StarWolf

by J. Wolfman

My first fanfic, written a long time ago (three years) about StarWolf. My writing skill had changed a lot since then. ;)

Chapter One

It wasn't the chilly air of the ice planet Fortuna that made Captain Nathar shaking with uneasiness. He was wearing a heavy red coat uniform, bearing the insignia of the Venomian Military, so he was quite warm. It was the visitors that he would meet here. Two days ago when he was in space station Area 6 in the orbit of the planet Venom, he received a recorded message through monitor in his office.

It was a gruff-looking wolf with an eyepatch on the screen. His one good eye glared with an internal hatred that the timid cheetah captain didn't want to look into, and behind him was a pig, a chameleon, and a baboon he identified as Andrew, the brat nephew of Emperor Andross.

"I send a message of goodwill to the good soldiers of the Venom forces. I understand that Emperor Andross wants to conquer over the Lylat System, but is in need of seasoned pilots. My name is Wolf O'Donnell, and I want to be of great help to achieve the grand Emperor's goals. The ones behind me are my wingmen. The pig is Pigma Dengar, the famed traitor of the original StarFox team that led to James McCloud's cruel and deserving death. The chameleon is Leon Powalski, my trusted second-commander, and you might know Andrew Olkonney, nephew of Andross."

"Of course," Nathar quipped silently. "Who could forget that annoying, spoiled, brain dead idiot?"

Wolf continued on. "We trained ourselves hard, and only you will give us the chance we need. However, we request a special favor from Captain Nathar. Our transport ship had a mechanical problem and crash-landed twenty miles north of the only base in Fortuna. We need you, since you are in charge of recruiting new pilots, to come over to us. We'll meet two days from this recording in the base."

The screen went blank, leaving Nathar somewhat fuming and confused. He said to himself, "Me? Go into that deserted ice planet which the only civilization is that almost deserted base? Never! Hmm, Andross will hear of this."

With that he went over to his personal console and touched the red button that calls for Emperor Andross himself. Thanks to his high position, he would be able to see the ugly mug face of the one who would led him and his proud forces into greatness. Soon, the ape face was shown on the screen. With the beady red eyes and a wise white beard, Andross was an overpowering sight. Insult him and you would be shot or tortured. A couple of days ago, he insulted another commander and that angered Andross. Thankfully he's still alive, for now.

"Yes?" The Emperor responded.

"I have received a message that requires your attention. It has the one called Wolf O'Donnell."

"Oh yes," he interrupted. "I know him. He still have that black patch?"

"Yes, sir."

Andross shook his head. "Technology can replace that eye, but he told me that the patch reminded him of Fox and James McCloud. Oh well, what does he want?"

"It seems that he wants to become a pilot for the Venomian Air Force. He had three others with him, including your nephew Andrew and Pigma Dengar."

Andross made his echoing, shivering laugh. "So, they want in, eh? Well, Wolf and Pigma are experienced pilots, and they will be of great help. Who's the third one?"

"Leon Powalski."

"Never heard of him. Are they with you in Area 6?"

"Fortuna, sir. Their transport broke down, and they want me to come get them."

Andross shrugged his massive shoulders. "Well, why don't you go? You have my permission."

"But sir, can't another transport pick them up and send them here instead of me doing it?"

"I know Wolf. He's very impatient. He wants in and he wanted to it quickly. He thinks it is faster if you would come to him yourself, with the necessary paperwork of course. Go, and make sure you come back with them."

Nathar made a quiet sigh. "Yes, sir, whatever you say."

And so he ended up in the cold, waiting for Wolf and his pilots to come, the base behind him showing rotting age.

From the moment he left Area 6 to Fortuna, questions bombarded him like an engulfed city. Well why can't Wolf would just repair his transport or send another one instead of me? If he managed to contact me then surely he could contact someone much closer. Also, why Andross didn't send another officer to them, like I said. He knows I don't like traveling and especially hates the cold. Wolf's impatient? Our Forces are just starting our invasion preparations. We are in no hurry. Sigh, why me?

Finally, in a close distance, he spotted four figures walking towards him. Wolf O'Donnell, the proposed leader of the quartet, waved his paw in greeting, but his one eye glared the same coldness of hatred. In fact, those eyes chilled Nathar more than the Fortuna cold, and the weather here is legendary across the Lylat System. Both of them didn't speak until they were within a few feet from each other.

"Welcome to the coldest dump of a planet of the Lylat System!" Wolf said in a sarcastic greeting.

Nathar made only a disgusted grunt. He hated this cyclops since he first saw him. He was the reason he was brought in this frozen wasteland. Wolf was wearing the ragged clothes of a mercenary pilot trying to show a tough look of himself. Fastened to his thick black leather belt was a decorated scabbard with a jeweled dagger. He was taller than Nathar, and the commander hated those who are taller than him, including Andross, though quietly.

The other three, even Andrew, had a sense of evil around them. Pigma had no dagger, but a laser handgun that was often used in war, and was dressed almost the same as Wolf, but in green and red colors. Leon was the strange one. Over his right eye was a mysterious device that covered all but a tiny yellow dot of his eye. Covering his green scales was a more tasteful selection of clothes, but still worn. Andrew didn't have a weapon, but Nathar knew that was probably because he was incapable of using even a knife professionally. He bears a resemblance to his notorious uncle but lacked the brains and wit. He had on the same uniform as Nathar's, but was worn due to walking in the cold.

Silently, he motioned them to come inside the nearby transport jet, and once inside, he sat on the pilot's chair at the front and center, just before the console. Wolf sat on the seat behind Nathar to the right, and Leon to the left. Pigma sat behind Wolf, and Andrew behind Leon. Nathar didn't notice them being silent at all, for he was too concerned with getting the paperwork done and get out of this planet.

With the papers for registration on hand, he was about to turn to face them when he felt a cold sharp metal object digging into the nape of his neck. Wolf was pushing his dagger with an evil snicker. "Stay still, and the console won't be as messy."

"Wha- why are you-"

"Oh, don't you remember, Nathar?" Wolf said mockingly. "You insulted Emperor Andross when you accused Commander Harthing of embezzlement. You made Andross mad, and for that you will suffer the consequences."

With expert quickness, Wolf stabbed his dagger through the throat of the victim. Nathar didn't even made a grunt, and fell forward. A sickening thud sounded as his lifeless head landed on the console, and the blood flowed freely on his jacket and the console.

