Chapter 19: Red Feather
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"My proton packs need to be recharged."
Falco turned around to see Rob standing behind him. Powering and maintaining their
operations robot was an obligation that usually fell on Slippy.
"You see?" Katt hissed, "Wouldn't you think the first thing Slippy would do when he got
back would be to check on Rob? The guy's obsessed with that robot!" Rob sat down after
being pointed at.
"That is enough Katt, and he has a name." Falco detached the robot's energy packs and
connected them to a charger. He had done it before, not too many times though.
Hopefully he could do it properly.
"My name is Rob," he chimed as he sat there immobile from the loss of energy.
"This should only take a minute or two to recharge." Falco struggled with the connectors,
growling under his breath.
She rolled her eyes and sat down. "It's late, I don't know what our plans are now, Captain
Falco," she emphasized his mock title with sarcasm, "but I'm going to take a nap."
******************************************************
Wolf and Fox laid quietly in their cell, in silence, not sure what to think anymore. They
had been there for quite a while now, not sure how long, they never kept time anymore,
but it was beginning to feel long enough. Pepper had announced to Fox a while ago that they'd
be landing on Corneria soon, home, or something like it at least. He had no idea how it had
been twisted since 'his' takeover.
"I don't want to go back to Corneria." Wolf sat up, propping himself against the wall. "I
haven't been there since I was young, and that wasn't a pleasant time..." His voice trailed
off.
"I know Wolf..."
"It was where I was given this eye, horribly disfigured. I always think people find that
I'm...hideous." He covered his scar with a paw.
Fox sighed, "Wolf, trust me, hideous is the last word I'd use to describe you. If people
are judging you by how you look, then they aren't taking the time to look at the real
person underneath. And if that's the case, then those aren't people you want to associate
with in the first place."
He chuckled. "You have a knack for making people feel better."
"And you have a knack for beating yourself up."
"Do not!" He smiled.
Fox playfully pushed him against the wall before his ears propped up in excitement.
"I have an idea!"
"Let's hear it." Wolf sat up in mild interest.
"Ok, there is a subspace frequency that is unique to the Star Fox team. We use it all the
time for Rob to send private messages or for anyone to transmit discreet warning signals.
If I can send out just a simple pulse on that frequency, then Falco and the rest of the team
will know right away that we're still here."
Wolf looked down in thought, "How exactly do we do that?"
"Well, now that...I'm not sure of yet...maybe our chance will come by soon."
The door opened softly but fully, with a Cornerian guard standing in the entrance. She
was a young short cardinal with deep scarlet feathers that were the same hue as her
uniform. A bright golden beak set between two dark pearly eyes added to her
impressively vivid appearance. She put her blaster in its holster with a smirk as she
looked upon Fox.
He smiled in response. "Have you been sent to kill us?"
"Hardly. I was sent to tell you two that we will be landing in Corneria City soon."
"What's going to happen there?" Wolf looked worried as he stared at her bleakly. The
question had been pervading his mind for hours.
"I am just a messenger."
"How are you treated?" Fox didn't waste any time cutting to the chase.
"What is that supposed to mean? I am treated fine." She began to look uncomfortable, her
feathers ruffling behind her neck.
"Better than before Pepper was our leader?"
She froze, "I shouldn't be talking to you." Her tone turned bitter, as she turned around to
leave the room.
"Wait, at least tell me your name, talk to me."
She paused as though contemplating, before she turned around again. "They say you and
O'Donnell killed hundreds of innocent civilians, and that's why you're here." She didn't
sound confident.
"Pepper lies."
She strained her eyes, looking down. "I...I know." It was the first time she had admitted it
to herself.
Wolf stood up, "Then you'll understand why we're trying to stop Pepper and restore
Lylat to the way it was before this nightmare ever happened."
She continued to look at the floor in a daze, her appearance became withdrawn as she
stood there, "I had family on Zoness...I was told they were traitors...but I suppose, that
was a lie too...?"
"Yes...it probably was, but there are people out there that are working with us to stop him,
and right now..." he glanced at Wolf. "We need your help."
