Person of Interest
Chapter I
When I think back to the beginning of all of this, I find it ironic that the most personally rewarding assignment of my mercenary career came at one of my lowest points. Some people I know now say it was fate that made that happen. I never believed in that sort of thing. But now, considering everything that happened, it does make me wonder sometimes…
-Fox McCloud.
Sunrises were beautiful on Sauria. The unsullied quality of its many landscapes made every dawn more awe-inspiring to look at. Even far out in Mammoth country, with its cold morning temperatures and plentiful snowfields, Fox McCloud felt refreshed and warm when the sun spilled its orange rays across the landscape. He loved to watch sunrises from the front porch of his cabin every morning, waiting for the kettle to boil for coffee. These sights were one of the few things that gave him a sense of peace these days.
The kettle whistled. Fox walked back inside his cabin, all of it powered by the generator he brought with him. Fox poured the hot water into his coffee press, waited four minutes, pressed the plunger, and poured into his mug. He took a sip, then walked back outside to stare out at the snowfields again. Later he would cook breakfast. He thought about nothing throughout all of this. After being on Sauria for a month and a half he was good at his morning routine, good enough that he didn't have to think about it too hard. This routine was a lonely affair, but at least it was a routine, and Fox knew routines were lifesavers when everything else crumbled around him. The peace and quiet couldn't be beat either. That's why he chose Sauria to run off to after the Angler Blitz. It was far enough away from everything in Lylat that he could shut the world out for however long he needed it shut out, and familiar enough that it was almost comfortable. Plus, the Saurians revered him still for stopping those poachers years ago. Prince Tricky and the Mammoths were more than happy to have him.
Really, the hardest part of the routine was trying not to stare at the photo on a table against the wall while he made the coffee. It was a photo of his old team. He couldn't bear to part with it, even if staring at it caused him pain and nostalgia. It was all the worse because she was in it.
Taking another sip of coffee, Fox looked over his Arwing, parked next to the cabin. He had no idea what he would do after his stay here, however long it would be, but all the same he maintained the craft out of habit and some reverence. The Arwing was a fixture in his life, and he wasn't ready to give it up, even if his team didn't exist any longer.
Now the coffee and the cold were waking Fox up. Mentally he went over his schedule for today. He needed to head into the mammoth village for supplies. The mammoths were a hardy and welcoming people, and they respected his desire for privacy. He sighed, finished his coffee, and turned to walk back inside. He stopped mid stride. His ears perked up.
Looking back, Fox picked up something approaching on the horizon. A moment later he figured out it was a ship. It was a long time since Fox saw a ship in flight that he couldn't believe it, and he stared incredulous as that the speck in the sky got bigger and bigger. Once the surprise wore off cool reason took over. The only person of significance who knew for certain that Fox was on Sauria was Tricky. Could this mean Tricky broke his promise? Fox didn't want to think so, because why would Tricky do such a thing?
The ship was close enough now for Fox to pick out details. It had no distinguishing insignia or markings. It looked to be a personal craft. Once the craft did a single flyby, Fox guessed it was a two-seater. The pilot was satisfied with what they saw on their flyby and turned around to begin landing in the field close by, a little distance from his Arwing. Fox stared impassively. He reached into his jacket and patted his blaster holster. Those who hoped to find him morose and defenseless might find the former, but not the latter.
The crafts left-side hatch opened, and out jumped a figure wearing the uniform of a retired Cornerian officer. Fox recognized the figure instantly. It was their bearing as they strolled closer to him, and Fox took his paw of his blaster. This was the not first person he guessed to find him here. Once the person was in front of him, they took off their sunglasses and revealed two old and kind eyes.
"Oh, thank goodness," said former General Pepper, sighing in relief. "You look like you're eating well. Peppy was worried sick about that."
"Did Tricky tell you?" said Fox.
"Only after some begging," said Pepper. "He felt terrible about it still."
Fox just stared. He didn't know to feel anger towards the Prince, or understanding. For Pepper to beg, it must have been a sight to see.
"I want to talk, Fox," said Pepper. "Please. At least grant me that much."
Fox took a deep breath and sighed. "Come on in, then. Coffee's still warm."
Fox poured a cup of coffee into the spare mug he owned, and he and Pepper sat across from each other at the kitchen table. Pepper took a sip and Fox took stock of the old hound. He was certainly getting long in the tooth, but in his eyes, Pepper still had a sharpness to him. He didn't become one of Corneria's most trusted military leaders for nothing, and Fox felt oddly comforted that even with old age the hound kept an edge.
An uncomfortable silence settled as they stared at one another. It was more uncomfortable for Pepper than for himself, Fox figured. Pepper might be the first person from Corneria to see him since he left public life. Morbidly, Fox wondered if any of his old friends thought him dead. No, of course not, he thought after a moment. He felt guilty for his morbidity.
"As I said, I'm happy to see you well," said Pepper.
Fox said nothing.
"Moreover, you carved out a home for yourself," said Pepper. "I can rest easier still knowing you provide for yourself well."
Fox nodded.
