Outside The Bar

[Velocity]

"fine,be that way"flair said

kitty slowed down too.she wanted to walk with ris.

[Ris Grestar]

'Teh.  Iron Vixen.' Ris thought mockingly, rolling his eyes.  In the process, however, he caught sight of Kitty coming towards him again.  'Ugh, I can't even tell whether I like her or hate her...'

[Star_Dragon]

    Kyle Indari crouched low, cloaked in his adaptive PCD's cloaking field. He was on a rooftop just  to the right of Ris Grestar. His target; the corrupt Terran politician who had the nerve to attempt to bribe him into keeping his plans for what was left of Cerinia quiet. Sure, he planned to Terraform it to its original state, but only to exploit it for his... barbaric purposes, to say the least. Even worse, when the bribe didn't work, the idiot went so far as to hire a hitman to kill him. Needless to say, the hitman won't be found anytime soon.

    Now, all that was left to do was kill this pompous, inbred swine and his work was done... for the moment anyway. His real worry was Ris. How would he react? Not well, that much was obvious, but what would he do? Would he try to arrest Kyle, or kill him? There was no way to tell.

    It's now or never, Kyle thought as he shouldered his MP340A2, settled the scope crosshair over the politician's head...

    ... and fired. The politician bucked his head backward and fell back as the fluid in his head exploded outward behind him. Crimson blood lay all over. Kyle looked down at Ris and whoever he was talking to, and the eyes of his hunting mask briefly flashed before he took off on the rooftops. Mission acccomplished...

[Ris Grestar]

    Kyle Indari crouched low, cloaked in his adaptive PCD's cloaking field. He was on a rooftop just  to the right of Ris Grestar. His target; the corrupt Terran politician who had the nerve to attempt to bribe him into keeping his plans for what was left of Cerinia quiet. Sure, he planned to Terraform it to its original state, but only to exploit it for his... barbaric purposes, to say the least. Even worse, when the bribe didn't work, the idiot went so far as to hire a hitman to kill him. Needless to say, the hitman won't be found anytime soon.

    Now, all that was left to do was kill this pompous, inbred swine and his work was done... for the moment anyway. His real worry was Ris. How would he react? Not well, that much was obvious, but what would he do? Would he try to arrest Kyle, or kill him? There was no way to tell.

    It's now or never, Kyle thought as he shouldered his MP340A2, settled the scope crosshair over the politician's head...

    ... and fired. The politician bucked his head backward and fell back as the fluid in his head exploded outward behind him. Crimson blood lay all over. Kyle looked down at Ris and whoever he was talking to, and the eyes of his hunting mask briefly flashed before he took off on the rooftops. Mission acccomplished...

The sound of another shot cracking through the air, Ris' ear twitched.  Immediately after, the young vulpine leapt to his feet, racing back up the stairs to the rooftop of the bar.

Reaching the roof, his ears perked and his blue eyes focused for any movement, Ris' gaze darted over his surroundings, hoping to find the source of the gunshot.

'People these days...Sometimes they just go too far...'

The building to his left was short enough that he could see over it to the rooftops past, but the building to his right was too tall--Whoever it was was going that way, and they knew what they were doing.  Making his decision, the Arctic Fox bolted to the edge of the building, leaping off, tucking into a roll as soon as he made contact with the ground, and continuing on again.  As he ran past the buildings he kept his eyes on the rooftops, waiting for a sign of where the new killer was.

(OOC:  I posted this both here and in "Cornerian Bar #2" so everyone knew where I was.)

[Star_Dragon]

The sound of another shot cracking through the air, Ris' ear twitched.  Immediately after, the young vulpine leapt to his feet, racing back up the stairs to the rooftop of the bar.

Reaching the roof, his ears perked and his blue eyes focused for any movement, Ris' gaze darted over his surroundings, hoping to find the source of the gunshot.

'People these days...Sometimes they just go too far...'

