Transit of Cerinia

by SquidgyPlopGloop

Having escaped Lylat, Fox and Krystal take refuge on the forbidden planet of Cerinia – but Krystal can't contain her runaway powers, and Fox can't let go of his past, while Bill Grey and his mysterious Cerinian charge draw closer to finding them each day. Meanwhile in the slums of Zoness, Falco escalates his war against rival gangs, spreading a dangerous drug that grants telepathy.

48. Storming Paradise

X

Mission No. 48

Cerinia
Altaira Valley

Storming Paradise

X

Bill's shuttle broke through the clouds over the target valley. He stood at the observation window at the front, leaning over the pilot's control panel to get a better look.

He blinked. It was…beautiful – like nothing he'd seen before in Lylat. Tall mountains hemmed in the picturesque valley on either side. A forest of purple, blossoming trees covered half the vale like a blanket, while the other half was populated by rolling plains of green crop fields. An agrarian village sat nestled in the forest by the cliffs; buildings and houses constructed from elaborately-carved cherry wood. He was surprised to find anything like this on the desolate planet of Cerinia. Everything else they'd found was made from steel, glass, and concrete, and lay in utter ruin. To think that this pristine little village was nestled out of harms way for so long while they futilely searched the planet…

But he couldn't let its charming allure get to him. He tightened his grip on the overhead handrail, narrowing his eyes.

"Be on your guard," Bill said to the soldiers in back, simultaneously broadcasting his message to the other shuttles. "The Cerinians you are about to face have a penchant for hiding deadly powers under their outward guise of beauty. You've seen what Ariki and Hime were capable of. Hundreds of similar threats live under those trees and in those houses. While they might not all possess psychic powers, you can't be too careful. As far as you are concerned, anyone you meet is a hostile threat."

As he surveyed the faces of his men, he saw a broad array of responses. Some looked raring to go, itching for a fight. Others looked frightened, the color drained from their cheeks. The rest remained neutral, maintaining stone-faced expressions. But when he noticed his lieutenant, Miyu's face looked…uncomfortable. She avoided his gaze.

Well, it was too late to ask about that.

"The attack begins now, while we still have the element of surprise. Drop the smokescreen and incapacitating agents," he ordered.

While Bulldog unit landed their shuttles on the field just outside the village, Fay lead Husky unit overhead in a flyby. Their ships dropped a hailstorm of smoke grenades over the village, as well as cluster bombs that released aerosolized fentanyl derivatives. Before the Cerinians knew what hit them, clouds of smoke engulfed the village, thicker than fog, while the incapacitating agent began spreading on the wind.

"Payload delivered," Fay reported from her ship. "Smokescreen deployed. Hostiles will soon be unconscious."

Bill and Miyu's shuttle landed on the edge of the forest with a jolt. The crew inside all put on gas masks to protect from the chemical agent, and heat-vision goggles to see through the smoke. Hopefully the fentanyl would knock most of the Cerinians out, while the screen would blind the others.

"Remember the plan. Herd the villagers together and surround them. Be careful who you fire upon; Cerinian 28 must be unharmed at all costs. Keep an eye out for her among the unconscious. And don't lower your guard for any one of them."

The shuttle doors opened, and Bill and his men rushed out. Eight other shuttles were in the process of dropping off their crews beside them, while Fay and her squad continued to fly in formation overhead. The trippy thermal imaging goggles muted the vibrant colors of the forest, replacing them with a monochrome blue, but at least they could see through the smoke. Clouds were beginning to drift downwind of the village, leaking between the trees into the outside field. That would provide cover for their entrance.

Bill lead the troops into the forest. He and the main force ran along the main road, while the others spread out to the north and southwest, encircling the village before converging. Meanwhile a team of medics and some scientists followed behind, Cerinian 19 in tow. Makepeace remained on the shuttle, not planning to endanger herself in the conflict unless absolutely-necessary. Her ship took off, returning to the Justice which remained in hiding. She had to wield their trump card when the time came.

They met no one along the path. But when they reached the outskirts of the village, their goggles began picking up brighter splotches of heat-emitting bodies. Many already lay upon the ground, writhing or completely unmoving. Some were cloistered in their homes and buildings, cowering. Others stood defiantly or retreated away north from the invaders before they could cut-off their escape; it was possible Cerinian 28 was fleeing with this group, so they had to act fast.

"Hostile sighted, 11:00!"

Bill pivoted and saw the Cerinian standing on the porch of the nearest dwelling; a phantasmal creature with dark robes, a hood, and a facial mask. Before any of them could react, a projectile of some sort sailed through the air, striking a man in the skull. He fell to his knees, clutching his head, while the rest of the soldiers sought cover behind trees, bushes, and abandoned wagons. A rock rolled to Bill's feet, one side stained with red.

His blood ran cold for a second – then he gave the order. "Return fire!"

A quick volley of laser bolts sailed through the air at the Cerinian, their heat vision goggles automatically dimming the bright flares of light to protect their eyes. The Cerinian and another enemy beside them dropped to the ground, unmoving.

"The smokescreen isn't thick enough here to provide complete protection," Bill warned. "It'll be better towards the village center."

"Keep in mind some Cerinians can sense you through the smoke," Makepeace added for all to hear. "Never rely on it."

