This Island has grown soft in the absence of Order

Approaching the cabin shrouded in mist, Kor knocked on the door, calling upon the language she had not spoken since she was but a girl. -

Guten Tag, Herr Doktor. Ich habe ein Angebot, das einen Mann Ihrer Fähigkeiten interessieren könnte.

[Good day, sir doctor. I have an offer that may interest a man of your skill.]

@io-splinter-agent

[A few concerning thumps and crashes of various volume would ring out from behind the rickety entrance, accompanied by a cacophony of curses from a rasping, shuddering utterance. Following a resounding bang, silence would claim the surrounding forest once more, bar the cry of a bird.]

[The door would be wrenched open with a growl, the pathetic barrier whining as it connected with the unforgiving wall inside and trembled with the impact. Shoulders heaving with effort, the man that met KOR’S asymmetric gaze was saturated with substances undiscernible from the next; carrying the scent of death and other foul smells like a shroud.]

“Was? Was willst du denn, Mädchen?” (What? What do you want, girl?)

[PLAGUE snapped, his grip on the door leaving slick, sprawling trails of blood and equally sludgy handprints. He seemed suspicious. Wary, yet unashamed in his gory appearance.]

[He hadn’t exactly came across another individual on this God-forsaken piece of land that possessed his mother-tongue.]

[And much to his own chagrin, the masked man sensed the irritating sensation of kinship tug at his internals.]

“…”

[Processing what the woman had just proposed seconds ago, he tilted his face closer. PLAGUE’S breathing underneath the heavy, beaked mask was a wet, hilting thing; as if each gasp was a pain to take in. The beak of his mask was uncomfortably close to pecking KOR in the face.]

“Ein Angebot.” (An offer.)

[He echoed pointedly, PLAGUE’S head twitched ever-closer in a minuscule expression of interest. Much like the bird his mask portrayed.]

Natürlich. Ihr Ruf in der Medizinwelt ist bestens bekannt, und man könnte mich wohl als einen Ihrer Bewunderer bezeichnen.

[Of course. Your reputation in the medical field is well known, and I suppose you could call me an admirer.]

- No harm in a little flattery.

Kor gave the man a formal bow, noting his bird-like mannerisms with some amusement. -

Ihr Fachgebiet ist das Experimentieren, insbesondere auf dem Gebiet der Organtransplantation und der Prothetik, nicht wahr?

[Your field of expertise is experimentation—particularly in the areas of organ transplantation and prosthetics—isn't it?]

- She stood again, her cybernetic eye catching the tells of curiosity... and also the potential threat of the syringe. -

Ich vertrete eine Gruppierung, die Ihre Talente benötigt – und über die Mittel verfügt, Ihr Interesse zu wecken und Sie angemessen zu entlohnen.

[I represent a group that requires your talents—and possesses the means to pique your interest and compensate you appropriately.]

- Now to dangle a taste of the prize... -

Du suchst nach den Schlüsseln zu Leben und Tod, nicht wahr?

“Ich dachte schon, sie hätten mich vergessen … aber es ist motivierend zu sehen, dass mein Einfluss immer noch spürbar ist.” (I was starting to think they'd forgotten about me … but it's encouraging to see that my influence is still being felt.)

[Lost in thoughts of his past, he trailed off into an uncomfortable silence that dragged on much past the point of normalcy.]

[Did the stranger know about VIRIDIAN LABS? Or was it merely..no matter.]

[The needle was absently jabbed in and out of the thick fabric of his glove, the prick of discomfort either ignored or unfelt by the man. PLAGUE’S cane was precariously propped up nearby, the man forgoing it in favour of using the door to support his unstable gait.]

[At the mention of his talents, he quickly shook himself out of his reprieve. Whether the memories were fond, or riddled with agony was concealed behind his beaked mask.]

“Ja, und vieles mehr.” (Yes, and much more.)

[PLAGUE added, the smirk evident in his voice as he praised himself with an air of superiority. The syringe was shoved into one of many unknown pockets and compartments on his apron, now effectively shunned from the immediate scene as he listened to her proposal.]

[He was intrigued. More so at the mention of that. Tittering, he crossed his arms over his chest with a creak of his leather gloves. A dirtied bandage that encircled his bicep hung like a wet rag.]

“So könnte man es auch sagen, Frau. Ich beherrsche die Grundlagen – ich kann den Körper wiederherstellen … aber mir fehlen die … finanziellen Mittel, um meine Experimente bis zum Ende durchzuziehen.” (You could put it that way, ma'am. I master the foundation—I can restore the body… but I lack the… financial resources to see my experiments through to the end.)

[Silence. A warbling snarl came from within PLAGUE’S cabin. Something scraped on the walls within. Fingernails, perhaps.]

“Es gelingt mir immer noch nicht, dem Körper wieder klares Denken zu verleihen. Meine Untertanen benehmen sich wie Bestien.“ (I still cannot bring back coherent thought to the body. My subjects behave like beasts.)

