Chasing Shadows

by Etched-in-Fire

After the fall of Andross, the Lylat System celebrates the end of a tumultuous war. With Star Wolf missing, the Androssian forces on the run, everything is looking great for Corneria... And yet Fox cannot find it in himself to celebrate their victory. Disturbed by what he saw in the Corridor of Illusion, Fox decides to seek out the truth behind his father's disappearance.

3. Paths Intertwined

Part 3: Paths Intertwined

Fara showed the Star Fox team back to the docks, a delighted skip in her step as she wandered ahead of them. Fox walked just a half-step after her, smiling behind his oxygen mask as the fennec sauntered towards where their ships had been left, careful not to put a single toe on the lines dividing the tiles. A light, childishness still clung about her, Fox noticed, and Fara looked back over her shoulder to toss him a cheery grin.

"How do you think Randorn is going to react to seeing you?" the fennec asked and Fox rolled his shoulders in a shrug.

"Can't say. It's been so long," Fox replied.

"Yeah but time can only change so much. No matter what happened these last few years, you're still friends," Fara pointed out and Fox nodded. An optimistic view of things but one he could get behind. It made him feel less nervous.

"Anyways, check this out," Fara said as she led them down one of the extendable tunnels towards an outdoor platform where a sleek, triangular-shaped starfighter sat.

It was midnight black, Lylat's blazing rays glinting off of its polished hull. Two wings jutted from its sides, slightly more curved than those on the Arwing. Fox marveled at it for a moment before realizing it looked a bit similar to Peppy's Mark I Arwing. Its wings were spindly and angular, its nose thin and meant for cutting through the air. Twin G-diffuser systems sat where the vessel's hull met the wings, but they were thinner and longer. A single, heavy artillery cannon sat under the ship's nose. The more the similarities dawned on him, the more Fox's wonderment was replaced by horror.

So, General, this is your answer to us not joining your military. You just made your own version of the Arwing instead. He must've had this sitting on the backburner for when we said no. Ugh…

"It's… familiar looking," Fox said, enthusiasm withering.

"Well, we may have pressed Dr. Toad for some ideas. The General is starting an initiative project for elite pilots. A special ops team. There were… some concerns raised I guess by his councilmen when all the heavy lifting in the Lylat Wars got handed off to a third party," Fara replied, scratching the back of her head.

The ritzy rich dudes don't like that mercs won their fight for them, huh? No glory that way.

"I see…" Fox said, unsure what else he could even say.

"Wow! It looks a lot like the Mark Is!" Slippy exclaimed, leaning in to inspect the hull.

"We put a special type of cloaking material on it so it's harder to see. The orange was my personal touch," Fara replied with a grin. "The real ones won't have it, just mine."

"Huh. Not bad but knockoffs are never as good as the real thing," Falco said with an airy albeit antagonistic tone.

"Falco…" Fox warned him with a grumble, face-palming.

"Well, I guess I should've seen this coming," Peppy remarked as he scratched his chin. "So, Fara, what is the General calling this initiative?"

"Project Guard Dog," Fara answered. "With these beauties. The Mark I Cornerian Foxhounds… I…. didn't come up with the name."

"Ha," Fox said dryly.

"I really shouldn't be telling any of you guys about these but…" Fara said, running a hand along the Foxhound's hull. "… Well, I have a soft spot for you guys. And don't think the General's trying to put you outta a job, either. He has his hands tied by donors. You guys know how that life goes."

"Oh yeah, sure," Falco retorted.

"The Foxhounds will be special deploy only. And since you guys already took out Andross…" she winked at Fox. "I doubt they'll deploy anytime soon. Well. They can't, actually. I'm still testing this baby. She runs like a dream though."

"We'll see if she can outpace the Arwing," Fox replied, mustering up a smile. "Let's head out for the ruins. The sooner we get this over with…"

The sooner I can put these doubts and feelings of unease behind me.

"… the sooner we can relax," Fox finished, his tone drifting a bit towards absent-minded.

"Right," Fara nodded to him. "I'll wait for you guys."

