Legacy of the Precursors

Chapter 13: Denials

Krystal seemed to have a good idea on where she was going as Six followed her deeper into the forest. And as the minutes passed, he could not help but wonder where exactly that was. He was impressed with her stamina, the vixen maintaining the brisk pace she had started on with little signs of slowing down.

With nothing else to do but observe, he shifted his focus between her and the forest around them. The trees drew closer together as they progressed, a sign that they were delving far into unused territory. Krystal herself was unusually silent as she led the way, her joyful demeanor diminishing somewhat by this point, but still maintaining a pleasant mood.

Once more he was made curious by the vixen, her actions so full of life and hope. Being so far contrasted to him, Six often wondered why it is she found his company to be enjoyable. True he was trying to be more accommodating, but he was still not quite there and was still prone to bouts of anger. He could not find any qualities in himself that she would like.

Six wasn’t an idiot. He was not blind to the happenings around him.

He knew Krystal felt…something for him. He did not just understand what type of infatuation she had or the reason for it. But he was starting to worry that it was deeply set. Six was willing to admit. He had grown…fond, of her over time, even learned to respect her. The vixen’s kindness and innocence had affected him in a way that no one else had been able to produce or replicate before her.

In all honesty with himself, Krystal was an oddity he did not quite understand. The vixen was imprudent and naïve. She did not fit his preexisting concepts of what a warrior should be. Yet he had seen some measure of her skills for himself and knew she was a capable combatant. But he believed her softness to be a weakness. One day it would get her killed and her death would be…displeasing. He did not want to see such a day occur nor did he intend to be the reason behind it.

All the spartan did, was bring death, to ally and enemy alike. It was his comrades in arms who died while he remained alive. Even his attempt at suicide failed, landing him here in this realm of idiosyncrasy. He had outlived all his known fellow S-IIIs and watched the bastion of humanity fall, and its countless defenders alongside it. Six was not the type to make friends. He had seen too many die to risk forming such attachments. The life of a Lone Wolf had suited him well before this, and such a stance would continue to serve him for the remainder of his days.

She and anyone else by default would be better off seeking sociability from other more suitable sources. He wanted to tell her as much, but as he watched her happily bound down the trail, he could not find it in him to tell her such a thing. Whether because of his solitary nature or peculiar attachment for the girl, he was uncertain.

Six found that he did not like to see her sad, such a sight almost physically pained him. When he had vowed that no harm would come to her, he had not expected for it to include emotional wounds. He knew that if he ever told her what he thought, it would hurt her, and he had no desire to do such a thing. He just hoped he would never reach the point where a decision would have to be made on this.

He had no idea what he would do.

“Alright Six, we’re here.”

The spartan turned to her, hearing the distinct sound of water crashing against rock.

Krystal had led him to a large dell, the source of the loud noise being the moderately sized waterfall at its center. A ring of tall trees circled the clearing, large wooded spires covered in a thick coating of leaves. The gentle ripple of water caressing the shore of the miniature lake provided a mute undertone for the roar of the waterfall and several large rocks made their homes at the water’s edge.

Even through his arduous career expanding across countless worlds, Six had never seen a sight quite like the one in front of him now.

As he studied his surroundings, Krystal stepped ahead of him and took a seat on one of the large flat rocks that lounged partially submerged in the reflective pool. The vixen removed her sandals and dipped her paws into the cool water with a relaxed sigh, turning her smiling muzzle towards him. 

“Come, sit with me, please.” She patted the space on the rock beside her beckoningly.

Withholding his many reservations, Six complied, sitting rigidly beside her. He still did not know to what purpose she had brought him here, and he was not sure if he wanted the answer.

“So…do you like it?”

His worries aside, Six did find the scenery to be pleasant.

“What is this place?”

Krystal hunched forwards and rested her paws on her knees, smiling as she stared into the pristine pool’s reflective surface, lazily kicking her feet back and forth underneath the water and watching as the calm waves she generated stretched leisurely across the small pond.

“I found it a little while after I joined the team. As far as I know, no one else has been here before. It’s where I like to go and think…reflect on certain things. I find that it is very peaceful here.” She murmured.

The clamors of this place canceled each other out in an almost unnoticeable white noise, giving the illusion that all was silent.

Six did rather like it…the silence.

He nodded in agreement.

Krystal smiled up at him. “I wanted to show you this place because I thought you might like it. You can come here whenever you so desire. I know…..” She paused, her smile losing some of its cheer. “I know you are sometimes…irritated, by me and the others. So if you want a place to be by yourself you can use this one. I promise I won’t disturb you when you come here.”

