For reasons I can't exactly explain, I really don't like this chapter all that much. But after looking over it more times than I care to admit, I've come to the conclusion that there isn't much I can do about it, short of taking it a completely different angle and making you, the reader, wait longer to read another chapter. Enjoy.
Chapter 36: Time After Time
What an insolent, moronic, stupid, idiot! How can Fox simply not see that I'm not good enough for his team? I've almost ruined two Arwings, and even then he can't see my incompetence? – Fara
The next two days for the Starfox team went far more poorly than usual. It became very clear to the others that Fox and Fara tried their hardest to avoid each other, the pair going as far as turning around or simply leaving if they ran into the other in the more common places in the base. Neither offered any explanations to the others, much to the dismay of the rest of the team.
The team did try their best to pry, however, but any questions as to what happened were quickly diverted by both Peppy and Fox. The vulpine didn't want to say anything, even to the team's so-called counselor, which struck them all as unusual, and Peppy didn't want to push the issue just yet. In another oddity, Fara did her best to keep completely away from rest of the group, just so the opportunity to speak to her about the incident never came up.
When the third day rolled around after the team's last battle in space, everyone was relieved to hear that the Arwings were back online and fully operational. As expected, Pepper wasted no time getting the pilots back into the skies once more. The team hoped that they would finally get some answers as well, as everyone would be in the same room once again for the meeting.
But Fara wasn't there. And Fox still wasn't talking.
After making a comment about the missing team member, the meeting went on as planned. The General decided to continue the assault on the rest of the planets in the system, as they had delayed far too long since they last recovered a planet in his mind, choosing Katina as their next target.
As they were all set to leave, Pepper had one last thing to say. "Junior, can I have a word with you alone?"
The rest of the team filed out and left Fox with the canine. "Yes, sir?"
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing."
Pepper shook his head, letting out a soft sigh. "Fara isn't here again, and you're nowhere near your usual talkative self. What's going on?"
Fox looked away from the General as he responded. "Nothing is wrong."
"Sure there isn't. Look, you can tell me whatever it is. Are you sure you don't have anything to say?"
"Yes, I'm sure."
"Fine. As long as this doesn't interfere with your duties, you can keep up the silent treatment. But I have a system to worry about over here, and I don't want to worry about my pilots' activities and relationships as well."
"Yes, sir. Can I go now?"
Pepper could tell that he wasn't going to get any answers at all. And short of holding him back, letting the entire system suffer in his absence, there was little he could do about it. "Go on. Good luck, Junior."
"Thanks." Wasting no further time, Fox turned and walked out, leaving the canine alone with his thoughts and worries.
Meanwhile, Fara was watching over the team from the comfort of her own room via the many security monitors that the base had. While she knew that she shouldn't be spying upon them like this, especially as they were her own team, she didn't want to risk the chance in stumbling upon them as she wandered through the halls. Ignoring a quick pang of regret, she watched as the pilots climbed into their Arwings and launched into the midmorning day.
She stood up and mulled over the same thoughts that she had the last few days – why Fox hadn't released her from the team like she'd demanded. She knew that she wasn't good enough for them. The other four on the team were hardened warriors as far as she was concerned, while she was just a test pilot, albeit a rather good one. This just wasn't her forte.
As it was, she wouldn't mind leaving anyway, as her father had sent her a message yesterday stating that the replacements to the patrol craft that the rest of the base used had just left the design phase. Her skills would be useful in the coming weeks according to him. While she enjoyed her time in the skies fighting Andross' forces, it just didn't feel right to her, especially with her luck in the Arwings so far. And unlike the rest of the team, she really didn't need the reward offered to the pilots, even though she didn't know exactly how much it was.
She was about to leave her room and see what interesting things were going on when the computer next to her beeped, informing her know she had an incoming call. Concerned as to who it was, here worries were calmed when the system identified the caller. Sitting back down as a smile appeared on her face, she answered the call. "Fay! What's going on with you today?"
The canine smiled back and brought up a paw to comb through her once white fur, which was currently dotted with what looked like soot. "Nothing too much. Practicing my mad scientist look for the most part."
