A/N: Good to see a lot of people enjoy reading this stuff. I'm currently working on several of my other stories at the same time as this...well...whenever I can find time between classes and work. I had this story to be planned out to be pretty long, though nothing the sort of Chains of Fate, (don't think I have a 70 chapter story in tow but never know right?) Anyhow, revising my original work on Lament, seems to be most likely my most popular story around. Anyone that would like to see it I've been working on some artwork for my stories as well. Lament stuff is posted as well as a few pics from this series. My deviant art is Dravyndark...thanks for the support like always and hope you enjoy the chapter...
~SkullFox
New Beginnings
Several weeks passed as steadily as a summer breeze, and thanks to the very advanced simulator that Marcus had introduced Skye to, she found her flight skills improving on a daily basis. On top of that, within those two days she managed to meet and pick her last to candidates for Fox McCloud's list. The two top pilots of her flight class; she'd expected one to be Marcus, but oddly he had graduated flight training ages before others of his grade level, and thanks to his plans to join Viper there was no way she would interrupt his own plans. Instead she found herself jotting down two different names; Tilly Sunrise, and Gryfith Monroe. Tilly was one of the only other females in the class, and even at her age towered over even their instructor, whom had turned out to be Fox McCloud himself. Standing just over seven feet tall, the large blue and black striped Lynx was a credit to her race. Hadians were, on standard, taller than most females of other species. For the feline Skye imagined life was rather tough, as Tilly had one other thing that made her life difficult compared to the other females around her, and that downside was an ample bosom that could turn a mans head a complete one hundred eighty degrees in disbelief, even though it was well known that her kind were simply built that way by nature. The lynx was easy to get to know, primarily because she was always happy to talk to someone. Even if during their first meeting Skye did have a bit of a difficult time pondering the feline's dress sizes...
Aside from that, Gryfith Monroe was the feline's polar opposite. The falcon was only just taller than Skye and carried a light build. He was cocky for a male bird with hot pink feathers but, his skills behind the sticks of an Arwing were enough to entitle that no other male in the class bothered to harass him while in the classroom. Outside of the class however, the boy was a loner. The bastard son of Falco Lombardi, who's on-again off-again relationships with Katt Monroe left the boy with pink feathers, as well as some serious social issues and an ego as big as his father's. Fox had been kind enough to sum things up for Skye, telling her that Falco claimed he loved Katt very much, but at the same time couldn't stand her, for the simple fact that they were so much alike that they constantly butted heads. This of course led Falco to making some strange joke about Miss Monroe and angry sex which Skye was certain she could have done without hearing. Luckily however, the young canine had managed to do as she had promised and turned in the list to Fox McCloud just before the deadline he'd set. Today however, marked the day that Skye was afraid would have never come along. She found the majority of her flight class was led to a building at the far end of the military compound found at the heart of Corneria City. It was as they all stood by that Fox McCloud removed the sunglasses from his face before folding them and dangling them from the collar of his shirt...
"Okay," He called out gathering the attention of his students, "you're all holding onto a small form which was filled out and filed before we came here. I want you all to report to the nice lady at the front desk when she calls your name. I know some of you are pretty excited but, we're gonna do this one at a time, and get this over ASAP," He said walking over to the young pink furred bunny behind the desk at the center of the room, "Ria...they're all yours."
The lapin nodded, "Mavin Price?"
It was as the receptionist began to call names one at a time, that Fox found his way to where Skye was seated. He took a light breath before nodding to himself, "I've been mulling over that list," He chuckled, "those are some pretty interesting candidates. Experts in every field, very best in their given field. I just have one question about this all?" He smiled, "why do you think I came to you with all of this?"
Skye shook her head, "I...don't know..." She replied, "...I'd say it almost looked and sounded like you were putting together some sort of strike force."
As she watched her class mates take to the receptionist one at a time Fox chuckled, "That's a sound theory, but, aren't you overlooking the fact that Mercs are considered outlaws now? Speaking of which, what do you think of that law?"
