Fox sat calmly within the anti-gravity carrier, Jothem and several other guards surrounded him with guns at the ready. Jothem's were fixed steadily upon him, his foot tapping with agitation, "I don't suppose you have any idea if our next stop will be our last?" He said to Fox.

Fox looked to one of the mercenaries, taking note of the mechanical pupils rapidly widening and contracting. He quickly looked to the others as well, attempting to see if there was perhaps a weaker on the could take captive. But they all proved to be battle-hardened, so Fox looked back to Jothem, "Your guess is as good as mine."

Jothem let laugh, and with a sudden bout of fury slammed his fist into Fox's snout. There was a loud crack followed by a steady flow of blood. Fox coughed, and Jothem pulled out his pistol, "No Fox, your guess is supposed to be better than mine. That was the deal, remember?" Jothem pressed the pistol into the side of Fox's skull.

Fox looked to it, "I remember a deal, several actually. Perhaps you need to jog my memory on which one we're talking about now."

Jothem's face was cold, "With pleasure." He slammed the pistols butt onto the top Fox's skull, causing a cut to form and blood to drip generously off his orange fur, "I'm tired of the games McCloud. We don't have time for three more weeks, and we don't have the money for eight more trips. You had better be giving us the right direction McCloud," He placed the pistol back onto Fox's head, "Or I'll simply find someone with who can."

Fox smirked, "It's a pretty unique code Jothem. I mean, you went to all that trouble to capture me right?"

Jothem pulled his weapon's hammer back, "It's not unique enough for only one person to know it I'm afraid. So, are we sure you've got the right place this time Fox? Or are we simply buying you more time?"

Fox sniffed and rubbed the excess blood off his snout, "Maybe I should take a closer look at my calculations."

Jothem smiled, "Maybe you should." He returned his pistol back to its holster, and their carrier careened through the sky. Fox was given a single hand-held computer, to which he quickly recalculated his map directions. Upon seeing Fox's new calculation, Jothem gave the signal to his pilot to change direction, and soon the mercenary squad was careening to the outskirts of the hive city. The traffic of jet cars soon thinned as the loud roaring population of the hive city was left behind. Fox's eyes darted throughout the cockpit frantically, desperate to find some sort of escape. His hands were bound, and his body stripped of all clothes. He inspected the cuffs more closely, in hopes their design was easy enough to slip past, but it seemed to no avail. The carrier continued on, and Fox racked his brain for a solution.

"We're coming up to our destination sir." The pilot shouted past the roaring turbines. Jothem jumped from his seat, looking through the carrier's windows.

"There she is…" Jothem said between a wide smirk. In front of the carrier rested a large cliff face, its side completely smoothed and shimmering in the overbearing sun. Jothem inspected the wall for a moment, then turned to the pilot, "Have we found it?"

Pilot shook his head, setting the carrier into a steady hover, "No sir, I don't think so… it's just a rock we're looking at. Unless the gates lower…"

Jothem growled, he inspected the cliff face more closely, looking for some sign of a gate, but eventually shot his contracted eyes back to Fox. He walked over to him, pulling his pistol from its holster "Have we failed again McCloud?"

Fox sat back, casually, "No, I don't think so. The gate's here, but will need a little uncovering in order to be passed through."

Jothem tapped his foot, judging Fox's words "Does it?"

"It does, and it looks like you'll need a guide to do it." Fox answered, raising his cuffs, "Someone who needs his hands freed."

"Well look at you McCloud! Trying to stay one step ahead of your eventual death I see." Jothem signaled one of his comrades to unbind Fox, who did so immediately. Fox rubbed his wrists, and stood calmly.

"The gate requires a code to be opened. The one I solved. I will open the gate for you if, of course, I'm allowed to join your little vacation…" Fox looked over to two human mercenaries, "Alive, preferably. Could I get some clothes?"

"And a battle suit as well…" Jothem said, looking to Fox, "We're going to need it for the journey aren't we McCloud?"

Fox nodded, "It seems that way…" One of the mercenaries handed Fox clothes and a hard battle suit, to which he quickly placed himself in. Soon after that, he directed the pilot to punch several intricate codes into the carrier's computer, and then looked to Jothem with an affirming nod.

"Is this is then McCloud?" Jothem asked, looking to the mountain face, "For certain this time?"

