Author Notes: Sorry this took so damn long people, i've been having a pretty rough spout of the writer's block and it's taken a toll. Anyhow there aren't many chapters left for this one, if there's a particular fic you'd like to seen summed up after this i'm open to suggestions i've got quite a few i need to finish in the long run. Anyhow, enjoy the chapter, and I'll return......hopefully shortly......with the next chapter...
The Footsteps in the Darkness ~ SkullFox
Chapter 14…
It had taken Krystal hours to explain to the crew who the animal with her was. Luckily Vixy had decided to help her, as did the animal that she had at some point decided to call Fox, to keep from calling him "you" all the time. She figured it was a good idea to allow him to roam about the ship too. After all she was certain that there was nothing particularly deadly about him. It had been several days since she'd told everyone the truth, and though they seemed to accept it quickly enough, something else bothered them all…
"Then who the hell is this?" Creed asked looking to Jade, who'd been cuffed and now sat in a nearby chair.
Krystal looked to the vixen taking a seat before her and stared her in the eyes. "Well?" she asked, "You've only got two options, tell us or I go into your mind and get the information myself," she said, "You came after Fox. If that's the case you must know who I am."
The bright red-furred vixen sighed, "I know who you are…Kursed," she replied, "There was a point when I actually looked up to you."
"Why were you trying to kill Fox?" Krystal asked.
"What the hell do you care?" Jade snapped, "If you're with him then you don't give a shit how many innocent people he kills, do you?"
The brunt of what Jade had clearly been through was instantly clear to Krystal. The thing that had taken over Fox's body, had obviously done something to her. As this fact worked through Krystal's mind, she sighed…
"Vixy…Fox…you two stay here," she said turning to the group, "Everyone else leave. I think she needs to hear the truth too."
Krystal watched as the crew left the room…afterward she turned back to the restrained vixen in her seat…
"Vixy…" she said, "Let her go. I want her to realize that we don't want to hurt her."
As soon as her cuffs were off the vixen began to bolt upright after Fox only to have Krystal step in her way…
"I will tell you what happened…" she said, "But, this is not the animal that attacked you."
A light paw touched the blue-furred vixen's arm pushing her to the side. "No…" Fox said, "I…remember you. Vaguely. You were there, when he came out," he said, "He took everything from you. I remember hearing her screaming your name…"
By now Jade's eyes were filled with tears. "Her name was Eva you son of a bitch."
The image of Fox took a leery step before sitting down. "I tried to stop him…but, he was too strong," he said reaching to Krystal's blaster and pushing it across the table, "You can shoot me if it will console you. Not that it will do you any good."
In an instant, the vixen whipped the blaster up aiming it at his face…the blue phase of light plowed through the animal's skull. However, as she feared, the side of the vulpine's face fragmented into what appeared to be some sort of light smoke that seemed to slowly rematerialize the animal's face…
"I'd gladly give you my life if I could," he said, "It would be little consolation for what we've done."
Krystal sighed. "Look, there's a lot more to this situation that you don't understand," she said, "So here's the deal. You tell me why it is you want him dead, and I'll tell you why this isn't the animal you're looking for."
Though mostly out of morbid curiosity for the vixen's explanation, Jade took her eyes off of Fox and looked Krystal in the eyes, and slowly began to tell her how the animal had ruined her entire life…
***
Corneria City…
Compound 41, military storage facility…
***
The building was always heavily guarded, even now with civil unrest caused by the invading Omni troops that layered the streets. The particular facility, was the resting place for the sword that Krystal had left under Vanity's protection. Every door was triple coded, meaning a registered palm, voice, and 16-digit key were all needed to get inside. The two guards that stood by the door lay on the ground, smoke rising from their bodies as a small arch of electricity skipped from one body to the next traveling across their gear in a serpentine fashion. Standing by the lock now were two animals; one a rather tall, black furred vulpine. It was odd enough to find an animal like him, as foxes weren't exactly known to come in dark colors like his. Next to him stood a young dark reddish-brown furred otter…
The otter sighed looking at the lock. "Hmmm…" he mused, "What'cha think Drayvn?"
The dark-furred vulpine sighed looking over the system, "Your call Maxx," he replied in a low raspy voice, "I can blow the door, if you can take out security."
Maxx chuckled as a stream of electricity moved up his defined arm, before crackling back down, pulsating from his gloved fist up to his shoulder. He opened his paw placing his palm on the palm pad. The surge of electricity shot from his arm, and the area was instantly filled with the smell of burning wire and scorched computer chips. After receiving a nod from Maxx, Drayvn's arms both burst into flames causing the sleeves of his long black coat to disintegrate under the flames' intense heat. The blast that shot from his fist as he struck the door caused Maxx to cover his eyes turning his head away. The door instantly burst from its place, several large shards of the blast door flipping into the large room. He had to admit that having someone like Maxx with him in such a technological age was handy. He didn't know how to explain how the young otter could generate electricity from his body, but he hardly cared being able to generate fire from his own. It was comforting enough just knowing he wasn't the only freak in the universe…
The two walked into he warehouse where the military stored things that could be considered harmful to a planet, or just outright dangerous to anyone near it. As they looked around though, something caught Drayvn's eye bringing him to stand before a large sword behind a thick glass case…
"Maxx…" he called his partner over, "How much you think this one's worth?"
