To Make an Omelet Chapter 3 Draft v1.0

I awoke to the sound of my PDA’s alarm and the pain of being bitten by the most nefarious animal. Feeling pressure in the center of my brain, I took hold of the animal’s hair, cracked it open, poured it down the hatch, then another on top of that. Soon enough, I would be in fighting shape until the bite would return to haunt me. My genius required frequent medication in order to keep it sustained, and this was one of the side effects.

I took a shower in one of those sanitizers located in my quarters, put my work outfit on, and went to my workstation. I tripped over Stone on the way, and he nearly poured scalding coffee all over me. He was quite apologetic, but I didn’t remember anything he had told me as my headache hadn’t fully gone away yet. Caffeine would help in my endeavors, so I accepted it and went on my way.

I stepped into the elevator next to Omletta’s room and took it all the way down to the bottom level. Once there, it was a straight shot down a set of concrete stairs next to a door locked with a keypad. I typed Omletta’s birthdate in and went inside, just before closing the door behind myself.

To each side past the door were two more, both of which lead to storage of family belongings. The first thing I saw to the right was a backrest, and on top of that, a headful of spiky, fiery hair. I walked around to see Omletta sitting there with her cup of coffee, which was hopefully decaf. If it wasn’t, today was going to be less than spectacular as I had scant patience for adolescent hyperactivity.

She didn’t smile, but seemed to acknowledge my presence by looking up at me. It was good to see her down here already, considering the need to call her only would have worsened my headache. I put my caffeinated beverage on the table and addressed her. “Morning, dearest.” I grumbled out, hoping she heard me so I wouldn’t have to repeat myself.

“Morning, daddy.” She sounded quiet, and as if she hadn’t spoken in years. She must have just woken up, the poor thing.

I approached my gramophone plugged into the wall and sorted through the records I kept in the drawer. I selected an overture by a man who shared the same motherland as my ancestors, located somewhere on the other side of the Land of Darkness. As I switched out discs and pressed play, I made my way to the couch and sat down. “Just give me a moment, dearest. I did not sleep well.” I grabbed a small glass and a bottle of medicine from underneath the table, twisted the bottle open, and sat down.

“You okay?” She asked me, as if it wasn’t obvious that I wasn’t.

“Just give me a minute.” I said, hoping she would take the hint and leave me be until I was ready to speak.

“Um...” Never mind. Every time she made that sound, I knew she was likely going to say something I likely wouldn’t care for. She knew it, but she continued on anyway. “Did you drink a lot of that before going to bed? ‘Cuz if so, it’ll do that to y-”

“Yes yes, I know!” The dear one stopped, thankfully. She didn’t need to rub it in, especially not when I was still waking up. As the music got louder and swelled, my brain began to turn its wheels. I tend to have the best ideas in the presence of music, and I wondered if my dearest would have the same creative process that I do. “So... You come up with any ideas for how we’re going to get the pieces of the Death Egg back?” I asked, hoping for a competent answer.

“Yeah, um... I was thinking of picking them up in an armored vehicle capable of carrying heavy loads, and uh... I'm making it a spider.” She said.

“A spider?” I asked. Wanting to ensure I heard my dearest egghead correctly, I stood and turned the knob down on my gramophone. I sat back down, eager to listen.

Omletta seemed equally as excited to explain herself, but I noticed a hint of hesitation and nervousness in how her voice wriggled. “W-Well, the long legs would make it able to move through wet and bumpy conditions, and the abdomen can be used as a cargo hold. Smart, right?”

I thought it over, but I made sure to hum for a moment to let her know that I was thinking. Otherwise, she may have thought that I didn’t hear her and would have repeated herself, interrupting my thought process. Her logic was sound enough, but she hadn’t said anything about defensive capabilities. I sought to address this, foremost. “What if it gets attacked?” I asked her, no doubt getting the wheels going in that little head of hers. “Is it going to have a weapon attached, or is it just going to be an easy target?” She almost said something, but she seemed to second guess herself. Wanting things to move on, I pressed her to elaborate. “You have to take that into account, dearest, come on now.”

“I know.” My little one said. “...Maybe something energy based?”

I could see where she was going with this. No need to carry around ammo when your battery is the magazine. “If it works, it works.” I said just before I downed a shot of medicine. “Now-” I was then interrupted by the need to cough, which I did for a few agonizingly slow moments of wasted time. Once I recovered, I continued. “Ahem... Now, I trust you with this, but if you need any help before I get busy later in the day, just let me know.”

I could sense it in the little motions of her face. She didn’t want my help, but in a way, she seemed irritated by my asking. “Thanks but uh... I think I got it.” Maybe irritated was the wrong word, now that I thought about it. She was growing up, so she likely just wanted some independence, rather than her thinking I would somehow burden her. If it was the latter, that would need correction of course.

I realized in the moment how short and simple our conversation was. I wished to speak with her in more detail about the spider vehicle's design, what it would cost to make, how many she was going to make, and on and on. In this moment, I simply lacked the capacity to hold a conversation until the medicine finally kicked in.

“Alright, now- Oh, hang on, let me see if I can land this.” In the middle of speaking, I noticed an errant can, crushed up but not properly disposed of. Sensing an opportunity to conserve my brain's resources and have a fun moment with my daughter, I grabbed it and looked to my right; past my work table was the trash bin in the corner. Even in all this seriousness and work, you have to appreciate the little things. Little things like watching Omletta perk up, smile, and be entrapped in full attention to see if I can truly land a binshot from across the room.

I threw the can. Lo and behold, it landed inside and made the most satisfying sound as it hit the other cans. “Nice!” My little one cheered for me.

“As I was saying...” I continued on as I sat down and poured another shot. It was by now that I had completely forgotten about my headache. “Your assignment for today is to have a prototype ready by the end of today. Got it?”

