Chapter Thirty-Eight: Operation Rescue

"Guys! We may have a problem," Commander Matson greeted. The team had spent several hours in the Courage IX brooding over the loss of Teran and at the same time wondering how the elder Floyds were doing when Commander Matson called them all to the bridge.

"What's goin' on?" Joey asked.

"I've got good news and bad news."

"What's the good news?" Serenity asked.

"The good news is Clayton Tsunami and his soldiers rescued Mr. Floyd."

"What about Mom?" Saria asked quietly.

"That's the bad news. She isn't on Windfall. We don't know where to search for her." Saria's eyes began to fill with tears but Ryan was right there, wrapping his arms protectively around her.

"That's not good. We have to find her," Ryan stated.

"I know that but where to restart our search is the problem. There's hundreds, possibly thousands, of hiding spots to hide a prisoner here in the Great Sea."

"I know where we can get the answer," Joey said.

"Where?"

"Straight from her kidnapper."

"That's an idea, but Kaiba wasn't at Windfall and we know he left Needle Rock awhile ago. But where he would go to now is a mystery."

"Have you tried a full scan of the islands we haven't visited?" Ryan suggested.

"We're already performing a scan starting with the southeastern islands. But even with our latest radar equipment, it will take time to find her." Just as Matson finished his sentence, a scanner began to beep repeatedly.

"What's that awful noise?" Serenity asked, recoiling at the high-pitched noise.

"It's a distress signal... And it's coming from Windfall!" Matson replied, turning off the beeper and putting on a headset, "Everyone be quiet." Everyone watched quietly as Matson flicked a few switches and Clayton Tsunami's face appeared on a screen in the control panel.

"This is Clayton Tsunami of Hylian Special Ops Unit Twelve. Windfall is under siege by giant monsters and my forces are under attack. Request backup from anyone receiving this signal. I repeat, this is a priority one distress call," Clayton explained urgently when his face was replaced by static.

"What are we gonna do, Commander?" Tristan asked. Matson turned to them.

"Head for Windfall and provide whatever assistance we can. Pack your things in case we have to eject. Saria, Ryan, get some guard vests and strap yourselves in. We're going to break the air speed limit," Matson replied. Saria and Ryan went to a side closet while the others went back to the dorms and packed their things into their knapsacks. Moments later, the bags were piled up in the bridge and everyone was wearing a protective blue vest over their street clothes. Saria and Ryan had taken some basic firearms and distributed them to the others, saying only to use them if necessary. As the group approached Windfall, they couldn't help gasping at the sights that lay before them. Large Duel Monsters varying from swordsmen to fiends to magicians and dragons were blasting the buildings and attacking civilians. Choppers and boats were seen fleeing the battle while brave soldiers tried to fend off the enemies.

"Hold on!" Matson commanded and the Courage IX raced above the city, shooting at a few weak dragons. Matson made the ship hover over the harbor. Saria and Ryan were the first to jump out and join the fighting. Ryan and Saria drew their handguns and shot at a few fiend type monsters but they barely scratched them.

"What do we do? We can't injure them this way," Saria asked when she got the chance to reload. Ryan never got a chance to respond because a skeleton monster in silver armor and carrying a crimson bladed sword knocked him onto his back.

"A Skull Knight #2! Ryan get away!" Saria cried, trying to get to him. Her path however became blocked with two more Skull Knight #2's. Ryan tried to fire but the knight cut down his handgun. Desperately, Ryan reached for the Master Sword and managed to get it into blocking position, saving him from a fatal attack.

"Saria!" A male's voice suddenly called. The combatants turned to see a shirtless Mr. Floyd rushing towards them.

"Dad!" Saria cried.

"Hold on!" Saria jumped back to avoid a slash attack and watched as her father punched the knights into the water without so much breaking a sweat. Saria stood there for a moment and studied her father. His Golden Gauntlet covered-fists were glowing a golden color. He had a few scratches on his body but appeared to be in good health. But what shocked Saria the most was that his eyes were a bright blue and not the usual mud brown.

