Author's Note: (Nov. 17, 2023) This chapter has been updated from its original version. The first half has remained largely unchanged, with only a few edits to grammar and other scenes, the second half has been almost entirely rewritten. Progress has been made on chapter 7, and I plan to have it released early next year.
Chapter 1: Cornerian Capital City:
Corneria was the crown jewel of Lylat. The planet was the most developed of all the worlds in the Lylat System and the most populated. Corneria is the second smallest world above Papetoon, with a diameter of 13,400 kilometers, and a population of 6.5 billion. Though the world prides itself at being a safe place, where its people prosper, it has seen its fair share of hardships. The most notable was the Lylat Civil War. The war began when a mad scientist named Andross was exiled to the planet Venom after a failed experiment destroyed half of Corneria's Capital City. A few years later, strange activity was observed on Venom, so the Cornerian Government sent the mercenary team Star Fox, led by James McCloud, to investigate.
Shortly after their arrival, Star Fox member Pigma Dengar betrayed the team, leading to the death of James. The surviving member Peppy Hare, managed to escape and report back to Corneria. This event kicked off the war, which lasted ten years and killed millions across Lylat. The war came to an end when General Pepper, leader of the Corneria Defense Force, authorized the reforming of Star Fox using James' son, Fox McCloud.
Through their actions, they rallied the Cornerian Military and launched a massive counterattack on Venom, leading to the death of Andross and the Venomian defeat. After the war, Corneria enjoyed four years of peace, then came the Aparoids. They were a race of cybernetic insects bent on assimilating the entire galaxy. Though the CDF hadn't fully recovered from the Lylat war, they managed to repel the Apariods, and Star Fox, with the help of the former Venomian Mercenary team Star Wolf, destroyed their home world. The war cost an untold number of lives, and the near destruction of Corneria. Through the determination of the Cornerian people, they managed to rebuild their society in record time.
Today was the second anniversary of the Aparoid war, and the city was alive with celebration. Families all over the city were preparing for the annual fireworks show, but some were also preparing for the retirement of General Pepper. Pepper had been injured in the Aparoid attack and never fully recovered, his body ravaged by the Aparoid assimilation. Today would be his official retirement, and former Star Fox team member Peppy Hare, would take his place as head of the CDF. The ceremony is being held at Darnell Lake Wharf, a large resort and a popular tourist destination. Usually bustling with activity, the wharf was closed off while the CDF set up the equipment and security check points, as the Prime Minister of Corneria would also be attending.
As the preparations at the wharf were under way, the members of Star Fox were getting ready for their part in the ceremony in their hilltop villa just outside of the city. The team's leader, twenty-six-year-old Fox McCloud, stood in front of a full wall mirror, making minor adjustments to his suit. Since he was a mercenary, he didn't have to worry about military regulations. He brushed down his orange fur, trying to flatten some bits of that were sticking up. He leaned down and brushed off his silver boots. They were his favorite pair of boots, only because they made him look a little taller. He wasn't short by any means, standing at 5 foot 7, but a little extra height never hurt. After he finished, he left his room to check on the others. Peppy had left earlier, and Fox's girlfriend Fara was still at work, that left Falco, Slippy, Krystal, Fay, and Miyu. Fox stopped at Falco's door and knocked loudly.
"Falco! Are you ready yet?!", Fox shouted as he banged on the door.
"Stop it!", Falco shouted from inside his room, "I'll be ready when I'm ready!" Fox sighed and shook his head.
While Falco was his best friend, he could be a real pain in the ass sometimes. Fox heard a door open down the hall. He turned and saw Slippy walking toward him, brushing off his suit.
"Hey Fox," Slippy said.
"Hey," Fox replied, "Are the girls ready yet?"
"I'm not sure. I haven't heard anything from them yet," he replied.
"Alright. I check on them," Fox said.
Slippy nodded and went to wait in the living room while Fox went down the hall to the girls' rooms. He stopped first at Fay's door and lightly tapped on it. Fay opened the door, tying a large red bow on the top of her head. Fay was a pure white cocker spaniel, a little shorter than Fox at 5 foot 3, and she was Slippy's assist, the both of them provided the technical expertise to keep the Great Fox and the teams Arwings operational.
"Hey Fox," she greeted him.
"Hi Fay," Fox said, "I was stopping by to see if you were ready."
"Yeah, I'm ready," Fay said, stepping out of her room, closing the door behind her. At the same time, Miyu left her room and headed toward them, the brown lynx waving when she saw them.
