_Essex_

"Nemesis AND the Rikti." Essex sighed. "This is terrible."

Upon hearing Acid's voice, she brightened considerably. "Sir Acid is helping us?" she chirped. "This is wonderful! But our forces are divided...No matter. We've got to get to the others at some point if we're to present a unified front...I doubt we have the sheer numbers the Rikti command, and that would make managing a multi-fronted battle quite difficult."

Essex looked surprised as the little bearcat cuddled at her arm, and shifted her attentions to it, holding it rather to comfort herself. "Hello, little fellow.." she cooed, scratching its ear. Still, she clung close to Solid...

West surveyed the group and nodded quickly, motioning for Vanessa to take the podium.

"Aye then." Vanessa barked out in a commanding tone. "Rotor, take th' footage t' 16:25:08 if ye please, lad."

With that, the footage rewound to a scene during the autopsy; the brain partitioned into parts.

"As ye can see." Nessie said, pointing up with a laser pointer at the partitions, "'E's got the brain divided into sections. Doc Igor, I'm well aware of yer expertise in the reanimative neurosurgery department. I'm sure ye can tell me what these partitions represent."

She gave a brief pause, but had no patience to wait and slammed her hand down on the podium.

"Through all our years o'research as a worldwide scientific community, traditional science 'as only been able to identify the purpose of 20% o' the 'uman brain. Through th' delving of Metahuman Advanced Delegation, or MAD science, tha' number has increased to 45%."

Moving the laser pointer around several partitions, she frowned.

"Th' brain seems to be partitioned as such - separating th' parts whose function we know from th' parts we don't."

Sliding her glance to the gathered scientists, she folded her arms.

"It'd seem that these people, aye, jus' another supersoldier program, have found some way t'activate an' control those latent parts of the brain. Th' parts we dinna even understand yet."

Leaning forward, she regarded the group seriously. "An' that means we 'ave some bloody idiots out there, meddlin' in powerful neuroscience an' relying on cause and effect experiments instead o' careful research, who 'ave found ways to unlock the pontential of the brain's -entirety-. And they're nae scientists. And since they're nae scientists, then their discovery is nae going to be used for the betterment o' anything."

She pointed to the uniformed anonymous forces who seemed to be in charge.

"They'll be used for war."

Raising an eyebrow, Vanessa rested her hands on her hips. "An' as bloody fascinating as war would be, a world at war o' this magnitude, as it's shapin' up, lads, would be a world with 'eightened security and a world with a lot more paranoia -- an' considerin' the scope o' this discovery, many more difficulties for we scientists to get bloody anything done. Ye see what we're gettin' at, lads?"

"Additionally..." West piped up, speaking mostly to Vern, "It won't do to simply wipe all of them out. Having them chance upon this discovery means wiping them out would be wiping out this key to our own potential. I think what they have is of interest to all of us, for various reasons. And quite frankly, due to the mix of people here I feel perfectly comfortable having that secret outed before us all. We are all men and women of science. We have different goals and inspirations but we share a common patience and diligence when it comes to advancing knowledge."

Shut up! Essex pouted over the comm to Solid. I think it's cute...Don't you? Come on...

But she was soon distracted as Dr. Midas Phillis came through the doors and took a seat. Her electric-green eyes grew saucer wide and she had to keep herself from tumbling backwards.

But...He seemed depressed. Essex's sense of sympathy was strong to a fault, and she found herself approaching the doctor tentatively.

"Dr. Phillis?" she barely hinted. "Do..you want something to drink? You look like you could use some tea..."

Nessie lifted a single hand. "I dinna remember if I introduced meself - The name is Vanessa Eirene, Also Known As Ultraviolet Nessie. Roboticist, neurobiologist, and physiological technician."

"Very good." West said, nodding to the group gathered. "Then I shall get on with what I have invited you all here to see."

With that, the lights dimmed, and a projector lowered from the ceiling. Daniel's voice called out over the small crowd.

"What I am showing you are surveillance pictures from Siberia, provided to me by my esteemed colleague, Vanessa. Please watch closely."

