Strangers No More
Evora
_________________________________________________________
Chapter 5, The Unexpected
The area looked like a whole army had received their orders with luggage scattered around the dock's burnished metallic floor. Falco just looked at the disaster and shook his head.
"I've heard of packrats but holy crud, Fox, it's like an air terminal in here. You sure it'll be just you and her? Or maybe there's something about your future she hasn't got around to telling you yet...like the pitter-patter of little feet."
"Yeah, very funny," Fox walked around the ship, stepping over the long trail luggage on his way to Krystal as she was near the storage area, pen and paper in her hand. But instead of going right up to her, he went and snuck in from behind, making not a sound before covering her eyes which startled her just a little, then removed his hands and cupped one over her ear. "Nope, keep 'em closed...I've got a surprise," He slipped his arms around her waist and held the gift in front of her. "Now, open."
What it was should have made her eyes sparkle and gleam and blaze with excitement, which they did, sort of. Just not like he was thinking they should have.
"Oh," she smiled acceptingly. "A....a....what is it, Fox?"
"Can't you tell? Your own personal communicator. I had Slippy make it for you....See?" He held her wrist after opening the clasps with a few clicks, then carefully snapped it on, proud at last that it was a nice secure fit. "I even had him design it in blue, to blend right in."
She just kept looking at it like it was some sort of unidentified object strapped on like a vise, unsure of what she would say, and of course, unsure of how to use it.
"Here," Fox tapped a button. "It's on...." He tapped another one to show her how to change the screen's brightness and contrast when all of a sudden Peppy came in and decided on starting up a substantial conversation with Falco about whatever and now what should have been a magical moment was totally blown....
"Ship's ready." Slippy reported pertinent information after which he removed his cap and waved it once before moving on to his next assignment, and for some reason again Fox's attention went up to the security camera, its glowing red lamp constantly on, causing him to wonder about the possibility of someone else actually coming along with them on this trip-
"We didn't find anything."
Peppy snapped him out of the trance.
"You didn't find anything where?"
Sometimes, Peppy would look at him like he was a complete asinine jerk and this was one of those times. "All the circuits are clear. That camera you were talking about in the machine port is working just fine. No malfunctions. Slippy ran the check himself. He says it was probably just some other light source in the room that made it look like it was lit."
In all the confusion Krystal had walked away to check a piece of luggage and now Falco was on him again.
"That was lame. You gave her a communicator? As a gift? Why didn't you just go all the way and get her the toaster-oven, can-opener combo? No, maybe you could've even given her a set of nice new tools she could fix her own ship..."
Without a comeback Fox just stood there, eyes squinting a glare.
"Okay, I'm through. But I think you'd better wise up or you'll end up one lonely old dude like you know who," Falco knelt over and cocked his head towards Peppy. "That's as bad as it gets."
A communicator.
If she was going to be a member of the team, she'd need it. And she would be a member of the team without question. What did anyone else need her to do? Take the skill test? Handle weapons? Curse like a man?
Good thing I've finally got you guys off my back for while and get down to some real business....
Calm skies. No sign of intergalactic disturbances or cluttered fields of magnetism. All clear from the bridge. Comlink functional. The only other sound besides the constantly beeping radar was Krystal moving about in her ship, stowing the last of their combined items while Fox honed his skills on the controls of a larger, weightier star cruiser.
Distance from DP was 220 centoms, or the equivalent of two and one half hours Lylat Time. The duration of the flight would be spent plotting a course straight into Thorntail Hollow, the best place, according to Krystal, where she would show him a spot that had never been revealed to him, one that she knew very well. She called it perfect, said they would be in total peace, and she would offer him nothing less than her full and undivided attention. A smile rose onto his face as a few wicked thoughts came to mind.
"You know, Fox, in Cerinia, we had a custom,"
A raspberry-colored printed skirt flashed in the corner of his eye and diverted his attention away from the glaring instrument panel, then after noticing the sleeveless black top bound at her cleavage with a single zigzag strap, everything else around him didn't matter anymore as much as seeing her with two bottlenecks of ale clinched between her fingers in one hand, and a bottle opener in the other.
"These rings on my tail aren't just there for looks. They're actually symbols of my sect. I'm never supposed to take them off, that is, not until I'm married."
"Okay," Fox answered with a nod. "So what happens then? I mean, with the rings?"
"They're replaced with ones from the sect of my....husband."
There was that twinge again. The same one that kept happening whenever she said or did something that made him believe they were meant for each other, and finally he looked away from the controls, to her.
"I purchased this back at Cape Claw after hearing that you had defeated Andross. I thought you might like a little celebration,"
She placed one bottle on the console holder between them, the other was perched in her lap where she quickly popped the cap with the opener, giving him a delicious eye-candy when the contents inside fizzed and spurted up the sides then splattered onto her thighs. She just giggled and looked at him like it had been most intentional just before settling down. "Ooops, I almost forgot. We've already started celebrating, Fox, haven't we?"