They entered the village, following the main road but keeping to either side in the cover the buildings offered. They came across many comatose bodies lying on the street and lawns, while very few conscious Cerinians remained blocking their path.

One of the soldiers that helped kill the two Cerinians approached their fallen, laser-scoured bodies. Cautiously he knelt beside them, pulling down one of their masks. When he saw their face he looked up at his comrade in surprise. "It's a woman!"

"What?" The other soldier knelt beside him, removing the facial covering from the other Cerinian. She too was a woman, made more obvious by the contour of the cloak over her chest – a chest now penetrated by his laser round.

The first soldier remained kneeling, staring at the two with wide eyes. "I didn't know! I didn't…"

Surprised, Bill looked down at the crumpled form of a Cerinian at his feet. Just like the others, it was female. She lay in a heap, her colorful robe mussed and jumbled while her face stared blankly up at the sky – unconscious. As he and the others looked around, they discovered many other incapacitated bodies with similar blank expressions, their eyes wide yet empty; their mouths lolling open. If Bill didn't know any better, he'd think they'd stumbled upon a village full of corpses.

"They're all women!" someone observed. "And children, too!"

"What kind of sick joke is this?!"

Makepeace's voice reached them over the comm channel. "It's possible the village is a harem society built by a handful of tyrannical males, like Ariki. Or it may only be a convent solely populated by Cerinian females. But this changes nothing; they are still just as deadly."

A hand landed on Bill's arm as he stared down at the victims, scaring him. He jumped and turned, finding Miyu there.

"Bill…" she spoke to him without the use of the comm channel, her voice muffled by her mask. "Call off the attack."

"What?!"

"We can't do this. You've seen what we're up against; they're all women and children! They're not evil like Ariki, they're just people! Number 28 isn't in any danger here. Perhaps we can negotiate, or-"

Bill shrugged her hand off. "No. We've come too far to back down now, and we've sacrificed too much. The mission goes forward as planned."

"How can you say that?! This is so messed up!"

"I'm sorry Miyu. I'm a Cornerian soldier, like you. If this is what I was commanded to do, I do it. I'm just following my orders. In the end, it will all be worth it. But…"

He switched his mic back on. "Set all weapons to stun. Repeat: set all weapons to stun." He glanced between the bodies of the Cerinians who'd attacked them, and the others that had tried to run, noting their apparent differences. "There seems to be a distinction between civilians and the warrior class. The psychic Cerinians wear masks and dark, hooded cloaks. Harmless villagers wear decorative robes or silk wrappings. The civilians aren't a threat; it's the warriors you need to worry about. Still, stun everyone on sight, regardless of their appearance."

The lynx's heart seemed to sink at those words, and Bill looked at her suspiciously for a minute. Finally he lay a hand on her shoulder.

"Lieutenant Lynx, I don't know what you experienced when you landed on the planet by yourself, but I don't really care. You are a Cornerian soldier. You have a duty to perform. So you better steel your resolve and perform it. If you have any doubt in your mind, or your wounds are clouding your judgement, evacuate to the shuttles and return to the Justice with Makepeace."

Miyu scowled at him for a second. Then her figure slowly straightened up.

"Understood, Captain Grey."

Bill scrutinized the feline through his goggles, wondering what her problem was, but he couldn't let it bother him now. All that he cared about was that she helped, or at least didn't get in the way.

"Keep searching," Bill ordered, continuing to march down the street. "Check every body, check every house, but find 28 and subdue her."

A team of soldiers smashed in a nearby door with a battering ram, then stood back for two more to enter with riot shields. No sooner had they disappeared inside than one of their comms erupted in choking noises – no matter that he was equipped with full armor, a laser rifle, and a shield. His teammate screamed, followed by the loud report of his rifle. The choking noise stopped, replaced by gasps.

"They're barricading themselves in the huts," the other reported. "One almost choked Sauder and me to death."

"We must search every building," Bill stated. He lay his hand on the wall of a nearby house, studying it. "The huts are made from cherry wood. Some have thatched roofs or flammable shingles. If the smoke isn't enough, we'll flush the stragglers out with fire."

On his orders the troops began launching incendiary devises on the rooves of the houses. The thatched materials caught fire quickly, spreading to the wooden structures beneath, while the buildings with shingled roofs were tougher to ignite. It was only necessary to burn a few houses; the ones with barricaded doors. Others merely contained unconscious Cerinian families, which were easy to break into and drag the occupants out. But the houses concealing warriors and other Cerinians were quickly set aflame one-by-one. Any occupant wishing to leave stumbled out, coughing from the smoke, and sometimes swatting at burning clothes. They were immediately stunned with energy weapons without discrimination.

X

At the rear of the assault, attended by scientists and guarded by soldiers, 19 watched the invasion play out, slack-jawed. She stared as entire homes went up in flames, never having seen so much destruction first hand. She could feel the heat of the crackling fires even where she stood. The smoke made it hard to see; the shadowy forms of Cornerians weaving from building to building looked like ghosts amidst the chaos. Her rubber mask smelled foul and made it hard to breathe. Her heart pounded in her chest, fearing for her own safety just as much as everyone else's.

Then a soldier shoved his way through the ranks of the entourage to meet her; she almost didn't recognize him through his mask.

"Where's 28?" Bill asked. "Is she near? Is she conscious?"

