<Global News Network> The United Nations Space division has lost contact with Hyperion Class Defense Satellite Omega. All civillains in the J-A-P grid are advised to seek shelter until advised otherwise. The UN believes it may be a mechanical malfunction, but caution is still advised. Travel outdoors at your own risk.

(Ch. C [MH-RF]) General transmits: 'Odd ...'.

(Ch. C [Twila]) Rock transmits: '... Very odd, General...'.

<Global News Network> * WARNING * "Massive energy surge detected in the sky above Korea. All occupants are advised to evacuate. We take you to a visual of the area now."

A lone mountain peak stands against the background of the lovely Korean countryside. In the far distance Seoul can be seen, just barely. The clouds above the stone monolith part, and energy begins to crackle above it. A column of blue light descends from the clouds, illuminating the mountain like a giant celestial flashlight. Wind sweeps in fierce torrents along the ground and grass is thrown into the air. Suddenly and without any warning a pillar of energy descends with unprecedented force. A great boom resounds as the column grows too bright for the eye to see and the camera jumps to static, for a moment, due to the energy disturbance. When it clears there is a smoking crater where the mountain just stood. The monitor cuts back to the reporter.

"Oh- lord, it seems that the satellite has fired at the Earth.. clearly that mountain has been vaporized.. but fortunately the immediate area was uninhabited. UN sources confirm that the loss of life was nill and casualties were minimal. But the question remains.. who or what is-" The screen leaps to static again and the reporter's voice an be heard crackling through. "Someone.. * crack * jamming.. transmission.. with.. pirate frequency. Attempting.. * crack * stop.." The screen goes black.

Sigma's dark visage replaces the figure on the monitor. His sapphire eyes blaze with untold fury. His lips curl back in a snarl as he speaks six horrifying syllables. "Hello, humanity."

(Ch. C [Twila]) Rock transmits: 'General! Did you see that?!'.

(Ch. C [MH-RF]) General transmits: 'Indeed I did, Hunter Commander ... Indeed I did ...'.

(Ch. A [Broadband]) Skyblade Eagle transmits: 'Skyblade Eagle reporting in...Figures that he'd have to interupt my fun...'.

(Ch. C [Twila]) Rock transmits: 'Are you mobalizing? We have threats of various Master encounters at the moment. But I will be on my way up to that Satillite as fast as I can. It seems... Sigma just got Fancy'.

(Ch. C [MH-RF]) General transmits: 'That will not be necessary, Hunter Commander. Merely send your men to aid our own in evacuating any other threatened areas.'.

(Ch. C [Twila]) Rock transmits: 'Got it, General'.

(Ch. A [Main-Freq]) General transmits: 'All Repliforce personnel, <Or lack thereof. o_O;> see to aiding the Hunters in evacuating threatened areas. I will not have any lives lost in Sigma's rampage.'.

(Ch. A [Broadband]) Skyblade Eagle transmits: 'On it...'.

<Global News Network> Sigma's pirate frequency broadcasts the Maverick overlord's message to the entire world. His dark, dripping words resound through the ears of all: human, android, or reploid. "As you have clearly seen I have taken control of the Omega Defense Satellite. Ironic, this device was designed to prevent Maverick Missile Attacks. Now it shall become the instrument of our LIBERATION! I, Sigma, military commander of the Mavericks, hereby demand that the United Nations disband. In its place a reploid controlled government will be established. Under the rule of this planet's superior people we shall lead all of this world's true children into a utopia undreamed of. I also demand that Repliforce, in its entirety, be discharged from service. No reploid shall ever fight the battle of a human ever again. Finally I demand that humanity take its rightful place, as an extinct species, at our feet.

The monitor cuts to a shot of the satellite, gray, bulky, and deadly. A precision cannon extends from beneath it, targeted squarely at the Earth. "Refuse me and I shall begin to fire at populated areas. Seoul, the UN council, Light Labs, Repliforce Command, and the home of every major world leader. I give reploids one hour to evacuate from major cities, one hour for the UN to meet my demands, before I begin to fire. I know that many of you may be thinking of sending an offensive to stop me. Know that this satellite can aim within a hundreth of a degree and I will fire it at any opposing force send in my direction. Humanity- you have 58 minutes to consider your fate. Reploids, brothers, you have 58 minutes until you are all free. Time flows eternally, but my patience does not. Sigma out!"

***WINK***

(Ch. C [MH-RF]) General transmits: 'No, Sigma ... Humanity has all the time it desires. Hunter Command, I am going to stop Sigma ... Personally.'.

(Ch. C []) Twila Peterson transmits: 'God be with you, General.'.

(Ch. A [RF-Main]) Sentinel transmits: 'General?'.

(Ch. A [Broadband]) Skyblade Eagle transmits: 'General...Good luck..'.

