[OmegaMan]

Cipher Isle is another abandoned Vacre Corporation testing ground. It is located in the pacific ocean, roughly 150 miles south of Giga City. It is a small, natural island which was used to test aquatic Reploids and weaponry. There is an abandoned facility here. The rogue aquatic Mechaniloids that still inhabit this area don't take kindly to intruders, so the island has been avoided by the government(s) for years. The facility is rumored to traverse deep underground.

Deep underground in the dimly lit facility was a large, circular room. In the center of the room was a large pedestal of sorts. There was then a bright flash as three objects appeared. Two reploids, and a large red crystal. The red glow added more illumination to the room, but it was an eerie setting...

[From Vacre Center]

Flare Scorpion looked around anxiously. He was fidgeting. Ciphus looked over to him with a menacing grin.

"What's the matter, Scorpion? Afraid of a little leaking?" he asked.

"I prefer things dry," replied the gold animaloid. "What is your next order?"

Ciphus walked over to another monitor and activated it. "Let us simply wait for a while." Images were then displayed on screen as Ciphus typed. "Let us wait and see what he has planned..."

"Is the crystal really safe here?" asked the scorpion cautiously

"We are several miles underground and away from most activity," Ciphus explained cooly. "It would be impossible for even someone with the Ultima Effect to find it here unless they were a hell of an investigator."

"Monteric...?"

"Like I said, if 'they were a hell of an investigator'. He doesn't have any leads. He can't find us... Yet..."

[OmegaMan]

There was about a 10-15 minute wait. Flare Scorpion waited, eying the red crystal eagerly. Ciphus didn't care about the animaloid's intense eagerness over the project being complete. If there was any sign of insubordination, Ciphus would terminate the Reploid. Fear, and the promise of a small bit of power in the future kept the Maverick in his place.

Ciphus was busy surveying the monitors, looking for odd energy readings of any sort, no matter how small. His hidden satellite, disguised as an old, broken Maverick Hunter satellite, was remote controlled, and at a distance farther than most of the other regular satellites. Using this unregistered and untraceable satellite, he surveyed the world... looking for potential harvests...

He surveyed closely Neo Forli. There was something amiss here. He couldn't put his finger on it. He zoomed in as far as he could. He grinned. Detective Monteric was there, away from the city. Now was the perfect chance. He had kept his eyes on the slums, and figured that he could get away with another harvest there. He grinned. The thrill of the hunt was part of the greater reward. He shut down the satellite, and it once again returned to seemingly non-functional state in orbit.

"Flare Scorpion," he said. "I'm going to take advantage of Monteric's absence and have a little fun. I want you to spy on the Reploid girl you found earlier. Keep an eye on her actions. I'll contact you when I'm done."

"Yes, sir!" Flare Scorpion obeyed. The Reploid ran over to the transfer platform. He was eager to leave the underwater facility, even though he would still end up at a lake...

There was a flash of light and Flare Scorpion had vanished.

[Leaves for Lake Livius]

Ciphus's grin grew wider as he reached for a cape hanging from a hook nearby. He attached it to his shoulder pads and it draped over his front, concealing his two katanas. He then stepped onto the platform himself. He vanished in a flash of light.

[To Abel City Slums - Main Area]

[OmegaMan]

[From Abel City Slums - Main Area]

Ciphus warped in, in a state of injury. He grimaced as he walked over to the large red crystal. He placed his left hand on it. His hand glowed and an eerie sound, almost like a child screaming filled the room as energy poured from his body into the crystal. It glowed slightly brighter. The status on the crystal's enhanced energy output went up by a single percent. Not exactly what he was hoping for. But now the pain in his chest had stopped.

"Damnation...!" He said aloud. He had left four survivors... and if his assumption was correct, a survivor of the process. But this girl was probably in a coma. He could feel her separated consciousness. The energy he had taken was now supplying the crystal with more power.

He walked over to an auto repair machine near the corner of the room and got into position. The machine shut him down and repairs on his body began to take place.

[OmegaMan]

Ciphus stepped out of the repair unit about 15 minutes later. He cursed at his carelessness, but grinned in satisfaction at his rejuvinated state. This grin turned into a frown as his minion warped in.

[From Lake Livius]

Flare Scorpion appeared in a flash of light, damaged. He appeared to be wincing. However, a sudden expression of fear rose from him as Ciphus approached.

"What, may I ask, happened to you?" Ciphus asked.

"L-Lord Ciphus! My apologies. I was careless and got spotted." At this remark, Ciphus knocked the animaloid in the face, sending him fifteen feet across the room.

"You are beginning to try my patience. But the girl did this to you?" Ciphus remarked at his tail.

"She has the ability to manipulate matter and energy. She definitely has the Ultima Effect, and seems to be knowledgeable about Ultiminium itself," Flare Scorpion replied. Ciphus then grinned.

"And you said earlier she matched no, pre-existing humans, correct? Fascinating!" Ciphus laughed a bit. "Her power may be unique. She may be the only true Reploid with the ability. What is her name?"

"She called herself Lamna, sir," Flare Scorpion said, getting up. "I also got a little camera footage from her if you're interested."

Ciphus grinned at this statement. "Perhaps you aren't useless after all. Hurry up and get repaired. I will pay dear Lamna a visit."

[OmegaMan]

Flare Scorpion was unconscious, getting repaired by the auto-repair unit.

