A/N: OK, now we're back in Corneria to see the resistance group that has been formed. I haven't forgotten about Katt and the others. But even though there isn't much I can say about Scales, I'll also let you in on his plan in a more detailed way.

Disclaimer: I don't own the characters of Star Fox, Nintendo and/or Rare do.

_______________________________________________________________________

Chapter 17: Desperate Skies

Dark and sinister clouds hovered over what was now the ruined Kingdom of Corneria. The polluted air and evaporated waters made Corneria seem like one of the most unbearable places in the world. It wasn't far from the truth.

Now that Vixy was dead, Mia had no way of ever getting into the palace again. Shortly after her funeral Scales had ordered her outside the palace and never to return. Mia wasn't going to easily step down but it seemed as though there was nothing more anyone could do.

Thanks to the former advisor to King James, Peppy, the furs that were run out of home were given a nice haven to stay in. Peppy was able to get a little bit of food, but it was even more important that they rationed it among themselves. They'd do anything to survive now. Some even ate sharp claw…scary.

The resistance lived in the underground of an abandoned building on the west side of Corneria. It was a place where the sharp claw would think last to look for them. They were safe there and any furs found wounded on the streets were welcome to stay for as long as they needed to. But chances of anyone leaving the kingdom were almost impossible.

"The red eyes have every entrance and exit to the kingdom guarded since the young vixen left." Mia mused. "I hope she returns soon."

Peppy was sitting down on the ground trying to formulate a plan. He didn't exactly here Mia but had an idea of what the vixen had said. "I'm sure that Krystal will be successful. You say that she's going to meet up with Fox right? If that happens then the kingdom is saved!"

"That's if Fox comes back…" Mia sighed. "He may decide not to return and you know how Zoness can be with acts of war sometimes. I think the only reason they fought the last war was because the sharp claw divided their forces. One sent to Corneria and the other to Zoness."

"Yeah. They wouldn't try that plan again." Peppy said. Pondering what was a good course of action. "They'd probably want to take every kingdom as a whole rather than divide their forces. How long would you predict we have?"

"I can't tell anymore. All I know is that it's sometime in this year. Wolf told me that he had 9,000 ready and is overworking the last 1,000. I think that perhaps Scales is running out of patience."

Slippy walked in panting hard. "We're losing furs out there Peppy! There's absolutely NO food left! How are we going to survive now that our sources are gone?"

By 'source' Slippy meant Wolf O' Donnell, who would bring them food and sometimes sharp claw to eat. Sure, many didn't like cannibalism, but when that's all you have to survive that's what you'll do.

Wolf ONLY contacted with Peppy and Mia with the resistance. Many other furs had no idea that it was Wolf who had been saving them. That included Krystal.

Peppy was unsure of what to do at this point. "Perhaps it's time we start acting like a resistance group then."

"We're not strong enough though." whimpered Slippy. He was right. They weren't strong enough. They didn't have enough food or water and without someone they could rely on from the palace anymore…

Peppy didn't know what else to do. "We don't have much at all. No good weapons…nothing to keep us all fighting."

"We HAVE to stay strong!" Mia shouted. "If we don't then Corneria and the rest of the world will fall to Scales! WE'RE the only hope left for this world right now. We don't have much of a choice but to try and stay strong."

"I hate it when you're right." Peppy sighed. "But what do we do without Wolf to grant us with food?"

"Maybe it's time we start figuring out a better way to survive for the next few days…" Mia suggested.

"And how do we do that? Eat dirt? We can't hold out THAT long Mia."

"In time, they'll come." Mia said. "Until then I'll try and find food."

"And how will you do that?"

Mia reached into her green robe and pulled out a crystal ball, "Even Scales can't resist knowing the future." She smirked. "I offer to tell his future for the price of food. Since Wolf isn't here this is the best I can do."

"How can you expect to get into the palace?" Slippy spoke up. "You couldn't possibly expect them to let you in anymore."

"Scales wants to know if his plan will succeed doesn't he?" Mia smiled again.

"You said you couldn't predict that…"

"A true prediction YES, but a false prediction anyone would believe if it gave them hope."

"Sneaky…" Peppy smirked. "Do this. Bring back food so that we can eat for months on end!"

Mia quickly left out the door and hoped that a sharp claw didn't see her. The streets were cluttered and she was amazed that there were still furs that survived. The skies were a hellish red that actually you made you fear Corneria. Mia tried her best not to look up and therefore pulled the hood over her head on her green robe. She could stall for a while it seemed.