Fara laughed. "I've noticed. What are you two doing down there anyway?"
"Actually, Fara, we figured that you'd like to come down to visit and see for yourself. Interested?"
"Always. Be right down."
A short walk later found Fara riding down the elevator to the science lab, anxiously waiting to meet up with the pair inside. She was just pleased to get her mind off current events, and she knew that out of everyone in the base, these two would be able to do it.
However, even with as long as she'd known the pair, she wasn't quite prepared for what she saw when she arrived. With a muted hiss the back of the elevator opened and revealed the interior of the lab. The first thing she noticed was Fay, which in itself wasn't unusual at all.
The fact that she was hovering three feet in the air was however.
Fara watched with amazement as she settled back to the ground. "How…what was that?"
"Just a sec," she replied. She turned towards her boss, who sat typing away at a terminal as she continued. "Compressed air, while far less volatile, simply doesn't offer the same power or endurance as ignited natural gas."
"Agreed," said Miyu, looking over the figures on her screen. "Results state a 23 reduction in longevity and a 1.2 second increase until you connected with the ceiling."
Fay sighed as she sat down and pulled the boots off her feet. "I guess it simply isn't going to happen then."
"While the increased mobility would be useful on the battlefield, it's going to be too dangerous to those around them."
Fara looked between the pair and wondered if she was going to get an explanation. "What exactly are you two working on?"
"Sorry," said the canine apologetically as she replaced her footwear. "Pepper had us looking into ways to increase a soldier's mobility in our spare time. Unfortunately, it seems like this isn't going to be as easy as we thought."
"That's an understatement," said Miyu as she picked up the boots and fiddled with something inside of them. "Our original idea was to put a propellant into redesigned footwear, thus allowing one to fly around without the aid of hand-held maneuvering jets and a jetpack of some sort."
"Sounds like a good idea," said Fara. "What's the problem then?"
"Plenty. Besides the stability issues as we found out, it's simply too dangerous to use the most efficient fuels."
"A mixture of rocket fuels for the most part," interjected Fay.
"Yes. Not only do they have to be configured for everyone individually as far as weight goes, which makes wearing combat armor or equipment an annoyance as they need to be adjusted afterwards, but it's risky to be anywhere near the boots upon launch. The other negative is the fact that it tends to ignite whatever's underneath you."
The canine laughed. "We found that one out the hard way."
"What did you burn down?" asked a now concerned Fara as she looked around the room.
"Nothing, thankfully," replied Miyu.
"Just left some nice scorch marks on the tile floor," added Fay, pointing to where one of the tables had been recently moved. "We haven't gotten around to replacing it yet."
"No, you've been too lazy to get it fixed."
"I have not!"
"Yes you have."
Fara giggled quietly as she looked back and forth between the pair, arguing like they were children and not the scientists that they were. "What are your plans for them then?"
"Probably just give up on them for now," replied Miyu, thankful to get this conversation back on track. "Technology just hasn't miniaturized enough for our ideas to be both effective and safe."
"Although setting things on fire is always fun," commented Fay with a grin. She was shot a look of such hatred from her boss that she actually shrunk back in shock. "What?"
Fara quickly interposed as she wasn't in the mood to see another verbal battle. "What are your plans for the prototype?"
"What do you mean?" asked the lynx, not sure what she was getting at.
"The boots. Are you just going to put them into storage or something?"
"Ah," she replied, now understanding. "We were going to put them away, like we do with most projects that fall through. Why do you ask?"
"Well…" Fara paused as she wasn't sure how to put her request. While the pair was always nice enough to show her most of what they were working on, they rarely let her play with their toys, unless it was going to directly affect her in some way. She seemed drawn to these boots for some reason or another however. "Mind if I try out those boots?"
The scientists looked at each other as if they were telepathic, debating on the answer. Their gaze shifted to the vixen after a few seconds as Miyu responded. "Sure."
"They should fit you," added Fay, speaking up after being quiet for so long. "Your feet look about the same size as mine."
