A/N: SORRY it's taken so long! October 24th to April 14th is a long time to wait for an update. I won't make you wait that long anymore. I've moved back to Maryland and all this other horsecrap but hey, I'll make it up to all of you. I wanted this chapter to be perfect and I hated the first several versions of it. I had to bounce ideas and drafts off of two separate editors just to get the feedback I needed to proceed and, when it all came down to it, a random reader turned out to give me the inspiration I needed to figure out where I wanted to go with the chapter. Thank you all!

-kit

Chapter -21-

The Arwings sitting on the flight deck were polished and ready to go at a moment's notice. Fara Phoenix turned about, hearing the footsteps of Marcus and gave him a polite wave. She could see the look in his mismatched blue and green eyes and approached him.

"Not wearing your green contact?" Her tone belied her concern with a professional voice.

"No." His concise reply predated a short pause and a sigh. He then shrugged and offered a lopsided sort of smile. "Fara, I think we should run another patrol. But this time, I want to split the team and achieve multiple objectives. I'm here to ask your advice before giving orders."

"What's your plan?" she asked.

"I want to recall Crimson; I'll send both you and him to patrol the area for recon. That way, if the team is under surveillance, we look as though we're still lying low. Also, if the GreatFox is attacked or if either of you come under fire, I know I have excellent pilots ensuring that I have a ship to come home to, you know?"

Fara nodded. "Meanwhile, you, Falco and the kids are doing what?"

"Well," Marcus began slowly. "We've already decimated their fuel line to Fichina but only because of Panther Caruso, killing a third of the Venom platoons. In fact, I do believe that he is to blame in Venom's eyes. That's his fault; he left witnesses. I want to take Falco, Ted and Vivian out to test them under fire."

Phoenix flicked her right ear, sliding her paws down to her pockets. She leaned back against one of the Arwings, looking casual. "What did you have in mind?"

"I wanted to take down The Behemoth. It's a capital ship in use by the Venom Military. They're using it as a carrier for several mercenary squadrons. I want to wipe out the fighter cover, land on the flight deck, and lay in an autopilot course for Venom's primary defense satellite. Then, we'll withdraw to our fighters, leave and watch as the Behemoth collides with that defense satellite. If we're lucky, they'll assume it's an accident and by the time an investigation is conducted, we'll have disarmed the first and second wave of their attack force. We'll publicly take credit for it after the strike begins in two days."

"Are you sure the pilots are ready?" she asked.

To her question, Marcus could only nod his head. "They're ready. I sense they feel eager; my gut says that it's time to begin phase one. As soon as Venom is distracted with the destruction of their primary defense satellite, we'll send two full teams out to strike their supply lines in two separate places. Then, in two days, we hit everything that's left. In forty-eight hours, I want to have decimated Venom's main assault force. There is no feasible way for Andrew Oikonny to have assembled enough ships for an all-out war. His idea is to shut down the new General and overwhelm Corneria with a strike force."

Fara grinned at the boy. "And your logic is based on the fact of…?"

"A strike force!" Marcus exclaimed. "That's what StarFox is! A strike force! A squadron or a cluster, larger than us but… these pilots haven't seen combat in ages. It's going to be a far cry from the size of the Venom Fleet back in The Lylat Wars. This is a theoretical cakewalk." The pilot gave her a grin of confidence and lifted his paws as if to ask, 'well?' then dropped his paws to his hips.

Fara nodded. "There's only one reason that I think this will work," she mused thoughtfully. "Only because I'll be on the first wing and Falco will be on the second wing."

Marcus nodded in an attempt to look emphatic. "I took that into account; it's my ace-in-the-hole." The thick, bushy, gray-furred tail swept around his waist, curling about his hips. He then told her, "I want to fly immediately, without warning the General. That way, we have the element of surprise, incase the Venom Intel is far better than we'd realized. I'll get Falco and the other two and we'll leave immediately. As soon as we're clear, I'll send an encoded subspace message to Red. When he returns, you and he can head out. When we strike the supply lines, I'll have Dash and Bliss fly on your wing; you'll lead. If they're willing, that is."

"Understood." Fara gave him a reassuring smile. She turned back to the Arwings then said, "I'll prep your fighters. Good luck, McCloud."

Marcus wanted revenge after seeing Jane Flowers, struggling on her deathbed. He wanted to take to the skies immediately and he wanted to feel productive as soon as possible. "Thanks." His voice sounded somewhat sullen.

Fara canted her head towards the Arwing but Marcus shrugged in reply. Fara turned towards him again and put her paws upon her hips. "What's wrong?"

"It's complicated. Jane is dying. I can't even begin to explain how this is hitting me. I can't even see my own kid but I'm raising a dying child and she's on her deathbed. I've fathered this girl more in the last few days than I've done for my own son and… I'm about to lose her. I can't… I just…"

"What do you plan to do, McCloud?"

"I just need to be productive," he said. "I need to push towards Venom and do my job and keep striving to move forward. That's what I'm going to go and do, right now."

Fara's reply held a professional tone. "That's the attitude you need to have to be successful. Make sure you do what Falco tells you; he's experienced and you're not. It might be your squadron but his calls are far more qualified than your own. He may be cocky but he's kept himself alive this long on his own merit… make sure you play by his rules because they're the rules of a hardened survivor."

"Thanks for the advice." Marcus left the flight deck and headed back to the bridge to call Falco, Vivian and Theodore. Marcus had all the motivation he'd ever need, now. He felt ready to take immediate action.

Fara remained in the flight deck. She prepped the automated computer system to ready the fighters then made her way into the flight deck prep office. She sank into a chair and booted the security computer, calling up the security image vault.

She punched in a camera number then a time and date. Fara reached to the computer's speakers and turned them up. She watched on the screen as Marcus McCloud lowered his face into his palms, sitting in the medical room. Her empathetic gaze flitted over his expressive and emotional face. She understood his hurt; she recalled the look in his eyes which seemed to mirror the look on her parents' faces, sitting over her own dying body, before she slipped into a coma several decades ago. It felt like last year; she looked up from her bed at her mother and father, struggling to live. She remembered succumbing to the darkness and waking up almost three decades later.

Fara leaned back in the chair, watching the security footage from over an hour ago. On the screen, Marcus began speaking through his palms, saying, "This has been far more taxing than I ever realized but what I'm going through doesn't even hold a candle compared to what you've endured this week."

His eyes lifted, peering through his fingers at the dying little girl, Jane Flowers. The young skunk, about thirteen years in age, turned her head to face him. Respirators covered her muzzle and IV lines ran to her wrist. She might have received better care on Corneria but with the war going on, Marcus opted against taking her back. He sensed her strength; it felt warm and surprisingly strong. He placed a paw on her forearm and the strength he felt brought about a look of hope on his face.

"I look awful," she muttered. She ran her fingers through the veneer of fur that lined the mattress all around her body. The patchwork girl's eyes delved into the soft emerald-matched hues of Marcus. Her attempt at a smile turned into a sour looking face. Her gums were dark red and her eyes were pinkish and sunken in a bit. All around her sad looking eyes, the skin seemed puffy and swollen. "Are you wearing contacts? Eh, sorry, I just noticed; like I said, I look awful."

