Twisted Shadows:
A New Star Fox Saga

By Wolf O'Donnell

Author's Note: Here goes! It's another one of my What-happens-next-after-Andross-dies' fic. Once again, it's set in a different dimension from the other of my fanfics. The swearing has been censored, once again, with little asterisks that hides the second and third letters of the f**king swear word! Please send comments to me at w_donnell@hotmail.com.

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Chapter 8: Mechanical Resonance
Standing by your Side!
Dochira ni tatsu ka
Erabun da kimi no sono te de
Stand up to the Fight!
Futatsu no chikara
Itsu no hi ka wakariaeru
Toki ga kuru made.

Beat Hit!
Miyazaki Ayumi

"What happened to you?" cried Katt, as she came across the cell. She looked past the energy bars and at the two that sat within the cell. What caught her attention was the ring of bloody cloth that possibly covered a wound in the leg.
Bill sighed.
"Fox put us in here," he said reluctantly. He couldn't understand it. The more he thought about it, the more he realised that that couldn't have been anyone else but the real Fox. "And then he shot Falco in the leg." He looked at the look on Katt's face. The canine could tell that she was having a hard time comprehending what had happened.
"No, surely..." began Katt.
"It was him, alright?" shouted Falco sternly. He could feel the tears well up, but none came, he held them back up. "Fox did this to me." He wasn't sure what had happened to make Fox like this, but he was sure that it had something to do with the Trade Guild. The avian was determined to fight to get Fox back, the Fox that he knew, the one that he had befriended. "Katt!" he said sternly, snapping her out of her silent train of thought. "Are you going to stand there or are you going to get us out?"
Katt aimed her gun at the control panel and shot it. The energy bars flickered before disappearing completely.
"There," she said sternly and moodily. "Happy now, Falco?"
"I will be when I get my leg sorted out," he replied grumpily. He placed an arm around Bill, and with Katt by his side too, he managed to get up on to his good leg.
Bill brought out something that looked like a walkie-talkie, only smaller. He pressed a button.
"Fara, Slippy, we've got to get out of here," he said. However, all he got in reply was static. He was worried. "Katt, do you think you can get Falco out of here by yourself?"
"I sure can, sugar," replied Katt.
"Falco, let go," Bill said and the avian did as was told. "I'm going to find the others. Get Falco to the Great Fox as quickly as possible and avoid Fox at all costs."

Kofu stood proudly in the hangar, as the Guild troops rushed through it. They had managed to defeat most of the Kimonos and invaded the battleship. Now all that was left was to kill Star Fox and arrest Dr. Kano. He turned to his team mates, a stern expression on his leonine face.
"I want you to spread out," he growled loudly over the trampling of boots on metal. "If any of you see the desired targets, shoot first, ask questions later." He thought of Lord Jingoist and how they would all be punished if they failed this time. "Aim low, so you don't kill them, especially if they're McCloud or Kano." ´The pleasure of killing Fox should be mine and mine alone` he thought to himself, a smirk on his face. "Alright! Let's move out!"

