Disclaimer: See the Prologue
Chapter 5 – Escape from Corneria
As if history had been revisited there was once again conflict in orbit above Corneria and near the Beltino Orbital Gate. This time not between the Cornerian fleet and the Aparoids, rather it was the Cornerians facing off against the mighty warships of the Imperium…or what they thought was the Imperium, as they appeared to be coming from the Beltino Orbital Gate which was somehow activated. Dark, Gothic-looking starships of many twisted shapes emerged from the portal, each one brimming with enough lance cannons and torpedo launchers to blow a chunk out of the planet.
Evacuation ships were already rising from the surface of the planet and breaching the atmosphere into space, each one stuffed to the brim with confused, horrified Cornerian citizens and soldiers. The hundreds of Cornerian space fighters had their work cut out for them trying to escort these transports, as enemy fighter craft and the smaller strike cruisers quickly swarmed upon them, intent on making sure none made it off the stricken world.
Already the Cornerian fleet had engaged the smaller strike cruisers, which had come through the gate first. One of which was a Cornerian Behemoth-class frigate was occupied with fighting three 'Idolator' class cruisers, that allowed one of the 'Retaliator' class warships to fire it's deadly Warp-infused lance cannon and tear the ship in half. A minute later both pieces exploded, scattering hull and metal throughout the blackness of space.
The captain of another Cornerian battlecruiser watched away from the battle terrified, as that frigate exploded. More of the 'Imperial' ships responsible were appearing from the orbital gate. He frowned and turned towards his crew.
"FORWARD!" he ordered, "GUNNERY CREWS TO THEIR STATIONS! CHARGE HEAVY CANNONS TO MAXIMUM FIREPOWER! PREPARE FOR COMBAT!"
The battlecruiser moved forward, where it was escorted by almost a hundred Cornerian fighter craft, where each one of their pilots wanted to turn their ship around and flee, except for one. He was a brown-coloured simian who was surprisingly piloting alongside the Cornerian forces; he raised the visor of his helmet and squinted at the attacking ships.
He shook his head softly and thought, 'These can't be Imperial craft we're dealing with.'
Commander Bowman, his com blurted, Respond.
The simian frowned, "Dash Bowman awaiting orders, captain."
Engage the Imperial craft. Occupy them long enough for the civilian ships to clear the Cornerian lines!
"Roger that!" Dash exclaimed, then opened the com to his wing, "All ships…"
Yes, sir!
Awaiting orders, commander!
"Move forward, engage the closest enemy ship! DRAW THEIR FIRE AWAY FROM THE TRANSPORTS AT ALL COSTS!"
The Cornerian fighters then accelerated towards the approaching enemy craft, which each launched their own fighters, which engaged the Cornerians in the hundreds. Dash lowered the visor of his helmet, a look of pure, hardened determination crossing his face. He launched a bomb, which passed through the fighters and into the centre, exploding and taking dozens out immediately.
Once the Chaos fighters were in range they opened up with their small lascannons, where Dash and his wing mates did their best in dodging their ships. The dozen Cornerian fighters engaged the Chaos ships in a massive dogfight. Plasma mixed with laser filled the orbit above Corneria and around the Orbital gate, where it was possible to see the lights emitting from the battle half a light year away. They were soon joined by the remaining Cornerian battlecruisers who engaged (what they still believed) the Imperial capital ships.
Dash accelerated forward and immediately fired his twin lasers, destroying a Chaos fighter. He barrel-rolled to avoid a missile from another fighter as it pursued him, before he performed a loop and allowed the fighter to pass under him, he fired again and destroyed it. He watched another Cornerian fighter from out the side of his canopy as it attempted to engage a group of four fighters by itself, only to be blasted out of his existence.
COMMANDER…AHHH!Dash squeezed his eyes closed, immediately trying not to let that scream over his com burn itself into his mind. He gripped his controls firmly and stuck to his task at fighting the invaders, despite nearly hundreds more appearing from the orbital gate. And though out all this, he didn't understand how this was really happening, and why.
"Command!" Dash cried, "Is there any contact with the gate personnel?"
Negative, commander! the other line exclaimed desperately, Communications are completely blank. They must all be dead.
"Shit," Dash cried, "We have to retreat and cover the remaining transport ships."
We just received confirmation from General Hare. All Cornerian military are to withdraw to Site #2 immediately and regroup.
"Well, there we go!" Dash exclaimed exasperated, "All ships…"
COMMANDER! BREAK LEFT! BREAK LEFT!
The simian pilot felt his heart pound painfully against his chest as he suddenly spun left out of harms way, allowing four Chaos strike fighter to pass him. He then gritted his teeth and gripped his controls, where he fired his double-laser at the enemy, destroying it. Three more fighters beared down on him from all sides and fired their lascannons. He barrel-rolled and dodged them, before launching three separate missiles and destroying them.
Commander Bowman, the simian's com blurted, Are you alright, sir?
"Yeah, I'm fine," Dash replied, "Now, all ships…"
Receiving…Go ahea…ARGH….
Listening to the fact that one of his subordinates was just destroyed, where he could see his Cornerian fighter blow up right beside him, "Break off and regroup near the civilian transports and give them cover. We're withdrawing from Corneria."
Understood.
Just as the Cornerian fighters all performed U-turns, the Cornerian battlecruisers all accelerated backwards and away from the orbital gate, still firing their laser batteries at the enemy battleship, who returned fired with their lance cannons. Whilst the Cornerian's weapons barely did any damage, the Chaos' ships lances blew holes in four of them, two of which immediately exploded, letting out a deafening resonance despite being in space.
SOMEBODY HELP US! a female pilot from one of the transport cried, The humans are tearing us to pieces!
"Hang on," Dash replied, "We're on our way. Just keep together."
Dash and the remainder of his squadron sped towards the long of transport ships, they were under heavy assault by both Chaos fighters and strike cruisers. Dash made the first move against them, launching a bomb, which made impact against the nearest cruiser and blowing a hole in the side of it, where it begun to slowly descend and plunge down through the atmosphere of the planet. He and his squadron then began to engage the fighters.
"Goddamn it," Dash cursed softly, "Where the hell is Star Fox when you need them?"
