Author's Notes: Okay, so, here's a fun little piece that has a little action, a little budding romance, and it's all building up to the excitement of the next chapter.
Also, Darius makes another appearance, and Miyu has to quickly learn how to handle everything she's missed up to this point.
Also, in the next chapter, we'll get more fun moments with Fara's AIA (Artifical Intelligence Avatar). My wife really seems to like the concept of the character, as well. Hooray! Validation! xD
In case you didn't know, my wife is the Star Fox FanFic writer from this site, named FaraPhoenix418. Go check out her old stories. They're lovely.
Okay, see you all soon, when I finish the 33rd chapter!
Oh! One last thing! How do you guys feel about the budding thing growing between Miyu and Panther? Thoughts? Feelings?
Chapter -32-
Team Krystal
Meteo Asteroid Belt…
Krystal lowered her head to her fighter's ramp, and casually glanced to her right, peering into the distance at Panther Caruso. He stood adjacent to the Cornerian prototype light fighter. She recalled Miyu referring to it as a scout, but, to Krystal, it looked like a very small interceptor class fighter.
She watched as Panther spoke to Miyu. His tail hung down, motionless, except for the very tip, which rhythmically flicked left and right at a leisurely pace. She knew his body language, which changed very little after several decades.
A wry grin tugged at the corner of her muzzle. "Oh, good heavens. He's already comfortable around her. That didn't take long."
She made her way up the ramp and paused again. Without a word, she placed a paw on the hull of her fighter, and continued to watch Panther stand over Miyu, pretending to show more interest in her fighter than her body.
Krystal perked her ears, unintentionally, and held her breath for a moment to try and zero-in on Miyu's thoughts.
From what Krystal could tell, Miyu was leery of Panther's advances, but it was the first time she'd received focused male attention in a long, long time. She already noticed that Panther's wandering eyes were careful and classy when enjoying the sight of her body, and not creepy or aggressive the way she was used to from men at the Pilot's Lounge, back at her posted base on Corneria.
Seeing that Miyu felt comfortable and confident next to Panther, Krystal stepped up into her ship, closed the ramp on Cloudrunner's port side, and then she stopped to look at the plastic-wrapped bed at the heart of her fighter.
She hadn't used it in decades, except for the super rare occasion of having a planet-side mission with Fox.
She stared at the bed in silence. She used it with Panther. Only a couple of times, and the mattress had been replaced since then, but it still bothered her that she owned any bed that she'd shared with someone other than her husband.
She cut her gaze to her right, staring at the small corner bathroom. It was another lifetime ago. She exhaled and shook her head.
Krystal headed to the left, making her way up to the cockpit. She pulled herself up, into the chair, and pressed a button, causing the chair to slide forward and up, just a bit, to be closer to the controls.
To her right was the prototype fighter that Miyu used to arrive.
Miyu Lynx was in her cockpit, now, but Panther was resting his arms on the edge of the open cockpit. They were still chatting.
She booted her computer and opened a channel to Wolf's headset communicator. "O'Donnell, how long is Caruso going to chat up Miyu? I thought his fighter was repaired enough to be flight-worthy again? I don't think her little fighter would be able to handle the weight of a co-pilot hanging off the side of the cockpit. It looks too small for that sort of stuntman work."
Wolf snickered in amusement at the mental image. "Shit, sister … you know how that clown is. He's just so damn happy to talk to someone who doesn't have a dick that he doesn't know what to do with himself. Usually he has to settle for someone that has a dick, but you wouldn't know unless you saw it. Hold up, check this out."
Krystal tilted her head in silence, waiting for her engines to warm up, and for her sensor array to come online.
Wolf brought Panther into the call. "Caruso!"
Panther's voice came over the speakers. "Yes, Boss?"
"Are you flying this gig or not? Look at you, over there, hanging all over that tiny fighter! Wait! Is that a goddamn flower pinned to your lapel? Since when does a pansy wear a pansy, Caruso? Get it together. You can cling to her ankles when we get back to the ship!"
"Of course, Boss. It's just that I haven't spoken to such an attractive woman in a while, especially not one with a brain. Not in over twenty-odd-years."
"Yeah?! Is that so?! Well, you can flirt like a twenty-year-old bachelor when you get back to the ship. We're about to launch, and you're holding her up. So, get your ass in gear."
"Understood, Boss." Panther left the channel.
It was just Krystal and Wolf again.
Wolf chortled. "Look at that. Lit a fire under his ass, and it didn't burn his tail for once."
Krystal watched as Panther hurried across the deck to his own fighter. He bent his knees, then launched himself up into the open cockpit.
She couldn't deny that the pouncing feline still had the ability to leap up into a cockpit. She watched him stick the landing in his seat, and quickly drop down into the chair. She tilted her head, and watched him reach up, pull down the canopy, and lock it into place.
Krystal shook his head with a chuckle. "That's the fastest I've ever seen him move, Wolf. Very nice."
"Yup. Later, kid." Wolf closed the channel.
Krystal opened a channel to Panther's fighter and smirked. "Aw, did you get scolded by your overlord for swooning over the pretty kitty in the racecar with wings?"
"Ah, Krystal! You saw that, did you? She is a fascinating feline. Very forward and far more confident than anyone I've tried to suit in the past."
"Ah, so you admit to trying to be her suiter?"
"I'm not yet courting her. But I will. Give me time. Do I have your blessing?"
"Did you need it?" Krystal replied with furrowed brows.
"Need it? No. But you and I have a history. I am hoping that you'll give a blessing of sorts. I don't want to make you uncomfortable that I am reaching out to another woman right in front of you."
Krystal sighed, followed by a soft groan. "Panther…"
"What?"
"I'm married. I have a child with Fox. You can flirt with whomever you like. I'm just glad it's not with me, because that would be inappropriate."
"I would never want to be inappropriate around you, in any capacity. I have no desire to flirt with your friends if you feel it would be inappropriate in any capacity."
"No, Panther … Miyu deserves to have a bit of happiness. I'm not saying you'll bring her true happiness, but she is pleased to experience your advances. Just continue at this pace, then, yeah? She appreciates the way things have gone thus far. Not too far too fast. Just … as things are. She's enjoying herself for the first time in a long time, and she fancies you just a bit. But, right now, let's not tarry about."
"Understood. Thank you for telling me. Is it … strange that it's somehow relieving to know she has at least some measure of interest?"
"No one likes rejection. It's why I told you. Just … don't come on too strong."
"I left that in my youth, where it belongs. I learned that from you, actually. So, any woman with whom I flirt now has the benefit of less intensity, all thanks to you."
"Yeah, I made you grow up a bit. You're welcome. Just remember, our relationship was a stepping-stone relationship. So, take what you learned and apply it."
"I am. Between us, it was good to have seen Kursed as I did. I was able to come to terms some possibilities that could have happened, and finally close that chapter of my life … my … obsession with you. It's something I needed to experience, so that I could move on."
"Fun fact, Panther … the Cerinian word for 'barf' is chunder. Take that however you like, then, yeah?" She closed the channel and shook her head with a chuckle. Then, in a soft tone, she murmured, "Poor Miyu doesn't know what she's getting herself into." Then, as an afterthought, she added, "But at least the poor dear is happy for the time being. I just hope she's not forcing herself to try and be happy because she's miserable watching Fay glow at the side of Bill Grey."
Silence.
Krystal opened a channel to the bridge. "ROB! This is Bravo wing! Krystal, Wolf, Panther, and Miyu. We're ready to launch Delta Patrol, to scan the asteroids and Meteo World for any signs of Imperial presence. We're awaiting your signal to launch."
ROB opened the channel to all four pilots. "Bay doors opening. Stand by for launch, Bravo wing."
Wolf came over the line. "Bravo Wing, huh? Is that what we're called? Look, I just got information from the GreatFox sensor array. Looks like something moving fast through the asteroid belt. I'm going to check it out and meet you girls at Meteo World."
Panther replied, "Do you want me on your wing, Boss?"
"No, Panther. You girls stay together. You've gotta clear the path to make sure it's safe for the big ship to move in and hit the target. I'm going to chase that fast-moving object. I'll meet you at the last navigation point, or waypoint, or whatever the fuck the military types call that shit."
"Understood," said Panther. "Don't get yourself killed, Boss. I like the paychecks."
Wolf didn't reply. Instead, he launched ahead of Bravo wing and hit the boost, quickly disappearing into the asteroid field.
Krystal shook her head with a sigh. "Off with you then, Wolf. This whole bit is already botched from the beginning. I'm taking control over Bravo wing. Form on me, ladies."
Panther scoffed. "I let Wolf say it because he signs my paychecks, and because he's a formidable fighter in close quarters combat. I have no chance at beating him in a ring, as much as it pains me to say. However…"
Krystal scoffed. She muted Miyu from the channel and spoke directly to Panther. "I could whip your tail, Panther. You've never fought a telepath and won. You never will. I'd be happy to prove it to you in any ring. Now, I cut Miyu out from the channel to tell you that, so you're welcome. I'm bringing her back in, now, so don't make an arse of yourself." A pause, long enough for her to tap Miyu's ship on a team status indicator screen, then Krystal said, "So, where was I? Oh, right! You lot form up on my wing."
Silence.
Panther didn't offer a reply of any sort.
"That's what I thought," said Krystal with a wry grin. "Off we go, then!" She hit the throttle.
Krystal's Cloudrunner pulled out in front of the other two fighters. She was first out of the GreatFox flight deck, and into the depths of space. She felt her cockpit heaters come on, blowing warm air against her shins and elbows, on the sides of the cockpit.
Miyu cut into the channel. "Hey, Krystal. Did you want to put a few credits down on who gets the most kills?"
Krystal grinned. "I try and make a habit not to bet on things of that nature. When I flew for Bill, years back, I raked in the credits to the point it was starting to look like a rigged system. Everyone knew I was a telepath. They still thought they'd beat me, easy-peasy. I was addicted quick as sin. I had a flutter on every sortie at one point. More dosh than I can remember. Enough to outright buy the rights of Cloudrunner from Space Dynamics. But I gave that up. Haven't looked back since. Don't do it anymore, and I can't go back to it. Couldn't let it become an addiction, you know?"
