DM908: So, who wants ice cream?

Falco and Slippy: Me!

Marcus: Hey, what about including Dad in this chappy?

DM908: I will Marcus don't worry, but it's still going to be downright hard to guess where your pop is.

Marcus: Aww…then I'll call Richard Moore! (Grabs a cell phone)

DM908: Whoa…how do you know his number?

Marcus: I shall never tell! Unless of course, you tell me who's gonna die and where Dad is…(evil laugh)

DM908: Fine, I'll give you a riddle.

The people who will die are close friends,

Only one shall survive the enemy.

For your dad at least, well let's just say

He's with two old foes.

Marcus: You mean everyone I know will die except for one?

DM908: Well, most people, but no more spoilers! Wait until the last few chapters!

Marcus: Aw man…

DM908: Now, I do not own Star Fox or any other things from Star Fox. If I did, it would have a lot more dragons in it.

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Chapter Three: The Message

Waves crashed against the rocks of Venom, wearing away the rock into sand. On top of a cliff was the abandoned castle of Andross, the first invader of the Lylat system.

Deep in the basement was a dungeon. All of the cells were empty except for the one in the far back. There were no windows, no light. The prisoner was in good shape, well fed and no physical wounds, yet the prisoner was moaning like there was a great ache inside of him.

The cell door opened, and a twisted figure with dull, yellow eyes walked in. Putting a tray full of gourmet food down, it put its hand on the other's forehead. "Are you having nightmares again? Don't worry, it'll all be over soon…very soon…" An infection appeared for a moment, and then disappeared, going straight into the prisoner's mind.

The twisted figure smiled. It reared back its head and let out a laugh that chilled the blood of all who heard it.

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Marcus woke up with a pant. Reaching up to feel his forehead, he felt instant relief when he left the soft fur.

Safe…but what a dream! Marcus thought, rubbing the remains of sleep from his eyes. Why was it like I was a prisoner and why Andross's castle in Venom? Getting up, he dressed up with his father's vest and long-sleeved shirt, complete with the belt and green pants. I'll ask Mom about it later, but first I gotta eat breakers. No one can think on an empty stomach!

Going to the mess hall, he ordered a crop of pancakes and some orange juice and sat down at the Star Fox table. To his surprise, he saw that Slippy and Krystal were still here.

"What are you guys doing here?" he asked, digging in to his pancakes. "Weren't you guys going to stay in Corneria?"

"Well, that's what we planned, but General Pepper called and said that there's a new threat to the Lylat system," Krystal said, eating a mouthful of celery. "They have already destroyed ten bases on three planets, and they just started yesterday night."

The blue fox dropped his spoon. "What!? The only thing possible that could do that has to be god enough to…oh no."

His mom nodded. "Yes, we're afraid it's the squadrons that ambushed us at Venom. It's the only possible thing."

Swallowing his pancakes, Marcus said, "Speaking of Venom, I had a dream that I was a prisoner at Andross's castle and a twisted figure came and infected my mind. Any idea why that happened?"

The lines on Krystal's forehead furrowed. "The only reasons I can think of is that you either have a mental connection with the prisoner or that it's a warning that something will happen concerning that person." Dipping the celery stick into peanut butter, she added, "It could also be the combination of both, but I doubt it."

"Me too."

Then General Pepper's voice boomed over the loudspeaker. "Star Fox, will you please go to the cockpit. I have a very urgent announcement for you. Repeat, Star Fo…"

All of a sudden, his voice cut off and Wolf O'Donnell took its place. "Yes, I would like a triple rabbit meat hamburger with some fries…yes, pickles included, not the chili hybrids…Hey! Stop recording what I'm saying!"

Then it switched back to Pepper. "Thank you and have a nice day."

Everyone looked like this for a moment: Oo until Marcus said, "Stupid communicator…oh well. Star Fox team, to the cockpit!"

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Facing the communicator, Marcus asked, "What's so important that you had to interrupt our meal, Pepper?"

