I never thought it would come to this. I look up at the gigantic robotic insect-like organisms as they pounce on their victims. As I look back at my comrade, he looks back at me with a look that I never wanted to see. A look of distrust, betrayal. As if I was the true enemy. The organisms consumed the carcasses of their victims transforming into a mutated version of themselves. The sight alone would make an army veteran bring up his lunch. I realized, but it was too late. Our plan had failed, because of my lack of preparation and my haste for vengeance. Now I will lose everything, my friends, my teammates, the love of my life. All for the life of one. If only I could go back in time. To stop this madness.
I woke yelling out, I exhale heavily as I see my breath in the form of white smoke vanish into the air. The smell of my cold sweat makes me tremble as I curl my hands around my arms. "Fay!" I said. I look around the room, and I see my old clothes that I used to wear when I lived on Earth. I get up from my bed and touch my shirt that hung from a nearby chair. "Am I back on Earth?" I walk out of the room and open the door, to my surprise. I'm in New York city, "This can't be right. I was fighting those insects..." Looking back as the memories flood into me. I hold my hand to my mouth as I gape over, images of the mutated humans that begun eating my comrades was fresh in my mind. But the questions still remained. 'How did I get back to Earth?' That thought was pushed aside by a more important question. 'What year was this?' I go back into my old house and scuffle through my belongings, my desks, until i found a calendar. I couldn't believe what I saw. "2...2010!?" This couldn't be right. That was the year I left with the Star Fox team. It then occurred to me. They could be in orbit right now! But I couldn't remember where they had landed. It had been nine years ago. There was no way I could remember this event so clearly. But my conclusion came quickly as a fire ball began shooting across the sky. The memory quickly came back to me. "The Lake!" That was the first time I had met her. My lover, the one I hold dear into my heart. But does she remember me? Did she come back in time too? There was no time to waste. This was among other things, questions I needed answers for. Running outside of the house with my wallet I stop a taxi. "Take me to the lake out of town." I said.
"Sorry sir no can do. The military has sealed this area off." the drive said.
"I am with the military!" I said.
I took out my badge, this badge was proof of a commander's position in rank. if a soldier saw this, he was to respect them and be obedient to their orders no matter the order.
"Sorry sir, I'll take you there right away."
I hopped into the back seat as the car sped through the streets as it followed the stream of black smoke. People began running the opposite direction, women picking up their babies and owners picked up their pets. The entire view of the city was chaotic. Up ahead was the checkpoint that lead outside of the city. three soldiers stood by the gate as the taxi stopped at their orders.
"We need to check your car." he said.
"I do not have time for this." I said.
I took out my badge holding it in front of his face, "let me through, now!" The soldier had no expression until he examined my badge, his eyes quickly widened and saluted.
"V..Very sorry sir!" he said, "open the game."
The gate opened, and the taxi drove through without any interference. It did not take long for New York city to become a distant scenery as the lake came close into view. The trail of smoke ended at the center of the lake. The taxi stopped, stepping out of the car paying the driver and walked closer to the lake I saw a white poodle on her hands and knees.
"Fay!" I called out.
I ran towards her, she was alive! She was here standing right in front of me. I rushed towards her and wrapped my arms around her as she stood up looking at my direction, "you're ok, you're ok." Those were the only words I could mutter. I held her tight within my arms. But something was different, she was struggling against me.
"What are you doing!" she said, "get off me!"
My eyes widened from the sudden confirmation. She didn't travel back in time. She doesn't remember me. I slowly let go of her and back away.
"I'm terribly sorry. I don't know what came over me." I said.
She looked at me with eyes that stabbed deep into my heart. It was those same eyes my comrade had given me before he was eaten, "I mean no harm Fay." Her eyes slightly looked into mine as her posture changed at the sound of her name from my lips.
"How do you know my name?" she said, "we have yet to make contact with this planet on diplomatic relations."
My mouth was shut tight. There was no way she would believe that I was from the future. Let alone know that we were in a relationship.
