Chapter 66: Final Hours

"Is it working?"

"Hold on a second. It's been a while since I've last used something like this. I just need to figure it out again."

"Oh! Something's appeared on the screen!"

"Yeah? That's one step in the right direction. Now how do I get it to…? Oh, that's right!"

His finger clicked a few times upon the mouse button. The dark window on the monitor burst with colour. Inside, Fox saw his own image peering back at him. Behind his shoulder, he could just make out the tips of Krystal's ears.

She gasped in wonder. "It's like a mirror."

Fox cracked a grin. "Kind of. Now, let's see…"

Once he adjusted the camera and found the 'record' icon, Fox stepped back and sat down next to Krystal. A countdown blinked across the computer screen. Fox took a deep breath. He hoped to get this done and out of the way in one take.

The countdown struck zero.

"Hi, everyone. It's Fox McCloud from Star Fox, here aboard the Great Fox," he said as cheerfully as he could. "And this here is my wonderful wife, Krystal." He then glanced at the red Papetoon Paladins hoodie she wore. "Who, I will note, has been in my cabin for less than 10 minutes and has already raided my wardrobe."

Krystal smirked at him before facing the camera. "Hello," she greeted in her best Papetoonish. "It's an honour to be the first of my people to meet you."

Fox clapped his hands lightly. "So! We made it here… almost safely. It felt great to see everyone again. Fantastic, even. I cried. Mom cried. The whole team cried. It was a mess. Then there was this whole standoff between us and Andross that ended with Mom punching him in the face… That all happened really fast."

"You handled it well, I'd say," Krystal remarked. "I wasn't sure if you could talk him down."

"Me neither, honestly. Thank you." Fox then checked the rough script in his hand to remember what he planned to say. "Anyway… I'm finally back after being on Cerinia for about… 2,069 Cornerian days." Fox's brows flicked upwards. "Which is… a really long time to be off the grid. Wow."

Krystal laid her hand atop of his. Fox needed a second to process that fact. How much had he missed in all that time? How much more would he continue to exclude himself from?

He recomposed himself. "I wanted to make this video to thank everyone who has supported Star Fox and the Bring Home Fox McCloud Foundation over the last five years. It's been a big help, and we probably wouldn't be here today without all your donations and support. It kept the team's hopes up while they were still figuring out whether I was alive or not."

Fox sucked in a deep breath. "But… I also want to apologise to you all. Not just to the people who sponsored us but also to my friends, my family, and everyone who did so much to rescue me. Because I can't come back anymore."

As he spoke, a torrent of sickly emotions rushed through him. A large part of this was Fox's attempt to come to terms with what he was doing. The greatest apology he owed was to himself, the past version of him who suffered to get this far.

"Some of you might remember that last year, I said that spirits attacked Kezamat out of nowhere. That was not true. The spirits protected us from something else. An alien species called the Aparoids were the real threat, and a lot of people died because of them."

It felt like too much for Fox to continue, so Krystal took over. "We thought we defeated the Aparoids the first time. But we've just learned that they've come back, and they're attacking my home again."

Her voice began to crack. "My family… They went to fight the Aparoids. We don't know if they're safe or if they're still alive. We only know that the Aparoids are much stronger now, and they will not stop until my home planet is destroyed."

"Andross has figured out a way to stop them for good," Fox said. "But to make it work, he and I need to go back to Cerinia and destroy the Aparoids' queen. That means we've got to go all the way down to the surface again."

Rubbing his hands together, Fox swallowed hard. "That also means that we won't be able to leave Cerinia again. It's tearing me up inside, but it's not going to be practical to build another rocket. I'm not going to get the chance to come home again. So, I want to apologise for disappointing you and for causing all your support to be for nothing. I'm not proud of it, but this is something that Krystal and I have to do to save her people. I hope that you understand."

He paused. Was there anything else he needed to say? Any words to his extended family on Papetoon? Fox decided that he'd stick to making a separate video for them. "I guess that's it. Wish us luck. Thanks for everything; and I hope this isn't the last message I send out."

