X-X-X-X

Chapter 7

Fallen

All was silent save for the gentle sound of the Sword of Menshar's massive plasma engines and the solemn beeping of the machine that was monitoring Fox McCloud's vitals. A pair of aquamarine eyes trailed his form up and down. Each brilliant orb was filled with guilt and destructive regrets that were ripping the brooding vixen apart inside. To see Fox in such a state made her heart ache in ways that she was all too familiar with; and yet were only magnified by the knowledge that she had caused him such despondency. The mere act of hearing her voice had sent him reeling and into the state he now resided in.

Krystal sat by Fox's limp form and gently stroked the tods warm crop of hair atop his skull, even now she felt undeserving of even being near him. She was the cause of his distress and suffering; but that was also the very reason she was here; the desire to atone for her sins and hope that he would let her back into his life. Every step she had taken until now was child's play by comparison; and when he woke up it would be either a wonderful healing moment for them both, or they would destroy each other in entirety. The anxiety of waiting for that time was running her ragged and with the presence of that damned armored woman nearby was not helping. The purple and azure armor concealed their appearance and Krystal had no idea who they were… or what she was to Fox.

"Would you just leave already!?" Krystal spoke sternly.

"No, I won't be leaving. He is my charge as well as my friend and commanding officer, though he will never admit to the latter most one. I will stay by his side until as such a time he no longer needs me or dismisses me, unlike you."

The Cerinian vixen bore her teeth in anger at the dagger that was wedged metaphorically into her chest. Krystal hated how right the trooper was; if she hadn't abandoned Fox in his time of weakness, she would still be with him and hopefully closer than ever before. Nor would either of them had gone so far afield.

"Well, if you won't leave, can you at least tell me who you are?" ,spoke Krystal as her palm sifted through Fox's cheek fluff. Somewhere, Krystal hoped that Fox would know she was there and had every intent of staying by his side. That his vixen would not abandon him a second time.

"Would it really matter to one such as you? Do you even care about him, or anyone else besides yourself? Let alone what he has endured out here because of you?"

The way the woman spoke conveyed an intimate understanding of Fox and gave her the worst impression that made her aching chest clench. The barrage of accusations being levied against her were not helping, neither was the pounding stress fuelled headache that was building at the forefront of her skull.

"Are you two lovers?"

"No. But we are dear friends, if your worry is that I hold his heart and we're together, you need not worry about that Krystal of The Cardinal Sun."

The use of her clans name caught her attention as she had never told Fox any of that information. The realization of such left a myriad of questions and distraught anger in her mind as she turned to the female with daggers in her eyes. "Tell me who you are, and how you know that name this instant!"

"I will tell you when he awakens, if he wakes. For now, I think you need to hear his tale, I'll order us some food and we'll start from where he and I met."

Krystal rolled her eyes. "Don't waste your breath-"

"If you want to be in his life again, you will listen, Krystal. It will help you understand his heart and mind, for he has done many great and terrible things in equal measure. You will have to live with the fact of what you drove him to if you wish to earn his love again."

How does she read me so openly? It's like she knows my every intent and desire. I can't see her eyes but I feel like she's boring into my soul and reading me like an open book.

It didn't help Krystal had been doting on Fox's unconscious form from the moment he had been placed in the med bay; nor how she had reacted when the tod fell ill.

"If you truly think it will, alright, let's hear it."

"Answer the questions first, Krystal."

Krystal paused quietly as she thought about the questions that had been asked before all this… her tail thrashed left and then right before her eyes turned to the covered . "I'm here aren't I? I came looking for him, nothing else, I threw away my life on Corneria. If I had stayed, I wouldn't have been happy, but I would have been comfortable."

"Sometimes Comfort isn't enough, when you know you could have something better, something greater that requires another half of a whole," Replied the soldier.

Krystal closed her eyes as the words rang true. It might have taken a while, but what she had with Fox was special, something Krystal knew she should have fought tooth and nail to protect and keep. Her voice rose once more as her eyes turned to Fox; gazing at his noble features, still as handsome as he was the day he disappeared. "All I want to do is tell him how sorry I am… how much I love him. What he does after that is up to him."

Beneath the helmet the vixen watched her counterpart closely; she felt anger at Krystal, rage that was growing but kept in check. This wasn't about her, this was about the two of them and she would do what she could help. But even for her, it would be a trial in patience and understanding.

