Chapter -5-
"Little Rich Girl"

"Papa?" Lucy's voice was ever-so-cute. Her eyes sparkled when she used this tone and even her father found her irresistible and impossible to ignore.

A smile tugged at Peppy's maw, half hidden by the growing mustache, whiskers and beard. He tilted his head, leaning back on his favorite reclining chair. "Yes, pumpkin?"

"I know this is probably an awkward subject but… I found Fox's mother's dress in storage and Fox seemed pensive when he saw it. In fact, he downright appeared sick. I asked him if he was still apprehensive about his mother's death and he said he wasn't then pointed out the fact he had pictures of her on his dresser. But he wouldn't say why the sight of that dress bothered him."

Peppy brought a paw up to his lengthy chin whiskers and gave a slight tug then shook his head. "There was a girl who wore that dress long after Vixy passed away. Not many people know this but that girl has a history that predates even Fox McCloud. She's …well, no one knows what really happened to her but before Fox met her by accident, the second iteration of Galaxy Dog was looking for their first high-dollar mission as a mercenary team. As it turns out, that mission was full of danger and the money was earned with sweat and hard work. It was Fara's father who suggested we take the name, "Star Fox." It's been that way ever since."

"It was?"

"Yes, it sure was."

"So, who is Fara?"

"Fox McCloud's first great love. Didn't I tell you that story already?"

Lucy nodded slowly, "Right okay. I didn't really remember the name – that was the girl that Fox met on a freighter when you guys stowed away from Papetoon to Corneria, right?" Lucy paused, bringing a finger to her lip. She looked over the retired General and smiled. "Tell me the story of how Star Fox got its name then."

Peppy took a sip of caffeine-free tea then placed the mug on the stand adjacent to his reclining chair. "Alright, puddin', but do me a favor… don't bring up Fara's name around Fox. It's a reminder of hard times in the past. It reminds him of a loss that was hard on him. That's why he acted the way he did when he saw the dress you found in storage. Now… the story goes something like this…"

x-

James McCloud ran his fingers back through his hair with a sigh. He took his aviator sunshades off, folded them up and put them into his left breast pocket. "Okay, Pigma, Peppy… The GreatFox is on order but before we can take delivery, we have to show that we're actually an operational Mercenary team. I'm not really fond of the name "Galaxy Dog" anymore. I want something with a little more kick."

"I'm sure the perfect name will come in time, no use rushing it," said Peppy. The cigar bounced between his teeth as he spoke. "If we find work before we come up with a new name, we'll just use Galaxy Dog since the trademark is still good. No use picking out something we'll grow to hate later on, right?"

"Pigma?" James tilted his head.

"Whichever. Peppy's right, I guess. If we wait until we come up with the perfect name… something catchy and such, it'll help attract more business. Whatever we name it, it should have the word 'Star' in it. It just makes it sound awesome. Would you rather fly a Jet Fighter or a Star Fighter? Would you rather lead a 'Dreadnaught' or a Star Ship? If we add a word that has power it'll probably double our earnings in the long run."

James nodded slowly. "Fair enough. I'm glad you weren't going to suggest something off the cuff like 'Death Hog'."

Pigma smirked. "That was my next suggestion. Something tells me you wouldn't have liked it, though."

Peppy used his tongue to slide the stogie over to the corner of his mouth so he could take a sip from his whisky glass. "I love this damn bar. Finest whisky on Corneria."

"Yeah? Why's that?" asked Pigma. "Is there any money in running Whiskey like this to other planets?"

Peppy shook his head, placing the glass back on the table. "Not really. Y'see, the secret is in the process, Dengar m'boy. The aged oak barrels they have in that odd looking tower behind the bar, for example. They have these barrels up on the top three floors and they sit there in the humidity for years. Then, for high roller customers like m'self, they crack open a barrel and bring it down and pour it for the patron right here on location. Transportation to a different climate doesn't hurt anything but then you're putting overhead on a product that bourbon makers can make at little cost in their own backyard if they know what to do. The owner of this bar would be happy to sell it to us, but we wouldn't find a buyer who wants to pay for transportation."

"Meh." The hog leaned back in his chair then took another drink of his brand name beer. "I've never been much of a hard liquor guy anyhow. So… where should we turn for quick money? We're not going to make anything just sitting here talking about it."

James reached into his jacket pocket and withdrew a sheet of paper then laid it down on the table. "Gentleman, this is the classifieds for people in our line of work. The first job is probably going to be boring because we have to get our name out there. I'm not going to lie, it'll probably be something like running an escort for a rich person."

"Yeah… that sucks," Pigma mused. "But cash is cash. We don't have a ship but we have fighters. What about those modified planes you have in the workshop? What'd you call'em? Wavyrn… wyvryn? Way-vren?"

James grinned. "You're talking about my fighter that I converted into a racer for a while. Beltino and I stumbled across a way to greatly reduced gravity in a bubble that's big enough to surround a fighter. We sold the rights to Space Dynamics but they're sitting on the patent right now. However, I had Toad install three units into some modified M-Class fighters. They're great for atmospheric combat. What's your question about'em?"

"Well, what kind of fuel ratio are we talking about? An escort is one thing, but we have to make sure we can do long range jobs without running out of gas."

Peppy glanced back to James, "Pigma is right. Can we install reserve tanks on these things?"

James nodded with a slight grin. "Yes, we sure can. We could fly from Corneria to Venom and back so long as we didn't use the boost. Logically, flying four planets away would be safest if we had a refueling ship somewhere at the midpoint but that's neither here nor there."

"What's the pros and cons of an extended fuel tank?" asked Dengar.

James turned the page around so they could see what was on the list. "Less smart missiles. No big deal for an escort job. But if we were in a war zone, it might mean the difference between obvious success and possible capture or destruction. Then again, if we work together as a team, I'd say we could survive just about anything. We're all great pilots. A trifecta. A hat trick. We're a triforce of…"

"Just stop," said Pigma. He reached for the letter and took a moment to peruse it. "Wow, look at number three…" He turned the page back around for them to look. "Phoenix Enterprises has need of an escort? The CEO is frickin' loaded. He's a self-made trillionaire."

Peppy let out a low whistle. "I wonder why he'd need a mercenary team?"

Pigma put his beer back down and thrust his hands out. "Uh… DUH? Because he's so frickin' RICH that he doesn't trust pirates and raiders from jumping his butt in the asteroid belt? Isn't it obvious?"

James pulled out his fancy cell phone and surfed the planetary index records. He grinned and glanced up. "I found a website that says that Zerda Phoenix is sending his wife and daughter back to Corneria but headed in a different direction to personally oversee the opening of a new Phoenix Transportation hub on Papetoon. It also says he's there to debut a new line of sports cars that his company is vested in."

