Chapter 5: Camouflage

A battle raged on over Papetoon, the local defense wing along with reinforcements fighting off a brigade of Star Wolf's pirates. Bill was among the battle group, directing the fighters and their efforts to contain the combat while also being a distraction. "Don't let up, Bulldog Unit! Keep the lasers flying! Husky Unit, make sure none of the pirates peel away!" he barked through the comms.

In the corner of his eye, Bill would notice that a particularly advanced looking fighter was making its way to the surface of the desert world. He kept an eye on it, flipping a switch on his dashboard before radioing the ground station. "Gold Leader to Command, I think we've got our target," he said.

A green portal soon began to form just above Papetoon's atmosphere. Out of it came Blue Squadron, going full speed and hitting the intense friction of the condensed gasses. Their fuselages began to glow red as the heat built up, but modern spacecraft were designed to handle those temperatures well. The portal had long since dissipated, leaving the three with some element of surprise.

Fenris began to look around, trying to get their bearings as his flight instruments hadn't caught up yet. The sun was on the other side of Papetoon, with only its moon giving off any sort of light, but that made it easier to spot Leon as Fenris looked up and saw a streak of light coming from the sky.

"Blue Leader to Command, have we set off the alarms?" he asked.

"Bzzt! Negative, blue leader. We didn't even know you were here til you said something," responded a masculine voice over the radio.

Fenris grinned before adjusting his course, Flynt and Claire staying on his wing. "Time to get us a chameleon," he said.

The three pilots cruised along the sands of Papetoon, creating a dust cloud in their wake as their courses began to intersect. Fenris knew better than to let on to Leon that they were approaching, keeping his comms locked to their encoded channel. He locked his cannons on the craft, giving backup orders.

"Break formation!" he explained before firing a volley at Leon's Wolfen.

The green bolts of light streaked through the night sky, their marks following through before hitting the target… The Wolfen however, didn't sustain any damage. In fact, it disappeared completely, a small tumbling drone in its wake.

"Wait… What?!"

"You're not as cunning as you think, mutts!" exclaimed a deep voice over comms.

Fenris frantically began checking his sectors, trying to find the lizard's Wolfen while his heart rate skyrocketed. "Claire, get a fix on Mr. Phoenix's location!"

Claire began to punch in a series of commands, comparing their course to the position of the Space Dynamics R and D building. Her fighter's computer made a high pitched beep as a new flightpath was charted.

"Got it! Sharing the course now."

The flight plan appeared on Fenris and Flynt's navigational computers soon after. Fenris looked down at the flight plan, seeing how far away the Space Dynamics building was. He strengthened his resolve and gripped the throttle, ready to punch it forward.

"Alright team, fly fast and low! We've got to beat him or at least catch him."

He then threw the throttle forward, feeling himself get pulled back into his seat as his V-Type charged forward. Flynt and Claire were close behind, navigating the sands of Papetoon with expediency.

Fenris followed the flight plan almost exactly, only deviating slightly as they passed through one of the many canyons on the planetoid that kept them from making a straight shot. He twisted and rolled, flying under and over natural bridges and jagged rocks. While Flynt would take a safer and more straightforward path, Claire would take a more daredevil approach, taking hard turns and every possible chance to gain speed, whether it be backdrafts or gravity itself.

As they got closer and closer to their target, Fenris looked down at his LIDAR and noticed two red dots following behind them. He checked his mirrors, seeing two craft behind them, barely visible in the dark Papetoonian night. He certainly recognized them as two of the out of date craft Star Wolf gave to their peons.

"Claire, break off and engage the two bogeys tailing us. Flynt, keep your hand on the throttle. We'll have to do a hot drop and get boots on the ground."

Flynt was ready and raring, stretching his neck out as he psyched himself up for an on-foot engagement. "You got it, boss!"

Claire pulled hard on the stick, hitting the airbrakes to get behind their pursuants. "I'll get it done, Cap!"

