Starfox Fall of Lylat II: Before the Dawn

[Snys93]

The Author's First Thoughts

 

 

 

 

 

  When writing I ask myself the question of whether or not this story needs to be told. Its a weird question coming from a writer but one that must be asked none the less. In reply the answer is yet another question, "Why must this story be told?" Truthfully I really don't know, even though this question is really directed towards me. Why do I feel this necessity, what is the hard bound reason behind the creation? Honestly I'm at a loss. Maybe its because of recent world events, that I am afraid of inevitable outcomes and trying to make sense of these things through fiction gives me the courage to continue.

 

  Perhaps this is why.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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   "Wars are poor chisels for carving out peaceful tomorrows."

                                                                                                 - Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Starfox: Fall of Lylat II

Before the Dawn

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chapter 1:

Sunset Rising

 

 

 

 

 

 

   "Is it agreed?" A group of canines and vulpines had gathered about a wide makeshift table of crates and chrome paneling in a 20 by 50 room filled with more crates covered in tarps. There was a lot of staring and folding of the arms. Not the sort of bunch to reckon with in a dark, rainy alley. The foremost of them stood waiting for a reply to his question, his face scanning about to the other around the table.

 

   "We all must decide unanimously tonight if we are to go through with this at all."

 

   A hound stood up from his seated position. "Are you sure this is the way?"

 

   "He assured me that it is the only way. For too long we have been subjected to the lies. Our pleads go unanswered. What else is there that we have not tried?" He stared deeply into all those present, "This is the only way and history will decide if we were fortunate to be in the right."

 

   The rest stood in unison and applauded with great rejoicing, all but the hound before had showed his support but not his convection. He stared with sorrow at their leader who was shaking hands with other supporters as their eyes met. They both knew but only one was in agony.

 

 

 

 

 

---

 

 

 

 

   Fortunan Orbit...

 

   â€‹"Idris 7 on final approach, preparing for trap landing."

 

   "Idris 7, you are cleared for landing on runway 1 and welcome aboard."

 

   The traffic of cargo transports is a little more than a coordinated dance of large craft carrying thousands of tons of fuel. But when compared to space faring juggernauts such as carriers they are minuscule to say the least. Among these titans of steel is the Madeline. A dreadnought in her time, now a relic of a violent era when she was needed most. Now the old girl is to be laid to rest with hopes of being a war museum where the "Lady Mad" would continue in hearts and minds as an example for the Cornerian Defense Force.

 

   In his cabin, Commander Agathol had already awoken to reveille. He had a knack for waking up long before the alarm went off, even if he didn't have the luxury of a snooze button. The PA sounded with the familiar voice of Lieutenant Din Yana.

 

   "Reveille, reveille, all hands reveille. Report to assigned stations."

 

   Just than another familiar voice and sight came to the Commander's cabin. A knock at the door, always five seconds after reveille sounded.

 

   "Come." The Commander said.

 

   Ensign Matthew Finley had been the Commanders aid bringing him coffee and breakfast every morning for two years. Never late, never early. Always on time.

 

   "Good morning sir."

 

   "Morning Finley. Whats on the menu today?"

 

   "More of the same sir. The galley hasn't been the same Chef took ill."

 

   "Eggs and hash, again. Why do they look the same this time?"

 

   "It would be a miracle to tell them apart at all." The XO, Colonel Freemen walked in. "I saw the door open, thought I'd stop by."

 

   "If I'm not needed sir..."

 

   "Go Finley, eat your egghash too before it gets cold." Agathol said chuckling.

 

   Colonel Freemen watched as the Ensign left through the cabin door and turn to Agathol. "You know one of these days, the CDF brass is gonna catch on to how you run this joint."

 

   "What are we doing thats lax? We observe protocol, have a set number of guidelines and on top of that this ship is getting decommissioned. Time to live a little and stop being so uptight. We'll get back to civilian life and or sign back up depending on who we are."

 

   "Chis, commanding this ship is a privilege. You should at least see through the eyes of others. Shes seen the Lylat War and rallied to Corneria's defense in the bleakest of times. But somehow, you look as if you miss it."

