Fox crept through the empty corridors of the HR & Co. building, his blaster drawn and at the ready. He had a strange feeling about all of this. He had encountered no one thus far– no workers, managers, or troops. He had to be very careful. He already knew Cain was luring him into a trap, but that was his advantage. Perhaps he could avoid it.

Fox peered around a corner, glancing down one of the solid white corridors. Nobody. He hesitantly proceeded down the hallway, holding his weapon out in front of him. He had gone halfway down the corridor when something unexpected happened. Two imperial shock troops gripping Slippy and Krystal walked by, followed closely by a dark gray cat, two mice carrying a block of black metal on a hovercart, and a tall, burly wolf with a mechanical left eye. Fox pressed himself to the wall, hoping that they didn't see him. Apparently they didn't.

After waiting a few more moments, Fox stepped away from the wall and hurried after the group, ready to fire at any shock troops on sight. He rounded the corner only to find that the party had stopped, having met a squad of four more shock troops. One of them noticed him.

"Hey!" the troop shouted, reaching for his pistol.

Fox raised his weapon and blasted two soldiers off their feet, but everyone else ducked out of view before he take aim again.

"Fox!" he heard Krystal shout in alarm. "Fox, don't! It's a trap!" The vixen reappeared around the corner, struggling against the troop that was holding her. "Don't follow us, it's a trap!" she cried again before the troop clamped a hand over her mouth and pulled her back around the corner.

Fox hesitantly stepped forward, unsure of whether or not this was all part of Cain's plan. He was jerked back into reality as Wolf appeared around the corner, steadying his own blaster rifle and firing a deadly, searing laser at him. Fox spun out of the way, and the blast exploded against the far wall, scattering white-hot shards of metal across the floor. Fox hunkered down, pressing himself against the wall and trying to make himself as small of a target as he could. He aimed his blaster and fired at Wolf, trying to remain calm as Alagrin had taught him.

But Wolf was more skilled than even the imperial shock troops. Snarling, he ducked and quickly returned fire, more as a distraction than a attempt to kill Fox. Then he turned and hurried back towards the frozen Falco and the others.

Fox slowly got to his feet, then hurried after them, wary of any more surprise attacks. He rounded the corner, raising his blaster and ready to shoot, but nobody was there. Fox was confused. How could they have disappeared so quickly? At the end of the corridor he saw only one metal door, open and waiting. He hesitated, then hurried into the small elevator. But before he could press any buttons on it, the door slammed shut and the lift shot upwards. Just as suddenly as the elevator had began ascending, it came to a sudden, jolting stop. The door slid open to reveal a large, intensely hot room filled with pipes, control boards, and eerie red lighting.

Fox slowly stepped forward, cautious of Wolf popping out and firing at him again. But the bounty hunter didn't reappear. Fox suddenly froze, feeling a cold chill run up his spine. Steam belched from the floor with a low hiss. But was that the steam? Or breath rasping through an oxygen mask?

"Lord Cain, I feel your presence," Fox said clearly over the hum of electrical equipment. "Come out and face me," he commanded. There was no answer. "Or do you fear me?" Fox taunted, narrowing his eyes. Feeling something behind him, Fox turned to see a short flight of stairs, with Cain standing in all his dark glory on the catwalk the steps led up to.

Fox holstered his blaster. He would have no more need for it. Then he stepped forward and climbed the stairs, not breaking eye contact with Cain. When he reached the catwalk, he slowly approached the dark lieutenant, unhooking his energy sword from his belt.

"I sense your power, young McCloud," said Cain, glowering down at the young commander. "But you do not yet know how to harness it."

Fox ignited his energy sword in response, angling the beam out towards Cain. The blade shimmered and crackled in the darkness, just inches from Cain's face, but the armored villain made no move of defense.

Fox's intense hatred for Cain compelled him forward. He lunged, swinging the energy blade down where it would come crashing through his enemy's helmet, killing him like Cain had killed Peppy.

But at the last instant, Cain's own energy blade sprang to life from the dark folds of his cloak, arcing through the air and deflecting Fox's strike with ease.

Fox steadied himself, regained his strength, then lunged again. He feigned a slash at Cain's ankles, then swung upwards towards his neck. Cain simply ducked out of the way, then swung his fist out and punched Fox in the gut, sending him tumbling onto his back from the force of the blow.

Fox quickly scrambled to his feet, surprised by Cain's swiftness. He had expected the lieutenant to be as clumsy as a battle android in a duel, but that was not the case. Fox edged forward, his blade extended in front of him. Cain backed up. Smirking, Fox advanced again. Cain retreated again.

Fox leaped at his enemy, his energy blade blurring in a flurry of blows. All of which Cain parried. Small flashes of lightning crackled through the air as their blades struck one another, and the dark room was alight for brief moments as the energy weapons connected.

Fox summoned up all his strength, bringing his blade down one more time in a powerful overhead slash. Cain raised his own sword, holding it high to ward off the attack. They pushed at each other, back and forth, back and forth, locked in a test of strength and endurance, staring at each other through their crossed blades.

