6:00 Am Corneria space station
Fox and the others were sitting at the meeting hall still they were on edge and still arguing on what to do next. James input of there being a prince caused more question and another set of arguments for the group. They all looked tired but none of them were willing to back down on their opinions. During the arguments James sat next to fox and closed his relaxing just listening to people arguing.
"Who is the prince?" Fox looked to his father.
"You will see when the time comes." James smirked relaxing in his chair still.
"You are not helping" Fox smirked and leaned back in his chair.
"I know I am not and it's not my place to say such things and if I did something bad could happen. Remember what I tought you about large military gatherings?" James opened his eyes and looked over to him.
"Never trust anyone with any information unless you can trust them to die for you." Fox nodded slightly and looked around. "And you don't trust half of these men here."
"Pepper is the only one, besides you and Falco that is." James chuckled slightly. "Besides, I think the lieutenant general is working for Birch because he has been acting awfully nervous since we were called to help.
"You noticed that too huh." Fox closed his eyes and leaned back
"You want to help me look in to it later?" James questioned.
"Father son Time, sounds like fun" Fox chuckled
Fox smirked and shook his head sitting back thinking about the royal family of Benaria. He met the young prince once when he was about 10 years old. They both dreamed of being pilots, even though the prince knew he would never get the chance. Fox only smirked as the young prince was just like his mother, midnight blue-black fur and bright neon yellow eyes.
Fox sat in deep thought as it was the only thing he could do while the other argued around him. It was nearing eight in the morning when they got a message alert from Wolf and Panther. Pepper quickly hushed everyone and pulled the message up and saluted the duel screen video of Panther and Wolf.
"Greetings both of you, we received your message earlier explaining what happened. Is the princess safe?" Pepper spoke with a rather stern voice to both of them.
"Yea she is ahh!" Panther started to speak before he was startled by Emalia having slipped her head up next to his and smiled brightly. "I thought you were still sleeping?"
"I woke up." Emalia smiled brightly before looking back to the council room. "HI UNCLE PEPPER!" she cheered brightly waving at the screen.
"Hello your highness. Please don't cause them trouble. Wolf, Panther we need you both here now, bring her with you." Pepper put his hands behind his back. "We will send a few out to help you get by the wall of Birch's ships. Stay safe and remember her safety is the number one priority. Pepper over and Out."
"Yes sir, we will be there in less than an hour." Wolf spoke looking at his watch and radar.
The hologram video closed and Pepper turned his head to Fox and James giving them a nod. Without question they both stood up and left going to the hangar to escort Panther in. Once at the hangar they were they quickly suited up and jumped in to their Arwings. Fox and James turned the engines on and quickly roared out of the hangar. They had to get out their and be ready for fighting before Panther and Wolf got there. Once out they were quickly joined by Katt and Falco. The best of the best on the field, that didn't scream something important, was coming or about to happen.
As if on cue Panther and Wolf came in to site, and Birch sent out a fleet of Arwings to attack them. Panther growled deeply and looked over seeing Wolf flipping switches like made before flooring it in to the fight. Panther couldn't risk being shot down. He looked over his shoulder to the girl who didn't know what was going on just yet.
"Put your seat belts on." Panther barked a bit as he started to ready his flight through. "Under your seat is a blanket Pull it out and hide yourself in it."
"Why?" Emalia spoke with a slightly scared voice as she tightened the belts down and reached for the blanket.
"Because if you don't we will be in a lot of trouble." Panther spoke sharply before pulling pushing the controls forward making them fly off quickly head first into the battle.
Panther was going in to battle with the girl only to get through. IF he tried to go around or not fight the enemy would know he had the girl and then he would be swarmed. He flew quickly chasing a few enemies taking one or two down before he neared the other side of the battlefield. As he was in the clear the ship jerked hard as they were shot from behind. Panther looked around to see an enemy Arwing was coming at them from behind quickly.
Emalia started crying out as the Arwing jerked around and Panther pushed and pulled at this controls but nothing happened. Warning lights were going off as well as the buzzer saying the ship was shutting down. This was not a good thing as if the ship shut down so did their air and life support. Looking back he saw to the scared girl under the blanket behind him, he felt guilt like no other. It was only a matter of second before they were going to be shot down.
A large explosion happened behind them as the Arwing coming at them was destroyed and Falco flew up over them slowing down. Falco flipped his Arwing over and looked up at Panther. Falco could see the warning alarms popping up on Panthers screens. Panther shrugged with a lazy look like it was nothing to worry about. He thought for a moment and quickly looked around his cockpit before grabbing a small fire extinguisher and smirked.
