inspirethefire | VOICE MAIL

[Zero wasn't normally one to be in his room very often. He preferred to be on the move, constantly on patrol for trouble. But even a reploid like him had to stop and recharge sometime. He was due for some maintenance as well.

He was in the middle of adjusting some calibrations in his arm this afternoon. Though no roboticist himself, field repairs and minor tune ups were within even his range of skill. He'd hardly last very long if he couldn't handle that much by himself.]

[Given their established relationship, Hajime usually wouldn't go seeking the reploid out. However, a plot had begun to stew in his mind--one he couldn't quite manage the specifics of, without help. With something so important, no amount of personal feelings would keep him from reaching this end goal.

He entered Zero's room with a quick knock first, giving the arm a cursory glance. Yes, Zero's face might have imitated humanity, but it was always good to keep in mind his true nature. If anything, in this circumstance, it would help.]

I hope I'm not interrupting. I wish to discuss something with you.

[No point wasting time.]

[Visitors weren't a frequent occurrence to begin with, but when it was Hajime who stepped through the door... well, Zero raised a brow, but made no protest. Obviously, the cheerleader wouldn't have come if it wasn't something important - not to him, anyway.

Down to business - that was the way he liked it, too. As long as Hajime didn't mind him still working on his calibrations while they spoke.]

...What is it?

You recently aided me in dealing with a certain doctor. [The word was spoken as though it tasted badly.]

[Hajime crossed his arms.] I am of the opinion he needs to be more thoroughly removed from the premises, as he poses a serious security threat to other campus residents, as well as to the individuals in his employ.

[From what he's seen, he probably doesn't need to phrase it in such a way to garner Zero's support. It can't hurt, though.]

[Zero eyed him, but did not immediately respond. What he was insinuating was a heavy request, and one not to be made lightly. Though the reploid couldn't disagree with Hajime, there was still the question of how far he could ethically pursue his authority.

There was a tense silence as he tested out how the joints felt in his hand - one, two, open and close, he flexed his fingers before deciding they were still a bit too stiff.]

...Drop the formality. You're asking me to get rid of him.

[Hmm. He would jump to the more drastic end of it, wouldn't he. The corners of his mouth stretched, just a moment, before he shook his head.]

I'm asking for your help in taking away what does not rightfully belong to him. And I want to destroy the mechanisms that allowed him to do it in the first place.

[Thinking out loud, Zero repeated the mission objectives to himself.]

Free the captured animals. Destroy his roboticizer and base of operations.

[Hm. It wouldn't go easy without an Operator to support him. He had no access to a Trans server or coordinates either, meaning the obstacles he'd face in the way would likely be much higher. No easy route of escape, no option to abort.

Of course, out of habit, Zero was assuming he'd be undergoing the mission solo.]

Solo, no recon and no support - I'd be going in blind. It's risky... but not impossible.

[And it wouldn't technically break his truce with Vivian.]

[His brows go up a little. The thought of sending in Zero by himself had never even crossed his mind.]

You're not going solo. I said I'd take him out, and I'm not sending someone in to do the dirty work while I stand back and wait.

[Automatically assuming protest, he goes on the defensive.] There's simply too much to be done to expect one individual to manage it all, anyway. It's a mission of stealth and disassembly, not of battle, so what we need are people who are quick and determined. I know we're not the only ones opposed to Eggman's plans--it's time to make use of that animosity.

[No, Zero stopped listening to you after you said you were coming. That's stupid, and you're stupid. If this was going to be a team mission, then it should be a unit that could actually defend themselves. Not 'cheer and hope no one stabs you'.

Bluntly, he snapped at Hajime:] Don't be an idiot. You're not coming.

[Yeah, he saw this coming, but it doesn't stop him from getting annoyed.] I'm not.

Do you think I expect this to go smoothly? You expect I came to you because hope and dreams would persevere? I've been here long enough to know that won't get anything done. I've put myself into training, because I know that there are things I'm going to have to fight for.

[Zero wasn't going to back down from saving this moron from his own stupidity that easily.]

Have you? I don't mean training. Have you ever faced down an enemy with the knowledge that you had to fight to survive?

I don't doubt your intentions, but your inexperience is just going to get in the way. A liability like you is just going to get someone hurt, or killed.

[This big ol moron had to take a deep breath from getting too upset.]

I've sacrificed everything that matters to me, for this exact reason. I left my family, and my friends, my home, my work, my duty, so that I could stop this man. I've been defeated, demeaned, beaten, mutilated, humiliated, and wrested from everything I know to be while I was here. I have been--

[That first deep breath didn't work. He tried again, deeper this time. God damn it, he hates this place. He hates it so much. He wants so badly to make one, small, not shitty difference.]

