Chapter Text
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*CRASH!!!*
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*SNORTS*
-no, no, no, no, no! NO! NO!-
Cries of denial echoed through the air as another bottle smashed against an already stained wall, adding to the hundreds of shards of glass on the floor, confirming that this was neither the third nor the fourth time the glass containers had suffered the wolf's attack.
Wolf, across the room, was now sitting with one of his hands resting on his forehead, his fur hiding the neurotically throbbing veins, signs of an impending migraine that he tried to suppress by pressing his head with his limbs. But that scenario was at least understandable if one knew the deplorable and decadent situation the wretched wolf was being forced into.
It was no wonder. A year and a bit had passed between the defeat of Andross and the Lylat Wars. Wolf and his team were left in a very complicated situation; they, along with "Star Wolf" itself, were labeled traitors and anarchists of the system. He admits he's never been a white-caped hero; he did horrible things to survive and get to where he is, and his record isn't even clean, but to be labeled a villain and anarchist of the system? They were simply mercenaries, mercenaries who had the misfortune of working on the losing side.
And that's what it was all about, with his bad name and the CSF on his tail every time he was spotted on their radar, he couldn't get any work.
And if they got one...
-THE DAMN STAR FOX SHOW UP TO SAVE THE DAY!!- he shouted, fed up, while stretching out his arms and angrily shaking his hands. He couldn't stand it, and how?! Didn't they have more cities to protect? Homeless people to feed? More military men and politicians to lick their boots and beg for their damn money? If this continued, their plan to establish an official station and base for their team would crumble into stardust...
A few months after the defeat of Andross, every person or entity that had been affiliated with the scientist or the planet Venom was hunted down, caught, and imprisoned by the Cornerian laws and military, the team had nowhere to hide and their options were running out. It was not when on one of their escapades, between Metéo and Solar, they found an old space station, one of the several abandoned stations from the time of the colonization of the system, and remained as living monuments of those times. when Wolf visualized the strategic position plus all the assets that the huge piece of metal possessed. such as; A natural defense and sustenance system, this being the own Metéo's belt, also adjusted far enough from Corneria and Venom, any threatening movement would strain the peace established between the two sides, which was already on the tightrope as such, the governments of those planets were on the limit in all aspects and no one would want to break that, no one could afford the luxury of starting another war. As another of its functions was to be an interplanetary habitat, the base had a maximum of 7,000 inhabitants. The technology was very crude, but more than enough for four criminals on the run from the military. Wolf hoped this would bring him a break, but rather than that, it sadly only brought him more work and trouble than he expected.
His vision was pleasantly shared with Leon, the chameleon trusted him and his abilities greatly, and he was the only one who respected his position and title as team leader. The problems were with the other two,firstly with Andrew who had his own goals with the station, thinking of turning it into HIS base in order to rekindle the hatred of the planet Venom and launch a counterattack. That idea soon became annoying and clashed with the wolf's interests. It was a stupid idea and basically suicide. Now that he had no further obligations or attachments to him...
You could say he kicked him out of the team and the station... literally.
When they had adjusted and limited the life supports to what they really needed, the other problem arose, Pigman. The pig's greed was a danger that although passive during the war, as with Andrew, now nothing would prevent the vile and sadistic monetary hunger of the porcine from ending with their neck in the hands of the highest bidder or in the worst case, the Cornerian army itself, adding that he already had an example of the limits of the greed of these scum... obviously the pig put up resistance as well as threats so that they would not evict him from the only stable refuge, but with the support of the chameleon they were able to expel him, Leon was cunning and "convinced" him in his style, something that the entire former team knew was the brutality and sadism equal to or worse than that of the pig, they were not empty words that you could take lightly, the latter being that; he had a large information network and would know immediately if he played a dirty trick on them. and if that were the case. That would be his last mistake...
Now, in the present his hands were almost tied, with his days numbered,Leon, with all the professionalism in the world, was searching for resources and any benefit among his network of contacts, with the danger of being discovered at any moment. the Cornerians tracked any connection and their informants spread like poisonous roots throughout the system and networks, looking for "enemies" like them. He spent all his time managing and searching for the best methods for the logistics of his resources, although he really used this as an excuse to give his Leader some space, trying with his newly developed empathy to be understandable, in his own way.
