James

[color=#507AAC]The terrorist thing really was a rhetorical question. Nobody would answer the question by saying "Oh yes! The terrorists will tell us what they're doing next! Of COURSE!". I agree with pretty much 100% of what he said. I agreed with his stance on drug treatment, the fight against AIDS in Africa, the economy, partial birth abortions (I only support choice in the early periods of fetal development), terrorism, the environment and energy policy...pretty much everything. It was a good speech with plenty of substance, I thought. I've never agreed more with President Bush.[/color]

[color=#507AAC]Obviously it has to coincide with our other rules. ~_^ *puts away "Debbie Does OB" cards*[/color]

[color=#507AAC]I don't mind if you create a thread about card games in Otaku Lounge; as long as you don't discuss DragonBall/Yu-Gi-Oh or whatever else exists. Card games that are covered by specific forums should remain in their respective places. But other card games can be discussed in Otaku Lounge, by all means.[/color]

[color=#507AAC]Okayzaki, try and put a little more effort into your posts please. One word posts are against our rules. ^_^;[/color]

[color=#507AAC]Proteus was unable to get any rest that evening. He had spent most of the day wandering back and forth in his room, occasionally glancing through the window at the beach below. Throughout the afternoon and early evening, as the sun drifted lazily over the horizon, the sound of heavy transport vehicles periodically broke the otherwise silent atmosphere. In one instance, a transport came so close to Proteus' room that the heat from its sizeable thrusters created a film of steam on the window. Proteus had watched the transport vehicles descending from somewhere high above to the beach far below. They came every fifteen minutes or so and each one settled on the sand directly behind the previous vehicle. And so it continued for several hours. More and more transport vehicles, until at around eleven o'clock, nearly the entire coastline was dotted with black transports and accompanying security and maintenance vehicles. The utterly obedient Protogen Units knew their mission and did not hesitate to assemble themselves in neat groups within each transport vehicle. Proteus guessed that each vehicle was loaded with anywhere from ten to sixteen Protogen Units. In the time he had left, Proteus continued to ponder the future. He didn't consider his own fate so much; it was more a question of the Hunters and how they would handle this new onslaught. Proteus also knew that even though most of these transports would probably be shot down well before hitting their mark, the fact remained that many parts of the Maverick Hunter HQ complex was made up of scientists and their families. Proteus felt that perhaps the other Hunters would understand such an attack; they were military units. They had been designed for battle from the ground up and none of them were afraid of death itself. However, the scientists and their families were merely doing the bidding of the United Nations, under the direct supervision of the Hunter HQ Administration. How would they react? And how would the public of Novus Concordia react? That city had faced hard times, perhaps even [i]more[/i] hard times had befallen that place since the apocalypse. It was a city created for peace and stability, but already it had seen air-strikes and street battles of various kinds, terrorist attacks and now even further and more unpredictable violence. Proteus remembered what Echo had told him earlier, about why Dr. Karman felt such hatred for the Maverick Hunters. He remembered hearing of her little boy and the infamous air-strike that had killed him and all but destroyed her life's work. Proteus was not certain that the Hunters even [i]knew[/i] about Dr. Karman's research and family at that point. Or at least, that they were in the area at the time. Furthermore, Proteus wondered if Dr. Karman was considering the children of the scientists at Hunter HQ. If they died, would she take the responsibility that the Hunters had never taken? Proteus couldn't answer any of these questions, but for once he did not attempt to try. His goal now was very clear; escape Red Alert 05 and return to Hunter HQ. Of course, this was easier said that done. For one thing, it would be necessary to find the GPS chip that had been installed within his nervous system. And removing it might be quite a difficult (if not impossible) task. The clock on the wall (as well as Proteus' internal clock) indicated that it was now midnight. No more transport vehicles were descending the mountainside, though Proteus could clearly hear the distant whirring and humming of their plasma engines. Just as Proteus was wondering where he could possibly be, the door opened and Echo slowly entered the room. He smiled at Proteus briefly and then peered around the doorway from where he'd entered the room; a last minute check for security droids, no doubt. But all seemed to be clear, as evidenced by Echo's vibrant "thumbs up" gesture. He turned around and opened his large chest plate with a "click". Inside, Proteus saw a small array of basic repair tools and monitoring devices. Echo had come prepared. "What's the first step?" asked Proteus, as he sat on the edge of the bed. Echo busily removed the tools from his chest and lay them neatly on the counter nearby. "First thing's first," he replied. "We need to remove these GPS sensors". "How are you going to do that? You don't even know where they are!" Proteus crossed his arms and looked over the tools on the counter. None of them seemed to be of any real use. Echo grabbed a small wrench-like tool, which was glowing at one end. He waved it in the air as he spoke, "Well, I [i]know[/i] where the GPS units are. They are situated in the back of your neck...right next to your spinal column. I'll need to remove a small piece of metal from there and cut the membranes that attach the GPS unit to your nervous system." Proteus nodded slowly. It made sense. But something suddenly occurred to him. "Won't some sort of alarm go off if the wires are cut?" Echo paused for a moment before answering, as if it was necessary to choose his words wisely. "Uhh, no...I don't think so. I mean, I've never really done this before. So I'm not sure." Proteus faked a smile. [i]Never really done this before?