YES! This is Baeowuld speaking. Once again, I have (or had) control of the story again! I think this is the longest chapter yet, a lot of stuff happens! Wow, 9,702 words... long chapter! Anyways, the next chapter will be written by my co-author, so I apologize in advance for the three week delay in updates (I wonder if he'll comment on this when he updates...). For now, I hope you enjoy!

And now, we return to our feature presentation...


Psion paced back and forth aboard the Prenuntius, rubbing his temples. He couldn't believe what was happening; his tracer had been removed?! This was bad, he thought. Suddenly, he heard the communications system start to beep. He slammed his fist down on the answer call button, cracking the metal panel as he did. "WHAT IS IT NOW?!" he screamed into the intercom, wondering what else could have gone wrong. An image of a calm Shi'Krii commander appeared on the screen, and Psion calmed down a little; it was Darus, one of his most loyal soldiers, and Supreme Commander of the Prenuntius. Aboard this ship, the only people with more power than Darus were Psion, and of course, the Queen. "Darus, I expect you have news? I know you well enough to know that you wouldn't contact me just to make small talk." Darus straightened its posture, perfectly aligning and reshaping each of its vertebrae so as to transform his body into a practical rod.

"Sir. Intruders have boarded the Prenuntius and have commandeered some of our fighter craft. The intruders were a group of four Lylatians, a male and female amphibian, a male avian, and a female feline. When they stole our craft, the ships assumed the forms of those that were shot down in a previous aerial battle. I believe the classifications were Bullfrog, Tadpole, Cat's Paw MK II, and Skyclaw. The intruders have exited the docking bay and are beginning to open fire on the Prenuntius. Preparing to engage with your permission, Sir." Darus finished its report, its face hard as steel, its eyes clean, black ovals. A single, bony pauldron adorned its left shoulder; the only signifier of its rank. Psion smiled; Darus was curt, obedient, calm, and precise. In other words, Darus was a perfect soldier. Willing to fight, and more importantly, willing to sacrifice anything in accordance with orders. Psion's grin grew: Darus was a perfect tool: a powerful weapon to be used… and discarded. Psion straightened from his crouch, and faced Darus, a slight gleam of malicious glee in his eyes.

"Darus… Attack in full. Hold nothing back. Do I make myself clear?" For just a moment, Darus hesitated. Then the look of doubt vanished from its eyes, leaving its face a blank slate.

"Yes Sir."


Falco banked hard to the right, barely avoiding a pulse from the tremendous ship's cannons. He looked over his shoulder, and his eyes widened as he saw the destruction the beam had caused. A neat, ten foot radius hole was drilled into a number of buildings behind his ship, forming a perfectly straight, disconnected tunnel that ended in an immense crater in the planet's surface. For the first time, Falco noticed the reddish black storm clouds that covered the sky, purple flashes of lightning lancing between them, or the shattered jungles sprawling across the landscape, or the desolate wastelands ringing the mountains in the distance. He smirked; it was amazing how a near death experience heightened one's senses. Falco swerved in between searing bolts of plasma as swarms of fighters poured out of the enemy mothership, leaving huge white spots in the sky where they grouped. Almost unconsciously, he charged into the hordes of white. He acted on instinct, weaving in between enemy craft like a spider in its web, gracefully dancing through their number, weaving his web of death. He swerved up, cutting a path in the ships before him, watching as the pieces of their white hulls drifted to the ground below. Time seemed to slow down for Falco, and the world was crystal clear. He could see every bolt heading towards his ship, could see the tiny pieces of the enemies he had destroyed drifting to the ground like snow, sparkling in the light of the day. Everything was perfectly in place: even as enemy ships burst before him, the explosions seemed as though they were part of a painting, everything acting in perfect harmony with everything else. His eyes widened at the sight; it was beautiful. The world sped up again, and Falco was snapped violently back into the present. He swerved to the left, barely avoiding a long burst of plasma fire. He felt a bolt rock his ship, and looked behind: there was a ship on his tail. He tried to shake the bogey, but he just couldn't seem to manage it. Falco charged toward another enemy, drawing its attention. The two ships flew at each other, barely dodging laser fire from each other, until at the last second, Falco pulled sharply up. The two enemy ships smashed into each other, sending a spray of white fragments drifting towards the planet. Falco smiled; this was what he lived for. The adrenaline, the test of skill between pilots, the ultimate stakes of life and death, these were what gave his life meaning. He cleared the top of the crowd, and plummeted back into the enemy swarms, dancing his way through them like an angel of death.


Fox rubbed his temples, groaning: it felt like Slippy had taken a wrench to his skull then drilled a bolt into it. He sat up, and realized that his surroundings had changed. He was lying in bed, white sheets draped over him, and he could feel the soothing vibrations of the Ensthiasmus. Fox smiled to himself; he must have fallen unconscious while Krystal was messing around in his head. Krystal… Fox's eyes widened. Where was she? Before she had delved into his mind, she was talking about how this would be dangerous, and should only be attempted by someone with years of experience. What if… no, it couldn't be. Fox jumped out of bed, not even taking the time to pull on a shirt, and stormed out of the room. "Krystal! Krystal!" he called as he sprinted down the halls of the Ensthiasmus, drawing strange looks from medics and scientists he passed. He didn't notice; his mind was on one thing and one thing only: the safety of his beloved. "Krystal! Where are yo-" Fox's sentence ended as he slammed into a suddenly formed wall of the Ensthiasmus, a wall that he was sure wasn't there before. He slid to the ground, rubbing his head groggily, and watched in amazement as the barrier slid back into the wall of the corridor. Suddenly, he felt something in his head. There was something else there, something warm and soothing, yet powerful.

"Do not worry; your mate is safe." Fox turned around, searching for who was speaking to him.

"Who are you? Show yourself! Where's Krystal?" he demanded, whirling around, searching in vain for this odd voice.

"Relax, little one," the voice said, and its mere tone seemed to calm Fox, soothing him into a sense of security. "I am Ensthiasmus. I shall reveal all to you in time." Fox's eyes widened; the voice was the Ensthiasmus?

