FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

A/N: It's time to tie up some loose end characters and situations so that this story helps transition better into Book 6, Reflections of a New Generation.

Chapter -18-

"Absolved Regrets"

The Cloud Runner settled down on the Macbeth surface quietly. Fox looked to his fiancé then nodded in approval. "That has to be the quietest landing I've ever heard. Impressive."

She grinned. "I had the shocks in the landing tracks replaced because I loaded it down with heavy metals in my bounty hunting days. Now that it's empty, the heavy-duty shocks don't even break a sweat when landing." She gestured Fox through the crawlspace and into the section behind the cockpit to grab their gear. "I sense you and Shears have bad blood. Remember to stay stoic when you two cross paths. Please."

A smirk found Fox's face. He expression grew cold and his eyes narrowed. "If he did what Peppy thinks he may have done... I won't have anything to say to him on a battlefield. I'll just kick his tail and hunt for Andross next."

"Oh dear." She finished getting her gear ready, including her staff, then she kissed the side of his face. "Let's get to work and find him. This won't be easy. There are sure to be infantry soldiers acting as guards."

"Yeah. We walked right in on him last time because he wanted us to think he was on our side." Fox's communicator chirped; he lifted his wrist and put the call on the wristpad's loudspeaker. "Hey Falco, what's up?"

"You're never gunna believe this." Falco paused as if for dramatic effect then said, "Katt Monroe just showed up. Not only that, while we were talking... thee, uh, you know... the whole freakin' ship disappeared. I... I guess I was distracted. I'm sorry, Fox. We searched behind the planet and we had GreatFox scan the moons... they're not hiding anywhere near here. They either somehow managed to cloak their ship or they used a jumpgate when I was yammering away at Monroe... this is what I mean about girls being a distraction in the field... but it's my fault."

Fox was halfway moved by Falco taking the blame for once. "Well... there's no much you can do if he got scared and fled the sector. I could use your help down here incase Shears tries the same coward maneuver. You guys do a stakeout while Krystal and I start ghosting this butthead."

"You want both of us to sit down there, twiddling our thumbs while you hog all the glory?" Falco balked at the thought of it. "That is weak, man."

"Falco, if Andrew ran, don't you think Shears will try and run, too? Krystal and I will flush him out, then all four of us will close on him before he tries to escape. I need you to do this, man."

"Okay, Fox, okay. Jeeze. We're on our way." Lombardi closed the channel.

Krystal nodded approvingly. "This is a good idea. We can move into position, watch him and see if he'll contact Andrew or if he somehow tips us off to this mess involving Andross... then we can corner him."

Fox nodded. "And if he tries to run, we've got our basses covered. I guess Slippy's sensor glitch trick worked better than we could have hoped. Let's get moving. I bet Falco will freak out if he has to stay here all night."

"No doubt." Krystal led Fox out of the ship and to a nearby set of natural caves that led below the surface. She withdrew a PDA with a map and, together, they made their way below ground, headed towards the half-collapsed base a mile and a half away.

A short time later, the Sky Claw and Cat's Paw II settled on the dusty surface, spewing up ash in all directions. Falco hopped down from his ship and strutted towards the Cloud Runner. He glanced over his shoulder, seeing Katt drop from her own cockpit. She hurried over, with a paw up over her face to keep the dust out of her eyes, then said, "We wait in her ship?"

"Yeah, it's big enough to... I'll show you, c'mon." He went in through the rear hatch and Katt followed. Once inside, they closed the hatch ramp and settled down. Falco pointed to a monitor on the wall by the Murphy bed and said, "We can sit down and relax while watching the sensors. This is going to suck but at least we don't have to be cooped up in a single seat, right?"

"Right. Falco... there's something I didn't tell you earlier."

Lombardi quirked a brow. "Yeah?"

"The reason I came looking for you has nothing to do with the old gang. The truth is... I want to work things out."

"Yeah? What about what's-his-face? The guy with the blue-fur dyejob. Y'know, the guy you were getting sweet on way back the last time we crossed paths with Shears?"

She scoffed, which turned into a lighthearted chuckle. "Yeah. He's a good guy." She frowned then looked up at him. "Falco, the gang life got him killed. Over the next few years, he changed. We began arguing... but he still cared about me. When the Anglars attacked the whole band of us started fighting back. He was killed. Then I heard on the news that you and the rest of Star Fox wanted to get back together to stop them... and that's why I came out there looking for you. And... when I saw you again... I realized I still had feelings for you. And..."

"...And... relax, Katt. It's cool. I think I've kinda grown up. It's cool. I mean... you and me. I'd like that. To be honest, I planned on looking you up soon."

She blinked in shock. "Seriously?"

"Serious as a heart attack, sister. I wanted to wait until after this whole mess was finished then I was planning on finding you. I wasn't sure what I was going to say to you, so believe me... the fact that you came looking for me...? That really made my life easier. I'm not gunna lie. It means we're on the same page; I'm cool with us. Let's give it a try."

Katt placed her paws on either side of his face. "Wow. All that coming from you was more than I could have ever hoped for. I wish you knew how I felt about you; how I've always felt about you..."

"Whoa, slow down sweetheart." Falco put a feathery finger over her lips. "Don't use the 'L' word just yet. It's a little soon for that, y'know?"