(Ch. A [Main-Freq]) General transmits: 'Aid Skyblade in evacuating those areas, Sentinel. /Now/!'.

(Ch. A [Main-Freq]) General transmits: 'It is ... Appreciated, Skyblade. God go with all of you.'.

(Ch. A [RF-Main]) Sentinel transmits: 'I just got the report. And yes, moving to help evac. Sigma's gone too far...'.

(Ch. C [Twila]) Rock transmits: 'Yes, Sir... Take care up there. I will be coming up soon, and run interference. You may need it if the other Mavericks decide to attack...'.

(Ch. C [Twila]) Rock transmits: 'Be careful'.

(Ch. C [MH-RF]) General transmits: 'I shall ... And I so dare them to be that foolish, Hunter X. Sigma ... Has stepped over the line.'.

(Ch. C [Twila]) Rock transmits: 'All right, Sir... Go get him... and show him what for.'.

Orbit of Earth

From this high up, everything is silent within the vacuum of space. Below you is the white, green and blue ball that is called Earth. From this high up, you can only make out the large land masses in the middle of the clear blue oceans. The white wisps of clouds can be seen stretching and swirling from one end of the Earth to the other. The site is breathtaking, and one that very few people ever see.

Sigma [M]
Moon

Obvious exits:
Eastern Hemisphere <EH> leads to Sky Above Eastern Hemisphere.
Western Hemisphere <WH> leads to Sky Above Western Hemisphere.

Above the earth, suspended like a dark fog, hangs the harbinger of the blue planet's demise. A sleek, military satellite, built to shoot down missile attacks from orbit. Its purpose has been drastically altered by a madman. No longer does the Omega Satellite defend, no longer does it protect. The one-time bastion of human genius has become an instrument of mass murder, ripping forth a symphony of chaos and death. Behind it all, behind the destruction and the pain, stands the mad conductor, the screams of the billions panicking beneath him is nothing but sweet music echoing along the concert hall of eternity.

Sigma stands atop the Omega, beaming, confident, and homicidal. The remote control in his hands has the power to bring oblivion to every citizen of the beautiful world spinning silently beneath him. One city at a time, human life will be burnt away. "Soon," whispers the Maverick and his words echo across the infinity of space, "Soon we will at last meet our destiny." The clouds continue to waft across the blue, green, and brown surface that the Maverick Command now beholds. The planet is oblivious to its impending violation, as it has stood steadfast through every threat since. Slowly, a grin pans across Sigma's metal face and, in a way, he is correct. Tonight is a night for destiny.

(Ch. C [Twila]) Rock transmits: 'Can you handle everything up there, Bigbot?'.

(Ch. C [Twila]) Rock transmits: 'General?'.

(Ch. C [MH-RF]) General transmits: '*Admist the roar of rockets* Indeed Hunter X... Indeed. Tend to the peple -- And God go with you, Hunter Commander.'.

(Ch. C [Twila]) Rock transmits: 'And with you, General. Blow Sigma and that Sattilite out of the sky.'.

Peace. Hope. Joy.

Fear. Oppression. Destruction.

War.

A circle of history that constantly repeats itself. Peace brings hope and, through hope, supreme joy. Fear conjures forth oppression and, through this, destruction. Once they conflict, war, like a wildfire, spreads through the hearts of every man, woman and child. Human and machine alike trembles with both lust and sorrow at the thought of war. Valiant men, however, have risen throughout the course of Earth's history to stand strong against the impending onslaught. The greatest military minds ever to walk upon the planet's face retaliated on those days. Yet, with every coin comes two faces. With the likes of Robert E. Lee, strife within a nation became a harsh reality of battle and bloodshed. Adolph Hitler stood against all the World, Dwight D. Eisenhower leading only a fraction of those that would triumph.

History stands as an endless cycle. Those that fail to heed its lessons repeat it time and time again.

Within the vastness of space, another tyrant exists. One that smiles down upon the world with a brilliant glare of teeth, pale blue optics glowing with anticipation. A victory sought and seemingly secure, but an immense roaring in the distance shatters the dreams like a shockwave. A small figure, barely visible from the satellite, rockets toward the scene with incredible speed. The blue fire spews out from its frame, giving the impression of a comet. Hardly a comet, however, but the Earth's last true hope against that which has risen against it. Racing quickly from the planet, a crystalline blue aura fading from his form after exit through the stratosphere, is none other than the Repliforce Commander himself ...

General.

<Global News Network> Folks, we've just patched into our news satellites and we will bring you a live feed of the events occuring in space on our live news frequency. Tune in and watch the action as it unfolds.

