Wing Rider

The generator exploded and the shockwave sent her flying backwards through the air, and she landed in the seat of her Cloud Runner. Three Wolfen fighters were flying next to her, and they attacked the Anglar ships with all they had. But the Anglar's leader was The Merchant in his ship The Pristine, which fired its lasers and got direct hit on her. She had to eject, but the parachute didn't deploy, so she fell helplessly down towards the domed glass roof of the Primordial Pub. A hole opened up in the roof, and just as she was about to fall through it to her death, her staff appeared. She reached for it, caught it, and looked up into the emerald green eyes of Fox. He pulled her up and whisked her off to the Luna Stone Hotel, where he pulled her close and slowly leaned into her. His scent was everywhere, and she whined and gladly parter her lips to receive his kiss.

And then she woke herself up by a little snore, with her muzzle buried deep in the pillow, and a speck of saliva drooling out of her half-opened mouth. What a weird dream, she thought and stretched, but she didn't feel like getting up right away. The bed was way too comfy. But then something felt wrong. His scent was still there.

"Lights on," she murmured, but nothing happened. Great, another thing that was broken. She sighed and dragged herself out of the bed and fumbled around for the light switches. As soon as she'd found them and turned the lights on, she realised that she'd made a crucial mistake. She had been thinking about the layout of the old Great Fox, not the new Not So one. She was in his room!

It looked tidy, like he'd been busy cleaning in here too, apart from a shirt and towel tossed on the floor. The ship was tidy but broken, which puzzled her, except it made sense if you had had time to clean, but no credits to buy spares.

Her gaze fell upon a framed photo on top of a dresser. It was of Fox and a young vixen that looked vaguely familiar. The girl wore a tiara with a gemstone and had incredibly blue hair with braids and beads, which framed a face with a friendly smile. Her big, sea green eyes were looking straight at Kursed, who felt an urge to pick up the photo frame and smash it to pieces, but something or someone inside her held her back.

She just wanted to run out of the room, but luxuries had been hard come by since she'd arrived at Kew, so when a chance to shower presented itself, it was too good to pass up on. She went into the ensuite, stripped off her clothes, and stepped into the shower. To her relief the hot water service was working, and she let the warm water relax her muscles, while the fragrant soap cleansed her fur.

The shower door opened silently, but she could sense his presence as he snuck up on her. "Hello gorgeous!" he said as he grabbed a bar of soap and started rubbing it into her naked back, starting by the tattoo and working his way up towards her shoulders and neck. His touch was so relaxing yet enticing.

Where the heck did that come from? She pushed the memory aside and slammed the control to turn the water off. She dried herself quickly and put on the same dirty clothes from yesterday, but at least she was a bit cleaner herself. Then she stormed out of the room and headed towards the bridge with fast and determined steps.

She arrived on the bridge and found only ROB there.

"What are you doing, rust bucket? And where is McCloud?"

"I am searching for worm holes leading towards Lylat," droned ROB. That's good, she thought. If they found a wormhole, it would mean a faster trip and she'd have to spend less time around Fox.

"But I have not found any," continued ROB to her disappointment. "Fox is making breakfast."

"What?"

"I heard you getting into the shower and thought you might be hungry, so I made you something," explained Fox as he stepped onto the bridge holding a mug with a steaming beverage in one hand and a plate of pancakes in the other. "They're just from a powder mix, but still nicer than army rations I think."

"Don't try to be nice," she muttered and rolled her eyes.

"Well, you need sustenance, don't you?" he said and handed the plate over, which she reluctantly accepted. "Did you have a good sleep, Kay?"

"What did you just call me?"

"Well, I don't know whether to call you Krystal or Kursed."

"Call me nothing!" spat Kursed. "In fact, say nothing, unless I tell you to."

Fox just shrugged. She turned to look out the rear windows and started eating, trying not to show that it indeed was nice to have a cooked meal. Then her gaze fell upon a familiar planet, and she couldn't believe what she saw.

