I groaned loudly as I began to wake up again. Everything was blurry. All I could slowly make out is that I was staring at a metal ceiling with lights… and voices. Voices I couldn't understand.

My brain was rebooting slowly, turning on the senses and everything necessary of ensuring he could act. My eyes closed once more. Once my mind was back, I opened my eyes again, the voices became understandable. The ceiling clearly viewable.

Then a woman starts looking at me from above. At least I think it is a woman. I never saw that species but the closest thing I could get was a less furry ape with way smaller ears and a beige skin. That species looking at me had soft facial features, two orbs at the chest and the voice was higher pitched. For me indicators of a female member of this unknown species.

"Hey. How are you feeling?" asks the female.

"Like I was tackled by a tank." was my groaning answer slowly sitting up.

Thought she pushed me down "Easy here! You had a bad situation here. You were quite cold and got quite a lack of oxygen from your stay in that wrecked fighter. It's a wonder you didn't blow up. Especially with that active bomb under your seat"

A weak smile crossed my face "So Uncle Martin really had one down there…"

"You're not surprised to have a Smart Bomb under your seat?" asks another voice and my head turned, and I spot a hare. But not any hare. I recognized him from the news. That's Peppy Hare.

I would freak out if I weren't in this bed. Wait…

"Did you say Smart Bomb?" He nodded and I stared "I knew Uncle Martin was paranoid. But a Smart Bomb? That's overkill! Even for him!" or so I hope. I said it twice and I say it a third time: Sometimes Uncle Martin scares me.

the hare laughed "Ah! Martin still is part of this. Then I am not surprised. But a smart bomb is really too much, even on his standards."

"You know Uncle Martin?" I wondered

Hare nodded "Yes. Thought more indirect. The two of us had the same friend, Crimson Kane. He was my flight instructor before he founded the Crimson Star. I take you're his grandson Alexander."

I nodded "Yes… that's right. But he never told me that he knows somebody from Star Fox."

"Ah, good old Crimson. Wanted to build everything with his own hands. Even reputation. If he had asked, I could have helped him out with some tight spots." and Peppy shakes his head "How are the two?"

"I… don't know. I got separated from my team after a pirate attack." was my honest answer.

"I see…" mused Peppy and rubs his chin "I take the Red Fly got evacuated? Else it wouldn't be us to pick you up."

I nodded again "From what I know it is now a raided wreck in the space."

The hare nodded again "For now rest boy, then we discuss what to do further. But I have one bad news for you in advance."

"Which is?"

"You won't pilot your StrikeWing ever again. The engine is totalled and the frame shows enough fractures that any additional G would rip it apart. I'm sorry about it."

My mood got solemn. But I nodded. It was always something that could happen and at least I didn't die. But that makes me wonder… did the others made it "Did you hear anything from the other Crimson Star?"

"Sadly no." admits Peppy with a shake of his head and I simply nodded as the Hare spoke, "But we will look into that."

"Thanks… but… where am I?" and looks at the female that was listening to all the time "Also who and what are you?"

"I am Razor Lemay and you're on board of the Equinox. As for what I am. I am human from planet earth" told the woman with a proud voice. Then she turns to Peppy "But that talk about overkill just now. I have seen Slippy getting nervous as we found it but how bad is it really?"

I gave the answer "Its an explosion strong enough to wipe out a complete fighter squad even if you just hit the last of the guys."

that caused the woman to stare at us and runs off. Peppy stroke his furry chin "I am guessing she is now securing the bomb properly and then yell at us for not warning her about how dangerous it is."

I looked at him "Where did you find her? And is she part of your team?"

"For the "finding" let's say we run into each other, with Fox charging to help. As it's more like we are on a joint avenue right now given the mix we're still looking for Wolf and that here in Atlas an own danger began to exist."

"Why do I have the feeling it is more than just bandits?" I countered

"Something older" simply said Peppy "You better rest some more and then I will fill you in."

I nodded and laid down again, closing my eyes.

Starlink: Crimson Star

Razor onto the bridge after she has dealt with the Smart bomb where she found the remaining three members of the Star Fox team and looked down on them "Which of you three thought it was a smart idea to not to tell me that this bomb we found could blow part of the ship away?"

Fox looked at the other two "What is she talking about?"

The toad Slippy laughed weakly "Well… as we examined the StrikeWing to see if we could repair it, we found a bomb under the pilot's seat… a Smart bomb"

"Whoa there!" called Falco "Are you kidding me? A smart bomb under the pilots' seat? Who does something like that?"

"That cats uncle obviously." said Razor and looks at Slippy "Why didn't you tell me how dangerous it was."

"Given how we put it away, I thought it was not worth mentioning it real payload as the chances of something happening is slim by now."

"Still I prefer that I have known about this little fact before."

"So I take the pilot is awake now?" asks Fox to try and disarm the situation.

Razor nodded "Yes. And he was a bandit victim and seems to worry about the rest of the team."

"If I were in his shoes I would the same" agreed Fox

"Why the worry? They are all adults as far I get. Not as good as me but somewhat able to move." interrupts Falco and spreads his arms "Even if not, that means one less team we have to compete against now that the war is over."

"Woah! Falco! That was heartless to say" came from Slippy and Razor agreed with him.

"I believe that they escaped. If anything Peppy and my father told me about this Crimson guy, then he tends to keep his team on good standards. I bet if we could the guy we picked up a ship, he will be a great addition to our cause."

"So you suggest that we ask for his help… in return of finding his team?" asks a male human that joined the discussion

"That's right Hakka" nodded Fox and points at his slung arm "And while your arm is broken, perhaps you give him a chance in your ship?"

Hakka took a deep thought "I talk with Mason. Given him a try in the simulator will never be harmful."

Starlink: Crimson Star

I was allowed to leave the sick bay but was advice to not do anything that pushes any stress on his body. So my first trip was to the hangar… where I look at the remains of my ship.

My mind went through the memories I had with this ship… how many battles I had. How happy I was as I was allowed to fly it the first time… and as my grandfather handed the ownership to me. Now it is here...damaged beyond repair. Sure the frame could be repaired but the engine was blasted apart and parts are melted in, making it impossible to place anything new inside it.

Sighing loudly I pet the surface "It was a good time together..." and shakes my head before sitting down on the wing… the only not damaged part of the ship. I embrace my legs and buries the head in. "Grandfather…" and then I looked up again and at the other ships. It was so tempting to take one of those… and try to find the rest of my team. They have to be out there. But where? They could be in the entire star system. And if it is so full of pirates, they would properly try to keep themselves out of trouble with the very limited supplies they got thanks to the fact that their only source for resupplies is busted.

Then I heard steps and upon looking at the source, I saw a black haired human. Blinking the man introduced himself "I am Mason… at the moment something like the unofficial leader of our group."

"Something like?" I asked in wonder.

"It's a long story." he said, "I tell you it later. But now, I had a talk with one of our pilots. Interested in working with us? We help you find your team and you help us stop the Legion."

"The legion?" I tilted the head in wonder. Mason rubs his head "Machines that want to destroy everything in short."

"Give me that simulator. Then I have time for the long story version of this." I answered, thinking that this deal is rather good sounding on the aspect of killer robots out there as well and properly going to kill my friend as well. Something I don't want to face.

I am aware that chapter is rather short for a second chapter, but that and properly also the next one are to integrate my plot elements to the Starlink one. Thought afterwards those chapters should get longer like my other recent stories.