The otter marveled at the large weapon as Drayvn rested his paw on the glass causing it to slowly shift to a red-hot glow as it melted away from the stand. "Damn thing looks ancient."
"Yeah…" Drayvn smiled holding the sword. "Bet it's worth a fortune too. They only store weapons in this hangar…weapons and unknown tech," he said, "This should feed us for a while. Lets get the fuck outta here before those guards come too."
As the two exited the warehouse, little did they know there was a stalker in the shadows. An unseen animal watched them as it drew a small communicator up to its face…
"This is X," it said, "The target is in motion. Someone beat me to the sword."
"Let me make this perfectly clear…" a familiar voice came back, "I want that blade. I don't care how you get it, just get it."
The stalking animal sighed as it watched Drayvn and Maxx disappear from sight. "The two that have it are very odd, one makes fire from his body, the other can apparently create an electrocuting charge from his," he said, "They are unique."
There was a pause. "A Pyrokinetic you say?" the voice on the other end of the line replied, "Hmmm…get the blade, but do not kill them X…they may be of use to me. Get all the information on these two that you can."
"Yes sir," the stalker replied, "X out."
With that the creature vanished into the shadows, stalking the two friends as closely as possible without being spotted…
***
The Nemesis…
***
Jade sat there in stunned shock. None of what Krystal said made any sense, and yet now that she bothered to do so, when she looked into the chestnut-furred vulpine's eyes, she could instantly tell that it was not the same animal that had taken Eva and John from her…
"This…can't be true," the vixen said shaking her head, "No. Thing's like this just don't happen. You're telling me that at any point there is a thing like that in every person alive?"
Fox nodded. "Yes. Even if you deny it, that will not make it any less true," he said, "That thing that attacked your friends, was in a sense pure evil. Every bit of darkness that has ever existed within Fox McCloud, now exists within that creature. I have seen how it is you all perceive true evil, but in truth the only true evil that exists in the universe, exists within the hearts and souls of all living things."
Jade thought for a moment. "You're lying…I watched what happened. I was there."
"You were there…" Fox said, "But, Fox McCloud was not," he said, "I can see the conflict in your eyes; you know that I speak the truth, and yet you refuse to believe it. Loss can blind us to the truth. Right now your anger is blinding your judgment," he said, "So answer me this…what would you have done…had I attacked you in your condition?"
The crimson-furred vixen gasped. She'd been so caught up in everything that she'd completely neglected the fact that she was pregnant. Her child's safety had never even crossed her mind, until now. She held her paws over her mouth, trying to physically hold back the sobs that came with realizing what she could have done. Krystal thought for a moment as the vixen sat there silently crying to herself…
"What's going on?"
Fox looked to the blue-furred vixen. "Surely you can see it," he said looking to the crying vixen, "Her eyes, they carry a certain spark. Can you not feel the life radiating from her?"
Krystal thought for a moment as she looked the vixen over, and watched her paw lay on her stomach. It was all brought to her, clearly and painfully so. This vixen was pregnant. She'd been so caught up in revenge that she hadn't even paid any attention to the fact that her actions could have cost her the life of her own unborn child…
Krystal lay a paw on the vixen's shoulder, "Listen…" she said turning to Fox, "Why don't you look around the ship or something? She's gonna need some time alone. She needs to sort this all out, and if you can find her please send Vixy in here for me."
Krystal wasn't sure what she could do for this stranger. She'd only just met her, but in some small way she felt responsible for what happened to her. Her lover, her sister, and her best friend were all taken from her by Fox's evil side…how could she possibly make her think that it would all be alright? Especially knowing that she'd been putting an unborn kit's life in danger in the name of revenge. She didn't know, but she could only hope that somehow, Vixy would know the answers…
***
Not Too Far Away…
***
On a small moon rounding the massive planet of Titania, a couple of young echidnas walked along a beach until something caught their eyes. Something was burning in the small moon's atmosphere. They awed and gawked at the burning ball of fire as it sped toward the soil growing ever larger as it fell. A roaring boom sounded causing the ground under their feet to shake violently, the female of the two strongly holding onto her male friend to keep from falling. The two, mainly out of curiosity, slowly made their way toward the object that had impacted the ground no more than a few hundred yards from their location. As they noticed that it was an escape pod of some kind, the young male of the two rushed over to a fallen vulpine…
"David, be careful," his female companion called.
The young echidna turned back to her, "Come on this guy could really be hurt," he replied kneeling beside the fallen fox.