Panther got out of belts and quickly pulled Emalia out of her and to him he wrapped her tightly in the blanket and smiled to her. Falco watched as everyone was keeping fire off them for the moment. Once Falco realized what Panther had in his Arwing he started to get worried. Panther looked up to Falco again this time with Emalia wrapped in his arm tightly with a blanket. He nodded up to Falco getting ready to do the most stupid then he has ever done.
"Emalia do you trust me?" Panther spoke softly
"You saved my life once already so I do." Emalia looked up to him.
"I won't lie to you; if we stay here we will both die. We are going to do something very dangerous, and we might not live if we do it." Panther's voice seemed so soft and soothing.
"What do I have to do?" Emalia spoke trying to be brave. She understood they will die or they could die.
"When I say so I want you to exhale all the air you can and hold till I say it's ok. Can you do that?" Panther smiled to her.
"Yes I can." She smiled up to him, and he could tell she was terrified.
"Ok… in 3…2…1… EXHALE!"
At the same time they both exhaled as much as they could and he pulled the cockpit hatch open and jumped out into space as hard as he could. He quickly pulled the fire extinguisher and used it as a booster to push them to Falco's Arwing faster. Falco pulled his hatch a few seconds after letting it fly open quickly. His buzzers were going off like mad.
Panther saw his goal and in this flight through space time felt like it stopped. He knew if he missed they both be dead. He felt his whole body go cold and felt the cold bite his skin through his fur. Due to his last mission to safe the girl he didn't have on his protective flight suit, only a thin body suit for stealth and easy motion. He was glad he made her wrapped up in the blanket this bitter cold was trying to knock him out. He kept thinking over and over got to make it, got to make it, and got to make it. His vision was starting to go as his body was trying to shut down, not from lack of oxygen but from the freezing bitter cold his body was not used to. With his last bit of energy he forced himself to curl around Emalia and spin them around so they would land in Falco's Arwing the right way in the seat. That was when everything went black the moment he was flipped over to land in the seat.
Panther curled into a ball twisting a bit landing in the seat behind Falco with Emalia in his arms still. Falco grabbed the hatch switch and pulled it hard closing the hatch quickly letting the cabin fill with air again. Falco without wasting time took off quickly and jetted into the hangar quickly and called for medical help. Falco glanced back to them and saw Panther laying limp in the seat with the girl still bundled on top of him.
"Hey are you ok?" He kept flicking his eyes forward and back to the rear seat mirror when he saw the girl moved he was relieved.
"Yes, I am" Emalia went into a coughing fit as she was trying to catch her breath from their little jump. "It's so cold."
"Don't worry we will be warm shortly" Falco reassured her as he pulled in to the hangar door.
With in seconds of Falco landing in the hangar and opening his cockpit hatch medics were on a lift next to him taking Panther and the girl out quickly to rush them for a health check. Emalia was shaking like a leaf in Panther's arms. She looked to the doctors then back to Panther who was shivering unconscious with a bit of frost on the tips of his fur. Falco was helped out just to get a quick check as he has a slight shiver as well and some frost on his feather but nothing to bad. What Panther did was stupid but it saved Emalia's life and that was his job was to do.
10:00Am Space station Medical Bay
Emalia was brought to a room and checked out quickly before put in a recovery room just to keep an eye on her to make sure she was truly ok. She was being entertained by Falco who as well was checked and was said to be fine. They were playing with small Arwing toys and Falco much to his dismay was losing in a dog fight to a 10 year old. He even showed her different moves they could do and taught her the names of the different parts of the ship. He loved how she was like a sponge and found Arwings to be most interesting. He kept her entertained until the battle outside was over and they would be able to meet with the rest of the crew.
General Pepper walked into the room with Fox, James, and Wolf. Emalia was laughing as she claimed victory in yet another Arwing battle against Falco. Falco turned when he heard a bit of laughter behind him and chuckled weakly before putting the toy down. Emalia looked up and quickly ran to the end of the bed and jumping in to Pepper and almost instantly started to cry. Even in Peppers older age he was still quick enough to catch the girl as she jumped at him. He knew why she was crying and sat down on the bed.
"Fox, shut the door." Pepper grumbled in his usual stern manner, Fox quickly closing the door, before looking down to Emalia and patting her head. "Its ok my Dear girl."
"No it's NOT!" Emalia cried out. "Mommy is gone and Daddy is gone!"
