StarFox Fan Fiction ❯ Star Fox Recruits ❯ Water Worries ( Chapter 9 )

CHAPTER NINE

 

A single Arwing, with me inside, was soaring over the planet Sauria, better known as the dinosaur planet. Earlier we had received a report of massive fires breaking out on the lands, and I was just up and leaving…

 

“That's right Fox…” I said into my communicator, “When I got to the scene of the fire, the dinosaurs already managed to get it under control. So it seemed best to leave it to them.”

 

“Well, I guess that's all right.” Fox said over the transmission, “Not too many casualties I hope…”

 

I told Fox that he had nothing to worry about. The fires were out now, and all was safe once again. “Well you may as well head back. Krystal and I were thinking of having a look around the planet ourselves and warn them about Andross… so you get to watch the Great-Fox while I'm gone.”

 

I smiled, “Gee… thanks a load Fox. Mykan, out…” I sat there minding my own business as I flew my ship ready to blast off into space… when suddenly I got hit, “What the--”

 

I looked out side, and switched on my rearview, three strange crafts were behind me and firing at me, I couldn't see who was in them, but I could hear them speaking over the radio, “Ukkodkaed ucc vc0ohj... jxeek tend kxo kuhwok. Hofouk, jxeek tend kxo kuhwok.”

 

This in Saurian meant, “Attention all flyers... shoot down the target.Repeat, shoot down the target…”

 

I pulled on the steering-controls and began to try and evade the ships, but they just kept staying on my tail. The leader growled, “Uvkoh xam…! Uvkoh xam…!”

 

“After him…! After him…!”

 

I turned on my communicator, “Great-Fox from Mykan McClain! I'm under attack from three unidentified crafts, and taking evasive action.”

 

Eventually, one of the ships got my in clear view and shot at my thrusters causing the Arwing to crash. “I've been hit!” I cried.

 

“Nose up, Mykan…! Get your nose up…!” Fox shouted over the radio.

 

The ground was coming in fast, and if I didn't get the nose up, my ship would explode upon impact. I pulled and yanked on the controls, and managed to level off just in time as I slammed into the ground, skidded in the sand… and was thrown forward into the controls hard…

 

I was still in one piece, but there was no way the Arwing would fly. Worse than that, I was passed out in the cockpit, as the three fighters hovered over head. Pleased that they had shot me down, and zoomed away, out of sight.

 

Meanwhile…

 

On the great Fox… everyone had lost complete contact with me in the Arwing. “Oh, Fox how terrible, what could've happened?” cried Krystal.

 

Fox was still trying to contact me, “Arwing from Great-Fox…! Arwing from Great-Fox…! Mykan… can you hear me?”

 

The radio gave no response. “Nothing…”

 

Meanwhile…

 

I was coming out of my concussion. “Ah-ow…!” I groaned softly. There was a large gash on my forehead. I felt really weary as I reached for my communicator. “Ugh…! Great-Fox… from Mykan McClain! Great-Fox… from Mykan McClain, someone answer me!” and then I realized, “Ah, the communicator's smashed. Darn-it…!”

 

I then decided to take a look outside and see where I had crashed. I opened the cockpit and gazed at the miles of dessert-sand all around me, as far as the eye could see. “Not a sign of anything… familiar.” I groaned. “Five-thousand miles from the ship… the Arwing won't fly… and my radio's dead.”

 

I winced in the pain that was my head, “Ow…! Whoa… I don't feel so good” I groaned. “I think I'm going to-- I think…I'm… going to…” I couldn't finish as I felt myself collapse out-cold, stretched-out over the side of my damaged Arwing.

 

Meanwhile…

 

Erin entered the bridge. “I've just spoken to Peppy. What's happened, Fox?”

 

“It's real serious, Erin.” Fox answered, “Mykan was on his way back from the Saurian fire when he surrounded by some unidentified crafts. It looks as though he's been shot down.”

 

“But the radio… what about the radio…?”

 

“Oh, Erin…” Krystal sobbed as she dabbed her eyes with a tissue, “The radio's gone dead… it won't answer.”

 

Slippy had been plotting my position, “He can't have gotten very far from his last point of contact.”

 

“Well then what are we waiting for…” Falco said, “Let's get a move on before something else goes wrong.”