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Inside the control room of the command facility of the Beltino Orbital Gate a lowly security technician screamed in pain as he felt a sword drive itself into his back courtesy of a Champion, and sever his spine; his blood covered the entire floor alongside his colleagues. He was silenced for good when a bolter round hit him in the back of the head.
The Champion, accompanied by his squad of Marines, smiled with glee where he took off his rusted helmet to admire their handiwork: A blood-soaked control room, which would make Khorne proud. He activated his earpiece communicator and spoke in a dark, corrupted tone of voice, him surrounded by the corpses of his prey, each one with a face of pure terror as if they saw the devil himself.
"We have secured the control room of the facility, highest," he spoke, "We now control the gate on this side."
Excellent champion, the Gods will surely reward your for your devotion to the cause. I will now be coming in myself and seeing first hand our victory over these furries and the fall of their homeworld. I trust I will not be disappointed.
"You shall not, my lord." The Champion said with glee, "By day's end, we shall…"
He was suddenly interrupted when he felt several laser round tear into back. He grunted in pain as he felt his chest explode outwards, his blood spraying all over his fellow traitors. He could only smile as he felt glorious pain, before he fell to his knees and then onto his back. The others Marine fired toward the doorway, towards the black dog of a security guard who gripped his smoking gatling gun in his hand, and where he ducked sideways out of the doorway towards cover.
A/N: I think Cornerian Gatling Guns have the power to punch through Power Armour, as well as a heavily concentrated charge shot.
"You like that, Imperial fuckers?" the guard shouted as he broke cover and fired again, aiming at the next closest Marine.
His gatling bolts struck the next Marine with full force, lifting him off his feet but this time not managing to kill him, where the angry Marine got back up and fired his bolter. The guard then dove backwards, avoiding a bolter round which he felt flaw his ear. He gritted his teeth in pain before he dropped his ammo-less gatling and reached for his sidearm blaster. Just as the door into the control room closed, he heard a cry of might come from behind him. He spun around.
Just in time he ducked a swing from another Chaos Marine, where he looked different than the other Chaos Marines he just witnessed. He was adorned in dark-red armour with gold linings, where he had eye slits on his helmet which was shaped like a T and two armour shards appeared to extend upwards from the sides of the head. To top it off, he was armed with what appeared to be axe with a chain-like blade.
"What the hell are you supposed to be?" the guard cried.
"I am a Bezerker of the Blood God Khorne," the Marine replied with utter malice, who seethed anxiously behind his helmet, "And in his name I shall drink the blood from your heart!"
The guard frowned, "Come take it, asshole!"
The Bezerker lunged forward, his axe's blade rotating noisily. The guard managed to avoid his next swing, where he fired a charge shot and blasted the chainaxe out of the Bezerker's hand. Just as he was able to fire again, the Bezerker suddenly reached for his bolt pistol and shot the guard in the chest, who cried out in pain.
The guard immediately saw his life flash before his eyes, not noticing the Bezerker bend over and pick up his chainaxe. He then lifted the guard off the ground by his ears and messily sawed his head off, where he died happy at seeing images of his family…his wife and newborn pups. The Bezerker noticed the smile on the guard's face.
"Your head will make a good addition to the skull throne," the Bezerker said.
He then pulled his helmet off and got down on his knees, seeing the blood spread from the guard's headless corpse. He then licked his lips and using his hands as a cup he begun to drink the Cornerian's blood, feeling his bloodlust increase through every drop. He then sighed with immense pleasure, before he then put his face to the bloody puddle and started to lap up the blood like an animal. His lust not satiated, he dove his hand into the Cornerian's chest and plucked out the heart, where he begun to squeeze it and extract the precious red liquid into his mouth.
The door into the control room opened and out stepped the four Black Legion Chaos Marines, where they looked curiously at the World Eater Khorne Bezerker. He stopped what he was doing, before he turned towards them, not feeling at all embarrassed. Rather, he just smiled and wiped the blood from his face.
"Plenty of Cornerian blood for all," the Bezerker said snidely.
One of the Marines suddenly drew his blade and shook his head sadly, "You dare drink Cornerian blood reserved only for the Gods, bootlick of Khorne?"
The Bezerker's eyes widened when the other Marine drew their sword and lunged at him, where they begun to hack him to pieces, starting with his head which was sliced up into halves, where his tainted blood mixed with the Cornerians. And throughout his culling he didn't utter a sound, as he was still savouring the taste of Cornerian blood, which to him was sweeter than any other kind of blood in the universe.
Afterwards one of the Chaos Marines said as he wiped his ex-brother's blood off his helmet, "Those Bezerker's are selfish when it comes to blood. Especially Cornerian blood."
"I comply, brother," another Marine agreed.
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"FOX, GET UP!"
Fox quickly stirred from his seven seconds of unconscious bliss, only to find himself being dragged by his shoulders from the van by Falco, whose face was crossed with bitterness. Fox could make out Krystal, Katt and some Cornerian soldiers firing at something off screen. He lowered his head to find the crab-like machine, which totalled their car charging towards them.
"WHOA!" Fox cried out in fright.
The area around them was a complete urban warzone. As he heard the soundtrack of warfare blazing in the air he saw that the many of the buildings were bombed out, the bodies of both Chaos and Cornerian troops and civilians strewn the roads and most of all, the sky was turning a sickish blood red. Fox coughed some and struggled out of Falco's grip."
"I'm awake, Falco!" Fox yelled, "Lemme' go!"
Falco complied, where Fox pulled out his blaster, charged it, and fired at the machine and the daemonically possessed helmet situated at the top of it. It appeared to recoil in pain and step back some, crushing some unlucky Cultist under it's feet.
"McCLOUD! CATCH!"
As Fox got up a soldier tossed his way a massive Demon Launcher, one of the most powerful weapons in the Cornerian army's arsenal. He picked up the launcher from the ground and quickly aimed at the 'Defiler', where as it opened up with it's artillery he fired. The rocket sailed towards the Defiler and hit square in the 'chest', where he let out a mechanical roar and flopped onto the ground, slightly stunned.
"Come on, Fox!" Krystal shouted as she continued to fire her machine-gun, "We've got to get out of here…and fast!"
