Past Time - Aparoid Invasion
Krystal was pacing around the kitchen. It was early in the morning and she was feeling awful. What had Falco done to her? She looked at her trembling hands. Fox wandered in looking sleepy.
"Good morning, Krystal!" he said and yawned. "You're up and about early."
Then he walked up to that monstrous machine and the evil, dark liquid started poring into a cup. To her disbelief, Fox picked up the cup and brought it to his mouth. Then he stopped and looked at her, concerned.
"Sorry to say this, but you look like a wreck," he said. "Are you OK?"
"I ... I ... I couldn't sleep," she said.
"You poor thing! Did you have nightmares about that aparoid?"
"Morning all," announced Falco merrily as he entered the kitchen. He too made his way up to the machine. She stared at the machine, then at Fox's cup.
"Falco," started Fox putting two and two together. "Did you give Krystal coffee last night?"
Hope for your sake you didn't.
"Just a double espresso," replied Falco.
That was a sight to behold, he-he.
"Before bedtime?"
I'll kill you, you bloody bird brain.
"I'm so sorry," continued Fox. "Caffeine can affect you a bit if you're not used to it."
I wish I could kick his butt right here right now. Still pranking after a day like yesterday?
It had affected her all right. All through the night she had been seeing their dreams, and every thought they made was crystal clear to her. She couldn't turn it off and it was driving her insane. A stream of words, some of which she had never heard and some she didn't want to hear were coming out of Fox's mind. She had to get out of there. But where? Of course!
"I ... I need to go to the bathroom," she lied and hurried out of the room. That made her feel worse. She hated lies. And she had made a mental note about not reading peoples minds, since Fox was so weary of it, but right now she couldn't help it. And she adjusted her note to exclude the prankster Falco.
She jogged to the bridge hoping that no-one would be there except the one brain that wouldn't disturb her. The synthetic one! When she arrived, she found that she was in luck.
"Good morning, Krystal," droned ROB.
"Good morning, ROB! I'm so glad to see you."
"Your stress levels and heart beat is elevated. Are you OK?"
"To much of something called caffeine, apparently. Is it dangerous?"
"It is a complex compound that can temporarily enhance neural functions in organic beings."
"Huh?"
ROB buzzed and bleeped, since his memory banks contained no predefined response for such a statement as 'Huh?'.
"Negative. It is not dangerous."
"Phew!" said Krystal. "I was hoping you could tell me more about those aparoids, since you recognised them."
The bolts on the side of ROBs head started twisting back and forth. Odd, thought Krystal. Of course she couldn't read the patters in his procession units, but it seemed like he was hesitating. It was like he was afraid. But what would a machine be afraid of?
"Aparoids are a symbiosis between a cybernetic creature and organic neurology. They posses the ability to control both technology and life forms through a process called aparoidedation. They are attracted to various energy sources. Their lethality is significant. Their single purpose is to assimilate all technology and organisms into their collective."
"Ok, that was a bit of a mouthful," said a confused Krystal. "Can you explain that again, please? But with no words longer than say two syllables. I'm still learning."
ROBs head was twitching from the effort of reprocessing the data.
"They are part machine and part life form. They are like a virus and can infect both other machines and people. They can harm you very much. Their sole aim is to make all of us into them."
The blood drained from Krystal's face. That was really awful. She sure didn't want to be a machine. There was too much to feel and think and marvel about in this world! She wondered if ROB had any feelings.
Then several voices made themselves heard in her mind, then the voices were outside the door, and then Fox, Falco, Slippy and Peppy spilled onto the bridge under much commotion. When was that beverage going to wear off? She wished she could shut her thoughts like she could hold her ears, but of course she couldn't. The thoughts from them toppled on top of each other, so she couldn't make out the individual ones.
Except Peppy's! She had felt his nightmare last night, but to her horror she realised it wasn't just a dream.
The last time we came across those things, a whole fleet was destroyed. When was it, seventeen years ago? That was a single moth like the one from yesterday! And this time there were more of them coming in as Fox and the team was getting out with that core memory. I wonder what they've found in it.
Krystal could sense that Peppy was truly frightened, although of course he didn't show it to the others.
"We've got an incoming transmission," announced Fox. "Put it through, ROB".
The erect and imposing stature of General Pepper appeared on the screen, wearing his red cap and red uniform with the broad yellow shoulder pads, as usual with his hands behind his back.
"Members of Star Fox...," started the General. "A grave danger looms. The Lylat system is in peril."
