Chapter 4: The Nightmare Begins


Slap. Who are you?

"Huh...what do you mean?"

Slap. Who are you?

"De...Death Star...."

Slap. Who are you?

"I told you already...."

That is not the form I wanted...your past, you idiot...we are what we are created to be....

"Eh? You some drunk idiot or something?"

Slap. Who are you?

"Fine! I am Death Star, module type #000, the only one my series. I was created by Dr. Michael McCormick..."

Slap. That is a lie.

"Wait..I know who are you now...only you would consider THAT a lie, isn't that right, North Star?" asked Death Star, finally coming out of the deep sleep he was in and opened his eyes. The entire room was dark with a huge white blur in it. A few moments later, he realized that his vision was blurred and as it slowly focused, the white blur turned into a light and the dark before him formed North Star's face.

"Well, well, you're finally up....that's good." Death Star shook his head slowly, trying to wake himself up some. He then realized he was off the ground, chained by his hands. Looking up, he saw the chains were attached to the roof. "I don't think you could break out of that so easily. Though I heard of your miracle escape awhile back*, I just think Cran was a fool and used weak chains on you..." North Star continued.
* - Mission 54, Hunted Part 6

"Who really gives a you-know-what about what you think...where's Iceheart?" asked Death Star, already deciding not to get into North Star's mind games.

"Oh really, DS, you don't want to talk about US? I mean, I haven't seen you in years...it hurts me to see you reject me like this...your brother and all..." North Star told him.

"You're not my brother. Now where is Iceheart?" repeated Death Star.

"Oh fine. She's locked up in the cell down the hall. She's fine, for now. And she'll continue to be, at least for a little while, if you play along..." North Star threatened.

"'Play along'? That sounds really sick. Now what do you want to play? I got a mean streak in poker I hear..." Death Star told him. North Star balled his hand into a fist and laid a punch across Death Star's face, sending him flying back a few feet. North Star watched with pleasure as he swung back and forth for a few moments and then finally stopped.

"I think we should bring your friend in...let her hear about your past? Does she know about your past? Really, does anyone know about your past, Death Star?" asked North Star suspiciously as he paced the room. "I mean, I think you hide your past from yourself, really, and not from your friends. If you can't face your past, how can anyone else? And if you can't face your past, how can you face your future? That's why you're screwing up in the Hunters right now..." North Star told him.

"Oh, this is just what I need....having a Maverick leader, who not only hates my guts but would like to spread them all over the room, giving me lessons on my personal problems....." Death Star snarled.

"Hey, just trying to be friendly."

"More like you're trying to play mind games on me, that's what..." Death Star told him and North Star's eyes narrowed. He knew he hit the nail with that, especially when North Star began to walk towards him.

"I think you need a little more time to think," North Star told him and the next thing Death Star knew, a fast blur moved into his eye, and everything else blacked out.


Death Star could literally feel the explosion in his jaw. He could hear it in his ears, the ringing continuing on for minutes after the explosion itself. He could feel it vibrate throughout his entire body, shaking it every which way. By the time he had recovered, Death Star was kneeling on the ground some, spitting up battery fluid and thanking the gods he was still alive to be feeling this. He could be like Firebird was, which was feeling nothing....nothing but death.

Forcing himself to move over to the rest of the unit, Death Star brought his back against some rock that had been thrown next to the Maverick base they were trying to get in. Beside him was North Star who was his best friend ever. While they looked alike and were made on the same Star series, they were not brothers, but they considered themselves it anyway. And during the first Maverick War, it was a good thing to have someone close to you. Lieutenant Death Star knew he could count on North Star for almost anything. And today, they were trying to enter a Maverick stronghold that had been causing them alot of trouble. The Maverick, Terran, inside had always been a Maverick, not unlike the eight Mavericks X was hunting, who were was once Hunters. Zero had led the assault on Terran's stronghold. Death Star knew he would always look up to Commander Zero, always...that's why when later he had to face Zero to the death* it almost crushed his heart...and why in the present he took it even harder.
* - The Final Battle

"You okay?" asked North Star as he blasted a Maverick to bits nearby. He had always been the best fighter of the two, the most aggressive. Never afraid to better than that of which he was.

