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Chapter 30: Catharsis and Renewal

Hiroshi, Akina, Renjiro, Shinko, Hinode, and the others walked through Corneria City's Central Park. It was the first time since their arrival to the capital city of the Lylat civilization that the 49 Cerinians were not surrounded by CDF bodyguards. In the forest of steel and stone that was Corneria City, they were all quite pleased that the people of this world still valued the beauty of nature enough to set aside this large plot of land at the center of their metropolis for such a purpose.

Shinko commented to that effect. "This is such a lovely park. I'm glad the Cornerians appreciate such beauty." She looked towards one of several large ponds they had walked by along the way, surrounded by benches that lined a path that went around the body of water. There were also playgrounds for children here and there. Flower beds also could be seen at various locations. She and others in their group were confused by the one thing that was missing. "How come there are no other people here?"

Renjiro answered, sharing what he had observed. "I noticed many of their law enforcers were stationed at the entrance to the park. They seem to have blocked off access to this place. I believe we are the only ones here."

"But why?" another tod in their group asked.

"I do not know," Hiroshi replied. "but I suspect Kurisutaru and Fokkusu are behind this. Their minds have been closed to me since the day they left New Cerinia."

Hinode glazed up at the large, imposing domed edifice ahead of them. "I suspect we will get an answer to their secretiveness inside that structure ahead of us. This is where Kurisutaru told us to meet her and Fokkusu."

Akina nodded. "I can sense them. They are inside."

When they were just a meter from the door, it slid open to a large chamber within. Wordlessly, all 49 of them entered. Inside, they picked up Fox and Krystal's musky vulpine scent, and the scent also of another, unknown canid. When the last Cerinian had stepped through, the outer door closed and they heard the sucking sound of an airtight seal forming, cutting off any air flow to the outside.

They were then suddenly enveloped by a gale that circulated through the chamber around them, ruffling their hair, fur, and clothes. A wide beam swept across the chamber that made their fur stand on end. Once the wind had died down, Hinode made his observation known. "I believe we are in a decontamination chamber."

Before any could voice their question about the purpose of the chamber, the inner door opened. Gasps of shock were uttered by many in their group when scents long forgotten washed over them. Together, they walked through the inner door and found themselves beholding a sight they had never expected to see again.

Like all the others around him, Hinode's eyes welled up with tears at the sight of the Cerinian forest before him. They all stood still, breathing in deeply the scents of this small part of their lost home that had been restored to them while quietly weeping. Suddenly, the heard the voices of the ones responsible for this wonder echo in their minds. "Come. Follow the path through the forest to its end. We await you."

Hearing the telepathic call, they answered it by letting themselves be draw to the path ahead of them. As they made their way along the cobblestones, the inner door behind them faded from view. Looking around them, they realized that even the walls of the arboretum they were in were completely blocked by the forest of tall Cerinian trees that surround them. Interspersed along their path were benches carved out of wood resembling many that had been found on Cerinia. At regular intervals, there were also lanterns that were lit from within by Cerinian energy crystals. In the center of this forest, with the sun setting beyond the transparent palladium dome, it felt to all of them like they were back on Cerinia.

"Oh Spirits! It is like we are back home again." whimpered one tod.

"The Cornerians....Kurisutaru and Fokkusu must have had them build this for us." a vixen tearfully answered.

"But to do it just for us?" Renjiro asked.

"Yes, for us, but also for them." Hiroshi affirmed. *"I could sense the secretiveness even among our Cornerian friends. Peppy Hare and the others had been avoiding contact with us, and I now know why. They did not want us to pick up on their thoughts of this place. Even so, I heard the words, 'Cerinian Memorial Arboretum' being uttered by some Cornerians. This must be what they were speaking of." * Hiroshi concluded.

Renjiro ran his fingers through the leaves on one plant as they walked by. "I believe you are right, Elder. Even though we have repeatedly assured the Cornerians that we do not hold them responsible for the destruction of Cerinia, I could sense that many are still plagued with a lingering guilt because both Andross and his nephew came from Lylat. This place must be a further attempt by them to make amends."

_"It is also a reminder to their people to never let such evil flourish anywhere." _ They heard Krystal think to them. _"Many of their people will come here to walk this path and contemplate what was lost." _ Fox's thoughts joined Krystal's as they beckoned their friends closer. "Come. We are waiting for you at the end of this path."

"What awaits us there?" Hinode thought back to the tod and vixen.

"Closure."

Upon hearing that telepathic response, Hinode and many in their group were gripped with an uneasiness. Haunted by that terrible day where they lost everything, it had already been difficult enough to dredge up memories of the death of their loved ones in order to plant them into the mind of their murderer. This Cerinian forest they were in was a further reminder of everything they had lost and tried to forget in order to keep on going. If a memorial ceremony awaited them at the end of this path, most were feeling reluctant to go forward. None thought they could endure the grief it would evoke.

And yet, they felt compelled to go on, wanting to see what was hidden beyond the tall trees at the end of the winding cobblestone path they were on. When they rounded the last bend and the trees opened up into a clearing, they beheld the last thing they had ever expected to see again. Before them, deeply blemished by gouges and pockmarks, but once again supported by the weight of its buttresses, was the Cerinian Memorial Arch that had once stood in the memorial garden in Sendai. The arch stood atop a small incline, and beyond it was a large cauldron surround by many small braziers, all devoid of any flame. "By the spirits of all our ancestors, how is this possible?" Hiroshi murmured. All of them approached, mesmerized by the arch they all remembered standing pristinely in Cerinia's capital city.

It was only when they stood in the center of the clearing before the arch that first Hinode and then his soulmate noticed Fox and Krystal standing at opposite ends of the clearing on each side of them on a patch of elevated ground. Both were clad in the black robes traditionally worn by priests and priestesses who officiated at funerals. Fox and Krystal were each standing under a rectangular wooden roof supported at their corners by ornately carved wooden columns. At one end hung a straight, cylindrical iron bell as tall as a person. Along the remaining length of each of the two roofed structures hung a long, wooden beam, ready to strike its bell.

By now, every Cerinian at the center of the clearing had noticed Krystal and Fox on each side of their gathering, had noticed what they were wearing and what each stood next to. They all realized that they had been lured to a Cerinian funeral. All stood rooted on the spot, unable to move as Krystal began with the traditional words. "We are here in memory of the loved ones who have left this life to move on to the next."

"We are here to remember that their spirits are now in a better place." Fox continued.

"We are here to comfort the ones who mourn their departure." Krystal said in turn, her voice beginning to become choked up with emotion.

"And we are here to remind ourselves to never forget our departed loved ones...to keep..." Fox's voice cracked as he struggled to go on. *"...to keep them in our memories." * Both he and his soulmate could feel their friends vainly struggle to keep their grief suppressed.