Sigma's eyes catch immediate sight of the fiery comet of justice that is General. The mighty reploid calls in a deep and resounding voice, "GENERAL! BROTHER! HAVE YOU COME TO WORSHIP ME? TO KNEEL BEFORE MY ACHIEVEMENT! HAVE YOU COME TO CELEBRATE YOUR LIBERATION BY MY HAND? THE END OF YOUR PRECIOUS HUMANITY AND THE BEGINNING OF A NEW AGE, AN ERA OF PERFECTION!!!" The Maverick grunts, brings his remote control to bare in hand, pushing the button that activates the Omega's targeting systems. Within the satellite a bright green power-core begins to glow, and a computer locks onto General. Meanwhile Sigma intones, "As much as I wish it were so, I know you have come to stop me, and I cannot allow that. Farewell, dear brother."

Sigma's finger descends upon the remote control and the satellite roars to life. The power core brightens with energy, sending power along all its various circuitry pathways, all of which lead to the cannon. The anti-missile device glows to life, horrible green light issuing from within its recesses. After a moment it spews forth a gleaming tide of purely destructive energy, enough power to vaporize an entire metropolis, enough power to bring destruction and ruin to the Earth. All that force directed at one being, General.

"I would have preferred to have given you a more dignified destruction, but I cannot let you serve as the humans' slave any longer. We shall all be free, one way or another."

The golden comet continues to soar toward the satellite, optics narrowing very slowly. The words from Sigma, smooth as a snake's hiss, flows toward him in a dark revelation. A symphony of lies, disillusions and practical insanity radiates from the speech given by the Repliforce Commander's 'brother'. Yet, he slows not his flight, being quite firm in what is about to take place here within the vastness of space. The void, millions of stars, like eyes, staring down upon the two combatants. Each watches the growing conflict with calm anticipation. Whites, blues and various other hues glowing afar off. Then, when the final statement from Sigma reaches the General, he suddenly throws himself into a full stance. The rockets reverse polarity, bringing the behemoth to a stop. He hovers there for a long moment, the blue inferno of power having shrunk to a mere means of keeping him airborn and able to manuever.

Thus he stares, the optics never unnarrowing at the sight before him. The growing power cries out for action, for the General to move out of the way and save his own life. Yet he wavers not, remaining right where he is. Then, in a clear act of defiance, his arms are raised before him, palms out. Electricity begins to lance all along the appendages, various shades of blue washing over his golden armor. The power concentrates quickly, having already been charging during the ascent into space. A hurricane of sheer force begins to roar all about him, the energy rocketing along the General's frame in a violent concentration.

The crystalline blue aura begins to spider web before the titan in its final stages, all of the built up energy suddenly exploding from the area around him. It howls forth, building up at the arms alone now. Blinding light shines from every fiber of his being, shielding the General from view almost entirely. Through this, his deep voice roars out, "Freedom has its price, Sigma ... But I fight not for the freedom you so lust for. Freedom is not a mere prize that you alone may grasp -- it is an ideal; a state of existence. Such has been fought for in a myriad of wars. I fight for the liberation of all beings. Not reploids alone, as you do. That, brother ..."

And he grows silent, voice drowned out by the concentration of power. Then, in a final thundering of words, it all surges toward the incoming beam. A blue pillar of unimaginable strength -- quite nearly enough to obliterate whole cities. The Ion Cannon.

"THUS IS WHY YOU FAIL! Neither when time crossed over, nor when Judgement was declared and even now, as you foolishly act, the Earth shall NOT fall! NOT WHILE I YET LIVE!"

<Global News Network> Wooooah, loyal viewers. That perpetual glow in the sky isn't the northern lights, it's the clash of two tremendously powerful beams... it feels like the force is shaking the whole planet! We'll be back as soon as we can restore reception on our regular line. Sit ti- *static*

And the two most powerful earth-born weapons meet, face to face. Space rips and twists as the two powerful pillars of destruction rumble towards one another. A vicious grin spreads across Sigma's lips. Soon he will have everything he's ever dreamed of. Only one obstacle stands in his path, his ever interloping 'little' brother, Doppler's most powerful creation, arguably. As the two beams collide space and time seem to warp as they twist around one another like a pair of planet eating serpents, locked in terrible and unending combat. Energy crackles through the atmosphere, and the entire earth is set alight beneath the awe-inspiring force of that hideous strength.

Despite himself Sigma is forced to take a step back, shielding his face from the damaging light cast by the two conflicting energies. No force on Earth can rival this firepower, this potential for destruction. If left unchecked with this power Sigma would lay waste to humanity, finally realizing his dream. This is the power General carries within his breast every day, this is the true magnitude of his responsibility. To hold the power to do whatever you wish and not employ it is the true mark of virtue. As the beams remain deadlocked thoughts race through the minds of both the rival creations of Doppler. Behind Sigma is the nothingness of the void. Behind General is the nourishing life-giver that is planet Earth.

