Chapter Six: Retribution

Fara sat back, watching as Fox fielded the many, many transmissions coming at the Great Fox. The colonies expressed a lot of relief, since they now knew what was being planned for them. The GalFed was furious and wanted Wolf in their possession immediately. The Lylatian High Command had mixed feelings, telling the GalFed that they weren’t allowed to take Wolf, but knowing they’d have to figure out something to do with the slightly unstable soldier.

For Fox’s end of it, he had picked up Wolf from the GalFed cruiser, and had locked him down in his room. Wolf hadn’t protested, turning the suit over without arguing, and wasn’t saying too much in general.

“Look, yes, he killed a reported sixty-three people…” Fox was speaking into a headset, Falco had torn into enough of the people Fox was just taking everything as a private call. “But you can quit calling him a psychopath… Well, maybe he is in your opinion, but he’s our psychopath, so we’re not turning him over to you… Well, I never said we were going to cooperate.” He disconnected and reached over to her, pulling her close and leaning his head against her stomach, drinking in her scent. “Busy morning.”

“Indeed.” Fara smiled a touch, ruffling his fur. “Talked to Wolf?” In the backpack behind her, Hope was peering around, usually quiet but then bursting out in sudden happy babbling. She had managed to scare the unholy crap out of Slippy this morning by doing so, too.

“Not since I locked him down last night.” He admitted, nuzzling her. “He seemed kind of… withdrawn.”

“He misses Jesse.”

“I know.” He sighed and stood. “Field radio calls for me?”

“You’ll owe me for it.” She smiled slyly.

“Gladly.” He grinned, and went to the kitchen, grabbing two mugs of coffee then going to Wolf’s room, hesitating then opening the door.

Wolf looked up, taking his headphones off. He was sprawled on his bed, staring at the ceiling, diskman next to him. “Hi, Fox.”

“Morning.” Fox sat on the edge of the bed, handing Wolf one of the mugs. “Sorry I didn’t talk to you last night.”

“S’ok.” Wolf sat up, accepting the mug gladly. “I… didn’t really want to.” After taking a drink, he continued. “So. How upset is everyone?”

“Well, the GalFed wants your head on a plate.”

“I’m not surprised.”

“The High Command don’t really know what to think… but they’re happy you stopped the destruction, so they’re in no hurry to give out a reprimand. Nor are they in any hurry to turn you over to the GalFed. The Colonies that were marked think you’re a hero, as what was going to happen has spread around now.”

“I’m not a hero, Fox.”

“Neither am I.”

They sat in quiet companionship for a few minutes, enjoying each other’s company, Wolf absorbed in his thoughts. After a while, he spoke up. “Are you mad at me?”

“No. Not really. I mean, what you did scared the crap out of me, I won’t lie. But I think I understand why you did it. If it had been Fara down there, I probably would have destroyed that GalFed cruiser.”

“… Speaking of that… Any word on Jesse?”

“None yet. The colony wasn’t anywhere near the region destroyed, so we can only assume he’s safe. We’re still trying to find him. No luck yet… I’m sorry.”

“It isn’t your fault, Fox. I just want him back.” He sighed, then smiled a little. “So. Am I still grounded?”

“For now, yes.” Fox returned the smile. “But we’ll allow visitors. Good enough?”

“Good enough. And I’m hungry, damn it.”

Fox laughed, standing. “I’ll find you something then.”

“Thanks, Fox.”

“It doesn’t feel like I’m doing nearly enough, believe me.”

Drax sighed, wandering out of the freezer and kicking it closed behind himself, sucking on a fudgesickle. Wolf was still locked down in his room, though Fox had laughingly remarked that he had visitation rights now. Most of the group had drifted by already, talking and making sure Wolf didn’t get left out of the loop for what was going on. In fact, Drax was pretty sure he was the only person that hadn’t dropped by yet.

But with good reason, right? Not that he hadn’t enjoyed the last time they had been together, hell, he had dreamt about it. He hadn’t figured out exactly why Wolf had done it though.

“That’s a healthy lunch.”

He jumped and scowled at Slippy, licking a drip off his hand. “Comfort food, ok?”

Slippy smiled, going through one of the cabinets, looking for real sugar to put in his coffee. “No wonder you get along so great with the girls…”

“Har-de-freaking-har.” He rolled his eyes and left the kitchen, hesitated, then went to the personal quarters wing, knocking on the door. “Can I come in Wolf?”

