AN: A Dragon Coin is roughly equivalent to one U.S. dollar.
Bowser's plans to meet the Shy Guy leaders in the Beanbean Kingdom had been sabotaged. K. Rool's General Klump had agreed to meet them at Booster's Tower. Bowser naturally had to appease the Shy Guy ego. If a general was the best the Kremlings could do, then the Koopas had to send a king.
So the ten of them—Bowser, Klump, Booster, Valentina, Booster's three Snifit attendants, and three Shy Guy Magistrates—were assembled in Booster's private quarters. The Magistrates wore robes that were quartered into black and white sections and masks with red and yellow quarters.
These guys are freaks, Bowser thought. Still, the Koopa King had to pretend to not be a xenophobe. He needed the Shy Guys and so far the Kremling general had not put his boot-clad foot in his mouth yet.
"So you agree, King Bowser, that our forces are underpaid?" One of the Magistrates asked.
Bowser took a deep breath. "Look guys, I know why you ditched me for Wart and Smithy in the past. I get it and don't hold it against you, but you've got to consider things from my perspective. A fee of one hundred billion dragon coins would create incredible tax burdens on my subjects."
The nearest Magistrate asked, "You are a king are you not?"
"Yes," Bowser said reluctantly, not comfortable with where this was going.
"Then you should have no problem raising taxes," the Magistrate flopped his hands around.
"I'm responsible for my subjects' welfare!" Bowser said trying to navigate between being conciliatory to the Shy Guys and adamant about his duties. Adamancy won.
No one needed to see behind the Magistrates's masks to know they were frowning.
Klump saw an opportunity and raised a finger.
"I'd like to point that all Kremling property belongs to the Kremling Government, whose sole member is King K. Rool. He can raise our taxes to pay you without getting any complaints."
Bowser could not help suppressing a snort.
"I thought your national anthem says, 'Kremlings never shall be slaves?'"
Klump looked confused.
"I don't get what you're saying?"
"I want to understand too!" Booster whined.
"It's easy Master Booster," Snifit 3 explained. "King K. Rool owns Kremlings as property, Bowser would like to do the same to Koopas but can't!" The Snifit shot his old enemy a venomous glare.
"I want to own my own minions!" Booster whined.
"Dear, hush now. I don't want the Magistrates to take away what powers I-I mean you—actually have," Valentina said with a forced smile on her face, not daring to let her true emotions be shown.
"Your Queen is right, don't encourage Booster, or her, Snifit," The rightmost Magistrate said.
The Snifit bowed in apology.
Bowser felt his blood boil. His son Iggy had mental issues like Booster did. If anyone turned him into a puppet ruler/tourist attraction, he'd rip their guts out. Still Bowser had to keep the Shy Guys on his side. He had come to the table prepared to open the bid with five billion. Noting Klump's presence, though he raised the figure.
"Ten billion, that's only a tenth of what you're asking for, but I can get it with without raising problems."
Then Klump, who everyone knew to be an idiot, did something that took everyone by surprise.
"That's a little high for a standard pay rate. You do realize we are only talking about a specific job?"
There were dozens of Venomese spacecraft in orbit of Mushroom Planet. The generals were all relaxing at some part of K. Rool's resort or another. The fifteen most important were seated at a private table in a room with red carpet, red walls, a red ceiling , and a clear window on the jungle. Wolf O'Donnell had never been to this part of Mushroom Planet before.
K. Rool rose from his seat, clinging a spoon against the side of his beverage.
"Gentlemen, you have come from the Lylat System today, not to serve my needs, but the dream of your former Emperor." K. Rool nodded to his left and said, "Your new Emperor, Ivar Krasjason Bluescale, is the product of Andross's labs and my own genetic essence. He is however, only one of many projects on which Andross and I collaborated."
Wolf was genuinely curios about K. Rool's specific dealings with Andross and why most of Venom had never heard of him. How had K. Rool known about Lylat before the Smash Bros. Tournaments?
I've got my good eye on you, Your Majesty.
K. Rool decided it was time to oblige his audience about why he and Andross had been such close allies and why his interpretation of Ancient Kremling Civilization matched Andross's dreams for a new Lylat: a civilization that lived in harmony with nature and produced scores of doctors, poets, and philosophers. Wolf paid enough attention to know nothing of any substance had been said yet.
Finally though, K. Rool explicitly linked his dream to Andross, "The society I described to you is what we are fighting to restore. I knew Andross personally and considered him a friend; this was what he wanted for the Lylat System. This world houses many tools and resources that will prove invaluable in your conquest of the Lylat Sytem."
Finally, we get to the point, Wolf noted.
"This world contains many magical items that when used together can topple Corneria once and for all. They are scattered throughout this world but you, have an advantage I never did: air and space craft that can cover travel across most of this planet within a day, and weapons capable of destruction that is surpassed only by said items themselves. This entire planet needs to be conquered by Venom. Then, and only then will, will you have these items in addition to your weapons and be strong enough to conquer Corneria."
The generals burst into argument, screaming various dismissals of "We're not your army, K. Rool!" "We're strong enough to take Corneria on our own!" "What a waste of time!"
