Star Fox 40,000: Realm of Chaos

by GamerJay

Star Fox x Warhammer 40,000 crossover. The corrupt aspects of humanity has come to drown Lylat in it's own blood. Who can stand against it? Team Star Fox, an heroic yet complicated superhuman and the zealous, gothic Imperium of Man.

15. Chapter 14: Heated Negotiations

Disclaimer: See the Prologue

A/N: Here's the conclusion to the Beltino Station battle.

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Chapter 14 – Heated Negotiations

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The minute you try to talk business with him he takes the attitude that he is a gentleman and a scholar, and the moment you try to approach him on the level of his moral integrity he starts to talk business.
- Raymond Chandler, U.S. Writer of Detective Fiction, 2nd Millennium

The space battle around the Beltino Space Station was beginning to reach it's climax, with the combined might of the human fighters, Imperial and Eden breakaway, prevailing over the Tainted Cornerian fighters and Chaos claw fighters, leaving only two Chaos cruisers left. One of which Star Fox realised they were still on board and the other found several Starhawk bombers in a V formation bearing down on, payloads of high-explosive missiles ready.

The lead Imperial Starhawk's main pilot reported into the vox, "We have the target in sights. Permission to engage?"

He was replied with only silence for a few seconds, before an embittered Admiral Nero voxed back, Destroy that damned hulk and return back to rearm…

The lead pilot then heard nothing but more silence and some static, then he heard Nero mutter something about blowing up the Great Fox and cleansing the xeno-heretics of their sin, before the vox turned off. The pilot looked incredulous after hearing that, then looked straight ahead at their target, which was firing back desperately at his ship and those around him.

"Alright wing," the pilot said, flipping some switches above him and pairing to accelerate, "Let's take care of this corrupted piece of metal and call it a morning."

The Starhawks accelerated forward and each one released a devastating volley of missiles, which struck the side of the cruiser and racking the hull with explosions, which tore out the other side of the ship. They launched a second volley, which struck the bridge area and destroyed it. A minute later the cruiser exploded in a near-blinding light, it's tainted crew consumed by the flames that somehow managed to ignite even in the cold, airless vacuum of outer space.

The pilot of the lead Starhawk smiled and tapped his mouthpiece vox, "Target destroyed. We get to eat tonight, boys."

There's only one Chaos cruiser left, another pilot informed the crew of the lead Starhawk, Should we take care of that as well?

"Not until the warriors of Ultramar, and our xeno 'allies'…" the lead pilot rolled his eyes, "…get off it."

Good reasoning, wing leader.

The lead pilot's was startled, "G…Governor-Militant Alexander?"

My men are on board that ship, and so is Mortensen and Star Fox, Alexander explained fervently, And I believe it'll be in your best interests not to blow them all to hell.

Admiral Nero from the bridge of his command ship looked interested and he spoke into the vox, "Why is that? Do you plan on handing them over yourself?"

Alexander sounded smug, Perhaps…perhaps not. Depends if Imperial Guard High Command of Segmentum Ultima is willing to conduct a formal investigation into the Blood Ravens' actions on Kronus before, during and following the Dark Crusade and reinstate my forces into the service of the God-Emperor.

"That would not be likely," Nero hissed, "You have already damned yourself by consorting with the traitor Mortensen and his xeno allies."

Then we have nothing to discuss about, Alexander voxed grimly, You try to turn on us and we'll fight back to the last man, and should we fall the Emperor will never forget our service in his name.

The vox switched off, leaving a very frustrated Nero who begun to believe he was slowly being surrounded by traitors to humanity, and the xeno scum who had turned them all against Holy Terra. If it hadn't been for Chaos, he would have ordered his entire battlegroup to engage the Eden fleet and take them all out in one stroke. But since Chaos was here…

'How in Emperor's name are we going to deal with all these heretics?' he rubbed his chin, beginning to feel uncomfortable, 'Both traitor and xeno?'

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La'Jakob made sure to be cautious as he and his fire team, led by the Shas'ui, approached the lead leading into engineering, stepping over the bodies of both dead Tau security and Night Lord Chaos Space Marine, the former having been quickly annihilated after attempting to massacre hapless Tau civilians. Luckily they were kept pinned down by the security Fire Warriors, holding them long enough for Jakob and his team to join the battle and finish them off.

Jakob attempted to clear his mind by focusing, getting ready for what untold horror could be waiting for him and his ilk behind the door, which has the word ENGINEERING scribbled in the Tau language on it. Knowing he will up for more combat in tight quarters, he made sure to shoulder his plasma carbine and instead armed himself with his plasma machine-guns.

He then recanted to himself that very important quote from O'Shovah, which sums about the Enclaves way of fighting and honour…

'Learn to shorten your reach!' Jakob recited mentally, 'If your foe can come close enough to negate your striking power, all stratagem is lost and when all stratagem is lost, the battle is lost.'

A/N: Strong words, eh SF Ghost?

The doors suddenly opened sideways and the hideous sight of a Chaos Obliterator greeted them. A second before Jakob and the Tau dove for the floor the trenchcoat Gue'vesa unfortunately took in and assimilated the image of the power-armored monstrosity into his brain. He committed to memory the fact that he, or it, was a hulking mass of machine and power armour with his own skin and muscles wrapped it around it, especially over his massive weapons consisting of a lascannon, a meltagun and a heavy bolter.

Seeing through his mechanical eye implants the heavily armed (not to mentioned shocked) Tau standing before him, he growled…

"Xeno blueskins…must OBLITERATE!"

…and fired his tri-barreled melta-gun, lobbing gobs of heat at the Tau. Jakob felt like he just contracted heat stroke as he dodged the blast by skidding onto his back. The other Tau dodged as well as they put their backs up against the wall of the corridor and opened fire on the Obliterator. Jakob gave a throaty Tau as he leapt back upon his feet and charged the Obliterator. He noticed how his left arm muscles held his guns together, so he engaged his blades went straight for it. The Obliterator guessed his intention and stepped forwards to swing his right arm.

Jakob cried out as he was slammed into the doorway, but he quickly recovered and slid back down onto the foot and swung his blade, striking the flesh and muscles around his legs. The Obliterator, still feeling plasma pelt him from the Tau, gritted his teeth in pain as he balanced himself on his other foot, no longer feeling anything in his left foot. Jakob skidded underneath him and appeared behind him, deciding to strike him from behind.

'Everything has a weakness…' he thought determinedly.

He then noticed that the Obliterator's steel infused spine was exposed, surprising him. He then quickly noted, smirking, in his head how some weaknesses are more obvious than others are. He grabbed his pulse carbine and aimed it a the spine, and before the Obliterator can turn around to counter Jakob held the trigger down and melted the spine away, immediately bringing paralysis down on the hulking mass of flesh and bone.

'Large, threatening and over-equipped does not always win the fight,' Jakob reasoned in his mind, just as he rolled backwards out of the way as the hulk toppled over backwards.

His Tau comrades quickly hopped over the Obliterator's unmoving body as they proceeded into Engineering, where the Shas'ui stayed behind to finish off the Chaos hulk, with a dozen plasma blasts to it's face. Once they all breached engineering, they found the two story large chamber containing the ship main plasma/propulsion drive, they found another Obliterator guarding another Chaos Marine, who appeared to be arming a highly-decorative explosive device with the Chaos symbol imprinted all over it. And it was situated right next to the main engine.

"ETHEREALS PROTECT US!" Tash cried out, "A BOMB!"

The Shas'ui gritted his teeth almost enough to crack them, "TAKE THEM DOWN!"

Bolter, melta and plasma fire was exchanged all around as the Fire Warriors charged into the room, letting the sight of the dead Tau already in the room fuel their rage. The Obliterators fired his lascannon and just missed Jakob just as he and the Fire Warriors all took cover. The Chaos Marine near the bomb quickly added the finishing touches on the bomb, before producing what appeared to be a remote. The Shas'ui immediately guessed that it was the detonator and immediately broke cover from behind the stairs leading upwards to the catwalk above.

The Chaos Marines immediately saw that he was exposed and fired at him, the Shas'ui catching a bolt in his shoulder. He fired his plasma carbine at the Marine near the bomb and blew the detonator out of his hand, just as the Shas'ui fell back down flat on his back. Immediately one of the Shas'la grabbed him by the shoulder and dragged him deeper behind cover, provoking the remaining Shas'la and Jakob to find fight harder.

Jakob continued firing his rifle until he inevitably ran out of ammunition. He dropped his rifle and exchanged it for his submachine-guns just as he noticed that the Chaos Marine pulled out his sword and begun to strike the bomb, apparently attempting to make it explode; all the while his comrades continued firing their deadly weapons and keeping the Tau pinned down.

'Only one chance,' Jakob thought, seeing the stairs leading to walkways above situated conveniently over the engines.

He broke cover and dashed up the stairway, immediately dodging heavy bolter fire from the Obliterator, whom had noticed a black-garbed blur rushing upwards. Jakob painfully dove and rolled forward across the metal walkway, immediately dodging a lascannon blast. The still downed Shas'ui looked up from cover and noticed Jakob's rushing towards the enemy above and immediately cursed his habitual forwardness.

'Damn it all,' he thought, before grabbing the Shas'la aiding him by the shoulder and demanded, "Get…ready to cover him!"

"Yes, sir!" the Shas'la exclaimed, grabbing his rifle and dashing over to the other Fire Warriors still firing at the Traitor Marines.

The Chaos Marine with the bomb quickly grew tired of hacking away at the bomb and immediately went for his boltpistol. He then looked up and noticed Jakob above him, plasma guns drawn and looking ready to jump over the railing and down to face him. The Obliterator's lascannon pierced through the walkway and prompted Jakob to leap over and down towards the engines and right behind the Traitor Marines. The Marine next to the bomb raised his boltpistol and managed to let off a shot, which skimmed past Jakob's shoulder, just as he fell down and feet first into the Chaos Marine's head, knocking him back. The plasma machine-guns then had their triggers held down as they discharged into the Marine chest, melting the armor away and exposing the flesh, which was then bombarded with plasma and tore apart, killing the Marine.

He then grabbed the boltpistol off the floor just as the Obliterator turn around, and begun firing at it's face, sending foot long bolts straight through it's skull and splattering his mind, rendering him braindead. The Fire Warriors opened fire at it's exposed back and finished him off, before they all abandoned their cover to join Jakob; who already was on his knees before the bomb, quickly deciphering how to disarm it.

"Please tell me that you know how to disarm gue'la explosives!" Tash exclaimed, slightly panicked.

Jakob skimmed his fingers over the bomb till he reached what appeared to be the casing. He pulled the cover apart until he saw what appeared to be a spinning ball of crimson energy encased in a cube surrounded by various colored wires. Jakob gulped softly yet exhaled calmly, as did some of the other Tau.

"I…I've never seen a Chaos distort weapon up close before," Jakob confessed, staring into it's explosive core, which was slowly beginning to spin faster, which indicated to them that it was a bad sign.

