Star Fox 3

CH.3: Off to a new start

Peppy Hare's departure from Great Fox couldn't have been sadder. Fox McCloud had the team assembled in the hangar bay with their uniforms on and their hands stretched out in honorable farewell. Peppy wore hiking gear and in his hand was the Cornerian badge. Fox was struggling again not to cry and Falco held his salute…with a little trembling. Peppy himself was a little shaky, but in his heart he yearned for a new start. "It was fun gang, but by the time you reach this age I bet you my life you'll think of retirement too. Krysky may be far away, but feel free to visit anytime."

"General Pepper sends his best wishes," Fox said with a weak voice, "your final pay is in your Arwing along with the requested items. Well old hare, I hope to see you before retirement," Fox said. Peppy gave him a hug which he took. Falco was next who seemed not sure what to say:

"Well…err, you aren't the best shooter, but I'll always have your back Pep," Falco said. Peppy shook the falcon's hand and made his way to Krystal who he barely knew, but still felt her as part of the team. There was much in her, many unanswered questions, not to mention her loose clothing, but still there was much unknown potential in her yet. He shook her hand and finally came to Slippy:

"Why now Peppy? Is it the pay? Is it your rooming? Is it-?" Slippy broke into tears and Peppy hugged the youngest member of Team Star Fox. He took one last look at the crew…his family and slung his duffel bag over his shoulder and made his way to his Arwing. Climbing up the steps he cast one more look at his family then when his engines had warmed up goosed the ignition and soared into the sky. Fox had no where to go at the moment so he put his hands in his pockets and stared at the sky. Falco and Slippy stood at his side and they too shared in his pain. Krystal had hung back and held in her hand the Star Fox badge which now made her part of the team. Krystal had some telepathy and as her powers stretched out to Peppy she could read sadness and hope. "Now what do we do Fox?"

"We continue the repairs," Fox said with a distant stare, "then we wait for any new assignments from Pepper. We're still short one pilot and we're low on fuel, Slippy I want you to go to the map analysis console and see if you can find a planet with sufficient amount of fuel, Falco see if you can recharge our blasters, and Krystal follow me." Krystal walked beside Fox as they made their way down a different hallway and came to a dressing room.

"Fox what is a dressing doing aboard Great Fox?" Fox laughed and Krystal put her hand on her hip emphasizing the question was serious. Fox rubbed his head and gave her a weak smile.

"Over the years there has been much change in the way my crew and I dress. You are now an honorary member of my team and what you're now wearing is…nice, but regulations state it can't be too revealing. The room is free to your disposal, and I promise not to peek," Fox said with a friendly smile. Krystal hit him in the arm and walked into the blue room. It held a whole lot of assortment of clothing; all seemed too much for her because the only clothing she wore linked her to her dead parents and planet. Slipping out of her loose garments she walked around viewing the apparel. She chose to slip into some blue garments before choosing a blue uniform that matched her every curve. Outside she could hear Fox humming a tune; she reached out to his mind and realized the tune belonged to his mother. Fox poked his head in just as Krystal, who had to find a distraction after finding out what she had, zipped up her uniform. "Well…you certainly made that your own now huh?"

"None of the other stuff fit me," Krystal said with a smile. As they walked side by side both wanted to say something, but it was difficult because both were anxious. "Fox I heard your short one pilot, why don't I give it a try?" Fox walked smack into the wall and Krystal grinned knowing he had been thinking the same thing. "C'mon at least give me a trial run," she pleaded. Fox rubbed his nose and knew Falco would hate what he was about to do, but in dire circumstances it was required. Leading Krystal into the hangar bay he pushed her to the wall as Slippy passed humming a tune. Finally Fox found what he was looking for and typed in his special password.

"Now Krystal this is a prototype, so try not to scratch it up before the unveiling ok?" Nodding her head she ducked under the door and held her breath as she saw a Arwing with Cornerian green paint and the same long nose as the other two models. "Falco was given these blueprints by a friend of Pepper on his leave and I had Slippy build it before Dinosaur Planet. Everything about it is doubled, I myself wished to test it out, but Peppy told me it was new and shouldn't be tested out until Pepper sees for himself. The cockpit size can fit two, so I'll be with you the whole trial, up until Slippy fixes my Arwing that is," Fox said with a crooked grin. Gearing up the two climbed the steps and plopped into the soft cushiony seats. "Systems seem good to go."

