Chapter 16
Double Cross
With barely more than a whoosh, James dropped onto the tunnel floor and lowered to a crouch. He quickly took a single step and placed his back against a wall, which reached to a ceiling only a few inches above his head. The red rock was smooth. There was also a thin layer of moisture. "There must be a water pipe system," James thought. No doubt to keep the tunnels cool. Hot air dropped into the tunnel and more water settled onto the walls as Christy dropped after James. Together they reached back up and replaced the metal cover. Cool air quickly filled the space where the temperature had spiked just a moment ago. Clearly, someone had spent a lot of money and time building this makeshift hideout.
On one end of the tunnel was a bare wall, but the other opened up into a larger space.
"We'll need a map," James said looking at Christy.
Christy held up her comp and activated the sonic sonar device. In less than a second, sound was sent out and received by the wrist computer. After a few minutes of processing information, Christy was projecting a 3-D model of the base. There was a large chamber at the end of the tunnel they were sitting in, which held two smaller tunnels, one of which led to a long hallway and the other to a small room.
Christy touched the long hallway deeper down. "This is probably the prison." A soft orange light illuminated that area. "Best guess," she said as she touched the smaller room, "This is probably Scale's room. But there's no way that we can be certain."
"Let's go take a look." James placed one hand on his sword, just in case, and inched out of the tunnel.
The large chamber fell about four stories and was an almost perfect cylinder. A long ladder ran down the wall to the floor. At the very bottom, James could barely see a small, blue figure.
"It's mom!" he said excitedly. He instantly moved for the ladder.
"James, wait!" Christy tried to stop him, but she wasn't fast enough. James was already sliding down the ladder.
His feet touched and he sprinted over to his mother. She wasn't moving. "Mom, are you ok?" He lowered a hand to touch her shoulder. His hands passed right through her and hit the floor. "Oh crap." Christy touched down behind him. He turned. "GET BACK UP! IT'S A TRAP!"
"Too late." Both looked up at where the voice was coming from. Scale's face was lit up on the wall. "You aren't going to be saving anyone today. In fact, you're just in time to let your father witness your death." Another screen appeared and showed the entire Star Fox team in a row of jail cells.
James drew his sword. "Then get out here and let's rumble."
"Oh, I'm not going to be fighting you." A door opened in the wall. Max walked out. "He is."
"Max?" Christy gasped. "What happened to you?"
"I'm saving my parents. If that means killing you, then so be it." Max took out a long metal halberd. The blade was split down the middle and fixed at the center was what looked like a small energy emitter.
"Yes," Scales screamed. "Give them a slow, agonizing death."
Max ran forward, halberd drawn back. He swung as he got closer. James jumped over the blade and swung his sword, scratching Max's shoulder. Right after the move, Max looked up to see Christy with a pistol trained at his skull. "Please, Max," she pleaded. "We don't want to hurt you."
"Speak for yourself," James screamed as he charged. Max spun and blocked with his weapon's shaft. Then he twirled it and clubbed James over the head with the blunt end. James sprawled on the floor and Max leapt into the air, halberd held high. James barely had time to bring his sword up to stop the strike from splitting his head open. The two grappled, each one pushing with all of their strength. Max's weapon suddenly discharged a burst of energy, which flew up and blasted the two big screens apart. The images fazed out.
"Finally," Max said as he withdrew.
James, acting through the slight shock, pushed himself up into a back flip and came at Max again. Max stopped the attack with the shaft again, but this time swung his body and kicked James in the head. "What are you doing?" Max yelled as James fell onto the floor several yards away. "Game's over. They can't see us."
"What are you talking about?" James asked as he pushed himself up.
"I'm still with you. Our parents are in holding cells one level down."
"OK, you fought us to hide your cover," Christy interjected. "But that doesn't explain why you aren't killing us. Why not just kill us and get your parents free?"
"My father always said, 'If anyone's going to tan McCloud's hide, it's going to be me.'"
"So your father put you up to this?" James was still in disbelief.