"Finally, we are here to remember and mourn for the countless souls who were left behind and perished on Cerinia." Krystal and Fox intoned together. Both could sense the mounting sorrow that was welling up from the 49 that remained below them.

From his perch on the elevated walkway behind the obsidian arch, Water Kent quietly gave a narrative of the poignant ceremony to his audience listening on the audio broadcast. He watched as Fox and Krystal each gripped their respective wooden beam, swung it back, and then simultaneously struck their respective funeral bell.

The deep, low sound of the bells resonated through the entire arboretum. It was a mournful tone that punctuated the sorrow of the occasion. Though his audience had always known him for his calm, measured accounting of events, Walter had to admit to those listening that was deeply moved even while he struggled to maintain his composure.

The bells were struck a second time, their low, mournful tones once again resonating through the hearts of all those present. Hiroshi, Akina, Renjiro, Shinko, Hinode, and the others each vainly tried to keep their grief at bay, to not dwell too much on their collective loss. When the bells were struck a third time, cracks in the emotional dam began to form. Another strike of the bells, and many of their hearts clenched with an aching sadness long buried.

When Fox and Krystal each struck their bells a fifth time, the first rupture happened. Akina sank to her knees and wailed, her heart breaking with a long-suppressed sorrow at the loss of her mother, father, siblings, nieces and nephews, and cousins whose cries of despair and fear she had heard in her mind that terrible day. Renjiro quickly followed, falling to his own knees and embracing his soulmate as he too was overcome with his own sorrow.

The crumbling of their stoicism set off a chain reaction of grief that rippled through the rest of them. Before the bells were even struck a sixth time, all of them were on their knees and holding each other, howling out long suppressed grief that had been set free. Fox and Krystal both knew this moment would come, knew that they would be consumed by the sorrow that radiated telepathically out from their friends.

It was a sorrow they both felt well up in themselves as they struck the bells again. Even though this funeral ceremony was not for him, Fox again thought of his mother and father and how he missed them. His aching heart though was tempered by his fond memories of them. For Krystal, this was very much a funeral in memory of her own family. Though she had already grieved for them, her eyes still welled up with tears from her aching loss.

Both let the nearly overwhelming grief from their friends, multiplied 49-fold, wash through their empathy and flood their beings even as they struck the funeral bells a seventh time. Walter Kent though, was unprepared for the massive tidal wave of sorrow that consumed him. His listeners were dismayed to hear the reporter's voice break down into sobs of barely comprehensible words as he related to his audience the profound poignancy of the funeral he was reporting.

Those listening to Walter's broadcast near Corneria City's Central Park understood why they were in tears, though not how it was that they were affected. The grief that rippled telepathically out from the Cerinian Memorial Arboretum like a tidal wave went almost a half kilometer beyond the borders of the park. Peppy, who stood with Chief Minister Uncia Frost at the entrance to the park, had been waiting to go in to greet their guests when they emerged. He felt the sorrow well up inside him and understood what was happening, having experienced a Cerinian's grief previously, the night before Krystal and Fox were wed.

The snow leopard next to him though was at a loss. "I don't know why I'm in tears like this." the minister sniffled, overcome by a grief he did not comprehend. "What is happening to me? I feel like my heart is breaking with such an intense feeling of loss."

"It's the Cerinians, Sir." Peppy explained with a voice equally choked up. "They can project emotions to others at will, but when they feel overwhelming emotions like grief, they will sometimes lose control of their powers."

"Lose control?" Uncia mewled while also feeling apprehensive.

"They do not meant to, but it is because of the loss of their home world and the loved ones they left behind that they are inadvertently projecting out that grief to everyone nearby. It is why I had ordered Central Park closed off. The closer you are to the arboretum, the more intensely you'd feel it." He then dialed into Walter Kent's broadcast. Over the wails of the grieving Cerinians and the sound of the funeral bells, they could hear the reporter sobbing loudly, no longer able to articulate himself. "Mister Kent is inside there with them, near the epicenter of this telepathically projected grief."

"Great maker!" Uncia exclaimed through his tears. "What of the rest of the surrounding city?"

"We had no way of estimating how far out this telepathic effect would radiate. How can you predict the intensity of the emotions of 49 Cerinians who lost their entire home world and then suppressed their grief for over seven years?" Peppy asked rhetorically. "So I had a warning put out to the local police and CDF personnel in the surrounding area around the park to be aware that they might experience this and prepare for it."

And on it went within the arboretum. With each strike of the bells, the wails of sorrow surged through the gathering of the last surviving members of the Cerinian race, except for Krystal, whose quiet tears were a testament to the same grief she had already poured from her heart years before.

Hiroshi and the others had given up suppressing their sadness and let it consume them, crying over their terrible loss. With each strike of the funeral bells, their hearts clenched with the aching sorrow that filled them. By the fortieth strike, their howls and wails of grief had subsided to quiet weeping. Emotionally exhausted, they all gazed up through tear-stained eyes at Fox and Krystal as they continued to ring the funeral bells.

After the fiftieth strike of the beams against the two bells, a quiet settled over the central clearing before the memorial arch as the bells' reverberations died down. Beyond the city's Central Park, a calm had also settled upon the denizens of Corneria City that matched the one in the hearts of the Cerinians. Fox and Krystal sighed, sensing the relief of their friends' catharsis. They each stepped away from their respective bell with the hope that they would never be rung again and walked around to stand in front of the arch.

From his perch behind the arch, Walter recovered somewhat from the experience that had overwhelmed him. He once again spoke to his audience in a deeply shaken voice as he watched Fox hold up an old-style torch. The tod raised up his other hand and focused his telekinesis on the air molecules around the torch. The air began to swirl and vibrate rapidly around the head of the torch, heating it up with friction until it burst into flame. Seeing that he had gotten the attention of Hiroshi and the rest, Fox smiled to them. "My friends, this final part of the memorial ceremony is taken from Cornerian tradition, but Kurisutaru and I both feel that it would be fitting in this setting. Please form a line in front of me, behind Elder Hiroshi."

While they did so, Krystal walked up under the arch to the cauldron and retrieved a large crate which she floated telekinetically behind her while returning to the group of Cerinians who had formed a single file behind Hiroshi. From the crate, she retrieved a single torch and handed it to the elder. She then moved on and handed another torch to Akina who was next in line, then Renjiro, and on to the next.

Following his bondmate, Fox lit Hiroshi's torch with his, and then Akina's, and so on. Both continued on along the line of Cerinians until all 49 held lit torches. At the back of the line, Krystal slipped out of her funeral robe and stood behind the last Cerinian with her own torch, which Fox lit. He then walked back to the front of the line and nodded wordlessly to Hiroshi. The elder immediately understood and followed Fox, the rest forming up behind him in the solemn procession.

