Chapter IX
Shattered
Chapter IX
As they all headed for the door Alex stopped. "Give me a minute guys.
They looked over and Fox asked, "what's up?"
"I kinda you know..." he gestured to his tattered undersuit.
Fox practically smacked himself in the head. "Right of course! We'll be waiting outside." They all filed out leaving him alone in he room. Once alone Alex exhaled heavily and walked over to his destroyed armor. He took off the modules and retrieved his off duty uniform. Then he stored his damaged armor. Once that was finished he stripped down and put it on. Halfway through the girls, being impatient stuck, their heads in.
"Come on Alex! Whaaa...." Miyu said before she froze. They stood there like deer in headlights. The girls meeped and with blushing fuzzy cheeks ducked out.
He just chuckled ruefully and finished getting dressed. When he finished he looked at himself in the small mirror by the bed, adjusted his cap, and straightened out his uniform. He wanted to look presentable for the General. His eyes lingered on his own face. He looked a little haggard and was developing a five o'clock shadow. Since he didn't have his shaving kit he let it be.
He walked into the hallway to see Fox and the young cat smirking at the embarrassed expressions on all the girls muzzles. They wouldn't look at him. Penelope being too young to understand was looking at them puzzled. "If you girls are done gawking we can get moving now." Fox said still smirking. They all nodded hurriedly and followed after the smiling feline soldier.
They followed him through busy hallways filled with doctors who were rushing around and going about their duties. Occasionally one would look up and see Alex and stop abruptly. Stunned at seeing the alien they heard about in the news. The feline private waved them off and they scurried away. "You're popular." Fox said to Alex.
"I don't know Fox I'm only an alien." He replied stressing alien.
"Yeah yeah yeah." Fox said dismissing him.
Soon they arrived at a conference room repurposed by the military. Two heavily armored and armed cornerians flanked the doorway. Their race indistinguishable from their concealing helmets and bulky armor. They wielded massive menacing rifles and had webbing filled with charge packs. Their armor was black and had a snarling wolf's head wreathed in flames on the pauldrons. "Damn, Pepper brought some of the 48th." Fox said in awe.
"48th?" Alex asked.
"Yeah otherwise known as the howling wolves. Black ops commandos, the best of the best. Everyone of them is a hero. Each had received the cornerian Exemplary Service Star, and the Medal of Honor." Fox explained.
Alex looked them over again, this time from a soldiers perspective. They had the aura of veterans and stood stock still not moving an inch. Even though their heads did not move he knew they see scanning the hallway ever alert. "Interesting." Alex said to himself. The two commandos surveyed the group before standing aside from the door. Taking it as a sign for all clear they walked inside.
In the room sat General Pepper, a wolf in the armor of the 48th, his helmet sat on the table, and several more commandos. "Welcome please take your seats." Pepper said.
They sat down on the opposite side of the table. Penelope sat on her sisters lap. "Alexander, I heard about the situation on Aquas, the cornerian people and I owe you a great debt. One I fear can never be repayed." Pepper said, and Alexander could tell that he really meant it.
"No thanks are needed sir, I just did the right thing. It wasn't anything special." Alex said humbly.
"But your wrong! It was something special. Who knows what would have happened if you never showed up to warn us." Pepper argued.
"Doing ones duty is nothing special sir." Alex pointed out stoically. The wolf next to Pepper nodded his head in agreement.
"In any case Alexander we are thankful. The president himself has requested to meet with you. He would like to award you for your heroic actions."
"If that is what you wish." Alex said.
The wolf then butted in. "Alexander be that as it may we are here for another reason." He said in a rough voice. Like broken glass. The wolf had a deep scar running alongside his jaw that ended at his brown eyes.
"What would that be sir?" He asked.
"I came here with Pepper in the hopes that you have a mission tape we could see."
"I always have one for after action reports sir."
"Excellent." The wolf said pleased. "Pepper and I want to see it now."
"Now?" Alex said worriedly. He looked to the members of starfox. He did not know that they had already seen if. "It is pretty raw."
