All around Fara, the convention hall echoed with hushed whispers and excited murmurs. She was fortunate to sit in the very front row of cushioned seats, only a few feet from the raised stage. Her mother's personal assistant and bodyguard, Ewen Drexel, sat beside her while patiently waiting for the ceremony to begin. The zone-tailed hawk kept his wings folded in his lap, while Fara instinctively mimicked his pose, trying to appear graceful.

Atop the nearby stage sat a long table covered in white cloth: the left half populated by Phoenix Corporation executives, the right half by representatives from Space Dynamics. Both companies' flags hung draped over the backdrop, with her family's signature phoenix emblem on one, and Space Dynamic's globe-circling rocket on the other. The blue and red flags alternated across the stage, symbolizing their coming unity.

On Space Dynamics' side, the only figure she really recognized was Yaru de Pon, sitting in one of two seats of honor at the table's center. The tanuki's short stature bellied his position, as de Pon was actually the president of the company: her mother's one-time rival turned counterpart. He looked awfully nervous, wringing his hands while sweat on his forehead sparkled in the overhead lights. It was unlike the CEO to get jittery before public events such as this; normally he was cool and collected, Fara thought.

Craning her neck, she was barely able to make out a lone chair sitting farther behind the table and the rest of the company reps, almost shrouded in the backdrop of curtains. Occupying it was an intimidating bull with a stare that would turn anyone to stone. She placed him as Morgan P. Fredersen, head of Fredersen Investments. He wore a black business suit with an uncomfortable-looking high collar, almost resembling a minister. Given they had him to credit for this unlikely union and ceremony, perhaps the similarity wasn't too far from the truth.

However, the seat of honor on Phoenix Corp's side was still empty.

"Well, whose funeral is it?"

Fara jumped slightly her mother's voice. She looked up, seeing a lithe fennec wearing a glowing white pantsuit—almost as if she were dressed for a wedding. Her large ears swiveled downward so she could hear Fara over the chattering crowd.

"Oh, hi Mother."

Ewen politely stood and offered his seat, allowing the matron of the Phoenix family to borrow it for the time being. Edelyn sat down next to her, adjusting her spectacles.

"What's wrong, Fara? I rarely see you in such a dour mood."

The younger fennec sighed. "Nothing I can't get over in due time."

Edelyn smiled knowingly. "Ah, it's that McCloud rascal, isn't it?"

Fara merely nodded.

"Cheer up, Princess. Today is a grand occasion for us—and for the Lylat System!—one several years in the making."

"I'm sorry mother, I know I should be happy, but… I can't get Fox off my mind. I'm afraid he might do something rash now that I've left him."

Edelyn bit her lip for a second, her expression reminding Fara of de Pon's.

"…What is it?"

At once the elder fennec replaced her frown with a smile again. "Nothing. But… whatever happens, you did what was right. Don't feel guilty about it. Boys are prone to behave like that sometimes."

"I know, but—"

"I think you made the right choice, and you shouldn't feel guilty about it." Edelyn looked up at the stage, now talking to the rows of proud Phoenix Corp flags more than her daughter. "After all, Fox was becoming a smudge on the corporate brand. Honestly that boy wouldn't have made a business-savvy husband, and you'd be too intelligent for him anyway. Fox would have been a good catch from a marketing standpoint, but he just didn't have the drive to stay in the mercenary business."

Fara flinched, Fox's stinging words coming back to her. "Love is just a business to you—an investment. You only put in what you think you can get out of it."

She glared at Edelyn. "You're so cold at times, mother. Do you ever look at things from a non-industry standpoint?"

Edelyn blinked, focusing back on her daughter. "Oh, you have to excuse me Fara, this whole merger has me distracted; I'm just in a business mindset today. After all, it is the biggest thing to happen to Phoenix Corp since we landed that Lylat War contract. I still can't get over the fact that I'll be working alongside that shrewish old Yaru after all these years spent battling him. He's actually a nice fellow when you're not competing for his contracts, you know." She laughed. "Why if he wasn't already married to Ms. Sōzōshī, I might marry him myself!"