Up the incline and under the memorial arch Fox led the line of torch-bearing Cerinians, including his wife bringing up the rear. Beyond it, the group formed a circle around the large cauldron under Fox's direction until each Cerinian stood behind one of the 50 unlit braziers. He then walked into the center of the circle with his torch held up over the large cauldron. *"I light this fire that will remain lit for as long as this place stands, in memory of all who perished on Cerinia. May they never be forgotten." * He then lowered his torch into the cauldron whose center erupted into a blazing fire that rose up into the air in front of all of them. After stepping back from the roaring heat to stand outside the circle, Fox nodded to his wife.

Krystal then spoke her pronouncement. *"We who survive now light these fires to commemorate the journey that has brought us here. May our children and the children of those whose families we resurrect in the years to come remember how the rebirth of our race was brought about." * Saying those words, she lowered her torch into the brazier in front of her. The others quickly followed her example and lit their own braziers.

All of them stood back and gazed upon the fires they had lit and felt their hearts buoyed with renewed hope and peace, with hearts no longer burdened by long-suppressed sorrow. As a group, they slowly walked back under the arch to the clearing in front of it. Hiroshi gazed up in wonder at the obsidian structure. "How did this come to be here? It seems impossible that it could have survived."

"Bill Grey and his squadron found it among the Shards of Cerinia years ago when he and his fleet first went there, looking for clues of where you might have gone. We were all amazed that it somehow survived whole in that cataclysm." ** Fox explained. **"During my time in New Cerinia when I was undergoing my telepathic training, I became aware that all of you were suppressing your grief, just like my bondmate had before we first joined years before."

*"We could not allow ourselves to grieve during our wanderings. We all had to focus on surviving." * Hiroshi lamented.

"And yet after your survival was no longer in question, you continued to keep all that grief bottled up inside of you." ** Fox gently chastised the elder and the 24 Cerinian couples with him. **"That is not healthy. My own bondmate had until the night before our wedding been like you, and I had feared for her sanity because of it. Now, like her, I can sense that all of you are at a peace after your catharsis."

Shinko then filled in the rest. "So you returned to the remnants of our home world, retrieved the Cerinian Memorial Arch, and brought it here where it could have renewed purpose."

Hinode chuckled as he gazed up at the tall Cerinian trees surrounding them. "At least, I now know were those missing seeds went. How you managed to turn them into decades-old trees is beyond me though."

"Our lead scientist did research in temporal physics and devise a way of advancing time quickly within the confines of this dome in order to produce growth equivalent to 100 Cornerian years in one week after we planted the seeds." Fox revealed. Just then, his communicator chimed. He quickly removed the funeral robe he was still wearing and withdrew the device from his pocket. Upon answering it, a holo image of Peppy emerged from it. "Fox, we've been following Walter Kent's coverage. Should we presume the memorial service is over?"

"It is, Peppy. You and the Chief Minister can come on over."

"We'll meet you at the door when you come out."

Fox gazed around at the Cerinians around him who had begun to wander off through the surrounding forest. "You might as well come in and see the place. Our guests are having moments of nostalgia."

While Hiroshi and the McClouds slowly walked back through the forest towards the exit, the elder gazed down at the black funeral robes they each carried folded in their arms. "I must ask, where did you get those Cerinian robes? They look so authentic."

"They were made by Madam Samantha." Fox revealed. "She's a very talented seamstress who has her own business right here in Corneria City. She is the one who also made our loincloths and Kurisutaru's bras."

"Interesting. Perhaps we can call upon her to make more Cerinian garments for us, and the children that will be born in the coming years." Hiroshi mused.

They were near the exit when Peppy and the chief minister emerged into the enclosed Cerinian environment. At the same time, Akina and Renjiro came out of the woods from one side, soon followed by Shinko and Hinode from a different direction. All of them noticed the new arrivals and recognized Peppy. Being an engineer, Shinko was ecstatic. The vixen practically gushed. "This place is remarkable. You somehow managed to replicate Cerinia's environmental conditions and kept it sealed from the outside. You even have an air filtration system above the memorial cauldron and braziers. And the dome....we had never even considered that palladium could be made transparent."

Hinode smiled fondly to his vixen. "I dare say that my bondmate very much wants to meet with your engineers who created this arboretum. As for myself, I am very pleased with how you managed to nurture the trees and plant life. At the very center of this forest, it actually felt like we were back on Cerinia. Truly remarkable."

It did not go unnoticed by Peppy and Uncia that their Cerinian guests looked remarkably at peace with themselves. The chief minister openly voiced that fact. "I see that all of you are feeling well, given what transpired here a short while ago."

A mood of wistfulness tinged with melancholy washed over the group of Cerinians gathered around the new arrivals, with a few wiping tears from the corner of their eyes. Hiroshi approached Peppy and Uncia. He then addressed the snow leopard. "The memory of our home world's destruction will always be with us, but thanks to you, we have found a sense of closure in punishing the murderer of our people and especially in the memorial we had here. The latter was truly cathartic for us."

"I am pleased to know that you and your people have benefitted from this tribute we constructed in the memory of your people." replied the leader of Lylat, who then introduced himself. "I am Uncia Frost, Chief Minister of Corneria and of Lylat."

"It is an honor to meet you." the elder responded with a formal bow. "I am Elder Hiroshi, in whom the late High Elder Shinkai entrusted to keep alive the traditions of our people and lead them as we rebuild our civilization."

At that moment, a weary Walter Kent descended from the side passage and joined the group. The Cerinians present immediately recognized his scent. All became concerned by the dog's demeanor and the haunted expression in his eyes. Hiroshi then realized what had happened. "We lost control of our powers in our grief...."

Walter's posture was slumped as he regarded Fox. "You were right, Mister McCloud.....Feeling their emotional pain....I don't think I'll ever get over that." In response, both Fox and Hiroshi mentally called out to the rest of their people. In a matter of a few minutes, the reporter found himself surrounded by all 50 Cerinians and Fox McCloud. Walter looked around at them nervously until he felt a sense of peace flood through him. "You felt our profound grief at the loss of our home." said Hirioshi. "It is only right that you should also feel as unburdened as we are now by our catharsis."

The experience left canid so deeply moved that he broke down in tears. The Cerinians all closed in on him and laid many soothing hands upon the hound as he quietly wept. And Walter Kent in that moment had his own cathartic experience. Peppy Hare and Uncia Frost were deeply touched by the tender moment. When it was over, Walter gave Hiroshi and his people a watery smile as they stepped back to give him room. "Thank you..." was all he was able to say.

Hiroshi gave a small bow of his head to the reporter in acknowledgement. "And we also thank you for telling our story to your people."

