Chapter 2: A New Enemy and Secrets

The team immediately went to the research facility to figure out what had attacked the planet. They met up with Slippy's dad, Beltino Toad. Beltino was the same height as Slippy, and had a small mustache as well as big yellow glasses; he was the head of the research facility.

When he saw them, the research director said, "Hello again, everybody!"

Slippy stepped forward and explained, "No time to fool around, dad! Did you here about the enemy that attacked us?"

Beltino replied, "Ahem, uh, yes. We have no idea who they are…"

Fox came forward and said, "Hopefully we will soon. I picked up a specimen of their ship. With any luck, this will identify who they are and what they want."

Beltino snatched the specimen from Fox's hand and inspected it with his glasses, saying, "Yes, I see…"

Slippy threw up his hands and asked, "Well?"

Beltino replied, "I'll need to have the computer scan it. Then, we'll do our best to identify it. Come back later and I should have some information!"

After the team had exited the academy, Slippy whined, "I can't believe my dad! He should…!"

Fox put a hand on Slippy's shoulder and said, "Don't worry. I'm sure your dad will figure out what we're up against soon enough. For now, let's relax and enjoy ourselves."

Slippy reluctantly gave in to the awesome thought of finally being able to have at least a day of vacation after the Aparoid Invasion. As they walked through the capital planet of the galaxy, they bumped into someone shaking his fists in the air.

Fox politely said, "Excuse me, sir."

The gray-haired cat spun around and replied, "No need! This is awesome!"

Fox asked, "One more time?"

The man clarified, "Just go up ahead! This bull-dog guy got into some fight with our champion at the club!"

Fox disapproved, but still continued to walk further and eventually saw Bill Grey fighting a huge, ugly ape! Grey was Fox's friend in the Cornerian Army; they had met a long time ago in the Academy.

Fox got closer and heard Bill cry, "Give me that case! It's of no worth to you!"

Fox turned and saw a black briefcase sitting on the ground beside the ape. The ape mocked Bill, "Aw, boo hoo! You're gonna have to fight me for it, pilot!"

Fox pushed aside some of the crowd and stepped inside the fighting grounds to join the fight and help Bill.

Fox threw his fist as hard as he could into the ape's face to stun him, than motioned to Bill to help him. Bill and Fox unleashed a double roundhouse-kick at the ape's center, knocking him down to the surface. The ape angrily got up to face his new opponent. He swung his large fist at Fox, but Fox easily avoided it by ducking. The second time the ape tried to punch Fox, Fox jumped on top of his arm and slid a mean kick into the ape's face. While the ape covered his damaged face, Fox jumped down and started wildly punching and kicking at the ape. Bill joined in again to attack and the ape fell to the ground eventually, unconscious.

Bill snatched up the briefcase as the audience cried out, "New Champion, new champion, new champion!"

Fox said to the immobilized ape, "Pick on someone you can handle next time, big fella."

Fox turned to face Bill and asked, "What was that all about?"

Bill straightened up and replied, "Some jerk who calls himself the leader of this joint picked a fight with me and tried to steal my briefcase!"

Fox looked down at the black box and asked, "What's in it?"

Bill whispered to him, "I'll tell you at my place. Let's go."

As the wild audience tried to touch Bill and Fox, Krystal ran up to Fox and embraced him in a huge hug.

She said, "Fox! That was extremely dangerous! Don't worry me like that again!"

Fox hugged her back and said, "Don't worry. I'm fine. I've got to go talk to Bill. You and the rest go back to your cabins at the academy; I'll be back later." Krystal nodded and reluctantly let the fox go.

Bill Grey flipped on his light switch and set his briefcase down on the table. He joked to Fox, "I rest my case."

Fox grinned at his friend's humor and sat on the couch. He asked again, "So, what's in it?"

Bill looked down at the briefcase and answered, "I'm not exactly sure yet. It's classified information from the academy. General Pepper gave it to me right before he officially retired."

Fox thought in his head for a moment. He said, "I can't imagine what could be inside!"

Bill gave him a crooked smile and said, "Why don't we find out? After all, you're a member of Star Fox and the academy."

Fox's eyes focused on the black box in Bill's hands and saw him about to unclip it. But just before he could, Bill saw someone behind Fox and shouted, "WATCH OUT!" Fox got the hint instantly and did a back-flip through the air to avoid a chair being smashed over his head.

As his attacker was in that position, Fox kicked his behind, sending the attacker sprawling over the couch. Fox leapt atop of the couch and raised his blaster gun to the attacker. The assailant was a short monkey.

Fox demanded, "What are you doing?"

The attacker turned around slowly and saw that his opponent had a gun. He slowly got up and raised his hands. Then his hand darted out like a snake and knocked the gun from Fox's hand. He took advantage of Fox's shock and sent his fist into Fox's stomach. Fox grabbed a hold of the monkey's arm and threw him into the wall. The attacker thudded hard against the wall, but came back fast and charged at Fox, crying "AAARR!"

Fox jumped past the attacker and grabbed a glass from Bill's table. The attacker turned around to face Fox again and lunged at him. Fox avoided the ambusher's vicious attack, than Fox used the back of his fist to collide against the monkey's face, sending him downward on top of the table. As the attacker tried to get up, Fox used all his might to bring the glass over the attacker's head, knocking him out cold.

