Star Fox: Beyond Lylat
Chapter One: Outsiders.
Author notes and legal issues: Star Fox doesn't belong to me, neither does Lylat system or anything related to them, so no ownership whatsoever yea. The new character, ships models or other things that are not from Star Fox are indeed mine however so they cant be used without permission.
***
Six months since the last incursion of enemy forces into Lylat system: Venom the planet where the mad Andros tried to conquer the Lylat system for the first time and failed. Andross was destroyed, a few adventures made and everyone was supposed to forget the old and mad monkey… then, their followers tried to achieve what their master could not accomplish with the same result.
Six months and Fox was bored… Why lie? His father had been a mercenary, then he grew as a soldier, latter on fallow his father is steps into the mercenary busyness alongside with his friends Slippy Toad and Falco Lombardy, asides of his father's friend, Peppy Hare. The war was his place, not being bored at home.
Actually this wasn't so bad… more or less of course. Fox was used to be with his friends, in his ship… and blowing things up. His home wasn't much of a home for him anymore after he begun with his actual job.
Top floor of the highest building in the city, the best views, two rooms, two bathrooms, one huge kitchen, one dinning room and even a small training room he had reinforced. This was probably paradise for anyone, but for him, in his room, at night, with the pc on and searching for any opportunity of job in Corneria… This was getting near critical mass for his patience.
Suddenly the communicator sang his favorite song… Emergency right there right now! He didn't know if it was because of the surprise or the joy, but he crash landed on the floor with the communicator falling on his muzzle and opening the line
He cleared his throat and said "Fox here, what is it General Pepper?" The joy was almost touchable in his voice. He didn't enjoy anyone suffering… but his life was war and it was hard forgetting old ways.
"Fox, we have a huge problem" The voice of General Pepper was, like the last few times he talked with him, weak, but still powerful in some way "And this time it is not the Lylat system the one that needs help"
That moment Fox's grin disappeared, would it be something even bigger than the Lylat system? It had never been anything else than that, he was used to play in home… this would be out of his usual battle grounds?
"I am on my way, General, Fox out" With a fast move Fox got up and didn't even wait for Pepper to say goodbye since he closed communications wile running for his clothes.
Usual green pants, red shirt, silver metal bots, jacket, gloves and helmet, not much was needed. He got out of his house and pushed the button of his personal elevator, five seconds and the usual gravity change stopped as he got to the garage of the skyscraper.
There, one of his treasures… his motorbike. Two dam big wheels, body resembling a double fox tail with armor plating and engine, made for him personally… Unique and fast as the thunder… also having two heavy machine guns and one anti aircraft turret made it even better for him.
Old design but classy.
A fast jump and he was on the bike, two seconds and he was already on the road thanks to his roaring baby…
***
*The city is very pretty under the moonlight* Thought Fox in one of those few times that all was quiet and he ended wanting nothing more than a quiet life. Now he was looking at the city he lived in, the capital of Corneria, a city he saved more than once.
Big buildings filled with light wherever he looked at, others were smaller, in multiple shapes… All were simply shinning under the bright moonlight as the people in them rested and had their deserved sleep wile others, factories or labs, were still working hard.
All of this calm had a beauty sometimes Fox wanted for himself… Though a few moments of looking at that wile driving his bike at full speed across the empty road toward the approaching base was all he needed to want another mission, action… something to feel fully alive…
A few moments latter the gates of the approaching base opened for him and, as he entered, granted him the sight of his father's old time friend, Peppy Hare "Hello there Fox" said the old rabbit wile Fox stopped his bike inside the base's perimeter "I said to Pepper that you wouldn't come in a "formal" way… He owes me a few credits now"
"Getting bored too?" Fox asked in a friendly way as he got on his feet, leaving his bike well guarded near one of the Cornerian Tanks that was at his side "I hope Pepper didn't mind me calling him general… old habits die hard" He said as he begun walking towards the command building of the base.
"First: Yes, I am getting bored… a bit at least, as you said "Old habits die hard" and even if it has been a long time since I have been a pilot, I miss some action, Fox" Peppy and Fox got to the HQ's door and, as Peppy continued talking, he opened it with the code "And second: About Pepper… He was happy hearing you calling him general like in the old times, he is almost fully recovered, but still too weak to be around for much time, so he is grateful to still be considered a general even if now he acceded to be only the advisor for the army"
"Nice to know he is doing well, but now…" Fox and Peppy entered the building and the group on guard duty saluted them both as they passed the entrance "Pepper said there was problems, bigger problems than usual, can you tell me about it Peppy?" Wile talking they had gotten into the main room where Peppy took a seat and offered one to Fox.
The main room of the HQ was really well made, all done on stone instead of the common metal of the other buildings and defenses, room enough for forty persons, the huge command table with holographic generators, a screen bigger than the table and forty chairs… The decoration was at the same level with Cornerian banners and the like for all the big room.