"You're so right, but we haven't finished..." Those words led him to his next move, which was leaning over the middle and licking away a few spots of the sticky drizzle from her soft wetted thigh.
"Oh, Fox.....kinky..." She cooed as he rose up again and returned to his position at the controls.
"Much obliged. That does it for me though. I never drink and fly."
"You really know how to play it safe, don't you?"
"Not nearly enough..." He then recalled the spontaneity and careless lack of protection back at the machine port. Now, flashing back to the present, he watched her take a lengthy swig from the bottle before focusing his attention back onto the console, to a faint line of blips forming at 260 degrees; not a real big deal but maybe enough to keep an eye on just in case. Probably no more than a wave of drifting metallic fragments left behind in the storm's wake, he figured, and so he made necessary adjustments to the coordinates and engaged the autopilot. Once completing that procedure, he got up to stretch a bit, moved about the cabin, familiarizing himself with all of the compartments, checked around door seals and such. One thing he'd learned back at Corneria Defense Academy was to always become thoroughly familiar with whatever you're flying so that in the case of an emergency, you'd know your way around the panels and switches in the dark when and if necessary. This area wasn't very wide, just a passage for getting from the front to the back of the ship, except right behind him was the sleeping area, where Krystal had obviously done some customizing with a set of swag curtains and bottles of fragrances and sachet tucked into cubbyhole behind the bed. Next door was the lavatory which included a single occupant shower stall along with the standard facilities. Conclusively, the ship was enough to live in for a short period of time--he surely couldn't see himself spending much more than the few hours it took getting to Dino Planet in it though, but what he could see was getting comfortable, even taking a few sips of that drink like Krystal had offered....
"Fox? We're not expecting a welcoming party, are we?"
He returned to the front, took his seat once again. "No. Why?"
"The radar. Those blips are getting stronger. More like ships than just floating fragments in space."
He studied the display and counted seven blips that were getting stronger just like she'd said.
"I think you're right, Krystal."
"Should we turn back then--?"
"No. Not with the main ship disabled. If it's an enemy line I'd be leading them right into it. I'll just try evading. I know you've got standard fire on here. Anything else?"
She held the bottle tightly against her tummy, gripping it with both hands. "Not anything I know of..."
He made a quick check of the lasers and reached across the console, petted her knee gently.
"Don't worry, honey. We're close enough to DP to make it regardless. Just strap in, hang on, and let's see how good we really are together."
Evora
_________________________________________________________
Chapter 5, The Unexpected
The area looked like a whole army had received their orders with luggage scattered around the dock's burnished metallic floor. Falco just looked at the disaster and shook his head.
"I've heard of packrats but holy crud, Fox, it's like an air terminal in here. You sure it'll be just you and her? Or maybe there's something about your future she hasn't got around to telling you yet...like the pitter-patter of little feet."
"Yeah, very funny," Fox walked around the ship, stepping over the long trail luggage on his way to Krystal as she was near the storage area, pen and paper in her hand. But instead of going right up to her, he went and snuck in from behind, making not a sound before covering her eyes which startled her just a little, then removed his hands and cupped one over her ear. "Nope, keep 'em closed...I've got a surprise," He slipped his arms around her waist and held the gift in front of her. "Now, open."
What it was should have made her eyes sparkle and gleam and blaze with excitement, which they did, sort of. Just not like he was thinking they should have.
"Oh," she smiled acceptingly. "A....a....what is it, Fox?"
"Can't you tell? Your own personal communicator. I had Slippy make it for you....See?" He held her wrist after opening the clasps with a few clicks, then carefully snapped it on, proud at last that it was a nice secure fit. "I even had him design it in blue, to blend right in."
She just kept looking at it like it was some sort of unidentified object strapped on like a vise, unsure of what she would say, and of course, unsure of how to use it.
"Here," Fox tapped a button. "It's on...." He tapped another one to show her how to change the screen's brightness and contrast when all of a sudden Peppy came in and decided on starting up a substantial conversation with Falco about whatever and now what should have been a magical moment was totally blown....
"Ship's ready." Slippy reported pertinent information after which he removed his cap and waved it once before moving on to his next assignment, and for some reason again Fox's attention went up to the security camera, its glowing red lamp constantly on, causing him to wonder about the possibility of someone else actually coming along with them on this trip-
"We didn't find anything."
Peppy snapped him out of the trance.
"You didn't find anything where?"
Sometimes, Peppy would look at him like he was a complete asinine jerk and this was one of those times. "All the circuits are clear. That camera you were talking about in the machine port is working just fine. No malfunctions. Slippy ran the check himself. He says it was probably just some other light source in the room that made it look like it was lit."
In all the confusion Krystal had walked away to check a piece of luggage and now Falco was on him again.
"That was lame. You gave her a communicator? As a gift? Why didn't you just go all the way and get her the toaster-oven, can-opener combo? No, maybe you could've even given her a set of nice new tools she could fix her own ship..."
