Mission 02 - Aftermath
Fox lay on his back, his wife gently stroking his head. Prince Tricky was curled up by the blue vixen's leg asleep, snoring audibly. Fox tilted his head and stared into Krystal's eyes, "How long has it been?"
Krystal smiled, "Only a few hours, you nodded off for a while. I couldn't tell who was snoring louder, you or his Highness."
Fox smiled, "Let's get out of here, I think they are gone." Or perhaps, they were out there somewhere, looking for them. But given StarWolf's patience, a few hours of waiting was more than enough. Not to mention that Slip and Falco was quite the match for their old rivals. "It should be safe now."
"I am not so sure. . ." Krystal replied, but Fox seemed sure enough. The vixen nudged the little dinosaur next to her, waking him. "It's time to go, your Highness."
"Yes, it's time to go." repeated another voice. A shadow appeared in the doorway, as a tall silhouette entered the small chamber. Immediately Fox and Krystal both aimed their weapons at the intruder. Tricky hid behind the couple, quivering in fear.
"Hi guys!" Slippy's cheerful, high-pitched voice echoed in the chamber. At once Fox realized that the shadowy figure in the doorway was Falco.
"Hey McCloud, did you miss me?" said the tall bird, stepping into the chamber, examining his surroundings. "Looks like I saved your hide again, buddy."
The StarFox team gathered in the common room of the Great Fox, around the holographic display of General Pepper. Prince Tricky sat on the laps of Fox and Krystal, his eyes darting around curiously. Of course, he missed his mother and father, but there was nothing he could do for now but wait.
"As you know, three members of StarWolf escaped from the High Security Prison of Corneria two days ago." Pepper said, looking glancing around at the team.
"Three members, this is something new." Fox interrupted the General, "Who got left behind?"
"Your old rival, Wolf O'Donnell," Pepper replied, "Surprising isn't it, Fox?"
"Hmm, continue please, General." Said Fox, slightly surprised by the fact that StarWolf left one of their own teammates at the prison, and off everyone they left Wolf. Why?
"Well, I have a new mission for you, StarFox." said the general with a smile. "StarWolf is wanted dead or alive by the Conerian government. Your task is to find and recapture them." The general paused, "And I personally want them alive." Of course, it would look good on Pepper's papers too, but that was not too difficult to guess. "Are you guys up to it?"
"I am." Falco was first to respond to the General's request, "I have some scores to settle with old scaly."
"Count me in!" Slippy replied next. "What about you, Peppy?"
"I am not." The old hare answered. "I am really getting too old for this. . ." The old veteran gazed at Fox, silently requesting something. And Fox knew what Peppy wanted. It was no surprise for anyone, since the hare was telling the truth.
"Don't worry Pep, I'll take care of that fat pig for you." Fox said with a grim smile. He did have a personal hatred towards Pigma, who betrayed his father. This was the perfect opportunity to avenge his father's death.
General Pepper smiled, "I thank you for accepting the offer on behalf of the Cornerian Army. You will receive some top secret information of this mission immediately after this briefing. I will send you addition information during the mission if our Cornerian Intelligence Agency can gather something. For the most part, you are on your own, StarFox. Pepper out." With that, the hologram disappeared, and silence filled the room.
A lanky middle-aged rat shuffled down a cement path, surrounding him a serene grassy field, trees sparsely inhabiting the area. It was small refuge from the hustle and bustle of the city which was so near. An island of tranquility, perfect for what was done here, rehabilitating the mentally ill. Doctor Archimedes Zenotabi, he was checking on his number one patient. He was becoming to know the boy on a personal level. Still, he loved to look over the data, the child was an interesting case. He checked the tablet again, going through the child's records. He was positive the patient was doing well. Still, the harshness of the military sometimes led some to go mad. Then of course there was his most questionable past. Zenotabi played with his mustache thoughtfully, the child had been in the hands of StarWolf. He was one of the top doctor's working at the joint hospital and mental institute. The boy was an interesting specimen. He ran back to the beginnings of the records, the boy being found in the hands of Leon Powalski. The boy had just been cut open according to the reports, brain surgery. Zenotabi was curious as to what Powalski did, but to date found nothing wrong. Perhaps it was just torture, perhaps not...
