Invasion
Prologue
Voices echoed through James McCloud's head as he pulled on his uniform jacket slowly.
"James, get us out of here right now!"
"I won't let you down, Stony. I won't let you down!"
He tried to shake it off, glancing at himself in a mirror. Forty-two, fur just beginning to gray around his muzzle. The midnight blue flight suit, silver jacket, and silver boots were normal uniform for him. Pinned over his heart was his wings and rank, and that was all. His medals sat on his desk. 'If I wore them all and was dropped in a lake, I'd drown.' He mused with poor humor.
"James, the fire is getting bad! We can't take much more of this! GET US OUT OF HERE RIGHT NOW!"
"General, get Stony's insertion team out right now!" He shouted angrily into his radio mouthpiece.
"I have no authorization to go behind enemy lines!" Replied General Talon.
"JAMES!" Howled Stony in panic.
He shook off the voices again, pulling off his wedding ring. His hands were heavily scarred by a number of causes, including fights and shrapnel.
"Get them out now, dammit!" James shrieked.
Long silence.
"They aren't going to come get us, are they?" Whispered Stony.
James sat down slowly, rubbing his temples.
"James?" Peppy asked from the hallway.
"I'm here."
"You okay?"
"Yes, why wouldn't I be?" He got up and walked out of his room.
"No fruit salad?" Pep rose an eyebrow at James.
"I never wear my medals."
"I'm aware of that. Come on, we'll be late for the briefing."
"I've got something to do afterward, okay?"
"Fine by me."
General Pepper, someone that James knew and liked, did the briefing.
There was a problem on Venom. There was reason to believe that Andross, exiled not too long ago, was causing trouble. Pepper wanted the Star Fox team to recon, to see if there was any activity.
James agreed.
Once the briefing was over, he went to a nearby cemetery, carrying a bouquet of flowers. Rain pounded down, but he wasn't bothered by it. A dreary, cloudy day.
"See you on the flip side, James."
"Stony!"
He stopped at a tombstone, looking down at it.
Vixy Reinard McCloud
Loving wife and mother
Born October 17, 2015
Died February 5, 2045
"I miss you so much." He murmured, setting the flowers down on the grave. "I've done the best I could, believe me. Tried to raise our son right. He's had his eyes on the sky all his life, though. I'm not going to argue such a strong desire." He sighed, bowing his head slowly. "I've been through a lot, you probably know that.....but it's getting worse. But please, whatever happens, never think less of me."
Present Day
Chapter One--
"The hatches are open!"
"Roger that Billy!" Fox flipped his plane and leaned on the trigger. Before the hatches closed, he managed to take out one and damage another.
"Good shots Fox!" Said Peppy.
"Thanks Pep. We don't have all day to chop at this damn thing though."
"Unknowns from the northeast! And a lot of them!" Said ROB.
"UNKNOWNS?!" Fox exploded. "Cornerian or Venomian?"
"Can't tell!" Bill yipped.
All Fox saw was a wave of black fighters, such as he had never seen in his life, attack the battlefield. Shooting down both Bill's units and the Venomian fighters, pounding at both ROB and the enemy mothership. 'Dear god!' He dove at one of the fighters and shot, but the black plane took no damage, maneuvering easily with six wings and a very long, needle-shaped body. The plane avoided him and shot at him. His arwing's shield screamed indignantly.
It was then he knew that they wouldn't win this battle.
One of the black fighters dove at him, and the g-diffuser went up in smoke, explosion spinning him out.
"I'm going down!" Fox shouted.
"FOX!" Billy cried.
"NO!!" Peppy howled.
The arwing hit the ground, digging into the dirt. Fox screamed.
"WHAT?" Andross bellowed.
"Sir....." The pilot squealed, eyes wide with fear.
"Sorry. Tell me again, slowly, what happened."
The pilot trembled. "We were fighting Bill Grey's units and the Star Fox team, and all of the sudden a solid wave of black planes.....like nothing I've ever seen before....attacked. They shot both the Cornerians and us down.....I saw McCloud go down......and his teammates pull him loose. He was injured but alive. Then the rest of my squad pulled out, and the last I saw, the Cornerians fled too."
He slowly nodded, rubbing his chin. He looked at his Generals, advisors. "Talk to me!"
"Sir, what we may be dealing with here is something from a completely different system." Said Wolf O'Donnel, leaning on the table.
"Are you saying ALIENS attacked?"
"Yes. The planes aren't Venomian or Cornerian. Not Lylatian at all. They have to be aliens."
The door opened, and Leon came in, leading a nervous looking private. "Sir, you've got to hear this." He said.
"Okay..." Said Andross, waiting.
"Okay private, just tell him what you told me." Leon said soothingly.
Casting a nervous look at Andross, the private spread out a number of pictures on the long table. "I....I monitor the system wide radar and infared....." He stammered, trembling. "Yesterday morning, on the very edge of the system, I got a picture on the infared but not on radar...." He pointed at a picture. "About 25 big ships and too many fighters too count. Alien ships, s-sir."
