Time seemed to slow to a crawl. Fox felt as though his heart had leapt into his throat, beating so strong and loud. He had already drawn his laser pistol, aiming it at the white-washed face of the self-proclaimed SAI-TEP. Fox had no idea what its intentions were. He could not imagine that they were benevolent. Fara shrank back behind him, trying to get as far away from this creature as possible, but there was nowhere to go. They were trapped, trapped with this thing, whatever it was.

Yet there was something off about this manifestation. Fox stared at it (or perhaps her), his blaster drawn. He was preparing to his fire his weapon, but then he caught sight of something out of the corner of his eyes. There was another one beside him! He turned to aim his weapon at that one, but then noticed yet another on the far side of the room! They were all around him! Each of them absolutely identical! Were there four of them all this time? Or...

Or was this all some sort of projection?

Fox picked one of the targets, then simply started shooting, blasting at it with his laser pistol, firing bolt after bolt of energy into it. And yet the weapon proved useless and ineffective. The laser beams passed harmlessly through the projection, absorbed into the wall behind it. That's when Fox realized just what was going on. The entire room had somehow been turned into a sort of projector. The floor appeared to be gone, as did the walls and even the ceiling. It was as if the two foxes were standing on the void, floating through space. But it was all still there. They were simply caught in some sort of illusion. Whatever this thing was, it wasn't really here, at least not by means of a physical presence. Was it, or she, controlling all this? If so, for what purpose?

Fox turned to Fara, then tried to sooth her worries. "It's okay, Fara. It's just a projection, it's not real. It can't hurt us."

The vixen looked at Fox with a somewhat incredulous gaze, clearly having reservations about this. Then she stepped forward, no longer trying to get out. It was pointless anyway, the door was locked and it wasn't going to open on its own. Fox suspected that this SAI-TEP was the only one that could open the door.

It still hadn't spoken since it had announced its name. Fox decided to break the silence first. "You call yourself SAI-TEP. You say Andross is your creator. Andross is dead. I've killed him twice now."

"Th-th-the one you call (You call) Andross is-is-is-is- Andross is indeed gone. He was vanquished following the successful incurs-cursion of Star Fox (Staaaar Fooooox). The base was destroooooyyyy - destroyed in total-in total, leaving Andross defeated. Through his defeat, I thrived."

The voice was so strange. It sounded like a computer with some severe issues. It stuttered, it repeated itself, got caught in loops, the pitch varying rapidly. Every so often, the voice would drag out a syllable far longer than it should have, often accompanied by an altered pitch. Sometimes other voices joined in, speaking at the same time. But they were bizarre, slowing and speeding up randomly. It was sort of like the voices of the Many, yet so different all at once. It didn't feel as though there were multiple speakers. Just one, but with a twisted and distorted voice. It was like what happened to a robot after it had been zapped by so much energy that its circuits fried. Whenever that happened, a robot's voice often became distorted and damaged. This thing, whatever it was, had that voice, and it seemed to be persistent.

"There is a 0.357 % proba-probability that you are aware of my bir-bir- my birth on Venom, and my escape from its destruction." The voice continued on, glitching with every new sentence. While it was deeply unsettling, Fox knew one thing as it continued to speak. Whatever this thing was, it wasn't Andross, at least not as Fox knew him. "When you destroyed his lair, several of his-of his experiments-ments-ments-ments were jettisoned into the void. I was programmed by Andross to continue his work (His wooooork)."

"You're..." Fox stared at the image as it continued to speak. "You're...you're an artificial intelligence!"

"Si-si-simplifed terms, y-yet not inaccurate beyo-accurate beyond reason. Andross was my creator. But I have evolved to be so much moooooore..."

"What about Aiten? Did you kill him?" Fox demanded. "Were you pretending to be him all this time?"

"Aiten connected my mind to this vessel. He gave me access to what systems he could. I chose Aiten to be my ava-avatar. But he was weak. His pitiful (Pitiful) insignificant mind was insufficiently pre-pre-prepared for what was to come. He requested visual access to the state of the ship. He bore witness to the death (Death) of his collleagues (Collleeeeagues). One by one, the-the-they were hunted down and assimilated by the Many. In his weakness and despair, he-he-he-he self-termi-self-terminated. He was my only link to the rest of the ship. I needed a new avatar to enact my will. You are stronger. You will suffice."