Fox dropped the Demon Launcher, where he, Falco, Katt and three other Cornerian soldiers begun to run away from the street and into the alleyways between the buildings. Already they could hear the marches and battle cries of the Chaos Marines as they gave chase, where bolter fire passed by their heads. Fox turned around and fired his blaster at the pursuing Marines, before they ducked into another alley and back onto the street, and behind a barricade controlled by other Cornerian soldiers.
"GUNS DOWN THE ALLEYWAY!" Fox ordered, "INCOMING MARINES!"
The dozen Cornerian soldiers aimed their weapons at the alleyway and opened fire just as the Traitor Marines came into view, where Star Fox jumped out of the way and allowing the Cornerians to let the Marines have it. The Marine continued their charge as they fired their own tainted weapons, where the barrage of gatling and missile fire eventually took their toll and brought them down.
Only one Marine managed to break past the blaster fire, where he hacked down a Cornerian soldier. Fox charged and delivered a swing of his stolen blade, hacking the Marine's head off. It rolled towards the feet of a Cornerian soldier, who cried out in shock upon seeing the decapitated head look up at him.
"Get a grip, soldier!" Falco growled, "More of that's coming right up."
Suddenly a horde of Cultists climbed over the barricade…
"FOR THE DARK GODS! CHARGE!"
…and descended upon the Cornerians, blades drawn and with their lust for blood needing satiation. Anger was evident on Krystal's face as she quickly picked up one of the Chaos Marine's blades and charged the Cultists, where she let out a cry of might and drove her blade through the chest of the nearest one. The Cultist screamed in pain as she pulled out and kicked him in the head, downing him.
"KRYSTAL!" Fox cried, then shouted at the top of his lungs, "C'MON EVERYBODY…!"
The Cornerian soldiers complied. Just as Krystal swung her blade and sliced the neck of another Cultist, they attacked the Cultists with their rifle butts. One soldier swung his rifle and conked the head of a Cultist, bashing his skull in and sending him onto the ground, before he aimed his rifle at him and fired into his chest, blowing it apart.
Fox dodged the swing of another Cultist, before shoulder charging him and disarming him, then with the Cultist's own blaster he shot him in the knees. Just as the Cultist fell Fox smashed his knee against the Cultist's head and broke his neck. Falco lunged at a Cultist, where he grabbed him by the sides of his bald head and headbutted him onto the ground.
Falco smirked as he then brought his foot down on the Cultist's windpipe, where the blood erupted from his mouth and splattered on Falco's face. He gritted his beak as he felt the adrenaline pump through his system. Falco swung his blaster and pistol-whipped a Cultist down and he landed on his neck and died instantly as it snapped.
He heard another Cultist charge him from behind, before he could turn around to face him he saw Katt fire her blaster his way and hit the Cultist upside the head. Falco smile at her, before he cried out and charged another Cultist. Katt ran to his side and jump kicked two Cultists at once, knocking their swords out of their hands. She grabbed one of the blades as it fell back down and slashed both Cultists across the neck at once.
Fox grunted in pain when he felt a blade skim his back. He nonchalantly turned around and grabbed the Cultist by the throat with both his hands, where he stared the tainted human right in the eyes, filling the lowly pawn with immense fear. The Cultist's pupils widened, where he dropped his sword and a look of shock was evident on his face.
"He Who Opposes The Gods," the Cultist whimpered softly, "Please spare me, a lowly mortal in the service of Nurgle."
Fox shook his head softly, "Not today."
To prove his point he twisted the Cultist's head and broke his neck, where a sickening crack of the bone followed. He turned around to see a Cornerian soldier get hacked down behind him, before he gritted his teeth, swung his blade, and sliced the Cultist across the face. The Cultist screamed in pain, dropped his weapons and clutched his face. Another Cornerian soldier finished the job by aiming his rifle at his chest and discharging it, blowing out his back.
The fight was soon over, where ten Cultist and four Cornerian bodies laid strewn about. Star Fox and the remaining Cornerians didn't have time to celebrate, where they quickly ran down the street and away from the blockade, where twenty seconds later a lascannon-equipped 'Predator' tank smashed through it, sending pieces of metal and shrapnel flying everywhere.
"Ah crap, they've got TANKS!" Falco cried, "They've brought the works!"
"What do you expect? Keep running!" Fox yelled, where he turned to Krystal. Instantly his eyes widened, "KRYSTAL, LOOK OUT!"
Krystal cried out in shock when suddenly a Bloodletter dove out from behind a bus stop and lunged at her with an axe. She dodged it's swing, where she reached for her boltpistol and shot it through the head. It bellowed in pain and fell backwards, where crimson flames sprouted from beneath it as it was sent back to whence it came from.
Suddenly the Predator fired its lascannon, the blast sailed over the Cornerian's head and struck a nearby building, causing it to collapse and crush a nearby squad of soldiers, who screamed in pain as it fell on them. The roar of a Cornerian fighter sliced through the air as it descended downwards towards the street and fired it's payload of missiles at the tank, blowing it apart and scattering crimson energy everywhere and engulfing the Marine around it, burning them alive.
What'd you think of that shot, McCloud? Fox's communicator laughed from the other end, courtesy of the fighter's pilot.
"Nice shooting, pilot!" Fox exclaimed into his wrist-communicator, "What's the current situation with you guys?"
We're getting slaughtered off planet by the Imperials, the pilot responded, Aren't you guys suppose to be up there right now covering our asses?"WE'RE WORKING ON IT!" Fox shouted above the gunfire from nearby Cornerian soldiers as they fired up at the windows of the buildings from entrenched Marines.
They dove behind the corner of another building alongside another group of soldiers, where the medics had set up a makeshift medical centre and were treating the grievously wounded. For a moment Fox forgot what was happening around him when he saw how hideously injured a few of the soldiers were, where they were missing limbs, eyes and had burns stretched all over their bodies. The sound was that of cries of pain and despair, and the smell of burnt, fried flesh and blood.
"Oh good lord," Krystal groaned, gripping his bolt pistol.
You still there, McCloud? Pick up the damn com!"Yeah," Fox responded, gripping his blaster, "We're heading for the star port now. I'd much appreciate it if you give us some cover."
Yeah…hang on…receiving orders from high command. We're evacuating the planet, the other line replied, Any and all surviving military personnel are to regroup at Site #2 for immediate preparations and redeployment.
"So Pepper's declaring war only after we've retreated?" Falco asked, "That's just swell."
