Chapter 19: Venomous Relations

It was late morning on Fortuna when Dash landed the Monkey Arrow in front of the Androssian fortress. The weather was fair, though signs of a storm days-passed showed in toppled trees and flooded rivers. The fortress remained intact with a clear runway to land. Upon driving into the hangar to dock, Dash saluted to two salamanders who approached to greet him.

"Yo, Bowman," the first soldier hollered. "Back again, I see."

Dash smiled in good nature. "Miss me much, Newton?"

"He's been writing love songs the entire time you've been gone," the second man joked on Newton's behalf, earning himself a hard smack upside his helmet.

"Shut your gob, Axel!" Newton snarled. He turned back to Dash. "How's your mission going?"

"Well enough. I'm on my way to report to the General now," Dash told them, revealing no more than that. He was only obligated to report the details of his work to Oikonny.

Still, his answer pleased the men. "You need an escort to his office?" Axel offered.

Dash leaped out from his cockpit. "Nah. I know the way by now. Thanks."

Saluting once more, he left the soldiers to return to their posts. Dash crossed an engineer on his way through. "Hey, Dash. Welcome back," the tortoise greeted. "Want me to check over your starfighter for you?"

"If you wouldn't mind," Dash nodded. His cheer was forced. It made Dash's skin crawl to let these people touch his Monkey Arrow. Alas, he needed to show the Androssians that he trusted them as much as he wanted them to trust him.

Whenever he visited the fortress, Dash made a point of learning its layout. He noted where security was strongest and how many guards were on duty at any time. There weren't as many inside the fortress. The Androssians seemed more concerned about enemies coming from the outside than one that was already strolling through their halls.

Dash did not allow that to make him lax though. Almost everyone on site was armed. Even the scientists. They could pull the trigger on an intruder at any time. Thus, Dash considered what he would do in the event he was ever found out as a spy.

A pair of guards stood outside of Oikonny's office. "I've come to report to the General," Dash told them. The pig on the left called Oikonny on his wrist comm. At his reply, the pig nodded to his wolf partner. They allowed Dash to enter.

"Dash, welcome." Oikonny swivelled slowly on his chair to face him. "What do you have to report?"

"Everything is going normally among Star Fox. They still don't suspect a thing."

"Good. Is there anything else?"

"I was able to get a hold of Doctor Reinard's research notes about the dust from Purgatory," Dash replied. "I've sent the data to you as I arrived."

Oikonny spent a moment to consult his computer. He smiled at the screen. "Marvellous. I will have our analysts go over it shortly. You have done well, Dash."

"Thank you, sir," Dash bowed low. Oikonny enjoyed that more than any salute.

This was the typical nature of their exchanges over the past couple of months. Whenever Dash returned from 'spying' on Star Fox, he delivered new information for the Androssian Empire. Sometimes that was something as meagre as the team's latest activities, including contracts they had taken. A few dull gifts helped to prune Oikonny's expectations. Anything too grand risked putting innocent lives in danger. A delicate balance needed to be maintained. Fortunately for Dash, Peppy bore the burden of choosing what to feed the Empire instead of him.

Oikonny leaned back into his chair. "Your efforts are appreciated, Dash. I can see that your commitment to the Empire shines brightly."

"I'm pleased to hear you say that," Dash said.

"There is a mission that needs urgent attention. I require people whom I trust to handle it."

"Is it serious?" Dash feigned concern.

"There is no threat to our operations," Oikonny waved his hand. "However, this task must be dealt with swiftly. Otherwise, we risk missing a valuable opportunity."

"And that is?"

"Our spies on Corneria informed us that the army is developing a new artificial intelligence for their starship fleet. There are claims that it surpasses the combat AI that Uncle Andross developed during the Lylat Wars."

Dash made a note to get the names of those spies later. "Are you referring to the war machine that Star Fox fought in Sector X?" he interrupted. "I heard from them that the AI went rogue and destroyed Venom's base there."

Displeasure creased Oikonny's brow. "The Spyborg malfunctioned, yes. Corneria's prototype supposedly doesn't have the same problems that we suffered. I am sending a team to obtain this AI and would like for you to be a part of it."

"You want me to steal from the Cornerian Army?" Dash exclaimed. Realising that his shock looked suspicious, Dash hastened for an excuse to save him. "Sir, if the Cornerians see me flying with the Empire's soldiers, my mission with Star Fox would be thrown out the window."

