's gonna be char-broil... GUH!?"
Arquebus Staff 2: "Se...SECURI....UGAAK!?"
Shinn: "Sweet dreams! Good sir, would you please give me my clothes? Or perhaps we can continue playing 'Doctor'. But I'll be the doc this time."
* * * * *
Dr. Saotome: "Keep running. They still haven't realized you've escaped since I've hacked the security."
Shinn: "Huh. I guess I should be happy about a few of these things you put in me, old man. Having a map floating in front of my eyes is sure convenient...huh? I think my eye implants are malfunctioning. The virtual UI is highlighting this hunk of junk in front of me."
Dr. Saotome: "No, it's working perfectly. Get in."
Shinn: "HA!?"
Dr. Saotome: "Well, sorry it isn't a damn limousine! But this is your best shot! Walter and Carla had arranged this and a few other contingencies beforehand. And they didn't have much to work with!"
Shinn: "Ugh, even the inside's filthy! To think I used to complain back home how they never cleaned the seats after maintenance. Commence sync...wait... nothing's happening"
Dr. Saotome: "That machine's got an ancient outdated OS. It won't sync with your implants."
Shinn: "You've got to be kidding me! If it were in any Mobile Suit back on Earth, that would be no problem. But this piece of junk!? Ah...atleast it moves...course....can't plot course. Naturally! Ok, I'm following the map route."
* * * * *
Shinn: "Holy shit, can this thing be any slower!? Junkpile tractor robot."
Dr. Saotome: "Shinn, I'm very close to where you are. But that garbage AC doesn't have a transponder. I can't track you among all the Arquebus MT patrols. Walter says there's a crashed survey drone of his in the city. I'm updating your map."
Char Aznable: "This is Char Aznable, Arquebus Special Operations Command. J, the independent mercenary subject to re-education, has escaped. Your orders are to capture him and bring him to the factory."
Shinn: "Shit. Can't stop to take in the city sights. Time for some hide and seek."
* * * * *
Shinn: "Found the drone, doc."
Dr, Saotome: "Manually access it like I instructed... ... I see it! Emergency beacon signal located. Head to the rendezvous point."
Shinn: "I've arrived. Uh-oh. Doc, looks like I woke up the neighbours."
Dr. Saotome: "Hold on for another thirty seconds!"
Shinn: "Good thing this junkpile has a grenade launcher..."
Char Aznable: "This is Char. Change of orders. Eliminate J at all costs. He must not be allowed to escape!"
Shinn: "There's too many."
Arquebus MT 1: "End of the line, punk... wait, someone's locked-o....!?"
Arquebus MT 2: "Our squad commander's down!"
Arquebus MT 3: "Missiles incoming!"
Shinn: "Is that... a NEXT!?"
Dr. Saotome: "I'm sorry for being so late, my boy! Now let's take out the garbage!"
* * * * *
Dr. Saotome: "Home sweet home. For now anyway."
Shinn: "Doc, what is that NEXT? And how come you never told me you could fight so well!?"
Dr. Saotome: "I did tell you, back when we had to deal with the Sand Worm."
Shinn: "So this factory is where Kira was staying?"
Dr. Saotome: "Let me introduce you, my boy. My senior, Carla, from when I was young. And young Walter. And we're all that's left of the Rubicon Research Institute."
1 июл 2024