I got a review that pointed out that I had screwed up my dino lingo. The title and what Krystal said in Reunion and Departure was supposed to be different, so I switched it up so neither you, the reader, or Fox would know what she said, and don't worry, it'll all be explained later. I lost my instruction booklet a while ago so I had to figure out the whole language, so I still might miss a few letters or somethin' but you'll get the gist of it.
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Chapter 4: Remembrance
The crew made there way to the back of the ship where the gangway was located. Krystal was already waiting there for them at the exit. She had a large bad full of stuff that she had deemed, 'necessary' for the outing. "Are we ready to go?" She asked, sounding like she was only going to accept one answer. "Ya, I think we got everything ready, ROB will take care of the ship while were gone, so we won't have to worry about anything. Peppy and Slippy exited the ship and Krystal walked over to Fox and took his hand. "Let's go, I don't think I can wait any longer." Fox smiled and replied, "I can tell your ready, judging by all that stuff in your bag." "Hey, I need all this stuff, what if something happens and I need..." She paused and began digging through the bag. Fox stopped her and said, "Ok, I get it, let's just get going." Krystal nodded and together they walked out of the ship and down onto the floor of the Corneria Docking Station. It was a vast area, filled with many different types of ships from all over the Lylat System. There were small vehicles hovering just above the floor, going back and forth from every ship.
Krystal hesitated for a moment, trying to take in everything she was seeing around her. Fox looked over at her and said, "It's pretty incredible isn't it, and it only took two years to construct this whole facility. Technology has really been advancing over the last few years." Krystal nodded, not really listening to what Fox was saying. She had never seen things this magnificent. She had grown up on the somewhat primitive planet of Cerinia, which had little to no technology at all. They lived in simple huts in a deep forest, with no communication from outside planets. But after the terrible accident...she was sent away from the planet, and she never fully came to realize the fate of that planet, she had always wanted to go back, but had never had the opportunity.
Fox saw that Krystal was suddenly looking sad. "What's wrong, don't you like it here?" Fox asked, sounding concerned. "No...it's not that, I just remembered something...rather unpleasant, but I'll be fine. Well, let's get going. It looks like Slippy and Peppy are already leaving." Fox looked out of the docking bay and saw his teammates climbing into a hovertaxi. "I guess we should get one too," Fox thought out loud. They walked out of the Docking Station and headed out to the paved roads of Corneria. There were many huge buildings that filled Corneria's skyline. Fox signaled for a hovertaxi and soon after, the small, blue vehicle drifted over in front of the curb.
Fox opened the door for Krystal and she entered the vehicle. She felt her weight make the vehicle dip slightly and she stumbled into the rear seat. Fox got in after her and sat down next to her. "Corneria Army Base, please." The driver nodded and the vehicle quickly glided above the streets. Krystal, who was busy looking out the window, asked Fox, "So what is this thing called?" "It's a hovertaxi, they use anti-gravity engines to float just above the ground." Fox explained. "And what are those buildings for?" She again questioned. "Those are mainly just office buildings used for business purposes." Fox replied. The barrage of questions kept coming, but Fox didn't mind answering Krystal questions. All he wanted was for her to be happy while she has on his home planet.
An hour and many questions later, they arrived at the Cornerian Army Base. Fox got out of the hovertaxi and Krystal followed right behind, again stumbling out because of the weight shift. When she got out, she stopped to take in the scene that had just opened up before her. The Cornerian Army Base was easily the tallest building in the area. It seemed to reach high into the sky, and didn't stop until it was just underneath the clouds. Meanwhile, Fox paid the hovertaxi, who accepted the money and quickly went off looking for another passenger. Fox than walked up behind Krystal, who didn't even seem to be breathing. It was like she had been sent hundreds of years into the future, and was, for the first time, experiencing something that seemed far ahead of her time. Fox put his hand on her shoulder and asked, "Is this what you imagined Corneria to be?" Krystal broke out of her awe-induced trace and answered. "It's better than I ever would've dreamed of Fox. Everything seems so big and wonderful. Are there other planets like this one? Will we get to see them?" Fox answered, "Yes, there are many planets like this one, and hopefully, we will get to see a few of them on our missions." "A few of them?" Krystal replied with a confused look, "Just how many planets are there Fox?" Fox hesitated with a grin on his face and replied, "I can't explain right now, we have to get to Pepper's office before were late." "So you'll tell me later?" Krystal asked with a curious tone. Fox responded with a chuckle. "Yes, but I'm not sure how much later, Pepper's debriefings can last for hours."
They left the curb they were standing on and walked into the huge complex. The main hall was filled with many different fountains, plated with platinum and gold decorations. On the ceiling hung many flamboyant chandeliers that were suspended from high above. The walls depicted a timeline of Cornerian history, starting at the entrance there was an illustration of the founder of Corneria mounting a flag in the primitive jungle that Corneria was before colonization, and it continued around the entire main hall. The floor was made of a kind silver tile and in the middle of the floor, the tiles on the ground spelled out, Cornerian Army Base, in huge, proud letters.