Leon shook his pointed head, blinking his yellow eyes. In a low, evil voice he said, "Drat! Looks like we have to clean this mess up after all."

Wolf pulled the dagger out and after cleaning the blade quickly, put it back on its scabbard. "Hey, even experts like me can't be perfect all the time."

The quartet laughed, and Wolf carried the dead, dripping body out of the jet and simply dumped it on the snowy ground for nature to take over. "I'll see you in the Dark World, Nathar old fool!!"

Soon, they were off to the planet Venom, the headquarters of the Venomian Invasion Forces, that is, for now. Soon, Wolf hoped, Venom would become the capital planet of the Lylat System.

The planet Venom was once an agricultural-rich planet that boasted beauty second only to Corneria. It was actually called Edena before Dr. Andross was banished there. Soon after the ape's arrival, he changed the planet into Venom, and started to enslave the people there. Because the planet was so far away from Corneria, the Cornerian Intelligence didn't know about it, so it largely went unnoticed. Industrial cities cropped up, and the natives suffered greatly to appease the newly appointed Emperor Andross's greed for power and destruction. The planet quickly became polluted, and the skies went brown. Thousands died of health, so the evil scientists had found a way to control reproduction, and the birth rate rose dramatically. After several years, when the babies would be strong enough for heavy labor, Andross had millions under his control. Andross's first steps into the domination of the Lylat System were to create a defense. A powerful fortress was built in the rocky plains of the northwestern hemisphere part of Venom. Also, two fortress space stations: Area 6 and Bolse, were sent to the orbit of the large planet and stays there to prevent intruders from passing them. When the stations were fully operational, the invading machines started rolling into function. In half a decade, Zoness and Macbeth were taken over and now serving Andross as front bases.

When Wolf first caught sight of the fortress in Venom, he snickered glowingly. Just before his eyes lie the greatest fortress in the universe, where it was said to have factories that make a hundred fighter ships per day. This fortress was the center of the entire invasion force, and here, Wolf would be truly belonged in. His transport landed on one of the east docks, and uniform lizard soldiers greeted the team.

"Emperor Andross have been expecting you," one of them said as Wolf came out.

Wolf nodded and the four pilots walked through bustling hallways, filled with soldiers, labor slaves in restraint devises on their necks, and the pounding sounds of nearby factories. After being sent to the fifth floor by elevator, they were escorted by a lizard lieutenant to the throne room of Andross himself.

The walls of the throne room were blanketed with the insignia banners of Andross's powerful military, and a red carpet lined down between the throne and the large metal doors. Sitting on the throne, in red robes and a silver scepter symbolizing universal power, was Emperor Andross.

Wolf, Leon, and Pigma bowed, but since Andrew was a relative of Andross, he had the privilege not to do so. Andross stood, noticeably taller than the four of them. He shook their paws.

"You did what I asked you to?"

Wolf nodded. "Nathar is no more, Great Emperor. We wiped the surroundings clean so your soldiers won't suspect the murder."

"Good. A soldier fearing me would be also against me. How is faring with you, Pigma?"

The pig grunted happily. "All's well, Emperor. Just give us our own jets like the StarFox team and we will make you proud, sire!"

Andross laughed. "Oh you will, my friends. You shall have the best of all the ships. Follow me and I'll show you." With that, he led the anxious team out of the room, and after a couple of hallways and center quads later, made it to a small shipyard. On the East Side was a closed garage-type door, which leads to outside, and forty laborers were working on four small jets of an unidentifiable type. Sparks were flying, and pounding on metal rang through all of the ears. The ships themselves were all colored black with a greenish hue, and had a cone look to it.

"These are the Wolfen class ships," Andross said with a proud glee. "It is just as smooth handling as the Arwings in the Cornerian Air Force, have electric shields and a laser gun that packs a good punch. These are my best ships so far, and these are the ones you four will fly."

"Magnificent, Uncle," complimented Andrew. "When will they be ready?"

"In a matter of days, dear nephew, have patience. Soon, you all will have your revenge against the StarFox team. Soon, the universe will hear the name, StarWolf!"

"StarWolf...that has a nice ring to it," replied Wolf. "Now then, where are our quarters?"

Before he goes to bed every night, Wolf always knelt and swears his oaths that he knew by heart. He did so tonight with extra fire, for he knew the time would be soon coming. "I swear, in the name of my father, to seek and destroy Fox McCloud, the source of all my hatred and anger. I will not rest until the worm suffers even more than like his creep father James, and all of his pains will be afflicted by me alone. If I fail in anyway, anyhow, then I swear to kill myself, for my life would never be complete if Fox doesn't expel his before mine. May I know these sworn oaths to be forever in my blood, and each day I swear to be willing to be even stronger, so that my goals will be completed. May Fox McCloud and all that befriend him be sent into the bowels of torturous Hell itself."

Just as he was swearing his oaths, Pigma was in another room across the wall, trying to put himself to sleep, but until recently he couldn't sleep very well. It was the dreams, always the dreams, that caused his insomnia. Fleeting dreams about his former friend James McCloud and Peppy Hare when he used to fly with them. Five years ago, he used to be a great pilot, perhaps even greater than James, but the public never liked him. They viewed him as a greedy pig, one that doesn't deserve to even talk to James. He was jealous of his co-pilot's fame, which was legendary. However, he knew he couldn't quit, for that would make him dig a deeper hole. Then came along a lizard that claimed to be from Venom, formerly named Edena. He offered him a favor from Andross that the greedy Pigma couldn't refuse. A few weeks later, Cornerian Intelligence discovered unusual activity within Venom, and James, Pigma, and Peppy were sent to investigate. Once at Venom, Pigma shot at his own wingmen and captured both of them. He was at the scene when James suffered torment to his death, but Peppy escaped and told James's son Fox about his father's fate. The Cornerian people now treated Pigma as a traitor, but he didn't care. He would destroy them anyway. However, he has a special hatred for Peppy Hare, now one of the famed StarFox pilots. He hated that hare from the beginning, and now wishes to see him crashing on the ground with fire and smoke.

Chapter Two

Andrew was not one to tolerate anything being done to him that wasn't to his liking. Ever since he forced himself into the team several months ago, he suffered sleeping outside, often hearing foul language, especially from Wolf, and he himself was not treated fairly. How dare Wolf choose Leon as second-man instead of me, the nephew of Emperor Andross himself! So, it wasn't a surprise to the three others when he pushed away a good-sized meal of green brona beans and roasted turna turtles the next morning in the rec room.

