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Krystal and Chase: Stone Ghost

Part four: Taking care of business

Immediately, the decoy craft took evasive action, rolling quickly to avoid the brilliant ball of destructive energy. As its shot passed over the craft, the cannon lowered back into the fog, hiding itself from the sensors of either craft. For a second, the drop ship hovered, unsure whether to move to a new location, or to stay where it was.

"Ok, what the hell was that thing?" one of the pilots asked through the radio.

"That is why we need to be extra careful right now." Chase said, "That thing took out the last drop ship that came down here."

"Ok, we're going to land near the tower. No use staying up here while that thing can target us." The pilot replied.

"Negative." Chase shot quickly, "If you land you'll just be sitting ducks for the Reaper units. You'll have to circle around and see if you can't keep that thing's attention."

The pilot hesitated, then, "Ok, we'll do what we can."

Chase nodded and walked to the window again, "Krystal, stay on the coms with our pick up. I'll try to find Bianca and Storm."

The blue furred vixen nodded and sat down, pushing some of her hair away from her eyes as she kept the link open. As she did, Chase ran down the stairs.

* * *

Within a minute he had found Bianca polishing her sword. As Chase approached her, Bianca looked up from her blade, and then sheathed it again.

"Come on, we're out of here." Chase said.

"Already? But what about the other survivors?" Bianca asked.

"I already thought of that. But first, we need to get out of this tower in one piece. That thing you were talking about is apparently right outside the walls still." Chase explained, "And now, we're going to do something about that."

Bianca nodded and followed Chase down to Storm. The wolf was still on the lobby floor, watching the destroyed doors for any sign of the Reapers. But when he heard Chase and Bianca approaching, the wolf looked to them.

"I think they might have backed off for now." Storm said, "Whatever that blue thing was, it must have scared them."

"They're robots Lieutenant." Chase said, "They don't have fear. Come on, we're out of this hell pit."

* * *

Within another few minutes, the four had meet back up on the top floor of the communications tower. Outside, the decoy craft was circling the tower, trying to keep the hidden cannon tracking it instead of the pick up craft.

"Ok, does everyone understand what's about to happen?" Chase asked.

The others nodded. When Chase gave the signal, the pick up craft would destroy the main window of the top floor before turning around and lowering the ramp. Once everyone was onboard, they would escape. But Chase hadn't told them one part of the plan.

"Best not to tell them though." Chase thought to himself, "If they knew, it'd only worry them."

"I don't see any sign of that cannon." The decoy pilot radioed in, "Let's get you guys out of there already."

Chase nodded and activated the com, "Ok, let's do it."

Not a second later, the four dropped to the ground as a spray of gunfire shattered the glass window, bullets spraying in as the glass was cleared. The second it stopped, something unexpected happened.

"You might want to hurry that up." The decoy said, "Something's happening out here."

As the pick up craft turned around and lowered the boarding ramp, a thundering boom echoed up from the fog. Before their eyes, the cannon had silently risen above the fog! Now it had fired it's energy blast towards the decoy craft. But something was wrong.

As Chase got aboard the drop ship, the radio sounded off. The decoy craft had a malfunction!

"The thrusters are gone!" the pilot was calling, "We've lost our-!"

Then, static as the energy shot slammed into the front of the decoy craft, enveloping it in a brilliant explosion of force. Orange and gold blossoms of light erupted down the craft as it fell from the skies, smoke trailing its collision with a nearby building.

"Oh god." Bianca gasped quietly.

"We're out of here!" the pilot called back, "Buckle up folks, it's gonna be a hairy ride."

As Chase pulled down the harness over himself, the ramp rose back up slowly as the ship turned away from the cannon. But before the drop ship could clear the tower, Chase pushed it back up.

"What're you doing Chase?" Krystal asked in disbelief, "If he has to roll you'll probably snap your neck!"

"That thing has to be taken care of." Chase said opening a gun case across from them and pulling out missile launcher.

"Chase, don't do it!" Krystal begged, "Please, just sit back down."

"It's been fun all." Chase said, loading it and picking up a parachute.

As the three protested what they all knew was about to happen, the ramp lowered again. Then, before their eyes, Chase ran towards the end of the ramp!

"Chase!" Krystal cried out as the fox leapt, "Chase!"

But her cry didn't reach the fox as he jumped, the cold air rushing to meet him as his body left the drop ship.

* * *

As he fell, the fox reached back with some difficulty and pulled the cord, the parachute unfurling behind him as it quickly opened. With a sudden yank, as if he'd been grabbed by a giant hand suddenly, the fox floated down onto the top of the tower. Despite his good form and landing, the fox landed hard on the slick roof, his legs stumbling out from under him as the metal roof met his muzzle.

