Broken Lines (A SF/SW/ST Fanfic)

[Ranger One]

This is my First real attempt at a Fanfic. I've been at work on it for almost a year and a half, writting notes, toying with ideas, working and reworking characters, events, and i even tore the whole thing apart and rebuilt it twice. I'm satisfied with what i've got right now, but i'm still reworking small bits and details. I've finished the Prologue and Chapter One, but neither is ready for posting yet, I want to type them up on my PC and see if there's anything i want to add, but for the most part, they're good. But so far, i've only worked on the Star Wars portion of it: I have the Star Fox stuff planned, out, but nothing concerning Fox and company will be writen till Chapter 3 at this point. Anything Star Trek might not Apear untill later, but i'm working it all together. For now, here's some Background info that will be relevant to the story, so that those of you who don't read Star Wars Books will have an Idea of what's going on and what to expect:

Broken lines is set One year after the Events of "The Unifying Force," the book that concluded the New Jedi Order Series and the Yuuzhan Vong invasion. With contact between worlds sporadic at best, many powerful or influential beings are attempting to carve out their own warlord-kingdoms in the power vacume left by the fall of the Republic. The Galactic Alliance of Free Federations, hopeing to restore the peace and order the Vong destroyed, is working to re-establish communications and trade between systems, but recover efforts go slow. Added to the mix are old vendetas re-emerging, and violent clashes over centuries old feudes between worlds and races are not uncommon.

Unable to be everywhere at once, the Alliance is working to re-establish things one step at a time. Some portions of the Alliance fleet - the combined forces of the former Republic and Imperial fleets respectivley - patrol Alliance space, others work to re-establish contact and communications, and others protect relief and reconstruction convoys. And even more are engaged in the task of hunting down those who'd like to carve out portions of the galaxy. Several of these new warlords have large fleets of their own, and a few feel powerful enough to challenge the Alliance. The territory the Warlords own is held in an iron grip: most systems are sick of fighting, and conditions on these worlds are poor at best.

One warlord, calling himself Admiral Zrajes, has ammased a massive fleet and and equally large army. Proclaiming himself to be the new Emperor, and promising to provide the secuirty the Republic and Alliance could not, he has made well on some of these promises, but in a rather Palpatine-Imperial maner. The Alliance has made him a Priority One target. For months, Alliance Fleets under Admiral Kre'fey, General Bel Iblis, and Grand Admiral Gilead Pellaeon, have clashed with Zrajes' forces. A brilliant strategist, Zrajes has fought the Alliance to a standstill, and with equally brilliant commanders such as General Kolvik, Admiral Strather, and Director Qin'tix of Intelligence, Zrajes has proved to be a deadly foe, possibly the worst threat since the Yuuzhan Vong invasion.

Unable to spare enough forces to be everywhere at once, the Alliance has commissioned a new division in its armed forces. Drawing recruits from all branches of the Alliance, this division has two goals: the preservation of the Alliance and seeing that the galaxy is a safe place for the next generation. The best of the best, these pilots, soldiers, commandos, and spies are the eliet. They are the Rangers, and will see that the Alliance lives.... or die trying.

Elsewhere, in the Milky Way Galaxy, it has been 8 months since the Aparoid invasion, but the Lylat system is still a long ways from recovery. Facing oposition from the remnants of Andross's fleet under Oikonny's leadership (how he survived is a mystery yet to be solved), the Cornerians and their Allies have a long, hard road to travel before they're ready for anything else. But "anything else" won't wait on them. Recent sightings of unknown ships: ranging from cube shaped vessels, to a single large, white dagger like ship that was spotted, these sightings have caused a panic in the Lylat system. Unready for another hostile invasion, the Cornerians have even turned to the possibility of forming a temporary alliance with their long time foe's under Oikonny, and resorting to aid from known criminals like Star Wolf - even the unsavory prospect of employing such aid is better than the chance of extinction or enslavement by another invasion. To complicate things, the "self-destruct" program didn't quite work as planned. Infected individuals who were not yet transformed survived, but some of the bio-implants the Aparoids utilized on their victims were to heavily intergrated into their bodies, and were unable to be removed. Worse, the fact that a large ammount of Aparoids on Katina and Corneria, rather than self-destructing, simply "shut down," is cause for further worry. Some of the drones have been re-activated by researchers, and a rudimentary method of controlling them has been developed. A few drones, little more than empty shells of what they once were, are now being utilized to aid in clearing and rebuilding on Corneria, Katina, and other worlds. But the reason for their continued existence after the death of their queen remains a mystery. In this troubled time, there's no shortage of Work for the StarFox team or their old and new allies, but unknown to them, they've only touched the tip of the iceberg... new forces are at work, both in their galaxy, and another far, far away, with plans that will change their lives forever.

And in the Sol system, efforts to recover from a previous war and a brief attack from the Aparoids are under way. The United Federation of Planets, along with its Allies, is struggeling to recover from the Dominion War and its brush with the Aparoids. But recent Sightings of Borg Craft have thrown a wrench into that effort: the Borg are on the move, and the Federation must assume the worst. Recent observations of Borg scouts by cloaked Klingon and Romulan Craft have shown the Borg seem to be hunting for pieces of Aparoid vessels. Why, Starfleet has no idea, but they must assume the worst. The Federation and her allies must gear up for War with the Borg, or they will be caught in a position far worse than any they've faced before. If they've learned one thing, its this: the Borg are relentless. At this time, negotiations are not an option. Resistance, while at times it may seem futile, is necessary, or the Borg will overwhelm the Alpha and Beta quadrants. And any race threatened by the Borg is one worthy of protection, regardless of its technological level of development: the Borg will do far worse than contaminate or destroy a culture..... They'll consume it, assimilate it, and its people.... a fate worse than death.

The wheels of change are turning, and all across both galaxies, forces are mobilizing, new threats and challenges emerge... but behind it all, dark forces are at work, with goals far beyond comprehension.

In a place that defies definition, a sinister entity lurks. Having ensnared a new pawn in the universe as we know it, it waits, biding it time... knowing that its chance for freedom one more will come soon...

.... and once its free, nothing will ever be the same.

[Ranger One]

Note: I'll introduce the first three characters here and now: information on other characters will be added in the Story as they appear or incorporated into the fanfic.

Character Bios:

Name: Jod Nar'itus.

Occupation: Alliance Fighter pilot in Red Squadron.

Race: Cerinan (Vulpinoid)

Hair/Fur color: Redish brown fur (typical white patern along back of legs, underside of arms, belly/chest, muzzel, and tip of tail)

Eye Color: Blue

Weight: 110 Lbs

Height: 5 ft 8'

Age: 21

Affiliation: Pro-Alliance

Background: Jod was born on Cerina, but grew up on the world of Naboo. Free from much of the lingering Imperial-era Prejudice against non-humans, Jod's childhood was one typical for his kind. Since Cerinan's mature faster than Humans, despite having a similar life span, Jod was biologicaly and mentaly old enough to enroll in the Royal Security Force as a pilot at the age of 14. Proving to have amazing potential as a pilot, Jod soon rose to be one of the best pilots in the Naboo space-corps, and was assigned to Bravo Flight. He flew missions against pirates and smugglers several times in N-1d starfighters (newer variants of the old N-1 with quad lasers and dual ion cannons), and even flew and old vintage T-65 X-wing the security force had acquired. Not being up to spec with the N-1d's, the ship was mothballed, untill Jod found it. Working with some Naboo mechanics in their spare time, Jod Managed to make her a combat-worthy craft again. Half-jokeing called the X-wing CR (for Cerinan Refit), the X-wing sported 3 proton torpedo launchers, one on the underside, updated Quad blasters with many Nubian components for improved rate of fire, and dual ion cannons mounted on the sides of the craft near the cockpit. With engines and thrusters also enhanced by efficent Nubian components, the old T-65 was transformed from an old relic into a modern fighting craft. With it, Jod was able to Outfly some of the best pilots in the force. He didn't always WIN, but he didn't loose that often either. The craft soon became Jod's standard ship for running RSF missions. When the Vong invasion began, Jod left the craft behind on Naboo, and learned to fly a T-65 XJ fighter: almost identical to his own ship, but without ion cannons, and with much better shields. Jod was present with the Republic, and later the Alliance, for countless battles, including Ithor, Borlieas, Mon Calamari, and both battles for Coruscant. With the War over, Jod has stayed on with the Alliance, and still flies a XJ class X-wing.

Incom T-65 X-wing/Nubian Refit

Affiliation: RSF, Jod's personal Starfighter.

Size: 12.5 m Long

Maximum Speed: 3,950G/Class 1 hyperdrive/1,250 KPH/105 MGLT

Manufacturer: Personally customized by Jod Nar'itus

Weapons: 4 quad blasters, twin ion cannons, triple proton torpedo launchers.

Shield strength: Class 3.5 Starfighter shield (on a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being highest: only bombers carry Class 5 shields)

Hull Strength: Rank 3 (on a scale of 1 to 5)

Crew: One Pilot, One Astromech.

Notes: Unlike most X-wings, Jods personal craft can reach speeds compareable to that of a TIE Interceptor.

Name: Aile "Ace" Lixo

Race: Cerinan

Height: 5 ft 7'

Weight: 140 lbs

Eye Color: Blue-Green

Hair/Fur color: Dark redish-brown (typical white patern in usual areas)

Age: 25

Political Affiliation: Pro-Alliance

Bio: Ace was likewise born and Raised on Cerina, Ace is a few years older than Jod, and has had a bit more Military Experience. Joining the New Republic Starfighter Corps at the age of 13 (young even by Cerinan standards), Ace has proved himself to be a farily skilled pilot. He's also proved himself to be a rather efficent prankster and commedian as well according to some of his squadmates. Regardless, Ace more than acquited himself during the Yuuzhan Vong invasion, and found himself paried up with Jod in Red Squadron on the Naritus (an older MC80a2 cruiser, refit for service in the war. The name has no relation to Jod's, and is merley coincidence, one Ace was quick to notice). The two vulpoids became good friends, and each has saved the other plenty of times. Effectivley, Jod owes Ace for a save on Yuuzhan'tar (the Vong name for Coruscant, after it had been subjected to some of their own teraforming - some would say VONG-forming.), but neither pilot has really bothered to keep track. Both pilots have become very close to one another, and its safe to assume their friendship is on a level compareable to that between Han Solo and Chewbaca. Its also quite possible to assume that the death of either pilot would affect the survivor in ways similar to the grief that wracked Han after Chewbaca's death on Sernpidal early in the invasion. Currently, the Naritus is part of a task force under command of Admiral Kre'fey, and is part of the effort to put and end to Admiral Zrajes' unlawful rulership.

Major Plot Note:

Jod and the Force: All Cerinans have shown some affinity towards the Force in varying degrees: ranging from the potential to become Jedi to simple bits and insights from the Force, like Ace. Once in a while, some Cerinans have shown amazing aptitude for the Force, and sometimes find it acting through them without their being aware of it or directing it. Jod happens to be one of these individuals. Unfortunatly, the last Cerinan to have this gift (or curse, according to some) was almost 200 years before the Clone Wars. Worse, according to several Cerinan tales, those individuals who did not recive Jedi training have sometimes fallen to the Dark side or worse. These tails never hint what "or worse" might be, but that alone is frightening. With the Jedi order undergoing major changes, Jod is unwilling to become a Jedi while the Alliance needs every soldier it can get to hold off Zrajes' forces. But without training, his abilities have proved to be sporadic and uncontrolable at times. While Jod has developed a minor control over his powers, they're still largely wild and untamed. Its not so much how much potential he has as what that potential could DO that frightens Jod: The last thing the galaxy needs is a new Vader or some equivalent right now. So far, the young Vulpoid has kept a clamp on his Force talents, but even that is ineffective at times. While Ace has urged Jod to go ahead and join the Jedi academy or something, Jod has yet to do so: the prospect of what his powers could do with training has proved to be an even bigger nightmare for him. For now, only time will tell what the Force has in store for Jod...

Name: Gauge Trasle

Race: Canine (Canoid, ect. Homeworld Unknown, born on Corellia)

Age: 27

Height: 6 ft 1'

Weight: 170 lbs

Eye Color: Dark Green

Hair/Fur Color: Blondish color (white patern on belly/chest, back of legs, back of arms, muzzel, ect)

Political Affiliation: Pro-Alliance

Bio: Gauge is an older member of Red squadron, and joined the New Republic armed forces in time to see active duty during the last few crisises to face the Republic before the Vong Invasion. During the War, Gauge fought bravely in several battles, both in the Air and on Foot, and was awarded the Republic Purple Heart for being wounded in combat, and the Dantooine Medal of Honor for heroic efforts shown at Ithor against an overwhelming number of coralskippers. With the Alliance, Gauge also recived the Kalidor Crescent, along with Ace and Jod, for bravery and ingenuity over Coruscant, during its liberation from the Yuuzhan Vong. Gauge has seen a lot more combat than either Ace or Jod, but flew as one of their wingmates during several key battles. Both pilots owe Gauge their lives many times over, but each has managed to return the favor a few times as well. Gauge personnaly doesn't care about medals or recognition: he swore to do his duty to protect the Republic, and that oath carries over to the Alliance. Untill he's either forced to retire or KIA, Gauge plans to serve the Alliance in any way he can.

[EvolutionSFox]

So... it's a cross-over, right? If it is, I'll be waiting.

[Ranger One]

Sort of. I'm combining all three in one fic, but each one's maintaining its own identity for the most part. Some of this came from the fact that the only good Star Wars/Star Fox fanfic i've ever seen is one that made Fox a Jedi, and frankly, i didn't like that. But i'm biased a bit against making other characters Jedi because of Sony and their Star Wars MMORPG, perhaps having Fox learn in the story and pick up some skills, like i'm planning, would be fine, but I just don't like it happening right off the bat. Star Trek... well, that got in cause, while in my opinion Star Wars and Star Fox are way better, it gave me a means of brining Earth into the whole thing.

BTW: Chapter one is Done, and i'm reviewing it right now, might be up in a few minutes, will be up either way by Sunday evening (I hope.), but i'm reviewing a section of it right now, and debating it. Its not exactly graphic or anything (i'm avoiding that), but what i come up with in my immagination by reading that section is what worries me - its a bit on the graphic side. I'll admit, i've probably set a near impossible goal in that regard. The entire New Jedi Order series ran on the graphic side really, and by setting my story directly after that, and having my characters been part of what went on in the New Jedi Order books (without altering anything from those books i might add), its one heck of a juggeling act. If any Mods want me to PM them the section-in-question for judgment, I'll be glad to do so before posting it, and let you be the judge on what I should do. (just send me a PM asking for it, i'll be watching out for one.)

Edit: If you don't want to take this task on, just tell me what course of action you think is best through a PM as well (edit it, post it, ect.). Thanks.

[Ranger One]

Introduction:

Galaxies in turmoil:

Approximately eight months have passed since the Star Fox Team defeated the Aparoid Queen, and one year has gone by since the Yuuzhan Vong surrender on Coruscant. In the Lylat System, recent incursions by unknown craft have sparked a wave of paranoia and fear in the system. These interlopers have yet to identify themselves, where they come from... or their intentions. Without a ship, the Star Fox Team is unable to investigate, and efforts to acquire a vessel, even for the short term, have proved near impossible for inexplicable reasons for Fox and his crew.

And in a Galaxy far, far away, on Coruscant, the former heart of both Republics and the Galactic Empire, reconstruction has begun. With some aid from Jacen Solo, one of the two twin children of Han and Leia, the Galactic Alliance of Free Federations has made much progress, aided by the Dhuharym, or world brain, the Yuuzhan Vong placed on Coruscant. Able to control any and all organisms the Vong seeded onto the City-Planet, the effort to integrate both the old and the new of Coruscant together has made far more progress than was ever hoped for. In months, decades of progress have, and continue to be made.

Elsewhere in the shattered galaxy, Luke Skywalker, and his wife, Mara Jade, are hard at work rebuilding the Jedi Order and raising their young son, Ben. Leia Organa Solo and Han Solo are both hard at work as well, helping to re-establish communication with systems that have been cut off from the Alliance, and rebuilding a galaxy shattered by horrors far worse than those during the darkest days of the Empire.

Unable to be everywhere at once, and with the very real threat presented by warlords such as Admiral Zrajes, who has gained control of numerous systems, the Alliance has created a new division in its armed forces. Reporting directly to the highest levels of command, this new division draws on the elite out of all other branches in the Alliance Armed Forces. Their mission: to re-establish contact with cut-off worlds, to hold back the growing threat of the new Warlords, and to maintain security in the Alliance. Drawing on soldiers from both the former New Republic and Imperial Remnant, they are the elite, and work to hold the galaxy together as the Alliance seeks to re-establish order.

They are the Rangers, the bravest, the smartest, the most creative and boldest the Alliance has to offer. They are what stands between the Alliance and total chaos. They're the best of the best, will do whatever duty asks of them, and will fight to the last to hold the Alliance together during the trials in the days to come...

... Or die trying.

[Ranger One]

Okay... i'm posting it. I've created an alt-take, as i'm calling it, and posting that.

Without Further addo, here's the first Chapter:

Chapter One:

Jod dropped the data pad hed been examining down on his desk, sighed, and rubbed at his eyes. A glance at the chronometer on his desk showed it to be 04:00 hours: if he somehow finished this up soon, he might get an hour or two of sleep.

If Id known submitting this report would keep me up this long, Id have kept my big mouth shut. With another sigh, he looked down at the pad, then picked it up and began what he hoped would be the final check. It was starting to look like he wouldnt be getting much sleep tonight.

He made a mental note to himself to never volunteer to be the pilot flying the snoop a Recon X-wing with sensor pods attached ever again. Far too much paperwork for his preference, and added onto the pile he already had as assistant XO for the squad, it was amazing hed managed to get it all done. Hed already pulled three previous recon-flights anyways, but none of them had entailed as much paperwork as this.

None of those flights found an Imperator class Star Destroyer, either. For the past six months, the Alliance had been engaged in yet another war for survival: this time with indigenous inhabitants of the galaxy, rather than outside invaders like the Yuuzhan Vong. It seemed like just about every want-to-be warlord or emperor had jumped at the chaos and disruptions the Yuuzhan Vong had created. With the Holo-net destroyed, and a new one still only just operational, communications could take weeks to arrive, instead of hours. So whole systems could be subjugated by individuals seeking power, and the Alliance wouldnt learn about it for months, if ever. Add to that the fact that some of these warlords had a lot of power, money, and support, and one had a very explosive situation. For all rights and concerns, the galaxy was on the edge of a dark age not seen since well, by galactic records, since the Clone Wars and darkest days of the Galactic Civil War, but those paled in comparison.

