It was 12:00pm when the Great Fox arrived at Corneria Base. It was a long mission. the StarFox Team went to Titania searching for an abandoned Cornerian Base on the sandy landscape. The informs said that there, was some important information hidden on the main computers. Andross had noticed that, and sent a group to intercept those files. the StarFox Team fought against that weak group and recovered the information. The whole team was tired of the long journey, and they decided to ask Pepper for some vacations, they only wished 3 days to rest, no more. "This job is killing me! I can’t even sleep well, I’m so tired I could sleep for a whole week" Slippy said while moaning. He wasn’t a very strong pilot...he got tired very quickly. But he was an excellent mechanical. "Hey, this is just a training Slip. James and I had worst situations". Peppy said proudly. "Well,....this is enough for me, I’m going to sleep on my soft and comfy bed." While saying this, Slippy walked out from the control room of the Great Fox and slightly waved his hand to the rest of the team as a signal for “good night” and dissapeared in the darkness of the Cornerian Base. The base was very lonely, dark and creepy. That wasn’t the same place as it is in the day...All those people talking...running...engines... "Well, I’m leaving too, my eyes need a break and also.....my feathers need fresh air and a long rest. See ya later guys!" Falco said this while rubbing his eyes. He also disappeared in the shadows. The only thing that could be seen was a tall figure leaving the base, also a yawn could be seen trough the Great Fox’s cockpit. A moment of silence went trough the room. Peppy looked tired, even he always tried to be strong an resistant, but he wasn’t the same hare who fought 20 years before, along with James. No,....he was older, weaker...but he made an effort to follow the younger pilots. "Peppy, you look tired, why don’t you go to sleep?, it was a long journey" Fox said, looking at his friend and tutor. "Oh, yes, I’m tired. I’m going home. But you must go too and take a rest. We are all tired, it wasn’t an easy mission. And you have a big responsability, that is also tyring. You must take control on Falco’s attitude...Slippy’s fear and my weakness..." "No, Peppy, you’re not weak, please don’t say that, you are the most experienced pilot..." Fox interrupted. "Yeah, maybe, but my body isn’t the same...Aw...don’t worry for that Fox, let’s face reality. Anyway....you must go to sleep too, or what will your father say If I don’t worry for your health....?" "Yes, yes, but before going to sleep, I want to check some malfunctions on the system." "Well, so why don’t you tell Slippy to do it tomorrow? It will be easier for you." "No, I don’t want to tell him, he must be really sick of all this repairing thing. I’ll do it myself, if I have problems, I’ll ask for his help, tomorrow of course." "Are you sure Fox?" "Yeah, don’t worry about me. Go to sleep." "Ok, but go to bed early, or your father will be mad!" Peppy said this in a joking tone to his almost “son” Fox. Fox turned to the main computer and sat down in the chair. Fox moved his head as like saying yes to his tutor. Peppy left and suddenly, Fox was there.....alone,.......no sound could be heard. Even ROB wasn’t there. He was disconnected as soon as the Great Fox landed, he was having some problems. Slippy was going to fix them. Fox wasn’t staying on the Great Fox just to see some malfunctions, no, he wanted to be alone.....with his dreams and wishes........with his mom and dad’s memories.....he felt a deep hole in his heart........even he had friends, he felt lonely......the hole he felt could only be filled by a special person, which Fox still didn’t meet...... Everything was calm. The normal noises of the Base, like machines, people talking, engines,.......were now silent. With this atmosphere, Fox walked out from the control room. He layed on a couch on the video room and closed his eyes. This gave Fox a moment to remember................... He was in his house at the Cornerian center. He lived there for many years. It was a starry sky, cold and the wind was blowing very softly. He saw his father standing infront of an open window, looking at the stars, at the deep and black sky, filled with shiny dots. He seemed to be dreaming, maybe....., he asked a wish to one of the brightest star......, which wish?, he only knows. Fox admires at his father, such a great pilot, an excellent father, and sure, an excellent husband. Fox aproached him and looked directly at his father’s face. Suddenly he asked. "Why you are looking at the stars in such a mysterious