Skye shook her head, "I think mercenaries like you and your team were necessary...they still are. As much as the military and Enforcers try, they can't stop everything themselves. I always thought that having a hidden variable like Merc teams was a good way to catch an enemy off his guard. I also think there are just some jobs that need a small, elite force instead on an entire army."
Fox chuckled, "I'm actually really happy to hear that," He sighed, "listen I want you to be inside hanger double zero. Eight hundred hours tomorrow morning. Can you do that for me?"
Skye thought for a moment, the hanger on campus marked with two large Os was labeled the only restricted area on Academy grounds, "But...double zero is a restricted area."
Fox laughed patting the canine's shoulder, "Afraid not, I had those signs put up to scare people off. That hanger belongs to me, I'll have the others on that list meet with us then Krystal and I will explain everything alright? As for your flight skills. Keep up whatever it is you're doing, cuz you're doing great."
It was as Fox started off that Skye tugged on his pant leg, "Mister McCloud, where has Marcus been for the last week? He usually meets me at Art's place in the mornings."
Fox lowered his head with a heavy sigh, "So he didn't tell you?" He asked looking over his shoulder, "Skye, Marcus left for Viper training over a week ago."
Skye sighed, "Yeah I guess he didn't."
Fox patted her shoulder before heading for the door again, "They're calling your name kid. We'll talk more about all this later."
Skye sighed as she headed to where the receptionist took her folder, looking through it for a moment, "Summer Skye?" The bunny chuckled, "what a pretty name. Wait Donna told me something about you last year. Your scores are a lot better than the ones we've got on record here," She chuckled again, "even your first scores were better than mine. That's why I'm working here now."
After a bit of work on her computer the bunny reached for a small object and passed it to Skye, who flipped the small case open to see a special type of Identification stating that she was now a registered pilot...
"Okay now I just have to make sure the scanner recognizes it..." Ria said, "...go ahead and just move it by the scanner there."
Skye held the folding sleeve open while moving the I.D card over the small red scanner on the base of the desk in front of her. There was a confirming beep and the receptionist nodded, "That's about it," She said shaking the canine's hand, "congratulations, and good luck out there."
Skye nodded, "Thanks."
For the rest of the day Skye's only thoughts were of the simple fact that Marcus had left without saying anything. Though she never bothered to say it out loud, the little blue fox really was the only friend she could ever recall making, and oddly enough it hurt that he would simply leave without saying a word to her. Most of her day was actually spent in the flight simulator in Artimus's lab, however, she found that her skills didn't really seem to measure up as she'd built them up over the past class term. Even as she lay in her bed that night, her mind simply seemed fixated on the fact that her only real friend, had simply left without the courtesy of telling her. Despite how often she attempted to get her mind sorted back out however, by early morning she had completely given up on trying. By the time seven o'clock rolled around she had been waiting at the hanger for more than an hour, and a short time later before Fox finally approached the building with a couple small cups of coffee. He handed one to her before finding a seat on a small bench placed near the hanger doors...
"Couldn't sleep huh?" He asked sipping his drink.
Skye shook her head...
Fox chuckled, "Sucks doesn't it? Worrying about someone you care about. When you care about someone more than you care about yourself though, it happens."
Skye scoffed, "I am NOT in love with your son Mister McCloud."
"I don't ever recall stating that you were," Fox replied, "look. There are varying forms of love; you may not understand it yourself but, you'll eventually learn to love a lot of different people. That's just what it's like to have people you can honestly call your friends. You don't like your friends...you love them. Just like you would any member of your family, just like you would yourself. I learned a long time ago that love isn't just something that you feel for specific people...it's what you feel for anyone who's life and happiness you hold in higher esteem than your own. I need you to keep that in mind though, because you may find that it's more important than you'd ever believe otherwise."
"Would you mind giving me a little more insight into the reason why we're all meeting here/" Skye asked as she drank from her own cup.
Fox sighed heavily, "Honestly," he said, "what would you do if I were to tell you the world would end tomorrow?"
