Mission Entry:
Automatic playing video…Video source: Spyrix headgear.
Antropolis City’s new memorial appears on screen, made visible thanks to spotlights. An indicator in the corner shows that it was around dusk in local time during recording. There were still construction vehicles around, though no scaffolding on the statues or any bots to be seen. The memorial was as large as the machines and beasts it depicted; Evo’s XL Machine took center stage as it pushed back the Queen Beast. Furno’s, Rocka’s, and Stormer’s battle machines were all there as well, each taking down a different beast while smaller Heroes fended off Jumpers. A still reenactment, even if inaccurate.
Spyrix (voiceover): It had been four months since the Invasion from Below mission. My time here was almost done, only needed to record the last stage of the “cocoon” decay cycle. With the memorial finally completed, cavern access was much easier.
A red hand appears in view and presses against a back section of the statues, opening a hole. The video jumps into the darkness, a slight compression can be heard as the opening seals before landing in the cave. Light emits from the footage source and travels around, scanning shriveled pasty-grey slime.
However, there was something more pressing I wanted to investigate.
Footage returns to the hole as she climbs out. The camera peeks about, giving a quiet sigh before fully exiting. The light turns off and she heads into the dark streets, going further into the city.
The city was going to host a large celebration for the memorial’s completion, but rumors spoke of an extra surprise. An image on HeroBook appeared to have a cocoon petal in the background only a few days before the celebration announcement. Photo origin was traced to a room in Antropolis’s largest Robo-Sports stadium. A week later, Hero Factory received an anonymous tip that civilians were giving noise complaints, something that sounded like bestial roars. Areas of complaints were within possible hearing range from the stadium. An intergalactic circus was staying at the stadium for advance setup and a possible explanation of the noise.
It could have all just coincidence and paranoia, but I had to make sure. I didn’t like to think that we slipped up and a cocoon or Jumper got away from us, but it was always a possibility. And if someone in Antropolis had it, I would find it.
Video source: Hero Factory surveillance, local security.
The screen shifts perspectives, showing the silver and red armored Hero in full view. Her back was to the camera, on a rooftop surveying the city. The city was dark, most streetlights were out or on a low dim. By contrast, the stadium was brightly lit and seemed to be full of activity. As Spyrix looked down upon the city, something didn’t seem right. The stadium lights weren’t on, it was the circus equipment.
Spyrix: Receon you there?
Receon: Yes, but—
Spyrix: Good, I need to know if I’m crazy. Is this sector darker than normal?
Receon: Comparing satellite imaging…Yes, it is comparatively darker than in previous months. It appears that the power is being diverted to another location.
Spyrix moves her gaze to follow the city skyline before jumping to a higher vantage point. She continues scanning the scene, looking for the brighter lights in the darkened city. If the circus was a distraction, then it had to be nearby.
Spyrix: Can you find where?
Receon: Based on the grid readings, it should be a warehouse a couple blocks from your position. Now about—
Spyrix: I see it! Thanks Receon, you’re the best.
Receon: Spyrix!
Video source: Confiscate security systems, memory core remains.
Visuals change to the inside of the warehouse; it was largely empty aside from some thugs and a large, caged beast. A thug pokes an orange Jumper with a metal rod, angering the creature. It jumps at the low-gear, but the energy cage bounces it back with a burning screaming. The thug chuckles as the massive beast is unable to do anything to him.
Unidentified Thug 2: Would you stop that!
Unidentified Thug 1: I’m just having some fun with it.
The Jumper bashes into the cage again, causing the lights to flicker.
Unidentified Thug 2: Quit it before someone notices! You have any idea how much power it takes to keep it in there?
Unidentified Thug 1: Alright, alright…Just one more.
The Jumper knocks the rod into the beams with one of its legs and the thug lets out a surprised gasp. It stares the thug down and starts glowing, radiating heat as it begins to rapidly grow. The cage alarms start screaming as it overloads.
Video source: Hero Factory surveillance, local media devices.
Footage switches back to Spyrix landing on another roof, making her way to the warehouse. She pauses, looking for her next jump when the warehouse bursts into a ball of plasma and fire. The resulting shockwave knocks the Hero on her back, shattering the glass panels on the surrounding buildings. Warnings fill Spyrix’s helmet, causing her to snap her multi-tool shield in front of her face and Hero Core. Glass shards bounce off the shield, littering the roof as a gigantic roar takes command.
