Author's Note: Hey everyone! Sorry about the long delay, but I was dealing with writer's block as well as some other projects, but chapter 7 is finally done. This chapter will mostly serve as the conclusion to the Fichina Mission, but will also set up future events. The next chapter will have a lot of development in terms of relationships, as well as the appearance of Star Wolf, so it will be a while until that chapter is released. I'm also releasing the prologue to Of Flesh and Metal in a few weeks, so be on the lookout for that as well.
As mentioned in the last update, this chapter originally contained a lemon. I've cut the lemon from this chapter but will include it in a separate entry for those who want that sort of thing. The intro to the lemon will be present in this entry but will be less explicit. It is planned for release at the end of the month. In the meantime, please enjoy the chapter! Constructive criticism welcome.
Chapter 7:
The hangar doors slowly opened, allowing the shuttle to pass through. Fox carefully landed the shuttle on its cradle, the doors closing behind it. A white mist appeared in the air as the room pressurized, a green light flashing on the shuttle's panel when the pressure equalized. The second door beside them opened and the dolly moved the shuttle into the main hangar bay. A metallic thud vibrated the shuttle as a pair of clamps locked the cradle in place. Fox shut down the engines and turned off the instruments. Falco left the copilot's seat and opened the door.
At the back of the passenger cab, Miyu and Krystal pulled the box from the cargo compartment. With Isaac and Carver's help, they carried the box into the hangar and placed it onto a nearby dolly. Across the hangar, Slippy and Fay descended to the hangar floor using the cargo lift, their yellow coveralls covered in grease. Fay ran to Carver the moment she saw him, wrapping her arms around his chest. Carver smiled and returned her hug, scratching behind her floppy ears. She leaned into his touch, her tail wagging furiously. Isaac chuckled with amusement as he followed Fox and Falco, Krystal and Miyu giggling to themselves as they walked by.
Fay released Carver from her hug, gazing into his eyes. He slid his hand to the side of her head and gently ran his fingers along one of her ears, meeting her eyes. They stared at each other for a few moments before the memories of their first kiss flashed in their minds, and so did the awkwardness that followed. They released their hold and took a step away from each other.
"Sorry," Fay said.
"It's okay," Carver said, "Let's catch up to the others."
He took her hand, and they walked across the hangar, seeing the others waiting in the elevator. They entered the elevator and Fox pressed the button for the crew quarters. The elevator arrived a short time later, and once the doors opened, they hastily made their way to the bridge.
Once inside, Isaac and Krystal removed the box from the dolly and placed it on the floor. Carver joined them at the box while the rest sat down on the couches in front of them. Krystal took her seat next to Miyu while Isaac and Carver gathered their thoughts. The stress they were feeling was clear to everyone. While only Krystal and Miyu knew why, the others could tell the news they had wasn't good.
"Are you two alright?" Fox asked, noticing their distress.
Instead of responding, Isaac and Carver opened the box, revealing the grey rock inside. Fox, Falco, Fay, and Slippy leaned forward to get a better look, their eyes followed the lines and symbols along its surface.
"What's with the rock?" Falco asked.
"We think it's a piece of a Marker," Isaac replied. They tensed at the mention of the word. While they only had his and Carver words to go on, they knew a Marker wouldn't go well.
"A Marker?" Fox questioned, "Are you certain?"
"Not 100%," Isaac replied, "But the symbols on it, and the hallucination I had, makes me believe it."
"But you said that the Marker copies were red," Slippy said.
"The Marker copies we found on Tau Volantis were all dull grey," Carver said, "The conclusion me and Clarke came to was that a piece might have been brought with us."
"But you two arrived on Corneria, along with a bunch of rocks," Falcon said, "I doubt Venom could've snuck past our defenses and left without being noticed."
"That's if everything landed on Corneria," Isaac said, "It's possible some debris could've ended up somewhere else. Regardless of how it got here, a Marker in Lylat isn't good."
"So what's the plan?" Fox asked.
"Me and Carver suggested only telling the Prime Minister and Peppy for now," Isaac replied, "At least until we're sure about what we're dealing with."
"That might not be a good idea," Fox said, "Given Venom's love for bioweapons. If this is a Marker, we all could be in danger."
"We know," Isaac said, "But me and Carver are the only ones here that have experience with them. Not to mention, the Marker's signal drives people mad, makes them further their goals. It'll turn them into fanatics."
Fox nodded and stood from his seat. He moved to the center of the bridge and began pacing, one hand planted under his chin. He walked back and forth for a few minutes before he spoke.
"Ok," he began, "We'll stick with that for now. We'll decide on further action once we learn more."
"That'll work for now" Isaac said, "Thank you."
"No problem," Fox replied, "It's the same fourteen hours back, so if anything else comes up in the meantime, feel free to let me know."
"Will do," Isaac said. Fox nodded and turned to ROB, the bronze robot still seated at the front of the bridge.
"ROB, set a course for Corneria, then prep the hyperdrive," he commanded.
"Setting course for Corneria," ROB said, his fingers rapidly typing on the keyboard in front of him, "Preparing hyperdrive."
Like before, a low hum filled the bridge as the hyperdrive charged up. The ship slowly steered away from the moons, facing the emptiness of space. The hum became louder, a slight vibration felt beneath their feet.
"Hyperdrive charged," ROB announced.
"Engage," Fox said.
The vibrations in the floor increased, a blue field appearing on the edges of the glazing. The ship lurched forward, the blue and white streaks of slip space surging past the glazing. On the screen above, a count down from fourteen hours appeared. Fox hopped onto the captain's chair and began typing on a keypad below a holo screen while the others began to leave. Carver hung back, a question popping in his head.
"Hey Fox," he said.
"What's up?" Fox asked.
"Do you stay here the whole time?" Carver asked.
"I don't," Fox replied, "I make the after-action reports to give to Pepper, or Peppy now. I leave after I'm done with them."
"Gotcha," Carver said, "You were still sitting there when we arrived last time, so I thought you stayed the whole time."
"I'm thorough with these reports," Fox chuckled, "Gives the impression."
"Do you need help with them?" Carver asked.
"The reports, no," Fox replied, "But I think we should check on our prisoner."
"Oh yeah. Almost forgot about him," Carver said, "You want the others?"
"No, I should be fine," Fox replied.
"Can I come with?" Carver asked.
"Sure," Fox replied, "Follow me."
