Everyone gathered around the campfire as Preston rang a small bell. "Gather around everyone I have something to tell you. With Colonel Hollis dead the rank of Colonel has now been passed on to me. So, with that, I must decide who should be our new General."

Most Minutemen backed away not sure how to handle such a large responsibility. Cody stood up. "What about my Commander sir?"

He points to Liberator. The old ghoul got up. "Why me I failed y'all? I failed the Youth Battalion I failed Quincy."

Preston sighed. "You drew most of the Gunners and even stopped their reinforcements. Better yet you managed to beat them back one last time. The point is you've been fighting for centuries, if anyone has the experience to lead us into a new golden age it's you. Please will you take up the mantle?"

Liberator turned to the others. "Is that what y'all want?"

They cheered for him. He smiled. "Then I shall do my best to lead you. Under my command, the Minutemen will become a proper citizen's military. We will not just defeat the Raiders Gunners Institute we shall blast them from existence we will retake the Commonwealth and God willing, we will restore the United States of America one state and one commonwealth at a time. Come my soldiers let us march forth."

Everyone roared in approval. To be under The Liberator's command to go on a crusade to reclaim remnants of the old world. "My first order as General is for us to find a new home. Once we find a place to settle, we will rebuild from there. As for my second order, Cody, I need you to be a pathfinder. Find us a way through and kill any hostiles you come across."

Cody saluted. "Yes, sir it will be done." He bolted into the pitch-black darkness rifle in hand bayonet fixed.

Meanwhile on the Great Fox. A hologram of General Pepper appeared. The Star Fox team met on the bridge. Fox stood at attention. "What is it General?"

Pepper spoke. "Our probes have found a new solar system with eight planets however only one supports life. It's a death world almost destroyed by a nuclear exchange. We need you to check it out."

Fox nodded. "We're on our way General."

The Great Fox processed the coordinates entering warp space. In an hour they reached the system. Almost immediately Krystal began to hyperventilate. Tears stream down her muzzle. The agony the despair, the screams of the helpless echoed in her mind. She felt distress and agony before, but this planet was something far worse. Fox held her tightly. "Krystal, what is it?"

The poor vixen did her best to compose herself. "This planet is shrouded in darkness even more than Venom. I never sensed anything this bad since Cerinia's destruction. Fox answered. "Then see if you can find light."

Krystal took a deep breath. She reached out once more. She saw a flicker not too dissimilar to a small candle in the wind. The darkness encroached onto it trying to snuff it out. Yet the flicker fought back lashing in anguish. Her ears twitched. She heard battle cries. Among the voices, one stood out above the rest. It was young like that of a kit, yet it was very weary.

She exhaled. "Follow me."

The team got ready in their heavy hazmat suits.

In the ruins of Lexington.

Cody's M16 fired drawing out both the local Raider gang and Feral Ghouls. The battle devolved into a sea of bodies. The Raiders are trying to escape with their lives while the Ferals piled on top of them feasting on their flesh. Cody retreated to the second floor of the ruined building he was in. He lit a Molotov and tossed it into the massive pile. Almost immediately the mass of flesh began to melt and shriek. He took a deep breath before setting up his radio near a collapsed stairway.

"Path is clear General. Took out a horde of Ferals and a Raider Gang be ready to move out."

He then heard echoes of growling and groaning. "PATH IS NOT CLEAR NOT I SAY AGAIN NOT CLEAR STAY WHERE YOU ARE!"

He loaded a fresh magazine and continued his accurate bursts of fire. Drawing more of the hordes toward him. He pulled out the I.E.D. that Liberator gave him.

The Star Fox team landed their Arwings in a swamp area. Fay and Miyu whined a bit, still not used to their heavy hazmat suits. They heard rifle fire in the distance along with a massive explosion.

Cody lay on his stomach until it was silent. He looked and saw the decent-sized crater in the road along with bits of Ghoul and Raider scattered about. He breathed a sigh of relief. The explosion, however, drew in a new wave of ferals. Liberator and the group charged forward hellbent on saving Cody. The young boy grabbed his radio. "GENERAL WHAT PART OF STAY WHERE YOU ARE DO YOU NOT UNDERSTAND?"

