Krystal and Chase: Evacuation
      
      Part one: The calm...
      
      As unusual as it was, Chase was feeling a little relaxed.  The fox was sitting on a bench near the weapons research division, staring up at the blue skies above him.  As he sat his mind drifted aimlessly through half formed thoughts, but he still kept his guard up.  Although it had been nearly three weeks since their last combat call, the fox knew all too well that an attack could come at any minute.  As soon as word reached the corporation, a mercenary team would be sent out to deal with the problem if it threatened their business ventures.  And, with the number of mining colonies, research stations, and various other types of businesses the corporation owned over several planets spread throughout the Lylat system and several outlaying sectors, a threat could come at any time.
      As the light breeze passed over him, the fox's ears picked up the sounds of footsteps.  His mind snapped back to full alert as his hand slowly reached for the grip of his beloved Stinger handgun as he turned to see who it was.  Once he had, the fox released the weapons grip.  Walking up to him was his partner and closest friend.
      As the blue furred vixen walked up to him, Chase's eyes traveled over her attractive body once.  Chase smiled to himself, noting the white patterns on both of her arms, the vixen wearing a blank tank top and matching shorts, the shorts mostly covering a sun-like pattern on her upper legs.  The bands in her tail kept her fur in place as the vixen walked, taking a moment to stretch before sitting down beside him.
      "What're you doing, Chase?" the vixen asked.
      The fox looked back up at the skies, "Just trying to take your advice, Krystal."
      "Well it's good to know you're finally relaxing a little." The blue vixen replied, smiling as she laid her head on his shoulder.
      Chase smiled as he looked back up at the skies.  But then something crossed his mind.  Never before had he ever been given this long of a break from combat missions for the corporation.  Either something was up, or it was simply the calm before the storm. 
      *           *          *
      Later that night, Krystal had just finished with her bath and was now glancing through her closet for something to wear.  As she did, Krystal glanced down at herself.  The last few months of training hadn't changed her body by very much.  Her already athletically toned body had remained just as it always had.  Unfortunately, it was due to her natural beauty that the higher-ups didn't take much of what she said seriously.
      "Hey Chase?" Krystal called, "Could you come here a minute?"
      As the fox walked into the room, Krystal could see that she had called him just as he was about to shower up.  While his lower body was still dressed, the vixen's eyes travel along his thin upper body.  Automatically she focused in on each of the four black patches of fur along his upper chest and stomach, then to the two on his muzzle.  Each one was a long black line, eternally etched into his skin and fur from a training accident.
      Shaking her head quickly to refocus, she said, "Chase, I've noticed something about you.  I know you're trying to hide it, but you seem really tense."
      "What makes you think I'm tense?" Chase asked.
      "For one, you're acting a little more jumpy than usual." Krystal replied as she took a t-shirt out of the closet, "I mean, you don't usually start to raise your hand gun unless you don't know who is approaching you.  But you've been doing that quite a bit lately with just about everyone, including me."
      "I am?" Chase asked.
      "Yes, you are." Krystal confirmed, "And to be honest, I'm starting to worry about you.  I know it's been peaceful lately, and I also know you're not used to these long breaks."
      After the vixen pulled on a pair of shorts, she looked at her partner, "So, what I'm wondering is if your tension is related to this current peace?"
      Chase was silent for a minute, and then said, "Well I can't lie to you.  I just can't help but feel something's wrong.  Something's going to happen and we'll be caught unaware in the middle of it.  And if we get into another fight, will we make it out alive?"
      "I'm sure everything will be fine." Krystal said gently, "But you need to relax a bit."
      Slowly, her arms moved around his waist, pulling the fox into a light hug.  As Chase held Krystal for that moment, he began to wonder if she was right.  Were his fears of an attack uncalled for?
      As the vixen released him, she said, "Maybe you should go somewhere quiet for a little while.  Sort out your thoughts and try to unwind.  You being tense like this is a little unnerving when you have that Stinger at your side all the time."
      Chase nodded, "I guess you're right.  I'll shower up and then go somewhere and think." 
      *           *          *
      For Chase, there was usually one place he went when he needed to unwind in a way that didn't require much.  While it wasn't exactly the quietest place to think, he knew some others there who could help him to get his tension down.  So once again the fox found himself sitting at the bar of the nightclub, drinking a clear liquid out of a glass.  
      Tonight was one of the usually slower weeknights the club had.  Not as many customers meant not so many of the girls had to do their jobs, regardless of whether they were pets or dancers.  But the ones who were doing their jobs did notice the lack of drinking males.  As a result, their performances were slightly more exciting.
      But Chase paid no mind to the girls on stage who were slowly losing layers of clothing or the tempting girls who were with some of the other males.  Instead, his mind was still tense.  So, as a precaution, Krystal had taken his Stinger before he left their dorm.  The last thing anyone wanted to see was a tense, well trained, and even slightly armed Chase.  But that hadn't prevented him from wearing a light set of Kevlar body armor over his shirt.
      After he took the last sip of his drink, Chase set the glass down and put his head in his hands, his fingers rubbing his forehead.
      "Need another foxie?" the bartender asked.
      "A little more." Chase replied, "Thanks Mira."
