Farewell To Family
A series of loud knocks on the front door awoke Marcus from his slumber. The young blue vulpine groaned as he pulled himself from the sofa that served as his bed for the past three nights. Sitting up, he rubbed his eyes, trying to orientate himself. He remembered Gloria riding him into climax after climax in the hot tub, the two had then dried themselves off and had gathered their stuff, walking back into the house, naked. They had finished their night together in the shower, washing the chlorine from their bodies, afterwards they had made love in the shower before parting with a deep, passionate French kiss. It had been an intense evening, ending a week long dry spell for the two young lovers.
Another set of impatient loud bangs on wood brought Marcus back into reality. Pulling on some pants quickly, the McCloud made his way barechested to the door.
'ALRIGHT I'M COMING ALREADY!' he shouted, then muttering to himself. 'For fuck's sake'.
Still blurry eyed, Marcus opened the door, and was fully awake instantly. Before him stood a Navy officer in full uniform, behind him stood four Navy Marines standing alert and bearing weapons.
'Pilot Cadet Marcus McCloud', barked the officer, more of a statement then a question.
'Yes?' responded a confused Marcus.
Before the officer could speak again, bangs could be heard upstairs as pairs of feet ran across the top hallway and down the stairs towards the door.
'MARCUS! WHAT'S GOING ON!? WHO IS IT!?' bellowed a groggy Leon.
Upon seeing who it was, he pulled Marcus back protectively into the hallway, and then turned to their visitor in the doorway.
'Who are you and what do you want?' he asked, looking the officer in the eye.
'Your Sergeant Major Leon Powalski? Owner of this house?'
'Well obviously you know that, so don't answer my question with another. What's the meaning of an armed guard turning up at my house at 4.30 in the morning?'
The officer remained for a moment, his gaze wandering over to Marcus. By now, the other parents had made their way down the stairs and the hall near the doorway had suddenly become crowded.
'Is there a Miss Gloria Powalski living here as well?'
'My daughter', growled Leon, clearly beginning to lose his patience. 'That's the second time you've answered my question with another. Now unless you've got some excuse for turning up here uninvited, I would suggest you leave us in peace'.
The Marines moved forward, however, the officer raised his hand and they held back. He then sighed deeply and faced the residents of the house again.
'I'm afraid I can't leave sir, I'm here to collect Gloria Powalski and Marcus McCloud. To bring them back to the Academy'.
There was moment's silence as the parents looked to Marcus with confusion. The blue vulpine shrugged, clearly perplexed himself.
'Our leave is not over for another four days', announced a feminine voice as Gloria finally made her way to the crowd.
The officer scowled as the young woman, clearly not impressed with her jumping into the conversation.
'Thank you. . . . . . .for your contribution Cadet Powalski', he growled, causing Gloria to flinch and her Father to stand between him and his little girl.
'She's right', Marcus stated, leaping to his friend's defence. 'Our leave papers were authorized and signed by the Commandant Roberts of the Academy. I mean we've. . . . . .'
The officer waved his hand in a dismissive gesture. The secret lovers looked in confusion as their parents bristled at this abrupt interruption
'Well we're cancelling them kid', he stated. 'In accordance with Protocol 13, I've the authority to do so'.
'What's Protocol 13?' asked Fox
'And what does it imply?' added Krystal.
Their unwelcomed guest looked hard at the interfering parents and rested his eyes on the younger pair, his look turning almost predatory.
'In case of inter galactic emergency', he said as if reciting a quote from a book. 'All cadets are to recalled to their stations and to be commissioned into full active military service. Immediately'.
There was a deathly silence as the words sank into the heads of each of the McClouds and Powalski's. The Mother's speechless as the Father's stood there in stunned disbelief, their children silent in shock. Suddenly, two wails cut through the silence like a knife.
'NNNOOOOOOOOO!' screamed Claudia as tears appeared in her eyes. 'IT CANT BE! IT'S NOT TRUE!'
'NO, NO, NO, NO, NO!' cried Krystal, trying to hold her own tears in.
Then, the Dad's stepped in.
'If you think for one minute, Leon and I are going to stand around and let you take our kids without a reasonable explanation, you've got another thing coming'.
