Author's note:

And now... Finally, after years of anticipation...

Chapter 63: Flight

Today was the day. It hardly felt real. More like a dream. The days leading up to this moment passed in a slow daze, as though tomorrow was an impossible concept. Yet, as Fox lifted his gaze to the rocket towering in front of them, it finally sank in. It suddenly felt real.

He was going home.

But he was also saying goodbye to it. Forever. Fox reached out to one side and grasped Krystal's hand. She clutched it tightly. Their contradicting feelings overlapped, clashing. The thought that Krystal should heed her reservations and stay floated treacherously in Fox's head. He had a better chance of holding down the wind with his arms. Krystal's grip strengthened in response. Resolve drove her heart back on course. Loyalty kept her by Fox's side.

He turned to face Krystal. His eyes admired the deep-blue flight suit that had been sent down for her. It was a perfect fit, and it complemented her figure well. Krystal smiled at him and, likewise, appraised Fox's suit. It bore the same colour as the one he'd landed upon Cerinia with. Their colour of love and life. Fox's teammates even sent down a new, white Star Fox jacket to go over it, completing his image.

Fox couldn't describe how he felt wearing a flight suit again. It was like slipping into an old, familiar skin. However, the last few years of wearing Cerinian garb had left their mark, for the suit's tough, artificial fabric weighed Fox down and stifled him. It worried Fox about what delving into the rest of his old life would be like. Krystal then squeezed Fox's hand. This time, she provided her comfort to him. They turned their eyes forward together.

An endless sea of people rippled ahead. It seemed that most, if not the entire city, had come out to see them off. Krystal felt their emotions blend and flicker in a rainbow wildfire. Some were simply excited to see the rocket fly. Some were desperate to see their champions for the last time. Others were genuinely saddened to watch them go. Fox even caught glances of discoloured Cerinians amongst the crowd. They had somehow made the journey all the way out on crutches or wheelchairs just to say farewell to the ones who had saved them from the Aparoids' control. Fox almost broke in the face of it all. He wished he had gotten more time to experience this new connection he found with everyone around him.

Fences had been raised to keep the path clear. Armoured Cerinians stood guard at both sides. On the left, soldiers of the city guard bowed as Fox passed, pressing their fists to their breastplates. On the right, lythan warriors offered Krystal the same salute. Their hearts fractured a little further with each familiar face they crossed. The banquets they had shared nights ago with their comrades hadn't been nearly enough time to say farewell.

At the end of the road, their closest friends and family waited. Krystal broke into tears upon seeing her mother and father. They swallowed her in both their arms at once. Nomar kissed Krystal's brow repeatedly. Thalse, between Krystal's ears. Tendons seared as they all tried to crush a lifetime's worth of love and affection into the span of a few fleeting moments.

"I love you both," Krystal wept.

"And we love you, Krystal," Nomar hiccupped. "To the end of the worlds and back."

"For all eternity, little one," Thalse whispered, his fur damp all over with tears.

"Mama… Papa…" Krystal sniffed. "Be well."

When they finally released each other, Thalse and Nomar turned to Fox. He embraced them dearly. "Thank you for everything you've done for me. I'll always be grateful to you both."

"Please take good care of Krystal for us," Nomar squeezed him. She kissed his cheek.

"I will," Fox promised. "I'll do everything in my power to make her happy."

"We know you will," Thalse smiled.

None of them could leave satisfied this way though. They opened space for Krystal to join their embrace. All four minds touched. All four hearts ached. They all took in as much of each other as possible. Touches. Scents. Thoughts. Feelings. The sounds of their voices. They committed as much as they could to memory.

Alas, time was short, and there were others who needed to say goodbye. Nomar and Thalse pulled away. They allowed Randorn to step forward and wrap his arms around his niece. "We'll miss you terribly, Krystal," he said, his voice shaking. "Lylat will soon gain the finest lythan Cerinia has to offer."

Krystal's pride and love swelled. "Thank you, Uncle. I'll miss you too."

Randorn soon turned to Fox and enveloped him as well. "Our world's grown a little bit bigger since you first arrived here. Take good care of yourself, Fox."

Fox smiled. "I will, sir. Take care of yourself too."