"What do we do?" another Tau asked, "What if this thing explodes? The Ethereal will not survive…"

"…nor will we for that matter," Jakob added and reminded him, as he rolled his eyes trying to think of an alternative to risk detonating the bomb if he tries to disarm it. His eyes shot open as he swore he sensed a light bulb turn on in his head.

"I have the solution," Jakob grinned in spite of himself.

A minute later those same Tau all held the bomb in their hands as they rushed, almost in a panic, through the ship towards the airlocks…

"OUT OF THE WAY! BOMB ON THE MOVE!"

…with civilians and other Fire Warriors diving out of the way with members of the Jakob's team crying out for them to make way. Jakob felt his heart beat painfully against his chest as he and Tash gripped one end of the bomb while two other Tau held the other side, with the last three members clearing the way down the hallway. They took another left…

"OPEN THE DOOR, NOW!"

…and ran into the large sized hangar, seeing Air Caste members either receiving medical attention after being attacked by Chaos Marines (who all by now laid dead and scattered over the ship floors), making sure to direct them towards the nearest airlock, or simply getting out of the way. Alarms blared all around as they opened one of the outer doors and the bomb was shoved in, the doors slamming shut behind it.

"Thank T'au!" one of the Tau exclaimed, "Blow airlock NOW!"

Jakob nodded and opened the switchboard to the side of the door, slamming his fist on the round button entitled in the Tau language DANGER, and the outer door tore itself wide open and the vacuum of space sent the bomb spiraling into the black. The gue'la then let out a sigh of relief, before reality struck him again. One of the Fire Warriors noticed his look of shock and immediately counseled him with a smile.

"Don't worry, La'Jakob," the Shas'la assured him, "The bomb will be propelled towards the back of our fleet, including the Great Fox."

Jakob shook his head and looked over at him, "That wasn't what I was worried about."

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The Chaos bomb spiraled past the Great Fox II being towed behind the Tau Explorer, numerous Earth Caste drones still working on repairing the Lylatian cruiser. The bomb's core spun faster and faster until suddenly the glass surrounding the energy shattered and it exploded in a massive crimson fireball, sending shockwaves which swept over the Great Fox II, the Infinity, and much of the Eden fleet.

Within the ships navigation equipment and computers went haywire, and within the flagship Augustus General 'Governor-Militant' Alexander grabbed out of the nearest door handle on the bridge as to not tumble down on the ground. He gripped the bar and barked out…

"Report!"

Immediately one of the support techs reported back, "Sensors detected a massive explosion from the back of the fleet. It…it came from the Tau craft."

"Was it a Tau explosive device?"

"Negative. Detecting massive Warp fluctuations emitting from the explosion. It's a Chaos-infused explosion, sir."

Alexander's eyes widened as he stepped towards the communication panel and asked, "How are our communications?"

"Still functioning, sir."

"Open a vox with Mortensen."

"Right away sir."

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With the sickening sound of armor being torn from flesh and bone, Sturnn cried out in might as he pulled his lightning claws from the chest of another Chaos Marine. He then shoved his left blade with the storm bolter built into through the Marine's skull, firing the bolter and blowing the rest of his head apart. Following close behind was Plymouth and their naval officer escorts, with Beltino in tow…and whom tried to advert his eyes from the dead Chaos Marine that Sturnn had just slain.

"Tell me, professor," Sturnn said as they backed against the wall near a corner, "Are we close?"

"I recognize this hallway anywhere," Beltino responded, "The control room is not far here."

Sturnn nodded, before stepping away from the corner, claws drawn and ready. Instead of facing off with more Chaos Marine, he found himself staring down a squad of Guardsmen, who were startled at seeing their general standing before them. Sturnn immediately recognized Sergeant Armiel. Armiel and those with him immediately stood to a attention and saluted.

"General, sir!" Armiel exclaimed.

"Where do you think you're going?" Sturnn asked.

"We were planning on…"

Armiel then noticed Commissar Plymouth and immediately felt he couldn't make his tongue work.

"Er…awaiting further orders, sir," Armiel managed to let out.

"We are securing this station," Sturnn explained, then indicated Beltino, "And this Lylatian is showing us the way. You men will join us and keep him safe for the time being."

Beltino was visibly startled, 'Time being?'

"Sir yes sir," Armiel cried, him and his squad gripping their weapons, the Guardsmen all slapping new power packs in their lasguns. Two Guardsmen pulling out their bayonets and attaching underneath their gun barrels.

"We're ready to go, sir!" one of the Guardsmen exclaimed.

Suddenly a Chaos Marine punched his way out through an elevator door, immediately drawing the attention of the Imperials, who aimed their las-weapons at him, fingers on the triggers. Safely behind the humans, Beltino watched quietly and carefully, preparing to deduce in his mind the effectiveness of standard Imperial Guardsmen against a Chaos Space Marine.

Beltino remembered how Cornerian propaganda always labeled the Imperial Guard as an army of weaklings compared to the barbaric Space Marines. It was said that their las-weapons equivalent in power was that of a high-powered flashlight and how they always relied on sheer numbers to win the day and Commissars to make sure their feet don't get cold. So far it would seem that this was true…except for the part about being weaklings.

'The humans of the Guard have to be the most bravest fighting men in the universe,' Beltino thought, 'No genetic conditioning, hardly any advanced weaponry or training…just a gun with a knife attached and some guts behind it. Just purebred humans up against the worst horrors in the universe.'

The sounds of laser emitting from rifles brought him back to reality as the Guardsmen fired at the Chaos Marine as he raised his boltgun and fired back. But he found he was at a disadvantage as, despite being a superhuman, he was outnumbered and outmatched by the likes of the Guardsmen and their General Sturnn. The general didn't feel anything as a bolter round skimmed past his shoulder and right past Beltino. He then fired his storm bolter, the force of the high-impact bolts tearing through the Chaos Marine's chest and splattering the elevator behind him with gore.

Without saying a word, Sturnn turned around and grabbed Beltino by the scruff of his suit, shoving him forward and pointing his finger down the hall. The elder frog sighed…

"This way."

…and they continued forward, weapons still drawn and especially the Commissar's laspistol, which was still trained on the back of Beltino's head. Sturnn glanced over at Plymouth…

"You can probably point that thing away from him now," he told him assuredly, "He's not going anywhere."

"I say he will not either, general."

Plymouth lowered his laspistol as they continued to move forward through the station, passing by several offices and labs, before stopping in front of the door leading into the control room. By then the sounds of gunfire, men yelling and cursing and Chaotic incantation had ceased altogether, which immediately made Sturnn feel anxious.

He reached for the nearest Guardsmen with a vox communicator on his back and grabbed the com piece. Sturnn then said into it, "This is General Sturnn to Hangar and Ultra…respond, over!"

To his relief the responses were quick…

This is the Hangar…area has been secured. Not detecting anymore Chaos intrusion in our sector, over.

This is the Chief Librarian Tigerius. It would seem our brothers have secured the ship, and are splicing into the starship's cruisers as of now.

Sturnn frowned, "We may need a Cornerian system to understand what we have found."

Tigerius sounded smug as he replied, I am sure that Star Fox will accommodate that need.

"If they don't?"

They will.

Beltino pulled out what appeared to be keycard; with his name, position and serial number inscribed on it, and flipped it through the scanner…

Access granted.

…one computerized voice verification later the doors slid open and Beltino stepped through the door. He was visibly surprised to find that there were technical personnel still at their consoles, some of which were staring anxiously through the windows at the approaching Imperial fleet. One of the scientists, white haired male Cornerian Cocker Spaniel, spun around…

"Professor Beltino!"

…and approached him quickly, looking very relieved at seeing the frog.

Beltino nodded, "Dr. Stiles."

"Thank God…you escaped being rounded up by those…those…"

Stiles then finished his sentence vehemently.

"…skinned monkeys."

Beltino sighed sadly and stepped aside, revealing the Imperial standing behind him in the doorway, "Not quite."

Stiles cried out comically at seeing the humans and begun stepping back slowly just as they walked in, with Sturnn pushing Beltino aside and immediately intimidating the dozen tech personnel in the control room. Plymouth looked out the window to see the Imperial fleet and smiled, not noticing any more explosions or signs of conflict surrounding the station or the fleet.

"General," the Commissar said joyfully, "We have won this fight. This sector is now under our control."

Stiles backed up against a console as he muttered, "It'll never be under your control, Imperial."

Beltino cringed and immediately pulled faces at Stiles, urging him to keep silent and not challenge the humans' authority. He failed however and Stiles was suddenly nailed in the mouth by the Commissar's fist, sending him sprawling onto the ground. The spaniel spat some blood and a canine tooth and glared back, as if daring Plymouth to try something else. Plymouth however turned to Sturnn…

"Awaiting further directive, General!" Plymouth exclaimed, standing to attention with his sabre clutched tightly.

Sturnn exhaled out of his nose and turned to the science personnel, who had now left their posts and were huddling in the corner or the room with lasguns trained on them. Sturnn frowned and stepped forward towards the frightened tech personnel, who were surprised immensely, when Sturnn waved Armiel and his squad's lasguns down.

"We have no intention of hurting you people," Sturnn announced, "But we do have the intention of bringing judgement down on whoever threatens the stabilization of the God-Emperor's realm and whomever dares aid them in their quest."

He then frowned.

"If you help us in bringing those heretics to justice, then you will be spared and will not fear Imperial retribution. Understand?"

Beltino stepped forward and attempted to reason, "How can we?"

"Help us?"

"Yes?"

"First you can establish a communication link between this station and our flagship, which will allow us to download whatever research data you have bottled up in your network to our computers."

No doubt Beltino reaction was a mix of both anger and surprise, "What will you do with that information?"

"Whatever we please," Plymouth retorted harshly, "And watch your tone!"

"Will your own systems be compatible with ours?" Beltino asked again. He then stepped forward towards the nearest console and brought up the DATA EXTERNAL TRANSFER application on the screen.

Sturnn raised an eyebrow as he replied, sounding exasperated; "For the sake of all our lives I hope so, Director."

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All around the bridge area of the Chaos-held Cornerian frigate the dead littered the floors, each one filled with foot-length holes with blood still oozing out onto the floor and their internal organs in messes, some of which were also on the floor. The Terminators and the Kasrkrin, besides that unfortunate purebred human back in the dressing room, didn't suffer a single casualty in breaching the bridge and massacring the cultists within it. Right now the Techmarine Brother Sachiel was splicing into the main computer with the help of a floating servi-skull,. This was a mechanically augmented human skull of a dead heretic with a hacking/splicing device embedded within it, with the ability to store data in it similar to the Imperial cognicator computer.

The skull beeped as it probed into the bridge's main console, downloading several many different hundred files into itself, under the watchful eyes of Sachiel. Whom at the same time had been listening in on the vox communication las-lines between the ship and the Imperial Fleet, in particular Jacques' and Fox McCloud's 'complicated' situation.