Thankfully for Fara it was a perfect fit, her feet sliding in easily. After checking to make they were on properly, they passed over a small wrist device used to control the boots. After taking a few minutes to orient her as to how everything worked, they walked over to a corner of the lab that had the tiles removed, revealing a dirt floor underneath, and prepared for her first flight.
As expected, it didn't go well as the vixen promptly lost her balance and fell over as soon as she left the ground. Dusting herself off, she tried again, with almost the exact same results. "This isn't as easy as it looks," she laughed as she got back to her feet.
"No it's not," commented Fay as she covered a smile. "Maintaining your balance is the hardest part to learn, as it's a rather new experience. Nothing at all like flying. Try again."
Now having a good idea as to what to expect, Fara tried once more, refusing to give up. Bracing herself best she could, she pushed the buttons to fire up her boots. She shot into the air and let out a yip of glee as she stayed upright. After a moment, the flames shooting out from underneath quieted somewhat and allowed her to hover in place. "This is so cool!" she exclaimed, holding out her paws to steady herself as she slowly spun in place.
The other two in the room smiled as they watched Fara enjoy her newfound freedom, reverting to the carefree vixen they remembered so well. They both knew that she hadn't been her usual self in the last few days, but nobody knew why, short of the person in front of them. "Watch your fuel," said Miyu, keeping careful count of the seconds she'd been airborne.
Fara was simply too engrossed to think about something as simple as fuel however. All she knew was that she was floating in place, defying the powers of gravity, without the need to be in space and inside the bulky confines of either a ship or suit. She would have kept it up indefinitely if it wasn't for the sudden loud and grating beeping noise that her wrist device emanated a few seconds later, informing her that she must land.
With a sigh she touched the controls, her flight coming to a graceful end as the boots powered down and allowed a soft landing on the dirt floor. "That's so amazing! I love it!"
"Glad to see that you enjoy it so much," said Miyu wistfully.
"Having fun?" asked Fay with a laugh, already knowing the answer.
"Oh heck yes!" she exclaimed, practically bouncing off the walls in excitement. "It…it's like flying, but so different, so much fun. I can't explain it."
"I can see that," joked the canine. "While I'd rather fly, this is close enough for the time being."
Miyu looked between the two and wished she was able to join them in their flight. Unfortunately for her, it was decided early on to design the boots for Fay, owing to the fact that she was the lighter of the pair. Had they been successful, the lynx would have had her own to experiment with. She was pleased to see Fara enjoying herself so much however. "Care to fly again?"
"Can I?"
She walked over to an electronic wall safe embedded in one wall and punched in the code to open it. "Sure."
Fara looked for a good spot to sit down, finally deciding upon a chair that didn't have too much junk on it to move off. "What's in the safe?"
"The fuel cells you need among other things."
"Our plans for global domination," added Fay with a smile.
Miyu shook her head as she withdrew two cylindrical tubes, a few inches shorter than the almost knee-high boots. She instructed Fara to remove her footwear and showed her how to replace the fuel cells within. "Any questions?"
"No, I think…actually, I do have one. Out of curiosity, why is the fuel locked up like that? It's not like anybody else works here short of you two."
Fay giggled upon hearing her question. "You're basically wearing a scaled-down version of an engine. Think about it for a moment."
Noticing the addled and almost frightened look upon the vixen's face, as she now realized what she was wearing, Miyu knew that she needed to clear things up. "Pardon my partner's rather blunt remark, but you have nothing to worry about. The fuel itself isn't explosive unless it's being used or directly shot at, and the boots themselves are armored enough to withstand a few shots from your basic low-powered blaster."
"Thank goodness for little favors then," said Fara, relieved somewhat. She smiled as she stood up. "Well, up and away."
The pair watched as she took to the air once more, the happy grin on her face clearly showing her feelings, even though they both knew that there was something going on with her far deeper.
A few days passed, in which the Starfox team successfully continued their quest to restore peace to the galaxy. It was a hard-fought battle most of the time, Andross' forces starting to put tremendous pressure upon the pilots to simply stay alive, but in the end, they always returned home safely, their missions accomplished.