"I think a room of veterans will be fine. But I'm afraid the little girl will have to wait outside." The wolf said.
"I'll take her sir." The feline private said.
"Good."
With much coaxing they managed to get her to leave. With one last glance back she left the room with the young cat soldier. Who could be heard saying, "how about we go get some ice cream huh?"
When she left Alex reluctantly got ready. The table was empty so he activated his portable storage. The wolf was very interested in it. But everyone was amazed when he took out his wrecked armor. It was completely totaled. The entire chestplate was shredded and had gaping holes and was doused in dried blood. The rest was in equally dire straits. "That suit has been through hell." The wolf commented.
"Sure felt like it."'Alex responded. Then he reached into the clavicle and removed the audio visual storage and playback module. He keyed in the security code and the video started.
It began with him walking down the corridors for a while before he heard the blaster fire. Which caused him to run over to find the tiger who died. The wolf asked it to be paused at the moment Alex was walking away from the flaming body.
"Why did you set him on fire after he died?"
"Standard O.P during a necromorph outbreak. They can't use the bodies if their gone." The wolf hummed and said continue.
Now Alex was running down the hallways trying to find the little girl. That's when he was tackled abruptly by a necromorph. This was the wolf commando's first look at the necromorphs. His expressions ranged from disgust and sorrow. These were their people contorted into unholy abominations. It brought him a small form of comfort and satisfaction to see it so thoroughly destroyed.
Alex continued his search until he arrived at the door. He fought them off and was wounded in the leg. He ripped it out and threw it into the offending necro's face killing it. The commandos in the background laughed. Then Alex walked into the room. Lupa felt a pang of fear as she saw the monster reach for her sister who tried to fend it off. Alex ran up and tackled it to the floor. They tussled until he roared and pummeled its face into mush. The wolf nodded with approval and Pepper and the others were surprised by his violence. Then he got up and got her to climb on his back.
Krystal smiled as she listened to their conversation. Then he stopped as he detected the ambush. He lost his rifle defending Penelope from a slash. He ran past the enemy receiving many wounds. He found the cafeteria and after a few minutes got the little girl inside. Then he fought off the assault. His skill and determination was noted by the members of the 48th. Alex killed all the undead around him and knocked on the door. He was let in but was seriously injured. He collapsed and was taken to a table. They did their best to help him. When he woke up he tended to his weapons and made to leave again. There was a small argument but he was let through.
He made it to the research lab without incident. That was until he found the door. The crying brought shivers down the collective shoulders of everyone present. He went over and was attacked by the tentacle. He cut it off and scrambled away. After that he wandered around until he located the place where the marker resided. He entered and saw it. He ran to it and was rapidly impaled by the beast in hiding. This elicited a gasp from them all, even the ones who saw it already. When it got close Alex rammed the barrel of his gun into one of its many mouths and unloaded. When it fell he was forced to fight off another wave of regulars, which he did on his knees. Once that was done he limped over to the artifact removed his necklace and glove and touched it. He ended the video after he fell down.
He didn't feel like showing Krystal's crying and panicking. Truthfully he didn't want to see it again either. "That's it sir."
Pepper took a long time to digest it all. "Son I was wrong."
"Sir?"
"We owe you more then I previously thought." Alex stopped trying to argue against it and just listened. "What you stopped was truly one of the most terrifying things I could imagine that would have devastated all of Lylat. The president will want to see this."
"Sir what happens if this gets to the media?" Alex asked.
"Of course it will, I'm afraid to say they will want you there when it plays."
"Why would the media get this?"
"Why wouldn't they?" Pepper asked.
"Back in my place we never showed this kind of stuff to the civvies." He explained.
"That's not how we do it here son. The media usually gets full coverage unless its a matter of planetary security."
"Hmmm." Alex grunted noncommittally.
"I believe commander Dobray has something to say." Pepper informed them.
The wolf spoke. "First off I would like to say you are one hell of a soldier and would be right at home in the 48th." The commandos in the back signaled their agreement with a clash of fists to breastplates.
