Love and Lies

The small silver and blue ship alighted at the spaceport landing zone. A ladder extended from the side as the cockpit opened up. A beat up blue and white duffel bag came sailing out the cockpit and landed on the floor with a thud. The occupant flipped out and onto the ladder, sliding all the way to the bottom to rejoin his bag. A member of the landing crew approached him. The pilot was a tall falcon of mid to late twenties. He wore a dull grey jacket, that hung off his body, over a pastel green T-shirt and dark burgundy trousers with black and red armoured boots over his blue plumage. He stretched as he heard his back and arms click and pop. It had been a long flight and he felt better now he had the chance to stretch.
“Good morning sir. Are you here for business or pleasure?”
“Huh?” The pilot looked over at the raccoon with his red plume ringed blue eyes. He wore a white top with the Katina spaceport insignia over the left breast. As well as blue slacks and black knee high boots. He held a data pad in one hand, the other hovering over the data screen.
“Business or pleasure sir?” The raccoon asked again,
“Pleasure.” The falcon answered as the raccoon punched the appropriate button.
“Right, I just need to scan your I.D.”
The pilot bent down and reached into his bag to withdraw a clear plastic card with holes cut into it and a black strip running along it’s length with the words Falco Lombardi printed below the strip The raccoon scanned the black strip with his data pad. After a moment the word ‘CONFIRMED’ appeared in big green letters.
“Personal craft, company or other?”
“Personal.” Falco replied. He hated all this waiting around and pointless questions but what with the LLA being active he was glad for the extra security.
“Short or Long term stay?”
“Long.” He again replied, rather flatly.
“How long for?” The raccoon asked.
“A week…no, 2 days.” Falco said as he quickly changed his mind.
Punching in the details the data pad let out a ping.
“Well that all checks out, Welcome to Katina city sir. Enjoy your stay.”
The raccoon moved away to call one of the craft lift operators to stow Falcos’ vessel in one of the long stay compartments. Picking up his bag Falco slung it over his shoulder and left the landing pad toward the main entrance lobby. Stepping out of the cool, crisp air, he cast a glance over the tiled arrivals hall. She wasn’t here but then again it didn’t surprise him. Passing through the throng of families, tourists and business men as he walked out of through the automatic doors and on the street. The sun felt warm and the air was light and cool as it gusted down the street. Looking over at the taxi slider ranks, Falco picked a cab and climbed in.
“Where to mate?” The driver asked as he turned in his seat.
“525 Solaris Way.” Falco told him.
“Right-o mate here we go.”
Setting up the meter, the slider pulled away.

Falco crossed his legs and leant an elbow on the sliders door handle, placing his chin on his upturned hand, looking out the passing scenery, Looking in the rear view mirror at his passenger the driver tried to strike up a conversation.
“So, heard about the LLA?” The driver asked, trying to make conversation.
Falco, distracted from his train of thought, turned to look at the back of the drivers head.
“Yeah, hopefully they’ll stay in the Sargasso region.” Falco replied.
“But what they did to the subway on Corneria was deplorable.” The driver responded.
They idly talked about the current state of affairs with the LLA but to Falco, the LLA was the least of his problems. His problems were more of a personal nature and there was only one person he could talk to, one person he trusted more then Fox and the only person that he wanted to be with. He hated running to her whenever these type of troubles arose, but they concerned her as much as him. He thought that after ten years it would’ve stopped but it had gotten worse. Talking about the LLA helped Falco focus his frustration and anger on something completely different and let him forget the problem that he carried with him. For a while at least. The knowledge that this cabbie had astounded Falco. he had always thought that Katina cabbies were ill educated but this cabbie made Falco sound the ill educated one.

Soon they arrived at Solaris way. Falco had been so wrapped up in his conversation with the cabbie that he didn’t know that they had arrived.
“Here we are mate, 525 Solaris Way.”
Falco turned to look out the sliders window and saw a small set of stylish apartments on the banks of a lake.
“OK, how much I owe ya?” He asked.
“180.” was the reply.
Reaching into his inner jacket pocket he with drew a 200 credit chit.
