A/N: I had a few ideas while toiling with this chapter. I decided that we needed more action for Fox and Fara because that's what I'm all about! However, I want to do a little something for Fay and Miyu for you guys, then go and give Fox and Fara some good romance scenes…So, in this chapter, we'll see action. In the next chapter, we'll see Fay and Miyu prove themselves as elite pilots which gets them into StarFox down the road (but they obviously don't stay by the time Falco leaves, leading up to the Sauria Mission). Also, Fox and Fara's relationship will start to evolve quickly in the next chapter and Fox will stick around a little longer and run a few missions for Corneria. There will be some good future GreatFox detail scenes but it won't happen right away, so just give me some time. Time to jump into the thick of it... here we go!

My first nearly chapter-length obligatory car chase action scene is about to happen
:D

Chapter -10-
"On Rails"

…Half an hour before sunrise.

Miyu picked up an ugly flannel shirt, inspecting the cloth. She glanced back at Fara and tilted her head. "This doesn't look your style and it's certainly not mine. To whom does it belong?" She leaned in and gave a sniff at the fabric then scrunched her nose a bit.

"It belongs to Cindy," said Fara. "She was my old roommate until last month. She took an assignment on Fortuna and I hardly see her now."

"Military?"

Fara shook her head slowly. "Not exactly. It's hard to explain. She's a scientist who works for the military. You wouldn't know she's smart by talking to her." The vixen tilted her head, watching Miyu's nose twitch after having sniffed at the shirt. "She's an ocelot. She was around when that whole thing went down with the Cornerian double agent, working for Venom."

"Josh," replied Miyu with a firm nod.

A nod was returned. "You remembered," said Phoenix with a soft voice. "You know, I'll always appreciate you running in there and stopping them. And now that we've met, I've got you flying a modified M-Class fighter with Fay Spaniel. It won't be much longer before you're in an Arwing, flying for me. I really look forward to having my own squadron."

"I'm patient. I'm satisfied staying on the MP detail for the moment." Miyu hooked a thumb over her shoulder at the locked bedroom door. "And what about McCloud? Don't get me wrong, he's an okay guy… I don't think he understands my sense of humor but, other than that, he seems alright. Are you thinking about dating him?"

"It's been one full day," said Fara with a shrug. "Just like Cindy; everyone is so curious who the rich-girl is going to date. Just think, if he and I did start a relationship, the media would eat it up. They'd be asking him a hundred questions every time they spot us together. I don't want to put him through that. If we do date, I'd rather keep it between us for a while. He'll know when he's ready to receive media attention. And just think, Miyu, if he does successfully drive back Venom forces…" She paused then slumped back on her bed, ankles crossed. "…He'd become a local celebrity on his own merit. General Pepper was quite the local legend for about two or three weeks; people will make Fox their idol for a little while if he keeps flying the way he has so far."

Miyu grinned. Her ears flickered and her whiskers laid back along her muzzle with a grin spreading across her lips. "You mean the way he saved you, liberated the western sector and shut down the Venom advance, while the rest of his team was off racking up a kill score… which makes him an aerial commando flyboy. The kind of stuff you read about, or watch movies about… The kind of stunts that make for good entertainment and turn into comics and video games, right?" The aristocratic feline shook her head and shrugged, gently rolling her shoulders forward. "He probably thinks I'm weird because I made a joke about using the handcuffs on him."

"You didn't!" Fara blinked at her friend, trying to hold back laughter. "What did he say?"

Lynx yawned softly, cutting her eyes to the clock. She looked to the dark window on the far side of the room then turned back to Fara, shifting her weight on the large mattress. The soft illumination of a nightlight gave Miyu's eyes a glassy green glow and she grinned yet again. "He ignored me and went back to bed. What happened was… he woke me up trying to look for the bathroom. I know you heard him with those huge ears of yours."

"Obviously, hon." Phoenix tilted her head forward. "I'm awake, aren't I?" She laid back on her pillow, propping her head with an arm. "So you had a few minutes to talk to him. That's actually the whole reason I sat up and started talking to you when you came back in here. What I mean to say is… Obviously I'm a poor judge of character to have gone on a few casual dates with a Venom Spy. So what do you think of him?"

"First of all," Miyu crawled across the mattress to her own side. She rolled over and kicked her borrowed slippers to the floor then pulled the covers back over herself. "You didn't catch feelings for that creep because you subconsciously knew he was nothing special. So don't be so hard on yourself. If anything it was playing dress up for free outings. Second of all, Fox risked his life without backup to not only help you, but to avenge the loss of your plane. He's got good intentions. I am a pretty good judge of character and he's the kind of guy that means well. If he wasn't so interested in you, I'd go get a drink with him. I have really high standards and, if you're asking me of my opinion, well… he makes the cut."

"Do you think it would intimidate him to go on a few dinner dates with the daughter of Zerda Phoenix? That's my biggest hang up… finding guys who are comfortable around me."

Miyu licked her right paw then pushed her moistened fingertips between her ears to make her headfur lay a certain way. She shifted her weight to get comfortable on her pillow and wiggled down into the mattress. "Based on our conversation I've already formulated my opinion of him. Oh, he seems comfortable around you. I don't think it's an issue for him. He doesn't seem easily intimidated around anyone; I think it would be hard to imagine Fox being shy towards any one person for any one reason. If he were, there would have to be a very good reason behind his discomfort. All in all, he seems like a highly adaptable and intelligent young man. …You're not still going to make breakfast for him, are you?"

"Should I not?" Fara leaned up on an elbow, peering over the lump of covers at her friend. "I had planned to, yes." She fidgeted for a moment, licked her lips then leaned up a bit more on her left elbow. She cut a sidelong glance at her friend and said, "Is it foolish of me to catch feelings so quickly? Do you think he'll feel awkward if I make him breakfast in bed?"

The lynx shut her eyes and, in her bubbly high-pitched voice, said, "If you ask me, you should sleep in. Let's call it a test, if you will. We'll stay in bed until noon to see what he'll do. Anyhow, goodnight Fara."

"Goodnight," replied the vixen, leaning back into her pillow with a sigh. She lay there for a while longer, waiting for sleep to reoccur.

The next morning…

"Just tell my next patient to come on back, John," said the dentist, removing his latex gloves. "And you really need to cut back on the sweets." The cougar tossed his gloves into a plastic waste bin then approached the General and, in a more personal tone, added, "I understand it's how you control your glucose throughout the day, but they do have glycemic alternatives. They make glucose tablets that are sort of like a wafer. I'm telling you, your teeth aren't doing well with this new candy diet."

The small office, converted into a private medical room, had a stool, a bed and a sink at the far end. Two military physicians began using the room to provide checkups on the brass locked up in the bunker together. General Pepper sighed softly and nodded to the dentist with a frown. "I'll do my best. I'll see who is next in line for you. Thanks doc, my pain is gone at least… I'll admit that was an embarrassing way to get a dental checkup."

"John, there's nothing embarrassing about having something wedged between two molars. But you are lucky I was around to get it out for you, or you wouldn't have known you were well on your way to three cavities." The dentist walked back to the counter and removed two fresh plastic gloves from a box. "Send in the next patient, General. And remember what I told you… no more lollypops."

"You said to cut back on sweets," Pepper retorted in an almost melancholy way.

The dentist, only a Major by comparison, offered his superior officer a stern look. "Cut back in sugary food all together. There are alternatives for your mid-day blood-sugar boost. However, you need to lose the sucker pops completely."