Leaving Fara with the Foxhound, the Star Fox team wandered down the docks until they came across the tunnel to the Great Fox. Once they had re-boarded their ship, they took the elevator down to the hanger. Given that they were so close to the ground, Fox instructed them to swap their Arwings into Walker mode so they could hop out of the hanger door and onto the Venomian soil below.

"This mask is itchy," Falco complained as they rode down the elevator. "Hey, whatcha guys think about that ship Fara has? Kinda messed up how the General just ripped off the Arwing."

"I'm sure it's not the last time it'll happen," Slippy replied. "Ever since Star Fox fell into the spotlight years ago, people have been scrambling to remake our planes. It's annoying but just remember, it's not the planes that are the best part of our team! Well… not entirely, at least! You still need good pilots to pilot them!"

"Yeah so what're you doing here again?" Falco teased.

"Hey!" Slippy exclaimed.

"Don't sweat it too much about the Foxhounds," Peppy said to them. "Corneria can try to make replacements for us but well… we all know none of us are replaceable!"

"You said it!" Slippy cheered.

The elevator dinged and they arrived in the hanger soon after. After each pilot got into their respective Arwings, Fox turned on the engine to his. He swapped it into Walker mode, glancing towards the hanger door opening at the far end of the room. A quick, deep breath sucked into his lungs and he reached out for the Arwing's controls. But he paused, hesitating with his fingers hovering less than an inch from the joystick.

General Pepper making his own team of elite pilots shouldn't make me this nervous, Fox said to himself. Maybe it's 'cause everything feels so aimless right now but the thought of us all being replaced… or irrelevant… it just makes me wonder what the future will hold for all of us.

He gritted his teeth, shook the gloomy thoughts away, and grabbed the joystick.

Always worryin' about the past or future these days. C'mon, McCloud. Focus on the now.

Fox piloted the Walker to the hanger door, leaping from it and hovering down onto the parched Venomian soil. His scanner indicated the others were following him and an unknown vessel was above. A glance up from his cockpit and he saw Fara zipping around in her Foxhound. He wanted to ask if her plane had a terrestrial mode but that seemed too cheeky. She was in a difficult position as it were being so close to him and he did not want to make it any worse.

"Hey flyboy!" Fara said over the comms. "Wanna be a doll and send me those coordinates to where we're headed?"

"Yeah, sure," Fox replied and forwarded the coordinates to Cimroh-Ja ata Quan to her.

"Thanks!" the fennec said with a wink.

The Arwings all moved into a position where they could freely take off. Fox was the first to ascend, his team following closely behind. He guided his Arwing high into the Venomian skies, tossing a glance down at Venom City as it shrank below them. So many thoughts coursed his mind that it was hard to keep track of them all. He hoped the flight to the ruins would give him enough solace to feel less like a mess by the time he made it to Randorn. His father's old friend was a pragmatic sort and was certainly no pushover. Once his mind was set on something, Fox knew there would be no going back… except maybe at the plea of a friend. It was all he could hope for.

But Cerinia's people were guarded, to say the least and he was certain Randorn was no exception. They did not like outsiders prying into their business, even banning visitors from traveling to their planet. Fox had always been under the impression there was something the Cerinians would not say about their homeworld. Something that they feared the outside world would find out about. Something that would make Corneria on edge and boil over the tension between the two powerhouse planets.

But that was all speculation. And he could mull over it for hours without coming to a conclusion. His emerald gaze swept over the Venomian deadlands and his ears became aware that there had been idle chatter happening over the comms for probably some time now. Nothing important, just commentary from his wingmates and Fara.

"You know, Miss Croakella still talks about you, Slippy," Fara was saying when Fox zoned back in. "I think she regrets breaking it off with you."

"Oh whatever!" Slippy shook his head. "She caused me so much stress that Dad said I was gonna be warty all over by the time I was thirty. Warty and wrinkly."

Fara giggled, "I bet she's just sad her ex is famous now."

"Look at you, Slip. A heartbreaker," Falco commented to Slippy.

"Hey, hey, she broke it off not me!" Slippy exclaimed.