"Dad? Your eyes... They're..." Saria muttered. She ran up to him and hugged him tightly, which he returned.

"I know. Kaiba made me remove my contacts," He quickly replied. It was then Ryan walked up to them.

"Dad? Do you remember me?" Ryan asked timidly. Mr. Floyd, his arms still around Saria, turned to the teen. Mr. Floyd stared hard at him and gasped. Mr. Floyd let go of Saria and stood face to face with Ryan. Mr. Floyd placed a hand to the side of the boy's face and smiled.

"My son..." He mumbled and he grasped the boy in a bear hug.

"I hate to cut this nice reunion short, but those knights are coming back," Saria said nervously, staring at the knights who were clambering onto the dock.

"Head back to the Courage IX!" Mr. Floyd commanded. The three Floyds flew back to the still hovering ship to see the Courage IX's crew outside, holding down the perimeter. Commander Matson was the first to greet them.

"Matson, get everyone inside. We're moving out," Mr. Floyd ordered.

"Yes sir." Commander Matson waved at the guards and everyone climbed aboard the ship. Matson threw Mr. Floyd a navy T-shirt, which the escapee quickly slipped on. He then pulled on a sword belt, a magic pack, sword, shield and handgun in a thigh holster. A red cape with white accenting completed the new ensemble. By the time the ship was moving away, Mr. Floyd had resumed command over the ship.

"Fasten your seatbelts," He told the teens, "It's gonna be a bumpy ride." His words were borne out as a storm began to brew. The ship rocked dangerously as the Courage IX moved south through the treacherous skies.

"How much farther until we reach safety?" Saria shouted over the roar of the storm.

"Not much further..." But Mr. Floyd's words were cut off when the ship rocked violently and the fluorescent lights turned from white to red and began to flash at various intervals.

"Matson! Status report!"

"Sir, some of the dragons attacking Windfall are attacking us! They've hit one of our thrusters!"

"Damn! This has gone too far!" The ship began to rock furiously again.

"What should we do?"

"Evacuation plan #3! Get the kids out of here! You know what to do!" Mr. Floyd handed Matson a brown bag the size of a shoebox. Matson stumbled over to the teens. Yugi couldn't help watching as the crewmembers reached into their pockets and each pulled out a tiny green crystal the size of a referee's whistle.

"Grab your bags then join hands!" Matson ordered. No one argued with him except for Ryan and Saria who stared at their father.

"Dad! I don't want to see you just to lose you again!" Ryan pleaded.

"I know son, but we will meet again! For now, trust Saria and the others!" Mr. Floyd shouted. Mr. Floyd then gathered a ball of green light in his hands.

"Farore's Wind!" Mr. Floyd cried. He threw the ball at the teenagers and Commander Matson. The light spread out and surrounded the teens in a beam of holy magic that lifted the group off the ground.

"Ryan! Take care of Saria!" Mr. Floyd ordered. Ryan didn't get to respond as he and the others vanished from the Courage IX in a streak of green light in the night sky. Saria and Ryan glanced back in time to see the Courage IX blow up, lighting the area in an enormous explosion flowed by more green streaks that split up in different directions.

"Dad!" The two teens cried as they streaked across the sky at unbelievable speeds. The adrenaline rush from the magic spell knocked the two unconscious, but with the image of their brave father and the Courage IX blowing up and taking him with it was fresh in their minds.

"Saria wake up. Please wake up," A male's voice pleaded. Saria wearily opened her eyes to see she was in her room on her bed. Saria sat up and looked around to see Ryan kneeling at her bedside.

"Ryan? Where are we?" Saria asked.

"Home. Dad's spell teleported us home," Ryan replied. Saria lay back down in bed.

