Chapter7: Dinosaur Planet Part 1

Krystal

Samus' ship was still in its FTL state, clearing the Lylat system in record time. I sat in one of the chairs by the cockpit, blankly staring out of the window, shaking my leg as I crossed it over the other.

"Breathe, Krystal," Samus said, swivelling around in her command chair, lowering her bright visor. "I know your friend Is in danger, but you need to stay calm."

"I know, I know, but," I sighed and rubbed my temple, trying to sooth my psychic induced headache. "Dinosaur Planet is important for me, it's where I met Star Fox."

"I see," Samus responded and turned back to the window. "I'm sorry, but… are you not cold wearing… that?"

I immediately felt her gaze scan the loincloth and bra I was wearing.

"It's a cultural thing," I shrugged. "This armour is important to me, as yours is to you, I assume."

"It is."

Samus was silent for a moment, turning back to her command console.

"Now approaching Dinosaur Planet," the huntress simply said, bringing the ship out of FTL. From out the main window, the planet appeared, grey and gloomy thanks to some tropical storm "There it is."

As we made the approach to the glossy marble of a planet, I just looked down at my data pad, displaying the Chozo lore Samus had upon her ship to determine what relationship our people had.

"How old do you think this data is?" I asked, examining my own tattoos and comparing it with the ancient notes.

"Two to… three or four thousand years, I suppose," she shrugged. "I'm not too surprised that there was some contact at the very least. The Chozo had spread themselves across the cosmos for eons."

"When… when did you notice the symbol on my hips?" I somewhat coyly asked, a hand on my cheek. I peered out the window, watching as the re-entry process began. Samus' cockpit window dimmed automatically to block out the flames.

"Ahem… shortly after our Katina mission," She simply responded, still looking out the window, as well as the numerous systems on her ship. "You came out the showers."

I smirked, if only to ease my… unease.

"For such a big lady," I looked at the huntress. "You're remarkably light on your feet."

"Silence can be the difference between life and death sometimes."

Her words spoke volumes, my heart aching for her somewhat. The things she had likely seen. I felt a connection to her, one likely not dissimilar to that of the Chozo and Cernians. I looked at my feet. A profound silence between her and I started. The last women of our kind.

I turned my attention to the seat on the right of Samus, where I saw a discarded blue feather. I immediately knew who that moulted from. As we began to penetrate the stormy skies of Dinosaur Planet, I smiled and reached for the feather.

"He really doesn't know how to clean up after himself, does he?" I said, spinning the feather between my index finger and thumb. "I'm surprised you took a liking to him. And vice versa."

Samus turned around somewhat, her piercing gaze evident even behind her visor.

"He reminds me of an old friend," she turned back around, double checking the coordinates I had given her. "Back when I worked directly for the Federation."

"This is new to me," I widened my eyes. "What was he like?"

She shook her head and looked down as the ship began to make a rapid descent to a familiar jungle area, a clearing holding several ruined temples. If I could recall, this was Fox's LZ back when he came all those years ago.

"A comedian, to put it lightly,"

"Is he… still in contact?"

She shook her head.

"Higgs… I… I don't keep in contact with the team, not since Ian…" her voice trailed in reminiscence. I felt an aura of pain and regret radiate from the huntress as she blankly looked out the window. Not wishing to agitate that nerve any further, I decided to change the subject.

I picked my staff up from under my seat, standing up as we made a soft landing. Almost immediately, a shiver ran up my spine as I heard the patter of heavy rain hitting the hull of Samus' ship. This… this was not gonna be pretty.

"There… there isn't room in that suit for two, is there…?" I asked, only half joking. Samus just peered at me. I figured that was a profound 'no.'

With little hesitation, we huddled onto the elevator, descending to the surface below.

Lightning flashed above as we exited the safe cover of the gunship into the storm. Visibility was low, so low in fact that we could barely see the cliff side and mountains surrounding the valley's central temple. And yet… a smell caught my nose. A burning smell.

I sneered at the sights I saw.

