Star Fox: The Harmony of the Many

by NamaFox

The Aparoid Wars are over, and the Lylat System is recovering. Team Star Fox receives a distress call from just beyond the edge of the Lylat System. What starts as a rescue mission soon becomes something much more than the team anticipated. Fox McCloud soon finds himself contending with horrors beyond imagination, and it will take all his wits and courage just to survive.

19. Chapter 18 - Regroup

Noellap had been through over a dozen training exercises intended to simulate real combat. He had personally fought and survived two live encounters with pirate outposts on the outskirts of Venom airspace. He had never flinched in the face of danger, never given up no matter the odds against him. He was as prepared as he could possibly be, or so he imagined.

Yet all of that preparation seemed so scarce in comparison with what he now faced. He and his team were retreating at a steady pace. None of them were in a full sprint as of yet, but they weren't dawdling either. Every few steps, two of the soldiers would pause, crouch, and aim in the direction they had come from, firing a few rounds. It was unlikely that they hit anything. It was more to serve as suppressive fire, to slow their pursuers down.

Noellap wasn't sure it was working. The enemy they faced was unlike anything he had seen before. They wouldn't stop coming. They were reckless, throwing their lives away in an attempt to overwhelm the Dominion's forces. He wasn't sure how many they had killed so far. A dozen? Two dozen? Maybe more? They just kept coming.

A voice crackled over the radio, sounding desperate and scared. "This is private Alexis of Alpha Squad, is anyone reading me?! The squad leader is gone! I'm separated, I don't know where everyone is! Someone help me!"

Noellap stopped short, raising his hand and signaling his squad to cease their retreat. They stood in grim silence as they awaited his command. Their pursuers seemed to have fallen behind. Noellap's team had killed a fair number of them. Perhaps they had finally backed off, if only for a short while. He activated the transmitter on his communicator. "Alpha squadron, this is Sigma Squad. Sit tight, we're on our way to you. Give us your location."

"I...I don't know where I am!" The voice belonging to Alexis sounded panicked. "I'm...there were so many of them! I can't..."

"Get a grip, soldier!" Noellap gave him a firm command. "Remember your training. You've prepared for this." He spoke with more confidence than he felt, trying to calm Alexis down. "Find a defensive position and transmit your coordinates. We will find you."

"I...okay. Alright I'll..." There was a crashing sound over the radio. "Oh god! Oh god no! No!" A clatter could be heard, along with some other noises impossible to identify. There was a loud booming sound transmitted over the communicator. An agonized scream followed, silenced abruptly by the sound of a shotgun firing over and over again. After a silence, the sound of footsteps could be heard, then a low growling noise. After that, there was nothing but static.

His squad was rattled, as was Noellap. He couldn't afford to let that show right now. They needed to know that he was in control, that he had every confidence in their success. Even if he had doubts, this was not the time to show them. Straightening his back, he clasped his hands behind him, closing his eyes as he pondered their next move. Their time was limited..

Jenkins spoke first, his voice laden with uncertainty. "What...what do we do?"

"We will do what the lieutenant ordersss ussss to do." Eden hissed back at him. "It issss hissss call."

"W-w-we should get out of here!" It was impossible not to hear the raw fear, even panic, coming from Buckley's voice. "I don't wanna get killed by those things!"

The only two that didn't say anything were Rangu and Noellap himself. The massive ape was as silent and stoic as ever, not reacting to the situation. His was a calm and collected demeanor that Noellap found himself admiring, though he could not help but wonder if perhaps under the calm veneer was a buried sense of fear, or even panic. If so, he masked it well. It was commendable.

While the ape could remain silent, Noellap did not have that luxury. "Fall back in line, soldiers. Our task remains."

"What?!" Jenkins stared at Noellap, his mouth falling open in outright shock. "You can't be serious! We can't proceed with the mission like this! We're out of contact with HQ, we don't even know where we are, and those things are everywhere!"

"I am aware of the situation, private." Noellap narrowed his eyes at Jenkins. "We knew there was a threat when we came here. We knew the ship had been overtaken. You were all briefed on what might await us."

"B-but it wasn't anything like this, we didn't know it would be so many so fast and..." Buckley babbled, seeming unable to halt his own words. "I just heard those screams, all that screaming and gunfire on the radio and I just want to get out of here, why are we..."

"That's enough, private!" Noellap snapped at him. "No matter what threat we face, we are still all soldiers of the Dominion. We do not abandon our mission when we face adversity. We adapt. We overcome. We fight to the last, and we will lay down our lives if we must."

"But I don't..." Buckley was rubbing the back of his neck as he stared down. "I just...I don't wanna die.."

"Show ssssome backbone, you prey." The snake glared at Buckley with an expression filled with nothing less than contempt and disdain. While he didn't necessarily condone her cold manner, it was good that at the very least she was backing him up. The situation would only be more complicated if the entire squad fell apart.

Noellap cleared his throat before continuing. "If you listen to me and do exactly what I tell you, we'll get out of this. Do you understand?" He waited patiently for Buckley to respond. The rabbit was trembling, barely able to muster a nod of his head before Noellap continued. "We're going to fall back, try to regroup with any other squadrons nearby. Right now, our priority will be to find the technician Ginger, along with the rest of the team we left behind. We will assess the situation, then proceed with our objective. We will be calm, we will be cool. Most important, we will be smart. No reckless actions. Everyone stays in formation and continues as though the mission were going smoothly. Is that clear?"

Eden nodded her head, her forked tongue poking out for a moment. Buckley was nodding over and over again, though Noellap wasn't certain whether this was in acknowledgment of Noellap's words or whether it was an absent gesture as the fear grew in his mind. Either way, Noellap would take it as a yes. Rangu said nothing, as usual, merely nodded with the others. Jenkins took a few deep breaths, as he needed a moment or two to recover before turning and nodding at the lieutenant. "Yes sir. Understood."

"Good. Alright, the first thing we're going to do is -"

The radio suddenly came to life, interrupting Noellap as a quiet panicked voice spoke through the communicator. "Can...can anyone hear me? Anyone at all? This is Ginger! Requesting assistance, need immediate assistance!"

There was something in the background, a noise that Noellap could not identify. It sounded like a roar of some kind, accompanied by a loud bang. He quickly pressed the button on his communicator to give a response. "Ginger, this is Lieutenant Noellap. I need your location and the situation, now."

"Oh thank god!" She sounded so relieved. "Oh sir, I thought you were..."

"I'm waiting, lieutenant." Noellap said, reminding her of the urgency of the situation.

"Y-yes sir, sorry sir! I've got one soldier with me, the escape pods were overrun! I think they're destroyed. Everyone was killed. There's just two of us left."

"Acknowledged." Noellap closed his eyes, a frustrated sigh escaping his lips. The whole team he'd left behind, wiped out, along with the craft they had planned on using to escape. The mission grow more and more complicated. It did, however, solidify his choice in continuing the mission. There was no way out now, no way to abort. "Tell me your location. We've encountered resistance, but our squad is still at full strength."

"Yes sir, we barricaded ourselves in the crew quarters on this deck. I'm not sure..." There was a banging sound again over the communicator, then some static.

"Ginger? Ginger, report!"

"...orry about that, sir. I think they know we're here. They're trying to break in." There was another voice in the background, too indistinct to make out what was being said. Ginger's voice came back. "They're going to break through soon. I'm sending you our position now! Please hurry!"

With that, the transmission cut off. Whether she turned it off or something interrupted it was difficult to say. It didn't matter. Noellap's task was clear. He turned to the rest of his squad. "Alright, you heard the lady. They're pinned down and we're going to get them out. We're going to make these scum pay for each and every drop of Dominion blood that they shed today."

"Yes sir!" Jenkins affirmed. He seemed to have been moved to action by the request for assistance, or perhaps he'd just found his nerve.

Buckley still seemed overwhelmed with fear, unable to meet Noellap's gaze. He didn't offer any sign of insubordination, just kept mumbling to himself as he rocked back and forth. If he didn't know any better, he'd think the rabbit was praying.

The most enthusiastic of the bunch was Eden. She had a shotgun now, adjusting it before giving Noellap a wide grin, her forked tongue flicking out before retreating back within. The weapon was one of the Dominion's best, a shotgun that fired powerful bursts of energy rather than slugs or shells. It was both accurate and lethal, able to drop a target at thirty paces in the paws of a reliable marksman. The resulting attack would be a small spread of energy around a central beam. So far, it had only been issued to a handful of Dominion soldiers.

Eden rolled her neck a bit before hissing, "Forward unto sssslaughter." Noellap was just glad she was on their side. She was a crack shot. Based on the file he'd read on her, once blood was to be spilled, she wasn't just skilled at battle, but reveled in it.

She was a little bit terrifying, if he were to be honest.

Rangu said nothing, just nodded his head again, squaring his shoulders as he waited for Noellap's command.

"Let's move!" Noellap waved them forward. "We've got a technician to rescue and then an operation to complete!" He brought up the coordinates on his PDA, the ones provided by Ginger before the transmission terminated. They weren't far from their current position. They'd have to move quickly. If someone was beating on their door, it wouldn't take long for them to break inside. Noellap and his squad needed to be there before that happened.

Noellap directed them, even leading the way himself. He was cautious, of course. They moved at a good and steady pace, not a breakneck charge. While they were trying to reach Ginger as quickly as possible, they could not risk stumbling full tilt into a waiting ambush.

They moved through the hallways, most of which were empty. He wasn't sure where all the hostiles had gone. It was possible that they were dividing their forces and attempting to hunt down all of the different squads at the same time. It was also possible that a large number of them were simply lying in wait somewhere.

He didn't like this. The silence unnerved him, the stark contrast between the overwhelming and merciless onslaught earlier with the sudden quiet and absence of any enemy presence in a vessel they so clearly controlled. With every passing moment, he grew more and more certain that they were facing a foe far beyond what they had reckoned earlier. Their training would truly be put to the test this time, more so than ever before.

As they moved down yet another long empty corridor, Noellap checked their location against the coordinates they were seeking. They were just now entering the crew quarters on this deck.

Now that they were close enough, Noellap could hear voices. There were distant shouts and yells, complemented by gunfire.

They didn't have much time, but they weren't about to just charge in guns blazing. He gave a quick hand signal to Eden. She nodded and moved forward, stealthily approaching the next corner, putting her back to the wall and peering around it. After a moment, she turned back toward Noellap and gave him two signals, one after the other. The first indicated that there were three hostiles, and the second indicated the short distance away they were.

Noellap turned to either side and gave another silent order, pointing toward Eden. Jenkins crept forward, getting right behind her and also placing his back to the wall. Rangu reached upward, grabbing the massive gun on his back and loading it up. Calling it a gun was a disservice. It was a rocket launcher, firing a deadly payload that would destroy anything up to two meters away from the point of contact. Noellap shook his head at Rangu. For the first time, Rangu actually seemed to display emotion, and that emotion was disappointment. Nevertheless, he nodded and returned the weapon to his back, electing to pull out his rifle instead, which had been holstered on his waist. Noellap hated limiting the ape like that, but there was a possibility that survivors were just on the other side of the door, and the blast might wound or even kill them. That was an unacceptable risk.

Noellap soon joined the others. Buckley was the only one who didn't get in the proper position. Noellap grabbed Buckley by the collar and pointed. The rabbit stared blankly at him for a moment, then shook his head rapidly. At first, Noellap thought the rabbit was defying him, but then Buckley took his place in the designated spot. Maybe he was just trying to clear his head. Noellap looked at Eden, who was looking at him, waiting for his signal. He nodded.

The team executed the maneuver perfectly. As soon as Eden cleared the corner, she was shooting, blasting at the enemy with her shotgun. Jenkins was right behind, sending one laser blast after another into their foes. Rangu stayed where he was, covering the rear, watching to ensure they were not ambushed. Noellap followed the two charging soldiers, staying right with them.

The enemy was caught completely by surprise. They turned as they heard the gunshots, but they were not fast enough. Eden blasted one of them with her shotgun. Her pace had slowed somewhat, and with each step she would she would begin to charge another shot before releasing. The first enemy was ripped to shreds, his chest catching the blast right in the center, followed by another. When he crumpled up, the next one took it to the flank. Screaming, the infected crew member attempted to level a gun at Eden, but she fired again, this time striking the head. Four shots, four hits, two kills.

