The Mission

5:34 am sunrise, Arlen Texas.

Bobby for once was awake before his parents because he wanted to be. He dressed himself quickly and went into the living room where he saw Sonya adjusting her boots. She picked herself up and turned to face Bobby as he walked towards her.

"Are you ready?" she asked. Bobby just nodded. And without another word he opened the door to the garage. Everything looked normal except for a bushy brown tail with a white tip poking out from under the workbench. When the tarp was lifted the two saw Fox curled into a ball, his coat being used as a pillow.

"Fox. Fox." Bobby said pushing him slightly.

" Huh?!" Fox said in a daze as he dashed up. But when he did he hit his head on top of the workbench."Ow!" And his cry along with the bang made a lot of noise.

"SHH!" Bobby exclaimed in a harsh whisper." My parents are still asleep!"

"Sorry, sorry." Fox said as he got to his feet." What's the plan?" Bobby was busy putting the tools back in their place at his father's work station.

"O-Outside." He said over his shoulder." Into the truck." Fox nodded and moved towards the door. He pushed it open but was suddenly eye to eye with a fright.

"Ah!" he jolted. Standing there in his way was none other than Ladybird, the Hill's faithful bloodhound. She had most likely been woken up by the noise and went to investigate. But Fox was not too frightened, in his own world he was friends with several dogs a bloodhound included." Hey there girl." He bent down towards her.

"Fox, easy." Said Bobby now entering the scene." She's a purebred Georgia bloodhound, she-"

"It's okay." Fox said back to him." She won't hurt me, she's too much of a sweetie." He inched his hand towards her but then second he did, she let out a snarl." Oh boy." Then with a yelp and a snarl Ladybird jumped towards Fox.

But before any real damage could be done Bobby and Sonya jumped forward and grabbed her before she could grab Fox.

"Go, go." Sonya motioned to the door. Fox crawled out from under them and made his way to the sliding door while Bobby and Sonya tried to restrain Ladybird. But with every second she grew louder and louder, and finally Sonya had had enough." She's all yours." She said dropping the dog. Bobby hadn't expected that and fell over as he leaned over to catch Ladybird before she hit the floor.

Bobby looked up see Sonya already out the door and making her way to the truck. So he carefully pushed Ladybird off him and followed after her. When he closed the sliding glass door behind him Ladybird was there barking.

And when he entered the truck Fox was already in the back and Sonya in the passenger's seat.

"What the hell was that?" Bobby said slamming the door behind him.

"Hey, hey, hey chill man." Said Fox." There's a lady here." He pointed to Sonya. But Bobby continued to glare at Sonya.

"I thought you had the situation under control and look you're here now, so clearly you did. Now let's move on." She pointed to the steering wheel. Bobby's face fumed as he looked Sonya's face of indifference over. But then he did agree there was a more pressing situation at hand. So without another word he slammed the gears and pushed down on the gas.

They drove across town and soon enough arrived at their old base.

"Let's get this show on the road." Said Sonya. Fox nodded and ducked back in his seat, covering himself with several coats. Bobby slowed down as they approached the main gate, then he and Sonya produced their military ID's and it took no more than a few seconds to look at them. But all the time Bobby was nervous, a slight sweat on his forehead and a nervous tick in his finger as it banged against the steering wheel. But his nervousness was not needed since they were casually waved threw the gate. However now they faced a new problem.

"Where would they keep something secret?" Fox asked poking his head out from under his cover.

"Stay down!" Sonya snapped pushing him back down so all they could hear was his muffled voice.

"But seriously." Said Bobby nervously." Where would they keep something secret?"

"Geez." Sonya sighed." Whiners all of you. There." She pointed a hanger out to Bobby." If the Army picked it up it'll be in there. So just pull up, nice and eas-ow!" she exclaimed as Bobby drove into a parking spot and slammed down on the break." Easy." She said turning and glaring at him.

"Hehe, sorry." He smiled innocently.

"Wait here." She growled to Bobby. Then she exited the car and ventured out to view the entrance points. Bobby waited silently in the car, strumming his fingers nervously only the wheel of the car his eyes constantly scanning the horizons.

"Hey Bobby." A voice said next to him that made him jump out of his skin. He turned his head over to see Bill standing there." Hey Bobby." He said again with a smile on his face." What are you doing?"

"H-Hello , I mean Sergeant Dauterive. I-I"

"Whatca got back there?" Bill peaked his head over Bobby's shoulders and looked at the pile of coats there.

"J-Just some old cloths." Bobby said reaching a hand back and pushing down on it, forcing Fox further down. A low grunt was heard but neither of the two men made it. Bobby quickly covered himself and cleared his throat.

After several long moments Sonya returned much to Bobby's relief, but she had a very quick pace to her steps. She suddenly jolted up at the sight of Bill before her.