Before Randorn released him, Sabre approached Krystal. He tried to speak, yet the words failed to come. In the end, Sabre shook his head and hugged Krystal fiercely. "Be careful up there. Don't forget about us."

Krystal broke into fresh tears. "Never in a million years." Her arms crushed around his chest. "Be good, Sabre."

He chuckled. "You know me." Then, Sabre snatched Fox from his father. "It's not going to be the same without you guys."

"Back at you," Fox replied sadly. "I'll miss you, Sabre."

"Same here, buddy."

Fox and Krystal then attended to friends waiting for their turns. Sheld cried as she hugged them goodbye. Hiumart became quiet when he took her place, barely speaking loud enough for Fox to hear. More dear souls behind them. None of them able to conceal their sorrow. With each exchanged, Fox wondered whether he was doing the right thing. Did this have to be the end? Couldn't there be some other way? Maybe he should see if there could become a way to return to Kezamat whenever he or Krystal wanted. Even if it were a pipe dream, it might be worth searching at least.

When the last embrace was shared, Fox had to move himself and Krystal along. His mother spent months observing the air currents in Cerinia's upper atmosphere. She predicted a window when the arethanite dust layer would be at its thinnest above the city. Today, that window would remain open for only a few short hours. If they missed it, their attempt to leave the planet would become more difficult and dangerous. Fox led Krystal away by her hand. She looked back over her shoulder. They both watched the people they cared about shrink into distance.

A small stage stood at the top of the hill. Andross and Thene waited before it, wearing black and white flight suits respectively. A short, elderly woman conversed with them. She hugged Thene around her waist, unaware of how Thene flinched before she placed her arms awkwardly around the vixen's shoulders. The old woman then hugged Andross for a kind moment that he accepted with grace. By the time Fox and Krystal arrived, a younger tod took the woman's hand and led her away.

"A friend of yours?" Fox observed.

"In a manner of speaking," Andross replied. Thene avoided eye contact. "Are you both ready to go?"

Fox sighed alongside Krystal. "I don't think it's possible to be ready for something like this," Krystal said.

"But we're as close to it as we'll ever be," Fox added.

Andross nodded. He turned his eye upon the stage. "It looks like the chief has something to say."

They followed his gaze as Gylis approached the stage's centre. A nearby attendant blew a deep, long note from a horn. Silence rose from the crowd. Their attention converged onto their leader. Gylis raised his hands outward.

"My people," he spoke clearly. "Years ago, our lands were visited by travellers from Ilis's domain beyond the heavens. Personally, I did not know what to make of these strangers. Their tongues were strange, and their thoughts and appearances were more so. Yet we accepted them into our home, and from them we have learned much."

Gylis cast his glance towards Fox and Andross. "Our city has since transformed. Every household now has clean water flowing right into their washrooms, and many have access to the power of electricity. Our families are comfortable year-round. Our harvests are more bountiful than ever. And our medicine has spared more lives from disease than we ever thought possible."

He flourished his arms widely. "But there was so much more. When the nuhmryg disease ravaged our city, we endured. When the Aparoid scourge slaughtered our citizens, we defeated them! It was not the gods who aided us in any of these; but rather, it was those whom the gods sent us, so that they could raise us up to be strong enough to overcome any challenge."

Passion whipped through the crowd. Cheers rose in spot fires, spreading where their sparks caught. "Doctor Simon Andross, and Captain Fox McCloud," Gylis called, "we send you back to your world with our deepest thanks. Your merits on Cerinia will never be forgotten. So, I decree."

The roar behind Fox could have deafened him. The flood of awe and gratitude that the people radiated almost knocked him over. Fox smiled as he dipped his head. He hardly felt like he deserved this.

"You might not think you did anything special," Krystal told him, "but you were a backbone to the people around you. It was the little things that you did that made all the difference to us."

She remembered Fox's kindness and the way that he carried out his duty as a guardsman to keep the people who took him in safe. She remembered the months that he spent hunting and foraging when the city was sick and starving. Then, during the Aparoid Invasion, Krystal remembered Fox's courage and sound leadership, which paved their path to saving Kezamat from total destruction. From her viewpoint, the chief's words didn't recognise Fox's qualities enough. He was all that Gylis said and much, much more. Fox couldn't hold onto his doubts, and he smiled more genuinely as he squeezed Krystal's hand.