"Yes, sadly it seems we have biggest problems than Andross, biggest than the Aparoids and than the Anglar Empire… Looking at this, maybe even Sauria blowing up wouldn't have been much of a problem" Peppy was serious, more than any time Fox had seen "It seems another species has found its way to the Lylat system and is not in the mood to talk"
"Another one? Didn't we had enough trouble with the Aparoids?" Fox huffed a bit as he got into his seat, not that he mined risking himself and his team, as they always came out without much of a scratch, but the last time another specie appeared with not so good intentions it almost destroyed Corneria and a lot of lives "Not that I mind having work Peppy, but I don't like the way it seems to get when another specie attacks Corneria and the civilians"
"Then you have luck, they didn't have any advance towards Corneria, it seems they aren't much interested in this planet as they are on having us here and without a possibility of escape, as they have done with Venom, Aquas, and any other planet with civilians wile the rest are halfway occupied, or fully occupied already"
The digestion of that information was fast and hard… For a second Fox almost wanted to have civilians involved because if someone had the power to just let whole planets, with the military included if they haven't touched the mentioned planets, as they are wile they conquer the rest makes it obvious that they are powerful enough to crush anything.
"Seems like they want all intact…" Fox muttered as if trying to not be heard by Peppy as he thought over all that had been said really fast.
"And all they are getting" A new voice said as the door of the room opened silently, Fox looked at the newcomers and, as he guessed, one was Pepper with his usual figure and outfit but with also a staff to help him being on his foot and a med pack on his side for any medical care he would need without delay "Venom and Aquas are holding without supplies for now, but Katina had to resign as they had catch the planet wile the production had stopped, as well as conquered the asteroid belt's station, all the sector's stations too, our sun… and also Sauria as the people there surrendered since they didn't had any kind of army that could have hold against the power of the new enemy"
After Pepper's information rally, Beltino, that had entered the room with him, turned the giant screen on "Also, Fox, they are doing something with one of the Orbital Gates as they have changed the course in some way…" A map of Lylat system appeared and Beltino pointed towards the Beltino Orbital Gate "They seem to be using, as for now, the closest orbital gate to Corneria… Exactly what are they doing we don't know… but…"
"But?" The situation was getting better for moments and Fox was changing thoughts between how much this will pay, how much fun this could be… Or if the team would be able to protect the Lylat system this time.
"They seem to have done something that only Andross also did… An experiment to see where the Orbital Gates could go with the coordinates, but not a gate to return" Beltino looked at Fox and cleared his throat before continue "After the ambush they did to the first Star Fox there were signatures of a travel towards the Earth… Which could be your father being there and alive"
Fox was less shocked than everyone in the room had thought, though better was not to tell them why he was as calm, he simply nodded wile hiding the hopes to see his father once again, this time not for him to disappear shortly after it.
"Well…" Beltino coughed a bit, having hoped for a different reaction from Fox "The thing is that there is only one problem… They have the means to transport things there (maybe), but they seem to try to take something here… So think for a moment that going there is hard without destroying a barrier of time and space and ending in a mirror image that is not the reality we know, and that is a SMALL problem in comparison of what would happen if they try to take something here…"
Beltino took air for a second, he was hyperventilating fast, it seemed like he would be knocked out if he continued as he was too nervous so Pepper talked to give his friend a bit of rest "What Beltino is trying to say, Fox, is that the common problems of traveling with the Orbital Gates are small in comparison to try and travel without the second gate to return… And that problems are something small in comparison to try and take something instead of sending it, which, luckily, this time ended with them having a slight problem with what they took here"
"We still don't know if they did something wrong as we suppose, we better watch out as we don't know what could happen" Fox was now puzzled and Peppy wasn't helping him… though he at least saw that "Sorry Fox, the thing is that the enemy seems to have taken something… Human DNA"
This time Fox was shocked, this was far too precise for the intelligence work "Wait, wait, wait… How do you know that they got human DNA? And after that, what kind of human DNA? A soldier? Commander? And what did hey do with it?" After the questions the three in front of Fox looked away as if embarrassed for something.
"Well… We know that they got DNA thanks to two things, first one was a probe we sent towards the Beltino Orbital Gate to see what they were doing, we were lucky enough for it to completely scan" Peppy said looking at Fox again "That was a week ago and, as you see, nobody had even knew what was happening… Though to not avoid your question…"
The door opened hard and fast, almost knocking Pepper that was near it, to let a few familiar figures enter the room "We did help with the retrieving of the information… And something more" Wolf O'Donnell, enemy of Fox, and his Star Wolf team composed by Panther Caroso and Leon Powalski were now standing in front of everyone.
"Also, we still want our fair share of the profit it will give to Corneria…" Leon said as gently as his cold tempered voice could, with one eye looking at Peppy wile the other wasn't getting away of Fox, as well as his hands near his pockets… maybe waiting for Fox to do anything.
"As well to take that dirty bounties out of our heads and have our… business being legal once again, if that is not asking too much for you, sire" Panther was, as always, mostly smooth talk, if Peppy would have been a young girl this would have changed a lot and for *good*, though if this would have been a fight inside their fighters… Well…
Fox simply didn't want to say anything, though he had his hand near his pistol, only in case… "Please, peace here as I am seeing Fox and you three are a bit… Tense" Pepper said to everyone "First: Fox, they helped us making an attack to the ship that took the DNA, recovering a pair of… well, that for latter… Also told us that they have the same technology as Andross got, and the same that resurrected him the first time… They can clone people"
"Oh yes… Even more than that actually" Wolf chuckled and snapped his fingers "Joana, enter please and give our boss the last results of your investigation please, if you are so kind…" Wolf moved away and the door opened away, revealing a new figure that entered the room.
