Chapter 12: Incoming Storm
(Fox's P.O.V.)
"Fox, you know that device is extremely expensive to transport, much less use. I'm certain you know how much it would cost you and your team if I granted you this favor?"
I sighed as I looked away from General Pepper's hologram, and I shrugged my shoulders as I said, "He seems to have history with Krystal… and if what he says is true, he was there during the destruction of Cerinia. Krystal seems to trust him, despite whom he is and all that he has done." By the time I had finished, I had looked back at the hologram.
Pepper seemed to cough as he gave me a sterner gaze and asked, "What is this? He has the trust of Krystal, who I know you trust dearly… but you don't think he is worthy of this request? Who exactly is he Fox?"
"His name appears to once have been Wolf, yet he looks nothing like a wolf, or even a dog. But he currently goes by Hero… as in a fallen hero." I finished and felt myself shudder; I already knew what his response would be.
I watched as his expression morphed on the hologram, but he calmly asked, "Is he the same that killed all those innocents, destroyed a cornerian frigate, and all while robbing the merchant vessel containing our weapons shipment to Fortuna?" I nodded my head slowly, and he asked, "And the same that kidnapped the interplanetary diplomat that was going to bring peace between Venom and Corneria?"
When I nodded, I saw the fur along the nape of Pepper's neck stand up, and I quickly said, "Yes, he did all those things… but Krystal is interrogating him further and checking his thoughts as we speak."
The growl that came through the hologram surprised me, and I heard General Pepper say, "I'm coming to the Great Fox II to arrest that villain! If Krystal's report doesn't change my mind, I will lock him in the deepest, darkest cell on all of Corneria."
After he said that, the hologram shut down, and I shuddered as his growl echoed in my mind, and I began to walk towards the door as I clicked my wrist comm, and when it opened up, a message scrolled across the screen; 'Fox, I'm taking Hero to the fitness deck to see what he is capable of. Come down when you are available, I'm going to see how well he spars.'
I closed the message before clicking a few more things, and I turned around and pressed a button to the lift of the elevator. As I stepped onboard, I turned around and clicked the other button that would take me to the fitness deck, I let out a long sigh, We have the most wanted criminal onboard my ship, and Krystal wants me to give him a favor…
Hopefully she pulls through and gets me some good news. I stepped out into the room, and I saw a flash of blue in a corner. I looked over in that direction as I began to move over there, and through glimpses of the equipment, I could see Krystal moving fast as her staff was as well. When the equipment began to thin out, and I was left an unobstructed view, I watched in awe as Krystal was dancing about. She was twirling and swinging, and jabbing her staff at Hero, but she didn't seemed land a blow as he would always step out of the way. I saw her twirl her staff over her head as she swung it low and to the side, and I watched in shock as Hero simply caught the end of the staff. Krystal was breathing heavily, but I watched as he chuckled; right before she jumped up and kicked him in his chest with enough force to send him flying five feet. Despite his big bulky size while he was wearing armor, he was considerably smaller with only the suit he wore.
"OOF! …Alright, that one I admit hurt…" I heard him say, and I chuckled as I stepped closer, causing a few heads to turn and look over at me. as I walked past, I looked down at Hero and tried to give him a hard look, but I did feel a little sympathy.
Turning back towards Krystal, I saw she was smiling, but I had to get what needed said out, "Krystal, when General Pepper arrives, you will need to be with me to give him a report… as for our guest; Falco, detain him and his friend so Pepper can arrest them when they arrive." Krystal frowned as she walked over to me, but I quickly said, "You are the only one that is going to be able to change his mind… that's why I and you need to debrief him face to face."
"H-Hey… uh… sorry to ask, but would you mind if I was put in a room with a shower… living in bars and all is cool… but they don't all have showers." I turned around just as Hero was standing from his kick. He was rubbing his chest as his friend stepped close to his side; hmm… she seems to actually be scared of the team.
She is also attracted to him; almost as much as you are to me. I frowned as I felt the fur along my muzzle heat up, and I said, "N-No… the general will be here soon… just put your armor on if you think you will smell to foul." As I said that, I felt the ship shudder slightly and I grabbed a nearby workout bench, "Rob, report."
As the shaking died down, I heard the speakers rumble, and then Rob's voice sounded off, "General Pepper has docked with our ship sir, along with two allied drop ships. Estimated seventeen additional personnel now onboard."
