Prince Elite Posted January 16, 2013 Report Share Posted January 16, 2013 Benvenuto signore e signori to the mid-production reading of the first of a prospective three novels in the Darius Angel series. For the intents and purposes of production the book will be written under the working title of "Star Fox: Origin." As this is the longest and most ambitious book I have ever written, I am eager to hear feedback and constructive criticisms particularly in the field of structuring and writing style and am posting part of my story for this purpose. For those unfamiliar to the character who wish to know more information, please feel free to read his character biography NOTE: May contain spoilers. Please contact me if you have any suggestions, queries, or feedback. I will add more content to this page if there is enough popular support. Thank you in advance and enjoy the reading. Note: This story does feature content of a mature nature and is recommended for a mature audience. Star Fox: Origin The cold dark of space seemed rather calm. The glow of Sector X and Solar shone through the gloom. But for the fact that the second-most renowned pilot in the galaxy and his team were preparing an ambush, it would have made a peaceful place to visit. Without taking his eyes off a particular spot, a grey canine activated his com from the cockpit of his Wolfen. “The convoy should be here any minute now. Are we all ready?†“Everything looks clear from here,†said a green lizard-like creature. “All systems are green,†replied a built feline. A clattering sounded through the com mere seconds after the feline had spoken. “Darius, what was that?†asked the canine. “Dropped my music player,†replied a brown haired vulpine. “Oh for heaven sakes, you brought that thing with you?†spat the green lizard. “Someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed, didn’t they Leon?†replied Darius quickly. “Silence!†called the vulpine. “We don’t need an argument here. Let’s get this job done and then we can all go home. Got it boys?†“Alright boss,†replied Darius. “You didn’t report in,†said the feline. “Okay alright, I’m being attacked on two sides here sheesh,†said Darius in a mock-hurt tone. “My weapons, engines and com system are all functional. The Ion battery is online and ready for firing at your command, your eminence.†Deciding that his last remark wasn’t a mark of disrespect worth bringing up, the canine cleared his throat. “Now let’s get down to business,†he said in a serious tone. “The pirates will be moving along this route delivering a shipment of high-grade fuel. These fuel shipments are a driving force in the piracy around our area. So we are going to take it.†“Oh joy,†said Darius in mock-surprise. “Panther and I will ambush the left side of the convoy and draw out their snub fighters,†said the canine, ignoring Darius’ comment. “Leon will provide covering fire from ahead and force the convoy right.†“At which point I, in stealth and waiting for the turn will fire the Ion beam into the fuel freighter making it totally useless,†chimed in Darius. “Then mop up any other fighters while you three triangulate on my location. Isn’t that right, Wolf?†“Quite right old chap,†replied Wolf in an exaggerated accent. “The convoy is incoming,†said Panther sharply. “The scan figures two minutes until arrival.†“Everyone into positions, now,†ordered Wolf. It didn’t take long for the brown vulpine to glide his Arwing to the spot. After switching on a metallic device, he turned his attention to the approaching convoy and counted silently in his head. “Alright boys, this is it,†said Wolf quietly. A loud explosion rocked one of the ships as a nova bomb impacted on its hull. A stream of oxygen burst through the fault and reacted violently with the lick of flame, causing the ship to be engulfed in a magnificent fireball. “Ship 3 is down, all fighters search and destroy,†crackled a voice through Darius’ small device. “All fighters defend the convoy!†No sooner than the words had been uttered did two fighters explode in blaze of laser fire. “Two marks left of the convoy, get in there morons!†Another explosion rocked a large ship at the head of the convoy and the com went silent. A fighter soared past Darius’ Arwing and missed it by a small distance. The Arwing rattled slightly causing the brown vulpine to check his instruments. As confident as he was in his fighter’s stealth abilities, he was more than a little on edge. “It looks like they’ve decided to make a break for it Darius,†said Wolf over the comlink. “Oh good,†replied Darius as he readied his fighter’s Ion blaster. “My first catch for the evening.†“Just get it done,†said Wolf. Gliding his ship forward, the brown vulpine waited and watched as the battle raged around him. He was quite impressed by his team-mates methods of tactical provocation and was anxious to show them that he was skilled enough to be in their league. “Here they are guys,†said Darius as he charged his Ion blaster. Taking a moment to breathe, the vulpine expertly aimed and fired. A large beam struck a ship in the middle of the convoy, stopping its engines stone dead. “That’s done it,†said Darius with an air of smugness. “Good work Darius,†replied Panther. “Now could you give me a hand with this annoying thing following me?