The building to his left was short enough that he could see over it to the rooftops past, but the building to his right was too tall--Whoever it was was going that way, and they knew what they were doing.  Making his decision, the Arctic Fox bolted to the edge of the building, leaping off, tucking into a roll as soon as he made contact with the ground, and continuing on again.  As he ran past the buildings he kept his eyes on the rooftops, waiting for a sign of where the new killer was.

(OOC:  I posted this both here and in "Cornerian Bar #2" so everyone knew where I was.)

    Kyle Indari knew he was being followed. Ris was quicker on the uptake than Kyle had anticipated. Still, he wasn't a target, so there was no need to kill him. Kyle leapt off a rooftop about ten stories high, landed on a windowcill, and began to climb a building three stories higher than the one he jumped from. Looking to the street below, Kyle spotted Ris.

    I wonder if he can see me up here...? Kyle mused. He decided not, as without binoculars, it was impossible to spot the slight background distortion left by his PCD, not this high up. But Kyle didn't want to take the risk that Ris *did* see him, so he drew his hand-held plasma caster, pressed a button, and listened to the rapid *deet, deet, deet, deet!* of the weapon charging before firing a shot at Ris' feet. Sending a telepathic message, he said, "Stay out of affairs that don't concern you!"

    With that out of the way, Kyle continued his climb until he reached the top and found what he was looking for: his Phase-cloaked JX-50 Adv. Fighter/bomber de-cloaked, right where he had left it. He quickly stored his weapons, entered the ship, shut the boarding ramp, powered the craft up and blasted off. He docked with his carrier ship, headed to the bridge, and set a course for Kemoran IV. As he engaged the warp engines, he sat back. Maybe Ris could track him, maybe he couldn't. But Kyle smiled at the fact that if Ris DID manage to track Kyle to Kemoran IV, he was going to have a hell of a time with the Kemorainians there...

[Ris Grestar]

    Kyle Indari knew he was being followed. Ris was quicker on the uptake than Kyle had anticipated. Still, he wasn't a target, so there was no need to kill him. Kyle leapt off a rooftop about ten stories high, landed on a windowcill, and began to climb a building three stories higher than the one he jumped from. Looking to the street below, Kyle spotted Ris.

    I wonder if he can see me up here...? Kyle mused. He decided not, as without binoculars, it was impossible to spot the slight background distortion left by his PCD, not this high up. But Kyle didn't want to take the risk that Ris *did* see him, so he drew his hand-held plasma caster, pressed a button, and listened to the rapid *deet, deet, deet, deet!* of the weapon charging before firing a shot at Ris' feet. Sending a telepathic message, he said, "Stay out of affairs that don't concern you!"

    With that out of the way, Kyle continued his climb until he reached the top and found what he was looking for: his Phase-cloaked JX-50 Adv. Fighter/bomber de-cloaked, right where he had left it. He quickly stored his weapons, entered the ship, shut the boarding ramp, powered the craft up and blasted off. He docked with his carrier ship, headed to the bridge, and set a course for Kemoran IV. As he engaged the warp engines, he sat back. Maybe Ris could track him, maybe he couldn't. But Kyle smiled at the fact that if Ris DID manage to track Kyle to Kemoran IV, he was going to have a hell of a time with the Kemorainians there...

Seeing as Ris hadn't actually seen who he was chasing, he could only hope he was going the right way and hadn't gone too far.  Apparently, however, the man knew exactly where he was.

The fox saw a bright flash on the side of a building and it quickly began to grow.  Ris soon realized, however, that it wasn't growing.  Rather, it was shooting toward him.  He tried to skid to a halt, but seeing as there was no time left, Ris instead threw his legs backward, forcing himself to stop.  As he began falling to the ground the bolt of plasma hit just below his chest, leaving it singed as Ris caught himself in a push-up-like position.  Staring at the darkened area for a moment, his heartbeat echoing through his ears, he heard a voice in his head.

One thing was for sure:  The teenager hated telepaths.

Gritting his teeth, he pushed himself back up onto his feet, glaring up at the building for a time.  'I know that voice...' he thought.  'I heard it today, I know I did...'

