White Dwarf/Blue Giant
[Scene 002]
Leaning over the examination table the Hertz was strapped to was a Wizard whose circuitboard-like body folded into a complex angular shape reminiscent of origami. The green dome that served as her head featured two blinking gold eyes and nothing else. Â Geo and the others stood around the lab as she continued adjusting the equipment with her four long arms, some more patiently than others.
âCâmon, Sili,â Sulphur said, âhow long is this gonna take?â
Without even looking up, she hurled a small bolt of electricity at Sulphur, the shock bringing him to his knees. Â âYou canât rush perfection. Â It wouldnât take so long if youâd nabbed him before he set off that Noise bomb.â
Sulphur growled as he began to rise. Â Nitro stepped forward quickly, saying, âSorry, thatâs my fault. Â Iâll act more quickly next time.â
Sili mumbled to herself for a second.  Then, she snatched up a scalpel and stabbed it into the Hertz.  Data streamed from the wound up through the blade and into Sili, the Wizardâs eyes going blank as she rapidly processed the information she was receiving.  âThere we go!  Memory files accessed, narrowing down for relevancy, and...oh. FascinatingâŠâ
Geo stepped forward. Â âWhat is it, Sili?â
She yanked free the scalpel and spun around, saying, âAs I suspected: the theft was premeditated! Â This Hertz was working under contract!â
Gently pushing aside the scalpel, Geo said, âGreat. Â Were you able to see who it was that wanted that data?â
âSee?  No.â Sili turned and set aside her tool, then made her way over to one of the many consoles lining the wall.  âThe Hertz remotely uploaded the data to his client--they never met in person.  However, the contact information, the mannerisms, it all lines up with a certain someone I recall seeing in the Level Black registryâŠâ
Geo winced. Â âThe Level...Sili, thatâs above our clearance! Â You shouldnât be poking around in there!â
âEh, whatâs the big deal?â Mega asked. Â âHow are we gonna do our job if we donât know who the bad guys are?â
âIâm with Mega,â Bonnie said. Â âIf Sili knows who weâre after, thatâll make this a whole lot easier.â
Geo sighed.  âMan...I just hope the Chief doesnât find outâŠâ
âWhat was that?â
Geo shuddered.  Spinning around, he saw a new Wizard entering the lab: he had a tall, cylindrical white body with tube-like arms, his face chiseled into a permanently stern expression. Saluting, Geo said, âO-Oh, Oxygen, sir! We were just, umâŠâ
The Wizard chuckled. Â âAt ease, Captain. Â Iâm not going to rat you out to the Chief. Â Letâs see what Siliconâs found.â
Geo let out a long breath. Â Bonnie laughed, saying, âHad us scared for a minute there, Gen! Â Is Chief getting impatient?â
Oxygen approached Sili, answering, âHe is a bit anxious, Carbon. Â Only to be expected, considering data was stolen from the Satellite Server on his watch. Â The quicker we resolve this, the better, so I can overlook Siliconâs...overzealousness just this once.â
Nitro chuckled. Â âYou said something similar the last time, sir.â
Oxygen hummed quietly. Â Sili slapped the console then, shouting, âYes! Â Thereâs a 99% probability that this is our culprit!â
Geo looked up. Â Displayed on-screen was an image of a boy about his age with a spiky cloud of black hair, wearing a black jacket with shoulder pads over an orange t-shirt. Â A veritable wall of text scrolled next to the photo, but at the very top was a name: âKazuma Hikariâ. Â Oxygen somehow looked even more grim at the sight.
â...I see,â the commanding Wizard said. Â âI shouldâve guessed it was him.â
âHikariâŠâ Geo muttered.