The third hostile had reached his gun, holding it up and firing at Jenkins as he advanced. There was the sound of metal striking metal, and Jenkins grunted as he was hit. The armor he was wearing was tough enough to absorb most of the damage. Jenkins simply readied his weapon and fired, catching the enemy square in the gut. As it doubled over in pain, Jenkins fired again, the laser scorching into the enemy's shoulder. As it reeled from that, Jenkins finally scored a head shot, putting the thing out of its misery.

They couldn't rest yet. The door had been breached, and they had to get to the survivors inside. As Noellap approached, ignoring the fresh corpses of the enemy on either side of him, he peered at the hole in the door. It wasn't big enough for a person to enter, but they had somehow managed to carve out a pretty hefty chunk of it. That meant they hadn't gotten in yet, so that was good.

"Ginger? Junior Lieutenant Ginger, respond!" Noellap hissed through the hole in the door. No answer. There was a sound in there, the sound of someone mumbling in the background. He was close enough that they should have heard him, yet they did not give any other response. "Ginger, this is Lieutenant Noellap, respond immediately!"

At last a voice came through. It was Ginger! He could barely hear her, she was speaking in a strained whisper. "Sir! I...I can't get to the door!"

"Are you wounded? Did one of them get in there with you?"

"No sir, but...well, something got in, but it wasn't one of them. I think...I think the soldier I'm with, I think he's hurt! I think something' still in here with us! Please hurry!"

He heard her gasp after that, then the sound of someone moving within, then a door closing. He had no idea what she was talking about, but she did say that she was unable to get to the door. They'd have to do this the hard way. They didn't have time to try and hack the thing or find a keycard or whatever they would otherwise try to do. Besides, the door might be so busted at this point that it wouldn't open any other way. He simply turned to Rangu and gestured at the door. "Try your luck?"

Again, this got a reaction out of Rangu. He smirked at Noellap before nodding, then approached the door. Cracking his knuckles, he placed his hands on either side of the hole in the door. Gritting his teeth, he heaved with all his might. Almost everyone gasped when they saw him pry the doors open using his raw strength. The metal groaned in protest as he tugged it apart, and then it was open!

As the door slid open, it revealed a room lit only by flickering damaged lights. It was difficult to make much out in there, everything was blinking in and out of sight. Noellap could see enough to note a Dominion trooper slumped up against the far wall, still in his armor.

"Secure the room." Noellap ordered. Jenkins and Eden went ahead, and Noellap turned to Rangu and Buckley. "You two remain here. Watch our backs. Alert us if anyone approaches."

The rabbit didn't really answer him, but he did turn around to watch the corridor that they found themselves in. Rangu nodded at Noellap before doing the same, looking far more relaxed than Buckley, yet no less alert. The ape was an excellent soldier. The Dominion would be proud to have a hundred like him. Then again, save for the fearful Buckley, all under his command were performing exceptionally well. He would have to remember to offer them all commendations if they got out of this alive.

For now, the matter of most importance to Noellap was tending to the soldier on the far side of the room. The room was a mess, the shelves all broken and scattered about, pieces of furniture and broken electronics strewn across the floor. There were scorch marks in the walls, likely blaster fire from the trooper shooting at someone or some thing. Whatever it was that he was shooting at seemed to be gone. There were no other bodies in the room. In fact, the room was quite still. It was possible the soldier had been shot by one of the hostiles trying to get into the room. Still, it was odd that his shots had gone so wild, as the blaster scorch marks indicated that he'd been firing at anything but the door.

The bed had been pushed over and lain on its side, serving as a makeshift barricade . The soldier was propped against the wall opposite of Noellap. His gun rested beside him, and the trooper did not react to their presence. He never stirred even as Noellap approached him, kneeling down to check on him. The soldier's face was hidden, his head bent down and staring at the floor. It was difficult to see much in the flickering light. He was still breathing, though. His breath was shallow and strained, but steady. Noellap let out a breath, relieved that he was at least still alive, even though he was undoubtedly wounded. He reached for the soldier, resting his hand on the trooper's shoulder before giving him a shake. "Are you alright? Do you need assistance?"

The soldier reacted to his presence, slowly raising his head to stare at Noellap. Only now did Noellap see the terrible truth. The lieutenant jerked backwards, reaching for his pistol. The soldier reached out for him, still gasping for breath. His words came out, choked and wheezy. "Help...me!" His hand trembled as he looked at Noellap pleadingly.

A worm was wrapped around the poor canine's neck, having burrowed its way into his body. The thing was massive, he'd never seen a worm like that. It was disgusting. It pulsed against the poor soldier's fur as it constricted around his neck. Noellap wasn't sure what this meant, exactly, but he knew one thing. The people who had attacked them earlier all had these strange worms latched on their neck. He had a sinking feeling that it was too late to save this soldier.

"Please..." The wounded soldier begged, attempting to rise to his feet. It was a slow and painful movement, clearly quite difficult for him, yet he kept trying. "I...it's in my head! It hurts! Everything hurts! Please! Help me!" His voice broke, filled with wild desperation and terror.

Noellap hesitated. The soldier had been compromised, he needed help. Noellap wanted to help him, but he was uncertain what they could do. They didn't have the proper supplies or equipment to deal with whatever this was, and they couldn't send him back to the Bulwark, not the pods destroyed. They had to do the best they could with the circumstances they had been given. It was a dreadful position to be in. He wondered what his mentor, Kamille, would do in this situation.

He knew the answer. Kamille would do the exact same thing that Noellap was about to.

Remove the worm.

"Jenkins." Noellap turned toward the soldier to his left. "We're going to remove the worm. We must hope that it saves his life."

"Sir." Jenkins cleared his throat. "I...we don't know what will happen! What if it makes things worse?"

"Do you have a better idea?" Noellap inquired.

Jenkins paused, evidently thinking the matter over. He then shook his head. "No sir."

Noellap knelt down so he could face the wounded soldier, who was staring up at him with wide, pleading eyes. "You're going to be alright. We're going to remove the worm. You'll be fine."

"Sir..." He swallowed hard, gazing at Noellap, so fearful and in obvious pain. "I...I feel so strange. It hurts so much. I'm...I'm scared. Please! Please don't leave me!"

"You're going to be alright." Noellap repeated. He could hear Jenkins moving, could hear the sound of him adjusting his blaster, likely narrowing the beam for more precision. Soon Jenkins knelt down next to the soldier, pressing it as close to the worm as he dared. It didn't react to him. It wasn't doing anything except keeping itself latched to its victim. Noellap continued speaking, hoping to keep the wounded calm. "You're doing well soldier, you've done very well. What's your name?"

The soldier hissed through clenched teeth before whispering. "Roke, sir."

"You're making the Dominion proud, Roke. You're doing just fine. We take care of our own."

This seemed to calm him down a bit. He closed his eyes, his breath slowing to a more steady and less frantic rate. "Thank you sir. Thank you. I'm...I just want..." He came to a sudden stop, his eyes snapping open as he let out an agonized cry.

It was only now that the heart rate monitor, something attached to most all of the Dominion's troops, went off. His heart beat was accelerating, now beating at a far more rapid rate than what was normal or healthy. He started to convulse, shaking violently as his heart raced faster and faster.

"Get that thing off off him!" Noellap ordered Jenkins. "Now!"

Jenkins placed his blaster so that the muzzle was practically touching the worm. It took him a moment to line up the shot. It would need to perfect, cutting through the worm and severing it as thoroughly as possible without damaging the person it was wrapped to. It was difficult to do, as the compromised soldier was jerking erratically, screaming at the top of his lungs. Jenkins would have to find the perfect moment to fire. It might not even be possible. If such a thing could be done, Noellap had full confidence that Jenkins would succeed.

Jenkins steadied his blaster, waiting for that perfect moment. As Roke rocked forward, there was an instant where he paused in his erratic movements. It was only for a second. Less than a second. it was enough. Jenkins pulled the trigger, and a laser bolt discharged directly into the body of the worm. It appeared to be a perfect shot, or as close as one could possibly get. The worm was sliced neatly in two halves, emitting a high pitched shriek the likes of which he had never before heard, a loud chittering scream. The bottom and top half of the worm writhed and jerked frantically for a few moments, independent of each other before going still.

Jenkins breathed a sigh of relief, as the shot had been clean. Roke seemed to be okay! The soldier looked up at Noellap and smiled. "Sir. Thank you."

Noellap nodded, even offering a smile himself. He was glad that Roke had survived. What was more, he seemed to be getting better already! He rose to his feet, though he nearly stumbled to the ground, caught by Jenkins who assisted him in remaining standing.

"Can you walk, soldier?" Noellap asked.

"I...I think so, sir." Roke responded, shifting a bit to test whether he could remain standing. "Thank you. I'll..."

He never got to finish his sentence. His eyes bugged out and he gasped, followed by the sound of him choking. The heart monitor sounded off again, this time even more erratic than before. "Get him on the ground!" Noellap yelled. "Get that armor off him!"

Jenkins complied, though he was soon joined by Eden, who knelt down beside him and assisted in undoing some of the straps in Roke's armor. They worked as quickly as they could. Roke was convulsing again, his head had rolled up and drool was dripping down his muzzle. At last they managed to get one of the upper armored plates off, revealing what lay beneath. All of them froze, unable to speak when they saw what was there. There was a gaping hole in his upper chest, apparently where the worm had fused to him. The worm was gone, but the hole was now oozing puss and some sort of other fluid that Noellap couldn't identify.

"What do we do, sir?!" Jenkins asked, looking to his lieutenant for guidance, waiting for him to give the answer, to somehow salvage the situation.

Noellap had no answer to give. He didn't know what to do. Before he could collect his thoughts, the heart monitor made a loud and steady whine, indicating a flat-line. The soldier had at last gone still, eyes rolled up and mouth hanging open. His struggles had ceased. He was gone. There was nothing they could do now.

The entire team was silent as the sound of the flatline gradually faded. Not a word was spoken. Noellap dipped his head downward, his eyes closed. He had failed. He had tried to save this soldier's life, and he had failed.

He knew that he could not let himself be consumed by guilt. He could not mourn for the brave soldier who had lost his life in service of the cause. He would be honored later. All of the fallen would. For now, he would see to those still alive. There was another survivor in here somewhere, or at least he hoped she were still alive.

"Search the room." He ordered. "Find Ginger."

Eden and Jenkins immediately obeyed, evidently possessing much the same mindset as Noellap, focusing on the task at hand rather than what they had just experienced. They didn't have to look very long to find Ginger. In fact, they didn't need to find her at all. She soon revealed herself to them.

There was a sound from elsewhere in the room, a thump. Jenkins and Noellap both readied themselves and aimed their weapons at the source of the disturbance. There was another door in the corner of the room, but the door was shut. There was an electronic chime that sounded as the door was unlocked, and then it slid open.

It was Ginger. She looked terrified. She stepped into the room, then looked down at the body of the soldier who had perished. She then turned toward Noellap. "Is he...?"

Noellap nodded. "Yes. One of those worms had attached to him. We attempted to remove it, but..." He trailed off. The rest of his team were silent now. What words could they offer? They had all done their best. It simply had not been enough to save Roke.

She shook her head, trembling. "He saved me. He got me out of there when we got overwhelmed, when those things attacked. He got me out. The others, they're all gone."

"Understood." Noellap rubbed at his forehead for a few moments. He had rescued Ginger at least. If her report was accurate, the entire squad had been wiped out. The pilots, the pods, the soldiers. That was over a half dozen good men and women, gone. Not only were they dead, but that meant they were completely cut off. No reinforcements. No way to retreat. They couldn't even communicate with the Bulwark now. They were on their own.

This was the worst case scenario. They were now trapped in this nightmare just like everyone else aboard was. Before the end, they'd undoubtedly see and experience more death. The others felt the same, their resolve weakening in the face of the horrors they were now dealing with, as the plan seemed to fall apart.

The room had filled with a quiet despair, a black cloud hanging over them now as the reality of the situation set in. Even Eden, the most experienced and stalwart member of the team looked troubled. How could he blame her? What they had just witnessed was a sight no one should be forced to bear. Jenkins looked grim, his eyes downcast and staring down at the soldier he had just killed. Now Ginger was there, scared and lost. Noellap took a deep breath, then let it out slowly, attempting to calm himself. This was not the time to lose his nerve. They needed his leadership, now more than ever. "Rangu. Buckley. Get in here."

The other two soldiers filed in one at a time, waiting expectantly for their next orders. Noellap surveyed the group, measuring them all. The flickering lights made this difficult. "Someone get those lights off."