She took a seat near the edge of the bed and began to tell her tale quietly. "Well, we met on Svestruga…."

X-x-x-x

The day was cold and hard, just as any other on the ice ball of a world. The frigid planet reminded him very much of Fichina way back in Lylat to which Fox tugged his large overcoat around his form with a single paw while his free one was clutched to the grip of a pulse carbine. Bitter bone chilling wind whipped him in the face as the visor shielded his eyes from withering air. The laser weapon in his palm was hot and primed as the shipment of goods came in through the coastal district rather than the space port. He had overheard his "bosses" conversing about some precious cargo they didn't need the police or customs snooping around.

Not that it would do anything, Svestruga was a corrupt world run by criminal families; all it would do is cause a minor fuss and then it would be buried under bribe money and not a lick of press coverage. Fox reflected on the fact that he had sunk so low to survive and now worked for the very criminals he once hunted. The irony left a bitter taste in his snout. A disgruntled snort from his nose erupted in puffs of air only for the smell of sea salt to rush in between blasts of teeth chattering cold air. The massive cargo freighter had begun to offload via crane and deposited the large rectangular containers into the nearby warehouse where Fox was assigned. With a sigh, he moved into the very structure and eyed the storage units as they were being opened one by one. Fox's teeth were bared in disgust just by being in the mere presence of the Vostruka Families goons.

Though he was employed by them on contract, and the money was good; they were still vile. Murders, blackmail, petty theft, extortion and a slew of other crimes Fox didn't care to name; if he had the support and money, he'd go to war with every family on the planet and clean house.

But that was another life, where he was a household name and could get aid for almost any endeavour from the myriad of planets; now, he was an everyman just trying to make his way in life. One container in question was giving them some serious problems as they tried to pry it open. Fox saw the opportunity to earn a little extra and made his way over after picking a crowbar up that was left to the side. A bulldog and raccoon whom he didn't care to know bobbed their heads in gratitude to the hired muscle as they all pried on the door until finally with a shearing of metal the doors swung outwards. Inside were multifarious crates of different makes and…

Wait a minute…

Fox's natural night vision kicked in and while it was still blurry, he saw several crates that were out of the ordinary, sealed up tight and certainly not anything he'd dealt with before. Gold, silver and-

No, it can't be!

Along each crate were various iconographies with all too familiar runes and symbols.

Cerinian…

An abrupt thunderous boom jolted Fox away from the capsule as the sound metal scraping along concrete filled the warehouse. Four men with high powered assault rifles and carapace armor yelled down at the handler's below. For the very same parcel they were guarding had been marked in bold red letters "Extreme Caution."

"Hey! You morons want her to get loose? If she does, she'll tear this whole place apart and kill everyone inside! Already lost half our group trying to catch this bitch! Fuck up again and it's your ass!"

Immediately Fox was on edge, that unit was for one person?! He knew of some life forms that were possessed of mega strength and insane physical potential like himself, but the fear in that mercs voice was rampant. Whatever was in there scared the shit out of them to the point they had enough firepower to take out a decent sized platoon.

Lady luck however; was not on their side and Fox felt it long before he saw it. The world around him slowed to a crawl and before his very eyes the crate that held whoever inside exploded. Molten splinters and fragments of high speed metal impaled those nearby and the men atop were utterly eviscerated in the destruction as those suits of armor became coffins.

Fox watched in an mixture of horror and fascination as a broad band of reality distorting energy rushed forth from the epicenter; the very ground and building around him bent and buckled with the audible groaning of metal stressing from unseen power. The distinct crumbling of concrete filled his ear as it gave way under the power, only for his observations to end when the wave hit him with the force of a small truck. End over end he rolled as the world resumed a normal pace with the din of battle filling the warehouse. The sounds of weapons discharge and yells of warehouse defenders filled the air alongside weapons discharge.

With a shake of his head that dusted him off, Fox picked up his own pulse carbine and slammed his shoulder into a nearby crate for cover. The tod poked his head around to see what the situation was only to witness a group of the Vostruka's men firing while back peddling, cartridges and batteries littered the floor around the feet as panicked voices flooded the air.

"She won't go down!"

"What the hell! Why can't we hit her!?"