way? Is it a wish what you asked them dad?" James looked back at his son, with a tender look and putting his hand on Fox´s shoulder,then he answered to the young fox. “I like looking at them, because... they make me remember your dear mother. When I met her, at the Cornerian Base, she was standing at the loneliest part of it, looking at the stars with such an interest that I asked her why she looked at them, just like you did now. She answered with her sweet voice that she neededsomeone special that day. That day we met. I will never forget that night. We stayed there looking at the deep sky, until the dawn, it was a beautiful scenery, ah..... those days.” Fox was paying attention to his father voice, he could feel the moment. “You know Fox, she always said that we are all part of a star and when you die you become part of one of them. That´s why, when I see the stars, it´s like looking at your mother......She´s always there, and..., one day....., we will be togehter again................ Fox woke up and looked at his watch. It was 3:00 am. He had felt asleep. Then he walked out and took his car, parked at the same place, the place where the StarFox team had their own parking lot, even tough Slippy never used his. The streets were empty, only the sound of the car engine and the breeze could be heard. He lived in a house, in a calm neighbourhood. He stopped the car infront of his home and walked trough the small garden at the front of his house, opened the door and slowly walked upstairs to his room. A phone ring woke Fox. He arrived last night so tired that he slept with his uniform on. The phone rang 3 times and then, Fox slowly answered the phone moving his right hand to a near night table. “Fox here....” Answered with a sleepy voice. “Hey sleeping beauty, it´s time to wake up.! Do you know what time is it?.” “Huh.....no I don´t.” Fox answered not even opening his eyes, he was still a little bit sleep. “Well, it´s 1:00pm and you are still sleeping!, C´mon!. Are you supposed to be our leader? Sleeping at this time? Great!” Falco was at the line, his voice seemed very cheerful and it seemed that he slept very well. “Oh, by the way, I called Pepper. You know about the vacation thing, and he said that we are free for a week, an entire week! Do you believe it!” Fox didn´t realized what Falco was saying, but inmediately opened his eyes and said. “Wait a minute. You called Pepper and gave us a free week just like that!. I must still be dreaming!” “Well, you are not dreaming, and also you must thank me for what I did.” “Yeah sure, whatever. Does Slippy and Peppy know this?” “Yeah, they know it. Hey Fox, why don´t we go to eat together, huh?. Slippy went to visit his father, and Peppy went out with his wife, so, we are the only left. We have no dates and we are free, what you say?” “Ok Falco, just give me some time to take a shower and I´ll go for you at.....mmm...1:45, Ok?” “Sure, but don´t take too much time, I´m hungry, ok? See ya!” Falco hunged and Fox did the same. He ran to the bathroom to take a quick shower. Fox arrived at Falco´s home at 1:40. Falco was waiting outside his apartment. Both went to eat some hamburgers and french fries. “It has been a long time. I almost forgot the smell of good fries, mmm.” Falco said this while smelling his food. He really likes the french fries. “Hey Falco,calm down you eat fries at the Great Fox.” “Yeah, but they are not the same.” While eating a frie. “You know, the flavor isn´t the same.” They ate their food and went to Falco´s home. It was a nice place for living, only if he celaned more often. Clothes were everywhere, some bottles in the floor and empty cans of food, along with the usual Falco´s blue and red feathers all over the place. “Sheesh Falco, you must clean this place or else you are going to get lost in this dump of trash and clothes.” Fox said while looking at that mess. It was a real mess, how could he throw all that trash? Maybe a question that no one would ever answer. “It´s my home and I like it exactly as it is now, ok?” Falco said a little bit angry, he never liked to be controlled as a little bird. He hated that. “Sure, sure I can see that, but be careful or a mutant composed of food and clothes will eat you entirely!” Fox answered laughing. “Ha, ha, ha, so funny.” Suddenly the phone rang, but it was too weak to be heard by the first moment. Then Fox told his friend. “Do you hear that Falco, it seems to be a......phone ringing, isn´t it?” “Wait a sec.” Falco payed attention to the low sound and said “I think...... it´s.........a.........phone ringing!” Falco replied while searching inside that mess for his phone. Both