Fox glanced over at Falco, before answering into his communicator, "Roger that."
And yeah…I'll cover ya'. Good luck!
Just as Fox and co. looked up at the sky to see the Cornerian fighter flying around the area in circles, the Cornerian soldiers begun to abandon their positions where they ran past them into the alleyway and reaching for their wounded comrades.
"Hey!"
Fox felt a Cornerian soldier tap him on the solder. He looked down to face the fear-filled dog, where he was covered in blood, but luckily not his.
"Give us a hand with the wounded," the soldier cried, "The humans will breach the perimeter any minute now. And our weapons can barely even break those Marine's armour, let alone hold em' back."
Fox nodded, "Alright."
"Where will we move them?" Katt asked.
Before the soldier could answer the wounded all cried out and cursed in fright as they saw something standing from the roof of the buildings and staring down at them. It was a Horror daemon of Tzeentch, and it's almost rubbery mouth extended widely in preparation to consume everybody in the alleyway. Katt aimed her blaster upwards and fired, blowing the daemon apart; where the individual pieces begun to fade away.
The soldier shook his head, relieved that that sudden interruption was over and responded, "There's an armoured convoy at the end of this alley. They're not gonna wait for long…"
Falco frowned and holstered his blaster, making sure his hands were free to move the wounded, "So let's haul ass already."
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Meanwhile in an undisclosed location somewhere on the planet, the alarms were so loud it was enough to burst anyone's eardrums. Heavily armoured and armed Cornerian troopers rushed through the facilities many hallways and security checkpoints towards the main front entrance. All of them were equipped with heavy blaster rifles, gatling guns and rocket launchers, with determined hearts beating in each of their chests.
Attention all personnel, the announcement system bellowed, Imperial forces approaching secure facility. Possible enemy strategy is the acquirement of Artifact #1. Defend it at all costs…with your lives if necessary.
"YOU HEARD THE LADY!" the officer cried as he ran with his troops, blaster drawn, "GO, GO, GO!"
The lobby area was completely filled with Cornerian troops, where all weapons were aimed at the door. Tthey could hear the humans on the other side pounding away at the door, where it was slowly being dented inwards. No drop of fear was evident on these Cornerians, as they were the elite of the planet's military forces, reserved only to defend what truly matters:
What is was that laid in the centre of this 'secured' complex.
"Don't let these humans take one step through the door!" the officer ordered.
The pounding grew even louder as all fingers tightened on the trigger, where it wasn't possible to see the fear on the Cornerian's faces due to the helmets they wear, and that behind them they weren't showing any fear at all. The door was suddenly blown off the hinges, revealing a crimson light, which bathed the entire lobby, and would have turned anyone away, except for these troopers.
"FIRE! ALL GUNS LIVE!"
The troopers fired their weapons towards the doorway, fingers pressed on the trigger and the glow of their weapons adding to the crimson light. The officer fired his blaster at the doorway, hoping to have hit something. After half-a-minute…
"CEASE FIRE!"
The trooper did so, immediately upon lowering their weapons did something emerge from the doorway, where it seemed that the immense blaster fire didn't affect him at all. The officer's eyes widened.
"Holy shit," he said softly.
He appeared to be a very colourful, vibrant looking Chaos Marine, only that he was wearing a cape, what appeared to be a long kilt, and an oddly shaped helmet that almost looked like a beak. He had a radically different kind of power backpack and was armed with what appeared to be a staff – A Bedlam staff to be more precise, which it had the 'Eye' embedded into it.
'That can't be Imperium!' the officer thought alarmed.
"So," the 'Librarian' said hautily in a dark tone of voice, "I can tell from your silence and your lowered weapons that it is my move."
He gripped his staff.
"So be it then."
"NEVER!" the officer cried, "SHOOT!"
The Cornerians all fired at the Librarian, where the Chaos lieutenant projected a shield around him and it absorbed all their blasts. The Sorcerer suddenly begun to chant in an unknown dialect, when suddenly his staff glowed red and fired a bolt of Warp-powered lightning at the officer. He screamed in agony, before he was reduced to ash.
The Librarian then extended his glowing hand forward and fired a 'Chain of Torment' at all the Cornerian troopers present, which each and every one of them felt their bodies stiffen and they were frozen in their places, where their weapons dropped harmlessly from their hands. It was then that they begun to panic. The Sorcerer stepped out of the way of the door.
"Come, my children," the Librarian said, "Come accept what the Gods reward you for your conversion."
Cornerian soldiers in their dozens ran into the room, each one's mind corrupted and warped by the Ruinous Powers, and it showed through their glowing red eyes, tainted armour and weaponry. Each one cried out as they charged at the defenceless and unmoving Cornerian elite troopers, where they begun to attack them with their rifle butts and their combat knives.
One trooper yelled out in mercy as the felt his former colleagues shoved him onto the ground and tore of his helmet, where they slit his throat and allowed him to bleed out onto the floor. The other troopers each shared a similar, albeit different fate; with some simply being beaten to death and some more was mercilessly cannibalised on.
The screams of agony and terror were horrible to hear; yet it sounded nice to the ears of the traitor Cornerian Defence Force soldiers and the Chaos Librarian, who smiled wickedly from behind his helmet. He then clapped his hands together and the traitor Cornerian soldiers looked up from the one-sided carnage they were inflicting.
"Now, loyal followers of the Chaos Gods," the Librarian begun, "Each of them has given you a grand, important and enlightening task, where upon completion it will play a part in our final conquest of this system, and the entire universe."
A Cornerian sergeant stepped forward, where he got down on his knees and asked, "What do they ask of us, Grand Librarian?"
"Recover the Sphere of Power for the Despoiler," the Librarian ordered pointing towards what laid beyond the first security checkpoint, "It is in the bowels of this facility. The Chaos Gods demands the first key to victory!"
The traitor Cornerian cried out in acknowledgment and pumped their fists in the air, where they picked up their weapons and begun their attack on the facility, leaving the bodies of it's first wave of defenders lying in a pool of blood in the lobby. The Librarian watched with glee as they took off with full Chaotic spirit.
He shook his head gently and felt like grinning, "Mindless. Absolutely mindless these aliens. Convert them to teachings of the Warp and they will eat out of your hands."
