Disclaimer: See the Prologue

A/N: I appreciate your reviews…

(continued at end of chapter)

Chapter 18 – Perversion Ends

Long shall be your suffering. Joyous be your pain.
- Asteroth, Daemon prince of Slaanesh

With his escort of several Noise Marines, female Cornerian cultists and mounted Daemonettes, the Champion of Slaanesh himself Lucius the Eternal smiled down at the unconscious vulpine at his feet. Fox was now dressed only in his tattered pants and revealing the massive slash across his chest, which was rapidly healing and turning into a scar. Lucius licked his lips with his long tongue, a gift from Slaanesh, and got down on one knee.

"I did not think that you and Mortensen would have won over the twisted corruption of Slaanesh, and did not the expect the Eldar to outflank us this match," the Champion of Slaanesh said, "I guess the McCloud family has perfect, incorruptible genes and the best luck in the universe."

As Fox stirred, a black-armored and robed Chaos Sorcerer, who held his staff in his right and the Eden sword in his left, approached Lucius.

"I have here the kit's sword, Champion," the Sorcerer spoke in a very dark tongue, "And I believe it was the one that had belonged to his father."

Lucius underneath the hilt and sure enough saw the Star Fox insignia carved into it. He frowned and drove the sword into the ground next to Fox's head.

"Perhaps not incorruptible," Lucius changed his mind, then turned to a group of daemonettes and cultists and pointed downwards at Fox, "His carnal desires towards the Cerinian are fuel for the fires that will brand him with the Mark of Slaanesh."

Fox groaned and opened his eyes, returning to consciousness. He gasped when he saw Lucius standing over him, eyes darting around to see if there was any chance of help or escape, but finding himself rapidly surrounded.

"Hopefully what you will experience at the hand of the Pleasure God's daughters will be a thousand times better then whatever you would have experienced within the vixen's depths," Lucius bellowed, "And you will devote yourself to our master, fighting in his name and experiencing pleasure that only comes from killing his enemies."

Fox frowned and said, "Go back to Hell and rot for another ten-thousand years!"

Smiling cruelly he wasn't finished.

"Your Grey Knight brother can have the vixen to himself in the short time before we take his soul…that is if he can accept she's not his sister…heh…heh…heh"

Fox's eyes widened in shock, before he shot upwards…

"BASTARD!"

…and lunged angrily at Lucius, who slapped him across the face and sent him flying towards the daemonettes and cultists. As they surrounded them, the Black Legion Sorcerer stepped over to him, allowing him to take in his daemonic, dark visage in the form of his robes and his Bedlam staff.

The Sorcerer glared down at the vulpine, "This is with regards from the Warmaster Abaddon, McCloud. You will pay for your father's whims against the Dark Gods."

He then stretched his foot out and kicked Fox upside the head, knocking him out.

'Kry…Krystal,' his last thought was before he descended into blackness, hearing evil chuckling that begun to echo in his mind.

--

It would be safe to say that Peppy was upset, no, devastated when the live-feed images of the death and destruction of MacBeth were plastered on the vid-screens in the control room. Whispers of despair and sadness passed around the tech staff and some of the officers present while Peppy leaned back into his seat and covered his mouth with his hand, trying to remain steadfast.

"Admiral Hancock," he said, "Status report?"

We have secured orbit above the planet, sir, but we've sustained heavy damage to all our cruisers and frigates. Imperial orbital casualties report minimal.

"I see," Peppy nodded, "Planetside?"

We've just lost contact with the surface five minutes ago, sir, Hancock responded regretfully, Their last transmission, according to Colonel O'Reilly, reports they have secured the railway complex and are organizing defense against incoming enemy reinforcements.

"How long until they engage?"

They reported ten minutes. So I would say it would now be ten minutes, sir, maybe less.

"Thank you, admiral. Keep me informed of any developments."

The com switched off and Peppy tapped his fingers on his arm rest, wondering what Fox and co. must be going through, the same with his daughter on Fichina. So far no word has come from the ice planet regarding 412th 3rd Battalion under Governor-Militant Alexander's bolster of their defenses, and Peppy feared the worst.

But mostly for those he considers family.

--

Fox?

The vulpine just moaned painfully when he heard that familiar voice call to him.

"Uhhh…I'm still…alive. Some tin-can kicks me upside the head and I'm still al…"

Fox? Wake up…now!

Hearing Bill speak to him in a stern echo jolted him from unconscious. He opened his eyes to find himself in a lavish looking stone-carved room decorated with fine rugs, exotic wallpaper and paintings and the mark of Slaanesh painted on the support pillars holding the roof up. He was dangling off the ground with his arms held above him as they were chained to the ceiling, still dressed in his tattered pants, now ripped close enough to make them close to boxers.

The room was empty, save for Bill who was standing before him with his arms to his sides, and looking pensive.

"Bill…?" Fox croaked.

Bill shook his head, eyes downcast, "I figured it out, Fox."

"To what?"

"How I'm talking to you from beyond the grave."

Fox smirked painfully, eyes scanning the ground, "Cause' I'm hallucinating, that's why."

"Nope, more complicated than that," Bill stated, forcing Fox's eyes to stare at him closely, "And it's gonna affect you and possibly every generation to come once you and everyone else's buried remains will be microscopic dust."

"Oh jeez," Fox chuckled mirthlessly as he looked up at the ceiling, "Do I want to know?"

"I am…I mean I was, a Pskyer."

Fox looked back at him, the humour falling flat and he appeared serious, "What?"

"I didn't know at the time," Bill explained, "Even when I was locked up in The Cage and shitting my pants every day, somehow I knew that Chaos was going to attack Lylat and was trying to tell everyone about it. And when that goddamn daemon killed me and took over my body, my soul…"

He exhaled painfully and sat down on a chair nearby.

"…my spirit didn't die. I found myself in what they said was the Immaterium, the universe beyond our material plane."

"They?"

"Those creatures that call themselves Chaos Gods – those things that the Chaos Marines worship. They tried to absorb me into themselves, but I fled…I'm still fleeing them, hiding within the Warp and I'm exposing myself talking to you."

He smiled again, almost if he was feeling joyful.

"It's evolution, Fox. Just like with humanity, the psychic gene is developing within us, and those genes will pass onto our kids and they'll be full-blown psykers from birth. The Cerinians were the first to tap into the Warp, despite the fact very bad things come from there so they relied mostly on the natural elements…"

"Yes, yeah!" Fox nodded, then groaned, "Fire, Water, Earth…I know the whole deal."

"It's deep, it's complicated, it's thousands of years in the making," Bill explained, "But damn, look at you. I bet there's more out there that are dormant, just waiting for the right time to unleash their mental power on the universe.

He looked at him with a maddening tinge in his eyes, wiping Bill's smile off his face.

"Did you come here to just tell me we're rivalling humans in becoming mind-readers, or are you going to leave me chained here in god knows where?"

Bill rolled his eyes and stood up, snapping his fingers together, "Well, since you're currently dangling there with a blindfold in this room surrounded by cultists getting ready to cut you and dance suggestively around you half-dead body before they corrupt you I suppose I could help you."

The dog stepped forward and placed his hand on the vulpine's chest, finger slightly digging into Fox's flesh.

"This is going to hurt, and not just you either. Welcome to evolution."

"What are you gonna…?"

Fox suddenly felt a massive surge of power throughout his body and mind and he screamed out loud in agony, feeling like his soul was set on fire and that it was drawing to claw it's way out of his body. Within the darkest corners of the Warp, the Chaos Gods all felt the surge and each screamed in agony, feeling another presence threaten their very existence.

"OH GOD!" Fox screamed, eyes clinched painfully, "KRYSTAL…JACQUES…"

--

Every Psyker in the Cadian 412th all simultaneously dropped their force staff and grabbed their heads, feeling red-hot agony course their heads as migraines set in, feeling the disruption within the Warp affect them. Sturnn and his officers were startled as his personal Psyker interrupted their briefing in the command tent, prompting Plymouth to pull our his laspistol and aim it at the Psyker.

"Wait!" Sturnn exclaimed, making Plymouth lower his laspistol. He stepped over and grabbed the Psyker by the shoulder, "What can you sense?"

"A great pain…m-m-m-m-m-my lord," the Psyker responded shakily, "A g-g-g-g-reat disturbance within the Warp, and the Emperor's Light, thin it already is in this opposing galaxy, faded for a brief second."

"What does that mean, Lord General?" one of the senior officers asked.

Sturnn shoved the Psyker aside and turned towards his office, grimacing, "It means that Chaos is up to something. What of our hold on this base?"

"Every platoon, armoured weapon and portable defences has been propped in the direction which the enemy reinforcements will engage, which are the southern and southern-western flanks, my lord," another senior officer reported, tapping his earpiece vox with a look of smugness "With 3rd Battalion reporting planet fall we will hold the enemy off, wipe them out, then advance to secure this world."

Sturnn slapped his hands together, "The Emperor must truly be with us this day. Traitors and xeno may be among us fighting our enemy but the Emperor is with us."

"Certainly, General," Plymouth said, "Shall we be joining the defences in the residential and southern administration areas?"

Without a word, Sturnn extended his lightning claws and signalled his officers to follow him out of the tent and into the battle. His Command Squad waited out side and all saluted when he pulled back the flap of his tent. With the standard bearer walking beside him the General, followed by his subordinates, marched to personally take charge of the impending defence of the secured railway complex.

Some distance away near their stationed Arwings, Falco and Katt were busy stretching their bodies and trying to rid themselves of the knots in their muscles following their massive air battle. Knowing that they would be jumping back into the cockpits soon enough they decided to loosen up as best they could. Falco gritted his teeth as he moved his head about and felt his neck bones creak.

"Ah, that's smarts," he groaned, "Hey Katt…"

"Hmm?" the feline was stretched his legs forward one at a time.

"You see Fox, Krystal or Slippy around?"

"And Jacques?"

Falco frowned, "Yeah, and him as well."

Katt looked around the blood-soaked administration ground, narrowing her eyes as she scowled carefully, seeing most Guardsmen platoon rushing off to their station of defence while others laid about the ground being tended by the medicae personnel. She was suddenly startled when a certain green frog appeared before her and Falco.

Slippy smiled, "Hey Falco! Hey Katt?"

Falco's felt his heart stop when he saw the state of the frog. His cap was missing, replaced by a strip of red cloth around his forehead with scars running down his face and over his eyelids. Slippy's smile faded upon realising why they looked at him shockingly.

"Shit, Slippy!" Falco cried, "Did you get thrown through a window or something?"

"If by window you mean the Arwing canopy, then yeah," Slippy nodded, "I'm not that ugly am I?"

Falco smiled and patted him on the shoulder, "Don't sweat it, Slip. Chick's dig scars, right Katt?"

Katt crossed her arms, looking plain, "If I did, would I still hang around you?"

"Good point."

Slippy's eyes widened, he desperately thought, 'What if Amanda gets repulsed by me now? I'll die if I can't be with her.'

The frog shook his head and then asked, "Where's Fox, Jacques and Krystal?"

"We are right here."

Slippy jumped in fright when Jacques and Krystal, both bloodied and bruised, appeared behind him. Falco ant Katt's were shocked once again when they saw the scar etched on Krystal's face, and immediately dreaded asking where Fox was.

"Er…Fox?" Katt stated.

Jacques and Krystal glanced at one another, causing Falco to gulp slightly in fear.

The vixen turned to him, "They took him."

"How?" Falco exclaimed, starting to get angrily, "How the fuck did they get their hands on him?"

Krystal exhaled through her nose and collapsed on her behind, hiccupping slightly and massaging her forehead with her hands, "I…I don't know…"

"Sorcery!"

All heads turned towards the approaching 24 Ultramarines led by Calgar, Tigerius and Cassius, minus the only one that had lost his life during the attack, having been overwhelmed on all sides simultaneously by cultists and daemon, and was torn apart. He had just received the Emperor's Peace minutes ago and his Gene Seed retrieved by the Apothecary.

"There is a Sorcerer present on this planet," Tigerius stated again, growling, "He grabbed McCloud after Jacques delivered the final blow to the Keeper. I sensed his power…"

The Chief Librarian frowned and gripped his force staff.

"He is of the Arch-Heretic's personal stock."

Krystal looked at Tigerius, appearing hopeful, "Can you sense where Fox is? I thought…I sensed the warp come from him."

'That was impossible,' Jacques thought bitterly, 'Fox is a dormant psyker. Why did I not sense it before? This is insanity.'

Tigerius opened his mouth to answer, but was interrupted by Cassius who frowned and declared, "Are you sure you want to try and recover McCloud? Seeing as how by now he would have been corrupted by the minions of Slaanesh."

Krystal felt rage well up inside her, not forgetting how just a quarter of an hour ago Cassius had threatened both her and Jacques' lives, and forcing the vixen to purify Jacques or possible taint or he would kill him herself. And that definitely struck a nerve, especially with her vow to protect him. It was taking all of her self-control to not just rush the Chaplain and beat him towards an inch of her life for threatening her best friend's lives.

She downcast her eyes and whispered, "I don't want to hear you speak again, zealot."

Jacques' eyebrows raised and looked down at her, startled.

"What was that?" Cassius intoned.

Slippy, Falco and Katt looked at the brewing hostility between Krystal and Cassius with apprehension, while Calgar and Tigerius watched with interest.

Krystal looked up at him, anger blazing her eyes watch made some of the Marines present to handle their boltguns tightly, "I said I don't want to hear your voice again, zealot!"

"Why so hostile?"

Krystal glared and gripped her staff, which extended in her hand. She cried, "You dare ask me why? You think I'd just forget what you tried to do to Jacques just now?"