After he stopped the recording, Fox placed his palms atop the desk and hung his head. A heavy sigh broke from deep inside his chest. Krystal's arms wrapped around him. Her sympathy seeped into Fox.

"I'm sorry," she whispered.

"You're not at fault," he said in kind.

"It feels like I am though. If the Aparoids weren't attacking my homeland, you wouldn't need to go through this."

A humourless smile touched Fox's face. "If you could make those bugs do anything, I'd ask you to stop them. But you can't, so I can't blame you." He placed his hand upon Krystal's arm. "And you didn't influence me at all. Even if we weren't bonded, I'd still drop everything to save your family."

Krystal said nothing in response. However, her darkest thoughts howled inside. "We finally got you home, and now I'm taking you away from it again. It's not fair."

Fox nodded. His heart ached. "No, it isn't. But it's still my choice." He turned in her arms to pull Krystal into his own. "When I first landed on Cerinia, I didn't get a say in the matter. It was just how things turned out. I was completely cut off from everyone I loved, and I felt alone because of that."

They both remembered that pain. Of feeling that loneliness like a missing limb. Of watching Fox cry in his anguish and being unable to help him. That same pain now lurked ahead to greet them again. Yet Fox sought to shield Krystal from it however he could.

"It's different this time," he said. "I don't have to go back to Cerinia, really. But I want to. I've got people I care about there now. I want to do everything I can to protect them."

"It's hardly a choice if your conscience is forcing you to go," Krystal countered.

"Maybe. But it doesn't change how I feel."

"What about your friends here? You'll never see them again."

Fox nodded sadly. "That's true. It'll suck to lose them again, but at least I've got a chance to say goodbye this time." He then smiled. "And if Mom joins us, I don't have to worry about leaving her all alone anymore. I can cope with spending the rest of my life on Cerinia."

Tears fled from Krystal. None of Fox's words made her happy, yet she accepted them. "Thank you, Fox," she whispered.

"If anyone should be sorry, it's me," Fox replied. "I made all those promises to show you the Lylat System. Guess those plans are shot now."

"That's okay. What you've shown me through your memories is enough." Krystal looked up and smiled. "And at least I got to see the Great Fox for myself. This place was always more important to you than anywhere else."

"That it has been," Fox agreed. He looked past Krystal's shoulder and across his cabin. Vixy and the others did their best to keep it clean while he was away. They even kept the sheets tucked in firmly enough to bounce a coin off them. "Shame we have to leave so soon. I was hoping to spend at least one night in that bed with you."

Krystal smirked. "We both know that sleeping wasn't what you really had in mind."

"You've got me." Fox's chuckle didn't last long, however. "Can't exactly get in the mood with everything that's happening though, can we?"

"No. I suppose not." Krystal bowed her head. Worries about her home still plagued her whenever they got the chance.

"I should try to prepare as much as I can anyway," Fox said. "I haven't flown in combat for years. I'll need to train up if we want to last more than five minutes against those bugs."

Cupping his cheek, Krystal gazed into his eyes. "If there's anything I can do to help, let me know."

He wasn't sure what that might entail either. However, Fox was grateful for the offer. "I've got a few more personal things to take care of first. You don't have to stick around for that. Feel free to explore the ship if you'd like."

The suggestion intrigued her. "If you're sure. Call if you need me."

"Will do." Fox kissed Krystal's brow. He showed her out of the room and kept watch until she disappeared around the corner. Through their ehn, he continued to monitor Krystal as she wandered the halls with excited curiosity. Deciding that she would be alright on her own, Fox returned to his cabin to start a new recording.

It became fortunate that the Star Fox crew brought along so many desktop computers to aid the rocket mission. There were enough for Andross and the team he assembled to develop the virus together. One terminal for each person. They commandeered the Great Fox's bridge as a makeshift laboratory. Andross would have preferred better equipment than they had, though he conceded that it was still leagues better than what he had available to him on Cerinia.

