Chapter 3: Aboard the Great Fox II

"Not exactly," replied General Pepper as the beautiful craft, an exact duplicate of the Great Fox, drifted by and docked with the station. "We've taken to calling her the Great Fox II, but of course you can name her whatever you like. After all, she is yours." All of them looked at him incredulously. He chuckled. "Just be careful with her. The Cornerian Defense Corps can't afford to build you another Great Fox ship." Fox turned back to the window, pressing his hand against the glass as the ship settled, and the light on the port tube changed to green, indicating that all was safe to board. General Pepper motioned the Star Fox crew to follow him, and they went to door to the tube. There he turned to the paparazzi. "This is as far as you go." There were murmurs of disappointment, but the Star Fox team, General Pepper, and Skye entered with tube alone. They went to the hatch, which the General opened for them before letting them enter first.

The inside layout was exactly at the first Great Fox, save it lacked the worn, much repaired look. They went to the bridge, where a few security guards instantly saluted their leader, while the lone person controlling the ship's movements merely smiled from beside the captain's chair. The members of the team did a double take.

"Dad?" Slippy asked. Beltino Toad chuckled.

"I take it you're surprised, Star Fox," he greeted.

"I'll say," Fox agreed. "How - ?"

"When we decided that you needed a new ship," General Pepper explained, "Beltino scrounged up the original plans for the first Great Fox, and modified them to include a few improvements: smaller but faster engines, more firepower, a tougher outer shell, better shielding, more cargo room, and the like. All the technology is the best of its kind."

"The hard part was finding furnishings to match the original," chuckled Beltino as Fox slowly strolled around.

"This - this is incredible. I don't know what too say, except thank you."

"The best part is the Arwing hanger bay." General Pepper sounded sly as they followed him to the hanger bay, where their Arwings already waited in their places... with an empty, fourth place. Now it was Fox's turn to look, well, foxy, remembering a discussion he and the General had had a few weeks back about the team. "We brought up yours from the surface - that's why I was asking where you'd stored them when I called two days back - but we couldn't find anything for that fifth place. Any ideas?" He was grinning broadly.

"Just one." Skye suddenly realized everyone was looking at him. He blinked.

"Um... why are you all looking at me?"

"You didn't think we'd leave you behind, did you, bro?" Fox asked, patting his older brother's shoulder. "We want you to join us, be a part of team Star Fox."

"Are - are you sure? You haven't even seen me ffly, or anything like that."

"Of course," Slippy answered for them. "I may be a good mechanic, but I can't handle a computer the way you can. Took me years to get ROB right."

"And we always need another pilot in the skies," added Falco. "Mostly to keep me from having to save Fox's furry ass all the time."

"Will you?" asked Krystal. Skye's smile was beaming.

"Gladly! But my Arwing's not as updates as yours are. Needs a cleaning too."

"I'll take you down," Falco offered. They squeezed into Falco's Arwing, and departed as the others continued the tour.