Being reminded of his purpose for coming to this place, he asked, "Now that the funeral is over, would there be any objections if I recorded and broadcast video as well as audio?" When none objected, Walter moved off to one side of the gathering and resumed his coverage of the event and granted his audience their first view of the inside of the Cerinian Memorial Arboretum and those within.

Letting the reporter carry out his endeavor, Hiroshi turned to face the chief minister again. "I am almost afraid to ask, but how far out did our emotions project?"

"We have reports that our people felt your sorrow up to a quarter kilometer beyond the borders of Corneria City Central Park." Uncia replied.

Emotions and groans of embarrassment washed over the Cerinians gathered about. Hiroshi's ears flattened against his head while he broke eye contact with the chief minister and slumped. "Please....give your people our sincerest apologies for losing control of our powers."

Uncia briefly looked over to Walter Kent and the video and audio recording devices next to him. "I believe I can say with confidence that the Cornerian people understand and have heard your sincere words. Now, how about you show us around?"

Just then, Fox and Krystal sensed the presence of Marcus and Ophelia, accompanied by Fara, Kei, their own children, Katherine and Oswald. Moments later, the inner doors to the arboretum opened to let them in. Smiling, Fox knelt down as his son and daughter ran into his welcoming embrace. Then, as a group, all slowly ambled through the Cerinian forest. For Marcus, the experience was profound as he looked on in wonder at this small patch of his mother's lost home world.

Walter Kent quietly followed the group, occasionally asking one of the Cerinians a few polite questions, letting them tearfully tell him and his audience about the life and families they had left behind. The news hound was again deeply moved as he listened to his interviewees' words.

With the Cerinians walking with them, Uncia Frost and Peppy Hare eventually emerged into the clearing and beheld the Cerinian Memorial Arch, the funeral bells, and the cauldron and braziers beyond the clearing, all surrounded by a forest of Cerinian trees. And with Walter Kent now recording, the denizens of Lylat that were tuned into Lylat News also got their first look at the memorial.

Separate from the group, Fox, his wife, and his children all walked up the incline to stand under the arch. Fara, Kei, and their twin children joined the McClouds and quietly listened as Fox knelt down next to his son and pointed to the cauldron and braziers before them. "Do you understand what these flames before us mean?" When Marcus shook his head, Fox explained the meaning of the cauldron and the braziers, one of which the pup's mother had lit. He then finished off and said, "These flames will stand as a reminder to anybody who comes here that we must never forget what happened to Cerinia and what our Cerinian friends and your mother went through. It also teaches us that we must always do what we can to stop bad people like Andross and his nephew Andrew Oikonny."

It was an hour later when they all emerged from the Cerinian Memorial Arboretum and breathed the evening air of Corneria again. The 49 looked about themselves and all had a similar thought. _What now? _ Uncia did not need to be a telepath to understand how lost they felt. "We have reserved accommodations for all of you at the ambassadorial quarters near the Senate building where you can rest for the night." he offered. "Then in the morning, each of you can decide if you wish to return to your home in New Cerinia or linger here to visit our world."

Forty-nine tails wagged tiredly at the offer. Hiroshi once again spoke for his people. "After the emotionally exhausting day we have had, your hospitality is very much appreciated. Thank you." With thoughts of sleep, Fox and his wife shared a mutual idea. Krystal then spoke up. "Elder, Akina, Shinko, as our closest friends, Fokkusu and I would like to invite you and your bondmates to stay the night at our home here on Corneria."

Hiroshi smiled to the two bonded couples who perked up at the invitation, with tails wagging. The elder then spoke. "We graciously accept your offer and would be delighted to see your home."

*****

A small van was provided for Fox to bring his guests to his home. Krystal, with Marcus and Ophelia, followed behind in their ground car. The elder McCloud could sense the avid curiosity from his Cerinian friends sitting behind him as they drove through his neighborhood and turned onto the cul-de-sac that led to his home near the end. Reaching back with his telepathy, he heard their surface thoughts.

"The families in all these homes must be filled with many children. Look at how large each home is here!" Shinko thought to her soulmate.

Hinode mentally replied, "Not just large, but also affluent."

"Yes, people in this area of town are quite wealthy." Fox acknowledged. He then activated his gate transmitter, causing the metal gate to his home to slide open, and drove through with Krystal following closely behind.

The Cerinians all looked out their windows at the trees lining the long driveway. Their eyes were then drawn up to the façade of the McCloud Family Estate as it came into view. _"We never knew you were wealthy as well." _ Akina observed.

_"My...wealth...was mostly inherited." _ When Fox sensed the unasked question, he became self-conscious and endeavored to explain. "You heard reference to Star Fox. The mercenary team was originally founded by my father, James McCloud. He purchased this home with the money he earned from the contracts he took on. After his death, I took over Star Fox and finished paying off this home with the money I earned myself."

"Yes, we had heard of many of the exploits you and Kurisutaru had. You two were essentially guardians for hire." Renjiro observed. He then gazed up again at the house as they got out of the van. "And it would seem that you were paid quite handsomely for your services."

_ _ Fox's ears flattened against his head. He could sense no reproach from the lead guardian, but could not help feeling like he was being judged. "Well, operating and maintaining a dreadnaught-class heavy cruiser, the Arwings within, and all the military hardware could be quite costly, and we were risking our lives..."

"Oh, quite understandable, and given everything I've heard, you merited the compensation you received."

The positive affirmation warmed Fox's heart, allowing him to open up even more. _"As exciting as that life had been, it was still very dangerous. Oh, it was fine when it was only my life that was at risk." _ His eyes then met Krystal's as she joined them at the entrance to the mansion. "But with Kurisutaru now in my life...the stakes had become too high for the both of us. It is why I disbanded Star Fox. And having both lost our families to Andross and his nephew, we realized that we both wanted to raise a family of our own."

_"We plan to fill up most of the rooms in this home with children too." _ Krystal added while she kissed her soulmate on the cheek.

*****

It was with a sense of renewal and happiness that Fox, Krystal, and their guests all woke the next morning. Shinko and Hinode had been given the left guest suite upstairs, just opposite of Marcus' room. Akina and Renjiro slept in the other upstairs guest suite. Hiroshi's bedroom for the night ended up being the one next to where Marcus slept.

Having become used to bathing in Cape Claw's river, it had been a heavenly experience for both couples to luxuriate themselves in the large bathrooms that each were afforded. Even Hiroshi took his time to fully appreciate the simpler bathroom he had access to from the bedroom that would one day belong to a future child of their hosts.

Hinode and Shinko were now sitting on their enclosed patio, enjoying the early morning air and the view over the backyard garden. They were joined by Renjiro, Akina, and Hiroshi. "Who knew that Fokkusu was this wealthy?" ** Akina mused. **"I don't understand how he and Kurisutaru would ever want to live in such primitive conditions as we do on New Cerinia."