"I tried eating this foul food when we were away, but here in Andross's own base I won't eat this slime! I want jumbo caviar and fresh eel now! I want it, I want it, I want it!"

Leon stood up suddenly, his yellow eyes glaring. He, like Wolf and Pigma, didn't care for this spoiled one much. He pointed at the angry baboon. "Shut up, Andrew. You fly like us, you eat like us. All that rich folk's food makes you soft."

"But as Andross's nephew, I deserved a decent meal, not this peasant slop!"

Wolf, never the patient one, covered his one eye with his paw, then banged on the table. He stood up so fast the chair toppled from under him. "Andross's nephew, Andross's nephew!! That's all I hear from you, spoiled brat! So what if you're a relative to Andross? I'm the son of a great landlord before that creep James overthrew him, and look at me!"

"I don't like you very much, you one-eyed, spitting, grouchy wolf!"

Wolf stepped so close to Andrew's face that the brat could see the evil sparkle on the pupil of his one eye. "You know what I think, Andrew?" He said in a low voice. "I hate you so much that once Andross is dead I'll use this dagger of mine and gut through your small brain, what's left of it!!"

With a flash of unconscious anger, Andrew wildly grabbed his boss's cuffs of his jacket and both of them scuffled around the ground, screaming, kicking, and punching. Leon jumped into them, trying to separate them. It wasn't until two military personnel burst in and grabbed the three of them that they calmed down. Rather roughly, the trio was forced out.

Pigma found himself alone. He looked at Andrew's untouched plate and then to his own empty one. He shrugged and took Andrew's plate and wolfed down on it. The other two plates suffered the same fate as well. Waste not and want more, he always says to himself.

Pacing back and forth within the crowded walls of the Venom Command Center, General Hrother felt a bit of uncertainty as the screen in the front of the huge room showed the whereabouts of every squadron, friend or foe, in the confines of the Lylat System. Three days after the entrance of StarWolf, he received word from Andross to take the Fredan Fleet, a small one consisting of three battleships and only thirty fleas (a military term for the common Venomian jet fighter) to overtake a mining colony in a Corneria-owned portion of Titania. That mine in Venom's control, explained Andross, would make his enemies suffer the loss of the precious metals needed to make the necessary planes, and add them to his own benefit. While that plan was sound, there was one great obstacle. He found out that in order to overtake the colony, he must have to contend with the powerful ion laser gunners from the ground, and an unknown number of fighter jets. Still, too proud to change his mind, Andross insisted with the attack and soon the Fredan Fleet was off to the desert planet Titania. While there were hopes, Hrother had thoughts of failure. If that Fleet fails, then who knows what might Andross do in those rages of his?

"General, the Fredan Fleet had reached the colony."

"On screen from the VMS Fox Destroyer," replied the iguana general. The map of the System was replaced with a moving picture of the colony from the battleship's main screen. Lasers were already flying, and countless fleas filled the air, along with the defender jets. To his dismay, the fleas were being shot down, and the two other battleships were showing fire from where the ion lasers had found their marks. The colony itself was barely visible due to the constant static as the Fox Destroyer itself was being hit hard. After only ten minutes, the entire screen went static, and the map replaced it once again.

"We lost visual," said the same console officer. The Fox Destroyer is down, along with the Firestarter and Bullan."

"Abort mission. Massive retreat," replied the general with a deep dissatisfaction.

When Andross heard the bad news, he screamed in anger and threw the report clipboard down, making a loud clashing sound. "Grrr...those idiots are going to pay! Now what will I do?"

Hrother made a good suggestion. "Emperor, those Wolfen ships are completed, and StarWolf had already done one training round. Why don't you send them over with three more battleships. The four will take care of the jets, leaving only the gunners to contend with. We must strike now, for the colony defense is licking their wounds."

"Hmmm, that sounds good. I will take what you said. However, if we fail, it will be on your head."

The general gulped. "Uh, yes sire. I will carry on the orders immediately."

Wolf laughed when he received the order. "Finally, Andross had decided to let us do our job. He looked at his wingmen. "We go to the colony in Titania. There, we will show just how ruthless we are!"

With that, they entered in their Wolfen ships, all of them feeling anxious for a few kills and the average torture of innocent citizens if they have enough time. Wolf strapped himself with the safety belts and donned his light-framed com-link that was nearly invisible from a distance. It was like a helmet, and it was uncomfortable, but he was too excited to notice. A force beam carried the four ships from inside the hangar to outside, and then they turned on the acceleration and off they went, the fortress behind them getting smaller as the StarWolf team heads for space.

Because the battleships were not capable of hyperdrive, the StarWolf team was forced to stay with them, and a few hours later reached the orange-red planet of Titania. It was a large resource-rich planet, with countless colonies that mine them. The one the StarWolf team would try to take would be the biggest one.

The colony within sight, Wolf flashed a grin. "StarWolf team, why don't we send a pilot or two home to meet their great-great grandparents?"

He was met with chuckling and agreement. A squadron of forty-five fleas, with the team on the front, dove in for the kill. With a blood-yearning glee, Wolf spotted the jet fighters of Corneria swooping in to intercept them. When they came within range, Wolf fired the first shots. The first casualty was the leopard pilot that failed to get out of the lasers' way.

Soon Hell turned up. Explosions rocked the sky, and lasers whizzed here and there. Wolf swerved right, heading towards the colony itself. The ion gunners, capable of killing him with one shot, fired their thick and powerful lasers at him, but they were too slow to make a mark on him. Wolf didn't bother to fire at them; the armor of the gunners would not even suffer a dent. He instead concentrated on the several tall buildings and the streets below. Despite all the smoke and chaos surrounding him, he could spot the hundreds of colonists running on the streets in terror. With no feelings of remorse, he aimed his guns at them and fired. The lasers were like justice-providers as they burst upon the street, felling innocent men, women and children. He saw one raccoon child, perhaps only ten years old, sitting alone in the ruined street, crying. Wolf merely laughed. He was so close to the street that he could hear the cries of the fleeing colonists, urging him to fire more lasers at them, so he did. One of the lasers struck a flammable tank, and an explosion toppled the building next to it, and like a chopped tree, it fell onto the crowd on the street, and as it crashed, a loud rumble sounded and dust was thrown up into the sky. Feeling he had done the job for now, Wolf swooped up into the fray of the dogfights. He shot a couple more jets down, then spotted Andrew's ship.