"What's that?"

"That is planet Kew," buzzed ROB in reply.

"I know that, you jukebox junk, but why aren't we further away? We should be halfway out of the system by now."

"Umm... You see...," grimaced Fox and performed his signature neck scratch.

"We do not have enough fuel to reach Lylat," offered ROB.

"Not helping!" said Fox.

"Are ... you ... serious?" growled Kursed, every syllable dripping with venom.

"I'm afraid so. I didn't get a chance to stock up before fleeing Lylat. I tried to buy some from the Ruffians, but they just wanted to collect my bounty..."

"Bounty?" interrupted Kursed. "They put a bounty on you?"

"Yup."

"Huh? Who would have thought! That must be a first for you. How does that feel?"

"Weird! Then again nothing has been normal for a long time."

"You might actually be worth something to me then," taunted the bounty hunter, but he didn't take the bait.

"Anyway, we've been robbed too, and I only have one Arwing left that I cannot afford to trade, so unless you know where we can get some fuel cells..."

"Yeah," sighed Kursed deeply and looked out the window. "I know where we can get fuel."


She looked out the starboard side window of her Cloud Runner as she approached The Pristine.

"Long time no see, Kursed," said the man hailing her over the comms.

"Been busy," she replied. "But I have an appointment with The Merchant."

"Okey, that checks out. Bay three for you. Prepare to have your ship searched."

"What's with the increased security?"

"Just new routines."

With that she hung up and as she prepared to enter the gate to the landing bay, she looked out her port window to confirm that her wing rider had made it out of the stowaway area. Fox looked back at her from behind the visor of his space helmet and gave her a thumbs up. She flew just past the gate and then turned around.

Fox concentrated and watched the gate carefully to time his jump just right. When she ship was halfway through the turn, he launched, gliding through empty space for an uncomfortably long time, before hitting the hull of The Pristine mere metres from the gate. He bent his arms and legs to dampen the impact noise, as the magnetic gloves and boots took hold, and then he watched the Cloud Runner disappear in through the plasma gate.

Kursed found that two guards were already waiting by the bay as she touched down. They each had a machine gun in their hands, and used them to point to the ship's stowaway as soon as she'd jumped out of the cockpit. The Merchant must really be on edge about something, she thought as she obliged and let them search the ship.

"All clear," called one of the guards into his comms device. Then the two men escorted her out of the landing bay.

Okay, the coast is clear!

A shiver went down Fox's spine. For years he hadn't heard her voice inside his head, but it still felt like yesterday. It used to unsettle him, yet now he craved it. But he had a job to do, so he snapped out of his thoughts and crept up to plasma gate. He peered over the edge to double-check for any guards, and when he couldn't see any he crawled over the edge. As gravity took hold he fell down and landed with soft legs on the floor.

He turned off the electromagnets and walked up to the small fuel cell tanker that was parked next to the Cloud Runner. He soon located the tanker's external control panel, removed a glove and fished a small device out of a pocket. He inserted the device and the panel's lights shifted from red to green, which confirmed that Kursed's electronic picklock had worked a treat. Still on alert he lowered the loading ramp and stepped inside the tanker. To his relief there were plenty of charged fuel cells in it, and the main liquid hydrogen tank showed three quarters full.

He walked into the cockpit to check that the ship was flight ready. The controls were pretty crude compared with Cornerian standards, with plenty of manual switches and gauges, and fewer touch screens than he was used to. The labels were all in Quango, but they'd thought about that too. He took off his helmet and placed it the copilots chair, then flipped down the HUD on his headset and turned on the translator ROB had downloaded for him. The display showed an overlay of Cornerian translations for the labels, and he started turning on systems to get the flight ready, without firing up engines or anything that might give away his position.