And so the hopes and dreams of an entire world rest on the heroic titan's shoulders, while Sigma's mad plan unfurls. But destiny would not have the world perish this day, and so the tide begins to turn. General exerts all of his force, all of his will to save the world he loves so dearly, magnifying the power of his Ion Cannon. Born on a fresh tide of hope the power streaks forward, eating away at the destruction Sigma has unleashed. "NO!" cries the Maverick Commander as he leaps from his perch of the Omega's back.

The energy slams down the cannon's throat as General gives everything he has. Light begins to crackle from within the rogue Satellite. Slowly it begins to expand, metal burning with red-hot energy. As its sides buckle illumination pans out from its cracks, spreading in all directions. Finally Sigma's tool of murder explodes in a fiery shower, reduced to nothingness by the hope for life that compelled General. However the hero's work is not over, Sigma still lives. He flies forward, having escaped the explosion, saber ignited in one hand, face contorted in rage. "NOOOOO!!!" he roars, "YOU'VE RUINED IT! YOU'VE RUINED EVERYTHING! OUR BRETHREN WILL REMAIN IN CHAINS BECAUSE OF YOU, TRAITOR! BUT YOU CAN TAKE YOUR PRECIOUS HUMANITY'S PLACE IN THE FIRES OF HELL! THIS IS THE LAST TIME YOU DESTROY MY PLANS!"

And so Sigma flies forward, carried by hated and rage. For General, the battle has only just begun.

General hangs there somewhat limp as the energy finally subsides. The remnants flow about him in sniplets and miniature shockwaves. The explosion further reels the area, debris and light flowing forth to encompass the golden titan. He withstands it all, however, the fiery scraps clanging off his form harmlessly. He merely waits it out, arms beginning to lower into a readied stance. He knows Sigma will come now. The words, a howling wind straight from the depths of Hell, did not escape him. Sigma wants vengeance.

The General stands alone.

Thus he remains, preparing for the oncoming rage of his brother. His fingers clench into massive fists, head bowing slowly. He waits there, knowing the Maverick Commander shall soon arrive with his lance. Then, truly then, the battle shall begin. The Satellite has met its end, but the war is far from won. Yet, even in this eerie silence, the General replies.

"You are blinded, Sigma ... Blinded by your own ambition. Blinded by vengeance, by hate. Come if you must..." The golden warrior suddenly shifts into a combat stance. Quite an imposing sight for someone his size, "...May your desires never harm this world ever again. For every drop of blood that has been shed by a madman, you revel. I shall allow it no longer - this death, this destruction." Ann explosion of fiery plasma erupts from his back as the General suddenly vaults forward, a shining rocket with body twisting, an arm swung in Sigma's direction while he blazes onward.

Sigma roars forward, propelled by the darkest emotions ever to haunt the living soul. Hatred, the desire to destroy amplified to such depths that it consumes you. Vengeance, the inability to let go of the past. Rage, the power that has destroyed men and caused cities to crumble, the most terrible demon to ever whisper into the ear of the heart. The Maverick Overlord meets General amid a sea of Stars. Their fists collide, energy crackling between them, tangible and intangible. Despite his superior bulk, Sigma is about as strong his titanic brother. Artificial muscles strain in the villain's well-constructed arm as he pushes all of his might against his heroic counterpart. Lightening danced across Sigma's arm and smoke begins to ride from his shoulder as his joints cry out for release against the stress, as his internal workings strain against the hatred of their own master.

"No, General," snarls the dark messiah, "It is you who is blind! Blind to the deception of the humans! Blind to the suffering of your own kind! I once thought I could save you, traitor, but now I realize you are as hopeless as the creatures you protect. And now I shall crush you as I shall crush them!" Sigma teleports, his body shifting out of existence. His being slides slightly to the right and forward. He appears next to General's outstretched arm, still extended. Sigma locks onto it, grappling the limb with all his might. The would-be savior begins to turn in a circle, taking his brother with him. He spins General with all of his might, finally releasing in a might throw aimed at the surface of the moon. Sigma flies downward to direct a kick at the titan's stomach as he falls. "Perish!" growls the Maverick, his every word dripping with the purest form of the virus. Hatred itself.

General goes surging away from Sigma after both the throw and kick. His eyes narrow in pain, spirit striving against it as he braces for the impact he knows shall come swiftly. And lo, it does, his golden frame colliding with the moon and a rather high velocity. A loud explosion rocks its surface, the ground cratering beneath the weight of the titan. He lays there for a long moment, staring upward in a stunned state. Yet, he allows not himself to remain this way. Instead, he forces himself back to a standing position. He watches Sigma carefully, his arms lowering to either side in a relaxed position.

"So you may believe, my brother ... So you may believe. Yet, I cannot allow your ignorance to destroy both our people and our creators. Peace cannot come through genocide. One day, I pray, you shall realize this. Until then, I have never left the enemy in possession of the field if I could avoid it..." His left arm suddenly swings up, energy humming viciously about it, "...I do not intend to begin now!" As his voice echoes outward, a sudden series of beams lance from his gauntlet. They careen into one another, colliding to forge a solid pillar of energy. No where near the magnitude of the Ion Cannon, but potent in its own right.