Andross clasped the private's shoulder. "My boy! You've been tracking them since yesterday morning? Do you have pictures?"
General Pepper walked into the Great Fox's infirmary. "Fox?"
Fox was sitting on an examination table, watching the medrobot wrap up his forearms. "Hi General."
"How bad is that?"
"Second and third degree burns." Said the robot, finishing the bandaging.
"I feel like a mummy." Fox muttered, looking at his white-wrapped forearms. The bandages went from his elbows to his wrists. He pulled on his jacket and rolled the sleeves down over the bandages.
"Talk to me. Who were they?"
"No one I know of. Something from out-system. Alien something-or-others. Fighting damn UFOs." Fox grunted. "Get shot down as well....almost no warning."
"Did they just shoot at you?"
"No. Shot down a bunch of the Venomians, and a bunch of Bill's men."
Pepper nodded. "I need you to debrief the big guys, okay? The President is having a heart attack trying to figure this out."
"Fine...." He sighed, tail twitching. "Sir....?"
"Yes?" Pepper paused, about to leave.
"If we have to fight both these new fighters, and Venom....you can kiss our sorry tails good-bye."
"What do you suggest?"
"There's only one thing we can do."
"You're nuts." President Peterson told Fox to his face.
"Can't do anything else sir. We have to team up with Venom if we want to win against the aliens." Fox crossed his arms.
"You think Andross will actually agree to that?"
"It's worth a shot. Andross still has the power to use logic, even if he is nuts."
Peterson sighed. "You're right."
"I know that sir. Now, call Andross."
"SIR!" A marine ran into the oval office. "Attacks on several large cities cross system!"
"Venom?"
"No, sir! The aliens!"
"Told you so." Fox said with poor humor.
"Smirk later. Tell me what to do now."
"Try to hold them back. That's all we can do."
"DEAR GOD!" Wolf cried, watching the Venomian cruiser fall slowly, fire exploding from inside, plates rupturing. "PULL BACK RIGHT NOW! RIGHT NOW DAMMIT!"
Andross bowed his head slowly. There had been over a thousand men on that cruiser. None had escaped. A burning sensation went through his chest and up to his eyes, but the tears didn't come. He held them back.
"Sir?" A man monitoring radio said, looking up at Andross. "We've got a contact from Corneria. Wants to talk to you. Now."
Chapter Two--
Tension ran high as the huge Venomian cruisers slowly landed in Corneria City. Less then 100 miles away, Cornerian planes, struggled to hold off the aliens, protect the capital city.
The command ship, battered from the aliens, touched down gently, engines hissing. The hatch slowly extended, door opening.
Peterson shifted uneasily. Fox crossed his arms and waited, forearms still bandaged from the burns. He had known the minute he had crashed that the only way to beat the aliens was to team up with Venom. He had no love in his heart for Venom, but didn't hate them either, so if it had to be done, so be it.
Andross, in a general's uniform, walked down the ramp, looking around warily at the Cornerian pilots standing nearby, watching. Star Wolf followed him down the ramp.
Andross walked right up to the President and held out his hand.
Peterson shook hands willingly. "Glad you agreed to this, Andross. Both of us are suffering heavy losses to the aliens.
Andross nodded. "Yes I know. I called a cease-fire after talking to you. I do not wish any more of my men killed."
"Nor do I. Truce?"
"Truce. We fight side by side now."
Fox nodded once approvingly.
Wolf stepped toward Fox uneasily. He and Fox had been rivals their entire lives. As children, they had shouted insults at each other in school; as Cadets, they had competed viciously for the title of best; as pilots, they had tried to kill each other. But now there was a higher purpose, for the fate of the entire system, Lylatians all, hung in balance. Fighting each other would be signing everyone's death warrant. Behind him, his team shifted, looking across at Fox's team, who looked back with equal unease.
Fox was having basically the same thoughts. He stepped forward also, and held out his hand to Wolf. Under the bandaging, his arms itched, scar tissue forming. He felt that he owed the aliens one, and not in a good way. There was no way in hell he was going to let them tear apart his home. No way, no how.
Wolf shook Fox's hand, nodding once. Their teams were the best, and he had heard about Fox going down. God willing, that would never happen again. The alliance of the two best teams would hopefully prove unstoppable.
"Hot damn." Wolf remarked, looking around the Great Fox.
"Welcome aboard." Fox tried not to laugh.
"Thanks."
"Come on, I'll show you to your cabins." Fox walked down the corridor, leading the Star Wolf team. He was tense, nervous. Trusting the people that had been his archenemies only days earlier was going to be hard, he knew.
Name plaques hung on doors. McCloud, Hare, Lombardi, Toad, Phoenix, Grey, Monroe...and recently hung ones, O'Donnel, Powalski, Oinkonny, Dengar.