Without a comeback Fox just stood there, eyes squinting a glare.
"Okay, I'm through. But I think you'd better wise up or you'll end up one lonely old dude like you know who," Falco knelt over and cocked his head towards Peppy. "That's as bad as it gets."
A communicator.
If she was going to be a member of the team, she'd need it. And she would be a member of the team without question. What did anyone else need her to do? Take the skill test? Handle weapons? Curse like a man?
Good thing I've finally got you guys off my back for while and get down to some real business....
Calm skies. No sign of intergalactic disturbances or cluttered fields of magnetism. All clear from the bridge. Comlink functional. The only other sound besides the constantly beeping radar was Krystal moving about in her ship, stowing the last of their combined items while Fox honed his skills on the controls of a larger, weightier star cruiser.
Distance from DP was 220 centoms, or the equivalent of two and one half hours Lylat Time. The duration of the flight would be spent plotting a course straight into Thorntail Hollow, the best place, according to Krystal, where she would show him a spot that had never been revealed to him, one that she knew very well. She called it perfect, said they would be in total peace, and she would offer him nothing less than her full and undivided attention. A smile rose onto his face as a few wicked thoughts came to mind.
"You know, Fox, in Cerinia, we had a custom,"
A raspberry-colored printed skirt flashed in the corner of his eye and diverted his attention away from the glaring instrument panel, then after noticing the sleeveless black top bound at her cleavage with a single zigzag strap, everything else around him didn't matter anymore as much as seeing her with two bottlenecks of ale clinched between her fingers in one hand, and a bottle opener in the other.
"These rings on my tail aren't just there for looks. They're actually symbols of my sect. I'm never supposed to take them off, that is, not until I'm married."
"Okay," Fox answered with a nod. "So what happens then? I mean, with the rings?"
"They're replaced with ones from the sect of my....husband."
There was that twinge again. The same one that kept happening whenever she said or did something that made him believe they were meant for each other, and finally he looked away from the controls, to her.
"I purchased this back at Cape Claw after hearing that you had defeated Andross. I thought you might like a little celebration,"
She placed one bottle on the console holder between them, the other was perched in her lap where she quickly popped the cap with the opener, giving him a delicious eye-candy when the contents inside fizzed and spurted up the sides then splattered onto her thighs. She just giggled and looked at him like it had been most intentional just before settling down. "Ooops, I almost forgot. We've already started celebrating, Fox, haven't we?"
"You're so right, but we haven't finished..." Those words led him to his next move, which was leaning over the middle and licking away a few spots of the sticky drizzle from her soft wetted thigh.
"Oh, Fox.....kinky..." She cooed as he rose up again and returned to his position at the controls.
"Much obliged. That does it for me though. I never drink and fly."
"You really know how to play it safe, don't you?"
"Not nearly enough..." He then recalled the spontaneity and careless lack of protection back at the machine port. Now, flashing back to the present, he watched her take a lengthy swig from the bottle before focusing his attention back onto the console, to a faint line of blips forming at 260 degrees; not a real big deal but maybe enough to keep an eye on just in case. Probably no more than a wave of drifting metallic fragments left behind in the storm's wake, he figured, and so he made necessary adjustments to the coordinates and engaged the autopilot. Once completing that procedure, he got up to stretch a bit, moved about the cabin, familiarizing himself with all of the compartments, checked around door seals and such. One thing he'd learned back at Corneria Defense Academy was to always become thoroughly familiar with whatever you're flying so that in the case of an emergency, you'd know your way around the panels and switches in the dark when and if necessary. This area wasn't very wide, just a passage for getting from the front to the back of the ship, except right behind him was the sleeping area, where Krystal had obviously done some customizing with a set of swag curtains and bottles of fragrances and sachet tucked into cubbyhole behind the bed. Next door was the lavatory which included a single occupant shower stall along with the standard facilities. Conclusively, the ship was enough to live in for a short period of time--he surely couldn't see himself spending much more than the few hours it took getting to Dino Planet in it though, but what he could see was getting comfortable, even taking a few sips of that drink like Krystal had offered....
"Fox? We're not expecting a welcoming party, are we?"
He returned to the front, took his seat once again. "No. Why?"
"The radar. Those blips are getting stronger. More like ships than just floating fragments in space."
He studied the display and counted seven blips that were getting stronger just like she'd said.
"I think you're right, Krystal."
"Should we turn back then--?"
"No. Not with the main ship disabled. If it's an enemy line I'd be leading them right into it. I'll just try evading. I know you've got standard fire on here. Anything else?"
She held the bottle tightly against her tummy, gripping it with both hands. "Not anything I know of..."
He made a quick check of the lasers and reached across the console, petted her knee gently.
"Don't worry, honey. We're close enough to DP to make it regardless. Just strap in, hang on, and let's see how good we really are together."