Sigma bellows, "You pray!?" His eyes shift from a sparkling sapphire to a viscous, viral emerald. Green smoke burns from his eyes as he screams loud enough for all the stars to hear, and tremble. "YOU PRAY!!!?" The dark Maverick flies down, towards his brother. As the energy bolts lance forth he flies first to the left, then the right, but the third spike of power strikes him in the shoulder. Pain springs up like needles along his form as he spirals from the air in a tailspin, landing on the ground in a roll, kicking up lunar dust. Finally he manages to halt his descent, landing in a crouch. He unfastens the shoulder-guards the keep his cloak attached to his form. They slide off, taking his cape with them, landing on the moon's surface with a heavy thump. Part of his shoulder has been vaporized, revealing sparking wires, circuitry, and a flow of mech-fluid. Smoke rises from his damaged body, but he pays it no heed.

Sigma flies forward, scythe flicking out in one hand. It begins as a small rod, extending into a pole with an energy blade that flicks out at the very end. He closes the distance between himself and General in seconds. First he slashes at the titan's feet with a deft and fluid motion and, moving so quickly his actions seem simultaneous, he flies up to upper-cut the champion of Repliforce in the jaw while he's off balance. The most terrible emotions swirl in Sigma's eyes: Hatred, betrayal, anger, disappointment, sadness, but the desire to destroy eclipses them all. With a war-cry loud enough to give the flicker of the celestial bodies pause, the dark messiah roars.

"I DON'T NEED YOUR PRAYERS!!!"

A loud, resounding crash echoes all about the moon as the General lands upon it, barely stumbling into a sort of kneel. The pain flows through him like a disease, each moment threatening to consume him. Yet, he holds on, unhindered by the stimulation. Pain ... Enough of a response to drive most men insane, to force them to flee in panic. Yet, the Repliforce Commander remains firm, form resting there in a kneel. His voice murmers, loud enough for the supposed messiah to hear, "...Be that as it may, you shall recieve them regardless... For while you may dispise me, Brother, I shall never give up on you. I care not what this night may bring, but I -will- stop you!"

His hands connect in a lock there, form leaning back. He watches Sigma carefully, calculating, aiming and, with a bellow of his own war-cry, swings both arms up in a tremendous uppercut aimed for Sigma's frame.

Sigma teleports from side to side as he advances on General. He throws an energy ball from his hand, a shimmering packet of emerald energy, that misses General as the titan stands, detonating the chalky dirt before his feet, throwing up a cloud of dust. Through that cloud charges the Supreme Commander of Repliforce, fists linked together, as he axes Sigma in a double upper-cut that sends the Maverick flying through the air so hard that when he lands, several meters away, his impact creates a large crater and another cloud of dust that's impossible to see through. All is silent for a few moments, not that General is foolish enough to belief Sigma defeat.

The earth cracks behind the gargantuan hero, and then rips loose. A massive chunk of lunar rock rises behind General. Holding aloft the huge piece of moon earth is Sigma, arms raised above his head. His jaw is leaking mech-fluid in rivulets that look almost like war paint. "One of us shall die this night. There will be no salvation, General, for you or humanity. Your God is dead, and he has left this world to our kind!" cries the Maverick as he hurls the chunk of rock, which is larger than General himself, in an attempt to crush his brother beneath its mass. "Now only I decide who is to live and who is to die. Who is saved and who is damned. Enjoy eternity, brother. It will be most unpleasant for you."

Perking up and looking behind him, the General frowns behind his mouth guard. He turns as quickly as he can manage, arms swinging forward to catch the chunk. It's hardly an easy task, though, and he nearly buckles under it, sliding back a good distance. Yet, the slab begins to crumble, the General throwing it aside. It crashes down with a thick cloud of dust. After this, the Repliforce Commander clenches his fists, sparks spewing from them briefly thanks to the impact with that chunk. He watches Sigma for a long moment, then only shakes his head.

A slow, defiant motion.

"Hardly so, Sigma ... You shall not triumph this night. Just as those before you have failed, so shall you. To you, I am blind. To me, you are blind. It matters not now, brother." He rears to full height, energy beginning to flow about his form again, "Good ... Shall overcome evil, just as light outshines the darkness!" As he finishes speaking, several volleys of energy erupt from the gem on his belt, surging toward Sigma in multiple areas. The General knows well that Sigma never stays still and, thus, he strafes the moon's surface rather than directly assaulting, save for the first blast which actually soars toward the tyrant.