Skye shrugged her shoulders, "Kiss my firm, round ass goodbye? Hell I don't know."
Fox laughed out loud, "Exactly the same as everyone else. Look there's never a way to tell what's going to happen to us all in the future," He chuckled, "but, sometimes..."
"...We learn that things are not all so easily cut and dried." Krystal's voice caused the two to suddenly look to their left where they found the blue vixen leaning against the wall of the hanger beside them, slightly frightening Skye.
"How did you?" She looked form Krystal to Fox, "how did she?"
Krystal chuckled haplessly as she sipped from a cup of her own with her arms folded under her breasts, "My people once had a proverb about the way we live life as hunters. Lay your life not in the truth of your sight."
Skye laughed, "Is that some ancient Cerinian way of telling me that my eyes can lie to me?"
"Of course it is," Krystal replied as the three took notice to a few more familiar bodies approaching from the distance, "but, are you patient enough to show me what it truly means?"
"What exactly is that supposed to mean?" Skye asked.
Krystal chuckled happily, "Exactly."
Skye began to direct another statement to the vixen only to find that she was no longer standing there, this caused the canine to look to Fox, "Yeah she's got a habit of that. That "hunter's instinct" she's got. She really likes you though, I think it's because you remind her so much of your mother. They were...really close in the end. Could've mistaken them for sisters if it wasn't for the whole, blue fur thing...and the fact that they looked nothing alike..." He laughed.
"What was she like?" The canine asked.
Fox shook his head, "Not the kind of person I could have ever actually seen Wolf marrying that's for damned sure. She was strong, outspoken, tirelessly trained, smart, an expert in anything she decided she needed to know. Kala never did anything half-assed; with her it was either succeed or die trying," He said standing up as he finally found that the lot from Skye's list were all now in front of him, "okay. You're all here, get inside and we'll talk this thing out."
Skye was always amazed at how Fox's personality could go from completely social to nothing but business in a matter of seconds. One moment he sounded as though he missed Skye's mother as though he was talking about a dead relative, the next it seemed like the only thing on his mind was the matter at hand. She found the interior of the hanger to be completely dull and lifeless, nothing inside but a few large metal work stations with a tremendous amount of metal debris from random ships and other structures. Aside from that the center of the room was fixed up with a single row of seats and what looked like a small hologram projector. As if everyone was sure what to expect, every member of the small group headed for a seat and sat down giving enough time for Krystal to emerge from an unseen set of stairs in the back of the hanger that seemed to lead down beneath the floor. For what felt like an eternity the two vulpine, whom met at the far end of the room, seemed to go over something with one another in a low enough tone , that none of their guests could hear...though she did make out the rude gesture from the pink feathered avian to her left. Who made a circle with his thumb and forefinger, while repeatedly sliding it over the index finger of his other hand...
It seemed like even more time passed before the two headed down the stairs leaving the five unsuspecting cadets sitting there. The room was filled with the light banter between several of the young recruits; but, Skye's one real question about all of this remained unanswered. Recruits for what? Another short expanse of time passed before Fox and Krystal both emerged from the hidden staircase and made their way to the holo-projector at the center of the room...
"You know you were just as forgetful when you were pregnant with Marcus." Fox chuckled at the vixen as they both went over some papers.
Krystal chuckled to herself, "Well it is difficult enough when you hear the thoughts of others. It is far worse when you're constantly bombarded by the unintelligible thoughts of an underdeveloped child."
"Ahem!" Lamont pretended to cough into his fist, "no offense Mister and Misses McCloud but...why are we here at eight in the morning?"
Fox and Krystal looked to each other before Fox looked to the group lifting his ever present shades up to his forehead, "Let me answer that by asking you something," He replied, "how many of you here, with the exception of Artimus, know anything about something called Wraith?"
When nobody raised their hand Fox nodded, "That's good," He said, "well let me start by saying this. Anyone that isn't interested is free to leave right now..."
Tilly raised her hand, "Um...are we allowed to know what were here for before we make a decision?"