†Giving a quick acknowledgement, Darius through spaced and began to target his quarry. The enemy fighter dodged a laser beam and turned in time to fire a stream of laser at the brown vulpine. “Nice try,†said Darius smugly as he easily avoided the laser-fire. “Try this on for size, won’t you?†Making an unusual swerve to track his quarry, the vulpine aimed and fired a concentrated beam which hit the enemy fighter head on. “Kaboom,†exclaimed Darius. “There’s only one warship left,†uttered Leon quickly. “Its shields are strong.†“Nova bombs in ten seconds everyone,†ordered Wolf. Avoiding a spurt of fire Darius turned his ship and locked onto a direct line with the enemy warship. “Three, two, one!†exclaimed Wolf. The loudest explosion of all occurred when the four bombs detonated on impact causing the ship to explode into small burning fragments. “That got him,†said Panther. Letting go of the breath he wasn’t aware he’d been holding, Darius eased back and surveyed the destruction he had helped create. Fragments of metal lay strewn around the one ship left intact. The freighter still showed no signs of power. “I’m calling in the extraction team now,†declared Wolf. “They’ll take it away and we can all have an early dinner.†“Good,†replied Darius eagerly. “I’m starving.†Forming up with his teammates, the brown vulpine looked again at the wreckage. Though their battle had been short, it had also been fierce and Darius was confident he had proven his skills to the others by his display. “The extraction team is here,†noted Leon. “Excellent,†replied Wolf. “Let’s get that freighter and get out of here.†*** With a snap-hiss, the turbo-lift door opened and a small collection of people walked out. Only the brown vulpine remained. Checking that a wad of bills was still in his pocket, he pressed a button and the lift began moving again. “Penthouse Apartment, authorization required for access,†said a cool female voice. Holding his card up to the panel-sensor, the doors opened with a hiss and Darius entered his apartment. It was a handsome apartment with fine furnishings and a private terrace overlooking the city, as well as several bedrooms. “What a day,†he muttered to himself as he sidled into his bedroom. Placing the cash on his bedside table, Darius activated his message bank. “You have two messages,†said a mechanical voice. “Oh joy,†muttered Darius. “Hey stranger,†said a flirty female voice. “I haven’t been able to reach you in days. Is something wrong? Call me when you can. Bye.†“Because I’m really going to do that, Jennifer,†uttered Darius. “Message two,†said the mechanical voice. “Darius, I have another job for you,†said Wolf’s voice. “I’ll give you the particulars tomorrow at breakfast. 9 o’clock at Easts.†“No rest for the wicked it seems,†muttered Darius as he turned off the message bank. Picking up an acoustic guitar, the brown vulpine strummed a tune while looking at the city from his window. *** A sharp whistle caught Darius’ attention as he sauntered into the club. Seeing his benefactor at a table, the vulpine approached him and sat in the opposite chair. “Good job yesterday,†said Wolf after sipping from a coffee cup. “Our spy in the pirate network told me that their organization isn’t faring well with their shipment being raided. No doubt they’ll spend some time finding new trade routes so we won’t be hearing from them in a while.†“That’s too bad. I’m spoiling for a fight,†said Darius with a grin. “You’ll get one,†replied Wolf casually. “There’s a…†He broke off as a vulpine waitress approached their table. “Can I get you anything?†she asked while looking at Darius. “Just a coffee please,†he replied. The waitress left with a nod and Wolf cleared his throat. “There’s a prisoner being transferred from Katina to Corneria today,†started the grey canine. “His name is Michael Hager. He’s a drug runner and middleman to several key gangs. He’s standing trial within the week and probably will spend the rest of his life in prison.†“That’s a pretty poor way to start the day,†said Darius. “However this is a problem for me,†said Wolf in a quiet voice. “Oh this is always the good part,†muttered the brown vulpine. “I used Hager once about a year ago,†continued Wolf. “He’s a snivelling coward and has no sense of honour at all, but he was useful at the time. He most likely will try to gain a plea bargain in exchange for a pardon or mitigation of his sentence. This’ll be bad for us all, so I need you to deal with him.†“What method did you have in mind?†asked Darius. “I don’t have time to think of methods, you’re the expert around here,†shot Wolf. “Drop him in the Aquas Ocean, that’ll do the trick. You just need to make sure you get him out of prison and take care of him without anyone seeing you. It has to look like he just vanished into thin air.†“No problem,†drawled Darius. “How much am I getting for this job?†“Now really Darius,†replied the grey canine. “Is money all that interests you?†“No, there are other things too,†said Darius as the waitress returned and placed a steaming cup of coffee on the table. “What would that be?†asked Wolf. “Women and guitars,†replied Darius with a grin as he watched the waitress walking away. “Oh lord, you’re worse than Pigma,†said Wolf edgily. “Is that so?†asked the brown vulpine, looking Wolf in the eyes. “No actually, I’m wrong,†replied Wolf. “Pigma was stupid and greedy. You actually can get a job done.