Chapter 6 of Renegades!
"Well, we certainly aren't on Kew anymore." Marcus stated as his vision finally began to focus. "Man these things are brutal. I went from sweating to freezing in seconds." He shivered to prove his point.
"Well, it's something you get used too." Tyronos laughed, holding his side. "Feels like we're on Fichina. We're going to need shelter, and quick." Tyronos looked around, praying they would be near a base. "By the way, keep your eyes closed when we take one of those. It helps your mind comprehend that you've moved from one place, or planet to another."
"I'll keep that in mind, I think I see a light about five miles out." Marcus began walking toward the light. "I can't sense if its a Cornerian Base or not."
"It's definitely Cornerian. Most people from Venom couldn't handle the temperatures here." Tyronos followed the blue vulpine towards the base. It seemed familiar, but at the same time it was new to him. "Must be my mind playing tricks on me."
"What tricks they must be." Marcus sighed. "I'm sure that medicine of yours doesn't help."
"Actually it does." Tyronos said matter-of-factually. Marcus sighed again, and continued leading older fox towards Cornerian base, shivering as they went.
Commander Bill Grey, walked on the bridge. Immediately he received a salute from the first officer to see him. "Commander on deck!" The officer yelled, causing the rest of the crew to snap to attention and salute their Commander. After Bill returned the salute another officer came towards him. "Sir, I'm getting two live forms walking towards us. Scanners are getting I. D.s now."
"Give me visual on screen." Bill ordered. Two screens appeared, one showing an infrared scan of the two persons in question. The other showed a loading screen with two black outlines slowly taking shape. Bill looked at the shadows, they both appeared to be vulpine. He tapped the I.D. Screen, bringing it full screen, studying the figures further.
"I.D. Confirmed." The computer said. "First vulpine's file on screen. Second vulpine's file on screen... Error, no records found."
Bill's eyes grew wide as he saw the name of the first fox. "Hopeless?" He turned to the other fox, the computer had no name for him, but Bill did. "Oh, there is no way that's possible." Before anyone could ask Bill began to give orders. "Get them clearance, I need to speak with the grey one as soon as he gets here."
"Sir, what is it? Who are they?" The remaining crew looked up at him.
"The taller vulpine is Tyronos, call-sign 'Hopeless'. He's a lone mercenary, but has worked with Star Fox. The other one... I can't believe it, but I think it's a older version of Marcus McCloud." The room went silent for a few seconds, before everyone went back to work. Bill left the bridge, heading for the hanger doors.
"Sir, they just got in, must not have been as far out as the scanners said!" Bill nodded and walked into the room that housed the two vulpine. As he entered Marcus sat up, Tyronos looked over.
"Bill?" Tyronos asked, chuckling. "I didn't think you'd still be stationed here."
"Nearing the end of my second tour, so to speak." Bill laughed, looking over at Marcus. "Marcus?"
"Yeah, it's me. A bit older." Marcus glued his eyes to the floor. "It's kinda hard to explain."
"I'm sure Tyronos would love to fill me in." Bill sat down near Tyronos. "Wouldn't ya buddy?"
"I'm in a bit of pain right now Bill, maybe you should let the kid tell you." Tyronos groaned as he sat up. "Besides, I'm interested to hear on how you two met."
"I haven't seen Marcus in over a month, but he's like three right now." Bill looked back at Marcus. "But you've got to be like sixteen at least!"
"Eighteen." Marcus corrected him. "But, my parents are alive here?"
Bill nodded. "Alive and well, enjoying their retirement. Lucky guy gets to retire before us military guys, isn't fair!" Tyronos managed a weak laugh. "Oh come on you're getting up there in the years. You've gotta be what like thirty-five now?"
"I'm only going on twenty-seven!" Tyronos stretched, instantly regretting his decision. "But I feel eighty."
"What you get beat up by Marcus or something?" Bill shook his head. "You want me to get someone to look at it?" Tyronos nodded. "Follow the Lieutenant, she will take you to the medical bay." Tyronos left, leaving Marcus and Bill alone. "You want to get some grub kid?" Marcus felt his stomach growl. "I'll take that as a yes!"
"Bill, where are my parents now?" Marcus asked as they walked towards the cafeteria. Bill shrugged.
"Still at Sauria I guess, its where they retired too. Fox barely ever leaves there, even then its with the whole family." Bill opened the door, Marcus nearly died. All the smells of cooked food caused his mouth to water. "Did Ty never let you eat?"
"We've never had the chance too." Marcus grabbed a tray and began loading it up. "Too busy being on the run."
"On the run?" Bill sighed. "You're a bit young to be into the same things Ty is." They sat down at a nearby table. "So tell me, what are you two running from."
"Kojic." Marcus spat. "You see, I capture Tyronos in my time to help me find Oikonny. Once Ty told me what happened during the Aparoid Wars, Kojic attacked, forcing us to use a time tear." Bill nodded, slowly picking at his food. "We've been on Corneria, and Kew so far. Now we're here on Fichina."
"Through the tears?" Marcus nodded. "So, what happened to you to need Tyronos's help?"
"Oikonny killed my parents in cold blood. It'll happen in about two years." Marcus sighed. "I'm going to murder that bastard."
"What?" Bill gasped. "But Oikonny has been in prison for years..." Marcus didn't reply, he just continued eating. "Did you want me to get a hold of them?"
"Tyronos says I cannot meet them. It would ruin the time stream here and cause a lot of shit to happen." Marcus sighed. "But how I wish I could seem them."