"What do you mean?" he asked, puzzled. "Are you the pilot?" He heard a chuckle, and could have sworn that it sounded like the laughter of whales playing in the ocean.

"There is no pilot; I am Ensthiasmus, child of Savant. He created me, he is my father, and I obey his commands. Do not worry, little one. Your mate is safe. If you will follow me, I will show you the way to where she slumbers." Before Fox could ask what the voice meant, a trail of soft lights appeared on the ground in front of him. Fox smirked; the line was two wide: one line of orange, and another of blue. Without hesitation, Fox followed the lights, making his way to his beloved.


Krystal opened her eyes slowly, squinting in the sunlight. She lay on a grassy Cerinian hillside; small clouds puffed their way slowly past in the sky, and tiny drops of dew crowned each blade of grass. She stood, rubbing her head, and feeling slightly sore in her limbs. She shuddered, remembering the nightmares she had had to face in Fox's mind, but the fear from that moment was washed away in the warm sunlight. She heard a footstep in the grass behind her, and she jumped to her feet, turning around. As she did, she relaxed: it was her mother, a gentle smile spread across her face. "So, I guess it's time you heard about Fox, then," Krystal said sheepishly, taking a seat on the hillside, her mother sitting beside her. Her mother turned to face her, grinning widely.

"Darling, I want to hear every detail!" she said excitedly. "Tell me everything, and I mean from the beginning." Krystal rolled her eyes, exhaling a bit as she smiled.

"Well, then I'd suggest you get comfortable, because I've got a long story to tell." Krystal closed her eyes, remembering back to when she had first arrived on Sauria all those years ago. "After Cerinia was destroyed, I took a shuttle through the stars, searching for answers. Eventually, I detected a distress signal and followed it to a planet called Sauria, and I could feel that I was drawing close. I landed on the planet, and was surprised when I found that the world was dominated by tribes of intelligent dinosaurs, but what surprised me more was that there were Cerinian relics there that could enhance my staff, and plants that bore a crystalline fruit that could recharge the energy in it. Anyways, with the help of a tribe called the CloudRunner, I set out to investigate. With their help, I found the flagship of the planet's tyrant-lord General Scales. As I was trying to board it, my staff was shot out of my hand. I managed to board the ship, but was caught and thrown overboard by the General himself. Fortunately, my CloudRunner companion caught me in time. We followed the distress signal to the mountaintop Krazoa Palace, a home of ancient peace spirits. Once inside, I found a number of wounded EarthWalker soldiers. They told me that Scales was trying to steal the Krazoa spirits to use in his conquest. I was able to recover one, but was then trapped inside," Krystal laughed remembering the irony of the situation, "a crystal by the very person responsible for the destruction of Cerinia. Some time later, Fox arrived at the Krazoa Palace. He was rather cute, and seemed rather fascinated with my, ah… clothing." Krystal blushed, and her mother laughed.

"What were you wearing, sweetie?" she asked, and Krystal blushed even more.

"My graduation outfit," she mumbled, and her mother burst out laughing.

"Really? Wait, let me get this straight: the first time he saw you, he saw you wearing that?" Krystal's mother laughed heartily, small tears budding at the edges of her eyes. "Yes, honey, I'm sure he was staring at your 'clothing'." Krystal rolled her eyes.

"Mother," she said, annoyed, "I'm trying to tell a story!" Krystal's mother wiped her eyes, and gestured for Krystal to continue her story, although Krystal could have sworn she heard her say "I guess all males are the same".

"Anyways, eventually, Fox returned all of the Krazoa spirits. That should have freed me, but my captor had other plans." Krystal took a few deep breaths to steady herself. "He used me to channel the Krazoa spirits for his resurrection. He destroyed Cerinia to get me in a position where he could use me to bring himself back to life. After he got what he wanted… he dropped me. I was above an at least a hundred foot drop; I would have died. But Fox… Fox saved me. He had found my staff, and he held it out for me to grab hold of. He saved me. I was, uhm, a little rude after that. I took my staff from him, and tried to use it to shoot the resurrected man who had destroyed Cerinia, a man I later came to know was called Andross. I suppose I was a bit foolish; he was a giant, flying, stone head." Krystal's mother stared at her like she had a frog on her head. "Look, I know it's hard to believe, but it's true, okay?" Krystal's mother shrugged. "Anyways, after Fox defeated, and destroyed, Andross, I decided to thank him. I took my shuttle up to his ship, and boarded it, transmitting a message with just the right timing for me to finish it as I stepped onto the bridge. Obviously, Fox was surprised to see me again. It was quite funny, really. He couldn't form a complete sentence! To make it better, the ship's navigational robot, ROB, decided to state that Fox's temperature was rising. That got some laughs from everybody!" Krystal chuckled, remembering her first day aboard the GreatFox. "It was all uphill from then, at least until the next war. Fox inducted me into the team, and Fox and I had 'unofficially' started dating," Krystal put air-quotes on the word "unofficially". "Right in the middle of what seemed to be a perfect day, we got a call. Andrew Oikonny, the nephew of Andross, had gathered the remnants of Andross' army and was waging war against Lylat; like his uncle, only less successful and less intelligently. The war against him was only a short battle, really. At the end, he seemed to be almost a threat, but then an Aparoid finished him off." As Krystal said this, she muttered "if only permanently" under her breath, earning a punch to the shoulder from her mother.

"Young lady, it is not becoming of you to desire the deaths of others," she said sternly, her eyes cross. Krystal decided not to tell her mother what exactly her occupation entailed.

"Anyways," Krystal said, changing the subject. "The Aparoids were attempting to conquer the Lylat system, and Team StarFox was the only thing standing their way. They attacked every planet, including Sauria. Fox and I had a romantic foot mission together there," Krystal sighed, remembering the sunset and how they had come close to a kiss before being interrupted by Tricky. "Eventually, the Aparoids were wiped out. Turns out that the entire species was just an extension of the Queen. After the Aparoid wars, Fox and I started dating seriously. We went to parks, restaurants, all the things young couples like us do, in addition to running a few missions here and there. We were happy." Krystal choked back tears at the memory of what happened next. "But it wasn't to last. Fearing for my safety, Fox asked me to leave the team. He told me that he'd seen me brush death too many times, that he couldn't stand to lose me. He told me he'd provide everything I needed until things calmed down a bit. I told him that I wasn't going to leave the team, that I was going to stay with him." Krystal stopped, bracing herself for what she was going to say next. "Then it happened. Fox told me that I didn't have a choice in the matter. He expelled me from the team. I was crushed. I left in tears, and didn't see him for a good while. I even joined StarFox's rival team StarWolf to spite him, and started dating Panther Caroso, Wolf's arrogant new pilot. He was trying to protect me… and I betrayed him." Tears budded in Krystal's eyes, and she started crying softly. Her mother scooted over to her, wrapping her in a warm hug.