Cimroh-Ja ata Quan came into sight before long, a distant set of medium-height towers surrounding a central structure that Fox perceived to be some form of temple. It was elevated atop a craggy, weathered mountain with a large staircase leading to its grounds. Old waterways were dug out around it—decorative ponds that had long dried up. Instead, the long temple sat only surrounded by dirt and dust, towering over the surrounding deadlands.

His radar blipped with a warning that unidentified vehicles were up ahead and he knew at once this had to be the Rha'ko Xou unit investigating the ruins. Fox waited for his ship to be hailed but even as they drew closer and closer, no pre-emptive message ever came. He took the front and directed the group to land just outside of the Cerinian encampment. Once they had done so, Fox stepped out of his Arwing to survey the sight of where the gods were said to sleep. And at once, he felt a strange feeling pass over his russet fur, like a wind that was felt just over his skin but did not blow across the desolate planetside.

The ruins were surrounded at each corner by a stone pillar of sorts, its sides etched with strange runes that Fox could make no sense of. At each top, just below the triangular point, held a stone of different color. Green, blue, yellow, red gems corresponding directly with the north, west, east, and south pillars. Fox was certain that meant something to the Alemians of old, something that died along over the passage of time. At the heart of the ruins was a large building, flanked by smaller structures of similar stonework. He could not tell what they were but reminded him of small gazebos back on Corneria, albeit decorated with intricate designs along their sides and crumbling altars within. Simian-like statues sat on either sides of the main temple, their faces concealed by strange, elaborate masks and their hands tucked into lengthy robes.

And surrounding the ruins were, of course, the Rha'ko Xou, who had spared no expense to fortify their defenses. Crystalline generators hooked into an array of anti-air ballistic cannons, which lined the perimeter with their barrels facing out alongside barricades of crystal, white stone, and gold. A force of ships had been landed on the far side—starfighters mostly, along with a few ground-based vehicles. Gold-threaded tents had been erected for workers to take shelter in. As Fox approached, he realized a small force field had been put up around the ruins, its cyan light shimmering like a trick of the light. But it lowered upon their approach and the team was immediately greeted by a Cerinian warrior, garbed in armor with a golden sheen over a silken white robe.

"Ah, the envoy from Corneria," the warrior said. "We have been expecting you."

"You have?" Fox asked in surprise.

"Yes. Your messenger arrived shortly before you did," the Cerinian warrior nodded, then beckoned them through a gap in their barricade. "We are honored to welcome the Star Fox team to our base. Please allow me to escort you to our leader."

"Messenger…?" Fox said thoughtfully as he began to follow the Cerinian. The others shuffled behind him.

"Well, that was easy enough," Fara remarked, looking to Fox.

"Yeah…" Fox replied apprehensively.

"I guess Officer Howl must have wanted them to know to expect us," Peppy mused thoughtfully. "Makes little sense to spare a soldier for something like that though."

The Cerinian warrior led them to one of the tents situated before the temple. Fox was distinctly under the impression the temple grounds would have been a beautiful sight to behold had they been cared for. However, if there were gardens here, they had long decayed into ash and where they once sat now stood Rha'ko Xou tents. And in the largest one, Fox recognized Randorn's imposing figure. He was dressed in a silvery-white half-robe, the collar of it around his nape triangular and gilded with golden thread. Armored gauntlets lined his arms and pauldrons sat below his wide collar. His staff was strapped to his back, golden with an amber headstone. He looked as Fox remembered him. A man that always had a sadness about his expression, his face aged with stress and a penchant for alcohol. He did not seem to be wearing a mask but was easily breathing the air.

"Fox," the brown-furred wolf said upon their approach, emotion flooding his red-brown eyes. "It's good to see you here. Ah… is that Fara too? What a reunion!"

"Hey Randorn," Fara waved.

"Randorn," Fox greeted him with a smile, that nervousness before waning in the face of seeing his old friend. "It's been too long. Gotta say, I didn't expect to find you here of all places."

"Fate has a weird way of threading paths together," Randorn replied, his gaze turning to Peppy. A wide grin broke out on his face and the two embraced quickly, Randorn reaching down to pat the old hare's back. "Peppy! Spirits, you look well. I'm so glad to see you."

