Chapter Two

Journey to Papetoon

I quickly shook off my thoughts about what was going on with the team and focused on where I was going to go. The Blue Typhoon, with the help of the warp rings that I packed, could technically go anywhere. But in my heart I already knew where I was going to start over. So, with a light sigh, I programmed the navigational system to head for the planet of Papetoon…the home of Team Star Fox.

It made sense to me at the time; I mean Fox McCloud is my distant…very distant cousin. I guess that's where I get my piloting skills from and all that. The problem was that I hadn't spoken to him in a while. But I knew that as soon as I reached the Lylat System he would prepare to welcome me with open arms. At least that's what I hoped.

But the sound of the microwave going off quickly made me get out of the cockpit and end my worrying. It would be a few hours before I'd get there anyway and fretting about what I couldn't control wouldn't do me any good anyhow.

With a big slice of pepperoni-stuffed calzone in hand, I did the quick check of the gauges and put on a DVD that I'd picked up on Earth. Laughing my head off would do me some good.

"Man, that Astro Boy kills me every time!" I chuckled to myself after having sat through twelve episodes of pure comedic and dramatic genius. I looked at my watch and realized that I was within minutes of Papetoon's orbit. Suddenly, I heard the familiar noise of someone trying to contact the ship.

"Well if it isn't Miles Prower, my brother from another mother! How come you're out this far from the planet of Mobius?" Fox McCloud asked me as his image came into view on the com screen in the control room.

"Do you know how cheesy that brother line is? As for the other statement, I left Sonic Team yesterday and I thought that you'd have something for me to do." I replied as I entered the control room and sat down next to the com screen.

"We were until just recently as bored as all get out. But starting last week there's been some very nasty activity going on near Corneria and we think that either Andross or General Anglar is involved. You're more than welcome to land on the strip near the den. We can discuss the matter in private once you're inside." Falco jumped in as I saluted him and ran back to the cockpit.

Ten minutes later in Team Star Fox's 'den'…

It was almost a surreal experience as I walked into the den of Team Star Fox. I immediately gravitated to Slippy Toad who was working on something on the large computer in the back. We fisted and he pointed to the heads-up display.

"We found out that the activity is being caused by General Anglar. We've had the pleasure of scrapping his hide before." Slippy said with an almost arrogant attitude.

"He related to Andross in any way?" I asked as Slippy nodded.

"His right-hand man, we believe. He's got four others who work with him the most noted being a guy by the name of Octoman."

"That's a weird name. What his background?" I chuckled as Slippy let out one himself.

"He raced on the infamous F-Zero circuit for a while but he got tired of losing to Captain Falcon all the time. I assume he met up with General Anglar at some point and joined his ragamuffin team of pilots." Slippy laughed as he got up and went over to Falco and took some notes off of Fox McCloud's desk.

By the time he came back I had looked at all of the inventions that were near his computer. Being the mechanic/inventor that I am, I was already thinking of improvements he could make.

I was about to mention this to Slippy but suddenly I found myself covering my ears as an alarm went off in the den. Suddenly I saw Fox McCloud run in and start pointing to the hanger.

"I want everyone in the Arwings on the double! Let's move!" he yelled as he went past me and then looked my way.

"You're more than welcome to join us. Corneria is getting hit pretty hard and we could use your skills."

"That's what I'm here for. You'll definitely have the advantage of giving them an enemy they've never encountered before. Just make sure to brief me thoroughly on our opponents so I'm not at a disadvantage myself." I mentioned as Fox and I ran to the hanger.

I quickly fired up the Blue Typhoon and joined the four Arwings in the vacuum of space. Thankfully, the planet of Corneria was only ten minutes away. As I neared the planet, the computer flashed and started displaying the enemies I'd be facing along with other information. I couldn't help but smile as I entered the planet's atmosphere. They'd never know what hit them.

One thing was for certain: the fighting was the fiercest I'd seen in a long time. But it only took a few shots from the particle beam DEW on my ship to send the enemy units ahead of me into a panic. It wasn't long before Falco and Fox McCloud were shouting over the radio.

"We've got them now, guys. Miles is sending Zako and Octoman's units away from the city and I've got the other two punks on the run." Falco informed the team as I suggested that we force all of them into a bottleneck at one of the canyons outside of the main city.

"That's a great idea my friend!" Fox McCloud shouted back at me as I led the two generals that were fleeing from me into the canyon. Unfortunately for me, I'd forgotton how big the Blue Typhoon was and it was all I could do to keep from banging her up against the canyon walls.

As if fate wanted to make things more difficult, Zako and Octoman suddenly turned around and began to fire at me. Obviously they had seen Falco's Arwing and knew what we were up to. But they couldn't have guessed that I had deflector shields that could bounce back their shots.

When they had been hit by their own ammunition a few times, they wised up and stopped entirely. With all four of General Anglar's cronies trapped like rats, Falco and I waited for the Cornerian Defense Force to arrive.

They joined up with us a few minutes later with Fox McCloud and Slippy behind them. Unfortunately, they told me, General Anglar had gotten away. But, I thought, we managed to cripple him somewhat and that was good enough.

A few months later…

"Are you doing anything right now, Falco?" I asked as Falco waved me over. I handed him some information about the University of Fichina.

"Peppy's daughter Lucy is the Head Professor of Astrophysics at that university. I'm assuming you're going to enroll when they start classes again this fall." Falco said as I nodded and took the papers back.

"I'm going for a bachelor's degree in business administration with a minor in chemistry. With all of the battles we've went through in the last four months, I forgot why I came here in the first place. But now I want to get started with my plans."

"Which are…?" Falco asked while I paced around a bit.

"I want to open up my own business on my home planet. There's also something else I'd like to do too but for that I'd need you and Fox to help me. I want to learn martial arts and I know you two are very skilled." I explained as Falco formed a slightly frightening grin on his face.

"Well then, my little kit, let's get started!" he said as he lunged at me with his talons at the ready. As he and I exchanged blows I smiled. Finally, I thought, I can become strong enough to ensure that what happened to Cosmo would never happen to anyone else.