As the footage went on, the group could see lines of prisoners cowering before a single uniformed figure, secure in his anonymity. A strange, high-pitched frequency, badly transmitted over the movie, hummed into existance and the aggressor turned his attention to one particular prisoner. Holding his head, the prisoner sank to his knees, the man's fists slowly moving to his head to the freezing gravel below. Veins bulged as he gripped handfuls of the gravel, trying to stave off his agony.

Then, all at once, things seemed...better, for the man. He straightened, and bobbed his head in mock salute.

The clip changed. The man was uniformed, and dozens like him were performing feats of superhuman abilities. Guns were fired at ridiculously long ranges without scopes with alarming accuracy. They exhibited a range of accurate hearing beyond what was hitherto known, even in most studies of metahumans. Taste, touch, smell - all the senses were explored and were shown to have developed with alarming alacrity.

Finally, the scene changed once more to an operating table. The man was being dissected; lying placidly on the table as his muscle structure was explored. It was clear that his metabolism had reached peak efficiency.

Sensors upon the exposed brain read to a monitor which showd something alarming - meters and charts jumping completely off the scales. One part of the brain was partitioned off with a strange-looking device that was difficult to discern. It was then the footage ended.

As the lights rose, West stood before the gathering of scientists.

"...It would seem that these people, whomever they are allied with, have made some...astounding discoveries in neuroscience. However, the scientific community is unaware of these developments, and as you can see from the footage, those who have access to this have no idea what they toy with."

Glancing to the side, Daniel gestured to Vanessa. "I shall allow Vanessa to explain our additional data momentarily, but the long and the short of it is this. As men and women of science, we strive to change the world for the better; whether it is for our own personal betterment or the betterment of the world. Or both, really. All of us in this room are perfectly aware of the dangers of using a new technology without fully understanding it. We stand today on the brink of a world epidemic...the nature of which even we cannot discern."

Here, he paused.

"Before I allow Vanessa to continue, any thoughts?"

Essex had long retreated to the back, clinging wide-eyed and frightened to Solid's leg.

West smiled. "Now, now." he said with a chuckle. "We're all colleagues here. Let's treat one another as people on at least similar intellectual wavelengths, no matter how slight or drastic the differences may be. You wouldn't have been called here if there were no reason."

"Tea?" Essex chirped. The little android was in a cute little fluffy waitress/maid getup, offering beverages to all the guests. West facepalmed quietly.

"Ah, and don't mind my S-6 unit." he said with a sheepish sigh. "That costume was her idea. I had absolutely nothing at all to do with it. Essex, thank you for serving drinks..."

"Of course, sir!" Essex piped up happily, keeping obediently quiet other than the acknowledgement. It seemed she bore a variety of beverages from the coffee-tea variety to the juice spectrum...and even some oils for the mechanoid guests.

"Now, have I missed anyone?" West said, making a final scan of the room.

Essex's lower lip stuck out slightly in an involuntary pout, but she shook it off.

"I can handle it." she said, smartly making a 2-point landing on the ground and saluting Lady Grey. "Or else I wouldn't have come."

Nessie chuckled, ducking her head to Vern in acknowledgement, and then raising her voice to the rest of the crowd.

"Listen!" she barked. "T'allay all o' yer security concerns --"

A calm, male voice cut her off.

"That's enough Vanessa, I'll take it from here."

Dr. Daniel West himself strode through the portal after Solid, after taking a moment to beckon the conference-goers outside back in.

As he walked down the hallway, it began to illuminate with every step he took, becoming less dim as he made progress.

"This laboratory is not actually beneath Siren's Call; the entrance is merely here. The location of the laboratory itself is a spacial pocket, the location of which continues to change. The coordinates of the portal are stable, while the pocket is variable, thus making it damned hard to find for those who do not have access to the doorway."

Making his way up to the podium, he leaned forward slightly, a little excited about his brainchild.

