Disclaimer: See the Prologue

Chapter 24 – Blood

Jacques felt pain shoot up his sprained arm as he tried to move it, in order to pull of his Power Glove that was still embedded on his hand, which he knew he shouldn't, but couldn't resist wanting to disconnect that oversized fist.

"Damnation," he cursed, definitely feeling the pain.

Krystal walked up to him and put her hands gently on his arm. Underneath all that armour, it was shattered, and Krystal could sense it.

"You're lucky," Krystal said, "I sense it's just a massive sprain. Nothing a few weeks in a sling can't fix up."

She then smiled softly at the human, whose face was still that of seriousness. He looked at her closely, breathing in some, his three lungs thankful for the oxygen, just to take the mind off the pain and his thoughts of war and death.

"It should heal in a few days," Jacques corrected, "If my healing is not interrupted in some way."

Krystal nodded, where she looked back at the tower, as if trying to comprehend what was in the centre of these large walls. Jacques noticed her newfound fascination for this tall building.

"Can you sense anything…unsettling about this structure?" Jacques asked.

The vixen shook her head, "Nothing. Nothing at all; do you?"

"No," Jacques answered, "And that is starting to disturb me."

Fox brushed his headfur of blood, gore and sweat and looked over at Commander O'Reilly, who walked up to them, blaster in hand.

"You're the last person I expected to show up at a time like this," Fox said, hands on his hips.

O'Reilly smirked, "You'd think we let you mercs take all the glory."

Fox smiled slightly and shook his head slowly, "Guess not."

The forty remaining ground troops fanned and out a secured the rest of the area around the base of the tower, while…

Fox? Peppy's voice was heard over his communicator, Are you there? For God's sake…

Fox sighed, before reaching for his wrist communicator, Peppy's image gracing it, "We're here Peppy. What's up?"

My God, Fox, Peppy begun, exasperated, I thought you were all goners for sure! There were hundreds of them down there, and about a hundred-and-forty-eight Venomian fighters up there. How did you get through them in one piece?

As Fox saw the surviving Cornerian fighters fly above the fortress as well as the cruiser itself, Fox replied, "Let's just say the Venomian's bravery is one you only read in text books."

He noted how the Venomian-piloted fighters retreated, leaving their untrained Orkish allies to be blown away by the Cornerian lasers. That is what really disturbed him about the Venomian forces: They always use others to their dirty work.

One unfortunate case was them hiring Star Wolf during the first Lylat War.

"Jacques took out the trenches by himself, along with his oversized fist and a chaingun," Fox continued, eyeing the Space Marine, "And as for Gorgutz himself…"

He smiled.

"…it was group effort."

Peppy chuckled, Well, thank the maker for the Space Marines. I never thought Jacques could take on so many at once.

Fox nodded, before sighing and realising that he did most of the dirty and glorious work, "Yeah."

Suddenly, they are heard a massive explosion, followed by the screams of a couple of Cornerian soldiers. Fox dove to the ground, as did everyone else.

What was that? Peppy cried, Fox?

Fox looked behind him to see the front door into the door blown out and a couple of smouldering Cornerian bodies lying outside of it.

"Holy crap!" one soldier cried, "The doors…they were booby trapped. What the hell…?"

"God#$# it!"

As Fox picked himself up, he saw Jacques, Krystal, O'Reilly and a few soldiers rush towards the doors.

"I'll get back to you," Fox hastily said, before switching the com off, which really annoyed Peppy.

"Doggone it, Fox," Peppy said back on the Great Fox, annoyed as hell.

Peppy sat in his chair in what was left of the bridge of Star Fox's command ship, which was still connected to the Cornerian cruiser. Slippy was busy with a broom, wiping up the shattered glass of the windows.

"This'll be a pain to fix up," Slippy remarked, busy with the broom, "Thank God they didn't destroy the whole ship, or Jacques' Thunderhawk either."

Peppy looked over at him; "The ship's not what I'm worried about, Slip. It's what's going on down there below us."

Slippy smiled slightly, "Relax, Pep'. I'm sure Fox and the guys have got it under control."

Meanwhile Fox, Jacques, Krystal, Falco and O'Reilly were standing in the large doorway of the fortress, where each of their wide-with-terror eyes looked over at what laid on the stone ground, amidst horror that cannot be explained.

Jacques bowed his head slightly in respect, beating himself slightly on the chest…

"Emperor have mercy on them," he said softly.

Inside the large tower were bodies, masses of bodies. All of which were Cornerian, and all of which were lying in a massive pool of thick blood. Jacques stepped forward, suddenly finding himself knee deep in the red, bodily liquid.