19 closed her eyes and covered her ears, attempting to block out all of her senses but her sixth. It was a difficult task; even with her ears covered, she heard all the sounds of battle around her: the screams of fellow Cerinian women, the crying of children, the harsh, barked orders from soldiers, the splintering of doors getting smashed down, and the distorted report of laser fire.

But even when she tuned them out and began listening for 28's thoughts, it wasn't much better. She exposed her mind to the collective agony of all the Cerinians in the village. Most were in pain or terrified. Some lay incapacitated on the ground, struggling to breathe or stay awake. Some were wounded from the powerful charges of the Cornerians' stun beams. Others raced with abandon away from the village, dragging frightened children and confused elders in tow.

But through it all she heard the thoughts of someone familiar to her. She concentrated, bringing her thoughts to the forefront. They belonged to 28 alright; she seemed trapped and alone, fleeing from someone or something, but was far away from the main crowd of voices. Like everyone else, she was in distress – but a more dire distress than she had ever sensed her sister in before. So strong were her negative emotions that 19 mentally recoiled when she came in contact with them.

The vixen blinked her eyes open again, staring at Bill dumbfoundedly.

"Well?!"

"Krystal is to the north-"

The bulldog cocked his head. "Krystal?"

"I-I mean Subject 28! She is conscious but something is wrong with her; she is suffering. I think she is in a cave inside the mountain."

Bill turned around, peering above the clouds of smoke, trees, and rooftops to a hill that sat at the base of the mountain cliffs. An intricately-carved building sat at the top, with signs of more forest behind it.

He spoke into his mic. "19 thinks 28 is in a cave at the top of that hill. It seems to be where the warriors are ferrying the rest of the villagers – perhaps a last defense or a secret escape route. We'll storm the hill while Husky squadron covers us with air support, then we'll meet up and surround the remaining Cerinians, forcing them to hand over 28."

Bill left her side, marching back through the village with the rest of his men. By that point most of the buildings in the village had been cleared or set ablaze; their occupants dragged out into the street and stunned – whether warrior or civilian, adult or child. Medics tended to wounded soldiers and Cerinians who'd received too high a concentration of the sleep gas, or too powerful a stun bolt. 19 saw the looks of horror on the women's faces as each of them starred down a gun barrel, one after another. Their terrified expressions froze in place even after they were rendered unconscious. She saw children standing in the middle of the street, clutching homemade dolls and crying aimlessly before they too were silenced. She saw the Cornerians laying limp bodies in rows on the street, separated by nationality and role. Some bled bright red streaks on the ground, or sizzled with charred holes. Others they covered in bags…

The horrific sights proved too much. For a time she could only stand in place, unable to look away from the rows of bodies and burning buildings. The blood…the blood in particular got to her. For a moment the sun disappeared behind claustrophobic walls of rock and steel, leaving her in an unlit passage. Mangled forms lay at her feet, vaguely reminiscent of bodies. Scarlet liquid pooled at her ankles, at least an inch deep. And when she looked down at her hands, they were completely saturated with red.

This was her doing. Her guilt weighed immensely on her shoulders. After all this time Bill had pretended to care for her, he had only desired her for her usefulness. He'd rescued her from the labs only to have 19 repeat her atrocities, just when she thought she could leave them behind. How could she right her wrongs if her atonement involved the very same thing she sought to undo? She felt so used…

"WATCH OUT!"

Snapped out of her vision, 19 looked up just in time to see a pile of flaming debris hurled at them. Some of the soldiers in front of her scattered, while the rest held fast. They bore the brunt of the burning wreckage on their riot shields, but there was so much force behind it the charred wood bowled them over like pins. The scientists scattered like roaches, some feebly trying to lead her out of the line of danger – but a flaming board splintered off and struck them, knocking her to her feet.

19 blinked, feeling dizzy. Flames were beginning to eat at her gown, but she managed to swat them out quickly enough. Looking around she realized she was unattended; the scientists were too busy seeking cover, while the soldiers were preoccupied fighting the Cerinian warrior who had just flung the roof off her hiding place. She was alone; no one would notice if she slipped away.

Sucking in a breath, she tore off her mask and flung it at her feet. Then, staying low to the ground, she crawled behind an empty building and ran off into the forest, in the direction of the open fields she'd seen.

X

The loud crash of the burning roof caught Bill and Miyu's attention. The soldiers spun around, finding the smoldering wreckage lying in a heap in the middle of the street. Sparks and flaming debris scattered in every direction, along with the soldiers and scientists that had been standing there.

"The rear guard," Bill gasped. "19 was back there!"

Immediately he sprinted off down the street in their direction, abandoning the frontline of the invasion force. When he drew closer to the site of the attack, he found a lone Cerinian warrior slowly marching down the street, pressing the rear guard back. Her mask and cowl covered her face, while her cloak glistened with sparks and licks of fire. She fanned the flames towards the remaining soldiers who still stood in her way, igniting their uniforms and sending them rolling on the ground or running back through the forest towards the stream. Whenever a few dared pause and return fire, the laser bolts seemed to stop and fizzle a few feet away from her – before she hurled another firebolt of burning debris at her attackers.

Bill slid to a stop roughly two buildings away from her. He raised his rifle, snarling as he fired it. The warrior turned at the sound of the shot, raising her hands to block the projectile like all the rest, but was too late. The force from the blow knocked her off her feet and dropped her on the muddy street, where she lay twitching from the shock. He hadn't bothered to stun her.