"Yeah. If Star Fox doesn't get back, he loses his security deposit."
James shook his head. "I should have known it was about the money. Like father, like son."
"Whatever." Max ran over to the door next to where he had come from. "It won't be long before Scales sends some guards, so we should hurry." A door opened into a curving hallway.
Everyone quietly ran down. It curved downwards under the main arena. A single guard stood at the close end of the hall. Christy put one shot in its head, causing him to collapse on the floor. The entire Star Fox and Star Wolf teams ran up against the bars to see their kids run over to them.
Krystal immediately reached out and hugged her children, Fox and Falco gave their congratulations/thanks, and Wolf did the same for Max.
Being this close, James could actually see what Scales had done to them. All of them were covered in sores from the hot sun and numerous cuts and bruises. He clenched his fist. "Let's get them out."
Christy shot open the lock with her blaster and the doors swung open. Now they could all get a big group hug. Christy and James were both completely relieved now that they had finally saved their parents.
"You know, we aren't out of this yet," Wolf said. Everyone looked up and separated.
"You're right," Fox nodded. "How do we get out of here?"
"Follow me," Max said taking the lead out.
Scales arrived in the arena at the same time the group did. He took one look, saw that everyone was free, and nearly pissed his pants (well, he would have if he was wearing any). He managed to smile. "Nice job McCloud. You're lucky I was generous enough to have let O'Donnell live. But this is where we bid farewell." Scales lowered a hand to his belt and pressed a button on the center. His body instantly faded out.
James looked at Max. "Where's he gone?"
"Probably to his hanger. It's a few hundred feet below here. There's a service shaft leading there, but no ladder."
"That won't be a problem." James held up his communicator. "ROB, send me my board."
"Affirmative."
James's board appeared in a shimmer of light in front of him and he hopped on board, grabbing the accelerator before it fell. A door in the wall magically fell back. James was about to blast it when Christy jumped on. "I'm coming with you."
"James," Fox called. James looked back at him. "Good luck." Fox was saluting him!
Pride welled inside of James. "Alright. Let's rock." He mashed the accelerator and flipped the board over, sliding into the shaft while aiming straight down.
The dive was incredible. James didn't even have to touch the accelerator and they were falling at maximum velocity in a matter of seconds. Several columns criss-crossed the shaft, but James wove around them while Christy hung on for dear life. "Reminds you of back home, doesn't it?" she screamed over the wind.
James nodded. He was having the time of his life.
Just ahead, James saw the tunnel end. He quickly leveled up and the board stopped inches over the floor. He again mashed the accelerator and blasted through the door into the hangar. A single ship was just lifting off the ground and a set of doors was opening up into the hot sky. "Christy," James screamed back. "Bring it down."
Christy pulled out her blaster. With two precisely aimed shots, the craft's engines died and the ship fell back onto its landing gear. The kids ran up the rear of the ship and ripped off the hatch. Christy pointed her gun at the only person inside, Scales. "Out of the ship."
Scales dropped the controls and slowly walked out, growling the whole time.
James radioed his father. "James to Fox. We have Scales. Have ROB send down a transport."
"Nice work, James. You too Christy," Fox answered affectionately. "See you on the ship."
(Fifteen minutes later)
Scales was bound in a holding cell. Star Fox was watching him from the other side of a two-way mirror. Fox was shaking his head. "It's hard to believe he could come back and do all this."
"That's because he's not alone," James answered.
Fox and Krystal looked down at him. "What?" Christy also gave him a weird look.
"Think about it," James said. "Scales happens to be the only one who has access to the special ore needed for the light engines, yet he doesn't have the technology. So, he sends out money and gets researchers. If I'm correct, all of the major companies and research facilities are under contract with the Republican government."
"You can't be suggesting…" Krystal asked, finally understanding.
"Yes, I am."
(Lylat City)
The elevator stopped. The door opened and six guards ran into the lavish room. Couches were set along the wall and a solid wooden desk was sitting in the center. The soldiers fanned out around the desk and trained their guns on the back of the large office chair. The Star Fox and Star Wolf teams strolled in right after, Fox in the lead. "General Scarlet, you are under arrest for conspiring against the Lylat system."
