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With rapid clinking, segmented doors parted like curtains on the ship's bridge and shockingly no carnage visible. Abandoned in advance or Wolf had cleaned up after himself quickly. No tension this time, just a feverishly swimming head as Fox entered.

Outside, the asteroids were thinning out, the Slag Storm's glow fading at the fringe of the dead zone. Against this backdrop, the captain's chair turned and revealed that Wolf now occupied it as he grasped the neck of a rum bottle.

Fox stepped up to the foot of the seat, halting at the short few steps of the raised platform it rested on. Wolf took a drink and then leaned forward. Massive arms rested on knees, overhung by the face as unflinching as could be expected of dull steel.

"Andross," Wolf said simply.

Of course Wolf had been up close and personal with that monster too. But why bring him up out of nowhere?

Fox's chest heaved but the question wasn't dislodged.

"I knew a long time ago what was headed for you. Really it was headed for all of us. The big ape. He was.."

"Hungry," Wolf decided, affording the description the fanged, predatory snarl it deserved.

"Always hungry. Couldn't be anything else. Even if he cracked Corneria in two, he'd still be hungry,"

"And how long did it take for you to figure <that> out?" Fox demanded.

"Not long. Soon as you stepped foot in that base, you'd swear somebody was standing just behind you. Made it hard to sleep at night. The big ape was always in your head. Always watching. But I got a peek of my own once in a while,"

Fox closed the distance between them by a pace.

"So? You still fought against Corneria,"

"Once you let the ape in, he doesn't leave so easy. I'm sure you knew that already. I'm positive you do. See, he could turn folks into puppets if he needed to,"

Wolf shrugged, gave a grim fanged grin, "So that's what I had to be, just without the strings. Just to keep 'em off me. If I was to do the great Starfox in, I wanted to be in the pilot's seat. On both counts,"

Fox was eyeing that rum bottle perched on the armrest, but he shook it off with head wavering in denial.

"Didn't your team just attack mine. What, a couple hours ago?"

"Needed an excuse to slow down. So you could keep up,"

Fox could only scoff.

Leather creaked as Wolf stood and stepped down in front of Fox. The lupine's neck flexed, tilted his muzzle down at the soft, fluffy face and bright green eyes. Slender neck sprouting from between the claws Wolf rested on his shoulders. Finally Wolf released him and walked away leaving a stunned Fox in his wake.

-

Lightfoot was slotted in to analyze the ship. Fox was actively watching her progress on the screen and yet he had nearly forgotten about it. Leaning over the control panel, head hung as if suffering a hangover from the confusion that had plagued the mission so far.

Wolf's gaze was cast outside at their oncoming flight path, a hand braced against the glass. Maybe feeling something similar. But it was hard to say, Fox wondered if he even knew who the lupine was at this point.

Maybe not. He might be the worst psychopath in the galaxy. Play all the mind games he wanted. Tell all the lies his tongue could wag out. Could he fake the feeling of safety in those big burly arms?

Lightfoot pulled him out of his thoughts with a beep.

<The ship is already on course for Ketu II and has been given full landing clearance. We don't have to do much more than wait. We will arrive in one hour, seven minutes.>

"Then we better figure out our move once we get there,"

Fox directed his comment at the map being displayed, recording their progress through the inner system.

"You'll have to stay out of sight," Wolf said as he paced behind, "Of course, if somebody familiar sneaks a peek.."

Fox frowned recalling his conversation with Lightfoot as they left the mining station, she had thus far been more tight lipped than his alleged enemy.

"True," Fox said, "I guess I had to learn that the hard way,"

There was enough dripping sarcasm to short circuit her but Lightfoot didn't seem bothered. Fox's temper cooled with the realization it probably wasn't even up to her what information she could divulge in the first place. He sighed then turned on Wolf.

"So what's your plan then?"

"I doubt anyone's on the lookout for me. Not if they know what's good for 'em,"

<Do take care not to cut yourself on that edginess.>

An occasion rarely seen played out, that of Wolf genuinely caught off guard.

"I don't remember asking the T n' AI a <single> fucking thing,"

<I was merely gaining your attention. I have formulated a plan to assist your infiltration. Unorthodox, but I believe it will work.>

-

"There's no other options?"

Lightfoot was ever patient no matter how many times Fox asked that question.

<Plenty. Inferior options more likely to result in failure.>

"I vote for it," Wolf remarked, seated back on the captain's chair.

"I don't remember even discussing teaming up with you," Fox said from his roost leaning against the control panel, fixed with a scowl.

"As my pops would say...Aww, isn't that a pretty face?" Wolf drowned his chuckle with another swig.

Fox clamped a hand over his muzzle, since words couldn't describe what a turn the day had taken. Didn't matter- it <had> to end with the mission being accomplished.

"Well? We going on a hot date tonight or what?"

Fox didn't answer, only striding over to him. He swiped the rum from Wolf and downed a generous gulp, then plucked the burning cigarette and took a drag from that, replacing it rather crookedly in Wolf's mouth. He was away, marching off the deck to let Lightfoot form his disguise in private.

"Woof. He's exactly my type too,"

Time ticked its way down steadily. Really though, it was the appearance and rapid growth of the planet outside that commanded attention. As expected, Ketu II was an ocean world, a marble of teal and blue-green. Though the cloud of debris orbiting it was shaded by the red light of the local star. Pinpoints of light as fellow guests arrived.

-

Fox felt like he was floating through the monotonous corridor leading back from the pirate's lavatory.

With the new armor configuration his new footwear had become open toed. Tilted on the heels, a ring of sapphire around each big toe. He watched his steps as they came down and yielded no trace of sound.

A billow of chromatic blue as the side split dress swished over his legs, these hugged by long socks reaching up to mid-thigh. Bare shoulders and arms, seeing so much of his own natural fur making him feel naked. Not that he was really that far from it.

He brushed a lock of hair out of his face. That was where much of the material had been redirected. The nanites linked with his natural head fluff, extending and spreading his hair into a long, spiky iteration of a punkish mohawk highlighted with the trademark color of the suit. The power pack had reorganized itself into a purse, attached at his side and reaching straps over a shoulder to complete the illusion.

The mission came first. But in the meantime, brief as it may be, presenting himself to Wolf was what caused his pulse to quicken. A spritz of lavender scented his fur. Nails and paws trimmed hastily. Outfit ebbing and flowing over his body, showing a peek here and there. Ephemeral promises of the physique under the thin material.

There was a pressure that he could feel, where the dress dipped between his thighs. The bulge that ought to have been there was tucked out of the way, contained securely out of sight.

Arriving at the bridge, he stepped through the door. Wolf stood watching Ketu, now commanding most of the view. Fox posted beside him, back against the glass and a heel propped up against it. He expected some sort of comment, or laughter perhaps.

"Wow," Was the verdict.

They regarded each other. Nerves working up silently, with no outward cue but somehow blaringly obvious all the same.

<We are entering orbit around Ketu II now. Please board the landing shuttle.>