All is quiet on the ARK, all systems are running in standby mode. GUN has replaced the guard drones that had been in place before Eggman had destroyed them all. No signs of life can be seen anywhere.
Ai sees all this through his hidden connection to the ARK's security footage. He has deduced that the time has come, the will of Dr. Gerald Robotnik must be fulfilled.
"Retrieving Subject," The floor in the old laboratory opens in a circular hole, and the door to the laboratory seals shut. A life-capsule rises from the safety of the crash-vault, and comes to rest vertically in the middle of the laboratory.
"Beginning diagnostics scan," a ring of blue energy appears around the life-capsule, and slowly goes down, illuminating the subject within. When the ring vanishes, Ai says, "Scan complete, Abnormalities: Negative. Beginning Animation process."
The blueish fluid in the glass capsule begins to drain out through the bottom, resting the subject on her feet. Air pumps slowly into the capsule before it opens with a hissing sound.
"Mmm," the subject opens her crimson eyes, and blinks at her surroundings. Slowly she steps out of the life-capsule's base, and turns in a circle to look around the laboratory. Her eyes fall on a mirror secured to a wall. She walks over to it, and inspects her reflection closely. She's dressed in a black, sleeveless top, and black pants. Her quills, and fur are the same color as her irises, deep crimson. She turns her head to see that her quills stretch down her back to her hips. Taking one in her hand, she trails a finger along one of the black stripes in her red quills. Light glints off of one of her bracelets, and she traces it with a finger.
"I would advise you not to remove those, if you please."
The sudden voice makes her jump, and whip her head around, looking for the speaker. "Who's there?!"
"Forgive me," the robotic voice comes again, and a screen on a computer terminal lights up. "My name is Ai, I was designed by Dr. Gerald Robotnik to care for his laboratory, and act as his assistant. Before he left he reprogrammed me to be your caretaker. Welcome to life."
She walks over to the computer terminal, and cocks her head at it curiously, "What do you mean, "Welcome to life?" Was I dead?"
"Negative, quite the opposite. Today is the day you are born, the date is January sixth, year two-thousand and thirteen, in case you were wondering."
"Born?" She can't understand exactly what Ai is trying to tell her.
"Allow me to explain," Ai pauses as he bring up a holographic image of the ARK in the middle of the room. She stares at it in wonder.
"Your are on the Space Colony ARK, a station designed by the GUN over half a century ago. It was once home to some of the greatest scientific minds on earth."
"Earth?" she watches as the hologram of the ARK changes into a hologram of Earth with the ARK orbiting around it.
"They were brought here so that they could work in seclusion, and secrecy. One of these scientists was Dr. Gerald Robotnik." The hologram changes into the doctor, standing straight with his hands in his pockets. "He was one of the main contributors to the ARK, but was eventually persecuted for some of his creations. These creations included Shadow the Hedgehog," the hologram becomes Shadow, arms crossed, and a cold look in his eye. "Shadow was created under the pretense of being the Ultimate Life-Form, but while this is undoubtedly true, Dr. Robotnik had an ulterior motive."
The hologram takes the form of Maria, "Dr. Robotnik's granddaughter, Maria, was deathly ill, and Dr. Robotnik had hoped to find a cure by using Shadow. However when the GUN arrested the scientists on the ARK for supposedly being in league with DR. Robotnik, Maria was killed, and the doctor was taken into custody with Shadow. This all took place here approximately fifty-six years ago."
She is understanding a little better now, but she still has questions, "But why would they do that, just because of Shadow?"
"I believe it was more a question of Shadow's lineage. In order to create Shadow, Gerald Robotnik had made a deal with a race of aliens named the Black Arms." The hologram becomes Black Doom, "Their leader, Black Doom, agreed to give Dr. Robotnik a sample of his own DNA in exchange for the seven Chaos Emeralds." Black doom vanishes, and seven holographic Chaos emeralds appear in a rotating circle. She watches in amazement at the beautiful colors, Crimson, Emerald, Gold, Silver, Violet, Sapphire, and Azure.
"Seven gems of unknown origin, and unlimited power. Sadly, Black Doom's intent for them was not kind. He had intended to use them in order to teleport the Black Comet down to earth's surface, and invade." "How awful," she puts her hands over her mouth.
"They're attempted invasion took place approximately six years ago, fortunately Shadow stopped them. He used the Chaos Emeralds to put the Comet back into space, and destroyed it using the Eclipse Cannon. It is another of Dr. Robotnik's creations, just like you, and I."
The Hologram changes again to show the Black comet heading towards the ARK. Suddenly a green beam lances from the ARK, and collides with the comet. After a few seconds the comet bursts into various fragment, and scatter out across the galaxy. She flinches as a piece drifts harmlessly through her shoulder. "Wait, what about me?" She looks at the terminal again.
"When Dr. Robotnik failed to produce a cure for Maria with Shadow's blood, he developed a hypothesis that Shadow's Y chromosome was interfering with the cure's effectiveness. He required a subject that had been born without the Y chromosome, but was biologically the same as Shadow. Therefore he used the DNA of Shadow that he had on hand to clone him, creating you. Sadly, the GUN initiated their raid of the ARK before you could be safely awakened. He had me move you to the crash-vault, and wait for the appropriate time to awaken you." She doesn't understand all of what Ai just said, but she thinks that she understands one important bit of information.
"So I'm... Just a clone?"
A minute of silence, and then Ai says, "I do not believe that you are merely "just a clone." If the Doctor had just wanted a clone, he would not have tampered with the genetic material to make that clone female. Though the Doctor wanted to use Shadow to heal Maria, he still saw Shadow as a person. If he were here with us now, he would do the same for you. I apologize if I caused you discomfort, I only told you of your origins because firstly, I am your caretaker, and secondly, no one else would be able to. He ordered me to keep you a secret for as long as possible."
She mulls that over in her mind, Ai is right. He's making perfect sense, so she shouldn't worry about her past. She still has two questions though.
"Ai, what is my name?"
A beat of silence, "It appears the Doctor wished to name you when you were standing awake in front of him, therefore I have no name of yours in my files. Would you like for me to compose a list of feminine names so that you may choose one for yourself?"
She thinks about it for a moment, and then nods, "Yes, please."
"A moment, please..."
The terminal whirrs, and after a few seconds a sheet of paper two feet long slides out of the terminal. Picks it up, and frowns, a new question has just come to mind.
"Ai, how come I can read, and talk? Not that I'm complaining, but isn't that usually something people have to learn?"
"Typically yes, however the Doctor's studies show that the Black Arms are capable of passing on skills through their genetics."
"Thanks," she says, and begins scanning the list. She stays that way for a few minutes, and then she says, "Ai, what's this one say?"
"I am unable to focus the cameras in this room well enough to read, miss, you will have to spell it." "L-U-N-A."
"That name is pronounced "Luna", and it happens to be the name of the earth's moon."
She thinks about it, and then she smiles, "Okay, my name is Luna. But I have one more question."
