Hello, readers!
I'm going to finish the final chapter of this story, but first, I'm replaying through SF: Adventures and SF: Assault, so I can look for any additional subtleties before posting that final chapter. It won't be long, I promise!
I'm already working on REFLECTIONS OF THE FUTURE, which begins the day after Assault. I'm going to take my time on that one, so that I can slowly but surely ease that story into SF:Revolutions (for lack of a better name, the one that's going to come out right after the Revolution is released). I've been asked to do a story called Reflections of Fara, I've been asked to do one called Reflections of Fox, I've been asked to do a story about Falco, Katt and Panther, which I actually will pick up in the near future, and I've been asked to do a Prequil to Reflections, starting with Krystal on her homeworld.
As much as I'd like to do ALL of them, I was under the consideration of doing one about Panther Caruso. He's not such a bad guy, just caught up in the wrong job with the wrong people, and hasn't yet found the right girl, no?
As a good show of faith, for making you wait another week while I replay through SFA and SF2A, I'll show you the very-very-very-rough draft of REFLECTIONS OF THE FUTURE, which I jotted down a few nights ago, during a short bout with insomniea. (which means it's 100Percent subject to change. Hehe. But still.)
I've only got a few paragraphs written down, nothing extensive, but it's a show of good faith to promise I'm coming back to finish this story in only a week! I know I take forever with some of my others, but now that this story has broken 2000 hits, I thought it would be in my best interest to finish this, followed by the other 3 I'm more than half-way into. Thanks for your patience! I love you guys:)
PS: I've not spell or grammar checked this draft, it's straight up rough, even for a draft!
-kit/ken
Reflections of the Future.
A Sequel
Gone. There was no one. Her mind ached and she could sense no one beyond Fox, Falco and Slippy. Did everyone die? Wolf, Leon, even Panther had disappeared from the scope of her extra sensory perception. Her mind's eye had been blinded by a metaphorical flash of shock and awe. The GreatFox had been slammed into the Aparoid defense shield and Peppy was presumed dead. Her heart ached so badly that she couldn't even begin to think, let alone sense any survivors.
Without GreatFox, it was going to be difficult to get back to Lylat. Their system was so far away and the Arwings only held so much fuel. However, the four of them were alive. The somber quartet suddenly jumped at the sound of audio crackle.
Krystal was the first to try and grip at what her reeling mind attempted wrapping itself around. A fact. A truth. Something that her eyes and ears cooperatively showed her heart and mind. On the dashboard, there was an image of Peppy Hare, wrapped in medical tape and gauze. Besides him stood ROB, the "Robotic Operative Buddy", for short. Her heart beat faster and at the same time, the sensor scope showed a fresh fourth blip, where Peppy's escape pod was approaching the four Arwings.
Relief emanated from Slippy, Falco and of course, from McCloud. But there was still so much loss of life. The Nobel deaths of StarWolf, for she could not sense them. When Fox began to speak next, his words held high hopes of the survival of StarWolf. He then thanked his team for being his friends and his heartfelt speech was one that put her heart to ease for the moment.
It was possible that she couldn't sense StarWolf because they'd already jumped back into the Lylat System, but in the Aparoid's homeworld system, her telepathic abilities left her feeling empty tonight. With the death of Aparoids in the billions, there were now voices and thought patterns that had all gone silent. It was a lonely sensation, to be sure.
Another few minutes went by and Slippy was the first to break the silence. "I've done some calculations," He said, crunching numbers on a wrist computer, much like the ones he'd designed in the past for Fox and Krystal. Falco owned one as well but never cared to wear it.
"We're all ears, I'm sure. Can you get us home?" Peppy asked from his spot on the escape pod.
"Actually," Slippy said, a little less boisterous than usual, due to the somber mood of the group, "You're the one getting us home, Peppy. The Escape Pod not only has enough fuel to make the jump, but its jump drive system seems undamaged. We're all going to have to pull together so that we all j-jump together, but if you hadn't survived, we'd all be sitting for a long t-t-time, out here."
"Well then," Peppy mused, somewhat proudly. "Let's get formed up. The first thing I do, when we get back to Corneria, is plan an official retirement party. Honest, I mean it this time," the hare chuckled. After saving Pepper's life by trashing an Arwing, then driving the GreatFox right into the core of the Aparoid Homeworld, Peppy had gone above and beyond the call of duty, nearly dying repeatedly.
