Roaring engines was all that could be heard in the cockpits of the Arwings. Silence came over the radios because of the scrambler system. This fight only just started and by the look of the field, the enemy had the upper hand due to their massive numbers. The Star Fox team and company though smaller in number had the advantage of more intimate knowledge of each other's fighting styles, this would allow them to avoid each other and work better with each other.

Krystal tumbled to the side and swung her ship around banking hard up to avoid shots from an Arwing behind her. She tumbled her ship to the side again breaking and watching the one behind her shoot past her. Throwing the Arwing back in to drive, Krystal took off and took out the ship by knocking its motor functions so it could no longer fight.

Falco was having the time of his life once again. He was taking out enemies as fast as he could. In his mind, he was having a little competition with himself. Last time he was in the air he shot down about 20 enemies, he was going to go for more this time. He wanted to beat his record and have a number to compare with everyone else once everyone got back.

Slippy tried his best to stay from being chased by the other Arwings. Unfortunately, for him he was the worst pilot on the team. He was better with ground cover then air cover. It did not take long before he was cheering in victory for his first hit in the fight only to have it turn to screams of fear as he realized he has four ships on his tail. Flying every way he could he just could not shake them and he knew they were out to kill.

James stayed on top of his game showing even though he was out of work for a few years he still knew his way around the field and then some. He noticed Slippy and did a barrel roll with a flip sling shooting him passed other enemies to tail those tailing Slippy. Within seconds, James took out the four ships following poor Slippy and took off to take out more.

Fox flew with ease through the enemy. He was looking for the leader of the army; he was looking for Birch but could not find him on the field. He was slammed from behind with Enemies and started to try and out maneuver them to get away, though with little luck. He feared he would be shot down until he felt his craft go smooth. Glancing back, he saw Hawk has taken out the five that gave him chase and he could see red marks over the left side of the glass of his Arwing.

Hawk was being ruthless in his fighting and he had help with Lynx in an Arwing next to him. She was tagging people with her lasers to make them chase after her so Hawk could take them down. This worked really well for them, as they grew closer to the ship they were going to splatter with bright red paint. As they came up close, Hawk flipped his ship and launched the paint missile letting it splatter across the side of one of the larger battle cruisers.

Wolf saw the splatter and took no time in rushing his Arwing to the cruiser hangar. He was going to take out Birch and he did not care if he did it alone or if he died trying. He landed in the hangar of the cruiser without much difficulty only able to assume all those that could fight were out in the battle. He climbed down and looked around before hearing a second Arwing pull in next to him. Spinning he saw the hatch pop and Krystal hopped out landing with grace only she could do.

"What are you doing?" Wolf barked at her.

"Being your cover cause everyone else is out there fighting, and you came in alone." Krystal pulled out her blaster and smiled. "Do not worry, I won't slow you down."

Wolf grumbled a bit and shook his head, he knew better than to argue with a woman, let alone a woman who could read minds, and had the potential to kick his ass in a fight. They moved quickly to the Hangar door and got ready for the fight of their life. The outside was full of fighters but they were from many ships not one, the inside had to have even more fighters and security.

Wolf opened the door and leapt out quickly taking aim down the hall in both directions like we was expecting an army in the hall. Krystal walked out and shook her head to him before walking down the hall with a light thumping of her boots. One thing he could do was know if someone was outside the door or not. She kept walking, Wolf following her feeling a bit like a moron but nothing else was new.

Krystal stopped and closed her eyes before she jumped to the side hiding behind the corner. Wolf Followed very quickly to the wall waiting. A group of soldiers was walking up on them from a side hall in the ship. Krystal put her hand up in a gesture of how many there were, five. Wolf nodded this would be rough but they knew they could manage.

The soldiers walked up and two were quickly shot down while the other three jumped back in surprise. Wolf quickly shot three more times while they were stunned from what just happened and took out the last three. Krystal had taken only one down and winced as she felt each of their minds go blank. She felt a little sick at the feeling but she would have to get over it.