“Keep the change.” Falco said as he opened the door to the slider and climbed out, tugging the bag after him, as the driver thanked him for the tip. Pushing the door down, the slider turned around and took off to collect it’s next fare, leaving Falco staring up at the rather lush building. It wasn’t squared and angular with a large holo-screen stuck on the side like in the city. It was a single story building with a balcony out front and one out back. The roof was rounded and curvy as was the balcony. The whole building was designed with relaxation in mind. The backdrop was beautiful. A deep blue lake backed by distant blue mountains that turned a soft violet in the waning light of a sunset. Licking his beak, he stepped up to the door and pressed the call button with a name plate, on which was inscribed K.Munroe. Falco pulled up the shoulder strap and sat the bag  on his shoulder. Soon the door hissed open and the occupant of the apartment stood framed in the doorway. She was a feline of early to mid twenties with light pink fur, blue eyes and white hair. She excluded an air of a modern girl. She wore a deep purple tank top under a loose fitting closed neck halter-top, both of which were cut off at the midriff. With a pair of light cotton, stonewashed, three quarter length shorts around her waist which had a black, cloth belt around the waist. On her upper arms she wore a string like armband on both here upper arms with a blue two tone sweat bands on each wrist. She broke into a smile as she saw Falco standing on the doorstep.
“Hey big guy, you made it.” She said with a broad smile.
“Hey Katt, good to see you again.” Falco said with a smile.
Katt stepped back and invited Falco inside. Dropping his bag down by the door, Katt took him into the front room which looked out over the beautiful lake and mountains.
“You like the place?” Katt asked.
“I love it. I’m surprised at how big it is.” Falco commented.
Katt wandered off to the walk-in kitchen that was attached to the living room. “Take a seat, let me get you a drink.”
Falco thanked her and sat down on the soft sofa. The double doors were flung open, letting the soft breeze come in, lightly billowing the white curtains. Falco let out a sigh as his rump and back hit the soft padding of the settee. From the kitchen, Katt smiled to herself as she heard Falcos’ sigh.
“Had a long trip?” Katt asked.
“Mmmhmm.” Falco mumbled in reply.
Katt returned with a pitcher of fresh, chilled apple juice and a couple of frosted glasses. She sat down in an armchair next to the sofa and poured out the drinks.
“So what’s been happening?” Katt asked.
They spoke for a while, catching up on old times when they last saw each other and about the Aparoids that had threatened the Lylat system not too long ago. Then, as the sun started to lower in the sky, the conversation turned to Falco and why he was here.
“Good to see that you came out of that unscathed.” Katt finished.
“Yeah, I’m telling you it was a close one.”
It was now late in the afternoon and Katt sipped her juice before asking the main question.
“So Falco, what brings you to Katina?”
“Nothing much. I had some time off and I thought I would swing by here to see how you were doing.” Falco said, dodging the question.
“Falco, in your last call you said that you needed to see me. What’s wrong?” Katt asked again, sensing that Falco had more to tell.
“It’s nothing much. Why don’t you go get some more juice, I just need to clear my head a bit.”
Katt stood up and went back to the kitchen to refill the pitcher while Falco went out onto the balcony. Katt took her time, knowing that Falco needed a moment to gather himself. Out on the veranda, Falco took a deep breath and leant on the railings as he surveyed the beautiful scenery. It was so peaceful and calm that Falco just wanted to memorize this scene as he tried best to find the right words. This problem encompassed both him and Katt and he wanted to make sure that he as well as she was prepared. Turning around he saw that Katt was sitting there waiting for him, she stood as he entered the room.
“Ok Falco, you want to tell me what the problem is? You wouldn’t come to me if it wasn’t important.”
Falco took a deep breath and licked his beak as he lowered his head.
“Well, it involves Tanya.”
Katt immediately tensed up at that name. She could never forgive what she had done to Falco.
“What about her?” Katt asked as she stepped up to Falco.
Falco raised his head.
