Commander Arwen stood on an elevated docking platform high above the streets of the city, just outside of the military HQ. He checked his watch impatiently. Arwen looked up and saw a sleek transport shuttle approaching the platform. He ambled toward the edge of the platform as the shuttle docked and the hatches opened. The five members of the Star Fox team climbed out of the shuttle, greeting the commander.
"McCloud! I haven't seen you for a while!" Arwen said, extending his hand to Fox.
Fox took the husky's hand and shook it. "Glad to see you again, Commander."
"Please, call me Glenn."
"Sure. Where have you been? We haven't seen anything of you since Zoness."
"Oh, nowhere but the entire Lylat system. I've been going from planet to planet, trying to enforce Pepper's damned 'Interplanetary Trade Regulation' plan. It's been a nightmare, I tell you. The main problem is Macbeth. The idiots in charge of exports there caused so many problems—"
"I'm sure it's a riveting story, but we do have other things to sort out," Fox interrupted.
"…Right. Follow me, if you would."
Arwen led the team into the headquarters and the group sat down.
"We're going to have to go straight to Venom, and we're leaving tomorrow," Arwen said. "Your pilot has been informed and the Great Fox is ready. You'll receive the location of the launch hangar later tonight." The team nodded. "I'm sure you can find something to keep you occupied for the rest of the day. Your temporary quarters have been assigned, and you things brought to them."
As the rest of the team headed to their respective rooms, Arwen stayed back with Fox and Krystal.
"I don't believe I've formally met your new team member, McCloud," Arwen said.
"My name's Krystal," Krystal told him.
"I see…—oh, Fox, I forgot to tell you, all head officers are invited to a show at a local theatre tonight. Sort of a treat, since we'll be gone for so long. You and your wingmen are invited as well. Everything will be provided."
The trio began to walk down the hallway as they spoke.
"That's great!" Fox said, "What time will it be?"
"The show starts at six, then it takes two and a half hours to play, and then there's a party afterward."
"Okay. Sounds like fun." Fox and Krystal entered their room. Arwen stood in the doorway.
"I'll see you later tonight, McCloud," he said. "I've got to leave for now."
"'Bye," Fox called as Arwen swept down the corridor.
*~^~*
Several Hours Later...
It was thirty minutes into the show. Fox, Krystal, Arwen, and Falco were all seated toward the center of the theatre. Slippy and Peppy were absent, Slippy because he was too busy repairing the Arwings for their impending mission, and Peppy because he was just too tired.
The play went on for some time, until Fox looked away from the stage for a moment to glance at the upper balconies. He noticed someone suspicious, a figure clothed in black, with a ski mask-like head covering on. Their uniforms had some kind of emblem on them, but Fox couldn't make it out. There were several individuals, one acting as though he led the group. He was gesturing toward the lead actor on the stage, who was world renowned for his talent. A flash of dark metal further caught Fox's attention—these guys were armed. Arwen finally noticed Fox's eyes were not on the stage.
"What's the matter, McCloud?" Arwen whispered. "You're not watching the show."
"Look—up there...in the balcony..."
Arwen looked up to where Fox was pointing. It was obvious what he was pointing at.
"They don't look like they're here for the show... come on, McCloud, let's go see what those creeps are up to,"
As the two got up, Krystal inquired where they were going.
"Fox, what's wrong?"
"Don't worry, Krys. Falco, stay here with Krystal." Fox and Arwen stepped out of the row and disappeared up the staircase.
Krystal sighed and resumed watching the play.
*~^~*
The pair arrived at the top of the staircase, several yards from the entrance to the empty balcony. Fox raised a hand, signaling Arwen to remain behind him. He reached into his jacket and pulled out his blaster.
"I always come prepared," Fox said, smirking.
"Likewise, McCloud," Arwen replied, pulling out his own blaster pistol.
Fox crept up to the edge of the doorway. Peering around the corner, he saw the leader of the group aiming a gun down at the stage, preparing to fire at the cast members. Fox jumped out and lunged at the masked fiend, taking him down just as the trigger was pulled. The rifle fired upward and the projectile was harmlessly buried in the plaster ceiling of the theatre. The shot caught the attention of the audience and the cast, and all that were not running were searching for the source of the sound.