"Am I late?" she asked. Fox shook his head.
"Nope. You're right on time," he replied, "Have you heard from Krystal?"
"Not yet," She said, "Want me to get her?"
"No. I'll get her," Fox said, and slowly began his trek to Krystal's room.
He had met Krystal on the planet Sauria, two years before the Aparoid War. Krystal had taken a liking to Fox during their time on the planet, unfortunately, Fox was already in a relationship with Fara Pheonix, his flame from the Flight Academy, thus he had to turn down Krystal's affections. Though she was hurt by this, they both agreed to still be friends and not let her feelings get in the way. Fox stood outside Krystal's door, somewhat hesitant to knock. Even though they had patched things up, he still felt tense around her.
Krystal sat on her bed, reading her favorite book. She was invested in the story and forgot about the time. She heard Fox approach and stop outside her door. He was a little awkward around her since he turned her down, and as such had trouble talking to her. Deciding not to torment Fox any longer, Krystal got up from her bed and opened the door just a crack.
"Yes Fox?" she asked in her accented voice. Fox looked up to her face, Krystal being a few inches taller.
"I was coming to see if you were dressed and ready," he said.
"Almost," she replied, "I'll be out in a bit."
"Okay," Fox said, "Me and the others will be waiting in the living room."
Krystal gave a small nod and closed her door. Fox let out a breath and walked to the living room, seeing Falco among the others.
"Well, look who decided to join us," Fox said with a grin. Falco scoffed, rolling his eyes. A few moments later, Krystal entered, clearing her throat to announce her presence.
"Alright," Fox said, "Looks like we're all here. Let's get going." Everyone walked outside to the limo Peppy had arranged for them. After they got in, the chauffeur began the drive to the lake.
"Can you believe Peppy taking over the CDF?" Falco asked Fox.
He sighed and replied, "It's hard to believe, but his is the best choice."
While Fox was happy for Peppy, he was saddened by his departure from the team. After his father's death, Peppy had become a second father to Fox. He had seen Fox through the Cornerian Flight Acadamy, and his reforming of Star Fox. Though Peppy promised to remain in touch, the job of CDF General would keep him busy. Fox let out a sigh and turned his gaze to the Cornerian countryside as they passed by.
An hour later, the limo pulled into the wharf's front gate. The scene that greeted them was quite chaotic. Soldiers were running all over the place, scrambling to set up the stage and seating areas. A limo was pulling in a short distance away, carrying several high-ranking CDF officers, and the Prime Minister was set to arrive in 10 minutes.
"Come on guys!" a loud voice shouted over the noise, "The ceremony begins in 90 minutes!" Fox looked around for the voice as he and his team exited the limo. About thirty feet away, Fox spotted a familiar bulldog.
"Bill!" Fox called over to him, waving his arm. Bill turned, finding Fox very quickly.
"Holy shit! What's up Fox?" Bill said, walking over to him. Fox wrapped Bill in a hug.
"What's up Bill?" he greeted, "Are you in charge of this?"
"Just the seating," Bill said as Fox released him.
Fox chuckled, "Sounds like fun."
Bill sighed, "No. Some of these guys act like it's their first time setting up chairs."
"Well, how can we help?" Fox asked.
"Um...I think you guys can help with the stage area," Bill replied.
"Alrighty Bill. Come on guys," Fox said, then he and the others headed for the stage, across the wharf, the Prime Minister had just arrived.
As the time passed, more and more people began showing up. Both Pepper and Peppy had arrived a short time before, clad in their red dress uniforms, and Fara came a few minutes after, still dressed in her business suit. Fox ran up and gave her a hug when he saw her. Fara leaned in and they shared a kiss. Krystal saw them and couldn't help but feel a momentary flash of jealousy. She quickly buried it, not wanting to ruin their friendship.
The parking lot was soon almost filled completely, Fox and his team, with some help from Fara, helped the guests to their seats. Bill and the others were doing last-minute checks of the sound equipment and the stage lighting. Finally, after the chaotic prep work was completed, the ceremony began in earnest; Bill took the stage, having volunteered to be the narrator.
"Good evening, everyone!" Bill began, "Today we mark an important day of the Cornerian Defense Force!" The audience cheered at Bill's words.
"Thank you! Now, for those who don't know me, I am Staff Sargeant Bill Grey, and I will be your narrator for today's ceremony!" Another cheer arose from the audience.
