It didn't take long for the group to reach Maverick Hunter HQ East. What the group noticed right off the bat was that the new structure was built into the side of the old Jakob Tower orbital elevator. While the elevator itself was no longer in use, it hadn't been officially decommissioned, leaving it standing in the middle of nowhere. While it didn't seem of importance at first, Octavia was certain it was something to take note of.
As they entered the actual structure, they found Wild Jango ripping...Wild Jango apart. "Uh...?" Axl began in confusion.
"Jango," Epsilon spoke firmly. "Have you dealt with the cheap knock-off?"
The still standing Wild Jango quickly saluted. "Sirrrr! It was not as simple as that. Its statistics had been drrrrastically amplified frrrom my base, though its neurrral capacity was limited. I have prrrroven victorrrrious, but I will need some time to rrrrecoverrrr my weapon enerrrrgy."
"Then wait here," Epsilon ordered firmly. "Catch up with us when you can."
"As you command, sirrrr!" Jango confirmed before moving to take a rest.
Meanwhile...
"Sir!" the report reached Commander Redips. "We have intruders in the base!"
"What?" Redips demanded curtly. "...probably just some Rebellion army dregs. Order your men not to hesitate to destroy them."
"About that, sir..."
Redips frowned. "What?"
"Well, just after the gunship was dispatched to Giga City, but before the announcement regarding X, Zero, Axl, and Octavia...every single Hunter and Navigator in this base put in for their vacation days. I'm the only one here."
"...vacation days," Redips responded flatly. "All at once."
"Yes sir. Apparently, Prometheus Light is holding some sort of big bash to celebrate his oldest son - Thomas - turning 18. Everyone was invited."
"Everyone on this base," Redips confirmed.
"Except for us, sir."
"And everyone at HQ Central?" Redips inquired.
"...that's where they're holding it, sir."
Redips cut communications. "...convenient," he grumbled irritably to himself.
After taking an elevator to an upper level, the group found a large corridor with four chambers two either side, two containing teleporters. Resting and catching their breaths against the two teleporters were Mach Jentra and Incentas. At the sight of the approaching group, Incentas saluted. "Commander Epsilon! Duplicates of Silver Horn and Mach Jentra were crafted from battle data, amplified for greater damage output and resistance. Mach Jentra dealt with his own duplicate, while I shifted to my electric mode to deal with the Silver Horn copy."
"Good work," Epsilon praised. "Rest here for now. We'll deal with what's to come." The group continued to the next elevator without breaking stride.
At the next level, a new Hunter awaited them. Depth Dragoon was an odd design for a Maverick Hunter, being a mer-based human torso attached to the middle of a serpent main body, colored in red and green. He had been brought on recently by Redips himself to act specifically as security for the Far East HQ.
"What are you all doing here?" he demanded in shock as they entered the room. "I thought Redips destroyed you all at Central Tower!"
"I'm not going to dignify that," X stated coldly as Axl merged with Tango. "Just stand aside. Our business is with Redips."
Depth Dragoon tried to fake a smug grin on his humanoid face. "You may not want to fight, but I do. I've heard stories about S Rank Hunters, and it's about time I saw if they were true-"
Axl suddenly transformed into the dragon Flame Hyenard had ridden into battle after Octavia had made him change to make the fight 'more awesome'. "You use a super-conductor system to channel massive amounts of electricity," he observed as he gathered intense flames. "How does that handle high heat?"
Depth Dragoon stared up at the massive form. "...by being elsewhere?" he offered hopefully.
"Then be elsewhere," Epsilon instructed firmly. The Hunter wanna-be quickly fled.
Reversing the transformation, Axl joined the others in taking the next elevator further up. After one last long corridor, the group barged into Redips' office.
Redips himself was waiting to greet them, sitting behind his desk. "X, Zero, Axl, Octavia..." he greeted calmly. "You all got here much faster than anticipated. Then again, I should know by now not to underestimate you."
"Why did you do all this?" X demanded angrily. "You made it so we could get married, have our families! You were our friend! Why would you betray us like this?"
Redips suddenly began to chuckle. "X...after all this time, you're still so naive..." Holding up his hands, he revealed two glowing stones. "Do you know what these are?"
"The Supra-Force Metal!" Massimo gasped out.
"No," Zero corrected coldly. "The Ether Crystals..."
"Precisely, Zero," Redips confirmed as he pocketed the two chunks. "And in the hands of someone equipped with Copy Chip technology, the keys to Ultimate Power. And I am equipped with such technology."
"Then you're the one who clipped my wings!" Ferham snapped out, lashing the air with her whip.
"And give the girl a prize," Redips taunted. "She has a brain along with those giant boobs. Who would have guessed?"
Massimo quickly raised his hand to keep Ferham from recklessly charging in.
"But why?" X demanded fiercely. "Why do this? Why do you want ultimate power?"
Redips laughed darkly as he stood up. "And you still haven't figured it out. Let me spell it out for you. A crisis threatening the stability of the world. Eight high level Reploids gone 'Maverick'. Ultimate power is on the line, and the fate of the world hangs in the balance. Tell me X..." Redips lifted his hand to his face, then lowered it, slowly revealing a familiar face with purple scars under the eyes. "...who do you think is really behind it?" a far too familiar voice taunted.
As gasps echoed, Epsilon braced himself for combat. Glaring daggers at the one he had originally been created to destroy, he named his true nemesis. "Sigma!"