Intrigued, Cassius thought, 'She's only thinking of him, not the fact I wringed her by the neck. She thinks that much of him? Interesting.'

Jacques sighed and grabbed Krystal's left arm tightly, but not tight enough to hurt her, rather stop her from stepping forward with her staff and risk getting herself killed over him. She looked up at him and how he looked at her sternly. He shook his head slightly.

'Not now, Krys,' Jacques thought to her.

Krystal's eyes widened, 'You can't let him get away with that! He would have killed you.'

'Do not worry. He will not do that again. But if he dares try to hurt you again….'

Calgar interrupted their mental exchange and said, "Thank you Brother Mortensen for keeping the Cerinian under control."

Krystal calmed down, but embittered at Jacques' unwillingness to do anything, even if it was towards a higher-ranking Astartes, stepped up from him and kept space around herself. The members of Star Fox looked at her with confusion.

'That hell is with her?' Falco thought.

Slippy however frowned, 'I saw what that Chaplain did to Jacques and Krystal. God, I wouldn't want to be in his metal shoes.'

Jacques looked at her sadly, already feeling regret for what transpired between the both of them and Cassius, before Calgar brought him back to reality.

"Now to other matters," Calgar continued, "Such as the defence of this complex against the approaching Slaanesh army from the south. Tigerius?"

Tigerius tapped his forehead and relayed, "I sense that McCloud is being held ten miles to the south, and if that massive psychic wave we psykers just felt is any indication then his power had just been awaken, and for a brief moment the Immaterium itself was affected."

Jacques grunted and moved his left hand to his face, feeling blood trickle from his eye. He then balled into a fist.

"That was an intense warp signature,'" he cried, feeling more embittered, "Lord Macragge, we must recover Fox as soon as possible!"

"Settle down, Mortensen!" Calgar exclaimed, "First we must prepare for the oncoming onslaught, then we shall proceed to retake this planet in it's entirety after we have established our beach-head once and for all here."

Falco chuckled, then hissed, "You like the sound of your own voice, don't ya' Marneus?"

Calgar snorted and stepped over to him, causing Falco to visibly wince at the mere size of the Chapter Master compared to his.

"If you desire to save McCloud now and forsake our defences here, then by all means go ahead," Calgar told him, "But I guarantee that you will not survive."

Feeling crestfallen Falco gritted his teeth and waved his hand in defeat, "Forget I said anything. We can't pick up his signal anyways."

Calgar nodded, then ordered out loud, "My Brothers! Execute Protocol 18 as dictated by the Codex Astartes – Defensive strategy. Let us proceed!"

And with that the Ultramarines strode past Jacques and Team Star Fox, mixing in with the sea of Guardsmen as they mouth to the south of the base in preparation for the attack, leaving them with an atmosphere of discontent and malevolence.

"Well, that was…" Slippy begun, then noticed stares of annoyance at him, "Er…never mind. Hey Jacques…"

"Yes?"

"Cassius attacked Krystal and you didn't do anything about it," Slippy reminded him with a frown, "What's up with that?"

Jacques gritted his teeth in frustration and announced, "I expected him to attack me when I refused to have the taint exorcised out of me right away. I did not expect him to outright lay his hand on Krystal."

Krystal looked at him, sadness evident in her eyes as she could only imagine what effect this would have on Jacques, seeing as how he probably looked up to Cassius, as did the rest of the Ultramarines, as the centre of spiritual enlightenment within the Chapter. And for him to attack Krystal must be stirring up feelings of conflicted loyalties towards Cassius, and possibly the entire Chapter. She knew that loyalty was one of the things driving Jacques onwards. More specifically: Loyalty to the Chapter and to the Emperor, and loyalty to her. She hoped he would never have to put in a position where had the choice of one or the other. It would destroy him and her, whatever he chose.

Krystal sighed, "You don't have to worry about me, Jacques. I can take care of myself."

"Aw, crap," Falco rolled his eyes, "I know where this is going. Look, can we concentrate on pulling Fox out of whatever hell-hole he's being dropped into and kill the rest of these tainted pricks-of-a-tin-cans."

He then lowered his head and chuckled mirthlessly.

"I'm not gonna be sleeping well tonight, that's for damn sure."

"Ditto," Katt added softly, lovingly wrapping her arms around his neck and nuzzling the back of his neck. She noticed the others looking at him and her and she frowned, "Well…we've got work to do, right?"

"Yes," Jacques nodded and loaded his storm bolter with a fresh clip. He then had an idea…

"Falco?"

"Big man?"

"Is the Great Fox on stand by?"

--

Meanwhile some distance away and sitting in front of the main administration building on some stone benches in front of a still functioning fountain…

Unhand that child immediately! The Emperor's Chosen demands it!

You can't tell me what to do Mr. High-and-Mighty Space Marine brat! He's my good-for-nothing daemonspawn son and I'm gonna do to him what I should have done when he killed my wife!

You are out of line! Put that bottle down and unhand him.

C'mere you little shit! You little…ARGHHHH! MY ARM! MY FUCKIN' ARM!!

I warned you! Those who dare lash out at humanity's future will feel the Emperor's wrath on their heathen heads.

No, please, wait…I'm sorry, I'm drunk…

Step outside, boy.

Jakob, wait…don't leave…I didn't mean…

….

….

….

Prepare for judgement, child-beater!

NO! NO! ARGHHH…urk…!

"AHH!"

La'Jakob opened his eyes and cried out in fright, almost standing up from his sitting position on the side of the fountain in fright, sweat rolling down his face. He looked around frantically, gradually realising the stares he was getting from his fellow Tau and any Guardsmen and Cornerian soldier that passed, and that he realised he had been caught in the midst of what can be perceived as a day dream.

La'Tash stepped up to him, "Another daydream, La'Jakob?"

Inhaling and exhaling painfully, Jakob looked at his watch and saw that he had four hours until he had to dose up on his steroid medication, lest he succumbed to the effects of Nerve Rot.

"Damn Nerve Rot," Jakob cursed silently, "And damn myself for setting foot on that damnable planet. I inflicted it on myself."

Tash looked at him confusingly, "From what you told us at the beginning you were dumped on that death world by the Space Marine gue'la along with your friends. You can't blame yourself for that."

Jakob nodded, frowning at him, "I know that, La'Tash. I know that."

He then looked down at himself and sighed as he sat back down

"I just wish I was stronger, then I would have spared myself this condition and they would be here with us fighting for the Greater Good," Jakob drifted off, "Mikki, John…"

"Gue'vesa'Shas'la!"

Jakob's head shot up and he stood up to greet a running Pathfinder, who stood before him and took a few seconds to catch his breath.

"La'H'yuk?" Tash crossed his arms, "What is going on?"

"Is there anything to report?" La'Jakob queried.

"It's the Coalition," the Pathfinder known as La'H'yuk said, "They're prepping for the defence of the Landing Zones. Reports indicate that a massive column of Chaos Marine reinforcements is approaching our position."

Jakob nodded, "So Imperial intelligence is reliable after all."

"There is another thing," La'H'yuk continued, "Further intelligence points out that Fox McCloud is missing in action."

Alarmed, the gue'la cried, "What? How?"

"What I heard was vague, but during the battle against the daemon he disappeared without a trace," La'H'yuk explained further, "And but not before exhibited some kind of power that saved the lives of the last Cerinian and the Grey Knight?"

'Power? Does he mean that mont'au source known as the Warp? And where is Commander Farsight?' Jakob thought with a frown, before he asked, "Are there plans to search and rescue McCloud?"

The sounds of plasma engines were heard as O'Shovah and the Crisis Suits touched down behind La'Jakob and the Pathfinders. One XV88 landed in the fountain and sprayed water into the air, soaking some of the Pathfinders. La'Jakob flinched when some of the water hit him in the face and he spun around to face O'Shovah.

"Not at this very moment, gue'la," O'Shovah spoke through his suit's com system, "Which is a shame, seeing as how he played a vital role in securing this complex."

Shocked, La'Jakob ran a hand through his hair and asked, "So we are not going to do anything?"

"I said 'Not at this very moment,'" O'Shovah reiterated, "Once we have defended our positions from the impending Chaos counterattack we will begin tracking down and eliminating the remaining Chaos forces on the planet. McCloud is bound to be among them, assuming they have not killed him already."

"What did you do with those Cornerian artillery cannons, Shas'O?" La'Tash inquired.

"Turned them over to the Cornerians," O'Shovah replied, "They can handle them better then we can. Now…"

He fired up his jetpack.

"…back to the front. I expect you and the Pathfinders to be covering your allies."

La'Jakob nodded and beat his chest in acknowledgment as the XV88s ascended back into the air and out of sight. He turned to the Pathfinder, picking up his rifle, which had been leadning against the fountain.

"Alright, let us make ourselves useful," he stated, "For T'au!"

"For T'au!" the Pathfinders responded, grabbing their weapons and running in the direction of the Crisis Suits.

As La'Jakob moved to follow, La'Tash grabbed him by the shoulder and mad him stare into his visor.

"La'Tash?"

"Surely you haven't put all your trust in Commander Farsight, La'Jakob," La'Tash queried anxiously, "He and the Enclaves are still separated from the rest of the Empire, and the Greater Good."

La'Jakob smirked and squeezed his shoulder in response, "I am still wary of him, Tash. If he should turn against Aun'shi, I will standing there between the both of them."

"I'll hold you to it then, gue'la."

He then heard his com beep and his answered it.

On second thoughts, La'Jakob, O'Shovah recanted suddenly, There are plans to retrieve McCloud.

"There are, Shas'O?"

"Seek out Mortensen. He will tell you more."

--

"Wow, Fox. I didn't know you were into this sort of stuff."

"Uhhhhhh….Wolf? Yo…you're alive…?"

Seeing nothing but black and still feeling like he was hanging by his arms from the roof, dangling some millimetres off the floor, he coughed out loud and moaned, feeling like had had just been set on fur and even smelling his own cooked fur. And just then he heard the voice of his long-time rival, and whom sounded he was chuckling.

Another familiar voice lamented, "Oh dear, I would've like the décor in here if it wasn't for all the extra red."

Yet another familiar added with a chortle, "Yeah, wonder what went on in here? They fought over who was gonna skin him first, heh heh heh…my kinda' people."

"Pipe down, you two," Wolf barked, then addressed Fox, "Well, pup I wouldn't say it's nice to see you again…and I guess I caught you at a very unpleasant time. I mean, you just dangling there in your boxers right in front of me, where the remains of about a dozen cultists lay strewn around us and looks like you just took one right in the chest. You're wide open."

Fox yelped in pain when he felt the duct tape around his eyes sockets get ripped off, taking some fur with it. When his view cleared it revealed Wolf to be standing in front of him, a smile upon his face with Panther and Leon standing in the background, in the nicely-decorated, yet bloodstained and body-riddled room with it's door blown out of it's hinges and into the hallway. Wolf held the tape that had some of his orange fur on it and cast it aside towards Panther, who made a face of disgust and stepped out of the way.

His face now stinging with the rest of his body Fox narrowed his eyes and hissed, "Gonna finish me off, Wolf?"

The lupine pulled out his combat knife and waved in front of the vulpine's face, still smirking, "That's really tempting, pup. I could just plunge this right in your heart and be done with you. But then again…"

He withdrew the knife and sighed.

"…I'd sink even lower then the perverts."

He then raised his knife and drove the blade into the padlock holding Fox's hands together. Twisting the blade, which was in the keyhole he released Fox, who slumped onto the ground from pain and exhaustion. Wolf groaned and appeared annoyed, where he kicked Fox in the side of the ribs, who cried out in pain and moved into a fetal position on the floor

"Now that is just pitiful, Fox," Wolf growled, "Panther, Leon…we're wasting our time here."

As he turned to leave, he suddenly stopped. Fox looked up at the lupine and saw him look over his shoulder back at him.

"One thing, though," Wolf said, then turned back around to face him, "What exactly went on in here? From the looks of the pervs they huddled around you, then suddenly they were torn apart. From the direction of the bodies and the blood splatter, it came from your direction."

Leon shook his head and sneered, "He's not one of those psychic freaks, is he? Heard they can tear armies to pieces just be staring at them."

Wolf raised his left eyebrow in interest, "What makes you say that?"

"Remember that job back on Kew and Governor Jaeger's advisory staff? Total carnage." Leon replied, then made a face. He then turned to Panther suddenly, "Oh, this was before you came aboard."

"I wasn't worried," Panther responded, then nudged towards Fox, "What do we do about him?"

Fox coughed some more, causing Wolf to turn his nose in disgust.

"Leave him. He can find his own way out of this mountain and the Chaos encampment at it's base by himself," Wolf said, sounding cryptic, "Let's go."

Panther smiled, "Heh…if he dies here that leaves Krystal…."

"And her tin-can of a bodyguard," Wolf interrupted, "Don't get any ideas."

The vulpine closed his eyes tightly and heard their heavy footsteps exit the room and down the corridors. Suddenly the sound of gunfire was heard followed by the slumping of bodies. Fox's eyes shot open when he realised something.

'Mountain?' he thought, 'The only bit of elevated terrain on MacBeth is Mount Twirlenkiller. Chaos base? Does Wolf mean their main base of operations?"

He rolled over on his stomach and put his hands firmly on the floor, attempting to lift himself up from the floor. Slowly and gradually he stood on his own two feet, taking time for his eyesight to adjust and the wobbliness in his vision to subside, stepping back roughly and putting his back against the wall. He tried to not let the look and smell of the blood and dead cultists get to him, electing to focus his mind on something else.

'Leon mentioned 'psychic freaks'?' Fox thought, 'Did he call me a psyker? That can't be right. I would have already torn Star Wolf's ships in half a long time ago when I thought about it. Heh…look at me, I'm ruminating mentally. How pathetic is that?'