"Please rise for the arrival of the official party and the playing of the Cornerian National Anthem!"
All members of the audience stood as Generals Pepper, Peppy, Major General Stanely, a large, gray wolf and Pepper's second in command, and Prime Minister Lena, a lioness, walked onto the stage. Taking their positions at the front on the stage, they turned to face the audience. At the command from Bill, the military band began to play. The soldiers in the crowd saluted the Cornerian Flag on the top of the stage. After the anthem, Bill retook the mic.
"Everyone, please be seated," he said before clearing his throat and turning the page of his script, "Today, we honor the thirty-year career of General Bradley Pepper."
The crowd erupted in cheers. General Pepper smiled and raised a hand, the other resting on a cane. Pepper was only fifty-two, but the Aparoid attack did a number on his body.
"Bradley Pepper began his career as a bright-eyed recruit...," Bill began, telling the story of Pepper's career. Fox listened to Bill's narration, glancing between General Pepper and Peppy.
'You have quite the role to fill Peppy,' Fox thought, but he knew Peppy was more than capable of doing it.
"And now", Bill said, finishing Pepper's story, "The retiring Officer, General Bradley Pepper!" The audience once again erupted with cheers, giving him a standing ovation. General Pepper slowly took the podium, Bill stepping in to help.
"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen," Pepper began, his voice somewhat weak from his condition, "It is an honor-"
Before he could continue, a blinding green light illuminated the entire wharf, followed by a strong gust of wind and swirling clouds. Panic spread through the crowd as security began to evacuate them. Bill moved Pepper below the podium, drawing his concealed blaster. Peppy drew his own blaster, PM Lena's aids moved her away, Stanley covering them. Star Fox sprang into action, helping evacuate the wharf.
"What the hell is this?!" Falco shouted over the wind, guiding some civilians to the exit.
"I don't know!" Fox shouted back, following close behind. The green light started to dull as large chunks of rock, pieces of metal and what looked like a shuttle emerged from the clouds.
"Where did that come from!?" Miyu yelled, pointing at the debris as it fell on docks, halfway across the lake.
"What do we do!?" Slippy asked.
"Let's get the civilians out first!" Fox replied, "We'll regroup after!"
Fox looked for Peppy, finding him jogging toward them.
"Peppy!" he called out.
"Star Fox, You guys come with me!" he said, being followed by a dozen CDF soldiers.
"Fox!" Fara shouted from nearby, "Can I come with you?" He looked conflicted for a moment, then came to a decision.
"Stay and help with the evacuation," he replied, "I don't know what we're gonna find there."
"Ok," she said and ran back to the crowd. Star fox joined the Peppy and the soldiers, both parties hopping in nearby APCs and heading for the docks.
POV Isaac:
Isaac slowly opened his eyes, an intense pain filling his head. Wiping dirt from his face, he slowly sat up. He looked around him, finding himself in a large warehouse. Beams of sunlight filled the room from the large holes in the ceiling. Scattered throughout the room were large chunks of rock, some of them covered with melting snow. Lying on the floor a few feet away was his plasma cutter.
Climbing to his feet, Isaac grabbed his cutter and walked slowly through the warehouse. He stopped at one of the boulders in the center of the room and ran his fingers along its surface, brushing off some snow. With it gone, he could see scorch marks covering the surface. He stepped away from the boulder and continued through the warehouse. Near the end, he spotted an office with a large window inside. He moved to the office, peeking inside for any sign of life. Seeing no one, he entered the office and went up to the window. What he saw shocked him.
Instead of a frozen wasteland, he saw a massive lake, the dark blue of its water matching the evening sky. Along the banks were towering trees, the branches full of leaves. Nearby, a large dock filled with boats could be seen. Isaac felt his mind grind to a halt. Wherever he was, it was painfully obvious that it wasn't Tau Volantis.
"No, this isn't right," Isaac whispered, panic starting to rise within him.
He exited the office, scanning the warehouse again. His eyes landed on the boulders. He could tell that they came from Tau Volantis, but this place clearly wasn't. None of this made sense. Was it the machine? Did it send him, and Carver to- he froze. Carver. Last time he'd seen him was after they killed the Moon. He and Carver were falling to the planet's surface when he disappeared behind some debris. Isaac looked around the warehouse for any sign of him. He searched the entire warehouse but found nothing.
"Carver!" he shouted, his voice echoing off the concrete walls of the warehouse.