Six sets of hands raced across keyboards. Eyes narrowed at the scripts that each person wrote, each part of a greater whole that would determine the fate of an entire planet. Occasionally, glances were stolen of the oblong memory core that sat between them. Who could fault the nervous edges in their expressions? They half expected the Aparoid hivemind to infect their network and attack them physically. Andross took every possible measure he could to prevent that from happening.

He looked around the room. An interesting group of people sat with him. His beloved, his daughter, and his grandson, all together with the same drive in their eyes. A young bird who, despite his bogan appearance and lackadaisical disposition, dived into the task before him with a swift skill that Andross had rarely seen in his life. Finally, there was Doctor Beltino Toad, one of a small few who ever truly rivalled Andross for the title of Corneria's Chief Scientist. Perhaps with more ambition and another PhD or two, Toad would have already claimed it by now.

"It's a shame your son is not here with us," Andross remarked to him. "He was quite vocal about helping earlier."

Toad paused in his work, though only briefly. "Yes. We'd be able to do much more with him at our side."

"Then why tell him not to come?"

At last, Toad turned away from his screen to face Andross. "Slippy has known Fox since they were children. They've always been as close as brothers. Now Fox intends to return to Cerinia, and they'll most likely never see each other again. As his father, what should I have told Slippy? To help us create a program to destroy a hostile species in its entirety? Or to cherish the last few moments he can with his dearest friend?"

If Andross had an argument for that, turning his gaze to Ashley struck it down before it ever reached his lips. "I suppose our situation is not so dire as that," he replied instead.

Toad cleaned his glasses on the inside of his coat before returning to the computer. "I assure you, I'll work hard enough to cover his absence. I don't intend to send Fox off to Kezamat with no one left to greet him."

Yes, Andross silently agreed. It'd be less than favourable if they were to return to Cerinia only to find their former homes reduced to ashes. He didn't fancy living among ruins. That would be as depressing as spending a lifetime in prison.

"I must say, it's quite curious that you already developed a process for inducing apoptosis in living creatures," Toad commented after a few moments. "Something like this might have taken us months to make from scratch. And that's if we were lucky."

"I devised it many years ago as a means to eliminate my bioweapons, should I ever have lost control of them again," Andross shrugged. "We're simply fortunate that Dash copied the original code from one of my old bases. All we need to do now is adjust it so that it can interact with the Aparoid network."

"This is the gnarliest code I've ever read, I tell ya," the bird, Isaac, said. He turned to Toad. "Can we take a moment to think about just how whack this whole thing is? Like, we've got crazy, alien tech right here, and we're working with the Doctor Simon Andross and a Cerinian woman to make a whole army self-destruct! I shouldn't even be here, man! Yet here I am! It's like…" He then waved his hands from his head, imitating the sound of an explosion. Although this talk detracted from their purpose, Andross did appreciate the overwhelmingness of present events.

"Hey, so… Speaking of the Cerinian," a soldier by the door said, one of two stationed to keep watch over Andross. "Is she able to help with this at all? I thought her people didn't have computers."

"The Cerinian can hear you," Thene grumbled, never looking away from her screen.

"I have taught Thene everything she knows about programming," Andross answered more civilly. "That makes her far more qualified for this task than you are."

He did not care to look at the offended look that the dog then expressed. "Ashley, how is your analysis of the Aparoids' security protocols coming along?"

"I've cloned the core memory's credentials and tested them against the device's firewalls. They appear to be letting me through. I'm now trying to understand the internal workings."

Pride brimmed in his chest. "Excellent work," Andross said.

"But we're trying to infect the queen first, right?" Dash spoke up. "Are we going to be able to do that with a dead Aparoid's credentials? Surely, they'd wipe their dead units from their registries."

"The credentials themselves are not important. To be able to expand their network as quickly as they do, the Aparoids need to prioritise scalability. That means it's highly likely that the whole swarm uses the same digital infrastructure. If we figure out how this core memory's security system works, we'll understand how to get around the swarm's defences. This will help us to spread the virus as thoroughly as possible."

"Like shutting down every Space Dynamics building in the Lylat System with a single DDoS attack," Isaac summarised. He quickly looked to a bemused Toad and raised his hands. "Theoretically, I mean!"