"Damn, girl. Really?"
"Really. No more pratting about when it comes to dogfighting. Not for me."
"You know, hon, I didn't understand a lot of what you said. I mean, I can assume and infer, but some of the words … I've never heard them before."
"Since having my memories taken away, and then returned, I started using a … few … Cerinian terms again. They resurfaced for the first time in decades."
"It's adorable," said Miyu. "You should do it more often."
"You think so?"
"Oh, definitely. You talked this way when you first arrived in Lylat?"
"I tried my best not to, but it came out now and then. Until recently. It's like … getting back in touch with a side of me I'd put on a shelf. I haven't called money 'dosh' in over thirty Cornerian years."
"Well, I think it's neat."
"Thank you, Miyu. That's nice to hear. I won't waffle about it. I know, I know … here, waffles are food. There, waffling was what you did when you were squiffy on your third drink."
"Oh, my goddess, Lylat, I've never heard Cerinian words before. But I couldn't help but notice you have a little bit of a dialect. It's adorable."
"Oh, my accent, right."
"Yeah, it's adorable. So, what did Cerinia call an eggplant – do you even have them? What do you call a truck? What about a lawyer?"
Krystal shrugged. "Uh, let's see, an aubergine, so … yes; a lorry, and a barrister. Respectively. So, you could have a barrister driving an aubergine lorry. Unless it's a semi-truck, then it's an articulated lorry, or 'an artic' for short."
"I can't even. I've heard about the 'telepathic alien of team StarFox' for decades, but never had the chance to really get to know you until now. This is so cool!"
Panther pulled his ship adjacent to Krystal's fighter. "What was that word you had for Slippy, way back when?"
"A boffin. Basically, it means someone who is a science nerd. It's a compliment or an insult depending on tone. Look, this is part of the reason I try to learn the language of the people around me. So that I don't have to think about Cerinia quite so much."
"Ah, but for a while you used to use those words more often."
"I had a mission on Miracle, the remaining moon over Sauria. There was a pheromone that was released into the air. It reduced me to somewhat baser thoughts, which affected my behavior and my vocabulary. It took a while to break the habit of using old Cerinian words after that. But I did. I mean, sure, I could call adhesive bandages 'Elastoplast,' but it's easier to call it a band-aid, because that's what people prefer, here, in Lylat. I've been here for decades. I have come to love Lylat. It's my home. I want to treat it accordingly."
Miyu sounded amused. "Elastoplast. I love these fun words. I'm sorry you miss your people and your homeworld, I really am, but their vocabulary sounded like it was a lot of fun. Moving on, though." Then, as an afterthought, she added, "So, when do we get to blow things up?"
"We'll make contact with multiple targets in the asteroid belt," said Krystal with a firm nod. "I cannot get my bearings from so far away, but there are plenty of enemies who require a right proper sorting. Not sure how many, just that there are plenty to go 'round. Let's clock in, ladies!"
"Let's do this," Miyu reply boisterously.
The trio maneuvered expertly through the asteroids. They moved deeper and deeper, carving their way through the floating rocks, on approach to Meteo World.
The decades' old theme park had moved into the field of rocks over time and was no longer on the outer edge of the asteroid belt.
Panther came over the line. "Panther's sensors are picking up a large energy output. Panther understands the old park has the largest solar panel farm in Lylat. Enough to generate four megawatts. This is likely the theme park. It is likely that Imperial Venom has repaired broken panels to maximize output."
Krystal scoffed. "Good. If Corneria ever opens it again, it'll be cheaper to repair it. I'd love to advocate for having it reopened. Fox and I could use a nice vacation. We were always disappointed that we could not take Star to Meteo World. But if it's repaired to the point where reopening it is cost effective, I can take my grandchildren."
Miyu chuckled over the line. "You're really ready to embrace being a grandma, huh?"
Krystal feigned a wry smile. "…Maaaaybe." She shrugged subconsciously. "I just want to have a baby to play with. I miss that feeling. I can't really describe it. It's a massive oxytocin boost to hold a sleeping baby. It's one of those things that makes me forget about all the bad in the universe for a while. And as tired as I was the first six months, I'm excited to give Fara and Marcus a bit of time to catch up on sleep; I'll make a great child-minder. I just want to hold some babies. Give me them babies. All the babies. I wish I had more – this is the closest I'll get to that. I'm a baby fiend. I, uh … sorry. That all just … kind of came out, didn't it?"
"It's all right," said Panther. "A lady has every right to enjoy embracing her maternal side."
Miyu sighed softly. "I missed out on it."
Krystal furrowed her brows. "No, you haven't. You haven't gone through menopause, yet. Oh. Sorry, Miyu. I didn't mean to…"
"No, it's okay. I haven't. I don't care who knows. If menopause is the way society judges a woman as being mature, fine … I'm not ashamed of still being young after fifty. But, like, doesn't it increase the chance of having a baby with Down's Syndrome?"
"Not anymore," said Krystal. "Not on Corneria or Katina, where they have the gene therapy technology to promote proper brain growth for a fetus. Any mother over forty-five is given the therapy, which can be applied from zygote stage up to the late second trimester. It's a proven therapy with a nearly flawless record of working as advertised." Krystal tensed up. "No more chuntering on, I sense Imperials hiding in the rocks. I don't see'em on my sensors – but they're preparing to ambush us."
"Finally!" Miyu exclaimed. "Guns online, shields are full. Let's do this before I lose my shit."
Krystal sensed Miyu's meaning – she had no one to have a child with, and she'd been bothered for the last few years by the figurative ticking of her biological clock.
Krystal brought her guns online. She opened a private channel to Miyu and said, "Miyu. I'm so sorry I brought up that topic. I didn't realize it bothered you until it was too late. You hide it well, from everyone, even yourself. But I sense I have overstepped. Sorry, I should know better; I'm not typically so daft."
"It's fine."
"No, love, it's really not, and you never have to pretend something is fine around me if it bothers you. I wasn't thinking. You're sick of seeing women happily going on about babies. Your heart aches at the sight of Fay's expanding belly. I am truly sorry I brought up such a painful…"
"I have Imperials to smite, honey. I appreciate that you cut Panther out of this conversation, but … I'm fine. I'm just ready to clock in some overtime, log it, and send it to Bill after we save Corneria."
"Understood," said Krystal with a frown and a sigh. She closed the channel, sighed softly, and shook her head. She opened a private channel to Panther. "Oi, you."
"Krystal? A private channel? Why cut out Miyu from the conversation?"
"You're truly invested in Miyu Lynx, yeah?"
"That's an awkward thing to ask one's ex, my dear."
"Oh, come off it, Panther! You're either genuinely interested in her, or you aren't! I already know the truth. Something happened since last night. Not sexual, but nearly so. Your heart is on your sleeve with her. Something clicked."
"Krystal…" He sighed softly. "I am trying to destroy more enemy targets than…" He sighed again, mid-sentence, and grunted. "Yes. We 'clicked.' It's natural with her."
"See? That wasn't so hard to say aloud, was it? She feels the same way. Are you too old to consider fatherhood?"
"What?! We JUST met last night, Krystal!"
"I'm a telepath. You already consider her potential marriage material. She's not the demure lady you thought I was when we first met, but she has the fiery spirit you came to enjoy while fighting at my side. You find her attractive, because she is athletic and takes care of her physical health the way you do. You worked out in the GreatFox gym together for three hours, and the two of you talked late into the night. You both woke up early and…"
"Enough!"
Silence.
Panther sighed. "I have never raised my voice to you before. Please, accept my apology."
"No, Panther, I owe you an apology. I'm getting too personal, and it has you in a lather. My point is, I just spoke to Miyu in private. She knows time is running out to have a child of her own. It may not happen, and she has already come to terms with that. But she has hope; it is buried deep in her heart, but it's there. I thought you deserved to know, so that you can make decisions on your future together with this girl you fancy."
"No, Krystal. I'm not a telepath. She's not a telepath. I didnot deserve to know that about her. Not until she tells me, herself."
Krystal sighed. She pulled back on her controls, turned her ship a bit, and made a tight curve around the backside of an asteroid. She opened fire on an enemy fighter, hiding in wait for a chance to ambush her. She destroyed it before it could lift off the backside of the metallic rock. "You're … right, Panther. I don't want to cock up this thing the two of you have before it even blossoms. I'm sorry. I should know better, especially after about three decades in Lylat, than to pass private feelings between two non-telepaths. I just…"
Panther chuckled. "Are you just trying to distract me so that you could get the first kill?"
"No, you cheeky shit. Listen to me, I am trying to apologize."
"You're not doing very good at it so far, Krystal."
"I still have feelings for you. Not romantic ones. I just mean that I really want to see you happy, Panther. And I sense the intensity of interest you have for her, and I can sense the intensity of interest she holds for you. And, no, I'm not trying to force it to happen, because I know that can put undue stress on a newly budding romance. But I also sense that she kissed you last night, just to see how you would react. Then she felt foolish for rushing things. So, open a channel to her and talk. Show her that you respect her for her intellect, and then tell her that she has the body of a thirty-year-old, so you were surprised to find out she's in her fifties. But don't arse-it-up with childish flirting."
"Panther is quite capable of…"
"No, you're really not. You come on too strong, and you think you're God's gift to women. This is why you're lonely and loveless in your upper fifties. But Miyu isn't the demure lady you typically chase. She's a powerhouse of a strong woman. She's a live stick of nitroglycerin and you have to hold her gently so that she doesn't blow up in your face. You've never chased a woman like her, so throw out your rule book, understand? You can be perfectly polite as you like, but don't treat her like a doe-eyed girl. She's a strong-willed woman; she knows what she wants from a man, and she knows what she wants from life. She hasn't had it, yet, but wants it. She's excitable like a firecracker, but also a woman with wants and needs that come straight from the heart."
"I … understand."