"Man, how'd this all happen Ryan? We rescue Dad and then lose him again. I'm tired of this whole thing. So many people have been hurt because of Kaiba and his lust for power." Ryan nodded.

"I know, but we must fight on. We can't let someone like Kaiba get the best of us. He may have destroyed the Courage IX, but I bet he didn't destroy Dad too. Dad might have teleported out too."

"If that's true, then why isn't he here with us?" Ryan didn't have a good answer for that one.

"Something must have come up. Maybe Commander Matson knows?" Ryan suggested. Saria sat up again and swung her legs over the side of the bed.

"OK, lets ask," Saria said reluctantly. Saria lay her head on Ryan's shoulder as he escorted her downstairs where Matson was speaking into the telephone in rapid Hylian. The others were nowhere to be found. Saria and Ryan sat down on the couch and waited patiently as he finished his call. When he ended the call, he stared at the twins.

"Glad to see you're awake, but why the long faces? You concerned about your father?" Matson asked. Saria nodded.

"If I've learned anything from your father, it's that he is very resourceful. I already have an idea where he might be and what he is up to," Matson replied, a smirk on his face.

"Then where is he and what he is up to?" Ryan asked.

"The one place where ever Kaiba won't suspect to search. Your homeland, the land of Hyrule. As for what your Dad is up to, I admit I'm not exactly sure but I'm positive he's there if anywhere."

"Alright, but how are going to check that? The Courage IX is destroyed and you explained to me earlier that Kaiba is monitoring the cyber world for us."

"We'll go there."

"How?"

"Follow me to the basement." The confused teens followed Matson to their father's basement lab. It had the latest tracking equipment, radar, sonar and ultrasonic. But like any basement, there were boxes stacked up everywhere carrying in size and content. Matson walked over to a silver box that appeared to be made of heavy steel. It was the size of the recliner upstairs.

"Dad told me to never move that crate," Saria said when Matson tried to push it aside.

"You know why?" Saria shook her head.

"Watch." Matson pushed against it and Saria watched as it slid aside easily. Behind the box was a tiny door. Matson straightened up.

"OK. Saria, push that old yellow brick over there on the far northern wall would ya? Ryan, push that green one down by the base of the stairs," Matson instructed. Saria had to move a box or too but found the troublesome brick. Ryan found it after looking underneath the last wooden step. When the two bricks were pushed in, the hidden door opened, letting white light fill the room.

"Follow me." The trio crawled through the opening and stood up to see an elevator leading down. Saria jumped as the door slammed shut behind them. Saria wearily followed Ryan and Matson onto the elevator. Matson pushed down and the elevator creaked to life.

"James? Where are we headed? And come to think of it, where is Yugi and Joey?" Saria asked, becoming nervous.

"Don't worry, they've all gone through here already. Trust me, they're waiting for us," the commander replied calmly. It was then the elevator began to slow and it eventually stopped. What lay ahead of them made the twins gasp. They were in an extremely large facility about the length of two football fields. Milling around various air and sea craft were possibly hundreds of technicians and scientists studying the various ships. Gathered near the largest one was Yugi and the others who were sitting at a picnic table, chatting happily with Rush close by panting happily. Saria, Ryan and Commander Matson walked down the catwalks until they reached the others. Saria couldn't help gasping at the airship the Domino teens sat under. It was about twenty yards in length and was at least five yards in width. The ship was at least two stories high and the ship's silver paint job made it shine under the light. Windows and portholes littered the ship's two levels.

"Matson, where are we exactly?" Ryan asked.

"This is the heart of Floyd Industries. This is the construction room where we build the galaxy's greatest anti-terrorist weaponry. You can't see it, but there are hundreds of labs littering this area where weapons and gadgets are designed and tested before we proceed to mass production. This baby right here," Matson replied, gesturing to the new ship, "Is one such ship. This ship took three years to design, build and outfit but it's done. This is the prototype we call Courage X." Matson and the others were now close enough to Yugi and the others to get their attention.

