Star Fox by Theodore P. Perrotti ---------------------------------------------------------------- WARNING: This story has been written and posted free of charge solely for entertainment purposes. Star Fox, Fox McCloud Jr, Falco Lombardi, Peppy Hare, Slippy Toad, Venom, Corneria, Fara Phoenix, General Pepper, Andross, and all other principle characters, places, and other indica created by Nintendo are TM and copyright (C) 1993 Nintendo of America Inc. Used without permission. Vessic and all other characters, places, and other indica created by me, Theodore P. Perrotti, are copyright (C) 1996 Theodore P. Perrotti. (However, feel free to use all of this story's characters, events, and places as you wish as long as you abide by the conditions described in the next paragraph.) This story may be redistributed, stored, or archived in any way just so long as it is unaltered, this entire disclaimer remains with it, and such action is taken free of charge. In short: DON'T SELL OR ALTER THIS STORY! Also, please ask my permission before using any of my creations (any characters or events I've created) and give me credit. Parts of this story were based on characters, places, and events in both the Star Fox video game and the Star Fox comic which appeared in Nintendo Power. This story has also been influenced by the "Star Trek: The Next Generation" episode "The Defector", as well as the movie "Star Wars" and the TV series "Babylon 5". Those of you who are familiar with the comic and the backstory established in the game's instruction booklet will probably notice that, in some places, my version deviates from the "cannon" version presented by those sources. I tried to keep the basic story intact, and made only changes that I felt would result in a better story. You can think of this story as an alternate version of the events that led up to the attack on Venom. I hope you enjoy the fruits of my labor. WARNING: Recommended for mature readers only. Contains some adult subject matter. (Seriously, this story is darker than its predecessor, Star Fox: Armageddon) I welcome your comments. Please e-mail them to me at author@galaxycorp.com. ----------------------------------------------------------------- Chapter 24: The Homecoming "I want the docking bay cleared of all personnel except for the medical team as soon as the ships have landed," Pepper instructed his Chief of Security. "The pilots have been instructed not to disembark until the bay has been cleared. Also, no one is to say anything to anyone about what they see. Understood?" "Understood, General. What of the sensor logs of the ships' approach?" "I want them deleted immediately. No one who doesn't have a need to know about these ships is to know about them. This mission is too important to risk a leak." As Fox approached the docking bay, he found himself feeling unusually nervous. He had landed arwings several times before, and there was no reason to think that this landing would be any different. That is, it would be no different except for the fact that, this time, he was carrying a badly wounded friend. As soon as Fox had touched down and brought the ship to a halt, he reached over to open the canopy. But, then he saw that workers were still being herded out of the bay. "Get outta' here, dammit!" he mouthed. Finally, the bay was cleared and Fox saw the medical team move toward the ships. He quickly opened the canopy and directed the team over to his ship. Fox knew that the medics would be better equipped to remove Slippy from the ship without causing further injury, so he climbed down the boarding ladder that had been left by his ship, and got out of their way. As the medics took Slippy out of the ship, another medic asked him what had happened. The medic seemed too focused to notice that he was talking to an outlaw. Fox was glad for his professionalism. As he explained, Fara and the others walked over to him. Looking at Falco and Peppy, Fox could tell that they were as concerned as he was. He then looked over at Fara, who looked very uncomfortable. This was understandable. After all, time was of the essence and she didn't know Slippy like they did. But, at the same time, she probably didn't want to appear insensitive. General Pepper was expecting them, Fox knew, but that seemed unimportant to him right now. He had to know that Slippy was being cared for. Then, Fox saw that the medical team was leaving the room with Slippy. He turned to follow them, but someone grabbed onto his arm and held him back. He turned around, and saw Peppy looking him straight in the face. "We have to go...now," he replied, "He'll be taken care of." Fox, Peppy, Falco, and Fara were then met by a Security team and quickly and quietly led to General Pepper's office. The General, who was sitting at his desk, rose as they entered. "Fox McCloud, Falco Lombardi, and Peppy Hare...I'm glad you're here. I know what happened to Slippy Toad-I hope he recovers quickly." "Thank you, General," Fox replied. "And you must be Lt. Phoenix." "Yes, Sir. I'm glad to meet you." "Well," Pepper told them. "This was not exactly the way I'd planned this. The arwings' new nightview systems are still in testing. They were to be finished, then shipped to Mckinley for installation within the week." "It doesn't look like that's going to happen now," Fox replied. "No...it doesn't," Pepper agreed. "As things stand now...you will complete your training here. The mission will be flown in two weeks. That should give you ample time to acquaint yourselves with the nightview systems before the mission. Also, according to our information, that should coincide with Andross' attack on Corneria as well. So, many of his ships will be busy elsewhere. Lt. Phoenix will be the mission leader." "So, we'll be launching the attack from here," Peppy concluded. "Can the arwings carry enough fuel to make the trip, even with the short cut through the black hole?" "They can reach the planet with sufficient fuel for combat. However, they do not have enough fuel to return to Corneria afterwards. You'll have to either find some fuel on Venom, or wait there until such time as we can get a ship there." "Are you sure sending a ship in would be wise, General?" Fara asked. "I don't like the idea of being left on Venom. But, the area between the border and Venom is filled with Andross' bases and troops." "It may not have to come to that. If fuel consumption by the arwings is a concern, would it be possible to take them partway to the hole in one of the SpaceForce's carriers?" Peppy posed. "It may not save a large amount of fuel, but every little bit helps." "I've thought about that, but there are several reasons against it. One...we're going to need all the ships we can gather around Corneria to repel Andross' attack. Two...the black hole's in the middle of what's still a dangerous asteroid field. An arwing can successfully navigate that field. But none of our larger ships are fast enough or maneuverable enough to make it through. They just weren't designed for that kind of maneuvering. Not even the toughest ships can take several hits from high-speed asteroids, and only the smallest, quickest ships can hope to avoid them. Also, those ships carry a lot of people." "And arwings only carry one person each," Fox concluded. "Well, yes. I suppose that that's one way of looking at it," Pepper said, uncomfortably. He then added, "This is the best chance we have. Fortunately, we have reason to believe that Andross' troops may not be a problem should your mission be successful. It seems that most of Andross' followers have been subjected to a form of psychological manipulation-manipulation that Andross will be unable to maintain without the so-called Telekinetic Amplifier, which is powered by the Core Brain you're to destroy." "How does Andross plan on getting his battleships through, by the way?" Peppy asked. "Going around the field would take too long." "We've learned that Andross has a ship designed especially for blazing a trail through the field. It's called, appropriately enough, the Rock Crusher. Supposedly, it was designed to take incredible amounts of punishment and to reduce even the largest asteroids to dust. Now, the mission will coincide with Andross' planned assault on Corneria. That way, many of his troops will be otherwise occupied-and, they should still be disorganized after the attack. I realize that this could be a big risk to you, but we need you badly. I urge you to keep that in mind. And remember-if you fly this mission, you'll all be free." "Including Slippy?" Fox asked. "Of course...I always keep my word." Then, he produced a set of papers and gave them to Fox, Peppy, and Falco. "In fact, here it is in writing. These are the papers I showed you in my second message. They legally bind the Federation to honor the agreement, should the mission be successful. You will be reinstated, as a team-should you so choose. And, each of