[PLAGUE fell quiet once again, seeming irritated at his research’s own shortcomings. He animated with a jolt, holding the door further ajar with a trembling hand.]

“Du musst hereinkommen, damit wir das weiter besprechen können. Man weiß ja nie, wer in diesen Wäldern mithören könnte...” (You must come in, to discuss this further. One never knows who may be listening in these woods..)

Kor took note of every change in Plague's demeanor. The way his head tilted, the shift in his tone as pride subsumed suspicion. -

Keineswegs vergessen. Ich konnte dich einfach nicht kontaktieren.

[By no means forgotten. I simply couldn't contact you.]

- A lie. Worse than forgotten. This bird hadn't even been known before she found him. But thinking otherwise wouldn't hurt.

Quickly executing a bow of politeness, Kor allowed herself to be ushered inside before continuing. The tic concerning the syringe was disturbing, but seemed to be no threat to her.

Simply more eccentricities. Like the obsession with reanimation. That was the bait for this particular hook. -

Dem Tod zu trotzen, indem man sich zurückholt, was er geraubt hat, ist ein kühnes Unterfangen. Schade nur, dass so viele, die dreist genug sind, es zu wagen, dessen Vollendung nicht mehr erleben.

[Defying death by reclaiming what it has stolen is a bold undertaking. It is a pity, however, that so many who are audacious enough to attempt it do not live to see it through to completion.]

- Not a direct threat, but mortality was a blade in the back of all brilliant minds, which was why her master had fought so hard to defeat it. Reminding Plague of that mortality would remind him of the anxiety it produced.

Her cybernetic eye roved over the cabin's interior, a glimpse into this erratic madman's lifestyle. Green seemed to be the only color visible here... How peculiar. -

Genau deshalb bin ich natürlich hier. Die Organisation, die ich vertrete, benötigt Ihre Talente, und im Gegenzug können wir Ihnen finanzielle Stabilität garantieren – und zudem sicherstellen, dass Sie lange genug leben, um Ihre Arbeit zu vollenden.

[That is precisely why I am here, of course. The organization I represent needs your talents, and in return, we can guarantee you financial stability—and also ensure that you live long enough to complete your work.]

- Kor turned her piercing eyes on the mangled doctor with a smile that hinted at co-conspiracy. -

Die Wiederbelebung ist bislang gescheitert, doch Unsterblichkeit ... das ist eine Realität, die wir bieten.

Approaching the cabin shrouded in mist, Kor knocked on the door, calling upon the language she had not spoken since she was but a girl. -

Guten Tag, Herr Doktor. Ich habe ein Angebot, das einen Mann Ihrer Fähigkeiten interessieren könnte.

[Good day, sir doctor. I have an offer that may interest a man of your skill.]

@io-splinter-agent

[A few concerning thumps and crashes of various volume would ring out from behind the rickety entrance, accompanied by a cacophony of curses from a rasping, shuddering utterance. Following a resounding bang, silence would claim the surrounding forest once more, bar the cry of a bird.]

[The door would be wrenched open with a growl, the pathetic barrier whining as it connected with the unforgiving wall inside and trembled with the impact. Shoulders heaving with effort, the man that met KOR’S asymmetric gaze was saturated with substances undiscernible from the next; carrying the scent of death and other foul smells like a shroud.]

“Was? Was willst du denn, Mädchen?” (What? What do you want, girl?)

[PLAGUE snapped, his grip on the door leaving slick, sprawling trails of blood and equally sludgy handprints. He seemed suspicious. Wary, yet unashamed in his gory appearance.]

[He hadn’t exactly came across another individual on this God-forsaken piece of land that possessed his mother-tongue.]

[And much to his own chagrin, the masked man sensed the irritating sensation of kinship tug at his internals.]

“…”

[Processing what the woman had just proposed seconds ago, he tilted his face closer. PLAGUE’S breathing underneath the heavy, beaked mask was a wet, hilting thing; as if each gasp was a pain to take in. The beak of his mask was uncomfortably close to pecking KOR in the face.]

“Ein Angebot.” (An offer.)

[He echoed pointedly, PLAGUE’S head twitched ever-closer in a minuscule expression of interest. Much like the bird his mask portrayed.]

Natürlich. Ihr Ruf in der Medizinwelt ist bestens bekannt, und man könnte mich wohl als einen Ihrer Bewunderer bezeichnen.

[Of course. Your reputation in the medical field is well known, and I suppose you could call me an admirer.]

- No harm in a little flattery.

Kor gave the man a formal bow, noting his bird-like mannerisms with some amusement. -

Ihr Fachgebiet ist das Experimentieren, insbesondere auf dem Gebiet der Organtransplantation und der Prothetik, nicht wahr?

[Your field of expertise is experimentation—particularly in the areas of organ transplantation and prosthetics—isn't it?]

- She stood again, her cybernetic eye catching the tells of curiosity... and also the potential threat of the syringe. -

Ich vertrete eine Gruppierung, die Ihre Talente benötigt – und über die Mittel verfügt, Ihr Interesse zu wecken und Sie angemessen zu entlohnen.