Cerinan archives back on Cerina might have something better, but I dont have that kind of clearance even and admiral in the Alliance Navy lacks that! Supposedly, the archives back on Cerina were more detailed than those on Obro-saki quite a claim, since Obro-sakis nickname was The Library World, and that they contained information from centuries before the Clone Wars, back when the Sith and Jedi fought in open warfare, not the covert war itd been before and during the Clone Wars. Which was probably why they were locked up tight there was no doubt information in those archives the galaxy was better off without.

Jod took another glance at the Pad, and had to fight back a yawn. He failed miserably. Everything looked in order though, hopefully it was enough.

And back before the invasion, thered have been techs dedicated to doing this sort of stuff just shows how short-handed the Alliance is right now. Itd been far from common for a snoop-pilot to file the report on what theyd found the detailed report, not the simple one that pilots always made after a mission but with so much territory to cover, and so few forces, the Galactic Alliance was stretched thin. Hence, some jobs were being combined into one, so that more personnel could be freed up elsewhere.

Jods last mission in particular had struck gold, so to speak. Theyd spotted, and evaded detection by, an Imperator class Star Destroyer, one believed to be part of Admiral Zrajess forces. The Admiral had, with a number of forces and stolen vessels, cobbled together an empire of his own. Through stealth and treachery, hed subverted several of his rival warlords, adding their fleets and worlds to his own.

But the Admiral hadnt become a real threat until hed unveiled just how cunning he was. In a bold move, hed ambushed an Alliance Fleet, disabling every vessel with Ionic weapons, and, through the use of a new slicing technique, gained control of each vessel without boarding it. To add insult to injury, all of the crew had been returned to the Alliance later on, unharmed.

The message had come crystal clear Admiral Zrajes held the Alliance in such contempt that he didnt even wish to know anything those soldiers could have provided during interrogation. And hed proved he could steal an entire fleet of ships from the Alliance, and didnt fear its reprisals. High Command was taking him very seriously now.

So were the other warlords. The threat had both benefited and hampered the Admiral. Warlords whos territory bordered his and the Alliance, fearing being caught in the middle, had joined one side or the other. Those farther away from the conflict were either sitting it out, or providing monetary or other forms of aid to one side, or even both sides. It was galling that the Alliance had to accept aid from those who were probably providing equal aid to its enemies, but there wasnt much that could be done about it. Besides, many of those same warlords would probably declare that theyd supported whoever the victor was once it was all over, and join them. Who the winner would be was yet to be seen, however.

Zrajess fleet was large there was no denying that. Some of his ships were salvaged from battle sites from the Vong Invasion. Others were newly produced vessels, some from his own shipyards at least three Imperator, or Imperial, class Star Destroyers of his were indeed new. And yet more were of a new design that had never been seen before. Jet black, with a claw-like nose, the craft were reminiscent of Star Destroyers, but were closer in Size to Immobilizer class Interdictors. They still packed the punch of a Victory Class Destroyer, however, so they were deadly enough. Most of them appeared to have seen better days as well, but despite their somewhat patched-up appearance, they were capable craft, and could fight toe to toe with far larger and newer ships.

But against larger Alliance ships, they had yet to be tested. And few ships packed the punch of a Mon Calamari Star Cruiser, or the newer Bothan Assault Cruisers. Like the Ralroost, the Bothan Assault Cruiser leading this task force. Being assigned to the same fleet as that ship was almost in itself prestigious as any medal even if he was based on the Naritus, and older MC-80 variant of the Mon Cal designs. The Ralroost had fought in several key battles during the Yuuzhan Vong invasion, and her commander, Admiral Traest Krefey, was something of a legend now for his role in the retaking of Coruscant. While General Wedge Antilles and Grand Admiral Gilad Pellaeon had both been part of the planning of that assault as well, the three commanders were widely recognized as the leading forces behind the Alliances comeback after Coruscant was lost.

But Zrajes had shown no signs of wavering in the light of facing off against Krefeys forces. Heck, he seemed to welcome it. And if he felt up to taking down a task force with five heavy capitol ships of the Ralroosts caliber

Well, theyd faced a lot worse from the Vong, there wasnt much Zrajes could throw at them that would top that.

Everything looks okayI just wish there werent so many ships on the list. This must be one of Zrajess main fleets, and Id have to be a fool to think were not going to go after it. Aside from the Imperial class Destroyer, there had been two Venerator class ships old vessels from the Clone Wars, they were considered an intermediate between the Acclimator class transport/frigate and Victory Class Star Destroyers. They had enough Ion cannons to make a mess out of far larger ships, and the turbo lasers to finish them off too. Three Corusca class frigates, variants of the Nebulon B class, and a host of Carrack and Lancer class frigates. Filling out the list was a Bulk Cruiser a ship that was all turbo lasers and guns, but not much else and two divisions of corvettes, primarily CR-90 blockade runners and gunships, rounded out the fleet. But the real threat came from the last ship on the list, however. One Immobilizer class Interdictor. Known for their gravity well generators, that ship could hold the entire Alliance task force in place, and more ships could jump in to hammer them. While there were no signs of additional ships under Zrajes nearby, that didnt mean there were none; there were plenty of ways to hide a starship, even something as large as a Star Destroyer.

Trying not to yawn again, Jod saved the report, hooked his data pad up to a transmitter built into the desk, and sent the report. In a few minutes, the report would be sent through the Narituss computer, scanned, re-routed to a secondary computer that managed automated communications, re-scanned, then piped from the Naritus to the Ralroost. From there, itd be reviewed by her computers, before finally making its way to be analyzed by the fleets command staff. That thought alone should have made him nervous, but he was too tired to care.

04:30 hours perhaps Ill be able to get a little sleep tonight after all

As luck would have it, he didnt.

Jod awoke with a terrified yelp from a rather nasty nightmare, panting, almost gasping for air, and covered in sweat. His fur was standing on end from the dream hed just awakened from. The worst part was that this wasnt the first time hed had such nightmares.

The Yuuzhan Vong invasion had traumatized millions of individuals possibly billions and Jod was no exception. Jod had gone into it fully aware of some of the horrors he might see. Everyone had heard of Alderaan, and the other tragedies the Empire had inflicted during the Galactic Civil War. It was in hopes of preventing the Vong from causing such things hed joined the fight. Itd been too late to prevent another Alderaan. Sernpidal had been destroyed early on, and Chewbacca, the legendary companion of Han Solo, had died saving Anakin Solos life. But still, the chance to prevent such things from happening ever again was there, so hed joined, in hopes he could help make a difference.

It sure didnt seem like hed made much of one. Ithor had been the next world destroyed, and hed been at that battle. That it was through treachery while some Vong seemed to value their sense of honor, others seemed to lack it completely but it didnt change anything. Ithor was still a dead world now, burned lifeless. Other worlds had fallen, one after another. The Vong had seemed unstoppable.

What he hadnt been prepared for was how the Vong treated POWs.

In the Yuuzhan Vongs eyes, all the natives to this galaxy had been infidels. They were below even the lowest of Yuuzhan Vong, lower than their own creations or native, non-sentient life from this galaxy. Theyd seen that as above native sentients, but those too had been lower than their own bio-engineered technology. Prisoners faced only two prospects slavery, or death. And slavery could easily lead to the later too. The Vong had spent vast resources in attempts to capture refugees for sacrifices to their gods, before committing themselves to a major effort in their invasion.

During one such battle, Jods fighter had suffered a major hit, blowing the port S-foils clean off. His stabilizer had given out less than a second later, and the port engines had gone into overload. Hed barely ejected in time.

But part of him wished hed stayed in that doomed fighter and died along with it. Since so few pilots survived in such pitched battles even if they did go EV, sometimes they were hit by weapon fire or sometimes by other fighters beacons were used to indicate a live pilot was Extra Vehicular in the combat zone. Neither of those gruesom fates had happened to Jod, but his beacon had failed to activate As far as everyone else in the squad had known at the time, hed died in his X-wing. In retrospect, it might have been a lot less painful than what awaited him.

Jod had been captured by the Yuuzhan Vong their sensors were far more attuned to picking up life forms, and had spotted him with ease. At first, hed assumed they were going to kill him, possibly interrogate him. The invaders had rarely done so, as theyd held the Republic in such contempt, that they felt it would sully them to even try to extract information from their enemies in that manner. But they had other ways, and other uses for prisoners.

Itd been his lightsaber his old one, one hed build before hed even know about his own potential that had saved him from immediate death. But even that was a mixed blessing at the time, the Vong had been very curious about the Jedi. Out of all the individuals and forces in the galaxy, the Jedi Order had dealt the sharpest blows to their efforts. The Yuuzhan Vong were invisible to the Force, but likewise, they were blind to it. The Jedis abilities had seemed supernatural to them, and theyd wished to learn more.

Specifically, they wanted to know how they could destroy the Jedi. How much pain one could endure, how long itd take for them to break one, and other things. How they wielded such power was also on that list, but at the time, they were studying the corpses of Jedi that had died fighting against them, thinking it was some organ or something that permitted them such control over their environment.

The Yuuzhan Vong had implanted a yorik coral seed in Jods neck. The growths that came from such seeds were to their hosts what a restraining bolt was to a droid a remote control. Not quite as sophisticated usually, they had several variants, ranging from growths that turned their hosts into mindless drones, to ones that left them largely unaffected, but could inflict pain in varying degrees to direct their hosts. The Yuuzhan Vong directed the later slaves by voice orders and inflicting pain when those orders were not carried out to their satisfaction. The former were normally directed by a Yammosk a Yuuzhan Vong war coordinator, a creature that linked the Yuuzhan Vong pilots and soldiers under its command to itself via telepathy in battle, permitting instantaneous communication and were used a cheap cannon fodder.

Jod had received one of the later growths the pain inflictor kind as they were sometimes called by the Republic and had been shipped off to one of the many worlds the Vong had claimed by that point in the war, and used as manual labor. The Vong had treated the other slaves they had there far better than they had him, however. Those slaves were still permitted a few things other than their lives, namely a scrap of their dignity, and their modesty. Jod got neither. The Vong had left him with, quite literally, nothing. Theyd treated him as nothing more than an animal, if not worse, and hed even been used as a beast of burden a few times by them. While theyd held the other slaves in what they called a damtuket a shell created by a creature that served as a building, while the creature was moved on to make new ones Jod had been staked outside on a leash made out of rope. Thankfully, it wasnt a living Vong equivalent, but something created out of organic fibers from another world. Hed had no clue what the other slaves had though, but one thing was for sure, theyd been too afraid to even try to help him in any way fear of similar treatment held them back. The fact that the growths could inflict enough pain to kill instantly added to that.

Itd all been planned in an attempt to break him. Thinking he was a Jedi, the Vong sought to make him think he was not even worthy of the few things they permitted the other slaves, that they thought he was worthless, and that his life meant nothing, even to them. Considering how little they thought of most sapient life from the galaxy, that wasnt saying much, but itd still affected him. Theyd sought to make him snap

He hadnt. But he hadnt remained exactly firm, either.

It was the fact that hed endured that had made the Vong intensify their efforts. Regular, daily beatings, which had lasted till the Vong warriors administering them tired, something that took a great deal of time usually, came first. Then theyd tried starvation, leaving him tied out on that blasted leash theyd made for days, neglected, and with a muzzle. Vaders Eyes, a muzzle! It was so that other slaves couldnt feed him some of their own meager rations if theyd felt brave enough to try, but none had been even near that brave. The Vong had tried all of this, and worse. The list went on. If it hadnt been for a very fortunate event, Jod was positive he would have broken, or probably taken his own life even. But during all of this, Jod made an important discovery about himself.

He found his connection to the Force.

Itd been, and still was, sometimes, beyond words. With the Force, hed been able to endure the pain, even if hed been unable to ignore it as a Jedi could, and had been able to shut his mind down to a degree, insulating himself from whatever the Vong were putting him through at the time. It was that one thing that derailed most of the Vongs efforts. So theyd planned to ship him to another world this time for some of their Shapers to make use of.

That had seemed like a death sentence at the time, as the Shapers tended to be studying dead Jedi. It was only later hed learned that world would have been Yavin 4, and the shaper damtuket raised there. The Vong had shipped Jod and a small number of slaves on a scaled down version of their Slave-Carriers. Jod had tried his hardest to forget what it was like being in one of those things. Heck, saying they carried their cargo didnt describe it, they ate it, then coughed it back up at their destination. The fact that the drugs and such the Yuuzhan Vong pumped their cargo full of hadnt affected him had made the whole thing even more terrifying. All Jod had known is that he was in the equivalent of that things belly, with only that between him and the cold vacuum of space, and that he had quite literally nothing left, and was bound for Yavin 4. At the time, the Vong had had another Jedi captive held there: Tahiri Veila, Anakin Solos best friend from the Jedi Academy. The Shapers there had been experimenting on her, attempting to turn her. They were attempting to transform her into a Yuuzhan Vong, if only mentally, and then use her to learn more about the Force. Such as thing was an ultimate in Heresy as far as most Yuuzhan Vong were concerned, but not all Vong thought that way. Had they managed to get him there before Anakins attempt to rescue here, the Vong would have probably gained three Jedi prisoners to study.

Thankfully, that didnt happen.

The Vong convoy had been intercepted by a Republic fleet while on route to Yavin 4. Utilizing a CC-7700 frigates gravity well generators weaker than an Interdictor, but still effective the Republic had been hoping to capture a few Yuuzhan Vong ships and soldiers alive, so they could learn more about the invaders.

They got more than they bargained for, but the Vong frigate analogs hadnt been a match for a MC-80 cruiser. Caught off guard, both frigates had been destroyed moments after they left hyperspace. The transport had been hit by an ion barrage, and stunned. As they only carried two Vong warriors, it made an ideal target for the Republic to capture.

The rescue of almost two dozen slaves was a bonus. The fact that the MC-80 had been the Naritus, and her Red Squadron was Jods unit, had been a miracle. Considering theyd gotten word less than an hour ago about the debacle at Fondor a large Vong force and the Hapan fleet that had arrived to aid the Republic by defending Fondor had both been destroyed, apparently by a blast from Centerpoint Station, at Talus and Tralus, light-years away, morale had been at an all time low then, but the Jods return had been a huge boost for them, there, in that dark hour.

But years later, the suffering the Vong had inflicted still returned to haunt him. Sometimes, in dreams, the transport made it to Yavin, sometimes it went to some Worldship gigantic living vessels that had carried the Vong across the interstellar void -, and sometimes he even snapped back on that nameless world somewhere, and became a tool for the Vong to use against the Republic. The nightmare hed awakened from had been particularly nasty: the Vong Shapers had been planning to dissect him in that one, but he was still alive... The Yuuzhan Vong would never have done such a thing even they were above that but itd seemed so real. Thank the Force hed woken up when he did!

His yelp had woken up his room mate too.

Hey, Jod, Ace said, peering over the edge of the top bunk. You okay? He looked worried, and for good reasons. Ace knew well what Jod had gone through during the invasion, and how badly it still haunted him, almost Five years later.

Jod simply sat there, not sure what to say. That one had felt so real, it was terrifying. By Vaders Mask, Hed almost expected to look down at his chest when we woke up and find there was the start of a cut there! Finally, though, he was able to find his voice. I. Im okay, Ace, Im fine Stupid. Youre not okay, anyone can see that!

Ace apparently though the same thing. Im not buying it Jod.

Jod sighed. Do you really want to hear this one?

Hey, the last one was bad enough to make me sick, it cant be worse than that!

Youre sure, Ace? Jod asked again. Ace seemed to want to know what it was that woken him up each time, but always wished he hadnt asked after he found out.

Yes, Im sure. Ace replied.

You say that every time, Jod countered, then you ask me why I let you talk me into telling.

Just spill it already, Jod. After the last one, I dont think theres anything left thatll shock me.

Jod told him. He didnt give any detail, just stated bluntly what had nearly happened in that dream.

Ace retched, but at least it was just dry-heaves. Ugh.

Jod sighed again. Ive been doing that a lot lately, it seems. I told you, Ace.

Ace only nodded. If it werent for his fur, hed have probably been whiter than the sheets on Jods bunk.

Jod glanced at the chronometer on their quarters desk. 05:00 hours I got only half an hours worth of rest, and now Im too shocked to go back to sleep anytime soon so much for getting sleep tonight.

He flopped back on his pillow anyways, and stared at the underside of the mattress above, not really seeing. In a way, the Yuuzhan Vong had succeeded. They hadnt broken him then, but now, it was only a mater of when hed break. The worst part was, it wouldnt be the Vong to do it. He was breaking himself with these nightmares. He could have easily just asked one of the medics in Sickbay for some pills, and gotten some sleep without REMS, but he didnt like the idea of pumping himself full of drugs any more than he did the nightmares. Besides, that wouldnt solve the problem, hed only be avoiding it...

He glanced over at the wall, out the view port there, and into the starry vista on the other side. It almost looked like a picture, as if someone had taken a holo image of space, and placed a still-shot in a frame. It was hardly anything special, but somehow, it made Jod feel a lot better, and another thought crept into his head.

Thats why I endured so much... so that a lot of innocent folks out there would be able to gaze up at a night sky, with an image like this one, on their own worlds, and not have to fear one day seeing the Yuuzhan Vong come raining out of the sky on them, destroying everything theyd ever known and loved.. I endured because I had no choice to give in would have quite possibly damned millions, as Id have given the Vong an opening into destroying the Jedi Order. Without Skywalker and the other Jedi, the galaxy would have fallen for sure it wasnt all for nothing, and it wasnt just because I didnt want to give the Vong the satisfaction of breaking another individual I may not have known what I was doing then, but I do now and thats why Im still out here today, ready to fight some more, so that others wont have to live in fear of seeing everything they love and cherish being destroyed by these warlords out there. Its for their sakes, and theirs alone, that Im still going, have to keep going, and for no one else...

The thought made Jod feel a lot better, and he couldnt help but smile.

Uh you okay, Jod?

Jod glanced over at the underside of the upper-bunk, and saw Ace peering over the side again, a confused look on his face. Jod almost burst out laughing, but he didnt want to embarrass poor Ace. He cant understand why the heck Im smiling and heck, I barely can either.

Im fine Ace. Just go back to sleep, okay?

Ace didnt say anything else. He just pulled himself back up, and, as a sharp creak from the upper bunk told, lay back down.