I saw her deflate, likely annoyed by my command or the tightness of the schedule. She may be wonderful, but she was still an immature child in such ways. “Got it.” She repeated.

I nodded and decided it wasn’t worth mentioning, seeing as how I was just getting into a good mood. “Alright dearest, go ahead and get started. I’m going to crank my thinking music all the way up and get to work myself.”

“Okay, I’ll let you know when I get something done.” The door closed behind her as she left. Now left to my own devices, I turned my music up as I said I would. I sat down, knocked back the glass, and got to thinking.

...

Omletta, soaked in sweat and slathered in oil, finished screwing in the last bolt of a new machine sitting upon a funicular, a platform designed to descend the mountain diagonally. The platform itself was located at the edge of one of the hangar’s entrances. “Good to go!” She hollered, her voice echoing throughout the relatively empty hangar.

Most other units were either stationed elsewhere, or were currently on patrols for the time being. A purple-skinned walrus technician then plugged a thick cable, connected to an Egg Capsule filled with living batteries, into an open port in the machine’s head. It started up with a loud whir, and hummed at a high volume as it transferred energy. The #2 gave her creation two hefty pats on the side, then stepped away to marvel at it.

She built a sizable mech in the shape of a spider. Its head was largely left unpainted save for hazard markers on the left and right of the cockpit’s opaque window; two yellow tesla-coil pincers jutted out as its mouth. A golden, studded band wrapped around its black pedicel, flanked by black spherical joints from which its limbs sprouted. Its six legs, segmented in two parts each, ended in bright red spherical feet outfitted with retractable cleats and magnets. Its abdomen was bulbous and hollow, painted to have a yellow star over a crimson background.

Omletta huffed and wiped her brow. “Its specs need testing before I can bring it out to the field, but I got a good feeling about this!” She thought aloud, smiling. She removed her gloves and grabbed her PDA from a nearby toolbox on wheels. She thumbed through her contacts and selected Robotnik’s number, ringing twice before he picked up.

“Yes, dearest? Do you have news?” He inquired in a sighing cadence.

“Ye-” Omletta cleared her throat. “Yep, the Arach Mobile is nearly finished, da- uh- sir! We’re charging its battery now. After that, I’m gonna prepare for some field tests!” She looked back at the machine, scanning it for flaws as she talked over the noise.

Robotnik grunted; his tone was flat, yet gruff. “That is well and good, but I thought we settled on ‘Spider Mobile.’ Why the change?”

The girl paused, expression faltering. “...Sir, I ran it by you and you gave the okay. Besides, it’s a scarier name than ‘Spider Mobile’ right?”

“I don’t remember making any such comments!” Omletta flinched at the jump in his voice. “Yes, that name sounds more intimidating, but no, you did not ask me. Do not lie to me to suit your desires again. Understood?”

Omletta squinted at the floor, mouth ajar and gears turning in her head. “B-But...”

Am I understood?” He reiterated, a little louder this time.

She sighed. “...Yes. Understood, sir...”

“Good. Get in touch with Logik about those field tests. Before you get back to work, there’s one more thing. We’re going to reveal the Arach Mobile to the public in what we’ll just call a mini-parade. Bokkun’s already set to film.”

The #2 made a face. “Uh, okay. How come?”

Robotnik let out a long, drawn out sigh. “Because, Omletta, we need something for the people to focus on. From what I hear from some of the other members of the Board, your sudden return to Robotropolis has everyone thinking something’s wrong, especially considering the fact you failed to keep your composure. You went and snapped at a crowd of people for no reason.”

“No reason?” Omletta scowled. “They were-”

“I don’t want to hear an excuse.” He interrupted. “You have a reputation to uphold, so uphold it. Think of how your actions reflect on all of us, dearest!”

“They were outside in acid rain when they were supposed to be inside!” Omletta spat back in a whisper-shout, clenching her free hand into a fist. “They were asking questions I couldn’t answer, so what else was I supposed to do, just spill everything!?”

“Don’t you use that tone with me, young lady!” Robotnik spat. “Don’t give me any back-talk! I am not just your father, I am also your boss! Try again!”

Omletta didn’t know why, but she found ‘Try again!’ to be more insulting than anything. She opened her mouth to say something, but she stopped. She clenched her PDA hard to the point of shaking and felt the pressure rise in her veins. Feeling the silence grow deafening, she came up with a response in her best neutral tone and tried not to yell. “They were outside in acid rain and violating curfew. They asked questions I couldn’t answer. I told them to get inside, and that’s all I said.”

“Better, but work on it. I still do not care for your tone.” Robotnik replied. “But anyway, we don’t have time for this. You’ll be escorted through the street by members of the General Guard in Egg Mobiles in the front and back. Once you’re outside city limits, you’ll be left alone. When you return, the street will be cleared for you.”

“Understood.” Omletta said. Anything el-?” Robotnik disconnected the call before Omletta could respond.

The girl hesitated and stared at the spider’s legs, thinking. She wanted to throw her PDA, or to break something with one of the tools at her disposal. She shook her head and put the PDA in her pocket instead, then turned to the walrus charging the machine. “Progress?” She asked, hoping he didn’t hear anything.

“The battery is currently at...” He squinted at a display connected to the charging cord. “Sixty-eight percent. Should be done in a few minutes!”

“Good, good.” Omletta sighed and rubbed her eyes. “We’re going to test it as soon as possible.”

The technician nodded. Omletta pulled a foldable chair aside, unfolded it, and sat down, allowing her sore body to decompress. The walrus walked over and took a seat on a stepladder nearby. “Say, just outta curiosity...” He said over the capsule’s noise. “What exactly are we using this big spider for?”