"G-Good morning Ma'am." He stammered to her snapping to attention and saluting.

"At ease Sergeant." She replied doing the same." As you were." Bill nodded and turned back to Bobby, ready to continue his conversation with him." Elsewhere Sergeant. The Corporal and I have work to do."

"Y-Yes ma'am." Said Bill. Then he quickly marched off as Sonya went to Bobby.

"Okay." She said leaning into Bobby's car window." There's a way in around the back, but there's one problem. I didn't see any spaceship in there."

"What?!" both Bobby and Fox jolted in surprise.

"You said it would be here." Said Fox getting to his feet." You said it would be here."

"No, what I said was 'If the Army has it, it'll be in the hanger.'" Sonya corrected.

"Where's my ship!" Fox roared, standing up as much as he could in the truck." Where's my ship!" Sonya straightened herself out expecting a violent reaction from Fox." Did you even look?"

"Sit down." She advised with venom in her voice. But Fox has been in life or death situations just like Sonya, and he does not frighten easily.

"SHH!" Bobby exclaimed between the two." Keep quiet." His nerves were nearly shot." Let's actually take a look inside the hanger. M-Maybe we'll find something."

"Fine! Fine!" said Sonya putting her arms up.

"But I'm going this time." Fox said kicking whatever cover he still had on him.

"No, no bad idea." Said Sonya.

"I'm not staying behind. The ship is my only way home." He jumped out of the car and stood before Sonya.

"Fine." She grinded her teeth. Then without another word Fox walked off and began his way of sneaking into the compound. She turned back to see Bobby still sitting in the car." And just what are you doing?"

"Well I'm gonna stay and-" Sonya reached in and grabbed him by his neck.

"Oh No! We're all in on this one." She said. And with a great pull she yanked Bobby out of the driver's seat, threw the window and outside. They soon learned that Fox was very nimble and quick on his feet. With a hop, skip and a jump he was on the walls of the hanger and slipped into one of the windows. Bobby admired it so much he looked as if he was going to try the same thing himself." Let's just take the door." Sonya pointed him in the direction.

So the two walked into the hanger, the moment they set foot inside Fox fell down from the ceiling and landed before them.

"Alright." He said without giving them even a moment." Where would they be keeping my ship?"

"Take a look around." Said Sonya raising her arms." What you see is what you get." There was nothing in the hanger other than a few beaten up old jets.

"This can't be it." Fox said with a defeated sigh.

"There has to be somewhere else." Said Bobby to Sonya.

"There's nothing else!" she quickly replied.

They were so preoccupied with each other that they didn't hear the stomping of boots against the ground.

"Well, Well, Well." Said a sudden voice that got all their attentions." Look what we have here." Everyone slowly turned to face whoever the newcomer might be. And none were more surprised than Bobby or Sonya. Standing before them was none other than Major Jaxson Briggs.

Meanwhile at the Base's gate were Stryker and Joseph. They'd been trying to find and interrogate the Special Forces members but were having no lucking getting in passed the gate. Stryker only grumbled his annoyance as Joseph unsuccessfully tried to persuade the soldier to let them pass.

But back in the hanger Bobby and Sonya were still having a hard time believing that it was Jax before them. But he stood real as day with a happy smile on his face. So when the realization came over them they approached him.

Bobby was of course excited and greeted Jax with a hug before Sonya ripped him off.

"Show some respect-"

"It's alright Sonya." Jax chuckled." Putting his hand up. It was now that Jax and Sonya saw for the first time something different about Jax, his hand was solid metal. But not just his hand his entire arm was, both of them.

"Wow! What happened to you?" asked Bobby.

"That accident nearly killed me." Said Jax showing off his new metal arms." Took my arms straight off. So the Army decided to try an experiment, needless to say it worked."

"But what about the others?" asked Bobby." Kenshi, Hsu Hao."

"Kano." Said Sonya." What happened to all of them?" A cold look hit Jax's face.

"Gone." He said with a nod of his head." All of them gone." It was Jax himself who broke the silence after that." But it doesn't matter now. We're still here." He took both his metal hands and clapped them onto his soldiers. Now was the first time Jax looked past them and noticed Fox for the first time. "Ah. So you must be the guy that came out of the portal." He said as he walked over to him, extending a metal hand." Major Jaxson Briggs, Head of the Other world Special Forces."

"Fox McCloud." He replied tensely. In his life he'd grown a great distrust of individuals with metal attachments.

"It's okay Fox." Said Bobby noticing Fox's hesitation." He's cool."

"Hehe, yes cool." Chuckled Jax.

"If your in charge, then you're the one I should talk about getting me home." Fox said.

