Story (c) Hikage Stinkdawg 2004

"Good. You are dismissed, captain." The crocodile gave a quick salute back before the tiger turned on his heal and marched out the door.

"Good luck, son." The croc said. "Whatever you find down there, bring it and yourself back in one piece."

The tiger marched down the hallways of the massive starship with a purpose. He had promised his commander that he would investigate these odd energy signals coming from the planet’s surface and he intended to do so without fail. He reached the hangar and slipped into his winter jacket. The planet was made of ice after all. He vaulted himself into the cockpit of his EXG-80 and started the machine. As the hatch closed and the mech’s engine systems came online, the tiger went over his mission parameters and entered them into the computer. The EXG-80 wasn’t a battle mech. It’s only weapons were its clawed hands and feet and the machine had no mounted weapons of any kind, but what it lacked in attack power, it made up for in speed and maneuverability. The tiger punched in the last of the coordinates on the glowing panel in front of him and gave the thumbs up to one of the hangar crew. He watched as they all cleared the room and the blast doors closed behind them. He placed his hands on the two sticks that controlled the metal machine and pushed them slightly forward. The mech lifted itself from the locking mechanism and drifted towards the opening hangar doors. A force shield held the room pressure intact and for a moment, the tiger saw one of the most beautiful sights he had ever seen. An orange glow appeared over the curve of the ice planet’s surface, surrounded by stars. The control room buzzed him.

"Hello, sir. I am Private Vernak I’ll be your operator for this mission." The voice sounded younger than usual. "We’re letting the force shield down, now, sir. You may want to activate your AI."

"I don’t need that lagged out computer." The tiger said in a gruff voice. "I’ll get down to the surface quicker without it."

"Excuse me, sir?" The operator exclaimed. "You’re talking about near fatal G- forces, you know. It would be better if you let your computer take you down slowly."

"I told you I’ll be fine," The muscular tiger chuckled. "Have a little faith would you?"

"I refuse to let you leave this hangar with a mentality like that, sir. You’ll get yourself killed!" The tiger saw Vernak, a grey furred rat, fold his arms across his chest indignantly as he looked down at the prone mech in the hangar.

"Look, kid," Vernak looked to be about 19. "I have a ninety percent sync ratio with this machine. I also have a mission to complete as well. The commander would not be very pleased if he found out that you were the one who prevented me from completing said mission."

The rat sulked. "Fine, but my paws are clean if your cockiness loses you your life as well as your mission."

The tiger smiled. "Good. Now drop the shield."

"Very well, sir." Was all the tiger heard before a shimmer of light across the vista of the rising sun on the planet's surface signaled the shield’s negation.

The mech was almost instantly pulled out of the hangar from the vacuum of space, sending the machine spiraling towards the planet’s surface. The tiger pulled up hard on the sticks, aiming the mech headfirst towards the icy sphere. He felt the Gs pull on his body, making him grit his teeth from the pressure. He growled and pushed the sticks down towards his feet, forcing the mech to complete an upside down loop. The stars and rising sun swung into his view and for a brief few moments, the tiger was weightless. He felt himself lift off of his seat slightly and sighed, enjoying the feeling of zero gravity. The mech creaked softly and the tiger gripped the controls as the machine returned to it’s decent towards the planet’s surface. The view that had been before him vanished as the mech descended into the upper atmosphere of the icy planet. He watched the sun disappear behind the clouds and the mech started to shake violently. This was the most difficult part… The clouds were all around the mech and without the guidance of an AI, the tiger could not be sure when he would break through them. If he pulled up too soon he would cause the mech to land on its back, damaging the machine beyond any repairs he could accomplish on his own. If he pulled up too late, he would be dead. The tiger stared at the clouds as they flew passed him. He couldn’t risk blinking at this crucial moment.

The clouds broke.

He saw the icy ground speeding towards him for only a microsecond as his reflexes forced him to pull up sharply on the flight sticks. The white snow covered ground, like the pearly gates of Aether, gave way to a horizon wreathed in bleach white clouds as the machine’s flight path leveled out and the feline burned the reverse thrusters, slowing the mech down enough so that he could land. The machine’s speed decreased rapidly and he was able to guide it down to the snowy ground with little trouble.
Vernak whistled over the com. "Damn… that was some nice flying." He said in awe.

"That wasn’t flying, kid. That was falling with style." The tiger smirked, knowing that his operator wouldn’t understand the ancient movie reference.

"Well whatever it was, it was amazing!" The rat exclaimed.

"If you really liked it that much I’ll teach you how to pilot like that some day." The tiger smirked.

"Really, sir??" Vernak sounded genuinely hopeful.

"Sorry, kid, but after this mission I doubt we’ll be seeing each other again except in passing."

"Oh…" His operator sounded very disappointed. "Well… you had better let your hull adjust to the planet’s temperatures before you try any exploring and you should probably turn on your AI while you have the time as well."

The tiger yawned and put his paws behind his head, slouching in his seat slightly as he waited for the glowing temperature meter on the control panel to turn green. He lowered a large arm and flicked a switch near his thigh.