Suddenly the vulpine began to shift and slowly sat up. David attempted to help him, but quickly let out a howling scream of pain that caused his friend to cover her ears. She watched as David fell to the ground, his fresh blood dripping from the vulpine's right paw. Without delay the young female's instincts took over, and she quickly turned rushing off toward the city. There was a thin patch of wooded area between the beach and the city, but she knew her way well enough. The branches swiped at her face gouging small cuts into her muzzle and cheeks, but she kept running until her foot caught something causing her to fall to the ground. She quickly looked behind her in fear, only to see that the animal was no longer behind her. She slowly stood up, and began to quietly back step away, until she decided she'd run again. However, something heavy struck her causing her to fall down again. She panicked at the first sight of the blood that covered her white shirt, only to realize that it wasn't her own. As her eyes fixated on the object she'd run into her paws instantly covered her mouth to keep her from screaming as the tears rolled down her face. David's lifeless body lightly swayed from a tree branch, the rope around his neck being pulled from a hole punched in his abdomen. Withholding her need to scream, and vomit, the young Echidna slowly stepped her way around the body. However as she turned to run, the same vulpine from the crash stood before her. Her shock causing her to stumble back into David's body falling to the ground again, the fox slowly approached her with a sick smile on his face. Her last scream, shrill and full of pain, fell only upon the ears of the nearby birds, which flew frightened from their perches among the trees…
***
The Nemesis…
***
Randy sat in his room. He sighed as he looked to the training equipment that lay around the room. His ribs were still banged up pretty badly. Though it confused them as to why, he refused to let Krystal heal his injuries beyond what Terya had. He didn't sweat it though, he'd always been a quick healer. He wasn't certain what was going to happen now. He'd spilled his guts to Krystal. He felt she as a captain had a need to know that he'd worked for Omni before. However, that wasn't the most of why he felt so bad…he had taken out his frustration on Mika. She'd heard him talking to Terya, but he knew she meant nothing by it. After all if anyone knew about being in the right place at the wrong time it was he. His entire life had been nothing but a massive test of trial and error. He rolled over and sat up, though to his ribs' great disapproval. It was discerning to him that he was all but healed, spare for his severely bruised ribs. He stood up slowly, making his way to a metal footlocker and going through its contents. What he retrieved was a small dagger, shaped much like his sword was. It was hidden behind a navy blue scabbard, with a long tassel hanging from its pommel, its handle wrapped in dark blue cording. Holding the small weapon brought back memories, some of which bothered him deeply…
He hadn't realized how late at night it was when he tucked it into the waist of his pants and walked out into the halls. He wondered to himself why it was that being so cross with the minx bothered him the way it did, but there was something that told him to go and apologize. Worst case being, that apology wasn't something he practiced on a regular schedule. He slowly worked his way through the halls, stopping after getting off the lift, to hold his hand over his ribs for a moment with a hiss of pain, before he stood up and headed out. His trail led him to the pale minx's room, only to find that she wasn't there. He sighed…
"MIA…" he said, "Where is Mika?" He chuckled to himself. "Damn, subtract the 'K' you get Mia, add one get Mika…creepy."
There was a light beep. "Miss Mika is currently located in the ship's docking bay."
The human sighed before slowly walking off in the direction of the docking bay…he wasn't sure what it was he was going to say, but as he walked into the docking bay he noticed there was a white tail swaying back and forth under an Arwing. Randy maintained his silence as he could hear something echoing from beneath the craft. She was singing, very lightly, almost making it impossible for him to hear it. However, he found himself listening quietly to the tune she carried, before the rolling board she lay on slid back from beneath the ship. Mika paused as she sat up. He'd gotten so angry at her for listening in on him, and here he was doing the same to her. Randy slowly looked toward the small row of Keizers that stood dormant at the other end of the docking bay.
"You…have a gift…" he said, "Viv loved to sing."
"Who?" Mika asked.
"Vivian…" he replied, "My…well…she was gonna be."
Mika froze. "Oh…the one Victor…?"
"Yeah…" he replied, "Listen…I…" he seemed to hesitate, "I was hard on you before. I really shouldn't have taken anything out on you just because I was feeling like shit."
Mika sighed. "Hey we all have the prerogative to be a bitch every once in a while," she replied, "I probably deserved it after what I said in the Sick Bay," she said, "The Cerinians wanted to thank you before Krystal sent them to a safe place."
Randy chuckled. "Nah, I'm no good with good byes."
"Ah…" she replied.
Randy suddenly tossed her the small dagger. "Here…" he said, "I was never very good at apologies. It's a short sword…sort of like that big one I carry around…it's called a Kodachi."
Mika chuckled as she pulled the slightly long weapon from its scabbard. "Ah I see…Odachi, Kodachi…they go together."
Randy chuckled. "Yeah…sort of," he said, "What's with the ship? Didn't have you pegged for a gear head like Alex."
Mika set the weapon aside for the moment. "I'm not…I know the basics though. What goes where, refueling, system analysis…I can keep the ship from going out on me, that's about it. Jacob was our maintenance guy…but, that's something I'd rather not talk about."
Randy slowly walked toward the small ship. "Hmmm…you a good pilot?" he asked.
