Every time I get out they just pull me back in…-Unknown.
The Lylatian Battle cruiser Blade of Defiance swept through the darkness of space, trailing blue streams of energy as it slowly trundled through the sea of stars. On the ship's bridge, it's one and only resident, a black vixen sat in the captain's chair, a bath towl wrapped around her slim frame. She had just taken her customary evening shower and saw no reason why she should have to do all of her work in her room, when she could be on the bridge where all of the action was.
Clarissa's hand hovered over the controls of a console. She was looking at what she called her 'Heat Sheet" , a Lylatian government file which showed the deeds of all known criminals throughout the galaxy. Her fingered over the delete key. The government had been on her trail for the past month since she'd stolen the prototype battle cruiser for use as her flagship and base of operations. Honestly…who leaves ignition codes written on an index card? She needed to clear her name-at least in the eyes of the Lylat police…on the mercenary hot spots, her name would show up as one of the most accomplished bounty hunters in the system, allowing her to land some very lucrative contracts.
Suddenly her com system beeped. Looking at the readout, she realized it was her private line, accessible only to family members and a few close friends. No ID showed on the scanner. Warily she punched the confirmation button. A male voice filtered through the bridge's high performance speakers. "Hello there Clarissa. Planning on purging your Lylatian files? That's illegal if I'm not mistaken…" Clarissa felt her throat tighten with fear…a sensation she hadn't felt for a long time. "Who are you…how did you hack my line?"
"I'm just a humble merc like yourself…although considering your records I'd say we're both evenly matched in terms of accomplishments. " Clarrissa's hands flew over the controls, setting the scanners for a wide beam search, all frequencies. " The voice came back, "Ah, a typical reaction from a Merc, scanning all frequencies very good. You'd never know where my signal could be coming from…I could be floating right above you, or broadcasting from an asteroid five lightyears from here…" There was silence as Clarissa's mind raced. "Who are you?"
A low chuckle issued from the speakers, and Clarissa's fur rose slightly. "My name is Wolf'O Donnel. I have a contract for you… one that will provide a grim sense f satisfaction on my part…and a large deposit in your accounts if you choose to accept." Clarrisa's sene of anxiety lifted slightly. She swallowed and said, "What's the job?" There was a pause on the line and then- "I want Fox McCloud." Clarrissa had to quip, "In what manner? I never knew you swung that way Wolf…" A growl of anger ripped through the line. "If by 'what way do I want him." you mean, "I want to castrate him and feed his genitals to Venomian vultures.' then yes I want him. " Clarissa's mind swam. "You do realize what you are asking me to do? You're asking me to kill one of the best damn bounty hunters in the galaxy, a man who helped turn the tide in the Aparoid invasion. He helped all of us….even you."
There was silence on the other end of the line for a moment. "When I was in Flight school, I met a young vixen…Akira. We fell in love…and then Fox and some friends from his frat house cornered me and her at night. I was a quiet kid, and wasn't very popular. Fox had been lusting after Akira since the beginning of the year. He was drunk and pulled a blaster. He shot, she jumped…I watched in horror. " There was a silence on the other end of the line. Wolf's voice shook slightly as he said, "That girl bled out and died in my arms. Now if that isn't a reason to kill someone…I don't know what is…"
Clarissa felt her stomach harden. Still…"I won't do it. All you've told me could just be some bullshit story to get me to work for you. " Her finger hovered over the connection line's disconnect button. " It could very well be." Wolf said cheerily, "But consider the fact that I have the reactivation codes for your ship's transponder which you still haven't found, along with the grid points of your current position. Just think, within three days you might be facing a Lylatian tribunal for treason…" Clarissa bared her teeth and snarled, "You can't threaten me Wolf, evading the Lylat Police is a walk in the park. " "I'm not so sure about that…could you evade the police along with every other bounty hunter in the galaxy, if I put a price on your head? Cruisers like those only have so many shots in their laser cannons…" Clarissa glared at the scanners, Still no trace. "And even if you did evade them, what's to stop me from coming after your family? Your parents, brothers…sister. I'll kill them so painfully that you'll go mad wanting revenge. And then I'll come after you…"
She had no leverage! None! This idiot had her over a barrel, and there was nothing she could do about it. "In fact I'm not even asking you to kill him, join the team and guide them to this location: Centaurus VII. I'm giving you one year." Wearily Clarissa said, "And how am I going to join their team? Fox doesn't let in anyone, you know." Wolf chuckled. "All will be revealed in the contract…" A text file ballooned on the main viewscreen. Clarissa read it and gasped He may be crazy…but he's a freaking genius…