Pain bolted through his body on impact, but the fox's mind ignored it. With a grunt, Chase pushed himself up from the roof, pulling the missile launcher to his shoulder. Carefully dropping onto one knee, the fox took careful aim. Before him, the cannon still poked up above the fog, now tracking the drop ship as it hid itself behind the tower, causing it to aim at him.

"Say 'ah'!" the fox said to himself as a blue glow began to build up deep within the barrel of the cannon.

As if in slow motion, Chase fired!

A bright explosion erupted from the back of the launcher, smoke pouring out as the missile exploded out of the front. The tracking systems within the missile came online instantly, picking up the heat from the energy within the cannon itself! Once it had the data it needed, three fins rose from the body of the missile, guiding its flight. Only seconds later, the missile flew into the barrel of the cannon right as it fired!

Once the missile had struck the energy, it detonated! Explosions bloomed down the large cannon, the barrel having been unable to rid itself of it's devastating shot. Sections of the cannon below the fog line also exploded in a violent show of pure force, causing the massive anti-air gun to collapse onto itself. Seconds seemed like hours as the cannon fell, the groans of metal twisting and breaking grew louder as smoke rose up from the fog.

* * *

Chase stood up, setting down the now empty launcher. But as he did, the pain his mind had locked away now got loose. His ankle throbbed suddenly, the sudden pain causing the fox to drop down again.

"Great, I probably broke it." The fox thought as he grit his teeth against the growing pain, "I knew I landed on it wrong."

For now, all Chase could do was grin and bear the pain as the drop ship rose up again, lowering the ramp so the fox could get back on.

"Chase, you foolish fox!" Krystal yelled as he sat back down, "You could have killed yourself!"

"I know." Chase said, still trying not to show the pain in his ankle, "But it had to be done, so I did it. I knew you would try to change my mind if I told you. Besides, now the colony stands a better chance."

"I know. But still-" Krystal said angrily.

Chase hugged her suddenly, holding Krystal tight. Immediately, the vixen's anger faded. As it did, it was replaced by the sudden relief that he hadn't been killed. She hugged him back.

"Please...don't ever worry me like that again." She whispered quietly.

"I can't promise that, but I'll try not to." Chase replied, kissing her forehead.

The pilots looks back at the two, smiling since the plan had worked. Sure, they'd lost one of their own, but now that sacrifice had been avenged. The cannon was gone.

"I hate to break up the moment," the wolf said, "But are we going back up, or shall we finish the mission?"

Chase released Krystal and pulled down the harness once more, "We're finishing this fight. Storm, tell them where the mines are located. Once we have that information, we'll call in the transports to get them out of there."

* * *

The fog still covered the mining area, just as it had since the first attack. But now, several dozen robots kept watch from towers and on the ground as furries of all kinds were forced to work down in the shafts of the mines. If they didn't work or came to the surface, the robots that were patrolling the area had their orders.

As carts of a red-green crystalline mineral were pulled towards large transports, a quiet roar made itself heard. For a minute, the Reapers were unsure of what it was. They had not received intelligence that another transport had been on it's way. But now, a black shape loomed above the fog. The shape was smaller than a transport, but larger than a fighter. For a second it hung there, a menacing cloud. Then, it opened fire!

Bullets sprayed down from above, tearing apart any reaper that the deadly hail touched. Reaper after Reaper was struck down, the rain striking with deadly accuracy. But just as suddenly as it had started, it ended.

The black shape lowered itself to the ground, firing upon any Reaper that got too close. The twin Gatling cannons swiveled from each side sides of the drop ship as it lowered to the ground. Once the Reapers realized that this was not one of their own, a metallic cry went up.

Immediately, tens of Reapers flooded out of the mines and a nearby guard station. But as they did more shapes were made apparent above. These shapes were larger than the drop ship that sat nearby, mowing down anything robotic that got too close. Within seconds of these new shapes appearing, 50mm rounds slammed into the ground! As the heavy gunfire rained down around it the drop ship held its ground, spraying gunfire towards the still advancing Reapers. Bullets tore the robots apart as the heavier anti-vehicle rounds pummeled the ground, dirt kicking up from the detonation of the heavy rounds.

The transports tried to escape with their cargo of precious xalphidium. But as they lifted off the ground, the transports above opened fire, spraying down their heavy gunfire with deadly accuracy. The rounds punched through the transports, smoke pouring from the penetrations in the hulls of the transports. One by one, the transports slammed into the ground, fires erupting from the engines and cockpit.