Fox was about to join in when one of the men was abruptly lifted off his feet without a thought to the laws of gravity and then slammed into a nearby wall that turned the unfortunate soul into a fine paste. The sound of bones crunching made Fox wince as he clutched the rifle tightly to his chest. One by one the guns went silent until all was still; whatever monster was there would kill him for sure and while he was absolutely terrified of what he was about to face, the male centered his mind and rounded the corner, rifle at the ready only to come face to face with the most unlikely person he ever thought to see out here.

His green hues locked with dazzling seagreen gems that were rife with rage and hatred at everyone and everything, the vixen bore white fur over most of her face that extend out into a slender snout ending in a ink black nose. Short hair that cascaded down to the back of her head in the almost exact style he remembered from long ago. Her body was mostly naked save for a ripped cloth top and faded dingy loincloth, had Fox the time to think, he would have been assured she must be freezing. Of course, Fox's eyes were unable to tear themselves away from the vixen's own.

Fox did not get much more time to think as they were rudely interrupted when the vixen took his moment of surprise and snagged him by the throat with blinding speed and drove him into the container with enough force to dent it. The tod felt bones crack and even one or two break as blood erupted from his throat.

Through blood choked breaths Fox found his voice, crying out in desperation."K-Krystal! Wait! I'm sorry!" He pleaded as the vixen crushed him into the contained with god like force repeatedly.

It was like she couldn't hear him as she crushed him into the metal again and again, pain had begun to cloud his thoughts and his consciousness began to fade. The vulpine finally managed to scream out in his mind in an attempt to reach through the rage fueled vixen's mind.

I'm sorry Krystal! Please! Stop! You're going to kill me!

All of a sudden he was on the ground coughing up blood and choking as pain raced through his body. Fox's vision quickly began to fade out as all he could see were several white furred toes upon the vixens feet before he ultimately passed out.

X-x-x-x

"K-Krystal!?"

Fox bolted upright in his bed within the Kemtimok towers; his chest heaved with the power of a reactor going critical. The vulpines body felt chilly, and he found himself to be covered in a cold sweat. His room; which could be described as spartan at best, was quite neat, the studio apartment wasn't anything grandiose. Contained within its walls was a kitchenette, bathroom, a holovid set, his own personal computer and a single couch in front of the aforementioned vid set. His closet was filled with various weapons and outfits for jobs that he would perform, but other than that there wasn't much in the way of creature comforts.

Through panicked eyes Fox trailed around his apartment before they came to rest on particular blue vixen; had this been months ago, his first instinct would be to panic; instead, all he did was lay back on his bed in frustration.

"Fuck me, can't you leave me alone for one day!?" He complained.

"Everytime I turn around, there you are staring at me with those accusatory eyes and so full of hate, I just want to suck start my pistol. Just go away! I'm sorry! What more do you want?!"

Fox rolled over as on his side and let out a sigh of annoyance. "Was one hell of a dream-ack!" The sentence was cut short as a paw clutched at his chest in pain that shot through front to back, not a feeling of broken bones, but a soreness like he had been thrown around and may have been victim of said breakage.

"The hell… that's a first." He'd heard stories of dreams being so vivid that the mind could trick a person into feeling phantom pain or other aspects, but he never experienced it until now.

Fox was halfway to sitting up when a blue paw turned him over rather roughly and once more was greeted by the vixen he had wronged so long ago… To his sheer surprise, the touch was very real. It had never escalated so far before, he'd felt emotions and sensed something; but physical interaction was entirely new.

Alarm bells rang clear in his head and Fox began to thrash as he tried to get free; only for the vixens other paw to cup the side of his head and one single authoritative yet calming thought filled his mind.

Still yourself. I am not going to harm you.

Fox felt his body compulsorily obey the vixen atop him. He lay still and gazed up at the vixen and began to notice subtle differences and things began to fall into place.

It was not in fact Krystal who was atop him. But damned if they didn't look like the splitting image of her. There were subtle rings around her eyes from the onset of age, her figure was fuller; more matron like. The azure vixen's form had filled out in eye catching ways that indicated she had children at some point. Her voluptuous frame was further complemented by her long luxurious strands of blue hair that reached all the way down to her back instead of the short cut he had seen earlier.

Who are you? He thought to her calmly.

I will answer soon enough, but I have one question that requires a reply before I tell. How do you know Krystal?

