As I go to sleep in the home of another, absent, hero I can't help
but reflect on the events that brought me here.

		General Station part 1: Hero's Genesis
			written by Andres Thalheimer
			jnengineering@net1plus.com

        I could have had it all. I had a job and was enrolled in a decent
college, I could have
done better, but I could have done alot worse. But I fled. It was
overwhelming, working and
learning. So I left. Left my friends and family, to find myself and
where I fit in the grand scheme
of things. I loaded a few things in my car, an '86 Crown Victoria
ex-state trooper. A powerful
and frightening car with a drawback, it gets about seven miles to the
gallon. I loaded my car and
left to wherever fate led me. Little did I know my destination lay in a
wholy different, yet strangely
familar dimension.

        I pulled up to the local ATM to drain my account. Once I put my card
into the slot my
name, Gabriel Valheimer, appeared as it did so many times before. But
this time the words
"You are needed" appeared below. I didn't know what to make of it. But
when electric hands
reached for me I did what I do best, fled. I drove a few feet when the
hands grabbed my car
and dragged it to parts unknown with me still at the helm.

        I came to in a cargo hold of, presumably a space ship. At this point
a small cyborg came
running at me. Seeing him as a threat I grabbed the aluminum baseball
bat I keep it the back seat,
just in case, and swung in the robot's direction. "You can't hurt me
with that, besides I mean you
no mega-harm." said the cyborg.

        "That's a relief." I replied. "Where am I anyway?"

        "You're on a stolen freighter ship. The N-Team and I, we were
mega-celebrating a
victory on Metroid when Dr. Wily attacked. First he mega-sealed all the
warp zones so we fled
in the first mega-ship we could find. As we fled the N-Team began to
disappear one by one.
Simon, Icarus, even Duke. All of them!" he shouted furiously. "Why Wily
left me I've no
mega-clue, perhaps as a joke. Perhaps to tell his rival, my creator Dr.
Thomas Xavier Right,
so he could enjoy his triumph over us that much more."

        "What a bastard," I said. "So how do I fit in?"

        "I called to Dr. Right to use the Ultimate Warp Zone to find another
hero." he said
while motioning to a fading crystaline fist." It fades now to
regenerate power, until then you're
stuck here."

        "How long?" I enquired.

        "At least a month, provided Wily doesn't get to it as well."

        "Well then I've no choice but to stick it out. I assume we're
retreating to a headquarters
of some sort?"

        "Mega-correct. We're heading to our house in Megaland. There we will
confer with
Dr. Right as to our mega-course of action."

        "Sounds good. What's your name by the way?"

        "Originally Mega-Man, but you may call me Rock."

        "Well Rock, wake me when we get there."

        An alarm sounded as a stray blast hit our ship. I didn't wake until
we hit groung though.
I can sleep through almost anything. "Rock, what happened?" I asked.

        "We got hit and crashed here. I'll try to raise Dr. Right on the
radio. Though he's only a planet
away I can't guarantee I'll reach him with this damaged equipment."

        "In the meantime I'll look for help. I can breathe the atmosphere
here right?"

        "If you need oxygen." Rock replied.

        I got in my car and drove a short distance until I saw a fantastic
sight, at which point I got
out of my car. What I saw were characters from my comic books fighting
characters from a popular
video game. If this were a game I'd call it X-Men vs. Street Fighter.
As I stood in awe of the
bloodshed I feld a hand on my shoulder. "Needless, isn't it?" said a
powerful voice from behind me.

        I turned around to see a sight more fantastic than the first.
"Magneto!" I exclaimed with a
mix of awe and fear.

        "I see my reputation preceeds me even here. But no matter. Though I
have no great love
of the X-Men I will not see my fellow mutants used in such a way." he
said while watching the
conflict. He didn't look directly at me though, it gave me the feeling
that he looked down at me
for being non-mutant.

        "What's going on here?" I asked him.

        "That ancient conqueror, Apocalypse, has breached dimensions."

        "Apocalypse is here?"

        "No. He doesn't involve himself directly. His lackey Bison is
guarding the machine that
opens the portal on this side. Bison, though a formidable psi in his
own right and possibly even a
mutant, can be overcome through his own single mindedness. If you wish
to help I need you to
distract him. Then we can send the X-Men back where they belong."

