Part 5:
RETRIBUTION
"Carry on for the living..."
"Scales said the war was just beginning... I didn't realise how right he was" Fox mumbled.
There was silence. Falco still trembled slightly, but he'd been calmer for the last little while as he'd listened to Peppy and Fox's recollections of the battle. It had taken a long time to coax most of the story out of him and he'd had to keep going back when he remembered little details he'd left out, but he knew he hadn't said everything; he'd left some things out on purpose. The occasional input by the others had given him valuable breathing space and helped him understand parts of what had happened that had previously been a mystery to him. Now he looked dazed around the room as though seeing it for the first time. Throughout the tale Peppy and Falco had both relived terrible chapters of their lives, and even General Pepper had been seen to flinch a few times. Now an oppressive silence filed the air as they all struggled to comprehend the seriousness of what Falco had been involved in. It hadn't occurred to anyone that Dinosaur Planet and the Behemoth might have been connected. Fox gazed at Falco, seeing him in a new light. Falco stared at the floor, kneading his hands, desperately trying to stop himself shaking, unable to look at the team for fear he would totally lose control. Peppy was battling with rage like he had only ever felt towards one person before, if he lost control there could be murder... there had been last time. When he looked up he realised the team probably needed the calm Peppy more than the angry one, and put his rage aside for now. Even so he was at a loss for words. The silence was all that seemed appropriate. Slippy looked even more green than usual, as though he was going to be sick, Falco looked like death, Fox looked as though he'd been hit over the head. Peppy couldn't bring himself to look at Pepper for fear he'd lose control of his anger. Still the silence continued, but for the constant rumbling of Great Fox's engines, it was becoming oppressive, someone needed to say something, anything.
"Even without the SpellStones the Behemoth is a force to be reckoned with, they'll act on their plans even without them and Andross, if you're going to organise another counter strike you have to do it now" It was Falco who spoke, his voice devoid of all apparent emotion, he continued to look at the floor. "Before they get a chance to attack."
"What do you suggest?" Pepper asked. Peppy's head snapped up. How could he dare to ask that after all they'd just listened to? He was furious, he stared darkly at him, but Pepper either didn't notice, or was ignoring him. Falco's hands balled into fists.
"Our attack would have worked if you hadn't sold us out. Frankly if I wasn't afraid of what the Behemoth can do I wouldn't be helping you at all." Falco looked up for the first time "I'd like nothing more than to leave you and your sodding government wallowing in the mess you've made." Falco paused for a moment; he thought he should feel angry, instead he felt nothing, just numb.
Fox looked at Peppy; his eyes asked "I'm not going to stop him, are you?" Peppy's slight smile said no, instead it almost said:
"Go Falco!"
"Also sir I think you and whatever other commander it was that pulled the Angels is a complete tactical idiot. You screwed up our best chance of beating the Behemoth! You're all a bunch of snivelling cowards sending a group of kids to do your dirty work." Falco didn't look angry, at least not nearly as angry as Peppy thought he had a right to be. He sighed "But... it seems you at least did your best for us... and that's all any of us can do... and I knew the risk I was taking when I took that mission." he trailed off and looked at the floor again "this time you'll need to send several strike teams, overwhelm them, so they can't possibly stop them all. They hadn't worked out the cloak when I left and I didn't leave enough of the Shuttle or Tyson's Arwing intact for them to carry on their research." His voice choked slightly "There are several reactor cores in there, blow enough of the larger ones and you'll set off a chain reaction that should blow it to the other side of the Federation..." Falco stopped and continued to look at the floor "you'll need lots of teams this time, because they'll know what to expect..."
Pepper nodded "You still think that will work?"
"It was the only option we had then, and it's still the only option we have now." Falco growled impatiently.
"Since you left we've been fitting the fleet with cloaks, what should we do with them?"
Falco looked up weary anger in his eyes "Do what you bloody well like! You're the general, that's what you get paid to decide. You can't possibly fuck it up any worse than you did last time!!"
It was clear from Pepper's face he was not used to being spoken to like that, but mercifully he stayed silent. Falco stared darkly at him for a moment, stood shakily then left the room. If he could have slammed the door behind him he would have. Fox waited until he'd gone before exploding
"For fuck's sake, couldn't that have waited?" Fox's face was drawn and pale, but his eyes burned with rage.
"Things like this cannot wait." Pepper said with forced patience.
"Are you deaf, stupid or just a heartless old asshole? Didn't you hear everything he just said, didn't you see him, you could have at least given him a while to calm down! You cruel bastard!"
"Do not speak to me like that Fox McCloud"
"Why the hell shouldn't I? What you going to do, you can't throw me out, you're on our ship! And we're certainly not members of your Army, and none of us are stupid enough to ever consider that now after seeing how you treat your soldiers. Are they all expendable or was Falco just lucky? You know what; I don't give a fuck, so long as you don't ever get you hands on anyone I care about again!" Fox laughed bitterly "You can't do much more harm than you already have!"
Peppy could see Fox shaking, but it wasn't with rage now.
"Easy Foxy" he soothed softly.
Fox took a deep breath and composed himself a little "Please leave us alone for a while. I trust you can find your own way to the guest rooms?"
Pepper nodded, stood and took himself away. Once he was gone Fox's shoulders shrugged and his whole being seemed to shrink, and Peppy was reminded of the 8 year old he had once been, standing alone in the middle of the common room. It was Slippy's voice having been quiet since Falco had finished his story that broke through the silence.
"How can they do that to a person?" he asked shakily "How do they sleep at night?" his voice broke. "The... m-monsters!" Slippy spat seeming to want something more fitting "Fucking evil Monsters!!" He shouted, then retched visibly.
"You said it Slip'" Fox mumbled "But don't worry, they'll get what's coming to them, we'll make sure of that"
"Yeah" Slippy nodded grimly his hands making fists, up until now Peppy had always wondered if he was capable of hatred. Now he knew. When he looked back to Fox he was surprised to see him crying, for years Peppy had never seen him cry.
"Fox..." Peppy started to say, Slippy, no longer able to draw courage from his leader also failed to sobs.
"Why...?" Slippy asked simply. Peppy felt his own eyes brim at his words. The youthful innocence of a child, battling to keep that innocence in an evil world. A world Peppy had introduced him into. Peppy just found himself wrapping his arms around each of their shoulders and they were untied in their pain.
General Pepper stared around the windowless guest room. Though it was plain and purely functional it was not without character. Most of the furnishings were old, once having belonged to one member of the team or the other, though Pepper knew all evidence of Pigma had been stripped from the ship years ago. Charles Pepper found many of the objects in the room oddly familiar and felt that they gave the room a homely feeling; they made the occupant feel welcome. One of the handles on the wardrobe was missing, the bathroom taps were wonky and the bed creaked when he sat on it, just like back home. Charles let his head rest in his hands and gave way to the tide of images trying to flood across his mind. He'd always been told not to get emotionally attached to his soldiers, but...
Fox lay on his back staring up at the ceiling. Today he thought had to have been one of the worst in his life; it was on a par with the day his father had died, or his mother. He squeezed his eyes shut for a moment, then went back to staring at the ceiling. As he lay there he wondered about the people Falco had talked about, Mitoc and Slytir, the one that was still alive somewhere, he'd fix that soon enough. He wondered if after a day at "work" they went home and played with children, read them bedtime stories and kissed their wives goodnight. He wondered if they heard the screams of their victims in their dreams... and if they enjoyed hearing them. He sighed; he supposed everyone was capable of great kindness, and great cruelty. He could see it in himself, and his friends. Peppy had only ever been kind to him... but he'd mercilessly slaughtered his enemies, namely Pigma, not that he didn't deserve everything he got. He saw it in himself; he could remember his more noble acts of kindness and, looking back on it, acts of little more than cruelty he would rather forget. He growled to himself. There was no way to justify the things those monsters had done... to a girl, it made him furious, men like that didn't deserve to be men. What they'd done to Salty, he was little more than a child... it wasn't justified, it was playing dirty. Fox couldn't express how angry he was, he just wanted revenge against all those who had hurt his... friend.
Peppy felt lost... lost like he hadn't felt for years, not since James and Hannah had died or his parents. He felt as though he had no-one to turn to, no-one would understand how this felt. The new nightmares and the reawakened ones. If anything this was worse, watching someone else suffer, knowing their pain, and also knowing there was little he could do to ease it, watching the ripples of what had happened spread out and hurt others in turn, all people he cared about, and being able to do nothing other than offer a shoulder to cry on. He was angry at the world and its cruel injustice, it seemed the good were destined to suffer the most; those who knew pain seemed only to be given more. For the first time in his life Peppy truly wished he'd never met Falco. That thought made him hurt all the more. It was his fault this had happened; maybe if he'd left him on Avion he would have been safe... Peppy frowned. That wasn't true either. Avion had been no safer for him than here, what his father had been doing was little better. Falco didn't seem to have much luck. Maybe the Star Fox team were cursed... Peppy sat staring up at the Common room ceiling, all the little ones had gone to bed, he'd checked on Falco and found him sleeping heavily, for once, and perhaps sensibly Pepper hadn't shown his face. Every time he closed his eyes he was on Venom, back in his own nightmare. He didn't count himself as a religious man, but he'd prayed that would never happen to anyone he cared about. He would hardly even wish it on his enemies, except those who had done it first... like Pigma. He sighed to himself, again thinking of how unfair life seemed to be... The sound of footsteps startled him from his thoughts; he looked up to see frankly the last person he wanted to. Charles had just entered the Common Room. Peppy groaned inwardly, he was not in the mood to be sociable, towards him at least. He had hoped he would be sensible enough to realise that and keep out of the way.
"How you feeling Peppy?" Charles asked in what Peppy thought must have been meant to be a kind voice, to Peppy it only rubbed salt in open wounds. In his anger it seemed as though Charles got some malicious satisfaction out of asking. Peppy felt in no mood to mince his words.
"Pretty awful" no amount of words could express what he was feeling "I'm furious. I'd recommend that everyone involved in this keeps their heads low for a while, unless they want to loose them" Peppy growled, hinting "There are several Cornerian Officials whom I wouldn't mind if they just disappeared."
"Peppy come now that's-"
Peppy cut him off.
"Don't you think you can lecture me about morality" He snarled venomously "What you did to Falco was no different to what Pigma did to James and I." Peppy sneered quietly "Falco seems to have forgiven you. But I swear to you, I never will. In my opinion you can go to hell for what you and your government put him through. Falco knows what its like, it's about time you found out too" Peppy looked darkly into his eyes for a moment then turned and walked away. Suddenly he paused and turned around again. The look on Peppy's face terrified Pepper "I'm not ashamed of what I did to Pigma" Peppy turned back and walked out of the room. Pepper was left staring after him. Throughout the conversation Peppy's voice had never risen above more than a venomous whisper. Pepper had never been frightened of him before, but as he stood in Great Fox's empty common room he could feel himself trembling, had Peppy just threatened him?... No... surely their friendship was worth more to him than that. He just stood there, not sure where to go or what to do with himself. He sank slowly into the sofa, bemused, and maybe just a little frightened. He and Peppy's friendship seemed as good as lost, having once been so close. He wished he could take the last few months back and try again; given the chance he was sure Peppy would too. Maybe they weren't so different. He sighed; Peppy would as good as sell his soul to make it better... He cared too much. Feeling old and worn, as Peppy had said he did he walked quietly back to the guest quarters.
Great Fox had never felt lonely to him before, but now as he stood gazing out of his window at the twinkling stars he felt terribly alone. His mind continued to drift to what the next days would bring, the inevitable. There would be more death, and many more would cry, but not as many as would if they failed. Falco knew he would have to go, but the thought of it made him feel sick. Nervousness twisted like a snake inside him, when he held up his hand by his face he could see it trembling. He shook his head and clamped his hands together. Sleep seemed to come and go in waves; he never seemed to get enough. He'd woken from blackness suddenly and been unable to return. He moved across his room silently, mildly imagining himself gliding like a ghost, haunting the ship, despite himself he laughed softly, it would be fun to haunt Fox. He perched on the edge of his bed, looking around the room lit only by starlight and the distant blue glow of Corneria; they'd dropped into orbit sometime during his story. He again stared out his window, at the stars; he'd always looked to them for guidance, somehow imagining the vastness of the universe made his problems seem less significant. He'd always loved the sky, perhaps a little more than he should have. He lay down, joining the dots to make his own patterns, he saw and Arwing, then a sailing ship, his school logo had been one of those, with that he drifted away...
"Even if you do what is right, you can never make everyone happy"
Falco lay in a dark place. He could hear Silver crying and someone struggling for breath. Maybe that was him, Falco couldn't tell anymore. The screaming broke the silence; Falco just wanted to bury his head in the ground and not hear it anymore. Footsteps came towards Falco's cell. Was it his turn again already? Or were they bringing another dead team mate?... It looked like the water bath again... maybe this time Mitoc would overestimate him and hold him under for too long... Falco's head was again plunged into the icy water...
He was alone. Blaze was gone. His sessions came more often now, now they had no-one else to play with. The club, but Falco could barely see it now, his eyes were so bad. In it came...
Falco leapt up.
"Fuck off!!"