"The situation is 'complicated'?" the surviving Kasrkrin commented, "What the hell does that mean?"

Sachiel looked over at the Kasrkrin and responded, "We are yet to know, though my instincts tell me that it has something to do with Brother Mortensen."

The Techmarine and the Terminators heard the Kasrkrin chuckle, before he remarked, "Well in that case, problem solved."

"What?"

"The Archon never let's anything get in his way," the Kasrkrin explained proudly, "There is nothing he can't overcome."

The Marines present let those words sink into their head, and thought and pondered over it intellectually for a few seconds, which to the average human it equalled hours. They were curious as to why they referred to their misplaced Battle-Brother as the 'Archon', which was known to antiquities as 'leader', or a person holding some sort of high status.

"I would not be surprised," Sachiel spoke out loud, commenting on what the Kasrkrin said and what he and his brothers had each thought together.

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Everyone suddenly was quiet as Jacques calmly stared down the barrel of Fox's silver boltpistol, currently in the shaking hands of a petrified Slippy Toad. He believe that the human standing before him was not his friend and former 'engineering assistant' in the engine room or hangar area back on the Great Fox II. He himself found Imperial guns trained on him as well, ready to blow his head off should he pull the trigger and send a bolt hurtling towards Jacques' thick skull.

"Er…Slippy, you can put the gun down now," Falco drawled uncomfortably, "You're rescued."

Slippy growled, which immediately startled Fox, "No way! Not until the guy standing before me tells me what he did with Jacques!"

"He IS Jacques Mortensen!" one of the Kasrkrin exclaimed, "You dumbass frog! Your shock, awe, anger and confusion are costing us valuable seconds!"

Fox frowned, seeing that Slippy wasn't going to budge, "Engineer Slippy Toad, as your commanding officer, I order you to lower that bolter right now and stop endangering the lives of a teammate."

Slippy shook his head firmly and said, his voice now wavering as tears now formed in his eyes, "N…no…he can't be Jacques Mortensen. Jacques Mortensen wouldn't let himself…become an Inquisitorial grunt."

Surprised, Jacques asked, "How do you know I appear to be a member of the Chamber-Militant of the Ordo Mall…?"

Slippy glared again and interrupted him, "It's obvious you work for those bigots! You look so high-and-mighty in your shining armour it's making me sick!"

He noticed that Jacques now looked sullen as he glanced down at the ground, no longer focusing on the boltpistol Slippy aimed at him. Jacques muttered, "Not as sick as a I feel when I see myself in the mirror."

Slippy's eyes widened, then his tone of voice became softer and more calmer, "What?"

In the name of the God-Emperor, if that furry plans to kill Mortensen, can any LOYAL Imperial troops put him down? Nero bellowed over the coms, I want the xeno-heretic alive long enough to stand re trial, then executed for good this time.

The Terminator lowered his storm bolter, previously aimed at Slippy's head, then responded coolly, "We follow orders from our Chapter-Master, and him alone, Admiral."

Then came Calgar's voice, which relieved Fox, Falco and Jacques at first, but the two Lylatians were mortified when he spoke, If Toad will not comply with evacuation and is threatening the life of our objective, then by all means eliminate him as a threat.

Received, brother.

Fox immediately cried out…

"NO!"

…and grabbed Slippy by the shoulders and made him look at his panicked face. Panic, for feeling that his lifelong friend may meet his end from a bolter round to the forehead. Slippy shook gently with fear as he saw that Fox now begun to glare at him.

"Look at me, Slippy!" Fox said firmly, "Are you looking at me?"

Slippy nodded quickly, still sensing guns still trained on him.

"Now look straight at that seven-to-eight-foot intergalactic knight and see if you recognise anyone."

Still feeling Fox grip him by the shoulders, Slippy slowly turned his head to face Jacques standing before him and the stairs. He forced himself to study him gently, first by observing the silvery-grey power armour he wore adorned with runes and red purity seals and his blue-coloured loincloth with Ultramarine symbol and cape, and how it made him look bigger than normal (for a seven-foot genetically-enhanced superhuman). Then at his face that included his green-coloured eyes with slight age wrinkles around them, letting it be known he was thirty, the two small mechanical implants over his right eye and the 7 shaped scar on the side of his face.

"Anything yet?"

Slippy found himself drawn into the Grey Knight's familiar looking eyes, and how they reminded him of Star Fox's 'Heavy Weapon's Specialist', blademaster and ten-time Deathmatch Champion back in the Simulator on board the Great Fox. Slippy's eyes widened as he felt tears roll down his face with grief and denial, letting go of the boltpistol, which cluttered down the steps and landed at Jacques' feet. Fox eyes softened at seeing him like this, while Falco mentally sighed with relief.

Slippy's voice cut through the silence, "God, Jacques…"

Fox released him, allowing him to stand before Jacques and look up at the big armoured man. Still tearful, Slippy felt rage as he clinched his fists and roll his eyes over at the Terminator and Kasrkrin troopers, making the former step back some, weapons still trained on him.

"What did those Imperial freaks do to you?" Slippy gritted his teeth as he indicated the other humans nearby.

Jacques relaxed his muscles as he responded calmly, "I will gladly tell you once we get off this spacecraft."

And make it quick, Nero cried over the vox, Or I'll have those bombers send your current position to obliv…

The Terminator, annoyed at hearing Nero, turned his vox off, which Falco immediately sighed with relief and said to him, "Now I'll realy have to thank you for that."

Fox suddenly remembered something important. He turned to Jacques and exclaimed, "Krystal! Is she completely safe?"

Jacques smiled and tapped his nose, "You heard her voice over your coms, did you not? You answered your own question."

Fox nodded and bent down to retrieve his boltpistol, still armed with his chainaxe, which he clutched defensively, "We better regroup back at the hangar."

All heads nodded in agreement as they begun to retrace their steps towards the hangar, along the way Jacques' vox beeped and he answered it, the caller none other than Governor-Militant Alexander.

Jacques Mortensen, what is your status?

Jacques calmly answered, "We have secured Toad, and the Ultramarines have nearly concluded their business here as well. We are on our way back towards the cruiser's hangar."

Fox decided to cut in, "Is it still secured by your men, Alexander?"

Still detecting friendly life-signs, McCloud. And I think you've cleared out the entire ship of every Chaos combatant.

Fox grinned slightly as they ran, those warm, familiar feelings of being congratulated after a job well done once again being known to him, "That's good to…"

His smile faded and felt his tongue hold in place as his eyes scanned the floor with the bodies of the dead Cornerian cultists scattered about, their cultist dress or Cornerian army uniforms stained with their own blood. Realisation dawned on him as couldn't remember the last time, or any time, he killed so many Cornerians, let alone Cornerians and other Lylatian-born tainted and warped by the Ruinious Powers of Chaos.

Jacques looked over at Fox and realise agony was present on his face, before the vulpine stopped in his tracks, causing his companions – the falcon and the humans – to stop as well and turn towards him.

"Fox?" Falco questioned, "What's up with you?"

Fox looked down at his feet, noticing he was standing in a pool of blood spreading from the blown out stomach of a canine. He then looked slowly up at Falco and said softly, "Notice anything wrong with this picture?"

Falco frowned and grabbed Fox by the shoulder, "Everything! Now come on…"

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Krystal's mind tormented her with the sounds of women screaming, babies crying and men yelling as she forced herself to step back into the blood-splattered corridors outside the infirmary. She had all but recovered from her battle inside her mind (not to mention the shock of seeing another Cerinian, despite him being an illusion projected by Jacques). Katt was at hand behind her, ready to come to her aid if she needed it, but could see that she was quite capable of standing on her own two feet…

"By my childhood memories of Cerinia…'

…which felt like giving way with grief when she realised many of these Cornerians had died by her own two hands. Despite them being under Chaotic influence and were a danger to all life so long as they were corrupted, Krystal couldn't help but feel guilty about killing these people. She knew well that some, or perhaps most, would have been unwilling to succumb to Chaos if it hadn't destroyed their minds and corrupted their souls.

Krystal clinched her fists as she stepped forward, head lowered but eyes closed tightly. She flinched a bit when she felt Katt's slightly comforting paw on her shoulder, and was holding her distended staff for her.

'It was not meant to be like this,' Krystal thought, forcing herself to not tear up, 'Chaos isn't suppose to exist here in Lylat, of all places.'

She forced her eyes open when she felt something grab her leg. She didn't jump with fright or cry out with surprise; she just looked down to find a mortally wounded alsatian Cornerian cultist dressed in military uniform looking up at her with pain-filled, normal-looking canine eyes. Katt reached for her sidearm blaster, but Krystal stopped her.

"Hey!" Katt cried.

Krystal gave her a pained, sympathetic look. The feline couldn't help but feel disgusted, until she looked down at her feet and found the Chaotic influence gone from the cultist's eyes, and his sanity now returned to him. But alas would have no use for it now that it would be that any second he would take his last breath. Krystal saw this and got down on one knee, causing the cultist to let go of her leg and stretch his hand towards her. Krystal grasped it tightly, trying to comfort the dying soldier.

The cultist/Cornerian soldier felt tears sting his eyes, immediately remembering his life and family before yesterday. Krystal couldn't help but cry with him, immediately reading his mind and seeing how he felt nothing but devastation and regret. The soldier coughed up some more blood.

"It….it hurts…" he moaned gently.

Krystal rubbed his wrist with her thumb and said softly, "It won't last long."

He then smiled painfully, "They…they got out…I know they did…"

"Who?" one of the Kasrkrin asked as they stepped out into the hallway, immediately stepping over a body.

The soldier coughed, "Nina…and Tiana…"

He then cried out in pain and bucked forward, squeezing Krystal's hand tightly and causing her to wince slightly in pain. Katt tightened her hold on her blaster.

"Le…left pocket…!" he exclaimed in agony, "Find…them…"

He then fell back down flat on his back.

"Please…"

He then drew his last breath, loosening his grip on Krystal's hand. Krystal exhaled painfully and let the hand fall back down and reflexively land on his chest. She stood back up and wiped the tears away with her thumb, just as Katt knelt down and gently rolled the soldier's body over, and checking the upper left pocket of his pants. Sure enough she found his wallet, which she subconsciously unhooked it and was immediately greeted with a photo of a female long-blonde haired grey wolf holding a little girl to herself. The little girl, who appeared to be either five to seven, clutched a brown haired to her chest. Both were smiling lovingly.

Katt then bent over and retrieved the soldier's dog-tags…

NAME: Fitzroy, Armando
RANK: Sergeant
SERIAL#: C-34353-U3435

ASSIGNMENT: 1st Cornerian Vanguard

Katt put the wallet in her right back-packet and saluted the corpse, "Rest in peace, Sergeant Fitzroy."