"Krystal, are you going to be ok with this?" Wolf looked to her.

"Yea, I just never have been this close to someone as they died. Their mind waves really hit me then disappeared, just made me a little woozy is all." She steeled herself and quickly stepped over them and continued down the hall.

She was looking for Birch's mind, knowing if she could locate him, they could find him a lot easier. This ship was a maze with no maps to be found anywhere. Krystal stopped at another cross in the halls and looked around before sighing heavily. She could not find Birch and she was definitely sure they were lost now. With all the minds on the ship, each pulled her in a different direction. Wolf glanced down at her he was just as lost and their only means of knowing where they were was the windows that showed the fight outside.

Wolf looked out to see the Arwings in a dance of death those that were unable to move drifted away from the field as those still able moved rapidly around chasing each other. Falco's Arwing zipped by the window followed by a few other Arwings then Hawk firing behind them. The battle was an amazing sight to watch though it was also dangerous for them to stay in one spot

A loud beep sounded through the hall coming from Krystal wrist com. She and wolf looked down as the screen turned out and flicked a bit as it rebooted. Krystal looked up to Wolf as this meant the scramble time was over and communications were back. This was not a good thing. They thought they had at least an hour before communications was back, but it had only been about 30 minutes. They both took off running back to the Arwings. With communications, back it would be easier for them to be located on the cruiser.

They turned the last corner back to the Arwings only to come face to face with about ten soldiers armed and waiting for them. They both stopped and did not move. The command to drop their weapons and raise their hands was called by one and they did as they were told. They quickly became surrounded and escorted up to the bridge.

They walked quickly to the bridge of the cruiser and once they enter, they saw their target. Birch stood with his head high and proud like he had already won the war. He turned and looked to Krystal and Wolf smirking once more as he stepped over to them with his hands behind his back. Wolf snarled at him but made no move to attack with the rifles pointed at him and Krystal. Krystal stood quietly her eyes watching Birch as she was reading every emotion, thought, and body language he had given her.

"Well Well what do we have here? A lost mutt and a blue bitch, tell me, you trying to kill me?" Birch laughed slightly as they had failed in their mission. "I would have at least sent two competent assassins."

"You are a horrible person. You start a war for nothing other than jealousy." Krystal snapped out. She was still ten times calmer then Wolf.

"No, no my dear not jealousy, I am equalizing the planets you see. Why should people suffer on one planet while others prosper greatly? I am going to take both planets and combine them so they both can prosper together." Birch smiled again. "But that army there, that Star Fox Team is in the way."

"General Birch sir, The Blitz is online and ready for firing." A Cat spoke from a console.

"Good, but wait for the signal from the spy we had in the station. He should be informing about his job soon. If all goes well, those people in that station should be going crazy and attacking each other. Hawk did do one useful thing." Birch chuckled

"What are you going to do to them? There are children and injured on the station." Krystal stepped forward grabbed quickly by soldiers.

"Oh you didn't know. Hawk stole some test drugs from a military base and brought them to me." He chuckled. "I believe your friend Falco had a first look on how it works. We created more, made it respertory, and made a large bomb that will release the drugs in to the ventilation of the space station. It will infect everyone on the station, up to and including Pepper, and anyone that breaths in there." Birch smiled and looked back to his screen. "If it fails well we will have out latest weapon to test on the station."

"NO!" Krystal fought and pulled against the guards.

"Let us go and fight me like a real soldier! Face to face, no hiding!" Wolf barked at him pulling hard at the guards dragging them slightly.

"I use my brain over my brawn; more victories are won that way." Birch glanced before a loud buzzing sounded, "On screen!"

"Greetings Birch," Pepper's face appeared on the screen his arms neatly behind his back. "We have found your spy and he has told us all of your plans. We found your bomb and we have disarmed it. We have more Soldiers on their way to the field to fight all around the globe."

