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.

25. Chapter 24 - The Heart

As Fox began his descent into the biomass, he found himself surrounded by darkness. He could not see. He felt the sensation of panic rising and spreading within him, choking out his reason. His implants activated, but the light they provided was not enough. They were woefully ineffective in this place. He'd have to rely on something else for now. He reached for his PDA, holding it in front of him and using it as a flashlight.

He wasn't sure what he was expecting to find on the other side of that hole, but it wasn't anything like this. Everything around him was made of flesh, muscle, and sinew, pulsing on the walls, the floor, the ceiling. It was thick, much thicker than anywhere else on the ship. He couldn't even recognize the vessel anymore. At least in the rest of Hydroponics, he could see some of the floor or the metal here and there, some evidence of the deck that he was in. Not here. It was all covered. There was no floor, no walls, no ceiling. Just massive growths of flesh, shivering and pulsing as though alive. It probably -was- alive! Fox expected it all to have a terrible stench, it certainly looked like it would. He was wrong about that. There was a sweet smell in the air, a smell that he couldn't quite place. Though it may have been sweet, it also felt unnatural. Artificial Wrong. It was difficult to explain. Perhaps this was part of the Many's ability to indoctrinate the crew?

He heard a voice, SAI-TEP. It was faint and even more distorted and difficult to understand than usual. "They know you are coming, insect. They-they-they are aware of- aware of your approach. The biomass blocks all signals (Siiiiignallllls.) I will be unable to contac-tac-tac-contact you. You are on your own. Do not disa-disappoint me. Slaughter the Many, revel in their suffering as you-." Her voice cut out into static.

Her voice was soon replaced with another, one he had expected at this point. The voice of the Many pierced his mind, and he felt as though he were being enveloped in something foul and vile. It never assaulted him, not directly. It merely whispered to him in that strange voice, seeming to alternate between three different speakers. The machine mother is not welcome here. Her cold metal cannot reach this place. You are with us now. You delve into our beauty and warmth. We hope you enjoy yourself. When you weary of your meaningless struggle, you may simply spread yourself out upon our mass. One of our many will tend to you shortly....

Fox shook shook his head, trying to push out the voice and clear his thoughts. It took him a few moments before he felt he had the clarity of mind to proceed. He'd have to continue on, but it was so dark in here! He moved slowly, carefully, trying to feel his way forward. The light seemed pitiful in what it managed to illuminate. He had to use his whole body in order to advance, trying to move slowly enough that he didn't trip and reaching out with his hands to either side. He regretted this almost immediately, as he touched something warm and slimy, something soft that gave before his hand, sinking in. Fox pulled his paw back, and the movement created a loud squelching sound. His hand was now covered in some kind of slime or mucous. He could barely see where he was going, he couldn't even tell what he was standing in. It sunk in a little whenever he took a step, and he felt like he was wading through some kind of deep muck by the sound and feel of it. It was warm and wet, and he swore that he felt it moving.

Where was he? What was this place? How had the Many built all this? SAI-TEP had referred to it as the biomass, and he'd heard others make such a reference too, including the Many. Was it building a nest? They did come from the Aparoids. Perhaps these creatures too had a queen. SAI-TEP had told him more than once that he was to "cut out their heart." He wasn't sure just how literal she was being, but he figured he'd know when he saw whatever the heart was supposed to be, be it figurative or literal.

As he took another cautious step forward his foot passed over something slick and moist before giving way. He slipped, falling over backwards and landing on that goop. It didn't stop there. He must have been on a slope, because he started sliding. He couldn't stop! He tried to dig his feet into whatever it was beneath him, but he couldn't do it! There was nothing there to catch, no way of preventing himself from continuing forward! He tried to grab onto something with his hands, reaching out to either side and hoping to grasp at something solid, but there was nothing to grip! He let out a yell as he continued to slide down and forward.

At last he came to the end of his tumble, the small passage he had been in opening up to a large chamber, a round room with a big pit in the center of it. Fox slid right into the chamber, unable to stop, yelling as he sailed through the air. He winced as he struck the ground with force. He landed on more of the soft stuff, a combination of tissue and flesh, but the gunk was all over him now. It almost felt as though a massive animal had drooled all over his body, leaving his clothes and fur coated.

He had to take a few moments to catch his breath. That had been quite the fall, and he was lucky it hadn't been worse. Once he had collected himself, he looked up.

He found himself face to face with a corpse. It was a pig, or at least he had been once. He was of average build, not nearly as big as a certain other pig Fox had known in the past. This one had suffered a gruesome fate, evidently. The stench of rotting flesh and death was overwhelming. Half of the face had melted off, the flesh missing and revealing bits of his skull underneath. He had some kind of thick slime over the missing part of his face. Fox had no idea what had happened to the poor guy. Something had practically melted him, but what? Was it something in this place? Or someone?

Fox started to look around, making sure the area was clear of danger. Whatever had done this to the pig might still be around. Using his light, Fox could barely make out his surroundings. He was in a big circular room, one that stretched more vertically than any other direction, like a large long cylinder. Looking down, he noticed a pool below. He wasn't sure what it was that was in the pool, but it didn't look like water. If it was, it was discolored and appeared to be rather thick.

Fox had gone straight from the passage that he been sliding down and landed atop a platform jutting out from the mass. Had he not gone quite far enough, he would have plummeted much deeper into the pit. A fall like that could have broken his legs, and even that would be with luck, he'd be far more likely to break his neck.

He took a look at his surroundings, trying to figure out what the best way out of here was. The walls had changed, no longer appearing to be all made of flesh. Some of it was. Much more of it was a dark red color, writhing and pulsing in a regular, steady rhythm. As he looked up, shining his light on what little he could see, he noticed sharp objects jutting out from the mass of flesh and red tissue. He wasn't sure what they were. He could reach one of them, and only one. Taking a deep breath, he moved his paw upward to give it a feel. It was solid and didn't move or bend in the slightest. He applied more of his weight to it, testing how much it could hold. It still didn't move.

The things were littered all over the walls of the chamber. If he didn't know better, he'd say they were some kind of spikes or teeth or something. Whatever they were, he could reach them. Since Fox was in good shape, he could even manage to use them to pull himself up!

He was lucky he hadn't lost any of the equipment he was carrying in the fall. His shotgun was on his back, his pistols in their holsters, and his energy blade tucked within his belt, along with the last few grenades he was carrying. His hands and feet were free for the task at hand. He would need them, this was going to be difficult.

He started to climb up the surface of the thing. He had to use his arms to pull himself up, then tried to pull up his legs. He struggled, as he couldn't use the walls to try support his weight. They were too slick and slippery. Every time he touched it with his feet, he immediately slipped down, kicking his feet in the air as he struggled to pull himself up.

After trying in vain to climb the thing, he finally gave up, falling back to the platform with a huff. He needed to take another look around. Raising his PDA again, he surveyed the area again. There were platforms above him, but he couldn't reach them. Maybe there was a way out up there, but it looked as though he would never know. There had to be another way out!

At last he spotted it. There was another platform made of that disgusting mass not far away from him. It was far enough that he'd have to do a running leap, but it was theoretically possible to leap over the gap. He took a few steps back, getting ready to jump.

Just before he could, he heard something moving toward him, from the direction Fox had just come from. He quickly drew his blaster, aiming at that same passage.

Something did come through, but it wasn't anything Fox had expected. It was a corpse, or at least Fox thought it was a corpse. It didn't land like Fox did, it slammed into the wall before falling to the floor below, at the bottom of the pit. He saw it plunge down into the pool.

That's when he heard the awful screaming. The person was still alive and Fox could only watch in horror as the person continued to scream. They tried to get out of the water, crawling out only a short distance before collapsing. He could hear the sound of something sizzling, melting.

That's when he finally realized where he was. This wasn't just a mass of flesh. He was in a digestive tract. That water down there wasn't water at all, rather it was some kind of acid to break down food. The pig must have landed in it and crawled up a ways before succumbing to his wounds. Whoever it was that had landed down there just now wasn't so fortunate. They had stopped screaming, but had sunk back into the pool of acid.

There was nothing Fox could do for the poor soul. He could only hope that he could avoid a similar fate.

This must be what had happened to the bodies, he thought to himself. This was what the Many had been doing with them all. Dead or alive, they must have added those resistant to the Many's call into this biomass. He didn't know what happened after digestion. Those were questions that he'd answer later. Or maybe never, that suited him fine. He needed to get out of here. Then he needed to kill this thing.

Taking another look at the ledge he was aiming for, he took a deep breath and swallowed hard. He could not afford to miss this jump. If he did, he would tumble down below and either break a leg or be dissolved in acid. Maybe both. He wasn't going to let that happen. No way.

He gauged the distance, tested the surface he was on, making sure it was firm enough. It was still a little soft, so he had to adjust his trajectory and ensure that he jumped at just the right time. What was more, he knew that he couldn't just clear the distance and grab on to the edge. It was too slick. He'd have to cover the entire distance and land on the other side. He would fall otherwise.

