The Venom Proclamation,
Dr. E. Andross.

I imagine there are some pressing questions, and I shall do my best to provide satisfactory, truthful answers.

It has been nearly a year since the assassination attempt against me, and when the true nature of the Venom project was unveiled in the process. The Cornerians have sanctimoniously called this act of treachery a "reconnaissance mission," using their mercenary puppet McCloud and his Star Fox team. The stagnant Lylat Union has disbanded over the controversy, and good riddance I say. This has left Corneria and its pawns, and the Coalition of Venom as the major powers at play.

Venom has been called a "fortress world," its facilities and inhabitants made for nothing other than war. This is true, made true only because our hands were forced to take up arms in order to defend ourselves. We only wished to advance the noble cause of Science, to learn more about the world we live in, and to improve the lives of those who lived in it. To this end, Venom was meant to be a great, unifying endeavor in terraforming: to create a place of life out of a place of death. Circumstances have altered this, as much as I wish it did not have to.

For decades, our innocent, scholarly causes were challenged at every step by ignorant vainglorious fools, who to our misfortune had somehow become Lylat's politicians. This gaggle of mouthpieces, whose seats were bought and paid for by the greedy, the fearful and self-righteous, has shouted down and smothered the voice of reason for as long as I can remember, and long before that as well.

The fantastic, magnificent splendor of how far we have come in our time is matched only by the cruel travesties of how far we have fallen. In an age where that which was once Science Fiction can so readily become reality, how can it be that "Science" has become the new codeword for "witchcraft?" Surely we have matured beyond the cinematic stereotype of the mad scientist out to destroy the world. How can it be that our lawmakers, even at the highest legislative, judicial and executive levels, can have the audacity to bicker, squabble, spit and sneer at Science as if the very Laws of Physics are simply laws which could be repealed by committee?!

You ask why we take up arms. You ask why we stand against the traditions; the traditions of ignorance, of corruption and intolerance. The answer ought be self-evident. However, like so many things that ought be self-evident, the mouthpieces have spent many years and trillions of credits spreading Fear, Uncertainty and Doubt like salt over the farmers' fields, muddying even the most obvious answers.

The great thinkers of Lylat have been pushed and belittled for far too long, picked on and made the butt of cruel jokes, like the intellectual "geeks" at the hands of the boisterous schoolyard bully. Others simply looked on, daring not to stand in front of the bully, and even joined in the jeering themselves. We are left with no one but ourselves, and those caring few who would take pity on us.

Our cause was that of insight, and our goals were those of knowledge. It was never our intention to dominate, only to enlighten; never to destroy, but to create. But when reason becomes crime, and intellect becomes blasphemy, we must stand up and contest it! No longer can we sit idly by when the imbeciles condemn us! No longer can we ignore when the ignorant burn us at the stake!

This is why Venom, the great Science-Project of our time, has taken up arms!

You who have pushed against the thinkers, or who have simply stood by and watched: see now what happens when the thinkers push back!

Feel the bitter sting of Venom!

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/

Comments,
Anonymous former member of Lylat Central Intelligence.

It was a time of great turbulence and tension, those years leading up to the great Lylat War. No shots had been fired, yet, but the sides had been chosen, and the battle-lines drawn. It was a period of furious militarization between two factions: Corneria and Venom. But it was never just Corneria and just Venom. It was Corneria and its allies; it was the Coalition of Venom. People sometimes forget that, or choose to forget it, and leave the prickly uncomfortable details out of history as they know it. Better to move forward, right?

Truth was that many worlds joined in, on both sides. Sometimes there were conflicts within individual worlds on which side to support, or whether or not to be involved in the great conflict at all. The two factions were simply the strongest images of what each side represented in the conflict that tore Lylat in two: Intellect versus Honor, Tradition versus Innovation, Wisdom versus Cunning, Truth versus Lies. Not that these ideas actually necessarily mattered. Everything changed and got jumbled depending on who you asked. "Villain" and "Hero" was simply a matter of perspective.

For example, Macbeth –or at least the governing powers and a healthy majority of Macbeth's citizenry– supported the cause of Venom, at least initially, before it became a twisted lost cause. The Macbeth planetary government helped sponsor the original Venom project, worked to retool it for wartime purposes, and would even provide military support with its soldiers.

