Author's Note
This story is very depressing at best, but only to those that follow the Cornerian side. Call this a story of alternative dimensions, which prompts the question, "What if?" What if the Kismet was not destroyed by the Cornerian Fleet in the famous Battle of Trevadooran? What if the StarWolf pilot Andrew Oikonny have not been killed in the same battle? What if the Venomian Commander General Venus Avalona have not betrayed her Emperor?
This is the story which will answer these questions among others, or at least my version of it. It starts just after the Trevadooran battle had ended, but in the favor of the Venomians, not the Cornerians. While StarFox lovers will cringe at a story like this, StarWolf and Venomian fans, Sabrina Schmidt and Amy Johnson among them, would love this type of story. :-)
Anyway, the Justice Cadets, Crimson Firehawks, Venus Avalona, Carl Thurman, Sapphire Paladins, Daniel Harbeak, Shivan Tresley, Daniel Xaven, the Golden Hammer Unit, Zack Easterman, John Harson, Timothy Freehawk, Pat Woshive, Black Flood Squadron, Sherry Trevor, and other characters not created by Nintendo and other fanfic authors are created by me, and not to be used without my permission. You know the story.
Star McCloud was created by Kay Twilight and not to be used without her permission. Amy Johnson is a real life person, and must I repeat what you should do if you wish to have her in your story?
StarFox, StarWolf, Emperor Andross, General Pepper, Katt Monroe, Bill Grey, Caiman,
and Fara Phoenix are copyrighted to Nintendo. You should know that already!
"I should have not brought forth my people into battle even when I knew it was hopeless. It was a decision that I will regret for the rest of my now pitiful life."
-- General Pepper
What have we done? What have I done? Why have the Gods cursed us?
The thoughts dragged across General Pepper's mind as he stared out the transporter window, his eyes misty with tears. Other than the pilot, he was the only one in the small shuttle, and he barely escaped the explosions that destroyed his battleship, although thousands of his ship personnel perished. The image of the Cornerian Hope, the flagship of the entire Cornerian Fleet, exploding into a debris-filled wreck was in his head for the last two hours since the end of the battle, and he was heading back to Corneria with a sullen expression on his face. He had failed, and though he had his share of failures in the past, this one failure would overshadow all the rest.
He bellowed a sigh, and his eyes averted away from the window to face the electronic viewer that he had laid on his lap. Printed on the small black screen were the reports coming from Cornerian survivors in the battle and from scouts. As expected, the victorious Kismet Fleet are heading toward Corneria, and expected to show up in seven or so hours. The count of surviving Cornerian fighters have just been confirmed, and Pepper groaned at seeing the report. Only a meager fifteen percent had survived; and almost all of the Green-class jets have been obliterated. Thankfully Bill Grey had survived, but his squadrons had suffered over ninety percent casualties. Commander Tim Salek was one of those killed, along with Commander Adams. Commander Lisa Crusta, whom was in charge of the expedition to destroy the Aquas Kismet power station, was killed when her squadron were ambushed by an Invader squadron of unknown quantity as they were heading to Sector X after they destroyed Underwater Station 606. The situation in Asama Base went easily smooth for the Cornerians, but Edward Poland's men had failed to break through the formidable defenses of Forest Echo. With the help of the Crimson Firehawks, the Cornerians had managed to infiltrate the Venomian base Salem Rock, but with the failure of Forest Echo, it would not have mattered. Devin Base was destroyed, but there was no word or sightings that StarFox or the Justice Cadets, along with Star McCloud, Katt Monroe, and Fara Phoenix, had survived the battle.
Over four hundred thousand had died, and that's only in the Cornerian side. Of all the ships of the Cornerian Fleet that had entered Hell near Sector X, only two ships had escaped along with General Pepper, and even they were heavily damaged. The survivors and all Cornerian ships that had not fought in the battle had planned to set up defenses in the orbit of Corneria, but Pepper knew that it was hopeless.
But the main culprit for his depression was not that he lost the battle and most possibly the entire war, but rather over four hundred thousand people had died when it really wasn't necessary. When he heard the news that the Cornerians had failed in Forest Echo, he could've ordered a retreat from the Sector X battlefield in space. Why bother fighting against a foe that cannot be beaten? But instead he persisted and continued on the battle, and from that time onward, he would groan internally whenever the Kismet would tear apart the Cornerian ships, one by one. It dragged on for ten more long minutes before Pepper's ship was destroyed.