        "I'll help however I can."

        I got in my car and had it going well up over 50 mph before I broke
through the wall of
Bison's outpost. As I got out of the car I noticed Bison coming toward
me. Thinking off the top
of my head I said, "Hey Bison, my man! Where are all the women?"

        "Insolent fool! I won't even ask why you're here. I'll just kill
you." Bison replied.

        "Did anyone ever tell you that you look like Raul Julia?" I asked.

        "Eh?" was all Bison managed to say before Magneto magnetically
dropped my car on
him, knocking him out cold.

        "My car's okay, right?" I asked.

        "Nothing I can't magnetically repair. I thank you for your help."
Magneto replied.

        "I've a favor to ask." I said.

        "What is that?" he asked looking down at me again.

        "We are trying to get to Megaland, one planet away. Our ship's
wrecked."

        "I suppose I am indebted to you. Very well, I shall grant you this
boon."

        I then drove my car back into the ship and Magneto followed. He
sealed the atmosphere
around the ship and lifted us into the night sky. An hour later we
touched down at N-Team
headquarters. "An interesting planet this is. There is metallic
circutry in everything. With my powers
I could dominate this planet, but no. I've my own world to worry over
and this one isn't mine to take."
Magneto mused."But before I depart I entrust Apocalypse's machine to
this scientist you speak of,
this Dr. Right. He seems trustworthy enough. More importantly I've a
gift for you."

        "Me? I'm honored." I said.

        "You risked your saftey at nothing more than my suggestion, and so
you will be empowered."
Magneto put his hands to my chest and a studded chest collar like his
own formed. "This will give you
a small measure of my power. But with enough practice you may rival
even me. But do not use it
recklessly. I did. It cost me my first daughter's life, my marriage,
and knowing the two children that
followed." Magneto said.

        "Thank you. I'll go great with the hat I swiped from Bison." I said
while donning the cap.
Magneto laughed at this as he entered the portal Dr. Right formed for
him.

        "We can bring him back whenever we need." Dr. Right said.

        "Yeah, we may need his wisdom and power in the future." I said.

        "I can also probably force some warps open to a certain degree with
Apocalypse's
technology, let's just hope he doesn't come back for it." Right said.
"With Kevin gone I'd say
you're the acting captain."

        "Captain? No. Captains still take orders from someone. Since this
world's in a state of crisis
and there's no governing body present, I take the rank of acting
general. I played the Playstation much
more than the Nintendo, so therefore I am now General Station,
substitute champion and defender
of Videoland." I said proudly.

        Right replied, "Well we'll discuss Kevin's rescue tomarrow. It's
late so I suggest you sleep.
doctor's orders!"

                                        End part one

                General Station part 2: The Bounty Hunter Comes Calling
                        written by Andres Thalheimer
                        contributions by Matt Slater

        After waking to his first morning in Videoland, Station asked
himself, "Where the hell did
I fall asleep this time?" He then showered, dressed, and donned his
stuuded collar, given to him by
Magneto himself, for whom Station had the utmost respect. Station
noticed it was 10:30 AM and
decided it was time for breakfast.

        Station walked into the kitchen and was greeted by a tall attractive
blonde. At first he assumed
she was human but noticed her left forearm was noticably mechanical.
"Are you uhh.., one of Right's creations?" Station asked.

        "Yes. My name is Roll." she said.

        "Oh I get it, Rock & Roll. So I assume you're Rock's sister? If so,
how come you look so different?" Station pryed.

        "Well I used to like him with pink armor but, as I mentally matured
I decided I'd like to look like a girl my mental age." Roll replied.

        "I'll say it's a wise improvement!" Station said lecherously. "So
just how old is that?"

        "I'm about eighteen now, based on Dr. Rights psycological exams."

        "Well, that's about my age." Station said becoming more suggestive
by the minute. He then started learning closer to her.

        "Now calm down, I don't even know you yet. But that's not to say I
don't want to." She said
with a half-smile. "In the meantime though would you like some breakfast?"

        "You really don't have to cook for me." Station said.

        "No, I insist." She said

        "Well, how can I say no to a pretty face?"

        At that point Dr. Right entered the kitchen. "Station, after
breakfast I want to see you in my lab." he said.

        "Will do, Doc." Station said.