 

Peppy agreed, and then he and ROB began to prepare the Arwings for launch as the Great-Fox was locked into orbit around Sauria. The ships were launched in no time at all. “Do you think Mykan's okay down there…?” Donny wondered. “It must be pretty hot down there in that desert.”

 

“Yeah… and not a single soul within miles...” Fox said sounding concerned.

 

Meanwhile…

 

I was still passed out…

 

I was so incredibly out of it, that you couldn't that I didn't see or hear a trio of dinosaurs crossing through the desert, and not just any dinosaurs…

 

“Gosh, it's hot out here…” cried Prince Tricky, whom had grown quite a lot since Fox last saw him. “How much farther do we have to go dad?”

 

King Earth-walker told his son to be strong, “It will be at least another day or two before we arrive at our destination.”

 

His wife, the Queen Earth-Walker admitted that she too was feeling tired, “But we are the rulers of the Earth-Walker tribe Tricky. We must be strong, and then nothing will seem impossible for us.”

 

Tricky knew his mother was right deep down, but he did wish they could just stop and rest a moment. As the Earth-Walkers continued along their way, “Hey, What's that?” Tricky said as he peeked over at a sand-dun nearby.

 

His parents saw it too, “Oh, my!” cried the Queen, “It looks like a space-craft that crashed.”

 

They all decided to get in closer, and that's when they realized that the craft was actually an Arwing. “Why… it's Star-Fox.” the King said. “The famous Star-Fox…”

 

Tricky's insides were going wild with joy, but then suddenly he and his folks all saw me stretch out on the side. “Hey… who's that?” he wondered as he had never seen a human before. “Gee… he looks like he's in a bad way.”

 

They all approached me just as I came out from my concussion, and when I saw three large dinosaurs moving close to me, a-part of me would've freaked-out… but I recognized these creatures as the ones from Fox's adventure slides. The King and Queen Earth-Walker, and their son Prince Tricky…

 

My head so much I could barely move about, “Ooh… my head!”

 

“Hey, you're hurt…” Tricky said.

 

“I'll survive…” I said weakly.

 

The King then requested that his wife and Tricky prepare some of the herbs from their travel supplies to help me. “So… you are a member of Star-Fox?” the King asked.

 

“Yeah…” I said. “Fox has told me all about you Earth-Walkers.”

 

The Queen asked me how I ended up here in the desert, and I told them about the three fighters that shot me down, but the Earth-Walkers all disbelieved me. “That's highly impossible.” The King stated, “No dinosaur on Sauria can even fit into such a craft.”

 

I realized that was true, but I knew for a fact that what happened to me wasn't my imagination. The medicinal herbs they gave me helped with the pain in my head, and soon, the sky was filled with more Arwings.

 

It was Fox and that gang, coming to help me. “Look… there's Mykan's Arwing.” Krystal said.

 

“And if my eyes don't deceive me… those creatures near him must be the royal Earth-Walkers.” Donny said.

 

The Arwings set down just a little ways away from the Earth-Walkers, and no sooner had they disembarked did Tricky come running towards, “Fooooooooooooox….!”

 

Fox waved his hands, “Tricky! No, no, no…!”

 

SPLAT!

 

“Fox, it's you! I can't believe you're here.”

 

Poor Fox, as glad as he was to see his old friend, “Tricky… you're hurting me… Ouch…!”

 

Krystal giggled softly, and so did Erin and Donny.

 

“Some things never change with you McCloud.” Falco teased.

 

Apart from that, Fox radioed Slippy and told him he could come down and repair my Arwing, and after sundown, when it got much cooler “All finished, Mykan…” Slippy said. “I also repaired your communicator. It's working fine now…”

 

I smiled at Slippy, and Slippy then decided to head back up to the Great-Fox, leaving the rest of the gang to tend to my injuries as well as set-up camp for the night and head back to the ship tomorrow.

 

“Gee, that apple-pie you brought down was yummy, Erin.” I said. “Uh… is there any left?”

 

My sister giggled, “No, Mykan… you scuffed a lot. Besides, three helpings are quite enough. You're supposed to be an invalid, remember?”

 

I felt slightly embarrassed, but I was grateful to everyone for helping me recover. “Now that we're all here, it'll make things safer if those fighters decide to attack again tomorrow morning.”

 

“Do you really think they will attack again?” Krystal asked.