"For anyone that didn't know, I will tell you all already how we did manage to escape from the Aparoids" Wolf grinned as the figure approached enough for Fox to see "This is my little girl Joana O'Donnell, my little angel and savior as well as our technology specialist"
Joana was almost as tall as Wolf, with the same fur pattern but darker in color and blue eyes as well as physically less body mass in a small proportion, meaning that she was strong… but also good looking with a smirk on her lips and a well formed and feminine, yet as mentioned, strong body.
Her clothes didn't resemble much her father´s: She was wearing a long blue rove with what seemed to be silk pants and sandals as well as having, instead of the long claws and brutal looking pistol, a pair of daggers at her side and a lot more on her waist that were smaller on size and seemed to be made directly for long range combat.
"Nice to meet everyone" Joana approached Peppy wile saying so with a cute and cheerful voice as she lifted her left arm and handed Peppy a load of paper, also showing that she had something else in her body to resemble she was the daughter of Wolf. Her arm was mostly bionic, more metal than flesh, also had a lot of scars in the few places where the flesh still was present "I hope this allows my father to claim all the money from this job, as we agreed"
She saw Fox looking at her arm and as fast as possible she hid it and smiled to him, getting besides her father "Also, as my father asked, I have given you a report from the end of the battle with the Aparoids I could gather when I picked up my father and his crew. That is a small bonus we give to Corneria thanks to your… hospitality" Making a reverence and politely turning, Joana went away from the group, getting out of the room and disappearing as fast as she had entered, fallowed shortly after by her father and the Star Wolf members.
"Formal girl…" Fox said as he turned to see both Peppy and General Pepper taking a deep look at the inform "What does the inform said, Peppy?" Approaching to them Peppy handed the report to his friend wile biting his nails a bit, something he hadn't done in ages "That bad it is?"
Fox didn't mind the worried looks into both his friends while he paid some attention to the report, five minutes were needed to read everything and to worry him greatly "This…" He groaned and looked at them both again; their nods were all he needed "Sure? You must be kidding…"
"I doubt it, they are not going to get paid more no matter what, and they know the information must be precise to the millimeter if they want all the reward" General Pepper sat in one of the chairs and gave out a sigh "About their sincerity telling us about their ship made with stolen parts and technology to both us and Andros I couldn't care less, but about that other data…"
Fox took the report and begun to read out loud "Come on, it states clearly "Strength multiplied enough times to lift a tank. Tough enough to hold against a naval canon shot. Speed to match a flying Arwing. Luckily the specimens and the investigations inform and the notes show a huge lack in components and time that these measurements require for this to be effective. The actual pair of specimens has enough rough power to be as good as the elite mercenary forces but don't have the skill or intellect to fully use it. On a side note: The small ship we attacked to get this information and the pair of specimens had enough clone tanks to give birth to a whole small army, maybe they will create low soldiers or commanders but at the rate they could do this war would be lost before it begins" Fox took a long hard breath and looked at his friends in front of him before yelling "This must be a frigging joke!"
"Fox, relax, it is not a joke" Beltino grunted as he pushed a button and the giant screen turned on again, loading some data "I had tested their abilities in a surprise fight in the virtual reality train center, take a look and don't lose any info my friend, for common civilians this is not something normal"
With a few seconds of silence in his way Fox sat again, groaning a bit and waiting for the information Beltino said, if this was so good, he wanted to see and decide, finally, if this was worth the risk… Or the lives of his friends as well as his own.
***Loading virtual reality record 2033091
***…
***… … …
*** Loading complete.
*** Duration: 00:08:38
An empty and completely dark room is the only thing seen the first eight seconds of the video… Then the lights lit on and two figures appear lying on the ground. The first one seems shorter than the first, more corpulent, and is also the first one to get up.
A human, not really big nor short, apparently black hair, brown eyes, physically seems a bit fat or strong and the look of surprise is obvious "Man… What the hell I am doing here?" he says scratching his head "Hey… Victor?" He asks when he turns and sees the other figure, kneeling besides him and shaking him slowly.
"What happened man?" The other groans as he gets on his knees and slowly up thanks to his friend's help. This one is taller, less corpulent, maybe as strong, dark blonde hair, brown eyes and, even being surprised, looks like he can't help but have his eyes closed "Oh? Joel? What the hell… Where are we?"
"Dunno man… I was asking myself the same question…" The one named Joel was looking around the room… It was all the same for a whole five seconds when the human had time to circle a few times with his view, then the screen displayed a small info note.
*** Weapons, enemies and terrain loaded… now… actual time 00:00:46. Zone level 50 of 100: Destroyed Corneria city and rebel Cornerian army level is functional ***
"That wasn't there a moment ago Victor…" Joel said as he made his friend turn and both saw a door and a metal closet "Let's see what is inside…" Both humans got slowly near the closet and the door. Victor opened the door and had a small peek of the outside.
"Hey man, it is a dam city in ruins… there are fires around and all… Don't know how but this must have been recent" He said wile his friend opened the closed… And inside found a wide stash of weapons and some heavy and light armored clothes. When Victor closed the door and looked at that he could only say "Whoa! I want that twin pistols, sword and that uniform there!"
Joel smirked as Victor changed his clothes within moments with the uniform of an official, twin pistols and a long sword on his belt "He, he… I don't know why, but they seem to fit perfectly… Hey man, how am I with this gear?" Victor asked as his buddy had also changed a bit.
