Space Colony ARK (Archie)

Space Colony ARK is a massive orbital research center created by Professor Gerald Robotnik, also serving as his home and the home of his granddaughter Maria Robotnik. That was the place were Shadow the Hedgehog was created in an (ultimately futile) attempt to cure Maria of her Neuro-Immune Deficiency Syndrome. They were the among the ones there when G.U.N. stormed the ARK, killed Maria and arrested Gerald. Unknown to G.U.N. Gerald built a powerful weapon into the ARK's superstructure with the intention of potentially protecting Mobius from possible alien threats- or carving up the world in an act of revenge. The weapon was to be powered by 7 Chaos Emeralds when placed in a special shrine chamber inside the colony, which was guarded by the Biolizard, the failed prototype of Project Shadow. Gerald was executed before he could make use of the Eclipse Cannon for either purpose. (StH: #98, #158, #171, SU: #2)

When Shadow, Sonic the Hedgehog, and NICOLE interfaced with Gerald's diary, the virtual realm they entered was meant to resemble the ARK- until the virtual world fragmented too far and collapsed. (StH: #171)