Disclaimer: I don't own Star Fox. I wish I did, though. Non Nintendo characters are mine.
*~
Fox stood, alone of the bridge except for Rob, who was always present and seemed to know when Fox needed time to think without being completely cut off from his team.
Fox was to meet Krystal at the Cornerian base. Once the Katinan satellite had begun to malfunction, communication became almost impossible. Fox had been forced to hold up a piece of paper saying, "Go to Cornerian Base," and even then, the flickering holo-screen made Fox wonder if she had understood the message.
"How far are we from Corneria, Rob?" Fox asked as he stared out the window at the planet in question.
"Approximately 22,000 miles," Rob said. "Arrival time is fifteen minutes."
Fox nodded slightly, his mind elsewhere as he Stared beyond Corneria at a distant star, almost gold in color, called Judex. Fox remembered first seeing that star with his father.
"Daddy, what's that star?" a much younger Fox, no more than six, asked from his perch on his father's shoulders. "The gold one."
James followed his son's gaze. "That's Judex. It's your guardian star."
"What's a guardian star?" Fox asked.
"It's the first star seen on the night you were born. It and its two planets, Eleison and Futurus, will always protect you."
James' voice faded away, and Fox was back on the cockpit. He smiled softly. It was a Vulpin tradition to pick a guardian star for a kit. Fox wanted more than anything to believe in it, and part of him did.
"Judex, guard me," Fox whispered.
*~
"Entering Cornerian atmosphere in ten minutes," Rob said through the intercom.
Sierra sighed as she searched the medical computer she had had Slippy install in the sick bay for Fox's odd behavior. Nearby, Slippy was watching, absently working on one of his many projects.
"The impatience could be a result of sleep deprivation," Sierra said, shrugging. "But he's getting enough sleep, and dreaming is a crucial part of that."
"So... He's fine?" Slippy asked.
"Medically, yes," Sierra said, sighing. "There's not much I can do."
"You're trying," Slippy said with a reassuring smile. "Fox bounces back. He always does. Don't worry too much."
"Entering Cornerian atmosphere in five minutes," Rob said. "All team members to the cockpit."
*~
Fox sat in his chair, the seatbelt sliding down over both of his shoulders and hooking into the bottom of the chair. His teammates joined him, preparing for atmosphere entrance. Fox got one last look at Judex before the protective metal shield slid over the window.
Fox felt himself pressed against his chair, drawing his ears back against the force. He could see Rob, anchored securely to the deck, watching over the status of Great Fox's atmosphere shielding. Great Fox now through Cornerian atmosphere, was coming in for a landing at the base. The shield over the window opened up again.
As they landed, Fox could see Krystal's ship. She had seen Fox's message.
"Great Fox has landed," Rob said.
"Peppy, you can stay onboard if you want," Fox said. "Slippy, Sierra and Falco, you go to that lab once I talk to Krystal."
His team nodded, and Fox, Sierra, Slippy, and Falco exited the ship. Krystal was waiting for them.
"General Pepper seems to be expecting you," she told Fox softly. "He was telling me that you should show up soon."
"Really?" Fox said, looking down as he walked. "Does he know that we know about the inter-dimensional portal?"
"I don't think so," Krystal said. "I certainly didn't say anything."
Fox made his way to General Pepper's office, Krystal tagging along. The rest of his team had gone to the lab. The secretary glanced up.
"Mr. McCloud again, Sir," she said. "Krystal, too."
"Let them in," Pepper said.
As the two foxes entered, Pepper seemed calm.
"Lollipop?" he offered idly.
"No thanks," Krystal said.
Fox shook his head and sat down on a plastic chair. "Let's cut to the chase," he said. "I know you had an inter-dimensional portal built."
Pepper smiled softly. "Somehow I knew you would find out. Which is why I have a proposition for you."
Fox leaned forward. "What kind?"
"We need someone to test the portal," Pepper said. "Two someones, in fact."
"Me and someone else," Fox said flatly. "Who else?"
"You and one of my scientists," Pepper said. "Jason Hunter. I believe you met him on the satellite?"
Fox nodded. "How much?"
"Your satellite pay will be increased to fifty thousand," he said. "And we won't breathe a word of any of this to the Lylatian Police if you won't."
"Fine," Fox said. "Should I go do this test now?"
"Yes, if you have the time," Pepper said.
Fox stood up, nodding. Krystal seemed worried, following Fox as he left, heading down to the laboratory. Krystal said nothing, but her nervousness soon spread to Fox. As he entered the lab, a gorilla in a lab coat looked up.
"Are you to test the portal with Hunter?" he asked.
"Yeah," Fox said, cracking his knuckles. "How dangerous is this little dimension I'm getting sent to?"
"We have seen no sign of life whatsoever," the gorilla said. "But the atmosphere is survivable."
Slippy seemed shocked. "Fox, you're just going to go into this world, with no idea what's inside?"
Fox grinned. "Yep. How long do I have to stay in there?"
"Just long enough to allow me to take some water samples," Jason said. "There's a river about a mile away from the portal drop-off."
Fox nodded, making sure his blaster was by his side. He wasn't leaving without it this time. The gorilla gestured Krystal over to a control panel with a small indentation for her staff. She placed it inside and nodded.
"Are you two ready?" the gorilla asked.
"Yes," Jason said.
"Sure," Fox said.
The gorilla took fur samples of Fox and Jason and inserted it into a computer. Fox assumed it was the DNA matching. The computer beeped, and the screen turned green.
"Good to go," the gorilla said. "Now, Krystal."
Krystal turned her staff 90 degrees to the right, and the door frame in front of Fox began to hum. A picture of the dark field Fox could see on the screen showed up in the doorway, looking first like a hologram, but then solidifying. Jason gave Fox a small transmitter.
"Use this to talk to the lab," he said. "They won't be able to see us at the riverbed."
"How do you know it's there?" Fox asked.
"We sent a non-sentient parrot in the portal. It was smart enough to tell us there was a river," Jason said.
Fox wasn't completely sure about this, but he stepped into the portal anyway, Jason behind him. Looking back, he could see the lab in a small square patch. Krystal removed her staff, and the pathway disappeared.
"To the river," Jason said, heading off to the north.
Fox stood in the field for a moment, looking around him. The ground was a dull gray, and the sky was black except for a white light that Fox assumed was a sun. There seemed to be nothing all around him, just empty blackness. Fox didn't like it at all.
"C'mon, Fox!" Jason called, and Fox hurried after him.