-¤Reincarnation¤-

"Would you say then that your reactions are purely feral?" Sextus turned questioningly to Echo for just a tiny breath before he continued harrying the control board that only barley responded to his finger's touch, "Do you fight only for yourself, to survive?"

"I probably do," Echo answered, "All of this makes me think I was a warrior in my past. Even you..." he continued, "Even you guys said I was the most powerful NeoClonoid. If I remember correctly, NeoClonoids are fighting cyborgs, right? If so, that basically means you're saying I'm the most powerful warrior here. But how did I prove myself in the past? I mean, if I can't remember, I ain't no more, no?"

"As far as I know the story, you never did prove yourself," Sextus stood to his full height as he spoke the words, "In fact, the battle that your most well known for is the one that got you branded a traitor. If memory serves, you ran, but I can't seem to remember why." He smiled slightly at Echo before turning towards the control panel with a less desirable look. Waving a hand at it he said, "This is completely useless. I doubt that this component will ever see commission again..."

"It's almost dead since a long time," Echo answered, "with all this vegetation."
Then Echo thought about what Sextus had previously said. "So... That's why I got captured... And then I was stuck here, by the other Clonoids. Why do people call me the most powerful Clonoids, if, if, they never knew what I've done in the past? Why did I join the Clonoids in the first place? I need to find out." Echo looked around. He then spotted the hole where Akito had barged into. He jumped out of it, the light of the sun almost blinding him, after the years in darkness. He put a hand up to his eyes.

Sextus's hand raised carefully to the com-link attached to to his ear under his hair. "Tirtius, follow him and see if you can't place a bead on him, and for heaven's sake try and make it discreet this time," Sextus said the words in a mock serious manner but then dropping his tone into deep feeling, "A big fish just entered our pond, Tirtius, don't get yourself killed just yet." With that his hand dropped to his side as he gazed about the temple's expansive inner sanctum, or what had once been a place of sanctuary. Long had it been a place of peace and comfort, reduced in moments to a home only to those plants that could survive in a wasteland. A sudden crackle in his auditory nerve brought him out of revelry. "Copy that," it was Tirtius acknowledging the order, "Sorry it took me. I can't find that girl that we met on the way in here, anywhere. My suggestion would be that you bug out before she comes back with a squad or worse." Sextus nodded and began jogging towards the hole in the wall, well, the big hole. As he climbed out he took one last look back. "Strange device..." he spoke at the darkness, "Perhaps you will see use someday soon, my friend. Sleep well." And then he was gone.

Meanwhile, Tirtius's feet were pounding the ground as he ran to catch up with Echo. Seeing a Clonoid run is a very interesting thing. They look human, and they run just like humans do, but they are much faster. Some find it frightening, most soldiers just find it annoying, but Clonoids tend to find it exhilarating, especially the ones that remember being human. Tirtius had no recollection of his past, but he still found running to be a great joy. Moving fast in general was his own personal epiphany. So he was, trying to make himself as quiet as possible while maintaining a velocity that would allow him to get close enough to 'tag' Echo Hunter. For this purpose, the 'tagging', he grabbed his long-range weapon, a contraption that could best be equated with a P-90, and switched over to the 'marker' mode.

The transport rattled slightly as a gust hit it. The group was mostly silent. Secundus was smugly cleaning his gun, Primus was 'busily' attending to the two GyroClonoids, and Septimus was sitting quietly by Serenity as she rested. The jostling of the transport made her body shake, but Septimus put firm hands upon her to steady her. She turned blind eyes on the AlphaClonoid with a look of compassion on that face that bore no feeling. His own visage was one of pain. "That was hard," he said in a low tone. "I know," she said in a sad voice, "But you did well." He looked away for a moment, his face contorting, before returning his eyes to Alos. "He could've killed you," it was obvious that he was beginning to lose control of his voice, she could hear the tears, "Why, why do we have to...? Why must he hate you?" Shiva's face was lit by a smile of small but deep proportions. "We cannot let him suffer our fate," the inflection was one of deepest sadness restrained behind a sort of love, "If then we must alienate him, so be it. I will not let them have him any more than I would let them take one of you from me..." Septimus shook his head and pulled Alos to himself, stroking her hair. "Shall they forever remember you...us as the enemy then?" his tears leaked out of his eyes to fall gently upon the hair of the one he loved. "No. No, we will not be remembered for our evil," her arms reached around him and held him tight, "Because they will not remember us. We will fade, like the beauty of a lily in the field will vanish with time." Looking down through the tears, Septimus smiled, "I know not why I find that comforting..." She smiled gently into his chest as the transport rattled its way on through the sky.

