Warning: Non-consensual themes

Before the War, Sector Y had been an organized, reliable place for criminals and adventurers to meet and conduct business (and sometimes pleasure.) Now it was a massive dump.

Because of the recent patrols by the Cornerian army (and heaven only knew what the hell they were up to), all but the most brazen steered clear of the area. But those who chose to come back found that it was easy to remain hidden in the dangerous piles of debris floating helter-skelter. And there were plenty of goods to be salvaged – so many abandoned ships, free for the taking!

As long as one didn't mind clearing out the bodies often left on-board.

It took six Cornerian hours to cross the length of Sector Y, four to span the width, and another four to cross the depth of it, taking into account the slow speeds required to avoid crashing into garbage.

Wolf, Fox, and Andrew were still an hour away from clearing the cosmic dump. The Great Fox was waiting for them, hidden behind some empty cargo carriers at the edge of the sector.

Fox's private commlink cracked to life.

"Fox, can you hear me?"

"Loud and clear, Peppy. What's going on?"

"Are you still in Sector Y?"

"Yep, for another hour at least."

"Good. I just received a call from Agrius, he-"

"Whatever he said, don't believe it. He's a pathetic sack of shit."

"…he said that he needed you again. Unexpectedly – an emergency of sorts."

Fox frowned. "Wait, what? That's not right. He basically kicked us out. Almost didn't pay up. No, no, no. He doesn't want us back. Are you sure it was Agrius that called?"

"Of course I'm sure. He said that he's meeting the same clients again, on short notice. He sounded annoyed. I don't know what you did to irritate him, but if he wants to hire you for a little bit longer-"

"Why doesn't he get someone else?"

"He needs someone right away. Your team is the closest."

"How does he know that for sure? Why didn't he contact us directly?"

"Fuck, Fox. I don't know. I didn't ask."

Fox huffed. "I'm not doing it."

"Yes, you are."

"No, I'm not. He's a prick."

"We need the money. Badly. On top of that, Agrius could really fuck us over if we – you - do anything more to piss him off. What he's done so far is mild. He's got connections, friends in high places, etcetera etcetera." Peppy's voice was thin, fragile. He sounded old. "We can't piss him off."

"We already did," Fox started to argue, but something about Peppy's tone sent a pang of guilt sliding down his chest, so he bit back the rest. "Fine."

"I sent you the coordinates." Peppy said, disconnecting without saying goodbye.

Fox slammed the arwing's control column violently, sending his ship into a U-turn that narrowly avoided the shattered hull of a Cornerian warship.

It didn't take long for his teammates to catch up.

"Uh, Fox, our ship is that way. Opposite of the direction we are currently heading." Andrew piped up.

"We're going back. Peppy wants us to go back."

"Oh, so you're finally talking again." Wolf growled. "I thought you were going to sulk for a few more hours."

"Do you have to be a dick every waking moment of your existence? It's nonstop, just constant sarcasm and-"

"You know what?" Andrew quickly cut them off, "I think the more important question right now is WHY ARE WE GOING BACK."

"Agrius is meeting his clients again, he needs us for a little bit longer, and Peppy sent us the new coordinates. That's why." Fox muttered.

"That's not right. Agrius hates us! Why didn't Peppy discuss this with all of us? Hell, why didn't Agrius contact us directly? Why does he want us to meet at different coordinates? Does this mean Agrius is meeting the clients on their ship? Why would he do that? Is he going to want us to escort him there?"

"I DON'T KNOW, ANDREW!" Fox yelled. Took a deep breath. Pulled at the corner of his scarf. "I don't know. I didn't ask."

Andrew grew quiet. "…I'm sorry. About what happened. I'm sorry that I screwed it up."

"Andrew." Fox felt that pang of guilt again. "None of what happened was your fault."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't worry about it, Andrew. It was all Fox's fault." Wolf butted in.

"Fuck you, Wolf."

Wolf laughed.

The new coordinates led them to a ship. At least, Fox assumed it was a ship. It was much larger than Agrius' stolen spacecraft, but it had never been majestic, or grand, or proud. It was just a sharp box. The only word Fox could think of to describe it was "grey", but even that he was doubtful of because the shade of it seemed to be constantly shifting.

And it looked dead. More than dead. It looked like it had never been alive.

But there was Agrius' personal flier, just ahead of them.

They switched frequencies and tried to hail Agrius.

No response.

Agrius disappeared into a gaping pit in the side of the ship.

Star Fox followed.

And landed next to one of several piles of small, broken ships.

"Where did he go?" Andrew asked as he hopped out of his Wolfen.

"What?" Wolf was already standing.

"Where did Agrius go? I don't see his ship."

"Oh. He's around somewhere. Fox! Do you see Agrius?"

