StarFox Fan Fiction ❯ Star Fox Recruits ❯ Time Troubles: Part two ( Chapter 16 )

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

 

The next day, a gaggle of men armed with their guns were gathered outside the house of the neighborhood watchman. An old army veteran farmer; Captain Joseph Craigmire…. “All right men… let's show some stance here.” He ordered his vigilantes as they all fell in line.

 

He did an inspection on some of their guns, “Now when was the last time you boys cleaned out your pieces?” he grunted.

 

He decided to overlook the guns, and then began to pace back and forth down the line of men as he delivered his speech. “Say, Captain… when do we stop all this?” asked a teenage farm-boy.

 

Craigmire informed him, “We don't stop until the enemy is beaten and imprisoned.”

 

“Now men… when I was in the services I said to myself, Joseph Craigmire, you fight like you've never fought before and don't take any guff from them Yankees.”

 

“In life, a man only gets one chance to be a hero… but we have another chance!”

 

“Well I showed them… and I won us our freedom here in Manatou… but we're not fighting for just our freedom. No sir! Men, what we're fighting for is our safety. The protection of our own kin... We'll show them Voltones whose superior around here!”

 

His men all cheered, but the moment was soon interrupted as Harley and Rover drove by. “Yo' Joe… Joe!” Rover cried.

 

“It's Captain Craigmire.” he corrected him. “Now what's all the fuss?”

 

Rover and Harley told him about their encounter with the people from the ship. “They may look like us, and talk like us… but they don't fool us.” snapped Rover. “They even got this… this large fella. Like a… er… an over sized tin-can that shot at us.”

 

Craigmire had heard enough, and was now open to any suggestions on what to do about the enemy. That's when the farm-boy had an idea, “Maybe we can try and lure `em out. Maybe knock out their circuits with pipe-wrenches!”

 

Craigmire liked the idea, and then ordered his men to scatter themselves around the areas and capture each creature from the ship and bring them back alive. Hearing their orders, all the men set off…

 

Meanwhile…

 

Repairs to the Great-Fox were nearing completion, but still around a few hours of work. Fox and the others couldn't wait to get off of this planet and back to the Lylat-System…

 

Donny, Erin, and I couldn't wait either, but we were still having it kind of hard having our hopes and dreams dashed; coming back to Earth and realize that it wasn't our world, and we'd have to leave it behind again.

 

Now that she thought about it, Krystal was also feeling a little upset, as she had always wanted to see our planet up close in person. Fox could tell his Fiancée would appreciate a short trip out there. “Pst, hey Donny, Erin…” Fox suggested. “Maybe you guys could take out there for a few minutes.”

 

Krystal's eyes lit up. “Fox…?”

 

Donny and Erin thought it over. “It's okay with me…” I said, “Just make sure you guys stay close to the ship, and at the first sign of trouble, come back at once.”

 

Donny and Erin couldn't say no. Krystal pecked Fox and me each on the cheek before she and the others set off. “I just hope they know what they're doing out there…” Fox said.

 

“To be honest Fox… so do I...” I said.

 

…

 

Donny and Erin saw an apple orchard and decided to take Krystal apple-picking. Krystal was so excited she almost dashed out of sight without them. Little did they realize that there were men scattered about the area just waiting for the right moment…

 

As Donny was off on the far end of the orchard snacking on a ripe red apple, from out of the bushes and behind the trees, two men grabbed Donny and held his mouth shut so he couldn't scream or defend himself. “All right… get him out of here.”

 

The girls were far too busy on the other side of the orchard to notice anything to help him.

 

…

 

The next thing Donny knew, he was stripped of his weapons and communicator, which lay in a pile on the other side of a barn-room where he was being held prisoner by ropes tied round his arms and legs.

 

Just then, the door to the barn opened, and an eight-year old girl in a barn-dress walked in. “You can come closer if you want… I'm not going to hurt you.” he said to the girl.

 

The girl, whose name was Tracy Craigmire, the daughter of Captain Craigmire, moved in closer, “I'm not supposed to be in here, but I couldn't resist taking a peak.” she said. “You don't look so dangerous.”