She looked worried, her eyes switching from Wolf and Fox, back and forth.
"For your family..." he added.
She gazed downward, before composing herself and taking a deep breath, "Ok..." She smiled weakly,
"First off, my name is Olivia...Olivia Cardus." She adjusted her crimson uniform nervously,
"What is it that I can do---to help you?"
"Barely anything, all you have to do is send out a sub-space pulse on a tri-theta
frequency."
"Just a pulse?"
"Yes, it will alert my team that I'm still alive, and that's all I need them to know right
now."
"I'll try, but you can't tell anyone that we spoke. I can't even begin to think of the
punishment I could get if I was caught."
"Probably death." Wolf didn't look up.
"I can think of much worse." She shook her head sharply, "I cannot stay here anymore. I
must go."
"Olivia, you will help us will you? We trust you."
She paused and nodded in response. "A few hours ago, I heard Pepper talking with one of
his advisors. He says that...he has sent someone...to kill your friends."
Fox's fur bristled at the thought.
She saw the fear in his eyes. "I will try to hurry."
She quickly exited, pulling the door shut behind her. Something caught Wolf's eye after
she left, a small red feather was lying on the floor where she stood. He picked it up gently,
trying not to damage the feather's spine. Did they just take a big risk? He thought. Can
we really trust this random Cornerian guard to help us? He then remembered Olivia's
smile as he deposited the feather inside his jacket pocket.
"Yes...I hope we can."
******************************************************
Katt sulked down the hallway after taking the lift to the lower deck. She was trapped in
thought, walking down the corridor slowly, the lights dim and ominous. She was worried,
paws sweaty. She felt like she was close to danger. Something was definitely not right,
perhaps it was her intuition screaming to warn her of peril. Before she entered the
recreation room to nap on the couch, the lift at the end of the hallway caught her eye. She
decided to step into it, something compelled her to press the E-Deck button which would
take her to the engine room. As though influenced she felt her hand rise out of her control
and press into the button. She couldn't shake the curious sensation of determination over
her.
The doors opened, to the humming sound of the engine room. The circular core was in
the center of the large gaping area surrounded by computers. Something quickly caught
her eye. Slippy was standing at one of the consoles.
"Slippy?"
He looked up at her and gave a blank look before returning to his console.
"What are you doing?" She walked towards him, increasing her pace as she approached.
"Slippy, I want to talk to you, will you at least answer me?"
"Oh hey Katt! I'm sorry!" He turned around and looked up at her. "I was so busy, I didn't
even hear you! How funny!"
"What exactly are you doing?" Her tone was sharp and biting as she looked at the console,
but she couldn't make out what was on it. Computers were never her thing.
"Nothing important, just overloading the engine core."
She blinked, trying to comprehend the words. That part she understood.
"What?"
"Yes, we should all be dead in about 3 minutes after I finish here. I had to silence the
warning signals though they're just too darn loud." He chuckled lightly before typing
away at the controls.
Her tail went stiff as she felt her heart leap into her throat. Her first instinct was to pull
out her blaster from her jacket. She pressed it against his head, sweat covering her paws
as she clenched the gun.
"Katt?" He turned around again. "You wouldn't hurt me would you? It's me Slippy." He
didn't sound concerned.
"Get away from the console," she demanded stiffly as she adjusted herself, compensating
for her nerve-racked senses.
He smiled as though oblivious to what was going on. "Why would I want to do that?"
"I said get the hell away from the console!" She was screaming now, holding the blaster
with two hands.
The amphibian leered at her, without warning he smacked the gun out of her hand with a
sweeping blow of his arm. The pistol sailed across the room crashing into a nearby
console with a rupture of sparks. She recoiled in pain, grabbing her hand.
He sighed. "Curiosity...isn't that something your kind should be watchful of?"
Before she could respond a fist greeted her face, the blow sending her back into the hard-
tiled wall behind her. She couldn't believe how powerful the punch was as she blinked,
tasting the warm blood on her lip.
