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M** ission Six: "The Valiant General Pepper"**

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If there was anyone alive in the known system of Lylat today who unofficially had an honored seat amongst the current members of Star Fox, that anyone was none other than General Pepper himself; the blood hound who had been the commander in chief of the whole of Corneria's military forces for the last thirty years, a third father figure of Fox McCloud, an old acquaintance of James McCloud as well as the militant mastermind who had tirelessly won numerous if not the highest commendations during his younger days of military service. Days where he'd visibly displayed much valor, courage, dedication to the safety of his people and keeping the peace of his universe maintain.

Truly, during this June day where the readying members of Star Fox currently approached his office on the 37th floor for the umpteenth time to hear a mission update from him, it was known by most everyone everywhere - ally and enemy - that General Pepper hadn't been put in his position by luck alone. No, there had been many other inspiring qualities about him. Qualities he'd shown time and time again that'd earned him the respected, beloved career of being the ultimate, significant protector of his shining civilization.

For example, during his very, very, VERY first year of being positioned upon the Katina frontier colony of Leo after having just completed his militant training in Corneria Academy as a frontline soldier, the canine general had displayed excellent leadership amongst his comrades, skill for combat along with overcoming the impossible when fighting off ambushing waves of slavers led by the feared lizard, Hectiss Slit. Having been tipped off by a heartless, unmentionable politician back on Corneria who had been tracked down as well as given proper justice in due time afterwards, Hectiss had targeted Leo thinking it would have been an easy way of making a good amount of credits.

And with Leo taken unawares that day, hardly manned by security, overwhelmed by a dozen heavily armed space pirate cruisers bearing hundreds of slaver mercenaries, perhaps that certain slave raid of Hectiss's would have proven to be an easy thing. Apart for one minute, teeny-tiny individual who had been there to stand against him.

What the tyrant lizard warlord hadn't realized then, was that a younger General Pepper - not even knowing himself during those hard days, more than likely - was bound for greatness. As the slavers had battered at Leo's feeble defenses, Pepper had dug in with his two hundred fellow guards. In turn, he'd faithfully advised the commanding officer on what moves to make, shot down three cruisers with what ordinance they'd had, pissed the living hell out of Hectiss and had, miraculously, kept the colony's populace of over three hundred safe until UCDF reinforcements had arrived by warp gate three days later after the slaver's initial attack.

For his steadfast bravery, for his genius, for his unwillingness to never give up in the face of the growing odds against him, the Silver Star had been the destined general's first reward during his servitude towards keeping Lylat's peace. Such a star was not the last he would be given during his days of soldiering. In turn, during his first month of being a trooper on duty, Pepper had been promoted from corporal into captain. His success on the field at Leo soon landed him a spot as a leader of the galactic battle cruiser, Valiant, that went on - with other cruisers - to hunt down and firmly destroy Hectiss in Fortuna space where the lizard's enslaving army was hiding.

Although having been completed in the name of protecting Lylat, such an act on the rebellious blood hound's part had been against UCDF command, mind. His punishment had been quite easy though. Laughably so, truth be told. He'd been suspended from commanding the Valiant and brought back to Corneria where, with everyone chuckling in the background, with all of Corneria finding it unjustified, he'd determinedly gone through another year of boot camp without complaint with the rookies looking at him as if he'd been a god. Then, when finished with his sentence, the younger if not wiser general had been given back his position and rewarded the command of the Valiant once more.

The defense of Leo was not General Pepper's only moment of shining glory. Many a time in the thick of battle, saving his fellow men from certain death, he'd gloriously shined. As he'd done so all throughout his life up to the point where he was too old for space, during the days of good as well as bad, it was unquestionable that he had earned the title of Commander in Chief over the system of Lylat this very day. With permission, without permission, having slugged some of his snobbish superiors in the face for their "cowardice", having earned the love of his people everywhere, the aged dog of a leader had on again, off again proven himself time and time over that he - not the President - was the true if not loving father of Cornerian space.

It had been him almost a decade ago, no one else, who had courageously held the Venom forces at bay during the Lylat War with barely organized, dying, failing troops until Star Fox had answered his call for help. It had been him, selfless him, who had been, for the greater good, willing to possibly sacrifice himself rather than become an aparoid slave during the Aparoid War. It had been him, miraculous him, who had sat in the UDCF headquarter's very regal decorated command room for the last thirty years with his medals, documents and other rewards of valor shining around him that dazzled the eyes of his visitors.

