Author's note:

The EquinoxWolf does not bite, though he can hurt you in other ways.

Chapter 4: Despair and Desperation

Houses and small shopfronts rolled past the window. Peppy stared out towards the scene but saw none of it. His thoughts were far elsewhere. They yearned for the past; glimpsed into the future; and found only heartache in the present.

It had taken a few weeks, but Pepper managed to get Peppy and the rest of Star Fox out of detention. The Novellonian Space Force ferried the team to the Intersystem Spaceport aboard one of their ships, with the Great Fox towed behind them. A gateway was opened for them to return to the Lylat System. It felt wrong to go back without Fox, but they all knew that things would only become worse for them if they resisted.

General Pepper looked a decade older when Star Fox arrived at his office to report their blunder. He didn't hold any of his hardships on them, yet that did not make anyone feel better. Grief overtook Pepper's wrinkled face as Falco struggled through telling his first-hand account of Fox's misfortune. Peppy and James McCloud had both served under Pepper during their military days, and the old hound cared for Fox in the same fashion he had for his father.

Despite the Andross manhunt turning into a disaster and hitting the news across the Balven System, Pepper still paid Star Fox for escorting the Hawkhurst and locating the Venomians near Purgatory. The reward felt hollow and tainted, though. Peppy would give back every credit just to have Fox with them again. He used his cut that same day to head straight to his current destination.

Peppy awoke to his senses when the taxi pulled over. He paid the driver and stepped out of the car. It was summer in this region of Papetoon. Peppy already began to sweat in the hot, arid air. He turned to gaze upon the house in front of him.

Two storeys; cream-painted walls; a thatched orange roof on top. It was a beautiful country home built thirty minutes from the local airfield. Once upon a time, a beautiful family lived here. Now though… Peppy walked through the white picket fence and quaint garden of desert plants. Outside the front door, Peppy straightened his shirt. He took several deep, grounding breaths. Finally, he pressed the doorbell. A delightful tune dinged inside.

He did not wait long before a fennec woman answered. Her eyes lit up in an instant. "Peppy! Hello. This is a lovely surprise."

"It's good to see you, Vixy," Peppy managed to smile to his old friend. He couldn't decide if it was good or bad that he had caught her at home. "Sorry to drop by unannounced. Do you mind if I come in?" Of course, she didn't. He was family, after all. Vixy's reassurances only deepened the pit in Peppy's stomach.

Inside, the house was neat and orderly. Peppy followed Vixy through to the living room, where his eyes quickly fell upon photo frames displayed on the cabinet. In one of them, Vixy Reinard sat beside her mate, James, on a red-checked picnic blanket. At the time the shot was taken, her face morphed in gleeful shock as James kissed her on a ticklish spot behind her jaw. An eight-year-old Fox sat in front of them, oblivious to his parents' antics. He was the spitting image of his father. Peppy looked at their smiles. Fresh tears came unbidden in his eyes.

"Peppy…? What's wrong?"

Drat! Curse him! Peppy quickly dried his face and turned to her. "Vixy… There's something that I need to tell you."

Vixy's worry grew into despair, for those were the exact words Peppy had spoken 13 years ago, when he told her and young Fox that James was never coming home. "No…" she shivered.

As delicately as he could, Peppy told her about Star Fox's latest mission and how the battle broke out against the Venomian soldiers. "Fox's Arwing took damage… and he fell into Purgatory's atmosphere. Falco tried to save him, but his Arwing shorted-out too. We don't know what happened to Fox after that. We lost him."

Heavy tears ran down Vixy's face. "No…"

"I am so sorry, Vixy."

"No… Fox…" she whimpered again. Vixy sunk to her knees. Her face fell into her hands. "Oh, God! Oh, my God! My baby! My bab-y-y-y-y…"

Peppy held her as she wailed. Vixy's howls tore his heart apart and crushed the pieces together like a black hole. "I'm sorry," he wept with her. "I am so, so sorry."

"No!" Vixy cried. "God, please no! Not again! Not aga-a-ain!"

"Vixy, please listen to me." Peppy pulled away. Her raw, desperate eyes looked up at him. He stroked her arm gently. "Fox is a skilled pilot. Even if his ship malfunctioned, there's every chance that he could have survived. He could still have ejected manually and landed safely with a parachute."

Vixy seemed to calm down a little, but the most awful news was not yet fully spoken. "We want to save Fox. Believe me, we do. But Purgatory's environment causes some big problems for us. There's no way for us to fly down there and search for him without our other ships crashing like his did. As it stands right now, we don't know how to reach Fox."