Jod closed his eyes, but he couldnt wipe that grin off his face. For now, at least, he had something else to combat these nightmares of what the Vong had inflicted on him, and that was enough for now.

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Well, there it is. The alt take solved my problems, (a bit more detail that was iffy to me got cut with one scentence.) I know the scant details on the "nightmare" might seem a bit shocking, but I tried to keep detail low on purpose. Writting that in detail would have crosed a fine line I'm already stuck walking on with the Yuuzhan Vong invovled in my material (read some Star Wars - New Jedi Order books sometime, you'll see)...

Chapter Two covers the Star Fox team and some events in the Lylat System, it'll be up in a few days, and i promise it won't have any shocks in it. I'm trying to keep those kind of shocks out of my story as much as possible. Untill then...

[EvolutionSFox]

Holy... this might take some time to read.

[Ranger One]

Well, here it is. I spent most of today typing this, and when i was finished, I was a bit shocked myself. I've broken chapter 2 into two sections for posting here on SF-O. In Word, it was 15 full pages, much bigger than the previous chapter. Thats a bit much for a single post, so i'm breaking it up into two sections. Section two will be labled as chapter three, and will go up in a few days, after everyone's had time to read this one. For now, here's chapter two:

Chapter Two

No, for the last time, Im not interested in a Star-Dreadnaught class ship, what I want is a small frigate or even corvette size carrier, the customer, a well known vulpine, growled with annoyance. His partner, an equally well known avian, had a scowl on his beak suggesting he was also annoyed with the seemingly dense-as-lead salesman.

Nixo had to struggle to stifle a laugh. It looks like the legendary Fox McCloud has met his matchin the form of a civilian ship contractor no less.

There were two major ship producers in the Lylat system. Katina Star Drive Yards, or KSDY, was a newcomer to the big corporate manufacturing, but had quickly become a rising star. KSDY only dealt in small, one-and-two man vessels, or large, major capitol ships, such as the new Independence class Battle Cruisers Corneria had recently commissioned.

Cornerian Star yards Inc., or CSI, was the other. Much older than KSDY, it had the advantage of producing a large variety of models, granting it a larger market. They'd held the majority of Cornerian Navy contracts for years.

CSI also had a number of civilian designs as well, ranging from small private craft, some almost nothing more than tone-down snub-fighters, to larger Light Cruiser models. They were no where near as well armed as a true military craft, but all that extra power got funneled into their shields, granting their civilian models a lot of endurance in high-risk environments.

They also marketed a large amount of refitted vessels, most of them old mercenary craft, and most of those the kind Andross had employed. While those old craft were hardly space worthy by default, CSI had been turning out refits that put these antiques on par with much newer craft. Nixo had even heard that they had a Sunfish fighter model that was almost on par with the A-45 Arwing how that had to gall McCloud, knowing a craft that hed flown rings around in the past now had more than good chance against him with a rookie pilot! And was being snapped up by both the Navy and private shipping companies seeking to protect their assets.

CSI also made a number of small frigate and corvette class carrier models many of those nothing more than stripped down craft that had once seen service under Andross as well that, while cheap, were quite serviceable with the refits theyd received. It was no doubt one of these craft, or far more likely, their Cornerian model counterparts, that McCloud was after. What use would the Star Fox team have with a Star-Dreadnaught class Super-Cruiser; those things were almost a good three to four kilometers long, and held over twenty squadrons and five full assault teams! Even after fifty years, they were still the most powerful ships ever produced by CSI!

It was no secret that McCloud and his team actually had cash to spare an amazing thing in its own right but a Cruiser of that size was more than they could ever hope to use, and just borrowing one would leave them in debt for a lifetime. Fox was here for something smaller, but the sales-rep had other ideas.

And thanks to my bribe, he wont be going any lower than a Battleship size vessel, still far more than McCloud and his team could ever hope to use. They wont have a new ship anytime soon. While the Great Fox II would be launching in a week, it still had several shakedown runs to go through, and several new system tests. If they were lucky, the ship might be read for her final run in a month. But none of that started till space dock deemed she was ready to fly under her own power, and there were ways to slow that down.

Even in times like these, greed still has an incredible power over some of these fools. Getting the sales rep to agree with his offer hadnt been hard, and space dock control wouldnt be much harder. Nixo had far more than what those fools could earn in a lifetime to offer them. That should keep that accursed fox out of action for a nice, long time plenty of time for us to act. And the longer, the better. Still, there were other issues to deal with before their plans could begin to bear fruit. That fool, Oikonny, for starters. He may think hes the one in control, but it will only take a single reminder from my master to put him in his place. And the sooner, the better, the fool is insufferable sometimes too much is at stake to risk letting him blow it. Indeed, far too much. Thats why he was here, insuring that the Star Fox team would be left without a ship for a while longer. If those meddlesome fools made it off Corneria, they could

FOOL! The girl could be nearby, dont even THINK about that! Berating himself, Nixo peered though the one-way window, and saw that McCloud was on his feet, and in a rather heated argument with the salesman. These negotiations would be over soon, and in Nixos favor it seemed. No doubt it would be the last one for a while, too.

If it is, Ill have to make sure I reward this man properly both to keep him quiet and as payment for the lost sale. It would be expensive, but money meant nothing to Nixo and his master it was just a tool, one that could be used, like any other. With all the assets they had scattered, they could easily raise enough funds for all sorts of ventures.

Retreating down a narrow hallway, Nixo popped out behind the CSI office, located in Cornerias Mountain District. One of few zones not hammered by the Aparoids, several businesses had relocated here from the capitol sector, and this district had developed a booming industry that would no doubt remain for many years after reconstruction was complete. A glance at the sky showed it to be overcast, and a few fat raindrops had just started to fall. Perfect, that will add perfectly to McClouds mood when he leaves. He pulled his hood up, which had the added bonus of concealing his features, as well as keeping him a tad on the dry side. Normally he wouldnt have even cared being covered in jet-black fur from head to foot even the white portions of fur on most of his kind were black all most people ever saw was a black-furred lupine, nothing more. Today, however, it wouldnt do for anyone to be seen coming out the back way of a building McCloud would be storming out of any second.

Slipping into the already-dispersing crowd amazing what something as simple as a few raindrops did to a crowded causeway Nixo found a position nearby to take up watch without getting wet, and waited. He didnt want to miss the show his handiwork was about to produce after all

#!@*$%!# greedy salesmen! Fox thought as he stormed out of the CSI office. Hed had enough, and if hed stayed in there another moment

He almost blushed as that thought occurred to him. Although only he and Krystal knew at this time, the two of them had developed a bond that permitted them to hear each others thoughts. While range diminished its effects to an extent, she was plenty close to hear thoughts as strong as that. Blastsometimes this bond can be a nuisance

Foxs mind wandered back to the events that had occurred in the office just moments ago. I dont get it, I was making a more than reasonable offer for a frigate sized carrier. Heck, I was offering that guy a heavy cruisers worth for one, and he still wanted to sell me that blasted Hammerer class battleship what possible use would we have for a ship that big!? The whole scenario irked him.

For the past month and a half, Fox and Falco had been checking with the various shipyard contractors, making inquiries into the possible purchase or rental of a small vessel the team could use until the Great Fox II was ready. Wolf may be fine with blasting around the system with nothing but his fighter, but his team has who knows how many safe-houses and hideaways scattered across the system. But for Fox and his Team, the only real home theyd had for years was the Great Fox.

And Peppy went and blew her up At least it was for a good cause.

The loss of the Great Fox still hurt, however, and it wasnt just because theyd lost a good ship. That ship had belonged to Foxs father, James McCloud, before hed inherited it, and had been one of few tangible links Fox still had back to his father. Besides that, the ship had developed a personality of its own, in a way. Fox and Slippy had never felt up to wiping her memory core: Fox just hadnt felt like it, and Slippy didnt ever feel confident enough to take on a task that enormous. As a result, the ship had developed plenty of quirks and oddities over the years, but Fox had come to think of them as part of the vessels personality, and had even liked them. Well, most of them, anyways.

She may have been just a ship, but loosing her still hurt, and nothing will change that. With the loss of the Great Fox, he couldnt help but feel that an already narrow window he had back to his father had just... closed a bit more. A lot of Foxs memories about his father were based on that ship. Never mind that the Great Fox II was to be almost identical in design. Itd be a new ship her halls would have that new-smell to them, its engines would have what was commonly called a baby whine for the first few months, and itd have a lot of new gadgets and equipment that Fox hadnt even heard of before. It wouldnt be the same as the old ship, no matter how hard they tried it just wouldnt have the same feel as the old Great Fox had.

Fox tried not to sigh. The Great Fox was gone, and nothing would change that.

Yo, Fox, dont we should hail a cab? Falco asked.

Huh? It was at this moment that Fox realized it was pouring rain. Falco had taken shelter under an awning under one of the many buildings, but Fox was absolutely soaked. Guess I should have been paying attention. You go on ahead, Falco, Id rather walk

Hmph. In this weather?

Fox sighed. Falco, Id just like some time alone right now. Ive got a lot to think about.

Yeah. A grin suddenly blossomed on Falcos beak, one of those infuriating ones that drove Fox nuts.

Uh oh. Now what?

You sure its time alone you really want? Falco asked.

What do you mean? Shields up hes going to get me any moment

Seems to me what youd really want is some time alone with you-know-who.

Fox felt his face heat up as he blushed. Ouch. Direct hit Hey you cant really blame me, Falco. Seems like every time Im with Krystal, you or Peppy is nearby keeping an eye on us.

It seemed impossible, but Falcos grin grew even bigger, and threatened to drive Fox absolutly nuts. Hey, someone has to keep an eye on you two. Cant risk letting you get carried away after all.

It was a joke, and Fox took it as such. He couldnt help but laugh. Give me a break Falco, Ive got more self control than that!

Not if half of what Ive heard about your Academy days was true.

He shot Falco a mock-glare. Whos been telling you stories about my Academy days? he asked.

Fox had spent quite a few years at the Cornerian Space Academy, learning to become a pilot. Had he stayed, he probably would have been in command of an entire fighter wing today, like Bill. But when his father had died, Fox had dropped out. Hed just wanted time alone then, and had withdrawn into himself for a while. But instead of re-rolling in the Academy something he probably could have done, being James McClouds son hed gone on to rebuild the Star Fox team. A lot of those skills hed picked up in the Academy had benefited him in that task, and several of the piloting skills hed learned had been honed, along with his own talents, over the years, to make him the pilot and leader he was today.

His social life at the Academy, however, had become something of a legend. Although much of it was inflated by rumors and exaggeration, there was just as much truth as fiction in each tale. Most were absolutely harmless. Then there were others, such as a few okay, maybe almost all of the pranks he and his friends had pulled on a few other cadets that could be embarrasing to hear about nowadays. Back then, he, Bill, and Wolf before the accident that had cost him his eye, and their friendship had been known half jokingly as the Terrible Trio.

Of course, pulling pranks on the other students hadnt been enough theyd pulled them on each other too, sometimes with rather embarrassing results. The only reason his father hadnt laid the law down on him was because hed been just as bad with Peppy back when they attended the Academy. He had tried to keep the three of them from going overboard, but that in it self had been a monumental challenge.

Some of those scraps theyd gotten into had become legends in their own right, and some rather embarrassing ones at that. Like that one Krys asked me about a few days ago that howler onethat was SO embarrassing, and Im pretty sure Im never going to live that down He hadnt been able to bring himself to say anything at the time, and, seeing how embarrassed hed become, Krystal had let the whole thing slide for the time being.

But unlike Fox, Falco hadnt gone to the Academy. All of his piloting skills had been picked up flying an old junk heap of a fighter the gang hed been part of once had acquired. Falco had shown a lot of potential as a pilot, so hed been the one who normally got to fly it.

But anything Falco knew about Foxs adventures some would say mis-adventures at the Academy would have to be from someone else, and theres no way hed have settled for just third hand stuff that was being told there now. There were only two people who could have given him the information hed want and seeing as one of them wasnt on the best of terms with them, to put it mildly, that left only one choice.

Bill youve been telling stories about my Academy days, eh? Guess Ill have to make sure to spread a few about your exploits there as well, fairs fair. Fox thought, struggling to keep a grin off his face. He had some success. But only some, All he managed to do was keep it down to a smirk.

Sorry Foxy, Cant tell ya. Falco replied.

Sure you can't. Right. Its Bill, isnt it? Fox said. He couldnt hold it any long, and his smirk grew into a full-fledged smile.

You figured that out on your own?

Falco, Fox said, theres only two people, besides me, who could have told you about that stuff without exaggerating too heavily on it. Seeing as Wolf would sooner take a snap-shot at one of us with a blaster than tell stories about our days at the Academy, that left only once choice. And half of what Bill said was probably exaggerated anyways.

Not all of it. The howler one

Fox flushed. His cheeks felt so heated, he was sure Falco could even see that he was blushing. Dang it! You had to tell him that one, Bill? Falco that one uh was

True?

Fox sighed. I cant win Yes, he admitted.

Falco chuckled. Like I said, someone has to keep an eye on ya, you were pretty wild back then

Fox rolled his eyes. Falco, Bills version was probably a bit exaggerated, I know for a fact I didnt do half of that on purpose, those two decided then was the perfect time for another prank, with me the victim.

How about you tell me your version of it sometime, then?

Youd like that, wouldnt you? Id be giving you enough ammo to embarrass me with that Id be about ready to die of shame only a few days later.

Falco laughed. Hey, now youre the one whos not giving me credit! I know when to stop. I just want to know what happened when you got home from that one, your dad must have flipped!

Now it was Foxs turn to laugh. I can see why youd think that, he said, I thought he was his voice trailed off, and Foxs smile vanished. Hed been about to say going to kill me, but, with the old wound of his fathers death reopened so recently, he just hadnt been able to.

Falco picked up on it right away. Blast Fox Im sorry, I well, dang it, here I am, trying to take your mind off that blasted half-wit who called himself a sales-rep, and cheer you up a bit even, and look what Ive done.

Its alright, Falco. You did fine. Its just Youd think after all these years, Id be over it, but

I understand, Fox. Falco paused, and took a moment to glance up. So do you want to hail a cab already, or do you enjoy standing out in the rain?

A weak smile bloomed on Foxs face. I suppose I look like an idiot, standing here and getting soaked, dont I?

Well now that you mention it

Falco, I didnt want an answer to that.

Im just pulling yer tail, Fox. Falco said.

You may not have really cheered me up that much in the end, but its helped thanks, buddy. Fox thought. While Falco may have taken his mind off of what had happened in the CSI office, Fox couldnt get his mind off of his parents, now.

He glanced down at his shirt pocket. Ever since theyd lost the Great Fox, Fox had taken to carrying around a pair of sunglasses. They were dirty, they were bent, and one lens had a micro-thin crack running through it, only visible to the wearer. Theyd seen better days, but Fox would rather loose his own tail than those sunglasses.

Theyd belonged to his father.

The same pair hed worn to Venom, the same pair Peppy had returned with on that fateful day, almost eleven years ago.

They were probably the closest hed ever get to his father again.

I lost almost everything else I had to remember him by, save for a holo Ive kept in my Arwing, and the stuff Ive got outside the Spaceport Sector and I could loose all of that too. But the only way Ill loose these is if something happens to me as well.

A sudden idea came to Fox. I put it off back then, eleven years ago, cause I wasnt up to dealing with it then. Im older now, and a bit wiser. I should do it now, today, while Im feeling up to it

Falco, you go on ahead and head back to the apartments Ill catch up later, Ive got something to take care of near the Spaceport Sector.

A confused look twisted Falcos face. What the heck do you need to do out there? The Arwings are on Pad 32 here, and weve checked all the places there already.

Ill tell you about it later.

For a moment, it seemed that Falco was going to press the issue, but he didnt. Alright, Foxy, your call. Ill see ya back at the apartments.

Unbelievable was he really?

Yes yes, he was. Amazing McCloud was actually going back home.

Nixo tried to conceal his shock at that. Few people knew that McCloud had a piece of property under his name only a few miles from the Spaceport Sector, and the Academy as well. Calling it a piece didnt do it justice: McCloud could have landed a whole fleet of Arwings on the grounds under his name, and had room to spare for an entire armada of ships, including stuff the size of Mega-Carriers. Most of it was untouched and undeveloped. The result of that was a good-sized woodland just south of Cornerias Spaceports, and the terrain was used sometimes with McClouds permission, no doubt as an area for sensor training for new pilots at the Academy. A beacon was dropped somewhere in that forest, and pilots had to pick it out. Considering it was normally buried by a dense layer of foliage, and the beacon was no bigger than his palm, it was a pretty good test.

But that wasnt what interested Nixo. Not all of it was woodland, after all.

Just off one of the highways heading south of the Spaceport, there was a turnoff. It was what lay at the end of that turnoff that interested him. A house, not particularly large it only had two floors to it, not counting the basement with a double-sized garage lay at the end of it, he knew. It was all pretty ordinary, save for one thing.

No one had lived there for almost eleven years.

No one had been inside for almost eleven years.

Homes didn't just sit empty on Corneria. But this one did.

But it looked like that would change today. And McCloud was going alone this was too good to be true.

Pulling out a comm. link and concealing it in his hand, Nixo hit off three rapid clicks on the transmitter plate. The result was that three clicks could be heard across that channel well above normal frequencies, since Cornerian transmitters were years behind what he had and could be heard by anyone listening in. And someone had better be listening.

They were. Two return clicks signaled and acknowledged him. He sent two clicks back confirmation that it wasnt just random comm. static. A deep, heavyset voice came back over the comm. link on low volume.

Shadow One reporting what is it this time, sniffler.

Nixo hated that name, and Shadow One knew it. Thats why he said it all the time. But if it werent for me and my spying, his men wouldnt know where to act. I have some important news

Important to whom?

Our master, of course.

Which one? The real one, or that moronic ape?

Nixo smiled. Their disdain for Oikonny was the one thing they had in common. Other than that, its typical Intel Army rivalries. Our true master.

Finally. I was getting tired of doing that apes dirty work.

Considering your species has some similar traits, I wouldnt talk, Shadow One. Nixo couldnt say that out loud he needed Ones cooperation right now. Unfortunately, it will be of benefit to that moron as well, but well worth it.

Oh?

You see, I have news concerning Fox McCloud.