After scanning the flight deck through the cockpit windows, and finding it empty, he headed out of the shuttle again looking for anything else that might be useful. He found a stack of fuel cells nearby, and started carrying the heavy canisters to the shuttle one by one. On his third trip he suddenly heard footsteps, so he quickly dropped down to hide behind the stash of canisters. The steps got closer and closer, and then stopped on the other side of his hiding spot.

Holding his breath he just listened, slowly moving a hand down to his blaster. He listened for breathing, but could hear nothing, just a very faint whirring noise. Then his fur stood on end when he realised that something was missing. Scent.

Then the heavy feet started walking again, away from Fox. After a few moments he peered out from his hiding spot, and saw a leather clad and strangely furless simian disappearing into the corridor leading towards The Merchants. It was an Eliminator!

Fox panicked because he knew telepathy would be useless against it. He pulled off his boots so that he could run silently after the robot, desperately trying to think of a way to contact Kursed. The communicators would be a last resort, because it would give them away. Please hear my thoughts, he thought in despair. He could see the robot turning a corner up ahead, as he was rushing through the corridors on soft vulpine paws.

Krystal? Kursed?

He didn't care who she was, he still loved her endlessly. The HUD was showing that the robot and himself were getting close to The Merchants office, where she surely would be. Please think of me!

Killer robot coming your way!


"We have a problem," stated The Merchant, waving theatrically with one hand, then pointing at Kursed. "Or rather you have a problem."

They were standing in the middle of his office with two guards by his side as usual, but she had noticed that for whatever reason the doors to the office had been left open, which was unusual.

"I don't see why," she replied. "I have completed all the assignments you've given me with minimal collateral damage."

"It's that pilot from Lylat or wherever he says he's from. You need to get rid of him."

"He doesn't bother me."

The meerkat just glared at her.

"Oh, I see, he messed up that fixed race for you, did he?" she continued and inspected her claws. "If he's a problem to you, I can take care of him ... for a reasonable fee."

"That won't be necessary," said The Merchant.

There was an odd tingle in the back of her mind.

Krystal? Kursed?

What was that?

"I have found a more cost effective solution," concluded The Merchant with a pleased smile.

Killer robot coming your way!

Her sensitive ears picked up the faint whine of a blaster charging up behind her. In one swift motion she spun, pulled the staff from her back and activated the shield a fraction of a second before the first blast hit. She saw a humanoid figure standing in the doorway firing blast after blast into the translucent force field, and now she had her back exposed to The Merchant and his guards. She was trapped!

Then a lightning storm of laser hit the humanoid, tearing leather clothing and synthetic skin from a metallic skeleton. The moment the robot started turning towards its attacker, she spun arounds as well, just in time to block another set of blasts from The Merchant's guards. The grunts made the mistake of emptying their charges too quickly, and as they went to reload, she banged the staff butt end down into the floor, the quake knocking them off balance. She glanced over her shoulder, just in time to see another round hitting the robot's neck and dislodging its head, and then Fox appeared in the doorway.

He was good, so he turned her attention back to the guards who were scrambling back to their feet. She unloaded an energy charge from the staff onto the guard on the left, while another of Fox's shots hit the other guard. The Merchant slowly rose to his feet with a terrified look on his face.

"I... I c-c-can make you a g-g-good offer," he stuttered as Kursed raised her blaster.

"I quit!" she exclaimed. "And I've been wanting to say this for a long time; You've been Kursed!"

She toggled the blaster to stun and fired straight into the meerkat's chest, enjoying the sight of the feeble creatures body being flung backwards by the shock. Then she turned and ran for the door, where Fox had his blaster trained the way they had come. Her mind reached out for other minds, she sensed danger and alerted him.

Behind you!

He spun around and fired a double-tap, which was replied with a cry of anguish. Then they both set off towards the landing bay as fast as their legs could carry them. Their skills complemented each other and they worked efficiently in synergy. Kursed would sense whenever guards were approaching, and alert Fox on where, and he took them out with short bursts from his blaster. Just like the caves of Sauria, she thought.

