A/N: Thanks for your honest reviews, especially SF Ghost and Fox The Cave II. And you too Lord General Militant and to all the other authors and viewers who have reviewed.
Until I feel the need to bring my fic up to the M rating, I'm just gonna blot out all curse words. Besides, it's part of my writing style.
Chapter 19 – To be Cruel and Unjust
Just as quickly as he managed to claw his way out of the drugs, courtesy of the rescue party sent to pick him and Falco up, he returned to that place where there is no pain and thought. And for once he was grateful to be there.
Even though he was unconscious and in a tranquilliser-induced haze, his mind was still active, thanks to the implants graciously provided by his Emperor. In this state, it gave him time to think…and to think hard.
He thought of what had transpired in the last three months, ever since he was found alive by the xenos mercenary company known as Star Fox. At first they understandably thought different of him, except her…Krystal, the Crown Princess of Cerinia; the one whom he managed to spare from the planet's destruction.
After they defeated the twin daemons on Cython IV and uncovering the Venomian 'Emperor' Oikonny's plans to clone him, he was asked if he would join Star Fox as the Heavy Weapons expert. He accepted, and he generally became closer to them over time. He had always been tolerant and understanding of other forms of life, as his family raised him to be, making him completely different to those other members of his kind.
In those past three months, he had fought alongside Fox, Falco, Peppy, Slippy…and Krystal, against Oikonny's devastated forces, always to soften up or finish off whatever job Pepper gave to them. At first he was disappointed he did not face much conflict.
But his disappointment completely when he was around Krystal…and the other members of Star Fox for that matter.
One thing that he didn't understand about Lylat was that of it's armed forces. They generally saw him as bad news, even though he pulled their asses out of the fire many a time. Once he even wrecked a Venomian tank with his Power Fist, saving a squad of Cornerian soldiers. They were thankful for the save, but not towards the Space Marine himself.
Krystal told them, that Jacques was on their side…
Funny, he was thinking more of that blue vixen than anything else, and also of her home planet of…
SPLASH!
"Wake up, human!" he heard someone growl.
He reluctantly returned to reality with a start. His vision was still hazy from the tranquilliser, but he could make out two entities, a fox and a hound, where the latter was holding a bucket dripping with water; and he was sitting in what appeared to be a holding cell.
"I don't think he's fully awake, Mack," the fox grinned, "Use the shock tosh."
"With the utmost pleasure," Mack the hound replied, pulling out a baton that had electricity spurt out the other end, "What do you think the most vulnerable."
"Try between his legs," the fox said, still smiling.
"I am awake…" Jacques said weakly.
"Hey I think he's trying to say something," the fox said sarcastically.
Mack shrugged and dove forward.
Jacques felt several hundred volts tear through his armour and into his body from between his legs, causing him to grit his teeth so much they felt like they were going to crack.
"I am awake!" Jacques exclaimed, quickly jolting up, using the walls as leverage.
The fox and the hound sniggered, seeing him up on his feet, and possibly in pain…which Jacques was not, his contempt drowning it out.
"The colonel requests an audience, Space Marine," the fox said, mocking the human tongue and their way of speaking.
"And if you try anything," Mack said, before patting his baton, "You'll get more of this."
If he wanted to, Jacques could just crush their skulls under his feet in under a quarter of a minute, but he decided to play it smart.
"As you wish," he replied.
Jacques limped past them and out the door, closely followed by him. He found some more soldiers waiting for him, guns trained on him.
He could hear them whisper.
"God, he's huge."
"Though he'd be uglier."
"Heard they shaved a gorilla."
Jacques could only shrug their thoughts off, knowing of their arrogance towards him. He could only think of one thing…
'Star Fox,' he thought.
Meanwhile, the other guys were present in a large chamber with a desk and a large swivel chair behind it, where the chair was turned around. Armed guards surrounded them and they were stripped of their weapons and equipment.
"Colonel Liebowitz," the lieutenant said, "Star Fox is present as you requested."
"Thank you, lieutenant," a gruff voice from behind the chair replied.
Fox couldn't believe this whole thing was happening. They had knocked Jacques out and dragged him off to high-security detention, despite his and other guy's protests, especially Krystal, who was almost on the verge of tears.
That really did disturb Fox…Krystal's behaviour that is.
'What is this?' Falco thought, 'A film? The villain with his back turned?'
"Colonel," Fox begun, heated, "You attacked and imprisoned one of our own crew."
"You mean that human?" Liebowitz replied, his back turned, "If you weren't the famous Fox McCloud, I'd say you and your buddies are traitors and spies for the Imperium. I mean for God's sake…"
The chair spun around.
"…he's a Space Marine, one of the most barbaric creatures in the universe."
Their eye's widened, especially Falco's.
'Aw crap,' he thought.
