Chapter 14

Unexpected Apperance

Roka drove back to the better part of town and decided to take General Pepper's advice, he shuddered the thought. He crashed at Fox's apartment at the complex and went to town the next morning, as he was pondering how to be recognized when a young lupine walked up to him.

??: Toby! Were have you been!? We were looking everywhere for you!

Roka looke up at the lupine, he was wearing black leather chaps and a black tank top, he was tall and slender and had a punk look to him.

Roka: Who's Toby? I'm Roka.

??: Hey kid, my name is Joseph Stanislav, I am the lead guitarist the the band "Iron Sleeve". I need your help, our basist, Toby Kartel, is missing. You look just like him, could you fill in for him? You look like you could play a bass.

Roka: I know a little, I'm bored out of my mind anyway.

Joseph: Thanks Roka, we have a small building rented out on center street, do you know where that is?

Roka: Ofcourse I do! I go to Mike's Music there all the time!

Joseph: Great! Then you can ride with me ya?

Roka: I'll take my bike.

Joseph: I've always wanted a bike, can I see yours? Lemme' go get my hover-car, be right back.

Joseph ran off and returned with a nice looking havercraft, Roka walked towars his bike and showed it to the confused lupine.

Joseph: What kind of bike is that?

Roka: This is an oil burner, perhaps the last of it's kind. It may be a low tech piece of junk by many standards, but this thing saved my life.

Joseph: That's actually kind of cool, is she fast?

Roka: Let's find out.

He slammed the kick-starter and took off, Joseph caught up and looked at it. It was almost as fast as any modern vehicle, and it could easily keep up with traffic. The two arrived at the small building, it was a one room and had music equipment of sorts. Roka walked in and met the other members of the band. There was the drummer, a muscular hyena. And there was the lead singer, a female lupine who apparently had a crush on Joseph.

Jospeh: Hey guys!

??: Ah, so you found Toby, since when did he wear a tranchcoat?

Joseph: I'm sorry guys, this isn't Toby, this kid promised to help us out though. Roka, this is Edward our drummer, and this is Anna the lead singer.

Roka: Hello.

Edward: Hey Roka, good to meet you. We have been rehearsing for the concert tonight, think you can learn to play base in the time span of five hours? The thing is Toby disappeared, probably with his girl.

Roka: I can pull it off.

The band practiced all day, by seven o'clock, Roka had learned to play the bass quite well. He was ready. Roka, Joseph, Edward, and Anna hopped in Joseph's car and they drove to an upscale nightclub in the city.

Joseph: Remember, you're Toby Estwind, you aren't Roka.

Roka: Got it.

The Iron Sleeve began to play at the Blue Moon, Roka was trying hard to be the shy Toby the bassist and not his audacious little self, but he pulled it off quite well. By the end of the concert, the crowd wanted an encore, so Iron Sleeve played a hardcore motorist classic:

The machine of a dream, such a clean machine.
With the pistons a pumpin', and the hubcaps all gleam.
When I'm holding your wheel,
All I hear is your gear,
When my hands on your grease gun,
Oh it's like a disease son,

I'm in love with my car, gotta feel for my automobile,
Get a grip on my boy racer rollbar,
Such a thrill when your radias squeal.

Told my girl I just had to forget her,
Rather buy me a new carburettor,
So she made tracks sayin' this is the end now,
Cars don't talk back they're just four wheeled friends now,

When I'm holding your wheel,
All I hear is your gear,
When I'm cruisin' in overdrive,
Don't have to listen to no run of the mill talk jive,

I'm in love with my car, gotta feel for my automobile,
I'm in love with my car, string back gloves in my automobile!

The crowd in the night club went wild. Little did anyone know that Toby Estwind was replaced by little Roka. And he didn't know that some was watching him. Someone that knew who he really was, and what he had done. This mysterious person left the night club and called for backup.

After the show Iron Sleeve decided to go to some restaurant in the city. They had to run from some poparazzis and hopped in the car and took off. Thay found a joint called Shooter's Sports Grill. The group had themselves a good meal and Roka payed for the whole thing.

Joseph: Wow kid, yer loaded. What kind of allowance do you get?

Edward: Yeah man, are your parents rich or somethin?

Roka: Ain't got any parents.

Edward: Sorry, I didn't mean...

Roka: It's ok Ed, you didn't know.

Anna: Thanks for all of your help. -said the gray lupine with a cheerful smile.

Roka: No problem, payin' for dinner was nothing at all. I make good enough money.

Joseph: Dang kid, where do you work?

The little vulpine decided that this was the perfect oportunity to get the publicity needed. He shuddered the thought though, the media lime-light was not his fort'e.

Roka: I get paid by the Cornerian Government.

Band: What?!

Joseph: Wait a second, your name is Roka right?

Roka: You know it!

Edward: Oh my gosh, are you that one kid from Star Fox?!

Roka: Ummmm... Is it that important?

Josheph: No way! It's Roka Embers from star fox! I didn't think it was you!