He had a heavy machine gun on his hands, camouflage pants and shirt with armor plates around, also a metal axe on his belt and a shield of strange metal on his back "Perfect buddy… And even more if we are in a destroyed city… wherever it is I prefer to be ready for anything" he said as he approached the door "The thing is… Do you know how these things work more or less?" he said with a bit of a blush, never having held a weapon, except an old one, before.
"More or less like you… But it will be easy for sure (I think); first we need to get out of here though, latter we will learn if we need" Both friends nodded and Joel opened the door to see what was behind it.
Big metallic buildings and other shorter ones made of both stone and metal were destroyed everywhere, roads half filled with debris in the four directions the two friends could go, fires here and there and some vehicles they couldn't recognize.
"This is horrid…" Victor was speechless, this city appeared so big for his eyes, how could this happen to such a big, and as he thought, and developed city? "Joel, man, we have to get out of here only in case… Which route we pick? We are in the dam middle of this crossroad"
***First attack wave… now… Actual time: 00:01:44 Minimal difficulty***
Suddenly from the debris in front of them and their sides some figures appeared, they neither appeared in the mood to talk or wait as they were wielding rifles and pointing at the two friends "Shoot them down men!" Said one of them, then hell broke loose over the two human buddies.
Shoots begun to fly around the two friends when one hit the shield on Joel's back who jumped to the side and on the debris "Shit! Victor! Take cover under the debris!" He shouted as he positioned the heavy machinegun over the debris wile Victor, with a huge amount of luck, could manage to get untouched behind the debris on his side.
"Joel! We have to get out of here! I don't know why we are being shot at and I don't want to ask their lasers about it!" He shouted to be heard over the gunfire and the impacts on the rock, one of which ended too close to his face and Victor instinctively took the pistols out, shooting a few times and taking down one of the figures that was on the northern road.
Seeing his friend Joel pressed the trigger and a storm made out of laser fire filled the northern debris barricades, taking down some more of the attacking figures, though from the east one of the enemies made a lucky shot that wounded his left shoulder slightly "Aaah! Dam it! This fucking burns… Rrrrg… I dam hate the heat…" He groaned, making Victor see it and move forwards him.
"Quiet you!" Joel shouted "You want us to get out of here no?! Go south and try to find a way out wile I hold them here!" Victor nodded, though seemed very reluctant to leave his friend alone even knowing he was right… After a few seconds he nodded again and went south "Ok you all! Come get me if you can!"
Like answering to his call, a swarm of figures charged forward to take him down under their gunfire when Joel positioned the heavy machinegun again and opened fire for the second time in his life. Enemies fell prey of his laser weapon, though that seemed to not matter to them as they got closer and closer, hitting him slightly with their poor aim and his great cover (or most surely, huge amount of luck) until the last remaining three were upon him "Shit! Time to swap weapons!"
He backed a few steps leaving the machinegun and took the full metal axe with the metal shield, blocking a few shoots with it, mostly thanks to his cover as the shield wasn't too big… Though big enough to let him see that the three ones in front of him were anthropomorphic dogs! He didn't have the luxury of the time to ask if his best dream had changed and morphed into worst nightmare in mere seconds as the first two got their knives already on their hands and were attacking him.
"Crap!" Joel shouted as he fell to the ground because one of the small rocks from the debris, making him easy prey for the two first soldiers in front of him that, in that precise instant, were jumping to stab him wile on the ground thinking *What a "glorious" way of dying…*
The thought didn't last much as the two assailants were knocked back with a pair of laser shots coming from the south "Dam it! I can't leave you alone to find an escape route without you getting in worse problems than we were already on?" The last guy was in front of Joel when Victor got close enough to hit him hard with one of the pistols, throwing him unconscious.
"Heheh… I may have to watch where I place my foot more often" Joel said wile his friend offered one of his pistols to help him regain his foot as he didn't have time to wait for his hand "You know, I never though we would have to fight anthros…"
"Neither did I… But that will be for later, we have to head out and I have found how… Fallow me" Victor headed south again, running, with Joel not far behind him, both of them running as far as their feet would grant them, wanting to get out of the mad place as fast as they could.
***Phase Two: Piloting and aerial combat test - Medium difficulty. Actual time: 00:05:09***
"Whoa! Dam great buddy… But I have a question" Both friends were in front of a large fighter, one they could identify as where they come from this thing was known for some… it was… "How the hell do we pilot a Cornerian fighter? I don't even know how to pilot a human one"
"Relax Joel… I am sure you will do good… At least better than me" Victor said pointing at the hands "I may be hard to hit but to defeat all the guards here I overloaded the dam guns and I ended burning my hands… also if I try to take the pistols away it hurts badly" He tried to demonstrate it, but it was obvious he couldn't do, the face was showing enough pain when he tried to open the hands.
"Ok… It is the easiest way out, I think…" They approached the fighter and Joel opened the cockpit to, then, help his buddy inside "This will be a bit of a tight fit… but well" Then he tried to fit in a comfortable way, though the single cockpit fighter wasn't made for a pleasant travel for anyone else than a singular pilot.
"Ung!" The grunts of Victor and Joel wile trying to fit were loud… too loud, a patrol suddenly appeared from one of the corners just when the cockpit was closing, saving the pair from the gunfire "Oh dam it Joel! Get us out of here!"
"I am trying I am trying!" He shouted as he looked for the starting button… A few seconds and he pushed it, then the engine begun to do its work and as he used the fighter's controls to get it up and flying towards the sky "Dam! I made it!"