 

   "I've had enough share of war as have you. But I'm not gonna parade around saying I made a difference when I truly didn't. I'm not trying to forget. Still it was nice when we had something to do."

 

   "Well, we'll get our chance soon enough. Eight months isn't too long from now."

 

   "Yeah. You gonna eat this?"

 

   "Not any more and I'll thank the day Chef gets better."

 

 

 

   Engineering...

 

1.    Despite being an old ship, Madeline still had ways of ensuring her crew with means to occupy their time. No one onboard is more intune with the supercarrier than the Katinian coyote Engineer Chief Martin Poscon. Almost a hobby, Martin clearly enjoys being around the Lady Mad's thruster assembly and anywhere else that needs tightening or recalibrating. Today was more of the same for the Chief as well. He walked down a catwalk assessing new reports on the ships interior workings with crewmen Vergiff Kasteele. 

 

   "An EPS bypass bus burns out and no one tells me?"

 

   "Sorry Chief , we were locking down a leak in the plasma conductors when we got this."

 

   "Secondary systems?"

 

   "They activated just as they were supposed to."

 

   "Might be feedback from the sub-relay."

 

   "Sir, half these units need to be replaced. Patch jobs just won't do it. The Lady Mad hasn't been the same since the Aparoids invaded."

 

   "When the ol' girl gets decommissioned she won't need most of them anyway. They're mainly are just for weapons. Don't worry about it."

 

   The PA sounded.

 

   "Chief Poscon, report to deck 12 section B."

 

   "Ah, must be the support frames again. Vergiff, go check the bus and make sure its offline this time."

 

 

 

 

   Corneria, Durin province, interstate highway...

 

   "I'm confused, run that by me again."

 

   A few members of President Andsa's cabinet were seated in a limousine discussing current topics presently on the minds of voters, while on-route to the President's address to the senate.

 

   "Okay, are you paying attention this time? 300 hundred years ago, the government at that time disbanded much of the organized military in favor of a simple set up where General staff controlled the fleet and army simultaneously. Got that?

 

   "Yeah, but how is that simple? Wouldn't it be better to have the Admiralty continue to be in control of the star navy?"

 

   Another member butted in. "Because to them it seemed like lasting peace was around the corner, which when you study history a little further..."

 

   "Yeah, yeah, little regional conflicts here and there, I know. That still doesn't answer my question: Why are we now reverting back to the old standard? General Pepper showed that the system worked."

 

   "Thats different, General Pepper was a noble and wise leader in a time of chaos. Now that governmental ruling parties have reformed there is just no need for this type of system and restoring full control to the Admiralty seems like the next necessary step. That would be too much power for one person."

 

   "Hey wheres Norin?"

 

   "Hes got the flu, he can't make it to see the President's speech."

 

   Norin Rabbik the Secretary of Agriculture, born in Delphine a seaside town off the Aquantica coast. Had a dream of making it big in politics one day but never thought he'd land a spot in the Pearl Manor in the President's cabinet. Even though Corneria is a green world, no seems keenly interested in agriculture which doesn't help Norin and his obscurity. Still he does his job well despite often times being overlooked by his contemporaries.

 

 

 

 

 

   CDF Station codename Onyx, Near Katina...

 

   Onyx Station, a hub of activity, a city in space. Here vessels exhausted from exploration or routine patrols come to refuel, as freighters and liners from all of Lylat either dock to offload supplies or continue on their route while protected from pirates. But here reside the true guardians of Lylat, the ones who keep it safe from threat of invasion.

 

   "And, all reds! Haha!!"

 

   "Dammit Kaylee, I do not want to play cards with you ever again if continue this winning streak."

 

   In the pilot's lounge, the CAG and his wings relaxed playing poker and swapping tales.

 

   "Wanna play a hand, Captain?"

 

   "With Kaylee's luck, Dirk I don't have a chance."

 

   Lt. Dirk Kelso, second in command of Banshee Squadron extended a glass to his CO and best friend Capt. Saul Govorian. "Come on at least drink with us. Just a little." he said pinching his fingers.