Mia went to the palace and tried not to let any sign of fear show. If the sharp claw sensed her fear then they'd take advantage of her. 'It's time to be braver than you ever have been before.' She said to herself and looked at the ruined palace. 'Time to go.'

***

In the courtyard of the Palace of Great Fox, Scales was trying to see who was strong and who was not. His test weren't disturbingly hard but they were painful. Scales wanted to test your strength and endurance. If you failed either then you weren't cut out to be in his army. Scales had executed well over two thousand sharp claw because they were weak and scrawny and a little over one thousand because they failed his test. Imagine what his army would've been like had he decided to recruit every sharp claw.

The woman were more important than the men to Scales. They had to produce strong and healthy boys. He didn't want any woman at all in his army. No woman was "strong" enough to be in his army.

Scales stayed in the court watching as some went through his obstacle course. He had his trainees running across coal and they couldn't shed one tear or else they failed. Then you had to ascend a wall using only your claws. If you fell off this wall you failed…even if you slipped you failed. Next you were all to stand in a line and Scales had you branded. Again, you couldn't shed a tear or else you'd fail. You couldn't even grunt. You had to endure everything. Next Scales sent you to be pummeled by two brutally strong sharp claws. If you survived without breaking a sweat then you were good for the final test. This final test was the hardest of all. You had to take down and/or kill a red-eye. That in itself made all the other test a complete waste, being that if you lost…you died.

Those who passed these test did a lot of training to make themselves stronger. They ate any dead fur they found on the streets and their comrades dying in battle didn't distract them. It was what Scales wanted. He WANTED them to be as heartless as possible. He didn't want you to take ANY prisoners. If it moved…kill it.

Scales watched his troops train. 9,000 of them how spectacular. Almost there. As Scales watched one of his servants came to him, "Sir, there is a platinum vixen here to see you. She says that if there is any way she could help your cause it'd be great."

"It must be Mia." Scales snarled. "I told her never to return." Scales turned to go to the entrance of the palace. 'Perhaps I should show her what happens to those who disobey the King!' Scales thought maniacally.

When Scales opened the door (unusual for a KING to answer the door) he was struck with awe at the young vixen…well actually old. "I told you never to return here--"

"What if I could help you with your cause?" Mia began without letting Scales finish his opening statement.

"What do you know about my cause?"

"What DON'T I know about it?" Mia smiled faintly. "After all, I can tell the future."

'Of course!' Scales smirked. He'd forgotten about Mia's little power. Scales could use a power like this. If he had this power he'd be able to tell what his enemies would throw at him. If he had Mia he'd be unstoppable! "Come, come." Scales let her inside and closed the door.

They walked to his quarters where they had a seat. Even Scales room looked terrible with papers spread throughout the room. "What can you tell me old wise vixen?" Scales asked.

"I'm not doing this for free!" Mia snapped in a rash voice. "If you want to know what to expect from this war then you'll have to do as I request. I promise that I won't steer you wrong!"

"What is it that you desire?" Scales smirked. He was a scaly that could negotiate.

"I want food…lots of food. Enough to fill the bodies of one-thousand furs." Mia demanded.

"Well…seeing as how I'VE taken all the food…yes I suppose that you and your furry little friends deserve SOMETHING." Scales chuckled. It seemed as if he were on to Mia's little plan, but he remained fooled.

"I want it! Give me all this food and I'll make it worth your while with three things that I can tell you."

"Then you shall have your food." Scales grinned. "But first, I want my predictions."

"No! You pack my food in two wagons first and then I want two of your strongest sharp claw to escort me home with my food!" Mia demanded. "You better do this! How do I know that you'd uphold this promise once I give you your predictions?"

"You're a wise vixen." Scales clapped his claws and two sharp claw dressed in clad armor were in the room. "Give this young vixen two wagons full of the finest bread, cheese, fish and meat. I want her to be happy with what I'm doing for her. I also want you to escort her home."

The two sharp claws dropped their jaws. "Yes, your majesty."

Scales stared deeply at Mia. "Now what can you tell me?"

Mia waited until she was sure the two sharp claws were filling the wagons. When she was content that they were doing as ordered, Mia nodded and removed her hood. Then she took out the crystal ball she had concealed earlier. "Look into the crystal ball and don't take your eyes off." Mia warned and the room was suddenly tainted in a blue glow.