"Wow." Leon commented, surprised pleasantly, opening his door.
The furniture of all the cabins of the Great Fox was a heavy wood, most antique. Nothing really fancy, but for pilot's cabins, impressive. Leon's eyes got big. He was used to barracks.
Fox grinned from ear to ear.
"Um, nice."
"Why, thank you. Can you understand now, or begin to, why we're still paying for this cruiser?"
"Hell yes."
"Good."
"I don't like this at all." Katt declared, pacing back and forth on the bridge.
"We don't have much choice in the matter." Falco said with a rough sigh. "I don't like it much either. Leon is a member of a gang that rivals mine."
"You have a good reason then. I just don't trust them at all."
"Well, sensible." Bill said.
"Excuse me, if you're going to talk about us, don't talk where one of us can hear." Andrew said sharply, fingers flying across a keyboard.
"Sorry. What's your specialty again?" Fara asked.
"Computer programming and technology." Andrew said over his shoulder, still typing.
"Oh."
"Look, I know you don't trust us. You have a goddamn good reason not to. But we have to work together, so stop complaining." He stopped and rubbed the back of his neck.
"You're sensible out of the air." Bill said, surprised.
"I'm a computer nerd, not a pilot."
"You sound like Slippy." Falco said. "But Slippy doesn't admit to being a nerd."
Andrew laughed out loud, grinning. He turned the chair around and folded his hands in his lap. "I'm going to try to work with you guys....as best as I can. I admit, I like this cruiser."
"Or at least the computers." ROB grunted.
"Well, they're over twenty years old and still incredibly high-tech. I'm used to older stuff. It's nice to be able to play a little."
"If you do anything I don't like, I'll let you know."
"Figured you would."
"Peppy, please!" Pigma begged. He was nearly groveling. "I've spent the last ten minutes apologizing! I may not be much but I want you to accept my apology!"
Peppy crossed his arms. "You've betrayed me once, Dengar." He said slowly. "How am I to know you won't do it again?"
A long pause. "James escaped less then forty-eight hours after we captured him. Disappeared into thin air." Was the weak reply. "Just fine and dandy with me.... Peppy, this experience has...burned me. I know now that money isn't worth honor...or friendship..."
Peppy believed him. Although sneaky, Pigma was a rotten liar, and was currently basically spilling his guts. Why not believe him? Still he had turned on Pep once, what would prevent him from doing it again? Could he be trusted now?
"I've lost my honor, don't tell me I've lost one of the best friends I've ever had! We've been through a lot together, you know that. I will never do anything to betray you again."
Leon, passing by while exploring the ship, heard this and paused.
"I can't say I forgive you....yet...but I do accept your apology." Said Peppy finally.
Pigma smiled weakly. "It's enough."
"You are right, we have been through a lot."
"Heartbreak Ridge."
"Heartbreak Ridge....I'll drink to that." Peppy agreed.
"Um...sorry. I heard the last part, what's Heartbreak Ridge?" Leon asked, peeping in the doorway of the den.
"Come on in, we'll explain." Peppy stood, beckoning. Leon walked over, and was led over to the wall, where older pictures hung on the wall. "The team had just been formed, and we had accepted a ground mission, guerilla warfare."
"Small change warlord started trouble, chose a thick jungle and rocky hills to hide his men in." Pigma put in.
"The group we fought with was a marine force, young soldiers. Like us I guess. The team became especially good friends with one in particular..."
"Jason 'Stony' Jackson." Pigma grinned.
"Right. Anyway, we were standing, looking up at a rocky ridge which hid machine gun nests and enemy troops, and out of the blue, James says, 'Ladies, if this doesn't kill us, it'll sure as hell break our hearts.' So, Heartbreak Ridge was born." Peppy traced the ridge on an aerial photograph. "Five days, hand to hand, fixed bayonets. Hell on Earth."
"In the end, it was the team, and Stony Jackson." Pigma shook his head. "By some grace of God, we all lived. Good word for a younger merc team I suppose."
"Yeah, and imagine our surprise when we heard that Stony had recommended James for the CMH."
"Fox's old man got the Congressional Medal of Honor?!" Leon stared at the old pictures, beginning to see why the older pilot held the title of best.
"Yes. Single-handedly took out four machine gun nests, rescued some of our group which had been taken prisoner."
"Whoa...."
"That isn't the half of it. James won a lot of medals. He received the CMH TWICE, four silver stars, eight purple hearts, and two crosses. Never wore ANY of them, either. Said it would be bragging."
Leon had a deep respect for James McCloud suddenly. He may have been little more then a torturer and gang member, but he could respect someone like James McCloud, and hoped to talk to him face to face someday. He looked at one of the pictures, and grinned. Four guys, all young, two of which were Dengar and Hare. James was in the middle of it, grinning at the camera. The forth was a slightly scruffy looking coyote, half-smiling, jacket swung loosely over his shoulder. "Is that Stony?"