The chair swiveled around. Scarlet was sitting lightly. "What? You think I would conspire against the very system I rule over? You must be mad."
James stepped forward. "Don't try to play dumb. Your buddy Scales told us everything. You give him a few planets and reap the benefits of selling light engine ore in the middle of a war. You even let Scales get a bonus by getting rid of Star Fox team. Isn't that right?"
Scarlet's face scrunched into a sneer. "Stay out, pup."
Fox pushed his son back. "We have proof as well as a testimony from Scales. You can't help yourself out of this one."
She was now ticked off. "I knew that lizard couldn't hold his own." A small pistol dropped from her sleeve into her hand, but only James saw it. "I never liked kids anyway." She pulled up the tiny gun and fired. The small bolt was flying right at Max's heart.
No one could react in time…save for James. Without thinking, he threw himself into the bolt. The force sent both James and Max into a pile.
Finally reacting, every guard fired their stun guns at Scarlet. She crumpled with barely a sound.
Krystal recovered first. She screamed and ran over to pull her son off of Max. She held him in her lap, tears streaming. She looked down at the wound. It had just missed his heart, but it was extremely deep. She pressed her hand against it, but couldn't stop the blood from flowing. If they didn't stop it, he would lose too much very quickly. "JAMES!"
Hearing the scream, Max finally recovered from the shock and realized what had happened. He pushed himself up and crawled over to James. James's eyes fluttered open. "Ouch." His voice was extremely weak.
"Don't talk," his mother said, still bawling.
"I don't understand," Max said softly. A few tears were going down his face now. "You risked yourself for me?"
James smiled. "Can't have a teammate die, now can we?" He held up a weak paw.
Max smiled and gripped it in return.
James turned his head. Christy was also crying hysterically. James offered her his other paw. She crouched down and took it.
James smiled again. His final words were almost unhearable. "Mission Accomplished." His eyes slowly closed.
Krystal screamed again and tried to wake him up. But she knew it was futile. He had lost too much blood. The two teams stood there as Krystal rocked the limp form of her son, tears falling from every face.
The hangar of the Great Fox I was packed. The entire Star Fox team, including Peppy and Slippy, Star Wolf, and all of the Republican delegates had come to pay their thanks and respects to the young warrior.
James's casket was a simply metal pod with a glass viewing pane. He was in his uniform, arms crossed over his chest, and holding his favored weapons: the long blades. On his chest were two shining, new crests: one of the Star Fox team, the other of Star Wolf. James had finally accomplished his dream. He was a Star Fox member.
Wolf and Fox had ended their rivalry. Although neither had actually said so, it was understood by both men. Fox's son giving his life for Wolf's made their fights seem inhumane towards James's memory.
Christy, standing next to a weeping Krystal, also wore the same crests. She slowly walked up to the casket and placed a cold paw on the glass. After a moment of silence, she moved back for the next man or woman. The entire group came forward, one at a time, to thank James for his duty.
Fox was last. He placed his hand over the pane as everyone else had done. "Thank you, son," he said in a voice audible by everyone. "You've shown me that there is hope for the galaxy, even after we are gone. You did very well." Held back tears began to fall from the father's green eyes. "I'm so proud of you." He stepped away after a few moments of silence.
The casket slid into the launch bay. This was the ceremonial "burial" for any great hero of Lylat. Fox, Wolf, and Falco all saluted as James's final vessel was propelled into the vacuum. All of the great ship's cannons fired a salute to the soldier.
The silver coffin, carrying the young, valiant hero, slowly drifted further away, into the darkest reaches of space.
A/N: Wow. I was afraid for a time that this wouldn't get done. This chapter is actually a re-write of something HORRIBLE that went untouched for months. This took me more than a year to finish.
This was the first fanfic I ever started, but I think it is one of my best. So thanks to everyone for reading. I appreciate all of your patriotism and criticism.
Until next time, farewell my friends.