[I represent a group that requires your talents—and possesses the means to pique your interest and compensate you appropriately.]

- Now to dangle a taste of the prize... -

Du suchst nach den Schlüsseln zu Leben und Tod, nicht wahr?

Now Kor was headed to the secured room he had set up as an office of sorts, a base of operations where he could limit contact while keeping a short leash on the personnel he had let live. He had requested a full breakdown of the current operations running and their purpose, and she had just finished compiling the files. One she kept separated from the rest... he would have a special interest in that, she suspected.

Knocking and waiting for access to be granted, she stepped in when the door opened, giving a tight bow before laying the majority of the files on his desk. -

The files you requested, sir. All current operations, their purpose, personnel involved, resources allocated, etcetera.

Ah, excellent. You continue to prove yourself an effective member of my Order.

[He paused for a moment. Instead of reading the reports immediately, he instead looked directly at Kor]

You were in... snapshot acquisition, correct? Though that was one of the few departments that knew of me, and of our true goals, I do not believe we ever personally met.

Yet, even after the collapse of my organization, and my own presumed death, you still waited for my return, and even sought me out.

[He steepled his hands over the desk and looked through her, his gaze piercing.]

You are a woman of great ambitions. That is obvious. What inspires this loyalty within you? What is it that you hope to gain?

The sudden probe into her own motivations came as a slight surprise to her, however, and she almost raised her head enough to meet his eyes, but stopped herself at the last second, keeping her gaze firmly fixed on the documents she had brought. She had thought she would be considered beneath this sort of interest... Had she impressed him more than she thought? -

Yes, sir, I was in Acquisition, and I never had the honor of meeting you in person.

- Where to begin? She didn't want to waste his time with insignificant details. -

I was raised in a society in the latter stages of perfection, as far as our limited technology could achieve at the time, and instilled with the need to pursue that perfection for the good of all. When the Order and our leader made contact, I was among the chosen to be gifted to your cause.

As I trained in the Order, I was drawn to your vision. It was everything I had been raised to believe in, but so much more. The possibility of a perfected existence, in all that exists, not just in an isolated society. In pursuit of that...

- Her hand strayed to her temple beside the cybernetic eye, then rested over the core that had been integrated with her heart. -

I have given my humanity, and I am willing to give more.

- She bowed her head slightly. -

[She was the exact kind of commander he needed to rebuild the Order and retake the Island. This kind of drive needed to be rewarded.]

[He stood up, and looked over the bowing woman.]

... I must apologize, Kor. I fear your talents were utterly wasted as a mere strike member in Snapshot Acquisition.

You understand our true mission. You understand it's necessity. And what is more, you believe in it.

There have been many who have sought to perfect their worlds, across all Reality. But one thing many forget is to ally themselves with those that share that vision. They surround themselves with those who seek power, who seek control, who seek knowledge, above the goal of perfect order.

And without fail, they fell. I shall not repeat their mistakes.

Beings like you are rare. And in my world, qualities like yours shall be rewarded.

[He reach out his hand, and with shocking gentleness, raised her head.]

It has been long since I held the title of an Emperor. I am not your king. I am simply your leader, your superior.

But she didn't care. He wouldn't bother if he didn't see any value in her. Geno despised waste, and if she was a waste of time or resources, he would not tolerate her, much less promote her.

She could help him. She could be of use in bringing about a perfect Reality. The prospect lit Kor's eyes and straightened her back, so she stood a little taller. -

I will do my best not to disappoint you, sir.

- It didn't matter that he wasn't a king or Emperor. To her, he was the closest thing in existence to a god, and she would see him preside over all Reality.

Kor's hand tightened slightly on the last file, labeled "Subject 0204". -

[Sitting back down, Geno looked at the first one. He frowned. Putting it down, he read the next one. His frown deeped.]

[This continued on down the pile. His annoyance at the IO snapshot grew as he read through them. Expenditures for retrofitting the current base. Ongoing, despite then being here for the better part of a year. Several cloning projects, requested by Chaos Agent and approved. They had no rhyme or reason to them.]

[One was a more animalistic clone of the snapshot. Ridiculous and uncontrollable. Failure. Another was a clone of that horned Elite, Daigo. Reasoning unclear, deemed a failure as the clone could not channel any magic whatsoever. A clone of a chameleon man...]

[Geno began to feel a headache coming on. He despised headaches, so he cleared his mind, breathed, and opened his eyes.]

When you are dismissed, before your next assignment, you shall send Chaos Agent here to me directly. I shall speak with him about these... recent experiments.

- Finally, that mad little creature would stop leeching their thin resources indiscriminately. The Order could refocus on more important things.

Now Kor laid the last file on the desk. There was a small chance that Geno would be disappointed... But a much, much greater chance that he would not. -

[As he read on, though, his eyebrows rose. A snapshot... but one with unusual properties. Regeneration. Spontaneous Rift Generation. Communication-- communication with the Zero Point!? Metamorphosis brought on by Zero Point proximity!?]