“No, sorry, I’m in the process of beating this incredibly hard RPG… of course you can come in, Drax. Sheesh.”

He had to laugh at that, slipping through the door and sitting on the edge of the bed. Wolf was laying on the floor, popping his knuckles in what looked to be an all-out nicotine craving. “The trials of cold turkey, eh?”

“Oh, yeah.” Wolf agreed. “So. What took you so long?”

“Had an article to write, among other things.” He replied, sucking on the fudgesickle. “You look bored out of your mind.”

“My video game systems are in the den, as are most of my books. I have redefined boredom. Thank you for becoming the light of my afternoon.” Wolf rolled his eyes, sitting up. “I think owe you an apology.”

“Huh? What for?”

“Kissing you.”

Drax laughed out loud. “There is no need to apologize for that, Wolf. Trust me.”

“I think so. I mean, I didn’t explain myself. I feel like I’m misleading you.”

“Because you care for Jesse so much?” When Wolf nodded, Drax leaned over and ruffled Wolf’s fur. “It’s ok. I know you care for someone else. Doesn’t mean we can’t be friends, though. It seems like you need someone to talk to.”

“Sometimes.” Wolf admitted, accepting the affection. “I’m friends with the entire crew, but most of them don’t understand me.”

“I’d like to.”

“Huh?”

“I mean it. You’re a wonderful, complex person, Wolf. Kind of an angel in disguise. You did a very selfless thing yesterday. You don’t deserve the slander you’re getting.”

Wolf snorted. “Gott weib ich will kein Engel sein.”

“Just because you don’t want to be an angel doesn’t mean you aren’t one.” Drax shook his fudgesickle at him, laughing when Wolf’s reply was to steal of bite of it. “Flirt.”

“Am not.”

“Are so.”

“Am not.”

Drax laughed again, pushing off the bed and sitting beside Wolf, sharing what was left of the fudgesickle with him. Wolf didn’t argue, shifting so they were both leaning back against the bed.

“I have friends who would see this and immediately say were dating.” Drax remarked in bemusement once the fudgesickle was finished. Wolf had the stick hanging out of his mouth, mostly out of habit thanks to smoking.

“Eh, probably goes for most of the people on this ship too.” Wolf chewed on the stick absently, trying not to think about just how badly he wanted a cigarette. Stress, he knew, but ah well. He said he’d quit, so he would. Besides, he had traded all his cigarettes to the Genesis’ head cook a while ago.

“You just need someone to snuggle.”

“Thanks for volunteering, but I’m trying to be good. Really.”

“Your halo is crooked.”

“Screw you.”

“Please?”

Wolf laughed, rubbing his eyes. “God. We’re pathetic.”

“Nah. Just hopeless.” He took the stick from Wolf, who tried to grab it back. “Hey! Down boy!”

“I need to get out of here.” Wolf banged his head against the bedframe. “I have too much energy.”

“I can work some of that off.”

“Ok, that’s it. Out.” Wolf pointed at the door. “You ain’t leading me into temptation.”

Drax left, laughing the entire time.

“This part is afraid.” Mrokin said, standing at the edge of the surviving forest, looking at the destruction. The laser had cut canyons into the ground, burned animals to the bone, destroyed trees to ash. “So afraid. Why other parts do this?”

“It is they who are really afraid.” Jesse replied, stepping into the wasteland, hugging himself. “That’s why they did this. They’re scared of our link.”

“Would they have destroyed this part?”

“They probably wanted to do this to the entire planet, Mrokin.” Jesse sighed, kneeling, running his hands through the reddish, clay-rich dirt. “Something or someone stopped them… probably my friends.”

Jesse had been busy these last few days, but his work had been severely disrupted by the scream of death that echoed around the planet. The Entity embraced all. Apparently this little planet had its own race just breeching into sentience, and the Entity had taken it in, letting its society progress and develop with the help of all in the connection. The scream of ‘we are dying!’ had been agony for all within the Entity, whether on the planet or off it.

“Part ok?” Mrokin rubbed against his legs, looking up at him.

Jesse smiled sadly down at the alien, knowing how much of a liking Mrokin had taken to him. “This part is all right, friend. I just… I miss Wolf. That’s all.”

“Part should return to part’s mate then.”

“You know I can’t yet.” He sighed and stood. “Let’s get out of here. This gives me the outright creeps.”

