LEGACY

A Star Fox Fan Fiction

Written by Frostclaw

Chapter I

Divergent Bodies

"At some point you have to realize
that some people can stay in your heart,
but not in your life."

He flipped the letter over and over again, sometimes checking the back in hopes that there might be more to the message. Fox McCloud, leader and Captain of the elite mercenary Star Fox squadron, sat quietly in his quarters aboard the Great Fox – the squadron's mobile headquarters and transport vessel. Their original headquarters had been destroyed during the invasion of the Aparoid home world and the new vessel has served the team since. In many ways, the new ship paled in comparison to the old and its larger size had only made Fox feel more alone as members of his crew forged new plans for their lives and left for new opportunities. He was losing them one by one.

From the doorway, General Peppy Hare and Falco Lombardi stood watching. Peppy had been a friend to Fox's late father and a mentor to Fox. He had long since retired from Star Fox team and had instead taken up role as a General for the Cornerian Army. He was the first of the Star Fox team to retire. With the Great Fox currently flying so close to the capital city he took the opportunity to pay a visit - a visit that was further incentivized when he had heard from Falco that their mutual friend was feeling down.

Falco was the team's hotshot ace pilot and Fox's oldest friend. He was also his closest equal on the team but where he lead Fox in reflexes he lagged in temperament and vision. They each had come to admire and learn from each other over the years but like Peppy, Falco had also been debating other pursuits. Falco leaned up against the door frame, his arms crossed. He motioned towards Fox and whispered quietly to Peppy.

"He's been like this for weeks." said Falco, "ever since Krystal left. He hardly eats. Hardly sleeps. He just works round the clock. When he's not in the simulator or working on his Arwing, he's pouring over diagnostics or reading that damned goodbye letter. I was hoping may be you had some ideas on how we can snap him out of it."

Krystal had been a friend and on-again, off-again member of Star Fox. She and Fox had gotten along well and shared a brief romance. Even though they had long discontinued their relationship, Fox still had feelings for her as both friend and perhaps more. Her recent departure was fairly sudden and her absence had been particularly difficult for Fox to adjust to.

Peppy nodded at Falco. He figured Fox's problems were likely straightforward. "Ah, kid's just sufferin' through some heartbreak. He'll get over it in time. Just need to find somethin' ta keep his mind offa things. It's been quiet on Corneria. You boys should consider poppin' down for a vacation."

"Tried that." replied Falco, "He just spends his time with his muzzle in a tablet reviewing old mission logs. He wasn't this bad last time he and Krystal split. I think there's more to it. Things have been slow. No jobs of late and frankly I've been entertaining the option of rejoining my old crew. You've retired. Slippy is engaged now. I think Fox is worried that he's losing us. Maybe we just need to get his mind off of things. Have you heard of any interesting contracts we might be able to take on?"

"Nah," said Peppy, "things have been slow. Army's got a glut of troops that need trainin' and practice so there's little need to hire Star Fox for mercenary work." noted Peppy quite formally.

"So just the usual milk runs you're having us do for you? The General's delivery service." noted Falco with a sigh. Falco did appreciate the work. The work wasn't difficult and it was kind of Peppy to find them opportunities. After getting involved in so many messy battles and wars it was easy to appreciate a little quiet.

"I do what I can to help you boys pay the bills, Falco, but the fact is everyone's got a lot of free time of late. There's nothing extra we can't cover that would warrant contracting outside the army." said Peppy.

Peppy had always done what he could to look out for the team. He had helped Fox forge the team originally and had acted as a mentor for the entire group. His age gave him insight they lacked. They had all grown more wise and mature over the years and Peppy felt the need for him had diminished. Still, helping them find work was the least he could do.

"I know and I don't mean to be pushy." replied Falco, "Just figured maybe some action could get him out of this funk he's gotten himself into."

Peppy waved to dismiss Falco as he walked towards Fox, "Let me chat with him."

He quietly approached Fox who was too distracted to notice. Fox had kept re-reading the letter. As Peppy got closer he noticed Fox's appearance was somewhat disheveled and he was dressed more casually than usual. Fox had always prided himself on looking professional and seeing him looking so laid back was a worrisome change. He continued to rock in his chair for a bit and set the note down. He then stared at it as it rested on his desk.