"There's no need to worry about that," Oikonny said evenly. "The AI, fortunately, is no longer in the Cornerians' hands. Pirates attacked them a few hours ago during a field test and likely stole everything they had. We don't know if the pirates knew about the AI ahead of time. All that we do know is that they have it and are hiding out somewhere on Katina."

Learning that he would be stealing from pirates instead of his allies made Dash feel a bit better. He worked to keep his expression neutral from then on. "I imagine the Cornerians are searching for the pirates too?"

"They are. It's only a matter of time until they find them, or the pirates sell the AI off. We need to retrieve it before either of those things happen."

If the pirates succeeded in getting away, the combat AI could end up in anyone's hands. The best-case scenario was that the Cornerians recovered it first. However, this was Dash's chance to earn more of Oikonny's favour. At least if the Empire seized the AI, General Pepper would know where it is. "How soon do we head out?"

"Immediately," Oikonny answered. "The rest of the team should be assembling in the hangar as we speak. Lieutenant Argus is leading the mission. I will let him know that you'll be joining them."

Inside, Dash balked. He quickly saluted. "I'll head over there straight away."

Oikonny nodded. "Good. Do your family proud, Dash."

As soon as he left the office, Dash hurried back to the hangar. He was out of breath as he stopped in front of a group of seven soldiers. "Dash Bowman… Reporting for… duty…"

A hulking silverback regarded Dash. "Ah, yes. Our last-minute addition. I am Lieutenant Argus. You'll be following my orders on this mission."

"Yes, sir," Dash panted. "I'm honoured, sir." This felt like meeting his drill sergeant at the Academy again, and Dash did not miss that guy for even a second.

Argus turned to the rest of the team. "All of you get into your fighters. We're running against the clock. If you fall behind, you get left behind."

"Yes, sir!"

Throughout the flight to Katina, Dash tried not to freak out over his situation. He was flying alongside Androssian rebels across the Lylat System. He was going to help them track down pirates and steal an experimental combat AI made by the Cornerian military. Dash's nerves crackled. His heart pounded in his chest. His short, rapid breaths were too loud in his ears. He hoped that none of the other pilots could see Dash sweat through his canopy.

There wasn't any time to contact his team before leaving Fortuna. Dash could have used Peppy's advice right now. Unfortunately, he didn't dare try to call out. The ship that Dash flew in wasn't his. Oikonny arranged for him to fly one of the Androssians' for this mission. That would protect his cover if the Cornerians showed up at a bad time. Although that relieved Dash, he still didn't trust the ship. It could be bugged for all he knew. Dash couldn't take the chance. He realised he was completely on his own. It scared the hell out of him.

Intel from Oikonny's spies led the team to a vast stretch of desert on Katina's southern hemisphere. They soon found the site where the pirates attacked. The Cornerians had taken heavy casualties. Dash could see bodies strewn about the camp site. Brown stains showed where the blood had dried over the sand. There was no sign of reinforcements sent to reclaim the fallen soldiers or the AI yet.

Argus dispatched two ships to investigate the camp. Cornerian starfighters laid wrecked past the nearby dunes. If there were survivors, they weren't with their ships anymore. Dash followed Argus to land.

As Dash dreaded, the fighter they approached still had its pilot in the cockpit. The bloodhound slumped in his seat. His chest was torn through by a laser blast. The placement of the wound was consistent with the hole in the ship's canopy. Dash swallowed painfully. This was his first time seeing a corpse. Was this what the end result of a dogfight looked like up close? Dash's thoughts flashed back to his previous missions. How many people had he killed already? How many bodies had he made like this? Did anyone they know come to collect their remains, or were they left to rot like this soldier was? Dash suddenly felt sick.

Argus's radio crackled to life. "This is Holland. No sign of the package around the camp."

"Any leads to where the pirates went?" Argus growled.

"Negative, sir."

"Get back to your ships and search the area. Let me know if you find anything." Argus turned to the men examining the wrecked starfighter. "And what about you lot?"

A crow pulled his head out of the cockpit. "Nothing here to go on. It's not like this guy wrote down what happened before he died."

"What about the black box?" Dash spoke up. Baffled sets of eyes locked onto him. "We might get some clues from the CVR."

"CVR?" the crow tilted his head.

"The cockpit voice recorder," Dash explained. "It records everything that the pilot says and hears inside the ship."

"Which would include everything that the Cornerians told each other over the radio," Argus realised. He gestured for Dash to approach the starfighter. "Check it out," he ordered.

Cornerian military starfighters carried their black boxes inside a compartment behind the cockpit. The crow helped Dash lift the device out onto the sand. Dash then removed its solid-state drive and plugged it into his ship's console.