It was him who, as Star Fox was allowed to enter his quarters formally, now stood up from his leather chair, stepped around his desk, faced his visitors and saluted smartly. In turn, knowing the routine after having seen him so many times, Fox saluted the general with his friends following his example. For a moment, with the sun shining into the office from outside behind the general's desk, with the guards present standing at attention, nothing was said.

Then, lowering his hand, relaxing from his salute, his brown eyes shining fondly, General Pepper looked upon the mercenaries whom he'd come to value more than anything else in his system. For they, after having aided him in keeping his worlds safe, were truly his friends, his companions, his family that he could tell most anything. Whether they'd agreed or not to it long ago, Star Fox was a part of the Cornerian Army. For they were a part of the blood hound general's heart; a steadfast heart that had grown proud again since the day it'd been snatched at by the aparoids.

"Star Fox." General Pepper chuckled, stepping down the carpeted stairs from the front of his desk to shake hands with each individual member, "It is very good to see you for the... Hm, which time is this, Peppy?"

"Oh, dearest friend, heh heh, I've lost count." Peppy admitted, firmly shaking hands with his old time friend. Since they, alongside Fox's father, had graduated together from Corneria Academy, the hare as well as the blood hound had been the oldest of friends serving the army. If only James were still around today would be that much brighter. "Regardless, it's never so terrible a thing to see you, general. Always happy to show up when you call. Lylat needs heroes, after all."

"Indeed. That it does. Thank you for saying so, Pep, old friend." Pepper agreed, nodding his old head while moving on to Fox himself. The canine shook the red vulpine's hand. In turn, Fox never failed at feeling amazed about how firmly the aged general's shake was; it was still respectable, strong, promising to behold. It was the handshake of a wise if not caring leader. "Fox McCloud, glad to see that you're still keeping in shape. I began to worry that maybe these days of peace were adding a few pounds onto that frame of yours. Tell me, how do I look? I fear I may be enjoying a few too many of those delectable crème filled donuts down in the cafeteria."

"Donuts are everyone's worst enemy, sir. I found that out long ago. Apart for that, no, sir, you do not look any different than when last I stood in this office of yours." Fox truthfully answered, smiling a friendly smile to the blood hound, "You look as fit, inspiring and leader like as ever, sir."

"Hm... I don't know if I liked that answer or not." The general groaned, being humorous as he looked at his trim gut, pinched it, then patted it softly. "Bah, I know that you meant well with your honesty, Fox, lad, but now if I'm not lookin' as plump as I forethought... Well, there's no room in having another of those nice donuts is there?"

Before grinning Fox could answer, General Pepper winked as well as moved on to Krystal who he considered - seeing as she was close friends with Fox and Peppy - something of a daughter. The General took off his militant hat, bowed his head to the blue vixen, then said, "Krystal, still as beautiful as ever I see. Tell me, is it really so hard for Star Fox to protect the galaxy with you in their ranks? It must be an easy thing to shoot down all of the enemies distracted by your beauty, no?"

"General, always a pleasure." Krystal giggled, shyly messing with her tail at her superior's comment, "Your wife is a lucky dog, you know. She has a loyal, good looking, silver tongued, Cornerian commander of a man to pamper each day of her life."

"Oh dearest. I don't know if it's so much her pamperin' me since the marriage. If anything, it's been the other way around." The general muttered jokingly, rolling his eyes towards laughing Krystal as he stood in front of formally dressed Slippy next. "Hm, Slippy, my boy, are you planning on going on a date during the briefing of the mission I have to explain to you today?"

"Er, no, sir, I-I-I was simply trying t-to be professional, s-sir." Slippy stuttered over himself, falling to a nervous wreck which was something he usually did when in a very uncomfortable situation. He, with all of the good reasons, always got like this when in the general's presence; in the presence of a popular war hero he respected very much. "Though I d-don't think I did my best, sir. You s-still look three times better than m-m-me."

"Nonsense, boy! Why, you'd knock out any dame with that get-up!" Pepper laughed aloud, patting the amphibian on the shoulders whom instantly became braver under the general's encouragement. "Hah, you not looking good in that suit? Why, Venom would become habitable before you looked bad in that outfit, dear boy. Perhaps you've dressed yourself up so gallantly to impress a certain spaniel girl down that way, eh?"

When hearing herself mentioned from further up the line, dressed regally like her toad friend for the occasion, Fay leaned forward to look at uncertain Slippy. Tossing back her ears, winking cutely, the white poodle chuckled reassuringly to Star Fox's engineer, "Hey, stud, don't go shooting yourself down like that. If you're trying to impress me, it's been working since we met back up back in the limo. What's not to like about a well-dressed, smart, good natured son of Beltino, hm?"