Lost in thought, soon ran into the doorway his feet magically finding his way to the boy's room. He shook his head, his long thin mustache that dropped on both sides, almost to his chest, as well as his long thin goatee, thrashed wildly. When he stopped he regained his presence, his facial hair giving him the appearance of some ancient emperor. He politely knocked and waited, but there was no answer. He gently opened the door and peeked in. The room was sterile white, nothing breaking the purity except the boy. His back was turned to the door; Zenotabi studied the boy's strange features. He couldn't help but stare, the kid was somewhat freakish. His body was covered in a peach fuzz thin coat of black fur. He had short black spines running along his back, from the top of his forehead all the way down to the tip of his tail. Instead of fur, around his shoulders was set of blackish shimmering scales. Then there was his eyes, a bright neon green glowing against the black, they were reptilian in nature. The boy was a hybrid, both jackal and some indeterminate reptile. The child was a sight to behold, and most people couldn't let themselves forget it.
"Good morning," There was a small pause as the doctor checked to see if he was awake. "Damon." Zenotabi extended a welcoming hand towards the boy, with a warm smile on his face. The boy didn't respond, he wasn't too surprised, the boy preferred to be alone. The rodent simply smiled, and pressed a small switch next to the white bed. A soothing tune began to play, filling the room. "Much better, wouldn't you say?"
". . ." Damon didn't reply. He didn't want to reply. The hybrid looked out the window, at the serene surroundings. Why couldn't they just leave him alone?
The smile faded off Zenotabi's face slowly. This was definitely going to be difficult. "Well, Damon, I am here to assign you a task. It is given directly from General Pepper, top priority."
The teenager turned around from the window, and stared at the doctor with his bright green eyes. He just wanted a break from the stupid army, now even General Pepper wants him back? What was he, a toy? "What is it?" he asked, completely disinterested in the subject.
"The Cornerian Intelligence Agency requires you aid in the interrogation of Wolf O'Donnell of the StafWolf mercenary group." Dr.Zenotabi replied, "Would you accept the assignment?"
"What if I say no?" Damon asked. He had not seen Wolf in eight years, and it was doubtful of Wolf even remembered him. However a trip to the prison may alleviate some of the pain in his mind.
"That is, unfortunately. . ." Zenotabi paused, searching for the correct words, "not an option."
"Why?" the hybrid simply asked.
"It is a command from General Pepper himself, you cannot disobey." Zenotabi stated. He was curious; he had been told the boy was normally docile and meek. Perhaps something was making him perturbed, something deeper about this mission, something he wasn't revealing.
Wolf O'Donnell, former leader of StarWolf, sat in an interrogation room, in front of General Pepper. The lupine's hands were cuffed to the chair. There was no sign of physical abuse, done by the guards or Pepper. In fact, it almost seemed like a normal conversation between two old friends, except Wolf's arms were in an uncomfortable position.
"So Mr. O'Donnell, mind telling me where the rest of your team is? If you cooperate, you might get a lighter sentence or no sentence at all." General Pepper was talking in a very casual tone. Although they were the only people in the room, about of score of hidden cameras and microphones were accompanying them. "Besides, leaving the team leader here looks like a betrayal to me."
"My team would never betray me, Pepper." Wolf said with a slight snarl, "I asked to stay here, so they left without me."
"Seriously?" the general said with a hint of sarcasm, "Why would you choose to stay? When they rest of your team so happily left, slaughtering the guards and prisoners alike?"
"I chose to stay because I deserved to be punished. I knew that from the beginning. I already lost enough because of this stupid thing called "revenge". I lost my eye, my friends, my freedom." Wolf continued, "I lost everything."
"Oh, how moving," Pepper said again with a strong sense of sarcasm, "How long did it take for you to make up that sentence, eight years? Stop messing around, Mr. O'Donnell, you are already on thin ice. Tell me where the rest of you team is. NOW."
"Make me." Wolf answered with a snarl, anger blazing in his eyes. If it wasn't for the cuffs, he would have strangled Pepper alive already.
"Mr. O'Donnell, I strongly suggest you to cooperate." Pepper replied calmly, "Don't act all heroic and honorable when you are not. Tell me before I-"
"Before you what," Wolf cut off Pepper's sentence, his eyes still blazing with anger. "What are you going to do? Kill me?"
"Good suggestion, Wolf O'Donnell." General Pepper said with a smirk, "Your death sentence is due in two weeks. I suggest you start coming up with answers soon." With that, the general stood up and walked towards the metal door. Just as he was about to reach for the key slot, the door opened. In front of him were two figures, a rat and a freakish hybrid. "Greetings General Pepper," Dr. Zenotabi said with a slight bow, "I've brought you Damon, Cadet Three six double O eight, formerly known as specimen thirteen."
