Chapter 1: Firmament

Shortly after the end of the Lylat Wars:

"Alright Mr. O'Donnell, this is your cell. We will inform you when we've scheduled your trial," explained the guard with a bizarrely soothing voice. Wolf O'Donnell stepped in without a word. He was still far too baffled by the events of the past few days to react. He wasn't even sure he could be angry.

The guard put on the force field, then deactivated Wolf's cuffs. The new prisoner swung his arms with relief.

"Is there anything you would like in the meantime?" he asked. "We can give you access to books and videos if you so choose. There is also a virtual chess set, and you can be matched against an AI of appropriate skill, or another random prisoner."

Wolf almost chuckled. He had expected to be killed immediately, not captured and imprisoned. And now they were going to put him on trial? He knew that bounties had been placed on him, in the past, but something still seemed off.

"Um...actually I'd like some books. Just give me whatever you have," Wolf said.

"Very well." The guard nodded and made a few taps on his wrist. A holographic book became visible on the cell's small plastic bench. He began to stride away quickly.

"Wait!" Wolf called out. The guard stopped and turned around, but didn't walk back.

"So what...what is this trial about exactly? What's going to happen to me?"

The guard made an uncomfortable expression. "I don't really know," he admitted. "The Council might decide you're a threat and execute you. They might decide you're not and let you free."

"That doesn't help!" Wolf insisted. "Who is this Council anyways? Where's General Pepper?"

The guard barked a laugh. "General Pepper is dead. The Council runs Corneria now."

"And what does this mysterious Council want?" Wolf snapped back.

"Peace," the guard declared grandly. "Peace for all."

"Well, I guess we'll just see how that works," Wolf responded, though he was a bit surprised. The guard looked absolutely convinced in this Council and its supposed goal of. Maybe this would be a new chapter for the Lylat Cluster after all.

The guard turned and walked away with finality. Wolf sat down and picked up the book. He pulled up The Wild Calls, a classic he had read in high school, but didn't bother to read now. His head was awash in thoughts. But, he supposed, at least he would have time to sort them all out.

So Corneria had won. Emperor Andross had been killed, and Venom was in ashes. He knew this. He wondered what would become of Venom, though he was more concerned for his homeworld of Macbeth. Would either of them fall to the hands of another madman?

So where do my allegiances lie now? Wolf wondered. He had fought for Venom because he had lived there for so long. He had hated Corneria for how it had stifled and bullied the other worlds of Lylat for decades and decades, but now even that government had collapsed. And this is new Council...well, he couldn't make any conclusions yet.

But that was it for abstract things like governments. What about people? Did he have anyone he trusted anymore?

Well, his old team was all dead or missing, so there was nothing to say there. But what about his enemies?

There was always Fox McCloud, he realized. But no, maybe not. Wolf admired James McCloud greatly, but Fox might not know this. And even though Wolf had saved Fox's life once, he had no idea what Fox himself had made of that. It was all too much to assume.

Wolf sighed. So, he could start over again, entirely from scratch this time. That wasn't so bad. He was sure that the populace of Corneria would be just like any other world, an undefinable sea of good, bad, and average people mixed together. He would have a lot to learn, but he would survive. No matter what the Universe threw at him, he had always found a way to survive.