Author's note:

Before we get into this chapter, I'd like to quickly announce that Marooned will be my last story on FanFiction. I've been on the platform since I first started writing in 2013, and I enjoyed entertaining people across the world over the past 10 years. I have experienced the best and the worst that the fan fic community has to offer through this site, and I'll always remember my time here fondly.

However, it is time for me to move on. I'm not as satisfied with FanFiction's services as I was back when I started. I branched out onto Archive of Our Own several years ago, and that platform better suits my individual needs. It's flexible, more reliable with its notifications, more accepting of mature content, and able to attract new audiences. I also enjoy the greater control that authors have over comments, as I find that FanFiction's guest review function comes at the harmful cost of accountability, which enables the community's more toxic behaviours.

Once I've completed Marooned, I will move over to AO3 exclusively. Most of my existing work will be there, except for my longer Legend of Zelda fics (The Strength of Courage is going to be an ordeal to migrate all 111 chapters if I ever get around to it). I'll also be publishing new content on AO3, so make sure to subscribe to my profile there (same name as here).

I hope to see some familiar names over on the other side. Thank you for your time.

Chapter 71: Moving Forward

An hour passed since Thalse and Sabre announced the Aparoids' inexplicable departure. Nomar debated on what her people should do with their newfound relief. Ultimately, she decided that scouring the city for fresh supplies was the most pragmatic course of action. Thus, she led as many soldiers as she could spare to the surface, along with a number of brave volunteers.

It broke Nomar's heart to see her city in ruins. However, if Sabre's belief was true, they may have a chance to restore their home. Though if they were, then Nomar's fears may also be true: that Krystal and Fox returned to Cerinia against her wishes. Part of her felt joy for the prospect, yet a larger part felt terror if they challenged the Aparoids alone. Nomar prayed for their safety.

Around her, Cerinians searched houses and storerooms for necessities. Fresh meat; fruits and vegetables; bandages and medicine; magical tools; extra blankets; clean clothes; as well as toys that might lift the children's spirits during this dark and gloomy siege. Nomar stretched her telepathy to keep track of everyone aboveground. If Thalse and the other lookouts caught signs of the enemy returning, she would not leave a single person behind when they rushed back into the bunkers.

Something otherworldly whined in the distance. A set of minds soon entered Thalse's range. The Aparoids were back already? Nomar inhaled to warn the others until one of the entities reached out to Thalse. It felt excited. They both recognised Krystal!

Nomar wept. Their daughter was okay! She's coming home!

Thalse ordered the sentries to lay down their arethanite weapons. Nomar ran towards the city gate. When she arrived, two strange, metal bodies settled upon the plain. Some kind of Aparoids? No, she quickly realised, as panels opened to reveal people inside. Amongst them, she saw her children.

Thalse was already there. He pulled Krystal tightly into his chest first. He felt her coat; breathed her scent; heard her voice; and felt her thoughts. Though Nomar experienced it all, it wasn't enough. "Krystal!"

Krystal looked up from her father's shoulder. "Mama!"

She launched from Thalse's embrace into Nomar's. Nomar held her fiercely. She kissed Krystal's cheek, combing her fingers through her fur. Tears burned in her eyes. "You didn't listen to me."

"I couldn't leave you like that," Krystal said with no hurt or argument. Past them, Thalse greeted Fox just as passionately. "We did it, Mama. We defeated the Aparoids. They'll never hurt us again."

Many weights dropped from Nomar's shoulders at once. She breathed in relief. "That's wonderful news, little one." All of the death – all of the suffering – can finally fade into the past. Their people can heal. "I'm so proud of you both."

Nomar prolonged it for as long as she could, but eventually she needed to welcome Fox home as well. There was another vixen at his side though. An older one with short hair and vast ears. Nomar sensed nerves in her thoughts. Yet there was also wonder amongst them.

Fox stepped warmly into her embrace. For him to be here, Nomar shed new tears. "Thank you for coming back, Fox. I am so sorry."

His hold was tender. "It's alright. Don't worry about it." Nomar hugged him tighter. She vowed in silence she would help ease the fresh burden upon his heart however she could.

Though perhaps she needn't concern herself. When Fox stepped back, he smiled. He reached for the short vixen's hand. "Nomar, Thalse… I'd like for you to meet my mom, Vixy."