Rangu flicked the switch nearest the door, but it didn't do anything. He flicked it on and off a few times, with no results. When that didn't work, he curled his fingers so that his hand clenched into a fist, then slammed it hard against the paneling. There was a crack of plastic, then the lights went out. Noellap had to admit, Rangu was rather effective, straightforward in his tactics. They worked, too. The lights were now off, and Noellap raised his wrist-mounted PDA, standard issue for Dominion forces, which offered a faint green light to the room. It wasn't as bright as what the overhead lights might have provided, but at least this illumination was steady and did not flicker. Besides, it was important to what he had to say.

"Gentlemen, I will not lie to you. The situation is grim. We are trapped here on the Von Dross. We do not know the number of hostiles between us and our objective. We do not know how well they are armed, nor how prepared for us they may be. We do have one advantage that they do not."

"What's that, sir?" Jenkins asked, listening closely to the lieutenant.

"We possess the finest training in all of the Lylat System. Even the Cornerian Army cannot match our regimen. We have the most advanced equipment and our numbers grow with every passing day. Why have we trained? Why do we serve?"

The room was silent. Ginger had lowered her gaze, gently rubbing the back of her head as she thought about the matter. She didn't seem to understand where he was going with this. Neither did Jenkins or Buckley, judging by the confusion on their faces. Only Rangu and Eden looked unperturbed. The snake woman was the first to answer. "Sssso that we may ssssave Lylat."

Noellap nodded. "Precisely. We trained so that we might save the Lylat System in its darkest hour, to bring hope and order to a broken system. This is that moment. It begins here." He clenched his fist, emotion coloring his voice. He normally tried to stay calm and collected, but he wanted them to feel what he felt. He wanted them to feel pride for the Dominion and for themselves. More than anything, he wanted them to believe in victory. How could they if he could not show the same convictions? "This is what we were trained for. I am not about to allow these worms to have their way with the Lylat System. I am not going to surrender our mission because of these parasites. This is the battle we all have prepared for! The mission that will decide the fate of the Lylat System!"

His little speech seemed to be having an effect. Jenkins and Eden were watching him, nodding their heads at his words. Ginger was giving rapt attention. Even Buckley seemed able to focus on him, despite his fear.

Noellap continued. "The Dominion is strong, not merely because of its righteous cause and strength of arms, but because it has the most valuable resource of all. It has brave men and women, willing to fight to the end, refusing to back down no matter the odds! We are the finest of our fleet, the best of the best! And we will make these things regret they ever dared to oppose the might of the Dominion, the might of her finest troops!"

Their spirits had been roused. Eden nodded her head, a grin on her face, while Jenkins pumped his fist in the air. "Hoo-rah!" Ginger and Buckley both had calmed. They were not as enthusiastic as their compatriots, but at least they didn't seem on the verge of blind panic. Even Rangu gave a nod of his head, as if in approval. For a moment, Noellap even swore that he saw a smile from the ape. If it was there, it passed quickly.

Now it was time to execute their plan. He tapped on a button on his PDA. A map of the Von Dross appeared, a holographic display, even indicating their location in the belly of the vessel. "Ginger managed to map out much of the ship in her short time at the station. We are heading for...this deck." He tapped on a specific point on the holo-map. "Deck 7. Research and Development. Specifically, the AI division. Once we're in there, we should at the very least learn where our objective is located precisely. If we're fortunate, our objective will be in the lab. Any questions?"

"Are we ssssplitting up?" Eden asked.

"No. We stay together as a team." Noellap turned to Ginger. "You're with us now. We will keep you safe, and once we're in the labs, I want you to attempt to get in touch with the captain. Do you think you can handle that?"

"I'll do my best, sir." Ginger replied. "It'll depend on what kind of equipment they have, but if I can access communications from there, it should be possible. I may have to reroute some systems and bypass security, but I think I can do it."

"Alright then." Noellap took another deep breath. This was it. "Let's move."

He took the lead, setting out into the hallway and turning toward their objective. He could hear the troops moving behind him, Jenkins and Eden covering the flanks with the rest of the group bringing up the rear. "Ginger." He looked over his shoulder to regard the rat girl. "I want you to guide us. Find the fastest route to an elevator with access to Deck 7. Run scans for anything out of the ordinary. If possible, I want to know about any potential threats before we run into them.

"Yes sir, I'll do my best. But without the proper equipment, the effectiveness of my scans will be diminished. I may not be able to give us much warning." She stayed behind the rest of the group, pressing a few buttons on the device wrapped around her wrist, a small computer that allowed her to perform at least some of her duties as a technician, albeit in a limited manner. After a bit more fiddling, she looked up at Noellap. "I've managed to rig my device to act as a makeshift motion sensor. It should give us a little bit of warning. If something is moving nearby, that is."

"Good. That's a start." Noellap gave her a nod, then continued forward. He knew where to go. He had already studied the schematic they had of this deck, what they had gathered since they had landed here. There was an elevator not far from their location. He just had to hope that it was the right one and would take them directly to where they needed to go.

The group proceeded with caution, each one with their weapons drawn and on full alert. They encountered no resistance. In fact, the halls were eerily silent. There were no voices, no screams or shouts or anything else. No gunfire. No machinery. It was putting them all on edge.

Ginger was guiding them, keeping them on a steady course, ensuring they didn't wander in circles. She seemed to know precisely where they needed to go.

The winding hallway had taken them past a couple of crew quarters and a mess hall, all deserted. Well, perhaps not. The crew quarters had been sealed, and one of the doors had a streak of blood splattered across it. He had no intention of finding out what had happened there. They couldn't afford any further distractions. They had to get off this deck.

As they came to the corner, Noellap held up his hand. He signaled Eden, who then crept forward and peeked her head around the corner for a moment. She then pulled back and hissed to the lieutenant, "Ssssecurity camera. It's sssset up ahead."

Noellap turned to Ginger. "Anything you can do about that?"

She slowly shook her head at her superior officer. "I'm sorry, sir. I don't have the expertise or even the equipment to remotely hack a camera."

"Well then, we'll do this in a less subtle manner." Noellap turned to address the snake. "Think you can take it out without making too much noise?"

"Are you kidding? Could make thissss shot in my sssleep!" She grinned at him, then checked her weapon, making sure it was fully charged and ready to go. She then took a step out, standing in plain sight as she leveled her weapon, taking aim. The camera was whirring as it swept the room, pausing for a brief moment as it registered her presence. It never got the chance to send any sort of alarm. She had squeezed the trigger, and a streak of powerful energy screamed through the air, scoring a direct hit against the camera. Bolts of electricity sparked from the thing as it was disabled.

"Perfect shot," Noellap commented.

Eden seemed pleased by the compliment, nodding her head with a smirk. "Not even a challenge."

It was at that moment that the camera simply exploded, causing Noellap to flinch. He wasn't the only one. The others had readied their weapons in response to the noise. The explosion was not what worried Noellap. Rather, it was what came immediately after.

The alarm. A high pitched and grating electronic shriek filled the air, causing the group to collectively wince at the sheer volume of it. A flat and almost emotionless voice sounded over the intercom. DARIUS.

"Intruder alert on Deck 5. Dispatch security teams immediately. Intruders, please remain where you are. The Many wishes to welcome you to the mass."

He had no idea what that message meant, but he wasn't about to stick around and find out. "Let's move, people! Go, go, go!"

They all obeyed him without question, racing down the hallway until they reached the elevator. Thankfully it was close. Despite the security alert, they'd be out of here soon. He pressed the call button for the elevator, waiting for the door to open.

As soon as he pressed that button, an error message popped up above the panel. Letters slowly rolled from one side of the screen to the other. "Security lockdown. Please standby."

Footsteps sounded in the distance. Heavy footsteps, and more than a few of them. Someone was rushing toward them, and it didn't take a genius to know that whoever was approaching wasn't friendly.

"Sir, what do we do?" Jenkins asked, turning from left to right. The elevator was right in a T-section of the hallway, going out in three different directions from the door. Noellap couldn't be sure which way the enemy was coming from. It could be one way, or it could be the other. It could be all of them.

"Form a perimeter, shoot on sight! Hold them back!" Noellap gave the command, then turned to Ginger. "Can you override the door?"

She nodded her head. "I think so. I'll try!" She approached the elevator panel, then reached for a tool strapped to her belt, a small rectangular device that she placed directly against the panel. She pressed a button on it, and the little device began to flash green repeatedly. "I think I can override the lockdown. But I'm not sure how long it will take!"

"Just get it open!" Noellap ordered. Buckley was crouched down beside Noellap, trembling and barely able to hold his rifle steady. Rangu was aiming his rifle down the corridor to their right, Jenkins was looking to the left. Eden was taking the corridor straight on. Of them all, she and Rangu looked the most calm, her tongue flicking out occasionally as though tasting the air. Rangu moved his head from side to side, popping some bones in his neck. He grunted and rolled his shoulders, ready for the action to begin. Jenkins was taking deep breaths and trying to stay cool, and he seemed to be in control for the moment. Looking down at Buckley, Noellap tapped his shoulder then pointed toward Jenkins. "Get over there. Assist him. You stay until ordered otherwise, understood?"

"I...I..." He stammered, unable to get the words out.

"Is that understood?" He asked again, his tone more firm.

"Sir...yes sir!" Buckley finally managed to respond, then obediently went to Jenkins' side, readying his rifle.

He did so just in time. "Contact, my side, multiple hostiles!" Jenkins announced, then immediately opened fire. Noellap looked just in time to see the enemy illuminated by the laser fire that Jenkins was unloading in their direction. Buckley did the same, firing at the enemy as they approached.

Noellap had expected the enemy to behave as they had in the past. They would charge recklessly and hopefully get mowed down before they could become a serious threat. They seemed to rely more on numbers than anything.

It was much to his surprise that the enemy didn't charge. As soon as those first few shots were fired, two of them backed off. One was hit and went down, but the other ducked behind the nearby walls, past the corner and obscured from sight. Noellap stared in that direction, needing a moment to comprehend what he had just seen.

They were adapting tactics. He didn't know why or how, but they clearly were. Why hadn't they done this before?

He didn't have time to ponder the situation, as the roar of gunfire soon filled the halls, forcing him to duck down. Buckley shrieked as he fell over backwards, clutching at his chest. He'd been hit! Jenkins glanced at Buckley's fallen form, then yelled as he took aim and fired, laying down a field of suppressive fire in the direction of the enemy. He scored no hits, but at least their attackers had backed off for the moment.

Noellap approached Buckley, quickly kneeling down beside him and placing a scaled hand to his chest. The bullets had embedded into the armor, but as the lieutenant examined the rookie, he came to the realization that no serious harm had been done. The bunny had gotten lucky. He had sustained a direct hit, but the armor had protected him from the brunt of the damage. "Get up soldier, you're fine."

"Y-yeah...yeah, okay." Buckley winced, perhaps a bit sore from where the bullet had hit him. He undoubtedly had felt something, though he was probably more surprised and shocked than hurt.

"Return fire!" He ordered. He then took aim at the corridor, narrowing his eyes as he prepared to squeeze off a shot. Buckley huffed as he got to his feet, then aimed his weapon too. Noellap turned to Ginger, who was still fiddling with the device. "How much longer?"

"Just a few more moments, I just need a few more moments!" She cried out, working desperately to override the lockdown on the elevator. He wasn't sure precisely what she was doing, or how the device worked, but it had better work fast. He turned back to the hallway just in time to see one of the enemy lean out, firing at the group. Noellap ducked down as the shot ricocheted off of the wall less than a foot away from him.

He was just about to shoot back when Buckley leveled his weapon, having crouched down to make himself a smaller target while aiming down the sights. He held his breath, squeezed the trigger, and took the shot.

The shot went true! It was perfectly aimed, and it struck the enemy hybrid directly in the forehead. There was an agonized, twisted scream before the thing slumped forward, sprawling out lifeless on the floor.

"I...I got him!" Buckley sounded shocked at his successful attack. It made Noellap proud. Buckley was a fresh recruit, easily intimidated and scared, but he had been trained just the same as any of them. He had just proven that. He might just make a fine soldier yet.

"Nice shot, Buckley!" Jenkins grinned at him, then jerked backwards as another shot nearly hit him from a third hybrid creeping down the hallway.

It screamed at them, voice distorted and twisted by whatever terrible evil had corrupted this place. "The Many will consume you!" With that final declaration, the thing reached for something on its waist. Noellap couldn't tell what it was from here, but whatever it had grabbed, it was now charging. He heard a high pitched whine emanating from what the creature was holding.

"Grenade!" He shouted. "Bring him down! Bring him down now!"