"Well?" Argus prompted impatiently.

"Just need to roll back to the last few minutes of audio," Dash replied. He played the recording through the ship's speakers. They heard chatter between the Cornerians during the test. There was nothing worth their interest for a while. Then the bloodhound's radio screeched. Lasers struck metal in the background.

"Hostiles attacking from the west! All units engage!"

"Where the hell did these guys come from?!"

"I've got a lock on one."

Another laser struck a starfighter. "I'm hit!"

"One down! Shit!" An explosion roared over the radio.

"Marsh! Shit!"

"All units! Fall back and…"

A shatter of glass cut off the bloodhound's order. The wet patter of lasers tearing through flesh silenced his voice forever. Wind howled and sirens blared. A heavy crash brought an end to the recording.

Dash felt cold. His body trembled as a man's last words played over in his ears again. Dash's chest felt tight until he realised that he was holding his breath for too long.

The crow cackled next to him. "Looks like those Cornerians got what they deserved." A few other soldiers laughed as well.

Argus grumbled. "That still wasn't enough to give us a location."

"They said west," Dash said. His voice sounded faint and distant. "The pirates attacked from the west. That might be where their hideout is."

Argus clicked his tongue irritably. "Better than nothing, I suppose."

Dash started to regain his composure. "I also heard that they took down one of the pirates' ships. Maybe we can get more data from it."

Although they found the ship blown to pieces a few minutes later, there was no sign of its black box. Three possibilities existed. Either the black box was buried under the sand from the crash, the surviving pirates reclaimed it before leaving, or the ship never had one to begin with. The third option could be the most likely. The last thing that a gang of bandits would want is to leave the authorities a trail to follow if one of their members went down in a dogfight. Dash and his team were left with the only vague hint they had.

"We don't have long before the Cornerians show up to collect the bodies," Argus told his men when they assembled away from the camp site. "I want everyone to spread out and find those pirates."

"But they could be anywhere on this planet by now," a chimp complained.

Argus threw him a dangerous sneer. The smaller man reeled away in terror. No one debated against their leader further. However, it was obvious that they shared the same lack of faith. As much as he preferred that they didn't, Dash needed them to succeed for his mission. He considered the problem carefully. There had to be a way to narrow down the search. If he were a pirate lurking on Katina, where would he hide?

"Maybe not anywhere," Dash thought aloud. "If the pirates' base is on this planet, they'd need food, water, and shelter to survive. Katina is only covered 8% in water. Even less than that would be safe to drink. If we start by looking for the closest sources of freshwater, we might find the pirates nearby."

Around Dash, he met with incredulous stares. Argus looked across each of them impassively. Hearing no better suggestions, he nodded to Dash. "Look through a map of the area. Mark any lakes or rivers that you find on it."

Dash returned to his ship and ran an analysis through the onboard computer. Data taken from the Cornerian starfighter included a detailed map of Katina, which included the locations of all known bodies of water. The squadron had camped next to the only one within 1,000 square kilometres. If Dash filtered the possibilities to those westward, there were only a few lakes and narrow rivers from here to the tiny Dizen Sea. Dash thought it unlikely that the pirates would hide out somewhere easy to find in a starfighter. So, he focused his search again to smaller freshwater sources.

"There's an oasis about 200 clicks west of here," Dash advised. "I think we should start there and work our way through."

"What are our chances that the AI is there?" Argus growled.

Dash tinkered with the map for several seconds before answering. "I'm looking at a satellite view. It looks like there's nothing but shrubland and a few trees there. We can probably check it out with a quick fly-over. But there's another oasis further along that's surrounded by rocks and cliffs. There could be caves that the pirates might use."

"Any other options?"

"There's also a small lake near there, but it seems a bit too out in the open for a hideout."

Argus hummed for a moment. He turned to the other soldiers. "We'll split up and search each location. Look for any place where a crew of pirates might stash their starships. Report to me immediately if you find something."

As the soldiers climbed into their cockpits, Argus approached Dash. His burly arms crossed his chest. "I did not know at first what possessed Oikonny to put you on this mission. Nepotism was my best guess. But now I see that you have a decent head on your shoulders. Let's see how well this bright idea of yours plays out for you."

Dash swallowed. He maintained eye contact. "I'm just making an educated guess." Argus leered for a little longer without saying anything. When he finally returned to his starship, Dash felt his body shiver all over again.