The machine that looked so much like Wolf O'Donnell, and had once been Wolf O'Donnell, stalked through the secret laboratory, looking carefully for his opponents. As he scanned the place, using visual, he could remember Dr. Kano's voice clearly in his mind. Kill Star Fox. He would do as his creator asked him to do. There was no argument. Only obedience. ´Switching from visual to infra-red` he thought. A signal came from the Pigma droid. This was registered and a program kicked in, resulting in a cruel smile spreading across his face.
Pigma smashed the desk apart with one blow, revealing Fara and Slippy.
Fara aimed and fired. Though the laser hit the pig in the stomach, it did nothing much to harm the android. She backed off, avoiding the android's massive weight, as it crashed down on to the ground in an attempt to crush her. She aimed again at the pig, firing at its head this time. The laser merely tore off the skin to reveal the metal beneath it.
"This is nuts!" she exclaimed, as the three androids turned to face her and Slippy, moving towards them menacingly. She was just thankful that none of the machines had any weapons to hand.
"We've got to get out of here!" cried Slippy out of fear.
"No," said Fara sternly, as the Leon android rushed her. "We've got to destroy them!" She fired repeatedly at the android, the lasers missing the machine as it dodged each one with impossible quickness. She saw it clench a fist and throw it at her. Ducking underneath the punch, she grabbed the nearest metallic thing at hand, which happened to be a wrench and swung it at the android opponent. There was a metallic clang, as she struck Leon, but nothing happened.
The android just looked at her and then down at where the wrench had hit, a dent in his body.
"Fool!" cried the android in a voice that sounded so much like Leon's. "I am the Great Leon!" He grabbed the wrench and wrested it from her grasp, flinging it behind him. He lashed out at her with a scaly hand grabbing her by the throat and squeezing tight, gradually choking her.
"Let go of her!" cried Slippy, as he fired repeatedly at the green android.
A grey, furry hand grabbed the muzzle of the gun and snapped it off, as if it had been brittle balsa wood. The Wolf android glared at Slippy with eyes that looked so inhumanly life-like. Yes, that's right, this android had two eyes instead of the one, although he looked exactly like Wolf.
"Leon, let's not waste our time with these deadweights," suggested the android. He grabbed Slippy by his collar and lifted him up into the air. "Let's just finish them off, be done with it and then go after the rest of them."
"Yeah, we might as well," agreed the Leon android, before he flung Fara at the wall, knocking her unconscious.
Slippy followed her seconds later, landing on top of her.
"Let's go," said Wolf, as the furred android led the machines out of the laboratory.

Andrew turned the corner and collided straight into someone.
"Watch where you're going!" cried the baboon angrily, as he pushed the person aside and then lowered his gun to shoot the guy. He stopped. "McCloud!" he exclaimed, an angry look on his face.
Fox glared back at Andrew with a strange look in his eyes. His gaze seemed to bore straight into Andrew and there was a hint of madness within those glistening eyes.
"So, you're still alive, huh?" he asked the baboon with a strange tone in his voice.
"Yeah, no thanks to you," growled Andrew angrily. "You're going to pay for what you did to my Uncle and to my friends!"
"Your friends?" laughed Fox, not even drawing his gun. He knew he wouldn't have to, if he played his cards right. "None of them liked you, Andrew. You were and still are a miserable, whining little child. A spoilt, pampered little brat!" A cruel smile spread across his face. "Do you want to kill me, Andrew? Do you? Go ahead!" He spread his arms out, exposing his chest to the baboon. "Take your best shot!" He waited. "Go on! What are you waiting for? Your mummy?"
The baboon didn't like Fox's tone one bit. He pulled the trigger, firing at the vulpine. He missed. A fist collided into his face, sending him flying against the wall, dropping the gun to the floor. He clenched his right fist and swung back at Fox, missing again. Andrew was punched in the face again and then again, before a fist smashed into his stomach, making him double over. The blows to his body suddenly stopped. He collapsed to his knees.
"I thought so," muttered Fox, as he stood tall and proud over the monkey. "You are no match for me, Oikonny." He grabbed him by the fur on the back of his head, yanking it upwards. The vulpine looked into Andrew's eyes. "Now, you listen to me, Andrew. I have decided to spare your miserable little life, but only if you aid me uncover the Shadows of Abomination."
Andrew's eyes widened at the mention of that name. He knew that Jingoist was searching for that this very minute.
"Never," he spat angrily. "I'll never help you, murderer!" That was when Fox slammed his face against the metallic floor three times.
"I'm not going to ask you again," snarled Fox angrily, as he let go of the baboon fur. "Perhaps I should convince you another way." He grabbed Andrew by his bleeding nose, cutting off the air to the ape's lungs. Fox held on tight, not letting go, despite being clawed at in the face by his opponent. At last Andrew opened his mouth wide and inhaled sharply. The vulpine then shoved something forcefully down the baboon's throat.