"I ask for them," Gylis resumed, "as well as Lady Krystal McCloud and Doctor Thene Avrenim, to join me upon the stage." When all four obeyed, the chief presented them with a wave of his arm. "Our Saviours of Kezamat! For their services, I hereby award them the highest honour from our people: The Heart of Cerinia!"

Krystal's shock struck Fox as the crowd erupted once more. One after another, Chief Gylis hung a golden amulet around each person's neck himself. A core of polished emerald glistened inside the heavy disk. To the denizens of Kezamat, the Heart of Cerinia had only ever been awarded to a select few since the city's founding. Bestowing to four people at the same time was unprecedented and will likely never happen again in a hundred years. Fox clutched the medallion close to his chest. He would cherish it always as a reminder of his time on Cerinia and all the people he had met here.

"I now welcome Guard Captain Raedet Forn and Lythan Jad Grandmaster Randorn Sythast to the stage," Gylis announced. Both men ascended from the opposite end. "Today, they are also saying farewell to two of their most remarkable warriors, so they wish to commemorate their services in their own manners."

Forn, garbed in polished armour, stepped forward. "Thank you, my chief." He then approached Fox and revealed an ornate, golden badge. "To Fox McCloud, for your dedication and valour, I present to you this medal of service. Ordinarily, it is reserved for soldiers who have carried out their duties for one full decade. However, I've determined that you have accomplished more in the past four years than most would in ten."

He pinned the medal to the left breast pocket on Fox's jacket. "I therefore bestow this honour in special exemption to the rule."

A heavy breath weighed in Fox's lung. He released it carefully, trying not to let his emotions slip from his grip. "Thank you, sir," he said, quietly so that only Forn could hear.

"Your departure is a great loss to us," Forn smiled, speaking into Fox's mind. "You will be sorely missed."

Applause rang from the crowd as Forn retreated. Randorn then stepped before Krystal. "To Krystal McCloud, my own, dear niece, and the youngest lythan master in our generation, I bestow a parting gift."

He looped another pendant around Krystal's neck. This one bore a white pearl in its silver centre. "Like the jewel set within it, this talisman is obtained through many years of tireless work. Although it would normally be given to lythans when they retire, I believe that current circumstances do qualify."

Then, to everyone's, including Krystal's, surprise, Randorn embraced her once again for all to see. It became clear that he didn't want this final moment to be stifled by formality. He loved his niece and was immensely proud of her, and that fact needed to be demonstrated as openly as possible. Cerinians began to clap their hands; louder and faster than before. Krystal cried into Randorn's shoulder, overwhelmed with more emotions than Fox could process.

When they parted, Gylis reclaimed control of the ceremony. "Although your vessel will take you further than we can ever fathom, our hearts and spirits will be forever with you. To my brothers and sisters, please share this last moment with me to honour our saviours and pray to the gods for their safe passage."

No raucous cheering followed the chief's silence. Instead, every Cerinian held their hands together and bowed their heads towards the stage. An entire sea of foxes rippled with the bend of their hips. Even those who Fox recognised bowed low to them. It became one great, unanimous display of respect that stoked the sorrow and gratitude in Fox's chest. He knew he would miss these people. He just hadn't realised exactly how much though.

It was real then. He was really leaving Cerinia behind forever.

"Satellite imagery confirmed. Shuttle crew sighted enroute to the Watney II. All teams, stand by for reception."

"Automated systems returning green lights all around. Awaiting confirmation from shuttle crew."

"Mission Control, Interceptors are ready to move. Standing by for your signal."

"Copy that, Falco."

Noise surrounded Vixy. She felt anxious enough without it all bombarding her ears. Bodies moved around the bridge. They radiated restless energy that poured into Vixy as though she were a lightning rod. She narrowed her focus onto the real-time footage of Cerinia's atmosphere. Currents of arethanite dust flowed like ripples on a marble. A thin sliver between the rivers marked the needle's eye hanging over Kezamat. An eye that could easily be missed and offered no guarantees. It was their judge and jury. If God had mercy, it would not be their executioner as well.

"Vixy?"

She snapped her head up, turning to face Peppy at her side. Concern marred his whiskers. "Are you alright?"

Vixy sighed. "I'm fine. Just need to concentrate."

