Cowboy Star Fox

By Wolf O'Donnell

WARNING: This fanfic will contain swearing, graphic scenes of death and violence and the use of British-English Spelling and Grammar. If any of these things offend you or if you are underaged, please do not read any further. Upon reading any word or letter in this file, you hereby agree to forfeit all your rights to sue me and that I cannot be held liable for any psychological or physical damage caused by the contents of this fanfic. Star Fox and all related characters (including me) are copyrighted by Nintendo. Scales, Dinosaur Planet and all related characters are copyrighted by Rare. The Gospel Army, Dr. Jerome Kano, the Sekai Foundation and all related characters and places are copyrighted by me.
P.S. We're getting very close to the ending and I have a big surprise for you Cowboy Star Fox fans. To prepare for it, I suggest you begin scrutinising the fanfic very carefully for any hidden secrets. ;)

* * * * *

Episode 13: Road to the West

The original A-Virus, the A-5 Virus, was presented to Dr. Kano in a vial by Wolf O'Donnell. Apparently, O'Donnell had taken it straight from Andross' Main Laboratory in Banepolis, the Capital of Venom. The lupine had claimed the A-5 Virus, a retrovirus, was the basis of all the gene vectors Andross used in his genetic engineering experiments, and was responsible in creating Andross' very first bio-weapon and the three bio-weapons that Star Fox destroyed– the ones on Aquas, Solar and Titania.
Apparently, the A-Virus had some origins in a retrovirus favoured by gene therapists. The original was supposed to be a modified, non-disease-causing retrovirus used to directly insert a healthy copy of a gene into the patient's target chromosomes and thus override the effects of the faulty copy. It was a technology meant to cure life-threatening genetic disorders, but Andross had taken the virus he used when developing the Universal Vaccine and crossed it with the retrovirus, turning it into something hideous, something that could create life-threatening biological weapons. (A prime example of how everything has a light and dark side to it).
Fox thought back to the events documented in the report he had received from Pepper. Kano had found a use for the A-Virus and had started creating different strains of the A-Virus, each with its unique genes and unique binding proteins on its capsid surface. Each strain would infect a different cell type, yet it seemed that Kano was working towards creating a strain that would infect all types of cells, so as to be able to create a Super Race that he called the Aristocrats. They were supposed to be a superior race, one that would wipe out the current ones that existed in the Lylat System.
The entire concept stank of the disinfectant that was the main ingredient for ethnic cleansing, and that was what scared Fox the most. Nothing before had ever scared him so much than the possible genocide of all life from the Lylat System. There had only been two other examples of genocide in the Lylat System. One was on Cerinia. The other was on Dinosaur Planet, where Scales had wiped out all the Earthwalkers in the Krazoa Palace.
So why was it that the Lylat Alliance was so willing to keep the entire situation a secret? Just to save face? Or was it, as Pepper claimed, just so that the public wouldn't panic?
Doubt was beginning to seep in and Fox began to wonder whether the Lylat System he lived in really was the peaceful solar system he had originally thought it to be. Had it always been like this– full of cover-ups and deceit? Fox felt sick just thinking about it and he was in a way, glad that his wounded shoulder had prevented him from going with the others. Still, he was becoming even more sick with the thought of what could happen to Falco and Krystal.
It was only the two that were investigating a former Syndicate casino and Fox began to wonder whether that was enough. What if something happened to one of them? There was no Lylat Police to back them up. There was no one to back them up.
"Slip, how are they doing?" asked Fox, as he swivelled round in his chair.
"Okay," replied Slippy, as he turned to face the vulpine. "They're getting somewhere with this guy Falco's tracked down."
Fox didn't say a thing in reply to Slippy's comment. Was there any need to?
"Okay," he said after a while with a nod of his head. "Keep me informed."