[/i] He sighed. It didn't matter now anyway. Dr. Karman's attack was about to commence and he didn't have time to argue or discuss the finer points of the procedure. Proteus stood up and took the nearby chair in his hand. He sat it in front of Echo and sat down on it, with his back to the ex-Maverick. Proteus prudently deactivated his sensory program; having your spinal column operated on without anaesthesia would hardly be a walk in the park. But just as he deactivated the program, he felt a firm pressure on the back of his neck. Echo was attaching the skin back in place with a special welding unit. "All done," he said. Proteus stood up and nodded. "Do you want me to remove yours?" he asked. "No, I made sure to remove it before I got here. If I hadn't, they'd know I was here by now," whispered Echo. Echo hastily bundled the tools back inside his chest cavity and closed the opening. He approached the doorway and peered out into the hall once more. Proteus noticed him looking back and smiling a moment later, indicating that the coast was clear. But it wasn't clear for very long. The pair heard a high-pitched whirring sound coming from the eastern end of the corridor. It was a service droid. And by the sound of it, the little droid was rapidly approaching Proteus' room. Echo quickly pulled his head from the doorway and in his haste, stumbled backwards on his own feet. The resulting thud of his enormous body hitting the wooden floor sent reverberations throughout the entire hallway. Proteus cringed; he had a good idea of what was coming next. And sure enough, he was right. An air-raid-like alarm was instantly audible (to just about everyone on the mountain, Proteus thought to himself). Echo looked up at Proteus and frowned awkwardly. "Uhh, P-Proteus...what do we do?!" Proteus rolled his eyes and grabbed Echo's hand, helping him to his feet. He stared Echo in the eye and spoke carefully. "We don't have time. We've got to go [i]now![/i]" He quickly jumped over to the other side of the bed and pushed it in front of the door, blocking at least one security droid who had been the first to respond to the alarm. Proteus desperately dashed over to the window and looked out over the beach once more. He hastily activated his zoom lenses and night vision program, scanning the beach for a way out. And there it was! Proteus spotted an empty transport vehicle near a small bunker. The other vehicles (which contained the Protogen Units) were almost full and ready for take off. They had very little time left. Proteus guessed that it might be possible to fly amongst the outgoing vehicles in order to disguise their escape. Proteus turned to face Echo, who was pushing the bed against the doorway with all his might; at least three security droids were now trying to force their way in. Thankfully, Echo was much larger and stronger than all three combined. But both Echo and Proteus could hear the footsteps and hydraulic hisses of more droids in the distance. It wouldn't be long before the pair were confronted with overwhelming opposition. "We're going to need to go through the window!" shouted Proteus. He needed to shout just to be heard; the alarm was deafening and the clank of heavy robotics in the corridors of the building was growing louder. Proteus grabbed Echo's arm and dragged him toward the window. Almost immediately, the bed began grinding its way across the floor as several security droids forced it out of the way. Proteus held Echo's arm tight and threw himself at the window. His body easily penetrated the window with a deafening smash of broken glass. Echo closed his eyes and held Proteus tight. At first, he felt like they were falling very quickly. But then the sensation changed; he felt a lot lighter. It was almost like the rapid change one experience in a fast moving elevator. A quick rush in one direction and then a sudden equilization of one's equilibrium. Echo slowly opened his eyes and saw a vast canopy of leaves and branches disappearing below. "I'm flying!" he exclaimed excitedly. Proteus rolled his eyes. "We're hovering, Echo," he said calmly. And so they were. Echo looked over Proteus' shoulder (which he was clutching tightly). He noticed that the blue wedge-shaped trips on Proteus' feet were glowing a vivid blue. "Anti-gravity. How amazing!" "Yeah, it's great. But it's limited. And with the added weight, it won't last long. We're getting close to the beach now though...so it should be okay," said Proteus. Initially, the pair had heard frequent bursts of gunfire as they first leapt from the window. But now they heard no such noise. They were fast approaching the base of the mountain, which was significantly darker than their previous location. Perhaps they'd evaded the Red Alert 05 forces? Finally, after what seemed like an eternity in the air (and far too much excited rambling on the part of Echo), Proteus' feet touched the sand. He was glad to disengage the anti-gravity program, because the glow from his feet may have attracted unwanted attention had they continued any further. The pair trapsed across the sand for a few minutes and finally saw the lone transport vehicle. "Finally!" exclaimed Proteus. He ran over to the vehicle and scanned it carefully, so as to ensure that nobody was inside. It was clean. He motioned for Echo to take up the driver's seat. "You pilot. I'm going to sit in the back and arm myself. You never know what resistance we might face out there," said Proteus as he pulled the rear door open and stepped inside the cavernous loading platform. Echo donned a pilot's headset and quickly found his way around the vehicle's control display. He seemed to know what he was doing, which encouraged Proteus greatly. "Let's go!" cried Echo, as the transport's engines rumbled to life.[/color]