“Hazardous material and infantry transport.” Omletta answered, shrugging. “We’re gonna be using those for metallic items, too.” She pointed her thumb at a rack of ‘Magneto Buzzers’, modified Buzz Bomber badniks constructed in the shape of mud hornets. Their head and abdomen were painted blue, while the thorax was black. They all had wings for balance, and rocket thrusters on their sides to facilitate flight. Instead of their usual rail detonator cannon as the stinger, they carried large circular magnets connected to a metal cable coiled up in the abdomen. “They’ll help lift anything magnetic into the Arach Mobile’s cargo hold.” Omletta elaborated.

“Oh yeah, like old-world cars and stuff, that makes sense. But uh...” He looked over to the side, scratching his noggin. “Ahem... Ma’am? Permission to speak freely?” The tech asked.

Omletta looked up at him and studied him for a moment, and took the time to look at him and his badge. ‘Rank: #13 R. Walrus’, the badge read. The tech wore a dark gray workman’s jumpsuit, yellow work gloves with purple fingers, a green satchel over his left shoulder, thick brown work boots, and a yellow cap worn backwards. His whiskers were clean shaven, and his tusks were short but sharp. The color in his eyes were still a bit dim due to his youth, but were yellow and growing brighter by the day.

‘R. Walrus’ seemed friendly enough, but to Omletta he came off as nervous and fidgety. Another thing on her mind was his name. It wasn’t uncommon for animalfolk surnames to take after their respective sub-species, but to Omletta, it always came off as uncreative and dull. She knew it wouldn’t have been his choice, however. After thinking about the tech’s request for a moment, she nodded. “Go ahead.”

“I just wanted to ask if you’re feeling alright. You uh... just seem a little down is all.” He said, grabbing the back of his blubbery neck.

Omletta furrowed her brow and shifted in her seat. “Me? Uh-- yes, I’m alright. Just a little tired.”

“You sure?” He pressed. “Well, you seemed a lot happier just a minute ago...” The girl retained eye contact, but didn’t respond. The tech’s eyes shifted away and he wrung his hands together. “I-I mean, if you don’t wanna talk about it, that’s fine, I just-”

“I’m fine.” Omletta stated, looking away and speaking firmly. “I do appreciate it, but just... focus on your work for now, okay?”

The tech looked back at her for a moment, then nodded. “Understood ma’am.”

Omletta stood and pulled her PDA out, finding the Commander’s number. It rang once, then twice, all the way up to five rings before the knight picked up. Wind blew on his end, complemented by the sound of marching drills and the instructors conducting them. “Apologies for the delay. How may I be of service?” He greeted, sounding monotone.

“Hey, Commander.” She greeted, standing up and pacing back and forth. “Do we have any cardboard targets to spare? I’m just about to test out the Arach Mobile, and I need something to shoot at.”

“Affirmative.” Said Logik. “We have many at our disposal. How many do you require?”

“I’m gonna need at least one crate's worth. Also, I was thinking of testing the Magneto Buzzers and the Arach Mobile’s cargo hold. Is the uh- ahem... cargo near the border secured?” She asked in a hushed tone, hunched over and grabbing the PDA with both hands.

“Yes, we have a perimeter established with badniks and five Guard Bots.” It was difficult to hear him over a sudden gust of wind, though Omletta still understood.

“Alright, nice.” The #2 stood up straight and tapped her foot, putting her free hand on her hip. “Have someone send those cutouts over there and set them up for me, please.” Her eyes wandered, scanning the Arach Mobile and the silhouettes of a group of soldiers marching out on the other side of the hangar. She saw the tech jogging over to one of the halls, counting the coins in his hand. She assumed he’d be back in a moment.

“Everything will be ready by the time you arrive.” Logik informed. “Is there anything else you require?”

A smile briefly returned to the girl’s face. “Nope, thanks Commander. See you later.”

“Farewell, and good luck.” He said.

“Y-You too.” Omletta replied just before disconnecting the call.

Omletta disconnected the call. ‘Now all I gotta do is wait...’ She sighed and returned to her chair to sit back down. A moment later, the Rank #13 returned.

“Hey, Mr. Walrus.” The tech perked up at the sound of his name, granola bar in hand. “After we’re done charging this, we’re gonna open the cargo hold and fill it with those Bombers. I’m gonna need your help, but we’re gonna take a break for now.”

He responded with a nod and a thumbs up. “Anything else?” He asked, taking a bite out of his snack.

“No, not yet.” She replied. “It’s a waiting game for now.”

“Sounds good, ma’am. Oh hey-” He swallowed and gestured his food towards her. “Want one? I still got a little change left in my pocket.”

Omletta furrowed her brow and looked at it, then at him. ‘Is he trying to make me feel better?’ She thought. Her stomach grumbled at the mention and sight of sustenance, egging her on to take up his offer. “Uh... You know what? Sure, thank you.”

The tech smiled at her and made his way back to one of the doors again. “I’ll be back in two shakes!”

...

In the cockpit of the Arach-Mobile, Omletta stomped through the empty street towards the city’s edge with a small steering wheel outfitted with buttons, thumbsticks, and triggers. In the cupholder lay a half-eaten granola bar. To her relief, the legs of the metallic spider walked with precision and agility. The cockpit rattled and shook with each step. To her front and back, Egg Mobiles piloted by General Guardsmen escorted her through.

The sidewalk was lined with civilians watching, most of them cheering and clapping. Guardsmens were interspersed throughout the crowd, and seemed to be clapping the hardest out of anyone around. Up above, she saw Bokkun hovering and filming a bird’s eye view. He carried a camera in one hand, and a microphone in the other. He was announcing something, but Omletta couldn’t hear him. She assumed it was regular newscaster commentary.