of them were searching the phone that was still ringing. The clothes and trash flew all over the place, trying to find the phone. “Hey Falco didn´t you called me this afternoon?” Fox threw an empty can to Falco´s head. “Ouch!. Be careful, that can really hurted.....and...Yes, I called you, but his afternoon! I don´t remember where I left it. I can´t remeber everything, I´m not a machine...ok?” “Good memory, huh?” “Wait a second.....I got it! Inmediately he answered the phone. “Falco here.... Yes General.......yes, he´s with me,.........yes,..........what! It´s not possible. But how can it be? Ok, ok.... Yes we´re leaving now.” Falco hunged the phone very agresively,it wasn't good news... “What´s wrong Falco? Was the General Pepper who called, wasn´t it?” “Yep, we got an emergency. The Base detected some strange activity at the Bolse. We must go now!” He said that while putting on his StarFox jacket. “The Bolse, no, it can´t be. Aghhh...,ok, but what about Peppy and Slippy. Do they know this?” “They are on their way. We must leave, let´s go.” They left the place and got in Fox´s car heading for the Cornerian Base. They arrived at it and there was a lot of unusual movement. Ships were leaving and pilots were running all over the place for their ships. They reached the headquarters. Pepper was there with the rest of the team sitting down on the couch. Pepper seemed nervous, he was always a strong man, but know, it was different, the team knew it wasn´t very good news. “Well, now that everyone is here, I´ll begin.” Pepper said with a serious sad voice. “We received some informs from our spies. Those informs and data received can´t be wrong... The Bolse Space Station is back again. Activity there is too strong and the force field seems to be working too.” Everybody there sighed in frustration, they couldn´t believe what was happening. “But the Bolse,......we destroyed it.....it can´t be!” Slippy said while looking at the rest of the Team as if he were searching for an answer. “Andross is back again , as I can see...” sadly, Peppy answered. “We must attack and destroy the station. Or else, if Andross takes control of the nearby planets again... it will be harder or even imposible to stop him.” Pepper said. “Then we must be leaving, but what about the other station...Area 6... has any activity? It´s an important area for Andross.” Fox said to Pepper, who seemed very worried. But Fox asked strongly, he needed to give trust to the team, one of the hardest things of being the leader. “Yes, activity was also detected at Area 6, we sent some Cornerian ships there. Also Bill Grey offered his entire unit for that area.” Fox felt nervous for what he had just heard. Bill offered his unit? entirely? Then this was a very difficult and dangerous situation. Bill doesn´t use to offer his entire team, he´s very reserved with this kind of problems. This meant real trouble. But he answered to the General and to his team as calm as he could. “Ok, then, let´s go.” Fox yelled to his team and then, everyone ran to the Great Fox. Before leaving they checked the system and when they were ready, the Great Fox inmediately left from the Corneria Base. As it was going to be a long journey (again) they went to the T.V. room. Slippy decided to check Rob´s system, it had a minor malfunction. Peppy was reading the entire inform about the activity at the Bolse, he always used to read those informs, which the rest of the team thought to be useless, so only him read them, if he had time. Maybe, one day they could get in handy. Falco was reading some magazines, even he read them twice, they must be changed more frequenlty. And Fox went to his room and lied on his bed. He couldn´t believe the Bolse had still life. This time he decided to erase it out of the Lylat System. He wanted to end with all this nightmare. Sleep caught him again, and began dreaming...... “I´m alone, it´s dark and quiet........who´s there?. I hear somone coming......who is it?” Suddenly he saw a brightness, it almost made him blind for a moment, but recovered his view slowly. There it was, slowly a figure could be seen trough the light. Fox couldn´t recognize who it was, or...what. He just saw that figure that seemed to be a fox. The figure was standing still and quiet, like a ghost, made of silk and smoke. Fox couldn´t see the face, he didn´t even know if it was a female or male fox. He stood there, looking at it, and suddenly.....disappeared. Fox jumped off his bed and felt confused. He thought...It seemed so real...I even thought I could touch him or her, but it was a dream...I think.. “What does that dream means? Who is that fox?” Many