It was Hiroshi who provided the insight. "In the weeks I trained Fokkusu, I have grown to know him better than any of you. He is not one to hold much importance regarding social status or wealth. It is because of us that he and his soulmate feel at home on New Cerinia, and are devoted to helping us rebuild."

"I think you are right, Elder." Renjiro observed. "Just by how they comport themselves among us shows that they would be content to live off the land on Sauria."

Just then, they all heard Fox and Krystal in their minds. "You are correct. Our wealth is just a means to whatever end we need to get to. Breakfast is ready. Come join us in the kitchen downstairs."

All of them got up, and the moment they entered the home through the patio's side door to the upstairs living room, the scent of baked bread, eggs, seasoned meats, fruit, and cooked vegetables filled their nostrils. They made their way down the main staircase. Following their noses, they passed through the right side gallery and veered to their left to find Fox and Krystal finishing off their culinary endeavors with several stacks of pancakes that they placed upon the kitchen counter.

Sitting at the counter were Marcus, who was already devouring his eggs, potatoes, and small stack of pancakes, and Ophelia, who was strapped in a high chair, mashing pancakes into her muzzle with her small, chubby paws. The McClouds were soon joined by Hiroshi and the rest, who all broke their fast and partook of the morning feast.

Afterwards, Fox and Krystal gave their guests a tour of their home, including showing them the mural they had painted of their families. They then sat down together in the living room where Fox asked them, "What would you like to do now? We could take you back to Corneira City Spaceport to return to New Cerinia if you wish."

Hiroshi nodded to his fellow Cerinian guests. ** "We would like to see more of your city, actually. And I would be interested in having a meeting with this Madam Samantha you spoke so highly of yesterday, and see if she could be commissioned to make more Cerinian clothing for us."**

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*****

---

The McCloud couple first took their guests shopping at the West End Market. While everyone there knew the McClouds and their children as they were regulars, the addition of five more blue-furred foxes drew many stares. The telepathic foxes could all sense the curiosity coming from all direction around them. Since none of them had Cornerian currency, Fox adamantly insisted on buying whatever they needed with no restrictions. The Cerinians took the opportunity to purchase a large supply of candles that would be used by all on New Cerinia while meditating. They also selected a few knickknacks to decorate their homes.

The day progressed to a tour of the central metropolis of Corneria City. The jungle of steel, stone, and concrete impressed their guests, but left them longing for the forests, glades, and waters of New Cerinia. Fox and Krystal both smiled knowingly to their friends. "Now you know why we love our second home in New Cerinia."

"Yes, we could even see that in the back garden of your estate." Akina and Renjiro mentally replied.

Hinode and Shinko added their thoughts. "The Cerinian influence was quite apparent. And your greenhouse was quite lovely."

"Agreed, and while I think we are all eager to return to New Cerinia, I do wish to meet with this seamstress you told us about, Fokkusu." Hiroshi declared.

In short order, they arrived at the premise of Costumes for All Occasions. Inside, they were greeted by a face well familiar to Fox and Krystal. Over the years, David had established himself as an integral partner in Samantha's business. The albino ferret was no longer the shy, flustered clothing designer who they had met on their first visit to have their wedding garments made.

"Mister and Missus McCloud, welcome. What can I do for you?..." David then noticed the additional five blue-furred foxes. Like most of the denizens of Corneria, he had heard of the Cerinian survivors, and had also listened to Walter Kent's emotional coverage of the memorial ceremony the day before. His features softened and he walked around from behind the counter to approach them. Unsure of if he should shake hands or greet them in some other way, he resorted to giving them a small bow. "And a welcome to all of you as well."

"Thank you." Hiroshi replied. "I understand that your establishment has been creating Cerinian garments, including the ones our friends here wore at yesterday's memorial service."

"Yes. Madam Samantha took it upon herself to create the funeral robes per Fox and Krystal's specifications."

From a backroom, they heard the voice of the flamboyant vixen that was well-known to Fox and Krystal. "My ears are burning. Are you telling stories about me again, David?"

The ferret grinned and shouted back. "Of course. The most scandalous, steamy stories that befits the renowned Madam Samantha. You should come up. We have some very special customers who would like to meet you."

"Comiiiiinnnnng!" Moments later, the flaming red vixen sauntered into view from the studio's backroom. It was a sight quite familiar to the McClouds. They could even predict her next words. "Daaarrlings! What can Madam Samantha do for you?" What happened next though came as a complete surprise.

While he knew that vulpine in Lylat did not have the blue fur common to Cerinians, Hiroshi had never beheld a vixen whose coat was so deeply red, almost completely devoid of any brown hues. To his eyes, it made her all the more exotic. Then there was her personality. He could sense a self-assured confidence in this vixen that would have rivaled any clan matriarch on Cerinia, and he found himself to his consternation envying the tod who belonged to her."

Samantha was also taken in by the sight of this middle-aged Cerinian tod. Her eyes took in his distinguished, noble features, his dark blue fur, and his light-blue eyes that seemed so expressive to her. When he averted his gaze, she just about purred. "Oh my! What a delightful pleasure it is to meet you..." Her gaze only briefly took in the other four, younger Cerinians that was accompanying this tod. "...all of you." she amended, almost as an afterthought.

When this vixen sashayed up to him, Hiroshi could feel the heat rising to his cheeks, and down to his loins! For once, he was glad that he was wearing the more modest Cornerian attire comprising of a shirt, pants, and shoes. Otherwise, he felt like he would embarrass himself when his loincloth tented. He had to remind himself that while such an overt display of sexual attraction would be taken as a compliment by a Cerinian matriarch, that was not the case with the more reserved vulpine of Lylat.

The vixen in question though paused and had to stop herself from encroaching upon the personal space of this attractive, middle-aged Cerinian tod. She had no idea if her usual flamboyance would be considered appropriate with these telepathic foxes. It was with great effort that she reigned in her usual exuberance down to a simple, friendly smile.

Akina, Renjiro, Shinko, Hinode, along with Krystal and Fox, could all sense the flame of mutual attraction that had bloomed between Samantha and Hiroshi. Even Marcus noticed how they seemed to like each other. Only Ophelia was unaware, being in her own little world where everything was a toy to grab and play with.

Fox thought to his wife. "I would not have predicted that."

"Neither would I." Krystal scanned the elder's surface thought and giggled, ignoring the brief glare of irritation from the tod. "Elder Hiroshi is as bashful as you were when we first met."

"Yes, but for different reasons. He cannot imagine that Samantha is not married. He is also afraid of offending her." Fox's empathy then picked up on the red vixen's emotions. "That's odd. Samantha is always so exuberant. Now she's being reserved."

"I also sense uncertainty from her." Krystal mentally sighed. "If they were both Cerinians, the courtship would be over in a few days and they would be bonded by the end of the week. The way things are going, they will take even longer to get their act together than we did."