Something bothered the #2. Specifically, the body language of some of the civilians. They were low energy. Slow. She couldn’t see their faces very well, but she doubted she’d see a smile if she could. ‘Are they not convinced...?’ She thought. She hoped their lack of joy was due to their daily affairs being interrupted, rather than them doubting their leadership.

The other thing biting at the back of Omletta’s mind was the current pace. She predicted a travel time from here to the city limits would be an approximate hour, using the nearby courthouse as a reference point. “This is gonna take forever...” She whined. “This is what I get for enforcing rules. I would have gotten yelled at if I didn’t make them go away, so I don’t know what he wants from me.”

When she passed under the lights in the shape of her father, she couldn’t stand to look at it.

...

Omletta gazed out at the barren field before her, littered with pieces of ancient trash, bars of rebar, and the odd stump sticking out of the dirt. Lights and street lamps installed by Guard Bots dotted the area, providing illumination during testing.

On the southwestern horizon, she saw the sun bleeding through the thick clouds overhead. Elsewhere, cracks and divisions between the Skybound continents provided scant light, leaving much of the landscape enshrouded in darkness. Before her were several cardboard cutouts made to resemble Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles affixed to metal posts. Behind her, the glowing city.

Omletta activated the Arach-Mobile and charged forward in a thunderous march, unconstrained by the city’s relatively claustrophobic limits. She closed the distance between her and targets and pressed a button to activate the electric pincers. She heard a ding when they were ready to fire, allowing her to zero in on the cutouts just before she pulled the trigger.

The ‘mouth’ of the machine sizzled and popped with electricity as a sparkling arc between them formed. It revved up with a high pitched whine, then fired. The pincers launched a whitish-blue orb, then another, and one more in a rapid three shot burst that cut through the umbra in three brilliant flashes of light. All three shots hit their mark, exploding the cardboard into clouds of crackling embers.

The young scientist couldn’t help but giggle at the sight. “Nice!” She looked at the console before her and examined the energy readings. The attack consumed much less energy as she thought it would. “Even better!”

She repeated this for the remaining targets in the field to ensure the first success wasn’t a fluke, then moved on to the next part of testing. Using a keyboard and geological display to her right, Omletta set course for a large hunk of Death Egg scrap metal.

Moving to her next goal, she opened her PDA and found her father’s number. He picked up at the first ring. “Situation report, dearest.” He stated before she could say anything.

“Weapons and horizontal locomotion are good so far!” She exclaimed. “I’m heading towards the marked cargo now. I should be there in just a few minutes.”

Robotnik hummed. “I don’t need a play-by-play, dearest, I’m busy. Just call me or the other Board members if there’s any issues you can’t handle by yourself, and let me know when you get back with the cargo.” He hung up just as fast as he answered.

Omletta rolled her eyes, still pressing forward. “I don’t need a play-by-play!” She repeated in a low, dopey voice. “I’m too busy! With what? Doesn’t matter, I’m just too busy to be nice!” She growled and sighed. “Jeez... Why is it that whenever something goes wrong, I have to deal with him being a grumpy-pants!? I’m not the one who blew up the Death Egg!” She took a chomp out of her granola bar before slamming it back down. “Mmf... Well, at least some people are nice today...” She said to herself between chews and swallows.

After several quiet minutes of travel, Omletta approached a large chunk of twisted metal surrounded by barbed wire and the five aforementioned Guard Bots. Up above, she saw Buzz Bombers circling the fragment, evidenced by the orange light of their thrusters. Caterkillers, caterpillar-like purple badniks with yellow antennae, two yellow spikes on each of its four segmented parts, and a gray underbelly lay burrowed in the ground with their heads barely visible above the dirt.

The smoke billowing from the fragment obscured much of its mass, though the occasional spark of electricity made its position clear. Omletta slowed the Arach Mobile and came to a smooth stop. She pressed a button to open the cargo hold, and the Magneto Buzzers flew out in a swarm of eight.

‘I hope he appreciates all the effort I’m putting in...’ Omletta thought as she commanded the Buzzers from her PDA, hovering them above the objective. She deployed their magnets, dropping onto the metal and sticking to it like glue. She grabbed the hunk of scrap with the front legs of the mech, activated their own magnets, and hoisted it up. With the combined efforts of the Magneto Buzzers and the legs, Omletta managed to deposit the cargo into the hold with a loud bang and a harsh rattle, then commanded the Buzzers to let go.

The young scientist attempted to close the cargo hold door, but to her chagrin, it didn’t close all the way and was slightly ajar. She groaned and pulled out her PDA. She connected to one of the Magneto Buzzers’ ocular displays and angled it to look down. From what she could see, it was impossible to discern what it was from an outsider’s perspective. “That should be fine... right?” Omletta put the PDA away and turned the spider around to head back home.

Accelerating, she noticed how the mech moved much slower than it did before. She projected that she would reach home base within the hour, but now she wasn’t so sure. Grumbling, Omletta gave herself a moment to think. An idea popped into her head, and she stopped to give the Buzzers a new command.

The flying badniks did as instructed and attached their magnets to the Arach-Mobile’s abdomen and head, lifting up to counter the fragment’s weight. With their added support, Omletta moved at a greater speed. She cracked a wide grin and chuckled. ‘Maybe...’ She thought. ‘I should do this on the field from now on, and just fill the cargo hold with soldiers and badniks instead...’

...

The funicular climbed the mountain, moving up to the hangar. Omletta had the Arach Mobile positioned backwards so she may observe the city lights before returning to work. “So glad this is over with...” She said, smothering her tired eyes with her fingers beneath her glasses.