 

“I don't rightly what to think, Krystal. The whole thing's a complete mystery to me.”

 

Still, the incident was over for now, and that led us all to question as to why the Earth-Walkers were out in the desert-are of the planet. The King explained that they were on an expedition to locate a new oasis that was reported to have been formed.

 

Only recently had odd things happened to the supplies of water in Thorntail-Hollow, and throughout the rest of the planet. The springs of water were beginning to dry up, and water was becoming quite difficult to locate and savor. “If our mission is successful, there will more than enough water supplies and plenty of room to build new colonies should our planet ever become overcrowded.”

 

“The only thing is… there have been rumors about this desert.” said the Queen. “Those who have gone searching for the oasis either never made it, or were never heard from again.”

 

We all thought that that was indeed odd. One thing for sure though, we knew it couldn't have been the work of Andross. Sauria was much too far away from Venom, and all its inhabitance was all united now, and would do anything to protect their world.

 

Andross wouldn't dare show himself on the planet again…!

 

“Well… I don't know about you guys, but I'm going to turn in.” Donny said.

 

“I'll say goodnight too…” added Erin, “even a pretty fighter like me needs her beauty sleep.”

 

Falco snorted rudely, “Beauty-Sleep? You'd have to sleep for like a month.”

 

The rest of us shot him a straight look, and Erin grumbled, “Falco, you are such a typical guy!”

 

Falco ignored her and adjourned to his tent, before long we all were tucked away in our sleeping-bags and the Earth-Walkers were cuddled together as they slept. Only Fox was still outside as he looked up into space…

 

He was thinking deeply about his exploration mission with Krystal tomorrow. They're mission together in awhile, but he was starting to wonder if it was really what he wanted… to just explore more of the planet with her?

 

“Fox…?” Krystal called softly. Fox nearly winced in surprise. “Krystal…? Shouldn't you be asleep?”

 

Krystal shook her head as she too was too excited to sleep, so she moved towards him and sat down on the rock next to him. Their eyes met, and then they turned quickly away from each other feeling slightly shy.

 

Then Krystal broke the silence by asking Fox, “What do think of for the future…?”

 

She explained in clearer detail that eventually Andross would be defeated again, “We hope…” That made her wonder, what “Don't you have anything planned? I mean for a life outside of the force, if ever you shouldn't be needed for a while…?”

 

Fox wasn't really sure how to answer that. He was strictly a guy of action, and he loved all the battles and stuff. “Well… I do have one idea…” He said nervously, “But… well… ah, it's not important.”

 

Krystal wasn't convinced, and she wanted to know. Fox began to feel himself losing his nerve, and so he gave in, “I… well… I've sometimes had a dream of settling down.” he said. “You know… get a place, and… find that special someone.”

 

Krystal wasn't so sure if Fox was talking about anyone specific, but she took as a sign that at least Fox had hopes and dreams as well. “Sometimes I dream of that too…” she said, “I haven't been able to really take things too easily since my planet was destroyed.”

 

Her head drooped a little, but then Fox placed his hand over hers, “Easy, Krystal… I don't know how it feels to lose your whole world, but I have had a taste of it.” he referred to the death of his father sometimes slowed him up too, but he learned that he had to be strong because that's what his dad would've wanted. No matter how many enemies he would defeat, Fox knew that it wouldn't bring his father back to him…

 

“My dad wanted me to get this far, and I know he would've wanted me to go further still. Just like your people would have, including your parents… Krystal, except for Erin, you're the strongest creature I know.”

 

Krystal smiled, and then she and Fox were suddenly gazing into each others eyes, “What are you waiting for Fox…” Tricky called, “Plant one on her already…”

 

The King and Queen Earth-Walker sniggered softly, and that's when Fox began to realize, “What… you… I… uh…I wasn't…?!?”

 

Krystal giggled.

 

“Children shouldn't be up so late anyways!” Fox snapped.

 

“Awe, Come on Fox…! Quit treating me like a kid already!”

 

“Well then stop acting like one!”

 

Donny, Erin and I however were annoyed out of our skulls, and pressing our pillows against our heads. “Ow! My head…” I groaned. Eventually everyone went back to sleep, though Fox still felt a little nervous about him and Krystal…

 

…especially seeing as how she was the special one he was talking about.

 

Finally, all was quiet…!