"I like to think my skills are a shot above average," the minx explained, "So what do you expect me to do with that blade you gave me?"
"Your call…" Randy replied. "It's your sword," he said, "But, I do owe you an apology so…if you want I can teach you."
"Hmm…" Mika mused, "I'll think about it," she said sliding the knife into her beltline.
Randy sighed. "Look…" he said, "I…" The human hesitated for a moment. "Forget it, I think I've caused you enough trouble," he said starting toward the door.
"No, no, no…" Mika said rushing over and grabbing him by the arm, "I'll be the one to say when I've had enough trouble. You're about to do something stupid aren't you?"
Randy sighed. "Did Krystal tell you yet?"
"You mean the thing with your old employer?"
Randy sighed. "I'll take that as a yes," he said sliding his fingertips across the metal surface of the fighter's wing, "I left some things out," he said, "I have been to several of Omni's complexes, and I have a few connections on the inside, people I'd rather not see get hurt. I got a hold of one of these people. She thinks Jay is being held in a place they called Compound Kappa," he said, "It's apparently located on this small planet in Stygian, on the surface of a lake."
Mika's eyes widened. "You were going to go there alone weren't you? In that condition?"
"I'm a fast healer," he replied, "But…I was sent something. It's an ID tag to a new person on Omni's payroll, a mechanic. Only problem is, it's a female Lylatian that they're expecting."
"Wait a minute…" she said, "Are you asking me to help you?" she asked, "Jeff said you never ask for help."
"I don't…" he replied, "I'm asking that you help us. Jay is the only person that can possibly shut down those Halos they're using to control the Keizers. You all have enough problems with that Fox guy run'n around killing people all over the place. I can't let Krystal try handling all of this at once or someone's gonna end up dead."
Mika sighed. "Fine…count me in…when do we leave?"
"Tomorrow…" Randy replied, "Alex is going to teach you everything he knows about the primary type of ship they'll expect you to know about. How good's your memory?"
Mika smiled. "Pretty fucking good actually…better than most people my age anyhow."
Randy scoffed, "Good…" he said, "Alex is usually hanging around here someplace. Just tell him you're on board and he'll know what you're talking about."
"You know this is insane right?" Mika asked, "What makes you think your informant isn't really working for Omni?"
Randy chuckled. "Who said she didn't?" he asked, "I never work for anyone I don't have an inside look on. Omni was no exception. Miranda has been working there for years. I had to let her think I was dead when I disappeared, but when Victor killed my family I really did need to disappear. Miranda is the one that helped me do so," he said, "If I can't trust her…I can't trust anyone."
The minx sighed as he walked away. "What if Krystal comes after us?"
Randy just kept walking. "Trust me, she won't," he said, "She's too concerned about Fox to bother with Omni right now. She may say otherwise, but once she hears something about him, she'll drop everything to get to him."
"How do you know that?" Mika asked.
"I've been living it for over five years…"
Mika wasn't sure if what she was doing was right. There was something that told her this was going to end badly, but she was certain that she could handle it. Randy had proven that he could sneak around better than just about anyone she'd ever seen before. She was sure now that he'd never intend to leave her behind. She knew that he'd get in and out long before she would ever get caught…
***
Fox sat by. He'd done nothing but think and ponder, not only what was going to happen to his friends and himself, but he found himself…oddly enough, also contemplating his existence, along with that of every animal in the Lylat system, the system itself, even this horribly strange place he sat in now. The burning flame that danced in the center of this nothingness was his only sense of something other than himself. Adreus seemed to come and go like an evening breeze, fading in and out of existence. She had told him that he needed to think about everything to understand the truth. He needed to contemplate on his friends and mainly on himself. As he sat there waving his paw back and forth through the flame, he wondered why it was that he could openly touch it, and this dark entity that was born from his body could not. Maybe there was something more to all of this that he was overlooking, something more than Adreus could tell him, something he'd have to discover on his own. With a deep breath the vulpine closed his eyes and slowly allowed himself to fade into a state of pure conscious thought. He plowed through his memories one at a time, slowly picking them apart to determine what may or may not have been important about each experience. There had to be a reason Adreus had told him to search himself before others…
It was as he did this that one particular memory stood out the most. He could see the entire scene frozen before him. He looked to his own body, frozen in time, pinned to the wall like some sort of sick tapestry. The sword driven through his body belonging to the blue-furred vulpine that stood there staring at him. Fox moved around the area a bit, he could see Creed in the distance grappling with the large Argonian, Sydney, while Krystal stood by watching what was happening…she had already been hit and was laying on the metal ground watching the events unfold. Suddenly, the large ship behind him crumbled, like it was being stepped on by something many times larger than any Red Eye. It was as this happened that he noticed, at that very moment the eyes of the frozen image of himself against the wall were now open. He could now see what the others saw in his eyes. There was no white, no green, they were a familiar blue color. At least it felt familiar, he had no idea where, but he was certain he'd had this feeling before. He suddenly recalled that his last actual memory of the event was exactly the moment before the point in time this scene was now perpetually frozen in…
Suddenly a familiar voice caused the vulpine to jump, "For those of us who can find contact with the Light inside of us…" He turned to see that Adreus was somehow there in his mind with him. "They find themselves capable of grand things."