Once inside the hangar, Omletta opened the cargo hold, shut the Arach-Mobile off, opened the ceiling hatch, and climbed out only to be greeted by a crowd of techs and engineers. She nearly jumped out of her skin as they cheered, whooped, and clapped for her. They were present alongside multiple Guard Bots, also clapping. She stared at them, wide eyed and mouth ajar. She took a breath, then bowed. As she did, their cheering increased in volume and decreased as she hopped down.

She noticed the Buzz Bombers above still holding onto the mech. She opened her PDA and sent a signal for them to deactivate their magnets to save on energy. Once they let go, Omletta gave her father another call. She held it up to her right ear and plugged the left with her finger.

“Yes, Omletta? What is your status?” He asked.

“Status is good. The scrap you sent me to get is now in the hangar.” She replied, looking around at the crowd. “But uh... I wasn’t expecting so many people here...”

Robotnik chortled. “Did they surprise you?”

“Yes...” Omletta said, lowering her head and nodding. ‘He seems happier...’ She thought.

Her father chuckled again. “They’re just there to dismantle and recycle the scrap is all, don’t worry about them.”

“W-Wait, what Rank are they?” Omletta asked, looking on at the workers waiting to get started. “Aren’t we supposed to be concerned about operational security? W-What if it gets out that-”

“Don’t worry about it.” The Lord interrupted. “We don’t want civilians to know about the Death Egg. Anyone with a Rank knows to keep their mouths shut, unless they wanna go to prison.” Omletta paused for a moment to think, allowing him to continue. “Now then, once you’re finished unloading the payload, there will be another for you to get. I’ll send you the directions.”

The heir flinched. “W-Wait, there’s more to do? I thought we were just testing today.” Her face dropped further, now a disappointed grimace.

“The test was obviously a success, was it not?” Robotnik retorted. “We still have much to do, so don’t think you’re done quite yet. Besides, the more you bring back, the more Egg Robos we can create to speed up the recovery process, so don’t worry about needing to do it all yourself.”

The girl hesitated again, then conceded. “Yes, sir...”

“Indee- Oh! Wait a moment, I nearly forgot! If you can, make sure you bring some of the cargo to the Starlight Zone. We can double our rate of production and save you a lot of time that way. Just make sure you avoid any warp zones on the way there, understood?”

“Good thinking.” Omletta complimented rather quickly. She internally chided herself for her haste, but she wanted to keep him happy as much as possible. “But why avoid the warp zones? Wouldn’t they make my trips faster?”

“In theory, Omletta. In theory. However, the Arach Mobile is much too big, meaning there’s a chance that some of it and our cargo may get... err... lost. We only send smaller vehicles and infantry through those things for a reason.”

Omletta stifled a groan. “Okay... Understood.” Robotnik disconnected the call. The girl sighed and put away her PDA. ‘Today’s gonna be a long one...’ She thought.

...

“I’m gonna tell it to you straight, ma’am, this is all kinda... hacked together?” Said the walrus climbing down a stepladder. He wiped the sweat off his brow and examined the second floodlight he duct taped onto the top of the Arach Mobile’s head. Taped to the first one was a yellow geiger counter with a small short-range antenna and dim green display.

Omletta, lying underneath the mech and wearing a welder’s mask, plugged the first floodlight’s wire into the Arach Mobile’s battery located on its underside via an open flap. “I know.” She agreed from a pool of her own sweat. She lay her arms on the floor for a moment to let them rest. “Auuughhh...” She groaned, arms burning. She imagined her father chiding her for implementing an upgrade in the first place, and thought of potential comebacks to defend herself. ‘It’s just a prototype. I thought it was just going to be this one fragment, and I wanted to save time. I can add better lights later.’

“Sorry you gotta go through all this trouble, ma’am. I’m uh... not exactly thin like you are.” The tech said, placing his gloved hands on his hips.

Omletta grunted. “Don’t worry about it. Just run the other cord to me, please.” Walrus hummed in acknowledgement and stepped back up the ladder. “I don’t trust anyone other than the rest of the Board to fiddle with my machines, so I would have done this by myself anyway.”

“No kiddin’. Super advanced stuff, right?” The tech asked, cord in hand and climbing back down.

“Yeah, Chaos Energy stuff isn’t new but it’s-” The plug popped out and a spark exploded against her mask. “GAH!” She seized up and closed her eyes. “...Volatile.” She reached back up and put it back in, ensuring that she put it in all the way this time.

“You okay?” The walrus went down on his hands and knees to look at the #2.

“Yeah, yeah, I’m good...” She said, turning to him and tapping her mask. “I’m wearing protection for a reason.”

“Heheh... Right...” He chuckled back, humorless and with worry in his eyes.

“Here.” Omletta reached out to him. “Hand me the other cord, please.” Again he hummed, and did as he was told. With the wire in hand, she slowly inserted it into an open port until it wouldn’t go any further. She then lay her arms back down to rest. “Uuuggghhh...” She moaned.

The additions were quick installs, all things considered, but they still ate up more time than Omletta would have liked. She knew that the current objective would be the last for the day, though still dreaded a long, drawn out board meeting. She wondered if she could weasel out of the next one if it didn’t have anything to do with an assassination plan, and hoped Robotnik wouldn’t walk in and see the hacked-together additions.

She reached back up and shut the hatch with one hand, and held out her other. “Drill, please.” The tech handed her a red cordless drill, which she put to her side. She placed a screw into one of the slots, then drilled it back in. She repeated the process for the other hole, then sighed. “Alright, now pull me out.”

“Left or right leg?” He asked.

“Right.” The walrus got down and reached for her, then grabbed onto her right ankle and slowly pulled her out. She flashed a thumbs up at him, then pulled up her mask. “Thanks.” She took a breath and continued. “That’s all I need.”

