Fox fell through darkness for what seemed like hours, never really feeling the thump as he hit the ground, from the darkness images from his memory seemed flash before him, views of the cornerian sea, and many space battles that littered his life, he fell and soon the images soon gained sound his ears ringing in voices, explosions, and sometimes screams. Some familiar some not.

'Shoot!, he's right behind me'

'Make me mad and your life's as good as gone '

'You'I'l be seeing your dad soon fox'

'Do a barrel roll'

Fox kept falling until eventually his head came to rest on something hard and cold, the numbness that filled his body soon turned to pain, he slowly flickered one eye open and let out a groan. He lay on his side facing a dark metal wall, he shut his eye again and groaned as he turned on his back. There were noises of movements around him and then silence, fox dared to open one eye and turned to his other side, he found himself in a cell barely two meters wide, a single light hung from the ceiling, metal bars covered the entrance. One man stood behind the bars simply staring at him, fox slowly sat up, the metal bench he had been laid on took most of the space in the room in the cell. He stared back at the man his appearance was rugged his shoulders broad and his face gawped at fox.

They stared for a long time at each other, before the man turned and walked down the corridor outside the cell, fox stood, but after a sudden pain in his gut he found himself falling forewords cringing in pain. His hands fell on the cold iron bars of the cell and then another pain shot through his arm he yelled as electricity shocked him and flung him back onto the metal bench his hands shook with shock.

'You'd better be careful…mcloud'

The voice was even colder than the cell and with it, a figure came into view from behind the bars, this time he was the exact opposite of the one who had just left, neat and tidy with well cut hair and well furnished clothes, he was not broad or deep voiced but he seemed to move with a surgical precision that Fox had never seen before.

'I must apologize for the hospitality mcloud' he smiled as he stood there leaning to one side 'I'm afraid this barely does justice for what you'I've just been through' but fox spoke his voice suddenly rising

'Who are you! And what do you want?'

The smile on the mans face widened as he laughed to himself 'its always straight to business like so many mercenaries before you, you lack patience' the man paused before continuing 'but then again its what your known for fox'

Foxes pain in his gut was worsening and was aggravating him even more 'who are you!?' he yelled but the mans face was still smiling.

'Don't you recognize me fox?'

fox said nothing…he stared for a long time at the smiling face that stood behind the bars but no image of friend nor foe came to mind, he shook his head.

'No I thought you wouldn't't' the man turned and disappeared around the cell corner he reappeared again this time dragging a metal bench behind him, fox thought he would struggle but he seemed stronger than he looked, pulling the bench with a single hand.

He sat and looked up at fox through the bars 'I am Shawn Caiman and although you may not remember me, but I remember you'

Fox suddenly remembered

'Caiman!'

'Ahh so you do remember' Caiman leaned forwards 'go on I'm sure you can remember the rest'

Fox did, he remembered it from years ago, he had seen that face and heard that voice through the visor of his arwing, he was a former commander in androses fleet, he saw him whilst pushing through the venom air defense or area six as it was known, the last battle before fox had met andross. He remembered ploughing through the hail of enemy fire only in a last ditch hope to finally end the rule of andross.

'You have no idea how much I remember it' Shawn's voice was growing darker and his smile was slowly fading 'watching my friends, and team mates get gunned down by a single fighter' his voice darkened still further and the smile turned to anger 'and then watched helplessly as a single man crumbled all that I had sworn to protect'.

Shawn stopped suddenly and the anger that once showed in his face stopped and disappeared into another sleek smile 'but I have to admit, you impressed a lot of people, including me'

He leaned back, keeping his eyes on fox the whole time 'and now you'I've surprised us with your latest triumph' fox realized what he spoke of. 'Honestly fox I didn't't think you'd have the guts to kill him….Tell me it isn't't a rumor?'

Fox wanted to say yes that it was all a rumour, he wanted the death of Andrew to wash of his hands like dirt, but it still clung to his mind refusing to leave his memory.

Fox simply turned his gaze to the floor of the cell and kept silent, Shawn did not move but said quietly 'so you really did kill him'.

Silence came and fox finally said with a solemn voice, 'yes…I did'

'Well done'

Fox looked up 'what?'