"Alright you little green fuck, let's play." She leapt up and sent her fist at him. He
quickly caught it with a wry smile and swung her into a nearby computer. She flew into
the towering mainframe with a horrifying crack of sparks and electricity. Fur smoldered
and smoking, she rolled across the floor and got up, wobbling from imbalance.
Slippy grinned, "You're too weak--and gosh--I'm too strong!" He swiftly dashed towards her.
In quick response she swung around and kicked him across the face, knocking him sideways.
He caught himself and flipped backwards with great agility, landing perfectly. Tilting his
head with a flashing smile, he leap-frogged across the room, soaring through the air, defying
gravity, landing directly behind her. She swerved around to attack but caught a jabbing punch
across her face. She instantly lost her balance and collapsed to the floor in agonizing pain.
"Poor Katt, amazing how stupidity was your end."
He pulled out a blaster from his coat and pointed it down at her face as she laid there.
"Before you kill me..." She coughed in distress, "What did they do to you Slippy?"
"They didn't do anything, just showed me the right path." She looked down at his pants
which were torn during the fight. He had a nasty scar on his leg.
"So you were hurt, they must have healed you before we got to you. Is that what they
did?"
He nodded, "Well, looks like this is the end of the road. Goodbye Katt Monroe." He
cocked the blaster as she stared in horror, waiting for release.
Before he could pull the trigger a metal pipe whacked over his head, knocking him out
cold. Rob appeared, holding the pipe in his hands.
"Rob!" She struggled to get up as he reached out his hand. "You saved me!"
"Falco recharged me and when I connected to the main computer, I saw what Slippy was
doing," he said flatly without emotion.
She leaped at him and hugged him tightly, drawing a curious stare from the robot.
"This is most interesting..."
The doors to the lift opened across the room with Falco and Peppy running in. They
quickly stopped in front of Slippy's limp body.
"Alright, will someone explain this one?" Falco crossed his arms, tapping his boot as
Peppy knelt down next to the toad's unconscious body.
"He was going to kill all of us Falco, and he got pretty damn close. A few more seconds
at that console over there--" she pointed her hand at it, "--and he would have wiped us all
out."
"Jesus," he rubbed his forehead shaking off the thought.
"God dammit, admit that I was right," she wiped the blood from her lip that was dripping
onto her jacket as she held Rob's arm for balance.
"You were lucky to have come down here." He smiled dryly. "C'mon, let's get back to
the bridge. Rob, take Slippy and lock him in the holding cell. We'll worry about what to
do with him later."
The robot picked up Slippy, cradling the unconscious amphibian. He looked ravished
now, blood running from his nostrils and hands.
"They must have drugged him up on something pretty strong, he nearly broke my face
in." She rubbed her jaw, cringing in pain.
******************************************************
Pepper's shuttle drifted across the Cornerian skyline, passing by high-reaching
skyscrapers, the reflections of the ship bouncing off the paned glass in the warm sunlight.
Fox looked out the window at the streets below. They were empty, silent, no one in them
except for guards and police, scouring the roadways and sky bridges between buildings.
"Beautiful isn't it?" Pepper turned around from the passenger seat, looking back at the
cargo section where Fox and Wolf were.
"You have choked the people. This isn't what living was meant to be like."
"With change comes restriction."
Fox didn't answer, instead leaning against Wolf, exhausted. Pepper watched this for a
moment, his eyes straining under his sunglasses.
"We're approaching the biological defense center Emperor," stated the pilot as the shuttle
dipped lower.
"Biological defense?" Fox felt himself turn pale at the thought, looking out at the passing
skyline. "Weapons research of that nature was banned on Corneria a long time ago."
"Well times have changed, we live in a dangerous universe Fox." His tone was
ominously supportive of his directives. He smiled, adjusting his sunglasses and turning
back around in his seat.
Wolf who was asleep, woke up, raising his eyelids slowly, showing off one good eye and
one scarred. "Are we dead yet?" he whispered with a grin.
"This isn't funny Wolf, we're heading towards a biological defense center of some sort. I
think Pepper has been doing bioweapon research." His tone was that of an urgent whisper,
trying to keep quiet so Pepper couldn't hear. He was still able to and enjoyed listening to
the fear unfold behind him. It was what he wanted.