Cyphus used the satellite to monitor the area where Lamna had been. Lake Livius... It seemed that she had left a while ago and had yet to return. Perhaps he should just wait for her to return...

He threw the slightly damaged cape he was wearing on the rack again. He needed to pay this Lamna a visit. He needed to know if his suspicions were correct. He quickly input the coordinates onto the IT Bay and stepped in. He vanished in a flash of light, leaving Flare Scorpion alone.

[To Lake Livius]

[OmegaMan]

[From Lake Livius]

Ciphus returned in a flash of light. Flare Scorpion was almost done with repairs. Ciphus got into another auto repair unit and began to have his minor injury treated. He was quite frustrated from that day. He had failed both times. Reploids were stronger than they were years ago. He had not kept up with the times as well as he should have. However... He still had the Ultiminium. He still had the potential to realize his ideals.

After about ten minutes Ciphus stepped out and flexed his leg. He was followed a minute later by Flare Scorpion.

"Sir, did you succeed?" asked the gold animaloid. Ciphus simply turned and glared at him. Flare Scorpion averted his gaze.

"Just shut up," Ciphus scowled. "I underestimated them again. Lamna brought backup. It'll take a little more to catch her off guard."

[OmegaMan]

Flare Scorpion had been placed in a stasis unit for the time being. His assistance was not needed. Ciphus merely sat at his monitoring station, running diagnostic checks for Cipher Ilse's systems. The large, aquatic Mechaniloids he had stationed around the island's perimeter were undergoing maintenance in hidden ports along the coastline. He kept an eye on the energy levels of the large crystal. The energy was stable, and it was too far deep for even nearby vessels to detect. To Ciphus's left along the U-shaped table was a small holographic globe. Information relayed from his hidden satellite would be seen on a smaller scale here. A button just below the holographic globe would switch the main monitor to the satellite view... Right now, the satellite was moving overhead the general Abel City location...

A spark of light from the globe caught the scientist's attention from the corner of his eye. Ciphus turned to the globe and frowned. There seemed to be something happening over Abel City. The crazed swordsman quickly pressed the button near the globe. The monitor in front of him instantly displayed the satellite's view. Ciphus zoomed in towards Abel City as a blinding flash of light hit near the Maverick Hunter headquarters. His eyes widened. Was it the work of...?

"Has that old demon started his next war already?" he asked aloud as he studied the carnage that was happening below. The light looked like it came from an EMP blast. This would put a damper on his plans... It was too risky to get involved in the conflict at the moment. And he just wasn't in the mood to go victim hunting again.

[OmegaMan]

=====After 1st Time Skip=====

Ciphus continued to watch and wait. It was too soon to strike. Too soon after a major incident. Perhaps another part of the world? Maybe. But where...? Somewhere that the Detective couldn't find him?

"But that's no fun," he said to himself. As naive as it was, Ciphus liked the risk of the detective following his tracks. To lead him on until it was too late. It was a fun thought. However, the villain quickly changed gears. "On the other hand," he said to himself. "Being cramped up in here is droll. Perhaps I should entertain myself with a spree...?"

[OmegaMan]

As he watched, a sudden beeping got his attention. A red blip appeared over the globe in the vicinity of New Hera. Ciphus rotated it and showed the satellite view from his monitor. A large, hydra styled animaloid had begun to wreak havoc in the harbor. A ship was even attacked. He chuckled slightly.

"My my," he mused. "It seems things are never quiet in this world." He locked his hands and rested his chin on them as he leaned forward in his chair. Thoughts of the strange, blond-haired boy returned. That strange power he had, and his cryptic words... "Perhaps the old cue-ball is making a return after all," he said to himself. "This may be interesting... Perhaps I can take advantage of this to fulfill my own agenda...?"

[OmegaMan]

Ciphus kept his cool as he watched from his satellite the destruction of the large, Hydra-themed Reploid along Confederation Bridge in Canada. A sizeable team had been sent, as well as an entire platoon. It appeared that the possibility of Sigma's return was not being taken lightly. Still. Before, only a select group of Reploids had been sent to fend off Sigma each time. X, Zero, and that newer kid, Axl.

"Are the legendary 3 getting rusty?" Ciphus mused. He looked over to the capsule containing Flare Scorpion. He wondered if he should send an operative to spy on things...

[OmegaMan]

Ciphus tapped his fingers irritably. He was growing rather impatient with how slow the world events were unfolding. He wanted something fun to happen. And he wanted that "fun" to be in favor of his grand plan. In the meantime, he had sent his second Reploid operative, Blaze Lioness, to spy on the situation in New Hera. He hadn't heard from her in a bit, and was getting ready to call for a status report.

Suddenly, there was a beeping sound, however. A red light blinked on the machine in front of Ciphus. The marker indicating Lioness's position disappeared. He blinked, dumbfounded by this fact.

"What the...?" he asked aloud. It appeared that the tracking device installed in her had been destroyed. Meaning that it was likely she herself was destroyed. "Hmph. I expected better of you, Blaze Lioness. Still... I can't help but be curious as to what destroyed you. Or what destroyed your tracking device, at least."

Ciphus looked over at the unit holding the unconscious Flare Scorpion.

"I guess I'll have to send you out to find out what happened to her. I can't risk her parts being salvaged and someone discovering this location and my plan."