He sighed as his paw laid over his face, absorbing some of the tears that had flowed from his eyes. Why? Was it because I was too proud to admit that we have lost the battle even when we have only lost half of our strength? Was my own pride the culprit of my decision not to retreat? Was I too damn nervous or cowardly to face my own people and order the retreat? Would they ever forgive me if I ever did so? Or was this decision a blessing for the four hundred thousand fallen souls, for they will never experience the suffering under the rule of Andross? Could it be better to die than to live on your knees?
"General Pepper, sir?" The pilot broke the silence via the intercom. The aging hound lowered his paw and cleared his throat, trying to gather his wits.
"What is it?"
"We are approaching Cornerian orbit, sir. Prepare for atmospheric entry in two minutes, sir."
Pepper nodded nonchalantly. "Very well, thank you."
When the pilot didn't respond, Pepper shrugged it off and gazed back through the window. He spotted a Vermont-class ship, the largest of the Cornerian starships, setting up a defensive position to face the Kismet threat just hours away, and he also spotted several Protector jets along with it. Two Patriot-class starships, the smallest of the Cornerian capital ships, trailed behind the Vermont ship, trying to set up positions on its flanks in order to guard the massive ship. They were the hit-and-run gunships of the Cornerian Fleet, but defensively they were often used to guard the bigger ships and give them some relief against the countless Invader jets. Several Partisan-class ships could be seen in the far distance, and since they were often at the forefront of the battle, General Pepper knew they were not properly positioned yet. According to the latest report, only fifteen starships total could be used for the defense of Corneria, and that was all that remained of the entire Fleet, with the exception of a few starships that were simply too far away from the action to be of use at the moment.
"Why should we fight any more? What's the use?" He mumbled to himself. With Forest Echo still standing, the dastardly shield protecting the Kismet's primary weapon would still be alive, and with it powered, all hope to destroy the Kismet would be lost. Of course, everyone knew about that, so why are the ships preparing for a defense?
Knowing that Commander Grey was already in Corneria Military Headquarters, he
planned to have a meeting with him once he arrived. Maybe he could get some answers from
him, or maybe not. But answering the questions was not his first priority, but rather to think
about what future he should expect when Andross himself comes over and declare himself
Emperor of the Lylat System.
Andross smiled.
A sense of victorious bliss overwhelmed him and the console officers in the Command Center of Venom Headquarters, and the activity among them increased as the adrenaline propelled them, fueled by ecstasy. When he heard the news about the destruction of the Cornerian flagship, he immediately rushed over to the Command Center, and now he stood behind a steel rail, watching the huge radar screen that dominated the entire wall in front of him. His beared face beamed when he spotted those blue dots representing the pitiful Cornerian ships breaking out in a scattered retreat. He chuckled when those same dots disappeared as most of them were destroyed by chasing Venomians. Only two of the ships had escaped, along with an unknown amount of fighter jets and transporters, but the damage has been done.
The Cornerians, as expected, have been crushed, Emperor Andross reminded himself gleefully. Soon the Kismet will head over to Corneria itself, and there all of my foes will bow down before me. Soon, I will no longer be the Emperor of Venom, but rather the Emperor of the Lylat System. Ah, what a great feeling that would be... ruler of not a planet, or a simple region of space, but rather of an entire galaxy...
"Your Imperial Majesty?" One of the console officers spoke up amid the somewhat-quieted chatter of the large room, gathering the ape's attention. He looked down from the upraised platform in the room and spotted a raccoon looking straight at him.
"What is it?"
"There is an incoming call for you from Fleet Admiral Thurman," the raccoon answered firmly. "He wants this to be a public transmission."
"Put it on screen," Andross commanded, and soon the large radar screen was replaced with a screen showing the white-furred head of the German shepherd Carl Thurman, the one in charge of the Kismet itself. Everyone in the Command Center immediately fell silent and listened.
"Greetings, your Imperial Majesty," the canine spoke firmly if not with strong hints of bliss. "I bring great news that will be a great blessing to us all."