"I'm telepathic." Marcus tilted his head a bit then frowned in a thoughtful manner. "And you're very attractive on the inside; besides, it will take more than just sickness to make a pretty girl less than beautiful. And to answer your question," he started, trailing off into a pause. McCloud took a long, deep breath and said, "Yes. My eyes are mismatched, blue and green."

Jane gazed back at the dim-lit ceiling. "I bet your eyes are prettier without covering up who you are. Anyway, I appreciate your sweet words but… I'm just a kid. I hardly know what I'm missing. It's up to other adults to fawn over me and say they feel terrible that I'm missing out on this and that. To me, a 'prom' is just a word. My license is a quarter of my life ahead… that's right, four years is a mere quarter of my life and driving is still that far ahead. Why should I be depressed over things I'll never understand enough to miss out on?"

"Stop," said McCloud, lifting his paws. He turned away, sick at his stomach. "You're missing out on some things that neither of us has had and yet both of us surly understand… like seeing our first born child's first smile, first laugh… first tooth, first step… Surly we both have a right to mourn missing those things, despite our lack of understanding."

"You'll have more in the future if you want," she replied. "I'm sure you'll make up for it, then come back and be the best father you can to the first child, too. So, let me ask you this, are you wearing those contacts to hide some part of yourself?"

Marcus lowered his eyes to the floor and sighed. "Again, your logic is as flawless as it was back on Corneria, last week. You're a smart little girl; it seems unfair that such a mind would have to die so young."

"Cut it out," Jane muttered. "Don't weep for me. Don't you supposedly have enough to weep for in your own life? Don't cry for the dying. I never did like that kind of attention. Sorrow for the damned is wasted tears; I've had a little time to think about my future and that's what it is… damned. You know, that robot of yours tells me the truth."

"What truth is that?" Marcus folded his paws, hunched over on a stool. Falco Lombardi came into the medical bay but remained quiet; Marcus could sense his presence joining the room. His face telegraphed the knowledge of Falco's proximity by cutting his gaze to the far left only to pan his green-matched eyes to her and said, "The truth that you're dying?"

Jane's firm attempt to seem stoic seemed hampered by her sickly tone. "It's as true as you changing who you are… dying your fur and wearing contacts just because you don't like who you are."

"Not to mention my name," Marcus said in a soft voice. He reached his paw up, removing the contact from his eye. He took the green-hued film and flicked it towards the nearest trashcan. "Maybe you're right but I've grown fond of 'Marcus' because I feel it's a fresh start. I can mold that name to whatever meaning I deem necessary in my life. So, are you just slowly losing sensation in your body; I don't understand how this is affecting you."

She closed her eyes for a moment, pursed her lips together and sighed through her nose. "My cellular breakdown is causing my insides to deteriorate. He estimates that I'll pass away within the next eighteen hours." She glanced over Marcus' shoulders, seeing the avian cringe.

"I have a daughter," Lombardi said, approaching the young skunk's bed. "She wants to prove to everyone that she's the strongest person in the world. Believe me, sister, when I realized what women go through when they have to perform physical labor while on their period or while pregnant… I realized that they're damn strong. Now, I never actually noticed something like that until my own daughter was old enough to fly, curse and go on dates, but I did eventually notice. You don't need to prove anything to us; you've got our respect. If there is anything this team can do for you to make your last few hours easy, just name it."

Jane cast a dim grin towards Falco. "Ice Cream… and in fifteen hours, an injection of Poppy Flower Sap; know what I mean? Rob said it will make things more tolerable."

"That's a tall order," Marcus replied. "I might have morphine on this ship but it's been sitting for years and I don't know if it's any good. Also, it's legally tricky to give a minor morphine. I'm not a doctor. I don't even know anything about that stuff – I'm not a doctor."

"Did you know that I grew up with aspirations of being a doctor? I was torn; I wanted to do stunt flying in a fighter and I also wanted to be a doctor and save people." Jane shifted her weight in a slight manner. The girl's wilted and pockmarked flesh appeared stressed at her joints and neck. "Everyone in my immediate family was either a primary care physician or a hospital doctor. Even the tutor who helped with some of my home schooling was once a surgeon. If you ask me, it would be a crime to know so much about modern technology only to forgo it in my final hours. Did you know there is a problem where my tailbone joins into my spine? Because of the radiation, I can't feel my legs right now. I can't walk to the bathroom. Finding morphine is a small favor. It's not like my family will come back from the dead and sue you; Corneria City is a graveyard. No one has to know; you'll be putting a girl out of her misery… this is one simple plea for the sake of being a humanitarian. All I'm asking for is a release from the pain."

Immediately following her speech, Marcus turned away, standing up from the stool. His thoughts, betrayed by the emotional look on his face, returned to Kursed, the dying doppelganger of Krystal McCloud. She only asked of one thing: to be released from her pain by any means necessary. She gave McCloud a similar guilt trip, begging for him to kill her so that she would no longer have to endure pain. 'I can't kill another female just because she asks me,' Marcus thought to himself, running his paws through his headfur. He took another deep breath with his eyes burning a metaphorical hole into the wall. "Do you know what you're asking me to do, Jane?"

"Kill me in a few hours." Her words were sharp, they cut deep and they affected the fox deeply. She could see him cover his mouth with his paw in reply. "Marcus, it's a mercy ending; I don't want the pain and it's quickly becoming intolerable. Within the next few hours, I won't be able to stand it anymore."

Marcus glanced back at her, his eyes wide with a painful memory. "I killed a woman who begged for death before I met you." He took a long, slow breath then added, "I see her face in my nightmares. I lost a part of my humanity; you're asking me to do it again."

"No," Jane grumbled. "I'm asking you to redeem your humanity instead of leaving me here to rot away while I'm wide awake, unable to even… writhe in agony. Rob told me everything… The liquid in the discs of my lower lumbar are diminishing rapidly. Within a few hours, the joints of my spine will be pinching my nerves. My flesh will be rotting off and I'll be covered with open wounds. I've already obtained painful bedsores on my back and legs. I'm not talking about a simple rash."

Even Falco remained silent, stunned from her intelligently spoken, cold, caustic words. His beak parted just slightly but no words passed over his tongue. After a moment of nearly gaping, the avian managed, "I'll go get that ice cream. I'll only be a moment, kiddo."

Jane smiled a bit. "Who'd have thought I'd have StarFox waiting on me hand and foot in my last hours?" Her smile broadened a bit then a hint of sadness returned to her sunken eyes. "How should I be so lucky; thousands are making their grave in the cold street, covered in ashes, how can I deserve a better fate than those people? As far as I'm concerned, I'm the Cornerian Queen. I have no room to complain even if I don't get the pain killers. Perhaps Rob, your robotic butler, will be willing to comply."

"I'm not so sure." Marcus shook his head and settled back into the stool by her bed. "He's not programmed to break the law or take a life."

"I won't ask him to give me a lethal dose," Jane replied with a flat tone. Her once-black ears, now furless, laid back, adding to the edge in her tone. "I'm asking for medical aid in death; can you at least check your stock and see if it's any good?"