"Careful!" Fox exclaimed, "Don't go for a swim, for God's sake!"

Fox could almost gag. The stink was unbearable, as was the sight of so many bodies, lying there in the pond of blood, in the dark and barely lit tower. He had never seen this kind of carnage before. The Space Marine, unaffected at walking amongst bodies, looked over at the others, who then stepped back uncomfortably.

"We…prefer to stand here," Falco said, sweat rolling down the side of his head.

Jacques nodded, before walking forward, the blood rippling at his very step. He crouched some, the blood rising to his waist, and put his hand on the forehead of a rabbit, which was lying on his back and floating on top of the blood.

"This one is alive," Jacques called back.

"Alive?" O'Reilly queried.

Jacques nodded, seeing that the only damage to the Cornerian rabbit was a gash across the chest, which wasn't very deep. He put his fingers to his neck and felt a strong pulse, before he could sense him coming back to life.

"Soldier?" Jacques begun, "Wake up."

The rabbit opened his eyes slightly, before they widened at what he was seeing: A 7-foot tall Space Marine, who was crouching over him.

He did what any normal Lylation would do when this close to a human, particularly one of these barbaric Space Marines…

He panicked.

"NO NO NO!" he screamed, "GET THE F#$# AWAY FROM ME!"

Jacques stood back as the rabbit splashed in the blood, trying to pick himself up. When he did so, he screamed aloud.

"GOD!" he screamed, "OH GOD! OH MY GOD!"

He backed himself up against the wall, desperately reaching for his sidearm. Jacques stepped forward, amidst the stares of the other guys.

"Jacques!" Fox cried, "Don't try anything. He's petrified."

"GET BACK!" the rabbit cried, "GET BACK YOU FILTHY HUMAN, OR I'LL BLAST YOU BACK TO GOD-KNOWS WHERE YOU COME FROM!"

Jacques could see the fear practically ooze out of the Cornerian's eyes, partly because of his presence before him, and mostly because they were knee-deep in alien blood and whatever killed and mutilated these soldiers.

This sure was not the handiwork of the Orks.

"I will not harm you," Jacques replied, ignoring the pain of his sprained arm, "I am on your side."

"SINCE WHEN?" the rabbit asked loudly, still aiming his blaster at the human.

Fox decided to step in. He exhaled, closing his eyes and stepping into the blood, knowing that he probably never get the stains out of his green pants.

"Hey private!" Fox exclaimed, glaring, "Look at me!"

The rabbit did so, hearing hostility in his voice. Fox quickly put on a sympathetic face and tone of voice.

"It's ok," Fox said, stepping towards him cautiously, "You're safe now. Nothing's gonna hurt you."

"What…what…what is a human doing here?" the rabbit asked, eyes sunk and voice low from terror.

"He's a friend," the vulpine answered, "He's a good guy. Now give me the gun."

"Wh…what?"

"Give me the gun; everything is going to be okay?" Fox repeated, before adding an extra sentence that had comfort written all over it.

The rabbit glanced at the human, who stepped back when he saw Fox motioning him back. He then looked back at Fox, stretching his hand forward.

"Yeah," Fox said, smiling slightly, "Yes, that's it."

Fox almost had the gun in his hand when something dripped on the shoulder of the rabbit. He then suddenly went frantic…

"ARGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

…and begun letting off blaster fire everywhere. Fox dropped to the ground, submerging himself in the blood, closing his mouth and trying his best not to let it seep into his nostrils. He then dove, tackling the rabbit and splashing blood everywhere.

Jacques put his hand forward in front of his face, trying the keep the blood away from his face.

"Sorry, man," Fox said, before downing the rabbit with a nerve pinch, then dragging him out of the blood and before the feet of the others, who looked wide eyed at the blood-soaked vulpine.

Jacques then looked up…to gaze upon even more horror.

"Fox," Jacques said loudly, his head not inching away from what he saw, "Above us."

Fox and the others did so, where they found an excuse not to stop looking horrified.

"God almighty…" Krystal said.

Dangling from amongst chain upwards the tower where even more bodies. This time flayed, mutilated and even partially eaten. This time, Falco couldn't take it; as he covered his mouth and rushing outside the tower, bending over and hurling chunks, much to the disgust of the other soldiers.

"F$#$…" he moaned, "Son of a f#$#ing bitch!"

He then noticed the stares. He glared angrily.

"What the f#$# are you all lookin' out?" he demanded, "Look inside. I dare ya too!"