"Thank you, Doctor." said General Pepper. The general looked towards the criminal at the other end of the metal table, smiling. "Wolf O'Donnell, guess who I've brought you?" With a powerful hand the canine officer presented Damon to Wolf, placing both hands on the young cadet's shoulders. Freak? Yes, but not enough to make Pepper uncomfortable.
"Who the hell is that kid?" Wolf asked, slightly disturbed by those luminous green eyes and reptilian scales.
"I'll let you two reminisce..." Pepper said, and then strolled out of the room with Zenotabi, closing the metal door behind him. Of course, he was going to be watching the pair next door, through the hidden cameras. Pepper smiled to himself as he watched the screens, each representing a hidden camera. They were everywhere, covering every spot in the room, even under the table. The microphones were sensitive enough to pick up the faintest taps and clicks, if either of them decided to say anything "out of the line".
Both Wolf and Damon remained quiet for a long moment about half a minute, staring at each other. Wolf was trying to remember who the teenager in front of him was. Those green eyes were unusual . . . he had seen it somewhere before. Was the kid another prisoner? Cadet three-six-zero-zero- eight didn't sound too familiar. But the title specimen thirteen jogged the lupine's memory.
Before Damon was opening his mouth to speak, Wolf shook his head, motioning him to keep quiet. "Pepper, can you not watch and record this?" Wolf asked, talking to the walls. "I would like to speak to the kid privately."
General Pepper's voice spoke through some hidden speaker, "Wolf, I believe you lost your privacy too, along with your eye, your friends and your freedom."
"Shut up Pepper, if you want me to talk to the kid, then don't listen to this, and stop watching." Wolf requested again, speaking to the walls while keeping his eyes on Damon.
"You have five minutes." Pepper's voice spoke again after a short pause of silence, "Make it quick." General Pepper was not stupid, he had a platoon of solders waiting just outside the cell. There was no chance of Wolf escaping. At his command, the room containing Wolf and Damon was pitch- black, and the cameras were rendered useless.
"How would I know you are not listening?" Wolf asked again, in complete darkness. No answer. "I guess that proves it." Of course, Wolf wasn't planning on saying anything in secret to Damon. He just wanted to talk privately, without restrictions, with an old friend. "Wolf, do you remember me?" The young cadet spoke, his voice trembling nervously.
"Yes. . ." the long awaited reply came, in darkness.
Fox lay on his back, his wife gently stroking his head. Prince Tricky was curled up by the blue vixen's leg asleep, snoring audibly. Fox tilted his head and stared into Krystal's eyes, "How long has it been?"
Krystal smiled, "Only a few hours, you nodded off for a while. I couldn't tell who was snoring louder, you or his Highness."
Fox smiled, "Let's get out of here, I think they are gone." Or perhaps, they were out there somewhere, looking for them. But given StarWolf's patience, a few hours of waiting was more than enough. Not to mention that Slip and Falco was quite the match for their old rivals. "It should be safe now."
"I am not so sure. . ." Krystal replied, but Fox seemed sure enough. The vixen nudged the little dinosaur next to her, waking him. "It's time to go, your Highness."
"Yes, it's time to go." repeated another voice. A shadow appeared in the doorway, as a tall silhouette entered the small chamber. Immediately Fox and Krystal both aimed their weapons at the intruder. Tricky hid behind the couple, quivering in fear.
"Hi guys!" Slippy's cheerful, high-pitched voice echoed in the chamber. At once Fox realized that the shadowy figure in the doorway was Falco.
"Hey McCloud, did you miss me?" said the tall bird, stepping into the chamber, examining his surroundings. "Looks like I saved your hide again, buddy."
The StarFox team gathered in the common room of the Great Fox, around the holographic display of General Pepper. Prince Tricky sat on the laps of Fox and Krystal, his eyes darting around curiously. Of course, he missed his mother and father, but there was nothing he could do for now but wait.
"As you know, three members of StarWolf escaped from the High Security Prison of Corneria two days ago." Pepper said, looking glancing around at the team.
"Three members, this is something new." Fox interrupted the General, "Who got left behind?"
"Your old rival, Wolf O'Donnell," Pepper replied, "Surprising isn't it, Fox?"
"Hmm, continue please, General." Said Fox, slightly surprised by the fact that StarWolf left one of their own teammates at the prison, and off everyone they left Wolf. Why?
"Well, I have a new mission for you, StarFox." said the general with a smile. "StarWolf is wanted dead or alive by the Conerian government. Your task is to find and recapture them." The general paused, "And I personally want them alive." Of course, it would look good on Pepper's papers too, but that was not too difficult to guess. "Are you guys up to it?"
