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Krystal and Chase: Hidden Threat

Part five: Return To Base

Krystal sighed. Once the sensors had picked up a friendly carrier, the vixen knew that the mission was just about over. Now, all she wanted was to get back to the Sauria outpost, get out of her armor, and take a warm bubble bath to forget this mission for a few sweet minutes. But she knew Hiigan would want a full debrief before she could do anything.

The vixen glanced over to her partner who was busy going over some files with Jennifer. After Sandy had reconnected the main systems, the AI had taken the liberty of finding out exactly what carrier was now the debris field around the outpost. Needless to say, the revelation was a relief to Chase and Krystal.

"It appears that the destroyed carrier we encountered was of Sev`fel origins." The AI had explained, "Most likely with several frigates or a medium sized battle cruiser. It is safe to say that they were completely destroyed shortly before the station fell under these new units."

"At least it wasn't one of ours then." Chase smirked.

Krystal could only nod in agreement as the wolf AI disappeared back into the pedestal. Now that they knew the Sev`fel hadn't be able to get down to the trading outpost below, the vixen felt better about their chances.

* * *

Meanwhile, the troops had separated. Shortly after their arrival, Jennifer had hooked onto their com signals, directing the troops to the elevator shaft where Chase and Krystal had reached the control deck from. While one squad went to investigate the dormitories, the other was to rendezvous with the Ronin team on the control deck.

The first team moved back to a corridor that split into two hallways. One led to the elevator, the other to the dormitories.

"Move down the left hallway approximately 10 meters." Jennifer instructed to their squad leader, "Then take another left to the dormitory entry hall. With any luck, the Ghosts will not notice your squad."

"Roger that, we're moving." The leader replied, giving a signal to his squad, "Stay tight, safeties off, and watch for friendlies."

The other four nodded, cocking their rifles.

* * *

The second squad was waiting now as the elevator doors opened. Luckily, the bots hadn't disabled the elevator car. But when the shredded doors opened, they revealed that the bots had torn a large hole in the bottom of the car.

"Must be how some of those sneaky buggers got in." a lynx said as he stepped in, "Think it'll still hold us, Sarge? I mean, there's got to be a stairwell around here somewhere right?"

"It'll hold." The sergeant replied after examining the hole, "Pile in squad. We've got a job to do."

After the last soldier stepped in, the sergeant pressed the button. After a second, the elevator rose.

* * *

After a minute, the doors opened on the second level. And to the surprise of the squad, instead of the robots to greet them, there were two foxes in mercenary armor and a hyena in a mechanic jumpsuit.

"Ronins. Good to see you're both still alive." The sergeant stated, "And I guess this is the survivor your AI called in about."

"Good to still be alive Sir. And yeah, this is Sandy." Chase replied, "Bring us any presents?"

The sergeant smirked and handed Chase three magazines of Stinger 9mm ammunition, "Your AI was also kind enough to inform us that you were low on ammunition."

Chase smirked back as Krystal took one, loading it into the base of the Stinger Chase had given her, "Good to know. You guys check the dorms yet?"

"Not yet, another squads down there. If they need any assistance, they'll call." The sergeant replied, "Let's get out of here."

As they re-boarded the elevator car, Krystal could only think, "At least no one got hurt this time. I guess I can call this one complete."

* * *

As Chase and Krystal were guided back to their Phoenix interceptors, the first squad had come across the dormitories. Their rifles swept across the steel door before them, the visors built into their helmets switching to thermal to pick up the heat signature of any Ghosts. Once they were sure the area was free of the robots, one of the soldiers popped the cover off of the keypad with the butt of his rifle. Due to the damage caused during the initial assault of the station, the power to some of the dormitory systems were still offline.

"You know, if those AI's are so smart, why didn't it just open the door itself?" a soldier asked as the first one worked on the keypad.

"She had to have been pulled before she could repower this sector." Their squad leader replied, "I guess the Ronins are being extracted with their survivor now. So let's get this door open already, Sykes."

Sykes nodded, crossing a couple of wires before the device sparked twice. As the soldier smirked, the doors opened. Stepping inside, another soldier pulled his rifle to his shoulder, making sure it was snug against his armor before moving in. Quickly, he glanced around the darkened area. He was about to give the 'all clear' when something caught his eye. He turned to his left just in time to see a glowing heat signature race towards him!

With a startled yelp, the soldier opened fire, the muzzle flash lighting up the darkened room as the bot before him revealed itself. It gave a loud wailing sound before it fell to his feet, oil leaking out of several bullet holes through its chest plating and head.

"Lights on!" the squad leader ordered.

Each soldier flipped on the flashlight under their gun. The pale beams of light shot around the room, checking for any sign of another Ghost. When they heard the sounds of footsteps, the soldiers took aim at a corner near the source.

The squad leader gave the signal to move up. Two of the soldiers did so, keeping their rifles leveled at the corner. But as they came around it, they found a Stinger handgun leveled at them, shaking in the unsteady hands of a technician.

"Put down the weapon." One of the soldiers ordered, "We're here to help."

The falcon complied, laying the Stinger on the ground and raising his hands in an 'I'm unarmed' gesture. When he did, the soldiers lowered theirs.