Sweating, cold, and breathing fast he scrutinized his room. His sheets were damp. Falco's heart filled with despair. The nightmares still hadn't gone away. At least it took less time to come round from them. Sighing he laid back down. When he closed his weary eyes he was back on the Behemoth. He forced them open again. He sat up and flung his covers off. He suddenly felt hot, the various pains were back. They hadn't hurt this much for a long time, maybe in telling the team he'd come to accept their presence and could no longer block them out. Even his hand hurt. He climbed slowly out of bed and rummaged around until he found the remnants of the med-kits Slippy had dropped him. There wasn't much left. Thoughtfully he fished out the painkillers and took the highest dose. He looked around rubbing at his hand, trying unsuccessfully to move his fingers. He wasn't going to get much sleep now; quietly he slipped out into the corridor.
Great Fox was silent, except for the constant hiss of the atmosphere recyclers and the rumble of the engines. Falco listened to his bare feet plod softly against the grey black carpet. The crew cabins lined one side of the corridor and quest quarters the other side, the not so nice ones, the ones without windows, in the centre of the ship. Falco walked slowly past Peppy's then Slippy's door, and further down the corridor towards the recreational areas. He wasn't sure where he was going, it just felt good to stretch his legs, Falco did a circuit of several decks then decided to return to the common room.
It was dark, except for the blue glow of Corneria in the window. Falco wandered over to look down on it. It was night on this side of Corneria. The lights from the almost constant cities sprawled across all the land sparked. As ever not a single cloud blocked his view. Falco lent thoughtfully against one of the walls and continued to stare out the wide window. They would cross the horizon in a few hours and dawn would come up, even so it never got sunny on Great Fox...
James looked him in the eye as they shoved him into one of the cells, sad frightened eyes, so unlike him, they made Peppy afraid. With a final push he fell into the prison. That was the last time Peppy ever saw him. He heard him for a long time afterwards, screaming, they never spoke, they only screamed, but the quiet that came later was worse, the whimpers, like a cornered animal, when James couldn't scream anymore. Then there was silence... and Peppy never heard his voice again.
Peppy sat up tears running down his face, shaking from head to tail.
"James... I let it happen again to one of our team... I did my best and history still repeated itself... What are we going to do?" he asked. Of course no-one responded. Peppy sighed sadly and rubbed his eyes. Slowly he climbed from his bed. He stood in his dressing gown staring round his room.
"Lights" he mumbled. The lights flickered and came on. He walked slowly towards a picture hung on one of the walls, his family, when he had been just a child, the fourth of seven surviving children... it felt like so long ago now... There were only six kids in the photo; Peppy's youngest brother hadn't been born when it was taken. They had been a big, happy family. Next to it hung a smaller image, Peppy's new family. The four of them stood together, in civilian clothing, on holiday, they were all laughing at something, Peppy couldn't remember exactly what, but it didn't matter. He'd never had children of his own, after Venom and Sarah left him he had given up, but by then he had had Fox to take care of, and it didn't seem to matter so much. He had stopped bothering to tell himself it wasn't too late. Peppy smiled at the picture. They might not be flesh and blood but to him that had never made any difference.
Peppy walked slowly into the common room. He was surprised to see the television flickering away. One of their old children's videos was playing with the sound down low. He could hear someone humming the tune to a familiar song from it. He walked slowly round to the side of the sofa. Falco jumped when he saw him.
"Sorry" Peppy said gently. Falco was wrapped up in his blankets with only his lopsided feet poking out the bottom.
"Peppy, what are you doing up?"
"I couldn't sleep" he said dropping into the chair by his side.
"What a coincidence, neither could I" Falco said turning back to the screen. They sat in silence for a moment, each knowing the reason why the other couldn't sleep, until Peppy spoke.
"Would you like something to drink?"
Falco pointed to a half full glass on the floor beside him "No thanks"
Peppy got up and disappeared into the kitchen at the back of the room. A few minutes later he returned with a mug of steaming coffee.
"Interesting choice for the middle of the night" Falco commented.
Peppy shrugged "Old habits die hard"
Falco smiled at him and allowed his eyes to follow him around the room. Finally he came and sat by his side. Falco looked at the floor for a moment, giving Peppy the impression he had something to say, he was just trying to find the right words. Falco switched the television off without looking up.
"Peppy... how did you survive, what did you hold on to?" Falco asked quietly looking at the floor. Peppy paused and smiled.
"Fox... and his mother, while she still lived. James and I always had an agreement that if anything should happen to him I would watch over Fox and Hannah, and in turn he would do the same for those I loved, should anything happen to me. When he died I took it as obvious that I should take care of them, I blamed myself for not bringing him home..." Peppy paused; he watched Falco swallow hard and curl deeper into his blankets. "I watched Fox's mother pine away after his father, that's something in the Canite nature. Though I did my best she slipped away from me and Foxy... She died a few months after her husband, leaving Fox and I to face the world together. He had uncles and aunts who offered to take him on but I could never see him being raised by anyone other than myself. I had always been part of his life, a second father, or an uncle. Deep down I needed him, we needed each other, we shared each others pain and helped one another through it. I couldn't let Andross beat me while Fox was depending on me. I had to be strong to look after him... There's nothing like a Canite 8 year old to keep you on your toes" Peppy smiled "Fox and I moved on together, however slowly, began a new life on Great Fox and dreamed of a bright future. I owe Fox more than he realises" Falco finally looked up at him. "When you and Slippy joined I felt just the same about you, I had a family, it was a bit... weird I admit, but a family nonetheless. I was so lost when you ran out. It was like a part of me wasn't there anymore... you can't know what a relief it was to have you home again."
"I can't tell you how sorry I am that I did that to you Peppy. I didn't mean to... things just didn't go exactly as I had planned" Falco managed to smile at him. Peppy just shrugged.
"They rarely do. Life would be boring if they did." Falco grinned but said nothing. He seemed to be thinking of something else.
"Peppy... was it wrong for me to cry out for you more than my mother?"
Peppy didn't have an answer for that. He'd had an answer for all the usual difficult questions before... but that wasn't exactly a normal question. He'd always found honesty to be the best policy.
"I don't know..." he said, but secretly he was flattered, and deeply touched.
"Sometimes when I looked at the guards I saw father... and how he used to do just the same things to me. Was he really no better than them?"
Peppy looked at Falco for a long time again unsure as to what to say.
"What hope have I got if my own flesh and blood was willing to do that?" Falco dropped his voice a little "The Krazoa were right. I am no better than Andross"
"Don't be stupid Falco. You are not your father. You are a very different person, your heart is as pure as anyone's, you just see things in a different way. If you didn't regret some of the things you did... that would be what would make you like Andross"
Falco shook his head. "The Krazoa accepted Fox. He does not carry as much innocent blood as me"
"The Krazoa only had your point of view to go on! What were they supposed to think while you were still grieving the team? You blamed yourself so the Krazoa assumed that it must have been your fault, they don't understand anything other than emotions... Friad said that! Falco you once told me you hated people comparing you to Fox, you have to stop doing that to yourself, forget what the Krazoa said to you. The decision you made was the right one, and in the circumstances you saved as many lives as could have been. I remember how terrible it was... laying in the dark wishing it would all end. I've been there Falco. I blamed myself for not bringing James back. If you want the truth it never goes away. I still have nightmares and I still wish I'd been able to save James, but I've tried to put it behind me, that's all we can do. Just because I blamed myself for James' death doesn't mean it was my fault" Peppy's words had come out harsher than he meant.
"But I enjoyed killing Mitoc!" Falco whimpered
Peppy frowned "You know what I did to Pigma, do you think I didn't enjoy that? Do you think I'm evil?"
"No way! But that's different"
"Why?"
"It just is! You're a far better person anyway..."
"Pah! Falco when I escaped from Venom it was a bloodbath. Same as it was for you. I don't like to think about how many lives my freedom cost, but that's the price of freedom, for you, me, and millions of innocent civilians." Peppy paused "You don't think I'm evil do you?"
"No!"
"Then you aren't either. Falco our lives are much more similar than you realise. It was a different time, a different place, but for what it's worth the rest was the same. Everyone who had been through what you... and I... went through would want revenge. You'd have to be an absolute saint to have an opportunity to kill them and let it pass you by. If anything Falco I'm worse than you, I actively sought Pigma out and made sure he suffered before he died... From what you said Mitoc's death was quick and painless. Which was more of a luxury than he gave the others and would have given you. I don't blame you one bit for what you did." Peppy paused "Falco if you hadn't killed Mitoc, he would have killed you, slowly." Falco could see anger in Peppy's eyes "I don't know I would have been able to show as much mercy as you, if I'd have found out who'd done that to you, I'd have made sure they screamed just a little before they died at my hands. Maybe that makes me as bad as them, but I don't hurt anyone who hasn't hurt me or one of mine first. We capture Falco, not kill... mostly, and the ones we capture don't suffer." Peppy chuckled "Friad was right, this is all about how you justify things to yourself." He paused "I don't think any of us are really capable of knowing what is good or evil. We all just have to fight for what we believe in, it's impossible to say whether the cause we fight for will be the right one in the long run. We just have to believe, and not sit around and let what we see as evil just happen... if we did that we could be forsaking thousands of lives down the line. We try to save life, not destroy it don't we? What you did with Krystal proved that, we'd all risk our lives if we thought we could save an innocent other... that's what we do every day. And that's what you were doing when the six of you left on that mission. That, I think is what matters... our intentions were good, even if circumstances transpired against us."
Falco was oddly reassured by knowing Peppy had been through the same range of emotions and had turned into the person he was. Falco had been secretly afraid he was becoming a monster... like his father. He felt himself smile, if he grew into half the man Peppy was he could be proud.
"Thanks Peppy, talking to you always makes me feel better" Falco sighed thoughtfully, feeling suddenly guilty "I'm sorry"
"Whatever for?"
"For making you remember... I tried to hide it, manage on my own so I wouldn't make you remember but when I saw the Behemoth again and all those pilots died... I couldn't stop it anymore"
"Is that why you didn't say anything sooner? You were trying to protect... me?"
"...I d-don't know, I was scared, of lots of things, that you would take me to General Pepper and he'd make me go back or face a tribunal and they'd blame it all on me and throw me in prison, or... that you just wouldn't believe me. Mostly it just hurt too much to think about it... and I sort of thought it wasn't your problem" Falco looked down. He felt Peppy reach out and touch the side of his face; gently he pulled his head up so he looked him in the eye.
"If you ever have one of your little problems again for goodness sake tell us! Don't keep it secret, don't hide it, tell someone. If it's your problem it's ours as well."
"I know... but I spent so long acting as though it was stronger than I felt, fighting, hiding from SharpClaw, Fox, Krystal and whatever else, it seemed I couldn't appear weak or I would be vulnerable... I couldn't let myself trust anyone..."
"You know we wouldn't hurt you... don't you?" Peppy said remembering Falco's words after he'd spoken to Pepper.
"Of course I do... but I was afraid. My father changed... and... well... you know... I was afraid the same thing might happen here..."
Peppy couldn't bring himself to say anything more.
"I was afraid you would be angry at me for running away..."
Peppy looked down at him and smiled "I'll have time to be mad at you once this is all finished with"
"Good. I look forward to it" Falco said smiling. Peppy took a sip of his coffee and watched Falco over the rim of the mug. They sat in silence for a long time, until Peppy realised Falco had fallen asleep leaning against his arm.
Peppy stayed there for a long time. Unwilling to move in case he woke him. He flicked quietly through the channels, the words running along the bottom of the screen in subtitles. He paused as a computer generated image of a large ship came up on the screen. It was the news.
"Few details have been released on the proposed counter attack against the vessel known only as the "Behemoth", although it appears that large fleets of fighters are being assembled on Corneria, Katina, Canite and many other military installations. Also leading mercenary teams have been drafted in, Great Fox flagship of the legendary Star Fox team and the SilverEagle of the Silver Wing team have been seen in orbit around Corneria and Katina. The true identity of the surviving commando from the original attack remains a subject of hot debate-"
Peppy switched over the channel fuming. Commando? Peppy looked down on Falco. That was a joke; he was just a child, with huge potential, maybe ruined for life now. A child who had had the misfortune to become tangled up in something bigger than him, bigger than anyone had ever realised. He'd been caught in a political argument, and Peppy knew all to well that in those it was never the politicians who got hurt. Falco and his team had paid the price, with their blood and their lives... Peppy put his head against Falco's for a moment sighing. Falco mumbled something but he didn't catch the words.
Peppy lifted Falco gently. He was stunned by how little he seemed to weigh. Sure Avions were always light, hollow bones, but still. Peppy found himself sighing again. After what Falco had been through it was only to be expected, and they all knew it wasn't over yet...
Peppy looked around at the sound of a soft knock at his door. He went and opened it. He found Fox standing on the threshold.
"Foxy..." Peppy said gently, the look on his face told him why he was there.
"Can I come in?" He asked weakly.
"Of course" Fox walked slowly past him hugging his dressing gown close round him.
"Sorry I woke you"
"I wasn't asleep..." Peppy mumbled following Fox back into the room. He turned to look at Peppy, the light of the stars from outside reflecting wetly in his eyes. Fox sank onto the side of the bed and Peppy came and sat by his side. Peppy waited patiently for Fox to speak first, he seemed to be having trouble bringing himself to say what was on his mind. Finally he spoke, quietly, in a voice too young for him.