Bill lowered his rifle, breathing heavily. It wasn't often he found himself put into such a rage – he thought it unbecoming of an officer of his rank, but with 19 involved he found it easy to lose track of his temper.

He rushed over to some of the fallen scientists, calling for a medic and giving them a hand up. Miyu quickly joined his side, helping as well; she had struggled to keep up with him on his mad dash over.

"Where's Subject 19?!" he demanded. "Was she hurt?"

The scientists seemed dazed from the attack. They blinked, looking around with slightly agape jaws, but they couldn't spot 19. At least she wasn't pinned under the wreckage like Bill feared. Worryingly, however, he spotted a gas mask discarded on the dirt road…

One scientist showed Bill a compact PDU with a small screen. It displayed a radar image in green, with their present location at the center and another dot slowly moving away towards the fields.

"She's running away!" the scientist said. "She must have been scared off by the Cerinian's attack. We must go after her!"

A party began to form around their group, but Bill just stared through the trees, blankly. 19 wasn't running from the Cerinians; she was running from him. He should have feared something like this would happen. He spent all those countless moments assuring her everything would be okay when he knew full-well what was coming; that she'd be involved in the attack. She must have felt complicit in the invasion; a traitor to her own kind. And he had put her up to it.

"Shall we go after her, Captain?"

Bill blinked and shook his head. He swiped the tracker from the scientist.

"No, I'll go alone. I don't want her getting hurt. She's…too valuable to the mission. I'm the only one she'll listen too; I'm the only one who can bring her back." He turned, finding Miyu was still with him. "Lieutenant Lynx: I'm temporarily leaving you and Lieutenant Spaniel in charge of the operation in my absence. Continue the assault on the hill and round up the Cerinians. See that 28 is found and unharmed. Can you do that for me, or do you still have some reservations?"

The feline seemed to glance self-consciously around at the men watching them before answering. "Yes sir, you can be sure we'll find her."

He clapped her on the arm. "Good. See to it."

Then he turned and sprinted off into the forest, chasing after 19.

X

Miyu blinked as her commanding officer disappeared between the trees. She and the rest of the men looked on awkwardly. It wasn't just that he was leaving the battle – 19 was an asset and might be needed to complete the mission. That part they understood. No, what was odd was the amount of personal care and attention he'd given the Cerinian during the voyage, beyond what was necessary. Many of the crew had picked up on it. But maybe he was right. Maybe he was the only one 19 trusted, and the only one who could bring her back.

Now the mission was in Miyu's hands. She took no pride in what she had to do.

Swallowing, she turned to her men and motioned them forward. "You heard the Captain. Let's take that hill."

Half-heartedly she lead the soldiers back through the village, towards the mound with the sprawling wooden hall at the top. A long set of winding stairs snaked up the hillside, where Cerinian warriors stationed themselves to oversee the villagers' retreat. When they saw the Cornerian soldiers approaching the base, they went on the defensive. They began hurling makeshift projectiles down at them: boulders, uprooted fence-posts, and even stone steps, as if in a scorched-earth policy. The debris landed all around them, sometimes finding their mark in unsuspecting soldiers who weren't looking up. Several had their helmets rattled and were even knocked-unconscious, while others reacted quickly, raising their riot shields. But at least for the moment they were pinned down at the base of the hill, an upward struggle before them.

Miyu hunkered beneath a shield a soldier held for her. "Take cover! Pick them off with your rifles!"

The men sheltered beneath trees and buildings or pressed themselves flat against the cliff face. They worked in pairs, with one soldier holding a shield to protect a rifleman. Soon they began returning fire with some success, but that only seemed to incur more wrath from the Cerinians. A particularly-large boulder flew over the side like a catapult, crushing two of Miyu's soldiers right before her eyes. While she knew not all or even most of the Cerinians were bad, sights like that made it hard for her to defend them.

Just when it looked like they were stuck, Husky unit came to the rescue. The squad flew over the hillside dropping more cannisters of smokescreen and cluster bombs of gas. Soon what remained of the stairs was covered in smoke, decreasing visibility to zero – but not to the soldiers equipped with thermal imaging.

Miyu stood from behind cover, waving her men forward. "Begin the climb! Stun anyone on sight."

The soldiers rushed up the stairs, coming across the bodies of coughing warriors too asphyxiated to put up a fight. Still more projectiles rained down from above, thrown blindly onto the smoke in the hopes they might strike someone. Some unfortunate soldiers who put their guard down too soon paid for their carelessness.

Once at the top they found a small lawn before the Cerinian hall where the warriors made another stand, launching bricks at anyone daring enough to poke their head above the hillside. But Husky unit came through once again. Giant shadows seeped through the clouds of smoke, taking the warriors by surprise. Shuttles and fighter craft landed on the thin patio between Miyu's troops and the Cerinians. They dispensed their pilots and crews into the melee, firing on the warriors till they overwhelmed them. Soon they had them in a complete rout, chasing the Cerinians into the hall behind them.

Miyu noticed Fay's ship landing close by, followed by the spaniel jumping out to meet her. She was taken aback when she saw the look on the canine's face; a passion burned in her eyes, and her teeth were clenched in a snarl. She held her energy rifle at the ready, looking eager to take it to their enemies.