He groaned and stretched his arms, working the kinks out of his battered, still sore body.

'Recap: We land on MacBeth, take the base, I get captured and sent here where I most likely would have had very bad things done to me if somehow these freaks hadn't exploded mysteriously and Wolf unchain me. Shit, Wolf…'

He frowned.

"The hell are you playing at?"

He heard moaning from a horizontally bisected male cultist laying at his feet. He looked down and immediately put his foot out and crushed his neck, killing him. He then reached down and pulled the cultist's Slaaneshi dagger from the sheath attached to his chest. He then looked at the other end of the room and battered out door.

The strength somewhat returned to the legs he hobbled towards the exit and peered out, seeing tainted Cornerian soldiers dead on the floor and against the wall. He walked over and retrieved a machine-gun, holding in with his right hand with the dagger in his left hand.

He breathed in deeply and exhaled, trying to relax, "Here I go…by myself…again."

--

The thundering roar of engines, marching feet, hedonistic laughter and whipping could be heard miles away as the massive line of Chaos reinforcements approaching the railway complex from the south. Traitor Marines marched in fours between armoured columns of Predators, Rhinos and Defilers with a large mass of cultists and daemonettes walking behind them. The sounds of whip came from Aspiring Champions that mingled in the crowd of cultists, whipping away at their minions to make sure they move faster and in time to spill more blood in the name of the Chaos God of Pleasure.

"Move it you lazy sons and daughters of whores!" the Aspiring Champion shouted out loud, gripping his whip tightly, "Fur, human and daemonette alike! Slaanesh demands their souls!"

He pushed through the crows and climbed up top of a Predator, pulling out his magnoculars and zooming in over half-a-mile, seeing the walls of the southern-sector of the complex. The hundreds of Imperial Guardsmen and Cornerian troopers stationed there at their lasguns, plasma guns, bolter and lascannon emplacements locked in the enemies direction.

He smirked, 'They stand no chance against the likes of us. We just need to shell the wall, send the meatshields in with me and my Brothers following close behind with the armour at our backs and the loyalist scum will soon be begging for quick, merciful death. Oh, Slaanesh has blessed this day.'

Artillery shells suddenly landed on the columns, sending cultists and Marines flying everywhere, causing many others to scatter and seek protection behind their vehicles. They briefly saw Valkyrie and Imperial heavy transports ascend into the atmosphere to the west of their position, then their targeters and sensors went off the scale as they picked up 2nd Battalion approaching them. The Baneblade and Leman Russ' leading the thousands of Guardsmen that have finally joined the battle.

"Slaanesh damn them!" the Aspiring Champion growled, "A trap…tis' a trap…!"

He didn't have time to argue when more artillery, Imperial Earthshaker rounds and Cornerian plasma, descended upon them from behind the walls of the rail complex. The Aspiring Champion grimaced and leapt down from the Landmaster, weapons in hand. He then looked up to the sky and cried out in a loud, desperate, pleasing voice.

"SLAANESH! SAVE US!"

As a response a pinkish circle burnt itself into the ground around the Emperor's Children column and pinkish energy spurted upwards, where all artillery and tank shots were absorbed into the shield. One of the officers leading the 2nd Battalion raised his magnocular as he struck his head out the porthole from his Leman Russ.

"Cursed Dark God! I didn't think he'd lend his hand into this battle personally."

When the shield disappeared in revealed a thousand more Daemonettes ready to join the battle, ready to charge both the 2nd Battalion and the rail complex. One shrill feminine cry later the Emperor's Children reinforcements split themselves up, with one group charging the rail complex the other attacking 2nd Battalion.

The Guardsmen of 2nd Battalion, spurred on by their Commissars and Priests, charged ahead of the tanks, fingers on the triggers of their lasguns and assorted heavy weapons including plasma rifles and meltaguns. One of the Commissars present, a bald-headed large man with his prayer book on his equipment belt, was armed with a powerfist and a power sword – A Close-Combat Commissar.

The daemonettes of Slaanesh were the first to charge 2nd Battalion, and though most of the Imperial weapons were unsanctified and generally not suited for battle against daemons the Chaos minions found themselves getting worn down instantly. When they were range they hurled themselves at the Imperial Guard. The Commissar swung his powerfist and decimated the head of a daemonette, then swung his power sword and cleaved another vertically in half.

The defenders on the complex outer wall, Cornerian and Imperial alike, opened fire on the approaching enemy forces. Blaster rifles and lasguns mixed with each as they felled the cultists, but the Slaanesh Marines were taking damage slowly and continued advancing, firing their bolters and sound blasters. The Chaos Predators and Defilers fired their autocannons and artillery, hitting the walls and splattering many defender, their remains falling on the pathways and roads below. Imperial Basilisk artillery moved to the centre of the administration district continued firing, pummelling the Chaos forces but not destroying them fast enough, allowing them to approach the walls.

Colonel O'Reilly was amongst the defenders on the walls, taking cover behind the parapets, blaster rifle in hand. He adjusted the cap he wore and called out, "I thought 2nd Battalion was gonna handle these guys! Where the hell are they?"

The avian parakeet soldier near him tapped his helmet-com and responded, "Enemy troops have divided. One half is engaging the Imperials, the other are hitting us, sir."

"Any word on…"

He stopped when the parapet was hit by a missile blast as he dropped onto his stomach along with the other Cornerian with him.

"Shit! Any word on Star Fox?"

"Sir! LOOK!"

Another soldier pointed up towards the sky and the clouds above the base. Sitting up, O'Reilly saw the Great Fox II slowly descending from the sky, and immediately the com-soldier's equipment present sprung to life as it intercepted the transmission from the Dreadnought-class cruiser.

This is ROB to ground team. Received instructions to descend planetside.

Yeah, that's great ROB…

"Lombardi," O'Reilly recognised the voice.

…we need to hit orbit right now. Fox is in trouble and we need to track him down.

That would be impossible as right now warp-emanations are scrambling tracking and most communication systems at the moment.

There is another way.

"Mortensen," O'Reilly identified the next voice. He tapped his earpiece com and spoke into his mouthpiece, "What are you playing at, Star Fox?"

Colonel, Krystal said, We stand a better chance tracking down Fox if we scan for him in orbit. Calgar?

Ill-advised, but it is worth a try? General Sturnn?We can use the air support right now. In case you haven't noticed…

My thoughts mirror your own, General, Jacques spoke up, ROB, do you have any missiles equipped?

Affirmative.

Launch two at the Chaos forces incoming.

Acknowledged.

The soldiers present were compelled to block their ears as the loud, thunderous sounds of the Great Fox II firing two large defensive missiles from it's ports which sailed over the base and over the walls towards the incoming Chaos force, striking both the charging mounted daemonettes and cultists and the Chaos Marines and mobile armour. Two large explosions later they were reduced to nothing save for ashes.

One of the Cornerian soldiers present smiled joyously and laughed, "KABOOOOM! BURN YOU TIN-CANNED SKINNY BASTARD!"

Another Cornerian soldier promptly slapped him over the head, then pointed his thumb towards the glaring Imperial Guardsmen present on the wall. The officer amongst them looked over the parapets to find the daemonettes having been vaporized and the approaching split Chaos forces at half-strength thanks to the Great Fox II's offensive tactic.

"Keep firing, you dogs!" the Cadian officer bellowed out loud, firing his laspistol and raising his powerfist into the air, "For Cadia! For the Emperor!"

--

The Great Fox II hovered near a high-rise office building where Jacques, Slippy and Krystal ran towards it, Falco and Katt already flying in their Arwings into it's hangar and docking within the carrier. As they approached the building they notice three Thunderhawk transport-gunships in the air as well as a Aquila Lander.

Jacques tapped his vox-earpiece, "Lord Macragge?"

2nd Battalion is about to rout the ostensible Chaos 'reinforcements, Mortensen, Calgar said, We and our Brothers must now track down and eradicate the true source of the taint here on MacBeth. 1st Battalion will stay here to secure the complex.

"Do you have any idea where they could be?" Jacque asked again.

We were hoping you could find out, Tigerius said, Methinks you are more capable of reaching out to your brother, and not attract the attention of Slaanesh's champion.

"And who is that?"

Lucius the Eternal himself walks on the surface of this hollow world.

Jacques felt his muscles stiffen when he heard the title of the Captain of the 12th Company of the Emperor's Children Traitor Legion. The Champion of Slaanesh – it is said he has never been beaten in battle, that every time he is killed his killer becomes his successor. But the Astartes knew the truth, that every time Lucius is killed his soul takes over his killer's body and corrupts it until it takes his form. The now possessed Marine's soul would be added to all the other souls that are embedded screaming into his corrupted artificer armor.

"The 'Eternal'?" Slippy queried, rubbing the side of his head, which still ached like hell and the grubby bandage around his wound irritated it immensely, "Another title? Sounds dangerous."

Believe us when we say it is, Cassius added, The moment you seek out McCloud, that is when we will know where Lucius stands. And we will deliver judgement on his heathen head.

Krystal looked maddened when she heard Cassius' voice again, but she calmed down and her eyes lit up when she remembered what Tigerius said and how he referred to Fox as Jacques' brother, which sounded very unbecoming of a Space Marine, or an Imperial human for that matter. She looked over at Jacques, and immediately remembered her last conversation with La'Jakob concerning Jacques and Fox:

They share the same eyes.

She smiled to herself, 'It's one-in-a-million, really, that those two have the same eye color and treat each other like brothers. Maybe the Space Marines have finally realized this.'

"Mortensen! Star Fox!"

All eyes concentrated on the approaching band of Tau Pathfinders led by the human convert in the trenchcoat. La'Jakob smiled and nodded his head towards Krystal, who smiled back softly, and addressed those before him in a disciplined, emotionless manner.

"We have orders from our Fire Commander to accompany you on your mission."

Jacques looked at him curiously, "You overhead our vox-lines?"

La'Jakob shrugged, "It was not difficult to adjust and tap into your frequency. Where Fox McCloud is held, surely the remaining Chaos forces will be. For the Fire Caste it will count as a recon mission."

Jacques looked over at Krystal and Slippy, Slippy raising his eyebrows, smiling and nodding in agreement.

"It will," Jacques said with no apparent emotion, "Let us proceed."

La'Jakob eyed Jacques wearily, before he and the Pathfinders stepped into the building past them and headed straight for the elevator which would take them to the roof and to the Great Fox II. Slippy looked at Jacques oddly, having seen the exchange between both humans. To him, it was as if they were weary of each other in a somewhat defensive way.

--

Wolf marched down the bloodied hallway with Panther and Leon at his left and right sides, bayonet-attached heavy blaster in his left hand, Panther armed with a blaster rifle and Leon with a salvaged boltpistol. The lupine didn't look at all pleased at the sight of the Imperial/Chaos-produced projectile weapon.

"Did you have to pick that up from the first dead skinny we came across?" Wolf asked.

Before Leon could retorted snidely wild laughing could be heard ahead of them and right behind them. Suddenly a group of three cultists ran around the sharp turn into the hallway, knives bared. Leon smirked and raised his boltpistol, firing two shots, shattering the skulls of two of the cultists, leaving the last one to lunge at Wolf with his knife.

As Leon and Panther stepped aside Wolf swerved his head to the left to avoid the strike, before bring his left foot back then projecting it forward towards the cultist's crutch, kicking him right there and sending a burst of wild, unimaginable pain that drove the cultists to a sensual, laughing fit. Wolf then grabbed the cultist by the shoulders…

"HRRRRAAAAAGGGHHHHHHH!"

…and with a cry of might he performed a vertical suplex on the cultists, the Slaanesh loyalist painfully landing on his back behind the group. After Wolf stood back upright he pulled his blaster back out and spun around, firing a blue bolt of heavy blaster fire into the cultist's chest, finishing him off. Gunfire could be heard from behind them down the hallway, following by hedonistic laughing and screaming.

"I take it McCloud's right behind us," Panther stated, the lamented, "Pity."

Wolf smirked, "And that's our cue to keep moving. The hanger's just ahead!"

Fox stepped into the same hallway just as Star Wolf left headed and made a beeline towards the hangar situated in the mountain base. He looked down to see one of the cultists still hanging onto his foot despite having been disembowelled by Fox's knife. He pulled his foot out of the cultist's grasp and ran, deciding to leave the cultist to his fate.

As he ran, he bent over to pick up a fallen blaster rifle and took a left through a door titled 'Maintenance'. He was greeted by an even tighter corridor with pipes running through and, still running, navigated through the passage, jumped and leapt through the tight spots between the steam and water pipes. Another minute of this frenzied rushing later he kicked open the door leading onto the hangar's balcony.

He looked down to see Wolf, Leon and Panther blasting their way through on the ground floor, continually assaulted by cultists both taking cover or rushing with their knives, the latter gunned down quicker. Wolf stretched out his left palm and snapped his fingers, the Wolfen beeping and immediately opened it's canopy, allowing the lupine to jump in and strap down. Leon and Panther followed suit.

Seeing this as his chance he leapt down from the balcony landed on the hangar floor below, immediately dodging las-blasts from more charging, laughing cultists. Wolf looked over his shoulder and didn't look surprise to find Fox there behind him. Wolf fired up the plasma drive in his Wolfen, immediately feeling a bump and looking to the side, seeing Fox squatting on his wing, firing his machine-gun off screen.

Wolf then smirked, "Guess we won't be leaving him behind anytime soon, eh?"

And you won't be picking our next hiding spot anytime soon, Panther quipped, earning him a light growl from Wolf, Respectively, of course.

