Episode Eleven: War

*Aroma squeezes Lalamon hard enough that she lets out a little squeak.*

A"No!"

*Euryale pulls Aroma into a tight hug of her own.*

E"Don't worry. Those are the last desperate acts of a despot who knows he's going down. We'll stop him soon enough."

*Meanwhile, Roatha tells the grand tale of their adventure: Gear factory. Shut it down. Where are you?*

Lunamon:<We'll give him what he deserves for killing those digimon!>

*Eve responds back as well*

All accounted for and heading your way.

HiAndrmon gives them directions to go down the hallway where the barracks are (the one to their left where they can see the life blood of countless Digimon escaping under the doors) and given the circumstances there should be little if any resistance barring an encounter with Machinedramon.

*Roatha relates the instructions & Euryale disengages from Aroma, who whispers her thanks though she's still sniffling, so that they can follow.*

*Kyle pats Aroma on the back, then I guess they all head down there*

Taiyo walks alongside Aroma, taking her hand. Each barrack is labeled A-C, D-F and so on, data escaping from beneath the door. It seems to go on for awhile as they pass doors labeled 1-3, 4-6, and so on the occupants all having shared the same fate.

Outside a set of heavy steel doors that look like a semi could pass through them easy is HiAndromon.

*Aroma smiles at them, showing a few teeth when she smiles at Taiyo. However, she soon notices the data, & her face falls again. When they get to HiAndromon, she steps forward.*

A"Were we in time to save ANY of them!?"

*Kylie walks a bit behind Aroma, trying to remain composed but failing. She and Cameron remain behind while Eve steps up with Aroma*

HiAndramon doesn't say anything.

Azuma: "There's the Commandramon from the factory. The one's that weren't attacking us afterwards."

*Aroma looks at her feet, depressed.*

A"I guess...."

E"Well, can you at least tell us how to beat Machinedramon?"

Terriermon:<Something other than "hit it until it dies" would be nice.>

HiAndromon: "Beyond this door should be the command center. Accessing the control panel we should be able to locate the source that powers this facility so you can all Digivolve normally."

Azuma: "Wouldn't Machinedramon be in there."

HiAndromon: "Affirmitive. But if Machinedramon were in there now, we would not have made it this far."

HiAndromon approaches a keypad on the door and weirdo tentacles extend from its fingers and plug into the keypad. Letters and numbers cycle across the screen until it stops at Bo-55 and the door opens.

E"Well then, where is he now?"

*Euryale tries to peer into the room, but Flamedramon moves in front of her.*

*Everyone looks inside, Terriermon sitting on Eve's head and straining to see*

There are some computer terminals one sporting a large moniter showong the factory exterior where Machinedramon is blasting Commandramon left and right with disregard for any damage being done to the factory. Kogamon & Igamon hurl shuriken at the behemoth which don't even scratch its armor before they to are obliterated.

Mamemon and MetalMamemon fair a bit better with their Le Parkour esque fighting style by constantly jumping around and over debris as they attack, Mamemon getting in close to swing a punch. Machinedramon's left claw spins like a drill and rips through Mamemon all while Machinedramon's cannons keep firing, taking out a trio of Andromon.

But more importantly, in their panic Tekkamon & Giromon charge at the group the former swinging its sword while the latter revs its chainsaw.

HiAndrmon: "We cannot allow the control room to be damaged!"

Lunamon:<We gotta get out there to protect the Commandromon too!>

*She starts tugging on Kylie's pants*

L<But we still can't Digivolve!>

*Being the only one who can really do shit, Flamedramon shoots fireballs at them while the others make distance & get behind the big flaming lizard.*

The two try to tank the blows as Ultimate-level Digimon should, but not being the fighting type it instead knocks them on their asses. Or something.

HiAndromon makes quick work of them by picking them up and smashing them together until they dissolve into data before stepping up to the main terminal.

It begins typing, closing the screen showing Machinedramon's rampage while cables protrude from its arms and enter various ports on the terminal barring one that looks like the Digivice could be plugged into it.

A number of screens pop up one showing a series of files labled VR Data: Royal Knights, Celestials, Warrior Ten as well as files labled Royal Knights Data, Raijin Data, Cracked Team Data, D-Brigade Data.

Azuma: "What is all of this?"

HiAndromon: "Unknown at the time unless I can figure out the passwords to open these files."