"I'll… I don't know anything about that stuff." Marcus stood up again and turned for the door. "I'll have Rob check on it for you. But forgive me: I can't personally push the plunger on that syringe. It will screw up everything for me. I've already reinvented myself because I felt tainted. I just… you know?" He glanced over his shoulder at her and frowned. "For every dying street survivor, Venom is due justice. It's difficult not to feel racially motivated against them. Part of me, deep down, knows that at least half of the planet just wants peace and to be left alone by everyone. But the soldiers of that planet have gone too far."

Jane weakly lifted her paw, kissed her palm and then blew softly across it. "Good luck, just incase I don't physically see you again."

"You're strong." Marcus afforded her with a smile. "If… if you die, visit me in battle and lend me your strength. Watch over me, will you?"

Flowers offered him a soft smile in reply. "I'll do my best to be your guardian angel when I pass. How's that? Don't worry; when Falco gets back, I'll enjoy my Ice Cream and everything will be great. Go attend to Venom." She watched Marcus leave then leaned back on her pillow. Moments later, Falco returned with a bowl and a spoon…

He sat down on the edge of her bed and handed her the ice cream. She struggled up, onto her elbows, and kissed the side of his beak. Falco lowered his eyes. "So, say you weren't sick, what would you do next?"

"There's only one way I wouldn't be sick," she said with a frown. "If I could go forward into the future, to a time and date where medical technology could save someone from advanced radiation sickness and reverse everything. And if I could manage such a feat, the next thing I would do is to have a second bowl of Ice Cream, how's that? Then I'd probably go and attend the flight academy and be both a pilot and a doctor. They could call me Doctor Barrel Roll as my piloting handle."

"That would… be cool," said Falco.

"You can call it my 'dying wish' if you like. Wishing for a painless release is a plea for a favor, but if I had one dying wish… it would be to have a second chance. Cliché, but it's the same wish everyone else wants: To be able to achieve their childhood dreams."

Falco continued the small talk. "Well, you could always fly with my grandkids, in the future. It's always handy to have a medic on a flight team."

Fara ended the security footage with the touch of a button. She had a little time before Crimson would be back and she had a plan to help Jane Flowers. She knew what she had to do. Fara stood up, left the office and headed towards the medical bay.

Falco stepped out into the hallway and looked up, face to face with Fara. "Oh… Phoenix, hey. She's asleep but it won't last long… might be her last nap she's ever allowed to have."

Fara shook her head. "No, she'll have one more and it will be a long one."

Falco smirked. "That's cold, don't you think?"

"Not the way you're thinking," she replied, folding her arms. "I'm going to have to move her, Falco. She doesn't have much time left and it will be a little while before Crimson returns to GreatFox, so we can run our patrol."

"Move her?"

Fara nodded. "I'm taking her to Eladard. I have to hurry, before she dies or it will be too late."

Falco lifted a cobalt wing, placing his palm on the fennec's shoulder. "Wait, what's on Eladard? It's a rich planet, covered in endless city and industry. They have good hospitals, but no one has the technology to save her, yet. She's just too close to death for modern medicine."

"Exactly," said Fara with a confirming nod. "I know what she's going through, Falco. Modern medicine couldn't save me, either. I'm taking her to Eladard; don't tell Marcus anything that will cause him to worry, Falco. He needs his mind on the mission. I saw in his eyes that he's accepted her death and it's empowered him to take the fight to Venom with gusto. Meanwhile, Jane gets her dying wish; who knows, maybe she'll fly with your grandkids, Falco."

"How'd you…?"

Fara lifted her paw and placed it on the avian's shoulder. "Don't worry about it. Just go finish readying the ships. I've not got much time to get her to Eladard. I'll have Crimson meet me in orbit and we'll go from there to our Patrol destination."

Wolf O'Donnell settled into an office chair, watching a flat screen monitor on the office wall with some measure of interest. Ever since Bill Gray began building hype for StarFox in an attempt to slow down the gears of the Venom War machine, the media picked up the story. Now the news began running background stories on the members. Star McCloud apparently changed his name to Marcus while Crimson became known as the team's ace pilot.

Now there were rumors that they acquired three more pilots and the recently awakened Fara Phoenix. Speculation, on behalf of the media, mentioned that rumors from anonymous military sources claimed the other pilots had some relation to the old StarFox team. Wolf leaned back in his chair, placing a paw on the armrest, pushing a few buttons with a contemplative look on his face.

A wireless earpiece in his right ear came to life, buzzing into the connection. Once the channel became established, Wolf smiled. "Dash, pal, how're my kids treating you?" A pause, then, "Oh, you don't say? Caruso? I've not seen him in quite some time. …Oh, no, I still associate with Powalski; look, come by my office. I have a business proposition for you. Bring Crimson and Bliss; I want to do business." Another pause then Wolf added, "Yeah, the fall of Shray-Lek was bad business for everyone and I felt the bite on my… company. I'd like to arrange something special and get you back in power. All right, see you then, Bowman." O'Donnell closed the line and smirked.

Meanwhile, on the other end of the line, Bowman closed the channel and glanced over at Crimson with a frown. "Change of plans; I'd like for both of you to come with me on a business errand." The three of them sat in a small room with a card table in the center. Their special transport ship looked unique due to the triangular design. Shaped like a pyramid, each of the three sides held a docked fighter against the hull, belonging to the twins and Dash.

"Whatever; you're paying me and you're paying StarFox," Bliss said, adding, "So, go ahead and change the heading already."

Dash stood up from the table and walked into the cramped cockpit. A moment later, he returned and sat back down at the table. Bliss stood up, stretched and headed back to the cockpit for some space, leaving Bowman and Crimson together. They exchanged quiet glances, causing the moment to turn awkward.

Finally, Crimson broke the silence and asked, "So what's it like?" Dash furrowed his brows in confusion, prompting the young O'Donnell to elaborate. "You know, being the grandson of Andross. The great hero of Venom and the Lylat Super-villain."

"I hardly knew him. My father was not much better; I joined the academy on my own and I struggled for a while. Everyone has such strange expectations of someone like me and so every time I got into the cockpit, I felt like I was flying against him. My mother never talked about 'her father' and was glad when her marriage caused her surname to change, but then tragedy claimed them and life actually became easier. What about you – being the son of Wolf O'Donnell and all?"

"He's a real bastard. He might as well have been dead," Crimson mused with a shrug. "Whenever we did talk, he couldn't talk about his work. He couldn't elaborate on anything because if it got out, it would be bad business… that sort of thing. He got a bad name for dealing with Lylat's scum but redeemed himself by helping StarFox against the Aparoids and Anglars. I shrug it off and yet people still judge me because of my blood."

Dash nodded in understanding then said, "The mind makes the man, not the blood."

"We're a lot alike, you and I," Crimson said, adding, "We both fly to escape our family's shadow." A noise came from his pocket, prompting him to lift his left paw and hold up a single finger. "One sec." He then opened the communicator and said, "Yeah?"