        Later in Right's lab, Station came in. "Ah, Station. I noticed how
you were carrying on with my daughter." Right said.

        "So she is really alive. I'd hoped so."

        "Yes, though she has robotic parts she is as alive as you or I. She
has walked through the
warp of life. Though she thinks like an eighteen year old, she is still
naive. Though she is my favorite
student, the way I see Lana carry on with that tramp from Earth, maybe
I'm just old fashioned, but I want better from my daughter."

        "Not to worry Doc, I'll be a perfect gentleman." Station replied.

        "Good, good. Now with that out of the way I will give you your
weapon."

        "Weapon?"

        "Yes. I took your bat and charged it with the same energy as Kevin's
zapper. It is just as
potent as when you hit something with it. I can also improve your car.
I will install a power system
that will be self-generating. You will never have to refuel ever again.
But you must go into the city to
get some parts first. I've written a list and Rock will acompany you to
give directions."

        "I'll leave at noon." Station said.

        On the way back from the store, Station was arguing with Rock that
his weight in the car
was responsible for the damage to it's shocks. Rock insisted that it
was the five shopping carts that
Station ran over deliberatly at the local mall. While driving they
passed a cheap motel where a certain
someone was waking up with a powerful hangover.

"Uhhh.... Spartweiser.
Damn your black heart.
Arrgh. What's that friggin' sound?" This someone said. "Computer,
revert."

[compliance] was heard as
a small leather-like strap on his forearm unfolded into the dread
prototype powerglove, revealing his
identity as Pak, the rouge game master, bounty hunter exroidinare.

Pak thought to himself, "Hmmm, a
combustion powered car, how quaint. It's a Crown Vic too, must be from
Earth. What a shithole.
Hey, that's Mega-Man in the front seat but that dick driving is someone
I've never seen before.
Makes me think those N-freaks are low on members. Maybe low enough to
put me on the payroll."
Pak said out loud, "Computer, teleport me over to the N-Team HQ."

[unable to comply]

"Explain."

[warp corridors inaccessable]

"Hmm. Goat boy's probably screwing around again. That's another bullet
when I find him."

        At about 2PM, Rock and Station returned home with the parts. "Doc,
can you fix the shocks too? Your boy needs to lose weight." Station said.

        "I'm not arguing anymore." Rock said as he entered the house.

        "SIGH, I suppose. Just don't make this a habit. In the meantime go
read up on our files.
Familarize yourself with who and what you'll be up against." Right said.

        After reading the files for about ten minutes Station sat on the
couch watching CastleVania
Bandstand. Roll sat in a matching seat despite Station's attempts to
coax her into sitting on his lap.
"Steel Chrysallis they're called? Must be Videoland's equivalent of
Iron Butterfly." Station remarked.

        "Iron Butterfly? Sounds like someting Wily would create." Roll said.

        "No, no. They're a band. They're great. I keep a tape of them in my
car. I'll go get it."
Just then came a pounding at the door. "Huh? Pretty pushy whoever it
is." As soon as Station opened
the door Pak shoved his way right in. "Hey read about you in the files.
What the hell do you want?"

        "Nice to know I made Videoland's top ten." Pak said with a sneer.
"Where's Lana? I don't deal with lackeys."

        "Not here. Why are you?" Station replied.

        "Where else would she be if she wern't captured? Looks like you need
me more than I thought." Pak said.

        "Maybe so. What's it to you?" Station said.

        "The thrill of adventure, the rush of adrenaline, No. It's the cash.
I'm offering my services. You need them." Pak said.

        "If you want to help you can. You'll have to talk to Lana about
money, if we ever find her.
Meanwhile we can offer free room and board. Probably better than where
you're sleeping these
days." Station said in reference to the smell of liquer coming from Pak.

        "Maybe, I'm down on my luck. Well now, who's the hot bot?" Pak said
while walking toward Roll, making grabbing motions.

        "Hey, hands to yourself, asshole." Station said.

        "You gonna do something about it, boy?" Pak said.

        "Yeah, I'll kick your ass. Front lawn. Man to man, no weapons."
Station said.

        "Oh. You just sounded like Mike Vincent for a second." Roll said.

        Pak laughed. "You got more sac that I thought. Most of the N-Team
are wusses. You're
on." Pak said surprised that Station called him out, but not one to
back down.