Now Nomar recalled why her face seemed familiar. Fox thought of her often when he first arrived. Vixy had been among the people he longed for most. Questions raised between Nomar and Thalse, but perhaps those should wait until a better time.

"Hello," Vixy said, bowing stiffly in rough Cerinian fashion.

Nomar returned the gesture. "Hello, Vixy. It's a joy to meet you face-to-face."

Alas, Vixy's expression turned to uncertainty. Fox patted her shoulder and chuckled. "We still need to work on Mom's Cerinian. I'm… hoping you might help us with that?"

Nomar looked to Thalse. They both smiled. "We'd love to."

Behind Fox, Nomar finally noticed two more figures standing at a distance. Dr Andross and Thene. A surprise that they both returned to assist. Curiously, Nomar smiled. A proud spark towards the young woman tingled her chest.

There was much to talk about, and many new problems to address. But for now, the threat had passed. There were people to let know that all was well again; homes to be rebuilt; and fallen souls to guide to Yulden's tree. So much work, but they were alive to face it. For that, Nomar looked around and thanked the gods for sending Kezamat such extraordinary people.

"So… You definitely haven't found anything?"

"We searched the nest until we almost ran out of fuel. Krystal didn't pick up a thing with telepathy. It's been days too. I think we're in the clear. There are no more Aparoids on Cerinia."

Falco sighed through the radio. "That's good to hear, Fox. Now all that's left is to track down the original swarm on our end. Getting their home world's coordinates from the core was a huge help."

Fox nodded grimly. "Good luck with that. I hope you have an easier time than we did."

"Of course. It'll be a cakewalk." Falco boasted. "I'll be sure to take down a few extra 'roids for you."

A smile pulled Fox's muzzle. "Thanks for the thought."

"How are you guys settling back in? Is Vixy coping okay?"

"She's fine," Fox replied. "Sure, Mom's still a bit nervous. But she's really looking forward to studying Cerinia up close. I've heard some folks have started this new science guild thing in town recently. I think once she's learned the local language, Mom would fit in well there."

"I'm glad for her. She's staying with you and Krystal, I'm guessing?"

"Yeah. Our house didn't take much damage. Mom's staying in one of the guest rooms. Unfortunately, she's not the only one. Thalse and Nomar's place got totalled in the attack. They're also crashing with us until they figure something out."

"A full house then."

"It sure is." Fox scratched the back of his head. "Not that I mind. Krystal's parents took great care of me when I first arrived here. Now I can repay the favour." His mind then wandered a little. "It'll also make things a bit easier workwise."

"How so?"

"They've finally decided on who's going to be the new chief. Since Krystal, Nomar and Randorn are all that's left of the old council, people debated about which one should replace Gylis. In the end, Nomar got the most votes. She led the survivors while we dealt with the Aparoids, so it's only fair."

Fox heard Falco whistle, impressed. "And as for me, I'll be joining the council as well. Apparently, I'm going to be the new Captain of the Guard."

"Really?"

"I'm surprised too. Thalse doesn't want the job, so he recommended me for it. Everyone on the force agreed, so I didn't have much choice. I guess I did too good a job at saving the planet."

Falco began to laugh. "Wow! Remember how Pepper offered us to join the army after we ended the Lylat Wars?"

"It's almost the same bloody thing." Fox couldn't help laughing too.

Falco sighed. "It used to feel like we could do anything we wanted back then. Now I guess we've got more responsibilities than we planned for. Can't just follow our whims anymore."

"You're making me feel old, man."

"How do you think I feel?" They both sighed, thinking of wilder days. "What's Andross going to do now?"

"No idea," Fox shrugged. "Not sure how I'm going to manage him and Mom being in the same city now. It's going to be like living in a minefield."

"Sorry to hear that."

Fox shook his head. He didn't want to think about it right now. "What's next for you and the crew?"

"We're hanging around Novellon while Pepper wraps up some business in the system. He's gonna get things ready for when… you know."

For when he blows the whistle and loses his job – among other things. Fox nodded sombrely.

"After that, it's back to Lylat. We'll take care of that stuff you left with us. Then I reckon will take some time off to sort of… deal with everything. You know?"

"Sounds like a good plan," Fox said. Guilt and sorrow rose in his chest. He knew Falco and the others would find their feet again one day though.

"We'll call again before we set off. Say a proper goodbye to you guys," Falco promised.