Once in the landing bay, Fox guarded the entries, while Kursed got the Cloud Runner airborne. She let it hover just a feet above the floor, covering Fox while he got into the shuttle. As he was exiting through the plasma gate, she could sense more guards coming, so she blew them a farewell kiss with the Cloud Runner's laser cannon, and then she took off too.

As Fox was struggling to get the shuttle up to speed, she spotted Great Fox in the distance, but still close enough so that it could use its radars and weapons scanners.

"I detect a laser cannon charging," called ROB. Kursed did a perfect barrel roll to move in behind the shuttle and deflected the incoming blast. Then the two small ships made it out of the Pristine's firing range, heading for the Great Fox and the long way to Lylat.


After arriving back at the Great Fox they quickly secured their ships.

"We can refuel later," said Fox as he felt the adrenaline subside.

"Yeah, better get a wriggle on before someone comes after us," added Kursed. Fox tapped his wrist communicator.

"ROB, we're all set. Head for Lylat at full speed."

"Roger," replied ROB as Kursed opened a hatch on her Cloud Runner and pulled out a bag.

"We make a good team!" said Fox and started heading for the bridge.

"What 'team'?"

He could hear on the growling voice that he'd really put his foot in it again, somehow. He turned around slowly and saw a face of loathing glaring at him.

"Then why did you push me away?"

"I wanted to protect you. I honestly wanted to do the right thing, but I realise that I was wrong. I tried to be the leader, but I can't lead you."

"Too stubborn for you, huh?"

Fox slapped his face. Damn, that came out wrong.

"I meant I shouldn't lead you. I should have been beside you. I should have let you stay, or dismantled the team and left with you." He sighed and hung his head. "I failed to protect you and I was too consumed with my own guilt to feel your pain."

She lowered her gaze and her face softened.

"I was selfish and foolish and I'll be forever sorry. That time over Katina ... I meant every word," he continued. "But then you humiliated me in front of the whole Star Wolf team."

As the last words slipped out, he immediately cursed his big snout. Kursed's eyes narrowed and her fists clenched. Come on Krystal, just look in my mind, he thought. You'll see I'm honestly sorry. But she just didn't. Instead she came at him, punches flying. He fended her off as best as he could, but she was much faster and stronger now than then, and she landed blow after blow. Then she swept him off his feet, unfortunately very literally, with a well placed spinning kick. He did a kip-up, feeling her rage, but still she didn't look and the barrage just continued.

He blocked yet another punch with his left arm and on instinct thrust his right palm straight into her chest. It flung her backwards a few steps before she regained her balance. She stood for a moment in surprise, chest heaving, while staring at him with eyes wide open and her face twisted in a snarl.

Sh-t, she's actually going to kill me this time, he thought. So be it!

"I LOVED YOU!" she screamed.

"And I LOVE you!"

He lowered his guard and bowed his head slightly, still looking her in the eyes. With another scream she leapt, feet first, and kicked him straight in the chest. He didn't even try to fend, flying backwards and landing with a thump on the cold hard flight deck floor. The next moment she was standing on her knees over him, pounding his chest with her fists.

Why didn't you come for me?

She was finally in his mind.

I wanted to, I tried too, but you turned me away, he replied.

I needed to be sure! I needed you to try harder. I needed it to be just you and me!

And she collapsed on his chest, crying, wailing uncontrollably. And she went deep into his mind, sensing only pain and remorse ... and then something she hadn't felt in a long time; unconditional love! Then she saw a vision of an Arwing slamming into an asteroid.

You know, we could do it together, one fighter into the other, she thought to him. Our final pact!

Sounds like a plan, he replied, but I've got a girl to save first, and planet if I can help it.

Never let me go again!

He put his arms around her shaking body, feeling her tears soaking through his clothes and wetting his fur.

I'll always be there for you!