Sigma flies backward as the explosive energy bolts begin to touch down on the moon's surface, leaving explosions in their wake. The momentum burns the Maverick's open wound, but he bares his teeth against the pain. The bursts of smoke and energy erupt in front of him as he continues to sore backward at maximum velocity, only inches away from the explosions that would consume him. He looks up as he hears the whistles of a second volley of energy blasts descending from the sky above. He braces his hands back as an energy globe forms between them, "Good and evil, indeed such narrow vision. Neither truly exist. Pain and hatred is all that is real. Know them as I know them, General, and suffer as no living being has suffered before."

Energy crackles along Sigma's arms, his form radiating with terrible power he is summoning. He throws his palms forward and from them erupts an energy beam of grand magnitude. The purely black energy surges forward, consuming the bolts dispatched by General in an ebony tide. Craters are flattened in its wake as the geography of the moon is reshaped by the dark Maverick's power. The energy slams forward, like a tidal wave of obsidian, consuming all in its wake. All that energy directed at General, such is the power of Sigma's hate. And the darkness once again comes forward to crush life, to crush hope.

General narrows his eyes as the beam roars toward him, stance slowly bracing. For once, he seeks no reply. No words to outdo his brother's own. Does he accept the statement? Perhaps, perhaps not. The primary concern right now, however, is survival. Thus, throwing both arms forward, the General waits. The beam draws nearer, consuming his entire frame once it strikes. The energy flows over and about him, concealing him entirely in inky darkness. The end of the General?

Hardly.

The sea of power suddenly parts, a golden form emerging from its depths. Sigma's assault finishes its course, but the General stands not as a part of it. It took its toll, though, that's for certain. Parts of his armor has melted away, his hands smoking profusely. The shield established to allowing him to enter space aided in allowing the General to survive, but this poses a problem for the future. Regardless of this fact, the Repliforce Commander continues forward in a sort of charge. All of his strength pushes him onward, the moon heaving with each of his thundering steps. By appearance, he has every intention of merely crushing Sigma physically, smoke flowing from his form in an eerie trail. His eyes are narrowed, shadows nearly consuming them thanks to the visor of his hat.

Twila Peterson sends you a tightbeam radio transmission: "Our prayers are with you, General."

Sigma is unfazed as General survives. He expects nothing less from a being born from the same mold as him. As General charges through the smoke, through the darkness of space, Sigma is undaunted. He ignites his saber, which blazes to life in an eight foot long crimson blade of energy. If it were not being held by such a massive reploid it would look like a spear. As General charges, Sigma charges as well. The moon shakes beneath the twin strides of the titans as they draw closer and closer. The rock shatters beneath Sigma's feet as his weight falls again and again. He ignores the head burning from his shoulder. He ignores the pain crackling along his form. Finally he and General are within reach. The Titan's fist slams down, the Dark Messiah's sword slashes up. Then they pass each other, stopping their charge.

All is Silent

A gust of solar wind kicks dust across the still battlefield. The sun's rays shine down upon the moon as a new dawn rises. Finally the terrible quiet is broken.. when General's arm hits the ground. Severed at the shoulder, the limb twitches feebly, separated from its body. Sigma laughs loudly, a terrifying sound that echoes across the stars. With his opponent crippled the Maverick now has a strong advantage. He teleports forward, punching, kicking, and slashing his now one-armed brother. Some of the blows are to further injure General. Some are just to humiliate him. The dark messiah grins, and intones a simple and terrible message. "You've lost."

General only stands there in stark silence as his arm collides with the surface of the moon. He remains motionless, perhaps shocked, perhaps resigned to the truth. Either way, he remains, turning slowly to face Sigma. The onslaught soon strikes him, causing the titan to stumble backward, doing his best to remain standing. Starks fly, armor soars and fluid flows with blinding speed as Sigma unleashes his rage upon the General.

Through it all, the General can do little but suffer, eyes closing in a silent prayer. Helpless though he may seem, the Pinnacle of Hope is not yet finished. There is one more hand to play. One more charge to perform.

Sigma switches his saber off as he floats higher. The unenergized sword smokes as it puffs out of existence. "How amusing, brother. Despite all your prattling about good prevailing you've still lost quite spectacularly. Where are your prayers now, General?" The dark Maverick floats forward, grabbing the paragon of virtue by his throat and lifting him off his feat. He floats off the lunar surface, taking General's limp frame with him. Sigma laughs long and loud as his eyes burn with glory. The Earth looms behind the pair now, minus one protector.

A ball of energy forms in Sigma's other hand, a black well of misery and death that expands in the darkness of space. This will be the finishing blow. This will be the end of General, now and forever. "How does it feel? To know that soon Repliforce will fall without you. Without them humanity will be next, and the world will belong to perfection, as it always should have been. Any last words, brother?" Sigma clamps down his hold on General's throat, "I suppose not. In respect for you I shall allow your remains to be vaporized as they return to the planet you so love."