"No, but you will as you mull it over. I'm not telling you this so that you stop fawning over me and my doppelgänger. I'm telling you because I sense a real connection between the two of you. And I sense that the both of you have wanted, for a long time, to know what it's like to parent a child. You may not want to rush things because you're afraid of ruining this … but you both feel the same way about one another, and she has a timer built into her body. Work out your sodding feelings and relax into this whirlwind romance developing between the two of you. Let yourselves be carried away. Reassure her that it's all right to let things happen at a natural pace, and that what's natural between the two of you is possibly faster than for others, but that's okay."
"Krystal, with all due respect … and, I do appreciate knowing these things, but … with all due respect, please … shut up."
Krystal flinched. Never, in forty-nine years had she even been told to 'shut up' by anyone from her personal life. She simply blinked.
Panther continued. "If she wants to tell me this, fine. If she wants to be the wind beneath my wings, and vice versa, then I accept. But don't try to light a fire between us by playing with matches. I do not need a matchmaker. I ask that you respect her privacy."
"But…" Krystal couldn't think of anything to say in reply.
"Our culture is different from Cerinian culture … I mean no offense by this, but I ask that you consider that fact before using your ability to matchmake. Also, I pursued Kursed, and she was a very intense woman, and, like Miyu, disliked being called a lady or demure in any way."
Krystal sighed. "You're right, Panther. I was being disrespectful. I was prying. But this is the happiest you've been around someone since … me. And I want happiness for you."
"Then Panther shall find happiness without the help of his ex-girlfriend. And, furthermore, neither of us regrets last night's kiss." Panther closed the channel and opened fire on an enemy, just as it emerged from behind an asteroid.
"Kiss. Right. I…" Krystal sighed. "All right, you've made your point."
Panther's enemy was destroyed in a single shot, followed by an asteroid beyond it. The pulverized rock sprayed small rock bits in all directions. He took a moment to seethe in frustration, but he couldn't stay angry with Krystal, and, before long, he relaxed into the excitement of dogfighting.
Krystal shook her head with a sigh. She felt childish. She reached a paw up and rubbed her eyes firmly with her thumb and forefinger. "You daft bint, stay out of their business. You know better." As an afterthought, she muttered, "Bint? My god, where did that come from?" she scolded herself. "That was wholly inappropriate. Krystal, you know better than to ever use such a word, even to yourself."
Silence.
Krystal reached for her throttle bar again, pushed it forward, and pulled back on her stick. Up ahead, she saw a flash of an enemy exploding, followed by sensing excitement from Miyu. She exhaled through clenched teeth. "I'm better than that," she told herself. "Where did this behavior even come from, Krystal?" she grumbled to herself.
The hum of her heat vents was Krystal's only reply.
Krystal opened a channel to the team and said, "Brilliant shot, Miyu!"
A baritone voice came from behind. It was different than Panther's robust voice, but had a slightly musical feel to it, all the same. It spoke softly from somewhere back in the Cloudrunner's hold. "You cannot help who you are – a telepath. It's who you are."
Krystal's pelt fluffed up from being startled by the voice, but she immediately recognized the voice's owner. "Darius! What are you doing in my bedroom?"
"Krystal, you haven't used the Cloudrunner as a bedroom in years."
She scoffed, pulled back on her controls, and chased down an enemy fighter, trying to elude her between two asteroids. "Don't sneak up on me like that, you arse." She tapped the communication lockout button to make sure no one would bother her for a moment. "Darius, you sodding cheek, what are you even doing in my fighter right now?"
"Your dialect is a little thicker than usual. It's closer to the way you spoke when you lived on Cerinia."
"OKAY," she snapped. "It's come and gone since retaining my memories, recently. I'll sort it out. What do you want?"
"I came to check on Kursed, but she's no longer around. What happened to her? Did she die?"
"I…" Krystal sighed. Suddenly she felt awful. "I think she may have died, yes."
"You have my condolences, Krystal, as I know you wanted to reconcile your differences with her."
"I wanted to help her find her way back to becoming Krystal again."
"Yes, precisely. Did you?"
"Yes," said Krystal with a soft sigh. "Maybe. I hope. Last we spoke, she wanted to return home to pay for her crimes."
"I paid a visit to that universe. I've just come from there, because, in that universe, I am dead – I could not stop her. So, someone had to check on her. She never made it. However…"
"Then … she died."
"No. At first, I thought it may have happened, but now? Now I believe she may have survived."
"Excuse me?"
"Now that I am by you, I … can feel her presence."
"I don't follow, Darius, and I cannot read you."
"Yes. Oddly, Kursed could read me. Not sure why you are unable."
"I don't know, but … how can you feel her?"
He sighed softly. "To simplify things, the best was I know how to explain is … that … we imprinted on one another during her time here. She's still alive. I'm sure of it, now. I simply cannot find her. I knew she was returning to that universe. She called upon me and asked permission to return to her home, if you can believe it. But she isn't there. That universe is celebrating her death, but they are … how Cornerians say … on edge, because when you reached out to Corneria in that universe, alongside of StarFox, they were afraid she survived. Even though you've left that universe, they are still on edge. Kursed, however, is alive. I'm sure of it now. But I cannot find her, so … she has vanished."
Krystal blinked. "You … imprinted on her?"
"Yes. It's how a watcher or a hunter of Kew will choose a target. It's how Kew-kind is able to find his or her target anywhere in the known universe. It's how we're able to watch over the children of our target. We imprint with the telepath. She's alive."
"I sense nothing of her," said Krystal with a frown, gazing out into the asteroid-filled void outside of her cockpit.
"Then there is no way to prove what I've told you, so … just the same, you have my condolences."
"You truly sense her, Darius?"
"I do."
"What can you sense?"
Darius sighed softly. He sat down on the deck, pressing his back against the door frame, behind the cockpit. He pressed his feet against the other side of the doorway to keep himself wedged into place. "It wasn't until now, being next to you, that I'm able to sense anything. But, now, being so close to you, I'm able to sense she's alive. I wish I could tell you more than that. I have no idea where she is."
Krystal's eyes widened. "So, you are able to sense her by using me as an antenna?"
"I … think so. That is a reasonable and plausible explanation."
Krystal opened a channel to her team, again. "I know this is awkward timing, but I need you lot to cover me. I have to take care of an emergency. Weapons free, you two! Shouldn't take more than a moment." She put her ship into autopilot mode, so the computer would know to avoid asteroids or other solid objects. She withdrew her harness belt and made her way into the back of her fighter. "Sit. Over here, Darius."
He followed her to the shrink-wrapped bed. "This is … highly irregular."
"We already have an irregular relationship as a telepath and watcher. Sit here." She pointed to the mattress.
Darius moved to the bed and sat down on the side. The plastic wrap squeaked softly.
Krystal sat beside him. She took his paws into her own and held them. "Close your eyes and focus on her."
"I … all right." He interlaced his fingers with hers. "I am married."
"So am I, now hold my paw and focus on her."
Silence.
There was a soft thumping sound, followed by a half-dozen smaller thumping noises.
"What was that?"
"Hush," said Krystal. "It's from small stones, due to a pulverized asteroid, pelting the hull. Now be quiet and focus." A pause, then, "No. You're focused on holding my hand. It's making you nervous."
"You can read my thoughts?"
"I can feel your sweaty palms. Now focus on thoughts of Kursed. The woman with whom you recently became imprinted. Focus."
Neither spoke.
Darius closed his eyes with a soft sigh. He pushed the awkward thoughts out of his head. He imagined it was Kursed's paw that he held, and he thought about her. Not in a romantic way. He simply imagined her face, her attractive smile, her original appearance, before she was rebuilt by Dash Bowman's science team, before her youth was restored.
Krystal reached her free paw outward. Her staff snapped away from a charging pad on the bulkhead and slapped against her palm. She held it tightly, while holding his paw in her other.
Silence.
Krystal sensed that Darius had bottled feelings of attraction for the Cerinian vixen. Feelings that had been in place since before he met his wife. Feelings that he repressed when he watched over Krystal at the adult Cerinian age of 16.
He focused specifically on Kursed. He also continued to bottle his underlying feelings for either version of the Cerinian vixen.
Krystal took a slow, calm breath, to try and push away experiencing his attraction through his eyes. She focused on his thoughts about Kursed. Once she felt centered, she leaned forward, eyes still closed, and inadvertently brushed her lips against his ear. "What do you feel?" she whispered.
A shiver raced down his spine from the tickle of sensation against his ear. "I … see her. She's … happy. Exceedingly happy. Happier than I've ever seen her."
Krystal's smile broadened. "She's happy?"
"She's alive. She's with Fox McCloud."
"She is?" Krystal opened a single eye and stared at his face, but his eyes were shut, and he was lost in the moment. She closed her eye again and said, "Tell me everything, Darius."
"She … died in that universe. The Fox McCloud from that universe mourned her death. He asked her to leave StarFox shortly after joining. However, she talked him into letting her stay. So, she was at his side the day the Anglar Empire engaged Corneria. The Krystal that was native to that universe died in a damaged Arwing that experienced a mechanical failure."
Krystal's heart raced. "Oh, my god. She stayed on the team in that universe, and she died?"
"She did, yes. Fox McCloud mourned her death in solitude for a few years. But only just a few years. I am confused…"
"Try and relax your mind, and let the details come to you."
He kept his eyes shut. "Did Kursed go back in time, or is that universe's present somehow set in a different time frame? I see the present-day Fox McCloud through her eyes, and he looks far younger than the Fox McCloud in this universe. I'm not sure I understand the time-space laws of alternative universes, but … I can sense her thoughts."
"You can?"
"I've never experienced this with an imprint before. I see him through her eyes. It must be because we're combining our abilities."
Krystal's heart continued to race. "Wait, I can sense her … I sense her, as well. I see Fox through her eyes! I hear her thoughts! She's trying to come to terms with the slight differences between the universe from which she came, this universe, and the universe where she ended up. The biggest difference seems to be that Fox McCloud has never had a romance with Fara Phoenix. In fact, he has never met her. He was born several years later, because James and Vixy focused on their careers before having children. Fox is the youngest member of his team. Falco and Bill became academy friends. Slippy met Amanda before joining StarFox. Miyu broke up with Fox because she felt like a cougar. And he was nearly the exact same age as Krystal … who died … while on the team. All this time I thought being telepathic made me safer in this line of work than Fox. And it was a mechanical failure that killed the love of his life. How dreadful. I was such a fool to berate him for wanting me safe."
