First off, no, there isn't going to be some revenge plot by Slippy: Fox is already far out of his reach. Putting aside the fact that the Slavers alone could defeat the entire Cornerian defense fleet, much less anything that would be handed to Slippy to find Fox, Slippy rescuing Fox would ruin the story I have planned.

There's a much deeper story that is going to surface, and it will only surface If you guys are patient. I know this story isn't that good, it has bad editing at times, and the chapters are shorter than one would like, but I do want to tell a specific story that doesn't just end in mindless violence. What would be the point?

Yes, Venom will play a pivotal role in this story.

If you have suggestions, then feel free to leave a review or private message me. Thank you for all those who have followed and reviewed. I plan on updating at least once a week, but I want to try and make the chapters longer.

Within the meeting hall of the palace on Venom, twelve different apes, reptiles and other creatures sat around a semicircular table, drinks in hand, papers and documents strewn about and a quiet murmur that could have been mistaken for small talk rumbled throughout the grand arches and the golden dome like a monotonous echo. Each member of the council was impeccably dressed and well mannered, all with straight postures and trading firm but polite gestures.

The previously vicious and warlords had been reduced to diplomatically minded gentlemen for the first time in close to three years, and rightly so; this was a momentus occasion; a peace treaty that many hoped would finally unite the many words of the once mighty Venomian Empire under a singular leadership.

But it was not without its detractors.

"So, I just have to give up my ships and armies and pray that Varne holds his end of the bargain? This sounds like a power grab, Augustus. I'm having none of it. I'd rather you put my flagship into the sun and burn up with it."

Augustus Ceron, an alligator with close to a thousand scars eyed his fellow rival, an old and cranky ape by the name of Adrian Von Letelschnacht. Compared to Adrian, the forty year old former rear admiral was a prime example of a youthful visage. He was muscular, tall, and handsome, with brandy-colored eyes and a mouth full of stark white teeth. Few took him seriously because of his age, that is, until they faced him in battle. Then his reputation preceded him.

On the other hand, Adrian was more like a drill sergeant than anything else. Once Grand Admiral of the Venomian navy during the first Lylat War, his efforts had kept at least some of the venomian navy intact through two invasions. His body had withered since then, now a husk of its former self. That didn't stop his short fuse and rapid and aggressive tactics from shining through much farther than most admirals, who would have long ago become far more conservative in their actions. Adrian was like a weed wacker; annoying from afar but deadly up close, but his skill and loyalty to the venomian people was to be commended.

"I'm sure he will explain as soon as he arrives, Adrian."

"Like hell he will, this is a scam; a hoax I tell you!"

Augustus sighed. "Just let him state his intentions, Adrian. I know Varne well, he's a true venomian and an honorable ape at heart. He doesn't want to backstab us."

"You say that now, but the past three years changed a lot of people. This isn't the Lylat War anymore, this is a terrible game of backstabbing, and the only way to win is to cheat!"

Augustus rolled his eyes at the old ape's antics. The rest of the generals and naval officers at the meeting were having similar discussions about Varne's motives. It made sense that he would try to backstab everyone, but his gut told him otherwise, and his gut was never wrong. Varne had been a good friend for over a decade as they served together in both the academy and in the navy in the Emperor's personal battlefleet as captains, then as fellow commodores under Letelschnacht, and finally as allies once the empire had collapsed. Varne had single handedly saved his life and helped him escape from the Aparoid invasion after Oikonny's death, at a great cost to his own future power. If Varne had abandoned Augustus and his fleet to their fate, he would have been spared a potential rival. Those were the actions of a man with only honorable intentions in mind, and Augustus still considered himself in his old friend's debt.

His fellow officers were not so convinced. Many feared Varne; a sensible feeling, since many of them only became officers in the navy through the nepotism of Andross and his financial backers. Varne was one of the few truly capable members of the venomian military. Many were the sons of rich families, who soon became the noble houses. Others were the children of officers themselves who had pulled strings to have their children placed into the best military schools and thus the best positions in the venomian fleet. They were all the same to Augustus, a cavalcade of sniveling aristocrats. Clowns with cash, as Adrian had so elegantly put it in the past.

