Chapter 4: Sigma Tel

"We have arrived at our destination, Sigma Tel" Rob informed.

"I'll wake Fox." Krystal said.

"I wonder if James is really here…" Peppy said staring out at the small outpost.

"We'll find out soon…" Wolf replied. They turned and watched as Fox stood and stretched.

"Alright," He said, "I'm headed down. Rob, prep my Arwing."

"I'll walk with you." Krystal said. When the door closed, Falco sighed.

"What's your problem?" Peppy asked.

"Those two mooning over each other makes me miss being around Katt…" Falco said. "I've been trying to contact her but she's not answering"

"I'm sure she's fine." Peppy said. "She's tough…"

Down in the launch bay Krystal and Fox kissed and Krystal said, "Please be careful."

"Don't worry," Fox said and smiled, "I'll be fine." He hopped in his Arwing and checked the diagnostics. Cautious kept him alive. It would be just his luck that he'd over look a small thing on one of these quiet flights and end up blowing up, but he found no problems. He turned back to Krystal and said, "I love you."

"I love you too." She replied and kissed him on the cheek before leaving the bay. The lift-lock released and Fox shot from the hangar.

"Rob, scan the surface and find me a place to land." He said.

"Affirmative," Rob replied and after a few moments sent coordinates to the navigation system in Fox's Arwing.

"Thank you Rob." Fox said and set out. Five minutes later, Fox touched down in front of a small restaurant/inn.

"Good a place as any to start I guess." He said and stepped inside. He walked up to the check-in desk and rang the bell.

"Like steppin into a time machine…" he said to himself.

"How can I help you?" The desk clerk asked. "Hi, I'm Hannah Park."

"Fox McCloud," he responded.

"McCloud, you mean like James McCloud?"

"You know my dad?"

"You're his son?"

"How do you know dad?"

"About six years ago he crashed behind our inn. We took him in and took care of him."

"Where is he now?"

"Probably up in his room."

"You're kidding me!"

"No, room 207, up the stairs, third room on the right."

"Thank you so much!" Fox said and tore out up the stairs. He arrived at the door and froze. He raised his arm and hesitated for a moment and then knocked three times. After what seemed like an eternity the door opened. Fox couldn't believe his eyes. James McCloud stood before him.

"Dad… is that really you?" Fox said.

"…Fox?" James said. "I can't believe it…" They stood for a moment and then James brought Fox into a hug that nearly suffocated him.

"James," came a voice from the back room, "who's at the door?" a woman stepped into the room.

"Sarah," James said, breaking their embrace, "this is my son, Fox."

"Oh!" Sarah said, "James has told me so much about you!"

Fox gave his father a look.

"I met her and her husband Tomas Westwind at the diner down the street." Fox sighed and laughed.

"Sorry about that, it's been an insane day." Fox said shaking his head. "So what are you two doing way out here?"

"We're looking for our daughter, Krystal." Sarah said.

"This really is an insane day. I've got a Krystal on my team"

"You're kidding me!" Sarah belted out a perfect description of her.

"That's her." Fox said.

"Tom! Get in here!" When her husband ran in the room Sarah told him the good news.

"This is insane." Tom said, completely astonished.

"That's what I said." Fox replied.

"We fly a small cruiser." Tom informed him.

"The Great Fox is a Class 9 Carrier, there should be somewhere for you to land."

"I guess I should pack my things." James said. Fox's communicator blipped a subtle code red. He flipped it open and scanned over the message. There was enemy activity in the area.

"For the love of- can you guys hang tight and give dad a lift for me?" Fox asked.

"What's the situation?" James said.

"Not sure."

"Go check it out. We'll be there before too long." Fox bolted out the room and down the stairs to his Arwing. He lifted off and headed to the Great Fox. When he had breached the atmosphere, the realigned his course and kicked on the thrusters. When he landed Peppy was waiting.

"It's a small force," He explained, "but this is still an unknown enemy."

"Don't worry," Fox replied, "We can handle it."

"Now Fox-" Peppy started.

"I know, I can't fight, but I know someone who can." Peppy left Fox to his mysteries as they stepped onto the bridge.

"So what did you find?" Wolf asked.

"Later," Fox replied, "Rob, what's the status on everyone's ships?" He said and sat at his console. The diagnostics ran across the screen. Something caught his eye on the thruster test so he ran it again.

"That's not right." He mumbled to himself. There was an abnormality in the Cloud Runner, Krystal's ship. "Rob," He said, "Run a full scan and repairs on the Cloud Runner's thruster system."

"No time pup," Wolf said, "they're here." Fox turned to see he was right. Any longer and their yet faceless enemy would be on top of them. He wanted to be angry but his exhaustion wouldn't let him.

"Your right," Fox sighed. He closed his eyes and wiped his hand down his face. He felt Krystal's hand on his shoulder. He wanted to comfort her but he couldn't shake this foreboding shadow in the back of his mind, and apparently it showed. When he turned to look at her the concerned gaze pierced him and he flinched. Krystal pulled her hand away and looked down.

