Chapter 13

Fox climbed out of the flying machine, and blew a kiss to Sully. It was more efficient then trying to bid him farewell over the noisy engine. He moved his hand to indicate his eyes then pointed to the Skyfire. Fox nodded happily. That he would be watching over her reminded her how tight the SI-7 teams could be. She had not actually been part of a formal team. Shaw kept her moving around with little exposure to anyone for very long. There were quite a few who did. But when there were official Stormwind Assassins, among their ranks, it was important to make them indistinguishable from those who were not. The only ones who knew for sure was Shaw and the assassin.

Fox looked around the drop zone. For the moment it was clear. This boded well for Sheildwall. She decided that best thing to do was set the explosives. Sadly that task would bring her across the dog tags she was to collect. She pulled out her poisons and applied then to her blade. Doing so she caught sight of a sparkle toward one of the closer ships. She would have dismissed it right off, but the light was slightly lower then it should have been. Focusing harder she felt her eyes widen.

Goblins had paddled their way out to the side of the Alliance vessel unnoticed. They were fixing a drilling device to the hull. The audacity of their actions bordering on humorous.

"No." Fox laughed placing a hand to her temple. "Just no." Despite her words she started in a slow gait down to the beach. She slipped from sight and entered the water. There were four of the pesky vermin engineering their little hearts out. As she swam closer she could partially make out their arguments about the proper application of their mecha force trillium tipped drill.

One of the three males reached out and swung a wrench at his companion. The lone female shook her head and kept twisting wires.

Fox grabbed hold of one of the two ropes they were using to suspend themselves. Careful not to disturb them. The show they were putting on display was far more amusing the anything she had seen in a long while. It almost made her feel sorry that she had to put an end to their antics, permanently. She debated for a moment on how to handle this. She could just shake them down into the sea. That idea would be more efficient. But there was the chance one of them would be wise enough to swim away. These were Goblins, and not some of Garrosh Hellscream's no brained orcs. Scale the rope it was.

Once close enough she clubbed one of the males on the head. Sexist? No, he just happened to be the closest, the most silent, and there for the less likely to be missed. Next she tossed out blinding powder at the Goblin that had been hit by his companion.

He shouted grabbing at his eyes. The motion sending him into the sea below.

"What happened to..." The female said just before Fox ambushed the last remaining male Goblin. It was a mere twirl of the blades, and he followed his friend into the waters below. The only difference was he was never going to swim out again.

"Artixex!" The Goblin screamed before swinging her hammer at Fox.

Fox swung to the side to avoid the attack, and then back into striking distance. Wrapping one leg in the rope to keep her up. The blades of her dagger striking the Goblin hard.

The Goblin screamed out, clearly realizing her end was at hand if she remained so close to the rogue. She slammed her hand onto the drill and started the bit spinning.

Fox was sprayed with saw dust as the Goblin struggled to climb higher on to the ship. "Oh no. no. no. no." Fox reached over and tried working the controls. It was a valiant effort that only cause the drill to scream in response and work faster. "I hate Goblins!" She shouted as she struggled to get out one of Sully's wee bombs. Latching it to the drill and setting the trigger. Hopefully that would stop the damn device.

Fox looked upward. Then headed after the female Goblin as fast as her arms could take her. Just as she managed to reach the Goblin's ankle, Sully's bomb detonated. The entire ship rocked with the force of it. A great column of water cresting against the side. Fox, Goblin in hand, was flung into the air. The only thought she could form just before the stinging slap of the water was, "That was a wee bomb, Sully? Really?"

The female Goblin floundered trying to get away. Fox looked back and realized the Goblin she had stunned was surely dead from the explosion. The Alliance craft was floundering and on fire. Clamping her hand over her mouth, Fox realized she had just sank one of her own. Turning she saw the female Goblin. One push through the water brought Fox close enough to finish her.

Frantic, Fox spun around scanning for the one she had blinded. No one could know what had happened. If Shaw had such a fit over bandages, she would hate to see what the combined power of Shaw, Admiral Taylor, and Sky Admiral Rogers would rain down on her for the loss of an entire Alliance war ship. Should they ever discover what had happened, Fox shook visibly at the thought.