"Quite," Andross nodded simply. He was just about to return his attention to his own work when a message then popped up on his terminal. It came from Ashley.

"So… We're really doing this. Racing against the clock to save an entire planet."

Revising the code needed to be his priority. Andross knew that. Yet, as his fingers typed away…

"Yes. It's a first for me too."

He caught Ashley smile slightly. It fell shortly though.

"But to make it work, I have to lose you again."

That text drove a knife deep into Andross's chest. He wanted to cry. He wanted to get up and hold his daughter. He wanted to forget it all and carry Ashley off to wherever the stars might lead them. But purpose held him down. Andross declined to make a spectacle that would distract the others, so he channelled everything that he felt into keystrokes.

"There is nothing more that I'd love than to be a part of your life again, Ash. But fate has never been that kind. What I can promise is that I will never stop thinking about you for as long as I live. If you ever want to speak with me, I'll always have a radio on Cerinia waiting for you to call."

Ashley soon wiped a hand across her eyes. If anyone noticed, no one spoke.

"I'm proud of what you're doing here, Dad."

Now Andross needed to dry his own face. Yet the warmth growing in his heart twisted in him as it lifted him from a dark pool that he had long wallowed within. Andross noticed Thene stop working to check on him. He fought to quickly regain his composure.

"Thank you, Ashley. I'm proud of what you're doing too."

Casting a nod towards Thene, Andross assured her that all was well. She silently returned to her own tasks. When no new messages awaited and Ashley appeared to have done the same, Andross collected his thoughts and returned his focus to the apoptosis program.

Enemies laid everywhere. They surrounded them. Dozens swarmed wherever the eye looked. Their numbers? Immeasurable. Their strength? Brutal. The team's hopes for survival? Who could say for certain?

All Fox could do was keep moving and shoot down a dark tunnel. Do too little of either and he'd find his neck inside a noose. As his shields' energy gauge whittled down, he lamented on how easy it used to be to manoeuvre his Arwing through endless swarms. Now, it took everything he had just to keep up with Slippy. The years on Cerinia had eroded his piloting skills terribly.

"Fighter 1's shields below 10 percent!" ROB alerted. "Aborting mission recommended."

"Override," Fox grunted. He could do this. He just needed to concentrate more.

Five more targets went down in front of him. Fox dodged returning fire from behind. With a quick somersault, he got behind his pursuers and took them all out in sequence. Shields fell to seven percent.

"Come on… Come on…" Fox shot again. Another three bogeys down.

"Hey, Fox!" Falco called. "Maybe that's enough. Let's call this one in already."

"Not yet! Just a little bit…"

Something suddenly extended from the tunnel's wall into Fox's path. Cursing, he pulled the yoke hard to evade. He failed to react quickly enough though, and his Arwing crashed through the obstacle. The collision took out the rest of his shields. It also destroyed the ship in the process.

"No!" Fox yelped. "Damn it!"

Pounding a fist into the machine, he glowered at the message, 'Mission failed,' written across the screen. Fox then shook his head and sighed. He unbuckled himself and climbed out of the simulator. Falco and Peppy stood at the control terminal, looking over the results.

"Well?" Fox said, feeling less than confident. "How'd I do?"

The two crewmates exchanged a look that made Fox's heart sink. Peppy rubbed his whiskers. "Erm… Well… You successfully defeated 347 targets that time. Not a bad effort, I must say."

Fox groaned. That total didn't come close to his usual performance on a one-vs-infinite simulation. "It's not enough to take on the Aparoids though, is it?"

Falco grumbled in agreement. "Fox, I'm gonna just put it out there. You're rusty as hell. I'm genuinely surprised you lasted as long as you did just now."

"That's a bit harsh, don't you think?" Slippy rebuked, emerging from the second simulator. Over 300 is still pretty good for someone who hasn't flown for a long while."

"And I'm sure the Aparoids will consider that and go easy on Fox when he tries to kill them," Falco rolled his eyes.

