Corneria ( Main )

[incognito]

[Corneria City - Random Alley]

It was quiet in the city of Corneria...The wind was rustling, blowing smoke and debris about. A sound could be heard coming from a nearby alley. The very air began to bend and make a scratching rip-like sound. Suddenly, a small indent could be seen. It then began to dilute and widen into what could be describes as a paper tearing from the middle. Suddenly a hand could be seen jolting out from the split barely grasping the edge while a second hand reached out of the split onto a nearby trashcan dragging in toward the hands. Slowly a head emerged, and next shoulders, chest, waist, legs and finally feet kicking off of the edges barely escaping the closing split returning matter back to normal as if nothing had ever occured. The stranger drifted in the air for a few seconds upon being thrusted away from the closing into the ground and following trashcans. The stranger got up moaned and stretched his joints to the point just before breakage. He stroked his ragged goatee, and brushed off his torn. old clothing. He walked out of the alley into the blinding sun. Upon his eyes adjusting he glanced left to right, and finally at his hands. He stretched his hand across a street and easily brought it back. He smerked. "I'm finally..free..." he grunted from ill-use.

[serraskai]

[Ezekiel Crow]
[Planet Venom, Andross' base]

Ezekiel emerged from the portal, his body exhausted and his mind bleary from the exertion. Stepping outward he fell to his knees and wretched, revealing to him the contents of his meal on the previous day. Only then did it occur to him that he hadn't eaten since then- maybe Andross could fix that. He doubted it.

"Androgh.." He said, spitting. That wasn't something he did typically, but oh well. "Andross. I know you can hear me."

It took a long moment, which he took to survey the scenery. The sky was black with the foreboding image of thunderous clouds, none of them seeming to be of any sort of natural creation. The land was barren, flat, and dead. Before him was the only feature around, anywhere, at all- a single rock. A rather large rock, but.....

"Indeed, yes I can."

Ezekiel's face shot upward, and from the clouds came the messenger from which his response had come. A huge machine, bipedal, with a single, massive head supported by two hulking feet. The entire structure was held together by a thin structure of wires, it's obvious weakness. However, he had little time to consider it's weakness, as it already had crashed down before him, not wasting any time in firing.

He already knew that it would.

Dodging it's attack with a staggered leap, Ezekiel completely avoided the attack. Before it could attack again, he shouted, inclining his head and dropping to his knees. Most men with his own ambitions would refuse to bow to anyone. He wasn't afraid to do whatever he needed- complete his goals by any means necessary.

"I have important business with you."

The machine halted, stomping backward from Ezekiel until it's single, massive eye locked on his. "What manner of... 'business' do have here, and how did you breach my defenses?"

Ezekiel had him. He'd gripped the interest of Andross only slightly, and now he intended on grabbing it and holding it for as long as he possibly can. "I can tell you. I can tell you all you'd like, but you need to let me in." He said it calmly, his smile sly and his eyes filled with poisonous ideals. "You'll have to let me in."

A long period of silence passed between them. No one said a word, just the massive machine's cold eye piercing deep into Ezekiel's soul. He simply stared back, betraying nothing of his intentions.

"Well?"

[K-55 Marauder, Falco Lombardi]
[Corneria- Corneria city]

"Wait. Now wait!" Falco demanded. K-55 turned to face him, his blank face actually unnerving him a bit. "I'm not convinced that you're not involved in this." He said, marching after the massive machine.

"I already told your commander that"

"I don't give a damn what you told him. You're their spy, aren't ya? We're takin you in." With that, he motioned for a guard to come over- this was going to be trouble.

"Do you intend on forcing me?" K-55 said, turning now fully to face Falco and bringing his full height to bear. He spread his hand, preparing to eject his saber and striking at his foe quickly. "Because otherwise I'm not going with you."

The tension became thicker as Fox arrived behind Falco, as well as many of the members of the guard who were spread out.... all of them were now focusing on the ancient machine.

[serraskai]

((Yup, I'm double posting. Trying to get the story moving along here, and nobody seems all that interested in posting here, just in Hyrule, so.... yeah.))