"Yes indeed."
"What happened to him?"
There was a long, long pause. Pigma and Peppy exchanged a look.
"What?"
"He was killed eighteen years ago, behind enemy lines. His group was an insertion team. Couldn't be picked up. James blamed himself for Stony's death."
"Dear god...."
"Whole group was killed. James spent a good portion of his life trying to get retribution for the families. Never got it either. The men of Marine Force Recon are used to do illegal operations." Peppy shook his head slowly. "James struggled against the system. I guess that's why he started Star Fox. An attempt to get away from the system. Now, the names have changed but the game is the same."
Leon wordlessly nodded.
"Hey Fox." Wolf leaned on his Wolfen4, passing tools under the plane.
"Yeah?" Came the reply.
"Remember the musical?"
Fox laughed, hard. "Oh, man! I won't forget that as long as I live, so help me, Jesus!" He had deliberately worded that, the musical, put on by the Academy's drama team and music department, had been Jesus Christ Superstar. It had enjoyed immense popularity, in fact, four of the Broadway actors had showed up at the last show.
Stung, Wolf kicked Fox's tail lightly, which was basically all he could see of Fox--the rest of him was under the plane. "Shut up Judas."
More laughter. "Jeez, don't take it personally."
"Look, just because I played Jesus in it..."
Fox snickered. "You got crucified...."
Wolf laughed and sat down, looking under the plane. "You've got no room to talk, you HUNG yourself in character!"
Fox peered out from under the plane. "You worked hard on your part, I'll give you that."
"So did you. For the first time I had ever seen."
"What do you mean?"
"Well, everything seems to come easily to you. I guess that's why you've always...irked me. I had to work hard to go anywhere, everything came easily and quickly to you."
"Is that what you think? OW...."
"Watch you head. That's exactly what I think. When I became a Cadet at sixteen, I was the worst pilot in my entire class. I worked hard to get into the top 1%. Then you waltz in out of nowhere, first year at the academy and training equal to mine, and tried to derail me...pissed me off I guess."
"I can understand that." Fox, rubbing his head, slid out from under the plane. "We had some good times though. I mean, we did joke back and forth, I remember a few dogfights where we were laughing our heads off the entire time, because we knew it was just for fun and we would come out on top of everyone else, then spend an hour against each other. And I've got to admit, that damn musical was FUN. Couldn't have done it without you, drama student. I couldn't act worth a damn beforehand."
"Well, I couldn't have held my part without you helping me. I was in drama every year at the academy, but couldn't sing worth anything before you helped me. What choir were you in again?"
"Um..."
"What, you forget?" Wolf was amused. "You of the best memory and all...."
"Shaddup. Let's see here. Honor's Ensemble, Men's Quartet, District Choir, State Choir."
"You're a singer, not a pilot."
"Well, that's yet to be seen, now hasn't it?"
Wolf agreed to that. Fox was a year younger then Wolf was, and Fox seemed to coast easily through life, and if he put out effort, no one seemed to be able to catch up. Wolf had fought his way through life, competing with Fox the whole time, never really taking a good, long look at whom he was competing with. But now..... "You know, I think if we hadn't been so busy hating each other, we could have been good friends."
Fox nodded, face serious. Then, impulsively, "What's keeping us from being friends now? We're stuck on the same side, with the same damn job and rank. Why not? Getting along is sure better then fighting all the time."
It sounded so simple, honest--and ridiculous!--that Wolf laughed out loud and grinned from ear to ear. "Some friendship we've had so far, so why not make up for it, huh?" He reached over and ruffled the younger fox's fur absently.
Fox grinned back and didn't pull away. "Well, you never know...."
Angry shouting cut them off.
"Oh hell. Leon." Wolf sprang to his feet.
"And Falco." Fox got up, and both ran to the source of the noise.
Falco and Leon were in the weight room, ready to fight, clearly mad as hell at each other. Both had knifes.
"OH, NO YOU DON'T!" Fox lunged and knocked Falco down, taking the knife, as Wolf grabbed Leon and forcefully took the weapon.
"What's with you?" Falco snapped angrily at his teammate.
"Would you two get it through your thick skulls that you're on the same side?!" Wolf bellowed, glaring down at both gang members. "I know you're rival gang members, and I frankly don't care. Learn to get along. The fate of the system is in our hands, so dammit, you BETTER get along and realize there are higher purposes then serving a affiliation to a gang!"
Falco and Leon stared up at Fox and Wolf, surprised.
"God damn, blow a gasket why don't you?" Leon said.
"Yeah, what set you two off?" Falco said.
"We don't want you two killing each other, that's what!" Fox snapped. "So stop being pains in the ass and get along! Or at least ignore each other or something! You're going to be fighting side by side and probably saving each other's skins, so get used to it."
A long pause, the two pairs glaring at each other.