you, including Lt. Phoenix, will be given your choice of assignments." Fox, Peppy, and Falco looked the papers over again, and, apparently satisfied with their validity, returned them to Pepper. "In the information you sent us, you said that you'd determined a safe path through the black hole," Fox asked. "How'd you determine it?" "We AND THE LIZARDS have been sending probes into the black hole for several months now to determine a safe route through it. Using the data from both sets of experiments, our scientists were able to generate a computer model of the hole. From that, we've been able to determine a safe path. The appropriate course will be programmed into your ships' autopilot systems." "We have to assume that the Lizards saw the arwings, and possibly recognized Fox, Falco, Peppy, and Slippy getting into them," Fara contributed. "They know the four of you have been banished. Seeing you flying a prototype SpaceForce ship could seem suspicious at that," Pepper agreed. "We'll have to be even more careful than before." "I'm curious about one thing, General," Fox posed. "Why did you hire us for this mission? Surely you have other pilots who are just as capable as we are, and a lot fresher. Why go outside the 'Force?" "There are several reasons. First of all, the arwings were only recently built-we didn't expect Andross to attack so soon. So, there was no time to train our pilots on the new ships. We needed pilots that were experienced at flying SpaceForce fighters, and who could also adapt quickly to faster, more capable ships. Your records prior to your banishment showed you to be such pilots. Plus, I had the experience of serving with you personally, Fox. Second,...several SpaceForce pilots have been caught relaying messages to Andross, like you were convicted of doing. This mission is too important to risk on leaks. And third...I don't believe that you were guilty. Some members of the Security Council have even re-examined your case and now have their doubts as well." "I seem to be hearing that a lot lately," Fox commented, looking at Fara. "I just wish the verdicts had been up to you." "I'll say one thing about this mission," Falco contributed, "I'm glad the SpaceForce is finally taking the initiative. Between the attack on Guilford, what we just went through on Mckinley, and everything in between, it seems like we've been doing all the reacting in this war." THEY'RE GONNA' PAY FOR WHAT HAPPENED TO SLIPPY! "We haven't been as reactionary as you might think. The captives we've taken have been mostly uncooperative, but we have been able to learn the locations of some of Andross' bases. We've made several attempts to capture or destroy those bases using frontal assaults. Some 30% of them have been successful, while the others have been less than that." Pepper touched a button, activating a viewer in front of him. Video logs of several missions appeared before them, one after the other. "As you can see, Andross knew our ships were coming as soon as we crossed his sensor net. They never had a chance to reach their targets before they were caught between Andross' battleships and fighters on one side, and fighters, cannons, and SAM's on the other." "I've never seen fighters or battleships firing so many blasts at such a high magnitude!" Peppy exclaimed, watching as a Lizard battleship took out a 'Force battleship's shields with just a few shots. "Where do they get the power to do that so consistently?" "I'm glad you noticed," Pepper replied. "The Lizards have learned how to transmit power to their ships from a remote location. This eliminates the need to take up space in the ship with generating equipment, and allows that space to be filled with more powerful weapons, or whatever else the Lizards desire. All that's required is a small battery system to carry reserve power. Also, this system allows ships to be in space indefinitely without needing to refuel." "Could this system be taken out by destroying the ship's receiving antenna?" Fox asked. "The ship's hull is the antenna," replied Pepper. "As long as any of it is left intact, the ship can continue receiving power." "How much of a reserve do they have?" Peppy asked. "In heavy combat, their reserve is equal to our own ships' main fuel supplies, but only with greatly reduced power to their weapons and shields. Once they're on their reserves, we should be able to handle them. Also, their fighters don't seem to be any more powerful than our own, though a few of them have the ability to cloak themselves-hence the need for nightview." "And only the arwings have...will have nightview during the mission?" Fox asked. "That's correct. There's been no time to adapt the system to our older ships." "How is the power delivered to Andross' ships over interstellar distances?" Peppy inquired. "We believe Andross has a large energy transmitter on Venom. It sends out a continuous, omnidirectional field of tachyons that acts as a carrier for the energy. Once the energy's been received by the ship, it's piped to the battery system, where it's stored until it's needed." "Still, Andross must need an incredible fuel supply to keep that up," Fara chimed in. "He has one-calorium," Pepper replied. "What do you know about that substance?" "It's an extremely powerful energy source, but it's also highly unstable," Fara recalled. "In fact, it's so unstable, that transport of it over even short distances has been made illegal. Transport of it through space is almost unheard of. And, as far as I know, Corneria's the only planet in the system that has a natural supply of it." "Most smugglers won't touch the stuff, either," Fox added. "And those that do, charge a very large fortune for the service." "Well, there's apparently a sizeable amount of it on Venom." "And you just learned this now?!" Falco blurted out. "Information about Venom has always been...hard to come by," Pepper replied, slightly annoyed. "During our stay on Papetoon, we often raided Andross' supply ships," Peppy said. "Recently, we've noticed something of a pattern in his shipments to his base there." Fox then reached into his shirt and produced a small pad. "This is a record of some of the equipment we have discovered on his ships, much of which was taken from the SpaceForce," Fox explained as he handed the pad to Pepper. "It looks like almost everything you need to build a very large transmitter or amplifier. If that's the case, more than just the Lylat system could be in danger..." "Especially if Andross gets his paws on Corneria, and builds a second transmitter here," Pepper completed, his heart beating just a little faster than it was before. "This information will be very useful to us...Why didn't you reveal this to Lt. Phoenix earlier?" "We weren't sure how important it would be to this mission," Fox explained. "Besides, we had to be sure you really intended to honor our deal. It's nothing personal...we've just learned to be very cautious about trusting people." "I take it you've decided to give me the benefit of the doubt, then?" Pepper replied. Fox looked at Falco and Peppy, then looked Pepper straight in the eyes. "General, no one wants to see Andross defeated more than we do. We'll fly the mission," he said, his voice bristling with passion. The intensity with which Fox spoke took Fara aback. Pepper stared at Fox momentarily, then spoke. "Good," he stated, getting up from his desk. "I'd like to show this book to my technicians, if you don't mind. By the way, how did you manage to keep this from the guards at Mckinley?" "It's a talent we've all picked up over the years," Fox replied. "Do with the information as you will." "Good. Now, you'll all need a place to stay while you're here," Pepper noted. "In light of recent events, I don't think it's a good idea for you to stay here on the base-not even as prisoners. The Lizards have seen you board the arwings. They'll know something's up, and that you're involved. And I'm not sure who here can be trusted." "My father's old place would be too obvious a choice," Fox considered. "We need some place that's close by, and can't be traced to any one of us." "I think I know of a place we can use," Fara offered. "It's near the base of Mount Ingo, about 35 minutes from here by rover. It belongs to a friend of my father. He used to lend it to my family sometimes when I was little." "Sounds good, except that our rovers are back on Papetoon," replied Fox. "I'll take care of that," Pepper answered. "There are plenty of rovers in the motor pool. I should be able to check a few out, no questions asked." "Speaking of questions, General-how has Andross gotten so many moles in the SpaceForce?" Fox asked. "I don't remember there being anywhere near this level of...caution when I was stationed here." "Andross is a master manipulator. He seems to be highly skilled at psychological manipulation of captives." "He's taken that many captives?" Falco asked. There was no