Remnants of what looked to be General Scales' forces lay strewn about the that shady merchant's temple. The dinosaurs didn't do this… I slowly knelt by them, by my own ex captors and investigated further, my hands clutching my staff with the tightness of a vacuum. The dinosaur soldiers lay motionless in the dirt, a small, steaming hole in the back of their heads. The shot penetrated right to the other side, completely cauterised.

From where they were positioned, it looked like they were advancing upon this position. But someone shot—

"From behind!" Samus hissed and quickly took me into a tight hug, enveloping herself around me and bringing us both to the ground.

I gasped as a horrific screech sounded, like the screams of the air itself burning , following the appearance of a bright, near blinding red beam striking roughly where my head would have been. I was stunned for a moment. Not even I could have predicted something like that.

"SSSamus Aran…" a wicked voice echoed throughout the valley, followed by what sounded like reloading. In a moment, Samus quickly pressed a button on her arm cannon, which caused her gunship to take off and start peppering the area with heavy laser fire. "You ruined my streak of perfect shotsss… ha…"

"Trace…"

Samus grunted, still holding me tightly, a noticeable shield around the huntress' suit. Without hesitation, she charged her cannon up, firing a missile into the ground near us, creating a sizable crater. Without much thought or time, I was scooped up and hurried into the crater with Samus. Not wishing to have an open hole above us, I channeled my power into my staff, conjuring a bubble shield above us. Almost immediately, it started getting pelted with rain and suppressing fire from whatever that weapon was.

"Who is that?!" I hissed, flinching at every shot that struck my shield. The sound alone nearly burned my ears, the red trail of the weapon illuminating our bunker a bright crimson.

"A rival bounty hunter… I didn't expect—"

"You introduce me to her, but not to me?" Trace laughed cruelly, his voice echoing throughout the jungle cliffs above. "What is she, Aran?!"

Bang, crash… his weapons assaulted the shield.

"Pet?! Girlfriend?! Both?!" He scoffed. "It's of little consequence. I just wonder who I'll take from who first."

I sneered.

Of all the people we've met in this war so far…

"Not very intelligent, girl!" The cruel hunter sniggered. "You come to the battlefield, practically naked and with a stick!"

Samus continued to fiddle around with her cannon for a moment, still controlling her ship remotely as Trace sieged us out, his sniper firing from seemingly different angles every time.

"Running biological scans…" The built in ai of Samus' gunship transmitted data to the huntress as her ship began sweeping the area. "One human, one Cernian, 5 unidentified species, deceased, one Kriken—"

"Pursuit and terminate Kriken!" Samus hissed, watching her ship fly overhead and sweep the high ground with heavy fire and bombs. Immediately, the sniper fire stopped.

"You vile bitch!" Trace hissed, clearly trying to escape from Samus' covering fire. "You think this will stop me?! I could shoot the clothes off your girlfriend there and leave her unharmed in ten times your pathetic volley!"

"Great, another exaggerator, I—" I sneered.

"He doesn't exaggerate," Samus looked at me, visor down, her gaze piercing.

I simply gulped and hoped he wouldn't go through on his threats…

"That temple," Samus pointed vaguely in its direction, keeping her head as low as she could. "Is it safe?!"

"My friends should be down there, in that old shop," was all I could respond with, flinching as even under direct fire, Trace was able to get a few quick shots at the cover. "General Scale's men couldn't have gotten close thanks to… well… him."

Samus went quiet for a moment.

"Kriken like Trace aren't known for getting too close or willingly entering tight spaces... let's take our chances going there," she said, tapping controls on her gun once more. "My ship will cover us, but.. I want you to keep this shield up."

I shuddered, noticing a slight drop of blood from my nose from keeping this barrier up for too long. Samus noticed too.

"Fine, let's go, we mustn't— eeek!" I gasped as Samus picked me up with one arm practically, keeping me close to her body and away from any potential sight line. "You could at least warn me!"

I shrieked as we went out into the open, pleasantly surprised upon sending Samus' ship bodyblocking us.

"Run as you like, Aran!" The voice of the hunter called out as we entered the doorway to the old Thorntail shop. "You can't hide down there forever! And your ship can't fly forever either!"