On the home front however, nothing had improved. While Fara now joined them during meetings, giving no explanation as to her previous absence, she stayed quiet most of the time unless directly asked a question. Peppy had tried his best to find out why during his free time, but owing to the fact that each battle had left him and the rest of the team more and more exhausted, he simply didn't have the time.
But he needed to know what happened that day. The whole team deserved to know.
So on the way out to Macbeth, their target of the day, the hare finally decided to take the time necessary to find out the truth. Taking a glance at the stars around him and stretching best he could in the confines of the Arwing, he asked, "Fox, you have a minute?"
He sounded as tired as the rest of the team did as he responded. The combat, while short most days, was getting more and more intense the closer they came to Venom, and he was growing worried as to the condition of everyone else. "What's up?"
"It's about Fara."
His response was swift. "Nothing is—"
"Yes there is, Fox. There's something going on between the both of you and it's affecting everyone on the team."
"Why do you think that you always know what's best for everyone?"
Peppy sighed, knowing that this was going to be one of those conversations. He had to find out the reason why though, as much as he hated to press Fox for it. "Your father always respected my thoughts and suggestions, so why can't you?"
"Because most of the time they invade into my privacy, that's why."
"Fox, look. Ever since the day Fara was released from the medical bay, something happened with you. I don't know if it was Falco's comments or not, but since then you've changed for the worse."
"I have not."
The hare continued with what he had to say and ignored the interruption. "You and Fara now avoid each other like the plague, and the few times you're with each other, you both act like the other doesn't exist."
"If you're so worried, why don't you talk with her?"
"Because I don't know her like I know you. And by your Father's last request to me, I'm supposed to watch over you, make sure that you're safe. Your acts concern me and the rest of the team. Please tell me."
Fox stayed quiet for the longest time, making Peppy wonder if he was simply going to be ignored. Finally, he answered in a dull tone. "We…we had a fight."
Peppy found it hard to believe that the friend he had known for many years could be silenced by something as simple as a fight. "That's it?"
"No. We…she got into an argument."
"Why?"
"She wanted off the team."
Now the hare had a good idea what exactly happened. He knew that Fox would have never let her leave like that, not without an especially good reason. "But she's a very respectable pilot."
"She sure doesn't feel that way."
"Care to explain?"
"Fara thinks she's a threat to the team based on her luck so far in the skies, even though I know differently."
Peppy looked around at the slowly moving stars and tried to figure out where to take this conversation. There was something more to Fox's reasoning that he wasn't telling, but he didn't know what just yet. "So do we all. I take it you denied her request to leave at that point, correct?"
Fox huffed in response, as if upset at having to dignify that question with an answer. "Of course I did. I—the team is not going to just lose her like that."
The hare smiled, having caught the slip in words. He thought that there was something going on between the two of them, even though neither of them had admitted to anything. Deciding to see if he could delve further, he pushed on. "Of course not. However…"
"Yes?"
"That can't be the only reason, Fox. I know you too well."
"And what…" He sighed and quieted for a moment before continuing. "You're really damn annoying, you know that?"
Despite the circumstances, Peppy had to laugh. "I've been hold that many times by many different people. I take it I'm right?"
"Of course you are. I swear that you're psychic or something." After a few seconds of thought, he continued. "I…I feel like I need to protect her for some reason or another."
"An entirely plausible reason considering you're of the opposite sex."
"No…that's not the reason." Sensing his teammate's rumbling of disagreement, he adjusted what he was saying. "Well, okay, so it is part of the reason. But it's not all of it."
"What is it then?"
"I'm worried about her. I'm worried about all of us. When we win this war, Peppy, it's just not going to end at that point. We're going to be hunted for what we've done for the rest of our lives."
"In war, there are always those who wished that the other side won, no matter how wrong their side may seem to be."
Fox rolled his eyes upon listening to yet another philosophical view from the hare. "Yeah. But anyway, I just don't want to see her run off like that. I feel like I have to watch over her, like I keep an eye out on you guys."
"She's part of the team now."
"Exactly."
Peppy quieted and thought over what he'd heard. This seemed familiar to him somehow, but he just couldn't place it. Maybe it was a line from James so long ago. "Why don't you tell her how you feel?"