John Pepper, acting General of the Cornerian forces, couldn't scold the subordinate man due to the situation. He sighed again and nodded then walked through the door and out into the larger room. Once he was out of the doctor's sight, he removed a lollypop from his pocket and brought the wrapper up to his front teeth, ready to tear it open. His eyes stopped on the three men who waited outside of the medical office and he froze with a thoughtful frown. His big brown orbs panned over three saber-toothed rodents, rats to be exact, of varying ranks. They each looked miserable and had teeth that extended over their bottom lip in a menacing way.

Pepper glanced back at the door from which he'd just emerged then returned his eyes to the three bucktoothed rats waiting in line. "Goodness." He couldn't say much more. They each cradled their jaw at a different angle, looking to be in a foul mood. Pepper's lower lip tightened a bit. 'That dentist has some courage, knowing these guys are out here, waiting to see him.' His thoughts continued with, 'He's probably the bravest person on this base, as far as I'm concerned.' Pepper coughed into his paw to get their attention, deposited the unopened lollypop into his pocket then said, "Next patient, please." He walked past the three men, headed down the nearby hallway and out to the larger section of the bunker.

"General!" someone called out. John's eyes flitted about the room, looking for the source of the voice. A group of officers huddled around a radio looked up at him. One of them waved him over and said, "General Pepper, come and listen to this! There's been a huge attack on the base in the last hour, Sir!"

The hefty hound quickened his pace and approached the crowd of men. They parted for his presence, allowing him to get closer to the radio to hear. The announcer had a measure of panic in his voice. "…across the city! It seems they knew just when to strike! Again, for those just tuning in, the forces responsible for pinning down the Westtown sector a few days ago have now focused their attention on the Capital City military base! They've been met with little resistance so far and have stormed the gates and set fire to several buildings including the Post Exchange and several military businesses near the military residential sector!"

"Why didn't anyone call my attention to this? Why haven't our men up top reported this?" No one seemed to have an answer. "Dear Goddess," murmured Pepper. "With us down here in the bunker, most of their resistance has been against mere cadets with no formal leadership."

Chester placed a spotted feline paw on the General's shoulder and said, "Sir, we're safe here, General. The bunker is impenetrable. We need to start sending the surviving military down into the cave system beneath the bunker so that we can start planning out a resistance procedure. However, no one is allowed to go outside until our science team has finished working on stopping that virus."

Pepper frowned again. He glanced back to the radio for a moment then turned his attention back to the Lieutenant, the cheetah who had been in the control tower during the Arwing training exercise, yesterday. The brown-furred canine lifted his broad shoulders then dropped them with a sigh. "Sector Three is still on quarantine, but did word get out on that?"

Chester shook his head in reply. "It seems the public, including the media, still have no idea that part of the base was locked down. They only recently got word that we all headed underground. For all they know, we're hiding because of Venom's attack."

"Have upper enlisted members head down into the caves, beneath the bunker. Have a small group of Officers go down there and start briefing them on our backup plan for retaking the base. You'll find files in the library at the back detailing a special counter-offensive known as Omega, Whisky Tango Foxtrot. But no one moves until ordered to do so. I don't need for our forces to come down with this sickness and, who knows, it's quite possible that the invaders will get sick instead… then we only need to wait them out."

"Aye, Sir!" The Lieutenant turned to the assembled men and cupped his paws in front of his muzzle. He shouted to the group and started putting Pepper's orders into motion. Pepper stayed silent, leaning in to listen to the radio broadcast.

"May the Goddess help anyone still up top." Pepper sighed and settled down on the floor near the radio. He ran his fingers back through his hair in an attempt to remain calm.

A cerulean veneer covered her paw. Her fingertips trailed over his knuckles, drawing his attention up to her soft green eyes. Her other paw moved to his face, cupping the side of his jaw in her palm. She leaned forward like so many other times, but this time she simply brushed her lips against his nose. "Perhaps it's best that we …take a break from one another." Her voice sounded wonderful. Her elegant wording and angelic tone sent a shiver down his spine.

"Will I see you again?"

The woman smiled. The expressive gesture came with a sparkle in her eyes. She nodded in silence then leaned up to kiss his forehead. "Yes, if you're careful. But I'm afraid it won't happen if you don't wake up."

McCloud frowned, placing his right paw on the dream girl's hip. "Why? It seems as though we never get time together. And now you're telling me you want a break? I suppose it just doesn't seem very, you know… fair."

"Life isn't always fair, sweet one." She lowered her head into the crook of his neck then inhaled deeply of his scent. Fox shivered again. He couldn't help but shutter ever so slightly beneath her touch and the feel of her nose against his neck made his knees feel weak. Her voice, muffled against his neck, filled the air again. "If you don't open your eyes, I may never have the chance to see you again. For now, however, I think we should take a little break. I want you to explore your options, sweetheart. You have one laid out before you as of right now. It could take you down a far different path and …possibly for the better. Regardless, I'm begging of you to open your eyes. I don't mean for this goodbye to happen so quickly but we have no choice in the matter. At least not right now. Please, open your eyes, Fox."

"But why?" Fox tilted his head, asking the question as if he were a smile child. "What happens if I don't? Call me selfish but I enjoy seeing you."

"Our lives depend on one simple action," said the blue-furred vixen. She cupped either side of his face, looked straight into his eyes and said, "One more thing; there will be a lot of distraction going on, but I'll give you a sign to help you. I want you to stay open-minded and watch for my sign."

"What should I look for?" he asked in a reverent sort of voice.

"A shiny brass object should be all you need." She placed her paws on either side of his face, kissed him softly then spoke in an imploring tone. "Open your eyes, Fox. Wake up, please. Open your eyes and take a deep breath; it's an emergency. Wake up!"

Fox McCloud's eyes snapped open and his nostrils flared. He inhaled deeply then blinked twice. "…Smoke?" He kicked the sheets off of his legs and ran to the front door. The morning sunlight cast a shadow over the front yard. Fox stood on the stoop, facing west, where a dark cloud of smoke billowed into the sky the next sector over. He rubbed his eyes with the backside of his paws then looked again.

"Why isn't anyone doing anything about this?" he demanded to the quiet military neighborhood. The otherwise serine atmosphere turned to an earsplitting noise which moved from right to left overhead. Fox ran down the walkway and turned around to see what just flew over the house. His eyes narrowed and his right paw lifted to block out the sunlight. His jaw became slack upon realization that a Venom Flea Class attack fighter continued by, heading south. His gaze widened in alarm at the sight of more smoke billowing into the air, coming from beyond the roofline of Fara's home – the next sector over wasn't the only part of the base under attack. Fire roared out of control, reaching high above the rooftop of the two story duplex directly behind Fara's house. "…Crap!"

McCloud stood there in a moment of shock, wearing only sweat pants. The fur of his torso rustled with the strong gale that followed in the wake of the passing fighter. His tail flitted in annoyance and his ears lowered. He ran back into the house just as Fara came out of her bedroom door.

"What was that noise?" she asked, still half asleep. "It's only quarter till nine in the friggin' morning."

"We're under attack!" Fox shouted. "The house behind us is engulfed in flames; you only have enough time to grab things that are small and irreplaceable. We'll take your car to the barracks, get the guys and head to the hanger."

Miyu came from the bedroom, not yet looking awake enough to be panicked and said, "The most direct route to the main base is through Sector Three which is quarantined."

Fox snarled in reply. He snatched the duffle bag from the floor near the front door and slung it over his shoulder. "Then we'll have to go the long way." He pushed his feet into the boots that were near the sofa bed and said, "Simple clothes with long sleeves; no shorts. Both of you, hurry up."