His laughter echoed as we delved deeper into the sandy orange temple. However, right as we turned a corner and I let my shield down, that sneaky bastard somehow lined a perfect shot… and shattered the crystal atop my staff.

"Your magic won't save you either!"

"Kriken subject lost."

My blood boiled to bear nuclear levels in seconds as I examined the steaming remnants of my staff on the ground, shaking that he would defile such an important relic of my kind. Samus was silent, yet knew of my plight. I let a tear fall down upon it. He would pay.

However, I felt a familiar presence down the halls. The shopkeeper, maybe?

We entered further down, spotting the central chamber of the shop was converted into what could only be described as a makeshift hospital.

Several quadrupedal dinosaurs that lived in the Thorntail Hollow; as well as the bipedal Sharpclaws lay strewn about, inflicted with the similar, yet less severe injuries than the unfortunate few from outside.

Yet…

"I feel… cold…" I muttered, a shiver coming up my spine.

I peered around for the shopkeeper, who wasn't there. Strange… I…

I gasped upon seeing the crumpled form of my triceratops friend, Tricky. He was unmoving and unresponsive.

"T-tricky?!" I gasped, examining his wounds closely… they were… treated. With bandages and makeshift icepacks. It looked far too advanced for his tribes to develop. "Who did this to you, how are you—?!"

Before I could continue, however, from one of the shop doors, a figure emerged. Tall, slender and in a deep purple set of armour, accented only by glowing blue lights. He took a few steps forward on his digitigrade legs, observing me from behind his smooth helm, four eyes examining me.

"The subject is stable, yet comatose, he will—" he spoke. However, within the blink of an eye, Samus jumped him, charging forward past the injured, charging her beam up and placing her cannon under his chin. He didn't even flinch.

"Stop! What are you doing?!" I hissed, running over to the duo, trying to split them apart.

"Last time I met this hunter," Samus hissed, not taking her eyes off him. "He was trying to kill me and seize the Alimbic Cluster's ultimate power, like the other hunters… like Trace."

All the while, he remained stiff, unflinching… and cold.

"He…" I whispered. "He's not a threat… I can sense it… let him explain…"

Samus looked at me, then him, snorting under her helmet and taking a step back, her gun at the ready. The purple hunter glared at Samus.

"Were it so easy, huntress," He simply spoke in a quiet voice. "I am Noxus, grand inquisitor of Vho. I had not realised this planet was of interest to the likes of Samus Aran… or that of Star Fox."

"Why are you here, Noxus?" Samus hissed, gun still pointed at him.

"To hunt down the… unruly one currently laying siege upon this position," he slowly walked to tricky, kneeling down and examining him. "I was under no impression that a power on this planet intrigued the likes of the Kriken Empire or the Galactic Federation."

"We're not here for him… my friend was in danger, and I had to come here…he won't die, right?"

"Of these wounds, no," Noxus stood. "If Trace's plans come to fruition, yes. Cholera can be treated at the individual, but if the water source remains, treatment is pointless."

"His plans?" Samus stepped forward, lowering her cannon somewhat. "Why is he here?"

"A great…" Tricky gasped. Causing us all to crowd around him. "A power had been uncovered by that demon… we tried to stop him… all of us, the Sharpclaws, Earthwalkers… cloudrunners, but…"

He wheezed and hacked.

"Your energy is low, Tricky…" I whispered, trying to soothe him with my powers. "Conserve yourself…"

I looked at Noxus, pushing myself to my feet and off the cold stone floor of this temple. I examined the tall warrior, gawking at how he dwarfed Samus with relative ease.

"Do you know anything about this power?"

"It was a cave, somewhere in the jungle, beyond where any ship can land," the Vhoson simply explained. "A mystical power not yet seen on this planet."

I paused for a moment.

"This is different… than the power that raised andross?" I squinted. "This is unrelated to the Krazoa spirits?"

"Y-yes…" the young prince groaned. "We don't know what it is…"

"We must contain it," Noxus said.