Six was surprised to hear her speak like this. He had thought he kept his irritation better concealed. The spartan reprimanded himself for his lack of discipline. He would have to get a better handle on his emotions. Yet, he was…touched, that she was trying to support him. It was rather thoughtful of her and something he had not considered. He doubted he would ever have a need for this place, spartans did not run from their problems. But he was grateful that she was trying to give him an opportunity, though a misguided one.

“I….appreciate the gesture.” He rumbled quietly. “But I will not need this place.”

The vixen frowned, apprehension etched deeply into her muzzle. “Is there something wrong with it?” She whimpered.

Six sighed in frustration, briefly rubbing his brow. He was not equipped to handle the delicate emotions of a female and he felt as if he was skirting around the tripwires of a live bomb, though he suspected that would be less hazardous to his health.

Where was Jorge when you needed him?

“That is not the issue.” He grunted wearily as he turned to face her. “For there is no issue.  Despite my…irritation with you and the others, I do not need such a place. This is your sanctuary, mine is here.” He tapped the center of his forehead, pulling his hand away and pointing it at her. “My duty is to you, Fox, and the others. Regardless of what I may feel, that will not change so long as I am a part of this team. Spartans do not abandon their comrades, no matter the odds. While this is a different foundation, that one truth remains the same. I cannot perform my duty if I cannot stand something as trivial as personal discomfort.”

Her expression remained unchanged as he explained himself, and Six was forced to hold back another sigh. It was painstaking enough to have to give his reasons without having to find a way to lighten her mood. His job was to follow the orders give to him, not micromanage a woman’s emotions. The spartan had little experience with these types of situations. And at the moment he would rather fight a hunter pair unarmed.

“Look…” He exhaled heavily in resignation. “I am thankful for your consideration. But I do not need it. If you really want to help me, just let this go.”

Eventually, Krystal nodded her acceptance, though she remained mute.

Six did feel some small measure of pity for her. He doubted this was how she had hoped things would have happened. What was worse, that damned pain in his chest made itself known once more. He could not bear to see her like this, so troubled and aggrieved. Despite all of his misgivings and reluctance, Six could not ignore the agonizing truth.

Her wellbeing mattered to him, both mental and physical. 

The vixen genuinely worried over him, showed concern for his thoughts, and cared enough to show him her private sanctuary with the intent to let him use it. The spartan had shared most of his secrets with her, and she had not baulked. No matter how much he wanted to remain alone, she would not let him. If not for her he would never have come as far as he did on the path to uncover his humanity. He still could not believe that it had been an alien to show him that he was still human.

While her physical health was not a concern at the moment, her mental health was. For whatever reason his recent words and actions were upsetting her and while Six could mend wounds of the flesh, he could not patch wounds of the heart.

Reaching out for her, Six placed a hand on her thigh in an attempt to try and calm the vixen, feeling the suppleness of the furred flesh underneath her clothes. It was a foreign sensation that stirred a flicker of something he had never felt in the entirety of his life and could not rightly describe, a glimmer of…deprivation, as if he had been denied some intangible right of human nature.

“Krystal….”

The vixen’s anxiety changed forms as she looked up to him with the barest trace of a smile.

“You have already done so much for me, you need not do more. Please….do not be saddened. I cannot bare it. Just…smile.” The words came to him with a heavy surge of discomfort, but it was his hope that they might prove to be effective in turning her black mood.

Silently, her muzzle curled into a radiant smile and she shifted a paw over the hand he had placed on her thigh and gave it a reassuring squeeze.

“Six….” Krystal whispered breathlessly, the vixen’s muzzle extending towards him, her black lips pursing as they neared his own with desirous intent, her emerald eyes scrunched tightly shut as she craned outwards to him longingly.

The spartan found it difficult to breathe as he watched her luscious black lips approach, stricken powerfully by indecision and swelling apprehension. He wanted…. Six….could no longer tell what it was that he wanted. This was unlike anything he had ever been forced to endure. There had been no amount of training or preparation for this moment.

Just as he felt the faintest trace of her maw flutter against him, Six pulled away violently, wrenching his head away from her and briskly standing up.

Krystal fell forwards, and painfully smacked her muzzle against the rock, her kiss not meeting the resistance she expected. Rubbing her snout, the vixen looked up to him with watery eyes, full of confusion and pain.

Six turned his head away in disgrace, sickened by himself and his actions. At that moment he wished that he had not survived the fall of Reach. She and the others would have been better off if he had never come here.

“I….I am sorry. But this…this cannot be.” He choked out, turning his back to her and leaving in muted shame, the vixen watching his departure in silent tears.

*****

Fox knocked once on the door to his room before entering. The vulpine was surprised to find that the light’s had been dimmed and the place looked to be empty. He knew Six was in here, yet the spartan was not within eyesight. He had just returned from Fara’s apartment, and had come looking for him with news on the progress of the drop pod.