It was already smoking; Andrew's right engine was on fire. Wolf shook his head. "Even if that fool improves, he won't be 1/16th as good as James McCloud, and that fox is dead."

Several minutes later, the battle was taken the turn in favor of the Venom Forces. The battleships moved in, and the gunners, now without much help from the fighters, were being destroyed one by one. Soon, the colony was almost theirs. Wolf landed on a deserted dock on the eastern side of the colony, and with a phaser in hand, darted out and ran inside the airport building nearby. He waited till the three others landed and rendezvous with him at the entrance of the airport.

"Set phasers on level 5, and shoot any one who dares to resist us," Wolf ordered coolly, flushing with close victory. "When you find the leader of this place, shoot him and ask questions later."

"Yes, sir," the pilots said simultaneously, and the four burst inside. One of the guards, just near the door, had his back blasted by the powerful lasers of the phaser of Pigma. Wolf and Leon went to the right hallway; Pigma and Andrew went the opposite direction.

The airport was deserted, so Wolf and Leon confirmed the other forces that the place was clear for landing, so that the troops would come in. They then came into another building, this one an apartment, but that one was deserted as well.

"Looks like they have left for good, Wolf."

Wolf looked at his scanner, then shook his head. "Not yet. The governor of this place is still in hiding. This lousy devise still can't confirm his exact location. We're close though. Where's the Court House?"

"Searched by troops already. Nothing there. Let's meet with Pigma and Andrew at the Court now. We don't have to worry about any resistance now."

Wolf nodded and put away his phaser. Leon was the only co-pilot he truly trusted, and he hasn't failed him yet.

In the CourtHouse, Pigma and Andrew, along with a tall coati named General Harbeak, were talking when the two came. Four other lizards were within the large room, guarding for any possible hidden threats, though there were none.

"This colony is ours for the glory of Andross," said the pompous and pretentious loyal general. "Is the former governor found yet?"

Leon shook his head. "Not yet, sir. According to our scanners, he hadn't escaped by transporter yet."

"The fleas blasted all nine possible transports to kingdom come. He has to be around here. Continue with the search-"

The general's comlink suddenly buzzed. "I found the governor sir!" A voice said.

"Bring him to the Court House alive," the general answered. He looked at Wolf. "Congratulations seem to be in order here, Wolf. You and your team will appease Andross greatly I believe."

"I don't need his respect, General. As long as he pays me, I don't care if he fires at my own ship. Money is everything to me, ringtail. Only hatred is the other thing I go for. Love, respect, life,...those things will have to stand in line."

The doors of the CourtHouse burst open and four lizard troops were escorting a handcuffed fox to Harbeak, who chuckled. Wolf felt a more special pleasure. This one is a Vulpinan like Fox and James McCloud. How sweet this is!!

The fox does indeed have a resemblance to James, but had a thick black stripe across the top of his head between his triangle ears. He was brought to his knees in front of Harbeak. "My name is Governor Graham of Titania. The Cornerian Ruling Council will not stand for this disaster. General Pepper and the StarFox team will make all of you pay for your evil deeds. For now, you can shoot me if you like. I now have nothing to lose."

One of the guards behind him pulled out a phaser but Wolf held out his paw to stop him. "No, let me handle this. Graham have some valuable info that we need."

Graham shook his head. "No, I would rather have my tongue cut off than to even tell you what time of today it is!"

"That can be arranged. Leon, have you brought your.... special kit?"

Leon smiled evilly. "It's in my ship. I'll bring it here." He then ran off. Wolf could hear him laughing as he went. Leon loves this oncoming job more than flying and dogfights. I guess that's why I like him more than anyone, I guess.

"C'mon, Graham, you're coming with me alone to the Judge's Chamber," he ordered, grabbing the panicked fox by the cuff of his collar. When they came in, Wolf brushed a desk's top clean of files with one sweep of his arm and pointed at the chair behind it.

"Sit down."

Graham did so, and Wolf stood next to the door and waited. Horrifying thoughts went through the fox's turbulent mind. What is that wolf and chameleon going to do with me? If they want information, then my mouth is sewn in! I hope dear Isabella had escaped safely. Oh I hope they have mercy! But I seriously doubt it....

A few minutes later, Leon came in, carrying a metal kit box, black as coal. The reptile laid it on the desk inches from Graham and opened it. Leon took out two fastening devises and looked at the wall behind the prisoner. Leon grabbed Graham roughly and using the devises, clasped him to the wall by the arms. Graham was like a prisoner in a dungeon, held against the wall, helpless. To show bravery, he didn't struggle or speak a word. With that done, Leon took out a palm-sized box with two metal rods out the front side. Graham gulped. Leon was holding a close-combat weapon so terrible that it was banned from Corneria. A shock phaser, it was. When the rods are charged and it touches the skin, electric currents flood and shock the victim. At level 1, it burns the skin it touches. At level 3, your brain would literally fry. At level 9, the highest, you might as well start a barbecue.

Leon turned it on, and the humming sound was sickening. He held it close to Graham, barely touching his chest. "Let's make a deal, eh Graham? What's your first name by the way?"

Graham refused to talk. A shock phaser may kill him, but to him, it's Catch 22.

Leon pressed the phaser on the chest so hard the rods almost punctured the skin. Graham's scream was deafening, but Leon didn't even cringe. "YOUR NAME!!"

"Benny!" He said amid his screams. It wasn't important anyway. He was already nearly numb. Leon pulled the phaser away, slowly.

"Benny,...now you listen to me. You could do this the hard way, or the hard way. Take your pick. You answer my questions and Wolf's, this phaser of mine won't be the murder weapon. Something else will, and hopefully it would be something less painful. Understand?"

Benny grimaced from the burns. "Yes,.."

"Good. Very good. Now, shall we begin? Is the Cornerian Forces planning to attack any Venom outposts soon?"

"No," Benny replied, but let out a grunt. That No sounded too much like a lie.

Level 2 shock waves rushed to his brain. "Maybe that's actually a yes, Benny. Next question. Which one will it be?"

The pain was unbearable. "Mac-Macbeth..."

"Where in Macbeth?"

"19," he stuttered. The pain prevented him from talking clearly now.