The two men left the bridge and headed to the elevator, taking it to the bottom floor Once there, they walked past the hangar and into a long hallway, stopping at the last door on the left. Fox scanned his card on the keypad and the door opened. The room was rather empty, with several large shelves filled with boxes on the far side. On either side were a pair of prisoner cells, each one secured with a metal door. Fox stopped in front of the first cell on the right and typed in a code on a pad in the center of the door. A clunk echoed through the room and the door slid open, revealing thick metal bars. Beyond them was a small cell, housing a cot and a toilet. Resting on the cot was Calvin, the coyote raising his head when the door opened.
"I was starting to think you guys forgot about me," he said.
"Honestly, we almost did," Fox said, "Would you like something to eat?"
"Nah, just some water," Calvin replied.
Fox nodded and walked over to the shelves, he dug through a box and removed a bottle of water. He returned to the cell and tossed the bottle to Calvin, who quickly unscrewed the cap and down half the bottle.
"That's good," he said, setting the bottle beside him, "So, I can assume you can down for a reason?"
"That we did," Fox replied.
"As I said earlier, I'm nobody," Calvin said, "They didn't tell me anything."
"You gotta know something," Fox said, "Come on, I might be able to help you later." Calvin sat silent for a moment, thinking over his options. After a few minutes, he spoke.
"I... might've eavesdropped on couple conversations," he said, "Heard a few things from the researchers there. But before I tell you, I need to know what's in it for me."
"What do you want?" Fox asked.
"I don't want to spend my life in a cage," Calvin replied, "And I sure as shit don't wanna end up back with Venom."
"Well, I can put in a good word for you," Fox said, "Request asylum. I can't guarantee anything, but I'll do what I can."
"I guess that'll do," Calvin said, hopping off the cot and walking to the bars, "Anything specific?"
"We'll get there," Fox replied, "For now, tell us what Venom was doing there."
"From what I've heard that place was built as a spy station during the war," Calvin said, "It apparently went unnoticed by Corneria, and Venom has been using it to monitor the CDF."
"There's more to it," Fox said, "Fichina isn't exactly of high importance anymore."
"Every government has projects they don't want people knowing about," Calvin said, "This was one of them."
"What do you mean?" Fox asked.
"According to the researchers, the CDF found boulders on the planet that weren't from Lylat," Calvin replied, "From the data they got, those rocks had been on Fichina for the past two million years. And apparently, some contained alien DNA."
"DNA after two million years?" Fox questioned, "You're certain?"
"That's just what I've heard," Calvin replied, "Like I said, I'm nobody, so no one's gonna tell me shit. Anyway, after that, the researchers started blabbering on about some strange signal that thought was coming from the planet. They couldn't pinpoint its location, though"
Fox turned to Carver, who had a concerned look on his face, which made him nervous. Though this didn't confirm their suspicions, it wasn't looking good. Calvin stared at them, their reactions making him uncomfortable. Did he say too much?
"So, you two know something I don't?" he asked.
"Possibly," Fox replied, "You're certain they didn't find the source?"
"They CDF didn't," Calvin replied, "But we did. At least according to the researchers. But I was almost caught at that point, so I couldn't give you a location."
"That's fine," Fox said, "Uh... did you happen to know if the researchers took anything from the surface?"
"I know they sent a team down," Calvin replied, "I couldn't tell you if they found anything."
"Alright, that'll do for now," Fox said, "We're gonna discuss what you've told us. We'll be back once we dock on Corneria. Do you need anything before we go?"
"Another water," Calvin replied, "And some snacks or something."
Fox nodded and returned to the shelves, grabbing a few bottles of water and some food packs. He returned to the cell and handed them to Calvin, who eagerly took them. He thanked Fox and sat down on his cot. Fox returned his thanks, then he and Carver left the brig. The two of them walked down the hall and towards the elevator.
"So, did anything he say help?" Fox asked.
"Not really," Carver replied, "The signal could've been anything, and without knowing where they found that rock. But the mention of the alien DNA, and the age of the rocks means stuff was sent here when they first activated the machine."
"He said two million years," Fox said, "You're sure that's the case?"
"That was when then aliens froze the planet," Carver replied, "At least according to the S.C.A.F research logs we found."
"So, a Marker could be here?" Fox questioned.
"Possibly," Carver replied, "No way to know for sure until we find it."
"We definitely need to talk to Peppy about this," Fox said, pressing the call button when they reached the elevator, "And maybe Beltino. See if he knows anything about Fichina."
"You think it's true," Carver asked as the stepped inside the elevator, "What he said about the CDF doing some secret research?"
"Maybe," Fox replied, pressing the button for the ship's quarters, "Coneria has crossed lines in the past, including this one mission on Titania. So, they might have a new project they're working on."
"I hear ya," Carver said, "The Markers were that project when I was with Earthgov." The elevator dinged and the doors opened. The two exited and made their way to their rooms.
"By the way," Carver began, "What happened on this Titania?"
"It was... quite the clusterfuck," Fox replied with a heavy sigh, "I'll tell you about when we get back. Right now, I need a nap."
"Alright, I'll catch you later," Carver said.
"You too," Fox said, opening his room door and walking inside.
Carver turned to his door and was about to open it when he heard another open. He glanced toward the sound and saw Fay emerge from her room dressed in workout gear. She smiled when she noticed him.
"Hi John," she greeted.
"Fay," he greeted in return.
"I'm heading to the gym," she said, "Wanna join me?"
"Sure," Carver replied.
She smiled again and her tail began to wag. Carver smiled back and walked to her. She shyly extended hand and he took it, gently wrapping his around hers. The two walked hand in hand towards the gym. Behind his door, Fox chuckled. He was happy Fay had finally found someone, even if he was an alien.
POV Krystal and Miyu:
The warm water flowed between Krystals ears, the heat relaxing her muscles. She sighed as the steam shifted around her, filling her body with bliss. She could feel Miyu's claws gently scratching the skin on her shoulders, making her arch her back.
"Enjoying my massage," Miyu asked, moving her hands to her breasts.
"Yeah," Krystal sighed, peeking over her shoulder.
While she'd seen Miyu naked plenty of times, given the cat's love for nudity, the steam swirling around her body made her look even more beautiful. Krystal could feel her face flush, realizing where her mind was going. While she and Miyu shared a special intimacy, they never fully committed to their feelings. Though, with how handsy she was being, and the dreamy look in her eyes, suggested this would be the time they finally did.
Miyu smiled and leaned in, planting a kiss on Krystal's cheek. At the same time, she slid her hands down her stomach and wrapped them around her waist, her fingers resting just above her pubic fur. She angled her claws and scratched her skin. Krystal leaned back against her, melting into her touch. Miyu smiled and continued scratching her stomach. Though Krystal seemed in total bliss, she could tell something was bothering her.