Fox nodded before looking to Krystal whom nodded toward the projector which sprung to life causing a three dimensional image of a famous battlefield from long before even Fox's time to be displayed before them playing out a scene of ancient war. Silent explosions sounding off in all directions, animals being torn to shreds with hails of bullets. Finally the scene rested on a single person, a white furred fox trudging through the crimson battlefield...
"Maryk Cross..." The blue vixen began, "...during the "Vanguard Massacre" he led a fleet of not soldiers, but, of common mercenaries and peasants into the heart of Vanguard, the city that would one day become Corneria City. Unfortunately because of a single traitor in his ranks, the marching band that had intended to strike during the rise of Sol over the eastern cliffs, his plans failed. Maryk had devised this plan because he knew that his attack would have Sol at his men's backs and fighting them would cause them to constantly be forced to look into the light of a new day. Left with no other choice but to flee the battlefield, Maryc Cross was left as the only survivor of his army. Three years later, a mysterious band of assassins stole away into the city of Vanguard. These five highly skilled killers made their way through the city, and eliminated every guard, every sentry, and even the ruler of the city himself in the still of night, without a sound. It was later determined that the leader of the assassins was none other than Maryk Cross."
Fox nodded, "Through historical documentation it was proven that Maryk only took four other assassins with him. They were unseen, unheard, and wiped out every unwanted nuisance in the city in a single night with one very well planned tactical assault," He smiled, "I'd like to say more but, this is strictly black list."
"Shit I'm in." Gryfith chuckled, "sounds pretty damn cool to me."
Tilly raised her hand, "Will we be helping people?"
Fox nodded, "Yeah, wouldn't be much of a point if we weren't."
"Then you can count me in too."
Artimus sighed, "At the chance of sounding over elated," He smiled, "I was in before you started talking."
Skye shrugged her shoulders, "You brought me into this for a reason. So I was probably in before any of these four."
Lamont seemed to look about for a time, the situation was more than he'd expected, "I don't really see what good I can do in this sort of thing..." He sighed, "...but, I'll be of a lot more use here than I am in your basement. I'm in."
Fox sighed, he'd expected at least one of them to walk out, "Alright. What you five are about to hear is strictly classified to this group. I want no one outside of this room to hear a word; not your parents, not the Enforcers, not even the General himself," He said, "but, unknown to many people was the true intent of the "Mercenary Cross Act" that was stated when Corneria City was created. The Act dictated that mercenaries would always have their place in Cornerian society; I'd been suspecting that eventually the Senate would have their way of abolishing that Act from our Constitution. What the senate doesn't know is that, while mercenaries worked for the government and such, they had their own underground. Wraith Cells were created as underground units that would work completely under the radar. They only existed when they needed to, and answered to nobody. Their missions are for the betterment of the people, not for personal gain, and definitely not for the corrupt Senate."
Krystal stepped forward handing each of the cadets a folder, "Inside of these folders are your new Identification Cards. They were created with specific military applications, as well as a bypass encryption developed by Beltino Toad himself that will override any level of security aboard any military installation connected with the Cornerian Navy. Inside you will also find other documentation that will assist you in any given situation needed. After today you will all cease to exist..."
Fox sighed heavily, "However, before we start with giving you any kind of actual missions. We're going to have to find out how well you all work together as a team," He said pressing a button on the holographic imaging system causing it to display a battleship sized vessel, "this ship is known as the "Vinna Coletta" a rough term meaning "Dawn's Rose". Now I'm sure most of you are well aware of the fact that Rittera in the Dan'jas system is the focal point of the Black Market. What most of you aren't privilege to knowing is the fact that the darker side of Rittera is profited primarily through legalized prostitution acts that were included in the Dan'jas legislature some two or so, hundred years ago."
Krystal nodded as she made her way to Fox's side, "Dan'jas was not asked to withdraw the act from their own constitution, so long as the participants of the prostitution is both justified and professional in nature. Meaning the female or male in question, has accepted prostitution as their trade," She sighed, "however, there has been a …... spike in missing persons around Stygian, Lylat, and Krazoa. Primarily desirable females between the ages of sixteen and twenty four. It's been suspected that the Vinna Coletta has ties with the slave trade. However, recent speculation is that the ship is indeed responsible for the missing females around the Trinity Accord."
