Launch Base Zone - Infiltration

[Gail Strafer]

[We're actually hiding in a ruined building from the old Launch Base zone, not a ship]

Gail still couldn't move very much, and he was seeing double. But he did hear a loud running and screeching sound. However he didn't know what it was.

"Guys...who's there? That voice...sounds familiar, but it's older than I remember."

[Sonic]

[aahh, sorry. Twas confused.]


“Who, me?” Sonic asked, somewhat surprised. Someone who didn’t know him? What, did she live under a rock or something for the past one hundred years? Instead of being a jerk about it though, he just answered.

“Sonic’s the name. Now how about you answer my question about what you kids are doin’ here, hmm?”

He folded his arms and began to tap his foot as he waited for an answer. He was a little edgy than usual; and felt a little unrest.

[Jijeka-Te]

(Ji) "It's a pleasure to meet you... Sonic. I am the respected pharaoh Jijeka-Te III, and beside me is my advisor Anu. As for what we're doing here... I scarcely know where to begin."

Ji tried to put on a polite face for the new arrival. She really had no idea Sonic was anybody important.

[Gail Strafer]

Gail's eyes slid open, albiet slowly, when the newcomer mentioned he was Sonic. However, his vision still came back swirled and blurred, as if he were swimming underwater. The wolf slowly twisted his head to get a better look.

That blue color was definitely familiar, but he sounded...older somehow. And he kind of looked older too. Gail thought he saw a scar running down his face.

"Sonic? Is it really you? You look kind of...old... My name is Gail Strafer by the way. Some SWATbots...got me real good with their stunguns a little while ago and I...I can't move that much yet."

He painfully lurched himself upwards to sit against a wall, with his body feeling as if it weighed three times what it normally did.

[Sonic]

Sonics eyes widened as he looked down on Gail.

“Old? Old?!!? I ain’t old!!” Sonic exclaimed defensively. Closing his eyes and looking away, he pounded on his chest. “ I’ve never felt more awesome in my life.”

Feeling now a bit awkward that he clearly was trying to not feel like he was in his mid thirties ( and more like he was at least in his twenties) looked back towards them; looking a little dysfunctional.

“ Anywho, I don’t need the whole story. Just tell me who’s doing all this? What, this some kind of new specter stuff? Looks….kinda old and crappy to me.” For a moment he ignored them as he looked to the left and down as he muttered to himself. “Then again there aren’t any specter towers up….”

[Jijeka-Te]

(Ji) Do they know each other? ...Maybe it's best not to prod on that. "I don't have the full story myself, but I think the others said somebody named Robotnik was behind the mining operation."

Anu had turned to check on Gail.

[Gail Strafer]

"You don't...look the same as the Sonic I know..."

Gail muttered, trying to stand. However, his limbs felt as if they weighed about twice as much as they normally did. Still, he tried standing tall and leaned against the wall to remain up.

"You look a lot older...did the dimensional merge screw around with you or somethin'? Anyway... I'm surprised you didn't notice all the Robotnik logos outside. Robotnik's trying to make it off the island with some emerald shards, and we're trying to stop him. Could really use your help, by the way. I don't think I need to ask you twice, huh?"

A thin, weak chuckle escaped from his lips. As he did this, Gail felt for his cigarettes, and sadly when he stuck his hand in the right pocket he felt they were crushed by all of his falls and jumping around. Still, he extracted a bent ciggy and lit up anyway. With what the stun guns did to him he'd take what he could get.

[Sonic]

He blinked at Gail, looking confused. He looked around behind him, scanning the horizon. Without even having to look hard, he saw the Robtonik Symbols everywhere. He turned back around to face them looking puzzled.

“Well, I’ll be damned. There –are- Robtonik logo’s out there! Huh, didn’t seem them before…” He paused as he reflected on his lack of attention to detail; as well as what Gail had told him. “ Yeah, ‘course. Granted I –would- like for you kids to get away, but I feel like that’s not going to happen. So, what’s the plan? Where are these….thingy-ma-bobs? Or, should I just go after old-man Robotnik myself?”

He didn’t question it allowed, but he did wonder what this all meant. And he was going to see for himself; and not just take someone’s word on it. It would be best that way, plus he wanted to cut to the chase instead of standing around and talking all day.

[Jijeka-Te]

Ji was too baffled by the hedgehog's jive talk to process his questions properly. "Well... ah..."

Anu stood back slightly from Gail, not being a fan of secondhand smoke.

[Gail Strafer]

"Thingy-ma-bobs? You mean the emerald shards? They're fragments of the Chaos Emeralds, but now they've been destroyed with only the shards remaining. I don't know where they are right now..."

Gail waved the hand with his ciggy around, stirring up smoke which would probably be to the other's dismay.

"I got shot in the back by some stun guns and I was out for a while. You two? Did you see anything while I was out?" He pointed the burning end of the cigarette at Ji and Anu.

When Sonic asked about a plan, that earned him another little laugh from Gail, this one much energetic than the little chuckle from before. The nicotine seemed to give the wolf a second wind. He spoke much more clearly now and he looked a lot more animated with his gestures.

"Plan? Plan? Haha...there is no plan. Well, except for just coming here and screwing things up for Egghead. But that's the way you roll, isn't it? Always seemed to work really good for you to just take the ol' bull by the horns. I'd like to come with you after Robotnik but I think I may need a minute more or so..."