"Hey guys! How are you holdin' up?" Joey asked.

"OK, but Dad shocked us again. I didn't know this place existed underneath our house," Saria admitted.

"Yeah, it seems your Dad has been keepin' a lot from you but it's all good!" Tristan quickly said, catching himself.

"Yeah, it's too bad I never found out what that last tape was from the Courage IX. I would've loved to see it but it's gone now," Saria replied sadly. It was then Matson flashed a CD in a case.

"Not so. Your dad downloaded the data to this DVD. Why don't we go inside the ship and watch it?" Matson suggested. Everyone got up and entered the Courage X via a loading ramp in the lower belly. Everyone gasped at the interior of the lower bridge. It was very lavish with leather-lined seats, the consoles shined like new and there was even a vending machine with snacks and drinks. And to think the bridge had the dimensions of Saria's living room.

"This is cool," Saria admitted.

"That's not the half of it. This ship is like a luxurious mansion with just as many rooms. But enough boasting from me, lets head for the recreation room," Matson replied, sounding like a father who had just kids. The team gasped at each new room as they walked through. They then went upstairs and passed the dorm rooms, which were also as lavish as the bridge, but the rooms were carpeted with carpets of various colors and there were no bunks.

"The bunks are built into the wall. You just push a button and they pop out of the walls, ready to sleep in," Matson explained. It was then they reached the recreation room. It had two pool tables, a bar, pinball machines, video games, and a hologram TV surrounded by leather couches in a depressed area. There was an old-fashioned jukebox in the corner of the room and a ladder that led up to an observation deck on the top of the ship with a long reaching telescope and radio to the lower decks. Everyone gathered at the TV as Matson plugged in the DVD. The opening image showed Mr. Floyd sitting in the bridge of the Courage IX.

"Saria, Ryan, if you're watching this, the Courage IX has likely been destroyed and something has happened to me and your mother. For years, we've kept the secret of how I married your mother and how she became pregnant with you two. That was another adventure entirely and it all started fourteen years ago around Christmas time in Hyrule. Your mother and I were both twenty-one and she was still the Crown Princess of Hyrule. I thought life couldn't get any better until that fateful night. Soldiers disguised as aliens appeared out of deep space and attacked Hyrule Castle Town, injuring many knights, killing civilians and kidnapping your mother. I had been helpless to stop them and I don't want you to freak out at this piece of history: I had been killed," Mr. Floyd explained. This caught everyone but Commander Matson off guard.

"My father? Dead?" Saria wondered.

"That is what it seemed to be. In reality, I was just out. My body had vanished from the world and my mind and soul had been transported to the Sacred Realm. Many people don't believe that I had been called forth by the goddesses of Hyrule to their realm to be tested and to ask for me to assist a lost soul. I accepted the task and ran into my old enemy Lance Dragmire of the Gerudo tribes. But this time, he was different. He had changed his ways and was now willing to do things for the betterment of mankind. I found myself trusting him and we soon returned to the real world in new bodies. Once back in Hyrule, I retrieved the Master Sword in Hyrule's Temple of Time," Mr. Floyd continued. Saria pushed pause.

"Master Sword in Hyrule's Temple of Time? There's a second Master Sword?" Ryan asked Matson.

"Yes and we think your sword has some connection to the one in Hyrule. That's why I thought your dad might be in Hyrule. He has connections and countless allies in Hyrule. It wouldn't take much to get the sword," Matson explained.

"So, why don't we go already?" Joey asked, slightly annoyed.

"We've already lifted off. Look," Matson replied, pointing at the large window behind him. The late afternoon sky was clearly seen from the window.

"Wow, that's incredible. We didn't feel it takeoff," Saria noted as she pressed play.