One of the Kasrkrin exhaled impatiently and gave a quick salute to the corpse, "Time to go."

"Yes," one of the Terminators said as they both returned to the hallway outside the infirmary, "We received word from our brothers, that we have both the Toad and data from the ship's data banks."

Both Krystal and Katt turned around to find the Terminators covered in Cornerian blood, the lead Terminator holding what appeared to be the corpse of a cultist in cultist garb by the back of his blood-stained fabric. The Terminator then dropped the body, flopping on the floor with it's face in the growing river of blood at all their feet.

Krystal closed her eyes tightly, her tears having stopped their flow, but still she heard the voices in her fragile mind, and sensed that the blood stained on the soles of her heeled shoes would never come off right away.

'Fox, Jacques,' she thought distressfully, 'Where are you?'

----------

General Sturnn and Commissar Plymouth marched towards the hangar under escort by their naval officer escorts, having left Armiel and the remainder of his squad back in the control room. Now that there mission on board the space station was complete, they were bound to be needed back on board the Pacifier when they finally receive the traitors courtesy of the kemonos…after some quick negotiating of course.

"What of our xeno prisoners, General?" Plymouth inquired.

Sturnn looked over his shoulder and replied nonchalantly "Two words Commissar: Bargaining and Counter.

They stepped into the hangar and found that it was barely scratched by las and bolter fire, the Guardsman present able to hold off the Night Lord Traitor Marines with minimal loss of life – both Imperial and kemono civilian. Those Guardsmen who had lost their lives had their bodies zipped up in body bags and shuffled back into the dropships while kemono just laid on the ground with their blood seeping from their bolter riddled corpses; their friends mourning over them. Plymouth counted six dead scientists, four dead Guardsmen and three dead Chaos Marines – their armour having being penetrated by a barrage of laser fire.

Amanda's head immediately jerked up when she noticed the two Imperial officers return. She stood up, immediately having several lasguns trained on her. Sturnn noticed this and surprisingly waved them down.

"What did you do with Beltino?" the pink frog demanded, her raised voice more than enough to draw his glare.

"He's fine," Sturnn replied, "And so are you as long as he's useful."

She noticed that they were stepping towards one of the dropships, and toward a waiting officer clad in flak and wearing a helmet and armed with a power sword and laspistol.

"Major?"

"Sir?"

"You're in charge here," Sturnn informed him, "We need to return back to the fleet. Hold this station until we decide what to do with these aliens."

"Yes sir."

"HEY!"

All eyes turned to one of the younger, braver scientists, a raccoon in a lab coat, which stared to also stand up.

"What's gonna happen to us then?"

Plymouth raised his laspistol at the raccoon and pulled the trigger, firing a straight laser shot which pierced a hole through Lylatian's left ear. Some of the other scientists once again cried out, while others cringed in pain. The raccoon still stood there, a look of shock (not pain) on his face. Plymouth smiled, almost sadistically, and lowered his laspistol.

"What we decide to do with you!" Plymouth suddenly exclaimed, sounding infuriated as he once again adopted the stereotypical demeanour of the Imperial Commissar, "Not sit back down or next time I will not miss!"

----------

Fox and co. took to walking the last feet metres towards the hangar, having to practically wade through mountains of corpses, all of which were Cornerian dog cultists and many of which still had twisted, maniacal looks of pleasure of their faces. While some had tragic looks of pain and suffering as they each had retuned to sanity and reason mere seconds before their deaths. Fox wiped his nose with the tip of his boltpistol, and for a second pondered on keeping it there, aiming at his head.

"I know what you're thinking, Fox," Falco muttered out loud, not turning his head towards him but kept on walking forward, "And this is going to sound cheesy as all hell."

Fox lowered his boltpistol, "Humour me."

"It was either them or us," one of the Karskrin answered for Falco, "If we didn't kill them, they would have…"

Falco glared over at the commando and responded bluntly, "Couldn't have put it any bitterer."

"You mean 'better.'"

"Nope, bitterer," Falco responded, amused by the human's anglo accent, "It's got an I in it, heh."

Fox sighed and closed his eyes tightly, not wanting to get involved with the avian and that human's bickering. Jacques looked over at him, concern evident in his eyes. His psychic sense went out of control when he detected something enter his mind. He didn't recognise it as Chaos, but something very familiar, and whom he swore he never got acquainted with.

"Grey?" he questioned.

Fox opened his eye at hearing Jacques say that, and immediately found that his vision had suddenly became sepia-like, as if watching an old – or very poor quality – film. Fox felt his heartbeat quicken as his pupils diluted as he heard what appeared to be wind mixed with the sounds of men screaming in the background attacking his eardrums.

He looked around and found that the bodies on the ground were still; but Falco, Jacques and the other humans had disappeared. He looked around frantically and found someone crouched over the body of one of the cultist dressed in Chaos garb, his hand on his forehead and shaking his head sadly. Fox would have dropped his weapons if he still held them, both his hands shaking uncontrollably with fright.

"Bill?"

The husky took his helmet off and looked up at him tiredly.

"Hey Fox," Bill tried to say cheerful, "Good job with living up to the Imperial Creed of taking lives. Didn't think you had it in you."

Fox shook his had frantically, "N…no."

Bill smiled, "I tried to tell you all that they were coming. Didn't you see me in huddling in the corner of my little four by four cushioned cell back at the hell they called a hospital and screaming my lungs out, at the same time crapping in my boxers? The daemon told me everything, and tormented me those three months; obviously still loyal to the Dark Gods unlike that other daemon you vaporised back at Cython."

Fox gritted his teeth, "Why are you doing this?"

"What I am doing what?"

"This?!" Fox exclaimed, "Talking to me? Appearing before me like a ghost? Freaking the living daylights out of me? You should be dead?"

"I am dead," Bill responded, standing up and adjusting his pants, "But somehow I'm still talking to you."

Now Fox was getting more frantic, "How?"

"I told you, I'm still looking into that. I'll let you know if I get an angle."

"But why are you talking to me?"

Bill frowned and stepped up to Fox, grabbing him by the scruff of his suit and pulling him forward towards him. He said harshly, "Cause' you know just as well as I and everyone else that if you don't stop the freaks where they stand the killing will just continue. And not just by that rotting tin can with the top-knot, but by your own blaster."

A/N: I'll be retconning Abaddon the Despoiler's appearance. So he does have a topknot…

Now Fox was panicked, "But…"

"But what?"

"I'm just…one vulpine."

Bill glared and let go of him, "There's those other guys you hang around. Falco, Peppy, Slippy, that Space Marine and even your blue girlfriend."

Now Fox's voice was raised, "And they probably depend on me to get them out of this just like those other times."

"Why not? You took care of the Orks, Oikonny and possibly the Blood God last year?"

"Orks?" the vulpine queried, "That was just luck. But Oikonny and Chaos – Jacques and the Ultramarines took care of that fucker and the Blood God got his face smeared into the dirt as well."

"But now Khorne is back, and he's not alone this time," Bill sighed, "Nurgle, Slaanesh and Tzeentch. They're on the offensive."

Fox rubbed both his eyes and chuckled mirthlessly, "What do you want me from me, Bill? What will it take for you to stop appearing before me like this? You're tearing my reality to shreds, you know."

Bill crossed his arms and exhaled painfully, "We both know Chaos has being operating in Lylat for a long time. The question is: How long?"

"How long?" Fox queried.

"I don't know either," Bill said, "And neither does any other Lylatian and even Mortensen. Only the Chaos cults and possibly the Imperium has the answer for sure."

Fox shook his head slowly, "And they're not going to just tell us, right?"

"No," Bill responded, "Chaos'll too be shooting at you while the Imperium will be too busy either cursing your name under their breath or praying for lightning to fall on you."

"So I…we…will have to find out for ourselves," Fox reasoned, "But where do we begin?"

Bill smiled wily, "How about the source of all of Lylat's evil up to last year, Fox?"

Fox's eyes widened, "You don't mean…"

The husky nodded, "Once we find out how deep the Ruinous Powers go, we just might on the road to wiping it out for good…and I mean for good!"

He paused for a second, looking down at the ground at his feet, before looking up at Fox.

"And I'll be there every step of the way."

Fox's eyes widened, "Huh? But…"

Suddenly Bill faded away before him and Fox's vision returned to normal, but finding himself still standing amidst all the bodies and now with his comrades; he could see Slippy and Falco looking at him oddly, while the humans at their weapons trained on him. Jacques was still watching him closely, having sensed Bill's presence before him.

Falco, however, now glared at the Terminator and emphasised with malice, "You can put those down now, Fox has returned to the land of the living."

One of the Kasrkrin tapped his helmet and exclaimed, "By the Emperor, vulpine! Give us a little warning before you go on one of your little mind trips! You held us up a good thirty seconds."

"And now we'll keep moving," Fox cried, "Now I'm more than happy to off this ship."

Confused stares went all around, but they couldn't argue with that. So they kept on moving.

----------

Kneeling deep within his misty personal chambers and accompanied by his blue robe-clad neophytes, the Chief Librarian Tigerius' head shuddered under the confines of his psychic hood, having felt Bill's presence as well. A psyker neophyte looked his way…

"Brother Chief Librarian," the neophyte started, "What troubles you?"

Tigerius opened his eyes and responded, "Nothing more than usual, apprentice. I can sense more than Chaos in this system."

"Would that prove beneficial towards the chapter?" another neophyte asked, "Or would it side with the Ruinous Powers against us?"

"That is yet to be seen," Tigerius admitted as he stood up on his feet, still gripping his force staff, "But so far, it has proven friendly towards the vulpine."

Another neophyte stepped into the chamber, stood to attention and addressed out loud, "Brother Chief Librarian, we have received word that the Cornerian cruiser has been cleansed of all Chaotic lifeforms. We have extracted the data it's computers hold and will bring it back here."

Tigerius nodded and smiled, "We may need to turn it over to Star Fox if we are to understand what we have spliced. Transmit that they must turn their cognicator over to McCloud as soon as they rendezvous."

"By your command, Chief Librarian," the neophyte nodded and left the chambers.

----------

Techmarine Sachiel clutched the PDA-like cognicator in one of his mechanical service arms as he and his team made their way away from the bridge and towards the hangar. They took the closest, fastest route past all the bodies having piled up on top of one another as a result of the massive fighting between them and the Ultramarines. When it came to furry, warp-maddened cultists against power-armoured super soldiers, there was basically no contest, yet Sachiel felt incredibly bitter.

'Here I hope we do no end up killing every kemono in the system. There will not be any left by the time the Inquisition decides to subjugate Lylat,' he thought, 'If the Lord Macragge's words are true, we need every willing furry man and woman who can hold a weapon we can get.'

He stepped over one moaning, downed cultist; whom immediately tasted bolter and was finished off. The blood spurted upwards into Sachiel's helm, prompting him to wipe it away from his eye ports. He and his team continued on their way, encountering no more resistance. They soon reached the hangar and found many of the Eden Kasrkrin still standing around amongst piles of burnt scrap metal formally security combots.