That's what makes them valuable in their own right, Librarian. That's what makes all simple-minded creatures valuable in the service of the Dark Gods. Now…the artifact?
'Being acquired as we speak, my lord,' the Librarian responded mentally, 'The slaves have got this task covered.'
Suddenly a shrill scream of terror pierced the air, followed by the sounds of gunfire and maniacal laughter.
'And they will not take very long,' the Sorcerer added with a smirk, where he walked towards the facility, stepping over the bodies.
By chance he noticed that one of the troopers was still alive, albeit with half his face missing and having lost most of his blood. He moaned out loud in agony, he then noticed the Sorcerer standing above him, holding his glowing staff in his hand, where the Eye begun to glow brightly and raised it above his head. Crimson energy spewed for it.
"PREPARE TO MEET WHATEVER YOU WORSHIP, ALIEN!" the Librarian boomed.
As if it was blessing, the trooper mind went blank and he passed out, just as the Librarian/Sorcerer struck forth with his staff. The avian trooper felt no more pain…which would be no longer possible since he was now dead and his corpse was all over the place, adding to the already sickening mess of blood and mutilated bodies.
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Mass panic was evident at the star port where civilians fled from the burning city towards it's grounds, closely pursued by Chaos forces, where Cornerian army units did their best to keep them at bay long enough for them to get behind the safety of the star port walls. The walls in turn were receiving a massive pounding from the artillery courtesy of the Defilers, which were slowly approaching the port from all sides, followed closely by Havoc heavy weapon squads. The Champion accompanying them gripped his power sword, determination swept over his face. He saw the dozens of Cornerian transports ascending upwards into the sky escorted by Cornerian fighters, where anger crossed his worn-with-corruption face.
"Let none of those furries escape the planet!" he ordered angrily, raising his sword into the air, "Their blood must spill and make this world holy in the name of…."
Suddenly he received a sniper round to the head, which blew his head apart, courtesy of a Cornerian sniper from atop his the walls. As the body fell, the sniper fired again and killed another Havoc, where he quickly took cover, where he exhaled gently, trying to calm himself after seeing the sight of so many Chaos troops approaching.
"ALRIGHT, OPEN FIRE!" the sniper cried.
Hundreds of Cornerian soldiers armed with gatling guns, missile launchers and sniper rifles taking cover at the wall emerged and begun firing at the approaching Chaos forces. The Havocs opened fired with their heavy weapons, blowing more chunks out of the walls and sending Cornerians flying. One Havoc fired his shoulder-mounted lascannon and sent four Cornerian flying, where he in turn was hit by a rocket, where it plunged itself into it's chest before it exploded, leaving nothing but two standing legs.
"KEEP FIRING!" the sniper ordered, "Keep firing…"
"LOOK! UP IN THE SKY!" another soldier cried out.
He pointed up at the sky where dozens of jetpack equipped Chaos Marines, affectionately known as 'Raptors', appeared in the air and flying towards the wall, each one brandishing a chainsword in one hand and a boltpistol in the other.
"RAPTORS!" the champion leading them cry, "THROW DOWN THE PORT'S MISERABLE DEFENDERS! SHOW THEM ETERNAL DAMNATION!"
The Raptors cheered as they dove down towards the walls, where before the defenders could react a few of them were immediately ran through with the chainswords as the Raptors landed on the walls. The remaining defenders quickly turned their attention towards the attackers, realising that rifle-butts proved to be no contest against rusty chainswords as the defenders were systemically torn to pieces. One Cornerian soldier was hurled from the walls, still alive, onto the ground outside the star port, where immediately he felt the foot of a Havoc come crashing on his head and crushing it like a melon.
The sniper-commander immediately saw a Raptor take a liking to him, where he dropped his rifle and pulled out his heavy blaster and shot the chainsword out of the Raptor's hand. The Raptor growled in fury before he lifted his hand holding the boltpistol and fired, putting an eight-inch long bolt through the sniper's chest. The sniper gritted his teeth in pain and fired again, hitting the jetpack behind him and causing it to explode, blowing out the Raptor's back, where he screamed in pain and fell off the wall.
The sniper soon succumbed as well, where another Raptor attacked from behind and sawed him in half across the torso, where he was killed instantly, where his torso was flung over the walls as well, but his legs were still standing on the wall.
From the control room the personnel were panicked upon seeing the Chaos Raptors fly over the walls. And the head air traffic control man was the first make his fear known, where he took a few steps away from the window, before he spun around and dashed for the exit, leaving his colleagues rather dumbfounded.
"Er…" the next technician said, "Should we be…?"
Before he could finish, a trio of Raptors flew towards the control room. Screams went all around as the technicians all abandoned their stations and ran for the exits, where five technicians instantly cut down once the Raptors smashed through the windows. A minute later a precise artillery strike hit the base of the tower and one explosion later it toppled over and smashed the northern wall down.
The remaining Cornerian forces were immediately sent into frenzy as Chaos forces poured in through the hole in the wall, where they were accompanied by a Chaos Lord, who seethed as he held gripped his large, rusted mace in his hand.
"Go, my minions!" the Lord exclaimed, "Kill everything you see! SPILL THEIR BLOOD AND TAKE THEIR SOULS!"
The panicked civilian masses turned on their heels and attempted to flee the star port, where both Cultist and daemonic forces immediately set upon them. The soldiers fought their hardest against this evil tide. Laser, blaster and bolter rounds sprayed around the entire entrance area of the star port, Cornerian bodies fell in their masses.
----------
Back in the city Fox gripped his blaster rifle as he, the team and the Cornerian soldiers battled their way down the street alongside the convoy of APCs, their gun emplacements was blazing away at the enemy forces which came from all sides. His communicator's channels was bogged down with nearly limitless distress beacons, proving once and for all that Corneria City was not the only population centre to be hit, and that the entire planet was under the Chaotic grip of the boltgun and the sword.
This is Epsilon City; we're under attack here! Imperial forces are…
Nova Base, we're under heavy bombardment by human aircraft! What are our orders, command, over!
Dear God, what it happening? Corneria City, do you copy? Acknowledge this transmission!