Fox and Krystal walked up to the main desk and the receptionist immediately recognized him. "Welcome Fox McCloud, back from the Dinosaur Planet mission?" "Ya, I had some problems with that Dinosaur Language, but it worked out pretty good. Is Pepper available right now?" Fox replied. "I'll call him now and see, please wait one moment." The receptionist began typing into her laptop and the picture of General Pepper appeared. "General Pepper, Fox McCloud is here to see you, do you want me to send him up?" The image of Pepper replied, "Yes, send him up quickly, we have important matters to discuss." The image disappeared and the receptionist looked up at Fox, "It looks like you may have a new mission, you know where General Pepper's office is, right? Floor 385, at the end of the hallway." "Ya, I've been in there enough times, I pretty much have this whole building memorized." Fox replied with a smirk.
Krystal followed Fox through the building and into the elevator. Krystal seemed somewhat confused at the exact reason why one would enter a box if you wanted to head upward. When they got in, the door closed behind them. Krystal looked at Fox, "Is it normal for the door to close like..." She stopped and let of a small yelp as the elevator began to climb to the top floor. Fox glanced over at Krystal who seemed to be holding onto the handrail with her life. Fox walked over and gently took Krystal's hands off the rail and put them in his hand. "It's fine Krystal. Elevators are perfectly safe, and the ride's almost over." As he said this, the elevator slowly came to a stop on the 385th floor and the elevator dinged to signal that they had arrived. The doors again opened and they both walked out. "Will we have to take the elevator again Fox?" Krystal asked, no longer with concern in her voice. "Ya, it's the only way to go. This building is too high to have stairs." Fox replied. Krystal looked back at the elevator. "Good, I want to see what it feels like without holding onto the rails."
They walked away from the elevator down the long hallways of the top floor, before the end of the hallway, there was a large seating area with a few chairs and couches placed around the room. On the wall, there was a large window that looked over most of the city. Krystal walked over to the window and took in the view that it provided. Everything was so far below them; only the tops of a few building could reach the height that she was at. She looked down and saw the entire city, which seemed to stretch far beyond the range of the horizon. The sun was just setting behind the massive buildings of Corneria. It set the sky afire with colors that made Krystal remember her experience in hyperspace, but, unlike hyperspace, experiencing this brought her no anxiety. She felt a feeling of calm come over her. She recognized a kind of...complex beauty that Corneria gave off as the shadows slowly crept over the streets of the planet. Fox came up behind Krystal and put his right arm around her and said, "Sometimes when the sun sets on a clear day like this, you can see the mountains far in the distance, they aren't visible during the day because of the air pollution, but look at them now." Krystal looked far past the city to see the mountains, which were a mixed color of yellow and red as the sun's rays reflected off of them. It was a sight she had never before dreamed of witnessing. The beautiful mountains being set off by the tall shadowed buildings of Corneria. Krystal leaned her head over onto Fox's shoulder and began to nuzzle his neck. "Fox, this reminds me so much of Cerinia. The mountains in the distance look exactly like the ones on my home planet when the sun hits them like that. It brings back a lot of precious memories, but...also a lot of displeasing ones as well. I need to tell you...what happened to Cerinia...maybe...one day...we can go back and...save it...somehow." Fox took Krystal in both arms and replied, "You don't have to tell me if it is going to bring you pain Krystal." "No Fox, I need to tell you, I have to tell you what happened, I was the only survivor of that accident on Cerinia. I escaped and I was supposed to find help...I think you are the one that was chosen to save our planet." Krystal replied, beginning to tear up. Fox responded, "Krystal...why don't you tell me about it...after our meeting with Pepper. We'll have a lot of time to talk after that. Besides I think were late as it is."
Krystal looked back out the window and seemed to draw courage from the beautiful sunset. She didn't leave Fox's side as they slowly walked further down the hall to Pepper's office. It was still a long walk down the huge corridors of the base, but after a while they finally arrived at his office. On the door, it said, "General Pepper: Commanding Officer," with large proud letters. Before Fox and Krystal were about to enter, Peppy and Slippy came up from the hallway behind them. Peppy walked up to Fox and said, "Sorry were late Fox, Slippy gave the driver bad directions and we ended up at some ice cream shop." Slippy giggled when Peppy said this, but quickly stopped when Peppy turned around and gave him a sharp glare. He continued, "Anyway, were here now, so lets get this over with before it gets too dark outside, I don't really want to walk the streets of Corneria at night." Fox smirked and knocked on the door. A voice came from inside, "Fox, if that's you come in." Fox quickly opened the door and the whole group walked in.