I sighed as I looked over at Hero and said, "Put your armor back on, except for your helmet."
He nodded as he walked over to the pile of metal that consisted of his armor, his friend staying close to his side. I chuckled briefly as I saw her reach for his arm, before she quickly stopped…
(Hero's P.O.V.)
I was standing ten feet to the side of Fox and Krystal as they conversed with the old hound that was the General of the entire Cornerian military; Pepper. My hands were up and above my head while a dozen or so Spec Op troops held various heavy blasters at me with deadly intent in their eyes. Finally, I couldn't hold it in anymore, and I chuckled as I shifted my gaze to yet another trooper; who just tightened her grip on the shotblaster she was holding. When I shifted on my feet, they all seemed to tense up and I asked, "Is it really required for me to keep holding my hands and arms up? It has been like ten minutes, and I'm not carrying any weapons."
As I waited for a response from anyone, but all I got was more shifting and steely gazes, and faster whispers from Krystal's area. I sighed as I looked between them all, and an idea popped into my head, You know, if they are going to be like this, I guess I can mess with them and all that good stuff…
Don't force my hand, Wolf…
I chuckled again as I glanced out of the corner of my eye, and saw Krystal frowning in my direction before she returned to her conversation with Peppy. I smiled some more as I turned my gaze to a grizzled looking bear, and I asked, "So big fellow… why is it you are carrying a small blaster like that?" Turning my head, I looked back at the female badger and asked, "And you, what is a small thing like you doing with a big gun like that?"
Wolf… I looked over just as Krystal interrupted the general, and I could hear her say, "Sorry Pepper, please excuse me for a minute…" Uh oh… I got my vixen friend involved. I felt a mental jab as I flinched, and I looked over at a tiger and murmured with a nervous grin, "Uh oh… I guess I attracted a little more attention than I begged for."
Just as I finished, I looked over, and saw Krystal standing there with her hands on her hips, and I chuckled nervously from the frown on her face. The chuckle didn't last far as she pushed past the guards, and I flinched as her glare hardened as she said, "Wolf, what are you doing?"
"I'm just trying to start some conversation… seeing as Jen… a-alr-right…" I cringed as she began to lay layer upon layer of a mental barrage at me. I clutched m head as the pain sent me to my knees, and I couldn't help but groan under the barrage, it only intensified when I tried to put mental barriers up. I tried to push through the pain and keep walls falling into place, but it was just too much, and I ultimately gave up as for once, the pain was too much. I glanced up at Krystal with pleading eyes, but she was unrelenting as the attack on my mind remained.
After an eternity, I felt the pain ease up, and I saw I was looking at the deck as I was slouched over, struggling to even breathe after that assault. My vision was swimming from the headache I was subjected to, and the effects of the aftershock of her mental barrage. I shook my head slightly to try and displace some sense back into my foggy mind, but alas, it did nothing to cure what Krystal had just done. "Now, I'm going to go back and talk with the general… if I have any more trouble from you, then it will be much worse."
My humor got the best of me, and I couldn't help but chuckle as she glared at me even more, and I said, "Haven't you ever heard about the calm before the storm?" I watched as she shook her head, and I chuckled some more as I said, "I'm not surprised… it is a human term anyways…" But tell me if you remember this… I sent a certain picture into my mind, since I knew she was looking anyways, and I watched as she blushed madly; that thing was incredibly noticeable even in my pained state, Nice ass Krys… I would tap that… HAHA…
I began to layer my mind with the strongest defenses I possibly could before she retaliated, but I watched as her blush became deeper; the deepest it possibly has ever gotten before. It didn't help that her muzzle was white instead of any deeper shade of color, and I was left to chuckle while she continued to stare dombfoundedly at me. To my surprise, and a pleasant one at that, she turned around and walked back towards her group as her tail remained down, and she crossed her arms over her chest. The effect it had on her wasn't like anything I had expected, but it worked out in the end in a way that was most likely going to be disastrous; though it was currently being beneficial.
Slowly and carefully, I began to stand up, but it was only temporarily before I felt a wave of bitter anger and embarrassment smash into the defenses I had erected. The force was like a mental earthquake. The sheer amount that she sent at me reminded me of how a giant wave crashing against a wave breaker. I began to throw down more defenses as she continued to walk away, but it was like every time I was taking a step back… I was going to run out of defenses soon.