This was crazy. He could slip so easily, he could miscalculate, he could fall short. There were so many things that could go wrong, and all of them would lead to a horrible end. It did not matter. He wasn't about to falter here, to let a little thing like a short jump put an end to him. He grit his teeth, narrowed his eyes, said a little prayer, though he wasn't really sure who to, and then rushed forward. He moved as close to the edge as he dared at full speed, then took a flying leap. It all happened so fast, in the blink of an eye. One moment he was airborne, and the next he was landing in a crouch. He had made it!

What was more, there was an exit. He wouldn't call it a door exactly, but there was an opening that led to another passage. He had absolutely no desire to stick around here, so he proceeded forward.

He soon found himself in a long tunnel. There was one difference he noticed almost immediately. There was light here! He could turn off his own light for a moment, able to see clearly now for the first time since he had entered this dreadful place. He eventually realized what the light was coming from. They were wall lights from the Von Dross! He had no idea where he was, but this part of the ship had been absorbed into the Many's mass, the lights somehow still on.

We feel you treading inside us. The sensation is...repulsive.

The Many again. He was confused at their words. He was starting to get suspicious of exactly what he was dealing with. It continued to speak, heedless of his own thoughts.

We do not understand why you fight so hard to preserve such destructive behavior. We seek only peace. Harmony. Unity. You bring only death and chaos. But it will soon end. You have entered our our flesh. You will be absorbed, and fuel the mass. Know that we do not feel hate toward you. Only sorrow for what must be done.

It went silent after these words, departing his mind and thoughts. He hated the way it kept invading his mind. Yet it never assaulted him. For whatever reason, it seemed unable to. Maybe it had something to do with the implants?

Something caught Fox's eye as he was about to move on. A small data disk on the little piece of the floor that was visible of the deck. He knelt down, taking the thing gently between his fingers. Where had this come from? Who had left it behind and why? There was no body here. Had the Many absorbed the corpse and left this? No, that didn't make sense, this was too neatly placed. This was deliberate. Fox decided to use it, placing it against his PDA and downloading the files. There was only one file there, a recording from a name Fox had seen once before, back on command deck in the captain's quarters. Arthur Windfield.

Fox decided to play it. After hitting the appropriate button, he heard the voice of Doctor Windfield. Fox decided to keep moving as he listened. There didn't seem to be anything around, and Fox didn't want to just sit and wait. He needed to advanced toward the heart of this infestation, listening to the doctor as he did so.

"To anyone who finds this, I'm recording my findings of the Many and scattering them throughout this area. I have no illusions, I will not survive this process. Perhaps someone will recover this information and it will prove valuable to them."

Fox continued his journey, idly listening to the message as he went forward. The passages here were much smoother and easier to get through. Perhaps it was because of the deck of the ship that it had absorbed, making the ground a bit more flat and stable. He was still in the bowels of the creature's next, though. As the doctor continued speaking through the recording, Fox began to realize the extent of what he was dealing with.

"As I have made my way through this mass, it has finally dawned on me what I have been observing. I should have seen it sooner, I have studied so many specimens in my time. This just happens to be a considerably larger one. I would postulate that I am within this creature's digestive tract. The scope is incredible. I have never encountered an organism this large, and it shows no signs of stopping in growth. Considering that it has a digestive tract, and pairing that with what I know of the organisms I've studied, it is safe to assume that it is more than just a stomach. The Many has displayed astonishing intelligence and psionic abilities. That belongs to a mind. A powerful mind, but a mind nonetheless. I do not know of a single intelligent creature that lacks a brain. I will investigate further. Perhaps I can find a weakness further within."

Fox raised a paw to his forehead, rubbing and massaging the fur there as he tried to fight back a headache. It made sense now. The digestive tract. The way he slid in. The sheer mass of the thing. He wasn't looking for a queen. There was no queen. He was inside the thing even now. This, all of this, was a gigantic organism, a body.

He was now inside the body of the Many, and they knew he was there. They probably sensed each and every step he was taking. He didn't know just how big this thing was, how long it would take him to reach the heart or whatever it was he was looking for to destroy. He had to find it, but they wouldn't make it easy for him. For now, perhaps the Many was hoping that he would die in its digestive tract and no further action would be necessary. As he went deeper into their body, he knew that they'd react violently to his presence.

He had made it this far. He had made such progress! From the moment he landed on the ship the first time, he had fought tooth and claw for each and every step he had taken. He had sabotaged their efforts in engineering. He had taken down the corrupted AI. He had contacted his team, who had destroyed the hostile Dominion vessel. He'd fought a crazed doctor, a fallen captain, and even an incredibly advanced cyborg assassin. At every turn, fate had conspired against him. The Many had sought to destroy him from the very beginning, but Fox had endured! He had not given up! He was not about to give up now! No! Never!

The Many was confident, or at least it acted as such. So had Andross before Fox had destroyed him. So had the Aparoids before the team had infected and then completely destroyed the queen and her entire species. Fox had faced overwhelming odds time and time again, and Star Fox always emerged triumphant. Whatever doubts were in his mind now were dispelled. He was so close. So close!

With renewed determination, Fox advanced forward. He took the next tunnel and followed it to wherever it might lead. For the next few minutes, Fox found himself navigating a maze of corridors and hallways all made up of flesh and sinew, muscle and raw red meat. Everything looked the same to him, and he found himself back where he started more than once. He didn't give up. He was going to get out of here. He was going to travel up the Many's body, and then he was going to put it down for good.

As he continued exploring and wandering, he began to recognize certain things. There were particular growths that emitted from the walls in specific patterns, helping him remember where he had been and where he had not. As he navigated the maze, it slowly became more familiar to him. Through trial and error, he began to make a mental map of his location. He had checked his PDA earlier to see if it would help, but it had no idea where he was. The only functions on the thing anymore were the light and the audio playback. Communications were out, there was no map to be found, and there certainly weren't any doors here that needed passcodes or keys.

He also found himself needing less and less light as he navigated the maze. Some of the growths from the walls and ceiling contained natural lights of some kind, little orbs that glowed with dim illumination, allowing him to see. It wasn't perfect, but at least he wasn't stumbling around in the dark. This too helped him to navigate through the maze.

At long last, he came to what he immediately recognized as the exit. There was a large opening here, leading deeper into the body of the Many. There was just one problem. It was covered by some sort of thick web-like substance.

Fox reached for his energy blade, then sliced at the stuff. It cut through easily, melting before Fox's weapon. Before Fox could take advantage of this fact, the barrier regenerated. It was unlike anything Fox had ever seen. It recovered so quickly! He slashed at it again, over and over and over, but it made no difference! It healed each and every time, so fast that it wasn't possible to move through it. There was no way in!

Looking from left to right, Fox searched for some kind of clue. There had to be a way past that barrier. He didn't know how the Many was managing to accomplish this, but there was no way it was invincible. Just as Krystal said, everything had a weakness.

It was then that Fox noticed two colored orbs hanging just above the door, one to the left and one to the right. They had some sort of fleshy vine running beneath them and back toward the rooms that he had come from. While he had noticed them before, he had simply been looking for landmarks to mark the way forward. He had never thought that they might need further investigation. He'd have to take a look.

Before he moved on, he caught sight of another data disk. It also looked as though it had been placed deliberately, though it was less obvious than the last. Knowing who it probably belonged to, Fox scanned it and played it immediately.

He was right. Doctor Windfield's voice soon could now be heard. "The Many is growing at an exponential rate. It evolves and grows with every passing moment. I also believe that the Many is reacting to something or someone down here. Someone other than me. There seems to be increased activity, and I hear movement. Some from creatures that rove about the body, and others from the body itself. For example, it is forming a web of some sort that will block the entrance soon. As it forms, I'm noticing two orbs above, and they feed back into the previous rooms. I believe these may be acting as a sort of regenerative barrier, powered by the Many's impressive mass. I believe if someone were to destroy whatever they were attached to, the barrier would weaken. I must go through quickly, before I lose my chance. To anyone who finds this, if the barrier has grown too strong to pass through, try to trace the lines to wherever it's coming from. It is similar to a force field being powered by a nearby generator, only this kind is entirely organic in nature. Rather fascinating, if you ask me. Destroy what you find, and perhaps the way will be clear."

That was helpful, though Fox had sort of come to that conclusion on his own. At least now he had it confirmed. He began to follow the flesh-vines, hoping they would lead somewhere worthwhile

Much to his frustration, the two flesh-vines split off in different directions. It would have been nice if they had all led to the same destination, as that would have made things at least a little easier for him. Of course, that didn't happen. He'd have to go one way, then double back and go the other. Unless the two areas were connected somehow, but he very much doubted that.

He found himself entering passages he hadn't noticed before. It was so difficult to see in here. He could see the ground in front of him, so he wasn't in danger of tripping or slipping again. He could see whatever was immediately around him, a few feet away from his person. Beyond that, it was so dark and difficult to make anything out. He could go right by a passageway without ever even knowing it was there. He just did his best to keep the vine in his sights at all times, staying with it no matter where it might go.