"It's alright, shhh," Krystal's mother whispered soothingly into her daughter's ear, gently rocking her back and forth. "Maybe we should finish the story another time?"

"No, no, it's alright." Krystal straightened her posture, and continued her tale. "I saw Fox again during the Anglar Wars. He desperately apologized to me, saying that he was wrong in what he did, that he only wanted me back. At first, I didn't believe him, but then I realized that he was telling the truth. When I learned of Wolf's plot to betray Fox to further his own personal glory, I left StarWolf and joined up with Fox and his team again. We successfully destroyed the Anglar King, and after that, Fox and I were going strong. A few months later… he proposed. I accepted, and after a few, quick, wonderful months we were married. After that… well, everything was flowers and sunsets until the Doppelgangers attacked." Krystal's mother smiled as Krystal finished her story, patting her daughter on the shoulder.

"Krystal," she said, her voice warm and comforting, "I'm happy for you. I can see you and Fox having a wonderful future together." Krystal's mother shifted onto her knees, staring her daughter in the eyes excitedly. "So!" she said, beginning to scare Krystal. "When can I expect grandchildren?" Krystal's eyes widened, and she fell onto her back in the grass.

"Mother!" she cried, shocked at the question. Krystal's mother laughed, her voice soft and melodious.

"Alright, I get it," she said, wiping a tear from her eye, suppressing laughter. Suddenly she straightened, her ears perked up above her head. She turned to Krystal, and smiled. "It's time for you to go now, honey."

"What?! Why?" Krystal asked, confused, as the ground started to dissolve beneath her feet. As she fell, her mother looked down at her.

"Because someone's waiting for you." That was all Krystal heard before she was swallowed by the darkness.


Katt zoomed after Falco, cursing his blatant aggression. "Why do I have to have the most blockheaded bird in Lylat for a boyfriend?!" she cursed to herself. Katt frowned sadly, remembering that she and Falco weren't technically dating yet. She scowled, shutting out her other emotions; if she didn't help Falco now, they wouldn't get the chance. Katt barreled into the enemy forces, deftly dodging the laser fire that careened around her ship. She turned a sharp right, barely dodging a blast from one of the enemy mothership's main cannons. Katt barely noticed; instincts fueled her now. She charged the enemy ships, smashing into their number with a barrage of plasma. The Cat's Paw darted furiously in the crowd, leaping from target to target as she obliterated the enemy ships. She saw something out of the corner of her eye, more sensing it than seeing it, and banked up hard. A tremendous beam of plasma scorched the air directly behind her ship, cutting a clean hole in a number of enemy ships. She barely saw it; her world was a hurtling vortex of fire and enemies. All she saw was her prey. She chased the fleshy white ships one by one, obliterating them by the dozens. Ships around her plummeted towards the ground left and right, smashing into the rocks in purple bursts of electricity and plasma. Suddenly, she saw the SkyClaw flying towards her. Her eyes brightened; Falco! She tried to open a communications channel, but the oncoming ship wouldn't respond. "What are you doing, Falco?" she muttered to herself, frowning slightly. The ship continued towards her, not stopping. Katt's eyes widened as the ship's lasers began to charge. She barely managed to veer out of the way as it opened fire, her ship's wing being grazed by the bolts of plasma. "FALCO!" she cried into her comm, her eyes wide in fear. "What are you doing?" This time, she got a response.

"I was about to ask you the same question!" he cried. "Why are you attacking me?" Katt began to pant, her heart pounding in her breast.

"What do you mean? You're the one attack-" suddenly, it hit her. The enemy ships were just like their pilots: shapeshifters. "Falco!" she yelled into her comm, desperately trying to get his attention. "That's not me! The enemy ships shapeshift! Shoot it down!" She cut the comlink, turning her attention back to the fight at hand. She stared down her enemy, and fired. The false SkyClaw zipped out of the way, and the two ships began to chase each other, twirling around one another in a dance of death. They fired time after time, neither hitting the other. Suddenly, the false SkyClaw did a loop and wound up behind her. It fired three shots, each shot hitting Katt's ship in the rear engine. The Cat's Paw shook with the impacts, and Katt cursed under her breath. She hammered her brakes, coming to an abrupt stop. The enemy SkyClaw zoomed in front of her, unable to stop in time. Katt snarled, and fired, one two three times. The shots impacted with the back of the enemy ship, and plasma began to leak out of its hull: one more shot, and it would be history. The ship turned around, and Katt was about to fire. Suddenly, she took her hand off the trigger. She could see the ship's pilot through the windshield… it was Falco. Bolts of plasma rocked her ship, and tears welled in her eyes. "I'm sorry." She fired. The plasma bolts sped towards the enemy ship, and just before they impacted, she saw the pilot return to its original form. The imposter ship burst into a cloud of electricity and plasma. Katt sobbed bitterly, tears in her eyes, scared as the adrenaline rush left her system. Battle turned her into something she wasn't; a creature of rage and hate. She scared herself in combat, but she had to fight. If she didn't she could lose everything.


Fox sat by Krystal's bedside, holding her paw in his. She looked so peaceful as she slept. Her beautiful, purple hair fell across her face, and her chest rose and fell with her breathing. Fox smiled, glad to see her in a state of relative good health. She stirred, and Fox's smile widened. Her eyes opened slowly, her beautiful, green eyes. "Fox?" she said softly, her strong accent sending shivers down his spine.

"Yeah, Krys," he said softly, tears budding in his eyes. "That's me." Krystal laughed.