Peppy finished his bourbon and put the glass back on the table. "Yeah, they own a third of the company. It's a start up company – they only have a prototype on the market so far. By the time that little girl of his is old enough to drive, she'll probably be driving a model that sells for ten times as much as the first model. I've seen those things… they're frickin' hot. Fast, too. They're the first sports car to go without wheels. I wonder how it drives."

McCloud chuckled. "Maybe if we think up a flashly name, we'll all own one soon. Okay, guys… I'll contact Phoenix Transportation and let you boys know when we meet with the client."

"Sounds good to me," said Dengar.

"See you then James. Give my godson a hug and a kiss for me."

Before James could reply, Pigma rolled his eyes. "You guys are gross. Some sort of bro-mance brewing between you two, I swear. See you guys later. Let me know when it's time to fly."

James took the remarks in stride from his good-natured personality. "Yeah, yeah. See you two later."

x-

Thirty-six hours later…

Peppy held the match in front of his cigar, using his other paw to protect the flame. "I swear," he said, causing the cigar to dance between his teeth, "I know I said I'd only smoke and drink at the bar to help me break the habit but… With Vivian so far away, with her parents on Eledard for a whole month, I just get antsy sometimes. I'm a man. I'm a rabbit. We have needs. This calms me down. There are a lot of women here. I just… I need a smoke."

James lifted his paws defensively. "I didn't say a word. I can understand, though. I can't help but look at some of these women; classy dames, that's for sure." His eyes shifted back to the women who passed by. Several of them had their eyes on the two pilots. A few even offered a flirty wink, nod or smile. James glanced back at his watch then sighed. "Where the hell is Pigma?"

"It's probably better than he's not here," said Peppy. "He's not the classiest man, after all."

The fox nodded then lowered his left wrist, trying not to make contact with the women that surrounded them. "Works for me. Damn, though, where are all these girls coming from?"

"Phoenix Transportation has a contract with one of the most elite finishing schools in Lylat. They provide free transportation to and from the campus. Saving rich girl's money will buy rapport from their rich daddies, Jim." Peppy took another long drag on his cigar then sighed in content. Two smoke rings floated up from his maw. He pursed his lips together then blew a plume straight through both rings."

"Nice," said McCloud. "You blow smoke just as good as you pilot."

"Heh." Peppy shrugged. "Now if Pigma could pilot as well as he 'blows smoke', we'd be the finest mercenary squadron in the galaxy."

James snorted quietly in an attempt to stifle his laughter. The last of the females passed by. She turned to look over her shoulder at them and James met her gaze for a moment. He licked his lips then turned away as she rounded a corner. "Damn, she was a fine looking fennec."

"You should try dating again."

James changed his demeanor. "C'mon, Peppy. We've been over this."

"Aw, c'mon. Having a woman around is good for Fox. Don't you want him to grow up seeing how a marriage works, and how a man and a woman work together as a team? You don't want him to grow up being socially awkward, do you?"

James held a paw up. "Not yet. Just… maybe a little dating, but I wouldn't want Fox to meet anyone I am seeing until I've decided if she's someone special. If the relationship didn't work out, I wouldn't want to take another person out of Fox's life. I wouldn't want him to grow up becoming resentful of women all together."

"Yeah, that's fine. I'm talking about your needs as a man. Are you kidding? The way that girl was looking at you just now? It has to start somewhere. Attraction is a good place. And she's coming from a finishing school, so she's lady-like in public. Always something to consider."

"You may have a point. Nothing wrong with…"

"Gentlemen!" The voice caught Peppy and James off guard. They both turned to Zerda Phoenix, who had a beautiful woman at his side and an adorable little girl in a dress. Once Zerda had their attention he moved his paw to his wife and said, "This is Annabelle Marie Phoenix, my bride."

The fennec vixen offered Peppy a shake then James. "Gentlemen, it's a pleasure. Call me Marie."

"Ma'am," said both Peppy and James in unison. James casually reached over with his left paw, snatched the cigar out of Peppy's mouth and stubbed it out with his thumb. He saw Marie's eyes shift. Her ensuing smile caused him to offer one in return. "I apologize, ma'am. He was going to put it out before you arrived but you three caught us off guard." Marie appeared impressed that he managed to put out the hot embers with his thumb without even wincing.

Peppy, trying to use personality to hide embarrassment, knelt in front of the little girl in the Sunday Dress. "And what is your name, young lady?"

She lifted her eyes to her father, who offered a nod of acknowledgement, then she drew in a deep breath and announced, "Fara Marie Phoenix, sir! Are you two going to pilot us back to Corneria?"

Peppy nodded. "You've got it, young lady. We'd be delighted to take the two most lovely ladies in Lylat back home." He offered her a paw. She took his paw with both of her petite, dainty palms and shook his right paw. Peppy stood up and offered a soft smile, charmed by the little girl. "As a father with a daughter, I find your little girl both charming and spirited, Mister Phoenix. We'll get them safely to Corneria in no time, sir."

Zerda knelt to one knee and gave his daughter a hug. They whispered something to one another. Meanwhile, James turned to Peppy and said, "I'm going to call Pigma. If he doesn't show up soon, we're going to run the escort without him."

"You got it, Jim."

Another young man came up from off to the side and shook hands with Annabelle Phoenix. They kissed one another's cheeks then the gentlemanly looking pig folded his hand, offering an almost childish wave to Fara. She reached over her daddy's shoulders to give him a hug but waved at the man over Zerda's shoulder. She then stepped back and Zerda stood up. He kissed his wife then they embraced. "See you soon, Marie. I love you."

"I love you too, Zee. I'm sure the press will just love seeing you ride up to the new ribbon cutting ceremony in that new car."

Zerda grinned. "Yes, well… I've finally chosen a name. The Annabelle Roadster."

She narrowed her gaze at him. "You know I hate that name. Why not use my pen name? I might not be published but I think it's catchy."

The fennec deadpanned at his wife. "Corellium Legend? You really think that would be better?"

She gave her husband a swat on the tail and whispered into his ear. "Just think about it, love." She kissed him on the neck discretely then drew her head back. They brushed their noses together in a charming display of socially acceptable affection then she waved at the metrosexually-dressed pig.

Zerda turned back to James and Peppy. He gestured to his aid. "This is Bosworth. He has impeccable taste, a sharp memory and he's very good with my schedule. My family adores him; he's my most trusted advisor."