"Wait…" Fox said, "This is my mind. How the hell did you get in here?"
Adreus chuckled. "You will find that my power over the mind is much different than your mate's. I promise not to wander or roam about while visiting."
Fox sighed as he turned away and walked toward the vision of himself that was still held to the wall. "I kind of remember this. Are you saying, that I really did destroy Beta Complex?"
"Yes," Adreus replied, "Though at the time you were not fully aware of your actions. Your need to defend that vixen…" she said looking to Krystal, "outweighed everything. Your undying love for her, combined with your brush with death brought on by this one…" she said looking to Syler, "seemed to be enough to push you far closer to the Light inside yourself than any other living creature has ever gotten before you."
Fox thought about the vixen's words as he looked onto himself, and his burning blue eyes. "When I was hanging there…" he said, "I…I felt this strange cold, and all I saw after that was this bright light. It wasn't like near death experiences that I've had before, when I was surrounded by nothing but darkness. Adreus, was that light…"
Adreus smiled. "Yes. That was your Spark of Life, quite possibly at that moment burning much brighter and stronger than ever before," she said, "The Spark is the essence of what all creatures draw life and energy from. If you could learn to find that light inside of yourself, and harness it, you could tap into an energy source many times more powerful then what you did here…"
As she said this the scene suddenly shifted as Fox's mind wandered. This was not the only time he'd felt this way. He and Adreus now found themselves standing on Fichina, where Voss had died defending Fox. The moment frozen in time held Fox, leaning over the young vulpine as Arlex looked on…
"It happened here too…" he said, "But this time was different. It wasn't like before. I wasn't trying to protect someone, I wanted Arlex to suffer, to die for what he'd done. I couldn't stand the thought of telling Krystal about her brother," he said, "Adreus, why was this time so different? Creed said it looked like the atmosphere of he planet was trying to tear itself apart."
As Fox said this he looked to the sky. Frozen in time was a swirl of black clouds that rained lighting like raindrops. It looked to him like a vortex straight out of hell…
"This is what happens when two opposing forces of nature collide…" Adreus replied, "This is why we must not allow The Light, and The Darkness to meet. Their collision will cause nature itself to go into a convulsive fit. Waters will rise, land will die, skies will rain down vengeance, nature will slowly tear itself asunder. At the time this happened, you should simply be happy that the Darkness was interested in you as a host at the time. Had it selected anyone else, none of this would ever have happened."
"What are you talking about?" Fox asked.
Adreus lay her paw on Arlex's shoulder, where he stood frozen in the time of Fox's mind. "Arlex was taken over by the Darkness within himself with the help of the shard…" she said, "You however, you have touched the Light," she said stepping toward him and holding his paws in hers looking at his palms, "These paws, have held the Light. You have touched something that no other living being in the entire history of existence has touched. The very force of life itself. Your actions from the day you were old enough to think for yourself, were never of yourself, rather, your thoughts have always been of others. Your self-sacrificing nature is what brought you to the pivotal happening…"
Fox thought for a moment. "Pivotal in what?"
"Existence…" Adreus replied fading into thin air, "You must find a way. Find that place within yourself, the place where your true self lies. That place that you have gone to before. But remember, that in the possession of animals like the one you see here…" her voice said drawing Fox's eyes to the twisted expression of pure hatred on his frozen form's face, "There can be dire consequences."
Fox thought deeply as he looked to that expression that was on his face when this happened. He couldn't recognize himself at all, the animal he saw here was ravenous, bloodthirsty, and vicious. It wasn't him at all. He thought for a moment on what Adreus had said. Perhaps the fact was that, unlike the fist time he'd found this strength, here in his fight with Arlex, he had no love in his heart, only a bitter, twisted rage that drove him on. It was as he thought about this that he slowly opened his eyes and was back, staring at the eternally burning flames that spread life to the creatures of the universe, and the small embers that floated off away from it. He couldn't help but wonder which ones that returned were people he knew, if one of them might be Krystal, or a member of his crew returning home. He prayed that none of them would come to see him anytime soon, and that soon enough he would find himself home, in Krystal's arms, where he belonged…
***
The Nemesis…
***
Silver wandered about the ship's halls. He was amazed that after so long of being in a relationship with Roxy, it made him very uneasy being anywhere without her. Even right now, when he knew where she was. He found it odd, but at the same time strangely comforting. He stopped, to look out a small port window into the dead of space. The sight of the stars that littered the scene often made him think about everything that had led him to this point in his life. He knew he could never actually be a normal animal like the others, there was hardly anything normal about him at all. The silver-furred vulpine's mind slowly fell off track however, eventually spanning off to the animal he'd fought aboard the Omni ship on Titania. She was in every way the very same as him, even her blood. He sighed as he thought about it. He was going to kill her, but, something stopped him. Her eyes were purely innocent, it was as if she had no bearing to what she was doing at all. Was there a way of changing her? A way of waking her up from Omni's hold? Or was she being held at all?