Crimson listed for a few moments to the voice on the other end then smirked. "Is that so? I bet his wife and daughter are tickled. So, did he confirm that everyone is still alive? …Really, now. That's amazing; you don't feel awkward now, do you?" Another moment passed then he glanced back up at Dash, still listening to the communicator. "All right, I'll be there soon. There's one more thing I have to do, first. Don't worry, this errand is on the way; wish the other pilots good luck on their run and I'll see you soon."

"Good news?" Dash asked.

"Something like that," replied Red. "I've not seen my old man in quite some time. I wonder what he'll say about my upcoming mission. Anyhow, let's hurry there. I'm going to have to head back to help my team as soon as possible – something came up, you know?"

"So be it." Dash nodded. "I'm paying your sister to work for me, not you. You're not obligated, although it was nice to have the added protection on behalf of team StarFox."

An hour later…

Dash Bowman, Bliss O'Donnell and Crimson O'Donnell arrived at Wolf's space station outpost. The trio stepped into the office where Wolf turned about to face them. He pressed a button on his desk and the television monitor on the back wall faded to black. Bowman looked ready to talk business. Crimson looked stoic and Bliss simply smiled.

"Hey daddy," she said, approaching his desk and sliding up onto the mahogany surface. "Crimson can't stay; apparently he's been recalled; he has to meet with another StarFox pilot in Eladard, outside of sector Z. I think it's for a measly patrol run with Fara Phoenix."

"That's a shame," O'Donnell said, turning to face his son. "Long time no see, boy. I hear you've turned some heads; Corneria is singing your praises. They don't even mention me or your sister."

"Yeah." Crimson nodded, approaching the desk. "About all that… here," he said, throwing down five thousand credits. "Thanks for the loan; I've got myself covered now. It was a good start but it's just chump change now. Give it to Bliss for her team." He smirked.

"Ah, you've finally grown a pair of balls," Wolf replied, taking the plastic money chip. He then slid it across the desk to Bliss and added, "The real world has the power to make or break a man. I'm glad to see my kid making a name, even if it's second fiddle to someone else, living their life in the shadow of Fox McCloud. How's that feel, anyhow? Living in the shadow of someone else who lives in a shadow?"

Crimson shrugged, keeping the smirk plastered on his face. "I kinda know how Falco Lombardi feels now."

"Falco; that moron has a horrible attitude," Wolf snorted.

Bliss tilted her head. "Mom's always liked him."

"All the more reason for me not to like him," Wolf replied. "Anyhow, he's gone so why should I worry about that pilot?"

"If you say so," Crimson replied. He'd never mentioned the private communiqué from Fara Phoenix that he'd received while on Dash's ship. Crimson then smiled and shrugged his shoulders again. "Did I ever tell you that StarFox has more contacts than you could have possibly realized? It's funny, really; we're even flying the same GreatFox, fully loaded with a professional inventory. You know me, pop; I stayed up all night until every gun was right where I want it. I physically put my paws on every single piece of equipment." He then turned to his sister and said, "Ever held a Dragon Sniper rifle? No? Really? What a shame, they're amazing."

"Satisfied with being second, huh pup?" Wolf chuckled. "It's all right, carrot top. At least one of my kids has their own team with aspirations of running StarWolf one day soon."

"It's a shame it'll be a second rate team compared to mine," Crimson replied, maintaining his calm, biting his tongue with a smile.

Wolf looked mildly surprised. "Hmm, that usually gets under your skin; did you finally get laid for the first time?"

The young O'Donnell turned, first to his father, then to his sibling. "Oh, no not yet; I just became a made man first. I wouldn't want someone like Carey holding me back." Crimson cut his eyes to his sister and smirked at her.

"I'll admit," Bliss mused, touching her fingernail to her chin. "You're quite a pilot, Crimmy. You never attended the academy and yet you handle a fighter like a professional. But when it comes to a kill score, you'll always be second rate. Heck, I don't even know if you've got what it takes to be a legitimate 'ace' pilot. You sure don't have the kill score for such a title."

Crimson turned his eyes back to his father and said, "I came with these two in order to return the loan. I was on orders to watch over Dash and Bliss but my new orders are to head to Eladard and fly a patrol with Fara Phoenix, through Sector Z. When Venom's new mini-militia is in ruins, I'll take a short sabbatical from StarFox and go to the academy. McCloud plans to go, too. I understand he did a few classes earlier in the year before his family disappeared but what most people don't know is that he was class valedictorian that year. Yeah, he doesn't tell anyone because it coincided with his parent's death and he likes to pretend that year simply didn't happen… but there it is and now ya' know."

"The first year is all academics, you don't even fly." Bliss turned to her brother then added, "Furthermore, the closest you come to flying is training in the gravity simulator. Neither of you are certified combat pilots. StarFox is a huge joke with Lazarus as their ace in the hole. She can't stop Venom with a bunch of kids dragging her down. I'm glad I'm not the one babysitting you people…"

Red cut his gaze to his sister then shrugged once more. "Fara Phoenix isn't our only ace in the hole," Crimson replied. He then made the hand-gesture of a gun with his left and right paws, pointed at both his sister and his father. With a confident stride, Crimson began to back out of the office. "Catch you losers later. We'll compare kill scores when the Venom dust settles. And you guys know what? I don't expect either one of you to be impressed or to voice your family pride over my future achievements. That's why I'm bragging for myself; it'll be deserved." Crimson backed up to the doorway and turned to Dash then said, "Good luck with these losers, old man." He backed through the doorway and shut it behind himself.

'Now to blow this pop-stand and meet up with Fara,' he thought to himself, hurrying back to the flight deck. 'I can't believe Falco is back… I'm really glad he was able to confirm that the entire team is alive; I wonder how this will affect Fara, knowing Fox is still alive but married,' he pondered, heading for his ship.

An hour later, Fara Phoenix and Crimson O'Donnell met in orbit above Eladard. He moved into formation besides her ship and the two fighters descended upon the planet's surface. Her Arwing's computer transferred the flight plan, a triangle of navigation points that ran through part of Sector Z and swept back towards GreatFox. He followed her into the planet's orbit, unsure as to meaning behind the unscheduled first stop.

Meanwhile, the rest of the team ascended upon Macbeth under the guise of stealth camouflage. Marcus, Falco, Vivian and Theodore headed for The Behemoth, orbiting the dusty, hollow planet.

McCloud lowered his eyes to the glossy photograph of his son, taped to the ejector lever. If he had to pull it, he planned to have his fist on the photograph – just incase. His eyes lifted, taking in the disproportionate titanic hull of Behemoth in orbit over Macbeth. McCloud opened a channel to his team. "From here on out, things are going to get hairy. If you don't have a kill-score yet, you will when we leave Macbeth airspace. Theodore, I want you to begin analyzing that monster for weak points and scan their damage levels; transfer that status to our Heads Up Display.

"Vivian, your job is to get in close, plant explosive charges on their turrets and then drop your camouflage. You'll lead their fighters back to us. Falco and I will begin working on their fighter cover and you'll pull back so you can detonate those charges. By then, there will be a lot of bogies in the air. We'll break and attack; the skies of Macbeth will be our playground but watch one another's backside. We're a team, if you're in trouble then do yourself a favor: call for help. Finally, please remember that we need to make this look like an accident. I was thinking we could drive this ship back so that it has no where to go. Let it look like they run into the intended target while fleeing. Okay, we'll be in range soon, so remember our plan. Let's move."