With my defenses all but depleted, I shivered as I braced myself against the inevitable, only to be met with nothing. I looked over, but she was facing the other two males, and I smiled as I thought, Seems I won this round…
Looking out over the observation deck, I was watching as the massive construction of the jump gate was underway. Jenessa was watching beside me, but as she looked up at me, she frowned as she asked, "Why do you need your helmet on? You may be… different, but I like seeing your face."
Taking one of my gloved and armored hands, I set it along her shoulder as I said, "Just like you keep staying close to me, this helmet gives me comfort… it makes me feel hidden." I looked back over at the gate being constructed outside, and I sighed heavily as I held the device with my homes coordinates in it. Jenessa looked at it as well, but she said, "Why is it your race hasn't ever been heard of before?"
"Krystal once told me how our planets are too far apart for us to travel to each other's worlds in a life time… so basically, you would die before you even laid eyes on my planet."
"Then why couldn't your species just meet us halfway?" She asked as she looked out into space, literally.
I chuckled before I removed my hand from her shoulder, and I said, "Last time I was on my planet, the most we did in space was orbit our planet. Here, it will take you a few days, a week top, to reach another planet. But we are so underdeveloped compared to Lylatins, that it takes us months just to reach our own moon." She gaped at me in disbelief, but I smiled and said, "But then again, our weapons are much more dangerous than anything I have seen a Lylatin hold. While you had me working for those that had… bad work, I come from a race that has mastered the art of war, and we only improve upon it every day."
Jenessa opened her muzzle to say something, but just as she did, the giant gate sprung to life and a massive vortex of swirling blue energy filled the empty vacuum in the cylinder like space. "Hero and Jenessa, report to the hanger bay."
Looking at Jenessa, I smiled as I said, "Are you ready to see my home planet?" she smiled as she nodded, and we turned around and began to walk towards Falco, who was keeping guard over us…
…
(Malavore's P.O.V.)
"Prep my fighter! I can't fight them with the Star Fox team so close, so I will just follow him through the portal and finish him there." I was running towards the hanger bay as I shut down my wrist comm, and as I rounded a corner, many of the troopers got out of my way. I was not pleased, or in the best of moods to be dealing with any of my subordinates. When I get to his planet, they will wish he never arrived with me as his killer, and as their conqueror…
Pushing a button, I entered one of the many hangers, and began to run towards my personal stealth fighter. While it lacked in firepower, it was able to fully disappear from sight and had limited cloaking abilities. I growled as I jumped up, and landed on the wing, and quickly got in the cockpit and began to fly towards the energy wall. I closed the cockpit just as I passed through, and I jammed the engines to full throttle while I secured my flight harness and fueled my emergency thrusters in case I was required to add come extra speed.
Soon, I saw a drop ship, or the stolen drop ship from my station, floating towards the vortex that was created and being sustained by the jump gate. I smiled as I gunned my craft towards them, and activated the Cloaking system, This time, I will finish what Garit couldn't…
A.N. Hope everybody enjoyed this chapter, even if it is shorter than the one 2 chapters back.
GrimlockX4: You know, this chapter didn't focus too much on sparring than I thought it would… but glad you enjoyed that weight lifting challenge; Hero was nearing 1k pounds that he was carrying.
PointCaliber: I went troll on your joke! xD she didn't necessarily didn't kick his ass, but he did get his mind manhandled by her.
Order and Chaos – Qui: Fox is also the best space pilot though, so there is that fact that Hero can't outmatch, now can he? He may have whooped Fox before, but he shot him out of the sky too. I did like the compliment, but Sanitarium does write about humans in a way that I don't, and that at least counts for something, But humans are tougher than most the anthro's; unless they are a species that does dominate us (like bears, wolves, tigers, and generally those big predators). Jenessa and Hero sitting on a branch… S-H-O-O-T-I-N-G! First comes Conflict, Then comes love, and finally comes Hero with the entire mi-li-tary… xD
Bryan mccloud: lol, he was the reason she almost got molested, so of course some payback was in order. Fox would shit a brick too xD…
Comrade: lol, people writing 'K' use foul language? I wrote a true K that was all kids, and no foul language… But alas, some good things do come to an end, glad you enjoyed my story when you could…
