Chapter 65: Tug of War
"…Then, just as I was about to take a drink, a spirit's head popped out of the waterskin! Scared the hell out of me! Really glad I didn't put it in my mouth." A few laughs rose from around the circle of chairs and sofas as Fox held his hand in a bunny's shape over the neck of his bottle.
"I don't think I'd ever laughed so hard," Krystal added, grinning from her seat beside him. She nursed a glass of cola in her hand, utterly fascinated with its sweet fizziness.
"I wish I got to see your face, Fox," Falco chuckled. "So, you didn't bring one of those spirits back with you?" Fox shook his head.
"It wouldn't have been fair on the spirit," Krystal replied. "Spirits are one with nature, and they don't like being caged by people."
"Everything we brought with us on the rocket will likely end up in a lab somewhere," Fox explained. "I'd be pretty upset if I was taken from my home and left somewhere cold and sterile."
Not that he had to imagine hard. Just swap the laboratory with an entire planet, and that would've been Fox's own experience. He felt depressed just thinking that. And though he hadn't said that much, Fox could tell that everyone else had reached that same thought as well. The collective mood sank in a single moment. Time to salvage it and switch topics.
"So… Katt. Lucy. How long ago did you switch pallets? Is that coincidence or related?"
Katt shrugged. "I stopped dyeing my fur about a year ago and gave the rest of my products to Lucy."
"I wasn't 100 percent sure about it at first, but I ended up enjoying what Katt did with my hair," Lucy smiled. "I decided to now go full body after a few months."
"Ooh. Can I see?" Miyu raised a brow, smirking.
"Aren't you getting married in October?" Bill tilted his head.
Miyu shrugged. "It's just looking. My partner's not going to mind."
As the younger members of the group debated on the matter, Lucy rolled her eyes. "I'm not showing my body off to anyone. Thank you."
"Seconded," Peppy huffed. Miyu, Falco, and Katt all lightly booed at him.
Fox chuckled. "Too bad, Miyu. Although… If you want to take a look, I did some work with my body too."
He unzipped the front of his flight suit. Some of the girls whistled as he shrugged it from his shoulders. Their excitement vanished though as soon as they received a clear view of Fox's chest. Shock and horror dominated their faces. No one spoke for a few seconds.
"Oh my god…" Fara gasped. "Fox… How did…?"
Fox sighed. He ran his fingers along the claw marks across his front. "Yeah… This is where the bear got me. First day. Mangled my arm pretty badly too." Fox couldn't watch as Vixy's heart broke next to him. Krystal laid her palm on his leg, sympathising with and consoling Fox.
"But! That's not what I wanted to show you all." He covered the scars and flexed his arms. "Check out my tats."
"Nice!" Miyu grinned. "Never thought you'd ever get that much body art done."
Fox grinned. "Tattoos have a lot of cultural meaning where Krystal comes from. See, this ring on my collarbone shows that I have an ehn with someone; and the Star Fox emblem on my arms is where I made my clan mark. I've also got Krystal's clan mark on my legs, but I'm not stripping down to show those off."
"It's alright, love. I'll take care of it," Krystal said. She then broadcasted an image of the Sharrde insignia with her telepathy, startling everyone present.
"Trippy…" Slippy commented, his eyes crossing.
Fox turned around to reveal his back. "And these are the tattoos that they give out to hunters. If you bag a predator or a large herbivore, then you get that animal marked onto you. So far, I've got an egrint, a zerbru, a loutho… That last one was kind of old and sickly though… And a few others."
"Don't forget the Aparoid," Krystal added. Right, Fox nodded. That was the biggest one on the canvas. Only Krystal and three other people in Kezamat held the same trophy. It was the only one that she chose to wear on her own spine, despite all her other hunting feats over the years.
Falco whistled, impressed. "Man, I should do something like that."
"You want to tattoo Wolf O'Donnell's mug onto your back?"
"Not what I meant. And now I don't want it anymore. Thanks, Katt."
"If people did that back home, everyone would have Andrew Oikonny's face on them though," Slippy quipped.
The room erupted with laughter. "Dude!" Falco wheezed. "That was brutal. And so wrong!"
"Don't let Andross hear you say that," Lucy grinned.
"Oh, trust me. Andross would pen the ink himself," Fox cackled. Mentioning him, Fox quickly sobered. He hoped that Pepper and his soldiers weren't being too harsh on the guy. Maybe he should check on him in a little while.
"So, what have Star Wolf been up to all this time?"
"Alert!" ROB interrupted. "Incoming communication from Cerinia Line-1."
Fox's ears pricked. Cerinia? He glanced to Krystal. It must be Thalse and Nomar calling. "Can I please talk to them?" Krystal asked.
"Of course." It would be good to let them know that they all made it off-world safely. Fox zipped up his flight suit and stood. "Sorry, guys. We'll be back soon."
"I can relay the channel remotely through emergency protocols if you would like," ROB offered.
Fox stopped in mid-step. His blood went cold. "ROB…" he started carefully. "Why would this be an emergency transmission?"
ROB's blank expression gave no reassurance. "I cannot interpret the message entirely. However, the speaker's tone appears distressed."
Fox heard no more as he hurried from the room. He barely noted Krystal matching his pace three steps behind him. His brisk walk broke into a jog, barely keeping himself from running. Meanwhile, his and Krystal's thoughts raced at lightspeed.
'Please be nothing. Please be nothing. Please be nothing. Please be nothing. Please be nothing. Please be nothing…'
The elevator moved too slowly. Every second stretched into minutes. Krystal's fingers crushed Fox's hand, clinging to it harder than hope as she prayed swiftly beneath her breath. Meanwhile, Fox imagined an endless series of scenarios. Each one more terrible than the last. Why was this elevator so slow?
The doors finally opened. Fox stormed straight out of it. The bridge was empty. A pity that Fox was in no mood to reminisce. He reached the main console and responded to the incoming signal.
"This is Fox McCloud aboard the Great Fox," he called in Cerinian. "Can you hear me?"
Nothing for several moments. Krystal's chest tightened. Fox swallowed. Just as he prepared to call again, Fox heard static through the line.
"Fox…? Can you hear me?"
"Mama?!" Krystal cried, relieved.