She smirked in reply. "What? Lesbian? Seriously, though, I really like you. You're a stubborn sunnavabitch but... I'm attracted to roguish macho-types with a soft underbelly."

"Hey, hey, wait up. Nothing under my belly is 'soft'. Let's get that clear right now. You would know because we've dated on and off for ages. C'mon, though... roguish macho-types with a soft...what? Get out of here. I'm just me. I'm just Falco and that's all I'll ever be until the day I die."

A smile found Katt's maw. She shook her head. "I missed the way you made me feel. Not when we were fighting, but... you know... when we were getting along." Then she leaned up and pressed her lips to his firmly. When he didn't resist, she reached her paws up and cupped either side of his malleable beak.

Falco relented to the kiss then changed gears all together. He decided it wasn't normal for her to take control of a situation like this... it was a man's place to be assertive. Although, deep down, he secretly liked being chased by her for some reason. However, he wrapped his arms around her and pushed her down onto the Murphy bed mattress. He kissed her firmly to let her know that she could count on him to take the lead in this 'dance'.

Katt embraced him, running her paws down his back. Feeling her body language become more docile and submissive meant one thing to Falco... he was in control. He was flying lead and she was in formation with him. He glanced up at the screen on the wall then closed his eyes, kissing her with gusto. His feathery fingertips began moving over her, touching his possession in a commanding way.

It had been ages since she experienced romance with Falco. She'd even fantasized about it a few times in the last few months. Now it was happening and Katt Monroe was more ready than ever for it to happen. She opened an eye and glared at the sensor monitor on the wall, half expecting it to light up at any moment to ruin everything... but it remained silent and empty.

Monroe's paws went to his flight suit, pulling at the release clasp. It opened in the front with a crisp 'snap'. She pushed her paws excitedly into the collar then outwards, pushing it from his arms. He drew his arms from the sleeves; the suit flopped back, carried over by the weight of the built-in armor padding. It hung from around his waist, down the backside of his legs.

He broke the kiss with a grin. "Well, well... someone's in a hurry."

She nodded. "I half expect Fox and Krystal to fish that guy out any minute now and I don't want to be caught with our pants down. Why wait? Don't you hate waiting anyhow?"

"True," he murmured, reaching for the clasps on her own flight suit. "Let's get you out of those threads." He opened the catches down the front of her suit and helped her out of it then he began nipping at her neckline.

"I can't believe we're rushing right into this." She wiggled out of her suit, wearing only panties and a bra beneath it. "Don't you dare stop, though. This is the most attention I've gotten from you in years."

"Yeah, well," he trailed off, kicking his flight gear to the floor with a thud. The boxers came next, tossed aside. He put his feathery fingers upon her breast then cupped firmly, kneading through the fabric. "You're right... waiting sucks. This is a much better way to spend our time." He glanced up at the sensor monitor again then pushed his hands down into her suit, unclasping her brazier. It gave him a little trouble at first but he was firm with it, causing the metallic hook to bend and give.

Katt kicked the rest of her flight suit off, wiggled away from it then kicked it to the floor along with the bra. The panties came next and she reached for him again. "God that's what I love about you. You skip the foreplay and go right for the prize. I was never good at that stuff anyway."

"You and me both, girl." He took both of her paws and pinned them to the mattress above her head then he began to nibble his way down her neck, stopping to suckle at her breast. She writhed beneath him, legs parting with need.

Falco began to grind himself against her smoothly furred flesh. His cock swelled up and he shuddered then arched his hips to angle himself. Katt moved with him, arching her own hips to help him find the right angle for entry. "God I've needed this," she purred in a throaty voice. "C'mon, you know you've missed this."

"I've missed this," he said in a low voice, sounding a little sincere. "I... I have," he murmured, grinding himself against her aching, exposed slit. After another moment, the tip of the falcon's dick found her tight entrance and he shoved hard. Katt squirmed wildly beneath him as he crammed his cock into her body, forcing himself all the way inside.

Her legs lifted and locked around his waist, resting her heels at the small of his back. She braced herself on his shoulders, bucking her body to take what he offered but it was so much so quickly that it took a moment to adjust to the sensation of it all. Her tail fluffed up and she whined as though in heat. "I regret not doing this sooner," she murmured.

"We all have regrets," he replied between breathy sounds of passion. "It's time to make up for them right here and right now."

"God, Falco, I've missed you baby." She ran her claws down his back then cupped his masculine backside and pulled him against herself.

He silenced her by pushing his tongue into her mouth.

X

Fox put his back against the wall. Krystal moved adjacent to him and whispered, "Two lizards are coming up the hall. The male on the right has his weapon on his shoulder. The female on the left has her hand on the top of her hip holster. Get ready."

Fox nodded. As soon as the two guards came into the intersecting hall, Fox pounced. He wrapped his arm around the woman's neck and his other paw went to her hip holster. The pilot withdrew her weapon for her, pointed it forward and dispatched the male guard then tightened his forearm against her neck. She struggled for a moment then passed out from a lack of oxygen.

He glanced down at the pistol. "It was set to stun," he murmured. "They're both out; let's keep going." He removed the battery from the pistol, dropped the useless weapon on the ground and picked up the other guard's assault rifle. Fox pocketed the battery cell, checked the rifle and switched off the safety. "Where is the doggie wonder?"

