Falco piloted the large carrier ship – one of the few purchased by the Starfox Team. It was not an aircraft Falco was particularly fond of, the controls were much less responsive than that of an Arwing, but the mission called for subtlety and a large amount of supplies, so it was the carrier he flew. Krystal sat in the Co-Pilot's seat by his side. Their several day journey now coming to its end as they began their descent onto the planet which Fox was last heard from.
Krystal and Falco were silent, tapping on touch screens and adjusting coordinates, all the while listening to the humming of the ships twin engines. While it was clear Krystal had no intention of igniting conversation, Falco did his best to for one none the less, "Are you worried about him?"
"Of course I am." Krystal replied quickly, now making sure her eyes remained focused on the screens before her.
"It's just, haven't really seen you cry or anything… you know?" Falco glanced at Krystal, his eyes lingering for a moment. Krystal did not reply, "I just want to know if you really are worried is all…"
"Why wouldn't I be?" Krystal's voice harbored a slight tinge of hostility, though she spoke as indifferently as possible, and continued to adjust coordinates as they now pressed through the planet's atmosphere, "We're clear of security feeds, I have Fox's last known signal on the map."
"I think, it would be alright if you weren't worried… you know." Falco answered, bringing up the GPS map, "It's ok not to be worried."
"I am worried."
"I don't know if you really are." Falco looked again at Krystal, and this time, her eyes caught his. But she only gave a glare, and then returned to her screens.
"Why do you do this Falco?" She said with some aggravation.
"Do what?" There was no answer, Falco placed the coordinates in the ships computer quickly – and allowed the ship to transition into auto-pilot, he now gave Krystal his full attention, "Do what?" He said again.
"You know what." Krystal's eyes remained fixed on the screens, Falco smiled.
"The ship's on auto pilot, you don't need to look at those."
"Yes I do."
"No you don't Krystal." Falco kept his gaze, "I meant what I said."
"What? That it's ok not to be worried?" Krystal finally turned to Falco, her eyes cold, defensive, "Do you have any idea what you're implying?"
"I know exactly what I'm implying. I know what kind of Reynard Fox can be. I just want to make sure there's no… guilt." Falco's words were calm throughout their conversation. He always kept about him the staunch air of skepticism and indifference. Though now, in the midst of his collected persona, there seeped a hint of compassion.
Krystal scoffed and shook her head, now looking out onto the planets ruined landscape, "I don't feel guilty. I don't feel like I owe him anything for saving me… if that's what you're getting at."
Falco laughed, "I think you do though, and I think deep down you feel guilty."
"I don't see why it matters to you." Krystal retorted, her words as much as a counter as they were a lure; for she began to feel inside her a great, uneasy sense as to what Falco's true intention was.
To her dread, Falco replied with the answer she least wanted to hear, "You know why it matters." He spoke more softly than normal now, and it was here that Krystal's heart fluttered.
"Why do you do this Falco…"
"You know this isn't something I can just turn off."
Krystal shot a glare, "I told you on Vesperia, I told you nothing could happen between us anymore."
Falco's eyes never left Krystal, "We were happy."
"We were idiots. I shouldn't have done that, you shouldn't have done that." Krystal shook her head, "Only a few minutes until our destination…"
"You can't sit there and tell me it wasn't what we both wanted." Falco now sought out Krystal's eyes so desperately that he completely neglected the controls; Krystal began to pilot the carrier as they reached their marker.
"It was a mistake Falco, let it go. I'm with Fox now, you need to let it go."
"You don't have to be with him." Falco turned to the holographic map, now looking to Fox's signal with a feeling of contempt, "If he hadn't have gone missing, you know what you had would have ended."
"I don't know that." Krystal said coldly. She tapped her controls, slowing down the carrier's flight path, eventually placing it into a hover, "Looks like this is it."
"At least tell me you felt something…"
"Drop it."
"Tell me there was something-"
"Falco!" Krystal's voice now became stern, strong. Her warrior side engaged as she now pressed Falco into a state of submission. She looked at him for a long time, and quickly Falco's attitude returned to one of indifference. He was silent, his eyes now fixated on the landscape before him. Krystal looked back to surveying the scene as well, disappointed to find no signs of habitation. All that was before her was a giant, flat cliff face, "What the hell is this?" Krystal said with a great deal of aggravation, now rechecking Fox's GPS signal. Falco stared at her for a time, but soon turned to his own keyboard and began to type slowly.
"The coordinates aren't off." He stated blandly.
"What does that mean?" Krystal asked, with the most professional tone she could muster.
Falco sighed, resting his chin upon his hand, "Well, it could mean he crashed…" He looked to Krystal to see her reaction, she only paused her typing for a moment, and so he continued "Or, it could mean we are missing something."
"Then we're missing something." Krystal said, surveying the scene once more. She inspected the ground more closely, bringing the carrier to a lower altitude in hopes of spotting some sort of hidden base.
"It might help to use those trusty psychic powers of yours…" Falco said, to which Krystal did not respond. Falco shrugged, "Well, your call. I thought you wanted to find the kit."
"I'm trying to sense him right now." Krystal shot back, "It would help if you could close your beak for a minute."
Falco laughed, "Of course your majesty." He stood up from his seat, "While you do that, I'll start suiting up, just in case something actually happens." He walked off to the rear of the ship, a large, open hall filled now with a large supply of ammunition, fuel, food, essential equipment, and weaponry. Falco passed the large amounts of crates and containers, eventually reaching a wall holding several combat suits. His rested upon the wall, it was a fashionable blue on grey, equipped with the latest technology available. Aside it rested Fox's, which Krystal insisted on bringing. It was a dark red and black, and Falco stared at it a long time, fists clenched; a great desire suddenly swelling up inside him to wear the suit, but a feeling quickly overcome. He removed his eyes from it with a sneer, and began to gear up.
As he did so, Krystal now took a meticulous survey of the scene within her mind. Scanning over every rock with her psychic hand – all the while attempting to feel something that was Fox. But then, there was a disruption, a whisper. It felt as one, but many, and it now beckoned Krystal. The voice made her spine shiver, and initially caused her to retreat from it. But then, the whisper did something to catch Krystal's interest. It said, with great subtly, a single word, "Fox." Immediately Krystal's ears shot up, she closed her eyes and traced the voices source, no matter how frightening its presence. Then, when she felt she had reached its core, her eyes opened – and she stared at the great cliff before her.
The voice continued to whisper, and Krystal stared on – now learning the secrets of the gate before her.