Sky e shook her head, "So what are we meant to do about it?"
Fox chuckled, "Well, the point to the mission is to board the ship. Find proof that they're harvesting young females to sell into slavery and bring that proof back here. Any photographs taken will be instantly sent here. If you can get out with the girls, then it is suggested that you do so, if not the photos of a missing person will be all the legal proof needed to get investigative rights."
Gryfith scoffed, "How exactly are we gonna board that ship?"
Krystal laughed, "I'm actually glad you asked," She replied, "you see. It's been proven that the Coletta obtains Geo-syncronized orbit with a planet for a short time before moving to the next. Recently it had obtained orbit over Hades at regular intervals and will be there soon enough, though not too soon," She said, "your only real point of entry is going to be this. An insertion team is going to land on the surface of Hades and hijack a drop ship, if any are released. If not this will only prove that our intell is wrong and we can simply call this search off. If you do board the ship Coletta, the insertion team will then seek out the targets which we are almost certain are being held in the cargo bay due to the fact that these people seem to be under the impression that living beings are no more than profitable merchandise."
Tilly nodded, "My grandmother used to tell me about ships that came to Hades every other month. She never told me why they came just that they came. My mother disappeared when I was very young as well, they were certain that she was killed. Do you think this could have something to do with it all?"
Fox nodded, "It's a fair assumption."
"When do we start this off?" Skye asked.
Krystal smiled, "Right now. The ship we have ready for you all is actually right beneath you. So when you are ready follow us."
With that Fox and Krystal made their way back to the stairs that led beneath the floor, allowing the five cadets to file in behind them. At the end of the short staircase, the small group found an empty white walled hallways lit up by small lights overhead. At the end of the hall, Fox and Krystal waited inside the confines of a large elevator. After boarding the elevator Skye took notice that it felt like forever before the elevator finally came to a halt again, only to, this time, move horizontally. Again the elevator seemed to move for what felt like an eternity, it was clear that they were traveling for more than a mile before the lift finally stopped allowing Fox to step in front of the door that had been to the back of them all. As the doors slid open, the five looked out into a massive underground hanger; the dark room was lined with a massive catwalk that rounded the left wall, before leading down to a familiarly designed silver ship...
"Is that?" Skye gasped.
Fox laughed, "I thought you'd recognize the design. This is the Grand Fox. It's a little smaller than the Great Fox II was. It's been fitted with the highest, top of the line equipment and systems possible. We've outfitted the ship's living quarters to suit all of you. The rooms aren't marked but, the scanners are programed to only admit your particular body signature, so you're just gonna have to move from one room to the other 'till one responds to you. Listen up now," He said, "you all need to make your way aboard the ship. All but Skye, I need to have a word with her."
It was as he said this that Fox finally looked out over the ship as Skye stood next to him, "Skye...you mind if I ask what made you put your name on that list?"
Skye shook her head, "Is it wrong to say I don't know?"
Fox shook his head, "We both know that isn't true."
Skye sighed as she turned around to face the other direction, "I...I guess I just wanted to know him better. My father. There was no way of knowing; no offense but, the only knowledge I have of him, is your word...and a photo. Maybe I figured that, through all of this, I might actually learn something about him. Wolf O'Donnell was famous, there has to be someone out there. Family, friends..."
Fox nodded, "Yeah, Wolf wasn't the only O'Donnell out there. Or so he had always said..." He said, "...listen. When this job is done, call my place. Krystal will want to know that you're doing okay, and I'll have something important to tell you."
Skye sighed, "Fox...is..." She paused, "...is it safe to send us to do any kind of job like this? We don't even have that much training. Gyfith has the most combat training here; and honestly I already have a tough time turning my back on him."
