Prologue

Part, 1

(13 years ago)

Space, as deep and beautiful as our imagination permit, here where dust shines through darkness like streams of water. Where planets stay docile and stars stagnant drawn only to move with the passing of time, James watched for a while then shook his head.

This was no time nor place to get lost he told himself, with his back facing the sun and the growing crescent of corneria in front of him he slowly leaned deeper into his seat and let his grip slacken on the control stick.

Soon flames danced across the nose of the arwing and flickered across the visor sending red light into the cockpit, time moved once again and suddenly he was descending through clouds, he felt the pleasing thump of tire on tarmac and smiled to himself

He was home

"James, are you there?" The voice sounded so far away, yet he knew it was right next to his ear

"yes" he said wearily to the radio receiver

"I'll be out in a moment Pigma".

James reached down to release his seatbelt but made no attempt to get out of the cockpit, instead he busied himself for a while checking the flight gauges, he sighed deeply and reached inside his jacket and pulled out some shades, he then reached for the cockpit visor.

Light streamed into the cockpit, and was soon accompanied by the sound of clapping and the occasional cheer, James climbed out of the cockpit and descended onto the docking isle. It was crowded with corporals and commanders in uniform, the floor covered in a deep red carpet, as James feet started walking, people held out there hand to shake, but James ignored it all, he kept his hands by his side and his eyes forwards. He passed many shocked faces before he met Pigma and peppy at the end of the corridor, he followed them to a single lift, there they stood in silence as the doors slid shut with a hush, the momentum of the lift pulling them down.

James sensed the other two look at each other from behind his back, he prepared for the question that followed

"Hey James what's the matter you seem..." But Pigma suddenly stopped as even through the dark shades the glare that James gave him could have silenced a crying baby.

"Yea James what's the matter? You weren't exactly opening your arms in welcome" said peppy

James turned from Pigma and faced forwards his eyes fixed on the gap where the lift doors met.

"Its not over you know" he said quietly, but this time when the other two looked at each other James responded

"and don't act as if you don't know what I mean!"

A small silence came and went, before peppy finally brought himself to respond

"James its over" as he spoke his hand fell onto James shoulder

"we've captured andross, and soon he will have justice"

"Yea James, what's eating you? Soon we'll have our pay if that's what you want" Pigma snorted and rubbed his palms together.

"Some treasures are worth more to me than justice or money" James said simply,

But before the other two could look at each other again the lifts momentum slowed and the lift doors opened to show standing waiting was general pepper a smile on his face.

"Peppy, Pigma, James" he nodded as he said each name

"good to see you could make it" the general was not what James had remembered he looked tired, his eyes dark with sleepless nights, his uniform was different to the usual reddened generals clothes.

"What is it you called us here for?" asked peppy as the lift doors shut behind them

"yea and what's with the new uniform?" asked Pigma looking up and down the general.

It was Wight with golden lacing's at the front the top was more like a robe falling below his waist with sky blue trousers underneath, he wore no hat.

"Haven't you heard Pigma?" said the general as he lead them down a circular ceiling corridor the carpet was blue and many arched doorways stood at either side.

"I'm the judge in the trial" the general said simply his pace slowed slightly,

"trial?" Asked peppy

"yes for andross" the general turned his head to face them

"that's why I called you here, I thought you might want to see it".

The generals eyes met the stare of James and he sighed slightly

"even he deserves a fair trial"

James pace increased and he walked past the general "it'll make no difference" he said coldly they had reached the end of the corridor, and where standing next to the furthest door opposite the lift.

They turned to face each other for a while before James said quietly "you know that don't you?"

The general did not take his eyes off of James, nor did he move, he then said slowly

"we are men of laws James, or we shall become as corrupt as the man I'm about to trial"

He opened the door and let the slightly shocked Pigma and peppy through.

"What can be done shall be done I promise you that" the general turned to the door but James kept his feet firmly where they were,

"what if that isn't enough?" James said the same glare he gave Pigma was now on the general.

General pepper stopped and brought two tarnished eyes to face James

Anything more and that would be revenge, and even that wouldn't change the past' the general held the door open and this time James feet moved,

Soon he stood in a completely circular room half of which was occupied by stands the rest with the doorway and three high backed desks embroidered with the cornerian logo on.

James entrance had not gone unnoticed much of the stands where packed with some familiar and some unfamiliar faces from corporals to long time friends, James looked round until he saw peppy and Pigma to the stands nearest the entrance. James made his way there, but as he walked he heard shards of whispering "there he is that's the one"

"James is that James mcloud?"

James ignored them, and climbed into a seat next to peppy but suddenly he found himself standing again as the marshal at one of the three desks called

"all rise for judge and general of the cornerian fleet, general Pepper"

A scuffling of feet and all stood as the general entered he walked slowly to the center desk and sat, as he did so the rest of the room did the same.