Wolf said nothing but watched as Scales drew himself to his full towering height.
"Everyone, quiet!" The Emperor snapped.
He walked along the left side of the table, letting his gaze fall on each general on either side of the table.
"I ask everyone to remember what happened to Andross when he tried to conquer Corneria. Look what happened to him and our relative strength now. My father is giving us a chance to rebuild our strength outside of Corneria's view. We shall return and conquer Lylat, have no fear, for I have a personal score to settle with Fox McCloud. I never finished my battle with him and I always finish my battles. This is merely our first step." Everyone looked at Scales and knew he meant what he said. Andross had interrupted his last battle with McCloud, and they knew the Emperor never left battles unfinished, which led to the Emperor's next question
"Might I make one request?" Scales asked K. Rool
"All right," K. Rool said, eager to get the generals' obedience.
"I'd like to leave Andrew Oikonny with you."
Wolf O'Donnell noted the confined space they were in. The door to the main suite closed, and blocked by K. Rool's bodyguard Krusha. The couch on one side of the clear table occupied by K. Rool who held a chain that ended in a collar around Andrew's neck. Andrew sat on the floor. Scales reclined on the couch opposite K. Rool. Wolf stood with his back to the door into the room.
"This was not part of our agreement!"
Wolf had never seen Andrew so furious.
"Our deal was that I renounce my claim on the throne, become your prisoner, and stay alive. This didn't include exiling me to Mushroom Planet!"
"I'm not breaking any of our agreements. You're alive and a prisoner. Leaving you with the Kremlings is my safest option. I'm not safe with you on Venom and you're not safe with the Sharpclaw on Sauria. They'll try to kill you, and make it look like an accident."
Scales statement shocked K. Rool, Wolf, and Andrew. Scales then got up and jerked the chain out of K. Rool's hand, causing Andrew to gag.
"No!" Scales said defiantly. "None of you misheard me! I need him alive. Yes, I do want him dead, but I've given my word that his life is safe until he betrays me. If I'm to be credible, my word must be credible." K. Rool smiled.
"Your uncle engineered him to be a tactical and diplomatic genius."
"Some genius! He couldn't see how my uncle was using him in the end!" Andrew said and Scales yanked his chain, causing him to shriek.
"Everyone thought Andross was dead then. I am not so foolish as to think I'm infallible," Scales said. "That was your uncle's mistake!"
"He was crazy and he still got you to do what he wanted! What does that say about you?" Andrew said to Scales.
"I said Andross was crazy, not stupid. Your uncle was the greatest scientific genius the Lylat system has ever seen. I assure you, had I known he was alive things would have turned out quite differently!" Scales turned his intimidating gaze from Andrew to K. Rool "This is why we must be sure that Bowser is crushed! And that we have the completed Triforce from Hyrule."
K. Rool brought his gaze to Wolf. "That's where you come in, O'Donnell."
Wolf tensed, unsure of what K. Rool was going to ask him.
"You're a moral neutral, a gun for sail to the highest bidder. I have a mission for Star Wolf in a Gannondorf's homeland. It's very dangerous, but if you're successful, money should never be a problem again."
Wolf recognized that name from the Super Smash Bros. Tournament. "As you said, that's very dangerous."
"You will be working for me, not Scales," K. Rool said before standing. "Give me a number."
Wolf smiled.
That night after K. Rool's guests were back on their vessels or in bed at his resort, the Kremling monarch had his chauffer drive his black limousine to the secret search. Scales had brought nanites from Venom, which he had completely turned over to K. Rool's henchmen. The leading Kremling neuroscientists and computer technicians had successfully replicated one of Andross's experiments: encoding memories as computer signals.
This was a game changer for K. Rool in his battle with his true greatest enemy: his son.
K. Rool knew that he would only be in the way while Scales ruled the Lylat system, making a him prime target for assassination, perhaps even by Star Wolf's Leon Powalski.
K. Rool feared dying, but fortunately he had a solution. He and Scales had been over the plan often enough. When they had the Star Rod and the Triforce, K. Rool would absorb various power sources into his body. Of course, K. Rool expected to be dead by then. Scales commanded resources. The murder would come from his camp.
Preserving his memories in these nanites was the key. Scales would want to incorporate these nanites, and in so doing, incorporate his father's memories.
K. Rool had to make sure his memories survived any purge by his son. That was where the Triforce came in. Star Wolf had to succeed in Hyrule.
K. Rool paused his musings for a moment. Gannondorf was a friend, but he couldn't be allowed to live. K. Rool gave his friend a moment of silence, and when exactly sixty seconds had passed, he spoke to his chauffeur, "The Venomians herald the beginning of a new chapter in Kremling history. Remember today young reptile."
The Spiked-headed, thin, purple-scaled chauffeur did not dare to speak unless spoken to. But now that he had been spoken to, he did not know what to say.
"As you say, your majesty."
The chauffeur did not detect any of K. Rool's nervousness. His voice betrayed his own. K. Rool enjoyed having that effect on people.