He waited for a few moments, growing more tense when no response came. He cursed and walked to a door on the far side of the warehouse. He turned the knob and slowly opened the door. A cool breeze flowed into the warehouse, gently ruffling his hair. Stepping outside, Isaac glanced around for any sign of Carver. Not seeing anything, he moved further outside.
As Isaac walked along the marina, he came across more debris. Several more boulders and chunks of metal were scattered over the marina. When he rounded a small shed, he spotted a Unitologist shuttle lodged in a building nearby. He ran towards it, moving to the exposed left side. A few feet away was a body of one of Danik's men lying face down on the pavement. Isaac crouched next to the body and turned it over.
Their suit was covered in blood, and both arms were bent in unnatural positions. On their suit's vest were a couple flashbangs and a stasis grenade. He plucked them from the Unitologist and secured them to his. He was just about to stand when a loud bang from a nearby alley startled him.
Aiming his plasma cutter at the alley's entrance, Isaac stayed motionless for a moment, listening for any more sounds. A few metallic bangs were, though much quieter than the first. Staying in a crouch, he moved to the edge of the alley.
"Carver?" he said, the bangs ceasing.
"Hello?" a male voice responded.
Isaac didn't recognize the voice. He felt a chill flow down his spine when he heard footsteps approaching. He rose from his crouch and peeked around the corner, spotting a garbage truck parked near the end of the alley. Ten feet from the entrance was a person, their face covered by bandana and a pair of goggles. They locked eyes for a moment before a sudden flash of anger filled him. In the man's hands was Carver's helmet.
"You!" Isaac shouted, the person jumping from the volume of his voice.
The man turned to ran, but a bolt from Isaac's plasma cutter striking the ground by his feet stopped him in his tracks. He turned back and held his hands up. When Isaac was nearly upon him, he noticed a strange symbol on the man's uniform. Though it was mostly covered by grease, he could just make out the shape of a Marker.
"You! You're one of Danik's men," He shouted.
"I-I don't know who that is," the person said,
"Don't fuckin' play games with me!" Isaac said with a snarl, "What did you do with Carver!?" The man started to shake uncontrollably, fear filling his voice.
"I swear, I don't know."
Isaac shook the man violently, "You were with Danik, weren't you! You were hunting us!"
"I've never heard the name Danik! Please!" the man begged. Isaac shoved his plasma cutter under the man's jaw.
"I'm gonna ask you one time. Where. Is. Carver?" he asked through clenched teeth.
Before the man could answer, the sound of boots quickly approaching forced Isaac to release the man. He used the opportunity to scurry back to his truck, while Isaac moved towards the alley's entrance. He spotted several people who were obviously military quickly moving in. He couldn't tell what faction they belonged to, their uniforms resembled neither Earth GOV nor the Unitologists. They were moving toward the Unitologist dropship until one of them spotted him. He alerted his fellow soldiers, who all turned his way.
Isaac ran back down the alley, the soldiers running after him. He plucked the stasis grenade of his suit and primed it. He turned and hurled the grenade at them, which exploded upon impact with the ground. Half of the soldiers were covered by the stasis field. Isaac reached the end of the alley and ran towards a nearby building. He slammed the door open narrowly avoiding a red ball of fire that struck the doorframe.
POV Star Fox:
Four CDF APCs burst through the gate to the marina. They split off and each parked near large chunks of debris. Their ramps lowered and squads of CDF soldiers poured out. Scanning the area with their rifles, they moved along the debris, observing the debris for any signs of where it came from. At the same time, a fifth APC arrived, this one carrying Peppy and Star Fox. They joined the CDF once their APC's ramp had lowered.
"Report," Peppy said to one of the soldiers.
"We've got a bunch of weird boulders and chunks of concrete," the soldier said, "None of them look like they're from Corneria."
"How so?" Peppy asked. Before the soldier could answer, another soldier ran up to them, wiping sweat from his forehead.
"General Peppy," he said panting, "You uh, you need to see this."
Peppy and the other soldier shared a glance before he motioned for him to lead. The soldier led them across the marina towards a building with a ship lodged inside. Several CDF soldiers stood around the ship, brushing soot and debris from its surface. Peppy went up to the ship, looking for any identifying markings. The only thing he found was a strange symbol near the cockpit.
"This doesn't look like a Venomian ship," he said.
"That's what we thought," the soldier said, "But the reason I brought you here is, uh, we have a body." Peppy's ears perked up.
