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Krystal and Chase

Fighting reasons

Fire raged across the colony as another fighter speed across the skies, twin beams of golden energy firing from under its wings. The twin beams lanced into a building, the ensuing explosion blowing out the windows as flames poured out. Anthropomorphic creatures of all kinds were running for their lives as the black robots attacking in droves. The security force that had been protecting them was already gone, wiped out in the first part of the onslaught. Now, it was everyone for themselves as they ran from their enemy, one that should have been wiped out years ago.

Among those trying to flee for their lives was a young red fox kit, his golden eyes seeing much more than any six year old should. As he dove down, another set of golden beams shot overhead, destroying a transport that had barely left the ground.

"Oh no!" the older fox holding his hand cried out, "If this keeps up, they'll kill everyone! We have to get out of the colony!"

The young kit's eyes looked up at the sky. The twilight skies seemed to eerily reflect the bloody chaos that the colony had been enveloped by during the surprise attack only an hour ago. His fear grew as another of the group was cut down by a robot, its long claws gleaming with a dark, slowly dripping substance.

The older fox ran, pulling the young kit with him as he raced towards a transport. But just as they reached it, the panicked pilot gunned the engines! The craft lifted off the ground, rising slowly into the sky as it rotated. All the two could do was watch as their last shred of hope was leaving.

Suddenly, there was a bright flash! A smoke trailed object flew through the skies over head.

"Run!" the older fox ordered, pushing the kit out of the way as the missile screamed towards the transport.

The shockwave from the ensuing explosion knocked the young fox to his knees. He felt tears enter his eyes, but quickly shook them away, getting to his feet. He could cry later, but for now, he ran.

As more missiles streaked through the air, the buildings started to crumble, their supports weakened as the shockwaves from each impact intensified. As a building collapsed into itself, debris rained down as smoke and dust flooded out of the building, a third missile screaming over it into another building. Explosions blossomed from the deadly hail of missiles and pulse laser fire as more of the sleek fighter crafts flew over head.

Suddenly, another pair of robots appeared from around the corner, throwing another dead victim onto the ground. In horror, the young kit reeled back. The two bots raised their weapons, but as they did, the older fox pulled a pistol from his belt. Twin gunshots pushed the first bot back, a black substance leaking from the bullet holes through its head.

"Hide! I'll find you when I can." The fox said, firing another shot into the second robot, "GO!"

The younger kit just nodded, unable to rip his eyes away from the robots as he turned and ran, his heart pounding in his chest. As he ran, he heard more gunshots, followed by a cry of agony.

* * *

What seemed like hours later, the young fox was hidden near the airfield. Fearfully, he pulled his knees to his chin, his tail wrapping around him. Tears began to well up into his eyes again, but the fox brushed them away. If those robots heard him crying, they'd be sure he never cried again. He'd witnessed too much tonight to ever forget that pure slaughter he now smelled. Burning oil, melted steel, buildings burning, and more that he couldn't remember smelling before. Cries and screams echoed through his mind. There was no way to erase them as what he had seen and heard burned into his memories forever.

Quietly, the fox peeked out from behind one of the massive compression tanks where he'd been hiding. Startled, he found that the robots were gone from sight! Fires raged through the remains of the colony, the thick, black smoke curling into the sky. The airfield was littered with the melted, twisted remains of any crafts that had been on the ground during the assault. The kit knew that any other had been shot down by the same smoking object that had taken the life of the pilot he'd seen. But the one thing that hit the young kit hard was the silence. The sounds of voices were gone. The screams of fear and agony had vanished, along with the metallic cries of the robots.

"Maybe they're all gone?" the fox thought to himself as he walked towards what used to be a control tower.

As he walked across the field, the young fox's ears twitched quickly. Something nearby moved! But before he could even turn to look, a single damaged robot was dragging itself towards him, its oil leaving a chilling trail as it pulled itself along the ground. Before the young fox could react, it gave a blood curdling metallic howl, and then lay still on the ground as its glowing, golden eyes dimmed to black.

With a sigh, the fox shuddered. A cold breeze wafted through the colony as he continued towards the control towers smoking remains. Maybe it had someone still alive inside, trapped like he had been before the older fox had saved him.

But as he neared the tower, the young fox's eyes widened. Fear gripped his heart as a single robot moved out of the wreckage, using its long claws to grip the ground and pull itself along the ground. While it was clearly damaged, the gun it was holding up didn't have to be aimed very well to hit the young fox. It was too close for him to run. The barrel of the weapon heated up, a glowing orb growing inside of it. Within seconds, the robot fired...and Chase woke up.

Panting as a cold blooded fear forced his mind to race with a panicked frenzy, the red fox sat up quickly; adrenaline pumping through his body as his heart raced. Without realizing it, Chase had sat up and grabbed his Stinger 9mm pistol, pointing it into the darkness as the fear slowly began to recede. Taking a deep breath, Chase checked himself over quickly, mentally making sure that he was fully alright. After he realized it had all been a dream, he swung his trembling legs over the side of the bed.

"Why?" he asked himself quietly, tears slowly starting to well up in his eyes, "Why did that have to happen?"

With a quiet sigh, he wiped the tears away from his eyes. Glancing behind him, Chase was relieved to see a blue furred vixen still fast asleep. Chase gave a slight smirk and rubbed the vixen's shoulder lightly, her soft blue fur feeling good under his hand. He felt relieved that his sudden wake-up hadn't disturbed her.