“Six…?” He called aloud as he ventured further into the room.

The reply was not immediately forth coming, but when it did Fox was directed to the partially open sliding glass door to his balcony.

“Fox…”

The vulpine followed the spartan’s voice, stepping over the pieces of his assembled armor. When he spotted the helmet sitting on his desk, Fox’s curiosity rose a great deal. What had he missed in the past day?

Eager to see what the spartan looked like, he pushed the sliding door open the rest of the way and stepped outside. Looking around, he spotted Six sitting on one of the patio chairs, gazing out into the night sky. Fox took a few moments to study his alien features. Six was not all that different, not nearly as strange as he had first suspected. In fact the spartan might not have garnered all that much attention in the city crowds if not for his imposing height and grim countenance. Fox could have stared at his friend’s visage longer, if not for the intensely distressed frown marring his otherwise exotic looks. The spartan was deeply affected by something, of which Fox did not know.

Concerned, he grabbed the back of the second chair and dragged it closer, taking a seat beside the troubled warrior.

“Hey Six, what’s the problem?”

The spartan did not answer, turning his attention to Fox and rubbing the bridge of his nose with a sigh. It was a peculiarly earthly display that he had not thought Six capable of. Having developed somewhat of an understanding on how the spartan functioned; Fox did as he had grown accustomed to and waited silently for his friend to speak.

The vulpine waited patiently, time dragging on and the spartan remained silent. As he waited, Fox pulled the flask out from under his vest and took a swig, deciding to have a drink in the meanwhile.

He went through half of the canteen’s contents before Six finally spoke.

“I….I am not made for this world, Fox.” The spartan muttered quietly. “I can do nothing but cause pain. Maybe…maybe this was a mistake. I think I should leave the team.”

“W-what!” Fox spluttered, spraying a muzzleful of whiskey all over his clothes. “What the hell are you saying, Six!?” He demanded as he tried to scrub the alcohol out of his vest with his scarf.

What had happened in the time he was gone?

“I of course will stay until ordered otherwise, I owe you that much. And I will still do the coming mission regardless.” Six explained as he shifted his crimson gaze over to Fox. “But I do not think it best for me to remain here.”

Fox wrung out his scarf, tossing it on the rail to dry as he frowned at Six. “Why?” Was all he could think to ask.

“I have failed my duties as a spartan. I know what must be done. But I do not have the strength to do it.”  

‘I cannot suppress these feelings.’ He could not stop these inexplicably abnormal…urges, he felt igniting within his previously unlit heart. The spartan had wanted to feel her lips against his, to feel the softness of her body in his arms. Such base desires were unsuitable of a warrior such as he, and he felt that he was malfunctioning. He did not understand these strange intentions afflicting his thoughts like a disease, nor did he like them. Something was wrong with him, yet he knew not what. This was so far beyond his understanding that he felt undeniably lost as ever plagued by the uncertainty that had followed him since the moment he showed up in this place.

“Do I have your permission to disband?” He questioned Fox. Six reasoned it would be in his best interests to leave. The spartan did not want these feelings, the changes they wrought inside him. The only way he could see of putting an end to them would be to distance himself from their source.

The vulpine was startled. He had not thought his return would be immediately onset by such difficulties. He still did not know why Six was now so adamant on leaving. Though the spartan had been cleared of suspicion and the CDF would not have to worry about him becoming an enemy. That had been the original reason Fox had allowed Six to join the team, but…after all this time. Fox did not think that mattered. The spartan was his friend, as close to him as either Falco, Slippy, or Peppy. He was dependable, loyal, and Fox knew there was more to him then what he so disspationately displayed.

“I am sorry Six, but no.” Fox was not willing to give up on him now. The spartan was just going through a rough patch was all, and the vulpine intended to see him through it.

“Very well…” Six nodded in weary resignation. “I will abide by your decision, Fox.” Despite his personal wants, in the end Fox was still his commander and no matter what, as long as that held true he would serve faithfully, even if it caused him grief. As a spartan he would do that much.

Fox chuckled softly and shook his muzzle. “Sheesh, Six. You don’t have to act like I just ordered you to kill yourself. Here, why don’t you have some, it’ll settle your nerves.” The vulpine proffered his flask for him to take.

“What is this?” He inquired, taking the metal container and peering into the open tab and its swirling amber fluid.

“Whiskey, it’s got a real kick to it, but nothing’s better to ease one’s worries.” Fox explained with a grin, glad that he had managed to distract the spartan from his somber mood.

The promise of easing his concerns was tempting, so Six tipped the flask back and downed the entirety of its contents.

“Whoa there, you’re supposed to savor it!” Fox yapped as he lunged forwards to grab the carafe before the spartan consumed it all, and curious to see what his reaction would be. He was then suitably dumbstruck as the soldier showed no outwards reaction.