"Oh, Krystal," Nomar sighed. They could barely hear her through the scratchy sound quality. "I'm so glad to hear you're both safe."
"Yeah. We're okay," Fox said. "How are things with you?" There was something in the background, but Fox couldn't make out what. He searched the controls. How could he boost the signal from their end?
"Krystal… Fox… Dear ones," Nomar's voice shook. "I'm not going to make light of it. The Aparoids have returned."
Impossible, Fox thought! They wiped the Aparoids out last time. They hadn't found any sign of them in over a year. Fox thought the threat was gone. Everyone had. But if they were wrong… The noises behind Nomar suddenly made more sense. A battle was already underway.
"Where is Thalse?" Fox asked urgently.
"He's gone to lead the resistance with Randorn. The Aparoids… They attacked the palace first. Destroyed it all." Nomar's waver worsened. "There was supposed to be a council meeting today. Thalse has tried to contact Raedet and Gylis, but he can't find them."
She took a sharp breath. "We think… We think they've both been killed."
All warmth fled from Krystal's blood. Fox, too, felt his body turn to ice. Captain Forn's face and Chief Gylis's ran through their minds. They'd have been the ones leading the defence against an invasion, and the Aparoids took them both out first. And worse, most of the master lythans were councilmembers too. Losing them dealt a severe blow to the Lythan Jad's strength.
"Mama…" Krystal trembled, her heart breaking. "You could have been there too…"
"Little one. I have to go join the fight as well. We're evacuating people underground, and our arethanite weapons are keeping the Aparoids at bay. So far, nobody has been turned to their side yet. But there are hundreds of them now, and the Aparoids are being more aggressive this time. I don't know if we'll be able to defeat them all."
"Don't say that!" Fox snapped. "Nomar, do whatever you can to keep the Aparoids back. Krystal and I are coming back to help you." He moved his hand to override the ship's autopilot.
"No!" Nomar snapped back. "Fox, you just left Cerinia to return to your home. This is not your fight to take part in."
"To hell it is!"
"Mama, I am not abandoning you and Papa like this!" Krystal desperately agreed. "Not when you need us right now."
"Listen to me. Both of you," Nomar said sternly. "There is nothing more you can do for us. The reason I've called you was to tell you what was happening before we lost our chance forever; so that Thalse and I can say our peace to you."
Krystal's heart crumpled inside her chest. Tears broke free down her face. Fox began to steer the Great Fox back around. A hard turn like this would be a little rough on the people onboard, but there were more important things at stake.
"Fox, please take Krystal as far away from Cerinia as you can. Do not come back here." The battle's din grew louder around Nomar. "Krystal… Your father and I love you so much. Please make us proud. Build a happy life in a new home. That's all we want from you. Pro-m-ise… me…"
The signal broke apart.
"Mama!" Krystal screamed. Alas, Nomar was gone. "MAMA!"
Fox pulled Krystal into his arms. She cried into his shoulder, clinging to him fiercely. "We have to save them!" she pleaded. "We have to save them!"
"We're going to, Krys. We're going to," Fox promised, stroking her back. He tried to think of what sort of support they could provide the Cerinians. However, the planet's dust layer came into mind. Fox couldn't see a way around it just yet.
"Fox… What the hell is going on? Why did you turn the ship around?"
Fox turned his head sadly to the bridge entrance. Falco, Peppy, and Slippy stood at the door with their mouths agape. Vixy stood amongst them. Fox suddenly wondered. What was he going to tell them? What should he say? What else could he say?
"The Aparoids are attacking Kezamat again."
Their reactions could not all fit on their faces. Shock. Horror. Pity. Disbelief. It all led them towards one common emotion. Worry. Fox couldn't look them in the eye any longer.
"What are you going to do?" Slippy broke the silence.
"I…" Fox started. "I don't know."
"Fox," Peppy spoke up, "I understand that you have the best intentions at heart, and we all support that. But this is not a simple matter where we can just fly out and save the day. There's a big ball of arethanite dust standing in the way."
"I know that, Peppy! I'm not stupid!" Fox growled.
"Then what's the plan?" Falco pressed. "Because unless you mean to save your Cerinian buddies from all the way beyond orbit, there's not a whole lot that any of us can do. You're not just going to jump back onto the planet's surface, are you?"
Fox didn't answer. Falco's feathers ruffled. "Fox! You are not just going to jump all the way back to Cerinia, are you?"
"I don't know!" Fox exploded. He looked to his family. He looked to Krystal still beside herself, panicking over her family's lives. Fox brought her back into his arms. "I don't know…"
The bridge became quiet. It was far less so inside Fox's mind. His every thought raced inside his head, drafting up battle plans and throwing each of them away over impracticalities. Falco's hesitant suggestion stuck out, but it was… unthinkable. Yet so was walking away from this. To Krystal, he'd be condemning her family, friends, and entire species to death. Or else a fate far worse than it.
"Fox…"
He turned to his mother. Tears glistened in her eyes. Oh gods, he hated himself for making her cry now. Vixy spoke as calmly as she could muster. "I don't have any answers for you. But whatever you decide to do, I want you to think very carefully about what it will mean for you."
Fox shook his head, feeling helpless. "But… If I go… If I don't go… I…"
Vixy's hand came to rest upon his shoulder. "You don't have to find the solution on your own. There are people here who you can turn to for help."
Those words… were what he needed to hear. Fox met his mother's gaze properly. Though anguished, her eyes were firm. He looked past her and saw his teammates. Each one faced him earnestly, ready to lend a hand. Fox began to feel the immense weight slowly lift from his shoulders. He smiled. Maybe he'd been gone for too long and forgotten what having a team around him truly meant.
"Thanks for reminding me," Fox said to Vixy. She began to smile too. Fox turned to Krystal. "Stay with Mom for a bit, okay? I'll be back soon." She nodded shakenly. Fox kissed her brow. "We'll find a way to save them. I promise."
Slippy spun in place as Fox then walked past him. "Um… Fox? Where are you going?"
"To talk to Andross."
"Did he really just say that?" Falco asked. Even after the bridge doors closed behind him, Fox still heard everything through Krystal.
"I'm sure he knows what he's doing now," Peppy replied.