[Ranger One]

Okay... I'm guessing folks have been reading this thing (I hope so at least. I know, I know, its HUGE, but each post is a whole chapter, so bear with me.), so i'm posting the next portion. I'd originally intended to jump back and forth between StarFox and StarWars, but, with chapter two being so large, I've decided i'll jump back and forth every so often, but not always every other post. Here's chapter 3 (AKA, chapter 2, part 2). Enjoy. 8)

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Chapter 3

Just once, just once, Id like to be able to go someplace without being stared at. Fox thought.

Fat chance of that ever happening. Between his role in defeating Andross (not just once, but three times.) and destroying the Aparoid queen, Fox was quite a celebrity for all rights and concerns. Just wearing a different outfit wont change that then again, I should have ditched the pin. While ditching the team-logo pin he wore and wearing a different set of clothes than he normally did might make him harder to notice, that still probably wouldnt be enough. Nothing is Well, save for one alternative, but he'd have to be crazy before trying that.

Aside from the usual double-takes folks made when they saw him, the shuttle ride was rather uneventful. It was pretty close to evening once hed arrived in the Spaceport district, but the rest of the Team wouldnt care if he got back late. If anything, Peppy might figure out what hed been up to, but he was the only other one on the Team who knew about the place to begin with.

Fox stopped by a hover-bike retailer. Picking out one a white bike with blue trim along the sides forming a V, it didnt take much to guess what the inspiration had been for the paint job Fox soon found himself well outside the Spaceport district, and on his way south. He found the ride exhilarating itd been far too long since hed done anything like this, while flying his Arwing might not be permitted due to all the air-traffic, the hover bike made up for it. Just him and the vehicle, no extra gadgets like they put all over those ground-cars and their air-born cousins. But given how hover-bikes were known to be tough to control at best, and the speed he was traveling at well within the normal speed limits, but still fast for a hover-bike running at ground level one mistake could leave him with any from a numerous list of injuries, some of them deadly.

But compared to an Arwing, flying a hover-bike was pretty straightforward.

Fox couldnt help but feel a bit dismayed when he saw the turn-off up ahead. The whole ride hadnt lasted near as long as hed have liked. Then again, with the bike, I can always fly back to the Mountain District on my own that should be long enough.

Slowing down, he turned off onto the road. He coughed a bit as he inhaled some dust should have slowed down a bit more for a dirt road Fox cranked the accelerator down a bit more, and concentrated on what lay ahead of him. The road wound a tad bit, and these bikes were notorious for being sloppy on turns. Its either too much, or too little. And either can be pretty bad in the wrong situation.

Surprisingly, the bike handled well on turns even, and Fox had no trouble at all. Almost a disapointment, part of him had been hopeing for some excitment. Oh well...

It wasnt long before he reached the house.

It hasnt changed a bit the paints faded a bit, I guess, but thats to be expected it looks like someones been here to mow the yard recently, though, Ill have to thank whoevers been doing that

All in all, it was still the same as it had been eleven years ago. Shutting the bike off, Fox swung off of it and walked up to the front door.

He shouldnt have been the least bit nervous, but he was. I dont have to do this I can still just get on that bike, start her up, and head back to the apartments

No, he thought, squashing that thought. That would be the cowards way out. And if one thing could be said about Fox, itd be that he was not a coward. Punching in a five digit code he hadnt used in years, Fox watched the locks green light flicker on. The red one had burned out years ago itd been running for so long.

Opening the door, Fox stepped inside, and flicked on the light

Colonel Ulfson growled in annoyance. Here he was, with five of his best troops, staked out here in the woods, watching a house that had been empty for almost a decade. The ultimate waste of time. He was going to kill Sniffler for this if he was wrong. He reached up to scratch his head, but instead his hand bumped off the helmet he wore. Blasted things! Cant see how these guys stand them Three of the other five soldiers wore matching armor. Jet black, it was excellent camouflage-armor, but it was very restrictive. But itd beat having a blaster bolt drill right through his chest. Ulfson had seen this stuff block heavy blaster shots even.

Then again, the typical white version had been turned just as black by taking a hit, and it normally gave way after the second. So he could take maybe one shot, nothing more.

But considering who theyd be going after, it might save his life if it came to a fight. Might.

Ulfson glanced at the other two soldiers. Both black furred lupines brothers, if what hed been told was true all they wore was their bandoliers with ammo clips. Even wearing a black camouflage-suit had made them stand out in this lighting, so the two had ditched those. Compared to their fur, the black suits had been stark white anyways. Both held high powered sniper rifles, almost as black as them. They were currently prone, and almost impossible to see between the lighting conditions, their jet black fur, and the brambles they were hiding in.

At least they have enough sense to stay out of sight. He thought. He disliked these furies as some troops called them. Give him a good battalion of stormies over these so-called Special Forces troops theyd recruited here any day, and this mission would already be over. But this mission called for stealth, not firepower. Leveling this house would get McCloud, but itd attract too much attention. Snipping him was a lot cleaner, and meant less paperwork, too.

Too bad that breakthrough Oikonnys techs, dumb as they are, had made was still unreliable, they could have called a real Special Forces team through. Itd been what had started this whole thing. But as it was, he only had three soldiers that he really trusted. And these half-animals give me the creeps. Id rather they were all one or the other, not these in-betweens. Protocol prevented him from voicing that, and besides, the master wouldnt be too pleased with that though he believed that recruits should be judged by ability and loyalty, not race. Itd yielded a lot more troops than they would have under the old emperors policies, but it never the less gave him the creeps.

At that moment, a light came on in the house. Finally

Peering through his macro-binoculars, Ulfson tried to get a good look inside. He could see someone moving around, but the binoculars range wasnt good enough to give a clear image.

Rifle, he muttered.

One of the two lupines he hadnt bothered to learn their names, and hed have mixed them up anyways held up its his, he corrected, lest he slip up later by thinking that way rifle for him, but still remained prone. Smart choice. He grabbed the rifle, and, leaving the targeting-laser off, lined up the house though the scope, and maxed out the zoom. Much better, he thought. Now he could actually see something, even if it did have a red tint to it.

And he couldnt believe what he saw. Not only was it Fox McCloud, but he had that annoying vulpine right in his sights

Fox walked into the house, taking in everything at once. Nothing's changed

He found it easy to imagine he was still eighteen, and that hed find his father in his study, going over some report or document or something

Stop, youre just making this harder than it has to be doing that.

But it was difficult not to. Everything was exactly the same. Unchanged since the day Peppy had come back with the news eleven years ago. He could still remember it all perfectly

Stop it! Youre just punishing yourself for nothing doing that.

Walking into the study his fathers old study Fox took a look around. The desk had been cleared, something his father had never done something I did when I left and everything had been filed in the various drawers. The desk itself actually looked smaller than he remembered. In truth, hed been a lot younger. The desk hadnt changed just him.

Hey he thought, noticing one drawer wasnt quite shut. Something was sticking out, wedging it open. Guess I didn't get everything quite put away after all. Pulling the drawer out, Fox, picked the object up, and found it was a picture frame. And that it still had a picture in it.

Thats what caught his attention. In the picture was a vulpine that looked like a younger version of him, save for a few differences. The vulpine didnt have a patch of white on his head, and was wearing a pair of sunglasses, propped up on top. His eyes were a different color from his own, but in them was a vitality and sparkle Fox remembered well. Other than that, they were nearly identical.

With him was a young vixen. She was amazingly beautiful, by just about any standards. Fox found his eyes focusing on her own, though they were just the same as his, but with that same spark to them as the other vulpine, something hed never seen in his own eyes when hed looked in the mirror. But even in a still photo, they held a warmth and compassion as well, one he had only vague memories of. Both vulpinoids had rather joyful expressions on their faces, and it was easy to see why.

There was a 3rd vulpine in the picture as well. A young pup, with an incredibly happy look on its face. A young fox that Fox knew very well.

It was him.

That young, smiling pup was him, over twenty years ago, a couple of years before his mother had died in that accident

Fox couldnt take it any more. He sat down in the chair - the same chair his father had, years ago, after aforementioned accident put his head down on the desk, and cried

What in the vapin #%@! is he doing? Ulfson thought. It occurred to him a second later. Amazing almost makes me feel bad for what Im about to do

Sir one of the lupines said.

What? he growled back, annoyed. He didnt need distractions if he was going to take this shot, it was already going to be an awkward angle. I should have taken it right away instead of waiting, but I had to let my curiosity get the best of me! He didnt shift his position, but he did open his other eye to glance in the lupines direction. The idiot had stood up, had his comm. link held out towards him, and was obviously embarrassed about the situation.

Or.. Orders sir from

I know what our orders are, soldier, now get down cover yourself up!"

Sir its the Colonel! the lupine rushed out.

That got Ulfsons attention. He lowered the rifle. Give me that. He growled.

The lupine gladly gave him the comm. link, and scurried back under cover. Moron

Lieutenant Ulfson, sir. You have orders for me?

Indeed I do, Lieutenant." A pause, then the Colonel continued. "Consider this your new post for now.

Sir? he asked, confused.

Weve decided to let McCloud go for now, in hopes of catching bigger fish. The Colonel replied.

What you mean well

Ill be sending additional troops to your location in a few days with more supplies and equipment. Were taking a gamble that McCloud will act the way weve predicted, but if he does, well be able to shave considerable time from our schedule.

Yes sir! Ulfson replied. Well be ready.

Good, Lieutenant. Out. The link went dead.

Ulfson glanced back at the house. Consider yourself lucky, McCloud very lucky

Alright, listen up, weve got new orders. Well be staying here for a while, so find someplace comfortable for now.

Everyone but the two brothers immediately set about finding a place to set camp. From them, he got a blank, stunned look. Serves you right for ditching equipment, he thought.

What, you two plan to lie there for the next few days? You heard what I said, now move it.

The lupines took off, back in the direction of their ditched camo-suits.

This is going to be a loooong wait

Fox awoke with a start, not realizing where he was. He fell out of the chair hed fallen asleep in, and landed hard on the floor.

Ouch, what the? Then he remembered.

Did I really cry myself to sleep?

Hed been so exhausted emotionally that he must have. What time was it, anyways?

Fox glanced down at his wrist-watch. 8:00 AM!? Holy Hed slept the whole night here, and the rest of the team didnt know where he was! I really should have told one of them He flicked his comm. unit on. This is Fox Peppy? Slippy? Falco? Krystal? Anyone there? Boy, did that sure sound pretty dumb

After a moment, a voice came back over the comm. link. Fox this is Peppy Im guessing youre still at your old place, huh?

What? How did you? Fox stammered. How the heck did Peppy figure that out?

Falco told us where you said you were going, and there wasnt much out there youd be interested in besides that. the old hare said.

Oh" I'm not thinking clearly right now... "Peppy, Im sorry, if Id known Fox started, but his voice trailed off. How was he supposed to know hed be here for so long? He sure hadnt planned on it.

Its alright, Fox Im just glad you finally got around to it.

Yeah can you tell the others Ill be back soon? Ive just got one more thing I want to take care of here first. Fox asked.

Sure thing. Peppy replied.

Fox sighed in relief. Thanks, old-timer, he said.

No problem.

Normally, he would have said something like Fox out, or something else similar. This time, however, Fox simply shut the comm. unit off. Well, I said I had one more thing I wanted to take care of, so Id better get started if I really do plan to get back soon.

He didnt even get a tenth of what hed wanted to do done. Then again, Im trying to clean this place up alone here not exactly a quick thing to do. Doing it had given him time to think, however.

Ive been acting like a fool all these years Ive been living in that tiny apartment, or on the Great Fox, trying to avoid all the memories Ive had of this place, when I could have been adding some new ones with my friends here Yeah, I needed some time away, but eleven years? That was too much.

Well, no more. It might come as a surprise to the rest of the team, as Peppy had been the only one to even know about this place aside from him, but hed made his mind up. As soon as possible, he was going to move back in. Not that that would take very long he hardly had anything in that apartment to begin with, just about everything he owned had been aboard the Great Fox, stowed away in the cargo-pod on his Arwing, or locked up here. Heck, all he had in the apartment right now was what had come with it, and a sleeping-bag for a bed, and a backpack with a few changes of clothes in it. Hed be out in one trip. Moving back into his old home the same home hed grown up in felt like the right thing to do to him.

Theres enough room here for the rest of the team even, if they want to this place wasnt really meant to become a home for five, but it's got enough room. Besides, as much as I like the idea of moving back in, Im not really sure if I want to live here all alone thats what got to me last time.

Fox shook his head, and tried not to laugh at himself. He was getting a bit ahead of himself there. That may be fine as a team leader, but not for making personal decisions. Thered be time to ponder that later.

During the ride back

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Parting Shots: And here's chapter 3. Chapter 4 is, as of this moment, in the note-book writting stage (i write these all in notebooks, then type them up, adding a bit more, and removing a few things sometimes.), and should be ready to go in a few days. Untill then ^ read chapters 1 through 3!

[Ranger One]

And here's chapter 4. No comments this time, so just scroll down and start reading. 8)

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Chapter Four

Jod tried to stifle a growl and tugged at the neck of his dress uniform. Basted thing is so tight I swear, they must make the vapin things a size or two too tight on purpose! He gave the collar another tug. Id rather have that collar and leash again, at least it didnt try to throttle me!

He instantly regretted that though. No, the collar and leash hadnt choked him. But what had come with them had been a lot worse. Stop dont dwell on that, the last thing you want to do is look like someone you know just died when you get to this meeting the Captain called you for.

Less than an hour ago, Red squadrons commanding officer, Captain Russel Whiteman, had sent a communiqu�to him, asking him to meet with him over on the Ralroost. Why there, rather than the Naritus, Jod had no idea, but orders were orders.

The flight over had been uneventful Jod had hitched a ride on one of the shuttles that went back and forth between the various ships in the fleet most of the time and getting from the hangar to the nearest turbo lift wasnt exactly what hed call exciting. But right now, he could use a bit more of the usual, and less abnormal stuff. The lift had stopped, and had been stopped for a good twenty-five minutes now. Hed put out a call to maintenance not to long after the lift had stopped turbo lifts never stop between floors unless an order is given to the lift's on board computer, and Jod hadnt given any such order and hopefully someone was checking it out right now. Being stuck in a malfunctioning turbo lift wasnt Jods idea of fun.

The lift jerked suddenly up, thankfully, and not down and finally reached the next floor after a few moments. Finally Im going a different way when I head back, well away from any lifts around this one

Thank the whoa!! Jod yelped as the gravity in the lift suddenly vanished, and left him drifting towards the ceiling. Turbo lifts on starships operated on gravity generators independent of the main network, to prevent nausea and such when the lift passed between gravity fields. It also, along with their built in inertial compensators, prevented any accidents that could leave the passengers pasted to the walls. Literally.

Jod grabbed hold of the door-frame, rather than letting himself bonk his head on the ceiling. That was too close had that given out a moment sooner Well, if it had, he wouldnt be worrying about it right now or anything else. Guess that was his shock for the day. He swung himself out into the corridor and nearly slammed right into Captain Whiteman. Oh sithspit

The Captain paused for a moment, startled, then simply shook his head. Why am I not surprised to find you playing around on the turbo lift, Naritus?

Jods cheeks burned with embarrassment. Very funny, sir. Is the Ralroost having the same supply problems as the Naritus?

Afraid so, that lifts been trouble for almost a month, but gravity was fine till you came along. A small grin spread across Whitemans face, showing he found something funny about the situation. Funny Im probably better at gauging human emotions like the Captain's than I am at those of my own kind, he thought absently.

At least I found you in one piece for once, seeing as you were courting disaster again. Whiteman quipped.

Sir, its not my fault people seem to enjoy shooting my X-wing up. Jod replied, falling into step with the Captain. Unlike some squad commanders, Whiteman wasnt a real stickler for formality. He also had a pretty decent sense of humor, and wasnt afraid to mingle with his own pilots. While with some commanders, that was almost impossible, or the commanders just didnt want to get that close to their pilots. Whiteman preferred to actually know his pilots early on, rather than waiting until theyd survived several combat missions like some squad leaders did. Whitemans unit had a reputation for keeping pilots, however keeping them alive that is. Some of the more prestigious units had a much higher "turnover" rate not a good thing exactly. Thats why Id rather fly with Red group on the Naritus, rather than one of those elite units.

Whiteman snorted at Jods remark. If youd learn to share a few kills with the rest of the unit, Naritus, the enemy wouldnt view you as such a target. Its like youre auditioning for a spot in Rogue Squadron or Twin Suns when youre out there.

I wouldnt dream of it, sir. Id rather fly with this unit than any other.

You have no idea how proud I am to hear that, Jod.

Did he just call me by my first name? Ive been with him for almost four years, and Ive never heard him do that before, its always been my rank or Naritus. Even in a rather informal unit like this one, some formality was always maintained. Sir is something wrong?

Whiteman glanced at him. Sorry, Naritus, my mind was a bit preoccupied.

Jod let it go at that he recognized an evasion when he saw one, and that was a blatant attempt at that. Wonder whats got him so distract hey, what gives, why are we?

Jod had just realized they had entered the main briefing room aboard the Ralroost. Used by the command staff of the fleet, it was here missions would be planned, then the commanders of each unit would take whatever was decided, and in turn relay that to their personnel in smaller and nowhere near as nice briefing rooms on their ships. The Naritus had a room that was similar, but it almost never saw use, seeing as the Ralroosts facilities were newer.

Even odder was the fact that there was only one occupant in the room besides Whiteman and himself. Jod peered closely at the stranger and nearly froze with shock as the Bothan turned to face them. Jod snapped to attention with a speed and precision to make any drill instructor proud. Whiteman simply threw a salute as he would to anyone of higher rank, but there was nothing that suggested he was surprised like Jod was. But it was pretty obvious as to why Jod was so surprised.

The Bothan in question was an admiral. And there was only one Bothan admiral in this fleet.

Admiral Krefey! Jod said, barely keeping his shock out of his voice. Whiteman simply offered an Admiral, cool and calm. But a captain or commander in the Star Fighter Corps. was far more used to speak with an admiral than a lieutenant like Jod would be.

At ease, gentlemen. Krefey replied. I see you finally found your lost lieutenant, Captain.

It wasnt exactly hard, Sir. Lieutenant Nar'itus has a habit of finding trouble in all forms.

Jod blushed. Thanks if only the deck would swallow me now, and save me any additional humiliation. It didnt, however, which was no surprise.

Krefey smiled. So Ive heard, if the report from the retaking Coruscant is to be believed.