******************************************************
"Falco get over here, look at this." Peppy swerved around in his seat, pointing at his
console. "I've got a sub-space pulse coming from Corneria."
The avian leaped over his console and rushed towards Peppy in desperation. He looked
over the display urgently.
"It's on a tri-theta frequency, only Fox knows that. He's alive." Falco hurried back to his
seat, throwing himself in it and pulling the control pad towards him. He pressed the
comm button on it with eagerness.
"Katt, Rob, get up here, we're heading towards Corneria."
"Understood Falco."
******************************************************
Bill and Elena hopped out of their fighters on Fortuna, plopping down in the wind-swept
snow. Their eyes rested on the gaping crater that was in place of where their underground
base used to be. He collapsed to the snow, his face in his hands as Elena knelt down and
hugged him, holding him from the icy wind.
Her comm device began to beep as she clutched him. After a moment she answered the
incoming message, "Elena Scurio here."
"Elena? It's Falco, is Bill there with you? We're heading towards Corneria at full speed.
Fox is alive and we need cover now."
She looked around the desolate ice field, still holding Bill. "The base has been destroyed and
we only have a handful of fighters in orbit, it wouldn't really be cover."
"It doesn't matter, anything will help, Lombardi out."
She pulled on Bill empathically as he gripped himself in pain, "Bill, please, I know it
hurts...but we don't need that base anymore. Right now, Falco needs us. Fox is alive. Did
you hear that? He's alive, and he needs our help now more than ever."
He glanced up at her, his face distraught with hurt. A smile weakly formed on his lips as
he looked into her eyes.
"Let's go."
******************************************************
"You see Fox and Wolf, being the most powerful ruler in the system, and perhaps the
galaxy, comes with having the most powerful defenses as well." He pointed at the data
panels on the wall of the corridor as he walked which showed shifting images of biological
weapons information. Horrible concoctions capable of such vast destruction, each weapon looking
more perilous as they passed the panels.
They were in the defense center now. It was a tall marble and glass building with a large
complex attached to it. Corneria's hover train system was connected to the building as well,
providing for easy transportation access. All these were things Fox noticed before he had arrived.
For the past few hours he had gone into an instinctive defense mode, characteristic of his
nature as he began to observe things vigilantly. As time went on and things appeared more
hopeless and curiously daunting his only asset was to analyze his surroundings carefully.
Pepper stood askance and pointed at a door as Wolf and Fox entered the room, two
guards following close behind. They entered the office which looked like a small control
center. Fox remembered carefully that they were one floor above the hover train station
that connected to the building. He tried to remember the details in case they needed to
escape. The office they were in had several tall mainframes connected to the walls,
probably for more malevolent research purposes he thought. A floor to ceiling glass
window was accented behind Pepper's desk, showing a magnificent view of Corneria
City, tall opulent skyscrapers sparkling under the sun, back dropped by the lush emerald
hills of the city.
Wolf looked over at him as Pepper entered with a cheery smile. He was scared, he did not
like where they were one bit.
******************************************************
Olivia glanced over her shoulder nervously on the empty bridge of the capital ship.
Pepper had already left down to the planet, and she had just sent out the sub-space pulse
that Fox told her to send. She was frightened at what she had just done. She had heard of
the punishments that people who defied Pepper got. She stared down at the blank screen
which had the words 'pulse sent' printed on it plainly, indicating clearly what she had
just completed. She breathed a sigh of relief, knowing that she had just done something good
for Fox, perhaps even for the good of Lylat.
A scaly green hand violently grabbed her shoulder. "Just what do you think you're
doing?" came the smooth voice that contrasted the harsh grip.
She turned around, her eyes meeting Leon's.
"That was a very stupid thing to do my red feathered friend. And now you shall pay dearly."
She could only gasp in fear.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The story is nearing the climax. There are only two or three chapters left. (Still deciding
how to split it up) The question is though, are you ready? =) Thanks to all those who've been
reading so far. Chapter 20 is coming soon.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"My proton packs need to be recharged."