"Or destroy it," Samus responded, a hint of disdain for the fellow hunter. "Another potential Gorea situation is less than ideal."

"Gorea?" I asked, standing up to join them.

"The contents of such a story are best discussed after we neutralise the threat," the purple hunter said, making his way to one of the back exits of the building. "We shall go where no ship can follow."

"And just leave everyone in here?" I scowled.

"The insect has scurried here without his hive," Noxus replied. "Even if his presence alone is akin to a single fox within the hare's den."

"I work with a fox and a hare."

"Then the hare must watch his back."

"We're getting sidetracked," Samus hissed. "Do you even have a plan, Noxus?!"

The vhoson looked at Samus coldly.

"I have payed the owner of this establishment to gather supplies and watch after those I have treated," he said, leading us to a back entrance of the temple, a harsher chill following us there. "And we shall draw the attention of Trace away from here and into the jungle. We shall use him to lead us back to his den."

"And if that doesn't work?" I asked, raising my brow.

"Then we die."

"That inspires confidence," Samus sighed and shook her head. "So, who claims the bounty?"

"We may split it," Noxus looked to Samus, their glares evident even behind their visors. "They who get the fatal strike shall get seventy, the other gets thirty."

"Deal."

Samus Aran

Of all the damn people I've had to work with… I glared at Noxus as he led us through the temple, my eyes firmly watching his right hand. The hand he used to wield his Judicator beam. Even my ice beam failed to match the bitter cold he was able to output.

"This way. I have constructed a makeshift barrier to cover our approach to the jungle," He said, ducking under the frozen top of the door. Following him, we found a near perfect tunnel of ice leading straight to a small dugout in the side of a hill. "The locals have always told of dark shadows in the jungles beyond this hallow. A forbidden place, untouched by the planet… until now."

I quietly listened, scanning the environment with my thermal visor, just in case a particular Kriken was skulking. I felt something close to my side, revealing the slender form of Krystal huddled up to me somewhat.

"I-I didn't expect cold weather while dressed like this…" she hissed and covered herself somewhat I felt a slight bit of pity for her. Her beautiful blue fur was soaked and full of dirt.

"Perhaps it is destiny that shall bring us here," he was silent. "I sense it wasn't a distress call that brought you here. I was the only one following Trace, and your kinds are caught within a war the Vhoson Ascendancy and Kriken Empire have no hand in."

He ducked into the dugout, examining all the equipment. It seemed like he was using this cave as a central base of operations, at least up until he got within the temple.

"What brought you here, Cernian and Human?"

Krystal sighed and looked at her destroyed staff.

"A vision of my friend being injured by Trace," She whispered to the much taller entity. "But… I don't typically have visions of such events."

Noxus hummed, refilling a tank on his arm with some sort of supercooled purple plasma, ammo for the Judicator, perhaps.

"Perhaps a higher purpose has brought you here today," he raised his hands. "Machinations beyond Trace or I… however… that insect shall block whatever purpose or task given to you from above. He is a parasite to the beast."

"I just want to help my friends," Krystal responded, still holding herself. "This planet is special to me, as are my friends."

"I've got bad blood with Trace," I said, checking my ammo reserves. "I think you saw that multiple times, Noxus."

"Although adversaries," Noxus spoke and beckoned us to follow another exit. I followed and kept Krystal behind me, just in case. "Your presence was an ember to his inferno."

"Are you insulting me?"

"You fight with the vigor of the great Yykari Beasts of Vho, but with the temperance of a wise Sage," was all he responded with. "It is admirable."

Unsure whether or not to feel insulted or complimented, I stayed quiet as we entered the Forbidden Jungle. Tall, vertical mountains surrounded the area, the waterfalls falling from them creating an awful mist around us.

"Fox or I never came here," Krystal whispered, still sticking close to me.

"Stay close, we don't know what—" before I could even finish, an imperialist round struck my shoulder as I turned. Immediately, I screamed as six whole energy tanks were depleted and I was knocked on the ground. Warnings on my suit bellowed loudly. I looked up and immediately saw a dome of ice created around us. A dome that immediately started taking shots. "D-damn it!"