"I am." Falco was first to respond to the General's request, "I have some scores to settle with old scaly."
"Count me in!" Slippy replied next. "What about you, Peppy?"
"I am not." The old hare answered. "I am really getting too old for this. . ." The old veteran gazed at Fox, silently requesting something. And Fox knew what Peppy wanted. It was no surprise for anyone, since the hare was telling the truth.
"Don't worry Pep, I'll take care of that fat pig for you." Fox said with a grim smile. He did have a personal hatred towards Pigma, who betrayed his father. This was the perfect opportunity to avenge his father's death.
General Pepper smiled, "I thank you for accepting the offer on behalf of the Cornerian Army. You will receive some top secret information of this mission immediately after this briefing. I will send you addition information during the mission if our Cornerian Intelligence Agency can gather something. For the most part, you are on your own, StarFox. Pepper out." With that, the hologram disappeared, and silence filled the room.
A lanky middle-aged rat shuffled down a cement path, surrounding him a serene grassy field, trees sparsely inhabiting the area. It was small refuge from the hustle and bustle of the city which was so near. An island of tranquility, perfect for what was done here, rehabilitating the mentally ill. Doctor Archimedes Zenotabi, he was checking on his number one patient. He was becoming to know the boy on a personal level. Still, he loved to look over the data, the child was an interesting case. He checked the tablet again, going through the child's records. He was positive the patient was doing well. Still, the harshness of the military sometimes led some to go mad. Then of course there was his most questionable past. Zenotabi played with his mustache thoughtfully, the child had been in the hands of StarWolf. He was one of the top doctor's working at the joint hospital and mental institute. The boy was an interesting specimen. He ran back to the beginnings of the records, the boy being found in the hands of Leon Powalski. The boy had just been cut open according to the reports, brain surgery. Zenotabi was curious as to what Powalski did, but to date found nothing wrong. Perhaps it was just torture, perhaps not...
Lost in thought, soon ran into the doorway his feet magically finding his way to the boy's room. He shook his head, his long thin mustache that dropped on both sides, almost to his chest, as well as his long thin goatee, thrashed wildly. When he stopped he regained his presence, his facial hair giving him the appearance of some ancient emperor. He politely knocked and waited, but there was no answer. He gently opened the door and peeked in. The room was sterile white, nothing breaking the purity except the boy. His back was turned to the door; Zenotabi studied the boy's strange features. He couldn't help but stare, the kid was somewhat freakish. His body was covered in a peach fuzz thin coat of black fur. He had short black spines running along his back, from the top of his forehead all the way down to the tip of his tail. Instead of fur, around his shoulders was set of blackish shimmering scales. Then there was his eyes, a bright neon green glowing against the black, they were reptilian in nature. The boy was a hybrid, both jackal and some indeterminate reptile. The child was a sight to behold, and most people couldn't let themselves forget it.
"Good morning," There was a small pause as the doctor checked to see if he was awake. "Damon." Zenotabi extended a welcoming hand towards the boy, with a warm smile on his face. The boy didn't respond, he wasn't too surprised, the boy preferred to be alone. The rodent simply smiled, and pressed a small switch next to the white bed. A soothing tune began to play, filling the room. "Much better, wouldn't you say?"
". . ." Damon didn't reply. He didn't want to reply. The hybrid looked out the window, at the serene surroundings. Why couldn't they just leave him alone?
The smile faded off Zenotabi's face slowly. This was definitely going to be difficult. "Well, Damon, I am here to assign you a task. It is given directly from General Pepper, top priority."
The teenager turned around from the window, and stared at the doctor with his bright green eyes. He just wanted a break from the stupid army, now even General Pepper wants him back? What was he, a toy? "What is it?" he asked, completely disinterested in the subject.
"The Cornerian Intelligence Agency requires you aid in the interrogation of Wolf O'Donnell of the StafWolf mercenary group." Dr.Zenotabi replied, "Would you accept the assignment?"
"What if I say no?" Damon asked. He had not seen Wolf in eight years, and it was doubtful of Wolf even remembered him. However a trip to the prison may alleviate some of the pain in his mind.
"That is, unfortunately. . ." Zenotabi paused, searching for the correct words, "not an option."
"Why?" the hybrid simply asked.
"It is a command from General Pepper himself, you cannot disobey." Zenotabi stated. He was curious; he had been told the boy was normally docile and meek. Perhaps something was making him perturbed, something deeper about this mission, something he wasn't revealing.