Fox chose to stop listening at that point and instead turned to the one person whose support he really needed. Watching from the viewing area with Katt and Lucy, Krystal met Fox halfway with her arms open. He fell into them. She understood that Fox didn't want critiques or words of encouragement right now.

"It's okay to feel frustrated," she cooed to him softly in Cerinian. "It's hard getting back into something you haven't done in a long time."

He appreciated her saying that. It might have made him feel better under normal circumstances. Unfortunately, Fox couldn't bring himself to not be frustrated. Not when Krystal's words covered up a constant swirl of dread in the pit of her stomach. Worry for her parents raked its claws along the back of her mind, barely giving her a moment's reprieve. Until Fox could assure them both that they could save their family in time, neither of them could bear to sit idly.

Fox's claws dug into his palms, stinging sharply. He then released Krystal. "Reset the course."

"Fox, maybe you should take a break," Peppy urged, joining them. "You've been at this for nearly two hours already."

"The Aparoids are attacking Kezamat now, Peppy," Fox all but snarled. "We don't have time to take a break. Put me in again."

"Maybe Peppy's onto something, Fox," Slippy interjected, his expression full of worry. "You'll do better next time if you take little breather first."

Fox's temper boiled over. "And while I'm taking that breather, God knows how many Cerinians are going to lose their lives down there!"

"Woah! Hey!" Falco stepped between them. His eyes turned sharp. "Fox, I get it. Your in-laws are in danger, and you want to save them. But that does not give you the right to lose your head at us. Calm it down, alright?"

Krystal felt Slippy's shock and hurt from his outburst, dumping Fox with a truckload of guilt. He hung his head. "Sorry, Slip."

Slippy relaxed after a moment. "It's fine. We're just looking out for you, Fox. We want to help your friends and family as much as you do."

He recognised that, and it shamed Fox further for snapping. Krystal touched his arm and sent a soothing aura into his heart. She regretted letting her stress cause him so much trouble. Fox only blamed himself.

"I think you guys are overlooking something," Katt spoke up. "When Fox goes up against the real thing, he only needs to kill one Aparoid. The rest will die out if Andross's virus works like he promised. So really, Fox should just focus on keeping himself alive until he finds the queen."

"She's got a point," Slippy conceded. He breathed a dejected sigh. "If we had more time, I'd upgrade the Sky Bunny's shields to the max. Shame I don't have the materials on hand either, really."

Falco clicked his tongue. "Fretting about things we can't help won't do us any good. The only way to go is to keep training."

Fox agreed with Falco. Getting upset wasn't going to make him any better prepared to fight. That's why he needed to get back into the simulator and put his nose to the grindstone. Every second wasted pushed the Cerinians' odds of survival closer to zero.

Except, he was so tired already…

The training room's doors hissed open. "Pardon the intrusion," General Pepper stepped inside. "How goes it?"

Fox straightened and masked his fatigue. "Slowly but surely," he said firmly; dutifully; robotically.

Krystal did not like the way he covered up his feelings so carelessly.

Pepper nodded in acknowledgement. "If it is not too much trouble, Fox, I was hoping to have a word with you before you set off."

Set off… As in leave the Great Fox. Return to Cerinia. Never to see the stars again. For a moment, Fox completely forgot about that detail. It them came rushing back to him. He shook off the melancholy before answering.

"That's fine. I can spare a few minutes."

That felt like a blatant lie. As much as he did genuinely want to talk with Pepper one last time, Fox worried about how much time he'd lose from his training. But how was he supposed to refuse the General's request like that? A thought then popped into Krystal's head. She took hold of Fox's shoulder.

"If it's alright, I'd like to try flying myself while you talk," she said.

Fox cocked a brow. He saw her plan but did not fully comprehend it. "Sure…" he answered. "Peppy, do you mind?"

Peppy shrugged. "Well. If you're occupied, I don't see the harm. I'll just adjust the settings to something easier and…"

"That's alright," Krystal interjected. "The same conditions as Fox will be fine."

"Are you sure about that? This course is difficult even for experienced pilots."

