Illogical

Chapter 5

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GEETZ:

Mistress Sera and I would have been able to get back to Elysium with the keys, but we still needed to destroy Master's genetic code and thus ensure that the carbons would never exist again. To be honest, I was particularly looking forward to terminating MegaMan Trigger, not because he had threatened our beloved System, so much because he had hurt Mistress Sera so badly. The way Mistress Sera took priority over the System in my mind seemed illogical, even to me, but then again, I was programmed specifically to protect Mistress Sera, so perhaps there was some logic to it after all.

I flew toward the ship Mistress Sera had stolen from the Sulphur-Bottom in my Fiiru configuration in an attempt to catch up with her and board the ship as well. The keys were in her possession. However, I still needed to retrieve and destroy the Master's genetic code, and perhaps deal with Mistress Yuna and Gatz as well. I ordered them off of the great airship immediately.

"I don't know if I can do that," was Mistress Yuna's response.

"Comply or this unit will use deadly force!" I warned. "Your answer?"

"Now, Gatz, you know what to do."

"Are you sure, Mistress Yuna?" her Servitor asked. In the distance, I could see my silver counterpart banking sharply to the right, towards me.

"Gatz, what are you doing?" I demanded.

"Although I'm no longer recognized as Mother unit in this body, it also means I'm no longer restricted by behavioral limiters." Mistress Yuna boasted. "I can do whatever I want!"

I saw Gatz's weapons power up and aim for my face.

"Gatz! Cease your actions at once! What...what are you doing?!" I protested, but to no avail. The deadly plasma bolts flew from the cannons on Gatz's shoulders and struck my eyes. Shrieking in pain and shock, I steered sharply from my attacker, preparing a retaliation. I swooped upward, over the other Servitor, and unleashed a few shots of my own across his back.

We made several flybys in this manner, until we reached a stalemate. I glared hatefully at my opponent for a moment, then attempted to reason with him.

"Are you malfunctioning, Gatz?" I demanded. "There is no need for us to fight. Why do you insist on opposing me?"

"Sorry Geetz," my former friend replied, confirming my fears that he too was Aberrant. "I don't believe what Mistress Sera is planning is right."

"Mistress Yuna is also in error in abandoning her shell for a carbon's!" I objected, my anger and frustration growing. "That is no longer Mistress Yuna! It's an abomination and an affront to us all! If you insist on following her orders, I shall be forced to terminate you! BOTH OF YOU!!"

At my will, the hull of the ship below us erupted with flames, scorching Gatz's silver-white carapace, and sending him hurtling down to Terra's endless seas. As he flailed helplessly through the air, Gatz called out to Trigger for forgiveness, and a plea to stop Mistress Sera and myself. I was not at all concerned, even as the ex-Purifier stepped out to fight me. If anything, this was my opportunity to get at the genetic code I sought after.

Retrieving the genetic code from MegaMan Trigger should have been relatively simple, compared to everything else we've been through. Furthermore, in his current state, Trigger had nowhere near the firepower and none of the experience he'd had when we fought before, and this lack of skill showed. I could not resist taunting him, asking if this was the best he could do.

However, the battle would have leaned considerably more in my favor, if it had not been for two major distractions. One was that my thoughts would constantly wander over to Mistress Sera, wondering if she was all right. I realize that, as a Servitor unit, I must ensure her well-being, but this was not the time for worrying about it! Still, I could not seem to get her out of my mind.

Another problem was a group of carbons flying about in a small ship, shouting advice at Trigger. At first I was able to ignore them, until one of the passengers-the loudmouthed male designated "Teasel" I had heard over the comlink when we first arrived on the ship-cried out quite suddenly over a loud speaker, "Ohhh! BABY! Good fight!" I turned my head slightly to see where the voice was coming from. Trigger took the opportunity to fire a direct hit into my chest. Seething with anger directed toward Trigger, the spectators, and myself for being so careless, I stepped up my efforts, using my most powerful attacks. When Trigger managed to dodge all of them, I decided to resort to a more physical approach.

I swooped low, intending to ram him. For a moment, I took pleasure in the look of confusion in the Purifier's eyes as he tried to decide on his next course of action. By the time he made up his mind, I would...

"Jump, MegaMan!" a female voice called from the ship. "You should be able to dodge his attack!" Trigger obeyed, and he cleared even my stabilizing rod and landed safely on the deck of the ship. I decided that if there were ever a reason to terminate all carbons, it was that female carbon. And if I am not mistaken, it was the same female who accompanied Teasel in the conversation I had overheard.