The others stepped out of the tower, all white as sheets. Jacques came out last, the rabbit slung over his shoulder, and the lower part of his body all covered in blood.

Fox was shaken beyond belief. This would probably add to his nightmares from now on.

"Bill…" he said softly.

Krystal turned to him.

"What was that, Fox?" she asked, quickly feeling the colour return to her cheeks, after seeing those grisly sights.

Fox turned to her, his eyes full of tense emotion. Krystal could tell he was afraid, but he did really well in covering it up.

"This is…what Bill probably saw," he answered, "And what really busted his mind."

Meanwhile, somewhere far off in an undisclosed location, 'Emperor' Andrew Oikonny sat in his chamber, where he sat at his desk, watching on a large screen what was transpiring on MacBeth. He frowned.

"Damn," he said to himself, "That Space Marine is good."

He was more concerned at what Star Fox found in the tower: His mass sacrifice to the Dark Gods.

Suddenly, his com beeped.

"Yes," Andrew answered.

Sir, the other line replied, Liebowitz has arrived.

"Thank you," Andrew replied, before getting up from his desk and exiting the chamber.

He walked down the long corridor, passing by several guards, who bowed at the sight of him. He pushed open some double doors as he stepped into a large conference chamber, where he saw the grey avian waiting for him.

"Emperor Oikonny," Liebowitz greeted.

"Colonel," Andrew replied, "I see you managed to get off your own ship with ease."

Liebowitz chuckled sadly, "Yeah. They didn't even notice me step into my own transport after being relieved by Pepper. That bastard…"

His face turned to that of anger.

"…relieving me because of one stupid human! What is that bastard doing in Lylat anyway? If there's one human, a thousand more will be behind him."

"I'll see to it that it never happens," Andrew reassured him, "That the Imperium will pay for it's stinkin' crimes. Only if you'll hand it over."

Liebowitz nodded, and pulled out of his coat what appeared to be a flask full of…blood. He handed it over to Andrew, who studied it for a moment.

"You got that from the human?" Andrew asked, curiously.

Liebowitz smirked, "While the doc was stitching his head, I had him take a blood 'sample'."

Andrew stepped past him, holding the flask before him, almost marvelling at it.

"With this jar of red gold, we'll be able to have about an entire legion in about a week," Andrew explained, "And with about 10,000 Space Marines, Corneria will be completely smashed, and Pepper will be forced to finally hand over Lylat."

"And what about the Imperium?" Liebowitz asked.

"In half-a-year or so, we'll create the largest army there is and will assault their home planet directly," Andrew explained further, "We'll wipe out the entire human race, and anything else who stands in our way."

Liebowitz smiled, "Yes. Anything. After what they've done to me…er…US, they all deserve to die."

Andrew nodded, "Of course. But first, allow me to introduce to you a few…friends of mine."

"Oh?"

Andrew turned to couple of guards in front of some double doors. They nodded and opened it, revealing…

"God Almighty!" Liebowitz cried.

…a whole mass of Orks, led by a group of Nobz, all brandishing their heavy axes. They stepped into the room and before Andrew.

"Oiright, red-arse!" the Nob Leader begun crudely, "Where's da bastard who kill our Warboss? Where's da f#$#er?"

Andrew stepped away from Liebowitz, before motioning towards him and smiling slightly, "He's the one. He commanded the Cornerians who smashed your boss."

"WHAT?" Liebowitz cried, "BUT…!"

The Nob Leader roared, before stepping forward and swinging his axe, embedding it right into the avian's his skull. Liebowitz only gave a whimper, not feeling anything but coldness and the wetness spreading down his forehead.

Andrew smiled as the Nob pulled his axe out, allowing the grey avian to topple backwards, joining the rest of his family in death. A small puddle of blood began to grow from his forehead.

"Nicely done," Andrew remarked.

"Listen, red-arse," the Nob begun, waving his bloodied axe in his face, "Giv' us one good reason why we'ze shouldn't split yer ead' open as well."

Andrew smiled, "Because I know where the next planet which has plenty of heads for you to harvest."

The Nob's eyes widened, as did most of the other Orks.

"Really?"

Andrew nodded, "But I will only give it to if you can wait for at least five days. You'll all be guests in my palace."

"Fir' enough," the Nob Leader said, "But you'ze better not be pullin' our legs, red-arse!"

"You have my word," Andrew replied.

Well, here's the end of this event. What do you think? In case you're all wondering, the Imperium will be coming into the fold soon, led by one of Warhammer 40,000's most famous characters.

Can you guess who that is? Here's a hint: He's gives 'handy' a whole new meaning.