Fox banged on the canopy glass as las-blasts struck the Wolfen. Wolf shifted gears and the Wolfens took off, tearing down the hangar and out of the mountain. Fox hung on as tight as he can, the sudden rush of air causing his fur to stick up on end. He clenched his eyes tightly as he thought about his two most precious people as a way of thwarting the discomfort of the g-forces around him.

'Krystal, Jacques.'

--

La'Jakob whistled with approval as he and the Pathfinders followed close behind Jacques, Slippy and Krystal as they walked towards the bridge through the Great Fox II's main hallway. He hadn't had the chance to marvel at the Earth Caste's work in repairing the ship and right now he was feeling more than impressed.

When they stepped onto the bridge they found ROB, Falco and Katt already waiting for them, standing before the view-screen revealing orbit above MacBeth. One can clearly see the results of the space naval battle between the Coalition and Chaos fleets, namely wreckage of capital ships, fighter craft and floating bodies and/or body parts.

"I hope you noticed we were going into orbit once you stepped aboard," Falco quipped, "And also happened to notice we just lost contact with the ground forces back in the rail complex."

They checked their communicators which each registered nothing, with La'Jakob tapping his earpiece and receiving white noise. Krystal tapped her forehead and exhaled out her nose in a sigh.

"It must be the psychic emanations generating into the atmosphere," Krystal explained.

Katt slumped down onto a nearby chair near the holographic projector, "No prizes in guessing where. Communication equipment is useless, scanners are useless. Here's hoping…"

She gestured towards Jacques.

"…tin-man can use his all-powerful brain to pick out Fox from here."

Krystal growled lightly in response to Katt's choice of words in describing Jacques, before she noticed walking towards the left-hand corner of the bridge and lean against the wall. He crossed his arms and closed his eye as he put himself into deep concentration, with Krystal the only one in the room to sense his connection into the Warp. She looked at him sadly, hoping that his mind could take it.

"I hope he doesn't take too long," La'Tash said.

La'Jakob turned to him and the other Pathfinder, "I think we still have equipment and weaponry left over in the hangar bay. Why don't you load up?"

"Good idea," another Pathfinder said, "But what about you?"

La'Jakob looked over at Jacques, replying casually, "I will be right behind you."

The Pathfinders left the bridge, with La'Tash taking one, curious look at his friend before departing. Falco smirked and approached him.

"Congrats, Jakob," Falco said, "You are the second non-threatening human to have boarded the Great Fox."

As Krystal took a seat near Jacques, wanting to be near him in case something happened, she looked at La'Jakob warily, noticing him eyeballing Jacques as he faced Falco, his hands to his side clenching and unclenching. Jakob regarded Falco for a second, before walking toward Krystal, noticing her looking at him. Slippy and Katt watched silently…

'I don't like where this is going,' Slippy thought nervously.

La'Jakob cleared his throat, "Krystal."

Krystal smiled, "Jakob."

"Do you trust him?"

The vixen's smile faded, "Pardon?"

"Do you trust the Space Marine standing in the corner?"

Krystal looked at Jakob in disbelief, never expecting anyone to ask her that question, let alone another human acting antagonistic towards his kinsmen. She didn't know if she should feel offended that anyone could ever ask her that, especially in regards to Jacques, but she did now that it would best to clear this up with La'Jakob immediately.

"I trust him with my life," Krystal replied.

"You trust him?"

Krystal couldn't hold back her frown, "Yes, I do."

La'Jakob persisted with his questioning, "What has he done to earn your trust?"

Krystal was confused, 'Didn't we already talk about Jacques and give cause for Jakob to trust him? Why is he acting hostile towards him?'

She answered La'Jakob, "Besides everything I told you earlier, he saved my life. He is kind, empathetic, selfless and…unique."

La'Jakob looked at Krystal, eyebrows furrowed, "I suppose that gives cause for you to trust him? I must ask…

He addressed everyone present.

"Does he trust all of you?"

Falco's eyes widened, "Whoa…no one's never brought that up."

Katt shrugged and bet Krystal to the explanation, "I guess if he wanted to kill us he'd have done it the moment he came to on board this crate, and if I know humanity he would have blurted out loud something zealous before trying to skewer everyone in sight, instead of stabbing them in the back."

Though angered by how Katt gave such a vivid description of an alternate Jacques, she couldn't deny the trut. If he were a true Imperial zealot he would have already torn her, Fox, Falco, Slippy and Peppy to pieces the second he awoke from self-induced stasis in the infirmary when he was brought aboard. Luckily he didn't, and that earned him the trust and friendship of Star Fox.

Out the corner of his eye Jakob noticed Jacques' left eye open and observing him quietly. Their eyes made contact for a second before he closed it again.

"Does he trust the Imperium?" Jakob asked again.

Slippy waved his wrist about in a absent manner, "Oh it varies. If they don't point their guns at us on sight I guess he can stand to be around them. Heh…it's funny when you think about…"

He smiled.

"They, what, spent the first few years of his life as a Marine trying to brainwash him into hating non-humans? Looks like that didn't work cause' he thinks non-humans are people just like hum, and just three months with us and he's willing to hurl himself between us and whoever we say are trying to kill us. Guess not many non-humans in the other galaxy actually try to get along with humanity."

La'Jakob snorted in disgust, causing Slippy to cringe.

"Oops…forgot about the blueskins."

"Tau!"

"Er…right, Tau."

"One last thing," Jakob continued, "Does he trust me?"

Krystal rubbed his arm, still not liking where this was going, "Well he seems comfortable with you being around me…NO!"

Krystal cried out when La'Jakob extended his wristblades and lunged at Jacques, aiming both blades for his head. Falco, Katt and Slippy immediately reached for their guns, albeit the frog being shaky with his laspistol, but kept their fingers off the trigger when Jakob's blades inched near his eyelids. Krystal had been completely startled to a standstill she didn't reach for her staff or her gun, but had watched all this unfold.

La'Jakob appeared smug when he realised that Jacques wasn't going to defend himself, knowing that the Tau-allied human wasn't going to attack him. La'Jakob straightened his back and stepped backwards away from Jacques, distending his wristblades and noticing three guns aimed at him. Krystal looked at him, still shocked, before looking over at Jacques and noticing him looking at her with an open left eye.

"It would appear this settles things," La'Jakob stated, straightening his trenchcoat, "If you will excuse me…"

He smiled over at Krystal, then at Falco, Katt and Slippy, who immediately shivered and thought La'Jakob was acting creepy. The young human then turned and left the bridge, leaving an atmosphere of confusion.

"What the fuck was that?" Falco demanded, "It's like he was expecting us to not shoot him, or Jacques to not rip his head off."

"He wasn't," Krystal explained, then looked down at her feet, "I didn't think he would try something like that to see if Jacques' trusted him or not."

"Fox!"

Jacques cried out loud and opened his eyes, uncrossing his arms and letting them hang at his side. All eyes turned to him.

"Jacques?" Krystal stepped up to him and grasped his left hand in anticipation, "Did you find him?"

"I could not determined where his exact location is, but I read his thoughts as his mind is now one with the warp," the Grey Knight explained, "It made mention of a Mount Twirlenkiller."

"The only elevated terrain on MacBeth," ROB buzzed in, "Formally a Cornerian Defence Force Space Fighter hanger. Possibility of use by enemy forces: 60 percent."

Falco slapped his hands together, "Best lead we got, eh?"

Jacques nodded and stepped towards the hologram projector and the front window, "ROB?"

"Online?"

"Take us to Mount Twirlenkiller," he pointed out the window towards the planet, "And make haste."

"Affirmative."

Visibly impressed by Jacques' actions, Falco teased, "Since when did you become Star Fox's leader? Didn't I receive the memo?"

Appearing down beat, the Grey Knight looked at the avian and stated, "It seemed right to take charge and advise direction…."

He paused, then quickly ruminated that they were about to plunge back into battle soon.

"…and I advise once again that we prepare ourselves to jump back into the fray."

Slippy nodded and felt his bandaged forehead, "Yeah, I better change this bandage. It smells like a Guardsmen spat in it."

"No!"

Slippy stopped abruptly, eyes widened and he slowly turned around, feeling disturbed by Jacques' heightened tone of voice, "W…what?"

Jacques crossed his arms, "You are in no condition to fight, Slippy Toad."

Slippy scowled, "You can't seriously ask me to sit this one out?"

"Y'know Slippy," Falco said, sounding serious, "People who fly out through their Arwing canopies usually want to take some time off picking the glass out of their wounds."

"I'm fine, really," Slippy pleaded, his brief bitterness disappearing, "Fox is in trouble…"

"And what would he say if he were here?" Jacques asked, "You, his childhood friend? And your fiancee?"

"Yeah, don't forget Amanda," Falco frowned, "I seriously don't wanna be the one to break the news to her if you croak…no pun intended by the way."

Slippy rubbed his forehead, feeling the pain sear between his eyes. He closed his eyes and nodded, dejected.

"You're right. I'm in no shape to go back down there," Slippy shrugged, "There's always another day."

Jacques smiled, "Too true."

"I'm just gonna go to the Infirmary. Thanks for setting me straight."

He stepped out of the bridge slowly, hunched over as if saddened immensely. Jacques turned to Falco, appearing coy.

Falco noticed Jacques looking at him with a small smile, "What?"

"Admirable concern, Lombardi. I do not see that much from you."

"Once in a blue moon," Falco replied, "Now, about Fox?"

--

Back on MacBeth's surface in the makeshift Imperial command post consisting of the tent and the communication vox equipment and sensors still being set up, Sturnn was once again before his officers around the square table. A floating servi-skull projected a holo-image of the rail complex, with Imperial eagle aquilas and Cornerian planet insignia's hovering above it, signalling it's control under the Coalition.

"You all have your orders," Sturnn said to them, then turned to a middle-aged brown-haired officer with purple eyes, "Colonel, you will keep this complex under Imperial domain, regardless of what happens to yourself and the 1st Battalion."

The officer nodded, "Yes my lord? What of the xenos?"

"Leave my men to me, colonel," the canine colonel O'Reilly responded as he stepped into the tent. He saluted the general, garnering a few glares from the other officers present, except for Sturnn and Plymouth.

Sturnn returned the salute, "You have guts walking into my command post, Cornerian. And your salute was very surprising."

O'Reilly appeared stern, "I figured I should be part of your little war gathering, and the salute was out of respect between the Cornerian Army and the Imperial Guard. I don't answer to you or your henchmen in any given situation."

'Henchmen,' Plymouth thought annoyed, 'From him a term of disdain.'

"Since me and the whatever CDF are left and able-bodied aren't willing to go toe-to-toe against those pervs for a second time, we're more than happy to hold our position here. I'm just wondering if you are really planning to leave the thousands strong 1st Battalion here at the complex and not letting them reinforce 2nd Battalion."

Sturnn coughed to the side and replied, "2nd Battalion is reinforced enough with most of the Armoured Companies and can handle the remaining enemy forces on this planet. I'm sure both your troops and 1st Battalion can go the remaining hours of the days without attacking each other over…"

He snorted softly and blinked vigorously for a second.

"…irreconcilable differences."

"We'll survive, general," O'Reilly said.

O'Reilly then saluted Sturnn again, turned on his heels and left the tent, leaving a surprised Sturnn, one mildly amused Commissar and a several shocked and gawked faces amongst the Cadian officers present. When Sturnn turned back towards them around the table, they straightened themselves up, one officer coughing into his fist.

"As I said, you all have your orders," Sturnn said, "The Emperor Protects!"

"The Emperor Protects!" the officer responded.

--

Afterwards Sturnn and Plymouth accompanied by their Command and Commissariat squads stepped out of the tent and towards a clearing between the office buildings were the Aquila lander was stationed, and two naval armsmen carrying autoguns awaited them. They saluted the moment the Imperial officers were in sight-range.

The armsmen greeted them, "General Sturnn, this lander will take you to 2nd Battalion where you will be able to take command directly."

Sturnn nodded, "Thank you. Let's go."

Thunderhawk transports flew by overhead, carrying the Ultramarines that would join 2nd Battalion for the assault against the remaining Chaos forces on MacBeth. The Imperial officers stepped into the lander, the door closing behind them. It took off immediately and joined the Thunderhawks, leaving one platoon of Guardsmen that were watching nearby feeling sour.

Niel fastened his helmet back onto his head over his dirty blond hair as he sat back down with the rest of his platoon as they tended to their wounds and weaponry following the defence of the wall. He looked up as the lander took off into the air, then towards sergeant Armiel

"They're going to just leave us here with the xenos?"

"Worse," another Guardsman said as he loaded up his lasgun, "They're putting Colonel Haunterszlot in charge here."

Armiel snorted, "Pompous try-hard. First thing he's gonna do is make peace with the xenos! Probably bend over and kiss their asses one by one!"

Niel growled, " Those damn blueskins and furballs…"

He suddenly received an empty water canister to the back of the skull which sent him face first into the pavement. It was courtesy of a passing Cornerian canine trooper with his squad, them looking shocked at their comrades action then over at the Imperial platoon and Niel, who was both sore and angry.

The Cornerian trooper hatefully flipped Niel off with the two-fingered salute, "Hey, up yours…you blonde-headed racist ape!"

Niel picked up himself up and grabbed his lasgun, "Whose the damned crotch-licking fur who…?"

The Cornerian trooper stepped forward from his squad, pointing his right thumb at himself with a smirk, his left hand holding his machine-gun. Niel's eyes widened at seeing him step forward and claim responsibility, then he gripped his lasgun and aimed it at the Cornerian. Immediately the other troopers in the canine's squad aimed their blaster rifles at Niel, where the rest of the Guardsmen platoon save for Armiel and Vincent raised their lasguns towards the Cornerian.