questions were in his head. But he tried to forget that dream for a moment and come to reality. He even had no time to think about it, they were too near from their destiny. Peppy knocked at Fox door. “Fox, we are almost there, the Bolse is very near, we must go now.” Fox, still a little asleep and confused answered. “Ok, I´m going.” He standed up put on his jacket, took a kind of phone, just at one side of his night table and spoke.. “All team to the Arwings in 5 minutes.” His voice was heard everywhere in the Great Fox. The minutes ran and the whole team were at their Arwings at the established time. As soon as they were ready, they turned on their engines and then as Fox gave the order to launch, they left to the Bolse. Now, they were at the space. The view was magnificent, the space seemed to be infinite, so many stars, planets, systems, comets,......so deep. The Arwings were leaving the Great Fox so fast, they could only see a small ship in the distance. But, the Bolse was getting closer. “Huh..... guys, I can see some activity on the sation” Slippy said while looking at his radar. Some green points could be seen, moving on the Station surface. “We must get closer.” Fox replied. “Just closer, and then we will finish with this.” “Are you ready? If not, I don´t mind, we are leaving....NOW!” Wolf seemed very angry and desperated. “Ok, Wolf, but calm down. I´m sure that you´re satisfied now that Andross gave us this mission. So now, what else do you want, huh?” Leon said to his friend. Smiling evily to Leon he said. “I only want one thing, only one.....that McCloud in my hands. You know Leon, that´s my only wish, and it will come true...today!” Then he got inside his wolfen. The whole StarWolf team was ready, they were heading for the Bolse. Their mission was to stop any Cornerian ship. As always, Wolf was anxious to battle against Fox. He always wished beating him, but he didn´t, maybe never. Even though Wolf isn´t the kind of guy who stops fighting. “Today Fox, you´re mine. I´ll kill you now and forever, you won´t escape this time.” Wolf murmured while heading out. “Ok guys, there´s the Bolse, just for the last time.” Falco said. “You all know the tactic. We will destroy the force field and then shoot the core.” Fox said while looking around, trying to search for any other ship. “But, you think it remains the same?” Slippy´s voice sounded a little bit nervous. “This kind of stations don´t vary very much. They can´t change it´s function totally. Maybe some more barriers or a bigger core, but the same functions.” “So what are we waiting for. Let´s go!” Falco said this while heading for a barrier, he´s always very brave... “Fox, there are 8 barriers. You think we can manage this without problems?” “Peppy, trust me, we will win this time, just like the last one. Each one must take down 2 barriers, so we can finish this quickly.” “Copy that! One barrier down.” Falco yelled. “I got one down. I think I´m better since the last battle, isn´t it?” “Ok, I got almost two barriers down. How about you Peppy?” The leader said. “I´m going for the second one, it´s almost over.” A few minutes passed and the force field was totally destroyed. The usual venomian units attacked the team. They were many of them. They were like flyes. All over the place...they were very easy to destroy, but are too anoying. “Ok, I have a problem here, 3 units are following me, I need some help!” “I´m on it Slippy. I just aim...and...closer...just stay calm...there you are, free!” The venomian units collapsed between each other and crashed. “Thanks Peppy, they were bugging me!” The team contiued destroying the venomian units without big trouble, but it was just the beginning... “Huh...Fox, do you notice those ships getting closer on your radar?” Falco said. “Yes, I can see them.” Fox paused and took a deep breath. He knew who it was. As soon as he could see and identify one of the ships he gave the alert to his team. “I think we got company, not very friendly, the StarWolf team is getting closer.” “Great. I knew they were comming, agh...” Peppy said. The Wolfens were close enough to open fire to the StarFox team. They were following the common attack positions. First flying in a “v” shaped formation. Then, they broke formations, the fight was just beginning. “We see again Fox! But his will be the last time I see your stupid face.” Wolf began shooting at Fox´s Arwing, but he only received two or three weak shots. Fox made a loop and placed behind the Wolfen. Wolf received several shots, but his ship was still strong enough to handle the situation. The battle continued, but unfortunately for the StarFox team, they