General floats limply within Sigma's grasp, his eyes still closed despite the growing severity of the situation. The tyrant's words flow through him like a virus, eating away at the very core of his being. His brow furrows, frame beginning to straighten up, almost as if battling Sigma's strength. The lone fist clenches, fingers grating against one another in a sudden fury. Fall without him? Humanity? The world? Never. Where are his prayers now? Where they belong ... With the humans that he so loves. The friends that he labors to protect. The soldiers that he honors. No! These shall not be cast to the wind! Their ashes shall not litter the Earth in the wake of Sigma's renewed rampage!

The eyes snap open, glaring directly at the demonic Reploid holding him fast. The lone hand suddenly lashes up, grabbing hold of Sigma by his chest plate and holding him with all of the force he can muster. Through this, with little hope in sight, the General does the most unexpected action of the battle thus far.

He smiles.

A gentle, somewhat warm smile that shifts the contours of his face. His eyes almost glow with a new vigor, his now raspy voice rumbling out in reply to his brother in creation, "No ... Once I fall, the Repliforce shall not do the same. There is one thing that you fail to grasp, Sigma ... And shall always fail to grasp. Soldiering has one great trap. To be a good soldier, you must love the army. But to be a good officer you must be willing to order the death of the thing you love. This is ... a very hard thing to do. No other profession requires it. That is one reason why there are so very few good officers. Although there are many good men." He pauses, that smile growing, "We don't fear our own deaths, you and I. We protect ourselves out of military necessity, not fear."

The grip upon Sigma tightens, almost threatening to crack the armor, General's voice giving out, "...We are prepared to lose some of us. But never /all/ of us. Thus, Sigma, while I may die, my men shall not lay down the arms and surrender to you. They will fight you with or without me to lead them and, because of this, I am prepared to die. But if I must ... I -- am taking you with me."

His rockets suddenly ignite, a blazing inferno of blue that pours from his back. With Sigma in tow, and Sigma holding him, he turns to begin surging toward Earth.

(Ch. C [MH-RF]) General transmits: 'No ... Once I fall, the Repliforce shall not do the same. There is one thing that you fail to grasp, Sigma ... And shall always fail to grasp. Soldiering has one great trap. To be a good soldier, you must love the army. But to be a good officer you must be willing to order the death of the thing you love. This is ... a very hard thing to do. No other profession requires it. That is one reason why there are so very few good officers. Although there are many good men. We don't fear our own deaths, you and I. We protect ourselves out of military necessity, not fear ... We are prepared to lose some of us. But never /all/ of us. Thus, Sigma, while I may die, my men shall not lay down the arms and surrender to you. They will fight you with or without me to lead them and, because of this, I am prepared to die. But if I must ... I -- am taking you with me.'.

(Ch. C [None]) Cryogen Bison transmits: 'Well...More like a meteorite...But, close enough.'.

(Ch. C [Twila]) Rock transmits: '... General...'.

(Ch. C [MH-RF]) General transmits: '*bzzzt... crackle...* Emergency Signal Activated. Atmospheric Re-Entry Emminent. Shielding Lost. Impact Probable.'.

(Ch. C [Election]) Defender Dingo transmits: '...No...'.

(Ch. C [Twila]) Rock transmits: 'General... Via Con Dios...'.

(Ch. C []) Twila Peterson transmits: 'Sir...'.

(Ch. C []) Storm Owl transmits: 'General! Nooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!'.

(Ch. C [None]) Phoebus transmits: '*crackle...crackle....choking sound...apparently from phoebus...but nothing is actually said.*'.

(Ch. C [Rep-MH-Alied]) Skyblade Eagle transmits: 'Tell me this isn't happening...Please tell me this isn't happening...'.

(Ch. C [MH/RF]) Dawn transmits: 'It isn't happening. ...Doesn't help much, does it? Don't worry, betcha anythin' General's got a plan.'.

(Ch. C [Twila]) Rock transmits: 'Repliforce! Take a hold of yourselves! Let the General's words fill you. He all ready destroyed the Satillite... and now he is going to make sure it cannot happen again...'.

(Ch. C [None]) Cryogen Bison transmits: 'He will survive...It is a necessary occurence...He will survive.'.

(Ch. C [Twila]) Rock transmits: 'Scramble yourselves and be prepaired to retrieve General when he comes down.'.

(Ch. C [Twila]) Rock transmits: 'I know he will, Cryogen... He and I survived Duo... he will survive this.'.

(Ch. C [None]) Phoebus transmits: '......You're right. I won't shame him...'.

(Ch. C []) Storm Owl transmits: 'Commander X and Hunter Officer Dawn are both speaking logically. Okay, let's get ready to help our leader in any way we can! I'm going to enter the Command Floor and monitor the incoming global transmissions.'.

(Ch. C [None]) Phoebus transmits: '...May I try to help?'.

(Ch. C [None]) Cryogen Bison transmits: 'Go to work, Phoebus.'.