"I can't believe Ty is still helping out Star Fox. It seems like he's been everywhere at once, yet he still claims to owe Star Fox his life." Bill rested his head on his hands.
"I haven't really heard much of what Tyronos has done with my dad's team." Marcus looked up at bill who seemed to be in a daze. "Bill?"
"Sorry bud, just lost in memories. Tyronos is a great pilot, he'd be welcomed to the military in a heartbeat." Bill chuckled. "I remember how he help save the entire team from breaking apart."
"But he's such an ass sometimes, and he always calls me kid, it drives me nuts!" Marcus spat. "I've been through more than enough crap to last me three lifetimes!"
"From what I've heard Tyronos has been the most unluckiest mercenary out there, and I don't mean job wise. He's been making serious money doing whatever it is that he does, but he gives half of it away. Recently though he's been missing in action. I guess these time tears must really be getting to him." Bill finished up his food before continuing. "He may have a hard shell Marcus, but he's got his reasons for it."
"For a solo merc, he seems to have lots of friends. You'd think he'd have more contacts than friends." Marcus pushed his tray aside.
"Your parents were mercenaries once. They had the same problem Ty has. Too nice, or too attached to people or places. If you ask me, once you get Ty's trust you have a friend for life." Bill stood up. "I have to send a report to Corneria, you sure you don't want me to send a message to your parents? I'm sure they'd love to see you."
"Ask Ty, he's the one in control." Marcus grumbled, making his way out of the cafeteria.
"Man I don't know what the hell that was, but damn do I feel better!" Tyronos got up off the bed and stretched. The pain in his abdomen nearly gone. "I need to get me some of this stuff!"
"Good as new I assume?" Bill asked. Tyronos looked up with a grin. "Glad to see it. Now, I've got a few questions for you buddy." Tyronos nodded. "Right. So first off, Why wont you let Marcus see his parents?"
"Huh?" Tyronos stared at Bill. "You mean their alive in this time?" Bill sighed. "Well you could have said something, how the hell should I know?"
"I guess you have a point. Still, I could contact them and have them over here within hours." Tyronos looked at the floor.
"I can't promise that we'll be here that long. I'm trying to get back to that night where-"
"Where Oikonny killed Fox and Krystal in cold blood?" Bill cut him off, causing Tyronos to groan.
"How much did he tell you?" He asked. Bill kept silent. "How much did he tell you?" Tyronos repeated.
"Just that, and this will happen in about two years." Bill muttered, he didn't like the feeling Tyronos was giving him. "Why?"
"Oh, it only changed the time line, nothing serious." Tyronos collected his things from the locker at the foot of his bed. "If you want to give them a call, but you'd better be fucking discrete about it. Marcus cannot see his younger self, it'll screw things up around here more."
"Screw up as in how?" Bill asked.
"Like mind altering." Tyronos replied. "Say for instance, you meet up with yourself. You're older now then you were back then. You'll tell yourself all about the things you'll do. What that does is changes the time stream, tampering with time gets people like me involved. We fix time tears, which is what you would create."
"So, if Marcus saw himself, even at three years old, that would cause a ripple in time?" Bill sighed as Tyronos nodded. "Alright, I'll try to explain it to them. I'd be willing to look after the younger Marcus for a while, give the older one some time with his parents."
"If they question it, just let them know I'm involved. It'll make it easier for them to understand." Tyronos waved as Bill left the room, leaving him to his thoughts. "I should tell Marcus, he'll have to know the truth." Tyronos quickly changed into his clothes, doing a quick weapons check before leaving the room as well, looking for Marcus.
Marcus sat alone on a bench, looking towards the cold Fichina surface. "You know, if you want to go back outside, all you have to do is ask." Marcus turned to see Tyronos sitting beside him. "I prefer somewhat warmer areas myself."
"You're funny." Marcus said sarcastically. "Tell me does your humor eventually make everyone laugh?"
"It's something that grows on you." Tyronos folded his arms behind his head. "Word is Bill is going to be calling your parents, can't say as I blame him, I mean, it's not everyday you get another chance to see people you thought died." Marcus lit up, his tail beating against his seat quickly.
"But I thought?" Tyronos chuckled, causing Marcus to give him a confused look.
"Like I said on Kew. If Kojic can break rules than so can I. As long as you don't see you younger self, everything should go off without a hitch."
"What if Kojic shows up here?" Marcus asked, Tyronos seemed to think for a bit. "Well? We can't just stay here, we'd have to be looking for another tear."
"That's if one pops up." Tyronos looked out to the endless stretch of snow and mountains. "I'll take a look around, make sure one's available if we need a quick escape. I want you to get cleaned up, Bill said they could be here in a few hours." Marcus jumped up, giddity as a school boy.
"I'm going to see my parents!" He whispered, before looking up at Tyronos. "I'm going to see my parents!" Without a second thought Marcus ran down the hall, shouting at random people. Tyronos sat back and smiled. It had been some time since he saw the McClouds, and he too was excited to see them again. He felt a soothing presence wash over him, knowing that Zarah approved of his actions. If he timed things out, maybe he could see her as well. Tyronos slowly stood up watching solar rise before him.
"Better get to the mess hall before the morning crew takes all the good stuff." Tyronos looked down the hall. "I wonder if Bill will let me borrow his meal card." A slow pace led him to the cafeteria, reminding him of his days at the academy. "I think today will be a good day."
And there we have it!
So, Marcus will see Fox and Krystal again huh? How's this gonna go down? Is Krystal going to sense him before he can say a word? How will Fox react to seeing his son the same height as him? What will Kojic do..
Wait, what would he do?
H-T