The doors at the opposite end of the room were gently pushed open as the man of the hour, Julius Varne, entered the former war room. He was impeccably dressed as always, beard neatly trimmed, his red and black venomian dress uniform ironed, pinned with countless medals and ribbons, and not even a hint or whiff of alcohol or cigar smoke on his person, a feat many of the other members of the meeting had a hard time accomplishing on a regular basis. He was flanked by two guards, who promptly left the room in accordance with venomian diplomatic customs. He politely nodded to the officers in the room, before straightening his lapels and readjusting his posture in a professional yet somehow dastardly classy way. Typical Varne. His presence silenced as he coughed intonhis hand to gain the attention of the room.

"Gentlemen and countrymen; I have called you here to discuss the future of the Venomian Empire. As you know, the twelve planets and colonies that made up the former Venomian Empire haven't been united since the death of Oikonny. Thus, we have remained separate and In conflict, squandering what remained of the venomian fleet, wasting lives and resources that could have been used in rebuilding what came after the many great conflicts and catastrophes into a true successor to the Old Empire."

Varne's audience remained silent but skeptical, but that didn't discourage him. He remained upbeat and optimistic. "That is why I and several of my constituents have come to the conclusion that Venom can no longer be an empire!"

The crowd of officers erupted into more murmuring. No more empire? It was an absurd notion. Venom had been built on the sole idea of one nation, one throne and one voice. Andross had been unopposed because the people that followed him had grown tired of career politicians and capitalistic nobility that had corrupted Corneria. The simians and reptiles of the Lylat were strong and Hardy people who hated what Corneria had become, and Andross, with all his faults, was an idyllic figure to them. It wasn't hard to see why: the mad scientist had a way with words and a unique but endearing charisma.

But without the idea of an emperor, Venom would have lost its core foundation.

"What you speak is madness, Varne. The people will accept nothing less than a proper emperor." A tall, lanky gecko by the name of Strauss, another former rear admiral of Adrian. He slammed his fist into the table. "The throne is and has always been the soul of this union, and without it we are just a collection of planets."

Many of the officers murmured in agreement. But Varne was prepared. "Then what would your solution be, Strauss? A vote for the title? That would be viewed as illegitimate, and even if the people accepted it, many of you here would not. And thus we would be back at square one. There is no heir, no designated successors, and the noble houses have refused to touch the throne in fear of a civil war."

The Gecko seemed to have a response at first, but his fire quickly died as he realized he had none. Varne was right: the throne was out of the picture.

"So what do you propose, Varne?", Augustus asked.

"I propose we settle our differences here, tonight. We set up a provisional government. We must stop kidding ourselves. Reaching for power won't keep what remains of this empire in one piece. You shall continue to control your colonies autonomously, but the battles, skirmishes and invasions shall end. Each of you will now head a new noble house, a Duchy."

The officers didn't object, but were very silent. It seems that Varne had a little ways to go.

"Currently, I have sources within Corneria, sources that have informed me that Corneria is preparing to invade in the following months. They wish to land the killing blow on Venom once and for all. I say nay. We have suffered, no, the venomian people have suffered and sacrificed to be under the heel of the greedy and corrupt once again."

More murmuring, more looks of concern and skepticism, but it seemed Varne had finally gotten their attention.

"Our fleets may be tattered, our people may be tired and our once great name may have been sullied, but the venomian spirit is still alive and well. Our people have suffered, and they surely will do so again, but our spirit, the spirit that built an empire from nothing will not be shaken."

The mood of the room began to slowly change. Everything that Varne had said was true; Venom was strong, even when it had been kicked around. They would not falter. The generals and admirals could feel pride in their hearts. Connections or not, they had all joined the military to defend the pride and honor of their home, and Varne's appeal to that pride and honor, what the people called the unwavering spirit, was working.

"We will not allow Corneria to conquer this empire; we cannot. And so we must compromise. Gentlemen, from the bottom of my heart, I humbly request you to consider my proposition. We must unite, or we will die."