Most Cornerians and allies tended not to make a distinction: all soldiers that fought on the side of Venom were "Venomian" soldiers, regardless of where they actually came from. I mean, come on, there's no way Venom could have sprung a full military infrastructure from nowhere: it came from other places, places like Macbeth. These "Macbeth-Venomian"soldiers, while ultimately loyal to Macbeth, would not let the beacon of hope that Venom represented be snuffed out easily.

Then there's the case of Sasha Zura and the Red Dust. The things she did, the risks she took, the choices she had to make... I don't have a doubt in my mind that her actions completely altered the course of the war, and saved countless billions of lives. That should be enough to make any soldier damn proud, regardless of which side you were on...

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Running the Gauntlet

/

Lieutenant Sasha Zura dropped down the shaft into the darkened tunnel, assault rifle in hand. She took a quick survey of the area aided by the night-vision function of her headset. It was an urban utility tunnel: a relatively narrow walkway lined with water pipes, power conduits, networking cables, and an assortment of fuel lines.

These kinds of tunnels would have typically been used by city maintenance engineers to access various points of the utility lines for inspection and repair, without having to resort to the older inconvenient practice of literally digging into the ground to get to the lines. In an urban combat situation though, they also provided valuable routes to infiltrate behind enemy lines. It'd be risky to send whole platoons down however; the defending enemies would be aware of these tunnels, and would have taken measures to secure them. A larger force assaulting is liable to attract attention, trigger booby traps, and blow the element of surprise, simply by nature of there being more bodies and therefore more chances to take. That's not even considering the risk of greater casualties in combat, as the tunnels are notorious for long narrow areas with little cover, "shooting galleries" the soldiers called such places, and rightly so.

Instead, a small unit of expert soldiers is sent into the confined space below to infiltrate behind enemy lines to achieve key objectives, while the bulk of the assault force remains topside. The thick combat above should draw most of the opposing forces away from the below ground tunnels to concentrate on immediate defense, and they'd rely primarily on passive countermeasures to secure routes like this one.

Even so, no assumption is ever absolute, and every precaution must be taken regardless. It is the anomalies that invariably are the tipping points in combat, anomalies in this case such as a forward sentry on patrol, or an enemy force advancing through the tunnels themselves.

Thankfully, the odds played out as expected, and Lieutenant Sasha Zura did not find any contacts at either direction through the utility tunnel. Satisfied with the situation, she gave a hand signal up the access shaft above her, summoning the rest of the squad to follow. One by one, a small selection of Macbeth soldiers descended quietly into the tight tunnel and took ready positions.

Every one of them was clad in Macbeth military fatigues identical to the soldiers fighting above, and wielded the normal firearms load-out expected, though some of the soldiers opted for the more compact carbine instead of the assault rifle in the cramped conditions. The only significant difference for them was the advanced periphery equipment they carried. Their helmets were equipped with visors that acted as a multipurpose heads-up display, as well as night-vision and infrared filters that can be activated if needed. Most also carried packs on their backs or other equipment system, each soldier outfitted depending on their combat specialty.

The commander was Lieutenant Sasha Zura, a khaki and light-brown furred canid, husky type, with her pale hair gathered in a tight bun. Her weapon was the Axion-Tech AX-23B assault rifle: a robust, versatile weapon practically ubiquitous to Macbeth's armed forces. She was young for an officer, younger than many of the enlisted soldiers that had served under her command. Lieutenant Zura felt she had to prove herself at every moment, and this was yet another chance to prove her capabilities.

The second soldier to join Lt. Zura in the tunnel was Sergeant Gavin Fletcher, a sharp-beaked and sharp-eyed raptor avian with stone gray plumage. He was a proud member of the 42nd expeditionary marines, and had completed the rigorous Ranger training program at the top of his class. He could be a bit of a handful, but his skills were nothing short of exemplary. His weapon was also the AX-23B, but with the ever-popular grenade launcher attachment.

Next down was Corporal Anton Xavier, a larger dark green reptile from the 21st Combat Engineering Corps. He toted the heaviest load of the squad, laden with several satchel charges and a variety of compact hand and powered tools, all for the purpose of clearing or bypassing obstacles. For living obstacles though, Xavier sported another AX-23B, with the shotgun attachment beneath the barrel. There was never a doubt they'd need a Combat Engineer for this, and Corporal Xavier had more than proved his fighting prowess.