[Ezekiel Crow, Wolf O'Donnell]
[Planet Venom, Deep Andross' base]

((Oooh... timeskip.))
The tunnels of Venom were typically dark and dreary, but the dead interior now felt cold and unwelcoming. Not much of a change from wet cold and unwelcoming, but Ezekiel guessed that it didn't really matter.

He was a little surprised that Wolf himself had come to greet him and take him to Andross personally, but it was probably more to keep Crow under control that anything else, really. He got the feeling that he could take Wolf, though. Maybe.

They rode in silence now, atop a hovering mechanism that ran along a rather precarious bridge, but Ezekiel didn't care to look over the edge to see what was below. He wasn't afraid of heights, oh no- that wasn't the problem. A horrifying migraine was splitting his skull, the sign of something changing. What the hell happened? It had to have been Iskra, or someone else is beyond him. Would that be possible?

Rubbing his temple and ignoring a quip from Wolf, Ezekiel answered the tooth-communicator, hearing Iskra's voice on the other end.

"It's no worry." He lied. Getting this muscle was important, although he guessed it wasn't absolutely necessary. It would be harder without him, but not impossible. "Stay where you are, and wait for a strange young man to run by you. Grab him and tell him you will keep him safe, do anything you feel necessary to get him back to that tavern, and wait for me." With that, he closed his fist around the communicator, and shut it off. Replacing it in his pouch, Crow noticed warily that the migraine had actually died down, which was a plus.

The massive machine came to a halt, and Wolf motioned for Ezekiel to dismount. He had already been disarmed when he entered, but Wolf commanded a mechanized human to search him anyway, making sure he wasn't carrying anything hidden. With that, Ezekiel was relieved of his book, hat, and all his cloaks- something he wasn't happy about. No trust around here, huh?

Entering an impossibly large space filled with swirling colors and static discharges, Ezekiel happily took his place on a small ledge, a devilish smile arcing his face. He knew all about this meeting and how it would turn out, so he had nothing to really fear.

From the darkness came the eerie, menacing, massive face of Andross. His features amplified and exaggerated a minute amount, betraying the truth about this false face.

"Do you not dare to face me without your mask? Or do I truly strike such a fear in you as to put you on edge without so much as a word?"

"Do not try my patience, child. I have seen things you can't fathom, and my fear is something no man has ever achieved." Very good. Already Andross was on the defensive, and now all Ezekiel need do was press on that fear.

"That very statement shows that you haven't the slightest idea who I am or what I am here for. But this is no time for introductions." Ezekiel kept his smile arced across his face, fully aware that Wolf had placed his hand on his blaster. "I have information that will make you the top dog like you've never been before."

"And how could you have come across this information?"

"It's rude to interrupt." Ezekiel said sharply. He knew that it wasn't something Andross would take lightly, but he knew he wouldn't kill him. Not here. "I knew you wouldn't believe me on this one, so I have a touch of proof. Launch an attack on Corneria. Right now. Assemble your fleet, launch your fighters, attack now. I'm talking within the hour, and I promise you that the defenses will crumble within an hour. It will take some time to take the planet itself, but the Lylat system will be yours."

Andross glared harshly at Crow, his eyes betraying a mixture of uncertainty and rage. He didn't know who to trust, or what to do about all of this. But he had an idea, it seemed. "And I have not but your word that this will work?"

"The Corneria defenses have mustered around Coreneria after a surprise attack from some forces that seem to have faded into oblivion, drawing all their military might to a single point. With this new development, all of the other planets are in turn undefended. If you had the intelligence to attack the sectors directly inward from her to Corneria, then the enemy forces would be further cut in half. Then you can simply take whatever you please. And on top of that, the Galactic Federation is to busy defending themselves to do anything to you."

Andross glared again, but his idea wasn't just that simple question. "I'll agree to do this on not but your word, but on one condition."

He knew what it was already, but he was going to try and act surprised.

"You will personally lead the charge."


[K-55 Marauder, Falco Lombardi, Fox McCloud, several guards]
[Corneria- Corneria city]

Falco glared harshly at K-55, his hand on his blaster. "I do intend on forcing you, as a matter of fact." He crouched into a battle position, preparing to strike at the larger foe.

"Well then you'll have to try very hard." K-55 quipped as he too assumed a battle position, bending his back at an awkward angle (for any human, anyway) and allowing his fist-capped arms to simply sag.