Other Cornerian and Imperial nearby stopped what they were still to watch the stand off, faces of surprise, horror and anticipation going around. Armiel shook his head as he realised the futility of the situation and was about to order Niel to stand down when the blonde Guardsman called out.

"You got a lot of balls stepping forward, xeno," Niel called out, "Do you think we won't shoot you?"

The Cornerian laughed, "And you'll be tasting laser before I even hit the ground, courtesy of my pals. We don't like in when people march into our system and tell us…"

He now appeared sinister.

"…that we're gonna die for the glory of some corpse on a throne."

Another Guardsman called out angrily, "You take that back you arse-sniffing dog xeno!"

"He can't!" another Cornerian trooper spoke up smugly, "He already said it!"

Another Guardsman zealously screamed as he grabbed his lasgun and launched himself towards the Cornerian, bayonet fastened on the end of his barrel, "KILL THE FUCKING HERETICAL…"

The Guardsmen felt lead piece his leg and bring him down, falling flat on the ground before the Cornerians. They turned their weapons towards the Imperial colonel known as Haunterzlot, a smoking silver-plated twelve-bullet stubpistol in his hand. The startled Guardsmen watched silently as Haunterzlot walked forward, eyes narrowed in anger.

The xenophobic Guardsman who had lunged at the Cornerian looked at the colonel as he spoke to him, "You dare threaten the lives of every Imperial man on this world by attempting something this foolish?"

The obviously fanatical Guardsmen hissed out loud, "You xeno-loving…"

He couldn't finish his insult as the colonel fired into the Guardman's head, killing him and leaving his corpse with a look of horror upon his features. Haunterzlot looked towards the Guardsmen platoon, specifically lieutenant Zakhaev.

"I would advise you and your men to keep your distance from the xeno, if you last the day in their presence."

O'Reilly joined in, adjusting his utility belt as he stepped forward, "That goes for you guys as well…"

He addressed the Cornerians.

"…I'm not fond of summary executions, but I think I can stand learning a thing or two from the Imperials when it comes maintaining certain fragile alliances."

He looked over at the dead Guardsman's corpse, where if he allowed himself he would both feel pity and disgust. Pity for the fact that to humanity a single life is irrelevant, and disgust that a single human life wouldn't hesitate to throw it away. But he felt nothing for the dead Guardsman and nothing for humanity in general. Only he, the men under his command and Lylat were of concern to him.

He turned to Hunterzlotte and pointed at the corpse, "You gonna clean that up, Imperial?"

--

On the cold metal ground and sitting up against the Wolfen, clinched his mouth shut in a effort to stop his teeth chattering as the cool winds of MacBeth breezed past him, causing his fur to stand on end. He hugged himself in an effort to keep warm, until Wolf came back out of the storage room and tossed him Cornerian Army fatigues and body armour.

"I suggest you put that on, Fox," Wolf suggested, "I hate the sound of chattering teeth."

Fox grabbed the clothing and briefly eyed Wolf wearily before putting them on. As he did he said, "I'd ask why you're here…"

"Don't get sarcastic, pup!" Wolf snarled, the volume and pitch startling Fox, "Doesn't make you tough and sure as hell doesn't hide the fact you're afraid of those daemons. We all are."

He lowered his head and shook it soberly.

"Didn't think those human maniacs existed, only in that stupid human religion," Wolf continued, "War against Chaos? Thought it was a metaphor for humanity against itself."

"In a way it is," Fox said, clipping on the armour vest over his fatigues. After straightening himself up he looked around, unfamiliar where they were, "Where are we? I closed my eyes the whole time we were in the air?"

"An abandoned storage base not far from Twirlenkiller," Panther answered, polishing his combat knife with a cloth and polishing solution, "The whole planet's peppered with them, and the freaks are deploying their cult groups and traitor Cornerians to secure them…."

"Except this one," Leon said, "If I must say, the marginally good gods really do love us if Chaos hasn't touched this bit of fortification."

Fox rubbed his neck, hearing the bones crack slightly and painfully, "I didn't know you were religious, Leon. Could explain why you're a sadist."

"Now…that's cold," Wolf remarked, "Anyway, now that you're ready to start doing something really useful, here's how I see it all planned out…"

He sat down on the cold, steel ground cross-legged with arms crossed, appearing pensive and in deep thought. He bowed his head and closed his eyes, drawing the confused attention of Panther, Leon and Fox. A minutes later he opened his eyes and smiled.

"The way I see it, the Imperium are going to come rolling past here in a few minutes. The remaining Chaos forces are good as screwed, but they're going to take as many of those purebred skinnies down with them as they can. And somehow I get the feeling they're going to bring out something bad…some form of trump card to make life hard for us from here on out."

They felt the ground rumble and heard the radars built into the flight controls of their Wolfen beep erratically and loudly. Fox ran towards the nearest wall and quickly scaled it, looking over the parapet to see the Imperial machines of war rumbling across the empty plains, with aircraft consisting of Lightning's and Marauder bombers in the sky. He looked over into the distance to catch a glimpse of their destination – Mount Twirlenkiller.

Fox smiled as he climbed down. He loudly stated, "We're definitely going to win this one."

"We, Fox?" Wolf asked as the vulpine turned around to face him, "You meant to say they. They'll chalk this as a human victory, and Lylatian involvement will end up being marginalised pathetically to just 'outside assistance by xenos'."

Wolf's annoyed tone of voice struck Fox hard. The vulpine demanded roughly, "Who cares? So long as Chaos is defeated…"

He didn't see Wolf move like lightning and strike him across the head, knocking him down and rendering him unconsciousness. Wolf grimaced as he massaged left with his right hand as he worked to get the discomfort out. After blowing on his fist followed by kissing it, he scowled down at Fox.

"Lylat should care, ignorant pup," he growled, "This is our system. We defend it. They're the aliens here."

He then turned to Leon and Panther, appearing surprised he should lose his temper like this.

"C'mon!" he exclaimed, "We're making our mark on this battle."

"Too bad…I was looking forward to seeing my vixen again," Panther lamented

As Wolf climbed into the Wolfen's cockpit he said, "Don't worry, there's hope for that yet."

Star Wolf fired up their plasma engines and took off from the yard within the walled storage facility, leaving an unconscious Fox lying on the metal ground with a bump on his head. He stirred slightly and moaned, oblivious to the ethereal presence walking towards him, having watched the vicious exchange between the vulpine and the lupine from behind a camo-field.

"Lupines. They have always seen themselves as superior to the beast people that inhabit the edge of this new galaxy. Though his words hold merit, the Imperium threaten this system as much as the False Gods does."

In Taldeer's bloodstained hands she held the Eden sword. She stood over Fox, gazing down at him empathically, then at the longsword with curiosity.

"I sense something…different about the blade I carry in my hands," she spoke to the unconscious Fox, "It is Imperial forged, yet the only hands to have ever held it were not mon'keigh, and very delicate hands."

She looked down at Fox as she held Eden so that the point touched the metal ground.

"I have seen how you and your ilk battle the Great Enemy. You display ferocious zeal when you take the blade and the gun to the daemon, and display utter loyalty to yourselves and to everything you hold dear," Taldeer continued, "The Archon was wise to trust this sword to you, for if he did not he would have taken it from you the moment he recovered."

From behind her helm she rolled her eyes up towards the grey sky.

"I have seen how you two fight alongside the kemono and the mon'keigh, which did not call from much assistance from the Craftworld. Perhaps coming here was a mistake on our part, since you clearly need no intervention from us."

She then paused to reflect.

"But the future…is still uncertain. For now we shall remain, hidden in the shadows…until the time comes for us to truly intervene."

She then bent and knelt beside Fox. She placed Eden in his hands, before reaching towards her helm and removing it, placing it to the side. Fox stirred, as if reacting to her elfen face being revealed on MacBeth's surface.

She placed her hand over Fox's left paw, which held Eden, "I leave Eden in your hands…"

Taldeer then bent over and kissed him on the forehead, smiling warm as if she were a mother, and the vulpine her son.

"…and I give you my blessing to continue the fight, McCloud of Lylat."

Putting her helm back over her head she walked back into the storage base and disappeared in a flash of eldritch power, leaving Fox still lying there unconscious, and with a quaint smile on his face.

"Krystal?" he mumbled, "Was…that you?"

--

Sturnn and his squad were greeted with salutes as they stepped out of the Aquila lander. To his surprise officers not only greeted them but a small group of Techpriests of the Adeptus Mechanicus, accompanied by a Lexmechanic.

"General Sturnn," the Lexmechanic's voice rattled through his vox-synthesiser, "We bring good tidings towards you. With the Machine Spirit's permission we adjusted the Baneblade enough so that you and your staff can ride atop it and witness yet another victory for the Omnissiah."

Sturnn noticed the observation platform built on top of the 2nd Battalion Baneblade and nodded, "That is much appreciated, Techpriests."

The ground rumbled from the vibrations as the Thunderhawks sailed over 2nd Battalion and towards the distance, carrying Calgar and his Space Marines as Tigerius tapped into the Warp to seek out Fox's location. Sitting between two Tacticals he opened his eyes and exhaled painfully, tapping into the Warp always giving him blistering head pains which took the pain reducers half a minute to counteract.

"Mortensen has sought his location as well," Tigerius said, "But he has yet to know that the remaining Chaos forces on this world are now on the march toward out position."

"My Lord!" the Thunderhawk pilot exclaimed, "We have incoming! Above us, multiple targets!"

Chaos Claw fighters descended from the clouds in an attempt to swarm the mostly atmospheric transports. Their pilots engaged evasive maneuvers and avoided them as best they could, dodging las, cannon and missile fire while returning fire also as best they could with. One Thunderhawk sustained massive damage before the Claws found themselves getting shot down by three speeding Wolfens that had been following the Claws.

The Claws broke off their swarm formation around the Thunderhawk and instead tried to attack the Wolfens, but the superior design of the Lylatian fighters compared to the thousands-year old Chaos space fighters proved too much, and were each destroyed. Two Claws played chicken with one Wolfen, who fired it's plasma cannons and obliterated them, flying through the ensuring explosion unscathed.

--

As the Great Fox II descended back down towards the planet, just passing through it's atmosphere and immediately regaining function of it's communication and radar systems…

"WARNING!" ROB squealed as he frantically typed away at the console near the holo-projected, "Three Wolfen-class starfighters detected."

"Aw, great!" Falco exclaimed, "Star Wolf. They survived the Aparoids after all?"

Jacques appeared surprised, then turned to Krystal and inquired confusedly, "Star Wolf?"

Krystal felt surprised as well, then remembered that the existence of Wolf O'Donnell, Leon Powalksi and Panther Caruso had never been divulged to him, not even during time of peace during his three-month tour with Star Fox.

"A rival mercenary group," Krystal replied, "We crossed paths with them before, once they worked with Venom during the Lylat Wars. Andrew Oikonny was a member…"

"Venom? Oikonny?" Jacques gnashed his teeth and growled, remembering the majority of the enemy he had personally eviscerated last year, especially their so-called Emperor he gutted on the daemon world he had found himself, "They served the Chaos-sympathizers?"

"Only when they could pay them," Falco said, sensing where Jacques' reactions were leading them, "Don't get yourself worked up with them."

Falco? Heh heh…nice to hear your voice again, feathers.

The avian suddenly shuddered when he heard Leon's voice over the com, closing his eyes tightly and waving his hands around in a 'calm-yourself-down' motion.

"Leon," Falco replied, "You still alive?"

We're all still alive, Wolf said, I appreciate your concern.

Krystal eyes widened slightly, "Wolf? Where have you all been since this all begun?"

Biding our time, sweet Krystal, Panther purred, Patiently anticipating the day when you and I will finally be reunited.

Jacques narrowed his eyes in displeasure when he heard Panther's direct his flirtatious tone towards the vixen. Jacques stepped up to the console and pushed down on the com button heard, and everyone present heard him growl throatily, causing Krystal's cheeks to burn slightly. Heaven help Panther should he made any advances towards her if he was around.

Er…did I just offend someone there? Panther asked.

"….."

Hey, since Fox is lying unconscious in some storage base near Twirlenkiller, whose holding the fort-of-a-space-junk?

The Grey Knight sounded direct and authoritative when he replied, "That would be me, Star Wolf."

--

'Shit, it's him,' Wolf thought, appearing frightened, 'It's definitely him. He does sounds like McCloud, only more…Gothic.'

And who the hell are you supposed to be? Leon asked.

Brother Jacques Mortensen, Ultramarines 2nd Company. I have assumed temporary leadership over Star Fox. Are you here to cause conflict, or to help us?

"Depends on what you perceive as help, Imperial," Wolf replied coolly, "Want us to get out of your way? Serve as target practice? Verify something in the interests of both of our nations…"

That will do, Jacques interrupted, This storage base? It is near Twirlenkiller?

From the Thunderhawk carrying the Ultramarine Command Squad and the very heart of the Chapter, Calgar, Cassius and Tigerius recognized the voice over the vox lines and immediately scowled, openly displaying his disdain and intolerance for the lupine whose voice filled the interior of the Thunderhawk passenger cabin.

"O'Donnell!" he exclaimed, "Wolf O'Donnell?"

Huh? Oh…is that you, Lord Macragge?

Wolf suddenly sounded upbeat when Calgar spoke up disdainfully.

Heh, how long as it been Calgar? Never thought I'd hear from you again since…well…the Evergreen Purge?

"I would not advise you to sound so jovial with this reunion, lupine!" Calgar growled, "You betrayed my misplaced trust when employed you for one simple assignment."

