Cm. Sharon Loveless marched out of the GUN Command bunker, a briefcase in one hand and a manila envelope in the other. A little bit behind her was a man with a mop of brown hair, and a black trench coat that stretched to his ankles. He smiled at her as they approached to the two waiting Apache attack helicopters. She could see the two reasons for his smile. Their wedding was only a month away. In one month's time she would be Cm Sharon Eclipse. She would still giggle at that dream. And the just recent attack on the Black Arms ammo dump. The commanding officer on the operation had been the newly promoted Brigadier General Shadow the Hedgehog. She had interview the General for his report on the attack. She could see he no longer had the zeal for the military. Once this was all over, she would make sure that Shadow got a nice quiet retirement from GUN. Robert however? No, no, no, no. He was military man through and through. He was one the brilliant unforeseeable men she had ever had the honor of knowing, let alone being the woman of his dream. He was on the list of great military geniuses such as George Washington, Robert E. Lee, Napoleon Bonaparte, Sun-Tzun, Yamamoto, Stonewall Jackson Rommel and many more. But he also had the talent to have a charm and charisma that she had never seen from any man before except her father, who had long ago died in a tragic accident involving a storm, a car and a cliff. She didn't speech with her mother; they had a falling out with her years ago.

But she had started to notice some strange things about Robert. More than once she had seen him walk on the front of his foot and not let his back foot touch the ground. She just took it as he was double jointed. She had seen flashes of red dots inside the color of his eyes. And a cocky smile would form almost whenever you asked him a question. He was being totally out of character.

She entered the chopper with her items and saw Robert enter the empty pilot's chair of the other. He never trusted anyone but himself to fly him anywhere, whether it be from his home to the house only four feet away. He strapped himself in and gave a mock salute from the Apache. Before she could stop herself, a giggle escaped Sharon's lips. The pilot turned around to look at her, his visor up, his eyes the size of dinner plates.

Her face returned back to its stone cold figure. "What are you staring at?" she said coldly, "keep your eyes on the sky!' He turned back in his chair so fast he could have rivaled Shadow or Sonic. Sharon grabbed a newspaper out of her briefcase and began to make like she was reading. Actually, she was hiding the red on her face from embarrassment. A few years ago, her heart would not have allowed such a thing to happen, but now the steel walls that protected her heart had been breached by a certain GUN commander with a mop of brown hair and a black trench coat. He had brought out her loving side like no one except her father had ever done.

She looked at the manila envelope that Robert had given her. Upon it in big bold red print was FOR PRESISDENT'S EYE'S ONLY. What could Robert possiblyknow that she, his fiancé and co-head of GUN not know? And why only the President?

Shadow the Hedgehog impatiently paced back and forth in the Oval Office. He and his family had arrived for the meeting first, so he had enough time to almost wear out the rug under him by walking back and forth.

"Shad," said Sonia annoyed, "please sit down; you're driving me, Sonic and Manic crazy!"

He sat down on one of the pristine white couches between Sonia and Crystal, and was silently relived to do so. The Velcro shoulder pad he had been issued to show his rank had been wearing into his shoulder blades. Velcro! For all their intelligence, GUN command couldn't think of a better and more comfortable way of putting his star on him without it wearing out his shoulder.

He scanned the room to distance his mind from the pad. Sonic, Amy and Whirl sat nervously on the other white couch. Shade was talking with the President about his days in Vietnam. The President didn't mind regaling the youth with his war days at all. And Shadow really didn't mind his son pestering the aged man. At least he was relatively quiet except for the occasional question.

Manic, Sally, and Storm on other hand were far from quiet little angels as could be. Manic and Sally were trying to very loudly connect Prower Command to the White House with a laptop they had at their disposal. Storm was listening to his IPod, normally that would keep him quiet, but he had the sound up to deafening octaves.

You might wonder what all these people were doing in the Oval Office. They didn't. They had been called by Eclipse. He had announced to them that he had some information that could change the war. And he had I. each and every person he wanted in on the action. It was strange that he didn't call in the Joint Chiefs and why the children? But Eclipse was a strange man and had his reasons. Now all they had to do was to wait for Eclipse himself.

A rap of knocks came on the door. The door opened to reveal Cm. Loveless. "Sorry," she said monotone, "Am I late?"