This... this is groundbreaking! Absolutely fascinating! The medical breakthroughs alone would fund an army the size of a planet's population for a year!

[He had dabbled with Zero Point genetics himself, of course. There were the safeguards he put into the Ageless' DNA, for one, and the occasional personification of the Point. But none of them had successfully bonded human DNA to Zero Energy with so many benefits and so few downsides!]

[And then he got to the applications that had been tested, and he audibly slammed the papers down onto the desk and put his head in his hands. Occasional blood testing, obedience training, and the development of an anti rift collar.]

[Anti Rift technology had been pioneered ages ago, hell, he had given Voyager some of the technology to see if it could mess with the Seven's rifting capabilities and it had! And the other two were just... idiotic! If he hadn't known any better, he would have assumed the IO snapshot was attempting to make the man into some kind of pet for some asinine reason!]

It resides willfully in its cell, second level, door 27. Occasionally it Rifts away to explore, but it always returns. I've come to the conclusion that it has a codependency developed between itself, the ex Overseer, and Director Slone.

- She tilted her head slightly. -

No. You assume that 0204 requires to be conscious to be of use to us. The fact that it was allowed to remain so, let alone allowed to leave at all, is a glaring oversight.

[He was beginning to wonder if Slone actually had any leadership capabilities if she was not operating under him. A thought for another time.]

[As for 0204 however, the secrets within it lay within its body. And fortunately for them, it could regenerate infinitely. Organ harvesting came to mind, as well as in depth prosthesis research, not to mention the ability to allow their forces to rift at will...]

We shall not be staying here. This place is badly compromised and horribly out of date. I have scouted a place at Reality Zero, a small nothing of a home filled with museum pieces, buried within a cliff. There is a secret laboratory complex behind a false wall by the docks. We shall begin our expansion from there.

[A smaller space would cut down on operating costs and personnel, at least until he could find a low-key location when he could travel unnoticed.]

After you have spoken to Chaos Agent, here is what you must do. Travel to that place and prepare a room. Then, return here and collect 0204. Collar it, and then render it unconscious. Gas, injection, removal of it's brain--

[As if a snapshot of Jones could possess one--]

-- whatever you must do. Make sure it is contained, unable to travel, and preferably, entirely vegetative.

Then, you must locate a snapshot skilled in matters of the human body. Not. Cloning. A medical professional of some kind, with little or no moral qualms if possible. Offer them a job. If they accept, then they are already the perfect candidate. If not, reevaluate. If they remain the only snapshot that meet the requirements, bring them to the location by force and await my arrival. I shall personally utilize the brain drainer upon them until whatever crude morals they cling to are rendered inert.

[He folded his hands and eyed Kor carefully.]

Resting her clenched fist over her core, she bowed with a faint hint of a smile. -

I understand perfectly, sir.

Now Kor was headed to the secured room he had set up as an office of sorts, a base of operations where he could limit contact while keeping a short leash on the personnel he had let live. He had requested a full breakdown of the current operations running and their purpose, and she had just finished compiling the files. One she kept separated from the rest... he would have a special interest in that, she suspected.

Knocking and waiting for access to be granted, she stepped in when the door opened, giving a tight bow before laying the majority of the files on his desk. -

The files you requested, sir. All current operations, their purpose, personnel involved, resources allocated, etcetera.

Ah, excellent. You continue to prove yourself an effective member of my Order.

[He paused for a moment. Instead of reading the reports immediately, he instead looked directly at Kor]

You were in... snapshot acquisition, correct? Though that was one of the few departments that knew of me, and of our true goals, I do not believe we ever personally met.

Yet, even after the collapse of my organization, and my own presumed death, you still waited for my return, and even sought me out.

[He steepled his hands over the desk and looked through her, his gaze piercing.]

You are a woman of great ambitions. That is obvious. What inspires this loyalty within you? What is it that you hope to gain?

The sudden probe into her own motivations came as a slight surprise to her, however, and she almost raised her head enough to meet his eyes, but stopped herself at the last second, keeping her gaze firmly fixed on the documents she had brought. She had thought she would be considered beneath this sort of interest... Had she impressed him more than she thought? -

Yes, sir, I was in Acquisition, and I never had the honor of meeting you in person.

- Where to begin? She didn't want to waste his time with insignificant details. -

I was raised in a society in the latter stages of perfection, as far as our limited technology could achieve at the time, and instilled with the need to pursue that perfection for the good of all. When the Order and our leader made contact, I was among the chosen to be gifted to your cause.

As I trained in the Order, I was drawn to your vision. It was everything I had been raised to believe in, but so much more. The possibility of a perfected existence, in all that exists, not just in an isolated society. In pursuit of that...

- Her hand strayed to her temple beside the cybernetic eye, then rested over the core that had been integrated with her heart. -

I have given my humanity, and I am willing to give more.

- She bowed her head slightly. -

[She was the exact kind of commander he needed to rebuild the Order and retake the Island. This kind of drive needed to be rewarded.]

[He stood up, and looked over the bowing woman.]