"Thank you for your graciousness, Mister Phoenix." He cleared his throat then added, "The Captain is ready for departure at your discretion, sir." He paused for Zerda to finish saying his farewells then they began walking away together. Bosworth continued where the conversation left off. "We'll stop by Papetoon to pick up your prototype sir. What color would you like it to be?"

Zerda's voice faded as they walked together. "My daughter tells me she's quite fond of 'Candy Apple Red' so that's…" They re-entered the private VIP section of the transportation hub. The door slammed shut behind them.

"Can I see your fighters?" asked Fara as soon as her father was no longer within earshot.

Marie looked embarrassed. "Oh, Fara, stop. You know you shouldn't ask such imposing questions; they're professional pilots and don't have time."

James handed Peppy his cell phone. "Call Dengar. If he's not nearly here… well, we won't stall any longer." He then reached for Fara, a natural reaction of any father figure, but then paused and glanced at her mother. "May I?" He waited for her nod of approval then he lifted Fara into his arms. "Y'know, you're about my son's age. His name is Fox McCloud."

"Fox McCloud? Nice name," she said in a slightly quieter voice. "Will he be a pilot one day, too?"

James brimmed with personality. "Oh yes, he is looking forward to it. But you have to start very young to become the best. And don't let anyone tell you that you can't be the best at something. If you know you're good at something, don't give up… you have to trust your instincts and live your dream. I'll show you our fighters. But we can't stay too long because we need to get underway soon. But I think it'll buy us a few extra minutes while we wait for our third pilot to show up."

The quartet walked down a walkway and around the large building. They stepped through a fenced area and out onto a side path. Up ahead was another fenced off section. Just beyond were two sleek M-class fighters. "See? We've modified them so that you won't feel gravity as much as normal."

Fara's eyes widened. She arched her back and craned her neck as if it would somehow allow the toddler to see more. "Wow… maybe one day we'll invent a fighter where you won't feel any gravity. I'm going to be a pilot."

"Oh, Fara…! You know your father would have a breakdown."

The little girl kept her eyes on the two polished fighters just beyond the fence. "Mommy, I'll be safe."

"Fighter pilots aren't exactly known to live safe lives," said Marie with a sigh.

Fara appeared unphased. "Then I'll teach pilots how to be their best. I just want to fly one of those," she said, lifting a tiny paw to point at the ships. "Momma, can we go to the Cornerian Air Show this Saturday?"

Marie frowned. "Very well, but you have to be on your best behavior."

A grin formed on James' muzzle. "Hey, I think Peppy is taking his fiancée, Vivian, to that same airshow. Maybe he'll see you guys there or something."

Fara bristled with charming personality. "Maybe so!"

Marie approached the pilot and reached for her daughter, gently prying her from McCloud's arms. "C'mon, young lady. These fine gentlemen have to get ready. Unlike passengers, they have a preflight inspection and all sorts of things to get ready for."

Fara slid into her mother's arms, hooking an arm around the grown woman's neck. "Yes, they have to check their control surfaces, the rudder movements on the ailerons and stabilizers, the elevator movement, position the flaperons for take off. Then they have to check the Altimeter, compass, fuel gauge, Air Speed Indicator, Radio, GPS, their intercom volume settings and frequency settings, contact the tower for takeoff clearance and…"

Marie gently placed a paw over her daughter's muzzle. "She's quite fascinated by anything that flies, which …I dare say… is why her father decided to make his new sports car hover."

James was completely charmed again. "Yes, but she's right. She's quite young but she already knows all the steps for a pre-takeoff checklist." He directed his tone to the little girl. "That's very, very impressive! Well… you should go with your mother, now. You can watch us from the window."

Fara smiled then turned to her mother and said, "You can put me down, momma. I'm a big girl; I can walk."

Marie chuckled in spite of herself then put the little girl on the pavement and cleared her throat. "Sorry, Mister McCloud. She's a little bit talkative when it comes to telling people about things that fly."

James grinned. "Well, maybe she's right… maybe she will teach people to fly." He put a paw on her head and fluffed her headfur. "Don't think that a fighter pilot is as glorious as the TV and movies make it sound. It's usually quite boring when doing routine patrols. A teacher gets to run simulations with students and probably has a lot more fun because they're always staying active and doing something or testing new hardware or doing something exciting."

Fara nodded but couldn't take her eyes off the fighters on the other side of the fence. "Then maybe I should be the best teacher out there, since I already know more about these machines than…" again her muzzle was covered by her mother's paw.

Marie mothed the words, 'thank you' to James, glad he would be so willing to help talk her daughter into something safer like teaching. She cleared her throat then said, "Come along, Fara. They have to get ready."

She sighed. "Yes mother…" They both left, walking back down the path, leaving James and Peppy alone.

Hare closed the cellphone and passed it back to James with a frown. "He said he has a problem with his fighter. He said it didn't pass pre-flight inspection so he couldn't get clearance. It sounded like he was out on the runway now; I could hear a lot of noise in the background. If I didn't know any better, I would have thought he was already flying but he says he's sitting in his cockpit arguing with the crew chief. I told him not to worry about it. He sounded a little stressed out… almost nervous in a way. Maybe he thought we'd be upset with him for not making it to our first gig. Ah well, more for us."

"Yeah, I'm sure he'll hate that, though. What'd he say when you told him not to worry about it?"

Peppy folded his arms. "He sounded relieved. But then he said 'Good Hunting.' Weird, huh?"

James nodded slowly. "Yeah, he never says that. Well, whatever. Let's get ready, huh?" He stepped through the gate, flashing his badge to someone on the right. The two pilots walked in syncopation across the runway, headed for their craft. "Smart little girl. If I was rich enough to hang out in Zerda Phoenix's circle, I'd set up a play date for her and Fox – they'd have a lot to talk about, as much as both knows about fighter craft. Ah well… I'm sure we're too poor for their company."

"Yeah, I'm sure you're probably right." Peppy followed his wing commander out to their ships. "I just hope nothing goes wrong. It'll only be the two of us, after all."

"Just relax. Follow your instincts and we'll survive this battle." James grinned at his joke. "Nah, I'm sure this'll be a boring escort job."

"Your instincts tell you that?"

"Actually, no, my gut is tingling…"

Peppy chuckled and slapped his friend firmly on the shoulder. "That's from all those women who passed us earlier, Jim."

"You're probably right." As they approached the fighters, two men hurried out with rolling stairs.

x-

Peppy glanced down at his instruments then lifted his gaze back to the inky darkness of space. He brought his paw to a button on the side panel of the cockpit. A white LED light illuminated the interior slightly, making it easier to see things. The rabbit set his autopilot controls then reclined his seat just a little bit and pulled out a flat tablet computer. "Nothing like a quiet ride to catch up on a little reading," he mused softly.