†“I feel honoured,†muttered Darius after taking a sip of coffee. “What’s the pay rate for this one?†“15 grand,†replied the grey canine. “How about we say 20 instead?†said Darius. “I’m the one sticking my neck out after all.†Taking another sip of his coffee, Darius began to feel slightly concerned. His benefactor had a cold glint in his eye which usually marked imminent misery for those who saw it. Wolf wasn’t a man to discuss terms with someone he thought was beneath him and Darius was well aware of it. The vulpine doubted Wolf would go so far as to shoot him or harm him, but he was slightly concerned that his benefactor might simply take away his offer out of spite, and he needed the money. “Fine,†said Wolf quietly. “His trial’s two days from tomorrow so you have until then to take care of him. If you fail, you’d better have a place to hide.†“I couldn’t hide from you Wolf,†replied Darius jovially. “You know where my hiding spots are.†“Whatever,†said the grey canine in an annoyed tone. “Just get it done.†Watching his benefactor leave, Darius sipped more of his coffee as the waitress came back. “Your friend looked annoyed,†she said as she collected Wolf’s empty cup. “Yeah, he does that,†replied Darius. “I guess I didn’t help either.†“Aw, did you do something naughty?†the waitress asked with a flirty smile. “No, but I might as well,†the vulpine with a grin. “What’s your name?†“Tamika,†replied the waitress. “Nice name,†commented Darius. “When does your shift end?†“At three,†replied the waitress, the smile still on her face. *** “Primary systems functional,†stated a cool accented voice from the cockpit of the black alloyed arwing. “Thanks Ivy,†said Darius as he placed a vicious looking instrument in a box. “So we have grenades, ammo, small guns, big guns and the box of doom. Is there anything else we need?†“You appear to be fully armed,†said Ivy. “I suggest we depart, sir. If we keep stalling we’ll miss our deadline.†“True,†muttered the vulpine. After placing the box in a small cargo container and entering the cockpit, Darius ignited the arwing’s engines and guided the vessel out of the hangar. “Beginning warp zone procedures now,†stated Ivy. “Is there any particular song you’d like to listen to, sir?†“There’s a thought,†muttered Darius after a while. “I think we’ll start with 2-33 today.†“Beginning playback,†replied Ivy. As he piloted the ship and listened to the pop-rock song filtering through the speakers, a calm stillness entered the vulpine’s mind. All his troubles, the past which haunted him he knew he was free in the coldness of space. “Entering warp zone now,†stated Ivy. A wash of dazzling lights lit up the screen as the ship entered the wondrous warp zone. Watching the fantastic shapes and lights with a keen eye, it took thirty seconds for Darius to realize his com was signalling. “You have reached the private offices of the Masons guild,†said Darius in an exaggerated accent. “For a free-†“Damn it Darius, when are you going to change that stupid code,†snarled the vicious voice of Wolf. “What’s wrong with it?†asked Darius mockingly. “Never mind the sarcasm, this isn’t a social call,†declared Wolf. “It looks like our fish has decided to play his hand early. His trial’s been moved up to tomorrow, so you’ll need to make your move by then. How close do you think you are?†“Everything’s going according to plan,†lied Darius. “I’ll go in tonight when they change the guards. They’ll be distracted so getting in won’t be a problem.†“Good job,†commented Wolf not-unkindly. “Make sure this fish won’t ever be caught again.†Breathing in relief, the vulpine refocused his attention on the lights of the warp zone. “Sir, we’re approaching minimal exit distance,†said Ivy. “I was enjoying the lights too,†muttered Darius. Leaving the glittering realm, Darius guided his ship down to the planet surface. “Ivy I think we should engage the stealth systems now,†said the vulpine casually. “Stealth system activated,†she replied. “Have any surprises in store for the population?†“I just don’t want to leave anything to chance,†murmured Darius as he watched the area on radar, a building catching his eye. “Hey look, there’s the gold depository that was broken into last year.†“The one you robbed, sir?†asked Ivy with a curious tone. “They were asking for it, and I only took one bar,†Darius replied with a grin. After ten minutes of searching, the brown vulpine hid his arwing several miles from the city centre. *** The chill of the wintertime Cornerian air did nothing to break the concentration of the lurking figure cloaked in shadow. Darius’ cold azure eyes pierced the gloom of night, his sight skilfully examining the prison exterior. “Looks like they’ve doubled patrols Ivy,†he muttered. “They’ve left some spots here and there I think I can use. Not the greatest layout I’ve seen, but not bad.†“Noted sir,†affirmed Ivy through his earpiece. “Bring the ship around on my signal,†ordered Darius. “Radio silence is commencing now.