***
Undisclosed Location…
***
The platinum-furred vixen sat in a metal chair. It was uncomfortable and cold, with wires and hoses hooked to her body. A small panel that hung from the side of the chair's headrest gave a nearby scientist, a young brown furred ape, a scope on the extent of her injuries after her fight with Silver. It was as he checked over her progression that a deep voice came through the PA system…
"How are things looking doctor?" the voice asked.
The ape sighed. "Well, sir," he replied, "Her vitals are clear and healthy…she seems to have suffered a mild concussion. Number 13 was our only perfect success, sir. She is the closest we have had to a second success, and that was only by using what DNA we were able to acquire from 13 himself. He nearly fractured her skull with a single kick, and that was done with her helmet still on. Had she not been wearing it at the moment, the strike would have clearly killed her."
"Then why hasn't she recovered yet?" the boss growled over the PA speakers.
The doctor cringed a bit. "W-well…sir, there is no definitive reason she should not be fully functional, and ready to be sent out."
"Is she awake?"
The doctor sighed looking into the vixen's eyes as she blinked. "Yes. She is…she is simply non-responsive. Almost as if she were in a trance, or deep thought…"
"But…don't you regulate her thoughts doctor?"
The ape sighed as he turned away from her. "Yes sir. However, it seems that either she is blocking out our regulators, or it is possible that 13's assault on her damaged some of her implants."
"Doctor?" A light voice suddenly caught his attention.
The ape looked to the vixen. "Sir…may I report my findings to you once I finish here?"
The voice over the PA sighed. "Very well…I need to check in on X anyhow. Just make it quick."
There was a slight sound telling the doctor that the PA was being turned off. "Eve?" he said, "Are you well?"
The vixen seemed to stay perfectly still. "Doctor…who was that animal that I was ordered to kill?"
"A failed experiment…" the doctor replied, "He was trying to destroy the company."
"Why?" Eve asked.
The doctor was stunned, the specimen was never meant to be curious. "I do not know," he said, "Why do you ask?"
Eve looked down at the floor. "His eyes…were familiar."
"My dear, the eyes of an animal can tell you nothing," he replied, "Do you feel adequate to move about on your own?"
"Yes doctor," Eve replied.
The ape removed the equipment from her body. "Then allow me to get your clothing. I am afraid you would distract a great deal of men were you to walk about the ship wearing only your fur."
"Yes doctor."
As the ape left the room the young vixen looked into a nearby mirror that hung on the wall of the almost empty room. Something was familiar about his eyes. She saw them every time she looked into a mirror, even though she saw them very rarely. She remembered something from her fight on the ship, the feeling of a small drop of water landing on her cheek. Her paw slowly went to her cheek. Why would he cry? What would make her enemy spare her life when she'd tried to kill him? And why did the doctor seem so frightened when she started asking questions? She looked to her body. Her fur was not much different than his, though as she cupped her paws over her breasts she realized that there were subtle differences between the fox she'd fought, and herself. This was the only time she'd ever bothered to notice the rather large swells on her chest. As the doctor wandered through the door he noticed she was examining herself…
"Something the matter Eve?"
Eve pressed her breasts together. "Doctor…I have never noticed before. What are these? Why do you not have them?"
The ape looked at her curiously, but he answered nonetheless, "Eve those are called breasts…and you have them because you are a female. Which I am of course, not."
She cocked her head lightly. "Breasts? What purpose do they serve?"
Again the doctor was partially speechless. "Well…most commonly they are used by a mother to nourish her young," he said handing the vixen her clothing, "Eve…why do suddenly find such odd things to ask questions about?"
Eve slowly began to put on her clothing. "I…do not know," she responded, "I simply felt that I would like to know what they were."
The ape looked away from the vixen for a moment. "Curiosity?" he whispered to himself, "Complex thoughts? Something is very wrong here," he said to himself, "Eve…did something happen to you when you fought 13?"
Eve thought for a moment. "He cried…doctor why did he not kill me?"
The doctor slowly stepped away from her. "I do not know, Eve. Why don't you get some rest for a bit? Can you make it to the lab?"
Eve stepped out of the chair. "Yes doctor," she replied heading out of the room.
The ape simply stood there in shock. She was never meant to do this, her systems were programmed differently that Silver's. The small computer in her brain used to regulate her thoughts was a simpler model, her only ability should have been to take orders and carry out commands…not formulate inquiries and complex thoughts. For some reason though she had begun to question her body, her sex; thoughts that were not unlike those of a young child. Suddenly the CEO's voice echoed into the room…
"Alright doctor…" the PA shouted at him, "What did you find?"
The doctor paused. Could he really tell the CEO the truth? Knowing what it was he would order be done to Eve?