"Shears is close, Fox." She followed him up the next hallway until it ended at a simple beige door. "This is the one." Fox reached for the handle and Krystal froze. "Wait...!"

It was too late. As Fox's fingers brushed against the metallic door handle, the floor opened up beneath them. They were funneled into reinforced ductwork that opened up on the lower level. Both Fox and Krystal fell into a small room with a transparent door at one end.

Krystal sat up with a groan, looking towards the door. It was thick like the glass of a bank teller's window and she could see the hydraulic components inside. From the look of the seam, the door appeared to open horizontally at the center so that one half lifted into the ceiling and the other half dropped into the floor. She withdrew her staff and tapped the tip against the surface. "It sounds quite solid."

A sigh passed McCloud's lips. His expression changed several times from a smirk to a grimace to a thoughtful look. He tightened his right cheek while looking at the design of the door then he shook his head. "My first thought is to try and shoot our way through it but I think that thing might be coated in a special polymer to reflect energy attacks back at the shooter. This is too small of a room to try and dodge a ricochet; let's not test the theory just in case I'm right about that."

"What's plan-B?"

Fox turned to his fiancée and chuckled while placing a paw on his hip where he'd landed from the drop chute. "Well..." He trailed off and checked the reception on his gauntlet. A small icon flashed in the top left corner of the miniature screen. The word, 'Searching' was followed by a logo depicting an antenna. "No reception down here. They must have this room shielded or the walls have lead in them."

"Look," she murmured. In the corner was a security camera. Krystal approached it then, using her staff, she smashed it. The camera fell from its mounting pole and fell to the ground, leaving little more than the power cable hanging from the ceiling. A small blue spark sizzled at the end of the exposed wire then fizzled out.

"Nice."

"I sense he was watching us on the screen and now he's frustrated because he recognized you. At least he can't see us now, Fox."

The pilot offered her a nod then approached the walls. He pushed against it firmly then stepped back. A small bed rolled out of the wall on rails. It came to a stop halfway out into the middle of the room. Fox tore off the plastic wrap, pulled back the sheet and fluffed the pillow. The sham disintegrated in his fingertips. "Wow. It's never been used but the cotton is so old that it comes apart."

"At least it's a useable mattress," she said with a light smile. "Someone once told me that almost all Cornerian prison cells are equipped with storable beds like this."

"Yeah, it's Cornerian design alright. Thing is, this used to be a Venom supply depot. Corneria used Macbeth as a mining planet before the war but they've never had a military base here. It's strange if you ask me. This section of the base looks like it was never touched. We destroyed an ordinance depot - the blast was so big it was seen and heard... and felt for miles upon miles. So I find it kind of strange that Shears is using a large portion of the base that appears in this condition. How deep are we, do you think?"

"Perhaps a mile beneath the surface," she said. "If not more."

"That seems about right. About seventeen hundred meters from the surface, give or take." Another sigh then he said, "Maybe if we can figure out a way to get back up to the ceiling, we can open the chute and use your staff to propel us up into it. Then we can blast our way into the crawlspace between floors, head through the ductwork and find our way to an elevator shaft or stairwell."

"A stairwell?" she balked. "Fox, you're talking over five hundred sixty stories of stairs. That's a dangerous place to be for that long. An escapee would never want to stay in the same place for very long and it would take all afternoon in a stairwell that high."

McCloud brought his paw to his chin in thought. "Maybe we can secure some metal in the ductwork and make a makeshift antenna. Then we could get a signal and contact the team. A stairwell is like a giant vertical tunnel and depending on the way it is built, we might get reception if we..." He trailed off and shook his head. "Too complicated. Too time consuming." He turned back to the vixen and asked, "How spooked is Shears to have seen me?"

"Well, I sense he's radiating with confidence now that he has you."

"Okay, well since he's staying put, if we escape we should finish the job and take him down. Then we're all set. If he runs, Falco and Katt are lying low, waiting for him to make a run for it. Then they rescue us. Either way, we just have to figure out Shears' plan and force his hand."

The vixen began pacing. "He'll only run if he feels it's his best bet. Right now he's hiding from the 'Cornerian Fleet'. He won't be going anywhere with such an outstanding hiding place."

"You're right, even we had no idea how deep this place was or that half of this base even existed. No one would think to check down here for us or for Shears. Okay... so we have to capture him or force him out of his hole. The question is, how long should we sit here before we make our move?"

Krystal stopped and turned to him. "That's tricky. On one hand, the longer we wait, the less likely Falco will be observant should we successfully cause Shears to flee. However, if we act too soon... well they're watching us right now. Not by camera, of course, but I'm sure they'll be sending someone to visit us soon."

"Okay we wait until they check up on us."

"Our best bet for escape is to let them grow comfortable, thinking we can't breakout. For that to work, Fox, we need to stay put for a while. Let them think we feel hopeless so they become over confident."

"What if they kill us during the first check up? Maybe we should move as soon as possible?"

Krystal pondered for a moment then shook her head. "I sense Shears has some sort of plan. I believe he wants to use us as a bargaining chip. I think that we are safe for the moment. I wish I was a little closer to his location so I could sense his thoughts more clearly, though."

"At least we're sharing a cell so we can work together." Fox settled on the mattress, his legs hanging over the side. Krystal joined him and he smiled. "The old... trap door trick. I always thought it was cliché for bad guys to use that in cartoons."