[color=#507AAC]Cheats will not create a disc read error. That will only happen if you have a faulty disc, a scratched disc or a problematic laser in your PS2. However, cheats [i]will[/i] occasionally mess with your game. It depends which cheats you use though. If you just use the weapon and car cheats and stuff, it's fine. But some cheats do cause issues. So if you intend to cheat and save as well, be careful. ~_^[/color]

[color=#507AAC]It'd be nice if this topic made some sort of sense... Meier_Link, I recommend being a little more clear in exactly what you want to discuss. Things aren't going very well so far.[/color]

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by NeoCactuar [/i] [B] But seriously, i see where you are coming from James. Hideo Kijoma said himself, i asked my design team to create a beautiful man, and as i recall... His design team thought he was joking. Hehehe. [/B][/QUOTE] [color=#507AAC]Yes! That's right. Hideo Kojima actually told his staff that he wanted a beautiful man, which is why Raiden has a very androgynous look. Anyway, yeah...what else...I think Fox from Star Fox looked great, as Rico pointed out. The fur effects were amazing and the general facial animation was top notch. I am also in awe of the characters from Silent Hill 2 and 3. The same could probably be said about that guy from RE4...the detail is just getting so insane now. Even the hair is looking really realistic. [/color]

[color=#507AAC]The IGN videos of this game are gorgeous, although they're taken with a video camera...so that kind of sucks. Anyway, yeah, this game is looking wonderful. The impressions I've read say that it handles the same as the GBA/N64 versions, but obviously has updated graphics. The visuals are especially amazing when you see how fast this game runs. The vehicles can travel at up to 1,500 kilometers per hour, which gives you an idea of the kind of speed we're talking about. In any case, it would be GREAT to see some kind of track editor here...but I doubt it'll happen. Still, it's a great thought.[/color]