It occurred to him that if he did find the source of this thing and destroy it, the vine itself might wither and die. If that happened, it might be difficult to get back where he came from. Still, he didn't know what he could do about it. He didn't have any markers to leave behind to indicate a trail, and his PDA was barely working in here. He'd have to rely on his memory in navigating his way back. He just had to hope that the flesh-vine would remain even after he destroyed whatever it was attached to. Assuming it was even possible to destroy it, whatever it was.

The way seemed endless. Fox trudged on across the soft floor, squelching and squishing down with every step he took. He didn't know how long he followed the vine. Minutes, perhaps. This thing was huge, and he was only in one part of the monster. There was no telling how big it was beyond this. Was it twice the size of what he had explored thus far? Three times? Four? Perhaps more than that? He didn't know. All he could do was press on. Thus far the only positive thing he could say about the whole experience was that at least he wasn't under attack by the Many's servants.

At last he came to the chamber that he sought. The vine coiled about one passage, then turned to the right, following the wall until it came to its final destination. Fox could see it as soon as he entered the room. There was some kind of unnatural growth on the wall, not quite matching the rest of the fleshy, gooey room. It looked more solid and firm in appearance. Every so often it pulsed, and Fox saw the vine rise and fall with that movement. That was likely how it was sending energy to power the barrier. The Many had found ways to mimic the effects of technology purely through biological means. Some might find this remarkable. Fox just found the whole thing disturbing.

He withdrew his blaster, aiming it at the growth. He paused for a brief moment. He hadn't been attacked thus far, but he had a feeling that if he took this shot, the Many's forces would be out for blood. They were going to react to this, undoubtedly with force. Then again, that was inevitable. The closer that Fox got, the more violent the Many's reactions would be to his presence.

His mouth twitched for a moment, a faint smile as he thought to himself, Best not to keep them waiting, then. With that, he pulled the trigger, firing a bolt of energy directly at the fleshy, bulbous growth.

The effect was immediate. There was a high pitched shriek of some kind as the thing exploded, puss and blood bursting out of it and splattering on the floor. The entire room seemed to shake in reaction to what Fox had just done. The vine detached from the thing, dangling loosely in the air. A roar filled the corridor that Fox had just come from.

They were coming.

Wasting no time, Fox began to make a hasty retreat down the path he had come from, sticking close to the vines. He moved at a quick pace, hoping to get back to the location where the vines had split in the first place before making contact with the enemy. As he heard the next roar echo through the chamber, he knew he wasn't going to make it in time.

From out of the darkness ahead of him, a massive creature charged forth, roaring with fury. It was a massive brute made of raw muscle and flesh, with a tattered uniform indicating that, at some point, the thing had been a normal member of the crew. Not now, though. Fox barely managed to roll out of the way, the creature almost trampling him as it rumbled by. It came to a sudden stop, turning to face Fox and roaring again.

Fox drew his blaster, firing at it. He scored several good hits, but the thing wasn't even fazed by his assault. It just charged again, trying to barrel over and crush him beneath its massive frame. Again Fox managed to dart out of the way. The laser wasn't working, so maybe the shotgun would be more effective? The creature slowed as it tried to turn toward him, and Fox drew the larger weapon as it did so, quickly leveling three or four shots, pumping the gun between each round. He hit with every shot, one or two of them catching it right in the chest. Still it did not go down. It ambled towards him again, this time more slowly. It wasn't intent on trampling him now. It was going for the kill, brandishing its huge claws as it approached.

None of Fox's traditional weaponry was having any effect on the thing. What was this creature? He vaguely recalled the scientist from earlier referring to large ones as "rumblers." He had to be referring to this. He only wished the scientist had left some clue behind as to how to kill it!

Fox had to put his weapon away as the creature advanced. He could only think of one thing that might work now, a weapon he had been getting more and more comfortable with. Pulling his energy blade, he ignited the thing and waited for it to get closer, holding the hilt up with both paws, positioning it upright and near his face, almost like a batter in a ball game.

The creature swiped at him with one of its claws, and Fox winced as it grazed his chest, tearing through his clothes and ripping into his fur. It wasn't a serious wound, but it was enough to make him bleed. In that moment, he brought the blade down against the same arm the creature had used to attack him.

This was the first creature Fox had encountered that the blade didn't simply slice through with ease. It went about halfway through its arm, then stopped. The rumbler roared in agony, and Fox had to work the blade down until he finally managed to sever the arm altogether. The creature lashed violently at him with its other arm, a geyser of blood erupting from where the other had been severed. Even missing a limb, the creature was relentless. If anything, it seemed as though Fox had just made the thing angry.

He focused more on dodging and staying of its reach than he did on attacking. One time when it swung at him, he managed to hit it in the wrist with his blade, but the thing pulled back before he could do any further damage. It lifted its arm up, intent on pulverizing Fox.

This was his chance. He dashed forward, bringing the blade up in a vicious diagonal slice, from the creature's waist all the way to its opposing arm. The monster shrieked, then crumpled down to its knees. It made some kind of gurgling noise. Before Fox could get away, the thing's chest burst open, showering Fox with a torrent of blood and gore. He sputtered and coughed, feeling the things innards bounce off of him, knocking him backward.

When he finally managed to get on his feet, he was soaked in the creature's blood. His clothes, his fur, his hands, everything. They were all absolutely coated. At least the creature was dead, now lying perfectly still on the ground, eviscerated. Only now could Fox see that the monster had a face stitched to the side of it, it looked to be an ape's. It took him a moment to realize that it hadn't been grafted on or added. Rather, the facial structure itself had shifted. The poor soul must have been transformed into this monstrosity. There was nothing left of who or what he was before. Just a face with a frozen expression of horror, joined to the head of this "creature."

He stood over its remains, breathing heavily as he struggled to recover. He then heard some more roars from the distance. He wasn't sure if they were more rumblers or not, but he couldn't stick around to find out. He didn't want to fight anymore than he had to. The Many lived up to its name. They had the numbers. Fox could never hope to win a war of attrition.

He had to be quick, sprinting as fast as he could toward the next target. The journey back seemed much quicker than the first. He made it to the junction, then followed it in the other direction.

They were waiting for him. Hybrids this time. They started shooting the moment he appeared. He managed to duck down before grabbing his shotgun, taking aim, and firing. These ones did not speak, they did not proclaim the glory of the Many nor did they lament their fate. They were silent as they attacked Fox, save for the roar of gunfire.

There were three of them in total, and he took them all down in quick succession. He was getting better at this, and he wasn't sure if that fact should please him or not. There was no time to question it. He simply pressed forward, moving between the corpses of the hybrids he had just killed.

Before long, he found himself in another chamber, much like the other chamber containing the growth he had just destroyed. This one was a little harder to see than the first, hidden behind some fleshy spire, but it was there. He took out his pistol, aimed for it, ready to take a shot at the orb.

Something caught his attention from the corner of his eye, and he felt onrushing heat. He ducked just in time, a ball of psionic flame crashing into the fleshy floor near him. He turned and saw what it was that had done it. It was the same thing that the captain had turned into, a floating monstrosity that was able to project terrible power with its mind alone. He also remembered that when he destroyed it, it would come back over and over again until he killed the hidden body.

Under other circumstances, perhaps he would stick around and kill it properly, search for wherever the thing was actually hiding and putting an end to it then and there. He didn't have time, he was in a hurry. He also knew that the things had somewhat limited range. He ignored it, instead aiming at the growth once more before firing.

As before, the large growth simply burst open as soon as his shot made contact with it, the flesh-vine falling away. Backing off, Fox took a couple of pot shots at the floating monster. Only one of them hit, and it did not kill it, which he had expected. He didn't have the time to deal with it right now. He had to get to the heart of this creature. Nothing else mattered. If this thing was at all like the captain had been, it wouldn't be able to follow him very far.

Racing out of the room and out of the line of fire of that floating thing, Fox made his way back to the hub and to the door that had been blocked earlier. As he ran, he heard more of that terrible roaring, and he knew those rumblers were after him. It sounded as though there were more than one, and he did not want to be here when they showed up.

He managed to make it to the once blocked passageway. Sure enough, it was empty now. The barrier had fallen, and Fox was easily able to make it inside. He could still hear the roars. They were now accompanied by other voices, voices belonging to the hybrids. "Must kill him...silence the discord! Kill the interloper! Protect the Many!"

They were in front of him. There were a lot of them. There was no room to sneak around, there were no alternate paths to go. He was going to have to fight his way through.

Before he could continue, the Many's voice entered his thoughts. You tear at our flesh. You corrupt the very womb of our existence. We grow our future here. We will not allow you to jeopardize it. We are Many. You are one. Your failure is inevitable. Your end has already been decided.