"Mom and I will love that," Fox smiled. "And don't forget: If you ever want to talk, you know where to find me." A comfortable silence fell between them.

"Well… I better get going, Fox. Take care of yourself."

"You too, Falco. Get everyone home safe, okay?"

Falco chuckled. "Will do."

The line then went quiet. Fox set the microphone down and sighed. He looked up and around the inside of his living room. It was a bit full now with the extra items salvaged from his in-laws' house. But it was still comfortable.

A question floated in Fox's mind though. Was he really okay with this? It had been his driving ambition to return to Lylat for the last five years. He gave up that dream in order to save the Cerinians from extinction. Now that he'd succeeded, what did his heart say about his choice?

Cerinia was… a pleasant enough place to live. It was full of wonder, magic, and boundless adventure. On the other hand, he now needed to settle for the planet's less developed city life. As disappointed as that made him though, Fox didn't feel the desire to dwell on something so trivial.

What saddened him most were the people he left behind. Dear friends; family; deep connections that Fox had clawed and struggled to return to. He'd never get to see them again. But at least he had gotten to see the most important people one last time. He had gotten that one last chance to say goodbye.

Except to one person. His mother had held the strongest connection pulling Fox along. Vixy's decision to follow him surprised and worried Fox at first. Now though, it gave him peace. She gave him a piece of home for them both to share. After so many years on-and-off apart, both struggling with one issue or another, they could be a family again. Nothing will have to come between them ever again.

Was he okay with this? Was he okay with living on Cerinia for the rest of his life? Maybe he still needed to warm up to the idea. But in the meantime, Fox felt content.

He heard a knock at the door. Fox got up to answer. Andross stood upon the step. Thene waited atop a cart on the street behind him. The back was full of junk covered by a white tarp.

"What brings you both here?" Fox asked amicably.

"A curtesy visit," Andross replied. "To say farewell."

Fox's brow rose. "Farewell?"

"Thene and I are leaving Kezamat today. Given recent developments, we decided it was best for us to move on."

Andross didn't need to explain further to Fox. Putting his family's issues with the man aside, the Aparoids destroyed Andross's lab during the siege. Nothing remained at all. Fox wasn't sure where he and Thene had been staying since they returned.

"Where will you go?" he asked.

"We'll search for other settlements that survived. Galthumarata is our first stop. I have contacts there who I'd like to check up on."

Fox hoped that the people there were alright. They possessed too little information about where else the Aparoids attacked or the damage that they caused. He thought about the priestess, Ovia, and her young son, Fox. It would relieve him to know that they both escaped harm.

"It's a shame," Fox said. "We could have used your help rebuilding."

Andross's expression did not change. "Kezamat still has fine engineers. They've learned enough to manage without me. But other towns aren't as fortunate. My skills may be worth more there."

Fox nodded. A spark of respect passed through him. "Then I won't hold you up."

Andross extended his hand. "Take care of yourself, Fox. It's been a pleasure; and I mean that sincerely."

Surprised, Fox extended his own and shook. "You too, Doc. I hope you find plenty of survivors out there."

A smile formed on Andross's lips. He made to pull away, but Fox held him firmly. "Make sure you behave yourself, Andross," Fox said, his expression hardening. "I'll be keeping an eye out for you. If I find out you're causing trouble again, I'll come for you."

"Duly noted," Andross replied, albeit with a smirk. Fox finally released him.

Krystal returned home at that same moment, with Vixy at her side. Both carried bags of goods on their shoulders. Andross glanced at them and coughed into his hand. "I shall take my leave now. Farewell."

He kept to the far side of the walkway as he and Vixy crossed paths. She wore a harsh look that dripped venom, yet they cleared each other without a single word. Upon the street though, Andross stopped and looked back. "Fox."

Fox looked to him. His voice drew Vixy and Krystal's attention as well. Andross seemed to mull over his next words before speaking. "Your father was a worthy adversary. He would be proud of you." Then before anyone could reply, he climbed onto his cart beside Thene and they set off.

Fox watched them go until Vixy grumbled loudly beside him. "He'd better take off after saying that."

"It's fine, Mom. He's out of our hair now. Andross told me he's leaving town."

Appeased, Vixy let out a breath. She turned to Fox. "As much as I hate him, I do agree on one thing. Your father would be so proud of you saving this world."