It dawned on him that Fox was staring up at another Cerinian, no other species had those eyes or the blue fur. At least they didn't have it naturally; most he had seen were obvious dye jobs or contacts. Her fur was all natural as indicated by her undercoat and people seemed to always forget about that part. The question that she asked weighed heavily upon his mind and he could feel the floodgates buckling under the pressure of his guilt. The emotional pain he still felt day in and day out combined with the increasingly powerful migraines over the past few months were driving him mad. It didn't help that Fox saw Krystal everywhere he went which gave him the idea that he might be insane from the sheer power of his emotions. Rather than speak or try to tell her, Fox attempted to tap into his thoughts like how Krystal taught him to, so that he could show the vixen his past without a misunderstanding taking place.

That turned out to be a grave mistake.

His head slammed full stop and agony shot through him, such was the power of what occurred it threw the vixen out of his mind and caused Fox to clutch his head in pure torment. It felt as though someone were taking a jackhammer to his skull at full power and digging deep into his brain. The tod could feel it in his very toes and fingertips as a red hot lance of pain surged through him and forced Fox to tears.

The mysterious vixen had been sent reeling as she took the brunt of anguish from the sudden disconnect. She had sensed the tod was trying to show her something and then seemingly out of nowhere a barrier or some kind of mental block slammed into place… but he hadn't done that, not willingly anyways. It was almost like a natural defense mechanism had kicked in which did perk her curiosity. But with how her captive was writhing in agony; it left little time to reflect as Fox's suffering rolled off in discordant waves. Whatever was wrong caused him distress in volumes she'd not seen since the fall of her homeworld.

The alien vulpine before her was the only connection to someone she'd thought long dead and would damn herself before letting the singular lead die from some sort of mental hemorrhage. The tod groaned and writhed as he tried in vain to shield himself from the light, his head buried into the pillows as a pitiful whine of agony tore through the young man. To her, it felt as though someone were pouring molten lead into her cranium; a lancing heat that rushed through her entire body as the vixen steeled herself against the onslaught.

It wasn't all that was present however; just inside those waves of discord the vixen perceived patterns. Rhythms she had seen in the past, festooned in hatred, anger with interladen feelings of nostalgia and a desire for redemption. Whatever had happened in his past burdened him heavily and his mind was trying to shield the tod from it.

But then, just out of the corners of her eyes there was something that truly stood out to her, an article that could only be present if another Cerinian had lain it there and tried to foster it. But it was unfinished; raw, like an exposed nerve ending. The item in question was gentle silver pin of light surrounded by seas of antagonized crimson, only those with the gift could ever see it.

A bond… a sloppily disconnected one.

The vixen knew she had to act fast, how he had survived for so long with that in his head was beyond her; whoever this fox was, he was something special and with him knowing about her lost kin, her course was clear.

Swiftly the cerulean fox went to work, she closed the blinds to the outside world and bathed the room in total darkness while silencing any machines that could make noise and cause the tods pain to deepen. She needed total silence and concentration if she was to bolster the vulpines mental strength.

There was one glaring problem that she could not deal with however… She could not fully repair the damage done; that would require the presence of the one who did it.

What have you done, Krystal?

There was little time to ask questions as the affliction threatened to shut down the vulpines very mind in a desperate attempt at self preservation; only, he would never wake up from such an act. It was like a concussion magnified tenfold with a burst embolism that could overload ones mental capacity to the point of death. That, or he would be rendered to a vegetable like state. With her senses regained; the vixen climbed onto the bed and gently placed her paws over Fox's and gripped them tightly. With a calming yet firm surge of mental power; she knocked the male vulpine out and put him into a deep state of slumber.

With the tod subdued she could get to work and begin sifting through his mind to unravel the question of just who he was and how he knew Krystal. The female closed her eyes and relaxed, the world slowly melted away and all became calm and quiet. No howling of the winds outside, not even the drippy faucet from the sink in the kitchen. There was naught but her, the tod beneath her and the slowly forming bridge between minds that allowed her to connect.

Alright… let's just see who you are.