Fox growled, concentrating on his task. He couldn't let the Many slow him down with their voice, with their strange means of communication. He loaded a few more shells into his shotgun, then advanced forward.

Somehow, his implants started working again. He wasn't sure what had changed exactly, but he could now see much better. It was a good thing, too.

There were a number of the Many's forces here, including several hybrids and one of those floating things. The hybrids yelled as they started shooting, but Fox simply fired back, blasting them one by one. He kept an eye on the flying monster, watching as it projected a ball of flame with its mind before flinging it at him. Fox let it get as close as he dared before stepping to the side, letting it fly past him and sear the floor. He then aimed at one of the other hybrids that was still alive, trying to line up a shot. Fox fired first. The hybrid shrieked, then fell where he was, gun clattering to the floor.

Fox turned to face the flying creature, which was already moving toward him. He fired a couple of shotgun blasts into it, but the creature did not fall. He couldn't use the energy-blade on it, it was floating too high up, and it kept throwing balls of energy his way. They were getting harder and harder to dodge too, it was throwing them faster and with better accuracy, almost as though it were learning how to better track his movements and predict him.

Fox aimed his shotgun and fired, but all he heard was a clicking noise. That's when he remembered how many shots he had fired without reloading. He reached into his pocket, pulling out a few more shells. He didn't have many left. He'd used quite a few already. He was able to reload the shotgun, but he had maybe enough shells for one more full reload. He moved closer to the thing, timing his movements to that he could dodge one of its attacks while advancing. He raised his shotgun, took aim, then fired three shots in quick succession. It worked! The creature exploded in response, just like the captain had. No blood, just dissipating energy. It wasn't dead, it would be regenerating nearby.

He didn't have to look for it. It had been placed on roof above him, and he could just see it in the dim light. It looked almost exactly as the captain of the Von Dross did, little more than a brain and spinal column jutting out of a mass of flesh and tissue. Fox put away his shotgun, then aimed his laser pistol at the thing before firing. The shot connected and what was left of the monster exploded, its remains tumbling below, splattering against the moist and soft floor not far from Fox.

One more obstacle down, but how much more could he handle? He didn't have the resources to deal with them all. Even as he lowered his pistol, he saw the light flashing on it. It had been drained of power. It wasn't going to be any good to him anymore, and he highly doubted he was going to find either a charging station or fresh batteries so deep in the Many's body.

He heard another roar, looking up just in time to see two rumblers heading toward him, along with a fresh wave of hybrids. There was no way he could fight them right now. He didn't have the ammo, and he didn't have the strength. He looked around frantically, hoping to spy something, anything, that might help him.

That's when he noticed a small passage, a passage he could squeeze through if he really tried. The rumblers wouldn't be able to follow him. Perhaps the hybrids would, but Fox wasn't going to stick around long enough to find out. He moved toward that hole, running at it full speed before dropping down, sliding toward it. In this case, the natural wetness and slippery nature of the Many's insides gave him an advantage, as it allowed him to slide all the way through the hole. Just in time, too. One of the rumblers had arrived, trying to stomp on him before he could escape. It failed to do so.

As soon as Fox got back on his feet, he sprinted away from the rumblers and hybrids, running almost blindly through the winding twisting passageways that made up the Many's body. At first he ran in a barely controlled panic, just trying to get some distance between him and what had pursued him, fearing that they might be hot on his heels. Eventually he made himself slow down, catching his breath, ears flitted up and listening for even the slightest disturbance. Thus far, there was nothing.

Wandering aimlessly was not going to help him here. He needed a plan. He had made it this far, and the Many's resistance was obviously getting stiffer. He felt so close, yet at the same time so far away. Now he was lost in the middle of this thing's body. He had no idea where he was or where he was going. He didn't even know which way was which anymore! The place was huge, it wound around in so many passageways and circles and such. How would he ever navigate all this, especially with those things hunting him?

He sighed, shaking his head. How on Corneria was he going to get out of this one? All he could think of to do was to take stock of his surroundings and hope that he found something useful. Anything, really.

He began to wander, moving at a much slower pace now, trying to get his bearings, memorizing details about where he was and where he ended up next, hoping to build a map in his head that would keep things nice and clear.

He was in a very different area than before. He didn't think this was the digestive tract. There were large bulbous sacks of flesh up above him to the sides, with grooves and slopes that led to upper areas of the Many's body. He had no idea what they were, at least at first. As he studied them, every so often one of the pouches would move. A hole appeared at the bottom, and something large and round was excreted from the thing, sliding down the fleshy wall and on to the floor. Fox stared as the process was repeated over and over again. That's when he realized what was going on. These were eggs.

He noticed another device on the ground nearby, yet another audio recording from Doctor Windfield. Well, he had at least managed to find the doctor's trail again. Fox wasn't sure if that was a good thing or not, but it felt like progress to him. He immediately started listening to the thing, just as soon as he had downloaded its information to his own device.

"It would seem I've entered the very womb of the Many. The eggs, I believe, are birthed here then transported to the Von Dross for care. After the eggs are tended for some time, the worms seem to hatch and seek out an organic creature to fuse to. It all starts here."

"The life cycle of these things is quite fascinating. I believe the Many uses organic material of all kinds to create the eggs. But it can do other things with this matter as well. For instance, I believe it uses a considerable amount to create the "rumblers." This is fortunate for us, as it means the creatures are relatively rare. The rarest seem to be those flying ones with the vulnerable bodies. I have not come up with a name for them yet. Reavers? No, no, that's just silly."

It was surprising to Fox that the man on the recording somehow managed to sound so calm. In a way Fox admired it. The guy seemed to be truly dedicated to science, overcoming his fears in order to record whatever he could find about the creatures. It was a wonder the Many hadn't found the man yet.

"I shall continue documenting what I can. I'm trying to keep up my spirits, for I know my doom is coming. I believe the only reason I'm still alive is because the Many does not consider me a threat, and so long as I do not disturb anything important, it will consider me a low priority. I think the Many is distracted with someone else. I don't know who. But sooner or later, it will come for me. I have managed to hide from the larger brutes thus far, but...well, at least I'll be remembered for something worthwhile." With that, his voice ceased, the recording at an end.

Fox took another look at the egg chamber. Now that he was closer, he could see so many of them, dozens of the things at least. He tried to keep his distance, as the eggs aboard the Von Dross were toxic. He didn't know if these ones were or not, maybe that happened at a later phase in their life cycle. He wondered how many other chambers might be like this one. This creature was like a factory. It was no wonder it had been able to consume so much of the Von Dross, to wrest control of it. If it ever made it to Corneria, there were no doubts in his mind as to what would happen. The planet would become the new breeding ground of the Many, and all the planet's inhabitants either dead or corrupted.

He could not let that happen. No matter what.

It was at this moment that the Many contacted him again. We sense you in our most sacred place. Where our future grows. Your time is running out. Our Many search for you, and you cannot escape for long. Your weapons fail. Your ammunition runs low. And you've yet to see our full glory. All you have is your hatred. And your... It paused for a moment. It then spat the word out, in perhaps the greatest emotional display Fox had ever heard from the thing, the word laced with raw contempt. ….individuality. Your companions are gone. You are so very alone. You are one now, one against the infinite. Don't you wish you had joined us? Would you then feel so alone?

The Many knew where he was. He could now hear the sounds of their forces aopproaching. The ground vibrated a bit from the encroaching rumblers. He could hear yells from the Many's hybrids. Here he was, caught in the very womb of the creature he had invaded. What now? The Many was right, his ammunition was low, one of his laser pistols was completely out of juice. The situation was grim.

As he looked down to inspect his shotgun, he noticed something on the ground, something colorful and bright, it didn't match the rest of the room. As he raised his gaze, he saw another thing just like it. He had no idea what it was. It seemed like...a trail?

He had no idea where the trail would go, but at this point it didn't matter. He couldn't imagine the situation being any worse than it was already. He chose to follow it. He moved with speed so as to hopefully avoid the creatures in pursuit of him.

As he stuck to these strange lights on the ground, the trail that had been thoughtfully provided for him, he went through a number of doorways and passages that he wouldn't have even known were there otherwise. Eventually he found himself even climbing a slope of some kind. It was not a steep incline, but it stretched out before turning another direction. The colored markers stayed clear, making it easy for him to know where to go. He didn't know why, he couldn't quite explain it, but somehow he felt like he was making real progress. He was going in the right direction. He just knew it!

At long last the strange colored lights led him to their final destination. There was someone there. A body. Fox knelt down beside him, trying to get a better look at the person. He was in a lab-coat, a dog that appeared to be Cornerian. He was clutching a data disk in his hand.

It looked like this might have been what was left of Doctor Winfield. The body was fresh, still warm. He must have died just moments ago. Fox shook his head, an exasperated sigh escaping his lips. Another person he had failed to save. He reached for the data disk, taking it from the doctor's hand. He wasn't holding it tightly, so it was easy for Fox to remove. He scanned it with his PDA, then listened to its contents.