Jod knew instantly what Krefey was talking about. At that battle, Jod, Ace, and Gauge had worked together to hold two full squads over twenty ships of Yuuzhan Vong coral skippers, the Vongs analog to a snub fighter, and saved an old Venerator class Star Destroyer that had been partaking in the ground attack. All three of them had made it out unhurt well, save for Jod, but hed survived worse and the old starship had survived to deploy a large force of troops to the surface. The tactics theyd come up with during that fight, while un-repeatable, had earned all three of them the Kalidor Crescent, the highest award a fighter pilot could earn. Jod has also gotten himself shot up a bit during that battle, however, leaving him out of action for a good two months afterwards.

But that had been months ago, almost a full year even. What could possibly be important about it now? Unless

Is this supposed to be about a promotion? Jod hadnt really cared much for rank, doing his job had been enough for him. While he felt sure he could handle more responsibility had, in fact, during the war he was willing to take whatever assignments he was given. It was a trait thatd gotten him pretty far in the RSF back on Naboo, before the war. Itd also held him back a tad bit, until hed learned during the invasion to go beyond his mission objectives sometimes. Hed also learned sometimes it paid more to fall short of a goal than to complete it sometimes too. Jod was also aware that he'd demonstrated plenty of leadership skills over the years. Some folks would probably say he was officer material, but personally, Jod felt he was fine right where he was in his own opinion.

Well, sir, Whiteman said, I can attest that its all true. Im going to be sorry to loose him, though.

What? Jod couldnt keep from asking that out loud, but regretted it instantly. Brilliant. That sure made you look pretty dumb.

Krefey simply laughed laughed! however. I guess your XO doesnt understand whats going on.

Um I guess not, Jod admitted. May as well speak for myself, no need to be referred to in third person while Im here! Uh Sir, he added hastily.

Naritus, how long have you been a lieutenant?

The question caught Jod by surprise, but he responded at once. Almost three years, sir.

And you were promoted shortly before Coruscant fell, correct?

Yes sir I was promoted a week before Durro was lost.

And you fought in the battle over Coruscant?

Yes sir.

And in several key battles after that?

Yes sir.

And participated in the retaking of Coruscant?

Yes sir Whats he trying to get at?

Naritus why in the name of all things holy are you still a lieutenant? The Bothan scowled.

Sir? Jod asked, startled. Argh way to go, genius.

Youre long overdue for a promotion, Lieutenant. Is there any reason for that I might not be aware of?

No sir.

Good. Krefey walked over and stood right in front of him. Jod found himself starting to sweat. Calm down, hes not going to eat you alive for crying out loud, if he was going to bust you for something, hed have done it already!

And sure enough, Krefeys scowl turned into a big grin. He pressed a pin into Jods hand. Lieutenant, let me be the first to congratulate you, then. Congratulations, Commander Naritus, youve more than earned it.

What!? But sir.. Im Commander? He wasnt even a Captain, and now he was Oh spast, I outrank my commanding officer now! Only a second after that he realized he probably wasnt going to even be with his unit much longer at this rank having a commander serving as an aid to a captain would create an awkward situation, at the least.

Jod took a deep breath. Should I pack my things once Im back on the Naritus and prepare for a transfer, sir?

Krefey barked a laugh. Eager to move on to a new assignment, Commander?

Uh, no sir, I mean yes no, I Jod trailed off. So much for giving a clear answer to that one.

Well, as of this moment, youre still part of Red Squadron aboard the Naritus. Im sure there will be a new post for you in a few weeks, but for now Kre'fey said, ignoring Jod's mixed-up protest.

I I understand, Sir. Thank you! Jod stammered out. Unbelievable a Commander? Good lord, hed probably be assigned command of a unit, or be sent to one of the more prestigious ones like the Rogues or Twin Suns, or even Black Moon off the Mon Mothma.

Oh crud, I hope not the last thing I want to do is leave all my friends behind especially Ace and Gauge, after all weve been through together. But if the Alliance sent him someplace else, he wouldnt have much choice sad as that thought was to him.

You dont need to thank me, Commander Thank Captain Whiteman for helping bring this to my attention. Now if youll excuse me, Ive some additional business to attend to. And once again: congratulations Commander, Krefey said.

Thank you, sir. Jod replied, saluting.

The moment after the Admiral left the room; Whiteman turned and offered his hand to Jod. Congratulations, Commander.

Jod accepted the handshake. Dont call me that.

Call you what?

Commander Im going to get enough of that from the rest of the squad, sir, and

First off, Im the one whos supposed to be calling you sir. Whiteman replied with a smile. The two of them started for the door.

Thankfully, he already knew the Captain pretty well, so this promotion didn't change much between them. Jod gave Whiteman a mock glare. Dont you dare Ive already been stood on my head enough here, no reason to add to it.

Whatever you say, sir, the Captain replied, his smile breaking out into a full grin.

Jod grimaced. You did that on purpose.

Uh-huh.

Am I going to have to put up with this from everyone in the unit?

Probably.

Jod faked a wince. Thanks a lot.

Whiteman gave him a mischievous grin. Youre welcome, sir.

I told you not to call me that that.

No, you only asked me not to call you that, sir.

I oh oh you knew I could have simply made that and order, and didnt tell me.

It looks that way, sir.

Stop. Please. I dont want to be giving orders to someone whos supposed to be my superior still in the unit, Captain.

Thats only when were on active duty or in combat, not down time on one of the ships in the fleet, sir.

Stop that

Yes, sir.

Captain, Im warning you

Youre a WHAT!?

Jod winced. Go figure Ace was the one to yell about it. Not that he was mad about it Ace had always said it was a crime that Jod was still a lieutenant but learning about Jods sudden promotion to commander was still a shock. Theyd both been sure hed get Captain someday, but hed skipped that rank completely! The fact that Jod was still in the same room as Ace he wouldnt get new quarters until he was transferred was also a shock.

I can understand why hes startled, but does he have to yell in my ear? Jod reconsidered that though for a brief moment. Probably.

Ace, you dont need to

But Ace wasn't listening. I cant believe it! Heck, Ill bet anything you earned it, but Jod, this is amazing I mean oh, whatever congratulations!

Ace. But Ace was still rambling. I get a shock, and I and remain silent while he starts babbling like a 3-P0 unit. Ace! he barked.

Ace jumped. Reflexively, he sprang to attention and saluted.

Jod couldnt help it. He laughed.

For a brief moment, a puzzled look crossed Aces face. Then he realized what hed done, and was instantly embarrassed. Hey not fair

Ace, I never meant for that to be an order you did that all on your own.

Well, what was I to do when you raised your voice like that, Jod, I oh, spast, I should be calling you sir, not

Ace, calm down! And I will make that an order if I have to, Jod said, cutting him off. Just because Im a ranking officer doesnt mean you have to act like Im a totally different person not in our own quarters, at least." He grinned. "Im pretty sure folks would go into shock seeing you call me by name in the middle of a briefing.

Yeah, I suppose they would Seriously, though, congratulations Jod whod have thought youd finally be of rank to get a command of your

Ace stopped, and Jod winced. Yep he just figured that one out If I get a command of my own, itll be in another unit.

Ace sat down on the only chair in the room seeing as how Jod was sitting on the edge of his bunk, it was the only other place left to sit and took a deep breath. So did he say when youre getting transferred?

No.

So for all you know, it could be a month, or a week, or tomorrow even.

Right

Ace gave him a weak grin. Well whenever the order comes, can you at least let me know before you move out? Id hate to come back here and suddenly find myself alone without warning.

Sure. Heck, Ill write too if you want. Jod replied.

Aces grin got a lot stronger. Now wouldnt that be odd a Commander writing back to one of his old bunk-buddies from his former unit.

I dont see anything odd about it.

Well Im sure someone would. Ace countered.

Right like I care what other people think about my choice of friends. Jod sighed. At least I wont have to put up with any major pranks from you or the Azhat brothers now.

Hey, I thought all my pranks were pretty good.

So you were in on some of those. Jod said with a grin.

Well not the last one.

Not surprising that one wasnt your style. Youd be more likely to plant a noise-maker in someones helmet before they head out on a routine patrol.

Ace grinned. Hey, I said I was sorry.

Im sure you were. Still, however bad you are, those two Bothans are a million times worse ones a slicer, and both are creative and with an inclination to pranks, thats a dangerous combination.

For who, them or the victims?

Ugh dont remind me that last one was an old one, and I totally fell for it. Didnt help that we got called in for a briefing moments later Im sure you guys will tell stories about that one for a long time.

Look on the bright side, you can confiscate any holos taken of ya when that happened now.

Thanks Ill start with yours.

Sorry, threw it out an airlock a long time ago.

Right Jod flopped down on his bunk, and starred at the underside of the upper bunk.

Uh you alright, Jod?

I dont know Ace Im still having a hard time believing all of this is real.

Would it help if I started calling you by rank or sir? Ace replied. Jod didnt look up, but he was sure Ace was smirking at him now.

Dont you dare, not in our quarters and you can take that one as both a suggestion and an order.

Youve been giving an awful lot of those since your promotion. Ace quipped. That smirk is probably a full smile now

Jod sat up and smirked back. Cause people like you wont listen to simple requests any more someone gives your friend a promotion, and you forget how to even talk to him.

Hey, I

But any reply Ace might have made was cut off. Commander Naritus, report to briefing room N-4 immediately. Commander Naritus

Jod sighed. Blast

Ill bet you five credits its about your transfer. Ace said.

No contest, I was thinking the same thing.

That was when they both realized the comm. message wasnt through. Lieutenant Lixo, report to briefing room N-4 immediately Lieutenant-Commander Trasle, report to briefing room N-4 immediately The message went on, but theyd both stopped listening.

Uh guess its not about your new assignment after all.

Guess so. Jod couldnt resist the chance for one last crack at Ace. Guess you lucked out.

Huh?

If Id taken up that bet of yours, youd have just lost five credits.

Ha, like youd ever take a bet.

Keep talking like that, and one of these days, I will, just to surprise ya.

Sure, Commander

Were not even in the hall yet, Ace.

So? May as well start now, so I dont slip up.

Id rather you oh, whatever. I give up, I refuse to go through this again, the Captain was bad enough hey, what are you laughing about Ace, it wasnt funny, so stop it. Jod struggled to keep a serious look on his face. Ace, I said stop it hey, are you even listening? Stop it! Jod couldnt hold it any longer, and broke out laughing as well. Knock it off youre not supposed to laugh at a superior officers misfortune Ace

Alright, alright, Ill stop wouldnt do for me to be laughing at you in front of everyone after all. The two of them started for the door.

Oh, what the heck, let him have his fun, after your transfer, its going to be a long time before you two get the chance to talk as friend to friend like this. Jod felt a pang of regret at that thought. And Im going to miss it

[EvolutionSFox]

Ahh!

XD

I have a little advice, cut the chapters in smaller pieces... and post one at a time... so we don't have to jump over the wall of text.

And besides that, excitement buildin' up.

[Ranger One]

Hmm... yeah, I guess that would be a good idea, it'd probably make the whole thing easier to read. I'll start posting in this manner with Chapter 5, with the next section to follow in a day or two. Speaking of which, here's Chapter 5, Section 1:

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Chapter Five

Section One:

Well that went over better than I expected. Fox thought as he rolled up his sleeping mat. Just a little over half an hour ago, hed finally returned to the apartments. Hed had a hard time getting a word into the conversation, if it could have been called that, which had started upon his return. Slippy and Falco had both been shocked to learn Fox owned some property. I still dont agree with their calling it an estate, its not that big. The only reason his father had owned so much property was because hed received it as a reward for one of his missions, and Fox had simply inherited it. Whatever that mission had been, it must have been something.

Dropping the bombshell that he was going to be moving back into the place didnt have the impact hed feared. Instead of a new round of shocked filibustering from Slippy and Falco only Peppy had remained silent, the old hare had probably seen it coming the whole team had been nothing but well-wishes and offers to help him with settling into his old home. Like he needed any help, it didnt take much to move a backpack full of clothes and a sleeping bag just about everything else he owned was already in that house, he didnt have any personal belongings beyond the handful hed already packed into his bag in the apartment.

As for the idea of the whole team relocating to the place well, that idea had been rather short lived once Fox had actually gotten a look inside Slippys and Falcos apartments. Slippys looked like some crazed-inventors factory not that far from the truth, save that Slippy wasnt crazy, just hyper and Falcos apartment man, I dont want to think about what that had looked like, and I thought my quarters on the Great Fox had been messy, if his had looked anything like the apartment did, its amazing the ship was still in one piece long before the Aparoids attacked!

Peppy had politely turned down the suggestion, and Fox hadnt wanted to press the issue beyond that. While Peppy had made his peace with the death of James McCloud years ago, he didnt exactly want a constant reminder of the loss of his old friend in his life, which living in that house, even for a short time, would be. As for Krystal

Well she didnt say no, but she didnt say yes, either yet. Krystal had been rather surprised by the offer apparently some things didnt slip through that bond of theirs even if they werent shielded after all and had said shed need some time to think about it. I dont blame her if itd been the whole team, itd be one thing, but just the two of us? That changes the context of it completely; itd be just us living together Aside from all the immediate pros and cons (which there were plenty of both) Fox could think of the two of them would have to deal with from such a situation, there were also the rumors and gossip that would spring up around them. As if there wasnt enough of that already.

Rumors he could deal with, however. Hed lost count of all the stories about him and Krystal long ago, it seemed like there was an endless supply to them.

Hmmm... Another idea occurred to Fox, but it was hardly new to him. Should I? Weve known each other for two years now, but we know each other better than some couples ever do in a lifetime but His stomach felt like it had butterflies in it. He was scared of even considering this! Come on, Fox McCloud, he berated himself, youve faced real fear before, theres nothing scary about what you just considered!

Now if only the rest of his mind would believe that. Blast I dont believe this Im scared half to death to ask Cutting that thought off, Fox ran through a few calming techniques Krystal had taught him recently. They helped... but only a little. Most likely this idea was going to nag at him for a while now. Its not the idea of making that kind of commitment that scares me its the working up the nerve to ask.

Great something else to worry to death until the Great Fox II was complete just what he needed.

Fox strapped the rolled up sleeping-mat to his bag, then slung it over his shoulder. One problem at a time, Fox you dont need to solve everything at once. Besides, itd been two years already, a few more weeks wouldnt hurt

Blast, I hope the Colonel knew what he was doing, cause if we blew it Well, itd be on the Colonels head, not his, if they had. Itd been well over half a day now since Ulfson had seen McCloud leave, and he hadnt returned yet. That vulpine doesn't have that much stuff to move if your intell is correct, he should have been back already. The adepts had claimed that they were positive hed return within a days time vapin moffs, not only had one adept come and taken charge with the reinforcements, but there were five of those blank-eyed, black robed creeps here now! but Ulfson didnt put any stock in their abilities to see the future. Killing and a few other things, like mind reading, yes, but not reading the future.

Glancing up from his data-pad, he saw two of the robed adepts practicing with their weapons. Having removed their heavy black robes, they wore light, equally black tunics that gave them a simple yet menacing air. But it was not the robes that drew ones attention

The locals had been amazed by the sight of the adepts weapons, and even Ulfson and his own troops were not immune to this awe. One rarely saw weapons of this sort in ones lifetime, let alone two in action. A wide ring more for the sake of the spectators safety than anything else had formed around the two adepts, and a mix of wolves, coyotes, a few of those ape-humanoids, and several other furries, as well as a few of Ulfsons own black armored storm commandos, watched.

Two brilliant red blades, one that could easily be described as the color of blood, the other a brilliant red said to mirror that of one of Icehearts eyes amazing that one of the older soldiers here had served under her and lived! spun in quick loops, circling one another, probing for openings in their foes defenses. The two blades clashed, sending sparks flying and raising an electric squeal only possible by the clash of such weapons, and the whole thing appeared more like an elaborate dance than a training duel.

Ulfson looked back to his pad, and continued reviewing the plans hed been given. Doyle, the lead adept, had asked Ulfson to outline a plan for their troops, and he needed to have this ready by tonight. If McCloud showed back up, they wanted to be ready. And Ulfson doubted his friendship with Doyle would do him any good theyd grown apart a bit since Doyle had begun his training.

He couldnt resist one last glance up at the duel, however. The whole thing seemed pre-planned, organized, down to the smallest detail, so coordinated were the adepts. Ulfson almost felt sorry for McCloud. Not even he would have wanted to face a foe such as these. I hope youre using your time wisely, Fox McCloud because the moment you return to this place the two blades clashed in a brilliant flash of light and screech of sound your time is up

[Ranger One]

Here's Chapter 5, Section 2:

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Chapter 5:

Section 2:

Krystal had to work hard to suppress a laugh as Fox flashed a boyish grin at her. Its like he regresses about four or five years in maturity when were togethernot that she was complaining. Fox had come a long ways in the past two years from the closed-up vulpine shed met on Sauria. It seemed hed finally lowered a lot of those barriers hed had for so many years. He was a lot more willing to open up now, and the choices hed made last night were just another step in the right direction in her opinion. It was the new idea he was wrestling with that surprised and flattered her. He probably didnt know that his thoughts on the matter had leaked over to her even.

Hopefully he wouldnt come up with an answer until she did But therell be time to worry about that later. She brushed the thought aside for the moment, and focused on the present.

Foxs grin grew larger. So he knows something was distracting me, but not being a trained telepath, I doubt he knows

Still thinking about it, Krystal?

She nearly jumped. How did he then she realized he meant the offer hed made to the rest of the team she was the only one who hadnt given a clear-cut answer after all.

If Fox had noticed her surprise, he hid it well. Yes she replied, and Im afraid I dont have an answer yet. Sorry to disappoint you Fox, but that proposal you made earlier both that one and the one youre mulling over in your head have given me a lot to think about. She prevented that thought from flowing over to him. Unlike Fox, she actually had some relative control over what she permitted to pass through this bond they shared.

Fox did a pretty good job of concealing his disappointment from showing on his face, but his attempt to cover it up through the bond was rather lousy. This in turn caused her ears to droop a bit in dismay at having caused that disappointment, and it took a great deal of effort to prevent her dismay from flowing back to him, creating a feedback-loop of emmotions. Sigh this thing is absolutely wonderful sometimes, but this is obviously not one of those moments

Well just give it some thought, then. Fox replied. Ill be waiting, its not like Im going off-planet after all.

Not that you have any means of going off planet right now anyways. She replied.

Hey I was just making a comment, the last place Im going anytime soon is away from you. Its a battle for us to get some time alone together as it is, with everything thats going on.

Krystal laughed. I know Fox, I was only pulling your tail.

He smirked. Hey, you can pull my tail any day you want.

Fox she resisted the urge to shake her head and laugh at him again. She had some success, but a small laugh escaped from her none the less. You certainly left that comment open to interpretation. Youd better get going fly-boy, before you forget why youre out here.