"Nope!" Fox shouted back. "But here's his ship!"

Wolf and Andrew squeezed their way over to Fox, who was staring at Agrius' ship with his hands thrust deep into his pockets.

"That's his ship alright." Wolf said.

"This doesn't feel right, guys." Andrew whispered. "I don't think we should be making so much noise."

"He must have gone over there." Wolf didn't acknowledge Andrew's comment, but he did lower his voice. He was pointing towards a dark hallway tucked into the far corner of the room. It appeared to be the only exit in the entire bay.

"Only one way to find out I guess." Fox started striding purposefully towards it.

"Uh, No! Fuck no! That looks shady as fuck! C'mon, guys, let's just leave. Can we please just leave?"

"Don't be a pussy Andrew. We have blasters. We're just going to give it a quick look, right Fox?"

"Right."

"Use your brains! Why isn't Agrius talking? Why did he disappear? Because he wants to hurt us. I bet that's why. We shot him in the goddamn leg! Why would he want us back after that? We shouldn't have come here. We need to leave right now."

Planted firmly next to Agrius' ship with his arms crossed, Andrew was trying to look assertive, but Wolf had already caught up with Fox. Fox cast a glance backwards.

"Look, Andrew. I know this is shady. Agrius is up to something, and I want to find out what it is. Aren't you even a little curious?"

"No."

Fox sighed. "Then…guard the ships. Give us five minutes, and we'll be right back."

Andrew watched them go. "We're not invincible," he whispered.

They were captured before a single minute had passed. The ambush came from the side, before Fox could get a good look at his surroundings. Something cold pricking into his arm, his blaster yanked out of his grasp, a glimpse of Wolf with his teeth bared, throwing punches at faceless enemies – then he had blacked out.

The world was thick and heavy and red.

Red.

Fox tried to open his eyes all the way.

He was in a tacky red room, and it was swirling. The damn sofa to his left wouldn't sit still. He squinted, trying to focus on the furniture, trying to see straight, but the massive burning sun between his eyes hurt like hell and he couldn't–

Focus. He closed his eyes and focused instead on taking a deep breath. And another, in, out. Deep breath in, deep breath out. The rest of his body slowly began to wake up. Although the world was still swinging, he could now feel that he was on the floor, cushioned by a thick rug.

"The great Fox McCloud. I thought you would have come to your senses by now, honestly, being a hero and all."

The last few hours came back to Fox – they had been trying to follow Agrius, Andrew had stayed behind, then the ambush; panic began to pulse through his body, forcing some life back into his limbs. He tried to sit up.

"…hhwah?"

"You're very handsome, you know."

Fox finally managed to open his eyes part way. A leopard in Venomian uniform was crouching next to him. The uniform was too tight, making tawny fur press up in tufts around the collar.

"Very handsome." Grinning sharply, he began to pull Fox's piloting jacket off. "I wanted you to be awake for this, wanted to see your pretty eyes."

Shit. Shit shit shit. Fox struggled again to sit up, pushing sluggishly at the leopard, who was now tugging at Fox's shirt. He whined when the leopard paused to yank his scarf away.

"A scarf. Precious."

"fffu…ck…uuoff nggg!" Fox dug his claws into the leopard's forearm. With a hiss, the feline leaned back for a moment and pulled something out of his pocket.

"Little bastard!" He pressed a dagger against Fox's chest. "Do that again and I cut you to pieces." His glare made it clear that he wasn't exaggerating.

Fox stopped struggling. The leopard started to run his claws up Fox's thigh. Fox closed his eyes.

A muffled burst, and something warm splattered across Fox's face and chest, something heavy slumped over onto his legs.

"Fox!" It was Wolf's rough voice.

He was standing in the doorway, shirtless, fur rumpled, and his visor was gone. His left eye was a little droopy, his purple iris cloudy and sightless.

"Fox, are you alright?" Wolf dropped his blaster and started pulling Fox up. The leopard's body slid off of Fox's leg and hit the ground with a soft whump.

"Yhee-ess." Fox opened his eyes blearily. "Thhhink so. Hhee…poked me."

"Oh my god."

Wolf looked a little too concerned, so Fox elaborated.

"No. Dagg-urr." He pointed at his chest. A tear and a small line of blood on Fox's white shirt marked the spot where the leopard's dagger had pressed. It took Wolf a moment to see it amidst the spatter of gore; when he did, his face lightened.

"Oh. Oh, thank god. They didn't get very far with me either. But…" Wolf scooped up the blaster and started heading for the door as fast as he could with Fox leaning on him. "Whatever they drugged us with is already mostly out of my system. Maybe you got more of it."

His boot caught on something; Fox's scarf, difficult to see on top of the garish red rug. He paused to wrap it around Fox's neck.