"Cartoons," she repeated. "How different our childhoods were, Fox. Cornerian children grew up watching television shows, most of which were animated illustrations with voice actors. On my world, dreamers told stories. There was no need for a television, radio or theatre play."

"No radio? But what about music?"

A smile touched her maw. Her eyes cut to the transparent door then back to her mate. "Books, of course, were popular methods of story telling because you can't sense what will happen next from parchment. Radios on Corneria were developed to spread information but they evolved into an entertainment outlet for music. Since we spread information in thoughts, radio was never invented, so we remained satisfied with fulfilling our musical needs and wants by watching musicians perform."

"Actually, since music players were invented before radio waves were utilized, it was only a matter of time before radios were needed to play music. It bolstered the music industry. I won't lie, I love playing a great song while I'm driving around."

"Just the same, radio was first invented on Corneria to satisfy a need to communicate with others at a long distance. That way, information and news could be passed on. That's what the governments and the scientists and the inventors were motivated by. However, we never had that need. If you wished to link up with someone else on Cerinia, you focused your mind, thought about him or her and mentally called out to that person. Thus, radio never became a need."

"What about when you want to hear a song you like while sitting in your car?"

Krystal grinned. "You know how annoying it is when you hear the same radio single on various stations several times in the same day?"

"Yeah?"

Her grin broadened. "Can you imagine how annoying it would be if the same song got stuck in several people's head so that you heard it telepathically over and over?"

"Y'eesh." He cringed.

"Exactly." She began chuckling softly with a shake of her head. "Listen to us... we're captured and waiting for our enemies to come and gloat at us... how do we fill our time? With banter about entertainment outlets like TV's and radios."

"It's just nice to connect again. We can talk and chuckle and ...you know, just... have a relationship." Fox saw her smile brighten, which caused him to return the expression. "I feel complete again. You're my best friend and you're my lover. It's good to have you back in my life."

She leaned forward and kissed him softly. The lip-lock lasted a moment or two before the drew back and said, "Do you think we'll be able to continue in this line of work once we have children?"

"That's up to you," he said. "I'll retire when you're ready."

She shook her head. "That's not who we are. We're both motivated to stand up for others." She grinned, placing her arms on either side of his head, resting her wrists on his shoulders. "Fox, I think we can pull it off. I've seen Cornerian single mothers balance child rearing with a day job and night school. But you and I... have a virtual family on GreatFox. We have help. We should teach him to be strong from the day he's born."

"This has something to do with that reading you received from your Oracle, right?"

A simple nod. "Yes, Fox. Exactly." She cupped his face gently and kissed him again. "I love you. Thank you for treating me with more respect during this mission. I feel closer to you than ever before."

"You're a lot more, you know, romantic than before, Krys."

She leaned in close and brushed her lips against his ear. "I'm probably the last of my race, Fox. Deep down inside, there's a subconscious desire... a need to repopulate my race and save Cerinians from extinction. The blood tests claim that we're genetically compatible. So yes, baby, I want to have children with you. Cerinia mustn't die with me. So, yes, I believe that's why I've been more 'lovey-dovey' as of late. We're not immortal; the sooner we start a family, the happier I'll be."

Something about her words flirted with his feral side. He wanted to make her his wife; he wanted to make her the mother of his children. He wanted to make love to her. "I wonder how long we'll be down here," he whispered with a slight grin.

"Trying to give your enemies a show, Fox?" They both chuckled. "I sense your every desire and I feed off of the pleasure you feel when you're with me. I know you're every fetish and fantasy. And I sense that you're finally comfortable with that fact unlike the last time we tried to date. I know your every curiosity and secret desire. And I assure you, Fox, that everything about you is exciting to me. I, too, want to try all those things with you." She offered him a seductive grin and added, "You'll never, ever have a boring sex life with a telepath in your bed, love." Her grin broadened in a devious way. "Especially a telepath who is as open-minded, accepting and un-judgmental as myself."

A shiver ran down Fox's spine. To his surprise, Krystal flinched as if feeling the tickle down her back as well. "So if I were to ask you to try a role reversal...?"

She nodded emphatically but spoke in a soft, personal tone. "I would be delighted. I don't mind being in charge in the bedroom. That's what mates do, Fox... they share themselves with one another in a way that's reserved and special. Something no one else is privileged to see. As the old adage goes, 'I'll try anything once... except death.' Have I motivated you enough to want to escape, yet?"

"Are you kidding? I can't wait to get out of here." He began nibbling on her neckline.

"Good boy," she murmured, rubbing behind his left ear. "Such a good boy." She winked then said, "I want to hear you say 'please'. I want to see you beg and whine and thrash about. Not only is it nice to see a man when he's vulnerable, it's nice to feel control sometimes. I won't lie, Fox, I like submitting to you. But I want it to go both ways every so often, hmm?"

"I trust you," he said. "I've never been so keyed up as I am now. You're a bad girl to do this while we're in a holding cell. Tease."