"I have left a trail of infrared markers behind, I believe them invisible to the Many. I have tried to get as close as I can to this thing's...brain, I suppose. At the very heart of the organism. It isn't far from here. I pray that this is useful to someone. It's a long shot, but...it's all I can do."

Fox looked down at the floor, realizing that that was what he was seeing all the way up here. His implants must have allowed him to see the markers without him even realizing they were activated. He looked up at the doctor's body, staring quietly for a few moments. He wouldn't have made it this far if the doctor hadn't had the foresight to do that. He was grateful.

"Despite the Many's advanced abilities and evolution, I am convinced that it, or should I say they, are not infallible. I had initially hypothesized that the Many controls all of the various creatures on the Von Dross. This is inaccurate. It is far more accurate to say that the Many IS everything on the Von Dross. It truly is a united life form. Of course, there is some degree of autonomy, especially for the more willing servants, but ultimately it acts through all of them. They are intimately connected. If the Many is right about anything, it is the unity it brings. Everything, the spiders, the rumblers, the floating things, the hybrids, they are all connected. They ARE the Many. If this is true, then I cannot help but wonder...if the Many's heart or brain or...whatever it is that directs it all, if it is destroyed...what will happen to the rest? If I am correct, every single organism connected directly to the Many will terminate within seconds. I fear that will save no lives. The Many integrates itself in such a way that the body cannot survive without it. The Many's end will spell doom to almost everyone aboard, every single person who has been compromised. Perhaps that is preferable to the alternative." The recording stopped there, not revealing what had happened to the poor soul.

Fox closed his eyes, taking a moment to absorb this information. He had been afraid of this. There had been some part of him, a small part, that clung to the hope that maybe when the Many was dead, the ones who had been ensnared by it would be free. Even before this information came to light, he knew that his hopes were baseless. He knew in his heart that the infected were already gone. He just hadn't wanted to believe that. He wanted to save them, to rescue them. It was a terrible pain to know that he couldn't do that. If Fox won here, almost every single living thing on the Von Dross would die.

That was a price of dire proportion. There was also a voice inside him, whispering of all the people he had killed thus far, how many he had murdered, how many he had yet to murder. He tried to silence voice, did the best he could to suppress it. He couldn't afford to give into doubt or despair now. This mission had been so taxing on him. Not just physically, either. This had been the single most painful mission he had ever undertaken in his life. It weighed so heavily on his shoulders. His earlier determination gave way to hesitation, to guilt. Could he really condemn them all to death? To snuff out so many lives in an instant?

He shook his head, growling. He had to get those thoughts out. This was not the time or place. He couldn't let himself be dragged down now by guilt over all the lives lost here. It was not his fault. He tried so hard to convince himself of that, but the reasoning seemed so hollow, as though he were so desperate for justification that he'd tell himself anything to feel better.

Then he remembered why he was here. He remembered Fara, fighting tooth and claw for survival in this nightmare. He remembered the children he had seen earlier through the video feed. He remembered the friendly wolf Raphael. They were still alive. The Many would not stop until they were all dead or consumed.

Fox clenched his fists, closing his eyes as his guilt gave way to rage. That was right. He hadn't done any of this. He had only tried to help. It was the Many that had brought this upon them. No, not just the Many. There was someone else to blame for this, someone far more malevolent than even the Many were. They were evil, but it was the nature they had been born with. He knew that they were sincere in their beliefs. They wanted to help, to save the galaxy, to bring order and unity everywhere. But they could only bring misery. They were a perverted experiment stemming from the malevolent and insane mind of Andross. He was to blame here. Andross. The Aparoids. Both of them. They were responsible for this. Not Fox. Everyone that died here, killed by the Many, consumed, taken control of, it was all because of this sick experiment.

That was what cleared Fox's head more than anything else. He would mourn those who had died here later. Besides, death would be a mercy compared to an eternal horrific existence as a pawn of the Many. The hybrids were already dead. They begged at times for Fox to kill them, even as they fought. Perhaps he would find time for regret, to reflect on what choices he could have or should have made. Maybe he would come to terms with the many lives he had been forced to bring to an end since this nightmare started.

Not now. Fox hefted up his shotgun, loading the last few shells inside. He looked down to check his weapons. One energy pistol completely drained. A laser sword that was powerful, but required Fox to be up close and personal. He had killed one rumbler with it, but he'd prefer not to kill too many more in the same manner. It was far too close. They could rip him apart if they ever got a hold of him. Looking down, he found a couple of grenades still on his belt. One EMP grenade, which would be absolutely worthless in here. The others were two fragmentation grenades. He'd have to make them count.

This wasn't enough. It was not nearly enough. If the Many was waiting for him, he was going to need something a lot stronger to deal with whatever was up ahead. But what could he do? How could he get access to any better weaponry? He was deep within the Many's body He would have to make do with what little he had. He would kill for a rocket launcher right about now.

His ears flitted up in response to a noise, a hum that was growing louder, emanating from somewhere just ahead of him. He could feel something in the air, a little like static, making his fur poof out just a bit. Something terrible lay just ahead. He could not see it from here. Whatever it was, it was very very close. And it was powerful.

He advanced, bit by bit. One foot in front of the other. There was fear rising in him, a big pit forming in his stomach. His breathing became a bit more uneven, and his hands were shaking a little. He had no idea what to expect, what he was about to face. He had found a great open area, the ground pink and sticky, squishing beneath his feet as he moved. Something was dripping from above him, like saliva. When he looked up, there was no creature there. It was simply the inner workings of the Many' body.

He was going to have nightmares about this place for years, assuming he survived.

Trudging forward, he did his best to focus on the task at hand, not wanting to give in to the fear growing in his heart. As he struggled to remain in control, those familiar voices whispered to him, cold and heartless in tone, communicating directly with his mind. The end is near. Soon you will see our glory. Our final face. You cannot prevail here. But do not despair. Surely the void is preferable to your pointless, solitary struggle

He ignored the thing's words, refusing to let them get in his head. He just kept moving forward toward the source of the hum, now growing in volume. The air was growing warmer and warmer as he moved, causing him to sweat. The biomass under his feet grew thicker, red and pulsing, interwoven with veins, muscle, tissue, and various fluids that he could not identify. It was sickening. Still he marched on.

At long last he came to the top of the slope he had been walking up. As he reached its apex, he found himself in a large circular chamber with more than one passage that led out, though most of them appeared to be sealed. There were alcoves to either side of the room, acting as a sort of support structure. He wondered if it was originally part of the ship, or if the Many had simply created the structures itself. There was no way to tell.

Directly in the center of the room was something massive and prominent, emanating power, the source of the loud hum that echoed throughout the Many's body. He could only imagine that this was the core of the Many. He did not know precisely what he was expecting it to look like, perhaps an engorged beating heart, or a massive swollen brain. Instead, he found himself before a massive fleshy orb, thick and gooey, a mound of flesh and what appeared to be bones beneath as well as above, suspending the beating heart of the Many in between, much like a large pedestal. The hum was loud here, emanating from the thing. This was the source of all the misery and death on the Von Dross. This was the heart of the Many.

It was not unprotected. Two rumblers appeared, rising from where they had been lying prone by the Many's core. They rose up to their full height, lumbering toward him once they had risen. They were not alone. He could see those things in the air, those terrible monsters that would rain death from above. There were at least four of them, possibly more. The Many had gathered its might, bringing its most powerful tools to defend itself, and to put an end to Fox McCloud.

The first thing he tried before anything else was simply shooting at the heart with his shotgun. If he could kill kill it here and now, it would all be done with.

If only it could have been that simple. Rather than killing it, the bullets never even reached it. Some sort of barrier appeared the moment Fox fired, rendering it impervious to his attacks. It was being protected somehow.

As the rumblers approached Fox, he was forced to focus on avoiding their attacks. He pulled out one of the fragmentation grenades, then pressed the button in order to prime it. He held it for a few moments, backpedaling as the rumblers charged forth. He tossed it at the last possible moment. He couldn't have timed the throw any better. It moved forward in an arc, coming down between the rumblers before exploding. Both of them were caught, one of them staggering away from the source of the blast, the other stumbling forward.

That was Fox's cue. He charged, igniting the energy blade and bringing it down on the creature's head, slicing through its upper body. He worked the blade into it, leaving nothing to chance, making absolutely sure the thing was dead as he tore into it, slicing the sword though its flesh, muscle and bone until the top half of its head separated from the lower half, it's mouth open and now in two separate pieces.

He would have tried to finish off the other one as well. Unfortunately, he couldn't get to it in time. Not only was it rising to its feet and turning to face him, he also had to concentrate on getting away from the flying creatures, which were now throwing psionic attacks at him, forcing him to take cover. He ran to the far side of the chamber, ducking behind an alcove as he planned his next move.

The remaining rumbler roared in both pain and fury, charging in the direction that Fox had gone. The floating things continued to advance. They were moving in a more cautious pattern now, trying to flush him out. Sooner or later he'd have to run, and they would kill him as soon as he did.