Vixy sniffled. She latched onto the only hope he could offer. Peppy fretted over how strong that hope would be. For all that he knew, he was only setting her up for worse agony down the line. "What do we do?" she pleaded.

"I don't know yet," Peppy shook his head. "But we'll figure something out. We always do."

She clutched his chest, burying her face into his shoulder. "Please, Peppy. Don't let him be dead. Please don't let my Fox be dead."

"He won't be. Fox is tough and knows how to take care of himself. He'll survive. I know it." And yet, shame filled Peppy as he felt like he was telling her nothing but lies. He had no other answers for her. No solutions. All that he could truly do for Vixy was hold her as she wept anew.

Fox watched Krystal's hands while hiding his embarrassment as she helped him dress. His own clothes had been shredded beyond repair by that bear. Since he couldn't use those anymore, or fit into Slippy's spares, Fox was forced to wear what appeared to be a brown toga lent to him by Krystal's father. Unfortunately, Fox didn't know how to put it on, and having one arm in a sling made the process of trial and error painfully difficult.

Krystal had picked up on his frustration and uncertainty. Fox gave up on his pride and let her fit the toga for him. It was better than arguing through Krystal's telepathy while she could see him in his boxers. She also helped him buckle his old belt with his blaster tucked into its holster. Although she didn't understand what it was, Fox was grateful that Krystal didn't leave his weapon behind after he dropped it in the forest.

She stepped back and smiled appreciatively. The top of her head stood just a little bit taller than Fox's. He glanced around as much of his body as his wounds would allow. The loose garments were lighter and more revealing than he was used to, showing off the bandaged left side of Fox's torso, but they would serve. He was already missing pants though. It felt a bit too breezy around his thighs.

Fox followed Krystal from his room to the large living space downstairs. Since he couldn't stay at the 'hospital' forever and had nowhere else to go, Krystal's family had been kind enough to let him into their home. She and her mother were able to continue monitoring Fox's recovery this way, too. From what he could gather, the pair were not just healers and magic-users, but warriors as well. An impressive family. Krystal reminded Fox of how similarly he followed his father's footsteps in life.

He wasn't sure what had her in such a good mood today. The most that Fox could understand was that there was someone who Krystal wanted him to meet. She couldn't tell him more than that. Like with everything else that had happened over the last few weeks, Fox just ran with it. Wasn't like he had much of a choice.

When they left the house, Fox kept close behind Krystal. Wonder filled him as they walked through the city. The buildings were mostly stone and clay with wooden shutters and cloth over the windows. Everything looked like it came straight from an ancient history film.

Hundreds of foxes milled about a marketplace. Many of their coats were just as unusual as Krystal's. Fox saw blue, violet, and even a few people with green fur. There were more familiar colours as well, like browns, reds, and silver, though the latter appeared on young and old foxes alike. Fox noticed the curious gazes thrown his way. He moved even closer to Krystal as he tried to push them out of his mind. If he lost her, Fox would never find his way back.

Their journey took them up the hill on the edge of the city. Fox soon couldn't believe his eyes. He saw wind turbines turning in the distance. A waterwheel spun in the middle of a river, as well. Cables ran from it into a metal box, where Fox suspected they then tunnelled underground somewhere. Until now, Krystal's people hadn't shown any sign of technology more advanced than the iron age. Yet this was clearly electricity being generated here! What did this mean?

Krystal led Fox to a large stone building at the top of the hill. Another metal box stood outside, feeding cables into the roof. There was glass in the building's windows; the first time Fox had seen such since arriving in the city. He began to suspect that this person they were meeting wasn't a local.

The door opened before they could knock. Another vixen stood in the entrance. Her fur was a paler shade of blue compared to Krystal's, and the hair on her head ran longer over her shoulders. Fox noticed that she wore a white lab coat. The vixen crossed her arms across her chest, staring down at them with disdaining, green eyes. Krystal made a noise as though taken aback. The other woman focused her gaze on her.

Krystal said something that Fox couldn't follow. The other vixen responded in a curt manner. He only had a hunch, but from the way they kept talking, it seemed like they knew each other. The vixen then studied him. There was something calculating in those eyes. He stood tall, against the idea of showing any sign of weakness to whoever this woman thought she was. She then said something else to Krystal and walked back into the building. Fox caught an anxious look from Krystal. He tried to soothe her with a smile.