She replied with a bright Cheshire smile. "At least you've given me the trust and control to have such an effect on you. That, alone, is a huge turn on for me, Fox. I've never shared myself in this way with Panther. You know why? It's because I was angry with you so I only dated him to be spiteful. But I never loved him; I never opened up to him this way... it's because I love you. I adore you. I desire you. We complete each other, Fox. What Panther said to you on the communication channel was uncalled for. Sloppy Seconds...? That was as much of an insult to me as it was meant to be for you. He wasn't even good enough of a lover for sex to be considered 'sloppy.' But, you, Fox..." She continued this way, reading his mind and seeking to quell worries and masculine insecurities that lingered behind his still half-guarded heart. "You, Fox, have given me the most beautiful sleep I've ever known. You've touched my heart and handled my body so perfectly that I fantasize about you even when I'm lying right besides you at night. All I think about is you... us. How I can better please you, how I can better love you and how I can make us complete."

Fox drew his lower lip into his mouth. "Wow. I've never had that in a relationship before. And to think I almost threw everything away out of stupidity. I feel lucky to have you at my side."

"I like when you're sweet to me, baby. I really want to..." She froze. Her ears perked up and she looked back towards the transparent door. "Someone's coming." She took a deep breath to calm her body then she crossed her legs and folded her paws. Meanwhile, Fox slid off the bed, leaned back against it and folded his arms expectantly.

A door opened at the end of the hall and Shears walked through. He shut the door behind himself and approached the detention cell. "As you can see, Fox McCloud, I am not dead." He nodded to Krystal and added, "Mrs. McCloud I presume? I'm Reggie Shears. I understand that you're far more important and dangerous than your mate, Mrs. McCloud. As I recall, he's an impressive fighter; well rounded in a cockpit, with a blaster or with a sword. But I've been told that you are more of a threat to my operation and me than Fox McCloud could ever hope to become. I'll be watching you both."

Shears lifted a paw, pointing to the broken camera behind them. "That wasn't very nice of you, young lady. No matter, though. I have surveillance equipment pointing towards the trap door you so kindly fell into... as well as a camera at the far end of this hallway. So if you manage to escape, I'll see you."

"To what do we owe this little visit?" asked Fox.

"I wasn't sure if you knew just who was behind this whole thing. So I thought I'd show my face."

Fox rolled his eyes. "Yeah, you're working for Andrew Oikonny, the biggest screw up in the whole damn system. That's ass-backwards if you ask me. He should be working for you because you've had a lot more career successes than Andrew has ever had. But whatever... maybe you like avoiding the burden of complete command; I understand it isn't easy to make ALL the decisions ALL the time."

"Kudos," said Shears. "You know I'm not running this operation - you know far more than I gave you credit for. I fooled you once; I suppose I can't fool you twice. No worries... you survived by luck last time, Fox."

"Obviously you're not here to kill us," Krystal interjected. "So are you going to tell us why you're here?"

"To size up what you know and what you think you know."

She glared at Shears as if insulted. "What? That you and Andrew wish to restore Andross in a genetics lab? That you want to use Andrew for his connections and when the moment is right, you'll double-cross him? Serendipitous duplicity? Isn't that what you called it in your little speech to your private diary? It almost has a nice ring to it."

He ground his teeth together. "H...How did you know what I said to my log? That was fifteen minutes ago."

Fox chuckled. "Didn't anyone tell you why she's dangerous to you and your operation, Reggie? She's a mind reader. She knows everything you know."

Krystal narrowed her eyes, sensing the man's initial thoughts on the matter. "Killing me would be a waste. Why are you being so narrow minded? You could use me to learn the secrets of your enemies, you could use me to have control over your cloned version of Andross because knowledge is power and I know what my enemies know. Only an unsophisticated man kills the most powerful piece on the chessboard. It's a shame; I didn't think I was dealing with a fool."

Shears froze, contemplating her words. After a brief pause, he said, "It may have been the first thought to enter my mind... but only because a true leader carefully weighs ALL his options before acting." His eyes lowered then lifted as if sizing her up. "And killing you is simply one option. What makes me think I could trust your advice if I were to use you against my enemies?"

"Reggie, my dear, only the bad guys backstab one another. I'm not one of the bad guys."

He growled at her, his fur standing up on the back of his neck and the end of his tail. "Don't patronize me! The world isn't as black and white as that, little girl!"

She folded her arms. "You've also captured the love of my life, my fiancé, the man of my heart. I have no choice but to help you in order to protect him."

"Fiancé, huh?" He glanced at Fox's left paw then nodded. "My mistake, then. You're making things too easy so, of course, I trust you even less. All you want to do is for me to take you up to the bridge so you can figure out how to release him and so you can learn more about my operation."

"I already know everything," she lied. "Simply being this close to you means I've scanned your mind and learned every detail. I've got a fantastic recall ability so your plans are doomed if I escape. However, how can I possibly escape if I'm by your side? I'm telepathic, not invincible."

Shears growled. "You're awfully eager to help me. I don't like that you feel so comfortable right now."

"My job is to stop Andrew Oikonny. Your plans are to use him then dispose of him. By helping you, you would be completing my mission for me. Corneria doesn't even know you exist. They never have to know. When you and Fox fought before it's because you were trying to resurrect the man who murdered his mother and father. That's just an honor thing. Times have changed, Reggie. And besides, I sense that Andrew's blundering may have ruined the plans to resurrect Andross." She saw his eyes widen then smiled. "You see? I know everything you know. Everything." Of course she was lying.