James' voice came over the channel, "Now's the time for it, that's for sure."

A slight grin tugged at Hare's maw. He touched the screen and the display changed, resuming where he'd left off in the novel he downloaded last week. His eyes danced across the screen; every so often he used his thumb to flip the digital page.

Meanwhile, in the other fighter, James was using the PDA function of his communicator to play a racing game. He tilted the phone slightly then leaned slightly in his seat, tilting the phone back the other way. Without warning, he jerked the phone to the side then grinned in a rather devious way. "Thought you could pass me, did you?" he whispered to himself.

Occasionally, his eyes darted up at the sensor display then returned to the small screen. His heart race quickened and he hunched forward. "Almost there." He began rocking back and forth from side to side, zigzagging his in-game vehicle to keep anyone from passing him in the final stretch. His paws tightened around the device with mild excitement as his racer crossed the finish line in second place.

James thumbed a menu screen, saved his 'career mode' status then put the phone into his right breast pocket and linked his navigation computer with Peppy's fighter. "We're about to head into the asteroid belt. I'll drive the first half – go ahead and read. You drive the second leg and I'll take a nap or something."

"I remember long slow drives like this," said Peppy over the radio. "Going to the beach on a Friday, sitting in traffic on the bridge coming out of the city and putting it into cruise control once we were out on the country roads. It was a good three-hour drive. It's nice to have the chance to catch up on reading."

"Yeah, I feel you. Okay. Entering the Meteo Sector now. I've established control over your ship. We'll switch over at fourteen hundred hours. Remember to give your eyes a break every so often or you'll wind up wearing glasses."

Peppy stretched in his cockpit then said, "You got it." He leaned back in his seat again and thumbed the screen of his tablet computer, switching to the next page in his book.

The next eighty minutes passed in silence. A noise came over the communication line, sounding like a warning tone in James' cockpit. Peppy sat up then the warning alarm in his own cockpit went off. He thumbed the top of the screen, displaying a 'book mark' icon on the screen. He touched a button on the side of the device, suspending it. McCloud's voice came over the line. "I've got some sort of movement with a higher metallic content then the average asteroid. I'm going to release control of your ship; stay with the Star Liner – I'll go and check it out."

Peppy reached down and touched the reclining control for his chair so that he was sitting up straight. "You got it, boss. Going to manual control." He took the flight stick and gave it a slight wiggle to ensure he now had control of his craft.

Peppy cut his eyes to the side, watching as the other M-Class fighter's rear booster brightened. The fighter veered off, disappearing behind a nearby asteroid. The radio crackled with subspace distortion caused by having an enormous metallic rock between their ships. "..Th-… with… re-… -sh- …-ck…"

"Ten-nine; did not copy your last transmission, Jim."

An M-Class fighter came back from behind the asteroid at full boost. Several seconds later, a line of metallic objects moved from behind the asteroid in pursuit. Several split off towards the transporter, a few remained behind James and several broke formation to head towards Peppy's ship.

"Oh great." Hare thumbed a plastic clear case from overtop of a button on his dash then pressed it firmly. His HUD's user interface changed dramatically and his weapons and shields came online. Red dots flooded his sensor scope. Peppy slid the tablet off his lap and into a netted pocket by his legs. The netting automatically tightened around the object, sensing something placed within it. Hare took the controls in his paws and hit the boost.

His ship moved to intercept the fighters headed for the Star Liner. Hare opened a channel to the larger ship. "We have bandits inbound – they're coming in hot. Keep your course, do not deviate unless ordered to do so."

A reply came over the line. "Acknowledged, Galaxy Dog – we have limited defense turrets."

"Yeah, ten four; I know y'do." Peppy came about, getting behind one of the attacking ships. He opened fire just as one of the enemy fighters opened their guns on him. Peppy turned sideways by adjusting the control on his flight stick. Several rounds passed above and below him. "Bandits are engaging; returning fire." His ship's guns struck the aft compartment of a nearby target. Two more shots destroyed the enemy. "Jim, I don't see any markings on these hostiles."

"Yeah, they must be pirates or something." He changed his tone and continued to speak, "Incoming hostile fighters, identify yourselves immediately! This is James McCloud of the mercenary squadron Galaxy Dog. We're on a peaceful escort mission and demand you to break off your attack immediately or we will be forced to respond with deadly force!"

"Too late," said Peppy, shooting down another fighter. "They already opened fire on me. I'm forced to engage!"

"Stay close to the ship," James replied. He rolled out of the way then performed a half loop, rolled over and went back the other way to chase an enemy that passed by. He opened fire without delay, ripping into the engine casing of a hostile. The enemy ship collided with another, destroying both. "Two for one special!"

"Ah hell!" Peppy pulled up then abruptly dove but couldn't shake an enemy on his tail. "Help me out, Jim! This guy has lock!"

James came about, using his left paw to redirect energy to the shield emitters on the front belly of his fighter. He purposely struck an asteroid at a shallow angle, deflecting himself back up to get behind Peppy. The fighter that was previously following James clipped its wing on the asteroid, unable to pull away in time. It spun out of control then struck another asteroid in the distance and exploded.

The fox's left paw moved gracefully over his control panel, hitting "reset 001" on the keypad. His shielding returned to default parameters. Meanwhile, his right paw clenched the flight stick firmly. His thumb came down on the firing button, opening up on the enemy now between himself and his wingmate. The fighter burst apart, it's explosive flames immediately dissipated without oxygen to fuel the fires. McCloud's fighter blew through the debris, scattering it in all directions.

"Thanks for the assist back there!"

"You can return the favor for my son if we ever wind up flying together as a team," said James with a grin.

"If he's as good as you are, he'll be the one helping me," Peppy replied in a humble tone.

"Don't ingratiate yourself. I no longer have the authority to promote anyone," said James with a chuckle.

"Oh hell, Jim, it's not like I asked to buy you a beer. Okay – I count sixteen total bogeys."

"We're taking fire, Galaxy Dog!" The voice was younger than whoever was broadcasting from the transport ship before.

James came back around, splitting from Peppy's vector. "You sound young, kid. Is everything alright over there?"

"Negative sir," said the teenage boy. "We need to bugout! Our communication's officer was killed from a bulkhead collapse. We have casualties all over the ship; I'm not sure if I know all the proper military lingo but I have a group moving in azimuth – one large group on two separate headings. Looks like six going at Angels-five off the port bow and the other group of five is now starting to change their bearing. Uhm, we're at flank speed… or, uh, buster I think is what you guys call it."

"Calm down, son," James said, heading back towards the Star Liner. "Practice your brevity. What's your name, kid?"