were losing. The Wofens seemed stronger, they could receive more shots than the Arwings. “All team report battle conditions.” Fox yelled while evading Wolf´s lasers. “Peppy here, I lost my left wing and my shield is too low, I won´t resist any longer.” “This is Falco, as always my G-diffuser has a malfunction and my shield is going down very qickly!” “Slippy here, no left wing, but my shield is still good... No, plans are changing now, I have no wings and my ship is unstable.” “Ok, ROB, contact General Pepper. Tell him we´re in trouble. We need help from Area 6, quickly!” Fox was loosing control. But there was something wrong. He felt desperated. “ROB, do you copy?, ROB, ROB!” A very weak signal appeared at Fox´s screen. There were almost no sounds, Fox couldn´t hear ROB´s voice, the video was twisted. It was impossible any contact with external ships. The electrical field was creating static, the Bolse had a bigger invisible electrical field than the last time. “Ha, ha, ha, you´re mine Fox. You won´t escape from this one, finally I´ll win, ha, ha, ha.” Wolf voice was evil (as always) and full of anger. He could feel victory right on his hands. Sweet victory for him Wolf was at Fox´s tail. He aimed at the Arwing...The seconds went slowly, Fox had no escape, it was a dead end...He felt lack of air....desperation...he felt death...near...His shield was too weak....a minor laser and....he would be history.... Wolf touched the controls...the laser was about to be shot... Suddenly a laser hit Wolf´s ship and the laser he shot to Fox, hit a destroyed barrier. He missed... Also the Wolfen went out of control for a few moments. Then Fox felt confused, but someone saved his life... “Thanks...huh...Who are you?” Fox asked, but no one answered. He was surpized, because it was another Arwing. The same the team have. Fox was amazed because they were only 4 Arwings in the whole system, how did that pilot got it? As the stranger was helping the other team members with their enemies at their tails. Fox decided to get rid of Wolf and the StarWolf team. “I suppose it´s an allie.” He thought about the one who saved his life. The pilot saved each member, getting rid of their followers for a moment. “Ok, then I think the plans changed isn´t it Wolf?” Fox said while following Wolf, some shots and he was off...he escaped... The other team members also beat their followers and the pilot gave them some help. Finally the StarWolf team left. “Who is that pilot? It wasn´t Bill or that...Katt. No, that was a style I haven´t seen before.” Wolf felt confused and frustrated. Another battle he and his team lost. The StarFox team felt strange, an unknown pilot saved them. But before leaving, the pilot and Fox destroyed the core. “Wow, it´s great! Who´s the pilot?” Slippy said. “I´ve been trying to comunicate with him, but it´s impossible. He´s not in the same channel as we are.” Fox replied. “I think we must wait and see what he does, Maybe he will leave.” Peppy said. “If not, we must give him a place to stay. He saved us, he can´t be an enemy.” Falco interrupted. The team aproached to the Great Fox and the pilot was behind them. The mothership had 5 places for the ships. One was for ocassional visitors. The 4 members landed at the Great Fox and all of them waited at the docking bay for the unknown pilot to land. They couldn´t see anything trough the Arwing window, it was too high from the floor they were standing on. The ship was in a perfect condition, it seemed new, it had no big scratchs. Suddenly the cockpit window opened slowly. And a figure jumped out with great agility. Landed infront of them. With a big surprise they saw that the pilot who saved them was a female red fox. A little bit smaller than Fox, slim and brown eyes. “Who are you? Identify!” Said Fox, but he was interrupted by Slippy´s voice. “Thanks for saving us. We were in a big trouble.” “It was a pleasure. Oh... I´m sorry, huh... my name is Jill Endeavour, CSF or... Corneria Secret Forces. Pepper sent me here to help you.” “Then... you come from Corneria.” Falco asked with special interest. “Yes, I left minutes later you did. I think I arrived just in time.” “How did you get that Arwing Mrs. Endeavour?” Fox asked. “General Pepper gave it to me.” “But, how did he got this Arwing?!.” Fox insisted. “I´m sorry, but I´m not authorized to give that kind of information.” “Yeah, “clasiffied” I see. Well, Mrs. Endeavour, I think we must wait till we get to Corneria, meanwhile feel free to ask anything you want.....you saved us and I would like to thank that. If you excuse me I must fix some urgent things.” “Thank you Captain McCloud.” She