Six allowed Fox to take the container from his hands. This…whiskey….as Fox had called it, was not all that bad. It had a mild bite to it he would admit. But it was hardly worthy of note, though he did find the warmth that trickled down his throat to be somewhat soothing. Perhaps he would buy some of this whiskey along with his new clothing?

“It…it’s all gone.” Fox mewled desolately, shaking the container out in his maw for any last drop of the precious amber liquid. That had been the last of the gift he received from Pepper after the end of the war, Aquan Firebrand Whiskey, aged two hundred years….and Six drank it all in one gulp. If he wanted another bottle it would cost him a small fortune, it was worth far more than its weight in gold.

“You…drank it all.” The vulpine whispered in shock, dropping the empty flask to the floor in despair.

“Is…is that a problem?” Six asked innocently.

“No…no problem at all.” Fox replied with a forced smile, his teeth grinding silently together.

“Are you alright Fox?”

The vulpine was beginning to look rather pale.

“Oh I’m fine, just a little tired.” He groaned, sighing as he grabbed his bandana turned scarf, squeezing it in the hopes of wringing out a few more drops of the liquid gold, and whimpering in despair as nothing came out.

“Perhaps I should help you to your bed.” He did not know what was wrong with his commander, but he looked like he needed rest. Six rose from his seat and guided Fox to his bed. As he helped Fox, he could have sworn he heard the vulpine muttering something about “Aquan”, “two hundred years”, and “fortune”.

Truly, non-spartans were strange beings.

Helping the almost comatose Fox into his bed and under the covers, Six turned to head back outside.

“Hey Six, where are you going to sleep?” The vulpine asked, tiredly. The loss of his whiskey had stuck a serious blow and he was exhausted from the long day he had. But he was still concerned over his friend’s wellbeing.

“I think I’ll enjoy the company of the stars tonight.” The spartan rumbled softly, there was still much for him to think on. Fox had provided only a temporary distraction and he had still not forgotten what it was that troubled him.

“Aww don’t be like that, we can share the bed.” Fox offered.

He had no intention of making Six sleep outside or on the ground. Nor was he willing to give up his bed, so he would compromise. It wasn’t all that big of a deal anyways, he had shared a bed with his dad growing up anyways, especially after his mother had died. And for some strange reason, this felt no different. Fox saw a lot of his father in Six. They both had that permeant stern expression and that stoic disposition. James Mccloud had been a taciturn tod, and rarely showed his softer side. Despite that he had been a peerless mercenary and an awesome dad. Fox felt that Six was much the same. He kind of reminded Fox of what he imagined an older brother to be, though an odd one at that.

The spartan baulked at the idea. “I-I assure you Fox, I’ll be fine.”

“Don’t be such a baby, it’s just a bed.” He couldn’t see why Six was making such a big deal out of this.

On the reverse side, Six was not so enthused by the idea. He had shared quarters before, but never a bed. That was one level of privacy he had yet to have broken. That was where he had drawn the line before.

“Don’t make me order you.” Fox joked, not realizing Six would take him seriously.

‘If that is to be, then so be it.’  Six frowned as he approached the bed. Thankfully, it was very large, with more than enough room for him and Fox to have a bearable space apart. But that was little comfort as the spartan lay down. It was difficult for him to get situated, but he was able to find a somewhat comfortable position, lying flat on his back with his eyes studying the plain white ceiling, observing the dimpled texture in great detail.

The spartan felt the bed move as Fox found his own spot.

“Good night Six.” The vulpine muttered tiredly, already fading off into slumber.

“Sleep well Fox.” He replied quietly, finding that it was actually quite…calming having another in the bed, though not in the way he had first projected. Six set his internal clock for the usual time and shut his body down, soon drifting off to sleep.

His last thoughts on how strange his life had become.

*****

The first thing Six noticed upon awakening was the strange tingling warmth wrapped around his midsection. Confused, he tried to sit up, but met firm resistance. Now troubled, he glanced down to see what was restraining him.

‘Fox…!?’ His eyes widened in shock.

The vulpine was hugging his chest, his muzzle resting on Six’s abdomen as he snored softly, still unconscious. It seemed that in sleep he had no concept of personal space. It was an odd sight, but not all that uncomfortable. In actuality it brought back an old memory of when he had been a child. It was not all that clear, but he did recall that he used to have a dog that did something very similar, though that was an animal and this was a sentient being. Still, he should probably move him.

Six placed an arm on Fox’s shoulder with the intent to push him away when the vulpine reacted to his touch, rubbing his muzzle into the spartan’s chest and squeezing tighter, his tail thumping quietly underneath the covers.

“Dad…” Fox whispered softly, a tear falling from a closed eye.