answer. "General...now that I think of it," Fox noted. "We used to have an extremely difficult time getting information on the Lizards. How did you get all the information you sent us?" "We were able to get an informant who was very close to Andross," Pepper replied. "He's unavailable at the moment, but I can arrange for you to meet him, if you wish." "Please do." Fara's head started to throb, causing her to put her paw against the top of it. "Are you alright, Lieutenant?" Pepper asked. "Yes, Sir. I'm fine. I've just got a bit of a headache." "And quite a bump on your head, I see," Pepper completed. "I suggest you stop by the infirmary and have that looked at." "Aye, Sir." Fara replied flatly. Then, Pepper noticed Fox's wounded paw and suggested that he do the same. Over the next several days, Fox, Fara, and the others commuted back-and-forth between the base and Mount Ingo. When they weren't in the flight simulator, in the cockpit, or outdoors exercising, they were usually either resting or studying mission data. In order to reduce the chances of their being recognized, the team always trained at night. This reduced the chance of them being recognized by species without acute night vision, and ensured that there were as few people as possible in the base when they arrived to train. Also, written orders left by General Pepper allowed Fara to get Fox and the others on and off of the base, no questions asked. These same orders also swore base personnel to secrecy about Fara and her group. Andross' base on Venom had one important weakness, a narrow maintenance tunnel that led straight to the Core Brain they were to take out. The core fed the energy to the power transmitter, so the transmitter wouldn't work without it. Nor, for that matter, would the Telekinetic Amplifier. Andross had backup power supplies as well, but they were insufficient to operate these two devices. Well, perhaps it didn't lead straight to the core. The tunnel was full of twists and turns, and was very narrow. Obviously, the tunnel was not designed for high-speed travel. As difficult as that would make the mission, though, the most difficult obstacle would be the base's shield. They would have to somehow get into the tunnel before the Lizards raised it, and the Lizards would be able to pick them up as soon as they exited the black hole. Fox had no idea how they were going to get past that shield, and neither Pepper nor anyone else had given him a definitive answer to the problem. Yet, the 'Force had to realize that without a way past that shield, the mission would be doomed to failure. Fox was beginning to wonder if maybe Falco hadn't been right about them being 'cannon fodder'. But, Fox still wanted to fly the mission, no matter what. The den belonging to Fara's father's friend was a comfortable, rustic place. At the moment, it was quiet, as Peppy and Falco were above ground, and Fara was at the base. As Fox laid back on a couch, he looked forward. As his thoughts wandered, Fox could just see his father standing before him. His father was a young man, and there Fox himself was running by his leg. Only, it wasn't Fox as he was now-it was him as a five-year-old. Fox's father bent down and reached out to Fox's younger self. Young Fox ran into his arms and put them tightly around him. As Fox remembered, a smile crossed his face. As Fox daydreamed, Falco, Peppy, and Fara walked down the ladder by the den's entrance. Fox came out of his trance at the sound of Fara closing the door. "Any word about Slippy?" he asked quickly, his full attention now on the trio that now stood before him. Because any trip to the base increased the chances of them being spotted by a double-agent, Pepper had urged them to only come to the base when absolutely necessary. Unfortunately, this meant that they could not visit Slippy, who was now resting by himself in a section of sic bay. However, General Pepper was not blind to their anxiety about Slippy's condition. So, he allowed Fara (who wasn't as well known as were Fox, Falco, and Peppy) to convey messages back and forth between them and Slippy. "He seems to be doing fine. He said he feels a little weak, but, I think that's understandable. The doctor said that he's not out of the woods yet, but his condition seems to be improving." "Thank Goodness!" Fox exclaimed. "When they took him away the first night, I was scared to death." "And Slippy also says that he misses you guys, and wishes he could see you all." "The next time you see him, tell him that we'll see him after the mission," Fox replied quietly. "Of course." Finally, the day came for Fox and the others to meet the mysterious informant Pepper had spoken of. Pepper wanted them all to meet him at once, as time was of the essence. Fox wasn't sure what exactly that meant, but he felt they'd probably find out soon enough. Fox and the others were led into a small room by armed guards. There were several chairs sitting near a table. As the four of them sat down, two other guards led another individual into the room, and then took their posts by the doors. As he sat down in a chair on the opposite side of the table, Fox looked at him long and hard. It was Vessic. "What's this?!" Falco blurted out. "They've got to be kidding!" No one spoke for several minutes. Finally, Fara broke the silence. "Well, I guess we should get started. It's going to take some time before we can communicate with each other effectively." "I have...learned some more Cornerian," Vessic replied. "From... questioning." I'LL JUST BET YOU HAVE! thought Peppy. "That's good," Fara said. "It will make things easier for all of us." Then, Vessic looked at her closely. He seemed to be studying her. "You seem...similar. Have we met before?" Fara looked confused, as much by his question as by his diction. "Do you mean, 'familiar'?" Vessic nodded. "Well, no-we've never met. I've never been to Venom," Fara answered uncomfortably. "Well, I think introductions are in order. I'm Lt. Fara Phoenix, and this is..." "Fox McCloud, Peppy Hare, and Falco Lombardi-I have...heard of you." "Me no tacidas (I'm not surprised)," Fox replied, much to Vessic and Fara's surprise. "You know my language?" Vessic asked. "Not fluently, but I learned a few phrases while we were on Papetoon." Vessic simply nodded in understanding. "My name is Vessic. I was Andross' ... WHAT WORD DID THE INTERROGATOR USE? NOW I REMEMBER...second-in-command." Fox could feel his heart speed up as he digested what Vessic was saying. "How did you come to be his second?" Fox inquired. "His ship...crashed. I pulled him from the...wreck. I believe he felt..." "Grateful?" Fara offered. "Yes. He felt grateful." "Let me ask you this-what did we ever do to your people?!" Falco challenged. Vessic was slightly taken aback by Falco's demand, but answered nevertheless. "Our planet was...damaged...by war. Andross arrived saying that he could fix the planet. We were..." "Fooled?" Fox guessed. "Yes. He was like a-like a savior to us. Then-he changed. He said he couldn't fix our planet, but that there was another... This planet. He told us that the Cornerians were bad, and that they'd have to be driven off the planet." "And you believed him," Fox stated, disgustedly. "And what of the other planets that your people have taken? Did you plan on living on them, too?" "No," Vessic replied, bowing his head in shame. "We needed...resources, and Andross told us that we couldn't leave other races around to...make trouble." Fox could feel the anger well up inside of him. "So, how many people have you killed or enslaved so they wouldn't 'make trouble'?!" "That's enough!!" Fara snapped at Fox. "Now, stop bickering or I'll have you thrown in the brig!" "No me sustatta da mis eros o mi! (I make no excuses for my people or myself!)" Vessic yelled at Fox as soon as Fara was finished. Then, more calmly, he stated. "Andross...influenced us. He...entered our minds. He...I don't know how to say it. I tried before, but..." "Feel free to show us, or to speak your native language," Fara told him. "We're here to learn from you." For the next couple of days, the group of five spent a great deal of time trying to understand each other. In terms of verbal understanding, Fara and the others (with the help of their language implants) made incredible progress in learning the Venom language, allowing Vessic to revert to his native tongue when necessary. However, the tension between them was still as thick as ever. Vessic told them that Andross had the ability to put thoughts into their minds, and to make those thoughts extremely difficult not to act on. Also, he had found that he could sometimes keep Andross out when he was upset or excited. And, the horrors he saw as Andross' second had served to galvanize his mental defenses somewhat against Andross' influence-probably because they upset him so. Vessic told them of Andross' telekinetic amplifier, which augmented Andross' mental abilities and