EggMemo: A Study In NIDS
NIDS. Neuro-Immune Deficiency Syndrome. A immunodeficient disorder that strikes the immune system, in a manner not too unlike illnesses such as AIDS. The constant strikes on it lead to the victim being highly susceptible to any sort of illness trying to infect the body: viruses, bacteria, you name it. Most known victims get this disease hereditarily, usually due to recessive genes triggering it. And most of the people who have it don't tend to live it for long, or, if they do, they are forced to spend most of their lives in the sterile hospitals, where they were least likely to contract the illness.
Historically, I never gave too much interest in matters of biology, and why would I? I did learn the basics obviously, but since early I was interested in robotics and rarely looked back. Yet...NIDS has a story in the family. It was the illness that Maria had, the thing that led grandfather to join ARK and set a chain of events that would change the world, for better or worse. Yes, when I say NIDS and I are old friends, I meant it.
I...never liked to give much thought to the matter, if I'm honest. It's a sore spot: people always spoke more about her than me, in spite of all the things I did, all the success I had...I would be fine with being overshadowed by grandpa, for I knew I would one day surpass his intellect, but how can I be higher than this seemingly angelical figure that was Maria Robotnik? Why did grandfather go through such extremes to save her, selling his soul to the Black Arms? Knowing he would go back on his pacifist ways and become the creator of machines of mass destruction? Not that this stopped me for holding a grudge against G.U.N. for killing her, but it was something I never really managed to get over.
...I began to understand with Sage. This wish to protect something precious, to the point that losing it was nearly maddening. And now I see it through Clove.
I know people loath me, and yet I can tell her hate is far higher than I've ever seen! My counterpart must have been quite a piece of work for her to keep such a deep grudge...and yet, when given the chance to save her sister, she jumped back into my "loving" arms. All for the sake of her sister.
Isn't it weird how far one can go for the sake of their loved ones? How much they're willing to stomp through their ideals for the sake of the things they want to protect the most?
...what would have I done if I hadn't been able to recover Sage?
This makes me wonder if my counterpart was truly as incapable of healing NIDS as Pronghorn claims. Clove is a natural leader, someone who could single-handedly command a force to crush entire cities. Wouldn't it be better to keep it on a tight leash?
BAH! Now I know this won't work. I am too weak and lack the technology he used to do such. But...above all else...
Power and kindness. Belle claimed such could coexist. Part of me doubt it...but another pushes me to try. Probably some shade of that damned Tinker...an emperor has no need for a soft heart...or does it?
But, at the end of the day, that bastard claimed he was unable to heal her. Unacceptable. To claim such a blatant lie? Peh. I will heal Cassia the Pronghorn if only to fix this stain in my pride!
As of now, I have in mind two approaches to further refine the cure:
1 - Use Black Arms genetic data. This was one of the factors that helped turn Shadow as naturally resistant to diseases as he is, almost an universal panacea. Much of grandfather's research is based on using that material, so, although I lack the hedgehog himself, I think I can repurpose it so it becomes more adequate to use.
2 - Ragnite. I hadn't too much time to look at it due to more pressing concerns, but I heard Gunther claim something about they being used for healing? Again, I would have to look at it to understand it's workings, but there's some potential to be explored...though I'm sure how much I would need to make the cure. Likely would have to open a mine specifically to collect it.
Still...for the first time in decades, the cure for NIDS is at humanity's reach. This makes me wonder...what would grandfather make of this?
...
Hmph. No time to be reflecting on this. I need to see off Starline for his mission. Hopefully he won't screw things too badly...