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M** ission Eight: "First Contact"**

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Having been stuck orbiting Corneria to keep her defended with their famous reputation as well as with their higher tech weapons since the overall ending of the Aparoid War, the Star Fox team hadn't seen many old friends for several years. Now though, after having stepped inside the meeting room in the Restricted Area, it was surprising for Fox and the rest of his friends to discover not only Miyu and Fay had been called back home but several others; others like the brilliant dogfighter and academic friend of Fox McCloud, Bill Grey, and Slippy's own genius father, Beltino Toad!

At once, when seeing his old friend from military school for the first time in what had been a very long while, Fox cleanly leapt across the meeting table and almost tackled Bill right off of his feet in a cheery hug!

"Bill, you tough dog, you! Hey!" Star Fox's leader exclaimed happily to the grinning bulldog leader of both the famous Cornerian fighter squadrons, the Teams Husky and Bulldog, "Where did you come from? Holy crap, man, it's been forever. The last time I saw you was back over the Aparoid home world shooting every hostile out of the sky. You realize that, right?"

"Sure I remember that, Fox. Over those stupid bugs' hollow home planet, I recall how I went and hit a record high on shooting baddies out of hostile skies while fighting in hostile territory in a nearly impossible win zone." Bill replied heartily, locking his red vulpine friend in a sudden headlock and playfully growling next, "I also recall how you and your team ventured into the pits of hell, killed the queen, flew back out of there alive along with took most of the glory when we all returned to Corneria! You great big, empty headed, no good, glory hound!"

"Alright, alright, lay off, easy with the fur, man. And quit complaining. You got just as much of the popularity as my team did, jerk." Fox laughed happily while in the headlock, thoroughly enjoying the fact that he'd been reunited with another good friend today. Honestly, if he ever wanted to, Bill was more than aware that he - as the talented fighter that he was - could join Star Fox as an ace pilot. Then again, Falco was stubborn enough about things these days without a worthy adversary mucking up his style. And besides, like his many forefathers before him, Bill's loyalties were clearly to the Cornerian military. He couldn't break his family's old tradition of being soldiers. "So, I take that you're here for this whole, uh, um, well, er-"

"First Contact project underway?" Bill guessed, patting Fox reassuringly on the shoulder as well as leading him towards the table where everyone else was greeting others, "Yeah, that's what I'm here for, my friend. Aliens. To think that after so many centuries of being by ourselves, we Lylatians are finally starting to receive visitors from some other entirely different place."

"Do you know about all that is happening then? Do you know what all of this extraterrestrial stuff has to do with Sauria?" Fox questioned nervously, noticing Slippy excitedly speaking with Beltino along with several other impressive looking scientific types nearby, "Seriously, Bill, this is happening right? You and me, we can be honest. We're really going to be talking about aliens? I'm not having some kind of dream back on the Great Fox where all of this - AUGH!"

"Nope. Obviously, you're not dreaming." Bill explained jokingly, having just pinched his old time friend hard on the shoulder, "And as for us talking about aliens or the like, yes, Fox, this is actually happening. It happened a month ago, to be precise. Or hasn't General Pepper told you about this First Contact project about to be started? If you're here, then you should know enough by now."

"I think that the general wants to show us what he's talking about which I kinda agree with. When I see something about this First Contact project or whatever it is we're all here for, I'll better believe in what's happening." Star Fox's leader admitted, his senses running wild and his thoughts out of control. This was really happening then. Even Bill was aware of what was going on. Everyone in the room clearly knew what was going on. "Say, Bill... You sound awfully familiar if not relaxed about what's happening here. Tell me, how long have you known about this First Contact stuff?"

"Truth be told... I was there a month ago when Lylat first came to understand that it wasn't alone in the space run. Well, naturally, not all of Lylat knows that truth yet. There are a select few today who know of what is happening here; the start of project First Contact." The gifted bull dog soldier admitted, sitting down in a chair with Fox at the clean table, "And congrats, you and your team are one of the selected few whom get to help establish communications from our galaxy to another."