In Wolf's case, his time was divided into helping the chameleon in his own network of contacts and if he didn't do that, he would immerse himself in his misery and depression, reproaching himself for past events that he obviously couldn't change. If he wasn't drinking and throwing tantrums, like he was now, he'd kill himself training and exercising like a madman until he was out of breath. This happened on occasions when he tried to silence a peculiar thought, or perhaps a fact that was gnawing at him.
And even before the start of the war as such, he was already considered a threat to be considered, with his flying skills higher than any Ace from the best academies in the system, his innate talent made even the most experienced pilot, like James, stand on the edge... in several of their encounters the energy and emotions that were generated gave the pilots so much dopamine that the mere thought of meeting again made them excited, their skills were almost equal, with the audacity and daring of the younger wolf being what made the difference, all this considering the technological advantage of the ships and that, basically as a pilot, he was missing an eye.
So, considering all the facts above, how is it possible that, a brat who hadn't even finished his pilot training had been able to wipe the floor with him, not once, not twice, but THREE TIMES. (Not counting the fights after the war) Three humiliations that cost him very, very dearly, but how? What had he done wrong? Why had he previously beaten the star of the system, but now he couldn't beat that damn Fox McCloud?
There was a cloud of doubt on that subject, many "reasons," many "excuses," but none of the ideas or approaches fit his actions and their consequences. Had he been permissive with the fox because he was young? Did the fact that he was the last remaining of James' legacy trigger a guilt for being, well, basically an accomplice to his death, and that ended up having repercussions in his battles? No, none of that fit or felt like an answer, not a correct one. In fact, if he thought back, in his first encounter with Fox, his intentions were to accomplish his mission and... in simple terms, send the vulpine to sleep with the fishes. But no, after that encounter, and leaving his ship completely destroyed and with snow in places where light can't reach, something changed, or rather, his mentality changed, taking a 180° turn. And all because-
-Wolf, I have a report on recent events- Leon abruptly entered the bedroom where the wolf was, quickly bringing the lupine out of the introspection he was immersed in. -Excuse me, do I seem to be interrupting something? - said the chameleon, while taking a quick look at the entire scene, focusing between the wolf, still stunned, and his poor crystal victims on the floor.
-It's nothing you have to worry about. Tell me, tell me what's going on- Wolf said, standing up, closing the distance with the reptile while combing his messy mohawk. He would have much more time to deal with his tangled mind and his stupid ideas. -First of all, I need to know if you're in full mental capacity. What I have to tell you is quite complicated and serious, and I need your level of reasoning and decision-making at 100%. I'll wait for you at the "headquarters."- With that, he left the place. Wolf knew it was an excuse and had already begun to understand that, in a way, this was Leon's way of showing that he felt interest and cared about him...
After a quick shower to clear his head and throw on a change of clothes, the wolf arrived at his "headquarters," which was basically a decent-sized room stocked with monitors and screens. All of these modifications were made by the chameleon, combining elements from the station itself with materials from various sources. Wolf had wondered where he'd gotten all the equipment, but it was best not to question his partner's methods. The room was basically nothing more than an extension of Leon's work area, but it was more practical to analyze and gather information right here than to go to another room for formalities or old habits.
With a more neutral and composed mood, the wolf approached the chameleon, who was apparently absorbed in whatever he was doing, already standing to his side, Wolf crossed his arms and waited momentarily for his companion to pause or finish. -I'll assume you're in better shape- he spoke without directing his vision to the wolf, well, the chameleon could do it, but it was clearly focused on the screen in front of him, Wolf almost let out a sigh, but instead he dedicated himself to taking a cigar cartridge from his jacket, taking one and placing it in his mouth in a bland and relaxed manner, as soon as it made contact with the wolf's lips it automatically lit and the room slowly began to smell of tobacco and pine. He could swear that Leon gave him a disapproving look, but nothing came out of his mouth. -Tell me, what's so important that you need my full attention- he said, looking up in Leon's direction. The chameleon turned in his chair, and a digital file appeared between the two of them. It rose into the air and began to expand.