"Then let's help them get past the hang-ups we both had to deal with when we were dating." Fox then sidled up to Samantha, drawing the vixen's attention. "Samantha, my dear, why am I sensing such hesitation from you. You are usually so confident."

Like many on Corneria, she had heard the news that Fox McCloud had been a latent telepath whose powers had become fully awakened. Fox had to suppress a laugh when the vixen became flustered. "Oh you! Don't you be reading my mind."

Fox could sense though that she was not offended. "Oh, never in a million years, but I can't help but see that you fancy Elder Hiroshi here." He then grinned to the elder. "Here's a little secret, Samantha. He fancies you too."

"Fokkusu! That is not..." Hiroshi began, but he was interrupted by Krystal. "He's not violating any privacy code, Elder. He's just making things even. If Samantha were Cerinian, she would have sensed your emotions. My bondmate is just letting her know how you feel."

Samantha was deeply flattered to find out that this middle-aged, blue-furred tod found her attractive. What Fox said next stoked her passion. "Here's another tidbit. Cerinians are a matriarchal society where most tods find vixens with strong, confident, assertive personalities to be quite attractive."

"Really?!" the proprietress of Costumes for All Occassions purred and closed the distance between herself and her new romantic interest, going deeply into his personal space to the point that the end of her muzzle was almost touching his. "So cutie. What can Madam Samantha do for youuuuu?"

"And Samantha is unmarried, Elder." Krystal mentally added to the flustered tod who now found himself the subject of intense interest by this exotic, red vixen.

Krystal and Fox and the rest of their group all exited the store, even dragging David out with them. Hiroshi was thus left alone with Samantha. Together, they crossed the street to a small eating establishment where they sat down for an early lunch. "It will be interesting to see how long they take to become bonded."

"Especially if Samantha opens up to Hiroshi and consents to letting him enter her mind." Fox added.

"Really?" David asked. "I find it hard to believe that Madam Samantha would do something so impulsive. I've worked with her for 13 years now. She prides herself on her independence. Costumes for All Occasions is her pride and joy. I can't imagine her settling down with anybody."

"On Cerinia, courtships were very quick." Krystal explained. "Being telepaths, it meant that when a couple met and connected, they did so very quickly because both would know how the other felt at their deepest level."

"And we can sense how strongly they both feel for each other already." Akina added.

"What will happen if she lets your elder into her head?" David asked.

"It will be a two-way exchange. They will both learn a lot about and share their feelings for each other."

"But...but what will happen to her business?" David asked anxiously while gazing across the street at the place where he had worked for the over a decade.

"What were her plans before we showed up?" Fox asked.

"She intended to open up another store on Fortuna. The plan was for her to establish that one while I continued to run the main store here in Corneria City." David sighed. If his business partner was going to run off and get married, he feared that those plans would go awry. "Why did you come to our store anyhow?"

Akina answered. "None of us know how to make really nice clothing like your employer does. We had come here with the hopes of hiring her to make more loincloths, bras, ceremonial robes, and the like. It would not only be for us who survived the destruction of our world, but also the children that would be born in the coming years."

"Maybe she could open up her second store in New Cerinia then." Renjiro suggested.

David shrugged. "I don't know how that could be profitable, at least, not right away. I understand that there are only 49 of you in New Cerinia. That is a very small customer base compared to Fortuna. There are quite a few large cities springing up there with people immigrating to that world now that all the wars are over."

"I see your point." Hinode conceded. "And I cannot imagine Elder Hiroshi leaving us to live with her on Fortuna. Their courtship may indeed be longer. At the very least, I imagine they will exchange personal contact information."

It was a long, protracted lunch period before they all crossed the street back to the store. Upon entering, they found Samantha kissing Hiroshi. The response was six vulpine tails wagging in delight, and a ferret jaw hanging open, its owner gobsmacked.

Hiroshi became aware of their audience and tried to pull away, but Samantha would have none of it. Briefly eyeing the McClouds and their friends, she forcefully pulled the elder Cerinian's muzzle against hers in renewed ardor for her new love interest. The middle-aged tod felt like an adolescent in the grips of this passionate, exotic vixen, and could only give in to her demands.

When she finally relented, she drew a finger under his chin and murmured. "Till next time, hot stuff. And I'll have those outfits ready for shipment to New Cerinia by next week."

"I'll call you when I am home..." He then ran a finger along her temple and sent a burst of his affection into her mind, making the vixen shiver in delight and whisper huskily. "Oh yes, give it to me." They then parted reluctantly and Hiroshi accompanied his friends out onto the street and into the borrowed van. Once seated inside and on their way, the elder rolled his eyes. "I can sense the curiosity from all of you. I see that I'll never get any respite until I tell you what happened."

"How could we not be curious, Elder?" Krystal replied with a grin.

With a sigh, Hiroshi revealed what transpired while he was alone with Samantha. "She and I agreed to postpone any further romantic endeavors until she had accomplished her goal of establishing her business presence on Fortuna. She apparently has already someone in mind to groom to take over on that world like she did with David here in Corneria City. She plans to leave them to run the business while she devotes herself to the more creative side of fashion designing, which she could do anywhere, including possibly from New Cerinia."

"I do hope it turns out well for the two of you, Elder." Fox chimed in while driving them back to Corneria City Space Port. "And unlike my ancestress Grace McCloud, there should be nothing that would prevent her from joining you in New Cerinia."

*****

Life at the McCloud home returned back to normal. Fox happily resumed his role as his wife's pleasure slave, always wearing his collar while in the privacy of their home. Marcus had turned six years old and Ophelia was almost two. While Marcus was at school and Ophelia was put into her crib for her afternoon nap, Fox would be taken down into their private dungeon where Krystal had her way with him to both their hearts' desires. They would afterwards go and pick up their son at school and the family would all be together for the rest of the day, with Marcus doing his homework and Ophelia playing in her pen.

Weekends involved outings for the whole family to parks, restaurants, or other venues. Whenever Fay and Bill visited, they would go to River Rapids. By then, Fox had fully adjusted to life as a telepath and was no longer phased by being in large crowds. They would also frequently visit the Phoenixes, where Marcus would play with Oswald and Katherine while Fox and Krystal caught up on events in their respective lives with Fara and Kei. They would even occasionally visit Wolf and Vanessa, and Panther and Miyu. Sean O'Donnell and Jenny Caruso were each only a year younger than Marcus and would be starting school the following year.

Fox had quickly taken a liking to Wolf's son. The young folf had inherited his mother's white fur, but was already taller and heavier than Marcus, displaying the beginnings of his father's lupine strength and size. And yet, he was friendly and good-natured. The telepathic foxes could all sense that Sean had a good heart. Panther's daughter was still shy and reserved, though was slowly coming out of her shell. She had inherited her father's black fur, and her mother's short tail and long pointed ears.