[color=#507AAC]Smashing Pumpkins forums...ahh, can you smell the scent of spam in the air? ^_^ No need to be angry, friend. We make our policies [i]very[/i] clear on our rules page. And we insist that members read the rules before joining. If you fail to do so, that is a risk you take when posting. We advocate high quality posts; in terms of spelling/grammar and of course, [i]effort[/i]. You'll notice that there are members who can say the silliest of things without being banned. This is because we don't ban based on [i]what[/i] you say. We ban based on the effort you use in relation to our rules. Let's face it, nobody's forcing you to be here. This is an open marketplace. If you don't like us and you prefer another board, that's cool. But for those who [i]want[/i] a high-quality, spam-free environment...well, we're provoding that. Not everyone will like it, just as not everyone will like anime and gaming. It doesn't mean we're tyrants, it just means that we have different standards that appeal to a certain audience.[/color]

[color=#507AAC]Nintendo controls something like 97.8% of the handheld market. I don't think they need help in "winning". ~_^ Having said that, the GBA:SP will go a long way in solidifying their position. I'm really pleased that it was announced; I'm really looking forward to it.[/color]

[color=#507AAC]I've thought about getting a tattoo, but I don't know if I'd get one just yet. I've been thinking of getting a little "R" on my butt (*giggles*) or the small of my back. But I don't know if I'll do that yet...it's sort of a private thing. Anyway, yeah...I wouldn't get some huge tattoo because obviously it's harder to cover up. Plus, when you get old (as has been said), it might look horrible. Of course, the rest of my skin would be wrinkly when I'm old lol...so that doesn't matter much. That's why, if I get one, I'd get one in a private place so that only my partner can see it.[/color]

[color=#507AAC]Nope. Getting smileys is easy. I could sit here and get another 500 if I wanted to waste the time. D_A seems to be saying that he wants [i]3D[/i] smileys...something which is a lot more rare. And he's offering to make custom ones. So, if he wants to do that, I'd be willing to look at them.[/color]

[color=#507AAC]Ginny, you're correct about the comics. I used to buy them religeously. lol They were great. And really, very unlike the Sonic games. In fact, I'd say that they were Sonic in name only. Their stories ended up being totally different. But the art was always very impressive and the stories were certainly quite acceptable. The anime movie (which I still have...good as new) was [i]okay[/i]. The problem is that it didn't really have much of a story at all, unlike the American interpretations. But having said that, the art was quite good and the voices/characters were generally more true to the games, because they were created by Sonic Team. I have no idea where this new anime will fall. But I really hope that it delivers something more. It certainly [i]looks[/i] interesting so far.[/color]

[color=#507AAC]Erm...have you seen our [i]entire[/i] gallery? 97 smileys in there...that's a pretty big gallery. I can't think of a site with more in a single forum. In terms of 3D ones...you can make some if you like. Just email them to [email][email protected][/email] and I'll add them if their quality is okay and if I have time. [/color]

[color=#507AAC]Well let's face it, you could easily say the same about DB/DBZ. Probably even moreso. Really, I don't imagine that Sonic would have a story that lends itself to an adult audience. The same could be said of Mario. But, like Mario, it's a subject matter that older fans can enjoy and appreciate. I tend to find that these shows are made for both kids and adults. The "comedic" Sonic series had some quite clever lines in it on occasion; lines that the average 12 year old simply wouldn't pick up. So there's potentially some value there for everyone.[/color]

[color=#507AAC]Hm, this is interesting. The original Sonic anime (which had members of Sonic Team involved) was pretty poor. In fact, none of the Sonic animes have really ever been any good. I hope that this anime can bring something different to the table. The other animes have always had something unique about them...or at least, some sort of potential. It'd be nice to see the series take off in a big way. I must say though, I don't think people here are always discussing so-called "mainstream" anime. Some of the threads lately in particular have been focused on far less mainstream subjects. I think most people are open to new things, especially when it comes to anime. Ultimately though, we all have our tastes. I don't think that discussing "mainstream" anime (and even that is a somewhat subjective term) is a bad thing at all. As long as you're enjoying it, that's the main thing. EDIT: Oh and...I nearly forgot. I always felt that the American Sonic cartoons were a lot better than the Japanese ones. As most of you know, there were two major kinds. There was the more "serious" version...with that Princess (I forget her name...ugh). And there was the more comedic version (which I actually quite enjoyed; some of it was really quirky and offbeat). I would [i]love[/i] to see a really fleshed-out anime series coming from Japan...*sighs* That'd be great. I'm such a big Sonic fan. ^_^[/color]