allowed him to maintain control of Vessic's people. As Fox heard him speak, he couldn't help but think of the "voice" he used to hear all too often. But, whenever he, Falco, or Peppy started to sympathize with Vessic, they remembered that a Lizard had shot Slippy. "There is...something else," Vessic told them. "Andross has a...self-destruct device, and only he knows the codes to activate it and deactivate it." "That's not surprising," Fara replied. "Most SpaceForce bases have them as well." "Are SpaceForce self-destruct... devices designed to destroy the entire planet?" "The entire planet?!" Fara replied, shocked. "How, and why?!" "It was all done... in secret. Only a select few knew about it. Not even I knew about it until just a few weeks before my...defection. He used remote drilling machines to place explosives above four of my planet's natural... calorium... deposits. When he enters the correct code, the explosives will detonate, one after... the other. This will set off the calorium in the deposits and cause a series of explosions, devastating everything and everyone on the planet's surface... a little at a time. Eventually, the entire planet will be made uninhabitable." Then, Vessic struggled to get the next words out. "He will have... killed my people. I think that he hates the SpaceForce so much that he's willing to destroy my people so that the SpaceForce cannot take 'his planet'!" Then, Vessic continued as before, "But, should he change his mind... at any time and decide to stop it, he can... disarm the explosives by entering the proper code." "How does he enter these codes? How long after he enters the destruct code will the explosions begin?" Fox asked. "They must be entered from a certain terminal that only Andross and those that helped him build the self-destruct can gain... access to. Most don't even know it exists. As for your second question, there is a 15.7-minute delay. After that, the explosions will be about 1 minute apart, I believe. Most of the information I was able to gather is...word-of-mouth, unfortunately. I was unable to find much...in writing." "Do you know the location of this terminal?" Falco asked. "Yes. It's hidden in Andross' secondary laboratory." "How could this process possibly be stopped?!" Fara asked. "It seems to me that after the first explosion takes place, it will produce shock waves which will then set off the rest of the pools in an uncontrollable chain reaction." "The pools aren't...evenly spaced. The four with the explosives in them have enough dirt and rock between them to...weaken the shock waves, so that one pool doesn't set off the others. Only the fourth one is close enough to any of the other pools to start a... chain reaction." "So, once the fourth explosion has occurred, the process can't be stopped," Peppy concluded. "If the designers of this 'system' weren't wrong about none of the first three explosions causing a chain reaction." Vessic nodded. "Why wouldn't you, his second-in-command, have known of this all-along?" Peppy questioned suspiciously. "He...didn't tell me...everything. I don't think he wanted to admit... the possibility of defeat, especially to me, who he worked with quite often. And, he may have had his suspicions about me." "Then how did you find out about this?" Fara asked. "One day, there...there was a large explosion near the base. I chose to investigate it on my own, and found out that someone had inadvertently... set-off one of the...bombs while it was out of the deposit for repairs. During our civil war, I had fought... alongside some of those that knew about the...project. I still had enough... pull with them to get them to tell me about it." "Andross's taken many other planets besides Venom. Does he have a similar fate in mind for them?" "He cannot... They have no Calorium," Vessic replied. "And he would need Calorium to destroy them. And, I think Venom... means more to him than do the others." "So, we've got to destroy the core and keep Andross from activating the self-destruct," Falco commented. "Piece of cake!" "If he does manage to activate it," Peppy pointed out to Vessic, "one of us may have to get the abort code and give it to you by comm unit. So, you'd better learn the Cornerian names of the letters, and we'll learn the Venom names. It's just a good thing that Venom and Cornerian use similar alphabets." "I...agree," Vessic replied. "I have one more question, Major," Fara said. "Why would Andross have a delay built in, and then not tell anyone that there even is a self-destruct?" "I'll tell you why," Fox cut in. "He's afraid panicking Lizards would impede his escape! The delay's in there for one reason and one reason only-to save Andross' sorry #^&#()#&&!!!" Again, Vessic nodded. One day, Fox and the others were waiting for General Pepper in a wooded area a mile or two away from their temporary residence. The General had asked them to meet him there to discuss strategy for the mission. As soon as Pepper arrived and saw that everyone was there, he got down to business. "I asked you to meet me here because some unauthorized bugs were found in my office by a member of Base Security. The matter's being investigated. But, until such time as the matter's cleared up, I feel it best that we meet off-base like this." "Isn't your office regularly checked for things like that?" Fara asked. "Yes, but the bugs were extremely well-hidden. Whoever planted them knew what they were doing." "How long have the bugs been there? Could they have been there during our last meeting?" Fox inquired, worried. "It's possible. My office was checked for bugs just before that meeting and several times afterwards. Only recently were the bugs discovered. But, as I said, they were very well hidden. So, they might have been missed earlier," Pepper admitted. "If an enemy knew we were here, he'd probably have made a move against us by now," Peppy suggested. "Unless he didn't want to risk exposing himself," Fox replied. "The Lizards most likely did see us on McKinley, and they're probably aware of the fact that Corneria's one of our most important bases," Fara supposed. "I think it would be a good idea for the three of you to carry sidearms," Pepper told Fox, Falco, and Peppy. "Just in case. I will obtain them for you." "There's no need, General," Fox said, pulling a blaster from its hiding place inside his clothing. As he did, Fara blinked in surprise, but then grinned and shook her head. "We've been carrying sidearms for a while now. We got them back on Papetoon, just in case we ran into trouble from any of the local bandits. We had a friend of ours bring them here for us. We couldn't risk getting caught with them while we were 'prisoners'." "How did you...?" Pepper started, but then remembered, "Ahh, yes. The same 'talent' you used to conceal the list of stolen goods." "Anyway," Pepper continued, "we have a mission to discuss. I'm sure you've all been wondering how you're to deal with the shield around the Venom base." "The problem has crossed our minds," Fara replied. "I didn't want to tell you this until you'd met Vessic, because it involves him. I instructed him not to reveal his involvement in the attack until now. Our plan is a variation on the 'trojan horse' ploy. Vessic, flying ahead of you, will emerge from the black hole first. You will form a holding pattern just beyond the pull of the black hole. He will surrender himself to them. He'll tell them he's had a change of heart, and has come to warn them of a SpaceForce trap. They should then lower their shields and either send a couple of ships out to escort him in, or lock a tractor beam onto him and pull him in. Then, once he's inside the shield, he'll change course suddenly, and try to take out as many of their shield generators as possible, making it possible for you to pass through. But, you'll have to hurry. We estimate that he'll only be able to provide you a window of 2 or 3 minutes. Unfortunately, he probably won't be able to take out all the generators before the Lizards react. So, the shield system will eventually compensate for the damage he does, and seal the hole in the shield. So, based on his trip here through the black hole, you should enter the black hole no more than 15 minutes after he does. Also, they'll be able to pinpoint his ship, using his ship's transponder signal. The rest of your training will emphasize the timing required in this mission. Now, the tractor beam isn't located near the maintenance tunnel. So, the hole he opens won't be, either. You'll have to go through the hole and fly over the planet's surface to get to the tunnel." "You said he'd change course," Peppy asked. "How can he do that if he's got a tractor beam locked on him? And what if the Lizards decide to just blow him away because he's a traitor?" "We've come up with a way to weaken the beam, allowing him to escape," Pepper replied. "As for them blowing him away, I don't think they'd do