"Have the wind conditions changed?" Peppy asked.

"No."

"Are they about to?"

"They might."

"Will they?"

What was he getting at? Vixy shook her head. "I don't know. That's what I'm checking for."

Peppy went silent for a few seconds. "You told me once that weather patterns take hours to change."

Vixy glared hotly at him. "That's not always the case!" Several people nearby jumped and turned at her outburst. Vixy grumbled before diving back into her readings.

"We only have a few minutes before the launch," Peppy said. "I think that you're burying yourself in work to distract yourself."

He nailed it like a coffin. Vixy didn't bother with a rebuttal. "I can't watch this go wrong again, Peppy. If something happens, Fox might…" Her throat tightened too much for her to finish her sentence. Peppy knelt beside Vixy and placed his hand on her shoulder.

"Fox is one of the best pilots I've ever seen," he told her. "If anyone can make that flight and come home safely, it's him."

Vixy let out a slow, wrenching breath. "He's his father's son after all, I guess."

Peppy smiled. "It's not just that. He's got your persistence too. No matter what life throws in Fox's way, he'll always get through it." He squeezed Vixy's shoulder. "He'll make it back to us. Just wait and see."

His touch had its own magic. No matter what troubles ailed her, Peppy always found a way to lead Vixy back towards hope. Without him, she'd have curled defeated into a bottomless pit long ago. Vixy smiled as his little ray of hope warmed inside her heart.

"Vixy."

She and Peppy both turned to their old friend, Beltino, approaching them. He bared every resemblance to Slippy, barring the pencil-thin moustache on Beltino's lip. The hair was fake, of course. Beltino only wore it for the last 30 years to distinguish himself on a planet where its canid natives struggled to tell frogs of the same colour apart.

"How are we looking, Belt?" Peppy asked.

"Very good, all things considering," Beltino smiled. "Pardon me, Vixy, but I couldn't help overhearing. I'd just like for you to know that we have the situation under control now. If you need a quiet moment to yourself before we get started, please feel free."

Vixy nodded simply. "Thank you, Beltino. But I'll be fine."

"I think a short walk around the ship will do you some good," Peppy suggested. "We can quickly check Fox's room to make sure it's ready for him and Krystal."

Rather than kick her out to wander aimlessly, Peppy sought to channel Vixy's nerves towards something a little more productive. He knew her well. Vixy conceded to the idea and reluctantly stepped away from her terminal. She then followed Peppy out of the bridge and away from the noise.

The seconds were ticking until she'd have her son in her arms again, and every single one threatened to drive Vixy to madness.

"Fuel supply at 100 percent."

"Shuttle doors are sealed. Air pressure is at 14 PSI and stable."

"Are you sure this thing can cope in zero atmosphere, Andross?" Fox asked.

"The design is old, but it's reliable," Andross replied matter-of-factly. He turned his gaze to another gauge. "I'm more concerned about the cheap air recyclers that they made us install."

Fox sighed sombrely. The idea that their rocket had been built with some budget cuts unsettled him too. "We're only in here for a few minutes. We should still be able to breathe for that long, right?"

"You have a point there," Andross conceded.

"Assuming nothing goes horribly wrong," Krystal worried to herself.

"We'll be alright, love." Fox turned his head towards her seat; the rightmost in a row of four inside the cockpit. Krystal gripped his hand tightly. "You trust me, right?"

She met his gaze. A gap of 180 degrees sat between the ridges of her ears. Anxiety trembled in Krystal's heart, but Fox found the bright flicker he was looking for.

"Of course, I do," she said.

Fox smiled. "I'll make sure we get through this safely. You don't have anything to worry about."

Krystal nodded slowly. She then closed her eyes and turned her thoughts back to her connection with her parents. Their minds lingered with Krystal's, cherishing every second that they all had while she was still within their range. Fox would not intrude on that.

"Blast area is clear," Thene reported from Andross's left side. "We can launch safely now." Fox began to flick switches across the control panel.

Andross opened a radio channel. "This is the Watney II. We are ready for launch."

"This is Mission Control," a voice came from a speaker. It sounded like Slippy's dad. "Everything is set for your arrival. Please proceed at will."

"Acknowledged." Andross replied. "Commencing launch in T-minus 10…"

Fox glanced sadly back to Krystal. "It's time."