Pepper quickly began giving his speech before everyone could get in the door. "Star Fox, we have a big problem on our hands. I know that you just returned from your mission on Dinosaur Planet, but I need a team that has experience in tense situations. I can't afford losing any other teams these days, it seems that most of them are splitting up and going solo. At any rate, there is something that has caught our attention. Someone has been using mass mind control to take over planets in Lylat. Peppy interrupted his speech, "But don't we have some kind of energy wave transmitter that nullifies the effects of mass mind control here on Corneria." Pepper continued, "Yes, Corneria does have a system like this, but it seems that the person in question is only taking over more primitive planets that don't have the system, luckily, most of the planets in affiliation with Corneria has this Mind Control Disrupter System equipped." Fox interrupted, "Do we know what planets have been affected?" Pepper continued, "Mostly just outer ring planets that are far away from Corneria, but if the person in question manages to take over enough planets, he will be able to form a huge army and could possibly take over the rest of the planets in Lylat...including Corneria." The room went silent for a while and then Fox asked, "So what exactly do you want us to do about it?" Pepper answered, "Star Fox, I want you to find this madman and end this foolishness. I will be sending a few short range Mind Control Disrupter Systems to the Great Fox. After you clear an area on the planet, set one of these up and you will create a three hundred mile barrier that cancels out the effects of mind control. We can then send special operatives to those planets and can finish the job. There will be a large sum of money if you are able to pull this off, but there is extreme risk involved. In taking this mission, you take the risk of being taken under mind control yourselves and you may never regain your sanity...I have, however, managed to get the R&D team to develop a sort of personal shield against the effects of mind control, they haven't been tested in action, but it's better than having nothing I must say. That is all for now, I want all of you back here tomorrow at 09:00 so I can finish discussing the mission at hand and I will give you your Personal Mind Control Systems. But for now, lets forget about these matters, I have a arranged rooms for you at the hotel a few blocks down the road, I hope you have a nice rest and come back tomorrow as scheduled. You are dismissed."
Peppy and Slippy left the room and headed for the hotel. Fox stayed in the room and asked, "Pepper, did you receive my data tapes from a recent flight test?" Pepper looked up and chuckled, "Yes Fox, I know you're a great pilot, but you don't need to give me the results on your tests, I think I know you are a capable pilot." "I didn't take that test, she did, and she wants to join the Star Fox team." Fox said, motioning to Krystal. Pepper got up and walked over in front of Krystal. "Young lady, did you really do this, did you pass the test with a perfect score?" Krystal humbly replied, "Yes General Pepper, if what Fox told me was correct, I did pass the test with a perfect score." Pepper looked back at Fox and said, "She aced the test on her first try Fox, I guess she really has some piloting genius, young lady, did you know you are only the second person in the history of the test to pass it perfectly?" Krystal timidly replied, "No sir, I didn't." "Can you show me your spacecraft license?" Krystal dug through her bag, pulled out her license, and showed it to Pepper. Pepper said, "I see, you have a perfect flying record and have only been flying for under a year. With piloting skills like yours and your modesty, I'm sure you'll make a perfect member on the Star Fox team. I, General Pepper, grant you permission to join the Star Fox team and take part in missions as their leader, Fox McCloud deems necessary, what is your name young lady?" "It's Krystal sir." "And last name?" Krystal was surprised by that question; she never really realized she didn't have a last name. The people of Cerinia were never given last names for some reason. She replied, "I don't have one sir, its just Krystal." "Well, regardless, you are now free to join the Star Fox team. You will be receiving a new uniform soon from one of our tailor's to match that of the teams. You'll need to see him before our meeting tomorrow, he will fit you with a new, official, and custom fit Star Fox uniform. So I will see both of you tomorrow at 09:00." Fox and Krystal nodded at Pepper and walked out of his office.
They headed back down the elevator and walked out of the building. Fox stopped Krystal as they walked out into the dark street and said, "It's kinda dangerous to walk around the street this late, there isn't a whole bunch of crimes in Corneria, but we do have some small gangs that come out at night. We have a little way to walk before we get to our hotel, so we shouldn't walk in the open, lets try and stay outta the streets so we don't draw..." Krystal took Fox's hand and said, "Don't be so concerned, I'm sure there's nothing that can scare you, right Fox?" "Hey, I'm not scared, there's nothing in this galaxy that is too tough for me," Fox replied, trying to defend himself. Krystal smiled up at him and responded, "Then let's hurry to the hotel, I've been on my feet all day."
Fox slowly lead Krystal along the outside walls of every building that came into their path. They slid along walls and took quick looks around buildings, making sure it was safe. After a while, Fox got tired of using stealth, seeing that he hadn't noticed anyone walking the streets that night so far. He began to walk down the sidewalk, occasionally finding brief comfort in the luminosity the streetlights gave off as he and Krystal sauntered under them. Fox and Krystal eventually arrived at the hotel, both exhausted from their efforts to stay undetected, but they were successful.
They entered to find that their hotel was only slightly less impressive than the main hall in the Cornerian Army Base. There was a large fountain in the middle of the entry hall and many attractive paintings hanging from the walls. The receptionist's desk was made purely from deep, black marble and as Fox and Krystal walked up to it, they could see their reflection on its well-polished surface. Fox addressed the clerk behind the desk and said, "I have a room that was reserved by General Pepper." The clerk quickly typed in the name General Pepper into his computer. "Yes, I see that the General has made room reservations for four, are there others that will be joining you?" "You mean they haven't gotten here yet...heh...I bet Slippy screwed up the directions. Ok, well I guess it's only two people." Fox replied sounding slightly annoyed. "Very well, use this cartridge to enter your room, it is room number 2464." The receptionist gave Fox the cartridge and they made their way to the elevator and up to the 246th floor. They walked down the hall for a while and came to the room 2464. Fox stuck the cartridge into the top of the lock and, after a few seconds, the door automatically opened.
They walked in to see a huge room filled with just about everything you could ever want in a hotel room. There was a giant, flat-screen TV on the far right wall and a few chairs and couches surrounding it. In the middle of the room, was a big fireplace, contained inside a brick dome. On the left there were two large beds, and beyond that, there was an elegantly decorated bathroom. It was all sitting on top of a plush white carpet that seemed to perfectly cushion every step they took.
