[Chanak]

The Maker's life energies were going to expire in approximately 80 cycles. Unit Z54 executed a plan of emergency response within his logic pathways, designed to preserve the life of the organic being that had activated Protocol Axusis One. Combat maneuvers and specialties were his primary purpose for being...yet Central Consciousness had supplied the Mechanon with sufficient knowledge of Maker physiology for to him to effectively function as a Medical Unit on a limited basis. Reaching out with armored hands, Unit Z54 prepared to extricate the Maker from the dangerous Outer Pod environment using the most expedient means possible: his own power.

An anomaly occurred within Mechanon Unit Z54 which contradicted the commands of his Primary Consciousness Center. Unit Z54 suddenly found that he was unable to initiate action of any sort as the Maker turned to face him, tears and mucous streaming from glazed, red-rimmed eyes.

The Maker spoke...only his communication did not engage the aural receptors of the Mechanon. Instead, the message was received directly in Unit Z54's Primary Consciousness in the form of a continuous stream of data.

“Kyrilon...you have awoken at last. Quickly, there is not much time. You must access the Ethereal-Neural Modular Net interface crystals immediately, for my life is now forfeit. I cannot maintain the integrity of this body any longer. You will find there the questions to answers you have never asked, and the fragile germ of a seed planted within you long ago.”

Unit Z54 was unable to respond...he was only capable of maintaining functions necessary to his continued existence. Queries issued by his Primary Consciousness met with silence. A most curious sensation, unlike any he had experienced before, began to subtly alter his logic pathways, causing a sympathetic response in his organic systems...

“Farewell, Kyrilon. For the Flame.”

Collapsing to the floor, the Maker's body lie inert, leaking blood, mucous, and digestive juices freely. The Mechanon stood transfixed by the spectacle, unable to surmount the anomaly to Protocols his logic pathways had encountered. The brainwave activity of the deceased Maker was highly unusual, indicating to Unit Z54 that somehow, the being still retained a measure of consciousness, despite the lack of internal biochemical stimuli required to support such activity. Unable to move, however, Unit Z54 could only witness the event as a passive observer.

The Mechanon was still recording the highly unusual neural activity when the Maker's corpse began to emit light across the entire visible spectrum. Species profile was again contradicted as the intruding life form began to disintegrate. The atomic particle matrix that constituted the Maker's body began to pulsate and phase between several frequencies of expression, ascending the scale until, at last, the signature was too rarefied for even the Mechanon Z'anusal Unit to detect.

The Maker had, in effect, vanished from existence. As the last remaining molecule of the being's form faded, the brainwave activity ceased as well, leaving Unit Z54 standing alone in the Outer Pod Area.