He wasn't sure what he could do in this situation. How could he defeat them? How could he destroy the Many when it was so well protected it? It was no wonder he had managed to escape the thing earlier. While it obviously wanted to kill him, it knew that he was coming here sooner or later. Which would mean it could finally finish him off. It was a trap.

Yet if it were a trap, it was one borne of supreme arrogance. After all, the Many had exposed itself to Fox, had shown him the beating heart of this loathsome organism. It must have believed that he had no chance of victory here. It truly made sense to Fox that Andross had made this thing. In some ways, at least, it was indeed in his image.

None of that helped him now, though. While it may have been partially exposed, he had no way of piercing that barrier, and the rumbler was coming. He needed a way to beat them, a way to get past their defenses.

That's when he remembered something. Earlier, back in Engineering of the Von Dross, he had managed to turn invisible for a short time. SAI-TEP, or Aiten as Fox knew him at that time, had told him that the invisibility would drain his implants of their power. He also said that it would recharge over time. Perhaps now was that time?

He had to do just as he had done the first time. He tried to calm his racing heart, focusing on making himself invisible, trying to will it with his mind. He didn't enough time, the rumbler was on him! The misshapen beast rounded the corner, howling in rage! It was looking right at Fox, rushing toward him. Fox reached for his energy-blade, but he was too slow, he wouldn't get it in time!

The creature stopped just a hair's breadth away from Fox. It shuffled a bit, looking around and growling. It didn't attack him. In fact, it seemed to not know where he was! He had cloaked!

He had to move fast to take advantage of this. He emerged from his hiding place, looking up at the floating creatures. They too were searching for him, but seemed unable to see him.

Now that he had a good look at them, he could see something else that caught his eye. There was some kind of energy emanating from them, being drawn towards the Many's heart. That's when he realized what was going on here. These things, these floating creatures, they were powering the Many's shield. They were protecting it with their own psionic abilities, their life force! As long as they lived, he would never be able to destroy the Many.

He knew what he had to do. He was certain their bodies were hidden somewhere nearby. He needed to find them, and fast. The invisibility wouldn't last forever. If he were quick, perhaps he could kill at least some of them before they found out where he was. But where were they hiding?

He continued to move around the circular chamber. He had just made use of one of the larger alcoves, which Fox had hidden behind moments ago. He hadn't noticed anything there, but then again, he hadn't been looking very hard. Now that he was nearly at the other alcove, he took the opportunity to do a quick search.

There were indeed a couple of those brain-things here, the creatures responsible for those powerful psionic projections. It wasn't all of them. There were some more elsewhere that he hadn't found yet. At least he could handle these two. He couldn't quite reach them with his blade, they were up a bit, almost where the alcove joined the roof. He could handle that. He withdrew his other pistol, the one that still had some juice, aimed, and fired. Two quick shots, one after the other. Both had the desired effect, causing the brain-like things to explode. He heard a loud shriek from the other room, and he knew what had happened. Two of the projections were dying.

That was two down. He wasn't sure how many more there might be. He could hear the rumbler approaching again, but he left before it arrived, moving the opposite direction that it was coming from. He was still cloaked, though he could feel it as the energy drained. He didn't have much time left. This drew a great deal of energy from his implants. He would have no further help from them when it was done.

Racing to the alcove he had first hidden behind, he found more of the things, also out of reach. He quickly leveled his pistol at them and destroyed them as well, causing another shriek to emanate from the central chamber.

The cloak was failing. Looking down, he even saw his paw materialize before him. He wouldn't be able to sneak around anymore. He'd have to use speed instead. He could hear more of the Many's forces drawing close. The Many was calling to its servants. Perhaps it had not expected Fox to make use of his implants in such a manner. Maybe it was surprised, or even scared! Or maybe it just wanted to end him as quickly as possible. It changed nothing. Fox was going to put this monster down.

There was another one of those floating things above. It looked as though it might be a bit bigger than the others. It wasn't shooting at him. Rather, it seemed to be concentrating all of its energy on maintaining the Many's shield. Fox tried shooting at the thing, thinking that if he could kill the projection, maybe the shield would fail and he could attack the Many directly. Though all his shots connected, it didn't seem to even faze the thing. It was too high in the air to reach with his energy-blade, and now his pistol was almost fully drained. Both of them. He had perhaps four more shots with his shotgun. If he used it on that thing now, it probably wouldn't kill it. Fox would be trapped in the Many's innermost chamber, without any means of fighting back.

He heard the distant roars and shrieks of more of the Many's minions. They were almost here. He had seconds left, maybe. What could he do? There were too many, he had almost no ammo left, and he was out of time! What could he do?!

Had you only joined us, you might yet live in our song. The Many spoke to him, its voice calm, yet menacing. You have chosen the path of our mother. Her corruption stains you. We shall cleanse this stain. Oblivion awaits...

Perhaps this was the end.

---

Noellap and the rest of his team as well as the civilians moved forward as quickly as they could, considering the injured that Rangu was now carrying on his back. They needed to get to the elevator, then the bridge. They were so close to getting out of here. He just hoped that the agent fulfilled their part of the bargain, that they would retrieve the AI data as requested. Whether they did or didn't, Noellap had every intention of getting the rest of his team and the civilians out of here alive.

The path was strewn with danger. Both Noellap and Ginger had to take down multiple targets en route. For whatever reason, Noellap got the distinct impression that the enemy's attempts were somewhat halfhearted. They were still sending hybrids their way, but only a handful. He knew there were far more of them on this deck than what were currently facing. It was almost as if they were distracted with something else, but he knew not what. He hoped they remained occcupied.

At last they made it to their destination. Ginger immediately pressed the button for the elevator. Noellap looked at the civilians, then nodded at them. "We're almost out of here. Once we're on the bridge, we'll get to the shuttle."

"Thank god." The wolf let out a breath of relief. "I'm just glad it's finally almost over. You guys got no idea what it was like here."

"Oh, I think I do," Noellap remarked dryly before turning to Ginger. "You have called the elevator, correct?"

Ginger gulped, then looked at Noellap and bit her lip. "I have. But something is wrong. The elevator isn't responding at all. It's like its been shut down, but I don't know why. Someone is trying to stop us from using them."

"What?" Noellap narrowed his eyes. "Like who? The Many?"

She shook her head. "I can't tell. Maybe. Or maybe someone else."

"I see." Noellap stared downward for a moment, considering this development. "So can you open it?"

"I think so. I can override it, but..." She looked a bit nervous as she gazed at him again, almost apologetic. "It's going to take some time."

"Fine. Just get it done." Noellap ordered. She nodded and went to work immediately, attempting to override the lock while using her electronic tools that she had been equipped with. It was fortunate that they still had Ginger with them. Otherwise Noellap suspected that none of them would make it out alive.

Something large and heavy touched his shoulder. Noellap turned to find the ape, Rangu, staring at him. He moved his shoulder forward, offering the lieutenant one of the children. Noellap blinked, not entirely sure what Rangu wanted. Well, it seemed clear that he wanted Noellap to take the child, but he wasn't sure why. Were the children too heavy, did he need a break? Was there something more sinister at work?

That's when Noellap heard the loud roar in the distance.

Now he understood. One of those large things was coming. Rangu knew it, and he knew he would need to fight in order for them all to survive. Noellap turned and gestured at the wolf. "Assist me. Get the children now."

The wolf was staring in the direction the noise had come from. He gulped loudly, momentarily overcome with fear.

"Now, mister!" Noellap commanded with a more firm tone. The wolf twitched, then turned toward Noellap and nodded, walking over to assist him in unloading the children. The nurse didn't have to be told. She was gently easing the wounded child off of Rangu's head, cradling and shushing the young kit as she held her. The child was dealing with the situation rather well. All of the children were. They were scared, sniffling and whimpering quietly, but they were also looking up at Rangu as though they knew he would protect them. They were all the protectors now, each and every one of the adults.

As the children were removed, Noellap could both hear and feel the ground rumble as the creature drew closer. Only after the last child was free did it round the corner, the great monstrosity now fully visible. Noellap knew how powerful these things were. They didn't have the weaponry to kill one. Rangu had dropped his rocket launcher in order to secure the children on his back. Ginger was busy with the door. And here they were, trapped with children who couldn't move. Noellap wasn't sure how to get out of this one. It seemed like this might be it. He would not go down without a fight. He aimed his weapon, ready to fire.

Rangu's hand pressed down on his weapon, pushing it gently. Blinking, Noellap looked up at Rangu, arching an eyebrow. Then the ape said something, perhaps the most words in a single sentence that he had offered since arriving here. "Take care of them."

Noellap didn't know what he meant. He had every intention of taking care of them. The team. The civilians. The children. Why was Rangu saying it?

He only realized what Rangu was planning when it was too late to stop him, not that Noellap could have done much about it anyway. He never would have been able to predict Rangu's next move.