But Fara's expression did not lighten at the joke. "Is that why you married father?"

Her mother looked hurt for a second, and Fara instantly regretted saying it. But Edelyn managed a sad smile and reached up to scratch her daughter's ears tenderly. "I'm sorry it didn't work out with him, Fara. I really wish I was able to find another father for you, but… you know how us Phoenix women are; there's hardly a man that can keep up with us!"

Fara bristled slightly at her touch, embarrassed that her mother would show such a public display of affection for her. She wondered how many eyes and cameras behind her were focused on the act right now—yet all the same, she couldn't help but enjoy it.

"I'm sorry things didn't go well between you and Fox, too. I know how much you loved and admired him, but that boy needs some space to find himself. I'm confident he'll pull himself together before long, but he's not your responsibility anymore. He needs to find his way alone, and you can't let him keep you down during this phase. Fox is a leader, and he'll carry this burden by himself because that's his way. It's best that you forget him for the time being." She clenched her fist and flexed her arm, giving her daughter an empowering gesture. "Throw yourself into your work! Distract yourself in the family company. This is the perfect time for it, after all."

Edelyn glanced around, making sure no one could hear them. She leaned in close to Fara and whispered in her ear. "I want to prepare you to take over the company one day. I'd love to have my legacy stay in the family, and I think with some work you could make a fine president—but you'll have to stop wearing these dresses when it's time!"

Fara sighed, pursing her lips at her mother's distinctly unfeminine pantsuit. Mumbling, she lamented, "I wish I could just stay a test pilot, and not have all of these other worries…"

Edelyn snorted. "Well, if it makes you feel any better, I wish I could go back to designing household appliances and vehicle parts. But you must understand, as the leaders of Lylat's biggest industrial firm, we have a responsibility to the rest of the system. The Phoenix family found itself in a position of great power, and after today that power will increase tenfold. Lylat is in dire times, Fara—but we can guide them back into the light."

Fara raised an eyebrow, smirking. "Practicing your speech again?"

Edelyn scratched her chin. "Alright, you caught me dear. Does it at least sound good?"

Fara shook her head. "You're hopeless, Mother. Well, thanks for trying to comfort me. But everyone's waiting; you better get on up there. Good luck!"

"Thanks, Princess." Edelyn patted her shoulder and rose from her chair. She climbed the steps onto the stage and stood behind the podium, placing her tablet face-up to display her speech notes.

The crowd hushed upon seeing her take the stage. After adjusting her spectacles, Edelyn Phoenix began.

"Together, from the ashes…"

The phrase had been burned into Fara's mind over the past few weeks: the motto of the newly-combined Phoenix Corporation and Space Dynamics.

"If there is one spark of hope to come out of our recent, terrible war, it is unity: a time when former enemies can come together, join hand-in-hand, and work towards a common good for the benefit of all. Today, you are witnessing the culmination of this phenomenon: the marriage of Phoenix Corp to Arspace Dynamics."

From his seat at the table, Yaru de Pon rolled his eyes. He shook his head and smiled, forgetting his nervousness for a bit.

"Pardon me, Space Dynamics," Edelyn corrected herself, though the slip of the tongue was intentional. The old company name was the butt of many jokes before they caved and changed it. Even at an event as important as this, she couldn't restrain from making jabs at her former enemies.

Fara wanted to listen to the rest of her mother's speech, but her mind kept wandering back to Fox. She herself had spoken some of Edelyn's words verbatim to her former mate several nights ago, and now they left an even worse aftertaste in her mouth.

While Edelyn commanded the audience's full attention, Fara's drifted elsewhere. She thought back to the time when she and Fox first met: specifically the look of determination in his eyes when he and his father rescued her from the pirates. She remembered his laughing face when they ate out at restaurants, his steadfast countenance whenever he focused on serious matters, and his child-like wonder and panic whenever she slowly pulled in for a kiss. She was attracted to that fire and ambition in his heart, but it pained her all the more more to see it snuffed out.

In her mind Fara debated if she'd truly loved Fox during their time together, and if it wasn't just a matter of business—but the present obsession of her thoughts was proof enough that she had, and that a good portion of her still did.