"It seems your ability to sense their thoughts is highly tuned … more so than what I can sense from her. Fascinating. All that matters is that she is alive. She has made contact with my doppelgänger in that universe. He … me … I am apparently relieved that she is alive."
Krystal saw Kursed cup Fox's face and kiss him. She could feel his paw move over her body in a deeply intimate way.
Darius didn't feel Kursed's feelings or what she was experiencing. He only saw Kursed's eyes flutter shut as her lips met with McCloud's own, in the other universe.
Krystal released Darius' paw. Tears trickled from her eyes, and she offered the Kew watcher a soft smile. "I was recently told from an old … friend … that non-telepaths deserve their privacy. This other Darius and this other version of Fox … even Kursed … they all deserve their privacy. I'm … really quite pleased to learn she is experiencing her happily-ever-after ending. It truly puts my heart at ease. I am not sure how she wound up with a version of Fox McCloud who is so young, but … the fact Kursed's youth has been restored, well, they are perfect for one another."
"I don't think she goes by Kursed anymore, Krystal."
"I think you may be right."
"I noticed you stopped when she and Fox kissed. I also noticed he wasn't wearing a shirt."
Krystal nodded. "You're right. He wasn't wearing a shirt. And, yes, they were snogging. So, again, let's give her privacy. We have no right to invade their thoughts and feelings, especially at this time."
"Krystal … that is literally all my kind has ever wanted to hear from your kind."
Krystal feigned a slight smile. "It only took until my adult life, and living amongst non-telepaths for decades, to finally and truly understand that."
"Your kind is used to sharing openly with one another. I'm sure you and Star have shared thoughts. I'm sure you even understand his love for the fennec vixen. But everyone else deserves their privacy."
Krystal brought a paw to her muzzle. "You're right. I've violated Fara's privacy, even though she accepted my intrusion. She was the open-minded one, and I was the closed-minded one. My god." Krystal felt incredibly disappointed with herself.
Darius nodded and stood up. "I am truly humbled to hear a Cerinian hold privacy in such high regard. At the same time, I'm humbled to have experienced the thoughts of another for the first time."
"Ah, yes, um … that was most certainly unexpected."
"My kind has never held hands with your kind before. I didn't know we were capable of reading the hearts and minds of those with whom we imprint at such a distance. That … was truly the very definition of a humbling experience."
Krystal stood up and smoothed her snug-fitting flight suit, so that it didn't ride up anywhere that might cause discomfort. "Yes, well…" She licked her lips. "I was also able to see things from you that I have never sensed before. I wasn't trying to be invasive. I … just wanted to say that you have a large heart, and you have a beautiful family."
Darius bit his lower lip. "I also sensed things from you, which I have never before experienced. A mother's love for her son … your feelings for Marcus, I mean."
"You … rescued him," she replied in a tone of appreciation. "You saved his life."
"Yes, I could not stand by and let the grandson of Marcus of the Cardinal Sun die."
"You saved him more than once," said Krystal, in awe that she watcher would break the rules multiple times just to save her son. "You saved my baby boy from the hospital, before the nuclear detonation, and you saved him on the flight deck on Titania, and…" Krystal trailed off. Her lower lip trembled, and her eyes glazed over with tears.
"I couldn't bring myself to watch him die. I decided to intervene. I know that I am not supposed to, but…"
Without warning, Krystal hugged Darius. "Thank you so much."
He froze.
Again, due to their contact, they sensed everything about one another. In an instant, they saw the other's family, felt the other's experiences and hardships, and they sensed the honesty and integrity that each possessed.
They both stepped back from one another, wide-eyed, and paused to study the other for a moment.
Krystal fidgeted. "That was … intense."
Darius nodded emphatically. "I feel as though I've committed a grave sin. I telepathically connected with my target. Creating an emotional bond with my imprint is highly against the laws of our kind."
Krystal feigned a smile. "Yes, but I was able to sense that you have developed an emotional bond with me since I was born. You watched me grow, marry, find love, become a mother, and carry on the culture of my people, alone, only to finally pass on what I could to my son. You've loved me for decades, and you've kept it a secret."
"As … as a daughter of my own, in a sense."
She didn't correct him. She reached up and gently patted his muzzle. "And that is why you acted to save my son. For that, you'll have my gratitude forever. Thank you, Darius." She lowered her paw from his face.
Darius rubbed his cheek where she'd touched him again. "This … visit went far differently than my wildest dreams. I … need to process this. I experienced everything."
"Everything?"
"Everything in an instant. More than I could have ever thought possible. I…" He shook his head. In a softer tone, he repeated, "Everything."
"Like … what?"
"I am not like you, Krystal. I didn't know how to filter it, or stop it, or avoid it. I saw everything."
Again, she repeated herself. "Like what?"
"I know what it feels like to experience childbirth. Labor. I learned of your most private intimate memories. I…" Darius shook his head. "I experienced everything my race hated about your race, and I could not control it … I also learned of the respect and fear your race held for my race. And … I learned of the respect and appreciation you feel for me. I learned what it feels like to be a Cerinian. This … this is why it's forbidden to make physical contact with a telepath. I have broken the cardinal rule of my kind."
Krystal frowned. "Don't report it to your superiors, Darius."
"But I am supposed to."
Krystal reached both paws up and cupped his face firmly. "No, Darius. Please. Listen to me: Marcus' destiny is to stop an enemy capable of destroying every culture it encounters. Then, his children will follow in his paw prints, and finally destroy that enemy once and for all. It's possible that he cannot do this without you looking out for him. You've already saved his life more than once. He may need your guidance, your council, or possibly even your assistance, in the future. The fate of the galaxy depends upon it, as foretold by the Oracle. And, as you know, the Oracle was a retired Kew watcher, who, in the presence of a planet full of telepaths, somehow learned to see their futures by touching them. She retired from foretelling the future of Cerinia's young, but made an exception or me, so that she could tell me my destiny. I came to Lylat, I had a child whose future was to save the galaxy from a threat to the very nature of life, itself. Marcus needs you to watch him, protect him, and give him the fighting chance to fulfill that destiny."
Darius sighed in frustration through clenched teeth. "I need time to process my sins. To … come to term with them."
The Cloudrunner shook from an attack.
Krystal grimaced. "I'm in the middle of combat. I … should get back to it."
"Yes, you should. Go on. You know I cannot teleport until your back is turned, lest it hurt your eyes."
"Right … yes, that's right. I remember. Thank you, Darius. Thank you for being a family friend."
"I … you're welcome, Krystal of the Cardinal Sun People."
"Please, consider what I've told you."
"I don't have to. I learned it from you when we … hugged."
"Then you know I'm telling you the truth."
"I know. Thank you for opening my eyes, Krystal."
"Thank you for humbling my heart, and helping to teach me the value of privacy, Darius." She hurried back to her cockpit. A flash of light from behind her caused a brief silhouette of her figure to appear on her dash. She climbed up into the cockpit seat, pulled her harness over her body, and fastened it into place.
With a deep breath and a lighter heart, she took the controls. "I'm back, Panther and Miyu. Sorry for the delay."
Miyu came over the speakers. "Do I even want to know what that was about? Did you have to … fix something … in your fighter?"
"It's complicated," said Krystal. "But … just know that everything is better, now. No more tarrying about. I'm back. Let's do what we came to do!"
"About time," Panther said with a tone that suggested he was just joking. "Covering your ship was growing difficult. We have roughly two dozen bogies left."
Krystal punched her throttle, targeted the closest enemy, and gave chase. "Then let's get this sector sorted!"
Miyu chuckled. "You sound like a ray of sunshine, girl. You had to potty, real quick, didn't you?"
Krystal chuckled. "Not … exactly." She realized, too late, that Miyu was giving her an 'out,' but she didn't take it. Krystal sighed softly.
"Damn, girl. I hope you didn't do something, oh, you know … inappropriate."
"Oh, come off it, you. Let's dispatch some targets before this conversation gets weird." She sensed Panther's amusement, grimaced, and added, "Not a single word from you, Panther. Get those thoughts out of your head, both of you! Children, I swear."
Panther chuckled in a guttural chesty manner, completely amused by her overly defensive response. "O-ho-ho-kay, Krystal."
Realizing she was being overly defensive in response to a simple, albeit cheesy adult joke, she sighed with a roll of her eyes. She overturned her fighter, swooped downward, and destroyed a bogie that Panther was chasing.
"What are you doing, Space Cactus!?"
"What you boys like to call an 'alpha move.' Be nice, or I'll destroy all the targets, and leave you with nothing."
He chortled softly. The natural feline mechanism in his throat made it sound like something between a purr and a soft growl of amusement.
Miyu came over the line. "Panther, you deserved it. Never insinuate what a lady is doing in the bedroom of her fighter. That's just boyish and silly."
Krystal groaned. "Not you, too, Miyu."
"Incidentally. Who is Darius?"
Krystal tensed up. "Excuse me?"
Miyu had a bit of tension to her voice from pulling a hard loop. "You said something like, 'Darius! What are you doing in my bedroom?!' Then went through a cluster of asteroids, and said, 'Don't sneak up on me, you arse!' I figured that last part was said to a fighter on your six. Anyhow, after that, you went quiet for a moment, followed by telling us to cover you while you handled some sort of emergency in the back."
Krystal grimaced. "I didn't realize my finger was still on the 'transmit' button."
"Yup! It was!" Miyu's reply was a bit of a sing-song reply.
Krystal double-tapped the button to end the 'auto transmit' function, sighed, and muttered under her breath. "Sod it. You totally arsed that up, Krystal." She exhaled sharply through partially clenched teeth, followed by another calmer sigh. She took a slow, relaxing breath, then released it through her nose.
More silence, except the hum of her engines and heater vents.
She opened the channel again. "Darius is from Kew. He watches telepaths, like the Cerinian race, to ensure that we're not using our abilities to cause … the sort of problems that Kursed caused in her dimension. Although, in her universe, she grew too powerful for the Kew hunters to stop her. She was able to sense them, somehow. It gave her the edge to keep them from stopping her. He visited me to ask about Kursed's whereabouts."