 

The next morning…

 

Most of us headed back to the Great-Fox leaving Fox and Krystal on the planet to continue the journey with the Earth-Walkers as part of their exploration, to see the new oasis…

 

I was feeling perfectly fine to resume my duties, and my head didn't hurt as much anymore. Yet Peppy wouldn't stop treating me like an invalid, “You sure you don't want another helping of food Mykan?”

 

I hiccupped, and stroked my stomach, “Peppy… how do I put this? If I eat another crumb, this ship will have serious weight problems.”

 

The others sniggered, “Say, Mykan… do you have any idea who those fighters were?” Slippy asked.

 

“Not a clue…” I answered, “All I know is, they can speak Saurian. I just hope Fox and Krystal don't run into them as well.”

 

Meanwhile…

 

Keeping their Arwings where they were, and shielded so nothing would happen to them, Fox and Krystal set out with the Earth-Walkers. Fox rode on the King, and Krystal rode on the Queen.

 

The sun beamed down on all of them, luckily Krystal had her staff with her and gave a little of the ice-element to cool things down. “Ahh… that's much better.” said Tricky. “I wish I could make ice.”

 

“Don't worry, Tricky…” said his father, “We'll soon be at the oasis, and we can all enjoy a good long rest.”

 

“Say, look out there.” said Fox as he pointed over the horizon. Everyone could see several palm trees pointing up at the sky. “It must be the oasis.” cried Queen Earth-Walker. “We have found it at last!”

 

Tricky licked his lips, “I'm going to drink that oasis dry.”

 

“Hey! Save some for us, will you?” Fox said jokingly.

 

The Earth-Walkers practically dashed over the hills towards the oasis looking forward to a good long drink… but when they finally reached it, were they ever surprised. “Am… am I seeing things?” asked Fox.

 

“I can't believe it…!” added Krystal. There was no water. Not even a single drop. “But… this is impossible!” growled the King.

 

Fox began to wonder if he had gone the right way, and the King explained that it was true. They had gone the right way, but how the water-hole that was only just formed, could be completely dried up was a great mystery.

 

“I knew it was too good to be true.” Tricky complained. Everyone was greatly disappointed. Still, Fox and Krystal decided to check the water-hole area for themselves. They weren't convinced that all the water could've dried up just like that.

 

Suddenly Krystal felt the ground she was walking on feel different. “Hmm…?” she moved down a bit and felt the rocks. The ones she was standing on indeed felt softer than the ones next to her. “Krystal… what is it?” Fox asked as he walked over to her.

 

Krystal asked him to feel the rocks, and he was surprised to feel that they were indeed softer. “Maybe the water fell through the softness of the ground and went back into the planet.” Fox suggested, but Krystal wasn't so sure of that. Then suddenly her foot went down into the ground as if she had hit a switch, “Ah, my foot!”

 

The water-hole began to quiver around them, and they could suddenly feel themselves being lowered into the ground on an elevator-platform. “Fox…! Krystal...!” cried Tricky as he and his parents saw what was happening, but there was nothing they could do as Fox and Krystal were already out of sight, gone deep into the ground, and the Earth-Walkers were all far too big to fit in the shaft.

 

“I got a bad feeling about this…” replied Tricky.

 

…

 

Fox and Krystal were still going down, down, into was had to be some underground lair. Fox quickly contacted the Great-Fox, “Peppy, can you hear me?”

 

“Loud and clear, Fox.” Peppy said.

 

Fox explained to him what was happening, and that he and Krystal were going to explore as much as they could. “All right Fox. If we don't hear from you again in ten minutes, I'll send the Arwing team down. Peppy out.”

 

Suddenly, the lift stopped and Fox and Krystal's theories were confirmed. They were indeed in some secret lair. “But who inhabits it? What sort of base is this…?”

 

They were about to be given their answers when suddenly two strange creatures, completely coated in armor from head to toe, and poised ray-guns at them. Fox and Krystal quickly threw up their hands in the air.

 

They aren't able to determine if they were robots, dinosaurs, or some other type of life-form, but they looked as though they meant business. One of the guards sneered at the intruders, “0ei kne... eloh xoho den!”

 

Fox had to keep his hands up, so he couldn't get to his translator. “Krystal… what did he say?”

 

“He said… “You two... over here now!”

 

Obviously the guards wanted Fox and Krystal to go with them, and of course they were being held by gun-point and forced to drop all weapons and communication-devices.