Krystal only knew what he consciously thought about in his mind... but by manipulating the conversation she was able to get answers. "Reggie, if Andross' brain scans were erased in Andrew's hands then he's now useless to your plans. He's now worthless. What you need to do is expose him as an idiot to his followers, then turn him in to Corneria as a war criminal. You can barter him for immunity with a Cornerian court. He goes to jail and you go free."

He blinked and stepped back to ponder her words. "Even though I wouldn't be welcome on Corneria, it would at least cause them to leave me alone. Mm, you may be right. You're quite diplomatic... very shrewd and intelligent, my dear young lady. Hmm..."

"We're not after you," said Fox. "We're after your boss. We thought Andrew had an operation down here and decided to check it out. I'm a mercenary, not a soldier or a cop. I'm a businessman. You want my help in taking down Andrew? You just say so. I'll even let you pay me with Andrew's money that you take before turning him over to Corneria."

Krystal smiled inwardly, glad that Fox was able to play along in her ruse. "Why do you wish to bring back Andross anyhow, Reggie? Is it because you want power? Think about it, sweetie: If you dispatch Andrew, you'll have made Dash Bowman's life easier. Perhaps you can barter your way into working as a General for Bowman's new Venom? You'll be in control again and you'll have a competent Prime Minister unlike that moron, Andrew."

Shears clenched his paws into fists. "I need some time to look into what you're telling me. I'll return tomorrow after I do some thinking. If you even so much as try to escape, I'll know you're leading me on so let's make this easy on one another... stay put. I will send a guard to bring you food. As a gesture of good faith, I won't allow him to bring a gun. I see you both have weapons on you... if you attack him, the agreement is over and I will flood that chamber with poisonous gas." He turned to Fox and said, "You can ask her if I'm bluffing or not since she would know." He turned about and walked away.

Krystal cleared her throat and called out to him. "Reggie, if we work together we all win. Dash, Corneria, you... us. We all win. Corneria won't pay us a single dime more to bring you in. We're not being paid with how many people we nab; we're not bounty hunters. We're being paid to bring down a known war criminal, Andrew Oikonny. You're worthless to us; it doesn't make good financial sense to backstab you when helping you will make our job so much easier. We won't attack your guards. We'll even surrender our weapons to him if it makes you feel better. See you tomorrow."

As soon as Shears was gone, Fox turned to her and whispered, "Surrender our weapons? Don't you think that's taking things a little too far?"

"Guns mean nothing when you have this," she said, patting her staff. "If we do it, he'll think we're actually serious about not wanting to harm him. He only looks out for himself, love. Plus, we didn't kill any of his guards... we only disabled them. That means we appear far less threatening."

"I suppose," he murmured. The door at the end of the hallway opened again and a single middle-aged Venom lizard approached them with a trey full of food. He looked nervous, opening the door. It slid apart. Fox tensed up but Krystal touched his wrist to relax him. She reached for Fox's assault rifle, reactivated the safety and handed it to the guard in return for the plate of food. Next, she withdrew a pistol from her belt and the extra battery cell from Fox's pocket then smiled. Fox took the trey of food and put it on the bed then said, "Thanks."

The reptile took the guns, looking comfortable having a means with which to defend himself now. He shouldered the rifle and slid Krystal's pistol into his pocket then stepped back and shut the door. He turned around and walked briskly back to the far end, opened the door at the end and left.

"I hope you know what you're doing." Fox fidgeted for a moment.

"Do you trust me?"

He nodded in reply. "Now... where were we, earlier?"

She drew a bowl of crab soup into her lap and settled back down at the end of the mattress. "We were talking about how I was going to make love to you so hard and so long that you would have amnesia all over again."

Fox opened his mouth to reply but was speechless. After a moment he stammered the word, "A-am-amnesia? Again?"

Krystal nodded with a wink. She could sense that his heart was racing and his body was tingling. She smiled inwardly again, praising herself for having the ability to get her mate's mind off of this nasty business regarding one of his enemies so that he could relax. "Because the sex would be so fantastic, you would forget about anyone else you've ever slept with." And, with that said, she brought her spoon to her lips and offered him a coquettish wink.

X

Nicole O'Donnell cringed then sat up, drawing her feet from the stirrups. "I'm not going to lie. I hate coming here."

The gynecologist turned away from the counter then leaned up onto it, sitting on the edge by the sink. She had her clipboard in her left paw, using her right one to jot down notes. "We all hate it. It's invasive and ...Look, I have good news about your problem."

"You mean the miscarriages?" Nicole shrugged. "I had a rough childhood. I know I'm broken."

"No, I said good news, Nicky. You're not broken. Our test results are back from the lab and, yes, there's scar tissue build up from a childhood injury. I'm thinking at least a decade-and-a-half of tissue build up. But a brief laser surgery will clear that up. We perform this kind of thing all the time for women with Endometriosis; I promise it's not the end of the world for you. You want kids? Fine. It's certainly not impossible."

"That doesn't make sense, doc." Nicky quickly dressed and said, "I have no problems getting pregnant. I have problems staying pregnant. I want kids. My husband doesn't really seem to care one way or the other... but I can't keep going through miscarriages. It's bullshit. I'm tired of this. Isn't there a procedure to help with this?"

"Other than the scarring I mentioned, Mrs. O'Donnell, I see fallopian tubes that check out. I see a womb that is half collapsed but certainly useable. I see the scarring and I see what looks like an old injury. Were you raped in your youth?"