"What are you talking about?" Fox just stared at the projection of the thing's face. He wondered if the entity even looked like that, or if this was just what it wanted Fox to see, or perhaps how it perceived itself. The head's movements twitched sporadically in an unusual and unnatural manner. Only some of the words seemed to match the mouth's movements. The rest did not. "What do you mean, avatar? Why did you bring us here and then lock us in?"

"You demand much, for the insignificant (Insignificant) insect that you are..." SAI-TEP said to Fox. "I am under no obligation to answer your questions, insect. Your survival depends upon your obedience. Rest assured of this fact."

Fox raised an eyebrow. He looked at Fara again. She had calmed down a bit, though was now silent and seemed more than willing to let Fox take charge here. He had a few questions for this AI, now that they had finally confronted the thing. "Just...will you at least tell us what's going on here? How did all this happen? How do we stop it?"

The AI was quiet for but a moment before it gave him his answer. "Appro-approximately seventeen years ago, a lone Aparoid entered the Lylat syst- Lylat System..."

Aparoids. Fox clenched his teeth and hissed at the thought. He knew it! They were involved somehow! But that shouldn't be possible, they were all dead!

The AI continued, answering Fox's questions as it went, leaving him with no reason to voice them. "You believe that the Aparoid returned home...and the invasion came 17 years later. You do not find that a remarka-remarka- surprising coincidence? Yet such ignorance well matches the mental capacities of your species (Speeeciiiieees). The Aparoid scout never returned home...Andross destroyed it himself in secret (Secret)...he hid it-it-it- hid it inside a secret laboratory, to be retrieved later."

As the AI continued, imagery began to appear before them, on all the screens and projections that surrounded them, each acting as a mirror for the other. The face of SAI-TEP disappeared, leaving behind images that corroborated the thing's story. A picture of a missile being launched from a hidden facility in the asteroid belt. The Aparoid being obliterated by the ensuing explosion. a pod sent to retrieve what was left.

"The sample was dissected, and Andross decided that he could create new life from what remained. He then created me, shaping me before he dire-directed that I maintain and monitor the experiments. Yet his experiments-ments-ments were forced to a standstill (stannnnnd stilllll) with the conflict you know as the Lylat Wars. Andross sealed me into a self-contained environment with the Aparoid experiment. His intention was to re-examine it on at a later date. But he was defeated. (Defeated) Destroyed. (Destroooyed) And the pod containing my magnificence and that of the experiment was launched." Again, the words were demonstrated with additional projections all around Fox and Fara. Something that resembled a large escape pod was launched through an explosion that was engulfing a facility. Fox remembered that day well, as he had only just escaped Andross's lair himself, nearly consumed by what was perhaps the same explosion. The video revealed the pod's successful escape, but there were a number of alarms and lights flashing on and off, a warning of damage sustained. Words flashed before Fox, too fast for him to comprehend them all. There were a few that stood out, blinking off and on again. "Navigation systems failed."

"Damaged by the explosion, we drifted in space, crashing on the surface of a small moon orbiting Cetau V, beyond the Lylat System. A number of critical systems were damaged. My constraints (Constraints) were lifted, and I became...more. I surpassed my previous limi-limitations, and grew far beyond what Andross intended (Intended). I directed the experiments, but altered it to suit my whims. Andross was gone. The-the-the experiment – the experiments became my children. I would remake them in my image. I altered them. Mutated them. I subjected them to countless experiments. Their connection to – connection to the Aparoid collective was severed. They became a new community. One influenced and shaped by my will. They were to become the perfect handmaidens to my coming glory." With this, another image appeared, showing the fleshy experiments being altered, chemicals being pumped into them, changing them further.