A puff of smoke emitted from the crystal ball that showed a small colony of furs. "No fur can harm you…" Mia spoke calmly. Pretty soon the room was emitted in a green glow. "Until the jungle of Zoness moves victory is within your grasp." Mia continued and watched the facial expression on Scales face change to a smile. The next cloud to emit the room was orange. "BUT, even if no fur can harm you BEWARE Fox McCloud. For should you fight him, you WILL fail." Mia said and then the room went back to normal.

"What do I have to fear then?" Scales laughed hard. "If no fur can harm me and Fox McCloud is long gone, there's no way I can lose right?" Scales laughed. "I'll succeed no matter what!"

"I bet you want to know what to expect from your enemies now?"

"You read my mind. Please vixen…tell me!"

"When the war begins I shall tell you. That way we have an understanding, your majesty."

"Of course." Scales agreed. "But tell me…how would the jungle of Zoness ever move?"

"I've already spoken my three prophecies." Mia said. "One shouldn't know too much about their own destiny." Mia stated before walking out.

Scales stood in his room where Mia left her crystal ball…to remind him of the prophecies? Perhaps so. The last one echoed in his mind…"Beware Fox McCloud."

***

Mia took her food back to the western side of Corneria where the two sharp claws walked with her. "What could you possibly know about Scales plan?" They asked her.

"I know that Scales has no room in his world for you two." Mia lied…and she knew this would work. This was one of her only hopes…she had to turn them against Scales. This would give them a fighting chance.

"What's that supposed to mean?" One of the sharp claw asked her.

"I know the test you've gone through and you think that Scales cares about you all? He's only doing this for his own selfish needs." Mia said with her head held low.

The two sharp claws pushing them looked at Mia and saw no jokes in her tone and could see that she was completely serious. "What do you two call yourselves?" Mia asked as they trotted along.

The taller sharp claw was the first to speak. "My name is Samuel. Call me Sam for short."

The shorter, but stronger one, spoke next. "I am called Shannon." He said feeling a bit embarrassed that there weren't very many males named Shannon.

"Don't feel bad Shannon. There are plenty of other males with your name." Mia said calmly. They were almost to the resistance.

"Now what did you mean when you said that Scales has no use for us in his utopia. He said that he wanted all sharp claw to live freely in his new perfect world." Shannon told Mia. "Why would Scales lie to his own species?"

"The question isn't why he would lie." Mia stopped and the two sharp claws did the same. "The real question is why the sharp claw would believe him."

Sam growled a bit. "I know what you want to do and it won't work!" He rasped. "Scales wouldn't lie to us! Why would he want to get rid of US? His own species?"

They stopped in front of an abandoned house. Mia turned back to look at them with her eyes blue. She was calm now. "Scales doesn't care about you. If you die on the battlefield, Scales won't care. Not only that, but Scales has no intention of acknowledging you all once the war is over and you have won."

"But what would there be to care about if we're the only species in the world?" Sam retorted.

"Scales will leave you all in as much ruin as he has left Corneria."

"Your tricks won't work on me vixen!" Sam shouted and drew his sword. "You shouldn't speak words that you yourself do not understand." His deep voice bellowed. "Stop with your lies!"

"Am I lying?" Mia asked. "You tell me that I am. There is no proof that either of our sides are right. Let me make you a deal. If you so much as care about your future, you will help throw Scales out of power. If not, then die right here!"

"And who is going to kill us…YOU?" Sam laughed.

"Of course. Who else?"

"Wait Sam!" Shannon shouted. "What if she isn't lying? What if Scales COULD care less about us?"

"Don't say those words! Scales loves us. He'd never turn his back on us."

"But that's what he told the furs of Corneria and look where they are now!" Shannon shouted.

"The furs are the ones that don't matter!" Sam screamed. "THEY had no place in our perfect world!"

Mia stood there and watched. "Do you think Scales will treat you the same way he does now? The only reason he keeps you all healthy now is because he needs the strength for the army."

"That is enough of your lies vixen!" Sam raised his sword, but before he could bring it down upon Mia's head he felt a sharp pain in his back. Instead of bringing the sword down upon Mia, it simply dropped to his side. Before he realized what had just happened he fainted into eternal darkness. His body fell forward where it rested just inches away from Mia. Even Mia was surprised.

Mia looked down at the body to see a dagger in Sam's back. When she looked up Shannon was gasping. "I…killed…my own species!" He screamed. He couldn't believe what he had just done. "I couldn't let him kill you…but why?"

"Because you care about the future?" Mia asked in her perplexed stage. "You have done nothing wrong. He got what he deserved. Now I ask you right here and now. Do you really want to help us oppose Scales?"

"I…yes I do." Shannon replied. "But what about Sam?"