... I must apologize, Kor. I fear your talents were utterly wasted as a mere strike member in Snapshot Acquisition.

You understand our true mission. You understand it's necessity. And what is more, you believe in it.

There have been many who have sought to perfect their worlds, across all Reality. But one thing many forget is to ally themselves with those that share that vision. They surround themselves with those who seek power, who seek control, who seek knowledge, above the goal of perfect order.

And without fail, they fell. I shall not repeat their mistakes.

Beings like you are rare. And in my world, qualities like yours shall be rewarded.

[He reach out his hand, and with shocking gentleness, raised her head.]

It has been long since I held the title of an Emperor. I am not your king. I am simply your leader, your superior.

But she didn't care. He wouldn't bother if he didn't see any value in her. Geno despised waste, and if she was a waste of time or resources, he would not tolerate her, much less promote her.

She could help him. She could be of use in bringing about a perfect Reality. The prospect lit Kor's eyes and straightened her back, so she stood a little taller. -

I will do my best not to disappoint you, sir.

- It didn't matter that he wasn't a king or Emperor. To her, he was the closest thing in existence to a god, and she would see him preside over all Reality.

Kor's hand tightened slightly on the last file, labeled "Subject 0204". -

[Sitting back down, Geno looked at the first one. He frowned. Putting it down, he read the next one. His frown deeped.]

[This continued on down the pile. His annoyance at the IO snapshot grew as he read through them. Expenditures for retrofitting the current base. Ongoing, despite then being here for the better part of a year. Several cloning projects, requested by Chaos Agent and approved. They had no rhyme or reason to them.]

[One was a more animalistic clone of the snapshot. Ridiculous and uncontrollable. Failure. Another was a clone of that horned Elite, Daigo. Reasoning unclear, deemed a failure as the clone could not channel any magic whatsoever. A clone of a chameleon man...]

[Geno began to feel a headache coming on. He despised headaches, so he cleared his mind, breathed, and opened his eyes.]

When you are dismissed, before your next assignment, you shall send Chaos Agent here to me directly. I shall speak with him about these... recent experiments.

- Finally, that mad little creature would stop leeching their thin resources indiscriminately. The Order could refocus on more important things.

Now Kor laid the last file on the desk. There was a small chance that Geno would be disappointed... But a much, much greater chance that he would not. -

[As he read on, though, his eyebrows rose. A snapshot... but one with unusual properties. Regeneration. Spontaneous Rift Generation. Communication-- communication with the Zero Point!? Metamorphosis brought on by Zero Point proximity!?]

This... this is groundbreaking! Absolutely fascinating! The medical breakthroughs alone would fund an army the size of a planet's population for a year!

[He had dabbled with Zero Point genetics himself, of course. There were the safeguards he put into the Ageless' DNA, for one, and the occasional personification of the Point. But none of them had successfully bonded human DNA to Zero Energy with so many benefits and so few downsides!]

[And then he got to the applications that had been tested, and he audibly slammed the papers down onto the desk and put his head in his hands. Occasional blood testing, obedience training, and the development of an anti rift collar.]

[Anti Rift technology had been pioneered ages ago, hell, he had given Voyager some of the technology to see if it could mess with the Seven's rifting capabilities and it had! And the other two were just... idiotic! If he hadn't known any better, he would have assumed the IO snapshot was attempting to make the man into some kind of pet for some asinine reason!]

It resides willfully in its cell, second level, door 27. Occasionally it Rifts away to explore, but it always returns. I've come to the conclusion that it has a codependency developed between itself, the ex Overseer, and Director Slone.

- She tilted her head slightly. -

Now Kor was headed to the secured room he had set up as an office of sorts, a base of operations where he could limit contact while keeping a short leash on the personnel he had let live. He had requested a full breakdown of the current operations running and their purpose, and she had just finished compiling the files. One she kept separated from the rest... he would have a special interest in that, she suspected.

Knocking and waiting for access to be granted, she stepped in when the door opened, giving a tight bow before laying the majority of the files on his desk. -

The files you requested, sir. All current operations, their purpose, personnel involved, resources allocated, etcetera.

Ah, excellent. You continue to prove yourself an effective member of my Order.

[He paused for a moment. Instead of reading the reports immediately, he instead looked directly at Kor]

You were in... snapshot acquisition, correct? Though that was one of the few departments that knew of me, and of our true goals, I do not believe we ever personally met.

Yet, even after the collapse of my organization, and my own presumed death, you still waited for my return, and even sought me out.

[He steepled his hands over the desk and looked through her, his gaze piercing.]

You are a woman of great ambitions. That is obvious. What inspires this loyalty within you? What is it that you hope to gain?

The sudden probe into her own motivations came as a slight surprise to her, however, and she almost raised her head enough to meet his eyes, but stopped herself at the last second, keeping her gaze firmly fixed on the documents she had brought. She had thought she would be considered beneath this sort of interest... Had she impressed him more than she thought? -

Yes, sir, I was in Acquisition, and I never had the honor of meeting you in person.