“Yes, ma’am. My pleasure.” The walrus said, helping Omletta to her feet.

“Alrighty, you’re dismissed for now.” She mumbled, throwing the welding mask aside and not caring where it landed. “I can handle it from here.”

The tech stood straight up and saluted her. “Yes ma’am.”

...

The next fragment was far out west past the ‘Egg Basket’ prison. The geiger counter gave off an occasional tick throughout the duration of her trek, though it was not enough to arouse concern. The built-in radio played from Omletta’s PDA as she navigated an old highway littered with trash and an occasional vehicle. “You’re listening to Scrape n’ Grind FM! I’m your co-host, Scratch!” A shrill voice cawed.

“And I’m Grounder! Also a co-host... right?” A dopey voice droned.

“Yes, bolt head, you’re a co-host too, remember? You’ve always been the co-host. Anyways!” Scratch continued. “The war against the United Federation in the Land of the Sky continues! The Robotropolis military recently unveiled its newest addition to our arsenal, the Spider Mobile!”

“Spider Mo-? Oh come on!” Omletta cried out, slapping down on her steering wheel.

The radio show continued on. “Yup! Details came out that uh... oh yeah, that it can carry heavy stuff and uh... It can shoot lightning!” Grounder said. Omletta considered tuning in to be a mistake by this point.

“Not lightning!” The other host squawked. “It shoots out lasers! Just look at the... Hmm...” Scratch paused for a moment.

“It’s neither...” Omletta complained to herself, taking her glasses off and rubbing her tired eyes. She only then realized she didn’t need them inside the mech, taking them off and placing them in the cupholder next to her snack. The lights and flashing buttons seemed a lot brighter now. She yawned and shook her head around to keep herself awake.

“The script is gonna say lightning and you know it.” Grounder taunted.

“Oh hush up! Just give me a-...” Scratch paused. “Okay, it’s actually electric... bolts? Wait, that’s not right...” The sound of papers shuffling around could be heard in the background.

“Seeeee?” The dopey one mocked. “I told you. It shoots lightning! I was right.”

“Okay okay, fine, whatever. Moving on!” Scratch cleared his nonexistent throat. “It’s currently in early stages of development, but with some tweaks, it may see mass production! In other news...”

“Why are they talking so openly about my inventions like this?” Omletta asked no one in particular. “I’m gonna turn Bokkun into scrap if this is because of him. I better not get in trouble for it, because I didn’t say anything to anyone!” Her thoughts turned to her father. “Is this because of daddy? They did call it the ‘Spider Mobile’...”

“...and, if you ask me, I think it’s gonna be great!” Scratch finished a sentence Omletta didn’t hear the start of.

Grounder chuckled. “I personally think the artists did a good job at making me as handsome as I am in real life, and Sonic looks just as nasty as he actually does!”

“Don’t get ahead of yourself, nincombot.” The shrill one countered. “There’s not much to improve on when it comes to your looks. And besides, how much better could you look in a cartoon?”

“Well I think they got your pencil-neck perfect, if you ask me.” Grounder grumbled.

“Whatever, you’re just jealous they made me look better than-” A zap rang out through the PDA’s speaker. “Owww!” Omletta snickered, internally thanking whoever did that.

“That stung!” The dopey one complained.

“Stick to tha script, ya nincombots!” Another shrill voice called out in the background. “Elsewise, it’s sanitation patrol for the both of yas!”

“Heheheh... Right...” Scratch’s voice shook with a higher pitch. “L-Let’s get back to the point! The Adventures of Scratch and Grounder will premiere on Channel 4 at 9AM this Sunday morning.” Omletta made a mental note to check it out if she had the time. Despite needing to be such a grownup all the time, she still liked cartoons.

“Yeah, and it’s about the dynamic duo, Grounder and Scratch, battling Sonic and taking him down!” Grounder elaborated with enthusiasm. “I hear they took a lot of inspiration from the wanted posters, too!”

“Uuuggghhh...” Omletta groaned. “Of course they did...”

“It’s ‘Scratch and Grounder’ and don’t spoil the story!” Scratch nagged.

“Whaaat?” The other one moaned. “It wouldn’t be very good if it was about Sonic beating us, would it?”

“I uh... I guess not?” Scratch asked. “Just don’t reveal anything else, leave something for the audience back home to look forward to!”

“...And it’s Grounder and Scratch, for your edifica... edif... uh...” The dimmer one trailed off, still trying to remember the word he was looking for.

“I swear, I’m just about to turn this off...” Omletta grumbled, rubbing her eyes again. She reconsidered her desire to see the cartoon if this was what she had to look forward to.

“You wanna get zapped again? Shut your trap and focus!” As the dopey one grumbled out what may have been an insult, the shrill one continued. “Our next bit of news is about the recent increase in acid rain. Some among the civilian populace have blamed our wonderful factories for this, to which I say poppycock!”

“Yeah, what a buncha scrap-talk.” Grounder concurred. “It’s not our fault, it’s just that the Skybounders just refuse to help us out in our time of need! In fact, I think they’re dumping their trash and waste into the Land of Darkness just to rub it in! It really grinds my gears, y’know?”

“For once I gotta agree. This is why we’re fighting so hard, you know? We’re gonna put those selfish jerks in their place! You, and yes I mean you, wonderful listener, can help us do that by enlisting at your nearest recruitment center! Ba-haha-haaa!” Scratch exclaimed, belting out a horrible, grating noise in what may have been an attempt at sounding like laughter. Omletta bared her teeth and squinted in response.

“Or, if we think you’re a perfect fit anyway, we might come to you! Be sure you’re in good fighting shape, people!” Grounder added.