Echo shook his head, turning around to glare at Tirtius. His green eyes gleamed of fury, and his jaws were closed tight. His fists clenched, and he turned fully to see the Clonoid in the eyes. His silver hair flowed behind him, and he blinked angrily twice. His foot scratched against the ground, as he set himself into a combat stance. His wound hurt him, but he was a warrior. For some reason, he did not know why he had attacked Serenity so willing fully. He began to have doubts on his past. He thought a bit, before speaking to the Clonoid standing.
Have I seen Serenity in my past? Was she hostile against me, was I hostile against her, or both? The NeoClonoid glared at the other Clonoid, with green eyes of hatred. "What do you want?" Echo yelled out, seeing the gun. "You trying to kill me?" he continued. Crimson pylonic blades shot out of Echo's hands, a faint shriek echoing in the air as they did so. Echo knew that the Clonoid wasn't there to kill him. His eyes recognized the gun, and the mode it was enabled. Echo scowled at Tirtius, then yelled out, taking one step forwards. "Tracking me down, ain't ya? You really aren't thinking about it, are you? Do you wish that the female dies so dishonorably?!"
Echpo didn't understand why he had said that. Now he was sure. He was sure he had seen Serenity before. He closed his eyes tightly, seeing the image in his mind.
The grass swayed gently in the cold breeze. Echo was bleeding from his left arm, where a open wound was seen. He had put a hand on it. Serenity was in front, not nearly as wounded as him. She wasn't wounded at all. She looked at Echo angrily. None of the two spoke, but Echo was weakening, but he did not fall. He was breathing heavily, and he felt that the breeze would just make him tip over and fall. A blade of pylonic energy shot out of his hand, then disappeared. Echo fell to the ground, glaring at the female.
Echo's eyes opened wide. The second time this day. Just after my awakening. What does it mean? He then remembered Tirtius, and then caught his guard again. His blades glimmered, their lust for blood just awakening from Echo's body. "Speak!" he ordered, loudly.

Tirtius back-peddled quickly as he saw his quarry stop. The action kicked up a veritable cloud of dust and stones as his heels dug hard into the earth to stop him. Bringing himself to a complete halt, the Clonoid raised his weapon in a ready stances, trailing the 'laser beam' that it emitted upon Echo's left thigh. A little red bead appeared, the dust showing the path of the light in a flickering manner. Beneath the helmet that he wore, Tirtius was neither breathing hard nor sweating. He was cool and collected. Truth being told, he had not expected a fight, and it was a bit odd to him that Hunter should be so volatile even after having sustained such a grievous wound to the leg as he had. Perhaps he did have more capability than any other Clonoid, but right now he was displaying a recklessness that was downright foolish. "I think that that is getting to your head," Tirtius nodded at the wound, "The Shiva does not fall so easily. Besides that, we could have killed you without the slightest effort just now, and I think you understand that. You're suffering from some sort of memory loss as well as fatigue if I'm not mistaken. What else that machine might have done to you, I don't know, but if you couldn't see that she spared your life, you must be more blind than she is!" He lowered his gun, the minimal radiation wash of the marker completed. "Hunter," he said, his voice changing to one of a comrade, "We're both soldiers. I do know how it feels to want someone's blood... But try to fight the rage. Don't give in to it. There may come a day when we must kill each other, but I would have you in better health if it should come to that. Recuperate, gain back your strength. Don't worry, we will meet again and you will have another chance to kill us all, just not now, not while we yet have work left..." Tirtius strapped his gun to a belt loop and stood straight. In silence he looked up as the small transport rocketed up over the small rise that had hid its approach. As it flew by, he leaped with incredible force, leaving a small trail of dust, not that it could be seen through the immense storm that the transport's turbines flung about. As he was pulled rapidly into the air, Tirtius looke back and gave an honest salute to the figure on the ground. Thence he turned and climbed into the cockpit and sat in the copilot's chair, clicking his com-link on. "Really, Sextus," his voice denoted the smile he wore on his face, "Your timing is rather epically proportioned." The answer came with a mock pride, "I do try, my dear boy." Then in a more serious air. "I don't want to have to kill him," Tirtius said in a low tone, "He's a good person." Sextus looked over, concerned, "You've never expressed any such opinion about the others we've been sent after, not even the 'good' ones." Tirtius shrugged. "I don't know why this is different, but I get the feeling that it is," the strange monotone in which he spoke was more than a little disturbing, "Sextus, I think I've met the man who is going to kill me..." Now the pilot, Sextus, really did looked concerned, but he remained silent, contemplating.