“She’s an officer in the LLA. As are most of The Black Hollers”

Katt remembered the name. Back in the day, Falco was a hot shot that lead one of the best and baddest hot rodding gangs, The Black Hollers. They won a lot of races and they rarely lost. Out of all of them, Falco was the best. At the time Katt had joined with one other neophyte, a character called Leon Powalski. From the moment she first met him, she didn’t like him. As per gang rules all the new bloods, or fresh oil as they were known in the trade, were to be trained by Falco. When she first met Falco, she was struck by just how attractive he was, but that was also when she met their soon to be enemy, Tanya. Tanya had just recently been accepted into the ranks of the Hollers, a gifted and talented avian hot-rodder it was clear that she had the looks, brains and money to back her up. But one thing that she had was ambition, a dangerous and driving ambition that none of them saw until it was too late. Everything started off fine, Katt kept her distance and gazed on Falco from afar, knuckling down on her hot rodding lessons, until the announcement of the Lylat 6000. It was big for hot rodding gangs as it meant that the best of the best gathered to show everyone who the ultimate hot rodder was. Katt was up late one night in the teams garage, polishing up her hotrod for tomorrows inspection when she happened to overhear a conversation. Using a mirror in her compact she was able to see two figures lit by a desk light. The first was Leon and the other was unclear. As they talked it turned out that they both were planning to usurp Falcos rule of the gang. Then, as the other figure leant in to hand over a chit, Katt saw that it was Tanya. How she managed to get back to her bunk she would never know. But the next day she decided to confront them both at the race meet and expose them for the schemers they were. Katt had taken a shine to Falco and even though he acted tough she had seen his softer side during their lessons together. When the race meet came she confronted Tanya, only to be ridiculed and threatened by the Hollers, but when she implicated Leon in the plot Falco brushed it off. But that was when Tanya showed her true colours. She had feared that her plan would be ruined by Katt in the future so she chose to act then. She belittled Falco for all the stupidity, nonsense and old ideals of hot rodding that he held onto. Tanya had plans to take the gang to the Ice Offs, an illegal race in which weapons were used and entrants ultimately died or were Iced. When Falco protested, she rallied the gang around her, with Leon at her side. In her speech she had mentioned that Leon had contacts to Ice Off coordinators or Icers as they were known and could get the gang in. Ecstatic that they got be even greater they shunned Falco and adopted Tanya and Leon as there leader. Enraged that Tanya had just used Falco, had played around with his feelings, Katt punched Tanya good and hard in anger. Tanya retaliated, slapping Katt with the back of her leather clad and studded gloved hand. If it hadn’t been for Falco, Tanya might’ve really hurt Katt. As he left with a tearful Katt in his arms, they were mocked and jeered by Tanya and her crew. Falco helped Katt out as thanks for standing up for him. To make sure that Tanya and her cronies paid, they both anonymously contacted the local law enforcement. The Black Hollers were summarily rounded up as Falco and Katt watched from the side lines, but Tanya and Leon managed to slip through and confronted them. Leon swore revenge for having his chance at leading The Black Hollers dashed, while Tanya’s was more personal. She saw this a personal attack on her. No-one got in the way of what she wanted and Falco was going to pay for ruining her chance to achieve glory and for Katt for the attack on herself. They disappeared with a message to always look over their shoulders, because if not they would find a switchblade with their name on it buried deep between their shoulder blades. Then they swiftly left, not wanting to be caught. Falco never did get over what Tanya had done to him and so he vowed that love was a useless endeavour that only hurt those around him and that he wouldn’t get close to anyone ever again. Every now and then, Falco had to leave the team when a vengeful Holler came looking for him. He didn’t want Fox or the others hurt by them. When he had dealt with the Holler he came back and acted like nothing happened.

The news hit Katt in the face like a nova bomb.
“Tanya. In the LLA?” Katt asked slightly aghast.
Over the years the Hollers had slowly been getting more violent in their revenge attempts. From attacks with Sliders to bombs. The panic of a Holler getting to Fox or one of his other friends was always a very stressful time to Falco, and the thought of what they did if they got to Katt made Falco go crazy with worry.
“Yes. I saw her giving a broadcast not more then a few days ago, and she openly threatened to get even with me, and on interplanetary holo-vision as well.”
“This is bad.” Katt said.