Krystal smiled as though butter wouldn't melt in her mouth. "Quite sure."

"Oh, this is going to be a bloodbath," Falco chuckled. "Fifty bucks says she won't last a minute."

Katt wrinkled her nose for a few seconds, thinking. "You know what? It's probably a bad bet, but I'll take it. I've got a funny feeling Krystal knows what she's doing."

"Really?" Falco blinked. "Alright! Deal then. Let's strap her in."

As she walked to the simulator, Krystal looked back and waved to Fox. While it was just an experience for her, Fox couldn't help but be concerned for her. "Don't let what Falco says get to you," he cautioned. "Just go at your own pace."

"There's nothing to worry about, love," Krystal replied. Excitement rose as she settled into the firm pilot's seat and took the controls into her hand. Peppy assisted her with the seatbelts to ensure her safety when the simulator started moving throughout the run.

Fox turned back to Pepper. "Sorry, General. You wanted a moment?"

"Yes, thank you." They moved away from the others to the hallway outside. Pepper eyed Fox up and down briefly. A sorrowful shadow pervaded his many wrinkles.

"I can't apologise enough for the circumstances that led us here," Pepper said. "For sending you to Balven five years ago. For how long it's taken to bring you back. For sending you off to Cerinia again to fight the Aparoids alone with Andross. I've failed to do enough to support you, and you've suffered unfairly as a result."

Fox shook his head. "You couldn't have known what would happen back then. Honestly, it sucked; and being alone like that isn't something I'd wish on anyone. But if I hadn't accepted the mission… If I hadn't crashed… I'd never have met Krystal. I wouldn't feel complete like I do now."

Pepper nodded. "She's a fascinating vixen."

"She is. She's amazing…" Fox's gaze drifted. He saw Krystal tearing it through the simulation. She predicted her targets' movements and fired her shots to intercept their flight paths. Meanwhile, her enemies could barely touch her.

"She's really amazing! I don't know how she's doing it!"

"I'm sorry?" Pepper frowned, confused.

It should be impossible. Krystal had never once handled starship controls before. Yet, there Fox saw her, moving the yoke like she was born to it. How was this happening?

"It's because of our ehn," Krystal answered. "By feeling you practice, I was able to learn how you fly. Now I can practice for you so that you can share the experience."

Fox's eyes widened. By bonding, did they just unlock some kind of cheat code? It might as well be. Already, he could feel his muscles twitching in tandem with Krystal's as she executed one of his favourite manoeuvres. If he had to describe the sensation, it would be like…

"Fox!" Pepper barked.

"Huh?" Fox blinked. He suddenly remembered where he physically was and who he was with. "Oh… Sorry, sir. Married life splits my attention in half these days. You were saying?"

Pepper huffed. "I surely hope that you are more focused when you confront the Aparoids."

Embarrassed, Fox nodded. "Of course, General. It's easier to keep my mind on track when Krystal and I are working together. I won't get distracted on the mission."

Watching him long and hard, Pepper gave a terrible sigh. "I worry whether you will be alright down there. You're only backup on the surface will be Andross."

"I've worked with him several times over the years. He's always determined to get the job done," Fox replied. He then narrowed his eyes. "That actually reminds me of something that I wanted to discuss with you privately for some time now."

"And what might that be?"

Fox stepped closer. "The Catalyst. The Cornerian Government lied about Andross's fault for it."

Pepper's eyes went wide for a split second. Far too long for Fox to miss. "Whatever Andross has told you, I assure you…"

"Save it, Pepper! I share minds with a telepath!" Fox snapped. "You know, when Andross first told me the story, I thought it was all garbage. That he was just making excuses for himself. But the Cerinians verified everything! Now I don't have a choice but to believe it. You sold your friend out and framed him for an accident!"

For the first time ever in their relationship, Pepper glared at Fox. "I won't pretend that I'm innocent, Fox. But I did what I had to. If you were in my position…"

"I would never have left my friends hanging out to dry!" Fox snarled. "When Slippy crashed on Titania, I dropped everything to rescue him, even when the war kept going. And when Falco got mixed up in that Shears fiasco, I worked things out with him before the situation got completely out of hand! Never once did I throw my principles away for some 'bigger picture' crap!"