When the shards stop, Spyrix gets up and sees a titanic monster standing in the warehouse’s burning remains. It was as large, if not bigger, than the Queen Beast. The monster sported massive claws and short skeletal wings, spewing plasma fire from its hands into the blackened sky. She stood in awe as the beast thrashes several vehicles in the air with its tail. It turned its orange head towards the city, all six eyes are drawn to the stadium. With another roar, the beast starts walking towards its new target.
Receon: I tried to warn you.
Spyrix: How soon can Hero Teams get here?
Receon: The closest ones are busy with high-risk threats, unknown ETA. Next most available will take thirty minutes to arrive.
Spyrix: That’s too late. How soon could you get a battle machine here?
Receon: No, you can’t do that. What if you’re seen? It’s against—
The beast’s tail swings into a random building, causing it to cave in. Civilian screams can be heard, some were shouting about calling Hero Factory. Spyrix jumps down and runs towards the monster.
Spyrix: I don’t care. If anyone asks, I’ll just pretend I’m Bulk. We need to stop this thing now.
Receon: You think they’d recognize you as Bulk with those red arms?
Spyrix: Receon!
Receon: With some retrofitting, ten minutes.
Spyrix: Timer set for ten. Hey! HEY! Oh wait, I mean uh…
She deepens her voice modulator.
Spyrix: Yo! Hey! Down here!
A few meters away from the giant’s sweeping tail, the Hero raises her multi-tool shield and starts rapidly firing shots. Most strike near the end of the tail, sending chills up the beast’s spine as ice starts building. The monster gives a confused grunt and causes the tail to send a burst of flame, instantly melting all the ice. At the same time, it swiftly turns around, whipping its tail in a wide sweeping motion. An action so quick that Spyrix could only register it in time to move her shield to block.
Struck, the tiny Hero is sent hurtling through the air before crashing into the street, somersaulting backwards. Spyrix only stops when she slams into a streetlamp, which bends over from the force. She then falls helmet first into the concrete with a resounding clunk and becomes motionless. The beast watches, but not seeing her get up after several seconds decides it was victorious. Torching a nearby building with a victorious roar, it turns around and resumes heading for its target.
Spyrix: …ow.
Spyrix slowly gets back up, giving several minor complaints of pain. She inspects her shield, finding it dented and busted. It would no longer protect against heated projectiles, nor able to fire its ice blasts. The attached swords were at least still functional.
Receon: Thank the core, you’re still alive! That one strike dropped you to 35% left in your Hero Core.
Spyrix: What?!
Receon: Retreat, return to HQ immediately.
Spyrix: No….no, I still got this. I only need to distract it for…nine minutes.
Receon: We don’t need a dead Hero on top of civilian casualties, let alone a Recon agent.
She shakes her head and tries to focus. After a second, she gives a quick gasp as a surge of power rushes through her frame. Spyrix stands back up with renewed strength, having just supercharged her core.
Spyrix: You know what? You have a point, I will go back.
Receon: Yes, listen to—
Spyrix: And ram it with my Hero Pod.
Receon: That’s nowhere near my point!
The scene jumps ahead a few minutes in time. Civilians are still evacuating out of nearby buildings as the beast reaches the stadium. It looms over, peering down at the abandoned circus equipment, seeming as though it’s looking for something. It sniffs about, giving a small cry as it looks back and forth. Though after about a minute, the monster gives an outraged bellow, lighting its massive mitts aflame. Balls of plasma-fire start building up and the beast raises its arms to deliver a burning blow.
And as the arms come down, the Hero Pod comes into view and rockets into the beast’s abdomen. It spits out some flames as its air is forced out, falling backwards into a crumpled heap in the streets below. The ship continues trying to push its way into the beast before melting and exploding from the plasma’s extreme heat. Spyrix, having ejected before crashing into the beast, finally lands just outside the stadium’s walls. She walks into the street, assessing the situation. The beast laid still, but it was breathing. Civilians start coming over to get a closer look.
Civilians: Look! It’s Hero Factory!