Her mind was abruptly assaulted by a sense of rapid movement, the disorientating sensation of spaceflight. Before her eyes fighter craft and mighty vessels fell before the strange crafts onslaught. The dash was lit up in alien runes and colors from a race or group she had yet to encounter, yet all the same she watched on with awe at the speed and power of the fighter she sat in. She picked up a sense of urgency mixed with adrenaline an anxiety that rushed through her mind that made for a potent combination. Thankfully, she was used to doing this sort of thing when she served as a priestess back home; the vixen detached from the occupants perspective which allowed her to take on different angles within the dream. The man who sat in the pilot seat was none other than the tod she encountered outside and in the warehouse. Yet he wore different garb. She eyed the fox up and down curiously as the vessel flew with blinding speed through hordes of foes, fighters, bombers, and mighty vessels. It mattered little as he cut down swathes of foes with ludicrous ease; no matter the ships size.

It bore the tell tale signs of a memory, not a dream, which meant she was living his past in the moment.

But why this one?

The tod's thoughts jolted her abruptly and before the fighter came a massive strange floating head, blue eyes and gems dotted about it's face with an elongated mouth. She had only heard stories of them once or twice, but any and all relics were long since lost. In a flash, her curiosity turned to surging fear as it spun around and saw him. The bastard that had destroyed her homeworld, the monster that was the cause of all her pain and the suffering of millions.

Andross!

The ape's yellowish red eyes were filled with madness and anger as he roared in a language that she could not personally understand. The small fighter with it's pilot lept swiftly into battle above a strange world she never saw before. Laser fire crossed the abyss of space and impacted all along the the gigantic apes features followed up with repeated blasts of burning white light much like a star detonating in a supernova. The massive floating hands and face tried to suck the ship in or swatt it like one would a fly, but to no avail; for several long minutes the fight raged before a well placed shot put an end to him. The ape's head buckled and convulsed before exploding dramatically in a ball of fire, bits and pieces of mask, and horrific mutagenic flesh.

Wait, this is the one who killed Andross?!

Why is he here though?

Mere minutes later he was on a vessel talking with a frog, a rabbit, and some kind of avian, it was clear they were close with how they communicated and body language told all.

They're like a family.

It was then she heard a door open with a hiss and whirr of gears only for the vixen to feel her heart stop as she turned. A sea of emotion swallowed her, joy, happiness, nostalgia and agonizing regrets for not being able to find her.

Krystal...

The sudden desire to know more grew with intensity, a burning fervor as she delved deeper into the males head. She found his name, where he came from, his home system and the names of his parents as she forcibly translated his language so she could comprehend him. Her earlier communications had been roughshod and mostly in Cerinian, but to the male, it would have sounded like his language. Though the vixen's intentions were noble; her hunger for knowledge made her less than gentle as her search caused Fox more discomfort. Once more she ran into that wall; and it would happen a multitude of times. The only memories she could access that included Krystal; were before and after an event called the Aparoid Invasion, and just before something called the Anglar War; whatever lay behind his mental wall was being guarded fiercely.

Even with the obstruction before her, the vixen saw plenty. Krystal and Fox had been close, very close; but he had hesitated and hurt Krystal deeply on an emotional level. Any other Cerinian would have reacted and harmed him in return… But the further she delved, the more she uncovered outside that barricade. What kept her from such anger, was his remorse. The fact he had and was still destroying himself over his regrets soothed her anger at Fox. One memory in particular stuck out to her, and with curiosity in full swing; she decided to investigate.

With her mind sharp and focused, she touched on the little node of darkness within his mind and was transported elsewhere into a deep memory, one he had tried to desperately bury and forget. She knew all too well the feeling and a forlorn scowl crossed her features as sympathy for Fox began to grow.

We all try to run from our demons, and eventually, they catch up to us.

The vixen calmed herself and took in the scenery around her as it came into focus. What transpired next could be called nothing short of bedlam.

Fox grunted as the servos in his powered armor whirred and began to try and lift the debris that was pinning him to the street corner. The shielded vulpine snarled in escalation as his rage once more consumed him, bit by bit he lifted the heavy concrete only for the weight to be lifted. Several hundred pounds or more of building material came off his chest as sunlight broke through into the helmets blue tint eyes slots, marred only by the smoke of the burning city around them.

A fellow soldier leaned over him and there was a soft laugh through the radio inside the helmet. "Damn Reynard, you're one tough son of a bitch! Thought you were dead after that one."

The tod issued forth a derisive snort as the weight came away and allowed him to fully stand while dusting himself off.

"In this armor? It'll take more than that."

"Too right, this armor is the tits."

Fox took one look at the strange mammal in his armor, their species were called Jerboa… or something of that nature. Really bouncy mouse looking things, he was the teams scout and could get to places where others could not. The mouses armor specially designed for his species and to enhance the already excellent jumping capabilities which made him a lynch pin of operations.