"Thank God someone came." The technician sighed, "We have to get out of here! Those things...they're everywhere. You just can't see them..."

"Don't worry, it's being taken care of." The other soldier replied, "Right now, we have orders to evac everyone in the outpost."

The falcon nodded in relief. Now that the soldiers were there to help, the nightmare was over. He knew that once everyone was evacuated, more troops would be sent to clean up the remainder of the invisible bots that had first assaulted the outpost only hours ago.

* * *

After they had reached the hangar, Chase and Krystal were climbing back into their Phoenixes. The soldiers were headed back in to the outpost to help escort the remaining survivors and protect them from the Ghosts, but Sandy had been secured in the drop ship with the sergeant.

"You two sure you don't want to stick around longer?" the sergeant asked with a smirk, "We don't need you, but it'd be nice to have someone to watch over the ships."

"Nah, we've got to report back to Hiigan." Chase replied with a chuckle, "Besides, You've got another transport with the clean-up crew on the way right?"

"Good point." The soldier replied, "Alright, get out of here you two. And make sure someone notes those new bots. Last thing we need is to be caught with our pants down again like this."

Chase nodded and plugged Jennifer into the ships main console. Once he had, the wolf girl AI appeared on his HUD.

"Good to be home." She stated pleasantly, "I took a lot of data from the main terminals for our techs to look over as well as a full mission log. With luck, we will be able to prevent those Ghosts from catching us unaware again."

"Sounds good." Chase smirked, "Ready to go home Krystal?"

"Yeah, I am." The vixen replied with a laugh, "And I've got dibs on the first bath."

Chase smiled to himself, "Can't argue with dibs. It's yours."

After a quick systems check, the two Phoenixes rose off the ground, their engines giving the soft roar as their thrusters powered up. After a wave goodbye, the two shot out of the hangar, clearing the debris field before their interceptors were covered in a white glow. Within seconds, they were gone.

* * *

"For once, I am actually very proud of how you two handled yourselves." The human said, looking down at the lush, blue and green planet below the station, "Despite your difficulties, you completed your mission and have prevented the Sev`fel from being able to capture the trading colony below. Another set of troops is purging the outpost of these 'Ghosts' as we speak."

"You're actually praising us Hiigan?" Chase asked, his ears perked curiously, "Well, this is a first."

Hiigan looked to the two foxes sitting on the opposite side of the table, "Call it what you will. But I do recommend that you exercise more caution on your next mission. If you had not been able to secure yourselves inside the command deck, both of you would have most certainly been killed."

"We will." Krystal said quickly before Chase could open his mouth, "Don't worry Hiigan, we will be more cautious next time."

Hiigan looked at them for a minute, then turned away. Both foxes knew he was saying they were free to go. But as they stood up, Hiigan turned back.

"Ronin, I would like to talk with you alone for a minute." The human said.

"Meet you back in the room." Chase said to Krystal before turning to Hiigan, "What about?"

Once the door had slid closed, Hiigan placed a hand on the table, "You and I both realize that your partner was not at her full potential during this mission."

Chase sighed, "I know...it's my fault Hiigan. I should have done something to reassure her early on."

"And the fact that you once again ran out of ammunition with no close ranged combat weapon also proves that you are only getting more reckless." Hiigan stated, "Her nervousness I can understand after having lost you once and being captured on Sauria. Many of the attempts to remove the spirit from her body were hard on her both physically and mentally. I am afraid that her natural fear of darkness has only grown from those experiences."

Hiigan turned to look down on the lush green planet below, "But that is not what I wish to discuss with you."

Chase looked at Hiigan, folding his arms, "Alright, then what is it."

Hiigan looked back at him, the same deadly expression he usually has in his eyes, "I want you to begin to train in hand-to-hand combat once again. You partner is already quite skilled with it, but you need work."

"What?!" Chase asked in shock, "Oh no. No way am I going to fight those things hand-to-hand when I can't even see those Ghosts."

"It is not just Ghosts you are up against Ronin." Hiigan said, "You have seen how effective a blade is against a Reaper unit when Kunoichi was sent in to assist you during the Stone Ghost Colony mission."

Chase sighed. He knew it was true. During that mission, Bianca had not only taken out a good portion of the Sev`fel robots known as Reapers, but had proven a very valuable partner during the fighting. If she hadn't shown up when she had, it was possible that he and Krystal would have been killed by the overwhelming number of Reapers.

"We have a special weapon in development for you." Hiigan said, looking away again, "A special type of blade that is not only easy to carry, but is also very effective at hand-to-hand combat. Tomorrow afternoon, I want you to meet with Kunoich and begin training with these blades. With her guidance, I do not believe that you will become as adapt with them as you are with your handguns, but hopefully it will be enough to make you a formidable foe in combat."

Chase nodded, "Fine. I guess I can train with her for a bit."

Hiigan nodded, "Good, I will inform her of her new trainee. I want you two to train whenever it is possible. Perhaps you will strengthen your skills yet Ronin. You are free to go."

Chase nodded and walked out. But as he did, the fox knew well that the battle would only get worse from here on out. Chase could only hope he could protect the last thing he held dear.