Fara blinked and backed into her bedroom. Miyu turned to her, she reached up and rubbed the sleep from the vixen's eyes and said, "Shake it off, honey; we'll be okay. He wants us to wear sleeves and pants to protect our fur. But if we have to wade through any burning buildings, he doesn't want us wearing anything that will catch, either." She gave a tug at the frilly evening gown Fara wore and frowned. "Like this, for example. We'll split up. Listen, Fara, I'm going to take the marked cruiser and try to secure one of the anti-aircraft guns in Sector Four. You and Fox need to hurry; if they destroy the hanger, we've lost all hope. After you drop him off, come find me; there are only two AA guns in the fourth sector. I'll be in the one that is shooting down Venom fighters." She offered a sly little grin then, as if to remind the vixen, said, "Avoid Sector Three." She gathered her uniform into her arms and headed back out of the bedroom.

The lynx stopped at the front door and said, "Fox, you'd better take care of her. She trusts you, so I should too. But please take care… I'm going to try and man one of the anti aircraft guns to provide some sort of cover. If I can keep them occupied, I might be able to buy you guys the time you need to get to the hanger. Stay sharp." She lifted her palm to her lips then blew him a kiss and told him, "Good luck and remember to avoid Sector Three." She then dashed through the front door and into the Military Police cruiser out by Fara's convertible.

Fox pulled a shirt on over his body and re-shouldered his bag then asked, "Are you almost ready? We've got to hurry! The fire has spread to your backyard!" He approached a nearby window and pushed the translucent curtain aside. The flames danced over the wooden fence that separated the small section of grass between the two homes. The plastic bowl of a birdbath in the garden began to tip over. The heat caused the plastic stem to grow soft and the water-filled section on top pitched forward, spilling the water into the flowers nearby. The wooden fence collapsed, causing the flames to fan up and out.

He backed away from the window and said, "Let's go, it seems to be spreading quick. Grab your car keys!"

"I've got them in my paw," Fara called back. "I'm almost ready! I just need my ID card so I can get us through the electric fence! I don't know where I put it!"

Fox watched the duplex. The walls of the first floor collapsed. The second floor of the structure dropped down and billowed away from the burning remains. Fiery wreckage scattered out, raining hot debris on Fara's back lawn. A burning piece of half-melted plastic siding fell to the grass only a few inches from the sliding-glass door that led to the backyard. Seconds later a fiery chunk of wood smashed through the glass and landed on the living room floor.

"It's time to go, now!" Fox shouted. "Or we're going to have real problems and…" A massive crashing sound stifled Fox's voice, leaving him to gawk. He tossed his duffle bag over by the front door and dashed into Fara's bedroom. She lay on the floor at the foot of the bed; the roof collapsed over the headboard. A flaming tree branch extended through the new hole in her roof, hanging only a few feet above the mattress.

Flames licked across the stucco ceiling and down the far wall of her room. The fine oak headboard came into contact with the burning branch. Fox caught a glimpse at another Venom fighter thundering by through the new gap in the ceiling. He could barely hear the scream of its engines over the ambient roar of the flames.

Fox knelt down besides her, placing his paws beneath her arms. "C'mon, let's go!"

"We need that access card!" Fara shouted. "We need it!"

Fox glanced back up at the burning branch that extended from a large tree that stood adjacent to her home. The mighty limb began to lower, bringing the fiery mass closer to them. Part of the wall supported its weight but a loud grunting sound caused Fox's ears to flicker. The wall began to give out; a crack ran down along the white plaster surface. McCloud's eyes widened and he shoved Fara beneath the bed.

She rolled under the mattress just as the limb dropped down. It brushed against the top of the bed but its billowing branches covered most of the room. It knocked trinkets off of the dresser and armoire, lowering further as the back wall and ceiling continued to give away. Fox put his feet on the box spring above Fara's head and pushed his body back towards the bedroom doorway to avoid being swatted in the face by the branch's fiery fingertips.

Burning leaves littered the floor and aided in catching the bed on fire, leaving Fara to scramble to the far left, beneath the box-spring. Fox rolled out of the bedroom and paused for an instant. A brass handle reflected the daylight of the front doorway which caused him to blink in realization. He cut his gaze to the laundry room and dashed towards it. His shoulder met the white door, knocking it wide open, cracking the frame work in the process. His ears flickered but his mind barely registered the brass catch plate skittering noisily across the laundry room floorboards. The teenage boy stumbled into the small room dominated by a washing machine and dryer against the wall. The bouncing metal plate stopped in the left corner, besides the dryer, grabbing his attention again. His eyes lifted from the shiny brass object and stopped on a fire extinguisher hanging from a hook next to the dryer which still had a basket of her clothes sitting atop of the boxy white appliance.

He grabbed the red cylinder, threw it into the laundry basket that had her sweats and leotard then carried the basket back into the foyer. He tossed the basket on the floor and took the extinguisher back to the bedroom doorway. Fox wasted no time; he pulled the pin and squeezed the trigger, aiming the nozzle at hip level. Once he made a path to the bed, he used the canister as a blunt weapon, clearing gnarled twigs and upper branches that separated him from the vixen cowering underneath.

"Let's go!" he shouted. Fox dropped to his knees and reached for her paw. His fingers brushed along the floor and stopped against a plastic card. He knelt lower and looked into her wide eyes. McCloud lifted the white rectangular pass and her jaw dropped.

"That's it!" she exclaimed. "That's the swipe card we need to open the gate! It's like… sweet indemnity." Once again, like the time she seemed reluctant to eject from her Arwing, she sought to make light of the situation with what she considered a humorous one liner. "You carry that catcher's mitt wherever you go, don't you?" She saw his expression and added, "Okay, okay Fox! We can go now! I swear!"

He wiped the card against his shirt then placed it into his mouth and clamped down just as a precaution. His fingers closed around her biceps and he pulled her out from beneath the bed. Fueled by adrenaline, Fox stood up and lifted her to her feet in one graceful move. He pulled her close, forcing her face against his chest to protect her from the smoke and burning remains. Fire rose up from the mattress, dancing wildly upon the sheets and blankets.

He pulled her towards the bedroom door, looking down to make sure she was all right. His fur fluffed up, startled out of his mind, at the sound of her shrieking voice. "Fox, look out!"

He lifted his head; his eyes widened, coming face to face with a lizard festooned in shiny, almost ceramic-like attack gear. The lizard's green maw contorted into a sort of smirk. He drew a Venom-issue pistol and pointed it at McCloud. He stepped in front of Fara to protect her but she seemed to have her own ideas. The vixen dropped to her knees, crawling through the bedroom, alongside her mattress. She kept her head low and gave herself plenty of room to avoid the heat of the fire that now engulfed her king sized bed. Fox watched her over his shoulder, out of the corner of his eye. "Fara what are you doing?" He erupted in muffled words of disbelief over the plastic card between his lips. His eyes cut back to the shiny armored reptile. "You came for her didn't you? You want those secret bombs for yourself, don't you?" He used his tongue to push the card from the right side of his muzzle over to the left.

"You're very perceptive, young S-s-sir." The elite guard gave his pistol a twirl then re-aimed it at Fox's face. "Now step aside; she's mine. I won't hurt her if you both cooperate."

Back in the fiery bedroom, Fara opened her dresser drawer and took out a pair of jeans then opened another drawer and removed two socks. First, she pulled each sock over her right paw, then she wrapped the denim around the protective cotton socks. She reached up to the back of the mattress for something hidden under her pillow. The heated weapon hurt to hold despite three layers of fabric between the handgun and her velvet padded palm.

The adrenaline took over and she got to her feet. She came up behind Fox, aimed over his shoulder and pulled the trigger with a smirk. The powerful hand-cannon fired in silence. The extension barrel suppressed its flash and helped weigh the front end down to reduce recoil. Its destructive energy round connected with the guard's chest plate, causing his body to jerk back. However, the reflective armor deflected the energy round, forcing it upwards. The disrupter's discharge slammed into the living room ceiling, leaving a large hole with an eclipsing scorch mark to surround it. The lizard grinned and re-aimed his weapon, moving closer in defiance after having taken such a powerful attack to his armor.