General Pepper was still in his hospital nightgown. "Well, I have just received a message from the head commander of the new threat. I'll show you it now."

There were a few clicks, and the message appeared on screen. It showed a twisted figure on the throne. Marcus gasped. "That's the figure I saw!" Krystal covered his mouth.

The figure's voice was like two dead skeletons trying to sing. "Hello General Pepper. I am the commander of the forces that are invading the Lylat system. As you already know, we have taken out ten bases on three planets, and we except more to come. Mind you, this is just so I can give directions so the Star Fox team will know what to expect.

"Tell them to go to the training room. I'll contact you again there."

The message closed and General Pepper appeared back on screen. "You know what to do now, don't you? I command you to get to the training room and train until the commander contacts us again!"

The members of the Star Fox team all did a smart salute. "Yes sir!"

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"Now, before we go in, Falco, are you sure the mechanical problem team A10 fixed the room?" Marcus asked, leaning against a wall. "I want to make sure the weapons don't blow up in our face again."

Falco did another smart salute. "Yes sir, it's fixed. Tested it myself, don't cha know?"

The blue fox winced as he remembered the last time the training room failed on them. "That's what you said last time and the time before last and the time before that!"

Falco argued. "This time I checked with the team in the control room. They reported no bugs."

Marcus grumbled, "Fine, but if even one weapon blows a cog, I'm never trusting your word again."

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"Ready team?" Marcus asked, readying his blaster. "Charlie, do plan AP10089."

"Affirmative." The golden receiver typed in a few numbers, and all of a sudden they were on Venom with hordes of apariods surrounding them.

Falco leaned closer to Marcus. "Apariods? Why not Angler's squadrons?"

Marcus replied, "I just have a feeling this war has something to do with the apariods, okay?"

"Fine."

"Now let's move!" Charging up his blaster to power level 3, he shot it at the tank-like apariods.

Krystal took out some of the basic apariods with a gatling gun, Slippy took care of the air ones by the Landmaster and Falco shot down some wall-clingers. Then, after Falco destroyed one on the ruins of a Venomian temple, the holograms disappeared.

Slippy looked worried. "Falco, did you hit the holographic simulator?"

The blue bird shook his head. "No, I hit the opposite side of the room."

Charlie spoke into the room's microphone. "They're something wrong with the system team! It looks like someone is hacking in!"

Then a hologram appeared with the figure still on its throne. "Hello Star Fox. I hope you were having a good training session, hmm?"

Marcus shook his fist at him. "You again! What do you want now? We're in the training room!"

It chucked. "I have something to tell you, something vital. Something that concerns your dad, Marcus."

Marcus staggered like someone stabbed him in the leg. "W-What? What did you say?"

"Listen, My forces will take over the Lylat system in about a year unless you come to save each planet you come across. Come to Venom, and if you liberate every planet in the system, I'll tell you where Fox McCloud is.

"You better hurry; some planets are on the brink of being captured." The screen flicked off.

The team turned to Marcus. Falco said, "So leader, what do we do now?"

Marcus turned towards the cockpit with a glint in his eye. "I say Star Fox team, we have a system to save."

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DM908: There! Chapter three finished under twenty-four hours! I rock!

Marcus: Yeah, but I don't see where my dad is! You said you'd include him in this chapter!

DM908: I did Marcus. But I won't say where.

Marcus: Then I'll call Jimmy Kudo! (Grabs a phone)

DM908: I gave you the riddle already! Now you have to figure this out on your own.

Marcus: Fine, but do you promise to include my dad in the last few chapters?

DM908: I pinky-swear!

Falco and Slippy: Hey! What about us?

DM908: Have some nice ice cream?

Falco and Slippy: Yup!

Marcus: Hey! I what some ice cream too!

DM908: Go and get some then! I'm going out to eat lunch.

Falco, Marcus, and Slippy: Bye!

DM908: Bye!