"He'd be proud of both of us," Fox replied. They both smiled. Fox then acknowledged the new rosy, belted dress that Vixy wore. "So, how was shopping?"

"Wonderful." Vixy's mood lifted higher. "Krystal was a huge help the whole time."

"We were lucky today. I wasn't expecting to find so many outfits premade in Vixy's size," Krystal said cheerfully.

Fox beamed. "And you also bought some knick-knacks you liked?"

Vixy stared at him, stunned for a moment, before nodding. "Right… I forgot that you two share minds and such." She jostled her bag. "Yes. I might have taken advantage of Krystal a little; but a few things caught my eye, and I couldn't help myself."

Neither Fox nor Krystal had any issue with that. Each bauble had been cheap and commonplace. Knowing her, Vixy would probably spend more time than most people trying to learn about the origins and culture behind each piece. Cerinia was a treasure trove of such things that would keep her curiosity entertained. It made Fox happy to see her eyes shine so brightly.

"I just spoke with Falco a few minutes ago," he told her. "He and the others will call back before they head off to Lylat."

A tinge of sadness overtook Vixy. "It'll be good to say goodbye again. Back on the ship, it all felt… rushed. There wasn't enough time to do it properly."

Fox agreed. "We'll work out a time and give ourselves plenty of it." That pleased Vixy.

"Are you hungry?" he asked, feeling peckish himself.

Vixy's ears twitched in interest, though her nose betrayed some reservations. She wasn't yet accustomed to Cerinian cuisine, much to Fox's amusement. "I suppose so."

"I'll whip something up for both of you," Fox smiled, needing no answer from Krystal to gain her approval.

As they went inside, and Krystal and Vixy set down their bags, Fox walked into the kitchen, feeling light in his chest. He listened to them converse in the background. The sounds of their voices put him at ease. And when he looked over his shoulder and saw the smiles that his wife and mother held for each other, Fox smiled wider than them both. He felt complete. Everything he ever needed was right here. He was content with that.

He was home.

Falco sat in his chair within the bridge. He resided alone there, save for ROB working through his routines. The rest of the crew were elsewhere aboard the ship. Falco sealed the doors to bar intrusion from any non-personnel. He needed time to be with his thoughts undisturbed.

Outside, Cerinia floated in its orbit. From where he sat, the pink ball hadn't changed. Everything looked the same. All was normal. Life upon its surface would go on. The lives of his two dear friends would go on.

Falco wiped a belligerent tear from his eye. He dried it on his jacket to erase all trace of it. Alas, the feelings that birthed it remained inside. In a word, he felt cheated. Cheated of his best friend. Cheated of their team's hard work. Cheated of any peace from the sickly emotions that he'd finally been able to put to rest. All because of some bugs that didn't have the decency to die out a year ago.

Yet, if Falco allowed reason to say its piece, Fox acted the way he believed he needed to. He saw the people and planet he spent so many years with in trouble, and he gave up everything to save them. Falco could spend the rest of his days griping about it; but in the end, that was simply how Fox was. Nobody could have stopped him from going. Not with a clear conscience at least.

A heavy sigh passed through Falco's beak. It almost masked the sound of the door unlocking. It hissed open. Light, even footsteps barely registered in Falco's hearing. He knew Katt snuck up beside him before he opened his eyes. She smiled down at him. He saw concern hiding in her gaze.

"You okay?" she asked.

"Yeah," he murmured. "Just spoke with Fox. He's doing alright. Vixy's still adjusting though."

Katt's smile widened briefly. It then faded. "I'm sorry that things didn't work out."

Falco shrugged. "It is what it is."

Katt nodded. She perched herself atop one arm of Falco's seat. "Fox will be fine. I'm sad that he and Vixy both left. But… I think they left in better spirits. Vixy has her son again, and Fox now gets to be with his family."

"Yeah," Falco murmured.

"Falco… Are you going to be okay?"

He would have answered the same way as before. However, the worry in Katt's tone stopped Falco. She wanted his honesty. Falco needed to work himself up to offer that.

"I think… it's going to be a while before that happens," he said. "Fox and Vixy did what they felt they had to. I just need some time to feel okay with that, is all."

Katt nodded again. She opened one arm, and Falco leaned into it. She kissed atop his head and hugged his shoulder. "I'll be here for you until then. Okay?"

Falco reached up to hold her hand. He started to feel a teensy bit better. "Okay."