When she reached Miyu, she hooked her rifle over her shoulder. "Well, looks like we saved your tails just in time! Now let's stick it to these Cerinian monsters and go home."

A squad with incendiary equipment approached the two lieutenants. Their leader saluted, not knowing whom to address.

"Lieutenants, we've driven them into the building. Shall we burn it?"

Fay grinned. "Go right ahead."

Miyu looked at her in shock. "What are you saying?!" She grabbed her arm and pulled her away, hopefully out of earshot of the incendiary squad.

"This is the most important building in the village!" she hissed. "These people made it by hand! We can't just burn the whole thing down!"

Fay crossed her arms, peeved that Miyu had pulled her aside. "Maybe that will teach them not to mess with us."

"But why does it have to be burned at all?"

"If we don't flush them out with fire, we'll have to go in after them and lose more men in the cramped quarters. Are you prepared to make that sacrifice?"

"But there are people in there!"

"They're not people. They're Cerinians – monsters, Miyu." Fay lay a hand on her shoulder. "You remember what Ariki and that bitch did when they attacked us? They almost killed us all! And for a while, I thought they killed you! We may have gotten those two, but this place is filled with a thousand more, just like them! We can't trust any of them. They're our enemies – and if we don't take action against them first, they'll destroy us."

Miyu looked around, noticing they were drawing the attention of soldiers, who waited expectantly for an answer. "But they're not all like that!" she insisted. "You've been around 19. She wouldn't harm a fly!"

"She may be fine now, after they rehabilitated her, but when Bill found her she was covered in the blood of her victims," Fay reminded her. "How many men have we lost in the attack already? Six? A dozen? Twenty? They died because of these Cerinians!"

"Who are just defending their village!" Miyu argued. "We're the invaders here! To them, we're the bad guys!"

Fay looked at her, astonished. "What's gotten into you? It's like being marooned on this planet did something to your head. Maybe the crash addled your brain, but from no angle of perspective are we the 'bad guys'. They're hiding a research subject that belongs to us. We came here to take her back. All of this is necessary. You heard Bill and the general talking; you know how much is riding on this. We're just doing our part."

"And the Cerinians are doing theirs," Miyu said, pointing at a warrior's unconscious body. "We may not be taking prisoners, but our orders aren't to leave a trail of corpses and destruction, either."

Fay's chest heaved as she stared over at the hall. Miyu thought she could see the reflection of it in flames in her eyes.

"If we set fire to the building, it won't be our faults if they die. It'll be their faults for staying behind. Putting themselves in harm's way is none of our concern. Give me one good reason why we shouldn't burn it from a tactical standpoint, and I'll try to forget about revenge for a second."

Miyu floundered for a moment, staring into Fay's challenging eyes.

"If we set fire to the building, and we flush them out the back to the cliffs, we'll have the bonfire at our tails. We want to surround them, not ourselves."

Fay pursed her lips, giving it some thought.

One of the soldiers approached, saluting. "If I may, the building looks empty except for some stragglers; most have already retreated out the back. They probably saw what we did to the rest of the village and didn't want us burning down the main hall. Whatever it is, it looks like an important building."

Finally Fay nodded with a scowl. "Fine. Captain Grey put you in charge of the ground assault, after all. But I take no responsibility for the lives lost storming the building."

Miyu sighed, glad she and her fellow soldiers had gotten through to her. Together they turned back to the rest of the invasion force.

"Alright, we're going in. We've got them cornered; it's just a matter of forcing a surrender and bargaining for the return of Cerinian 28."

X

When Fox and Namah emerged from the Fountain of Life, they found a scene of utter chaos. The Garden of Tears was crowded with Cerinian villagers: some coughed, a few cried, and others sat curled up on the lawn, blankly staring ahead. Many of their garments were torn or singed by flame; the garden smelled of burned hair and fur. Around them the Kaitaki had set up a defensive perimeter, keeping the crowd protected and under control, while the elders went from family to family, comforting them.

"Your soldiers work fast," Namah snidely commented. "They already pushed my people back against the cliffs."

Fox blinked, looking at the sky above the Matron's Hall. Pillars of smoke rose from the valley beneath – telltale signs of buildings burning. Cornerian fighters circled overhead, occasionally swooping low to dispense some projectile or let off more troops. Echoing up from the valley, he could hear the sharp reports of laser fire answered by piercing screams.

He shook his head in disbelief. "No…this can't be…" He turned to Namah. "How could this happen so quickly, without any warning? I thought the valley had defenses! Why didn't your scouts detect them?"

The abbess frowned. "I'm afraid the Kaitaki were distracted by Krystal's plight; her powerful emotions drowned out the thoughts of lesser-minded Cornerians. They couldn't have chosen to attack at a worse time for us. But even on a regular day, it is easier for the warriors to sense the thoughts of psychics than you off-worlders. It's the Cerinian rogues we're usually worried about; those that are non-psychic never presented much of a threat. At least, not until now…"

Over the heads of the cowering Cerinians they saw activity at the Hall of Matrons. Cornerian soldiers in full protective gear rushed out of the rear doors, encircling the garden. Some knelt in the grass and rocky paths, raising defensive shields, while others took cover behind their barriers, aiming their rifles into the crowd. The Kaitaki answered by swiftly reinforcing the perimeter; their Cerinian protectees cowered behind them, eying the invaders with curiosity and fear.