It wasn't long before the remaining Sev`fel forces had been dealt with. Sparking parts lay in ruins across the grounds as three transports landed, their heavy guns swiveling to look for any signs of surviving Reapers.

* * *

Inside the drop ship, Chase got off the right mounted gun. Despite the ever relentless pain in his ankle, the fox had felt it was his job to take down as many of the Reapers as possible. But now that his job was done, the Chase sat back down beside Krystal.

"Well, that was fun." Chase smirked, "I've always wanted to fire one of those babies."

"Let's just hope we didn't scare the colonists." Krystal commented, "I know if I was in their predicament, I'd have been very frightened of that gunfire."

"Then let's go reassure them." Chase said, "After all, we're here to evac them to a safer colony."

Krystal nodded, but as they stood up, Chase immediately fell back. The pain in his ankle had shot up through him as he put pressure on it, forcing him back down.

"I knew you'd hurt yourself." Bianca scolded, "Chase, you have to be more careful."

"Is it my fault that roof was slippery?" Chase asked as he rubbed it, "I'll be fine in a minute."

"Stay here." Bianca said sternly, "Just stay right here and don't move it."

Chase looked up at her. Bianca's eyes held his for a minute, the stern tone of her voice in her gaze as well. The fox hesitantly agreed to stay behind.

* * *

As Bianca and Krystal walked out of the drop ship, they watched as the transports landed, opening the bay doors for the colonists still hiding in the mines. But as they did, several groups of armed soldiers came out, each dressed in battle armor and carrying assault rifles.

"Where were they when we need them?" Bianca asked Krystal quietly.

"No kidding." The vixen replied in the same tone, "We could have used that kind of backup a long time ago."

Then Krystal noticed something about them. While the transports were definitely the same armed troop carriers the corporation used for their privet military operations, they had two letters painted on the sides.

"What does L.C. mean?" Bianca asked.

Krystal was speechless for a minute, and then replied, "Lylat Command. But that's based on Corneria. Why would their forces be here?"

"Dunno." Bianca replied, shrugging.

Krystal made a mental note to ask Hiigan about it later. Right now, there were still colonists to save.

* * *

As the forces gathered near the mine entrances, the two vixens walked up to the dark tunnels. Krystal took a deep breath and walked down the first one with Bianca.

"Hello!" She called down the black shaft, "Is anyone down there?"

When silence returned, Krystal sighed sadly. The quiet silence could only mean that the colonists had been killed. Hundreds of lives wasted by the Sev`fel. With tears starting to form in her eyes, the vixen looked away.

But Bianca wasn't so sure. Then, something moved in the corner of her eyes. Her hand touched the hilt of her blade.

"Something's down there." Bianca said, drawing her blade before turning to one of the soldiers, "Got a flashlight?"

"Standard issue gunlight." The solder replied, patting his rifle, "But I'm afraid I can't give you my gun."

"Then follow me." Bianca said, "Krystal, wait here."

Bianca moved quickly and silently down the tunnel, the soldier at her heels. Then, Bianca turned and threw herself at something, a muffled 'OOF!' heard as she landed.

"Light." Bianca called to him.

The soldier shined his gunlight at her, but more importantly, the dalmatian she was holding onto. The dog squirmed in her arms until he heard the cocking of the soldier's rifle. Then, he stopped.

"It's ok, we're here to help." Bianca said softly, "Is anyone else down here?"

The dalmatian nodded after a second, realizing that the one holding him was a very attractive vixen. But he also realized his head was against her chest.

Bianca stood up, releasing him. The soldier pointed his gun at the ceiling, the light spreading around them.

"Is everyone alright down there?" Bianca asked.

"Y-yes miss." The dog replied, blushing slightly, "B-but those robots...they're still up there!"

"Don't worry, they're gone now." Bianca said with a smile, "We're going to get you all to a safe place. But we need someone to tell everyone that they're safe now."

The dalmatian nodded, "Wait here. I'll go tell them."

As he ran down the tunnel, the soldier looked to Bianca, "How'd you convince him so easily?"

Bianca smiled and puffed out her well built chest, "It's easy when you know a males basic weakness."

The soldier chuckled, knowing exactly what she meant by 'weakness'.

* * *

Minutes later, the surviving colonists walked out of the mines. Dressed in torn rags of clothing, they seemed a bit fearful at first. But after the first few took their first steps out of the mines in what must have seemed like ages, the rest followed.

As they did, Krystal sat back down beside Chase, pulling the harness down over herself as the drop ship's engines roared to life. Lifting off the ground, Krystal laid her head on Chase's shoulder, exhaustion taking effect.

"Looks like we did it." Chase commented, "One colony down and no casualties on our part."