"I was having nightmares about Falco..." Peppy knew it would have taken Fox a lot to admit that, but there was more and Peppy was afraid he knew what was coming "And dad..." Fox said trailing off to quiet sobs. As Peppy watched his shoulders shake slowly he was aware of tears dripping down his own face, and a familiar rage building up, only this time divided between two people. Pigma and General Pepper. Fox continued to cry.
"Make it go away Peppy" he sobbed. Peppy put his arm round his shoulders.
"I can't... I wish I could..." he said helplessly "But I can't..." he paused looking for the right words. He was kidding himself, there were no right words. "We all need time to heal. All of us." Fox turned to look at him. Peppy held his eyes "It's ok to be scared Fox, its ok to feel angry and sad. This hasn't just happened to Falco, it's happened to all of us, and whatever you feel it's ok. Right now I would like to blow a small through lots of people's heads... We have to get through this, together, like we always do."
"I can't help but feel it's my fault... if I hadn't-"
"No ifs! No buts!" Peppy said suddenly louder. His voice softened again "If we looked at every if and but we could go back to long before you were both born, and it would do us no good, only drive us mad. What's done is done; now we just pick up the pieces and carry on... bitter experience has taught me that Foxy... there are always pieces to mend, even if you can never get back to the whole again."
"What do we do Peppy?..."
"I don't know... there are no quick fixes... we just have to help one another through this. Stand together, and nothing will stop us. Even this." Peppy chuckled to himself.
"It was Falco came up with that one wasn't it?" Fox asked
"Yeah, I got quite jealous"
"It seems like so long ago now..."
"At the time I think he believed it. And I needed to as well, even if you didn't"
"It was Falco who held us together that time... I don't know where he came up with all that stuff, I'm just glad he did" Fox chuckled "I never imagined Falco to be the kind of person that could talk us out of a fight."
"Well, he's always had plenty of surprises up his sleeves, more so than we give him credit for... but the base did blow up shortly after that if I remember, didn't it?"
"Mm... Falco always has been very good at blowing things up that annoy him." Fox chuckled "Threatened to do it do me"
"You know he wouldn't"
"Duh!... it would make too much of a mess!"
Peppy sighed helplessly and shook his head.
"I'm gunna give up on you two one day"
"Don't say that Peppy!" Fox said troubled.
"I didn't mean it like that!"
"Good... because we still need you... I can't lead this team without you to back me up... and...and... the other stuff you do"
Peppy smiled, he knew what Fox meant but could sense he was uncomfortable.
"Yes, I really must teach you and Slippy to cook properly, before you poison one of us!"
Fox folded his arms and pouted "My cooking's not that bad"
"Yeah... sure Foxy"
"So where did Falco learn to cook anyway"
"Dunno, not me, his cooking's too good for me to have taught him, maybe his mum before he left"
"Mm... Hey Pep' have you spoken to them, you know after what happened they might want to see him... you know."
"I haven't, and I'm not going to"
"Why not?"
Peppy petted Fox's head. "Don't concern yourself with that pup"
Fox frowned at him but decided that he knew better. He felt himself yawn.
"I think it's time you went back to bed"
Fox nodded and allowed Peppy to lead him out of his room and down the corridor. At his door they paused.
"Happy thoughts before you go to sleep Foxy, helps stop the nightmares"
Fox nodded, "I'll try that"
"Goodnight pup"
"Yeah... thanks Peppy"
"That's what I'm here for" he chucked
Shaking his head and grinning Fox went inside and the door closed behind him.
"Don't you ever sleep?" Peppy jumped and spun round. "Doing your rounds?"
"Charles! Must you creep up on me like that?"
"Sorry"
"What are you doing up?"
"I heard voices. I was awake and wanted to make sure everything was ok"
Peppy smiled "Mm, that's my job"
Pepper frowned
"I've had Falco and Fox up. Not to mention nightmares of my own. I'm just waiting for Slippy now!" he smiled sarcastically "Though he doesn't tend towards nightmares. Thank goodness"
"Was Fox having nightmares?"
"Yeah... about James... among other things"
"So he came to you?"
"Well duh, what d'you expect?" Peppy sighed and rubbed his eyes "They're all still babies really... Sometimes being the adult all the time sucks"
"Well you're not the only adult onboard at the moment"
Peppy laughed with contempt "And they're really going to talk to you. Don't be stupid"
Pepper opened his mouth to say something but nothing came out.
"Goodnight" Peppy said curtly and walked to his bedroom.
On the other side of the door Peppy sighed sadly. He would have like nothing more than to be able to talk to Pepper, he needed his own shoulder to cry on. Charles Pepper had been his friend for a long time, he had been one of the ones that had encouraged him to join the academy when he hadn't believed he was good enough, Charles had been a good friend to both him and James McCloud for many years. It had been Charles who had always been there, in the background as he struggled to recover from the effects of Venom and help Fox deal with the death of his parents. But Peppy was too angry with him to be able to talk to him, he wanted to be able to forgive him, but he couldn't, and he wasn't sure if he would ever be able to. Peppy felt betrayed, this was almost worse than what Pigma had done to him, Peppy frowned at himself, Pigma had been a friend... so had Charles, how could he keep getting people so wrong?... Maybe it was his fault...
Falco awoke late the next morning in his own bed. For a few moments he starred at the ceiling confused. Then his mind started working and he realised what must have happened. He yawned thoughtfully... no nightmares? Several hours sleep with no nightmares, a luxury. Maybe things were getting better. As he lay there Falco realised for the first time he could really remember since before the Behemoth, he was hungry, his clock showed it was nearly lunchtime. Again yawning he dragged his aching body out from under the covers, sorry to leave behind their comforting warmth. He crossed the room to his bathroom. As he waited for the water to run he again stared into the mirror, it hadn't been long since he had last done this, just a few measly days, yet things seemed to have changed so much since then. Falco looked at his face, his reflection stared unblinkingly back at him, as though mocking him. Falco gave way to its gaze and instead examined his arms. He was aware they hurt, his wrist ached, the cuts itched, it was almost as though he couldn't ignore them anymore, for so long he'd just been pretending they hadn't been there. He looked at the wounds, he couldn't even remember getting some of them, some of them only came back in flashbacks, then slipped away again, he guessed that that was a good thing, like his hand, he could only distantly remember one of them hitting it with a hammer, but he'd missed lots of things out in his recollections, they weren't all things the team had needed to hear. He was still trying to protect them. Falco sighed; he had to accept what had happened and try to move on from it. Not keep pretending it had never happened. Friad had said it was up to him whether the Behemoth killed him or not. Falco frowned suddenly determined, he'd be damned if he was going to let Slytir and Mitoc get the better of him. He wasn't going to let them ruin his life. He was going to survive. Falco scowled at his reflection and silently retook his vow that he would never ever give up.
He wandered into the common room. Fox, Peppy and Slippy were already there. Thankfully Pepper was absent.
"Mornin'" Falco said cheerfully. There was an uncomfortable atmosphere prevailing in the room, Falco knew none of them knew what to say to him. He'd been afraid it would be like this, his good mood deflated and the hunger changed to nausea. He considered walking right back out again but thought this probably wouldn't give the best impression. He sank into a chair by Fox's side. The silence persisted for a while until it was suddenly broken by Fox, who sneezed. Everyone in the room nearly jumped out of their skin.
"Nice one Foxy!" Falco laughed "So where's Pepper skulked off to?"
Wiping his nose Fox responded "He went back to the surface this morning, they're organising a counter strike."
"How long?" Falco asked sombrely.
"A few days"
"I take it the four of us are going along" The others all stared at him. Falco frowned darkly "I have a score to settle"
"Then we go" Fox said simply "Lets kick some Behemoth ass"
Looks not words said that each were as determined as Falco.
"We've just received word from General Pepper; he's pleased to know that we're going to be part of the mission. We're to dock with Elenora space base, everyone involved with the mission is assembling there, Marconi, Marsule or Kerryneth."
"Kerryneth? That's right on the border isn't it?"
"Yes" Peppy answered "We've been there once, it's quite big for an outlying base"
"Pepper wants the fleet nicely spaced out, just in case. The civilian population has been removed, so you don't have to worry about running into your angry shopkeeper Falcs. It's not ideal... but it'll suffice. The shuttles are being worked on there. It seems they're coming up short. Pepper even wants to know if the Vixen can be fixed"
"Not in a few days it can't" Slippy said
"That's what I told him... Sounds like things are pretty desperate. The Federation hasn't been engaged in all out war since the last Andross war. Shuttles aren't the kind of thing they keep around in large supplies, least not the small PLTs."
"What about the fleet?"
Fox shrugged "They're being fitted with cloaks, what Pepper wants to do with them I don't know; details are a little sketchy... I guess Pepper has something in mind..."
"I should bloody well hope so. He's known our original attack failed for weeks now!"
"These things take time, that's how it is with government... by the time it goes through all the channels and the attacks are authorised... Half the time I expected the enemy to be sitting on our bumpers before we were given the order to engage" Peppy growled "And then when someone has the nerve to act independently they become the scapegoat for political arguments! I've seen it over and over... The people aren't the problem... it's the politicians!"
"I dunno Peppy; it wasn't the politicians who built the Behemoth..."
"Actually Fox, we never worked out who built the Behemoth"
"Course we do, Andross"
"How could Andross have built it, he was dead"
"Well his forces then"
"They were in tatters after the war. Someone united them, and told them about the Krazoa legends. They alone couldn't have built it. They needed resources that no underground organisation could organise. Only a government could supply that much finance. A government outside the Federation. There is more going on here than any of us realise, and Pepper has just covered that up"
"Do you think some faction from outside the Federation is attacking then?"
Falco rolled his eyes "Yes Fox I do"
"I agree" Slippy said
"See the politicians"
"Peppy you sure know how to hold a grudge. Was getting kicked out of the Army really such a bad thing?"
He smiled "Mmm... I'd have never met you if I hadn't" He laughed "You can make your own minds up about that one"
Fox rolled the dice and moved his Arwing shaped counter around the board.
"Four, five, six" he counted out "Ah crap... Cornerian Airways, how much do I owe you Falco?"
Falco smiled and looked down at the cards showing the places he owned
"One way ticket to Zoness, 350" Falco joked. Grudgingly Fox handed over the money.
"Nice doing business with you Foxy" Falco mocked.
"Ha, ha. I'll beat you next time we play cards"
"Yeah sure Fox whatever you say"
Falco rolled the dice. He looked at them briefly.
"Eleven" Fox said.
"I can still count!"
Falco picked up the shuttle counter and moved it along eleven spaces. Fox sighed when it landed 1 square past his hotel. Falco grinned at him and handed him the dice. Fox rolled again.
"Three?!" Fox cried dismayed. His luck seemed to be very poor today. Falco watched as he moved his Arwing along, then picked up the dice and rolled again.
"Five" Falco counted along "Corneria Grand...
Salty walked along by Falco's side through the busy high street. The crowds concentrating on their shopping ignored them, until Salty tripped and fell. Falco looked back as he was dragged into a dark hole in the sunny sky by clawing hands. He screamed out for help, but Falco could do nothing.
Fox was watching him intently.
"Falco?..."
He shook himself.
"Huh?"
"Another one?" Fox asked
"Yeah..." Falco sighed.
"You ok?"
Falco closed his eyes and nodded "It's your go"
Fox frowned at him and rolled the dice. As he moved his counter he spoke again. "Peppy used to do that to me..."
Falco didn't answer. Fox tried to lighten the mood.
"Community chest... Oh look drunken charge, how typical!" Fox said mildly. Falco grinned at him weakly "50 fine, suppose I got off lightly" he sighed putting the money back into the bank. They both looked up to see Slippy come into the room.
"Monopoly... who's winning" he asked peering at them
"Falco, who else?"
"Now there's a surprise" Slippy chuckled.
Falco always had been the best at monopoly, even though his maths skills left something to be desired. Fox always spent his money right at the beginning, by the end he would be begging Falco or one of the others to by his property to pay his debts.
"I never liked this game anyway" Fox sulked
"Aw poor Foxy's broke" Falco chuckled "Ne'er mind buddy, call it quits now huh?"
"Alrighty"
Between them they packed up the box watched by Slippy.
"What's up Slip'" Falco asked
"Nothin' just been fighting with Fox's Arwing"
"Oh... Who won?"
"The ship" Slippy said "I don't know how Salty did it"
Falco grinned "He didn't most of the time. You should have heard the cursing coming from that docking bay-my Arwing gave him lots of trouble. I don't think Tyson's was so much of a problem. He said something about the custom parts..."
"Yeah, I'm having trouble tying the cloak into the shield relay; they keep blowing each other out."
"Yeah I think that was the problem he had..."
"Will you have a look, maybe you'll spot something I haven't"
"Alright Slip' I'll try, but I can't promise anything, I only had time to learn the basics"
Slippy shrugged "your guess is as good as mine"
"How they doing with the changes to the fleet?"
"Ok I think, it's easier on the standard ships, and they've got some of Salty's original team working on them"
"They told them what happened to him then"
"Yeah... the Behemoth's all across the Federation. It's in the news and everything, just not the gritty details."
Falco pushed against the rising tide of memories again, and for the first time in ages won the fight. He smiled, mildly surprised.
"Corneria's in mild chaos" Fox said slowly "The Federation have kept what they can secret but they are only just subduing panic. We are at war."