Krystal dropped her bag by the door and said, "Kxat at keo dasotk heem A xulo tood." Fox looked at her, confused. Krystal saw his puzzled look and realized she was talking in Dinosaur Language. "Oh, I'm sorry Fox, I guess sometimes I just relapse back to Dinosaur Language, I've been speaking it since I was a child back on Cerinia..." Krystal trailed off, trying not to think of her home planet. Fox quickly changed the subject, "I'm glad we didn't have to pay for this room..." Krystal cut him off, "Fox, I don't want to hide my past from you, I need to tell you what happened to my planet, I keep wanting to put it off, but I have to tell you. It was part of my mission to find the one that could save our planet. I think...I think you are the one, Fox McCloud." Krystal went over to the lounging area by the TV and sat down. Fox followed her and sat down next to her. Krystal began to tell the tale...the tale of her past.
"Four years ago, Cerinia was a peaceful planet. There were many different tribes and they all were nonviolent. Each tribe had a part of a sacred scroll. It was called, "The Scroll of Destinies." Each tribe was assigned to protect each piece of the scroll with their lives. No one knew what the scroll said when put together, but legends say that it described a hero that would come from the sky and save the planet from an approaching danger. Everyone accepted this and we all felt protected by the legend of the mythical hero. My father was the leader of our tribe and I was going to take his place soon. I was to be the first female ruler of a tribe in the history of the planet, but just days before I took control of my Father's tribe, a terrible war broke out. Someone had taken a piece of the scroll from another of the tribes, and somehow, it was found in our territory. This created distrust between the tribes and they began a long period of fighting. The wars lasted for three long years. The legend and the scrolls had been forgotten. During the wars, there was a time when my Father left the tribe, he had been gone for a few days, and he did not tell me what he was doing. I went searching for him and I found him on the outside of our tribe's territory. He was putting together pieces of paper, but it was more than just a piece of paper, my father had somehow been able to recover every piece of the sacred scroll. As he inserted the final piece into the scroll, a wave of energy shot high into the sky and the pieces of the scroll joined together to form the complete text. My Father and I read it together,
"When war breaks forth upon the tranquil planet of Cerinia, a hero shall descend from the heavens, flying a mighty vessel forged of metal and steel. He will put an end to the fighting of the tribes. He is the hero of life, and he will save Cerinia from fading into the sands of time, instead, bringing with him a hope for the future. He will bring hope to humanity. But, he will not come to you, for he is blinded by technology and is not in tune with his true self. He does not know the true power held within him. The tribes of this land have been able to use the powers of nature and channel it into small amounts of energy, the energy of life. The hero is not like you on Cerinia, but he will know we speak the truth. You that read the scroll must journey forth to find the conqueror of destiny, you must show him his true power, only then will our call be heard clearly in his mind. There is another, chosen by destiny, to find the hero of life. Like the hero himself, she is bound by fate to save the planet. Together, they will reunite, not only Cerinia, but also the entire galaxy, and they will remain together for all of time. Make haste, you have little time to waste, the planet is resting on the successful delivery of this message."
My Father looked at me and said, "My daughter, you are the one described in the text, you must seek out our liberator. I knew this time was to come, and I still am not ready to see you leave, but you must...for the sake of our planet, and the fate of..." Those were the last words I heard from my Father. He was brutally killed by another tribe, right in front of me. I hurried back to our village...but it was no longer, it had been destroyed by the other tribes...There was nothing left for me there...I felt so helpless...I couldn't do anything to prevent the destruction of my home planet...I would've done anything to stop the fighting...but...I..." Krystal couldn't hold back the tears that she had held in for so long, she put her face in her hands and let the tears flow.
Fox sat there looking Krystal, realizing how similar their pasts seemed. He put his right arm around her and felt her trembling from the tears. She leaned her head against Fox's shoulder and he set his head on top of hers. Fox tried to find the words to comfort Krystal. Only the sound of Krystal weeping could be heard in the room, but then Fox whispered, "Krystal...This mission will allow us to travel to the outside of the Lylat System, and we will be able to stop at Cerinia. I don't know if the rest of the crew will like the decision, but if you want to go to Cerinia, I'll get us there as fast as possible. I'd leave the Cornerian Allegiance before I let you down Krystal. We can save Cerinia together, just like the scroll predicted, we are destined to conquer the evil and save the universe. We have to try and forget our pasts and press on for a greater future..." Krystal interrupted, as her tears began to subside, "I'd never make you do something a drastic as that for me Fox...And even if the scrolls did say so, there's no way we can prove them to be true, there are things said in that text that are hard to understand, and how do I know you are the one to save us...I don't want to lose you Fox...Maybe it's better if we just get on with General Pepper's mission and..." Fox cut her short and reassuringly responded, "Krystal...I risk my life every day in space, there is always a possibility for accidents. Every mission I take could be my last, that's why we have to enjoy life while we have it." Krystal quietly responded, "I can't see how you could believe a scroll that claims to know the future..." "The scroll isn't the reason I want to save Cerinia..." Fox said without realizing and suddenly cut himself off. "Fox," Krystal said, tired from the emotional conversation, "Let's just not worry about it until that time comes...and when it does, we will fight together...not just for Cerinia, but for everyone..." Fox held Krystal in his arms and they both drifted off to sleep, wondering what the future really held for each of them, and if the scroll really did tell the truth...
