Star Fox: The Next Generation Chapter 1

[Guest Julius Quasar]

(Sure, bud!  Any time! )

"What do you know about proper etiquette around ladies, you Lothario hypocrite!?" Attila asked Panther, as he cocked an eyebrow.

"Believe or not, this butthead has a wife." Cliff said, laughing.

"You need some help, or something?" asked Attila, suspicious of Panther.  Even Cliff, dimwitted as he was, suspected Panther was troubled by something.  "I'll help ya', especially if Attila helps ya'." he added.

[Fira-Astrali]

(Thanks Julius. I'll hopefully make him seem a little more multi-dimensional as time pass.)

"Keep such language to yourself while we have a lady in the room, my good man." Panther growled threatingly at the fox. He didn't care longer if he would be hopelessly outmatched by this brute should it ever come to a fight. His entire life had been ripped to shreds, everything he cared for had been taken from him. Except maybe the young lady in the sickbed. He remembered how she had been when she was younger, how he had comforted her when she needed it, Wolf had left all his empathy behind that day he discovered what role the McClouds had in his wifes death.

"I'll be going back home soon, but I needed to check by. How are you doing Freya?" Panther asked worringly.

Freya's blood started to boil. If those two talked to her her like that one more time, she swore to god she would kill them both. She was not in the mood for their infantile crap right at the moment.

"Keep such language to yourself while we have a lady in the room, my good man."

The smile that lit her face when she heard Panther's voice was incredible. She was so glad to see that he was alright, and that Krystal hadn't done anything to harm him. She reached out for his hand to give him a proper greeting. Cliff and Atilla looked at her incredulously, but she didn't care.

"I'll be going back home soon, but I needed to check by. How are you doing Freya?"

"Ah, I'm not so bad. The doctor says that my leg is probably going to heal properly as long as I'm nice to it. And if not, I can always get it augmented. My head is killing me though. Everyone is telling me that dad's not really that angry."

She shifted unconfortably in the bed. She wanted to go see him. Both to get it over with, and to get out of the hospital. She wasn't used to so many people crowded around her bed, wanting to see how she was doing. When ever she was hurt when she was younger, Leon didn't care, and her father knew exactly what was wrong and so never visited. Only Panther had ever shown up to check in on her.

"I wish that I could get up and see you off..." Like Atilla and Cliff, she too sensed a crack in Panther's usually calm veneer. "Is something wrong? If I can help you, tell me."

[Asper Sarnoff]

"Hm?" Panther looked at Freya again. "No, I'm doing just fine. A little shaken after the hostage situation, that's all."

He decided to steer the conversation on another track again. "Anyway, it's good to hear it wasn't to serious. Now, just listen to the doctors and do as they say. No point getting a serious limp at your age."

He leaned close to her and whispered, so the medical staff couldn't hear it. "Your father is in one heck of a bad mood. You should be glad you were hurt just a little, or he would truly give you hell for this. Even if we all know it wasn't your fault."

He realised he had perhaps said to much on the last part there. But luckily, Freya seemed to take it the way that both Cliff, Attila, Panther and all the ruffians were the ones to blame.

Being carefull not to hurt her, he slowly brought her into a loving hug. As he feelt her cling to him, he caught himself wondering if he would ever be able to do the same with his daughter.

Slowly, they let go of each other and Panther stood up again.

"Well guys, I hope our paths cross again one day. Til then, farewell." He nodded politely before he backed away and left the room, heading for the hangar. Wolf had set up a shuttle that would take him back to Zoness.

[Guest Julius Quasar]

After Panther left, Cliff and Attila then turned to Freya.

"I hope you get well soon." said Attila.  "Yeah...you'll be right as snow, soon." said Cliff.  "That's 'Right as Rain', Cliff..." Attila corrected him.

The two of them went to Cliff's room, and Cliff locked the door behind them.  He then got a box out from under his bunk, used the biometric fingerprint ID lock to open it, and took out a laptop, which he plugged into the wall, then he took a small flash/jump drive from his pocket, and plugged it into his computer.

An image of the blueprints, floor plans, and schematics of all utilities, security systems, booby traps, secret passages, hidden compartments (i.e. wall safes) and communications feed for Hurkha the Toad's Palace were all provided in the software.

"This is everything we need to know about Hurkha's palace, guard quarters, the harem, the armory, treasure vault, prison cells, surveillance cameras, alarms, substations, booby traps, etc." said Cliff.

"How'd you get that!?" asked Attila.  "Stole it..." Cliff said with a chuckle.

The two of them went from screen to screen, figuring out any weak spots to the Palace defenses.

[Fira-Astrali]

Freya was glad when everyone had taken off to do their own thing. She laid awake on her bed for hours, trying to rest. She thought that she could feel the nanites working their magic on her flesh. Soon she was wondering what the rest of her team was doing. She'd heard the next mission was an assassination of some Crime Boss. Somehow, she had a feeling that she wouldn't be in on this one.

