In the soul of a hedgehog

[tiff15]

I was inspired to do this RP by 'The Revenge of Marengo' by OctaScratchRock. Tristina is captured on a late-night recon mission for Sally. with Robotization out of the question, Robotnik's only other choice is torture. This story entails how Tristina earns her nickname of 'Priority 2: Hacker'. Other than that, I have no real objective here. send me a PM if you have any questions, but feel free to join!
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High-security cell 187.

Tristina scanned everything that even remotely resembled electronics in hopes of finding SOMETHING to help her escape. everything, from the flickering light above her to the electronic lock on her cell was triple coded.

clenching her light blue hair and quills in her fingers, she doubled over to block out the buzzing of the light. come ON, Tristina. THINK! she growled mentally to herself.

there had to be SOMETHING in this useless garbage pit. panicing won't help you, hacker. Tristina thought, straightening up, cracked her neck, and took a calming breath.

the second she did, she immediately started coughing.

The air in the cell was even more toxic than it was outside.

Theres only one option. wait for a swatbutt to come open the cell door, ram 'em, then wheel the heck outta here...or at least to the nearest air duct. Tristina smirked at her own joke, knowing Sonic could probably think of something catchier.

her ears perked as Tristina recognized the telltale signs of someone entering the cell block.

growling low in her throat, Tristina's black-gloved hands pushed her wheelchair back to the far wall, her muscles tensing as she prepared to put her plan into action.

[OctaScratchRock]

A pair of SWATbots walked into the room. One of them was holding something in its hand. It was a piece of paper, most likely a map or something. But then again, weren't SWATbots programmed to know their way around? Tristina waited around the corner for her moment.

"So, here are the instructions Robotnik wanted us to follow." one of the SWATbots said.

"Do you think he'll give me that promotion?" the second one asked.

"Nah, that one's mine." said the other.

[tiff15]

The only thing you two are getting is a Demotion to the scrap yard! Tristina thought, shaking her head to clear it of the swatbots speaking so casually with each other. forming a glowing transparent knife, Tristina waited quietly for them to approach her cell. "Priority 2 hacker. Dr. Robotnik wishes to question you." the first reported.

the second the cell door creaked open, Tristina shot forward, ramming the robot right in the pelvis. as it struggled to stand, Tristina hurled the knife at the one holding the paper. which collapsed from the encoded knifes 'reboot' script. "I'll take that," said Tristina, snatching the paper out of its hand. Tristina covered her ears as the piercing wail of the siren began to shrilly announce her escape. "Priority 2 hacker, halt!" the first swatbot ordered, getting to its feet.

"Bite me," Tristina growled, dodging the swatbots blast before wheeling down the hall. What does Tubby want with me, anyway? He cant robotize me, he knows that. I'll just wreck his machine. Tristina quickly raced down the hall, turning left, then right, then left again. as she turned another random corner, she ran into none other than Robotnik himself. "aaand this day just got worse." she muttered as Swatbots surrounded her.

[OctaScratchRock]

"I see you've made a turn for the worse...." said Robotnik.

Two hovercars full of SWATbots pulled up behind them.

Robotnik turned around to look at one of them.

"Take our little hacker here to interrogation. Let's see what she's found out and what we can find out from her." said Robotnik.

Some SWATbots got out of one of the hovercars and grabbed Tristina. They practically dragged her along until they entered a mostly empty room except for a chair.

Soon after they had seated Tristina and strapped her to the chair did Robotnik walk in.

"Now, my girl....." said Robotnik. "We can do this the easy way or the hard way. Your choice."

[tiff15]

Tristina closed her eyes and let out a deep breath. clenching her fists, she opened her eyes and sat as straight as her bindings against the chair would allow.

"If you think, for one second, that I am even remotely afraid of you or your tin soldiers then you are sadly, sadly mistaken...Doctor." Tristina said in a slow, steady tone. "You are the reason I became an orphan, you are the reason I lost my ability to walk, and you are the reason my friends have to hide from you and your wretched machines. As I see it, right now, I have absolutely no reason to cooperate and every reason to resist every one of your disgusting, sickening advances. after all..."