"'Jiffy," was all Death Star could manage which spitting battery fluid everywhere. They didn't have time to have anymore conversation as another explosion jarred the rock he, North Star, and Mac were hiding behind, causing them to crash to the ground. "Ow!" That's when Zero came dashing over and helped him up.

"Listen, me and the rest of what's left of the 17th unit have the Maverick's mainforce tied up. I've looked it over and that situation there is probably more dangerous than taking on Terran's forces inside the base. I'm going to stay out here and lead the attack on the mainforce while you three go inside and take out Terran. I'm counting on you," Zero told them, resting his hand on Death Star's shoulder for a moment, before continuing on into the battle.

"Well, you heard him, lets go," Mac muttered, trying to sound confident. A few minutes later the three were inside the base, taking out the few forces inside until they reached the control room of the base. Terran leaped down from the shadows, a huge Reploid scorpion with a tail sharper than that of any metal known. He thrust the tail through Mac within seconds of landing, catching Death Star and North Star by surprise. Mac spit out a huge puddle of battery fluid and looked down in shock, withering more from the damage done to his nervous system than that of the pain. Seconds later, his head slumped over and he died. Death Star roared in anguish, knowing that he had lost one of his best friends forever to this monster.

Terran turned to them and smirked, drawing his saber. Death Star also drew his only saber and leaped at Terran and the two began to battle it out. As the fight progressed, with North Star blasting away on Terran's back, the two seemingly were about to wear Terran down when Death Star tripped and fell. Terran raised his tail up to crush him when North Star shoved him aside, taking the tail thrust through his right shoulder, which pinned him to the ground. Roaring in pain, he began to collapse in the pool of his own blood while Death Star got to his feet, hunched over in pain. Holding his saber at an angle, he leaped into the air and slashed off Terran's tail, watching with great pleasure at the Reploid screamed. He then turned it to the side and thrust it through Terran's head, killing him instantly.

Grabbing Terran's saber as a remembrance of the battle, he picked up North Star and carried him out the door.


"According to my sensors hooked up to you, you're dreaming about that battle while in the Maverick Hunters, am I right?" asked North Star. Death Star's eyes snapped open instantly and he glanced at him sadly, as if remembering Mac's death and how he failed back then. And he lost Terran's sword 70 years later*. "What happened afterwards, Death Star?" North Star persuaded him to continue, a roaring anger in his eyes as if there were something of pleasure to see Death Star forced to face his past.
* - Mission 25, War Final

Spitting out some battery fluid Death Star glanced at the wall. "You left the Maverick Hunters. Stayed a 'civilian' and out of the next two Maverick Wars. Which suited me just fine, then, because I didn't want you getting hurt on my behalf again. We remained in touch over the years until the Repliforce incident. I kinda stopped calling you and visiting you. Some of it due to that I made a friend in the ranks, one that almost killed me..." Death Star proceeded, smiling at the last thought. "Yes, good ol' X1. At least HE'S never tried to kill me, unlike SOME friends." Death Star turned back to North Star who's eyes were glaring with hatred, especially towards X1 it seemed. "When the Reploid Banning began, you were one of the first to go to the Wastelands. Strange, seeing as you were once a Hunter. When I was thrown in there and wandered my years, we ran into each other....then I began REBEL and you were a part of it. I think I've gone on long enough, no sense in going over ancient history."

"Oh, but there is....there is a purpose," North Star countered and stood up, smiling evilly. "All things have a purpose. My reason will remain a secret, for now. But don't you worry, you'll find out soon enough. But enough of the chit chat, let's begin the fun," North Star told him. He waved his hand and a monitor materialized before him, showing a shuttle cruising toward Earth. "In that shuttle is your friend, X1. He is unexpectedly walking into a well played trap of mine, thinking he's going to pick you up because your shuttle broke down. Poor X1...poor, poor X1..." North Star continued.

"NO!!! NO YOU BAST-" Death Star began but watched in growing horror as the shuttle exploded in a brilliant light. Roaring in anger, he tried uselessly to escape the prison he was in...to rip out North Star's throat and make him chew on it. North Star smiled, waved the monitor away, and walked towards the door.

"Don't worry, your nightmare is only beginning...there is alot more to kill...." he concluded and left.


Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3 | Chapter 5 | Chapter 6 | Chapter 7 | Chapter 8 | Chapter 9 | Chapter 10 | Conclusion