'Fox is right, we'll wait until I'll contact the Commandant and get this verified', Leon stated. 'Until then, Gloria and Marcus are not going anywhere'.
'Unfortunately, I have my orders from Admiral Pellew', the officer gave a grim look as he held up a letter. 'And the permission granted by Commandant Roberts'.
All four parents leaned forward and read the letter with horror. It was all valid.
'Powalski, McCloud', he said, looking at the youngsters. 'Get dressed and gather three days worth of clothing and toiletries. Be ready in ten minutes. I will not wait, you're last two we need to collect and we've a tight schedule to keep'.
'YOU CAN'T DO THIS!' roared Fox as he stormed forward.
As he approached the officer, the Marines held up their guns, and the vulpine halted as the other parent gasped in horror, their weapons remained pointed upwards, ready just in case.
'I can, unfortunately, Mr McCloud, its their duty and is what is expected of them', their CO stated sternly. 'Now I suggest you and the others refrain from the behaviour like you tried just then, or I will have to arrest you all and I'll still take your son and daughter'.
'What about us?' growled Leon. 'We're capable of taking their places and fighting'.
All four parents agreed to this. But the Commanding Officer did not.
'Maybe due to your infamous acts in the past, yes, but you've been out of action and training for years. Despite this, you remain symbols of inter galactic defiance and resistance. Whilst you could be capable of causing some significant damage amongst the enemy, if any of you were captured or killed, it would cause a terrible propaganda victory for the Spice Syndicate and a significant blow to morale in our own forces. Therefore, by order of the High Command and Cornerian Government, all four of you have been forbidden from partaking in active service'.
As the parents took in this news, he turned to youngest pair of the group again.
'Powalski, McCloud, get dressed and pack three days worth of supplies and be ready in seven minutes. I will not repeat myself again'.
Both teenagers slipped away from their parents, retreating to their rooms, Gloria running upstairs to her bedroom, weeping as tears streamed down her cheeks, Marcus walked back into the living room, not uttering a single word.
The armed freighter, the CWS Ajax, lay stationed on the clearing just outside the Powalski's house, ready to pick up more of it's living cargo. Colonel Erwin Rommel and his escort stood a distance from the residents of the house they had just visited. Giving them time. Five more minutes he thought.
Despite the fact Sauria being a tropical planet, space was cold, and both Mothers ensured their children were wearing thick jackets, scarves and warm socks. Claudia and Krystal fussed over their daughter and son respectively, both unable to look their child in the eye in fear that the waterfall of tears they were both holding in would break free and their sorrow released for all to see.
'Mum', a quiet voice interrupted Krystal's thoughts.
Pausing, she looked up into her son's eyes. She did not need to be a telepath to read the thoughts going through her baby's head and the pain in his eyes.
'I. . . . .I love you Mum', he stuttered, a tear escaping his right eye. 'Just. . . .just so you know'. He looked to his Old Man. 'You too. . . . .Dad'.
Krystal placed a hand to her mouth as she tried to hold in a sob, tears leaking down her quivering cheeks. Slowly she wrapped her arms around her son's neck and pulled him into her arms. He remained stiff and stoic for a moment in her hold, then he emotionally collapsed and wrapped his own arms around and pulled her in a tight embrace.
'Oh my little Marcus', she sobbed as she rocked him back and forth in their hug. 'I love you too'.
Fox looked on in silence as his wife and son hugged the dear life out of each other, recalling when he had been seventeen, when he had left the Academy and had formed his own Star Fox team to battle Andross all those years ago. He turned his head and observed the Powalski's locked in a tearful embrace. The differences were he had chose to leave to fight a great enemy and had no family to miss. His son was leaving his parents and he had no choice.
'Your Mum and I love you too son', he said, pulling both wife and son into a trademark bear hug. 'We'll see you soon okay'. All three McCloud's smiled and hugged again.
'It's time', the Colonel interrupted. 'McCloud, Powalski, come along now, the ship can't wait any longer'.
The two families froze at his words as the two sets of parents tightening their grips on their only child, willing them not to leave and disappear before their eyes. Eventually, after a moment of tension, and before Rommel's men moved to intervene, Marcus moved.
This is going hurt for us all Marcus thought as he pulled away from his parents. A lot.