"What's on your mind, Krys?" she asked.
"Alot, actually," she replied, "The battle, almost dying, Isaac."
"It was rough one, wasn't it?" Miyu asked, returning her hands to her shoulders.
"Worst one we had in a while," Krystal replied.
"The Aparoids were worse," Miyu said.
"Yes they were," Krystal huffed, "Didn't almost die though."
"Yeah, you had a close call there," Miyu said, shutting off the shower.
Krystal opened the shower door, shivering when the cold air from the A/C reached her skin. She pulled two towels from the rack and handed one to Miyu. Krystal quickly dried her fur and dropped the towel into her laundry basket, slipping on her bath robe as she left the room. Miyu dried herself off and followed her into the bedroom. As usual, she chose to remain naked, ignoring the second bath robe hanging on the wall.
Krystal climbed onto her bed and rested her head against her pillows. Miyu crawled up the mattress and laid down beside her. The two lay there, staring at the ceiling. The silence continued for several minutes before Miyu spoke.
"You mentioned Isaac," she said, "You're still thinking about the power room, huh?"
"Yeah," Krystal replied, "Whatever's affecting Isaac has been affecting me as well. And there's that name, Nicole. I don't know what to make of it."
Miyu stayed quiet for a moment, mulling over Krystal's words. She didn't fully understand Krystal's powers, but the fact she was being affected by whatever was attacking Isaac's mind couldn't be good. Her mind then went back to what Isaac and Carver said about the Marker Signal, and how it drove people mad by using their memories. She wondered...
"Do you think what they said is true?" she asked.
"About what?" Krystal questioned.
"The rock," Miyu replied, "About it being a Marker."
"I don't know," Krystal replied, "Nothing's making sense." She let out a sigh. "I can't explain it, but I have a feeling bad is going to happen. Something that will change everything"
Miyu chuckled softly and rolled herself on top of her, gently cupping the side of her face. Krystal froze beneath her, her cheeks turning red. Miyu smiled smugly at her reaction.
"Change everything," she purred, "A little extreme, don't you think?"
"M-maybe," Krystal stammered, caught off guard by the sudden intimacy, "But this i-is something we don't understand. I think we should..."
"Shhh," Miyu breathed, placing her finger on her lips, "We can worry about that later. We've had a rough day, so let's relax."
She pressed her lips against Krystal's, who melted into her kiss. She wrapped her arms around her, running her fingers through her soft, orange fur. She slid one hand down her back and onto her left butt cheek, giving the soft globe of flesh a firm squeeze. Miyu moaned and lowered her hands to Krystal's waist, quickly untying her bath robe.
POV Isaac:
Isaac wasn't sure how long it had been, but he could've sworn holes were starting to form in the ceiling. He sighed and stood from his bed. Stretching his back, he groaned as several pops were heard. He left his room and began walking towards the elevator. He didn't have a destination in mind, he just needed to clear his head. He pressed the call button and the elevator doors opened.
Stepping inside, Isaac pressed the button for the hangar. The elevator descended to the hangar floor, the doors opening a few seconds later. Isaac strolled into the hall and pushed open the doors. The hangar's lights had been dimmed, which only worsened his mood. He forced himself to stay calm and walked across the hangar. He sat down on the floor and leaned his back against a storage crate. He closed his eyes and slid his hands behind his head, resting it on his palms. He sat in silence for a while before some scurrying sounds startled him.
Jumping to his feet, Isaac scanned the hangar. The hangar had gone completely quiet now, not even the buzz from the few running lights reached his ears. Was this another hallucination? His eyes stopped on the darkest part of the hangar. He glared at the stop, expecting Nicole to appear any second. But she never did. Instead, he heard Ellie's voice this time, softly whispering his name.
"Ellie," Isaac whispered, "Where are you now? I'm sorry. I loved you."
"She never loved you, genius," a voice said from behind him. A chill ran down Isaac's spine. He recognized that voice. His fear then quickly turned to anger. He spun around shouted the name of the voice's owner.
"Norton!"
His voice echoed throughout the hangar. He glared daggers at the empty space behind him, his fists clenched. He knew Norton wasn't there, though part of him wished he was. He stood there from a moment until a softer voice caught his attention.
"Isaac?" He turned around and spotted Slippy standing in a doorway, a large toolbox in his hand. Isaac sighed and unclenched his fists.
"Hey Slippy," he said.
"I heard yelling," he said, "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine," Isaac replied, "Just bad memories."
"And I'm guessing this Norton guy is one of them?" Slippy asked.
"Yeah," Isaac replied, "He was... a dick."
"Oh, um... okay," Slippy said, walking over to a nearby workbench and setting the toolbox on top of it. He popped open the top and grabbed some tools from inside. Isaac walked to the bench to join him.
"What are you working on?" he asked.
"A new targeting mod for the Arwings," Slippy replied, opening a drawer on the bench and removing a small box.
"Just the one?" Isaac questioned.
"For now," Slippy replied, "I use my Arwing test out my mods first. Then once I've worked out the kinks, I'll make more for the rest of them."
"Nice," Isaac said, "Need help?"
"Sure," Slippy replied, "I just have to do some tweaks to this one, then we can install it on my Arwing. There's a sim up there that we use to test it, since we can't go outside."
"Alright," Isaac said.
He watched as Slippy grabbed a screwdriver and unscrewed the side cover, exposing several multi-colored wire bundles that filled the interior. He removed a small pair of pliers from the toolbox and carefully pulled out a bundle. He cut three of the wires and grabbed a small circuit from his toolbox, splicing the wires to it before attaching it to the bottom of the box. He then put the side plate back on and screwed it in place.
"And now for the test," Slippy said, grabbing a code that was attached to the bench.
He plugged the wire into the back of the box and pressed a small, red button next to it. Several green lights on the front of the box illuminated. The lights shut off seconds later, they turned on one by one.
"Looks like it's working," Slippy said, "Now for the real test. Let's go install it on my Arwing."
He and Isaac walked across the hangar towards the lift for the Arwings. Slippy pressed the center of the safety gate, with lifted out of their way. The two of them stepped inside and the safety gate lowered. The lift began its ascent, stopping at the catapults holding each fighter. Slippy led Isaac from the lift to his Arwing, which was tucked away at the far end of the catapults. Slippy pressed a button on the side of his fighter, which opened the canopy. He climbed inside and powered on the fighter. Tapping on the dash, a small panel on the nose cone opened.