†Activating a metal device on his belt, the brown vulpine crossed the street and walked directly to the front gate guard post. Walking past the two gate guards without incident, Darius quietly opened the gatehouse door and found the gate switch. Neither of the two guards seemed to care that a heavily armed vulpine had casually passed them, but they did notice the gate sliding open. “I don’t see anything,†said one of the guards with his blaster drawn. “Neither do I,†replied the other guard. Looking around the older of the two guards looked suspiciously at the gatehouse, his eyes hovering right over where Darius was standing. “Check the gatehouse,†he ordered. Testing his stealth generator and seeing a positive reading, the brown vulpine slowly backed as close to the wall as he could. Holding his breath, the brown vulpine watched as the guard entered the guardhouse, just feet from where Darius was standing. “There’s nothing here, it was probably an error,†called the guard loudly. “I’m not taking any chances,†said his fellow from outside. “Check the computer for errors so we don’t have this problem again.†Grabbing a chair from near a small desk, the guard sat down and brought up a program on the computer. Sensing his opportunity, Darius slowly and quietly stepped out of the gatehouse and towards the gate. “Close the gate idiot!†ordered the older guard. “Sorry!†called out the other. Alarmed, Darius quickened his pace slightly and passed through the gate with seconds to spare before it shut. Moving quickly towards the side of the building and taking cover behind a large durasteel bin, the vulpine checked his stealth field generator. The reading showed he had little more than ten minutes of power left. “Gotta move,†he thought to himself. Finding a service door, Darius took a device off his belt and held it up to the door. The sensor light glowed green and the door slid open. Moving in quickly, Darius hid in a nearby laundry room and switched off his stealth generator. “Who said breaking the law was the only way in?†he asked himself inwardly. Grinning at the thought, the vulpine looked around the room and spotted a set of uniforms on a drying rack. They were damp to Darius’ touch, but he decided to don one anyway. After suiting up and putting on his hat, the vulpine left the room and started to move. Walking unobtrusively past a guard patrol, Darius headed into an empty guardhouse without incident. “No welcoming committee? That’s just not proper,†commented Darius with a grin. Locking the door, the vulpine brought out his comlink from his pocket. “Ivy, can you hear me?†he asked. “Yes sir,†the cool feminine voice replied. “I have a computer in this room, I need you to access the network its connected to and get it under your control,†ordered Darius. “I will begin once you’ve given me the data,†she replied. Pressing his device to the computer’s finger pad, the vulpine clicked an attachment to one of the slots and waited. “I have gained control over the prison network,†Ivy stated. “What do you need me to do, sir?†“Find me the cell for Michael Hager,†replied Darius. “It would also seem some unfortunate person forgot to turn the cameras back on after polishing the lenses.†“They wouldn’t turn off the cameras for a simple clean, sir,†Ivy stated. “Then they picked a very bad day to start,†commented Darius. “Switch them off and delete all of today’s footage. Do make sure to delete any traces of us too.†“Very good sir,†the female voice replied. After a few moments, Darius’ earpiece crackled with sound again. “It’s done sir, the cameras have been deactivated and all footage from today has been deleted,†stated Ivy. “What about Hager’s cell?†asked the vulpine. “Block 13, cell 13,†she replied. “Piece of cake,†declared Darius. “Thanks Ivy, you’re the best.†“You’re welcome sir,†she replied in a proud voice. Switching off his comlink, Darius slinked out of the room and headed towards the cellblocks. Moving past another guard coming out of the restroom, the vulpine observed a red five written on one of the walls. “Block five,†he thought inwardly. Walking past yet another guard, Darius turned to enter the cellblock. “Excuse me,†called a voice behind him. Freezing in place and his heart beating slightly faster, the brown vulpine turned around to see a grizzled canine leering at him. “Yes?†he asked trying to sound confident. “Yes what?†the canine asked in an annoyed tone. “Yes Sergeant,†added Darius hastily after spotting the guard’s shoulder boards which bore the insignia of his rank. “That’s better… Taylor,†declared the sergeant after seeing Darius’ embroidered name patch. “The state of your uniform is unacceptable.†“I’m sorry Sergeant, I forgot about it and didn’t have time to have it dried properly,†invented Darius quickly. “Well you won’t make the mistake twice,†said the sergeant leering over him. “You’re on report Taylor; now get back to your duties.†“Yes Sergeant,†affirmed Darius. The grizzled canine nodded and walked away in the other direction. “Drop dead while you’re at it,†muttered Darius, holding up the sergeant’s key card. Grinning, the vulpine proceeded up the blocks until he eventually reached cellblock 13. Moving along quietly, he found cell 13 and used the key card on the access panel. The cell door slid open allowing Darius to enter. “Charming,†he muttered while he looked around the cell. “If I ever get locked up, I’ll be escaping rather than rotting.†Crouching near the sleeping prisoner, he placed his palm on the feline’s mouth. The man woke with a start and gave a muffled grunt, however he stopped dead when he saw the blaster Darius was pointing at his forehead. “Michael Hager?