"19^th Post. You're doing great, Benny."

More shock waves.

"Who and how many are going there?"

"Um-a-uh Fal-Fal-..."

More shock waves. "You really ought to say your heroes's names easily, you know. Falco Lombardi. Anyone else?"

"Five...tan-tanks,...AAAH!...fo-fo-fourteen, um, uh, AAAAH!...jets! Stop it, (sob) please!!"

"Later, Benny, have patience," Leon said and clicked the phaser to level 4. Benny saw what level it was too.

"No! No! No more!"

His request was refused. Another wave of shock shook his nerves.

"Any more planned attacks?"

"No, no-no more."

Leon backed up, a sly smile on his green face. Without turning, he said, "Wolf, you have any questions?"

"Well, yes Leon," he replied melodramatically. "I certainly do."

Leon sidestepped and Wolf, dagger in hand, stepped in. His one eye's fierce glare burned into Benny. "I have three questions, or two or one, depending on you. Is it true that Governors of colonies such as this have a code, which would open the vault for military weapons, to be used as a last resort? Now since you were caught unprepared, you probably still have plenty in that vault. Answer me."

"Yes,...but I will never give it to scum like you," and with that spat at his eyepatch.

Wolf flinched, and rubbed the spit off his patch. He then remembered what Benny had said in the main Courtroom. He grabbed Benny's tongue, the fingernails digging in for grip, and pulled it out. Benny gagged, knowing what would happen.

"Never mind. We have plenty of weapons." Wolf then cut out the tongue and threw it onto the wastebasket.

Splat.

"It looks like our friend here is useless now, Leon. Kill him."

With a shock phaser at level 9, it didn't take long to end Benny Graham's suffering.

Leaving him clasped to the wall lifeless, Leon and Wolf came out. Fifteen minutes later, the StarWolf team left the planet, heading for Venom. Andrew couldn't entirely focus on his flying much on the way. The screams chilled him to the bone marrow.

Chapter Three

Andrew's Diary of Stay in Venom

Fourteenth day.

We came back from the battle of the 19^th Post in Macbeth. That planet was a gloomy one to me, though I did hear of some sort of paradise there. At least it's better than Zoness. I went there two days ago and my ship still smells from the endless pollution. My uncle may be my idol, but sometimes he's a bit reckless. Oh dear, I hope he doesn't read that. The battle was strictly air-borne. The tanks that were part of the Corneria Invasion Force were somehow delayed, leaving the jets and Falco for us to contend with. My right engine failed again, just like what happened in Titania, but it wasn't as serious. Corneria planned this to be hit-and-run, so it wasn't a prolonged battle, thank goodness. I hate long battles, for it tires me. Wolf kept accusing me of being too soft, but why not? Why live the rugged life when you have jumbo shrimp and salty grocand eggs readily on your dinner table? Why sleep outside when you have a comfy bed of cotton and silk sheets? I can't understand Wolf sometimes. He's bossy and demanding and impatient, listens only to Leon and not to me, and prays before he goes to sleep. He calls it swearing his oaths, but I secretly call it praying. Pigma was being sloppy at the table again. He was about to eat his plate when I stopped him. Why can't he just simply watch what he was eating, for God's sake? Leon suffered greatly at the 19^th Post. Falco Lombardi was fast, and he kept on shooting at Leon's ship. For the first time that I had seen, Leon discovered the agony of defeat. He was shot down, but his ship didn't explode on landing. Leon himself injured his arm, and now is coping with a brace that slowed his arm's motions. Leon became irate all of a sudden. I think he hates Falco now.

As for the rest of the day, it's been okay. Read chapter 21 of the Apes of Wrath. There ought to be a reward for such a great book. Maybe I'll talk to my uncle about it. Andross was mighty angry at our failure in the 19^th Post. Oh we did drive them off, but it seems like Corneria had won since they devastated the Post so much that operations had been stopped for repairs. The 19^th Post was one of the biggest train outposts around, and with that one not running the lower number of trains coming to the HQ station would seriously hurt us.

Well, it's lights off now. May the Venom Forces thrive under Andross the Great!

Chapter Four

A few months had passed, and in the rec room, the gloomy air filled the minds of the StarWolf team as they ate breakfast early in the morning at their private table. While Pigma was as usual making the sounds that often disgusted Andrew, Leon just sullenly played around with the white slop on his plate. His arm healed back to normal, but his hatred for Falco had grown considerably over the slow months. The consequences of their failure in the 19^th Post had been much worse than expected. The repairs were done, and the Post went back to business, but the damage was done. Just two days ago, one of the factories in Venom had to close temporary due to lack of materials needed to build jets. The proposed "Great Invasion of Corneria" had been delayed for now.

The waiting took a psychological toll on Wolf. To have the invasion stopped was bad enough, but that means the time for revenge had been delayed also, and that was intolerable. He banged on the table, rocking the plates.

"Why are we sitting on our tails doing nothing but eating and sulking? Andross promised us that our revenge will be complete, but after months, Fox McCloud is still alive and well!"

"Andross is doing everything he can," Andrew said in defense of his uncle. "He's having his paws full with the attacks on his industrial colonies in Titania, and the problems in Zoness could not be ignored either."

"What's all those got to do with us? We can go by ourselves!"

It was rare for Pigma to speak at mealtime, but he had to do something. "We may have the best ships, but there's only four of us. We can't take on Corneria ourselves."

"Take along a flea or two, I don't care! Let's just go!"

Leon spoke up. "Andross won't allow us to face Corneria alone. We're too valuable to him."

For once, Wolf didn't listen to him. "I heard reports of the StarFox team managing to force whole platoons into retreat by themselves, and that team have four members like we do. Why can't Andross trust us the same that dog general trusts StarFox? Ooooh, when are we going to get our frigging butts on the move here!?"

As if he was being answered, there was a frantic knock on the door, and a lizard came in with a clipboard. "All personnel in the Invasion Forces are to depart here and head for Macbeth for final preparations for the Corneria Invasion."

Wolf smiled. "Ah, finally. The time have finally come."

Chapter Five

Wolf was so anxious to invade that while his wingmen landed in Macbeth, he remained floating in orbit with the other sixteen battleships. He even slept on his ship, putting the ship on autopilot. On that "night" in space, he had a dream of the puphood memories that made him as he was today.