"I told Tricky I was an old friend of yours," said Pepper. "I just needed to see you, I said. It took some convincing, but it happened. I tried to tell him not to feel too terribly." He smiled sadly. "He cares about you a lot."
"Pepper," said Fox. "Why are you here?"
Pepper stared, then put down his mug and sighed. "You figure I want something from you, that it just can't be concern," he said.
"You want something?"
"I do, but for goodness's sake Fox it's been a month and a half!" said Pepper. "Do you have any idea how worried everyone is? Some folks may've moved on from Star Fox, but those close to you wonder about you every day."
Fox lowered his head.
"Son," said Pepper, putting a paw on the table. "No one blames you for Star Fox splitting up. It was a tough time for everyone, and the fact that Star Wolf,"—an angry scowl crossed Pepper's muzzle—"swooped in like the vultures they are and took all the glory for themselves does not make it easy. The Angler Blitz was hard, but that's all behind you."
"I watched it all crumble in my paws, Pepper," said Fox.
"I know," said Pepper, his tone softning. "But there's-"
"It's not just that," said Fox. He sighed. "There's also…her."
An uncomfortable silence followed. A pained look dawned on Pepper's face.
"Fox," he said gently. "Fara doesn't hate you. She told me herself."
"I know she doesn't blame me. I blame myself," said Fox. "If anything, she was right to split up from me." He put his face in his paws, and did a long sigh. "I'm not ready to go back, Pepper. I'm just not. I'm not ready to face how…different, everything is now."
Another silence settled. Pepper sighed.
"I understand," said Pepper. "Above all else, I'm happy to see that you are alright. Just seeing you does my heart good."
Fox looked away.
"You said you needed something?" he said.
"Yes," said Pepper. He straightened up in his chair. "I need your help."
"Star Fox is gone."
"I didn't ask for Star Fox," said Pepper. "I asked for your help only. And as I no longer am in a position of authority for Corneria, consider this a personal favor. I need your help, Fox, and it's something I think only you can do. Something I can only trust you to do."
"…what is it?" said Fox.
Pepper took a sip of coffee. "This is involved with a cause I'm close to. And I want to stress that I don't say what I said before lightly." He gave Fox a hard stare. "This is important to me, Fox, and I do think only you can do it."
Fox grew more curious by the second. He knew Pepper well enough to understand how serious the old hound could be when giving a request. This meeting was like the tense check-ins during the Lylat War or Aperoid attack, where Pepper gave information in the terse tone of a career soldier stating the hard and often dismal facts of a mission or operation. New to this situation was the added touch of personal gravity. Pepper wasn't asking as a leader, but as a friend.
"What is this about?" said Fox.
Pepper leaned back in his chair. "What do you know about the planet called Cerinia?" he said.
Fox searched his memory. "It's a remote planet in the system. The people there keep to themselves. I've heard a reference to it here and there, but most people in Lylat know little about it. That includes me."
"That is a good start," said Pepper. "Allow me to start from the beginning, if I may?"
Fox nodded.
"Cerinia," Pepper began, "Is a planet on the fringe of Lylat, in the Outer Territories specifically. There live the Cerinians, a vulpine race that for as long as Corneria has known about them—until recently—have been isolationist. Not to a xenophobic extant, but more that they keep to themselves and their affairs. There was some exchange of diplomats in the past, but most of this was done through remote calls or proxies. Very few Cornerians or Lylatians for that matter have been to the planet. The basic picture of the planet is it's ruled by a monarchy, a Queen, and the planet is matriarchically inclined due to the worship of three major goddesses. This bent is less stark than it was in the past, but it still exists. Overall, their communications with us have been strictly for trade and the occasional check-in for good will."
Fox listened carefully. He'd wanted to visit Cerinia in his more adventurous days; a secluded, mysterious planet on the frontier was the best sort of setting for an adventure.
"All of this changed, however," said Pepper, his expression darkening, "with the outbreak of the Lylat War."
Fox sat up straight. "Andross attacked them?"
"He sent a force to deal with them specifically," said Pepper. "The Cerinians posses abilities we know little about, special sensory or mental powers that they keep a secret from outsiders. Andross somehow knew about these abilities and viewed them as a serious threat to his eventual reign. He probably saw an attack from behind if he didn't eliminate them quickly, so he moved to annihilate them. And I mean that literally." The old hound gritted his teeth. "A genocide. A worthy sacrifice for his eventual galactic techno-dictatorship, I'm sure."
To think, thought Fox, that I'm still being surprised at that ape's depravity.
"Andross's forces outnumbered the Cerinians two-to-one," said Pepper. "But despite that advantage, and despite the ferocity of Andross's forces…the Cerinians won."
Pepper sighed. "Despite their insular nature, the Cerinians are a hardy people. Faced with complete annihilation, they banded together and fought. Any differences amongst the varied peoples vanished in the face of a greater threat. Much was sacrificed. The Queen, who took to the field alongside her soldiers, fell in battle. But gradually they began to win. First the planetside invasion force fell to their efforts, and then came the fall of the invading space armada. At the end of it all, despite the loss of so much, Cerinia survived." Pepper smiled warmly. "I admire tales of valor from all peoples, and hearing stories of those battles stirred something in me."