“But the worst of it….” Here Falco broke off. He swallowed hard as a tear ran down his cheek as he remembered the amount of hate and venom in Tanyas’ voice.
“What? What’s up?” Katt asked as she stepped up to Falco and placed a hand on Falcos’ arm hoping to calm him down.
Falco raised his head to stare back into Katts’ deep blue eyes. Just thinking of what Tanya had said send his mind racing over all the worst case scenarios. But she had to know, shielding her wouldn’t help anything. Falco took a deep breath and told Katt what Tanya intended to do, wording it carefully and being careful to leave out all the sordid details. After he had finished, Katt frowned at him.
“Falco, you don’t have to sugar coat everything and serve it with a bunch of flowers. Just tell it like it is.” She wasn’t annoyed at the fact that Falco had left out all the sordid details, it was the fact that he treated her like a kid sometimes and that was what really got her hackles up.
“You sure?” Falco asked.
“Falco, I told you a million times. Just say it as it is.” Katt spoke, releasing her creased brow.
Falco swallowed hard and took a deep breath. There were very few things that Falco was scared off. Losing his friend, Fox, was one of them. But the two that topped the list was losing Katt and, of course, Tanya. And it was those last two fears that came together to make one of the worst situations that Falco had to face. After he had finished, Katt was silent.
“She’s all talk. There’s no way she could do all that. She’s bluffing.” Katt said with a half-hearted laugh.
Without a word Falco reached into his pocket and withdrew a flat holodisk.
“What’s that?” Katt asked.
Without a word, Falco pressed the button and soon the black haired avian features of Tanya appeared. She greeted Falco rather cordially but that soon changed. She wasted no time outlining in a rather flat and monotone voice about what she would do to both of them when she got her hands on them. This she demonstrated on a hapless prisoner. Katt watched with a knot in her stomach. Then in closing, Tanya seemed to turn to Katt and address here as well, before the holodisk blinked off. Now Katt was as shocked as Falco.
“Where did you get that?” She asked.
“It was in the supply shuttle we got. Solar knows how she managed to get that disk in with our supplies.” He answered. “But that’s not the reason why I came…..bugger.” Falco said as he suddenly realized what he had almost said but it was too late.
“Not the reason you what?” Katt asked.
Falco sighed. He was hoping that this wouldn’t come up. He once again raised the Holodisk and pressed the play button to play the addendum. In it, Tanya showed Katts’ apartment and floor plans as well of pictures that she claimed had been taken by sleeper agents. Now Katt was scared. To think that these people had been watching her every move, even getting the floor plans to her house made her feel suddenly very vulnerable.
“That’s the reason why. I came over here to make sure you were alright because I….” Here Falco stopped as he tried to keep himself together. Katt waited for the response.
“Because I was afraid that I had lost you.”
They both stood there in silence, staring at each other, waiting to see what would happen. Katt said nothing as she stepped up and raised one hand to put it on Falcos’ shoulder, close to the base of his neck. Falco put one wing around Katts waist, his other hand idling, as she raised her other hand to slowly stroke his face. Her touch was tender and soft as Falco gently pulled Katt to himself, closing his eyes as he did so. Katt felt Falcos’ smooth beak against the side of her face and his forehead press lightly against her large feline ear. Katts’ face was melancholy as she let the fingertips of her hand rest on Falcos’ lower jaw. Having Falcos hand around her lower back made her feel a little safer as she gave Falco the silent comfort he was looking for. Even though she felt safe she also felt a type of suppressed rage that quickly passed to be replaced with a comforting and protective instinct. Then Katt felt something land on her upper arm. It was small and wet but she knew what it was. Taking her hand away from Falcos face, she reached down and grabbed Falcos loose hand to drape over her shoulder and down her back. Falco used this to pull Katt close and as he did so, Katt slid her arm under his jacket round his lower back. Another tear spattered onto her shoulder. She gently burrowed her nose under the collar of Falcos jacket to gently kiss him on the neck when she smelt his aftershave. It was the very same one that he wore all those years ago, the subtle hint that she found so attractive. Smiling, she kissed his neck and snuggled up next to him, using her free hand to gently stroke the feathers on his head. Falco felt a little more relaxed when he felt Katts kiss. He kissed her neck back and held her closer. There they stood, holding each other in an adoring embrace. Enjoying each other. It seemed like hours until at last they parted. Falco looked into the blue eyes of a women who meant so much to him, a woman who always stood up for him and was always there when he needed her. Katt returned his gaze, looking at the only man who ever loved her for who she was, that never made himself distant and who had always been there for her.