"What do you mean you were there a month ago to see Corneria realize it's not the only space worthy civilization around, Bill? We're going to establish communications from our galaxy to another - GAH! What in Corneria is happening here?" Fox wondered incredulously, rubbing his forehead, trying to keep up with what was transpiring, "Dude, I was raised, taught along with brought up to know how to fire a gun, fly an Arwing as well as never give up in the face of impossible odds. The same goes for you, Bill. I'm just a soldier. Maybe an advanced one but I'm no scientist or scholar or anything that would make myself a candidate for meeting an alien race. Hell, I shoot first, ask questions second."

"I admit, bro, I thought the same exact things when I first got involved in all of this but don't go beating yourself up. Not now. This project needs Star Fox. It truly does." The bull dog ace pilot told Star Fox's leader boldly, "For whatever reason, just as much as it needs the brainy people here with us in this chamber, this project needs soldiers like you and me. General Pepper wouldn't have brought you in on this otherwise, Fox. And the general never decides on something foolish. You'll see."

"I know that, I know that... I'm just trying not to lose my mind or laugh over what I'm hearing." Fox explained, doing his best to not sound so negative about the highly classified meeting taking place, "Bill, you said you there when Lylat first learned that it wasn't alone in the space run. What did you mean? Have you been a part of this since day one?"

"Wait for the meeting to begin, bud. Everything will be answered by everyone here in due time." Bill replied, smiling warmly, "Seriously, if I tried to explain anything to you... I'd take eternity and a day. The people here, the people chosen for the project to come, they'll have everything explained to you as best as possible within the next hour or two. Trust me. Keep your ears open, eyes up and patience in check. Okay?"

"Okay. I'll do my best." Star Fox's leader muttered, scratching his head wearily, "Do my best not to... explode, that is."

During the next series of moments, with Slippy staying close to his comforting father, there was a silence shared between Fox and Bill where everyone else seated themselves around the oval meeting table. To Fox's relief, smiling bravely to him as she gracefully seated herself, Krystal took the chair beside him to his left. Beside her to her left sat Falco looking forcefully cool, Fay and Miyu quietly took seats beside him and Peppy, at the head of the table, sat himself to the right of General Pepper who stood before everyone watching him.

In total, there were about a dozen or so figures who had amassed for this meeting that was to start project First Contact; the miraculous if not revolutionary future for Lylat. There appeared to be expert people of many different talents at hand; soldiers, scientists, a leader or two. Fox, Krystal, they both tried not to stare too long at the many grim faced, intent, determined characters sitting with them in Chamber 34E. Without a doubt, when the meeting began, the present people would be introduced alongside Star Fox. And at that, as if knowing that introductions had to be taken care of, General Pepper began the meeting off by firmly yet proudly addressing everyone with him.

"Today marks a most unforeseen yet remarkable day, ladies and gentlemen. Today, as some of you know better than others present, a truly revolutionary thing has occurred in our galaxy for the last month; we have received a rather surprising guest form out of nowhere. A guest that I hope, with the help of our newest members, Star Fox, will come to understand that we mean him no harm and will finally allow us to introduce him to our ways of life." The blood hound explained, sounding ever more mysterious to the listening members of Star Fox who were at least grateful that their mission briefing was finally underway, "But before we proceed with this meeting at hand, it would only be fair that everyone here understand whom they are meeting with. You all know of Team Star Fox, started almost thirty years ago by respectable James McCloud. Now, his son, Fox McCloud, as well as his valued members sit with us. Amanda, I would like you to begin introducing our First Contact team to Star Fox, if you would."

"Of course, general, sir. It is an honor to address the famous Star Fox Team and get them up to speed about all that is happening." An older, very mature, honestly beautiful mare colored soil brown with brilliant blue eyes dressed in a usual lab coat outfit, perhaps in her mid-forties, replied to the general. As the she-horse stood up out of her chair and gained everyone's attention, the blood hound seated himself, allowing her to take over. "Star Fox, my name is Amanda Elise Hatton. I am head of the Outer Planet Research Company here on Corneria. Now, before I actually begin to explain to you what is in the works this day, I wish to inquire as to what you know about all that is happening here."