Lord's House was one of the fanciest casinos on Katina. The place had once been the mansion of a rich nobleman, but the aristocrat had a weakness for gambling which had led to his financial downfall. The entire place was bought by the Lylat Syndicate as payment for his outstanding debts.
Prior to the Syndicate's fall, it had been a major source of income for the both the Syndicate and the Gospel Army. Money earned from the casino had been pumped mainly into the Gospel Army's spending and the rest had gone to the Syndicate. But since the Syndicate's fall?
The tuxedo that Falco wore was obviously rented, yet he still looked like the James Bond of the avian world with it on.
"Look here, Kev," snarled Falco angrily, as he lifted the striped feline up by the collar of his shirt. "We can do this the easy way or the hard way." (He had always wanted to say that). "It's your choice." Falco then gave the feline a glare so cold it made Fortuna look like a tropical paradise.
"Falc', I can't tell you!" protested the feline bartender. "Look, you don't know what you're dealing with. You can't just go around opposing these guys. They're far more powerful than you can even imagine." The bartender was visibly shaking and it was clear that it wasn't because of Falco's intimidation.
"Who is in charge here?" shouted Falco loudly. "Who's in charge, Kev? Is it Gospel? Is the Gospel Army in charge here?"
Krystal, who was also dressed the part, had a worried look on her face as she observed Falco's questioning. It was far too loud and she had a feeling that it would attract the casino's security.
"Falco, relax," she told the avian, as she rested a hand on his shoulder. "If you carry on like this, the security guards will come in for sure."
"Falco, go," stated the feline sternly. "Leave this place and don't come back. It's for your own good. If you stay here, they'll get you for sure."
"Who will, Kev?" asked Krystal sternly, as she slowly pushed Falco aside. She suddenly heard a heavy thump and then saw Falco crash to the ground seconds later. Krystal was about to whirl around, when she felt a sudden sharp blow to her head and then everything went black.
"Take them to the Main Lab."

"Fox!" squeaked Slippy suddenly, as he rose from his seat. "Something's gone wrong!"
"What?" exclaimed Fox in complete surprise. He rose quickly from his seat, leaping out of it and on to the metallic floor. The vulpine rushed straight over to where Slippy was, stopping mere inches away from the control panel and the monitors. He saw what was displayed on the monitor. "I knew it!" he cried. "I knew they shouldn't have gone it alone. We have to go after them."
"No, wait!" protested Slippy. "Those guys are going to take them straight to the Main Lab. We should wait until they're actually there, then we can bust the entire Orgnisation."
The vulpine didn't like the sound of that. He knew that Slippy did have a point, but Fox wasn't so willing to risk their lives.
"Slippy, I'm going down there now," he told the amphibian sternly. "I don't care about the mission. Falco and Krystal are friends. We can't let them be taken off to some laboratory to be experimented on." Fox turned his back to Slippy before the frog could say another thing. "I'll be seeing you later."
Slippy hadn't expected such a fiery outburst from Fox. From Falco, it would have been very expected, but from Fox, however... The amphibian was left speechless.
"Fox, wait, you can't go!" protested Slippy. He was worried for the vulpine. Fox was a role model to him and Slippy would never forgive himself if Fox was killed during action. "You can't go. Not with your arm in its current condition."
The frog heard no reply from Fox. He thought hard. What would get the vulpine to stop from going?
"Fox, you can't go now," he cried, as he followed the vulpine down the corridors of the Great Fox. "If you go now, you'll end up getting Falco and Krystal killed for sure."
"Then what am I supposed to do, Slip?" shouted Fox, as he turned round to glare angrily at the amphibian. "I can't just wait here and let them be taken to the Lab, can I? The moment they set foot there, they'll be experimented on by that freak, Kano. I can't let that happen, Slippy. I can't let that happen."
"Well, Fox, then I reckon you'd need some back-up," said a sultry voice that made them both turn round. It was Katt and she was smiling at them. "And I'm just the kind of girl that'll help you out of this jam."
Fox was surprised. How did Katt get on to the ship?
"Katt?" he exclaimed in complete disbelief. "How'd you get here?"
"Now, is that anyway to greet a girl?" asked Katt in reply to his question, as she walked round from the corner of the corridor. "I thought you'd be happy to see me, after all, I can help you beat the Gospel Army once and for all." She walked past Fox and then stopped, looking up and down the corridor. "Fox, d'you mind getting everyone gathered together. I've managed to find me some info that I reckon you'd like to hear."
The vulpine shook his head in reply to her request.
"No can do, Katt," he told her. "The others have been captured by Gospel."
A horrified look spread on Katt's face. She knew that meant Falco.
"No, Falco? Captured?" she exclaimed in disbelief. That only meant one thing. "We have to get down there now. They're in big trouble."
"You're telling me," retroted Fox with a sigh.
"I'll fly you down there, sugar," offered Katt, as she grabbed him by the hand. "Now come on!"
Slippy was about to protest but he realised the futility of it.
"Fox, wait!" he cried out. "Don't forget your holo-communicator!" He reached into his pocket. Somewhere in it, he had Fox's holo-comm. He knew he did. He'd only been working on it an hour ago. Ah! There it was. "Here, catch!" he called out, as he fished it out of his pocket and then lobbed it through the air.