Tristina smiled as her hands began glowing and her pupils faded from view. after a few moments, the small computer nearest Robotnik began to let out a irritating whistle and sparking wildly. with one final flash of light, the computer gave a violent shudder and began to smoke.

"..Your machines won't work if you can't control them." Tristina finished, eyes fading back into view.

[OctaScratchRock]

Robotnik quickly looked around him. "How did you-" he muttered.

"SNIVELY!" he called. "GET ME SOMETHING TO INTERROGATE THIS FREAK WITH! SOMETHING THAT ISN'T ELECTRIC!"

Snively came rushing in with a simple poker stick. "Here you are." he said. "You filthy toad...." he muttered under his breath.

"What did you say?" asked Robotnik.

"Um- I'll key in your CODE, sir." said Snively. And with that, he left.

Robotnik looked back at Tristina.

"What else do your abilities allow you to do?" he asked. "Also, what did you learn before we caught you?"

[tiff15]

"Now now, Doctor," said Tristina, smiling, "It wouldn't be fair to my friends if I told you that now would it?"

Robotnik merely snarled, then carried the fireplace poker over to some hot coals and shoved the poker in between the coals. "I am a patient man, hacker," he said softly, pulling the poker out and examining the now glowing reddish-white end. smirking, he presented the poker to Tristina.

"Even I have my limits, however. Now tell me about your powers or..." Robotnik raised back with his arm and stabbed the searing hot iron poker into Tristina's arm. the hedgehog screamed, squirming as she attempted to get away from the pain. Snarling at Robotnik, Tristina clenched her left fist as her eyes faded from view. suddenly, Robotnik's right arm began to glow, twitch, then the fingers flexed on his right hand. just then, his right hand grabbed the poker from his left hand. after a brief struggle, Tristina let out a yell as Robotnik's right hand wrenched away the poker and threw it across the room.

letting out a pained whine, Tristina's eyes faded back in as she examined the seared hole the poker had left.

"The only freak I see, is the one who can't control both his arms," said Tristina, clicking her tongue.

[OctaScratchRock]

Robotnik was terrified.

"SNIVELY!!" Robotnik shouted. "BOARD UP THIS ROOM!" Quickly, some SWATbots ran over and began to seal the room just as Robotnik left it.

"If we can't hurt her, we'll just have to contain her." reasoned Robotnik.

That's when Tristina got a call from Sally.

"What have you collected so far? Any good news?" asked Sally.

[tiff15]

"If you are hearing this message," Tristina's wheelchair replied, a light flashing on the communication button. "I have been temporarily separated from my wheelchair. Rest assured this will be quickly rectified, but your query may not be answered right away. Sorry for the inconvenience"

***

Meanwhile, still strapped to the chair, Tristina was busy commandeering the swatbot that had remained with her while the room was being sealed. after a few moments of jerking, the swatbot walked over to Tristina and began to unbuckle her restraints. Tristina sighed and rubbed her wrists, then began to free her legs as the commandeered swatbot walked to the door and used its mounted arm laser to begin to cut through the thick steel to the room.

"Now...for my transport." Tristina muttered to herself, looking at a bracelet on her left wrist which held a 'recall' button for her wheelchair.

**
Still in the hall where Tristina had last left it, a light on one right hand key panel began to flash. backing up by itself, the wheelchair sped off towards the interrogation room.

[OctaScratchRock]

Meanwhile upstairs, Robotnik and Snively were talking.

"I need you to develop a new kind of technology. One that cannot be hacked." said Robotnik.

"There's simply no way." said Snively. "All technology is connected by the grid, and is therefore accessible throughout."

"Then we'll have to develop something OFF the grid." replied Robotnik.

"I'm trying to tell you there simply isn't a way to!" said Snively.

Robotnik grabbed Snively by the collar.

"Are you saying my idea is bad?"

Snively shook his head. "N-no, sir! I'd never do such a thing! I'll try to work on something new for you."

Robotnik released Snively and grinned. "Excellent."

But, as Robotnik was about to leave the room, he turned around. "Oh, and Snively!" he called. "Make sure the hacker doesn't get her electrifying hands on my latest plans."