said that with a great respect. She was educated that way. Fox slowly nodded his head and went directly to his room. He felt confused. How can it be that a girl like her could save the entire team? “I´m sorry we didn´t introduce lady. I´m Falco Lombardi, Slippy Toad and he´s Peppy Hare.” “Nice to meet you all.” Jill smiled at them. “Well, Jill, I can give you a guided tour trough the Great Fox, if you wish?” Falco said. “Oh, no, here comes Falco, always behind pretty girls, be careful lady..he´s dangerous...” Slippy said, in a joking tone. also laughing. “Ok, I gladly accept. But I think I must be careful with you, isn´t it Falco?” She seemed very plesaed being there. Slipp and Peppy were at the control room, talking about the girl who saved them, they were very impressed. She wasn´t a normal girl. Jill & Falco were talking at the T.V. room when the Great Fox landed at Corneria Base. It was 17:00 pm. when they arrived. Fox inmediately standed up and quickly went to Pepper´s office with the rest of the team and also Jill following him. Fox knocked at the door waiting for an answer from inside. Pepper´s voice told them to come in. Pepper was standing infront of his desk. “Could you tell me what this all means?”. Fox asked very firmly, he was upset. “You mean about Jill....I think she did a very good work didn't she?” Pepper said this while looking at the female fox very proudly, as if he was her father. Jill smiled at him, Pepper took a special feeling towards her. He felt like her father, and so he hughed her in a sign of pride. “Yes, and I thank all what she did, but you never told us that she was going to be there!” “Well, that´s not important, she saved the team and that´s all.” Falco standed up from the couch and directed to Fox. Peppy an Slippy sat down on the coach of the office, they were just listening to each of the arguments. “Ok, then, why she has an Arwing? She said you gave it to her, but with all the respect sir..., how can you have it?” “Well my young fox, when your father was creating the Arwings he made an extra for me. He gave it to me.” “I see, but this are specifically for the StarFox team.” “Yes Fox, I know you feel disappointed, but she deserves it. She´s part of CSF. We send this forces in special situations. That´s why I sent her. She´s the actual best pilot of the base.” “But the Arwings are specifically......” Fox phrase was interrupted by Falco´s voice. “Fox, she saved us. With another ship she couldn´t have done that. That´s why we are here. Her skills and the ship saved us! He paused for a moment and continued. “Let me tell you something, I think you can´t afford the fact that a girl saved us. You can´t accept that!” “That´s not true Falco, not true!” “Then why don´t you accept the idea that she can use an Arwing!” Falco told Fox. For a moment Slippy spoke directly to his leader, even though he doesn´t like argueing. “Yeah, as she is so good, why don´t we accept her in the team?” Slippy said. “Another member like her will give us strenght against Andross. You must consider that possibility.” Peppy said. “What do you say Fox? It´s a good idea.” Pepper interrupted. He felt like betrayed by his team, but he answered to all this conversation “Mmmm, ok, ok.... but she must do a test. If she pass she´s in. What do you say Jill?” Fox offered Jill. Jill felt a big knot in her throat...this was her oportunity...she was so lucky.. “I´ll do it.” She felt nervous, but her dream was so near. Ten minutes passed and they were all together at the mothership. Jill was at the flight simulator of the Great Fox. The whole team, including General Pepper were at the ship´s main control room. “ROB, display the test” Fox ordered. “Displaying test.” A robotic voice answered to the orders of the leader. In a few moments the exam began. It was divided into 5 sections. At the beginning were steady targets, moving targets, skill, speed and reflexes. She did an awesome score in each one of the parts of the test. She almost makes a flawless grade. All she did was so exact and quickly, she left everybody astonished. She finished the test and everyone was shocked. A grade from 0 to 10, she got a 9.0. Falco had a 9.2 and Fox a 9.5. There was no doubt, she was an excellent pilot. When she jumped out from the flight simulator she was received by everyone´s cheers and congratulations. Only Fox stayed still, looking at her, he couldn´t believe it, she was awesome. She was accepted in the StarFox team and everyone agreed. They had a new friend, but she was still filled with mysteries and secrets which Fox wanted to know......... To be continued........ ENVIALE UN MENSAJE A LA AUTORA