Six halted himself, tilting his head to the side and staring at the vulpine quizzically, leaving his hand on the vulpine’s shoulder.

That was…curious.

The spartan’s hand moved  of its own accord to Fox’s head, right between his ears where that crested mohawk of white fur was, subconsciously scratching that particular area. Slowly, the vulpine’s involuntary frown disappeared, replaced by a smile.

“I miss you…” Fox murmured sleepily, though his tears had disappeared.

Six’s lips curled upwards in the barest fraction as he continued to brush the fur between the vulpine’s ears.

Perhaps he did more than cause pain?

*****

Fox woke up feeling particularly happy. He had a dream about his father, and it had been a pleasant one. His dad had hugged him and told him how much he loved him and how proud he was. Fox had never had a dream like that before, and it was one of the better ones in regards to his deceased parent.

Sitting up, he looked to the other side of the bed and noticed that Six was absent, as was the spartan’s armor from its place on the floor. For a second, Fox was worried that the spartan had abandoned him, but he calmed himself down. Six was loyal enough that the vulpine knew he would not leave unless he was ordered to.

Instead he decided to find out where it was Six had gone. Fox had forgotten to tell him the news about the drop pod.

The vulpine left his room and wandered the villa in search of Six, the first yet the first person he quite literally bumped into was Krystal. The two collided roughly and the vixen fell to the ground, lacking her usual grace.

“Krys, are you okay?” He asked worriedly as he helped her up to her feet. When he saw her face, his concerned frown deepened. “Krys…what’s wrong?”

The vixen was a mess, her hair was little more than a rats nest and her fur was a matted mess. Krystal was barely even wearing clothes, just ragged pajamas that looked carelessly thrown on. What’s worse, her eyes were bloodshot and she had a box of tissues in one paw.

“N-Nothing…I’m fine.” She mumbled waiving him away and trying to step past him..

“No. Clearly you’re not.” He shook his head and grabbed her shoulder. “Now tell me, what’s gotten into you?”

“I…I” She stuttered moments before she fell against him in tears, a blubbering and broken mess.

All Fox could do was hold onto her and wait until she stopped sobbing, wondering what in the world had happened to her.

Once she had settled down a little, Fox cleaned her up and took her back to her room where he demanded to know the whole story. As he listened to her pained tale amidst her quiet sniffling, he realized why Six had been so distraught the night before. Yet, he could not see what the spartan’s problem was. Why was he so afraid to accept her affection to the point where he had requested to leave the team? Krystal was a good woman, Six should have been glad to know that she liked him. Yet it seemed to have an adverse effect on him.

“What do I do Fox?”  Krystal demanded with a whimper as she looked up him pleadingly. “I…I like him. I don’t know why, but I feel good when I’m around him. He makes me happy. And I know he must feel the same. He has to. So why won’t he show it?”

Honestly, Fox didn’t know what was going through the spartan’s mind at any point in time. He was far more alien in thought then appearance. The vulpine still did not know what it was that truly drove Six, what he lived for.

“Don’t worry Krys, I’ll talk to him.” He needed to talk to Six anyways. Technically, he was only the leader of their mercenary band and so this was not really of his concern. But Fox had long ago considered them more like a family or at the least close friends. And if there were problems with them, he would do his best to help.

“You will?” Krystal asked, a brief glimmer of hope flashing across her eyes.

“Yep, I have to take him with me to see Beltino anyways and we can talk on the way.” He replied with a confident grin.

“Oh thank you!” The vixen hugged him in gratitude.

“Yeah sure, no problem.” Fox chuckled easily, patting her on the back. A brief thought flashed in his mind, wondering what things would have been like if different choices had been made in his life. This embrace might have been more than familial affection.

But those thoughts were pointless so Fox left Krystal to sit on her room and looked for the spartan.

‘You’re certainly just about as much trouble as I thought you would be.’ The vulpine supposed, laughing softly to himself as he searched for his friend.

*****

It was not all that difficult to find Six, he knew the spartan’s MO by this point and figured that he would not be very far. Six was most likely somewhere quiet with a low amount of foot traffic, the best place to look would be somewhere on the second floor or the garden outside. His scan of the second floor came up empty so he made his way back down and outside, finding his target soon afterwards.

The spartan sat at one of the stone benches, once more cloaked in his impressive suit of armor. His left bracer was removed and it looked like he was smoothing out the battle damage with a miniature device no bigger than one of his fingers. It seemed to emit a short range, high intensity laser to scour the marks and even-out the grooves caused by years of war. Hearing the vulpine approach, Six extinguished the device and turned his helmet to face him.

 “Fox…”

“Hey Six.” He replied, stopping a few feet from the spartan.

“Is there something you need? Or have you reconsidered my request?” Six inquired mildly as he stowed away the odd tool in a hardcase on his thigh.