Fox walked to the pilot windows, now fully dressed in battered battle-armor, "That's what the maps say at least. But, it will still need a final code while we enter it…" Fox pointed to his head, "Which is safe up in here of course."

"Of course," Jothem replied, keeping his eyes eagerly fixed on the cliff ahead, "And how do you intend to open the gate might I ask?"

Fox placed his hand on Jothem's shoulder, "That's for me to know. Until we pass through of course. All you need to do is fly this straight through that wall" Fox pointed to the cliff face.

Jothem immediately shot his eyes to Fox, "This wouldn't be a kind of trick would it, a final act of valor?"

"Well that would be sort of counterproductive wouldn't it?" Fox replied, adjusting his combat suit, "Staying alive is a big goal of mine, I like breathing and all that."

Jothem looked back to the wall, thinking deeply about it for a time, he turned to his pilot, "I suppose we should do it then, shouldn't we?"

Fox cleared his throat, "I suppose you should…"

"Do you need any time to prepare McCloud?"

"None."

"Well, that's very good…"

"Do you know what's on the other side? Any idea at all?"

Jothem sighed, "That's the beauty of it… I haven't the slightest clue." He straightened his posture and looked to his fellow mercenaries, "Gentlemen, prepare your weapons. We have a new world to conquer!" The mercenaries began their rustling, the whole squad of twelve quickly placing blaster batteries and bullets into place, adjusting their battle-scarred armor and visors. Several of them attached atomic knives to their chest, blades capable of splitting any atomic material with ease. There were explosives, rations, and all other sorts of odd gear strapped to the warriors. As they prepared, Jothem turned to Fox, "And to you McCloud, understand that one wrong move, and I won't hesitate to blow your head off."

Fox smiled, "Let's save the threats for when we're through the gate. I'm sure I'll have thought of some escape plan by then."

Jothem smiled, "I'm sure." He signaled the pilot to proceed forward, and so he did. The carriers' jets went from idle to full throttle, and very quickly the large ship sped at the cliff face. Jothem looked intently, and before his eyes the cliff face began to vanish, it being replaced with a hellish light. There seemed to be whispers from it, and Fox began to feel a pounding on his mind. Jothem as well began to stagger as they progressed forward, making him turn to his crew suddenly, who looked about in a fright, all of reaching for their ears as the whispers began to turn into screams. Jothem tried to remain calm, but soon found himself jumping at every screech he heard, "Is this a game McCloud?!" He shouted, clutching onto his head. Fox, trying to maintain his own composure, found it impossible to answer. Loud screams invaded his mind, and a fear unknown to him overtook his body. He began to tremble, and soon found himself overwhelmed by an unspeakable panic.

"McCloud!" Jothem shouted again, trying to stand to his feet. He turned to the pilot, who violently shook within his chair. The turbines of the Carrier became uneven, and Jothem made his way to him, "Keep it steady! Keep it steady!" The Carrier had now reached the very surface of the cliff's peak, and as the ship passed through into that damning light Fox felt as though his entire body was being torn apart by the fear and chaos he felt inside. He let out wail as he felt what seemed to be fingernails within his head, accompanied by images of men being torn apart. Fox looked to the mercenaries, and watched in horror as one drew his pistol and quickly shot himself in the head – two others eagerly following his lead. The same thought crossed Fox's mind, and he soon found that his body began crawling to a laser pistol which had fallen to the floor.

The shining haze engulfed the ship, and as it did Fox saw another Mercenary jump from his seat. He let out a roar as he tore the flesh from his face, and drew his pistol onto his comrades. He pulled the trigger, and shattered the skulls of two mercenaries, their visors crumbling under the heated blast. Jothem looked to the group, "Keep it together!" He shouted, "All of you! Keep it together!" Though Jothem roared, his voice seemed muted by the screeching to which they all heard. Fox tried to stand, in hopes to stop the maddened combat between the Mercenaries, but his legs would not listen to him. The rampaged shooter had already shot a hole through the stomach of a mercenary attempting to pry the gun from him, and now had spattered his own brains onto the carrier's floor. The remaining five of the group now began to grapple with one another, all in a panic and frenzy, slipping on the fresh gore beneath their feet as they drew their knives and clenched their fists. One soon spotted Fox on the ground, and quickly pounced upon him. He went for Foxes throat with his hands, clenching at him with all his might. Fox desperately tried to fight back, but was overcome by the Mercenary relentless grasp, his eyes bloodshot as he began to crush Fox's windpipe.