“Looks like the Calvary’s arrived.” Peppy remarked, looking up. “Where’s Fox?”

“Reading something to Fara in the den, poetry or somesuch.” Slippy replied, opening a soda and leaning against one of the computer consoles absently. “Hence why Wrin is pampering Hope currently…”

“Guess I get to field this then.” Peppy watched as the GalFed cruiser joined the others, apparently in discussion, seeming to ignore the smaller, damaged Lylatian shuttle. Thank god for small miracles. ROB was trying to get some of it repaired, but the wing would have to be replaced by experts. “If they’re even interested, that is…”

“They will be in a few minutes. Wolf’s got an interesting reputation in the Galaxy right now. They probably still want him in jail.”

“As Fox put it, he’s a psychopath, but he’s our psychopath.” He smiled sourly, answering the radio when it chirped. “This is the Great Fox.”

“This is Ship Commander and Honored Male Tuyin.” The Rekuva came up on the screen. “Are you the commander of the Lylatian vessel Great Fox?”

“I’m in charge currently. Our commander is not available to talk. May I assist you?”

“I suppose.” Tuyin frowned, slicking his antennae back. “I really was hoping to speak to your commander, though.”

“He’s on break. So, what do you need?” Peppy rubbed one of his temples absently.

“The GalFed has been discussing the Lylatian known as Wolf O’Donnel. It is to our understanding he is the one that killed so many people in an attempt to stop the FAKK order, correct?”

“First, he not only made the attempt, he succeeded. Second, yes, he is the one you’ve heard about. He’s locked down in his quarters currently.”

“Has your government decided on what his punishment shall be?”

“No. I doubt they’ll even bother.” Peppy sighed. “As a member of our group, he’s considered a mercenary, like we are. They can’t really court marshal him about this, so they haven’t done anything yet.”

“The Galaxy Federation would like to give him the punishment he deserves you know. So many dead! How can you stand to even be on a ship with him?”

“He’s my friend, and I’ve killed a lot of people in my day as well. We’re mercenaries, Tuyin. It’s what we do. We may be honorable, but we are mercenaries. And your people made the mistake of not only firing on a planet of innocents, but firing on a planet where the person Wolf loves happens to be. You guys brought this one on yourselves, as far as Lylat is concerned.”

The Rekuva frowned. “That is certainly not a good attitude. We have helped Lylat so much, we cannot understand why you refuse to turn over a criminal.”

“He’s not a criminal. He’s a soldier, and a good one. We take care of our own, Tuyin, so tell your superiors they can give up in being the ones to punish Wolf. Now, that said, is there anything else you wish to speak about?”

“I’ve been told to inform you that the FAKK orders stand, and that if you take your presumed-corrupted team member on board, the crew of your ship will be marked as contaminated.”

“Thank you for informing us of that. Great Fox clear.” Peppy turned off the radio and sighed. “Lovely. So if we get Jesse back and they find out, we’re on their list of things to squash out of existence. But if we don’t get Jesse back, Wolf will probably go nuts over time.”

“If they haven’t killed us yet, they’ll have a problem doing so in the future as well.” Said Katt dryly. “What are we going to do? If the FAKK orders are still up…”

“We’ll figure it out.” Peppy reassured her. “First priority right now is to find Jesse. Bad enough we had to leave him behind, no way we’re doing it for longer then needed.”

“It figures that such a pretty race has such beautiful children.” Jirest said, smiling and watching as Wrin played with Hope, both laying on the floor, the child squirming and trying to crawl, but without the strength to do so. Hope didn’t watch people’s faces, rather watched their movement, fascinated by wagging tails or other fast motions. That said, Wrin was making sure to keep her antenna out of reach.

“Mm. Couldn’t agree more.” She sat up and leaned into his leg, watching as Hope gave up trying to crawl and got quiet, curling up tightly and sucking on a pacifier.

“Wrin?”

“Yes?”

“Why… why do you insist on staying with me?” He looked down at her, face confused. “You were a ship commander, on your way to be promoted again! Yet here you are, taking care of a partly-blind cripple…”

“I wanted to help you, Jirest.” She replied, returning his gaze, noticing his eyes couldn’t focus completely. “I have to. It seems wrong to leave you alone…”

“I’m not alone, here.” He pointed out.