Heh, yeah, I guess so you seem to have that effect on me. Fox said, still grinning.

Ill take that as a compliment, I guess, she retorted.

Whatever works, he said, mounting the hover-bike and powering-up the engine. She nearly blinked; Fox had just nearly started a pre-flight check on the bike. Hed been away from his Arwing for far too long if he was running a pre-flight check on a hover-bikes systems. As if that thing had anything that could really go wrong, it was nearly brand new!

Maybe I should talk with Peppy about finding something else the team could do without a capitol ship to base from, and bring it up with Fox She was probably the only reason he hadnt gone crazy being stuck on the ground for so long just getting him to stay on a planet for more than a week before the invasion had been amazing. Now hed been planet bound for almost a full year, with only short, local missions when a large supply convoy came in needing escort, and those had been going to some of the newer units in the recently rebuilt air-force here on Corneria recently. And if Fox is starting to daydream about flying his Arwing, Falcos about ready to explode, and Slippy will be churning out new gadgets like a factory just to pass the time It seemed like shed acquired the role of a councilor when she joined the team. While the addition of ship and squad councilors was relatively new, having been instituted almost immediately following the invasion, it seemed that the Star Fox team had had one a full year in advance with her, and never known it!

Try not to break any traffic laws, Fox. Its a hover-bike, not a star fighter, she warned.

Uh he paused for a moment, then seemed to realize what hed done. Thanks guess Ive really been out of action for too long if Im starting to show piloting habits while driving, he replied sheepishly.

Fox she sighed. Through the bond, she'd just felt him tense up. He could be so unpredictable sometimes, one moment he could relaxed, the next as tight as a coiled spring! Just relax, you dont need to be so tense.

I know, I know, youve been telling me since we ran into each other.

A faint grin tugged at her cheeks. Maybe if youd listen

A look of mock-surprise crossed his face. What? Me? Not listen to you? Since when?

She smiled. Since the day we first met it seems, otherwise I wouldnt have to keep telling you to relax.

Ouch I guess I cant deny that. You win, Fox replied, a mock look of pain on his face.

She just couldnt hold it in this time, and burst out laughing. Fox soon joined in. Youd better get going soon if you plan to make it sometime today."

Hey, its not my fault leavings taking so long.

What do you mean its not your fault? she asked.

Another one of those boyish grins blossomed on him. Well, every time I try to walk away from you or something, its like a giant tractor beams holding me back.

Oh, really? She grinned mischievously. Are you

His eyes widened in shock. No! No, not at all! Thats not what I was saying, I was She started laughing again. Hey, whats? Fox started, then he trailed off, clearly embarrassed. Hey, that wasnt nice.

Perhaps you should learn some of those abilities Ive been trying to teach you. Youd have been able to pick up on what I really meant through the bond, she retorted.

Fox grimaced. No way. Id rather be embarrassed than learn to read your mind, Id feel like I was well, uh peaking, I guess.

Like we have much of anything left to hide from one another.

Yeah He trailed off for a brief moment. Well, he sighed, let me know when you decide, okay?

She nodded. It seemed like it was always this way, little brief exchanges, then one of them was off someplace else. And they were both guilty of allowing it.

They didn't say good-bye, seeing as Fox wasnt heading that far really. While his first trip had been longer due to his stop in the Spaceport District, the direct route from here to his old home took considerably less time. Besides, with the bond, distance didnt matter as much. Itd take a lot more than a few miles to even slightly deaden their senses of one another.

Krystal watched as the hover-bike speed off, and couldnt help but feel a brief moment of regret that this rare moment theyd had alone hadnt lasted longer. But as she turned to head back into the apartments... she froze. Itd only lasted an instant, but for that brief moment, shed felt someone else: another full telepath, a brief burst of some of his theyd certainly felt masculine emotions. Theyd seemed so alien, yet at the same time, so similar.

And she didnt like what shed felt: whatever it was, it didn't seem friendly. She hadn't made any real enemies during the past two years in the Lylat system, but the list of people who would't bat a tear if something befell Fox was huge. If one of them was up to something Be careful, Fox

Yithlas swore under his breath to himself. That had been far to close one brief moment when his barriers had slipped, and hed nearly blown it. As it was, hed already made the girl paranoid. Ill be lucky if my master ever grants me my saber now Well, hed been using a vibro-blade for years now, and with the special weave and energy-fields, it was just as good.

This look out job had paid off handsomely. Hed gotten a very good read on the girl, and she was strong perfect for the masters plans. But what hed found would be a far greater boon to their efforts.

Whod have thought McCloud had that kind of potential? This could change all their plans!

There was no question about it, Lord Doyle had to be informed at once!

What are you sure? he asked.

Yes, sir, Im positive.

Perhaps all you really felt was some echo of the girls power coming through him I believe they share a

No, sir, I know what I felt. The last time I ever felt such power was in the presence of our master.

Doyle drew in a sharp breath. That was not good. If Fox McCloud really did have that kind of strength, then he was far more useful alive. But likewise, he was also a far greater threat alive as well. And whatever decision we make rests on my head and I thought it would be an honor to be in command of such an important undertaking. Youre serious, arent you, Yithlas?

Yes, sir. My senses have never been wrong before.

Indeed thats why weve had you recruiting locals for us to train, despite the risks of having one of our kind out in the field! Very well excellent work. Your part in this operation is over, Yithlas, Ill contact you if we need your aid again.

Yes, milord.

Doyle out, he said, shutting off the comm. unit. Blast this changes everything and my forces arent prepared to do a capture operation! The storm commandos wouldnt have any trouble switching, but the rest of the troops arent properly equipped for a covert abduction, especially of someone of McCloud's caliber! Spast!

Temper, temper, sir. A voice said. You never know who might hear you, and too many strange words will attract attention.

Doyle grimaced. I dont need your advice on maintaining our cover, Ulfson. He growled.

The storm commando shrugged. I suppose not.

Damn him I hate it when he plays this game with me, and he knows it! What is it you want, Ulfson? And make it quick, Ive got some planning to do.

Although his face was hidden behind a black commando-helmet now, Ulfsons stance literally radiated arrogance to Doyle. Well, I was going to ask if the signal had come through yet but seeing as it has, thats moot. I take it wed do better capturing McCloud instead of killing him now?

Since when were you a mind-reader? Doyle replied testily.

Itd take a lot to get you to start swearing, and having to capture a target with a team geared to assassinate it strikes me as being more than enough.

Point taken I trust your storm commandos are up to it?

I'm afraid not, Ulfson replied. My men are good, but wed cause too much collateral damage trying to capture McCloud, even with stun-rifles and spray-sticks.

Doyle bit back another curse. So what do you suggest then, seeing as we dont have the means to capture McCloud on hand, yet killing him would be a huge waste?

One word, Ulfson replied. Scarabs.

Youre joking

Im not, we just change the load out, and

Damn it, Ulfson, you know Scarab dro bots are assassin models! Theyre not meant for use for covert abductions!

True but we can load the knockout-drug into them instead of the usual neuro-toxin, and then my commandos can just carry him off.

Hmm Doyle considered the idea. It could work, and there wasnt much that could go wrong. But he was loath to using the scant supplies of drugs they had that would work on a whim they had enough to knock the girl out using a similar plan eventually, but itd be a while till new supplies arrived. And they had no way of knowing if itd work anyways on him, itd been tailored specifically for Then again, we can't pass this chance up.

That plan sounds good

Alright. Ill have some of my men ready a few Scarab mark IVs for use immediately Ulfson started to turn to leave.

One moment, Ulfson, Doyle said. Go ahead and prep the usual number of scarabs, but I want you to load one out with some N-Fs.

Ulfson must have blinked behind that helmet, and he stared at Doyle. What the heck do you want nanites for, especially those models?

Im not taking any chances with our CKD-4 chemical. It was hard enough to produce, and I wont use it without full proof itll be worthwhile.

Ah, Ulfson said. I get it, you want to get a

Lieutenant, Doyle said, using Ulfsons rank. Just as you warned me to watch my mouth, need I remind you to watch yours? Some words can be far more damaging than a random curse.

Yes sir. Ill see to it that the mark IVs are ready to go tonight.

Very well. And Ulfson, dont let me catch you overhearing my conversations with my agents again.

Ulfson fixed Doyle with a glare at least Doyle assumed it was a glare. Very well, milord. Anything else?

Not unless you plan to stand there glaring at me much longer, Ulfson. Youve got a job to do right now, and so do I, so get moving. The sooner this is over, the sooner we can go home and put this wretched planet behind us."

Ulfson snapped off a mock-salute itd be too much to expect a real one out of him! and marched off.

Doyle sighed. This had better be worth it

[Ranger One]

Looks like part of my fic was lost when SF-O went down. *Shrugs* Anyways, for those who haven't read it, here's part of Chapter Six. I'll be working on getting it caught up and new stuff posted ASAP.

Chapter Six

Sithspawn! Jod swore as his X-wing dropped out of hyperspace early. So much for catching one of Zrajes’ fleets by surprise – if they had a gravity well running, then they’d known they were coming. Throwing his craft into evasive maneuvers the moment he was clear of hyperspace, he got a good, long look at the ship that had pulled them back into real space. Dominator Class Star Destroyer… not good. A combination of the Immobilizer class Interdictor and the Imperator Mark II Star Destroyer, the Dominator took the firepower and endurance of the later and the gravity wells off the former. The result – a ship that could pull ships out of hyperspace and hammer them.

Even worse, it wasn’t alone. Jod saw another Imperator class ship and two Victory Mark II class models as well, along with three Dreadnaughts, numerous supporting frigates, corvettes, and other smaller vessels.

And then, of course, there were the fighters as well to worry about. First things first… knock out those fighters. “Second Flight, form up on my wing, lets vape some TIEs.”

A chorus of acknowledgments came in return, but Jod was already focusing on his ships HUD display. Okay… we’ve got a group of squints coming at us head to head, and two groups of eyeballs heading for the flanks… we should have enough time to dust one or two groups before those brights – whatever they happen to be – catch up and try to dust us.

“Gold, lock on to the nearest enemy fighter,” he ordered. His targeting display lit up with the outline of a TIE Interceptor. Consisting of a standard TIE ball cockpit with angled wings on either side, the Interceptor got the nickname squint by the cutouts in the forward part of its wings, giving the pilot a greater field of view, which also made the TIE appear to be squinting at its target.

Or possibly glaring, and glaring lasers at that.

Jod twitched the control stick involuntarily, and junked his craft around a volley of cannon fire from one of the TIEs. Before the fighter could line up another shot, a volley of scarlet lasers tore into the ship, shredding its starboard wing and gutting the cockpit with flames. Seconds later, the ships twin ion engines tore free and slammed out the front of the ruined craft, then exploded. The remainder of the TIE sailed into the expanding cloud of flame and didn’t emerge.

“One down! You owe me, Commander!”

Jod grinned. “Not for long, Red Five, there’ll be plenty of chances for everyone to do a little saving out here.”

“How about a little less talk and more TIE vapeing? Or are you two vulpines going to chat away the whole fight?”

“Lighten up, Eight.” Red Three said. “I haven’t seen you vape any yet.”

“Neither has…”

Just at that moment, Jod’s targeting bracket flashed green, and he pulled the trigger reflexively. The TIE he’d targeted exploded in a brilliant cloud of flame.

“… Uh, never mind.”

Jod heard Ace – Red Five – laugh. “That’s what you get for opening your big mouth, Shizix.”

“Eight, this is Nine. Are those Cerinans harassing you, bro?”

“Sure are. How about you cook up a few pranks we can pull on them when we get out of this mess.”

“Don’t even think about it, you two,” Jod said. “You can cook up your pranks after we’ve made it out of this mess.” Pulling down the trigger again, Jod was rewarded with the sight of seeing another TIE – a standard fighter this time – impaled upon one of his blasts. The doomed ship spiraled out of control, slamming into its wing mate’s starboard solar panel. The impact drove the dead TIE’s own solar array through the support pylon connecting it to the cockpit, and the resulting overload caused the ion engines to explode, obliterating the fighter. The second TIE’s starboard array crumpled around the cockpit, and the TIE spiraled off course a short ways before it too exploded.

“Not a bad start, Nar’itus,” Red Six said. Coming from Gauge Trasle, that was quite a compliment.

“That’s, Six, recommend you loose the two you’ve picked up or dust em.”

“These amateurs? Won’t be a problem.” Gauge threw his XJ into a roll, and both TIEs tried to follow so they could maintain a lock. Being much larger than an X-wing, the TIE’s solar arrays made a roll with the craft much larger. Large enough to slam their wings into each other.

Moments later, two more enemy blips winked out on Jod’s radar.

“Nice move, Six.”

“Thanks, Five. Don’t bother trying it against the bogies you’ve picked up, I’ve got em.”

“Spoil…” – one of the two TIE blips winked out – “…sport!” The second blip was gone moments later.

Jod took a moment to glance at his radar, and saw their group was all clear for now. Taking advantage of the momentary lull in the fighting, he looked out towards the rest of the fleet. Surrounded by several smaller explosions and flashes of light, the Ralroost, Naritus, and New Hope, an MC-90 class Calamari cruiser, were driving through a formation of enemy frigates and heavy cruisers. Around them, lighter ships on both sides were listing badly or breaking up outright. Right in front of him, Jod saw a smaller MC-60 cruiser pouring flames from numerous hull breaches, and a hostile CRV-120 light cruiser explode in a brilliant ball of flame and energy. Numerous other ships were suffering similar fates on both sides.

A bit ahead of the Ralroost, two needle-like white daggers knifed back towards the rest of the fleet. One, the Dawnstar, was a Republic Class Star Destroyer. Smaller than her Imperial class cousins, the Dawnstar packed just as much punch on a much smaller chassis.

Her counterpart, however, was a sight that both awed and terrified Jod at the same time. Although it was friendly, the sight of the Coruscant, an Imperial Mark II Star Destroyer with Alliance refits, was still terrifying. After having trained in sims that had pitted him against such monster-capitol ships before, it was hard to think of a Star Destroyer as a friendly ship for most Alliance pilots, despite the Empire having joining the Alliance. Just as well, seeing as Zrajes had a strange fondness for the class anyways.

“Heads up, people, we’ve got more TIES’ inbound.”

A volley of green cannon fire signaled the TIE’s arrival. Jod threw his XJ into a tight corkscrew, diving between cannon blasts, and even snapping off a quick shot that blew the cockpit of one TIE to pieces.

“Argh! Kriffing TIE fighters!” Ace yelled over the comm.

“You okay, Ace?” Jod asked.

“I’ll live, but stang, that nearly blew my shield generator out.”

“Five, pull back and let your shields recharge, I’ll cover you.”

”Thanks Gauge.”

“No problem. I’ve worked too hard to keep you two alive this long, no reason to stop now.”

“Hey!” both Jod and Ace exclaimed. Ace carried on a bit longer, but Jod banished the conversation from his mind and focused on flying. He couldn’t afford any distractions in the middle of this fur-ball that had just started. Dodging, weaving, junking and jinking, Jod snapped off linked blasts of red cannon fire whenever he got the chance, but mostly focused on staying alive. And the enemy was doing a very good job of making that a challenge. Throwing his craft into another tight roll, he caught a glimpse of several laser bolts – red and green – sailing past his craft. Looks like this is getting serious…

A tremor ran through his ship as he took a hit. Aborting his roll and throwing the fighter into a dive, Jod tried to get his ship out of the main fur ball, and give himself more room to maneuver, but the TIE wasn’t giving him that chance. Whenever he tried to make for an opening, green laser blasts poured in ahead of him, forcing him to break off. Unlike the TIE, his X-wing couldn’t use its own speed and maneuverability to its best in this dogfight with so many allied and enemy craft around. It wouldn’t do him much good to shake this TIE by crashing into another one, or worse, ramming one of his own wing mates.

Another tremor ran through his ship, followed by a loud bang. One of the control consoles exploded in flame, and dark, acrid smoke filled the cockpit. “Sithspawn!”

“You okay over there, Two?”

Jod glanced at the Head’s-Up Display, and felt his heart sink. “No, I’m not okay; this kriffing TIE just overloaded my shields.” He threw his craft into a corkscrew to avoid additional cannon fire, but he wouldn’t be able to keep that maneuver up for long. “Can someone dust this vaping shcutta before I’m toast?”

“I’m on him, Two, just hold on a little longer. And lay off the twi’leik oaths!”

“I copy, Nine.” His ship shuddered as a blast glanced off the hull – no real damage, but it’d come awfully close to doing some. “Better hurry, or there won’t be much left here for you to save.”

“Alright… Stang it! Just picked up a bright, I’m cut off. Sorry Two.”

Jod bit off a rather choice Cerinan oath to himself. The kind one doesn't repeat in polite company, or any company at that. “Don’t worry about me, Nine, take care of the guy on your tail first!” Brights, or TIE Advanced / TIE Avengers, were particularly nasty fighters – carrying shields, dual / quad lasers, and concussion missiles, they were some of the strongest star fighters the Empire had ever produced. Even now, with ships like the E-wing, X-Wing XJ and XJ stealth, they were still among the top superiority fighters in production.

“Copy, Two. Sorry.”

The X-wing bucked again as another blast glanced off the underside of its hull. Stang, can’t let that hutt slime get any more shots off there, if he blows anything else back there, I’m dead. Jod inverted his craft’s corkscrew abruptly, carrying his ship back a different direction. The TIE failed to copy the maneuver in time, and looped around to come after him. Another tremor shook him as a blast came close to tearing the nose of his ships fuselage. Alright, that’s it; I’ve had enough of this.

Jod activated his fighter’s “Jump-thrusters.” The nickname had evolved from the fact that these thrusters made the craft quite literally “jump” up or down in space. A recent addition from the Yuuzhan Vong Invasion, the thrusters gave the XJ X-wing and several other Alliance fighter models some badly needed maneuverability in close dogfights, like the kind coral skippers had favored.

Or the kind that TIE fighters seemed to prefer.

The X-wing suddenly sailed “up” – relatively speaking, as there was no such thing in space – and out of the TIE’s line of fire. Unable to match the maneuver, the TIE sailed past beneath Jod’s fighter, giving him a chance at a shot. Diving down into the TIE’s wake, Jod opened up with his cannons set to dual fire, pouring several shots into the enemy craft. Two bolts sheared through its port wing pylon, shearing that wing clean off. Another punched into the starboard solar array, snapping a portion off to come crashing into the rest of the TIE. Two more shots tore into the TIE’s engine housing, shredding the ships engines. The TIE quickly erupted into a ball of flame.