"What is the status of the Cornerians?" Andross asked him, even though he already knew the answer. Just hearing another person speak the same thing would be pleasing to him.
"They are crushed and scattering from our powerful wrath," the Fleet Admiral responded. "The Kismet, your most precious jewel of the Venomian Forces, have suffered some damage in the hulls, but it is still very much alive and well. We should be in Cornerian orbit in a matter of hours."
"Excellent news, Admiral. Any word from those StarFox bastards?"
The smile from Thurman was radiant. "No sir, not a peep. StarWolf and the Sapphire Paladins had been forced to retreat from them, but StarFox seemed to be too heavily damaged to be of much threat to us. Especially when Wolf O'Donnell himself destroyed the Great Fox with a well-placed nova bomb. With that gone, both StarFox and the Justice Cadets will be too far away from help, and they are expected to be either floating in space helpless with their engines failed, or have fled away like the cowards they are. Either way, we have heard nothing from them."
"Good, good, that is exactly what I want to hear. Anything more that you wish to report?"
"Yes, your Imperial Majesty. The latest report stated that the Cornerians are preparing for a last-ditched defensive effort orbiting Corneria itself. However, only less than two dozen ships remain to face us once we arrive to Corneria, and that is nothing."
Andross chuckled. "Fools... they will be crushed utterly."
"Exactly," Thurman agreed. "Your words ring true, and I will make sure that it will happen. Forest Echo is the last remaining station to provide power to the shield protecting the Kismet's primary weapon, but since I have heard nothing about a Cornerian offensive to destroy that base once more, you should have reasons not to worry about it. Emperor, the main reason why I have decided to hail you at this minute is because I want to make a request."
Andross' eyes widened at that. "Oh? What is it?"
"I want you to go to your transporter and head over to the Kismet. When we crush the last of the Cornerian Fleet, I want you to be the one standing at my side to issue the final shot of the entire war."
The prospect did sound very pleasing to him. Even though he had been inside the Kismet before, it was only during the time it was under construction, and he had never seen it in full force. It would also be nice for him to see General Pepper again, captured and beaten... if he wasn't killed in the battle.
"That sounds good, Admiral, very good. I will be on my way," Andross said as he nodded.
The dog saluted smartly and then the transmission was cut off. When the radar screen
came back online, a cheer rose upon the people in the Command Center, and Andross hurried
out to head toward his transporter, his mind swimming in the oceans of bliss and glory. "Justice
will be served," he mumbled to himself.
"I should have been the happiest damn wolf in the entire Lylat System when I saw those pitiful arwings fly off and escape like the gutless cowards they are. So why do I have this strange feeling that I would see at least one of them again?"
-- Wolf O'Donnell, StarWolf pilot
"What do you expect us to do, just sit around and wait for that damn ship to head over here and whip our asses?"
General Pepper bellowed a sigh and gazed away from Commander Bill Grey in his private office somewhere in the main building of Cornerian Military Headquarters. The meeting had come off a horrible start, since they were already not in the best of moods. The General stood up from his chair, and even though he was noticeably larger than Bill, he felt internally small in depression.
"I just don't see the reason for us to continue on fighting, Commander," General Pepper answered sullenly. "We would only sacrifice more lives than needed, and enough blood have been spilled. We should surrender now, and--"
Bill growled to interrupt him and even banged his fist on the desk. "We will die regardless of whether we fight or bow down, General! I don't know about you, but I will not accept surrendering without a fight, no matter how hopeless the situation will be. Do you think that Andross will spare us if we surrender early? He is an insane lunatic, and I know what he will do. He will arrest all of the officers, including you and me, and that's only if the Venomians doesn't shoot us at first sight. Then after a short while, we will be executed. As for the common people, I don't want to know what he will do to them. If that Kismet's weapon can destroy an entire ship with one shot, then what can it do to an entire city? Think about it, General. It will be better if we die fighting than to live and die as we forcibly kiss Andross' disgusting boots!"
"Don't treat death like a blessing, Commander. Why do you want to die so willingly, Bill? Do you want to die fighting because you want to be remembered that you died in a glorious way; in battle rather than by being executed? Andross will think that we are foolish to fight back now, or as cowards that cannot bear to think of a life serving him."