"Hmm, too bad for you then," Birch nodded to the cat at the front before looking up to Pepper again. "I have two of your Soldiers, and now you will be no more. See you in hell Pepper."

The transmitting cut out as the screen went back to the battlefield. The ship shook slightly as a bright glow came from under the window. Within a few seconds, a large putrid green beam shot out from under the ship and landed its mark in the middle of the station. The beam sat like a targeting laser before it let out roaring pulse that followed the beam. The station looked to have frozen during the first part before it erupted in a ball of fire when the pulse reached it. Arwings in the field that were to close, were sucked in to the beam and destroyed, others damaged to the point of being unable to continue to fight.

Wolf went wide-eyed with shock unable to believe the massive destructive force the cannon this ship had. Wolf dropped to his knees as everyone on that station and dozens in the sky were gone. He has had his share of kills in battle but what he just saw could never compare.

Krystal froze watching the destruction. Everyone in the station, on the field, she heard every one of them cry out, screaming. She dropped to a kneeled sitting position on the floor before grabbing her head and screamed out her own tears falling from her eyes. It felt like her home planet Cerinia all over again. She rocked and cried out loudly before feeling a set of strong arms wrap around her when wolf pulled her close.

"Make out guest comfortable, in one of the cells down stairs." Birch snarled before looking back to the screen.

"You will pay for this." Wolf barked with venom at him.

Wolf stood up with Krystal, scooped her up bridal style as he could tell in her state she was unable to walk. He carried her down to the jail cells that waited them unable to fight back against the guards with Krystal unable to help and no weapon. He sat her on the bed before sitting next to her as he was going through his head what they could do to escape. He only prayed that no one attacked the ship to destroy it before Krystal and he got out.

On the battlefield ten minutes earlier

The Teams were fighting to the best of their abilities not stopping or slowing in their aggressive attacks. Chatter quickly filled the radios of the Arwings as the communications came back quickly. They became quite by a loud bark from James yelling shut up at everyone trying to talk all at once. The next sound was of people calling for assistance and confirmations of help. They now become more organized, and to the fact, they planned all of this ahead it did not take long for them to organize faster than the enemy.

"Where is Krystal and Wolf I have not seen their Arwing and Woflen for a while." Fox spoke up over the radio.

"They are inside the ship" Hawks voice soothed out over the radio. "Saw them go in after I marked the cruiser."

"WHAT!" Fox yelled.

"Don't worry Fox, Wolf is one of the best hand to hand and land fighters of everyone here, and with Krystal watching his back they should be flying out any minute now" James tried to reassure Fox before he ran in and did something stupid.

"Then let's clear a Path for them so they can come out without worry." Fox Cheer out being a bit less worried.

"Alright that's my boy!" James laughed charging to battle, not realizing his Radio was still on. "Watch over our son, my love."

They went back into the fight with ten times more morale and eagerness to win. However, that eagerness was gone, when a large beam locking on to the station, putrid green beam shot through the field in to the station. Arwings scrambled to pull away from the beam as is sucked them in. It was not the first part of the shot that was dangerous; it was the end.

James pulled hard on his controls as he pulled and twisted trying to get his Arwing free from the beam. He felt his body go cold as he realized he was not going to live through this battle. He escaped last time but this time he was not going to be able too. He stopped fighting and closed his eyes thinking about his wife and his great son that he had a pleasure to fight next to one last time.

"Fox, you made me so proud." James spoke to himself. He reached out touching the picture he had on his nightstand back on Beneria, that he taped in to his Arwing. "We get to be together soon Li…."

"Dad...? DAD? DAD!" Fox looked around hearing his father over the radio and found him just as the pulse beam shot across the field and left a path of nothing in its wake.

Fox sat dazed as he just watched the beam from the Enemy Cruiser take his father from him, and destroy the station that Pepper and Peppy were on, the Princess and Prince of Beneria, and others that could not fight back. Fox could not move no one on the field could. Everyone was completely stunned, by what just happened to the station and fellow pilots. It felt like forever when Fox's hands squeezed the stick of the Arwing and gritted his teeth. He was the first to move and he spun going straight to the Cruiser.

