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Star Fox: Earthborn
1st Installment

Chapter 3: Training Begins
Time: 1st day of training, 3 months after events on planet Sauria

It was half past eight and the small alarm clock woke David up, although he felt as if he were still in a dream. Stars weren't sliding by anymore, but instead the Great Fox command vessel was moving at a steady pace. Outside his window David could see a blue planet, very similar to Earth, being brightened by a swift sunrise. Apparently, he had slept through the ending of the hyperjump.

"We must be in the Lylat System already. Damn, I would've liked to see the arrival."

David assumed it was morning by looking to his clock, because naturally there was no daylight to tell him a new day had started. Space certainly had no sense of time, but David sure hoped that space had to offer some breakfast. He had decided that he wanted to show his good intentions by trying to beat the team to the common room, so he quickly put on his clothes and silently stepped out of his room to not wake someone else up. But as he approached the common room, he could hear by the sounds of conversation that his attempt at being the first one up had already failed. As David stepped closer, he noticed that Krystal and Fox were talking about him.

"…and I've got this new idea to train him, thought it up over night" he could hear Fox saying. Krystal sounded less enthusiastic. She almost laughed at Fox's words.

"So you really think he can be one of us?"

"We'll find out, won't we" Fox said.

"I still can't see why you decided to take him in" Krystal said. She was clearly still as upset as she was the day before.

"Look, I won't discuss this anymore" Fox said firmly. "There wasn't much time to ask you guys, I saw potential in him and I had to act quickly. He's going into training, period."

Krystal wanted to say something back, but when she saw David stepping into the room, she just gave Fox a look and walked over to the small kitchen to make herself some breakfast.

"Good morning David. Sit down, we were just talking about you" Fox said.

"So I heard…"

"You're up early. Did you want to start training all by yourself?"

"Almost Fox, but then I decided to eat first" David laughed.

Meanwhile, Krystal also sat herself down at the table with a small bowl of cereals and milk. She didn't give David as much as a look but instead she turned her attention to Peppy, who just entered the room.

"Good morning Peppy. Did you get some sleep?" she asked friendly.

"Not as much as I would have liked" he answered. "Oh Fox, I contacted General Pepper as soon as we got back and told him we had some problems but that we collected the required information, which is already transferred to the Space Research Facility."

"Problems, yeah right. I'll debrief the General and collect our fee after breakfast" Fox said.

"Now that sounds good" Falco said as he joined his teammates. "Are you going to tell him about our new boy wonder?"

Despite the sarcasm that almost dripped off of Falco's words, Fox took the matter quite seriously. It wasn't really a part of Fox's plan to tell the General about their new trainee just now. First of all because there wasn't any complete certainty that David was there to stay. And General Pepper would likely receive a detailed report from the Space Research Facility on his desk any time now. That report would probably not speak highly of the humans on planet Earth, not to mention that humans were responsible for the loss of an Arwing. Conclusion: it seemed better to wait for a proper moment.

"Jeez, what is taking Slippy so long" Peppy said. "I bet you want to tell us how you want to train the new one over there, is it not Fox?"

"When we're all here I'll tell you what I have in mind Peppy."

At nine 'o clock sharp, Slippy joined the rest of the crew in the common room. When everyone had something to eat, Fox began telling his plan to train David.

"Alright David, listen up. There are a few things you need to know about being a member of the Star Fox team. First: we aren't regular soldiers, we are mercenaries. That means that we are ace pilots, private security contractors, commandoes, scouts and peacekeepers at the same time."

"A.K.A. badass dealers of death" Falco said.

"And so, we earn our daily loaf of bread by getting paid to do the jobs that get the normal guy killed, ranging from protecting an interplanetary convoy to being hired by the Cornerian Military. Understand that we do have a moral code: we fight evil wherever we can.
Second: we must be able to depend on each other, so I won't take Lone Wolf stuff in this team. As long as you are with us, you'll care for the one next to you.
Last but not least: members of Star Fox never give up. We are the best, so if we run into a tough job we'll improvise, adapt and overcome. And remember one thing: I wasn't just being generous to bring you with us. I see potential in you, so try not to disappoint me. Do you understand this, David?"

"Yes Fox, I understand. I won't let you guys down" he said faithfully.

"You can only say that you didn't let us down when you're an actual member" Peppy remarked.

"Good" Fox continued, "You'll begin with Basic Training. It will build up your body, teach you some of the required skills and eventually prepare you for the next phase. All of us will participate in training you. You will be ready when we say you are, but my goal is to mold you into shape in ten weeks."

According to Fox's new plan every member had their own part in David's training. Falco and Fox himself would take David through cardio and physical improvement in the gym. Slippy would make sure that David would be fully capable of using Cornerian technology and Peppy would teach him about the Lylat System, its history and the fundamentals of military communication.

Krystal was placed in charge over David's self defense workouts. The second after she heard this, she immediately refused and started protesting.

"No, wait! Fox, you can't make me do this! You know how I feel about-" she uttered.