"Okay, wait, hold on," said Miyu said over the channel. "What the hell did I miss?"
"Long story," said Krystal. "I'll fill you in when we get back. We're closing on Meteo World. Miyu, Panther, I need you both to stay alert."
Panther streaked by Krystal's fighter, a few degrees to her starboard. He chuckled and said, "As you wish, but may I ask … why?"
Miyu was quick to reply. "It's where Fara Phoenix was mortally injured. She's a rock-star of a pilot, so if the asteroid belt can put her into cryostasis, then it's not a place to play around."
"Ah."
"Yes, what she said."
Awkward silence.
After a moment, Panther asked, "What did you tell this watcher about Kursed's death?"
Krystal laughed as if in relief. "Panther, I learned that Kursed is alive."
"She is? How can you be sure?"
"Kew watchers imprint on a telepath, so that they can teleport to wherever their ward is. But when he came near me, he sensed she was alive, because of the imprint he created with her. So, I took him to the back, for a moment, and I grabbed his paw. And when I did, we could see her. Both of us. We saw Kursed through her eyes. I don't know where. I don't know what universe she went to. But I saw her. Alive."
"Did she surrender herself to Corneria?"
"No, Panther. She wound up in a universe where the Krystal native to that dimension had been killed in action. She stepped into the shoes of that Krystal, and she is now living a normal life."
"May I ask … did she … share that normal life with anyone special?"
"Yes, Panther. She did. She found love. But things happened very differently in that universe. For example, in that universe, Fox McCloud never met Fara."
"Ah…"
Krystal bit her lower lip. "I … uh, learned something about the two of you in that universe, but it's probably inappropriate."
Miyu laughed. "Inappropriate is my middle name. I don't use it very much, except on legal documents. It sounds weird, and it's too long of a word. Seriously, though, what did you learn? You can't withhold that from me, it would be unfair."
Krystal took a deep breath, destroyed another fighter, and said, "I, uh … learned that Fox and Miyu had a brief romance in that universe, as well, but she broke things off with him because he was younger than her. Apparently, his parents put their careers first in that timeline. He was born a few years later than in this universe. Uh, but … Kursed learned from Fox that Miyu was married to a gourmet chef … named Panther Caruso. They had three kids. She taught him to fly, and he was a natural, so, after Miyu was discharged from the military, she and her husband formed a mercenary team called Claws and Thorns. They're apparently famous in that universe, and StarFox is disbanded and retired."
Panther cackled in amusement. "Panther is the hero of that universe?!"
Miyu added, "Okay, hold up, I have no idea what's going on. You're talking about people imprinting and teleporting and … something about an alternative universe, where … Panther and I have kids together?"
"Uh, yes and yes."
Panther spoke with a tone of delight. "So, what were the names of these sons of Caruso? Was Panther rich beyond his own wildest dreams?"
"I don't know!" Krystal exclaimed. "I just know that Fox knew his ex-girlfriend married you, and, together, they became a famous mercenary team. And they're married with kids. I don't know the details beyond that."
Miyu laughed in a higher pitched voice, but it wasn't boisterous as Panther. "So, I … merry this goofball in another … universe? And I get kicked out of the military, but then I become famous, huh? With kids, seriously?"
"Yes. They're nearly grown, I believe. I only knew what Kursed learned from Fox, because I sensed everything through her perspective."
"Who is this Kursed chick, anyhow?"
Krystal frowned. "An angry, broken, spiteful version of me. But … when she wound up in this universe, she met my son, and eventually she met me. And she changed for the better. She intended to go home to her universe and surrender herself for causing trouble. But she wound up in a different one altogether. It's … a bit complicated."
Miyu scoffed. "Sounds like a comic book, Krystal. I don't know either of you well enough to know if you two are pulling my leg or not, but…"
Panther cleared his throat over the line. "She's the woman who attacked Fichina's capital city dome with a fire last year."
Miyu gasped. "Oh, shit, that chick? That was on the news, every channel, for an entire week. And there were weird rumors that Fox's kid killed his own mom to stop her attack, but some news stations were saying that the Star Fox members died from a gravity bomb. I figured the news got some stuff wrong, but…" Miyu trailed off.
"But what, Miyu?"
"Shit, I don't know. It's a lot to try and take in, Krystal. I mean, you're telling me that we actually live in a multi-verse. If you two aren't pulling my leg, then I guess the comic book writers were right and the scientists were wrong."
Krystal cleared her throat. "Panther and I thought she died returning to her universe. But it seems that she survived."
"Thank you for telling me," said Panther in a genuine tone. "I was never meant for her, or you for that matter, and I have learned to accept that. I am over you. But she did not deserve to die. I'm glad to know she found a rose for her heart."
Miyu sounded horrified. "Panther, I know you and Krystal used to date, but, uh, do you always romanticize everything, even breakups?"
"Yes," said Krystal in a flat tone. "He's not romanticizing the breakup; he's romanticizing his own life. He's the hero of his own movie, and the director is some sort of genius poet."
Miyu exploded in laughter. "I am getting that same distinct impression after hanging out with him! But, in this other universe, you said he was a gourmet chef, so … hey, Panther, doyou know how to cook?"
"Yes, of course."
"You'd better cook for me tonight, Caruso. I mean it. I want a nice meal. Wine, fine food, the works."
"What sort of dinner shall Panther prepare for you, Miyu?"
"I want to feel like royalty. Robes, tierra, and the best steak I've ever tasted. You're supposed to be a gourmet chef, so, yeah. You better impress me."
"Panther would never want to disappoint a lady. It will be done, just not 'well done.'"
"Good. Ordering steak well done should affect one's credit score. It's a goddamn travesty. It's almost a bad as putting ketchup on it."
"You see, Krystal? She understands me."
Krystal groaned. "Okay, okay. So what? I prefer meat to be cooked. I don't like blood in my food. Are you ever going to let me live that down?"
"No, Space Cactus," said Panther with a chuckle.
"Just remember whose aloe healed Kursed and kept her from terraforming Corneria to try and restart her version of Cerinia."
"Holy shit! What?! That crazy lady was going to terraform Corneria? This is the same one that took over Venom for, like, ten minutes, right?"
"Yes," said Krystal. "But Panther helped her thaw out by giving her friendship, after I showed her what understanding feels like. Dash gave her a young face and a second chance after she died, by cloning her body parts and creating a young version. Then he put her damaged brain into a positronic matrix, which will run several of her lobes, which were too damaged to … it's complicated. I'm not even explaining it right."
"Are we living in a comic book or what? I don't know if I can't believe all that stuff just yet. I need to wrap my brain around it. No offense, Krystal."
"Wolf O'Donnell," said Panther in a flat tone. "Kursed's assault was stopped by Wolf O'Donnell, using the ancient Kew artifact he gave to Marcus. It was designed to make a Cerinian become placid. Once it found its way into your paws, it reset the memories of you both. One of you touched it, and, because you are somehow quantum entangled to Kursed, being the same woman in the same universe, it temporarily took important memories from you both. But you were never the 'aloe that healed her heart' Krystal."
"Okay, okay. I was going by your stupid cactus reference. Jeeze." She looked out at the passing asteroids, followed by a roll of her eyes.
"Krystal, you're the telepath. You know I am joking."
"I'm … trying something new – giving you privacy, Panther."
"Now? Suddenly? That is convenient."
Miyu snickered. "Okay, okay. Panther, she's the boss' girl. If you want choice sorties, be nice."
Krystal groaned. Seeing the two of them together and having one another's back was exactly what Krystal wanted, yet it was incredibly irritating.
"Very well, I shall be … nice … to my ex-girlfriend. Who does that? I am kidding, of course, Krystal."
"I know I've told you two way more than I should have. It wasn't my place to invade your privacy, and it was never my intention to play matchmaker, and I hope the both of you will forgive me for overstepping, earlier. I saw that you fancy each other, but then I learned about the version of you in the other universe … and while it wasn't my place to play matchmaker, here, it also wasn't my place to keep what I learned from you. So, I told you what I learned. But now, we have a job to do. Back to business. Let's focus on our mission."
"Krystal, I'm a big girl. It's cute you tried playing matchmaker with your ex, but I'd already kissed him last night without any outside help…"
"Miyu, I'm sorry I interfered. I didn't mean to…"
"I wasn't done. Hold up. Look, I was going to say that … I know there are some really weird things surrounding whatever is going on with you and your team. And, yeah, if what you told me is true, then things were far weirder than I could've imagined, and, girl, I have a huge imagination…"
Krystal remained quiet.
Panther, too.
Miyu continued. "…But, what you told me? Just now? That was a little beyond belief. However, having said all that, let me just put your guilty conscious at ease."
"All right," said Krystal in a soft tone.
"So, let's say all this stuff is exactly like you just said. I mean, maybe it is. But, anyway, my point is, if Panther and I were already a thing in another universe, and we also got together in this one, too, then … stop beating yourself up. It's obviously fate."
Krystal blinked. "You're … you're right. It wouldn't matter what I said. If you two are fated to be together, then my interference is all besides the point."
"Right. But that doesn't mean I believe this stuff just yet. I'm going to verify everything you've said. That's how I roll – trust but verify. I've still got too try and wrap my brain around this sort of thing, but I already knew it felt like fate last night, when I learned that he knows how to mix a proper drink. Plus, he's in great shape. Having it confirmed in the strangest way possible is kinda fun. Weird, but fun. Different. I've always wanted something different, okay? I'm down with whatever happens."
"Miyu, thank you for your open-mindedness."
"Shoot, girl. I've been in some crazy relationships. I married the 'normal one' and that ended in catastrophe. So, normal isn't for me. I'll take an athletic man who knows how to mix drinks and make steak. I don't give a damn if he talks in the third person when in the cockpit. That's how he separates work from play. That's how he separates the assassin and the mercenary from the man who also just wants to play guitar and sing, enjoy fine food, expensive drink, and his sexuality. I can appreciate that."
Krystal blinked. "He plays guitar?"