Since the door was left open, Fox and Krystal followed the woman. Inside, Fox became awestruck. The cavernous room was full of laboratory equipment: beakers, test tubes, tripods, jars of chemicals, distillation tools, and more. Fox stopped when he saw a computer sitting on a table against the wall. It looked as though it had been ripped out of a starship.

The woman led them to the back of the building, where someone sat with his back to them. Fox frowned as he recognised him as an ape. The man stood slowly from his chair and turned to meet them. The second that he saw his face, Fox's blood boiled over.

"Andross!"

Dr Simon Andross, the former Chief Science Officer of Corneria, and Supreme Emperor of Venom, glared back. "Fox McCloud."

Fox tore his blaster from his hip and jammed it into the ape's mug. Krystal yelped behind him. "You son of a bitch!" he hissed. "You should have just stayed dead like you were supposed to!"

"Of all the people in the universe who could have found me here," Andross replied calmly but with scorn burning in his eyes.

Fox studied his face for a moment. Andross's silver hair was the same, though he looked much younger than Fox remembered. The mad ape that he fought on Venom had been in his seventies. Of course, Andross had cloned himself. Why come back to life as an old man when you could reset to the prime of your youth?

"Drop your weapon!" the other vixen snarled at Fox. It surprised him to hear her speak in Cornerian. He glanced at her through the corner of his eye. She aimed a staff that resembled Krystal's at his head.

"That's enough, Thene. There's no need for that." Andross held his hand up to her. Reluctantly, the woman, Thene, lowered her weapon. Fox, however, did not. "Tell me, McCloud. Was it sheer luck that brought you here, or did you learn about my whereabouts from someplace?"

"Shut up!" Fox growled. "You're under arrest, Andross! I'm taking you back to Corneria, where you're going to pay for everything that you've done!"

Andross bellowed with laughter. "Am I? Really? And pray tell how you plan to do that. Do you have a ship that can fly us off this world?" He gave Fox a chance to answer and frowned when he did not. "No. I thought not."

"Then fuck bringing you in! Why don't I just blow your brains out right here?!"

"Because if you do that, you'll never get off this planet." Andross's glare drilled into Fox's own. "You think your friends from Corneria can rescue you? Don't count on it. They might have the will, but they have no idea of how to get through Cerinia's dust clouds. I, however, can offer you a better chance of getting home."

Fox bared his fangs. "My team will find a way. They always do. I don't need you."

Andross leaned forward, pressing his forehead against the blaster's barrel. His leer did not change. "Then go ahead. Shoot me."

Fox's finger held the trigger firmly. His blaster pointed right into the centre of Andross's forehead. One pull and the laser round would open the bastard a third eye and fry his psychotic brain! Fox would finally avenge his father once and for all; and save this entire planet from Andross's madness in the process!

James McCloud's face floated in Fox's mind. It flickered to his mother, Vixy; his mentor, Peppy; his friends, Slippy and Falco; and everyone else back home whom he held dear. He'd make it back to them. Somehow. But how? If they couldn't get onto this planet, how were they supposed to get him off it? How would they even find him down here? Even looking for his Arwing would be like searching for a needle in a haystack.

Against his bidding, Fox began to weigh options. Why the fuck was he letting Andross's poisoned words roll around in his head? The bastard was crazy. This was just a lie. He had to be lying. He must be lying. Tricking Fox into letting him walk free! 'No!' Fox's breath heaved hot and furious through his fangs. Andross deserved to die. He needed to die! And yet…

"Aaarrrggghhh!" Fox tore the blaster away and swatted it furiously through the air behind him. "DAMN IT!"

"I'm glad that you could see reason," Andross taunted, leaning back in his chair. "In spite of our history, I'm sure that you and I will work well together."

"Together?" Fox spat. He almost shoved the blaster back between the man's eyes. "What the hell makes you think that I'll ever work with you?!"

"Because I'm the only person on this planet who has the knowledge needed to get us back into space."

"Do you have a plan already?" Fox growled.

"Several, but none that I am able to carry out as I am right now."

"And why would you want my help? I blew your mutant brain into space dust eight years ago!"

"And fortunately for my sake, I don't remember those events first-hand." Andross rubbed his index finger above his brow. Fox then recalled from Pepper's briefing that the Cornerian Army seized a server that they believed had contained a digital copy of Andross's mind. God help the Lylat System if Venom had been allowed to keep making clones of their leader.