Wolf O'Donnell, former leader of StarWolf, sat in an interrogation room, in front of General Pepper. The lupine's hands were cuffed to the chair. There was no sign of physical abuse, done by the guards or Pepper. In fact, it almost seemed like a normal conversation between two old friends, except Wolf's arms were in an uncomfortable position.
"So Mr. O'Donnell, mind telling me where the rest of your team is? If you cooperate, you might get a lighter sentence or no sentence at all." General Pepper was talking in a very casual tone. Although they were the only people in the room, about of score of hidden cameras and microphones were accompanying them. "Besides, leaving the team leader here looks like a betrayal to me."
"My team would never betray me, Pepper." Wolf said with a slight snarl, "I asked to stay here, so they left without me."
"Seriously?" the general said with a hint of sarcasm, "Why would you choose to stay? When they rest of your team so happily left, slaughtering the guards and prisoners alike?"
"I chose to stay because I deserved to be punished. I knew that from the beginning. I already lost enough because of this stupid thing called "revenge". I lost my eye, my friends, my freedom." Wolf continued, "I lost everything."
"Oh, how moving," Pepper said again with a strong sense of sarcasm, "How long did it take for you to make up that sentence, eight years? Stop messing around, Mr. O'Donnell, you are already on thin ice. Tell me where the rest of you team is. NOW."
"Make me." Wolf answered with a snarl, anger blazing in his eyes. If it wasn't for the cuffs, he would have strangled Pepper alive already.
"Mr. O'Donnell, I strongly suggest you to cooperate." Pepper replied calmly, "Don't act all heroic and honorable when you are not. Tell me before I-"
"Before you what," Wolf cut off Pepper's sentence, his eyes still blazing with anger. "What are you going to do? Kill me?"
"Good suggestion, Wolf O'Donnell." General Pepper said with a smirk, "Your death sentence is due in two weeks. I suggest you start coming up with answers soon." With that, the general stood up and walked towards the metal door. Just as he was about to reach for the key slot, the door opened. In front of him were two figures, a rat and a freakish hybrid. "Greetings General Pepper," Dr. Zenotabi said with a slight bow, "I've brought you Damon, Cadet Three six double O eight, formerly known as specimen thirteen."
"Thank you, Doctor." said General Pepper. The general looked towards the criminal at the other end of the metal table, smiling. "Wolf O'Donnell, guess who I've brought you?" With a powerful hand the canine officer presented Damon to Wolf, placing both hands on the young cadet's shoulders. Freak? Yes, but not enough to make Pepper uncomfortable.
"Who the hell is that kid?" Wolf asked, slightly disturbed by those luminous green eyes and reptilian scales.
"I'll let you two reminisce..." Pepper said, and then strolled out of the room with Zenotabi, closing the metal door behind him. Of course, he was going to be watching the pair next door, through the hidden cameras. Pepper smiled to himself as he watched the screens, each representing a hidden camera. They were everywhere, covering every spot in the room, even under the table. The microphones were sensitive enough to pick up the faintest taps and clicks, if either of them decided to say anything "out of the line".
Both Wolf and Damon remained quiet for a long moment about half a minute, staring at each other. Wolf was trying to remember who the teenager in front of him was. Those green eyes were unusual . . . he had seen it somewhere before. Was the kid another prisoner? Cadet three-six-zero-zero- eight didn't sound too familiar. But the title specimen thirteen jogged the lupine's memory.
Before Damon was opening his mouth to speak, Wolf shook his head, motioning him to keep quiet. "Pepper, can you not watch and record this?" Wolf asked, talking to the walls. "I would like to speak to the kid privately."
General Pepper's voice spoke through some hidden speaker, "Wolf, I believe you lost your privacy too, along with your eye, your friends and your freedom."
"Shut up Pepper, if you want me to talk to the kid, then don't listen to this, and stop watching." Wolf requested again, speaking to the walls while keeping his eyes on Damon.
"You have five minutes." Pepper's voice spoke again after a short pause of silence, "Make it quick." General Pepper was not stupid, he had a platoon of solders waiting just outside the cell. There was no chance of Wolf escaping. At his command, the room containing Wolf and Damon was pitch- black, and the cameras were rendered useless.
"How would I know you are not listening?" Wolf asked again, in complete darkness. No answer. "I guess that proves it." Of course, Wolf wasn't planning on saying anything in secret to Damon. He just wanted to talk privately, without restrictions, with an old friend. "Wolf, do you remember me?" The young cadet spoke, his voice trembling nervously.
"Yes. . ." the long awaited reply came, in darkness.
