Imperial Apocalypse

Part 5: The Imperial Remnant Part 1: Encounter

The Return of Vader

Daniel looked up to the skies above him and knew that somewhere among those Star Destroyers was a leader. He silently swore that he would kill that leader. Daniel looked to his left and couldn't believe what he saw. The Star Fox Team was making their way to him with weapons drawn. He pulled his laser pistol and jumped behind his ship along with two of his soldiers and prepared for a shootout. The first shot was fired less than a minute later and struck just inches from where Daniel was standing. The shootout had started and Daniel and his team had already started firing within a few moments of the first shot.

By the time the five minute mark had passed, Daniel concluded two things, the Star Fox Team seemed hell bent on killing him and that they never ran out of ammunition. "Seriously," thought Daniel, "They have, like, an endless supply of ammunition." "Surrender, Imperial scum!" one of them shouted, "We're not Imperials!" Daniel shouted back. He stood up straight and disarmed Fox with two shots. The others fired back and missed by just inches. "Guys," Daniel told his troopers, "aim to kill. This isn't a game anymore." Daniel stood up and shot Falco through the arm and got off several shots toward Krystal's gun. He hit her hands and her lower left leg before she shot him in the arm. Four more AstroNet soldiers marched up behind the Star Fox Team and arrested them. Daniel and his soldiers ran out to the prisoners. "Don't you trigger-happy morons realize just who the hell I am?" Daniel told the prisoners. "We do now. And who are you calling morons, dumbass?" Fox told them. "That's it!" Daniel yelled before he slugged Fox as hard as he could. Fox broke free and pounded into Daniel's chest. Daniel retaliated and threw two punches into Fox's muzzle, slammed his hands into his ears and finished with a roundhouse kick to the groin. Fox doubled over in pain as Daniel drew his blaster. He shot Fox in each leg, then lowered his gun and shot his own foot before saying, "I don't attack my friends, I only defend against my enemies. Now I want Fox here to be taken to the infirmary. Give him the best treatment available. No, put him into my private hospital suite. Give him any thing that he wants. As for these two, I want them to be put into bacta tanks and healed before we go on the attack." "Sir, Yes, Sir!" They ran off and Daniel thought he saw Krystal smile at him.

About a week later, Daniel and Bishop had built a pair of flying wing fighters and were practice dueling when Fox walked out to the airfield. "Bishop, we have company." Daniel said when he saw Fox's Arwing approach the airfield. "So nice of you to join us, eh, Fox?" Daniel said over the radio. Two TIE fighters rose up behind Fox and Daniel and Bishop took aim and shot down the two Imperials. "You need to trust us, Fox. I mean, it's not like we're gonna kill you or anything. And keep in mind that it was you who had tried to kill us in the first place." "Relax, Daniel. I'm not here to kill you. I'm here to warn you that the Imperials you see here are just the tip of the iceberg." "He can talk?" exclaimed Bishop. "And you just realized this?" Daniel asked him. "Yes I can talk. What did you think Daniel and I were doing on the Andromeda?" Fox told him. "Sorry, man. I'm just not too up to date with the CosSec Systems." "Forget about it. We've got more company in the form of TIE Fighters."

Daniel, Bishop and Fox flew straight into the mess of TIE Fighters, then were escorted into a Star Destroyer. "Everyone got a weapon?" Daniel said into the radio, to which the reply was, "We've got blasters. But other than that and our knives, we're unarmed." "Blasters and knives will work perfectly." They docked in the belly of the massive Star Destroyer, jumped out of their fighters, then prepared for combat. The only thing standing near them was a darkly robed figure that looked somewhat like Darth Vader. Just more gory and less maniacal. "Greetings Daniel. It is a pleasure to see you in person. You have been fighting my fleet for a week now and I would like you to stop." "If you think that asking will make me stop, then you can kiss my ass." "Oh, a rather foolish move from a young mind. What a shame. Although, it is not surprising. Only a young being could be so hardheaded and foolish." "What are gonna do? Shoot me?" "Oh no, you are worth much more to me alive." "I don't like where this is going." Fox said to Daniel, "Neither do I," was the reply, "lets light 'em up!" They fired at him for ten minutes before Bishop rushed him with his knife. The figure side stepped and clotheslined him before eight Stormtroopers ran into the room and were dispatched by Fox and Daniel. "You, my dear Daniel, still have no clue as to who I am. For all you know, I could be your mother!" "One more word about my mother and I'll make sure yours is dead! You got that?" "Mine is already dead, making your plan useless." "If my plan is useless, then how come your mother is dead?" "Because somebody else killed her." "Then how do you know that I didn't kill her?" "Because I'm the one who killed her!" "You said that someone else killed her." "I lied." "Then I'm not the only one who is foolish!" "At what point do you two ladies stop talking?" asked Fox. "If I were foolish too, then I would not be here." "I know who you are, Darth Vader!" "Damnit. Well, come with me, I have a job for you." Two Stormtroopers grabbed and handcuffed them. They were led into a large room with very large machines. Not unlike the room where Daniel was transformed into a fox. "You may have escaped the original transformation, and I realize that I was mistaken to change your form. But now I plan to add to your form. Make you better, faster, stronger, in every way. Your body will fuse to armored machinery. You will have built in weapons. An energy cannon, gattling gun, a pair of swords. They will be yours." "What's the catch?" "No catch, just an experiment." Daniel was uncuffed and Fox was tied to a pole. They led Daniel into the machine and he was strapped in. A gas was vented into the chamber and Daniel blacked out.

A few hours later, Daniel stepped out in white, lighted, full body armor with a futuristic helmet. Everyone in the room was stunned and Daniel marveled at the high tech weaponry that was his body. He willed the helmet to display the vital functions of himself and those around him. It was like a video game. The only difference was that he was in control. "It works. IT WORKS!" exclaimed Vader, who then followed up with a very evil laugh. Daniel held out his left arm, then willed it to become a machine gun. His other arm became an energy cannon. He then thought of Bishop. "Vader, before I leave, I would like to know what happened to Bishop." He said as he took a USB cord from his arm and plugged it into the machine. He subconsciously began to create the most powerful, evil, and destructive Trojan virus he could while taking every last bit of information for himself. This virus would be called Vengeance. "Your friend is waiting for you in his fighter." Vader stated as Daniel released the virus into the ship and unplugged himself. Bishop, Fox and Daniel left the Star Destroyer to the tune of Vader's screams over the virus.