Bill skidded round a corner.
"Morton!" he exclaimed, upon recognising the black-furred bear. A snarl spread across his canine muzzle, as he watched the Hercules Team member advance towards him. He could still remember the time when he had fought this bear before, when the Trade Guild was called the Guild of Thieves and Mordenev was its King. "I haven't forgotten what you did to that family."
"And I haven't forgotten what you did to me," replied Kappa, as he slowly reached for his gun.
"Don't you try!" growled Bill, as he whipped his gun out, aiming it at his opponent. "Kappa Morton, you are under arrest for murder and theft." He kept his eye closely on the hand near the bear's gun, not noticing the chilling smile that spread across the ursine's muzzle. Slowly, he inched his way towards Morton, expecting him to attack him at any time. "You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you."
"You're going to pay for blasting my right arm off!" roared Kappa, as he raised his left arm up, the palm of his metallic cyborg hand aimed at Bill.
The canine's eyes widened in fear, as he saw electricity spark and build up between the fingers. He dived out of the way, as his opponent fired a beam of electricity straight at him. Bill crashed to the floor, and looked up as Kappa whirled round to aim his left hand at him.
"It was an accident! Why can't you get that through your thick head?" cried Bill, as he opened fire on his ursine opponent.
Morton side-stepped out of the way, lashing out his sharp metallic claws at the canine.
Bill ducked his head, narrowly missing the cold steel that smashed into the metallic wall behind him. He rolled out away from Kappa, turning round firing. His laser caught the bear in the leg, making him roar out in pain.
"Kappa, I don't want this to carry on," said the canine calmly, but the bear was too enraged to listen to anything but his own anger.
"I will kill you, Grey!" roared Morton, as he fired a bolt of lightning at Bill. A cruel smile spread across his face, as he watched it hit the canine and the electricity surge through his opponent. "Your flesh will burn. I will see to that!" He laughed evilly, enjoying every second of it. "They say revenge is a dish best served cold, but when I'm done, you'll be piping hot!" He thrust his hand forward, the electricity surging forward and Bill was thrown back by the force of the blow, skidding across the floor.
His arm twitched, before Bill remained motionless on the metallic floor.
"What's the matter, little doggy?" asked Kappa tauntingly, as he advanced towards the canine. "Can't move? Guess that's because you've got too much weight." His left hand flexed, as he raised his sharp metallic claws into the air. Each was sharp, sharp enough to cut through flesh. "I've got an idea." He chuckled. "You know how the saying goes- An arm for an arm." The bear pulled his arm back, ready to thrust his claws forward. "Time to say goodbye to your arm, Bill." He growled loudly, before thrusting his hand forward.
Bill raised his gun and fired, just as Kappa's hand struck down. For a while, the two remained motionless, before Bill's arm collapsed to the floor, the gun clattering to the floor. Moments later, Kappa followed suit, collapsing on top of the canine. Neither stirred, both remained as motionless as the dead.

Groaning, she opened her eyes gradually. A pain throbbed through her head, and she clutched at it with her left paw.
"What happened?" she moaned, as she looked around her. There was a weight on top of her, she could feel it. She looked down and saw the unconscious form of Slippy lying on top of her. "Slip, wake up." She placed her other paw on his shoulder and began shaking him, trying her best to wake him up, but to no avail. He was out cold. "Good thing he's not that heavy," she sighed, as she pushed him off of her and slowly got up, looking around her.
The laboratory was a mess. The mechanised Star Wolf Team had practically trashed the place, destroying anything that wasn't the floor, ceiling or the walls. Chemicals were spilled all over the floor, wires were scattered all over the floor, bits of metal littered the place as did fires that burned pathetically. The stench of decay filled the air, as well as the stink of melted solder. Fara covered her nose at the stench of it, not enjoying the unpleasant smells that assaulted her nostrils.
As her brain started to function again, Fara began to wonder. ´Why didn't they finish us off?` was the biggest question she had to ask. The Fennec fox could have sworn hearing the Wolf android talking about obeying their prime directive- to kill Star Fox. Could it be that the androids didn't consider her and Slippy as members of the Star Fox Team? No, that was ridiculous. Dr. Kano said that they were cyborg replicas of the Star Wolf Team. She heard a moan, and turned round.
"Slip?" she exclaimed, only to hear a head banging against a table.
"Ow! That smarts!" shouted Slippy.
A laser whistled past Fara's ear all of a sudden, nearly hitting her. She turned round and saw something she didn't want to see. Fara dived behind a pile of smouldernig wreckage for cover, as the lasers flew through the air, hitting the wall with a bright flash of light and a burst of hot white sparks.
"Slippy!" she hissed through clenched teeth. "Slip! Where are you?" She couldn't believe that she had lost the amphibian. She only hoped that she had not lost him to the Guild.
"Come on out, Foxy!" taunted Miasma, as she stalked through the remains of Dr. Kano's laboratory, which had been destroyed during the fight against the androids. It had been this mouse that had fired at Fara. It had been thise mouse that had attempted to kill the Fennec Fox. "I know you're hiding here. I can smell your fear." There was a smug smirk on her muzzle, as she walked calmly through the laboratory, keeping her eyes and ears peeled for any signs of her opponent. "You know, don't you? You know, Foxy, that I'm going to beat you."
"Fine!" cried Fara as she rose up suddenly. Throwing one clenched fist at Miasma, she punched her opponent in the face, knocking the Hercules Team member out cold. Not able to think of a witty comment, she then turned her attention to find Slippy.
"Fara!" exclaimed Slippy, his voice a squeak of excitement. He had his hand on his head, as if he had banged it on something and was carrying a rolled up set of what looked, from where Fara was standing, like blueprints. "You've got to come and see what I've found!"
There was a huge explosion and the door was flung across the chamber from the force of the explosion, smashing into the metallic floor, as Trade Guild soldiers rushed into the laboratory.
Fara rushed over towards Slippy, grabbing him by the arm and ran for it, pulling him along with her.
"No time for that!" she exclaimed, as she ran underneath the metallic stairs. She pressed her body against the wall, looking up at the feet that trampled on the metallic steps. Her breath was shallow and her eyes wide with fear. Of all the things that she didn't want to happen was for them to be spotted by the Guild troops. Under her breath, she prayed that the soldiers wouldn't find them hiding underneath the metallic staircase, although it was inevitable that they would. "How are we going to get out of this one?" she wondered.