Yeah, well…I thought you'd reassure McCloud that he was going to die painlessly then that would've made things hell of a lot easier, Wolf said, starting to sound disgusted, You should have smothered that little Inquisitorial science project the moment he was squeezed out! Why he was so damn concerned with little Davy I'll never know

He then paused, allowing a frowning Calgar to take all that in. For the Chapter-Master, that wasn't the noblest thing he had tried to accomplish for the sake of the Ultramarines, not in the least Jacques, but in his eyes it would have been best.

His realised that the vox lines were still interloped with the Great Fox's own com, and that everyone on board had been listening in.

'Damnation to Hell!' he thought bitterly, before hissing, "You damnable lupine! How do you know these things?"

Beat someone for an hour and he'll spill the beans on anything. But hey, don't worry…he's dead now. Andross finished the job for us. He won't want to have another reunion with David again.

--

"No!" Peppy exclaimed, jumping up from his chair in the command centre back on Venom and startling his aides and technicians present, "O'Donnell, you fool!"

--

And everyone on board the Great Fox felt speechless. Jacques for one, hearing Wolf identify him by his old name and openly threaten his life.

"What…the hell…?" Jacques mumbled, forgoing his usual etiquette when it comes to dialogue.

Falco, Katt and Krystal looked at Jacques, the words 'inquisitorial', 'science' and 'project' as well as the name 'David' and 'McCloud' ringing in their ears.

"McCloud? Since the McCloud we know is still alive, what's his dad got to do with helmet-head?" Katt blurted out.

Krystal saw Jacques' look of honest confusion and could sense it radiating off him.

"Inquisitorial, eh?" Falco scowled towards the com equipment, then at Jacques, "Anything else you're not telling us, Jacques…if that's your real name?"

"I…" Jacques stammered, "That is the first I have heard of my being connected to the Inquisition?"

Heh, Other then blowing up your planet? Wolf snickered, You sure you've been honest with the little freak, Calgar?

Jacques, we shall send a Thunderhawk to retrieve McCloud Do not worry about him, Calgar said reassuringly, then added with a bit of tempo, And do not listen to anything the lupine has to say.

"What?" Jacques muttered quietly enough so that no one could hear.

The coms all switched off, leaving dumbfounded faces and silence on the bridge. For the first time in his life Jacques was standing there staring at the holo-projector with his arms hanging limp at his sides as well as his head, eyes tracing the floor at his feet. Everyone looked at him and had different opinions towards him at that moment.

"Jacques…David," Falco frowned, "Anything else you feel like admitting now we're in a life, and soul, threatening situation?"

His eyes widened when Jacques looked over at him and glared, causing shivers to crawl underneath Falco's skin. Krystal looked on worriedly, with more concern for Jacques than for the avian that just challenged him.

"Do not try my patience and tolerance for your tongue, Lombardi!" Jacques exclaimed, "We must now rejoin the battle on the ground. I would appreciate you and Monroe to get back into the air and cover our forces."

"We can do that," Katt said, then grabbed a frozen, startled Falco and dragged him towards the door, "C'mon, beaks."

They exited the bridge, leaving Jacques and Krystal there alone together. Jacques exhaled painfully out his nose.

"Krys?"

Krystal walked up to him, swallowing softly as she said, concerned, "Jacques?"

"What…do you make of we just overheard from the Lord Macragge?" Jacques asked, sounding absent-minded, "He mentioned Fox's father…how he tried to kill him, and he's connected with me somehow."

Krystal looked away, feeling ashamed for not being able to answer, "I don't know."

--

"Here we go again!"

Falco held the flight controls tightly as he and Katt were slingshoted out of the Arwing, immediately descending out of the atmosphere and sailing over the marching Imperial Guard and their attached Armoured Companies.

"Anyone done there…" Falco said into the com, "Any additional air support available?"

Currently refuelling at the moment, xeno.

"Hey, Admiral!" Falco smirked, "Hope you're in a better mood."

As good as it can get, Nero hissed, You should not worry too much about defending all ground forces from here on end, since you mercenaries have handled far greater odds before.

"I'm blushing, really," Falco said, "Out."

Back in the hangar Jacques and Krystal stood alongside the Tau Pathfinders, each one with weapons loaded and charged. Krystal tried to not make any eye contact with La'Jakob, still feeling steamed over his mock attempt on Jacques' life. The gue'la realised this, but still appeared stoic as he mentally fixated himself on the upcoming battle, which hopefully would be his last for the day.

"Krystal."

The vixen looked over at her friend, looking sternly at her.

"Do not try to avoid him," Jacques said, "It will do none of us any good."

She tried to protest, "But…"

"I know he would not try to hurt me…"

They were interrupted by ROB over the PA.

Great Fox II touching down behind the Imperial lines.

Jacques slapped his last fresh magazine in his storm bolter and drew Nemesis. The Pathfinder gripped their carbines and rail rifles tightly to their chests, La'Jakob twirled his SMGs in his hands then held them to his sides.

Hey Jakob, Slippy said over the PA, FYI, I don't think there anywhere down there you can provide sniper cover for the entire Imperial Guard.

"I'm aware," La'Jakob replied, smiling, "I am going down there by myself, my comrades will provide cover fire from the Great Fox, that is if you do not plan to ascend back into space following our drop."

"No, it will not," Jacques said, "ROB, Slippy…keep the ship just above the surface and the hangar doors open."

Affirmative.

Uh…you think that's a good idea?

"Believe me when I say I am not sure at the moment," Jacques admitted, "Any objections?"

He was met with silence all around him.

Krystal smiled, "I guess we're standing right behind you, Jacques."

The Great Fox II descended just behind the Imperial Guards and was about a two feet from the ground when Krystal, Jacques and Jakob leapt out of the hangar and touched down, feet landing firmly on the ground, weapons primed. They then sprinted towards their allies, eager to join the battle with Falco and Katt in the air and the Great Fox hovering just behind them.

--

Fox groaned as he shakily picked himself up from the ground, leaning against the wall as he did so. He felt the back of his head, tracing his hand over the large bump that was now swelling. He breathed in painfully, the acrid smell of blood and burning flesh that now blanketed the entire planet seeping into his nose, making his stomach turn.

He gasped, before clutching his chest and vomiting again.

"Fuck!" he blurted out loud, "What's wrong with me?"

He felt the ground vibrate beneath his feet, followed by the sound of metal boots and tank treads traversing the plains. Making sure the disorientation that came from throwing up bile was past he scaled the wall again and looked over the parapet, seeing the remaining, yet massive, Slaanesh forces marching away from the Chaos base near Mount Twirlenkiller and into the distance.

"This…is very bad," Fox muttered to himself as he leapt down.

He turned around and cringed when a group of Black Legion Chaos Space Marines led by a Chaos Sorcerer stepped into the yard from the shadows, weapons drawn and staff in right hand brimming with eldritch power. The Sorcerer's helm was removed, revealing a bald, horned head and crimson eyes. The Chaos Marines trained aimed their bolters at the vulpine.

"Oh crap…"

The Sorcerer smirked, "It is very bad. But only for you and your loyalist allies, that is."

Fox noticed the Sorcerer was missing his left hand. The Sorcerer frowned and flexed his left arm.

"Yes, the Eldar witch who gave you back your father's sword took it back from me," the Sorcerer growled, "And she made sure I would never touch that wretched blade ever again."

'What?' Fox thought, 'Did he just say…?'

Fox glared and gripped Eden tightly.

"How d'ya know my father?" Fox demanded angrily, fur standing on end, "You keep mentioning him as if you all knew him! What the hell…?"

The Sorcerer smirked, "Eden? Look at the bottom of the hilt, boy."

Still shaking with rage he looked at the bottom of the hilt and, sure enough, saw the Star Fox insignia engraved on it. The fact that it was there on an Imperial forged sword didn't leave his mind and was the major source of distraction for him throughout this battle. His ears perked up when the heavy sound of a boltgun firing drew his attention and a .75 calibre shell sailed towards him.

Before he even realised what he was doing he subconsciously raised Eden and swung, warp-driven power obliterating the shell and causing a mini-explosion before him. The Sorcerer gripped his staff and pointed it towards Fox…

"THE DORMANT VULPINE HAS FINALLY AWAKENED! KILL HIM!"

The Chaos Marines all opened fire at Fox, who growled and ducked, dodged and swerved – avoiding each of the rocket-propelled shells. Not hampered by the armour vest he wore he charged towards the enemy. He immediately sliced the barrel off the first Marine's boltgun before swinging and slicing his left leg off, felling him. He then brought his sword down and pierced the Marine's skull.

Feeling as if he was going berserk he charged and sliced the next Marine right in half despite his armour, Eden powered now with energy seeping out of Fox's hand. To the vulpine, it was as if he was no longer in control of himself, but that the sword was in control of him. It was his master, he was at it's mercy as he delivered red death upon the Chaos Marines.

"BY THE DARK GODS…ARGHH…McCLOUD!"

Fox didn't realise he was grinning as he rendered the head of another Marine, then converged on the last one, which despite the Marine's frenzied bolter firing and swordplay he was reduced to a limbless torso as the fast, wily kemono picked him apart. The vulpine then finished him off with a vertical bisection as he swung Eden downwards as he laid on the ground.

All this time the Sorcerer flung psychic doombolt spells at Fox, which were reflected by Eden's mere presence. And how he fought against his Marines disturbed.

"You are possessed by Khorne himself!" the Sorcerer exclaimed, "There is no other explanation! Not even James McCloud can fight like that!"

Fox turned over to him, his smile fading as he shook his head, "I don't serve Chaos!"

He then faced him fully, both hands on Eden's hilt.

"And stop mentioning my father, goddamn you! YOU DON'T KNOW HIM!"

The Sorcerer raised his staff to deflect Fox's swing, but it was broken in half and left him at Fox's mercy. Not wasting time Fox drew Eden across the Sorcerer's chest, cutting through his armour and splattering flesh, black carapace and bone across the ground. The Sorcerer gasped and fell to his knees, then feeling the point of Eden against the side of his neck. The vulpine hesitated for a few seconds, then grimaced as he swung the blade and severed the top half of the Chaos Sorcerer's head. Fox watched as the Sorcerer gave a hiccup, but falling over dead.

An explosion tore through the wall leading into the storage base, allowing Emperor's Children Marines to move in and opened fire, Fox dodging the shells left and right. The roar of a transport's engines sounded off above as an Ultramarine Thunderhawk descended from the air towards the yard, immediately drawing fire towards it.

The Thunderhawk landed in the yard and opened it's side door. Ducking bolter shells he darted towards and jumped in, finding himself amidst a dozen Space Marines, one of which primed his heavy bolter out the transport door and fired at the cultists, mowing them down with little effort. The Thunderhawk took off and the door closed and locked.

Fox dropped the sword on the ground and sat up on his behind, running a paw over his sweat-soaked headfur as he panted, "Thanks for the save…uh?"

He was cut short when he felt a boltpistol pushed against the side of his head.

The sergeant grimaced as held the gun against Fox, "Think nothing of this, McCloud. It's for our protection."

Fox sighed, "How am I dangerous?"

"You are mutated with the psychic gene, vulpine," the sergeant explained, "The Chief Librarian has warned us of untrained, awaken psykers and how the minions of the False God can enter our reality through you."

"So this is finally it?"

"Only when Chaos decides to take you. We shall be ready when they do."

The Thunderhawk dodged enemy fire as it flew over the Slaaneshi horde approaching the Imperial army half-a-click away. From the rear Lucius smiled as he saw the Thunderhawk disappear into the horizon, aware of what sat in it and the dangers he posed to whomever stood by him. He then opened his mouth and bellowed…

"FORWARD MEN OF THE EMPEROR! WE FIGHT IN HIS NAME!"

…the Emperor's Children raised their fists into the air…

"FOR THE EMPEROR!"

--

The Imperial Guardsmen on the ground cleared away for the Thunderhawks to land and the Space Marine to disembark. Fox leapt out of his transport in a heartbeat, Eden in hand. He made his way towards the front of the army, pushing past Guardsmen while being watched from the top of the Baneblade by Sturnn through his magnoculars.

'Just how many of those kemono are both pilots and swordsmen?' the General thought, then reasoned, 'I'm sure Mortensen lent a hand in training that vulpine.'

"My lord!" the vox-caster exclaimed, "Chaos forces approaching our positions."

Sturnn looked up and adjusted his magnoculars so that he zoomed in on the enemy and noticing a pinkish shield over it. He frowned and turned to his Sanctioned Psyker.

"What is that? A psychic shield"

"Broadcasted by the…heh heh…Dark God of Pleasure, my lord," the Psyker responded, his words besides the cold aura around him making Sturnn shiver.

Explosions struck the side of the Baneblade as artillery round dotted all around the Imperial Guard, scattering men and equipment everywhere. Down below Jacques and Krystal huddled underneath her combined staff shield and his psychic shield. Jacques gritted his teeth as they both knelt, expanding the shield to engulf as many Guardsmen and Marines around them as possible.

"Fox?" Jacques said, "Fox is nearby. I can sense him."

Krystal rolled her eyes upwards as she reached out with her mind as well, "So can I. Where his he?"

Suddenly the Baneblade fired it's massive cannon at the daemonic shield, supported by the Leman Russ' at it's sides and the Basilisk artillery at the rear of the army. Gradually the combined Cadian firepower tore holes in the shield and expelled the daemonic influence, banishing it back into the Warp. The Guardsmen raised their lasguns and immediately trained them on the incoming horde of cultists, traitor Cornerians and daemonettes. The Kasrkin were the first to charge on ahead, hellguns blazing away and led by a seemingly maddened priest armed with a mace and a Imperial rosette pinned to his robes which ostensibly shielded him.

"ANOINT THEM WITH THEIR OWN BLOOD, MEN OF CADIA!" the Kasrkin Sergeant cried as he fired his laspistol and waved his power sword about.