Sulphur raised an eyebrow. Â âSound familiar?â
âOh, well...I remember learning about some highly skilled scientists with that name around 200 years ago. Â But that probably has nothing to do with this.â
Oxygen shook his head. Â âNo, it does.â
âSir?â
Facing the team, Oxygen said, âSince youâll most likely be the ones going after him, Iâll go ahead and authorize you to know this now. Â Kazuma Hikari is descended from the same Hikari family that was essential in forming net society circa 200x...but unlike his ancestors, who used their gifts to benefit society, Kazuma is one of the most dangerous hackers WAZA has ever had to deal with.â
Geoâs brows came together. Â âThen...heâs trying to destroy the very thing his family worked so hard to build?â
âYeesh,â Mega said, âtalk about teenage rebellionâŠâ
âKazuma has yet to put forth any sort of mission statement, and his actions are rather erratic,â Oxygen said. Â âWe cannot be entirely certain of his intentions. Â Whatever the case, he has eluded us at every turn, all the while gathering stores of sensitive data and probing for any weakness he can find in our security. Â Heâs planning something...something big. Â If heâs going after the Satellite Server now, then the time he puts that plan into action could very well be fast approaching.â
Geo nodded. Â âI see. Do we have any leads on his whereabouts?â
âHaha...always eager. Â We donât have much to go on, but once I inform Chief Steorra Iâm sure heâll get our analysts right on it. Â For the time being, you should all get some rest and await further orders. Â Youâll need to be in top form to have even a chance of catching this one.â
Oxygen left the lab.  Sili began shutting down her console, pausing to say, âOh, I didnât ask what we should do with this HertzâŠâ
âJust delete him,â Sulphur said, stalking towards the exit. Â âNot like he can do us any good now.â
Bonnie rubbed the back of her neck.  âMmmm...sounds a little harsh, thoughâŠâ
âIâm sure Chief Steorra will mention it in his orders,â Nitro said. Â âUntil then, thereâs no harm in keeping him here.â
Sulphur was gone without another word. Â Geo said, âWell, you heard Oxygen. Â Iâll see you guys later. Â Thanks again for all the great work today!â
âSure thing, Captain!â Bonnie said. Â âHey, Mega, want to go a few rounds?â
âAny time!â Mega said. Â âYou were gonna hang out for a bit anyway, werenât you kid?â
Geo chuckled. Â âYeah. Go have some fun.â
The two of them went down the hall while Geo made for the elevator. Â Taking it up a few dozen levels, he arrived on a floor that was wide-open, dotted with couches, tables, vending machines, and droves of exhausted researchers. Â At the center of the floor was a fountain, where Geo found Zack sitting on the edge talking into his Hunter.
âI know it hasnât stabilized yet, but we need more data! Â Pedia has been specially outfitted with all the necessary protection. Â Heâs at no risk.â Â Zack looked up as Geo approached. Â âI have to go. Â Iâll call you back once weâve found something.â
âWorking hard, I see,â Geo said. Â âTheyâre at least paying you for this internship, right?â
Zack adjusted his glasses, momentarily revealing the bags under his eyes. âDue to recent regulations, theyâre only able to offer college credit, but I canât complain. Â Itâs a dream come true to be working with WAZA!â
âYeah, I guess so.â
âBefore I forget: howâs that contraption of yours treating you?â
Geo pulled at his left sleeve, revealing what looked like a square wristwatch with his shooting star emblem over the face. Â âOh, the Noise Band? Â I think itâs coming along, but Iâve got some more work to do before submitting an actual proposal. Â Iâve been so focused on the combat functions, but Iâll need to iron out everything else if I want to make a commercial model.â
Zack nodded, trying his best to stifle a yawn.
âYou look like you could use some rest, Zack.â
âOh, no, Iâll be fine. Â I wonât be able to rest until I have something to show for my work.â
âAlright...well, donât push yourself too hard. Â Remember weâve got Prezâs party in a few days.â
Zack averted his gaze.  âR-RightâŠâ
Geoâs band chimed. Â Quickly navigating the Air Display, he said, âThatâs my dad. Â Iâll see you later, Zack.â
He doubled back towards the elevator. Â The doors soon opened to reveal Kelvin Stelar, tugging at the collar of his WAZA uniform as he grumbled under his breath.
âDoing alright, dad?â
âHey, Geo,â Kelvin said as he stepped off the elevator.  âUgh, this fabric is still driving me crazyâŠâ
âCâmon, dad, youâve been a material being again for four years now! Â Youâll have to adjust sooner or later.â
âEasy for you to say, kiddo! Â When youâre made of waves for as long as I was, you get awfully used to it.â
The two of them went to the counter on the far side of the floor to order some food. Â Once they were a few bites in, Kelvin said, âThe higher-ups are awfully spooked about this server breach. Â Just about every team has had to drop what theyâre doing and work on reinforcing security.â
âThings should calm down soon enough,â Geo said. Â âWe just brought in the Hertz responsible--it shouldnât be long before we get the stolen data back and things calm down again.â
Kelvin chewed his food. Â â...What happened to the Hertz?â
Geo took a bite. Â â...Donât know. Â I left before we got those orders.â
A long silence passed.
âTheyâve sure been keeping you Commandos busy lately, havenât they?â Kelvin said.
Geo didnât say anything. Â He just gave his father a wary look.
âSorry. Â I canât help but worry about you, especially lately...â
âWeâre just doing whatâs necessary to keep the peace.â
âI donât know about thatâŠâ  Kelvin poked at his plate.  âBut, I know thatâs what you believe.â
Geo looked back at his plate.
âWell if things do calm down, maybe we can finally take some time off. Â I feel like I barely see your mother these days. Maybe you, me, her, and Mega can go on a camping trip some time soon?â
Geo nodded, but he didnât look up. Â âYeah. Â That sounds like fun.â