"Chester, sir. I'm at this station because it was unmanned, sir."

"Stay calm. Tell the helmsman to keep flying the ship and let us do our job." James cut his gaze to the left, seeing the regrouped fighters splitting back apart. His eyes widened, seeing a shuttle come out from behind an asteroid. "Peppy! They're trying to board the frickin' ship!"

"What?"

James opened fire on the shuttle but incoming fighters moved into position, trying to absorb McCloud's blaster fire. The shuttle slammed into the Star Liner, scraping its belly against the larger ship's backside. It came to a halt overtop of an airlock. "I'm going to try and shoot the flea off that dog's back."

McCloud rolled, zigged and zagged in an attempt to circumvent the enemy fighters but they came into his path again, causing him to veer away to avoid a collision. The young feline's voice returned to the channel. "This is Chester, we have reports of attackers! There's a boarding party and they're heavily armed! Five or six lizards and apes! They're trying to get access to the bridge!"

The fox groaned, pounding his left fist against the canopy. "Dammit! Peppy, is there someway one of us can get on board that damn ship and stop these guys? We'll need one of us to stay out here."

"Let me do this, Jim. I can handle it. I have an idea."

"How you're going to do it? I'll keep them off your tail but… you don't have an EVO suit."

"Just… watch and learn." Peppy changed his shield emitter output, came around and literally drove his fighter into the lower hold, breaching the hull. James' eyes widened, watching his friend make such a bold maneuver. Meanwhile, Hare's fighter crashed through the wall. Once the cockpit passed through the bulkhead, he cut his engines and expanded his shield to create an ovular shaped bubble to extend the false environment around his fighter. He moved power to his retro-reverse rockets but didn't yet initiate them. Peppy opened the canopy then hopped out, making sure to stay in the confines of the shield bubble.

The automatic airlock bulkhead seal was in place at the other end of the secondary hold. Peppy approached the control panel in the bulkhead and opened it then pulled down on the manual override lever. The blast door opened barely half a meter apart, just enough for him to squeeze through.

Peppy drew his sidearm and hurried into a hallway with a conveyer belt along the wall. He skidded to a halt in front of a cargo elevator but the call button was unresponsive. "Don't get discouraged now," he told himself. The rabbit shot an access panel off the wall then dove into the maintenance tube and started crawling. Before long, he came to a ladder and began climbing. Peppy proceeded up the long ladder, occasionally passing deck stickers. Having started at 'deck 16', he continued to climb until passing 'deck 7.' Peppy put his weapon into the holster, finally, gave his right paw a firm shake then pulled out his communicator. "Jim, what bridge is the deck located on?"

Jim relayed the communication to Chester, who replied, "Deck five, sir. Please, hurry, they're using a cutting tool to get through the seal. They've hit most of our major systems except for our engines. The Captain seems to think that they want to take over the ship and use everyone as hostages."

"Did you get that Peppy? Deck five. Try and be quick, they're everywhere out here."

Peppy swallowed and started moving upwards one more. "You got it." He glanced down between his legs at the nine-story drop then looked back up and started climbing again.

Chester's teenage voice returned to the channel. "They appear to have given up on the bridge. The Captain fears they may simply grab hostages and return to their shuttle. What is it that you're planning? We don't know how much longer we can make it – our shields are down, our hull plating is depolarized and we have a breech in our secondary hold. Thee, uh, the alarm for the airlock blast door was tripped but the computer says it's been resealed. We can't spare the crew members to verify it, though."

James frowned, jerking from left to right on his control stick. "Kid, don't worry yourself about the hull breech. I've got a plan and that's part of the plan. Just hang tight." McCloud pulled back on the controls, performed a tight loop then got behind two enemies and blasted their aft section until both exploded. "Peppy, how're you doing in there? The kid says they're giving up on breaking into the bridge. But they'd still be on that deck."

"Almost got it, Jim." Peppy passed the fifth deck label. He reached to his right and turned a lever on the backside of a panel then let himself out of the maintenance shaft, spilling onto the carpet. He replaced the panel, got to his feet and withdrew his pistol. "I'm on deck five. No contact, no civilians."

"Dammit," McCloud muttered under his breath. "I've got pockmarks on my flippin' ship. Some of the fighters out here must be running low on energy cells because they've reverted to using projectiles. I think it's velocity rounds… one of those sixteen millimeter slugs Venom was fond of in the old days. If these guys really are pirates, they're using equipment stolen from Eli's first wave military supplies."

"Doctor Andross likes putting logos on the side of his technology, though," Peppy said. "I'll let you know if they have uniforms when I find one of these guys."

"Peppy…" James sighed. He paused to use a volley of blaster fire to chase enemies away from the Star Liner then said, "Don't get yourself killed in there. You're my best friend, man. You're my son's godfather, my best man… Don't let them get the drop on you."

"Stop worrying, would'ja?" Peppy replied in a chastising voice. "Okay…" his tone grew quieter, "I see… looks like four enemies together and a fifth one is trying to… have mercy – they're cornering the little girl and her mother. Stand by."

"Peppy, wait, do you have a game plan?" No response. "Peppy?"

James growled softly, gnashing his teeth together. "Peppy, don't you die in there. Follow your heart and follow your instincts, man. Don't you make me be the one to call Vivian, I mean it."

"Jim!" Peppy's voice was stern and sharp. His tone softened and he added," I didn't know you cared so much. Just relax and 10-3." Hare peered around the corner again, looking into a room where the citizens were huddled together. There were banquet tables on their sides and chairs strewn about the hall. All the people were on the floor. A section of the bulkhead had collapsed and the little girl appeared to be standing in front of it, looking quite defiant and brave for her age. Two apes and three lizards had the room covered. Someone begged not to be shot and another person was weeping.

Peppy looked down at his blaster then looked up again, counting all the energy blasters. One guard had a rifle on his shoulder and held two handguns. Another guard was holding a pulse rifle, with two pistols on his hips. All of them were heavily armed with energy weapons.

His eyes danced along the left wall then the right, counting the amount of civilians. "This isn't going to go well," he whispered to himself. One of the apes shifted a bit, giving Peppy a clear line of sight to what appeared to be a woman trapped by the collapsed bulkhead. Peppy gasped. "Mrs. Phoenix," he said softly. "This is turning out to be a mess."

"What's that? I didn't quite making out what you said," James replied over the radio.

"Nevermind. Remind me to throttle Pigma when we get home. If he was here, none of this would have happened. Time for a little 'CQC' but not to worry… I'll be fine." Peppy picked up a small piece of debris and tossed it up the hallway with a lot of force so that it would make noise. The soldiers noticed.