-I could give you all the latest news and a full report, but I'd rather focus on this topic alone. A few months ago, on a very private, highly anonymous job board/page on the Internet, a very… "peculiar" request appeared-. Wolf raised an eyebrow as he looked more "meticulously" at the documents, if "meticulous" means skipping large sections of the document at random. -At first glance it clearly seems like some kind of mockery, a joke if not a very obvious trap, but I've checked my networks and there are two things that don't fit- the wolf changed his expression as he changed position to read in more detail the requirements, clauses, schedules and methodology of the mission, to simplify: a kidnapping and hostage retention basically -First, the request seems to be original and reliable, as I said, I checked my networks and it doesn't seem like the site has been compromised or otherwise it would have already fallen and there would be a large number of reports of detainees and inmates by Corneria or its allies circulating- Wolf reached the end of the report where he opened his eye and almost dropped the cigar from the shock, where the mission has to be accepted and signed, on the adjacent side, was the remuneration, showing a number of more than 12 digits, not even Andross offered that amount of credits when he hired his services. With this information he slowly began to scroll back to get to the beginning of the report, honestly he had skipped it.
-And the second thing, and if I'm honest, it left me quite... intrigued...- said Leon after a rather noticeable pause. Something that would throw off even Leon Powalski himself? -Apparently, this "mission" only appears to us-. He's gaze intensified, as Wolf briefly gave him his own, while rereading the report in reverse. -It's as if... they basically have our location, our networks, our digital footprint... everything. And what makes me most bewildered, the mission itself is...- Wolf quickly turned to the digital document, skipping over everything that was missing and went back to the beginning, where the title and the description, which he had previously purposely ignored, had now made him throw his cigar out of his mouth, he began to sweat profusely and his red pupil began to tremble.
As a title, highlighted from the holographic document by the space and its white color, now in the room that felt an even darker and heavier atmosphere… In the damn title it said:
“Wanted: Hold and Deliver Fox McCloud”
followed in smaller print.
"Dead or Alive"
...
-Wolf?- his companion called. How long had he been staring at the ominous name of the unfortunate fox or the "Dead" written in the description? No idea, but enough to worry the chameleon.
-I... Shit... this is, this is pretty serious- he finally said, while glancing at the cigar he had discarded, stepping on it in the process. Leon only gave him an affirmative nod. -Now I need to know what we're going to do, it's something quite critical, literally if it only appears to us it means they have all the information they need to send us to hell. And it hurts my pride, knowing that whoever is in charge of this, has just jumped all the protective walls, Malware and Firewall that we had, that I, myself put in place...- he said the last thing tinged with a childish tone inappropriate for him and the atmosphere of the moment. But the wolf was still lost, it was a lot of information to digest or rather, this information was too shocking for him. First, who in the entire system (after Andross of course) would come up with such a stupid idea of wanting to have as a hostage, the guy they nicknamed "The One Man Army?" Just recognizing the fox's ability made his blood run hot. Man? It was rumored that he was a brat, if not less (although official information said otherwise), but the thought only made him angrier. This person really couldn't exist, and if he did... he had to fix this issue as soon as possible before it blew up in his face...And he was already fed up with the conditions he was "living" in now.
He stood up straight, still in his train of thought, and addressed Leon. -From everything you're telling me, this needs to be resolved right now. I'll contact my own intelligence network and we'll see who these clowns are. On the other hand, if this is real, and this entire mission is being offered primarily to us, we can't waste this opportunity, especially given the position we're in and how it could benefit us. But I can tell you one thing- he paused as he turned around and headed for the exit of the room. -If they think they can play with Wolf O'Donnell, these assholes are going to get their asses burned-. And with that, he left the room, leaving Leon alone. Leon just look at the hatch where the wolf had come out with surprise and a touch of admiration, then turned around and sighed inwardly, whispering to himself, he was finally seeing the wolf he knew once again.
...