Finally, after much badgering of the doctor, she was told that she could walk on her injury, if she was careful. The inarticulate young man was called upon to help her. As much as she felt she didn't need or want his help, he helped her out of bed, and wrapped his arm around her waist to support her. She tried to pull away, but a glare from the doctor stopped her efforts. She took a step on her bed leg, and was suddenly glad of the extra support.

"Alright, I need to see my father."

Thanks to Sargasso's elevator, getting up to Wolf's study was no real chore. The boy seemed nervous to enter, but she wouldnt let him chicken out. The door was open and waiting for her, and she could see her father in the room beyond. He did not seem happy...

[Guest Julius Quasar]

"So...you stole that jump drive full of info on Hurkha the Toad's Palace?" Attila asked Cliff, as they sat at the cable spool table, on top of the 2 crates, all serving as extra furniture there.

"No, I hired a computer hacker to get this info on a jump drive for me, he charged a fair amount, did a great job." Cliff replied.

"This is perfect...you may be smarter than I gave you credit for, that, or more ruthless than I gave you credit for..." Attila said.

"Yeah, and I wanna get off of this 'floating space toilet' they call 'The Sargasso Space Station', and move into a palace!  Star Wolf deserves better, or at least I...and you....do!" said Cliff.

"This will give use the advantages we'll need!" said Attila.

"I can't wait to raid the slave girls' harem!" said Cliff, excitedly.

The two of them poured over the software on Cliff's computer some more.

[Asper Sarnoff]

Wolf waved Freya into the room. The doors closing behind her as she stepped in.

There was no question what the dominant expression on Wolfs face was now. He was allmighty pissed, even if he had vented it out on both Silver and Panther.

He sighed loud before he started talking. "You've dissapointed me Freya, you truly have. After all these years with training, one could be lead to think you would have been prepared to controll situations like this, and the one on Fichinia. A success rate of two failures to one cheap victory won't hold Starwolf afloat, and you know that!"

He snarled, pacing impatently back and forth in front of her.

"If my plans are to ever bear fruit, I have to be able to trust my... servants, and particulary my own flesh and blod. But as long as you keep going on like this, it looks like I won't have much choice but to keep you on a shorter leash."

[Kursed]

KRysta had lended on Kantina some time ago, the rendezvous point for her fighter to take her back to Starfox ,however before she decied to go back she decided to head to a Cantina in Katina city  a old place she used to visit during her mercenary days.

Kari walked up to Odin the sound of her boots on the metal gave her approch away."Hey Odin how'd you get a hold of that Wolfen i'm just Curious.

[Tiberius]

Tiberius walked up to Alex and said, "Yes, Alex?"

[Fira-Astrali]

Wolf waved Freya into the room. The doors closing behind her as she stepped in.

There was no question what the dominant expression on Wolfs face was now. He was allmighty pissed, even if he had vented it out on both Silver and Panther.

He sighed loud before he started talking. "You've dissapointed me Freya, you truly have. After all these years with training, one could be lead to think you would have been prepared to controll situations like this, and the one on Fichinia. A success rate of two failures to one cheap victory won't hold Starwolf afloat, and you know that!"

He snarled, pacing impatently back and forth in front of her.

"If my plans are to ever bear fruit, I have to be able to trust my... servants, and particulary my own flesh and blod. But as long as you keep going on like this, it looks like I won't have much choice but to keep you on a shorter leash."

The boy whimpered as Freya's hand contracted involuntarily, digging her fingers into his ribs. She forced her hand to relax if only for his sake. She had been forced to listen to Atilla and Cliff's abuse, she'd watched her team fall apart, she'd been humiliated by Krystal. She couldn't manage to stand by placidly while her dad compared her to a servant and a dog. Not this time. She wasn't some ruffian that had ended up on Sargasso because they'd been run out of every seedy joint in Lylat. She was his daughter, and by god he was going to start treating her like it.

She slipped out of the terrified grasp of the young boy. This was going to get messy, and she hoped he could get out of the room in one piece.

"Excuse me? A leash? What am I, you're guard dog? Just let me out when you need someone's throat ripped out? In case you haven't noticed, I'm your kid. Maybe I'm not great at this whole killing people thing, because I'm not like you!" By the time she was finished, she was standing nose to nose with him. The look in his eyes was unreadable, but it was probably because the amount of rage that he was feeling was immesurable.

"Oh, but you know how to make a good guard dog, don't you? You've just gotta' put me in my place and I'll be a good little killer for you. I'm glad mom's not around anymore. if she'd seen what we'd become, I think she'd die all over again."

Something flickered in her father's eye, and she knew she'd gone too far. She instantly regretted her words, but it was too late now.

