Tears From The Home Fronts

In a suburb on Corneria

Krystal folded up another one of her husband's shirts, placing it on top of a neat pile of recently done laundry, a quiet, bored sigh escaped her lips as she looked out of the kitchen window, observing the neighbourhood. It was a pleasant day, and, despite it being autumn, the sun was shining and the sky was blue. The weather, coupled with the golden brown fallen leaves of the trees showed a beautiful scene.

The neighbourhood itself was also full of life. Being noon, the entire community was awake and active. Some were relaxing in the warm sun, some were leaving for work in the city. The other neighbours were running back and forth doing errands, gardening and generally socializing with one another. Everyone was going about their day like it was any other. It all seemed so safe and tranquil.

But the blue vixen knew very well that looks could be deceiving, and her telepathy only made this revelation clearer. She saw the sad look in her neighbour's eyes, the eerie silence on occasion, the awkward silence that happened far too often. And even though no spoke it, everyone knew the reason why the atmosphere in the area was so thick with tension it be cut with a knife.

The war was happening to everyone, no matter how much people tried to deny it, it was happening alright. Almost every family in the community had at least one person who had volunteered or had been conscripted into the Armed Forces. The whole community volunteers and conscripts had been into regiments of it's own, the higher up's wanting to keep a spirit of community for morale's sake. Those who had not joined enlisted into the industries producing war materials and other necessities. Rationing of some items and war taxes had been accepted as noble sacrifices. At first, the enthusiasm for the war effort had been exhilarating, with everyone thinking that the war would be over by Christmas.

But the hope and dream for a swift, glorious victory against the Spice Syndicate disappeared within months. Things were certainly not okay. Even with the censoring of the press, it was clearly obvious that the war was not running smoothly, even the most naive and stupid people were aware of this. Fake smiles on the news and constant war propaganda were not enough quell all members of society and there had been mass demonstrations, even riots in protest against the suddenly unpopular war. The Cornerian Alliance Government responded to this by passing legislation banning anti-war protests, and using the police and Army to suppress the riots. Curfews were imposed on the cities, morale was low and there was a constant vigilance against looting and sabotage against the areas of great wealth and of importance to the war effort.

But the greatest fear of the community was not the danger of enemy attack, what with the Home Fleet in orbit and the fighting situated away from Corneria, but the fear of receiving a night visit from an officer informing one of them of the loss of their loved ones.

That was what scared the blue vixen the most.

Since that early morning that felt so long ago had occurred, Fox and Krystal had done everything in their abilities and power to find Marcus, and in turn, Gloria for the sake of the Powalski's. But their efforts were only met by dead ends at each turn. Protocol 13 had forbidden all parents of conscripted cadets, regardless of their rank in society or their background, from contacting their children, even letters and parcels had been refused and seized, the locations of the intended recipients had been kept secret.

The McCloud's and Powalski's had tried everything within their power and more. They used their past connections to meet with members of the Government and the High Command. They had talked to merchants and smugglers alike. They had called in every last old favour from the past, had hired private investigators, anf had even violated curfew in secret to enter the shadier parts of the urban areas in order to meet leads on any information to be found on the black market. Anything and everything they could think of in hope of finding Gloria and Marcus.

But, despite all of their energetic and frantic efforts, it was all for nothing. The 'reliable' sources of information led to dead ends at each turn, proving to be a waste of time and credits. Old favours failed to deliver, many claiming that their hands were tied or fearing prosecution from the wartime administration. These responses were met by the scowls and shunning of the four parents who, in the past, had gone out of their way, even to the point of risking their own lives, in their time of need. Such faithlessness and lack of honouring past obligations earned more then the voiding of a friendship. The government officials they met refused give up any information on the whereabouts of Marcus and Gloria whatsoever, some feigning ignorance, others stating 'intergalactic security' excuses.

Finally, the four parents had had enough, and decided to take matters into their own hands. It took weeks, but eventually they managed to smuggle arms, fuel, medical supplies and provisions into the Great Fox that they had placed in storage. After moving their Arwings and Wolfens onto the ship, the four parents, along with the Lombardi's, they brought the legendary ship's engines back to life and proceeded to fly and breach the atmosphere.