With eight fighters in the air, they covered ground quickly. The first possible locations were dead ends. Dash crossed them off the map before assigning the soldiers their next destinations. He kept an eye on his radar for signs of the Cornerians arriving behind them. So far, things were proceeding smoothly. Dash felt confident that they would find the pirates in no time. He leaned back in his seat. A slight grin broke across his face. He had this situation all under control.

"Boss, this is Briggs. I'm flying over the canyon river. I can make out a fighter's wing underneath the ridge at the bottom."

"That's Lieutenant to you, maggot," Argus growled. "Stay out of sight until we rendezvous. Everyone else, make your way to Briggs's coordinates."

Dash's throat became dry. This was it. If that was a pirate's starship, then a fight was about to break out. He hoped that he could handle whatever went down in the next few minutes.

By the time the team congregated over the canyon, they found Briggs already shooting down it. "What the hell, Briggs!" Argus roared. "I told you to stay out of sight!"

"Yeah, and these pricks heard me flying around!" Briggs protested. "I'm now trying to keep them from getting into the air. You're welcome, by the way!"

Argus snarled. "Forget it then! Move in and blow up every ship you can!"

In such a narrow space, the pirates had no hope of avoiding the swooping Androssians long enough to fight back. Lasers rained on the line of starships parked under the cliffs. They exploded on impact. Superheated shrapnel tore through the poor souls who had run too close at the wrong time. The surviving pirates soon realised that getting into the air was a death sentence. They fell back into a cave next to their wrecked fighters. Dash watched as the Androssians kept shooting until not a single ship was left standing.

"No way for them to run now!" Argus laughed. "Let's finish these bastards off!"

All eight starfighters landed outside the cave. Argus then ordered for everyone to assemble outside. "Fletcher and Robins, stay out here and guard the ships. Make sure those pirates don't try to sneak around us. The rest of you, put your helmets on and seal them tight."

Everyone checked that their weapons were fully loaded. Dash held a pistol in clammy hands. Something about Argus's gleeful tone unsettled him. Why did they need to wear their oxygen helmets inside a cave? Argus caught Dash shaking in his boots. "Something the matter, Bowman?"

"Never been in a firefight like this," Dash replied anxiously. That was the truth. Although he had flown with Star Fox for almost a year, he still had no experience fighting on the ground. There simply hadn't been any contracts that required it.

Argus's mouth turned up into a grin. "Don't worry about it. The other four and I are more than enough to weed out some lowly cockroaches." He emphasised with a hearty pump of his large shotgun. "You just hang back and take whatever pot-shots you can."

"Maybe Robins and I should trade places?" Dash suggested. He immediately knew from Argus's expression that he'd get nowhere with that idea.

"I want you with us in case there's anything in that cave that requires brainwork," the gorilla grumbled. He turned away from Dash. "You did good in leading us here. Now hang back while the boys and I do what we do best."

Strangely, Dash found that comforting. He finally placed his helmet over his head. Air hissed around his neck as the base sealed against Dash's flight suit. His hand didn't tremble so much as he gripped his gun. Dash took a breath and followed his five teammates into the cave.

Uneven walls confined them. The space was made even tighter by supply crates thrown up all over the place. Barely 10 paces through the entrance, metal bullets shot past Dash's ear. He and the Androssians ducked under the nearest cover. A couple of pirates hid behind a rough barricade up ahead. The weasel, Briggs, took one out with his rifle. Another soldier, a spiny lizard, lifted his own. He shot the second pirate clean through his head. Dash didn't dare look down as his team advanced further into the tunnel.

They destroyed 16 fighters outside. That meant that there were at least 16 pirates. Five were dead by the river. Add the two the Androssians just took down and that left nine to go. The pirates still had a numbers advantage. They were also familiar with the cave. Dash felt blind and pitted against the odds. "Are we going to be okay bunched up like this?"

"Keep your eyes open for an ambush and you'll be fine," Argus replied, leading the group slowly.

"What if they use grenades though?"

"They'd be damned stupid to try that in here. The blast could bring the whole ceiling down on all of us, them included."

Unless the pirates had another way out that they could escape through. Dash refrained from pointing that out though. He didn't want to push the lieutenant's patience. Instead, he kept his eyes peeled and his pistol primed to shoot.

The passage widened 30 metres ahead. The lizard, Morris, scanned for heat signatures, counting nine warm bodies throughout the chamber. It appeared this was the pirates' last stand. Morris warned that they were spread out. The second that the Androssians walked in, they'd be shot through like cheese. Argus acknowledged the danger but was unworried. He even grinned at the situation.