The President shook his head, and returned t his tale of his time in the Vietnamese prison camp. Loveless sat down in a chair and placed a briefcase and a manila envelope to the side.

For fifteen minutes they waited. This was so strange. Eclipse was notorious for being punctual. He was never late. Like every event to him was important for a singular goal. Sonic and Whirl were the most anxious. If his wedding had been bad enough to wait at, Sonic looked as though he was about to pee his pants, which actually now wore blue jeans.

The President heaved a great sigh and said, "It seems Cm. Eclipse won't be arriving." He turned and faced Cm. Loveless. "The envelope if you please. I see it's for me."

She got up and handed him the envelope. The President took a small knife and cut the end of the envelope open and dumped its contents out. But the only item inside was a small business card. On the back was a symbol of a comet with four segmented lines curving a bit around the head of the comet, and an x in the center of the head. He flipped it over and read it. "I think you all may want hear this because I cannot understand it.

This charade is over. I deserve an Oscar for my performance.

Immediately after the card was read aloud, the video screen activated to show Cm. Robert Eclipse. "I see you have found the key, let me open the door." He said with a wicked smile. His facial features were different as well. His eyes were no longer dark brown but blood red, and his hair was combed straight back instead of flopping around like a mop.

"Eclipse," Shadow said angrily, "where are and why aren't you here at this meeting? You called it."

Robert's smile widened. "Of course. I was just waiting for you to touch the card. It transmitted a signal for me access an already positioned station where I could safely conduct my plans."

Sharon approached the screen fearfully. "Robert," she said her voice flooding with fear, "what are you talking about?"

"I've always wondered how you people can never see what right in front of you. I must admit, this work is my masterpiece. No one saw it coming. You were all puppets under the greatest puppet master of them all."

The President rose up from his chair. "Cm Eclipse," he said with utmost power and authority, "I order you to explain yourself. You call a meeting and decide to show by use of video conference? Why—"

"Silence, you child!" Robert spat. "My plans are far beyond your human understanding. But I believe this one gesture will show you all what I am." He brought up his left gloved hand. "I hope you enjoy the show," he said looking into the eyes of Shadow, "Brother."

The glove removed to show his left hand with a glint of gold on his ring finger. A very familiar glint of gold for Shadow. "MY RING!" he cried. Eclipse smile grew wider to reveal vampire like teeth. "HOW DID YOU GET MY RING?"

"Why, brother," Eclipse mocked Shadow, " I'm hurt that you don't remember me. I believe I will have to perform a demonstration." Suddenly the face began to morph and change. The grin soon became like a lizard barring it fangs. They eyes became silted like a cat. The pale skin soon became black, red and scaled. The Commander's trench coat soon morphed as well to a brown and red lined robe. The hair disappeared to be replaced by a crest and the hand soon lost two fingers and claws began to grow place of finger nails. He lifted into the hair to show his feet had become double jointed talons, so that he would walk on the front of his feet. Across the back of his neck and stretching past his chest was a golden chain with two golden images at each end: a comet and a star. And lastly in his left hand metalized a large wooden staff with a blood red gem at the top. There was no Robert Eclipse. There was only one. Umbra.

Umbra laughed a cold cruel laugh. "Do see now, miscreants of Earth? You are grand fools!"

Shadow remembered now. Umbra, the new leader of the Blakc Arms had taken his ring under the first of those horrible 'interrogation sessions'.

Sharon Loveless approached the screen more so; she still couldn't believe it, even though she saw the evidence before her. "Robert, please stop this—"

"Silence, you whore!" He spoke with utmost disgust. "You were just another puppet. And, there was no Robert Eclipse. There never was. There was only the son of Black Doom, the Puppet Master, Lord and Spawner of the Black Arms Empire, Conquer of Veldin, Coruscant, Azerath, Dakara, Geni, the Wraith, and many more primitive worlds and many other species., and lastly Brother of the Ultimate Life Form. I am Umbra Eclipse!"