'Now? Wow! Thanks, Peppy.'
As the elevator descended into the Great Fox's depths, Fox focused on his own thoughts and what he needed to do. Memories of Nomar, Thalse, and all the other Cerinians he'd known flooded back to him. He feared to imagine them corrupted by the Aparoids, shambling across the land with no will except for their invading masters'. Fox drove those thoughts from his mind. He had to save the people he cared about. He had to save them for Krystal's sake.
"…Sadly, without a proper smelter, we struggled to heat the iron enough for it to melt properly. I could tell that the parts were poor quality when we pulled them out of the moulds, but I was foolishly optimistic. The generator exploded after three days."
"Oh, no," Ashley sympathised. "You weren't hurt, were you?"
"No. Though it did scare him half to death," Thene smirked. She folded her arms as she leaned back against the cell wall.
Andross shrugged, which was about as much as he could do with his hands still bound in cuffs. "It did not 'scare' me. I was startled," he huffed indignantly. "Anyone would react the same way if something blew up 10 metres away from them."
"Of course, darling." He refused to react to the blatant tease in Thene's tone.
They sat on opposite sides of the cell they shared in the ship's brig. Two soldiers stood on either side of the cell's ballistic glass door, both armed and alert. Another two flanked Ashley and her son, Dash, who sat upon the corridor's floor. The rest of their squad guarded the surrounding area. Thene kept tabs on their locations and activities in case an opportunity to escape presented itself. Andross doubted they'd make it far if one did now, but it never paid to limit your options in times like these.
"How did you get the generator to work then?" Dash asked. His innocent curiosity made Andross's current predicament feel just a little less dour.
"Thene and I had to get creative. We tried experimenting with fire and wind magic until we could produce the necessary heat. Unfortunately, Thene wasn't as skilled at controlling that much power at the time. I think she came closer to blowing us up than the generator had."
Thene rolled her eyes. "I've yet to see you do any better than I could back then."
Andross decided not to respond to that. "Eventually, we finished the new generator without losing our lives or limbs. And by using that, we were able to power a better smelter, so we never had to suffer that hardship again."
"I'm amazed you were able to do all that from scratch," Dash remarked.
Andross shrugged. "Anything is doable with the right knowledge and grit. A touch of real-life fantasy didn't hurt though."
Part of him had to admit it. This was nice. If Andross ignored the guards and his incarceration, he enjoyed sitting and talking with his family like this again. Ashley smiled at every word. She was much older now, but that smile of hers was just the same from when she'd been a child. Andross committed this moment to memory as best as he could. He did not know how much longer he might get to cherish this time with her.
One of the soldiers beside the cell scoffed. "Sounds like you were living the dream on that planet."
"Do you mind?" Thene glared. "This is a family conversation."
"Yeah, real happy family right here," he growled back. "Do you have any idea what that son of a bitch has done to our home planet?"
Andross released a tired sigh. He expected something like this to eventuate. "Believe me, she rummages through my mind quite often. Thene knows about my life almost as well as I do."
"So, she's as psychotic as you are then."
"Braddon! Knock it off," another of the soldiers barked.
"No! You know what? I'm sick of listening to this!" Braddon snapped, pointing around the cell. He steered his glare to Andross. "The best thing that you ever did was die on Venom. But you don't even have the decency to stay dead! When you crashed on Cerinia, I really wish that the fall killed you for good."
"Braddon! That's enough!"
On instinct, Andross glanced at Ashley. Her expression screwed in pain. Dash tried to comfort her as a tear ran down her face. It took great effort for Andross to contain his anger. The Cornerian Army truly was plagued with bastards.
Though Andross held his temper, Thene did not. She stood to face Braddon with her hackles flared. "Shut. Your. Mouth," she hissed.
A callous grin adorned Braddon's muzzle. "And what are you going to do from inside that cell, sweetheart? We took away your wand, so you can't use any of your fancy magic. Can you?"
Thene flicked her middle finger up at him. From her claw, a small flame danced on its tip. Braddon quickly lost his smirk. "I think you'll find that's not an issue for me."
One of Braddon's comrades pulled him back by the shoulder. That didn't dissuade him from snarling. "A little spark like that's not going to do shit through bulletproof glass."
"No," Thene replied coldly. "But I can use my telepathy just fine from here. Now, unless you want to relive your every childhood trauma on repeat until we get to Corneria, I suggest that you shut up and mind your own business."
Flushed with rage, Braddon broke through his comrades' attempts to hold him back. "You listen here, you fucking bitch!" He slammed his fist onto the glass. It shook on impact.
'Here we go…' Andross rolled his eyes.
"You better watch your mouth with me, or I swear to God I'll…" Braddon's fury then faltered. He froze, his eyes widening in alarm.
"Hey… What…?" He raised his hands to his head. "What is this…? What are you…?"
A horrified gasp quaked his frame. Braddon sunk to his knees. "What the hell?!" The other soldiers watched anxiously, as did Ashley and Dash. "What are you…?!"
Braddon suddenly screamed. He buckled over his right thigh, clutching it desperately. A former bullet wound, Andross guessed. Braddon collapsed onto his side. His breathing became pained and haggard as his body went into shock.
"Duncan…? Duncan, where are you?!" Braddon shrieked. "Duncan! Duncan! DUNCAN!"
Andross saw enough. "Thene, dear. Would you please stop torturing the guards?" he sighed.
"Very well." As though Thene snapped her fingers, the spell quickly lifted. She scowled at Braddon, who laid sobbing on the floor as another soldier tried to shake him out of it. "I ended up using his flashbacks from the war, but I believe I made my point."
Turning to the frightened looks cast upon them, Andross opened his palms. "I sincerely apologise for that. My partner has never really gotten along with others." Alas, his words did little to soothe the remaining soldiers. If anything, they clutched their weapons tighter.
"What's going on here?" A familiar voice heralded McCloud's arrival. He glanced down at Braddon. "What's wrong with him?"
"He and Thene had a little disagreement, that's all," Andross shrugged simply.
McCloud shook his head. "Should have figured." He turned to Andross fully. "I need your help."
That was interesting. "Whatever with?"
"The Aparoids are back. They're attacking Kezamat."