[color=#507AAC]Correct, Foredaddy. It's okay to post any OB-related questions here. It's much easier for them to be answered here than by sending me a PM.[/color]

[color=#507AAC]People think of discrimination as a bad word. But it's not a bad word depending on the context. If someone has "discriminating tastes", for instance...it means they are choosy about something. That doesn't mean they're racist or prejudice against other people. The job of a Moderator is to [i]discriminate[/i] between the acceptable and the non acceptable posts/threads. If you read the rules and abide by 'em, chances are that you won't have any threads or posts deleted. It's as simple as that. If you post something problematic, it'll be removed. I don't see how anyone can take that personally...it's how we operate and how we've always operated.[/color]

[color=#507AAC]Ahh yes. Flash, did you see that?! Hehe. Er...inside joke, I guess. ^_^ But yeah, Viewtiful Joe looks [i]incredibly[/i] funky. I'm looking forward to that more than any other Capcom game right now (yes, even RE4...and I'm a pretty big RE fan). *sighs* 2003 is going to be a great year for gaming...[/color]

[color=#507AAC]Yep, yep and yep. The custom titles for staff are a different matter. Category Moderators have custom titles because it's part of their job title. Sometimes I add a temp title to someone as a little joke, but they don't get to choose their title or keep that title for long.[/color]

[color=#507AAC][i]Half an hour after Protogen left the room, Proteus was still sitting there by the window. He watched the units on the beach carefully. And within minutes, the walls of his room began to shake. He could hear the engines of several transport craft humming in unison. The vehicles were hovering over the building he was in and were slowly making their way down the side of the mountainside complex toward the beach. Proteus had no doubt that Red Alert would be conducting its operation soon. But before he had time to ponder the issue more carefully, the door to his room slid open once more. A small Service Droid rolled in and began cleaning the floor by itself. But it wasn't alone; it was followed by a mid-sized replimaster! Proteus' eyes widened and he instinctively armed his buster and aimed it at the approaching replimaster. The replimaster held its hands up infront of it and gestured for Proteus to lower his weapon.[/i] [b]???:[/b] Hey hey...it's okay. I'm not here to hurt you Proteus...please don't aim that at me. [i]Proteus glared at the replimaster and slowly lowered his buster. He prudently kept it armed.[/i] [b]Proteus:[/b] Who the hell are you? [i]The replimaster sat down on Proteus' bed and looked around, as if to make sure that nobody was listening.[/i] [b]Echo:[/b] My name is Echo. I wish we could meet under more pleasant circumstances... [i]Echo lowered his head and sighed. Proteus disarmed his buster and took a breath. This was so confusing. A replimaster here? Not wanting to hurt Proteus? Proteus was compelled to find the truth.[/i] [b]Proteus:[/b] Okay, look...I have no idea what's going on here. I need some answers! [i]Echo nodded, knowingly.[/i] [b]Echo:[/b] I know, I know. You [i]must[/i] have a great deal of questions. What do you want to know? [i]Proteus ran a hand through his fibre optic hair and sighed.