Three of them left the grand hall to investigate. The rabbit waited until they turned the corner and moved out of the view of their teammates then he took a maintenance hatch off the wall silently, came up behind one of the soldiers and brought it down on his head with all the strength he could muster. It smashed the man's head in, killing him instantly.

The two pirates opened fire on Peppy but the rabbit moved with the falling body and kept a tight hold on the maintenance hatch. He jumped back to his feet, throwing the hatch at one and snatching a fire extinguisher off the wall with his other paw. He captured the red cylinder on an upswing of his right paw, the follow-through brought the extinguisher off its hook and upwards into the jaw of the third attacker.

The guy who had been hit in the face by the hatch panel got to his feet and withdrew his rifle. He was the last of the three. Peppy stepped forward so that they were too close for the man to have proper spacing for his rifle to be useful. The rabbit grabbed the weapon, tilted it and shoved it upwards, striking the man in the face with the buttstock. The lizard's nose shattered and a tooth went bouncing across the deck.

Peppy pivoted hard, spiraled about and delivered a roundhouse kick directly to the man's face, breaking his jaw. As the lizard went back, Peppy realized he was now holding the rifle in his left hand. He came out of the smooth kick, opened his stance and flipped the rifle about then fired on all three lizards, killing them instantly.

With a nerve-wracking shout, meant to confuse and disorient, he ran into the room, firing on the two remaining pirates. The lizard and ape went to the floor with riddled with several holes. They died on the spot, lying in a pool of blood, which created a circular puddle beneath their bodies.

Young Fara looked down at them and swallowed as if unable to comprehend what she just saw. Peppy hopped over one of the bodies and came to Marie Phoenix, half crushed in the wall. "Good God, Mrs. Phoenix, I need you to hang in there and I'll get you out of there."

The woman looked up at Peppy with sad, forlorn eyes and frowned. "I'm unable to feel my legs… Get my daughter to safety."

"You'll live, just hold on." He threw the rifle down next to one of the dead attackers and put his paws beneath part of the fallen bulkhead and grunted. He grit his teeth together, belt his knees and kept his back straight but the wall was beyond what he could lift. Peppy turned around and picked up the rifle. He pulled the fuel cell then jammed the buttstock into the crack adjacent to her body then called over another man. The large bodied equine hurried over to help. The two of them used the rifle as a lever to wedge the bulkhead apart.

Fara backed away, paw over her muzzle, watching as they worked to try and save her mother. She bucked into a dead lizard, tripped over him and fell unceremoniously to her backside. The little girl was shocked into silence, horrified that she'd touched a dead reptile's body, let alone that she'd fallen over it.

Peppy and the Clydesdale horse worked together to lift a section of the bulkhead. Peppy thrust his left paw forth, took her by the wrist and started pulling her free, slowly but surely.

Quite suddenly, the horse hit the wall, leaving a slight bloodstain where his nose hit the surface. He slumped to the floor, dazed and severely injured. Peppy was struck by the butt of a rifle and spun about, slumping down next to where Mrs. Phoenix was again crushed by the crumpled bulkhead.

When Peppy opened his eyes, a weapon was pointed in the rabbit's face, causing his eyes to cross. His eyes shifted, moving up along the barrel to a female lizard, holding the weapon. She had a different color vest on, denoting her superior rank. She hissed softly then carefully formed a Corneria word. "Up."

Peppy put his back against the crumpled bulkhead and put his right paw on Marie's wrist. He felt for a pulse as he slowly rose to his feet. It was beyond faint. He could feel it against his fingers but she couldn't survive being crushed a second time. The rabbit tightened his jaw so as not to show any fear. He kept his back against the stacked debris and breathed calmly. However, his heart was racing. Slowly, his paws lifted. "I need to save this woman. That's what we were doing, here. The only way I could get to her was to attack your men."

Again, she hissed. Her tongue flickered outwards like that of a snake. She used it to sense the immediate area then her hiss melted into more Cornerian words. "Ssstupid male, she will not s-s-survive."

Marie's slumped form trembled. Her labored breathing was chorused by gurgling. Her eyes opened in a half-lidded state and she mouthed the words, "I love you," to the ten year old girl against the other wall. One eye shut, the other one did not.

Peppy took a step forward to test his boundaries but the reptile shoved him back, using the barrel of her rifle. "You're a hostage now. But if you resist, I will kill you and choose another. I'll take two more, and the child. Yesss, I came here for the woman in the wall but will s-s-settle for her daughter."

"She can still be saved!" Peppy argued. "LET me HELP HER!"

The reptile turned the weapon about, striking Peppy in the face with the butt. He hit his head against the metallic stacked accordion-like bulkhead behind him and groaned. She put the rifle beneath his jaw and used it to choke him. Peppy brought his paws up to try and push the rifle's elongated body away from his neck but his arms were bent and hers were straight, allowing her to have the upper hand.

"I think I shall watch the life drain from both your eyesss, pilot! Then I will take the res-s-st with me to fetch a good price on the s-s-s-slaving market. You had your chance to cooperate, now it's time for you to die!"

"NO!" The little voice was full of anger. A blaster shot rang out and Peppy watched in horror as the reptile's face dissolved from the inside-out. Light filled her nose and mouth and her eyes melted and became cloudy. Her facial cavity began to sink in on itself from the heat. The disturbing image continued to mutate, playing out slowly in the lengthy two-second duration. Blood bubbled up from the reptile's eyes, ears, nose and mouth but only dribbled down a little bit before the flow stopped, congealed from the heat of the blaster discharge. Hare couldn't look away fast enough.

As the body fell, the rifle came away from his throat allowing him to gasp for breath. The lizard dropped to the floor then flopped over onto its left side. Behind the reptile was a little fennec vixen with a blaster pistol, taken from a dead enemy on the carpet.

All at once, Peppy's senses and instincts returned. His mind cleared from the adrenaline and the sensation of mental shock concluded. He stepped over the final attacker's body, carefully snatched the weapon from Fara Phoenix's paws and quickly switched on the safety. He began to reach for her but she ducked his paws and hurried to her mother.

Peppy turned around, holstered the weapon in his belt then lowered to one knee and checked Marie's pulse again. Her left eye was pointed away from her nose and her right eye was shut. Not wanting the little girl to see such a thing, he quickly put his paw over Marie's face and slid his palm downwards. Both eyes were shut when he drew his paw back.

"Fara, I'm so sorry about your mother."

The little girl brought her left paw to her face and gestured for him to step back by thrusting her right paw outwards. She then brought her right paw forth and took her mother's forearm, just holding it in silence. Marie didn't move.