"Well, this is new. Seems like forever since I've talked to you without one of us having a near death experience." Fox chuckled, his deep laugh rumbling in his chest.

"You know, I like it this way a little more." He gazed into her eyes, and slowly, the two moved their heads forward, until eventually they were locked in a deep kiss. They poured all their emotions into the action, releasing what seemed like a lifetime of worry, stress, fear, and most importantly, love into a single, sensational kiss. The action embodied their undying love for each other, and it was incredible. They were about to move in to another kiss when they heard a voice.

"Are you two done yet?" Fox and Krystal turned, blushing furiously. Savant was standing in the doorway, arms crossed, tapping his foot. Fox and Krystal pulled apart, embarrassed. Krystal slid out from under the covers, taking a seat in Fox's lap. Savant rolled his head on his neck in annoyance. "Alright, listen up. I have some good news, and some bad news." Fox and Krystal looked uneasy. IN the end, it was Krystal who spoke up.

"What's the good news?"

"The good news is we found your friends." Fox and Krystal's ears perked up; Savant had found the rest of the team! "The bad news is, they're engaged in aerial combat with the Prenuntius." Fox broke in, his eyebrows furrowed.

"Wait – What's the Prenuntius? Is it a ship?" Savant nodded.

"A mothership, to be precise. An immense invasion transport." Fox exhaled, relieved.

"In that case, I wouldn't be worried. The team's taken on motherships before." Savant shook his head grimly.

"Not like this. Tell me; what would you classify the Ensthiasmus as?" Fox thought for a moment.

"A mothership, probably around Dreadnought class." Savant shook his head, sighing.

"The Ensthiasmus is a flagship, Fox, not a mothership. The Prenuntius' docking bays alone could hold ten – nay, twenty vessels of this size." Fox's eyes widened; how could a ship be so massive?! He knew that a ship that large would have to have extensive crew quarters and engineering rooms: it must be the size of a small city! Krystal shifted, uneasy with the sound of the Prenuntius. Fox's eyes narrowed, and he and Krystal stood.

"Where are our ships?" he asked, his eyes grim. Savant shook his head.

"I don't think you understand, Fox. The Prenuntius –" Fox cut him off.

"No, Savant I don't think you understand. Where… are… our… ships?"


Katt and Falco wheeled around each other midair, desperately trying to hold the swarms of enemies at bay. "There's just too many of them!" Falco yelled through his com, barely dodging a wall of fire as the enemy mothership poured out fighters. Falco blasted a Cat's Paw Mk II out of the sky, watching it plummet satisfyingly to the rocks below. "I am SO glad these ships have recognition tracing," he muttered under his breath. He and Katt had calibrated their radar systems to register each other in green while registering other contacts in grey, and it was extremely useful when fighting swarms of ships that looked like your wingmate. Falco was beginning to be able to pick out the differences in the enemy craft; no one knew the Cat's Paw like Katt did. The enemy ships were all slightly different from how the original had looked, while Katt's was an exact copy. Suddenly, Falco heard a scream through his intercom.

"FALCO!" screamed Katt on the comm screen. Her eyes were wide, and beads of sweat ran down her face: she was scared. "Falco, I've got a group on my tail! I can't shake 'em!" Falco's blood went cold in his veins. He wheeled his ship around in the direction of Katt on his radar, and soon he saw her. Smoke poured from her ship in black waves, and plasma leaked from its hull like purple blood. A group of enemy ships he had never seen before was chasing her. They were in the form of a ball with three arms situated around it. The arms rotated as the ships fired, and each time one made a revolution, it discharged a bolt of green energy. The ships opened fire, and the arms spun wildly about the bodies, rotating in a blur of motion like a Gatling gun. Katt was doing all she could to dodge the bolts, but even so, she was hit a few times. With a loud crash, one of her engines burst, pieces of hull flying from it, electricity arcing and plasma pouring from the jagged hole. "FALCO! HELP!" Sweat beaded on Falco's forehead, and his face turned to a mask of steely determination: he would not lose Katt to this scum! With a primal yell, he opened fire, bolts of plasma spewing from his ship's guns. The bolts flew into the enemy ships with deadly accuracy, drilling gaping holes into their fuselages. Falco sped towards them, and just before he would have crashed into the last one left, it burst in a cloud of green and blue plasma, white pieces of hull falling around the massive ball of energy like confetti. Falco sped through the explosion, piercing the radiating ball and emerging on the other end.

"KATT!" he cried frantically, searching the skies for her. "Are you alright?!" He searched the skies frantically, calling out her name, but she was nowhere to be found. Katt was missing. Falco snapped. His eyes flew wide in anger, tears of rage spilling down his face. "I'LL KILL YOU ALL!" he screamed at the enemy ships, tearing into them like a wolf in a shepherd's flock. Ships all around him were blown to pieces, until eventually, there was nothing left nearby to destroy. Falco sank into his hands, clutching his forehead in his hands, crying bitterly. She was gone. He was too much of a coward to tell her how he really felt, and now she was gone. "WHY?!" he screamed, his face wet with tears. "WHY DID IT HAVE TO BE THIS WAY?! Why? Why…" Falco sniffed, and buried his emotions. There would be time to mourn for Katt later. For now, he had people to kill.


Katt watched in amazement as Falco blasted his way through the enemy craft tailing her, astonished at the sheer ferocity of his attack. Suddenly, she felt a huge crash in the front of her ship. She looked forward… and saw in immense metal claw protruding from her ship's wing. She tried to call out to Falco for help, but her communications were jammed. She tried desperately to escape the claw, but to no avail. Eventually, she was dragged into the Doppelganger mothership. As soon as solid ground appeared beneath her feet, Katt leaped out of her cockpit, drawing a small blaster from a holster on her belt. She hit the ground in a roll, firing shots into Doppelganger soldiers even as she landed. She fought furiously as the enemies closed in on her, eventually resorting to kicks and clawing as the soldiers closed in on her. Grey flesh dissolved into putty under her hands and boots, spraying over her body, coating her in the grey muck. She fought like a dervish, whirling and clawing, each of her fingers a blade in its own right. Suddenly, she felt a tingling in her back. She turned around, and her vision began to spin. The last thing she saw was a tall Doppelganger with some kind of armor on its left shoulder striding militarily towards her through the crowd, a smoking pistol at its side, and the soldiers falling into salute as it passed. Then she passed out.