[/i] [b]Proteus:[/b] I want to know...why I'm here...and why I was spared. [i]Echo nodded again and sat a little further back on the bed.[/i] [b]Echo:[/b] Well, you're here because Dr. Karman wants you to be here. She originally implanted you at Hunter HQ for infiltration purposes...but when she discovered that she was unable to control you remotely, she took up a permanent position there under cover. And, well...you pretty much saw what happened at the Communication Tower. She's not what she seems. [b]Proteus:[/b] Hah! That's for sure... [b]Echo:[/b] Yes, well...I'm not sure why you're here exactly. But she must still feel as though she owns you. [b]Proteus:[/b] So why are [i]you[/i] here? [b]Echo:[/b] I'm like you, Proteus. I am one of her creations...and I was independent enough not to do her bidding. So she keeps me here. I can move around this place freely but I can't ever leave. Both you and I have been implanted with location sensors. If we try to leave...well...we wouldn't last long. [b]Proteus:[/b] So we [i]are[/i] prisoners here? [i]Echo nodded and sighed again.[/i] [b]Echo:[/b] Yes. It's unfortunate...and I wish things were different. [b]Proteus:[/b] Protogen was in here earlier...he was telling me about those suicide units out there. Doesn't Dr. Karman realize that they won't even cause a dent on the HQ? [i]Echo nodded.[/i] [b]Echo:[/b] Of course. That's not why she's deploying them. [b]Proteus:[/b] ...Oh? [b]Echo:[/b] She has access to Maverick Hunter HQ mission information. So, she knows that the elite squads and several other battlegroups are about to embark on a new mission within the city. That is when she'll strike. By causing [i]some[/i] damage and panic, she's aiming to discredit the Maverick Hunters. [b]Proteus:[/b] But why would she do that? I still don't understand her intentions. [b]Echo:[/b] Years ago, the Hunters conducted an airstrike on an area within the city. Dr. Karman's central research laboritory was located there. The airstrike destroyed much of her key research. The strike also killed her little boy... [b]Proteus:[/b] ... [b]Echo:[/b] She's been able to build the Red Alert underground network...and here we are today. She wants nothing less than the removal of the Hunters. But she knows that it can't be done through sheer force; nobody in the world can defeat the Hunters in a frontal attack. [b]Proteus:[/b] Yeah...so she uses terrorism and subversive tactics to defeat the enemy. I see. [i]Echo nodded. His face looked very worn, as though he'd been through many battles.[/i] [b]Proteus:[/b] What next? [i]Echo smiled softly.[/i] [b]Echo:[/b] Next...you and I are going to figure out how to get out of here. We need to let the Hunters know what's going on here. If they knew the location of this base, they could [i]easily[/i] destroy the Red Alert organization. [i]Proteus felt reinvigorated. Now he had a specific goal and purpose.[/i] [b]Proteus:[/b] Right. When do you want to take action? [b]Echo:[/b] I'll come back here at midnight. It won't be easy though; I'll have to dodge the security guards...and if they find me, who knows what they'll do. [i]Proteus smiled.[/i] [b]Proteus:[/b] You'll be okay. We [i]must[/i] do this. [i]Echo stood up and walked over to Proteus. He shook Proteus' hand and nodded in agreement. Proteus felt nervous for the rest of the evening, as zero hour approached...[/i][/color]