"I can't do that."
"Why not? It would get you talking again at least."
"It…it just sounds so corny."
"I can do quite a few things for you, Fox, and I have done so over the years. This simply isn't one of those things. Go tell Fara how you feel. Something tells me she'll understand."
Sensing the discussion was over, the vulpine leaned back in his seat and closed his eyes. Everything that Peppy said had made sense, as always. He just wasn't sure what he should do about it. "We'll see."
The days continued to pass, the Starfox team drawing closer and closer to Venom with every successful attack. The once mighty warriors under Andross' command were crushed like a vice wherever they went, and the towns and cities that were freed were cheering the team's name any chance they had. The pilots had encountered some hardships in battle, but in the end it was nothing that their combined teamwork couldn't handle.
On the home front, things were just as cheerful for the most part, the base staff congratulating the team after every victory, even if they had to work the rest of the night repairing the damage they'd caused to their Arwings. They were just glad to see somebody taking the fight to Andross, restoring order to what was once a peaceful system.
Not everything was perfect however. Even after the discussion with Peppy, Fox hadn't done anything with the suggestions he'd received, allowing the silence between him and Fara continue. The remainder of the team hated the quiet, and now that they knew the reason as to why, it made little sense to them.
They just didn't know what to do. They didn't dare talk to Fara directly with this insider information, as they simply didn't know what her reaction would be. On top of that, she was still trying her hardest to avoid the team in their off time.
It didn't mean that others couldn't help however.
Worried about their friend, Miyu and Fay had decided to do some digging around of their own. Knowing that it had to be something with the Starfox team, the pair kept tabs on them and figured out their usual meal times, coming to the conclusion that would be the easiest way to possibly overhear something.
Luck was on their side one morning as Miyu sat quietly at the table next to Peppy and Slippy, reading the morning paper. The pair was trying to figure out how to convince Fox to speak with Fara, and while they were doing their best to disguise what they were talking about, it was rather clear to the lynx as to what their topic of conversation was.
Hiding her smile behind the datapad she had in one paw, she waited for the two to leave for their mission of the day before heading back to the lab. Fay met her as soon as she walked in, waiting expectantly for some good news. "Well?"
"Mission accomplished."
The canine beamed in joy. "All right!"
Shaking her head at her fellow scientist's enthusiasm, Miyu went through everything she learned. "What do you think?" she asked upon finishing.
"Poor, poor Fara. She thinks Fox was just being a jerk to her, but instead, he really cares. How sad."
"Agreed. The question, however, is what we do with this information."
Fay thought for a moment and tried to figure out the best course of action. "We need to talk to her about this."
"That much is obvious. What do we tell her though?"
"Well… I think we should try to get her to talk to us about her side of the story. If she keeps quiet, then we tell her what we know."
"An interesting suggestion. But how do we bring her down here so she doesn't get suspicious?"
"I have an idea," said Fay as she pointed at a small, three-pronged helmet that sat on a table nearby. "Are the goodies that you've installed in there ready for outside testing?"
Miyu smiled as she agreed with her teammate's suggestion. "What a good idea. I'll call her now."
A few minutes passed before Fara arrived, pleased as ever to see the pair. "What's up, you two?"
Fay took a good look at the vixen and tried to determine how she was before responding. While she seemed her usual energetic self, she could see the tired look in her eyes, betraying her true feelings. "Well, we have something we'd like to give to you."
"To test out would be the more accurate answer," added Miyu.
Fara looked rather surprised to hear what was said. "But I just got something from you not too long ago. Thanks again for letting me keep those boots by the way."
"No problem," replied the lynx. "In actuality though, we didn't originally intend to give them to you."
"But you liked them so much, we just had to pass them along," said Fay with a laugh. "Just don't burn down the base."
The vixen laughed back. "So what do you want to give me today then?"
"Mind if I take a look at your headset?" asked Miyu.
Fara grew nervous upon hearing that question. While she didn't have a sentimental attachment to it like Fox did, she was rarely without her helmet communicator. "Why?"
"We have a few upgrades that we've developed, and we're looking for a couple of people to test them out."