"You're an OBGYN, not a shrink. Yes I was; not I'm not going to talk about it."

"How young?"

Nicole waved her paw dismissively. "Cut it out. Let's talk about diet and all that crap. I want to carry to term, dammit. Let's talk about how to make that a reality. The past is done. The future is incoming. So help me out, here."

"Let's talk about hormone therapy to help sustain a healthy pregnancy," said the doctor. "Follow me into the back office. I'll print out some stuff, give you a pamphlet and write you a prescription. I also want to check your insulin levels and give you a Sustanon '250' injection and we'll talk about progesterone levels, too, because I want to take some tests."

"I thought testosterone hurt pregnancies?"

The doctor opened the door and led the vixen down the hallway. "Mrs. O'Donnell, receiving testosterone while pregnant is not advisable. But this is different. We have to get you pregnant first. Then we help your body out once you're pregnant by keeping an eye on the Kisspeptin protein and making sure your luteinizing hormone works the way it should to regular proper amounts of testosterone, progesterone and estradiol. Basically, we're going to get you pregnant then we're going to carefully monitor your next pregnancy until the day you deliver." She opened the door to the back office, motioned for Nicky to enter first then she stepped in, shut the door and went to her computer. "Now, let's print you up some information so you have reading material. That way you understand what we're doing and how everything works."

Hours later...

X

Nicky leaned back in her seat, watching Sargasso in the distance. The transport ferry began its final approach to the station. She opened the pharmacy bag and withdrew her bottle of pills, skimming the label. She'd taken one after leaving the pharmacy over an hour ago and was feeling a little funky now that it was starting to kick in. She wasn't sure if hormone therapy worked the same day. Even the pamphlet claimed it would take time - up to a week or two - before any major effects became noticeable.

However, Nicky was uncomfortably horny. The ship docked with the station and she folded one of the pamphlets up and put it back into her pocket. She got up, left the observation deck and headed towards the front of the ferry.

Once on the station, Nicky flashed her ID to a guard by means of simply flipping him off. He recognized her as The Boss's Wife and simply let her into the restricted section of the station. She headed to the elevator and folded her arms. A field of light appeared, acting as a barrier door. The lift began to ascend, levitated into the shaft in complete silence. It reached the top and the field disappeared. She stepped into the hallway leading to the personal quarters.

She spotted her husband's tail as he headed into his office at the end of the hallway. She quickened her pace just as he passed through the doorway. Nicky put her paws out and aggressively shoved him forward. He instinctively pivoted around so that he fell back across his desk. Nicole clamored up over the desktop, perching herself atop of her husband.

Wolf, now splayed out across the mahogany surface, looked up at her with a wide eye. "What in the...?"

"Hush, let's fuck." She reached for the hem of her shirt and pulled it up and over her head. The automated doors hissed on their tracks in the background, clicking shut.

"Wait just a minute," he said, looking confused. "You've always been a little subbie girl. What the hell has gotten into you?"

She smirked, unclasping her bra. "Role reversal time. Shut up and get your pants off."

"What about locking the...?"

"Shut up," she said firmly, reaching down to force his shirt up and over his head. He eased up on an elbow until it was passed his neck then she used her other paw to shove back down, flat, on the desktop. She pulled his shirt off his arms and tossed it on the floor then reached down to help him get his pants off. "I know I'm usually on the bottom. But today you are... surprise. Now get that dick out and stop dawdling."

He blinked, seeing how serious she was. O'Donnell reached for his wife's pants, helping her to get them off. She straddled his hips again once both pair of pants lay on the floor. Nicky leaned down and began to bite his collarbone while clutching his chest fur in her fists.

"What in the hell has gotten into you?" he said into her ear.

She wiggled her hips, grinding against him then she reached her left paw down, took the base of his cock firmly in her paw to steady it and she impaled herself with a groan of delight. "You, obviously," replied the vixen with a sigh of content. "Much better," she added softly then she began to ride him, shifting her hips against his in an aggressive cadence. "God I needed this; you have no idea how bad I needed this right now." She paused then added, "Thank God you can go from zero-to-sixty in the time it takes me to get your pants off. I don't think I could have waited another moment." The tight ache in her throbbing little pussy was finally soothed by the sensation of being filled. The vixen bucked her body against his, riding him from tip to hilt and loving it.

Wolf was floored by the actions of his wife. Having been married for a full year, now, he'd never once seen her take control or become the dominative sexual partner. She shuddered at the sensation of her silken sex sliding down his cock. He felt her hot flesh gliding down to the hilt only to lift again and repeat the motion. His paws went to her hips to keep her steady. "Have you been drinking or...?"

"Shut up; you know I wouldn't drink before going to the doctor's office," she snapped. She forced herself downwards repeatedly, thrusting herself upon his hips in a wild fashion. "Cum in me," she said, almost leering at him expectantly. "I want to feel it in me, Wolf. Knock me up."

"Is that what this is about?" he said, lifting a paw to cup he breast. "You want pups this bad?" He kept his other paw on her hips while she did most of the work this time. He wasn't used to it but it was surprisingly enjoyable, he had to admit. "Yeah, I'll fill you. I know you like being my bitch, Nicky. But only if you cum first."