Without a further word on the subject, Vivian punched her throttle. The Jackrabbit fighter blazed through the formation, heading for her goal. She had the fastest ship and, with her recently installed Multi-Lock, Vivian Hare knew that her task would be quick and easy. The lapin pilot moved close to the Behemoth and set a course to fly parallel to its massive hull. The fighter skimmed beneath, quickly targeting each gun turret.

At the end of the run, she pulled back on the flight yolk and rolled over, flying along the top of the large ship. She locked on to each turret and fired a package of sticky detonators which attached to their targets in flawless fashion. She made two more passes, covering the port and starboard hull then came about once more. Vivian piloted her ship back towards the main bridge and dropped her cloak, firing a smart missile directly into the massive windshield.

The Behemoth's shields easily absorbed the energy of the blast but her effective method of grabbing attention clearly worked. She pulled into a half-loop and fired her afterburners, heading back towards the StarFox team. She opened a private channel and announced, "That was fun; I can imagine the look on their stupid faces." She reached her left paw to her chest pocket to calm the furry creature within. Because of the G-Diffusing equipment, Nibbles felt no pressure from her aerobatic stunts.

The colossal bay doors opened on the front and rear sections of the Behemoth. In almost exactly sixty seconds, several scores of fighters launched from either end of the ship. "Well," Vivian said, watching her radar screen fill with dots, "They're quick. They must have the first wave of pilots in a rec-room adjacent to the flight decks. Sixty seconds is awfully quick for a ship that size."

Falco and Marcus uncloaked their fighters and punched their afterburners. Marcus opened a channel and said, "All ships, weapons free; go get'em." Falco's fighter broke from formation and eased to the port. Marcus shifted his flight yolk to the starboard side and said, "I've got everything on the right."

"Are you sure this will work?" Theodore asked, coming alongside of McCloud's ship. His fighter came into a parallel formation.

McCloud grinned. "It'll work; your idea is pure genius, Ted."

"I appreciate the compliment!" Theodore remained adjacent to Marcus' fighter until they were within range of the titanic craft. Young Toad pulled back on his controls, breaking the formation and nosing up into a loop. He continued around in the large arc then broke away, towards the flight deck.

Theodore's ship passed through the large doors, flying into the flight deck. He punched his braking thrusters, skidding across the floor. The ship pivoted about, sliding at an angle along the deck. It came to a stop; hundreds of fighters lined the side walls with pilots hurrying towards their craft.

The toad placed his webbed fingers on a keyboard built into his dash. He punched a numerical sequence code then closed his eyes. Three seconds later, his shields flashed, pulsing with a high power electromagnetic shockwave.

Outside the ship, Falco brought his craft around, facing the front section of the mighty battleship. "This thing is twice the size of Great Commander," he said beneath his breath. The lights on the front section and all the running lights along the keel went silent. He blinked then a broad grin covered his beak. "Hey, the bow is dark; the kid's plan worked!"

Marcus' voice came over Falco's communicator. "You've gotta have faith, old man!" followed by, "He has one side left." Seconds later, Theodore's ship hurtled free of the darkened flight deck, blown out of the hanger by the lack of an atmospheric force field. His ship sputtered to life and he pulled up, firing his boosters.

Falco moved into position, alongside of Theodore. "Intense, huh? Waiting for your ship to reboot while getting blown out of the flight deck looks like a lot of fun. You guys make me proud, flying with your balls and your instincts. Just keep that up; put your gut and your gull first with your training second. You'll live longer, you guys. Not to mention, you'll kill more enemy ships."

Vivian's voice came over the channel. "One doesn't need balls to fly like a badass!" Then, to prove her point, she detonated the sticky packs attached to each turret. "You'll be able to access the rear flight deck, now, boys. But let me clear a path for you, first!" The Jack Rabbit fighter moved into Falco and Theodore's path. She powered up her main guns and, simultaneous to opening fire, she broke into a barrel roll. Using her Multi-Lock, she managed to destroy ten targets in unison.

She punched her throttle again, using a pair of smart missiles to take out two fighter formations on the left and right. "Another two squadrons down, add eight more to my count, if you please!" She broke into another barrel roll just in time to deflect an ion cannon attack from above. "May I recommend flying just like that? After all, I wouldn't want people thinking that I don't fly with a pair of…"

"You've made yer point, sister," Falco said with a smug grin. "You can fly on my wing any day, but next time, I want you to do me a favor, will ya?"

The Jack Rabbit did a roll of victory, pulling up and breaking to the left. "What's that?" she asked over the radio.

"Don't hog all the fun!" replied the avian in a half-serious sounding tone of demand. "I mean it; some of those guys are mine! Heh, all right, Theodore… The stage is yours, pal."

Toad punched his afterburners, passing over a wall of plasma boosters. He glanced over his shoulder from the cockpit and blinked in surprise. "It's a mile of plasma engine boosters. I've never seen anything like it." He eased forward on the flight yolk and punched his afterburners. The field of blue illuminated the belly of his fighter, creating a spectacular lighting effect in his cockpit.

Falco moved to the left, chasing after a group of fighters. The two fighters parted ways, breaking formation. Toad rolled over then pulled back on his control stick, angling his way into the rear bay doors, maneuvering between several fighters pouring out of the hanger in formation. They rushed passed him in the opposite direction, causing his heart to pound from the near collision. He punched his braking thrusters and slammed into the smooth metallic flooring, same as before. He shut his eyes and pressed the engage button on his dashboard.

The last of his ship's power drained into his secondary electromagnetic shielding field. The pulse generated an intense flash, blinding all the pilots on the deck. It powered down every electronic circuit and computer chip within a thousand feet. The force-field fizzled out. Sitting on the deck, one hundred feet from the massive bay doors, Theodore's ship blew into space, followed by several dozen enemy ships with fried circuits. An asphyxiated lizard corpse slammed into the canopy glass. The noise startled Theodore, causing him to gasp in shock. Another deceased reptilian pilot collided with the hull followed by a third. Their bloated eyes and frozen, dead stare caused Toad to shutter; a moue of disgust crept across his face.

Vivian's ship came in from above. She activated her magnetic hull plating, the belly of her fighter coming into contact with the bottom of Theodore's ship. She punched the throttle and pulled him away from the carnage. Falco and Marcus moved into position and powered their weapons, charging the main cannons.

Both fighters flew in through the rear entrance, beneath the field of plasma engines. The bottom four rows of engines sputtered into darkness from the EMP attack's range to their internal components. Marcus and Falco's fighters moved in, side by side, then released the energy build up in unison.

Their combined attack took out the back wall of the flight deck, giving the Arwings a great deal of clearance to land, side by side, in large corridor intended for foot traffic. A large blast door dropped from the ceiling, drawn shut by the force of analogue gears designed as a failsafe to seal off the flight deck. The large door continued to lower; remaining enemy ships and equipment slid across the deck, piling in front of the closing door in the last seconds before it sealed off the deck. The two Arwings, two hundred feet down the hall from the flight deck, remained silent.