"And you look a lot more official these days!" Peppy exclaimed, looking over Randorn's attire. "Goodness, you certainly rose through the ranks."

"That I did. After I returned to Cerinia, my knowledge of how the Lylat System has changed over the last few decades has proven invaluable to my organization," Randorn said amiably. "They promoted me. I'm even to have my own apprentice before long. Maybe when I return. There's much to be done here, as I'm sure you realize."

"Actually… we had hoped to talk to you about that. The General sent us here. We're actually in the market for a teleportation device and need to get access to the ruins in order to do so. I… know the General is eager as well to see what's in the ruins," Fox said.

"Randorn, I know that you're here under orders but is there any way you could let us look in the temple?" Peppy asked.

The wolf gave a sigh, then beckoned for them to follow him out from the tent. He wandered a ways towards the old, chipped steps leading to the temple's main entrance and the group uncertainly followed him. Randorn rubbed at his chin, then sighed again.

"What has the General told you exactly?"

"That you're looking for something here. He assumed it was the teleportation device," Fox replied.

"As nice as that would be to find… no, we are not here for such a thing," Randorn said, shaking his head. "You know… Teleportation devices are something new made from something old. Cerinia has long used teleportation to journey to other planets, though… perhaps in a way different than Andross's constructions. The ancients left behind teleportation chambers before they passed into memory. It was through these chambers that the first Cerinians were able to migrate from Animus to Cerinia. I believe Andross was inspired by these when he made his devices."

"As nice as the history lesson is, we really just need to know if you've seen one," Falco piped up.

"Right, right… Well, to answer your question, no, we have not found a device that Andross made. But we have found one of the old teleportation chambers. Alemian-constructed, of course. But it is in such a poor state that I'm afraid it's unable to be fixed," Randorn shook his head. "Even if we did understand how to fix it, its central control program is destroyed. You'd be sent to spirits-know-where if we powered it."

"I don't like the sound of that," Peppy frowned.

"How far have you gone into the temple?" Fox asked him.

"Ah… Therein lies the problem. We have not managed to get far. Andross found a way to reactivate the old Alemian security systems before you slew him. Our attempts to dig into the deeper parts of the ruins have been met with little success," Randorn replied remorsefully. "And at the cost of several lives as well."

"Goodness," Fara's ears went back.

"Is it really that dangerous?" Falco asked.

"It is. Alemian technology is too convoluted for our engineers to even figure out," Randorn replied. "It uses magic that we are unfamiliar with. It would seem this place where the gods slept was made so that the gods would never be disturbed."

"What if we go in?" Fox suggested. "We can see if we can cut a way for your people to get into the deep ruins. And then we can all look for what we're here for."

"That is… not the worst idea. I understand your Arwings have capabilities to turn into Walkers now. A curious invention," Randorn considered. "But it is still very dangerous, Fox. I am not sure I could recommend it."

"We need to get a teleporter," Fox insisted. "There's something in that other dimension I need to find. Something that means a lot to me."

"Fox, I can assure you, whatever Andross has created—" the wolf began.

"I thought I saw my dad, Randorn," Fox said. "And I heard him. I heard him over the comms."

The brown wolf's brow furrowed. "Fox…"

"I know, I sound crazy. I'm getting tired of repeating this story because the more I say it, the more I wonder if I'm delusional. But I need to get there, Randorn. I gotta know what happened the day I fought Andross. Because… I think my dad was there. And I think he saved my life," Fox insisted.

Randorn's ears went back and he looked to the temple in the distance, studying it quietly.

"I will not lie to you; I am intrigued by what you claim. Yet before I permit such a foray, I must warn you that this place is surely haunted by ghosts that have wandered here for eons," the wolf said quietly before looking to Fox. "What the Rha'ko Xou sent me to find was the source of the disturbances on this planet. There are ghosts here who cannot pass on to the next life. Their energy cannot assimilate into the planetary energy, so they linger and feast upon the magic and corruption here. And the air itself is cursed as well, poisoned in a way that is unheard of. Bioweapon technology that predates Andross by an untold amount of time."

"Corrupted… ghosts…?" Slippy swallowed.