They’re finally here!
Wow! They took down that monster fast!
Spyrix: Get out of here, it’s not over yet!
The beast twitches and the growing crowd is startled. They all start backing away and resume going to safety shelters. Not a moment too soon, for the monster slowly gets back up. Spyrix mutters something about her broken tool and then runs and jumps on top of the beast. She rushes across its torso, trying to reach the throat when it rolls over. The Hero braces herself, turning her own body as she falls, landing on her shield.
Both get back up, but the creature is faster, and it swings a kick at Spyrix. She quickly lunges into a small roll to avoid the kick, coming out of the roll into a starting run. Getting frustrated, the beast growls and spews a wave of plasma at its small annoyance. Spyrix quickly considered her options, booking it to keep ahead of the flames. Not wanting to bring fire closer to potential civilians, she keeps a tight curve back around to the beast and towards the stadium. She runs up the stadium wall and leaps backwards over the flames just as the beast stopped its stream of plasma. Even the infernal monster had a heat limit and needed to let its claws cool.
The Hero lands in front of the beast and turns to face it, only to be snatched up by its mitts. Spyrix screams as her armor burns from the beast’s red-hot claws, she even starts to become soft as it squeezes her tighter. Alarms scream in her helmet, as does Receon, for her overheating and possible core damage. Fighting against the pain, Spyrix squirms, trying to get free as the fiery beast brings her towards its open jaw. The monster loosens its claws as it prepares to toss the Hero down its gullet, giving Spyrix just enough wiggle room. She starts moving her shield in a sawing motion, the attached blades slicing into the beast’s hand. It lets out a surprised yelp, fully opening its claw to drop Spyrix. However, she uses this moment to jump from its hand and onto the top of its head.
The beast, confused for a brief second, tries swiping her off. Seeing the claws coming, Spyrix quickly moves and hangs off the side of its head. When it opens its mouth to roar a complaint, the Hero kicks its jaw further open and shoves her multi-tool inside, blades pointed up. She then releases the shield and drops to the ground as the beast tries to close its mouth, only to be met with sharp pain. The creature cries, marching around like someone who stubbed their toe, trying to get the shield out. Spyrix mutters something about not having any weapons now and checks the timer.
Spyrix: Where’s that–
Receon: It’s here! It’s here! Ahead of schedule, being dropped now!
Only now did Spyrix look up and see a dropship having arrived and the falling battle machine it delivered. The machine crashed into the street, making the sound of a car wreck, but surprisingly appeared unharmed. Though it was unlike any of the battle machines Spyrix had known, it was more car-like. This lime-green armored machine sported four covered wheels and two cannons. The site of it bewildered Spyrix enough that her urgency paused.
Spyrix: You sent me a buggy?
The beast gives a deep and outraged bellow as it finally removes the shield from its mouth, melting the thing into slag. Being snapped back into her mission, Spyrix rushed to the battle machine and jumps in.
Receon: Just finish this thing! It was the best I could get last minute.
Spyrix: Right, right! It will do!
Spyrix moves the controls around, adjusting to them as the overgrown Jumper finds her again. She trains the cannons at the monster’s head and fires off several blasts of water. The beast brings up its claws, blocking the blasts. When it brings them down, it almost seems to be grinning as the water unintentionally cooled off its mitts.
Spyrix: …Wrong button.
The blazing beast throws plasma at the buggy and Spyrix shifts into high gear, turning and racing away from the monster and flames. As the buggy tears down the street, the beast chases after, throwing balls of plasma. Spyrix slams the controls down for a tight turn, swerving back to face the charging beast. She races to meet the monster head-on, hydro-cannon moving around wildly, sending blast after blast, putting out the incoming plasma balls. At the same time, the goo cannon moves along with it, firing at the beast, hoping to strike it. Though the monster leans side to side just enough to avoid the goo bath.
Just as the buggy comes within the beast’s striking range, Spyrix forces it to turn and starts circling the monster. Both cannons relentlessly fire, but with such erratic movement and Spyrix needing to concentrate on driving and aiming and firing the cannons, many shots miss. The beast comes to a skidding halt in its charge and spins around to whip its tail around. Spyrix tries to adjust the machine’s wheels into a bunny hop to go over the tail but is too slow and her vehicle is hit.