"That's where the targeting system is," Slippy said, pointing at the panel, "We'll install the module in there, then run the test."
He hopped out of the cockpit and moved to the open panel. Isaac watched as he carefully slid the box inside. He shoved himself against the side of the Arwing, clearly struggling to get the box inside. After a few more seconds of struggling, he pulled the box back out and handed it to Isaac.
"The mod has to go in the back," he said, "But my arms are too short. Think you can reach it?"
"Sure, I'll give it a try," Isaac replied.
"Great!" Slippy said, "It goes in the empty space there."
He pointed to a gap near the back of the compartment. Isaac nodded and moved to the panel, his eyes scanning the other boxes. He reached his fingers inside and felt around the sides. Slippy, realizing what he was looking for, flipped a small switch on the compartment door, turning on the lights. Isaac mouthed 'thank you,' and shifted the box to his other hand. He eased the box to the back corner and carefully slid it into the empty slot. He felt around the back, searching for some wires to plug in.
"You got it?" Slippy asked.
"Yeah," Isaac replied, "I'm looking for the wires to plug in, but i can't find them."
"Oh, right, uh, these don't have them," Slippy said, "The wires are attached to the rack itself, and there's some small prongs that go directly into the box."
"Gotcha," Isaac said, pulling his arm from the compartment.
"Alright, now for the test," Slippy said, hopping back inside the cockpit.
He tapped on the dashboard and the instruments powered up. A bright flash momentarily illuminated the fighter, which was followed by a dull glow. Isaac turned towards it, seeing a giant monitor about twenty feet away.
"What's that?" he asked.
"That's the sim," Slippy replied, "Once it boots up, I'll program the test."
The sim took another five minutes before the screen flashed again, showing the image of a planet. Above it were numerous small fighters, each flying in formations of five.
"Ok, let's see what we've got," Slippy said, tapping the dashboard again.
A red triangle appeared on the screen. It swiftly moved towards the closest formation, enclosing them in its borders. It began to flash red and white, with small circles covering each fighter. Then, all of them disappeared, a red error message appearing on the screen.
"Are you serious!?" Slippy exclaimed.
"What happened?" Isaac asked.
"Uh, looks like we lost the connection," Slippy replied, climbing out of the cockpit, "Let's take the mod back out."
Isaac nodded and reached inside the avionics panel. He took out the mod and handed it to Slippy. He jogged towards the lift and rode it down to the hangar floor, returning a few minutes later with a bag of tools. He and Isaac began working on the mod, swapping out several wires and circuits. Isaac reinstalled the mod while Slippy climbed back into the cockpit.
Restarting the sim, he began another test. While it went better than the first, it came to the same result. Slippy rubbed his temples in frustration. Isaac removed the mode again. He and Slippy spent the next several hours running tests, each one ending in failure. As time passed, their eyes grew heavy, the movements slowed.
Isaac stuffed the mod inside the avionics bay for what felt like the hundredth time, giving Slippy a thumbs up. He nodded and activated the sim, yawning as he did so. Isaac yawned as well and rested his body against the cold metal of the Arwing. His eyes closed, his muscles relaxing from the dull hum of the avionics. He shot awake when he heard a loud, metallic bang.
He spun towards the sound, finding himself staring down a dark hallway. Isaac didn't recognize it, but he knew he wasn't on The Great Fox anymore. He peeked over his shoulder, seeing a stack of metal containers behind him. There was no sign of Slippy or his Arwing.
"Slippy?" Isaac said.
He was desperately hoping for a response, but he wasn't surprised when none came. He began walking down the hallway, wondering what this Marker fever dream had in store for him this time. He walked for a few minutes before a voice calling his name made him freeze. He recognized that voice; it was Fox.
He ran towards the voice, his scanning the dark halls he passed. Fox's voice called his name again, louder this time. Isaac continued running until he reached a dead end. He turned and was shocked to see the hall he came from had disappeared. He stared at the wall in confusion, wondering where this dream was headed. Fox's voice called out his name a third time, but it sounded distant.
Turning towards the voice, Isaac was surprised to see another hallway had appeared behind him. He walked to the hall's entrance, picking up a wrench that was lying on the floor. Wrapping his fingers around the cold steel, he slowly crept down the hall. He only walked a short distance when he heard footsteps approaching from behind. Isaac whipped around and swung the wrench toward the sound.
The wrench bounced off the wall, leaving a sizable dent in the metal. The hallway suddenly disappeared, being replaced by The Great Fox's hangar. Isaac looked around in confusion, wondering what had just happened.
"Hey Isaac," a familiar voice said.
He turned and saw Falco leaning up against Slippy's Arwing. Isaac sighed and set the wrench down on the floor, moving his body to hide the dent he made in the wall, though it was obvious Falco had already seen it.
"Hey Falco," he said, rubbing his eyes.
"Bad dream?" he asked.
"Something like that," Isaac replied.
"We're about an hour out from Corneria," Falco said, "Fox tried calling you two but no one answered."
"Yeah, we dozed off," Isaac said, seeing Slippy still slumped over in his Arwing, "Someone should wake him up."
"I got it," Falco said. He strolled up to the Arwing and slammed his palm on the side of the cockpit. The bang startled Slippy awake, with him nearly jumping from his seat.
"I'm up! I'm up!" he exclaimed, "Isaac! Was the test a success?"
"I... don't think so," Isaac replied, staring at the error message on the sim's screen.
"What test?" Falco asked. Slippy opened his mouth to respond but was cut off by loud beeping from Falco's communicator. He plucked the device from his belt and answered the call.
"What's up, Fox?" he asked.
"Falco, did you find Isaac and Slippy?" Fox asked.
"Yup," he replied, "They were in the hangar."
"Alright, report to the bridge," Fox said, "I want to go over our plan one last time."
"What plan?" Falco questioned.
"Uh... briefing the Prime Minister on the possible Marker, remember?" Fox asked.
"Oh right, that," Falco said, "We're on our way."
He ended the call and clipped his communicator back onto his belt. At the same time, Slippy shut down the sim and climbed out if his Arwing.
"You two ready?" Falco asked.
"Yeah, we're good," Slippy replied, shutting down his Arwing and closing the avionics panel.
He ran to catch up with Isaac and Falco at the lift. They descended to the hangar floor and walked towards the elevator, taking it up to the crew quarters. They headed to the second elevator, arriving on the bridge level moments later. Falco scanned his card and opened the door to the bridge, finding the others already there.
