Chapter One: Uneasy Dreams

Fox McCloud, famed leader of the equally famed StarFox squadron, yawned heavily as he headed downstairs into the main room of the four bedroom apartment he shared with his comrades, as they were Corneria-bound due to the destruction of their ship, the Great Fox, during the invasion of the Apariod Homeworld. Falco, as usual, was flipping through the early morning TV shows, Slippy was sitting on the floor, toying with some device or another, and Krystal he could hear in the kitchen, cooking.

"Morning, Fox," greeted Falco.

"Mor - #yawn!# - ning, all." Slippy looked up curiously.

"You look exhausted, Fox."

"I feel it. Some idiot called me at midnight last night." Falco huffed.

"I thought I heard it. Glad we all got separate numbers. So who was it?"

"That's the thing." Fox dropped heavily onto the couch and stretched out. "When I answered, they didn't say anything."

"Wrong number?" asked Krystal as she brought out a tray of fresh muffins.

"More like a prank call, I'd say. Our numbers are unlisted, remember?" Fox yawned again. "Just my luck, the first night, of our first real break in ages, when for once we're on Corneria, they randomly get my number. Probably panicked when they heard my voice, and hung up."

"First real break when we have credits to spare, you mean," added Falco pragmatically.

"Maybe you should rest a bit more, Fox," suggested Krystal as she helped herself to a muffin.

"I might." Despite the casualness of the statement, the instant Fox's green eyes closed, he dozed off.

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Fox found himself in a clear fiend, looking up at a battle in the sky... between Andross and his father. As he watched, helpless, Andross blew James McCloud's Arwing to bits. Then, looking down, he was his shadow... and the shadow of a second person, behind and to his right. The second figure seemed to be trembling a bit, perhaps, but his movements were clear as he lifted a blaster at Fox. The trigger was squeezed not a foot from Fox's head, and...

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

BANG!

Fox jerked awake in surprise, nearly throwing himself off the couch with a yelp. The other three looked over in surprise.

"Fox, are you okay?" Krystal put a steadying hand on his shoulder, and Fox was surprised himself to discover he was panting heavily.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine."

"You sure?" asked Slippy.

"Yeah. What was that noise?" At that Slippy meekly laughed.

"It was my invention."

"Emphasis on was," joked Falco, laughing, and now Fox saw the scattered bits of machinery lying about. He smiled, relieved and a bit amused.

"What happened?"

"I think I tightened the internal system mechanics a little too much."

"Better than what I thought it was." He told them about his dream.

"Quite a strange one," Krystal commented. Falco grinned roguishly.

"That phone call must've spooked you. I bet it was a crazed stalker coming to get you!" Fox laughed.

"No, those type of calls go to you, Falco." He threw one of the nearby couch cushions at the bird, who blocked it with his hand and in turn it hit Slippy.

"I get calls from fans, Fox. Slight difference."

"In the case of your fans, Falco, very slight," grinned Slippy, just before scrambling away as Falco chased him. "Yikes! Help!" The sight gave Fox an idea that lifted his mood considerably.

"Seems like we've all got some energy built up," he commented, "so lets get rid of it! Laser tag sound fun?"

"Only if I can shoot Slippy!"

"Gotta catch me first - yow!" Falco had clipped the amphibian with a pillow.

"Then lets go!"