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Chapter 4: Remembrance
The crew made there way to the back of the ship where the gangway was located. Krystal was already waiting there for them at the exit. She had a large bad full of stuff that she had deemed, 'necessary' for the outing. "Are we ready to go?" She asked, sounding like she was only going to accept one answer. "Ya, I think we got everything ready, ROB will take care of the ship while were gone, so we won't have to worry about anything. Peppy and Slippy exited the ship and Krystal walked over to Fox and took his hand. "Let's go, I don't think I can wait any longer." Fox smiled and replied, "I can tell your ready, judging by all that stuff in your bag." "Hey, I need all this stuff, what if something happens and I need..." She paused and began digging through the bag. Fox stopped her and said, "Ok, I get it, let's just get going." Krystal nodded and together they walked out of the ship and down onto the floor of the Corneria Docking Station. It was a vast area, filled with many different types of ships from all over the Lylat System. There were small vehicles hovering just above the floor, going back and forth from every ship.
Krystal hesitated for a moment, trying to take in everything she was seeing around her. Fox looked over at her and said, "It's pretty incredible isn't it, and it only took two years to construct this whole facility. Technology has really been advancing over the last few years." Krystal nodded, not really listening to what Fox was saying. She had never seen things this magnificent. She had grown up on the somewhat primitive planet of Cerinia, which had little to no technology at all. They lived in simple huts in a deep forest, with no communication from outside planets. But after the terrible accident...she was sent away from the planet, and she never fully came to realize the fate of that planet, she had always wanted to go back, but had never had the opportunity.
Fox saw that Krystal was suddenly looking sad. "What's wrong, don't you like it here?" Fox asked, sounding concerned. "No...it's not that, I just remembered something...rather unpleasant, but I'll be fine. Well, let's get going. It looks like Slippy and Peppy are already leaving." Fox looked out of the docking bay and saw his teammates climbing into a hovertaxi. "I guess we should get one too," Fox thought out loud. They walked out of the Docking Station and headed out to the paved roads of Corneria. There were many huge buildings that filled Corneria's skyline. Fox signaled for a hovertaxi and soon after, the small, blue vehicle drifted over in front of the curb.
Fox opened the door for Krystal and she entered the vehicle. She felt her weight make the vehicle dip slightly and she stumbled into the rear seat. Fox got in after her and sat down next to her. "Corneria Army Base, please." The driver nodded and the vehicle quickly glided above the streets. Krystal, who was busy looking out the window, asked Fox, "So what is this thing called?" "It's a hovertaxi, they use anti-gravity engines to float just above the ground." Fox explained. "And what are those buildings for?" She again questioned. "Those are mainly just office buildings used for business purposes." Fox replied. The barrage of questions kept coming, but Fox didn't mind answering Krystal questions. All he wanted was for her to be happy while she has on his home planet.
An hour and many questions later, they arrived at the Cornerian Army Base. Fox got out of the hovertaxi and Krystal followed right behind, again stumbling out because of the weight shift. When she got out, she stopped to take in the scene that had just opened up before her. The Cornerian Army Base was easily the tallest building in the area. It seemed to reach high into the sky, and didn't stop until it was just underneath the clouds. Meanwhile, Fox paid the hovertaxi, who accepted the money and quickly went off looking for another passenger. Fox than walked up behind Krystal, who didn't even seem to be breathing. It was like she had been sent hundreds of years into the future, and was, for the first time, experiencing something that seemed far ahead of her time. Fox put his hand on her shoulder and asked, "Is this what you imagined Corneria to be?" Krystal broke out of her awe-induced trace and answered. "It's better than I ever would've dreamed of Fox. Everything seems so big and wonderful. Are there other planets like this one? Will we get to see them?" Fox answered, "Yes, there are many planets like this one, and hopefully, we will get to see a few of them on our missions." "A few of them?" Krystal replied with a confused look, "Just how many planets are there Fox?" Fox hesitated with a grin on his face and replied, "I can't explain right now, we have to get to Pepper's office before were late." "So you'll tell me later?" Krystal asked with a curious tone. Fox responded with a chuckle. "Yes, but I'm not sure how much later, Pepper's debriefings can last for hours."
They left the curb they were standing on and walked into the huge complex. The main hall was filled with many different fountains, plated with platinum and gold decorations. On the ceiling hung many flamboyant chandeliers that were suspended from high above. The walls depicted a timeline of Cornerian history, starting at the entrance there was an illustration of the founder of Corneria mounting a flag in the primitive jungle that Corneria was before colonization, and it continued around the entire main hall. The floor was made of a kind silver tile and in the middle of the floor, the tiles on the ground spelled out, Cornerian Army Base, in huge, proud letters.
Fox and Krystal walked up to the main desk and the receptionist immediately recognized him. "Welcome Fox McCloud, back from the Dinosaur Planet mission?" "Ya, I had some problems with that Dinosaur Language, but it worked out pretty good. Is Pepper available right now?" Fox replied. "I'll call him now and see, please wait one moment." The receptionist began typing into her laptop and the picture of General Pepper appeared. "General Pepper, Fox McCloud is here to see you, do you want me to send him up?" The image of Pepper replied, "Yes, send him up quickly, we have important matters to discuss." The image disappeared and the receptionist looked up at Fox, "It looks like you may have a new mission, you know where General Pepper's office is, right? Floor 385, at the end of the hallway." "Ya, I've been in there enough times, I pretty much have this whole building memorized." Fox replied with a smirk.