"Where is Star Fox?" Sachiel asked, "We have data from this ship's computers, which can be only be read using Cornerian tech."

One of the Kasrkrin sergeants stepped forward and responded, lowering his hellpistol and sword, "I just got of the com, their one their way back…"

Fox, Jacques, Falco, Slippy and their squad then stepped into the hangar through one of the other doors, prompting the Kasrkrin to coninue…

"…and hear they are now."

Fox bent over forward with his hands on his knees and exhaled painfully, still shaken by his psychedelic episode involving Bill. Falco wiped the sweat from his forehead feathers and collapsed on his butt on the floor while Jacques moved his head around, feeling the bones creak in his neck as he temporary relieved himself of discomfort over swinging his Nemesis Force sword and destroying the enemy with his mind. Sachiel glanced over at his Battle-Brothers before stepping over towards them. The Eden Kasrkrin present stepped out of his way as he approached the Grey Knight and his kemono companions. Fox straightened his back and was immediately drawn towards the Techmarine and the many servi-arms built into his back.

"Can…I help you, Space Marine?" Fox greeted with fake enthusiasm.

'Cute,' Sachiel grumbled in his mind, before he responded, "We have the data spliced from the main computer of this vessel into this here cognicator. The Lord Macragge would appreciate if you analysis and translate this data for us."

Fox appeared hesistant, "Er…"

Fox reached forward and accepted the cognicator, examining it closely. Since he hadn't the slightest idea how to use such human-made tech, he tossed it over towards Slippy; reasoning that he would have a better understanding of how these things could work. The frog grabbed it with both hands and was immediately drawn towards the human made PDA.

"I am sure you and the scientists at the Beltino Space Station may find this information useful," Sachiel said, "It would be much easier in extracting it by wiring the brain up to soulless machine-person."

Slippy crossed his arms frowned straight at the Techmarine, before speaking rather menacingly; which sounded rather comical with his somewhat squeaky tone of voice, "You mean ROB, right?"

"Right."

Slippy gulped gently, the mechanical-like tone of voice from the Techmarine making him more nervous. He turned to Fox and had to ask, "Can we please go now."

Fox shook his head and replied, nearly frantic, "Not until Krystal and Katt gets back here."

Falco suddenly remembered the pink feline and stood back up abruptly, "Shit! I forgot about her!"

I hope you haven't featherbrain! Katt scowled over the com, causing Falco to cringe, Or I'll tear off what makes peacetime worthwhile from you.

Immediately some of the Kasrkrin grimaced as they pictured what they meant, some moving a hand over their crutches in discomfort. Fox however was relieved to hear her voice, assuming that Krystal was still with her and well. Soon enough the last door leading out of the hangar opened and out stepped Krystal, Katt, the two Kasrkrin and Terminators. Fox and Jacques spun around to greet them; a happy grin on Fox's face while Jacques simply smiled lightly, relieved.

Krystal smiled widely and walked quickly over towards the both of them and slowly spread her arms out wide, where it would appear she would embrace only Fox, whom in return half-expected her to jump into his arms and kiss him for everything he's worth. But instead she embraced the both of them tightly, with her left arm around Fox's neck and the other around Jacque' waist.

"Krystal?" both males exclaimed in surprise, before looking over at each other, wondrous.

"I'm…I'm glad the both of you are here," Krystal said softly, her smile fading for a second, before looking up at Jacques' face cheerful.

She raised her hand to stroke his face gently. This felt soothing to the Space Marine, which immediately quelled him of any physical, mental and spiritual pain he may have felt earlier. This was much to the glee of Slippy, sly of Falco and the consternated leers of the Ultramarine Terminators present. However, if one saw Sachiel's face through his helm he wouldn't have looked all that surprised.

"Thank for you saving me again," Krystal addressed to Jacques.

She then turned to Fox and kissed his lips warmly…

"And thank you for you're concern."

Fox blushed, and noticed out the corner of his left eye Katt strutting over towards Falco with a slow smile playing on his her face. Falco appeared to look nervous as she approached and was quick to ask the obvious question…

"Er…you didn't mean that, right?"

Katt smirked even wider and petted his beak, "You'd be pretty much useless, then."

Falco narrowed his eyes and looked away as if he was pouting, "Hmph…cheers."

He felt her hand on his cheek, which directed his face toward hers, where his lips were captured by hers in a kiss; uncaring of the many stares they received, especially by a redfaced Slippy who was trying not to have a nosebleed because so much intimacy in the air. A few of the Kasrkrin had noticed Falco's expression and their feeling were mixed at best.

"Ew…jammy bastards," one of them said to another, "Those two furries."

What Jacques blurted out next drew everyone's gaze, which pulled Fox/Krystal and Falco/Katt from their intimate poses, "We are now pulling out from this wretched hulk. Me and Fox will now make contact with the Imperial fleet to establish negotiations for a truce, and possible alliance against the enemy."

He looked down at Slippy.

"You will be placed with Karskrin squad 2 and sent back to our own fleet. You will be well taken cared of"

Slippy gasped, "But…but what my dad, Amanda, and all other guys back at the station."

"I will see that they will join you shortly."

Falco then glared and then referred to himself, Katt and Krystal, "And what about us?"

"You will regroup back at the Eden fleet. I believe that…"

He faced Fox, who stared back eagerly.

"…this situation calls for the leaders and commanders to address one another."

The members of Star Fox turned to their leader, who somehow felt like he was reeling after hearing Jacques speak his mind. He recollected himself instantly and let go of Krystal's shoulders, composing himself for what he was going to say next.

"I…I think I can handle this on my own," he smiled reassuringly, "I'll make sure those Imperial jerks see our point of view."

Falco smirked, "Just try not to pass out from all the anti-fur dogma they're bound to toss your way."

The vulpine shot him a mean leer, "Definitely."

Suddenly one of the Kasrkrin sergeants approached Jacques and saluted, "Commander, we have just received word from the Imperial fleet and General Sturnn."

Jacques appeared interested, "What does he say, sergeant?"

"They wish to discuss 'business' with you…"

----------

Aun'shi knelt in the centre of his chambers with his honour-blade in both his hand, the lower blade touching the floor, deep in meditation as he tried to clear his mind and assess the situation that Commander Farsight had dragged him and his expedition into. He thought of hundreds of different solutions to their problem, most involving ditching the human fleet, skipping Lylat and beginning the long journey back to the homeworld T'au in their home galaxy.

Ashamed at thinking cowardly, abandoning Lylat to it's doom and his overall thinking that conflicts with the Greater Good, he shook his head and exhaled roughly.

Ethereal, Aun'shi desk-side video communicator rang, revealing the face of a Tau Air Caste communication officer, We are receiving a transmission from Jacques Mortensen.

Aun'shi stood up and turned around to face the screen, "Patch him through, please."

The Air Caste officer nodded and the screen when black, which Aun'shi assumed because Jacques was communicating through a vox caster which didn't produce images, but only voice. He stepped towards the desk and sat down just as Jacques begun to speak…

Ethereal Aun'shi, it may interest you to know that Slippy has been rescued and the Night Lord Chaos Space Marines have been defeated.

"We know that for a fact, Grey Knight," Aun'shi responded, "For we have dispatched our own share of hostile Space Marines, and managed to avoid the ship's destruction through one of their warp-drive explosive devices. Yet, I still must worry…"

Of course you would, because of the Imperial presence here. I have thought ahead and I think it best we attempt to broker an alliance with them in order to effectively wage war against the Forces of Chaos that will soon be entrenched on the many worlds of the Lylat….that is if you do not plan to return to T'au.

Aun'shi listened to Jacques closely, nodding accordingly and agreeing with everything the Grey Knight said. How could he have known beforehand what opportunities the Imperial forces in Lylat could put forward if they were to once again, in an alliance of convenience, fight alongside one another.

"A temporary truce could prove beneficial for the Tau Empire," Aun'shi said, "If we could demonstrate we are superior, or at least as equal, as gue'la in fighting the mont'au of Chaos, perhaps they would reconsider their genocidal future goals towards us. Perhaps they would see first hand what the Greater Good could do for humanity."

Jacques' tone of voice suddenly became sullen, I doubt this would do little to change their attitude towards non-humans and their allies, but we can save billions of lives – Lylatian, human, Tau and many other races – from the Despoiler if we stop them from leaving Lylat; with the Imperium at our side.

Aun'shi rubbed his chin in thought.

I believe we will need all the help we can get.

Aun'shi nodded again, "I feel compelled to agree with you. I will meet this General Sturnn myself and negotiate the alliance between the Imperials, the Tau and…"

He then sighed, surprising Jacques on the other end.

"…the Farsight Enclaves."

Jacques sounded slightly happy as he continued, The General has announced that we will come to no harm, and I plan to make sure he keeps his word. Mortensen signing off.

The Grey Knight's image faded from the video screen. Aun'shi left his desk and made his way to the doors of his chamber. He stepped out and the guard's nearby stood to attention. He turned towards the Fire Warrior on the left.

"Shas'la, I require an escort."

The Fire Warrior nodded, "This Shas'la is at your service, Ethereal."

As Aun'shi continued, that particular Fire Warrior followed by his side. As he approached the control room, O'Shovah, Jakob and a cohort of Enclave Fire Warriors greeted him. Aun'shi frowned visibly at the renegade commander, who was now out of his armour, and made sure it was directed towards him and not the gue'la standing beside him.

"The Infinity is once again in our hands," O'Shovah declared with a smile, "And my warriors stand ready to assist Star Fox in reclaiming their stolen comrade."

"The battle ended by ten minutes ago, Shas'O," Aun'shi said, "Your presence would not have been needed anyway."

O'Shovah's smile faded, "That is a shame. Now, what of our Lylatian and gue'la allies? And of the Imperials?"

"Star Fox and the gue'la from Eden and Kronus are willing to negotiate with the Imperials over our engagements with Chaos. I thought it best if I was there on behalf of T'au."

"That is most wise, Ethereal," O'Shovah agreed, once again looking smug

The Ethereal studied the amused commander, looking sceptical. He knew he had to be cautious around the seemingly unpredictable Commander Farsight, and his behaviour as of late was fast making him very concerned about the welfare of himself and his expedition. This had brought them all billions of light years away from any Tau sept worlds to the farthest reaches of the universe in their search for O'Shovah, which had taken them years. Now that they had completed their mission in finding him, all they had to do now was bring him back to Tau so that he could explain himself to the high Ethereal Council, and Aun'va himself.

But while they were here in Lylat, that was not going to be easy. He glanced over at La'Jakob…

"Gue'vesa'Shas'la!"

"Ethereal," Jakob responded.

"I require an escort to the Imperial flagship Pacifier," Aun'shi explained.

Jakob, his devotion to the Ethereal all but evident, nodded without a second thought, "Of course."

