Shattered

chapter 9

As they all headed for the door Alex stopped. "Give me a minute guys.

They looked over and Fox asked, "what's up?"

"I kinda you know..." he gestured to his tattered undersuit.

Fox practically smacked himself in the head. "Right of course! We'll be waiting outside." They all filed out leaving him alone in he room. Once alone Alex exhaled heavily and walked over to his destroyed armor. He took off the modules and retrieved his off duty uniform. Then he stored his damaged armor. Once that was finished he stripped down and put it on. Halfway through the girls, being impatient stuck, their heads in.

"Come on Alex! Whaaa..." Miyu said before she froze. They stood there like deer in headlights. The girls meeped and with blushing fuzzy cheeks ducked out.

He just chuckled ruefully and finished getting dressed. When he finished he looked at himself in the small mirror by the bed, adjusted his cap, and straightened out his uniform. He wanted to look presentable for the General. His eyes lingered on his own face. He looked a little haggard and was developing a five o'clock shadow. Since he didn't have his shaving kit he let it be.

He walked into the hallway to see Fox and the young cat smirking at the embarrassed expressions on all the girls muzzles. They wouldn't look at him. Penelope being too young to understand was looking at them puzzled. "If you girls are done gawking we can get moving now." Fox said still smirking. They all nodded hurriedly and followed after the smiling feline soldier.

They followed him through busy hallways filled with doctors who were rushing around and going about their duties. Occasionally one would look up and see Alex and stop abruptly. Stunned at seeing the alien they heard about in the news. The feline private waved them off and they scurried away. "You're popular." Fox said to Alex.

"I don't know Fox I'm only an alien." He replied stressing alien.

"Yeah yeah yeah." Fox said dismissing him.

Soon they arrived at a conference room repurposed by the military. Two heavily armored and armed cornerians flanked the doorway. Their race indistinguishable from their concealing helmets and bulky armor. They wielded massive menacing rifles and had webbing filled with charge packs. Their armor was black and had a snarling wolf's head wreathed in flames on the pauldrons. "Damn, Pepper brought some of the 48th." Fox said in awe.

"48th?" Alex asked.

"Yeah otherwise known as the howling wolves. Black ops commandos, the best of the best. Everyone of them is a hero. Each had received the cornerian Exemplary Service Star, and the Medal of Honor." Fox explained.

Alex looked them over again, this time from a soldiers perspective. They had the aura of veterans and stood stock still not moving an inch. Even though their heads did not move he knew they see scanning the hallway ever alert. "Interesting." Alex said to himself. The two commandos surveyed the group before standing aside from the door. Taking it as a sign for all clear they walked inside.

In the room sat General Pepper, a wolf in the armor of the 48th, his helmet sat on the table, and several more commandos. "Welcome please take your seats." Pepper said.

They sat down on the opposite side of the table. Penelope sat on her sisters lap. "Alexander, I heard about the situation on Aquas, the cornerian people and I owe you a great debt. One I fear can never be repayed." Pepper said, and Alexander could tell that he really meant it.

"No thanks are needed sir, I just did the right thing. It wasn't anything special." Alex said humbly.

"But your wrong! It was something special. Who knows what would have happened if you never showed up to warn us." Pepper argued.