"Welcome Captain Ranus," A deep, masculine voice said inside the cockpit of the mech. "This is the EXG-80. Please select your choice from the following list of options…"

Ranus tapped a button.

"You have selected normal AI." The computer said in its deep baritone. "Activating choice."

The cockpit buzzed to life as the temperature meter turned green.

"Alright," Ranus said. "Now we can finally move."

"Your first target is thirty degrees northeast and about a hundred and eighty clicks away." Vernak spoke over the com.

A beacon appeared on the clear canopy of the mech’s cockpit.

"I’ve got the target, heading for it now." Ranus pushed the control sticks all of the way forward and the mech launched itself from the ground, speeding off across the snowy terrain at breakneck speed. He knew his mission wasn’t a difficult one. He only had to find out what was causing the strange energy signatures and then report back to the command ship. He eased up on the controls and the mech slowly came to a stop.

"I’m one hundred feet away." He told Vernak. "The target is just over the next ridge. I’ll be taking it slower from here on in."

Vernak was quick to add his own two cents. "Sir, make sure you don’t do anything to damage whatever it is that’s making the signatures. The higher-ups want it intact."

"Understood, Ranus out." The tiger turned off the com channel for now. If there was a problem, which he highly doubted, then he would radio his operator. His mech slowly climbed the steep hill that was blocking his visual contact with the target. After a few minutes of climbing, the cockpit lifted above the rim of the hill and Ranus saw it. There was a mound of snow with something directly under the green beacon on his mech’s canopy.
That must be it, Ranus thought.
The mech climbed over the lip of the hill and Ranus moved it away from the edge, closer to the target. He squinted through the falling snow at the unmoving object.

"Great…" he mumbled. "AL, open the cockpit."

"Certainly, Ranus." The mech’s AI responded as the glass of the cockpit slid open and the tiger shivered. He wasn’t a cold weather cat. Luckily, his jacket kept most of the cold out. The shivering tiger trudged the last fifty feet to the mound of snow and looked at it curiously. He walked around it and pulled out an energy meter and a small communicator from his pocket. The meter read the odd signatures coming from the mound.

"Operator." He said into the com.

"I’m here, sir, what is it?" Vernak responded.

"I have visual on the target; however, it’s covered in snow." Ranus walked around the object further. "Should I remove the visual obstruction or return to the ship?"

"Touching the target is not advised, return to ship immediately and report to Commander Kersh." Vernak was only reciting orders, Ranus knew that, but he wouldn’t have listened if the Coalition president herself was speaking them to his face. That was the reason he wasn’t a general yet, and Ranus was fine with that. Besides, Kersh had given him explicit instructions to bring the object back by whatever means necessary, even if the Crocodile didn’t realize it himself.

"Copy that, operator, returning to ship ASAP."

Ranus cut the com link and looked at the mound of snow more closely. There wasn’t anything odd about the mound in itself, so Ranus knelt in the snow and proceeded to brush the thick layer of precipitation from the target. A black tarp of some kind covered the object under the snow and it was clearly protecting it from weather damage. Ranus stood up and dug in the snow at his feet, trying to find the edge of the tarp so he could lift it off of the target. The tarp was frozen to the ground.

Just perfect… Ranus thought as he marched back to the mech, grabbed an ice pick quickly, and returned to the tarp covered mound. He chiseled the ice away from the edge of the tarp enough so he could get his fingers under it. Ranus grunted and the muscles in his arms bulged as he forcefully ripped the tarp out of the ice. He growled and tossed the black material off of the target and almost fell backwards at what he saw.

It was a completely robotic creature, clearly offline, crouching in the fetal position. Ranus knelt beside it and stared at it, marveling at its complexity. The tiger saw that the creature’s surface was very sleek and there were no openings in the surface of the mechanical creature. It looked like another person except with metal covering it instead of fur. The creature moved suddenly and Ranus jumped backwards and onto his feet, ready to fight it or bolt for his mech. The creature stood slowly and Ranus saw that it had been modeled after canine physiology.

"Product number: C80-2007 online." It said. "Codename: CIBA."

It hadn’t seemed to notice Ranus yet, so the tiger decided to be a silent observer.

"Product classification confirmed: Canine Infantry Battle Android. Searching database for commands… no commands found… Prime Directive: protect… protect… Prime Directive code damaged. Searching for Backup Directive…"

Ranus was in awe of the machine’s startup simplicity.

"Backup Directive not found. Searching log data for evidence of Prime Directive…"

Ranus pulled out his energy meter. The machine was no longer giving off the strange signatures that it had been before it activated itself. That might prove to be a problem back at command. Ranus saw the machine’s ears perk towards him and he quickly shut off the meter and put it away. The robot seemed to ignore him for now.

"No evidence of complete Prime Directive found, activating CIBA AI." The machine clicked and Ranus saw a change come over it. His eyes widened as fur started to sprout over the metal of its body; and as the fur covered its back and tail, the machine turned around to face the startled tiger. Ranus stared back as the fur rippled along the machine’s chest and belly, moving down to its legs and feet until the robot looked exactly like a large rottwieler. Ranus blinked and also noticed that the robot seemed to be anatomically correct as well. The machine extended a paw.