 

Donny raised an eyebrow, “I'm not dangerous… why would I be?”

 

“But you're Voltones.” replied Tracy. “Voltones can assume any shape they'd like. They can even speak our language. That's what Mr. Rover told my father.”

 

Donny shook his head, “Well Rover and your father are wrong… I'm a human, just like you are. I was born here on Earth. The only problem is… we got here in the wrong time era.”

 

Tracy just turned the other way. “I'm sorry, but I can't believe a word you say.” She said, “Golly, you sure act awfully human… even though you aren't.”

 

“But I am human… I AM…!” Donny snarled, but all he did was frighten her away. “Man… what's the use?”

 

Meanwhile…

 

Krystal and Erin's apple-baskets were full as they began to walk past the saw-mill on their way to the ship. “Have you seen Donny anywhere…?” Krystal asked.

 

“Well if I know Donny, he's probably still stuffing his face silly with these apples.” Erin joked, and then suddenly she was lassoed by the farm-boy. “AAH…!”

 

“Erin!” cried Krystal. Erin urged Krystal to run and get help.

 

The farm-boy grabbed his wrench ready to bash Erin's head, when he stopped, “Hey… you're a girl.” he said in disbelief.

 

“What did you think I was some sort of a zombie?” snapped Erin.

 

“Well… aren't you?”

 

Erin couldn't believe how idiotic this guy was acting towards her. Then the boy looked into her basket, “Apples. Now don't tell me you Voltones eat those too?”

 

Erin sighed, “I'm not a Voltone… none of us are.”

 

…

 

The repairs were almost finished, but the rest of the crew hadn't returned yet. “Did you try calling them?” Peppy asked.

 

“I'm already trying…” I said, “Donny's not answering for some reason.”

 

Just then, Krystal rushed into the control-room. “Guys…! Guys!” she shrieked, “They've got Erin! She's outside…”

 

Fox and I rushed outside with our weapons at the ready. “Heh…! Kids… you just can't keep an eye on them these days…” he joked, but he looked up and saw the others staring gruesomely at him. “What…?

 

…

 

Back outside, Erin and the farm-boy were snacking on the apples Erin had. “Boy, these are good… where'd you get them?” he asked her.

 

“Over there in the orchard…” Erin asked.

 

“Heh…! Well you're lucky old man Patterson did catch you.”

 

“Really…? Is it any different than being caught by you?” Erin asked, “Come on… you know I'm telling the truth, please let me go.”

 

The farm-boy shook his head, “I have orders to bring you in alive…” then he turned around and grabbed his wrench, “But if you cause me any trouble, I'll--”

 

“All right, drop it!” Fox snarled as he leapt over the crate posing his blaster at him. “I said drop it…!” the boy dropped his wrench, and his eyes widened at the sight of Fox. “Awe man…!”

 

I came round with my staff ready, “You better not have hurt my sister, Dude.” I growled at him. “What? You're her brother?”

 

“Yes… I'm also the brother of a boy named Donny McClain. Do you know where he is?”

 

The boy shook his head, “No… my orders were to come out here and try and capture you all one at a time, but I did hear word that some of our boys got one of your crew.”

 

That clenched it, Donny had been captured. “Is there anyone else in the area?” Fox asked. “You better answer me…”

 

The boy stuttered a little, “Uh… some… scattered about.”

 

I grabbed the boy by the collar, “Now you listen up…” I said deeply, “How we got here isn't important. You wouldn't understand anyway… but we're leaving here at 3 pm and I want my brother back when I leave.”

 

“So I'm going to give you just one hour to get him back here… or we're coming into town with weapons a lot more powerful than these and there won't be much left standing when we leave.”

 

“One hour, Dude!”

 

The boy ran off as if he had just met the grim-reaper. “Don't you think you overdid it a bit?” Erin asked.

 

“Are you kidding…? I don't think I was tough enough.”

 

Meanwhile…

 

Donny's arms were untied as Tracy had come and fed him a sandwich and a glass of milk. Her father said it was okay, but Stacy still sure whether or not to believe Donny's stories.