Fox reached back for Fara with his free left paw, closing his fingers around her forearm. He guided her weapon down towards the floor and moved over to defend her with his own body.

The lizard eased his gun to the side, trying to get a bead on Phoenix. "I'm going to break your jaw for trying my patience, vixen." McCloud's ears flickered at the sound of the bedroom's window shattering from heat. The thermal intensity changed with most of the heat being sucked towards the window. The lizard's eyes flitted from left to right, also having heard the glass pane burst. Fox's sharp gaze gauged the direction of the weapon then he noted the lizard's distracted expression.

Still holding the fire extinguisher in his palm, opposite of Fara, Fox lifted his right arm, delivering an uppercut. The red metal canister, an extension of his paw, connected beneath the reptile's jowl. The lizard careened into the linen closet door and slid down to the carpeted floor. "Not if I break yours first," McCloud sneered over the plastic ID card wedged between his lips. Fox lifted the canister above his head to finish the job when something forceful struck it.

Chalky white foam poured out of the canister, creating a plume of solution. Fox's other paw released Fara's arm. Unable to hold the overheated weapon any longer, she dropped it on the floor and peeled the jeans and socks away from her forearm, leaving Fox to blink in regard to the situation. The young pilot stepped forward, through the doorway, blocking Fara in a protective manner. He motioned with his free paw for her to move towards the exit with caution. She did so, pressing herself against his back as they moved together. Fox glanced back at her then continued forward, through the doorway and into the living room. He came face to face with a second lizard that stood next to his duffle and Fara's laundry basket. He still held the fire extinguisher which now had a hole in the side from a blaster held by the other lizard. This one didn't wear any special armor and looked to be from a different division of the Venom Military.

"That shot was meant for your face," shouted the scaly brown skinned soldier. "You're lucky I only hit the…"

Fox didn't waste time on the Imperial lizard. He threw the canister at his attacker which knocked the blaster out of the soldier's hand. The reptile doubled over to reach for it but instead his face met Fox's foot which launched him to the left, over the coffee table that sat out in the open, parallel to the sofa bed.

The soldier toppled over the table, leaving him exposed to vulpine wrath. Fox tightened his mouth around the plastic card then hurdled over the table; he pounced the lizard bringing down all the weight and force that a single man could muster. He knelt over the fallen reptile; his eyes landed on the nearby extinguisher, disfigured from improper use. McCloud brought the damaged metal canister down on the second lizard's head, smashing him in the face.

Fox got to his feet and gazed over his shoulder at an ash-covered fennec who stood in her bedroom doorway. Her nightgown, covered by the chalky flame retardant solution used to save her life, looked equally disheveled and even tattered at a glance. She picked up the flowing gown in her paws and held it at hip height then broke into a loose sprint towards the front door. He followed suit, snatching the laundry basket and his duffle on the way out. They both went for her car.

He threw the laundry basket, filled with folded clothes, into the backseat of her convertible. He took a brief moment to wedge it between the backrest of the driver's seat and the cushion of the back seat. Fox placed his duffle on top to act as a weight to her folded apparel. She tossed him the keys. Fox threw the fire extinguisher on the ground and caught the keys with his left paw, reaching for the door handle with his right. He spit out the pass card, which landed in a cup holder between the two front seats. "You'll have to show me how to get to the hanger. Remember, we have to avoid the quarantined sector."

"Right," Fara chimed in. "Going through Sector Three is the most direct way but it's a health risk, so we'll take the scenic route." She gathered her now-dingy gown into her paws and sank into the passenger seat. "I can't believe how bold they are!" She glanced back towards the house then shouted, "FOX!"

McCloud spun about just in time to see an injured lizard in the doorway take aim and fire. He ducked the shot which nearly clipped his left ear. The vulpine boy rolled away from the car to keep it from being shot up. He tossed the keys back to Fara and shouted, "Put'em in the ignition!" He then grabbed for the red extinguisher but another blaster shot sent it flying out across the paved road. Fox jumped to his feet and broke into a sprint towards the lizard on the stoop.

The reptile tried to take aim again but Fox evasively faked to the left. The lizard jerked his weapon to the side to counter Fox's approach but was caught off guard by the Cornerian's faux maneuver. McCloud dodged back to the right and dove through the doorway, tackling his scaly foe to the living room floor. Somewhere in the background, he heard Fara scream his name again.

The interior of the house had succumbed to the fire. It spread along the ceiling and now covered most of the furnishings save for the coffee table. Fox's flying tackle sent both of them sprawling backwards so that the lizard's shoulders met that very same knee-high table. Surprisingly it held both their weight for several seconds before the legs snapped. They dropped with Fox still on top. The wooden structure, now flat beneath the lizard's body, provided Fox with a piece of wood to use as a weapon.

He snatched up a blunt wooden leg, as long as his forearm, and struck the soldier across the face repeatedly while using his other paw to snatch the blaster from the man's clawed hand. It went off twice, punching holes through the ceiling.

A red blaster beam erupted from the roof, leaving Fara to gasp from where she sat in the car. She watched in horror which changed to curiosity upon seeing the green skinned lizard with the shiny torso plate leap out the side window. He picked himself up from the grass and cupped his broken jaw, running off into the distance.

Back inside the house Fox wrestled the amber-skinned soldier, whipping his enemy with the wooden weapon. "Let go, dammit!" he hollered, trying to beat his enemy senseless with one paw and steal the pistol with his other. "Let GO!" he shouted, forcing both of his paws outwards. Without another thought, Fox jerked his head downwards, shattering the lizard's snout with his forehead. The heat of the blaze became too intense for the lizard to handle; where Fox had a fur coat to ward off the powerful thermal wave, the reptile's skin began to crack and peel. His blood began to boil and he crumbled to the floor, releasing the weapon.

Fox clinched his teeth together and made a split-second decision. He lifted the collapsed man over his shoulder and carried his enemy out of the house. Once they were out on the lawn, he threw the man into the grass and immediately stunned him with the blaster. McCloud lifted his gaze to Fara who sat in the car with a terrified look on her face. Fox frowned in reply to her expression and told her, "I couldn't let him burn alive; no one needs to suffer when they die. Besides, Corneria will need someone to question when this is all over."

"I didn't know you were a humanitarian," she returned, sinking back into the passenger seat. "Let's hurry, Fox."

McCloud frowned. "I'm not," he said, sliding down into the driver's seat. "But leaving someone in a fire to get barbecued isn't right either. You either kill them yourself or you disable them for capture. You don't leave them to get cooked by a house fire. There are many rules that we check at the door when on a battlefield but there's only one code of honor; the rules change when it's mano y mano."

"Noble, Fox, but risking your fur for the enemy isn't exactly… I don't know." She trailed off then waved her paws at him to hurry.

Fox pulled the car door shut, glanced back at the burning house then looked down to the lizard in the grass again. He sighed, took the wheel in his left paw and reached for the shifter with his right. He paused then shook his head and explained, "In order to differentiate one side from the other, there has to be a good side in this war."

"Even if it's one they started?" she asked. "At some point, war is just fighting to survive. It's just the contrasting, opposing sides trying to finish the day's battle so they can make camp one more night. Before long, no one even remembers why they are fighting; they just want to see their way to the next sunset. This amalgamation, that federation, this coalition, that confederacy, this alliance, that league. In the end, it's just side A and side B. And the sad thing is, Corneria doesn't have a reason to be at war. We have every right to defend ourselves or hide like our Cornerian ancestors, but now look at us… we're planning and building weapons to make an offensive push right back to Venom. And I heard that it won't even be the first time, either." She glared at the lizard. It struggled to breathe, shedding some of his cracked skin. The cold blooded reptile lay there with a bloody nose and its mouth wide open. "He'll just live to fight another day thanks to you. I'll be blunt, Fox… if he doesn't die today, another Cornerian will die tomorrow" Fara looked over at McCloud then glanced back at the stunned reptile in the grass, ten feet from the road.