Peppy coughed to alert Fox to his presence. "Hey, sonny." said Peppy.

"Peppy! What are you doing here?" asked Fox. He flicked the letter aside before turning around in his chair to face his old teammate. He forced a grin. Fox was genuinely happy to see Peppy but other things had been on his mind.

"Look, I heard you've been a bit under the weather lately..." asked Peppy with concern.

Fox glared past his old mentor at Falco who was still eavesdropping at the room's entrance. "I see..." murmured Fox. He was a little annoyed that Falco had likely called Peppy to check in on him. Falco simply shrugged and walked down the hall.

"Your friends are worried and thought I might be able to help snap ya out of it." Peppy continued.

"Look," muttered Fox, forcing a smile, "I'm fine. Everything's fine. Ship's running great, delivery jobs have been paying the bills."

Peppy pulled over a chair and sat facing Fox. Age had started to cause his joints to ache and it took him some adjustment to find a comfortable position in the chair. Fox noticed how old his former mentor had gotten especially since taking over the role of General. Peppy had been only slightly younger than Fox' father and had flown with him for years before he and Fox had even met. Since his father's death, Peppy had become the closest thing he had to a father figure. Still, Fox was now his own man and though himself beyond the need for a mentor. He wasn't keen on having Peppy lecture him.

"It's about Krystal isn't it?" asked Peppy directly. "Feeling a bit heartbroken?"

Fox straightened up indignantly. "No! I mean... she and I hadn't dated in a while! We've moved on..."

"So you're saying it's not her?" asked Peppy, wiping his glasses.

Fox paused.

"So it is her?" Peppy continued.

"Well, no... sort of. I don't know." sighed Fox, shrinking into his seat. He had many doubts and concerns of late, and he conceded that maybe venting them might do some good. "Everything just seems to be falling apart. You're a general now. Krystal left to lead her own life. Falco's been wanting to take on a leadership role – maybe rejoin the Hot Rodders with his old friend Katt. Slippy's engaged." Fox looked at the door to see if Falco was still nearby and then reclined back into his seat. "I don't know how much longer Star Fox will be around. It can't just be ROB and I. Not like the team is needed much anyway these days – what with everything being so quiet – but I don't want to stop flying."

"It wouldn't be the first time Star Fox took a break." noted Peppy.

Fox looked at Peppy as if he had suggested something truly blasphemous. Star Fox was created by Fox' father and Fox had no intention of setting his father's legacy aside. Peppy noticed Fox's reaction and thought for a moment.

"Maybe you can find some new members for the team. Maybe you can take a visit to Corneria for a bit and stop by the Academy. You never know, you may find some potential recruits."

Fox looked away in thought. "Maybe… Is it wrong that I miss when we used to tangle with Star Wolf? It was nice to have the chance to really put our skills to the test. It was all of us working together as a team. Everything's just so quiet now. A few pirates scuffles. A few delivery runs. Everyone seems to be moving on from the old days."

It had been a long time since Star Fox had a run in with their rivals. They had crossed paths with Star Wolf on a number of occasions and during most of them they were on opposite sites of the conflict. Still, Star Wolf had most recently helped them fight against a common foe and they had disappeared ever since.

Just then Fox's ears perked up to the sound of static from the intercom.

"Peppy! Fox!" came Falco's voice over the intercom. "You two should head up here. There's something you need to see."

Fox rushed from his seat as Peppy more carefully propped himself up and rubbed his back. There was a momentary look of excitement on Fox's face.

This might get the kid's mind off of things, thought Peppy. Hopefully it's nothing serious.

#

By the time Peppy reached the bridge Fox had already joined up with Falco as well as Slippy, the ship's engineer and ROB, the robotic operator of the ship. The assembled team members were staring intently at various screens and scanners. The bridge of the Great Fox was not the bridge Peppy remembered. It was entirely different. It was not as elegant as the original Great Fox but instead felt more simplistic and practical. While built from a decommissioned ship, the bridge was still bright and clean. The team had done a good job keeping up with maintenance. Peppy took a few steps forward and stared out from the bridge. A large cargo vessel could be seen off in the distance listing to one side with a small trail of debris floating alongside it.