Fox looked at the chimp suspiciously.

Then Bill suggested, "He must have been after the briefcase. Maybe this thing's more valuable than I thought!"

Fox retrieved his blaster and said, "He probably works for someone who wants the briefcase. But how could it be that important?"

Bill responded, "Well, just think about it. General Pepper gave it to me. Maybe it has secrets?"

Fox dashed over to Bill's position and said, "Let's open it."

Bill nodded and got it open this time. The first page read, 'TOP SECRET! ALL DOCUMENTS IN HERE ARE STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL!' Bill shrugged and threw the first page aside, revealing the next.

Bill saw a letter as the next page. He read it, "'My life has been difficult and sometimes bleak as a general. I have come to love and let go in my life. Especially the day that James McCloud died.'"

Bill turned to Fox. Fox just said, "Read on."

"'I knew since that day I had lost a very good man. Ever since then I had longed to retire from my duties. I wouldn't want my stature to go to waste and shame. But I knew I had to stay, for I had no one to take over at the time, and the Lylat Wars raged on. I needed a new Star Fox Team. I organized it with Fox McCloud (the son of James), Falco Lombardi, Slippy Toad, and Peppy Hare, an original team member as well. Pigma Dengar, an original member, had betrayed us and turned James over to the evil Andross, a scientist I had banished years ago to Planet Venom. Pigma is now dead. He had been infected by the treacherous Aparoids, creatures that infested the entire Lylat System and nearly destroyed it. Star Fox had no choice but to destroy Dengar and retrieve a core memory to defeat the Aparoids. And indeed, the Star Fox team had destroyed Andross and the Aparoids. The Aparoids had personally attacked me when Star Fox was fighting on Planet Sauria. I have been seriously ill since that day and am close to death.'"

Bill gasped when he heard that general was dying, but Fox said once more, "Keep reading."

"'I retired soon after. The day I retired was the day I wrote this. I wanted to retire so that Star Fox and Corneria wouldn't have to worry about my death. I'd be lucky to last another month. I have appointed Mr. Peppy Hare as the new general of the army and academy. I have high expectations that the Star Fox team will protect us in the future, and that Mr. Hare will be an even better general than I. The documents inside the briefcase are vital. All of them.'" –General Pepper

Bill clenched his teeth and said, "I knew his injury was serious! He just wouldn't tell us! I…"

Fox calmed him down and said, "It's just one secret ahead of many others, Bill. I think he still knows many things that we don't yet. Go on to the next document."

Bill nodded and neatly set aside Pepper's last words and gazed at the next document. He and Fox began to examine the paper. It read at the top, McCloud Family: The family branch of the McClouds. This is General Pepper. All that has been written was on the day of my fateful and inevitable retirement. Here is the family branch of the McClouds, my loyal Star Fox leaders. William McCloud, great grandfather of young Fox. He was the inventor of the academy here in Corneria. If it were not for William, we wouldn't have most of our current industry on Corneria or many other planets in the Lylat. Henry McCloud, the grandfather of young Fox. He advanced on Williams' technology and ideas to expand our inventions. He created an advanced blaster gun, and the first machine gun. Henry made the Gattling Gun. Henry also made the Plasma Cannon. I was born a few years before the birth of James McCloud, the father of Fox. I unfortunately never got to meet James's brother, Steven. At the time of James's birth, my father Richard (who had known Henry personally) was dying and gave me the academy, which had been under his control (given to him by Henry). When I met James, Peppy, and Pigma, I could already tell that they'd make a good team. Around that time, James had been excelling in his missions and his son, Fox, had come about. After the tragic, apparent death of James (supposedly killed off by Andross),Fox was appointed the new leader of Star Fox. He avenged his father and became a great man. He is bound to bring balance to this galaxy eventually, and all will be well.

Fox seemed confused immediately at the whole section about his family. He said, "I can't believe my great and regular grandfather had invented some of the weapons we use! But why does Pepper keep using words like, supposedly, or, apparent about my father's death? And I never knew I had an uncle!"

Bill shrugged his shoulders and replied, "I dunno. It's kinda weird. How about we read more tomorrow? After all, we've read enough surprises for today."

Fox nodded and said, "You're right about that, Bill. I wonder about Steven, though…"

"Like I said before, we'll read more tomorrow. I'll see you then," Bill said. Fox said goodbye and left Bill's cabin.

Once Fox began walking away from Bill's house, Beltino suddenly called Fox's cell phone, "Fox! I've figured out who the enemy was! Come by the academy, quickly!"

Fox rushed over to the academy to meet up with Beltino again.

Beltino elucidated, "This enemy is truly fascinating! They're called Tritans. They've been around longer than almost any other beings in the galaxy! They have many of the generators you encountered earlier and are extremely lethal outside of ships. The ones you encountered were exceptionally mild. You were fortunate."

Fox cocked his head to a side and asked, "Has the Cornerian Army ever faced them before?"

Beltino responded, "We don't know that, yet. The Tritans weren't trying to destroy the Gate, by the way. They tried to gain it for themselves."

"I'm not quite following you," Fox said.

Beltino went on, "They're looking for planets to live on and dominate and harvest. They needed the Gate to locate other planets. They don't have one of their own. And since they want our planets, they will declare war on the Lylat System."