The audience applauded, wrenching Fara from her thoughts as she quickly joined in. Her ears burned a bit when she realized she'd missed the entirety of de Pon's speech as well. By now the two CEOs had taken their seats again, and were signing their names at the bottom of the merger contract. Once finished they stood and held the paper up for the audience and the cameras to see, positively beaming at them. The crowd cheered again, and the two partnered magnates turned to shake paws. Fredersen emerged from his corner to congratulate them, placing his strong hands on both of their shoulders. And thus, General Dynamics was born.

It was her mother's second wedding.

While reporters descended on the front of the stage, and conversations spawned throughout the rest of the room, Fara heard an electric whirring sound approaching. She turned to see a wheelchair-ridden terrier roll up to her seat.

Fara shot to her feet. "P-President Finley!" She curtsied slightly.

Finley waved his hand, fighting a grin. "Thank you, Ms. Phoenix, but please don't stand on my account."

Following his wishes, she sat back down. She guessed he preferred it that way, since it was the only way they could be at eye-level.

"I assume you're happy on this occasion," he continued.

"Why yes! Very much so. I believe in my mother, Mr. President. A weaker, less-scrupulous person would let things go to her head and use this power for her own good. But my mother is a kind woman who only has everyone's well-being in mind."

"Oh, I'm sure of it," Finley agreed. He idly scratched his chin fur while studying the three most prominent figures on stage. "In fact, I think most people in the world have Lylat's best interests in mind. It's merely that we all have different ways of approaching them. We seek the same destination, but our journeys take us on different paths—often crossing one another in unpleasant ways." He turned to Fara. "Isn't that right, Ms. Phoenix?"

Fara lowered her head. "I know that you and the corporatists don't see eye-to-eye, President Finley."

He snorted, and the fur over his mouth momentarily puffed out. "That's putting things nicely. I assume you know my allies in the court will be launching an anti-trust suit?"

The fennec dipped her head. "Yes, Mother did mention the possibility. However, she doesn't seem worried. You can only stunt Lylat's recovery for so long, Mr. President. Lofty promises and temporary fixes can't feed billions of starving people, or build homes for the homeless. My mother is powerful—not to mention stubborn. Her plans won't be stopped so easily. The fact that you missed the appropriate time for such a proceeding is evidence enough that you're failing."

Finley clasped his heart. "You've cut me to the quick, Ms. Phoenix! A shame that such a fiery tongue never found its way into politics."

Fara narrowed her eyes at the older gentleman. "If it did, I would never get anything done."

He grinned. "Well, remember this young lady. No matter how good your intentions are, if you don't bring about your future in a fair manner, you will beget others who think their ends likewise justify their means. Only, you won't always agree with their ends… but you certainly gave them those means."

Before Fara could respond, the President spun his wheelchair around and rolled off to accost another magnate.

Mission No. 22

Sector Y
Bolse Station Fallout

"Converge/Diverge"

Σ-γ

"Well I'll be damned… the President, huh?"

Fox sat on one of the rec room sofas, watching the holovision. His Cerinian companion had curled up on the couch opposite his, likewise staring at the ghostly figures on the screen through her blue, unkempt locks. While Fox wanted to be around to watch over her, he was still worried she might lash out at him, or try to pry into his mind again. Likewise, he assumed 28 wanted nothing to do with him, either. For those reasons, they sat apart, neither exchanging a word.

Before Fox could make a break back to Venom, he had to lay low in Sector Y for a bit, waiting for the Aquan search party to relent and disperse. He felt conflicting feelings about the delay; on the one hand he was relieved he didn't have to turn himself in to Space Dynamics yet, while on the other he felt anxious about spending more time trapped on his ship with the strange vixen.