Almost immediately they were intercepted by ships from the Home Fleet, ordering them to power down the Fox's engines and to state their intentions. Instead, they stated their intentions first and moved the ship into position to make a jump into hyperspace, ignoring the warnings from the Home Fleet's battleships. Despite their quick acting and their entrenched knowledge of the ship's systems, they were too few in number and too slow in speed. A great tremor through the ship and the warning systems screamed red, signalling significant damage to the ship's engines and hyperdrive. Crippled, the Great Fox was an easy target for the boarding parties that came crashing in soon afterwards. Scores upon scores of Marines stormed the Bridge, training their weapons on the six members. Wanting to find their children, but at the same time not wanting to hurt these soldiers, they put up no resistance.

As the Great Fox was towed to repaired, along with it's new crew of star studded fans now assigned to the legendary ship, the Lombardi's, McCloud's and Powalski's were brought before the commanding officer of the Home Fleet. And everyone of them had been shocked to find it was no other then Wolf O'Donnell, now a vice admiral. Despite their past friendships and history, Vice Admiral O'Donnell chewed them all out, saying that his fleet had to be prepared to take on any enemy attack within the moment it appeared, not to be engaging against old veterans going rogue and violating protocol, which was kind of ironic coming from the mouth of the former leader of Star Wolf.

After an argument that had gone for than an hour, the six adults were given a ultimate choice. Either be pressed into training/supervisory roles or not, either way they would be forbidden from leaving Corneria until the war's end. This proposition only increased the moods of the already flared up adults, and it was only the presence of armed guards that protected the vice admiral from his visitor's wrath, especially Fox's and Leon's.

Back in the present, Krystal continued to fold up the washing, trying to think of other chores to do, anything to take her mind off sad things. Her husband would be back from the Academy soon, she had to make dinner soon for the two of them. Just the two of them. As she picked up a pair of jeans, a piece of blue cloth fell from the pile onto the floor. As it hit the floor, Krystal flinched in dread. She recognized it instantly. It was the blue scarf she had given to Marcus on his eighth birthday, it had been a keepsake that the male vulpine had treasured ever since. Krystal had remembered it well. They had been on Fichina on a family holiday. It had been colder then usual for the ice planet, the young boy had started shivering. Seeing this, his Mother had wrapped the scarf around his neck and had pulled him into a warm hug, sharing an tender memory with her little boy. She had remembered it well.

And that's all it took as tears began to roll down the woman's cheeks. That's all it took to realize that things were not alright and that she didn't know whether things were ever going to be okay. Dropping the jeans she had been folding, Krystal dived onto the fallen scarf, collapsing onto her knees as she held the material close to her weeping face. She couldn't stand it anymore, nor could she hold it in any longer. Her son, her little boy, was somewhere out there in the vastness of space at war, whilst she and her husband were powerless not only to find him, but to save him too. He could be laying somewhere injured, mentally or physically, and there would be nothing that she or Fox could do to comfort or heal him. And they might never see him alive again.

Outside the McCloud Household

Fox walked up the path away from the garage up to the house. He was in a foul mood, regular trait given the circumstances. Now a training instructor in the Cornerian Flight Academy, his stress levels and temper had skyrocketed. He had been forbidden from actually piloting a ship, his new superiors not wanting him to pull another Great Fox stunt. The new recruits he was put in charge of were a bunch of lovesick fans, half of the training sessions were them asking him questions about his Star Fox days or for autographs or selfie's.

Being a mere training instructor also meant that he had no authority or power whatsoever. The top brass and Military Police were keeping a close eye on his every move and he had been forbidden from asking any questions or carrying any actions that violated Protocol 13. The whereabouts of his son was now deemed classified, and now the only way for finding out if their Marcus was okay or not was either no news, meaning that he was at least still alive, or a letter of condolences, signalling his untimely demise.

To make matters worse, Fox knew that the stress was getting to his wife. She was doing a good job in hiding it from everyone else with forced fake smiles, but she and her husband had been together for too long to fool him that easy. He also knew the mask that Krystal was wearing could crumble at any minute.

