"So what's the mission, Fox?" Krystal asked eagerly.
"We return to Sauria." Fox told her teammates, "There are reports that the Andronian military has sent researchers to a Krazoa temple to resume their research. We are being sent there to halt their plans and to bring back any data they managed to get from their research."
"What's the plan?" Falco asked.
"Krystal and I will infiltrate their base on foot since we have the most experience in ground fighting." Fox explained, "You and Fara will provide air cover and close air support when needed. We have half an hour to prepare."
Falco left to grab some snacks from the kitchen while Fox and Krystal headed for their room. Fox grabbed their staffs while Krystal packed their ceremonial robes.
"Another mission together." Krystal told Fox, "There aren't many better ways to spend time alone with you."
"Just wait until your training is complete." Fox told Krystal.
"It's one of the few things I've ever hated waiting for." Krystal whined playfully, "Why must you insist on denying me you?"
"I have my reasons." Fox responded.
"They better be good reasons." Krystal warned jokingly.
The pair looked into each other's eyes.
"I suppose sleeping with you in my arms is good enough." Krystal told Fox. Krystal then packed in one of her new books.
"It's for when we take a brief break." Krystal told Fox, "We don't know how long we need to be down there."
Fox sighed, knowing there was no talking Krystal out of it. After a few more minutes, they finished packing and headed for the hangar. There, they loaded Fox's Arwing before the four boarded their ships and left for Sauria. While Falco and Fara kept the Andronian fleet busy, Fox flew his Arwing to a secluded spot near the target area. After landing, Fox and Krystal left the Arwing with their packs and scouted the area ahead.
"One anti-aircraft gun with guided ground-to-air missiles." Fox told Krystal, "Four machine gun nests, eight bunkers, an artillery battery, and a tank platoon."
"What's the plan?"
"We take out the anti-aircraft gun." Fox explained, "Falco and Fara will take care of the rest of the defences."
The pair climbed down the ledge and snuck into the enemy trench. To their surprise, the trench was mostly empty. A few minutes later, they made it to the gun.
The gun was surrounded by thick armor, but was still incomplete. Plates of the thick armor were still missing. Sneaking in closer, they found a soldier and an engineer inside. It appeared the engineer was trying to install an automated aiming system, likely to free up the soldier for other tasks.
The pair stealthfully climbed inside. Fox took out the engineer with a quick, lethal blow to the head with her staff. Before the soldier could respond, Krystal impaled him with her staff. With the gun now unmanned, the pair climbed out and Fox contacted Falco and Fara.
"The anti-aircraft gun is out of action." Fox told the pair, "Commence bombing runs on the defences."
While Fox and Krystal ran from the gun, Falco and Fara began firing on the defences. The enemy began to scramble, focused entirely on the two Arwings raining death from above. Fox and Krystal took the opportunity to work their way through the trenches, avoiding the distracted enemy. Before long, they had snuck into the temple complex.
Inside, there was a reptillian guard wielding a shotgun. The guard appeared to be a local, judging from his attire. The guard let out a few loud grunts and began firing on the vixens. The pair ran for cover in opposite directions and readied their staffs. Mentally linked, they began firing shots at the guard. The guard grunted in frustration, unable to fire at one without the other firing at him. After a while, the guard was dead. Hoping to avoid detection by the other guards, the pair hid the body behind a few supply crates before venturing deeper into the temple. Eventually, they made it to the first shrine.
Fox examined the Andronian machinery surrounding the shrine. Unlike the previous "research" attempt, this one wasn't as invasive. Instead, the machine seemed to more carefully examine the shrine. Fox also noticed bits of nonAndronian technology in the machine. These parts appeared far cruder.
"It appears they're being more careful." Fox said as she read the machine's screen, "They've managed to gather data on the shrine without destroying it in the process."
Fox linked her communicator to the machine. After a few minutes, the communicator had bypassed the machine's security measures, neutralized a few virus traps, and downloaded a few gigabytes of data. With the data downloaded, Fox and Krystal got to work disassembling the machine with their staffs. After the machine's parts were pushed out of the way, the pair donned their robes and sat in front of the shrine.
"Is this really necessary?" Fox asked.
"The Krazoa are fairly strict when it comes to tradition and ritual." Krystal explained right before the Krazoa spirit left the shrine and flew into Fox's body. Fox's heart raced as the spirit seemed to invade every inch of her body and mind. After a few minutes, the spirit returned to the shrine.
"It appears the spirit chose you." Krystal told Fox, "How do you feel?"
"Strange." Fox answered as they stood back up and removed their robes, "I can't explain this feeling."
"We should get going." Krystal told her. The pair packed up their robes and walked down the hall. Along the way, they found a chamber containing a pair of reptillian guards and a computer. Krystal and Fox ran in and attacked the guards, quickly taking them out. With the guards slain, Fox examined the computer.
This machine was noticeably cruder than the previous computer that ran the machine. It consisted of various parts literally taped together. Some of the parts weren't manufactured since before Fox was even born. Fox began downloading the computer's data, a task hampered by the computer's aging circuitry. After minutes of waiting, the data was finally downloaded.
"What was on the computer?" Krystal asked.
"Maps and text files." Fox answered as she broke apart the computer with her staff, "We'll analyze it further when we return to the Great Fox."
The pair continued down the hall, eventually, making it to a large chamber filled with reptillian soldiers. On the opposite side of the chamber stood a large reptillian clad in armor.
"We are on the verge of greatness." the large reptillian told the crowd, "Each and every byte of data from those machines brings us closer to a new golden age. Soon, Sauria will be under our control once we have harnessed the power of the Krazoa. Then, we and Andross carve up the system, taking over planets as we build our mighty militaries. Soon, Corneria will crumble and the other tribes will beg for mercy as our blades and our bullets deliver righteous vengeance on the ungrateful Saurian masses. They should feel honored to have tasted our steel, lead, and plasma."
The crowd cheered.
"What's the plan?" Krystal asked.
"We get their attention and then get out of here." Fox explained as she readied her staff, "If we're lucky, they'll chase us out of this temple. After that, it's up to Fara and Falco to bomb and strafe them. If we make it to the Arwing in time, we can join Falco and Fara in the fun."
Fox and Krystal opened fire on the crowd for a few seconds before taking off. With the large crowd angrily chasing them, they ran out of the temple. Fox immediately contacted Falco on her communicator.
"Need any help?" Falco asked.
"We're going to need you and Fara to take out a crowd chasing us." Fox told him. As Fox and Krystal ran through the maze of trenches, Falco and Fara opened fire on the reptillian crowd. Eventually, Fox and Krystal made it to the ledge. As they began making their way up the ledge and to the Arwing, Fox got a recording on her communicator.
"I guess I should feel honored." the large reptillian had recorded, "They felt the need to send the legendary Star Fox team to interfere with my little operation. Andross was right about you, but I will have you begging for mercy as I decide your fate. Nowhere is safe from the combined forces of Andross and the Sharpclaw. Not Sauria. Not Corneria. And certainly not Cerinia. I look forward to having you literally crying for help that will never come."
After putting away their gear, Fox and Krystal sat down in the Arwing and closed the canopy. Fox flew the ship around the temple complex, helping Falco and Fara finish off the rest of the enemy forces still out in the open. As soon as the last of the enemy was picked off, the three Arwings flew back to the Great Fox. Once on board, Fox sent the data to Corneria.