"Make sure your helmets are sealed." Dash double-checked his, not liking the gorilla's tone. "Get your gas ready."

Gas?! Five hands held up metal cylinders.

"Say goodnight, you bastards!" Argus shouted. He pulled the pin on his can and threw it. Four others followed close behind. They bounced noisily across the cavern floor.

Fumes hissed like venomous snakes. The pirates panicked. They screamed at each other to hold their breaths; to cover their faces; to find a way out before they all died. But there was no way out, one answered shrilly. The only exit was blocked by their enemies.

Horror seized Dash as he heard the pirates suffer. They choked on the gas. Wheezed for breath. Wailed as their comrades fell. Begged for mercy. Then they cried hopelessly as none was offered to them. These sounds burned into Dash's ears, chilling him to the bone. Soon, all he heard was his own hurried breathing as the cavern became silent.

"That should do it," Argus said. "Keep your masks on and stay vigilant. Never know if one of these lowlifes might still be alive."

Dash felt rooted in place as the soldiers walked slowly into the chamber. His throat tightened with a dry swallow. His feet moved forward on their own. Inside the cavern, Dash saw the bodies. Hands clutched over lifeless necks. Blood and foam ran from gaping mouths. Glassy eyes were red and swollen. Dash's stomach lurched. Poison! They had used poison to kill these people!

He barely held the bile passing his lips. Dash swallowed it down forcefully. His eyes watered and the acid burned his throat. 'Not here, Bowman. Not now!' Fortunately, the Androssians were more focused on confirming kills than Dash struggling to hold himself together. 'Remember the mission!'

Slowly, Dash stood straighter. It took every ounce of his will to quell the shaking throughout his body. Only when he felt he had a tight hold over his emotions, Dash made his way towards Argus. The man stood over a stash of crates. They each had the Cornerian Army's emblem painted on their sides. The one at Argus's feet was open. A bulky, white device sat inside it. The prototype combat AI.

"Is that it?" Dash asked. His earlier sickness weakened his voice.

"I assume so," Argus crossed his arms. "We'll take it all back to base anyway. Oikonny should be pleased with this haul. Might even give us a raise."

Dash remembered that many of Oikonny's forces were mercenaries and pirates like the ones they had just slaughtered. They only followed Oikonny so long as he paid them. From what Argus had said, he was probably another hired gun; more concerned about his next paycheque than the cause he was risking his life for.

"Do you know if the device has a tracker on it?" Dash asked. "The last thing I'd want is to lead the Cornerians to our front door."

"Good point," Argus replied. "Since you're our Cornerian expert, why don't you give it a once-over?"

"Sure…" Dash said quietly. He could have easily kept his mouth shut about the tracker, which Dash would bet his Monkey Arrow that the Cornerian Army installed one. But saving the Empire from discovery would win him brownie points with Oikonny.

Argus clapped Dash on the shoulder as he walked past. "Good job today, Bowman. If you ever get tired of working for Oikonny and Star Fox, you should come join my crew. We could use an egghead behind the scenes."

Dash tensed, not sure how to feel about that. "Thanks…"

While Argus and the other soldiers carried the other crates out of the cave, Dash knelt over the AI computer and inspected its casing. The dead pirates behind him didn't leave his thoughts. Dash hadn't lifted a finger against them, yet he felt their blood on his hands. Tainted blood shed through cruel methods. He was complicit. All for the sake of his mission.

'Just focus on the mission, Dash… Just focus on the mission…'

The flight back to Fortuna was quiet. For Dash it was, at least. He cut himself off from the boasts and laughter grating over the comm link. His teammates' voices were like knives. They sliced into his core. The pain manifested in visions of the cave that Dash pushed down until he was free from the threat of judging eyes.

Seeing the base again brought a strange sense of relief. It signalled that the horrors of this day were over. Yet more could be in store. That realisation rippled through Dash. It pushed at his limit. As soon as the team parked their ships into the hangar, Dash took off towards the facility quickly.

"Oi, Bowman!" one of them called. Robins, the crow, jabbed his thumb back to the team. "The boys and I are gonna celebrate with a few beers. You coming?"

Dash forced a smile. "No thanks. I'm gonna lie down for a while. Might catch you later."

"You sure?"

"Yeah. I'm knackered." That wasn't quite a lie.

Robins shrugged. "Suit yourself." No one else pressured Dash to stay.