"Look. The way I see it, you're the only two gang members on board right?" Wolf said finally.
"Right."
"I don't think most of the rest of us like gangs. It wouldn't be a bad idea to stick together, now would it? I know a number of Venomian pilots who would dog you two and tease you about it from dawn to dusk. Think it over. You guys better learn to get along." Wolf turned and started to leave, swinging his arm which held the knife. The hilt of the knife stuck out of the wall, blade completely embedded.
"Damn." Leon said, staring.
Fox retracted and pocketed Falco's switchblade, and followed Wolf out.
"This is going to be amusing." Fox said with a sigh.
"I couldn't agree more." Wolf replied.
"Nice trick in sticking that knife in the drywall by the way."
"Oh shut up. It drove the point home."
"Yeah...the point of it...."
Chapter Three--
"Let's go." Fox said, launching.
"Right with ya, Fox." Wolf said. The team members followed the two leaders out.
"A double-headed formation, can't get much weirder then that." Fox remarked. Indeed, Wolf and Fox led side by side, about ten feet apart.
"Whatever works."
"THEY'RE ATTACKING CORNERIA CITY!" Falco shouted.
"Key it up! We have to stop them!" Wolf said, speeding up.
The eleven fighters sped up, and attacked the wave of black fighters from behind, pounding at the alien fighters, which flipped fluidly to return fire.
Fox pulled up and dropped bombs, flashes of light going off.
"No damage Fox." Slippy reported.
"Damn." He muttered.
"Guys, the power plant...!!" Leon called. "It's gonna blow!"
The fighters scattered. They had been fighting just above a gas power plant.
With a rumble, the power plant exploded. The arwings shields chirped, they were turning away EMP. The Wolfen4s also protested.
The black fighters fizzled and fell, slowly spinning out and hitting the dirt, blowing up into black shrapnel.
"DID YOU SEE THAT?!" Andrew said, raising an eyebrow.
"They have a weakness." Chirped Slippy, eyes wide.
"EMP!" Said Slippy and Andrew in a duet, grinning.
"Can we use that?" Andrew asked.
"My father should be able to, with some help from some super-smart people." Slippy replied. "If your uncle will help...."
"He should...."
"Fox, we have a survivor." Said one of the ground troops.
A slender, snakelike being, with four legs and four arms, regarded the Lylatians from where it was sprawled on the ground. Blood tricked from its nostrils, and its tears were bloody. It was covered in a dense coat of violet fur.
Fox knelt, studying this being.
"Skknnxxz." Slurred the alien, looking at him. "Urla-wllll....shgn...."
"What's he saying?" Fox asked.
Wolf pushed off his helmet and ruffled his thick fur. "Beats me."
"Urla-wllll.....shgn!" Mumbled the alien, staring at Fox, reaching toward him.
Fox held out one hand, which the alien grabbed. It had three fingers, like a flower almost, opening and closing completely. It opened and closed its eyes, bloody tears streaking its pointy face.
One of its other hands was patting its jacket, and the next movement was blurred. Fox shrieked and pulled away, three bloody slashes crossing his chest and going down his left arm. "OH, GOD!" He yelped in surprise, backing away.
The alien was moving, and quickly. It leapt and pounced on Wolf, hissing in a high-pitched tone, slashing at him with wicked, long, three-pointed knife. Wolf howled in surprise.
"Nrggg." The alien held its knife against Wolf's throat, tail lashing, pinning him, staring at the others. "Yrag-nif quel!"
"Huh?" Leon said, stunned.
"I can guess." Wolf said, lying still. "He wants to get out of here and if we don't let him go he'll kill me."
"Oh, great." Fox said, blood staining his shirt and jacket. The gashes were deep, bleeding steadily. He suddenly pulled his gun, lightning fast, and lunged, pressing the gun to the alien's head behind its eye.
"Ssk." Snarled the alien, freezing. "Urla-wllll shgn!" It shrieked.
Wolf shoved up at the alien, which belatedly swung the three-pronged knife, hitting across Wolf's collarbone and shoulder. It lunged away, hissing, moving fast again.
"Ouch." Wolf said blankly, eyes wide. Like Fox, he was bleeding badly.
Fox fired belatedly, hitting the alien on the back.
The alien stumbled, crouching on the ground, panting, spitting out blood. Its diamond shaped eyes were wide, mostly black, yellow pupils thin slits.
Fox fired again, and this time, his aim was true, the alien collapsed, rolling with a pained yelp.
"Urla.....wlll................shgn.........." It gasped once more, and went completely limp.
"Dear god, I've been in pain before, but this is ridiculous!" Wolf gasped.
"I know the feeling, believe me." Fox stumbled over to his plane and came back with a first aid kit, kneeling next to his friend and pressing gauze into the cuts. Blood ran steadily down his injured arm, mixing with the blood in Wolf's gashes, and vice versa as Wolf's blood got into Fox's arm wound. Fox didn't notice.