"Getting the sword was remarkably easy: The three keys to the sword, the Spiritual Stones of Forest, Fire and Water were already in the temple and the fourth treasure, the Ocarina of Time, was in my possession. Using the treasures together, I opened the way to the Master Sword and took it from its resting place. With the sword, Sages and my new ally, we took up the chase into space. We ended up on the habitable island known as Paragon VII. There, I acquired the powers of Silver and Blaze. With the new powers and help from the Galactic Federation, I learned that the kidnappers were performing illegal biological experiments on people they kidnapped. After learning of that, I rushed to the rescue. I broke into the labs using my new powers and slayed most of the enemy soldiers ad saved Becky. We escaped the labs but not before meeting a mysterious Sheikah ninja who gave me a sword and warning me to leave the planet up to a new hero," Mr. Floyd said, when Ryan paused the DVD.

"Wow, Dad's traveled through time and into space. Incredible!" Ryan whistled.

"Yeah, but he hasn't mentioned him getting engaged to Mom or her being pregnant with us," Saria replied.

"That's next, I'm sure of it," Yugi reassured them.

"I hope so. Not that your father's exploits aren't great!" Tristan replied, catching himself before he said something stupid.

"What bonehead here is trying to say, he's interested in learning where you came from," Joey said, leaning on Tristan. Tristan shot him a shut up look.

"Oh yeah! Look who's talking! You're just as speechless as I am!" Tristan shot.

"I'll show you who's speechless!" Joey shot back. Soon, they were on their feet, beginning to fight until Serenity managed to get between them and separate them.

"Joey! Tristan! Please don't fight!" Serenity pleaded. The boys, who both had soft spots for the redhead, immediately sat down, looking like scolded puppies. Rush, who had sat next to Serenity, began to make a snickering sound.

"Watch it," Joey said out of the side of his mouth. Tristan reached forward and pushed play.

"After the rescue mission, Becky was hauled off to the Galactic Federation Headquarters where Becky was treated. Using information I had stolen from the enemy's computer, the doctors there saved Becky from phoenixite poisoning and at the same time, granting her immunity to it. But it was then I learned that Becky was pregnant. At the time, I thought it was just one child but after doing an ultrasonic, we found that there were twins. Realizing the time couldn't be better, I proposed to her and we became engaged," Mr. Floyd said happily.

"Wow," Saria sighed, leaning her head onto Ryan's shoulder.

"But in order for things to be perfect, I had one last task to fulfill. It turned out that Becky's kidnapper had also taken my mother from the castle. Lured back to Paragon VII, I found myself face to face with the mysterious Sheikah. She had my mother and if I was to ever have a chance to save her, I had to kill the mysterious warrior. Before the fight commenced, the warrior dropped her mask and I found myself staring into a mirror, looking at a female version of myself. The mysterious warrior was actually my little sister, who had been separated from me at childbirth due to father's cruelty. Wanting revenge for me being the Hero of Time and being the natural owner of the Triforce of Courage, she sought revenge. The fight was a fierce one, but with Lance's help and his Triforce of Power, we sealed my sister away in the Sacred Realm. After that, we lived in peace and I started Floyd Industries so other justice doers like myself could have the edge over evildoers," Mr. Floyd finished, "But now, things are different. Fourteen years have passed since then and my two children have the responsibility to stop an evil force like their ancestors. These two are charged with the protection of Earth. You're in good hands." The hologram changed to show Saria's and Ryan's faces. The DVD then ended and the hologram TV shut off. Matson pulled the DVD out and put it back in its case.

"Dad trusts us," Saria simply said.

"Always has and always will," Matson replied kindly.

"That's what parents do. They trust you and love you," Serenity added.

"That they do, even if they have their own problems," Joey contributed.

"They always have you for friends. Their kindness and their abilities bring out the best in us," Tristan stated.

"And friendship shared by friends bring out even more," Yugi finished. Saria and Ryan nodded.

"Right. Commander Matson, how far are we from Hyrule?" Ryan asked, turning to their leader.

"An hour away."

"Good, because Dad needs us."