Leon was soon coming into sight as Fenris looked down at his rangefinder, lining up his reticle. He needed to be within 1000km to ensure a hit. He watched the green digital readout next to the reticle counting down… 3000… 2800… His V-Type began to shudder from the speed. 2500… 2100… Leon's Wolfen got closer and closer to Space Dynamics. 1500… 1200… Maybe Fenris could catch him. 1050… 1010… Fenris narrowed his eyes as he lined up his shot, but just before he could pull the trigger, Leon's craft spun upside down, ejecting the chameleon before pitching up toward space, exiting the fight. Fenris growled before spinning his own fighter upside down, Flynt doing the same.

As he passed over the main building, a large brick office building, he called out to the computer, practically yelling at it as the adrenaline pumped through him. "Canopy! Canopy! Canopy!" The windscreen popped open before his security belt unlatched, sending the wolf out of his craft where he righted his horizons and landed feet first, diffusing the momentum by spinning forward onto his back, once again landing on his feet. Flynt did the same, landing next to him as the eyed Leon on the other side. He was armed with a long ranged marksman rifle, grinning before taking a few unsighted shots at the two.

Fenris dashed to the side, getting behind an HVAC unit while Flynt hid behind a stairwell door. The rooftop floor snapped as Leon's rounds caused dust to kick from it. The two stayed behind cover as rounds flew through the air before a dead silence fell over them. Fenris checked over his cover, seeing Leon leap from one rooftop to the over. He looked to Flynt, motioning for him to follow before unholstering his blaster.

"Come on!" Fenris dashed forward, Flynt not far behind as the two began to breath quickly in their full on sprint.

They leaped over the edge, landing on the next roof with a thud as Leon continued to jump from building to building, gunning for the well protected development building on the far side of the campus.

Meanwhile in the air, Claire had kept the attention of the two minions Leon had called to distract them. She had brought them to the canyons they passed earlier, bobbing and weaving through the rocky cliffs as the two stayed right on her tail. The diamond shaped aircraft had an easier time navigating the terrain with their smaller bodies, while the wings on Claire's V-Type made flying through the narrow gaps more difficult.

"Say your prayers, short stack!" said one of the monkeys before opening fire on Claire.

The shots veered past her, striking a rock ahead of her. Dust and debris were sent flying around, forcing her to fly through it and bear with the rocks falling on the windscreen. She winced at the thought of the dings and scratches, but there were worse problems ahead. She pushed through, flipping a switch on her console before the air foils folded inward. She then punched the throttle forward, flying deep into a cave.

The V-Type howled through the cave system as Claire chose her path carefully. Without the airfoils, the V-Type couldn't turn in the atmosphere as easily, relying solely on the G-Diffusers as she yanked the flight stick left and right. She kept an eye on her LIDAR, seeing the two dots on the screen chasing her, before looking dead ahead. She could see light at the end of the cave before red bolts flew past her, more debris being flung in her way. Her craft lurched forward as she was struck a few times by the laser fire. She gripped hard on the controls, gritting her teeth before pulling the trigger. Her fighter's cannons seared through the cave ceiling as massive rocks began to fall, but not before Claire zipped past them toward the exit.

The simian's following her watched as the rocks fell into their path, and with only seconds to respond, they could only watch with dread as their fates were sealed. "Ah crud…" The older fighters smashed into the rock walls, a fiery explosion seeping through the cave-in before being buried under more rock.

Claire saw the two blips the LIDAR disappear before grinning and exiting the caves. "Hooah! Two points for Claire!" she exclaimed as her airfoils returned to flight position.

Back at Space Dynamics, Flynt was starting to tire out as his breathing became labored.

He gasped for breath before going down on one knee. "Wheeze… Boss… cough-cough… I can't keep up…" he said weakly through the radio.

Fenris kept dashing forward, bringing his hand up to his earpiece to respond. "Copy that. Get a line of sight and try to keep an eye on the bastard!"

Flynt dragged himself to the edge of the building before grabbing his binoculars, to try and find Leon. He was difficult to locate in the night, even with a full moon out. It didn't help that the gray cinder block buildings seemed to blend in with each other save for the numbers on the corner of each one. He eventually picked out Leon's curled tail, as he was only two buildings away from the one he needed to reach.

"He just got to building five," said Flynt over the comms.