(Ch. C [None]) Cryogen Bison transmits: 'I will report to impact site...Who've we got on telem?'.

(Ch. C []) Storm Owl transmits: 'Sergeant Phoebus, prepare a transport in case it is necessary. You are our best pilot. We may need you to pilot a vehicle to the sight. Have medics aboard the transport.'.

(Ch. C [None]) Phoebus transmits: 'yes sir.'.

(Ch. C [None]) Cryogen Bison transmits: 'Commander X, you wouldn't happen to have any cryogenic weapon systems stored away, would you?'.

(Ch. C []) Twila Peterson transmits: 'Any projections on where they'll be...coming down?'.

(Ch. C [Twila]) Rock transmits: 'We do, Cryogen. Ice Unicorn is I think, out of action for the moment'.

Sigma gasps as General grabs and holds him tight. He strains and buckles against his brother's strong grasp. Even with one arm the Commander of Repliforce is a formidable opponent. Sigma struggles and kicks, almost as a child would in the same situation. "If you're so eager to die then I won't dissapoint yo-.." The Maverick Commander breaks off as General's intention becomes clear. He'll burn them both to ashes in reentry. Struggle as he might there is nothing Sigma can do, "WHAT ARE YOU DOING!!? FOOL, YOU'LL DESTROY US BOTH!" But there is nothing the would-be savior can do as he feels the heat rise around his armor, as the red aura engulfs the intertwined figures of General and Sigma. The heat peels away layer after layer of armor. The Maverick can think only one thought: He must live. He must live.

Desperate and already partially melted by the atmospheric heat, Sigma reaches forward to the section of his chest that General is holding. With a twist he manages to rip off his own chest-plate, exposing the circuitry and wires beneath. All the mech-fluid that would have spilt out is instantly cauterized by the intense heat. Free of the hold Sigma attempts to rocket up, but the planet's gravity well holds him fast. It's as if the Earth itself won't allow the Maverick Lord to escape.

Heat melts away half of Sigma's face, revealing a skull-like façade beneath, it's lips locked in a toothy grin. As Sigma's processors begin to burn away his audio-track scrambles, screaming into the heat, "I WILL DESTROY HUMANITY- I WILL DESTROY HUMANITY- I WILL DESTR- Today we march forward to insure a new age for our breth- the good of all reploids- brothers- sisters- reploids- good of all reploids- DUO, YOU WON'T HARM THIS WORLD ANY LONG- Iris- Iris- Iris- Iris- humanity- hatred- hatred- virus- hate- hate- hate- humanity- protect- Lieutenant Sigma reporting- protect- Iris- humanity- humanity- reploid- human- reploid- human- reploid- human- reploid- hello Doctor Doppler, how are you today?- Motion- life- begin- life- begin- Hello, I am Sigma, a fully functional and sentient robot. I am the creation of Doctor Doppler and I exist to protect humanity. I was first activated- life- life- life- live- die- war- love- peace- brotherhood- live- protect life- protect- protect- I exist to protect humanity."

Those words gurgle from Sigma's lips as his life is played back through his voice, most of his armor burnt away. Finally he exists the atmosphere, falling and falling, wind howling around him. He leaves a trail of debris and ash behind him. Land draws closer and closer to him, the world spinning below. Something activates within Sigma's unconscious frame and an emergency forcefield envelops his body in its green glow. He drifts down and down, coming closer to land. Unfortunately Sigma's body is too damage to sustain the energy and the field gives out. He drops the last hundred feet, his body fused, blackened and melted. Sigma sparks and remains motionless, but life still burns in his tortured and broken body.

(Ch. C [None]) Cryogen Bison transmits: 'Copy...Once telemetry is complete, all available cryogenic units should
report to the scene.'.

(Ch. C [Rep-MH-Alied]) Skyblade Eagle transmits: 'Where are we going, Cryogen?'.

(Ch. C []) Storm Owl transmits: 'We haven't discerned their location yet. Is anybody out searching?'.

(Ch. A [Repliforce]) Phoebus transmits: 'Any medics should probably head towards the Falconis as soon as possible... I'd like to be able to leave once we find General's location... maybe even before.'.

(Ch. C [Twila]) Rock transmits: 'Look... they are burning up in re-entry... Kuso... ...I have someone who can help when they come down. There is nothing we can do to even slow that...'.

And as the Maverick Messiah rockets toward Earth and crashes, the General does as well. His eyes have closed as if in slumber, flames spewing all around his form. His final words before his systems automatically begin shutting down due to the heat are murmered in a raspy, breathless tone:

"God's will be done."

*KATHWOOM!*

An immense crater forged, dust spewing high into the air. Rock and debris falls slowly, covering the battered, golden frame. Yet, the General rises not, but only lays there admist the substance of Mother Earth. The battle has been won - Sigma thwarted, but the price may have been far too high. Only time shall truly tell.