Star Fox: First Contact Chapter 1, a star fox fanfic

/ACCESSING….

/LOGIN AUTHENTICATED….

/FACIAL RECOGNITION…. CONFIRMED/

/RETINAL RECOGNITION…. CONFIRMED/

/IDENTITY CONFIRMED…. ACCESS GRANTED/

/Corneria Defensive Force Priority Transmission 00312A-74/

/Classified: Omicron Seven clearance or above/

/Encryption Code: 9218-Black/

/Public Key: N/A/

/Accessing file…./

/START FILE/

Mission Report: August 23, 8 BLW 1146 hours

Captain Carter Whittaker, commanding officer: CSS Spirit of Valor

Valiant Class Frigate, Crew Complement: 452

"Captain's report August 23rd, we're currently on patrol on the far edge of the Lylat system. The Valor is in month five of it's six month tour with Admiral Stanforth's fifth fleet. It'll be good to be rotated back to patrolling the inner system. After six months in deep space the crew could use some planet side R&R. Even the scorching jungles of Fortuna sound good right now.

To be candid, I don't see why the brass felt the need to send a fleet to the middle of nowhere. Corneria has been at peace for decades, piracy is at an all time low and yet the CDF feels the need to show the flag on the outer fringe. Nevertheless we stand ready as always, the Valor is at full combat readiness, should something actually happen. Not that anything does. End captain's report."

Captain Whittaker tapped the button on his terminal to end the recording. He got up from his desk to stare out the window of his cabin, only to be greeted by empty space midst his reflection. Distant unnamed stars dotted the black and barren landscape, he couldn't quite get used to the view of deep space. The stars were so much different than stars back on Corneria. He shifted his bright blue eyes to focus on his counterpart in the window. His irises still held the same passion for adventure and devotion to courage as the day he signed up for military service, he was still young and full of ambition. The white, black and gold of his pristine naval uniform accented his bright silver fur. The wolf was one of the youngest and most capable captains in the CDF, he had pushed himself hard to get his command.

Corneria was in an era of peace, the fleet wasn't a priority. This lead to a lack of new ships and equipment. The fact that someone so young was offered a commission was nothing short of astounding. Three years ago he earned his command, the CSS Spirit of Valor, since then his ship had become home and his crew had become family. The long period of peace also meant that qualified naval personnel were at a premium. Recruitment rates were at an all time low, nobody volunteered for service and those that did serve had never seen actual combat. Whittaker knew how important it was for a crew to be prepared, alert and ready. He scheduled unannounced daily drills to keep them on their toes and always encouraged them to constantly improve.

Deciding to stretch his legs, he emerged from his cabin and stepped onto the bridge. The bridge of the Valor was a two tier polished silver room. Computer screens and terminals lined the walls with naval personnel performing various routine operations at their assigned duty stations. A massive, curved window afforded a panoramic view of the stars.

"Captain on the bridge," announced a young canine ensign.

Hearing the announcement, a black and white furred husky stood up from the captain's chair, Commander Michael Scott, his executive officer. Mike was older than the Captain, which was uncommon in the CDF, but he never showed any signs that it bothered him. In fact, Whittaker believed very little bothered the easy going husky. His XO. exuded charisma and friendliness, creating an atmosphere of trust and loyalty. At first their different command styles clashed, but over time the wolf had come to respect his dedication and dependability. Their command styles now complemented each other creating a balance between seriousness and joviality. Whittaker hated to admit it but the crew probably wouldn't have tolerated his daily drills if it wasn't for his XO.

The husky turned to address his CO. "Captain."

"Commander Scott" his voice laced with an amused sarcasm, he knew Mike wasn't a stickler for formally as he was. Calling him by rank always got under his fur. The husky rolled his eyes in response.

"What's our status?" he asked.

"Communications green. Monitoring fleet traffic, no new orders. Thrusters at station keeping. All stations manned and ready, now we just need to know what we're ready for."

"Protecting Lylat from asteroids and space dust, Mike." Whittaker said with a grin. "I'll relieve you at 1800."

"Aye captain."

Whittaker left the bridge and made his way to the wardroom, where the senior officers ate. Thoughts of genuine steak drifted into his mind, after the first few months in deep space fresh food supplies ran out. He was tired of eating synthesized protein. Cornerian scientists claimed synthesized food were chemically the same and just as nutritious. However if you asked any naval personnel they would tell you it wasn't the same as the genuine article.

Arriving at the wardroom, Whittaker found Master Chief Petty Officer Grace Miles waiting for him. The tan vixen stood by the food synthesizer with a coffee mug in one paw, she gave him a quick salute with her free paw when he stepped in.

"Master Chief, don't you usually eat in the ship's mess?" Her rank bridged the gap between the enlisted sailors and the senior officers. Technically speaking she wasn't an officer, however she was the highest ranked enlisted sailor. It was her job to advise and execute policies concerning morale, discipline and training.

"Already ate captain." she replied, "I'd like a word."

Whittaker pointed to a chair as he grabbed lunch from the synthesizer. "Have a seat Chief." The wolf sat down opposite from her with a tray of pasta. "What's on your mind?" he asked, raising his fork to take a bite.