The Ultramarines pushed their way past the Guardsmen as they joined the Kasrkins in the charge. Jacques held Nemesis to the side, ready to take out several with one swipe. He noticed that Fox and Krystal were beside him.

"Together again, eh brother?" Fox smirked as he feigned enthusiasm, then turned to Krystal sounding, and somewhat fatalistic as well as concerned, "You okay with this?"

Krystal nodded, before moving over to kiss him. She stated after she pulled back, "You will survive this, Fox."

She then turned to Jacques, appearing stern.

"You as well, Jacques."

Jacques growled determinedly, "You can count on that, Your Highness."

"ONCE MORE WARRIORS OF ULTRAMAR," Calgar bellowed, calling for the charge to proceed onward, "FOR GUILLIMAN! FOR THE EMEPEOR!"

It was indeed a sight to behold as the Space Marines charged, bolters and special weaponry blazing. One cultist immediately tasted chainsword, severing the top half of his head off, while another four were cut down in a instant by Nemesis in the hands of Jacques. Fox parried off a daemonette and drove Eden through her chest, immediately dispelling it back to the Warp. Krystal lunged at another daemonette, driving her staff through it's forehead and listening to it squeal before disappearing in a flash of pink.

The Guardsmen exchanged las-fire with the hordes, their Kasrkin counterpart fingers still on the hellgun triggers, reducing enemy contacts to las-riddled soulless shells. The daemonettes resisted this laser bombardment until they were in contact with the Marines, who each drew their shortswords and engaged them. Krystal twirled her staff to avoid several slashing claws at one before, swing it and rendering three daemonic heads off at once.

La'Jakob swerved his head to avoid a plasma blast, SMGs firing wildly in his hands as he stood on the front lines, downing every cultist that ran in his direction with a blade in his or her hand. When one cultist got close enough to melee, Jakob extended his wrist blades and put them through her chest, then down her with a spiral kick to the face.

He was almost knocked down by a squad of Guardsmen who ran past him.

"Outta the way, xeno-lover!" one of them exclaimed.

La'Jakob shrugged it off and ran forward, jumping up upon that same bigoted Guardsmen back and propelling himself off him, where he sailed in the air for a few second before landing in front of the Guardsman squad, much to their amazement and chagrin. His SMGs were still blazing at the approaching enemy, showing up his Imperial cousins.

'Where is O'Shovah?' La'Jakob thought bitterly, 'He should be here. Where has he disappeared to this time?'

Gradually the cultists and daemonic presence faded, partly because of the Warp-driven influence of Jacques and Krystal, which weakened their own daemonic aura. Fox was astounded when he believed he could sense their presence at the back of his mind without even knowing where they were on the battlefield. He was even more surprised when one of the daemonettes recoiled just before it was about to slash him, allowing him to swing Eden and slash it across the chest, 'killing' it.

The army proceeded forward as the artillery continued to land on top of them from the rear of the Chaos army. Krystal growled as she sensed Slaanesh itself behind the fading daemonic psychic shield and took off ahead, alarming Fox and Jacques.

"Krystal!" Fox exclaimed.

The two men looked at one another before chasing after her. Her actions didn't go unnoticed by the Command Squad perched on top of the Baneblade. Sturnn lowered his magnoculars and frowned.

"She certainly must be desperate to make Cerinina truly extinct," the Father Confessor Priest attached to the squad announced, "Foolish xeno."

"She is probably going after whoever is leading these heretics," Sturnn said, then ordered, "Continue forward!"

Krystal brought up a shield from her staff and stopped several dozen bolter shells from hitting her courtesy of the Chaos Havoc standing guard in the holes in the wall created by the Imperial artillery. When she got close she kneeled and swung her staff, knocking the Havoc squad off their feet. She then charged a ground quake and brought it down amidst them, shattering them backs and rendering them still and useless.

"FOR THE EMPEROR! FOR TERRA!"

The massive cannon blasts of the Baneblade and Leman Russ' coupled with the Basilisk artillery hit the Chaos shield, shattering it and consuming Chaos hordes in a massive whirlwind of fire. The Imperial infantry charged in and ran past Krystal.

"Krystal!"

Fox and Jacques caught up to her, the vulpine out of breath and feeling angry that she took off without them and willingly put herself in danger.

"Krystal what the hell…?"

"Shhh…"

Krystal hushed him as she closed her eyes and tried to feel the warp emanations in the air.

"He's here," Krystal said softly, which can barely be heard as the war raged on around them.

Jacques nodded and growled, "Lucius."

Suddenly Krystal darted off again, leaving Fox stunned as she ran from them again. However, Jacques was calm as he readied Nemesis for more bloodletting as he noticed the entire horde of Chaos Space Marines marching towards them. The Imperial Guard and Space Marine stepped back and got into a line that both armies now stood some distance from each other and faced one another down.

Calgar roared and the fighting recommenced immediately, storm bolter blazing away. Krystal was still running towards the enemy, shield up and thoughts of those she loved giving her strength. Instead of engaging the Chaos Marines in melee once she got close she instead leapt up and begun bounding off their heads amidst confused bolter fire and sword swings as she had only one person on her mind that stood at the back his remaining forces.

"CHARGE!"

The Chaos Marine turned back to see the Imperials charge, guns blazing and with it's heroes leading them. Fox was visibly upset as he saw Krystal disappear behind a sea of Chaos bodies and weaponry.

"Damn you, Krystal," Fox groaned, "Why are you putting yourself through this?"

Jacques growled once again, "This is not the time to lament, Fox. This is her fight as well!"

Fox growled, and in a sarcastic manner replied, "Whatever you say."

--

Throughout the battle the two Arwings kept the skies in Coalition control, shooting down any remaining Chaos Claw aircraft that tried to hover above the Imperial lines. Wherever the burning remains of the Chaos fighters fell on top of either the Imperials or Chaos forces they quickly darted away to allow them to land on empty ground, or anyone unlucky enough to stand his ground.

Once the skies were clear once and for all Falco and Katt put their Arwing in a nose dive towards the rear of the Chaos army, gunning towards the four Defiler walkers whose artillery continued to pound the Imperials. Falco and Katt glanced at one another through the canopies of the Arwings, Katt giving a suppressed smile, and they increased speed.

They charged their lasers as they dodged bolter, lassr and rocket fire, before unleashing their charged shots and destroying the cannons of the walkers, driving the daemons within them insane.

--

'This is my fight,' Krystal thought to herself as if reciting a litany, 'I will defeat my enemy. I will preserve myself. Not for my sake but for my children and all Cerinians yet to be.'

Lucius smiled he noticed the Cerinian vixen bounding towards him across the heads of his Chaos Marine, not concerned that the ones up front were being cut down. He readied his ornate daemonic weapons and prepared for face her, and to claim glory on behalf of Slaanesh and the Legion.

"We shall be the ones to sacrifice the last of the Cerinian," he stated out loud, "And for and only to Slaanesh."

A crazed Defiler bounded towards Krystal, knocking Chaos Marines out of the way and swinging it's metallic claws at her. Krystal bounded off the last Marine's head towards the Defiler and with a cry of might drove her staff through the helm on top of the walker and shattering it, sending the daemon back to the Warp.

Krystal then jumped on top of the disabled Defiler landed with feminine grace behind it, whom the rest of the Chaos Marines too busy fighting the Imperium to notice her now. She looked ahead to see Lucius standing there, with a smile on his face.

"Very graceful, Cerinian. I underestimated how powerful you vixen warriors really are."

"Lucius the Eternal, Champion of Slaanesh?"

"I am he, girl," Lucius replied, "And you: Krystal, Princess of Royal House Onyx of Cerinia. The last of your kind, are you not?"

"It interests you?"

"Immensely," Lucius stopped smiling and sounded serious, "I intend to personally eviscerate you before my patron God of Chaos, the sacrifice finally ending the menace of your wretched kind once and for all."

No amount of words can describe Krystal's contempt for the Chaos champion that stood some metres away from her, his power sabre red with the blood of his enemies and himself, fresh cuts adorning his face and around his sickening smile. He ran his long tongue across his lips and around them in a circular motion as he looked at her lustfully.

The vixen gripped his staff tightly as she and Lucius stared one another down, circling around each other. Krystal waited for him to make the first move, opting to defend. Lucius however sauntered confidently around his prey, revelling in the stress he was inflicting upon her. He drew his sabre across his forehead and sliced himself, the blood running down his face and into his mouth, which he proceeded to lick up.

Visibly disturbed by the madman, Krystal asked, "What are you doing?"

Ignoring her question, Lucius shook his head and frowned, "Slaanesh had such high hopes and expectations for you and the rest of your kind, princess. You were such beautiful creatures it did not take him long to seek you out millennia ago…"

His smile returned.

"…for it was your sensual artistry alone that called out to him, and for what you brand as Dark Cerinians begun to submit to his righteous ways of seeking pleasure in all forms. But for Cerinians, it was in one another's bodies and those of other species, particularly humanity."

Krystal bared her teeth and tightened her hold on the staff, and darkly inquired, "Is that all that Chaos thinks of me, as a sexual plaything?"

"Not just you, dear Krystal," Lucius continued, "Your entire species, and it was only Slaanesh who appreciated it as something truly beautiful. Khorne sees them as mindless blood letting barbarians, Tzeentch as uncouth spellcasters and Nurgle as disease-ridden furs. It was Slaanesh who did not take you for granted."

"For granted?" Krystal demanded, "Chaos itself wanted Cerinia completely, not just it's people."

"Wrong!" Lucius exclaimed, "It was Slaanesh who found you first, and desired you. His brothers demanded he would share after hearing of his grand discovery. The Cerinian ways of giving pleasure to one another had become legendary amongst the Pleasure cult circles – for a Cerinian vulpine to make his woman scream his name louder than anything else does. For a vixen to make her man worship her and for couples to spend days on end giving one another each other. Rest assure, it was all clean and near ceremony."

He paused, allowing it all to sink into Krystal's head, whose jaw was hanging slightly limp and relaxing her hold on her staff.

"Before the Prince of Excess it was all art…pure, fleshly art. And you cannot deny that, seeing how perfect you physically are."

Krystal shook her head and growled, "Whatever you want from me, you won't get it."

"If not you," Lucius raised his sabre above his head, "Then perhaps from your lover, or maybe your brother? If only they could read my thoughts about you, it would drive them insane with jealously!"

He raised the sabre high above his head now, as if in anticipation…

"And if not them…how about the xeno-lover in the trenchcoat?"

To Krystal that was the breaking point. She thought she heard something snap, not telling whether it was inside body or her mind, but whatever it was it sent her charging forward towards the Champion of Slaanesh, bellowing in an ancient tongue…

"RUJKUHT! 0EI NACC DEK CU0 U XUDT ED UD0 EV KXOM! DEK AD KXO LOH0 COUJK MO, FOHLOHKOT SHOUKIHO!"

Lucius brought his sabre down and Krystal gripped her staff with both hands raised it above her to block. With his other hand he cracked his whip and brought it towards her her, which Krystal leaned back and fell onto the ground onto her back to avoid, his saber nicking the tip of her nose. She winced in pain, feeling the hot blade scar her nose.

Fox and Jacques continued fighting their way after Krystal, waves of cultists jumping in their way and continuously being hacked down. Jacques looked ahead to see Krystal lying on the ground with Lucius standing above her. Fox panicked when he saw ahead amidst the burning remains of the Chaos base and charged ahead.

He was suddenly tackled by a Chaos Marine, knocking the wind right out of him as well as Eden out of his hand and bruising a couple of his ribs. Jacques came to his aid and engaged the Chaos Marine. Fox picked himself up…

"KRYSTAL!"

…and tried to advance, only to find himself in melee with another Chaos Marine armed with a whip. Suddenly his ribs ached badly and he felt himself out of breath, making him collapse onto his back, much to the Chaos Marine's delight as he raised his whip and prepared to strike Fox's already scarred chest. A storm bolter blazed at the Marine and blew his whip-hand off, causing the Marine to stagger back. Jacques then charged once again to Jacques rescue, running Nemesis through the Chaos Marine's chest.

He rolled over onto his chest to see Lucius looked over at him with a cruel leer, then down at Krystal.

"Now this is definitely a pity," Lucius hissed, pushing her foot down on her chest, much to Fox's horror, "A scarred Cerinian…that I have never seen before."

He then appeared disgusted, and proved it by spitting near Krystal's head. The acidic saliva burning into the ground.

"If you ask me, it is repulsive. Who would want to look at you now, much less make use of you through the most carnal way possible?"

Krystal closed her eyes and felt tears well in her eyes, but not because of the scars on her face or that she bordered on death now, but the fact that all that Chaos thinks of her and her people is as something sexual, and that broke her heart. Lucius smirked even wider now, enough so that it stretched across his entire face, very grotesque.

Seeing Lucius bring her to the brink of tears was the last straw for Fox. Summoning what strength he had left he grabbed Eden and stood up, wiping the blood from his face and shrugging the purple robe from his body, exposing himself save for his boxers. A Chaos Raptor noticed him and charged, drawing Jacques' attention, with Fox appearing to be oblivious and just standing there, seething uncontrollably with literally blood in his eyes.

Before Jacques could cry out to warn him the Raptor brought his chainsword towards the vulpine, who ducked and swung Eden, relieving him of his sword hand then bringing Eden against the side of the Raptor's head, the psy-charged sword cleaving the skull in half. Baring his teeth now, Fox looked over the Chaos cultists and Marines standing between him and Krystal angrily, gripping Eden's hilt tightly that it cracked the skin on his hand and he begun to bleed.

