Chapter 17
"…and now I'm back, here with you," Fox said to Krystal.
Fox had just finished explaining all the events that had happened to him, Slippy, and Amanda since their capture on Venom. He and Krystal were sitting on Krystal's cream-colored couch, close to one another. Fox was catching his breath after the long explanation, and Krystal was digesting all the information she had just been given. They looked at each other for a while in silence, Fox's expression being expectant and Krystal's being concerned.
"…I'm relieved you're back… you, Slippy, and Amanda," Krystal said first. She swallowed hard, then said, "Ever since Falco and I left Venom, I was worried every moment, Fox… worried I would never see you again. To know you were hurt so badly is just horrible… I wish we could have gone right back to get you; I feel awful that we didn't… I was so upset and scared, the whole time…"
"It's okay," Fox said, giving Krystal a reassuring smile. "We won't be separated like that again – I promise you."
Krystal made a slight smile back, and then gave Fox a tight hug. He hugged back, once more enjoying an embrace with his beloved. They enjoyed every embrace they had together, as it gave each of them comfort and reminded them of their unbreakable bond. They eventually released each other, and got back to talking things over.
"I'm glad you found Jason, and he was able to take you all back to the city; he seems like a good guy," Krystal said. "I look forward to meeting him."
"I'm sure he'll be pleased to meet you," Fox said. "He should still be at the Army Center when we get there."
"You said we have to be there by 6, right?" Krystal asked Fox.
"Yeah," Fox confirmed. It was one of the last things he had mentioned to Krystal in his lengthy explanation of circumstances. "We wanted to set up the meeting with Peppy and the others to get everything settled for the way moving forward."
Krystal looked at the wall clock in her kitchen, which showed it was now 4:26. Still some time left to kill. She looked back at Fox.
"We still have a little more than an hour," Krystal said. "What do you want to do?"
"Just relax," Fox replied. "After all, we won't have much time to do so before getting back to work. How about watching TV? Maybe a movie or something?"
"Alright; sounds good," Krystal agreed.
Krystal grabbed the TV remote from the table in front of them and switched the TV on. After a couple minutes of searching, Krystal found a movie she and Fox agreed on. The two foxes snuggled together on the couch and enjoyed their moments of free time before having to leave.
A little over an hour later, Fox and Krystal departed from the house and made their way to the Cornerian Army Center. On the way, Fox and Krystal received some positive attention from more of Corneria's citizens. Fox was still amazed to see how united the people were in celebrating his return and cheering on the Star Fox team. In the past, he had been too busy with missions to see up close how much these people cared – how positive and excited they were. It was a blessing and it made both Fox and Krystal want to be at their absolute best when they finished the war.
When they got to the Army Center entrance, Fox and Krystal were warmly welcomed by the soldiers. They arrived a few minutes before 6:00, and had to wait a little bit for the others to arrive. They stood nearby Jason's parked shipped, waiting for Slippy, Amanda, and Falco to arrive. Fox figured Jason and Lance must be inside the building somewhere.
A few minutes past 6, Slippy, Amanda, and Falco finally arrived. Upon arrival, Falco grinned widely and greeted Fox with a tight hug, which very much took Fox by surprise. Fox awkwardly hugged back a little, happy to see his friend again, but still astonished by the physical greeting. Krystal, Slippy, and Amanda all laughed at this affectionate exchange.
"It's great to see you again, buddy!" Falco exclaimed, cheerful as ever.
"Thanks, Falco; it's good to see again, too," Fox said, smiling back at his friend.
"Slippy and Amanda told me everything; man, I'm so sorry we couldn't come back for you guys," Falco said to Fox.
"It's alright; I understand," Fox replied. "Lance told me about it. Let's get to the meeting room. Peppy and everyone else should be ready by 6:30."
The Star Fox team, now reunited, walked into the Army Center building together. They made their way to the same meeting room that they had gone to before, at the start of the war. Hopefully, the war would soon be coming to an end.
Once the Star Fox members were inside the meeting room, they saw Peppy, Lance, and Jason were already there, as well as many other Cornerian soldiers. Peppy's eyes lit up and his ears rose when he saw the Star Fox team again – especially Fox, Slippy, and Amanda. He was overjoyed to see them alive again; without a moment's hesitation, he got out of his chair to give each of them a warm hug. They hugged back, glad to see their old general and friend again.
"I can't tell you how happy I am to see you all here!" Peppy exclaimed. "I worried so much about you three! I'm so sorry we couldn't send a rescue team; we just didn't have enough soldiers; the risks and odds were no good… I still feel terrible about it…"
"It's okay; we know," Fox said to his old friend. "We're just glad to be back now."
Peppy sighed with relief, and he and Fox smiled at one another. Fox understood, and despite the pain he had gone through at Venom, he held no bitter feelings toward Peppy about it. Fox knew Peppy would have helped had it been feasible.