"Out of my way, you bloody fools!" roared Fox angrily, opening fire on any jet that got in his way, irrespective of who piloted it. He watched with pleasure, as several burst into flames and exploded, killing whatever might have been contained within them. Glancing down at the sensors, he watched as a group of five enemy jets appeared behind him. "These fools don't know who they're dealing with," he muttered quietly. One by one, the blips suddenly disappeared from the sensors. "Thank you, Andrew."
"It was a pleasure," replied Andrew's whining voice over his com-link. "Where to from here?"
"The nearest Lylat Alliance outpost," replied Fox calmly, as he shot down a bunch of three Kimono jets easily. "I need to collect a few things," he said calmly, as he performed a barrel-roll, deflecting a couple of weak shots at his stolen Usurper Jet. He pulled back on his control stick and his jet performed a somersault perfectly, ending up behind his pursuers. "Of course, we must clear a way to the outpost," stated Fox calmly. "Fly by my side and let's mow these morons down with our gunfire."
"Affirmative," came the reply.
A smile spread across Fox's muzzle, as he opened fire, destroying more and more enemy jets in front of him. He watched as a ship in front of him was hit in the engine. He could hear the pilot's cry for help. The smile on the vulpine's muzzle became a cruel smirk, as he aimed at the ship.
"If you can't win when it comes to fighting, you shouldn't be fighting at all!" he roared, as he fired a locked-on shot at a nearby ship, blowing it apart.

There was a collective clicking and before she knew it, they were completely surrounded on all sides by Guild soldiers, their guns aimed at her and Slippy. Fara could feel a lump form in her throat, as she looked at all the stern faces that glared at them. ´What happened?` she wondered. ´What happened to make us so lousy at our missions?` She would have never made a mistake like this during the Lylat War. Perhaps, perhaps it was the era of peace between then and the start of this struggle against the Trade Guild. Perhaps it was that era of peace that had made her and the rest of the Star Fox Team soft.
"Freeze!" shouted another voice from behind the soldiers.
A smile spread across Fara's muzzle. Her face lit up. It was now the Guild soldiers' turn to be completely surrounded. Lylatian soldiers had filled the laboratory, their weapons aimed at the Guild soldiers.
"Fara!"
"Bill?" exclaimed Fara in surprise, as she saw Bill on the balcony above them. "Did you find Fox?" was the very next thing she said. To her dismay, she saw a miserable expression replace the happy one on that canine face of his. All hope of ever seeing Fox again was washed away with one look of that solemn look on Bill's face, a look that suggested that Fox had died. "No," she muttered under breath. "Fox can't be dead, surely. He can't be!"


Star Fox and all related characters and places are copyrighted by Nintendo Ltd.
Jingoist, Dr. Kano, Kofu, Miasma and Kappa are copyrighted by me.