Both buddies were about to celebrate, as the enemies on the ground could barely hit the fighter and the weapons were too light to harm it… Though the other four fighters that were in front of them could probably do some damage "Shit… We get out of one problem to find another one, bigger, meaner, and with better firepower"
Victor seemed a bit bitter with the comment, but it was the truth… Though that didn't mean they would go without fighting "Maybe, but WE have the SAME firepower… And I don't want to go without blowing some of them away if that is the case" With a fast finger the trigger was pushed again, though this time the fighter's weapon was the one in use.
One of the fighters didn't saw it coming and the short firing wave found a target, turning the enemy Cornerian Fighter into dust and flames. The other three started almost immediately to shoot at the fighter of the two friends "Shit! What button is it?!"
Avoiding the lasers as he could, Joel searched for a particular button for a few seconds wile having an eye on the enemy fire until he found it, and just in time; a load of laser fire was coming in real fast and didn't have the time to maneuver out of the way.
He pulsed the button and the ship did a barrel roll as fast as it could, deflecting the lasers and leaving the two friends a little dizzy, but also with one of the enemies in front of them "Ugh… I think I will not do that anymore… So I am going to make sure we don't need to!"
After the shout Joel fired again against their enemies, blowing this time the engine of the fighter in his front wile avoiding the fire of another one that was closing from behind "Joel! We have him just behind!"
"Don't worry buddy, let me try something else…" When the last few shots were closing by, Joel forced the controls of the fighter up and hard, making the ship dive on the sky and doing a whole circle, getting behind the enemy fighter "Another one down and we count three" He grinned as the laser fire again impacted on the enemy craft after he begun shooting.
"Ha ha! Mate, three out! We can still get out of here" Victor was in joy after the maneuvers and the successful of them into destroying the enemy… But luck couldn't go on much more and then an impact was heard "Shit… why the hell did I talk?"
The last fighter was upon them, shooting wile being covered by the sun, and thus, not letting the friends see him wile he begun his assault "Shield at 20%!? Hull at 55%?! Why doesn't this dam computer say anything good about this situation!?"
Wile complaining and trying to evade and deflect all the shots the computer finale made it to the 0% of shields and 15% of hull "Well… Short lived but great adventure I say" Victor grinned wile a few shots rushed around and impacted on the cockpit.
"Could have been worse… You know it is my phrase, didn't want to die without saying it" Both friends laughed a bit, was better to greet the death with the arms open rather than fear it… Then the computer said the last words.
*Shields 0%. Hull… 0%... End of the simulation. Game Over*
*Points: 312*
*Point percentage (normal): 25%*
*Bonus:
First timers: 35%
Good first performance: 20%
Team work: 10%
Small luck reliant: -5%*
Bad skills: -15%
Dead: -20%
*Total:
…
… …
50%
Exam approved*
***
"This-is-a-joke" Fox got up and hurried out of the room, not minding the Star Wolf team that was outside the room while Peppy, General Pepper and Beltino fallowed him.
"Fox! Wait! Wait Fox! Dam it! Hear me youngster!" Peppy was running too much for his old age and Fox was still not slowing down "Pepper, please, go back and finish the business with our… friends, I want all things shorted out, also bring me a big enough rock, I may need to put some sense into Fox"
Huffing, Pepper nodded and turned back while Beltino hopped forward almost catching Fox that turned to the left into a corner to enter a new room, leaving Beltino into a wall with a loud *Splat!*. The room was "Virtual Training room 003-F" Though he didn't see the note at the sides of the entrance *Rearranging process. Wear safety gear in the area*
As he entered the room he couldn't help but open his mouth fully, almost dropping his soul to the ground as he saw more than training equipment: The room had been remodeled from virtual training field to a giant dock bay with a giant ship he couldn't identify in the back of the hugely extended room (Note: It was a room with up to twenty cubicles and a monitoring room that now had half the length of a space port).
A few men were removing remains of other room´s walls that were trashed to help make this one "Take care with that you two!" The officer in control of the operation was grunting at everyone "We have to finish this in less than four hours, move it with care!"
The door behind Fox opened violently as Peppy finally made it to Fox´s side, breathing heavily and coughing, but made it "Agh… god… Fox… don't make me… run like that ever again" Fox looked back and nodded though didn't paid any attention "At least… uff… you made it where I wanted you to, not the way I wanted, but where I wanted" Puffing a bit Peppy moved in front of him.
"I am sure you don't know about Black Omen Project, do you Fox?" Fox finally regained his mind enough to pay attention to Peppy, so he said the truth and said "no" with the head "Well, this was confidential information that Fox, but will probably not be anymore" Clearing his throat he asked Fox to wait a moment wile Beltino, out of breath, finally made it, crashing at their feet.
Not paying attention except to accept his entrance as valid, Peppy continued "Black Omen Project was proposed by your father to the Cornerian Army a while before the war against Andros begun. His idea was to have Corneria defended by a elite group that would be both in command of the Star Fox, but under the rule of Corneria, so both powers would be together when a treat was too big as well as to have some support that would not make our prices go down" Peppy chuckled at that part wile Beltino regained his feet.
