AN: Hi there everyone. First of all I'd like to apologize for all the BS around lately. Off, On; sort of running into a few life problems here and there and somehow this fell onto a back burner for a time. I'm working on it pretty regularly now so I'm going to try to post at least a chapter every other week. Hopefully nothing gets in the way this time. Thanks a lot for all the support guys. Enjoy ^^

~ The Footsteps in the Darkness

~SkullFox

-Orbital Gate Station-

Sierra breathed heavily into a massive bicep beneath her head; Maryk wasn't certain when she'd climbed into the bed beside him but, it wasn't the first time. Though she never wanted to say so he was one of the few that could see right through her; tough on the outside, but, still childish and insecure as hell. The little black vixen already had no tail,, so whatever else it could have been that bothered her constantly he could only guess but, why it was she latched onto him like an older brother he had no clue either, yet that much he didn't care about either. Far as he was concerned she could go right on seeing him in that light, she made an interesting little sister, even if she was just an adopted one. Unfortunately, part of the cause of her insecurity, at the time at least, was the injury of the young blue fox laying in a sick bay bed with machines measuring his functionality. Maryk shook his head at the thought of it all, it didn't really bother him, at least nothing she did bothered him, however her constant insecurity was beginning to tear at his nerves. He simply couldn't understand why it was someone with such a strong will had such a hard time just letting her emotions out. True Skye was an amazing person and all but, he found it odd that she would be put off by the ideal of a little competition for Marcus's attention. After what felt like forever of being awake and very badly having to use the bathroom, the vixen finally managed to rouse from her sleep while rubbing her neck and sitting up with a heavy yawn…

"The hell?" She asked, "feels like I fell asleep on a brick."

Without warning, the entire bed shifted beneath her leaving a black furred wolf quickly moving out the door, "Sorrycan'ttalknowgottarunI'llgrabyouacupofcoffeeonmywayback."

Sierra chuckled as she sat there watching the wolf rush out of the room; however, her smile vanished as she noticed the silent figure seated in the corner near Marcus. The blue of her fur was much different that his, as if each strand of fur on her body was made of spun sapphires; she sat by with her hands delicately placed on her lap her eyes only half open the jade green of her irises coupled with an intense glow. How Maryk hadn't noticed her presence was a mystery but, then again it was also her first time seeing the vixen up close. Sliding off the bed Sierra slowly approached what was clearly Marcus's mother, who was clearly deeply lost in her telepathic abilities. It was as she rounded the bed however, that Sierra audibly gasped, "Wow…" She sighed, "...she's beautiful."

"You're very kind dear…" The vixen's sudden words caused her to jump.

Sierra took the moment to look over the vixen only to notice that her mouth had barely moved at all, "Wait...are...are you even conscious?"

"Somewhat," The sapphire vixen replied, "very little of my conscious self is left behind."

Sierra looked on with awe, "Wow, Marcus has trouble with that when he's wide awake."

"Well," Krystal replied still semi-conscious, "this is no easy task. However, if someone has questions out there about what I find in here, I must be capable of responding."

The black furred vixen then turned her look to Marcus, "Wait so then you're…"

"Yes," Krystal replied, "Marcus is currently lost inside his own mind. Something happened to him, and it is imperative that I learn the truth of what happened."

"Maryk would have told you but he wasn't there," Sierra responded, "but, he was attacked by another blue fox like you and him. He was really powerful; then Marcus did something. I've never seen telekinesis so powerful; he pulled most of the catwalk out of the hanger and even threw the other guy more than a few hundred yards away, through a wall."

Suddenly the vixen's eyes fluttered and the glow from the colors of her eyes faded, "So you must be Sierra," She chuckled, "no wonder why there are so many thoughts of you in there. You look like a short female version of your father. We're old friends."

Sierra scoffed, "I didn't think dad was capable of making friends of anyone. Normally it's hard enough getting his attention."

Krystal shook her head as she shifted a bit in her seat, "Your father has gone through more than you could possibly understand. Or is he still on about your mother?" The young vixen only nodded, "old fool...still refuses to go get her back huh? Stubborn old fool, he is the one that left her there to begin with you know."

Sierra shook her head, "Wait then why have I spent so many years with dad?"

"Well," Krystal sighed, "your mother tried to keep you with her but, at a younger age you had a little problem with...well starting fires. Your mother probably hasn't seen you in years."