Fox and Krystal piloted their ships into the crowd of enemies, firing as they came. "Look! There's Falco!" Krystal exclaimed through the communications channel. Fox turned his head, and saw the SkyClaw tearing its way through dozens of enemy craft, shredding them before its laser fire. Fox opened communications with him.

"Falco!" he yelled, confused. "Where are the others?!"

"Slippy and Amanda are off fighting somewhere else," Falco replied, concentrating on his work. "Katt…" tears came to Falco's eyes, and a single drop of water spilled down his cheek. "They got her. Katt's gone. She's gone… and I never got a chance to tell her how I felt." Krystal gasped, and Fox's eyes widened. This fight had claimed one of his team. He could only wonder: how many more friends would die before this war was over?


Katt woke up, her head throbbing. She tried to rub her head, but found that she couldn't. Her eyes snapped open, and she saw that she was secured to a padded swivel chair: comfortable, but immobile. Her arms were strapped to the armrests with steel cable, and her ankles were tied to the chair's base. She looked around, frantically searching for other signs of life, but found none. She turned the chair around… and saw the back of the armored Doppelganger. "You!" she cried in anger, spitting as she said the word. "Where am I?" The Doppelganger remained motionless.

"Tell me, what do you think of war?" Katt stopped, stunned at the question. She knew Doppelgangers were intelligent creatures, but she had assumed that they were all evil and bloodthirsty. "Well? Are you going to answer my question or not?" The Doppelganger paused, and sighed. "I guess not. I suppose I'm not surprised; you just slaughtered hundreds of my brethren and are now in my captivity. I guess you must assume that I'm going to kill you." Katt scoffed at the strange alien's comment, blowing her hair out of her face. "I will tell you now that I am not angry with you." Katt was genuinely surprised now: this alien was acting completely differently from any other she had ever encountered. "I am Darus, High Commander of the Prenuntius. Aboard my ship, I answer only to High General, Prince Psion, and her majesty the Queen."

"Wait – you have names?" Katt asked, bewildered. The Doppelganger's all looked the same; what use were names? The alien sighed, moving towards a window and placing its three fingered hand against the glass, staring out into the hangar.

"You are so naïve. You believe that there is a stark definition between good and evil, right and wrong. Yes we have names. Our parent names us, much like your parents named you, when we are born. Our parent raises us, serving as caretaker and mentor in one. Our parent teaches us of the Queen, mother of us all, and of the Mind, the connection that links all of us together as siblings. Each and every one of us is different, much like you Lylatians, and though you may be unable to tell us apart, we can all see the distinct differences in our natural forms. I suppose it only makes sense that you cannot tell us apart; when I first saw a Lylatian, I could not tell one from another, and the odd thing you call gender further confused me into believing that I was looking at two separate species." The Doppelganger paused, and turned to face Katt. When she saw its eyes, she was shocked. There was no anger there: this one was perfectly calm. It almost looked sad. "I will tell you what I think about war. I take no pleasure in ending lives. I take no special joy in killing, I have no thirst for the death of others. I fight for honor, and to test my skill. I fight to engage my foes in combat so that by the end of the day, one of us falls. I fight for honor, and most importantly, I follow the orders of my superiors." The alien stopped, seeming unsure of what to say next. Darus turned around, and Katt could see in the reflection on the glass that it was trying to make up its mind. "You are Katt Monroe, yes?" Katt nodded in astonishment; how had it – no, Darus known her name? "I am sorry. I do not agree with using you as bait. This is dishonorable combat, and it violates my every principle. I am merely acting on Psion's orders." Katt's eyes widened; this was her chance!

"Then why do it?" she said, her voice rising. "If it goes against everything you believe in, why do you do it?" Darus whirled around, its three pronged feet digging into the floor, and Katt flattened herself into the back of her chair, Darus' face a half inch from hers.

"I do it because I am ordered to do so! Let me explain something to you, Katt. Here, we do not act based on personal desires, personal principles. We act in accordance with what the Queen deems is best for us as a whole. Now, she has deemed that the path of Psion is the best road for us to take. Here, we follow the orders of our superiors. We know no other way." Katt's eyes widened.

"So, then, you're the perfect tool for Psion, then," she said, realizing the reality of things. "You do know that you're just a tool to Psion? That he's just going to discard you once you outlive your usefulness?" Darus turned around, and crossed its arms behind its back.

"I know this. I know that Psion does not truly care for any of those under his command. However, what Psion commands is what is best for us all; this is what the Queen has decreed. If I must die for the betterment of our race… then so be it." As Darus began to walk to the door, Katt asked one last question.

"Darus, why are you telling me this? Couldn't this get you in trouble?" Darus stopped, its hand in the doorway.

"I am touched by your concern, Katt Monroe. I am telling you this because I want you to understand who I am, and because it does not matter: by the end of the day, I may be just another 'was'. I assure you this Katt Monroe: by no will of my own, I, you, or both of us, will die. There are three possible outcomes to today: one: your friends destroy me in aerial combat, and find a way of rescuing you from the wreckage of my personal fighter. Two: your friends destroy me, and we die together. Three: I destroy your friends, and Psion has you executed." Darus paused, thinking. "Goodbye, Katt Monroe. I hope you do not misjudge me." With that, Darus walked out of the room, leaving Katt to think over everything she had just heard.


Fox, Falco, and Krystal blasted their way through Doppelganger ships, shredding enemies with every shot. "Look! Over there!" cried Krystal, pointing and flying off in a direction. Falco and Fox followed, and saw Slippy and Amanda dueling groups of enemy fighters. "Slippy! Amanda!" Krystal yelled into her intercom, hailing them on communications. "That you?" Almost immediately, Slippy's and Amanda's faces appeared on her viewscreen.

"Krystal!" Slippy shouted excitedly, his large eyes wide. "Long time no see!" Slippy and Amanda broke out of the enemy group, and joined the rest of their team. "Wait," said Slippy, confused. "Where's Katt?" Falco interrupted on his comm. system.