Shawn laughed again 'he was a pitiful leader, a true disgrace to ever hold the name of andross' he stood up and walked towards the bars and stopped just short 'he told us to retreat and give Macbeth to the cornerian fleet' he spat on the ground.

'Run? From battle?, I'm sure we can forgive you for taking his life'

Fox suddenly remembered 'where am I?'

'Ahh again to business, always to business with you'

Shawn went back to his bench and sat 'if you really have to know you're on venom' foxes eyes widened as he said this 'you'd be surprised how much its changed since you'I've used androses invention on this place, the acid is gone and the toxic waste has all but disappeared' Shawn almost sounded cheerful 'the resources here are bountiful' he paused for a few moments 'that's why the cornerian need this place isn't't it?'

Fox wished he could shake his head, but the sad truth was that even though corneria had won the lylat wars, they had paid a huge price for it, all planets where the cornerian empire once reined had been almost destroyed by the assaults of andross, and those few trade links that were being used were often the bounty for space pirates.

Corneria may not have fallen in battle but as time went by it could reach the same fate as Androses Empire, lost, and crumbled.

Corneria needed the new world of venom more than ever in these difficult times.

'This planet belongs to dash bowman'

Fox said with a level voice, he then set a defiant glare that pierced Shawn and for a few moments he shuffled uncomfortably.

'Dash?, ahh yes him' Shawn realized 'yes he would be perfect, if he wasn't't sworn to the cornerian forces'

Dash, the name of Androses one and only grandson had somehow managed to slip through history, after the fall of the empire dash had been ashamed beyond measure, he changed his name from andross to bowman and for 6 whole years was shielded from the galaxy by his foster parents. Until eventually he broke all expectations and joined the cornerian fleet at the young age of 15, hoping that Androses legacy would not follow him.

Corneria needed a reason to capture venom and after realizing he was next in line, they set plans to invade venom and put him as its ruler.

'Come now fox we all know the story of dash is a fluke, a lie to justify the invading of venom'

A hushing noise came and Shawn turned to the far corner 'what is it?' he asked

'Sir we have the weapon' an officer came into view he wore the basic army uniform and was also broad, he looked at fox but looked away quickly 'good bring the weapon here, so I can show my guest it',

The officer saluted and took one last look at fox before turning and leaving the cell block again. 'He's afraid of you' said Shawn getting to his feet again 'he can't believe that you managed to defeated andross'

'Do you?' fox asked

Shawn stood staring at fox, the smile on his face had vanished once again,

'I do not fear one such as you!' he said quietly

Another hush and a scurrying of feet as four officers brought a giant metal trolley on wheels in to view, the metal tarnished and the lid of the container half open.

Shawn turned back to fox 'you may have heard of, or even fought the bio weapons that have been the curse of andross on this galaxy' he paused and with one swift kick he took the lid of the trolley, the lid hit the bars of the cell and sent electricity spouting through it. Shawn reached into the trolley and rose again with a small football sized devise,

'If andross made a devise to heal a planet, what makes you think he didn't't make something to destroy it as well?' Shawn turned the object round in his hands its surface shined in the small light of the cell block.

'Many people have feared, what happened on venom could happen to other planets else where in the lylat system' he said as if to himself

Fox stared at the object its surface completely flat, lights glowed around it, 'you still haven't answered my question Shawn'

Shawn took his eyes from the devise and looked at fox again the smile was now illuminated by the devises glow

'Why did you bring me here?'

'Fox don't you see….Your going to help us win this war, or else corneria, the last empire and point of power in the galaxy shall become the new venom'

Fox stared at the devise and thought of the cool oceans of corneria turning to acid, the idea scared him more than anything he had ever faced before. The anger that gripped him whilst facing Andrew came again, Shawn watched as fox's anger was let out, he stood and struck the bars with his fist, so angry now he could barely feel the pain of the electricity coursing through his body.

Shawn laughed and finally continued to speak

'Help me retake Macbeth and I'I'l consider sparing the people of corneria'

Shawn turned, and with the devise in hand he said over his shoulder

'I'I'l give you some time to think it over'

And with that him and the rest of the officers walked out of the corridor, another hushing of doors came and fox was left pounding the cell bars in fury.