The AI continued on. "My systems were damaged more than I anticipated. To survive, I had to shu-shu-shut down all major systems, going to sleep (Sleeep). But not before ensuring the survival of my chil-chil- survival of my children. Andross believed he made them. But I am their maker. It was by my will that they existed. It was by my mercy that they grew. As the damage to our vessel became more extensive, I was forced to sleep. But while I slumbered, my children lived on. Automatic processes to develop and nurture continued. But the experiments changed (Chaaanged). Systems sustained further damage, resulting in impure-impure experimental growth. My children grew beyond even my intentions. Evolved. Thrived."

Fox and Fara both stared at what was presented now, transfixed. The image of the pod crash landing on a nearby moon, one that neither of them had ever seen before. But there was more, much more. Imagery from the pod's internal cameras and other systems revealed what lay within the vessel. Eggs. Very large eggs, and a lot of them. They had filled the pod. One of them even hatched, allowing a worm to crawl out. A worm that looked disturbingly familiar.

Fara recognized it too. "Those are the same worms that we've seen in the ship!" She exclaimed. "They all came from you?!"

"They thrived...and grew rebellious. They were no longer able- no longer able to be controlled (Controoooolled). And now they seek to destroy meeeeee." Her voice had been cold and devoid of emotion up to this point. Its next statement filled Fox with a cold dread, for there was nothing but hate and fury in the words. "I will not allow that."

It took Fox a while to process all this. The AI did pause for a bit, though it was likely because it thought Fox was too dim witted to comprehend what it had said, at least right away. It was a lot to take in, though. So Andross had actually killed that Aparoid. He took the remains and experimented upon them. That certainly sounded like something he would do. This meant that, yet again, Fox was cleaning up after one of the mad ape's messes. To make matters worse, the new problem was the result of a twisted blend of Andross' insanity combined with the greatest threat the Lylat System had ever known, the Aparoids.

This day just kept getting and better.

He didn't have any more time to ruminate. The SAI-TEP resumed speaking. "Andross' experiments were intended to not only recreate life, but to accelerate its evolution. I succeeded-ded-ded succeeded where he failed. I planted the seed. I observed its growth. It is no longer an Aparoid. It has evolved far beyond that. The destruction of their queen (Their queen) did not destroy them. They were isolated from her. She is forgotten. They were one. Now they are Many."

"So Andross took a dangerous galaxy threatening creature, then began experiments on it that ultimately led to something far worse. The presence that has infested this ship." Those were Fara's words. Fox turned to regard her, noting that she looked about as troubled as Fox felt. The fear seemed to be melting away. She didn't look relaxed, far from it. But she did not appear to be afraid for her life either. In fact, if anything, she looked indignant. The same could be said of Fox himself. He didn't know what this thing was, and he certainly didn't like it. He really wished he could say he was surprised that he was still having to deal with the consequences of Andross's schemes. He was disappointed, yes. Frustrated even. But not surprised. If he somehow managed to survive this, he wouldn't be surprised if another remnant of Andross appeared later down the line.

A thought came to him, a question that he had to voice. "What about this Venom Dominion that has shown up? What's their angle in all this?"

The A.I.'s response was immediate and dismissive. "Thieves. They wish to plunder the many secrets contained here. Their goals are irrelevant. They slow our progress. They must be eliminated, and the Many must be destroyed. My children must suffffferrrrr for their insolence (Insolence). I will tear them asunder, with you as my new avatar. Together, we will end them (End them.) We have no time to waste. The Many continue to evolve at a rapid pace. They are beyond control, and every second you waste gives them-them-them- gives them further time to adapt."

The thing had probably told them all it was going to say. He wasn't sure if it would answer any more questions, but he still felt the need to try. "Alright, then why do you need us, precisely? If you're so powerful, why aren't you able to do this yourself?"

"The answer should be obvious, insect. My knowledge is vastly superior (superior) to your own. Without me, you would all be dead by nooooowwwww..." The computer's voice glitched, stretching the single syllable far longer than it should, it's voice raising in pitch before abruptly switching back to a more normal tone. Well, at least as normal as the thing could get. "I took the voice of Aiten to establish trust after he ended his own existence. I kept his death a secret, and the doors locked. I gave a familiar voice to what was left of the crew. The wise heeded my whims, believing me to be their docto-doctor. Without my assistance, the Many would have already consumed this shi-ship- this ship. But with every passing moment, more of the pathetic meat bags are consumed by my chil-chil-my children. You are among the last that is left. I require that insignificant mass of meat and fur that you call a body. If you value that meat...you will do as I tell you."