†asked Darius. The man nodded slowly, Darius could see the fear all over his face. “I’m an associate of Wolf O’Donnell,†the vulpine said quickly but calmly. “He sent me to rescue you. I’m going to take away my hand, scream and I’ll be forced to silence you, okay?†Lowering his hand at Hager’s nod, Darius put away his blaster. “Wolf sent you to save me? Who are you?†asked the feline. “Jeff Cartwright,†lied Darius. “We don’t have long to escape so let’s get out while we can, shall we?†“Alright,†replied Hager simply. Moving forward, Darius affixed a stealth generator to Hager’s uniform. “What are you doing?†he demanded. “This is a personal stealth generator,†Darius explained. “It casts a cover of invisibility for fifteen minutes. My other one is empty, so shut up and follow me closely.†With a nod from the feline, Darius activated the generator and Hager vanished. Moving out the door, the vulpine walked determinedly past the cellblocks. Meeting no trouble, it seemed almost too easy to him. He had broken into dozens of high security buildings, banks, government buildings and rebel bases, but he rarely took prisoners. Though the circumstances were slightly different, calmness took root in Darius’ mind. He knew he would have no trouble finishing his goal now. “How far away are we?†asked Hager quietly “We’re close,†answered Darius quickly. “Now shut up.†Retracing his steps back to the door he came in through, Darius found it and opened it with his device. Stepping outside, he heard a sigh of relief from the invisible Hager. “It’s not over yet Hager,†said Darius. “We still have to get through the gate.†“Then what are we waiting for?†asked Hager enthusiastically. Walking forward carefully, Darius walked the long walk towards the front gate. A spotlight hovered over him for a second, and a flicker of anxiety sparked within him. It was soon apparent that nobody thought anything of a guard walking around the compound as the light soon passed over him. “Open up,†said Darius as he knocked on the gatehouse window. “Going home for the night?†asked the younger guard as he opened the door. “Yeah, and I’d rather get there quickly,†replied Darius in the perfect tone of a busy worker. Moving into the gatehouse, Darius walked with a clunky gait to cover the sound of Hager’s footsteps, fortunately the guard didn’t seem to notice and the two were soon well clear of the prison. “We did it,†said the now visible Hager. “We bloody well pulled it off!†“I did it you mean,†Darius reminded him. “Well yes… of course,†said Hager meekly. Taking off his hat and running his fingers through his hair, the brown vulpine sighed and started walking. “So where are we going now?†asked Hager. “We’ll walk this way for two miles or so and then I’ll call in my ship,†answered Darius. “One scheduled stop and then on to Sargasso.†“Wow,†said Hager quietly. “Wolf sure thought of everything didn’t he?†“Yes he did,†replied Darius with a grim smile. After two miles of walking, the brown vulpine took out his comlink. “Ivy do you read me?†he asked. “Yes sir,†she replied. “Was your operation successful?†“Yes it was,†answered Darius. “Bring the ship over to this signal.†“Understood sir,†replied Ivy. “Who’s Ivy?†asked Hager as the vulpine put away his comlink. “The on-board computer on my ship,†answered Darius. “Self-aware intelligence, quite a nice bit of technology involved.†“You have a self-aware computer controlling your ship?†asked a surprised Hager. “Yes,†replied Darius simply. “Isn’t that dangerous? She could take the ship and run, or worse,†said the feline. “I don’t have any reason not to trust her,†replied Darius. “She’s been completely loyal, heck she’s almost like my wife if I ever had one.†“I figured,†said Hager. “I don’t see you as the marriage type.†“You probably also didn’t see that you were going to die in less than three hours, but here we are,†thought Darius savagely. “I’m on approach now sir,†said Ivy over the comlink. “Use the stealth generator, I don’t want to anyone to see us,†replied Darius. “Understood,†affirmed Ivy. The noise of engines sounded through the clearing and the grass rippled. “That’s our ride,†said Darius as he climbed the invisible steps and opened the cockpit. “Wait a minute, where am I supposed to sit?†asked Hager. Grabbing a small needle from a compartment in the cockpit, Darius stepped down from the fighter. “What do you mean?†asked the vulpine, concealing the needle in his hand. “I mean, you only have one seat,†said the feline. “Just where am I supposed to sit?†“In the landing gear of course,†said Darius quietly. The pilot’s chair was did in fact have a smaller adjustable seat built into the back, but Hager wouldn’t have the luxury of sitting in it, he would have to make do with Darius’ alternative arrangement. The vulpine struck before Hager could even respond. After ramming the needle into his neck, Darius pushed on the pump and the feline went limp. “Does that answer your question?†asked Darius sarcastically. After placing the feline on the front landing gear ramp, the blue eyed vulpine bound his with a heavy leg chain and placed a breath mask on his face. Satisfied with his work, the brown vulpine entered his ship and closed the canopy. “Welcome back sir,†said Ivy. “Did you miss me?†asked Darius with a smile. “As in, did I find a sudden longing for your presence?†she asked curiously. “Well yes, but…. forget it,†said Darius wearily. “Let’s get flying.