"Well, sir," he replied, "She is still suffering some sort term damages, but she is up and about now. I sent her to the lab for a full systems check up."
"Excellent…" the voice shouted, "The first good news I've heard all day. Speaking of which I am sending you files on two very special people; Drayvn Dark, and Maximus Ureth. They could both make excellent specimens for the Psionics study your department is undergoing."
The doctor sighed. "Yes sir. That sounds wonderful…I would like to do more studies on Psionics outside of the Cerinian genome."
"Why is that?" the CEO asked.
"Well, sir. From what I have determined through my studies, the Cerinians are naturally predisposed to developing these abilities, it is written on their DNA. If we ever hope to recreate these abilities we need specimen outside of the Cerinian race as well, to deter the differences in their genetic structures."
There was a sigh. "Well keep I-36 on the ready," the CEO said, "X will bring in the two specimens as soon as he can."
"Yes sir. Thanks you sir."
As the voice faded the doctor left the room, he needed to get to Eve right away. He had no idea what had happened to her, but this would give him a chance to find out what it was that had gone wrong with 13 in the first place…
***
The Nemesis…
***
Krystal headed to the bridge to receive an emergency transmission. As soon as she set foot on the bridge she found that only Creed, Jane, and Jeff were there, all watching a hologram of a familiar black-furred feline…
"Hello General…" Krystal greeted her as she took her seat.
"Hello everyone," she replied with a smile, "I'll make this short. I need you to check out a disturbance we've gotten wind of on a small, colonized moon orbiting Titania called Kaleet. Apparently about six hours ago we got report that one of their cities was under attack…the signal was interrupted and so far we cannot get a signal back through."
Krystal sighed. "Omni then," she said matter-of-factly, "Rose I need you to keep an ear out for anything that sounds like Fox, while we're down there," she said, "How is Beltino by the way?"
Rose sighed. "Stubborn. He refuses to have his arm replaced with cybernetics. You'd figure someone so obsessed with science would be in a bit more of a hurry to get his arm back because of it."
"Now why are you sending us instead of a scouting team?" Krystal asked.
"I did…" Rose replied, "They never reported back. I called you as soon as I couldn't contact them."
Krystal sighed. "Alright…we're on our way then."
***
As Eve walked along the rooms, she picked up on things -- things she'd never noticed. It was as if she'd always been walking around with a shade pulled over her eyes. Everything seemed so new to her, and wherever she went on the base she found something new and interesting to examine. She wondered about things that she'd never noticed before, and wondered why she didn't realize before that the world around her was full of such wonderfully interesting things. People of all sorts roamed about the base. She spent a short while watching people whenever she'd see them whether in numbers or alone. She studied the way they moved, spoke, gestured, interacted…however, she wondered as she saw a young female squirrel smiling. She pondered the act for a moment, before finishing her trip to the lab. It was a solitude place, a few decks down from where she was…as she stood in the elevator a short time ago, she was half tempted to see where the other buttons would take her, but instead decided that it was best to listen to the Doctor's words and wait for him there. Her area of the lab was located behind a thick glass door. It wasn't long before the doctor entered the lab carrying a small clipboard…
The ape set down his clipboard and called Eve to sit down in a large metal chair, "Now…how are you feeling Eve?"
"I am…" She paused.
"What, do you not know how to respond?"
Eve looked to the doctor. "No…how should I feel?"
"Well do you feel unusual at all?"
Eve thought again for a moment. "My head hurts."
The doctor chuckled. "Of course it does…a concussion isn't something to laugh at dear."
As the doctor went about checking her over for a cause of her abnormal behavior, Eve looked to the doctor. "Doctor? In the halls…I saw an officer doing this…" she said smiling, "What does it mean?"
The ape looked at Eve and when he saw her bright smile fade back into her normal expressionless face he felt his heart sink, was what he'd done to this animal right? Just because she had no legitimate parents, did that give him the right to use her the way he had? He shook his head for a moment…
"That's called a smile, Eve," he replied, "People do that when they're happy."
Eve cocked her head to one side. "Happy?"
"Well yes," the doctor replied, "Um…it's…hmm. Emotions are very difficult to explain. There is a broad scope of things that can and cannot make you happy. Most people are happy just being accepted by others…for some it takes a bit more than that."
Eve looked to one side. "I do not understand."
"Well we made certain that you'd never have to deal with these emotions."
Eve sighed. "But I want feel them…" she said, "It makes my chest hurt when I think about it."
The doctor turned away from her for a moment. What she was explaining to him was sorrow, and if she was beginning to feel it, nothing was really to stop her from feeling anything else. He was convinced that something had happened during her fight with Silver…but, it made no sense, all of her systems checked out fine. Had she simply managed to overpower the chip that inhibited her mind?
"Eve…" the ape suddenly said, "There's something I'd like to show you, but, it will have to wait till morning, understand?"