"Again..." Falco sighed "Guess Pepper had his reasons for wanting to keep our mission quiet"
"Yeah but there is such a thing as keeping it too quiet" Fox growled. Falco just shrugged in response. "So far they've managed to keep the whispers of Andross and Venom down, but I don't think it will last. They've kept your name quiet too. You're just known as "The Survivor"..."
"That's putting it lightly"
"Yeah, they're taking bets on who it is in some places."
Falco's face said it all.
"That's sick!" Slippy shouted.
"Yeah"
Fox and Slippy were surprised when Falco smiled.
"I wonder what sort of odds you'd get for it being me..."
Fox smiled at him and shook his head.
"Quite good ones I think... Falco sometimes I wonder at your sense of humour."
Falco shrugged laughing to himself. Slippy and Fox both gave him the "you've finally lost it" look.
"You just have to laugh at it sometimes" Falco said, his smile faded "otherwise it just eats you away... until there's nothing left" he paused for a long time. "Can't put a bet on myself really can I? It would sort of give the game away huh? Those lot are going to be disappointed when they never find out who it was aren't they?"
"They'll lose interest hopefully..." Fox said trailing off, wondering how long Falco could possibly keep his secret...
"All wings report to the bridge"
He woke sharply from a doze unsure if he's imagined hearing Fox's voice. He half expected to hear alarms and find they were engaging the Behemoth earlier than anyone had planned, but there were none. Falco frowned to himself.
"Fox did you just call us or am I going nuts?"
"No more than usual buddy. Yeah I called, Pepper's just sent us a message, come to the bridge because I want a word"
"Alright Furball I'm on me way"
"No hurry"
"I wasn't intending to hurry"
Fox laughed and cut the comm.
When Falco sauntered onto the bridge he found Peppy and Slippy were yet to arrive. Fox was sat in one of the chairs at Great Fox's manual controls looking out at the base. Briefly he looked round as Falco entered but said nothing.
"Now there's a site I haven't seen in a while" Falco said peering out at Elenora Space Base.
Fox chuckled softly. "At least your shop will be closed"
Falco sighed "I was going to pay them back... with interest"
Fox raised an eyebrow and looked up at him "The Federation owe you a change of clothes"
"The Federation doesn't owe me anything"
He slumped into the chair at Fox's side
"I'm sure paying them back can be arranged... if you're really that worried"
"I have more than enough money now. There's no excuse for me to be stealing, or leaving my debts unpaid."
Fox was about to say something when Peppy and Slippy entered the room.
"Sorry guys, I had to rescue Slippy from Fox's Arwing's innards again"
Fox and Falco smothered laughter "Slippy did you get your hand stuck in the air vents again?"
"No I did not. I was trying to improve your shields so you don't get blown to kingdom come and I dropped my hydro-spanner into the bottom of the shield relay. I supposed I'd better try and get it out again before you tried to fly it. Maybe I shouldn't have bothered."
"Chill Slippy!"
"Huh, I don't see anyone else offering to help with the upgrades"
"I've already said I will!" Falco objected
"Erm I um didn't mean you Falco"
"Fox what did you call us here for?" Peppy asked, stepping in before frayed tempers could become even more so.
"Err yes. Pepper sent us our mission details. There's a formal briefing for everyone involved being held on the base, he's said we don't have to go, under the circumstances, since we already know the score... he's willing to brief us individually-"
"Why should we be any different to everybody else?" Falco asked
Fox shrugged "Ok, we'll go to the briefing. Pepper's outlined it... pretty much the same as your original attack. Except this time the Federation seems to be throwing everything it has against the Behemoth and hoping for the best. More shuttles, all cloaked, more strike teams, and more fighters. We're being supplied with a shuttle..." Fox smiled "Listen to this "I would greatly appreciate it if you could bring this shuttle back in one piece, please don't let Falco or Peppy fly it, their record with rented shuttles is far from promising... Good luck Star Fox... Come home as you leave us"
There was a silent pause for a moment
"He's got some cheek! Those shuttles crashing was not our fault"
Fox smirked "What are we up to now?"
"2 crashed and 1 put beyond repair, 2 more in for months of repairs, and that's just during my famed career" Falco laughed "I was in all but one of them... and that doesn't even include the Vixen or the Spectre, the one I blew up on the Behemoth..."
"Funny I haven't had that problem in the Landmaster"
"Only coz you have the three of us in the sky coverin' your furry tail!"
"I got one more to add to that list..." Peppy grinned sheepishly "Another reason why the Army wanted rid of me... That big rock came out of nowhere!"
The team laughed at him
"Has Pepper allocated the docking bays yet?"
"I don't think so, why?" Fox asked through smothered laughter
"Because we need to get one near where I went in last time... we can't go into the same one" He grinned devilishly "Because there isn't enough of it left... but somewhere near there"
"Why?"
"Because I remember the way... and I have a little unfinished business with that reactor core"
"All the better if you can lead the way, we wont have to worry about getting lost" Slippy said
"You're memory must be a lot better than mine"
Falco shrugged "I've been running down those corridors in my sleep for the last three weeks... I know the way... once we get to our docking bay."
"What time's the briefing Fox?"
"Couple of hours 0600 space time"
"Anything else?" The various team members all shook their heads "Come on then Slip' lets go see if we can wrestle Fox's Arwing into shape!"
Falco headed for the door and Slippy followed. Fox remained where he was.
"Do you ever think your life is getting a little out of control?"
Peppy put his hands on the back of Fox's chair.
"All the time. By the time you get to my age you learn to live with it"
Fox sighed softly; he couldn't help but think if he got to Peppy's age.
"Take it from someone older and wiser; you'll spend most of your life confused, watching it pass you by with a simple sense of bemusement. Ancient spirits bring a dead dictator back to life, your friends stab you in the back, quite literally, millions die in war and yet the sentient spirit prevails, we all pull together and the next day another little child comes screaming into the world."
Fox smiled up at him "You missed your vocation. You should have been a poet"
"I don't think anything surprises me anymore. I couldn't have been a poet. I wouldn't have had anything to write about if I'd had any other life but the one I've led."
"Not ready to retire yet then?"
"Not just yet... Few more years... maybe then I'll teach, or become a florist"
Fox burst into laughter "You, I'll eat my Arwing the day I see that!"
"That's enough to make me become one just to see that"
The four of them met up at the docking hatch 20 minutes before they were due to be at the meeting. Falco and Slippy were both covered in some unidentifiable dark liquid from somewhere in the depths of Fox's Arwing's innards. Evidently they'd got somewhat carried away. Falco was so covered the feathers on his hands looked more black than blue. As he walked up he spoke.
"Ok, ok, this is my fault" He held out his arms "I unscrewed the wrong pipe. This is cordont fluid so Slippy tells me. But don't ask me what it does."
Slippy shrugged "I needed to change it, may as well do it today"
"Is it toxic?" Peppy asked
"Only to Avions"
Falco raised an eyebrow. Slippy laughed.
"No, supposed to be quite good for the skin actually"
"It sure don't smell nice" Fox wriggled his nose in disgust
"No that's the cleaning fluid I've been using" The four of them started walking towards the base "One of the minor components burned up sometime. I had to clean its charred remains from one of the control columns"
Halfway down the walkway they were searched by security guards.
"Salty was right, our Arwings really are held together with paperclips and duck-tape"
"They all need a complete overhaul. Except yours Falc' Salty and his team did it for me"
"You could write a book Slip! Mechanics on a shoestring"
"He'd have to improve his spelling first" Falco chuckled
"You're a fine one to talk"
"I know..."
When the team arrived at the briefing venue it was already full of strike teams. They tried to slip in quietly but word of their arrival rippled through the gathered assembly, in short notice most, if not all eyes were focused on them. Falco found himself trying to hide behind Fox and Peppy. After a moment the soldiers got the hint and all politely turned away, almost in unison, producing and effect that Star Fox found dizzying. There were those among the crowd that the team recognised, but none they were close enough to move especially to speak to. The team were all filled with a strong sense of unity and a wish to remain as one unit. Pleasantries were exchanged, but no more than that. The people in the room recognised and respected that none of them were in the mood for talking. The mood in the room was sombre; as Falco looked around he saw older faces, experienced battle hardened soldiers, instead of children. Most of them would have fought in the Second Andross War, if not the first. The people in this room knew what was at stake.
When Pepper entered the atmosphere became even more grim. Quickly everyone took their seats. The Star Fox team found somewhere inconspicuous near the back. As the first of the diagrams of the Behemoth flashed up on a screen and Pepper began to speak Falco looked around the room, at the faces, all staring intently ahead. He was suddenly consumed by a feeling of insignificance; it was a feeling that reminded him of the streets of Malcapay. He remembered that he didn't have a clue about people, he didn't understand them, and for a moment he knew he would never get the chance to learn to understand them. The feeling faded. Falco didn't understand why anyone would want to build something like the Behemoth. He understood the desire to gain power, to dominate the enemy. He understood the technicians and the mechanics that would have designed and built it, the longing they must have had to prove they were capable of conceiving and building such a technical masterpiece, for that was what it was he was willing to admit. He understood the soldiers and pilots working on it, they had to earn a living just as he did. Falco frowned, maybe he understood people on the lowest level, what he didn't understand was why they would all come together to create something which would deal out so much pain, he knew the urge for revenge could be strong, but he had never considered it to be worth the cost in so many lives, no matter how great the wrongs... Yet maybe the people on the Behemoth believed they were fighting for a cause, for the right side, same as the people of the Federation. The argument he's had with Fox that had started it all came back to him, he was again reminded that no cause was as simple black and white. Maybe his problem was that he understood people too well. He could see both sides of a conflict, and that made it hard for him to do many of the things he had to. Maybe he was in the wrong line of work. He wanted above all to make people happy, he wasn't sure that was what he was doing, but then, even if he did the right thing, he knew he could never make everyone happy.
The briefing was fairly standard, and pretty much exactly what Star Fox expected. A fleet of shuttles would be flown against the Behemoth, all cloaked, they were still going with sniper rifles, in the hope that the element of surprise could be maintained for as long as possible. Even though it was unlikely to last, hopefully they would be able to disguise the scale of the attack. The hope was to simply overwhelm the Behemoth's forces; it would just be pot luck as to who was caught and who reached their objective. As he listened Fox was reminded of the ancient wars he'd reluctantly studied in history where thousands of lives were wasted in a day to gain a few metres of ground. They're hope seemed more like a prayer. The strike teams weren't going to be alone this time however. Shortly after the initial wave of shuttles the cloaked fleet would attack. The Behemoth would have to send its fighters, as Falco had proved the ship's shields were weak, it was vulnerable if it couldn't use its large guns. The fleet would be able to do significant damage now, but the final strike would have to come from inside. It would be like ants trying to overwhelm a much larger target. Fox couldn't help but think it seemed like ants trying to bring down an elephant. But above all he knew, they had to succeed, the cost of the Behemoth's existence was already too high. Its corridors were painted red with blood in his eyes... When Fox took a moment to glance across at Falco he got the impression this was another of those moments where his body was with them, but his mind was somewhere else. That was probably for the best, Pepper was going over details they already knew, Fox couldn't help but wonder if Falco was mentally running through the Behemoth's corridors again. Suddenly he looked across at him, and grinned in an oddly maniacal way and he mouthed "Pay attention" before turning back to look at Pepper.
The briefing was over in a surprisingly short time. The strike teams all filled out the doors at the back of the room, chattering quietly, a few laughing, but not many. The Star Fox team were about to leave also but Pepper signalled for them to remain. Once the rest of the teams were gone Pepper approached.
"I was surprised to see you four here, but I'm grateful you came, you're support meant a lot to the soldiers, and to me"
Though only Pepper noticed Falco cast him a small smile and a nod.
"They're going to need all the help they can get" Fox said simply, not angrily, just stating a fact "We all will"
"I know... I wish there was more we could do... but we simply can't think of anything else"
"You've done enough; it's down to the soldiers and pilots of the Federation now. You just have to trust us, and stand by your promises. The fate of the Federation is in our hands, but we're all willing to give our lives for what we believe in..." Falco said softly, then smiled "We're soldiers, death's an occupational hazard"
"Always the optimist our Falco" Fox chuckled "I wonder where he gets that from"
"Hopefully it won't come to that" Peppy said grimly
"Whatever happens the cost of this conflict will be measured in lives"
"It always is"
"And Andross has more than enough lives accounted to his name" Fox growled "I thought I'd seen the last of him when I blew his f-in brains out"
"Andross' involvement in this has been played down somewhat... I'd like to keep it that way." Pepper said "Come on now then I'd like to introduce you to your shuttle personally, and admire its spotless hull one last time" Pepper chuckled
"We'll bring this shuttle back as it left; or not at all" Peppy sighed
"Now I know where Falco gets it from!" Fox laughed
Pepper led them into one of Elenora's larger docking bays. It was filled to the brim with shuttles. Slowly they walked between them following Pepper to what would be theirs. As they walked Falco and Slippy began to take increasing interest in the names painted on their sides, they began reading them to each other.
"Slippy do you notice a theme here?"
"Yeah!" He giggled
"Huh?" Fox asked looking back
"Leviathan, Goliath, Mammoth... The shuttles are trying to compete with the Behemoth!"
"That one's Draco... and... Mouse? Ok there's always one that has to be different isn't there?"
Pepper chuckled "Our mechanics got somewhat carried away... the more artistic among them painted logos too"
"What have we got then?"