 

Meanwhile…

 

The ten minutes had passed and Fox hadn't reported-in. “What do you suppose has happened down there?” Slippy wondered.

 

“If there's one thing I know, don't leave Fox on his own mission.” Falco said, “He always seems to get himself lost or into trouble.”

 

We all shot him a look, “Do you think maybe we should go down there and have a look?” asked Erin. Even though Peppy said he would launch the fleet, he decided, “Let's give it a little bit longer, but I would like to know just where they are and what they're up to.”

 

Meanwhile…

 

Fox and Krystal were traveling with the two guards in a monorail-car that traveled throughout the entire base. They saw water coming in from many different pipes, and they began to realize…

 

“This must be where they get their fuel and power.” Krystal said. “They tap into Sauria's water supplies and transfer it all down here to make use of it.”

 

“No kidding…” Fox said, “Take a look at that guy down there…” he said as he pointed towards a creature that seemed to be tanking up three jet-fighters. “Hey! They must be the craft that Mykan told us about, the ones that shot him down the other day.”

 

Krystal and Fox were amazed to realize how much power these creatures harvested from so much water. “I'd hate to think of what would happen if they reached planet Aquis.” Krystal whispered.

 

Eventually, after a long train-ride, the guards brought their hostages to their leader and band of many other creatures in a large control-room. Fox and Krystal still had no idea who they were… but Krystal translated to Fox everything that was said.

 

The leader asked one of the Guards, “Adkhitohj? Nxoho tat 0ei vadt kxom?” (Intruders… where did you find them?)

 

The guard answered, “Kxo0 noho veidt uk kxo muad wuko. Kxo0 cesukot eik joshok odkhudso.” (They were found at the main gate. They located out secret entrance.)

 

The leader's eyes narrowed from within his helmet. He then turned to one of his other servants. “Av kxaj aj khio... uho kxoho ud0meho eik kxoho?” (If this is true… are there anymore out there?)

 

The servant nodded and said, “0oj... hutuh jxenj kxhoo ekxoh cavo-vehmj eikjato ed kxo eujaj.” (Yes... radar shows three other life-forms outside on the oasis.)

 

The monitors were flipped on, and everyone could see, “It's the royal Earth-Walkers.” Fox whispered.

 

“Yes… but what are they going to do now?” Krystal wondered.

 

They soon got their answer when the leader ordered his men, “Fhofuho kxo tovodjo-majjacoj. No mijk dek cok kxejo shoukihoj cok ed nxuk kxo0 xulo jood!” (Prepare the defense-missiles. We must not let those creatures let on what they have seen!)

 

Fox and Krystal gazed at each other in shock as they saw the monitors showing images of powerful hydrogen-bombs being loaded onto ramps ready for loading. They had to warn the Earth-Walkers that they were going to be attacked. “Okay… now I've got an idea…” Fox whispered in Krystal's ear.

 

As the creatures took their orders and aimed the missiles carefully so that the Earth-Walkers would get struck directly… Fox and Krystal suddenly lunged at the guard that was still holding them at gunpoint. This allowed them to grab their weapons and start blasting…

 

BAM! The other Guard was hit, and went down.

 

Krystal then used her staff's fire attack and shot the consoles. The warning buzzer sounded as the creature manning-post gasped. “Kxo j0jkomj uho mucvidkaedadw!” (The systems are malfunctioning!)

 

The missiles were launched before the order was given.

 

…

 

POW! Out through a secret-hole in a sand-dune near the oasis. “Mom! Dad, look out!” cried Tricky. His parents ran, and evaded the powerful bombs which flew way away and exploded harmlessly in the desert.

 

“Where did those come from?” the King wondered, “who dares to shoot at the royal family of the Earth-Walker tribe?”

 

Tricky couldn't understand it, but then he thought, “Hey… maybe it was Fox and Krystal trying to warn us…”

 

…

 

Back in the lair…

 

The battle was beginning to get extreme as the creatures began to fight back with their ray-guns. “Krystal, quick… start he car! We've got to get out of here.” Fox told her and no sooner had Krystal started the car did the warning alarm go off.

 

It was too late as Fox and Krystal were already on their way, and the monorail couldn't go back until it reached the other end. Still, that didn't mean the creatures still couldn't shoot at it from down below.