[Kursed]

Tiberius walked up to Alex and said, "Yes, Alex?"

"Can we spend some time alone?" Alex asked

[Tiberius]

"Sure." said Tiberius.

[Guest Julius Quasar]

"...So we'll catch 'em off guard, early in the morning, when they're hung over, too weak to fight?" asked Cliff.  "Would be the best time for it." Attila replied.

[Kursed]

"Sure." said Tiberius.

Alex took Tiberius to a private room . "Your not really that mean are you?"She asked.

[Geo Stelar]

Before Odin could even answer, Steve's arm jerked away.. hard. Steve said, "If you'll excuse me", Steve said, then ran away from Odin. He opened his mobile terminal, which has a personality of its own, then asked, "Why?"

"Don't forget your mission," Steve's mobile terminal replied

"I know. I can't forget it."

"Oh really? And what's with you getting excited on the fact that you're gonna have training with Fox?"

"It was just nothing"

"Noting? NOTHING!? Did you see how that Tiberius guy treated you when we first arrived?"

"I know that. It's just that-"

"You would not want to be like them or be with them. Don't forget your Mission!"

With that Steve's mobile terminal returned to normal. Steve stared at the skies, wondering if this mission can be pulled off just by him.

[Tiberius]

Alex took Tiberius to a private room . "Your not really that mean are you?"She asked.

"No. It's by the book that drill instructors treat their men like dirt." said Tiberius. "Just the students."

[Geo Stelar]

Steve stood still there, staring at the skies, thinking. His parents were killed by the anglar forces. Then, 5 years ago, someone recruited him.. to be a spy. This recruiter told him things.. terrible things. Star Fox are criminals and murderers. But now Steve was confused. VERY confused. If the StarFox were really that bad, why would they destroy the Anglar forces? He then thought that maybe it was because StarFox wants to rule lylat on their own, not sharing it with the anglar forces. Still, steve was confused.. does he really need to do this? Will this feat pay off? Well, I just have to find out, Steve thought.

[Guest Julius Quasar]

"I know Silver will wanna help in the raid, but what about Freya?  We might not be able to convince her about this." said Attila.

"She'll do it!  And if she doesn't, and forbids us from doin' it, we'll do it anyways!  You, me, and Silver.  If Silver can't or won't do it, WE'LL do it....Freya, Wolf, they can't get TOO mad we took matters into our own hands, especially if we succeed." said Cliff.

"But what if we don't succeed?" asked Attila.

"You can't think like that...we WILL succeed!  We have to!  Failure is not an order!" said Cliff.

"Option!...'Failure is not an option', Cliff." said Attila.  "Yeah, that too!" said Cliff.

[Asper Sarnoff]

The boy whimpered as Freya's hand contracted involuntarily, digging her fingers into his ribs. She forced her hand to relax if only for his sake. She had been forced to listen to Atilla and Cliff's abuse, she'd watched her team fall apart, she'd been humiliated by Krystal. She couldn't manage to stand by placidly while her dad compared her to a servant and a dog. Not this time. She wasn't some ruffian that had ended up on Sargasso because they'd been run out of every seedy joint in Lylat. She was his daughter, and by god he was going to start treating her like it.

She slipped out of the terrified grasp of the young boy. This was going to get messy, and she hoped he could get out of the room in one piece.

"Excuse me? A leash? What am I, you're guard dog? Just let me out when you need someone's throat ripped out? In case you haven't noticed, I'm your kid. Maybe I'm not great at this whole killing people thing, because I'm not like you!" By the time she was finished, she was standing nose to nose with him. The look in his eyes was unreadable, but it was probably because the amount of rage that he was feeling was immesurable.

"Oh, but you know how to make a good guard dog, don't you? You've just gotta' put me in my place and I'll be a good little killer for you. I'm glad mom's not around anymore. if she'd seen what we'd become, I think she'd die all over again."

Something flickered in her father's eye, and she knew she'd gone too far. She instantly regretted her words, but it was too late now.

For a moment, the silence filled the room. A hellfire beyond compare raged in Wolfs eyes.

"You are no daughter of mine." He grumbled, his voice so hoarse with anger that it could barely be heard.

"You are no daughter of mine!" He suddenly roared, it echoing trough the entire space station. The young ruffian who had followed Freya turned tail and ran as fast as he could away, his legs going like drumsticks. But Freya stood solid like a rock in face of the raging storm.

"Get out of my sight. GET OUT!" Wolf roared again as he toppled the solid oak workdesk over in his blinding rage. Freya finally turned around and slowly walked out, breaking into a run as she were out of sight from the office.

Wolf was hyperventilating, leaning onto his chair for support. A small object on the floor caught his eye, and he picked it up. It was the picture he used to have on his desk, the only piece of decoration in the whole room.