"Get a grip!" Fox shouted, punching the Mercanary in the face. It had no effect, and so Fox pulled the atomic knife strapped to the Mercenary's chest. He jammed it into the Mercenary's side, but even that didn't stop the Mercenary's onlslaught.

The Mercenary continued his choke and begun to chant under his breath, "It is for the gods… for the gods…" Fox stabbed his attacker several more times, which the maddened soldier eventually succumbed to. His grip became weak; but his eyes never left Fox. He chanted and choked until he could no longer breathe, and slipped of Fox stiff armed and twitching.

Then, at once, the voices stopped. Fox's head suddenly became clear, and he looked to what remained of Jothem's crew. Only four were alive, two of which seemed critically wounded, "What de 'ell happened!" One of them shouted, attempting to stop the bleeding from a stab wound he had received. Fox stood on weak knees, and made his way over to Jothem.

"Are we through?" Fox asked him, looking through the cockpit's front windows.

Jothem, still calming himself, quickly pulled his pistol and raised it at Fox, "Trying to be clever?! Thought you'd off us with a little magic trick McCloud?!"

Fox raised his hands, taking great care to hide the atomic knife in his palm, "You and I had no idea what was beyond this gate Jothem."

Jothem shook his head, "But we just got through the gate didn't we? That whole fiasco was tjust us passing through the gate wasn't it?! The gate which only you had the code for!"

"I was just using the codes Jothem!" Fox shouted back, "I had no idea what was going to happen when we entered into it!"

"I find that hard to believe!" Jothem roared back, his snout flaring with adrenaline. Fox made ready to speak again, but was interrupted by a loud alarm throughout the carrier's interior. Jothem's eyes widened, and he turned them to the pilot, "Are the thrusters gone?"

The pilot looked to him in a fright, "They've just melted off! two of our turbines are completely gone! The hull seems to be cracked, the major weapons are offline, and apparently we're now off planet!"

Jothem looked outside, and let out a gasp as his eyes focused on the bright stars set upon the dark canopy of space, "Of course it'd be our luck! How much oxygen in the emergency tanks?"

"Less than an hour!" The pilot shouted back, now frantically trying to control the ships movement as it tossed itself violently.

"Then find a landing zone, now!" Jothem roared, turning to Fox.

"This ship wasn't meant for space travel? How the hell do you not figure for space travel?!" Fox said.

"It was supposed to be a warp to another planet!" Jothem retorted, "And it wasn't supposed to kill more than half of my crew!"

"Guess that's the price you pay when you walk into things ill informed… really should ask questions before you take a job." Fox barked. Jothem went for his pistol, but Fox quickly placed the atomic knife he carried to Jothem's neck, "Let's use some reason for once…" Fox stated calmly. Causing Jothem to nod, and lower his weapon.

"When we get planet side… we'll talk about your future." Jothem spat.

"I found a planet sir!" The pilot shouted, still struggling with the ships controls. The alarms continued to blare in the background, and Jothem gave his attention to the situation.

"Tell me it's clear to land there!"

The pilot looked at his onboard computer nervously, "Ah… well… it's a breathable planet, but…"

"But?" Jothem said with angst, looking at the screen himself.

"I think we have just been targeted by its local battleships…" The pilot replied. Fox, upon hearing these last words, jumped forward to the cockpit. He examined the computer screen closely, his eyes widening at the site of a very large battle cruiser. Several other alarms erupted, two of which were accompanied by the computer screen blaring the words "Missile Launch Detected."

"We're under fire." Fox said calmly, "Let me pilot." The current pilot looked to him nervously, but soon relieved himself, and Fox replaced the quivering human from his position. Fox put a piloting headset on, and quickly brought the ship into a stabilized flight pattern, "What weapons do we have online still?"

"Only the main rail laser…" Jothem answered, sitting at the co-pilot seat.

"I'm throwing up flares…" Fox said punching several commands into the carrier's computer.

"I do hope the rumors about your piloting skills are true McCloud." Jothem replied, turning on the Carrier's defensive shields. As he did so the ship received a transmission, to which Fox allowed through.

From the other side, came a loud, thundering voice, its only word being the cry, "WAAAAAGH!"