 

   "Well it is Saluting Day after all, the Twentieth anniversary of the end of the Lylat War. Why not."

 

   "Yeah!!! Come on, cap!!!" Yells Kaylee.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

   Somewhere in space...

 

   "Now that we are in full agreement, we can finally move forward."

 

   "Jalkin you know I would do anything for you, take a bullet even, but this is too much me."

 

   "I can't trust anyone else Geortin. Its you, its got to be. Please my brother there is no one else. If I could change places with you I would. But my place is here."

 

   Jalkin hands Geortin a briefcase. "I-I understand." said Geortin who than left towards an airlock where a shuttle was waiting, which left as soon as he boarded. Jalkin then toggle a comlink.

 

   "Taskforce one, is everything ready?" A reply came swiftly.

 

   "Yes sir, we are on route as we speak."

 

    "Proceed as planned, package is being delivered."

 

    "understood, standing by. "

Edited February 6, 2017 by Snes1993

[Snys93]

As mentioned in my other fanfic topic, im back with a new medium. I have not abandoned my stories just yet.

Keep posted for further installments of the Fall of Lylat series.

[Snys93]

Chapter 2: Zenith Approach

 

 

 

 

 

 

    Norin Rabbik stared at the ceiling. The common cold was the least of his worries, since he was to join the rest of the presidential candidate in the capital city. He felt depressed, almost unworthy. Then his children rushed in.

 

    "Daddy! Daddy!" Yelled Sophia and Cameroen.

 

    "Hey hey, daddy is sick and needs his rest"', said Martha Rabbik, telling  the children to stay stay away. She closed the door once they were reassured that his condition would eventually improve.

 

    "Simply turning them away," Norin piped weakly, "seems so cruel."

 

    "Sorry but you need some time."

 

    He smiles knowing full his wife's love. Martha embraces him. "Wait!" he exclaims, "you'll catch it too!"

 

    She gives him THAT LOOK and exclaims, "we both share the same bed. I'm not taking the couch and meither are you."

 

    "Yes ma'am," he says laying back. "But could you at least turn on the TV?"

 

    "Alright," Martha turns it on, right on the news station.

 

    "...and I'm told the presidential procession is rolling up to the Senate building as we speak, Bob. Soon within an hour or two, we will hear the president of the Lylatian Union give his address to the Senate and will broadcast it live during that time. For now here are some headlines..."

 

 

 

 

 

    Inside the Senate building, various political parties met and shock hands in aggreement as they awaited the address of their democratically elected leader. The floor bustled with persons representing each corner of Lylat and beyond its established borders, whether individual colonies or alien allies. The chairman of the floor sounded his gavel.

 

    "Order! Order! This council is now in session! Please be seated."

 

    The legislation took its seat and waited for the preceding announcement. The chairmen looked about and waited until the majority was seated. "The chair recolonizes the president of the Lylantian Union. Hear thee!"

 

    The president stepped up to the podium. He was loved and hated as he waved to his supporters with full confidence of the end result. "My fellow Lylatians, brothers...sisters, we have together overcome challenges of war and extinction, only to come out the victor because we are united in our resolve. Because we are stronger together than divided, in our faith in the common virtue of freedom that is open to all and closed to noone. We do not embrace our enemies but seek to embrace our enemies as friends, to serve alongside with us as fellow workers of peace and prosperity..."

 

    A lonely member sat among the crowd of senators, staring at the floor wondering...thinking... Some time later, the president's address ended and appeared onto the floor to shake hands with other others and briefly exchange on policies that ended on cheerful notes. President Andsa then turned his gaze to an unfamiliar face.

 

     "Hey there, have we met?" Said the president.

 

     "Yes sir, the Macbeth conference? On trade sufferage?"

 

     "Oh yea Gaflin was it?"

 

     "Geortin...and I have a message."

 

     "Oh from who?"

 

     Geortin grasps this right hand tightly. "Tonight, Corneria recalls her greatest sin. Prerun."

 

     "What...?"