Fay, Carver, Miyu, and Krystal were sitting in the lounge area, while Fox was at his place in the captain's chair. Slippy quickly rushed inside and sat down next to ROB at the main control panel. Falco and Isaac headed to the lounge area, the smell of fresh coffee reaching their noses.
"There you are," Carver said upon seeing Isaac, "Where've you been?"
"I was helping Slippy run some tests," he replied,
"Oh right. What were you two working on?" Falco asked.
"Slippy was testing a new targeting mod for your Arwings," Isaac replied.
"Oh, really!?" Miyu asked excitedly, "We've been waiting on that for months! How did it go?"
"Not great," Isaac replied.
"Seriously?" Miyu groaned, her excitement disappearing.
"Don't worry, he'll fix it," Krystal said, rubbing her back.
Isaac chuckled and sat down on the couch, Krystal and Miyu shifting so he could sit between them. He grabbed the pot of coffee that was on the table in front of them and poured himself a cup. Falco sat opposite him, quickly filling a cup and downing it almost immediately, his face wincing from the heat.
"Trying to melt the skin in your mouth?" Fox asked, hopping out of his chair.
"Shut up," Falco grumbled, wiping coffee from his beak. Fox rolled his eyes and sat down on the couch beside him.
"Alright," he began, "Now that we're all here, I wanted to go over our brief for the Prime Minister."
"What for?" Falco asked, "Something new come up?"
"Yes," Fox replied, "Me and Carver spoke with Calvin earlier, and he told some things that caught our interest."
"Who the hell is Calvin," Falco asked.
"Our prisoner," Fox replied, clearly annoyed.
"Like I'm supposed to remember," Falco mumbled.
"Moving on," Fox said, "Calvin told us about a possible top secret research mission on the planet."
"Venomian?" Fay questioned.
"Cornerian," Fox replied.
"You can't be serious," Falco scoffed, "How do you know he's even telling the truth?"
"Corneria has done top secret missions in the past," Fox replied, "Plus, he's got no reason to lie to us. Anyway, this is something that I want Beltino's opinion on. So, we need to arrange a meeting with him as well."
"Should we tell the Prime Minister about this as well?" Isaac asked.
"Probably," Fox said, "I want to approach that carefully, though."
"Why?" Falco asked, "You think she knows about it?"
"I don't know," Fox replied, "If she does, she'll probably question how we know this. If she doesn't, well, it wouldn't be the first time someone's done something under her nose. Either way, I want to talk with Beltino first. See what he knows."
"Is this something big?" Isaac asked.
"According to Calvin, it might be," Fox replied, "Apparently, the Cornerian research team found some boulders that did not originate from Fichina. He said he overheard the Venomian scientists say the boulders were around two million years old, and they contained alien DNA."
"Meaning?" Falco asked.
"Tau Volantis," Carver said, looking at Isaac.
"What!?" Miyu gasped, "So, when they arrived, the machine sent debris all over Lylat!?"
"No," Isaac chimed in, "S.C.A.F. logs we found said the aliens first activated the machine two million years before we arrived there. Maybe they were sent here by the first activation."
"That's what me and Carver think, too," Fox said.
"So, does this confirm that the rock we found is a Marker piece?" Krystal asked.
"No," Carver replied, "But it does raise the chances."
"Which is why we need to get ahead of this," Isaac said.
"Once we speak with the Prime Minister, we'll come up with a plan," Fox said, "Beltino has some of the best researchers in Lylat on his team, so he can help us get a head start while we're on r&r."
"We should be on this," Isaac said, "Like I mentioned before, me and Carver are the only ones with experience here."
"True, but back-to-back missions are the quickest way to burn yourselves out," Fox said, "And when you get burnt out, you start making mistakes. I know."
"Right," Isaac said.
"Don't worry," Krystal said, gently squeezing his shoulder, "Beltino's good. He'll get us in front."
Isaac smiled and took her hand. Miyu rested her head on his opposite shoulder, getting a head scratch in return. Fox chuckled at them while Falco rolled his eyes at the display.
"Get a room," he muttered. Miyu opened her mouth to retort, but a loud beeping cut her off.
"Fox!" Slippy called from the front of the bridge, "We're about to exit slip space!"
"Copy that, Slippy," he said, standing up, "Strap yourselves in."
Fox walked back to the captain's chair while the others pulled the seatbelts out of the couch cushions and secured them to their laps. The ship began to lightly shake, the blue field in the bridge's glazing beginning to dissipate. The shaking increased, shifting everyone in their seats. A small black circle appeared in the center of the slip space field, slowly increasing in size. After thirty seconds, the blue field disappeared, and the shaking stopped. Corneria now filled the bridge's glazing, the bright light from the orbit defense platforms twinkling in the distance. Above them, the Orbital Gate slowly rotated, several large red lights flashing.
"Looks like the Orbital Gate's almost ready," Falco said, staring at the structure.
"Slippy, contact control," Fox ordered.
"Ok," Slippy said, tapping on the main console, "CDF Control, this the Great Fox."
"Great Fox, go ahead," CDF control responded.
"We are passing the Orbital Gate, requesting clearance for re-entry," Slippy said.
"Re-entry request granted," the controller replied, "Maintain your present heading, reduce speed to Mach 2.5."
"Reducing speed to Mach 2.5," Slippy said, slowly pulling a small lever.
A slight hissing filled the bridge, their descent toward Corneria slowing. As the they got closer to the planet, five large ships passed by them. Large weapons could be seen on their hulls, the CDF insignia painted on their sides. Numerous Arwings surround the ships.
"Those are frigates," Falco said, "And a whole squadron of fighters."
"They're hailing ass," Carver said.
"Something big must be going on," Isaac said, "What do you think, Fox?"
"I'm hoping it just a routine patrol," Fox replied, "I'll ask the Prime Minister once we get there."
The Great Fox continued in slow descent towards the planet, light turbulence filled the ship as it reached the outer atmosphere. The turbulence intensified the deeper the ship went, flames appearing in the bridge's glazing. The turbulence and flames subsided after a few minutes, revealing the blue Cornerian sky. Slippy angled the ship toward a giant, brown spot mixed in amongst the green fields. As the got closer, the brown spot was revealed to be the same dry lakebed they departed from. Slippy slowed the ship, bringing it to a hover in the center of the lakebed.
"CDF Control, this is The Great Fox," he said.
"Great Fox, go ahead," control replied.
"We've arrived at Harlen Lake, requesting clearance to return to the space port," Slippy said.