After a day in which both explored their corresponding information networks and some recommended external sources that were trustworthy, they decided that the best option was to wait and see how the situation evolved, apparently this offer had been going on for a little over 3 Cornerian months, so discarding the fact that this/them were very cunning and were a threat, this really was a real mission, but there were many questions and doubts. Who the hell could they be? They were talking about an entity capable of offering triple if not quadruple the amount that Andross would ever have been able to offer and that amount was a fortune in itself... second, who in the system other than the incredibly absurd monetary power, would want the "Golden Boy" as the fox was absurdly nicknamed, dead? If Wolf swallowed his pride and bit his tongue, three times, he could see the benefit of having Fox as an ally. a pilot capable of almost single-handedly finishing off the opposing side (without taking away credit from his team, he supposes), and spin the advantages like it was game, he was basically an irreplaceable asset and an enemy to be feared. So who? With 5 functional neurons, especially of the allies and Corneria itself if applicable, could want to have McCloud out of the map? It was ridiculous, it didn't make sense and automatically ruled out that it was one of them, Wolf really didn't expect to have lost against enemies as imbeciles and incompetent as them if that really was the case. No, whoever it was, he was a third party in this system, an observer who saw the qualities and, therefore, the threats that the fox represented as such and wanted him out of the way.
But didn't someone with such goals represent an imminent threat to the system? And as such, didn't he also represent a threat to them and their barely established peace?
There were already too many questions for the wolf. With the situation clearer, the doubts would be answered one by one as this whole issue evolved. For the moment, the most appropriate thing was to wait a little longer in search of any change or sign. In the end, this would help Wolf finally make a decision, and that's what he needed most right now.
...
Two days had passed and together with Leon they had already analyzed and finally come to a decision, the offer was too good and they were in no position to reject or be fussy about it, in short, everything seemed in favor of carrying out that mission, in any case, they were already reaching a critical point and it was either make this decision or die of hunger or be executed by a military government.
-I'm making the final arrangements before formalizing and initiating a meeting with the contact assigned to the mission. Hmm, even the encrypted code is weird- Leon said, making the final preparations. If this were a trap, they wouldn't be caught that easily, no sir. So while Wolf interacted with the contact, Leon would monitor any changes or signals; such as the activation of Cornerian outposts, tracking signals, etc. Any tiny change, Leon would know immediately. Only an idiot would rush into danger without a plan in advance.
-Oh, by the way, after this meeting, someone is coming over that I want you to meet, and before you interrupt me and ask why I'm bringing him to the base just like that. I've known this person for a while and he's someone I trust, aside from the fact that he holds you in very high regard and is willing to offer his help- he said and then turned to monitor the screens, Wolf really hadn't planned on saying anything, he trusted his partner's judgment blindly to a certain extent, besides only having this next call in mind. He just hoped that this guest wasn't as eccentric as the chameleon...
“Well here we go,” the wolf thought as he adjusted himself at the head of the improvised meeting table. Whoever it was, this was business and he had to appear respectable to the other party, and he refused to appear in a deplorable state.
-I don't know how long it will take to answer or in what frequency this conversation will be- Leon said from across the room. -What do you mean?- Wolf said as he leaned back in his chair -I mean, we have no idea on which side of the cosmos our beloved contractors are. They could be on the nearest neighboring planet, or on the other side of the system at the aphelion of the farthest planet, Lylat knows where-. He said the last part with a roll of his eyes. Wolf didn't see it, but he could get the idea from the gesture. -Well, we'll find out now- He said as he reached for his pack of cigars.
While he was focused on that small task, the device placed in front of him to make this "call" began to beep and a projected image took place at the level of the man's head, while he searched for his lighter, unlike his cigars that lit automatically, the cigars he had now were rudimentary, but highly expensive and quality, a gift set from people who were dead, He set aside the thought, it was not time to think about the dead. After a while in which Wolf had already consumed a third of what he now thought was a waste of something so expensive and precious, he was almost sinking in his seat looking somewhere the hell knows, when the holographic screen in front of him darkened showing a profile with an encrypted code instead of a name or number, this added to Leon's call ahead showed that it was time.
-Finally- he said as he prepared his countenance for whatever was going to happen next, a few seconds passed until the device beeped and the word “Call online” was displayed.
To Wolf's surprise, the image didn't change. If he was hoping for a more "personal" conversation, it was obvious he wasn't going to get that result, and instead he'd have to talk to a microphone icon that lit up around the edges to indicate that the other person was talking. At least he hoped it was a real person, and the head of that entity that wanted his services, and not a subordinate or an AI.