"I dread to think"
"Just wait and see"
As they walked the shuttles names remained equally optimistic.
"That's yours up ahead"
Falco with his Avion vision was the first to be able to read the name on the side of the ship. He started to giggle.
"Pelagic?" Fox asked, a confused expression on his face
"What does that mean?" Slippy asked, equally ignorant.
"In this context, sea monster"
"Like the whale that swallowed Pinocchio" Falco laughed "Time to make a fire in its belly"
They spent a while inspecting the shuttles. It was only after a few hours that Peppy noticed Falco had disappeared. When he returned to the Pelagic he found a hastily scrawled note pinned to the control panel
Dear Peppy, Fox and Slippy
I've gone down to the surface with General Pepper to pick up some stuff I left in the barracks. See you in a couple of hours.
Feathers.
He crumpled the note in his hands, fuming quietly to himself. Pepper had done it again and he was secretly furious. He turned and stormed off towards the Great Fox's docking bay.
Slippy's birthday present sat in the top of the box, still wrapped up in the bright yellow paper with the blue balloons. Falco smiled when he remembered he still wasn't entirely certain what it was himself. Falco took that out and put it on a convenient table near the storage containers. He fished through the rest of the box, he had to bend so that he nearly fell into it, it was almost empty. Finally stuck in an envelope in the bottom of the box he found the things he'd been looking for, his 3 favourite photographs. One of the team, another of his family, his much younger self, before the bad times, when they had been a normal, happy family and his favourite of all the one of him and Safari, his childhood sweetheart, close together smiling happily, not long before he had left Avion forever. He would have been truly sorry to have lost that photo. Also he took from the box the bag he'd brought the things in, a bright green affair he's had for a very long time, it was his favourite bag, if he was going to take some other things he would need something to carry them in. The rest of the things in the crate he could stand to loose, or didn't want at all. It was easier to let the Army dispose of them.
Silver's crate was next to his. Falco stared at it quietly, it all seemed so impersonal, all the boxes were uniform grey marked with the emblem of the Cornerian Army; a name and serial number was all that identified each to its late owner. Slowly Falco took the lid off Silver's crate and gazed inside. It was much fuller than his, Falco was painfully reminded that the Army had been Silver's life for a long time, with a new twinge of pain he remembered that it had been all of Salty's life, being moved from one Army funded orphanage to the other, until his mechanical gift was recognised and exploited. It had been that gift, and the unfounded faith in the institution that had raised him that had brought his demise. His gift had turned into a curse. Sighing Falco looked back into Silver's crate on the top he spotted something, a book, small, bound in leather, he picked it out.
"Take it if you want it" Pepper said gently coming up behind him making Falco jump "Silver's roommate and other friends have already taken what they wanted. She didn't have anyone else. If you leave it here it will only gather dust for a while then be disposed of." He put his hand on Falco's shoulder. "Even if you can't face it now take it anyway, you might want it later, and by the time you do it might be too late."
Falco never answered. Pepper didn't know what else to say, so he took himself quietly away, and left the boy alone with his grief. Falco stared down at the diary. Fingered its maroon leather cover, the heart shape indented into it, he let his fingers trace around that a few times. Finally he opened the cover to gaze onto the first page, all it said was "Silver Allret" and a date about three moths before they had met. He couldn't yet bring himself to look at the other pages. He put the diary aside and continued to go through the rest of the box. There wasn't much else that interested him, mostly clothing, it appeared all of her photographs had been taken already. That saddened him. He had only one picture to remind him of her. Finally as he was giving up his hand closed around a familiar metallic object, he pulled it out, he smiled when his eyes confirmed his thoughts. He held up Silver's bracelet and gazed at it with watery vision. He slid it onto his wrist and twiddled it briefly, just like she used to...
Next Falco moved to Salty's crate. On the very top, slightly squashed by the lid he found the model Javelin. He pulled it out, fingering it tenderly smiling through tears, he looked at the rest of the contents of the box, many of the things could have belonged to Slippy; finally Falco found something that meant something to him as his hand closed around a soft ear. Falco pulled Smokey out of the box, he stared at him... or it... The eyes that had seemed reassuring looked sad for a moment, then they changed again, as though wishing to comfort him, welcoming a new owner. For a moment he held the toy to his chest, not caring if anyone saw. He closed his eyes, wishing he could hear Salty's voice again, listen to him laugh at him as he nearly blew himself up trying to work the cloak. He heard nothing, no voices, no laughter, just the silence, and somewhere in the storage depot the scuttling of a mouse. He sighed and for just one moment wished he could believe in ghosts or Friad's "ancients" so he wouldn't have to feel so alone.
There were few things that Lupus owned that meant anything to Falco, none of them really seemed to do his boisterous personality any justice; all he could find were a few suitably sarcastic newspaper clippings.
Falco leant into Blaze's crate, his was almost empty, he'd had a girlfriend, and a sister Falco seemed to remember hearing someone say, he guessed they had already taken all his belongings. The only thing that remained in his box was a rifle, his favourite one. Falco pulled it out; on the wooden butt was an engraving.
To Blaze
Happy birthday
Love Mum and Dad
Good hunting
Peppy came into Pepper's office like a raging storm, not bothering to knock.
"Where have you left him?"
Pepper jumped and looked up.
"Peppy!"
"Where is he?"
Pepper looked put out but decided Peppy was in no mood to argue.
"In the storage depot, collecting his things"
"And going through the rest of the team's stuff!?"
"Yes."
Pepper looked back at his papers, which irritated the hell out of Peppy
"And you left him to do that alone?"
"Yes. Peppy, I do have work to do and he needs some independence"
"Humph. If this had been Sarah would you have let her go alone?" Sarah was Pepper's grown up daughter "And don't say this is any different" Peppy growled.
Pepper looked up at him again. "I suppose not"
Peppy said nothing for a moment, just stared indignantly down at him.
"Are you going to show me the way or not?!"
In response Pepper stood up and walked to the door, Peppy followed him in silence. Finally as they walked down the corridor Pepper spoke.
"This is different to Sarah" He said dryly.
"Why?"
"Because Falco isn't your responsibility anymore"
Peppy stopped, staring at him
"What?" he asked incredulously
"He's old enough now; he stopped being your responsibility when he turned 14"
Peppy's surprised face turned to anger "And when did Sarah stop being your responsibility?"
"That's different"
"Why?!"
"She's my daughter"
Peppy felt a surge of white hot anger run through him
"Is this a sexist or genetic argument?" He asked through gritted teeth.
"Oh come on Peppy" Pepper went to turn round and walk off, Peppy stopped him.
"No, come on Charles if you have something to say lets hear it"
"You've done your duty to them Peppy. They're all old enough now"
"Old enough for you to send them to be slaughtered"
"Old enough for them to have their own lives"
"And you think I'm stopping them?!" Peppy asked with contempt. Pepper said nothing.
"They stay... and Falco came back because they want to. Great Fox is our home. We may not have a proper, respectable family like yours, but dysfunctional as it is it still means something to us."
"You can't be responsible for their every move Peppy"
"I know that, and I don't intend to be." He sighed "When Sarah turned 14 did you stop caring about her?"
"No..."
"Well then. What would you be doing if Falco was her?"
Pepper remained silent, which increased Peppy's irritation.
"I don't want to fight with you Charles. I suggest you show me to the storage depot before I do something you'll regret."
Pepper's tolerance came to an end.
"Is that a threat Hare?"
Peppy stared at him.
"No Sir General Pepper" He spat.
"Because if it was I could have you removed, and I don't think that would do Falco any good at all now would it?" he sneered.
Peppy stared dumbfounded at him, he knew how to hit him where it hurt. Pepper turned and carried on walking. Peppy followed, when he increased his pace to walk by his side and spoke again it was softer, but not without a subtle edge.
"Why are you being like this?"
They were nearing the storage depot. Pepper opened the door. He led Peppy inside and pointed down one of the rows.
"He's down there"
Peppy frowned at him and walked off. Sadly Pepper turned and left them to it.
It took Peppy a while to find Falco. He was standing facing him. The sight of him made Peppy stop and take a step back. He stood with a large rifle strapped to his back, a green bag over the top of that. In his hand he help a crowbar, which he beat slowly against his other hand in a menacing way. His eyes were narrowed and his posture nothing but aggressive, though his face was stained with tears. Peppy was taken aback; this wasn't what he'd expected. Then he remembered Fox's aggressive turns after his father died.
"Tyson was exactly like me" Falco snarled suddenly, making Peppy jump. He didn't know what to say, and though he was shocked to admit it to himself, afraid to approach. Finally he found his voice.
"Falco put the crowbar down"
Falco's yellow eyes locked on to him, as though burning a hole in his head
"Are you frightened of me?" he asked in a voice that didn't really seem like his own. Peppy didn't know how to answer that, at this moment the truth was probably yes.
"Please Falcs put it down"
Falco paused and looked from it to Peppy and back again.
"Did you think I'd-ugh!" He dropped it, his face went through a range of emotions, none of them pleasant to behold before he found his voice again. "I swore I'd put that behind me. Peppy, look at me! I'm a monster!"
"Then you and me both"
"What?!"
"There are lots of things I've done that were less than right-"
"But always for the greater good!"
"No. I did a lot of... bad... things in my past, I just never got caught. It's only illegal if you get caught, right?"
Falco stared at him, that was something Jedd used to say, a lot.
"When I did things Falco they were for far less noble causes than yours, some day I'll tell you about them, but they're not exactly bedtime stories. What you've done doesn't make you a monster. Doesn't make us monsters. It's what's in your heart that matters..." Carefully Peppy took a step closer. Falco's defensive posture increased a notch, almost automatically "Only you can ever know what's really in your heart, but those around you get a pretty good look... I'd vouch for your character any day"
Falco didn't move or speak, he just remained staring at him. Peppy took another cautious step. "At least, that's what I've always believed, and sometimes our beliefs are all we have"
Peppy was close now, he reached out to touch his arm. Falco flinched and backed away until the bag on his back slammed up against the shelves holding the crates. Uttering only a yelp of fear he stood there staring, looking through Peppy rather than at him.
"Easy..." he soothed, trying to go closer, but that just seemed to make things worse.
"Actarr temaay!"
Peppy
didn't speak Avion, but he could guess what the words meant and
obliged by going no closer.
"Easy Falco" He soothed
carefully, wishing to go closer but not daring. Falco's eyes stared
fixatedly ahead, his back still pressed up against the wall. Not
knowing what else to do Peppy took another step closer, at that all
hell broke lose.
"Actarr temaay, seymoi hai!" he screamed desperate, his eyes rolling back into his head "Seymoi hai! Seymoi hai!" he cried falling to the ground.
It was like some sort of fit. It took a while for Peppy to compose himself, he'd never seen a violent flashback from the outside before. All he could remember was wanting them to stop as soon as possible. He stooped by Falco's side, not sure what to do. Peppy was conscious Falco's hands flailed about, mostly trying to cover his face and fend off unseen attackers. Peppy gathered his hands in his to hold his arms still.
"Shhh" he soothed. He seemed to writhe slightly less at that. Peppy wished he could wake him, he was growing afraid Falco would strangle himself between the straps of the bag and those of the rifle. "Hush little one"
Falco blinked and stopped moving suddenly.
"Peppy?" He questioned looking up, then seeing him, seeming to remember where he was groaned and put his hands, which Peppy had released to his face. "Sorry". He sighed then looked up at him. Peppy noticed Falco seemed embarrassed more than anything else. He went to sit up, Peppy offered him help but he shrugged it off. To his immense surprise after only a moment's pause Falco climbed to his feet.
"Let's go home" he said wearily. Peppy still shaken remained on the floor until Falco offered him his hand to help him up, which he refused and got to his feet unassisted.
"Yeah" Peppy agreed, and they left the hanger containing only the relics of the Army's dead in silence.
Only once they were well beyond the storage depot did Falco speak.
"Do me a favour, don't tell Fox and Slippy"
Peppy frowned at him
"About that- in there" Falco nodded his head backwards, towards the hangar "They don't need to know"
Peppy felt himself nod, but couldn't bring himself to say anything. They walked the corridors in silence then until they came to the docking bay. At the entrance Falco stopped.
"Hey I came down here in the shuttle... how am I gunna get home?"
"I brought the two-seat"
"Really? Cool... you think of everything Peppy" he looked around the hangar and spotted the Arwing in one corner.
Fox and Slippy were lounging in the common room when they got back.
"Hey Slip' come here I got something for you"
Slippy looked mistrustfully around "Will it hurt?"
"No" Falco laughed "Just come up here"
Slippy cautiously came up to the table where Falco stood, curiously Fox followed.
"What?" Slippy asked
"I have a belated birthday present for my little green friend"
"Oohhh!!" he cried looked at the box wrapped in yellow paper covered in blue balloons. Eagerly Slippy set about opening it. As he did so Falco looked across at Fox, grinning he rolled his eyes. At that moment Slippy discovered the contents of the box.
"Oh thanks Falco, I love you!" Slippy promptly wrapped his arms around Falco and hugged him tightly. Falco flinched a little.
"I love you too Slip'" He gasped "But please, not so tight"
"Oh sorry" Slippy let go and looked up at him, then turned and took the box to a convenient corner of the room to begin assembling his new toy.
Falco was laid on his bed reading a book he'd borrowed from Fox when an unfamiliar knock on his door disturbed him. Frowning he spoke.