Back at the base of operations for the Serenity Project, the first transport was arriving. They had set down and were preparing to disembark. Septimus got up and reached down, lifting Alos off of the cold chair in which her body had been lying. She looked up into his face, her own little visage bearing a look of enrapture. "My Hero," she breathed dreamily. He looked at her sternly and she rolled her glass eyes, going limp. He burst out of the transport as the door opened. A medical team was already waiting with a stretcher. Septimus delicately laid her upon the pad and she was rushed off immediately, Secundus followed watchfully. Primus looked pained as he climbed out just in time to see her being sped off, but he held himself together. 'He's good at the acting bit,' Septimus thought to himself, "I just hope that the General buys the story..." he shook his head and moved onward grimly. Quartus and Quintus lumbered out next, Primus motioned them towards their personal quarters. They exchanged looks and then followed. What would transpire next would be left to Septimus to handle. After all, the General was under the impression that Septimus and Sextus were the only ones in the group who actually possessed brains...

Echo glared at Tirtius as he went away, or to Echo's point of view, fled from the upcoming fate that attended him the next time they met. Echo's blood-like blade shattered, and only a faint trail of light was left for the smallest of times, then disappeared, along with the dust blown by the aerial vehicle. Echo didn't move.
He's maybe right. Why am I so angered against this... Clonoid, specifically? He thought of Serenity. What, in the past, has made us hate one another? And it also seemed that she has forgotten me. Was I asleep for that long? No, only two years.
Echo shook his head, and looked into the deep forest, standing above the ground, quiet and calm, as the vehicle roared it's engine. Echo stood there. His fists clenched. Those flashbacks... Are they what I really saw?... Or what I would want to see? Questions repeated themselves in Echo's mind, and he put his hand up to his head, and clenched it. When he attacked Serenity back then, he meant it. The rage had swelled up inside him, instinctively, almost as soon as he made eye contact with the female. Echo gave a desperate sigh. They're gone now. I don't know if it shall be for long, but I know, that, one day, I'll see them again. Let's hope it'll be in better conditions. Echo looked back inside the dome. Then something struck him.
Akito! I forgot about her!
He pounced into the dome once again, a small dust cloud lifting behind him as his foot lifted itself from the cool earth. He entered the dark sphere, and looked around, glancing at the vegetation. He stepped through thick vines, thin barbs, and overgrown plants. He ripped out roots, and, luckily, noticed Akito. He pushed one last vine out of the way, and headed for her.
"Akito!" he said, stretching out one hand. He tripped on a root, and fell between two vines, catching him instantly.

Akito, scared, had hidden herself, trying to think of something to do to stop the fighting. She took a deep breath, stepping out as she heard Echo calling her name. The female NeoClonoid looked at Echo through her one eye, wondering what he wanted.

Echo ripped through the vines, them falling down behind him as he paced forwards forcefully. He marched through the vegetation, and then met Akito, who was hidden behind various plants. He crouched near the female NeoClonoid, head lowered.
"I'm sorry, I got a little carried away there, against Serenity. I couldn't stop myself from trying to kill her, and I don't know why," Echo said, lifting his head slightly to look at Akito, "I'm not only here to present my excuses, but also to present my most sincere thanking, for having delivered me of my previously eternal rest, hidden inside this loathsome dome."

Akito moved out from her hiding place, nodding in acceptance.
"I should have been able to stop you in your battle," She said quietly, "I'm sorry I couldn't, and my excuse for such isn't good enough." She paused slightly to think over her next words. "And I'm glad I could help..."