“I haven’t changed my mind about that.” The vulpine shook his head. “I need you to come with me. Dr. Beltino has finished his work on the drop pod prototype and he wished to have you come and inspect it and possibly offer your input.” Since Six had prior knowledge to these machines, it only made sense that he might be able to see anything they might have missed.

“It is finished? Excellent. When do we leave?” The spartan inquired as he rose to his full height, a low thrum emitting from the powered armor.

“Now.”  Fox replied, motioning for Six to follow him.

Complying dutifully, the soldier fell in step behind the vulpine, following him out to the parked hovercar at the front of the villa. Entering the car, Fox and the spartan quickly departed and made for the city.

As he drove, Fox occasionally glanced at his hulking passenger, trying desperately to formulate a way to speak what was on his mind. How exactly was he supposed to broach the issue regarding the spartan’s personal matters? If this had been Slippy or even Falco he imagined it would be easier. But he was talking to Six, the sole embodiment of war. Fox did not think it would be best to start off with ‘Why don’t you love her?’ That might be a little too blunt, even for a guy like Six.

Still…why was he so afraid to show emotion? The only reason Fox could think was that it might be that she was of a different species. Obviously to him, she was beautiful. Maybe Six’s people had different tastes?  It could be that her features did not appeal to him. But the spartan did not seem to have any problem with her or the others before and he had been adjusting rather well to them. No. It had to be more than that.

Was his issue one deeper set?

Fox could only assume that it might have something to do with his older days, a result of his war fraught past. He remembered what the spartan had spoken of, what he was and what he had fought. Perhaps that was the root of all this?

“Hey…Six?” Fox spoke with an air of casualness as he split his attention between piloting the hovercar and conversing with the spartan.

In response the soldier shifted his helm to face the vulpine.

Fox paused for a moment, finalizing how he was going to do this. In the end he decided to be both blunt and elusive.

“So…did you spend some time with the team yesterday?” He asked, briefly glancing at the spartan to see his reaction.

Six remained motionless, replying in an almost frustratingly neutral tone.

“Yes.”

The vulpine nodded slowly to himself, outwardly relaxed but inwardly exasperated with Six’s neutrality. “Okay…cool.” He returned his focus on driving for a few minutes before he tried again.

“Say Six, you’ve been with us a little while. I was wondering if you had thoughts on the team.” His eyes swiveled towards the spartan, intently.

“They are…adequate.” Six replied with the faintest trace of hesitancy, Fox’s powerful vulpine ears scarcely able to detect it.

“Do you have any thoughts on anyone particular?” Fox pushed, nonchalantly.

“I have compiled profiles on each member of the team.” The human replied, just as indifferently.

“Really…?” Fox quirked an eyebrow. “Do you have one for me?”

“Of course.” Six answered without missing a beat.

“Well then, pray tell.” The vulpine proposed eagerly, curious to hear the spartan’s opinion on him.

Six went silent for a brief time, whether from reluctance or simply gathering his thoughts was unknown to Fox.

In actuality, the supersoldier had pulled the dossier he had collected on the vulpine and was displaying it on his HUD to confer with his data in real time. It was on odd request from his commander, but one he could fulfill.

“Fox Mccloud…” Six read off his accumulated data with the formality that had been bred into him. “Commander of the Starfox Mercenary team, even-tempered, cunning, dedicated, and an experienced fighter pilot displaying exemplary combat abilities on the field, Fox is a capable leader with a promising future.” There were several pages of relevant combat data and his personal hypotheses on certain things, but that was all just additional statistics that were not currently relevant.

Hearing such high praise from the spartan was enormously humbling. Six was the greatest warrior Fox had ever encountered, and to hear him say those things, think so highly of him…Fox could not figure out what to say.

“You…you really think so?”

“I never falsify data.” Six replied frankly.

Fox grinned. His confidence boosted by the spartan’s words. He would endeavor to live up to Six’s interpretation of him. But, that was not what he was trying to find out here. Fox was trying to help Krystal out.

Remembering that, he shifted his line of inquiry.

“If that’s what you have for me. What do you have on Krystal?” He wondered.

Fox noticed an immediate shift in Six’s stance. The spartan’s helmet twitched marginally and he leaned back into his seat by a few millimeters. He did not speak for a length of time, the city coming into focus outside the windshield and coming a great deal closer before he finally spoke.

“Krystal…” Six rumbled softly, lacking his usual despondency. His tone instead carried an untellable edge. “Second in command of Starfox and a telepath, she….”

The spartan stopped seemingly at a loss for words.

Fox slowed the car, turning to study Six with newfound curiosity. He had expected a reaction, but not one like this.

