***A Cornerian News Program***

Newsflash!

We've received word that legendary pilot Fox Mccloud is dead. It is believed that he intentionally crashed his arwing into a mountain this morning, making it the first confirmed suicide on Cornerian soil in years. A note, confirmed to be in his handwriting, was found in his mother's house, where he was believed to have been staying.

The note reads "To whoever may read this, let me make it clear that my death was neither murder, nor accident. After all these years I can't take it anymore. After my wife's death, I tried to get back with Krystal, but that proved impossible. I can't live without her, but everyone's threatening to take her away from me. We've decided to die together than to live alone. The arwing is loaded with extra fuel and explosives so that there will be nothing left of her body to identify or disrespect. I leave behind everything to Peppy, who was always like a father to me after my dad died. Should he not be able to accept it, then it should go to his daughter Lucy."

With her death also confirmed, the manhunt for former Star Fox member Krystal is also being called off. All officers and other officials involved in the manhunt are asked to attend Fox Mccloud's funeral, where whatever's left of him will be buried with the destroyed arwing it's fused to.

Day one

The cloaked arwing sped out of Lylat. On board, eight people tried to keep themselves occupied as the autopilot flew the ship to its destination.

"How'd you lose those beautiful arms and legs of yours?" asked Panther.

"Yeah? We've all lost something in battle, whether it be an eye or a toe, but entire limbs?"

"Fox's previous wife shot me in the arms and legs" answered Krystal "Then Fox shot her and carried me all the way to his arwing. Along the way to the hospital, my arms and legs had become very infected and had to be amputated."

"Wait" said Wolf "If Fox is the one who shot her, then why did you get blamed?"

"Fox was too busy tending to me to tell anyone else. Once he had time, they had already put two and two together and got five or three or whatever they got."

"I thought about telling, but decided against it" Fox added "They might have dismissed my confession, believing that I was just trying to save her. I figured hiding would be safer for her."

"You've been put through so much" Panther told her "Why don't you come over here and cuddle?"

"Isn't there a small closet or bathroom where we could get some privacy?" Krystal asked Fox.

"There's a small room towards the front," Fox told her "It was added so that someone could work in the arwing without disturbing others. I've converted it into our bedroom."

Not wasting any time, Fox grabbed Krystal and pulled her through a small tunnel that led to the room. Once they were both inside, Fox quickly locked the door before anyone could disturb them. With their privacy guaranteed, Fox turned on the light.

The room was about six and a half feet long, four feet wide, and three feet wide. A small metal door hid the climate control and an intercom connected to the cockpit.

"We should have some privacy here." Fox reassured her.

"I think the baby's going to come any day now." Krystal told Fox "Probably not today, but definitely within a week."

"Really? That's great."

Fox couldn't believe just how close he was to fatherhood. He would have preferred the kit not be born until after the ship reached its destination, but what could he do?

"Should we tell the others?"

"No, Fox. Not yet. Just make sure we have enough towels to clean up the mess."

Fox hugged her, excited that they'll soon be a family instead of merely a couple.

---------Corneria---------

Deep beneath the streets of Corneria City, two military officers discuss the recent reports of Fox's "suicide".

"Absolutely bullshit. There's no way he would have purposely crashed his arwing into a mountain like that, even if it meant dying together with his lover."

"Lover?"

"It should be no secret that he loved that vixen. Come on. You've seen the photos. Even when he was married to that other woman, he still loved that Krystal girl. Going to the trouble to load that arwing full of bombs and fuel? Most would simply drink poison together or blow both their brains out. I know Fox."

"What do you think happened?"

"Simple. He and that Krystal girl left. Before they left, he wrote that phony suicide note and put the arwing on auto-pilot, sending it into the mountain."

"Do you think his disappearance is related to the disappearances of his friends and rivals?"

"I do. He and his friends were pretty close and they all had their problems. Krystal was the most wanted person in all of Lylat and his friends were incredibly deep in debt. Wolf and Panther? Wolf couldn't stand the thought of losing his biggest rival. Without Fox, Wolf would have had no goal, no purpose. Beating Fox was an obsession of his and he would rather die than see Fox leave undefeated. Panther, meanwhile, had a thing for that Krystal girl. Call him what you want. Romantic. Creepy. Stalker. He heard them all and he didn't care. He would stop at nothing to win her heart. If she was leaving the system, he would have found out and left with them."

"How do you know all this?"

"My old team and I have fought against Star Fox quite a few times. Fox can be very predictable at times and if you know what he's going to do, you know what those idiot friends of his are going to do."

"Do you have any idea where they went?"

"I have a few ideas. They're going to a hospitable planet within range of long-range spacecraft that's out of Cornerian controlled space. The most likely candidates are 14B, 247C, 142A, and 75B."

"Should we go looking?"

"Yes, but only looking. If we go after them too soon, they'll panic. When we've gathered enough intel, we nab Fox and Krystal."

"And what would we do with them?"

"You'll find out when we have the foxes in custody."

"Thank you for your time, General."

"Please. Call me Leon."