The thing was moving with almost blinding speed, charging at them. Buckley, Jenkins, and Noellap all fired at the thing. They all scored hits, but none were fatal. It simply wouldn't go down. It wasn't far from them now! It pulled its hand back, ready to throw the grenade into the group!

Just before the creature could fling it, Noellap took one last shot, aiming with his pistol at the hybrid's hand. If he couldn't kill the thing, perhaps he could get him to drop it. He squeezed the trigger, firing in the same moment that the creature flung the grenade. No sooner did it leave his hand than Noellap's shot connected with it. The result was instantaneous. The grenade detonated immediately, a massive fiery explosion emanating from it, consuming the hybrid. The force of the blast made Noellap stumble backwards, lifting his hand up in front of his face in a protective reflex.

When the smoke cleared, there wasn't anything left of the creature. He had no idea what that grenade was, he had never seen anything like it. Some sort of incinerating force? Whatever it was, if it had been thrown and had detonated in the middle of the group, they'd all be dead or dying.

That had been far too close.

"Nice shot, sir." Jenkins said. Jenkins and Buckley were breathing heavily, both of them on edge from the intensity of the situation. Noellap spared a quick glance at Rangu and Eden. In all the excitement he didn't even realize that they had been fighting too, though seemingly to a lesser extent. There was a corpse at the far end of the hallway that Eden was guarding. She must have made that shot earlier, perhaps when he had ducked down and had been nearly hit. Rangu didn't appear to have anyone approaching from his side, though he was keeping a close eye on it. Noellap was grateful for that, for both of them. They would never survive if they got blindsided.

They needed to get out of here. "Ginger!" Noellap shouted.

"I've almost got it! Just another moment or two!"

Thump. Thump. Thump.

Something big was coming. Something heavy. He knew what it was. He knew that sound, knew it all too well. It appeared in the hallway ahead of Eden, a massive military grade assault bot. While it wasn't the exact same model, a handful of them had been used in training exercises that Noellap had participated in. He knew enough about them to know that they were big, heavily armored, and packing some serious firepower. Small arms would not cut it in dealing with these machines. The armor was too thick, most shots would simply bounce off.

"Ginger..."

"The door's opening! I've got it!" The device she had on the panel soon glowed a solid unblinking green. The doors immediately opened for the group.

There was just one problem. They'd never get inside while the mech was there. It was already aiming its weapons at them. They couldn't just all get in the elevator and press the switch. At the very least, they'd lose some people. They'd probably all get killed. Waiting wasn't much better. When the mech made it to the elevator, it would surely block their progress, perhaps scattering them until enemy reinforcements arrived.

He didn't know what to do, what to order. As he heard the the chainguns on its arms spinning up before firing, he managed to yell, "Get down! Take cover!"

All of them immediately obeyed, diving away from the bot, out of its sight. It opened fire in that same moment, sending an absolute storm of bullets in their direction. None of them were hit, but they had been scattered. They were pinned down!

Noellap could only think of one option, and he hated to do it. "Alright. We'll need to retreat, we'll fall back and..."

Rangu stood up from where he had taken cover. He looked down at Noellap, then gave him a smile. He reached for his back, bringing out that rocket launcher that Noellap had convinced him not to use earlier. The ape waited for the guns to stop spinning, for the robot to stop firing for a moment. When his opportunity came, he stepped into the open.

The robot immediately identified him as a threat. "DARIUS, hostile detected. Initiating countermeasures."

Rangu pulled the trigger, and a rocket erupted from the launcher, streaking toward the robot. It didn't even have a chance to react. It was struck directly in the center of its mass, an impressive explosion resulting as soon as the rocket made contact. Rangu looked at Noellap expectantly, and the lieutenant quickly grasped his meaning. "Move people, into the elevator! Now!"

They didn't have to be told twice. They all ran for it, and once they were all inside, Noellap slammed his fist on the button. He looked up just in time to see the robot wobbling before setting itself upright, taking an unsteady step toward them and beginning to fire. "DARIUS, severe damage sustained, chassis compromised. Continuing miss-miss-nisshuuuunnnnn." They had damaged the thing, that much was clear, but it wasn't dead. They didn't need to kill this one. The doors soon closed, and they had managed to escape the thing. Noellap sighed with relief, leaning back against the wall. Everyone seemed just as relieved as he was."

"Not bad, prey." Eden spoke first, addressing Buckley. "Not bad."

"You too, sir. That was a great shot, I thought we were goners." Jenkins complimented Noellap before addressing Rangu. "You too man! That was amazing, yous saved all our butts."

Rangu said nothing in response. He just shrugged, but there was a faint smile on his face.

That had been close, far too close. However, they had all walked away from that ambush alive. This was no small victory. They were still here, after hostile force had tried to destroy them twice! There really was a chance that they could do this. There was hope.

The rest of the elevator ride was taken in silence. The team needed a bit of time to recover from what they had just experienced. That had been an intense encounter, particularly with the robot at the end. They hadn't managed to kill the thing, but at least they had all gotten away in one piece.

What was more fortunate was the elevator they were on would take them to the deck they needed to go. It didn't go to every deck. They must have had different elevators that could access different parts of the ship, and they must have intersected at certain points. This one went from decks 4 to 7, so that meant operations, recreation, flight, and research and development. There was an indicator for the bridge, but it appeared to be on lockdown. Unfortunate but not unexpected.

Now they were headed to research and development, Deck 7. That was the button he had hit, and the elevator seemed to be taking them there now. He looked around, gauging the others and their current condition.

Eden seemed to be in good spirits, checking her weapons and ensuring they were all in good condition, a smile on her face. She didn't seem at all disturbed by recent happenings. Rangu also seemed to be unaffected, though it was hard to tell with him. Excepting rare moment that caused his facial expression to change, he remained quite stoic. Jenkins and Buckley seemed more nervous than the others, their hands tight on their guns, looking at the elevator door as though they expected it to stop short and for some manner of horror to invade. He couldn't say he blamed them for this thought. Other than that, they seemed to be handling the situation well. Even Buckley, though still obviously afraid, seemed to be regaining his courage, no longer the terrified rabbit he had been not so long ago.

The one taking all of this the hardest seemed to be Ginger. She was huddled in the corner with a blank expression on her face, holding her pink, hairless tail in her paws and wringing it over and over again, a nervous habit of some sort. He knew why she was so affected. The others had been trained for this, most of them had at least one real mission under their belts and had signed up for combat. She was not a soldier, at least not in the same sense. She was a technician, one that had basic firearms training, but a technician nonetheless. She was out of her element. He was still impressed with the girl. Considering all they had gone through together, she was holding up remarkably well. Her position had been overrun, she had witnessed the death of her team, and she had only just survived yet another harrowing experience aboard this vessel.

She was scared, this was true, but she was not being overhwelmed. As she noticed his gaze upon her, she offered him a faint smile. He could see something in her face, in her eyes. She had not given up. Despite all the horrors she and the rest of the team had experienced, she had not yet surrendered to them. She was still able to push on. She was looking up to him now, waiting for his next order.

He was proud of her. He was proud of all of them. They had all performed exceptionally well, and he would certainly do everything in his power not just to see them through this, but to ensure their bravery and skills were recognized by the Dominion. He would make sure of that.

The elevator began to slow in its movements as it drew closer to its destination. All of them readied their weapons, Eden and Jenkins training their blasters on the door, waiting for it to open. Noellap took the moment to remind them of their orders. "If there are hostiles, blast them. We will need to make our way into the northeastern sector of Research and Development. That's where the AI labs are. This is it, people!"

The elevator made a soft chiming sound, the light above the door turned green, and the doors slid open with a cheerful 'ding'. Noellap aimed alongside the rest of his squad, bracing for the ambush that might await them.

There was no ambush. In fact, there was no one there at all. It seemed to be deserted.

"Fan out." Noellap commanded. "Check each hall, secure our perimeter."

"Yes sir." Eden affirmed, then moved out. The others quickly followed.

The hallways of this deck appeared to be arranged in a sort of "X" pattern. Noellap and his team were on an elevator, and there was an elevator right across from them. The hallway split to either side, taking four directions, crisscrossing in the very center. There were four wings here. He didn't have time to explore them all thoroughly, and only intended to do so if it were absolutely necessary. It would be better to focus on what was most likely to give them what they sought. That started with the AI research.

"Ginger. Which path leads us to artificial intelligence development?" Noellap asked.

"Um...I think it's this one." She pointed down the hallway which lead off towards a large metal door. "Yes, this is the northeast sector."

"Good. Secure the door. Let's get it open."

The team moved forward, each of them exercising due caution and remaining alert. They were all looking down the various corridors, ensuring they were clear of hostiles. There didn't seem to be anyone waiting for them on this deck so far. They were safe. For now.

Once they reached the door, Noellap first checked the door's status. Sure enough, like seemingly everything else on this ship, the door was locked. They were so close, but this blasted door stood in the way. He did have a plan for this, though.

Turning from the door, he gave further orders to the team. "Buckley, Jenkins, cover the rear. Ginger, I want you to run what scans you can from our current location, I want to know what's on the other side of this door when we open it, as well as anything else that might be around us. Rangu?" He looked up at the bigger ape, who was simply staring at him and waiting for his next order. "Get the charges out. We're going to blow the door open, we don't have time to open it properly. Eden, you will assist in setting them up."

"Aye ssssir." Eden affirmed. Rangu shrugged his shoulders, allowing the pack he carried on him to slip down his arm. He then offered it to the snake-woman, and she retrieved a single rectangular device. It was an explosive charge, intended to be used for breaching doors or even walls in some cases. They were powerful things, able to break through even the strongest steel. However, they took a bit of time to set up, and they required a bit of distance before being detonated, lest someone be wounded or killed from the blast. They didn't have the time or space needed at the elevator. Even if they did, they were trying to override the lockdown on the elevator itself, not just open the doors. This, however, was an entirely different situation. They just needed to get inside. As long as they could take cover before blowing up the door, they'd be fine.

Assuming there wasn't some nightmare waiting for them on the other side, that is. He had to hope that was not the case. If it was, he had to hope that his team could handle it. He believed they could.

Rangu and Eden both got to work, setting the charges in place, positioning them carefully for maximum damage. They didn't want to just make a small hole, they needed something that they could all fit through. With this kind of firepower, that shouldn't prove too difficult.

"I'm not detecting anything on the other side of the door." Ginger announced. As Noellap turned toward her, he noticed her expression sour. "But I am getting other readings. I'm detecting movement coming our way. It's close. It's not organic."

"Great." Jenkins muttered. "Another battle mech?"

Noellap shook his head. "No, those things are too big and too loud. If they were that close, we'd hear them."

"Yes," Ginger affirmed. "And they're moving faster than one of those behemoths can."

"W-well then what is it?" Buckley asked.

Noellap would have answered him, but he didn't have to. At that very moment, something appeared from the hallway opposite them. It was difficult to make out at first. He could only see the general outline of whatever it was that was coming toward them. It was moving in an awkward, stilted manner. s it drew closer, Noellap could hear the familiar sound of metal against metal. It was a robot of some kind.

"Those charges ready yet?" Noellap asked.

"Almosssst, ssssir." She appeared to be in the final steps of activating her charge. They'd be ready any moment.

Now Noellap could see what the thing was that was approaching. It was a droid. A protocol droid, by the look of things. All the protocol droids he had ever encountered in the past were completely harmless. They were designed for maintenace, carrying out basic tasks, and seeing to the needs of the crew. They were never designed for combat, either in programming or in structure and equipment.

It even spoke to them. The voice was friendly. Chipper. Upbeat. iT was also mechanical and artificial, giving it a strange dichotomy. "Hello sirs! Do you require assistance? I am at your service!"

Noellap didn't really care what the thing said. He didn't trust anything robotic on this ship. he wasn't about to start now. He didn't call out and ask for identification, didn't order it to stand down, didn't even try to negotiate. He just turned to the two soldiers tasked with keeping the group secure. "Shoot it."

Jenkins fired the second the order was given, having already lined up a shot. It was a direct hit, impacting against the upper torso. The protocol droid staggered, then collapsed on the floor, sparking and sputtering with smoke.

"Good shot, private."

"Thank you, sir!" Jenkins grinned. "Was an easy shot."

"Um..." Ginger cleared her throat, sounding nervous. "I"m getting some weird readings here. It's almost like the thing is-"

A deafening boom interrupted the technician, and the whole team staggered back from the raw force of the explosion. Noellap winced, shielding his eyes from the blast of white light emanating from where the droid once was.

"The damn droid just exploded!" Jenkins was shouting. "It blew up! Holy crap, did you see that?!"