“She…” Six pressed on. “She is an able pilot, though not properly suited for warfare. She suffers from an excess of empathetic thoughts and actions that could result in her death on a battlefield setting. She is too compassionate and kind for this profession. Recommendation…reassignment to civilian life.”

Fox winced. That sounded a little harsh and was not at all what he had been expecting. Yet the vulpine felt as if he sensed an ulterior motive to the spartan’s words. He sounded almost…protective of her.

As interesting as this information was, Fox was not sure how to respond and chose to remain silent. Perhaps after he and Six finished with Beltino they would speak more on this.

*****

Six followed after his commander as Fox led them towards an imposing structure buried deep inside the military compound. The base sat all the way across the sprawling city, far from the public eye. It was an impressive installation…for aliens. Several kilometers in width and protected by towering fortress walls and a visible network of automated turrets, it was perhaps the biggest display of cornerian military might he had yet to encounter.

Upon arrival, Fox had to give several clearance codes before they let him land and they had been greeted by a squad of soldiers, the same variety as he had seen on Zoness.

Six had been…impressed.

He so far he had noticed a distinct lack of martial discipline amongst their forces and this was a refreshing sight and somewhat comforting in its familiarity. It seemed that their army was not completely hopeless.

Nearing the building, Six heard what sounded like an odd mash between a scorpion’s growling engine and the high pitched whine of a pelican’s turbines. Curious, he turned his head to see a tank rumble its way down the main thoroughfare of the base, a squad of soldiers following closely behind it. The vehicle caught his interest, being of an unfamiliar design.

Unlike the cars he had seen so far, this machine carried itself along with the aid of heavy-duty treads, much like a scorpion MBT. And like a scorpion, it had a turret mounted cannon. But that was all they had in similarities. This tank was far smaller than the ones Six was accustomed to, only half the length and width of its human counterpart. From its size, the spartan assumed that it only needed one person to control it, with the cockpit concealed under a thin layer of armored plating. Following the color scheme of the rest of the CDF, the tank was painted in green and silver.

Six studied the war machine up until the point it disappeared behind a curve on the road, reminding himself to brush up on cornerian army vehicles in the future, logging it down as something to do if he ever had any more of this “free time”.

The spartan caught up with Fox just as the vulpine reached the building’s doors, having slowed a little in his observations. Once inside, they endured the usual security screenings, this time without complaint, and he continued to accompany Fox as the vulpine made his way through the building.

As usual the spartan’s presence was a point of interest, any staff or soldiers they encountered pausing to gawk at him in awe. Six gave them about as much notice as he did anyone else that he did not consider important, scanning them for threats and dismissing them when proving to be otherwise.

Eventually he and Fox arrived at their destination, it laying several stories underground. They stepped out of an elevator and into a laboratory, a huge chamber surrounded by sterling whitewashed walls and covered in holographic displays. The large room was swollen with a flurry of activity, dozens of individuals filling its void and catering to the rash of electronic equipment spread throughout. At the center of it all was something both familiar and alien.

It looked like a drop pod, but it was not quite right.

The quasi-HEV was smaller than those of standard UNSC construction and in his eyes it looked rather…fragile.

Fox stood beside Six, the vulpine’s eyes sifting through the scientists. After a few moments his eyes widened and he grinned, waving as he walked into the crowd. Six uneasily watched his commander as he was enveloped in the laboratory’s general chaos and vanished from sight.

Knowing that he had to follow his leader, Six inhaled deeply to steady his nerves and followed after him. It was easy for the spartan to wade through the scientists, the various labcoats stumbling away from him in shock, their surprise soon degenerating into wonder as they took in his imposing frame. A wave of muttering cascaded away from him, the researchers discussing amongst themselves in hushed tones, Six frowned, able to easily pick up their chatter.

If they so much as laid a paw on his armor with the intent to study he would not be held accountable for his ensuing actions. Forcing himself to endure their whispering with iron hard discipline and hardened patience, Six searched for Fox, finding the vulpine right next to the outlandish drop pod and conversing with a toad that looked a lot like Slippy.

Once closer, both vulpine and toad noticed him.

“This must be Six. There can be no other to fit such an…interesting description.” The amphibian grinned up at him through a pair of spectacles.

The toad’s gaze made Six feel as if he was lying upon an examination table, it was…unsettling.

“Yeah that’s him. Six, this here is Dr. Beltino, the one in charge of the drop pod research program.” Fox gestured towards the doctor with an open paw.

“Ah yes...Project ARCHANGEL….” Beltino sighed, turning his attention to the large cylinder dominating the center of the room, the pod connected to a wide array of electronics revealing screens packed with data. “Quite an ambitious project I must admit. Long have we tossed around the ideas for orbital infantry deployment, but until now we have not put much effort into such avenues of utilization. Many of my fellow researchers have called this foolhardy or suicidal. And from what we have learned so far, I am starting to agree.”

