It was a clear, sunny day on Corneria. There was barely a single cloud in the sky, the
Summer air felt warm, and it could make many people feel like they're at peace. But,
Corneria isn't feeling any peace right now.
It's been about over a month since the Aparoids have attacked the Lylat System. Much
damage has been done, dozens hurt, and everyone is still trying to recover from this
terrifying experience. Usually, people would just feel happy that things will be getting
back to normal at some point, but the thing is, some things have changed over the
month.
For instance, an investigator from another planet had called in General Pepper about
some information about the death of James McCloud, Fox's dad. It turns out that there
were only four pilots involved in the murder, with Pigma Dengar as one of them.
However, this information brought in a different kind of shock, as this is definite proof
that two mercenaries were not involved with this crime.
Turns out that Pigma had started the rumor of these two pilots' involvement in James'
murder, hoping he wouldn't be given all of the blame for betraying his old friends. This
was really starting to feel like a crazy fiasco, it couldn't be true. But the thing is, it
really IS true.
"This can't be true," said General Pepper looking at the papers in disbelief. "These two
have already done a lot of shady things for years. They've built up their criminal
records. This certainly isn't some sort of ruse to bail them out, is it?"
"I'm most honest with you General Pepper, that this isn't a ruse," said the investigator
on the transmitter monitor. "This is definite proof that these two men were innocent of
the death of James McCloud. I didn't believe it at first, myself, but I have connected
the dots that lead up to this conclusion, and I am certain that these men were framed
by Pigma himself."
"Even though it would be true," Pepper started. "It doesn't excuse them for being on
Andross's side of the war. They worked for a madman and there's no excuse for that
one fact!"
"It doesn't matter whichever side that someone was on before," the detective replied.
"Not anymore, really. What matters is that there was a misunderstanding that led
these men down this path, and they should be blamed for this."
"So, what? Am I supposed to just drop charges?!" Pepper asked angrily.
"Maybe not, but I am saying that there should be some things cleared up with these
guys." the detective replied. "Maybe we should try to give them a chance to redeem
themselves and start over with their lives. They probably deserve that chance by now."
Pepper looked down at the evidence. He read the entire report from top to bottom
again, like he did the first time. He just couldn't believe that this was really happening.
After everything that had happened in the past that had involved these two with Pigma
and Andrew, he just couldn't bring himself to believe that this was convincing to prove
their innocence. He didn't want to believe that the two men that were involved in
James' death were actually framed by the perpetrator just to share his blame and not
take full blame and punishment. But now, he has been given the proof that they're
innocent and he must accept it as it is. The canine was feeling pretty reluctant that he
had to do this, but he's got to do what's right. Even though he wouldn't like it, not one
bit.
Pepper looked at the picture of the men involved in this case file: a handsome, gray
lupine with a cocky smirk, fangs showing, with a black eyepatch, and a green
chameleon with three yellow marks below each of his eyes, four orange spots lining up
in the sides of his head, an angry look on his face as if he was going to kill someone
right about now.
Their names: Wolf O'Donnell and Leon Powalski.
Later that night. Pepper was making preparations for a verdict on Wolf and Leon to
clear their names. He's feeling nervous about this, as he would be ending up
supporting those who've been seen as enemies, criminals, and pirates of the Lylat
System, and the fact that he's going to give them a chance to redeem themselves is
going to be a really big thing for the entire System.
He's also going to be wondering how Star Fox would handle it. Considering that they
fought each other back in that time when Andross invaded, there would be some thin
ice in between them and the two convicts. Let's also not forget that new cat on Star
Wolf team named Panther Caroso. He hasn't done anything big when living on the
opposite side of the law, but he has only a few minor records of stealing and assault of
innocent people. As far as he's concerned, that man would have an easier time of
earning a clean slate than that of the other two.
This isn't going to be easy. But, he has to make this choice. If Star Wolf should be
given the chance to atone for their past mistakes, then they should have it.
He received a text message on his phone. As he read it, his eyes lightened.
"General Pepper.
We are pleased to inform you that a new intern for the Cornerian military has accepted
the position. He will be arriving on Thursday, June 11th, for his first day on the job. He
has been trained by a professional teacher for close combat in martial arts, and has a
degree in acrobatics, so he's really good.
His name is Sabre, a foreigner from another System, so he's really new to this
environment. Give him some time to adjust here so he can be familiar with his new
surroundings, he's gonna need it.
Hope for the best!
Sincerely yours,
Commissioner Bill Grey"
General Pepper smiled.
...
The next morning, on the Great Fox, the Star Fox team was preparing for the day.
Falco, Slippy, Peppy, and Krystal had already woken up and were preparing for the
new day that lay ahead, on other hand, ROB 64 was piloting the ship and Fox was still
in bed at that time which was not strange since he was usually the last to wake up.
The alarm clock began to ring. Fox slowly opened his eyes and began to stretch his
body as he sat up on the bed. He was wearing a gray sleeveless shirt and green pants
that went past his knees. He yawned a bit, covering his mouth with his hand, and got
out of bed to go to the bathroom to take a shower.
After about ten minutes had passed, he came out of the bathroom naked and with a
towel wrapped around his waist. The clothes that he had taken off he placed in a
container with the other clothes that he had to wash. He pulled clean clothes from a
nearby drawer. He took off the towel and put it on the bed. Then he put on the clothes
which consisted of dark green boxer shorts, dark red pants, and a black sleeveless
shirt. He then put the towel on a rack and walked over to the closet to put on a white
and green slippers.