"All in all, it was a win, win situation for both teams as the idea would have formed new ships, an elite squadron that could be able to help the Star Fox team and would make sure we had our payment by a precise inform as well as fast support to us" Peppy looked at the end of the room where the ship that Fox couldn't recognize was waiting "This place was originally made to hold the ships and the team itself, and I am referring the virtual training rooms three to nine as "this place", that is why the work is being so fast if you wondered"
Beltino begun to walk towards the ship with Peppy behind him and, after a few seconds, Fox "The plan didn't merge too well when Pigma betrayed us and your dad went away in that unplanned no return trip…" Peppy looked down and so did Fox, one had sadness and the other had anger, but that didn't stop the old bunny as he continued "So the first three rooms in length, that were to be the living quarters, were the first to change, followed by the docking and cargo bay, where false ground will cover the true looks and objective of this place"
As Peppy said it he saw the ship move down while the workers around went running away to approach them, then the ground itself broke as a huge bay was opened under it, dusty after the years and now full with rocks and dirt "Another problem was that, at that time, Corneria couldn't get the services from Beltino to design a ship like the Black Omen, the new pride of the Cornerian Army" He said as he pointed at the ship that was getting into place, not leaving much space in the huge dock.
"In reality" Beltino jumped around to make himself noticeable "The interior design is, indeed, mine, as well as weaponry placements and such, but the physical design of the hull is creation of both humans, that is how we could make it as the previous designed, and viable, hull was lost when the Anglar Empire stood against us to avenge the fallen Andros"
"Wait a second please" Fox took one hand to his forehead and tried to digest the information, most was done for but the last bit was hard to chew up "You mean you had almost finished a hull for this project, as well as (hopefully) a team to assist us but the Anglar Empire interfered? Also: You want me to believe this ship´s design is partially made by the humans? Why? To both questions"
Peppy and Beltino looked at each other as Pepper finally stood behind Fox, clearing his throat so he would turn and look at the old dog´s face as he spoke up "Our idea was to reinforce our security and power, while your team has had zero living loses after the years, except your father that is" Pepper apologized "We needed to make sure our people was as secure as your team Fox, we needed stronger men and women, a better ship to lead them and a team that could rival with you or Star Wolf that was affiliated with us through loyalty, honor, and not only a contract"
Pepper looked down at the ship before returning to his speech "Not that we don't believe in you, or that we think you would betray us, you have been proving yourself in each mission. But should the need to defend a place while also an imperative need to attack… your team cant split in two Fox, we needed to assure you in the fighting side while we could defend ourselves with ease, something we couldn't do in our actual conditions" He sighed and Fox recalled the information about the actual enemy space he could encounter… most the Lylat system "After the first attack from Andros we believed that and we took too much time in the making of the new fighters and this destroyer, which previous design had been damaged by the Anglar Empire, maybe this time we will not have an opportunity even with two teams"
"I approve of such actions, to be sincere" Fox said with a bit of a forced sigh "I don't want to say my people is not strong, but few of the men of Cornerian Army have had the experience in battle and survived, asides of Bill Grey and some of his men" With that sincere remark everyone of his friends felt relieved "But that makes me wonder, who will be the ones to support us?"
"Oh… that… umm…" Pepper remained silent for a moment until he looked at Peppy, and then Beltino, both nodded "My idea was primary to your thoughts about Bill Grey and his team, but it couldn't be done. Bill wanted to remain with his fellow men to protect and ensure them, but he had served with one pilot we could use and that pilot has a friend that the second team can use for tech support as much as you do with Slippy. That means two out of four, to go paired with your team, and we can call these two if you want"
There was no need to wait, Fox wanted to know this new team had he to work with them and he would have asked with pleasure, even welcoming the idea, was not as irregular as it was being now… "Ok Fox, wait a second" General Pepper took his com and changing the channel called out "Saba Tehtra of the twenty one fighter core, present yourself in your new quarters and base of operations under the banner of Black Omen team. Use the clothes assigned to you to receive this honor"
Pepper chuckled as he finished "She will take a bit and I am sure she is waiting for me to call her friend too, so…" Getting serious and taking some air, General Pepper changed his channel by only one point and spoke out "Zarina Blannan, first class mechanic and researcher from planet Aquas, you are due to present yourself alongside Saba Tehtra into your new quarters under the banner of Black Omen team. Use the clothes assigned to you to receive this honor" Pepper was going to close communications, but added in a whisper "And girl, relax, this is only a formality"
Pepper walked away as he finished, the workers were arranging new metal walls as well as outfitting them, though until they were finished with the quarters Pepper had a few beds and chairs to sit, and so he did wile Peppy continued "Well Fox, these too are the formal members of the team, you will met them and then you will meet the last too, both commanders under only your command, as well as mine to assure we both can arrange the plans if in a tight situation"
Only a few moments passed as they waited for the members of the Black Omen team, they didn't make them wait much as the first one entered with haste. It was an armadillo woman, around one meter eighty (near six feet), muscular body and purple eyes with, under the natural armadillo armor, some golden hair in her head. The armor itself was copper in color and the flesh resembled sand, as well in texture and color it seemed, seeing how strong and sturdy the woman looked to be.
Her expression was serious and, already counting the body, the clothes reinforced that: Two pieces flying suit that were made out of flexible metal and warm cotton with a central red that covered the middle body, bust and up to her privates while the rest of the clothes had dark as color. Only the mid finger in each hand were red, as well as the insignia in her chest (that was also on her back) of a blood red moon with half of it covered in black. To finish it off, the feet had metal boots with the central red stripe and dark color all around.