Falco turned around to see Rob standing behind him. Powering and maintaining their
operations robot was an obligation that usually fell on Slippy.
"You see?" Katt hissed, "Wouldn't you think the first thing Slippy would do when he got
back would be to check on Rob? The guy's obsessed with that robot!" Rob sat down after
being pointed at.
"That is enough Katt, and he has a name." Falco detached the robot's energy packs and
connected them to a charger. He had done it before, not too many times though.
Hopefully he could do it properly.
"My name is Rob," he chimed as he sat there immobile from the loss of energy.
"This should only take a minute or two to recharge." Falco struggled with the connectors,
growling under his breath.
She rolled her eyes and sat down. "It's late, I don't know what our plans are now, Captain
Falco," she emphasized his mock title with sarcasm, "but I'm going to take a nap."
******************************************************
Wolf and Fox laid quietly in their cell, in silence, not sure what to think anymore. They
had been there for quite a while now, not sure how long, they never kept time anymore,
but it was beginning to feel long enough. Pepper had announced to Fox a while ago that they'd
be landing on Corneria soon, home, or something like it at least. He had no idea how it had
been twisted since 'his' takeover.
"I don't want to go back to Corneria." Wolf sat up, propping himself against the wall. "I
haven't been there since I was young, and that wasn't a pleasant time..." His voice trailed
off.
"I know Wolf..."
"It was where I was given this eye, horribly disfigured. I always think people find that
I'm...hideous." He covered his scar with a paw.
Fox sighed, "Wolf, trust me, hideous is the last word I'd use to describe you. If people
are judging you by how you look, then they aren't taking the time to look at the real
person underneath. And if that's the case, then those aren't people you want to associate
with in the first place."
He chuckled. "You have a knack for making people feel better."
"And you have a knack for beating yourself up."
"Do not!" He smiled.
Fox playfully pushed him against the wall before his ears propped up in excitement.
"I have an idea!"
"Let's hear it." Wolf sat up in mild interest.
"Ok, there is a subspace frequency that is unique to the Star Fox team. We use it all the
time for Rob to send private messages or for anyone to transmit discreet warning signals.
If I can send out just a simple pulse on that frequency, then Falco and the rest of the team
will know right away that we're still here."
Wolf looked down in thought, "How exactly do we do that?"
"Well, now that...I'm not sure of yet...maybe our chance will come by soon."
The door opened softly but fully, with a Cornerian guard standing in the entrance. She
was a young short cardinal with deep scarlet feathers that were the same hue as her
uniform. A bright golden beak set between two dark pearly eyes added to her
impressively vivid appearance. She put her blaster in its holster with a smirk as she
looked upon Fox.
He smiled in response. "Have you been sent to kill us?"
"Hardly. I was sent to tell you two that we will be landing in Corneria City soon."
"What's going to happen there?" Wolf looked worried as he stared at her bleakly. The
question had been pervading his mind for hours.
"I am just a messenger."
"How are you treated?" Fox didn't waste any time cutting to the chase.
"What is that supposed to mean? I am treated fine." She began to look uncomfortable, her
feathers ruffling behind her neck.
"Better than before Pepper was our leader?"
She froze, "I shouldn't be talking to you." Her tone turned bitter, as she turned around to
leave the room.
"Wait, at least tell me your name, talk to me."
She paused as though contemplating, before she turned around again. "They say you and
O'Donnell killed hundreds of innocent civilians, and that's why you're here." She didn't
sound confident.
"Pepper lies."
She strained her eyes, looking down. "I...I know." It was the first time she had admitted it
to herself.
Wolf stood up, "Then you'll understand why we're trying to stop Pepper and restore
Lylat to the way it was before this nightmare ever happened."
She continued to look at the floor in a daze, her appearance became withdrawn as she
stood there, "I had family on Zoness...I was told they were traitors...but I suppose, that
was a lie too...?"
"Yes...it probably was, but there are people out there that are working with us to stop him,
and right now..." he glanced at Wolf. "We need your help."
