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The edgecrusher looked out into the cityscape of Sparta Command. He could see the glass spires of the Command Nexus still gleaming, even after 150 planetyears, like the day that they were erected. Just to the left of that was the magnificent Sparta Bay, with all manner of cargo and warships in the wharves and docks. He let out a near-audible sigh when his gaze fell upon the Cloning Vats, those wretched things. While still under construction, Santiago already had him tested for cloning, but there was something about the process that could not duplicate the spirit. They were merely shells of men.
The edgecrusher checked his MMI again. it was a new prototype that he had "liberated" six months earlier from one of Zakharov's labs. It had come in handy when he went with the Colonel to investigate the Alien temple the other week when he had single handedly destroyed five of Morgan's probe teams. But after this last mission, he felt empty... wanting. He pushed the thought rom his mind.
Presently, he waited for Corazon to finish with her meeting with Dr. Bonaventura(name?). She wasn't aware of his prescence at the moment, but he had always had a habit of sneaking up on her. Santiago dismissed the
Doctor and turned to face the veiw of the city that the edgecrusher had been admiring. She let out a long and weary sigh. He stepped out silently into the violet flourescent light from one of the darker corners of her office.
"Ah, old freind," she said as she turned around to face him. "Just how long have you been there this time?"
The edgecrusher's expression would have been impassive, that is if Santiago could see his face. He rarely wore anything other than his probe suit lately... he just saw no need in wearing anything else. Santiago smiled.
"But of course. I assume you have the information that i asked for?" as she finished, her computer screen lit up. "I see... Enjoying our new MMI, are we?"
The edgecrusher stood there, silent.
She leaned in, just a little. "What happened to you, old man?" she glanced down to a new message on her computer screen. "Yes, I am certainly older than you are, but that's not what I meant. You seem ... detatched. even for you."
He nodded imperceptibly. Could she know? Images came floating back to him from the mission. The sense of joy and rapture he felt while uplinked to Her system... it was almost too much. But now he longed for that feeling... She had promised so much, but was it worth her price? More images came back, but these were older. Before they discovered the temple, before Marr, H'minne, and Aki... he paused in that thought. He remembered his childhood sweetheart, Rebecca... Perhaps that was why he was so enchanted with Her... he had always loved Rebecca's eyes.
But these emotions would be no more if he decided to go with Her. Only the cold would be there, like the cold in her eyes and speech.
"If you'd like to take some time off, I'm sure I can arrange it," Corazon began, "but I'm sure that it's not that. You haven't asked for a day off in thirty years. What's wrong?" She glanced down, and her brow furrowed. "I can't do that. You know too much. You know everything."
that is why i need it. It had been some time since the edgecrusher spoke... it made him feel like he was betraying himself, partly because he was, and partly because it reminded him of how human and fragile he was.
"I can't."
then i shall leave on my own accord. i would rather not be a fugitive, corazon. let me go in peace.
Santiago turned her back to the edgecrusher and stared out at the cityscape again. There would be no way to trace him, even if he did decide to go. He was too good for that. "Promise me this, then: you will take no actions agianst us... please..."
i promise. He turned and disappeared out her door into the crowd that was waiting for and audience.
+++incomingtransmission+++
Michael, as of this moment you command the probe team known as angelis. this has been bestowed upon you by the former edgecrusher. from hense forth, you are the new edgecrusher.
+++endtransmission+++
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probe algorithm Archon, probe prime function.
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18-12-1999 10:59
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