The white halls felt like Peppy did inside. Blank, cold, and empty. He wandered through with a destination in mind, though with not much mind in how he got there. He just sort of shuffled along. His body steered him more than his thoughts did.

Before he knew it, he made it in front of a door. Peppy gave it a knock. Moments passed without answer. Peppy pondered whether he should return another time. However, he did soon hear the lock inside disengage. Sorrowful eyes looked back at him as Lucy peeped through the space created.

"Thought I'd check up on you," Peppy said softly, barely louder than a whisper. "Are you okay?"

Lucy didn't speak. The faintest bob of her head was all she mustered. It validated Peppy's concerns. "Can I come in?"

She permitted him. Inside Lucy's room, Peppy spied a small frame on top of the bed. It contained an old photo. One with all the Hares and McClouds together with all smiles. Vivian's 30th birthday dinner. So much had happened since that picture was taken.

It had been… difficult for everyone after James passed away. Moreso when Vivian left after him. Then Fox during those uncertain first few years he spent on Cerinia. Peppy had thought that latest pain would fade behind them with Fox's rescue, but then… Now the hole inside his chest was larger than ever before.

He turned to Lucy and saw a similar-sized hole eating her away. Her eyes were red and puffy. Her ears could not stand straight. Peppy opened his arms, and Lucy fell into them. She held him nearly as tight as he held her. Her whole body shook as she cried into Peppy's shoulder.

"I'm sorry, sweetheart," he whispered, tears burning his own eyes.

"I wish they didn't go…"

"Me too." Peppy patted her back gently. The only thing that weighed as heavily as his grief was the disappointment that also befell him. They only had Fox back with them for barely a day, and most of that time had been stolen to prepare him for the Aparoids. And Vixy… Her leaving birthed a new kind of sorrow all of its own. Peppy remembered the kiss she left him with. So much had been said through that one touch. So much else had been left unsaid.

"What do we do now?" Lucy asked after a few minutes. It pained Peppy to hear her so heartbroken.

He sighed. "We be happy for them. And we move on." An impossible task, in his own view, but unavoidable.

Lucy sniffed. "It feels like we did all of this for nothing though."

"It does, yes." Peppy's heart twisted. Five years of hard, unbearable work became futile overnight. It didn't seem fair. "But Fox and Vixy made their choice." At least now they have each other.

Lucy said nothing, unappeased. Peppy stroked her hair. "If nothing else, we did prove it's possible to leave Cerinia. Fox and Vixy might be gone for now, but that doesn't mean they're gone forever. Maybe one day, someone will find a way to travel there and back easily. If that happens, we could maybe see them again."

Peppy was unsure whether his vain hopes helped his daughter at all. Though after a moment, Lucy tightened her embrace. "I hope so."

There was nothing more that Peppy could say. By that point, words were no longer what either of them needed. They needed to grieve. They needed to cry. They needed to console and support each other through their anguish. Only once they'd done so, can they – as Peppy said himself – move on. They could then take solace in knowing that their vulpine family was out there alive and happy together.

The same questions kept running through his head. What should he do? Was this safe? Should he tell someone about this? Who should he tell? What will happen if he does? Was it better to keep this a secret? What if this is really bad though? But what if it wasn't? What should he do?

These questions paralysed Dash. All he could do was hunch over a folded scrap of paper pinched between his fingers. On it, he read a long string of letters and numbers. The logic behind it, he didn't yet understand. But he had a guess about what the paper was for and why it had been passed to him so discreetly.

It happened when the rest of the crew sent Fox and Vixy off to Cerinia. Dash stood to the size of the hangar with his family. Andross reached out to shake his hand. When Dash received it, he felt something wedged between their palms. He then heard Thene's voice in his head.

"Do not react. Do not look at what's in your hand. Hide it quickly."

"It was a pleasure to finally meet you, Dash," his grandfather said. "Good luck in your future endeavours. I expect great things from you."

When Andross released him, Dash stuffed the foreign object into his jacket before anyone noticed. Only now did it feel safe enough to examine the note entrusted to him. Now the questions remained. What should he do with it?

The lab door opened suddenly. Dash hid the note inside his fist with a jolt. He relaxed a little when he saw it was only Slippy. His friend's gaze lingered on the floor. It didn't look like Slippy noticed anything strange.

"Hey," Dash tested.