His first signs of danger to come were the ceiling crumbling from above. With his youthful ten-year-old ears, he could hear the faint sounds of laser fire coming from the apartment building's entrance several floors down. Grabbing his worn stuffed lion doll with him, Wolf ran alone through the crumbling hallway, in sheer fright. Outside, he heard the whoosh of jetfighters and the explosions that comes with every siege. Wolf, despite his age, went through many sieges from the evil attacks of the Corneria Forces that wish to see his own father in prison. He heard footsteps and out came his father, a wolf like him, which he idolizes. He fluttered his two eyes.

"Wolf! Come to me!"

Wolf rushed to him, and hugged him fiercely, but his father pulled away.

"We have to get out of here! Follow me down the stairs!"

Just then, the stairway doors burst open, and four soldiers in Corneria uniforms came out. Among them was a fox wearing dark sunglasses. The father recognized him with a tint of hatred.

"James McCloud, you fool. What have I done for this happen to me?"

The legendary pilot came to him and attached handcuffs to him. One of the other soldiers held Wolf, who struggled to save his father.

"What have you done? You were paying the pirates to attack cargo carriers for your profit. You also illegally overtax your people, and,..oh yes, when Dr. Andross needed funds for his biological weapon experiments, you agreed to fund it. I see plenty of reasons to even hunt you down. Take him to the nearest transport to Corneria. I'll see you in court."

Wolf stamped on his holder's foot, and in pain, the soldier let go of him. He grabbed his father, crying. "Please, father, don't go!"

James held him forcefully. "Welksa, take him to a shelter and hold him there till further notice."

But before the soldier could do so, Wolf ran off. Welksa attempted to chase him, but was stopped by James. "Leave him be. We got our wolf."

Wolf burst into one of the rooms of the floor, and inside found a toad lying on the ground, his phaser loosely held and bleeding. Ignoring the toad's pleas for help, Wolf roughly took the phaser from him and came back into the hallway, and spotted James there.

"Hey," he yelled with confidence. "James! Eat this!"

The laser fired, but James saw it coming and was barely missed. Wolf himself, having fired the phaser unknowingly at level 9, was thrown back, and crashed into a wall under a broken window. James, thinking he was dead already, got out of view. Upon collision, one of the broken pieces of glass fell onto Wolf.

It struck one of his eyes.

Wolf awoke from the nightmare, touching his eyepatch. His wingmen were already in space with him, and now preparing to leave for the first target of the Invasion of Corneria: the attack to control Titania as a whole.

Chapter Six

"Well, we are here once again," Andrew replied as they approached the red planet.

They were heading towards the main capital of the planet; the Corneria owned city of Mitana. The large coastal port was protected by anti-air and ion gunners in the land, battle cruisers in the sea, and a rumored three thousand fighters in the air. To protect the capital of one of the more profitable and resourceful planets in the Lylat System, Corneria would pull all the stops. Tall buildings would almost touch the orange-hue sky, and there was sense of prosperity in the air of that majesty city.

"Not if I can handle it,' Wolf mused to himself. "I'll make sure my name will sent fear to Fox McCloud and his dastardly wingmen when I'm done with this city! I swear on it!"

Andrew rudely and unwisely burst in. Wolf's comlink was on. "You sure swear a lot Wolf."

"Shut up, idiot."

General Harbeak, the coati from StarWolf's first attack on the planet, spoke through the comlink as the StarWolf team was flying towards the fortress city. "Surprise is out of the question, so they will be prepared to fire once you are in range. StarWolf and five hundred fleas will approach the city across the land, so you must contend with the fighters and gunners. We have five attack carriers approaching the city from sea, so some of the jets won't be able to attack your group. Expect a third to intercept you. The battleships will take care of the gunners, and the flea bombers will be on their way, but only till most of the air defenses had been eradicated so that they could do their jobs safely. StarWolf, use your homing lasers as your opening shots. Good luck."

Wolf grunted and looked straight on. He could see a large squadron of jets heading towards him and his comrades. He smiled. Victims, he thought. At within eight hundred yards from each other, he charged up his laser, and a ball of green light appeared in front of his ship. A green ball of death.

"Fire at will," the general finally ordered.

Four homing lasers rushed forward, streaking across the air, heading directly towards their targets. Four jets moved to get of the way, but the lasers followed with them. Four explosions started the Battle of Mintana, one of the more fierce battles of Andross's war for dominion of the Lylat System.

Thousands of lasers criss-crossed through the air, most of them hitting the sandy ground, others finding their intended marks. Explosions burst in mid-air and soon, the jets and fleas were everywhere, shooting, swerving, dodging, chasing, and exploding. Wolf shot down yet another jet and fired at another the next second later. They're all over the place! He thought. He blinked and found two more jets where before it was open sky. It seemed that for every jet shot down, three more took its place. The rumors of three thousand jets were underestimated. A million would more or less cover it, seems like. Even the city was barely visible amid the smoke, fire, lasers, and planes. An ion laser barely brushed his right wing, distracting him. That split-second mistake was more than enough for the jet behind him to successfully hit one of Wolf's wings. In collision, Wolf flinched downward, but it wasn't serious, so he continued on the relentless dogfights. The jet pilot that managed to hit him didn't gloat for long. Leon shot him down moments later.

Pigma meanwhile thought he had made his twelfth kill when a laser shot from behind struck his main engine. A warning beep alarmed him, forcing him to snatch a risky look at his status screen. He grunted in displeasure. The laser grazed a hole in his secondary fuel tank, and was losing the precious fuel fast.

"Motherf-"

Another laser cut his sentence short. It was beginning to be too much for the pig. He panicked, forgetting his pilot skills back in the days serving Corneria. Without any plan, he did something very reckless. He simply grabbed his trigger buttons and pressed on them hard and never let go. His lasers fired relentlessly but aimlessly, firing at jet and flea alike; the lasers know no enemy or friend. Andrew was struck by one of the lasers.

"Pigma, you fool, I'm on your-"

An ion laser cut him short. It went through his right wing like a knife through butter, and Andrew found himself going down. "Aaaah! May Day, April Day, whatever! Andross!"

The Wolfen ship collided the soft sand with a thud and screech, and slid across the ground, splashing sand on the ship. Andrew hanged on, fearing the worse of the engine exploding and him with it. It slowed and slowed, till it reached a stop. No explosion. He was still alive. He sighed with relief. "Oh thankyouthankyouthankyou-" A laser landed on the sand within inches of him, spooking him enough into silence. He gasped, opened his door and got out of the ship. He looked up, and watched the carnage above.