One of the civilian females who saw everything hiked her dress hem up and hurried over then reached for Fara. "Oh sweetie, let me take you to your father and we can…"

Fara jerked away from the woman and practically dove behind Peppy to hide. He pressed her face against his hip, keeping him between herself and the other woman.

"But, sweetie, I know your daddy. I can help take you to him!" The woman in the fancy ball gown took a step forward but Fara clung to Peppy even tighter.

Peppy looked down at the little girl then back up at the lady in the blue dress. "Miss, she's been through a lot. I'll stay aboard until we reach the next Star Port, then I'll make sure Fara Phoenix is returned to her father. But I appreciate your concern."

The woman looked back at the young girl then at Peppy. She looked around the room again then said, "If you change your mind, darling, let me know." Then she quickly left the area to get away from the chaos.

Hare's radio chirped, followed by James' voice. "What's going on in there? The fighters are bugging out; there's still five left but my shields are at forty percent. You all right?"

"Yeah, Jim," said Peppy into his communicator with a sigh. "But Annabelle Marie Phoenix isn't. I have Fara with me now. We need to get back to the nearest spaceport because we can't enter the atmosphere with a hole in the lower hold. Then we'll wait until we're on Corneria and… it's a mess over here, Jimmy." His voice was sullen sounding.

"Peppy… are you hurt? How's the little girl?"

"We'll make it." His eyes flitted back to the woman half hanging out of the crumpled wall. "James… Marie didn't."

"Do whatever you can for them. This isn't over until we see Zerda Phoenix and ensure that they're safe. Corneria is still about ninety minutes away if the Star Liner continues at this speed. I'll try and get a message through to Bosworth. Worst comes to worst, we'll watch over her until he can charter a flight back to Corneria. Stay over there for now and do what you can to help restore some sort of… just do what you can."

"What about the teenager on the bridge? Have we heard anything?"

James cleared his throat. "Peppy, there were injuries on the bridge. You've been trained in emergency response, so head there next and assess some sort of damage control, report to me on the casualties and if there's any serious damage that we should know about. But first, get a team together and get Mrs. Phoenix to sickbay. You know what to do."

"Yeah, Jim. I do. Peppy out." He closed the channel then picked up Fara in his arms. She didn't say a word; she just pushed her face into his shoulder and hid there for now.

x-

Zerda Phoenix opened his arms to his daughter. The trembling little girl looked up from the rabbit's neck, hearing her father's voice. Fara leapt from Peppy's embrace and dashed into Zerda's arms. She sobbed softly and he quickly hid her face into his collarbone. Zerda took a long, deep breath and, in a reverent voice, asked, "What happened?"

James swallowed, fighting embarrassment and shame. "We were attacked sir. The pirates wanted to take your family for ransom and they boarded the transport ship. There were a lot of them. I ordered Peppy to find a way to try and dock against the airlock and break into the ship – it was dangerous. I was without a third wingman, but I couldn't leave Peppy out there against over a dozen ships by himself…"

"Mister Hare?" Zerda asked.

"Yes, sir, Mister Phoenix. I told James I could handle it. I hurried into the corridor and made my way to the passenger section. It wasn't hard to find your family, the lizards got there first. I had to fight them, sir. It's all in my written report."

"I'd like to hear your side of it. I'm not quite ready to read the report yet."

Peppy nodded and swallowed. "Well, Mister Phoenix… Your wife was gravely injured from a buckling bulkhead. I was up against several opponents and when I thought the area was clear, I tried to rescue Mrs. Phoenix. I lifted the bulkhead a little bit and she started to wiggle free but then I was attacked from behind by another lizard who was hiding or… I didn't see them during the fight. It caused me to drop the bulkhead. Then…" Peppy swallowed again.

"Go on, please…"

Peppy glanced at Fara then back at her father. "I was knocked to the floor and the raider put a gun in my face. Your daughter picked up a weapon from one of the fallen pirates and shot the lizard who had me at gunpoint. I got up, took the gun away from her and switched it to 'safety.' Then I turned back to Mrs. Phoenix but she was… gone. I'm sorry, Mister Phoenix. I think it was my fault. If I hadn't dropped the bulkhead, she might have…"

"No. Please, Mister Hare, don't blame yourself. You were attacked from behind. That was a cowardly act. I blame the pirates." He placed his daughter on his hip and turned to face her directly. In a soft voice, he said, "I'm very proud of you for doing the right thing… But I need to remind you that guns are dangerous." Zerda swallowed then looked back to James and Peppy. "You've saved my daughter's life. Without your hard work, she would have taken and held as a captive. And god knows what they might have done to her. I'm just... besides myself."

"Sir, if there's anything we can do." James knew what the man was going through. He took a deep breath then folded his paws. "My wife was killed in an explosion. I'm a single father. If you need anyone to talk to… you can count on me, sir. I, uh…" He was grasping as straws now, "Fara said she was going to the flight show on Corneria this weekend… Peppy is going wit his fiancée. Maybe, uh, if you need a day alone to… you know… just a private day… Peppy could take her. I know this is awkward. But the offer stands just the same."

Fara looked up and, for the first time since pulling the trigger on that blaster, she said, in a quiet voice, "Momma would have wanted to see that." Her ears lifted slightly, no longer touching her shoulders.

Zerda looked down at her then back at Peppy and nodded. "I'll have Mister Bosworth make arrangements. We'll be staying on Corneria for now. For the sake of professionalism, let's make this a one time thing." He bit his lip then added, "But at least I know she'll be safe and in good paws."

"Yes sir, Vivian and I will make sure she's safe and has a good time. I promise."

Zerda looked like he was trying to hold himself together but it was apparent that it was becoming increasingly difficult. He nodded to Peppy's words then said, "If you'll both excuse me… I… I think we need time alone, now."

James nodded respectfully. "Completely understood, Mister Phoenix. Normally I would tell a client if you ever need Galaxy Dog's services again to call us anytime. But I feel so ashamed that Mrs. Phoenix didn't survive this attack."

"Mister McCloud… it's not your fault."

"Just the same, the name of the unit feels tainted now. I suppose it doesn't much matter since we were trying to think of a new name but… I'm deeply sorry. Like I said, my wife was killed and I understand what you're going through and how hard this must be."

Zerda looked down again. "I've decided to name the new sports car the Corellium Legend, just like she wanted." His eyes lifted but his muzzle stayed pointed downward. "What's your son's name?"

"Fox, sir."