I hissed, assessing the damage. My shoulder was steaming like a kettle, dented Inwards despite my shields. I hissed, I felt a slight dislocation.

"Samus!" Krystal knelt over me, examining the damage. "Are you alright?"

She gasped as she helped me up.

"I'm fine… I'm…"

"Well well, if it isn't Noxus!" I heard Trace snigger from above, still firing upon the icy dome, which immediately started taking heavy damage. "Good to see you again! Ready to settle the score? I'd give you three a chance… but… ohh… your kind don't like being pitied, do they, Noxus? Shame."

I immediately began tapping on my cannon for my ship again.

"Don't try that trick again, Aran!" Trace sneered from atop his cliff. These mountains are too tightly packed for our ships… and besides, my ship is already on its way to tango with yours."

"Bastard…" I hissed, turning to Noxus. "Can you control your ship from here?"

"We don't believe in AI controlling war machines," He simply responded, breaking the side of the dome to try and create more cover. "Not since—"

"Great," I sighed.

"Either someone with great intelligence or great stupidity blindly walks into the den of the Kriken!" He laughed. "And considering you brought that naked woman with you, I'd bet stupidity!"

"Hardly naked," Krystal scoffed.

The top of the dome shattered by heavy imperialist fire. We all threw ourselves to the floor. As strong as this ice seemingly was, the weapons the crimson insect wielded were unfathomable.

"Your ice can't and won't protect you forever!" He hissed. "I have made a shot from a moon into a planet to kill my target! What makes you think you can survive me?!"

"Hold position, I shall draw his attention," Noxus nodded, charging his Judicator. "Follow when I fire a missile."

"What if you get hit?"

"Then it was a pleasure, Cernian," He responded.

He then crouched, building himself more makeshift cover.

Krystal turned her attention to me, kneeling down and holding my arm.

"You alright, Sam?"

"Ngh, fine…" I grunted, pressing buttons on my cannon as best I could with my injury. The armour around my left arm faded, revealing my zero suit. "I want you to relocate this."

"A-alright…" she gulped and sat me upright against the ice wall. I peered to my side and saw Noxus exchanging fire between shots of the Imperialist. It was a volley of purple and red plasma dancing together in the jungle in a battle of supremacy. "I've never officially done this before… but I am trained to."

She got close to me and grabbed my arm. I winced in pain. That bastard Kriken was as vile as ever.

I muffled a gasp as Krystal pushed my head into her neck, my face buried in her fur.

"Just so he doesn't hear," was all she whispered.

Her scent was exotic, as was her soft fur, her touch gentle, yet firm… she was an interesting specimen, I had to admit, but I—

"Hnng!" I hissed, recoiling in pain as Krystal forced my shoulder back into its socket. I gasped for air as she slowly stepped back from me. I grunted and sat up, letting my suit pump morphine into me as my left arm's armour phased back in. "Thanks…"

Krystal scowled, still staying low.

"That weapon he has… I've never seen anything like it…" she shuddered. "I'd dread to be hit by the likes of it…"

Before we could even speak more, Noxus fired a single missile from his own arm cannon in Trace's direction, immediately transforming into his morph ball-esque state: the Vhosythe and scooting across the ground, jumping into a nearby ditch. I groaned and followed him, grabbing Krystal again and hiding her behind me.

The missile hit the cliff side in which trace was camped out on, causing a large explosion, buying us seconds of peace. However, as we jumped into the ditch, Krystal screamed. My heart sunk in my chest. I twisted around to see her knelt down, holding her shoulder. However, she was not in pain. Instead, in a state of shock, a dissipating red trail leading to the shattered remains of her shoulder pad just lying on the ground, hit at such an angle where it didn't hit her.

"He just—" she gasped.

"Clever, verrry clever, Noxus!" Trace taunted. "Mere distractions won't work on me, ladies. Consider that shoulder a mere warning! I don't lie when I said I could shoot the clothes off that fox!"