"You see..." he continued, "Every time it changes locations, the potential landing point is scanned for any disruptions at all, be it a tiny fossil or a massive basement. If nothing is found, then the earth of that location is checked by the function for chemical composition. Then, the substance of this laboratory is traded with the substance of the empty ground. Of course, in order to keep soil consistency and not disrupt any ecosystems, the shell of the former 'pocket' remains there as a mitigating factor, slowly changing the composition of the new soil by slowly introducing native elements, and --"

"Ahem." Vanessa called up to the podium, slouching in a seat in the front row. "BLOODY GET ON WITH IT!" she cheered.

"Ah...yes." Daniel said, faltering a bit and clearing his throat. "Well, then, everyone take a seat. I take it you all have had a chance to get to know one another? Do introduce yourselves if not; I like to know my colleagues."

Vanessa laughed as more and more joined the group at the laboratory.

Contrary to the disheveled look of the outer building, once through the portal things began looking much more sterile and metallic, as those who knew Dr. West were more familiar with.

"Dinna worry 'bout me, laddie." Vanessa said to Igor, waving a hand dismissively. "Ye merely gave me a start. And as for ye..."

She eyed Sheldon appraisingly from behind her glasses. "'Alfway t' death's door, eh? It's a wonder I 'aven't found it yet."

The scientist laughed. "I s'pose that's nae the answer ye were lookin' for. It's a complicated story I'll nae bore ye with. Suffice t'say, I really shouldn't eat much. But anyway..."

Doing a mock curtsey, she spread her crooked grin at the group. "For those of ye who don't know me, I'm Professor Vanessa Eirene, known in the Isles as 'Ultraviolet Nessie.' Li'l Ocky put me in charge of askin' ye of the unscrupulous side o' the fence to this li'l shindig o' his. But enough o' that."

Turning her back to the group, she beckoned them farther in.

"C'mon in." she said unenthusiastically. "There's plenty o' room in th' conference 'all for everyone."

A soft thumping came from farther down the hall, and a bright array of red eyes shone as Spindle trotted towards the group.

"Hi Uncle Toy! Is Mini Bot here?" the little battle drone chirped, bouncing up and down on her chrome heels.

"It's nae a meet and greet, lassie." Nessie muttered, rolling her eyes.

-----------------------------------------------------

((And we'll advance the Doc West/Solid/Essex chunk ahead a couple days to catch up with the rest of the eager beavers. :3))

On the morning of the convention, West left his laboratory in the hands of the reploids, taking along only Essex (who insisted) and Solid. As they climbed aboard the helicopter, West slid a glance to Solid.

"Remember..." he said with a slight grin. "No shooting my guests, please."

West hesitated a bit. "Interesting choice of words, Solid." he remarked somewhat flatly, continuing to type away. "A valid point, nonetheless. I suppose we could use the extra security. Just make sure things don't get any more out of hand than one would expect."

-----------------------------------

Essex giggled. "Well, you know Ms. Rosalind." she said conspiratorially. "She always seems to be after someone or another...I sometimes wonder if she forgets about everything except what's in front of her, until she's reminded and then she goes nuts all over again."

Glancing over her shoulder, she shook her head. "But I shouldn't gossip. I need to help get ready. I'm forwarding you the coordinates; let us know who's going to be coming. Papa says that some folks may try to get there early, so he sent Ms. Vanessa ahead."

--------------------------------------------------

And ahead Ms. Vanessa was. After the retinal scan retracted back into the panel, the open doorway was soon coated by a thin layer of glittering blue film. It seemed to be a portal...

Upon entering the portal, the first thing the group would see was a scrawny brunette woman, thick cokebottle glasses resting on her small nose. She looked unhealthily emaciated, and wore a tattered labcoat, as well as thin pants and a somewhat intellectual looking blouse. Upon the entrance of several of the attendees, she doubled back for a second in surprise, flinging the rice cake she was holding a good eight feet back into the chrome hallway.

"Bloody hell!" Vanessa muttered in a thick brogue. "Ye scared the livin' daylights outta me!"

West regarded Solid for a minute, and turned to face him more fully.