- Where to begin? She didn't want to waste his time with insignificant details. -

I was raised in a society in the latter stages of perfection, as far as our limited technology could achieve at the time, and instilled with the need to pursue that perfection for the good of all. When the Order and our leader made contact, I was among the chosen to be gifted to your cause.

As I trained in the Order, I was drawn to your vision. It was everything I had been raised to believe in, but so much more. The possibility of a perfected existence, in all that exists, not just in an isolated society. In pursuit of that...

- Her hand strayed to her temple beside the cybernetic eye, then rested over the core that had been integrated with her heart. -

I have given my humanity, and I am willing to give more.

- She bowed her head slightly. -

[She was the exact kind of commander he needed to rebuild the Order and retake the Island. This kind of drive needed to be rewarded.]

[He stood up, and looked over the bowing woman.]

... I must apologize, Kor. I fear your talents were utterly wasted as a mere strike member in Snapshot Acquisition.

You understand our true mission. You understand it's necessity. And what is more, you believe in it.

There have been many who have sought to perfect their worlds, across all Reality. But one thing many forget is to ally themselves with those that share that vision. They surround themselves with those who seek power, who seek control, who seek knowledge, above the goal of perfect order.

And without fail, they fell. I shall not repeat their mistakes.

Beings like you are rare. And in my world, qualities like yours shall be rewarded.

[He reach out his hand, and with shocking gentleness, raised her head.]

It has been long since I held the title of an Emperor. I am not your king. I am simply your leader, your superior.

But she didn't care. He wouldn't bother if he didn't see any value in her. Geno despised waste, and if she was a waste of time or resources, he would not tolerate her, much less promote her.

She could help him. She could be of use in bringing about a perfect Reality. The prospect lit Kor's eyes and straightened her back, so she stood a little taller. -

I will do my best not to disappoint you, sir.

- It didn't matter that he wasn't a king or Emperor. To her, he was the closest thing in existence to a god, and she would see him preside over all Reality.

Kor's hand tightened slightly on the last file, labeled "Subject 0204". -

[Sitting back down, Geno looked at the first one. He frowned. Putting it down, he read the next one. His frown deeped.]

[This continued on down the pile. His annoyance at the IO snapshot grew as he read through them. Expenditures for retrofitting the current base. Ongoing, despite then being here for the better part of a year. Several cloning projects, requested by Chaos Agent and approved. They had no rhyme or reason to them.]

[One was a more animalistic clone of the snapshot. Ridiculous and uncontrollable. Failure. Another was a clone of that horned Elite, Daigo. Reasoning unclear, deemed a failure as the clone could not channel any magic whatsoever. A clone of a chameleon man...]

[Geno began to feel a headache coming on. He despised headaches, so he cleared his mind, breathed, and opened his eyes.]

When you are dismissed, before your next assignment, you shall send Chaos Agent here to me directly. I shall speak with him about these... recent experiments.

- Finally, that mad little creature would stop leeching their thin resources indiscriminately. The Order could refocus on more important things.

Now Kor laid the last file on the desk. There was a small chance that Geno would be disappointed... But a much, much greater chance that he would not. -

Now Kor was headed to the secured room he had set up as an office of sorts, a base of operations where he could limit contact while keeping a short leash on the personnel he had let live. He had requested a full breakdown of the current operations running and their purpose, and she had just finished compiling the files. One she kept separated from the rest... he would have a special interest in that, she suspected.

Knocking and waiting for access to be granted, she stepped in when the door opened, giving a tight bow before laying the majority of the files on his desk. -

The files you requested, sir. All current operations, their purpose, personnel involved, resources allocated, etcetera.

Ah, excellent. You continue to prove yourself an effective member of my Order.

[He paused for a moment. Instead of reading the reports immediately, he instead looked directly at Kor]

You were in... snapshot acquisition, correct? Though that was one of the few departments that knew of me, and of our true goals, I do not believe we ever personally met.

Yet, even after the collapse of my organization, and my own presumed death, you still waited for my return, and even sought me out.

[He steepled his hands over the desk and looked through her, his gaze piercing.]

You are a woman of great ambitions. That is obvious. What inspires this loyalty within you? What is it that you hope to gain?

The sudden probe into her own motivations came as a slight surprise to her, however, and she almost raised her head enough to meet his eyes, but stopped herself at the last second, keeping her gaze firmly fixed on the documents she had brought. She had thought she would be considered beneath this sort of interest... Had she impressed him more than she thought? -

Yes, sir, I was in Acquisition, and I never had the honor of meeting you in person.

- Where to begin? She didn't want to waste his time with insignificant details. -

I was raised in a society in the latter stages of perfection, as far as our limited technology could achieve at the time, and instilled with the need to pursue that perfection for the good of all. When the Order and our leader made contact, I was among the chosen to be gifted to your cause.

As I trained in the Order, I was drawn to your vision. It was everything I had been raised to believe in, but so much more. The possibility of a perfected existence, in all that exists, not just in an isolated society. In pursuit of that...