-It's a pleasure to finally communicate with the Star Wolf team and especially with your leader, Mr. Wolf O'Donnell-. A voice spoke, interspersed with filters, apparently intended to avoid any hint or recognition of his voice, although not to the point of being unrecognizable. A detail of his voice caused the wolf to enter a catatonic state, not out of fear, but out of concern. His senses and instincts were highly alarmed by those traits that, between many quotation marks, he could recognize in the voice. The reason? Much more unknown than the voice itself.
-A pleasure. Who do I have the honor of speaking with today?-. He said, trying to pretend that the recent confusion hadn't happened, his gaze shifting to his black lighter with gold and silver details, as if the voice could see him somehow, although clearly that wasn't the case, or so he hoped.
-Who I am, or rather, who we are, is not one of the things that will concern you If we are going to make a contract, Mr. O'Donnell-. He said concisely, but without a hint of hostility. Wolf was stunned for only half a second before composing himself, both mentally and in his sitting posture.
-Excuse me, sir…-.
-Rain, Mr. Rain-.
-Of course, Mr. Rain, but you have to understand me, it is not in my methodology to work without knowing who I am providing my services to, nor for what purposes and goals its plan to achieve through my actions- he said in a relaxed manner, while lighting another cigar and receiving a fleeting glance from the other side of the room -Maybe you know, and it is probably public knowledge by now on, but the last time I carelessly accepted a job offer in that way, I ended up working for a dictator scientist, with ideals of grandeur and god complexes-.
The last thing he said with a laugh slightly bathed in cynicism. -It would be a great pleasure, both for me and my team, to know who we're dealing with, and I repeat, to know the purpose of this work-.
-We have no problem with what is requested in the contract if that is a concern of yours and requires secrecy. We have a long history of experience here and have never had problems working in circles outside the law-.
-But?-
-But for me, as a leader, I need the assurance that if we do engage in an employer-employee relationship, we can be confident that my team and I won't end upagain in the eye of the hurricane of a political war or any kind of shit" he said with a hint of exasperation.
It didn't take long for Wolf to realize he was standing, leaning with one hand on the desk in the room. He gently ran his hand over his mohawk; he'd have to trim it a bit when he had time. He sat back down, placing one leg on top of the other and leaning on one arm.
To his surprise, the voice didn't respond immediately, and a temporary silence fell over the room, long enough for Leon to turn around in his chair and look at the call device, checking that the call was still on.
When the wolf thought to check if the call was still connected, the voice spoke again, as if that short period had not passed.
-I clearly understand your concerns and worries, and this further reinforces that our choice in selecting you for this job was the right one. We need a team as skilled as it is cautious for the next operation-.
He just nodded his head in approval while crossing his arms.
-As a sign of our good faith towards his team, and in knowledge of your situation- and before he could finish his sentence, a notification arrived on his smart device at the same time that he displayed it in his neural link. Only to react abruptly again, standing up like lightning, throwing the chair away, Leon on the other side of the room soon reacted in a similar way, while practically breaking his neck to quickly look at the wolf with his eyes wide open.
The notice claimed that one of the phantom bank accounts had been used to deposit a crazy amount of money…
-THIS IS?! IT'S 16.67% OF THE CONTRACT AMOUNT!- said Leon shouting with excitement from the other side, Wolf only managed to clear his throat so as not to choke on his saliva from the shock.
-Indeed, as your colleague says, we are giving you a third of what would be the first payment or 50% for your services-.
-As you can see, once we finalize this contract, you will receive the other two parts of half of the payment, and at the same time, when they fulfill their services in what we have required, you will receive the rest of the payment, it's that simple-.
The wolf, who had remained silent, digesting the latest events and information, still couldn't shake off his stupor. Just like that, he or they had deposited what was equivalent to the salary of someone's lives 15 TIMES.
-...Just like that? Aren't you afraid that we will keep this money and disappear from the map? In our situation, nothing would stop us from doing something like that-. the wolf inquired, trying to prove a point, or get something more out of the person he was talking to, whatever it was.
-As you say, you could end the call right here, take the money and disappear, of course, it would be very easy, right?-. the voice spoke calmly or that could be interpreted -But I know that it is not something that is going to happen for several reasons: 1. You need the money, what we transfer is a trifle compared to the total amount of money you can get if you do things properly-.
Wolf looked at Leon and he simply gave him a “He's right” look.