"She's gone, Slippy. They… they got her," he said, mixed emotions of rage and grief tinting his normally steely voice.

"Oh, Falco…" whispered Amanda, "I'm so sorry."

"Yeah, well you didn't kill her, so don't be!" Falco snapped. He sighed, regretting his outburst. "I – I'm sorry, I shouldn't have yelled at you. It's just, she was under attack, and I wasn't fast enough to save her. I felt for her, I cared for her… and in the end, I failed her." Fox sighed, wondering what could have been between Katt and Falco.

"Falco," he said, "Katt's gone, and there is nothing you can do to bring her back. However, you can make sure she didn't die in vain." Fox's eyes went steely. "This is for you, Katt," he thought. "Team StarFox! Battle formations! Attack the engines of enemy vessel! Hold nothing back! StarFox… move out!" Almost immediately, the team sped into action, each member splitting off to handle a different engine. They attacked with ruthless efficiency. Bolt after bolt slammed into the engines, burning holes in their casing. The Prenuntius fired back with its weaponry, but at this close of a range all its super-cannons did was wipe out the fleets defending it. One after another the engines began to burst. The Prenuntius was on the road to destruction.


Psion slammed his fist down on the control panel, splintering it into long fractures. "Why can't anything go MY WAY!" Psion stood, and hurled a fireball at the door melting it into slag.

"Sir." Psion's eyes widened, and he turned around. Darus was standing in the doorway, arms crossed behind his back militarily.

"You may enter Darus. Is the prisoner ready?"

"Yes sir."

"Good." Psion sighed, things were not going according to plan. No matter; this was only a minor setback. "Purge all unnecessary segments of the Prenuntius."

"Sir?"

"Darus, I command and authorize you to purge all hangars and crew quarters of the Prenuntius outside of the Core. After doing so, you will take the prisoner in your personal craft and confront the attackers while the Core escapes. Am I understood?" Darus hesitated for a moment, but quickly regained his composure.

"Yes sir." With a quick bow, Darus turned and walked out of the room, leaving Psion to his thoughts.


Falco wheeled his ship under the final engine, firing ruthlessly at oncoming ships. The bolts flew forward with deadly accuracy, each one drilling a clean hole in an enemy ship's cockpit. He swooped down low, and pulled up sharply, heading straight for the engine. "This is for Katt," he muttered under his breath, his eyes steely. Falco opened fire, pouring plasma into the engine. He fired relentlessly, ignoring the enemies around him. All he saw was his target. He fired a bomb… and the engine burst. Plasma spewed from the wound like pressurized fluid, and the engine exploded in a glorious cloud of reds, green, purples, and blues. Falco banked sharply so as not to crash into the bottom of the enemy mothership. He slowed his ship, watching the Prenuntius begin its journey towards the rocks below. "She's really gone," he whispered, and a single tear fell from the corner of his eye. Falco regrouped with the rest of the team, sadly flying towards them. Fox appeared on his viewscreen.

"You ok, buddy?" he said, concerned for his friend.

"I just can't believe… I just can't believe she's gone," Falco said, his eyes wide. Suddenly, the Prenuntius started to shake violently. The outer layers of the ship burst off, falling towards the rocky ground, while a spherical ship started to zoom out of the atmosphere. One of the hangar doors on a falling segment slid open, and an immense fighter zoomed out. It was about the size of Pepper's flagship, and was sleek and deadly. It had a pointed nose, with four sharp wings arcing gracefully behind it in a large X. Its nose bore a single cannon underneath the tip, and each wing held a plasma cannon. It had four long engines in between its wings, each trailing blue energy.

"There's something… off about this one," said Krystal, rubbing her temples. "I can't find any anger or aggression… and I get the strangest feeling that this vessel holds more than one." In each member's ship, the com signal began to flash.

"It's hailing us," said Fox, surprised. "Let's see what he wants," Fox said through his intercom, and in unison, each member of Team StarFox answered the call. An image of a Doppelganger appeared on their viewscreens. The image showed it from the waist up, and on its left shoulder, it wore a bony pauldron. The alien's eyes were perfectly calm, and almost sad. It was standing in a large room, and behind it, were numerous control panels; it was obvious that in other circumstances, this ship could support a number of crew members.

"Team StarFox," said the alien, staring straight at them through the viewscreen. "Or, to be precise, Fox and Krystal McCloud, Slippy and Amanda Toad, and Falco Lombardi. I am honored to make your acquaintance." The StarFox team looked at each other uneasily through their windshields, not knowing how to respond to the strange alien before them. The alien paused for a moment, then continued. "I am Darus, High Commander of the Prenuntius. That is the ship you now see leaving."

"Why did you contact us?" asked Fox, puzzled. Darus seemed to sigh, its shoulders sagging.

"You are just like I expected, Fox. Strong, loyal, and to the point. I only wish we could have met as friends. I contacted you because I am not a heartless killer, and I at least want to see the faces of those who I either will kill or will be killed by today." Darus paused, shifting uneasily. "I want you to know that what I show you now is not by my choice. I fight honorably, and this is just vile. Know that I only act as I am ordered to."

"What do you – " Falco started to ask, but stopped as Darus stepped aside. Katt was there, slumped over unconscious, tied to a swivel chair. Her chest rose and fell softly as she breathed, and she looked unharmed. "She's not dead," whispered Falco in disbelief, not knowing whether he wanted to thank or throttle Darus.

"Careful, Falco," cautioned Fox, his voice wary. "Remember that these are shapeshifters we're dealing with. That might not really be Katt."

"I assure you, this is Katt Monroe. If you wish, I will even lower the psychic nullifiers around her so that your telepath can verify. While it is true that we can mimic brainwaves to an extent, a telepath of your caliber, Krystal McCloud, should be able to easily see through it." Darus pressed a button, and Krystal closed her eyes, delving into the unconscious being's mind. Her eyes snapped open, wide in disbelief.

"By Cerinia," she whispered, shocked, "it IS Katt!" Darus nodded, its eyes that same, calm mask.