He then immediately returned to reason and realised what Aun'shi had asked of him. He felt his heart beat faster with anxiety at the thought of meeting more humans, and that they would not be the seemingly tolerant Guardsman and the Space Marine he acquainted with earlier; but the xenophobic, borderline…no, scratch that…completely zealots of the Imperium of Man. No adequate words could describe Jakob's contempt for mankind not guided by the principles and philosophies of the Greater Good.

"Is there something wrong?"

Jakob shook his head, "Nothing…nothing's wrong, Ethereal."

O'Shovah observed the interaction between Jakob and Aun'shi, and somehow expected to become accustomed to it, seeing as how this human has managed to garner friendship and respect from anyone and everyone he meets. That included himself, Aun'shi and even the Cerinian known as Krystal, where he sensed that trust was beginning to form between them following their battle back on Titania. But when it came to other humans and could not control his inner feelings towards them, which in turn was evident when Jacques Mortensen attempted to be friendly with him and was immediately shrugged off.

'Interesting,' O'Shovah thought, intrigued, 'I wonder why he holds so much contempt for his Imperial cousins? Where did it actually originate?'

----------

The Arwings and the Shark transports left the hangar of the Cornerian cruiser, where immediately one Arwing and one Shark broke off and headed towards the Imperial fleet, while the others continued towards the Eden fleet. Krystal looked to the left side of the cockpit to see Fox and Jacques leave in a different direction. Worry was evident on her face as she then looked forward and concentrated on piloting her Arwing.

"Fox? Jacques?" she begun, "Be careful, you two."

Always, Krystal, Fox responded cooly, We'll bug out the moment they turn lippy towards us.

"Is that a promise?"

Of course, came Jacques' reply.

Krystal sighed and smiled gently, hearing the two men confirming their safety. In her Arwing Katt had overheard the communication line and smiled awkwardly, hearing Krystal speak to the both of them with much warmness.

'You lucky vixen,' she thought slyly, 'You got two guys looking out for your hide and would sooner throw themselves in front of a Imperial war engine than see you shed a tear. I swear you…have some sort of strange effect on the guys.'

Unfortunately for her Jacques, whom was busy resting and recuperating his overworked mind, senses and spiritual connection to the Warp, just happened to overhear her thoughts and immediately frowned at that suggestion. There was more to Krystal than her mere presence that can sway his attention; it was her strength of character and her desire to protect life and those she cares for that made drew him to her and to reject all prejudices over her being a xeno. And in that, he saw within her a kindred spirit.

Jacques Mortensen?

Jacques left his thoughts and responded into the vox built into passenger seat of the Shark dropship's cockpit, Governor Alexander?

I'm on my way to join you and the fox, Alexander said, then added, I suggest you let me do all the talking.

"I will note that," Jacques responded, "And be sure to have transports ready to evacuate all personnel and salvage as much technology as possible from the Beltino station."

We will bel joining you as well, Aun'shi added, Two of my Fire Warriors will accompany me.

"What of Commander Farsight?"

He would prefer spend his time sitting in his suit and whittle his fingers in amusement, Aun'shi retorted rather harshly.

Jacques rubbed his forehead, unamused, 'How like the Tau Commander.'

A Tau Orca dropship and another Imperial transport joined up with the ships approaching the Imperial fleet. Immediately those on board couldn't help but wonder if they would live to see the next day, realising that one word or body gesture out of line could spell doom for them all. Even Jacques wondered if they were able to pull this off.

Eden and Tau transports, an unknown vox line came across the ship's communication systems, Direct yourselves ships to the battleship designated 'Pacifier' and await escort.

Jacques exhaled gently, then hearing Fox say, You alright Jacques?"

"As I will ever be," Jacques replied.

The Arwing and the three transports approached the Imperial fleet, Imperial fighters still controlling the space around the Beltino Space Station. They flew towards the lead starship designated as the Pacifier, which Fox immediately guessed was the flagship. Fox was astounded by the sheer look and size of the Emperor-class human starship, seeing it up close inscribed with various defensive guns and torpedo launchers as well as marking inscribed in High Gothic.

'Shit,' he thought, not realising they these were almost no different than the Eden fleet, 'The Imperium are complete barons of industry to produce ships of these staggering quality.'

They flew into the hangar of the Pacifier, passing through the protective field and out of space. Fox looked out the canopy of his Arwing to see the hangar of the Pacifier in action, with Guardsmen taking position, weapons slung over their shoulders and cybernetic half-human servitors under the watchful eye of Techpriests at work maintaining machinery. Fox looked curiously at a group of six well-dressed soldiers armed with lasguns approaching the area where he and the other ships would land. These troops were dressed in the same greatcoats as Commissars, but now had ranking chevrons on their shoulders.

Don't let those Commissariat Cadets spook you, McCloud, came Alexander's voice over the Arwing's communicator, For all the romantic myths surrounding them, they're just normal human beings who had their emotions beaten out of them more then usual back at the Schola Progenium.

"I'll keep that in mind, Governor."

The Arwing, the Sharks and the Orca dropshop touched down inside the hangar, the Arwing situated between the two larger transport ships. Fox was the first to leap out, immediately being greeted by a dozen lasguns aimed at his heart. He held his hands up in protest…

"Hey! Hey Hey!"

An flak-armored Cadian officer wearing a cap and armed with a boltpistol, which was sitting in his left hand, addressed the vulpine with hostility, "Relief yourself of your weapons, xeno."

Fox appeared offended, but did as he was told. He muttered under his breath…

"I salute you too."

…and pulled out his blaster and dropped it on the floor at the feet of the officer, followed by his boltpistol and finally his chainsaxe, the latter which landed on the officer's foot hard and sliced some of the boot. The officer shrieked and jumped back in fright, causing one Guardsman to thrust the barrel of his lasgun in his face.

"Try that stunt again and you'll…"

They all then heard a throat clear and the Guardsman spun around to see the Commissariat cadet standing by. The Guardsmen immediately stood aside and allowed the cadet to step before Fox, past the officer. The cadet smiled.

"You've got balls to stand before a officer of the Imperium and repay his…hospitality."

"Could've gone smoother if you're familiar with the term 'courtesy.'"

The Guardsmen all lowered their guns as the Commissariat cadet laughed, "Ha! Believe me, xeno. We are extending Imperial courtesy to you. We haven't killed you yet."

The other Guardsmen all laughed as well, except the officer whose foot Fox dropped his chainaxe. Fox chuckled nervously, "Okay, I'll give you that."

Fox noticed how the Guardsmen of the Cadian 412th Shock Troopers were dressed differently then the Kronus 1st. They wore light gray flak armor over brown and green colored camouflage BDUs, and their lasguns had the golden Imperial winged-skull aquila on them. On their left shoulder plating was their regimental number: 412th.

Jacques and Alexander were the step onto the hangar floor from their respective shuttles, immediately greeted by two Commissariat cadets. Some of the personnel present looked in awe at the two men, but especially the Grey Knight. But most, including the officer to greet them, stared bloody murder at them. Jacques focused on the officer, whom he saw was equipped with a powerfist secured over his left hand.

"Lieutenant," Alexander greeted with smirk.

The lieutenant hissed, "Spare me your courtesy, Governor-Militant. The Cadian 412th doesn't tolerate the presence of traitors. I'm merely waiting for the General to give the order to put a bolt through your skull."

Alexander queered his eyebrows and asked, "I wouldn't hold you breath, lieutenant?"

"Until that time, lieutenant," Jacques spoke, "You would bring us before your commanding officer and we can begin negotiations."

The lieutenant then looked over at the Ethereal Aun'shi and his two escorts, La'Jakob and a fellow Fire Warrior, the former wearing a helm, which complimented his trenchcoat over his Fire Warrior armor. The lieutenant looked even more disgusted at the sight of the blue-skin alien elder. He and two Techpriest stepped before them.

"Turn over your weapons," he ordered, as if expecting something would go wrong, "And let's keep this as civil as possible."

"If that is part of your terms, then so be it," Aun'shi responded.

He turned to his escorts and gave them a reassuringly nod. They quickly turned in their pulse rifles, which were intercepted by Techpriests and dumped into a nearby metallic containment bin.

"Oh great Deus Mechanicus and your eternal servant, the Omnissiah, forgive us for handling foul alien tool of destruction," one of the priests cited out loudly.

"Oh wait…"

The Techpriests turned to face La'Jakob, who thrust his hands into the pockets of his coat and pulled out his submachine-guns. He handed them over to the priests, who took them and quickly deposited them into the bin.

"I will get those back, right?" Jakob asked.

The priest handling the bin looked over at him, "If the Machine God wills it."

Fox smiled lightly, and just when he was about to believe that things were finally going smoothly, the lieutenant grabbed Jakob's hand…

"Hey!"

…and studied it. His eyes widened explicitly when he realized that his hand had four fingers and one thumb, as opposed to the Tau having only three fingers and one thumb. He also saw that unlike the Tau with their hooved feet, he was wearing Cadian-made boots. He reached for his laspistol and pointed it at Jakob's head.

"TRAITOR! HERETIC! A DEFECT TO THE XENOS!" the officer screamed out loud.

Jakob could be heard to snort in disgust, before pulling his helmet off to reveal his human face. Jakob frowned at the officer as he aimed his boltpistol to his head. The officer was now completely livid, actually standing before a human having allied himself with the Tau. Fox gritted his teeth and clinched his fists tightly.

"I am bewildered to see a fellow human as well, cousin," Jakob retorted with dry humor, "The last time I saw a human in Imperial flak years ago he tried to burn my village down and butcher my neighbors."

The lieutenant removed his cap with his left free hand, revealing his shaved head, and poked Jakob's head with his boltpistol, which was slightly large than his own hand. He noticing Aun'shi looking at him with pity. The officer said, "I can tolerate a furry-loving Space Marine, a traitor general, an overevolved fox…hell even self-righteous blueskins."

He gripped the handle of his laspistol harder as he smiled menacingly.

"But a human bowing down to the heathen xeno…by God-Emperor, there is so much a man like me can take."

Fox rolled his eyes and sighed, aggravated because of humanity's impulsive xenophobia, 'Dear God, not this again.'

Jacques narrowed his eyes, 'I believe I will have to step in. Death shall surely stench the air unless someone with intelligence does something.'

The soundwaves increased tenfold when the familiar electrical screech of a laspistol was heard, but it wasn't from the lieutenant. Fox looked up at the balcony overlooking the hangar and saw a man with a slight belly dressed in military uniform with his medals and decorations pinned to it and who wore his scarlet overcoat over his shoulders. He held his laspistol above his head, where he fired again to make sure he got everyone's present attention.

Once the Commissar was in eyesight, Alexander appeared surprised, "Gabbet?"