Pepper averted his gaze, but Fox chose not to let up. "Andross was innocent of any crime, yet you testified against him in court and got him exiled to Venom! Now, 30 years later, you used Andross's family against him so that you could arrest him a second time! I'm not surprised that he declared war against you anymore if that shit's been the basis of your entire friendship!"

"Enough!" Pepper snapped. "You've made your point!"

"No! I don't think I have yet," Fox rebuked. He jabbed his claw against Pepper's chest. "If you had been honest about Andross from the very start, the Lylat Wars might never have happened!"

Fox then gritted his teeth. His voice grew low. "And my father might still be alive today."

Anger swelled up in Pepper. His entire body became taut, and his eyes screwed shut. When he exhaled, Pepper's loathing turned inward. "Do you really think that I don't know that?" he said, his voice quiet. "That I am not haunted by those same thoughts every day after all these years?"

He turned away from Fox, rubbing his face as he walked. "I have made many mistakes, Fox. Some of them greater than you'll ever realise. I have genuinely tried to do the best that I could with the means at my disposal. But I am not the kind of person who can risk everything for the sake of one man, no matter how dear a friend they might have once been to me. I've never been strong enough for that."

Pepper took a deep breath. He expelled it slowly. "I am sorry, Fox. For everything that my choices have wrought. Upon you. Upon Andross. And upon both of your families. There is nothing more that I can do or say."

For a moment, Fox only watched the old hound bow his head. It was hard to tell what he should feel right now. In the past, Fox might have clutched tightly to his fury and ridden with it. However, his time on Cerinia – and with Krystal – had taught him how to be more attuned to what others felt. When he looked at Pepper, Fox saw the overwhelming shame consuming him. That made it difficult for him to hold onto any kind of anger for long.

"There's still time to make things right," Fox said. "You can tell the world the truth. Set the record straight. Do what you should have done all those years ago."

Pepper looked to him slowly. His expression wasn't exactly opposed to the idea, but he was far from convinced. "There'd be outrage from the public. Not just on Corneria, but all over Lylat."

Fox shrugged. "I don't doubt it. People will get angry. But it'll pass."

"The government will lose all credibility if word gets out."

"Politicians come and go, don't they? Is there even anyone left in congress from that time?"

"I suppose not. If anything, I'd be the most likely to lose my job. I might even face prison time. Either for my involvement in the scandal or for divulging government secrets. Probably both."

Fox hadn't considered that. He became nervous for Pepper. "Does that bother you?"

Pepper met his gaze. "Compared to everything I put Andross through? No. It doesn't."

"Hopefully, it won't come to that. Public interest should count for something." Fox shrugged. "I wouldn't be able to visit you otherwise."

"I wouldn't hold it against you," Pepper cracked a slight smile. It lasted briefly. "But I wonder. What does your future hold? What do you plan to do after saving Cerinia?"

An interesting question, Fox pondered. "I guess I'll pick up where I left off there. The city guard will be glad to have me back now that Captain Forn is gone. Aside from that, I'll play it by ear."

Pepper nodded. "This Forn. What kind of person were they?"

A sad smile tugged Fox's muzzle. "He reminded me a lot of you."

"You have my condolences."

"Thank you." Fox cast a glance towards the training room. "I just hope that not many more people died as well."

"I pray that they haven't," Pepper replied. "Don't lose hope yet, Fox. We need it now more than ever."

Indeed, Fox agreed. All he could do was hope that Nomar and Thalse were both still holding out against the Aparoids. Not just them, but all his friends on Cerinia as well. They needed him. He would save them. No matter what it took. Pepper seemed to watch him as Fox's resolve hardened.

"I see that your eager to get back to training. I won't take up more of your time." Pepper then held out his hand. "Thank you for everything, Fox. I wish you well and good luck from here on out."

Fox shook it firmly. "Thank you, sir. Take care of yourself."