"Engines all functional and weapons charged," Krystal said after hearing Fox's report. The ship vibrated and Krystal held the yoke fiercely afraid it might blow up. "Ready for launch," she said then swallowed her gum accidentally. The Arwing prototype retracted the landing gears and with sudden velocity roared down the dark tunnel and into open space. "Ok, what do I do first Fox?"

"There's a practice bogey somewhere in the asteroid belt, try to find it…just don't get shot too much in the process," Fox warned her. Krystal piloted the Arwing prototype through open space and kept her mind alert as she flew into the belt of dead planets. There were no life signs out this far, but to her the past had a haunting reminder for her. Echoes of cries and pain ringed in her head and her grip on the yoke shook. "Hey Krystal, your losing control," Fox said nervously. Then she yelled:

"Don't kill me! Don't kill my family, I'll do anything just don't kill them!" The Arwing prototype took a sudden nosedive that Fox himself was caught off guard by. "The blood of the innocent bleed through the stars…I can't see anymore-."

"The yoke, Krystal grab the yoke!" Warning sirens rang in the cockpit and the stars began to spin lazily. Fox was thrown out of his seatbelt and onto Krystal whose very vision was white. "Krystal the bogey is straight ahead…look!"

"Fox it knows where we are," Krystal said staring at the object, "we haven't got much time…you've got to take it out…now." Fox had no idea she had telepathy, even for that matter how she got blind, but if she said to shoot he couldn't ignore that. Pulling the yoke he stabilized the fall and came up lasers blazing. The practice bogey zipped from left to right until Fox saw the crosshairs, and then it was nothing but a burning wreckage to add to the asteroid field.

"The cockpit may be messed up," Fox said tiredly, "but at least we didn't scratch it." Getting up he slowly picked Krystal up and stared into her white eyes. The tractor beam on Great Fox hauled them in and standing in the hangar bay was Falco and Slippy, none looked pleased at them being in the prototype. "Look guys the situation we're in is very poor, we need all pilots we could get, so I decided to test Krystal."

"Fox there are reasons for things being labeled "prototype" and what you did could've helped our enemy greatly." Falco examined the engines and seemed satisfied, like Fox that there weren't any scratches. Slippy looked into the cockpit and examined the shooting accuracy, it read 98. "Is she ok?"

"I'm fine Falco," Krystal said hotly. This brought the two face to face and both seemed itching for a fight. Fox had stepped in on the opportune moment and steered Krystal away from a glaring Falco. "Fox my vision will return momentarily, but if you don't mind could you help me get to my quarters?"

"Sure Krystal," Fox said. As Fox led her from the room his feelings for her grew fiery hot. As leader of Star Fox he avoided relationships as much as possible, but now here she was, possibly the one, future girlfriend; she was in his lap, but he hesitated. It could've been the tractor beam or for that matter his scrambled emotions, no matter the case he felt dizzy when he walked near her. She had hid her telepathy skills from him, and if that were case then that could mean she knows everything about him! "Krystal do you know my-?"

"Your favorite song?" Fox stopped and realized she knew, but then that could mean… "Your mother sung it to you, before that-." Fox hid his face from her and leaned against the wall, he didn't want her to see his pain. I know how he feels, Krystal thought holding herself, to lose your loving parents by twisted cowards and all you feel inside is emptiness and questions.

"It was a normal day," Fox began, "my father and I were at home waiting for her to get off at work. The explosion was a mile away…but still loud enough to alert my father and I. The Cornerian Fire Department rushed to the vehicle, but her body was full of burns, she had lost it all. General Pepper started an investigation, but it was closed inconclusive. Later on after I graduated from Corneria High, Peppy Hare had come back scared and scarred and had brought back news of betrayal and death." Fox stared into the hallway and his hand curled into a fist. "My father was betrayed by Pigma!"

"But Pigma is dead…as is Andross," Krystal said as he put a soothing hand on his shoulder. "Your father would be proud of the fox you have become today, as would my parents have they not-." Fox pulled Krystal into a hug and let her tears soak his brown fur. Krystal's past was still a mystery to him, but he was willing to learn. They needed each other.