"General, we have been fighting for three long years... and I have been looking forward to end this stinking war for a long time. I will not face the truth that we have been struggling for this long only to end up with the short end of the stick, beaten utterly just because we failed to destroy Forest Echo. I would rather die than to face that truth, no matter what," he said and then clasped a paw on the hound's shoulder. Tears rolled down his grayish face and he sighed. "General... you can't believe how many soldiers I have seen die before my eyes. I remember when I first took command in Katina and we fought bravely against any foe that dares to attack our planet. We were so full of life and spirit, full of energy. And over and over again, I see them explode amid their destroyed jets, one by one. We all risk our lives not just to save our future, but to save the futures of those that will follow us in the generations to come, and I know for certain that we will not fail without a fight. If we are to go down the path of failure, then so be it, but we will not just accept it like it is. You're worried that Andross will think of us as fools or cowards? I don't give a damn about what he thinks, for I know what I am doing, and I don't need the opinion of anyone else to tell me what I believe and do."
General Pepper shrugged off Bill's hold on his shoulder and turned away to face the window behind them. He paused for several seconds and finally he sighed in submission. "Fine... die if you want. Once you die, you will crush any opportunity that you would have to continue bringing life to the hope that we will have even when Andross has us under his boots. The hope that justice will be served and we will come back and rise against him. Do you want to die and spare yourself of the suffering? That's pretty selfish of you, Commander. What makes you think that you will not have any chance to gather up all of what's left of us and rise up against him? Be it one, five, twenty, or even forty years, but even in the face of doom, I have my hope that we will succeed in the end, and those that are victorious now will falter in defeat in due time. You want to rob yourself of seeing that day of our victory, by dying before your time? I have expected better from someone of the likes of you. Much better."
The hound wanted his words to sink into Bill's mind, but he realized that he was too upset to change his mind. The Commander shuffled his boots impatiently and grumbling silently. "Sir, permission for me to head over to the fleet orbiting the planet?"
General Pepper bowed his head. The words 'permission denied' were on his tongue, but for some reason, he hesitated. The words he didn't want to come out did. "Permission... granted, Commander. Just think about what I have been trying to tell you, Bill. You are excused."
Bill clicked his boots together in a brief salute, and quickly brisk away from the office, leaving Pepper alone once more. When the silence engulfed him, he looked up through the window into the skies, and his eyes were focused on several clouds spotting the bluish tint of the sky. "We have arrived at the final hour of the old, and the birth of the new age is beckoning," he mumbled softly to himself.
Wolf O'Donnell clinked his wine glass with his co-pilot Leon Powalski in the Four Invaders, which was a lounge in Columbosa Base in Macbeth. A rare smile brightened up his face, and his ears caught the cheery noises of the bustling lounge, full of victorious soldiers drinking and toasting along with the entire StarWolf team.
"I knew it was a good idea to become a Venomian," he said to his friend as he sipped some of his wine. "I can't say the same for Fox being a Cornerian though."
Leon joined along with him in laughter. "I hope he's dead by now. He's gotta be dead, after all the damage we caused to his arwing, and the Great Fox is nothing but a piece of rubble. His life support system would not be able to keep him alive long enough for him to go to a planet or station."
"Eh, death would be better for him," Wolf said as he finished what was left of his wine. "For one thing, he doesn't have to suffer the defeat General Pepper will feel soon enough, and another thing, he's with his father now. Even though they will both dancing on hot coals and being poked by burning hot stakes in Hell, at least they will be together for eternity."
Another set of laughter joined in as Andrew came up upon them, his face marked with a drunken stupor that would make his dead alcoholic father proud. "Hey Wolf, you gotta any of tha' wine left?"
Wolf's smile disappeared but he wasn't angry at him as what he usually would be. "No, I drank the last of it. You're drinking too much, anyway."
"Hey, my uncle had just won the war and I can drink as much as I want to!" Andrew angrily spat out and sloppily sat on a chair beside one of the tables. "Dammit, I want some mer wine!"
"Andrew, will there ever be a day where you won't make one complaint or demand?" Wolf asked but then sighed. "Oh fine then... I'll get you another bottle, since I don't think you can even stand up now."