First off, it was somewhat unsurprising for the members of Star Fox to hear that Amanda Elise Hatton - only the most gifted, skilled, respected space traveling head researcher of the leading foreign planet researching organization, Outer Planet Research Company or OPRC for short - was actually present at this meeting. Having been established back hundreds of years ago at the start of the space age, responsible for the weather control systems on Fichina's frigid surface, OPRC had been studying the many things on Lylat's different planets and making breakthroughs up to this day. So, naturally, with aliens involved, OPRC - the expert source in knowing all things foreign - would somehow be involved with this event. Better put, they'd been involved with this event during the last month.

As for knowing what was going on at the moment, there was a pause of awkward silence where the members of Star Fox exchanged looks of bemusement, shrugs along with shakes of their head. Hm, what precisely was happening in this room? Some kind of meeting about something that was blowing their minds away; that was GOING to change everything that Lylat thought it knew about itself?

Finally, Fay, her sapphire eyes glinting nervously, her usually optimistic voice small, guessed shyly, "Er... We're here because of something... that has to do with aliens coming to Lylat? Or maybe Lylat finding some kind of alien life?"

"Couldn't have said it better myself." Falco confidently put in, crossing his arms, casually leaning back against his chair, "Aliens, ma'am. That's why we're here. I'm honestly trying not to laugh at it all, truth be told."

"Rest assured, Ms. Fay Spaniel, you were correct in saying that this meeting has been called today due to the realizing that there is in fact extraterrestrial life finally showing itself. And Mr. Falco Lombardi, these events taking place are no laughing matter. They haven't been for the last month while I've been having my science teams scour the Krazoa Palace floors, search for the alien in question and have been coming up with nothing on him since his arrival." Amanda huffed. As soon as Krazoa Palace was mentioned, as soon as the alien was said as a "him", the mare researcher held up her hand for all questions from curious Star Fox to be held back. When silence was resumed, she stated, "I realize, there are many questions to be answered this day. However, as General Pepper instructed a moment ago, introductions should be dealt with first. Please, bear with me."

Starting introductions, the head mare researcher of OPRC gestured to where Slippy sat with his dad. She stated gently, "Being the father of your own Slippy Toad, seeing as he developed the virus that wiped out the aparoids during the latest war, you, Star Fox, all know of Beltino Toad; head researcher and leader of maintaining Corneria's Defenses both on planets as well as in space."

"Hello again, everybody." Beltino greeted the Star Fox Team, having an old history of having helped them where he could against the aparoids during the last war, "How very fitting for us to be facing this situation together, side by side, eh? Fortunately for us, we're not facing an entire army of space bugs bent on annihilating us."

"Oh no?" Falco wondered mockingly, "Then what are we facing exactly?"

"Well, as a matter of fact-" Slippy's father began before Amanda cut him off.

"Introductions first, Beltino. Answers will come next. Seeing as everyone in this room is going to need to be a team by the end of today, we must have everyone know everyone. Okay? Okay. Next, without a doubt, everyone knows the veteran, Bill Grey; decorated for numerous brave feats during both the Lylat and Aparoid Wars, who leads both Bulldog and Husky Squadron from time to time."

Although most everyone knew of whom he was thanks to his picture having been in the news many a time in the past, standing up out of his seat beside Fox so that everyone could get a good look at him, Bill nodded his head to the members of Star Fox who nodded back to him.

"This is Commander Mordecai Halberd." Amanda introduced next, gesturing to a very old yet very admirable looking he-wolf, maybe in his later fifties, colored pure silver with eyes almost a silver-blue hue. "He's in command of the colonial space station, Infinity, that we all know has been orbiting if not protecting Dinosaur Planet since the aparoid invasion occurred."