Chaos ensued. Fox jumped back up, holding his blaster level with the squad leader's chest. Arwen had subdued half the squad already, but was slowly being pushed back by seven more soldiers. The leader glared balefully at Fox, and dashed for the edge of the balcony. Fox fired twice, but the assassin jumped from the balcony into the swelling crowds below.
"Damn, he got away!"
"Not for long," Arwen said, blasting away at the remaining squad members and running down the stairs once more, jostled by the alarmed crowds trying to get to safety. More shots rang out and the crowd was further frightened. Fox ran down the staircase, blasting at any squad members he saw. He desperately looked around for Krystal, but she was nowhere to be seen. The swarms of squad members seemed to come from nowhere. The floor of the theater was littered with mangled bodies, both civilian and enemy.
*~^~*
Krystal stopped beside a tall marble pillar and glanced out over the theatre. The squad members were ruthlessly taking innocents down and capturing those they did not kill. The theatre was filled with cries and screams, so much that Krystal could barely think.
All of a sudden the wall behind the stage erupted and showered the crowds with massive chunks of plaster and stone. The concussion from the blast practically knocked Krystal over. She stared out the gaping hole—it was a black starship!
She felt a hand on her arm and she yelped; it was one of the enemy soldiers! She screamed and tried to get away, but the goon's grip was too strong. The soldier kicked Krystal's legs out from under her and dragged her away, towards where the starship was hovering.
"Let go of me!" Krystal yelled indignantly, breaking free from her aggressor's grip. She scrambled to her feet and ran.
"Krystal!"
Krystal looked to the source of the call. It was Fox!
"Fox! Fox, help me!"
Krystal was tackled by a soldier and pinned down as another came. Blaster shots from Fox flew over their heads. One of the soldiers emptied a syringe of sedative into Krystal's bloodstream. He slung the limp vixen over his shoulder.
"Go! We're all done here," he growled to his comrades. The squad members bounded for the stage and leaped across the gap into the ship. Fox ran after them.
"No!" Fox yelled. Krystal was taken onto the ship and the hatches closed. Fox watched the massive black sides of the craft blow past the hole and the ship escaped into the night. Arwen approached Fox.
"...McCloud?"
"Arwen, we have to get Krystal back!"
"Don't worry, McCloud, we'll leave early, tonight even. The rest of our forces will follow. "
Arwen walked away and talked to the other officers. Fox sighed.
"She'll be all right…"
"McCloud! I haven't seen you for a while!" Arwen said, extending his hand to Fox.
Fox took the husky's hand and shook it. "Glad to see you again, Commander."
"Please, call me Glenn."
"Sure. Where have you been? We haven't seen anything of you since Zoness."
"Oh, nowhere but the entire Lylat system. I've been going from planet to planet, trying to enforce Pepper's damned 'Interplanetary Trade Regulation' plan. It's been a nightmare, I tell you. The main problem is Macbeth. The idiots in charge of exports there caused so many problems—"
"I'm sure it's a riveting story, but we do have other things to sort out," Fox interrupted.
"…Right. Follow me, if you would."
Arwen led the team into the headquarters and the group sat down.
"We're going to have to go straight to Venom, and we're leaving tomorrow," Arwen said. "Your pilot has been informed and the Great Fox is ready. You'll receive the location of the launch hangar later tonight." The team nodded. "I'm sure you can find something to keep you occupied for the rest of the day. Your temporary quarters have been assigned, and you things brought to them."
As the rest of the team headed to their respective rooms, Arwen stayed back with Fox and Krystal.
"I don't believe I've formally met your new team member, McCloud," Arwen said.
"My name's Krystal," Krystal told him.
"I see…—oh, Fox, I forgot to tell you, all head officers are invited to a show at a local theatre tonight. Sort of a treat, since we'll be gone for so long. You and your wingmen are invited as well. Everything will be provided."
The trio began to walk down the hallway as they spoke.
"That's great!" Fox said, "What time will it be?"
"The show starts at six, then it takes two and a half hours to play, and then there's a party afterward."
"Okay. Sounds like fun." Fox and Krystal entered their room. Arwen stood in the doorway.
"I'll see you later tonight, McCloud," he said. "I've got to leave for now."
"'Bye," Fox called as Arwen swept down the corridor.
*~^~*
Several Hours Later...