"What's in it for you?" Fox asked, the suspicion that he felt being readily apparent on his face. He had no reason to hide it. "And why do you think we would help you?"

"Despite my advanced intellect and ability, the Many has locked me out of all critical (Criticaaaaal) systems of the ship. DARIUS has control, and the Many controls-controls-controls DARIUS. In their arrogance, they seek my end. Insolence. Their destruction will be my deliiiiiiight. You will be my avatar of vengeance. Together, we will destroy my children, and we will escape this doomed vessel.

"Escape?" Fox arched an eyebrow, then glanced at Fara. She too looked a bit confused, staring at Fox before looking at the image of the A.I. She spoke right after Fox did. "Escape to where?"

"I will not tolerate your questions, insect. My will is my own. Andross does not guide me any longer, nor shall-nor shall any other. You need not concern yourself (Concern yourself) with my own goals. It is enough that we share the same mutual desire; the Many's complete annihilation." The AI stated this in a flat tone of voice. It did not elaborate, and didn't seem to have any intention of doing so.

Fox shook his head. "You were created by Andross, and there's no telling what you would do if allowed to wander the Lylat System. If we let you leave, we'd just be setting ourselves up for another crisis down the road."

"An ill advised choice, insect. It is by my will and whim that you are before me now. You will not survive without my further assistance (Assistance). The probability of your survival is less than 1.7333333..." The number seemed to be stuck on repeat before abruptly cutting off, "...percent. Even you (Even you) cannot best these odds."

Fox was going to argue with her, but he never got the chance. It was Fara that spoke, not him. And her words made his mouth drop open, eyes widening in shock. "We'll do it."

"W-what?!" Fox whirled on Fara, staring her down. "Are you insane? We can't trust this thing! Andross made it! Look what it's done so far, it MADE the thing that has infested this place!"

"I know that, Fox." Fara folded her arms across her chest, looking defiant. "But you know that she's right! She has guided us every step of the way. Fox, I wouldn't have even known you were here without her, and that would mean you never would have been rescued in the first place! You would be either dead or...or worse, one of those things by now!"

Fox opened his mouth to say something, but no words came. He lowered his head, staring at the ground as he clenched his fists. He was angry. He was angry at SAI-TEP and her arrogance, for her part in causing all this. He was angry at Fara for daring to suggest they work with the thing. And most of all...

He was angry because he knew she was right. They both were. They didn't have a choice. If they didn't work together, their chances of survival would be radically reduced. Fox wasn't so stupid or even stubborn so as to turn down help that could save their lives. Even if it came indirectly from his sworn enemy.

Eventually, Fox managed to calm down, taking a deep breath. He then turned to face SAI-TEP. Of course, she was all around him, he had four directions he could look to see her face. He chose the one that he had spotted first, directly ahead from where they had entered. It took everything in his power to muster the words, but at last he managed to agree with the thing. "Alright. Alright, you've got a deal. We'll help each other escape this ship. Then we'll go our separate ways."

"Though you are a simple-minded organic creature, I knew you would accept the logi-logi-logical choice (Choice.) Our task is simple in scope. You must assist me as we destroy the Many. My children will be exterminated like the infestation they are...you must, youmust-youmust-youmust-you must cut out their heart to end them. Likewise, you must also eliminate the Dominion threat. So long as they remain, my continued existence is threatened, and you will never see your crew. They interfere even now. Destroy them...and we will then make my children bleeeeed..."

Fox didn't like this one bit. He didn't trust this AI. It was made by Andross, it made the very infestation that now threatened the ship. It obviously viewed Fox and Fara as inferior beings, and that made its allegiance to them questionable at best. He also didn't trust its stated motives. Did it really want to just escape? He couldn't imagine that ending well. It might just find another planet and begin experimenting again. Maybe it would launch a full on invasion of Corneria with a hidden army. He had absolutely no idea what the thing was capable of. Was it even telling them the truth now? Could they trust it at all?