that as long as they think he knows something." "How can we prevent Andross from activating the self-destruct?" Fox posed. "Yes, he told you about that. Good. From the information Vessic's provided us, Andross will lose his hold on the Lizards after you've taken out the Core Brain. So, Vessic may be able to get them to either detain Andross or destroy the destruct-terminal." "Surely, we can't expect all the Lizards to turn on their leader just like that!" Fara noted. "True...we can't," Pepper admitted. "But, from what Vessic's told us, most of them should do just that. Just the same, you'll need to get to the terminal yourselves asap. I believe Vessic was able to learn its location?" Fara nodded, "He revealed its location to us earlier." "From what Vessic told us, Andross' powers had a profound influence on his people," Fara asked. "How do we know that he won't be able to exert the same kind of influence on the guards, even with the TK amplifier down?" "Vessic will instruct them to use the same emotional defence he used," Pepper replied. "Also, we're looking into other ways to block his power." "Can Vessic be trusted?" Fox asked. "After all, he is a Lizard." "Your point's well-taken. But, he's a Lizard who's risked his life and given up his home to stop Andross," Pepper countered. "I think he's earned a certain degree of trust. Still, we have taken some precautions. During the mission, his communications will be monitored by Lt. Phoenix-we've placed a wiretap in his ship, and modified all of your arwings' comm units to monitor all the wiretap's transmissions. Also, we've placed a homing beacon on his ship. Based on what we know about their propulsion systems, the beacon and the wiretap's signal should appear to the Lizards to be radiation put out by his engines. But, the beacon will serve to distinguish him for you from the other Venom fighters. If any of you think it has been detected, Lt. Phoenix can deactivate the beacon, and the wiretap, by remote. We'll show you how, shortly." "General, Vessic's the 'informant' that provided much of the mission data, isn't he?" "That's correct," Pepper replied flatly. "He provided the layout of the base, data on their weapons and defensive systems, and data on a safe path through the black hole. The latter data was used to augment our own. Is there a problem?" "Were you planning on telling us this eventually?" Fox replied. "Yes. Why?" "A Venom traitor's almost unheard of. Yet, we're to accept vital information from Andross' second-in-command site unseen? He could be leading us into a trap....If he is, my team and I could be killed." "Yes, you could be. But, we have no reason not to believe him. If he's telling the truth and we do nothing, we could all die. We have verified as much of the information as possible. I wish I could convince you that we've taken every precaution to ensure your safe return." "Did Vessic himself travel through the black hole? How can we be sure the hole near Venom and the one in the asteroid belt are connected?" Peppy asked. "He claims that he did indeed travel through the hole. His ship's sensor logs back up that claim. Also, one of our battleships, the Cambridge, saw his ship suddenly appear out of nowhere in the middle of the asteroid belt. I'm told that's consistent with what would probably happen if a ship were to emerge from the black hole. So, it would appear that the two holes are, in fact, one hole, and that Vessic did indeed travel through it." "Are you sure that the wiretap and beacon's signals can be read through the black hole's interference?" Fara asked. "Signals have been received from the other side of the black hole before," Pepper explained. "I believe these will be readable, as well....I know it's a risk, but I believe this plan is the best chance we've got." "I take it that Vessic doesn't know about these precautions?" Fox posed. "No, he doesn't," Pepper replied. "We can't trust him completely." Pepper paused momentarily, and then admitted to Fox, Falco, and Peppy, "Also, your ships have been bugged as well. I thought you should know that." "Well, you sure present an attractive offer, General!" Falco snapped. "We can't expect miracles, Falco," Peppy replied (though clearly disappointed himself). "After all, we were convicted of treason." "I guess you can't trust us completely, either," Fox concluded. "So, why did you tell us that our ships were bugged?" "I can't trust you completely, but that doesn't mean that I don't trust you at all," Pepper replied. "I felt I owed you that much. Do you want to reconsider our deal?" Fara walked up to Fox and whispered into his ear, "Remember what you said about not seeing enemies everywhere." Fox then looked at Peppy and Falco for guidance. Their faces, however, told him nothing. Fox took a deep breath and spoke. "No, I don't. Slippy's already been shot because of this mission. I'm not letting him be shot for nothing." Pepper nodded his head and asked, "And you, Lt. Phoenix?" "I'll fly the mission." "Thank you." Then, he added, "I suggest that you attempt to learn as much of the Venom language as possible. When you're conversing with each other, you can continue to speak your native language, but if you're addressing Vessic, speak his language. He doesn't have the implant, and you won't be able to afford any misunderstandings." Later, as Fox and Fara walked back to the den, she brought up some questions that had been bothering her for some time. "Would you mind if I asked you a personal question?" "I guess not. Go ahead and ask," Fox replied. "How do you feel about going up against your father's killer?" Fox turned to her, surprised. "How did you know that Andross killed my father?" "I was given certain information about your father's final mission," Fara confessed. "How much information?" Fox demanded. "Only that Andross was banished for his actions in that mission...actions that resulted in the deaths of your father and several other pilots as well." "Are you sure that's all?" "I almost wasn't told even that much information. The information was given strictly on a need-to-know basis, and I wasn't the one deciding what needed to be known." Perhaps it was Fara's resemblance to his mother, or her soothing voice, but something about her acted to calm him back down again. He trusted her, and that was that. For a long time, Fox hadn't really trusted anyone other than Falco, Peppy, and Slippy. But Fara had been very open with them, and hadn't pre-judged them, in spite of the conviction. So, he knew that she was telling the truth when she said that she knew nothing more. "Now, how about my question?" Fara reminded him. "Andross is the enemy-I want him beaten." "I thought we were being honest with each other. You felt more than just a professional opposition to Andross when you told General Pepper, and I quote, 'General, no one wants to see Andross defeated more than we do. We'll fly the mission.' There was fire in your eyes, and in your voice. You practically blew him off his feet! Also, I've talked to Falco, Peppy, and Slippy. Come to think of it, it was one of Andross' men who shot Slippy. How do you feel about that?" "Slippy's one of my best friends, of course I'm upset about his being shot. But, I will not risk a person's life for revenge-whether that person's a friend or a total stranger. "What about you?" Fara asked. Then, Fox asked, "What did they say?" while turning around and shooting a steely glance at Falco and Peppy, who were walking just out of earshot from them. "They said that you want vengeance on Andross, but they also say that you're an excellent leader. They said that they'd trust you with their lives." "But...," Fox prompted. "They also confessed that they're a bit concerned that you may lose your judgement when faced with the opportunity to take out Andross. When we're up there, we each depend on each other. A vendetta can get someone killed, especially a vendetta carried out by someone that they look upon as a leader," Fara responded, pointing toward Falco and Peppy. "You have no reason to worry about me," Fox replied, turning around and starting off in the opposite direction. Then, he whispered, "Excuse me." I HOPE NOT. I WANT TO KNOW YOU BETTER, thought Fara, as she continued on toward the den. Chapter 25: Examinations As Falco and Peppy walked, they noticed Fox heading toward them. And he didn't look happy. "Falco, Peppy, can I have a word with you two?" "Do we have a choice?" Falco asked. "No!" Fox snapped. "What's the problem?" Peppy asked. "'The problem' is the two of you telling Fara that you think I'll lose control and go after Andross." Peppy felt a lump in his throat. "Fox, we only said that you might be tempted to avenge your father's death. We all know how you feel about Andross. And now, with Slippy having been shot and all..." "If you felt this way, then why didn't you tell me?" "We've tried to tell you in the past, but you wouldn't listen," Falco