Omletta stopped the Arach Mobile for a moment so she may turn the radio off. She would have changed the channel, but her choice of radio stations was limited. She continued onward in silence, hoping she could power through her exhaustion with willpower alone.

...

Omletta grew near the next Death Egg fragment, assisted by the Magneto Buzzers carrying a portion of the mech’s weight. Behind it a few hundred feet away, she saw the legal edge of Robotropolis; it was a tall steel wall spanning across the entire border, reinforced with beams jutting from the ground and lined with automatic .50 cal turrets mounted by Clucker badniks. The robots themselves were modeled after chickens, painted white around its visible upper body, red wattle and tail feathers, and a yellow beak. Their hand-like wings clutched the turrets’ handles, locked and loaded at all times.

Behind the wall were more Egg Capsules filled with batteries. General Guardsmen walked along the wall, watched the horizon from watchtowers segmenting the perimeter, and ensured that the Cluckers were always topped off with ammo and energy. The tips of the antennas atop the watchtowers slowly blinked red, on and off, and on and off.

The floodlights illuminated Omletta’s target, revealing it to be particularly valuable. She identified many of its parts and materials, knowing this fragment to be constructed of gold, titanium, and plasma-steel. From which part of the Death Egg it came from, however, she did not know nor care. “This better be the last one I have to get...” She grumbled just before another yawn. “Uggghhh...!” She groaned, feeling her eyes water again for the umpteenth time.

She commanded the Buzzers to let go of her and initiate retrieval. As they found their places above the objective, she opened the cargo hold. “Easy does it...” She muttered under her breath, focusing what energy she had left into grabbing the fragment and positioning it into the spider’s abdomen. “Come ooonnn...” The mech bounced as the scrap fell into place, rocking her up and down for a brief moment.

She checked the ocular display of one of the Buzzers to confirm cargo security. It was a perfect fit this time around. “Thank goodness!” She cheered. With the hatch closing over it and a new command given to the Buzzers, Omletta turned around and made her way back home.

Setting course for Starlight Zone, the Chief Robotics Engineer checked her PDA’s map. It told her to follow an old highway, but she could potentially make a shortcut through a dead forest. Then again, the thought of her father ranting and raving about a source of wood being damaged entered her mind. ‘Never mind.’ She thought, opting for the long way to Starlight.

Feeling herself start to nod off, Omletta looked for things to focus on. In the distance, she spotted the tallest skyscrapers rising from the City of Ancient Relics right next to the shoreline. The fading evening light from up above and the reflective glass and metal of its buildings were enough to show a vague shape of the empty metropolis. She knew it as a den of squatters, but technically of more importance, the Board knew it as a source of metal and concrete.

The heir hoped for an opportunity to visit it one day. She thought of it as pretty and mysterious, even if so-called ‘bad citizens’ went there when they found no place for themselves in Robotropolis proper. She wondered if one day, just maybe, she could rebuild that city herself. She didn’t see why not, regardless if her father was still Lord of Robotropolis by the time she was of age to lead.

The PDA blared at her, snapping her out of her train of thought. “Gah!” Startled, Omletta lurched upwards and hit her head on the ceiling. “Owww!” She whimpered. She lost control of the mech for a moment and veered off the road, but regained control and maintained her course.

The heir picked up the PDA and saw Robotnik’s number. “Mnnh... What does he want now...?” She mumbled, answering it.

Her father greeted with an audible smile in his voice. “Hello, dearest!”

Sensing a lack of tension, she found room to complain. “Daddy? Hey, you startled me and made me hit my head!”

Robotnik laughed. “Ohohoh! My apologies, dearest! That wasn’t my intent at all!”

A silver lining, she reasoned, was that the pain would be good for keeping her awake. “Mmnh... W-What’s up? Did you need something?” She asked, rubbing her head.

“Me? No actually, I just happen to have some free time on my hands, so I thought I’d check up on you.” He explained. “How are things, Omletta? Besides the fresh bump on your noggin, of course. Everything going alright?”

“Fine.” She yawned again, and a squeak almost escaped her throat. “Just tired... I just picked up the cargo near the border, and I’m on my way to Starlight Zone. Nothing else to report.”

“Very good, dearest, just make sure you don’t fall asleep at the wheel, heheh!” He chortled. Omletta grew uneasy, wondering what had him so giddy. “By the way, I wanted to inform you that we are already making egg-cellent progress with what you’ve brought back so far! We’ve already built nearly two hundred Egg-Robos and a few dozen Guard Bots.”

“Wow, already? We’re working fast, huh?” She asked. ‘That explains it.’

“Yes, yes, very fast. It’s getting even faster as well, as some of these Egg Robos have already delivered some of the Death Egg’s remnants as I said they would.” Her father replied.

“That’s good!” She nodded along. However, she sensed a change in his tone. Something was amiss. “...Daddy, is there a ‘but’ in here somewhere?”

Robotnik sighed. “Yes, dearest, there is. We’re already running out of fragments within our borders. Sooner rather than later, we may have to venture abroad for more.”

Omletta’s face dropped. “Yeah... It would be too convenient if it all just fell in our backyard...” She lamented.

The Lord hummed. “Right? Nothing’s ever easy, is it?”

“Nothing’s ever easy.” She parroted. “Are we gonna talk about that at the next meeting?”

“Yes, actually. The gears in my head are already turning, but you do not have to worry about that just yet.” Said her father. “You are doing a splendid job.”

“Thanks...” A thought popped into her head. “Hey, um... Daddy? If it’s not too much to ask...” Seeing as how she caught him in a good mood, she thought she may as well capitalize on it.

Robotnik hummed. “Yes, dearest?”

“Can you... Can you stay on the line with me for a bit? I think talking will...” Omletta yawned yet again, and rubbed the fresh tears from her eyes. “Talk-...ing... Will uh... help me stay awake... I’m very sleepy...”