She turned her head back towards Fox and slumped back in her chair. Fara cleared her throat then changed the subject. "Unless you've lived on base, the roads can get confusing. We'll go through town. Maybe we can cut across the golf course or the park or something. Let's eyeball it as we go."

"Fair enough." Fox nodded and gave the key a turn in the ignition and the vehicle lifted up, supported by the anti-gravity hovering pads beneath the automobile. "But if it's all the same to you, let's avoid wide open spaces like driving through a golf course. A red car driving through an open green field is just asking for trouble with Imperial Fighters in the sky." His words were met by a dry sort of glare and so he replied with a grim smile then let off the clutch and pulled forward, gunning the accelerator.

The red convertible was truly a driver's car. The turning felt firm; not too cushy. Fox could almost feel the road – an impossible feat for any hover car, including this one. The luxury steering system simulated the road's natural feel, however. Fox found himself rather surprised by its responsiveness. It felt like driving his grandfather's wheeled sedan from when he was still a teenager. The convertible offered a definitively incredible driving experience, regardless of having no physical contact with the ground.

The engine growled through the first three gears, generating raw torque but by the sixth gear it purred at around forty-five hundred RPMs. At one hundred and fifty-five miles an hour, it tore through the flat section of the golf course with ease. Just as Fox predicted, a Venom fighter came to bare down upon them, half covering the convertible in the jet's shadow. "I don't know how I let you talk me into this!" Fox shouted over the ambiance of whipping wind.

The fighter lowered in altitude, as if moving in for a kill. "They'd follow us no matter where we went," Fara called back over the roar of the fighter's engines, directly above them. "But at least now you have the room to drive evasively, where you'd have to dodge things on the roadways. I don't have any weapons in this car, Fox! I mean, I do but they're in the trunk and I can't get to that while you're driving. You'll just have to drive with your head!"

"Well, let's lose him," McCloud said in a softer voice, more to himself than to her. He weaved to the right and the jet followed. He moved to the left and the shadow moved once more, overtop the convertible. He eased off the accelerator and downshifted, slowing to one hundred twenty-five miles an hour. The fighter slowed, still covering them. "He won't slow down to sixty miles an hour; he'd stall out – I doubt he's stupid enough to fall for it but…" Fox trailed off.

He eased down to third gear and tapped the brakes. The fighter slowed but, rather than stalling, he overturned to create drag in order to stay with the car. McCloud looked up at the lizard in the cockpit and narrowed his gaze. They weren't dealing with an average pilot; the "plus-5" indicator painted on the hull near the canopy indicated that this reptile had achieved the status of 'ace'. McCloud stomped on the brakes and the convertible grunted, coming to a full stop.

The Venom fighter righted itself then pulled into a loop. Fox frowned then shifted into first gear and floored the accelerator. As the fighter reemerged from its loop, bearing down on them, it opened fire. Blaster marks scorched the putting green where the car had rested only seconds prior. McCloud redlined the car then shifted into second, climbing past sixty-five. He jerked the wheel right, narrowly avoiding another volley of blaster fire.

Fara clamped her paws around the door handle, her other paw closing about the seatbelt mount between the cushion and center console. Her eyes flitted back up and, in the background she heard Fox shout something sounding like, 'hold on' or something close to that effect. Her gaze returned to the grassy stretch before them; her pupils dilated. Her torso tightened. "Fox, there're more of them!" A squadron of five ships came at them from a thousand meters at twelve o'clock, bearing down at a high rate of speed. "They're coming right for us!"

"Good," she heard Fox say.

"Are you crazy?"

McCloud reached for the shifter again, offered her a smile and said, "At least they're not strafing the hangers and runway!" She couldn't argue with his logic. She simply held on for her life. Her body jolted with another quick maneuver, evading to the left followed by another left, leading into a quick right. Fox jolted left then right once more, now driving her convertible as if he were participating in a slalom race.

In an attempt to break the tension with a dash of humor, she leaned towards him and spoke into his ear over the roar of multiple engines. "I have insurance; stop driving like you're afraid to scratch it, Fox!"

Fox McCloud cut a quick grin at her. He shifted his eyes to her soft, feminine face then dipped his sea-green hues for a mere second, drinking in her somewhat demure facial features. Without actually giving her some sort of notice, he jerked the wheel back to the left, causing the fighter to break to port in pursuit. "There's no way he can see us with his own eyes down here," Fox explained over the ambient noise. "He's flying by instruments, and probably using a belly-mounted camera to see where we are. He's pretty damn good to fly blind like that but I want to use it to my advantage."

"How?" her voice cracked, surprising her. She cleared her throat and asked again.

Fox reached down to the shifter with his right paw and mashed in on the clutch with his foot. He shifted into fifth gear; the car continued to climb in speed, passing one hundred fifteen miles an hour. "Are you sure you're okay with an insurance claim?"

"…Fox, if you have a plan, just do it." Fara seemed to notice the look in his eyes and reached for the door handle. She braced herself in the seat, nodded and said, "I'm ready."

A wry grin tugged at the corner of his muzzle. He stomped the brakes and cut the wheel hard. Next, he dropped to second gear, floored the accelerator and leaned forward. The fighter pulled up into a loose loop then changed course to keep up. Along the edge of the 16th green, the Maglev tram rails crossed from north to south. Fox veered to the left until he came along the edge of the course. At the edge of the fairway, the terrain sloped straight down into the residential area. He could see the rooftops of homes from above and the road that went along at the bottom of the slope.

He downshifted again, redlining the convertible. The tachometer needle bounced against the number '8' on the gauge and the engine screamed, quavering in pitch as if panting rapidly. He cut the wheel hard to the left and the car leapt from the high ledge. Fara screeched in alarm but Fox kept his composure.

The vehicle's front end slammed into the rooftop of the nearest home but the hover pads beneath the vehicle forced it back up, following the arch of the roof. The screaming engine forced the vehicle to accelerate again; Fox used the rooftop as a ramp and the front end of the vehicle, minus its front bumper, lifted up at a forty-five degree angle.

Fara placed her left paw on Fox's leg and closed her fingers tightly around the fabric of his sweatpants. Her nails dug into him, gouging his flesh beneath the cotton and fur but he didn't flinch. Adrenaline coursed through him and he felt elevated from the rush. The convertible sailed over several more homes, veering slowly back to the right. The edge of the golf course passed back beneath them, followed by the Maglev rails.

He reached down to the center console and pulled up on the emergency brake; the reverse thrusters fired and the convertible began to drop in altitude. He leaned over the driver-side door, eyeing the tram rails. "It's going to be close…!" The small red coupe came down over the train rails, the front right end slammed into the maintenance walk that ran alongside the magnetic railway at the center of the tramline.

The tramline's superconductors worked in harmony with the magnetically designed hover pads beneath the convertible. The electromagnetic center rail reacted to the hover pads, forcing the convertible forward without help from the vehicle's engine. Fox pulled up on the emergency brake again, using the forward-mounted thrusters to slow them down to a near crawl. He reached for the electric roof button, causing the canvas-top roof to extend forward, covering their heads. Fara, falling into sync, reached up to latch the fasteners above the sun visors. Once both were secured, Fox put up all the windows.