"I'm concerned about ship's morale Carter" the vixen's face softened after the last word left her mouth.

Whittaker instantly put his fork down, over the past three years he developed a close relationship with his Master Chief. Unlike the relationship between himself and Mike, that was a purely a working relationship, a partnership necessary for the ship to function. And while Whittaker considered his XO. a friend, the relationship between himself and his Master Chief was more blurred. From the very start the pair worked well together, he was closer to her than anyone else on the ship. She became his closest confidant and friend. Whittaker couldn't deny that he felt a certain allure to the vixen, however it was against regulation for an officer to be involved with a subordinate. There were times when he wished he wasn't her CO, and he suspected that she felt the same way. But as a captain he couldn't afford to lose his objectivity, he had long since buried those feelings. Hearing his first name was a sign that Grace wanted to drop all the formalities and cut straight to the heart of the matter, it usually meant bad news.

"How bad?" he asked.

"The crew is apprehensive and fatigued. A lot of them have never been on a deep space assignment before" She said. He respected her judgement, by design she was closer to the crew than he was. Being captain meant he had to distance himself to an extent. However this was a military crew, his crew. He believed in them, that they were up to any challenge.

"We all trained for this at the Academy" he replied.

"Trained for it, yes. But actually being out here is different. The crew hasn't seen or spoken to their families in five months."

The wolf's impassive expression melted slightly. Having no family made certain parts of his life easier. Without any long term commitments he was able to rapidly climb the ranks to his commission. But it came with a price, he was alone, and while he understood the importance of family, he could only infer what it was like to be so far removed from them, to miss them.

"What do you suggest?" he asked.

"Maybe it's time to cut back," she replied, "shorten the ship's watch, shutdown nonessential stations, give the crew a little more down time."

Whittaker fought back a look of consternation as he thought about what she proposed. Cut back? This wasn't a pleasure cruise. The men and women on his ship all made the commitment, took the same oath. To defend and serve Corneria. This went against all his conceptions, however five months in deep space could change how a man viewed his convictions. Besides, didn't he just joke about the lack of activity with Mike? "We can't afford to get lax, we have to remain vigilant" he said, attempting to convince himself more than her.

He felt tired all of a sudden, as if the past five months of service instantly caught up with him. He broke eye contact with the vixen as he lowered his head, staring into the plate of pasta in front of him. The silence of the room was broken by the sound of a chair scraping the floor. A paw came to rest on his cheek and gently guided his gaze back to the tan vixen now kneeling beside him. Their faces were inches apart, her gentle brown eyes cast a caring glance.

"Carter." She began in a soft tone. "We've run a constant vigil for five months. Nothing has happened. Nothing is going to happen. Corneria is at peace."

Peace. The word reverberated in mind. He had spent the majority of his life in the Cornerian Navy. His convictions firmly grounded in courage, honor, commitment, and dedication to service. It was either fate or bad luck that had bound him into a service that was deemed unnecessary, a job without a purpose; he was a military man without a war to fight. He had attempted to throw his discontent away by adhering to strict protocols and regulations, convincing himself that something was going to change, and therefore he wouldn't have wasted his life in a dispensable career.

But Corneria was at peace, that wasn't going to change, which meant something else had to. He stared back into the vixen's brown iris' filled with care and concern. The feelings he buried long ago threatening to resurface. For the first time he considered resigning his commission to create a different life with the vixen that acted as his emotional anchor. Grace was the only individual who was close enough, who cared enough to see the internal war Whittaker fought everyday. Corneria might have been at peace, but he wasn't.

Food had suddenly become the last concern on his mind, he stood up from his chair causing Grace to take a step back. "I'll think about it" he said briskly and abruptly left the wardroom leaving his lunch and the tan vixen behind. She watched as the door closed behind her captain, then looked to the plate of pasta he left behind on the table. "Carter, what are you so afraid of?" She whispered.

Whittaker made his way through the corridors, naval personnel in various uniforms stepped out of the way and gave him a quick salute as he passed by. He returned the salutes, keeping a strong facade, the crew needed to see a strong leader, not a liability. The wolf had taken off without a destination in mind, he had simply wanted to get away from the one he cared about most.

He had never been this uncertain before, a dangerous trait for any leader. His professionalism cautioned him that letting the vixen get close was a terrible mistake. He was becoming vulnerable, losing his objectivity. A separate part of him wanted to throw all his caution to the wind, resign his commission begin a new life with Grace. Was it worth losing everything he had worked for? To throw his career away for a slim chance at a normal life? Would that life even be happier? After all this time in the military could he even adapt to civilian life? If this was what it was like to care for another individual he wasn't sure he afford it.

Throwing his personal concerns to the side for the moment, Whittaker decided the best course of best would be to immerse himself in work. He would reevaluate the situation once the tour was over, right now his ship needed him. He headed towards the ship's Combat Information Center.