It had been different for the two of them when they had been in action during their younger years, neither of them had had any family to worry about them and their safety or to return home to. Now, despite being hypocrites, they were worried about their young son, they had both known that he would forced in the role of duty sooner or later, but at the young age of seventeen, especially when he and the rest of his platoon had not been fully prepared for their deadly assignment. The very thought of the nerve of the Government and the High Command in coming up with this 'solution' made his blood boil. He crashed through the front door of the house, mumbling a tirade of curses on politicians and their moronic ideas.

As Fox stomped through the hallway towards the living room, he heard a weeping noise, coming from the kitchen. Instantly, he ceased his private rampage and creped over to the room where the sound was emitting. Standing in the doorway, he looked down to see his wife on her knees, clenching a familiar blue scarf in her hands as she rocked back and forth, unable to stop her crying. Forgetting his own feelings for the time, Fox marched over to his wife and pulled her into a warm, comforting embrace. Neither of them said a word, both knowing how the other felt. And they did not move from that place for hours.

Enemy stronghold, Venom

'WAAAAAGHHHH!' a cry like an wounded animal emitted the dark lair that reeked of stale sweat and bygone drugs.

'It seems our secret weapons failed to retake Fichina back Boss', a Syndicate soldier spoke up as several of his companions stood in front of the huge throne.

Perched on the throne towering over them, was Lord Barak Torr, a large, bulky ape, encased in armour and chugging away at an oversized bottle of Magic Fungus Ale, whilst at the same time crying his eyes out.

'ARE YOU SAYING WE CAN'T HAVE ANY MORE ICE BLUE CRYSTAL', he cried, taking another full swig of beer.

'Look's like he's a sentimental drunk today', muttered one of the awkward minions to another.

'MY DREAM WAS TO HOLD A MONOPOLY ON ALL OF THE DRUGS IN THE LYLAT SYSTEM!' he continued drinking and weeping. 'THOSE GUY'S PUT AN END TO THAT PLAN! POOR ADMIRAL DROSTA! POOR GIFTED ONE'S! YOU WERE JUST TOO WEAK!'

'They found that freighter we sent back with our experimental weapons and destroyed', one of the soldiers spoke up. 'They quite effective against civilians and so on. But they were no match against the squad of soldiers that was sent against them'.

'That particular squad has been costing us a lot', another said, holding some pictures of them. 'If we not careful, they could spell the end for us'.

The bottle slammed down on the arm of the throne, silencing the room in an instant.

'If we're not careful you say?' their leader asked in a low threatening tone, his eyes wandering over the pictures the nearest soldier was holding.

The soldiers in front of him froze in terror.

Then, with lightening speed, a thick, heavy mace was swung, crashing into the photos, and taking out the holder and sending it all through a hole in the roof and into the toxic contaminated sea outside in a missile of ruined flesh and confetti.

'WHO THE FUCK DO YOU THINK I AMMMMM!' he roared, causing the roof and everything in the room to tremble.

'SHIT! NOW HE'S TURNED INTO A RAGING DRUNK!' the men panicked

He leaned forward to them, growling as he bared his golden fangs.

'MARCUS McCLOUD! GLORIA POWLASKI! YEAH I KNOW THOSE LITTLE FUCKING BRATS! THEY'RE FROM THAT SQUADRON! ALL THEY DID WAS TAKE DOWN A CARRIER OR TWO AND NOW THEY THINK THEY'RE REALLY HOT SHIT! WELL THEN, THEY SHOULD BE SMART ENOUGH TO KNOW THEY'VE DIPPED THEIR NOSES INTO MY BUSINESS! WELL IT'S TOO LATE THEM NOW!'

Barak leaned back on his throne, began taking multiple gulps from his beer.

'GO ON YOU LITTLE BASTARDS! COME FOR ME IF YOU DARE! IF NOT, I'LL COME FOR YOU! CAUSE RIGHT NOW ALL YOU'VE BEEN DOING IS BEEN PLAYING LITTLE WAR GAMES! YOU HEAR ME BLUE SKY'S!'

Sorry for the hiatus guys and girls. I'll update as soon as possible and try not to make you all wait too long. Until next time, take care and enjoy reading.