"How could we not?!" Eden hissed back at him. "What did they rig that thing up with?! That's almost as much power as our charge!"

Noellap stared at the place the droid had once been. AT first, there was only a cloud of smoke, making it impossible to see what was there. When the smoke finally cleared, there was nothing but smoldering scorch marks on the ground. The explosion had completely vaporized the robot. He hadn't seen anything that indicated it was carrying an explosive. Was it inside the frame? Had they had been overloaded somehow? It had to be more than that. Either way, they had killed it and it exploded just a few moments later. A grim realization came to him, further confirmed by Ginger just a moment later. "Sir...there's more coming! I count at least half a dozen moving toward us!"

This would require quick thinking and quicker action. "Alright! They're coming at us and they're rigged to blow. Do NOT let them get close!" Noellap looked to each team member, trying to impress upon them the urgency of their situation. "Destroy them at range! We need to take position away from the charges, blow the door, and then get through it without any of those droids nearing us!"

"Sir, yes sir," came the resounding response. Eden and Rangu had finished setting the charges. They only needed to activate the detonator to blow the door. They couldn't do that until they had gotten a safe distance away. It was time to make room.

"Move out!" Noellap commanded.

The troops moved forward, ready to engage. Another droid emerged from one of the hallways, but Eden cut it down with a quick shot right in the head. It fell over, sputtering and sparking. Noellap braced himself, signaling for his troops to do the same. They waited for another deafening explosion, covering their ears and gritting their teeth.

The explosion didn't come. The droid simply remained where it was, twitching occasionally, emitting garbled words that varied in frequency and volume, nothing but incomprehensible gibberish.

After a few moments, Noellap realized that the droid wasn't going to blow. Either some of them weren't rigged, or Eden's well-placed shot had managed to knock out something critical to setting off the explosion. There could have been another reason, of course, but he had to latch on to any possible advantage. If there was a chance of preventing them from exploding, they'd have to take it. "Aim for the heads!"

Two more appeared from another hallway further down, both of them moving in that awkward gait that they had. Despite the odd manner of their movement, which might even seem comical under other circumstances, they were moving very fast. Faster than Noellap would expect them to be capable of. They were talking, too. "Unauthorized personnel detected! Please allow us to escort you to the nearest security-"

Eden answered that request with a blaster shot directly to the face. This caused the thing to collapse, an electric whine emanating from at it as it died, its voice distorting. "Errrorrrrr criiiitiiicaalll..."

The other one kept moving straight for them. Buckley managed to make the next shot, firing several times in a row. The first two shots went wild. "Sir, you appear to be suffering from elevated stress. Perhaps a trip to medical would-" The third shot impacted it right in its torso, silencing it. It staggered backward, then flailed its arms wildly in the air before exploding.

That one was close enough that the team didn't just hear or see it, they felt it. Noellap could feel the heat rolling over him. Several of the team were rocked backwards from the blast, and Buckley went sprawling away.

As soon as Noellap had recovered his balance, he rushed toward the rabbit, kneeling down and checking on him. Buckley's eyes were wide, but he didn't seem to have any serious wounds on him. He was still breathing and still conscious. His armor looked a bit singed, but that was all. "You alright soldier?"

Buckley nodded. "Y-yeah. Just a bit, uh, shook up." He shook his head rapidly back and forth to clear his thoughts. Noellap offered him his hand, and he helped the private get back up on his feet. He didn't even have to offer him a further order, Buckley immediately returned to his position. Perhaps he was getting a bit braver.

That was two close calls for the rabbit. Noellap hoped for his sake that his luck held.

"We have more signals coming our way!" Ginger exclaimed. "I'm not sure just how many! Something's wrong with the scanner!"

"Everyone, get clear of the blast radius on this door." As soon as Noellap gave the order, the team responded, moving forward and getting out of range, rounding the corner and taking cover, watching the various hallways that intersected here. More of the droids appeared. Noellap had no idea where they were all coming from, but he had a feeling that the longer they lingered here, the more likely one of the droids would get lucky and get close enough to do some real damage.

As soon as the last of them got clear of the hallway, Noellap nodded at Rangu. "Blow it."

Rangu already had the detonator in his hand. He flipped open the lid with his thumb, then brought it down and pressed the red button. The floor itself seemed to rattle as the sound of another explosion filled the air. Eden and Jenkins were still shooting at enemy droids, trying to pick them off before they could get too close. They managed to kill a few, but the droids didn't seem to stop. Each one that was killed would explode after a few moments. The other droids seemed to be smart enough to move away from any of the downed ones, meaning that the resulting explosions rarely did much damage to the other units. They could come from three different directions, not counting the elevator which, thankfully, hadn't opened to reveal more reinforcements. They already had enough to deal with.

"Through the door people, move move move!" Noellap took a step toward the door, then beckoned for the others. Buckley went first, though he didn't seem to be moving in a panic, he was simply obeying orders. Ginger went after him, then Rangu after that. Noellap then turned to the last two, Eden and Jenkins, covering the retreat. "You two, through the door now!"

Eden and Jenkins immediately obeyed, lowering their weapons and turning to follow the rest of the team. Eden moved a bit faster than Jenkins, eager to get to the front and fight any new threats that might be on the other side. Jenkins was right behind her.

Another harrowing escape, but they'd done it. Once they made it through this door, they could either quickly move forward and try to find a more secure position, or simply create a firing line to deal with the robots. They'd only have one way in, and that would make them considerably easier to deal with. He'd worry about that after he had a chance to assess the situation on the other side. He walked toward the breached door to join the others.

There was a shout behind him, a loud cry followed by a heavy thud. Noellap whipped around just in time to see Jenkins on the ground. A droid that had been crawling on the floor had grabbed hold of Jenkins' leg, causing him to trip when he had tried to move away, sending him crashing downward. Jenkins immediately tried to roll and kick the droid off, but the thing wouldn't let go. It had him in a tight, terrible grip. Jenkins screamed as its cold metal hands, strong as iron, dug into his leg, squeezing and crushing him, causing the armor to crack as it applied more and more pressure. Despite his pain, Jenkins reached for his sidearm, bringing it to the droid's head.

All of this happened in the space of a mere moment, not enough time for anyone to react. Noellap moved forward, hand outstretched, reaching for Jenkins and trying to seize hold of him, to drag him away. He tried to scream a warning, to tell Jenkins not to shoot.

It was too late. Jenkins pulled the trigger, firing directly into the droid's head. In that very same moment, the droid exploded. Noellap, having been reaching for his soldier's hand, suddenly felt the world spin around him. His vision went white, and he couldn't see what was happening around him, blinded by the intensity of the explosion. He felt himself hit the floor, rolling and rolling, his ears ringing and unable to stop himself. He crashed against what little was left of the door they had just breached. He felt like he had been hit by a train. His ears were ringing. He was alive, but what about...

Jenkins! Noellap looked up, the world around him slowly coming back into focus, blurry vision becoming more clear and allowing him to see what was in front of him. Eden was at his side, shooting into the smoke wildly. As he staggered up, she grabbed his arm and hauled him to an upright position. "We need to move, ssssir, we can't sssstay here!" She shouted.

"Jenkins!" Noellap gasped. "We can't leave him!"

"He'sss already gone, sssir." She gestured forward, and Noellap looked where she was pointing. His heart fell at the sight. Of course, he knew that the chance of Jenkins surviving an explosion like that point blank was practically nothing. He still wasn't prepared to see what was left. The armor was smoking and steaming, and there was blood and fur everywhere. What little was left of Jenkins looked as though it had melted into the armor, a sickening blend of steaming fur, flesh, and blood. Eden was right. Jenkins was gone.

Noellap stared blankly at the bloody wreckage of Jenkins' armor. His mind couldn't comprehend it, not at first. They had been fine until now. His team had done so well. They had made it through multiple hostile encounters. Now, after one slip up, Jenkins was just gone. Noellap closed his eyes for a moment, his teeth clenched, feeling a blend of both boiling rage and agonizing sorrow within him. Now was not the time to be emotional. When he opened his eyes, his face hardened and he gave simple orders. "Keep moving. Set up a perimeter. Ginger, continue running scans. Eden and Rangu, do not let anything get close. If they follow us through that door, destroy them. Buckley, you take the front with me."

His orders were obeyed without question. Eden and Rangu moved to intercept any droids that might be following them. It was easy now. The droids had to go through a narrow hole in the door to get to them, and it allowed Rangu and Eden to destroy them easily. They without mercy, blasting each and every droid that approached. Some of them exploded upon destruction, some of them didn't. The ones that didn't, Eden shot again and again and again, making sure they didn't get back up. The explosions didn't seem to do much damage to the ship itself, though it was impossible to say whether it was because of the strength of the ship's inner structure or because these particular explosives weren't designed to pierce through the hull. Either way, the droids kept coming, and the team kept shooting.

Ginger continued to run scans on the area ahead of them, working as fast as she could to get an accurate read out. Noellap glanced between her and the team at the back clearing out the droids. He then looked at Buckley, who was aiming ahead, waiting for any hostiles in the direction that the team needed to go. He was trembling, the corner of his lip twitching. His shaking grew worse, and he was struggling to hold his gun steady.

Noellap watched him for a moment, then moved to the rabbit's side and put his hand on the bunny's shoulder. This caused Buckley to close his eyes, still trembling but slowly regaining control of himself. It took a bit, but he eventually turned to his commanding officer and nodded his head. He still seemed worried, scared, uncertain. For the moment, at least, he was not going to be completely overwhelmed.

Looking ahead of them, Noellap saw no sign of hostile forces. He imagined if something was going to ambush his team, they surely would have done so by now. The noise was loud enough, with the blaster bolts and Eden yelling as she fired. In fact, the snake woman seemed to have gone into an almost berserk rampage. She simply wouldn't stop firing her gun. Even after the smoke cleared, she just kept shooting. She was yelling incoherently, words that were raw feeling and hate given voice as she kept shooting. Eventually, her weapon overheated, but that didn't stop her. She simply threw thing the thing down, drew her pistol, and then continued to fire with her sidearm.

She wasn't taking Jenkins' loss very well. At least her rage was directed at the enemy rather than anyone else. She would have kept shooting, but Rangu put his big hand on her shoulder, pushing her arm down, lowering her weapon. She was still staring forward, breathing heavily with one fist clenched tight and the other holding her pistol. And after a few moments of silence, she dropped to her knees, the pistol clattering from her grip, her eyes closing.

No sounds could be heard coming from behind them, from the elevator or the crisscrossing hallways. No metal on metal, no whirring machinery or electronic beeping, no mechanical voices. It was still, with only the smoke emanating from the defeated droids remaining. Noellap stared for a while longer, ready to shoot if he had to, waiting for the slightest sign that one of those things stirred.

He wasn't sure how much time had passed. It felt like an eternity, but perhaps it was merely twenty or thirty seconds. At last he was convinced that the droids were no longer coming. They had been defeated, every last one of them. They had won.

But what of the cost?

He gave the team a few moments to recover. Rangu seemed the most collected of all of them, his expression as impassive as ever. He patted the snake on the shoulder a few times, as if to comfort her. She didn't respond. He eventually lifted his hand away, leaving her in peace. She never reacted, never moved even once. She just stayed on her knees, staring blankly at the smoke.

It was Ginger that finally broke the silence. "All my scans indicate that there is nothing up ahead. I think we're in the clear. It seems like this area was sealed a while ago, and I don't think anyone has been in here since. There might be some basic security measures, so we'll have to watch out for that, but I don't see any obvious signs of danger."

"Good." Noellap straightened his back, gathering his strength and his wits. He knew the team needed to rest after that. They would want to mourn, to prepare themselves for what might yet be, to have closure. They didn't have that kind of time. The door was breached, and there could be more approaching at any moment.

"Fall in, team. We're moving on."

Rangu rose to his feet, approaching Noellap. Buckley stayed where he was, scanning the corridor ahead for any signs of danger. Ginger seemed to be waiting for the rest of the team.

It was Eden who took the longest to respond. He chose to give her another moment or two to collect herself. He would give her a direct order if he had to. It didn't come to that. She slowly got back to her feet, then holstered her side arm. She reached for her shotgun, pressing the release on the back, generating a cloud of steam as the charge was ejected from the weapon. She found another clip on her belt and inserted the thing, causing the high-tech weapon to light up all over again. She turned to face Noellap, her weapon in both hands and resting against her chest. "I am ready." Her voice was empty and devoid of emotion.

He offered her a nod before turning to Ginger. "Guide us forward. I want the primary research center here. Can you find it?"