        Moments later Station and Pak were outside ready to go.

"I said no weapons!" Station
yelled at Pak and Roll was clearly holding his Magneto-collar and bat.

        Pak replied "Ah, silly me. Computer, invert. Three hours."

[compliance] and with that the
powerglove folded up to become a small leather band on his forearm.

"Not much but it gets me
through the metal detectors. Let's get it on, boy!"

Station then swung, clipping Pak's jaw. Pak, a bit
taller came down on Station's head with both fists like twin hammers.
Station tryed a sucker punch
but Pak didn't fall for it. Station did manage to headbutt him in the
face, breaking Pak's Jim
Morrison-esqe sunglasses. They continued exchanging blows for the next
two hours, both exhausted,
but neither wanting to yeild to the other. Finally they both dropped.

        "Pak? I can't move." Station managed to say. With that Pak started
laughing where he lay.
Station started laughing too, neither taking the situation too
seriously.

        "Station? I can still move a little bit." Pak said, rolled towards
Station and karate-chopped
him across the eyes, knocking him out. Then Pak passed out.

        "Hey, wake up dickhead. Wake up, dammit." Pak said.

        "Uh?" Station said while his vision focused.

        "Here. You deserve one of these more than that candyass Keene ever
did." Pak said while
dropping a beer in Station's lap.

        "Spartweiser?" Station said whilst looking at the can. He got up not
knowing what time it was
but knowing it was some time later as it was dark out.

        "You amuse me. If you don't piss me off too much, maybe I'll hang
around a while." Pak said, while taking a swig of beer like a pro.

        "Well, if you keep your damn mouth shut and don't hassle Roll too
much, maybe I'll let ya
stay." Station said while taking an equally manly swig.

        "Naw, don't worry about that, you saw her first. I could tell you
liked her. Just wanted to see
if you deserved her by sticking up for her. Besides, Why would I stick
with one girl when there's so
much Pak to go around?" Pak said while finishing his brew and smashing
the can on his head.

        "Well, that's mighty sporting of you, Doug." Station said.

        "What the hell did you just call me?" Pak inquired.

                        End chapter two

                General Station Part 3
                A Hero Found, A Hero Captured, And
                A Forgotten Hero Rediscovered

                Written by Andres Thalheimer
                Pak's appearence approved by Matt Slater

        About three days after Station's arrival in Videoland he, Mega-Man,
and Dr. Right gathered in the N-Team HQ conference room to finally address
the rescue of
the N-Team. Station offered Pak a part in the discussion but his reply
was hardly a
surprise. "Excuse me? I get paid to do a job, boy! I don't do my
employer's thinking
for them. You've got a goal, come back when you've got a plan." After
which Pak put
on his headphones, effectively ignoring anything else Station had to
say.

        "All right, let's start with what we know." Dr. Right said. "Rock if
you would?"

        "Sure." Mega-Man replied. "The N-Team, Kevin, Lana, Myself, Simon,
Icarus,
Duke, Gameboy, Mike, Rick, Stacey, Julius, and Romeo, had gone to
Metroid to investigate
a rumor about Kraid and Ridley trying to rebuild Mother Brain's army.
We stopped
whatever progress they had acheived and drove away the whole space
pirate fleet, but it
seemed too easy. We can only assume it was a ruse, because Dr. Wily
attacked while we
celebrated. We tried to warp away but all zones were sealed. We fled in
a cargo ship
the pirates used for smuggling but he still succeeded in kidnapping all
of us except
me. I then contacted you, father, and the rest we all know."

        "Hey doc, kudos for fixing his speech chip, but why did the Ultimate
Warp Zone
choose me?" Station asked. "I've no great knowledge of video games and
i'm certainly
no game master."

        "I can only assume that your need to be part of something, your
longing for a
cause, actually drew the the Ultimate Warp Zone to you rather than
someone with a knack
for gaming. I can only imagine how unhappy you are with your life."
Right said.

        "Are you a scientist or a therapist?" Station said obviosly rattled
by Right's assessment.

        "Actually, I've doctorates in many areas." Right replied.

        "That's great, Doc. Anyway what's this blinking light here? It's
been doing that since yesterday." Station said.