"How can you be a telepath and not know he plays guitar?"
Krystal reached up and scratched behind her right ear. "I honestly had no idea." She shook her head with a laugh. "All these years and I never heard him serenade anyone. He sang to you after just a few hours hanging out together?"
"Oh, honey, we did a duet. That's okay. Fox didn't know I used to be in a garage band, growing up. I love singing. Hell, that just makes it special … something only Panther and I got to share. Something that you and Fox didn't get to have."
Krystal rubbed her chin in thought. "You're right. You deserve that."
"Now we know way too much about each other. Seriously. This conversation is turning into a really weird three-way without the benefit of an orgasm. Sorry-not-sorry for being crass. So, back to work. I could've gone back to Corneria, but I stuck around for the excitement. Let's get it going."
Krystal blinked three times. She wondered what Fox saw in this girl all those years ago, but decided that Miyu's quirky personality may have been brought about by enduring a painful divorce and being nearly fifty-six with no mate or family.
"All right," Krystal said in reply. She couldn't help but wonder just how sarcastic she, herself, would be if she was in her fifties and alone. She sighed with a frown, knowing she was quite capable of becoming Kursed under the right conditions. Krystal reached up, rubbed her left temple, and moved her fighter in front of Panther and Miyu. "Form up on me. We're headed to Meteo World for recon photos under the guise of shooting down a satellite. When they launch fighters, we'll bug out and look like we're running away."
Miyu and Panther moved behind Krystal's fighter.
"I'm sorry I made things weird today."
"Stop worrying. I know Kursed is from another universe. I met her. I know you're telling me the truth. It is fine. Just … no more matchmaker."
"No more matchmaker. I'll try not to make things weird anymore going forward."
Panther didn't reply.
Miyu opened a visual channel, so that her image appeared on Krystal's HUD. "Look, you and I obviously have plenty in common. At least when it comes to men. I'm sorry if I came off as rude or trite, earlier. And I wasn't trying to brag about Panther singing last night."
"You've done nothing wrong, Miyu. I'm a telepath, so you would think I should be able to get along with anyone. And I can't imagine what you've been through, or what it's like to be in your shoes for even a single day. But I do know that Fox invited you back to his team just moments after you arrived. So, you must be a very competent pilot. I respect that."
"It's like this … my best friend and I had each other. When women asked, 'Hey! How old is YOUR kid?' I had to feel like the stupid girl that couldn't make a marriage work, let alone being a mom. Then my best friend finds 'the guy.' And then? Then … I felt like I was going to die alone, but I bottled that shit because Fay deserves to be happy. She's innocent and pure and … just such a good person. Most felines don't get along with dogs, but Fay was my homegirl. And I'm so happy for her, right? But I'm also so goddamn alone. It sucks."
Krystal remained quiet, letting Miyu vent.
"Then, along comes this mysterious fucker who talks in third person, sings like a professional, and plays guitar like a goddamn Rockstar. So, here I am, pouting but hoping. Then we share a kiss, and I kind of freak, but … I also kind of like how soft his lips are."
Krystal nodded. She quickly moved to the left, behind an enemy, and blasted its engines apart. She went into a quick roll, and moved back into position, in front of Panther and Miyu's fighters.
"But then you get all mysterious, take a powder, come back, and tell me that I have three kids with this guy I just met and hardly know, so my heart is racing a mile a minute, and … at the end of the day, I really just want to bury this woman I've been for the last fifteen years."
"Miyu, since we are on a private channel, how … girl-talk are we, here?"
"Girl, you already know everything about me. You're a telepath. I'm an open book. Why?"
"I'm happy to tell you anything you want to know about Panther."
"Uh, like what?"
"For example, Panther will never judge you for being pansexual. He is bisexual, himself. He prefers effeminate lovers, men or women, just so long as they are effeminate in their appearance. But when it comes to his lover's personality, he is quite open-minded, so long as they are not trying to be more macho than him."
Miyu rubbed the bottom side of her muzzle, scratching softly at her chin with her nails. "That's good to know. Yeah, I'll wear a toy for a boy, but I'm not a macho chick. I don't wear neckties because I look terrible in them. I don't lift more than my own body weight. I don't try pissing in a urinal. I don't chop wood or man-spread my legs on the train. What about you? Does being telepathic make you want to enjoy the other sex on occasion?"
"Being telepathic makes me able to know that you're not asking as a way to hit on me."
Miyu laughed. "Oh, damn, I guess that question could be taken different ways, huh? I just figured, you know, since we're trying to be the mature sex, we could have a little girl talk, since I haven't had that in a while."
Krystal smiled softly. "Regarding your question, Miyu … I am curious, but never tried it. The idea of it doesn't turn me off, but the idea of being disloyal to my husband, on the other hand, does."
"Ah, yeah. Well, trust me on this, Krystal … do not have a three-way with your husband. Ever."
"Oh, Miyu … you had your heart hurt, didn't you?"
"Let's just say … unless your relationship is based on a 'house of three' from the get-go, the act becomes nothing more than just having sex with some random piece of ass that you can share with your spouse and not feel like a cheat. And that turns complicated real fast. And, no, it wasn't Fay. She's too pure for this universe. Pureness like that has to be protected, not tarnished. Anyhow, yeah, if both spouses are poly, then you find a third wheel together. But I was monogamous with the occasional lust for another woman's touch. And many men are only interested in banging as many women as they can while keeping their wife on the side. So, there it is: I let my desire for a one-night stand with a girl get in the way of my marriage. It slowly but surely eroded the foundation of whatever we had when we started out, because it became okay for him to bring home a girl from a bar, now and then, to become a playmate, expecting me to join in. Ultimately, over time, it ruined what I enjoyed about the freedom of sex."
"How so?"
"I haven't even kissed anyone in over three years, and I haven't had sex in over five. Then I meet this guy, and we share a kiss after a few drinks. And I start wondering if things are going too fast, then I find out I might have kids with him in another universe or some shit. It's got my head in circles."
"Miyu, I am so sorry. I should have told you, discretely, at a later time."
"You can't keep something like that from him, just because he has a penis. If this sort of thing really happened, and I'm not saying I doubt you, I'm just saying I need to come to terms with it, but … if … it happened the way you said you sensed from this woman all the way over in another universe … then Panther has just as much of a right to know as I do. But, look, let me ask you this: was I happy being married to Panther in that universe?"
"There's no way for me to know that. I learned everything from the mind of Kursed, to whom I am somehow … eh … the word Panther used earlier … entangled. Anyhow, it's what she learned from Fox, who saw the two of you in the news. To Fox, you and Panther looked happy, and your kids were well behaved for having to stand still in front of a news camera. That, to him, means you had help from a good husband, willing to put time and effort into raising those kids. She sensed that Fox was jealous … not because you were his ex-girlfriend, but because you found happiness, meanwhile he felt as though his Krystal's death was his fault. So, when Kursed showed up in his universe, he was unsure how he deserved such newfound happiness, but he was ready to embrace it."
"God. Poor bastard. Sounds like he and I switched places in that universe. I got the happy ending, and he got the loneliness. I wouldn't wish it on anyone, especially my ex … a guy with so much promise and potential. I broke up with him because he wasn't over Fara. I told him not to date anymore until he is, so he doesn't hurt anyone else's feelings by making them second in his heart. I'm just glad he listened to me before the two of you got serious." Miyu opened fire, hitting another fighter up ahead.
The enemy fighter veered off to the left and struck an asteroid.
"Friends?"
"I thought we were already doing pretty good. I mean, like, I don't really know you. But like I said when we first met, you don't seem all that bad."
"Were you friends with Fara all those years ago?"
"Yeah, we were really tight. But I got a weird complex after constantly being compared to her. Either that, or it's a weird inner guilt about sleeping with her man so soon after she was thought to be dead. I'm trying to put that behind me, now. But I can't flip a switch and dump those old feelings after all this time. Not overnight."
"Earlier, you mentioned that it may have been fate to wind up with Panther if the two of you married in another universe. Maybe Fara and Marcus were fated to be together. Maybe in every other universe, she is closer to his age, but in this one, she was born far too early in the union of Zerda Phoenix and his wife, Marie. Maybe her time in cryostasis is … fate's way of ensuring that Marcus and Fara still wind up together as they were meant to."
Miyu sighed and rubbed her face.
"Just speculating."
"Krystal … how much do you know about this system's oldest religion?"
"Just that Lylat, for whom this system's star is named, was the head of the pantheon."
"She was the goddess of fate. She was an oracle from another star system. She settled on Corneria, and she foretold the most likely outcome for people who had the motivation to reach out and seize their destiny. People prayed to her and invoked her name at weddings in hopes that they were marrying the one … their soulmate."
Krystal bit her lower lip.
"Sorry I was being so crass, earlier."
"Don't apologize, Miyu. Besides, it's refreshing when people speak their mind. As a telepath, I've learned that most people are too concerned with perception, so they lie through their teeth. I dislike fake people. I'm from a culture where people have very few secrets."
"Yeah, but I doubt it's as crass as I was, earlier."
"Miyu, imagine you're walking down a sidewalk in the capital of the northern hemisphere of Cerinia, and everyone you pass knows that your husband's spunk is running down your inner thigh, creating an uncomfortable wet sensation in your pelt. No point in hiding it – everyone already knows."
Miyu cringed. Her image, on the HUD, glanced away, briefly.
Krystal continued. "Or, imagine, if you will, that your hormones are out of sorts, and you just took a very long shower until you felt sated. Your neighbor up on the sixth story of your apartment building telepathically tells you to hurry it up, because you're wasting water, and you need to be more mindful of being greener. Then, she says that she's annoyed because your imagination is boring, and adds that you really need to get out and experience more of life so that your private fantasies are more interesting in the future."
Miyu brought a paw to her face, cringing in horror. "Oh, fuck that."
"It's such an open society that your shower fantasy is just a bodily function, and it's only as impolite as burping at a dinner table would be seen on Corneria. Or sneezing."
"Sneezing?"