The spirit that Varne had invoked had impacted everyone in the room, even Adrian, who had a single tear in his eye. The generals and admirals gave each other looks of confirmation before Adrian nodded. "I shall stand by you, Varne."

"As shall I", said Strauss.

"And so shall I", said Augustus.

One by one, the guests confirmed their support for Varne, a unanimous decision, a truly momentous occasion. Once the speaking was done, Varne took a deep breath, and gestured to the door. "A feast has been prepared in celebration. Tonight, we dine, not as foes or others, but as brothers united in the protection of Venom."

The feast was a small affair: the Admirals and Generals, as well as representatives from the myriad of noble houses were all present, putting the final total of guests to about fifty. Still, the feast was grand and the music was fine, and plenty of liquor was provided. A typical Venomian social event, to be sure.

Augustus was drinking champagne next to Julius at their table, Julius opting to have Augustus next to him rather than a sleazy and disingenuous diplomat. While Augustus appreciated that, he was still concerned with Julius' scheme.

"Julius, you know I will support you no matter what, I'm just concerned about the stability of this agreement. We cannot trust the majority of the members here, especially not Strauss. You know he wants the throne, and many nobles see him as an easy tool."

"I understand your concern, Augustus, but I have plans in motion in case Strauss attempts to sully this agreement. I could not risk the security of Venom over a weak link."

Julius nodded skeptically. "So what now?"

"Business as usual. We rebuild, and we re-arm. The larger our fleet grows, the more breathing room we will have and the more disheartened Corneria will become. The politicians want a quick and easy war, a war that looks good on the holonet. We have to make sure we don't give them that."

"You know the longer Corneria takes to declare war, the more impatient people like Strauss will become, correct?"

"I know, Augustus, Strauss is quite the headache. Our best bet is to feign weakness then. Keep our fleets hidden, hide our shipyards in deep space. Construction will take longer, but we can prevent Corneria from destroying them by keeping them under wraps."

Julius took another sip of his champagne. "Furthermore, we mustn't limit the quality of these ships, Augustus. Money is of no consequence, we have to beat Corneria at their own game, and thus we must fight dirty."

"I concur."

Julius somberly nodded. "You said you would stand by me, and I thank you for that. I just want to let you know my source is legitimate."

"That's not what I'm worried about, Julius. If your source is trustworthy is what I'm concerned about."

"He is Augustus, we have mutual interests."

Augustus sipped some more of his champagne. "You know, once war starts, and it will start, you will have to cut this source off."

"I know."

"Good. No matter how useful he is now, he'll become more of a nuisance than an asset."

"I'm not so sure about that, Augustus."

Augustus peered at Julius skeptically. "Explain."

"My most recent conversation with my source confirmed my suspicions that they have some stake in finding the 'others'"

Augustus' eyebrows raised slightly as he set down his empty glass on a tray a servant was carrying. "You mean those we fended off during the bombardment? What could a Cornerian possibly want with them?"

Julius shrugged. "Apparently, the 'others' had kidnapped some people my source cares deeply about. Due to you and I fighting them, well, he believes that I can provide him useful information. I've promised him any information I can dig up in exchange for a future favor. His desperation can be the key to our victory over Corneria."

"So he's a very important military rank then? Who is he?"

"He wished to remain anonymous. Unlike me, he doesn't have the privilege to reveal his identity, but the information that he provided, valuable information that has assisted me in the sabotage of cornerian military buildup so far, has been flawlessly accurate."

"And he's a valuable asset at that. I know you are scheming, Julius. I know that look."

Julius gave Augustus an unapologetic smirk. "I'll string him along, of course. I can continue to provide empty information on the 'others', and I can continue to sabotage Corneria. And when war begins, I can conveniently provide him a location where his loved ones are, whether they really are there or not. With our hidden fleets prepared, we can convince them to spare ships to find their lost citizens, and strike when they are unprepared."

"You surely have thought this out."