Rather than make awkward conversation with the condemned, or suffer through an arduous silence, Fox decided to watch a live holovision broadcast—regardless of how much static Sector Y caused. He settled on a news report on the Space Dynamics-Phoenix Corp merger. After all, his team had good relations with both companies, so he should have been interested. He and his father had saved Fara, Edelyn Phoenix's daughter, from space pirates looking for a wealthy ransom, while Slippy's father was the chief inventor for Space Dynamics. It was Star Fox who ultimately brought the two companies together in the first place, when they'd formerly been the biggest rivals in the arms and technology market in Lylat; Phoenix Corp gave them supplies, while Space Dynamics tailored vehicles to their needs. The Arwing had been their first joint venture together, the love-child of both companies: a test run of their relationship before they fully committed to the merger.

However, at this point in time Fox couldn't care less about the two companies and their union. Ms. Phoenix' and Mr. de Pon's speeches should have interested him, but he completely tuned them out in favor of staring at the certain young fennec seated in the first row. He only had eyes for Fara, and kept trying to snag glimpses of her throughout the televised event.

Fox felt a longing inside his heart whenever the cameras caught sight of her. Jealously, he scrutinized any male that approached her, wondering if she'd found someone else yet—but the longest she ever talked with someone was President Finley. And, was he imagining it, or was that sorrow on her face? Did she regret dumping him several days ago? Had gossip already reached her of the new vixen he was spotted keeping company with? He felt his hopes rising that maybe Fara still loved him, and that he still had a chance with her.

Then Fox pulled himself out of the HV and back to reality. He glanced across the room at 28, who absently watched the moving figures on the screen. No, he realized; he'd ruined his chances of being with Fara. That choice was made when he impulsively kidnapped this girl two days before. It was just another in a long line of rash decisions, only this time there was no turning back. He could never face Fara again, considering a slight against Space Dynamics was also a slight against her mother's company now. If he ever saw Fara in person, she'd only tell him how pathetic he'd become…

Moreover, Fox had given up any chance of learning about his mother, too. He'd never be allowed to search the labs now. He'd thrown away both Fara and his mother for… her.

All last night cycle and this morning, 28 hadn't said a word to him, and for all he knew she avoided reading his mind, too. He'd grown unaccustomed to being alone with his inner voice like this—especially after spending several days with a telepath practically living inside his head. The silence was almost worse than hearing her thoughts invade his. Now she quietly glanced between the tiny ghosts on the holoscreen and Fox, who gazed longingly at one in particular.

Eddies of static peppered the holoscreen again, causing Fox to curse under his breath. It was a constant pain in Sector Y, given the amount of ionic storms raging in the nebula. His tail very nearly left the seat as he felt the urge to get up and slap the static out of the screen; but of course, being an HV, there was no physical unit to slap, forcing him to just sit and wait patiently for the signal to improve.

'Who is she?'

Fox flinched when 28's words echoed in his mind again—the first time in half a day.

'You know her, don't you? I recognize her from your memory.'

Now Fox was the one who didn't want to speak. "She is… was a friend of mine," he forced himself to say. "I recently said goodbye to her."

'You miss her. Why do you care so much about her?'

Fox reached for the remote but didn't answer.

'Why? Why do you stare at her so, and not me? You know those figures on the screen aren't real, right? I sense no thoughts coming from them. They are just constellations made from tiny points of light. Yet I am real. I'm here, but you won't look at me the same way you look at her.'

After one last glance at the HV, Fox hit the power button. "Alright, I do miss her. I didn't want to say goodbye."

'Yet you want to say goodbye to me. When I'm gone, you won't miss me at all. I want to know what I did wrong, so that the next time I meet someone like you, I can make them like me.'

"I don't want to say goodbye to you," he insisted. "There are many things I do not because I want to, but because I have to. This is one of them."

'No. You look at us differently. I can see it.'

The vixen sat up, facing him across the coffee table. 'Why, why do you look at her so? What did she do to make you miss her?'

Fox knew what she was up to even before she started. "Wait, not this again—"

Her thoughts reverberated in his head, her eyes seeming to grow bigger and bigger till they swallowed him whole.

'Why, why, WHY?'

Before he could stop her, she dove into his mind, searching for more images of Fara in the sea of his thoughts.

Fox gasped as she picked out his most cherished memories of the girl, forcing them back to the surface after he'd taken such great pains to shove them down.

"Have you ever kissed someone before, Fox?"

Green eyes sparkled up at him.