She sighed. Jirest, lovely Jirest, always distant, never quite understanding. She picked up Hope gently and set her on the couch, snuggling down next to Jirest and leaning into his shoulder. “And you’re less alone with me here. Believe me, I want to stay.”

“… I don’t understand… but thank you.”

She smiled a bit. “No problem. No problem at all.”

Wolf looked up, taking off his headphones. “So. Do they have a verdict?”

Fox sighed, sitting down next to Wolf, nodding as he rubbed his fingers through his fur. “Yes, they have. It’s nothing horrid, but I don’t think it’s very fair.” Glancing at his friend, he sighed again and continued. “They’re suspending you from action for six months and demanding that you start seeing a psychiatrist regularly, for at least a year. I’m also supposed to take all of your guns from you.”

“I agree. Nothing horrid, but irritating all the same.” He sighed and smiled sadly. “I guess that means I’m out of the air then, hmm?”

“Yes indeed. I’m sorry, Wolf.”

“No. No. It’s ok. I deserve a lot worse, for what I did. If anything, I can be a cook.”

Fox smiled a touch. “God knows how much we appreciate it.” Seeing sadness in Wolf’s eyes, he tugged his friend into a half-hug. “Don’t scare us like that again, all right?”

Wolf felt himself smile, shaking his head. “I can’t believe you’re not even mad…”

“Like I told you before. I understand.” He hesitated, then continued. “Listen, Wolf, the GalFed has told us that if we do find Jesse and bring him back on board, the entire ship will be marked as contaminated.”

Wolf’s smile faded, ears pressing back. “The GalFed is going too far.”

“We know. We can’t agree more. But we’re not in a position to argue right now, with the Great Fox damaged as it is and our race just reestablishing itself. Don’t worry, though, we’re still looking for Jesse. We won’t leave him behind.”

“Thanks, Fox.” He leaned into his commander, accepting the support, yawning widely. The next few minutes of conversation were muddled, and Fox quickly realized that Wolf was dozing off on his shoulder, muzzle leaning against his arm.

“Maybe I should let you get some sleep…”

“Mm? No. Night terrors.” Wolf mumbled, just barely conscious. “Never… stay asleep very long…”

“Is that why we always find you asleep in the den?” Fox shook his head wearily. “You should get help for that, Wolf.”

“Mrm… gonna… have to see a shrink anyway…” Wolf yawned again and curled up, leaning into Fox’s leg automatically.

“You have a thing for sleeping in my lap don’t you?” Fox sighed, shaking his head. “Why you know very well I’m straight…” Wolf made a purring noise and slipped fully into slumber, leaving Fox trapped sitting on his bed, rubbing his eyes in exasperation.

Fara, who had been wandering around looking for Fox, eventually tapped at Wolf’s bedroom door, jumping when Fox answered, cautiously leaning in, then smothering a fit of laughter. “Oh, god. Not again.”

“We’ve got to get Jesse back.” Fox smiled sourly, scratching Wolf’s living ear, grinning when Wolf twitched in his sleep, tail thumping lazily. “If anyone needs someone to cuddle, it’s this guy.”

“Fox, honey, if you weren’t so involved with me, he’d probably be after you. He loves you a lot, he just respects us both.”

He sighed and nodded. “That’s what I figured…” He slowly pushed away, scratching Wolf’s ear again when his friend whimpered, one arm reaching out for his presence even though he wasn’t awake. “God. If I ever find out who hurt him so much, I’ll kill them. I swear.”

“We’ll all help, believe me.” She kissed his cheek as they left the room arm-in-arm, leaning into each other. “Listen, Fox… I’m worried about Hope…”

“… we are going to finish what was started with this planet…”

“No, you are not!” Falco yelled at the top of his lungs. “One of friends is down there! You are not going to fire those cannons!”

“If one of your friends is down there, they are contaminated. Death is the best thing for them.” The voice was cold, efficient. Tuyin’s fear had rattled him so badly he had been replaced, and the current convoy of four GalFed ships floated in formation a very short distance away from the Great Fox. Everyone knew they were in range of the GalFed guns, and the Great Fox was still damaged. It was an uneasy stalemate, and everyone knew it wouldn’t last very long.

