Chapter 6: For Whom We Fight

The darkened room that was her cell dissipated to a brilliant white light, Fara screwed her eyes up as her eyes tried to adjust to the change of light. She was shackled to her cell, unable to move or get away from her prison. A small figure was silhouetted in the entranceway of her cell. She could not make out the figure or even try too. The sedative had not fully worn off and she was still drowsy. In her half conscious mind, she hoped it was all a dream. She hoped she would wake up to be embraced by her sweet Fox. She hoped he would tell her everything was going to be all right and that he loved her forever. Her dreams would soon be shattered when a voice spoke to her and held her jaw up.

"Good morning beautiful" Leon spoke in his quiet and dominate voice.

"uhhhhh.." Fara replied, too weak to talk.

"huh? What cheek! You still sleepy? Let's see if I can remedy that." Leon stated before quickly slapping the vixen across the face.

Fara whined as a sharp stinging pain was felt on the right side of her muzzle. She again lay lifeless in front of Leon.

"hmm. looks like we need some extra waking." Leon joked, sickly. The lizard reached in his bag of nasties and pulled out a small pistol like gun. He placed it on Fara's left arm.

"Here.. lets see what this does?" He mocked, and pressed down on the small button. A shot of electricity entered the vixen's body. The pain was unbelievable and she screamed in pain.

"Ah.. that's better. Good morning sweetheart." Leon again replied.

"Leon.!!" Fara shouted.

"Very observant my dear." Leon calmly replied.

"I'll never talk!!" Fara protested.

Leon laughed, "Oh, who said anything about me wanting information my dear?"

Fara was stumped by his answer. She wondered what Leon wanted with her.

"Then what do you want?" She asked.

"Nothing from you, I already have everything I need by you being right here?"

"So what's your aim?" Fara continued questioning her interrogator.

"My, we do like to ask a lot of questions don't we?" Leon said as he gave her a longer does of electricity into her body. A tortured scream escaped her body as the current flowed through her body.

When the current stopped, she hung quietly by her shackles, half-conscious again. Leon stood back from her before picking up his bag,

"Well, look at the bright side my dear, you'll get to witness the death of your darling Fox when we shoot him out of the sky when he comes to rescue his damsel." Leon laughed before quietly leaving the cell, he metallic door shut with a sharp bang.

Leon's words stuck absolute terror in to the heart of Fara, She could take physical torture, but the thought of her baby foxy being killed or tortured made her heart explode and her body become cold and numb. She knew he would come to try and save her, and she knew Starwolf were counting on that. A tear swelled up in her eye and fell slowly down her cheek. She begged under her breath,

"Please Fox, don't come, don't come, save yourself!" The teardrop turned into many and she wept suspended by her chains.



"We must get to Titania now!" Fox shouted at the top of his voice.

"But Fox, it'll be a trap for sure." Peppy said, trying to quieten down the angry and upset orange vulpine.

"I don't care! If anything happened to her, I'd be dead anyway, one way or another." Fox protested.

"I'm going to inform the other green wings to meet at Sector X, something tells me there's gonna be more than just Starwolf to contend with." Bill stated before walking over to the Stella communications phone and contacting his comrades.

Both Katt and Falco stood, watching all of what was happening in complete shock. Falco grabbed Katt's pink paw with his feathery hand and squeezed it tight. Katt looked up to Falco and they both stood, looking at each other eyes and into each other's hearts, both of these showed worried faces. They both secretly promised themselves they would never let themselves be separated from one another. Their eye contact broke as they looked at a more and more agitated and worried Fox.

"When do you want to leave?" Falco asked quietly.

Fox turned his head quickly and stared at Falco with eyes that intimidated him, "Now, Falco, Now!"

The tension was broke when Slippy came running onto the bridge, "Fox, I've fitted drop tanks to the Arwings and the Cat's Paw. Plus I have given each ship extra 15 fuel cells. That'll make sure you'll be able to get there and back."

Fox turned quickly to Slippy, "Thanks Slip. But get your jump suit on, we're leaving now."

"Yes Fox." Slippy said before running back out from the bridge to his quarters.

Falco and Katt both left the bridge to make their way to their quarters. Katt spoke as they left, "Fox hon, we're just gonna get ready. We'll meet you in the hanger in 10."

"Ok." Fox simply answered, staring at the floor in thought, not even looking up to the pink feline.

With only Peppy, Bill and himself on the bridge now, it quietened a great deal. Peppy was busy looking into last minute logistics. The only noise was the chatter of Bill on the phone. Fox thought of Fara. He thought of the times that they had spent together, The happy times, and the sad times. When they had both laughed and cried in each other's company. He felt a coldness descend on his heart when he wonder what was happening to her. He tried to block the ideas from his head but they wouldn't leave him. He felt a tear swell up in his eye. He quickly wiped it away. He couldn't cry, not now. He was the leader. He must stay focused and strong in the task he was about to undertake. But the feelings haunted him and he knew they would continue to pull and push at his heart until she was safely locked in his arms. Bill disrupted his thoughts,

"Fox? Fox are you ok?" Bill questioned, looking at the miserable face of his friend. It made Bill want to cry just looking at how he was.

"I'm fine. What is it Bill?" Fox replied in a dull voice.

Bill wasn't at all happy at Fox's voice or body language but thought it was best not to dwell on it, "I've contacted Bulldog and Husky squadrons. They will rendezvous with us at Section X. They will provide needed support."

"Thanks Bill, I don't know what I'd do without you sometimes." Fox praised his long term friend and put a paw on his shoulder.

A few minutes later. All members of the Starfox team were in the hangers next to their ships. Falco and Katt were still inseparable from each other's touch. Slippy was doing some last minute tinkering. While both Peppy and Bill waited impatiently for Fox. The doors to the hanger opened and Fox walked in to the hanger, wearing his usual green and white jump suit. Everyone focused on the orange vulpine. The stress on his face was apparent for all to see. Peppy was first to speak to Fox,

"Fox, are you ok?"

"I'm fine old timer." Fox replied coolly.

"Good. There might be some light resistance as we transit to Titania, but nothing substantial." Peppy warned.

Fox laughed, " I couldn't care if an entire Venomian task force was in the way!" he said spitefully.

Peppy stayed quiet after that remark. The others came round to Fox.

"Ok, are we all ready?" Fox asked. They all nodded in agreement.

"Ok then, lets go guys." Fox ordered.

Again, they all nodded before walking towards their separate ships. Falco and Katt gave each other one final kiss before separating. Fox saw this and immediately cursed himself for looking. He jumped into his Arwing. In his cockpit was a small picture of Fara, jammed under the speed gauge. He looked at it and again felt his emotions getting the better of him. He quickly tried to dissipate them from his mind, cursing himself for allowing himself to be side-tracked from the task. He kissed two of his fingers before placing them on the picture.

"I'm coming hon. Hold on, please hold on." Fox begged under his own breath.

He placed on his father's old headset and communicated with the others.

"All Aircraft Report in!" Fox ordered over the com.

"This is Peppy, all systems go."

"Falco here, I'm fine!"

"Slippy here, I'm ok."

"Bill, signing in."

"Katt here, Ready when you are hon."

All the ships signed in, now Fox was ready to start his rescue mission.

"Ok guys, lets rock and roll!"

Fox's Arwing growled into life, and his ship shot out of the hanger towards the stars, he was quickly followed as one by one the four Arings, the green wing and the pink Invader II flew out of the GreatFox. As they joined formation, Fox let the autopilot take over while his mind kept up it's persistent torture on himself. Fox mumbled to himself,

"Hold on baby, Just hold on!"