Andross hadn't expected that. He rose to his feet. "Are you sure?"
McCloud's gaze hardened. "Nomar told us herself over the radio. There are hundreds of them! The palace has already fallen. Gylis and Forn are MIA, probably killed. Most of the council too, by the sounds of it."
Thoughts churned in Andross's mind. He had believed the Aparoids exterminated, just as everyone else had. The possibility that some survived always remained, but Andross dismissed it when the Aparoids launched no second attack. At least, not until today.
'Perhaps they were waiting for us to leave the planet,' he wondered.
"There's not much we can do from all the way out here," Andross replied, keeping his tone even. "In what way do you expect me to help you?"
"You're the smartest man in the Lylat System, aren't you?" McCloud exclaimed. "Surely, you can think up a way to stop the Aparoids once and for all."
"In case you haven't noticed, I'm standing inside a cell with my hands bound." Andross jangled the chain of his cuffs. McCloud's eye fell to it.
"Then… I'll find a way to get you out of there."
A soldier stepped behind McCloud. "Sir, with all due respect. We're under direct orders from the General to keep that man confined here."
McCloud turned to him. "With all due respect, this is my ship!" he said crossly.
The soldier's expression hardened. "This is official Cornerian Army business. Regardless of whose ship it is, we are not letting Andross out of that cell without the General's order."
"Then where is he?"
"He left to join you about 5 or 10 minutes ago."
Growling, McCloud threw up his hands. "Fine! Give me a second." He turned and pinched between his eyes, appearing to concentrate. When he opened them again, he looked to Andross. "Alright. Krystal and Peppy are going to fetch Pepper. What will you need to save Cerinia?"
"Bold of you to assume that I intend to help you," Andross replied evenly. "I'm about to face a life sentence in a Cornerian prison. If I'm lucky, that is."
"Damn it, Andross! Don't screw around with me!" McCloud slammed his fist furiously upon the wall. "Come on! The Cerinians took us both in after we crash landed on their planet. We wouldn't have gotten off it without their help too! You can't just leave them to die like this!"
Of course, he couldn't just ignore the Cerinians' plight on a mere whim. It wasn't that simple though. Confronting a nearly unstoppable army would be an extraordinary challenge under the best circumstances. Cerinia's arethansphere made conventional military aid impossible on top of that. Right now, Andross had his own pressing concerns. It made too little sense for him to go out of his way to create some thin sliver of hope for the Cerinians, especially when it offered him no benefit.
That being said, Andross looked into McCloud's eyes. Behind the anger and frustration, desperation burned inside the man. Andross also became painfully aware that Ashley and Dash were both staring at him. Ashley… There was worry on her face. Worry for what exactly, he could not tell. What choice did she expect from him? What choice did anyone expect from him now?
To answer those questions, Andross turned to Thene. From her, he found horror. Her eyes hung wider than anyone else's. In them, Andross sensed the same urgency as McCloud's. Perhaps the first question needed to start here. Andross made a gesture with his hand to Thene, one that sought her counsel.
"What would you have me do?" he asked.
"Simon… If Kezamat falls, there will be nothing to stop the Aparoids from consuming the rest of Cerinia. No other settlement will stand a chance against them."
Thene imagined the lives of millions snuffed out underneath an ever-growing swarm. Kalaresse Orrat's aged image flashed among them. Andross watched it fill Thene with dread. "I'm surprised that you care so much," he pondered. "I thought you resented your kind."
Thene glared. "That doesn't mean that I want them to die!"
He would have smiled for her. But this was not the time or place. Andross retreated into his own thoughts. With Thene's stance made clear, what could he do? What resources were available to him? How could he use them?
"Do you remember the Aparoid core I showed you that one time?" he asked McCloud.
The man knotted his brows. "I think so."
"I packed it amongst the cargo we brought with us. Bring it to me."
McCloud looked to the soldiers. "Where is the rocket's cargo now?"
"It should all have been moved to the hold by now," one answered.
"I'll also need access to a computer to analyse the core's data," Andross added. "Not just some common laptop, mind you. I require something with a large amount of processing power. Is there anything like that on this ship that isn't part of its critical systems?"
"There's a server on Level 3," Dash spoke up. "We used it to keep all the data I stole from Andrew."
"That will do." Andross's interest peaked. "The data on the server… All of it belonged to my empire on Venom?"
"Yeah. I think so," Dash nodded.
"How much?"
The boy scratched his head as he contemplated. "A few terabytes, I think."
A glimmer of optimism flickered inside Andross. "Would any of my old decryption algorithms be on there?"
Dash shrugged. "Maybe? I still haven't been able to crack the passwords on most of the files, so I don't know what's in them."
"I should be able to determine that easily."
Dash smiled. It expressed hope, something Andross hadn't expected to come easily in a time like this. He found that same smile form on other faces around him. McCloud's appeared the widest. The smile began to pull at Andross's own lips. Perhaps circumstances weren't as bleak as first believed. Perhaps, in this moment, he could be the kind of man that his family wanted him to be.
"Are you people serious?" someone croaked. All eyes fell upon Braddon still crouched upon the ground. He sneered at them. "You're gonna just let him out and have his way? You can't fucking trust him."
"Do you want me to go through your memories again?" Thene crossed her arms. Braddon flinched away from her and fell silent. Andross saw no noteworthy threat from him anymore, and thus no need to pay the fool any further mind.
"The arethanite weapons we made will buy Kezamat some time. But we can't count on that to last," Andross stated. "Right now, every second matters. Let's move quickly so that we can save as many Cerinians as we can."
McCloud nodded. "I'll grab the core while Dash sets up the equipment for you."
"I also want to you to run reconnaissance with your team's satellite," Andross added. "The more information we have on what's happening, the better we can plan."
"Slippy's already on it," McCloud chuckled. He then turned and hurried away. Ashley followed Dash after him to lend her hands wherever she could help.
Alone with Thene and the still somewhat-suspicious guards, Andross faced the cell's far corner so that he could think. A wide-ranged arethanite burst had decimated the Aparoids in one swoop last time. Yet that had not been enough to eliminate them entirely. Some members must have been absent from the initial invasion, likely the swarm's leader, pulling the strings from a safe distance. They will need to be destroyed as well to ensure any lasting safety for Cerinia's people.