"I am CIBA." It said. "Who might you be?"

Ranus somehow found his words without having to hunt for them for too long. "I’m… I’m Captain Ranus of the New Worlds Coalition." The tiger shook the machine’s paw.

"I am not familiar with this New Worlds Coalition."

CIBA mused. "And I cannot recall where I am from or why I am here."

"The N. W. C. is a military power dedicated to discovering new planets and new forms of life. Though we are a military power, we are a peaceful organization." Ranus recited the lecture he had been given when he had joined the Coalition. "We are an equal opportunity employer, and we welcome new faces to the fold every day."

CIBA looked at the tiger blankly. "Most interesting… I am in need of a Prime Directive since my current Directive has been damaged. Are you the Maker?"

"The… maker?" Ranus was confused.

"Yes… are you not the creator of the C80-2000 series?" CIBA cocked his head to the side curiously.

"Uh, no," Ranus said, shaking his head slightly. "I’m nothing of the sort. I’m a pilot and captain in the Coalition. I was sent down here to find out what was causing some odd energy signatures and I found you."

"This is a predicament indeed." CIBA frowned. "I can not operate at my full output without a Prime Directive."
"Alright," Ranus smiled, "How’s this? Protect the causes of the New Worlds Coalition."

CIBA’s face went blank for a few moments. "The variables of that prime directive are too confined. I require less concrete instructions."

Ranus thought for a second. "Ok, then. Protect all who are innocent."

"That is sufficient, please standby while this new Directive is installed." CIBA’s ears twitched and his face went blank again.

The tiger watched the canine’s eyes blink quickly as the data in his AI was being rewritten. The com buzzed.

"Sir?" Vernak said over the com. "Where did the energy signatures go?"

Ranus mentally smacked himself for not realizing that command would start asking questions. "They’re gone?" He said into the com.

"Yeah, are you on your way back at the moment?" Vernak asked.

"As a matter of fact, I am…" Ranus said, hoping that command would follow procedure and tell him to go back to check on the target again.

"Command wants you to go back to the surface and check on the target." Vernak said.

"Will do, Ranus out." The tiger turned off the com and pocketed it.

"Prime Directive installed." CIBA said. "I must find the Maker, so my programming can be correctly reformatted."

Ranus pointed to his mech. "I’ve got just enough room in there for two; it’ll be a tight fit, but if you want to come with me, you can. Maybe someone on my ship knows where you come from or where your maker is."

CIBA nodded. "Your ship? I do not detect any unfrozen bodies of water on this planet."

Ranus chuckled. CIBA seemed to be a relic indeed. "No, it’s a space ship, very large, besides there isn’t much for you to do on this planet anyway."

The android was silent for a moment before he nodded again. "Very well, you’re logic is sound, therefore I will come with you."

The two creatures walked back to the mech and Ranus climbed in. He motioned for CIBA to follow, but Ranus’ mech clearly wasn’t made for two persons. The android canine clambered up into the apparatus and sat awkwardly behind Ranus’ pilot’s seat in a small passenger chair, which was barely large enough for him. The tiger made sure that the robot was secured and started the machine.
"This is Ranus," he said into the com. "Come in, command."

"Operator, here." He heard Vernak’s voice.

"I’ve picked up a passenger; Target remains intact," Ranus said, "no change in position or snow cover. I’m heading back to the ship now."

"Very well, sir. Have a nice return flight." Vernak responded. "Sir, what type of passenger?"

"He’s a canine. Found him near where I first landed. He appears to be in perfect shape, healthy and able to think clearly." Ranus replied.

"Alright, I’ll have medical units standing by for when you arrive." Vernak said.

Ranus turned to CIBA, covering the com. "Will they figure out that you’re a machine if they examine you?"

"Is it a problem if they do?" CIBA asked.

"Yes, we need to keep up the guise that you’re a living organism. The Coalition doesn’t allow androids or cyborgs to join their ranks unless they’re manufactured by Adamas Industries."

CIBA nodded. "I can emulate heartbeat and breathing patterns, as well as dilated pupils and organic speech patterns."

Ranus smiled. "Good." He lifted his paw off of the com. "Roger that command, returning to ship now."

The mech broke through the upper atmosphere and into the zero gravity of space and Ranus steered the machine towards the command ship as it hovered a few clicks away. The mech sailed easily into the hangar and tiger unbuckled his restraints as well as CIBA’s.

Medical staff were waiting for the two on the hangar’s floor.

"Remember," Ranus whispered. "They can’t know that you’re a machine."

CIBA nodded and dropped to the floor. He was surrounded by the medical personnel and they led him out of the hangar towards the infirmary.

"Good work, sir." Vernak said over the hangar’s loudspeaker. "Commander Kersh says you can get some food in the mess hall and some rest in your quarters. He’ll debrief you on your passenger’s status after he has been examined."

Ranus gave him the thumbs up and started towards the door of the hangar.

"Sir…" Vernak said.

Ranus turned towards the rat who was his operator.

"What’s it like to fly like that?" The youngster asked.

Ranus switched on his comlink. "It’s like riding on the wings of an angel, kid."