-2. Related to the above, something tells me that a man like you has ambitions as big as his ferocity and tenacity, and those ambitions are not going to come out of nowhere, everything in this life moves and fluctuates for money-.
-And lastly, and most importantly, it's your pride, Mr. O'Donnell. I know that under no circumstances would you allow your name to be tarnished with the headline "Cowardly Pirate Runs Off With the Money" in front of the entire system. You're already "marked" as someone without nerve, capable of working with immoral and sadistic men-. He suppressed the urge to growl, but that didn't stop him from gritting his teeth with excessive force. -Apart from the fact that, from what I know, you're a man of your word, and honor is something very important to you, if I'm not mistaken, and I hope I'm not-.
Wolf finally just chose to relax and sigh.
-Why are you talking as if you know me? Is that the case? Because if that were the case, I'd like to know right now-. He said, narrowing his gaze at the glowing hologram as if it could look back at him. -Maybe, maybe not. The point is, it's not important. This is just a business deal, and we just want to know if you're willing to accept it and if you have the capabilities to accomplish this task, simple as that-.
-...-
After a moment Wolf just limits himself to giving a sideways smile and a short, clumsy laugh.
-Well, after such encouragement, both monetary and the obvious subtlety of putting my pride to the test, there's no choice but for Wolf O'Donnell to accept this job, and I guarantee the outcome will be highly gratifying for you, Leon! Come on, we need to adjust our methodologies,schedules, movements and all that shit for this great mission before us-.
He could swear he heard a small laugh on the call, but he would just let it pass, now with Leon at his side with his keyboard ready to type whatever they needed they waited.
-Then I'll take this as the contract being accepted, if that's the case. Let's begin-.
...
After an hour of deliberation, they finally finished discussing the mission at hand, and just as Mr. Rain had said, the other two parts of what would be the first payment were deposited. For both of them, it was a shock that continued to overwhelm them; they had enough money to disappear and live 10 times over without lifting a finger.
He couldn't believe it; his dream of owning his own space base was literally within reach. And not only that, they went from being on the brink of collapse to having more capital than some of the richest families in Corneria.
He laughed out loud as he offered the Chameleon an unusual smile. -This is the beginning of our Legacy and the beginning of a new chapter-. He said, wrapping his arm around the lizard's neck.
-And all thanks to the system's favorite fox-.Leon smiled maliciously, holding the signed digital contract in front of them with one hand. -Talk about killing two birds with one stone. We've earned a fortune, and we'll be rid of our biggest pebble in our shoes. Goodbye! good boy of the system! Goodbye, Star Fox!-.
He could have sworn that the image of a certain blue pheasant crossed his companion's mind, but he omitted any comment.
As they continued grinning like two idiots, Leon's smart device rang, he simply responded quickly and concisely, almost like a robot, Wolf could see how his face went from a cold and emotionless face to a more... less robotic look than the previous one, describing Leon was really complicated sometimes.
-Okay, I'll send you the code and coordinates, double-check that no one is following you, see you in 10-.
-Was who I think it was?- he asked with a little curiosity.
-Yes, it's the contact I told you about, he'll be arriving in about 10 minutes, so I'll go prepare the hangar and other things, I'll leave you, don't get carried away with your thoughts, I need you grounded-.
And with that, he left. the man stayed in the room, still overwhelmed with all the thoughts and recent events, the meeting, the money, the plans for the station, the mission itself, the fox…
His mind went in a spiral of thoughts as the chameleon had warned him not to do, so he shook his head, to return to reality only to realize that 8 minutes had already passed, he took a quick glance again at the digital contract, before, out of nowhere, his device began to beep.
-Yes?-. He manage to say.
-Wolf, I need you to come to the hangar, our guest is arriving…-.
-Is that the case? I'm on my way-.
And with that, he left the room. Moving through the dusty, unused corridors was a somewhat deplorable sight, but the thought that all of this was about to change soon revitalized the wolf's mindset. Although the station was almost completely inactive, due to save energy and resources, and the utmost discretion needed to avoid detection by unwanted guests. This would soon be Star Wolf's base, Wolf O'Donnell's base.