"I have, and I'm not planning on letting such a valuable resource go to waste. I have heard from my source that several members of Star Fox will be seeking diplomatic asylum to discuss a transfer of information in about two weeks. They will be welcomed with open arms, and they will be provided with whatever information they seek on their captured countrymen."

"And the catch?"

Julius began to chuckle. "There is no information, at least, not yet. I want this contact on my side as long as possible, and as desperate as possible. Keep the one step behind, but close enough to not doubt the validity of my claims. Therefore, Augustus, I want you to take your expeditionary fleet into the last known location of the other's bombardment fleet and find something believable. Do not, and I repeat, do not engage. If you are found, commence standard diplomatic introductory protocol. If all goes well, we may even gain a new ally out of this."

Augustus nodded. "I understand. But what will you do while I am gone, what will you do with Star Fox?"

"Keep them occupied, of course. My contact is mistaken if he believes I will just hand over such sensitive information for free. I have already helped him with countless cases of piracy and criminal elements. We are far from even."

"Occupied with what?"

"Something useful."

"How detailed."

"I intend to send them on a wild goose chase, if you must know. Do you remember the Ytshalki Corsairs, Augustus?"

"Yes, the nomads we fought before the second lylat war as captains."

Julius nodded. "Yes, those nomads. Well, as luck would have it, these Ytshalki Corsairs are not only pirates and general wastes of spacetime, but in the last decade they have resorted to slavery. And their fleet has become quite large, too large for us to properly handle without leaving our borders exposed. The perfect decoy. Let Corneria waste resources chasing after our problems, and we will gain the upper hand in no time."

"Of course. I'll be off by tomorrow."

Julius slapped his shoulder playfully. "Good. Remember, Scylla and Charbdis. The 'others' fled to there before jumping out of our range."

"Past Darkstar? That's the only way out of this arm of the galaxy! That black hole would destroy the navigation systems of any ship passing through with its radiation."

"Not anymore, technology has gotten better in the last decade, Augustus. Furthermore, you won't just be going through Darkstar, you'll be taking it. Charon is a stain in civilized space and it's about time its people bowed to Venom. Prepare your fleet, I'll contact Strauss. You will be leading both of your fleets and taking the hive of scum once and for all. Its fall will lead the way deeper into the galaxy."

"Of course. But Strauss isn't the cooperative type."

Julius stressed his concern, hands firmly placed on Augustus' shoulders. "I will deal with Strauss. His cooperation will be assured. I will entrust you with the capture of Charon."

"Of course."

"And remember, Augustus. This is for Venom."

Augustus nodded. "Of course, for Venom. I will not fail."

"I wouldn't dream of you failing."

Fox sat against one of the side fountains in the holding center. It had been a day since Fox had been deposited here, and he was starting to realize how hungry he was. He didn't know how g it had been since he had eaten something, but Fay said something about food being brought once every two or three days. No organization, no rationing. Just a big pile of bars that tasted worse than sin. Couldn't be worse than MREs, right?

Fox had to admit, despite the numbing boredom, the crowded room beat being locked in an airtight box by a long shot. The room wasn't poorly ventilated or cramped, there was a surprising amount of space despite the massive population.

Fay had stuck by him since he had arrived, choosing to stay in the mess crowded and criminal areas like the higher floors and the central fountain, luckily most of the people weren't descending into madness yet, but several essays that decent people did try to hit on Fay. Some more aggressively than others.

They were leaned against each other, backs to the wall, his arm around her. It was completely platonic, more of a way to keep warm and comfort each other than anything romantic. Still, Fox wouldn't be lying if he said he liked the feeling. He hadn't held someone like this since Krystal. He hoped she was okay.

Fay sighed and got up, to the mild disappointment of Fox. She had a concerned expression, her eyebrows squinted, watching the entrance like a hawk.

"Captain, there's about fifty guards corralling people out of the room. More guys are entering. They've got guns."

"Are they shooting anyone?"

"I… I don't think so."

"Then at this point I don't care."

Fay shook her head. "Captain, you can't be serious. This could be our chance!"

"I don't want to mess with armed guards."