"Damn it, you don't even know him! You'd do good to spend time with him" Fox said irritated.

"Krystal, please. Please just give me a chance to proof myself" David interfered.

"Shut it!" Krystal said back to him angrily. Then she took a deep breath, sighed and turned her attention to Fox again. "Fox, I know that you're not going to agree with me whatever I say, so I'll do it. But don't expect me to go all friendly with him!"

She stood up and walked out of the common room. As she passed David, she looked at him briefly. When she did, David could hear her voice inside his head…

"You don't belong here, human. I'm going to prove that. And don't worry: I won't hurt you. Not that much…"

David thought he'd gone crazy. He gazed at Krystal while she walked away. "I heard her, in my head…" he said in total disbelief.

"Hah, so she still does that. She's one of a kind isn't she" Fox said casually.

"But Fox, I just heard her voice in my head! Is she some kind of psychic?" David uttered.

"Yes, she actually is the team's telepath. Now I come to think of it, I haven't seen much telepathy from her lately…"

"Maybe all that 'humans are evil' stuff got to her." David remarked sarcastically.

"Now listen here, Krystal wasn't always like she's now. I know her for about three months and she's changed a lot in the weeks after she first stepped aboard this ship. When I first met her, she was one of the nicest people I'd ever met. Besides Lucy, of course."

"Lucy? Who's that?" David asked.

"That's a story for another time" Fox said while winking to Peppy. "Listen up David, as soon as we finish breakfast, you'll follow ROB to the medical bay. He'll run a full medical check and get your measurements for your own PT gear and combat uniforms. You're beginning your training immediately."

..

The next two weeks were like a living hell for David. On that first day, he was intentionally exhausted by Fox and Falco to see what his limits were. And both of them weren't impressed, according to Falco's cynic laughter. Besides Krystal, Falco was the one who had almost no faith in him. There was no doubt: David had to proof himself here before he could even wish to become a member of Star Fox.

So it kept on going, for days on straight. Being woken up, a timed breakfast, working out until every muscle in his body was sore, followed by a freezing cold shower and a small lunch. After that he reported to either Slippy or Peppy for lessons. His self defense workouts would have to wait until he improved his body a bit. David quickly found out that the only moments of rest were when he was eating or when he was sleeping. Both these things could only be done with permission from Fox.

During those first weeks of David's training, Krystal kept herself on the background, only seeing him during the team's common meals and meetings. She didn't want to have anything to do with whatever he was up to. She spent much time in her room or in the flight simulator, just to point her mind on other things. For no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't get David out of her head. She tried not to think about the entire situation as that would just depress her, and she already had enough reason to be depressed: nothing had gone like she had hoped it would. She had no answers, no vengeance, no certainties. The only certainty she had was that soon she would have to face a day that had once been a day of joy and happiness…

..

Thirteen days had passed. Thirteen long and agonizing days: not only for David but for Krystal as well. In the morning of the fourteenth day, while sitting at the breakfast table with the team, David noticed that Krystal looked more bitter than normal. He couldn't hide his curiosity any longer and decided to ask. He couldn't have known that it was a 'special' day for her.

"Krystal, what's going on? Is there something wrong?" he asked her gently.

Krystal didn't answer, as if she hadn't heard his question. She poked around in her cereals with a blank expression on her face. David repeated his question softly and this time, Krystal did answer.

"Today is my birthday…" Krystal said with a small voice. "I've turned twenty…"

In her emotions, she completely forgot her anger towards David. Before he could even respond, Slippy interfered.

"Wait, it's your birthday today? And you didn't even tell us!" he yelled. "Then why aren't we having a party?"

Krystal looked down to the table. "I haven't celebrated my birthday since... Well, you know. It's supposed to be a happy day, but not for me…"

No one knew what to say, the sight of Krystal being so sad was hard to look upon. To break the silence and the depressing mood, Peppy stood up and raised his glass. Soon after, the rest of the team followed. Congratulating her would've been wrong but this gesture of silent understanding was good enough.

"Krystal, is there anything you want for your birthday?" Fox asked after a while. As soon as he had asked he regretted it, for he could have known what Krystal was going to say.

"Yes, actually there is" she said. "And I've been thinking about it a long time. What I would really want is to again go after the ones responsible for the deaths of everyone I loved, to finally get my answers. This team has the resources to continue where I stopped! I know that I asked for this before, but could we do that?"

Fox saw this coming. The first time she had asked him this, he saw nothing in her plan, which would probably take them all across the Lylat System and beyond. Not to mention the costs and the possibility of a long time of zero profit. He just couldn't commit the team entirely to such a task and Krystal already knew that. It was useless for her to ask it again, for Fox still saw nothing in her ambitious plan.

David noticed Fox's doubts. After what Fox had told him one evening about what happened in Krystal's past, he wanted to help her out. According to him, she deserved answers for what had happened, no matter what it would take. Although he didn't feel like he had any right of speech, he stood up none the less.