"Come in?"
He was very surprised to see General Pepper standing at the threshold.
"Oh good you're not asleep" Pepper commented coming to stand at the foot of his bed.
"sheesh thanks for telling me that" Falco said icily.
"Nice to see you haven't lost your sarcasm" Pepper joked, Falco didn't smile "but I had reason to be grateful, Fox gave me as good as a death threat should I wake you"
"Go away" Falco said angrily "I don't want to talk to you"
Pepper looked taken aback, and didn't say anything. Falco looked back at his book.
"I don't know why you're still standing there. What do you expect to get out of me, especially after the way you treated Peppy."
"What?..." Pepper asked.
"Oh don't play games with me. I may be young but I'm not stupid. I know what you said." Falco looked up at him "You're supposed to be his friend. He needs friends now more then ever, especially you. You were there when he came back from Venom... He needs someone that understands... There's only so much the three of us can do... I'm not much use at the moment... The last thing he needs is to be fighting with you as well."
"Well I um... Falco I..." he stammered
"What" Falco asked shortly.
"I wanted to say I'm sorry..."
"It's not my forgiveness you need to seek"
"Does that mean...err um"
"You have it... I've got better things to do than harbour a grudge"
Pepper sighed and felt as though a huge weight lifted from him.
"What happened to us is in the past, and wasn't your fault" he said softly. "But" Pepper's heart sank as Falco locked him with his piercing gaze. "If you continue to hurt Peppy I might not be able to forgive you so easily"
Pepper couldn't find anything to say, it was like being reprimanded for a schoolyard disagreement.
"You should settle this sooner rather than later... because we might not all be coming back from the Behemoth" Falco's eyes turned sad and he looked away "The last thing you'll want is regrets... They just make it hurt all the more..."
"I'll never be able to forget what happened..."
Falco's voice turned hard again "Neither will I"
"I'll never be able to tell you how sorry I am..."
"Settle this feud and you'll go a long way to showing me. We can't bring them back. There's no point causing more pain over spent blood, don't let this ruin your friendship."
"You sound old Falco"
"I grew up a lot the last couple of months"
"You sound like Peppy"
Falco shrugged "I could sound like worse people"
Pepper smiled and nodded. He held out a brown envelope Falco hadn't noticed and waited for him to take it.
"I got those for you" He smiled wearily "Pulled a few strings, you know... It isn't much, but... well..." He trailed off. Falco frowned at the envelope, bemused he opened it and tipped it up. Something metallic rattled and fell into his lap. He looked down.
"Daft sod didn't wear them" Pepper chuckled gently "they were Army property so they were confiscated... but I got them back"
Falco picked up the set of dog-tags, a brief inspection proved they belonged to Salty.
"He was a good mechanic... but not gifted with a good memory, or much common sense." Falco looked up and grinned weakly "Just like someone else around here"
Pepper grinned but said nothing. Falco looked back at the tags.
"Thank you"
Pepper smiled "There's some other stuff in there too"
Falco nodded. Pepper turned and went to leave.
"Take care Falco" he said, and slipped out the door.
Charles found Peppy in the Common Room staring at the dishes but not actually doing them. He looked up when he entered the room.
"What are you doing here? Haven't you got a war to organise?"
Pepper was hurt by his hostility.
"I came to see Falco, Fox gave me permission" Peppy raised and eyebrow, hastily Pepper carried on "Though it seems I should really be talking to you...I'm sorry for the other day..."
Peppy frowned at him for a time before speaking. He looked down and went back to the dishes.
"Why did you say those things? You know how much they mean to me."
"Because I didn't want to see you get hurt"
Peppy looked up, anger in his brown eyes.
"And you thought all the things you said would stop me being hurt?"
"I just... I don't know..." Pepper smiled "You're too soft! That's you're problem Peppy, you're too nice to people, any wayward soul you come across."
"You know the stick I got from people when I took them on. It felt as though you were turning on me too!... and "not your responsibility" was what my Sarah said to me about Fox, on the night we broke it off"
"Really bad choice of words then?" Pepper asked.
"Couldn't have gotten much worse"
"I didn't mean to sound like I was turning on you Pep'. It's just... I watched you suffer when Falco ran out and I... well I didn't want to see that again. I was frightened of how you would be if... one of them died." He paused uneasily "I thought maybe if you distanced yourself from them, it wouldn't hurt you so much."
"I can't do that. They don't have anyone else... neither do I for that matter"
"Falco and Slippy's parents are still alive aren't they?"
"Slippy's are yes. I'm not sure about Falco's, can't say we care"
"Why do you say that?! How can you not be sure?"
"Because none of us have spoken to them for... must be a year or two now. Falco's only spoken to his mother about twice since he left"
Peppy's hands tightened around the scrubbing brush.
"What? Wait you picked him up..." he counted on his fingers "Eight years ago now! How can someone not speak to their parents for eight years!"
"They had their differences. Think about it Charles, what kind of parent just signs their kid over to a stranger after only seeing them for a few hours? We stayed with Slippy's family weeks before it was official."
"What are you getting at?"
Peppy shook his head "I promised I would never tell anyone..."
"Oh god..." Pepper moaned "Peppy..."
"You remember I told you Falco's father gave me the creeps?... As it turned out I wasn't wrong about him"
"How not wrong?"
"Physical abuse" Part of the handle on the brush Peppy was holding broke. "... at the very least..."
"Shit!... I'd never have guessed..." Pepper looked away.
"He was on the streets for a while, till he caught pneumonia and the police found him and took him back to his parents, not that they really wanted him back. If I ever see his father again I'll- argh!!"
Splinters from the broken handle stabbed into his fingers.
"Maybe that explains why he got on with Tyson so well. Oh shit! I said some stuff about street kids in front of him, I must have offended him!"
Peppy shrugged picking up the two halves of the handle. "I wouldn't worry about it. I only found out a few months ago, so over the years I probably said lots of things. See this is what I was saying to Fox, always full of surprises. He just doesn't seem to have had any good ones for me recently"
Pepper frowned at him "Kept that one quiet didn't he?"
"Yeah... which is probably a good thing. It makes me so angry when I think about it... how can anyone do that to their children?"
"I don't know. And social services had the nerve to come after you! Ugh...! They sure screwed up there"
"Yeah... but lets not talk about this... it makes me angry" Peppy grinned slightly, sheepishly holding up the broken brush, Charles smiled at him.
"I... sorry Peppy."
"That's alright..." Peppy trailed off and looked away "I'm so tired Charles... I don't think I can do this much longer... you're a parent, was it ever like this for you?"
Charles Pepper was suddenly filled with compassion for his old friend
"Sarah put me through hell in her own, special way, but no, it was never like this. I don't envy you Peppy."
"I wouldn't give any of them up for the universe but..." he sighed deeply and remained looking away "but I don't know how much longer I can be the strong one for"
"You don't have to be all the time." Charles soothed putting his hand on his shoulder.
Peppy finally looked up "You know this is the kind of thing I used to ask James for help with."
"Well I'm no James McCloud but..." Pepper said softly "Would I make a good substitute?"
Peppy smiled weakly at him "Yeah... you always used to..."
Charles sighed "I want to beat the Behemoth Peppy... and if I could have done that by sacrificing the strike team and saving the pilots and all the rest that will go against it now I would have done... If I'd have thought it would work without the Angels I wouldn't have hesitated... I'm sorry Peppy... but I want you to know that"
Peppy looked up at him sadly, rubbing at his eyes "I understand... I have no wish to see anymore families ripped apart than necessary..." He sighed allowing his head to sink into his hands "But why did it have to be my family?"
"I don't know... It hurts... I want the Behemoth finished as quickly and as painlessly as possible... I'm about to become a grandfather Peppy, I want that child to grow up in a Federation without war..." He sighed "I want to give him or her the world our generation couldn't give Fox, Falco and Slippy. I want to give them peace."
Peppy looked up smiling through tears "Congratulations, I didn't know... life goes on I suppose... Give my love to Sarah."
"She and Amelia asked me to send their love to you and the boys... they're both worried for you all"
"Tell Sarah not to, it's bad for her health" Peppy chuckled
Charles shook his head "Your always the same Pep' thinking of others first"
Peppy shrugged "Haven't got anything better to do, you can invite them up if you like... you will have to warn them about the mess though... Great Fox isn't exactly tidy at the moment..."
"For a mercenary you aren't half house proud!"
Peppy snorted "I found a mug in my room this morning; it had purple mould growing in it. I didn't even know mould came in purple"
"You never know, Amelia might offer to do the cleaning for you, you know what she's like" He grinned "But I have to say... all things considered she isn't that untidy... I have seen her much worse... although I think that might have been when James still lived here"
"Now that was a nightmare. I gave up trying to tidy up his mess... I kept finding little mementos of his for months after he was gone. Was kinda nice, made me think the ship would always be his, he'd never be gone, even if I wanted him to be... but now I have Fox to leave his socks in odd places." He grinned "Great Fox just wouldn't be right without a McCloud"
"I think she'd be lost without you"
"Me? I'm just part of the furniture"
"Exactly!" Charles laughed "You've been here since she was built." He sighed "Sorry Pep' I gotta go, this was meant to be a flying visit. I have a briefing this afternoon. I just came to make sure all was well in the Star Fox household and to drop off some things"
Peppy again smothered laughter "Bring the family next time you get out of your briefings... It'll be nice to see a few new faces"
"Sure thing Pep'" With that Charles made a hasty retreat.
His king was in a predicament, boxed into a corner by one of his own pawns and a knight. Falco looked up as Peppy entered the room, he blinked at them.
"Are you playing chess!?"
"Yes..." Falco mumbled "And you wanna know what's worse? Fox is winning"
Fox laughed evilly
"Git" Falco mumbled as Peppy came over to peer over his shoulder.
"Your right Falco, you are in trouble. Hell even I don't know how you managed to do that. But what's more of an achievement is actually getting Fox to play."
Fox made a cynical face "We were bored. We've played everything else" he pointed at boxes of board games strewn all over the floor and cards stacked up into a tower.
"I hope you're going to-"
"Yes I'll tidy up" Falco said grinning
"Am I really that predictable"
"Yep"
"Mm hum"
Fox and Falco said.
"Humph" Peppy grunted
"Checkmate!" Fox cried joyously as his bishop wiped Falco's king off the board.
"Well done Fox. First time for everything I suppose" Falco chuckled
"Ha ha ha, very funny Falco"
Grinning Falco started to collect the pieces together.
"you wanna go again?" He asked
"Nope. I'm not giving you a chance to beat me" Fox laughed
"Coward. But probably very wise"
"I know when I'm beaten!"
Falco laughed and started putting the pieces back in the box.
"mm. This horsey's lost an ear" Falco commented holding up a black knight. Peppy looked round.
"Yes, James broke that. He dropped it"
"Woops!" Fox laughed.
"Somehow I never imagined him being the chess type... like his son" Falco said
"No... We only played occasionally. That's my chess set. My dad gave it to me for my 21st, some sick joke"
Falco frowned at him. Peppy laughed at his face.
"When I was 21 the last thing I wanted to do was play chess" He laughed "I was too busy blowing things up with James"
Fox groaned and put his head in his hands "Did you have to put it like that?"
Peppy laughed "Very funny Fox"
"I heard you were a right hooligan when you were Falco's age"
Peppy smiled "I'm not sure hooligan is the right word and I think the time you mean I would have been younger, I was in the academy by now-"
"What, there was more than once?"
"I still can't imagine you ever being anything other than a model citizen" Falco said his head on one side
Peppy laughed "I had somewhat... err adventurous teenage years... shall we say"
Fox started laughing, Falco frowned at him.
"How d'you mean"
"Biker bunny!" Fox said through laughter "Dad showed me a picture"
"So I had a motorbike-"
"Yeah and the leather jacket and ear piercings to go with it. You were a punk Peppy, admit it"
Peppy smiled "ok, yeah maybe a little"
"Weren't you in a gang or summin'" Fox asked
Falco looked up suddenly and nearly dropped the chess set.
"What?" he asked
"Yeah, we roamed the streets on our bikes generally making a nuisance of ourselves as teenagers have a tendency to do"
"Dad said I should ask you what you did when I got older..." Fox said smiling coyly
Peppy made a face "Yes. I'll tell you when you're my age... if I'm not six feet under by then"
"Aw Peppy! Pleeeease" Fox begged smiling in a way that made lots of his teeth show.
"No!" Peppy laughed "I don't want to encourage you to make the same mistakes I did"
"Maybe if you shared them with us we wouldn't make them." Falco said softly, then grinned "it's probably too late for Fox though"
"Hey! I'm a good boy"
"Yeah Fox and I'm a fuzzy pink elephant"
Fox and Peppy laughed
"Now there's a thought" Peppy said
"But come on Peppy! Falco's right"
"There's a first, did we get that on tape?" Falco laughed as he put the board games back onto a shelf.
"Huh. Please Peppy!"
"I already told you no" Peppy said shortly
"Fine then" Fox sulked
"Never mind Fox, the images would probably give you nightmares anyway"
Fox half grinned at Falco
"Euw!"
"Well Peppy I'll give you one thing. That wasn't predictable" Falco said
"We all have our secrets" Peppy grinned
Falco nodded "Some of us more than others. Fox, you wanna knock the card tower down or can I do it"
"oh, oh I wanna do it!" Fox cried getting up
"Alright then but you have to help me pick them up after"
"YAY!" Fox took great pleasure in swinging his arms into the card tower scattering the cards in different directions and sending Peppy and Falco into hysterics.