Before he could respond, a guard grabbed Fay and another grabbed Fox. He didn't struggle, but the guard was rough anyway, forcing him onto the ground before cuffing him and lifting him back up, chaining his collar to Fay's and hers to the collar of another person before dragging all three of them towards a larger group. The bulldog both of them were chained to tried to bite at one of the guards and received a gun stock to the snout, bloodying it. A large group of guards began to surround the growing group of slaves being dragged out of the room and down the hall. Another harrowing hall trip ensued, with guards flanking each side of the line with guns and vicious dog-like creatures. High-power prods were used to keep the lines moving, and a singular, senior guard stood in front to lead the slaves down specific halls before they entered a large hanger, filled to the brim with transportation craft.

The senior guard stood in front of the two thousand strong group of chained slaves, prod in one hand and pistol in the other.

"Alright, slaves", it roared with a throaty voice. "I am speaking in a language you can understand, so there is no reason for you to not hear and understand what I am saying. You will be loaded into one of these ships, and you will be sold. Say goodbye to your old lives, because your new life is dedicated to those who purchase you."

The crowd became restless until several prods were crammed into the crowd, calming it.

"Your one solace is those who you are related to. Any and all family, both by blood and by union, are not to be separated. This does not count in-laws, Godfathers or Godmothers, or adopted siblings. Homosexual or Polygamous relationships are heretical and sinful, and thus are considered by the ecclesiarchy as invalid."

"If you are married or of the same blood, you will be transported together. It is vital that you inform your handlers that you are in an approved relationship, so you may be sold along with your family. We are not responsible for your lack of action on utilizing the few rights you are entitled to. Have I made myself clear!"

A murmur of different conformations rang out from the crowd as different guards began to scan their collars and release their chains, so that family and friends could group with each other. Both guards and several of the recognizable medical officials began to question these groups, separating those who were not in a valid relationship, sometimes with violence.

"Captain, what do we do?"

Fox was shaking but held together. "I have a very stupid idea. Just back me up, no matter what I say."

She gave him a puzzled look for a few seconds before her eyes widened in horror. "No, you're not… you know what that means, right? What if they ask for this to be proven?"

"Then we'll have to be convincing."

"You're insane!"

"Fay, think about this long and hard. You are an attractive, twenty one year old. Who do you think is going to buy you? I have to keep you safe, I won't let you be used as some sort of sex slave."

Her expression became more solemn. "I… but what about escaping?"

He pushed harder. "To where? How? With what? Were collared, chained, and there are armed guards everywhere. Well be detained in two seconds max."

Before Fay could continue to argue, an armed guard approached, his four beady yellow eyes focusing on Fox, his beak clenched. "What is your relation to the girl?"

Fox sighed and shifted on his feet. "She is my wife."

Fay stated at the floor, obviously uncomfortable, but she didn't protest. The guard eyed Fay, before pulling out his arm and stamping it with a plasma brand, burning a number into his skin. He clenched his teeth and growled through the pain, and once the guard released his arm, he did the same to Fay. Their numbers were the same, the only difference being that Fay's number had a B behind it while Fox's had an A.

"You will proceed to ship twenty seven immediately."

Fox nodded exasperatedly before being led to a transport ship. Once they were placed inside, they found they were crammed together alongside another fifty or so people.

"I still can't believe that was your idea."

Fox gave Fay a dirty look. "What would you have done, Fay? Please, I'd love to hear your bright ideas."

"You could've said I was your sister, or your niece, or something believable that didn't imply a romantic relationship!"

"We don't look like each other, you are a pure Spaniel and I'm a pure Fox. Neither would ever be believed. Married was the only option."

Fay pouted, but she stayed quiet. The ship rattled and took off, taking them planetside. The planet reminded him of Corneria a bit with towering spires and urban sprawl. But it was complemented by rising smokestacks and massive temples. A massive tower rose above the rest, a huge cathedral-like spire that split into four spines at the tip dominating the landscape. Ships of all shapes and sizes soared around and past them a blinding speeds.

