Over the Lookout, the Nevadian Outrunner descended under cloaking and set a silent landing below. Ochazuke stole from the cargo bay with haste as Zaofan ran to greet him and Captain Ulysses.
"Holy geez, when you said you'd be coming back today I didn't think it would be like that."
"There was a matter of some urgency to attend to, Zao," Ochazuke replied curtly, pointing upward as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.
"The readout's coming in," said the Nevadian Captain, "Water, carbon, nitrogen, a whole slew of organic molecules in slush and mineral form. We've seen what this thing can do with machines, but the next step...heh, well let's not get ahead of ourselves."
The one-eyed man wanted to nuke this machine to hell a few days ago, but when they'd seen its potential, perhaps it was more than mere curiosity that fascinated him.
"Sure, look at this guy, just roll up and save the Earth."
"Duty is often enough its own baleful reward."
"...if we weren't guests here at a Kami's house, I'd give you such a thrashing-"
"I'd like to see you try, Cookman."
At this jab, Zaofan twitched.
"You talking down to me? You're talking to a man that can break down a tuna with 0 wastage and get everyone a perfect risotto, standing room only, buddy."
With a strange grin, Ochazuke lift his hand and pulled his fingers in. Bloodied bands streaked down his forearm, coiled into the opening stance of the Dragon Style. Zaofan sprung into action.
"Pressure Kicker! Dragon Sweeps His Tail!"
He'd been on edge ever since Etrina had disappeared. Ochazuke knew this, but it was a little unlike him to be so upset over the Cookman crack. The real reason why he was so nettled though, besides the obvious...that was Erosa's word!
Fast. He's gotten quicker since the time with Kevi.
The defensive stance had been opened for a moment, but the hidden Dragon was perhaps the most dangerous. Move last, act first, that was the maxim of the old order. Though they were renowned for their flame, atop the Nine Dragon Peak they prided themselves as swordsmen with deft footwork that flowed like water, the very same that went behind their fists.
Confound it! Well if you can see through that, then how about I crank it up a notch?!
The fleet-footed chef clashed with the studied hands of the martial artist in a blistering exchange that put the latter on the defensive, a sequence of moves that seemed to carry itself in such a controlled manner. Zaofan's blistering kicks scattered Ochazuke's guard on impact, and through subtle level shifts and realignments in his steps did he offset the angles. The very real shock of the strikes cutting through the air betrayed the fact that this was, indeed, unrehearsed, spontaneous sparring. Even at this level, the slightest misstep could have dire consequences.
"So spill, what is that thing you've found, exactly?"
A sidekick to the knee was checked by a stance shift. Tiger Stance.
"A learning machine. The more data it receives, the more it seeks to understand." Reading the next kick, Ochazuke swayed back an inch, and Zaofan's heel just clipped his chin. Gritting his teeth as his knees froze up, he dodged the next volley through waist movements. "Within minutes it emulated the structures of a Nevadian ship. If it has the materials, some sort of framework to reference from, its emulation would be-"
Throwing up his guard, Ochazuke slipped the next kick, then smashed his wrist downward onto Zaofan's calf as it passed as he switched legs and tricked off of his guarding arm into a backflip.
"Well! What a gift this would be, to turn the weapon of the enemy against them!"
"It's scouring whatever was left in the atmosphere by the GP and whatever other debris might have been left up there. Within seconds the Big Ghetti Star could analyze, assimilate and duplicate sophisticated technology in an instant. What a waste of such potential to turn it towards the designs of war."
Years ago, it had seemed so far away, a thing merely of speculative fancy. There bathed in the twisted nebula the Star Forge of The First Ones had been seized by The Doctor to wage his war against Time itself and the ancient mysteries beyond. He'd never heard the fiend speak, not saw his face, and he would let this memory rot until it was forgotten. The husk of a world that was the Earth he had hailed from, however, made him wary.
"The last thing we need is to turn this into a weapon...but for a time it may be necessary."
Zaofan landed on his bad leg, sprawling back into a guard. Ochazuke sped forward and raised his fist. Sinking down, he'd struck the chef in the abdomen as a hard kick smashed against his ribs. Indecisive to a draw, at last they stopped, Zaofan slapping his back as he wheezed.
"Right now, such a thing is beyond us. But, suppose Jinzi Pantaloon, President of Earth made it official?"
The chef sucked wind and held his breath for a moment to collect his thoughts. True, Capsule Corp had their eye on this marvel for some time, but for the means to reach it. In fact, Ochazuke had mentioned the coordinates was from a Capsule employee, hadn't he?
"...Analysis, Assimilation, and Emulation huh?" Zaofan said ponderously as he recovered, "this may be a bit controversial, but along with our usual panel of experts, there'll be someone else who might be helpful with the analysis. See, I've been getting to know a guy, and he's been coming around to a less judgmental point of view these days.."
Besides, they all knew Jinzi Pantaloon had been searching for any excuse to step outside of the office.