She looked worried, her eyes switching from Wolf and Fox, back and forth.
"For your family..." he added.
She gazed downward, before composing herself and taking a deep breath, "Ok..." She smiled weakly,
"First off, my name is Olivia...Olivia Cardus." She adjusted her crimson uniform nervously,
"What is it that I can do---to help you?"
"Barely anything, all you have to do is send out a sub-space pulse on a tri-theta
frequency."
"Just a pulse?"
"Yes, it will alert my team that I'm still alive, and that's all I need them to know right
now."
"I'll try, but you can't tell anyone that we spoke. I can't even begin to think of the
punishment I could get if I was caught."
"Probably death." Wolf didn't look up.
"I can think of much worse." She shook her head sharply, "I cannot stay here anymore. I
must go."
"Olivia, you will help us will you? We trust you."
She paused and nodded in response. "A few hours ago, I heard Pepper talking with one of
his advisors. He says that...he has sent someone...to kill your friends."
Fox's fur bristled at the thought.
She saw the fear in his eyes. "I will try to hurry."
She quickly exited, pulling the door shut behind her. Something caught Wolf's eye after
she left, a small red feather was lying on the floor where she stood. He picked it up gently,
trying not to damage the feather's spine. Did they just take a big risk? He thought. Can
we really trust this random Cornerian guard to help us? He then remembered Olivia's
smile as he deposited the feather inside his jacket pocket.
"Yes...I hope we can."
******************************************************
Katt sulked down the hallway after taking the lift to the lower deck. She was trapped in
thought, walking down the corridor slowly, the lights dim and ominous. She was worried,
paws sweaty. She felt like she was close to danger. Something was definitely not right,
perhaps it was her intuition screaming to warn her of peril. Before she entered the
recreation room to nap on the couch, the lift at the end of the hallway caught her eye. She
decided to step into it, something compelled her to press the E-Deck button which would
take her to the engine room. As though influenced she felt her hand rise out of her control
and press into the button. She couldn't shake the curious sensation of determination over
her.
The doors opened, to the humming sound of the engine room. The circular core was in
the center of the large gaping area surrounded by computers. Something quickly caught
her eye. Slippy was standing at one of the consoles.
"Slippy?"
He looked up at her and gave a blank look before returning to his console.
"What are you doing?" She walked towards him, increasing her pace as she approached.
"Slippy, I want to talk to you, will you at least answer me?"
"Oh hey Katt! I'm sorry!" He turned around and looked up at her. "I was so busy, I didn't
even hear you! How funny!"
"What exactly are you doing?" Her tone was sharp and biting as she looked at the console,
but she couldn't make out what was on it. Computers were never her thing.
"Nothing important, just overloading the engine core."
She blinked, trying to comprehend the words. That part she understood.
"What?"
"Yes, we should all be dead in about 3 minutes after I finish here. I had to silence the
warning signals though they're just too darn loud." He chuckled lightly before typing
away at the controls.
Her tail went stiff as she felt her heart leap into her throat. Her first instinct was to pull
out her blaster from her jacket. She pressed it against his head, sweat covering her paws
as she clenched the gun.
"Katt?" He turned around again. "You wouldn't hurt me would you? It's me Slippy." He
didn't sound concerned.
"Get away from the console," she demanded stiffly as she adjusted herself, compensating
for her nerve-racked senses.
He smiled as though oblivious to what was going on. "Why would I want to do that?"
"I said get the hell away from the console!" She was screaming now, holding the blaster
with two hands.
The amphibian leered at her, without warning he smacked the gun out of her hand with a
sweeping blow of his arm. The pistol sailed across the room crashing into a nearby
console with a rupture of sparks. She recoiled in pain, grabbing her hand.
He sighed. "Curiosity...isn't that something your kind should be watchful of?"
Before she could respond a fist greeted her face, the blow sending her back into the hard-
tiled wall behind her. She couldn't believe how powerful the punch was as she blinked,
tasting the warm blood on her lip.