 

One of the creatures fired and Fox counted with his own blast. “ARGH…!” the creature fell back on a console that caused it to break… and suddenly the pipes began to let their water go. “Fox, what's happening out there?” asked Krystal.

 

“Just keep going Krystal…” Fox told her, “They'll never stop us now.”

 

As more water began to pour in, the whole building began to rumble and quake as the machinery began to blow-up, and rocks began to tumble from the ceiling. “Fox, what's going on?” cried Krystal.

 

Fox gazed down below, “It's the pressure of all these pipelines. The water's coming in!” he shut the door and climbed back inside. “Good thing this car's far off the ground and keeping us out of the water.”

 

The base was flooding fast and the trembles and explosions were getting worse. “Krystal can't you get anymore speed? The water's gushing in faster than ever. This whole place is going to burst any minute.”

 

But Krystal shook her head, “It's no good Fox. This is maximum speed.”

 

The water was rising fast and beginning to break the base up faster than ever. Fox realized, “If this place blows, it's going to go up with one mighty big bang. We've got to warn the Earth-Walkers to get clear.”

 

…

 

Outside, the Earth-Walkers were most confused. “What ever is going on in there?” the Queen wondered, “First there's a whole salvage of rockets and then nothing.”

 

“I don't get it either…” said Tricky. “Fox must need help…”

 

His father agreed, but he pointed out one again there was little they could do as they couldn't fit in the shaft. “We shall just have to wait it out here until they come back.”

 

…

 

Back inside… the main control-room was almost flooded completely, and the creatures were all drowning. The angry leader kept shouting, “Sihjo kxuk nhoksxot Star-Fox! SIHJO KXUK NHOKSXOT STAR-FOX…!” (Curse that wretched Star-Fox! CURSE THAT WRETCHED STAR-FOX…!)

 

Suddenly he felt himself chocking under the water and slowly sink to the floor along with his men.

 

Fox and Krystal finally reached the end of the tracks, and were on their way to the elevator-shaft before the water would reach them. They made it outside just in time, and Tricky almost jumped on Fox again… “Tricky, No…!” Fox shouted. “We've got to get out of here!”

 

“But, Fox… are you alright?” asked King Earth-Walker.

 

“Not, now…” cried Krystal. “The entire oasis is going to burst any minute!”

 

Fox and Krystal leapt on the Earth-Walkers' backs, and they all took off as far away from the oasis as they could… and then… IT HAPPENED…!

 

The oasis burst wide open with a huge explosion, and the water instantly filled the hole once more. Also, the water supplies in all the regions of the planet were restoring themselves now that the base was destroyed.

 

…

 

As soon as the water stopped gushing, the King and Queen Earth-Walker extended their thanks to Fox and Krystal. “Because of you two, our mission has been a complete success.” The King said, “Our water sources have returned to what they once were, and our lives are no longer in danger.”

 

Fox and Krystal bowed to the King, and then decided to head back to the Great-Fox to make out their reports, but Fox promised to come back and visit like he always did. “Make sure you invite me to the wedding.” Tricky had to go for.

 

Fox blushed with shyness and embarrassment again. “Wedding…? But… we're… we're not yet… uh…?!?”

 

“You mean you haven't proposed to her yet?” Tricky joked some more.

 

Krystal fluttered her eyes at Fox, and giggled, making him feel so embarrassed that steam was shooting through his ears. “I thought I told you, no kids allowed.” Fox snapped.

 

“Fox…?!” snapped Tricky. “Knock it off with the kid thing.”

 

Everyone except for Fox shared a laugh.

 

Later on…

 

When Fox and Krystal returned to the ship and reported about what they saw, Slippy did some research into those evil creatures and determined that they were in fact a group of bandits from Aquis. “They were banished from the planet for their evil hocus-pocus with the water.”

 

It was a good thing to know that they wouldn't be causing anymore trouble. This meant we could continue on our mission to stop Andross. “By the way Fox…” Falco joked. “I received a message from Tricky.”

 

“Huh…?”

 

Falco snickered, and then said, “He said his parents said that if you wanted to… you and Krystal could get married in Thorntail-Hollow.”

 

Fox went numb again, and Krystal giggled girlishly. The rest of us shared a friendly laugh at Fox's reaction. “Is it that obvious…?” Fox though to himself.