"Well, yes, I could certainly use your help as a peacekeeping entity." he mused, but regarded him with a slight glance over his glasses.

"...You would be under orders from both heroes and villains, however, and I'm not certain how you'd like that. And I have already sent Toy Dispenser an email to that effect...the subject is something I believe he may find interesting as well. As for Moonscribe..."

Daniel scoffed a little, packing some things to make preparations.

"I do not deny his intelligence. But his area of expertise is that of mysticism, far from an actual science. And I know there are some who would debate me on this, but this conflict is one of concrete physiology, and quite frankly he may be very disinterested in the subject."

Packing the disc away, he muttered to himself. "Nothing like a magic-user to disrupt a control group."

------------------------------------------------------

"Well, sir, I'm pretty certain that he knows that you're really not that kind of scientist..." Essex said hastily, looking up at Vern. "But you're a lot more knowledgeable about things than most humans, like you said. And Papa asked for you specificially...Bring sir Acid and the others if you like; I know Blade will probably be happy to see them. Rosie keeps pouting and mooning over Allen, though, so if he shows up she's likely to come and ruin everything..."

She hesitated at that, looking ashamed. "I don't think I was supposed to say that. I've been hanging around Papa too long..."

-------------------------------------------------

The Repliforce Paragon laboratories in Siren's Call were quite difficult to find, even with West's specific directions. The scientist was taking quite a risk revealing its location to the world, but the truth of the matter was that everything important had been moved from it long ago.

The entrance was that of a bombed-out building, the roof half-caved in. A door from the left-hand hall hung slightly open, and the shimmering of a light blue film was visible. As the door was pulled open, a small device slipped out of hiding on the left - a small, glowing lens, inviting the visitors to register their retinal scan in order to be gained entry.

It seemed West was very fastidious about his security...

"Ah, Solid." West said, turning to face the grey assault android. "Good to see you. Yes, yes...Vanessa isn't very good at knocking at all, is she?"

He seemed amused by the prospect, even though he surveyed the damage with an air of distaste.

"Still...she's brought me some interesting news...something the scientific community will certainly wish to take action regarding. What action, though, I'm uncertain." The man tapped his chin thoughtfully. "What to do, what to do..."

Upon noticing Solid's dry stare, he shook his head. "Nonetheless...Solid, among your associates, are you familiar with any men or women of science? Besides myself, of course. I am afraid it is a matter of some importance."

---------------------------------------------------

"Hello, sir!" Essex chirped on the viewscreen, eagerly smiling at Vern. "Papa asked me to invite you to his neutral laboratory in Siren's Call next Sunday, if you're free. He's acting as though it's very important...You know, when he sometimes gets those little worried creases in his forehead, and his eyebrows go like this?"

Essex raised her fingers to delicately rest on her own eyebrows in a mildly concerned expression.

"He's doing that. So I think it's probably important. Oh, you will come, won't you? It's going to be a scientific consortium, and it'll be so good to see you again."

She looked to the side, a little, with something of a frown. "He hasn't told me what it is, yet."

((Yes dear, the coast is clear. :3))

"I canna believe I actually found you." Professor Vanessa Eirene, also known as Ultraviolet Nessie, barked a laugh as she sat down at the meeting table in the middle of the nerve center. "Ye've bloody well disappeared off the map, y'know that, lad? I'd nae imagine that ye'd have turned 'ero, and were th' one responsible for all o' these."

The woman gestured around at the reploids, her trademark jagged grin on her face. Her brown hair was straggly and unkempt, and the dim glow of the ultraviolet diode that replaced one of her eyes shone through her thick glasses. She dusted her ragged labcoat off idley before continuing.

"I'd 'ave never guessed that ye of all people, the brilliant little Occam's Laser, would end up doin' somethin' so grand as all this."

West sat on the opposite end of the table, quietly drinking a cup of tea. The reploids had since been freed, and were off talking with Vanessa's bots and working on the wall repairs. At the name Occam's Laser, he flushed slightly.