"No, can't say that I have. Why?"

"Would you… like to see what it's like?"

"Wh-what do you mean?"

Even though she stood a foot shorter than Fox, the three years she had on him made her appear bigger in his memory—big enough to trap him in the corner of the storage room.

"I'm asking, would you like me to show you what a kiss is like?"

He shrugged. "Sure. I don't really care."

Her eyebrow raised, and she smirked. "You're nervous."

"N-not at all!"

"Would this help?"

Fara reached for the light switch and flicked it off, plunging the storage room into darkness. He could only see her silhouette framed against the bright doorway as she drew nearer. His pulse quickened; his body tensed. Before he knew it, her shadow had completely swallowed the light. Standing on tiptoes, she cupped his head in her hands and pulled him down to her, meeting his lips with hers. He couldn't see anything: only feel her firm touch.

Fox held his breath the entire time, scared of moving or breaking it off. He had just worked up the courage to grasp her shoulders when the lights suddenly came on.

"Oh, Fara, Fox, I—"

Fara gasped and quickly broke off the kiss, shoving him away. She hopped onto a nearby crate and clasped her hands behind her back innocently, kicking her legs. Fox meanwhile sprawled against the wall, heart pounding.

"Yes, Mr. McCloud?"

His father glanced between them, his sunglasses hiding the expression on his emerald eyes.

"I, er, wanted to say we'd be reaching Corneria in a few minutes, so… get ready for atmospheric entry. That's all."

As soon as his father disappeared from the doorway, Fara leapt down from the crate and wiped her mouth.

"Wait, Fara, I—"

But the fennec ignored him, lowering her head and racing out the door.

The memory faded, and Fox found himself back on the rec room couch. He rubbed his eyes, struggling to get used to how vividly the Cerinian could reconstruct his memories.

28 leaned forward, gently laying a finger on her lips. 'That thing you did with your mouths… was that a kiss?'

Fox shifted on his couch, ready to launch up and escape. "…Yeah."

'Would it have helped if I had done that? I don't really see why it's such a big deal.'

"It just is."

She raised an eyebrow. 'You didn't seem to like it.'

"I liked it!" he cried. "I… I wanted it! It's natural to be a little scared for your first time—everyone is."

'That was only your first time? You mean you did it again?'

He glared. "Yes, now would you just take my word for it? You don't have to—"

But 28 dove into his mind a second time, searching for another memory to replay. Now the rec room walls were replaced with that of Star Fox's old base on Papetoon.

Fox opened the door to find Peppy standing outside. Even to this day he remembered how he looked, and it was terrible: fur unkempt, clothes slept in multiple times, ears sagging, eyes staring right through him…

All the same, Fox greeted him with a smile. "Uncle Peppy, you're back! I was beginning to worry about you. Why didn't you call sooner?" He looked over his shoulder. "Where's… where's Dad and Pigma?"

Only now did the reason for his appearance occur to Fox.

Tears welled in the hare's eyes. "Fox… your father…"

Peppy tried to enter, but Fox grabbed either side of the doorframe, blocking him with his body.

"Where's my dad, Peppy? Why isn't he here?!"

The hare wrung his hands. "I tried… I couldn't… save him…"

Fox felt his fingers close around Peppy's lapels. "WHERE IS HE?!"

The memory collapsed for a second as 28 lost control of the pieces. Fox seized the chance to gasp for breath, stomach churning at the memory, but already she managed to pick up the thread again, plunging them back in.

He heard crying around the corner, coming from within the base's kitchen. The sobs continued even as his own ran dry. He peeked in carefully, watching Fara's back shake as she collapsed over the table. She was nearly screaming from anguish.
She cried harder than he himself had.

A rush of voices and images, passing before his mind's eye quicker than he could make sense of them.

"Hold me Fox. I need you…"
Her cheeks felt wet. His shoulder stained. Arms around her, but limp.

A beautiful mansion in the countryside.
Ms. Phoenix opened the door, a smile on her face. "Welcome home, Fox."
He carried everything he owned over the threshold in just two bags.