"A supply ship..." said Peppy.

This by itself was nothing unusual. Cargo ships of all kinds were common place close to Corneria. A damaged supply ship, however, merited attention.

"Were getting a distress signal." noted Slippy, "Automated. Seems the ship has received damage to their propulsion system and life support."

"Life signs?" asked Fox as he eagerly hopped into the command chair.

"Can't tell. Radiation from the engine is causing interference." noted Slippy, "Hull's intact though. Power's fluctuating."

"Have you tried contacting them?" asked Peppy, trying not to overstep Fox.

Slippy nodded. "No answer."

"I wonder if life support has given out entirely?" asked Peppy.

"The front end of that ship looks odd." Falco pointed out. "There's some unusual protrusions… weapons of some kind?"

Slippy leaned in for a closer look. "No. Some of these larger ships use specialized deflector arrays if they travel near meteor belts. Especially mining ships. That must be what those are used for."

Fox got up from the command chair. He zipped up his jacket and turned to exit the bridge. He could barely contain his excitement. "I'll go check it out. Keep the comm link open and an eye on the monitor and let me know if you see anything unusual. Peppy, let Corneria know of the situation. Falco, get the magnetic tethers ready in case they need a tow."

The team nodded. Fox paused just as he was about to exit the bridge.

"If we look into this, the Cornerian Army will pick up the tab, right?" he grinned, looking at Peppy.

The General nodded. "Always looking for the paycheck at the end of the day," said Peppy with a chuckle, "yes, of course! Consider this a request of the Cornerian Army. We'll pay the regular rates for contracted assistance in a rescue operation."

For that moment at least Fox was his normal, commanding self. It was reassuring.

#

"Say it!" said Wolf as he held his attacker's arm tightly behind his back. A pop of a joint could be heard. Wolf's opponent was a large, rough looking ape with more muscles than brains and a face only a mother could love. That face was now bleeding profusely from the beating Wolf had given him.

"You're still the Lord of the Pirates!" said the ape.

"That's right." said Wolf, releasing the ape's arm. The bar gave out a cheer. If nothing else, he had put on a good show. Sure, Wolf hadn't exactly committed any piracy in a good long time but he still had a reputation to maintain. He looked around the bar at the gathering of mercenaries, pirates and thugs that he had come to think of as family. A dysfunctional and sometimes murderous family.

"Here's to me and to the Sargasso Space Bar!" he cheered, raising a mug of beer he grabbed off of a nearby table.

A waitress walked up to Wolf carrying a serving tray full of used mugs and glasses. Her good looks defied her age but as she wove a path between the patrons her body language suggested she was well at home among bandits. She was a thin cat with rust colored fur and was dressed in snug, flattering pants and an equally snug top. She was an old friend of Wolf's from his childhood. Like him, Ruby had run through a string of bad luck and found herself working at the Sargasso bar. She seemed at home there despite her circumstances. As she got close to Wolf, she placed a finger on his mug of beer and pulled it down just as he tried to take a sip. "Wolf, sweety, you're running a bit of a tab tonight." she said with concern.

Wolf shrugged. "Ruby, I need to celebrate! I have a job all lined up and I'm heading out shortly!"

"Hun, lined up is not the same as done and paid. Everyone knows you've fallen on hard times. Drinks need to be paid for."

"Max knows I'm good for it." said Wolf, gesturing at the burly but friendly brown bear behind the counter. Max gave him a friendly smile in return. The guy was built like a tank but he wouldn't hurt a fly. He didn't need to. He was liked by nearly everyone on Sargasso. Messing with Max meant making enemies of everyone else on the station. Wolf didn't have that same luxury.

"The only person with a softer heart than Max seems to be you of late," she said, lowering her finger and pushing it into Wolf's chest.

Wolf frowned. "I haven't gone soft."

"When was the last time you raided a supply transport?" asked Ruby, "When was the last time you took on something with real risk?"

Wolf looked away.

"Look, hon, I know you've had that bounty lifted and you know what? Good for you for trying to go straight," she said, "but ya gotta know the legit jobs don't always pay the bills."