Questions, options, and partial answers stormed through Andross's thoughts. This was the ultimate enemy they were dealing with. Who knew what challenging them would cost? An old mindset creaked and rose from his darkest recesses. It recognised what Andross needed from it. A new war. One last hurrah. This time for someone's sake other than his own. Anything could happen in the next few hours, and it exhilarated every cell in Andross's body.
Most of the people aboard the Great Fox squeezed into the mission room. Time had passed since the news about the Aparoids broke, and tensions were high. Fox felt his gnaw through him like a thousand parasites, yet it paled to the apprehension twisting Krystal in knots right beside him. He hadn't left her side since he delivered the core memory to Andross. The damned thing made him feel worse just to look at.
Granted, most people were more concerned about seeing Andross stand among them unrestrained. On Fox's orders, and General Pepper's endorsement, no weapons had been allowed inside during the meeting. That, of course, didn't mean that the situation was any less volatile. Fox asked Krystal to monitor everyone's moods and warn him if anyone felt an urge to simply clench their fist. It gave her something else to think about other than her parents' safety. It helped to a small extent.
Andross keyed a few commands into the desk terminal. A holographic image of Cerinia formed above the conference table. "Thank you all for coming," he began.
"Last year, a swarm of advanced, biomechanical creatures called Aparoids attacked the Cerinian city, Kezamat. They killed many people in just a few hours and attempted to assimilate others into their ranks. We believed we had defeated the Aparoids after exposing them to radiation from the planet's atmospheric dust, which I have given the name arethanite. It effectively destroyed their electrical systems, similar to an electromagnetic pulse."
The projection then switched to a satellite image of Kezamat. The damage to the city's buildings thus far was obvious from a glance. Fox's chest tightened. He and Krystal prayed that the people were mostly unharmed, if not completely. To others in the room, the scene likely reminded them of the Lylat Wars.
"It turns out that we were wrong about the Aparoids' fate," Andross continued. "Survivors from the first invasion kept a low profile whilst they rebuilt their numbers. They are now attacking Kezamat again with a force of approximately 500 strong."
He removed the photograph from view. "Since the first attack, Star Fox provided us with regular shipments of arethanite dust. We used it to make weapons that would allow the Cerinians to harness its effects at will. The idea was to give them an effective countermeasure should the Aparoids ever return. Unfortunately, it appears that the Aparoids have changed their approach and are trying to destroy the Cerinians from a distance." A new image appeared from the projector. It showed an Aparoid firing a beam of energy from its body.
"Kezamat's leaders have already been killed in the first strike. However, evacuations still went ahead. We deepened the sewer tunnels over the past year to serve as emergency bunkers. They will offer the civilians some protection from ranged attacks. I also expect the city's guards and lythans will stand ready for any Aparoids that attempt a direct assault."
"If they have weapons that give them an advantage, could the Cerinians fight the Aparoids off on their own?" Pepper enquired.
Andross shook his head. "Not with the bulk of the invaders bombarding the city from several kilometres away. If the Aparoids fail to break through Kezamat's defences, they can simply starve the Cerinians out through a prolonged siege."
"So, what can we do?" Fox asked. "Could we maybe take out the Aparoids with an orbital attack?"
"I've considered using the Great Fox's cannons for that purpose. It's possible that its plasma blasts can penetrate the arethansphere without much issue. However, we wouldn't have a clear line of sight, and the impact of the shots hitting the surface could cause a small earthquake. That is the last thing we want when the Cerinians are all underground. It's too risky."
Andross fiddled with the terminal. A new image of a mountain range appeared. "I've had time to analyse the core memory that we retrieved after the first battle. The Aparoids seem to operate as a hive mind with a queen controlling the other members. You can think of the core as a kind of server that links the drones into a network. All the information known to the Aparoids that attacked us is stored on this core, including where their nest is and how the swarm functions."
"They have a queen?" Falco blurted out.
"I'm not that surprised," Fox replied. "They do resemble insects."
A red cross blinked over a crater among the peaks. "This is where the Aparoids have been hiding since they first arrived," Andross went on. "Their nest runs several kilometres below sea level; probably deeper than that since the core was disconnected. The queen is likely hiding inside its deepest reaches."
Slippy then raised his hand. "Um… Doctor Andross? Question?"
"I don't appreciate these interruptions. But go on."
Slippy swallowed nervously. "Um… Since we know where the Aparoids' nest is and how to kill them… Could we maybe drop a whole bunch of arethanite on them and set it to blow?"
A few heads bobbed in response, including Andross's. "That is an interesting idea. Unfortunately, I doubt it will work so well in practice. The nest is made of a complicated maze of tunnels. They twist around in all directions. A bomb might not be able to fall deep enough to take out the queen, which must happen to stop the Aparoids from reproducing again."
At that answer, Slippy hung his head in disappointment. Beltino patted his back gently. A pity. It had been a good idea, Fox thought.
Pepper hummed into his fist. "It seems that we don't have many viable options. It makes me wonder if we can do anything at all to assist." Krystal's heart broke as her earpiece translated his words. Fox gripped her hand tightly, urging her not to lose hope yet.
"There's merit in cutting our losses. Unfortunately, we'll have another problem on our hands if we choose to do nothing," Andross said. He brought back the hologram of Cerinia.
"While I was studying the core, I discovered the Aparoids' plans for escaping Cerinia as well. Once they've assimilated all the organic life they can, they intend to burrow deep towards the planet's core and trigger a series of earthquakes. With enough time and energy, the seismic activity would shatter Cerinia into pieces."
The holographic Cerinia then crumbled before everyone's eyes. Horror filled the room. "If that were to happen, the planet's gravity would fall apart!" Vixy exclaimed.
"And its atmosphere would dissipate into the void of space," Andross nodded. "This would create gaps in the arethanite dust large enough for the Aparoids to slip through unaffected. We'd then have billions of them running amok with all the magical and psychic powers that they've absorbed while on Cerinia. If they reunite with other swarms across the galaxy, we may never be able to stop them."