 

“I still don't understand how you say you're from Earth, but this isn't where you come from.”

 

Donny decided to try another approach and handed her a small jewel he got from Titania, “That's another planet we explored…” he explained. “Now a little over a year ago… my siblings and I were caught in a warp-vortex.”

 

“A year ago…?” Tracy asked sounding confused.

 

“Oh… well I guess to you that'll be about a-hundred years in the future.”

 

Tracy then began to look sad about something, “Well… if I do believe you, and you are telling the truth, we could never meet… at least not for real.”

 

Donny knew she had a point. While even still he did think it would be tempting to stay, it still wasn't a good idea.

 

Living in a country where you aren't known… where there is no record of your birth… or even the very technology that we need to survive from our own time hadn't been invented yet. The answer had to be No. This was Earth, but Donny knew he didn't belong in this age, and neither did Erin nor I, but he let Tracy keep the jewel, “That'll prove that we met.”

 

“I hate to have to do this, but I have to tie you up again.” Tracy said. Donny didn't seem to mind, “You're just obeying orders.”

 

Meanwhile…

 

Outside… her father, Craigmire, had just met up with the farm-boy outside his house. “Captain… we got trouble.” he panted. “You got one of their kin here…?”

 

“Well we got one of `em under arrest if that's what you mean.” Craigmire answered. The boy explained to him what would happen if Donny wasn't released. “If they don't get their friend back their going to blow Manatou Junction right off the face of the globe. They told me themselves.”

 

Craigmire was outraged, “All right you listen here.” he said sternly yet proudly. “You go rally up as many of the troops as ya' can… I'm going to get my old war cannon. Our mission; target the enemy-ship.”

 

“Yes, sir!” cried the boy and he ran off leaving Craigmire more than determined to destroy the spaceship and take us all as prisoners. “No Voltone creatures are going to mess around in my town.”

 

Meanwhile…

 

All of us were just sitting on the ramp waiting for the time I gave to pass. “How much longer now…?” Slippy asked.

 

I check my communicator-timer, “About two minutes. They should be along any minute now.”

 

We then heard the sound of men marching along and singing “When the Saints go marching in” and they also seemed to be pushing a large cannon and a wheelbarrow full of cannonballs with them.

 

“Oh no… now what are they up to?” Fox groaned.

 

Craigmire ordered his men “HALT…!” and then poised the cannon so it was aiming directly at the ship. “All right you Voltones, now here this…” he called at us. “You invadein' varmints… this here's an ultimatum. You got five minutes to get off of that there blimp, and give yourselves up… if you ain't out by then… you, and that blimp are going sky-high.”

 

He walked back to his men, and loaded the cannon ready to fire, but the rest of us weren't even fazed. “He's gone completely nuts.” Falco said. “Should we evacuate…?”

 

“Are you kidding…?” Fox said, and we all headed back inside.

 

“Hey Captain… they've gone back inside.” said the farm-boy. “What do you think they're up to?”

 

“Well er… perhaps they're getting ready to give in?” Craigmire said…

 

Suddenly, my voice was heard over the ship's loud-speaker. “Now listen, all you out there…” I told the men, “Listen to what I have to say.”

 

“Now whatever stories you may have heard about us, not all of it is true. Some of us are aliens, but they are not hostile. As for the rest of us… we are not aliens or anything else you claim we are to be…”

 

“We are citizens of the United-States just as the rest of you are. Now if you still find that hard to believe… then maybe this can help clear things up…”

 

“It wasn't until the year 1969 that United-States first landed a man on The Moon. Now that's roughly twenty years from now in your time… but eighty years ago in our time…”

 

The men didn't buy it for an instant, and their ultimatum stood.

 

Meanwhile…

 

Donny struggled, and managed to hp up onto his feet. He hopped over towards his weapons, and managed to shoot his blaster through he ropes that held his arms together. He freed his leg, and re-gathered all his things, but just as he was about to head out the door, he ran into Tracy…

 

“Hey!” she cried, “How'd you get out?”