A short standoff ensued, during which time both sides anxiously waited for the other to make the first move. Fox had never missed his blaster as much as he did now, but the Cerinians had yet to give it back to him since they first confiscated it. Then again, he wouldn't know what to do with it if he had it. While he was eager to defend the village, could he really fire upon his own countrymen?

The Cornerians, however, did not share his same hesitance. Somewhere among their ranks, a sharp female voice rang out, and the soldiers opened fire – but not with their rifles. They launched cannisters and groups of bomblets at the crowd, the Cerinians shrinking back in terror. But their fear was misplaced; the projectiles harmlessly bounced off an invisible wall surrounding the warriors, rolling back towards the attackers. The Cornerians stepped back in surprise, but not from fear of their own weapons. The cannisters went off, expelling more smoke and invisible chemicals into the air, but their gas masks protected them. The smoke spread throughout the hilltop, obscuring the Cornerians, but the villagers were left completely untouched. Something was keeping the fog at bay, the murky eddies curling vainly against an invisible barrier.

Then the Kaitaki summoned a strong wind, swiftly clearing the screen that concealed the soldiers and blowing all the smoke off the hilltop. The Cornerians found themselves naked and in the open again, staring across the lawn at the mysterious, intimidating warriors.

Their commander's voice rang out again, and the soldiers opened fire. But just as before, their energy bolts harmlessly dissipated against the side of the forcefield.

Fox's eyes went wide, stunned that they would fire on the warriors when scores of innocent civilians were behind them; if the forcefield hadn't been there, they would've surely killed dozens in the crossfire by now. And still they continued to shoot, keeping a constant stream of energy particles directed at the warriors.

He gnashed his teeth, glaring at the soldiers. How could they do this? How could they have fallen so low – or was this merely a side of Corneria he hadn't seen before? It was so different for them to be the invaders, and their enemies the defenseless underdogs. It was such a reversal of the Lylat War. But Fox's principles hadn't changed. Just as he did at the outbreak of the war, he didn't intend to sit idly by and watch the fight take place. Despite their differences, he was determined to stand up for the village.

The todd squinted his eyes, peering around for the group's commander. He identified a pair of lieutenants standing roughly in the middle of the crescent encirclement by their insignia, crouching behind the thickest wall of shields. One looked to be a feline, and the other a white canine by their tail, but it was hard to tell under all the equipment. It wouldn't make sense to put two officers of equal rank in charge; there had to be someone else commanding them, but where?

That's when Fox noticed them; the patches on the forearms of their uniforms. He'd seen them before, on the sides of ships in the battle for Katina, and the blockade at the orbital gate. These were Husky and Bulldog squadrons – both of them – and at once Fox realized who was commanding them.

He redoubled his efforts, now combing their ranks for the grey canine he knew must be there.

So Bill himself had come to recapture him and Krystal? Fitting. But why wasn't he at the forefront, leading them? Why wouldn't he show his face? That wasn't like Bill at all…

Eventually the Cornerians gave up the attack, the bursts of laser fire slowly petering out. They looked nervous now, gripping their shields with white knuckles and cowering behind cover. And when Namah stepped to the forefront of the Cerinians, a few of them unconsciously shrank back. She stood tall and proud above the elders, glaring her enemies down. While usually the image of grace and splendor, she could become quite terrible to behold if she so desired, using her appearance to strike fear into the hearts of the soldiers.

Namah raised her hands, and the Cornerians at the front instinctively flinched. Then, before their very eyes, one of their own found himself lifted up into the air. His feet kicked furiously, as if trying to find the bottom in a deep pool, while his arms dropped his weapons and flailed helplessly. He called in vain to his comrades, who could only stare and watch, powerless to intercede.

The man floated to the middle of the garden between the two groups, suspended a dozen feet in the air. Then they watched as his four limbs straightened and pointed outwards, as if he were about to be dismembered. Instead, one of his arms snapped backwards at an unnatural angle, resulting in a sharp crack that echoed between the garden cliffs. The soldier screamed in pain – Fox thought he could feel his own arm breaking along with his. The todd's stomach turned at the grizzly display, wondering how far Namah would go to make her statement.

Then, when the priestess likewise snapped his other arm, the Cornerians could stand it no longer. They opened fire on Namah, concentrating on her specifically. But as before, their laser blasts fizzled a few yards away from her. Namah turned her attention down at the other soldiers, lowering a hand while keeping the other – and the unfortunate Cornerian – aloft. The invaders firing on her soon found their weapons jammed.

"Fire again, and I will break his legs," Namah warned in a loud voice, surprising them with her fluent Cornerian. "Fire a second time, and I will lift him up and drop him to his death. Fire a third, and we will rip the spines from each of your bodies where you stand. If you wish to avoid such a fate, you will take your wounded and dead and leave the valley forever. I'd say that is more mercy than you deserve, considering the ravaging you have done today."

By now the Cornerians were shivering in their boots. They kept glancing between the fearsome Cerinian priestess and their fellow soldier, who still hung suspended midair, arms hanging limp and mangled at his sides. They swallowed, imagining the horrific fate Namah had planned for them if they persisted. They looked to be seconds away from dropping their weapons and retreating altogether.