Silence became agonising. Nightmares of the scene that Andross painted haunted Fox. He could not imagine how the Lylat System would fare against that many Aparoids with the powers that Krystal's people possessed. Their telepathic abilities alone would put most armies at a severe disadvantage.
"So, going back to what Fox said earlier: What the fuck are we supposed to do?!" Falco snapped.
Andross stayed quiet for a moment. Fox recognised the look on his face from whenever he pondered a difficult decision. Andross tensed, pursing his lips as the weight of the world seemed to fall inside his gaze. "There is one way in which I think we can stop them," he said cautiously.
He then projected a display of countless Aparoid models. Thin, glowing lines joined each unit into a series of clusters, concentrating onto one point. "The Aparoids' bodies consist of both cybernetic and biological components, and their primary goal is to assimilate anything they come across into their hive mind. I'm speculating a little bit here, but it may be possible for us to turn the Aparoids' capabilities against them."
Fox pricked his ears. "How so?"
"The Aparoids' biology has similar functions to our own. Specifically, they undergo apoptosis."
"Apopota-what?" Falco cocked his head.
"Apoptosis," Slippy corrected. "It's a process that our bodies use to stay healthy. We lose billions of cells every day because they get old and wonky. But then we grow back just as many new ones at the same time, so you don't usually notice the difference."
"As he said," Andross gestured gratefully. "For whatever reason, the Aparoids choose to have organic parts. Apoptosis is a necessary function for them to maintain their health. What we may be able to do is take advantage of that and force a more extreme rate of decay."
Katt raised her hand. "Hey… Um… I dropped out of high school in 10th grade. A lot of this is going over my head."
"I'm afraid I don't follow either," Krystal added.
Andross sighed. "In simple terms, I plan to inject a virus into the Aparoids that will destroy them from the inside out. If we take advantage of their hive mind, it's possible that we can spread the virus to the entire swarm through it."
"Like a computer virus that inflicts the same symptoms as a biological one," Beltino exclaimed. Andross nodded with a smile.
"Is it possible to create something like that?" Peppy asked. "Sounds a lot like science-fiction." What hasn't been like fiction over the last few years, Fox mused?
Andross looked more confident than anyone as he tucked his hands behind his back. "Using my knowledge of the Aparoids' physiology, I should be able to develop a program that can attack them at a cellular level. However, we've already lost a lot of time getting this far, and the Cerinians in Kezamat don't have much of it left. I'll need help to write the code quickly."
For a moment, no one spoke. They certainly lost their ability to once Andross then bowed his head. "I understand that most of you have no desire to offer me anything. You have every right to feel that way. I will not make excuses for myself. However, if any of you do have experience in programming, then I ask you to lend me your skills. If not for my sake, then please help me for Thene and Krystal's. Their species does not deserve to be wiped out by the Aparoids."
It might have been expected if people cried out in protest or left Andross's plea unanswered. That might have seemed more definitive than what Fox experienced. As Krystal desperately hoped for their support, he sensed everyone's indecision tearing at them through her telepathy. No one could trust that Andross hadn't devised this entire strategy to solely serve himself in some way. Yet was dooming an inhabited planet worth disregarding him?
How much was true? How much was deception? Was there another way they could save Cerinia without Andross? Or was it necessary to place their faith in him now? Despite hearing all their inner questions, Fox did not know what he could say to swing their feelings into Andross's favour.
"I'll help you," Dash said at last. "If it means saving an entire planet, then I'll trust you."
Andross wore an expression that Fox had never seen from him before. It was raw, as though that one statement stripped his defences and bared his soul to all. Andross took a moment to quell the tremor inside him. "I thank you, Dash."
Dash smiled a little. "I know that Mom's not in the room with us right now, but I'm sure she'll help as well."
Nearby, Slippy groaned as though struggling. Shaking his fists, he threw his head back and let out a yell that startled everyone. "Alright! If Dash is in, I'm in too!" he declared. "The Cerinians helped Fox when we couldn't, so I'm gonna help save them! Even if I have to trust Andross to do it!"
Slippy threw a glance towards Fox. A determined smirk stretched wide across his face. Fox smiled and nodded to his old friend, deeply grateful.
"Well said, son," Beltino smiled proudly. "You can count on my assistance as well. Provided, of course, that there are no objections?" He turned an inquiring look to General Pepper, who caught it and considered his subtle meaning carefully.
"If the Aparoids succeed in escaping Cerinia, the Balven System will be in terrible danger; and the Lylat System close behind it," Pepper stated.
"We must use every resource at our disposal to eliminate this threat post-haste, regardless of who we must work alongside." Listening to Pepper seemed to put more people at ease. Though not completely, the tension left from their bodies.
"Isaac, you should help too," Katt said suddenly, turning to the penguin she startled at her right.
"Huh?! Me?!"
"You work in cybersecurity, don't you?" Katt argued. "If anyone can hack an Aparoid and kill it, it's you."
A soldier then pointed at Isaac. "Hang on. You mean that guy's not with Star Fox?"
Katt blinked. "No. He's just a friend from home."
"You let a civilian listen in to this conversation?!" Pepper barked, aghast. "Everything we know about the Aparoids is strictly classified!" Katt then shrank under everyone's gazes as Falco shook his head and Isaac lowered his.
"I… thought the cat was out of the bag?" she tried to smile. Nobody matched it.
"No. It's alright," Andross interjected. "I'm quite grateful that Miss Monroe brought her friend's skillset to my attention. It's exactly what we need in this situation."
Falco jabbed an elbow against Isaac, who wobbled like a stiff statue. "Ay. You hear that, Isaac? Andross is calling on you to help save a planet," he chuckled. "You gonna rise to the challenge and be a hero?"
"A hero?!" Isaac looked up to Falco for a moment. A spark soon lit inside him, and Isaac swept a flipper over the top of his beanie. "I… I mean… Sure! I know my way around a supercomputer or two. Give me an Aparoid, and I'll make it play DREAD. No problem."
Slippy waved to get Fox's attention. "He's not exaggerating, by the way. I bet $50 that he couldn't install that game on ROB before we left Corneria, and he did it in 20 minutes."
Fox raised a perplex brow. "I can't decide whether I should be impressed by that or concerned." Falco and Peppy gave different answers. Time to move along before Fox started to fret about the security of his dad's ship.
