Egg Command Tower

[Rampage]

After Robotnik sat back down again, he would hear a slow, dull clapping sound of flesh against unyielding metal. In the doorway stood Rampage, leaning up against the door frame.

"Nice speech, Boss. But speeches don't mold a world into submission. That's what you have me around for." Rampage strolled up towards the pair. By now, he'd begun to limp noticeably due to the two holes in his respective legs. Still, Rampage didn't seem to pay his wounds much notice.

"Oooohhh, a new toy, Doc?" Rampage grinned with delight as he caught sight of the menacing looking tank.

[Rose Fox]

“Yes, but I believe Rose would somewhat argue on the first thing…” Alta replied meekly, as though he was saying an aside. As soon as he heard the strange clapping sound, he curiously looked behind.

“What happened to you?” Alta asked, seeing the condition Rampage was in.

[Novus]

"That would be my fault." Novus said, stepping in the doorway next to Rampage. At this point Novus looked no better than Rampage, but was equally unphased by his wounds.

"My name is Novus, I'm a sword for hire looking for an employer. Sorry for roughing up you're security, but I wanted to make sure I had someones attention and I didn't see a doorbell anywhere." Novus said while bowing as much as his injuries would allow him.

[Dr. Robotnik]

While Robotnik looked rather jovial after giving that speech, his face went quite sour upon seeing Rampage. He turned to look away...until Rampage mentioned the new toy. He sighed, and shook his head as he looked back at the badger.

"No Rampage...you aren't driving it. It's for me, not for you." Robotnik sounded like an adult denying his teenage son the car for the evening.

But then Novus lent his voice to the conversation. Robotnik suddenly looked as if he'd seen a ghost as Novus crossed the threshold. The doctor started walking quickly towards the pair, pointing his finger squarely at Novus. The look of bewilderment and surprise quickly gave way to a molten anger that appeared to be boiling over hotter and hotter every second.

"You... Who are YOU?" The doctor continued moving forwards. Novus explaining who he was only appeared to agitate Robotnik even more. He clenched his fists and shook them from how hard he clutched them. When Novus finished, the doctor turned to look straight at Rampage, with his finger still on the bounty hunter. "You let HIM into my lab? Right after he got done fighting my swatbots and you?! He could be a Soleanna spy for all you know!"

The doctor whirled around on the spot, and moved quickly to cover the tank up with the sheet again, to keep Novus from having a look at it. All the while he kept screaming longer and longer, although now that he was beginning to get hoarse he mercifully got a bit more quiet.

"You idiot Rampage! You don't just bring up your new best friend in here! This isn't a clubhouse! There's sensitive info in here!"

As he dragged the sheet off the floor, he shouted out, "GUARDS! Get this swordsman out of here!" Loud metallic footsteps would soon be heard in the corridor behind Novus and Rampage.

[Rampage]

Rampage rolled his eyes like he were dealing with an infant going into a temper tantrum. This Robotnik was an awfully paranoid one. He'd have to keep that in mind.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you..." Rampage warned with an almost sing-song voice. His eyes already had shifted to where Novus' sword was kept. If Novus planned to defend himself, Rampage was more than eager to join him.

The thought of Novus being a spy hadn't really cross Rampage's mind to be perfectly honest. But on the other hand, the fact Novus didn't know anything about the dimension merge did lend some weight to the notion Novus didn't even know what Solenna was, let alone a spy for them. But he'd let Novus make the next move. If he's, it'll come out on its own. If not, Rampage knows he's a good fighter; and a mercenary that can fight well is best kept on friendly terms rather than allowing him to work for your enemies.

[Rose Fox]

“Umm, Doctor? Don’t you think that you are jumping to conclusions?” Alta spoke up, cringing at his yelling (because it was loud). Even though he didn’t know the guy, Alta wasn’t one for conflict. True, the man may be some sort of spy, but the Doctor could, at least, try and be a little more civil. After all, he could –not- be a spy, and if there’s one thing that you don’t want to is scare off supporters. Regardless of how ‘supportive’ they are.

“Can’t you just ask him to go with the robots and then test him to see if he’s a spy? I mean, what if he isn’t?”

[Novus]

Taken aback by the outburst, Novus stopped smiling temporarily and put on the closest thing to a grimace since he'd arrived in this world, while locking his eyes stoicly with Robotnik. After a moment he began to speak again, this time in a cold, buisiness like tone. "A spy, me? Not likely, I've never been one for a subtle approach. Where I'm from, I'm known as the Mercenary King. I have no idea how to get back there, or where I am now for that matter, so I'm looking to make an equally infamous reputation for myself here. I came to offer you my alliegence because I heard you are the most ruthless military power, so I can use you to seek battle and treasure. I will grant you one free service to prove my loyalty as is the custom of my faction. Should you purchase my contract, you will have my loyalty until one of us dies or its terms expire."

That said, Novus stood perfectly still, waiting for Robotnik's answer, or to cut down the guards that might come for him at any time.

[Dr. Robotnik]

Robotnik honestly wasn't paying much attention to what anyone else was saying, as he hurriedly covered the tank back up with the sheet. Robotnik didn't let just anyone into this lab. This was meant to be a secure area. But it was more than that. Robotnik considered this place sacred ground. Intruding in here was a bit like intruding into the most holy place of a temple, as far as he was concerned. In his mind, Rampage and Novus had just committed a grave offense indeed.

As Robotnik finished getting the tarp back in place, a new alert came up on his personal communicator. Swat Surveillance squawked over the radio to him about something that seemed equally unimportant. "Robotnik, a fire has just broken out in Housing Block 45-07. We are currently investigating the cause. Do you wish to take any special precautions?"

"Not now! I'm busy! Who cares about the slave's apartments anyway?"

But then he caught the last bit of Novus' speech.

"I will grant you one free service to prove my loyalty as is the custom of my faction. Should you purchase my contract, you will have my loyalty until one of us dies or its terms expire."

The doctor blinked several times.

My my...I'm amazed how well that worked itself out. It gets him out of the lab, he gets this stupid job he wants, and I don't have to resort to violence.

The doctor looked up at Novus and shouted at him across the room, giving him a nice little smile.

"You want work? Okay, go find out who just started the fire in Housing Block 45-07 and beat him up. Sound good? Oh, and you can go with him Rampage if you want. I really don't care. Just go. And next time please arrange for me to meet new recruits somewhere else, okay?"

The SWATbots finally arrived on the scene, and raised their stun guns at Novus. Robotnik quickly raised his hands.

"Wait wait...hold on. No need for that now. Just let them through. Thank you."

The SWATbots obediently moved to the sides of the hall so that Novus and Rampage could leave.

[Rampage]

Rampage shrugged his shoulders in disappointment. He didn't like the idea of having to track down some idiot arsonist. Of course, the order to specifically beat up said arsonist did do some to cheer him up. And considering this was liable to be a boring task to find this clown, he'd make sure to pound this bozo senseless.

"Alright, fine... have fun with your new tank!" Rampage called out rather sourly. "Oh, by the way, you might want to widen the tracks on that thing. You hit a patch of mud and all you're going to do is spin your treads!"

[Rose Fox]

Alta simply sighed. He was relived that a conflict didn’t start out right next to him. It wouldn’t have been a pleasant thing to feel. He looked over towards the Doctor, waiting for whatever was going to happen next.