The old ghoul answered back. "Shut up and shoot."

More Ferals along with more Raiders from the Corvega plant arrived. Liberator quickly realized in his hastiness he got them caught in a narrow choke point. The group opened with makeshift blowback rifles and laser muskets. Some went into a panic and bolted towards the Super Duper Mart. Liberator shouted. "GET BACK IN FORMATION!"

He charged after them, knowing the monsters that lurked in the ruin. Inside it was pitch black save for some of the light that shined through. His headlamp pierced through illuminating the hidden Ferals. With a guttural groan, they awoke. Before he fired, he heard screams coming from Emma and Josh. Sent into a paternal rage, Liberator roared his 50 cal tore through the groups of ferals charging him. He followed the screams Emma was already dead, but several others were still alive. He stumbled upon Josh who was half-eaten but still alive. Liberator hoisted him on his shoulder. They set the charges and bolted out. The explosions caused the Mart to cave in on itself. Liberator went back into the ruins to search for survivors. All he found were the mutilated corpses of the Minutemen and settlers that had accompanied them. They were the first to die under his command, as General but he knew they wouldn't be the last.

The rest of the group wasn't much better. Many had fallen due to Raider fire and Ferals catching them off guard. In a last-ditch effort, Cody injected another dose of psycho. He screamed, firing his M16. "COME AND GET ME BRAIN ROTS!"

The Ferals turned their attention to Cody, enraged at the insult they went after him. Once more the group was safe for now. They laid Josh down and started immediate medical treatment. Cody sprinted towards Concord hoping to draw the Ferals into Raider Ambushes and other traps. He made it to Concord and hid in the Museum of Freedom. He caught his breath. A few minutes later Gristle and his men arrived to trap the Minutemen but instead were met by the horde of Ferals. Cody could hear the battle rage between the two. The psycho and adrenaline began to wear off the exhaustion of running and over a week of constant combat with little sleep took its toll. He barricaded the doors. With the perimeter secured, he grabbed the extra rounds reloading empty magazines. He hummed to himself hymns he used to sing with his brothers and sisters. Eventually, the sounds of battle stopped.

Gristle banged on the door. "COME OUT YOU LITTLE SHIT BEFORE I MAKE YOUR DEATH EVEN MORE PAINFUL!"

Cody smirked setting up his traps throughout the museum. The barricade gave way and the Raiders rushed in. The first group was snagged by a simple trip wire tied to a grenade. In the process, Cody got caught in his own blast. Gristle slammed him into a support beam. He sneered at Cody holding a dagger to the boy's throat. He went to press it, but he couldn't, his body would not listen to him. Krystal walked in staff in hand with a magical aurora surrounding her. The maternal rage she felt was beyond intense.

Soon the Raiders found their weapons being turned against them. Against his will, Gristle slit his own throat while the other Raiders shot themselves. Cody fell to the floor. He thought this was the end. Instead, he felt a calming warmth surrounding him like a robe. Krystal's green eyes stared at him through her visor, they were kind and gentle. The hazmat suit she wore was white with blue trim and had what appeared to be a fox with wings on its chest plate. Cody was confused he at first thought she was from the institute but the tech she was packing was way too advanced making the Institute look like cavemen in comparison. Her voice surrounded him.

"Do not be afraid."

She gently held him. Using her telepathy, she began looking through his mind. Tears welled up in her eyes, the pain they'd shared was eerie. He may not be the last of his planet, but he was the last of his unit. It sickened her how cowardly the other groups were to turn their backs on those they swore to protect. Worse yet they abandoned the little ones and their allies to die. Those she admired were the ones who stayed behind as for Liberator she had mixed feelings he loved Cody but also kept him on a drug cocktail. She continued to carefully look through his mind she wanted to heal, not harm. It troubled her greatly how much pain Cody's life was filled with all the tragedy death war he never even had a choice nor a kithood. She looked further for memories of the Minutemen. Her tears got heavier when she saw the horrors of Quincy.

Fox walked in and saw Krystal holding the boy fast asleep in her arms. "Krystal you, ok?"