"I'm sorry." He said and looked down. "I've just got a bad feeling about this." He looked up and lifted her head. "Just be careful, ok?" She silently nodded and they embraced. The team, save Fox and Peppy headed for the hanger and Fox pulled up full diagnostics on everyone's ships. The fighters launched and headed into the fray.

"Fox," Peppy said, "There's a small craft coming from the planet asking permission to land."

"Then let 'em in Peppy." Fox said matter-of-factly.

"Uh, ok." Peppy stammered. Fox almost laughed. A few moments later James, Tom, and Sarah walked onto the deck.

"James, is that you?" Peppy said astonished.

"It's been a long time Peppy." James said.

"I hate to postpone this reunion but dad I need your help." Fox interrupted. "I need you to fly for me." James raised an eyebrow and glanced at Peppy.

"Doctors orders," Peppy explained.

"Gotcha," James said. "I'd be honored."

"Good." Fox took his HUD headset off and passed it to his father. "Use this. It'll help you keep tabs on the team. Watch Krystal for me, the Cloudrunner's running hot for some reason."

"You let her go anyway?" James commented.

"She's as headstrong as I am, if not more-so. I couldn't have stopped her if I strapped her down."

"Just like her mother." Tomas said. This statement earned a punch on the shoulder from Sarah.

James took his shades off and Fox helped him put the headset and activated the HUD.

"That should do it," Fox said. The HUD came to life. "If you like it I'll put Slippy on making one for you." James nodded and left the bridge. Fox turned to Tomas and Sarah and told them to make themselves at home.

"This could take a while." Fox was right. Half an hour later and the fray was still swarming with enemy fighters. The Cloudrunner was still running hot and was getting worse. Fox began to pace. Peppy picked up on his concern.

"She's a great pilot Fox." He said.

"If the engines blow, all the pilot skill in the whole system wouldn't do her a lick of good." A warning sounded from Fox's console. The Cloudrunner was at its limit.

"Krystal fall back now." Peppy called over TEAMCOM.

"No time," Fox said. "She's losing power too fast. She'll never make it back to the ship. She'll be blown outta the sky. Rob, ready my Arwing. Krystal, can you hear me? Head for the planet, when you breach the atmosphere level out as much as you can, I'm on my way."

"But Fox." Peppy said. Fox cut him off.

"No Peppy. I'm not losing her." Peppy sighed.

"Be careful Fox…" He said as Fox bolted from the room. As he ran his back jolted him as if he'd been stabbed and he fell to his knees. He gritted his teeth hand slammed his fist on the floor.

"Pull it together!" He screamed at himself and staggered to his feet. He continued on to the launch bay and got in his Arwing. For the first time ever he skipped the diagnostics and launched. He headed straight for Sigma-Tel. The Cloudrunner's energy readings were at twenty-five percent and Krystal was entering the atmosphere. Fox kicked his Arwing into overdrive. They were both in the atmosphere now. Krystal was fighting to level out and Fox was pushing his Arwing harder than ever trying to get under her.

"Fox," Falco came over the TEAMCOM, "Are you crazy? What are you doing?"

"I'm doing what I have to Falco. Fox out." Fox replied.

He was under her now and the ships were inches away from each other.

"When the ships touch, kill your thrusters and tether your ship to mine with the G-Diffuser, I'm gonna land as best I can." Krystal wanted to argue but she knew there was no other way, so she agreed. The ships hulls kissed and Krystal stopped the thrusters and tied the ships together. The ships started to lose altitude fast. Fox sent all the power he could to the downward thrusters. It cut their speed by about half, but it wouldn't be enough. He'd have to suck it up. They were parallel to the ground and closing fast. He had about ten seconds. He began to count. Ten, nine, he breathed deep, six five, he tightened his grip, three, two, "Hold on!" he yelled, one… Fox pulled as hard as he could on the stick. The nose of his fighter pulled up and the tail end took the brunt of the impact. The nose pitched back forward and slammed into the ground. The Cloudrunner tore free of the tethers the G-Diffuser had created flew forward sliding across the ground. Fox's ship managed to flip one more full time before landing flat on its belly. Fox popped the canopy and tried to get out but he couldn't. The shear pain in his back wouldn't let him. He looked and saw Krystal climbing out of her cockpit and running to him. Fox looked her over. Blood was running down the side of her face. Fox reached out and brushed her hair out of her face, reveling an inch long gash above her left eye.

"You're hurt." He said. She put her hand to her forehead and pulled it back.

"I'll be fine, what about you." She said.

"I'm fine, just shook up. Peppy, you read me?"

"Yeah, I hear ya Fox. You ok?"

"I'm fine, send Tomas to pick us up, this baby ain't going anywhere."

"He's on his way."

"Thanks, Fox out." Fox sighed and leaned back.

"Who's Tomas?" Krystal asked.

"I'll let him tell you." Fox said.