Tears ran down her face. She nodded. "I love you, Mama and Papa."

"We love you too, Krystal. Be safe. And be happy."

"Four… Three… Two…"

Fox placed one hand on the steering yoke. His other hand hovered over a large, red button.

"One! Lift off!"

Fox slammed the button. The engine behind their seats thundered into life. The cockpit shook. Everyone inside sank into the backs of their seats as the sudden and powerful thrust pushed them upward. Fox held fast to the yoke. He gritted his teeth against the g-forces pushing down on him. His ears popped and ached. Yet a grin tore across his face.

He never thought he'd get to feel this rush again.

They soared higher. Faster. Their solid fuel tank eventually gave out. Fox disengaged the rocket's boosters and started the liquid fuel engine. New power jostled the ship, driving them towards escape velocity. Krystal felt her parents' touch waning with the distance. "Good luck, little one," Nomar and Thalse said, softer than whispers. Their minds gave Krystal's a gentle push. Then they faded. Gone and out of reach. Krystal bit back a sob.

It hurt Fox too. He wanted to console her. More than anything else. But piloting the rocket had to come first. There'd be time for them to grieve after. Until then, Fox fought relentlessly to keep them all safe and alive.

Higher… Higher, they flew. Higher than even the birds dare to fly. Nomar clutched her hand to her heart as the rocket flew further and grew smaller, carrying her precious kit to where she could not follow. Her mind and Thalse's hung onto Krystal's for as long as they could. Nomar held on past the point where the connection had hurt. Inevitably, they reached their limits. Nomar knew she could hold on to her sweet daughter no longer.

"Good luck, little one." With a gentle push, Nomar let Krystal go. Tears broke down her cheek. "I'll always love you."

Thalse held her. He held Nomar amidst her grief as the rocket continued to rise. It disappeared into Arethan's Cloak, taking Krystal with it. Fearful visions from before soon besieged Nomar. The rocket failing. Its mass falling. Re-emerging to hurtle to the unforgiving ground with Krystal and Fox both trapped inside.

Thalse held his breath. He kept watch when Nomar couldn't. Minutes passed, but nothing appeared from the Cloak's underside. Their hearts calmed but did not lighten. If nothing ill had eventuated, then…

"She's gone…" A painful sob choked Nomar. "She's gone."

Nomar's knees could barely hold her. Thalse turned her into his tensed arms. Anguish ran down his face as well. "She's gone," he murmured. A tremor ruled his voice. "But she's safe. I'm sure of it."

Of course, he was sure. Fox was one of the finest pilots from his world. He had certainly been the greatest Cerinia had ever seen. Fox gave his word to take care of Krystal, and Nomar trusted him even now.

Around them, friends and family looked up towards the clouds and shared in sorrow. Nearby, Randorn was silent. Sabre even more so. Father gave comfort to the son, but nothing could patch over the fresh holes now left in their lives. It showed Nomar just how beloved Krystal and Fox had been to others. That made her proud, knowing how those two touched people so deeply.

"I miss them already," she said sadly.

Thalse squeezed her. "I miss them too."

If only there had been more time.

"Approaching Mach 30," Andross soon grunted. "McCloud, keep building our speed. Thene, Krystal, get the barrier ready."

The arethansphere was coming up fast. Krystal forced herself to put her loss to one side and linked minds with Thene. They each clutched their staffs with blessed gemstones flaring. As the vixens tapped into the network of crystals embedded throughout the rocket's body – further fuelling the spell – Fox focused entirely on their course. The shuttle flew far less elegantly than a modern starship and required his constant attention to keep straight.

Krystal and Thene expanded the spell. It permeated through the ship's hull and stretched outward. The mana housed in the crystal array helped to shape the barrier into a form-fitting cone. Together, Krystal and Thene hardened the shell. Fox felt the rocket shudder a little.

"Starting to feel a little turbulence," he grunted.

"How's the barrier holding?" Andross asked.

"We're managing," Thene gritted her teeth in clear effort. "I don't know how much longer it will last like this though."

Andross checked the altimeter. "We're going to hit the dust layer any moment now. Bear with it for as long as you possibly can." He then began switching off controls and powering down the connected systems.

