Episode 8.2

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(Previously: Streamline arrives and shoots an energy blast at Vecto that disables his shields.)

"I'm sorry, Vecto. I'm not a traitor," Streamline said. "You needed to be stopped-for your own good."

"My own good?" Vecto questioned, adjusting the magnetic plates holding his body together and slowly rising. "And who are you to determine that?"

Streamline paused to glance at the tanks. Side-plating from them ejected, as if being detonated, and disoriented soldiers emerged, scurrying away from the battlefield. Streamline watched them retreat for a moment before replying to Vecto.

"Feit warned me that you might go mad," Streamline said, "but I didn't believe him until Crysilis warned me."

"So Leroy's lackey gave you those capsules, then?" Vecto surmised, unable to see without his shields.

Streamline fell silent, remembering how Leroy Johnson's student had handed him the chi energy shells as they waited in Leroy's home. Streamline was stubborn in accepting them and doubted that they'd work. Yet these shells filled with Leroy's energy had worked after all.

"I had faith in you until you pulled these stunts-killing the innocent," Streamline said. "What were you thinking?"

"They are not innocent," Vecto replied, attempting to reactivate his shields to no avail. "They deserve to die! They brought back Morphaal, and they work for Sable!"

"Sable brought back Morphaal, not the SS6!" Streamline corrected him. "They don't even know that Morphaal's back!"

Vecto switched vision to his robotic head, and a light flashed from the slit of the eyes. He could see Streamline standing in front of him with his weapon pointed at his vulnerable face. "So you planned this out. You planned to destroy me, is that it?"

"I hope not," Streamline said. "We need to have you fixed-if you'll just cooperate."

"And do what?" Vecto yelled. "Take me to Azmeck to be shut down by a virus? Is that what you call fixing me? Either way, you want to destroy me . . . and I will not allow it!"

Streamline realized that Vecto was slowly rolling his Blaster 3,000 on the ground to point at him. "Don't even think about it, Vecto. Don't make me shoot. I was never in favor of that plan."

"You're all traitors!" Vecto yelled, blasting his gun. Streamline quickly jumped the blast and shot Vecto in the top of the head as he flipped over him. Vecto crouched as the freeze-digger bullet pierced straight through his metal skull. Yet he straightened back up.

"Have you forgotten that I am hollow?" Vecto said as he turned and kicked Streamline.

The armored man slammed against a tank yards away.

"It will take more than bullets to defeat me, even without my shields," Vecto continued.

"You leave me no choice then," Streamline said, straightening his back.

(With Vecto's shields gone, does Streamline stand a chance? Find out more in the next installment of Vecto: Vengeance!)

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