Sharon Loveless collapsed onto the floor, crying softly. A crying as much as her persona would allow. "I have done things on this planet," Umbra continued, "that are disgrace to my kind and our way of life. But all my sacrifices and internal turmoil's have all paid off. My plans are all in motion. Thanks to my Brother," he waved his hand toward Shadow, who only glared, "your attack on the caused an explosion which unearthed an ancient Black Arms Weapon. The Eclipse Ray, which of course is what that dratted professor named his after. Mine will be able to rally the fleet behind me and we will soon be able to destroy you and your pathetic little band of resistance. My ships will come from every corner of the universe once the Ray is fired."

Shadow could not believe what he was hearing. How could he have been fooled so easily? Eclipse had used him for a doll to achieve his plans. He felt worse now inside than he had ever before. And HOW DARE HIM call Shadow Brother! They may have the same blood. But that monster was no uncle to his children. Shadow pulled his son and daughter closer to him. They didn't say a word. He admired their bravery not to run or to cry. Probably they were just too stunned to be scared that a man they had all trusted with their defense had actually been the invader.

"Ah!" Umbra's smile grew wider to the point it went from ear to ear. "My niece and nephew! How wonderful! Aren't you glad you can finally meet some one from you father's side of the family?" He mocked Shadow in every word. Taunting him and baiting him. Of course his whole time on Earth had one big mockery. Shadow looked down to see their confused faces.

Oh no! Shadow thought urgently. She never told them where I came from. I hope they don't hate me for this!"No!" Shadow shouted to Umbra. "I forbid you tell them anything!"

Umbra brought up a rebuking finger and wagged it. "Tsk, tsk, tsk, brother," he mocked, "You never told them about your family? I feel left out! Now, children; your paternal grandfather is BLACK DOOM!"

In that moment, it was the worst minute of Shadow's life. Even worse than the brutal tortures he had to endure upon the Black Comet. At least he knew he had a family that loved him. Now he wondered if his children would ever love him the same way again.

The silence the room was unbearable. The children stood their looking at the moster on the screen with shock. "You're lying!" Shade yelled to the Black Arms puppet master. "There's no way Dad could be the son of a monster like Black Doom!"

Umbra shook his head. "You're wrong, boy. Your father is not only the Ultiamte Life form but an atrifical life form. He was created by Professor Gerald Robotnick using the blood of my father Black Doom. He may not look like one, but don't be fooled. Your father is one half hedgehog, and one half Black Arms. That would make you two ¼ Black Arms. Perfect."

Crystal looked at her hands as if expecting claws to jump out. Shade looked at his father with disbelieving eyes. "It isn't true is it, dad?"

Shadow didn't want to say it. He would have given his immortality if he didn't have to tell his son the truth. "I'm sorry, son." Shadow couldn't look his son in the eye. Shade's eyes began to fill with water and he buried his face in his father's fur. Shadow put his arm around his son and looked Eclipse firmly in eye, both their eye's full of hatred and disgust. "Why are you doing this?"

"You wouldn't tell him," Umbra said in a voice of pure innocence. "I just to it upon myself to tell my nephew and niece the true of our side of the family."

Shadow roared in fury. "THEY ARE NOT YOUR NEICE AND NEPHEW! MY CHILDREN ARE NOT RELATED TO YOU! AND NEITHER AM I!"

Umbra laughed. "You deny it but you know deep inside you that you're wrong. But I have no more time for pleasantries." His hand morphed into the human hand of Robert Eclipse, the ring clearly showing. "I believe it's time for you to finally say good bye brother."

Shadow was not fazed, "What do you mean?"

Umbra smiled. "You do not know where I am, do you? I am aboard the submarine U.S.S. Rhode Island. In the ballistics room." Umbra brought a key up to the screen. "Good day!" The screen went dead.

Shadow never felt more adrenaline in his life. He was not worried for himself. He could most likely survive the nuclear assault. But everyone else in here had nowhere near the same resilient genetic structure. He sped through the room grabbing the blue Chaos Emerald that sat in a display case. The President was on the Red Phone ordering an interception of the missile and an immediate search of the U.S.S. Rhode Island for Cm. Robert Eclipse. The others had pulled together, even Sharon Loveless who had been dragged to the center of the room. The President put down the Phone and gathered with the others. "Everyone!" Shadow cried. "Hold together!" He twirled the Chaos Emerald in the air, put his arm around Sonia's waist and yelled "CHAOS CONTROL!"