I angled back upward into the air, and launched a stream of plasma at my opponent. To my dismay and frustration, either they all missed, or they were ineffective, as Trigger remained unscathed, and fired a few plasma shots of his own in my direction. I retreated, staggering from the pain.

"Look!" the female carbon called from the ship. "The dragon's weapons didn't even make a scratch!"

That did it! My patience with these annoying carbons had finally run out! I flew up toward that pesky ship, and leveled my cannons at it.

"ENOUGH!" I shouted.

Through the rear window of the ship, I could see the carbons that were flying it: a tall, muscular-looking male carbon with long, gray-white hair, green armor, and red eyes stood near the front. Next to him was a female about Trigger's apparent age, with green eyes, brown hair, and wearing a blue vest over a pink shirt. Small, skull-shaped earrings hung from her earlobes. To the other side of the bridge was a large yellow robotic creature. A small yellow and blue Servbot was piloting the ship.

"Um, Master Teasel?" the robotic pilot whimpered in shrill voice. "Miss Tron? I think the Reaverbot's mad at us."

All four occupants turned to stare at me.

"This unit does not need to be reminded of the ineffectiveness of its weapons!" I yelled at them. I especially wanted the female, Tron, to know that she was the reason I was going to kill them right away, instead of letting the reinitialization program terminate them.

I locked eyes with the carbon-girl named Tron, watching in sadistic delight as the realization of my words dawned on her. Her eyes filled with terror, and her mouth dropped open in a scream.

I fired several bolts of plasma at the ship, and sent it spiraling down to the ocean below. I watched as it dove out of sight, staring into Tron's horrified face for as long as she was in my line of vision. To my bewilderment, instead of becoming even more terrified, her expression hardened into one of defiance, and she met my eyes with sheer rage and hatred before she was gone.

"NOO!" MegaMan Trigger wailed, his voice shrill with grief, as the ship and its screaming occupants plunged away. The carbons must have been friends of his. Too bad.

"Now we finish this!" I cried triumphantly, swooping low over MegaMan Trigger's head. He turned toward me, his face twisted with a hatred far more pure and intense than Tron's had been. He leveled his cannon once more, but this time, the shots came faster than I expected, as though fueled by Trigger's own rage. I tried to dodge and temporarily retreat, but the Purifier would not allow it.

"YOU GODDAMNED SON OF A...!" His words were drowned out by the sound of a small missile being fired. A second later, my right side exploded in pain as the projectile struck. I gasped involuntarily, and alarms blared through my head. I swept upward in a near-panic, attempting to save my own life.

But Trigger's fighting technique had completely changed; it was almost as though he were someone else entirely. He disregarded any sense of caution, and leapt, fired, dodged, and ducked like one possessed. Missiles screamed through the air so fast and thick, I could not dodge them all! Eventually, one particularly lucky shot found a weak spot in my damaged right side, and exploded in a wave of pain and fire. My wings went numb, and my stabilizing devices gave out, forcing me to land. For the first time during the battle, I began to fear that I would not make it out alive.

[Who will watch over Mistress Sera?] I wondered in despair. No, I had to get through this! I had to be with my mistress again! I landed, suppressing a cry of pain as I made contact with the surface. I saw black smoke rising from my carapace, and I could barely breathe from the terrible, feverish heat spreading through my body. But I had no choice other than to continue! I had to protect Mistress Sera!

As soon as my paws touched the hull of the Sulphur-Bottom, Trigger raced toward me, missile launcher aimed at my midsection. Remembering our previous battle centuries ago, I released a firewave at the approaching Purifier. Once again, my aim was perfect, and my opponent cried out as the flames struck him.

But, to my dismay, Trigger pulled out a small vial and consumed its contents. The flames died out immediately. Enraged and truly frightened by this point, I swept my tail at the aberrant Purifier, attempting to knock him through the surface of the ship. Trigger jumped and fired. There was a sharp stab of pain as the smoldering, severed end of my tail fell to the surface of the ship's hull with a clatter. I tried my plasma cannons again, but they were no longer functional.

My vision was getting hazy. The world seemed to be tilting and swaying around me, and I hung my head briefly to wait for it to be still again. When I looked up, I saw Trigger's missile launcher mere inches from my eyes. The muzzle glowed briefly, then launched a deadly projectile at my face. I lifted my head up out of the way, and the missile struck my weakened abdominal armor instead, blowing it open, and tearing its way through my body. I cried out involuntarily from the terrible, blinding agony as circuitry, electronics, and vital mechanisms melted and burned painfully away. Internal systems began to fail, and I felt myself weakening. Sensory devices gave out, leaving me numb and nearly blind. Then, as the explosions faded, my diagnostics computer delivered one last message before it too failed entirely:

TERMINAL SHUTDOWN IMMINENT

I was dying.