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Sara [/i] [B][size=1]Cool beans. Heh. They're just fun to take.[/size] [/B][/QUOTE] [color=#507AAC]Yeah, I'm really surprised by how much people seem to like these things. You know, up until yesterday, I had no idea what this site was all about. Normally I get some sort of advanced notice from Adam about what we're working on (especially if I'm somehow involved). He just told me that he wanted me to design the Guru...but I still had no details of what exactly it was going to be about. Hehe, it's funny...I'm glad that people are enjoying it all. ^_^[/color]

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Sara [/i] [B][size=1] Are more quizzes going to added eventually, or will this just be a static part of the site?[/size] [/B][/QUOTE] [color=#507AAC]More will come in the future. ^_^[/color]

[color=#507AAC][i]Proteus opened his eyes and stared at the cold white ceiling above. It was devoid of markings or form, though Proteus was used to such sights by now. He wondered what the future could possibly hold. This strange Japanese island was the most alien place he'd ever visited; it seemed that the local authorities hated reploids. Either that, or they'd been ordered to kill Proteus as soon as he landed. Proteus suspected the latter, primarily because of Dr. Karman. Why was she here? Proteus guessed that this was her base of operations, though he had no idea how she'd been able to set up such a system under the very noses of Hunter HQ. Nonetheless, Proteus was infamous for thinking too much. Given the circumstances, this was understandable. But right now, Proteus knew that his primary goal was to escape the facility. He turned his head to one side and noticed a string of advanced computer equipment next to his bed. There was a white shelf jutting out from the right-hand side wall of the room and it was littered with various monitoring devices. To his surprise, Proteus found that he was able to adjust his zoom and view the distant computer monitor with ease. Had his sytems been somehow repaired? Proteus looked over the monitor carefully. Indeed, it was true; the monitor included a diagram of Proteus' exoskeleton with various technical overlays criss-crossing it. On the bottom right of the panel, Proteus saw the words "100% Regenerated". Why would they repair him? Proteus tried to lift his head and look around. He noticed that the room was actually more pleasant than he had first thought. The far side of the room contained a large window, through which Proteus could see the ocean in the distance. And to his left, Proteus saw a small docking bay (for body repairs) and a table and chair. At the end of his bed, he saw a small dresser with various armor parts inside (he used his basic scanners to detect the form of the parts within the dresser). To his surprise, once again, Proteus noticed that he wasn't tied down to the bed. Yet his limbs felt unusually heavy. He sat up slowly and ran his fingers through his fibre optic hair.[/i] [b]Proteus:[/b] So here I am...what now? [i]Suddenly, the door opened with a high-pitched "swoosh". In stepped another reploid. Proteus had to do a double-take; the reploid looked remarkably similar to himself. The only major difference was that instead of blue eyes, the reploid had a green tinge to his eyes. The reploid stood in front of Proteus and bowed gracefully. It sat down on a nearby chair and smiled, as if waiting for discussion to begin.[/i] [b]Proteus:[/b] Uhh...who are you? [i]The reploid cocked its head slightly, as though it didn't understand the question. Its eyes were fixed on Proteus.[/i] [b]Protogen:[/b] My name is Protogen. I already know who you are. [i]Proteus faked an awkward smile. This odd reploid made him feel very uncomfortable. Everything seemed so alien. He was in some sort of prison, yet it wasn't exactly a prison. It was almost as though he was a guest here.[/i] [b]Proteus:[/b] I...I don't know why I'm here. Why did they repair me earlier? [i]Protogen blinked. Proteus could hear the soft whirring coming from his in-built ventilation system. He must have been a slightly older model; newer model reploids contained sound proof skins.[/i] [b]Protogen:[/b] It is common practice to serve guests well. [i]Proteus stood up slowly. He didn't feel weak or damaged at all. In fact, his internal diagnostic program was telling him that everything was okay.[/i] [b]Proteus:[/b] I still don't understand. What is this place?' [b]Protogen:[/b] This place is Red Alert 05. It is the most recent installation for our crusade. [b]Proteus:[/b] Crusade? [i]Protogen nodded slowly.[/i] [b]Protogen:[/b] Yes. Our crusade against the oppressors. [i]Proteus was, for the first time in his life, frightened. He realized this immediately, as the emotion was strange to him. He was not afraid of death but apparently he was afraid of the unknown.[/i] [b]Proteus:[/b] Crusade against [i]who?[/i] [i]Protogen paused and stared straight forward, as if he had been frozen in time. Proteus heard a "click" coming from somewhere in Protogen's upper body, which prompted him back into life.[/i] [b]Protogen:[/b] The Maverick Hunters. [i]Proteus sat down on the bed once more. [/i] [b]Proteus:[/b] I don't understand, Protogen. Why do you want to hurt the Maverick Hunters? [i]Protogen started blankly at Proteus.[/i] [b]Protogen:[/b] The Maverick Hunters are our enemy. They cast a dark shadow over Mother...and now we will defeat them in a way that they can't possibly prepare for. [i]Proteus stood up once more and walked over to the window. Protogen approached him and pointed down toward the beach, which was situated several miles away (the building Proteus was in was on the side of a mountain amongst a dense forest). Proteus looked toward the beach and saw hundreds of small dots. He zoomed in rapidly and gasped to himself. There they were, hundreds of Protogen units standing in alignment.[/i] [b]Proteus:[/b] But, they don't have any busters...what are they for? [b]Protogen:[/b] They are our saviors. They are the bringers of death. [i]Proteus looked over the units on the beach once more. They indeed had no busters and they all featured the same blank expression that Protogen posessed.[/i] [b]Proteus:[/b] ... [b]Protogen:[/b] They are each bringers of fire and pain. They do not need busters for attack. They only need their own bodies, laden with E-107. [i]Proteus put his hand to his mouth. His eyes were wide. E-107 was a powerful explosive that the Hunters had experimented with in the past. These units were not designed to fight. They were designed to suicide...[/i][/color]