"Clearance approved," the control replied, "Fly heading 250, maintain 4,000 feet, limit speed to Mach .75."
Slippy repeated the controller's instruction and turned The Great Fox toward the space port. The city skyline soon appeared, looking just as chaotic as it was when they left. Slippy steered the ship past various transports and air taxis, the space sport coming into view minutes later. Passing by several large ships, The Great Fox came to a stop in beside an empty spot.
"All yours ROB," Slippy said, patting the robot's arm.
"Beginning docking sequence," he said in his robotic monotone.
ROB tapped rapidly on his console, and the ship turned 180 degrees. It slowly moved forwards, sliding carefully between two parked ships. Once in the spot, the ship lowered until it rested on its cradle, the locking clamps securing it in place. ROB and Slippy shut down the engines and began their post flight checks. Fox stood from his seat and walked to the lounge.
"I sent a message to Peppy," he said, "He'll be here in a few to pick us up. Let's head down to the hangar."
The others undid their seatbelts and followed Fox out of the bridge and to the hangar. Once they arrived, Fox opened the hangar doors. After five minutes of waiting, a small shuttle floated into the hangar. The gear extended and the shuttle landed nearby. The side door opened, revealing Peppy and two CDF MPs standing in the cabin. He waved them on, and they climbed inside. Fox remained outside and escorted the MPs out of the hangar. They returned five minutes later with Calvin in tow. They climbed inside, moving Calvin to the back were the MPs sat on either side. At the same time, Slippy arrived from the bridge and quickly jumped inside. Peppy closed the door behind him and the shuttle departed for the Capitol Building, the hangar doors closing as they left. The trip took around ten minutes, no thanks to the rush hour traffic. The shuttle landed on its designated pad on the Capitol Building's roof. Peppy opened the shuttle's door, and everyone departed. The shuttle rose back into the sky and headed back into the city.
"Finally," Peppy said, leading them to the entrance, "Every in the air there's damn traffic!"
"Yeah, I've noticed it's gotten worse," Fox said.
"Everyone's moving to the damn city!" Peppy said, "Towns are disappearing, plenty of space out in the country. But everyone wants to come here."
"Look on the bright side," Falco said, "You'll have plenty of open land to retire on. Build a house, no one for miles to bother you."
"That'll happen in the next thirty seconds at this rate," Peppy muttered.
He scanned his card and opened the door. He stood by while the others walked inside. He secured the door behind them and made his way to the front of the pack. They followed him through the building to the Prime Minister's office, which they arrived at a few minutes later. Peppy knocked on the door, entering once he had permission. The others waited outside for a few moments until Peppy opened the door and waved them in. He sat down in a chair by the Prime Minister's desk while the rest stood in front of it. Prime Minister Lena signed a couple papers on her desk and pushed them to the side.
"Star Fox," she began, "How was the mission?"
"It was rough," Fox replied, "Venom had built a station in one of Fichina's moons."
"Interesting," Lena mused, "Do you know what they were doing there?"
"We captured a Venomian soldier from a boarding party," Fox said, "When me and Carver questioned him, he said they were both spying on the CDF stationed there and running covert research missions on the surface."
"Is this information accurate?" Lena asked.
"As far as we can tell," Fox replied, "Calvin, the Vemonian, didn't really have anything to gain by lying to us."
"Fair enough," Lena said, standing from her chair and walking to the window, "Did he mention what Venom was after? Fichina's nothing but an ice ball."
"Well... uh, that leads me to the real we wanted to speak to you," Fox replied.
Lena turned and cocked an eye at him. She wasn't expecting that. She returned to her desk and took a deep breath. After a few moments to compose herself, she motioned for Fox to continue.
"During our raid of the station, we found a large rock in one of the rooms," he said, "And it could possibly be a piece of a Marker."
Lena sat silence for a while, letting this run through her mind. Again, she stood and returned to her window, gazing over the city skyline. She stood motionless for a moment before turning to Fox.
"You're sure it is a Marker piece?" she asked.
"Not entirely," Fox said, "But what we learned from Calvin, and some insight from Carver and Isaac leaves us to believe it might be." Lena turned to Isaac and Carver, waiting patiently for them to speak. The two shared a glance before Carver stepped forward.
"Calvin said that boulders were found on the planet that originated outside of Fichina," he said, "They were dated to be around two million years old and contained alien DNA. Logs me and Isaac found on Tau Volantis said the aliens there first activated their machine two million years prior to our arrival."
"And you believe it sent debris here, too," Lena asked.
"Possibly," Carver replied, "But there's no way to know for sure."
"How did the Venomians come across these boulders?" Lena asked.
"We can't confirm this, but Calvin mentioned the possibility of a secret Corneria research team stationed on the planet," Fox replied.
"I don't know of any research team out there," Lena said, "If it's the damn LCI again, I'm shutting those assholes down."
She stormed back to her desk and sat down, burying her head in her hands. She sat in silence for a while, making the others nervous. Eventaully, with a heavy sigh, she spoke again.
"The rock you found, do you have it?" she asked.
"We do," Fox replied.
"Bring it to Beltino's lab, have him run some tests," Lena said, "After that, take some time off. Lord knows we all could use some."
"Will do," Fox said, "Thank you for speaking with us."
"You're welcome," Lena said. Peppy opened the door and they left the Prime Minister's office. Fox, being the last one out, stopped in the doorway and turned back to Lena.
"One last thing," he said, "On our way in, we saw a bunch of frigates and Arwings leaving the planet. Did something happen?"
"A Venomian patrol was spotted near our border," Lena replied, "I sent them to intercept. Show them we mean business."
"Is that wise?" Fox asked, "I don't mean to question but we can't afford another war."
"If we don't respond, we'll give Venom the impression that we'll just roll over and take it," Lena said, "We can't afford to do that either."
"I know," Fox sighed.
"You're worried about the rock, aren't you?" Lena asked, already knowing the answer.
"That just adds to our troubles," Fox replied.
"There's not much we can do," Lena said, "If what Carver and Isaac said about the alien machine is true, then seeds planted long before any of us existed."
"Do you have a plan?" Fox asked.
"I do," Lena replied, "Bring the rock to Beltino. I'll keep in touch with him to see what he learns. Then we'll use that to get ahead of Venom."
"And pray they aren't doing the same," Fox said.
"As we all should," Lena said, "But stress yourself worrying about it. I got covered. You and your team time some time off."
"Thank you," Fox said, closing her office door. He joined the others, and they followed Peppy back to the landing pad.