"Oh I can still 'tand up purty good!" He slurred and struggled to stand up, but then his knees buckled and he fell back onto his chair. The momentum was too much however and he suddenly collapsed onto the floor back first. Wolf laughed at seeing that, and shook his head as he walked away with Leon following him.
"You know sumthing, I have a strange feeling ever since we left the fight with StarFox and their allies alive. Like I'm gonna see them again."
Leon shrugged. "Maybe, maybe not. If they were still alive, we would have heard about it earlier."
"True... but I have my doubts," Wolf mumbled as he approached the bar. "I do know one
thing... if I ever see them again, I would make sure that they would be dead pure and simple
before I leave the battle!"
Andross smiled.
The Kismet Fleet had just arrived Corneria space, and the planet was within view through the large windows the emperor faced as he sat on the throne-like command chair overlooking the bridge of the Kismet. Fleet Admiral Thurman stood beside him, a grin on his smug face. He chuckled slightly at seeing the rather pitiful defense that was waiting for the Kismet Fleet around Corneria. Just a few measly ships and squadrons, mere flies in comparison to the mighty Fleet.
"Your Majesty, we have just arrived at your new future home," he smugly remarked as he glanced at his emperor.
"Ah, I love the sound of that... Corneria... my future home. When will the battle start?"
"In ten minutes, your Imperial Majesty. Shall I order our Invaders to head out?"
"Very well. I yearn to see the Cornerians explode one by one quickly," Andross permitted. "Without StarFox around, they are worthless against my power!"
Soon after the command was given, hundreds of Invader jets of all four classes burst out
of their motherships, and accelerated ahead to the front of the Fleet, confident of their victory.
The smile on Andross' face broadened as he saw the countless flames of Invader engines as the
fighters swarmed forward into battle, and licked his lips in anticipation. It has been a long time
since he had seen a battle close hand.
At the other side of the battlefield, Commander Bill Grey gulped uneasily. He had faced the Kismet Fleet just less than a day in the past, but still the sight of them made the pores on his skin ooze out sweat. It was almost if the entire Kismet Fleet had healed itself completely despite losing several ships, and thus maintaining its large size and swarm-like numbers. He blinked several times to snap out of his trance and when he spotted the Invaders coming, he turned on the comlink.
"Squadron leaders, this is Commander Bill Grey. Keep your places amid the capital ships here, and let their turrets help us in this job. I am not confident that we will win this battle, so I issue one last order," he said and then paused.
"What is it, sir?" one of the leaders buzzed in unexpectedly, ruining Bill's chance to have a dramatic pause between statements. Oh well, he can't have everything he wanted.
"Kill as many as you can, and don't surrender," Bill ordered firmly. "Kamikaze."
Even though it was an order of suicide, none of the squadron leaders protested. By responding in silence, Bill realized that they had all accepted Death along with him. He couldn't help but to grin. Death would a blessing at this point of the war for any deserving Cornerian.
Gearing up the laser turrets of his GreyOne, he gritted his teeth as the Invaders pressed on toward his small fleet that has been hastily gathered; one last crumbling wall of resistance before Corneria itself. "I'll see you in spirit, Fox McCloud..." he muttered and braced for the impact of battle.
Although he expected it, Bill still gasped when the Invaders started firing upon reaching them, and with determination on his eyes, he fired back, taking out an Invader quickly and became a hunter as he rapidly searched for another one. The flurry of lasers darting in all directions erupted around him, and explosions splattered onto his eyes. The ion shots from the Partisan ships screamed through space, each one of them hoping to hit a future war casualty. Screams from burned pilots died quickly once the sound escaped from the oxygen-filled confines of the ruined jets, and debris slowly filled the area along with lost souls.
Bill grunted as his jet shook slightly from a laser that struck him on the wing from behind, and he made a glance back. Three Invaders were on his tail, firing lasers for all they're worth. He uttered a short curse and barrel rolled to deflect some of their shots and then swerved right sharply, but they persisted and continued on raining lasers onto his jet. Angrily, he made a quick loop and found himself with the tables turned as he was on their tails, and quickly fired his shots. Three explosions were his award, but he was too distracted and busy to savor it. He swerved through the rubble of his recent victims in search for another target.
"Hey Billy Boy, nice to see you again!" A voice suddenly buzzed into his intercom, and a frown appeared on the dog's face.