"You shouldn't be the one sorry," Echo reminded Akito, letting his hand drop to his thigh, "I said I was the one full of rage, making it impossible to find reason in your words."
Echo thought for a moment. He was sure Serenity had to do something with the position he was at the moment? No, then Serenity would've remembered me. Seems that she didn't. Or was she just acting as if? Questions dropped into Echo's mind, and he couldn't answer them. He would have to meet Serenity again, to see furthermore.
He turned around, facing the hole that Akito made to get into the cage. He frowned slightly.
"Clonoids... I can't remember anything..." he said, then he tilted his head to Akito. "The Clonoids... How were they created? I am one, and it feels like being in a machine, and a machine ain't biological. How were the Clonoids created? By another race?"

Akito thought hard for a moment.
"I don't know . I haven't been a Clonoid for long."

Echo glared at the ground. Damn. Getting my memory back won't be for the next few days. His face then brightened, when he thought of something.
"Wait," he said, lifting one hand, "If we could manage to get to the other Clonoids, we may get information on my past." Echo then remembered Serenity. "wait, maybe not," he muttered, putting his outstretched hand to his chin.

"General Daws?" Septimus spoke in a questioning tone as he entered the debriefing room, which also happened to be the tactical planning center at this moment, "I did not expect to see you here." Of course there was no salute, a fact that grated especially on this particular General. "Septimus," the man answered harshly, "I want an explanation now! Why aren't you carrying that Clonoid, Echoey Caves or whatever back in here, what the shrap happened to our prized little doll, and why don't the rest of you have so much as a scratch?!" The room had gone rather quiet as the General's tone of voice had escalated till he was yelling quite loudly at Septimus. However, the Clonoid remained brutally calm as he replied in a monotone manner, "We reached the Temple to discover that it had been altered to accommodate a hibernation chamber. Thus we construed that Echo Hunter would be asleep. We were mistaken, while searching the Temple's inner dome, the target took us by surprise. Hunter most certainly earned his reputation over again. Somehow he knew to attack Serenity directly and with speed like I've never seen before he was able to disable her. After that our programming took over and the primary directive became protection and recovery of the Serenity Unit." General Daws paced and fumed. "Isn't your dag gawn team's purpose to make sure nothing like that happens?!" Septimus nodded ever so slightly. "As I said before, Hunter far exceeded out greatest expectations in terms of combat, and we were caught off guard," the Clonoid had taken up the at ease stance without being told, another thing that grated on Daws, "And I would ask the General to remember that 'my team' has always been used in assassinations prior to this point and we have never actually been taxed with the recovery of the target." The medals on his uniform glinted in the light thrown at him from the consoles as the general turned. The same light lit that broad chin set in an angry position. "That will be all, Soldier," Daws said lowly in his gravelly voice, "I'm going to order the two men yet in the field to prepare to go back out... Sextus and Tirtius of your team, I believe. I'll send another squad along with them. We can't lose this opportunity. Also, I've been alerted that the forces of the 'Sentinel' have been sent to deal with this problem that we seem to have been incapable of cleaning up." Septimus merely nodded without turning. 'This could get ugly,' he thought to himself as he left the command room. Secundus was there waiting for him. Septimus raised an eyebrow. "Primus is with her," the strange twitch that played at his mouth was as close to smiling as Secundus got without killing somebody, "He does a much better job of doting on her anyway." Septimus nodded thoughtfully. "The General isn't happy," he said quietly as the two began to walk, "He's going to try getting Echo again. For that purpose, he is redeploying Tirtius and Sextus with a squad of men." Secundus cut him off almost sharply, "Isn't that Alos's call?" Septimus nodded with a look that said he didn't like it either. "I suppose he figures that they know what to expect, and frankly them being there helps us, but my point was," he lowered his tone even further and stopped a moment so that they could duck down a side hall, "I want you to fit yourself in with the other group. Make sure that you take a Pylon Blade. Tirtius has spares hidden all over his room. The second that they get too close, you take them down. Make it look like a Clonoid squad attack. Use the Eighth style and the underslash technique, but only if it comes to that, understood?" Secundus nodded and dashed off. Septimus took a deep breath before continuing on towards the medical bay.