"To answer your question; although I have ideas on how to get off Cerinia, I lack the manpower needed to execute them. During the war, you proved yourself to be highly capable in situations where the odds were astronomically against you. I'd like to make use of that tenacity."

"How the hell am I supposed to trust you, though?" Fox snarled. "You've killed countless people with your insane war. You had my father murdered!"

"And you have killed many of my loyal soldiers in your pursuit to avenge him. I have no more reason to trust you, either. However, our circumstances don't offer us the luxury of choice. We either work together to escape Cerinia or we make our graves here together." Andross then glanced past Fox. "I suggest that you mind your tone from this point forward. Your friend appears quite distressed."

Fox had forgotten all about Krystal. He turned to find her staring at them anxiously and clutching her staff. Andross spoke to her in what sounded like Krystal's language. Fox was about to snap at him, to tell him to leave her alone. However, Krystal visibly relaxed. Unsure of himself then, Fox faced his enemy again.

Andross spread his arms out. "Let me ask you a simple question. You might have heard it before, during your school years. Where do you see yourself in five years? Do you want to be toiling the fields with the Cerinians here in Kezamat? Or would you rather be on your home world alongside your friends and family?"

Of course, the choice was easy, but Fox didn't want to give Andross the satisfaction of an answer. "You mentioned something called Cerinia earlier, and Cerinians just now. Has that got something to do with where we are?"

"Correct," Andross nodded. "Cerinia is the name given to Purgatory by the natives, after their earth goddess. And we are currently in the city of Kezamat; in case you haven't figured that out yet."

It was getting increasingly difficult not to shoot the bastard in his smug mouth. Fox holstered his blaster before temptation overcame his judgement. "Say that I do help you… how do I know that you're telling me the truth? For all I know, you could be trying to take over the planet to kickstart your next war campaign."

"Ever the pessimist, aren't you?" Andross smirked. "Are you aware of the Cerinians' telepathy yet? They tend to use it liberally here."

Fox glanced sideways at Krystal. "Yes. But it's still hard to understand them with it."

"There are indeed limits to sharing thoughts with another person," Andross nodded. "However, the Cerinians are able to clearly read emotions; ambitions; mental images. Suffice to say, my intentions are an open book to these people, even if my words were incoherent to them at first. If I were trying to conquer them, the Cerinians would know the second such thoughts entered my head. They watch me like hawks, you see."

"Not without good reason," Fox huffed. With powers like Krystal's, surely the Cerinians would have seen Andross's crimes from his memories. If they had, it surprised Fox that they'd let him wander freely.

"And thus, my hands have been tied for these last few years. Without the resources I had during the war, I am at the Cerinians' mercy. I have no way to control them. Nor do I have their complete trust. So, there is nothing that I can do to conquer this world."

Fox continued to assess Andross. Suspicion crackled inside of him. However, the fact that Andross hadn't already taken over the continent by now gave Fox pause to doubt himself. Andross had been banished to Venom and left for dead more than twenty years ago. Yet he returned with an entire army behind him in only a few years. Perhaps the Cerinians had a tighter leash on him than Fox gave them credit for.

Andross reached out his hand. "Now, unless you have any further doubts, do we have an agreement?"

Apprehensive, Fox stared at that cursed paw. This was practically making a deal with the devil. He gritted his teeth. Once again, Fox thought of his father and his loved ones who were still alive today. A balance inside of him shifted.

"Fine." Fox shook. His stomach lurched at touching the ape's palm. "But mark my words, Andross. The second that we get off this rock, I'm going to drag you back to Corneria or kill you trying. That's a promise."

"I expect nothing less," Andross said evenly. "To commemorate our new relationship, I have a gift for you. Consider it a gesture of goodwill."

"I don't want anything from you," Fox snapped as Andross pulled a drawer from his work desk.

"Oh, I assure you, Mister McCloud. You will appreciate this gift." Andross found what he was looking for and held out a thick book. Its pages were misaligned and bound at the spine with leather cords and string.

"What is it?"

"A phrasebook that I've written over the years. It translates the local language into Cornerian. I have no further use for it, so you are free to keep it."

It was the last thing that Fox expected, but damn him if he didn't need help understanding Krystal and her people. Gingerly, he took the book from Andross's hand.

"I suggest that you start learning as quickly as possible," Andross advised. "You and I are going to be living here for quite some time."

Fox shifted the phrasebook under his arm. "So… What do we do first?"