HiAndromon selects the Royal Knights Data file and when prompted for a password doesn't appear to do anything until the characters WRGOABABD enter the text bar and access is granted.

Inside are video files labled Gallantmon, Magnamon, Dynasmon, Craniummon, Lord Knightmon, Jesmon, Sleipmon, Examon, Gankoomon, and Duftmon."

HiAndromon: "This does not account for Alphamon, Omnimon, and UlForceVeedramon."

*Aroma cranes her neck up to see.*

A"We met Ulforceveedramon in a cave. He's blind."

E"He gave up."

A"You said the same thing about BlackWarGreymon."

E"And maybe that's why he eventually found his courage again."

Cameron:<So...this will eventually help us digivolve, right?>

HiAndromon: "If I can find a layout of the base. There is also valuable information that may help my comrades in regaining the city and you in your adventure. If you only know yourself, but not your opponent, you may win or may lose."

HiAndromon goes through the same process for opening the VR Data file the characters MLIADL coming up when prompted to enter a password, an error message appearing saying insufficent characters, so it moves on to the D-Brigade Data file, entering the password MLIABOAIAQC when prompted.

Inside is a video file labled Commandramon Indoctrination.

Azuma: "The Commandramon we spoke to said they were brainwashed between deployments. It was the only time the Black Gears weren't embedded in them."

HiAndromon opens the file and it starts out grainy and staticy until the picture is adjusted like the tracking on a VCR. Strapped to a chair with its eyes propped open like that scene from A Clockwork Orange is a Commandramon. It lies still, obedient as if this whole procedure is normal until the Black Gear is extracted which is when confusion and panic sets in.

The camera moves to show a screen where footage of criminal and wartime acts from the firebombing of villages and cities, the execution of prisoners through various means, atomic bomb footage and scenes of towns being bombarded with artillery all taken from events that occured in the Material World accompanied by Machinedramon's voice saying "If you want a picture of the future, imagine a boot stamping on a human face — forever."

The footage shuts off and the camera moves to show the Black Gear being put back into the Commandramon.

Machinedramon: "He sees nothing but what the party wants him to see, says nothing but what the party wants him to say, and he does no more than the party wants him to do."

The video ends.

A"This isn't helping, this is just making me feel bad!"

R"Yeah, it's not really furthering the plot at all. At this rate, we'd have more luck stumbling around in the dark."

Terriermon:<I like how he hasn't caused enough destruction himself so he has to use footage from the human world.>

*Eve rolls her eyes, but Terriermon doesn't notice*

Azuma: "Or because humanity is better at wiping out its enemies than anything else."

HiAndromon: "Locating password...."

A chat window opens up showing an icon of Ebemon.

Quote :

Ebemon: I cannot access the VR Data from this end either. And without a Digivice to download the Raijin Data it is useless.

HiAndromon: "Understood.

Another file within the D-Brigade Data file is a video labled Darkdramon. It starts off like the previous video all grainy and barely watchable until it adjusts itself.

The video shows a laboratory of sorts with multiple humans in lab coats looking through an observation window at Darkdramon, that's strapped down and restrained like Hannibal Lector.

???: "What is the meaning of having this monster brought here? Why hasn't it been destroyed?"

???: "Not even Omnimon could destroy it."

???: "What about Alphamon?"

Zarek: "Alphamon is MIA. The best we can do is hope to trap Darkdramon somewhere."

???: "Where is Alphamon? You're the one closest to ENIAC and the Royal Knights, shouldn't you know something about its whereabouts?"

???: "Seal it away how? Like the Warrior Ten sealed away Ogudomon and eventually dissolved?"

The three look towards the window as Darkdramon breaks free of its restraints and slaughters the technitians inside. Like Digimon, they dissolve into data.

Zarek: "Emergency Protocol 7-9, password Absolute Zero!"

The video ends when the lens frosts over before cutting out.

HiAndromon enters TTMTSAMSTGAB when prompted to open the Crack Team folder only for it to be empty and moves on to the Raijin Data entering the password WTBIMPANETP when prompted. Another window opens up showing a diagram of a Digivice being inserted into a port with the words Insert Digivice.

Terriermon:<And they do it without having guns sprouting from their bodies.>

*Eve watches the scientists get murdered with wide eyes, then gets out her digivice and passes it to Andromon*

<Here, take mine!>