"Yes sir." Ginger tapped on her wrist-mounted device a few times, the PDA. "During my scans for hostiles, I was also looking for our objective. I believe it's here." She pointed at a particular point on a holographic map that popped up from the device she was using. "It's not far. If there's anything of value to be found on this deck, it'll be found there."

"Good work. Troops? Fall in. We move now." There were no words that could be said right now, nothing that would cover the grief that they felt, the loss that they had just experienced. They proceeded to obey his orders without hesitation. Despite the tragedy of the situation, he found himself feeling a bit of pride. They were strong. They were well disciplined. Despite what they had just experienced, they were moving ahead, determined to see this mission through.

This was what the Dominion was all about. He could see firsthand how well that training had paid off. He knew, of course, from the very beginning. He believed in what they had been taught and how they had been trained. It was only now he was seeing the the results of it, as tragic as the circumstances might have been.

They trudged along in silence, occasionally rounding one corner or following a different corridor for a time. There were a great many offices and stations in this part of the ship. Some rooms appeared to be conference rooms, with small portable computers arranged in neat lines with a podium and projector screen behind it. Some of the rooms were personal offices, decorated according to the personality of whoever worked there, perhaps displaying a single mascot from a popular video game, or a half empty beverage in a cup-holder. He thought about ordering a search, but there were just so many rooms. It would be far more efficient to start at the top and work their way down. Critical information would likely be held by the highest ranked people here.

Buckley suddenly came to a halt, holding up his hand and looking at the lieutenant. "Sir! There's...there's a camera up ahead!"

Noellap peered past the rabbit. He was right, there was a camera. However, something was off about it. It was silent and unmoving, just staring straight ahead. What was more, there was no indication of any power being directed to it. It seemed to be dead.

"I don't get it." Eden frowned as she stared at the camera. "Why isss it not working?"

"I don't know." Noellap stroked his chin as he stared at the thing. "Perhaps whoever controls this ship has diverted power away from here, perhaps they need it elsewhere."

"It's possible someone else disabled it." Ginger offered.

"Someone else?" Buckley turned to face her, looking curious. "Like who?"

"I don't know. I'd have to get into the system before I could tell you that. I'm just saying it's possible."

"It doesn't matter what the reason is. What matters is that we can take advantage of it. Let's keep moving. We're close." With that, Noellap took the lead, going right into the camera's field of vision. Just as he suspected, the thing was disabled. It never reacted to him. That would make further proceedings much easier. He did wonder why it was off. Maybe someone was still fighting back somewhere. He couldn't help but wonder if maybe, just maybe, it was the legendary Fox McCloud himself. Wouldn't that be quite the encounter, if the two of them were to meet? He wasn't sure how he'd deal with him if it came down to that. Granted, he didn't think it was likely. It was a big ship. Fox may not even be alive. They would know in the Bulwark if they were still able to track him, but he didn't have access to that information right now.

What would he do if he met Fox? His orders were to either detain or destroy him, but at this point the mission had all but fallen apart. As far as he was concerned, the only thing that mattered was the primary objective and then getting out alive. He had no interest in hunting down or provoking any survivors that might be left, Fox included. He'd deal with the consequences of that choice later.

At last they reached it, the heart of the AI Research and Development wing. It was easily distinguished, he didn't have to wonder for a moment if they had made it or not. It was a rather impressive room. There were several servers set up, humming with power. There were any number of consoles filling the room. There were offices, much bigger and more spacious than the ones they had passed to get here, likely belonging to the chief researches and executive staff. There was so much here, so much to go through. Where would they even start?

Noellap had a bit of training in the use of this kind of equipment himself, so it wouldn't fall entirely on Ginger, who was admittedly more qualified than him. Still, he had a particular task in mind for her. "Ginger, I need you to work on getting us through to the Bulwark. The communication system, as far as we know, is still online. We simply need a way to tap into it, to transmit to our vessel. It is imperative that we re-establish communications."

"Yes sir. I'm on it. I'll see what I can do from here." With that, Ginger went to one of the main terminals, powering it up before inputting various commands into the computer in order to access the communication system. Hopefully she would be able to succeed. Turning to the rest of the group, Noellap gave them their orders. "Alright, I want all of you looking for anything that might be important. Key cards, passwords, PDAs, anything that might be of use to us. Get to it. Report whenever you find anything." He paused, then turned to Rangu. "Except you. You stand guard, just in case. Watch the direction we came from. I do not want to be surprised."

Rangu nodded, then went to the entrance. He remained there, waiting for any potential hostiles. Noellap wasn't sure if he -enjoyed- the work or not, but at the very least he didn't complain. Buckley and Eden both went their own their own path, commencing the search as Noellap commanded.

Now it was time for him to do his part as well. He started to circle the place, looking for anything in particular that looked promising. A few of the terminals had flickering monitors, but when he approached them, they invariably had either passwords that he couldn't even begin to guess, or they appeared to be damaged to the point that they could no longer be used. He had a familiarity with these machines, though he would never be able to hack the things with his own simple knowledge. Maybe Ginger could, she might have had some basic training in that area. For now, she still needed to work on the communications. He would search for something else of use. If he was going to take the trouble to attempt to hack a terminal, it had better be a good one, something of more obvious importance.

For a while, he wandered with the team, looking the place up and down and searching for anything that might prove useful to them. Most of the terminals were locked down, and there was no way of knowing if they had high enough clearance to have access to anything important. There was no sense in wasting time and resources in order to take over a terminal only to discover that it belonged to a low level incompetent employee who had next to no knowledge of what was going on around him. No, they needed something of substantial import.

As he picked through the various terminals and PDAs and data disks lying around, the others quietly did their own searching, having little to show for their efforts. It didn't surprise him. It was the proverbial needle in a haystack. Some terminals showed signs of sabotage. It could have been some sort of error and the terminals simply needed a reboot. It could be something more sinister. Whatever the case was, he wasn't going to have much luck with those. The data disks that he located were almost completely useless, containing basic data on day to day work that had been done and recorded. Individual records that meant nothing by themselves.

Noellap decided to check some of the offices nearby. There were a handful of them, all devoted to various aspects of AI research. He didn't recognize any of the names, but there was no reason for him to. He didn't know the names of anyone on this ship, save perhaps for Fox McCloud, and he wasn't a member of the crew.

Eden and Buckley were rummaging through some of the offices themselves, searching for something of use. They didn't appear to be having much luck, clearing one office before searching another.

His eyes were drawn to one of the larger offices, one belonging to a certain Chief of Development, apparently going by the name of J.M. Vector, or so the sign by his door read. There was a flat dark panel to the right of the door, with a steady red light at the top of it. Noellap reached for that panel, and it immediately sounded with a grating electronic buzz, refusing him entry.

The fact that this was the only office in the entire are that was locked made him suspect that there would be something promising inside. Of course, this hunch could prove to be incorrect, but it would be as good a place to start as any. He knew just how to get inside. "Rangu!" He called out. "Come over here for a moment. I need you to set up a charge."

The ape grunted, then lumbered over to Noellap, reaching into his satchel to pull out another explosive charge. He planted it against the center of the door, then pressed a few buttons, giving it a timer before detonation. "Keep up your work, people." Noellap warned everyone as he and Rangu both stepped back. "We're going to blow the door. Stay focused on your tasks."

No response was given, nor was one needed. Ginger was still working at her terminal, trying to get in contact with the Bulwark. The other two were in different offices. All of them were easily out of range of the coming blast. He gave Rangu a nod, then he followed the ape to a safe distance. The charge emanated a loud high pitched beeping sound, growing faster and faster as it reached the end of the countdown. By the end, it was beeping so rapidly that it sounded like steady sound, rather than several put together. This heralded the blast, which Noellap had braced for. When the smoke cleared, the door was practically gone. Noellap gave a nod to Rangu, who then returned to his post to stand watch. As Noellap went into the room, the light on the door panel turned green, as though unlocking for him. Funny, since there wasn't a door to open anymore.

The office was neat and orderly, or at least it was before the door had blown open. Save for the broken door and bits of debris that had been launched across the room, it would have almost looked as though the person it belonged to had simply stepped out for a meal or was on break and would be back shortly. The contrast between the rubble and twisted metal wreckage of the door with the immaculate appearance of the rest of the office stood out to Noellap. Everything had been well arranged. The desk was not in front of the door, which was fortunate, as the doctor's personal terminal was on that desk. He was glad the explosion hadn't damaged or destroyed it. However, as he approached the thing and powered it up, he found it too was locked down. Noellap sank into the chair in front of the terminal before opening the various drawers on the thing, searching for something that would help. The likelihood of him finding the password for this thing in the office was astoundingly low. Still, there was a chance. Perhaps the doctor was careless or reckless and had a spare code on or in his desk. Maybe he was forgetful and needed reminders.

No such luck. It didn't surprise him. Someone as well ordered and structured as this person appeared to be wouldn't leave something so sensitive just lying around. He rummaged a bit more, then finally gave up, leaning back against the chair and closing his eyes, pondering the situation. He could keep searching for a way to access the terminal. Maybe he could find something elsewhere, but it would take time. If they found anything at all. He couldn't find the password lying around, and he couldn't hack the system with his own skills and expertise.

That didn't mean he still couldn't get in.. He reached into his pocket before withdrawing a single computer chip. This was one of the pride and joys of the Dominion's research program. A hacking tool that could, supposedly, hack into any system in the galaxy with ease, overriding security programs, passwords, and anything else that one could possibly want. It was the ultimate hacking tool, or at least that's what he was told. It didn't even require any knowledge of programming or hacking or anything else, just a basic familiarity with computers, such as where to plug it in. There was, however, a small drawback. While the creator had bragged that it could compromise any system ever made in Lylat, it was also of limited use. Precisely one use, as a matter of fact. He didn't understand the science behind it, but it only had so much power, and it used some custom nanites to do the job. Therefore, once it was used, the chip became worthless. They were quite costly to produce, so he only had the one. If there was a place on this ship that had access to the information he required, this was it.

He could save the chip, hold onto it for future use. For all he knew, there might be a more valuable system that they could break into elsewhere. Maybe this wouldn't be as useful a terminal as he hoped.

Jenkins had died for this. He had died to get into these labs, and with that death came another certainty. The longer they stayed on this vessel, the more likely the rest of them would end up like Jenkins. Whatever these things were, they seemed to have an overwhelming presence aboard the ship. It seemed to be under their complete control, with perhaps minor pockets of resistance, as they had encountered earlier. With every second they delayed, there was less and less a chance that he or his team would make it out alive. More importantly, there was less chance that they would succeed in their mission, in extracting the information they required.

No, if there was even a chance that this terminal might contain the information they sought, he had to take it. He slipped the chip into the appropriate input port. The screen flashed repeatedly, and a series of letters raced across it. Even though Noellap hadn't entered a password, it was apparently accepted. In the blink of an eye, Noellap had full access to the entire system.

He took a deep breath, then began going through the contents of the terminal. He would start with the most recent entries, then make his way back until he found something of note. Hopefully he would recognize what he was looking for when he saw it.

The first thing that caught his eye were a series of audio logs that had been made in the last few days. There were a few before that, but they were very spaced out, sometimes days or weeks apart from one another. However, just a few days ago, the logs started being made more frequently, recorded daily or even several times a day. If Noellap was right, he suspected the increased activity occurred when the troubles on the Von Dross began to escalate, as the ship began to be overtaken by the hostile force. That information would likely prove to be more relevant to him than any older entries Opening the files, he found the first one of interest, then played it. A voice sounded from the terminal. It was quiet, but clear enough to be understood. The speaker was firm, his voice free of any doubt or disorder. He spoke with purpose, and with a faint accent. His words also seemed to be colored by annoyance, and even outright fury at times.

"I don't know why we're using this blasted AI." The voice grumbled, demonstrating clear frustration on the part of the speaker. "DARIUS is so easily exploited, it's absolutely absurd that we're relying on him! The other night, some idiot had him blaring Cornerian pop music for three hours straight, singing in that annoying voice of his. I had to pull the bloody plug on his vocal systems just to shut him up. I managed to fix the problem, but it wasn't some random glitch. Somebody did this on purpose. Thank god it was just some stupid prank, but I cannot help but worry. If someone with a real agenda managed to compromise him, I can't even begin to imagine what chaos might ensue. I'm filing a report with security. This is completely unacceptable."

Interesting information, but nothing of great use to the lieutenant. He supposed that's why this DARIUS was under enemy control. Someone on the enemy side must have reprogrammed him or influenced him or whatever they needed to do. Too bad the Dominion couldn't take advantage of that, but he wouldn't even know where to start.