With a shrill cry Fox charged the enemy, with Jacques quickly throwing himself into the fray as well, wanting to make sure his brother-in-arms didn't get himself killed or worse than fighting by himself. His fears were unfounded when the vulpine begun to hack away at the enemy like a man, or vulpine, possessed. His first opponent was a cultist, whom he killed instantly by stabbing through the chest. Another cultist lunged at him and he swung, cutting off his left leg and bringing him down at his feet, Fox finished him off with driving Eden into his back.

Jacques swatted away another cultist and parried with a Chaos Marine, eyes focused all the while on the vulpine whom Jacques can sense a lot of pain and hatred emitting from him as he went melee on his enemy. When he downed the Chaos Marine with a bolter blast to the head he was shocked at the sight of Fox. The vulpine was now smiling as he hacked away at the cultists attacking him, severing heads and limbs and blood splashing about like in a swimming gala.

Fox dove towards the nearest cultist, running him through the chest with Eden. The vulpine cultist immediately spewed blood, before doubling over as Fox pulled the sword out and drove it again through his neck to finish him off. Two Marines were next to attack them, one armed with a power sword, which connected with Eden.

Jacques moved to help and swung Nemesis, severing the Chaos Marine's hands off. He was attacked by the other Chaos Marine, which left Fox to finish off the 'unhanded' Marine by stabbing him through his second heart. Fox smile faded when he spun towards Jacques and how the other Chaos Marine raised his right hand, which held his boltpistol, towards the side of the Grey Knights. He struck again, hacking off his arm, before stepping back and hacking off his left hand.

Jacques then swung Nemesis and hacked the Chaos Marine's head off. As the body dropped Fox nodded towards them and smirked.

"That was close," Fox said.

Jacques gritted and looked yards ahead where Krystal faced Lucius and whom was currently lying pinned to the ground by his foot. Fox's eyes widened, before the two of them rushed towards them. Lucius looked up from Krystal and saw both Fox and Jacques approaching him. He frowned and lowered his sabre towards her.

"Not one step closer, loyalist scum!" he exclaimed, gnashing his teeth, "Or…"

Now waiting for the Champion of Slaanes to finish Jacques unleashed a psy-wave, which shoved Lucius off her and onto his back. As he struggled to get back up Krystal leapt back onto her feet and grabbed his staff, wiping her tears and assuming a battle stance as she sought to face him again. Fox and Jacques stepped to her sides, sword gleaming with the blood on them.

"I do not want to hear any more heretical garbage vomit out your mouth, Captain Lucius!" Jacques shouted.

Lucius smiled and drew his sabre across his forehead, cutting himself again as was his custom when about to launch into combat.

"Three more souls to absorb. Three more victims to spend an eternity writhing within the confines of my artificer armour."

Krystal shook her head and stepped forward ahead of the men, "No…"

She frowned.

"It'll only be one soul if I fail to defeat you."

"Krystal!" Fox shouted, "What are you…?"

As he tried to step forward as well Jacques held him back, alarming him.

'What the hell are you doing? She needs our help,' he cried in his mind.

'No,' Jacques responded calmly, 'Let her fight. For all we know she could be the only to actually defeat the Soulthief, Fulgrim's Champion, the Scion of Chemos…whatever you may call him…'

He frowned.

'…he must die.'

Krystal noticed Jacques holding Fox back and was silently grateful. Lucius readied his sabre, cracking his whip behind him.

"Come at me, girl," Lucius licked his lips with anticipation, "You will be under my foot and at my mercy once again."

Krystal took off towards him, swinging her staff underarm towards him. He leaned backwards to avoid it and swung his whip towards her. She bent over backwards to avoid the whip, where Lucius swung his sabre. She frowned and leaned over to the right, dropping down to avoid the swing then cart-wheeling away from him, falling onto the ground in the process. She then aimed her staff and launched fire shots towards him, striking him in the chest and head. He growled in pain, charged at her and tried to stomp on her. She then brought up her staff's shield and knocked him back.

Fox and Jacques still watched, with the Grey Knight's hand on his shoulder, still holding him back.

'Why the hell is Jacques not doing anything?' he thought angrily, 'Why is he holding me back!'

'This is her fight,' Jacques mentally said to him.

They heard cackling from behind them and they spun around to lock swords with more attacking Chaos Marines, allowing Krystal and Lucius to continue fighting without an audience. Artillery fell around them as the Imperials and Cornerians moved on the base on all directions. Calgar and his Honour Guards fought the remaining Chaos Marines close-combat, pounding them into the ground.

Fighting as hard as he can, Tigerius thought bitterly, 'I pray the Cerinian takes my advice and does not feel pride if she manages to defeat the Soulthief.'

Krystal overheard his thought and felt determined, not enthusiastic, as she fought against Lucius. They swung, parried, deflected…and wounded. Krystal received a whip slash across her left arm. She cried out loud and slashed his head with her staff, causing him to grimace in annoyance. She then quickly put the point of her staff onto her wound inflicted by the whip and quickly purified it, ridding it of the taint.

Taking advantage of her distraction Lucius charge at her, weapons primed. She quickly charged up a ground quake and directed it toward the Champion of Slaanesh. The resulting high-impact staff attack redirected towards the chest plate of Slaanesh it cracked open, revealing his chest and black carapace. Lucius, feeling the psychic blast cut through his pain-reducers and causing him to laugh out loud with the sensation of pure agony.

"HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HAAAAAAA!"

Feeling disgusted with Lucius she drove the point of the staff through his chest, causing him to cut his laugh short and gasp for breath. After a few seconds of silence and no emotion he smiled again and looked deep into her eyes. Krystal screamed in agony and clenched her hands around her staff tighter as she felt her soul begin to get torn from her body and into Lucius armour. She screamed as she felt the spiritual fires of the Immaterium engulf and burn her.

Jacques and Fox heard her scream and tried to turn around to help her, but knowing if they turned their backs on the hordes of enemies at them they would be cut down with little effort. Krystal screamed again and Jacques immediately felt like he went around the bend.

"DAMNATION!" Jacques screamed in anguish, before unleashing a mind wave and sending dozens of enemies flying off him.

He then turned around and launched another psychic blast directed at Lucius, striking him upside the head. Krystal turned to the side and threw up bile; her stomach feeling like it was turned upside down as Lucius assaulted her mind and soul. She put her free hand over her mouth, eyes bulging with pain. She saw Jacques standing half-a-yard looking at her with sadness.

Appearing angered that Lucius could make even Jacques upset, she subconsciously drove her staff deeper into Lucius, emitting a cry of pain from him.

Lucius shook his head violently and screamed "No… NO! I AM IMMORTAL! THIS CAN NOT HAPPEN TO ME! BY THE GRACE OF SLAANESH, I AM IMMORTAL!"

Krystal turned to face him and narrowed her eyes as if with boredom as she drew more power from the Warp and focused more intensely as she worked to keep her soul intact. She pulled the staff out from his chest and swung again, creating a massive vertical slash down his armour form below his neck, tearing out bits of metal, black carapace and flesh. She felt no satisfaction at all from killing him, believing him to just be another Chaos-worshipping madman.

Lucius felt ten thousand years worth of stolen souls depart his armour as Krystal managed to reclaim her body. Though no one else not connected to the Warp could seem them, Krystal and Jacques saw thousands and thousands of freed souls ascend into the sky towards a better place away from the twisted Chaos Champion, who felt himself growing weaker as his immortality gave way. This left him a dry, powerless husk now standing weakly before the victorious Cerinian princess.

Lucius looked up at Krystal, the one to have finally bested him in battle, and whom he could not unnaturally claim as his next vessel. Not only because she was not human, felt no satisfaction from defeating him and used her own powers to ward him off herself, but because she was completely, and beautifully, pure.

"Im…impossible," Lucius whimpered, "The day…has finally come."

Krystal appeared plain as she asked, "Are you ready to go?"

Lucius smiled, "You can be satisfied now. I am unable to take you."

Krystal sighed, "No. I'm not satisfied. I didn't want to kill you Lucius. You or any other living being, Chaos worshipper or not."

Lucius smile faded and stared at her apprehensively as tears now streaked from Krystal's eyes as she fought to contain herself. Jacques watched soberly as she focused warp power into her staff and readied herself to strike the killing blow.

Jacques looked on, muttering softly, "Krystal…"

"I'll confess: I hate war, I hate killing, I hate taking life" Krystal continued as she wiped her nose with her free hand, her voice cracking under the pressure, "You people just don't understand how sacred it is, and I feel sorry for you. I hope where you go after this you will understand."

Lucius snorted with disgust, "I will find out soon enough. But now, I know for sure…"

He smiled his widest smile yet, revealing teeth and his tongue.

"…this experience has changed you, Cerinian And though Slaanesh is disappointed it's not towards the sensual, surely one way or another you will be corrupted."

Krystal swung her staff and immediately power cracked from it as it decapitated Lucius, blood immediately jetting upwards from his neck as the head sailed up into the air like a bloody comet, with the red fluid splashing on Krystal. His head fell back down to earth some feet away while the body fell over backwards with a loud crack.

The vixen sighed and she fell to her knees, her staff now distended in her hands. She wiped the sweat that was not soaked into her fur off her forehead, before shaking her head sadly and hiccupped a few times, hand shooting forward onto her mouth, startled. She almost jumped when she felt Fox's hand on her shoulder comfortingly.

"Krystal."

She looked up at him, appearing emotionless and shocking Fox with her new scar on the tip of her nose.

"Fox," she said, "What did I just do?"

"You killed another Traitor Marine," Fox responded.

"A champion of the Dark Gods to be exact," Jacques added as he Calgar, Tigerius and Cassius came by.

Krystal didn't even notice of the Baneblade approaching her as she as Krystal stood up she said, "For a brief second, I thought I sensed regret."

"Regret, Cerinian?" Calgar asked curiously.

Krystal turned to the Chief Librarian, looking him in the eye, "He realised he was going to lose, and I thought I sensed regret in him."

Cassius smirked, "So he should, and if you had made him feel regret then we are obliged to thank you. All those who have betrayed the Emperor shall regret ever turning their back on him in the end."

General Sturnn and Plymouth climbed down the side of the Baneblade and approached the group.

"Well, that's one way of putting it," Sturnn stated with a smile, walking in to join the conversation, accompanied by the Regimental Commissar, "The Emperor's Children have been defeated, the Slaanesh cult groups have been eliminated, the planet is ours."

Plymouth thought irritated, 'Though with some outside assistance I can guess of what kind.'

Sturnn's thoughts mirrored the Regimental Commissar's, 'Eldar. I just know it. Where in God-Emperor's name are you, witch?'

Calgar was in thought as well. He raised his eyes up towards the sky bitterly.

'Damn you, O'Donnell! He is not suppose to know…ever.'

Jacques noticed Calgar and contemplated browsing into his mind to find out what he was hiding from him. He then noticed Tigerius staring at him and instead he sheathed his swords, "We must begin reinforcing this planet, to protect it from future attacks."

Two Arwings flew overhead, the sounds of the G-Diffuser plasma engines temporary drowning out the sound of distant gunfire as the remaining Slaanesh loyalists still holding out over the planet. Fox waved up at them as they circled around the group, Falco smiling down at them and giving them a quick salute.

Hey, since that freak's lying on the ground and won't be getting up anytime in a millennium, mind if we land?

"Go ahead, Falco," Fox replied.

Touching down.

The two Arwings circled around one more time before touching down some feet away. The G-Diffusers powered down and their canopies open. With a slight groan Katt leapt out first and stretched herself, the bones in her back and arms cracking slightly, but not painfully. She was relieved to finally be out of that cockpit, as was Falco, whom she couldn't wait to be in his arms once again.

He opened her left eye to see the humans and the other members of Star Fox looking at her. She made a mental note to leap into Falco's arms in private.

"C'mon, beaky!" Katt exclaimed jovially, "Fresh air."

"Yeah, yeah…" Falco grumbled as he stretched his legs out of the canopy, "Here I come…"

He leapt off the Arwing, and the moment his left leg touched the ground first it came flying off him, with blood spurting out as a bolter round took it off below the knee and sent him falling flat on his chest, screaming in agony. Katt's eyes widened as some of the blood splattered onto her. She screamed as well, while everyone else present quickly reached for their weapons, except for Fox who stared in disbelief at his fallen comrade and closest friend.

"Falco!" he exclaimed, shaking his head with tears immediately coming out of his eyes, "GODDAMMIT, NO…NOOO!"

He spun around to find standing amidst the wreckage of the traffic control tower a singular Chaos Lord armed with a smoking boltpistol and power sword and equipped in Alpha Legion power armour. His face was covered in horrific burns and a cruel smile etched on his face. Calgar growled and aimed his gauntlets towards him. Jacques aimed his storm bolter as well.

"Such a pity," Ezekiel called out, "I was aiming for the vulpine. My targeter must have been affected in the explosion that I…"

If he had eyebrows he would have raised them a couple of times.

"…misfired, heh."

Jacques glared power swords at the once thought dead Chaos Lord, before looking over his shoulder at the downed Falco, with Katt beside him cradling his head in her arms, tears pouring out of her eyes as she was screaming for someone to help. Fox gripped Eden and his blaster tightly, inhaling and exhaling so that his scarred chest was rising and descending in a furious manner.

Fearing the worst for Falco, Jacques thought sadly and poetically, 'We are like candles, us living beings…we flicker as time passes until one way or another we shall be snuffed out….'

La'Jakob observed the sight from behind the scope of his almost empty Exitus Rifle. He finished Jacques' thought for him…

"…then the universe will become a dark, soulless void."

A/N (continued from top): …I could really use them.

Here's hoping no one is upset by the mass mutilation of Team Star Fox. I believe I've made a point that even heroes, be it physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually, will be scarred and broken by war one way or another.