Marcus opened a channel to Falco and said, "Gauges read atmosphere pressure is returning to normal. Get out your assault rifle, old man. I hope that knee implant is ready to work, because I'll be disappointed if you can't keep up with me."

Meanwhile…

Eladard upper hemisphere, above North Point University…

Fara's cockpit adapted a scarlet tint; Jane peered out through the canopy, looking impressed and excited, in consideration of her health. A dim flicker of exhilaration shined in her sunken eyes. The nearly-furless skunkette licked her dry lips. She winced at the sensation of pain from the lumpy sores that covered her tongue tip.

Fara cleared her throat and said, "My parents donated enough money for this University to build the most elaborate Scientific Research facility on Eladard, maybe in all of Lylat. I slept here for almost thirty years. When they woke me, I was rushed to a modern Emergency Room, where my torso was rebuilt. I was in rehabilitation for about two weeks and then I was put into a special class to help me adapt to the times."

Jane leaned forward in the semi-uncomfortable chair. Unlike Fara's cockpit seat, the secondary chair jutted from the metallic storage section of the Arwing, directly behind the pilot's seating unit. Comprised of a simple cushion that unfolded from the wall, with a hard, metallic backrest, the designed proved itself to be counter efficient in comfort. She hated her seat. Jane glanced down at the veneer of black and white fur that lined the cushion on either side of her legs then said, "I suppose that makes sense; they wouldn't want you to be anachronistic. Failure to adapt could cause undue emotional stress on the victim."

Fara furrowed her brows and cocked her right ear back. "Are you sure you're only thirteen?"

"I…" She trailed off into a cough then said, "I don't like to brag; my parents put me through advanced schooling. I have an extensive education for someone my age. If anything, I'll adapt easily in the future, if this works."

"It will work," said Fara, adding, "Are you sure you're ready to go through with this? It was difficult for me. I mean, I wake up and meet the son of my boyfriend. That was… weird to say the least."

"I can't even imagine," Jane replied in a flat tone. "I've never dated anyone. I feel a little better than I've felt over the last twenty-four hours, though."

"That's the adrenaline." Fara quirked a brow and glanced at her sensor scope. "What in the world?" She punched two buttons on her dashboard and said, "Crimson, are you picking up hostile signatures on the ground?"

The hybrid boy's voice came over the internal speakers in Fara's cockpit. "Yeah, I was just about to ask you the same thing. This planet should be in neutral territory. I actually planned on seeing a lot of Cornerian transfer ships bringing sick and wounded people to hospitals here, but the University's medical center is crawling with red 'dots' and that kinda bothers me."

"Please tell me you're armed," said Phoenix, directing her fighter towards a rather flat gray section on the other-wise textured planet. Peppered with skyscrapers, Eladard's city spanned every inch of the globe. The University of North Point, however, had flat sections sprawling the expanse of the campus.

"I've come prepared, Fara." Crimson changed the formation, bringing his ship adjacent to her own. They exchanged nods through the canopy windows and he gave her a smile. "I have blasters and submachine guns. They're behind my seat; I also have rations and scanners. Pretty much anything we'll need if those red dots really are Venom equipment signatures. What's the plan if the Medical Center is overrun by hostiles?"

Fara took a slow breath. Her fighter disappeared into the clouds only to reappear beneath them, covered in rain. "This University is at the top of the Medical Research field, Crimson. Venom may be utilizing the Hospital section for their own needs but this planet is fairly neutral. We'll be going to the science and research department. However, if we're met with resistance, then we'll have to do our best to make it to the cryogenic research laboratory, where I stayed. The scientists there will take her, no matter what. Especially if I offer a Grant. Money talks. We have every much of a right to be there as Venom. And, if we find out that they're there for a less peaceful reason… then we'll have our work cut out for us."

Jane leaned forward in her seat again, peaking out through the canopy, at the landscape below. "And if they've overrun the medical facility? I'll probably be dead in a few hours."

Fara winced at the girl's blunt statement. "I think we'll be okay. I had plans to swing by Sauria on our patrol, to return the dinosaur, but maybe we can use his help or something."

Crimson's voice came over the communication again. "You brought HIM? Are you kidding? Please tell me you're just joking; he's going to get in the way!"

"Crimson…" Fara sighed. "I was trying to be productive. I wanted to have him carry Jane for us and then return him to his home. If anything, he'll be more of a help than a hindrance."

"That'll be a first," O'Donnell grumbled. The hybrid fox-mixed-wolf mumbled something unintelligible then said, "Fine. I had no idea he could fit inside of an Arwing Nova Hatch; he's a full grown freakin' dinosaur."

Fara replied, "He fit… just barely. The increased weight made lift off a real pain, though." She changed the subject and her tone, adding, "Follow me. We should have been hailed for our intent while in orbit and I've not heard a damn thing yet. It's obvious that something is amiss, so we're going to land in the courtyard facing the research facility. I only have an emergency blaster in my hold, so bring some decent firearms."

"I always prepare for the unexpected," Crimson said. "I have plenty behind my seat. I thought someone already took Tricky home, anyhow?"

"Wishful thinking," Fara retorted with a roll of her eyes. "He's been staying out of our way, lately, but Violet's intent to take him home became sidetracked. But like I said before, we should be able to make use of him to help us get Jane to the stasis research lab." She sighed then shook her head. "They're not even prompting us for clearance on final approach. That's disconcerting."

"To say the least," Crimson replied. "Okay, we'll use Tricky, you're the team leader. He's just annoying. Besides, I heard you the first time you suggested it. But he's still annoying."

"I'm not arguing that fact," replied Fara.

Jane cleared her throat then said, "I think he's sweet. He's come to visit me a few times while I stayed in medical. He's a bit boisterous and what not, but you're being pugnacious towards him."

Crimson's voice returned over the communication's grid. "Okay, I think boisterous means excitable… that's Tricky to the letter, but what's pugnacious mean?"

Jane bit her lower lip. "I'm sorry; I didn't know you could hear me. Pugnacious is another word for truculent. Or, perhaps, contentious… you know, belligerent. Litigious."

Silence. Fara smiled to herself then said, "Crimson, she means we're being aggressive and touchy in regards to Dino-wonder."

"I can agree with that," replied O'Donnell. "Fara, look, just call me Red."

"Sure." She guided her fighter down towards the University in manual flight mode. Crimson's plane followed her and the two fighters set down in a cobblestone section. The courtyard remained silent. Fara opened her storage ramp, beneath the Arwing.

Crimson O'Donnell slid out of his cockpit with a duffle bag and dropped to the ground. He approached Fara's fighter, then, with a grin, offered the bag to her. "Choose a few weapons; I'll holster the rest of them under my jacket and on my waist."

Fara dropped from the side of her Arwing then reached her paws up. Jane crawled over the lip of the cockpit and slid her feet around. Then, exercising caution, she slid down the side of the Arwing and fell into Fara's arms. Meanwhile, Tricky squeezed out from beneath the craft, plodded down the ramp and approached the two pilots. Fara carried Jane to the dinosaur and placed the patchwork skunk onto his back. She glanced down at her gloved paws then discreetly brushed the loose fur from her palms. Jane's shedding continued to grow worse, but the girl acted as though the balding situation didn't faze her.