Still worried somewhat, but trusting the pair, she pulled off her helmet without another thought, smoothing her headfur as she did so. "Be careful with it, okay?"
"Don't worry, I'm not going to do anything with it." Miyu compared the helmet sitting on the desk next to her with the one she accepted from Fara. After making a few adjustments, she passed it to her. "Here, try it on."
The vixen took a look at the silver helmet, roughly the same size and shape as the one she had on previously. "It's lighter than mine," she commented as she put it on, "and it fits perfectly." She adjusted the communicator as she continued. "What's it do?"
"This is the newest piece of Cornerian military hardware," said Fay with a smile as she jumped in. "We're hoping it'll be adapted for many uses across the system actually."
"As for what it does," said Miyu, displeased at being interrupted, "let me explain. Sitting near your microphone is a panel hiding a series of unlabeled buttons. The first set controls your mike, like you'd expect. Same standard options like the one you already have."
"And from there it gets a tad more interesting."
The lynx sighed as she looked at her partner, wishing that she would stay quiet. "The second set controls an adjustable pair of binoculars, capable of magnifying from one-point-five to three times normal. The whole thing is designed around a pair of specially designed plastic lenses dropping down in front of your eyes, so it's nearly invisible except from close range."
Fara's eyes widened as she tried them out, amazed at how well they worked. "Wow," she whispered in awe as she looked around the room. "How'd you figure this one out?"
"The science behind it is rather simple, or at least it was compared to the difficulty in trying to get everything jammed into that head piece anyway. That was a logistical nightmare."
"What else is buried in here? I can feel a few more buttons."
"The third row controls what would be better used in a police or commando raid, but it might have some uses otherwise. It's a short-range frequency modulator, capable of blocking and distorting certain harmful sound levels that could be used to stun or injure an opponent."
Fara looked as if she seemed impressed, but then she scrunched her eyes in confusion. "Care to rephrase that?"
Fay giggled as Miyu tried to think of another way of describing what it did. "How best to put it… You've heard of sonic stun grenades before, right?"
"Yeah."
"Previously, any police team intending to use them had to wear bulky and potentially dangerous helmets to block out the frequencies used to stun their opponents. The downside was that they couldn't hear much of what was going on around them as a result. This prevents that."
"Ah. Can you still hear when you use them though?"
Miyu nodded. "While you can still hear, there is a sound-deadening effect. It's not as noticeable as the older designs, but it's still there. However, you can turn this off with a touch of a button."
"Nice. Anything else?"
"There are a few minor features like a tracking device with any other helmets in the area and ways to communicate to them all, but other than that, not really."
"Unfortunately, it can't roast your coffee or anything like that," joked Fay.
Fara laughed as the lynx groaned. "So, Fara, are you interested?"
"Of course I am," she replied. "Where do I sign up?"
"All I need is your permission to make the necessary modifications to your helmet."
Fay interrupted once more. "And we need you to sign your rights to your life, soul, and first-born kin on the dotted line."
"Why do I put up with you?" asked Miyu as she looked at her partner in dismay, tired of the snide comments.
"Because I'm really good at what I do, that's why."
"Thankfully. Anyway…shall I get started?"
Fara nodded, eager to get the modifications underway. "Do it."
"All right then. Fay, if you'd keep her occupied then, I'll get to work."
"Sure thing, boss." As Miyu walked off into her work area, separated from the rest of the room by a few bookcases littered with assorted experiments, the canine gestured around the room as she continued. "You can sit down anywhere if you want. Pardon the mess."
Pushing some papers out of the way, Fara revealed a seat and sat down with a smile on her face. "I'm used to it. This won't take long?"
"Not really. It's just a matter of moving parts around for the most part."
"Ah."
Fara looked around the room and tried to find something to hold her attention as she waited, while Fay instead sat there and watched the vixen, attempting to figure out the best way to approach her with what she wanted to say. "Anything on your mind, Fara?"
She looked over in surprise at the sudden question. It took her a few seconds to respond, clearly showing what the true answer was. "No, not really."