A few hushed conversations passed between him and the two either side of him then the trial began.

The usher who stood by the door patiently now stepped forwards and walked to the center of the room, reached down and placed a small glowing sphere onto a central console he then stepped back and waited.

The sphere glowed for a while then turned a Florescent green. Above the sphere a hologram flickered in and out of focus before a head came suddenly into view its eyes ablaze and its hair ragged and his jaw showed thin pointed yellow teeth, andross had only been captive now for three days but his appearance seemed to say otherwise.

The hologram stayed silent but andross eyes moved around the room seeing where he was, he then shouted with fiery rage

"WHO!?" the word was shouted with so much force that the hologram lost focus on Andross for a few seconds.

"WHO HAS SIGNED A DEATH WARRANT AS MY ENEMY?!!"

Pigma and peppy shuffled slightly but James sat motionless

"WHO?!"

"Dr Darwin Pythagoras Andross" the general interrupted him

"you are charged with crimes against the lylat system so vile our children will be scarred with what has come to pass" the general finished and leaned forwards slightly over the circular desk

"how do you plead?" his eyes had turned from tarnished to sharp and his voice filled with reserved rage.

Andross who had been turning round and searching the audience had suddenly stopped and his rage suddenly turned to laughter, he laughed and even through the speakers of the hologram it seemed to ring around the room and echoed in people's minds.

"I'm sorry general, I thought you hadn't noticed" Andross's voice quietened as he spoke until it was close to the purring of a cat

"but the real question is what shall you do with me now you've caught me?"

The two either side of the general looked at each other, the general leaned back and for a moment silence touched the room before the general who had not taken his eyes from Andross spoke.

"As you know Andross we are a peaceful planet. Trusting!" in the last word the generals anger seeped out when he saw Andross was still searching the audience at each face,

"and above all tolerant...but You" the generals tone darkened as he slowly stood

"you have taken our trust in you and smothered it into the ground like it meant nothing to you".

The general straitened up to his full height and spoke his voice lowering further still

"we trusted you in bringing life to the most barren parts of the lylat system and instead all you have brought is death"

His voice finally rose "for ruining half of this once peaceful and productive system," the general paused

"by all means death would be the only true justice"

"Then why am I here?" Andross interrupted

"why did you tell him not to kill me?"

there was a pause as everyone knew who he was talking about.

"Because it was revenge that turned you into what you are now" the general answered but he fell silent and suddenly everyone knew what was coming, within a few seconds the room had turned into statues of eager anticipation.

General pepper took a deep breath "at this moment the craft we have kept you in and the one that you stand in right now is orbiting the long lost home that, thanks to your efforts it stands now as a barren toxic wasteland known as venom".

Murmurs of reaction came from the stands before the general continued

"your first strike that turned the lylat system into what it stands as now, broken all that we have shrived so hard to build in a matter of months"

The generals eyes narrowed

"within moments the ship will crash through the surface of venom and you will be exiled from us" a small moment of silence came again "we have offered you trust and peace but all you have given us is chaos and..."

"JAMES MCLOUD!!"

Andross screamed and turned to face James for the first time

"IF WE MEET YOU WILL FALL AT THE WEAKNESS THAT IS MERCY, MARK MY WORDS YOU SHALL PA..." But suddenly the image of Andross blurred and the voice that had once filled the room had suddenly died the image turned to an orange glow of light and then faded into static.

The sphere that once glowed green flickered then emitted no light anymore.

The room which had once been full of statues suddenly came alive with chorus of cheers, James stayed as he was, the room then turned to general talking and at this James jumped from the stands and walked to the exit only to look back to see Pigma shaking hands with many no doubt telling of how they had captured Andross, James opened the door and looked over to the desks only to see the general sitting motionless staring at where Andross face had once stood,

James was then in the corridor almost jogging to the lift he reached down and pressed the button and waited. But as he waited he heard slow footsteps following behind him.

"Andross is gone, no doubt burning through the toxic atmosphere right now" peppy walked slowly up the corridor his hands held behind him

"so what are you running from?"

James did not turn to look at peppy 'do you really think its over peppy?' he said quietly but his voice seemed to echo down the long corridor 'do you think I can forget the past just because there's a false hope for the future?' this time James did turn but this time his eyes had changed the stubborn glare had vanished and through his shades there was almost a trace of resolve.

"I should have done it peppy.... I should have made sure"

peppy slowed his pace further until he was halfway to the lift

"I can't live without being sure" James said and the lift doors opened and James stepped in.

"James...what Did you come here if not to be sure he was gone?"

James looked at peppy straight in the eye

"don't you get it, these people, the congrats, the pay, not even revenge for my wife do justice to what I'm here for"

James pressed the lift button for the ground floor and as the lift doors slowly shut he said finally

"I'm here to see my son...."