-"Is there something I can help you with?"-

-"I was from Cerinia... but that's ancient history now."-

-"If all you want to do is talk about Cerinia... Back... OFF..."-

Ris' fists clenched as he realized who the new killer was.  'And a person like that wouldn't have missed.  He knows what he's doing.'  Watching the building for just another moment, the vulpine turned with a flick of his tail and began walking back to the bar.

'Maybe Krystal knows where I could find him...'

[Star_Dragon]

Kylet'oran noticed how Ris had a very close brush with death, and walked over to him.

    "Are you alright?" he asked.

[Ris Grestar]

"Yeah, I'm fine." Ris snapped quietly with a twitch of his ear as he kept walking, his mind still on pursuing the supposed Cerinian.

[Star_Dragon]

Kylet'oran was a soldier. He'd seen and done things both subtle and blatant, lethal and nonlethal. He could read Ris like a book.

    "If you plan on tracking that Cerinian psychopath that took a shot at you, I think I can help you there." He said.

[Ris Grestar]

The blue vulpine stopped in his tracks, staring at the ground for few moments, the wind ruffling his fur now and then.

'So this guy knows him...'

Ris turned his head slightly towards the soldier.  "You sure you can?" he asked skeptically, his tail flicking to the side.  "'Cause I'm not in the mood for any bull right now."

[Star_Dragon]

Kylet'oran chuckled.

    "Good sir, I have fought battles against enemies terrifying enough to freeze your soul. I've tracked the most hardcore war criminals to the most desolate places in the galaxy. I know I can handle a Psychotic Cerinian."

    Before Kylet'oran could continue any further, his COM unit squawked. "General," stated a Kemorainian voice that Kylet'oran knew was Razuul, "I'm tracking a... modified Yaut'ja transport. It's on a precice heading for Kemoran IV. Intercept?"

    Kylet'oran thought for a moment, then issued his orders. "Let him go... for now. We'll follow him later." Looking to Ris, he extended a hand and stated, "I'm Kylet'oran, by the way... Kylet'oran Jek'ari."

[Ris Grestar]

Ris' blue eyes studied Kylet'oran for a time, his tail unmoving behind him as he thought everything over.

'This guy knows what he's doing, too...But how do I know I can trust him?'  He held back a sigh, his ear simply giving a quick twitch instead.  'Well, trusting him's really all I -can- do right now...'

Ris took the man's hand, giving it a firm shake.  "Ris.  I believe that you -can- help, so I'm trusting that you will."

'Don't betray that trust...'

[Star_Dragon]

    "Good to meet you, Ris. Now, if we want to find this Cerinian before he has a chance to alter course, we should head to my ship." Activating his COM unit, he issued his orders to his companions on his ship in orbit, the Dragon-class battleship refit Dragon's Rage. "JC, stand by to translocate us directly to the bridge." Looking to Ris, he asked, "Unless you have an alternative means of transportation to my ship?"

*    *    *

    Kyle Indari slept in the pilot's chair of his carrier ship. It was cloaked, radar transparent, and would arrive at Kemoran IV in less than two hours. Kyle thought that to be a good time to get in a nap, and did just that. However, as he slept, he was greeted by the memory of the day Cerinia was glassed. The memory played until he awoke to his ship's alarm going off. His AI, Izanagi, materialized over her port. She wore a silk robe with her hair done up like a typical Japanese Terran.

    "Sorry to wake you, Kyle. Just thought you should know that we're approaching Kemoran IV." she said apologetically.

    "Slow to impulse." Kyle ordered. "Is Kellman ready?"

    Kellman, Izanagi's AI "husband," materialized over his port. Kellman, unlike Izanagi, had the appearance of an american pilot, wearing an olive-drab jump suit with a helmet under his left arm. "I'm here, sir."

    "Think you can hold the fort until your wife and I get back?" Kyle asked.

    "Expecting someone?" Kellman inquired.

    "Sooner or later. Just keep the ship hidden until we get back. I have a feeling that that Dragonarian General wasn't in town for some R & R." Kyle said. "Come on, Izanagi, let's get this done." Kyle headed back towards the aft of the ship, got into his fighter, and headed to the surface of Kemoran IV...