"Alright you little green fuck, let's play." She leapt up and sent her fist at him. He
quickly caught it with a wry smile and swung her into a nearby computer. She flew into
the towering mainframe with a horrifying crack of sparks and electricity. Fur smoldered
and smoking, she rolled across the floor and got up, wobbling from imbalance.
Slippy grinned, "You're too weak--and gosh--I'm too strong!" He swiftly dashed towards her.
In quick response she swung around and kicked him across the face, knocking him sideways.
He caught himself and flipped backwards with great agility, landing perfectly. Tilting his
head with a flashing smile, he leap-frogged across the room, soaring through the air, defying
gravity, landing directly behind her. She swerved around to attack but caught a jabbing punch
across her face. She instantly lost her balance and collapsed to the floor in agonizing pain.
"Poor Katt, amazing how stupidity was your end."
He pulled out a blaster from his coat and pointed it down at her face as she laid there.
"Before you kill me..." She coughed in distress, "What did they do to you Slippy?"
"They didn't do anything, just showed me the right path." She looked down at his pants
which were torn during the fight. He had a nasty scar on his leg.
"So you were hurt, they must have healed you before we got to you. Is that what they
did?"
He nodded, "Well, looks like this is the end of the road. Goodbye Katt Monroe." He
cocked the blaster as she stared in horror, waiting for release.
Before he could pull the trigger a metal pipe whacked over his head, knocking him out
cold. Rob appeared, holding the pipe in his hands.
"Rob!" She struggled to get up as he reached out his hand. "You saved me!"
"Falco recharged me and when I connected to the main computer, I saw what Slippy was
doing," he said flatly without emotion.
She leaped at him and hugged him tightly, drawing a curious stare from the robot.
"This is most interesting..."
The doors to the lift opened across the room with Falco and Peppy running in. They
quickly stopped in front of Slippy's limp body.
"Alright, will someone explain this one?" Falco crossed his arms, tapping his boot as
Peppy knelt down next to the toad's unconscious body.
"He was going to kill all of us Falco, and he got pretty damn close. A few more seconds
at that console over there--" she pointed her hand at it, "--and he would have wiped us all
out."
"Jesus," he rubbed his forehead shaking off the thought.
"God dammit, admit that I was right," she wiped the blood from her lip that was dripping
onto her jacket as she held Rob's arm for balance.
"You were lucky to have come down here." He smiled dryly. "C'mon, let's get back to
the bridge. Rob, take Slippy and lock him in the holding cell. We'll worry about what to
do with him later."
The robot picked up Slippy, cradling the unconscious amphibian. He looked ravished
now, blood running from his nostrils and hands.
"They must have drugged him up on something pretty strong, he nearly broke my face
in." She rubbed her jaw, cringing in pain.
******************************************************
Pepper's shuttle drifted across the Cornerian skyline, passing by high-reaching
skyscrapers, the reflections of the ship bouncing off the paned glass in the warm sunlight.
Fox looked out the window at the streets below. They were empty, silent, no one in them
except for guards and police, scouring the roadways and sky bridges between buildings.
"Beautiful isn't it?" Pepper turned around from the passenger seat, looking back at the
cargo section where Fox and Wolf were.
"You have choked the people. This isn't what living was meant to be like."
"With change comes restriction."
Fox didn't answer, instead leaning against Wolf, exhausted. Pepper watched this for a
moment, his eyes straining under his sunglasses.
"We're approaching the biological defense center Emperor," stated the pilot as the shuttle
dipped lower.
"Biological defense?" Fox felt himself turn pale at the thought, looking out at the passing
skyline. "Weapons research of that nature was banned on Corneria a long time ago."
"Well times have changed, we live in a dangerous universe Fox." His tone was
ominously supportive of his directives. He smiled, adjusting his sunglasses and turning
back around in his seat.
Wolf who was asleep, woke up, raising his eyelids slowly, showing off one good eye and
one scarred. "Are we dead yet?" he whispered with a grin.
"This isn't funny Wolf, we're heading towards a biological defense center of some sort. I
think Pepper has been doing bioweapon research." His tone was that of an urgent whisper,
trying to keep quiet so Pepper couldn't hear. He was still able to and enjoyed listening to
the fear unfold behind him. It was what he wanted.