Wolf did, blinking.
"How bad are those?" Leon and Peppy crouched down by their injured comrades.
"Deep. Don't know how bad." Fox gasped. "Given the pain, the blades may have had some agent on them....poison, but perhaps just some caustic agent....I don't know..."
"Fox...." Wolf pointed at the blood and rose an eyebrow. Fox looked at where Wolf was pointing blankly, then figured out what Wolf was trying to say. "Howdy brother."
"What?" Leon asked.
"Our blood's mixed." Fox said, feeling a little faint. "Wolf and I are blood brothers."
"Doc....dammit! OUCH!" Wolf howled indignantly.
"It's not my fault." Grunted Doc Miller. "Sit still and there wouldn't be such a problem."
"I still feel like a mummy." Fox said. "But better now.....Doc, where did you get black medical tape?"
"None of your business, I have sources."
"Stylish." Wolf said with poor humor.
Peppy came in. "Okay, I've got a long report here."
"Fire away." Fox said, sitting shirtless on an examination table, regarding the world with a pained, bemused look.
"Well, starting with the, er, former survivor. Oxygen breather, hemogoblin based blood, whole nine yards, very close to us biologically."
Wolf's head snapped up.
"You make something of that I don't?" Peppy asked.
"Yeah. I do. We're being invaded and exterminated." Wolf grunted, shaking his head. "They want Lylat....must have a problem with their home planet. Like locusts...."
"Not good." Said Fox. "What else Pep?"
"Well, Beltino, Slippy, Andross, and Andrew have been working around the clock. They're making good progress. Seems they're coming up with some sort of multi-firing EMP weapon they can install on our planes. Amazing what happens when great minds work together." Peppy shook his head.
"Done." Doc announced.
Wolf worked his shoulders with a sigh. "So....now what?"
"We wait." Fox said. "Not much else we can do."
"Happy day." Wolf stood and stretched.
"My mind is clear now, at last all to well I can see where we all soon will be..." Fox sang.
"Music man." Wolf laughed. "A cappella, word for word, you remember your lines?"
"Yes." Fox said, giving his newly declared blood brother a dopey smile, tail wagging.
"Are you okay?"
"Tired. High on pain."
"Go to bed."
"Yes, mother." He said in an ingrating voice, hopped off the examination table, and went back to his cabin.
"I've seen this Sick Bay so many times I'm going to ask them to change the decor." Doc declared, packing his bag, getting ready to leave. "Just like his old man.......Fox seems to attract injuries..."
"James McCloud got hurt a lot?" Wolf asked, pulling a shirt on slowly.
"Yes. A LOT. Especially his hands....sheesh. Better get back planet side, good luck in coming up battle."
"Thanks."
"No problem, it's my job." Doc left.
"Hokus pokus jokus I, come take a spin on a carnie ride." Leon and Falco sang/rapped at the near top of their lungs, enjoying the huge stereo in the radio room.
"Glad there's something they agree on." Fox commented to Wolf, shutting the radio room's door as they went by. "Weird music tastes."
"What was that anyway?"
"Hokus Pokus by ICP. Falco's big on rap and heavy metal. Metallica is one of his favorites."
"One of Leon's favorites too."
"As long as they're getting along, it's fine by me."
"Couldn't agree more."
Fox irritably rubbed his arms. "Seems as soon as one wound gets half-healed I get another one!"
"Don't scratch the scar tissue." Wolf warned.
"Look, you don't have much room to talk."
"Don't mean I can't lecture you, I am the older one here."
"Look brother, shut up. I'm just sick of being sore and wearing bandages, that's all."
"You think it's just you?!"
A girl's cheerful laughter came to their ears. Fara was leaning on the doorframe of the den. "Nice that everyone is getting along."
"Yeah, but it has a price." Fox replied, perking up upon seeing Fara. Wolf noted that.
"What do you mean?" Wolf asked.
"Let's say we beat these aliens, right? What happens when we do? Some unit, Venomian, Cornerian, whatever, forgets the cease fire, and the war breaks out again!"
"Hell. You're right." Wolf said. "And that has what to do with us, though?"
"We're on different sides, or were once upon a time. Not anymore, am I right?"
"That you are. Think we can force peace down everyone else's throats?"
"Perhaps."
"Just how long have you two known each other?" Fara asked.
"Um. Good question. Damn good question." Fox said. "Nine years? Ten?"
"Nine and a half, I think." Wolf said.
"Sheesh." Fara shook her head and retreated into the den.
"So." Wolf said, looking at Fox.
"So?" Fox asked.
"Just how long have you been in love?"
"What?"
"Okay ladies and gentlemen, we have ourselves working guns." Slippy announced over the radio. "Fly your planes down to Space Dynamics, we'll get them fixed up, and we can all kick some alien tail huh?"
"Roger that, Slippy." Acgnoledged several voices.