replied. "This mission can free us, if we survive it. All of us," Peppy explained. "We're concerned. We've always known that you'd come up against Andross again someday, one way or the other. This way, at least you won't be alone when you do so. But, if you don't have a clear head during that attack, you will die!" "You're right," Fox admitted. Then, he looked Falco and Peppy straight in the eyes and said, "I am angry at Andross. But ask yourselves this-Am I the only one with an axe to grind?" That night, Fox and the others approached the base, expecting it to be quiet. Instead, they saw an angry mob gathered out in front of the main gate. There were people yelling and throwing things at the guards on the other side of the gate. "What's going on here?" Fox asked. "I'm going to find out," Fara replied. "Stay here, and stay out of sight." Fara made her way toward the crowd. As she got closer, she prepared to push her way through the crowd. They didn't seem too violent, only noisy. Just how long they would remain that way remained to be seen, however. The group was extremely disorganized. Everyone in it seemed to be yelling something different, resulting in an indecipherable jumble of voices. Finally, she managed to reach the gate, and showed the guards her ID. The guards quickly opened the gate for her, and she slipped through immediately. As soon as the gate closed, she heard one of the protesters yell, "Stop before he kills us!" As soon as the gate was closed, Fara asked the guard, "What's going on here?" "Someone leaked that Andross's planning to attack Corneria. They don't think Andross can be stopped, but they think that he might go easy on them if we offer him no resistance. At least, that's what they seem to be screaming." "They're afraid for their lives," Fara concluded. "They're striking out at the nearest available target. Listen, I have to get some people in here, but I can't let them be seen by anyone, let alone by this mob. Is there another entrance to the base?" "Yes, ma'am." Some time later, Fara returned to Fox and the others. "Come on, mount up." The four of them sped along toward the other side of the base, keeping a fair amount of distance between themselves and the mob. Then, an explosion and the wail of a siren could be heard. The four of them stopped and looked in the direction of the sound. They could see a swarm of people, lights, and sounds in front of the base. There were people running every which way, and objects were flying through the air. The mass of people was trying to storm into the base, and the guards were trying to hold them at bay. The protest had turned into a full-fledged riot. The civilian authorities had been called in to help put down the uprising, and they had their paws full. Fox saw that some of the rioters had gotten close to the entrance for which they were heading. The authorities had managed to push them back, clearing the area. But then, Fox noticed a figure lying on the ground in the dark. He couldn't make out any detail, but he could tell by its size and shape that it was a living being of some sort. It didn't seem to be moving. "There's someone over there," he said, steering his rover toward the figure. "Fox, where're you...," Fara yelled. But then, she saw the figure as well, and started after Fox. Then, she turned back to Peppy and Falco and said, "Keep going to the base." As Fox neared the figure, he stopped his rover and disembarked. As he neared the figure, he could make out more and more detail. It was a Cornerian Vixen, about thirty years old. As he reached her, he saw her arm move slightly and her chest move. She was lying face-up on the ground. Fox knelt down beside her and tapped her gently to get her attention. "Are you alright?" he asked gently. She turned her head to look at him. For a moment, she simply stared at him. Then, her eyes narrowed. "You!" she spoke angrily. "Traitor." Then, her head fell to the side. She was still alive, but unconscious. "Damn this war!" Fox muttered as he tended to her wounds. After a few minutes, he heard Fara's voice behind him, "Fox, I've managed to find some medics. They're on their way here now." Behind them, the medics could be seen approaching rapidly. "We've got to go." As Fox got up, Fara could see a tear in his eye. A few minutes later, they were in the base, preparing to fly a simulated mission. It was difficult to block out what they'd just seen outside, but they had a job to concentrate on. As Fox was about to enter the simulator, he looked over and noticed Fara looking at him. She looked as if she wanted to say something, but wasn't sure how. "Is there something you want to say to me?" Fox asked. "Yes...but I'm not sure how to say it without sounding like a complete jerk." "Then just say it if it's got to be said. I won't take it personally." "What you did out there for that woman was wonderful. But...you could have been spotted. The Creator knows, someone out there might have been in league with the Lizards." "That's true...someone could have been. But, that woman was definitely in need of medical help," Fox replied. "There's no doubt about that." He paused for a second to think, and then said, "There are a lot of people in this universe who'd love to see me dead-a lot of people. But, I don't plan on living the rest of my life looking for enemies around every corner. That kind of paranoia's worse than death." "So, you think I'm paranoid, do you?" Fara asked, somewhat annoyed. "We all are. Hell, I'm a little paranoid myself," Fox admitted. "You have to be that way when you deal with cutthroats." Fara raised her eyebrow in surprise. "Not them," Fox explained. "But we had to deal with a lot of tough customers on Papetoon. It comes with the territory. The point is, I've been able to avoid seeing enemies everywhere I've looked." "Perhaps we are being a bit paranoid," Fara conceded. "But, we do need to be careful about who knows what. Even if Andross doesn't figure out that we've hired you to fly a mission for us, there's still that price you each have on your heads. And then, there's also all the people who don't know about the mission, but do know that you've been convicted of treason. Just because they're afraid of Andross, doesn't mean that they like those who they think have betrayed us to him. We still have to be careful." Suddenly, Fox frowned and looked downward. "But, we also have to remember what's most important." After that, Fox barely spoke for the rest of the evening. "Damn!" Pepper yelled. He and his Security Chief were alone in Pepper's office. "I didn't want word of the attack to get out, and now half the planet knows about it! Who leaked this!" The Security Chief replied, "We don't know, Sir. It seems someone gave the civilian press an 'anonymous' tip. We're investigating it now." Pepper sighed, "So, we're going to have to finish preparing for the attack in the middle of a circus. This is not good. Plus, if Andross finds out that we know that he's going to attack soon, he might decide to attack early. Has the fact that we know when Andross's planning to attack been leaked, too?" "As far as I know, the only thing that was leaked was the fact that Andross' planning to attack sometime within the next few weeks. No exact time of attack was mentioned." "Just enough information to cause a portion of a nervous population to panic." "Are you suggesting something, Sir?" "No, I'm just expressing frustration," Pepper sighed. "Has the riot ended?" "Yes, Sir." "Good, continue the investigation," Pepper ordered. "That'll be all." Then, Pepper followed the Chief out the door and into Command Central. He turned to his Comm officer and said, "Alert all posts along the border to watch for any sign that Andross may be making his move earlier than expected." "Aye, Sir." "Have you made any progress in analyzing the communications log of Lt. Kosis?" "There's definitely some encoded information in the log, but we haven't had any luck cracking the code so far. Also, Lt. Kosis's been very uncooperative." "Keep on it. We need to know if he's passed anything important on." "Eye, Sir." "Any word from any of our neighbors about our call for assistance?" IT'S BEEN WEEKS SINCE WE CONTACTED THEM...THE LEAST THEY COULD DO IS GIVE US AN ANSWER! "No go, Sir," he sighed. "Everyone seems to either be too afraid of Andross to help, or they seem to think that Andross's none of their concern. We're on our own." "Damn!" Pepper replied. "When will people learn that he's everyone's concern?!" Then, he sighed and said. "Very well. Carry on." That said, Pepper turned and headed off to Engineering. Several minutes later, Pepper walked into Engineering. "How're the modifications coming?" "They're finished. The new sensor we've installed will automatically detect the frequency and amplitude of any tractor beam they try to fix on the Lizard's ship. The Lizard can then activate the shields, and the sensor will automatically