 

To Donny, that wasn't important anymore, “I'm heading for the Great-Fox, and even you can't stop Me.” he gazed past her outside, “Where is everyone anyway?”

 

Tracy told him about her father's plan about the cannon, “Their mission was, Target the enemy-ship.”

 

Donny's shades nearly fell off, “Dude… they can't do that. I got to get back there and help them.”

 

Tracy hated to see him so worried so she actually allowed him to go. She even offered to tag along with him as a pretend hostage so the vigilantes patrolling the streets couldn't grab him and try to throw him back.

 

Meanwhile…

 

Andross' minions had finished designing the laser-projector they needed to close the wormhole. “Good… begin the sealing.” Andross ordered.

 

The beam was launched, but it would take a little while to reach its destination and close the wormhole. “I don't care about that… just as long as it seals. Then those wretched scoundrels will out of my misery… forever. Heh, heh, heh…”

 

…

 

We still hadn't evacuated the ship, and the men outside had finally lost their patience. “All right… we warned ya' all.” Craigmire shouted. “Get ready boys…!”

 

They loaded the cannon, and threw in the gun-powder. “Get ready… aim…!”

 

“Wait! Stop! Don't shoot!” called a voice.

 

All the men turned, and those of us on the ship gazed through the view-port. “It's Donny…!” cried Erin.

 

“Tracy! What are you doing here…?” Craigmire snapped at his daughter.

 

“You can't blow up their ship, Daddy. It's their only way to get home.” she cried.

 

Craigmire didn't know what to think, “I don't what lies you've been told young-lady, but I think you better get on home right now.”

 

“Captain…! He's getting away!” cried the farm-boy. The men had completely taken their eyes off Donny, and he was already halfway up the ramp. He stopped at the last moment to say thank you to Tracy before getting inside and closing the ramp.

 

“Well don't just stand there… shoot at them.” Craigmire shouted.

 

The men fired their guns and the cannon as fast as they could, but they didn't even put so much as an ash on the ship.

 

Donny was sure given quite the welcome as the engines roared to life and the ship took off into the skies. “Do you really think we're doing the right thing…?” Erin asked. “Leaving our home planet behind again…?”

 

Fox looked at her and smiled, “Let's just say… we came here, and when we realized we weren't welcome… we left.”

 

Soon we were back in space and we were on a direct course towards the wormhole. “Hey…” Krystal said. “Look what's happening…!”

 

We all looked out and could see the hole was growing smaller and smaller by the minute. “It's… It's closing!” cried Peppy. “We've got to hurry or we'll be stuck here!”

 

We all took our positions and forwarded as much power to the engines as much as we could. The ship began to pick up speed, and we just barley managed to make it as the hole sealed from behind…

 

…

 

Too bad Andross was able to see everything, “Star-Fox, and the X-Team!” he growled. “Blast them!”

 

While he did fail to seal us off from this dimension, but he did gain something more from it. Not only had he sealed the wormhole, but he also gained its energy for his power-core. By now, the levels were nearing eighty-percent…

 

Andross simply smiled wickedly. “Perhaps all is not at such a complete waste after-all.”

 

…

 

As for us… we finally got in touch with General-Pepper and confirmed all that what happened to us, “At least its good to know you're all back, and in one piece.” he said to us, “Return to base at once… there's a welcome home banquet waiting for you. Pepper out…” and he was gone.

 

Slippy licked his lips happily. “Mmm-mm… I hope they just got enough food. I'm so hungry I could eat them out of business.”

 

“Hey… not without us you're not.” added Fox.

 

He and his team shared a laugh, but then they noticed that I and my team were at the view-port staring off into space. “Uh… guys…” Fox called to us.

 

Krystal motioned for him to let us be, but we turned and responded, “We were just thinking how strange it was to have been so close to our world and yet still so far.” Erin said.

 

The others knew how we felt, “You guy's going to be okay…?” Falco asked.

 

We all gave him the “So-So” expression. Even though we still missed Earth, and the Lylat-system wasn't really our world… it still felt good to be home.