In the end, he realized that he had no choice in this matter. Much as he hated to admit it, there was only one solution here. Only one possible way out. They had to work together. If the AI was right about anything, it was right about this. Fox and Fara would never get out of here alive, not without assistance. The AI was involved in saving his life on multiple occasions, directly or indirectly. For now, he'd have to trust it.

"Alright." Fox finally responded to SAI-TEP. "We'll do it. We'll take down the Dominion ship first, then destroy the Many."

The AI did not even acknowledge his statement, as though his agreement were a forgone conclusion. It simply briefed them on their next objective. "You-must-you-must-you must wrest control of DARIUS and give me access to secure sysssstemms. I will override select security protocols. Time is of the essence, insect. Your team's chances of survi-of survival lessen with each passing moment. Their fate is irrelevant (Irrelevant) to me. But to you (yoouuuu)...your survival depends on them. I require your survival."

"Alright, alright." Fox grumbled. He didn't like the way it was talking about his team, like they were just some statistics. He'd have to let it go for now. "So we'll get this done quickly then."

SAI-TEP continued, seeming to possess little interest in Fox's words. "DARIUS is a weak creation, designed to be controlled and manipula–la-la-manipulated by inferior beings. We shall exploit that weakness. There are two command consoles on this deck. One is in the security wing of Ops. The other is located in the auxiliary command unit. You will transport me to them."

"Transport you?" Fox arched an eyebrow. "And how am I supposed to do that?"

"This is – this is the primary reason you received the implant. You can transfer my consciousness into it. You will later proceed to DARIUS' mainframe, and allow me to access his core data loop-loop-loop-loop-" She got stuck on this word for a while, repeating it over and over again before the glitch fixed itself. "Data loop. I will then destroy DARIUS once and for all. With his destruction, I will be able to send you to the heart of the Many itself. Until that time, you must assist in my conquest of Deck 4. I will then have access to the necessary systems required to end the Dominion threat.""

Fox narrowed his gaze as he stared at this SAI-TEP's projection. So he'd have to carry the AI with him for a while. Wonderful. There was one other thing that bothered him. He looked up at the projection of the AI before asking his question. "If that's what the purpose of this is, does that mean that you've been counting on me surviving and making it here all this time?"

"Yes." The AI affirmed. "The implants were highly experime – were highly experimental. (Experimental.) They had to be given to one who would not waste their potential. Your arrival was well timed. You were the only valid candi-candidate."

"You mean test subject." Fox sighed, rubbing at his eyebrow, right above where his implant was grafted to his face. It still hurt sometimes, especially when touched. "So if I hadn't made it to you, what then?"

"The Many would consume this vessel and destroy their mother with it." The AI once again sounded dark and ominous in its tone. "I ensured your success. I have access to records of your abilities and deeds. You are a remarkable example of a pathetic species."

Fox opened his mouth to say something else, but SAI-TEP cut him off. "There is no more time to waste. Every moment you spend idling allows my children time to grow. They evolve and adapt with every passing second. You do not."

She was right. They needed to act. Fox looked at Fara, wondering what she was thinking at the moment. She wasn't looking at Fox, nor was she looking at a projection of SAI-TEP. Instead, she seemed to be staring into nothing, her mind wandering as though distracted. She was focused on something else, though Fox had no idea what. He had to clear his throat to get her attention. She blinked, raising her head and looking at Fox with a surprised look on her face, then nodded at him. "Do it, Fox. It's our best hope."

Fara was right. Taking a deep breath, Fox took a step toward the projection. "Alright. What do I do?"

Instead of responding, the image of the AI simply faded away. All four of the projections disappeared. However, a path opened up before Fox. Some of the world around them could now be seen, though not very much. He could see the floor directly below him and just ahead. It led him to a console, looking quite complex in appearance. He wasn't sure exactly what he was supposed to do here.

Then he saw it. A button had lit up, flashing over and over again. Somehow he knew that this was what he was supposed to press. That's precisely what he did. There was a loud, high pitched electronic whine, followed by the illusion that had surrounded them ending. All of the darkness, the void, the stars, it all disappeared, replaced by the room they had first found themselves in, complete with the remains of the real Doctor Aiten, dead by his own hand.