The glass had been shattered as the desk was toppled, and the frame was bent beyond repair. Wolf carefully pulled out the photography from the remains and held it up to look at. It had been taken ten years ago, and portrayed him standing side by side with his wife, holding the young Freya in his strong arms. One of his rare smiles made his face look totally different from what it used to.

It was a picture of a family. His family. Now, he had chased away the last remaining one.

He covered his watery eyes with his left hand as he let his head sink down. What have I done?" He spoke to himself.

Kari walked up to Odin the sound of her boots on the metal gave her approch away."Hey Odin how'd you get a hold of that Wolfen i'm just Curious.

Odin was about to answer when Steve suddenly excused himself and walked away. Odin furrowed his eyebrows toughtfully. There was something about that guy he didn't like. Nothing he could put his finger on, just the feeling.

"Well, my dad's got contacts. The guys who produce the various Wolfen models don't sell them openly. As getting a license to sell something of such a high military grade is next to impossible. Instead, they get their subcontractors to produce the required components after the customers specifications, and just smuggle them in as unasembled kits. On top of that, my father ripped out the original, state-of-the-art engine and put in one he put together himself. As you know, it's not the most reliable thing in excistence, but damn does it move." He said before he took a look at his watch. "I've been planning to take a short trip. Just some stuff I'm going to fix, probably won't take more than a day or two."

KRysta had lended on Kantina some time ago, the rendezvous point for her fighter to take her back to Starfox ,however before she decied to go back she decided to head to a Cantina in Katina city  a old place she used to visit during her mercenary days.

From the shadier parts of the cantina, yellow eyes watched her carefully. A cloaked figure, the face hidden under a hood, waved to her, signaling her to come and sit down with him.

[Guest Julius Quasar]

Cliff and Attila finished their plans.

"So that's how it's all gonna go down..." said Attila.  "Yeah, okay, makes sense!" said Cliff.

"Neither of us know the compound that well, we've both only been there once...but you got the blueprints to the palace, and that really helped.  God job.  We'll get things in gear as soon as possible!" said Attila.

"Right." said Cliff.

"We'll tell Silver, first, then Freya." said Attila.  Cliff nodded. 

They put away the laptop and the USB jump drive, and then did a systems check on their weapons, their gear, and then their fighters down in the hangar.

[Kursed]

Krystal walked over to the tabvle sitting across from teh yellow eyed man "I was half expecting you to be here hang out here often?"She asked.

"Mind If I come along Odin or does this require that your alone?" KAri asked.

[Showtime 1-1]

Silver was back in the weight room, hanging upside down from a chin-up bar again and reading his book. He was running through the hydraulic system test procedures for the StarCat in his head, and thinking about the team he was now a real member of, regardless of if he wanted to be or not.

After some time, he hopped down and headed off towards his room.

[Asper Sarnoff]

Krystal walked over to the tabvle sitting across from teh yellow eyed man "I was half expecting you to be here hang out here often?"She asked.

"No, I don't." Said the man as he folded his hood back, revealing himself to be Panther. "I'm glad you found the message I had hidden in my ship, telling you to come here."

He let his watchfull eye glide over the cantina, looking for someone who were eavesdropping on them.

"Mind If I come along Odin or does this require that your alone?" KAri asked.

"Nah, this is something I'll do alone. Just some parts for my ship I've got to replace." Odin replied.

[Kursed]

"No, I don't." Said the man as he folded his hood back, revealing himself to be Panther. "I'm glad you found the message I had hidden in my ship, telling you to come here."

He let his watchfull eye glide over the cantina, looking for someone who were eavesdropping on them.

"Nah, this is something I'll do alone. Just some parts for my ship I've got to replace." Odin replied.

" What is it you want from me Panther?"Krystal asked "I may dislike you ,but now that your married you won't be chasing after me."

"Alright goodluck and call me if ya need me Odin." Kari replied simply.

[Asper Sarnoff]

" What is it you want from me Panther?"Krystal asked "I may dislike you ,but now that your married you won't be chasing after me."

Panther leaned back on his chair and let out a loudh sigh, as if he were not sure what to say. "I originally wanted to have a word or two with you about the same thing I talked with you in the prison cell on Sargasso. How we can hinder Wolf turning Lylat into a burning carcass.

But then, things took an unexpected change. Wolf's even more ambitious that I feared, and he's keeping me on a short lease now. I can't turn on him, not openly." Panther said, chills creaping down his spine as he tought about his wife and their kid in the claws of Wolf.

"The revival of Starwolf was just the first step in his plans. Wolf's planning something big, but I'm not yet sure what."

"Alright goodluck and call me if ya need me Odin." Kari replied simply.

Odin nodded thankfully. "Thanks Kari." He said with a smile before he turned around and headed for the hangar, where his fighter was waiting for him. He had allready packed a small bag, tough he doubted he would be long gone.