"Incoming transmission!" Alia cried out, cutting herself off from directing X to address a new message. "Unknown source!"
Signas quickly examined the video message. "...that Reploid is not in my data banks..." he murmured worriedly.
Dynamo smirked as communications opened. "Nice to meet you, Maverick Hunters! Nothing personal, but I've been hired to do a job, so I'm gonna do it. Before long, I will attack the Hunter construction site! Hope you've got a cool cat to face me down there. Otherwise, there's no telling what'll happen to your precious laser and shuttle." He then paused. "Oh, where are my manners? My name's-"
"Dynamo!" Octavia suddenly cut in, breaking into the communications. "You're alright! When I didn't hear from you on the message boards since just before the Viral Outbreak, I was worried you'd become infected and gone Maverick!"
Dynamo chuckled. "Aw, come on Tavs! You should know that fool can't get a hold on me! Sorry I didn't let you know, but I've been a bit busy on the job."
"Well, at least I can tell our group you're alright," Octavia replied with relief. "We were all worried Lady Astarell would have to be retired, and we were in the middle of her big character arc."
Dynamo suddenly looked incredibly flustered. "Tavs, could we not discuss that over an open channel?" he pleaded.
"Only if you stop calling me Tavs," Octavia countered.
Dynamo sighed. "Yes, Octavia-"
"And LARP at the next live camera session," Octavia continued.
"You're kidding!" Dynamo demanded.
"You took a job attacking where I work while we're trying to save the world," Octavia replied reasonably. "If you want to keep those leve-"
"Agreed!" Dynamo shouted quickly, cutting communications.
Alia and Signas both stared at Octavia over the communications screen.
"What?" Octavia asked defensively. "You know I DM, Mom."
Zero grumbled to himself as he beamed into the deep blue ocean. "Why did I draw the short straw here?" he grumbled. "I get that Colonel has previous experience dealing with Grizzly Slash, and X has a better rapport with scientists like Izzy Glow...but how come CiCi got to call dibs on Squid Adler while I'm stuck in the water? I can't even call on Timbre for help!"
"But you don't really need his help, do you?" Iris asked teasingly through the comms.
"Damn straight I don't, I'm awesome!" Zero responded immediately.
"Then go show it!" Iris replied. "And be careful. I'm detecting strong viral readings. You are likely to encounter viral clouds."
"Got it," Zero confirmed, making his way across the seabed.
A large ship moved past above Zero, and he dashed forward to get out of its way as it came down to pursue him from behind. "What the?" Zero demanded.
"That's...the U-555!" Iris informed him. "It was on display in the marine museum. It looks like the Virus infested it, causing it to go on a rampage. Looks like you'll have to destroy it."
"That's nothing new," Zero offered, lunging forward with his saber drawn. After wailing on the sub for a time, a good portion of the face he was attacking broke down, but he wasn't able to inflict any more damage beyond that, and the sub was still able to launch mechanaloids at him. "Damn it!"
"Keep moving!" Iris advised. "You should be able to find a twist in the path it can't follow you on!"
"Roger!"
Zero dashed forward, following the narrow cave path that led forward towards Duff McWhalen's base of operations, carving his way through the fish based mechanaloids that guarded the path.
At one point, Iris suddenly shouted through the comms, "Jump and cling!"
"Wha-" Hearing something behind him, Zero jumped and clung to a chunk of wall directly behind him, just in time to evade a massive discharge of laser fire from the sub. "Yikes! Thanks Iris!"
"I didn't realize what the energy buildup was until almost too late," Iris apologized. "I'll update you if the energy starts to build up again."
"Thanks."
Luckily, no other mechanaloids showed up once the sub began using its laser device, making forward progress much smoother for Zero. After a time, he reached a wide open area where the sub stalled, bits of armor plating breaking off as it started charging its laser device again. Lunging in, Zero positioned himself below the range of the laser and began striking the exposed vulnerable points with his saber. Before long, he inflicted enough damage that explosions began to rock the sub as it floated towards the surface.
"Here's hoping that's the last you'll see of it," Iris offered. "Good job, Zero!"
As Zero turned to continue onward, the sub appeared again, presenting another face for the attack. "...you just had to say something, didn't you Iris?" he grumbled as he began wailing on it with his saber.
"...sorry..."
After inflicting enough damage to the sub while racing ahead, it once more withdrew in explosions, allowing Zero to continue onward into a wooden area. As he entered, water drained away, leaving him in open air.
"Is this...an old sunken ship?" Iris asked, confused.
"Maybe I'll find some pirate booty?" Zero offered hopefully.
"Ex-cuse me?" Iris demanded primly.
"As in gold and jewels, not the training match your brother and I did where I dressed as a ninja," Zero explained.
"Oh...right..."
Chuckling, Zero made his way through the sunken ship. There were a couple of paths he simply wasn't able to explore at this time, and he didn't have time to figure out ways to circumvent the standard methods, so he continued out of the sunken ship and back into the ocean.
Once again, the U-555 showed up to attack him, this time also giving him a lift upward. This time, Zero was able to do enough damage to the sub to crash it completely.
Entering the final chamber beyond, Zero found Duff waiting for him. "Zero..." he gasped out, struggling to keep control of himself. "Long time...no see..."
"...you're infected," Zero murmured apologetically.
"...heavily..." Duff replied. "I know you're here...to access the ocean..."
"Hydrogen for the Enigma," Zero confirmed.
"You'll need my...weapon chip to...process it easily..." Duff finished. "Zero...I'm still in command of...myself for...now. Please...let me go out fighting...as a real man of the sea!"
Nodding, Zero drew his saber. "Bring it on, old man."
Roaring, Duff began firing blasts of ice at Zero, which the Hunter was experienced enough to easily dodge. However, the shaped ice blocks formed a path that Zero had to make his way along to attack Duff from, and his saber didn't slow him down long.
"Zero!" Iris spoke up through the comms. "My brother's returned from meeting with Grizzly Slash. I'm transmitting the weapon program to your saber!"
As the download finished, Zero lunged in with another slash. This time, an arc of energy lanced out from the edge of his saber, causing Duff to freeze up from impact. "Gyugh!" he gasped out. "I..."
"I'll make it quick," Zero promised, lunging in.
The remainder of the fight went quickly. Each impact of the energy arc the weapon download had added to Zero's saber caused Duff to freeze up and destroyed all the ice blocks he'd generated. Before long, Duff went down for the last time.
As Zero approached to acquire the weapons chip, however, a surge of Viral Energy leapt out of Duff's body, plunging into Zero. "Gyurk!" he grunted, his whole body locking up.
"Zero!" Iris screamed through the comms. "Zero, are you alright?"
After a time, his body settled, and Zero received an update from his systems.
Viral Program reacquired.
D-Type reserves partially replenished. Rerouting to systems...error. Energy reserves incomplete.
Zero blinked, unsure what that meant...but he felt an inexplicable urge not to bring it up to anyone just yet. "I...I'm fine," Zero replied. "Looks like my systems are as resistant to the virus as we thought."
"Well...you should still get back here and let Lifesaver look you over," Iris offered worriedly.
"...if we have time..." Zero agreed calmly as he beamed out.