"Yes. If you sneeze into your elbow, or into a handkerchief, no one cares. Whereas on my world, so long as you keep your fantasy moment in the shower or bed, no one cares. But if you do it in public or a back alley, or in your car while sitting in traffic, then it's considered impolite, annoying, or outright open to judgment from everyone that can sense your presence in the general area."
"Holy hell, girl."
"Like I said, I'm used to people being real with me. Cornerians like to hide behind pretenses. It's refreshing that you come as you are."
"So, you really don't care about my past with Fox, or my possible future with Panther, because, to you, it's just life. It's just … people being people. There's no fake judgment from someone that's probably ten times as kinky of a freak."
Krystal laughed. "Exactly. No judgment. But, here, in Lylat, I've had to learn how to adapt. The concept of being ladylike, for example is amusing. But I do it, because when in Lylat, do like the Lylatians."
"You're not so bad, y'know that?"
"I feel like you've already told me something to that effect."
"Hey … let's not torture Fox and Panther with our friendship. I don't know if they'll find it weird, because they're in competition with each other. But you're cool in my book. Also, my AI is telling me that we're approaching Meteo World."
"Is it weird having a tiny little Fara in your cockpit?"
"She's actually pretty rad. She told me that she gives me two thumbs up for kissing Panther, and said he's in great shape for his age, which she refuses to tell me. She said I need to ask him. She also said that everything you told me about that Kursed chick … really happened, is well documented, and the multi-verse situation is now being studied by Cornerian scientists. So. That happened. I mean, she has access to the internet. If it's on the internet, it must be real, right? Heh. Seriously, though. I'm kind of freaking out. I just kissed the guy that's going to knock me up one day. And I'm way too old to have kids. Plus, I've only known him for a few hours. I'm excited, I'm scared, I'm wondering how long I should let things grow between us before hopping in the sack, but at the same time? Five years. Five frickin' years. I am dying, girl. Thankfully, you don't judge me because you like refreshingly real people, who don't mind saying I find him attractive."
"Here's a good way to determine how long you should wait: No rogering that man until he earns it. Make him earn it."
"My AI agrees, assuming that Roger is a euphemism and not a name. Her wording was about as straightforward as yours. She said I should have my way with him after I make him earn this future trophy wife, heh."
"I'd love to meet your AI. She sounds like she also refuses to sugarcoat her words, which is great."
"She is great. I was a little freaked out that she's part of Fara. At least at first. But then I realized that she's not Fara. She's got her own personality and she's her own … person. Yeah, I'll have to introduce you sometime. All right. We're coming into range of Meteo World. I guess we should bring Panther back into the channel, huh?"
Krystal chuckled. "What does your AI say?"
"She says I should be talking to my future husband more than my ex-boyfriend's wife."
"Oooh! Cheeky! Well, she isn't wrong. All right. Let's…"
"Skip trace missiles!" Miyu exclaimed, changing the subject with an edge of concern in her voice. "Stealth missiles! They're firing stealth missiles at us!"
Krystal's eyes widened. "Wait, what?!"
Panther's visual came over Krystal and Miyu's comms system. "The Rose has taken damage! The repair job isn't holding, and I have a hull breach. I must have clipped something. I'm losing altitude and attitude control."
His fighter began to swing about, going into a very slow spin. It approached the enormous asteroid ahead, and took on a very, very light red tint.
"Panther!" Miyu shouted. "Those fuckers just shot down my future husband!"
Krystal's heart raced in her chest. "If he hits the ground at that speed, it will destroy his Wolfen. Panther, when you get within a mile from the surface, you must eject!"
"Ejecting is neither daring nor sexy…"
Miyu said, "You eject, or that kiss will be your last. Got it?"
"Then Panther will do his best to make an ejection both daring and sexy."
Miyu let off her throttle, slowing so that his fighter would catch up with her prototype. "Right now, without the ability to maneuver, you're a sitting duck!"
Krystal tried to move her fighter into place to get beneath his, but the weight of the Wolfen was too much, and without shields, his hull was becoming too hot. The heat was eating away at her shields. She remained in place for a moment, so that his fuselage could cool down a bit. But he shields continue to drop dramatically.
Once Krystal's shields dropped to forty percent, she said, "I've slowed you down from sixteen thousand miles 'n hour to about two thousand. But I'm taking a great deal of damage. Shields are now at thirty-seven percent, thirty-six…" She had no choice but to pull out from beneath his falling ship, and quickly did so. "But I managed to slow your decent and fix your descent angle to reduce heat, somewhat."
Miyu moved close to his ship and said, "I've got an idea, but it's going to be daring, sexy, and really dangerously stupid."
"I am listening."
She put her shield bubble around his ship, briefly. "I'm going to open my cockpit, and you jump in."
Krystal blinked. "It's a single-seater, Miyu. If he lands on your controls, it could send you into a spiral or spin. I'll lower my ramp, and he can jump across to the Cloudrunner's hold."
"Shit!" Miyu screeched. "Another skip-trace missile is incoming! Not sure who they're targeting! Brace for impact!"
Panther opened his canopy, donning an ejection helmet, his flight suit, and nothing else. He stood up, and the rush of wind snatched him from his cockpit. The updraft lifted him straight up, away from the Black Rose.
Miyu's jaw dropped. "What the hell are you doing?!"
"Asking you to trust," said Panther. Wind rushed over his flight suit, which was boxy in the front and back, with a rose painted on the chest piece, overtop his solar plexus. "This will require the team to make a landing, or it will require Search and Rescue, and for that, Panther must apologize. But who would you destroy?"
Before either woman could answer, the Black Rose blasted apart in a fiery detonation that sent Panther flailing through the upper atmosphere of the enormous asteroid theme park.
"Hnnnghh!" Panther tensed his body and moved his arms and legs to gain control of a harrowing flat spin. His body came under graceful control as only a feline could manage.
He rolled his body about until his arms were at his sides, and his head was pointed downward. He picked up speed.
"You don't have a parachute!" Miyu exclaimed.
"What are you doing?!" Krystal shouted almost overtop of Miyu.
"What Panther does best. Being daring and sexy. A HALO jump is of no concern. A pickup will be necessary, however."
"You're nineteen miles from the surface, Panther! Where's your goddess-damned chute?!"
"Panther is not suicidal, for suicide is the act of the desperate. Panther does not act out of desperation. Panther prepares for danger."
Miyu came over Krystal's private channel. "Please tell me he's not going to die. My AI seems to think he has a chute in that body part on the back of his flight suit."
"He does," replied Krystal, adding, "I forgot about that. He keeps a chute and a parasail. It's how he used to dodge the authorities after assassinating an enemy target. He would ascend to a high point, like the top of a building, where they think he's trapped, then he jumps. Somehow, he gets away every time. Not that he does it anymore, but … he's practiced."
Miyu exhaled with what sounded like an exasperated sigh. She opened the team channel again. "Don't you die. I want that steak when we get back."
"Steak and lamb. Panther will not disappoint." His voice became strained from the high G-forces of his rapid descent. "Seventeen miles to go. Please, ladies, do not let yourselves be shot down on my account. If they are shooting ammunition we cannot see, then stay alert and trust that Panther will live."
"He's right, Miyu. It seems your ship has the latest sensors. I'm going to move behind you."
"Stay with me, and we'll get through this, Krystal." Miyu quickly moved in front.
Krystal moved behind the sleek prototype fighter. "Is that some sort of scramjet rectangular booster on the back of your fighter, above the two standard boosters?"
"Silent propulsion up to sustained speeds of Mach 8-point-3."
"Impressive. Space Dynamics seems to be doing well under the guidance of its new leader."
"Tell them you want a family discount for being the mother-in-law."
"Heh. I may retire soon; not sure yet. Else I'll stay active for … at least another year. Although, since losing my memories, I've truly enjoyed the work. But, apparently, I made Fox promise to retire, and he is willing to prove to me that he would do it for me."
"Do what you want. You're a woman. You're entitled to change your mind at any time. If you want a newer faster ship, you should get one. Fifty is the new thirty-five, Krystal. We live in a different time than our parents and grandparents."
"I suppose you're right."
"That damn boy has about thirteen miles to go." Then in a softer voice, she added, "I bet he's cold."
Krystal feigned a weak smile, glad to hear Miyu's genuine concern for Caruso. She opened a channel to him. "You're making excellent time at six hundred miles 'n hour."
Caruso chuckled. "I have descent, speed, altimeter, and temperature controls on my visor HUD. Shame, though, that my visor is starting to fog up, but the heater function is doing its job, and my gloves work properly."
Miyu came back into the full-squadron channel. "How cold are you?"
"The air is getting warmer as I make my descent. However, my flight suit is like a cast – I cannot feel anything outside of it." A pause, then he said, "Ten … nine miles remain…"
Krystal exhaled. "I hope your chute is failproof, Caruso."
"Panther Caruso is failproof. This suit has been tested at Mach 1.5 with no effects. Tested personally, I might add."
Miyu scoffed. "I bet the gourmet chef version of you didn't jump nineteen miles from a flaming fighter moving at sixteen thousand miles per hour, dammit."
"We slowed to two thousand before I ejected."
Miyu grit her molars. "Why didn't you use your ejection seat function? Jumping clear of a moving fighter was beyond dangerous."
"I do not wish to be a target."
Miyu sighed, unable to argue with his logic. "You're making me nervous. I didn't even know I could feel nervous anymore. Dammit, Panther. I want that steak."
"I want to serve it to you. Unfortunately, it is hard to feel exhilaration while mourning the loss of the Black Rose. I … have some credits set aside. Perhaps you could let me speak to your Space Dynamics Rep. Surely the latest engineers could create a newer and more powerful Wolfen than Andross."
"Later, Panther. Later. Just … survive first."
"Six … five miles remain."
Krystal felt her heart pounding in her chest. "Slow down, now."
Panther opened his arms and moved so that his stomach was parallel with the surface, below. His rate of fall slowed from seven hundred miles per hour to roughly one hundred twenty-five over a period of several miles.
"All right, you're getting close. Pop your chute."
"Never give your enemy the chance to shoot you directly. Just watch and learn."
"Panther, dammit, you're scaring Miyu half-to-death."