"I,.. " I couldn't say anything, the pain was far to great to deal with this situation. All I wanted was to lie on her lap, for her to stroke my head and kiss my cheek. To whisper in my ear that everything will be ok. To snuggle into my chest. I missed it. I missed her touch. My hand slowly shook as I brought it to my chest trying to control my breathing. As I looked back at her, she gave a giggle which made my heart skip.
"Do I excite you that much?" she said.
I quickly turned around, hiding my flushed red face. I could never handle her teasing. Even though she didn't know me, she was still good at hitting my weak spots, "either way, I'm currently stuck here. My ship is destroyed and has sunk to the bottom of the lake. I was lucky enough to escape."
As she spoke, I remembered what would happen in this event. This country's government will be here very soon. And they will no doubt capture her. I was not going to let that happen. I couldn't save her in the future. But, I have a second chance now. I will not waste this chance. I grab her hand.
"We need to get out of here." I said.
She looked at me again. But this time her eyes were more caring than cold. It warmed my heart to see that look I had yearned for, we ran into a nearby forest , my hands firmly holding hers as we got deeper and deeper in. We ran for nearly and hour, looking back the light from the forest's entrance was no longer visible, "I think we'll be safe here."
She suddenly stopped moving as I felt the tug of her hand. I turned around wondering what was wrong. She had a cold look in her eyes again.
"Why are you helping me?" she said.
"Because..." I couldn't hide the truth any longer, "in the future, you and I were lovers." I said it. I told her my secret. I let go of her hand as I looked away to the opposite direction accepting what was to come. To hear her deny me, to call me a liar. To slap my face and claim that I'm a pervert trying to get it with her. But all I felt, was a soft touch on my back.
"I guess that explains your feelings for me" she said. "no one can fake those feelings you showed towards me."
A tear ran down my cheek as I span round and took her into my arms. She didn't struggle this time but allowed the embrace.
"I couldn't... I couldn't save you." I held her tighter in my arms, to feel her warmth, to know in my heart that she was alive, "I couldn't save our unborn daughter."
I felt her stiffen in my arms.
"We... had a child?" she said.
I released her from my embrace wiping the tears from my eyes.
"Yes, we had plans to name her, Suzu." I said.
She was shocked at the news, but she put that aside as she came closer to me placing a hand on my chest.
"What do you mean, you couldn't save me?"
My throat became stuck in a not as hearing that question. Memories came flooding back, fresh as yesterday, of the way she died. I fell to my knees as I struggled to breath. The very thought of losing her again. I couldn't bare it., to live in a world without her. She quickly knelt to my side hugging me laying my head on her stomach, "it's ok. If it's too painful for you. Then forget what had happened in the future. I'm right here." Those words comforted my troubled heart. I looked up into her eyes, she no longer had the cold eyes that doubted me. But warm eyes that accepted me. She smiled at me as she laid her muzzle on my forehead, and I closed my eyes, enjoying the time that stopped for both of us.
It soon became dusk, and we were still deep with the forest.. We continued talking about ourselves, getting to know each other and about our cultures, our peoples, our homes. I loved listening to her tales of her people. Even though I had already knew these things. Hearing them from her lips made it all the more worth listening. The crickets soon be chirping and we realized how late it had become. I couldn't take her back to my place. With the government on the look out, it was way too risky to go out into the open. We sat underneath a tree getting comfortable as she snuggled up to me, sharing our body heat in the cold night.
"Does your comm link still work?" I said, resting my head on hers as she did on mine.
"Yes. But, let me be alone with you a little while longer." she said.
I chuckled a little at her response, she raised her head looking at me, "what's so funny?"
I looked her in the eyes.
"You haven't changed, not in the future and not now in the present." I said.