        "Of course! I've been so overworked that I didn't think of it
before. That's
Simon's transponder! He keeps a camcorder in his backpack and it's on a
direct feed to
our computers here. He uses it to send distress signals." Right said,
then pushed a
button next to the light. A screen came down from the ceiling showing a
frozen image
image of Simon Belmont, Vampire Hunter extroidinare. "Computer, play."

        "Oh God." said Simon. "Wily, he's handed me over to Count Dracula as
a peace
offering! I'm being held on CastleVania. Oh God the things they've done
to me. I'm getting split ends!"

        "'Ey, I've found 'im!" said a goulish voice with a british accent
off camera.

        "No! get away!" Simon said right before a rotting hand grabbed him
by the hair.
"Ahh, not the face!" He said once the zombie started beating him.

        "Can't be 'avin Dracula's favorite pet gettin' outta 'is cage." The
zombie said
before looking into the camera. "Can't be makin' calls on company time
neither." It
then brought a fist down on the camera, making the screen go black.

        "So begins the rescue." Station said. "Pak?" Station shouted.

        "The hell you want?" Pak yelled back down the hall.

        "Time clock's ticking!" Station said.

        "Now that's what I wanna hear." Pak said walking into the room.

        "Pak, i've looked at the schematics for your glove and adapted some
of Apocalypse's technology to it and made this. If your computer
assimilates it you should
be able to teleport small distances again." Right said handing him a
small module.

        "Hmm." Pak said. "Computer, scan for viruses or other harmful code."
[scan complete] [no adverse agents in device] "Good. Computer, integrate."
[compliance] And with that the device faded into the glove.

        "But be warned," Right said, "No more than three peolpe or two
miles. In other
words, only in emergencies. And yes those three people include yourself."

        "Yeah, I got ya. So what the hell are we waiting for?" No one could
challenge
his straightforward thinking and so gathered on the front lawn in front
of the ship
stolen from Metroid. The ship was now rebuilt and armed. "I christen
this ship, The
Bounty!" Pak said smashing a bottle of cheap beer on the door on the
way in.

        Right said, "I' not a man of action, I'll stay behind. But at the
first sign of
trouble get out of there. I'm a doctor, not a warlock. I can give no
advice as to what
you'll be up against. We're short handed enough, we can't lose another
hero."

        "We'll be fine, old man!" Pak said. Right went back into
headquarters and The
Bounty lifted off, carring the current N-Team, General Station, Pak,
and Mega-Man. All
bound for CastleVania.

        Station stood up adorned in his self made uniform. A long black hand
woven shirt with a white lightening bolt on it. Black jeans, boots and
to-the-ankles trench
coat adorned with many pins and five stars along the length of its
front just to the
right of its buttons. He also had his Magneto collar in place and
still was wearing
Bison's cap. His charged bat hung from his belt. "I'm gonna put on some
tune so this
ride won't be completely boring." He said halfway into the trip.

        "It better not suck, boy. Wouldn't want reason to kick your ass
again, not
that i'd need a reason." Pak said. "Getting to like having a drinking
buddy to slap
around." Blue Oyster Cult's Don't Fear the Reaper then came over the
speakers.

        "How prophetic." Mega-Man said from the cockpit.

        "Not bad kid. Have a drink. Belmont himself doesn't even fight
vampires sober,
and he's the expert." Pak said.

        "What the hell." Station said begining to match Pak shot for shot of
some nasty
liquor you can only get on Faxanadu.

        An hour later they landed and began to enter Dracula's castle.
"Okay, we get
in, get Simon, and get out. This place creeps the hell outta me, even
when it was just
a game to me. Wish we had a map."

        "Dumbass!" Pak said. "This castle can't be mapped. Physics are on
holiday in
here. When a hero enters the inside moves around like a furby hooked up
to a car
battery. Any map anyone makes is useless to the next guy who's stupid
enough to go in."

        "How did you find out?" Mega-Man asked.

        "I was hired for a hit on Frankenstein's monster. Don't know why but
it was for
some serious coin so it didn't matter to me. Easy enough work, despite
the shitty map.
But Dracula rebuilt the creature to kill my employer. So I never got
paid. Now he's on
the list right below Goat-Boy.