"Yes you would be." Said Jax taking several steps away and encouraging them all to follow. Bobby and Sonya followed but Fox was still hesitant." I assume you'd want your ship back as well." And upon the mere mention of his ship being returned to him Fox's eyes lit up like a child on Christmas.

"Where-"

"Follow me." Jax turned to a small hole in the wall, he stuck his hand in where there was a hidden keypad. He punched in the code and a moment later the wall opened up." Welcome to the New HeadQuarters of the Special Forces." He said to Bobby and Sonya.

And this place was different indeed. The computers and equipment were fresh and new in shining new silver, and the size of the overall place was different. Bobby imagined it went under the entire base. Jax led them to a large ring.

"That's your ticket home my friend." He pointed it out to Fox." But it'll take me a few minutes, I'm still getting use to the new equipment." Fox might have been annoyed but he hid it well." But I think this will suffice for now." He pointed Fox in another direction where his spaceship was waiting. And while getting home was still number one on his list of priorities getting his ship back was an added bonus for Fox.

He ran up and hugged the ship as of it was a woman. Jax smiled and walked away while Sonya rolled her eyes. But Bobby understood his father was similar with his vehicle.

"I'll only be a few minutes." Told Jax as he went to work. Sonya went to help him but Bobby stayed behind with Fox. The humanoid animal jumped ontop of his ship and began looking it over.

Now that they had a few moments alone together Bobby decided to ask something that had been on his mind since he'd first met Fox.

"Are there others like you?" he asked.

"Like me?" he repeated curious.

"People who are all…..furry." Bobby said after a pause. Fox smirked.

"Yes there are people like me. There are people like you too."

"Really?" Fox nodded his head. Bobby's eyes went over to the side of the ship and he noticed a symbol on it." What's that mean?" He pointed to it.

"StarFox. It's the name of my team."

"Your team?"

"Mercenaries. My father started the team." Bobby was once again reminded of his own father, who often hoped Bobby would come work in the propane business with him.

"Where's your dad now?" Fox took a deep breath.

"He died." He told when he was ready." A long time ago."

"Oh I-I'm sorry to hear that."

"Everybody dies Bobby." Fox said so casual as if he was wishing 'Good Morning'.

Fox was much like Bobby's father Hank, a simple man with simple values, simple wants and needs. All he wanted was what he had in front of him no more no less. And it was for these reasons that Bobby liked Fox. And in return Fox liked Bobby as well, he could recall his earlier times when a younger version of himself sought adventure and danger.

They talked for several more moments learning more about each other. Fox regaled bobby with epic tales of his own adventures and close encounters across the Lylat System.

"Mr. McCloud." Jax called getting his attention." We're all set for you." Fox and Bobby got up to their feet.

"How do I know it'll take me home?" Fox asked.

"I calibrated your speed when you arrived." Jax replied." With a similar speed we can reopen the portal and send you back to your home." Fox nodded with a smile.

"I guess this is the end." Said Bobby. Fox said nothing but turned to Bobby silently and held out his hand.

" Thank you Bobby Hill, for everything." The whole reason he was going home was because Bobby took a chance and believed in him. None of this would have been possible without him. Bobby shook his hand. Then Fox turned and then jumped into his ship. Jax hit a few buttons and the portal opened with a bright white light.

"You might want to take it easy." Jax called to him." New system and all, we don't know how strong it'll be." Fox gave him a nod of acknowledgement and turned his head to Bobby. He began to say something but Bobby couldn't make it out since the cover to Fox's ship came down right as he spoke.

Then without another word the boosters on his ship fired up and the ship flew into the portal. Like magic he was there one second and gone the next. The seconds following his leaving the portal glowed dimmed.

The event now over the three Special Forces members all stood in silence, proud of what they'd done. There was a strange look in Bobby's eyes as he saw the space man fly off and back to his home.

"What's that about?" Sonya questioned the look in his eyes.

"What?! N-Nothing!" Bobby shrieked.

"What you miss him already?" she chuckled darkly." Playing for the other team now?" A strange new side of Sonya once again, he'd hardly ever seen her joke before. But slowly as their adventures continued they began to learn more and more about each other.

"No, I-I-I"

"Leave the kid alone Sonya." Jax said cutting in." I want to hear all about what you two have been up to." He put his metal arms around the two and began walking away with them.

Now what happened next Bobby couldn't totally understand. There was a crackling sound that all three of them turned around for. They saw sparks coming out of some wires and the portal shining bright one minute only to dim the next and then shine once more. Then it shined as if it had been reactivated. Then before any of them could truly acknowledge the situation a violent wind began sucking them in. And despite any protest they had, no matter what they grabbed onto the winds only grew stronger until all three of them had been sucked into the portal.

They left Arlen Texas and were now in a world beyond.