He released the emergency brake and the magnetically stored force propelled the car forward at a sudden breakneck speed. Fox focused all of his concentration on steering the vehicle to keep it from veering to the left or right. Somewhere in the background, he heard her say, "I thought these were electro-dynamic and required onboard magnets!" Fox didn't reply to her; he kept his eyes on the track and paws firm on the wheel.

The digital speedometer climbed over one hundred in what seemed like an instant. The fighter came from above; its shadow covered them on the track. Again, Fox could hear Fara speaking in the background. "Now we have nowhere to go, Fox! We're inhibited to go only one direction!" To him, her words were merely criticism coming from the mind of a chief test pilot, used to training people into conforming to their standards of evasive maneuvering. A grin tugged at the corner of his muzzle again, knowing that his way had merit of its own.

The convertible continued to race forwards, passing one hundred fifty miles an hour. The canvas top began to strain against the force of the wind current, rattling ever so slightly. The convertible hovered above the central rail and Fox kept his focus on control to keep it at the very center of the track. The speedometer passed one hundred eighty miles an hour. A soft humming could be heard from the force of air passing around the vehicle. The digital speedometer crossed the two hundred mark and continued to climb rapidly. "Smooth riding car, Fara. I hardly feel any shaking in the wheel at this speed." His critique was meant to portray himself as cool, calm and collected.

Fara's voice had a defining edge, now. "Fox, this can't be safe and there's no way we can outrun a fighter and even if you were to try, we'll be on the other side of the city in a few minutes! We need to get to the hanger!"

"Bare with me," Fox replied in a calm voice, keeping his eyes locked on the rail. The canvas rooftop strained against the fastenings. It seemed to ripple from the force of air that pushed in against it from above. The convertible surpassed two hundred fifty miles an hour, rattling the windows in their frames. "This is a high-end car," Fox explained. "The groves in the quarter panels to the doors and to the hood are less than three millimeters, it should hold a little longer but it's a canvas roof, so I want you to lean down and breathe between your knees, just incase."

Fara bit her lip, gawking at him. After a moment she leaned forward. The fennec put her paw against the dashboard, flipping off the passenger-side airbag. She then placed her paws over her head and tried to calm her breathing. The force of gravity made it difficult to stay in the position, however. The digital speedometer crawled from two hundred ninety-five miles per hour into the low three hundred-range. Fara suddenly sat back up, panting. "I… can't stay doubled over; it's too much strain…"

Fox couldn't argue, feeling the pressure of G-forces against his torso as well. "We're approaching five hundred kilometers per hour, Fara. I'm going to do something dangerous, so I want you to relax your body." He frowned then said, "Turn your airbag back on."

She struggled to lift her paw, reaching above the radio to the switch. She brushed her thumb against the button and a small orange light, reading "PSGR ABG OFF" fluttered twice then went dark. Her paw dropped to her lap, coming to rest against her tummy. Her sandy fur appeared to be slicked back, matching McCloud's.

The digital reading showed three hundred ten miles an hour and refused to climb any further. "This is it for this car, I guess… terminal velocity," Fox muttered. The canvas roof rattled, tugging at the latches where it had been clamped down above the sun visors. Liquid-like lines rolled from the front to the back of the ceiling. Both rearview mirrors folded inward from the pressure of air against the vehicle. The annoying howl of wind sounded almost like feedback from an electric bass guitar. It reminded Fox of his first music concert with his father, as a kid. The fighter stayed with them, easily able to match their speed.

"Hold on…!" Fox jerked the wheel to the left. The magnetic force behind their propulsion caused the convertible to slingshot away from the track, sailing high over treetops and buildings used as part of the training facility on base. Up ahead, the hanger opened up and the stretch of its runway spanned out before them. "I want you to take two deep breaths, quickly, then release all the air in your lungs… you have ten seconds… go!" He gasped a lungful of air and Fara did as she was told, following suit.

They both released their breath then drew in another large gulp of air… then, they both sighed deeply, until their lungs were empty. No sooner did they release their last breath, the latches gave out and the canvas rooftop ripped away from the car. A gust of wind struck them at two hundred miles an hour, causing both pilots to squint. The pavement of the hanger parking lot rushed up towards the vehicle. It overshot the front lot, sailed over the electric fence that required Fara's pass card, and collided with the hedges lining the backside of the ordinance shed.

The hood swung open with so much force that it struck the windshield, turning the glass into a fantastic web. Both front airbags deployed; the curtain bags on either side of the windshield rushed back, covering the side windows and the airbags set in the side of their chairs popped out, sounding like six gunshots all going off in unison. The front airbags caught each pilot in their face.

Fox felt his head slam back against the headrest and yet his body continued forward, straining against the seatbelt. The car tipped to the left as it continued through the hedges, filling their ears with painful screeching from the branches that scraped against the metal siding.

A split second passed; they continued through the last bush and onto the pavement of the runway. The hover pads couldn't support the convertible's downward inertia, causing the undercarriage to bottom out. The backend of the car fishtailed to the left, sending them into a spin. Fox felt himself pinned to the seat. He tried to reach for Fara but couldn't lift his paw from the force.

The car spun about three dizzying times before it came to rest fifty feet from a row of Arwings. He hunched forward against the taut seatbelt, his head dropping forward against the deflating canvas bag. Blood dripped from the left side of his nose where he'd been hit in the face by the high impact safety device. His eyes zeroed in on the mild gash that glistened on his right thigh where Fara's nails had dug in earlier. His heart raced and he felt dazed and confused.

Suddenly he gasped for air, drawing it in loudly as if he'd just emerged from deep water. However, Fara couldn't seem to catch a single breath. She opened her mouth, attempting to suck in oxygen, looking much like a fish out of water. The panicked vixen reached for her throat, placing her other paw against the seat, between her knees.

Fox unbuckled his seatbelt and elbowed the semi-deflated airbag back towards the steering wheel. He watched her in horror for a moment, unable to suck air into her body. Without thinking, he reached for either side of her face and pressed his mouth against hers. He expelled everything in his lungs in an attempt to give her air. He drew in another deep breath through his nose and did it again. Between the calming touch of his paws and lips, combined with two forceful gusts of air, she finally allowed her lungs to fill. She coughed hard against his maw and he broke the pseudo-kiss.

She doubled over, burying her forehead against the dashboard airbag, choking on the dust from its deployment. It clouded upwards where the roof used to be, allowing her to finally catch a breath of fresh air. The fennec turned to him with wide eyes. "I …don't know if you're daring, clever, stupid or crazy, Fox."

"Fox!" The masculine shout came from across the lot. Falco Lombardi approached the smoking convertible, continuing to holler as he approached. "Are you kidding? That was the wildest stunt I've ever seen, you cocky madman! I can't even believe it was you who just drove off the Maglev rails like that!" He paused, glanced to Fara in a soot-covered night gown, partially covered in extinguishing solution and added, "Nice duds babe." He blinked at Fara's sudden scowl and added, "…I mean Chief Petty Officer Phoenix."

McCloud ignored him for the moment, turned back to Fara and again pressed his lips against her forehead. "I'm sorry I put you in danger. I didn't want that thing strafing us with its blasters and… I don't know what I was thinking." The shadow of the fighter passed overhead but before they could react to it, an explosive round burst high in the air, forcing the fighter to change direction. It was then that Fox realized anti-aircraft gunfire dotted the sky in every direction.

She put her paw over the front of his muzzle. "We're here and we're alive. Just hurry before they destroy the Arwings, Fox."

He nodded and shoved the airbag through the top arch of the steering wheel then climbed over the driver side door. He wobbled forward, but because of his adrenaline, his body recovered its equilibrium quickly. He shook his head hard then glanced over his shoulder at her, seated inside of the ruined luxury convertible. "I'm… I'm really sorry about the car, Fara."