Plymouth noticed Alexander below, immediately recognizing the 'Traitor General', though not may it be through military intelligence or rumors, rather having seen him in the flesh at one time. He saw that the Guardsmen below were obstructing the xenos and xeno sympathizers, and decided that cursing their names can be saved for another time.

"Lieutenant!" he exclaimed out loud, "Do not let the non-humans be later then they already are for the negotiations."

The lieutenant looked up and saluted, just as the Commissar disappeared back out of sight, "Right away, Commissar Plymouth."

The officer and the Guardsmen present stepped aside and allowed Fox, Jacques and company; under escort by Commissariat Guardsmen cadets, to proceed through the hangar and through the ship towards the flagship's main conference hall. Along the way, Fox and Jakob took in the completely gothic atmosphere of the Emperor-class battleship, which looked even more overwhelming then the Children of Eden's fleet craft. Jakob appeared visibly disgusted, almost not telling if he was walking through a starship hallway or a church of the so-called God-Emperor.

Alexander turned and whispered to Jacques , "I saw him."

Jacques nodded, "Regimental Commissar Anton Gebbet."

"What in God-Emperor's name is he doing here?" the Governor-Militant questioned with contempt.

The interior of conference hall on the Pacifier almost resembled that of a chapel, complete with stain-glass windows, shiny marble floors and, if one squinted hard enough, could see that the large flat table and ten available chairs were carved from the finest quality wood. Statues of Imperial Generals and Space Marines were situated into the walls, and inscriptions written in High Gothic were scatted all over the walls. The officers present sat around the table, leaving only three four spare seats. Nero sat at the main chair while General Sturnn and the returned Commissar Plymouth stood, the former pacing around the table with his hands behind his back.

A anxious looking priest clad in brown robes, with both his eyes replaced with implants, stood in the corner of the room and silently reciting in the Imperial language High Gothic from a leather-bound book reminiscent of the ancient and long-forgotten bible. A massive chainsaw-like device called an Eviscerator rested at his feet as he silently spoke to himself. Anyone in the room could make out what he was saying…

"He who allows the alien to live, shares its crime of existence."

Sturnn felt flabbergasted, where he thought, 'The Ecclesiarchy is determined to make me go on an everlasting guilt trip since Lorn V. Those damned holy men…'

Plymouth glanced over at the priest and thought, 'Here I hope the alien does not understand gothic, and is not quick to anger.'

"Lord General," one of the officers spoke up, deciding to add 'Lord' out of his respect for the man , "Since the heretics have agreed to come here, shouldn't we apprehend them once they set foot on the ship?"

Sturnn shook his head, "I gave them my honour they will come to harm, major. I will be damned if anything happens to them…at least…"

He exhaled out of his nose as he raised his head upwards.

"…until they have served their purpose. Until all of Lylat has served it's purpose."

Nero grinned behind clasped hands underneath his chin, 'Now Sturnn is thinking straight.'

The boardroom doors opened and the Coalition members entered under escort by a squad of commissariat guards. Governor-Militant Alexander and Jacques was the first to enter, with a guard right beside them; followed by Fox and Aun'shi, with two more guard following close by. Some of the officers present felt offended to see that of the two bodyguards that the Ethereal had brought along, one of them was a young human male clad in a black-coloured trench-coat over Fire Warrior armour.

Nero frowned, 'That must be the human heard over the vox.'

The other officers' (except Sturnn and Plymouth) though patterns towards Alexander, Jacques and Jakob can be interpreted as…

'Damned xeno-lovers…'

'Traitors!'

'Fucking xeno-heretics.'

And their thought towards Fox and Aun'shi were no different. In fact the priest present looked so offended and angry that it would appear he would explode. Fox found it amusing to see his reddened face, but was immediately on his guard when the robed zealot clinched his fists and pointed his finger down at them.

"IN THE NAME OF THE EMPEROR, I MUST PROTEST THIS HERESY!" the Priest yelled at the top of his lungs, "GENERAL STURN DARES ALLOW XENO AND TRAITORS' FOOTSTEPS DESECRATE ONE OF THE EMPEROR'S HOLY VESSELS?"

Sturnn looked up at him and responded calmly, "Normally I would agree with you, priest. But under these extreme circumstances…"

He dropped his calm demeanour for a impatient tone of voice.

"… you will not open your mouth again for the duration of these negotiations! Understand?"

The priest glared daggers at the priest, "The Ecclesiarchy, and indeed the Inquisition will know of this heresy, General."

"Hey!"

All eyes turned to see Fox, with his arms crossed and a sly smile playing on his face. Before the priest could direct a tirade of insults against him Fox opened his mouth and spoke with a hint of slyness…

"Give the General a break, holy man."

The priest glared daggers at the vulpine, before stepping back into the corner and muttered something about the absence of an Ordo Xenos Inquisitor. Sturnn smirked lightly, as he faced the people standing in the doorway, noticing General Alexander looking at Plymouth for a brief second, before turning his eyes back on Sturnn.

"You gave us your word we would come to no harm," Alexander reminded him.

"I still do," Sturnn replied, "If you would all kindly take a seat, we can begin discussing our mutual problems."

Fox, Jacques and Alexander complied, taking the seats on the other end of the table. As the commissariat guards left the room, Aun'shi and his guards still stood. Jakob tried to advert his eyes from the other humans present, focussing solely on both Fox and the Ethereal, but couldn't do anything about the glares he received from the Admiral, the Commissar and a few of the officers present.

"Tau?"

Aun'shi plain face gave no indication of emotion, "I think I will stand, gue'la."

Sturnn and Aun'shi stared down one another for a moment before he sat down, nodding his head. Fox took this time to study the room in detail: From the chapel-like décor right down to the individuals seated around him – the white-haired Imperial General, the balding Admiral, the black-haired scarred Commissar and the officers present around the table.

"Alright, first things first," Alexander spoke with affirmation and authority, before he stood from his seat and gave a salute, "General Sturnn, Cadian 412th 'The Fallen of Lorn IV.'"

Sturnn smiled and stood back up, returning the salute, "General Alexander of the Cadian 215th – now known as the Kronus 1st 'Liberators', former Governor-Militant of the planet Kronus."

Alexander then turned to Plymouth and addressed, "Commissar Anton Gebbet."

Sturnn's was startled at hearing that declaration, before turning to face the Commissar, who suppressed a smile.

"Greetings, General," Plymouth responded sharply, "It is good to be in your presence once again."

Nero appeared shocked towards both Sturnn and Plymouth for addressing the traitor General with respect, but was infuriated even more when all eyes turned to Fox. The vulpine smiled lightly and stood up from his seat, hands crossed behind his back as he spoke with confidence and much self-esteem despite being surrounded on all sides by humanity.

"I'm Fox McCloud, leader of the Star Fox team."

Aun'shi was next to speak, "I suppose I must introduce myself, as Aun'shi of Vior'la sept of the Ethereal caste, guiding lights of the Tau Empire."

Sturnn nodded, "I have heard of you over the las-lines, Ethereal; and surprised to see you so far our here from your Empire."

Aun'shi grimaced as he responded, "I have on good authority to keep me and O'Shovah's business in Lylat confidential for now."

Nero was once again alarmed, "Shovah?!! The infamous Commander FARSIGHT?!!!"

"The Farsight Enclaves' business in Lylat is none of the Emperors' concern," Sturnn said, "As long as it keeps the Imperium out of harm's way."

"I am yet to determine that," the Ethereal responded, "Me and my T'au raised expedition are merely monitoring the Enclave's activities after locating them, of all the places in the universe, here in this kemono populated quadrant."

Both Fox and Jacques glanced at one another questioningly, both of which then coincidently thought with slight apprehension, 'That would explain for now why the Tau are here at all.'

Sturnn nodded and sat back down, "Alright…"

Fox and Alexander sat back down.

"…if this session will come to order, I will now address the most obvious question."

Plymouth stood by Sturnn's side, where the General suddenly and menacingly narrowed his eyes, his hands laid out on the table suddenly clinched into fists as if getting ready to unleash his anger out on those sitting on the far end of the table. Jacques felt the muscles in his hand tighten, the same reaction before he would reach for his sword, which was conveniently back in the hangar of the Pacifier.

"What…in the name of the Immortal God-Emperor of Man is Chaos doing here in Lylat?" Sturnn demanded, before all but exclaiming, "AGAIN?"

Fox frowned, "We should be asking you. You've been fighting them longer than we have, and very soon we'll be out of the fight for good if we don't do something."

"If you propose yet another Lylat/Imperial alliance, then that is out of the question," Nero cut in, "No more of our own forces will be contaminated fighting alongside you again."

"If I may ask, Admiral," Jacques spoke calmly, "It is convenient that you have brought along a fleet and a massive Cadian battleforce to Lylat just to apprehend me and the Kronus 1st."

Nero smirked, "We believed we would have to come into conflict with the Lylat in bringing the heretics to holy justice. And apparently we were correct."

Fox felt like screaming in the human's face, telling him to go crawl back to whatever hive world that spurted him out. Instead he smiled widely, baring his teeth, "Jacques is right. It's convenient that you've possibly brought the entire Imperial Navy here as Abaddon the Despoiler himself is sitting on his hands high above Corneria while Chaos Space Marines pillage the surface below."

Nero smirk disappeared as he suddenly felt his throat clinch with fear, "The D…Despoiler?"

The officers present looked at one another, most likely each stricken with fear despite. Stunn and Plymouth managed to keep a straight face, prompting Plymouth to ask, "Tell us, vulpine. How did the Despoiler managed to find his way here in the first place?"

"If you're going to listen."

"You have humanity's attention."

"Alright. Get comfortable…"

In little over an hour and a half Fox slowly and carefully explained that has happened to Lylat when they tried to celebrate their untold number of years of survival. The Chaos Space Marines came down from the blackness of space through the Beltino Orbital Gate, raising armies of blood-crazed furry cult groups, which sat about hacking apart anything that had survived the Chaos Marines' massive planetary assault, which did not show any sort of conformity to the Dark Gods. Most of Corneria's home defence fell under their steel boots and bolters while others fled the planet, all agreeing to regroup on Venom, homeworld of their former enemies.

They had then escaped to the planet Titania, and came across the Tau Expeditionary force, which was accompanied by members of the Farsight Enclaves, including the renegade Fire Caste Commander himself. Afterwards they fought the Alpha Legion under Chaos Lord Ezekiel. And it was during that battle the remnants of planet Eden's military and the Kronus 1st – collectively known as the Children of Eden – entered the fray. Together they destroyed the Alpha Legion and killed both the Chaos Lord and his lieutenant Sorcerer Artemis.

Fox then made the most disturbing point of all: They had all heard the dark, evil voice of Abaddon the Despoiler himself, poised ready to conquer Lylat, then possibly march on the neighbouring galaxy where most of humanity resided, starting firstly with Segmentum Pacificus, and possibly billions of human lives. The Imperial officers present took all that to heart, and mostly took it pretty well, each one believing that the God-Emperor would see them through these dark times.