"I suppose that this has gone on long enough. It's time that we got down to what we both came here to do. At the end of this day, either you, or I, will fall. I am sorry that your teammate is aboard my vessel; I captured her on Psion's orders when he discovered that Lombardi had feelings for her." Darus walked casually towards the command seat, slowly and deliberately easing itself into the cushions, savoring every sensation of what could be its last moments. "It is time." The strange ship charged them, its wings rotating, bolts of plasma erupting from the cannons on their tips. The team scattered to avoid the barrage, searing bolts of purple energy streaking past their ships. The whole time, Darus left the communications open, letting them see Katt. Fox swooped in, and started shooting at Darus, engaging its vessel in deadly aerial combat.

"FOX! What are you doing?!" yelled Falco, terrified that Katt was aboard the enemy craft. "If you kill him now, Katt dies too!" Fox continued to attack Darus, and fired a charge shot into the its engines, damaging them a distressingly small amount.

"Falco, listen!" said Fox, silencing his protesting friend. "I know that Katt's onboard that ship! Do you think this is easy for me?" Fox sighed, shaking his head. "If I don't take him down, we will all die! I will not let that happen!" Krystal, Slippy and Amanda swooped in after him, all firing at the immense ship. Darus dodged and banked, maneuvering his large craft with incredible grace and agility, doing hairpin turns and sharp banks that only Panther Caroso in his Wolfen could perform. Darus slammed on his brakes, and Slippy zoomed ahead of it, unable to stop in time. Darus opened fire, drilling plasma mercilessly into the Bullfrog. Flames burst from its engines and Slippy began swerving and shaking, desperately trying to get out of the way.

"SLIPPY!" cried Amanda, veering her ship around to help him. She cut across the back of the enemy vessel, peppering it with laser fire. Small holes were drilled into the ship's engines hull, and Darus turned to face Amanda. Slowly, the cannon below the nose of Darus' ship began to glow, electricity arcing in its sinister bowels. Without warning, an immense beam of energy erupted from the cannon, electricity arcing along its length. Amanda moved out of the way just in time, but the beam grazed her ship's tail. She looked back… and saw that half of the Tadpole's tail had been disintegrated Eyes wide, Amanda checked her shields. That one shot had reduced them from 90 percent… to 15. Amanda banked up, barely avoiding a hail of plasma from Darus' cannons.

"Amanda!" yelled slippy through his com, "Are you ok?"

"I'm fine, dear!" she replied struggling with the controls. Darus' eyes went steely on their viewscreens.

"I'm sorry for this, Amanda, Slippy," he said softly. Before anyone could say anything, arcs of energy lanced out from his ship, directly towards Amanda and Slippy. The arcs of lightning sliced through their engines like a hot knife through butter, and the two plummeted to the ground. Fox, Krystal, and Falco stared at Darus in horror; they had never seen such power. Amanda and Slippy hit the ground, and much to the team's relief, did not explode on impact.

"We're okay, guys!" shouted Slippy through his intercom. "Finish the fight without us!" Fox didn't need another suggestion. He zoomed in towards Darus, deftly dodging bolts of plasma and beams of energy. He loosed shot after shot into the ship's hull, and Krystal started attacking from behind, drilling laser bolts into the back of Darus' ship. Darus stumbled in his chair with the impacts, and his eye became grim.

"You truly are skilled pilots, Fox and Krystal McCloud. It is not often that I use this." Before they could ask what Darus meant, four long, pincer-like arms extended from its ship. The arms were claws on the end of chains of plasma. Darus swung the arms out, and Fox and Krystal desperately tried to dodge them. Falco watched in anguish, conflicted. If he did nothing, his friends would die, but if he helped, he would be responsible for the death of Katt. Fox tried to swerve out of the way as two of the claws zoomed towards him, but he was too slow. The claws grabbed the wings of his ship, and slowly began pulling him in front of Darus' main cannon.

"FOX!" Krystal cried in horror. She zoomed in to help him, but as she did, she failed to see the claws coming in towards her. The claws grabbed the body of her ship, bringing her to an abrupt stop. Tears began to pour down her face as Darus' cannon started to charge. "Falco, help him!" she cried, fearing that she could lose Fox. Darus' eyes were calm, but almost looked apologetic.

"Krytal, Fox… I am sorry. Goodbye, Fox McCloud." Fox stared in horror as the energy balled in the cannon; Darus was about to fire, and there was no way that he could survive that. He closed his eyes, waiting for the inevitable… that never came. He opened his eyes, and saw Falco circling Darus' ship, blasting it with bolts of energy. The claws that were holding him and Krystal were gone, severed by Falco's guns. Falco fired bolt after bolt into Darus' ship, tears running down his face.

"YOU MONSTER!" he screamed, rage and anguish inn his eyes and voice. Darus' ship was badly damaged now, and it was having trouble keeping up with the more agile SkyClaw. Fox and Krystal joined in the attack, raining plasma onto Darus' craft. Falco flew directly towards it, and fired his last bomb into it hull. Suddenly, a huge explosion erupted from the back of Darus' ship, and it began to drift slowly to the ground, explosions erupting across its hull. Darus nodded sadly.

"It seems that I have fallen prey to you, Falco Lombardi." Darus paused, its eye downcast. "Today, I die in honor. Goodbye, StarFox. Best of luck to you all." With that Darus stood, saluted, and turned around, and the communications cut off. Falco began to weep bitterly, his hands at his eyes.

"Katt… Katt…"


Katt woke to the sound of sirens blaring. Her eyes flicked open, and widened at the sight. The room was bathed in red light from warning signals, and explosions rocked the ship. She turned her head, and saw Darus standing in front of a supply closet. It turned around, and Katt saw that it had a single parachute in its hands. Her eyes widened, and tear began to spill down her face. Was Darus just going to leave her to die? "Darus!" she cried, her voice panicked. "Don't leave me! I know I'm an enemy, but I don't want to die!" Tears streamed down Katt's face, and Darus began to walk towards her, its eyes calm and determined.

"Katt Monroe…" he said, pulling a slender, terribly sharp knife out of his pauldron. Katt's eyes widened in horror, and she tried desperately to escape, but the steel cables held her fast. Darus raised the knife high above its head, looking Katt straight in the eyes. Katt closed her eye, waiting for the feeling of metal in her flesh, but it never came. She opened her eyes, and saw that Darus had cut her binds on her arms and legs, and was holding the parachute out to her. "This isn't for me." Katt stood, confused.

