Venomous
Chapter One
Four companions, bound together in a mind-bending circumstance, faced an unknown future. Kaveman, Connor, CG and Cole had delivered themselves from the vicious realm of the video game Doom, having been set down in the middle of the computer generated world by a freak of technology and nature. Now a different horizon faced them. After stepping through a portal in a mysterious circular room, they found themselves in what seemed to be a futuristic military-styled air base, on a planet called Corneria.
They were standing on a hill overlooking a group of geometric buildings. Everything around them, the sky, the grass, the buildings, all carried a disorienting sense of unreality. "Hey," Kaveman said, "Check out our clothes..." Indeed, they realized they were all wearing military one-piece flight suits, steel gray in color, with combat boots that laced up and over their cuffs.
"Yeah," CG said. "almost like what we were wearing in Doom, except now instead of being Marines, we're in the Air Force."
Connor shook her head, somewhat disappointed.
"Aww... I was hoping we'd also have those cool leather bomber jackets..."
Kaveman started down the hill.
"You guys coming or what?" he called over his shoulder. The others caught up to him as they strolled down to the nearest building, pausing to watch as two Arwings shot out of a nearby hanger and sped off towards the horizon.
"Yep.." Cole said, "No doubt about it. We're in Starfox..."
Kaveman looked at Connor. She was still gazing in the direction of the distant ships with an almost feral grin. "I hope you can fly one of those things." he said.
Connor was still looking away. "Oh," she said, quietly, "I can fly one." She turned and looked at him intensely, still grinning. "Damn, Kaveman, ...I always wanted to try this!"
Kaveman smiled, glancing at the others, "Hey," he said, "You know I've always wanted to fly, now I guess we'll all have our chance."
There were two sentries flanking the entrance to the sharply angled building. They looked like humanoid cats dressed in uniform, and they both shouldered plasma-like weapons. Upon spotting the four companions, one sentry pulled out a communicator of sorts, and said something into it. Just as they reached the cat guards, the entrance doors slid open and a dog-like humanoid, wearing a high-ranking suit stepped out to greet them.
CG, Cole, Kaveman and Connor all stopped, glancing at each other, surprised. The dog-man extended his paw-like hand in greeting.
"Ah!" he said, shaking each one's hand in turn. "You've arrived... Good! I'm General Pepper. The situation is going critical at this point and we're planning to put you four on First String, instead of Relay. I know you were already briefed about your previous mission, but unfortunately, we've lost some of our best pilots. You were all highly recommended by your superiors."
He led Kaveman, CG, Connor and Cole inside the facility and down a side corridor to a turbo lift. CG elbowed Kaveman as they rapidly ascended in the lift. Kaveman could only shrug, feeling as bewildered as the others, but playing along.
They stepped out on what seemed to be a barracks, filled with rows of bunk beds and General Pepper led them to two double stacks which paralleled each other in a corner, informing them that they had a few hours before FlightSim to get settled and rested.
"I'll brief you all in my office after the Sim." he said, shaking their hands again and departing.
Other animal-like pilots milled about, some were sleeping, there was even a poker game going on in one corner but no one seemed to pay particular attention to the foursome. Kaveman flopped down on a bottom bunk on his back, stretching out and putting his hands behind his head, fingers intertwined.
Cole shrugged, seeing no point in simply standing there, so he climbed up to the bunk above Kaveman and flopped down on his stomach, propped up on his elbows.
Connor looked at CG. "You wanna be on top?" she asked.
CG grinned. "Hey, however you like it..."
Connor shoved at him playfully, growling at his teasing. "Get up there..." CG laughed and climbed up, stretching out on his side.
Connor sat down on her bunk, leaning forward, chin on hands, elbows on knees, restless. CG swung his head down to look at her. He reached down and ruffled her hair. Connor glanced up, swatting at his arms with mock annoyance. Kaveman cracked up, watching them.
Connor lay back on the bunk, out of CG's reach and grabbed her pillow, whacking him good on the head when he peered farther underneath to see where she'd gone.
"Oww!" he yelped, withdrawing quickly, "Ok, ok, I give!" She could hear him still cracking up, above.
She looked at Kaveman as if to say "He's your friend..." but Kaveman just smiled and shrugged apologetically. Connor lay back with a sigh.
Lying in their bunks, they all quietly discussed their situation, trying to anticipate the best way to proceed. A few hours later, they were still speculating when a crow-like private came up to them and led them to the FlightSim room. They were each issued a headset, no helmets needed, and flight gloves, which they pulled on. An owl corporal led them to an area containing individual cubicles, each of which contained a simulated cockpit and surrounding blue screen. Cole, Kaveman, Connor and CG all donned their headgear comm links and chose a machine, climbing in and getting situated as their canopies automatically came down and locked. Over their headsets, the corporal gave them a basic rundown on their flight controls, weapon systems, and standard operation, informing them that the first FlightSim would be a basic obstacle course to get a feel for their ships...
on to Chapter 2