 

     "Your blood is not the first." Geortin reaches over and trips the detonator.

 

 

 

 

 

 

     To be continued...

[Snys93]

Preface: It has indeed been a while since I last paid a visit to this site and even longer that continued with this story. Since that my writing has improved during the better part of a decade. That and my preferences on writing have changed and while to have fresh in mind where I intended for this story to go, note that previous entries prior to this point are lacking in description. I have aged, I have matured and I have improved for clarification, to those who would read this now seeing those rather glaring changes. In that spirit you now know the why and as for the because-... let's just say, I don't like unfinished business.

 

 

 

Chapter 3: The Lady "Mad"

 

 

   In the years since the war, Sector had been a battle ground for the key moments of almost every conflict within the confines of Lylat. Now it saw the mothballing of several aging hulks, some still awaiting service for when the CDF would need them most, others were stripped of their components, laid bare to the vacuum of the the blackened void. There the light of dead stars touched their space dusted innards. But amongst this graveyard of beaten tired hulked was life in the form of contracted salvage crews in sub-light sleds and pressurized suits. Of course the occasional patrol from the Kriegsturrm made their passes before getting the all-clear. Yes, there was one ship designated for patrol duty in this region and just like her Commander she was due to stand down in eight months.

 

   Margo Yates, seasoned as much as any officer knew her duty and never wavered despite the urgings of friends and family. 'The war is over,' they would say that a desk job was the best that Lylat's lack of war had to offer and without a war, what was the point of serving aboard one of the last dedicated battleships in the space navy? Oh, she would go out alright but with a whimper, the Kriegsturrm was never gonna receive the high class treatment that the Madeline would get. Not that it matter; Yates' mind wandered to her friend, Chisteran Agathol, same rank and six years her senior. He had been quiet the past couple days and she had been used to chattering with other skippers on a secure scrambled band via the wireless. Margo shrugged it off and thumped to her CIC, where her XO, Colonel Sherff was staring down at her black cup of coffee.

 

   "Have to wake up yet," Margo said walking by. Sherff the snow leopard squinted his eyes coyote. "Still getting out of bed," he retorted, "how the hell do you do it, get up and go to work without looking like you haven't drank me under the table."

 

   "Takes practice," she said looking at sensor scans via the overhead monitors, "what do we got today?"

   "Nothing too unusual, just a caravan of freighters taxiing out of Macbeth headed to Katina."

   "Fifty freighters at once? Guess the economy is on the boom again."

   "Are you kidding," Sherff said after taking a bitter sip from his coffee, "since they shut the pipeline, the miners needed find work elsewhere."

   Margo gave him an inquisitive leer. "Since when have you been paying attention the economic game?"

   "Since the last president of the Union issued that 'Cornaria First' Policy. It messed us all up."

   "I told you, no politics on the CIC. We've been through this."

   "I know, but-" The XO was cut off abruptly from the officer on comms. "Commander, Onyx Station is calling. They need an update on that convoy."

   "Patch him through and hurry," she said glancing a gaze at Sherff.

 

 

 

   The patrols from the Kriegsturrm had made rounds and spotted the Macbeth convoy of freighters on route to Katina. Lead from the formation passed the caravan in a leisurely nonthreatening display, maneuvering away and back to the ship so as not to be too far on bingo fuel. The caravan vectoring to the shipping in safety awaiting more patrols from pirates eager to steal their cargo. But not today and even if they were out there, they would be informed to stay away from these ones in particular; these ships weren't carrying relief supplies. Onboard the lead freighter the crew scowled at the CDF fighters from the thick windowed observation deck of the bridge.

 

   "That was too close," one said to the others.

   "We need to pick up the pace," the freighter captain checking the chronometers, "we can't mess this up. Alert the others, increase to three marks above cruising speed.

 

   The word was given and the sub-light freighters flared their ion drives into accelerating. The tension inside beyond that was acceptable, white knuckle, heads on swivels, both prepared and knowing what happens next when they arrive.

   "Those traitors," the captain spat, "they won't know what hit them. Onward to Katina."

 

 

 

...TO BE CONTINUED...