Hawk had no idea that the cruiser had that firepower. He was almost thankful that he agreed to the terms of this fight, or else Lynx and he would have died without even being able to fight back first. He saw Fox move so he too took fight following Fox. He followed Fox right in to the hangar of the cruiser and watched as Fox mercilessly shot at those around his Arwing firing. This was not the same Fox McCloud, known for his passive fighting style and honorable ways.

They both jumped out of their ships with blaster ready to go and quickly took in to the ship halls and corridors. Fox was heading for the Bridge and was taking those out around him. Hawk followed suit firing at the enemy before they could fire at him. The saying the Enemy of my Enemy is my friend was in full affect right now as Birch was his Enemy and Fox was Birch.

"Fox Stop you do not know where you are going!" Hawk called up to him making Fox slow to a stop. "Listen I want to kill that bastard for what he did to me, but if he did that after Krystal and Wolf were here for at least 20 minutes. They had to have been caught; we should find them before we go after him. He could have them both killed before we could get to them if we attack him first."

"Then we go find them then go after him?" Fox growled a bit, "He already knows we are here."

"No, you go find them, they will trust you, I will go get him. I will bring his head back if I have to." Hawk stated in his panting breath. "I know you have no reason to trust me, but I will give you my word on Lynx's life if I have to."

"Giving word on other's lives? Not very safe for me to agree," Fox spoke glairing to Hawk with measuring eyes. "You do not keep company from anyone to long. I have read your records I know everything."

"Then you should know Lynx gave her life for me, and I will return the favor by not failing her with this mission. I may be working on the wrong side of the law but I still have morals and such. And that blast, all those innocents... Now go save your friends." Hawk pointed down the hall. "Take a right then down the elevator to the bottom."

Hawk ran off quickly and Fox followed where Hawk told him to go. To Fox's surprise he was telling the truth. Fox stepped out quickly and fired shots taking out each of the guards in the jail. He stepped towards the door as it slid open and saw Krystal looking almost lifeless while Wolf sat, eyes glaring a head till they saw him.

"Fox!" Wolf stood up making Krystal look up seeing Fox. "I didn't think you would be the one to save my skin again."

"Shut up Wolf, and stand back." Fox aimed and fired his rifle at the lock breaking it open then walking in. "Krystal, are you ok?"

"She wasn't spoken or moved since that bastard destroyed the station." Wolf growled. "Fox, Go get that ass I will bring her back to the planet."

"Right, I am trusting you Wolf, you screw up and I will kill you." Fox left quickly after tossing Wolf a spare gun from his leg and learned where the bridge was.

Hawk has run from the last spot he was with Fox and headed straight to the bridge. He stormed in quickly firing his gun taking out a few of the soldiers inside. Birch spun quickly and looked to Hawk as he came in. Quickly the Soldiers moved to fire back at Hawk before he could do any more harm. Luckily, for Hawk he was able to get behind a large panel and waited for the firing to stop so he could fire back.

"Well Hawk, it is nice to see you once more." Birch chirped up. "Tell me, how is dear little Lynx?"

"GO to hell Birch. I am here for you, tell your men to stand down and fight me like a man." Hawk called out.

"Fight you like a man? HA, you always amused me Hawk." Birched waved his hand and the soldiers put their guns down. "Now then let's fight like real men."

Hawk peeked around seeing Birch remove his coat walking to him. Birch was serious he was not going to pull any trick. Hawk quickly moved back and smirked before rolling out quickly gun up to fire and take Birch out but what he was not expecting was to lose his gun. Birch was a lot faster than Hawk planned and had kicked the gun from his hands with a quick kick of his foot. Hawk tumble back away from Birch getting to his feet and taking a fighting stance.