Their thrusters devoured kilometres with every instant. The rolling, pink sea became bigger and clearer. "Here it comes," Fox warned. Everyone braced.

The barrier split the dust around their nose. Fox felt the ship lurch to the side as arethanite battered them. Krystal strained against the unyielding force, determined to hold out for everyone else's sakes. Encouraging her, Fox twisted the yoke to correct their course. It resisted him. A sad flaw with the barrier was that it couldn't protect the rocket's wings without inhibiting them. Left exposed, the wings struggled to move through the dust blasting them. Fox fought to make it work.

As pearly clouds filled his vision, Fox couldn't help thinking. Here he was. Back in the storm that pulled him onto Cerinia in the first place, stealing entire years from his life. But now, he was going to take it all back. He would tear and claw his way up until he broke through to the other side.

Krystal grimaced. Her pained whine sharpened as the barrier spell taxed her more. Through her link with Thene, Fox noted that the other vixen struggled as well. "It's slipping…" Thene groaned. "It won't…"

"Just a little bit longer!" Andross urged. "We're almost through!"

She tried. Desperately, Thene tried. She shook her head. "I can't!"

The barrier shattered. Shards of mana caved inward and dissolved. Streams of arethanite slammed into the rocket, causing it to shake harder. Cursing, Fox tore his thoughts away from Krystal. She sank back into her seat, gasping, spent. He warred against the highspeed winds. If the rocket tipped off course now, who knew what would happen to them!

"God, damn it! This is worse than Titania!"

"Keep her steady for another minute!" Andross barked. "That's all we need!"

Easier said than done, but Fox gave it everything he had. For every degree the storm knocked them right, he pushed them left. If the rocket veered left, he adjusted right accordingly. Up required down. Down needed up. Anything other than straight ahead was inexcusable. Fox would've felt more confident if his flying skills weren't so rusty.

"Come on, baby. Hold on," he mumbled. "Just a little more for me… Come on… Almost…"

Without warning, the dust cloud cleared. The thrashing Fox felt disappeared in an instant. He shut his eyes tightly from a sudden flash through the windscreen. He eased one open. The other followed. Fox's breath then left him.

Far ahead of them, the star, Balven, shone brightly. The sun. Fox's first glance at it in years, radiating unobstructed and unrestricted. It was…

"Beautiful…" Krystal gasped.

Tears broke from the corners of Fox's eyes. He nodded wordlessly.

"A wondrous sight indeed," Andross agreed. "Ladies, welcome to outer space."

"Incredible," Thene murmured. Her hand moved into Andross's. Their fingers intertwined.

Glorious as it was, staring at the sun for so long wasn't a good idea. Fox regained hold of the yoke and steered them away. Stars twinkled in that direction. Millions upon billions of them just as many lightyears away. They looked to be greeting them.

Fox felt his body float within his seatbelt. Astonishment and awe filled Krystal as she discovered her newfound weightlessness as well. He grinned at her. Everyone felt that same reaction from their first time in zero gravity. No exceptions. It was too bad the cockpit was too small to frolic around in. Fox would have to remember to find another opportunity for her to truly relish the experience.

Andross waited at least a minute before he began flicking switches again. A troubled grumble sounded in his throat. "It seems we've picked up some dust while we were exposed. Our electrical systems won't restart."

Fox quickly frowned. "How bad is our situation?"

"Nothing is going to threaten our lives immediately, but we'll be in trouble without fresh air and heating if we stay like this for too long." Andross attempted to radio mission control. No signal. "Damn. Comms are out too."

Worry set into the cockpit. Krystal gripped Fox's arm. "Will we be okay?"

Fox placed a hand over hers. "We'll be fine. We just need to wait for help to come." Krystal relaxed a little. "Can you sense anyone nearby?"

She closed her eyes and stretched out her telepathy. The sheer lack of life out in space unsettled her. Even a barren desert held more traces than what she sensed now. Through a tangent thought, Krystal would go as far to liken this vast, empty darkness to Yul's kingdom. However, five minds quickly heading their way were far from dead, and Krystal and Fox both grinned in excitement.

Fox turned his head to the left. "The cavalry is on its way."

"What's a cavalry?" Thene frowned.