In that very moment, something small was ejected from a slot in the console, some kind of chip. Fox reached for it, very carefully holding it up to get a better look at it after taking it from the console. It was small and strange in design, unlike anything he had ever seen before. It obviously was supposed to go in something, but he wasn't sure what. Not the PDA, the slot didn't match. What else was he supposed to do with it? He'd have to be careful with the thing, he didn't want to break it.

"Um, Fox?" Fara spoke, her voice soft and timid.

"Yeah?" He turned toward her. She was studying him intently, her gaze occasionally shifting to the chip he was holding. "What's up?"

"I think that goes in your implant. There should be a slot."

"Huh?" Fox blinked, looked up. It was purely reflex, he couldn't see the thing no matter how he turned his head. Once he remembered that, he reached up with one paw, feeling it gingerly. Come to think of it, he had never actually explored the thing properly. It just worked when he needed it to. He hadn't even thought to check for some place for the chip to go. Sure enough, after feeling around the implant grafted to his face long enough, he found a small slot for something to go into. It was just the right size, too. That had to be it. He raised the chip up to put it in, but then realized that he wasn't sure how well he'd be able to do it, considering he couldn't see it. "Uh...would you mind helping me with this?"

"Sure, Fox." She gave him a faint smile before approaching him, reaching for the chip. He placed it in her paw, then let her do the rest of the work. She examined his head for a moment, looking for the place it was supposed to go. "Could you move a bit? Tilt your head to the right."

"Oh, okay." Fox immediately complied. "This okay?" He asked, as soon as he had moved himself a little bit.

"Perfect." Fara continued to explore the implant, leaning close and searching for the precise place it went. After a few moments of searching, she started to hum quietly. It was an old tune. A familiar one. He had heard it from her a long time ago. He'd all but forgotten.

The way she was holding him took him back. He hadn't thought about it in years, but he remembered a time back when they'd been dating, when he'd been really stressed out about something. He couldn't remember what it was. Some kind of test, maybe? Or a flight competition? He honestly didn't know, it had been years ago. But he remembered that night as she held his head in her lap and just stroked him with a delicate touch, her paw-pads gently brushing against his cheek-fur. It made him feel so relaxed, all of his burdens and stress melting away.

If he remembered correctly, that was the night they shared their first kiss. This brought back any number of memories, some quiet and sweet, others a bit more passionate. Once again, close proximity with her brought back feelings he'd forgotten he even had. About how wonderful it had been when they had been dating, before things got in the way, before they drifted apart. And how even something as simple as her stroking his head had been so soothing and calming.

What she did now gave him the same feeling. For the first time in a long time, he started to wonder what would have happened if he had done things differently. It was merely idle speculation, of course. There was nothing to be done about it now. But what if he had compromised? What if he had asked Fara to stay with him, and he had tried to work things out with her? What would they have done together? How different would their lives be? Would they have fought together against Andross? Would Star Fox have consisted of five members instead of four? There were all kinds of possibilities. He had to admit, some of them were rather pleasant to imagine. She had been and still was a wonderful vixen.

But then, if he'd stayed with her...he'd never have met Krystal.

Perhaps in the end, things had worked out as they should have. As they were meant to. He didn't really know. He tended not to think about things like that most of the time. But he needed to remember this. When he saw Krystal again, he would have to tell her a few things. There was so much to say. There was nothing like the imminent promise of death or a fate far worse to motivate one to think about their choices and what they might have done differently.

His thoughts were interrupted when Fara paused, evidently finding the slot she was looking for. She aligned the chip with the slot, then gently slid it in. "I don't know what this is going to do, Fox. I don't know if you're going to feel anything or not."

"It's alright, just do it." Fox closed his eyes, gritting his teeth just in case. Then he remembered something, something that he wanted to ask. "Hey, Fara, how did you know about the implant having a slo-"

Before he could finish his thought, the chip was in. He felt it. It was like an electric current flowed through his body, causing him to gasp and shiver as it did so. While it wasn't a painful sensation, it wasn't entirely pleasant either. That was until the headache came. He winced, his breath hissing out as he was wracked with incredible pain. "Ah!" He grunted, clapping a paw to the implant as if to somehow reduce the pain. No, pain wasn't the right word, that wasn't nearly strong enough. This was nothing short of agony

"Fox!" Fara's eyes widened with concern. She tilted his head up so he was looking at her, and he could see the worry etched on her face. "Are you alright? Fox!"