Dressed in a formal get-up like General Pepper himself, with many medals pinned to his own chest like the general nearby, Commander Mordecai looked as well as felt respectable at the moment as he stood from his seat, saluted to Fox's team who retuned the salute, then sat back down. His charge was the Infinity, eh? That space reinforced station which currently housed brilliant minds like Amanda, steadfast soldiers like Bill and was guarded by many Cornerian cruisers, had been established at the end of the aparoid war to circle Sauria to monitor the dinosaurs' overall health and recovery. It'd been a great way of earning the dinosaur's adoration then. It still was today, what with Infinity's vast resources always ready to assist them whenever needed.

"And as for these two individuals sitting here together, they are the reasons for why this meeting was brought about today." Amanda walked around the table where she paused beside a pair of lean, fit, professional looking soldier types.

One of the soldiers of interest - a lieutenant - was a young monkey man, maybe no older than Slippy, who sported white hair that framed his stern brown face. His companion, a yellow-brown spotted she-cheetah who was more than likely his superior judging by the emblem stripes on her tight fitting uniform that marked her as an officer, looked just as stern as him.

"Star Fox, this man here is lieutenant Dash Bowman, a very gifted soldier who has been posted on Infinity for several years now." Amanda explained of the young monkey man who nodded to Star Fox when introduced. The mare then said for the cheetah female who saluted a moment before relaxing, "And this is Captain Nelanee Slagle. You will come to know them better during later on into the course of this meeting. That I promise you."

The rest of the people attending project First Contact were formally introduced by Amanda during the next few minutes. All the while, keeping his patience in line, Fox did his best to be as polite as possible to everyone he was being told about. Yet, where he was greeting others with kindness on the outside, the leader of Star Fox was, on the inside, more than ever eager to find out about this extraterrestrial activity.

Even Krystal - patient Krystal - was beginning to lose it. Enough of the waiting around! By the gods, she needed to know what all of this alien talk had to do with Tricky's home world or she was going to more than likely explode from tension!

"Now, with all of us knowing each other for a start, it is time that we got down to actual business and clarified what is happening in this room at this very moment. As Ms. Fay confirmed for us earlier about meeting together, we are here to go over something that transpired last month and bring everyone up to speed on what is going on now." Amanda said firmly if not professionally, picking up a nearby remote, pressing a button upon it and making the chamber lights go a bit dark. Once that was done, with another button press of the remote, the oval meeting table had a holographic screen appear at its center for everyone to see. "Star Fox, this session of the meeting is going to especially be meant for you. What I am about to play on the display here before you was a recording of Lylat, although not knowing at the time, communicating with another universe last month on May 13th at approximately 1700 hours. This clip is codenamed First Contact."

Pressing more buttons on the remote, taking her seat to the left of General Pepper, the mare scientist expert had a video begin playing on the holographic display in the middle of the meeting table. As it began playing its contents, with telepathic Krystal doing her best not to get distracted with how everyone was experiencing so much tension around her, there were several things made clear to the member of Star Fox closely watching. Firstly, with the time reading 5:12pm by Cornerian standards, the date on the said video did read May 13th of last month.

As for how the video was being shot, it was from eyes of someone. That someone's name in question was displayed beside the date and time; Commander Mordecai Viktor Halberd. And as for where the recording of May 13th seemed to be taking place, with Mordecai walking through several sliding doors and past people at a rather rushed rate, it was obviously within the well-kept, organized space station of Infinity.

"I must say here and now, Star Fox, do not ask anything during this video." Amanda put in one last word from her seat, shaking her head, "You will see things during this clip that will, like it did to us a month ago, make you question what you know about life. Yet, you must keep your inquiries for after the vid ends. Then, myself and my experts here will do our best to bring you up to speed."

There was no answer to Amanda's words. Not when the events on the clip, First Contact, began to take place and all of Star Fox fixedly focused their eager attention back onto the holographic screen at hand. Krystal, not knowing what else to do to steady her beating heart, took hold of Fox's hand whom squeezed it gently in his own. As brother and sister, the blue and red vulpines watched in awe as the event of May 13th - First Contact - took place before their staring, wide eyes.