Already being almost ready, he approached a table where there was a photograph. It
was Fox when he was a child with his father James. James had Fox sitting on his
shoulders and Fox was wearing his father's sunglasses. He had been the only person
other than his father who had worn those dark glasses.
"Oh father. You don't know how much I miss you," said Fox in a low voice letting out a
tear that landed on the glass of the photograph. Right above where James' smiling face
was.
Fox wiped the tear off the glass and put the photo back on the table. Then he took a
small red scarf that was on the side of the photograph. It was his late father's scarf. It
was the only thing that could be found of him after his death and Fox had kept it ever
since. He had never worn it, but that was the day that was another anniversary of the
death of his father, so to honor him he put it around his neck determined to wear it
throughout the day. After looking in the mirror and realizing that every day he looked
more like his father, he decided to leave his room and join the rest of the team.
When he got to the dining room, Falco, Slippy, and Krystal were already sitting there.
Peppy was making breakfast. Watching him, Fox remembered that Peppy was the one
who spent time with him so that he was not alone during the mourning. That happened
before he met Falco and Slippy. He had always viewed Peppy as a second father figure.
Once Peppy finished preparing breakfast, he delivered each of them his food and then
sat down.
Breakfast passed as normal as any other day until when they finished breakfast, ROB
64 called them to go to the cabin of the ship, as they got a message from General
Pepper.
When the five arrived where the robot was, it was already talking with the general of
Corneria.
"Good morning, General Pepper. Does he have any new assignments for us this day?"
Fox asked.
"I would like it to be like that but I am calling you to inform you of something very
important to you. And I hope you don't take it the wrong way," Pepper replied.
"What is it about?" Peppy asked, quite concerned about what the general would say.
"Well, we have found irrefutable evidence that Pigma Dengar framed Wolf O'Donnell
and Leon Powalski for the murder of Fox's father. They were not involved in any of
this," Pepper said calmly while observing the reactions of the Star Fox team.
"But how can it be possible? I saw how they came against James and my three
wingmen, and I could hear that PIgma was talking to them through the
communicators," said Peppy quite surprised.
"Yes, I know this is hard to believe, but an investigator discovered that Pigma was
actually controlling the three arwings by means of controls that he had previously
installed on each ship with the help of Andross. And Wolf and Leon's voices were
actually Pigma's voice that had been pre recorded and had used a filter to make them
sound like their voice. They are both innocent of all this. Here I have several
documents that confirm that," said the general from Corneria.
Hearing that, Fox was full of uncertainty upon hearing all those statements, they fell
on him like a bucket of cold water. Although he was not the only one, he was the one
who showed those emotions the most.
"No! This can't be! They've killed my father, along with Pigma! It can't be that now you
say they are innocent! There must be a mistake with that! Maybe that investigator was
bribed by Star Wolf to give you that information!" Fox said, trying to deny all that.
"Fox, that investigator is an old friend of mine. I've known him since we were both
kids. He has never stooped to get bribes. Even if I had a doubt that this information is
false, I would not have communicated it to you," said Pepper trying to calm the team
leader.
"No, this can't be! They were involved in this. I won't believe that they weren't
involved. I can't believe that." Fox said as he left the cabin of the ship with tears in his
eyes.
"Fox wait!" Falco said as he was about to go after him.
"No Falco, let him go now. He needs to be alone so he can absorb this information
calmly," said Peppy.
"Are you sure?" asked the pheasant.
"Yeah, he had the same feeling when he found out about his father's death. Trust me."
said the rabbit.
"Alright man, if you say so." Falco sighed.
"Well, that's all he had to tell us or is there something else," Slippy said.
"Yes, there is something else and this is regarding you, Miss Krystal," said Pepper.
"With me. What's going on?" Krystal asked with fear of having news like the one Fox
received.
"Well, the name Sabre sounds familiar to you, right?"
"Of course, I mean … It's been so long ago, why are you bringing this up?"
"Well, you will be glad to hear that your older brother is alive and he even will start
working with us in the Cornerian army in no time."
Falco, Slippy, Peppy, and ROB 64 were shocked by that information, as Krystal never
mentioned that she had a brother. While the vixen's reaction was very different.
"What?!" Several tears of joy began to fall into Krystal's eyes. "But… that's
impossible… How could've this happened?"
"I know it's hard to believe that, all these years since Andross captured him, he was
simply missing, yet that's how it is. Would you like me to set up a meeting? I guess
you have a lot to say to each other."
"When he gets to his job? I would like to meet him."
"Well, he will arrive on Thursday, June 11."
"I will be there that day. But, don't tell him I'm coming. I want it to be a surprise."
"It's fine. Well, that was all I wanted to report to you. And I hope Fox can recover from
this new information. Pepper out. Over and out."
While Falco, Slippy, Peppy, and ROB 64 were congratulating Krystal that she was
finally reuniting with her older brother, things were different on the other side of the
ship.
Fox was locked in his room and lying on his bed, completely under the covers. He had
taken off his father's scarf, and was now hugging himself, with the photo of him and
James. Fox was confused. He had all these years, blaming Team Star Wolf for the
death of his father, and now it turns out that Wolf and Leon were innocent. If that was
true he felt horribly bad for blaming innocents about the death of his father and even
made him angry, as this made him grow more hatred towards Pigma in a way that he
had never felt before. He couldn't believe that he was someone so ruthless to do
something like that. If it weren't for the fact that he apparently died, now he himself
would take it upon himself to kill him with his bare hands. Among so many feelings and
confusion, Fox ended up falling fast asleep without realizing it.