What I'm saying is, I'm not going to let the destruction of everything I work for go to waste. I'm going to get this one thing right. I'm not--there's nothing that will keep me from getting this done. Is that... is that something you can understand, at least a little?

[Zero took all this in stern silence, and remained that way for a while. There was no avoiding the desperation in Hajime's convictions - he, who had so much and was brought to his knees by the reality of his own helplessness, longed for his ordeal to mean something. To know that his presence accomplished some good in this school.

To make sure his mission here wasn't a failure.

On one level, it was hard for Zero to completely empathize. After all, he never had a lot to lose to begin with, so he was always prepared to give up everything for a greater good. But that drive, where success was the only option and lives were on the line - that feeling, Zero knew intimately.

He closed his eyes, and willed himself to calm down. Then, opening them again, the reploid spoke.]

I do. But you still risk losing more than you already have.

Are you willing to give your life to see this mission through?

[His jaw was set, his gaze did not falter. He was no fool; he knew, now, what true villains set out to do, and what chance he had against such people.

Some people may have taken that as discouragement, but to Hajime it only made this all the more important. If he backed down from this, than everything he'd ever claimed to stand for meant absolutely nothing.

He'd make a thousand enemies like Eggman, if it meant he was getting somewhere against them.]

There are hundreds of lives under his control that have had that choice stolen from them. Mine willingly offered in exchange is more than a fair trade.

[Zero sighed. That was the only answer he would've accepted, but that still didn't mean he was all that happy about it. He could only hope that whatever training Hajime had been undertaking would be of some practical use - and that he wasn't nearly this stubborn regarding decisions made in the field. Begrudgingly, the reploid relented.]

...I see I'm not going to be able to stop you from participating in your own mission.

[Hajime didn't relax or loosen, but he did feel a flicker of vindication. Zero would have needed to resort to physical force to keep him away from this, but his acceptance made things easier.]

Mm. With that settled, we need to start planning this in advance as thoroughly as possible.

[He pulled a number of papers from his bag--a map, with a couple locations circled, a few photos of his robots from news feeds a couple years ago.] The more we can learn about Eggman's fortress, his defenses, and his robots, the more we can plan and account for. From what I've found, the Carrier lands most often in these areas. He'll have security forces, most likely Pawns, but the faster we can find and destroy his systems, the less likely we'll have to deal with his nastier forces.

[Say what you will about his fighting skill, but research is his thing.]

[Well, this sufficiently impressed Zero at least. Going in and getting reconnaissance first hand of Eggman's current forces would've been ideal, but it'd also risk alerting him to their plan if they were discovered. They'd have to hedge their bets on his forces having suffered losses since the war in the city, and a decreased need for an army in general.

With his good arm, Zero reached over and slid one of the photos closer.]

I remember a little of the inside layout from when I was captured. I don't know where the production line for his Pawns is, but the deployment exit for his ground troops is here. [He pointed accordingly on the photo.] And his lab...

[Zero grimaced with hesitation. It was a hard memory to sift through, even in the best of circumstances. The details were too hard to make out for certain, right now - but he had a feeling. A vague, unplaceable feeling.]

...I think I could find it again.

[Between the memory Hajime saw, and Zero's uncharacteristically abrasive attitude towards Eggman, Hajime could figure out plenty well how Zero knew of such things.]

Good. That'll make a big difference. The production line can't be too far from the exit, so... [He fell silent, as he thought it over. In some small part, he'd been hoping for an even clearer memory from Zero to help things out, but he was plenty satisfied with that much.]

[Finally, he nodded, chewing on his lip.] Naturally, we'll want to keep this as small as possible, but... I think we may need more help, if we can find it.

[Zero nodded in agreement.] The smaller the unit, the easier it'll be to infiltrate the base.

I have a friend with experience fighting Eggman. He's certain to lend a hand, if I asked.

[Even if Knuckles didn't strike Zero as the stealthy type, he had raw strength and speed that dwarfed the reploid's specs completely, and a history of foiling Eggman's plans. It'd make him an invaluable team member.

Another pair of eyes to look out for Hajime's well-being in an enemy stronghold was good too. Though there was the risk that Knuckles' love of fighting would get to his head a little. He was no soldier - but he might make a good distraction for the bulk of Eggman's forces.]

He has some personal history with the doctor, so he might know others with a bone to pick with Eggman.

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