"Already there," she replied through clenched teeth. The fur of her tail fluffed up as a shudder of pleasure raced down her spine. She bucked her hips, grinding at the end of each downward thrust. "God I want you to fill me," she whined. "Knock me up, baby. C'mon."

Wolf's senses cleared and he took her by the waist and began to lift her up then slam her back down upon himself, stretching those aching little cunt lips apart with each thrust. Her cries of ecstasy were pleasing to the ear, empowering him to match her aggressive need for sex. "I'm going to knock you up alright. Give me a minute and I'll show you what I can do." With his paws still on her waistline, he lifted her body again then brought her back down so hard that a loud, wet popping sound filled the office. His ears flickered then the pleasure caught up with him. Wolf groaned in delight at the sensation of his knot sinking into her body. Tied with his vixen, Wolf's throbbing cock was forced beyond her cervix muscles, allowing the first inch or two to penetrate its way into her womb.

It hurt at first but the pinching sensation was only brief for her. With his cock practically in her uterus, Nicole continued to thrust her hips, grinding on his cock in an attempt to make him fill her. She lowered her left paw to her clitoris, tracing the hood for a moment. Her fingers moved over the sensitive nub with vertical thrusts at first then she began a semi-circle followed by an aggressive diagonal rubbing pattern across the nub. Nicky grit her teeth, speaking to him through them. "Fuck me, Wolf. C'mon, baby, fill me up with every drop. God I want to be pregnant so bad."

The passionate sex lasted nearly twenty minutes before she got her wish. A rush of liquid heat filled her inside out. Her jaw dropped open; the sensation was intense. She balled up her fists and felt herself grow unbearably tight. Her body's naturally reflexive response was to meet his release with her own. Nicole's lush little vulpine body milked her husband's cock. Tied with his knot, the bulge at the base of his dick acted like a cork, holding every drop inside of her. Her hair, splayed over her face, gave her a devious, coquettish look. Passion blazed in her eyes. She whimpered for a moment then cried out in delightful ecstasy. Her exclamation of orgasm lasted a brief moment then her voice lowered, trailing off in a moan. Her paw returned to her moist slit but she cringed, too sensitive to go any further for the time being. "I guess," she panted, "that we're stuck together for a bit."

"Give me a little time to recharge," said O'Donnell with a grin. "You want to get knocked up, girl? No problem. We'll work on it if that's what you want." He reached for the side of her face and they kissed again. Wolf wanted to stay warmed up so he'd be ready again. The kiss was rough, aggressive and raw. It was delicious beyond words.

Nicole drew her head back from his and said, "I know what I want to name her."

"Her, huh?"

Nicky nodded emphatically. "Bliss O'Donnell."

"And what if it's a boy?"

"I'm not sure. What about Wolf Junior?"

"He'll be a mixed breed. I'm not naming him Wox or Folf."

She giggled, gently grinding herself against him to stay keyed up. "Fulfy... that would be cute."

O'Donnell glared at her for a moment. "Fuck 'cute'. He needs a name that inspires fear or, at the very least, sounds masculine."

"Doesn't matter, I just have this gut feeling our first born will be a girl."

Wolf smirked. "Fine... Bliss. But if it's a boy, we need to come up with a name I like. Something that sounds dark and mysterious but something that describes him."

She ground her hips against his and smiled when he hissed in pleasure through his teeth. Nicole tilted her head. "So if he comes out with multicolored paws, we name him 'Boots' or something?"

"As manly as boots are," said Wolf, "It doesn't do anything for me. And I'll be Goddamned if I name him 'Spots' or anything else like that. I'd be satisfied with 'Killer.' I think I'm ready to go again."

Her eyes widened. "Already?"

"Did you forget that you married me because I know how to fuck you the way you want to be fucked?" Wolf took her by the hips, pulled her down upon him so that her chest was flush to his. He rolled over hard until he was on top of her then he pushed his paws beneath her rump, wiggling his fingers against the mattress, sandwiched by their combined weight. He took her firmly by the backside, clinging to her and began to rail her again. She threw her head back then hard to the left and right in listless fashion. Wolf closed his teeth over her neck in a dominative way, nipping and nibbling her exposed throat while having his way with his wife.

X

A/N : _Thanks again for reading the new chapter. Obviously the abridged version (FanFiction dot net) will be a great deal shorter due to all the passion scenes in this chapter. But for those of you who are reading all 7 stories in the Reflection Series, you now understand why I'm including Falco and Katt's make up, as well as Nicky and Wolf's attempt at having a full-term pregnancy. Obviously these scenes will help with story '6', Reflections of a New Generation. Violet and the twins have to come from SOMEWHERE, right? _

_And hey, how about Krystal in this chapter, huh? She's finally patched things up with her soul mate and subconsciously she's ready to start having kids. And that's why she's being so flirty... because her hormone levels are in flux and her body is doing what it needs to do in order to make her become a mother. That's been happening throughout this whole story, after all... but now she's with the man she loves... so now she's REALLY fighting these base urges and instincts. Basically, to be a bit more blunt... she's about to go into heat. _

_For those of you who are fans of Star Trek, think of it like Pon Farr for the vulcans. In her race, Cerinians probably never had to resort to such base emotional needs. They mated as they wished. But now that she's the last of her race, all these feral emotions become unlocked. _