Slippy looked up. "Oh, hey," he replied distantly. Dash figured he was still upset about Fox and Vixy leaving.

"Are..." you okay? Of course, Slippy wasn't. Dash switched tact quickly. "How are you doing?"

Slippy sighed, shaking his head. "I don't want to talk about it right now. Don't want to… think… about it." He slumped into the nearest empty chair. "I'm already tired of people apologising for what happened."

Dash nodded, biting back the next words he would've said. "Can I help with anything?"

Slippy shook his head. "Nah. I'm good. Wasn't really expecting anyone to be in here." He looked up. "What are you doing?"

"I…" have no idea how to answer that. Dash felt the paper crumpled in his hand. It might as well have thorns with the way it pricked him.

He became aware that Slippy now stared at him, his concern shifting from himself to Dash. His worry about Slippy finding out magnified. Guilt about not telling him festered in Dash's chest. Those two feelings wrangled for dominance. Dash didn't think he could take much more of it.

What the hell? If Dash couldn't talk to his best friend about something like this, who else could he?

He opened his hand. Slippy's eyes darted to the little scrap inside. "My grandfather gave me this just before he left."

"What is it?"

"I'm… not entirely sure yet." Dash swallowed. "But it looks like a password."

Slippy straightened. "For what?"

Dash reckoned they both knew. They looked towards the computer terminal next to him. The answer most likely laid on it. Confirming it, however, felt… tabooed.

"Should we…?"

"We might as well," Slippy suggested. "We've tried everything else so far."

Dash still hesitated. "Yeah, but… We don't really need what's on there anymore, do we?"

Slippy shrugged. "It can't do any harm. If we find anything bad, we'll just pass it along to the army."

Dash supposed that Slippy had a point. His own curiosity started to rear its head too. Giving in, Dash logged onto the terminal and opened the drive containing the Androssian data he stole. A dialogue box asked for a password. Dash carefully entered all 30 characters. The box went away, and a long list of folders appeared.

"It worked!" he gaped.

"Holy cow…" Slippy then hurried over to the nearest other computer and booted it up. After a few minutes, he reached his hand out. "Pass that over here so I can take a look too."

Dash handed him the code. "How do you want to sort through this?"

"Same as usual. You start from the top of the list. I'll start from the bottom. Remember to take screenshots of everything." Slippy then pulled up a pencil and notepad from a cabinet.

Fetching a set himself, Dash examined the first layer of folders. He took a screenshot of their current arrangement in case that mattered later. He then noticed the top folder's name: "1. Project Garden". Dash opened it.

Dozens of files appeared on his screen. Dash clicked a text document with 'plan' in its filename first. He read the summary at the top. He needed to read it a second time.

"Andross wanted to terraform Venom."

"Huh?" Slippy rolled his chair next to Dash. He read over his shoulder. "Woah! You're kidding."

Dash certainly wasn't. The file briefly described the various qualities that made Venom's environment so hostile. Acidic oceans; poor air and soil quality; high levels of solar radiation. It amazed Dash that the planet could support life at all. The native population and wildlife had evolved to withstand these hazards, but they also almost became dependent on them. Dash remembered how Andross needed to 'tweak' his Venomian soldiers just to help them survive on cleaner planets.

Here, his grandfather designed a project to eliminate that issue for all to benefit. He planned purify Venom's atmosphere, balance out its waters' acidity, clear the toxic heavy metals from farmlands, and modify all organic life to adapt to his ideal ecosystem. As Dash searched the folder, he discovered that many of the tools Andross intended to use for these ends were already built. They were just hidden until the right time. Where exactly, Dash couldn't find just yet. He'd need to keep digging.

"Andross didn't just want to wage war on Corneria," he thought aloud. "He really did want to make things better across Lylat if he won."

"Why couldn't he have just done the 'better' part without the war at all?" Slippy frowned cynically.

"I know. You're right." Dash then went up a few folder levels and read some other project names. "But look at this! Zoness Clean-up… Regulating MacBeth's Mega-corporations… Seabound Katina… It looks like he had plans to undo all the damage he did during the Lylat Wars."

Still distrustful, Slippy hummed at a few other folders. "I'm also seeing things like 'planet buster,' 'exodus', and 'plague' in here."

Dash waved his hand. "Yeah, okay! Not everything here is going to win a Swanburger Prize. I get that. I'm not arguing with you. But there's still so much here that looks like the complete opposite of evil! I mean, this Zoness one might finally do something about all the sea mutants there. Who knows?"