“You’re wrong!” Falco snarled, feathers on end. ROB for his part kept between the planet-killing laser and the planet itself, a deadly place to be. ROB knew that laser would go right through the Great Fox, but they were bargaining on the fact that the GalFed wouldn’t fire with their newest ally’s heroes in the way. It wasn’t much to bargain with, but it was all they had. “Why are you so afraid? The Entity isn’t what you think it is!”

“You say that even as you’ve lost someone to it? You are deluded!”

“Go to Hell! We aren’t moving!”

“We’ve got incoming unknowns.” ROB suddenly intoned.

“Where from?” Slippy asked, staring at the screens. “The surface? What the hell?”

“ROB, get Fox. I know he’s in the medbay, but get him up here.” Falco said, looking at the flurry of orange dots (the normal color of a UFO), which had launched and was now roaring out of the atmosphere, coming right at them, and the convoy. “I can’t deal with this… Peppy, a little help here?”

The older pilot sat down in the other command seat, typing as fast as Falco was, trying to bring up information on the unknown planes. Nothing came up. They didn’t respond to any radio signals at all.

“Are those friends of yours?” The Rinaldi in charge of the convoy asked, all four eyes narrowed. For a Rinaldi to be commanding a ship was strange, for one to willingly kill members of its own species was stranger. The Star Fox crew had already decided this new commander was unstable.

“No. Yours?” Falco asked distractedly. “ROB, can you bring guns up?”

“No. They are moving too fast to target.” ROB replied, sounding tense. “Brace for impact. They’re here.”

Fox skidded into the bridge just as a swarm of arrow-shaped mechanical objects flew past the Great Fox, parting like water to not hit the damaged cruiser and sinking into the GalFed’s main cruiser, followed by a second wave that hit the other cruisers. Cries came over the radio channels as the UFOs burrowed in, and in a flash of light exploded.

Everyone on the bridge ducked and covered automatically, then stared in shock as shrapnel flew around them. Four GalFed cruisers, wiped out in seconds, by an unknown source? What was going on?

“Sweet Jesus, God.” Peppy said in shock. “So many dead…”

The intercom beeped, and ROB turned it on automatically, only for Wolf’s voice to assault everyone’s ears. “HELLO? Would someone tell me what’s going on? Or come unlock my room? Or something? What the hell was that light?”

“The GalFed ships are gone, Wolf.” Fox replied in a blank voice.

“Warped?”

“No. Destroyed. We don’t know by what.”

There was a long pause. “Oh. God. We’re going to take the blame for it then…”

Silence descended on the ship, Fox leaning his elbows on his knees, head bowed. After a few minutes Fara came in, cradling Hope, and Fox took her, rocking his daughter absently, seeming near tears.

The radio’s light flashed silently, but it took a few minutes for everyone to notice. Fox nodded weakly, and ROB answered it, only to mute it when a screech of technogarble came through the speakers, broken lettering flowing across a screen.

“What the hell is that?” Falco asked, staring at the screen.

Slippy laughed. “It’s… I swear to God, it sounds like a modem.”

“That’s what it is.” ROB said very, very slowly. “It’s Jesse, getting a message to us somehow. And I quote, ‘Sorry I didn’t act fast enough. Hopefully that’ll teach those bastards a lesson. Can you come pick me up?’”

“Revenge.” Peppy said slowly. “The Entity understands revenge.”

Fox was silent, still cradling Hope, then sighed. “Falco, go let Wolf out of his room and tell him to go pick up Jesse.” When Falco was almost out the door, Fox smiled sourly. “And remind him that if he wrecks another shuttle, it’ll come out of his hide and paycheck.”

Falco laughed.

Revenge?

The Entity, stretched across so many systems, a thriving Hive-Mind, hadn’t wanted revenge per se. It had drawn information from Jesse, basking in the new knowledge, and given Jesse a lot in return. The Entity told Jesse that he didn’t have to stay; the Entity forced no one to stay. It was simply that none wanted to leave.

The Entity hadn’t expected so many of itself to die when the laser struck, and the pain ripped throughout the entire connection. As if the death that wasn’t horrid enough, many more suffered, hundreds of thousands of innocents, and the Entity couldn’t stand it anymore.

It was child’s play to plan, really, the resurrection of the sleeping weaponry, the massive deployment of the insidious devices which Jesse had figured out how to work in moments had been glorious indeed, but not as glorious as the death of their enemies above them.

Once the destruction was over, the Entity told Jesse to return to who he loved. His work didn’t have to be completed immediately, besides, the Entity took care of its own.