Just when Namah started to grin, the ranks of Cornerians parted. A holo-drone emerged from between them, floating in midair at roughly waist-height. It buzzed into the center of the garden, halfway between the Cornerians and Cerinians, and stopped before Namah. The projector activated, revealing a beagle in an olive green Cornerian uniform. He stared Namah down, exuding more confidence than any of the other soldiers behind them – though, then again, he didn't have any skin in the game. Fox had been expecting Bill to appear, but once again was proven wrong.

X

Miyu looked at Fay in surprise. "Baines?!" she hissed, keeping her voice to a whisper. "What's he doing handling the negotiations? The plan was for Dr. Makepeace to speak to the Cerinians."

Fay narrowed her eyes. "You're right…she's the only one who knows Cerinian fluently. Why is she keeping out of sight?"

The lynx shook her head slowly. "I don't like this – something's up."

"Well…she got us out of the Ariki situation, right? I'd trust her judgement now. I'm sure she has a reason."

The beagle spoke before Miyu could respond.

"Greetings. I am Lieutenant Baines of the CSS Justice. I represent the Cornerian government."

Namah narrowed her eyes at him. "And I am known as Mother Namah, Abbess of Altaira Valley – the village you so readily destroyed. I notice you yourself didn't dare meet us in the flesh. You must be well-aware of our powers."

Baines lifted his eyes skyward, glancing at the floating soldier. "Yes, I am…familiar."

The abbess cooed at him spitefully. "How cowardly to remain hiding in safety while sending your men to their deaths. But you have the chance to save them. If you withdraw your troops and leave Cerinia immediately, we will refrain from tearing them limb-from-limb."

Miyu and Fay looked to their lieutenant hopefully; surely he would have them stand down and not risk such an engagement.

But he didn't. "I wouldn't do that if I were you, unless you want your valley wiped off the face of the planet completely."

Namah smirked at him skeptically, but the crowd of Cerinians behind her began to stir. "Kite!" one of the women cried, pointing.

X

The Cerinians shielded their eyes with their hands, peering south-west over the village in the direction of the slipping sun. Fox followed their gaze, spotting the black silhouette of a looming battleship. It hovered just inside the mountains at the southern-most edge of the forest. From head-on it looked rather small, but Fox knew the design; it was much longer than its current angle let on. It was an angel of death come to pass judgement on the hidden village, and rain destruction if it so chose.

In front of the battleship floated a much smaller shuttle that carried a mysterious black box on the end of a long cable – one roughly the size of a room. Fox had never seen something like the strange cube before – he assumed it was a sort of bomb, but it was far from aerodynamic.

The lieutenant glanced offscreen expectantly, as if receiving instructions from someone they couldn't see. When he turned back he said, "What you see before you is a cryo-prison unit. Inside is a male Cerinian we captured from the labs in Venom: Subject 18."

The holo-drone emitted a second projection, showing the contents of the box. Curled up in cryogenic fluid was the form of a Cerinian male with deep purple fur and silvery-white hair. Numerous graphs displayed readouts of his vitals, along with a chart of his consciousness level. By the look of it, he was dangerously close to waking.

"He is too unstable to be of any use to us; too uncontrollable. But the mindless destruction he can cause would be enough to take all your warriors on at once while excessively damaging your village. If you refuse our demands, harm our soldiers, or attempt to kill Subject 18 now, we will wake him and set him loose in your village to do as he sees fit. When he is finished releasing his anger, I would be surprised if even the mountains were left standing around you."

For once Namah gaped at the Cerinian they showered her. She crossed her arms, looking back at Baines. "We have many warriors. It is doubtful he could survive against them all."

Baines looked off-screen before responding again. "Perhaps. But how many of them would he be able to kill before you stopped him? How many more of your villagers' lives and homes are you willing to risk? Of course we do not wish to destroy your valley, but we will do whatever is necessary to accomplish our goals. We hope we may settle our dispute peacefully, without any further bloodshed."

Namah sighed, glaring at him. "You have already dirtied your hands with the blood of my people…but I would also like to settle this without any more death."

Slowly, the airborne soldier lowered to the ground again.

"What is your purpose here? What have you come for?"

"We seek another subject of ours: Cerinian 28. She was kidnapped and brought here by a rogue mercenary. We simply want her back."

Namah scoffed. "Odds are you were the ones who kidnapped her in the first place – along with all the other research subjects. The Cerinians belong here, on Cerinia. You can't have her."

Fox smiled, proud of her for standing up to them.

Baines looked off-screen. "Perhaps you are unfamiliar with Subject 28, but she was entirely born in Cornerian care. She has never been to Cerinia before and belongs in Lylat. Regardless she is of vital importance to the entirety of our system. Our world was at war recently; we need her to help us recover."

Namah rolled her eyes. "Haven't you taken enough Cerinians to satisfy your power lust? Haven't you learned your lesson after what happened to our planet? You should know by now not to play with fire."

"This conversation serves no purpose. The matter is not up for debate, nor will we be lectured by you. Give up Cerinian 28, and we will leave the valley forever. Otherwise…"

The syringes in the hologram compressed, injecting more stimulants into Subject 18's veins. He stirred slightly, and the graphs showed him coming precariously close to waking up.