"Soon. Very soon. One hundred seventeen, sixteen … holding at one sixteen." Panther brought his paws to his chest, withdrew one of his gloves, and placed his padded paw against the box chest piece. The glove he held was pulled from his grip and went flying.
He pulled the rose, painted on his chest, downward.
A large parachute burst from the boxy part of his suit on his back.
Krystal expected for a rose to be painted on the parachute, but it was plain black on the top, and dark navy-blue underneath.
Panther grunted hard from the four G's of deceleration shock. "Slowing…" he said through clenched teeth, followed by, "Forty-five, thirty-five, thirty, twenty-five, twenty, nineteen, seventeen … fifteen, fourteen miles per hour. Holding at fourteen."
Krystal exhaled in relief, which emanated from both the feline pilots.
"Miyu?"
"I, uh … yeah, Panther?"
"What is the plan? S-and-R, or do we land as a team?"
Krystal replied, "They know we're here, now. No use doing a high-speed flyby to take pictures. I'm sending a distress message to GreatFox. I hope Wolf will feel guilty."
"Doubtful," said Panther. "StarFox pilots only took damage from protecting a flaming Wolfen. This time tomorrow, he will blame Slippy Toad's rushed repairs to the Black Rose. There is nothing Toad could have done with the time and parts available. The Wolfen III was an exceptional ship for its time, but it was a timeless classic that belonged in an Air and Space Museum." He paused, briefly, then asked, "So, the two of you are landing and calling for aid?"
"We're not leaving you here," said Krystal.
"I have a device designed to cloak my fighter. It lasts a short time in flight, or up to twelve hours when parked. We'll find somewhere to hide Krystal's dinosaur of a ship, too."
"Ha, funny."
Miyu smirked. "My AI says you had my comment coming, because you named it after an actual dinosaur."
"Touché. All right. Panther, I see the parking lot designed for tour buses and private charter ships. Can you make it there?"
"This moon-sized meteor lacks wind or breeze of any kind. It will be an easy…" His tone changed to a sneer. "Wait. Panther sees something on the horizon…"
Miyu groaned. "Another skip-trace missile is inbound. They're trying to target Panther's parachute!"
"This is of no consequence. Watch and learn, ladies." Panther reached up with his gloved paw and took all the cables into one bunched-up grasp. Then, with his gloveless paw, he withdrew his claws and swiped through the cables to his parachute. Fueled by adrenaline, he managed to dice through all six cables in one swipe.
Panther managed to hold the cables in his gloved paw for another few seconds, then he dropped away from the parachute. He looked up, watching the dark blue canopy rise away as his body fell.
Miyu exclaimed, "What the hell?!"
Panther reached for his chest again. He pushed upward on the rose-painted section at the front of his flight suit. A parasail erupted from the back of his flight suit. This one was silken and had a handstitched rose on the glider sail.
Panther's limbs became the controls to the high-tension wires. He moved his arms about, guiding his parasail toward the paved lot up ahead.
Krystal watched the black-topped canopy of Panther's parachute take the shape of a missile tube. Fully engulfed by the jettisoned chute, the stealth missile passed its intended target for several seconds, before exploding harmlessly over a mile away.
"Okay, that was like something out of a spy movie. Who the hell are you, Caruso?"
"A man who knows how to make an entrance, Miyu, my dear."
Krystal groaned. "You deserve a real bollocking, Caruso, but…" She sighed with a shake of her head. "That sneaky double-chute trick was … pretty posh."
"Approaching the lot."
Krystal headed for the parking lot, too. She could see the weeds starting to grow up through cracks in the pavement. The Cloudrunner slowed to a smooth landing. The struts of its landing tracks grunted softly, and it came to rest in an overgrown grassy field adjacent to an old metal fence that surrounded the perimeter of the parking lot.
Miyu's fighter landed just on the inside of the fence, on the pavement. Her ship vanished before Krystal's eyes.
A moment later, Miyu emerged from out of nowhere, walking toward Krystal's fighter.
The Cloudrunner's ramp extended to the waist-high grassy field, stopping a foot from the fence. She hurried down the ramp, staff in her hand, and looked around.
Panther's parasail was silent as he circled the lot. He lowered to the ground with a grunt, then brought both of his arms into the shape of an 'X' over his chest. The parasail rapidly retracted into the pack on the back of his flight suit, between his shoulder blades.
The force of the intense retraction caused him to overstep his landing strut, but he recovered with and graceful as if he'd intended to perform the semi-skip in his footing. "Ladies!"
Krystal climbed the fence, put her foot on the top pole, and performed a loose front-flip. She landed in a crouch with her free paw between her knees, and her staff held out to the side, behind her. She stood up and nodded to Miyu, then she nodded to Panther. "Good to see you both in one piece."
Panther chuckled. He approached Miyu and said, "In one piece as promised. The steak will be later."
The lynx replied with a sly grin at the corner of her muzzle. "That was fancy. I'm impressed. You weren't freaking out? Not even a little?"
"It accomplishes nothing." Panther glanced over at Krystal. "Secure your fighter. You are Panther's ride back to GreatFox."
Krystal lifted her staff and thumbed a glyph in the decorative pole. Her fighter's ramp closed, and armored plating extended down over the canopy, protecting the glass, rear boosters, and atmospheric intake manifolds. Each of the little thruster boosters in the seams retracted into the fuselage.
She gave the pole a twirl and nodded firmly. "Let's make this quick. We need a plan."
Miyu piped up quickly. "We shut down the communication's beacon, so they cannot get word to the fleet over Corneria, nor can they request for help from Venom."
Panther withdrew his other glove and discarded it on the ground. "There's a reactor built to power a weapon's system. That should be a secondary objective, in case we need GreatFox to enter the atmosphere and destroy ground-based targets. Else, they will become the target of those missiles that skip in-and-out of cloak."
Miyu nodded in agreement. "Yeah, the skip-trace missiles. If our fighters are found and damaged, we're trapped here. So, taking that weapon's system offline is pretty important."
Krystal nodded. "All right, it sounds like we're all on the same page, here. I sense very few people here. Less than a dozen."
Panther frowned. "Maintaining this as a base cannot be accomplished with a skeleton crew. Perhaps, instead of soldiers, it is protected by sentry bots."
Miyu grimaced. "Let's hope not. Those things can't be choked, stabbed in the kidneys from behind, nor can we cut their throats or break their necks. But it would make sense to use a mechanical army, because Venom doesn't have a large enough population to act as the army it would need to conquer Corneria and its allies."
Krystal nodded firmly in agreement. "How smart is your AI, Miyu?"
"Very. Why?"
"Can she hack?"
"I never asked." Miyu shrugged. "But she doesn't operate off the ship's computer. She is in a server farm at an undisclosed location. All I know is … it's huge."
"Mm. All right," said Krystal. "So, this AI would have the computing power to hack any sentry bots being employed by Venom. Let's ask her for help."
Miyu waved for the two to follow her to her cloaked ship. A moment later, she stopped in front of an empty part of the parking lot and disappeared into the cloak field.
A few moments later, she stepped back out of the cloaked field, holding a holo-emitter in her palm. A tiny version of Fara Phoenix appeared above Miyu's paw.
Fara waved at Panther and Krystal. "So, Miyu tells me that I'm going to be drafted for my first combat mission. Exciting!"
Krystal grinned.
Panther tilted his head.
Fara rubbed her tiny paws. "Well, let's get to work! This plan sounds exciting! I can't wait to do something outside of a cockpit! Wait until my programming crew finds out I helped save Lylat from a remote holo-emitter! Looks like this unit's battery should last six hours, roughly, depending on how high the brightness is turned up. So, let's do it!"
Panther chuckled. "Panther already loves this mission. Fighting with a team of beautiful women. I feel like Prince, who relies on his band of women to make him stand out."
Fara laughed. "Oh, get over yourself, Caruso. Can I call you Caruso? Great! But, at least you're right about one thing – we're all beautiful women, here! Now, Krystal, you're team-lead, right?"
Krystal nodded firmly. "I took over when Wolf left seconds after launch."
"What a dick," said Fara. "You can tell him I said that. Or I will. I don't care. I'll hack his stupid fancy eye unit, and distract him with annoying images. Anyhow, Miyu, thanks for including me. Panther, I'm glad you lived through that crazy jump. Well done. Krystal, which objective do you wish to tackle first? Trust your instincts and choose."
Krystal looked around at the group. "How do you three feel about trying to accomplish both objectives at the same time?"
Fara's avatar laughed and clapped her paws. "I love it!"
Miyu nodded. "I like the idea. Panther?"
"Panther is a one-man-army, ready at a moment's notice."
Krystal nodded firmly. "Then let's get to work! I already sent out the distress beacon to GreatFox, on a rotating frequency, so that they cannot trace it back to my ship right away. Okay, let's discuss teams. One-man-army, you handle the weapon. You deserve a bit of justice for the Black Rose's destruction. Miyu, Fara, and I will handle the comms tower."
Fara cleared her throat. "I can also go with Panther. I can do both at once. I don't need a holo-emitter. I can use his helmet visor, a HUD headset, or his personal communicator. I'll just patch myself in … with his permission, of course."
Panther nodded. "Very well, little lady. You can be Panther's tiny dancer sidekick."
Fara scoffed. "This'll be interesting, I'm sure. Just don't flirt or say anything weird, got it?"
"Understood, little one."
Fara rolled her eyes. "Here we go with the Thumbelina references."
Krystal looked around at her team and nodded with a slight smile. "I believe in all of you. Let's get to work and meet back here in less than six hours. We stay in contact as much as possible. Venom has never been able to hack Cornerian comms technology, so they'll know we're in the area, but they won't be able to pin down where, nor will they be able to hear us."
Miyu blew a kiss at Panther. "Don't die, space cowboy."
"The Desperado Rose rides again." Panther grinned at her. He touched a button on his chest, and the helmet came apart, in sections, and folded down into the collar of his space suit. He acted as though he caught her kiss in air, and brought his paw to his muzzle. "See you both soon."
Miyu and Krystal headed for the opening of the fence, leading into the theme park.
Panther climbed the fence, not far from Krystal's Cloudrunner, and headed into the waist-high weeds and grass.