Lastly was Technical Specialist Silas Vance, a relatively slender primate, at least when compared to his squadmates. His realm was that of digital surveillance and electronic countermeasures: the squad's eyes, ears, as well as the confounding illusionist to opposing eyes and ears. Techies were not traditionally thought of as front-line soldiers, especially in a fireteam, but if the squad had any hope of making it through quickly and undetected, Specialist Vance's unique skills would be absolutely necessary. His weapon was the compact AX-27C carbine. His gear consisted of an array of sensory equipment, jammers, wiretaps. Everything came together at his wrist-mounted computer interface.

Once the squad was in, every member fitted suppressors to their main weapons and sidearms. It wouldn't block the blaster flashes, but it'd muffle the noise enough. Shortly thereafter, Lieutenant Zura gave the hand signal to proceed forward. The decision was made beforehand to proceed with the covert assault in complete radio and verbal silence, taking into account the very real possibility of EM monitoring systems that might pick up such transmissions, as well as audio pickups. So the squad had developed and drilled a series of hand signals for most probable situations to act as their means of communication for the mission.

At the first corner, Sasha, at the front of the column, gave the hand signal to hold, and another hand signal to bring Specialist Vance forward to scope the situation.

The Primate came forward with the snake: a miniaturized interdependently mobile camera, attached by wire now to remove the risk of wireless transmission pickup. Silas came to the corner, set the snake down and sent it around to check it. The tunnel opened up into a somewhat more open hub, with a few more utility tunnels branching away. This was known: the squad was given known schematics for the tunnel system beforehand. What was more pressing was what sort of traps or monitoring were waiting for them.

Specialist Vance gave them the hand signal that indicated 'thermal imaging monitor', in response to which Xavier allowed himself to let out a little irritated sigh. They'd anticipated having to undermine thermal imaging, but not quite as early as this. There were two basic methods to confound thermal imaging: either raise the surrounding ambient temperature to the same as body temperature, or lower the emitted temperature to the same as the ambient. There wasn't time to raise the room's temperature, and it would've alerted the enemy anyway, so they'd have to lower the emitted temperature of at least one of the squad members. In this case, it would be Corporal Xavier, since he was the cold-blood reptile whose physiology would respond most readily to temperature lowering means.

Xavier fished out an instant cold-pack and crushed the capsule inside, starting the endothermic reaction that would make it very cold, very fast. Once it got cold, the reptile held the near-freezing packet up to his neck, and let thermodynamics do its work. It was uncomfortable as hell for Xavier, to forcibly lower his body temperature well below what was best for his species, but it was the only way to get this to work. In a few moments, Anton's face blended into the background of the squads' thermal imaging filters, at which point Sasha gave him the signal to advance.

Xavier had only a limited time. The reptile's chilled blood was flowing slower than it was supposed to in order to work best, literally slowing down his mind and reflexes for the sake of stealth. Luckily he'd trained under these slow-mind conditions, he'd simply need to focus on one task and one task alone: neutralize the thermal monitor, and allow the rest of the squad to follow.

He made it to where the thermal monitor was mounted, and carefully climbed up to reach it. Once up next to the monitor, literally just a camera tuned to infrared frequencies, Xavier produced a small pane of glass and held it in front of the camera lens. The glass would blind the camera to any temperature changes beyond it, and the rest of the squad could move undetected, which they did. Sasha, Gavin and Silas advanced right on through the moment the thermal camera was blinded. Once they were through and out of the thermal monitor's line of sight, Xavier slunk down and joined the squad in the next tunnel, fighting off the cold as best he could. In a moment, Lieutenant Zura handed him an active instant hot-pack, which the reptile thankfully applied to his neck to warm himself back up again.

The squad continued further through another set of utility tunnels again. The end of this tunnel, with a door at the end, would lead to a larger subway transit tunnel. A different set of threats and advantages waited there: depending on whether there was a train car present or not, maneuverability could be greatly increased, or hampered, as well as greater opportunities for cover, or for enemy ambush locations.

The door at the end of the passage was locked, so they'd have to breach it, but not until it was determined what was waiting for them on the other side. No way to send the snake under or around the door directly, so other routes would be needed...

Above the door, there was a small grating, used to let air pass between the utility tunnel and subway tunnel on the other side. That was the route the snake could go through.