She smiled at my comment and placed her hand on my chest, she leaned in nuzzling into my cheek. I stiffened a little, and she noticed as I blushed harder than before. I was hoping she wouldn't take note that her nuzzling was my most favorite of one of her affections. And to my slight surprise, she nuzzled into my neck. God I couldn't take it, in the future, she would always use this secret weapon of hers to get me uncomfortable, not in a bad way. But she would use this as a means to gain the advantage whenever we showed our affection, "I think that's enough. Otherwise this could get out of hand."
she giggled into my ear and I spiked feeling her warm breath, "Fay, please," she groaned in slight annoyance at my constant resistance to her aggressive play.
"I'll let you off for now. But, you won't get a way again." she said.
She always had the last word in. That was the rule. I stood up and offered my hand to hers.
"I think it's time we get in contact with Fox and the others. If we stay here any longer, it could get ugly." I said.
She nodded as she pressed a few buttons and a holographic screen appeared. We waited for a while, hoping to gain a signal, and after 20 mins of waiting we finally got a connection as Fox appeared on the screen.
"Thank god you're ok." Fox said, "send your location to the Great Fox, we'll pick you up shortly."
Fay nodded before closing off her comm link. I couldn't believe it, I was reliving an entire 9 years again. Getting to know the Star Fox team, arriving on Corneria, building a family with Fay. These were all the things that were lost. And how I have found them again. And I will never let them go.
The Great Fox soon landed, but we had to move quickly. Something as big as the Great Fox would no doubt be seen by satellites. The Star Fox Team and Fay were currently unaware of this however. As the doors opened. Fox and the other crew members came out greeting their friend from the supposed dead. I didn't want to interrupt their happy reunion. But knowing how fast their fight jets could be here any minute I stepped into the conversation.
"I'm sorry to barge into your conversation. But if we don't live now, trouble will catch up with us." I said.
Fox looked at me with skepticism.
"Why should we trust you? It was one of your missiles that shot down Fay to begin with." Fox said,
I was shocked, speechless. But that speechless emotion was soon replaced by anger. How dare they shoot down my beloved.
"Fox, we should listen to him." Fay said, "he saved my life after all. Isn't that worth his trust?"
Fox thought for a brief minute before signalling with his head to get inside the Great Fox. I appreciated his understanding of the situation. But we couldn't do anything here. I was livid about what I had heard. I held Fay's hand, grateful that she was not seriously injured from the crash. We sat down at the dining table which was located within the dining room. And I knew that Fox and the other wouldn't warm up to me as quickly as Fay had. There was a long road ahead before I could prove my worth to them. To show them that I'm indeed a valuable ally.
"Prep the engines, we're getting out of here." Fox said.
The crew got to work as the engines powered up and the shields came online. It didn't take long until the Great Fox blasted into out of space, "OK, set it to autopilot." getting up from his seat he stood in front of me signalling me to come with him. I nodded as I followed him out of the bridge into our dining room, "listen, I'm grateful to you for getting us out in one piece. I don't know how you knew that kind of information. But thank you." I took out my badge and presented it to him.
"I'm a commander for the tactical division." I explained.
The tactical division was built for the soul purpose of obtaining and analyzing data on military deploy locations, on enemy attack patterns and the invention of cryptography. Fox listened closely and was pleased with the skills I had attained. He like me, saw the benefits of my research when approached in warfare. One of the biggest problems they did have was keeping Andross out of their communications. And was my first job as a tactical division for the Cornerian military. There was an advantage to me being from the future. I knew the events that would take place. I knew every last detail and every possible route. There was no way I would lose what is dear to me ever again.
"Luke is your name right?" Fox said.
He looked at my badge which displayed my first name.
"Yes, I'm Luke Stanley." I said.
He patted my shoulder as he smiled.
"We could definitely use your skills in our current war. We have been getting problems with communications and our enemy is somehow able to predict our attacks."
I smiled back at him.
"That's my specialty, you can leave that to me." I said.
This was no doubt the beginning of our friendship, in the future, he was one of my closest friends. And I was confident then that I would come through for him and my friends, their people and for my lover. And I still feel the same now.