"What do you mean?" she asked, her eyes wide, her heart pounding in her chest. What was Darus getting at?

"Katt Monroe… you did not ask to be in this fight. You were not a combatant. Only one of u will be leaving this ship… and it will be you." Katt's eyes widened in realization.

"You're going to save me…" she said softly, eyes wide. "But what about you?" Darus stood, straightening its back, and in that moment, Katt thought Darus looked like the knights of hold: honorable, chivalrous, and ready to die.

"I have been defeated in combat: I will die with honor." Katt's jaw dropped: Darus was going to save her; how could she let it die?!

"You can't! Come on, come with me! I'm sure that my team will accept you!" Darus shook his head.

"I have been defeated in battle. Were I to live, I would be giving up something more precious than life: my honor. I told you that I was willing to die for my people. Now, that is what I will do." An explosion rocked the ship, and Katt struggled to remain steady on her feet. Darus stood straight as a rod, his posture military. Once again, he thrust the parachute in Katt's direction. "There is little time left. You must leave!" Katt's eyes grew steely, and a grin formed on her face.

"Not without you," she said determinedly, already devising plans of how Darus could escape with her. Darus sighed, eye downcast.

"I was afraid you would say that." Without warning, Darus shot its arm forward, catching Katt in the stomach and slamming her into the wall. Katt slid down the wall and huddled on her knees, clutching her stomach in pain. Darus walked over to her, and strapped the parachute onto her back. Darus picked her up by the arms, dragging her to the ship's main door. It pushed a combination of buttons, and the door slid open revealing the Doppelganger homeworld. Darus held Katt out of the door by her chest, holding her in one hand and her parachute cord in the other. "Goodbye, Katt Monroe. I ask only one thing of you: remember who I was. Tell of me; do not let my memory fade and be forgotten. Remember me, Katt Monroe. Remember me." Katt nodded, and Darus released her and pulled her parachute cord at once. The parachute billowed out behind Katt, and an updraft pulled her sharply above Darus' falling ship. Her vision went blurry from Darus' blow, and the last thing she saw before fading into unconsciousness was Darus standing in the doorway, saluting her. Then her vision darkened, and she sank into sleep.


Falco and the others flew away from the battlefield. Slippy and Amanda stood on the wings of Fox and Krytal's ships. Falco' eyes were bitter and grim. "Falco," said Fox, "are you alright?"

"I'm fine, foxie," Falco snapped, hi voice cold. Suddenly, he saw a parachute floating up into the sky, a limp form attached to it. Falco's eyes widened; had Darus survived and left Katt to die?! Suddenly, Krystal opened communications.

"Everybody look!" she exclaimed, pointing at the parachute. "It's Katt! Katt's alive!" Falco didn't need a second warning. He zoomed off towards her, pushing his damaged ship to the limits. As he drew close to the parachute, tears of joy formed in his eyes: it was her! Katt was alive! Her eyes were closed, but she was alive. He slowed down, bringing his ship under her, and opened his cockpit, letting her drift gently down into his ship with him. He cut the cords attaching her to the chute, and watched as the billowing fabric blew away in the wind. He closed the cockpit, and followed Fox towards the Ensthiasmus, carrying his beloved away from the torn landscape.


Katt woke, rubbing her forehead. She slowly opened her eyes, and saw that she was in a white bed, white sheets draped over her form. She felt something on her hand, and looked to her side. Falco was there, clasping her hand in his, smiling broadly. Katt's eyes widened. "Oh, uh, well, hello," she said sheepishly, blushing slightly. Falco put a finger to her lips, silencing her.

"Shhh, it's alright, you're safe now," he said softly, tears of happiness budding in his eyes. Katt threw herself into his body, hugging him tightly. Falco hugged her close to his body, all the fear and anguish pouring out at once. "I'm so glad you're okay," he said softly, trying and failing to keep his cool. Katt laughed.

"What's this? Does Falco Lombardi actually have emotions?!" she said sarcastically, hugging him tighter. "It's good to be back," she said softly, closing her eyes. Falco pulled out of the hug, and Katt opened her eyes, confused. Falco looked concerned, and shockingly, almost worried.

"What did they do to you? Did Darus hurt you? Are you okay?" he said worriedly, holding her shoulders. Katt frowned, her eye sad.

"All Darus did was tie me to a comfortable chair." Katt looked up at Falco; he was confused. "Falco… Darus told me what it believed in. It told me of their culture, how they're raised and taught. Darus told me its philosophy. It told me that it didn't enjoy killing, but rather fought for the test of skill between pilots, fought for honor, and most importantly, fought for its people. It told me that it didn't want to do what it was doing; using me in battle went against all of its principles. But their Queen had decreed that what Psion said was the path to betterment for their people, so Darus followed Psion's orders. In the end… Darus saved me." At this, Falco's eyes widened. He had never thought that Doppelgangers could be actual people, he had always thought of them as evil monsters, things to be destroyed. "As the ship was going down, Darus gave me a parachute, and pushed me out of the main door." Falco looked shocked.

"What happened to it?" asked Falco, genuinely wanting to hear the rest of the story. Katt looked away, her eyes sad.

"Darus… Darus stayed behind. It died for its honor, and in the belief that it was doing the right thing for its people." Katt looked up into Falco's eyes, and Falco gazed into hers. In that moment, the two connected like they never had before. Slowly, they moved forward, their lips parting slightly, and met. Aboard the Ensthiasmus, in the hospital wing, Katt Monroe and Falco Lombardi shared their first, real, kiss.


Ooh! Katt and Falco, sitting in a tree! K-I-S-S- Ow! Stop hitting me! Ahhh! Not the claws! Agh, sharp, sharp!

Ouch... after being beat up by Katt and Falco, I continue this monotony. What did you thionk of this chapter? What were you expecting when you saw the name Hero? This chapter shows that there are always heroes on both sides of the battlefield. I hope you enjoyed it!

Please R&R!

-Baeowulf