Sasha gave a number of hand-signal orders: one to have Sgt. Fletcher stand by, another to have Xavier begin work disassembling the grating, and one last one to have Specialist Vance prepare the snake. In mere moments, Xavier had the grating removed, Fletcher was at the ready, and the snake was ready to deploy.

As the snake went through the hole above the door where the grating used to be, Lt. Zura redirected Xavier to prepare breaching the door, and Sgt Fletcher to take point. The method of door breach and the action to take following the breach depended entirely upon the recon from the snake...

Silas soon gave the hand-signal that indicated 'automated turrets' and two of them. The tunnel itself was clear, and there were no booby traps rigged to the door. Still there was one crucial question: were the turrets standalone or networked? To answer that question, Vance retracted the snake, and removed a hand-held EM monitor, which would determine whether the turrets were pre-programed and left, or if they were transmitting and receiving data on wireless channels; either case would present different challenges and different opportunities.

In a moment, after consulting his little instrument, Vance confirmed that the turrets were standalone, no transmissions. This meant that it would be impossible to hack and reprogram them wirelessly. Conversely, since they were not sending any data, destroying the turrets would not alert the enemy, so long as it was done quickly.

Lt. Zura directed Xaiver to perform the quickest possible breach, and motioned for Sgt. Fletcher to take point, while Sasha would provide covering fire. The reptile loaded a set of breaching rounds into the shotgun attachment, and took aim, while the avian marine stood ready just behind. Sasha gave the hand-signal to execute.

Three shotgun blasts were fired in quick succession at the door's latch, then Xavier rammed his shoulder against the door with all his strength, which gave out under the pressure. The door flapped open, and Sgt. Fletcher was out in the same moment, firing a stream of blaster shots into one turret that was neutralized instantly. Lt. Zura peeked around the corner, firing more or less blindly in the direction of the turrets. The remaining turret made Sasha its target, and fired at the breached door, most shots striking the wall harmlessly, while others grazed past. The avian marine took advantage of the final turret's confusion and blasted it with another stream of shots, destroying it.

The squad lingered only long enough to determine that their presence was still undetected, that the area was secure, then proceeded toward the objective, further through the subway tunnel. According to the area schematics, basement access to the target building would be just about a few hundred meters through the curving tunnel.

Around the last bend though was another disturbing surprise: one of the subway cars had been wrecked in the tunnel, with bits and parts of various sizes scattered all throughout. It was the perfect location to lay explosive booby-traps.

This is where Gavin Fletcher pulled out an old soldiery trick: a can of aerosol string. It was originally meant as a toy, spraying a continuous strand of colorful sticky foam that stuck to most things it touched. However, the aerosol string was light enough that if it struck a tripwire, it would not trigger it, but it would hang suspended and show where the wire was. And sure enough, when Sgt. Fletcher sprayed the tangle of pale pink aerosol string into the debris, there were more than a few places where the string hung in the air instead of hitting the ground.

With the tripwires revealed, Sgt. Fletcher led the squad further through the tunnel around the traps, spraying the aerosol string to determine the safe path. Progress was slow, but relatively safe, so long as their footing remained–

* Hissss *

Gas.

There were two places it was being discharged from, easily visible as sudden cold plumes when the thermal imaging filter was applied.

Almost instantly, Sasha, Anton, Gavin and Silas produced individual injector pens and dosed themselves, plunging the needle through the skin into their bloodstreams. It was a multi-inoculation: several serums combined into one that would counteract almost all lethal or debilitating chemical agents in known use, at least for a short while. Even if the gas was made non-lethal, the serum would by no means guarantee comfort.

After a few moments of more complete exposure, the airborne agent began to feel much more like tear-gas. It may not have been lethal, but the serum didn't treat tear gases, the effects of which might be far worse with the maze of tripwires and explosives–

Lt. Zura's next breath was cut short, interrupted by the need to cough. It was a small cough at first, but the next reflexive breath was stopped by a far more intense and wracking set of coughs, threatening to knock her off balance. Her throat felt like she was sucking down hot coals, and her eyes and nose started to well up with... fluids, desperately trying to douse the flames in her head. Above this sudden agony, she started to feel very, very dizzy...