"A far-fetched claim to someone of Corneria, I'm sure," Randorn nodded. "But the truth nonetheless. I have seen them with my own eyes. Phantoms wailing in the night, remnants of a great tragedy here. They speak but I cannot understand them. And the leadership at the Rha'ko Xou would know why they exist. Why all of this on Venom exists. Why this planet's name fell out of history. And we believe Andross knew the answer. And that answer is somewhere in these ruins."

"And you don't want the Cornerians interfering," Peppy realized, eyes stretching wide. "Because you're scared of the answer you might find."

"It is true," Randorn nodded. "The answer could be something that deserves erasure from history. We already know it must do with magic, something the Cornerians have long shunned. We would not see Cornerian lives lost to the Alemian security systems. They do not know this world of magic and antiquity. It would be foolish to let them spearhead any forays into the Venomian ruins."

"You're protecting them," Fox nodded. "I understand now. But why not tell that to the General?"

"I tried," Randorn replied. "But I recognize his interest in Venom only stems out of fear. And I do not want what technology caused Venom's current state to fall into any other hands. It belongs to no one. Not even the Rha'ko Xou. And should the cause be found and determined too great for this universe… then I will destroy it. Myself, if I must. So history is not repeated."

"The General would never do something like this," Peppy protested.

"And are you sure of that, Peppy?" Randorn asked. "He certainly spared the Venomians no quarter when he had thousands of them detained and shipped back to Corneria for judgment. He is a great man but great in different ways. Both good and bad."

He took a few steps then added.

"I need to think some on if I wish for you to enter Cimroh-Ja ata Quan. Until then, I suppose you'll want to know how your messenger is doing. He was hungry so we fetched him our best food. This way."

Randorn began back towards the large tent, crossing through it and showing them to the next one.

They're feeding Cornerian messengers? Geez and the way the General made it sound, it was a nasty stalemate out here. I bet this messenger's glad he got away from Venom City. I bet the Cornerian Army doesn't feed their people as high-quality of food as the Cerinians do.

Fox swiveled his head towards where Randorn was gesturing towards the messenger. Sitting on some elaborate Cerinian cushions in the corner of the tent was a well-dressed corgi with overly large spectacles and a floppy bow-tie. He had a mouthful of what looked to be a buttered biscuit as soon as he caught a glimpse of Star Fox. At once, the dog began choking on his food.

"D-Dr. Pembroke!?" Peppy sputtered.

"E-erm, yes!" Dr. Pembroke began, coughing and straightening his tie. "I-I'm the messenger! Here to deliver… messages!"

His voice was light and uncertain. Peppy's carmine eyes narrowed to slits at the doctor. Fox felt his stomach churn in unease.

"I don't think Officer Howl sent you," Peppy began.

"W-what ever you do mean, Peppy, old friend?" Dr. Pembroke replied. "Of course he did!"

"Yeah, I'm not buying it either," Fox retorted.

"Oh of course Howl didn't send him," Fara huffed from behind. She stepped up, looking at the corgi accusingly. "He's been trying to get his greasy paws on some Alemian artifacts since the day he got here. I wager he lied to you, Randorn."

"Taking advantage of Cerinian hospitality, hm?" Randorn said, turning to the corgi with a hard, stern glare. "I'll have the General know of this."
"L-listen, I'm really just here because we all know you guys need my help," Pembroke said, flustered. "You're wanting to go into the temple, aren't you? Well, won't you need an expert on Alemians to survive what d-dangers lurk inside?"

"You really wanna come with us? Into a haunted temple full of things that want to kill you?" Fox asked with a quirked brow.

"I'm not even sure I wanna go," Falco pointed out.

"We don't have clearance yet," Peppy added.

"W-well, when you get clearance, I'm sure I'll be a handy asset to your team!" Dr. Pembroke declared in a shaky voice. "D-dangers or no, I am determined to see the inside of these ruins. It's… it's been my dream ever since my dissertation back at Corneria City University all those years ago…!"

"Your dream may be a death wish," Randorn retorted, crossing his arms. "Though I'm leaning towards sending you in, if it means you stop gorging yourself on our food."

"I thought your thesis was on the Goras?" Peppy narrowed his eyes at Dr. Pembroke, who promptly ignored the hare.