"And here I thought all those medals and badges were false, I guess you can fight face to face." Hawk smirked before darting at Birch full speed. "No prepare to lose"

Birch held his ground as Hawk came at him. He blocked one punch then dodged a second. Birch did not do any fighting only blocked and dodged Hawk. Birch was a military trained fighter. Hawk was military trained but easily not as much as Birch was. Hawk was a good hand-to-hand fighter but it was easy to tell he specialized and aerial battles, where Birch was better with hand to hand.

"When are we going to get serious Hawk, I thought you wanted to fight me?" Birch taunted Hawk knowing he could easily get him riled up. "You cannot even hit me."

"You ass I will kill you" Hawk growled letting Birch get in to his head as their one sided fight continued on going nowhere.

Birch quickly moved to the side of one punch and grab Hawks arm before flipping him onto his back and slamming the heel of his foot down on his shoulder. Hawk hollered out loudly and quickly tried to roll back and kick up at Birch. Birch stumbled back as hawks boot hit his chin. He growled and quickly stepped in to the fight, holding nothing back.

Hawk did not realize he opened a can of worms, as that kick to the face set Birch off. Birch grabbed Hawk and lifted him up before quickly slamming him on to a few steps. He brought his foot up to stomp down on Hawk head but missed When Hawk rolled to the side and got up quickly. Birch attacked his claws out and teeth bore. Hawk struggled to keep from being hit though he was definitely not as fast or strong as Birch.

Falling back once more, Hawk landed his back rolling over his plasma rifle. A bloodied beak and a few possible broken ribs Hawk was not going to play clean any more. He grabbed the gun and pulled it around to fire. The gun fired and caught the side of Birches stomach making him stumble back. He grabbed his side and growled.

"That's unfair play now isn't it?" Birch growled out

"All is fair and war Birch and you know that." Hawk growled

"That I do." Birch nodded his head and the sound of rifles heating up rang throughout the room. "Goodbye Hawk."

The door slid open and Fox Rushed in to the room rifle up and fired quickly. Shots Blazed around the room quickly some flying in to the walls as soldiers changed their aim from Hawk to Fox. A few of the soldiers fell when Fox fired his gun at them. He landed behind a table and took the chance to let his gun recharge. He stayed until he realized no one was firing any more.

Fox looked around the table and saw the soldier were all standing up looking at Birch. Fox stood up gun pointed up until he saw blood dripping down from him. Birch turned and looked to Fox before falling to the floor and not moving. Hawk had his arm raised barrel smoking. He smiled and fell back to the floor his body shot through by the soldiers that did not move their aim.

The few soldiers still alive dropped their guns then looked to each other almost as though they were relieved before looking to fox who had his rifle trained on them. They raised their hands and dropped to their knees in surrender. Fox stepped forward slowly before kneeling next to Hawk to see if he was still alive.

"Fox…please…do not leave me…in this dump." Hawk spoke softly as he was fighting not give up just yet.

"Do not worry I won't. You did a good job Hawk, you saved Corneria and the Lylat system. Get some rest you deserve it." Fox smiled to him before looking to a soldier "You call the men back this is over."

The message was sent out quickly as Fox lifted Hawk's body up. Quickly leaving the cruiser, he was passed by Cornerian Military coming in to secure the ship. Fox put the body in the back of his Arwing, pulled out of the hangar, and was greeted by the Great Fox just outside. He pulled in to the hangar and was met by Pepper and Peppy at the hangar dock. They both saluted him and gave a grim nod seeing Hawk was no long of the living.

Lynx had docked in the Great Fox and was to be escorted to the brig. She heard the Arwing fly in she turned, and slipped from the guard's hands over to see if Hawk had returned. When she saw he had but was limp in the arms of Fox she felt like everything fell from under her. She had only known him for half a year at most but she did not know what to do without him. She was cuffed and escorted to the brig quickly and quietly, she was alone in a place full of others walking and talking around her.