Out around Solar, Fortuna, and Titania, the battles raged on, Lylatians fighting desperately, knowing if they could hold until Star Fox was ready, they aliens probably wouldn't have a chance.
The Wolfen4s and arwings flew down, touching down on the landing pads.
Beltino came out. "Come on. We have the changes done on Andrew's and my son's planes, I'll show you what we've done."
The new weapon was odd looking, a boxy contraption, which was smoothly worked into the body of the planes, installed on the belly. Huge energy packs were set in at the back, a mini nuclear engine which provided enough energy for repeated shots of the EMP.
The four were very confident that it would work right and well.
Star Fox trusted them.
It took six hours to complete changes on the planes, which then lifted and flew for space, after being wished good luck by Beltino and Andross.
"If this works right, there shouldn't be any problems at all!" Slippy said cheerfully as they flew toward the enemy fleet.
"Don't get cocky over there." Fox replied.
A ragged looking Venomian fighter approached them. "P-permission to dock with cruiser for repairs?" The pilot stammered, looking at the Great Fox.
"Granted." Wolf said.
"Thanks sir. Thank god you're here. We can't hold much longer."
"Don't worry."
"Yes sir..." The pilot docked with the Great Fox.
Three gutted Lylatian cruisers hung in space, most with many released escape pods. They provided a maze of plates, which hid enemy ships.
"Let's rock and roll!" Fox shouted. "Break formation!"
The huge team split up and dove into battle.
Whoops went up from what was left of the Lylatians, who regrouped by the Great Fox, dozens becoming hundreds, hundreds becoming several thousand Venomians and Cornerians, none of which had escaped damage. Nine cruisers slowly pulled into ranks with the Great Fox, waiting.
"Oh great, we have an audience." Wolf remarked.
"Well, let's not disappoint them." Fox said.
A squad of black fighters appeared and dove at the pair.
"Let's see if the waiting was worth it...." Wolf fired the EMP.
Two of the black fighters spun out and exploded.
Fox whooped. "Way to go Slippy, Andrew! IT WORKS!"
The black fighters fell in increasing numbers, hardly getting a shot off. Wolf and Fox went for the enemy cruisers, pounding away with their new guns until the cruisers went up in flame slowly.
"That's the mothership!" Falco cried, pointing his arwing at the biggest of the enemy cruisers.
"Roger that, I'm going in. Cover me!" Wolf said, diving.
"I've got your back." Replied Fox, coming in above and behind Wolf.
The Wolfen4 shuddered as the EMP fired again and again. Fox added his shots, then other Star Fox pilots did, all working together.
The enemy fighters panicked and lunged at Star Fox, but a roar of laser fire from the waiting Lylatian ships literally shoved them back.
The mothership slowly listed to one side, fire coming from its engines.
"This mother's going to blow big! Back off!" Leon looped and pulled back. The others followed.
With an explosion nearly the size of a nova and a huge shock wave, the mothership exploded.
Cheers went up and down the lines as the black planes, panicking, regrouped and ran, heading out-system.
Then laser fire started in the Lylatian ranks, friendly fire, really rather mild.
Then it got serious.
"Oh, hell." Fox said. "We can't let this happen."
"I couldn't agree more." Wolf said. "CEASE FIRE! ALL COMBAT STOPS! CEASE FIRE NOW!"
Confused cries went up.
"But....."
"I thought that after..."
"They're Venomians..."
"They killed...."
"SHUT UP!" Fox howled. "SHUT UP! Can't you see?! Can't you see?! We're all together in this now! If we hadn't worked together, we would all be dead. And that is NOT stopping now! All combat ceases perminately as of right now! RETURN TO BASE!"
The desperate, hysterical note that crept into his voice shoved the point home. The planes and cruisers numbly obeyed, heading back to their various home bases.
"Well, what can we do?" Katt said, sitting back against Falco. All of the pilots were in the den.
"Well it's obvious we're not fighting each other, and won't ever again...isn't that right?" Wolf shot a look at Falco and Leon. Both held up their hands in treaty.
"Katt does have a point. What now?" Said Bill, sitting on a desk.
"Talk it out with our superiors." Fox said.
"Um.." Andrew said, holding up a hand.
"This isn't grade school, if you have something to say, say it."
"Well, this may sound stupid....but my uncle's been offered a job at Space Dynamics in weapons design. I don't think he'll give up that for being a war lord again."
"That isn't stupid at all, it's a good point." Said Fox. "If one side's leader isn't going to fight, well, I think we can say the war is pretty much over."
"We have to get an official, permanent treaty though if you expect that cease fire to hold." Said Peppy.
"You're the Diplomatic officer, Peppy."
"Right." Peppy sighed.
"We have another ship on our screens. An arwing." Said ROB.
"No....could it..." Fox sprang up and ran to the bridge. "Arwing pilot, please identify yourself."