tune the shields to just the right frequency and amplitude to weaken the tractor beam's grip as much as possible. According to the information the Lizard provided, the beam's amplitude and frequency are kept constantly changing. The sensor can adjust, but not instantaneously. So, the beam won't be cancelled completely. However, it should be weakened enough to allow him to escape by barrel-rolling a couple times. It's similar to the way the arwings' shields operate." "Has it been tested?" Pepper asked. "The attack's going to be launched in two days, and we need everything to be working by then." "We're in the process of doing that now, Sir. So far, everything checks out." "Could Andross pick up on this modification to Vessic's ship?" "No, Sir. The sensor doesn't emit any signals, and it only becomes active when the tractor beam hits the hull. Also, it runs off of the ship's power source, so no structural modifications to the ship were necessary. They might spot it if they do a small-scale scan of the ship, but they'd have to take a couple hours to do that." "Andross' unlikely to take the time to do that during his hour of triumph," Pepper agreed. "I've also managed to boost the Lizard's shields, as per your order. They should now be able to withstand several more hits. But, that protection's come at the cost of reduced thrust." "Very well. I'll make sure Vessic's made aware of these changes," Pepper replied. "Now, I believe you've also discovered a way to use shields to block Andross' powers?" "Yes. Sir," he said, proudly. "Well, you see, Sir, the study of paranormal phenomena is something of a hobby of mine. I did some research on telepathy and other such phenomena a while back, and I remembered discovering evidence that shields can be used to block telekinetic and telepathic influence. It seems that, centuries ago, many Cornerians had such abilities. There were those who feared those powers, and sought to restrict them. One such group discovered that shields like those on our ships and Vessic's ship could act to effectively filter out those powers, if they're tuned properly." "That was a long time ago," Pepper replied. "After the Cornerians first entered space, they began to breed with other, non-telepathic species, diluting the gene pool. Now, almost no Cornerians have those abilities, or even know that those with such abilities still exist. Are there any records from that era that're detailed enough to tell us how to tune the shields?" "I managed to find an organization that studied telepathy and telekinesis in modern Cornerians and other peoples before the war. They made a lot of information freely available for those who know where to look. That information's still out there, and I believe that I can use it to determine how to tune the shields. I haven't said anything before now because I wasn't sure if our shields could be turned into 'filters', and I didn't want to get anyone else's hopes up. Now, I feel certain they can be." "Will it work against Andross and his TK amplifier?" "I'm not sure. But it could help." "How long do you think it will take you to tune the shields on the assault team's ships?" "It'll take me about an hour or two to figure out how to tune the shields. After that, it should only take a few minutes to re-tune each of the ships' shields. I can also rig the Lizard's shields to revert to the 'filtering' frequency as soon as he's free of the beam-That should take about 30 minutes to an hour," he said, putting his hand to his face. "Good. Then do it. As soon as you know how to tune the shields, I want to know. There will be many ships defending this base tomorrow, and I want them to have protection, as well. Andross' power may not be as strong out here as it is on Venom, but I want nothing left to chance. Also, have someone tune our shields, too. Finally, I want Vessic's ship to appear to be damaged on the outside, so the Lizards will believe that we chased him." "Of course, Sir." Pepper turned to leave, but then he looked back and said sternly, "By the way, 'the Lizard' has a name. I expect you to use it." "Aye, Sir." The next day, Fox decided to get a breath of fresh air by scaling the gentle slopes near the den. At the time, Fara was at the base, finding out how Slippy was doing. He wanted to find out how Slippy was doing, and he wanted some time alone with Fara. As he waited, he paced back and forth. Finally, she walked in. As soon as she entered, Fox walked up to her and asked, "How is he?" "The doctor said that he's doing very well, but that he'll have to stay in sick bay for another week. I talked to him, and he seemed very chipper. He didn't talk much, but he did ask how you, Falco, and Peppy are doing." "He's never been one to speak much," Fox mused. "What did you tell him about us?" Then, he looked down and chuckled. He felt as if an enormous weight had been lifted from his shoulders. "Listen to me! I feel like I just asked you to pass a note to someone in class!" "I won't tell the teacher if you won't," Fara joked. "Anyway, I told him that you guys have been worried about him, but that you've been doing fine, otherwise." "Come on, let's tell Falco and Peppy," Fox said, smiling. "They've been going crazy." After they'd filled Falco and Peppy in, Fox asked Fara if she'd like to take a walk with him. As they walked among the rocks and cliffs, Fara began reminiscing about the times she had come to this place as a kit. "My father and mother used to bring me to the den every year until I was about 15. Our trips here were about the only time my dad and I were able to be with each other. His job keeps him very busy." "What does your dad do for a living?" Fox asked. "He owns one of the largest manufacturers of spacecraft parts in the Lylat system." "Phoenix Corporation?" Fox asked. Fara nodded her head. "I guess I just didn't make the connection," Fox commented. "Few people do," Fara replied, smiling. "I try not to make a big deal out of it. I'd rather be treated just like any other SpaceForce pilot." The hill was now steeper than it had been before, so Fox and Fara were forced to climb with their front paws as well as their hind ones. "Well, you're nothing like any other 'Force pilot I've ever met," Fox commented. "Really? How's that?" Fara asked, smirking. "You have much better...shape." "Thank you." Then, Fox looked back at her for a second, only to quickly turn his head away and mutter something under his breath. "'Something the matter?" Fara asked. "I keep remembering how much you look like...my mom." "Oh!" replied Fara. She had found very little about Fox's mother in his official records-only that she had died when he was very young. Those records contained no pictures of her, so Fara was understandably surprised. "So, when I compliment you, it's like..." Fox paused, searching for a gentle way to put it. But, he didn't need to. "I think I know what you're trying to say," Fara said gently. "But, I'm not your mom, so you don't have to worry." "Anyway," Fox said, changing the subject. "Now I know something about your dad, but what about your mom?" "She's a science teacher in Pal-el, my hometown." "Really?" Fox wondered aloud. "That's only about ten miles north of where I grew up." "Kella, right? I remember reading that in your records." "Yup," Fox replied. They had only planned to be gone for about an hour, but before they knew it, four hours had passed, and the sun was starting to set. As soon as they realized how late it was getting, they decided that they better be getting back. When they got back, they found Peppy sitting on the couch. "Welcome back," Peppy teased. "I guess we just lost track of time," Fox replied, smiling. "If you'll excuse me," Fara said, "I think I'm going to get myself a drink. Anyone else want one?" "No thanks," Fox replied, sitting next to Peppy. "No, thank you," said Peppy. "Where'd Falco disappear to?" Fox asked Peppy. "You know how he hates to be cooped up. So, he decided to go up above and cut some wood for fires." As Fox leaned back and sighed, Peppy noticed how relaxed he seemed, and commented, "I guess you're feeling better," Peppy observed. Fox sat back up again, grabbed one paw with the other in front of him, and replied. As he spoke, his face took on a more serious aspect. "Yeah, well, that incident last night just, got to me. Being convicted of treason is bad enough-but being called a traitor by one of my own people really drove it home. Have you ever thought about Andross, the banishment, and everything else that's happened to us, and wondered 'Why?'