Krystal followed Fox through the building and into the elevator. Krystal seemed somewhat confused at the exact reason why one would enter a box if you wanted to head upward. When they got in, the door closed behind them. Krystal looked at Fox, "Is it normal for the door to close like..." She stopped and let of a small yelp as the elevator began to climb to the top floor. Fox glanced over at Krystal who seemed to be holding onto the handrail with her life. Fox walked over and gently took Krystal's hands off the rail and put them in his hand. "It's fine Krystal. Elevators are perfectly safe, and the ride's almost over." As he said this, the elevator slowly came to a stop on the 385th floor and the elevator dinged to signal that they had arrived. The doors again opened and they both walked out. "Will we have to take the elevator again Fox?" Krystal asked, no longer with concern in her voice. "Ya, it's the only way to go. This building is too high to have stairs." Fox replied. Krystal looked back at the elevator. "Good, I want to see what it feels like without holding onto the rails."
They walked away from the elevator down the long hallways of the top floor, before the end of the hallway, there was a large seating area with a few chairs and couches placed around the room. On the wall, there was a large window that looked over most of the city. Krystal walked over to the window and took in the view that it provided. Everything was so far below them; only the tops of a few building could reach the height that she was at. She looked down and saw the entire city, which seemed to stretch far beyond the range of the horizon. The sun was just setting behind the massive buildings of Corneria. It set the sky afire with colors that made Krystal remember her experience in hyperspace, but, unlike hyperspace, experiencing this brought her no anxiety. She felt a feeling of calm come over her. She recognized a kind of...complex beauty that Corneria gave off as the shadows slowly crept over the streets of the planet. Fox came up behind Krystal and put his right arm around her and said, "Sometimes when the sun sets on a clear day like this, you can see the mountains far in the distance, they aren't visible during the day because of the air pollution, but look at them now." Krystal looked far past the city to see the mountains, which were a mixed color of yellow and red as the sun's rays reflected off of them. It was a sight she had never before dreamed of witnessing. The beautiful mountains being set off by the tall shadowed buildings of Corneria. Krystal leaned her head over onto Fox's shoulder and began to nuzzle his neck. "Fox, this reminds me so much of Cerinia. The mountains in the distance look exactly like the ones on my home planet when the sun hits them like that. It brings back a lot of precious memories, but...also a lot of displeasing ones as well. I need to tell you...what happened to Cerinia...maybe...one day...we can go back and...save it...somehow." Fox took Krystal in both arms and replied, "You don't have to tell me if it is going to bring you pain Krystal." "No Fox, I need to tell you, I have to tell you what happened, I was the only survivor of that accident on Cerinia. I escaped and I was supposed to find help...I think you are the one that was chosen to save our planet." Krystal replied, beginning to tear up. Fox responded, "Krystal...why don't you tell me about it...after our meeting with Pepper. We'll have a lot of time to talk after that. Besides I think were late as it is."
Krystal looked back out the window and seemed to draw courage from the beautiful sunset. She didn't leave Fox's side as they slowly walked further down the hall to Pepper's office. It was still a long walk down the huge corridors of the base, but after a while they finally arrived at his office. On the door, it said, "General Pepper: Commanding Officer," with large proud letters. Before Fox and Krystal were about to enter, Peppy and Slippy came up from the hallway behind them. Peppy walked up to Fox and said, "Sorry were late Fox, Slippy gave the driver bad directions and we ended up at some ice cream shop." Slippy giggled when Peppy said this, but quickly stopped when Peppy turned around and gave him a sharp glare. He continued, "Anyway, were here now, so lets get this over with before it gets too dark outside, I don't really want to walk the streets of Corneria at night." Fox smirked and knocked on the door. A voice came from inside, "Fox, if that's you come in." Fox quickly opened the door and the whole group walked in.
Pepper quickly began giving his speech before everyone could get in the door. "Star Fox, we have a big problem on our hands. I know that you just returned from your mission on Dinosaur Planet, but I need a team that has experience in tense situations. I can't afford losing any other teams these days, it seems that most of them are splitting up and going solo. At any rate, there is something that has caught our attention. Someone has been using mass mind control to take over planets in Lylat. Peppy interrupted his speech, "But don't we have some kind of energy wave transmitter that nullifies the effects of mass mind control here on Corneria." Pepper continued, "Yes, Corneria does have a system like this, but it seems that the person in question is only taking over more primitive planets that don't have the system, luckily, most of the planets in affiliation with Corneria has this Mind Control Disrupter System equipped." Fox interrupted, "Do we know what planets have been affected?" Pepper continued, "Mostly just outer ring planets that are far away from Corneria, but if the person in question manages to take over enough planets, he will be able to form a huge army and could possibly take over the rest of the planets in Lylat...including Corneria." The room went silent for a while and then Fox asked, "So what exactly do you want us to do about it?" Pepper answered, "Star Fox, I want you to find this madman and end this foolishness. I will be sending a few short range Mind Control Disrupter Systems to the Great Fox. After you clear an area on the planet, set one of these up and you will create a three hundred mile barrier that cancels out the effects of mind control. We can then send special operatives to those planets and can finish the job. There will be a large sum of money if you are able to pull this off, but there is extreme risk involved. In taking this mission, you take the risk of being taken under mind control yourselves and you may never regain your sanity...I have, however, managed to get the R&D team to develop a sort of personal shield against the effects of mind control, they haven't been tested in action, but it's better than having nothing I must say. That is all for now, I want all of you back here tomorrow at 09:00 so I can finish discussing the mission at hand and I will give you your Personal Mind Control Systems. But for now, lets forget about these matters, I have a arranged rooms for you at the hotel a few blocks down the road, I hope you have a nice rest and come back tomorrow as scheduled. You are dismissed."