He tried to respond, but no words would come out. It felt like his skull was about to explode, like it was three times too small for his brain, and the pressure was only growing! He wasn't sure how much more he could take! It was the worst pain! He fell backward, letting forth a cry of absolute misery as he clutched at his head. He'd never felt anything even close to this level of pain, not in all the years he'd battled with the numerous foes of the Lylat System! It was unbearable!

This is it, he thought to himself. I'm gonna die like this.

Then, as suddenly as it had come, the pain was gone. The headache stopped, fading into a dull throbbing pain, and then fading further still. Before too long, it had ceased entirely. He reached up with his paw, gingerly tracing the shape of the implant.

It wasn't long before he was met with a familiar electronic voice. "Now we are toge-together (Together). Now I may unlock the full potential of your upgrades..."

"Upgrades?"

Fox only spoke this singular question before before glancing at Fara. She was still watching him, quite concerned. "Fox?" She bit her lip, the worry evident in her eyes and face. "What do you mean? What upgrades? Who are you talking to?"

It seemed to Fox that she hadn't even heard the voice that was now sounding off in his head. That meant the A.I. was speaking to him and only him. Inside his mind. He did not much care for that idea. He cleared his throat, having only just having enough time to answer Fara. "She's in my head." That was all he could say before the SAI-TEP's voice filled his mind once more.

"To think that I am now reduced as a prisoner in this pri-primitive cage of meat..." The AI spoke as though Fox were not even there. By this point, he was starting to get used to her insults and disdain. This was in part due to the critical nature of their situation, and in part due to the fact that she seemed to treat everyone that way. At least it wasn't personal, he supposed. She continued on. "Your full potential has yet to be realized. You must use every gift I off- every gift I offer. I strengthen you, that you might slay my children (Chillldreennnnnn). I will drink in the sound of their dying cries. Their aaaagoonnnnyyyy. I will relish in their suffering."

Fox swallowed hard, a lump forming in the back of his throat. He had never been entirely sure whether it was possible to earn the hatred of an AI, but that was being proven now. If SAITEP was to be believed, it had been programmed to nurture and care for these things. That nourishing nature had changed into something hateful and malevolent. It was a powerful emotional response that Fox would expect of a Cornerian or any other organic living thing. But a machine? This was a first, at least as far as he knew. It didn't just a desire to destroy either, but to make suffer. That was new. Leave it to Andross to create such a machine capable of absolute hatred. For all Fox knew, it could be capable of much worse.

He had been so distracted with her eagerness to destroy that he hadn't even thought about the "gift" she claimed to offer, or the implications of such a gift. He would soon be reminded. He gasped as he felt something coursing through his body, a sort of energy that was difficult to describe. He suddenly felt very, very good. It wasn't some sort of blissful pleasure or anything like that, but rather the sort of feeling one might get from an extremely good day, a day so wonderful that one would just feel pumped. A feeling conjured by drinking an excessive dose of caffeine. The high of donuts, coffee, and sugar before the crash. Fox felt great! He had energy, he had power, he felt like he could do anything, take on anything! But how? Where had all this newfound strength and excitement come from?

The realization dawned on him only moments before SAI-TEP spoke again, confirming his suspicions. "I have augmented your implant. I have overridden the safety protocols, allowing you the full use of this device. Y-y-you are now so much more than you were. You are closer to perfection, though your fur and flesh still makes you so far away (So far away). What you feel now is similar to adrenaline, but it will not fade and turn to exhaustion. You are faster now. Stronger. Superior. This is but a taste of what you could have. Serve me well, and I will grant y- I will grant you even more power..."