"Are…are you sure that was the Despoiler?" one of the officers asked fearfully, shaking gently in his seat.

Fox sighed and decided to be cynical, "Does threats of eternal damnation normally send chills up people's spines?"

Sturnn didn't look amused one bit, his grim stature keeping hold, "Always."

"May I ask how many men, Guardsmen and Astartes, did you had planned to deploy against the Children?" Jacques inquired.

Sturnn looked up at Plymouth, the Commissar responding out loud: "Since we now originally figured we would have to fight the entire Lylat System, we took the necessary precautions. We have 50,000 men divided into five battalions; in turn each one holds ten companies of a hundred men each. We're supported by five Armoured Companies consisting of Lemen Russ Battle Tanks, Demolishers, Sentinels and Armoured Personnel Carriers. Ten squadrons of VTOL aerial units support all these numbers."

"Any 'special' weapons?" Alexander asked, appearing curious, "Commissar Gebbet?"

Plymouth frowned at being called that, "As of now, that is classified."

Fox and Alexander looked impressed. Alexander then asked, "The Ultramarines?"

Suddenly a floating servi-skull emerged from a vent in the ceiling and hovered above the table, drawing the attention of everyone in the room. The skull then generated from it's mechanical right eye a hologram image of the seated Lord Macragge Calgar. This prompted Jacques to stand from his seat with respect, making sure his blue loincloth with the omega symbol on it is seen.

"Lord Macragge," Jacques addressed him.

Fox smirked, "I knew you weren't too far away, Calgar."

Allow me to answer that question, Calgar said, eyes focused on the vulpine, I have at my disposal half of the 1st Company, which has been flanked by ten Scout Marines drawn from the 10th Company…

Jacques was startled beyond words. The fabled Ultramarines 1st Company, half of which was home to the famous veterans of the Tyranid Wars against the Imperium, was here in Lylat. Jacques assumed that the other half of the company, composed of the Tyranid Veterans; were back in Segmentum Ultima continuing their fight against the bio-hazardous insectoids. It would appear to be overkill in sending such a massive battleforce just to apprehend him and Alexander, and to destroy the Children of Eden. There has to be some ulterior motive behind it.

"Half of the 1st Company?" Alexander queried, amazed, "That's…that's convenient."

Fox nodded, "Very. Since you won't just be fighting the Children and combined forces of the Lylat military, but almost every Chaos legion in existence is here in this part of the universe. So about a fifty bolter-wielding superhumans supporting a regiment of fanatical foot soldiers should fit the bill."

Calgar frowned, I hardly think so. The Dark Gods would surely aid the heretics by sending hordes of their daemonic servants, which would no doubt total in the millions. It would take more than power armour, our bolters, the Guardmen's will of steel, their lasguns and our combined faith…

He sounded hesitant when he finished speaking.

…it would be strength of numbers. And it would appear there are still dozens of Lylatian regiments waiting to fight Lylat, assuming they have not already fallen on Corneria.

Fox stood up from his seat, making sure he caught his, and every Ultramarines' possibly listening in, undivided attention, "Yeah, you're right about that. But…"

He then narrowed his eyes.

"…do you really want to ally with us again. Cause' if the God-Emperor doesn't approve…"

Nero suddenly lurched forward, hands slamming down on the table, where he growled, "He would not approve of you trying our patience, xeno!"

"ADMIRAL!" Sturnn yelled at him, silencing him. He then spoke softer, "And the Emperor wouldn't approve if his Imperium fell to the Force of Chaos, Horatio Dylanis Nero. Scrutiny from the Inquisition be damned if should they catch wind of this."

Sturnn smiled and stood up, causing the Imperial officers present to become anxious as they immediately guessed what he was going to say.

"I think an alliance between the Imperium and the central Cornerian government and their Tau allies can work out, so long as they don't leave this system and make a beeline for Segmentum Pacificus."

Fox couldn't help but smile lightly, having once again scored another victory in the ongoing war to connect with humanity and to find their way through their various bigotries and superstitions. Some of the officers present were shocked completely, while the priest who had been present stormed out in a cold fury. Before Nero could protest, however, Sturnn wasn't finished.

"However. We would appreciate if we had some insurance."

Fox eyes widened. He turned to Jacques, then to Alexander and finally Aun'shi. Jakob peered over at his fellow Fire Warrior with slight apprehension, and the Fire Warrior looked his way for a brief moment as well.

"Insurance, General?" Aun'shi asked.

Jacques sighed and stood up for the last time. He looked at Sturnn straight in the eye and responded, "You can apprehend me…"

Fox spun towards him shocked.

"…once we have driven the Despoiler back into the Warp."

Alexander turned to him abruptly as well, but appearing unsurprised. Aun'shi appeared confused at the Grey Knight's offer to turn himself in; while Jakob, who didn't seem at all impressed, felt his eyes waver at bit in confusion as well. Most shocked was Fox, whose mouth was practically gaping at hearing his brother-in-arms offering to turn himself in should they actually defeat the Chaos forces in Lyat. He once again felt sick, and was glad Krystal wasn't here with them.

He glared at him, almost baring his teeth, 'Jacques…no!'

Sturnn was aghast, while Plymouth eyebrows twisted to that of confusion. Sturnn asked, almost in admiration, "You…would surrender yourself to judgement as dictated by the Imperial Creed?"

"Yes," Nero smiled as he heard Jacques confirm.

"How do I know you will?" Sturnn continued firing off questions, "How do I know you won't attempt to flee once we have driven the enemy back where they came from?"

Jacques crossed his arms and stated, "You wanted to have insurance? I will give it to you, so long as do not consider the kemono animae here in Lylat as threats to the stability of the Emperor's realm now…."

He then glanced over at Fox, who was still looking distraught and angry with him.

"…and forever into the future."

The hologram projected Calgar didn't seem convinced, "As your Chapter-Master and Lord Macragge, do you swear by the Emperor, as well as the name of our Primarch of our chapter?"

Jacques responded with a determined grimace, "By the name of Roboute Guilliman I will not fail to uphold my word. Emperor and Primarch give me strength."

Calgar smiled, "And it shall be granted."

'Primarch?' Fox thought curiously, before thinking about Jacques time on the Star Fox team that year ago, 'Funny, he didn't mention this Guilliman guy much way back when.'

Satisfied by these arrangements, Sturnn begun to walk around the table accompanied by Plymouth past the other seated officers towards Jacques,. The Grey Knight looked down at the man, who was two feet less then him, and saw him extend his hand forward towards him.

"We have an alliance, Jacques Mortensen," Sturnn said, then turned to Fox and Alexander, "Fox McCloud, Governor-Militant Lukas Alexander."

Jacques turned to face Fox, who still appears distressed towards him. Fox saw a look of sadness in his eyes, as if he didn't want to turn himself in yet did it for the most important people to him, and ultimately for the greater good (the other sort). The vulpine's eyes widened, before he said to the General.

"General Sturnn," Fox said, "I believe if you want to seal an agreement between the Imperium and the Lylatian war machine you should shake hands with members of the Cornerian Armed Forces."

Sturnn lowered his hands and responded bluntly, "And where would they be?"

"On planet Venom, their emergency rendezvous point," Alexander replied, "We were on our way there to rally reinforcements in order to retake the outlying worlds bordering Corneria once they fall to Chaos."

Fox then suddenly added, "That is after you release the prisoners on the Beltino Station and allow them to bring as much of the technology they've been working on as well.

Nero rubbed his temple, believing the furries to be insane enough to designate that particular Death World as a secondary staging area, and that he was putting forward additional demands. He sighed and retorted, appearing emotionally exhausted, "Granted. Venom is where shall we go."

He turned to his vox caster.

"This is Admiral Nero to all Astropaths. You are ordered to signal the fleet for immediate departure of this sector. Our next destination is Venom."

Likewise, Alexander spoke into his vox, "All ships, prepare to resume previous course to Venom and to make way for additional Cornerian personnel."

"Likewise," Aun'shi said, "Our ship will stay close by and accompany you to Venom."

Sturnn faced him closely, "I trust you will keep an eye on your Commander Farsight?"

"We will closely monitoring him."

Jacques smiled at these developments, happy to have managed to once again secure Imperial support against their common foe. With the entire Cadian 412th, half of the Ultramarine 1st Company and possibly with dozens of Cornerian armies waiting for fight. And all of them would be supported by nearly a hundred surviving Lylatian scientists who would work around the clock in attempting to make life easier, they could stand a chance against the Forces of Chaos.

His eyes widened when he quickly realised how Krystal would react to Jacques offering to turn himself in if they manage to defeat the Despoiler. He knew she would probably be heartbroken at seeing him leave her and Lylat again, and definitely die by Inquisitorial hands. He guessed that was why Fox gave him dirty looks mixed with devastation. He closed his eyes and clinched his fists tightly, allowing Fox first hand to notice his inner conflictions.

Fox's face softened when he noticed his swaying eyes. Luckily no one else noticed this.

"So?" Aun'shi spoke up, "What do we do now as a coalition?"

"Return to your ships, Tau," Sturnn responded, no longer smiling and now appearing as hard as rock, "We possibly will meet again once we reach Venom. This meeting is over."

As Jacques sat up from his seat, Calgar said, "Jacques…"

"Yes, my lord?"

"I wish to see you as soon as humanly possible," Calgar said, sounding very forward, "We have something that belongs to you."

Jacques raised his eyebrows, "Something for me?"

Calgar then smiled, "Something that should help you remember what you stand for."

And with that Fox, Jacques, Aun'shi, Alexander, Jakob and the Fire Warrior were escorted out of the room by the commissariat guards, and not by the glares the Imperial officers and Nero flashed at them. Jakob stopped in his tracks and turned around to defiantly face the Imperials still seated at the table, and returned the glare. One of the officers immediately gasped at being stared down by a Tau gue'la and contemplated reaching for his laspistol. Jakob narrowed his eyes and smiled, before spinning around and rejoining Aun'shi, the tail of his trenchcoat moving around like a cape.

The startled officer inched his hand away from his laspistol, leaving it in it's holster, and turned to the General. Before he could open his mouth…

"I know what you're going to say, major," Sturnn said coolly, "In time he'll have the chance for redemption. And if not…"

Nero growled, "Then he's undeserving of the body he owns. In due time it will be taken away from him."

He then turned to the General, appearing serious.

"And I hope we will be able to dispose of our xeno allies in the same manner once we have driven Chaos back to their Hell!"

Sturnn again appeared hard as rock, "It would be 6,000 years in the making, Admiral…gentlemen. For the Emperor!"

The officers all stood from their seats and saluted…

"FOR THE EMPEROR!"

---

Less action in this chapter (though La'Jakob kicked some serious ass and made some Imperial enemies), but at least we've established where the Imperium will stand during the 14th Black Crusade.

Thanks for reading, and stay tuned. As always, reviews and feedback appreciated.