Diabolus Ex Machina

*By the time they get back up, Basilisk is in the tunnel. Thiera hesitates, before popping open the chamber along Basilisk's back & climbing inside.*

Zell gets Mirror Zero, and hops in as well. "So, what now?" She asked, "We can't destroy it, we need to give it to Roatha, or else we're going to jail."

T"We can give him whatever's left. If we don't stop Senthose, he'll destroy Paradigm City & everyone in it."

"True enough," Zell said, "Come on, lets get him... her? It!"

Ambience

*When they break out of the subway tunnel, Big O is about halfway to the Domes. As it is walking, it emits purple lasers from its eyes, sweeping them across the Central Dome & destroying several glass panes.*

T{This Big Venus thing can't be real...yet he's charging ahead like he already knows where it is.}

*Basilisk rushes through the streets, swinging an electrified tail at Big O. It weathers the shock, then calmly turns around & deploys one of its fists. It punches at Basilisk, but Basilisk manages to evade, & the air pressure from the punch puts a crater in the street.*

S/L{Yes, that's it...more! Together, we can destroy this entire city, & push the Doomsday Clock up to midnight!}

T{You're forgetting the other possibility: We disable Big O before that happens, use it to prove our innocent, & find someone who can erase your smug, psychopathic self from Lilith's memory files!}

S/L{Odd...I thought you said your plan was possible!}

Zell shot a volley of lasers at Big O, "Oh, how witty!"

*Big O raises one of its armored arms to take the lasers. It then points that arm at Mirror Zero. The wrist opens up & fires several purple energy blasts in a ring shape at it. With its other arm, it grabs Basilisk's tail & begins to pick it up. Basilisk coils around the arm, so it slams it into a building.*

Mirror Zero uses its thrusters to get the fuck out of the way.

*A tank shot goes whizzing by Mirror Zero. Zell's display screen switches to the chief of the military police, a man with a scraggly black beard & a weird vein in his head. He's shouting at the tanks.*

Dastun<What are you idiots doing? Why aren't you targeting the Black Megadeus?!>

???<Orders from the Paradigm Home Office, Sir! We are to destroy the snake Megadeus and the flying Megadeus, but make no effort to impede the black Megadeus!>

Dastun<Those orders don't make any sense! Why would they order you to let themselves be attacked?!>

???<Orders are orders, Sir!>

*Frustrated, the chief takes his hat off, throws it on the ground, & stomps on it. Senthose laughs as he shakes Basilisk off & continues on his way, leaving them to be shot at by tanks.*

Zell looks horrified, "I'm not going to shoot at the police! Why would they order this?"

T{Because Senthose ordered it. He's controlling the Paradigm computers!}

S{Knowing my plan won't do you any good if you can't stop it! If you won't fight back, then just die!}

*Big O finally reaches the Dome. It peels back the remaining steel beams & glass panels & begins to climb in. Meanwhile, Basilisk & Mirror Zero are pelted with tank shots. But one of the tanks takes off after Big O as Dastun climbs inside.*

Mirror Zero chases after Big O, aiming to slice off one of its big silver pistons with its energy sword.

*Still quite a ways away from Big O, Mirror Zero is hit in the back by several tank shots.*

T{Alright, I didn't want to do this, but you leave me with no choice.}

*Basilisk sweeps its tail over as many of the tanks as it can, pumping them full of electricity. Three tanks pull back, firing at its head. One of the shots hits its cameras.*

T{Damn it! It broke the camera, I'm going to have to get out of the Megadeus!}
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*Senthose is surprised to find Big O shot at from behind.*

T/L{Dan Dastun...you really were the "good cop." It's a shame I have to kill you.}

Mirror Zero, hopefully close enough for this one liner to make sense, slices at Big O, "Not if I have anything to say about it!"

Soundtrack Dissonance!

*Big O turns its palm back.*

S/L{As it so happens, you don't.}

*The blast of air knocks Mirror Zero away before it can strafe. Rocket-propelled spikes on chains then fire out of the Megadeus's waist, anchoring it down. One of them goes through the tank. Big O's wrists & torso armor also open up, an enormous cannon emerging from its chest. It then bends over, using its fists to support it as it points to the base of the Paradigm HQ building.*

S/L{Big O: Final Stage!}
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*Basilisk is still fighting the tanks blind. It manages to slice the cannon off of one with its tail, but gets battered when the other two shoot it in the side.*

Mirror Zero zooms back, aiming to slice one of the chains anchoring Big O.

*This proves redundant a second later when Big O fires its massive cannon & the force from the blast causes the chains to break. A blue-white beam plows into the base of the Paradigm building. Not only does it demolish the base of the building, causing the top to fall over, but it also sears into the layers beneath it. When the dust clears, anyone who looks waaaaaay down at the bottom of the crater can see a grid of green light on a black surface, with a large box at the center.*
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*Basilisk drills into the subway to try & get away from the assault on it.*

"What the hell is that?" Zell asked, looked waaaaaay down at the bottom of the crater.

S/L{Big Venus...but I don't sense it activating. It must be missing its Core Memory.}

*Two giant robots are staring into a hole.*

"Big Venus is just a... grid?" Zell asked, "Wait, ha! Your plan failed then!"

*Big O's cockpit opens & Senthose-Lilith jumps out, onto the robot's hand. It sets the android daintily down next to the hole, before turning back to face Zell.*

S/L"Not at all. I simply have to find its Core Memory. Which will surely be approaching while you fight Big O, as a failsafe to avoid reliving the city's destruction."

"What do you mean fighting Big O?" Zell asked, "You got out, now I'll just focus on you while you're defenseless." Mirror Zero began to move towards Lilithose.

*Big O holds out its arm to block Mirror Zero.*

L/S"That is what I mean. Besides, you wouldn't want to hurt a face like this, would you?"

*Lilith blinks, her eyes reverting back to green as she smiles at Zell.*

Zell flushes, and frowns, "That isn't even fair!" She then slashes down on Big O's outstretched arm.

S/L"Don't they say that all is fair in love & war?"

*Senthose-Lilith's face returns for what he considers normal as he laughs at her & jumps into the hole. The slash puts a thin groove on Big O's arm, but it deploys its super piston punch on Mirror Zero with its other fist. Basilisk digs out from nearby.*

T{Was I too late? But why are we still here? Is Big Venus not...you know?}