***

After Wolf departed to load Falco onto his ship, Katt led the four shock troops, Krystal, and Slippy onward. The elevator had taken them up to the first docking level of the building, and they were en route to Cain's personal shuttle.

But as they approached the door leading to the landing pad where Cain's ship was docked, Krystal and Slippy noticed five building security guards standing at attention, blocking their path.

"Move out of the way," ordered one of the shock troopers angrily.

The guards responded by drawing their blasters and aiming them at each of the bewildered shock troops.

"Hold them in the security tower. And keep this quiet," Katt hissed to the guards, turning and taking the shock troopers' guns from them.

"What are you doing?" asked Krystal, confused.

"We're getting out of here," Katt grunted, handing Krystal and Slippy each a blaster rifle, taking one for herself, and giving the last to one of the guards.

"You think that we're going to trust you after what you did to Falco?" Slippy scowled.

"Please, trust her, trust her! I don't want to be taken by the empire!" ROB cried.

"I had no choice, I'm sorry. If we hurry now, we might be able to get Falco back from the bounty hunter!" Katt cried.

"We don't need your help," scowled Krystal.

"Please, just give me a chance. He's at platform B, just a few corridors down," Katt said.

Krystal and Slippy glared at each other, then relinquished. "Fine, but try anything and I can't promise I won't shoot you," warned Krystal.

"You won't have to. It's this way, follow me!" Katt cried, heading off down one corridor.

They split from the group of guards and followed Katt, ready to blast any unwary shock troops they came across.

"Ah, I knew it all along! This all had to be a mistake!" ROB said happily as he bobbed up and down on Slippy's back.

Just five corridors away, standing out on docking platform B, was Wolf, gloating over his prize.

"Put Captain Lombardi in the cargo hold," he ordered to the two mice guiding the hovercart. They squeaked in compliance and pushed the carbonite block into the small holding chamber underneath the Wolfen, then sealed it shut. Wolf nodded at the two workers, then hopped into the cockpit of his ship and fired it up.

Krystal, Katt, and Slippy arrived just seconds too late. They rushed out onto the docking platform to see the Wolfen lift off into the sky, its thrusters roaring powerfully.

With cries of alarm, they steadied their blasters and began firing at the ship, but to no avail. The armor and shields easily deflected each shot from their weapons. The Wolfen rumbled away into the evening sky, disappearing from view.

"Oh, no! Slippy, behind you!" ROB cried.

Slippy turned to see a squad of shock troops approaching, priming their blasters. He raised his own weapon and began firing, furious at the loss of his friend. Krystal turned and began mimicking him. They both stood stalwart under the hail of blaster fire, but Katt slowly made her way back into the corridor, firing off brief bursts at the troops until she reached an elevator. She opened the reinforced door and ducked inside, barely avoiding having her head blown apart by another laser.

"Krystal, Slippy! Come on!" she shouted to her companions.

But the two rebels stood strong, refusing to move and pouring every ounce of their anger out at the troops through their weapons. They had both lost a dear friend. For Slippy, Falco had always been someone to look up to and admire. For Krystal, he'd been someone she could depend on whenever she needed him– a brave ally and a loyal friend. But finally, when seven more troops appeared at the end of the corridor, they gave up and made a mad dash for the elevator, diving inside and slamming the door behind them. Katt jabbed a button that would take them down to the second docking level of the HR & Co. building, where the Eagle's Eye was kept.

"Falco's ship is fixed, my people took care of that," Katt said, flipping open an emergency control box in the elevator and punching a code into the small keypad.

"At least. What are you doing now?" asked Krystal.

"Warning everyone in the building to get out. The empire is taking control of the city," Katt said. A small microphone popped out of the wall, and she leaned forward. "Attention all personnel. The Andross Empire is taking control of the city. I advise everyone to take what belongings you can and leave the city, or the planet, if possible. This is evacuation code 113," she said. Then she closed the control box and turned to the others. "Come on, the Eagle is close," she said.

The elevator doors opened, and the group of heroes rushed out into the hallway, hurrying to escape the clutches of the empire.

***

The catwalk swayed precariously with each parry, stab, and strike that Fox and Cain executed. Fox was shaking now, growing tired, cold sweat drenching his face and neck. But Cain remained strong and steadfast, his harsh breaths still coming in steady rasps through his helmet.

"You have been trained well, I see," acknowledged Cain, nodding at Fox. "I expected much less from you, to be honest."

"You'll find I'm full of surprises," Fox retorted, stabbing at Cain's chest plate.

"And I, too," replied Cain calmly. With two graceful motions, he parried the stab and hooked Fox's energy sword out of his hand, sending it flying across the room. He slashed at Fox's feet savagely, causing the youthful rebel to jump back, accidentally lose his balance, and tumble down the stairs of the catwalk.

Fox looked up, shaking the dizziness away to see Cain leap down at him, descending through the steam like a black angel of death. He quickly rolled out of the way and Cain landed with a loud clang against the metal floor. Fox jumped to his feet, but Cain's energy blade barred off his path towards his weapon.

"You have lost, McCloud. You are meant to join me. Peppy knew the truth the moment he met you," Cain said, pointing the tip of his blade at Fox's throat.