"I'll tell you later," Andross appeased her. A grin appeared briefly upon his face. Though it fell as his mood sobered and his thoughts raced. Thene guarded it too well for Krystal to pry, but Fox guessed that Andross knew that the cage he'd been wary of the past two years was finally closing in on him. Freedom and justice hung on opposite ends of the balance, and it now tottered precariously.

Krystal returned her attention to the incoming minds. "They're trying to call out, but we can't hear them. Fox, can you understand what they're thinking?"

His eyes weren't really needed on the controls anymore, so Fox closed them. He looked into Krystal's mind and felt the others by proxy. Somehow, he recognised most of them immediately. Fox's grin stretched to his ears. He told Krystal to focus on the easiest mind to understand. It surged with nervous energy.

'Come on, Fox. Be okay. Please, oh please, be okay… Don't be dead."

Fox chuckled. "I'm far from dead, Slippy. No need to worry."

Shock blew up like a sonic boom. "Fox?!" Slippy exclaimed aloud.

"It's been a long time, buddy." Outside the windscreen, four starfighters decelerated. They looked near identical to Arwings. "Glad to see you guys."

"Glad to see you too," Slippy replied, deeply relieved and trying to hold in tears. "But how are you doing this?"

"With a lot of help from Krystal."

"Hello, Slippy," Krystal smiled, speaking with the little Cornerian that Fox had been able to teach her so far.

Through Slippy, Fox overheard the other pilots' voices from his radio. Falco gave orders to tether the rocket, prompting the starships to move into position. Slippy held off on sharing the good news for the moment. He fell beside the cockpit's right, where he launched a magnetic cable onto the hull with a loud clang. Four others closely followed it.

"Right-hand wing secured."

"Thanks, Dash," Slippy replied. "Right-hand nose secured."

"Left-hand wing secured," Lucy declared.

"Left-hand nose secured," Katt followed.

"Body line secured," Falco said. "Good work, everybody. Let's bring them home."

The rocket lurched as the starships began to tow. Fox could hardly believe it. His team were right there with him. Only a few metres away. His throat constricted as his chest heaved.

"Oh, hey!" Slippy said. "Fox is using that telepathy stuff to talk to me. He's okay, guys."

"What?!" Falco exclaimed. "Why the hell didn't you tell us sooner?"

"Well, I'm telling you now."

"Can you put him through to the rest of us?" Katt asked.

"Sorry, Slip. It doesn't work too well if I don't know the same languages as you," Fox explained. Slippy relayed his message to the others, earning some disgruntled moans. Fox felt bad, but it would mean more if they had a few translators between them. Speaking of… Fox opened his pocket and fished out a small device. He fitted it into Krystal's ear for her, making sure that it sat snugly.

"Fox…" Falco said softly. "I don't know if you can hear this right now, but it's good to have you back."

A fresh tear swam in Fox's eye. He smiled. "It's good to be back."

They saved further words for when they could be shared in person. The silence didn't bother Fox though. Just knowing that his team was at his side, as overjoyed and relieved as he was, sated him for now. Soon, a wonderous sight appeared through the windscreen. The Great Fox, in all her glory, floated ahead of them, bathed in Balven's light. Fox's heart skipped a beat at seeing that beautiful, magnificent ship again.

He was almost home.

An engine's roar carried across the mountains. Tremors rippled through the earth. Too even to be natural. Too forceful to be anything benign.

Sentry drones detected the disturbance first. Powerful eyes peered across the leagues. They spied a vessel flying upwards from the surface. Archives suggested a rudimentary rocket. Impossibly unusual, given the planet's primitive nature, except for one anomaly: The settlement that repelled a harvest once before.

Threat assessment of the ship's flight inconclusive. Possible outcome: The onboard crew may contact more advanced, sentient life on neighbouring planets. Information regarding the swarm's presence and past defeat could spread. Neighbouring worlds could threaten the swarm. Unacceptable.

Pre-emptive action necessary. The fortified settlement remains an extreme risk. Probability of successful occupation calculated at 53.4129 percent. Unsatisfactory. However, threat of enemy reinforcement intolerable.

Reassessing target settlement's value to swarm… Harvest routines at other settlements have been highly successful. Resistance met had been negligible. Target population value now decreased. Disposable. Updating objective from harvest to eradicate.

Coordinating swarm units. Simulating assault scenario. Mobilising forces towards target.

All for Aparoid.