"Okay!" he rubbed his hands together. "It sounds like we have a tech team! So, we'll let you guys create the virus and then broadcast it to the Aparoids through the satellite, right?"
Andross did not meet his gaze. "That's not how it's going to work," he responded softly.
"What?"
"The Aparoids might share data freely amongst themselves, but their network has formidable defences from external attack. We won't be able to infect the queen with a wireless signal. And if we somehow do, we'll more likely affect the drones first. That would give the queen ample warning, as well as time to shut out the infected Aparoids before the virus spreads to it."
"Then how are we going to deploy the virus at all?" Fox snapped.
"Our only option is to upload the virus directly into the queen," Andross answered. "That means that someone needs to go down into the Aparoids' nest and get close to it."
Fox's heart stopped. The room became cold and silent. "But to do that…"
Andross nodded. "Someone would need to descend to Cerinia's surface. That's correct."
"Are you insane!" Falco roared. "We just spent the last two years trying to get you and Fox off that rock! Now you're suggesting that we send someone to go back there?!"
"Can we maybe get the Cerinians to use the virus?" Lucy suggested fretfully.
"Sadly, no," Andross shook his head. "Even if the Cerinians understood how to administer the virus, they'd never be able to get close to the Aparoid queen. The swarm has them pinned in Kezamat, and the nest is too far from the city for them to reach in time, even on a fast mount. The Aparoids would kill them all off first."
"Then how do you propose that one of us do it?" Peppy challenged. "Any starship that goes near Cerinia will short out before it reaches the surface."
Andross scratched his chin briefly. "The same way that McCloud and I got out. A Cerinian's barrier spell can keep the arethanite from clinging to a starship. All we'd have to do then is fly the ship towards the planet with the power off and restart it during freefall."
"But we've only got two Cerinians," Falco interjected. "You can't mean…"
"Thene and I will go," Andross cut him off. "It's my plan, so it's only fair that I be the one to bear the consequences of carrying it out."
"Consequences, my ass!" Vixy shouted angrily. "You're only volunteering so you can weasel out of punishment!" Others protested in agreement with her.
Andross faced her with a calm expression. "If that was indeed the case, what do you propose we do instead? Thene can do many things, but she cannot operate a starfighter on her own. Should we then send someone else to trap themselves on Cerinia in my place? Who would you choose among us to suffer that fate?"
The fight fled from Vixy's eyes. "I… I…" She bowed her head, unable to answer.
"If anyone else doubts my intentions, consider this," Andross directed to the room. "If I try to flee the sector, you'll pursue me, and I'll be outnumbered and outgunned. If I re-enter Cerinia as promised but fail to stop the Aparoids, they'll either kill or assimilate me; and I don't desire either of those outcomes. Therefore, it's in my best interest to complete the mission at all costs."
Pepper broke the tense silence. "How do you plan to come back after you succeed though?"
Eerily, Andross laughed. "That's the thing. I won't be. I've given escaping Cerinia a good go, but I now realise there's no life for me beyond her bounds. In terms of my crimes, think of this as another exile for me. Surely, you'll agree that Cerinia can hold me better than Venom ever could."
Grumbling aloud, Pepper gave a grim nod. "I'll concede that you've gotten into far less trouble on Cerinia."
"Will you entrust this task to me then?"
Pepper considered his answer for a full minute. Even as he gave it, he did not sound certain. "Very well."
More people began to voice their opinions. However, Fox heard none of it as he met Krystal's gaze. There was hope. There was a genuine hope of saving Nomar and the other Cerinians.
Fox wanted to be as thrilled as Krystal was, yet something made him uneasy. It wasn't that he didn't trust Andross. Krystal knew he hadn't lied at all. Alas, Fox felt in his gut that something wasn't quite right. When he dug inside for the reason, his worry grew. A solution existed, but that only worsened Fox's dread.
Krystal's eyes widened, fretful. "Fox, that isn't necessary!"
"It is if we want to stop the Aparoids," he insisted.
"But what about your family? Think about what that will do to them!"
Fox looked across the room and to his mother. He knew she'd be devastated. "But how can we do nothing if your family's lives are at stake?" he asked.
Krystal's ears fell. Her gaze drooped. She couldn't answer him. Instead, she took hold of Fox's fingers and squeezed them gently. "I'll support your choice then."
Fox squeezed back. Her feelings did not make his heart any lighter, but they did give him the strength to brave the burden.
"You won't be able to make it," he declared aloud. The conversation around him faltered. All eyes centred upon him.
"What do you mean?" Andross asked.
"The Aparoids are never going to let you inside their nest without a fight. You won't make it to the queen without backup." Fox swallowed before resuming. "Which is why Krystal and I are going too."
"No…" Vixy gasped, tearing Fox's heart apart. He couldn't look at her.
"You can't, Fox!" Slippy exclaimed.
"That's crazy!" Falco squawked, just as horrified. Lucy and Katt each clasped their hands over their mouths. Peppy looked too stunned to speak.
"McCloud, you should think carefully before suggesting such a thing," Andross warned gravely. "It took two years and billions of credits to get us off Cerinia the first time, and I'll remind you that it was dangerously close. I've already said that I have no desire to leave Cerinia a second time. If you go back there, you will never be able to return home again. You will be throwing away everything that you and everyone else here have been working towards for the last five years."
"I know that!" Fox snarled. He took a deep breath and centred his thoughts upon Krystal's hand. "But if I don't do this, then everyone who Krystal and I love in Kezamat will die. We can't let that happen."
"Fox…" Vixy shook her head, tearing up. "Please don't do this."
His vision became watery. "I'm sorry, Mom."
"I don't want Fox to lose you all again," Krystal said, her voice trembling. "But this is what he is willing to do by his own choice."
It was then that Fox wished he couldn't sense everyone's minds. He then wouldn't be able to feel their shock, their horror, or the way that they denied the despair encroaching upon them. Fox watched as he stabbed each and every person he cared for in the back. Some people held onto a fragile hope that he could be talked out of it. Alas, Fox thought about Nomar and Thalse and how their lives depended on Andross delivering the virus, noting that he was not a skilled starfighter pilot. There was no chance for Fox to take back what he had said.