        For hours they searched the castle. Becoming more and more weary
from fighting
monsters and the occaisional boss creature. They'd become nearly dead
on their feet and
Mega-Man was dangerously low on power when they reached the throne
room, where none
were permitted but Dracula himself. Lit by CastleVania's eternally
cresent moon, this
was the only constant throughout the castle's many incarnations.
Dracula was strangely
absent but next to the throne was a cage containing a beaten,
unconscious Simon.
Station walked up to it and smashed the lock with his charged bat,
opening the door.
"Rock, you carry him. You're the only one with the strength to."
Station said. As they
turned to leave a wall of flame shot up and separated Station from the
group. "Gahhh!"
Station screamed, startled and singed.

        "So you seem to be the leader of this onterage!" said a voice that
sounded like
James Earl Jones gargling gravel. A cloud of mist gathered around
Station and
surounded his throat. The mist formed a fist choking him. It then
formed backwards into
an arm and then a complete humanoid figure clad in many expensive
clothes and jewlry.
He looked like an aristocratic gypsy, even though such a thing never
existed. Atop it
all was a frightening, fanged visage with red eyes ablaze. "You
pathetic heroes never
learn, do you?"

        "Pak, CHOKE, get them, COUGH, outta here!" Station managed to say
before
coughing up blood. "None of you, COUGH, are in any position to fight
him."

        "I'll be back Station." Pak said. "You can't skip out on a bill that
easy!
Computer, teleport. Three, myself and the two closest to me!"
[compliance] And with
that Mega-Man, Simon, and Pak faded away and reappeared at the Bounty.
"I'm going back
in for that martyr bastard! Computer, reverse teleport to point of
origin! On the
double!" [ERROR] Pak's powerglove gave off a burst of electricity and
threw from it Dr.
Right's device, now broken and smoldering. "GODDAMMIT!!!" Pak shouted.
Then a legion of
monsters burst forth from the castle's doors and rushed towards their
ship.

        "C'mon!" shouted Mega-Man. He and Pak ran, while carrying Simon
between them,
into the ship and blasted off. "We'll get reenforcements and come back,
I promise you
Station." Mega-Man said quietly to himself.

        Station and Dracula both saw from the throne room as The Bounty flew
off into
the night. "Ha, HACK, they're out of your reach now!" Station said
before losing
consiousness.

        "They may be, hero, but they'll be back. Even the cursed Belmont
will return.
Until then you're bait. Guards. Take this rabble to the dungeon." After
the guards
dragged Station away Dracula mused to himself, "The night's still
young, and I'm a bit
famished." He then transformed into a large demonic bat and flew out
the window towards
the town of Veros. Then one of the many bats that hung on the ceiling
above dropped
down and formed into a tall young man dressed in armour and a three
quarters coat and
had long white hair.

        "Not this time, father." the man said and began to head towards the
dungeon.
"Your plans will be foiled by the time you return."

        Station came to find himself chained to a dungeon wall. "Hmmmm.
Steel Shackles.
No problem." Station noticed he still had his collar on and thought
Dracula assumed it
was part of his costume. He used his power given him by Magneto and
shattered the
manacles. "Didn't think Dracula would be such a tard." Station dusted
off his coat and
said, "Asshole took my bat tho'. Have to make a new one. I'll make some
protection
too." Station gathered all the metal in the room and formed a baseball
bat like his
first but formed two sharp extensions fashioning a formidable cross. He
then formed a
breastplate and a backsheild both emblazoned with crosses. Lastly he
formed a band of
solid metal around his neck etched with crosses, ending any possibility
of being
turned. He then left his cell and began down the hall but stopped when
he heard a voice.

        "If you're planning a jailbreak, bring me along." said a jailed man
wearing a tattered superhero costume.

        "Sure, who are you?" Station replied. While freeing him they noticed
Station's
many crosses begining to glow. Even the darkness receeded from him.

        "I was a hero. I used to go from one video world to another.
Righting wrongs
and saving other heroes when they failed. I even rescued Simon Belmont
himself once.
Long before he joined the N-Team. Once Captain N came along, people
began to forget
about me. They forgot so much that when I went to destroy Dracula for
good, no one came
to rescue me when I didn't return. You probably don't recognize me
without my helmet."
The stranger replied.

        "Wait a minute. I played your game on my emulator. They never
imported it." Station said. "You're......"

        "That's right. They called me Konami Man."

                                End part three