“But doesn’t it work?” Fox asked in confusion. From what Pepper had told him it did.

“That’s what preliminary testing suggests.” The toad admitted, facing Fox and Six once more. “But we lack hard data. Until we test this device I cannot guarantee the veracity of our findings, unless of course we receive some insider help. ” Beltino admitted, focusing on Six. “I have been told it was your urging that reactivated the project, that you have knowledge that could help finalize it.”

“Correct.” Six nodded. He had information for SOEIVs both in his memory and solid records stored in his MJOLNIR’s systems. He had amassed info on all manners of UNSC equipment over the years. There was no telling when one might need it. While not enough to understand how to build them from scratch, it was enough so that he had an innate comprehension of the gear he would have to rely upon in the field.

“Then you will be of instrumental help in getting this project finished post haste!” Dr. Beltino exclaimed happily. The toad gestured for Six and Fox to follow him to a room away from the loud noises of the laboratory.

Once inside, he moved to a holo interface and pulled up the machine’s schematics. “Please, take a look. Mayhaps you might see something we could have missed.”

Six stepped forwards, eyeing the design of the cornerian prototype. He split his HUD as he observed the holoscreen, displaying the data on a SOEIV beside the diagram of the cornerian model.

At a glance he was able to detect several discrepancies. The CDF model was much smaller, and would barely accommodate one of his size, but then again he accustomed that to their specie’s specific short stature. Wanting to get a look at its inner workings, he tapped on the holographic representation of the pod, watching as its cover faded, revealing the mechanical nature of its interior. There were of course several things he could not at first identify do to its alien nature, such as the hatch release bolts, the emergency chute lever, and the tech screen for mission data. But after a few minutes of study he was able to locate them.

All in all the drop pod appeared functional, though there were flaws, It did not have a suitable amount of outer armor to protect from reentry, and what was more worrisome was that he could only see the placement for the emergency chute, not the primary nor secondary.

When he voiced his question on them, he was not ready for the answer.

“There is no need for those.” Beltino replied easily, gesturing to a part of the pod he had yet to notice, two small devices, on the top and bottom. “The G-diffusers function is to slow the craft to a reasonable speed before it hits the ground. With these activated, the occupant will hardly feel the force of the landing. They also provide stabilization for the pod and help it orientate during the descent.”

If they did as the toad then that was certainly impressive. The UNSC relied on chutes to slow the pods down and that often resulted in failure. The way these cornerians had it, the chance for machine error with their pods would be magnitudes lower than that of a SOEIV. In fact, these would be even more efficient and would greatly increase the user’s chances of survival.

If only they had access to this G-diffusion tech, they might have stood a better chance in the war.

If such was the case, then besides its lack of additional armor, there was nothing really wrong with the machine.

They spent a few more minutes discussing the finer point of the machine, coming to agreement that it needed more armor. When that was settled, they arrived at their order of business.

“Well, it should only take another day to graft some additional armor onto the pod, and then we can test it.” Beltino decided as he stood up from the seat he had taken.

Six shook his head. “No test. How soon until can you deploy it?”

The toad’s bald head tilted back in surprise. “You cannot be serious? We need to run at least a handful of trials before we can clear it for use.”

“There is no time for that. It is needed as soon as possible. The mission will serve as its trial.” Six replied adamantly.

“While I understand the need for haste, certain precautions have to be met.” Beltino stressed urgently.

 But Six was not willing to reverse his earlier declaration. “Risks must be taken, Fortuna cannot hold indefinitely. If it works, it must work now.”

Hearing the resolute tenor of the spartan, Beltino sighed in acceptance and shook his head. “I think this is a poor decision, but seeing as you are going to use this, such dangers are of your own doing. However, The Great Fox still has to be retrofitted to launch the pod. We have already started the reconstruction of its torpedo bay, but it will need at least two more days before the engineers finish. I shall run a few more diagnostics in that time.”

Six nodded, turning to Fox to see if that was acceptable, remembering that he still had a chain of command to follow.

The vulpine nodded uncertainly. “Alright Six, if you think this is necessary, I’ll roll with it.” He had his reservations about using it so recklessly, but he trusted that Six knew what he was doing.

With everything sorted out, Fox bid Beltino farewell and Six once more followed his commander outside, back to their car.

The fly back to the villa was spent in silence, Fox wanted to try and broach the subject of Krystal again but upon observing the spartan’s silent mask, he decided to wait till tomorrow.

Somethings would just have to wait.

When they arrived back at the villa, Fox watched as Six departed in silence, disappearing somewhere inside the huge home. He had not managed to uncover his issues and was not welcoming his next talk with Krystal.

Sighing, the vulpine went inside.

The next few days were going to be tough.