“Sure thing, dearest. Now listen, I know I’ve been pushing you rather hard lately...” The Lord said with apprehension in his voice. “I’m postponing a meeting to discuss future plans until tomorrow. You need the rest, and your presence is obviously required. I can’t have you falling asleep on the job, you know.”

Omletta perked up. “Mnh... Really? I can sleep as soon as I get back...?”

“You have my word.” He confirmed. “Health comes first.”

Omletta turned off her mic, pumping her fist and celebrating. “Yes! Yes! Yes!” She cheered.

“There will be temporary sleeping quarters set up for you at Starlight.” He sighed, then continued. “But anyway, how’s the road treating you? Any spikes in radiation?”

The girl fiddled with her PDA to get her mic back on. “N-No, uh...” She seized up when she nearly dropped it and came close to veering off the road. “Just the um- just the regular ol’ background rads.” She sighed under her breath once she had her device and direction under control. “The road is fine, but I noticed a lot of old vehicles we could send Egg Robos out to collect.”

“Good eye!” Robotnik said.

“Right, so maybe we can try to get all the Egg Robos to do this job entirely?” She half-asked, half-asserted. “I can’t do it all by myself.”

“Hmmm. I suppose you’re right.” Robotnik conceded. “You have more important things to do than scrap duty.”

“Yeah- uh- speaking of, can you please take me off scrap duty after I’m done with this load?” She asked, cringing and hoping she didn’t come off too strong.

“Yes, dearest.” Robotnik affirmed, now sounding annoyed. “What, did you think I’d have you on this every day? Like I said, you’re more important than scrap duty. All you’re doing today is testing, and getting the cargo back for recycling is just the icing on the cake.”

“Okay, got it.” She acknowledged. “Just making sure is all...”

The call remained silent for several moments, save for the Arach Mobile’s movements. Omletta struggled to come up with much to add, considering the fact her concerns reached her father. She wanted to keep talking regardless. She opened her mouth to say something, but Robotnik spoke first. “You know, Omletta, I am a tad concerned for you. Are you lonely, dearest?” He asked.

The girl hesitated, unsure how to respond. “Lonely?”

“Heheh. Hear me out, dearest. I was thinking- and bear with me now...” Omletta squinted as he spoke, unsure if his next words would worry her or not. “Should we seek out a new mother for our family?” He proposed.

Omletta blinked. “A new mommy? Wait, that’s possible?” She asked.

“Of course, dearest! It happens all the time. You see- I am what people call a ‘widow.’ Are you familiar with the word?” He inquired.

“Like a- oh, hold on.” Omletta took a left turn as per her map’s instructions. After correcting her course, she continued. “Like a spider? The black uh... widow?” Omletta asked.

“Yes. It’s funny, seeing as how you’re piloting a spider right now.” Omletta smiled at that. Robotnik continued. “You see, dearest, when two black widows meet and become mommies and daddies themselves, one of them eats the other so they have enough nutrients to help feed the children. I, er... I forget which one eats the other. Anyway, the term ‘widow’ merely refers to married people who have lost their spouse.” Robotnik explained.

“That’s weird.” Omletta smiled a bit and stifled a giggle. “Calling people like you a ‘widow’ makes me think they eat the dead one.”

“Heh... Maybe that’s why I’m so big! Hah! Hahaha!” The rotund doctor laughed.

Omletta chuckled a bit. “Ew... That’s a gross thought, daddy...”

“Geheheh... I know. Was that a bit much?” He asked.

“A little...” She muttered. “But it’s fine.”

“Ah well, er... Anyhoo, we’ve gotten off track.” He continued on. “I am indeed serious about a new mommy. You did not know your mother well, seeing how you were so little when they took her from us.”

The girl shifted in her seat, tapping her digits on the steering wheel and bouncing her knee up and down. “Mmm hmm...” She hummed, growing restless.

“Your mother was a big part of my life for a long time.” The Lord elaborated. “None of the Board members even come close to what she gave me, not even Uncle Stone.”

“Yeah... I bet you loved mommy a lot.” Omletta commented, unsure of what else she could add.

“I’m sorry you never got the chance to truly know her. She was such a passionate woman... Ahem...” He vocally reoriented himself. “I think you deserve to have a mommy of some sort. I may be your father, but I am a male whereas you are a female. Males understand males, and females understand females. It would be rather different if either one of us was the opposite sex.”

“I think I understand...” Omletta mumbled.

“Right.” He said. “Not only that, but there will be many changes ahead of you that I may not be wholly prepared to handle. Not bad changes, mind you, just... changes. A positive female influence may be just what you need in the years to come. Wouldn’t you agree?”

Omletta smiled to herself. She imagined a warm, sweet smelling figure. One that gave gentle hugs that didn’t last too long, nor were accompanied by boisterous laughter that hurt her ears. “I think I do, actually.”

Robotnik raised his voice. “Then it’s settled! I will seek out a new wife, and a new mother for my dearest, most precious eggheaded daughter!” He cheered. “I see a bright future ahead, Omletta!”

“Yay...!” The heir did her best to sound excited, but she couldn’t muster much more.

“Oh dear, you sound so tired.” Robotnik cooed. “How much longer until you make it to Starlight?” He asked.

Omletta checked her map. Some time passed during their conversation, much to her glee. “An hour and fifteen minutes... Approximately.” She rubbed her eyes again and grunted.

“Shall we keep conversing?” Robotnik asked.

“I might fall asleep and crash if we don’t.” She replied matter-of-factly.

“Okay, so... new subject!”

...

...

Edit
Pub: 27 Jun 2023 00:06 UTC
Edit: 27 Jun 2023 00:25 UTC
Views: 109