This was it. Star Fox was finally going to find out what all of this alien talk was about. They were going to discover the nature of this mission they were going to be taking on over in Sauria. They were going to find out what had happened in Lylat a month ago... that was apparently going to prove to be so miraculous, so revolutionary, in the future.

"Commander on the bridge, people!" A male voice somewhere hollered in the video as Mordecai passed through a final, double set sliding door onto a very busy, very frantic environment that was clearly the Infinity's command bridge, "Sir, you need to come see the readings we're getting on Sauria's surface. Over at Krazoa Palace I believe, sir, they're going off of the charts. The gravity, energy, solar readings, all of it is skyrocketing."

Rapidly moving forward through the rest of the bridge towards a certain portion of the area where there were many red lights warningly flashing and graphs registering high readings of different kinds of energy, Mordecai stood for a moment in the middle of the blaring scanner room meant for monitoring the stability of Sauria. For a moment, there was nothings said nor done by anyone in the video as the commander began looking over the undeniably high, dangerous readings apparently coming from Krazoa Palace's location.

"In the past, have we not had similar readings like this from Krazoa Palace? Is that location not always surrounded in a number of electrical storms?" Mordecai questioned at last, looking to the unsure people standing and seated around him, "Why are these readings so dire?"

"Sir, I have no idea. I admit, within or outside of a storm, that palace has always been surrounded in massive amounts of natural energy but this... this is totally different. The energy of that place is spiking past maximum levels." A young wolf in the vid explained to his questioning commander, looking very nervous over something, "Ask anyone else here and they'll tell you the same exact thing, chief. Only five minutes ago, the readings on Krazoa Palace were ordinary. Now, up to this point, they've built up into nothing we've ever seen. It's almost like... It's almost like..."

"It's almost like what?" Commander Mordecai demanded, sounding unsure of himself, "What is it that you're trying to say, son? Spit it out, I don't want to wait until tomorrow."

"Commander, sir, the energy of the palace has been building up almost like it's getting ready to do something." A she-otter said from nearby, sitting in a chair where the rapidly skittering readings on the screens were going hectic, "It's like the energy of that place is preparing to, well, prime itself like a weapon back on Corneria. And if that's rightly guessed, then it's... it's only a matter of time before all of that pent up energy is released in a concentrated form."

There was a tense moment of silence shared between Commander Mordecai and his fellows in the movie clip. Thankfully, Star Fox had caught onto what was happening and were now, in the meeting room, wondering what in Corneria was happening at stormy Krazoa Palace. With energy signatures reading at their highest there, what was going to occur at that holy place of Dinosaur Planet? Were there dinosaurs trapped there? Was there a massive, record breaking maelstrom taking place over that location as Mordecai tried to decide what to do? What about this energy acting like a cannon?

"Dr. Amanda Harriet and her science teams... can you hail them at Krazoa Palace?" Infinity's commander questioned softly, sounding concerned. Holy crap. That mare and her teams were down in Krazoa Palace researching it's depths at the moment? Not good. "Let me guess, you can't with all of the building energy. You keep getting interference."

"That's... correct, sir."

"Damn." The commander growled, slamming his fist into a nearby counter, "And with all of that energy around the palace itself, I can't send in Bill or anyone else to try to pick them up by ship. Any vessel that goes too close to Krazoa Palace at this point wouldn't come back for sure-"

"Sir, hold on, the energy readings are going back to normal. Yes, everything at Krazoa Palace is returning to ordinary." The she-otter from before exclaimed quickly, looking to the lowering scanners no longer skittering with high readings, "I could see about trying to connect with Dr. Amanda now, sir. Give me a moment while I-"

"Commander, sir, you need to take a look at this!" Someone hollered out by the front window, a wall of glass that allowed everyone to look out at Dinosaur Planet below. Only, the planet wasn't what was interesting at the moment... It was the solid, blue, electrical beam shooting straight up from the world's cloudy surface - from where Krazoa Palace rested exactly - past Infinity and into the emptiness of space nearby. "There's a beam, commander. A blue ray of light is coming from where the palace is. Those collections of dark clouds, they're always above that palace. I'd know them anywhere."