The General handed over to the army's research director, which to Slippy's delight turned out to be none other than his own father Beltino.
"We've analysed the aparoid core memory you collected yesterday," he started, but Krystal found it hard to concentrate. The teams thoughts kept interfering.
Dad the new research director? He hadn't even told me, forgetful dad.
I can still remember that awful thing from all those years ago like it was yesterday. I've never seen anything more frightening.
Bring it on. Let Falco have a piece of you, cyborg bugs!
This could be our most dangerous mission yet. I must protect the team.
She did make out some details. They needed to find another of those so-called core memories for further research, and there was a distress signal from an outpost on the planet Katina. The outpost couldn't be contacted, so aparoid involvement was suspected. That meant the Star Fox team were being thrown straight into their next mission, from the flame to the fire.
The Great Fox had arrived at Katina and the team was standing in the change rooms. Krystal watched Fox as he was checking his blasters over again and tried to squeeze even more ammunition into his belts. She could still feel his anxiety. It wasn't like him to be nervous.
"I'll head to the surface immediately," he said. "That signal shouldn't be too hard to find..."
"By yourself? It's too dangerous. I'm going too!" said Krystal trying to sounds as determined as she could. All she wanted to do was to support her leader. Her hero!
"No, I want you guys in Arwings, covering me from above."
I shouldn't have let her come yesterday. That thing went straight for her. Maybe she tried to read it and it detected her?
Krystal was perplexed. It was nice that he cared about her, and maybe there was something else unsaid. She had noticed the looks he gave her when he thought she wasn't watching, the same looks the stole off him. He was so attractive. What if the feeling was mutual? Still, she had trained, she was devoted and she wanted to fight beside him. She could look after herself. She could look after him!
Then came the exhilaration of the team sprint and the forceful launch into open space again, but it wasn't quite the same. Soon she found herself circling together with Falco and Slippy high over the base on the barren planet. Fox was down there on foot all alone and Krystal was worried. The thought she could sense something, but it was hard to make out from this distance and with the outpost buildings interfering. The tried to empty her mind and concentrate harder.
"It's a trap!" Fox's voice suddenly cut through on the comms. "It's the aparoids, after all..."
"We're coming down to help you!" Krystal replied.
"No, stay where you are. Take care of any new arrivals, will ya?"
She did as she as told, flying in circles after Falco and Slippy, looking out for any enemies outside the outpost. But she could sense that it was down there with Fox that the real danger was. She reached out.
Please, let me just come and help!
Krystal? Stop! You're distracting me.
Huh? That was the first time he had answered her thoughts. She had hoped for that moment, but not like this! Still seeing nothing to engage with, she pondered for a moment, and then switched to a private channel.
"Falco, why won't he let us come down? Am I not good enough?"
"Don't worry, he's just very protective of his team. He's really a stellar guy. He likes you."
Wow, that was a revelation. But what did Falco mean with 'like'? Like as in good friend or like, you know, like? Fox's voice came through again.
"Whew... there's no end to these things! Peppy! Send me a Landmaster, will ya?"
"Transmission on its way! What's the situation?"
"Well, I got my hands full, but what else is new?"
"Lemme know when you get lonely and I'll drop by," Falco interrupted.
"Nah, all I need is that Landmaster!"
A beam of blue light appeared from above, like a smaller version of the Orbital Gate, and she thought she could see the outline of a vehicle zipping past within it. Falco's Arwing came up close to Krystal's, and the two looked at each other form their cockpits.
"See what I mean!" said Falco, back on the private channel. "He does it to me too, although I can fly the pants off him. He's pretty handy with that tank though!"
Krystal felt some relief, but it was very short-lived. She could sense more aparoids. Lots of them! Then her ship jolted.
"I'm hit!" she cried out.
"We've got flyers!" replied Falco. "Get outta there!"
"My shields are holding," she said and punched it, putting the G-diffusor in overdrive. She tried her best moves, the ones that she had shaken Falco off with, but it was no use against the aparoid flyer. Unbelievable!
"I'm in real trouble!" she called out with desperation. Slippy came up behind them with lasers on repeat, but he couldn't get a hit on the fast moving aparoid.
"Look up, Fox! Help the lady, will ya?" called Falco. An energy beam shot up from the surface below and the flyer was vaporised. "Yup, that's what the Landmaster cannon can do. Nice shot!"