"I've called in a shuttle," he told Fox, "We'll take you back to The Great Fox, you guys grab the rock, then we'll head to the labs."
Peppy opened the doors to the launch pad, the shuttle landing just as they exited. After boarding the shuttle, they were flown back to the space port. Once they arrived, Fox contacted ROB to open the hangar doors. Once the doors were open, the shuttle landed inside. Fox, Isaac and Carver left to retrieve the box, returning five minutes later. Once the rock was loaded, the shuttle doors closed and departed the hangar for Beltino's lab.
Arriving a few minutes later, the shuttle landed in the behind the lab. Peppy and Star Fox left the shuttle and headed toward the entrance. Peppy talked down the guards when the spotted Isaac and Carver, assuring them they were harmless. The guards stepped aside and allowed them through. The automatic door parted from the team as they entered. Inside was a brightly lit lobby, filled to the brim with people. Each one stopped to stare at Isaac and Carver as they passed, make the two uncomfortable as neither one liked attention.
"We're almost to Beltino's office," Peppy said, noticing their discomfort.
Sure enough, they arrived less than a minute later. Peppy knocked on the door, which was followed by the sound of someone knocking things over. The door opened, revealing the same orange toad Isaac saw nearly a week ago.
"Peppy," he said, "What can I..." His voice trailed off when he saw Isaac, his eyes widening. He stepped into the hall, his gaze never him. Isaac took a step back, unnerved by the toad's stare.
"It's you,'" he said, "The alien."
"Uh, yeah," Isaac said, taking another step back. He nearly bumped into Carver doing so, which brought Beltino's attention to him.
"There's another one!?" he exclaimed.
"Hey, let's take this inside," Peppy said.
"Oh! Uh right," Beltino said, "Please come in."
They piled into his rather large office and fanned out around his desk. Beltino walked to his desk and sat down.
"Sorry about earlier," he said, "It's just... you know. The realization that there's life beyond our galaxy. We've been searching for years. Would you two allow us to run some test? We've been studying the dead alien we recovered from the docks, but it's always good to have a live specimen." Isaac and Carver stared at him, unsure on how to answer. Luckily, Fox came to their rescue.
"Actually, we came here because we wanted you to look at something," he said.
"Oh, ok," Beltino said, sounding disappointed, "What do you have?" Fox and Falco pushed the box in front of his desk and opened it, revealing the rock. Beltino leaned over his desk, his eyes scanning the surface.
"Interesting rock," he said, "Where'd you get it?"
"A Venomian spy station above Fichina," Fox replied.
"Fichina? Not exactly an exciting place," Beltino mused, "We used to have a research station there. Closed it down years ago. So, what do you need me to do with this?"
"We need you to run some test," Fox replied, "Figure out all you can on where it came from, its material make up and that sort thing."
"And a, uh... weird request," Isaac began, "Could you possibly see if it's receiving a signal?"
"Signal?" Beltino questioned, "What kind of signal?"
"Any kind of signal," Isaac replied.
"Not sure how a rock would receive a signal, but I can check for you," Beltino said.
"Thank you," Isaac said.
"No problem," Beltino replied, "Need anything else?"
"We captured a Venomian soldier from the spy station," Fox began, "He told us that there's a Cornerian research team on the planet. Do you know why they might be there?"
"Like I said, the last research station closed down years ago," Beltino replied, "I don't know why anyone would be out there. Are you positive what he said was correct?"
"Not really," Fox replied, "But he was smart enough to know he wouldn't get anywhere by lying. I guess until we get some more evidence, we just have to take his word."
"Indeed," Betino said, "I'll look into this for you, best I can."
"Thanks, Beltino," Fox said.
"No problem, McCloud," Beltino replied. A buzzer suddenly went off on his desk, and a feminine voice came through.
"Mr. Toad, your presence is requested in chemistry."
"Welp, duty calls," Beltino said, "It was nice to see all, hope to talk again soon."
"Likewise," Fox said, "See you later."
They left Beltino's office as he closed the door behind them, quickly rushing down the hall toward chemistry. The others walked through the lobby and out onto the airfield behind the lab.
"You guys finish that pad at your villa?" Peppy asked Fox.
"We didn't," he replied, "But we can land on the front lawn. There's plenty of space there."
"What about the grass?" Peppy asked.
"Who cares," Fox replied, "It's grass."
"Just like your father," Peppy chuckled, dialing the number for the shuttle.
"You guys have a villa?" Isaac asked.
"Sure do!" Miyu replied, "Wait till you see it. It's absolutely beautiful."
"Speaking of which," Fox chimed in, "We'll have to clean out the spare rooms for you guys. We should have some spare clothes we can modify as well."
"Will we be there long?" Carver asked.
"A day or two," Fox replied, "We usually get a week off, so we always like to travel."
"Ooh! Let's go to Grendel Beach on Aquas!" Miyu said, "It's been a while since we went. And it will be perfect for these two."
"I doubt that, Miyu," Krystal said.
"What's wrong Grendel beach?" Isaac asked.
"It's... a nude beach," Fox replied. Isaac could already fell his face heating up.
"Seriously?" he asked.
"It's actually clothing optional," Krystal said, her face also turning red.
"And I choose the 'no clothes' option," Miyu said, winking at Isaac, causing his blush to deepen.
"They're still new here, Miyu," Fox said, "Maybe we shouldn't rush them in."
"No Grendel Beach?" she asked, sounding disappointed.
"We can still go," Fox reassured, "Head out tomorrow if you're ready. Just... take it easy. And maybe wear something this time."
"You know me better than that," Miyu said.
Fox rolled his and turned away, watching the shuttle land nearby. They climbed inside the cab, and the shuttled rose into the sky. The trip to the villa was awkwardly silent, given Miyu's plan for their R&R. Isaac sat between her and Krystal, trying to keep his mind from forming images. Krystal and Miyu were beautiful despite the animal features and weren't that different in appearance compared human women. Of course, the thought of seeing them and others naked made him wonder if the similarities translated to... He shook the thought from his mind, earning a side glance from both of them.
Krystal gave him soft smile and patted his arm. Miyu did the same, though gave him another wink. He smiled and took their hands, softly squeezing them, though it did little to calm him. While he wasn't sure about Krystal, it was a guarantee he'd see Miyu completely bare. With how excited she was, she seemed to have a thing for nudity. He looked at Carver, who was staring out the window. He impossible to tell what his was thinking, but Isaac assumed his was just as rattled as he was. It was obvious Fay was, as she simply stared at the floor, a bright red blush visible through her fur.