Wolf spat in anger, the saliva sticking to his window. "Drat, Andrew is down. Send a transport to get him. And remind me to punch him when I meet that brainless moron!"

He found himself in the edges of the dogfights, and looked at what was going on with those attack carriers. Two of them were already down, but most of the battle cruisers had sunk. "Oh well, at least they're keeping them busy," he mused as he shot down another jet. As the battle dragged on by the minute, it seemed clear that Venom had gotten control of the air, and the attack cruisers successfully rid off the sea of defenses. The battleships were destroying the gunners one by one, and more and more jets were shot down. Finally, almost all of the air defenses had been exterminated.

"Wolf smiled. Send in the bombers, but I want the president alive. I got plans with him."

Within seconds, the smoke cleared and Wolf could see the buildings clearly now. He looked to his right and spotted ten flea bombers in line formation heading towards the city to do their stuff. Wolf promised himself fireworks.

The bombers now directly over the buildings, they begun their attack. Blue-hued balls of deadly atomic energy were dropped from their thin-plated bellies, and huge, rocking explosions occurred as the bombs collided with the structures. The buildings crumbled in the dusty-filled ground, perhaps killing thousands. Wolf laughed as he saw the buildings going down.

"Timber!!" He amused himself. Now that all the jets were gone, he turned off his lasers to prevent accidental firing, and just simply flew around, watching the entertainment below. The bombing went on for several minutes as more buildings felt the fatal explosions of the bombs, then the bombers, now finished, went back to their docks, the pilots patting themselves in the back for doing a good job.

Wolf swooped into the ruined city and landed on one of the airports. When he got out, the other two Wolfen ships landed close by, and the transport carrying Andrew landed on a good distance away. "Good for him," Wolf thought. "At least he can keep his face for a couple seconds longer." Like a storm, he marched to the transport, madder than a wolverine ticked off.

Just as soon as the innocent face of Andrew popped out the door of the transport, his mouth tasted Wolf's fur.

"Are you brain-dead, Andrew?"

"Hey, Pigma the one who shot me down!"

Pigma, just as mad, ran in, yelling. "I didn't do it, Andrew!"

"Yes you did, I saw it!"

Leon got involved. Amazingly he came on Andrew's side. "I saw it too. Pigma was shooting everything in sight. The laser that hit Andrew was indeed Pigma's."

Wolf sneered at Pigma, and growled. Using two of his fingers, he stuck them roughly into Pigma's snout and lurched his head upwards. Pigma yowled in pain. "You lousy punk, you could have killed one of your own wingmen. That is dishonorable," he said and released his painful hold. "But since you're the one who betrayed James, I guess being dishonorable is what you do best."

Pigma made a nervous chuckle. He was punched in the snout by Wolf so hard that he toppled to the ground. "I liked the fact that you betrayed him, but betray me, and you will wish you should've clung to your mother's fat body for the rest of your life like an immature two-year-old. Understand?"

Pigma shook his head, holding his broken nose.

"Get up and find the president here. That goes for all of you, including me. When you find him, escort him to the Mitana Command Center."

"Why?" Leon asked, taking out his phaser in preparation.

"Because I will make us famous. Now go."

That order was not necessary, for the president himself was at the Command Center, patiently waiting his invaders, all alone. The bobcat was not armed; he had no need for it. His whole planet was lost in mere minutes. He looked at the huge screen at the front. Reinforcements are not available; too busy fighting elsewhere and too far away. All transports escaping from the planet had been killed. That includes Iris and Lovejoy, his two sisters that were his only family left. The Trenada line will end with me, he thought depressingly. There will no more having my last, proud name. Never more...

The door behind him burst open, and out came a one-eyed wolf.

The wolf aimed his phaser at him, but didn't fire. He knew at once that he was the leader, and might prove useful. The bobcat made a stern but concerned look at him. He heard of a one-eyed wolf that tortured his friend Benny Graham to death, as what rumor said.

"Ah, there you are. Stay where you are."

The bobcat put up his arms. "I'm unharmed, wolf. I accept defeat."

The wolf talked to his comlink. "StarWolf team, to the Command Center now."

Another voice buzzed in. "Uh, Wolf, where is the Command Center?"

Wolf groaned. "Andrew, you dumb retard, it's that black-domed building at the center of the city!"

"Oh, right."

Wolf shook his head. "What a doofus. So, who are you, Mr. Ex-President?"

"Joharea Trenada. Who are you?"

"Wolf O'Donnell, Lt. Commander of the Venomian Military and leader of StarWolf. Open a channel to General Pepper."

Joharea obediently clicked a button on a console by him, and the huge screen at the front wall went into static, then a leopard in Cornerian uniform was shown. The background seemed to be of the interior of another Command Center, this one the headquarters of the entire Corneria Defense.

The leopard was shocked to find Joharea a captive. "Mr. Trenada-"

"Wolf O'Donnell here wants to speak with General Pepper."

"And Fox McCloud if he got the guts to see me," Wolf added to the console officer.

"Uh, right sir. Right away." He then clicked on another button and the screen fizzled again.

When it got clear, General Pepper, the hound in charge of the StarFox team and the entire Corneria Military looked at Wolf and Joharea soberly and firm.

Just then, Pigma, Leon, and Andrew came inside and joined Wolf.

"General Pepper, the Venom Forces have captured your precious planet and all transports that tried to escape had been destroyed, and this is just the beginning. Andross will indeed have the Lylat System in the palm of his hands, and you yourself will be making an appointment with the Devil!"

"You're all not wearing Venom uniforms."

"Andross is paying us to serve him. We are the StarWolf team, and we have a special grudge against your lowly StarFox team."

Just then, Pepper spotted his one-time pilot, Pigma Dengar to be among the evil group. "Pigma, you traitor! So, you decide to degrade yourself by being Andross's pawn?"

The pig snorted. "You will be the one degraded when we stop by your city and say hello. Mitana got a big greeting by us, and since your city is more important, we will give you a big welcoming blast!!"

Pepper looked at someone off screen and nodded. "Wolf, Fox is not here, so sorry to burst your bubble about saying a couple of things to him!"

Wolf was disappointed, but refused to show it. "Well, I guess the only thing left for me to do is to introduce your nightmares. You know Pigma of course. Why don't you tell Pepper here about your favorite moment of all time?"