"A body?" he questioned, "Show me."
The soldier led them around the ship to another group of soldiers. At their feet was a body. The white suit it wore was covered in dried blood, and its limbs were obviously broken. Their face was covered by a strange helmet. Peppy studied the body, scanning it up and down.
"Its body shape is simian," he muttered, "Can remove the helmet?"
One of the soldiers crouched next to the body and pulled on the helmet. When it wouldn't budge, he felt around the neck until he felt a latch. Forcing it open, he slowly pulled the helmet from the body's head. Everyone present gasped at the revealed face. While similar to the simians of Venom, its pale skin was devoid of fur, and its features were slightly different.
"What the hell is this?" Falco asked.
"It's like a bald monkey," Miyu said.
"It does look simian," Fox replied, "But... I don't know. Peppy?" Peppy thought for a moment before turning to Slippy.
"I need you to contact your father," he said, "And someone call the Prime Minister, we've got a first contact scenario."
Slippy jogged back towards the entrance, dialing his dad's number on his communicator. Fox moved to Peppy's side, staring down at the body.
"What are you planning on doing with it?" he asked.
"I assume the eggheads are gonna wanna take a look at it," Peppy replied, "Maybe give us an idea on where it came from."
"Hey! We got a live one!" a CDF soldier shouted.
Peppy and Fox looked their way, seeing a CDF squad charging towards an alley. They ran inside, disappearing from view. Seconds later, a bright blue flash reflected off the buildings.
"Let's move!" Peppy shouted, the CDF and Star Fox following behind him.
As they entered the alley, they spotted the CDF squad halfway down. They were engulfed by a strange, blue field and moving in slow motion, filling the others with confusion.
"What the hell happened!?" Falco shouted.
"There!" Fox yelled.
Further down the alley, another figure was running towards a building. The figure was dressed in a similar suit, carrying a large blaster in their hand.
"Star Fox, after them!" Peppy ordered.
Peppy and the second CDF squad stopped by the first one just as the blue field wore off. Star Fox ran past them, quickly gaining on the figure. Krystal aimed her staffed at the figure's back as it approached the building. She fired a bolt just as it burst through the door, the bolt striking the doorframe and setting it alight.
"Damn!" she cursed. Peppy ran up to them, both CDF squads following behind.
"Where's the alien?" he asked.
"It fled inside," Fox replied.
"Alright, you and Krystal head inside," Peppy said, "The rest of you, surround the building and secure the exits. And someone put that damn fire out!"
Fox and Krystal ran inside, Fox turning on his blaster's flashlight. Two CDF soldiers extinguished the fire while the rest of the Star Fox and the CDF squads fanned out around the building, setting up positions around every exit door they found.
POV Isaac:
Isaac stumbled through the building, using his cutter's flashlight. The building seemed abandoned, the halls filled with dusty furniture and scattered papers. There was no power either, which became evident when he tried a light switch. If there was a positive to his situation, he hadn't experienced any hallucinations or seen any signs of nercomorphs, so he could assume the machine worked. But where had it sent him?
He was pulled from his thoughts when he heard footsteps approaching the hall. He headed further into the building, scanning the various rooms he passed for a place to hide. He'd just reached the end of the hall when he heard the voice. It was quiet, but it was feminine, with an English accent; it was a voice he was sure he recognized.
'Ellie?' he thought.
It couldn't be, could it? He'd sent her back to Earth. Was it possible se was caught in by the machine as well? He wasn't sure, so he moved around the corner, pressing himself against the wall while he waited, clipping his plasma cutter to his belt.
Fox and Krystal POV, 2 minutes earlier:
Fox and Krystal slowly crept through the building. The silence was broken by the occasional bang as the walls settled. They followed the boot prints on the dusty floor to the entrance to a hallway.
"Looks like he went down there," Fox whispered, peeking around the corner, "Plenty of places for it to hide."
"I can't sense anything," Krystal said, "So it has the advantage."
"Right," Fox said, "We'll split up. You go down there, I'll sneak around from the other side."
"Ok, Fox," Krystal replied and the two of them split off.
Fox moved further into the building while Krystal quietly crept through the hall, her ears moving about to pick up any sound. Smoke began to fill the hall, limiting her visibility. She peered through the smoke, glancing into every room she passed.
"Where are you?" she muttered.
"Ellie?" a male voice said.
