//------------------------------//
// 2: Technical Support 
// Story: Melody of the Future 
// by Tatsurou 
//------------------------------//

	When X and Octavia woke up from their slumber, they both felt somewhat confused to discover a new sub weapon, a new armor upgrade, and a new Heart Tank had been added to their systems.  "How did this happen?" X asked in confusion.

"Have we been sleep hunting?" Octavia suggested.

"No," Varia spoke up.  "CiCi uploaded these into our systems."

"CiCi?" X demanded in confusion.  "But she's a navigator!  How did she get these?  Heck, how did she access a Light capsule?"

"She said to thank Prometheus," Varia replied.

X's eyes widened.  "Prometheus can access Light capsules?" he breathed.  "Just...just who is he?  The codes to activate the Light capsules are hard coded in the black boxes of my central data core.  That's why they only react to us, since they were copied to Varia."

"We'll just have to ask next time he's around," Octavia suggested.  "For now, I want pancakes!"

X couldn't help but chuckle, shaking his head in amusement.  "Alright.  We'll hit the mess hall for breakfast, then see who we should go after next."





After a rather filling breakfast where Octavia had to remind several female Hunters - rather vocally - that despite appearances she was over 30 and fully capable of feeding herself, X and Octavia beamed into the Computer Center, where Magna Centipede - a Hunter who had been declared MIA some time ago - was managing some sort of broadcast for the X Hunters.  "Are we ready, Dad?" Octavia asked, priming her busters.

"I think so," he muttered.  "I...don't like going up against a former comrade."

"Maybe we can save him," Octavia offered.  "He's from Uncle Zero's unit, after all."

"Maybe," X replied.  "Either way, we're going to need to be careful going in.  The computer center has very tight security."

The pair moved into the computer center carefully, blasting apart the floating security drones they encountered and evading the searchlights that would activate the security systems.  Managing to evade the searchlights, Octavia made a brief detour straight up to collect another Heart Tank.  Later on along the path, another upward detour allowed them to acquire the fourth sub tank.  

Shortly after the sub tank, X and Octavia came to a large room where a hard light holographic sword with a green blade and a blue hilt took shape in the air to attack them.  A few probing shots revealed that the blue hilt was the only part that could be damaged.  Octavia dashed under the sword to the opposite end of the room, forcing the blade to deal with a pincer attack.  Unable to handle it, it was quickly destroyed.

Beyond that chamber was a drop straight down filled with enemies and searchlights.  The pair were able to avoid both as they moved rapidly, leading to a horizontal path.  Blocks dropped downwards from the ceiling to block their path as scanners attempted to lock onto them.  Taking the blocks path into account, X and Octavia were able to avoid the scanners, climbing up to another chamber like where they encountered the sword.  This time, a large, green mechanaloid with long thin arms and a horizontally aligned cylindrical head confronted them.

"A Radar Killer," X muttered.  "Careful, Octavia.  If it's managed to analyze our data, it can power up to tackle us more directly."

"I'll be careful," Octavia promised.

However, the Radar Killer had failed to analyze their data as they'd evaded its scanner earlier.  All it was able to do was throw pink plasma blasts, jump, and shoot a spread laser downwards in midair.  All were easy for the pair to evade, leading to a predictable pattern to combat.

"Too easy," Octavia murmured as they moved onward.

At this point, the security system went into high alert, and all pretexts of stealth went out the window.  The pair charged through the final stretch, blasting their way to the center of the complex.  Reaching the center, they watched as Magna Centipede dropped from the ceiling across the room from them.

"For my new masters, you will die," he growled out, his voice flat and monotone.

As X readied for battle, Varia suddenly started speaking.  "Tsk, tsk Magna.  You had the element of surprise, and are a former ally, and we had no reason to think you couldn't be reasoned with...and you reveal yourself completely with lines like that?  I thought you were the 'Crimson Assassin' of the 0th unit.  Zero would be so disappointed in you right now."

Magna Centipede blinked in confusion.  "But...but this is for Zero," he countered.  "Why would he be disappointed in me for doing what must be done to revive him?"

What must be done? X wondered silently.

"Zero wouldn't give a damn about that!" Varia countered.  "You know him.  What he'd be upset with you about is that you're being so sloppy about it!  Seriously, you could have dropped in behind us and infected us with the virus you're broadcasting before we could react, dropping our battle output or worse, and then proclaimed your intention while we were still confused about your actions.  Talk about a major combat advantage you're throwing away when going up against us.  Zero'd send you straight back to boot camp if he saw you do something like this!"

Magna Centipede suddenly snapped into a salute.  "Yes sir, Commander Zero!  Assassins do not grandstand!  I'll report to KP duty immediately for my punishment detail!"  With that, he promptly beamed out to Maverick Hunter HQ.

"X?" Alia asked over the comm.  "Magna Centipede just beamed into HQ using the 0th unit security code...and started washing dishes."

X snapped his fingers as he realized what must be going on.  "Alia, I think Magna Centipede may have been brainwashed at some point, using his duty to Zero as a trigger to break him.  For now, tell him that Zero's ordered him to hand over his weapon chip and that is confined to quarters until Zero's current mission is complete.  Once Zero's up and running again, he's going to be the key to helping Magna come back to himself."

"Understood, X," Alia replied.  "...is it okay if I get CiCi to give those orders, though?"

"Shouldn't be a problem.  We'll be heading back just as soon as we shut down the broadcast."

"Roger."

As X went to the machines, Octavia spoke up.  "Varia, how did you know Magna Centipede was brainwashed?"

"I didn't," Varia replied.  "I was just sick of how every Maverick we were facing came in grandstanding, and finally decided to say something about it."