"A blue beam... coming from Krazoa Palace?" Mordecai wondered bewildered. He wasn't the only one surprised at the moment. Star Fox was just as confused about what was happening from where they sat at the table watching, waiting, wondering. "Is this the result of the energy build up then? Is the energy being released in this manner, causing the readings to go back to normal?"

"It... It might be possible, sir." The she-otter replied uncertainly. No one aboard the Infinity knew what to make out of what was happening. No one, not even Krystal, could have guessed that such a thing as a ray of blue light shooting into space happened at Krazoa Palace. This was all shocking. "Oh no. Oh no, oh no, sir, the readings are going off the charts again! They're worse this time and - and - and they're reading right next to Infinity! Sir, a singularity is being made right beside us!"

Shooting from Krazoa Palace, the blue beam of light happened to end its course almost directly next to drifting Infinity where, as everyone on the bridge watched in building apprehension, as Krystal squeezed Fox's hand tighter in the meeting room below UCDF, something most unforeseen was taking place; a rip in space, a widening hole of blackness, was being created by the second. Indeed, believable or not, a wicked black hole colored sickly blue, sparking with energy, whirling counter-clockwise, was growing in size before the eyes of everyone upon Infinity's bridge.

And for the longest time, probably having been struck dumb alongside his fellows, Commander Mordecai didn't issue any orders or give any commands. Wordlessly, he just watched the spinning, sucking singularity yawn open. That was until a strained, frantic voice crackled into his mike set; Bill's voice.

"Commander Mordecai! Hey, do you copy, sir?!" The bull dog leader of Husky and Bulldog squadron hollered through the communications to Infinity's commander, "I don't know how or what just happened but you've got a black hole literally opening a mile or so away from your space station! I'm out here with the fleet, sir. No disrespect or anything towards you, chief, but we've begun emergency evacuation procedures for everyone aboard the Infinity. I hope you agree, over."

"Agree? Er, well - Yes, yes, yes, of course I agree!" The commander exclaimed at once, catching back up to reality as he finally registered what was truly happening. He turned away from the newly formed black hole and yelled at everyone on the bridge with him, "At this moment, I'm installing Order 13 to be followed. Send out a station wide announcement; all hands aboard Infinity are to get to their nearest evac vessels and leave-"

"Commander, sir, I don't mean to interrupt but I don't think Order 13 needs to be carried out." The she-otter over by the scanners cut in, doing her best to not sound disrespectful.

"What? Why wouldn't Order 13 need to be initiated?!" Mordecai questioned harshly, sounding downright shocked, "There's a black hole forming just outside of the bridge, miss. Or perhaps you can't see that from over there where you're sitting."

"I can see it just fine, sir. The scanners are reading fine too." The otter lass replied, looking very bewildered over everything happening, "Yet... the black hole in question... it's not sucking everything in, commander. It's expelling it."

"It's... I beg your pardon?" Infinity's commander questioned back disbelievingly, "Did you just tell me that this black hole isn't dragging matter into itself but... expelling it?"

"By this time, this station should have been seized in the black hole's gravity well, sir. Seeing as we have not been gripped in the said gravity, seeing as we are not doomed to being dragged into a crushing death, looking at what the energy readings are saying on the scanners here, I mostly confidently am saying that this hole in question is releasing its contents as we speak."

"Releasing its contents... What would that include, precisely?"

"Would that be it, commander?" Someone pointed out, blankly if not stupidly staring with a gaping mouth at something exiting the sapphire, swirling black hole at hand.

This was the part of the film, First Contact, where the members of Star Fox showed the most reaction to the event taking place before their eyes. Holding onto each other, Fay hugged Miyu closer to her. Falco was no longer sitting casually back but was leaning forward with utmost curiosity. Peppy, who was usually clam about everything, was wringing his hands nervously. Slippy, being the boy that he was, fearfully had his face in his hands with his eyes peeking between his fingers. Krystal, as the telepath, was experiencing every one of her friend's fear while Fox brotherly if not bravely went on holding her hand in his.