"I haven't gone by that name since I was in my twenties." he stammered, looking uncomfortable and uncharacteristically nervous. "Besides, you only had one or two robots back then, if I recall correctly, Nessie."

Vanessa chuckled again. "Aye, lad, those were the days." she said fondly. "Ye were a mystery to the Isles-side scientific community. Such a young lad and already so established! Even if yer name was a bad pun."

Daniel looked a little hurt at that. "I thought it was witty." he grumbled into his tea. "Enough about that, though. On to the matter of infiltrating my defenses."

With that, he turned his chair to the side, bending down to face his S6 unit. Essex fidgeted apologetically, looking quite ashamed of herself.

"Now, my girl, what did I tell you about letting strange scientists into the base?" West warned.

"I'm sorry, Papa..." Essex murmured despondantly, tugging at her hair. "I-I didn't mean to...She said she was hungry, and her robots were in disrepair, and I couldn't just..."

Daniel sighed, resting a hand on the little android's head and ruffling her hair. "We're lucky it wasn't someone who meant to kill us." he said with a frown. "All the defenses I have won't mean a thing if you let them in the front door, all right?"

"Yes sir." Essex said meekly, skittering off again shortly thereafter.

Nessie watched her go, an eyebrow raised. "She looks like ye, lad." she said casually. "Tha's the one with yer daughter's DNA in it, aye?"

"Yes, that's Essex." West said, resting his head in one hand with a sigh. "She means well, but..."

Nessie laughed in response, shaking her head. "Dinna worry 'bout it." she said, grinning. "Likely she'll nae make the same mistake twice. Now then..."

The woman stood, rifling through the pocket of her labcoat. "The reason I came 'ere...Wot, now, did I lose it after that bloody great entrance? Nae, nae...ah, 'ere it is." She slid a small data disc across the table, lifting her stare from it to meet Daniel's eyes. "I thought if anyone'd want to know about this situation, it'd be good ol' Occam's Laser. Do take a look at it, Ocky."

"How many times do I have to tell you, Nessie, that part of my life is over." West muttered, snapping up the disc and scanning it visually for a moment before slipping it into a small console near the side of his seat.

Not a minute into the presentation and Nessie's gaze was grim. West's lips hung slightly agape, his eyes wide at what he was seeing on the screen.

"What the...How is this even possible?" he gasped, a reflection of the images flickering across his glasses.

"That's what I'd like to know." Nessie said quietly. "Looks like it's somethin' big, lad. But I dinna know anythin' much about biology or th' like. So I thought I'd come t' you and see what ye make of it."

"...This is bad. This is very, very bad." he muttered, and then turned to Vanessa, stroking his chin.

"Vanessa." he said rather distantly. "This is something that will take the scientific community completely by surprise. I want you to gather all the men and women of science you know in the Rogue Isles. I shall open up my border laboratory in Siren's Call for this occasion. I don't really care if it gets ruined anyway. I will make an entreaty for the scientists of Paragon to gather together there. We want to meet there as soon as possible... with our busy schedules, let us meet this coming Sunday." He whipped a small business card at Vanessa, which she easily caught. "There is the address. The time will be 6 PM."

He eyed Nessie. "And make it clear that this is a scientific forum, not a bloodbath. This is something that we must all work together to prevent...and bickering will only impede our progress. And from the looks of things, we cannot afford any delays."

"Aye then, Ocky." Nessie grinned. "Ye're soundin' like yer old self again. It's nice t' ave ye back." With that, she stood, snapping her fingers to her robots. "Come on, you lot!" she snarled. "We're goin' back t' the Isles!"

"Do we have to?" one of the battle drones whined in a femenine voice, a red ribbon tied smartly about its head.

"Shut up, Spindle, do what Mom says." one of the Protector bots responded, knocking the smaller one upside the head.

With a great clattering, the company of robots left, leaving the Reploids to stare after them through the hole they created. Her assault bot, Gasket, lumbering beside her, Nessie waved back at Daniel.

"I'll let 'em know." she cheered back to him. "Dinna worry 'bout that."