Pigma snorted with glee. "When I was in the room with James McCloud, and I liked the sight of him all tied up in straps laying down on the metal table. He screamed real good before he died!! Ha, ha, ha!"

"This green-scaled friend of mine is Leon Powalski. There was a rumor that I was the one who killed Benny Graham, but Leon here did the honors. Why don't you tell him what are your favorite things?"

"Oh burning flesh, blood-curdling screams, the sounds of brains frying, and snapping limbs, you know, the usual torturing stuff."

Wolf laughed so evilly that Pepper cringed. The furry cyclops continued on. "And last and most certainly least is Andrew Olkonny."

"Nephew of Andross, and perhaps heir of his future Empire of the Lylat System."

"We must get going now, salt and Pepper. Andross will give you a welcoming committee to drop by really soon. They might give you a couple of atomic bombs as a gift. Goodbye, Loser!"

Just before the team left, the bobcat Joharea Trenada got himself facial surgery before he died, taking his family line with him.

Chapter Seven

The following week was a busy one, and the Lylat System seemed to have been under fire. Everywhere in the galaxy, there were skirmishes and fierce battles raging in space and planets. Seven Corneria outpost stations out of nine destroyed. Aquas, a water planet, fell to Andross's stained paws and now used as a floating base for experiments of biological weapons and mutated beasts of water. A rumor came about the scientists there making an egg that would make a beast to live in Solar, the lava planet that was used to be thought as a sun. Sectors X, Y, and Z are now held by the Venomian Forces, and Area 6 had grown to fifteen battleships in three lines of defense, including a secret weapon capable of cloaking. The planet Fortuna, long deserted, had been operational. After a month, the attack on Corneria had begun.

To Wolf's greatest relief, he had gotten word that the StarFox team were not stationed in Corneria anymore but in a large ship called The Great Fox or something like that, moving here and there in space. Wolf didn't like Corneria, mainly because of the asteroids he had to pass in order to get there. For some strange reason, those gigantic chunks of rocks unnerved him. However, the new problem of finding his enemy had risen. Still, he felt optimistic. Soon, he reminded himself, soon the time will come when he will see Fox's ship burning on the ground, and Corneria's future and hopes along with him.

Corneria City, the capital of the fertile green planet, was under siege. All of the soldiers in Andross's Base had celebrated; knowing that victory would be within reach any day now. However, only Wolf remained calm. He knew that the StarFox would come and rescue the city, and the only way to stop would be Wolf himself and his own wingmen.

Just as Wolf predicted, the StarFox came into Corneria City and defeated every flea and invader in the city, and now heading towards the asteroid section called Meteo and Wolf knew the StarFox team will prevail there.

When Andross heard that the StarFox team had defeated the Rock Crusher in Meteo, he summoned StarWolf to him.

"StarWolf team, I received news that the StarFox scum are now heading towards Fortuna to eradicate my forces there. I tire of this StarFox team menacing me. I now order all four of you to head to Fortuna and achieve your revenge. I already had a bomb planted in the base, and will detonate a few minutes after your arrival. StarFox will know this and will try to stop it. Don't allow them to do so. The base must explode so that Corneria won't use it again. It is useless to me now. Now go, and kill Fox McCloud for me."

"Yes, sire!!" They all said, and after smartly saluting him, they ran towards their ships.

"Pigma," Andross suddenly said, stopping him.

"Yes, Emperor?"

Andross came close to him. "How long have you been with Peppy Hare?"

"Four years, I believe."

"Did you ever liked him?"

"Well, yes, at first, but I later grew to hate him. He's a furry wise old fart that needs to retire. I'll give him an early retirement, permanently."

"Yes, I'm sure you will. I have a grudge against him also. Now, if you kill Peppy, then I will personally give you a reward beyond your greatest dreams. Gold, titles, anything. You name it."

Pigma's greedy eyes glittered. "Ha, ha, thank you very much, Emperor. You had just made me more willing to kill that old rabbit!"

Andross patted him in the back, smiling his devilish smile. Pigma left the room, and Andross chuckled. "You really think that a blinded with greed pig like you, along with cyclops, Mr. Mental and a spoiled brat will defeat StarFox? Ha, ha, ha, in your dreams, pal!!"

Chapter Eight

James McCloud's scream of pain was something for Pigma to remember for the rest of his life. The lizard in white robes of a scientist flinched back from being hit in the ears with that scream, but turned back on his drill and went closer to the bloody fox once again for the second time. Pigma, out of James's sight, looked on with a certain satisfaction. For the four years, which he had served with him, Pigma had to suffer the indignity of being third in popularity under James and Peppy.

"Now this I don't understand," he thought to himself. "I'm better than James and Peppy, and I had proven it. I saved their lives more than once and I did some great things, but they get all the credit! The public hates me. Well I hate their guts too! I hate Pepper, I hate that whiny pup that thinks he will become a great pilot like his father, and I hate, I HATE James McCloud!! Ha, if he's so great then why is he laying down on the table, strapped tight, and a drill coming towards his right arm? And if Peppy is so wise, then why is he rotting in jail? This, I simply do not understand..."

James made one last scream before the legendary pilot had succumbed to lifelessness.

"Once, James was a great pilot. Once, the people loved him. Once, he was a legend. Now, he's a feast for flies."

Pigma left the bloodstained room, grinning to himself. Now who's the best pilot around? He went straight to the jail cells, and stepped in front of Cell 780. Dead-touch lasers were all that separated Pigma and his former wingman Peppy Hare, sitting in mourning at a cold bench, staring at Pigma with chilling dead eyes.

"You're going to be next, furball."

"Fox will not stand for this, Pigma. Once he finds out.."

"He's never going to find out, Peppy ol' pal. He's too young to understand your telepathic messages, if you really do have such an ability, and you're going to die with James's blood."

"I will escape, and you will suffer the consequences."

Pigma laughed, and left Peppy alone in the damp cells, sure of himself.

Fortuna was within sight. StarWolf, all alone, geared up their weapons.

"This is it, the big moment," said Wolf. We will kill the StarFox team, and we will get our revenge at the same time. I will only have one advise to you all. Shoot at any arwing except for Fox's. If you decide to do so, then you must answer to me."

And with that, they entered orbit of Fortuna, and battled StarFox face to face for the first time. Will it be the last? Only time will tell.

The End