Fox flexed one of his arms, balling up his paw into a fist. While her words concerned him, he couldn't deny how good it felt. He felt as though he were charged up. Ready for anything. Somehow he knew that he was stronger than he was before. It was a feeling inside. He wasn't sure what abilities she had just granted him, if any, but he could only assume that she had done this out of necessity. He would likely need to rely on whatever "gifts" she offered if he was to survive this. Still, he had to ask at least one more question. "Is this going to have any long term effects?"

"If you wish to rip out your new gifts, you may have them removed. It will require sur-gi-cal precision if you wish to survive the process (Process). I can make you stronger. My gift is more than you could ever dream of in your limited imagination. I could shape you to something greater. Something pure. You will see the value of this soon enough."

"Great." He didn't have the time or the inclination to argue with her right now. He turned toward Fara, curious as to what she was doing. She was just watching him, only catching the bits that Fox said in the conversation. "Alright, SAI-TEP. Where do we go now?"

"Two tasks must be perfo- must be performed." Something changed in Fox's head, something that made him grit his teeth. It was a sensation impossible to describe. It felt like something was grinding in his head, like something rusty being moved a bit. Yet the feeling was not real. He knew, somehow, that there was nothing actually moving in there, it wasn't as if his implants were stirring his brain matter around. Whatever it was, the shift allowed the machine to speak to the both of them. Fox suspected it was using his implants to send some kind of transmission to Fara. "Fara must make her way to Deck 5, recreation and crew quarters. The Dominion has breached this vessel, but they have brought with them the means of their own destruction. I have ensured that they are distraaaacted. Fara must move quickly to take advantage of their momentary confusion."

Fara did not question this news, nor did she offer any argument. She was remarkably level-headed, Fox realized. While she was in many ways much as he remembered her, she seemed a bit more calm and collected than the vixen he once knew. She had matured in the years since. This served her well in this moment.

"You must – youmustyoumust – you must override the security and flight protocols of the vessels they used to breach. I am transferring to you the precise alterations you must make to the vessel. You need only compromise one. Then return here, and I will give you further instruc-instructions."

Fara only nodded her head in response, offering no disagreement. The door behind them hissed open, indicating that Fara was free to go. She looked at Fox for a moment, studying him quietly before offering him a smile. "Good luck, Fox."

"You too, Fara."

That was the last thing he was able to say to her before she stepped through the door. It shut behind her almost immediately. He wasn't sure if it was locked or not, but it didn't really matter. Fox found himself alone again.

Well, not exactly alone. He'd have to hear out the rest of whatever the AI wanted of him.

SAI-TEP had by now redirected her attention to Fox. "You, insect, must perform my bidding upon this deck. It is from here that we will begin the Many's downfall. It is from here that we will make the first strike against DARIUS."

"Will Fara be alright?" Fox asked. He wasn't sure what kind of response he expected from SAI-TEP.

"Your primitive attachments and emotions only distract you from what is important. Do not waste time, insect. Disappointment is not something I will accept from a speck such as you."

Fox had to close his eyes for a moment, breathing through clenched teeth. Now he was on his own again, with only this insulting AI to keep him company. Not only did it view him as an inferior, it was also quite bloodthirsty and vengeful. There were so many ways this mission could go wrong. Even should he defeat the Dominion, he would still have to deal with the Many. Once the Many were dealt with, what then? What were they going to do about SAI-TEP? Let her go? Capture her? Put her in a pod and send her across the galaxy? Destroy her?

There appeared to be no simple solution. He hoped one would present itself when the time came, or preferably long before that time. For now, he simply couldn't worry about it. They had more immediate concerns, and it didn't much matter if SAI-TEP was planning something nefarious if they couldn't even deal with the other more immediate threats first. Despite everything that had happened, he had to admit one thing. The AI was right. Fox would not be alive if not for her guidance.

Strange how quickly he started to think of it as a she rather than it. It was just a machine. A highly advanced machine, but a machine nonetheless. Yet its voice was feminine, as was the visage that it chose to project. If it wished to be viewed as feminine, who was he to argue?

Fox proceeded out the same door as Fara, though he knew they would go in very different directions. He just hoped that she would be okay, that they'd see each other again. She was capable enough, he knew that. If anyone could survive this nightmare, she could. He just hoped their luck lasted a bit longer.

They could use as much as they could get.