"he, he, he!" Fox laughed moronically.
"How old are you Fox?"
"Six!" Fox said meekly in a high voice, even higher than Slippy's
Falco smiled at him
"You're kinda tall for a six year old."
"And way too ugly"
"Hey!" Fox said pouting. "I was a cute baby!"
"Shame about now"
"Shut up Falco! You can't talk!"
"Yes, I can or we wouldn't be having this conversation!"
"Ha, ha very funny"
"Ok, ok boys I'll sort this" Peppy said "You're both ugly"
"Hey!"
"Oi your not supposed to say that!"
Peppy laughed.
"I can say what I like, I'm bigger than you!" Peppy said but cursed his words as they left his mouth. To his relief Falco grinned at Fox. Unspoken words went between them then they both turned to look at him mischievous grins on both their faces.
"You're outnumbered" Falco said smoothly just as Fox moved forward to jump him. Falco followed behind in their standard attack pattern. Peppy was on the ground pinned beneath the two of them before he could even think.
"Now who's ugly?" Fox asked grinning down at him.
Unfortunately just as Fox was speaking the common room door opened and three new figures, followed by Slippy entered the room. The three of them looked up
"Charles!.. Amelia... umm..." Peppy shouted surprised, suddenly feeling very self-conscious "Get off get off!!!" he said pushing Fox and Falco off him and hastily trying to stand up. Falco sat up but Fox remained laid on his back looking at them from upside down "Charles, Amelia and Sarah... um... Welcome to Great Fox..."
Both women were in fits of laughter. Charles was just grinning and shaking his head.
"You never did grow up" Charles laughed
"Speak for yourself dad!" Sarah laughed giving her father a playful slap.
After brushing himself down Peppy managed to greet them properly, giving the heavily pregnant Sarah a warm hug.
"My little Sarah, pregnant... and you didn't tell me?"
She smiled warmly at him. Peppy had watched Sarah grow up, having been friends with Charles since his teenage years. Sarah wasn't really much older than Fox but she already had a husband and a child on the way, somehow Peppy couldn't see Fox with a family anytime soon
"So how's Paul?" Peppy asked still holding onto her hands.
"Away on business... so mum and dad are looking after me...
"In all this I've forgotten what I was really fighting for... now its staring me in the face. No more war... no more killing... I don't want that child to have to grow up to be a soldier... I chose my path, its time I walked it."
Falco looked up, hastily he climbed to his feet and walked up to Sarah.
"Congratulations... and many dirty nappies to come" he said grinning
"Thank you Falco... I think..." She said turning to him
"I think you've grown since I last saw you, little bluebird" Amelia said
Falco nodded "I've nearly made good on my second promise to Fox, that I'd be taller than him"
"Oh yes, and what was the first?" She asked
"That I'd be a better pilot" Falco grinned over his shoulder at Fox "I made good on that one years ago"
A pillow promptly hit him in the chest. Peppy smothered laughter as he led Sarah to the sofa.
"You look beautiful"
"Don't be silly Peppy, I look like a giant hot air balloon"
"No you don't" Slippy said
"Don't worry, even then you couldn't be as full of hot air as Fox"
Fox looked round but found he had no more pillows to hand, so stuck his tongue out at him instead.
The arrival of the Peppers eased the tension onboard Great Fox, earlier in the day the date of the strike had been confirmed and secretly issued. They would be leaving early the day after tomorrow. It would have been fair to say it wasn't just Falco who was terrified.
Watching the others suit up Fox realised how much of a mess their lives were. For a moment he paused, studying them, all clad in black, Peppy pulling body armour on over his head. The sniper rifle was nearly as big as Slippy where he held it solemnly by his side, the butt resting against the floor. In any other situation Fox would have found it funny. Today it made him feel deeply sick, things seemed so ridiculous. Fox found for the first time in his life he couldn't bare to look at Falco, the sight of him tore away at his insides, he could remember times in their past when he'd enjoyed ridiculing his grief. He could also remember their laughing together. As he stared at his team he'd realised they'd all grown up a lot in the last few months. Suddenly he noticed the growing trend of silvery grey in Peppy's fur, where in his childhood days he could remember there being much more brown, and he realised that none of his friends would be around forever. He looked up to see a pair of eyes watching his, solemn, golden yellow, still, unblinking, just gazing at him. After a moment they broke away, and were cast down at the ground. He'd never understood what went on behind those eyes, but maybe now he was beginning to. Fox saw Falco silently crying as he led them onto the shuttle, but pretended not to notice.
Again the shuttle passed through the atmospheric barrier unnoticed. Everything as before, only this time it was Peppy at the controls of the shuttle Pelagic instead of Silver at those of the Spectre. Each member of the team stared down the scope of their own sniper rifle, Slippy only just bigger than the gun. Falco felt as though he was in a waking flashback, his mind was calm, absent, he supposed, running on automatic. He didn't really see the people he killed; his mind was again under the Behemoth's spell. Then he noticed there were no more shots being fried around him and no-more targets in his sight. He sighed sadly to himself as he saw Slippy then Fox beside him instead of Lupus, he whished he could have a second chance.
"Welcome to hell" Falco mumbled putting the rifle aside "We've just passed the entry requirements"
Fox took a black blaster from the holster at his hip and checked the safety was off.
"Then we'll make sure no-one can ever be sent here again. We'll show them what happens when you mess with Star Fox"
Purposefully Fox led the way off the shuttle, Falco followed, glad not to be the one in charge this time. At the back of the group like usual Peppy studied the other members of his team. Fox's stride was unusually purposeful; clearly this mission was personal, for a moment Peppy thought he was looking at James. His blood ran cold, he didn't want that to be a premonition, the past had already begun to repeat itself. Slippy too was focused on the job at hand staring down at the power tracker. Though he stayed close to Falco's side and occasionally looked up at him. Peppy could remember lots of missions when those two had run together, Falco had always been fiercely protective of Slippy, to the point where he'd allowed himself to be captured so that he could watch over him. Peppy guessed Slippy was returning the favour, or had grown used to the arrangement. They all watched over one another. Falco perversely looked the most peaceful of them all, his eyes had a glazed look to them, though they glanced about for attackers, he was pale, though he hid his anxiety well Peppy could still see it, though he doubted anyone else would. That was probably for the best.
There were a lot of guards moving around the Behemoth's corridors. The secret was quickly out. Some of their strike teams had quickly met a terrible fate. The Star Fox team preferred not to think about it. They tried to keep hidden, hoping that the efforts of those who were now certainly lost would not be wasted. They came round a corner and heard down one corridor the sounds of a strike team being apprehended. It was an oddly eerie thing. The shouts for them to stop, and then the inevitable shots, then the sounds of bodies falling lifeless to the ground. Falco went to run towards the sounds. Fox caught hold of his arm.
"No Falco. We can't do anything for them!" Fox stared at him, his brown eyes sad "We have to carry on. We have to kill this beast..." Fox's grip moved down his arm "And we need you to lead the way"
Falco closed his eyes for a moment, trying to block out the sounds. Fox let go of his hand and they moved off again.
They were getting closer, but the guards who had just dispatched the other team obviously worked out what their target would be, and cut them off. They almost ran blind into an ambush. A shot inches from the end of Fox's nose stopped them and they darted for cover. They flattened themselves behind outcrops in the bulkheads in the corridors, Fox and Falco one side, Slippy and Peppy the other. The guards were hiding behind bulkheads of their own. Falco was the first to fire. A Cancent guard fell out onto the floor. After that a fierce fire fight ensued. Slippy pushed his luck and was only saved by his blaster armour and Peppy hastily dragging him back. Then over the sounds of the last few guard's gunfire there was a shout. The firing stopped and went ominously silent. Nervously the team wondered what was coming... Slytir stepped out into the body strewn corridor. Falco was suddenly gripped with a primal terror. Fox, close by his side felt it and stepped protectively between him and the Cancent.
"Lombardi? My, I am surprised to see you back here, and you brought your little friends with you, just like we asked! Oh we are going to have fun!..." Slytir spoke in his usual smooth silky voice, a voice the strike team had come to both hate and dread.
Fox raised his gun, his hands shaking with rage.
"Freeze!" he shouted. Slytir ignored him and picked his way carefully between the pools of blood. Fox raised his gun higher. Slytir laughed.
"Aw how sweet, hiding behind your mangy friend. I think I'll make you watch this time. Or how about if I get you to use the knife on them? You'd enjoy that wouldn't you Lombardi?"
"I said freeze!" Fox growled consumed with fury. Slytir continued to ignore him and walked ever closer. Fox, along with the others raised his gun further and went to fire.
"Wait!" Falco said stepping round Fox, his face contorted with rage "This one's mine" if Falco's voice had ever sounded evil, now was the time.
"Your precious Sliver moaned like a whore-"
Falco screamed and ran forwards, unable to control the blood-rage any longer.
"Bastard!!!" Falco slammed into him and drove him onto the floor, too fast for Slytir to do anything about it. As he ran Peppy picked off the last two guards looking out from their cover, the rest thought better of it seeing Slytir go down and ran for it. Falco had beaten half his face into a bloody pulp before the rest of them caught up with them. When Fox looked down Falco was kneeling on his chest with a long ornate knife at his throat.
"Didn't I promise I would kill you? And by your own knife, the same one you used on us, ironic isn't it?! Weren't expecting that where you? I'm tired of quivering at your feet." Falco drew the blade up the side of his face. Across his eyes, slowly blinding him. "Now you know what its like to watch your vision fade behind a red mist, course yours wont be coming back. Just a little of what you gave us." Falco brought the knife back down its arc so it was at his throat again. Slytir squirmed ungainly below him. Falco bent his head close to his "Death is too good for you. Go-to-hell!" Falco drew the knife across his throat and left it there, half lodged in one of his veins. Rubbing his hands on his trousers he stood up. He looked to Peppy briefly
"Runs in the family" was all he said. Then he looked around and ran up the corridor shouting "Come on, not much further"
Fox had to drag Slippy away from the body, he was just staring at it, Fox only just managed to ignore the urge to kick it. Those few moments would haut Fox's nightmares for months to come, he'd never seen Falco look at anyone like that before, and just hoped he would never give Falco cause to look at him like that. They followed Falco and Peppy up the corridor.
Falco looked up, a strange sensation running through him, not a flashback or memory, just a familiar feeling.
"What?" Peppy asked concerned by his side. Falco frowned at himself. It must have been his imagination; she couldn't be here... surely.
"Nothing, I just felt something that's all" Falco looked around. Fox and Slippy stood at his side staring around the huge reactor core.
"Whoa!" Fox said to himself.
"I told you it was a big place" Falco said. Briefly he looked up at the bridge running almost parallel with the one they were standing on about 6 metres above. He thought he had heard footsteps. "Follow me, its not far now" Falco said, unable to mask a slight tremor in his voice. He was glad to have Peppy by his side. They trotted along the gangway then all of a sudden they heard a shout. Then an alarm rang out.
"What the?-" Fox shouted looking around.
"Krystal!!" Falco shouted. He hadn't imagined it. Before anyone could question him they heard a girl scream from above. Then something blue grey faltered and fell from the gangway above. Falco watched Krystal fall and hit the edge of their gangway. She rolled and started to fall off the edge; she scrabbled at the smooth walkway and fortunately caught something. Fox, Falco and the team ran towards her.
"We have to stop meeting like this" Fox said as he pulled Krystal up onto the bridge.
"McCloud?" She said stunned. She nearly let go of Fox's hand when Falco stepped to his side and looked down on her. "Falco! You're alive!"
"Yeah, just about..." He mumbled.
"Stay with us buddy" Fox said as Krystal stood on her own feet again.
"I'm surprised to see you here" Falco growled.
"I have my own interests to look out for. I'm not here to help you"
"Nah. I didn't think so"
"We don't have time for this" Peppy shouted
"Right, move, you can get to the reactor along this bridge" Falco called and ran off.
After giving Krystal a dark look Fox followed them. After pausing for a while she ran after the Star Fox team.
Falco starred up at the familiar reactor core glowing green. This was where he went wrong last time. He wasn't going to make the same mistake twice. Peppy skidded to a stop by his side, if Falco was going to lose it anywhere it would be here. Falco couldn't take his eyes off the core. He'd been prepared for flashbacks, but not this. He wanted to move, but he just couldn't, the beating heart of the Behemoth held him paralysed. He could feel Peppy pulling at his arm and shouting at him over the screaming of the alarms. He heard Fox speak.
"We've got company!"
He could see troops appearing from that same set of double doors, but still he couldn't move, no matter how much he wanted to he couldn't. This time it wasn't his mind that had betrayed him but his body.
"Forgive me Falco" Peppy said before cuffing him in the side of the head, making him stagger.
"Thanks Pep'" Falco said. He was in control again. "Get onto the ledge behind the core! They can't hit us there. Slippy you go first" Falco shouted drawing his gun
"You heard him Slip'. Move!" Fox ordered, following him round onto the platform. Falco and Peppy then walked backwards shooting the approaching guards. Falco jumped when he backed into someone
"Krystal!"
"Falco get round and help Slippy with the bomb! Fox and I will hold of the troops"
"Get out of my way" he growled at Krystal "how you doin' Slip'?"