"I know what happened Emalia but you don't need to worry we are here to help you." Pepper spoke in soft words. He spoke in a way Fox had never heard before, not even when he was a pup.
"But I don't want to be adopted by an evil stepmother!" she cried loudly. "Why did those mean man have to hurt her and take her away."
"Because those mean men want your mommy's job. But we won't let them take it. Your mother's job is now yours. "Pepper smiled to her. "And we will help you, and keep you safe. Now dry your tears and calm down because princesses don't cry. They must be happy so those around them can be happy."
Emalia looked to Pepper before looking to the others in the room who all smiled to her trying to make her feel better. She cowered in to Pepper a bit and nodded slightly, she looked back to Falco and then to the Arwing toy. She thought a moment and pointed to Falco then looked up to Pepper.
"If he is supposed to keep me safe, I think I want a new protector cause he is bad at fighting with an Arwing." Emalia was rather serious before she heard the others bust out laughing making her smile and laugh herself.
"Hey! KID! I am a better pilot than you! You cheat!" Falco got defensive when she said he was not good at fighting with an Arwing. This just made everyone laugh harder especially Fox and James.
"Ok, Emalia we will get you a good body guard." Pepper laughed and set her down on the bed. "Ok now, these men here are the ones that helped get you here, there are others but they are still coming back in. Men introduce yourselves to Princess of Benaria"
"Your highness" Wolf bowed to her curiously. "My name is Wolf O'Donnell. I was with Panther doing air cover when you were escaping the palace. Also the Leader of Team Star Wolf!
"Fox McCloud, Your Highness." Fox bowed to her before standing back up, "Leader of Team Star Fox."
"James McCloud retired leader of Team Star Fox, but still in duty" James bowed and smiled at her before looking to Falco when he walked over.
"You know my name lil Princess; I am Team Star Fox's Ace Pilot." Falco smiled to her.
"Your not very good are fighting with an Arwing how can you be their Ace Pilot?" Emalia looked up to him with a smile.
"I am better flying a big one then a little one." Falco sighed getting a chuckled and shoulder pat from James.
"Don't worry Falco; she is too young to take your spot on the team, even though she is better than you." James poked fun at Falco making him growl and shakes his head.
"Uncle Pepper, Where is Mr. Panther?" Emalia looked up to him with a worried look.
"Panther is in the other room resting. He had a long day young one. Come Maybe he is awake he has been sleeping for about three hours" Pepper reached out taking her hand leading her to Panther's room.
Once they got to Panther's room Pepper motioned for her to stay quiet as they entered. Panther was sitting up with the bed his eyes closed. He was bundled up pretty good to make sure he was warm enough because of his space dive to Falco's ship. Emalia let Pepper's hand go and crossed the room climbing on to the foot of the bed and sitting. Pepper watched as did the other's trying to not wake Panther except Wolf that is. Wolf looked to Panther as he entered the room and put his hands in his pockets.
"Panther stop screwing around." Wolf Barked a bit making the others look at him before they looked to Panther seeing he was awake. "You Idiot how long did you plan to mock sleep?"
"Morning to you to Wolf," Panther sat up a bit more comfortably and looked to the foot of the bed seeing Emalia. "Hey Ema, glad you ok."
"Yup!" She crawled up the bed and sat next to him hugging him tightly. "I am happy you are ok too. When they ran you away and you weren't moving I thought you left like mommy did."
"Nope, I am a special cat I have nine lives" Panther chuckled to her.
"five" Wolf spoke up and chuckled a bit. It was a running Gag that Panther had nine lives because of all the things he should have died from. "This stunt you just pulled, the fight when our base was taken over, Those damn aparoids, and when Leon and I first found you on the streets in Benaria. You should have been dead after being shot in the face with a blaster.
"Oh right I only have five left." Panther chuckled a bit and laughed before looking to Emalia who looked at him confused. "Do not worry it's a joke for older people." He looked back up to the others, "Best if I take it easy because I lost four lives in less than four years, starting just before I met you. I am starting to think you're a bad luck charm Wolf."
"Only bad luck for those I don't like" Wolf chuckled deeply.
"You were shot in the face and lived?"Fox looked at Panther in disbelief.
"Yeah, that's where the white scar is from."Panther pointed to the long white scare running over his muzzle.
Fox nodded to Panther before he went and checked the hall and shut the door before turning his wrist computer on scanning the room them turning it off completely. He motioned to his father to do the same and to Falco. Once they were off, Fox walked to Wolf whispering to him. Wolf quickly turned his wrist com off then walked over to Panther's gear doing the same. Once all the wrist coms were off, the room was clear Fox gave James a nod letting him know he could speak.