******************************************************
"Falco get over here, look at this." Peppy swerved around in his seat, pointing at his
console. "I've got a sub-space pulse coming from Corneria."
The avian leaped over his console and rushed towards Peppy in desperation. He looked
over the display urgently.
"It's on a tri-theta frequency, only Fox knows that. He's alive." Falco hurried back to his
seat, throwing himself in it and pulling the control pad towards him. He pressed the
comm button on it with eagerness.
"Katt, Rob, get up here, we're heading towards Corneria."
"Understood Falco."
******************************************************
Bill and Elena hopped out of their fighters on Fortuna, plopping down in the wind-swept
snow. Their eyes rested on the gaping crater that was in place of where their underground
base used to be. He collapsed to the snow, his face in his hands as Elena knelt down and
hugged him, holding him from the icy wind.
Her comm device began to beep as she clutched him. After a moment she answered the
incoming message, "Elena Scurio here."
"Elena? It's Falco, is Bill there with you? We're heading towards Corneria at full speed.
Fox is alive and we need cover now."
She looked around the desolate ice field, still holding Bill. "The base has been destroyed and
we only have a handful of fighters in orbit, it wouldn't really be cover."
"It doesn't matter, anything will help, Lombardi out."
She pulled on Bill empathically as he gripped himself in pain, "Bill, please, I know it
hurts...but we don't need that base anymore. Right now, Falco needs us. Fox is alive. Did
you hear that? He's alive, and he needs our help now more than ever."
He glanced up at her, his face distraught with hurt. A smile weakly formed on his lips as
he looked into her eyes.
"Let's go."
******************************************************
"You see Fox and Wolf, being the most powerful ruler in the system, and perhaps the
galaxy, comes with having the most powerful defenses as well." He pointed at the data
panels on the wall of the corridor as he walked which showed shifting images of biological
weapons information. Horrible concoctions capable of such vast destruction, each weapon looking
more perilous as they passed the panels.
They were in the defense center now. It was a tall marble and glass building with a large
complex attached to it. Corneria's hover train system was connected to the building as well,
providing for easy transportation access. All these were things Fox noticed before he had arrived.
For the past few hours he had gone into an instinctive defense mode, characteristic of his
nature as he began to observe things vigilantly. As time went on and things appeared more
hopeless and curiously daunting his only asset was to analyze his surroundings carefully.
Pepper stood askance and pointed at a door as Wolf and Fox entered the room, two
guards following close behind. They entered the office which looked like a small control
center. Fox remembered carefully that they were one floor above the hover train station
that connected to the building. He tried to remember the details in case they needed to
escape. The office they were in had several tall mainframes connected to the walls,
probably for more malevolent research purposes he thought. A floor to ceiling glass
window was accented behind Pepper's desk, showing a magnificent view of Corneria
City, tall opulent skyscrapers sparkling under the sun, back dropped by the lush emerald
hills of the city.
Wolf looked over at him as Pepper entered with a cheery smile. He was scared, he did not
like where they were one bit.
******************************************************
Olivia glanced over her shoulder nervously on the empty bridge of the capital ship.
Pepper had already left down to the planet, and she had just sent out the sub-space pulse
that Fox told her to send. She was frightened at what she had just done. She had heard of
the punishments that people who defied Pepper got. She stared down at the blank screen
which had the words 'pulse sent' printed on it plainly, indicating clearly what she had
just completed. She breathed a sigh of relief, knowing that she had just done something good
for Fox, perhaps even for the good of Lylat.
A scaly green hand violently grabbed her shoulder. "Just what do you think you're
doing?" came the smooth voice that contrasted the harsh grip.
She turned around, her eyes meeting Leon's.
"That was a very stupid thing to do my red feathered friend. And now you shall pay dearly."
She could only gasp in fear.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The story is nearing the climax. There are only two or three chapters left. (Still deciding
how to split it up) The question is though, are you ready? =) Thanks to all those who've been
reading so far. Chapter 20 is coming soon.