The city's skyline soon gave way to green fields and large patches of trees. Several large houses could be seen dotted the landscape. A few minutes later, the shuttle began to descent, soon landing on the lawn of a large house. The door opened and Star Fox piled out. Peppy waved them goodbye and the shuttle took off again, heading back to the city. The front door to the villa opened and Farah emerged from inside. Fox happily ran up to her and wrapped her in a hug, his tail wagging. She hugged him back, holding him in a tight embrace.
"What's with all this lovey dovey nonsense lately?" Falco said, dragging his hands down his face.
"Aw, do we need to give Katt a call?" Miyu said, batting her eyes at him.
Falco groaned and walked inside, squeezing past Fox and Farrah. Fox glanced at her, who simply shrugged in response. Fox sighed and followed Falco inside, Farrah right behind him. Miyu and Krystal grabbed Isaac's hands and escorted him in. Fay slyly extended her had to Carver, who happily took it. The two followed behind the others, Slippy filling the rear. Once they were all inside, Fox led Isaac and Carver toward the hall that contained the bedrooms, stopping by two rooms at the end of the hall, which held the entrance to another hall on the left.
"These are the spare rooms," he said, "They're full of junk right now, but they do have beds at least. The guest bathrooms are down that hall, the last doors on either side. Both are full baths, so they'll have tubs and everything. They don't get used much, so I'm not sure if they have everything you'll need."
He then opened one of the bedroom doors and stepped inside. Like he said, the room was filled with junk. Isaac and Carver followed in to get a better looked, carefully stepping over cardboard boxes and pieces of old furniture.
"Wow," Isaac said, gazing over the debris.
"Don't worry," Fox said, "We'll get this cleaned up in no time."
"What is all this stuff?" Carver asked.
"It's... garbage now," Fox replied.
He moved behind a stack of boxes and began pushing them out the door. Isaac and Carver grabbed some of the furniture pieces. They spent the next hour cleaning out the room, the work going much quicker once Falco and Slippy joined in to help. Moving to the next room, they were discouraged to find it filled with even more junk. As such, it took nearly two hours to clean it out. Once both rooms were empty, Fox gave Isaac and Carver some blankets and bedsheets, as well as some clothes. Farah brought them some extra cloth to patch of the tail flaps on the pants. They set the clothes on their beds and followed the smell of roasted meat and vegetables to the dining room.
The room was lit by a large chandelier, which hung above a long wooden table. Two oval plates with what resembled roast beef were placed in the center. Smaller plates filled with vegetables and bread were placed around the meat. at either end of the table were two large pitchers filled with a dark red liquid, the bottles beside them revealing it to be wine. Fay and Miyu were setting out the last of the plates when then entered, Farah emerging from the kitchen with a carving fork and knife. She plunged the fork into the meat and cut it into several large slices, doing the same to the other roast. She set a piece down on each plate, after which Fay spooned on some vegetables. Miyu grabbed a pitcher filled the cups set above each plate. With dinner served, everyone sat down and began to eat.
As the ate, Fox talked to Farah about their mission and their talk with the Prime Minister. Farah, knowing Isaac and Carver's story, was startled to hear that what happened to them could happen in Lylat. Fox assured her that the Prime Minister and Peppy were working on plan, and Beltino was helping as well. This calmed her down somewhat, but he could tell it still bothered. So, he changed the subject to their plans for R&R.
"Grendel Beach, huh?" she asked.
"Yup," Fox replied, "Miyu's idea, of course."
"That's good," Farah said, "Haven't been to Aquas in a while. Can't wait to see if the finished the resort."
"Oh, I hope they have," Fay said, "The pictures looked amazing!"
"It sure did!" Farah agreed, "It'll bring more people to beach."
"I don't care about the resort," Miyu said, "I just want to feel the wind in my fur."
"Going naked again, I see," Farah said.
"Don't knock it till you try it," Miyu countered.
"You know what, I just might," Farah said. The two of them shared a laugh, though Fox seemed bothered. Farah noticed his expression quite quickly, reaching out to pat his shoulder.
"What's the matter, Foxy?" she asked.
"Are you sure you what to do that?" he asked.
"Of course," she replied, "Maybe you should join us."
"I've got some weird fans out there, Farah," he said, "That's just asking for trouble."
"Come on," Miyu said, "Live a little."
"Fine," Fox sighed.
"So, when do you plan on leaving?" Farah asked.
"We can leave tomorrow if everyone's ready," he replied.
"I'm ready!" Miyu said excitedly.
"I mean, we got everything we'll need on The Great Fox," Krystal said.
"What about you guys," Fox asked Isaac and Carver. The two of them thought for a moment before answering.
"I'm down," Isaac replied.
"I guess I am, too," Carver replied, "Been a while since I could just relax and enjoy life."
"Then it's settled," Fox said, "We'll leave tomorrow at eleven. That should get us there at two Aquas time. Sound good?"
"Sounds perfect," Falco replied, taking a swig of wine.
"What about you guys?" Miyu asked, glancing between Isaac and Carver, "You guys gonna join me and Farrah in our birthday suits.?"
"Probably not," Isaac replied, "We'll already stick out. Don't really wanna make it worse. Besides, I don't think Carver wants to see that."
"No I don't," Carver muttered.
"You're no fun," Miyu pouted.
Everyone shared a laugh before returning to their food, a few of them even going for seconds, Miyu pouring them some more wine. They stayed at the table until nearly eleven, stuffing themselves with the roast meat while getting buzzed on the wine. Everyone stood from the seats and cleaned up the table. Fox helped Farah and Miyu box up the leftover to take with them. Falco strolled into the kitchen, returning a few seconds later carrying a thermos. He poured the leftover wine inside and departed the dining room. Krystal, who'd seen what happened, shook her head in disappointment before grabbing a stack of dishes and carrying them to the kitchen. Fay and Slippy helped wash them, Isaac and Carver stepping in when they could.
Once dinner was taken care of, they headed to their rooms for bed while Isaac and Carver headed to their bedrooms. Inside they grabbed the spare clothes that were given. While neither were good at sewing, they made quick work of patching up the tail flaps. Once done, they headed to the guest bathrooms for a shower. Both were happy to find them fully stocked with everything from shampoo to toilet paper despite supposedly being rarely used. Both quickly showered and emerged from bathrooms a half an hour later. They said their goodnights and returned to their bedrooms. climbing into the beds, both quickly fell asleep, the dreams for once not plagued by nightmares.