To everyone's absolute surprise, in the eyes of Commander Mordecai, as Star Fox felt their hearts nearly burst out of their chests, there was something... most definitely like a space faring vessel that speedily shot out from the bluish black hole crafted beside the Infinity. The vessel in question, shaped in the image of an arrowhead, colored a steely-ebony shade, looked to be about a third of the size of the Great Fox. It was not like anything ever seen in Lylat. It was, without a doubt, the most alien thing that the Star Fox team had ever witnessed.

It was noticed almost immediately that the arrowhead shaped craft that flew rapidly forth out of the sparking, twisting, maw of a black hole appeared to be in a troubled state. There were shreds of it ripped off at sections, sparks flashed from freed wiring on the outside, small streams of what looked to be clear gas sprayed from numerous broken parts. This foreign, alien vessel had clearly taken some kind of beating before having emerged before the disbelieving eyes of everyone watching it now drift along through the emptiness of space.

And then, as if it hadn't even been there before, as if having deposited its load consisting of one ominous ship, the sapphire black hole made from the mysterious light shot from Krazoa Palace shrunk into itself. In the blink of an eye next, with a flash of blue light the said black hole vanished completely from sight, leaving behind a lone, sparking, arrowhead shaped vessel for everyone on the bridge of Infinity to dumbly stare at.

"Holy hell, Jarvis. Do you seriously mean to tell me that we made it through that nightmare?" A new, male, frantic voice abruptly shouted out of nowhere, making everyone in Infinity's bridge almost jump out of their skins. This newest voice, it hadn't belonged to anyone under Commander Mordecai's command. Instead, it was speaking unawares through the communications hub where the Cornerians in charge were flipping out. "Man, I feel like death but... I'm still breathing, aren't I?"

"Indeed you are, Caesar, sir." Another formal, cool, male voice - Jarvis, it seemed - answered the first male voice, Caesar, "It would seem that although it intended to cut your promise to your cousin short, we managed to cross the path of Eden in one piece."

"In one piece? Heck, maybe you and I managed to but look at the ship. It's not at all in one piece which isn't exactly a good thing I get the impression we're still out in space, right?"

"Where are those voices coming from?" Mordecai demanded next, looking at his crew in charge of the communications at hand, "Can you locate it?"

"They've already been located, commander." One of the communications experts answered, looking a bit unsure, "Er... the speakers are speaking from that... arrow ship that came from the black hole."

"What?" Infinity's commander asked, surprised yet again by this information, "Wait, you mean to tell me that who I'm listening to talk between themselves s coming from that thing which just came from the black hole?"

"Commander Mordecai, sir. Do you read me?" Bill's voice said abruptly cut in next into the commander's mike, shaking the wolf out of his frantic state of all that was happening, "Sir, the black hole is gone. I don't have the faintest inkling as to how or why but it just went and shrank into itself a moment ago. I'm still having the fleet evacuate Infinity's populace as we speak. Shall I stop?"

"Hm? What? Oh, yes, yes, yes, Bill, the hole has disappeared. There's no more need for Order 13 to be carried out." Commander Mordecai responded quickly, suddenly becoming himself as his eyes never left the drifting alien, arrowhead ship lazily floating by the bridge, "Rather, I want you and your squadrons to fly to the bridge right now. Bring cruisers Epic and Dawn with you also. There's a certain something that the black hole in question left behind."

"Left behind?" Bill questioned in turn, "What did it leave behind?"

"You will see in due time. I will explain when you get here."

As Commander Mordecai ended his call with Bill, the coms rang with conversation from inside the arrowhead shaped, alien vessel.

"Jarvis, can you do a system check on the overall state of this ship of ours and tell me my chances of survival? I bet they're fifty percent and dropping, right?"

"I've already scanned the ship, Caesar, sir, and your survival rate is higher than you care to think. We're not out of this race yet. Not while I'm around. You have a promise to keep to your cousin, Clare, after all. I have to see to it that you keep that said promise. You'll return to Mars someday. Come on, shoulders back, chin up, eyes straight, spirit bolstered."