"Me too, General" said Fox, quietly in awe, with the old hound's rank coming out due to force of habit. For an isolated planet to destroy an entire invasion force, that was something.
"Next came a period of rebuilding," said Pepper. "Pieces needed to be picked up. The unity of peoples of Cerinia fell to discussion of what would happen to the planet now. The Queen was gone, and left no heir, so a succession crisis and debate came to be. War did not break out—the people had their fill of war—and instead different factions arose and began to wonder what the future of their planet would look like. Then came the Aperoids, who fell quickly to the Cerinians. Their abilities make them skilled hunters of those bugs. The Angler Blitz did not touch them, as the Angler Emperor was more interested in his vendetta against Corneria than galactic conquest, at least from the outset. At the end of all this, it became clear to most of Cerinia's factions that an isolationist posture toward galactic affairs was not only unpractical, but unsafe. Cerinia may not have had an interest in the wider universe, but the wider universe could certainly have an interest in them."
Pepper cleared his throat. "That is where I come in."
"How so?" Said Fox.
"Shortly after the Aperoid attack, and before I retired, I was contacted by a Cerinian," said Pepper. "She introduced herself as a representative of one of Cerinia's political factions. Her name is Lapis. She wished to begin stronger diplomatic ties with Corneria. I was sympathetic to her cause, and despite my impending retirement I decided to become an advocate of hers. I helped her find the right people to talk to on Corneria and elsewhere. Eventually we became friends, and this is where my request comes into play."
Fox leaned forward.
"She confided in me that she needs a bodyguard," said Pepper. "Not for her, but for her daughter. Lapis is grooming her to be her successor in the future, and she realizes that her safety is paramount. She's worried both as a politician and as a mother. She asked me to find someone in Lylat who could do the job. Someone I trusted absolutely. I instantly thought of you."
Reaching into his coat, Pepper took out a HoloChip, a small hologram projector that stored information. He placed it on the table. "All the information you need is here," said Pepper.
Fox understood that merely picking up the chip would send a message. He did it anyway, picking it up and pressing the button to activate it. After Fox placed it back on the table, the chip whirred to life, and projected a menu. The first button on the menu was labeled, "Essential Details." Fox pressed it.
A dossier appeared. At its top was a picture. It was of a vixen, with kind eyes, blue headfur, and light blue fur. She had a small smile on, and she wore a gold circlet with a ruby in the center. Fox just stared. He eventually noticed there was a name beneath the picture.
Krystal.
"Her daughter," said Pepper. "I've never met her myself, but Lapis tells me she's a sweet girl. Her mother loves her deeply, and she wants only the best to protect her, as I said."
Fox looked over the other information available. Krystal was the around the same age as he was—he was 24, she was 22—and shared her mother's political convictions, but was still new to diplomatic work. She needed to grow into the role. A bodyguard was needed to watch over her as she made her first steps, to protect her from any elements out to harm her, politically or bodily. After reading the info, Fox looked back to the picture and was drawn to her eyes. They were hopeful eyes, bright and optimistic. There was a strength in them too.
She's beautiful, he thought. The suddenness of the thought startled him.
"I will let you study all the information," said Pepper. "Once you've absorbed it all, you can make a decision. My ship will stay in orbit until tomorrow evening." He rose from his chair, and started to walk out of the room. Then he stopped.
"One more thing," said Pepper. "Cerinia could be a good place for you, right now."
Fox looked at Pepper, raising an eyebrow. "Why would that be?"
"It's far away from the news and going-ons of Corneria. Very few people would know who you are, even as famous as you are. Morever, Lapis often tells me that Cerinia is a gentle place overall. Not without its problems, but its people are good. I think you may need that right now."
Fox's brow furrowed.
"I can understand why you left Corneria, Fox," said Pepper. "If my understanding is correct, then I think this could be good for you. But the choice is yours." The old hound looked back at him and smiled. "It was good to see you, in any case."
Fox nodded and looked back at the HoloChip's contents. As he heard Pepper's ship depart, he was still absorbed in his reading.
Fox read everything through once, then spent the rest of the day thinking about it all. Then he read it through again that night by a wood fire in the fireplace. Once he finished again, he stared into the fire in thought.
Cerinia was farther away from it all than Sauria for sure. He would be relatively unknown. Bodyguard detail was also a simple affair. Then there was the vixen herself, Krystal. He kept thinking about her picture, and about that sudden thought earlier. Where had that come from?
Thoughts of the future came about too. Did he expect to live alone out here for the long term? He didn't know. Running away was impulsive. He was scared to go back to Corneria, scared to go back and try to figure everything out when everything slipped through his paws so quickly.
Lastly, there was the simple fact that the job would mean purpose. A chance to help someone. Fox settled on that fact as he watched the fire.
Five minutes later, he fetched his communicator, and dialed a number.
"Hey," he said. "I'm in."