She looked around the bar. "And sweety, some of these boys smell blood in the water. You gave yourself the title of Lord of Pirates and for some damn fool reason they bought it. But now it hangs like a target around your neck. If they think you've gone soft, they're gonna start gunning for your made-up title more frequently than ever."

"I'd like to see them try to take it from me." laughed Wolf.

Ruby looked at him and sighed. "Don't go lookin' for trouble when you needn't. I worry about you, hun. You're like the big brother I never had... or wanted really. I'd miss you somethin' fierce if you got yourself killed."

Wolf blushed. He had always liked Ruby. He had watched out for her since his youth and had always thought of her like a younger sibling. She was one of the few people on Sargasso that could tell Wolf what to do and have him listen. Still, he wasn't concerned for his own safety.

Ruby poked him again, this time more sharply. Wolf rubbed his chest. "This job had better be good," she said.

"Some Admiral guy has some work he needs done. Promised a good payout too." said Wolf with confidence. "Pure mercenary work. Nothing illegal. Low risk, good rewards. You can put your mind at ease - I ain't dying anytime soon."

"Just be careful," said Ruby, as she ran her hand across Wolf's chest, "you don't have Star Wolf to back you up anymore."

Wolf grabbed his jacket and sat his drink down. "You don't have to worry about me. Tell Max I'll be back to pay my tab in full."

He put on his coat and headed towards the bars' exit. He looked back at the other patrons. He had friends among them but wondered how many would gladly drive a knife in his back the moment they had the chance. He couldn't think of anyone he would trust to have his back. Star Wolf had long since parted ways. Panther left to pursue love and Leon had developed a taste for truly dirty work. Wolf found himself alone.

He waved one last time at Ruby and set out to meet his contact. He was broke and short on good will. He needed the job desperately and if this admiral was just jerking him around, Wolf would make sure he paid in more ways than one.

#

Fox left the Great Fox aboard his Arwing starfighter to investigate the damaged ship. As his Arwing glided closer he examined the vessel for any clues. The ship looked relatively new and in good shape with the exception of a chunk of the aft marred by what looked to be a small explosion. There were no discernible markings and nothing otherwise unusual about it. It was a cargo vessel of pretty standard and common design. Fox took a closer fly by of the damage. It appeared like a localized internal explosion and not one caused by an external source.

"What do you think caused this, Slippy?" Fox asked over the radio as he cut the engines on his Arwing and drifted towards an access hatch.

"Could be fuel or coolant systems. Fox, we've looked the ship up in the Cornerian spacecraft database. It's not registered."

"Not registered?" asked Fox, securing the helmet of his spacesuit as he prepared to leave his Arwing.

"It's not from Corneria at least." clarified Slippy. "No clear markings to indicate where it is from."

"Well, if they need help, we still have to do what we can. It's what we do." answered Fox with resolve.

Fox exited the cockpit of his starfighter and launched himself towards the access hatch of the cargo vessel. With a few cranks of the manual override, he made his way past the external doors of the airlock. There was a hiss of air as the external doors shut again and oxygen and pressure were restored.

Fox tried to make contact with the Great Fox as he opened the internal door of the airlock. "Slippy, can you hear me?" he asked.

"Yeah. The interference from the radiation doesn't seem to be blocking our communication any." said Slippy.

"There's oxygen." Fox noted while checking his wrist scanner, "Breathable."

He removed his helmet and pulled out his flashlight. He scanned the hallway for signs of the crew while his ears flicked wildly, listening for anything unusual. "No signs of crew. Everything's quiet. I'm going to head towards the bridge."

He walked down the hallways hearing only the gentle hum of the ship and the sound of his footsteps on the metal floor. The ship seemed empty. There was little light and no signs of life.

#

Back on the Great Fox, Peppy was tapping his foot nervously.

"Somethin' don't sit right." he said.

Peppy had been a mercenary for far longer than the rest of the crew and his instincts were seldom wrong.

"What would make you think that?" asked Falco, "I mean, we're pretty close to Corneria for anyone to try something funny."

"Slippy, run a thermal scan on that ship." asked Peppy. Something was nagging him, but he wasn't quite sure what it was.

"Uh, alright." Slippy replied. He hammered away at the keyboard and within moments a large thermal image of the ship was displayed in front of them.

