//------------------------------//
// CM: Frozen 
// Story: Melody of the Future 
// by Tatsurou 
//------------------------------//

	When Octavia finally recovered from her hangover after drinking so much, she found everyone was waiting for her before beginning the next mission.  Axl, Cinnamon, and Marino looked relaxed and eager.  X and Zero both looked harried but happy.  Massimo looked flustered, but otherwise ready to go.  Nana sat at the controls, keeping her face down so only a soft smile was visible.  Chief R stood at his command post, looking confused but determined.

"I suppose I've kept you all waiting," Octavia allowed with a chuckle.  "Sorry about that."  Glancing around, she noticed the missing faces.  "Where's Aile?" she asked curiously.  "And Spider?  Are they out on a guy's bonding trip?"

Nana immediately flushed bright red as Marino chuckled.  "Ferham's advice and selection for Nana proved a bit more than Aile could handle.  He's recuperating from that now."

"And Spider said his Sensei called," Cinnamon added, "so he had to go right away, and that he likely wouldn't be back in time to join us for this mission."

Octavia nodded.  "Then we know where we're going?" she asked curiously.

"Uh...no," Chief R pointed out.  "You're the only one who knows where the facilities under the control of the Rebellion are.  Our information sources have run out."

Octavia blinked in surprise.  "But...but Professor Gaudile should have been able to-"

"Daddy's been drinking ever since he learned Force Metal Energy was magic," Cinnamon pointed out.  "At least, that's what I understood from what he was rambling..."

"He's currently racing around Central Tower on a Ride Chaser, trying to challenge people to a card game...for some reason," Nana explained.

"But Axl knows-"

"No I don't," Axl interrupted.  "You're the one who had the talk with Epsilon.  I was too busy avoiding Ferham at the time to listen."

Octavia groaned as some of the others chuckled...though smiled as she saw Massimo blush slightly at the mention of Ferham.  "So I take it you were able to meet with her, Massimo?" she asked sweetly.

"Uh...yeah," Massimo answered evasively.  "It was...nice.  Eye opening."  He clamped his mouth shut, refusing to say anything else.

Chuckling, Octavia turned back to the group.  "We're heading to Melda Ore Plant," she explained.  "It's where large stockpiles of Force Metal were stored there, making it the only place viable for producing Supra Force Metal.  The silos are also where the Rebellion set up their SFM Missile as a last resort tool to trigger their planned global evolution-"

"Wait, missile?" X demanded in shock.  "What's this about a missile?"

Octavia rolled her eyes theatrically.  "It's a missile with a Supra-Force Metal warhead, designed to explode in high atmosphere and scatter a huge discharge of FM Energy over the entire globe, which would be absorbed by every Reploid, Terran, and FM Reploid on the planet.  This would jump-start all in-built systems towards evolution, allowing the internal development of unique Force Metals inbuilt, accelerating the natural evolution of life on this planet.  And before you ask, I didn't mention it because Epsilon swore an oath he'd never break not to fire the missile until the three of us met together to determine if his goals were viable in the current world set.  After all, if they are the missile would be the most efficient way of triggering the evolution event, once proper safety measures are in place."

"If the missile is so harmless, why are we going there now?" Zero demanded crossly.

"Because the situation has changed," Octavia explained.  "Someone other than us, the Rebellion, and the Government of Giga City is involved, and now that we know Force Metal's relation to Ether, a SFM warhead is simply too dangerous to leave lying around where someone might get their hands on it...especially if that someone knew what it really is."

"You think Sigma's still around?" Axl asked curiously.  "He's the only one who might-"

"Not necessarily," Octavia interrupted.  "While he's a possibility...what we found in Gimiala Mine suggests that not all pre-End Times forces are quiescent, or necessarily on our side.  What if something from back then is still around, waiting for a chance to bring things to another End?"

Silence reigned over the group for at time.  "Setting teleport coordinates for the Melda Ore Plant," Nana finally stated firmly.





The Melda Ore Plant was a large metal building in the middle of a snowy field.  The fenced in area around it had a few security mechanaloids wandering about, but they were easily avoided as the group made their way inside.  To their surprise, the interior chamber was plain metal with only an elevator and a single locked door in the back.  "This is...oddly quiet," Zero observed nervously as they made their way in.

"And we don't have that key," Octavia grumbled irritably.  "Axl and I never came here in our explorations."

"Uh..." Massimo began nervously.

All eyes turned to him.  "Massimo, why would you have the Melda Key?"

Massimo shifted nervously.  "...Ferham gave it to me," he admitted finally.  "She said it opened a private little area we could...meet up in.  And that it had something of Zero's inside."

"Really?" Zero asked eagerly, immediately perking up.  "It must be Timbre's capsule!  He had to be sent in like X's Ultimate Armor, because my White Mode and Timbre Adapter being active at the same time would have put my available output to high to sneak in."

"In that case..." Massimo began, moving over to use the Melda Key to unlock the door.

As soon as the door opened, two massive platypus shaped Reploids with massive hammers racing around the chamber within in pursuit of Timbre.  As soon as they caught sight of the group, they shifted into combat stances.  Zero stepped forward with his beam saber drawn.  "Give me the bird," he ordered firmly.

"We'd love to, but the network censors won't let us!" one of the Reploids piped up.

Zero's eyes went flat.  "Timbre, merge," he commanded.

Timbre promptly fused with him, leaving him in the powered form that had been dubbed 'Absolute Zero'.

The two Reploids swallowed convulsively.  "Uh...we were just leaving!" the second squeaked out hopefully.

"Then do so," Zero stated flatly.

As soon as the two had fled, Zero reverted back to normal, letting Timbre land on his shoulder for caresses.  "I missed you, bud," he said simply.  Timbre let out a quiet cry of agreement.