"Not to sound cruel but bring his body in here…if you get my drift." Mia mumbled that last part. What a disturbing thought for Shannon to think about. "But don't forget the food."

Shannon brought them in with him and the furs were surprised to see a sharp claw in full clad armor. "Mia…what is--" Peppy began but Mia cut him off.

"He's on our side now!" She smiled. "Now we have some offense at least and an insider."

"What do you mean 'insider?'" Shannon popped up.

"I want you to go back and find out what Scales plans to do. Then I want you to tell me everything. Also, you are in charge of bringing these furs food. Do not let Scales know of your defection. Please, Shannon…for the sake of Corneria…don't let us down."

"I won't…but what do I tell Scales about Sam?"

Peppy intervened now. "You tell Scales that he was about to betray the sharp claw and that you had to do away with him. It's the only thing that will work."

Shannon nodded. As he left he noticed a lot of furs there…were scared of him. They didn't realize they had nothing to fear but could Shannon blame them? Hell, he'd be scared too.

Before Shannon left he took a moment to see the furs getting over excited about the wagons full of food. He saw what most sharp claw never did…the outside walls of the palace.

***

Later that night in Zoness Katt was pacing around Wolf's room. "What do I do…" she repeated several times to herself as Wolf watched her walk from one end of the room to the other. She was about to go insane. "The crowing is next week…there isn't enough time!"

"Relax a little won't you?" Wolf tried to settle her down. "We still have a shot. Fox isn't officially the 'king' yet. He just has a bit of power. Don't worry so much. If anything we can probably convince him before that time."

"But we only have seven days! Who would want to pass up an opportunity like this! You really think Fox is going to put the crown down!?"

"Stop ripping your hair out over this. You need to calm down!" Wolf grabbed her and eased her over to the bed and set her down. "Focus Katt. You know just as well as I do that Fox shouldn't be here. He needs to go back and we have to convince him."

"But how do we do that?"

"We convince him that he didn't do the murder."

"That's what you all say but dammit you don't do anything!" Katt screamed. "How do you convince an innocent fur that he's actually INNOCENT!?"

Wolf took a moment to think about this. "Maybe I could try and convince him?"

"How could you convince him to go back? How would that work out?" Katt growled. "If I can't convince him to go back then how could you hope to do anything of the sort?"

"I'm the one who convinced him to leave in the first place." Wolf admitted. "I'm sure it'll be no problem for me to get him to go back."

"Wolf…his mind is already poisoned with the murder. The evidence, even to him, is concrete. You won't have any such luck."

"Or will I?"

***

It was even later in the night now. Fox awakened at the side of Krystal's beautiful body. For some reason…being with her made him WANT to think of Corneria. 'If she really was lucky to survive…' Fox's thoughts trailed off. He stopped thinking. Thinking things like this could be bad.

He slowly slid his arm away from Krystal as not to awaken her. He climbed out of bed and went over to his dresser where his Arwing dagger rested. Next to that was the crown that he would soon wear. Looking at both of these treasures side-by-side made him feel like he had a choice. It was either Zoness or Corneria. Sure, he'd like to see home…but he'd be dead in an instant if he returned.

Zoness held several possibilities for him. Fox picked up the crown and looked at it around. He wanted to be king badly…but he felt like he was taking something way from Katt. He set the crown back down.

He picked up the dagger. It actually reminded him of the crown. The crown was passed down from generation to generation…just like the dagger. 'Dammit!' Fox thought. He was actually considering going back now. But he was…scared. This had been his home for the past ten years. But he had spent the first half of his life in Corneria.

Fox sighed out loud when he felt arms wrap around him. Fox didn't jolt but instead closed his eyes. "Whatever decision you make…" Krystal's soft voice whispered to him, "…I'll respect. I promise."

Fox wasn't quite sure if he believed this or not. He knew what Krystal wanted him to do. But it was all up to him. Fox turned to face Krystal and hugged her tight. "Krystal…" Fox whispered.

"What is it?"

"I missed you over these ten years so much. Not just you…but I missed mom…and dad." He said and Krystal could feel his heartbeat like nothing else. He was…crying.

"Fox…" Krystal said trying to calm him. It was clear to Krystal now…Fox was homesick…truly homesick. He missed Corneria.

________________________________________________________________________

A/N: This was the perfect place to end this chapter I think. Now they've got a sharp claw on their side. Fox is now starting to debate whether or not he should go back or not. I think that this'll turn out to be pretty good. Sorry for the lack of update. I had a friend in town and so I wanted to spend some time with him.