"Engines are still hot. She couldn't have been here long." Peppy noted.

"At least they didn't have to wait long for help." said Falco.

"If that failure was recent, someone should have responded to our comm signal. If there's oxygen and the life support system is still somewhat functional, then why haven't we heard anythin' from them at all?" Peppy said with a frowned.

"You sure you're not just being paranoid?" asked Falco.

Peppy wasn't sure. Maybe his old age was just making him too cautious. Maybe battles and wars had him seeing danger at every turn.

"If they did just suffer engine failure... then there shouldn't be this much radiation interference." noted Slippy. "It would take even a large core leak a few hours to bleed out that much radiation. If they had been here long, someone else would have come across them first."

"Would the radiation have affected the crew?" asked Peppy.

"Nah, core radiation is pretty harmless to organic matter. You'd have to be exposed to it for a really, really long time." said Slippy. "But for this much radiation to be present in such a short time after their engines stopped – it would have to have been pumped out deliberately."

The three of them looked at each other in worried agreement. Peppy slammed his hand down on the console and opened a channel to Fox's communicator. "Fox, we think it might be a trap. Falco and I will be right there to back you up."

"I'm already on the bridge." replied Fox. "If it's a trap, I'll know pretty soon."

#

Back on the supply ship, Fox was scanning the bridge. The power was out with the exception of a few dim emergency lights and the glow from a few critical screens running on backup power. Bodies of the bridge crew slumped motionless in their seats.

"Hello?" asked Fox nervously. He tapped on his communicator. "They're all unconscious... or..." he grimaced, "worse".

He approached the Captain's chair and swung it around. The body flopped unnaturally then remained motionless. Fox shone his flashlight in the captain's face to get a clearer idea of what might have happened. Instead of a flesh and blood being, what he saw instead was a large doll crafted from fabric, stitches and a wig. The figure in the seat had never been a living person.

"A dummy!" said Fox, alarmed.

"Correct." he heard from a monotonous voice behind him. Before Fox could turn he heard a blast. Electricity ran through his back, numbing every part of his body. He fell to the floor as every muscle contracted painfully. As his eyesight blurred, he saw a lone figure approach him. It moved in a stiff, purposeful manner.

Fox began to slip into unconsciousness and as he did he heard his assailant speak in a synthetic voice.

"Target incapacitated."

On the Great Fox, Peppy was starting to panic. "It's been five minutes with no response from Fox!"

Slippy frantically fiddled with the communication system, checking to ensure everything had been working fine. "The comm is working fine and I'm still reading his life signs. But – Oh! Oh!" Slippy exclaimed, pointing excitedly towards the cargo ship.

The three members of the Star Fox squadron gasped as the engines on the vessel fired up. The ship appeared to still be functional.

"So they were playing possum!" exclaimed Peppy. The distress signal had to be a decoy and now that Fox wasn't responding to their communications Peppy could only fear the worst. "Slippy, fire up the engines, we're gonna follow that thing!" he commanded. "Falco, ready the torpedos! If we have to disable that ship we will!"

"On it!" they both exclaimed.

Peppy glanced back at the freighter. Six small antenna extended out to the front of the ship and began to arc with electricity.

"What in tarnation is that?" asked Peppy.

"Some kinda portable jump gate?" wondered Slippy, cocking his head sideways and squinting.

"I thought you said it was a deflector array?" asked Falco with annoyance.

"I'm not always right!" whined Slippy. He was disappointed that he hadn't thought to investigate the issue further and now the ship might escape as a result.

"Falco! Disable that ship's engines!" cried Peppy.

Just as the Great Fox prepared to hurl a salvo at the cargo ship, their target lurched forward. A glowing anomaly appeared directly in front of it and quickly drew the vessel in before it disappeared in a flash. Fox's Arwing fighter was all that remained as it drifted aimlessly.

"They're gone..." stated Slippy feeling somewhat guilty that he hadn't noticed the warp device soner.

"Where!?" yelled Peppy.

"They could be anywhere... well, not anywhere, but we only have a vague idea of direction. It could take days to narrow down where they could have gone." said Slippy.

"Then let's get on it!" Peppy commanded. Looking back to the view-screen he sighed with worry. "Fox… please be alright."

#