"How's the rest of the team?"

"Pretty good! Few knocks on the ol' think tank, but nothing we can't deal with."

"Good, I plan to make an example of these little shits." Fox uttered with a snarl.

The vixen felt his unchecked rage surge forward as his long standing emotional wounds had festered and now the vulpine just did not care. She watched on as the armored squad moved forward in their surprisingly sleek combat armor, whoever designed them wanted efficiency as well as capacity and succeeded in spades. She was acutely aware of Imperial Power Armor, but then why was Fox, a man who had saved the galaxy from Andross's scourge working for these people? Her curiosity once more piqued as she watched on.

"Move forward!" The tod thundered in a voice rife with command; the mercs all answered as they broke cover despite the withering fire from those that opposed them. The squad of twelve began to advance towards the source of incoming fire as their armor took the brunt of the damage. Projectiles ricocheted as they were unable to find purchase in the well honed protective plates; plasma and laser shots dissipated as the suit compensated for the sudden surge in temperature and absorbed the heat into its own core.

Grenades, missiles, rifle fire and heavy weapons discharged on the rebel position in retaliation. Their little banner waving in the wind with several strands of red and white on it and a singular star in the center with text surrounding it written in one of the local tongues. It read akin to "Free the people from the chains of oppression." or some bullshit of that nature.

Hypocrites, the lot of them!

The silent observer could feel Fox's animosity towards these people, and she could understand why. She knew this battle, it was a huge event that was televised throughout the systems. Onaor IV. The so called "heroes" of the people were anything but; the atrocities they committed were well known and all in the name of supposed freedom from the empire.

She remembered that one man had led a team to break their chain of commands back deep into enemy territory, and that he was the only survivor.

If this is him...

She watched on as Fox and his team plunged deep into the fight, outnumbered easily three to one yet still they pushed. The team was harrassed on all sides, bullets plinked off armor that no doubt unnerved the occupants within. Missiles impacted along several paths of advance as the opposition zeroed their positions.

Fucking rebels, fucking liars, every last one of them! I've seen their type before and so help me I'll kill all of them!

The blood was roaring in Fox's ears with his adrenaline in full swing, there was nothing but murder on his mind and he aimed to unleash it all on the rebels. His rifle kicked and spat forth doom from the end of it's barrel with searing green bolts of plasma striking the less armored rebels and ending their lives in an instant. Anyone who got close enough found themselves with a taste of his rifle butt, knife, or a powered fist to their chest.

By the gods… they're unstoppable.

That was far from the truth; one by one the other mercs who had volunteered for this job were falling, even the swift bouncing Jerboa had gone silent some time ago, but Fox didn't stop. They all knew this was a suicide mission and their chance of returning was minimal; but the pay was excellent. Fox didn't care though, not about the lives of those who came with him, nor about the rebels and their cause. At the end of it all, was money. All his empathy and worry was utterly spent as anything outside the mission was secondary these days and to Fox. There was only one thing on his mind.

To cut off the head of Rebel Command.

As soon as the rest of his squad had gone down or were combat ineffective; Fox bolted, not away from the fight, but further in! His natural speed and state of fitness combined with the armor allowed him to sprint at speeds that even made some of the oppositions automated defenses stutter in their tracking. Fox knew where their HQ was and the man would not halt until he had his fingers around the leaders throat and strangling the life from them.

Fox weaved to and fro through the fire, his instincts guiding him with each bounding step as the hydraulics in his legs cushioned the blows upon the concrete below. No one could stop him, no one could even slow him down even as the minimap in his suits user interface zeroed in on his objective. The building was just ahead; and with the tolerances this suit had against blunt force trauma, Fox was confident he would be fine.

The tod was more than happy to test his theory as he came crashing through concrete and metal like a force of nature, dust and debris kicked up with rifle leveled in front of him. His suit's automatic detection system found obstructions and activated its thermal imaging; every single soul in the room stared at him with horror in their eyes. The confidence that he would not reach them had been sucked out of the room like a hull breach in space.

The Cerinian watched on as Fox examined the room through his visor and took in each and every target, one brave individual charged him firing a ballistic rifle at full auto only to be slammed upside the head and thrown to the side like a broken ragdoll. The poor bastard never had a chance.

