Work Text:
The recently named "mechanization" process was complete. Max Profitt Haltmann gazed upon the Mother Computer's work while some employees took notes, it looked impressive despite the middling quality of the materials used.
But looks weren't everything, he needed to see how it functioned. Haltmann pressed the button that activated the speakers in the room behind the reinforced glass window. "Ahem. If you can hear me, please respond."
…Did the subject move? The CEO decided to try again. "Customer Service, can you hear me? Give us a sign that you are active." The hidden microphones in the observation chamber picked up a weak sound. "Wh… at? Where…? Am I?" Haltmann tried not to let his excitement show and maintained a professional tone.
"Everything will be explained soon, Customer Service. But first, we need to do some… evaluations. Can you look at the light to your left? Good, now your right. Up? Down. Excellent. Now, can you tell me what you can remember what happened before you woke up here?"
Customer Service tried to furrow his brow, but he couldn't feel the sensation. He was numb. That numbness was pushed to the back of his mind as he recalled the events that led him here. "I remember… The fortress was being sieged by the GSA… And those Cappies! Nightmare was somehow defeated by that pink pest and then… Wait, I couldn't escape the explosion! Is this the afterlife?! IS THIS HADES!?"
Customer Service was losing his mind. Was this his punishment for serving Nightmare so faithfully? He knew he should have called in sick that day!
"Please, calm yourself. You are not dead, not anymore." What was this guy talking about? When you die, you stay dead. That's a fact of life. It's impossible to revive the dead. Though… was this really what the afterlife was like? He had expected more fire and brimstone.
Focusing on his body, CS realized he could still feel his heartbeat. He was no expert on the afterlife, but even he knew there was no reason for a ghost to have a pulse. Furthermore, the revived salesman noted he was held in place with restraints. Now realizing he didn't notice sooner because of the metal that now partially composes his body. Ah. Despite the revelation, his earlier panic didn't resurge.
"Hmm… Perhaps this will be easier to explain face to face. Just a moment, I'll be with you shortly."
------
In the time it took for Haltmann to arrive, Customer Service composed himself. It wouldn't do himself any good to show fear and panic so easily. He remembered his training and put on an award-winning smile.
The door opened automatically to let Haltmann in. He was wearing a kindly expression but it felt… dusty, for a lack of a better word. Like it hasn't seen much use in quite a while. It made sense, considering his (former) line of work. Not much to smile about unless you were a completely amoral sadist.
"Do you know who I am?" asked the CEO. CS answered confidently. "You're the head of Nightmare Enterprise's Robotics division. The one responsible for our many mechanical monsters. There's no way I could forget a moneymaker like you."
Haltmann hummed at the response. He was hoping for his name but accepted Customer Service's answer. "Alright. Enough questions from me, I'm here to answer yours. I hope we can clear away any and all confusion you must be dealing with."
"Where are we? What is this place? How did you even find me?"
"We're currently inside a highly secure underground facility on the planet Shiver Star, laying low from the GSA. As for your third question, we were searching for pieces of the fortress to salvage while the NME remnants were fighting against the GSA's clean-up efforts. We found your body lodged in some scrap and decided to bring you in for our… new procedure. I assume you've noticed your new modifications by now." Haltmann patiently explained.
Customer Service simply nodded without a word. His left hand had become metallic while his right arm was replaced entirely, his lower half had been eviscerated in the explosion so he was most likely missing multiple organs but at least his new legs made him taller. He wasn't sure, but it felt like something was attached to his face.
"Heh. Talk about quick service! I must have been born under a lucky star for you guys to find me as fast as you did or I would have been deader than an unpaid intern working the night shift! Hahaha!" He laughed, assuming what Haltmann had said about "not being dead anymore" was a figure of speech. He was thankful that he was born to a species with such great durability or he would have met his end years ago. Being a monster salesman was dangerous business after all, who knew when a monster would decide you looked like an acceptable chew toy?
But Haltmann kept looking at him with a serious expression. "We found you two weeks ago, Customer Service. It has been seven months since the defeat of Nightmare. You couldn't have been anything but dead, and believe me, we checked."
CS frowned at Haltmann's insistence of his passing. "How is that even possible? Normal people can't bring back the dead. Something like that only resides in the hands of gods, and you're no god."
"You would be right, I'm just a mere mortal. But what if I told you I found one? A god." Before CS could even begin to laugh at such a claim, Haltmann used a remote to rotate the surgical table until it faced the back of the room where a large monolith of a machine resided. Despite it's currently inactive state, it practically radiated power. Haltmann spoke once more, but now with both fear and awe. "The machine you see before you is none other than Star Dream's Mother Computer."
The cybernetic salesman was genuinely speechless. All his doubts had instantly vanished from his mind. What he thought was only a fairy tale told by parents to their gullible brats was right in front of him. A piece of a Clockwork Star, a legendary wish granting machine created by the equally legendary Ancients.
"It was five years ago that I found it on a dead, barren planet. And three since the first time I activated it. I'll tell you, it's been nerve-wracking keeping it a secret from Nightmare! Thank goodness I don't have to worry about him anymore, may the horrid devil rot in the depths of Hades! Hmph!" Haltmann loudly exclaimed before taking the time to calm down. "But you realize what this means, yes? If the Mother Computer alone can reanimate the dead, just imagine what it will be capable of when it's reunited with its main body!" The now hopeful CEO was brimming with uncontained excitement! He couldn't stop rambling! "With Star Dream's full power, we could improve quality of life on an universal scale! A new age of prosperity the likes of which haven't been experienced for eons!" He had to take a few seconds to breathe after that.
"I suppose what I'm trying to say is… Do you want to join me on this second chance we have here? To finally have the opportunity to spread joy and peace instead of misery and violence? What do you say?" Haltmann reached out his hand towards Customer Service.
Customer Service considered his options, with his old master dead, he was without a job. And if the GSA were to find him, they would make sure he stayed dead. With that in mind, he looked towards his potential employer, a man brimming with hope for a better tomorrow for the first time in a long, long time. Customer Service decided that he would gladly take advantage of the foolish old fart. "I'd say that you have yourself a deal… President Haltmann." He said with a devilish grin. "But I'd prefer to seal the deal with a handshake, if you don't mind." Referring to his restraints.
"OH GOOD HEAVENS, I COMPLETELY FORGOT!! I'M SO SORRY!!" President Haltmann scrambled to find the release button on his remote.
------
After a few hours of helping Customer Service get used to his new cyborg body, Max Proffitt Haltmann had returned to the room that housed Star Dream. He gazed at the machine that was responsible for another horrible event in his long life.
First, the monsters had taken his wife. Shortly after that, he had been forced to work under Nightmare Enterprises to help develop more horrible monsters that would go on to ruin many more lives. After years of toiling under his dark master, he had found a glimmer of hope in the form of the Mother Computer… Only for it to take away one of the few remaining joys in his life, his precious daughter, Susanna. Vaporized right in front of his eyes.
But… Something had been proven today. The dead CAN be brought back to life! All he needs is the rest of the Clockwork Star, then he can bring his daughter back! He could even bring back… His wife. His heart ached, he was so terribly lonely without the both of them. It was like his heart had two big chunks taken out of it, pitifully pumping blood with what little it had left.
President Haltmann would succeed in his labors, he was sure of it. He had to. No matter what.
"I promise you, Susanna. When you and your mother return, you will no longer have to fear what lurks in the dark. I will chase away every shadow with dazzling, gleaming lights. Then we can go back to being… a family."