[Ris Grestar]

In response to his question regarding transportation, Ris replied with, "Whether or not I do, I'm sure translocation would be the fastest."  Reaching back, the blue vulpine gave a quick tug on the tails of his headband, afterward allowing his arms to again rest at his sides and quietly flexing his fingers.  "I'm ready."

[Star_Dragon]

    "Alright, then... but you might want to close your eyes. It makes translocation less... nauseating." Kylet'oran replied. Speaking into his COM unit, he ordered, "General Jek'ari to Dragon's Rage: Energize." Almost immediately, Bands of golden light rose from Kylet'oran's feet and disappeared over his head, and seconds later, Kylet'oran and Ris disappeared through the ground. After they were gone, only a few motes of golden light marked their passing. Then, after a few seconds, they, too, disappeared.

    When Kylet'oran appeared on the bridge of his ship, he began issuing orders. "Helmsman, lay in a course for Kemoran IV and engage at maximum warp."

(If you want, Ris, I could PM you a drawing I have of the Dragon's Rage. Just so you'll know what kind of ship you're on.)

[Ris Grestar]

The trip was fascinating.  Ris hadn't ever experienced that kind of transportation before.

But Kylet'oran was right; it was kind of nauseating.  Still, he wasn't about to admit it.

Walking over to the apparent General, shaking off the feeling, Ris said, "So what can you tell me about this Kemoran IV place?  Never heard of it before."  While waiting for his response, the teenager took his time examining the ship's interior.  It really was rather impressive.

(OOC:  Yeah, that'd be cool if you would.)

[Star_Dragon]

Sorry, Ris... I gotta sign off. Things to do. I'll be on again next week, maybe sooner. The Info on Kemoran IV is on my other comp at the house. Later!)

[Ris Grestar]

(OOC:  It's good, I'll be here.  Thanks for letting me know!)

[Star_Dragon]

The trip was fascinating.  Ris hadn't ever experienced that kind of transportation before.

But Kylet'oran was right; it was kind of nauseating.  Still, he wasn't about to admit it.

Walking over to the apparent General, shaking off the feeling, Ris said, "So what can you tell me about this Kemoran IV place?  Never heard of it before."  While waiting for his response, the teenager took his time examining the ship's interior.  It really was rather impressive.

(OOC:  Yeah, that'd be cool if you would.)

    In all of Kylet'oran's years getting to know Lylatians, he never met one who didn't know about the recent Lylat-Kemoran war (Check Star Fox: Predator, coming soon.). Shaking out of his thoughts, he replied,

    "Hnh... Can't imagine why, but check the database. It'll tell you the basic things you need to know." and pointed to a vacant console.

*    *    *

    Kyle wandered the streets of Kemoran IV, MP340A2 in his arms with the built-in disruptor set to maximum setting, his armor and mask hifing who he was. He headed inside his base of operations, an abandoned airstrip at the center of the main city. His JX-50 phase-cloaked and engaged radar transparency. Kyle ascended the steps going to the control tower, which offered a very good look at the rest of the city in any direction. At the centerr of the room, sitting on a table, bipod deployed, right where he left it, was his AD440 .50-caliber, EMAC-powered Sniper Rifle. He grabbed it, the ammo nearby, and chose a direction.

    Yeah, the Dragonarian was going to have a hell of a time...

[Ris Grestar]

Following Kylet'oran's indication, Ris nodded, uttering a quiet "thanks" before walking over to the console.  After a few seconds of searching for the power he realized that it was just "sleeping".  Sheepishly glancing behind him to see if the soldier had noticed, the blue vulpine began searching the database for what he wanted to know.

////Kemoran IV

Planet: Class M (Earth-like in other words.)

Races: Kemorainian, Terran

Governmental affiliation: Kemorainian Empire (Reformed)

Tactical Information: Only planet with a direct route to Kemoran II, and subsequently, Kemoran Prime. Native Kemorainians are not to be trusted (See Below).