"How is it that you're able to breathe the Venomian air?" Slippy asked, dragging his gaze from the corgi to Randorn.

"Magic," Randorn replied. "After my last expedition here—the one where I accompanied James and Peppy, that is—I began working on developing a clean air spell. It lasts for two days' time and I thought to grant it to the messenger as well. When I believed he was an official messenger, of course."

"Right, right," Dr. Pembroke waved his hand.

"Well, feel free to venture around the temple grounds as you see fit while I think on things," Randorn said to the team. "I only ask that you not disturb our investigation here."

"Got it," Fox replied, tempted to tell the wolf to take all the time he needed but knowing that he should not. The General was likely waiting for an update and Fox was not sure how to give him one. Telling Pepper that Randorn was purposefully intending to keep information from the Cornerians was likely to stress the tension even more, and Fox was certain Randorn had only told him that in confidence. As loyal as the Star Fox team was to Corneria, they were a third party. And that was becoming more and more obvious as the day ticked on by.

The team began to disperse around the Cerinian campsite. Slippy was eager to get a look at some of the Cerinian technology that had been brought over and Falco was keen to look at their abundance of starfighters. Peppy, on the other hand, lingered in the campsite, looking to Randorn curiously.

"How has your son been these days?" the hare asked.

"Well enough," Randorn said vaguely, shaking his head. "I do not see him much these days. He joined the Rha'ko Xou a few years ago and has taken to off-world missions when he can."

"Just like his older brother," Peppy commented.

"Aye… for better or worse," Randorn said disdainfully. "Not a care for his poor father's concerns in the slightest. I dare say he is happy to be away from me."

"You… know he still cares for you, right?" Peppy asked.

Randorn grunted and looked towards the temples, a hard gleam in his eyes. He shook his head, mouth creasing into a wide frown.

"I've earned his ire over the years for my negligence. But some things are more important than family," Randorn replied.

"Are they?" Peppy asked wistfully.

"The Rha'ko Xou seem to think so," the wolf answered. "I was… barely around to care for Juroh after Davo and his mother passed. The Rha'ko Xou know duty, would have us swear to it. I took the vows and I meant them when I did. I've been busy over the last few years, old friend. Far too busy. I… should have helped with the Lylat Wars."

"Nonsense," Peppy said with a shake of his head. "And don't think for a second that any of us blame you. I haven't been the best dad to Lucy either. Even when Vivian passed."

"Still. I wish I had done more," Randorn said with a huff, ears back. "Did you… did you kick Pigma's ass for me?"

"As best as I could," Peppy replied.

"I am sure it was enough, old friend."

Hearing the two catch up warmed Fox's heart but the vulpine was restless. He felt a need to roam. His legs twitched and so he heeded their call. Fox departed the tent, the alien ruins in front of him enticing enough to steal his mind away from his own growing concerns. Stepping into Lylat's blazing light, he began to wander the temple grounds, glancing about the structures and trying to make sense of them. It was strange to think that Venom had once been a beautiful paradise and that these grounds had been inhabited. But Fox remembered that time was cruel. Nothing lasted forever. One day, these temples would crumble to the ground and become dust. And even further down the line of time, the same would happen to Corneria City.

"This place is really neat, isn't it?" Fara asked from behind him, glancing around the ruins with a sparkle in her bright green eyes. "My old man used to take me to some of the Cornerus ruins on Corneria in the summer. But those are basically infants compared to this place."

"I'm not gonna lie, a lot of this ruins and old civilization stuff goes over my head," Fox admitted to her. "But I was just thinking of how this place had once been thriving. People standing where we're standing here now… but thousands of years ago."

"Don't act too interested or you'll get Pembroke on your case," Fara winked at him.

"Ha! I'll try not to," Fox said and she looped her arm around his, leaning in and bopping her mask against his.

"That's as good as I can kiss you at the moment," Fara grinned. "Maybe we can get Randorn to do that spell for us so I can do the real deal."

His cheeks flushed slightly under his fur and he scratched the back of his neck uncertainly. "Yeah, I guess. Just so long as Peppy doesn't see. He probably wouldn't approve of kissing on the job."