"Before we can do anything, we will first need materials. Your starfighter will be a good source."

Fire surged in Fox's blood again. "You want to scrap my Arwing for parts?"

"If it is no longer in working order, then it has no better use to either of us." Damn him! The least that Andross could do was show some degree of sympathy. "In order to study this planet and learn how to escape its atmosphere, I need the proper tools. To build those, I need the components from your ship."

"Why don't you just tear apart your own ship?" Fox snapped.

Andross gestured around the lab. "What do you think I used to make all of this? This is a world in which technology is still in its infancy, McCloud. If either of us want to see the Lylat System before we die of old age, we must sacrifice what we can't use to create what we can. There is no room for sentimentality here."

It still rubbed his fur the wrong way. Unfortunately, Fox's pragmatic side agreed with the ape. "When?"

Andross studied him with a frown. "I would prefer to retrieve the parts before they can rust. Sadly, the city's chief has tasked me with something that cannot wait. I would also need you to show me where your ship landed. Gauging from your injuries, it would be best to wait a few weeks first. That should give me enough time to fulfill my deal with the chief."

Fox released a terrible and tired sigh. "Fine. A few weeks it is."

"I'll come for you when we are ready," Andross nodded. "Thalse Sharrde informed me that you are living under his roof for the time being. I will know where to find you."

That felt like Fox's cue to leave this place. On his way to the exit, he stopped and glared over his shoulder. "I'll never forgive what you've done, Andross. Nor will I forget it. You are a monster and a madman, and I will see to it that you pay for your crimes." When Andross said nothing, Fox went on his way with Krystal following close behind.

Alone together, Thene turned towards Andross. "This Fox McCloud… Should we expect trouble from him, Doctor?"

Andross rested his chin atop one fist. "Perhaps," he frowned. "However, he is desperate, and we can trust that will keep him in check. As long as our goals are aligned, we won't need to fret over complications."

Thene nodded and chose not to speak her misgivings. With her telepathy, she watched Fox McCloud and Nomar Sharrde's daughter descend the hillside with a frown. Should either of them pose a threat to Dr Andross, she will personally ensure that they regret it.

Krystal's parents were still out when she and Fox arrived at her home. He sat in the living room as Krystal washed vegetables in a bucket. Every so often, Fox caught her glance at him. She wore a mask of worry. Was it for his wellbeing, or about his sudden outburst at the laboratory? Fox kicked himself. She and her family had gone through the trouble of arranging that meeting to help him, and then he went and dropped that display on her. Krystal probably thought it had come out of nowhere. What did she think of him now?

Fox glanced down at the phrasebook on his lap. He hadn't opened it once during the hours since Andross gave it to him. Now, though, he really wanted to know how to talk to Krystal about what happened. The pages creaked as Fox opened them.

The words were penned in a set pattern. First, a word or phrase was written in Cornerian, then in what Fox guessed was the Cerinian translation. Under that was a series of odd symbols that were probably how the Cerinians wrote. The front page seemed to break the whole alphabet down into Cornerian letters and phonics.

Fox skimmed the first few translations. Not too far in, his eyes caught a short line that became important to him. It was how to say sorry in Cerinian. 'Caita.' Fox could have laughed at any other time. It was impossible to imagine Andross ever apologising for anything in his life. In this moment, though, it was the one thing that Fox needed to know more than anything else.

"Krystal," he called. Her hand ceased carving a knife into a white root vegetable. She looked to him curiously. "Caita… about earlier. Caita." Fox thought about the moment he pulled his blaster on Andross, so that Krystal would understand if she read his mind.

She smiled softly. "Mookun." Krystal then returned to her preparations.

Fox looked through the phrasebook again. Luckily, her response was just under 'caita.' His brow rose. 'Mookun' was a single word, though it seemed to carry a lot of meaning in the Cornerian translation. Through it, Krystal thanked Fox for his apology, accepted it, and granted him her forgiveness. It sure came off as more heartfelt than just saying 'it's alright' to someone.

He searched the pages for the phrase he needed to thank her. It was among the first entries in the book. "Baiscah," he said.

Krystal's second smile brought one to Fox's lips. As he watched her work, he started to feel better. Fox turned the phrasebook over and hummed in surprise. Who would have thought that Dr Andross, the most reviled man in the Lylat System, could have made something that didn't make people's lives miserable?

'Alright, Doc. I'll give you one point for this. That still doesn't make up for everything else. As soon as we get off this planet, your ass is mine.'