Taking cover near the APCs, Fox and co. carefully picked their shots and fired. Fox to take down a Chaos Marine with two shots to the forehead, before he hit the legs of another Marine and brought him onto his knees, where a barrage of heavy blaster fire courtesy of the APCs finished him off. A Cultist managed to avoid fire and get close to the APCs, where Krystal kicked him across the face and sent him down on the ground, where she aimed her blaster and shot him in the neck.
"God, these Cult groups are relentless," Krystal cried.
"Yeah!" Falco agreed loudly, before he banged on the nearest APC, "Can we get a move on? These things are bolter magnets!"
Cool your jets, Lombardi, Falco's communicator cried, We're up to our seams with wounded here and besides, the star port's just up the next road, leading out of the city. Oh fuck it…everyone climb on top, we're slamming the pedals down!
Fox and co. complied, where they climbed on top of the APCs. The second they got settled on top of the armoured vehicles they immediately picked up speed and continued down the street, where they took another left and went down the road which led to the star port, where they were immediately confronted by a pair of Predators.
I got your six, McCloud!
The fighter swooped in and launched a bomb, quickly decimating one of the tanks, but the other lined up it's cannon at the APCs.
"QUICK GET OFF!"
Fox and co. along with the other Cornerian soldier hopped off the APCs and managed to get clear just before the surviving Predator blew the APCs to pieces, scattering pieces of flaming metal and gibs everywhere. Krystal coughed out painfully, before she rushed over and helped Katt up.
"Come on," she cried.
The fighter made another run and fired it's twin lasers, blasting the next tank and blowing it to pieces. Star Fox and the remaining soldiers took cover behind the debris of the APC, where immediately Fox's communicator beeped.
"Talk to me!" Fox exclaimed.
Fox, this is Peppy, the other line responded, and with slight relief, Please tell me you're still in one piece.
"Not for long, old timer!" Falco chirped in, gripping his blaster, "The convoy carrying the wounded just like totalled."
"And we're just near the star port," Katt added, "And it appears we've landed smack in the middle of the invasion."
That's because the star port has been overrun! Peppy shouted, Stay away from that area! You've got to get out of the city now!
General Hare, the fighter pilot said, where Fox and co. listened in, What is your situation? Are you all right, sir?
Don't worry about me, son, Peppy said reassuringly, Just keep giving Star Fox cover.
That damn Imperial battleship floating above us is starting to make things difficult, the pilot responded hautily, It's deploying more fighters and what appears to be troop transports.
"And where the heck are you, Peppy?" Fox asked.
Me, plus the surviving members of high command, have…
Static suddenly interwove itself with the communications, promptly cutting Peppy off. Fox's eyes widened as he smacked his com.
"Peppy?" Fox queried, then yelled, "PEPPY!"
Peppy Hare is gone, McCloud, a sinister, familiar voice echoed from the com, He will soon face the Black Legion's wrath.
Krystal gasped, where she noticed uncertainty crossed Fox's face, where he bit his lip as he responded to the person on the other line.
"Abaddon?"
It is good you know whom it is that is talking to you, Abaddon said, sounding smirk, You have your father's respect and attitude after all.
Falco and Katt looked Fox's way, where the feline asked, "Who's that, Fox?"
Fox quickly shushed her, before he angrily asked, "How the hell do you know my father and what do you want with this planet?"
Oh, I don't only want this planet. I want all of this system, plus whatever spoils we may garner from this miserable constellation of stars.
"Why? What do you want this 'miserable' system?"
You will find out, if you live long. And the only way to live now in this new, dark yet perfected realm is to submit your furry hides to the unholy taint of Chaos. Worship me, the chosen champion of the Dark Gods…
All eyes around Fox's communicator lit up in terror and panic, especially the Cornerian soldiers.
…and I may grant you and whomever's left on this rock leniency.
Suddenly Chaos fighters appeared and begun to chase after the Cornerian fighter, where it's pilot shifted into eye gear and flew off. Those on the ground watched with horror as they only means of cover was chased off.
Sorry! the pilot cried, I gotta shake these bogeys! Get out of there now!
Fox found he couldn't speak, let alone control the anger which still had a grip on him, and which was slowly building up inside. Krystal eyes focussed on him, where suddenly she sensed Chaos troops slowly coming in from all sides, accompanied by their warp-spawned servants.
I can sense by your silence and your anger that you don't wish to join us. Very well, your bodies will make excellent firelighters for the Alter we plan to build here on Corneria. Traitors, OPEN FIRE!
At that a Cornerian soldier's head exploded as a foot-long bolt struck him, splattering blood all over the other soldiers. Fox gripped his blaster and raised his head from cover, to find several 'Death Guard' Chaos Marines, whose armour was coloured a sludge green, charging their cover. He and his comrades opened up with their blaster rifles, Krystal with her boltpistol and Katt with her customised blaster. The feline fired a powerful charge shot and blew a hole in the Marine's chest, where despite not feeling pain, feel forward and died.
"DAMN IT,THE GUNS AREN'T EVEN SLOWING THEM DOWN!" Falco shouted angrily.
"Keep firing!" a Cornerian soldier cried back, "We're ought to eventually punch through."
Krystal sensed taint coming in from behind…
"BEHIND US!"
…she and Falco spun behind to see several Cultists, laspistols drawn. She frowned and fired away, sending a bolt flying towards one Cultist's head and another through his chest. Fox stopped firing at the Marines attacking forward to help finish off the Cultists attacking from the rear. One Cultist dove at Fox, the vulpine immediately clubbed him down with his rifle butt.
Falco ducked behind the APC wreckage to reload his blaster. When he looked over again…
"SHIT!"
…a Champion dove over the cover and tackled Falco. He felt the wind knocked out of him as he felt the champion's weight crush him whilst laughing diabolically. Falco frowned and reached his hand forward, and with all his might he snapped the champions head, where before the Chaos servant died, a look of shock crossed his face.
"Will someone please help get this fucker off me?" Falco cried out, feeling the weight crush him.
----------
Sitting in the bridge of the Great Fox, ROB watched on the main screen the carnage happening outside the walls of the hangar. Captured Cornerian soldiers and civilians were being herded onto the star port ground, guarded by World Eater traitor Marines and their Bloodletter servants. If ROB could feel emotion, he would feel utter sadness and devastation as those innocent and defenceless people started to feel the blade cut into them as the Chaos forces performed what they believed was a mass sacrifice.