"Shh," she waved her paws at him, ushering him to hurry towards the Arwings. "I'll pick up another one next time I'm on Papetoon, Fox. Just go. There's a whole factory of these things on Papetoon, in its capital, there. Just go!"

"I mean, I just…" Fox continued.

"Shush!" she retorted overtop his voice. He blinked at her interruption. "You're just in shock, Fox. Hurry up and take off! That's an order! I told you, there's an entire factory of this brand sitting on Papetoon!"

Falco came up alongside of Fox, shoving him tow ards the nearest fighter lined along the runway. "I can't believe you totaled her Special Edition Corellium-Legend Coupe, Fox! There's only, like, sixteen hundred of those things in the entire Lylat System!" He continued to push Fox towards the Arwings.

"Shall I call a doctor, ma'am?" asked the reptilian bodyguard. The concern in his voice surprised her more than the unseen voice that stole her breath. She shook her head vehemently and arose to one knee, panting fresh air. The lizard offered a scaly hand. "Mrs. Oikonny? Are you all right?"

She looked from the brown three-fingered hand over to her sleeping husband across the room. With a measure of reluctance, she reached up and took his hand. He placed his other hand beneath her elbow and helped her back to her feet. Caroline sighed and offered the guard a weary smile. "No, Lo'nel… a Doctor won't be necessary. However, I would appreciate it if you brought me my phone; I need to contact the Emperor. It's urgent."

"Right away, ma'am," he replied in a smooth, well practiced Cornerian dialect. He left the bedroom in haste only to return with the cordless audio communicator handset. She took it from him and dismissed him from the room.

She waited until the door was completely shut before calling Andross. As soon as she heard his voice on the other end, she exclaimed, "I had an intense vision, m'liege."

Andross' voice came over the receiver. "And what did it tell you, Caroline?"

She switched the phone to her other ear and sat down on the mattress besides the Emperor's dying brother. "Many things. It told me that the Cornerians have devised a cure for the Plague. If we act swiftly, it may save your brother and your sister-in-law."

"…You've contracted it?" asked Andross. "I thought the Doctor deemed you naturally immune?"

She sighed. "Perhaps it was only a naturally higher tolerance. I'm afraid that I'm now showing symptoms. This morning, I tested positive for the Venomian Plague. I fainted almost immediately after being told… I only just awoke ten minutes ago, after having an intense premonition. If Andrew is to become the heir of your throne, he will need this vaccine as well. Also, I saw something else in my dream that involves your safety. You would do well to heed my advice, Emperor."

"You're my most trusted advisor, Caroline. Your very existence is my deepest secret and only my most trusted of guards are privileged to serve you. Please, if you are tired and need to rest, advise me tomorrow."

"I appreciate your concern; this is a priority, however." She paused, placed her free hand against her forehead and sighed. "But do pardon me; I've a terrible headache from the vision." She drew in another slow breath then, calmly, said, "Engage your audio encryption software." The line distorted for a moment then cleared to normal. She took a deep breath and, in an almost melancholy voice, said, "The bio-weapon you've built to defend Venom may be in danger, Andy. No one knows of its existence but I saw it destroyed in my vision."

"By whom, Caroline?" The Emperor's voice sounded different. It was almost as if she could see the sickly pale flesh of his cheeks just by the fear in his voice.

"The son of James McCloud. Your creation, Andorufu, needs its own security measures." She paused to cough into her free hand then said, "I suggest that you build a machine that is identical to your bio-weapon. You can even give it the same flesh-and-blood exterior, so that no one can tell them apart… but give this one a robotic center and simply call it Andorf… something ultimately disposable. Let it be a decoy. It may be your only chance."

"I assure you the weapon I have made is invincible. I created it from my own DNA and I can link up to it by climbing inside of it. I've genetically engineered it to be perfect and… combined with the telekinetic amplification module… I can swallow up and spit out their measly tin-can planes with ease."

"I implore you," she said in a desperate tone. "Build a robotic twin and employ it first as a decoy. If that fails, make your enemies fight the StarWolf squadron… just put as many obstacles as possible between you and your enemies, please."

"I…" Andross grew quiet. After a moment, he told her, "Let's tell no one of this decoy. For it to be the most effective, I would prefer that even our most trusted guards stay in the dark. Let's not tell your son, either. I wouldn't want him to become a target for anyone who wishes to know something vital such as this."

"I'm glad you believe in me, Andy."

"Your clairvoyant council is something I respect, Caroline. I should go; I have much to do, now. I'm not sure if I can create a low-power twin Telekinetic Amplifier for this decoy."

Caroline pondered aloud. "The only problem that I foresee is creating a true artificial intelligence to pilot the robotic version."

"I have a special operations force on Papetoon, handling that." Andross' smile could be heard in the way he spoke.

"Oh?"

Andross' grin widened, audible in the way he pronounced each word. "I've already created Artificial Intelligence, Caroline. His name is Herbert Dengar. He disappeared on Papetoon but my men will retrieve him very soon. Even if I have to go there myself and bring him back… He'll be the pilot. He'll do anything for me if I promise to provide financial freedom for his greedy forty-something year old son, Pigma. No worries, Caroline. Thank you for calling me. Go and rest. And don't worry – I'll have my forces on Corneria capture a sample of that cure if it truly exists."

She sounded tired. "It does. Please make haste. The men on the front line must make that their priority, even if it means having every available unit fall back to provide cover for the transporter that brings it to us."

"Fair enough," replied the Emperor. He disconnected the line from his end, leaving Caroline to the quiet of her bedroom. There she sat, looking at the phone in her hand and listening to her husband's breathing machine that sat on the opposite side of the bed. She laid down besides him, closed her eyes and sighed.

Miyu Lynx tightened her paws around the 'U'-shaped control stick. The seat rattled beneath her with every fresh burst of orange plasma discharged from the barrel below. The anti-aircraft gun pivoted on its rails, facing west. She opened fire again, leading her aim in front of another fighter that passed over the ground turret.

The Flea fighter darted to the right and she followed it with her targeting reticule. The center piece flashed red as it passed over the Venom fighter then flashed blue. She quirked her brows in confusion then watched with surprise as the fighter erupted into a fiery end. The clutter of debris flew apart making a hole; an Arwing fighter emerged from the explosion, performing a victory barrel roll to show off. Miyu's eyes widened and a grin tugged at the corner of her muzzle.

"That's what I'm talking about," she muttered beneath her breath. She used the foot pedals to rotate to the left and opened fire on another enemy fighter. It moved evasively but pulled up, causing it to lose speed and power. She anticipated its movements and compensated before the pilot could react accordingly. "You've got to be a newbie." She continued to mash down the triggers, ripping into the fighter's engines.

"Yee-haw!" she erupted in glee. The feline rotated back to the right to hunt for her next target with a broad grin tugging at her muzzle. She narrowed her eyes, hunching forward over the controls. "C'mon, who's next?"

Another Arwing screamed across the sky at a high rate of speed. She saw a Venom fighter come in behind it and narrowed her eyes. The Flea performed a loose barrel roll and tapped its afterburners, trying to get directly behind the Arwing. She used a zoom feature on the control panel, enlarging the visual of the Venom war-bird closing on the sleek silver prototype.

She could see the "ACE" markings on the hull and narrowed her gaze further. Miyu pressed a few buttons on a panel to her left. A small red ring popped up over the Arwing, showing where the computer guesstimated the enemy to be. She followed the red visual cue and, after another moment of sizing up the situation, opened fire.