I would not make it to Elysium.

I would never see Mistress Sera again. I felt a deep ache of despair at that thought, even more intense than the horrible pain of the missile's destruction.

Mistress Sera...what if MegaMan Trigger attacked her? What if she was killed, as I had been?

[No!] I cried out mentally. [Not Mistress Sera! She must not be harmed!]

As these despairing thoughts raced through my mind, they brought with them a surge of insight. After all these years of denial and ignorance-only some of which was courtesy of the System-I finally realized the true reason why I had fought so hard to protect Mistress Sera. It was so new, so illogical...yet at the same time, it made perfect sense. After all these years, I finally realized the truth...at the moment of my death, when it was too late.

Mistress Sera needed my protection. I needed to protect her. But now...now that was impossible!

I could not protect her anymore! I could not be with her! And I knew who to blame: that damned Purifier standing before me!

"This is all your doing!" I snarled at him. "If it weren't for you, this would not have happened!"

I gathered my remaining strength, preparing for one final attack. If I was going to die, then Trigger was going to die with me! That way, he could not hurt the Mother Unit whose safety I had sworn to protect!

"This unit... cannot allow Mistress Sera to be harmed!" I vowed. It took all of my remaining strength to take off one last time and dive straight for the Purifier, bringing my powerful jaws down upon him. I felt his metal body being crushed, and took a moment to enjoy his scream of pain before my refractor engine went critical and exploded.

Even as the fiery explosions tore my ruined body apart, and my consciousness faded, I had one last clear thought. At that final moment of my life, I admitted to myself the true reason I had guarded Mistress Sera so closely...

[This unit must protect Mistress Sera,] I thought for the first and last time, [because...it loves her....]

SERA:

I leaned back in the seat of the ship I was traveling in, a small escape pod that I had stolen from the Sulpher-Bottom and modified for distant space travel. Elysium loomed before me, large and beautiful. It felt so good to be going home again.

The radio crackled to life. I expected it to be Geetz, reporting that he had gotten the keys and was on his way. To my surprise, Yuna's voice came out of the speakers instead.

"Sorry, Sera, but you'll have to try harder than that!"

I straightened, a bit annoyed by her tone of voice.

"What do you mean by that?" I demanded.

"Geetz's attempt on Trigger's life failed. He still has the Master's genetic code, and as soon as he's recovered from Geetz's attack, we're heading on up to stop you!"

"Ha! Geetz is not the type to give up easily! He will..."

"No he won't," Yuna interrupted. Her voice softened. "Sera, you're not going to want to hear this, but Geetz is dead. Trigger destroyed him."

For a moment, I sat in shock at the news. A heaviness settled on my chest, making it difficult to breathe. Tears stung my eyes.

Why was I getting so emotional over the loss of my Servitor? I have always known that Geetz was at constant risk of being destroyed. But this time, I knew I wouldn't be getting a replacement; according to the readings my ship's scanners gave me, there were no resources left on Elysium to produce another Servitor, nor was there any life, cybernetic or otherwise. My tears were those of fear of having to face the world alone. I was vulnerable and exposed to the dangers the universe offered.

No...no, I would not allow myself to be helpless. I would carry out the reinitialization on my own. I no longer needed Geetz! I would be just fine on my own!

Drying my tears, I docked the ship at Elysium's bay, and ran toward the main control room. As I made my way there, I pondered on the circumstances that had led to this entire mess, including my Servitor's destruction. Why had the Master wanted to destroy the System? Why would he rebel against paradise? Surely he did not wish to live in misery! Absolutely no good can come out of a life of suffering. It must have been something else. But what? Only Trigger knew for sure.

Come to think of it, why had the Master chosen a mere Purifier over a Mother Unit like myself? I was superior to any Purifier unit! After all, I ran the entire Elysium System! And yet, despite my actions to please the Master, he had never seemed happy with me. It was as though I were doing something terribly wrong, yet I was only doing as I was programmed to do. Was that so bad? Again, only Trigger knew the answer to this strange puzzle.

In fact, MegaMan Trigger knew more about our overseer than even the System itself. More than even I knew. The more I meditated on this, the greater my envy of the Purifier grew. I was thoroughly disgusted by the way I succumbed to this horrid feeling, but the System was no longer capable of sweeping it away. As this revolting new emotion grew-along with confusion and helplessness, all unbearably painful-the more I deemed it necessary to terminate the Aberrant Purifier, and thus these unpleasant thoughts.