The battle machine is sent tumbling and Spyrix closes her optics, bracing herself. It rolls over several times before crashing into a building’s concrete side. When it stops moving, Spyrix opens her eyes and is relieved to find herself okay. She moves the controls, but the vehicle doesn’t move. Tires screech as it tries to pull itself out of the wall but fails to budge. Diagnostic panels appear on the vehicle HUD, showing major damage in body structure and malfunction in rear wheels. Spyrix starts moving the controls rapidly, trying to go in any direction to possibly get out.
Receon: …spyrix… SPYRIX! Look out!
Spyrix looks out towards the street and sees the beast land near with a loud thud. She quickly moves the controls, looking between the monster and the HUD. The buggy was stuck, but the cannons were still operations and could move. The hydro-cannon turns and launches its watery blasts, quenching the incoming plasma-fire as the beast approached. Spyrix tries aiming a shot for the goo cannon, but the burning monster was now jumping and partially flying, avoiding stray water blasts.
Spyrix: Come on, come on! Just stop already!
Suddenly, seemingly out of nowhere, the beast is shot down and crashes into the street. Spyrix is confused, probably as much as the monster, but it was already getting back up.
Receon: I know, it just won’t stay still!
Spyrix: …Receon?
Receon: Thank me later, just put it down while you still can!
Realizing this may be her only chance, Spyrix comes back into action and fires the goo cannon at the beast. It yelps a surprise and then is splattered in the face by goo, shutting it up. Spyrix fires relentlessly until it is covered in a heap of goo.
When she finally realizes the beast is fully down, she stops, staring at the controls, trying to calm herself. She closes her optics for a few seconds and opens them up again. Looking out at the city street, she sees a dropship landing. Civilians were coming out, cheering.
Receon: Come on Spyrix, no arguing this time, you’re coming back to HQ. Clean up crew will be here shortly.
Spyrix: …Receon…Since when did you break protocol to use remote Drop Ships for combat?
Receon: Since you’re delirious from low power, I’ll excuse that odd way of saying ‘Thanks.’
Spyrix ejects from the battle machine and slowly walks, boarding the Drop Ship. The ship closes up and heads off into space. Video switches to the inside of the ship, watching as Spyrix rests in her seat.
Spyrix: Thanks.
Receon: The board is going to recycle us for this, you know that?
Spyrix: We did what Heroes are supposed to do, if they have a problem with that, they can deal with it. We saved people.
There is silence for a moment.
Receon: Oh, and it was a rover by the way, not a buggy.
Spyrix: That’s still not a mech.
Receon: Do you think they’ll try to merchandise this one too?
Spyrix: I hope not, I don’t want to be another action figure.
Receon: What will they call this one? Fire Beast? Flame Beast?..No, Blazen Beast! Yeah!
Spyrix: Receon, that’s…okay, that’s not bad. But please don’t help them.
Receon: After what you put us through? No promises.
The image on screen pauses.
Spyrix (voiceover): To the Hero Review Board, I am fully aware that my actions not only put myself in jeopardy and possibly the Recon Team, but Hero Factory as a whole. I would like the board to consider that even though I acted proactively, I officially did not take public action until civilians called Hero Factory. As such, I have not violated the Hero Factory Galactic Enforcement Agreement with Cavapālor.
The only policy or law I believe to have potentially violated is Recon Noninvolvement. Recon agents are only to act or interfere with normal Hero work, with few exceptions, in the event of a Ruby class threat level. Given what we have learned about these Beasts and the danger they posed during Invasion from Below, I had no reason to believe that the Blazen Beast was anything other than a Ruby class threat or close enough to one.
If the board disagrees with my assessment and still finds me to be in violation, I have no regrets about my actions. I helped save the lives of many Antropolis City civilians and greatly lessened the potential property. And if I ever find myself in a similar position again, I will gladly do the same. I may be with Recon, but I’m still a hero to the core and you should expect nothing less.
Video ending…
End of Document.
“Yes, she’ll certainly do. Hopefully she trusts us.”
Well, hopefully this was enjoyable to read. Please let me know what you thought, I would very much appreciate comments and criticisms.