"Fox, I'm with Krystal on this one" he said. "According to what you told me about her past, I say it's the least that we can do for her. If it would make her happy, then let's do it!"

"Shut up human! I don't need your help!" Krystal furiously said to David.

"Krystal, come on… I-" David tried to reply.

"Why do I bloody have to repeat myself? I don't need anything from you!"

"Okay enough! Christ, just let me help you, even if it's just this once!" David said back to her firmly. Krystal was surprised by David's sudden outbreak, so he took this time to talk to Fox.

"If we can't focus ourselves entirely on this, then why don't focus on it whenever we have the chance? Peppy told me that from time to time you go to inhabited planets to train or to resupply, so that would be a good time to ask around! Or maybe traveling merchants know something? There are dozens of options to help Krystal out, so I see no reason why we shouldn't" he said.

Fox thought for a moment. He knew that David was right, so he decided to make a deal.

"Okay Krystal, here's the situation. We need money to further repair and upgrade this ship, not to mention to afford a new Arwing, maybe two if David here does his best. The fee from our last mission will help us to get our hand on A-grade materials, but it won't buy us new vehicles or weapons. And I'm sure General Pepper wouldn't appreciate us going on a break, so what we can do is ask around on every inhabited planet we encounter and on every other occasion you see fitted. We need to remain on active duty, so that's all I can do. Plus the team needs to agree with this first"

That wasn't a problem of course. After David's strong words, everyone voted to help Krystal out. Plus they hoped that this plan might provide some adventure, since the Star Fox team didn't usually stop by every planet they encountered.

"Well, then it's a deal Krystal. You can thank David if you like, because I was about to say no" Fox said.

Krystal again looked at David. For a moment, she was astonished by his willingness to help her. But still she refused to thank him. She only nodded her head to him as a sign that she finally accepted him in the team. She stood up and went towards the training room.

"Self Defense dojo, five minutes" she said to David.

When she was already out of the room, David again heard her voice in his head.

"I've accepted you in this team, but don't think that by helping me on this one I'll accept you as a friend, human. I know what you are and you don't fool me. You'll never be my friend…"

Her voice speaking inside his head in such a cold tone gave him shivers. He said nothing; he just sat there thinking about Krystal's angry and bitter words. There was something he heard in her voice that wasn't anger or hate, but a tone that hit David harder than her resentment for him… It was pain that he heard in her voice. A deep and hidden pain caused by an intense sorrow, that made David's heart fill with compassion for the young girl.
Actually, from the moment that she had stepped into his living room, he was fascinated by her. And although she wasn't even human, he'd never seen anyone who was as dazzlingly beautiful as Krystal. Thinking like that made him feel weird, but still he wondered how an angelic being like her could be so harsh and bitter.

"Maybe I'll ask her about it sometime, if she doesn't kill me" he thought.

David didn't let anyone know about what he had just heard; instead he got up to prepare himself for his first lesson in Self Defense with Krystal.

..

Fox had assured him that the form of self defense every Star Fox member mastered was nothing like anything he'd ever seen. Compared to earthly hand to hand combat, it could be seen as a mixture of martial arts, self defense systems such as Systema, and Krystal's Cerinian fighting styles. Summarized: the Star Fox hand-to-hand combat system was stylish, relatively easy to learn and extremely deadly. David, who had two years of Krav Maga experience himself, was ready to face the challenge with his head held high. A really bad mistake…

As soon as he stepped into the dojo he was knocked out instantly by a well-aimed kick to the temple: Krystal had been waiting for him. He had his experience, but it didn't help him much against her agile, lightning-fast legs. The attack came out of nowhere and it sure wasn't accidental. Krystal was planning on making David feel how much she resented him.

When David woke up after almost an hour, his head almost burst from pain. Still dizzy, he saw Krystal trying to meditate in the far corner of the dojo.

"You are weak" she said to him. "If an attack like that strikes you down, you've got a long way ahead of you."

"Ouch… Shit, so this is how it'll be? Full contact surprise attacks? You nearly took my head off!"

"The sooner you'll accept the fact that you'll never be shown mercy, the sooner you learn to fight…"

She suddenly stood up and sprinted towards David faster then he'd ever seen anyone do. He was hit hard and he tried desperately to block her attacks. He was just too dizzy and in too much pain to fend off even a single strike. The result: a lot of painful bruises, before Krystal actually started to teach him something.

After hours of exercising, fighting and stretching, Krystal said to David "Today's lesson is over" and simply walked past him out of the dojo.

..

Back in her room, Krystal cursed herself that she had doubted David when he took it up for her earlier that day at the breakfast table.

"It's not important that he wanted to help me. He's a human. Always remember that he is a human! And how dare Fox talk about my past behind my back, especially to him!"

Some birthday it had been for her. She was twenty years old now, but she felt as if she already had a lifetime behind her. She was however glad that she could continue her search for answers once more. But the strange this was that Krystal just couldn't stop thinking about the fact that David did help her. Did he actually care for her? And was he really such a violent monster inside as she thought he was?

TO BE CONTINUED…