The next thing Sasha saw was one of the tripwires, only inches in front of her face, below her. She felt herself being suspended, held up by her belt; someone had caught her. Lt. Zura was pulled back to her feet, and found that it was Gavin who'd stopped her fall. The avian marine didn't seem nearly as affected by the gas, probably because he'd grown accustomed to it from his training.

She silently thanked Sgt. Fletcher with a nod, and stood still a moment. Awash in the incessant burning, Sasha worked to remember her own training, when the trainees were all exposed to the tear gas. Shallow slow breaths, careful deliberate movement. Know that the gas won't kill, and let it do what it will to the body.

Don't fight it.

With their bearings as straight as they could be set under the circumstances, the squad continued further through the littered subway tunnel. Their goal, the basement access of the target building, was only a little ways ahead. The temptation to rush ahead and get out away from the gas had to be resisted, as there were still several booby traps between here and there. One false step would be the end of it, and the uneasy feet really felt like taking a false step.

After what felt like far too long, the squad finally made it out of the booby-trapped debris field, and the door to the target was right there. If the gas was deployed here in the tunnel, then it had to be assumed the enemy knew they were coming. No need to proceed quietly then: go in hard and fast.

Her movements were still sluggish and slurred from the effects of the gas, but Sasha gave the hand-signal to the squad to initiate a breach. The door was considered too robust to use simple breaching rounds, so Corporal Xaxier prepared a couple of linear shaped charges, placing them in positions to cut through the door's latch mechanisms. At the same time Sgt. Fletcher took point position near the door, with Sasha and Specialist Vance ready directly behind.

When the charges were set, Xavier backed away from the door along the tunnel wall, waiting for the order. Sasha gave the order, and Xavier triggered the detonator.

With a sudden Boom the heavy door was blasted inward off its hinges. Not another instant later, Sgt. Fletcher armed and lobbed a grenade though the newly opened door, which resounded in another heavy boom. Before the ringing in the ears ceased, the squad advanced into the room in a column with Gavin leading, and Sasha Silas and Anton behind.

There was no one on the other side of the door, not even bodies taken out by the grenade. All that was there was an empty room, with a mangled door.

Nothing.

Sasha gave the hand signal for Specialist Vance to run a sweep, to check for any wireless transmission traffic. The primate did so, and in a few seconds had a slightly confused look come over him.

"Um..." he finally said, his voice still cracked and worn from the effects of the gas, "I'll just patch you in, Lieutenant."

in a few moments a distinguished sounding man's voice greeted Sasha through her helmet's earpiece, "Do I have Lieutenant Sasha Zura on the line?"

"Who am I speaking to?" she responded, suspicious.

"This exercise is over, Lieutenant. Stand down." he spoke like one of the senior officers, but she didn't recognize him.

"I'm not sure I understand–"

"It will all be clear in a moment," the authoritative voice cut her off. "Remain at your current location, that is all."

Then the transmission cut off.

"Come on!" Gavin spat in frustration as he yanked his helmet off, "We did everything in this crazy simulation right, everything!"

"I think I'm gonna be sick." Silas groaned, clutching his stomach. The gas seemed to be affecting him more than others, possibly due to his slighter build.

"Not on me you're not!" Sgt. Fletcher shot back at the primate, "I don't need that on top of whatever scolding we're getting from the fancy-brass."

"Easy there Gavin." Xavier told him, quite calm and unaffected, "We don't know what this is about–"

"If I had to go through all of those crazy hoop-jumps, and then suck down that... goddamn gas, only to fail because of something one of you did–"

"That is enough out of you, Sergeant!" Sasha commanded, putting on her stern officer's voice and demeanor.

It could feel a little strange, addressing another soldier like Sgt. Fletcher as his superior, especially when he was older than Sasha by a few years. Still, when given a command position, one had to own it, to be the steadfast and cool-headed example the soldiers were supposed to follow. The men will do their job, as long as the commander above them does theirs.

"Whatever happens, I will take full responsibility for whatever shortcomings there may have been during the sim-run." Sasha reassured, fighting the voice-grating effects of the gas to keep her strong officers demeanor up.

"Personally Lieutenant, I thought you did pretty well." Silas commented, his words still a little slurred from the queasiness.

"As do we," another voice interrupted, the same voice as that from the communication.