The ape charged. He charged toward the monster, roaring back at the thing as he bore down on it. The two crashed into each other. The thing was huge and monstrous, but then again, Rangu was exceptionally strong and large himself. Much to Noellap's shock, the ape seemed to be a match for the creature! He had thrown his shoulder at it first, knocking it backwards. Rangu had the momentary advantage, as the creature itself seemed not to have expected his attack. It recovered quickly. Even as Rangu tried to press his advantage, the creature lurched forth and took a vicious swipe at him with those massive claws. It tore at the ape's belly, ripping into it. Noellap heard the ape scream in pain, blood spurting from the wound, but he didn't let go of the rumbler. He just grabbed its mouth, one hand on his lower jaw and reaching down for his belt. He seized hold of one of those explosive charges, then activated it before shoving it down the creature's gullet. The thing reared back, kicking Rangu hard in the gut, then slashing at him again, this time ripping a jagged diagonal cut in his chest.

Rangu's strength failed him at this point, and he toppled forward, landing heavily against the ground. Before the creature could deliver a killing blow, the charge inside of it exploded. The creature's innards were utterly obliterated, half of its body exploding, leaving only its head and feet untouched. It had been blown to pieces.

Noellap couldn't believe what the ape had just managed to do. Neither could the wolf. "Holy crap!" The wolf had wide eyes, his expression one of absolute shock. "Holy crap! Did you...oh my god! He..." He didn't finish his sentence. Noellap moved toward his fallen comrade, and the wolf went with him.

Before they could reach him, they heard the sound of encroaching footsteps, footsteps belonging to the hybrids. The Many were coming for them.

Noellap hesitated. He needed to check on Rangu, yet he also needed to ensure the civilians were safe. He made up his mind, moving toward Rangu again.

The ape stirred. He had propped himself up with one hand, barely. He then stared at Noellap, blood oozing from his mouth. "Go..." His voice was gravelly and strained. "Go."

Noellap wanted to ignore him. He wanted to get to him, pull him away. The ape was right, though. There was no way they could get Rangu up in time. The hybrids were bearing down on them. There was no way to save him. He was going to lose another man.

"The elevator won't open!" Ginger shouted. "Someone has locked it down! I can't override it!"

Noellap looked at Rangu again. The ape was staring at him. And then, with great effort and obvious strain, the ape moved his hand. He offered the lieutenant a salute, as much of one as he could offer in his condition.

The lieutenant stared back at the ape, torn. He had to leave him. Rangu wanted them to leave him. It seemed as though he had no choice. So Noellap did the only thing he could. He offered the ape a salute of his own, then turned away. The adults all scooped up the children, the nurse tending to the wounded kit and carrying her as best she could. They could hear the yells of the Many's forces as they descended upon them.

They couldn't use the elevator. They couldn't move fast with the children. They would never make it to another elevator, and they couldn't outrun their enemies.

They were passing by a room that appeared to have only one way in and out. Noellap knew that if they went in, there would be no escape for them. If they just kept running, they'd be cut down by the Many. It seemed as though there were no right answers. They'd take the room. "Get inside! Now!" He bellowed.

They obeyed, the nurse and children making their way inside, with Ginger and Raphael assisting Noellap, placing some of the children on the far side of the room. It was a small recreation facility. The door locked, but it wouldn't hold for long. "Ginger, assist the nurse. Raphael, help me." Noellap then started pushing pieces of furniture in front of the door, trying to form a barricade to slow the enemy down. Raphael assisted, displaying considerable strength as he pushed a heavy couch and toppled it over, then finding a bench and placing that on top, though obviously strained from the effort. He even moved a game table, though with Noellap's help on that one. They did everything they could to make a barricade. It would buy them some time, but little more.

Soon they could hear someone beating on the other side of the door. "Your flesh...betrays you!" It shouted. "You cannot escape our Many!" Before long, they could hear another one pounding on the door. And another. And another! There were more and more of them. By his estimate, there were at least a dozen by now. And the number was only growing.

Noellap turned to Ginger and the other nurse. "How are they?"

"They're terrified." She answered him. They were doing their utmost to comfort and console the children. Even the youngest knew that something terrible was coming for them. Ginger looked at Noellap, hoping for guidance. "What do we do, sir?"

The others were looking at him as well. All of them wanted to know what he planned next. They probably hoped he would concoct some brilliant scheme that would get them all out in one piece. The truth of the matter was that he had no plan. The only reason he went in this room in the first place was an act of pure desperation, trying to ensure that they didn't get caught by the Many, to buy themselves a little time. It would seem that was all they had managed to accomplish.

Noellap lowered his gaze, looking at all the children with them. The Many's forces were screaming at them, so many terrible things. The children were crying again as the hybrids yelled.

He heard one voice after another, each different than the last, yet all carrying that bizarre rise and fall of pitch and tone, as though more than one were speaking from a single body.

"Join us!"

"You do not hide forever!"

"You are alone!"

They would be through the doors soon. The group would either be killed or dragged off to be consumed by the Many. Noellap looked down at the children again. He didn't know what horrors lay in wait for them, but he knew this. The Many would not show mercy because they were children. He could not, he would not, allow the Many to get their disgusting clutches on them.

"We...cannot let the Many take them." He stated, his own voice wavering.

"But we can't escape!" The wolf protested. "And there's too many! How do we stop them from taking..."

"This is our final stand." Noellap raised his weapon, aiming it at the door. The door was starting to dent and bulge out from the blows being thrown against it. The barricade rattled from the raw force being used. Ginger took her place beside Noellap, aiming at the door with her superior officer. After a moment, Noellap sensed Raphael doing the same.

Noellap turned his head toward the nurse. She was unarmed. Of course, she was caring for the little ones and trying to tend to them, but every able bodied paw was needed now. Perhaps hers especially. He approached her, removing his sidearm before handing it to her. She just blinked as she stared at it before turning her gaze upward toward him, confused. Noellap spoke quietly, low enough that only she could hear. "We will protect you as long as we can. If we fall..." He didn't finish the sentence. It was a dark thought he had. He did not know if she understood or not.

She stared at him for a moment. Then she slowly nodded her head. He didn't know for certain if she truly understood what he meant or not. He had no intention of elaborating. He would trust her judgment. With that Noellap turned back to the door. He, Ginger, and the wolf all had their weapons ready, trained on where they knew the enemy would break in. There was a groan and a crash as the door finally gave way, revealing the mass of enemies behind. They were pushing against the barricade, trying to crawl over it.

"Open fire." Noellap ordered, then they all started shooting. If this was to be their last stand, Noellap thought, then let them go down fighting! "For the Dominion!" He shouted, then blasted the first hybrid trying to crawl over the barricade.

In this brief moment, as death loomed ahead, Noellap wondered if he had made the right choices. Had he brought honor to the Dominion? Had he done the right thing? Had he given his best? He did not know. There would be no escape. They would die here. At the very least, he took pride in knowing that if they were to die, it was for the very best and most noble of reasons. He'd put down as many of those things as he could before accepting defeat.

---

Fox was so close to victory. He was in the very heart of the Many, in its innermost chamber, with the very core of its power before him, its brain exposed. Yet it was still protected! He could not kill it as long as that barrier held! There had to be a way! There had to be something he could do! He looked frantically around himself while backpedaling away from the encroaching enemies.

It had to be here somewhere! The hidden creature making that projection, it had to be close! He knew it! But where?!

By now he was just running full speed in a desperate attempt to evade the rumblers now chasing him, as well as a swarm of those spider things. Some of them tried to leap on him, and he had to bat them off with his fists. His blade was ignited, but he only managed to slice a few of them. Some got on him and bit him hard, tearing into his fur and skin before he managed to either pry them off or slice them with his blade if he had a good angle.

You will be forgotten in time. The memory of your existence will fade. But we are Many. We shall bring unity eternal to Lylat. We shall sing our song across the stars, spreading our warmth and unity to all life. You will not witness our glory. But perhaps it will dwell in your final, fleeting thoughts...

It was trying to get in his head again, and it took everything Fox had to keep moving, dodging to the side and slicing another spider in half, then twisting just in time to avoid a rumbler trying to smash him flat, managing to cut the thing in the arm with his blade. He wounded it, but did not kill it.

It was hopeless. He looked up again, staring at the projection of that creature, still shielding the Many. If only he had found it in time...

Something flashed in his vision. He wasn't sure what it was. It was as if something shimmered. He didn't know if it was just the right timing or if his implants had done something to his vision. Either way, he had seen something in the far upper corner of the room. He hadn't thought to check the roof. As he looked, he realized it was there. It was buried, half hidden, could only just be seen with its top poking out from a little groove up there. Fox almost missed it. Almost.

It was at a bad angle. He wasn't sure he could shoot it from here. He needed a weapon that could fire in an arc.

Like a grenade.