"Saba Tehtra reporting for duty, sir!" She positioned herself as she saluted to Pepper, that still was sitting but now came slowly besides Beltino and Peppy whom she also saluted, and finally Fox who she also offered her hand to "Is an honor to serve under your command as well as under direct command of General Peppy and Advisor Pepper, sir" The woman was happy, Fox could say that much as he sake her h and with a smirk of approval, though she seemed to not smile except with only the closest of friends by her attitude and the shown character, he knew she was in a good mood.
The next one to arrive, obviously Zarina Blannan, was going with her head down and walking slowly in the same attire as her companion. A dolphin, smaller by a nice bit as she was around one meter sixty (Five and half feet more or less), really slim and without much more meat than the necessary, she didn't seem a fighter, mechanic or researcher as he had been told, yes, but with that body… Fox didn't think she sould be here if the danger that was issued was real.
She stopped besides Saba and took her head up, looking at everyone and then blushing profusely before making a reverence "I am Zarina Blannan, friend of Saba Tehtra and first class mechanic and researcher under the tutelage of Beltino and Slippy toad. I am honored that my master had allowed me to accompany my friend and granted me this position into the Black Omen team under command of the General Pepper and Advisor Peppy, as well as the hero Fox MocCloud"
And she seemed submissive with cute green eyes that showed she didn't seem at all eager to battle one or other way, Fox was sure of that, but if Beltino had thought this petite girl could do it… Fox would make sure she lived to be turned into a woman of full right.
"Here comes where you have the whole think killed, Fox" Pepper announced as he changed channels to the next one "Calling Victor and Joe Dehâg into the new quarters and main base of operations of the team Black Omen, you are due to arrive within seconds no matter where the hell you are, Fox MocCloud and your destroyer are waiting for you both. Move it, men!"
"WHAT?!" Fox didn't want to believe it but he had gotten use to the idea, he knew it, they were going to call them, and he was not mistaken "Ok, ok, I knew it, or at least expected it… But did you have to add the humans to the team?!" Fox grunted in disapproval, it was not that they were humans, or in this case, simply aliens to them, it was that they had been MADE by the ENEMY.
When that thoughts had a strike at his mind Fox couldn't help but notice that Saba had hardened her looks, but it didn't seem to be towards him… nonetheless Pepper talked without taking her into account "Sorry Fox, but we have motives, naming them all… well… They want revenge towards the enemy, to start with, they lived in a dimension that was not ours, that was the problem that they had with the gates, they aimed towards the first reality, the REALITY we are in, towards a Earth that is on our age and technology and has great warriors, not towards one that is still in the nuclear stage and don't have the genetically material the actual Earth has"
"Second of them, they are dangerous if they are turned against us some way, if you are near them you can stop them" Peppy said without waiting for Pepper to clearly finish "I do not want them harmed but they may be influenced some way, or controlled, we have to remember they were created, and this enemy seems to be mostly a mechanical empire, not a biologic form of life, so there may be some implants in them that will have to be removed, but we didn't find anything"
Suddenly the door opened and the figure that Fox remembered as the taller human, Victor, entered the room with the same clothing he wore in the simulator as well as the weaponry "Sorry to everyone, my friend is dealing with a little problem and will be here in a second" He said as he made a reverence, much like Zarina "I present my respects toward my team and my superiors" With a cheerful tone he approached the group.
***
"Do you understand the bargain?" Near the room where all the action and remodeling was taking place, the Star Wolf was talking with Joe in a sheltered corner, sheltered against prying looks "If not, we can discuss it a bit more…" Wolf was talking with him with the whole team, including his daughter, around the human.
"Oh I understand and I accept it happily" He said cheerfully "If…" Wolf groaned and everyone around the human would take a… more ready pose, as he was armed and a bad bargain would mean serious trouble to everyone, they did know what the apparently incapable creature could do "You tell me something, it is really nothing, but I am curious… The reality I am in is the one that seems to sense the other ones, as your inform told"
Joana found the human pointing at her, not in any defiant manner or without respect, but to make his point clear, she nodded and he continued with his usual face devoid of much emotion he used when he needed (Or was lucky) "I want to know about the story behind your daughter" he told directly at Wolf "This deal offers me a good payout and a good back up plan if things don't go as we suppose, but information is ammunition, I want to know about this"
Wolf suddenly took both his arms up and was about to strike the human… but finally lowered them as he grumbled "Before I was the bastard, as most call me now, pirate and mercenary I am now, me and Leon were pirates, yes, but not as reckless as we actually are and not as brutal. I had a wife and we were expecting a child" Joe could say he was getting angry as he shared the information with him.
"I offered to end my career to Corneria as I found out my wife had a mortal illness that, no matter if we treated it, would harm our unborn child, that, or kill her" Wolf looked up as in a thoughtful state "They refused to accept my deal wile my wife was getting worse, it was not really because they didn't care about us, that is why I do not really have anything against them… not much… But because Venom was halfway done with their army"
"At this point Fox was only a child and his father was going to be betrayed by Pigma, I didn't know that at the moment, but I was informed latter on as I joined Andros because he promised, and did help my wife to have our children, Joana" He looked at his little girl now, not as little as he remember her when he took the little pup on his arms "Everyone may think of him as a bastard and as a mad scientist, but he did all he could with his bare hands, but he arrived two months late to use the medication and could only help my girl survive"
Coughing a bit he looked at the human and continued now "With his medication Joana was a perfectly normal child, asides that, he paid me a good sum and handed me enough meds for her to get rid of her illness. Part of the reasons I have to want Fox dead, sometimes, is because thanks to him I didn't receive the last supplies and Joana lost her arm, almost her life, because of Andros´s defeat"
Joe looked back as Joana took a look at her arm, she didn't care about it anymore but at the time she had hated Fox too, Andros, she had him as family almost, he was mad as hell, yes, but she did laugh with him and the old monkey was always happy around the little wolf girl. She remembered that he told her something once.