Sierra sighed walking back to the bed Maryk had slept on, "To be honest I don't even remember what she looks like."

Krystal smiled a bit, "Well, your unit has been dismissed, perhaps you and I should take a little trip some time and do a bit of female bonding." She chuckled giving the vixen a wink.

"Wait you know where my mom is?"

"Oh course I do," Krystal replied, "right now she's most likely hanging out with Katt. Now that Gryf is out of the Academy, she's got nothing but free time on her hands. Angle has a hard time letting her past life go, she used to run with Kursed before she met your father."

As Sierra sat there she developed a look of enlightenment, "That explains a lot…" She sighed heavily, "...jerk could have explained that instead of making me feel like a freak."

Krystal nodded, "Well don't worry too much about it," She wiped a bit of sweat from her forehead, "Marcus will wake up soon and then we will have all the answers we need. He is going to be in this state for a few more hours but, I think it would do him some good if the first face he saw in recovery wasn't his mother's. I'm sure you understand his...affliction."

Sierra lowered her head, "You mean about five-six, blue eyes, amazing body…" Her eyes narrowed, "...unfair rack. Yeah, we've met."

Krystal chuckled, "Yes,I suppose Skye can be somewhat intimidating. Especially the effect she has on others around her; especially the impressionable young males."

Sierra shook her head, "I know I have no right to be angry at her but," She looked to Marcus, "every time I see him in pain, it seems like it's because he's thinking of her. It just pisses me off."

Krystal approached Sierra placing a hand under her chin in order to push her into making eye contact, "Don't let anger and jealousy ruin such a pretty face. So long as Marcus knows you're there for him in the end, that's what's important isn't it? Cerinians are...well, we're different, my people by nature are stubborn and bullheaded, not to mention the boy's father. He never gives up on something one he learns it's something he wants, but, " She sighed walking away, "a heart is a heart no matter how strong….and hearts can only stand to be broken so many times."

Leaving Sierra there to ponder her thoughts, Krystal once more reassured her that Marcus would be fine. However, with everything else going on her primary focus became slightly different. Cerinians? In the Lylat system? It didn't make any sense, she hadn't seen any such thing in her vision from the dreams she'd had of late. Much the less did she expect one of her people would simply show up in an effort to injure her son. Whatever the cause, Sierra had claimed the one Marcus had tussled with was a male, which meant he'd been tangling with a mental prowess far beyond even her own. Even however, as Sierra fell to lay beside him none, not even his mother could possibly imagine Marcus's plight.

He'd been broken, even now clearly even to him inside of his own mind he was uncertain of what was happening; he'd come to this vast, empty part of his mind many times during meditation. He'd never mentioned it to his mother of course, after all not only did he fear that she would stop meditating with him so regularly, a precious time of his life he cherished to spending with her every day...on top of everything else who wishes to admit to having emptiness inside their head? Something however, was very different this time what was once a blank white canvass for him to paint about as he wished after much control now the empty whiteness without ceiling, walls, floor, or sound was centered by a single small table. As he approached, he took note of the two figures seated at that table. One taller than himself with glistening fur that set only his black nose and lining of his mouth aside from the background below his piercing blue eyes. Seated to his immediate right a much more turbulent figure of whom he'd nearly mistaken for his father if not for the blank scowl written across his bright green eyes. The strange figure with white fur rose a hand, the sock of fur a pitch black glove causing a seat to appear beneath Marcus, a yelp of surprise escaping him as a simple gesture of that same black hand shot him to a position at the table he realized placed him an equal distance from the two strangers. As he sat there, a small golden tea cup slid across the table, and despite the awkward atmosphere of the situation, the two simply drank of their own cups, leaving the poor fox to sit in silent stupor...

"W-who?" He stammered, "how...I've never seen you before how are you in here?"

The strange imitation of his father chuckled, yet when he spoke the words were intolerable unintelligible. In hearing this jumbled mess of litany, the young Cerinian looked to the pale fox. His black rigged mouth spread showing a playful row of teeth set in a sweet, almost caring smile, "It would seem you are not quite ready to hear him," He sighed, "I will not compound this matter by answering many questions. Instead I will explain that all the Cerinian race go through a spout of change at your age; ascension can be difficult which is why you are chosen certain guides during this moment of your development."