Fara checked the power cell of her blaster, then the energy container for the particle assault rifle. "I hate to be cliché but, if you ask me, it's too damn quiet. There should be people coming and going; it's a school, you know? It's almost freaking me out. I can't help but worry for the students… I mean, where is everyone?"

Crimson emptied the duffle bag. He pulled harnesses for holsters from the knapsack and buckled them to his hips then fastened two shoulder holsters to his torso. He loaded himself down with small arms then tossed the empty bag into his cockpit. He turned to Fara and nodded in a confirming manner. "I'm ready, Fara."

"Jane," she said. The young skunk nodded in reply. "Tricky," she added. The dinosaur bobbed his head in an emphatic manner. The gesture suggested readiness. His enthusiastic reply caused Fara to smile a bit. She then turned to Crimson and said, "All right, Red. This is how this works. When we go to the doors, we'll each get on either side. At the door, we'll agree who takes point. As soon as the Point Man goes in, the other person will go in at an angle. If you duck in and face forty-five degrees to right, I'll go in behind you and face forty-five degrees to the left. Follow me, so far? Then, when it's clear, Tricky will follow. Don't take the initiative unless it's an instinctive reaction to save your own life."

"I'll be right behind you," he told her with another firm nod.

Fara cocked the rifle, putting the blaster into her waistband, just beneath the small of her back. She approached the main doors and Crimson tucked to the side, with his back against the wall. Fara kicked in the double doors then dashed to the side, opposite from O'Donnell. She peered in through the doorway and he did the same from the opposite side. Crimson gave her a nod and she returned the gesture.

The half-wolf pivoted on his heel and stormed in through the door with his gun at the ready. He held his right paw at shoulder height, the front end lowered with his left paw, at sternum level. The gun, angled down forty-five degrees, felt hot in his paws. He heard Fara step in behind him and he paused, waiting in the hallway. Tricky trotted in with Jane. The dinosaur looked around, remaining relaxed for the time being.

Fara ran to the end of the hall then stopped at the first intersection. She put her back to the wall and peered around the corner then cut her gaze to the opposite direction. She leaned back from the intersection, turned to Crimson and lifted her left paw. She reached up to her eyes, placed her index and middle finger over her eyes then made the gesture for the number "two" to him.

Crimson nodded in comprehension then came to the edge of the wall, peering into the intersection. He saw the backside of two tall lizards, facing away from the group. Crimson reached into his pocket, withdrew a metal barrel that he'd brought, and attached it to the cylindrical end of his submachine gun. The silencer gave the blunt-ended weapon a menacing look. He brought the sights to bear on the two lizards further down the hall, licked his lips and squeezed inward on the trigger…

A soft mechanical clicking filled the room. Both lizards jolted left and right, torn apart by high power machinegun rounds. The two guards flailed about, becoming riddled with holes before they dropped to the floor. Fara's paw reached out, flipping the safety on Crimson's weapon.

"Calm down, sweetheart," she said, sliding her palm over the top of the weapon. Then, with a guiding touch, she eased his gun barrel down. "You need to relax. Just a quick, short burst of rounds is all you need. Put three rounds into the back of their head to ensure they're down. Don't go wasting your ammunition – it brings down your accuracy."

"I uh," Crimson blushed. "I don't kill many lizards, too often."

"Well," Fara offered a lopsided grin to the boy. "Red, you did well. Just relax and use short bursts. A quick squeeze of the trigger is all you need." She patted his cheek, reached down and released the safety on his weapon then brandished her own, taking point. She sprinted to the end of the hallway and peered around the left and right corner of the intersection. Satisfied, she grabbed the two guards by their collars and hauled them down the hallway.

With Crimson's help, she stuffed them into a janitorial closet with minimal blood on the floor, due to the thickness of their uniforms. Tricky approached them and looked from left to right. "Jane and I found a bunch of those security camera things at every corner. How long before a bunch of people come for us?"

Fara frowned, glancing down at a wrist watch. "That's not Jane's problem, if we're quick." She canted her head towards the next hallway and took off down the corridor. Just as the group reached the Cryogenics research facility where Fara spent a third of a lifetime in suspension, more guards flooded the hall.

"Crap!" Crimson shouted, noticing the group first. Fara brought her gun to the bolt lock on the door and blasted a hole one inch above the handle. The door swung open and she shouldered it hard. Fara turned towards Tricky, plucked Jane from the dinosaur's back and carried the girl into the laboratory. Surprised scientists glared at Fara with wide eyes.

"I'm back!" Fara said with a sing-song voice. Out in the hallway, Crimson knelt down behind Tricky. The dinosaur's neck plating acted as a bulletproof fan to protect the rest of his body. He opened his mouth and inhaled deeply. With a mighty exhale, a plume of thick flame filled the hallway, causing the encroaching guards to fall back.

Sporadic gunfire filled the corridor but, unable to see through the vale of flames, their harmless shots found the floor and walls. Sprinkler systems self-activated in the hallways, dousing the area with a thick rush of water, making visibility at the other end of the hallway near impossible. Meanwhile, the sprinkler systems in each room remained dormant.

Fara, inside the laboratory, helped the scientists to put Jane into a stasis tube. She gave the girl a kiss on the forehead then patted her cheek. "Good luck when you wake up, sweetheart. Everything will be different. There won't be any gunfire or insanity. At least, I hope not." Fara's ears flickered in annoyance, hearing another round of enemy gunfire coming from the hallway.

The skunk offered a thin smile. "Tell Marcus I said I'll look up the McClouds when I wake up," she told the fennec. "Now, go and make sure Crimson and Tricky are all right… and thank you for this opportunity."

"Sure," Fara replied, stepping back while two lab workers brought down the stasis pod cover. Fara's eyes met with Jane's; a thick, colorless gas flooded into the chamber, causing the girl to slip into a state of unconsciousness. The vixen turned to the research leader and said, "The grant check will be larger than I promised. You people are risking your lives by helping us like this. I can't believe Venom is trying to make a move for this planet, too. Here is the girl's identification information." Fara handed the man an ID card for Jane, with her medical history file number for the Cornerian Archives. "Make sure you have all this information intact for when she wakes up, a few decades from now. She'll need it."

The lab technician frowned and said, "You'll need to get off of the planet if you can escape this building. Imperial Venom has this facility locked down, because they're forcing the scientists in Building 3-A to build some sort of bio-weapon."

She made a sour face. "An Oikonny legacy, those damn bioorganic weapons," Fara muttered.

The lab tech turned back to the stasis tube and began going through the procedures necessary to ensure a proper stasis entry for the girl in the chamber. "By now, Miss Phoenix, security teams from other parts of the campus have been notified. You'll have to hurry and leave."

Another round of gun shots caused Fara's ears to perk again. "I'm needed… excuse me." She turned from the scientist and ducked back out into the hallway, moving down to the floor besides Crimson. She gave Tricky a pat on the hip. "How you holding up, big guy?"