'I love you Mum', he said, hugging his Mother one last time kissing her on the cheek. 'I love you Dad', he said the same to his Father, hugging him hard, one last time.
And moved away from them, Fox holding back a tear streaked Krystal, who had tried to grab hold of her son again. He nodded to their guests in understanding and made his way over to the Powalski's.
'Gloria', Marcus interrupted them apologetically. 'We have to go now'.
Gloria looked up at her friend, gripping her Mother's shoulders in a moment of desperation, then reality sank in and she nodded slowly, and faced her parents, tears still pouring from her eyes.
'I. . . I love you. . . . .Mummy', she wept, hugging Claudia before turning to Leon. 'I. . . . . .I love you Daddy', gladly receiving a death grip from her Father.
Suddenly she broke away from her parents, throwing herself into Marcus's arm's, unable to face the impending sadness or her parents. Claudia tried to take hold of her baby girl, only to cry and scream with fury and grief as she was held back by her equally distraught husband. Leon finally let his emotions slip for the first time that early morning as he saw the young blue vulpine wrapped his arm around his daughter and led her away from himself and his wife.
'You keep her safe', Leon growled as he restrained his protesting wife. 'You hear me Marcus. Please keep her safe'.
'I will Mr Powalski, I'll try sir', he said, grasping his crying comrade close to him. 'I do what I can . . . . . . even if it costs me my life'.
The male Powalski nodded in thanks and the young pair turned away from their parents and walked over to the waiting ship, escorted by their armed escort. Unable to look back.
The inside of the Ajax consisted of a small Bridge for the pilots, a small Engine Room in the belly of the ship, rooms and a canteen for the crew, and a small Cargo Bay, complete with a landing ramp. It was this ramp that Marcus and Gloria made their way up into the ship. As soon as they crossed the ramp, it was raised and both cadets looked back and caught a last glimpse of their parent's despairing faces as the landing ramp slammed shut. A loud bang echoed through the Cargo Bay, creating a saddening and hollowing atmosphere
'Settle down', the officer interrupted their thoughts, pointing to two empty seats. 'Make sure your gear is secure, this ride is going to be fast and rough, we've a schedule to keep and we've been delayed enough as it is'.
Silently, both cadets, sat in the seats without protest, tired and trying to take what had just happened. Glad to hear no more objections for once, the Colonel walked across the Cargo Bay, followed by his guards.
'Whining little shits', muttered one of his guards as they made their way to the Bridge. 'Should man up really, it's what was expected of them especially since they signed up'.
'That's enough', growled Rommel in a threatening tone
He turned to face his men, no longer having to be the stoic officer in front of the young ones.
'They're just kids and they're going to be facing a deadly enemy. They've every right to be angry and scared, plus we've just gone and took them from their parents. There's no guarantee any of them will return'.
Rommel remained silent, letting his words sink in.
'You will not talk like that about them or to them again. Am I clear? You're more experienced then they are, you know what we're up against. So show a little empathy and look out for them. DO I MAKE MYSELF CLEAR?!'
'Yes Sir', came four responses.
There were others. Gloria and Marcus looked up and down the room, seeing that they were not alone. Occupying seats up and down the Cargo Bay were at least fifty other young men and women. Some were in groups, others in pairs, many were on their own. Marcus spotted members from the Blue Sky platoon and the other platoons from the Academy, other faces he didn't recognise. His telepathy was screaming all of their emotions at him, contributing to his already distraught mind. His eyes wandered, seeing a couple consoling each other, a small group trying to have awkward conversation, he watched a girl curled in a ball in her chair, rocking back and forth, weeping into her legs, unable to face her comrades.
Marcus looked around himself as he held his friend, still unable to believe what had happened. He had left his parents to go to war.
And he was scared he might never see them again.
Thought I'd put another famous name into my plot. Erwin Rommel cared for his men, so Marcus and the others will be taken care of. The Marines will be in similar weapons and equipment like the Colonial Marines out of Aliens, only difference is that their weapons will shoot lasers. I don't own anything from the Aliens franchise.
There is going to be more angst in the next chapter, but I'm not going to make this second half of the story too depressing. Things will liven up and there will still love and lust scenes for us to enjoy. I'll update as soon as possible :)