Historical: Unlike the other three planets in the Kemoran system, Kemoran IV is a planet beset by conflict. It has suffered through several different occupations, and continues to bicker with the reformed Kemorainian Empire, the former tossing threats of succession to the latter. Dragonarians and *especially* Lylatians are made quite unwelcome. Cerinians are no exception. The Kemorainian Imperial Remnant, the ramnants of the racist Kemorainian Empire, is suspected to operate in the region, using Kemoran IV as a base of operations. Shoot-outs and murders are commonplace almost to the point of anarchy.

"Oh, great..." he muttered as his blue eyes flicked across the screen.  "Lylatians -especially-..."

[Star_Dragon]

While Ris looked over the database, Kylet'oran sat in the command chair. Reaching out with his powers as the Choz'ech Jek'ari, he tried to ascertain...

    "Sir," Razuul said, "We're approaching Kemoran IV."

    "Slow to impulse," Kylet'oran ordered. "Go to Battle alert Gamma, raise shields and have weapons on standby. Whatever Kyle is up to--"

    "Sir, I'm getting a message on Dragonarian E-band, audio only." Jason said. Kylet'oran nodded to him, and Jason patched the message through.

    "The Dragon's Rage..." said a distorted voice. "I was told to expect your arrival. I don't know your business here on Kemoran IV, but it ends here!"

    "Sir!" K'tana exclaimed, "Sensors are detecting a starship de-cloaking, dead ahead! Energy readings say that her weapons and shields are up!"

*    *    *

    Kyle waited for the Dragonarian General to spring the trap. Once he was sure that Kyle was without transport, Kyle knew he would come down to find him. All he needed to do was wait...

[Ris Grestar]

After having finished with reading the database, Ris turned and uncertainly approached Kylet'oran, the tip of his tail occasionally twitching.  "Umm...Hey, we're not expecting hostility down there, right?  I mean, the database said that we were kinda unwelcome, but that was a long time ago...Heh...Right?"

[Star_Dragon]

After having finished with reading the database, Ris turned and uncertainly approached Kylet'oran, the tip of his tail occasionally twitching.  "Umm...Hey, we're not expecting hostility down there, right?  I mean, the database said that we were kinda unwelcome, but that was a long time ago...Heh...Right?"

Kylet'oran cursed under his breath. "Unfortunately, no. But we can't deal with that now, we have--" He stopped midsentence. The ship that de-cloaked wasn't consistent with Kyle Indari's ship. This was a Yaut'ja warship, whereas Kyle's ship was a modified Yaut'ja Carrier Cruiser.

    "They're charging weapons!" K'tana announced.

    "Quantum-Cobalt torpedoes, open fire!" Kylet'oran barked. Instantly, four blue-green torpedoes raced for the Yaut'ja warship. The impact, followed by a detonation that left nothing of the warship behind, left everyone on the bridge confused.

    Directing a comment to Ris, Kylet'oran whispered, "Just stick close to me down there, and you'll come out alright."

*    *    *

Kyle Indari was almost half-asleep when his radio squawked. "They took the bait, Kyle. They're all yours." Kellman said.

    "Acknowledged." Kyle answered. He then loaded a round into the chamber of the AD440, set the EMAC to maximum, and waited for his targets to present themselves.

*    *    *

    Kylet'oran led Ris to the translocation room, stepped on a pad, and waited for Ris. Directing an order to the crewman at the controls, he said, "Put us down as close as you can to the central airstrip."

[Ris Grestar]

'Frick...This is a powerful ship...' Ris thought in awe as the war-ship was blown to nothingness.  At this point he was wondering if he had gotten into something more than he could handle, but that feeling only lasted a few moments.  A quiet smirk took over afterward.

The vulpine followed along into the translocation room, giving the tails of his black headband a quick tug as he stepped onto a pad as Kylet'oran had.  "I'm ready." he stated, though he knew the soldier was going whether or not he was ready.

[Kursed]

(permission to come in with The aurora a  Justice class Cerinian destroyer  http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/kk34/Vixen2005/Cerinian%20ships/Auroratop.jpg  )