It was thirty minutes into the show. Fox, Krystal, Arwen, and Falco were all seated toward the center of the theatre. Slippy and Peppy were absent, Slippy because he was too busy repairing the Arwings for their impending mission, and Peppy because he was just too tired.
The play went on for some time, until Fox looked away from the stage for a moment to glance at the upper balconies. He noticed someone suspicious, a figure clothed in black, with a ski mask-like head covering on. Their uniforms had some kind of emblem on them, but Fox couldn't make it out. There were several individuals, one acting as though he led the group. He was gesturing toward the lead actor on the stage, who was world renowned for his talent. A flash of dark metal further caught Fox's attention—these guys were armed. Arwen finally noticed Fox's eyes were not on the stage.
"What's the matter, McCloud?" Arwen whispered. "You're not watching the show."
"Look—up there...in the balcony..."
Arwen looked up to where Fox was pointing. It was obvious what he was pointing at.
"They don't look like they're here for the show... come on, McCloud, let's go see what those creeps are up to,"
As the two got up, Krystal inquired where they were going.
"Fox, what's wrong?"
"Don't worry, Krys. Falco, stay here with Krystal." Fox and Arwen stepped out of the row and disappeared up the staircase.
Krystal sighed and resumed watching the play.
*~^~*
The pair arrived at the top of the staircase, several yards from the entrance to the empty balcony. Fox raised a hand, signaling Arwen to remain behind him. He reached into his jacket and pulled out his blaster.
"I always come prepared," Fox said, smirking.
"Likewise, McCloud," Arwen replied, pulling out his own blaster pistol.
Fox crept up to the edge of the doorway. Peering around the corner, he saw the leader of the group aiming a gun down at the stage, preparing to fire at the cast members. Fox jumped out and lunged at the masked fiend, taking him down just as the trigger was pulled. The rifle fired upward and the projectile was harmlessly buried in the plaster ceiling of the theatre. The shot caught the attention of the audience and the cast, and all that were not running were searching for the source of the sound.
Chaos ensued. Fox jumped back up, holding his blaster level with the squad leader's chest. Arwen had subdued half the squad already, but was slowly being pushed back by seven more soldiers. The leader glared balefully at Fox, and dashed for the edge of the balcony. Fox fired twice, but the assassin jumped from the balcony into the swelling crowds below.
"Damn, he got away!"
"Not for long," Arwen said, blasting away at the remaining squad members and running down the stairs once more, jostled by the alarmed crowds trying to get to safety. More shots rang out and the crowd was further frightened. Fox ran down the staircase, blasting at any squad members he saw. He desperately looked around for Krystal, but she was nowhere to be seen. The swarms of squad members seemed to come from nowhere. The floor of the theater was littered with mangled bodies, both civilian and enemy.
*~^~*
Krystal stopped beside a tall marble pillar and glanced out over the theatre. The squad members were ruthlessly taking innocents down and capturing those they did not kill. The theatre was filled with cries and screams, so much that Krystal could barely think.
All of a sudden the wall behind the stage erupted and showered the crowds with massive chunks of plaster and stone. The concussion from the blast practically knocked Krystal over. She stared out the gaping hole—it was a black starship!
She felt a hand on her arm and she yelped; it was one of the enemy soldiers! She screamed and tried to get away, but the goon's grip was too strong. The soldier kicked Krystal's legs out from under her and dragged her away, towards where the starship was hovering.
"Let go of me!" Krystal yelled indignantly, breaking free from her aggressor's grip. She scrambled to her feet and ran.
"Krystal!"
Krystal looked to the source of the call. It was Fox!
"Fox! Fox, help me!"
Krystal was tackled by a soldier and pinned down as another came. Blaster shots from Fox flew over their heads. One of the soldiers emptied a syringe of sedative into Krystal's bloodstream. He slung the limp vixen over his shoulder.
"Go! We're all done here," he growled to his comrades. The squad members bounded for the stage and leaped across the gap into the ship. Fox ran after them.
"No!" Fox yelled. Krystal was taken onto the ship and the hatches closed. Fox watched the massive black sides of the craft blow past the hole and the ship escaped into the night. Arwen approached Fox.
"...McCloud?"
"Arwen, we have to get Krystal back!"
"Don't worry, McCloud, we'll leave early, tonight even. The rest of our forces will follow. "
Arwen walked away and talked to the other officers. Fox sighed.
"She'll be all right…"