The vixen simply nodded…
"Good…" the doctor replied rubbing her head, "Then you should get some rest…"
It had been the same since the day she was produced; the doctor was given full access to her and was completely responsible for her as well as her progress. He would remain in the room until he was certain she was asleep, and afterward would refer to his journal to document Eve's strange development…
***
Mika went over everything she needed to know. Alex was happy to teach her about the Keizers, they were his ambition, and he wanted to know everything humanly possible about the machines inside and out…and he was amazed at how well the young minx managed to memorize the different things she'd be required to do as a mechanic when she got to the complex. As Alex brought one of his dizzyingly detailed descriptions to an end, Mika glanced over toward where Randy had seated himself near the other end of the room. He was simply sitting there in a slouch, staring at something held between his thumb and forefinger. She tapped Alex's shoulder…
"Hey…what's he doing?" she asked tilting her head toward Randy, "He's been like that for over an hour."
Alex looked to the lonesome human and went back to work. "That's the only photo he has of her," he said, "I saw it once…so worn out and faded, you can barely even see her face anymore. Have to admit though…I see why he's always so upset…man she was pretty."
"He always looks so sad when he thinks about her," Mika pointed out, "Doesn't he have any happy memories of her?"
Alex sighed. "I'm sure he does…problem is he blames himself for her death. Something about her getting caught up in his bad karma, just because he thought he could run from his past or something," he said, "He tries to keep it all inside, but if you bottle something like that up, it's gonna build pressure, and eventually, it'll find an outlet. With Randy it's pretty much a downward spiral of depression…and anger."
Mika kept looking at Randy with a studying gaze. "What do you think he'll do if he ever kills this Victor person?"
Alex scoffed, "If?" he asked, "Listen…" He stood up patting her on the shoulder. "There is no 'if'. That man over there, would claw his way out of hell to get to Victor," he said wiping the oil from his hands, "It's just a matter of time before Randy gets what he wants. Then god only knows what he'll do…I just hope his memories don't make him do something stupid."
Mika turned to Alex as he walked toward a small bench. "What do you mean?"
Alex chuckled, shaking his head. "You don't see it do you?" he asked, "He's a lot more emotional a person than he attempts to let on. Once Victor is dead, his only thoughts are gonna be of her…and people tend to do stupid shit when they're depressed," he said taking a drink from a water bottle he had sitting by, "Believe it or not I honestly hope he never does get his hands on Victor."
Mika was a bit surprised. "Why? Don't you want your friend to be happy again?"
"Trust me…" Alex replied, "Nobody wants to see him happy more than we do," he said, "But…his hatred for Victor is pretty much the only thing keeping him going anymore. Without Victor to chase around, he's got no more reason to live."
Mika looked back to Randy. Sure he looked depressed, he'd lost the woman he loved, even Mika could respect that. She knew however what Alex was trying to say…were Randy to finish off Victor there was a strong chance that he'd kill himself shortly afterward. As Alex looked over some papers Mika slowly walked over to the lone human that was still staring at the photo in his hand. She couldn't bring herself to say anything however…
"Don't…" he half whispered.
Mika nearly jumped as suddenly as his voice came. "Don't what?"
"Tell me you know how I feel…" he replied, "Everybody tells me that they know, and they feel sorry for me, and everything will be better. I hate the people that say that…so just don't."
Mika sighed. "I wasn't going to," she said finding a seat beside him, though leaving a distance between them, "I've never really loved anyone…so there's no way I could possibly know how you feel. I can understand how you feel, but, there's no way I could actually know." There was a long silence that made the young minx feel rather uncomfortable until she remembered something. "So your offer still stand?" she asked, "You know…to teach me?" she said tapping the sword that leaned against the bench.
"I told you it was your choice." Mika was happy to hear a steady change in his voice. "I wanna warn you though, I've been told my training can be somewhat severe."
Mika chuckled. "You? Severe? Pah."
Randy sighed. "Well we'll have time for that on the way. We should take off sometime soon. I don't want Krystal realizing we're gone till the ship reaches Kaleet…she'd have us stopped in an instant."
"You're right," Mika replied, "I'll help Alex set up the transport."
Though they were aware that what they were doing was going directly against what Krystal would want them to do, having Jay with them would help the team in the long run…
***
The dark furred pyrokinetic and his friend Max made their way to Katina. Since there was much less fighting going on there, they were certain they could find a buyer for the strange weapon they'd recovered from Corneria. However, as the two headed out of the hanger they had landed in, a strange figure stepped out into their path…
"Hello boys."
The animal had light gray fur, and was wearing a strange white coat that nearly touched the ground. His hair was long and laying against his shoulders, as a strange weapon projected three long blades from his sleeves. Drayvn was amazed. He knew that Wolverines were from Stygian, but he had never seen one before. He knew they were strong, and violent, and this one was clearly trained to kill…
"What the hell do you want ugly?" the black-furred vulpine asked.
The young wolverine chuckled. "It would be helpful if the two of you would simply lay down whatever weapons you're carrying and come with me, but I sincerely doubt I'm that lucky," he said looking up to them exposing a large black X of fur on his face, "So why don't we just do this the fun way?"