Liebowitz was a falcon avian in military dress, almost like Falco but only that his features were greyish white and he was middle-aged.
"But since you are Star Fox," Liebowitz continued, looking over Fox and the others, especially the blue vixen, "I have to question where you're loyalties really lie."
"But sir," Slippy begun, "Didn't General Pepper say that Jacques is on our side?"
Liebowitz eyes widened in surprise, "That thing has a name?"
"Yes!" Krystal exclaimed.
Liebowitz frowned, "The good general can say anything he likes about this Space Marine. But I believe that humans are a disease, a wretched curse."
He then got up from his seat.
"And it's hard to believe that you people don't see that."
Fox could see where all this was going. Apparently this guy suffered at the hands of the Imperium of Man and saw them all as traitors.
The vulpine looked carefully at the grey avian.
"The Imperium took something away from you," he begun, "Didn't they?"
Liebowitz smirked, "You've guessed."
Suddenly the doors into the chamber opened to reveal Jacques and an entourage of about a dozen guards. He had energy binds around his hands.
Star Fox's eyes were wide in horror, seeing Jacques as a prisoner.
"You can't be doing this!" Fox cried.
"Yeah!" Slippy begun.
Jacques was pushed forward by roughly two guards, where he stood in the centre of the room. Jacques looked around himself, seeing soldiers surrounded him on all sides, with their weapons trained on him.
Liebowitz smiled, stepping away from his desk, "So Space Marine? We meet again."
Jacques looked at him questioningly, before edging his eyes towards Star Fox, who was moved to the side.
"Have we met?" Jacques asked, calmly.
Liebowitz chuckled, "You tell me?"
Jacques looked at the avian closely, taking in his visage; before shaking his head and replying, "Never."
"Well, I must say you're something to gaze at," Liebowitz said, "Seven feet tall, fully armoured and…"
He squinted at his chest plate.
"…with the Star Fox insignia on your chest plating?"
"I am a member of Star Fox," Jacques explained, "I was recruited three months ago."
He then heard chuckling from all around him, before upright laughter echoed around the room, as the Cornerian's all bursts into fits of laughter. Liebowitz himself wasn't amused, while Star Fox was completely bewildered.
"Funny," Liebowitz said, walking behind Jacques, "And I thought all human hated being around…aliens?"
"I think differently from other…"
CRACK!
"Ah!"
He staggered forward, feeling something impact with the back of his skull.
"Jacques!" Krystal screamed, seeing Liebowitz just strike her protector across the head.
She felt like running over there, but she saw guard stand in front of her and the other guys. Fox on the other hand felt anger well up inside of him.
Liebowitz couldn't hold it in much longer. He cried out and struck Jacques again with the end of his blaster, this time harder, seeing as his head was the only thing unprotected. The Marine fell to his knees, not wanting to pass out again.
He gritted his teeth and stared angrily at the floor.
"You destroyed my home planet!" Liebowitz yelled, walking in front of him, "You torched my world 10 years ago, killing my entire family."
"You're…mistaken!" Jacques exclaimed.
He then turned suddenly to Falco, who then felt a jolt of fear envelope him. Liebowitz pointed at him.
"You're from planet Falconia?" he said, "You probably saw your own home go up in smoke, yet you associate with this…this…human?"
Falco glared, "No choice. Fox recruited him and I have to hang around him. I admit I feel uncomfortable being around him…"
His eyes then went sympathetic.
"…but he hasn't tried anything behind our backs. He's loyal to the team and he even saved our lives."
"Oh yes," Liebowitz said reminiscently, "Cython IV, the stink world."
He then returned to Jacques, who then struck his head again, causing him to collapse onto the ground, face first.
Krystal felt her heart being ripped to shreds.
'How could they do this to him?' she thought, distressed.
"That's enough!" Fox yelled in anger.
Fox wished he had his blaster with him, just as Liebowitz spoke again.
"Lylatians should not associate with humans," Liebowitz announced, "Nor should anything else come in contact with a human. You know why?"
"Yeah!" everyone cheered in the hall, except Star Fox.
"They take away our hopes and dreams," he explained, "They take away our children, our brothers, our sisters, our husbands, wives, our own families. They destroy our homes, where we live…"
He then looked down on the fallen human, putting his foot up on his armoured back.
"…and even what we stand for."
"Hey!" Slippy cried, "Leave him alone! He's not like other humans!"
Star Fox felt all guns trained on them. Liebowitz turned to Star Fox.
"You defend this man?" he asked.
Slippy glared, "Yeah! I do you pompous bastard."
The others could help but be impressed at Slippy's attitude. Peppy smiled slightly, having being silent since the whole ordeal started.
Krystal looked at the fallen form of Jacques, who appeared to be out cold once again. She felt a tear streak from her eye, before seeing the grey avian walk towards them…Slippy.