"GENERAL, SIR!" Slippy exclaimed, shutting his eyes very tightly, blushing ruby red, standing straight to attention while feeling like he was going to explode while listening to Fay giggle at his shy embarrassment, "REPORTIN' FOR DUTY, SIR!"

"At ease, son. At ease." Pepper chortled, nodding his gratitude to the spaniel for her help in bolstering Slippy's morale. He stood before Falco for a moment, studying the straight avian closely. At one point, the old hound sniffed the bird who looked disturbed. Then, as everyone burst out laughing, Pepper wondered supposedly innocently, "Hmph. No smelling like a Cappuccino this time around, Mr. Lombardi? You actually managed to get here without the wolfess at the front desk throwing anything on you? Mark me impressed."

"Oh yes. Ha ha, everyone laugh it up. Get it out of your systems." Falco drawled, shaking his head while his tearing up friends held their sides, "Even the general is in on the joke. I bet he even had the wolfess working today because he knew I was going to be coming in. Hardy-freaking-har."

"Lombardi, ace pilot of Star Fox, honorable defender of Lylat's peace, it's always good to see you sticking with this team that needs you so very dearly. You're what makes a drizzling day into a brighter one. In this case, you made a bright day into a brighter one." The blood hound admitted, becoming serious about the event at hand, "Alas, I must stop being so down on you. Again, Falco, lad, jokes aside, I am glad that you have answered my call for help."

"I might not be answering many more..." Falco grumbled under his breath, "Not with the way I'm the circus around here all of the time."

"Beg pardon, dear boy?" Pepper wondered knowingly.

"Nothing! Nothing." The avian exclaimed, looking innocent, "Just had something stuck in my throat was all."

"Fay. Miyu. Girls, I must say that it's very nice to see you safe, well and as gorgeous as the day that you left for Sector Z." The general got around to addressing the two girls who had just reunited with Star Fox thanks to him, "Tell me, how were things in that pirate zone? Did your fabled strategy of lightning and thunder work ever so effectively?"

"Sure did. Lightning and thunder was a success." Miyu replied smartly, placing her hand on smiling Fay's shoulder as well as speaking for the both of them, "Fay, being the flashy lightning, went and charmed all of the crooks while I, the resulting rockin' and rollin' thunder, dragged their sorry butts back into Cornerian space. It wasn't so hard, sir. Not with a pretty assistant like this spaniel here helping out."

"We had our hard times, sir. We got into some fixes." Fay explained in turn, shrugging modestly, "Still, everything went swimmingly. The both of us are alive, ready and happy to be part of Star Fox once more."

With all of the greetings done at long last, there was finally something at hand; the purpose for General Pepper having called upon the Star Fox team. What was the reason for secrecy? Why had Corneria's Commander in Chief brought them here today? What did this mission to Sauria entail?

As he stepped back out in front of everyone watching him intently, the general could clearly see the many obvious questions running through the heads of Fox and his friends. Straightening his hat upon his head, giving a huff of professionalism, the blood hound had one thing to say to his guests.

"You all have questions, of course. You wonder why you're here. You wonder why I've called upon you to come to a secret meeting. Well, as always, I intend to reveal everything to you all in due time. However, unlike everything else that I've called upon you, during this mission I have to ask of you... it is of and will be of utmost secrecy if not importance. What it entails will be something that cannot be remotely breathed outside of UCDF. Am I understood?"

"Sir!" Star Fox replied together immediately, saluting all at once, "Of course, sir. Heard loud and clear, sir."

"Excellent. At ease, all of you." The general replied, walking past his relaxing friends and gesturing for them to follow him. With guards holding the doors open, the members of Star Fox all exited the blood hound's office after him. As the neared the elevator that'd taken them up to the 37th floor, Pepper spoke again, "Without further ado, it's time that I speak frankly with you, my friends. You all who have done the impossible before in the past, have been picked for something that will prove to be very special. No, not very special but many other grander things; miraculous and revolutionary being the clearest."

"We've been picked for something miraculous, sir?" Fox wondered curiously, stepping into the called elevator with the general alongside everyone else, "Something revolutionary?"

"Yes, Fox. Yes indeed." The blood hound general admitted, sagely nodding his head. He next drew out a card, swiped it through the elevator button panel at hand, tapped some buttons in some kind of unreadable code, then pressed a label on the floor screen that read "restricted". In turn, with a whirring of energy, the elevator began to lower towards the ground floor as Pepper fatherly looked to each of his friends with him. "Members of Star Fox, in the past, Lylat has seen many wondrous events. We have, during this last century alone, witnessed things believed to not be possible yet were made possible. So, tell me... what do all of you know if not believe about extraterrestrials?"