Zerda nodded with a slight smile. "Reinvent yourselves and put this attack in the past. Call your group something that would honor your wife's greatest creation…" Phoenix switched his little girl to his other hip then said, "Studies show the word 'Star' has a unique effect on the psyche of people. It's why I chose to call our transporter ships, 'Star Liners'. If I may… call your mercenary unit Star Fox. I would be honored to hire your group again in the future; you've saved the life of my daughter and jeopardized your own lives to try and save my wife. But don't be offended if I never call… I've decided to employ a new tactic to keep my family safe."

"Sir?" James tilted his head.

"I'll be conducting my business without my family. Fara has had her heart set on becoming a pilot as a hobby. I'll let her take flight classes, here on Corneria. That way when I have to go on a business trip, I know she'll be safe on the planet, protected by the Cornerian Air Guard defense perimeter. I'll never put my family at risk, ever again. A ten year old girl has no place out in an asteroid belt – I should have known better." He tried to offer a weak smile. "What do you think of my idea for your team?"

"Star Fox. I'll pay for the trademark rights with the paycheck from today, sir."

Zerda placed his free paw on James' wrist. "No need. It would be my honor to take care of that for you. I'll have Bosworth contact you when it's finished and I'll put everything in your name. It's the least I can do; you've saved my daughter."

Peppy folded his paws reverently. "Well, your daughter saved me, sir. So…" He approached the little girl on Zerda's left hip. "If I can ever return the favor, I promise I'll be right there."

She nodded then hid her face back into her father's shoulder again. Mister Phoenix shook paws with Peppy then James. "Thank you again. Bosworth will be in contact about the flight show next weekend." He turned about and began walking away. Bosworth offered to take the little girl but at the time she refused to let anyone else hold her. The trio walked back into the Cornerian Transportation hub's VIP section and disappeared.

Peppy turned to James. "Star Fox, huh? I think even Pigma would like it… it, uh, has the word 'star' in it."

"Yeah." James glanced back at the floor. "I didn't mention this earlier… and don't tell Pigma because he'll be weird about the money… but Phoenix transferred double the original amount into our account."

"…Wow. With that much money, we could afford to put a larger down payment on the GreatFox."

James nodded sullenly. "Yeah… I could afford to buy a large life insurance policy. If something happened to me, I would want Fox to have a comfortable life, be able to pay off the GreatFox and do whatever he wants with his life."

"A life insurance policy is always a manly thing to have for your family… but I have another good idea."

"Yeah?"

"You'll now have the money to put Fox through the academy sooner. There's a gifted and talented class that starts with twelve year olds. We could get him a few classes before he's old enough to go through basic."

A hint of a grin touched the corner of his mouth. "Yeah. I bet he'd love to know what it's like on a gravity simulator, or to hang inverted in the anti-grav rings. This will give me the chance to bond with my son a little better."

"Let's go home, Jim. You look like you could use a drink and I know just the thing." His eyes lifted to the sky with a sigh.

x-

"What happened after that?" asked Lucy.

Peppy chuckled and rubbed at his aged face. "Well, I took Fara Phoenix to the air show. Vivian was so charmed by this little girl that she told me she was ready to be a wife and a mother just a few weeks later. Your oldest brother came about a year later.

"How did Fara handle the death of her mother? How'd the air show go?"

Peppy chuckled softly. "Well, for starters, I took her everywhere that day. I talked my way into getting her the chance to sit up in the cockpit of several fighters on display. Then, after that day… I didn't see her again until she was all grown up. Nineteen years old, Chief Test Pilot for Corneria's Research and Development with a high level security clearance. She was so enamored with Fox that she didn't even recognize me. We talked, later, and she became interested in Fox's family when she realized who I was and that she'd briefly met James in the past. Shortly after that, she started asking Fox more questions about his folks… then she found the dress… Fox got a wild hair up his tail and asked her to try it on… Save for the ears, there was an eerie resemblance to Vixy McCloud and when Fara went MIA, presumed KIA, it really messed Fox's head up – he said he'd never let another person wear that dress ever again. He claimed that anyone who wore it would surely die or some such. He hid it away, Miyu and Krystal never even laid eyes on it. He kept it hidden. Maybe that's part of the reason he felt so uncomfortable about you having found it."

"Oh… I see."

Peppy continued. "So far as how she handled the death of her mother… she actually handled it far more gracefully than Fox handled the death of his own mother. When Fox lost his parents, he felt all out of sorts. He and Fara grew close and, perhaps, it's because they had so much in common – they were akin to one another and so they helped each other heal and cope with their past… but when I saw Fara again, all those years later, even though I immediately recognized her, she was completely different. Confident, sure of herself, beautiful and strong of will and character. She had a lot of personality. You know what they say, sweetie… little girls need their daddies… little boys need their mothers. We're just… hard wired to work together that way."

"I understand, Papa. Did you ever find out what happened to Pigma that day?"

Peppy's eyes became cold. He narrowed his gaze and tightened his jaw. "We didn't find out until Pigma betrayed us over Venom when he decided to gloat… but he sold us out. He went to a group of simian pirates and told them where Zerda Phoenix would be and how to attack, how to split us up for more effectiveness… and suggested they take the wife and daughter of Zerda Phoenix as hostage to receive a large ransom demand. That sniveling, worthless piece of bacon is the reason Fara's mother was killed… No, I never told her that. It wasn't my place. …And now it's too late because Fara is gone. And I never told Fox, either, because Pigma's betrayal is a sore subject for him… his father was killed because of that man. I didn't want him going out and hunting for Pigma and getting himself killed. So keep that between us for now."

Lucy nodded. "Of course, Papa. Can I get you anything?"

Peppy cleared his throat into his paw then his eyes landed on a display case mounted on the far bulkhead. He bit his lip then looked back at his daughter then back at the display case. "How… how about one of those?" He pointed to the display case.

"A cigar, Papa? It's been years, hasn't it?"

Peppy chuckled. "Your mother would kick my tail."

Lucy stood up, walked to the wall and opened the case then removed a small box. She brought it to him, opened the top and let him pick on out. Then she carried the case back to the environmentally sealed display case. She closed it and brought a small box of matches to him. She glanced out the window to the heavens. "I won't tell her. It'll be our secret." She passed him the cutting tool then took it back after he snipped one end.

They offered a quiet smile to one another. Peppy lit the match off of his other palm with a wince. He saw the concern on Lucy's face then grinned weakly in reply. "Heh. I still got it." He brought the match to his cigar and took a deep breath with a sigh of what sounded like content.

x-

A/N: SURPRISE! Chapter FIVE of Reflections of Peppy! xD Now to get back to Reflections of Marcus. Just thought I'd hit you guys with a curve ball to keep you on your toes. So there you go… another anecdote told by old man Peppy that shows us another yester-year moment in the history of Star Fox.

-Me