Peppy and Slippy left the room and headed for the hotel. Fox stayed in the room and asked, "Pepper, did you receive my data tapes from a recent flight test?" Pepper looked up and chuckled, "Yes Fox, I know you're a great pilot, but you don't need to give me the results on your tests, I think I know you are a capable pilot." "I didn't take that test, she did, and she wants to join the Star Fox team." Fox said, motioning to Krystal. Pepper got up and walked over in front of Krystal. "Young lady, did you really do this, did you pass the test with a perfect score?" Krystal humbly replied, "Yes General Pepper, if what Fox told me was correct, I did pass the test with a perfect score." Pepper looked back at Fox and said, "She aced the test on her first try Fox, I guess she really has some piloting genius, young lady, did you know you are only the second person in the history of the test to pass it perfectly?" Krystal timidly replied, "No sir, I didn't." "Can you show me your spacecraft license?" Krystal dug through her bag, pulled out her license, and showed it to Pepper. Pepper said, "I see, you have a perfect flying record and have only been flying for under a year. With piloting skills like yours and your modesty, I'm sure you'll make a perfect member on the Star Fox team. I, General Pepper, grant you permission to join the Star Fox team and take part in missions as their leader, Fox McCloud deems necessary, what is your name young lady?" "It's Krystal sir." "And last name?" Krystal was surprised by that question; she never really realized she didn't have a last name. The people of Cerinia were never given last names for some reason. She replied, "I don't have one sir, its just Krystal." "Well, regardless, you are now free to join the Star Fox team. You will be receiving a new uniform soon from one of our tailor's to match that of the teams. You'll need to see him before our meeting tomorrow, he will fit you with a new, official, and custom fit Star Fox uniform. So I will see both of you tomorrow at 09:00." Fox and Krystal nodded at Pepper and walked out of his office.
They headed back down the elevator and walked out of the building. Fox stopped Krystal as they walked out into the dark street and said, "It's kinda dangerous to walk around the street this late, there isn't a whole bunch of crimes in Corneria, but we do have some small gangs that come out at night. We have a little way to walk before we get to our hotel, so we shouldn't walk in the open, lets try and stay outta the streets so we don't draw..." Krystal took Fox's hand and said, "Don't be so concerned, I'm sure there's nothing that can scare you, right Fox?" "Hey, I'm not scared, there's nothing in this galaxy that is too tough for me," Fox replied, trying to defend himself. Krystal smiled up at him and responded, "Then let's hurry to the hotel, I've been on my feet all day."
Fox slowly lead Krystal along the outside walls of every building that came into their path. They slid along walls and took quick looks around buildings, making sure it was safe. After a while, Fox got tired of using stealth, seeing that he hadn't noticed anyone walking the streets that night so far. He began to walk down the sidewalk, occasionally finding brief comfort in the luminosity the streetlights gave off as he and Krystal sauntered under them. Fox and Krystal eventually arrived at the hotel, both exhausted from their efforts to stay undetected, but they were successful.
They entered to find that their hotel was only slightly less impressive than the main hall in the Cornerian Army Base. There was a large fountain in the middle of the entry hall and many attractive paintings hanging from the walls. The receptionist's desk was made purely from deep, black marble and as Fox and Krystal walked up to it, they could see their reflection on its well-polished surface. Fox addressed the clerk behind the desk and said, "I have a room that was reserved by General Pepper." The clerk quickly typed in the name General Pepper into his computer. "Yes, I see that the General has made room reservations for four, are there others that will be joining you?" "You mean they haven't gotten here yet...heh...I bet Slippy screwed up the directions. Ok, well I guess it's only two people." Fox replied sounding slightly annoyed. "Very well, use this cartridge to enter your room, it is room number 2464." The receptionist gave Fox the cartridge and they made their way to the elevator and up to the 246th floor. They walked down the hall for a while and came to the room 2464. Fox stuck the cartridge into the top of the lock and, after a few seconds, the door automatically opened.
They walked in to see a huge room filled with just about everything you could ever want in a hotel room. There was a giant, flat-screen TV on the far right wall and a few chairs and couches surrounding it. In the middle of the room, was a big fireplace, contained inside a brick dome. On the left there were two large beds, and beyond that, there was an elegantly decorated bathroom. It was all sitting on top of a plush white carpet that seemed to perfectly cushion every step they took.