"I'm glad you wanted to have this meeting; now that you all are back, we have the perfect opportunity for success!" Peppy told Fox. "I'll explain everything in a minute when everyone's here."
Fox nodded. He and the team then moved together to take their seats. The Star Fox teammates sat beside Jason and Lance. Fox checked on Jason to make sure he was adjusting fine.
"Everything going alright, Jason?" Fox asked his new friend.
Jason smiled at Fox, and replied, "Everything's great! I had a chance to catch up with Peppy about everything. It was quite amazing to find out he became general of the Cornerian Army! He said it was fine for me to be here for this meeting; it really takes me back to old times!"
Fox nodded and smiled at Jason, glad to see the old fox was happy. The meeting room was filled in just a few minutes, and everyone got quiet as Peppy cleared his throat to begin the meeting. Everyone was ready to hear what their general had to say.
"Now that we're all here, our meeting can begin," Peppy said. "Today, we make the final plans in ending this infernal war!"
The words received eager cheers from everyone in the meeting room. They were all ready for the war to be over, and were especially tired of all the trouble that had come from Planet Venom since Andross's time. They were ready for a period of peace and rest from all the malice that had plagued the Lylat System for so many years.
"We are making a big push to advance to Venom with a large force, including the entire Star Fox team," Peppy explained. "Their return has helped provide a golden opportunity to strike at the heart of the enemy. If all goes well, we will take Bowman by surprise and be able to subdue him and his forces swiftly. We will leave the husky unit here to defend any potential attacks on Corneria, but the bulldog unit will be coming with us. With the added forces of the bulldog unit and Star Fox, we should be successful in our efforts. The rest of our forces will make the journey to Venom. Unfortunately, we cannot directly go to Venom; it is imperative we first stop at Zoness. We will get there quickly using the Orbital Gate."
There was some chatter in the room for a moment, confusion at this idea. A short bulldog next to Lance spoke up to ask, "What's wrong with Zoness?"
"Our forces are small and struggling there, and if we don't get there quickly, the planet will be surrendered to Bowman's forces and would be much more difficult to recapture," Peppy answered. "On the bright side, our Army has managed to fend off Bowman's Army at the other planets he invaded. Since Katina has recently been cleared of Bowman's forces, Bill Grey and his squadron from the planet will be coming to meet us at Zoness as well. As one of our finest commanders, Grey will be very useful in helping us save Zoness and taking care of business at Venom. Once we stave off the enemy at Zoness, we can go to Venom and take down Bowman himself. We can worry about the remnants of his army after that, but I suspect they won't pose much of a threat without his direction. Are there any questions about our plans for this final push?"
There were a few seconds of silence in the room, and no one had any questions to ask. The plan was straightforward despite the setback at Zoness. Peppy took a deep breath before going on to finish his speech.
"I will be flying alongside you all in this operation, and it will be my final contribution to the Cornerian Army; when the war is won, I am retiring," Peppy announced.
The room suddenly became loud, everyone reacting to the general's retirement announcement. Fox's reaction was the calmest in the room. He smiled, thinking back to the conversation he and Peppy had before the war had even begun and remembering Peppy had said he wanted to retire soon. Fox was unsurprised not only that Peppy was finally retiring, but also that he wanted to take up an Arwing one final time. It would be a fitting way for the old hare to go out.
"I wish to live out my last years quietly and peacefully, and to spend some time with my daughter I never get to see anymore," Peppy said, referring to his beloved daughter Lucy. "I am honored to have served as general of the Cornerian Army, and before that as a member of the Star Fox team. I know we shall be victorious and liberate Lylat once again. I sincerely hope we enjoy a long period of peace following this war, and that no evil ever be victorious in our galaxy. We depart at 9:00 AM tomorrow. We will first travel to the Orbital Gate, which will teleport us near Zoness. Then, once Zoness is saved, we go to Venom. Any final comments or questions?"
The bulldog next to Lance stood up to say something. "I know I speak for all of us when I say you will be missed, General. You've done our planet and our galaxy proud, with all the time, effort, and energy you've given."
The bulldog, clearly emotional, raised his arm and saluted Peppy. "Thank you for all your service, General!"
Peppy smiled at the bulldog, and saluted back to the soldier. "And thank you, soldier. I thank everyone here for their efforts in this war and over the years! I could never be a successful general without a successful army, and, of course, the Star Fox team. Thank you all, so very much…"
Everyone in the room stood to give Peppy a standing ovation. They all deeply appreciated all his work with the Army and Star Fox, and were saddened to see him stepping down. Still, they knew he had earned it, and Fox especially was happy for him to have a life of his own after the war. Peppy acknowledged everyone in the room with a smile and a nod, emotional himself to see such a warm sendoff from his army and the Star Fox team.
"The meeting is dismissed! I shall see you all at the Center's hangar tomorrow!" Peppy yelled enthusiastically.
There was excited chatter all over the room, with the soldiers discussing the final attack and their plans for after the war. Fox wanted to have a moment with Peppy before he left. He first told his teammates he would stay behind.
