//------------------------------//
// 3: Crushed and Broken 
// Story: Melody of the Future 
// by Tatsurou 
//------------------------------//

	After a brief detour on the way back to HQ to collect the Heart Tank in the arctic area - the Ride Armor proved most effective in smashing the ice blocks that blocked the path - X and Octavia were immediately dispatched to the airfield, which was under the supervision of Crush Crawfish.

"We've received reports that he may be attempting an aerial assault against the Repliforce blockade," Alia explained as they were sent out.  "Since there's no way to tell ahead of time where he's going to strike, we can't order a build up of forces to counteract it...but the amount of forces being built up there is enough to break through on a concentrated assault."

"Then we'll just have to take out the assault before it launches," X had agreed before he and Octavia had warped to the airfield.

As they arrived atop the uppermost scaffolding of the airfield, X observed the radar scans that showed the full map, as well as the location of a Heart Tank, the Hawk modifier for the Ride Armor, and what he was able to determine was one of the four power up chips Light had told him about.  As he turned to lead the way in, however, he noticed Octavia hesitating.  "What's wrong, Octavia?" he asked cautiously.

"There's...something not right about the shape of the map..." she murmured.  "...Varia?  Can you boost the radar function to scan further?"

"Attempting..."  Varia was silent for a time.  "Scans complete.  Error.  Unable to scan to ground level.  Area does not extend to ground level."

"Dad!  This isn't an airfield!" Octavia shouted out.  "This is an airship!  It's only resting in the water!  The entire place is a mobile assault platform!"

X's eyes widened in shock.  "Damn...we need to hurry then!"

Putting action to words, X immediately leapt down from the scaffolding, Octavia following along behind.  As they came down, X felt the platform he was standing on buckle slightly.  Checking the map, he realized it was directly above where he detected the Hawk modification for the Ride Armor.  "We need to break this somehow," he muttered.

"...scans show that the platform is magnetized," Octavia pointed out.  "If we delivered an intense electrical charge into the metal along with a great deal of physical force, we might be able to break through."

Nodding, X switched to the Triad T. weapon they'd gotten from Volt Catfish.  Charging it up to pink, he brought his clenched fist down on the platform, releasing the charge as his fist made contact.  The charged energy scattered around as the platform crumbled.

Once they'd collected the Hawk modification, they decided to make use of it at a nearby Armor warp platform.  The Hawk modification turned the Ride Armor blue and grey, turned the arms into missile launchers, and gave it a jetpack.  It was overall very effective in the area.

Moving forward, a dropping mechanaloid broke several scaffold floors as it dropped in and then out of sight.  Hovering down slowly, the pair found a cracked wall which shattered under the missile onslaught from the Ride Armor, allowing them to collect the Heart Tank.

Further on, they were forced to abandon the Ride Armor to continue, moving into the belly of the aircraft.  They found other smaller aircraft docked within, ready to deploy and guarded by mechanaloid enemies.  Moving deep inside past a room full of conveyor belts, they found the main generator for the ship.

"Let's shut this place down," Octavia growled out, opening fire.  X followed suit.

It didn't take much to destroy the generator, causing the airship to crash on its side.  Climbing up what was once the floor, the pair made their way to the bridge, where Crush Crawfish was waiting for them.

"You!" he snarled at them.  "Crash my ship!  Crush my troops!  I crush you!"  He lunged forward, his metal scissor claws spread wide to crush them.

X and Octavia both immediately dashed to either side of him to evade the charge.  Getting an idea from the metal of the claws, Octavia tried hitting him with her Triad T. weapon.

"Gyah!" he shouted out, flinching back as the electricity coursed through him.  "You'll pay for thaAAAAAGGGGH!"

The reason for the scream was that X had followed Octavia's lead.  Coming up behind Crush Crawfish, he'd released a pink charge Triad T., releasing the full force of the electricity straight into his back.  As he staggered forward, Octavia managed to get a Neutralizer affixed to his torso.

X and Octavia both leapt back, expecting him to calm down.  They didn't expect him to suddenly start screaming in horror.

"NO!" Crush Crawfish wailed.  "No!  Not all of them!  It can't have been all of them!  I knew it would be some, but...all?  NO!"  Reaching up, he snapped his claws towards his own head, but they wouldn't reach.  Screaming in horror, he began slamming himself bodily against the walls and the control circuitry of the ship.

"What's going on?" Octavia demanded, shocked.  "What's happening to him?"

X stared at Crush Crawfish for a time, then sighed sadly.  "Octavia...return to base."

"But Dad-"

"Now!" X snapped out.  "That's an order from your Commander!"

Octavia staggered back several steps, caught off guard by the sudden shift in tone.  "...yes, sir," she said finally, beaming out.

X slowly approached Crush Crawfish.  He knew exactly what was going on.  Crush Crawfish's AI was reported to have a fatal error in the friend/foe recognition systems.  He'd gone to Doppler to have it fixed.  Obviously, Doppler succeeded...but without the Neural Computer's signal, he was now forced to face his memories without that error.

"Not red..." Crush Crawfish whimpered as he stared at his claws.  "Green, not red...all were green...and now all is red...make it stop!"  Wailing, he lunged forward, trying to smash his head against the wall again.

X caught him on the arm.  "...I'll make it quick and painless," he offered.

Turning to him, Crush Crawfish nodded silently.

Charging up his Triad T., X braced himself on the poor Maverick's body.  Drawing his fist back, compassion and sympathy in his heart and tears in his eyes, he released the charge straight into his face.

Crush Crawfish flatlined instantly, his torment over.





X returned to HQ, somber and quiet.  He gave no explanation as he downloaded the Spinning Blade weapon into Varia.  "What's the report regarding Gravity Beetle?" he asked Alia.

"Boomer Kuwanger just returned," Alia explained.  "After getting confirmation from CiCi that installing a Neutralizer in himself would render him immune to the Neural Computer, he went in.  Being stealth trained, he was able to make his way through to Gravity Beetle undetected."

"It was logical," Kuwanger explained as he leaned against the wall.  "Beetle is my brother.  If he was being controlled, he probably was made to believe I was dead, much as Flame Stag did.  Thus, being confronted by me would snap him out of it, allowing me to connect the Neutralizer."

"So all that's left is finding Doppler's base," CiCi added.  "It's no longer where it was."

"Actually, it is," Kuwanger explained.  "Beetle was able to tell me.  He explained that the main base has been moved to underground, which is why its location could not be accurately triangulated by the shape of the Neural Computer's signal field.  He gave me the exact teleport coordinates, along with his weapon program."  Walking up to X, he handed over that program, a Heart Tank, and a Frog modification unit for the Ride Armor.  "I also found these in the supply depot he was in charge of."

"Then let's go smash that computer," Zero snapped out, walking up to join X and Octavia.