His was a hit and run mission and would not be staying for long. Without an inch of remorse or thought, he pulled on the trigger and emptied the battery within seconds. Soldiers and command personal alike were gunned down without so much a word until all that remained was a lone white furred lapine with a patch over her eye and a scar that raced diagonally across her features.

Fox walked straight up to her and lifted the woman off her feet, gauntlet grip tightened around her throat. He had no issues with killing females if they were a threat or a target, he had learned long ago that the opposite sex could be just as deadly… if not more so than the males.

"Anato Revarom, I hope you rot in hell for all that you've done."

Before she could even respond Fox clenched the servos in his suits glove and without so much as a how do you do, her neck snapped and the body went limp. Fox didn't need to talk to her, the only thing that mattered was the mission and with the primary objective complete, he could turn his eye to the secondary objectives. The suited vulpine swiped the enemies hard drives of all their data and wiped it clean, but only after depositing a rather nasty virus into the rebel battlenet. With the job a success, Fox broke through another section of the building and left a large satchel charge behind that demolished the structure in its entirety. A sense of accomplishment filled him only to have it sour as a redline of text came up on his suits user interface.

Warning: Allied suits compromised! Activate self destruct protocols?

He didn't even hesitate, there was no thought to his actions; only doing what he felt was right. A being of pure instinct and action.

"Activate."

Eleven large detonations went off that were at the very least worth a weight of one-thousand pounds in explosive force. She could feel the concussive blasts from where Fox was as he raced towards the edge of the city. It was all but certain when they detonated that the blasts killed everyone who had been trying to pry open the suits.

By the gods… not even a moment's pause, He killed the team and those who had them. Along with that woman, but then again, after the atrocities those rebels committed, I can't say I entirely blame him. Not to mention what they would do to the team if any survivors were there...

The world seemed to fast forward as Fox was now outside the armored suit which was wheeled away elsewhere. A rather flashily dressed grey furred feline bedecked in his officers uniform, all black with gold shoulder laurels and a white full cape attached to his back.

"You have done well Mr. Reynard, a shame that the rest of the team didn't make it, but reports tell me you took care of that. Thank you for preserving our technological secrets."

Fox only wore a faded green sleeveless shirt with a similarly colored pair of pants and black combat boots.

"Whatever, I just want to get paid." he spoke firmly.

"Of course; though my superior Lord Turae has an offer: For your excellent services in this matter, he wishes to give you a permanent contract attached as part of his retinue. Considerable pay, benefits and the prestige that comes with it. All that would be require of you is to act as the lords personal-

"No. I prefer to do things my own way. If Turae wants my services, he knows how to contact me. Just give me my pay and I'm on my way."

The feline was flabbergasted that someone would reject such a handsome offer. "Mr. Reynard, I assure you, the empire, and especially Lord Turae do not take kindly to their hand being bitten. I would hope that you rethink your decision."

Fox snorted and shook his head. "And I am no ones servant, I get asked to do a job, that's it. Now, money, or do I have to get violent to get what I earned?"

How can someone who was close to her be this aggressive? So violent and hateful? When he snapped that rabbits neck, he -relished- it! Yet when I move to the present he feels shame and remorse… This is the Savior of Onaor IV? I hope no one who's thought him a hero ever met him. They got the story all wrong.

For the next few hours the vixen swam through Fox's mind in an attempt to garner all that she could and finally moved towards that frayed link. The mind was like a set of neural pathways just like an X-Ray would show; she went from path to path as she jumped around. It wasn't necessary to follow strictly, but with the precision of which she needed to deal with this ailment was crucial and thus chose the safer route. Admittedly, she had entered his mind for that very reason; but the moment she saw Krystal, all other thoughts had become secondary.

I can't repair what I didn't do, but I can certainly ease your burden Fox.

And ease it she did; channeling her own mind she forged a new bond, not an intimate one of lovers, but much like those of the soldiers whom she served with long ago. It would allow her to communicate with him instantly, feel his pain and worries. Likewise, he would feel hers as his mind seemed capable of accepting such a thing. Slow but sure, she felt their minds intertwine and embrace one another… to her surprise it was easy; almost like he was attuned to such an action; and that was even before she touched on the shattered link. His mind fell so naturally in tune with hers it was like she was dealing with another Cerinian.