[tiff15]

"Hello, old friend," said Tristina as her wheelchair wheeled to the side of her interrogation chair and stopped obediently. using her arms to raise herself out of the chair, Tristina threw her useless legs over the armrests of the wheelchair and allowed the rest of her body to fall into place.

"Hmm. Message from the Princess. I'll have to check it out later. For now, better cover my tracks so Tubby doesn't catch on too quickly." Tristina muttered, glancing up at a camera set to monitor the room. taking a deep breath, Tristina raised her glowing hand towards the camera and concentrated as her eyes began to fade out.

as her eyes faded back in, Tristina lowered her hand and smiled. "Good. all previously recorded data since Robotnik left the room has been replaced with a looping image of me still strapped to the chair. That should buy me at least an hour's time." Tristina then looked around the room. "Let's see, spy on Chromedome or finish the mission and leave?" Tristina then looked at the still aching wound in her shoulder. "Got it. check Robotnik's mainframe for any new developments, then stop by the swatbot factory to pick up some electronic stuff for Sally and Rotor."

Nodding to herself, she quietly wheeled herself out of the hole the swatbot had created began to make her way to a nearby air duct.

[OctaScratchRock]

Robotnik looked down at his master plan.

"I'll be able to take down the Freedom Fighters before they even know I'm onto them." he said to himself.

Meanwhile, Snively had himself a look at the security cameras. From what he could tell, Tristina was still locked in her cell, perfectly contained. If only Snively knew the truth.

[tiff15]

It's working perfectly Tristina thought, sensing Snively was checking the security cameras. letting out a shaky exhale, Tristina stopped in the air vent just outside of Robotnik's command center. raising her hand, Tristina's eyes faded from view as she took control of a security camera mounted in the room. after a few moments, Tristina was able to see what the camera saw.

Looks like chrome dome is working on something big. Tristina thought, making the camera zoom in past Robotnik's shoulder. unable to make out more due to the dictator's girth, Tristina (after making the camera think there had been a brief 'power outage') began checking on the files already stored about whatever Robotnik was planning. spotting a file labeled 'top secret', Tristina entered a few keyworded commands and was soon viewing a copy stored in Robotnik's mainframe.

Seems tubbys working on creating a separate file storage facility off from the Robotropolis mainframe. Maybe, if I can get a jump on the security measures, I'll be able to create a secret entrance for myself and the freedom fighters.

Tristina continued to browse the files, not noting anything else unusual. typical status updates, factory output records, robotization rates, old citizen records, robotized maintenance and upgrades. Ah, here we go. 'Master Plan 5/5/3020. alright, chrome dome. what are you planning? Tristina thought, browsing the file while also listening in case anything of interest was said while she was hacking.

[OctaScratchRock]

Apparently, Robotnik had been working on a unique strain of mud which infects water. By altering some of the genetics found in normal mud, he was able to make it infectious: once it came into contact with a living being, it would flood their systems and clog their blood flow, resulting in a very painful yet effective death. Robotnik's plan: dump it into Mobuis' four major rivers. Surely, Knothole had to get their water from SOMEWHERE, so the mud would eventually end up in Knothole's drinking water, eliminating the resistance.

"If this doesn't work, nothing will." muttered Robotnik. "And to think they'll be killed by mud."

[tiff15]

Not good. definitely not good. thought Tristina, slowly wheeling backwards down the air duct until she could turn around. Letting tubby know I overheard him might cause him to speed up his plans, so for now it may be best to take things quietly until I can get out of here.

arriving at a T junction in the air duct, Tristina backed into the corner section, then continued forward down her path. using Spider Mode to climb out of the air duct where there were no security cameras, Tristina finally picked up speed and wheeled to Robotniks nearby factory. Filling the backpack on her handlebars with as many computer chips as she could carry, Tristina quietly wheeled out of the factory just as the 'loop' she had placed on the security camera ended.

"As blue would say, lets blow this pop stand." Tristina said, revving up and heading down the main thoroughfare towards the outskirts of the city. while leaving, Tristina tapped the communication button on her wheelchair.

"Princess!" she called over the swatbots approaching sirens. "Have I got news for you!"