* * * * *

The walls were white, the floor was white, the ceiling was white, the light was white and the brightness was blinding. Within this brightness, nothing stirred. There was no movement, except for the slow rise and fall of Oikonny's chest. Andrew Oikonny, former Star Wolf member and nephew of the late Dr. Andross, lay prostrate on the bed within the white room. He did not move. He did not stir.
Not since the A-17 Virus had been injected in him, had he moved. It had paralysed his very body and left him in a comatose state. Oikonny would not move. Oikonny would not speak nor think. He was dead to the world.
The Gospel Army scientist looked down at his clipboard and then raised his gaze to look at the prone body of Andrew Oikonny. He wrote down one phrase on the paper, 'Still no change', and then left the clipboard at the base of the bed. The man left the room and closed the door firmly behind him.
Eyes snapped wide open and gazed lifelessly at the ceiling. Limbs stirred. And then with one piercing scream he woke.

Scales staggered through the clearing tired and beaten. His clothes were torn in places and ragged. He looked ahead of him and saw a hospital within the darkness of the night. A smile spread across his scaly face. One hand rested on the bark of a tree and within one clenching movement of his robotic fingers, he gouged out chunks of wood from the trunk.
"Gospel," he growled, as he stood there glaring at the hospital. Then he staggered out from underneath the boughs of the trees and made his way towards the hospital.

* * * * *

Katt slammed the brakes and the entire car skidded to a halt.
"What the...?" she exclaimed in disbelief, upon seeing the blockade in front of them. "I thought you said the Army wanted to keep this all under wraps."
"They did," replied Fox, as he looked in front of him. He didn't get it. Why was there a police blockade? He got out of the car as quickly as possible and walked ahead. "Excuse me, what's going on here?" The man in the trenchcoat turned round and turned out to be a very familiar canine. "Bill? Bill, what are you doing here? I thought you agreed with Pepper to not interfere."
The grey-furred canine turnedh is head to look back at the hospital momentarily, before he turned to face Fox.
"Fox, I'm so glad you came!" exclaimed Bill. "We've got a situation down here. Scales bust loose of prison last night and now he's holed up in that hospital with hostages."
A thought went through Fox's mind. Was this a ploy by the Gospel Army to take the public's attention away from them, while they move their headquarters from out of underneath the hospital?
"How long has he been in there?" asked Fox in a take-charge manner. He listened to Bill, as the canine explained everything about how Scales had been in there for an hour now and how the SharpClaw had patients hostage. Fox listened as Bill explained how Scales wouldn't allow anyone near the hospital. "What are his demands?"
"That's the thing, Fox; he hasn't made any," replied Bill.
"Sounds like a little old trick to me," stated Katt calmly.
Fox nodded his head slowly. It sounded like a trick to him too.
"Bill, you've got to distract him somehow while me and Katt go in," he told the canine. "Falco and Krystal are in there, and they need to be rescued before Gospel does anything to them." He saw the look of surprise appear on Bill's face and then explain all the events to the canine and how they had tracked Falco and Krystal down to this hospital. "Bill, we need to get in there and quickly."
Bill turned to face the hospital and the police officers all around him.
"Okay," he sighed. "We'll do it. Just tell me how much time you need and we'll try our best."