Marcus shook his head, "A—scension?"

"I am sure your mother has mentioned it at some point," He replied, "a time in a young Cerinian's life when they will move in one of two directions. Embrace or Deny."

"Deny what?"

The white fox sighed with a half smile, "Yourself, your life, your friends...your world. You would be surprised how difficult a decision this is regarding what you are offered in return."

Marcus narrowed his eyes, "And this is a choice? A choice every Cerinian goes through?"

"Yes," The white fox replied, "males are often more power hungry than their female counterparts; that is what often makes them so much more physically weaker than their females, whom often feel weak when they are younger and choose to compensate with physical strength," He sighed heavily, "What I offer you, I offer this day. Choose whenever you like to accept or deny it. I offer you unsurpassed domination over the power of your own mind, I can guarantee that you will bend this universe and it's inhabitants and laws to meet your will. Such a gift will always have a price, and that price, will be yourself. Marcus McCloud will cease to be...and what happens beyond that will be nothing more than your imperative choice."

Marcus was left stricken, "I...I don't understand."

"Then perhaps you are meant to study the ideal slowly," The fox replied, "Take with you the idea that you know where to find me. However, I cannot speak for my counterpart there..." He said nodding his head toward the still silent red fox across the table, "...it seems that he has come simply to study you. SO there may be a time shortly when he too will make you an offer."

"What..." Marcuse took a long pause, "...what part of me would you take? No cryptic riddles."

The white fox stood and gently patted his head, "You will understand when you are ready, clearly that time is not now," He said walking away from the table, "but, being here in this mind. I assure you that I know you are an amazingly bright boy...it will not take you long. You will most likely hear our silent friend's offer when you are ready to make your decision, keep in mind that his too will come with it's own stipulation."

Marcus looked to the red fox whom was now gone, simply and totally without a trace, "Wait..." He then leaped from the table only to see the white fox vanish before his vary eyes, "...what about all of this? You can't just open up these questions and leave it like this."

"You have a guide on the outside Marcus," His voice echoed into the room, "your mother's choice was far more steep than you may think."

"Wai...!"

Marcus's waking shout was cut off as it took a moment for his vision to fade back into the sight of a real room; his reaching hand met with something soft. As the blur of colors around him faded into existence, he found himself looking into a familiar pair of pale blue eyes the black furred cheeks around which brightly shone with a red hue causing a warmth to seep into his palm. The realization that his hand was mashed into the warm, softness of Sierra's right breast leaving a crooked half smile on her face. Though taking longer than he believed it should have, Marcus tore his hand away only to look about the room. When he'd last been outside of his mind he remembered being in his fighter, sailing toward the gate station. He suddenly however, grimaced in pain as he fell back with a hand on his head, it felt like his skull was physically splitting open. Unfortunately however, the pain continued as he was torn from his pillow and shoved, almost violently into the cusp of the young black vixen's chest hugging his aching head tight to her chest...

"Captain..." She half shouted, "...I thought you were gonna be like that forever."

Marcus's muffled words met deaf ears before he managed to break way from her deceptively powerful grip, "Are...are you wearing perfume?"

Sierra gently pulled away pulling the slightly open cleavage of her shirt shut, "Ummm...noooo?" She bashfully replied, "why? You smell something you like?"

Marcus chuckled lightly as he lay back down, "It's just a really familiar scent," He replied, "Aunt Katt wears that same thing when she's..." He searched for the proper word, "...umm...prowling."

"Oh no," The black vixen sighed, drooping her shoulders while giving herself a gingerly sniff, "do I smell like a street walker or something?"

Marcus stifled a laugh, "Hey be nice," He warned her.

Sierra sighed heavily, "Well I'm sorry but, she's always looking for a new guy."

Marcus shrugged his shoulders, "Feline libido's a bitch. What more can I say? Just don't judge her by it, she's a good person, that's all I care about; and she's kinda close enough to the family to be part of it."

Sierra pulled the seat Krystal had been sitting at to the side of the bed, "Marcus, I know this is an old subject but," She paused with a bit of a sigh, "can I ask what's so special about..."

"Skye?" The blue fox cut in with a spry smile.

Sierra sighed again, "Yeah, that."