It was early morning when Fox woke up. His soulmate was till sleeping, and he could sense that his son and daughter had not awakened yet either. As he often enjoyed doing, Fox crawled under the sheets and settled between his vixen's legs where he began to tenderly lap at her nethers. He slowly dragged his tongue through the depths of her slit, eliciting a quiet moan from his wife, which he echoed as he experienced those same sensations through their telepathic bond.

It was while he was orally pleasuring his sleeping soulmate that he started to notice a subtle difference in her scent. He continued to lap up the intoxicating, musky scent of his vixen until she awoke, her back arching with her chest heaving in orgasmic joy. Fox's muzzle was coated with her fluids in the process. The tod breathed in her potent scent and finally knew what had changed. Krystal was in proestrus. Fox crawled up onto her front and mashed his muzzle against hers in a kiss that she returned with equal passion. It was time for them to grow their family, and in a most special way.

*****

Once again, the McCloud family found themselves disembarking a CDF shuttle onto the small landing field adjacent to the colony of New Cerinia on Sauria. The day before, arrangements had been made with the teachers of West End Elementary School to assign a week's worth of homework to Marcus to ensure that the pup did not fall behind in his lessons. Though he grumbled at having to do all his assignments, he nonetheless did them as quickly as he could, motivated to get them out of the way so that he could go play in the streets of New Cerinia, the nearby woods, and around the Ocean Temple. By the time they had landed after the day's travel, he had done most of them.

Leaving their children in the care of Shinko, Krystal and Fox went directly to the Legacy of Cerinia building. Inside, the doors to each examination room was closed. Through their empathy, they could sense that they were each occupied. Three more couples were gathered in a waiting room near the entrance, Akina and Renjiro among them. Fox and Krystal entered the room and sat next to their friends. The loincloths of Renjiro and the two other males were all tented in obvious arousal. When Fox sniffed the air, he understood why. Akina and the two other vixens were all in heat. "Woah! I guess all of you ladies are here for the same reason I've brought Kurisutaru here."

All three vixens tittered, watching Fox's loincloth begin to rise as the female pheromones started to affect the tod. Akina answered, "Well, sort of. This first time around, our bondmates will be fathering children from our own eggs. We all intend to have twins, a boy and a girl."

They then heard the tod in the adjacent examination utter a long, drawn out grunt. The vixens all wagged their tails gleefully at the sound. Akina ran her hand playfully along Renjiro's chest. *"It will not be long now, Love, and your turn will be next." *

Renjiro's emotions of nervousness and excitement reflected his nervous smile. Sensing their curiosity, Akina answered the McCloud's unasked question. "Our bondmates will be made to lie on the examination table and a special tube will be slipped over their erections that will pleasure them with a rhythmic suction until they yield their essence. Hinode will then separate the sperm with male chromosomes from those with female chromosomes. I've already ovulated twice and have had my eggs extracted. They will be fertilized and implanted in me right away."

Krystal giggled. "I have used such a milking machine on my bondmate too. We both enjoy the effect it has on him. I would suggest you smear some of your secretions on Renjiro's nose while you extract his essence."

Fox laughed. "You best restrain him to the table while you do this." ** All the vixens cooed and tittered at Fox's suggestion while their bondmates swallowed nervously and looked askance at Fox, which only made Krystal's husband laugh even more. **"Don't worry about it guys. I can say from personal experience that you will enjoy it."

"So what are you here for?" Akina asked. "You already have had a son and daughter together."

The mirth Krystal felt from their previous conversation quelled down to one of bittersweet hope. "When Hinode showed us around, he offered to let me have the sperm and eggs from my father and mother. I have come here to take him up on that offer to be blessed with a sister and brother."

Akina's smiled back softly. "Yes. Most of us will do the same the next time around. I plan to have a brother and give Renjiro a sister."

Just then, Hinode appeared at the door. "Renjiro and Akina, you are next."

With a gleeful smile, Akina led her bondmate out of the waiting room. Over the next 60 minutes, the next two couples were called as their turns came. One other couple also joined them in the waiting room as they waited. Finally, Hinode showed up and it was Krystal's turn. They followed Hinode down the hallway to the last examination room.

Hinode closed the door behind them and indicated a monitor in the corner. "I have already tested Onikisu's eggs and Shiokaze's sperm. All are healthy and viable. The only thing that needs to be done is to confirm that you are at your most fertile, Kurisutaru. Please get up on the table."

Once Krystal had gotten upon the examination table and placed her feet in the stirrups, Hinode proceeded to examine her. "I went over your test results from your obstetrician on Corneria before you arrived. It looks like Florence was spot on. You have already ovulated and are at your most fertile right now." ** He then took an instrument and slowly inserted it into Krystal, all the way to her uterus. On the monitor, they could see what was happening even as Hinode explained what he was doing. **"Since we will not be using your egg, I'll be removing it."

Over the following minutes, they watched on the monitor as first one of egg from Krystal's late mother was fertilized by her let father's sperm to give her a brother, and then then again to give her a sister. The two fertilized eggs were then implanted into Krystal, whose eyes welled up with tears of bittersweet happiness.

After helping his wife off the examination table, Fox clasped Hinode's hand. "Thank you, my friend."

"It is the least I could do, for everything you and your bondmate have done for us. You should meet with Elder Hiroshi now. He wishes to train you in another mental technique, Fokkusu."

*****

---

Stepping out into the cool evening air, they went into the village itself and made their way to Hiroshi's home. The found the elder tending to his garden in the courtyard. "You wished to see me, Elder?"

"Yes, Fokkusu. While it is highly admirable that you have willingly endured your bondmate's birth pains, and done so twice no less, it is high time that you learned a technique that all expectant fathers are taught."

"You mean how to suppress Kurisutaru's labor pains?"

Putting down his pruning shears, he beckoned them to follow him into his home. "Come with me." ** Under his direction, Krystal laid down upon a couch with her head on Fox's lap. **"Now then, the way this is done is for you to take control of your bondmate's sense of touch. It is not something that can be easily put into words, but only through exercises until you figure out how to do so."

What Hiroshi was suggesting was startlingly familiar to something he and his vixen had already shared. Both shared a thought before Fox addressed the elder. "In some of our....intimate play, I let Kurisutaru suppress my hearing and sight."

When Hiroshi's lips quirked into a smile, Krystal and Fox could not suppress the heat that rose to their faces. The elder raised up a hand to reassure them. "Do not fret. You should know that bondage play was not all that uncommon on Cerinia either. Couples who partook in such activities also tended to have the strongest of telepathic bonds, which explains so well why the two of you have minds and souls so completely merged."

"It is something we keep very private." Fox confessed. "Not even our closest friends know this about us."