Eventually, Slippy sighed in resignation. "I suppose the old man wasn't bad all the time. He did just save a planet after all…" He ran a hand over his face. "So… Andross just gave you the key to his secret research?"

Taking a breath to process the idea, Dash nodded. "Yeah. And all he said was 'good luck.'"

An age passed before Slippy spoke again. "What are you going to do with it?"

"I… don't know, to be honest," Dash slowly admitted. "What do you think I should do with it?"

"You're asking me?! It feels like we just opened some legendary, cursed box. If you're right about your grandpa, he's either given you the power to save the universe or destroy it."

Clearly an exaggeration, but Dash didn't feel like it was far off from the truth. "It's scary to think about."

The whole room filled with nervous energy. Slippy then scooted back to his desktop. "Maybe let's just stick to reading stuff and work out the rest later. Keep it nice and easy."

Nice and easy. After finishing their long mission with Cerinia and stopping a major crisis, nice and easy sounded really good right now. Dash let his excitement flow away. His head cleared, and his shoulders became lighter. He then turned back to his computer.

He still didn't know why Andross bestowed him his legacy like this. Maybe he never will. But Dash didn't need to worry about that yet. He could take his time and decide for himself. Maybe he'll talk to his mom about it. Maybe he'll ask Peppy and the rest of the crew. But for the time being, Dash was content to just peek at some old files with his friend.

Five kilometres out of Kezamat, their wagon rolled along the lonely road. The haret in front huffed gruffly as it towed their cumbersome load. It might as well save its complaints. There was a long journey still to go and no telling how long it would last. For the two people riding in the driver's seat, they knew no more than the beast did.

"This was not how I pictured things would play out," Thene remarked with a sigh.

Andross, holding the reins, nodded grimly. "I did not expect much, myself. But I suppose it's an improvement compared to a few days ago." After a long pause, he looked to his partner. "Are you displeased?"

Thene exhaled. "No." She did not meet his gaze.

"I'm sorry that I could not show you the galaxy like you hoped. I understand if you are disappointed."

"Disappointed, I am," she replied. "But I'll live. I'd have likely spent all my time trying to free you if we hadn't escaped here instead."

A smirk pulled across his lips. "I'm sure you would have." Andrsos pondered how long it might take Thene to stage a jailbreak from a maximum-security prison if the Cornerians had their way. Five months if she were careful, he'd wager. Seven at most.

"Though I suppose that this world isn't terrible," Thene continued, eyeing the scenery. "Are you sure you're alright with being stranded here again?"

Andross lifted his chin. The open Cerinian countryside stretched before them. A flock of birds soared overhead. They rode the cool, gentle breeze that brushed across his face. The scent of grass filled his nose. He partook in it deeply.

"I think Cerinia is… acceptable," he answered. "I agree with you. It's certainly better than what we faced after we boarded the Great Fox. We can live our lives here comfortably at least."

Thene sat quietly for several minutes. "Do you think we can build a new laboratory soon?"

He smiled. "I see no reason why we can't. We just need to find the right place for one."

"I hope it won't take long."

"As do I."

They rolled over a bump in the road. Metal and glass clattered inside the wagon. Its bed contained all the unique and precious tools they managed to hold onto. From here on out, they wandered towards new territory, where science had not yet touched. It would be like starting all over again.

"All I got to see was the inside of a spaceship," Thene huffed. "But now I can't stand the sight of Cerinian cities anymore. They're so… basic."

"The Aparoids wrought a lot of havoc across the planet. I'm sure there are plenty of opportunities to build something better," Andross consoled.

She looked to him. "Though nothing like Corneria or Venom?"

He shrugged. "With enough time, we could."

"Do we even have that kind of time?"

Andross smirked at her scepticism. He patted his pocket. "We may. With this."

He pulled out a small, black box. An external hard drive. Thene's brows rose, as did her interest. "What's on it?" she asked.

"Everything we need to live long, fruitful lives," he said simply before hiding the drive away again. "But first, we'll need a lab to use it. Among other things."

He felt Thene enter his mind. She got her answers and smiled sweeter than fresh honey. Shuffling closer, she leaned against Andross's shoulder, tail wagging beside her. He looped on arm around Thene and kissed her temple. They then looked on ahead towards their road to new horizons.