Strange, I wonder if it's just him or the effects of Krystal, or perhaps something to do with his species? Questions I will have to find answers to.

With the link cemented with Fox, she turned her attention to the crippled link as much as her skills would allow her to; she didn't want to try and interact with it directly as that may do more harm than good. In a way, she was using her own psionic power to act as a sort of balm, an empathetic link as the tinged red part of his brain began to lessen over time. She knew that it would take weeks, perhaps months of treatment before Fox would be perfectly stable again. Extensive damage had already been done and from the looks of things; had he gone any longer without any kind of treatment; Fox would have succumbed to madness or like earlier, his hallucinations. For now, Fox's Cerinian companion settled in for the long haul.

Back in the present on The Sword of Menshar, Krystal listened to the tale intently as her tail lashed side to side in rapt focus and ears perked forward in rapt attention.

The officer across from her had kept out some parts of the tale thus far, of that she was certain. She was evasive on points and there a few interactions that seemed to get glossed over or hurried past. Not to mention her name never came up, nor a rank. Krystal was about to ask a question when the door to the infirmary opened and both their food and the ships doctor arrived simultaneously. Krystal's curiosity burned as it seemed they were keeping appearances hidden for the time being, the Khanates were a secretive bunch. The one with the food was bedecked in a cloth like substance, not needing full armor or clothing for service work. The figure broad of shoulder and the way they walked indicated a male body structure. All that was shared was a prompt salute followed by a turn on the heel and then departure with the food left behind. The second individual was done up in full garb, mask and all concealed his appearance. The pure white cloth held a bold red cross on the left shoulder which indicated he was medical personnel.

Krystal watched as the doctor and her host exchange a salute before they began to talk in a tongue she had never heard before, it was harsh, guttural and damn near made her ears grate from it. Her interest was furthered when the marine gestured towards herself rather emphatically and then towards her wayward lover on the bed.

I wish I knew what they were saying…

The cobalt vixen thought about prying in with her psionics, but Fox did not keep normal company, not in the slightest. This woman, whoever she was, could easily be trained against such intrusions and Krystal knew she was a guest at Fox's behest and any shenanigans on her part would likely put both his person and reputation in jeopardy.

The Cerinian vixen continued to watch inquisitively until the warrior's posture changed, her shoulders slumped and the covered tail went still. Her fists balled tightly as she spoke curtly to the doctor who rapidly turned about and exited through the door as though some great fear had overtaken him. Krystal observed as the veiled soldier reached out to the bed and placed a palm on it, her helmet gazing over over Fox with apparent concern for the orange vulpine.

It was the question that was most forward on her mind that broke the silence, and it would prove to be a harrowing experience.

"What's wrong with Fox?"

She stood quietly as though death itself were in the room; chills ran down Krystal's spine as the woman before her said nothing or even so much as acknowledged that she had spoken. What perturbed her the most, was when they replied.

"You know damn well what's wrong, Krystal of The Cardinal Sun." Came her response, tone dripping with enmity. "You drove him out here, you cast him down. You severed the link without a thought to his well being!" Each phrase caused the woman's voice to rise in tone. "Like someone with a new pet, you rushed head first into it without thinking of your own responsibilities to him! And in your rush you dishonored not only yourself, but your family, your loved ones, and above all else, me!" By the time she reached those last words, the soldier was looming over Krystal, bile spewing forth from the synthetic voice and for the first time in what felt like an age, Krystal felt true fear.

Her voice quaked in uncertainty as she reared back, crawling into a corner at the power of that voice, the intense authority and spine melting strength that lay within it.

"Who are you?!" Krystal shouted back, desperate for any ground to gain and establish herself in the argument. It was to her shock she watched as the soldier undid the latches that held the helmet in place and ripped it off wildly only to throw it across the room. A loud clatter echoed off the walls signaling it's impact but Krystal's eyes were glued forward the person before her; long exposed cobalt locks whirled around her head shortly before those scornful eyes to connected with Krystal's own. Both sets of blue-green eyes locked together, one set widened in every inch of disbelief in who she was looking at, and the elders pair focused in parental admonishment of the vixen on the ground.

A thousand different emotions screamed through Krystal, love, joy, fear, shame, and sadness all at once. Desperately she tried to find some semblance of a sentence or try to get herself to move and embrace the older vixen. Yet she sat there, rooted in place by the vixen's withering gaze.

"M-Mother?!"