Krystal dropped her bag by the door and said, "Kxat at keo dasotk heem A xulo tood." Fox looked at her, confused. Krystal saw his puzzled look and realized she was talking in Dinosaur Language. "Oh, I'm sorry Fox, I guess sometimes I just relapse back to Dinosaur Language, I've been speaking it since I was a child back on Cerinia..." Krystal trailed off, trying not to think of her home planet. Fox quickly changed the subject, "I'm glad we didn't have to pay for this room..." Krystal cut him off, "Fox, I don't want to hide my past from you, I need to tell you what happened to my planet, I keep wanting to put it off, but I have to tell you. It was part of my mission to find the one that could save our planet. I think...I think you are the one, Fox McCloud." Krystal went over to the lounging area by the TV and sat down. Fox followed her and sat down next to her. Krystal began to tell the tale...the tale of her past.
"Four years ago, Cerinia was a peaceful planet. There were many different tribes and they all were nonviolent. Each tribe had a part of a sacred scroll. It was called, "The Scroll of Destinies." Each tribe was assigned to protect each piece of the scroll with their lives. No one knew what the scroll said when put together, but legends say that it described a hero that would come from the sky and save the planet from an approaching danger. Everyone accepted this and we all felt protected by the legend of the mythical hero. My father was the leader of our tribe and I was going to take his place soon. I was to be the first female ruler of a tribe in the history of the planet, but just days before I took control of my Father's tribe, a terrible war broke out. Someone had taken a piece of the scroll from another of the tribes, and somehow, it was found in our territory. This created distrust between the tribes and they began a long period of fighting. The wars lasted for three long years. The legend and the scrolls had been forgotten. During the wars, there was a time when my Father left the tribe, he had been gone for a few days, and he did not tell me what he was doing. I went searching for him and I found him on the outside of our tribe's territory. He was putting together pieces of paper, but it was more than just a piece of paper, my father had somehow been able to recover every piece of the sacred scroll. As he inserted the final piece into the scroll, a wave of energy shot high into the sky and the pieces of the scroll joined together to form the complete text. My Father and I read it together,
"When war breaks forth upon the tranquil planet of Cerinia, a hero shall descend from the heavens, flying a mighty vessel forged of metal and steel. He will put an end to the fighting of the tribes. He is the hero of life, and he will save Cerinia from fading into the sands of time, instead, bringing with him a hope for the future. He will bring hope to humanity. But, he will not come to you, for he is blinded by technology and is not in tune with his true self. He does not know the true power held within him. The tribes of this land have been able to use the powers of nature and channel it into small amounts of energy, the energy of life. The hero is not like you on Cerinia, but he will know we speak the truth. You that read the scroll must journey forth to find the conqueror of destiny, you must show him his true power, only then will our call be heard clearly in his mind. There is another, chosen by destiny, to find the hero of life. Like the hero himself, she is bound by fate to save the planet. Together, they will reunite, not only Cerinia, but also the entire galaxy, and they will remain together for all of time. Make haste, you have little time to waste, the planet is resting on the successful delivery of this message."
My Father looked at me and said, "My daughter, you are the one described in the text, you must seek out our liberator. I knew this time was to come, and I still am not ready to see you leave, but you must...for the sake of our planet, and the fate of..." Those were the last words I heard from my Father. He was brutally killed by another tribe, right in front of me. I hurried back to our village...but it was no longer, it had been destroyed by the other tribes...There was nothing left for me there...I felt so helpless...I couldn't do anything to prevent the destruction of my home planet...I would've done anything to stop the fighting...but...I..." Krystal couldn't hold back the tears that she had held in for so long, she put her face in her hands and let the tears flow.
Fox sat there looking Krystal, realizing how similar their pasts seemed. He put his right arm around her and felt her trembling from the tears. She leaned her head against Fox's shoulder and he set his head on top of hers. Fox tried to find the words to comfort Krystal. Only the sound of Krystal weeping could be heard in the room, but then Fox whispered, "Krystal...This mission will allow us to travel to the outside of the Lylat System, and we will be able to stop at Cerinia. I don't know if the rest of the crew will like the decision, but if you want to go to Cerinia, I'll get us there as fast as possible. I'd leave the Cornerian Allegiance before I let you down Krystal. We can save Cerinia together, just like the scroll predicted, we are destined to conquer the evil and save the universe. We have to try and forget our pasts and press on for a greater future..." Krystal interrupted, as her tears began to subside, "I'd never make you do something a drastic as that for me Fox...And even if the scrolls did say so, there's no way we can prove them to be true, there are things said in that text that are hard to understand, and how do I know you are the one to save us...I don't want to lose you Fox...Maybe it's better if we just get on with General Pepper's mission and..." Fox cut her short and reassuringly responded, "Krystal...I risk my life every day in space, there is always a possibility for accidents. Every mission I take could be my last, that's why we have to enjoy life while we have it." Krystal quietly responded, "I can't see how you could believe a scroll that claims to know the future..." "The scroll isn't the reason I want to save Cerinia..." Fox said without realizing and suddenly cut himself off. "Fox," Krystal said, tired from the emotional conversation, "Let's just not worry about it until that time comes...and when it does, we will fight together...not just for Cerinia, but for everyone..." Fox held Krystal in his arms and they both drifted off to sleep, wondering what the future really held for each of them, and if the scroll really did tell the truth...