Fox retreated slowly, oblivious to the carbon pit that silently opened up behind him. "I'll die first," he spat furiously.

"That can be arranged," said Cain. He attacked again with such force that Fox was thrown off balance, plummeting down into the yawning hole in the floor with a cry of alarm.

Cain's energy blade shrank away, and he turned around to telekinetically throw the switch that would activate the freezing process. "All too easy," he sighed almost disappointedly. Behind him, a plume of white steam shot up from the carbon pit and the stench of hot carbonite filled the air. "Perhaps you aren't as strong as Emperor Andross thought."

"Time will tell."

Startled by the voice, Cain whirled around to see Fox clinging to the pipes in the ceiling. The young rebel had made an astounding fifteen foot leap out of the carbon freezing pit just seconds before it became flooded with liquid metal.

"Impressive. Very impressive," hissed Cain, reactivating his energy sword. Fox scrambled higher using one of the chemical tubes looping across the ceiling, attempting to escape the white energy beam. Cain slashed at his ankles, but Fox lifted his feet out of the way so that Cain instead sliced through the chemical tubing. Fox swung forward from the loose end of the tube, raising his legs and kicking Cain full in the face.

Cain roared in fury and staggered backwards, off balance for just a moment. Fox landed on the platform next to the carbon pit, extended his hand, and telekinetically summoned his energy sword to him. The stout handgrip whizzed through the air, the white blade springing from one end just before it came into Fox's outstretched hand.

Fox spun around just in time to deflect another blow aimed for his elbow. Sweat poured down his brow, dripping into his eyes. He blinked it away, never breaking eye contact with Cain.

"You've controlled your fear," Cain said. He attacked Fox again, forcing him to retreat. "Now use your anger. Only by releasing your hatred can you hope to defeat me!"

Fox breathed deeply, focusing his mind. He had been foolish, attacking out of a desire for revenge. He had almost abandoned everything he had learned. It could save him. Cain swung at his neck and Fox ducked out of the way, then sprang into the air and somersaulted over Cain's head. Now he was attacking the dark lieutenant, forcing him backwards and towards the edge of the platform. He moved swiftly and precisely, making short, quick strikes instead of wide, powerful ones. Finally he pushed Cain backwards, sending him teetering on the edge of the platform. One more powerful strike and Cain was thrown off into the darkness, his bright energy blade fading away.

Fox's knees buckled from the strain of fighting his enemy. It had taken nearly all of his strength to simply incapacitate Cain, not even defeat him. But he had gone too far to turn back now. He had to finish this.

Fox deactivated his energy sword and slipped down into the darkness after Cain, groping his way to a dimly lit exhaust shaft. It was the only way his enemy could have gone. Fox climbed inside and crawled through the winding pipe, eventually coming out in a cramped maintenance corridor. Computer monitors glowed eerily in the darkness, and Fox imagined that every hiss of air taken in by the carbon monoxide filters was Cain breathing behind his mask.

Fox finally came to the end of the corridor, to a wide window overlooking the city outside. Fox peered out across the night sky, as though Cain could have fazed through the glass window and was fluttering about outside as a giant, black bat.

Fox caught a reflection of something moving in the window and whirled around, snapping his blade to life. Cain was standing behind him calmly, his own weapon activated. But he made no move to attack. Instead he angled his blade towards the floor in a sign of submission.

Fox blinked, confused. He lowered his weapon for a brief moment, but at that instant a supply case came hurtling at him from the corner of the room. Fox raised his sword and slashed it in half, barely avoiding being clobbered in the face. Another case was telekinetically hurled in his direction, but Fox raised his hand and it glanced away from him as though it had hit an invisible bubble.

Cain lunged at Fox while he was distracted, aiming to slash him in half at the waist. Fox barely parried the strike, but a computer monitor was torn free from the wall and sailed forward, slamming into his side while he was distracted.

Fox grunted in pain and staggered backwards, clutching his side. Sparking wires were torn straight from the walls, whipping and snapping at the youth. He was overcome, being bludgeoned and bloodied by repair tools, pieces of tiling from the floor, and sharp bits of glass from broken computer screens. One particularly large ammo crate glanced off the side of Fox's head and smashed through the window, and a howling gale invaded the room.

Fox struggled against the winds furiously, groping for anything to anchor him to the ground. But the winds picked up, hurling boxes of supplies, power tools, and even ripping computer consoles from the walls. And Cain stood in the center of it all, unaffected.

Fox's fingers slipped on the pipe he was holding on to. The world tilted and spun in his line of vision as he was sucked out the window and into the dead of night, flipping head over heels like a rag doll.

Wham!

His fall stopped sharply as his shoulder connected with a docking platform below, and Fox felt his breath leave his body in a rush. He stayed lying on the metal platform for a few moments, catching his breath and making sure that he hadn't broken anything. Amazingly, he had been able to keep hold of his energy sword during the tumult, and quickly hooked the deactivated weapon into his belt. Then he staggered to his feet and looked upwards at the window. Cain stood in the broken window frame for a long moment, then turned and disappeared into the darkness.