"Come on, Fox, I made it especially for you."
"Maybe this way would be more fun?"
Concave metal flashed under his nose. Heat rose into his nostrils.
"Ahhhh…?"
"I'm not hungry, I'll eat later."
"Aw, you have to eat it, or I'll be hurt!"
"I need to study—"
"You can't study on an empty stomach! It'll get cold if you wait…"
But he did, and it was.

The glow of the HV; something was on it.
He saw the fennec's bare paws on the couch as she watched.
The skirt draped over her folded legs
The strap trying to slip down her shoulder.
Her eyes met his when they finally raised, then flicked to the door.
"Sorry kids, I have to stay at the office again tonight. Let's go, Ewen."
The door shut. The car started. The engine faded in the distance.
She took his hand, rushing him upstairs.

Fingers threaded through his, hot breath on his face
The moonlight from his window washed their belly fur silver
But it failed to reach his face, leaving it in the dark so she couldn't see
So she didn't have to see
She towered over him,
"We can both forget this way."
But he knew she didn't want to forget;
She used him to remember, and taste what could have been—

"Get… out… of my… HEAD!"

Fox shook his head violently, till he felt disoriented. He scattered the memories into pieces again, like a pile of photographs whipped into a frenzy by a sudden breeze. But 28 managed to latch onto one last image before he forced her out.

'She… left you?' she asked. 'You didn't leave her?'

When Fox opened his eyes, he found 28 straddling his lap just as Fara had in the memory. His heart beat faster. He wanted out from under the vixen, but he was trapped between her and the couch.

Fox breathed in and out slowly, trying not to get worked up. "Yeah. She left me. So what?"

'I know what it's like when someone leaves you.'

"Stop trying to guilt me over taking you back—"

'I wasn't talking about you…'

Fox's eyebrows raised, but he didn't have time to inquire further. 28 bent down over him, bringing her face close to his, and unwittingly causing her neckline to droop around her chest so Fox could stare down it. In response, he squirmed into the couch, pressing as far into the cushions as he could go to escape.

'That last memory—the one before she left you—what were you doing together?'

Fox wet his lips. "Wha—?"

'She climbed on top of you, like this. Was it like a dance? You… felt more excited when you did it with her than when you did it with me. Somehow you got… closer.'

He grasped her wrists. "28, you shouldn't be doing this…"

'But you want to; I can feel it inside you.' She grabbed her shirt hem. 'You want to see what's under here. You want to touch me. You want to do with me what you did with her, don't you?'

"I've explained this before," Fox returned through grit teeth. "Just because I want something doesn't mean I should do it. I want lots of things that aren't good. Sometimes I want to take every slice of pizza before my friends can have any. Sometimes I want to punch Falco in his smug beak. Sometimes I want to jump off a fucking building. But I know I shouldn't, even if I want to. Those things belong in my mind, not in real life. It's not my fault you can see all of them!"

But his words alone couldn't persuade her, and the Cerinian brought her face so close he could feel her breath. 'But why? Why is this wrong? Won't it make you like me more?'

Fox had enough. He hooked his hands under 28's armpits and lifted her, flailing, onto the cushion next to him. She was light as a feather, but her frustrated kicks still packed a punch.

Once free, Fox launched to his feet, stumbling back from the Cerinian and holding his head.

"Stop invading my memories," he demanded. "They're mine—they're none of your business!"

Her eyes fell. 'I just want to understand…'

Fox breathed heavily, his fists clenching as he looked down on her. "Well, I'm not here to teach you. You'll have to discover those things on your own—and to tell you the truth, it's not like I understand them either, so I'd make a lousy teacher. There are some things you're better off not knowing anyway."

Her ears flattened. 'I didn't mean I wanted to understand… "that". I meant I wanted to understand you.'

His eyes widened, and he felt caught off guard by the admission.

"…Hey, you and me both, 28. You and me both."

And with that, Fox spun on his heel and half-marched, half-fled out the door.

'Wait, where are you going?!'

"To be alone. Don't follow me."

'For the rest of the voyage?'

He stopped for a second, clutching his head defensively like he thought she might invade it again. Then, without answering, he slipped out.