Roka: Oh Boy...

Joseph spoke a little too loudly not to be heard. Soon everybody in the Sports Grill had their eyes on him. The crowd looked hungry for a celebrity.

Roka: Ummmmm. Surprise surprise! Can we please go back to the car guys?

By this time everyone stood up and wanted to see the little celebrity, even the manager come out to see him. Roka got up on the table and jumped over the group of people. They thought this was a display of acrobatics and clapped.

Roka: Got a mission to attend to... See everybody later!

The poor little vulpine took off through the door and into the city streets, he had the publicity the general mentioned, but was it worth it? He ran through alleyways and looked for center street. After running fo an hour he finally found it. It was pretty late and it began to rain. Roka walked up the the small building and found his bike in a small alley. He slammed the kickstarter and the engine roared to life. As he was pulling out he saw a dark figure standing in front of him. He was only ten feet away, the figure pulled out a blaster and fired at Roka, he quickly dropped to the ground barely getting skimmed in the left shoulder, he pulled the 38. out of his trenchcoat and fired apon the figure, the resound boom could be heard as he fell to the ground. Roka walked up to the figure and identified him and he saw that his injury was not life threatning. The racoon looked at him with malice in his eyes.

raccoon: Curse you! You're the one that pu my brother behind bars. I will kill you!

Roka: Look here senior', you ain't in any position to talkin' like that. You know what I'm gonna' do? I'm going to tkae you to the hospital, then I will put you behind bars!

raccoon: I would rather die! Bang!

The bitter drug dealer shot himself in the head, Roka stood there looking apon the waste of life.

Roka: Look here pal, when I die, I'm gonna' die with my boots on.

He drove away as the police came up, they found the body and took note of it. Roka had one thing left to do, he had to find the grug dealers followers and the goods, then this ordeal would be over. As he was driving, a group of five or so figures walked on to the street, it looked like it didn't take long. Roka drove into an alley and shut off his bike, he put a new round in his revolver and spun the cylinder he hid behind a large steel dumptser, he was ready for action.

??: Come out from there you! We know you killed Rodriguez, we will avenge his death!

The small gang began to fire apon Roka, streams of plasma were pounding into the dumpster, Roka returned fire nailing two of them in the stomach, they could be heard gargling as blood was dripping from their mouths. Roka empitied the cylinder taking out all but one of the gang members, the last one was in fear, through the moonlight you could see the fear in his eyes. For his grand final'e Roka slid out the trapper and aimed at the last gangster. The hulking handgun striking even more fear into him.

Roka: I'll spare your life if you are willing to answer some questions. Will you be compliant?

The last member lifted a shaking hand and fired apon Roka, he could see a red glow in his shoulder, this wasn't a scrape, it was a clean hit. As he fell to the ground he fired the enormous single-shot nailing him right in the head. Blood flew everywhere as his head nearly exploded and the rain washed it down the streets. Roka was bleeding badly too. His shoulder had a burning pain that wouldn't go away. He grabbed his bike and drove back to the apartment, he found a medkit in Fox's bathroom and wrapped his shoulder. He couldn't go to any hospitals, if the media showed up there would be a chance of any survuving gang members finding him. He had to wait it out. He sat on a couch and pulled out a cellphone, he was able to contact Pepper through a receptionist.

Roka: Roka Embers here.

General Pepper: Hey! That's my line! So how did it go Roka?

Roka: Sir, in a few minutes you may be contacted by police. There were remaining gang members and they did find me as you said. I was fired apon but I was able to take them down; unfortunately, I wasn't able to get any information.

General Pepper: At least we have the man we want, if the rest of the gang members are all dead, we shouldn't have any more problems.

Roka: Cough!! T-t-thank you sir. I-i-i S-s-suppose I can head back to Star Fox soon right?

General Pepper: You don't sound too good son. Was this mission I made for you too rough? You aren't injured are you?

Roka: No sir I'm fine.

General Pepper: Well then, I guess you have proved yourself worthy as a member of Star Fox and an employe to me, you have passed the test.

Roka: Thank you sir, Roka Embers out.

General Pepper: Stop stealing my lines!

Roka: Farewell.

Roka hung up and crashed on the couch. His injury didn't seem life threatning, but man did it burn. He eventually fell asleep. Next morning he was awakened by a ring of his cell phone. It was Falco.

Roka: Hello?

Falco: Where have you been? I thought you would have been here two days ago. I'm hungry.

Roka: Quit complainin'! I'l be home shortly, I had a little mor work to do. And for your information pal I have been shot so I'm not feeling too well! Have some patience, geez!

Falco: You were what?!

-Clunk!-

Roka closed his cell phone and grabbed his damaged trench coat. He was angry that it had a hole in it. He walked outside and started his trusty dirt bike. Countless time he had driven this thing, it was a reliable piece of equipment. He drove to the air base, hopped in his arwing and flew to the Great Fox, hoping to get some R&R.