Krystal put her fighter in a dive to get down and help Fox out, but was forced away by heavy anti-aircraft artillery from the aparoid crawlers on the ground. The three of them did the best they could to pick off bugs straying from the pack, but the big domes of fire that kept exploding showed that it was Fox in the tank, who was doing the heavy lifting. It worked! Slowly they decimated their enemies, and Krystal thought they had just about got them, when a honeycomb of light appeared over their heads. Through it warped a giant flying saucer on four crab legs.
"That thing is giant... and ugly!" exclaimed Falco. "Let's give it all we've got!"
"Wait!" shouted Krystal, scanning, sensing something familiar, something from Fortuna. "That thing has a core memory!"
"You heard the lady, Fox! You gotta get that core memory!" called Peppy.
The three Arwings took turns attacking, while Fox was working the Landmaster. Krystal came in, waited until the targeting system in the head-up display locked on, and pulled the triggers. She saw a direct hit on top of the aparoid walker, which did absolutely no damage. What was that thing made of? Then she sensed a strange pain.
"Fox!" she shouted. "What ever you did hurt it. Do it again!"
"The underside is its weak spot then," replied Fox. The booms from the tanks cannon reverberated through the air, as he hit it again and again and again, until its legs buckled and it crashed on the ground.
"Team, I've gotta get out of the Landmaster to collect the core memory. Go high and keep your eyes open!"
The three of them spread out in different directions and gained altitude. Krystal scanned the horizon and the skies. All clear. She checked in with Falco and Slippy, who replied the same. Then came the desperate voice of Fox.
"Stop! Pigma! Dang!"
Krystal was drenched in perspiration and weak in her knees, when they climbed out of their Arwings back in the Great Fox. This was turning out to be the worst day in her life, at least that she could remember, perhaps apart from nearly dying on Sauria. But somehow those machine-beings scared her more than Krazoa spirits. Fox approached her with a concerned look on his face. She couldn't help herself, and threw her arms around him. She could hear Falco chuckling and Slippy giggling excitedly, but she didn't care.
"You saved me! I'm sorry. I'll promise to listen from now on," she mumbled into his shoulder, trying to hold tears back.
"You did great! You spotted the core memory," he replied, but then he arcwardrly wriggled free from her embrace. Please, just a little big longer, she thought. Fox turned and marched off towards the bridge. She scurried after.
"Actually, where is the memory? And what is 'pigma'?" she inquired.
"The question is WHERE is Pigma," growled Fox and continued into his wrist comms. "Peppy? ROB? Any good news for me?"
"Fox! I'm tracking Pigma on radar!" replied Peppy.
Fox marched on in deep thought and Krystal had to restrain herself not to take a peek.
"Pigma Dengar!" started Fox. "It was him who set the trap on Katina. As I got out of the tank, he showed up in his stinking ship and stole the core memory with a tractor beam, saying he would sell it for a profit. He's a foul individual who is only interested in getting rich. He cares about nothing and no one else. When I was a kid he was a member of Star Fox together with my dad and Peppy, but he betrayed them to Andross. After Andross was defeated in the Lylat Wars, he formed Star Wolf with Wolf O'Donnell. They're our nemesis, and I'm pretty sure Wolf himself was involved in my fathers death, but there was no evidence."
This was the darkest mood she'd ever seen Fox in.
"Hey, Peppy, where's he heading?"
"The Sargasso Space Zone"
"Of course he is," grumbled Fox. He continued explaining to Krystal. "We need to get that memory back, but it means we'll be up against the Ruffians. They're a large bunch of nasty apes. Thugs and pirates. But it's also where Star Wolf hang out. The Ruffians have a bit of an attitude to everyone except Wolf himself. They call him 'Lord' O'Donnell."
He signalled quotation marks with his fingers in the air.
"And there's also Leon Powalski, a treacherous turncoat who changes allegiances like a chameleon changes colour. He likes tormenting people, but he's afraid of Wolf. Let's just say that Leon and Falco don't quite get along."
"That sounds like an absolutely lovely group of people!" explained Krystal.
"Hey, your sarcasm is getting better by the day. I like it!", said Fox and ruffled her blue hair. The touch sent a bolt of pleasure down through her brain. "But it looks like we're heading straight for our next battle."
"Be careful, Fox!"
"Ah, you too, Krystal!"
A battle he had expected and a battle they got. The Ruffians mobilised quickly when Star Fox arrived at the Sargasso Space Zone. Four Arwings against a small fleet, how would this go, wondered Krystal, engaging her targeting systems?