Fara laughed then turned her attention to the temple ahead of them. She climbed a few of the stairs, looking over to where the entrance was guarded by two Cerinian warriors and a barrier of sorts, powered no doubt by Cerinian crystals. The fennec wandered by the door, walking to where Fox assumed used to be a garden. Now it was just a crumbling statue and dirt. Not a particularly pleasant sight.

"The 'Sleeping Place of the Gods', huh?" Fara mused. "You know, something like that has an ominous ring to it. I'm glad I'm here to cover you when we go in."

"If we go in," Fox replied.

"You know he'll let us," Fara turned to face him. "He's just trying to find a way to justify it to his superiors."

"That might be true," Fox considered with a nod. "I'm not sure if you should come with us, though. It could be dangerous, Fara."

"Oh there's no way you're stopping me," Fara replied. "And we both know it. If it's as bad in there as Randorn says, you'll need all the firepower you can get."

"If you say so," Fox said, ears back. "I just don't wanna be the one to tell your dad what happened if things go south."

"Leave it to General Pepper then," Fara said with another wink.

Shouts tore through their conversation and Fox whirled around towards the source of it all. The temple doors began to open and the Cerinian guards were on high alert. The barrier came down, fizzling into nothingness. One of them reached inside and began helping another Cerinian through the door, this one clearly wounded with blood staining his silver-white robes. Another Cerinian warrior fell out after him and then a third not long after, propping herself up with her staff. Each of them were bloodied, swaying on their feet. The second one rapidly said something in another language to the two Cerinians that had been standing on guard and they moved to hastily push the doors back closed, re-sealing the temple with a barrier.

"What the hell…" Fara breathed as one of the injured Cerinians.

Randorn came sprinting up the stairs, eyes wide as the three injured Cerinians sat just before the temple doors. Fox approached cautiously as well, looking at their wounds. One of them sported burn marks over her arms, which became evident as she took off her gauntlets, letting them thud to the ground. Another had deep gashes in his stomach and barely seemed to be clinging to consciousness. And the third looked horrified, his nose leaking blood and his armor smeared sanguine. His hands shook uncontrollably.

"What the hell kind of stuff is in there?" Fara whispered and Fox's eyes swiveled to the sealed door.

The three injured Cerinians were ushered away by guards to be looked at by their medical team. And as they departed, leaving blood trails behind them, Randorn made eye contact with Fox. His gaze was watery with stress but thoughtful. And then the wolf tore his gaze away, heaving out a heavy sigh and shaking his head. Randorn began back down the steps.

"What happened?" Fox asked, chasing after him and hearing Fara follow suit.

"Another team lost. That one had some of our best on it," Randorn replied numbly. "Met with the same security system I was telling you about. I… I can't let you enter, Fox. I'm sorry. I don't want you to be the next bloodied soldier that comes stumbling out of there."

"Did they go on foot?" Fox asked.

"Yes."

"We have Arwings, Randorn. Arwings with a terrain mode. Basically perfect for something like this!" Fox exclaimed.

"No!" Randorn said, turning and snapping at the vulpine. "You will not enter and that is my final say on the matter."

"Randorn…" came a voice just ahead of them and Fox turned his gaze to see Peppy standing there. The hare had a bitter expression but clear resolve shown in his eyes. "We already know it's dangerous. That's nothing new to us."

"You know not what horrors are in there!" Randorn declared.

"Jim could be in there! Think about it! There was never a body. And Fox heard him over the comms!" Peppy exclaimed and the brown wolf gave pause at that, clenching his teeth angrily.

There was a moment that Fox believed Randorn was about to call the guards to remove them from Cerinian encampment. The rage written across the brown wolf's face was unfathomable. A low growl resonated from Randorn's throat, his fur standing on end. But slowly, the anger tapered away, fading with thought that was clearly giving the wolf some form of clarity. Soon enough, it died away completely and Randorn was left to sigh out his resentment and reluctance.

"Fine. I'll grant you access. For James's sake. But only on one condition," Randorn said, massaging the bridge of his muzzle. "And that is that I'm coming with you."