"Woshive!" He snarled and as he glanced right, he spotted the Flood-class jet headed toward him. Knowing the black-hulled jet was too close to turn toward him, he made the difficult decision to swerve the other way, and Pat Woshive easily got on his tail.
"Aw, you're not happy to see me?" The cheetah taunted at his former friend from the Academy. "Here, let me make this reunion better for you!"
Bill growled as several lasers burned into his hull, and executed another quick loop, hoping to catch him off guard. Pat however made a loop as well, and to Bill's surprise as he finished the loop, he was still behind him.
"Not this time, Billy!" Pat laughed. "How is your friend Fox, by the way? Frying in Hell or choking to death from the lack of air here in space?"
"Keep it up, Patty Cake..." Bill softly mumbled. He barrel rolled again and sharply swerved left, firing his own lasers at some of the Invaders in front of him. Even the hunted can still be the hunter.
Sparks suddenly flew into his eyes as his controls became busted from the damage Pat was giving him, and a beeping warning alarmed him that he had only twenty percent shields left. He noticed a Zerum-class ship at a short distance in front of him, and accelerated toward it. As he expected, Pat sped up to keep on with him. Lasers, jets, ion shots, proton torpedoes, nova bomb explosions, and debris swirled across the two rivals of space as they swerved their way toward the ship.
A different beep warned Bill that he was coming too close to the ship, and that prompted him to bank up sharply, nearly missing a turret-fired shot that grazed his right wing. Pat tried to make the same maneuver, but another shot suddenly flashed onto his eyes, and in distraction, he fumbled onto the controls. It took only a second for him to regain his senses, but that was enough to doom him. His eyes widened as his jet angled up dangerously close toward the hull of the ship, and grabbed the handle stick roughly to escape. He screamed one last cry before he collided onto the ship, and a grin showed up on Bill's face when he noticed the explosion behind him as he swerved away from the Venomian ship.
"Too bad you didn't live long enough to realize that I'm the better pilot," he murmured. "Though maybe in a split-second you have."
Another Invader caught his eye and he swiftly curved right to get on its tail, but a luminous glow distracted him. A huge white sphere passed by him just a few feet away, and his jaw dropped as he watched the white sphere hurl toward a Partisan ship. The shot bore easily through the hull and crashed through portion after portion of the ship's innards. The core breeched quickly and the ship engulfed itself into a blue oval as it exploded. Bill swallowed. The Kismet had arrived.
"Ugh! God!" He sputtered out as another flurry of lasers crashed onto his hull. Four more Invaders were attacking him, and he noticed three more Flood-class jets from Woshive's Black Flood Squadron hurling to him to reinforce the Invaders.
"Shit!" He cursed and swiftly turned away from them, but with his jet not being able to take it much more damage, he knew that his time was almost up. Breathing quickly, he scanned around and spotted a Dorisby Cruiser just ahead of him, and frowned.
"It is a good day to die, they say..." He growled and sped toward the ship. Another laser struck the GreyOne's right wing and it splintered off, but Bill ignored it as his eyes narrowed. The crumbling jet shuddered as the lasers pounded on him ruthlessly, and a light flashed to warn him that he was approaching danger shield levels. The Cruiser became larger as he accelerated faster toward it, his engines sputtering to keep up with Bill's ramming speed demands.
A growl vibrated from his throat as he became so close to the Cruiser that he could faintly see figures across the lighted windows, and focused onto his target spot. Now at full speed, his last thoughts burned through his mind. Warning lights and beeps from his controls were ignored as he persisted on, and in the last seconds of his life, he screamed out an oath for revenge.
Burning flames engulfed him as the jet exploded onto the hull, and a Commander was added to the war's casualty list among thousands and millions of others. Just seconds after the explosion, all that was left of the GreyOne was a crude collection of metal, flesh, and wires as it bounced away from the hull, flaying into the dark realms of space.
Ten minutes and two more destroyed Cornerian ships later, General Pepper, safe in the confides of his office in Corneria City, issued the order of surrender upon hearing the death of his favorite Commander. When the news reached a certain ape inside the Kismet, his lips curved into an expression that he should be used to at this time of the war.
Andross smiled.