Knowing that there was something up, she decided to just dive right in with her topic of discussion, keeping up her innocent and humorous self for just a while longer. "So, how's that cutie Fox doing?"
"What?"
"You know, Fox. The one that all the females are fawning—"
"He's a stupid jerk."
That answer came as quite a shock to Fay. While she knew that the pair didn't see eye to eye, she didn't expect her to say that. "Those are very harsh words," she said as her tone turned serious as she tried to figure out what to say. "Why?"
Fara's response was just as stern. "He's a moronic, uncaring fool, only thinking about himself instead of others."
"From what I hear around the base that's not how he is. Care to explain?"
"You've heard of my track record so far with the Arwings, right?"
"I personally consider it bad luck and—"
"Yes or no."
Fay sighed. "Yes."
"So you know that I've wrecked one and almost trashed another."
"But what does—"
"I'm not cut out for fighting."
The canine now more or less understood what was going on. It was clear that she no longer wanted to fly in combat, that she didn't feel like she was good enough to do so. Nevertheless, there was still one question remaining. "What does this have to do with Fox?"
Fara looked away, as if she was ashamed to admit what she was saying. "I asked to be pulled from the team."
"And?"
"The idiot said no."
Fay could hardly believe what she was hearing. This entire argument was based around a single question; one that didn't get the proper answer, at least as far as Fara was concerned anyway. Then again, she knew that the vixen was quite the stubborn one once her mind was set. It was easy to see how and why she was so upset. All she had to do was show her the truth. "Did you ever think that there might be another reason?"
"From that selfish fool? No."
The pair stayed quiet at that point, listening to Miyu solder and weld nearby, that part of the room lighting up occasionally as the sparks flew. There was more that had to be said, however. "Fara, once this war is over, what do you think will happen?"
It took her a few seconds to answer that question. "Once the Starfox team sends Andross packing, things will go back to their normal, peaceful ways. Why?"
Fay shook her head, surprised at the pilot's naivety. "I highly doubt that. Do you honestly believe that Andross is working alone out there, with absolutely nobody backing him?"
"Probably not, but—"
"What happens when the war is over? Those supporting him wanted him to win, as horrible as it may sound. What do you think they'll do afterwards?"
Fara's eyes grew wide as she came to the same conclusion that the scientist was aiming towards. "They'll come after the Starfox team in revenge."
She shook her head once more. "They'll come after everyone who's ever been on the Starfox team."
"That…that includes…"
"Yes, Fara, that includes you, as well as everyone here on this base."
The vixen was stunned into temporary silence as she never had thought the aftermath through. "I…I never realized that."
Fay stayed quiet for a few seconds, letting her comprehend the severity of her actions of being a team member for as long as she had. "Now let me ask this question again. Do you think that there's another reason as to why Fox wants you to stay on the team?"
She slowly nodded. "He…he wants to watch over me, make sure that I'm safe. He wants to make sure I don't run off to where he can't protect me."
"Exactly. He wants to protect you, as well as the rest of his team."
"I've been such a jerk towards him for no reason then if that's true. Are you sure you're right on this?"
"I can't be sure without talking to him or his team. However, it makes sense, doesn't it?"
"Yeah." Fara looked around and noticed that the light show from Miyu had ended. "Thanks."
Fay smiled in response. "I do what I can."
At that point, the lynx rounded the corner, carrying Fara's helmet in one paw. "And my work here is done. Did you two do anything interesting in my absence?"
"Not really," said Fara as she stood up and accepted the helmet. She put it on and played around with the binocular setting as she continued. "Thanks again. Anything else?"
She shook her head. "No. However, I do want a report from you on your experiences and on any uses you come across for all the features. And if you can think of anything else you'd find useful, put that down as well."
The vixen laughed. "Reports are the one thing that I can do well. Talk to you both later."
The pair watched as Fara left, once again in a far more energetic mood than when she came in. As the door closed behind her, Miyu asked, "Did you have enough time to talk with her?"
"I did." Fay recanted what she had learned and everything she told her. "I do believe we'll see some adjustments from her in the near future."
"I think so too." She smiled. "Nice work."
"Thanks."