Too quick, in fact, for Jod’s X-wing to break off!

Flying through the remains of an exploding fighter was considered crazy at best. Sometimes enough ship remained to tear apart even a fully shielded fighter, and the energy from the blast could eat away at a ships shields. The only reason Alliance pilots could perform that kind of maneuver and live was due to their ships shielding in fact. A TIE would rarely do such a thing, and only out of sloppiness or desperation. But without shields, an X-wing was even worse off than a TIE was.

Jod gritted his teeth as the ship bucked beneath him. Flames erupted again from the damage console, searing his gloves and roasting his hands inside, but he couldn’t let go of the stick or he’d loose control. And an out-of-control fighter had even worse survival odds than one that was simply damaged.

Less than a second later, he came out the other side of the explosion, with his ship looking a bit worse for wear. To put it lightly. Fire had blackened several portions of his craft, and one of his engines was running at reduced power now, causing the fighter to list. He finally let go of the stick just long enough to grab an extinguisher from beneath his chair, and put out the flames.

“Spast! Two, come in, are you alright?!”

Jod toggled the comm. “A little cooked, but I’m okay, Three.”

“Have you looked at your ship? It sure doesn’t look okay,” Gauge shot back.

Jod glanced at a damage readout on the HUD. “I’m fine, it’s mostly cosmetic damage. Guess my fighter will need a new paint job after this.”

“Like you ever liked the color scheme we use anyways,” Ace barked.

Jod grinned. “Not my fault it’s painful to look at.”

“Less chatter people. We’ve got a lot more to do before we’re out of this mess.”

“Copy, Red Leader.”

“Not much left of this group, One, TIEs are running,” Seven said.

“Red Group gunning, hostiles running… that’s what I like to see.”

“Try and keep it under control, people,” Jod said. “Last thing we need is anyone getting cocky and getting themselves killed.”

“Jeez… give someone a commander pip, and they become a real kill-joy.”

“Hey, someone has to help One control you guys, Five,” Jod shot back.

“Alright, listen up, people…”

[Guest Anonymous]

Here's section two of chapter six. Chapter eight is under way as well, so I should have a part of it done by the time I finish posting seven, once I get to it.

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All comm. chatter on Red flight’s channel ceased at once. Red One continued. “We’ve got new orders, folks. Command wants us to soften up one of the enemy’s flanks for the Bombers. We’ll be taking out some corvettes and light frigates to clear the way for them.”

“Just twelve X-wings against how many ships? Someone shoot me now, please.”

“Stuff it, Twelve,” Jod ordered. “Now’s not the time.”

“We won’t be alone; Wasp group off the Coruscant will be joining us,” Red One added.

That sure changed the odds. Wasp group was a B-wing unit. But… B-wings are bombers. Jod thought. And if they’re helping us soften a flank up to begin with, then what's…

“One, this is Two. Tell me we’re not softening this flank up for some K-wings.”

“Sorry, Two, I can’t.”

A moan went up from the rest of the pilots. “You mean we’ll get to baby-sit some of those overgrown excuses for fighters?” Eight moaned.

“Who care’s about baby-sitting them? I’m more worried about getting caught between one and one of those ImpStars, you know what those bombers eggs can do,” Ace said.

The K-wing Bomber, the largest star fighter ever produced (they were almost light transports in size!), carried a massive amount of ordinance, ranging from concussion missiles to chew up enemy fighter formations at long range to proton torpedoes and heavy rockets for anti-capitol ship strikes, and even proton core bombs for anti-capitol ship and ground-pounding missions. But the biggest weapon each bomber carried was, in pilot slang, its two “eggs”: twin barridium bombs, each packed the punch of over fifteen shadow bombs – Jod had three of those warheads in his fighter, and one of those had the punch to punch a good sized hole in a capitol ship. Two eggs could strip a Star Destroyer’s shields in one blast. Two more would crack the ship open like… well, like an egg. But for all that power, the bombs were rather easy for enemy gunners to shoot down, destroying them or, worse, setting them off prematurely.

The K-wings themselves were also a problem. For all that firepower they packed, they were almost as slow as Y-wings (wishbones, as X-wing pilots liked to call them) and were only half as agile. And considering the Y-wing was said to move like a “sleepy hutt,” that was saying a lot. Incredible shields made up for this, along with two quad-blaster turrets to augment the ships own fixed lasers and give it greater coverage, but the K-wing was still vulnerable to enemy fighter attacks, and downright useless in a dogfight. Normally, E-wings would be used to cover them, or A-wings, but the fleets complements of both those fighters were engaged in the main fur-ball unfolding between the Alliance fleet and Zrajes’ ships.

“Guess that means you’ll have to stay out of their way then, Five,” Jod said. “It’s not like we’ve got a choice, have you looked at what’s going on around the rest of the fleet?”

“I have, Two, and stang, it’s getting ugly.”

“Ugly is hardly the word I’d use, Six,” Red Nine replied. “We may be doing fine here, but I don’t think the rest of the fleets having the same kind of luck.”

“Guess we’d better share some of our luck with the rest of the fleet, then… or make some for them.”

“Red Group, form up! Let’s take care of those corvettes, let the B-wings have the frigates.”

Makes sense, Jod thought as his fighter fell into formation. The B-wings have the punch to knock some of those smaller frigates out… we don’t. But an XJ can make a mess out of anything smaller than a frigate, and those corvettes are a lot smaller.

“Red group, break off into shield trios, I’m sending your flight leaders targeting data now.”

Jod glanced at his HUD as targets lit up on it – priorities for his group, Ace, Gauge, and himself. Red units shield trios – a formation developed during the war with the Vong – were based off its pilot’s ability to perform with his wingmen in that formation, rather than by number, as in other units. And out of all the pilots in Red group, Jod, Ace, and Gauge were probably the best trio in the unit – Even in simulations, they’d been able to anticipate each others movements sometimes, and recently, it’d become a lot easier for them to do that. They’d been flying as the units second shield trio since Duro had fallen to the Yuuzhan Vong, and no one had seen fit to break them up – yet. Jod’s promotion would change that soon, whenever that transfer order came through. Assuming we all survive this…

“What the… Gold, confirm target B-12,” he ordered.

After a brief triad of indignant beeps, his astromech displayed a wall of text on his data-readout display. No mistake… B-12 had been designated for them by Red One. So had B-15. But… Those are frigates, and Lancers at that!

Jod had good reason to be worried about those targets. Lancer class frigates were the bane of star fighters. Developed by the Empire after the destruction of the Death Star at Yavin, the Lancer sported over 24 quad laser cannons, specifically calibrated to track and destroy small fighters and transports… such as X-wings. Sending 3 X-wings, even XJs, against a Lancer was tantamount to suicide.

“Red One, this is Two. I think you made an error with my group’s orders.”

“Two, One here, there’s no mistake.”

“You sure? My list says we’re to go after two Lancers…”

“Two, that’s correct.”

“What? Who’d Jod kill to land that job?”

“Quite, Seven,” Jod said, feeling irritated now. “Care to explain, One?”

“You’ve got the ordinance to knock out a Lancer frigate in your XJ, Two. The rest of us don’t, and those frigates will chew apart B-wings with ease. Try to knock them out first.”

“Roger that, One. Two out.” Spast… what did he mean…

Then it hit him. Oh… now I get it… guess he wants me to pop a shadow bomb on each one… assuming they stay still for it to hit. Well, they could hit the engines on each one first, that’d sure keep them still. But getting close enough to hit them to begin with would be difficult… at best. Just means we’ll have to be better than them…

“Five, Six, form up, lets take care of those Lancers.”

“Copy, Two.”

“Bring ‘em on!”

“Sir, we have enemy fighters inbound… X-wing and B-wing class.” A sensor operator on the ILF (Imperial Lancer Frigate) Spearhead reported.

“X-wings and B-wings? Are they mad?” Captain Tretham said. Only someone with a death wish would attack a Lancer class frigate with fighters. Even K-wings kept a respectable distance from them, and simply tried to shell them to death with torpedoes. But with this many corvettes and frigates nearby, the Spearhead and its sister ship, the War Hammer, had little to fear of that, or of larger capitol ships attacking them.

“Ensign, how many of those fighters are heading for us?”

“Three, sir… X-wings, XJ class I believe.”

Only three? What in Vader’s name do they hope to accomplish besides suicide? Even a full squad of XJ’s would get torn apart by a single Lancer.

“Thank you, Ensign. Lieutenant, lock all guns onto the nearest enemy fighters, and engage.” I don’t know what those fool’s had planned… The deck thrummed as the frigates twenty four quad cannons opened fire.

...but whatever it was, it’s failed.

[Ranger One]

Grr! %$#@... guest... profile! Going to have to set up to auto-log-in every time I visit SF-O I guess, so I won't repeat this mistake. Here's the final section of chapter six while I'm at it.

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Jod threw his ship into a sharp dive, using an enemy corvette for cover from the Lancer class ship’s attack. Ace and Gauge did likewise, the older canine pilot taking a moment to blast the main sensor dish on the CEC ship he was using for cover, effectively blinding it. Ace simply focused on getting out of the fighter-killer’s line of sight, much like he was.

The rest of the unit did likewise, with the only casualty being Red Seven’s astromech droid. The B-Wings weren’t so fortunate – Jod saw three destroyed outright by multiple hits, and a fourth loose it’s main wing and spin out of the combat zone. At least that ships pilot survived – a small blessing.

The Lancers continued to pump out energy, hunting for the survivors. At least with all these corvettes and frigates, they couldn’t pour out laser fire with impunity, but they sure could come close – friendly fire from a Lancer was hardly a threat to anything larger than a gunship, and the CEC corvettes, Carrack class cruisers, and two Nebulon-B class frigates were far larger than that.

At least it’s only two Lancers… All I have to do is pop a shadow bomb into the bridge when they’re looking the other way, and they’re toast… Oh spast.

Jod had a good reason to swear. A quad blast had just come close to clipping his lower-port S-foil clean off. Guess one of the Lancers had found him. Time to move… those bombs won’t do much good if they get blown up with me cause I sat still too long!

Pulling up hard on the stick, Jod threw his fighter up and over the corvette, just missing a few shots it’s own cannons took at him, and dove behind a Carrack cruiser. More heavy-hitting corvette or frigate class ships than actual cruisers, the Carrack class had been produced just before the Clone Wars. Still a combat worthy craft, the ships were death on other frigates and corvettes, but it was nearly helpless against fighters and larger capital ships, like Mon Cal vessels or Star Destroyers. The only way they’d hit him at this range is if he parked right in front of one of the big-guns.

“Ace, Gauge, can one of you guys get the attention of that Lancer for just a sec?”

“No can do, Two, vapin thing is doing a very good job at suppression fire,” Gauge said.

“Watch your six, Jod, its got company moving your way too”

“Sithspawn… thanks for the warning, Ace.”

Two of those frigates after him… in under a second, Jod ran through just about every way he could think of to say “I’m screwed,” and even made a few new ones up. The only edge he had was that the cruiser gave a bit of cover, but that wouldn’t last long.

Think… come on, think, damnit… unless you wana wind up one very dead vulpine, you’d better think of something, fast!

But all he could think of was just a good way to end this mess early – and earn a very early retirement he wouldn’t enjoy. The last thing the Lancers would expect is a head to head attack – may as well go head to head with a Star Destroyer with your shields down, the odds would be just as great for survival. If he got lucky, he might get off a bomb and knock out one of the frigates, but he wouldn’t have time to zap the other one…

Well, I’m dead either way… but if I try something, I’ll at least have a faint chance, and I may as well take one with me!

Jod goosed the throttle on his fighter, and ignored the shouts of surprise from Ace and Gauge – he couldn’t afford any distractions.

Right there, right in front of him, lay the first Lancer. The sleek ship raced towards him, it’s guns silent – it’s gunners must be in shock at the boldness of this X-wing’s pilot. Heck, he was a little surprised at himself too, come to think of it! Jod thumbed the weapon controls over to torpedos, set for fire from the third launcher only, and pulled the trigger.

In the event of launching a torpedo, a propulsion trail would ignite less than a second after the warhead was clear, leaving a tell-tale streak behind it. But shadow bombs didn’t have any fuel to propel themselves – all the space for fuel was filled with barridium, the main component that gave thermal detonators their explosive power…

… but shadow bombs had the punch of well over thirty grade-A thermal detonators!

Against the shields of a Lancer, that was almost overkill. The frigates shields imploded under the destructive explosion as the silent-killer warhead detonated against them. The still expanding cloud of energy ate away at the forward portion of the ship next, melting gun emplacements, detonating targeting arrays, and liquidating the bridge of the ship into a misshapen lump that began to cool rapidly in the vacuum of space.

That was one down. Now for the other one.

Diving beneath the dead ship, Jod looped his craft about and came down on the second frigate from above. The ship was firing at some B-wings and X-wings taking cover behind another Carrack, and keeping them pinned – making them easy targets for the nearby corvettes

Jod didn’t even take time to line the shot up – he simply pulled the trigger and hoped for the best. And he got it. Unlike the first one, this bomb caught it’s target right amidships, cracking it in two like an egg. The torn halves slammed into other nearby ships, destroying another corvette and wounding a second, and cracking the neck of one of the two Nebulon-B frigates clean in half. The drive section of the wounded frigate sailed forward, slamming into the main body. There was no massive explosion right away to mark the death of the frigate as there had been for the Lancers – the drive section plowed into the rest of the ship, telescoping the half of the ships slender neck still attached to the drives back into it. The drives drove the other half back into the body of the frigate, and then hit it like a battering ram, smashing hull plates on both sections. The drives continued to push the frigate on a bit farther, then overloaded.

A third cloud of debris soon joined that of the other larger ships.

Jod let out a breath he’d been holding. He was shaking, covered in sweat, and to make it worse, he was starting to itch, but the flight suit would prevent him from doing anything about that. The comm. channel lit up with excited whoops and cheers.

“Sithspawn! That was amazing, Two!”

“Emperor’s Black Bones! Did you plan that!?”

“Nice job, Jod.” Go figure Gauge wouldn’t say more than that – Jod was sure it’d kill the canine to show as much emotion as some of the other pilots were.

“What… how did you… did you… Jod, were you pulling some Jedi trick to do that? That was unbelievable! How did you…”

“Ace,” Jod said, his voice wavering – he was still incredibly nervous, not to mention amazed – he’d been sure the first Lancer would flame him before he got off more than one shot! “I… sithspit, I don’t even know how I did that, to tell the truth guys.”

“Well, however you did it, you opened our hole for us, Two. K-wings are moving into position, and will start their runs soon.”

“One, this is Nine. I still see a lot of corvettes out here that could cause problems.”

“Not for long, Nine – targets are running, and for good reason – we’ve got three Assault Frigates inbound to clear the rest of the flank.”

. “Can they really spare three Assault Frigates, One? That fight’s really getting messy,” Ace said.

“They’re Mark II’s, Five. Not much good in a slugging match, those things are fast and heavy hitters, not brawlers like the Mark I’s.”

“Understood, One. Just curious.”

“Alright everyone – stay sharp. We’re not clear yet,” Jod ordered.

“You kidding, Two? Escorting K-wings is a blue-milk run, even in a fight like this!”

“We’ve still got some Z-95’s, uglies, and TIE’s to deal with, Eight.”

“There’s still enemies left? I thought Two got em all with that last attack run.”

Jod laughed. “I didn’t think I left any, Ten, but it looks like it – funny, I could have sworn I gave them my last bomb to play with.”

“It’s still snug in the launcher, Two – ready to launch, though. Maybe you can give it to em for real in a bit.”

“I copy, Three. Provided the K-wings let me.”

“Okay folks, enough chatter – lets move!”

The X-wings and surviving B-wings fell into formation around the K-wing bombers. Now came the waiting game – the K-wings were a threat the enemy couldn’t ignore for long. So it was only a matter of time before they came after them.

Jod involuntarily tried to scratch at his neck – stang it; he was starting to itch like crazy all of a sudden. Had one of the Azhat brothers – Red’s Eight and Nine – been crazy enough to put some sort of itching powder or something in his flight suit? No, not likely – there was a big difference between a routine patrol run and a combat engagement after all, and pulling a prank like that before a battle could get the unlucky victim killed. Besides, it’d have started sooner. It almost felt like he was being pricked repeatedly… no, now that he thought about it, that’s exactly what it felt like? What the heck...? Yipe!

If it hadn’t been for his crash webbing, he’d have jumped. Jod slapped a hand to his neck, but found nothing there – of course. It’d felt like something had just stung him in the neck, but there weren’t any bugs or critters hidden in his fighter as a prank, for the same reasons as the previous idea. But spast, he was starting to itch like crazy, almost as if a million kriffing bugs had been crawling all over him!

It must have shown in his flying. “You alright over there, Two?”

“Uh… yeah, I’m fine.”

“Care to explain what that yip was all about? Sure startled me.”

Jod blushed. Sithspit, had he really…? “Um…”

“Save it, people, you can talk about it later. We’ve got dupes and squints inbound. B-wings have the bombers, the interceptors are ours.”

Jod let out a sigh of relief. “I copy, One. Five, Six, form up. Stick with trio’s for now, people.”

Not bothering to listen for acknowledgments from the rest of the unit, Jod pulled ahead of the K-wing he’d been guarding. The B-wing that had paired up with him followed a short ways, and then reduced speed – it must have been going for a torpedo lock on one of the TIE bombers.

Sure enough, a torpedo streaked from the B-wing into the middle of a formation of TIE’s moments later. The detonation destroyed it’s target outright, and took another four with it – an instant ace kill if the pilot was a rookie.

Jod set his cannons to dual fire, and started sweeping his targeting bracket across a formation of TIE interceptors. Opening up at max range, he was rewarded with two early kills when he clipped the wing of one and sent it spiraling into it’s wing mate.

“Jeez, Two, do you enjoy slamming enemy ships into each other or something?”

“Can it, Nine. Less talk, more shoot.”

“Stang, you sound like Six.”

“I heard that, Nine.”

Jod stopped listening and threw his craft into evasive maneuvers as a warning light on the HUD lit up. Two concussion missiles streaked through the space he’d occupied moments before, then auto-detonated when they lost their lock. But TIE’s didn’t carry concussion missiles, aside from TIE Bombers… and those were lobbing their missiles at the K-wings, so…

Yep. Sure enough, a Z-95 flew by moments later, trying to match the maneuver his XJ had taken. Fat chance of doing that – the Z-95 might be able to keep up with the original X-wing and it’s older variants, but the XJ was a lot newer than the Z-95. The Headhunter was a pre-Clone Wars design in fact, and even TIE’s flew rings around it!