Marcus shook his head with a smile, "Honestly? I don't think there's anything about her that isn't special. I mean, that's not to say you aren't. I can't really say why I'm so drawn to her. I mean believe this nor not, I was attracted to her before I ever actually met her. It was just the act of running into the sight of her here or there in town, at the academy, or even once in a while I'd see her in my neighborhood, but, I don't know..."

Sierra could only smile, she had no idea that Skye wasn't just the girl of his constant obsession, but, also his first crush, yet standing up the vixen took a cleansing breath, "Marcus there's something I want to show you. It's something that I've never really shown anyone in the past. Probably my biggest insecurity really..." She pointed out while looping her thumbs into the line of her pants.

"Is it the fact that you have a cotton tail?" Marcus spat out causing the vixen to look at him with open mouthed shock, "what? You were naked in my arms for nearly twenty minutes back on Fichina, you think I wouldn't notice?" He chuckled covering his mouth, "I'll admit I was a little weirded out at first but. It's actually pretty cute . I always wondered why your ears were a little longer than mine. I'm guessing you get that from your mom?"

Sierra nodded her sight toward the ground and her hands behind her covering her backside, "Dad always thought nobody would understand, on top of that I always had a bad temper growing up. I used to think him and mom just didn't love each other but," She sighed moving her hands in front of her and staring at her palms, "with abilities like mine what could my mother have done to help raise me? When dad's the only person capable of controlling me when I loose it?"

Marcus nodded, "Maybe you should pay her a visit, I know I'd want to see my mom if I hadn't seen her in that long."

"Is that permission?" The vixen asked, "I think such a thing might not be such a bad Idea."

Marcus nodded, "Doesn't look like I'll be heading anywhere anytime soon. I just wonder how Skye's group is holding up out there in the middle of all this."

-Vinna Coletta-

-Geo-syncronized orbit with Titania-

-5 days later-

Every hour of Skye's ruse to flush out the mole on her ship only seemed to cause the crew to become more and more unsettled about the ship being derelict. It was clear that if he didn't suspect something already, the mole in question could quickly be informed they they were trying to fluth them out. For Skye this an ongoing and increasingly stressful situation; she didn't like lying to everyone but, at the point thus far only herself and Mick weren't suspects. With Mick searching the ship on a constant basis it was nearly impossible for the young canine to follow his searches, finding that the expert tracker often came and went like a a shadow, a large, emotionally withdrawn shadow. Once a day she would find a note on her desk in her personal quarters, a room she'd given only the Argon open access to. Like never before Dax had become her voice of reason, often stepping in and offering his help whenever it was needed in a situation. Several times he'd come forward aside from all the others, breaking up fights on the lower decks and doing his best to help other crewmen stave off the effects of cabin fever. Skye's list of individuals she could trust was fairly set; Lament Lament and Tilly were both out of the question as they were both on Titania, Dax had so far been the biggest help to her out of the entire crew, spare Mick himself, Art was so drawn to Inary about learning everything he could about Aetherian culture that he barely had time for anything else, and Gryff spent all of his time in the docking bays learning what mechanical engineering he could. Her daily training gave Skye time alone in the training hall, There too she found she could rely on Dax, his odd form of martial arts allowed for the perfect training partner. So far he'd been there since the day Fox and Krystal had given her lead of the Colletta, Just like every other time however, she never landed a single blow against him, each punch or kick seemed to glance right off his body as though there was no friction to the blows at all. It was a long, hard day when Skye lay splayed out on the training mats, still refusing to move as her ribs hurt terribly from a rather powerful kick he'd landed on her...

"How...do you keep doing that?" She asked.

The timber wolf chuckled, "You have your secrets right?"

"I just train in what I've been taught..." She replied.

Dax sighed as he sat on one of the wooden benches at the sides of the training floor while wiping the sweat from his gray fur, "Look at it this way," He sighed, "your body is not flat or square in any way. Every part of you is rounded. Naturally, rounded surfaces aren't pristine for transferring force. So if you swung at something perfectly round, naturally a part of that energy wants to roll around the surface. So what's the natural difference?"

Skye scoffed shaking a bit of sweat from her cream colored fur, "I'm not that solid, my body is designed to absorb impact and disperse it to keep it from damaging my insides."