“You know Falco, you said that love-”
“Was a useless endeavour, I know. But that’s if you don’t have the right person. A person that means more to you then your own life.” Falco finished off Katts sentence.
“Falco.” Katt started but Falco quickly put his beak on her lips in a kiss. It was swift but it was gentle. Katt could feel herself welling up as she closed her eyes, letting happiness and tears wash over her in a beautiful tumult. Falco had never done this before but this sensation that Katt was experiencing was amazing. She never thought he could be so gentle but he seemed to be holding back. So, taking her chances, she kissed him back and was greeted with a similar response. Time seemed to suspend and, for a moment at least, nothing else mattered.

Falco parted from their clinch but Katt was still in awe at what happened. She stood there for a second with her eyes closed before she started falling back. Falco quickly grabbed her as she opened her eyes. They glistened in the light under a sheen of tears. She reached up and stroked Falcos cheek, .
“I….I thought you….” Katt spoke, still enthralled by what had happened.
“Katt, you’re the only person that I want to see unscathed. Fox and the others can handle themselves. But you. Your special to me. More then you know.” Falco replied to her unfinished question.
“Please Falco, say it.” Katt pleaded.
“I love you Katt.” Falco said with a soft smile.
That was all Katt wanted to hear. For the first time in her life, she had found her way.
“Is the spare room made up?” Falco asked as they parted.
“Sure is.” Katt said as she wiped her eyes.
“Well, I was going to ask if I could stay.”
Katts’ smile broadened.
“I thought you would never ask. How long have you got for leave?” Katt asked.
“Two weeks.” was the reply.
“Why don’t you stay for those two weeks?” She asked.
“Well I had only planned on stopping off for a couple of days. But…” As Falco looked into Katts’ eyes he felt that his duty lay here. Bollocks to Macbeth, he can go whenever he liked.
“…I guess I could stay. I just need to arrange it with the Spaceport for a longer stay.”
Katt smiled at the reply.

The Visa-phone rang loudly in the apartment. Katt stumbled out of here apartment, adjusting a grey t-shirt as she went. Sitting at the phone and yawning, she pressed the receive button to be greeted with Foxes face as she fiddled with the waist band of her black shorts.
“Yeah, Katt here.”
“Sorry to get you up Katt but it’s urgent. Is Falco there?” Fox asked.
“He went out a few hours ago. Can I take a message?” Katt asked.
“Yeah, tell him that we need him back here as soon as. The LLA has made a move and we need him here.”
“OK, I’ll let him know.” Katt said.
“Thanks Katt, I’ll call later on.” Fox said before the screen blinked to black.
As Katt stood up, she heard Falcos’ bleary voice from behind her.
“Who was that?” Falco asked.
“Oh, it was just a call from my bank on Corneria. Nothing major.” she lied.
“I just thought Fox would call. It seems the LLA has moved, I got a page on my data pad.” Falco yawned.
“Don’t worry about that Falco. Leave it for the morning.” Katt replied as she stepped up to Falco.
Falco put his arms around her, feeling her tender frame through the soft cloth of her T-shirt. It was a surprising difference now that Katt didn’t have clothing to bulk herself up. Katt returned the affection, snuggling up to his bare chest feeling the contours of his trunk against the side of her face. Falco stroked Katts hair in a soft, soothing manner.
“You know Katt, I can’t have you stay here, not when I know the LLA could come for you at any moment. I was thinking, how about you come with me aboard The Great Fox.”
“But what about Fox?” Katt asked.
“Don’t you worry about Fox. I’ll take care of everything.” He said as Katt returned her head to his chest. “I’ll take care of everything.”