Falco tugged at the restraints that held him down on to the cold, hard, metallic table. Deep down, he knew that he hadn't much time before the Gospel scientists came back to administer the new A-Virus strain to his body. The clock was against him and he had to be quick if he was to survive and foil the Gospel Army's plans.
"I wouldn't carry on struggling, if I were you."
For that moment in time, Falco stopped and craned his head to try and to see whom had spoken. The avian saw an simian standing not too far away in a white labcoat. He noticed the Gospel Army symbol on the breastpocket, but he also noticed that this male simian had quite wrinkled skin and had no fur on his face or his hands. His hair was a grey, untidy, tangled mess and underneath his nobbly nose was a moustache of the same quality as his hair.
The man matched the photograph he had seen in Fox's file. Falco knew who this person was.
"You're Dr. Jerome Kano," stated Falco bitterly. So this was the real man behind the Gospel Army, the mad scientist that had built the terrorist organisation.
"That's right, Lombardi," replied Kano with a nod of his bald head. A smile curled his lips, as he walked towards the bound avian. "You and the Star Fox Team have been a thorn in my side for too long," he told the falcon. "Yet, the surprising thing is, that I bet that none of you knew until recently." He chuckled at the thought of it. "It's amazing how lucky you disgusting creatures are. You manage to oppose me and prolong your existence without even trying. Yet that will all soon change."
Falco strained against his restraints.
"You won't get away with this, Kano!" he shouted at the old man. "Fox will come and he'll dash Gospel to bits!"
"Who do you think he is?" asked Kano curiously, as he walked away and towards another table not too far away from Falco's. "He is no hero," he told Falco, as he walked straight up to the other table, on which Krystal lay. "He is more of a bumbling bafoon. All he has done so far is out of pure luck. Such inferior creatures could not possibly be so smart and strong as to oppose my plans."
"You're wrong," retorted Krystal angrily. "Fox is a great fox. He will stop you, just like he stopped Andross."
Kano laughed at Krystal.
"How can you be so sure?" he asked her. "Andross was nothing compared to my genius. Besides, he won't be able to get here quick enough to stop me from achieving my goal! It won't be long before my Super Race is completed. The first Aristocrat will walk upon this world and they will obliterate you inferior hunks of flesh." He turned his back to her and began walking towards the door of the operating room. "The old world will be burned to the ground and the new era of the Aristocrat race will rise from the ashes of the old."
The door in front of Kano opened and two Gospel scientists came in.
"Administer the new A-Virus," ordered Kano sternly. "If you need me, I'll be checking up on Oikonny."
There was a sudden snapping as Krystal finally managed to cut through her restraints. She grabbed the nearest thing to hand and flung it at one of the scientists. It happened to be a metallic tray and it knocked the Gospel scientist out cold. Krystal saw the other scientist rush at her and she rushed him, leaping into the air and performing a roundhouse kick so powerful that it knocked the scientist out cold in an instant.
She landed back on the floor and then turned to face Kano.
"Now, it's your turn," she told him.
"You miserable fox, you'll pay for this!" screamed Kano, before he pressed a button on the wall and set off a deafening alarm. "I'll make you pay for this!" he laughed, before running down the corridor.
"Hey! Don't forget me!" cried out Falco, before Krystal could even give chase to Kano.
"Sorry," apologised Krystal, as she rushed back over to the avian and undid the restraints hastily. Her sensitive vulpine hearing could hear the sound of footsteps over the wailing of the alarms. She knew that if she didn't hurry, they'd be knee deep in Gospel Army guards and completely overwhelmed. "There you go!"
The restraints were undone. Falco leapt off the table.
"That's much better," he exclaimed, as he stretched his arms.
"Come on!" cried Krystal, as she grabbed Falco by the feathered hand and quickly pulled him along after her. She knew they had to hurry if they were were...
It was too late. The guards had already arrived and they were outnumbered.

To be continued...