He then grabbed Slippy by the neck of his yellow jumpsuit, and hoisted him into the air. Slippy eyes sank into his head in panic. He then stepped backwards away from Star Fox, the guards keeping them at bay.
"Slip!" Fox cried.
"Listen, you little green turd," Liebowitz said threateningly, "To you mercs. When we get back to Corneria, I'm going to recommend to General Pepper you all be convicted of associating with the enemy and selling out to the Imperium…"
Jacques eyes shot open, hearing all that.
Liebowitz then turned to Krystal, "But for you…"
He smiled and stepped forward towards her. Fox suddenly grabbed her hand and held it, protectively.
"…I could have you spared conviction, seeing as you're the Crown Princess of Cerinia and the last of your kind. But only…"
His face inched closer towards her.
"…if you'll do something for me, and for all the others on my ship."
Krystal's eyes widened, knowing what he wanted…what everyone else except her friends wanted out of her. She shook her head.
"No," she cried.
Liebowitz still smiled, "I'm afraid you don't have a choice here, you pretty little…"
"Leave them alone!"
All eyes and ears turned to Jacques, who slowly stirred on the floor. He got up slowly, every inch of his armour creaking as he sat up on his knees, before moving up onto his feet. He was bleeding from the back of his head, but luckily it wasn't fractured.
"What do you say, human?" Liebowitz asked.
"I said 'Leave them alone!'" Jacques repeated, "They do not deserve to suffer because of me."
"What happens to them is none of your business," Liebowitz hissed, "You should worry about yourself and how you'll going to die."
Jacques sighed, "I understand and sympathise with your loss and your reactions towards me, colonel."
Liebowitz's eyes suddenly went wide in surprise.
"What?"
Jacques glared and spun around to face him, his eyes filled with green fire.
"You will not harm Star Fox," Jacques said, "The only thing they ever did was find and revive me. And that was a mistake. They were only under orders from General Pepper to secure me from Oikonny and their plans to clone me, and with his army of imitation Marine, he would have wiped all of you out by now."
Jacques breathed, before continuing, "My revival was not meant to happen, yet it did happen. And I see that I am not welcome here in this galaxy and I understand why."
Krystal shook her head softly and thought, 'No, Jacques. Your reawakening was not a mistake.'
Fox was also trying to comprehend what the Marine was saying.
'God, Jacques,' he thought alarmed, 'Don't sacrifice yourself because of us!'
Jacques contemplated breaking his own most dreaded secret, but decided against it, seeing how they should not know.
"If you're going to kill me because I am human, yet innocent," Jacques said, "Then go ahead. But spare the lives of my friends, because their only crime was finding me, and it was only to stop Venom from acquiring their weapon of mass-destruction."
Krystal smiled softly, seeing him at his most honourable yet. Liebowitz exhaled, taking in all that.
"Alright, Space Marine," Liebowitz sighed, "You win. But still…
He then raised his blaster and aimed it at his forehead. Jacques showed no drop of fear, yet his eyes were burning with green fire.
Liebowitz could only smile, seeing how this will be the first human he's killed in a decade.
"…allow me to put you out of your misery, Space Marine."
Something within Krystal snapped as she suddenly glared at the colonel, with him pointing his gun at her best friend and her saviour. She suddenly ploughed through the guards in front of them…
"Krystal!" Fox exclaimed, seeing her.
And running up to both Liebowitz and Jacques, whose heads turned her way…
"What the he…ARGH!"
The grey avian felt her foot against his face, knocking him down away from Jacques and dropping his gun. She quickly grabbed it and aimed at the grey avian.
'No, Krystal,' Jacques thought, 'Why did you do that?'
"I will not let you kill Jacques!" she could only exclaim, "He's innocent of everything you accuse him off."
The other guards distracted, Fox and Falco quickly subdued them and took their rifles, where they found other guns trained on them, and they rushed forward and clubbed them down onto the floor.
Jacques frowned, 'Damnation McCloud. You will get yourself killed by your own kind.'
"We have no time for this," Krystal cried, "Those Orks are still out there and we should be stopping them right now, instead of antagonising Jacques."
Hands in the air, Liebowitz said as he got back up, "Listen missy. You realise what you just done?"
She smirked and stepped backwards towards Jacques, her back fur brushing up slightly against his chest, "Sure I do."
"Krystal's right, colonel!" Peppy begun, "We figured you'd be here to wipe out the Orks here on the planet, instead of taking us prisoners."
"The Orks?" Liebowitz cried, "We just wiped them out under a storm of…"
Suddenly, alarms went off all around the ship, causing everyone's heads to jerk up.
Alert. Venomian fighters approaching.
"Guess not," Fox said, "And we've just wasted a lot of time standing here."