The screams and sounds of women wailing and children crying as their blood spilled on the asphalt was enough to convince ROB that there was no way that Star Fox would be able to return. He saw that the hangar entrance was slowly behind melted by the Havocs from outside as they fired their lascannons. Calculating fast, ROB activated the engines of the Great Fox and disabled the ships restraints.
Suddenly two squads of Chaos Marines busted in from the hanger's side doors.
"The mercenaries' command ship!" one of them cried, aiming his heavy bolter up at it.
"Bring it down!" another cried, reloading his missile launcher and prepared to fire.
As the Marine opened fired at the Great Fox it accelerated forwards and smashed through the weakened hangar doors, sending pieces of melted metal and Chaos forces everywhere. It headed upwards into the air, ROB had set it on autopilot and directed it towards the city, where the fighting begun to lessen as the Cornerian troops that had stayed behind on the planet was almost obliterated.
"Preparing Transmission chamber for immediate interception," ROB announced to himself, "Lives are in extreme danger."
----------
Krystal felt breathless as her mind crashed as she sensed the agony and death at the star port. She dropped he gun and fell to her knees. Tears begun to form in her eyes as Fox fired and killed another Marine with a charge shot to the head, when he noticed Krystal had fallen.
"Krystal!" he exclaimed, "What's wrong?"
The vixen looked up at him with emotional eyes, as if pleadingly, "Innocent people…are dying, Fox. Women and children…screaming. I…can feel their...their…oh God…"
She then clutched the sides of her head and suppressed the urge to scream out in torment, feeling their pain. Her sixth sense was allowing her to experience the feelings of others, and right now those others were the unfortunate evacuees who had been apprehended at the star port, and whom was being butchered right now.
Fox's eyes widened, before he gritted his teeth and got back to fighting; now more willing than ever to kill these servants of Chaos. Suddenly he felt himself get lifted from the ground as he, Falco, Krystal and Katt were thrown from an explosion courtesy of a grenade, which killed the other remaining Cornerian soldiers.
He groaned in pain when he tried to lift himself up, only to feet a Chaos Marines boot on his chest and press him back down. Marines stepped up to each of the Star Fox members, who aimed their bolters down at their faces. Frightened, Katt could only whimper as she silently prayed for a quick death, whilst Falco looked up at the Marine with a look of vehemence. Krystal was too preoccupied with trying to silence the cries of agony in her head to even care if she was to die. And Fox…
"Damn," he groaned, "Not like this!"
The Marine took off his helmet to reveal a young looking grinning Marine, whose eyes were blackened over with years of living within Hell, or correctly known as the Eye of Terror. He moved his foot so that it was over Fox's head, as if preparing to stomp it.
"Damn indeed, Loyalist pawn," the Marine replied smugly, "Your hell as awaits you."
The Marine brought his foot up and then sent it down toward Fox's head, where the vulpine closed his eyes and prepared for oblivion. But it never came…
"WHAT IN THE NAME OF…?"
Upon hearing the Marine curse out loud, Fox opened his eyes and found that he, Falco, Katt and Krystal weren't lying down on the broken road, rather in the vehicle transmission chamber of the Great Fox. Katt was the first to get up on her feet, a large smile crossing her face.
"We're alive!" she exclaimed, "Thank God."
And with that she helped Falco up on his feet, who groaned slightly and gave a rather smile, while Krystal sixth sense begun to tone down. She looked around herself and was relieved to be out of the city, but her fear returned tenfold when she noticed that Fox was still on the ground. She scrambled over to him and grabbed him by the shoulders.
"Fox? Fox!" she cried, feeling tears roll down her cheeks again, "Please still be alive."
The vulpine opened his eyes, where he was greeted by Krystal's smiling visage. Fox smirked slightly.
"If I said anything bad about the ship's transmission system," Fox remarked, "I take it back."
Krystal snickered joyfully and threw his arms around his neck, handing him profusely and glad that they were still alive and not at Chaos' mercy. Fox moved his arm around her waist and allowed her to help him back onto his feet, when suddenly the area shook as something struck the Great Fox. Fox let go of Krystal and stood up on his own two feet by himself.
"Damn it, we're not clear yet!" he noted, before he said into his communicator, "ROB?"
Online.
"We're coming up to the bridge."
Fox, Falco, Krystal and Katt made their way though the ship towards the bridge. All the while trying to keep their balance as the hull of the Great Fox continued to shake as it received enemy fire, especially from the large battleship that still hovered above the city, and above the Great Fox. They saw this for themselves when they burst into the bridge.
Fox's eyes widened as they looked at the main screen, which showed that they flying above the city, but below the large Chaos battleship which were firing at them from above. Fox quickly sat down on his command chair.
"Hang on everyone!" Fox cried, "We're getting hell outta dodge!"
Falco rolled his eyes and groaned as he sat down and strapped himself again, reminiscing the last time Fox took manual control of the Great Fox, "Not again!"
The Great Fox fired up his boosters and begun to steer away from underneath the battleship, which it was still firing it's torpedos as it charged up it's lances. Determination was evident on Fox's face as he piloted the frigate, not caring about the enemy fire which came from the city, as it only consisted of bolter rounds and rockets. Once the sky above the Great Fox was clear, Fox piloted it upward towards the atmosphere.
"Good going, Fox," Krystal said smiling, when suddenly a klaxon blurted out, "Oh no."
"Two strike cruisers en-route for interception," ROB announced.
Fox nodded, "Prepare to launch warheads batteries, ROB."
"Affirmative."
The heat of the atmosphere begun to sizzle away at the Great Fox, where as it continued it's ascent, those on board tried to work out within their minds what the was going. At the same time the full situation was evident to them. The Ruinous Powers of Chaos, the pure evil that was described, and partly thwarted, by Jacques Mortensen, was invading Corneria and was bringing with it death and destruction on a massive scale unlike any of Corneria's previous attacks.
But how could have they come through into the Lylat System if the Eye of Terror, which was located on the other side of the universe in the Imperial Cadian star system, was said to be the only gateway between the material universe and the Immaterium? There were so many questions that they all believed that they would not receive the answers right away.
"We're breaking through the atmosphere," Katt said, checking the nearest console, "And just like Mr. Boltbucket said, we got two mini-cruisers moving our way."