First retreating to his room, he locked the door behind him. Dash dropped onto the bed and laid still. He thought and felt nothing. Then everything that Dash suppressed hit him at full force. The visions returned. His body shook. Hot tears flowed into the linen. Dash screamed into the pillow. He didn't stop until his throat burned raw.

God… What the hell had he gotten himself into? Of course, Dash knew pretending to join Oikonny's army wasn't going to be pleasant. He knew he'd have to get his hands dirty. He thought he was prepared for it. But what he saw in that cave… the screams that he heard… Dash came close to throwing up into his wastebin.

Nothing could have prepared him for that. Not even the knowledge of his grandfather's atrocities; that shame that Dash was forced to live with; could have steeled him against what Oikonny's people were capable of. A strong voice in Dash's heart wanted out. He wanted to get away from this planet. He wanted to take back ever coming here in the first place.

Dash's thoughts were interrupted as his wrist comm beeped. Caught in a stupor, he read Oikonny's name on the touchscreen. Dash the Mercenary stepped back into the pilot's seat. He hit the receive button. "Hello?"

"Dash, report to my office right away. I would like to have a word with you."

Oikonny's tone wasn't at all threatening, yet his phrasing caused Dash to tense. "I'll be right there, sir."

Before he went over, Dash took a minute to tidy his appearance in the bathroom. He straightened his hair and washed his face, looking somewhat brighter than how Dash looked coming in. He then hurried over to Oikonny's office. The guards let Dash in without any hassle. It was dark outside the window. Oikonny sat in his chair with a grin on his features. "Welcome, Dash."

Ever maintaining the loyal soldier image, Dash bowed. "Sir. Good evening."

"Please, be at ease. For this is a night to celebrate." Atop Oikonny's desk were two glasses and a bottle of spirits. "Would you care for a drink?"

"I'm still underage." Dash shifted uneasily.

Oikonny filled both glasses anyway. "On Zoness, yes. Quite senseless how the drinking age is 21 on most parts of the planet. But here on Fortuna, the law is whatever a man in power makes it. And I decree that a man may have a drink if he has earned one." He offered one of the glasses. Hesitantly, Dash accepted it.

"Lieutenant Argus informed me that you played a crucial part in locating the stolen AI," Oikonny said. It surprised and somewhat touched Dash that the silver brute didn't hog all the credit for himself. "With this technology, our empire will make leaps and bounds towards conquering the Lylat System. I am proud of you, Dash."

"Th-thank you, sir," Dash stammered.

Oikonny raised his own glass high. "To the Empire. And to the glory of Andross." Dash copied the motion and drank as Oikonny did. The hard liquor burned Dash's unprepared throat. He spluttered it over his sleeve. Oikonny cackled as Dash attempted to finish the rest of his drink without choking on it again.

"Your performance during the mission has exceeded my expectations," he told Dash. "I believe it is time for you to rise among our ranks."

"So soon?" Dash exclaimed. He corrected himself, lest Oikonny changed his mind. "I'm honoured, sir."

"Sadly, many of our soldiers lack the intellect to do more than shoot a living target. I also lack confidence in their loyalty. Any one of them could turn against us if they are given too much authority. You, however, have proven today that both your mind and faith are dependable." Oikonny sipped at his drink. "Therefore, I hereby grant you the rank of lieutenant, as well as all the privileges that go with it."

"A lieu… A lieutenant?!" Dash nearly dropped his glass. "I… I don't know what to say."

"All that I require is your continued service."

"But what about the others on the team?" Dash knew he was shooting himself in the foot as he spoke. "Won't they think promoting me is showing favouritism? After all, they did all the fighting."

Oikonny huffed dismissively. "Argus will be satisfied enough with his promotion to captain. The rest will receive a bonus in their pay, but no more than that. They only achieved the bare minimum of what I expected from them. Their feelings on the matter do not concern me."

Dash straightened. Resolution etched onto his face. "Then thank you, Cousin Andrew. I promise that you won't regret this."

"I am sure that I won't," Oikonny smiled. "Keep up the good work, Dash. The Empire is counting on you."

"I understand, sir. I will."

"Good." Oikonny shooed Dash off with a hand. "Now, go. Celebrate tonight. Because starting tomorrow, we shall work even harder to build our strength."

As Dash left the room, his spirit began to float from the mire it sunk into. Maybe the alcohol had some influence over that. In any case, Oikonny was warming up to him. Dash was gaining the man's trust. With that, Dash could push forward with his mission. He still felt at odds with what he now understood he'd need to tolerate; but if the risks that Dash took brought Star Fox one step closer to finding Fox McCloud, then it might become worth it all in the end.