"I think you already know." Came the soft, low reply. "Hello son."
"Hey dad." Fox grinned from ear to ear.
"Sorry about being gone. Am I clear to dock?"
"Of course you are. You've got a lot to catch up on."
"I know it. I'm ready to listen though." The arwing docked.
"James McCloud..?" Leon asked, surprised.
"Right. He's back." Fox sprinted out, toward the docking bay.
The war was indeed over.
The Star Fox team held steady at a dozen members. The group became a close knot of friends, sticking together through whatever happened.
And whenever a civil war threatened the Lylat system, the group stood up and reminded the system what had happened last time. And that was all that was needed to keep the peace.
But James still had something to do.
"Generals, admirals, I come before you to protest a grave injustice." He said, regarding the group of high rankers sitting in front of him, including the infamous General Talon and Commanding General Pepper.
"We're listening." Said Pepper. "Better give us details, James."
So he did, starting with Heartbreak ridge, and going into deep detail. Battles, sieges, everything he remembered happening.
45 Cornerian soldiers and pilots had been left behind enemy lines to die over the years that James had fought, including his good friend Stony Jackson.
No retribution paid to the parents, no medals issued. Not even a military burial.
Pepper listened gravely, hands steepled, elbows propped on the table. Talon looked annoyed.
General Talon had been in the service a long time, had expected to be promoted to Commanding General. But no, Pepper, who was ten years younger, had been promoted into that spot. It made Talon, needless to say, a little bitter.
When James fell silent, the high-rankers shifted and muttered to each other. They hadn't been aware that most of that had happened.
"McCloud, most of us here don't even remember those battles happening."
"Hmph, you wouldn't. Most was top secret, covert operations." He grunted. He turned and looked at Talon. "And as for you," he said in anger. "If you don't remember, your jawbone should."
Talon lifted a hand to touch his jawbone.
"What are you talking about?" Admiral Benning asked, leaning forward.
"He's the one responsible for leaving Jackson's unit behind enemy lines eighteen years ago." James said in a flat voice. "Jackson was a good friend of mine. So were many of the men in his unit. I was a little angry."
"Little bastard decked me." Talon snarled.
"I'm no longer little. Believe me, if it would solve it, I'd ask you to step outside. But that won't solve anything. I'm here to get retribution for 45 soldiers. That's all. Even if Jackson had lived, I would still be standing here. I have been requesting this for eighteen years, long years. I don't see why you refuse. Those men deserved to at least have a military burial, and they were left to rot. How can you explain that?"
Long pause.
"Look, have I ever asked you for a favor?" He said with poor humor. "No, you always ask me. You owe me over a dozen running now. And if you don't believe me, ask my doctor." He pushed up his sleeves and held his arms up, showing the scarring, then lowered his arms, coming back to attention. "Talk to me. What are you going to do?"
"You're right, James." Said Pepper. "Leave us so we can talk it out, okay? I'll see what I can do."
James saluted and left, tail snapping back and forth.
"How do you put up with him, sir?" Talon demanded.
"Quiet Talon. He's a good man, and a good soldier. And he's right."
"This is just a personal thing for him, sir."
"I don't think that matters." Pepper said thoughtfully, hands still steepled.
"What?"
"Even if he had lost no friends, he'd still be here. Besides, you're the reason it's so deeply personal for him. He blames himself for the death of Stony Jackson. Has flashbacks, bad ones."
"How do you know that?" General Greer asked.
"He told me, a few years back." Pepper sat back, eyes half closed. "Gentlemen?"
"He's right." Said Admiral Wallace after a moment, flipping her hair back. The only female Admiral OR General, she offered different views then the others. "It wasn't right to ignore the deaths of soldiers."
One by one, the others agreed, excepting Talon, who was out-ruled by majority vote.
General Pepper proposed the idea to Congress.
It went through two months later.
"This is a load off my mind." Remarked James, looking out over the new memorial cemetery. New flags fluttered overhead, sunlight shone down.
" 'Lest We Forget.' " Fox read, looking at the base of one of the flag poles. The words were carved into the base, inlaid with gold.
"Your father is the only one who didn't." Pepper said, walking up the stone path to them. "For that, I thank you James."
"No General, thank YOU." James replied, smiling.
Fox wandered up and down the paths, pausing at one of the tombstones. Jason 'Stony' Jackson. A CMH sat on top of the tombstone, just set there by someone else.
He understood that, understood why.
He couldn't help but think this cemetery was a halloed place, in an odd way.
Lest we forget.
After a few moments, Fox glanced at his watch, and walked back up the path to where the two older men were talking. "I have to go."
"Go ahead." James flipped his hand.
Forgetting reserve, Fox dashed off, running into the parking lot, where his friends were waiting.
"Kids." Pepper chortled.
"We were like that once upon a time. Come on Charlie, you owe me a drink."
"And you owe me an explanation concerning where you were."
"Sure."
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