As the ship's TAO, lieutenant Elizabeth Robins spend most of her time in CIC. The dark room was filled with monitors, terminals, and status displays. She placed both of her paws on the edge of the central holographic table and leaned against it, attempting to fight off the boredom of monotony. Her feline eyes darted around the room, cats thankfully had exceptional night vision. Her staff were sitting at their assigned posts, roughly half of them kept their attention on their screens the other half sat idle keeping one eye on their monitors while letting the other wander. Under normal circumstances she would have clamped down on the breach in protocol, but even she was starting to feel the strain of deep space. Lizzy had always considered herself a fighter, it was one of the reasons she volunteered for service. Growing up she had always been a Tomboy, getting into fights and scraps with other kids.

Eventually her eyes came to rest on the table in front of her. Her brown paws rested against the cold metal that accented the edge of table display. The built-in holographic projector depicted the surrounding space, most of it empty with the exception of a nearby asteroid field. The only noteworthy features were the small holographic representations of allied ships at nearby picket stations. Five ships floated in a neat formation, the Westward, the Challenger, the Spirit of Valor, the Dauntless and the Royal. As the lead ship of the formation the Valor sat in the center. The five ships were far enough away that visual contact could not be made, but close enough to communicate and create a sensor net. The rest of the fleet was beyond sensor range. Besides the ships of the fifth fleet, there were no other ships, no merchant, transport or civilian vessels of any kind. She let out a long sigh, being on the outer edge sucked. "Not even a stray electron" she muttered.

The door to CIC opened, allowing outside light into enter the dark room. Robins looked over her shoulder to see who entered. Upon spotting the captain she immediately stood up straight and announced his presence to the CIC staff.

"Captain's in combat."

Upon hearing the announcement the CIC staff immediately snapped to, sitting up straight and turning their full attentions to their stations. Lizzy gave the arctic wolf a crisp salute. "Captain" she addressed him. Whittaker gave himself a moment to let his eyes adjust to the dark room, before walking over to the central briefing table.
"At ease lieutenant, I'm off duty" Robins visibly relaxed. "Aye sir."
Whittaker walked over to join the feline at the table. His eyes immediately fixated on the holographic representation of his ship, his home. Whittaker enjoyed the versatility his ship gave him, being a frigate meant his ship straddled the line between the smaller destroyers and corvettes and the larger cruisers and carriers. In his eyes the Spirit of Valor was the best ship in the fleet, she had speed and maneuverability without compromising firepower. Right now the Valor was assigned to picket station eight, which meant she was acting as part of an early warning screen, protecting the larger capital ships. Station eight was a designated command post, he was responsible for the other ships in his formation.

He crossed the room, taking the opportunity to look around, noting how each member of the staff looked, carefully scrutinizing their appearance and moods. His presence in the room was a reminder of authority and protocol, undoubtedly his crew were working to hide the fatigue that had set in these past five months, but it was impossible to completely hide the effects to a practiced observer. At first glance the CIC staff were holding a vigilant watch, they sat up straight, their uniforms were cleanly, and they had their eyes fixed on each of their stations. Upon closer inspection subtle hints betrayed their fatigue. Paws moved lethargically, with all the deliberation of a sleepwalker. Others members of the staff had half glazed eyes and unkempt fur. Perhaps Grace was right, his crew needed some R&R, sooner rather than later.

Whittaker turned his attention to his TAO. The brown and white spotted cat stood at parade rest across the holotable. She was a stark contrast to the rest of the crew in the room. He had personally chosen lieutenant Robins straight out of the academy for her discipline, attention to detail, and tactical mind. Her uniform was freshly pressed and her brown hair was cut to perfect regulation length. She was short, nimbly athletic, she rarely cracked a smile and was always business, he knew she was a warrior.

After slowly pacing the room he joined Robins on the other side of the central table. Remembering what Grace had mentioned earlier about the apprehension on board, he lower his voice to a whisper he asked "Robins, how's the temperature of the room?"
"Considering our circumstances sir, I'd call it a low simmer" she replied.

"Do you believe I should shorten the watch?" he asked, attempting to divine more information from his officers. He firmly believed that a good leader always listened and respected the judgement of his subordinates.
Her ear twitched, "Sir, as TAO I have to advise you that shortening the watch is tactically unsound-" Whittaker held back a smile, after three years he knew Robins too well and predicted her exact response. He was also relieved to hear that he wasn't the only officer concerned about maintaining ship and fleet security. However right now, the well being of his crew took priority.

"That's not what I asked you, lieutenant" he cut her off.
The Feline took a long glance around the room at her staff. The staff that she worked and trained besides for three years. She would never abandon her post, but she had a responsibility to those under her command. She took a breath before replying. "I believe it would help the crew's morale, sir."

A/N: With a new year comes a new story. I know originally said I wanted the first chapter out before 2019 dawned, although I decided to postpone by a few weeks. First Contact will mainly an action piece, inspired by various media including: The Last Ship, Star Trek, and Halo. My goal for this story is to make bi-monthly updates, the first and third Mondays of each month. A special shoutout goes my friend WolfyBits, who is responsible for creating the cover art. Go check out his art and renders on his deviant art page, (WolfyBits). As usual, If you're interested in the rest of my current projects you can find descriptions of them on my profile's bio. Any reviews are appreciated, and thank you for taking the time to read!