Namah clenched her fists, gnashing her teeth at Baines. It looked like she was seconds away from doing something drastic, like flying to the Justice herself and attempting to destroy it. Fox knew she didn't want to give in to their demands – not when they'd thoroughly harmed the valley she worked so hard to build. But he had to admit their situation was looking rather dire. If they attacked the Cornerians now, they might be able to kill most – if not all – of the helpless soldiers. But there were still others further back, and down in the valley below. Fighter craft continued circling like vultures above, and the Justice loomed as a shadow over the entire village. Meanwhile, Subject 18's heart monitor began to beep faster, and faster…

Namah sighed, unclenching her fists and folding her arms. "Very well. We will…return your research subject."

Fox blinked. Did he…did he hear Namah correctly?

He dove into the crowd, elbowing his way through to her. He came up behind the vixen, shouting.

"How could you?! After all this, how could you turn Krystal over to them?! You know what Andross did to her in the past – who knows what they'll do to her now! She doesn't belong in a lab, she belongs here! You saw how happy she was! You saw how well she fit in!"

Namah turned to Fox, unable to hide the pain in her face. "I'm sorry, Fox. I have to. I've lost too many innocent children and sisters today. If this village is to remain safe, I must appease them."

"But you're betraying her!"

"I will not risk the entire village for one girl we can't even protect – a girl who very nearly destroyed us herself! You brought the Cornerians here, Fox. You lead them straight to us. I knew what might happen if I allowed you to stay, but I chanced it anyway – and now look what happened because of it. We share the blame for the destruction that befell the village today. I don't know about you, but for my part I will see that no further harm comes to Altaira. I am finished making sacrifices for you and your Cerinian charge."

"We are quite anxious to return to our planet," Baines' voice said behind her, interrupting. Namah turned away while Fox discretely slipped back into the crowd. He snarled quietly at her back, feeling betrayed.

"I will not have my people come between you and your research subject, but I am afraid I cannot simply hand her over. You see, she left the village just before you came. She's out wandering the desert as we speak."

"Incorrect. We happen to know Subject 28's last location was somewhere in the mountains behind you – perhaps you are hiding her in a cave system?"

Both Namah and Fox's eyes widened. She turned to glance at him, then looked at the unsealed doorway further back.

"It is…possible," she admitted. "There is another exit from the cave to the river surrounding the valley. She may have found her way back in after we exiled her."

"Then we will go in after her," Baines concluded.

"No, I would not recommend it!" Namah warned. "The girl is dangerously unstable right now. We threw her out of the valley because her powers were growing out of control. If she cannot master her inner demons, she will end up like Subject 18 – a slave to her hatred and despair. It is too dangerous to venture in after her, let alone use her for your experiments!"

Baines listened for his instructions, then responded. "We are prepared for such a scenario. If it is too dangerous to go in after her, we will let her come to us. If she entered from the river, and this doorway is the only way out, we shall simply wait for her here. But make no move to interfere with her capture, or we will unleash Subject 18 on your village."

The male's heartbeat blipped at a slower pace now, underscoring their negotiations like the ticking of a living timebomb.

Namah sighed, relieved to have averted anymore bloodshed for the moment. "Then allow me to give you some space and move my people out of harm's way." She turned to the Cerinians, parting them down the middle into two groups. She had them split to either side of the garden, clearing a wide swathe between the Cornerians and the cave exit. The soldiers marched in to fill the gap, taking up positions before the doorway, but they still anxiously kept close watch over the Cerinians on either side of them.

Fox found himself in the leftmost group. The crowd shuffled with some difficulty between the raised gardens, plants, and stone passageways, clearing the way and moving to a safe distance. The Cornerians didn't want them to get caught in the crossfire, in case Krystal put up a fight, but they didn't let any of them slip out of sight, either.

Fox stewed, his hatred for the Abbess renewed in his chest. Exiling Krystal was one thing, but turning her over to the Cornerians was going too far. If they got her back now, everything he did for her would be for nothing; all the effort he went through to save her from the labs, every day and night he spent by her side, every moment he lived among an alien species for her sake, utterly wasted.

But he wasn't about to give any of it up just yet.

Narrowing his eyes, he scoured the group of soldiers again. All three of the Cornerian officers he'd seen were merely lieutenants; Bill was nowhere to be found among their ranks. Knowing his long-time friend, he wouldn't be safely cooped up in the ship, cowering with Baines; he'd be in the thick of things. He must have been somewhere else, perhaps delayed in the valley below.

If he could just get to Bill, maybe he would listen. They'd gone to the Academy together, they'd defended Katina from invaders side-by-side, and they'd stormed Venom on that fateful day. Bill was one of his oldest, most trusted friends. Maybe, just maybe he could talk him out of the attack.

Fox looked up. The Cornerians were distracted while they took up positions in front of the cave and backed the rest of the Cerinians away. It was now or never…

Careful to let no one see him, Fox quietly slipped away, towards the Hall of the Matrons. He had to avoid the gazes of the soldiers, Namah, the Kaitaki, and the elders alike. If one of the Cornerians recognized him, they would capture him immediately; and if one of Namah's subordinates saw him sneaking away, they would stop him from getting into mischief.

He hadn't the slightest clue where Bill was, just…a spark inside his head, letting him know he was close. It was simply a feeling, and Fox was learning to trust in his feelings a lot more these days.