Then so be it! I will destroy MegaMan Trigger, at whatever the cost! I will carry out the Master's orders! The Carbon Reinitialization Program will be carried out, I vowed, and Geetz's death will be avenged!

Once inside the library, I entered the codes for the reinitialization program, watching with triumphant joy as it booted up. For a few moments, I was satisfied that my goal had finally been reached, even though Geetz wasn't there to savor the moment with me. The Master would have been so proud of me, if he were still alive to witness this. Or would he?

If the Master had wanted to destroy the system, then that would include all the data for the reinitialization program as well, even though he himself designed it. Would that not also mean that he did not want the reinitialization to be carried out, after all? I asked the System for answers, but its only reply was to carry out the reinitialzation. I could not go against the System! But still, humans are fickle creatures...

"Computer, put the reinitialization program on pause!" I ordered, and left the library.

I entered a storage room, where I found a set of battle armor. If Geetz could not be here to destroy Trigger, then I would have to do it myself! I put the armor on, but not without some difficulty. The armor was designed for those who were specifically trained for it, which I was not. I twisted, yanked, tugged, and struggled with it for fifteen minutes before I got it on properly.

An alert sounded just as I finished putting on the armor. MegaMan Trigger had arrived. I activated the teleporter, and set the coordinates for the library...

***

I materialized in the richly-decorated library, and saw MegaMan Trigger standing at the control panel. I decided to be fair, and at least explain why I was going to destroy him. I told him about my feelings toward him, the Master, and my confusion over what to do next, and admitted my jealousy in the process.

"Perhaps by defeating you," I concluded, "I can purge myself of these troublesome emotions." I powered up my weapons, declaring, "Come then, MegaMan Trigger! Show me what a first-class Purifier is capable of!" To be truthful, I found out long ago just what a First-Class Purifier can do, but Trigger no longer knew this.

Trigger immediately started firing, and I teleported out of the way. The battle was on! At first, I did not see why Geetz had so much difficulty. Trigger had barely been able to defeat me back on Earth, when he was at full power, and in his battle form besides. Now, here on my turf, and with Trigger at nowhere near his full power, logic dictated that defeating him now would be easy.

Indeed, the battle had been going well for me, until I noticed an odd signal emanating from outside. I ignored it, but it grew in intensity, and I realized that my body was no longer moving as quickly as it should have been. My vision grew clouded. Who was doing this?

[Forgive me, Mistress Sera...]

Gatz...? The distraction gave Trigger the opportunity to redouble his efforts, and unleash a barrage of plasma toward me. I teleported to the other side of the room, and fired several plasma bombs in his direction. While he was distracted, I remotely raised the gravity in the room, set several floating mines loose, and generated a shock wave along the floor for good measure.

[That should do the trick!] I thought gleefully, as I watched my opponent struggle through the intense gravity. But I was wrong. Trigger jumped the plasma bombs and the shock wave, and destroyed the mines as though he did this sort of thing every day.

For some reason, I could not hit him with any of my attacks. It was as though he knew what my every move was beforehand.

"How are you able to dodge my attacks?" I could not resist asking at one point. "Well, actually, Juno fought a lot like you, so I've had some practice." Trigger explained, panting slightly from the effort of the battle. "It took some work, but I eventually managed to stop him. Just like I'm about to stop you!"

This statement stopped me. Did he mean Bureaucratic unit MegaMan Juno?

"MegaMan Juno?" I asked. "The Bureaucratic unit assigned to Kattelox Island?"

"That's the one. Why? Did you know him?"

"No, not really. It is just ironic because you saved his life at one point."

"I *what*?!" Trigger yelped. I used the distraction to my advantage; I rushed forward, energy shield raised, and plowed him into the farthest wall. The Purifier growled and retaliated. I was about to dodge, when the signal from before came back full force, paralyzing me just long enough for Trigger to land a few more shots on me. This was too much! I simply could not defeat him! At least, not in this form.

"When last we fought, I was imprisoned on Terra. Perhaps this time, it will be you who are imprisoned!" I taunted, and activated the transporter one last time, this time for a much larger battle area. This room, large as it may be, was too small for my other form.

When I arrived with Trigger at the new area, I shed my armor activated the transformation ability I had taken from Geetz so long ago. I felt a surge of raw power as my body reconfigured into a more combative form. It was glorious! Back on Terra, I did not have enough power to even activate some of my weapons. Now, here on Elysium, I not only had access to all of my powers, I could also keep it up for all of eternity if I had to! Trigger had no chance this time! I would win!