"I'll go let them out." Ginstar said, standing to follow them.

West nodded at their departure, and then turned back to the viewscreen with a grim frown on his face. "Get to repairs, the rest of you." he said softly, and the reploids continued their work.

"...Essex." he said suddenly, turning to the little pink android, who looked up at him questioningly. "...Get me Alexei on the viewscreen. Oh, excuse me...I meant Vern."

((Okay! Here is my RP. Devious shall be helping me GM, thankfully. Scientists of the Rogue Isles will be contacted by Vanessa via mail, inviting them to a science consortium at the laboratories of Repliforce Paragon in Siren's Call. Heroes will be contacted directly by West himself. A matter of great importance to the scientific community is promised to be discussed!

Also, Disclaimer: Daniel West is WAY SMARTER THAN ME. D:< If I say something stupid, it's because -I'm- dumb, not him. ))

((Please let me get the intro posts written before posting. :3 I shall open it up at the end of them, I promise. The first few posts are just kind of story-ish.))

"Crimson Drill Alpha, active! Peony Lambda 42UA Security Sequence Initiated!"

The halls of Repliforce Paragon shuddered as security sequences went into full force in abundance. Huge walls, several feet thick, closed off entire wings as Dr. Daniel West sat in the nerve center of the facility, coldly watching the monitors before him.

Radiation tore through the halls, specifically calibrated to drop any organic being while leaving inorganics alone. EMP cannons of a particular freqency were dispatched, and robotic guns and defense mechanisms slammed into place.

Ginstar, the purple and green reploid, and Delphi, the orange and green prototype, zipped around the perimeter of the nerve center with their respective weaponry systems at the ready. The two were built for speed, and so they made blinding circles about the large room.

Burner and Genki both stood at the Doc's sides, one a monolith of quiet determination and the other bouncing frantically from one foot to another.

"Where is Essex." West asked, typing calmly. It wasn't a question.

"She was just coming back from school, if I recall correctly..." Genki murmured a little. "She doesn't seem harmed, though, the intercommunication link is still open. She's just not responding."

"...Probably sequestered somewhere, Doc." Burner said, resting a heavy hand on his shoulder. "Don't worry 'bout it none."

"You're right." West said, standing. "There are other things to worry about at the moment." The doctor's face turned grim as his gaze narrowed through his glasses. "How on earth was anyone able to permeate our outer defenses? I thought I had covered every contingency."

The answer to his question was a shuddering explosion in the side of the nerve center. Delphi and Ginstar screeched to a halt, and Burner took aim at West's side. Genki's blades extended with an audible sssshink noise and he leapt in front of the main desk.

Suddenly, the sound of metal being compromised was heard from outside, and West set his chin. "Remind me to thicken these walls with a better alloy." he growled as he slowly reached for his laser pistol. The scientist cursed himself for leaving his large assault rifle outside.

A gaping hole exploded inward, the metal crying out with a final protest as it peeled inward. Ginstar and Delphi immediately leapt into action, the prototype bot rushing in with her long blade and Ginstar taking a secondary position to bombard them with powerful sonic resonations.

The two were quickly overrun, however, as three rather small robots literally ran over Delphi, overpowering her quickly, and two medium-sized robots encasing Ginstar in what looked like a pair of dispersement fields facing one another - nothing could penetrate the inside or the outside, and the android was basically trapped.

West's eyes narrowed.

"I suppose you were never any good at knocking." he called out towards the hole, his right hand on his gun. His left moved out to the side in a signal to tell the other androids to hold.

Smoke poured through the gaping hole in the side of the nerve center, and they could see a huge, hulking figure bearing a red eye-strip practically filling the breach...and much farther down, the glow of a single ultraviolet diode.

((Ask and you shall receive, mon ami!))

Essex let out a startled squeak as the room suddenly became a lot busier and more chaotic. She tumbled backwards, back against the door to the room from the portal chamber, looking around quite frantically.

At Solid's and the bots' entrance, her eyes widened.

"Solid!" she cried out. "You're here!"