Upon reaching the hangar, he was greeted by large, thick windows that opened onto the vast cosmos beyond, surrounded by piles of abandoned scrap metal, trash, and long, fiberglass blankets covering the remains of equipment and abandoned ships, both maintenance and what he assumed were transport ships of the time, very crude and rough compared to the more compact and dynamic ships of today. All of these had already been inspected to determine their usefulness, but after a consensus, most were too obsolete to be used for their original purpose, a great waste. Perhaps selling them to a museum would be the best option, the wolf thought at some point.
Among all that heap, hidden were the Wolfens of the only inhabitants of the primitive station, he still wondered how this place had not already been inhabited by others, like them. But Leon's long explanation of how various skills were needed that ordinary mercenaries or any kind of criminal couldn't learn on their own, prevented these people from taking over the base. A point for them, the wolf thought.
As it moved closer to what was the hatch, a wall of magnetic shields and electric fields prevented the station's air from escaping into space, and only allowed certain authorized ships to enter. It glowed faintly, almost imperceptible, but it was there.
-I thought you weren't going to leave that room-.
The Chameleon said neutrally as, with a screen, he controlled and mediated data and adjustments of what Wolf assumed was the station's configuration, specifically the hatch a few steps in front of them.
-If I didn't greet my guests properly, I'd be a terrible boss, don't you think?-. And as he finished saying that, he could see, with his sharp eyes, something bright and tiny moving in the sky in their direction. Leon simply whispered to himself, "There it is," something that didn't go unnoticed by the wolf and his canine hearing.
As it approached, he could make out a black ship with white details, very stylized and clearly expensive. The closer he got, the more particularities he could make out, like the floral motifs, more specifically roses and their thorns that surrounded the wings and base of the ship. The ship gently crossed the threshold and slowly began to park, steps away from the two men.
Now that is was close, He could say with complete certainty, it was a beauty of engineering, a beautiful and fine ship, but not intended for war or combat, one could even say that it was an almost "sporty" model, if I could describe it roughly, it was clearly designed to be fast and dynamic more than anything, a ship to gloat and boast about...
-What kind of person are we dealing with?- Wolf said without taking his eyes off the front of the room.
-You'll see-.
And with that, the ship's hatch unzipped, allowing air to filter in. At that moment, a silhouette quickly jumped out of the ship and onto the almost dusty floor, raising some small specks that reflected the dim light with the action. A dark figure, almost the same height as he'd supposed, straightened up, displaying a countenance and personality almost never seen in mercenaries or in the circles the wolf moved in. This "person" simply ran his hand through the fur on his head and turned around to look at the two men who were watching him. With practiced movements, the man began to approach and with great eloquence addressed them.
-Finally, we meet again, my precious reptilian friend-. the man said in a deep voice, yet equally silky smooth and somewhat honeyed. -A pleasure the universe has given us I feel-. he said with an equally elegant smile.
-I hope I can say the same- Leon said, his typical serious expression unchanged.
The man turned his head towards the wolf who was looking at him with his arms crossed, and even before he could speak, the incredibly strong (and apparently expensive) fragrance of roses, citrus and sea breeze hit the nose of the man with the eye patch, he just tried to hide the gesture of his poor nose at that chemical bombardment, he hoped that his personality was not as eccentric as his perfume...
-Finally I have the pleasure of meeting the person of whom Leon does not have a negative opinion against him or bad intentions-. Said Wolf while uncrossing his arms and giving him a small, closed smile, this while directing a fleeting glance at the cold-blooded man at his side.
-Ohohoho~, believe me, the pleasure is completely mine, FINALLY~! I meet the famous Wolf O'Donnell, a man who does not leave behind the descriptions of ferocity and incredible bestiality both as a person and as a pilot I have heard and read~-.
And with a gesture, he offered his right hand as he bowed slightly, followed by a gentle flick of his tail and the sharpness of amber eyes that seemed to glow subtly in the slightly dark hangar…
-Who do I have the pleasure of meeting? Our dear friend, here, next to me has not given me the pleasure of learning the name of such a refined gentleman, who is here before me-. He said, also offering his right hand.
A laugh similar to a purr came from the lips of that feline as he looked slightly at the lizard with the tablet.
He again gave his full attention to the wolf and with an exaggerated gesture took the man's hand in front of him, offering a bow with his left arm behind his back.
-My name is Panther, Panther Caroso, I hope it will be a pleasure to work with you~…-
...