Krystal froze and aimed her staff at the end of the hall. She stood still for a few seconds, waiting for the voice again. Whoever spoke remained silent, but she heard some shuffling from around the corner. Moments later, the alien stepped into view. They locked eyes with each other, neither moving a muscle.
Krystal stared at the alien, his face similar to the one they found, though the gray hair on his head and face suggested he was old. The alien took a step back, his breathing becoming faster. Krystal raised her hand to calm him down when she heard Fox's voice.
"Don't move!" he said.
The alien looked his way, then back at Krystal, his forehead now glistening with sweat.
Isaac POV:
Isaac couldn't believe what he was seeing. Who he thought was 'Ellie' was a tall, blue vixen, holding a golden staff in her left hand. As they stared at each other, he could feel his breathing quicken. Just where had that damned machine sent him? The vixen raised her hand, showing she wasn't a threat, but that did little to calm his nerves. He took a step back, his heart racing as sweat covered his forehead. He heard footsteps rapidly approaching from the right, along with a male voice shouting "Don't move!"
He turned and saw another fox aiming a handgun at him. This one was clearly male, wearing a white and green suit, a red canine symbol on the center of his vest. Isaac felt his mind break. He heartbeat increased, and he felt panic rise in his chest.
"No," he whispered, slowly backing away.
"I said don't move!" the fox said, his fingers squeezing his gun.
"NO!" Isaac suddenly shouted, causing him to jump.
He tore the flashbangs from his suit and hurled them at both foxes and ran to his left.
"Flashbangs!" the vixen shouted, follow by a deafening boom.
Isaac ran further into the building drawing his plasma cutter. He stopped and scanned the halls, frantically searching for an exit.
Fox and Krystal POV:
Fox slowly climbed to his feet, rubbing the dust from his eyes. Krystal rounded the corner, aiming her staff down the hall. Fox picked up his blaster and joined her at the hall's entrance.
"You alright?" he asked.
"I'm fine," she replied, "You?"
"I'm good," Fox replied. A burst of static came from his radio, followed by Peppy's voice.
"Fox! We heard an explosion! Report!" he said.
"We encountered the alien," Fox replied, "He hurled a couple flashbangs at us and escaped further into the building. We're pursuing him now."
"Copy that," Peppy said, "We've got all the exits covered, so if it escapes, it won't make it far."
"Ok, we'll try to find him before then," Fox replied, "He seems to know our language, so we might to able to negotiate."
"Do want you need to do," Peppy said, "Call if you need back up."
"Will do," Fox said, ending the transmission, "Alright, let's move."
He and Krystal headed deeper inside, keeping their ears open. The building had gone completely silent now, making them nervous. They emerged into another long hallway, this one filled with old, dusty office chairs. They carefully moved around them, making it halfway down the hall when the alien emerged from an office.
"Hey!" Fox shouted, raising his blaster. The alien turned and raised a large blaster of his own.
"Put it down!" Fox shouted.
The alien aimed his blaster at the ceiling and fired. The bolt of plasma torched several of the ceiling tiles and sent them falling onto of them. Fox covered his head with his arm and returned fire. The alien fired three more times, each bolt striking a chair. He then fled across the hall and disappeared.
"After him!" Fox shouted, shoving chairs out of his way.
Krystal ran close behind, using her staff to clear the remaining chairs. They reached the end of the hall and ran through a breakroom. Bursting through the door on the opposite side, they saw the alien throw open an emergency exit, the evening sunlight pouring inside.
Isaac POV:
Nearly blinded by the evening sun, Isaac stumbled as he exited the building, falling face first onto the ground. He scrambled to his feet, waiting for his vision to return.
"Drop your weapon!" someone shouted.
Isaac rubbed his eyes, his vision returned. Once it, he saw he was surrounded by the soldiers he saw earlier. Now that he was close, he noticed they were not human, but rather dogs. All of them were armed with large rifles, each one aimed at his chest. Next to them was a rabbit, dressed in a maroon uniform aiming a handgun his way.
"I said, drop your weapon!" the rabbit ordered.
Behind him, Isaac heard the two foxes from earlier exit the building. He turned his head, giving them a quick glance. The orange fox had his pistol aimed at his face while the blue vixen tightly clutched her staff. He turned back to the rabbit, who'd moved a few feet closer.
"Put the god damn gun down, now!" he shouted.
Isaac stared at him, feeling fatigue fill his body. He fell to his knees, staring blankly at the ground. He heard the two foxes move to either side.