He had lost consciousness in the concussive force of careening an entire dreadnaught class vessel into a mechanical planet, but ROB was programmed to evacuate to an Escape Pod. It didn't take a telepath to realize that Peppy was spent over this mission. He, too, had seen James on the communication readout, but wasn't able to respond. It would give him nightmares and the Goddess only knew how it would affect Fox.
Fox, as the rest of the team had noted, was nearly stoic throughout the entire final battle. He was a swirl of pent up emotions, bottled and tightly sealed. Krystal worried that he would have an emotional breakdown soon, but he seemed sure of himself. Brave wasn't the word, to be sure. Once the team brought their fighters into a diamond formation around the Escape Pod, it was time for the team to attempt the Jump back to Lylat. … …
Krystal suddenly woke up. She had that dream again, about the destruction of the Aparoid Homeworld. It'd been a week now, and the nightmares of her participation in genocide still plagued her sleep. An entire race was wiped out, it didn't matter to her that they were so very mechanical. The fact was, they had thought patterns and to an extent, they had feelings. Her body felt numb with guilt.
She pushed the blanket off of her body, lifting her paws to her face. Her fur was soaked with sweat and her neck ached. The little blue vixen's head was swimming and she attempted to reach out with her mind's eye for comfort. She closed those soft jade irises and thought of Fox.
She could actually sense him in the next room. He was asleep, in a state of Alpha. His deeply relaxed mind was an anchor to reach out for, because he'd trained himself not to slip into REM sleep, to keep the nightmares away, if only for a while. He was lying in his bed, visualizing a simplistic object, like a number or letter, to keep his thoughts from wondering.
With Corneria under massive reconstruction, StarFox found their temporary home aboard a Medical transportation ship that was orbiting Corneria. Peppy was in full recovery now, the team was given permission for a short stay until the old rabbit was released from physical therapy in three days, and Krystal had too much time on her paws.
Her thoughts turned to Sargasso. The StarWolf team would be there, if they really lived. Her soft blue bangs were half draped over her face, which lifted to gaze out the porthole above her bed. The dark void of space was illuminated with tiny white dots as far as the eye could see, and out there, somewhere, was O'Donnell's crew. She wouldn't sleep well until she knew the truth behind their fate. It caused her guilt to think that they might not have survived.
The first time she'd met the StarWolf Squadron was just before Venom launched its full blown war against Corneria. When StarFox had to pass through Sargasso to find Pigma Dengar, team StarWolf wasn't round. They had left their base to return the Prime Minister to Corneria, to uphold a promise, concerning the fact that Andrew Oikonni was defeated.
The Aparoid attack had been a double edged sword. If it wasn't for the Aparoids, Corneria would still be at war with Venom. Now both sides were at a full ceasefire and Oikonni was missing in action. Just as StarWolf had returned from their ransom negotiations on Corneria, they were thrust into a battle against StarFox, over an unwarranted attack on the Sargasso station.
Krystal could recall that day with ease, as it was the first day that arrogant fool, Panther Caruso, had been introduced to her. However, after the final battle against the Aparoids, Krystal's perception on StarWolf had changed. They were still mercenary thugs with a cold heart for business, but now they were respected as well.
Krystal's soft gaze reflected the dim dots on the otherside of the polarized glass she stood before. Her pounding heart was beginning to relax, now that she was awake. Fox had subjugated the topic earlier in the day and it was obvious his scrupulous methods of ensuring that all the Aparoids were dead by flying a double patrol was a testament to the slight Obsessive Compulsive Disorder he had for ensuring his job was done before accepting such a lofty payment from Corneria.
She could sense that he felt a tinge of guilt over the fact he was accepting a large sum for his team, when Corneria was undergoing one of the largest rebuilding efforts in Lylat History. Her mind wondered back to the present; her reverie dissipated and her eyes lowered from the window once more. She had to know if StarWolf was still alive. She considered taking an Arwing out, on her own, but leaving without waking Fox might have made him feel awkward when he found out in the morning.
The little Vix was torn. She wouldn't be able to sleep until she had ascertained as to the validity of their fate. She tried so hard to sense their existence, but on the opposite end of Lylat, she couldn't clear her mind enough to know for sure. The fact of the matter was, she had