- Her hand strayed to her temple beside the cybernetic eye, then rested over the core that had been integrated with her heart. -

I have given my humanity, and I am willing to give more.

- She bowed her head slightly. -

[She was the exact kind of commander he needed to rebuild the Order and retake the Island. This kind of drive needed to be rewarded.]

[He stood up, and looked over the bowing woman.]

... I must apologize, Kor. I fear your talents were utterly wasted as a mere strike member in Snapshot Acquisition.

You understand our true mission. You understand it's necessity. And what is more, you believe in it.

There have been many who have sought to perfect their worlds, across all Reality. But one thing many forget is to ally themselves with those that share that vision. They surround themselves with those who seek power, who seek control, who seek knowledge, above the goal of perfect order.

And without fail, they fell. I shall not repeat their mistakes.

Beings like you are rare. And in my world, qualities like yours shall be rewarded.

[He reach out his hand, and with shocking gentleness, raised her head.]

It has been long since I held the title of an Emperor. I am not your king. I am simply your leader, your superior.

But she didn't care. He wouldn't bother if he didn't see any value in her. Geno despised waste, and if she was a waste of time or resources, he would not tolerate her, much less promote her.

She could help him. She could be of use in bringing about a perfect Reality. The prospect lit Kor's eyes and straightened her back, so she stood a little taller. -

I will do my best not to disappoint you, sir.

- It didn't matter that he wasn't a king or Emperor. To her, he was the closest thing in existence to a god, and she would see him preside over all Reality.

Kor's hand tightened slightly on the last file, labeled "Subject 0204". -

Now Kor was headed to the secured room he had set up as an office of sorts, a base of operations where he could limit contact while keeping a short leash on the personnel he had let live. He had requested a full breakdown of the current operations running and their purpose, and she had just finished compiling the files. One she kept separated from the rest... he would have a special interest in that, she suspected.

Knocking and waiting for access to be granted, she stepped in when the door opened, giving a tight bow before laying the majority of the files on his desk. -

The files you requested, sir. All current operations, their purpose, personnel involved, resources allocated, etcetera.

Ah, excellent. You continue to prove yourself an effective member of my Order.

[He paused for a moment. Instead of reading the reports immediately, he instead looked directly at Kor]

You were in... snapshot acquisition, correct? Though that was one of the few departments that knew of me, and of our true goals, I do not believe we ever personally met.

Yet, even after the collapse of my organization, and my own presumed death, you still waited for my return, and even sought me out.

[He steepled his hands over the desk and looked through her, his gaze piercing.]

You are a woman of great ambitions. That is obvious. What inspires this loyalty within you? What is it that you hope to gain?

The sudden probe into her own motivations came as a slight surprise to her, however, and she almost raised her head enough to meet his eyes, but stopped herself at the last second, keeping her gaze firmly fixed on the documents she had brought. She had thought she would be considered beneath this sort of interest... Had she impressed him more than she thought? -

Yes, sir, I was in Acquisition, and I never had the honor of meeting you in person.

- Where to begin? She didn't want to waste his time with insignificant details. -

I was raised in a society in the latter stages of perfection, as far as our limited technology could achieve at the time, and instilled with the need to pursue that perfection for the good of all. When the Order and our leader made contact, I was among the chosen to be gifted to your cause.

As I trained in the Order, I was drawn to your vision. It was everything I had been raised to believe in, but so much more. The possibility of a perfected existence, in all that exists, not just in an isolated society. In pursuit of that...

- Her hand strayed to her temple beside the cybernetic eye, then rested over the core that had been integrated with her heart. -

I have given my humanity, and I am willing to give more.

- She bowed her head slightly. -

[What was the point of retreating to their secret base in Reality 06 if they weren't going to bother keeping it a secret?]

[By now, it had been several minutes, and he was beginning to get annoyed. Adding another mental note about the sorry state of security, he waited patiently for the Order to respond.]

*Jiones sat at his desk, glancing over at the computer monitor. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary yet, until he saw a person in armor strolling down the halls. Seven armor. Oh fuck. He slammed his fist down on the lockdown button, alarms blaring and exits closing, and yelled into the loudspeaker.* "ALERT! SEVEN MEMBER HAS BREACHED PREMISES! ALL UNITS MOBILIZE AND DEFEND THE BASE!" *He scrambled out from behind the desk and grabbed his gun from the wall, taking a magazine out of his pocket and loading up the firearm. He ran out of the doorway and down the halls, looking for the Seven member.*

[Well, he had used his old master code to disable all the internal sensors, but still. They should have changed the codes.]

[At this point, a squad of IO soldiers rounded the corner, brandishing weapons. Visitor came to a stop to observe their response time.]

Gentlemen. I have just walked directly into your hidden sanctum undetected til now. Would you like to find out why?

[Apparently not. The group immediately began firing on him. Visitor tilted his head slightly as his personal force shield deflected everything.]

[This armor did need to remain intact, after all. He had gone through a great deal of trouble to make it look this tastefully worn.]