†Setting the ship to hover, the vulpine closed the landing gear. “Ivy, are the landing gear seals functioning?†he asked. “Yes sir,†she replied. “You won’t enjoy this trip Hager,†commented Darius as he flew the ship towards the sky. Leaving the planet’s gravitational influence, the vulpine reclined back in his seat “Ivy my dear, could you please take over?†he asked sweetly. “Of course sir, we’re approaching the warp zone now,†she stated. “Is there any music request you would like?†“No thanks,†replied Darius. “I just need a short rest.†“Very well sir,†said Ivy quietly. Closing his eyes and listening to the sound of the ship, an image of a lime-green underwear clad vulpine entered his mind. “Ah Tamika,†he said with a smile. An odd sound caused Darius’ ears to prick up and he was prepared to gamble a hefty amount that Ivy had just sighed at him. Shaking the thought off his mind, Darius waited with his eyes closed until he heard the familiar sound of the end of the warp zone. “Good job Ivy,†said the vulpine as he looked over the ocean world of Aquas. “Thank you….†Ivy broke off as the sound of clanging echoed from the landing gear compartment. “Oh damn,†said Darius. “The dose must have been too small. He’s awake.†“How does this affect your mission sir?†asked Ivy. “It doesn’t,†replied Darius. “It just means Hager is going to be very scared, very soon.†Reaching out to open the landing gear, the vulpine hesitated. “Is something wrong, sir?†asked Ivy. “No, it’s just I’m...†started Darius. “You are…?†asked Ivy. “I’m sorry is all,†replied Darius as he pressed the button. The sound of screaming rent the air and quickly faded. Rubbing a hand through his hair, Darius turned his ship around and glided away from Aquas. “To Sargasso my dear,†said the vulpine. “Yes sir,†replied Ivy. No pleasant image came to mind after Darius closed his eyes. *** 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prince Elite Posted January 20, 2013 Author Report Share Posted January 20, 2013 Waking up to the sound of his bedside comlink, the brown vulpine groaned and answered it. “What is it?†he asked. “Darius, I need your help now!†said a light male voice with a tone of urgency. “Why, what is it?†asked Darius sleepily. “I’ll give you the details once you’re in the air,†said the voice. “Get your gear, do whatever it is you do and head to the coordinates I’m sending you now. Once you’re airborne, call me. I’ll give you the details.†“Alright Bill, I’m on it,†affirmed Darius. *** Taking off from his private hangar, Darius yawned and shook his head to wake himself up. “Should I fly sir, given that you’re tired?†asked Ivy. “Yes, for now at least,†replied the vulpine. “I need to make a call.†Entering a number on his comlink, Darius waited as the line connected. “Darius are you in the air?†asked Bill. “Of course, now what is going on?†replied Darius. “We sent a team to Planet Mavis two days ago after seeing suspicious activity,†said the light voice. “Our team was attacked and most were killed by a pirate force, we suspect. The team leader was forced to the planet surface with power failure and we initially believed him to have died in the crash. However we know he did at least survive the crash because he managed to send a distress signal. That was two hours ago.†“So why are you calling me just now?†asked Darius. “Well, we figured we could send a large armed force in, but we had to change that plan when hundreds of ships began blockading the planet,†replied Bill. “We couldn’t send anything big enough to counter them quickly and we need the team leader alive. So-†“So you need me to sneak in and take him away,†supplied the vulpine. “So just who am I meant to be rescuing?†“A V.I.P called Fox McCloud,†answered Bill in a serious tone. “The Fox McCloud?†asked a remarkably unimpressed Darius. “Yes, we need him alive,†said the light voice. “Alright then,†said Darius with a grin. “So let’s discuss payment, what will I be earning for this assignment?†“I’m authorized to offer you double the usual rate,†answered Bill. “Consider him rescued, Colonel,†said the vulpine. “I’m about to enter the warp zone so I’ll have to cut communications here.†“Alright then,†affirmed Bill. “Good luck Lieutenant.†The communication stopped as the arwing entered the warp zone. *** “Everything looks clear, sir,†“Too clear Jon, didn’t the intel indicate a heavy convoy here?†“Our instruments are showing nothing,†“Jon, Barrar, let’s orbit the planet and go home.†The three fighters glided silently around the planet. Trying not to show it to his wingmates, the leader was worried. He, the great Fox McCloud who had saved the Lylat System on more than two occasions knew when something was wrong, and alarm bells were ringing in his mind. He was tempted to call in for more backup but knew that it wouldn’t sit well. His mission was to investigate a suspected hostile presence around the planet Mavis and come back with the findings. If as the Intel indicated, the planet was being used as a staging point for an invasion, he could not simply risk the operation all for a nagging feeling. “Sir, I’m seeing some enemy fighters at our 9 o’clock,†“Have we been spotted, Barrar?