The Great Fox exited the planet's atmosphere, immediately it was struck by multiple lance blasts courtesy of two 'Infidel' cruisers which, as predicted, had been waiting for them. Luckily the Great Fox's shield managed to hold, where it steered towards them and outer space. The Infidel's moved forward to intercept.
Fox saw on the main screen the two cruisers heading his way. Immediately his finger hovered above the LAUNCH WARHEADS button. He felt sweat roll down his finger and land on the bright, red button. He glared daggers at the ships when he noticed their lances charging for another shot, and when suddenly he felt something grab hold of him.
His eyes widened when he couldn't figure out what was happening to him. Fox felt chills run up and down his spine where his mind suddenly went blank and he felt his eyes roll back into his skull. ROB was quick to point it out to the rest of the team.
"I am detecting heat decreasing within Fox's body," his mechanised tone of voice remarking, "Neurological anomalies detected as well."
Krystal's panicked when she saw Fox. She rushed over to him and shook him roughly by the shoulders.
"FOX!" she cried, "WAKE UP!"
Fox felt his control slowly returning to himself.
"Wha…Krystal?"
"FIRE THE DAMN MISSILES ALREADY!" Falco cried before shaking his head in frustration, "AH FUCK IT…"
Without thinking, Falco dove over to Fox's chair and pushed down hard on the red button, deploying a payload of high-explosive warheads that hurtled towards the cruisers. Fox shook his head and steered the Great Fox out of harms way as the Chaos cruisers fired their lances, only to blow a chunk out of the ship's two left wings.
The lance batteries didn't vaporise the missiles, however, and they continued their route towards the cruisers. Before both Infidels could take evasive action, they were struck by the warheads, which tore through their shields and blew holes in their hulls. If he were in the mood, Fox would have rejoiced, but then…
"Fox, look," Krystal said softly, "The Orbital Gate?"
"What in the world…?"
As they continued their ascent from the planet their eyes laid on the main screen which displayed the active orbital gate. More Chaos warships were emerging from the red coloured displacement field, accompanied by hundreds of smaller fighters and cruisers. Fox, Katt, Falco and Krystal stared wide-eyed as what would be considered the end of Lylat's days was slowly pulling in from the Eye.
"How…how is this possible?" Katt asked.
Falco shook his head, "It shouldn't be."
Krystal's pupils diluted when she was experiencing yet another vision.
"No," she moaned slightly
----------
What Krystal could see were the Gods of Chaos – Khorne, Nurgle, Slaneesh and Tzeentch, standing side by side on barren world located within the Eye of Terror. Surrounding them was hundreds more tainted battleships. At their feet were thousands and thousands of Traitor Marines, Cult groups and daemons. And each of them was smiling as they tapped into her mind.
"What seems to be the matter, Princess?" the vicious Blood God Khorne said smirkingly, "Shocked to see the butchers of your people once again? You should be, Cerinian Psyker."
The bloated God of Decay and Rot Nurgle frowned with contempt, "We have come to finish what we have started with this system all those years ago. And this time, we will succeed."
The intersexual God of Pleasure Slaanesh crossed his/her arms, "After we've dealt with you, the Imperium and your human protectors will be next. They and the False Emperor will not see their doom approaching."
Tzeentch was the last to speak, where the God of Sorcery finished off with the words, "So prepare yourself for your oblivion's embrace. For Chaos shall rule this universe and wash away those who oppose us…with their own blood."
----------
Krystal's vision ended once the Gods and their masses of servants all begun to laugh maniacally and loudly from within the eye. Krystal screamed out loud and stepped back, bumping into the walls. All eyes turned to her, both surprisingly and in complete shock, where Katt had almost jumped at her outburst.
"Fox?" Krystal uttered.
Looking from his seat, Fox nodded slowly, "Yeah?"
"Get us out of here…now!"
The Chaos warfleet steered themselves towards the Great Fox, as they tried to advert them they were quickly set upon by tainted Fury starfighters, followed close behind by Starhawk bombers, each one lugging their deadly anti-starship missiles. Those on board the Great Fox felt themselves being shaken about as they were hit from all sides.
"We're surrounded!" Fox exclaimed, "Damn."
"And don't they know that," Falco pointed out, nudging his head towards the main screen.
They saw that possibly the entire Warfleet of Chaos was charging up their lance cannons for the last time, and they were gunning straight for them. The situation was clear to each of the Star Fox team: Whilst Corneria burned brightly below them and they were doing nothing to stop it, they were about to erased from the face of the universe as they were trying to flee.
A sense of fatalism came over the Quattro, where Krystal shook her head softly.
"Forgive us, Corneria," Krystal whispered softly into the air, "We've failed you."
Fox's ears picked that up, immediately he felt determination grab hold of him once again. He begun typing away at his console. Falco lifted his head up from staring at the ground and looked straight the command chair and the individual seated in it.
"Er…Foxie?" Falco spoke cynically, "You do realise you're putting the ship into warp?"
Fox nodded and smiled slightly, "Yeah."
"And you haven't pinpointed a destination?"
"Nah! So I suggest you guys pray we die trying to escape…"
They felt the ship vibrates even harder around them as the Warp drives activated and the field it produced took a hold.
"…and not by the oversized lasers of a fleet of flying museum pieces!"
Falco, Katt and Krystal once again grabbed hold of something as the Great Fox accelerated forward and smashing through any fighter that got in their way. The warships all fired their lances at the Great Fox, where the beams surprisingly passed through the ship as if it was a ghost. Fox glared as he gripped the armrests of his chair.
Fox closed his eyes, "Here we go!"
The Great Fox initiated warp, it's top speed increased tenfold and suddenly it sped off away from the planet, in the process boring through a Murder Class Cruiser and rendering it in half. The ship then disappeared into the distance away from the planet, whilst the planet burned even brighter than Solar as it's cities burned.
And the rivers flowed with the blood of those who were unable to escape during those early hours of the invasion. And standing from his seat in the bridge of his command ship, the Despoiler himself revelled in his conquest of conquering these aliens…and that of the cowardice of the Star Fox, the only ones who were ever able to defend it.
As he watched the Great Fox lightspeed itself away from Corneria, only one word crossed his smug mind as his Power Claw glowed with the taint that circulated itself through him and his dark-coloured, Terminator armour.
"Predictable."