A small group of figures came from behind the squad, from the battered door-frame the squad had blasted through. Judging by their uniforms and rank insignia, most of the newcomers were senior officers: Generals and Colonels. The one who spoke was one of the Generals, a large, broad-shouldered gorilla with a few silver flecks in his otherwise jet black fur.

* Bang! *

The members of the squad nearly jumped, reflexes springing their weapons into firing position, only to find that the noise had come from a bottle of champagne one of the other officers had unstoppered.

Wait, champagne? What the hell for?

"Sorry about that, you all must still be very much on-edge with the mission's adrenaline." the General said with a chuckle. On closer inspection, it was seen that his name tab read 'Silver', but Lt. Zura wasn't familiar with any General Silver...

Sasha, Gavin, Anton and Silas lowered their weapons, more than a little flustered at their actions, and gradually started to remember that several senior officers had just walked into the room. One by one, each of the squad members snapped into attention. Though their bodies were stiff in their drilled in stances, their eyes betrayed confusion, and curiosity.

General Silver gave a deep rumbling chuckle and a little smile at the soldiers' reactions, "At ease."

Almost immediately though, Sasha asked, "Permission to ask the General a question, sir?"

"Yes, granted."

"I don't believe you and I are familiar each other, General sir." Lt. Zura stated in blunt military terminology, "I would ask the General for what occasion he has chosen to surprise us with a visit here, sir."

"Fair enough." the gorilla nodded, and paced through the chamber, "I am General Halfdan Silver, Special Operations. I've come to offer congratulations, for completing this highly demanding simulated subterranean urban assault course, otherwise known as 'the Gauntlet', and in record time no less. I've also come to offer a little something more... Lieutenant Zura."

"Sir!" Sasha snapped back into attention at the call of her name.

General Silver retrieved something from a pocket, then held out his hand to the young canid officer in front of him. In his hand were a set of rank insignia pins: those for the rank of Captain.

"What's this, sir?" Sasha asked

"Well, they're yours, Captain." the gorilla said with a small smile.

"I..." nearly speechless, Lieutenant Zura, or perhaps Captain Zura, scooped the insignia pins from the General's hand, and just looked at them, "I don't understand. I'm well below the minimum required service time to advance to Captain."

General Silver nodded, understanding, "Perhaps, but you've demonstrated exemplary skill at coordinating small-unit tactics, far above what many of your superiors could have ever done themselves. It's only reasonable that your rank –and more importantly: your position– reflect your merit, so that you may be afforded the privileges and responsibilities you deserve."

"My position?" she could not ignore how the General selected those words, and if he was Special Forces, "So that means..."

General Silver nodded, and stepped back to better address the entire squad.

"Sergeant Fletcher, Corporal Xavier, Specialist Vance." Each of them snapped immediately back to attention, and the general continued, "After careful review and evaluation, you have each been selected out of the many fine enlisted soldiers of your current units for the chance, if you so choose, to serve Macbeth as members of her distinguished Special Forces. What say you?"

"Sir! Absolutely, General Sir!" Gavin barked, barely containing his excitement.

"I thought you'd never ask– " the larger reptile stopped himself, remembering the little procedural details of his position, "I mean– yes sir!"

"Yes sir, whatever it takes, sir." Silas answered with grave certainty, or perhaps the effects of the gas were still grinding away at him.

"And you, Sasha Zura?" General Silver returned his attention to the young canid officer, "Will you do these fine men, and all of us, the honor of leading them?"

Sasha looked down at the insignia pins for a few moments, at the tiny metal symbols that represented the far greater challenges and responsibilities set before her. She curled her hand into a fist, and held it up to chest. If the leadership of Special Forces believed she had what it takes to command black ops, who was she to refuse a chance like this?

Sasha looked the General in the eye with a steady, purposeful gaze as she answered, "Yes sir. I will, sir."

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Author Notes:

What's this? Is this a new story? And it's not Legacy? Yes, yest it is. I'm still working on Legacy, very much so, and a few other little side projects too.

Hopefully this initial chapter helped set the tone: a story set shortly before the events of Star Fox 64, focusing on a character on the Venom side of the conflict, and a sympathetic character to boot. I'd originally meant there to be more content to this chapter, but it just kept swelling. So I trusted my writer's instinct and sliced it up.

(The Story image is by user "myuinhiding" of deviantart. It was a prize I won in a contest the user hosted, and it does depict principal characters of the story)