†“No sir, we’re outside scanner range and our stealth fields are operative,†“Let’s continue, but be cautious. Stay outside range and don’t do anything stupid. Let’s finish our job and get out,†It took minutes before the trio came across something else in their search. Before their eyes they could see a large space construct, many freighters and snub fighters surrounded the base. It looked eerie against the gold-brown glow of Mavis. “What is that?†“It’s a battle station.†“So the Intel report was correct after all,†thought Fox inwardly. “Sir, should we report back to HQ?†After several seconds and the realisation that his wing mates couldn’t see him nod, the green eyed vulpine responded. “Yes, get ready to warp jump, we’ve got enough -†The rest of his sentence was cut off by the sound of two loud explosions and the sound of his wingmate screaming. “JON!!! NO!†Another explosion appeared on Fox’s sensors and his wing mate’s screams were silenced. The only thing stopping Fox from suffering the same fate was that on instinct, he had put the arwing into full thrust the moment he heard the sounds. Making a rapid adjustment on his nav-computer, the green eyed vulpine changed his com signal over. “HQ this is Agent Nimbus, the mission is compromised. Jon and Barrar are dead and I’ve come under attack, preparing to leave the mission zone now!†Narrowly avoiding a stream of fire, Fox manoeuvred his arwing around and returned fire, skilfully dispatching three of his ten pursuers in the space of seconds and killed two more shortly after. It soon became apparent to the snub fighters that they were dealing with an expert. Half of their squad had been taken out with seemingly minimal effort and those who remained were hesitant to try and fight back. Their squad leader picked up a com from inside his fighter. Seeing his oppressors scatter, Fox took the time to continue to the warp zone. The green eyed vulpine felt a small sense of relief and familiarity. Now that the element of surprise was gone, his enemies would have to deal with him at full readiness. Fox was confident that he could outfight any fighter who crossed him and it was the sight of his enemies retreating on his scanner that both gave Fox a sense of triumph and caused his downfall. A loud sound echoed through space and Fox immediately knew his chance to escape was dashed. The Arwing shook violently and a loud beeping signalled on his nav-computer. After a quick calculation the green eyed vulpine observed that his left wing had been taken off completely and the shot from the battle-cruisers had damaged both his engine systems. “HQ this is Nimbus!†said Fox loudly on the com. “I’ve been hit, engines are damaged and failing, I’m going to try and land on the planet-†The damaged arwing’s com system failed and Fox cursed as the imposing view of Mavis came into view. With his nerves tingling and his ship slowly losing control, the green eyed vulpine directed as best as he could towards a large gorge and prayed silently that he would survive the landing. Soon he was feet from ground level and very shortly after he blanked out. *** Getting past the fighter patrols and defence system was a piece of cake in Darius’ opinion. Their layout and readiness was respectable but susceptible at the same time. The blue eyed vulpine estimated 12 cruisers and over 100 snub fighters, all of which failed to notice the black Arwing sneak past all of them. Soon enough he was hovering above the last known location of his V.I.P. “Amateurs,†said Darius quietly as he landed. “Do you have a plan, sir?†asked Ivy. “Well first I’m going to find McCloud and then I’ll call you to pick us up,†said the blue eyed vulpine calmly. “If the plan changes, I’ll let you know.†“Take care, sir,†replied Ivy. Grabbing a long black trench-coat from the back of the cockpit, Darius stepped out from the ship. Checking the late afternoon skyline he could see a slight wisp of smoke on the horizon, faint but noticeable. Putting on the trench-coat, the blue eyed vulpine examined his surroundings and began his journey to his target. “Amateurs,†he repeated again. *** Gripping a rock tightly, Fox stared around from his cover and winced as his arm throbbed. He could remember the events before his crash, but what happened immediately after was a blur and fuzzy. He remembered scrambling wearily from the heap of metal that was his beloved Arwing and stumbling over to a patch of trees nearby. He must have fallen unconscious because he woke up in darkness After removing a shard of metal from his arm, he had wrapped it in his aid-kit and stumbled over to a cave in the rock face. He had been there ever since. The green eyed vulpine hoped beyond hope that someone would be sent to save him. He had no weapons, no communications, no supplies and no way off the planet. He decided early that he couldn’t risk leaving his transport, nor could he put out the source of smoke that was trailing from it. It did occur to him that someone hostile might find him by it, but with no way to contact his allies, the smoke would be the only way any help would find him. “Bill won’t let me down,†he repeated to himself for the umpteenth time. Checking his arm again, a wave of despair set into his mind. A dark thought washed over him that maybe nobody would be sent. His enemies would be ready for an attack and the higher-ups of the Military Command might not be willing to take the risk for one man, even if it was Fox McCloud. Gripping onto