Delirium Trigger
A/N: I'm really starting to enjoy writing this. Chapter 3 was my favorite to write so far, as I wrote it a different way at first (Krystal tells Fox that she's pregnant and he gets angry at himself and her), but I didn't feel satisfied with the situation or my writing of it. So I changed it and moved into the next plot point. I actually have a fairly complex storyline worked out now that might involve a sequel, and is not exactly happy. But still.
Slowly streets begin to fill with new flesh bound to bone… Armed and ready, it begins againCoheed and Cambria, Cuts Marked in the March of Men
"Well, to be perfectly honest, I wasn't sure if you had survived." General Pepper crossed one leg over the other and swirled his drink around in his glass. "I would have sent out a search party straightaway, but replacing Star Fox's ship was the number one priority. I'm sure you understand."
"Oh, I understand perfectly, General. But that doesn't mean I'm not bitter."
Pepper hid a grimace in the leathery folds of his face. "I understand that. It was not our intention to leave you stranded."
"Oh, we weren't stranded. Just… severely inconvenienced."
The old hound cocked an eyebrow. "Interesting choice of words. Why so politically correct?"
"Forgive me if my impression that political correctness around politicians is important was wrong."
There was a mild hint of amusement in Pepper's voice. "Being, as you said, a politician, I should remind you that asking questions is part of my job."
"Answering them isn't part of mine." Deliberately, Wolf O'Donnell stood up and walked to the gigantic rocket- and laser-proof window that provided General Pepper's view of the city it was his duty to protect. "Come on, General, enough fencing with words. My team helped Star Fox deliver the self-destruct program to the queen, and I think it deserves some recognition."
"Certainly you do," Pepper agreed, "and it will be given. But not just yet."
Something in the hound's tone made Wolf flinch, but his paw traveled only slightly too slowly to the holster on his hip. His legs were tackled out from under him, and his limbs were pinned to the ground as an uncomfortable grip was placed on his tail.
"First," Pepper said in a tone that indicated complete control and comfort, "you're going to be grounded. You and your wingmates. The military has emphatically not forgotten your actions against Star Fox before. Second, you will…"
Wolf's features slid into a sadistic grin that would have been more fitting on the face of Leon. The old hound's list of punishments ran off his ears as his muscles tensed. The leopard guards holding him down felt the tightening under their footpaws and pressed harder.
Wolf shoved his limbs not feebly upward, but out rotating around his joints. The guards' pressures were redirected as their strong legs shot out from under them. Wolf dug his claws into the arms of the two now lying beside them and pushed himself into a quick handstand, bringing his feet back over his head. His strong, calloused footpaws smashed into the small of the back of the guard was holding his tail, and the leopard's knees buckled.
The actions were not lost on Pepper, who tried to backpedal to his desk and the safety of the high-powered blaster resting on it.
The leopard on Wolf's back crumpled as Wolf shifted his center of gravity outward, performing an astonishing handspring that took him over Pepper's head. The lupine held Pepper's arms quickly behind his back, locked another arm around his neck, and bent his knees into a kneeling position. The hound was rendered completely helpless.
"You will recognize my team and I, General," the aparoid queen hissed through Wolf's teeth. "But not in your current state. You will join us, and then we will see how much your useless bureaucracy is worth to us."
Pepper howled in a feral canine voice as Wolf's body, regenerated by the new aparoid queen, dug its fangs into his neck. A new gland in the queen's throat secreted liquid containing strands of the aparoid DNA, and they poured into the spreading wound on Pepper's neck. As soon as the slow-working venom was injected, the queen quickly licked away the blood, and trailed from its tongue a solution that cauterized and sealed the wound.
Pepper's breathing was ragged and he had become limp in the queen's chokehold. "Wolf…" he sputtered. "What have you done to me?"
The queen shaped its wolf's teeth into a grin. "I've led you over to the winning side." It tightened its grip on Pepper's neck, making it all the more simple to headbutt the hound into unconsciousness. Pepper's body needed to be alive for the few days it took to grow the new aparoid that would take his body and form.
Wolf, the aparoid queen, knew it was clichéd, but couldn't resist allowing itself a small evil chuckle before setting about infecting the unconscious guards. The aparoids had done what they did best. They had evolved.
A/N: I realize that in previous chapters I have referred to the aparoid aboard the Great Fox II as the queen. When I did that in the original part, I had the intention of the story going in a different direction. But I've changed that now. Slippy's claim in chapter 2 that the aparoid must be queen, well, that's just dramatic irony. I'm starting chapter 5 before I post this in order to second-guess anything I may want to change about this chapter.