Fenris slid over a HVAC conduit before bringing his feet down to go back into a full sprint. "Copy that! I'm two buildings back!" Fenris felt his chest burn as it was clear he was getting winded too, but he pressed forth all the same.

Flynt in the meantime, kept his eye out. He started to notice a suspicious looking transport on its way to building seven, the one Leon was supposedly headed toward. He narrowed his eyes, bringing his binoculars down and beginning to hatch a plan. "Boss, I've got an idea!"

Leon had finally the rooftop of building seven, swinging his body around the corner before sliding down a drainage pipe and hitting the ground. He darted toward the entrance of the building, making it to the doors before hearing another thud right behind him. Leon unholstered his blaster before whipping around and aiming it at his assailant. It was Fenris, breathing heavily as he stood behind him. He was tired, and it showed as he didn't even have a chance to respond, still on one knee from his landing. He reluctantly brought his hands up as Leon grinned, giving a low chuckle that grew into an outright laugh.

"You made a valiant effort, mutt, but you'll have to settle for a consolation prize," said Leon as he pointed the barrel right at the wolf's face

Fenris didn't respond, glaring right at Leon in defiance. He heard a hovercar approaching before turning his eyes to it, watching it pull up to the side of the building.

Leon took notice of the vehicle before turning back with a grin, all a part of the plan. "I don't have time to chat, unfortunately. Mister Phoenix has a flight to catch, and I'm his chauffeur for the night." He tightened his grip on his blaster, ready to squeeze the trigger. "Give General Pepper my regards."

A series of clanks could be heard near the transport, one that both of them would recognize but left Leon confused as he looked around for the source of the noise. He didn't have time to find it as the transport near him exploded in a fiery blaze, sending both Fenris and Leon flying through the air and rolling on the ground.

In the distance, Flynt pumped his fist in the air with glee. "Ka-BOOOM! Direct hit!"

Fenris shook his head as he laid on his stomach. This was his chance. He got up on one knee and unholstered his blaster, with Leon matching his movements almost exactly as the two were in a standoff. They exchanged glances, fingers on the trigger, waiting to see who would shoot first. Leon needed a new bargaining chip at this rate, figuring the captain would do as he tried his best to intimidate him with a sneer. A gust of wind then blew over the two before bright lights shined down on them. It was Claire, arriving just in the neck of time behind Fenris, forcing Leon to cover his eyes from the blinding light.

Claire trained her cannons on the chameleon. "I got your back, Blue Lead!"

Fenris grinned at Leon, only holding his blaster with one hand as Flynt was walking up with another grenade in hand. Leon started panicking, looking between the three before finally accepting that he had been cornered. He dropped his gun, letting it hit the ground before giving them a nasty look.

"The fact that it took three of you catch me says a lot of your incompetence."

"What's that? I couldn't hear you over the sound of twin cannons pointed right at your face," exclaimed Fenris.

Leon was standing in his cell upright and displaying an air of confidence. It was rare that he would ever be seen outside of a hunching stance, leaving the Scottish Terrier rather disturbed. He approached the force field keeping the two separated, leading to Leon turning his gaze to him.

"Oi, green man; whys it that we always see ya curled up like a Zonessian King Prawn out in the wild, but here yer lookin more like a Titanian Stick Bug?" asked the terrier.

Leon shot a gaze at the dog before walking ever-so close to the forcefield between he two, causing him to pull back and avert his eyes. "Aye… I'll shut up then."

The brig doors opened before Fenris walked in, the light from the corridor outside brighter than the lighting inside, casting a shadow from behind. Leon grinned as he watched him enter. "Good to see my exit is being expedited." he said out loud.

As Fenris walked in, the lighting on him improved, letting Leon see more detail on the pilot before his grin sank back down. "Or I can be sorely let down once again. I'll have to torture you later, guard."

Upon hearing this, Fenris tilted his head, confused at the remarks. He looked to the guard before placing his hands behind his back and standing tall. "You're dismissed, Corporal."

The terrier nodded before walking away from the cell, standing by the brig door at his normal post. Fenris watched as he walked off, making sure he was out of earshot before turning to Leon.

Leon tilted his head in kind, just as inquisitive as the pilot before him. "So you're the one who captured my compatriot."