"Given your suggestion earlier, I might not be able to promise that," Pepper said with a wry smile.

Fox chuckled. "Then in that case, I have faith in you."

Pepper nodded. "Thank you. Farewell, Fox."

"Farewell, General."

It felt bittersweet to watch Pepper walk away. His advanced age showed in his hobbled step. Fox wondered whether the man would be alright but understood that there was nothing he could do for him. He prayed that Yul would be kind to Pepper in the years to come.

His heart heavy, Fox returned to the training room. Krystal had finally hit her limit on the simulator. She now stood amongst Peppy, Lucy, and Slippy as they praised her performance. She didn't understand much of the technical talk they spouted, but she still drank up the attention. Using the simulator had been like some sort of dream magic. Krystal could not get over the thrill of having done so well for her first time with it.

"How'd she do, Peppy?" Fox asked.

It had been a long time since he saw Peppy grin that brightly. "Phenomenally! If I didn't know better, I'd have thought Krystal was a pro! Not quite at the level you used to be, but she certainly smashed your previous score out of the park."

"What did I tell ya?" Katt chirped. "I knew she had it in her."

Next to her, Falco slumped over the railing. His deep displeasure burned in his eyes. "Your wife is bullshit incarnate, Fox. Nobody that green is that good."

"But my fur is blue…" Krystal murmured in confusion.

"It's just a saying, love." Fox grinned as he walked up to her side. "So, what do you reckon, Falco? Was that a 'bloodbath' like you expected?"

Falco glared sidelong at him. "Real combat is way different from a simulation. You know that."

He did. But Fox wasn't going to tell Falco that. Instead, he felt like riling the bird up more. "Peppy seems to think Krystal is pretty skilled."

"Only because you were probably helping her. I bet you were doing some kind of weird psychic-lovers' trick."

A smirk pulled across Fox's face. "Feeling insecure, Lombardi?"

Falco's glare narrowed. "In your dreams, McCloud."

"Then what do you say to a little contest? You, me, and Krystal. Battle royale. Last one standing gets bragging rights."

Krystal sensed Falco run calculations in his mind. He fully expected Fox and Krystal to team up against him from the get-go. That certainly was Fox's initial idea. However, Falco also considered how out of practice Fox was in addition to Krystal's inexperience. Their telepathy might put him at a disadvantage though. But Falco recalled Fox once saying that Krystal's powers had limits on what she could read. Just as Fox began to believe he would bail out to save face, Falco came to one deciding, sobering realisation.

This could be their last chance for him and Fox to ever duke it out in a dogfight.

"You're on," Falco said. "Better have a hanky ready for when I mop the floor with you and your missus."

Fox smirked despite his sinking heart. "Keep talking like that, and I'll show you how Cerinians serve pheasants on a platter."

"ROB! Fire up Simulator 3! I'm teaching Fox what the new pecking order is around here."

"Hold up! Boot up 4 as well, ROB," Slippy said, hurrying down. "I want in on this one."

To the side, Peppy cast a tearful smile to Katt. "It's been a long time since I last saw those boys bicker like that. I've missed it."

Katt returned the expression. "Makes you feel like no one ever left."

Fox failed to hear them as he climbed back into Simulator 1. The screen loaded a new stage resembling space outside of Corneria. Gazing upon the virtual planet, Fox felt a tear well in his eye. There were many other places aside from the real thing that he'd never get to see again. A tragic shame, but he wasn't going to steer from his course. He had a fight in front of him to focus on.

Avatars controlled by Krystal, Falco and Slippy appeared on Fox's display. As a countdown for the match flashed on the screen, his heart began to race. No matter which way they went, he would cherish what the next few minutes had in store. Every day until the end of his days.

End note:

Not much longer until everyone says goodbye. Got to get those last few precious moments while you can.

Switching to a brighter note, Isaac's comment about not being supposed to be there is a little joke from me. He was supposed to be just a one-off character during Falco's reckless stage, but I ended up liking Isaac enough to find new uses for him. He literally was not supposed to be in this arc. Glad to have him around though.