Finally, Andross sighed, becoming the first to accept it. "So be it. That just leaves one matter to be addressed. We'll need starfighters. Ideally, we should use two. They'll need to seat multiple people." He looked around the room. "I don't suppose there are any to spare onboard a warship?"
Falco shrugged. "Sorry. It's not that I don't want to help, but all our ships are single seaters."
"That's… not quite true," Lucy said reluctantly. "My Sky Bunny has two seats. We mostly keep it in the hangar as a spare."
Slippy hummed. "It's not as fast or nimble as an Arwing, but I've upgraded its weapons and shields to be close in power."
"That will be fine. We won't be able to move at top speed while we're underground anyway," Andross replied.
"If that's the case, then we have a Star Tank that we can offer," Pepper said. "It can seat up to four people, and its armour is unmatched by any other ship of its class."
Andross eyed him curiously. "You would be willing to throw away a military ship just like that?"
Pepper showed no emotion. "Let's just say that I owe a debt I wish to clear."
Likewise, Andross gave him no reaction. Instead, he addressed the room. "Then we have our plan of attack. Are there any questions?"
None were given. "Good. We don't have long to save Kezamat, so let's get started right away. The technical team will join me to develop the virus while the Cornerian soldiers prepare the ships. As for the members of Star Fox… I won't tell you how to make the best use of your time."
Bringing Thene, Dash, and Katt's friend in tow, Andross left the mission room without a further word. Pepper and his soldiers followed shortly after. Everyone else stood like statues, all staring at Fox like he was the wretched gorgon who froze them. Eventually, the silence shattered.
"Fox! What the fuck are you thinking?!"
"Falco… Please try to calm down," Katt pleaded.
He slammed his fist on the table, ignoring her. "It took us five fucking years to rescue you from that planet, and now all of a sudden you want to go back to it?! How the hell were you expecting us to take that?!"
"Falco, I am sorry!" Fox snapped back. "I wanted to come home! I still want to! But Krystal's family is in danger, and if we don't do something, they might not see the end of the day!"
"You can just leave Andross to do the job! You don't need to get involved in this!"
"Do you really think he's a good enough pilot to fight his way through an entire army?!" When Falco gave no answer, Fox pushed. "Like it or not, he's going to need help getting to the queen. If someone has to watch his back, it might as well be me. I've learned Cerinian and can make a life for myself there. Nobody else has to struggle with being trapped there like I did the first time."
In the span of a second, Falco's rage broke. He shook his head hopelessly. "But we just got you back."
Fox's ears fell flat. His heart broke in two. "I know. I'm sorry."
He turned his gaze to Vixy nearby. She hung her head with her arms crossed, not facing him. Sensing him staring, she sucked in a terrible breath. "Can Fox and I have the room please?"
Nobody wanted to deny her. Quietly, everyone filtered out into the hallway. Fox read the message on each of their faces. This discussion was not over. He acknowledged that this was a harsh pill he was demanding them to swallow.
"Krystal," Vixy said. "I'm sorry, but could you please wait outside too?"
Fox felt Krystal's desire to protest. He shook his head. "Do as she asks."
"I want to stay by your side," she frowned. "I can help you."
"I can take care of this on my own."
"It's not going to matter if I'm in the room or not! I'm still going to hear everything you do."
He knew. But that was not the issue. Fox placed his hand gently on Krystal's shoulder. "I'm grateful that you care, Krystal, but this is something private between Mom and me. I need to talk to her alone. For her sake."
Glancing briefly at Vixy, seeing her so distraught, Krystal finally relented. "Alright. But I'll still be nearby when you need me," she promised Fox.
"I know. Thank you."
Krystal then left to join the others. The door closed, and Fox was left to face his mother's pained gaze. He felt like the worst piece of scum in the entire universe. "Mom…" He shook his head. "I'm sorry. I don't know what more I can say."
She looked at him. For a long time. For so long, it became unbearable. "You don't have to do this."
"Maybe you're right. But I can't take the chance. If Andross fails and the Cerinians die, I'll never be able to forgive myself. I'll never be able to look Krystal in the eye again."
Vixy nodded, desperately trying to hold herself together. "There's no way that I can talk you out of it then."
Fox lowered his head. "I guess not." He really was scum. "Thalse and Nomar did so much to help me when I was stranded. I owe them everything. That's why I can't sit back and do nothing while they're in this much trouble."
"I understand," Vixy nodded mournfully. "It isn't fair. I've been waiting so long to be able to see you again. And now that you're here, this happens!" She wiped at her eyes.
"Mom…" Fox reached for her.
"I'm going with you."
Did he hear right? "Mom…! What?!"
Vixy lifted her head. Her gaze was firm. "I said I'm going with you."
"But…" Fox faltered, shaking his head, and flailing his hands. "Are you listening to yourself?! If you come with me, you'll end up stuck on Cerinia too! What about your career? What about your life?"
"You are my life!" Vixy reached out, cupping his face in both hands. "Fox, you are my son. When you crash landed, I put everything on hold for five years just to bring you home. I have already lost you too many times in my life. I will not lose you again!"
Tears welled in Fox's eyes. He touched her wrist. "But what if you regret leaving it all behind?"
Vixy smiled. "Then I'll still have you."
Fox could not tell who pulled who into their arms. He simply held his mother close to his chest. "I can't talk you out of it, can I?"
"No," Vixy said with the faintest of chuckles. "Your father's not the only one you got your stubborn streak from."
"I guess not," he chuckled too. "Thank you, Mom. I love you."
Holding him tight, she gently rocked him. "I love you too, Fox."
They stayed like that for who knew how long. He could have stayed that way forever, yet the thought of Kezamat fighting the Aparoids burned in Fox's mind. Taking his mother's hand, he walked with her out from the room to where the others huddled around the doorway. He met their faces with sorrow to match theirs. He didn't expect them to understand his intentions or even accept them. But he would try to convince them. For the sake of the bonds that he shared with everyone, he'd try to make the most of these final moments with them. Because, as much as he wanted to leave, he loved his friends with all his heart.
End note:
Happy Mother's Day to all the moms out there who'd throw everything away just to help their kids fight genocidal robot bugs.