"I guess I'll never know why they attacked my colony out of the hundreds of corporation colonies throughout the Lylat system." Chase sighed mentally, his heart still racing in his chest, "But they will pay for that slaughter in their own blood. I'm going to be sure of it. And if they so much as touch Krystal..."

Taking a breath to calm his trembling body, Chase looked down at the weapon now resting on his leg. With trained ease, Chase unloaded the weapon, letting the full magazine falling into his hand. After a quick check of the each of the fifteen, armor piercing, 9mm bullets, the fox drove the magazine home, clicking it quickly and quietly into the grip of the gun.

With the feeling of the gun's custom grip against his palm, the fox laid back down. Slipping the handgun under his pillow once more, Chase looked at Krystal. The vixen was still fast asleep, her calm breaths blowing gently onto her pillow.

"I'll do everything I can to protect you from them." Chase whispered, stroking her cheek, "I promise."

* * *

The next morning, Chase was wide awake. After his nightmare of a memory had infected his dreams, he hadn't been able to sleep. Most of the night, he'd simply thought about what had happened.

After the slaughter the young kit had been picked up a few hours later by corporation mercenaries that had been sent in to investigate why no one was responding to their hails. Simply seeing the destruction, they knew what had happened. Chase had been orphaned, but something else had taken root inside him. Chase wanted to get revenge for what had happened, but he was too young then. Instead, at that age, he started training to become the only thing that could fight back. Chase had started on the road to becoming the mercenary he was now.

His ears perked as someone moved nearby. Instinct took over as the fox looked, his hand already wrapped around the grip of his handgun. But when he saw it was Krystal, his hand relaxed.

"Morning sleeping beauty." Chase smirked.

"Morning Chase." The vixen replied, yawning, "Sleep well?"

Chase shook his head, "Nightmares. I couldn't sleep a wink."

Krystal sat down across from him, worry in her emerald eyes, "What were they about?"

Shaking his head again, Chase told her that it didn't matter now. But when he did, Krystal simply nodded. She didn't know why, but her instincts were screaming that something wasn't right. Somehow, Chase was different from when they had fallen asleep last night.

Then again, she had the same reaction when the nightmare of her parents' deaths haunted her dreams. While she knew well that keeping it bottled up wasn't healthy, she had always used their memory to keep her going when things looked grim.

Chase stood up, "I'll be back in a bit. I'm going to ask Hiigan something."

"If you'd wait a few minutes, I can get dressed and I'll go with you." Krystal said, "Then we can get breakfast."

Chase's ears lowered, "I have to ask about this one alone Krystal. It...it happened a long time ago. Before I ever met you."

Krystal sighed, "Alright. But, after it, can we get breakfast together?"

Chase smirked, "Sure. I'll be back in a bit. It shouldn't take long."

* * *

"I'm sorry Ronin, but I cannot simply give you those files." The human said without emotion, "They are still highly classified."

"Come on Hiigan, just a peek? All I want to know is why my colony was slaughtered twenty years ago." Chase explained, "I need to know if the Sev`fel are responsible for the slaughter of everyone I knew and loved that day. I recognize the Reapers to be almost exactly like the ones that killed everyone."

"I can understand why you wish to obtain the information within the files, but those files do not have any sort of impact on any of your current objectives Ronin." Hiigan replied, "Unless they do, you will not see the files on the attack on the 341 'Iron Sight' Colony."

Chase growled in a low tone. He'd hoped to get some information on why his nightmare had happened in the first place. The only thing standing between him and that goal was his CO, Hiigan. Unfortunately, Hiigan lived by protocol, rules, and money. Getting the files was proving to be impossible.

"I will tell you what." Hiigan said, "You and Ronin-2 have a mission coming up. If you can complete this mission without any problems, I will grant you access to those files."

Chase smirked, "Then get ready to hand over those files. I'll get through it, no problem!"

"Then prove it to me Ronin." Hiigan said, "In a few days, you and your partner will be sent to colony 341. We've received intelligence that the Sev`fel might have a force there. If the planet-side scopes are correct, it might be a fairly large operation. I highly doubt that you will be able to easily complete this mission."

Chase's eyes narrowed, regaining the look of someone who lost it all, but would do anything to get it back, "Can we have clearance for the FAV? We might need its destructive power."

"I shall see what I can do." Hiigan said, "Since the colony has been abandoned, the higher-ups believe this might be a sign they are preparing for a full scale assault somewhere else. If it is in their interest, I am sure I can get you and Ronin-2 clearance for the Frontal Assault Vehicle."

Chase nodded and turned away.

"And Ronin." Hiigan called.

Chase looked back at the human, "Yeah?"

"I do not advise that you allow your emotions to take advantage of you." Hiigan stated calmly, "You are not the type who would allow that to happen normally, but this is an exception. Once this is over, I suggest you find a way to achieve some temporary closure on the matter."

"I'll feel a whole lot better after we rid the colony of those things." Chase replied.

Walking out, the fox shook his head. If intel was right, the Sev`fel had returned with the same intentions they had twenty years ago. And Chase was determined not to let it happen a second time.

"I'm not a kit anymore, I can fight them now. I'm going to be sure they pay in blood and oil for what they did." The fox thought, "Even if I have to use my own bare hands to draw it from them. I just hope Krystal won't have to see it."