With that, her thrusters kicked into overdrive, propelling her straight up. At about three and half feet tall, the childlike android often had trouble seeing her charges among a large crowd, so she usually allowed herself to hover a few feet higher in order to see better.

That done, she lifted her hand to begin her combat subroutines, when Sheldon's nanomachines suddenly surrounded her, kinetically amplifying her artificial metabolism. Essex felt her artificial breath quicken and she looked down to the inventor.

"Thank you!" she chirped gratefully, tossing her hair in a quick duck of the head.

Soon, each of Toy's bots would find themselves bolstered in a similar fashion, and Solid as well, the soldiers directly guarding against Radiator pulsed with wave after wave of restorative nanomachines.

Essex's eyes widened as their arrival was punctuated by Radiator's own, and she gasped as he began to assault the organic beings in the room.

"Honestly, as if there isn't enough to worry about!" she called forward to him. "You really mustn't disrupt all this, it's really mean of you...Isn't there another way? Why are you doiing it?"

She held the orb out to Cory with one hand, looking worried, and with the other began surveying the individuals in the room, frantically dispensing bursts of nanomachine metabolic enhancers and mental stability neuronanites, worriedly sending through a few large bursts of 'repair' nanites as well for any damage their bodies may have sustained.

At the words of the orb, she looked surprised.

"Wh-what's wrong with organic beings, sir?" she asked tentatively, keeping one eye on the conflict.

Essex watched Sheldon and his androids head through the portal and steeled herself.

"Here goes nothing..." she chirped, biting her lip and skimming through the portal...

((I know Hal's at least involved them. D: ))

"I am fully capable of rendering medical attention to any who might be in need of it!" Essex chirped happily. She was immensely pleased now that others were joining her, and skimmed slowly towards the Portal Corp building, making sure the others could keep up.

"Ah...though maybe one of you should do the talking. I'm still not really sure.."

Essex couldn't help but giggle. Sheldon's apology had seemed unnecessary to her; the little android usually assumed herself in the wrong when it came to matters of life and rarely allowed herself to get indignant over disagreements. Nevertheless, it had proved a delightful surprise to her.

When the Portal Corp tech overheard her, she shook her head quickly and smiled apologetically.

"Ah, no, but thank you." she said, ducking her head. "I'm sure it's only a little temporary memory short - and I remember everything important anyway. I was probably meant to head out to help, as sir Archlich mentioned."

Turning her attention back to the group, she was surprised by the arrival of another Ryat unit.

"Sir Ryat, you have a large family, don't you..." she giggled quietly, watching the two androids interact shyly.

~Portal Corp Courtyard~

Essex listened to the conversation intently, looking between Archlich and Sheldon while unconsciously edging towards Cory. When Sheldon expressed that people aren't born with souls, but must earn them, her eyebrows furrowed in worry.

"What about children?" she suddenly burst out. "The minute you look into a newborn's eyes you can see it's soul, right there at the forefront of its existance, and --"

She flushed again, fidgeting nervously.

"I'm sorry." she murmured. "I didn't mean to burst out like that. It was rude..."

The boosters on her boots warmed up, gently levitating her into the air, and the android girl skimmed back a few inches.

"I...I guess I'll be going to Portal Corp, then. That's probably what I was on my way to do in the first place...I just can't remember."

She hesitated, smiling at the group of them, including Ryat66.

"I...I don't suppose any of you want to come as well?" she suggested hopefully.

Essex took a sigh of relief when Cory asserted that he didn't want to fight, and the little android seemed to loosen. Straightening up, she removed her helmet, the girl's short, shaggy blonde hair curling absently about the pink semispherical autoreceptors that served as her 'ears.' She smiled sunnily at Cory, her cheeks glowing with a soft, artificial blush as he expressed his amazement at her capability.

When Sheldon began commenting on her specification, she shrunk a little, her gaze falling.