The sole surviving Goblin was crawling out of the surf and collapsed on the beach. Fox moved with great speed after him. He might had escaped into the underbrush if he had kept moving.

It was over an hour later when Fox moved into Domination Point. Slipping past the Horde patrolling the entry gates. The Goblin machines were destroyed as Sky Admiral Rogers wished. She had replaced the bombs with dog tags. Stomach rolling as it had been. The loss of good Alliance soldiers put her in a good mind set for rescuing the Skyfire's Tinkmaster Overspark. She had no idea what he had been doing off the Skyfire and away from the safety of an armed escort. There was probably no way she would ever know. The simple result was she had to get him back. The Alliance's most powerful ship would be in desperate straights without him.

Lucky for Fox the Horde had not decided to detain Overspark in the main keep. Instead he was being held in a little yard within the enemy's gates. There were two guards on duty. One seemed to have a bit of wander lust, because he would path back and forth between the other guards at the keep doors and his post. Unfortunately when he wandered back this time, the body of his fellow guard was lying in the dust, and the Gnome was gone.

Fox was able to shroud her charge right out the front gates. Making her somewhat suspicious that the little Tinkmaster had been through this before. The shroud dropped while they were along the beach. Moving up the coast to where they could meet up with a rescue flying machine.

Fox stopped and scanned the area. Nothing was amiss, but in her years of experience she knew better then to ignore the obvious, and this area was prime for an ambush. The Gnome moved off a ways in front of her before looking back.

"Are you coming, Fox? The remote for the rescue craft is just ahead." Overspark turned to her impatiently.

"Sorry. I was just being over cautious." Even as she said the word she spied movement closer to her then she would have liked. There was no time to react.

The sharp pain blinded Fox as a dagger slashed across her right side. The Blood Elf's stealth faded as he pulled his weapon free. The blade now coated in blood, prepared to plunge down again. He didn't get the chance to complete his move. Fox's elbow rose and slammed into his face. The perfect symmetry of his nose would certainly never be the same again.

Fox rolled to the side to create some distance between her and a very real threat. Coming up she watched her rival dip into a fighting stance. It was clear this one meant business. He was after blood, and every rogue knew first strike always gave the best advantage.

Fox felt the sting of poison entering her blood. She growled low and clasped her side. A dagger was thrown, and it creased across her right thigh. The leather splitting open as more blood was drawn.

The Blood Elf beckoned her. The toying laughter ringing in her ears. The mocking tone brought out her anger. Lifting dark eyes to fix on the Blood Elf the words came soft, "You underestimate me." She knew he could not understand her language. But he would understand their combat. She disappeared from sight. Ready to get their conversation underway.

Overspark, who she had been escorting, started panicking. Believing he had been abandoned to his own devices. That had not served him well in the past. How else had he ended up a prisoner of war? The little hands rising over his head as he cowered backwards.

The Blood Elf was experienced enough to know otherwise. He tried to move into the shadows, but the cheap shot hit him hard. He stood stunned under the assault. Fox evaporated into thin air to appear again from another side. Each appearance driving both her blades into vital points. He shouted out before dropping to the ground before her.

Fox watched him with cold eyes. She felt little as she watched her poisons over taking him. Kneeling down she looked over his soon to be corpse. Bravado was only to be used when no other option, and skill was not in factor. Obviously no one had told this one that.

"I will not say we did not start the battle here. But you are the one who picked the fight with me, and I ended it. Enjoy the Twisted Nether." The pain of her wound made it hard for Fox to stand back up. It would ache for days thanks to the poison he had chosen. For that she spit on him before looking over at the little Gnome. "There will be more of his ilk along soon. I suggest we get a move on."

"Y-yes. Ma'am!" The little fellow turned to rush toward the flying machine remote was hidden.

