Prologue
(part 2)
The shores of cornerian had never been troubled by the constant rhythm of the waves or tide, the loss of there moon had meant that there was no need to worry about water disasters,
So houses strayed from the mainland and clung to the shore, the populance mainly made up of fishermen and the retired, its calm oceans had brought much peace,
Yet just within the coves of rock along the cliffs where the water became shallow lay the Mclouds house. The house was built mainly into the rock and faced out to the east, the cove covered the left and right and was mainly hidden from view of the other populance.
James walked along the sandy coast, his feet sinking deep as he walked, he had always thought of this place as a retreat and a shelter from his work,
Mercenaries barely had the pleasure of rest, or time to themselves, James knew because of this he had barely seen his son at all, they were slowly being drawn further and further away from one another.
James knew that he wasn't happy, every time he saw Fox there was always some new argument brewing, if only his mother was here.
James stopped and looked up at the house, there were three wooden steps before he met the glass doors. He stayed there for a while the afternoon sun to his back. He slowly took of his shades and thought for a while. So many memories came from this one house, probably the best ones he could think of, teaching fox how to swim, the long nights when they would just lie on the sand and stare up at the night sky,
But then James remembered meeting her here, so many memories bringing both joy and sadness. James slowly climbed the three steps and then took his shoes off at the door, the two glass panel's slided open and James stepped in.
The house was well furnished and seemed to be empty, James had just stepped into the living room three sofas a flat screen TV and a staircase was part of the main room, the entire wall that held the door that James come from was completely made of glass the sunlight rained through lighting the room, the other side had a balcony/stairway that took the occupants to the first floor, to James left and right was two doors leading to the kitchen and a spare bedroom.
James stood there listening, the house was quiet, but somehow not quiet enough for there to be no one home, 'fox' he called, but there came no answer, James took off his jacket and then slowly went wondering the house.
He first checked the kitchen and instantly knew fox must be in the house, the kitchen was a mess….And most of the food had been raided
He turned back to the living room and called again this time louder 'Fox!' again no answer, James slowly walked over to the staircase and started to climb 'Fox are you there?'
James reached the top of the stairs, one side had doors and the other had a railing and looked out over the living room, he stopped for a moment and listened once again but no reply came, he checked each room as he walked past them, opening them with his left hand as he went, he reached the end of the balcony and then knew there was one place where he hadn't't checked.
James met the last door at the end of the balcony he opened it and slowly crept up the spiral stairs. He reached a door at the top and slowly pushed it open this time saying more softly now 'Fox?'
The roof of the house was more like a florists, completely covered in strange plants and flowers, the floor reflected the suns light into all directions, the leaves turning the hot rays to a cool green shade, a stone table that looked more like the base for a fountain stood at the center and four wooden chairs surrounded it, one of the chairs was occupied by that familiar defiant glare, fox turned from his farther as he sat down opposite him, he turned his gaze on the far off horizon, a frown came to his face.
James did not say anything and simply watched fox for a while, he looked so much like his mother, people said that he may have had her eyes but that the glare he gave was more like his father. James turned to the horizon also, strong gusts of wind brought the taste of sea salt to there tongues. The sun was setting now, it had not yet reached the horizon but it fell slowly closer to where the sea met the sky.
James was about to speak but was surprised to find fox spoke first, 'your back early' his voice was fast as if every word he said was letting of some sort of pressure.
'Were you expecting me?' James asked slightly taken aback,
Fox said nothing, he brought his knees up to his chest and folded his arms round them, his tail fell between his feet.
'You'I've heard about the trial?' James asked, Fox's frown that had once been so defiant started to slacken slightly, fox nodded and for a few more moments the only noise that came between them was the sound of the salty wind through the leaves of the garden.
'Is he gone?' Fox's voice was growing smaller now as if the pressure that once filled him had suddenly seemed to die away. James turned to him and fox turned to James, their eyes met,
James eyes unlike his sons were a deep ocean blue where as fox's was green, they stared for a while but James said nothing. Fox seemed to sense what his farther knew and fox's eyes dropped to the marble floor.
'I miss her too' James voice was vacant and far off as if the stare he was giving fox wasn't't really meant for him, 'but my anger can never bring her back, and neither will yours'
James suddenly got up and turned to the exit, the words he said seemed to hurt him even more than fox,
But as he did so fox cried 'but what if you !..' but fox's voice broke as he stammered and then fell silent again, James turned back to his son 'I won't get hurt fox' he walked slowly round the table and came to the side of fox 'but I can't say that the one who killed your mother is truly gone' fox looked up at his father his eyes watering slightly.
'Come on fox' James said 'I have something to show you'
………………………………………………………………………………………………
Over 12 years Fox had been through more training in a space fighter than the average cornerian pilot would get in entering the cornerian fleet.
James had taught him since he was eight, from the basic safety tests to the most complex of barrel rolls. But this time, James wanted him to go further,
'but dad' fox spluttered 'don't worry fox' James said behind him 'I trust you, just keep a steady hand on the control stick and keep heading up'
James and fox sat in a two seater training craft James sat behind fox and at this moment they where soaring through the clouds of cornerian, the craft was familiar territory to Fox, it belonged to the cornerian army but James had bought it off them when Fox was born, and had seen it put to good use.
The air was getting thinner and the clouds where speeding past them. James leaned back into the cockpits seat, but fox in front f him leant forewords over the console, his hand gripping the control stick.
James knew fox was to young for a space flight, and he knew what would happen if they got caught, but he felt he had to do this sometime before he and fox became to separate from each other.
It was evening now and they were flying where the both day and night met, soon the cloud died away and now all that surrounded them was blue
'Keep going fox, keep going' James voice was softer now, almost relaxing, fox herd his words and his shoulders slackened slightly.
Soon the noise of the rushing air became less and less and the blue that engulfed them became darker, soon Wight specks of stars were just visible through the visor of the craft, and then with a sudden jolt and a sudden lurch they broke through the atmosphere and entered space.
'I did it, dad did you see me….' But fox fell silent as he suddenly looked through his visor into a star lit night sky, galaxies nebulae and shining dust filled the view, and for a few seconds Fox was speechless. His eyes wide.
'Yes well done…well done Fox' Fox turned back to see a statue of his father, he was neither smiling nor frowning he too looked out into space. Moments felt like years and finally James spoke
'I can't promise you I'all be here forever fox' he paused 'no longer is the lylat system the peaceful place where I once lived', another pause came as if James was picking his words carefully.
'in so little time so much has changed, for both of us' James hand reached out and held fox's shoulder 'and I doubt that the change will ever stop'.
Fox no longer felt the cold hard cockpit around him nor the space that lay beyond the visor of the craft,
'Do you know why I became a mercenary fox?' fox shook his head, for he knew it was not for money and neither was it for glory.
'Because this.... Is the only true place where I can truly forget... Here in this feeling of flight I feel…' James stopped and his eyes met Foxes 'I feel…free'
Foxes grip slackened on the control stick 'I can't promise you I'all be here forever, but I hope what I'I've taught you will be enough'
'Enough...enough For what?' fox asked slowly
James took his eyes off his son and stared out into space 'I truly doubt that andross is dead, and I hardly think that venom will hide him forever' the ship slowly turned on its back to face corneria again, its seas sparkled beneath then.
'Be ready fox….The lylat system will change faster than you think'
The ship fell slowly and soon flames danced along the nose once more as they returned back home.