      As the wolf poured another glass of water for him, Chase glanced up on stage.  Quickly, his eyes surveyed what was going and examined one vixen in particular.  This female was currently working the few males watching her.  Her pink fur was dyed a light red in the current lighting over her, but it did little to hide what truly separated her from the others, her four long, fluffy tails.
      As she shook her head to reveal what was hidden under her long, red hair, she noticed Chase.  Quietly, she smiled to herself, knowing that Chase was one of the very few not here to see a female showing off her form.
      Chase turned back to the female wolf in front of him, "I didn't know Bianca worked tonight."
      "Her schedule was rearranged after we got a couple of newer girls working here.  She got moved to tonight through the end of the week." She said as she handed Chase the glass, "I didn't know you even knew Bianca."
      "I've run into her a few times here and there." Chase replied honestly, "Somehow we became friends."
      Mira nodded as Bianca finished up her dance on stage.  A couple minutes later, the vixen walked to the bar, redressed in a loose tank top and shorts.
      "Mind if I join you Chase?" Bianca asked.
      "Are you sure you want to join me?" Chase asked, quickly glancing towards the rest of the males, "I mean, I'm sure any of them would love for you to join them."
      "Yes, but they might ask me to do something special.  I know you won't." the vixen smiled.
      "Then feel free." Chase shrugged.
      Bianca sat down beside him as Mira slid her a glass filled with a dark liquid.  The vixen took a sip, and then looked at Chase.
      "Alright, something's got to be bothering you." Bianca said.
      "What makes you say that?" Chase asked.
      Bianca quietly nodded to his drink, then to the stage.  Even she knew that Chase only came into the club if something was on his mind.
      "Alright, I'm just worried is all." Chase sighed, "Krystal says I've been really tense lately.  I don't know if it's because of the peace lately or because I have this feeling something's going to happen."
      "Like what?" Bianca asked.
      "Like an attack on the base." Chase replied, "I don't know if anyone would be ready to fight that quickly if we are attacked out of nowhere."
      "Chase, you know that the odds of that happening a slim to none." Bianca said as she laid a hand on his shoulder, "I may not have been here for as long as you have, but even I know how fortified this base is.  Nothing short of a full scale invasion could breach the orbital defenses."
      Chase nodded, knowing Bianca was right.  Even he knew how hard it was to find a weakness in the base's defenses.  With a sigh, he really began to realize that his tense mind feared something that probably would never happen.
      "Bianca?  Can I ask a favor of you?" Chase asked.
      "Of course." Bianca replied.
      "If something does happen and we're forced to evacuate the base, could you watch over Krystal for me?" Chase asked, "I'll probably be in the fighting, but I want her to be safe at least."
      Bianca smiled softly as she gently patted his shoulder, "Of course I will."
      "Thanks." Chase said before taking another sip of his water. 
      *           *          *
      Later, Chase had returned to the dorm he and Krystal shared.  As he walked in quietly, he glanced over to the couch.  Once again Krystal lay asleep on the couch, a book lying on the table in front of her as a lamp cast its light over her.  With a smile, Chase walked over to her and crouched down.
      "It's not the best idea to keep falling asleep on the couch." Chase said quietly as he gently shook her shoulder.
      With a quiet mumble, the vixen opened her eyes.  As she sat up, she rubbed the sleep out of them, and then looked up at Chase.
      "Feeling any better?" She asked as he helped her to her feet.
      "Yeah, a bit better." Chase replied as he led her to their room.
      Krystal changed into a tank top and sleep shorts as Chase sat down on the edge of the bed and removed his shirt.  As Krystal laid down, she looked up at her partner, knowing that something was still troubling him.
      "Chase?" She asked laying a hand on his back.
      "I need you to promise me something Krystal." Chase replied, "And I want you to keep this promise no matter what happens."
      "What's the promise?" The vixen asked.
      Chase turned to her, concern showing in his golden eyes, "If we're attacked, I want you to get to an evac ship and stay safe.  Promise me that you'll do that."
      Krystal hesitated for a second.  She had never thought Chase would ask her not to fight.
      "Why would you ask me to promise you that Chase?" Krystal asked, "You know I'd rather be fighting with you on the ground and in the air than running away, even if it meant my death."
      "Krystal, if we're attacked here, the enemy would have to be incredibly well armed and stubborn.  Even I know we won't last long against that kind of force." Chase explained, "We'll only be fighting until we can get the transports away safely.  Then we'll withdraw ourselves.  If you got hurt in that fighting I'd never forgive myself.  And if you died...I-I don't know what I'd do with myself."
      Krystal looked away for a minute.  She knew how much she meant to Chase, and she knew he was right.  If anything did breach the defenses...it was best not to think about it.
      "I promise I'll stay safe." Krystal said, hugging him, "But you have to promise me that you'd still let me fight after that."
      "I wouldn't have it any other way." Chase replied, hugging her back.
      Krystal laid back again, and then moved her head onto Chase's chest after he laid down beside her.
      "So I'm also going to guess that you've got someone to look out for me if that happens?" Krystal asked with a gentle smile, "So who is it?"
      "One of the dancers at the club." Chase replied, "Bianca said she'd do it."
      Krystal nodded as she gently smoothed a bit of Chase's chest fur before lying her head down on him again.  She knew Bianca a little bit after Chase had introduced them, but not much.  But if Chase trusted her, Krystal would as well.