Dax smiled with a nod and a sarcastic clap, "Exactly, so instead of relying on your body to naturally do the rolling, you roll the point of impact yourself, the motion doesn't seem like much, especially once you've done it long enough but, the idea is to literally roll with the hit in the direction it's already going to roll. Of course if your muscles aren't tense when you do it, you're S O L. Cuz then the hit is just going to absorb into muscle and fat like it always does. Don't feel too bad about it, Miss Krystal can still hand me my ass like I'm paying for it. She's got this weird thing she does with her hands, must be a Cerinian thing, pretty much shut down whatever part of me she hit...creepy ass feeling too," He paused, "so are we really stuck here or are we just waiting for them to get back to their base?"

Skye sat up, "The ship will move as soon as they fix the engines," She sighed lowering her head, "and thanks for all the help. Fox really had a lot of faith in you. Thanks for all the help Dax. I'm not sure how much I could have held my shit together without your help."

Dax laughed, a bit to himself as much as to her, "We..." He sighed, "...I'm not gonna lie, kinda growing attached to ya captain."

"Well..." Skye leaned back looking over her back to him, "...the feeling's mutual; and it's coming to that point where I need a shower and then get back to my work."

As Skye stood and headed for the door Dax tilted his head to one side a bit, "It always sux for you to leave but," He laughed, "always a pleasure to watch you go."

Shaking her head, and her tail slightly Skye rose a single middle finger over her shoulder as she continued to make her way to her personal quarters, happy to finally be under the cascade of hot, soothing water. It was as she stood there running her hands through her long hair that the familiar shadow through the foggy glass of the shower door caused her to pause. Had it been any other male she'd have shown him what for, but, Mick was odd. He didn't show the same traits other males did, in fact he showed no real interest in a female at all so far as Skye or her crew were concerned. They always seemed to meet like this, with the croc holding up a small device with a red light blinking; a scrambler, any audio or video feed in her room would immediately be inaudible and unreadable...

"So," She sighed going back to her washing, "any luck so far?"

Mick sighed heavily his days of work taking a tol, "Few leads, all point'n here 'n' there. Whoever this spy is, he's good. Always covers his tracks He's make'n mistakes but, they're small ones. Ah could make a few guesses but, no tell'n whether or not Ah was right. On a trail now, but, looks like the bloke may 'ave jumped ship. If yer intend'n to keep 'em docile though, if they are stiill 'ere, might wanna get this ship move'n again."

With a heavy sigh, Skye nodded before cracking her knuckles, "Fair enough, but, did you see anything specific that says they jumped ship?"

Mick seemed to pause for a moment, "Not exactly, accord'n to the mechanics there's no miss'n pods. Ah'll keep mah eyes peeled an' mah nose to the floor, any more information ah come up with, you'll be the first ta know."

"Does that mean I can count on you sticking around a while longer?" Skye asked.

Mick laughed a bit into the headset, "S'pose ya can," He replied, "gotta be honest. Kinda like being 'round yer lil' band. Some interest'n folks round this ship, don't meet many like 'em back home."

Skye sighed again, "Look, I'm gonna go rest for a bit. If you don't mind tell the mechanics down in the engine bay "Beta sector is in the clear" they'll know what you mean and get the engines ready."

Skye soon found herself seated on the branches of the large tree in the ship's Atrium; what had started as Dax's favorite place on the ship was now her own quiet reprieve. It was there that she began to mull over what had begun to go down on the Colletta. It made little sense to her that such a situation could be ignored by a spy working there in her ship. She hated thinking that there was nobody she could openly depend on for help in the situation, there was one however that she was almost certain she could trust. Leaning against the thick trunk of the tree so high up, she continued to ponder over everything which oddly made her think of home, and more than anything of Marcus. It worried her dearly that he might have gotten himself into something that he was not fully ready for when he entered the Vipers. After a time however, the young canine found herself drifting off when a familiar sound suddenly stirred her from rest.

"You know you're really cramping my style," Dax chuckled as he pulled himself up onto the branch she rested on, "this place used to be all mine."

Skye chuckled a bit as the wolf found a place to sit beside her where she nudged him with her elbow, "Well you'll just have to get used to that I guess. My ship now." She smiled.

Dax laughed a bit rubbing the now sore spot in his ribs, "Good to see you warming up to the position."