Ah. A Jones snapshot. How droll. No wonder this place has collapsed on its own inadequacy.

[He took a step forward, hands clasped behind his back.]

When I came to Reality Zero once more, I heard rumors of the Imagined Order. That, though they fell, they rose once more in the shadows, waiting. Watching. Hoping for the perfect moment to strike.

I will admit that I was intrigued. It had been some time since I had been gone, so to hear that the Order yet lived after I had seen its fall, well... that prompted investigation.

[He took another step forward.]

So here I am, full of expectation and curiosity. And what do I find when I come?

[His helmet tilted downwards, the lines glowing on it forming like a glare.]

Incompetence. Sloppiness. An embarrassment to everything this organization once stood for. Once, the Imagined Order ruled Reality Zero! Yet here you hide, cowering like rats, fat and indolent off your own delusions of grandeur.

[He slowly shook his head.]

... Pathetic.

[He raised his head, looking down upon the assembled soldiers.]

In an instant, he stood alone, ankle deep in vanishing blue cubes. A metallic click, and the warm barrel of a smoking pistol pressed against the back of Jiones' head. -

On the contrary, Overseer...

- The title dripped with derogatory sarcasm. -

I had hoped to retrain some of those soldiers, but alas, it seems my attack dog is a tad overzealous.

Ah well, no real loss. I can always get more. You have met Kor, yes?

[He suddenly snapped his fingers, as though he had just remembered something.]

But you are correct, ex Overseer. I have forgotten my manners...

[He reached up and lifted off his helmet, revealing his face.]

As for you, however, there is a chance you could prove useful...

[Geno looked thoughtful for a moment, before breaking into a frown.]

But let us be frank with each other. Jones, and all of his snapshots, are far more trouble than they are worth. The man is like a cockroach, he simply refuses to stay down. Which would be admirable in an ally, yes, but he possesses a fatal dose of morality in his self that refuses to go away no matter how often he is replicated.

[He gestured at Jiones with a flippant air.]

Even you. What were you intended to be? A snapshot genetically engineered to be ruthless?

[Geno scoffed.]

I hope whoever did the job was terminated from their position, because they clearly did a poor job.

Hmm. I have already shot one Jones today, and it was thoroughly unsatisfying. Kor, I informed this snapshot of its reassignment from this position. Would you be so kind as to carry out it's severance proceedings?

But this new order carried with it the implication of forgiveness, if she obeyed. Kor felt a hint of relief, and her posture straightened just a hair. -

As you command.

[What was the point of retreating to their secret base in Reality 06 if they weren't going to bother keeping it a secret?]

[By now, it had been several minutes, and he was beginning to get annoyed. Adding another mental note about the sorry state of security, he waited patiently for the Order to respond.]

*Jiones sat at his desk, glancing over at the computer monitor. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary yet, until he saw a person in armor strolling down the halls. Seven armor. Oh fuck. He slammed his fist down on the lockdown button, alarms blaring and exits closing, and yelled into the loudspeaker.* "ALERT! SEVEN MEMBER HAS BREACHED PREMISES! ALL UNITS MOBILIZE AND DEFEND THE BASE!" *He scrambled out from behind the desk and grabbed his gun from the wall, taking a magazine out of his pocket and loading up the firearm. He ran out of the doorway and down the halls, looking for the Seven member.*

[Well, he had used his old master code to disable all the internal sensors, but still. They should have changed the codes.]

[At this point, a squad of IO soldiers rounded the corner, brandishing weapons. Visitor came to a stop to observe their response time.]

Gentlemen. I have just walked directly into your hidden sanctum undetected til now. Would you like to find out why?

[Apparently not. The group immediately began firing on him. Visitor tilted his head slightly as his personal force shield deflected everything.]

[This armor did need to remain intact, after all. He had gone through a great deal of trouble to make it look this tastefully worn.]

Ah. A Jones snapshot. How droll. No wonder this place has collapsed on its own inadequacy.

[He took a step forward, hands clasped behind his back.]

When I came to Reality Zero once more, I heard rumors of the Imagined Order. That, though they fell, they rose once more in the shadows, waiting. Watching. Hoping for the perfect moment to strike.

I will admit that I was intrigued. It had been some time since I had been gone, so to hear that the Order yet lived after I had seen its fall, well... that prompted investigation.

[He took another step forward.]

So here I am, full of expectation and curiosity. And what do I find when I come?

[His helmet tilted downwards, the lines glowing on it forming like a glare.]

Incompetence. Sloppiness. An embarrassment to everything this organization once stood for. Once, the Imagined Order ruled Reality Zero! Yet here you hide, cowering like rats, fat and indolent off your own delusions of grandeur.

[He slowly shook his head.]

... Pathetic.

[He raised his head, looking down upon the assembled soldiers.]

In an instant, he stood alone, ankle deep in vanishing blue cubes. A metallic click, and the warm barrel of a smoking pistol pressed against the back of Jiones' head. -

On the contrary, Overseer...

- The title dripped with derogatory sarcasm. -