Factory Reset

Chapter Twenty-Four: Another Captain

"Well, well. It might just be my eyes talking, but you... You have seen better days brother." The Protogen spoke through his mind-speak, something that B-64 hadn't used in such a long time. B-64 grimaced at the thought, gripping onto Mason for support as he shot a glare at the offending protogen.

The Protogen laughed, cold and cynical. The Rose Gold Captains cloak shined even in the shadows as he walked towards them, the lights over his head popping one by one, "I have to say, you have done quite a bit of damage. I'm impressed"

"What is that?" Marissa asked, a deep seeded primal fear exuding from her core. Axel stood behind her, wondering the same question yet not voicing it. The Protogen growled threateningly, plainly telling them to shut up.

"Such a simple language. Did you know they don't even have a universal language on this planet? Ridiculous." The Protogen rattled his claws against The Foundations walls. B-64 did a quick scan of him, revealing parts that he had no idea what they did, despite B-64 being a much newer model.

B-64 did know this protogen's name. He had only encountered him once before, when he first was let out of his incubation tube. B-04, the third in command to B-01, the first of the B-Series.

But the Protogen exuded a maddening field of energy around him, a sort of bubble that could irritate even the toughest of hides. Even now, with all his nerves shot, he could feel his skin and fur crawl with unseen bugs and insects.

But B-04 was a cruel being, B-64 knew that much. He rerouted most of his energy into restoring his reserves, though it would take a moment. If they could stall enough, they might be able to escape him.

Mason held onto B-64, fists clenched as he stood up. He could tell by B-64's body language that whatever the other Protogen was, it wasn't good. He didn't have anything to say, impulsively standing up to prevent the being from coming any closer.

"I sense that you like this one, and that you wish to escape. If you truly do care for it, then you will comply." B-64 hadn't said anything. In truth, he forgot how to, but the thinly veiled threat loomed in his mind, and the increase of his synthetic heart, as well as the adrenaline kicked his Generator into overtime.

He felt the energy come back to him, his sensors finally kicking back on and repairing the damage done to his body. He gripped Masons' hand, pulling himself up and standing to meet B-04.

He allowed the energy to flow directly into his processor, restoring a faint inkling of a memory. He clenched his fist and attempted to communicate, "Do not threaten Mason." Was all B-64 said, hearing his own voice again for the first time in nineteen and a half years.

The Protogen produced an audible sigh, though the visor's face showed anything other than irritation. He seemed to prefer fighting rather than talking, "I've been given authority to take you in with force if necessary. I'm glad that you chose that route."

B-64 glared at the other protogen, pixelated eyes burning with passion, "I've waited nineteen earthen years. You have not come." B-04 chuckled a little bit, the sound somewhat disturbing coming from him.

"And so what? We have come to collect you and get you off this planet before it is destroyed." B-64 narrowed his eyes, letting his dagger slip out of its socket and into his hand. B-04 laughed again, letting his own chained dagger slip out as well.

B-64 nodded his head backwards with a sharp trill aimed at Mason, telling him to get back. Mason understood, picking Hannah up and pushing his friends back to let B-64 do what he had to do.

B-64 was the first to act, quickly rushing and using his newly acquitted Boson Energy deposits to appear nearly instantly in front of the other protogen, slashing down with his dagger with enough force to shatter the concrete by the wind created.