Tricky replied, "I'm fine but they're closing in. Let's fall back, huh?" Tricky's tail curled around Fara and Marcus in a protective manner. "We should probably get the heck out of here like, now." A plethora of Venom men shouted to advance in the Venom language. Another round glanced off of the boney plate surrounding the King Earthwalker's head, causing him to flinch. "Both of you get on my back; we don't have time to argue, let's go!"

Crimson turned to Fara, scooped her into his paws then hoisted her onto the dinosaur's back. He mounted the makeshift saddle, comprised of blankets, sitting with his chest against Fara's shoulder blades, careful not to tumble off the dinosaur's back. He reached his right paw out, behind himself, spraying the hallway with submachine gun rounds and hooked his left paw around Fara's waist, leaning into her. Tricky lurched into a gallop, leaving the two pilots to cling for their lives.

O'Donnell's small automatic weapon continued to buck in silence for another moment before the matter-synthesizer containment clip ran dry. He ejected the cartridge which tumbled down Tricky's tail and skittered across the floor; the clattering sound became lost in the ambient noise of the hallway sprinkler system, the shouting and Tricky's high-paced stomping.

"Left!" shouted Fara, clinging to the King Earthwalker's neck. "Go left, Tricky!" She pushed on the right side of his neck, guiding him towards the left intersection fork. More guards, up ahead, flooded the hallway but Tricky lowered his head then jerked his snout upwards upon collision. The large dino bowled through the group of lizards like rag-doll marionettes, throwing them against the wall. Tricky carried Fara and Crimson through the line of soldiers, bounding down another hallway, leading back towards the entrance.

"Almost there!" shouted the vixen.

Crimson fidgeted to reload his weapon and called up to Fara, whose ears brushed his nose from the proximity. "What are all these guards doing here?"

"The lab techs said they have the facility locked down across campus!"

"Why!" he called back.

"You don't want to know, but believe me," said Fara, "It's going to be up to US to stop it. Let's get back to the Arwings, so we can gather aerial intelligence, report to General Gray and plot out some intelligence. StarFox is getting stretched awfully thin; at this rate, we're going to need another whole StarFox team just to help us."

Crimson's weapon bucked to life in his right paw again, firing shots at the lizards behind them, to keep their enemies pinned down. "Not Bliss' team, anyone but them. Okay. Let's fall back and look at our options, then!"

"Right," Fara said, reaching for her blaster. She locked her legs around Tricky's sides and pulled the short-muzzle automatic rifle from her shoulder harness. She lifted both weapons and opened fire on Venom security guards up ahead. With Crimson's arm around her waist and her legs tight around the dinosaur's body, she remained steady enough to duel-wield the awkwardly unbalanced pair of weapons. The blaster bucked in her left paw, not hitting any targets, while the short-muzzle rifle came to life in her right. With the butt stock tucked beneath her right shoulder and resting the tip of the barrel against Tricky's bone-plated head fan, she managed to sweep a clumsy volley across the hallway. She held the weapons with near-trembling paws, fueled by adrenaline.

Once her rifle's cartridge clicked on empty, Fara tossed the heavier of the two weapons to the ground. With the weight off of his protective neck shield, Tricky took a deep breath then expelled a plume of fire, still in mid run. The flames rushed forward, making a path for the group. The dinosaur bashed his way through the main doors, erupting into the courtyard.

"Make a run for the Arwings, go!" Fara barked the order and Crimson leapt from Tricky's back. He dove beneath his Arwing then, without a further thought on the matter, opened fire to fortify their position. Fara rushed for her fighter, using a remote control unit to open both the storage chute and the canopy lid.

She powered her fighter and rerouted the energy grid to her shields, enlarging the bubble to encompass Crimson's fighter. Once safe, he scrambled up the side of his fighter and booted up the computer. Tricky wormed his way into the storage chute under Fara's Arwing and the hatch closed.

"Fara," said O'Donnell over the radio. "Forget about Sauria for right now; we need to get back to GreatFox and set up a secondary plan to stop Venom from taking over this place.. If worst comes to worst, we'll have to come back here and fight them personally."

"Not them," she said. "…It. Like I said, you don't want to know, right now. And you're right, we'll have to come back here, but we're going to wind up exhausting the team; we can't be everywhere at once," Fara replied. "Crimson, I'll have ROB bring GreatFox to us. Let's back track. We'll personally meet up with General Gray… He may send us back here with some Cornerian fighter pilots or something… if he can spare them, that is. Venom's on the offense in too many places at one time and, worst of all, they're all secretive fronts; who knows how many moves they're making in one turn. I mean, the way I see it, we have no idea how many more places Venom has set up shop like this. Just think, if we didn't plan to come here, we'd have never found out what they're doing until it was too damn late."

O'Donnell shifted his weight in the cockpit seat. "What is it they're doing here exactly?"

Fara's voice continued over the communications line. "Let me just reiterate: we're going to need more people; that's all you need to know right now. Now, we achieved our goal and we did it against all odds, so we're lucky for the moment. Say a prayer that Venom assumes our intention here was to infiltrate their presence. With any luck, they'll overlook the finer details… Jane's life depends on their ego. By now, her body is being lowered into a chamber, deep under ground where they'll never find her but… call my worry a mother's instinct, you know? It's a woman thing."

"I understand," replied the hybrid son of Wolf over the radio patch. "Do you think we'll get the help we're going to need?"

"I don't know and that worries me more than anything." Fara cleared her throat then said, "We need to exercise radio silence, from here on out, Red."

"Fate has a way of making things happen that need to happen, Fara. Anyways, I'm right behind you." Crimson closed the channel and lifted his fighter from the ground. Harmless small arms fire bounced off of the Arwing's shields; the fighters rose into the atmosphere.

Once in orbit, both Arwings altered their course then laid in the coordinates to Corneria. Fara radioed to GreatFox and arranged for ROB to meet them there.

A/N: FINALLY! It took several months on this chapter because I was completely dissatisfied with it. Thanks to Destructor and Lance, a friend from the states and a friend from Australia, I've managed to creep through this chapter and finish it. Also, I need to thank PuffNStuff for some ideas and SirRaphael, Chrono Reaper, blaisercat, and everyone who reviewed chapter 20. I don't remember which one of you suggested it, but… one of you told me the best way to combine killing Jane (what I planned) and keeping her alive (what the fans wanted) was to basically draw a parallel between both her life and Fara's death from when ole Miss Phoenix was supposedly killed almost 3 decades prior. If I could just remember who suggested that, I would mention his name if I haven't already. That REALLY got me to finish the chapter, because for the longest time, I had no idea what to do with her… Remind me who it was! XD

Okay, back to writing! I have to finish Chapter 5 of Reflections of Fox, now! Oh, one more thing, I'd like to thank Obsidian Thirteen. He's the one who told me how to update while FFnet's document uploader is crapped out. What a genius, I tell ya!

I'm sure they're going to fix this problem REAL soon and then there will be a flood of updates, and this chapter will be pushed SO FAR down the list that NO ONE will read it. Hopefully those who wanted to see this story updated WILL read this chapter... I know some of you have been waiting for it, and I appologize for the wait!

:D

-kit