Looping about in a tight arc the Headhunter would die trying to match, Jod lined it up in his sights and fired. Two scarlet lasers tore into the fuselage behind the canopy, and a detonation blossomed out the back of the fighter. Two more blasts out the sides tore the wings off, and the engines went soon after.

A blast went off inside the cockpit, and moments later the canopy flew off as the pilot ejected from his doomed fighter. Jod tracked the pilot for a brief moment as he sailed off into space, then ordered Gold to tag the pilot on sensors for the shuttles – no one deserved to die EV. It had to be one of the loneliest and slowest ways he could think of to die – assuming one wasn’t hit by a stray energy blast or (ugh) pasted all over a snub fighter.

“Two, you’ve picked up a bright… spast, what is that thing!?”

Jod craned his neck to check out the aft view port, and saw a very odd looking TIE after him. Consisting of a single wing with two TIE cockpits, one had a standard TIE view port and lasers. The other bore a single gun – a turbo laser it looked like – instead. And it wasn’t afraid to use both. Weaving his fighter about, Jod managed to stay ahead of the big gun, but the TIE scored several hits with its standard cannons. “Ace, are there more of these things out here?”

“Yeah, I just picked up two… they’re going for us, tho, not the bombers.”

“Odd… they’d be a lot better taking those out with those big guns… not that I’m complaining, I’d rather have them waste time here than vape the K-wings.”

“Right… Jod, break off!”

Jod threw his craft into a roll, and narrowly missed a missile from another Z-95. The warhead shot past, vaping the TIE behind him. The Z-95 was past before he could fire on it, and broke off to get clear before he looped about. Jod started to loop about…

… and cried out in dismay. Time seemed to slow down – right there, coming straight at him, was a turbo laser shot from one of those TIEs. His shields already weakened, it’d punch right through them… and follow up with punching through the canopy.

And it’d have more than enough power to vape him – literally. There wouldn’t be anything left of him but a cloud of super-heated vapor.

And he couldn’t evade in time – he had less than half a second, and he’d already spent an instant of that realizing this… there wasn’t anything he could do. It hardly seemed fair – after surviving the Yuuzhan Vong, countless dogfights with hostile fighters working for various warlords, and just recently being hunted by two Lancer frigates, it didn’t seem fair at all that he was going to be vaporized by a random blast from a laser cannon.

But he couldn’t do anything about it… sithspit. Jod squeezed his eyes shut in the moment he had left, and prepared for nothingness…

[Ranger One]

Part one of chapter 7 is back up. Remaining sections will follow soon, and Chapter Eight is finished. Should have all of Seven up soon, and I'll start posting Eight in a few days.

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Chapter Seven

Section One:

Dang it, what does it take to get this stuff out of my fur!?

Fox, having nothing better to do, had been cleaning around the house most of the day. He’d finally managed to clean just about every room but two – his father’s room, and the garage.

He’d chosen to tackle the garage first, which had proved to be a mistake. First, he’d found a lot of half-full cans of all sorts of stuff. Second, he’d made the mistake of not checking the seals when he’d gone to put those half-full cans away.

As a result, he’d wound up covered in thruster lubricant when he’d spilled a can of the stuff all over him. Thruster lubricant… that stuff felt (and smelled) terrible all over his fur! It took a solvent to remove that stuff, and he’d made another unfortunate discover after rubbing a whole bottle of the stuff everywhere on his body to get the lubricant off.

Thruster lubricant tends to stick to just about anything if it gets out of a fighter or any other complex vehicle that uses it. Thus, the solvent to remove the stuff was strong, but designed to react only with a limited range of materials – such as the lubricant.

The dye in his clothes had been another example. It’d even eaten away at some of his clothes – what the heck was this stuff anyways!? Next time he'd check before he used it on his fur! His flight suit would have been fine, save for the fact that he’d left it with his Arwing, and the rest of his clothing would at least bleed color all over him. The solvent dried very slowly too… at least, he hoped it did. He’d thought it’d dried out not too long ago, started to get dressed – and realized he was turning the same color as his clothing. He’d just managed to wash that off, but the solvent was sticking like glue. Four… vaping… hours… and it’s still not dry!

So, to his embarrassment, he’d had to make do with just his fur the rest of the day... He was so glad he was all alone here, if Krys was here, he’d… well; he’d probably have wanted to die, or at least have the ground open up and swallow him or something.

Probably the only time I’ve ever been glad she’s not around. He thought. But it was only a half-hearted attempt to find something amusing about this.

Fox let out a sigh and shut off the shower unit – the sonic one, he’d tried the older soap-and-water method earlier, and it hadn’t taken this stuff out either... Well, I’ll need to find something to get this stuff out before tomorrow… I can’t walk into the CDF’s main office like this! Heck, he couldn’t go anywhere like this really, but Fox had an appointment the Cornerian Defense Force’s main office tomorrow afternoon.

Oh, blast, why hadn’t he thought of it sooner!? Of all people, Slippy should know how to get this stuff off! He was covered in it almost every time after he worked on the Arwings, and Fox never saw him walking around with smudges of the stuff on his face hours later – he always got it off. Besides, this stuff had a rather distinct smell – even someone with a cold would be able to smell this stuff, and Slippy sure never had this smell coming from him!

Well, I can’t call now, he thought, glancing at a clock. It’s getting late, and unless Slipp’s working on the Arwings for some reason, he’s probably asleep already. Whereas it sometimes took Fox hours to get to sleep, Slippy, Peppy, and Falco didn’t seem to have any trouble. Guess a lack of sleep was just another burden of command – everyone else got a good night’s sleep, while he got to stay up and fret over everything from the status of their ships to where they’d be getting their next meal – although that hadn’t been a problem recently, thanks to the more than generous reward the Cornerian’s had given them – heck, Fox had even given two-thirds of it back, and they’d still had enough to buy a cruiser with if they’d wanted too!

Letting out a groan, Fox flopped down on the bed in his room – covered in white sheets, white was the only color that wouldn’t bleed all over him thanks to this stuff, and the only clothes he had that were white was his vest, for all the good that’d do! And they were with his flightsuit... Note to self… buy some more white clothing… not to mention a few other colors sometime. Something other than green…

He stared at the ceiling for a moment, and let his mind wander. This was the one time of the day where he didn’t feel under obligation to remain at his sharpest - even when he wasn’t on assignment, he still tried to keep up a routine, and remaining alert as if he was on a mission was part of that. If he’d had a job, he’d have been mulling over that right now instead, but being free from that obligation, he could simply let his thoughts roam free before he dozed off.

Funny… he kept thinking about Wolf now for some reason… just like he had for the past week.

No one had seen nor heard from the infamous lupine for several months now – far longer than Wolf would normally lie low, hiding wasn’t a strong point for him, even with being on Corneria’s wanted list. He’d dropped off the top ten list after the Aparoids and his contributions to thwarting them, but he was still wanted for other crimes, even if the charges he’d faced for aiding a former enemy of Corneria had been dropped. There was talk going on of a possible full pardon being granted to the lupine, but, while most folks had been willing to let go Wolf’s military past, his history as a pirate was a lot more recent.

Those same people who held that against him usually fell quiet when it was mentioned those very pirates Wolf lead were now providing protection for Cornerian relief convoys. Ironic… being guarded from pirates working for Oikonny by pirates working for Wolf… and both leaders were both wanted and MIA at the moment.

Oikonny hadn’t been missing as long as Wolf had – only three months now. During those three months, pirate attacks had slackened greatly, and Wolf’s pirates had found themselves actually carrying cargo sometimes instead of simply protecting it – if ships weren’t going to be in combat, they may as well carry additional cargo after all. And there were planets that desperatly needed aid still to repair damages incurred by the Aparoids. Wolf’s men weren’t dumb enough to run off with anything either – they’d all been granted pardons for past crimes, why blow it? The only one who hadn’t received a full pardon was Leon – some of his crimes from before the war still bore investigation, but with that information mostly lost with the destruction of several archives on Corneria’s capitol island, it was likely the lizard would soon get a pardon too.

But the CDF would keep an eye on him, just in case.

Panther… hah, Panther hadn’t even had enough of a record to be noticed, compared to the crowd he’d been running with, but even the big cat had been pardoned.

Too bad Panther wasn’t as close to Wolf as Leon was supposedly… Fox had been trying to track down Wolf for months, seeing as the lupines disappearance was a bit suspicious to him. He’d even managed to corner Panther for a bit, in fact – the feline had been trying to avoid Fox, he’d thought it had something to do with what he saw as a rivalry over Krystal. The dunce had actually thought Fox was going to settle something that didn’t even exist to begin with once and for all! All he'd wanted was information on Wolf, but even if Panther had known anything, he hadn’t expected to get it. Since the cat had claimed he only knew that Wolf had left for some reason months ago, and not been heard from since – seems Wolf didn’t trust the new guy that much – it’d almost been a waste of time.

Fox let out a sigh and closed his eyes. Maybe the answer was right “under his nose,” so to speak… the Aparoids had resurrected a lot of old memories in both of them. Fox had almost been ecstatic about flying alongside Wolf again, instead of against him. The last time they’d flown together had been back at the Academy… before the accident.

Oh, knock it off. 11:30 PM is hardly the time to start remembering that mess. But his subconscious mind was going to beat him up over it in his dreams now that he’d thought about it anyways, no doubt.

Still, it’d explain a lot about Wolf’s disappearance… maybe the Lupine was doing some soul-searching of his own, and simply wanted to be alone.

Or would he? Wolf was pretty well known for his “lone wolf” attitude – no pun intended by the reference – but sometimes being surrounded by friends was a nice change, and Fox just couldn’t see Leon being even remotely warm towards anyone, even Wolf. But there was only one other place Wolf would go...

Well, if he’s there, I’ll make sure to leave him be… we were stuck dealing face-to-face with each other quite a bit after the invasion, when Corneria recruited his pirates to help reinforce the CDF… heck, we even had to fly together a few times against some of Andross’s leftover scum! He had plenty of chances to vape me, but never took them… I can’t imagine what he’s been going through.

If Wolf wanted to see Fox for any reason, it wouldn’t really be hard for the lupine to find him anyways – Fox didn’t exactly try to hide his whereabouts the way Wolf did. It’d be best to just let him sort whatever it was out himself.

Gah… since when were you a councilor? Some of Krystal must be bleeding past your shields, buddy, cause you’re starting to sound a lot like her. Guess he’d have to review his mental barriers with her again sometime… every so often, he started to slip it seemed, and she had to review him on everything he’d already learned.

Later… there’d be time later for that. Right now, he needed to get some sleep…

Unfortunately, as Fox dozed off, he failed to see something he’d never have missed had he been fully alert. If he had, he’d have avoided all the trouble that was soon to follow…

[Ranger One]

Chapter Seven

Section Two:

Spast… that was close, he’d looked directly at the spy cam! Amazing he didn’t see it…

Amazing, and very lucky. Had McCloud seen the spy-scarab perched on the ceiling, this mission would already be over.

As it was, however, it was only the wait that was almost over. Just a little longer, to make sure the vulpine really was sound asleep. After all, it wouldn’t do for him to wake up before the scarabs had completed their mission.

Doyle suppressed a grin at the image that invoked – one of Fox waking up to find several large bugs crawling all over him. With the vulpine’s dislike of insects – a hangover no doubt from the Aparoid invasion – it would almost have been worth seeing such a sight, save for the fact this mission was far more important.

Perhaps we could use that as an additional means of breaking him… provided everything goes as planned. Which it wouldn’t – things never went exactly as planned. But as long as McCloud was captured alive – even if he wasn’t a sensitive, he’d still have value as an agent – Doyle would consider this a success.

Ulfson’s men, on the other hand, would be fine with any results that removed McCloud… including a laser through the head. Or elsewhere, some of his soldiers weren’t that picky where they hit a target, as long as it “neutralized” it. All the more reason to let the scarabs do the work, and simply send Ulfson’s storm commando’s in to pick the unconscious vulpine up.

Glancing at the vid-screen on a data pad, Doyle waited until he was sure the fox was asleep, then gave the signal to a nearby soldier – one of Ulfson’s black-armored commando’s, the only native’s he’d recruited were two lupines in fact – the rest of the locals present had been sent with Doyle’s group, along with five regular soldiers. Regular by Ulfson’s standards, anyways, as far as Doyle cared, these locals could become just as good as any storm trooper with a little discipline.

Doyle glanced back at his vid-screen and shuddered. The sight was a tad disturbing – seeing all those grey-hulled bug-droids creeping out from all sorts of locations in the room, and moving in on the still vulpine lying on the bed. The sight invoked images of piranha beetles closing in silently on sleeping prey – a tactic Doyle hadn’t known those bugs used until he’d witnessed it firsthand, while off learning with his master.

But McCloud wasn’t surrounded by flesh-eating bugs. Yet these bugs did pack a twin sting.

Ulfson had loaded the scarabs with the C-4 compound, just as he’d suggested, but he’d loaded a second canister in half the droids with the usual neuro-toxin, in case they found evidence McCloud was too great a threat alive – if the vulpine really was as powerful as had been reported, even if untrained and unaware of his potential, he could be a greater danger alive, even as an ally.

The Emperor made that mistake with his pupil, and his pupil’s son… it cost him his life. No need to repeat his mistake.

The scarabs were almost in position – if the image had been disturbing before, it was now chilling enough to make Doyle want to shudder – a testament to how unnerving the image was. I hope McCloud has been having some pleasant dreams, because they’ll probably be the last ones he has for a while…

With a nod, Doyle gestured to the commando remotely commanding the scarabs to begin. On screen, one scarab climbed up next to the vulpine’s neck, and set to work...

Doyle nearly jumped as a brief surge of energy shot from the vulpine out into space. Only the adepts – including him – could see it, but he wouldn’t be surprised if others had at least felt that sudden surge. And it’d occurred right as the nanites were injected…

He didn’t need to see the readouts – McCloud’s count was probably off the charts anyways. For a surge that powerful in so brief a time, and without it even being directed, was just… incredible. What will he be capable of when trained? Doyle couldn’t help but wonder.

On screen, the vulpine stirred briefly, whimpered – was he actually feeling this in his sleep? – and then settled back into whatever dreams he was having.

Whatever the case, they had to take McCloud alive now… they couldn’t waste this chance to gain such a powerful student – even if they did have to “shape” him a bit first, Iceheart had created some very “persuasive” techniques back in her day, and those techniques would easily break even McCloud, if need be.

Signaling the commando again, Doyle ordered him to abort the current phase of the mission, and proceed directly to phase two…

Fox rolled his fighter just in time, narrowly avoiding an incoming missile.

The enemy craft behind him wasn’t so lucky.

This had to be the strangest dream he’d ever had… the fighter he was flying was strange enough, he’d never even seen a craft like this before… or like any of the other craft flying around him! And the dream itself… it felt so real! He was still nervous from the near-suicide run he’d made not to long ago – sure, it’d paid off, but he hadn’t expected that! And what was up with whatever had pricked his neck? That feeling still hadn’t gone away…

Fox fell back into the dream as the enemy fighter that had launched that missile sailed past, trying desperately to gain some speed and pull away before he could loop around. Fat chance of that happening, those fighters were incredibly slow compared to his.

How the heck did he know that? No matter, it was just a dream...

Fox looped his fighter about… and barely had time to cry out and squeeze his eyes shut before the cannon blast tore into the cockpit, enveloping him in flames…

Fox bolted upright in bed with a gasp… stang, that actually hurt! What kind of a dream was that!?

That was when he became aware that he could still feel something on his neck… and more of them all over him…

Then pain lanced through him as almost a dozen pairs of needles pierced his skin at once, and he screamed…

[Ranger One]

Yikes! WAY to long since I even visited SF-O. ><

I'd have at least posted something sooner, but between Boy Scouts (planning an Eagle ceremony, which finnaly happened last Saturday) and Graduation (the day after), I haven't had time for a while to check SF-O, much less anything else. I've got a lot of material for the next few chapters written up, but not yet typed, so I'll be working on that as I have time. This story isn't dead, but it'll be a bit before I can get that next bit posted. Expect to see more additions within the next month though. 8)

[Dark Fox]

DUD, this fanfic is awsome.

[Guest Eclipsed Phoenix]

dude thats cool.....oh big question: i thought it was the Galactic Federation of Free Alliances....thats what i thought i read it as...if im wrong...oops.

[Dark Fox]

dude thats cool.....oh big question: i thought it was the Galactic Federation of Free Alliances....thats what i thought i read it as...if im wrong...oops.

Brother...That is why I gave up kepping track of SW..........

[Ranger One]

Update - Fic isn't dead, but I've hit some snags:

#1: Job schedule is random atm, so i've had varying ammounts of freetime.

#2: World of Warcraft - the guild i'm a member of has begun to run 40 man raids, so i've lost an evening or two to helping out with that every week, as my job permits.

#3: Formated Computer. Everything was backed up on another PC, but it won't let me open SF-O on that comp!

#4: Network is down - Can't transfer BL from the 2nd comp to the one i normaly use to post it. Since i normaly can't use that comp, writting new material has become harder too on the computer.

#5: New ideas. I've found a ton of stuff i could do to make things easier to understand, make the story flow better, and genneraly improve on my fic. BL is more of a 5th draft now, with another version in the works, lol.

I'll update as soon as i can work most of these out, but sooner or later, I'll be reposting an updated version of the fic as well now, once i'm happy with the redone material. This is a long ways off, tho. I am SO sorry about how long this is takeing, but i will try to update as soon as I get a chance. Thanks for being so patient so far, and I apologize once again for the delay. :lol:

[Dark Fox]

Don't worry 'bout how long Fanfics take.

Sometimes good things take time

[Ranger One]

FINNALY back with news - got everything back onto my PC at last. But no updates yet: I've been tweaking the fic, and at this point, i'm starting over - the events in Broken Lines will (mostly) see some form in the new fic, but things will move a lot slower this time(the plot was moving to fast in this, and wasn't fully explained in my opinion - left a TON of gaps that could easily be filled (and easily overlooked)). Also, between my Job, WoW (40 man raids twice a week, depending on my job schedule), and just a basic lack of free time (starting college soon), it'll take me a bit longer to get this stuff written, iorned out, and posted. Going to get several chapters hammered out, then i'll be back. This isn't dead, it's just going to take a very long time is all. I'll start a new thread when it's ready. 8)