"Thank you sir."
"Secondly, can we expect to find more of these?"
"I don't think so, humanity only ever found one. The others were built. Now that you know about them and what they do I'm sure that no one will make them. So there shouldn't ever be another one."
"I have one last question." Alex nodded for him to go ahead. "What happened when you touched it and why did you take off your necklace?"
Alex was afraid they would ask. So he had to tell them about his condition. They were not happy. "Is there no way we can help you? There must be!" Pepper said frustrated that the man who did so much was going to die.
"My people managed to find a solution but it was lost when out homeworld fell." Alex said sadly.
"That doesn't matter I'll have our best doctors and scientist find away to fix this problem." Pepper said with absolute confidence.
Once more these cornerians astounded Alex with their helpfulness and care. Humans were by nature very different. Honestly it was refreshing and comforting to have so many people invested in his wellbeing. "That means allot to hear from you sir." Alex said holding his hand out.
Pepper shook it. "The pleasure and honor is mine soldier you would have made your people proud."
"Thank you sir."
"After this I'm sure you would like to rest." Pepper guessed.
"Your right on the money sir. I could do with a little RnR."
"Well then I'll be happy to inform you that for your conduct starfox will receive 500,000 credits."
"Five hundred thousand!" Fox shouted his muzzle almost hitting the floor.
"Yes and an additional 250,000 will be transferred to Alexander here when he gets an account set up."
Alex didn't know what to think. He never had that much money before. Sadly all he could think about was what he could have done for his family with that kind of bank. "I don't know what to say sir."
"You don't have to say anything that's the least I could do, although commander Dobrey has something to ask you."
Alex looked to him. "What do you need sir?"
"Nothing now, I jut wanted to let you know that if you so wish you can have a spot in the 48th."
Alex really considered this. Back in a military outfit. To what he was used to, where he could do good. Then he looked to Fox and the others, or more specifically Krystal. She looked very worried. More so then Fox. He thought back to earlier when they all pledged their support and all the care they showed.
"Sorry sir but maybe another time. Right now I'm happy where I am." He was looking at Krystal when he said that. She smiled broadly and was glowing with happiness.
"I understand. The spot will be open for if you ever so desire to reconsider."
"Thank you sir."
Pepper brought he meeting to a close. "All right then ladies and gentlemen this concludes the briefing." As starfox was leaving Alex walked over to general Pepper and Commander Dobrey. "Here sirs." He have them the recording. "Just in case."
Dobrey nodded. "Just in case." And took it. Storing his armor Alex then walked out to see Penelope eating white colored ice cream while chattering away at an overwhelmed feline. Who looked to anyone for help with a desperate look on his face. They were all to busy laughing to save him.
"And then Alex smashed its head and it went splat!" Okay that was a little disturbing. Alex went over to her. "Yay Alex!" She ran over and collided into him almost bouncing of his muscular frame. The private looked at him with a thankful grin.
"I am back! But now I'm gonna get you!" He growled playfully and chased her down the hallway, she was giggling as she ran. Krystal couldn't help but think of how a much of a great father he would be. The other women had similar thougts as they watched the human and wolf cub scamper around the place drawing smiles and laughter from the staff and even some of the patients. It was hard to believe that this man was the one who waded through hordes of demonic space zombies and almost died, and was still dying.
With a particularly loud shriek he finally caught her and came back. They both were laughing happily and were smiling like a bunch of goofballs. Suddenly Krystal had an urge to cry.
"So Fox what's the plan?" Alex asked while mercilessly tickling the helpless pup in his hands.
"Well we should head back to the great fox to let the others know your alright."
"Sound good to me." Alex said. Penelope wiggled out of his grip and climbed up his tall body to sit on his shoulders.
"Mush! Mush!" She yelled directing him back to the ship.
"Oh ye be a harsh mistress." Alex grumbled jokingly before following Fox to the roof. The women were behind him and were laughing and smiling as they witnessed the antics of the two vastly different people. A little innocent wolf girl and a big human soldier.