"The enemy battleships are launching fighters!"
"Krystal! Concentrate your fire on the battleships!"
"I'm on it," she replied and hit the gas, still amazed at how quickly the Arwing accelerated in open space, while the diffusor engine eliminated the G-forces on her body. It went easier than she thought. She swooped in on one of the battleships, the weapons systems found its target, and she sprayed the main plasma gate with her lasers. She saw enemy fighters going down and blocking the way for others trying to get into the battle.
The Ruffians ships were aged, bordering on obsolete, and it quickly became clear that they were no match for the Star Fox team. The pale blue streamers of the four Arwings swooped and circled around the enemy like the ribbons of rhythmic dancers, while colourful explosions went up around the Ruffian ships like fireworks.
"Wow! This is like popping candy," Slippy called as the Ruffian fleet started their retreat.
"You fools! What're you idiots up to now?!" came a deep and sinister voice over the comms.
"Boss! You're here!" came the reply from the Ruffian command.
"That you, Wolf?" called Fox.
Krystal spotted three new menacing looking ships that had arrived on the scene, similar in shape and size to the Arwings but with four wings instead of two.
"Watch out, Krystal!" said Falco on a private channel. "Those fighters are Wolfens. O'Donnell reckoned he could improve on the Arwing design."
"You're on my turf now! Watch...your... step... Fox!"
And by that the three Wolfen fighters attacked, but the Arwings didn't flee. Fox and Falco launched right back, lasers streaming and flying their ships through the Star Wolf formation close enough to scratch the paint work. Dog fight, thought Krystal. I hope the training has stuck. She sensed someone on her tail and punched the throttle. Rolling and looping she tried to shake her opponent.
"He, he! I think I'll torment you a bit before I cook you!" came a hissing voice. Was that Leon perhaps? Whatever she tried he was still on her tail, but she had learnt to Arwings controls well and she could sense what has as up to, so he didn't get a target lock on her. Then came a loud hiss and blasts bounced off his shields, as Falco came to the rescue, chasing Leon away. Another Wolfen sailed up next to Krystal's right wing, and of all weird things, there was a flower painted on it.
"Allow me to introduce myself. I am Panther! And all who see my rose meet death!" the pilot growled at her. Then he went to ram her, but of course she sensed it coming and barrel rolled over the top of him. Mid-roll she looked at the other cockpit and a dark face with yellow glowing eyes gazed back at her. Now she as on his tail instead, and she was going to make the most off it, pushing her Arwing to the limit.
The dog fight continued without anyone getting the upper hand. The Star Wolf crew were clearly more experienced than Krystal, and their Wolfens fighters were as good as the Arwings if not better, but Star Fox were four against three. Still, that didn't mean that someone couldn't be seriously hurt or killed, as lasers cut through space and fighters came dangerously close to each other.
"That's enough for now, Fox," called Wolf, who had decided it was better to fight another day, as his team started redrawing.
"C'mon, Wolf! Enough of this! We're just here for Pigma, OK? Just hand him over already!"
"Pigma's no longer part of Star Wolf. And he'd shown his filthy hide here, my men would have driven him out."
"But... Then where did Pigma go?" said Krystal. The signal for incoming video stream flashed, and she assumed it could be Peppy with some news, and flicked the switch. But up on the HUD appeared that same dark face with slit pupils set in yellow eyes.
"Whew! Ah, the lovely Krystal. Words do you no justice. I am Panther Caroso. Here's to us!" he purred.
"What? Who's this idiot?" came Falco's voice.
So the panther was still on the open voice comms channel. Such nerve, though Krystal. But maybe she could use it to their advantage.
"Forget him. Look, just tell us where Pigma is!"
"How can I resist this beauty? I believe the com record will point you toward Fichina..."
"You talk too much... Panther! Leon! Let's go! Remember this Fox, Star Wolf will take you down one day!"
With that the three Wolfen fighters hit overdrive and split. Team Star Fox headed back towards the Great Fox, which Peppy was already getting ready for their next mission. Krystal didn't need read Fox's mind to sense his mood. She could see his dark face through the cockpit, as they were flying side by side.
"Such an arrogant character!" he growled.
Arrogant indeed and Krystal had taken an instant dislike to the panther. Still, the words he had said were so sweet. It would be nice to hear a little bit of that from Fox. Maybe she could give him a gentle nudge?
What's the matter? Are you a little jealous, perhaps?
Get out of my head, Krystal!
Ouch!