There was no way he could do this with the rumbler on his heels. He spun around to face it as it charged, then slashed at its belly, cutting it open with his energy blade. That caused it to crumple to its knees, howling in pain. It wasn't dead, but he didn't need it to be. It was stunned for the moment. That was what he needed.

He had a brief reprieve from the spider creatures. More were coming. He could hear more rumblers too, and the sound of the other creatures at the Many's disposal charging toward the room.

He pulled the grenade from his belt, priming it and looking up at where he needed to throw it. He only had one shot at this, and it was difficult to gauge the exact power and trajectory he needed. He took a deep breath, hoping that this worked, waited a second or two as the grenade started to beep faster as it approached detonation. He then hurled the thing up, praying that it worked.

Maybe his aim was enhanced by the implants. Maybe he just had calculated and thrown it perfectly. Or maybe he just got really, really lucky. No matter the reason, the result was the same. The grenade soared through the air, landing in the little space where the creature was hidden, and then exploded almost immediately upon contact.

The creature shrieked in agony as it disintegrated, bits of its brain and spine being blown away and falling down below. Fox turned just in time to see the projection fading away. The shield was down!

This was his chance! He charged with the shotgun, firing every last round that he had, four shots in quick succession unloaded directly into the core! The hum in the air had changed, sounding more like a scream. Fox dropped the shotgun, which was now completely out of ammo. He rushed for the Many's core, weaving back and forth as the spiders skittered and leapt at him. Another rumbler tried to grab him, just missing as he darted to the side. He activated his blade again, moving as fast as he could!

No...

He ignored the voice, quickly clambered up to the center of the core, then drove the blade in through the heart of the Many! He plunged the weapon into the very center of its mass, breaking through the fleshy exterior and piercing the heart! He just kept pushing it in, no matter how much resistance it offered, until he had buried the energy-blade all the way up to the hilt. The blade crackled as it cut through flesh and tissue.

Once he had sunk the blade as deep as it could possibly go, it was as though time froze around him. Everything stopped moving. The creatures, the walls, the floor. Then there was a piercing wail that echoed through the chamber. The core glowed brightly, and he could feel a buildup of energy emanating from it. The core exploded, unleashing a blast of powerful psionic energy that struck Fox, sending him reeling backwards and tumbling into the fleshy floor below. As he staggered to his feet, he saw one of the rumblers before him. It stared for a moment, then wobbled from side to side, emitting a pitiful groan before collapsing. Fox hadn't even hit it!

The spiders exploded one by one, shrieking as they did so. A chain reaction was running through the body of the Many as it entered its death throes. He heard the voice again. Despite everything, despite all he had done to it, despite the fact that he had just killed it, its voice remained calm. There was only one emotion that could be heard now. One of deep, heartbroken sorrow. Do you know what you have wrought? Our tragedy is written by your hand...

As Fox looked around, he realized that the chamber was starting to shake. The fleshy goop around him seemed to be drying up, withering and dying. The place was falling apart. He had no idea what would happen if he remained in here as it died, but it couldn't be good. He had to escape!

---

They had broken through! Noellap continued firing, as did Ginger and Raphael. They couldn't hold the tide back. There were too many, they just kept coming. As they breached the barricade, Noellap knew that it was over. He aimed one last shot at the first of the Many's forces to breach. He knew it would be the last kill he'd get before being ripped apart. He'd make it count.

The hybrid stopped short, jerking backward. It reacted as though it had been shot, only Noellap hadn't pulled the trigger. "The harmony...where is...the..." It spoke softly. Then its eyes rolled up, and it collapsed on the ground, convulsing and twitching violently for a few moments before going still.

Noellap could see the others going through the same thing outside the room. They were all collapsing, dead within seconds. Everyone was staring at the dead hybrids in shock, including Noellap. He had been ready to die, he was certain he would die. Now the attackers were all dead. Each and every last one of them.

"What...what happened?" Raphael asked. "Why'd they all just fall over like that?"

"It must be the Many..." Ginger lowered her head, frowning. "Something must have happened to it. Someone..."

"Someone must have killed it." Noellap finished that sentence, closing his eyes. "And I have a good idea as to who."

"Holy crap!" Raphael exclaimed, eyes wide. "Star Fox did it! Wow! I can't believe it, that's incredible!"

"Yes. I suppose he did save our lives." Noellap shook his head, not entirely sure how he should feel about that. The fox who had murdered his captain had just saved Noellap's life. Granted, Fox couldn't have possibly known that when he killed the Many, but still facts were facts. It didn't change his determination on one day avenging the captain, but he had to offer at least a degree of grudging gratitude toward Fox for this.

"What now, sir?" Ginger asked.

"Find Rangu." Noellap said simply.

---

Fox wasn't sure quite what to do now. He could go back the way he came, but it would take forever to navigate his way through that maze again. He could go forward, but he had no idea how long that would take or where it would take him. Everything around him was dying. Acid poured from the roof, trickling over the flesh as it dripped down the sides, starting to fill the room.

Something happened to the place the core once stood. There was a hole there now, in the pedestal that once held the heart. It was a pitch black tunnel. He had no idea where it went, or how far it would go. Fox couldn't explain it, but something told him he should go in. It was crazy. There was no logical reason for him to go, no reason to believe this would lead to safety. Yet he couldn't shake that feeling. With the room around him disintegrating, he decided to take a chance. Taking a deep breath, he eased himself into the pit, then found himself sliding into the darkness. He found himself in a tube, slightly bigger than he was, a long and winding tunnel that transported him away from this place. It bent and curved at times, but it was never so sharp or so steep that he hurt himself.

Fox felt something then, a raw emotion. It was so powerful within him, so incredibly deep. It was a feeling of regret unlike anything he'd ever known. It filled his being, as though it were filtering through every blood vein, every patch of skin, every tuft of fur.

The emotions did not belong to him. It was the Many's final moments that he was feeling. They were not quite dead yet. They were dying and dying fast, but still it could project its thoughts toward Fox. In that moment, he saw what they had wanted, what they had seen, the world that would come to be. In that brief instant, Fox saw not a monster, but a motherly figure that simply wanted what was best for her children. It was a lie. This was likely an influence from the creature itself. He did not believe in its cause, but he did believe its sincerity. While everything it had done had been monstrous and evil in his eyes, it genuinely had believed that it was doing the right thing. Even now, he knew that it was offering him a way out. It had projected that feeling to him, convincing him to enter the tube. He didn't know why he trusted it. He shouldn't have. It had been his adversary. Had it even a shred of spite in it, it could easily kill Fox in its dying moments, trick him into falling to his death, or letting him stay behind as its body collapsed and died around him.

He couldn't even tell which way he was going. He kept sliding, kept tumbling down, twisting and weaving through the mass of the Many. He didn't always go downward, either. Sometimes his movements would slow, and he'd feel himself being lifted up into another passage by a force he couldn't see, what felt like a strong gust of wind. He was being pushed along, sped on his way through the Many's body, all while somehow avoiding injury. The emotions continued to roll over him, and he struggled to keep them at bay. He could feel their pain, he could feel as the Many came to the end of their existence.

As Fox reached the end of the journey, he heard the voices in his head for one final time, tinged with sorrow and regret before being silenced forever. We die...beware the machine mother, Fox McCloud. She is a stranger to all that we cherish...

The connection was broken. It had removed itself from his head. No, it had -been- removed. It was gone. The Many had been destroyed. At long last, his task was complete. The terrible presence that once infested this ship had been eradicated. The nightmare was over.

The fleshy tube that he was sliding in came to its eventual conclusion. He found himself in some kind of ventilation shaft, his slide slowing until his body stopped against a metal grating that would lead to the deck. He panted heavily for a few moments, then raised his foot up before slamming it into the bottom of the grate, forcing the cover to fall down to the floor below. He slipped out, landing heavily on the ground. It was a little further than he expected, and after he hit the ground he simply lurched forward and fell on his face.

He didn't get up for a while. He couldn't muster up the energy. He wasn't hurt, at least not from the fall or the slide. He just felt so tired now, so drained and exhausted. He couldn't believe that it was over. The Many had been stopped, completely destroyed. Judging from the reactions of its minions in the central chamber, he expected that all of its forces were now dead or dying throughout the ship. There were no more hostiles left. He just wished he could have saved more people.

He lay where he was for a while, eyes closed, just breathing in and out. He needed a vacation. He needed a long, long vacation. He didn't care if they had the money or not. Star Fox was going to be taking a break after this.

Fox wanted to enjoy this moment of peace forever. He knew he should get up, but he couldn't bring himself to. He just didn't have the energy. He was so tired. So exhausted. He just wanted to close his eyes and drift off.

That was when he heard something that made his blood run cold and his eyes snap open. His ears were treated to an unpleasant but familiar voice that he really didn't want to hear right now. It wasn't simply an annoyance this time. By its tone, by its cold words, the way she practically hissed them at him, he knew what was coming. The Many's dying words echoed through his head, and their dire warning proved to be well justified.

"Thank you for running my errands, puppet."

SAI-TEP.