The accuracy of the computer surprised her. The plasma discharge headed towards both fighters and caught the Venom Flea flat against its belly. The large polygon-like wings popped from its body and the main section of the fighter burst. She beat her right fist against the thick safety glass to her immediate right, pleased with her successful shot. The aristocratic feline glanced down at the enemy readout display on her sensor scope; the radar seemed clear.

"Boy," she said aloud followed by a blink. She continued in silence, thinking, 'Those guys really cleared the skies quick.' A knock on the side of her turret caused the lynx to gasp in surprise. She punched in the button sequence to open the entrance door and reached for a hidden blaster.

Her eyes stopped on Fara who had apparently secured a military police car. Miyu blinked a few times then offered an awkward looking smile. "Fara? You made it! W…what is going on?"

"It's a long story," said the fennec with a sharp frown on her face. "But one of the Flea fighters crash landed at the hanger and survived for the most part. The pilot was delirious, babbling how he wanted to die by fire before 'the attack' happened."

The feline scrunched her brows in confusion. "What're you talking about? They're attacking right now."

Fara nodded in reply. "I said the same thing, but he must have hit his head pretty hard, because he kept babbling." She waved for Miyu to follow her back towards the police car. "C'mon, we've got to hurry and pick up Fay in Westtown. That guy looked up at me when I opened his cockpit, then looked at the gun in my paw and said, 'Shoot me quickly. The nerve gas… I can't die to something as horrible as nerve gas. Shoot me, please.' And I panicked; I came here to get you."

"Venom is planning this front line attack as some sort of front?"

"I'm not sure," Fara replied with a sigh. "But it could be a front. I saw a group of Imperial soldiers raiding the CCUH on the way over here. There were a lot of them and there was a troop transport ship in the court yard, waiting to airlift them out."

Miyu slid out of the turret's seat. "The Corneria Capital University Hospital is under attack? Jeeze. What did you do to the pilot who survived that crash at the hanger?"

Fara walked back towards the Military Police car, a black and green sedan with military markings on the side. She tossed the keys to Miyu and said, "I'm really not up to driving. He was dying so… I used his service pistol to finish it." Fara opened the passenger door, dropped into the seat and sighed. "So much has changed in the last few days, Miyu. Josh was the first guy I've ever seen blown away from a gun. In the last few days, though, I've seen lizards die and some of them were …" She trailed off and closed her eyes.

Miyu moved into the driver's seat, buckled the belt and started the engine. "Killed by you?" She gunned the engine and pulled the car onto the road, heading for the Westside gates. "It's war. It really sucks. I still think about the guy I blew away that night. You said Josh, right? It's not like I've shot people until recently. It bothers you until you've done it a thousand times. Even then, it should bother you. If it doesn't, something is wrong with you. Don't let it make you hesitate in the battlefield, but if you don't feel some sort of remorse later on, you've lost touch with your humanity."

"It's awkward." Fara leaned back in the uncomfortable vinyl seat, pulled the seat belt over her chest then folded her arms. "Just the other day, I had to blow away some guy with a blaster. It was on the highest setting and there was nothing left of the guy when the deed was done, but… he was a huge scumball. He was talking about raping Cornerian women and scolded me for hesitating to pull the trigger. I looked away and vaporized him. That wasn't very bad, because there was no body. But now… I shot a man to end his suffering and…"

"…You looked at his body after you pulled the trigger," Miyu concluded. "I can imagine that's hard, Fara. He's looking up at you, saying words… then you shoot him and he's not moving. It's traumatic but it is a part of war… and you took away his suffering."

"…Yeah. Things were different last night, when we were talking in my room. It feels like a different lifetime… like it happened thousands of years ago."

Miyu changed the subject in an attempt to change the direction of their conversation. "We'll get Fay then we'll figure out what Venom is up to and stop it, how's that sound?" She drove them through the abandoned west gate and merged onto a nearby exit for the main highway. "I hope those guys are capable of holding the skies of Corneria until we get back."

Fara didn't say anything for the time being. The military radio came to life on Miyu's belt. She paused and listened. "This is dispatch! We've just received word that Venom has stolen two glass vials from the on-base hospital! It appears that, for the moment, Venom troops are falling back to cover the ship that seems to be transporting the stolen substances. Some have speculated that this could have been the reason for the initial attack, but your orders are to fortify your positions until the attack concludes."

The aristocratic looking feline reached for the receiver on her shoulder. "This is Miyu Lynx. I've left the base because I was following my previous orders of staying with a high priority person."

"Lynx? You left the base?" shouted the dispatcher. "Your orders were to keep the Chief Petty Officer and the Mercenary Leader in one location, and not let them out of your sight!"

Miyu grimaced. "Yes, but then we were attacked and her house burned to the ground!" She licked her lips, kept her paw on the receiver button then drew in a deep breath. "He reported to the hanger. She left for a different sector to rescue a pilot on her team. I'm in pursuit to ensure her safety. I'll return to the base with her as soon as I am able to do so." She released the button on the side of the handset then turned to Fara and grinned. "And what are they so upset about? They just said Venom is pulling back all of a sudden."

"Westtown is a short drive with all these empty roads, anyhow," said Fara in agreement. "It's not like you're abandoning your post. Just the same, let's grab Fay and hurry."

"Agreed." Miyu shifted her weight, getting comfortable in the driver's seat. Fara leaned forward and narrowed her eyes. After a few more seconds she squinted at something further down the road then gasped sharply. Miyu tilted her head and said, "What's wrong; what did you see?"

Fara closed her paws into loose fists out of frustration. She swallowed a lump in her throat and said, "I see a Venom mobile attack walker, behind the trees in the distance." She leaned towards the passenger window and narrowed her eyes, trying to see another glimpse of the two-legged B.A.T. in the distance. The road opened up into a field that ran alongside of the wall of trees. Both of them gasped, clearly seeing the walker.

Miyu narrowed her eyes, tightening her grip on the wheel. "First we have germ warfare in Sector 3, then an aerial assault, followed by the mention of chemical agents… now we have Biped Attack Tanks? What's next?" The massive contraption used its clawed hand to pick up a metal girder from a nearby building. It cocked its mighty metallic arm back and launched the iron bar at them, over a mile away. The massive iron girder passed over the convertible and struck the road, sticking straight up into the air behind the two.

"Oh, crap! I hope you drive better than Fox," Fara groused, running her fingers back through her headfur. "This is too much. I can only take so much excitement in one day. Miyu, let's try and avoid that thing now that he knows we're here. Let's go!" The tank lifted one of its arms, pointing at them with a Fusion Cannon. "Oh crap… This… this isn't good at all." A particle build up illuminated the barrel, brilliant like Solar on a sunny summer day. "He's charging his shot," Fara muttered, having a momentary flashback of the Battle Attack Cruiser that took out her Arwing. The weapon flashed, releasing the massive glob of energy; her eyes widened with fear…

A/N:

Thanks again to Destructor (Writer of Phoenix From The Ashes) for editing and helping to make sure I had all my T's crossed and I's dotted. He's mah hero:D

LISTEN, guys… Let me know what you guys thought. Also, let me know if you're still going to read this story if I add a little stuff concerning Fox, Miyu and Fay from SF2 which was never released. I know SOME of you want me to skip right to his relationship with Krystal… so I need to know what people WANT TO SEE!

Let me know!

Okay it's time to work on chapter 11. I owe it to you guys to get through this, finish with the first act of Fox's life involving Fara Phoenix… and start on Chapter 23, so that we can better relate to her waking up in the future. After all, she's probably going to meet an old, married version of Fox, as well as his wife Krystal, in the future.. in either chapter 23 or 24. So I feel that by getting to the end of "act 1" for this story will HELP people understand Fara's feelings when I get to her meeting Fox in Reflections of a New Generation. It won't be much longer, I promise!

-k