?" "Sometimes." "Ever come up with an answer?" "Yes and no..." Peppy replied. Fox grinned and looked at him askance. "I mean that I can think of no worldly reason. Spiritually, I think that everything that happens to us is a test of our faith." "Faith in what?" Fox asked. "Faith in one's religion. In my case, faith in the good will of the Creator. I believe I'm better able to deal with all that's happened to us for believing that there's something out there besides all the bad things." "Is that why you meditate every night?" "That's part of it. I'm not sure I can really put the full reason into words. Truth be told, the meditation's just a manifestation of the beliefs. They're more like a way of thinking-a way of living. They influence everything I do and every choice I make. What do you think about all that's happened to us?" "I don't know what to think. Sometimes I wish I could just turn back the clock and change life for the better. I don't know...You think that meditation could help me?" "If you really want it to, yes. It'll take time, but I think that it can help you find a lot of answers, even more than you might expect." "I'd like to try. But, let me ask you one more thing: How do you know when you're doing the right thing? I've always been told vengeance is wrong, but what if that act of vengeance serves to help others?" "What does your conscience tell you? When you think about it, what do you feel?" "I just don't know. Ya' know, I never really thought about this until recently. Fara's asking me about my motives, and then the things that you and Falco said to me the other day, really made me think. I've been hating Andross for so long, that it's become a part of me. It's as if I can't imagine myself not feeling that way. I didn't like that." Fara looked in from the other room, but then turned and walked away, not wanting to disturb them. "Believe it or not, that's good. I think it's a step in the right direction. Before, you didn't even think about it. You know, you and Fara seem to be getting along rather well." "We do seem to be warming up to each other," Fox admitted. "It was good to see you smiling again. I think she's a good person that you've found." "Yes, Dad," Fox joked slightly. "Just remember, no matter what you may have done or felt, you have every right to be happy. Your rapport with Fara is an excellent thing," Peppy told him. "Now, you said you wanted to try," he added, pointing toward the floor. It was hard at first, but the experience was most rewarding. Meanwhile, in sick bay, a patient lay in his bed. He cursed his own clumsiness as he thought about how he'd broken his leg. He'd slipped on his fighter while disembarking, and fallen to the ground. As he lay there in bed, he heard a voice-a voice that seemed very familiar. COULD IT BE HIM? It was coming from the next room. It seemed to be trying to converse with someone, but there was no response-like a person talking in their sleep. The patient could barely make out the words, they were spoken so quietly. An undeniably strong urge to get into that room came over him. But how? The room was kept constantly locked, and there was an armed guard standing in front of it at all times. the patient made up his mind, then and there, to get in there somehow. That evening, Fox and the others gathered to practice the plan. Vessic was also there, so that they could work with him to get down the timing for their approach to Venom. They could only do so in simulated missions, as it would be difficult to explain a Venom fighter flying around Corneria. So, ever since Vessic's involvement in the plan had been revealed, Fox, Fara, Peppy, Falco, and Vessic had been gathering at the simulators to get a feel for how things were to happen, and to prepare for any contingencies. Some questions had been brewing in Fox's mind ever since Pepper had revealed Vessic's involvement. Now, on the eve of the attack, Fox felt that he needed to confront Vessic about his doubts. As they prepared to enter the simulators, Fox turned to Vessic and said, "You know we're going to have to go up against your people. Chances are, you're going to wind up having to fire on them." "And your...point is?" Vessic asked gruffly. "Are you willing to kill your own people should it become necessary?" As Fox asked the question, Fara, Peppy, and Falco looked at him and Vessic, and listened. "Why do you ask now?" "Because the mission is tomorrow. I want to know if you're really going to help us when it counts, and I thought you'd be better able to tell me that now, when you're starting to feel anxious," said Fox, staring coldly at Vessic. Vessic said nothing for several seconds, so Fox rephrased his earlier question. "If a Venom fighter has a lock on myself, Lt. Phoenix, Falco, or Peppy, and you are the only pilot around to help, will you destroy the Venom fighter?" This time, Vessic answered immediately. "Mi taras en un guer! (I grew up in a war!)" Then, Vessic paused, and said in a calmer voice, "I've done it before. Besides, most...if not all of my people, are being...controlled. They're not acting of their own free will. And, yet, you're going to have to kill them. How do you feel about that?" "I don't take any death lightly, but I will do what I have to to protect my team and myself during this mission. Besides, no matter how powerful Andross is with his telekinetic amplifier, there's no way he could force your people to do all the things they've done." "I know," Vessic replied, and then turned toward the simulator. "Now, what would you have done had I said that I wouldn't fire on my people?" Fox frowned and said to the others, "Come on. We've got work to do." The five of them sat down at the simulators and activated them. "Remember, Andross' telepathic influence will be very... strong this close to Venom," Vessic reminded the others. "I am told that your shields will protect you to a degree. But, should they go down, your only protection will be your... emotions. Think of something that excites you or disturbs you. Only by doing that can you keep him... out of your mind." "On the other hand, we can't become so emotional that we loose our concentration. There's a fine line between mental defence and recklessness." Peppy said, taking a quick glance at Fox. "I just love knowing what to do," Falco cracked. As the simulation ran, first Vessic, and then Fox and the others saw an image of the black hole (as derived from data provided by Vessic and several other sources) as they sped through it. As the time passed, Vessic reminded the others of several important points. "Remember...the stealth ships can only remain...'phased' for three or four minutes at a time, unless they've been specially modified for inter-planetary attacks. Also, you cannot damage them while they're phased, but they can damage each other if they collide. Don't be surprised if Andross has several of the short-range type guarding the planet when we arrive. He also uses... SAM's and two guardian devices called Phantron. Both Phantrons can project two solid... holograms of themself that'll fool your ships' sensors as well as... the naked eye. You can only... do damage to Phantron itself, not the holograms. One, a sort of... bird-like device, orbits the planet, while a second, walking phantron, guards the entrance to the... maintenance tunnel. Hit the first Phantron in its 'head' with your blasters, and hit the second between its... legs. Beating these guys can take a while, and we need to hit them... What's the phrase?... fast and hard. So, it would be best to avoid combat with the Phantrons if at all possible." "Good idea," Fox said in an indiscernible tone. The next day, Pepper was in his chair in Command Central, awaiting an update. "Are all the ships in position?" "Aye, Sir. They're all here." It was almost time. In just a few hours, it would be time for Fox and the others to launch. As time grew short, Pepper found himself too nervous to sit down, so he took to pacing. It didn't help. "General, some of our bases are reporting that a large group of Venom battleships have entered SpaceForce territory! They're ignoring those bases and heading straight for Corneria!" "Are you sure?" Pepper asked, incredulously. "Positive, Sir." THE BASTARD'S EARLY! "What's their ETA?" "About forty minutes, Sir." Pepper turned to one of his officers and said, "You have command. Take us to battlestations and put our fighter pilots on stand-by. Also, alert the battleships. I have something to do in private." "Aye, Sir," the officer replied, somewhat confused. Pepper then turned to the rest of his officers and announced, "In a few moments, several fighters, including a captured Venom fighter, will be taking off from this base. This is part of a plan. They are not to be interfered with-that's an order." Then, he turned to his communications officer and said, "Pass that message on to the ships in orbit." "Aye, Sir." After that, Pepper walked into his office, which had (as far as he knew) been cleaned of bugs. After closing the door behind him, he picked up his hand-comm and called the docking bay where the arwings and Vessic's ship were being kept. "Prepare the arwings and the Venom ship for takeoff." After that was taken care of, Pepper made one more call. "Lieutenant-It's time. Andross' attacking early."