"Actually..." she murmured, tentatively though barely audibly. "...My voice is synthesized, yes, but it works on the same basic principles as humanoid vocal cords, with the exception of the sonic amplifiers I use for self-defense. It's...um...actually caused by a multicorded vibration/resonation retrieval unit. And...um...My skin isn't plastic or rubber, it's actually a silicon substrate...Though I have to admit, the metallic parts are an ultralight filament-related alloy."

Glancing back up to Cory and Sheldon, she ducked her head.

"...But it's nice to meet you, all the same."

Nevertheless, Essex seemed a little downtrodden, and kept her gaze down...suddenly noticing Ryat66.

"...Who's this?" she chirped curiously, approaching the other android hesitantly.

"Aaah!" Essex squeaked, ducking her head quickly in an expression of respect and repeating the motion profusely.

"I'm sorry, sir Archlich! I didn't see you there, and I would have...I certainly...Ah..."

The android fumbled with her words despondantly, fidgeting.

"...Sir Toy is right, I've got clearance to operate in Peregrine Island....City Hall is utilizing me as a neutral negotiatior with the Malta Group."

Swallowing nervously, she turned her gaze up to Archlich, tilting her head. "But what you were just saying....You're not going to be...destroyed, are you? I won't let that happen!"

With that, she slid somewhat in the middle of the group, plaintively putting her hands out towards Cory.

"I'm sorry for not properly introducing myself." she said, hesitantly. "I am the prototype of the West-series replicated humanoids. My serial number is S6...But please, call me 'Essex.' I'm afraid this person is a friend of mine, and I'm asking...please, don't start any hostilities..."

~Portal Corp Courtyard~

"Excuse me..."

A small voice interrupted Cory and Sheldon as they discussed things in the courtyard. Glancing down, a small girl, looking no older than eight or ten years old, fidgeted in front of them subtly.

Turning her electric green eyes up to the two of them from behind her visor, she smiled shyly, but timidly. The girl wore technological body-armor, pink, black, and orange in color, and scraps of blonde hair protruded from under her matching helmet.

"I'm afraid I was supposed to come here for some...mission...but I was intercepted by some members of the Freakshow, and they shorted out something up there." she murmured, tapping her head. "I can't for the life of me recall the mission data stored. You wouldn't happen to know if there's something on, is there?"

She shuffled her feet a little. "I'm sorry to interrupt you."

Essex waved goodbye to them all ruefully...not even entertaining the thought that this was the last she would see of them...

-------------------------------------------------------

"Hmph." West said coldly, watching the monitor with analytical eyes. "An adversary I would not have enjoyed facing, to be sure. Nonetheless..."

Scanning the monitor, his frown deepened.

"....Whatever he was fighting is likely still there. We must use caution."

Glancing down at his wrist for a moment, his eyes softened.

"...Vern, I have never needed to use this until now..."

With that, he twisted the small bead on the bracelet he wore - and a suit of Allen's armor suddenly enveloped the doctor protectively, shielding him.

"...Let us show them some Earth hospitality." West finished, readying his gun.

((By the way, Soviet, West's Praetorian is dead. <.< ))

"I don't know...." West said with a thoughtful frown, typing again. "....Actually, I have an idea."

Looking up at Essex where she floated, he smiled briefly.

"Now don't you worry, m'girl." he muttered. "You'll still be able to keep everyone safe."

With that, her eyes blazed green as a module came down from the ceiling to contain the laser-protected sphere. Hal, AJ, and the Malta had seen this plenty of times before - Essex was connecting directly with the base itself, taking complete control over its functions.

"...With Essex overseeing the base's functions, she can make a temporary vulnerability for your frequency and your frequency only. It will close after a moment, so we must be sure to take care."

West straightened, walking towards the group. Along the way, he picked up his massive assault rifle and swung it over his shoulder.

He handed off little single earbuds to the group. "This will allow us to communicate with Essex and requisition what we may need from the base. She will be able to teleport it to us without delay."

"I'm just glad to be able to help, even if I have to stay here." Essex's voice came from a nearby speaker.

"That's my girl." said West. "Don't worry. Nothing will happen to us."

"Well, gentlemen, AJ. Shall we go for a walk outside?"