"Do you all mind if I catch you later? I want to have a word with Peppy before I go," Fox said to his teammates.
"I guess that's cool; want to meet us someplace for dinner?" Falco asked. He turned to the others, saying, "I hope I'm not the only one who's starving…"
"Dinner sounds like a good idea; perhaps all seven of us could go?" Krystal suggested. The others nodded their heads in agreement, including Jason and Lance, who were happy to tag along with the team. Krystal turned to Fox, and said, "Just talk to us over the communicator when you're coming. We can let you know where we are. Please try not to be too long..."
She smiled and gave Fox a brief, affectionate nuzzle. She murmured, "See you soon…"
Fox smiled back, and acknowledged all his friends. "See you soon."
As Krystal, Falco, Slippy, Amanda, Jason, and Lance made their way for the exit of the meeting room, Fox made his way over to Peppy. Everyone else was clearing out the room while Fox and Peppy got together to have a brief one-on-one conversation.
"So… you're finally hanging it all up," Fox said. "I'm glad for you, Peppy; you deserve the rest as much as anyone. And I'm glad you decided to end the war quickly with all of us back now. We're all ready for it to be over!"
"Thanks, Fox; I was hoping you felt that way," Peppy replied. "I know now is the time for me to retire."
"But not without going for a spin in an Arwing one more time, huh?" Fox asked, grinning at the old hare.
Peppy chuckled, and replied, "What can I say? Old habits die hard. I will feel better being out there with all of you in the fighting. By the way, it's really something for me to have reunited with Jason Black again."
"Yeah; you guys had a pretty good relationship, right?" Fox asked.
"Oh, certainly! He, James, and I were all very good friends at the Academy," Peppy said. "James and I both wanted him to join us in the Star Fox team, but he chose to live quietly with his wife at the time instead…"
"He explained the details to me," Fox said to Peppy.
"Oh, right," Peppy said, scratching his neck. Then he continued, "It was wonderful to see him again, and I'm glad he was able to help you get back to the city, too. He told me all about you – how you remind him of your father so much. Strong, determined, caring – and of course, I agree with him."
Fox smiled, and replied, "Thanks, Peppy."
"You know, he wanted to help us in the final battle," Peppy explained. "But it's been far too long since he flew an Arwing and dealt with combat. So, he's reluctantly staying behind. I convinced him it was far too risky for him to suddenly get back into action like that. Still, I let him come to the meeting; I wanted him to feel welcome and a part of our efforts."
"Right," Fox agreed. He paused for a moment, before saying, "So… this really is it, then. Our last ride…"
Peppy raised an eyebrow, and asked Fox, "Our?"
Fox smiled a little, and told Peppy, "Once the war is finished, I'm retiring from the team. Krystal and I are settling down. I haven't told anyone else; I don't know how the rest of the team will feel about it or what their plans are, but I know my time fighting is over. I once thought I would fly and fight forever, but things changed. I've known for a while now what I want most is a quiet life with Krystal. That's how I want to spend however many years I have left."
Peppy smiled at Fox, and gave him a strong pat on the shoulder. He told Fox, "You've done so much for this galaxy, Fox. There's absolutely no shame in quitting now and living a new life, with someone you care for. It's what Jason did, and I know he and his wife were happy in their time together. You should follow your heart and do what it is you most desire for your life, Fox. Your father would be so proud of all of you've done… and I know he would want your happiness above all other things."
Fox was touched to hear Peppy's kind words. For years he had been the closest thing Fox had to a father, and despite losing his own, he was eternally grateful to have Peppy in his life. The old friends embraced in a hug, emotional because this was their final outing, and life would never be the same once the war was over. Hopefully, it would change only for the better.
"Thanks so much, Peppy… you're the best," Fox said to the old general.
"I try," Peppy said, chuckling a bit. "We will always keep in touch! I expect to get an invitation for the wedding!"
Fox nodded, still smiling at Peppy. "Of course, Peppy. Of course."
Fox walked out of the Army Center alone, and no one was nearby – or, so it seemed. Little did Fox know, an assassin had been waiting for him outside the Army Center, blaster in hand and ready to eliminate the Star Fox leader. The assassin hid on the side of the entrance building behind a stack of metallic crates, and had been ready to strike for over an hour. The assassin waited for this chance, with no other soldiers or bystanders in close range – just Fox. The assassin aimed his blaster at the back of Fox's head, prepared to do the unimaginable and kill Fox McCloud.
The assassin took one step forward – but, as fate would have it – he tripped over one of the crates as the trigger was pulled! Fox spun around as he heard the firing of the blaster; the laser ricocheted off the edge of one of the metallic crates, and bounced backwards to hit the assassin in his chest. The assassin cried in pain and crumpled to the ground, clutching his wounded chest. Fox ran over to see who the assassin was. His eyes grew big and his jaw dropped as he saw who had nearly ended his life.
"Panther…"