* "Girl, everyone calls me mad… You are not as young as to not understand and I cannot lie, I am not as sane as I was back then… But you are helping me a lot, even Wolf is, as much of a pirate as he is, always acting so tough only for you" The old monkey chuckled and continued "I do not hope to regain my sanity, and I have arranged things for when this campaign ends, if we conquer Corneria and the Lylat system, my nephew will rule over Venom and the Lylat system while your dad will be the general of the armies… He will have a good life and so will you"*
That faded from her mind as her father finished "Latter on we all accepted things as they were and went on with life as you may know… Only the main events were seen in your realm, probably on games, drawings or stories that were influenced by what happened here, thus you don't know all the story and all the facts. This information is what you seek, now, agree to our terms?" Wolf let out a mad grin as he extended his hand…
And was accepted by Joe´s "Happy to make deals with you anytime, I will stick to my side, do the same with yours, ok?" Wolf nodded and both departed, he had a meeting to attend to and could not be delayed… anymore… even if he wanted to.
***
"Hello people!" Joe opened the door and entered happily into the room, waving his hands in the clothes and weaponry Fox had seen before in his training, he now seemed as cheerful and without much of a care in the world as he walked towards them… with also not much respect "I was a bit busy, no matter though as I am now here… So what is the matter boss?"
"That you are late" Pepper grumbled a bit as he took a remote, pushing a button " But no mater what, here is your ship, the best ship in the whole Lylat system, at least, the best one made by the inhabitants in the system" Chuckling a bit the ship that Fox saw before was now in front of him in full glory "This is the Black Omen"
***Ship´s Info Pad***
The Black Omen is a long hauled ship that has a slim body except in the rear. Beginning with the front we find it as 75 feet wide and 200 feet tall. The front of the ship in length is about 200 feet in length that makes it able to include the control room, the shields and the hangar with the ships or any other cargo or units. This part of the ship is more or less shaped like a barracuda´s head (Which makes the lower part able to let the fighters out easily and also has a ramp to enter or exit the ship). The main control room is in the upper part and has 3 layers of glass. As weaponry this ship has four heavy naval laser canons and one upper and lower light laser turrets to both destroy other heavy ships and fend off missiles and fighters.
The main body is still slim and, like before, we can compare like a barracuda in shape and is 800 feet long. This part has nothing more than the living quarters and the training rooms as well as playing grounds so the occupants can relax… War is hell, and is better to be relaxed and in shape at the same time. From the outside you can see three upper and three lower heavy laser turrets that defend this part of the ship and two anti heavy aircraft rocket launchers (one at each mid side) with two anti fighters rocket launchers at each side.
Finishing with the back of the ship that is another 200 feet in length, we find a very round and heavy, as well as the best defended location of the ship. 125 feet wide, this place has the four heavy engines on its back, each one surrounded by four light laser turrets to fend off any missile or daring fighter.
While heavily armored and shielded in comparison of the main body of the ship, this is also one of the best places to shoot at, as also here we find the wings. Each one is 82 feet long (the connection to the body) and is ended in a shield like platform that is 115 feet long and another 75 wide. These four platforms have, each, five light laser turrets, three heavy laser turrets and an almighty heavy destroyer laser turret.
***End of Standard Info Pad***
"Cool" Was all Joe said.
"Marvelous" Zarina, Victor and Peppy said while Beltino chuckled and Pepper grinned at him.
"Great weapons, I can see a very nice shield engine and great defenses without knowing the details of his design" Saba was formal as she seemed to be always, but it was obvious the huge ship had impressed her.
"His?!" A female voice called out.
"Oh mother… I forgot to tell everyone" Beltino Turned and was about to run when something unexpected happened.
Something that looked like fluid slipped under the ship and moved in front of Beltino "How can my father not tell anyone of his daughter?!" The female voice said as a figure formed from the liquid. It was a slender tall woman without human or animal features. It had a inversed semi conical head except on the top that was round and big with what you could say it was a bit of an octopus form, without orifices, and a prominent downward section that ended in a round point, making the head bigger than one of a human in the top and slender than a neck in the end.
Eyes in the head were placed exactly where every species had it and were as big, maybe a bit bigger, than any human´s, also, they had a warm blue glow. The neck and the body were normal, including woman features that weren't very prominent, as she was unclothed. Arms and legs were, however, thinner than they were supposed to be and had only three fingers each "Well if you did not" She poked at Beltino who blushed and turned in embarrassment "I can do myself"
She approached everyone and, with a dignified pose and a bit of an arrogant look "I am the AI N-M., Neural Master Crafted Artificial Intelligence. I am the result of years of work and calculation as I am also a new species of inorganic living creature. I have an interior design that makes the same function as organs, but I cannot lose, break or harm them and I can reproduce as any species and with anyone´s genetic code when I reach maturity" She stopped a bit and giggled gently "Call me Nell Kais, I am the Black Omen"
***End of the First Chapter: Outsiders***
***Shutting off***