Emalia moved and sat in Panther's lap getting more comfortable as she took his hand and started to play with it being bored. She was entertaining herself with as his hand seeing it could almost engulf both of her smaller ones. Panther only looked down and smirked seeing she was keeping quiet as they spoke. He knew what they were saying was going right over her head.
"To bring you two up to date because you were away, when we were informed of the death of the queen everyone started to panic because the little one is too young to take the throne right now. She is not properly schooled yet so putting the entire empire in to her lap would be too much for her and too big a risk for the planet." James crossed his arms as he spoke. "But we do have good news we do have Emalia's old brother, the crowned prince and heir to the throne."
"How is that possible?" Wolf spat out before he got a hush from across the room.
Everyone looked over as Panther pointed down to the sleeping child in the room. They blinked as they all swore she was awake just a second before. Fox was amazed at how quickly she was able to fall asleep with people talking in the room and being loud on top of that. James smirked as he remembered when Fox would do that at balls and other large parties. Wolf grumbled a bit as he was hushed before he looked back to the others.
"He ran away from home and when they finally got to his ship it was flying into a star." Wolf spoke up quietly this time still showing he was confused. "He was about 15 when he heard that on the new it wasn't something you forget. "They aired his last words saying he couldn't take the pressure he didn't want it, and flying in to that star was the only way out."
"That is true. No one can live flying in to a star, No ship has the ability not even now." Panther spoke softly
"Yes I know I watched that with Fox. He and the prince were friends when they were about 5 years old. I didn't believe that boy would do something so stupid. He was too smart for it and way to willful and prideful to take his life like that. Unfortunately no one could do or say anything all the proof laid in his death. That was until I saw a certain pilot pop up the newspaper a few years back. It made me curious and I looked in to it." James spoke with a hushed tone but everyone could still hear him. "Found out he changed his name slightly to hide who he was. And strangely enough in his profile it shows nothing of his career or school life."
"If you knew he was alive why didn't you say anything to someone? Why not tell the queen?" Fox spoke up as he had been quiet for a while letting everything sink in as he was trying to deduce what he knew in to something that made since.
"And how would I do that? Knock on the Palace door and go HI can I speak to the queen? Her son that has been dead for 8 years isn't dead." James gave Fox a rather sarcastic answer only because hew as asked a stupid question.
"Yea that would have been sure to get him killed. Saying I know your son is not dead and alive just makes him look like a guy looking for ransom money." Wolf chuckled and thought "Sounds like something I would do if I knew who the guy was."
"Anyone could have." Pepper spoke up and thought for a moment. "And on top of that we just received a message before we came down to see Emalia that Birch has the prince, in his custody. I don't think this is true but if James figured out he was live Birch could have to and could have been searching for him till now which is why he is attacking now."
"Great, so if he does have the prince and that kid is the heir to the throne, that means he can step down and give it all to Birch without a second thought. He gets to go free once more and all this to save her and trying to save Benaria would be for nothing." Wolf snapped out
"He doesn't have the prince" James interjected before anyone started to fight.
"How can you be so sure about that dad? Its not like we have him or know where he is right now. So for all we know he is telling the truth." Fox spoke to him a bit confused.
"I know exactly where he is. He hasn't move per say in about three, four years." James counted on his fingers to make sure he had the number right. "Yea about four years. He has moved around but I didn't go very far"
"James you know where this boy is?" Pepper spoke up a bit of hope in his voice
"Yes I do, but he isn't a boy he id 25 years…." James stopped when he was cut off by wolf
"So where is the kid old man?" Wolf barked a bit at James.
"Don't call me old man, and if you want that answer you can ask him yourself" James crossed his arms and turned his head looking over to Panther.
"What do you mean by that?" Wolf barked back not liking the answer he was given.
"Would you like to tell them Prince Panther Neo-Caroso Lostride the sixth, where you have been hiding?"
Everyone turned their heads and looked to Panther who sat in the bed unfazed by what was just said. He sat with his hand on Emalia's shoulder as she was sleeping her head on his chest curled in a ball in his lap. Panther's bright Yellow green eyes glared death at James while everyone else seemed to be stunned by what they had just learned. James knew exactly what Panther was thinking because he could see every bit of anger and rage coming out in that glair. Panther was hiding a secret for little over four years and James told everyone what it was in the middle of a war.