Fox sighed heavily, "Skye...I didn't wanna say this but. There was a reason I gave you the job of putting that list together..." He said, "...I had hoped that I could one day give that job to my son; he'd put together a team like this one. As much as I hoped he'd know the kind of pride that comes with being the captain of his own ship, and the leader of a team..." He shook his head, "...Marcus was just not that person, but, I knew you were from the first time I saw you in the Academy. Of course Krystal and I'd been watching you your whole life, but, it wasn't until the Academy that I saw it. Everything in you is the same as what made your father a great leader...that was when I knew that I needed you to lead this team."
"Why?" Skye asked, "why did it have to be me?"
Fox shook his head as he turned to look at her, "Because of all the people in that ship right now, not one of them has that one integral thing that makes a great leader wonderful, that will make anyone follow you to the ends of the universe and back again..." He pointed out.
Skye chuckled, "What could possibly be that important?"
The old fox tapped her forehead, "You don't think," He said lightly using the same finger to tap her sternum, "you feel. Every thought in that pretty little head of yours, is seconded only to the feeling you have for the idea. Your father was the same way; nothing was worth his time unless he absolutely believed in it, but, when he did bother to call something important..." He smiled, "...he could almost make you feel and see what he felt or saw in that idea. He could convince you that the very thought itself...was perfect."
"You've got the wrong idea Mister..."
Fox quickly placed a finger over the vixen's lips while shaking his head, "You don't need formalities anymore. You're a captain..." He said passing her a small black book with a Star Fox emblem stamped into it's cover, "...you answer to no one. Understand?" He asked causing the vixen to nod softly, "this was my own personal log book. It also has some helpful information in there, on top of that there's a page full of the codes you'll need for the ship."
Skye looked about for a moment, her sudden hung causing Fox to reel back, "Whoa!" He called out as he caught his balance.
"When you see Marcus again," She said still hugging him tightly, "tell him...five years isn't that long."
Fox thought for a moment, "Huh?" He shrugged his shoulders, "okay, I guess that's sort of inside. Listen, you tell Lamont that if has to fight, to do it. There's no point in being timid about those arms if they can save his life or someone elses..." He said as they broke their embrace, "...and you were right, I wouldn't turn my back on Gryfith if I were you. He may be pink in color, but, he's just as bad as his birdbrained father."
After their short talk, Fox led the canine down to the ship where they finally boarded into a massive docking bay lined up with what Skye was certain were the most recent model Arwings available. As she looked around however, she managed to find the sight of a pink avian laying on the hard metal floor with a rather angry looking Tilly standing over him with her arms tightly folded over her massive chest...
Fox sighed as he patted Skye's shoulder, "Well diciplinary action is out of the question here, he wouldn't remember it when he woke up anyhow."
Skye patted the large feline's arm as they walked by, "Tilly...next time. Please hit him harder. I don't want him trying that with me or I might break his arms..."
The lynx chuckled, "I didn't hit him that hard," She said tapping the downed bird with her foot, "wow he...really can't take much of a hit can he? I only slapped him."
Skye laughed out loud as she patted Fox on the shoulder, "You know what? So long as she's around this might not be so bad."
Fox could only shake his head and chuckle to himself nervously; it was almost a spitting image of the day his team had left to avenge his father's death. Falco always did know how to push all the wrong buttons at the wrong times, bringing up his mother and father simply had pushed Fox too far that day. Regardless however, of the situation, it gave him a bit more hope as the insulted lynx helped pull Gryph to his feet where he shook the cobwebs from his head...
"Wh-wha-what'd I miss? Wha-happen?"
Skye giggled a bit at Tilly, "Not sure, Fox was briefing us and you said something about your head and went down. You're lucky Tilly caught you or you might have hurt yourself on this hard floor."
Gryph shook his head again, "Really? Cuz it kinda feels like someone..." He seemed to pause for a moment, "...hit me with a fucking hammer."
As the two helped Gryph board the waiting ship, Fox laughed a bit more to himself. If only they'd all known how serious their situation was, he wondered if they'd act any different, or even if they'd have bothered boarding the ship at all...
