VI
"Krystal, wake up," said Fox, sounding urgent. Mmmm… but I'm comfortable! Krystal mentally protested.
"What's the matter?" she asked while she took her head off Fox's chest. Her ears were coming into tune, and she heard something faint she couldn't quite place… "Is there something w-w-wrong?" she said while trying to stifle a yawn. Fox nodded.
"An alarm, of some sort. I'm not sure if it's just a drill, but… It woke me up too, so we got to get out to the lobby." Krystal heard the faint again, recognizing it as an alarm. She got up and nodded.
"Ok. We need anything?" she asked. "Yes, give me a moment…" He walked into his room for a moment, and came out with two blasters and holsters. He tossed one to Krystal, and she nimbly caught it and put it on.
"Right." They walked out into the hallway. Still disoriented, Krystal asked, "Which way is the lobby again?"
Reoriented, Fox and Krystal met with Slippy and Falco, who had apparently raised the alarm. They also had blasters on.
"Fox, the geo-thermal generator in the dormant volcano has exploded!" said Falco. He looked dead serious. "Lava's going everywhere, and we don't know why." Fox nodded.
"We'll have to do a fly-by of the volcano, see what happened. Get to the Arwings!" he told the group. They nodded, and headed out into the Arwing LZ. Fox was stopped by the manager before he left.
"Please, if there are any survivors left, bring them back," the avian said. Fox nodded. "We'll do what we can." She nodded, and Fox left to get to the LZ.
"Ohh, there's not much left of that power plant…" Slippy's voice said over the com. "I'm getting readings of the bottom of the base, but other than that, it's been blown away!"
"I'm getting weak brain patterns… we've got to save them!" Krystal's voice blared over the com.
"Roger. I'm going to get in closer," said Fox. His Arwing dipped nearer the now-active volcano. "Be careful, Fox," said Krystal's worried voice.
Fox saw the carnage unfold before him. Man, it looks like a living hell down there, he thought, and rightfully so. Platforms hanged over newly bubbling lava, threatening to destroy them. He didn't see anyone, so he decided to get closer…
Suddenly, a bubble of lava got close to his Arwing, singeing the armor. Fox barely had time to juke to starboard. But that was only the start of his troubles. A rock, searing hot and half covered in lava, came flying out, right where Fox had dodged to.
"Gah!" Fox yelled out, right before the rock hit. The rock incinerated his starboard wing, with it half the engine. Only half controlled, the Arwing was going to crash, right into the lava.
"Fox! There's a platform on your righ-" Krystal's transmission ended in a burst of static. Fox didn't have time to figure out why. He veered right, and, sure enough, a platform appeared out of the smoke. Hoping that platform was stable, he started the landing cycle. Which, with only half the landing thrusters, worked half as well. The Arwing's nose hit the platform, which held. The rest of the Arwing followed. Fortunately, Fox was going slowly, so the Arwing only crash-landed, opposed to having the Arwing be crushed, which would have killed Fox in the process.
When the dust had stopped, Fox opened his eyes. Well, I haven't slid into lava yet… he thought, only half-joking to himself. He unlatched a compartment next to him, and saw that the machine gun he kept in there – For occasions just like this – had not been pulverized. He brought it out, and checked the ammo meter. 400 shots. It'll have to do. He popped open the Arwing's canopy, and stood up as best he could. Whatever caused the plant to blow up could still be out there. He was right, and he couldn't believe his eyes when he jumped down out of the wrecked starfighter…
Chapter VI for you. Review, please. Any questions, I will answer, as long as it's not about the plot of the story. Thanks.
Black Swordsman342