Once back on board the Skyfire, Fox turned to make her way to the portal back to Lion's Landing. Now she wanted a shower, possibly some food, and then her bed. Only she was halted by Sky Admiral Rogers.

"I am sorry to inform you, but word has arrived from Lion's Landing. Admiral Taylor reported that Timeless Isle is rumored to have been hit by the same storm that we endured last night. I think it would be best if you head over there and check out how Prince Anduin is doing before reporting back to Taylor."

That was not a suggestion, and Fox knew it. She felt her eyes twitch, and she had less then pleasant thoughts fill her mind. Drawing a deep breath she saluted the superior officer, "Yes, Sky Admiral. I will head over there immediately."

LONG Author Note here:

Feel free to skip.

I want to thank you for the good advice and motivation in the reviews I got.

The next thing I would like to do is share a bit about why I am writing this. When I first did the Lion's Landing quest, it was on my main, a warlock. I saw Varian rolling up on shore and thought, "Why are you here? Andiun is already, and poor Bolvar is lost to us. So WHO is running this army? Seriously Varian, do you remember the last time you left Stormwind? Let me think... Katrana Prestor ring any bells? Go HOME before something happens and Blizzard makes the line of Stormwind's Kings unrestored." Then on principal, I refused to do anymore of the questline. Some glimmer of hope the King would magically see reason and go home where it was safe. At least until Anduin came to his senses and was back behind the Stormwind walls as well.

Upon later reflection, (standing on my lowbie monk watching the horde beat Varian to death in one of the best coordinated world raid I have ever bore witness too) I see why Blizzard felt compelled to move Anduin to where he can't witness his father being brutally downed.

My lack of compliance to Blizzard's ironclad storyline, led to Varian popping up next to me randomly when I decided to get a fish or five million for Nat Pagle. I really wanted Nat to like me.

Sadly this arrangement came to a swift end, when I realized there was a new gryphon mount to be had. I admit it! Pretty Gryphons, I can take with me everywhere ( greater than sign ) King of Stormwind. I made the announcement in guild that poor Varian was going to be so sad, since no one would be taking him fishing anymore.

A close friend of mine told me to use one of my alt, and recommended my paladin. Seeing as she (my paladin) was being retired, by way of a 15 dollar service fee, so that her "brother" a far better looking shiny man, could take her place. I decided not to use her. No reason for Varian to be traumatized and abandoned by fate yet again. Not that I would believe for one moment he wasn't happy beyond words to get rid of the warlock.

Looking over my list I saw Crimsonfox. She was from classic vanilla, fully leveled, doing nothing of note. Aside scavenging turtles on timeless, and farming Molten Core (with MC Raiders song by Myndflame playing in the background) and Blackwing Lair for the Bloodfang set. Despite having the THUNDERFURY, BLESSED BLADE of the WINDSEEKER! She still cannot punch Ragnaros hard enough in the face to get her pants to drop. I have stopped counting her efforts long ago. Although it has been suggested, by said guild, to try killing the Firelord without her pants on in an attempt to extract some sort of pity from WoW. I keep forgetting to try that strategy. She has, however, managed to two shot a fully geared raid ret pally when mind controlled by Victor Nefarious. She was mind controlled, that is my story and I am sticking to it.

So you can call me the Mathais Shaw of the story. I looked for the best agent I had available and gave her the job of fishing with Varian Wyrnn. Then ideas just started to flow. Terribly humorous plot bunnies! I had to do something about them, and began taking notes. That lead to doing my homework on WoW Lore. Trying to gauge the time line of Varian's life is like putting a puzzle together with half it's pieces missing. I have even bought the comics of his time as Lo'gosh. Devoured what I can find on line, and just snagged a copy of Wolfheart.

So anyone care to tell me how old he was when Stormwind fell? It's going to be important in determining how old Fox is. Because I do have a back story for her, but I want it to flow reasonably with cannon.

And yes, I do need a beta. My old one went to college and got a job(s). Can you believe the nerve of some people! Food and housing over an eventful fantasy life.

Anyway, Thanks for much for the reads and support in this madcap adventure.