"Please place your weapon on the ground," the orange fox said, "We don't want to hurt you."
Isaac wasn't sure he believed him. He was so tired. He just didn't know what to do anymore. With Ellie gone, Carver who knows where, and now this place filled with talking animals, he decided that he'd had enough. He slowly brought his plasma cutter up and placed the muzzle under his chin.
POV Fox and Krystal:
Fox stared at the alien, anxiously waiting for his next move. The alien looked so defeated, making him wonder just where he'd come from and what he'd been through. He watched flinched when the alien finally made a move, his stomach dropping as he brought the gun to his chin.
"NO!" he shouted and rushed forward, grabbing the alien's wrist as he pulled the trigger.
An empty click echoed across the docks. Fox and the alien looked down at the gun in confusion. Turning the gun over revealed a red zero on the ammo counter display glaring back at them. A choked sob escaped the alien's mouth and tears flowed from his eyes. Tossing the blaster aside, he slowly raised his hands.
Fox stood to his feet and looked at Peppy. He turned to the CDF squad and pointed towards a pair of MPs and motioned them forward. The two of them walked over and helped the alien to his feet and cuffed his wrist.
"Where are we taking him?" one of the MPs asked.
Before Peppy could answer, a bright yellow car rounded the building, smoke flowing from its tires. The car sped towards them before coming to an abrupt stop, the squeal of the rubber stinging the ears of everyone present. The driver's side door flew open, and a large yellow toad dressed in a white lab jumped and ran to the CDF.
"Damnit, Beltino!" Peppy shouted. Several CDF soldiers blocked Beltino's path, grabbing his arms to keep him from moving closer.
"Let me through!" he shouted, "i need to see the alien! Where is it!?"
"Stand down, Beltino!" Peppy said, "You'll get to see him, later." Beltino sighed, freeing his arms from the CDF.
"Right," he said, "I'll uh, help the others with the ship."
He walked back to his car and climbed inside, steering the car around and heading back the way he came.
"Sir, the alien?" one of the MPs asked.
"Escort him to my APC," Peppy said, "Me and Star Fox will take him to HQ." The MP gave and they headed back towards the entrance to the marina.
"Fox," Peppy said, "Find the others and meet me at the APC."
"Will do," he replied, he and Krystal walking back to the ship.
Isaac POV:
Isaac stared at the ground the entire way back, sleep being the only thing on his mind. After the constant Tau Volantis, and now this, all he wanted. Though it seemed he wouldn't get a chance to rest anytime.
After a few minutes of walking, he and his escorts neared the APCs. They stopped at the furthest one, the ramp lowering seconds later. Isaac was moved inside and sat down on a seat near the middle. The two canines stood in the aisle, keeping a close eye on him. The three of them waited in silence for nearly ten minutes before the orange and blue foxes arrived. Following behind them was the rabbit, as well as a blue bird of some kind, and an orange feline.
The two foxes, the bird, and the feline all sat across from him. The rabbit waved off the two canines before closing the ramp. He then moved to the front of the compartment and knocked on the wall. The APC lurched forward, the engine roaring to life as they drove away.
The drive went on in silence, nobody daring to say a word. Isaac was fine with that, though. He wasn't in a talkative mood. He stared at the floor, completely ignoring the other occupants. His mind drifted back to the alley. That garbageman had found Carver's helmet. Did that mean Carver was here, too? Or was he sent somewhere else? He didn't know, and that worried him. He'd hoped that wherever Carver was, he wasn't in any danger.
Thirty minutes later, the APC came to a stop. The rabbit stood up from his seat and lowered the ramp. He motioned the orange fox and the bird, who stood from their seats and took Isaac's arms. They led him out of the APC and towards a large building. In front of it was a massive group of what looked like news reporters, with an equal number of soldiers keeping them back.
"Well good," the rabbit said.
"Maybe we should bring him around back," the orange fox said.
"Yeah, let's go," the rabbit sighed.
They moved around to the back of the building keeping their distance from the eyes of the reporters. Stopping at a metal door, the rabbit swiped a keycard on the pad next to it. The door opened and Isaac was moved inside. They walked through the building towards a stairwell. Above it was a sign that read: To Interrogation Rooms.
'Great,' Isaac thought.
He was escorted down the stairs and led to a room labeled: Interrogation Room 3. The fox and the bird sat him down at the table and exited the room, leaving him alone with nothing but the dull buzz from the lights.