"Dax so far I've only known you a few months," Skye sighed, "but, I want to thank you for putting up with me thus far. I know it can't have been easy."

Dax nodded in affirmation, "True, you're a bit rough around the edges but, I found often enough that the best of us usually are," He chuckled again, "you're being unusually civil is something wrong?"

"Dax," Skye took a deep breath before nervously rubbing her arm, "I'd like to think you're one of the few people I know I can trust without much doubt. So far you've never really given me reason to doubt you," She smiled to herself before placing a hand on his, "but, you also make me feel a bit too insecure for my own liking. You make me feel like a female, and that's not something I'm used to. I've been like this for so long that I don't know what to do about feeling like this even when I do feel like this so...I'm also a little confused."

Dax gave the cream furred canine a concerned glance, "Umm...you're kinda starting to weird me out there Skye," He chuckled nervously, "it's almost starting to sound like...well sort of like you're an Academy girl trying to ask someone to a dance or something."

For a moment Dax found himself seated in silence as a sharp dart of pain shot through his arm from her knuckles, "Thanks for understanding jerk!"

Dax chuckled rubbing his now sore arm, "That's better," He said smiling before brushing the back of his hand over her cheek, "you're much more attractive when you're being yourself. Not that you're not hot or anything."

Skye chuckled a bit, "You're making this harder you know?"

Dax sighed with a smile, "Okay, I'll clear it up for you," He replied, "nice and easy, close your eyes?" He quickly held his hands up in defense as she gave him a shifty gaze, "no tricks," He assured her as she closed her eyes, "just, don't push me outta the tree or anything."

After a moment of sitting with her eyes closed, Skye felt something warm brush against her face; her eyes shot open to find Dax's lips pressed against hers. Instinctively her fist drew back, ready to lance it's way through the side of his head; however, as Dax closed his own eyes in preparation for the punch, he instead felt the young captain pull him in. Uncertain what would follow, he could do nothing but enjoy the moment and hope he could help her sort out all the confusion, both with her current feelings, as well as the team's situation.

-Mobile Refueling Facility-

-Titania Surface-

-one hour later-

Lament looked over the surroundings of yet another massive hanger; the cheetah print fox scratched his neck a bit before again going back to searching. Just as Mick had said before the team had left him there with Tilly; it seemed like most signs signified that there hadn't been anyone on the base in some long time. Everything about the base seemed to make less and less sense the longer he remained there, however, soon enough his wrist mounted computer began to warn him that his scans were finally finished of the city sized base's mainframes. A brief moment of looking over the systems he'd managed to search through caused Lament to open a line with Tilly, who was currently looking over the maintenance areas, where that seemed to be her specialty...

"Hey Tilly," He said scratching his neck curiously, "any idea what "Base Level Trans-matter Induction" is?"

The delightfully tender voice of the large leopard came back quickly, "A process most often used to transport large scale materials over a very short distance through molecular, near light speed transference. Why?"

Lament shook his head, "I just got back my scans of the base, and most of the files here are based on that subject. Some differences here and there, also something about faulty weapons systems, a production line? Front-line? Assault? Are they building an army?" Suddenly a very low, stuttered growl like a gas driven engine caught the young vulpine's attention causing him to freeze while moving only his eyes to the ledge of a catwalk just above his location.

There, perched on the rails overhead, a large creature rested on it's haunches almost like a panther somehow balancing with all four paws on the rail. Along it's legs several razor-like protrusions and tapired metal claws. Even though it's entire body seemed to be mechanical in origin, it almost resembled real life; as he stood by however, the creature lunged at him, causing Lament to quickly respond rolling away from the falling creature before he reached back out to his communicator...

"Tilly! Get back to the ship!" He shouted, "They're here! They're just using some sort of cloaking!" There was nothing more than a short scream and static on Tilly's end of the comms causing Lament to bare his teeth as the pacing automaton near the exit of the building.

Even though Lament could only stand and wait for the creature to rush him, every fiber of his being told him to rush to Tilly's assistance. It had taken so long to gather the information they currently had and now there was something else clearly going on. Why hadn't these things attacked before? Or did they only just arrive? Whatever the case, the creature was blocking his path and he needed desperately to get their information back to the Colletta. Whatever was being set in motion there, it was beginning to move and he only prayed they would be capable of stopping it before anything too terrible had the chance to happen...