Fenris nodded, hands remaining behind his back as he squared up to the chameleon. "Yes."

Leon grinned and narrowed his eyes. Time to tear down this boy's confidence… "I must admit I was rather underwhelmed with your display last evening."

Fenris shrugged off the comment both literally and figuratively. "Sorry to disappoint."

Leon began leaning to the other side. "Perhaps my employer will finally teach you how to really hunt.. You seem to be on track to meet him soon, though I must admit, I am confused how you've been so easily able to predict our movements."

Fenris moved his arms to cross them instead. "Well, I'm confused why two of you in a row seem to keep thinking I'm someone else. Maybe we should trade information."

Leon seemed intrigued at the prospect as his eyebrows, or what looked like eyebrows, seemed to rise. "An interesting proposal! I'll match how direct your answer is."

Fenris waited for a moment, looking the reptile in the eye before finally relenting, loosening his stance. "Very well… We've been getting anonymous tips. We think they may be from the same source, but we don't know much about them. What I do know is that they've been very consistent, and consistently correct by the look of it."

Leon once again looked disappointed. "Hmph… Not much I can go off of. As for your question, it seems neither of our answers are of consequence, so I will say this: I doubt you're anything like the man you're being mistaken for, if what I'm told of Panther is true. You may have the same outline, but the colors on the inside are vastly different. That should be enough to send you on the right track."

Fenris sighed before closing his eyes and rubbing the bridge of his nose. Leon recognized that look all too well, a grin creeping along his face. "Hmm hmm… Perhaps some of those colors do match… I don't believe this is the last time we'll cross paths, Captain. Til we meet again." Leon then turned back toward his cell, hunching over once again before sitting down on his bunk.

Fenris opened his eyes and looked at Leon once more. He had his suspicions, looking down at the ground for a moment before glaring back at Leon who still had that grin on his face. Something about the way Fenris was moving was similar to someone else. His mannerisms, his frame, his… Shape. Sadly, he had no frame of reference to go off of. Hmm… Maybe Fox has some answers… he thought before turning to the exit. He could feel Leon's stare all the way out the door, almost like he was planning on how to cook his kidneys for dinner.

The dimly lit briefing room had only one projector screen with a series of incandescent bulbs lighting the exit stairs on the sides. Each seat had a collapsible wooden desk of sorts, still leftover from the early days of Cornerian Military. The gray lupine sat right in the middle of one of these rows, with his wingmen, James McCloud, Peppy Hare, and Pigma Dengar around him. He was a bit older, a bit more seasoned, but still one of the younger pilots of the group, only beaten out by Peppy who was only a year out of the Academy.

At the front of the briefing room stood Colonel Artemis Pepper, leader of the local Cornerian Defense platoon. He tried to stand straight, but often found himself hunching over as he frantically looked over his notes. The hound was clearly nervous. He was fresh to his posting after being an agricultural engineer for years. "As many of you are aware… The Lylat System has started to become uh- Unstable these last few months."

'That's an understatement…' the wolf thought to himself.

"This has uh- Most likely been started by the exile of Doctor Ingmar Andross, who had been attempting to make a terraforming device with destructive potential," continued Pepper.

James took off his signature aviator glasses, watching Pepper fumble a bit with his words. James had begun to turn gray quickly recently, following the passing of his wife as a result of Andross's breakdown. He leaned forward, listening in as best as he could. The wolf to his left looked over at him, the bored face fading away into a look of genuine concern for his friend. Things hadn't been the same since that dreadful day.

Pepper continued the briefing. "As a result, the Cornerian Council has elected to increase its military spending and has drafted many into its ranks to-"

"Art, get to the point," said James.

Pepper looked up at James with an apologetic face. The hound looked back down at his papers, shuffling them about and skipping to the mission briefing. "Your mission objectives are simple. Patrol the outer regions of Lylat and maintain whatever peace we can. The only restriction is Fortuna, who still has an iron curtain policy."

James was clearly disgruntled as his brow furrowed. He knew Andross fled to Fortuna and desperately wanted to finish the job. The younger wolf watched as he hunched over, still seething with rage. He kept his arms crossed and relaxed into his seat, wondering if James should still be in command with his state of mind.