Rage boiled on Krystal's face as she stayed low, grabbing the ruined pieces of armour.

"You could say I'm the most honest man in the universe!"

I grit my teeth, this bastard was really something else. Had the bark and the bite. Even if his dogmatism and cold personality were irritating, and despite my experience against him in the Alimbic cluster, Noxus wasn't half as… awful.

Krystal flinched at the sounds of an imperialist beam striking the top of the ditch, sending dirt and debris raining on us.

"Let us hope this trench is safe enough for us to hide in until we conjure a plan of counterattack," Noxus leaned into our cover, subduing a sigh as he made an icy roof. "I have enough Judicator fuel for… perhaps five hours if I expend it at this rate."

"How much ammo does Trace need?" Krystal sighed.

"He doesn't," I shook my head. "His weapon shoots shrapnel mere centimetres in diameter… at near FTL speeds."

I saw her foxy face drop, her heart likely sinking in her chest.

"And it is apparently powered by some sort of long lasting nuclear power source," Noxus added. "He can stay up there longer than we can down here, if he can use any common pebble as ammunition."

"Wonderful," She grunted, closing her eyes, a faint glow emitting from under her eyelids.

"What do you predict, Cernian?"

Krystal scrunched her face up.

"I sense something… this way…" She responded, staring down the ditch. "Stay close, and stay quiet…"

She crouched, slowly walking down our makeshift trench. Noxus and I looked at one another in confusion before trusting her insight. Thunder boomed overhead, the once drizzle of this planet turning to storm. My breathing was sharp; I knew Trace would be skulking about the mountains, likely looking for a good angle. I felt slight relief at the canopy of trees we were currently being sheltered by, but… knowing the assassin, they'd merely slow his endless pursuit. I kept checking my six, then scanning Noxus. No signs of duplicity…

"Hold here," Krystal whispered and knelt, examining the roots of a tree sticking into our cover, slowly pushing rocks and debris out the way. "There's something this way… a path, or… a chamber maybe?"

"It shall cover us from the sniper, if only for a time," Noxus added.

I just nodded and slipped into my morph ball, discreetly rolling in, through a short passage of roots and rocks, falling into a dim cave of dirt and bark, barely tall enough to contain me as I came out of my ball. My visor illuminated the dim passage ways. I looked around as my peers dropped in. Noxus had to fully bend over to even stand here.

"I have sealed the entrance behind us," the Vho said, wiping dirt off his hands. "We should be safe down here."

"There's something down here, a familiar power…"

Krystal began making her way down the hall. As she did, something made itself apparent. This cave was not natural. Wooden and decayed panels lay on the ground, the walls decorated with old torch holders. A feeling began welling up in me, one also of familiarity. Even despite the cover, we made sure to stay quiet.

"A den…?" Noxus asked and looked at a doorway, peering in for a moment, He turned to us and shook his head. "It has been abandoned for some time."

"Well," I said. "I hope the previous occupants won't mind us taking cover here."

Our fox friend scanned around quizzically.

"None of this looks like it was built by the locals…" Krystal whispered, and poked her head into a room, letting out a subdued gasp. "Impossible…"

We pushed in, coming across what was probably a bedroom… my heart froze as I saw the bed on the left, a… it looked like a nest of sorts, ruined, yet… similar to the ones found on Zebes. It couldn't have been…

I stepped in, close to Krystal, a renewed interest in this room as I examined the bed, activating my scan visor.

'Structural integrity suggests this has been abandoned for over one hundred years.'

I sighed and then looked at Krystal, who was staring at another old bed. She knelt down and picked something off of the dilapidated floor. She held it in her hands tightly and turned to me, presenting an old circlet, one adorned with the same gems she had. I stared at it for a brief second before scanning around the room and noting texts and hieroglyphs on the walls.

One half was familiar Chozo writings… the other…

Matched the tattoos on Krystal.

Fox McCloud

I sat on the command chair of the Grand Fox, peering out the window, anxiously awaiting further orders. Fortuna glowed brightly thanks to the star, a beautiful sight, but…"

"It's about Krystal, isn't it?" Peppy turned around on his chair, shooting me a look of aged wisdom.