With a thump, the ship landed on a boarding frame, which hooked onto the ship and slowly lowered it into a mass hanger, where the side doors opened and lowered into walkways down to the ground with a quiet hiss. Guards corralled the mass of slaves into what seemed to be the most horrifying open market Fox had ever seen.

The chamber, like the containment room on the slave ship, was incredibly large. The difference was that the identity market was generously decorated, with symbols etched into the walls signifying things and concepts Fox didn't understand, bright and ornate chandeliers hung from the ceiling, and the patrons and guests were well dressed and of a higher standing, or at least that's what Fox figured. More surprising was the stock: individuals from countless races were being sold here, not just Cornerians. Avians, Reptilians of several different species, large plant like creatures whose flesh seemed to be made from green, vascular tissue and leaves, and more.

Fox and Fay were separated from the rest of the group and led to a pair of empty stands, where they were forced onto their knees and their hands were bound together above their heads. Another muzzle was forced onto his snout to prevent him from biting or snapping at any potential buyers. A similar muzzle was forced onto Fay, and a starting price was placed.

They were there for hours.

It was worse than being crammed in the cell, at least there he had privacy there. Here, he was inspected, touched, and shifted to reveal other parts of his body. Whenever he became rebellious, he was shocked with a prod.

Luckily, his plan had worked. Due to Fay being his 'wife', both he and Fay would have to be purchased together, allowing them to stay together, even if it was under a false relationship. It seemed that the slavers didn't care: they would sell him either way.

His thoughts were interrupted when an avian dressed in fine silks with a broach of gold approached the slave guard, a bodyguard dressed in revealing, tight and confining, with a tight collar of ownership around its neck and a small brass tag hanging from it like a dog's tag. wielding a rifle in both arms, a wicked, curved knife on its shoulder, it was an intimidating figure. It's scaly skin and yellow, feline eyes stared into his soul. Unlike the large but childish reptilian beasts on the ship, this creature was thin, lithe and muscular, more like a runner than a weightlifter. Its mouth was filled with several sets of razor sharp teeth and a slithering, snake-like tongue sweeping through it's open mouth and past his lips in a quick whisper of a hiss. It did not have horns, but rather patterns of bumps running across it's snake-like head. Large growths protruded from its back, wrists, elbows and shoulders, razor-sharp and serrated spines like steak knives. Brutal, wicked claws extended from its three-fingered hands. Its knees were inverted and its feet had two, large digits with gripping claws. It was clearly intelligent, incredibly so.

The Avian was the same species as the slavers, but shorter, thinner and more lithe, with feathers decorated in blue and green tints. Its four eyes examined Fox meticulously, before it elegantly spread open her silken cape and like a stroke of lightning it grabbed Fox's chin, forcing him to look into her eyes.

She turned to the guard, speaking in a language Fox didn't understand. The guard gestured to both Fox and Fay, obviously notifying the potential buyer that they were a package deal. The avian interlocked its fingers in thought before turning to the reptile slave, who nodded. The avian turned back and nodded to the slaver before handing a chip to the slaver, who scanned it and nodded before handing it back along with a set of two small shiny rods. The avian gestured to Fox and Fay, and the reptilian slave approached and grabbed Fox by the hands, unlocking the cuffs holding his hands to the bar above him before whispering in broken cornerian into his ear with a harsh, raspy voice, like rusty rebars being scraped across concrete.

"Today is your lucky day, meat."

The reptile yanked Fox to his feet before re-cuffing and chaining him to Fay. The Avian nodded before leading the trio down to a crowded elevator filled with voices speaking in a dozen different languages. The Slave's grip was armingly strong, Fox now noticing how muscular the reptile really was. The Avian master paid them no mind, fully trusting in it's servant.

Once the elevator reached a different floor, a new hanger opened up, and the Reptilian dragged them to a smaller ship, the size of a landmaster. A large door opened on the side, revealing a comfortable lounge. He and Fay were forced into the trunk, forced to sit down before their cuffs were chained to a bar on the bottom back of the trunk, before the trunk was closed, and they were treated to darkness.