The Purifier stared dumbfoundedly at my new form. I leaned down, and said, "Well, shall we continue?"

I showed Trigger no mercy. Right away, I began blasting him with energy beams, comets, and even a gravitational distortion field. I watched in unbridled joy as each attack struck, melting his armor, and tearing through his body. The Purifier's limbs spasmed violently as he gasped for breath. He coughed violently, and scarlet streams gushed from his mouth.

The rush of triumph was overpowering. Combined with the sensation of ultimate power coursing through my systems, it left me giddy with joy, and I laughed.

"FEEL MY POWER!" I exulted, striking the ground and sending energy waves in Trigger's direction. He fell, didn't rise, and it was wonderful! It was so wonderful! I had won! My opponent was near death, and I still had full energy! The taste of victory was rich and sweet, but I wanted to make sure that I would be the winner of this battle. I fluttered over to Trigger's body, firing up the multi-laser platform on my underside, and beamed the deadly lights into the Purifier's damaged body, intending to incinerate him into dust. I got a rather unpleasant surprise, instead.

A sharp, stabbing pain abruptly pierced my shell. I gasped, and backed away, confused by this new development. To my horror, Trigger had lifted his right arm, and was firing some kind of blue laser into my thorax.

"How do you like my Shining Laser, Sera?" he mocked. "Pretty powerful, isn't it? It's the same weapon that killed Juno, and it would have killed Geetz too, if I'd had it ready then." He stood up, albeit a bit shakily, wiped some of the bright red fluid from his lips, and continued to drill the laser into my body. I tried to escape, but Trigger followed, staying well out of range of my defensive attacks.

"You see," the Purifier continued. "This is what happens to monsters like you who threaten my people. Even though I'm not a human myself," his voice broke momentarily, but hardened again right away, "I still consider myself one of them, because it's much better than being a slave to some stupid computer system! And I love them all, even those who've tried to kill me. I want to protect them, and see that they live for as long as they can. Just like the Master *really* wanted!"

So it was true. The Master had wanted the reinitialization to be forever suspended after all. After all this time, I finally understood, and I felt a terrible sadness and despair. I had disobeyed. I had been wrong all along.

[Forgive me, Master!] I pleaded. "Forgive me," I whispered aloud, "I'm...sorry!"

I felt a painful jolt as the Shining Laser made its way to my vital systems, burning them away. My power pack burst, sending waves of fire and pain surging through me. Trigger had already stopped firing, but it was too late.

TERMINAL SHUTDOWN EMINENT flashed through my mind.

So, this was how my life would end. I had failed in everything I tried, and ultimately accomplished nothing. Still, things weren't all that bad. After all these years, I finally realized why the Master had done what he did, and discovered that it was something I agreed with. I thanked Trigger for allowing me to understand, at last, then braced myself for whatever was waiting for me on the other side of the darkness encroaching my mind.

[Geetz...wait for me...] I pleaded in silence. Then...somewhere in the distance...came Yuna's voice, sounding as though she had been crying.

"Don't think you're getting off that easily, Sera." she said...

***

The Elder System, which I had been assigned to keep dormant, was reactivating. I needed to be alive in order to stop it before it got out of control and terminated everybody on Terra. Realizing that I still had a reason to live, I allowed measures to be taken to save my life, and became allies with Yuna and even Trigger. Gatz had died during the battle, a terrible loss to Yuna, but she claimed that she would get over it eventually, although at the moment, even the mention of her late Servitor's name would bring fresh tears to her eyes. We agreed that the three of us would work together to save Terra...as soon as we found a way to get back. Trigger assured us that someone named "Roll" would see to it that we were rescued.

***

Later that day, I stood on a cliff near the artificial ocean, clutching a tiny piece of gold metal Yuna had salvaged from Geetz's body. I gazed over the endless waters, reflecting on my servant, and how much I would miss him. This was my favorite area on Elysium, and Geetz and I would occasionally come here to relax, to look out over the ocean and talk. Now, I came here alone.

"Geetz, may your sins be forgiven, and your soul rest in peace." I said softly, as I ritually buried the metal fragment. That done, I returned my attention back toward the sea. There had been so much I wanted to tell my Servitor unit, but never felt I could. Until now, when it was too late. I sobbed, allowing tears of grief to spill down my cheeks.

"Farewell, Geetz," I whispered.


"I love you."

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