"How did you—?"

"You have the same look as James when he was worrying about your mother," he laughed and looked back at his console. "I'm sure she can handle herself, she's got Samus with her too! I'd feel sorry enough for anyone that'd bump into them!"

He laughed and leaned back.

"Heh…" I sighed. "Mom used to worry a lot too when he was gone, too."

"They'd both be proud of you, Fox," Peppy spun around and held my shoulder. "Andross' legacy is almost dead. Pigma is gone, so is Andross himself, Leon is in exile. I think this is the last they got in em…"

He rubbed his whiskers and looked at the GFS Rendezvous and it's escort fleet.

"Been overhearing those federation types talking about extending an invitation to the Cornerian government," He said. "A full member state of the Galactic Federation."

"That so?" Falco said, casually walking in, a look of boredom on his face . "Maybe we'll finally have a government with its head screwed on right."

I chuckled and looked at him, pointing to the fleet outside. Shiny and blue, just the kind of fleet we were missing.

"Maybe they don't have the military setbacks Corneria does," I said, looking at the mass of ships compared to the few Cornerian ones. "How many carriers and frigates do you think they have?"

"If they had military setbacks, I'd be scared," Falco chuckled. "Four carriers, ten frigates… and maybe twelve corvettes."

"That's bigger than what we've had for years," I sighed.

"The fleet would be nice," Peppy squinted. "But corneria has stood independent and united for the last… seven hundred years or so…" he rubbed the back of his head. "I've been here for sixty years, it'll be weird to think that we might be part of this federation one day."

Falco sat down on one of the bridge crew seats.

"I'm… not the best with politics, heh," the bird said. "I only know of the boys in blue and their politics because of Samus."

Peppy spun around and looked at Falco.

"You seem to be close to that Samus,"

The hare shot Falco a cheeky grin. "Got any plans going with her? You do have the same look he did earlier."

"Maybe I do," He smirked. "Maybe I'm worried we're not gonna get to play tennis."

"Yeah, I'm sure her ship has enough room for that," I shook my head and leaned back. "Didn't know you'd go for one bigger than you, Falco."

"Same for you, Flyboy."

"She's not taller than me."

"Heh," Falco shrugged. "Both short, I can't tell the difference."

"Clouds your head are permanently in getting to you?" Was all I could say. "Should I put you on medical leave?"

"Hehe," Peppy chuckled. "You remind me of myself and James at your—"

"Incoming transmission from GFS Rendezvous," ROB said, his head turning 180° to us, then back to his station.

The holographic display of the general and admiral appeared in front of us, the lights dimming.

"Star Fox!" General Pepper said, seeming quite alarmed. "We need you for an emergency mission!"

"Quite so," Admiral Cooke nodded, a display of the Lylat system appearing next to him. "We've noticed unusual activity in the Sector X region. Strike Team Omega-seven was sent to investigate the energy disruptions taking place within the area. We haven't heard from Captain O'Grady since."

Pepper stepped forward, punching his fist on his palm.

"And the first rescue team the Cornerians sent to find him!" The bloodhound general seemed distressed. "We may be asking too much of you, but…"

"Those soldiers need you, Star Fox," Cooke smiled, removing his hat and placing it over his chest. "We can think of no one better for the job."

I smiled and gave a thumbs up.

"Consider them saved," I nodded. "Falco, get the ships warmed up, Samus or no Samus, we gotta do this."

"On it!" The bird nodded back to me, jumping up and jogging out. Even if he talked the talk, he walked the walk too.

"Get us to Sector X, Rob, Peppy."

"Aye aye, sir," Peppy gave me a big smile of confidence.

"Affirmative."

"Godspeed Star Fox," Cooke cleared his throat and adjusted his hat. "We'll transmit further information shortly."

And with that, our next mission begun. Even without Samus or Krystal, we had a job to do. A job I was willing to see through. Those soldiers were counting on us too!

I just hoped...

That the women would be safe on dinosaur planet, with Tricky..

End of Chapter