"And I think both of you very well know that nothing said here will leave this room. And given that you have some experience in this, it should make this technique easier to master." ** Hiroshi then brought a prod into view and pressed it against Krystal's leg. **"Now then, when I activate this, you will feel a sharp pain in your leg. Your job, Fokkusu, will be to suppress your bondmate's perception of that pain."

Both yelped out as they felt a deep, intense shock run down her leg. Fox immediately pressed his fingers against Krystal's temples and concentrated. It took multiple tries on his part, but eventually, he was able to prevent his vixen, and thus himself, from feeling her discomfort. Over the next hour, Hiroshi gradually increased the intensity of the electrical shocks while at the same time applying it on different parts of her body, such as an arm, a foot, or her belly. At the end of the exercise, Fox relaxed his mental focus and sat back. "I am amazed that I am able to keep that up so easily."

"I am not." Hiroshi countered. "You are a fully trained telepath. Such things are now second nature to you." He then showed them the dial on the prod. It was at its maximum setting. And then without warning, the elder pressed the prod against Krystal's leg again and activated it. Krystal barely perceived the barest of a stinging sensation before it went away.

"Fokkusu, if you had not mastered your powers, both of you would be in agony now." ** Hiroshi assured them. **"In fact, I have every confidence that you will be able to keep her from feeling any pain, even here." And so saying, he moved the activated prod up Krystal's leg to press directly against her crotch under her loincloth.

For a brief moment, Fox panicked, but then focused all his concentration on his vixen's mind. Krystal felt no pain. Satisfied, Hiroshi withdrew the device and deactivated it. "And since both of you already know what labor pains feel like, it will be even easier for you to suppress your bondmate's pain this next time around, Fokkusu."

By then, half of the vixens were pregnant, and by the end of the week, the rest had all been impregnated. The entire Cerinian community held a festival on the last night Fox and Krystal were there to celebrate the beginning of the rebirth of their civilization. Their hearts were buoyed by the thought of the new life what was now growing in the 25 vixens among them, including Krystal, who would soon be blessed by an echo of her lost family coming to life with the birth of the twins now growing within her.

She and Fox smiled while watching Marcus and Ophelia run and laugh among the adults around them. Ophelia was just about old enough to begin her telepathic training, which Fox would this time undertake since his vixen would be taken up with her pregnancy. Marcus became especially excited when he was told that he would be getting both a brother and another sister.

"Do you suppose we should tell him when he's old enough to understand that the twins are actually his aunt and uncle?" Krystal thought to her soulmate.

"I think we'll have to," Fox mused, "especially when he notices that they do not resemble me in any way." He then chuckled out loud to himself. "That's going to be a strange conversation, and even more so when the twins are old enough to ask why their 'papa' looks so different from them, and we have to tell them that their 'mama' is actually their big sister."

When Fox sensed his wife's anxiousness, he leaned over and kissed the side of her muzzle. "I would not worry. When the time comes, we will remind them that we love them no less than our own children."

With these positive thoughts, they found themselves looking forward to seeing more children gracing their home and their lives, and the happiness that it would bring them. Even after the twins, there were still more rooms to fill at the McCloud Family Estate, and Krystal was already looking forward to being pregnant again after her siblings were born.

*****

From his computer terminal, Felis Pantera monitored several social media sites that he had joined. Over the years, he had slowly fed various conspiracy theories. In one discussion thread, he asserted that there was evidence that the Cerinians were tied to a leftist faction in the government that had rigged elections in their favor and also ousted Gordon Striker.

In a separate discussion, he also asserted that Senator Winston Starkey was a victim of this Cerinian/leftist conspiracy and stated that Krystal McCloud had falsely accused him of lying regarding his involvement in the Paradigm Shift scandal. That conspiracy was also responsible for rigging the election against Senator Starkey as well as his trial and conviction. When these Cerinians had grown sufficiently in numbers in a few generations, they planned to take over Lylat using their mental powers. He grinned at the replies it generated. The discussion thread was already being forwarded to other sites.

It was all part of a plan to make it possible for Gordon Striker to be welcomed back as a hero by a large enough portion of the population so that right wing senators would be inclined to accommodate the General lest they be voted from office by the believers of these conspiracy theories. He further fanned the flames of paranoia by stating the Fox McCloud was siding with the Cerinians and attaching a photo of him at River Rapids that plainly showed the Cerinian tattoos he now sported.

He then placed a call to the Corneria Enquirer. "May I speak with Pricilla Kane?"

"May I ask who's calling?"

"I prefer to remain anonymous. I have evidence that show that Fox McCloud is a danger to society."

With those words, Felis found himself connected to Pricilla Kane's comm line. From her desk at the Corneria Enquirer, Pricilla listened to her caller. The moment he mentioned Fox McCloud, she growled. "Don't mention that name to me! He and his wife have threatened and humiliated me again and again, and I want nothing to do with them!"

"But wouldn't you want revenge on them? How about Lylat News and the exposé Walter Kent wrote about you and the Corneria Enquirer, or the video footage they showed of Senator Tawny clawing your face?"

"And how do you propose to do that? Each time I try to get close to get dirt on them, they turn on me. Great Maker, that Cerinian freak that he's married to is terrifying!"

"I can provide the dirt so that you don't have to get near them."

Pricilla perked up at this tidbit. "Oh? Do tell."

And she listened to the claims from her anonymous caller, who then sent her pictures and recordings. She could tell that the recording had been manipulated only because she recalled where it had originally come from. "Ooooh, this is good. This is really good."

At her caller's direction, she found the media sites where conspiracy theories that Felis had promoted were flourishing. "I can use this too. This is great dirt on the McClouds." She then thought of the other person with whom she had a grievance. "What about Kent and Lylat News?"

"My associates and I plan to take over their news organization. We will remove Walter Kent, and if you work with us, we can put you in charge of Lylat News."

"Who are you guys?"

"Let's just say that we work for a true patriot who seeks to clean up the corruption in the Cornerian government and the press. So, are you in?"

Normally, Pricilla would not have sided with an anonymous caller, but her judgment was clouded with hatred and a desire for revenge. She reached up to the side of her muzzle and the faint scars forever marring her face. She could not post any modified recordings to show her as a victim and Senator Tawny in a bad light, all because Walter Kent had broadcasted her entire confrontation with Felicia.

"Yeah, I'm in." She would get even with the McClouds and Walter Kent, and did not care how it was done.

From his terminal, Felis Pantera smiled. The negative attention and animosity towards Fox and his family was sure to get the telepathic family out of the way. Even though Fox and Krystal McCloud were only two telepaths, Gordon Striker did not want to take any chances. Felis had suggested assassinating the McCloud couple, but the general turned down the idea. He did not want the McClouds to be turned into martyrs. He wanted them destroyed in the eyes of the public and driven away from Corneria.