the stone once more, the green eyed vulpine firmly pushed the thought out of his mind. He had to have faith that his friend would save him. A shuffling outside the cave brought him to snap still. Making no noise, he turned his head slightly to see three indistinct figures surrounding his wrecked Arwing. “Nobody’s inside sir,†said one of the figures in a husky voice. “Well they won’t get very far; they’re bound to be injured after the crash. We’ll find them,†replied the tallest of the three. In the faint moonlight, Fox could see the speaker was dressed in a more elegant fashion than his two comrades. Obviously he was an officer or held some importance in their hierarchy. “Check the foliage and caves just in case,†said the officer. His heart skipping a beat and his body seemingly freezing, the green eyed vulpine watched in horror, paralysed as one of the trio approached the cave opening. In just seconds Fox would surely be seen and then he would be dead. He couldn’t run or risk giving away his position and he had no way to fight back either. His quarry carried a pistol in his hand and was getting closer. Knowing he only had one slim chance; Fox raised the rock surreptitiously and readied to throw it. He could knock the blaster from his quarry’s hand and maybe he’d have the chance to seize it. But then what? Even if he could dispatch the first of the trio, the others would surely be onto him and their numbers would tell. “I guess this is it,†he thought inwardly. As the matted, pistol-carrier entered the mouth of the cave a movement caught Fox’s eye. It was not the double-take of his quarry or the snarl that reached his face, but the figure that seemingly materialised from the scrub and tree outside the cave that had Fox’s attention. With blinding speed, the figure drew a long barrelled blaster and fired. Fox watched as his quarry fell dead, heard a shout and saw the newcomer in the scrub peel off two more shots. All went silent and the newcomer knelt and lowered his weapon. “You can come out now,†he called out in a northern accent. After a few seconds, Fox decided that he should comply with the newcomer’s wishes. After all, if he wanted him dead, why did he just save his life? Stepping out of the cave, the green eyed vulpine walked forward and soon stood in front of his saviour. He was young, Fox saw and he wore a long black trench-coat over his clothes, he also appeared to have a hunch. “Fox McCloud I presume?†asked the vulpine. “Yes, who are you?†replied Fox. “Darius Angel,†said the vulpine. “The Colonel sent me to rescue you.†“The Colonel… Colonel Grey by any chance?†asked Fox, his nerves still tingling. “That’s the one,†replied Darius. “As much as it is nice to chat though, we really need to get leaving. So take this, be quiet and follow me.†Holding out a blaster, Fox took it with his uninjured hand and tested it experimentally. “You’re a lefty?†asked Darius in a curious tone. “No, my right arm is injured,†replied Fox. Running his fingers through his long hair, Darius sighed. “We’ll be extra careful to avoid a fight then,†he said in a final tone. Signalling Fox to follow, Darius began tracing his steps back to his ship. Following his rescuer quietly, Fox didn’t know whether to be relieved or anxious. His companion had certainly proved his skill with a blaster and Fox soon found he was more than adept at stealth. His footing was quiet and light and if he managed to get through the planet defences and land unnoticed, then he was truly a master. But all the same, Fox was conscious of the fact that they only numbered two, and dozens if not hundreds could be pursuing them. He told himself firmly to trust in his companion and not focus on the negative. His thinking however distracted him and he only just stopped himself from colliding with his companion, who had stopped. “What is it?†whispered Fox. “Marks ahead, lots of them,†replied Darius in equal whisper. Giving him the signal to wait, the long haired vulpine lay down on the ground and then crept slowly towards the cover of a large boulder on the path, a good place to see but not be seen. After a minute, he returned and his expression was stern. “There’s no way of sneaking by,†he said crossly. “How many?†whispered Fox. “10, all armed with automatic blasters,†replied Darius. Fox’s eyebrows widened and his nerves started tingling once more. “I think we can take them by surprise,†said the long haired vulpine. “Only we’d make one hell of a noise and any other patrols nearby are sure to hear us.†“So what do we do?†asked the green eyed vulpine. “We do that anyway and run to my ship,†replied Darius casually. “Where is it?†asked Fox. Pointing to a valley down the mountainside, the vulpine looked at Fox. “It’ll be there, running down the whole mountain will take too long and will be too dangerous,†he said in a serious tone. “So we’re going to take a shortcut down the mountainside and run like hell from there, cool?†Seeing a flaw in his plan but not voicing it, Fox nodded and motioned for his companion to continue. “I’m going to lob a grenade over there, it’ll loosen them up enough for us to take charge,†he declared. “Don’t get killed or I won’t get paid.†Moving quietly across the path, Darius picked out a grenade from his belt and readied himself for battle. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now