There were more files. He played another. "Half my staff have been reporting headaches and sickness. I'd call them a bunch of lazy peasants trying to get out of work, but it seems the epidemic has spread throughout the ship. Of course it's happening now, when I'm on the verge of a major breakthrough. Why wouldn't it? Everything has gone wrong recently. Some of my staff have been sent to hydroponics, no word from them. The captain's not talking to me or anyone else, that's great. The bridge is locked down, and the captain only calls a handful of the crew up at any given time. Most don't come back, and when they do, they're...off. And DARIUS is getting more and more erratic. To top it all off, most of our security systems are tied into that stupid AI. I've been pushing for an upgraded system for months now, but no one listens to me. They don't care about it, because that doesn't make them any money. They DO care about my upgraded interceptor AI designs. They're practically perfect. I say practically, because I witnessed a simulation where some bitch, a Fara Fennic or whatever the hell her name was, managed to best them in space combat. Sloppy coding from some of the staff led to this problem. Now I've got to fix it all myself. I'm going to recommend those responsible to be immediately terminated. Give them the bare minimum of compensation, wipe their recent memories, then dump them on the next planet. I can't work with imbeciles."

Now this was far more promising. In fact, this might just be what Noellap had been looking for, what the Dominion had been looking for! If not, it was very close. The Dominion craved those secret AI designs, top of the line, better than any other system in the galaxy. It was an edge the Dominion would need in the days to come.

He decided to go into the files himself, looking for the research. He hoped it was on here. Or at the very least, perhaps there would be instructions or a method of extracting the relevant data.

It was unnecessary. He found it. It was right there. All of the notes, all of the data, everything that Noellap needed. The terminal, as luck would have it, was connected directly to the primary servers in this wing. He couldn't believe it! It was all here! Detailed schematics, programming, everything that they were looking for, and it didn't stop there! As he browsed through other files, he found that they contained all sorts of information about the AI. Schematics for DARIUS, automatic interceptors that could engage and overcome a skilled pilot, detailed manufacturing instructions for mass production, schematics for robots and droids that could be given heavy combat abilities combined with artificial intelligence. There were designs for smarter turrets that were able to more accurately identify friends and foes with less possibility of error or malfunction, less susceptibility to being hacked. This was it! This was what they were looking for! It had everything they had hoped for and more!

He quickly reached into his pocket, placing another device into the appropriate slot in the terminal. He then took every single file he could find on the device before beginning the transfer to the electronic storage unit he had just plugged into the thing.

There were quite a few other audio files he could listen to. He didn't have time to listen to them all now, though he was downloading most of them to his storage device. He decided to at least play the last one, even as the files continued their transfer.

"I finally got word from the captain. He's pleased with my team's results, and has invited us to join him on the bridge for a special ceremony. Strange that we've heard so little from him recently. He seemed different. He has always been a demanding soul. Yet now he seemed largely at peace. He never once even inquired about our quota. Unheard of! We must have had a bad connection for some reason, his voice sounded as though it had been altered. I cannot say I'm surprised. Maintenance has been dreadful lately. Yet even so, I find his words suspicious. We have heard nothing from him since all this nonsense began, and now he suddenly wants to reward me? I think not."

"I do not trust the captain. I do not trust anyone right now. My staff, the ones that are left, are acting strange. I think I know what's going on. They want my research. Each and every one of them wants what I possess, with intent to claim it as their own. I refuse to allow this. No one will take credit for what I have done except me. I worked too hard and too long on this to be cheated out of it!"

Noellap was barely paying any attention to the voice on the recording now, his eyes glued to the indicator on the screen for how much had been transferred over. It wouldn't take much longer.

"There is another matter. My colleague, Doctor Aiten, sent me a message. It was some rubbish about an AI being found on the surface of Cetau V. Or the moon. Whichever. This is a dead planet, along with everything in orbit. Nothing can survive here for long, it's all uninhabitable. I don't know how an AI could possibly get to this remote sector in the first place. But Aiten sent me the data. And he sent me his suspicions. I daresay he's right."

This gave Noellap pause. He blinked, turning his head away from watching the progress bar and narrowing his eyes. What was the scientist talking about?

"I've looked it over. After doing a few scans and tests of the data, the AI is most definitely originated from Venom. Even my cursory examination revealed that much. And yes, I believe that it was a creation of Andross. Some of my research stems from his work. There's little doubt that this originated from him, there are too many indicators in what I managed to sift through in the data and code. However, I was not aware of him creating anything quite this sophisticated. I was under the impression that anything of this nature had been destroyed along with his base on Venom. Evidently not. The implications of this are rather fascinating."

Noellap's mouth dropped open. He was not easily shocked, but this news rattled him to the core. It changed everything. He was now listening very, very closely.

"I told him that as long as he didn't plug it into the system, he should be fine. Naturally, he already had. He was blubbering at me like a baby, convinced he had just brought Andross back and doomed us all. The connection failed after that, I'm not sure what happened. I suppose I should go and make sure he doesn't do anything stupid."

"I'll see the captain first, see what he wants. Just in case, I'm going to seal off the entire AI Research division. I'll make up something, there's a leak or emergency maintenance needs to be done, they'll take my word for it. Perhaps a sort of stress test on the machinery, the kind that would be dangerous for anyone who would remain here. The wing will stay sealed until I get back. No one is touching my work. Not the captain. Not Aiten. Not my staff. No one. Maybe while I'm visiting Aiten, I'll investigate that AI. He said it was in his office on Deck 4. A chance to study an AI created by Andross himself? There's no telling what I could do with this. Not to mention all the secrets it may keep." That was the end of the message. The transfer finished shortly after.

Noellap just sat there, staring at the desk, eyes unfocused. They had secured what they came here for, but now? Now they had learned of something big, something far bigger than their original purpose here. The enormity of what he had just learned weighed upon his shoulders.

The weight of this news did not need to rest upon him alone. He knew precisely what he needed to do with it.

He left the room, approaching Ginger from where she was working. "Have you established communications with the Bulwark?" He asked.

"I'm just getting through now, sir. I think they're receiving us."

"Excellent."

---

Captain Kamille now stood at the bow of his ship, staring into the stars. How vast they were, how greatly they numbered. One could get lost in the vastness of space. There was so much out there, so much that they hadn't seen, so many worlds not explored. It felt humbling to stand there and gaze outward, reminding oneself of just how small they might be compared to the universe.

It helped him to put things in perspective, at times. To remember that, at the end of the day, they were but specks, small dots in an endless void. One of those countless stars could disappear before his very eyes, and he likely would not miss it. As large as it was, as powerful as it was, what was it but a single drop? What was he compared to that? What were his men? Alone, individually, they meant nothing, but together the stars created something beautiful. Something that stretched across the heavens, blanketing the many worlds of their galaxy and beyond with light, beauty, and mystery.

So too were the members of the Dominion. As individuals, they were nothing. Their lives did not matter. Not the crew onboard the Bulwark, not the squadrons sent to the Von Dross. Not even the captain himself. Isolated and alone, there was no meaning. There was no accomplishment. United, however, they could create a new order. A galaxy safer and stronger, more secure.

One could be wiped away and the stars would yet shine on, heedless of the one that had disappeared. His thoughts now dwelt upon Noellap and the many brave souls he had ordered aboard that vessel. They had no further contact with any of the squads they had sent. The health monitors attached to the teams were failing. Some failed because the teams were out of range or encountering resistance or interference. Others were simply dead.

It pained him to sacrifice so many good men and women. If they could yet succeed, their sacrifice would not be in vain. They might have died, their stars fading, but the tapestry of their accomplishments continued untarnished. It would be made brighter, more beautiful than ever. If the teams utterly failed, that would be a terrible blow, but it would not be the end. The Dominion would recover from such a defeat, though it would take time. They would go on. They must go on.

He heard someone approaching him, clearing their throat as they stood behind him. He took one last look at the stars, savoring the sight of them all, then turned to face the ensign standing at attention. "You may speak."

"Sir! We are receiving a communication from the Von Dross!"

Kamille arched his eyebrow. "Oh? Who is sending it?"

"Unknown, but they are using a Dominion transmission frequency and code, sir."

Kamille kept his face impassive, expressionless. He simply nodded his head. "Put them through immediately."

"Aye sir." He turned from Kamille and immediately went to his post, hitting a series of buttons, causing a projection of a familiar face to appear before Kamille.

His second in command was standing there, alive and well. He appeared to be unharmed, though he looked a little worn and on edge. That was certainly understandable. "Lieutenant-commander Noellap. I am pleased to see you are still alive."

"Yes sir. As am I." Noellap appeared to relax a bit after Kamille spoke. "It's a mess over here, sir. Most of the teams are dead or scattered. I've got four survivors with me. Our squad just lost a soldier."

"Their loss is unfortunate." Kamille kept his hands clasped behind him, his expression remaining quite cool. "Have you made any progress on your mission?"

"Yes sir." Noellap nodded his head, and for a moment a smile appeared. "We have acquired the data we set out for. I have it with me right now. I can attempt a transfer, if you-"

"No." Kamille interrupted him. "If you were to transfer that information directly to us, there's no telling who else might get access to it. That is an unacceptable risk. We will send a pod to extract your team immediately." He paused for a brief moment, then smiled at Noellap. He had just the pilot in mind. It was amusing how fate worked out sometimes. "In fact, I already have one prepared, complete with a pilot named Hawke."

"Yes sir." Noellap was quiet for a while, shifting his gaze. Kamille stared at him for a few moments, narrowing his eyes. It was clear that the lieutenant had something more to say. He was holding something back, and Kamille wanted to know what it was. He was patient for the moment. It seemed as though Noellap was conflicted, waging a battle internally over whether he should voice whatever was on his mind. The need to speak to the captain soon won out. "Sir, there is...something else. I have found evidence of another AI aboard."

"You refer to the ship's AI or another?" Kamille asked.

"Sir, I believe there is an AI made by Andross somewhere aboard this ship. I cannot confirm as of yet, but it would appear that someone had taken it to an office in Deck 4. I do not know if is still there or not."

Kamille closed his eyes, thinking carefully upon the information just presented to him. There were many outcomes he may have suspected, but this was not one of them. On the one hand, his team had just recovered what they sought, a huge victory for the Dominion, provided they could escape that ship alive. However, the possibility of an AI from Andross himself...

He knew what he had to do. "Lieutenant. Are you in a safe location now?"

"For the moment, but we don't know for how long. They know we're here, and I'm certain they will come for us. I'd rather get moving."

"Very well. I will be sending the pod shortly. You are to rendezvous at these coordinates." Kamille walked over to a display of a basic map they had created of the Von Dross's interior, created from data collected earlier. The assigned ensign immediately began punching in the coordinates and transmitting them to Noellap and his team. "You must pick one of your troops to board the pod, thus securing our primary objective. The rest of you, however, are ordered to remain onboard and investigate this secondary AI. You must confirm its existence and then retrieve it. At all costs."

"Yes sir." For a moment, Noellap looked disappointed. Likely he wished for this mission to be over and for his team to be back aboard the Bulwark. Were the circumstances different, Kamille would welcome him back. That simply wasn't possible at the moment. "We will set off immediately."

"Indeed. I shall contact the Great Commander now. Good luck, lieutenant."

The lieutenant nodded, then saluted his commanding officer. "Yes sir." With that, the communication was terminated.

Now he would have to face the task he had been dreading for some time now. He would have to contact his superior. Everyone's superior, he mused. There was no higher ranking individual within the Dominion. He rose from his seat, then signaled for one of the officers on the bridge to take over for a bit while he stepped down. His order was immediately obeyed, as expected. Thus Kamille retired to his private chambers.

Once he stepped inside, the door sealed behind him. The lighting in the room was dim, so much so that most could barely see in the darkness. Kamille had no such trouble, his eyes were keen and allowed him to see in places others could not. He strode purposefully through the room, hands clasped behind him. Everything was neatly arranged, well ordered and maintained. Immaculate. He would expect nothing less from himself, as he had the same standards for his crew. The room was austere, bearing none of the trophies, medals, or achievements that he might have won over the years. A few simple plants, a bed to rest in, and his desk were part of the simple decor. There were a couple of mementos of the past, but nothing elaborate. A small scorched piece of metal was in a display case on the back wall. In his very first mission, he had been shot in the chest, a pirate sniper having fired at him with full power. The armor he had worn had melted, and the shot had passed through and wounded him. He had not relented. He fought on, clutching the wound the whole time as he engaged several hostile pirates. He never turned back, never shirked his duty. He wasn't sure how many he had killed before he finally succumbed. He had been clutching his chest so tightly that some of the metal had been burned into the hole. It would be surgically removed. He was awarded a medal after that for bravery above and beyond the call of duty. He kept the medal in his desk, he didn't much care to display it like some trophy. He had far more attachment to the armor that had saved his life, and what it represented.