Bianca nodded, "And now for the best part of the whole thing."

"And what's that?" Chase asked with a smile.

Bianca smiled back, "Taking a warm bath and letting all the tension just float away."

"So what'll happen to me?" Storm asked, "I mean, I should be down there with the others."

"I'm pretty sure our CO would love to meet you, Lieutenant." Chase said, "Besides, it's more than likely you'd just be reassigned down there."

With a smile, Storm nodded.

* * *

Hours later, Chase and Krystal sat in the same gray room as before. Chase's ankle had healed over during the trip back, turning out to be only a sprain rather than being broken. Thanks to warp core technology, the station over watching the planet Sauria was only a few hours away instead of years. So once more the two foxes found themselves looking down at the lush planet below them.

"Your mission went well." A human said at the other end of the table, "Minimal structural damage, no loss of lives on our part, and the S48 'Reaper' units were mainly wiped out. We have a second team cleaning up the remaining forces."

"So what happened to the colonists?" Krystal asked.

"Do not worry Ronin-2." The human replied, "They are safely in a new colony until the Stone Ghost Colony can be moved into again. We may lose a few workers from this incident, but they can be replaced if they choose to quit."

Krystal sighed quietly. She felt relieved knowing that the colonists were safe now. But Chase remained skeptical.

"What if they come back?" Chase asked, "What happens if the Sev`fel return to that colony, Hiigan?"

"They will not." The human replied, "Once they have been defeated on a planet, the Sevfel leave it for another. As cruel and heartless as they are, the Sevfel will not attempt a second take-over. That much we are still sure of after the war."

"So they're all safe?" Krystal asked.

"For now, yes." Hiigan replied, "Now, you will be paid accordingly during the next few days. Consider tomorrow your day of rest."

Chase nodded and stood up, but Krystal didn't.

"But what about the other colonies they took over?" Krystal asked, "We can't just leave them."

"We are not." Hiigan explained, "We have other teams currently attempting to retake our colonies as we speak. Unless they need another team to be sent in, you may rest for today."

"Come on Krystal, I'm sure it'll be fine." Chase said, patting his partners back, "Besides, we have to let others have some fun as well."

Krystal sighed and stood up as well. As she followed Chase out, she stopped.

"Go on ahead." Krystal said when Chase asked her if she was ok, "I have to ask Hiigan something."

Chase nodded, "Ok, meet you back in our current room."

Krystal nodded and walked back in as Chase walked away.

* * *

When Krystal walked in, the vixen found Hiigan standing by the window, looking down on Sauria.

"I will wager that you are going to ask me why the transports contained Lylat Command troops instead of corporate ones, am I correct, Ronin-2?" Hiigan asked without looking back at her.

Krystal froze for a second, completely taken by surprise, "Y-yes."

Hiigan turned to face her, "Word got to them that I was in charge of an op near Katana Outpost. Since that is their jurisdiction, they demanded that I allow their forces to be sent in to help. So, I agreed, hoping that they would arrive before the mission was over. Sadly, I was wrong in that prediction."

Krystal only nodded. It made sense that Lylat Command would want to protect one of their outposts, but if that was the case they would have been there a lot sooner. She knew Hiigan wasn't telling her something. Right now, however, the vixen didn't feel like pursuing that.

"Well next time could you at least tell us to expect some back up from them?" Krystal asked, a tone of annoyance in her voice, "The last thing we need on a mission is unexpected company."

"I know who you mean and I will keep it in mind." Hiigan replied, "Now, go get some rest Ronin-2. This fight is not over yet. Far from it, I fear."

Krystal stood there for a minute, wondering what he meant. Then, she turned and walked out.

After the door closed, Hiigan looked back down at Sauria. Somehow, this planet did seem to have some attachment to the corporation. Even without their colonies on it, the planet seemed to be under its protection. It had been on Sauria that Chase had almost been killed, while Krystal had been rescued by Fox McCloud. Even during the first Aparoid assault a couple mercenary teams had been dealing with the forces at the same time and after the Star Fox team had. It had also been here that the Frontal Assault Vehicle had been put through its most grueling test against the aparoids in a final showdown. But, thirty years ago, it had also been the place from which his own team had made their stand against the Sev`fel and won, turning the tide of a war that had devistated the system for years afterwards.

As peaceful as the planet seemed now that the threats to it were gone for now, Hiigan had a feeling that something wasn't quite right. For now, he shrugged the thoughts to the back of his mind and sat down at the table with the mission specs from the Stone Ghost colony. In his mind, the Ronin team was a good pair, but if things went as he expected, good wouldn't be enough. They would need to be the best.