"Ok I think"
"Good!" Falco turned to his comm. "Star Fox in position"
"Hurry up Slippy!!" Fox cried
"Ah shit!!" Peppy cried and staggered backwards. Falco's heart plummeted.
"Steady old fella" Krystal said catching him from falling off the ledge.
"Ugh I'm hit"
"Krystal cover Peppy's side!" Fox ordered.
She drew her familiar staff and began firing it out towards the advancing troops.
"Fox shoot out the door!" she called. Fox obeyed and managed to hit the control panel on the wall. The door sealed.
"Peppy!" Falco cried crouching by his side. He took in a fairly serious blaster wound to his upper left arm. Falco felt sick. It was going wrong again. Without thinking he drew a knife from his pocket and cut a strip of cloth from his sleeve.
"Sorry Pep' this is gunna hurt" Falco said looking down on him he put the strip round the top of Peppy's arm, above the wound. Then he twisted the cloth under itself and pulled it tight. Peppy screamed and swore. Slippy and Fox both looked round at him, in any other situation they would have laughed. They always knew there was something seriously wrong when Peppy swore. Falco tied off the ligature as Peppy groaned trying to get his breath back. Eventually he lifted himself up to lean against the core gritting his teeth against the pain. Falco felt for him. Still he stood and went back to Slippy's side.
"How you doing?"
"The charges are set and..." Slippy attached a cable "So is the remote. We can go now Fox"
"Right, back the way we came Falco?"
"Yeah, there's no other way out of here except those 2 doors" Falco looked down the side briefly "unless you can fly"
"That might be a little harder than we'd hoped." Krystal said slowly.
The team all looked to where she pointed, the doors at either end of the gangways were rapidly filling up with troops.
"Come on Lombardi, you're not getting away from us twice!" A voice called.
Falco looked up his hands tightening around the gun; he could remember that voice speaking outside his cell.
"Maybe, but this ship, and everyone on it are going down. You must see that by now, I remember you, you said it was invincible, surely you aren't still that conceited?" Falco shouted then whispered "get some grenades ready, be ready to throw everything we have at them, unless someone has a better idea"
"You've changed Lombardi, but you're not so tough, why don't you tell us all who you screamed like a baby for every day"
Peppy felt sick.
"Hurry up" Falco growled
"Just keep 'em busy a little longer" Slippy said, Falco looked back to see him making what looked like a homemade bomb, out of everyone's grenades. As he turned back to the guards he felt Peppy take his grenades from his hip.
"Why don't you come out from behind that reactor and maybe we'll spare you the agony of watching your friends die, we'll kill you first, I promise"
Falco heard a low guttural growl rise up from his chest. Peppy caught his hand from where he still sat.
"Don't let them get to you, keep them talking. Slippy's making something that'll definitely wipe the smiles off their stupid faces." Falco caught sight of a devilish grin on his face.
"Come on Lombardi, we're offering you far more than you deserve"
"Your promises aren't worth anything to me. Besides, we'd rather stay here. You want us, come and get us."
"Yeah Falco, try to provoke him, we need them closer. Fox can you throw this?" Falco heard him hand something over "Everyone behind the core and heads down when that thing goes off, unless you want a repeat of the Destrop incident" Slippy chuckled
"How many of your soldiers was it when I escaped? Ten, fifteen, twenty, forty? How many? And they couldn't stop me?" Falco really hoped he wouldn't tell him the number. "What makes you think you can stop us now?"
"Kill them!" The voice roared.
Falco saw Fox leap up and throw something large. Instinctively he dropped down, throwing himself round the back of the reactor as far as he could go, and careful to heed Slippy's subtle warning put his hands over his ears. He felt Peppy grab hold of him for fear he'd fall over the edge. The resulting explosion shook the whole structure, he was suddenly glad to feel Peppy's hold over his shoulder. With the explosion an enormous deafening bang that left a ringing in his ears, threatening a repeat of the week's silence. He opened his eyes. He was laid on the ground, his beak against one of Slippy's boots, his body against Peppy's legs. Fox on the other end of the group had his arm around Krystal's shoulder, his hand over her ear, holding her head down against his, though as Falco watched he released her and looked around. He just shot Falco a wry smile that could mean a multitude of things as the others opened their eyes.
"Time to get out of here" Falco head Fox say, glad to hear anything.
"Yeah" Falco agreed standing up then reaching down to help Peppy onto his unsteady feet. Fox led the others round from behind the back of the core.
"Whoa... Slippy, I'm sure glad to have you on the team in a tight spot" Fox said. Slippy just smiled pleased at Fox's rare compliment. As Falco and Peppy walked round from the back they saw what he meant. The centre of the gangway where the bomb had detonated had been blown away completely. Smoke hung thick in the air, tickling the team's lungs, making them all want to cough. All around lay bodies, caught in the blast. Also those caught by shrapnel, impaled and waiting to die. Those who were uninjured held their heads in their hands, pained by deafness caused by the sounds of the blast. The scene overall was one of confusion. The five of them used this to their advantage, guns (and staff) blazing they emerged from the smoke, not giving the guards time to respond. As they ran Falco watched Fox unceremoniously push one over the edge, his scream echoed for what seemed like an age, but was then suddenly, and finally, silenced. They were out beyond those double doors in a flash, running through the corridors. Slippy and Fox up front, leading the way, and ploughing through the guards, Falco and Peppy next, then Krystal covering the rear, seeming to dodge the fire of the pursuing guards with almost unearthly grace.
They were nearly there! Nearly away from this hellhole again. They could see the docking bay doors ahead, though they were sealed, drawing nearer with every stride they took. Then they were attacked from the side. Falco heard Fox's sharp cry, saw him stagger, watched sparkling red blood fly, and the world dropped out from beneath him.
"No!" he heard himself moan. He was beside him in seconds, ignoring everything that was going on around him.
"Falco look out!" Peppy cried.
Ignoring him Falco started to drag his lifeless friend's body out of the firing line.
"Come on Foxy please, y-you can't" Falco stammered looking down on him. He pushed his hand over a freely bleeding wound in his lower abdomen. The body armour should have protected him, but the shot had just gone right through one side and out the other. It wasn't fair. It shouldn't happen like this! Falco pushed harder against the wound, trying to exhort some sort of response from the still body, desperation not letting him see the severity of the injury, the hopelessness of it. Peppy watched them with tear filled eyes as he did the best to provide cover fire. Falco put yet more pressure on the wound as his hand started to run red. Fox groaned.
"Fox?" Falco asked, snapping out of the numb grief. One chance to save his friend flashed across his mind, and Falco didn't have any hesitations about taking it "Cover me!" Falco shouted as he dragged Fox as far from the firing line as possible. Gently he put his hands against Fox's face. He couldn't believe he was even considering doing this, after the fuss he'd made with Friad. "Believe in yourself Falco, believe, for Fox's sake" Falco said in his mind. Falco looked down on Fox and demanded of him what he was trying to find in himself.
"Come on Fox! I won't let you die on this ship and you sure as hell aren't going to die in my arms." Falco closed his eyes "You're going to die old, with a big family, with this hellhole just a memory" Friad had said people used to be able to bond with others without the Krazoa... "Promise me that Fox. You'll make a good life for yourself... you wont waste the time I buy you" Falco let go of the world around him and prayed silently that he would be able to make it work. "For Fox please let me succeed, don't let this ship take another one from me...
The shooting seemed to go quiet for a second. All eyes fell to where Falco crouched over Fox. Krystal knew immediately what was happening.
"That bird's nuts!" She told herself "...Good luck Falco"
Peppy watched a pale blue glow ignite around Falco's hands on Fox's face. Watched him smile briefly, then it faded to a frown of concentration. Time seemed to slow down for those few seconds. Then the noise of the shots cracked the air again and Peppy's mind was drawn back to the battle.
Falco found himself standing in a blue world. Without the Krazoa to guide him this time he felt lost.
"Fox!" he cried out desperately. The eternal blue void seemed to swallow his voice. "Foxy come on, where are you?" he cried again. The world started to get darker. Then Falco spotted a pinpoint of fading light and heard a voice.
"Falco?... I'm scared; I think I'm dying..."
Falco concentrated on the voice and moved towards it.
"No you're not! I wont let you die pal just hold on a little longer"
Falco concentrated on the light and tried to ignore the darkness closing in around him, Fox seemed to be slipping away, being drawn into the shadows.
"Fox give me your hand!"
Falco reached out to him but his fingers were just that little bit too far away.
"Come on Fox, reach!"
Falco wished with every part of him that he was a little bit taller, then, suddenly his arm seemed to stretch and he caught Fox around the wrist. With all his strength Falco dragged him away from the black pit, until he stood on his feet looking Falco in the eye. Falco didn't let go of his arm instead he drew him closer.
"My strength, my heart, my soul, all I have to offer, I give to you, until you can stand on your own."
Falco opened the lasts of himself to Fox. Fox felt as though he was rising to the surface from underwater. Falco felt the now familiar draining sensation. Fox watched Falco's friendly yellow eyes, they glowed blue for a second. Fox's eyes glowed blue, Falco smiled, it had worked, he let go of the blocks in his mind, he had little to hide from him.
"Head for the surface" Falco said.
"Don't leave me!" Fox cried
"I won't"
Fox realised what Falco meant, he felt as though they were rising upwards, towards bright white lights. Falco pushed Fox upwards. Everything turned white.
Fox inhaled suddenly. Peppy spun around to see. Falco sprawled backwards and let go of Fox.
"Fox, you're alive!" Slippy cried. Fox didn't answer, he was staring intently at Falco, where he lay panting, struggling to get his mind in a logical order again. Finally he clawed his way to the surface.
"Fox..." he said, then shook his head "Peppy are we clear yet?"
"Nearly; Slippy how's the door coming?"
"Almost there!"
"Falco?" Fox started to say.
"I'll explain later" Falco said, but Fox hadn't needed to hear him say it, he'd heard him think it. He didn't need him to explain.
"Got it!!" Slippy cried. The hanger door slid open.
"Move!" Peppy cried.
Falco bent and took Fox's arm around his shoulder, he could barely lift him. Krystal came to Fox's other side. She smiled at him.
"I'll take him" She said lifting Fox's other arm over her shoulder "You can't, let me do it, to say thanks, if nothing else"
Falco nodded and let Krystal take Fox's weight. He was hardly able to walk himself. He could hear Fox thinking, feel his pain, he was hurt bad, Falco wasn't sure if his strength would last them long enough. They all staggered for the shuttle, shooting the few guards. As they crossed the landing platform the firsts of the power relays was blown. The Behemoth shook violently.
"The fleet must be well in by now. Looks like we're a bit behind time. Hurry before they blow the core!" Peppy shouted. The shuttle door opened and he ran inside followed by Slippy, then Falco, Krystal and Fox staggered aboard. As the door closed another of the power relays went up. The Behemoth shuddered again.
"Sounds like we got our bombs through!" Slippy cried
"Time we got out of here. Cloak on" Peppy said as the shuttle rose off the deck.
"Careful Peppy remember we've got no shields" Falco groaned from where he found himself, on the floor of the shuttle.
"Help me then Falco" Peppy said.
"I don't think he can" Slippy said. Peppy found a moment to glance back. Falco lay sprawled on the floor. Krystal and Slippy were trying to get Fox into a seat in the back, whilst not spilling his blood everywhere.
Swarms of fighters were flying around the Behemoth, flashing, cloaks on cloaks off. The Behemoth's fighters were having trouble catching them. Peppy did his best to manoeuvre the shuttle unseen through the fighters.
"Star Fox clear command!"
"Roger Star Fox. Blow the east wing"
They heard a cheer come across the radio seconds later.
"Woo hoo! Look at that!!"
"We got her beat"
"The Dragons are still in there!" A panicked voice said.
"And Tiger squad"
"All fighters prepare to withdraw" The commander said
Peppy banked the shuttle around so the cabin faced the Behemoth and the battle; they were at the rendezvous point, a few fighters and shuttles hovered invisibly by their sides.
"Welcome back Star Fox, we were startin' to get worried about you!"
"We're going to need a medical team" Peppy said, his own world starting to swirl.
"Don't we all, there's a medical frigate on the way. Hold tight till then"
"Roger-"
"Dragon and Tigers clear. Let's blow this bastard and go home"
"All fighters retreat. Repeat all fighters retreat"
Falco managed to raise his head to watch. Pinpricks of silver went out as the fighters engaged their cloaks and fled.
"Main core bombs activated" The commander said "firing now!"
There was silence for a moment. The Behemoth's fighters still swarmed around it, but the end was coming, and they knew it. Then it happened. Slowly at first like lava trickling downhill fire spread along parts of the ship. Then the volcano blew its top. Parts of the Behemoth came apart, then in one massive explosion most of the superstructure was vaporised, the resulting blast wave taking its fighters with it. The Behemoth was destroyed, finally, once and for all.
"ye ha! That got 'em"
Cheers rang across the comm. from all sections of the fleet.
"Fighter squadrons begin roundup procedures, destroy or capture all survivors" The commanders ordered.
Fox felt a deep sensation of indescribable relief and satisfaction from Falco. He heard him groan.
"That was for you Silv'. We got the bastards" Then Falco's thoughts vanished from his mind as his head sank to the deck. Moments later Fox's world also went black.