Those were the things that he kept in the room. Emblems bearing the mark of the Dominion, rank insignia, records of specific battles that he had participated in. These were what mattered. These were worth remembering. He had no pride in his survival or in his efforts. His pride lay within the Dominion itself, what it represented. Pride in what it could do for the Lylat System, what it was already doing now. What he would do for the Dominion.

For a moment, he allowed himself to gaze upon those reminders. He may perhaps need to bear them in mind for the conversation to come. He knew it would not be an easy one. He took his seat at the desk, the console lighting up beneath him. There was a message waiting for him, likely from the very person he was about to contact.

It was time.

He activated the communicator, waiting a moment for the connection to form. It didn't take long. Within just a few moments, a familiar figure appeared before him, likely in an isolated area of their own. Both of them wished for privacy in such matters.

It was the Great Commander himself, supreme leader of the Venom Dominion. He was everything that would be expected of someone in such a position. He was tall and imposing, a muscle-bound figure that possessed power in body and in presence. He was a reptile of some kind, with dark green scales and bright yellow eyes that seemed to almost glow with a burning light. He wore a helmet similar in appearance to what Kamille often wore, a faded piece of equipment that once belonged to one of Andross's minions. Andross was long gone, of course. He had been utterly defeated and destroyed. The Lylat System was still recovering from the effects of his rise to power. The Dominion capitalized on that, donning equipment that would remind them of the power once wielded by the mighty mad ape, Andross. The power was appealing enough. The insanity was not. The Dominion represented what might have been, not what was. Power to achieve change. Power used for more than the petty schemes of a former emperor. Andross's work would not be put to waste. They borrowed much from the late Emperor. Much indeed.

The reptile that stood before Kamille in the hologram was truly a worthy successor, at least in physical might. He was tall, taller than Kamille was, perhaps an entire head and shoulders larger than the chameleon captain. Broad shouldered and mighty, his armor only enhanced his already intimidating appearance. His equipment was rather distinct looking, for it did more than serve as protection. He wore what appeared to be armor from an ancient time, before the rise of blasters and rifles. Kamille could tell that the armor had been modified to an extensive degree. He was covered from tail to snout. The arms were not covered by the plate armor itself, save for the elbows and wrists. The rest of his body was covered in that protective gear. It was elaborate and stylish in nature. Like everything else about him, it commanded attention and brought forth fear to his enemies.

It would be tempting to imagine that one of such physical might may not be as well endowed in matters of the mind. That was not so. As their leader, the Great Commander had secured a number of alliances. They had fought countless battles against various foes beyond the edge of the Lylat System, honing their skills, building an army of trained, seasoned veterans. His vision was the very foundation of the Dominion's purpose and existence. He appeared to have near limitless resources, as he had not only founded the organization that would ultimately become the Venom Dominion, but he was also responsible for the many training programs, organization, fleet logistics, and more. Perhaps most telling of all was the secrecy with which the Dominion managed to operate, despite its growing size and great ambitions.

He noticed that there was something visible on the other side of the screen, something that he had not noticed before, a figure in the background. Multiple figures, hooded creatures wearing robes with heads bowed. He knew who they were. Each of them were part of a secretive group known only as the Fangs of Venom. They were always with the Commander, only departing for some undisclosed mission given to them by their leader. They had been handpicked as some of the finest recruits in the system for rigorous training and reconditioning, creating a group of guards and assassins of fanatical loyalty, obeying without question. Kamille had seen them skulking about in former assignments. They had not spoken a single word. They merely observed Kamille as he executed the mission. At some point during, they disappeared. He never heard them arrive, and he never heard them leave. It was said that they could not speak, for they had sworn an oath that their last words would be that of fealty to the supreme leader of the Dominion. Some speculated that it was more than just an oath, that perhaps their minds or bodies had been altered so they physically could not speak

Kamille did not know the truth of the matter. He knew only that they were silent, and those that served as bodyguards were always just visible from behind their leader. It was these obedient servants that were responsible for the Dominion's successful bid for secrecy. No one really knew what happened to those who displeased the leadership of the Venom Dominion. They simply disappeared, never to be heard from again.

Kamille didn't know just how much to believe when it came to the rumor and speculation that surrounded the imposing reptile. He didn't even know his real name. He did know this. He was a powerful individual, one not to be trifled with. Kamille had seen firsthand what he was capable of, as well as his vision for the future. This reptile was a visionary that would either bring about a glorious new age to Lylat, or destroy it utterly.

Either way, Kamille intended to be there.

Shortly after the image of the commander appeared, Kamille rose to his feet and offered a crisp salute, bowing his head respectfully. "Sir."

"Captain Kamille." The voice was cold. "I was beginning to wonder what had happened to you. What have you to report?"

"The situation is complicated, sir." Kamille gazed at the image of his superior without flinching or shifting his eyes. He had some trepidation about this meeting, some concerns over how the Commander would react, but he was not afraid. "We have sent in recovery teams to retrieve the data that you requested. Most of them have been wiped out. One has been successful."

The Commander was silent in response to the news. He didn't say a word, didn't even move. Kamille cleared his throat, wondering if he should speak further or not. At last, though, he was answered. "You have done well. Retrieve them and withdraw immediately. You reported the pirate attack earlier, thus your ship has had its combat capability tested. Once the data is in hand, bring it to me at the assigned coordinates." He even gave Kamille a brief nod of his head. "You have done well, captain."

"I fear your congratulations may be premature, sir." Kamille said, then elaborated. "We have encountered two problems. The first, and most serious, is that the Star Fox team has managed to capture one of our interceptors."

The Commander was silent again. He shifted slightly, folding his arms across his chest as he stared at Kamille. It seemed to the captain that he was treading rather dangerous ground right now. He decided to continue forward, careful not to let any fear or doubt bleed into his words as he continued. "The second problem is that we have uncovered evidence that an AI created by none other than Andross himself yet dwells inside the Von Dross. My lieutenant, Noellap, has learned of its location. I have told him to rendezvous with a pod that I am sending. We will retrieve that data, transport it to you, and then remain here until the mission is complete."

The commanding reptile seemed to absorb all of this, his body language revealing precious little of what he was feeling right now. His face was calm, as though he were not at all perturbed. When he spoke, his words sounded off, as though a barely contained rage was smoldering inside him. "The interceptor. How was it captured? Why has it not been detonated?"

Kamille exhaled slowly before continuing. "Pilot error, sir. The pilots assigned to the task of retrieving a jettisoned pod were surprised by the arrival of Star Fox. They destroyed the pod, but continued to engage. One of the Star Fox team managed to fire a weapon that completely disabled the interceptor. We believe that whatever disabled the ship must have also crippled the self destruct mechanism. The other pilot panicked and fled. I am taking appropriate disciplinary actions."

"Is his life forfeit?" Kamille was asked directly.

"Perhaps, but not by my hand. I have assigned him to a task from which there is a very real chance he will not return alive. By your leave, I intend to keep him to this. He will pilot the pod to rescue our team, and his retreat will be impossible until the mission is complete."

"Hmm." The reptilian leader lowered his head, seeming to mull over the matter. He then looked up at Kamille. "You are certain that he will not compromise the mission further?"

"Yes sir. I believe that he has potential. I believe that he will either prove himself here or die for the Dominion."

The Great Commander nodded his head, seemingly satisfied with Kamille's words. "Very well. I will expect a full report on this matter. I wish to deal with it personally when your vessel returns."

"Yes sir." Kamille nodded. "It will be done."

"This has put us in an awkward position." The reptile spoke quietly, turning from Kamille for a moment. "I did not wish to involve Star Fox in this stage of the conflict, and yet we cannot turn a blind eye to this. That technology cannot be allowed to fall into the hands of anyone but the Dominion. This is an unacceptable risk." He was quiet for a moment, perhaps pondering his next words. When he found them, there was no hint of uncertainty or doubt. "Find Star Fox. Destroy them utterly. If they escape their vessel's destruction, take them prisoner. Otherwise, kill them. You are granted full authority in this matter now, captain. Put an end to them by any means necessary."

"It will be done, sir." Kamille nodded his head once more in a respectful manner. "I will carry out your orders immediately."

"There is one other matter. The AI you spoke of. The one from Andross. This is more valuable than anything else in this mission. It is more valuable than your ship, than your men, and even you. It -must- end up in the possession of the Dominion. No sacrifice is too great for this. Do you understand this?"

"Perfectly, sir." He hesitated for a moment, then added, "However, the force that has taken over the Von Dross has proven to be quite hostile and far more powerful than anticipated. It is growing at an alarming rate, and I am not certain how much longer it can be contained. Some of our soldiers are still present."

"I see." The Great Commander didn't seem to need any time to process the information. His next order came immediately. "Then these are your orders, and I don't wish to hear from you again until they are carried out. You are to destroy Star Fox utterly. You are to retrieve the data that your team has collected, and you are to retrieve the AI from Andross as well. Leave no trace we were even here."

"It will be done." Kamille stated. "I have full confidence in our forces here. You will soon learn of our victory."

"I trust you are correct. Failure is not an option, captain. Remember that." The figure studied Kamille for a moment, and it felt like the other reptile was peering into the captain's soul.

It was only now that the captain remembered one last bit of information, one that he had discussed with him earlier. It was something no one else knew about. "Begging your forgiveness, but I do have one other question."

"State your question." It was a simple and direct command, offered with a trace of annoyance.

"The contact. We received their message in the last transmission, just before Fox McCloud contacted his team. We are still unable to locate them. They are alive somewhere on that vessel, but we cannot determine where. What are your orders?"

"The situation has become more complicated than initially predicted." The commander raised a single hand, rubbing thoughtfully at his scaly snout. "The agent will attempt to extract the information themselves. They have been granted access to Dominion systems, you may find that they use those. They also possess a unique code for their mission. I am now sending that code to you. Send it to whatever is left of the boarding party. Perhaps our agent will contact them, or perhaps they will contact you directly. Regardless, if the agent should uncover what we need and retrieve it, you will rescue them and bring both the agent and the data to me. If you acquire the data first, the agent's retrieval is a secondary priority. Retrieve them both if possible, but the data is far more important. We need whatever secrets that ship holds. I will trust your judgment in this matter."

Kamille placed an arm over his chest as he gave a salute. "It will be done."

The Great Commander was silent for a time, simply studying Kamille. He uttered one last phrase, signaling the end of the communication. "Good luck captain. End of line."

The holographic display cut out. The figure faded from sight. Kamille was left alone in the room again.

He had his orders. He had anticipated most of them. All of them, really. Now all that was left was to carry them out. He took a moment to calm his nerves. Even though he did not fear the Commander, he did have a rather intimidating presence. There was a real power projected from him, even when he wasn't physically present in the room. He had been right. Failure was not an option. Kamille would succeed or he would die trying. Just as everyone else here would.

He strode out of the room, the door sliding open for him automatically. He approached his chair, the man who had temporarily taken his place rising and yelling, "Captain on the bridge!" before returning to his post. Kamille sat down, closing his eyes, reflecting on the moment. It might well be the last moment of peace he would have for a while. When he opened them again, he spoke to the ensign manning the communications console. "Open a channel, I wish to address the crew."

"Yes sir. Channel open, sir."

Kamille straightened in his chair, taking in one last deep breath before continuing. "This is your captain speaking. We have new orders issued from the Great Commander himself. His mercy and patience for Star Fox has run its course. All hands, prepare for combat. Today, we bury a legend. And from their ashes, the Dominion will rise. Battle stations!" The room was soon bathed in continuous red light, an alarm blaring as the security level rose to red alert. A number of the crew positioned on the bridge began to take up their stations as the ship went into battle mode.

There was no hope for Star Fox, Kamille knew this. They couldn't match the Dominion's might in battle. They couldn't defeat the finest ship in the Dominion, even if by some miracle they had detected a weakness in their examination of the captured interceptor. It was possible that the Great Fox would simply leave, but Kamille knew this would not be the case. No, that was not Star Fox's style, to abandon their leader in the Von Dross and the people they wanted to rescue. They would fight. They would fight to the bitter end. Then they would die.

"Farewell, Star Fox." He murmured to himself.