She turned to him. Fox stepped back when he saw Cody's appearance. Krystal spoke. "They're called humans. His name is Cody, he's part of the light I found. The militia he is from call themselves the Commonwealth Minutemen."

Fox's ears folded back to his skull appalled by Cody's sickly and malnourished state. Krystal got up with Cody still asleep in her arms. The rest of the team walked in their reaction close to Fox's. Fox closed the doors and set up camp in the Museum.

"Why is he so sick?" asked Fox.

Krystal answered. "Heavy drug use is the culprit the Minutemen have been hit so bad he's using drugs in a last-ditch effort to pull a decisive victory you can thank his General for that one you'll know who it is underneath his white armor he looks like a corpse."

Fox just growled. Eventually, Cody awoke from his sleep. He was startled by the team but kept a cool head.

The young boy asked. "Can I have my radio please?"

Liberator and his group marched on. By the time the last few Ferals were slain only fourteen Minutemen and Settlers remained. He heard static from his helmet till it cleared up. "Concord is safe General a few friends saved my life they look a bit strange, but their kind."

The old ghoul felt confused. He announced to the group. "Cody said he is safe but just in case I want everyone to be on guard I know y'all are tired, but we must keep a steady pace."

The march to Concord took the weary group over two hours. Liberator knocked. "Commonwealth Minutemen."

Fox opened the door. Liberator jumped back a bit taken by surprise. he said under his breath. "Strange was a vast understatement."

As he looked at the group of six, he saw different ears and digitigrade boots. He shook his head before taking off his helmet. The Star Fox team save for Fox and Krystal jumped back disturbed by Liberator's appearance.

Fox made sure his translator was working. "Krystal wasn't lying you do look like a corpse."

Liberator laughed. "I'll take it this is your first time seeing a ghoul. However, I never met Krystal how does she know what I look like?"

The vixen answered. "I'm a telepath I looked through Cody's memories while we waited, one of our probes found this planet and all I sensed was darkness till I saw a flicker of light it was your Minutemen. I know it seems dramatic, but this planet is corrupted beyond any measure I have seen. When I tapped deeper, I heard voices the one that stood out to me the most was Cody's."

The old ghoul blinked. "Well Mama Murphy's vision was correct and now we got a mind reader."

Mama Murphy spoke she was shaking. "Something horrible is coming for us the noise has driven it here."

Cody froze. "Um General I may have pissed it off remember when I used that I.E.D. you gave me? It left a large crater in the road."

Liberator shrugged his shoulders. "Whatever it is I'll put it down. Hey there's an old T-45 suit next to the crashed Vertibird that has a minigun

Preston spoke. "With all due respect General, I'd prefer to snipe from the balcony."

Liberator nodded. "You do that. I got a few fusion cores. So, any volunteers?"

A voice answered. "I'll do it."

Evan Saluted. "I'll head up there." He was heavily panting and sweating.

Liberator shook his head. "No, your wounded took a nasty shot to the chest hell you can't even breathe."

Evan replied. "It's not that." He unbuttoned the top of his uniform revealing a large heavy steel plate. The plate fell to the floor with a loud clang. "That thing was getting way too heavy. Just saying a lot more of you would be alive if you invested in body armor."

The rookie made his way to the roof. He slammed in the fusion core. He opened the valve the armor surrounded him in its rusted embrace. Inside the armor pinched parts of his skin. He moved forward almost tripping. On the table next to him was a holotape. "The General may want to see what's on this. Well, time to get the gun."

He walked into the crashed Vertibird and tore the Minigun off its mount then jumped. He landed in a crash. Liberator gave him a thumbs up. The ground shook and roars of rage were heard. It was a Deathclaw. The monster punched the heavy steel grate into the air. Liberator nodded to Evan. "I'll take it on upfront you'll flank it from behind got it?"

"Got it." Answered Evan.

The Star Fox team and Minutemen bolted out of the Museum barrels blazing. Blasters blowback rifles all focused on the Deathclaw. "AIM FOR IT'S WEAK BELLY!" Shouted Preston sniping with his Laser Musket on the balcony. Krystal charged her staff. The powerful shot from it blew through the belly and out the Deathclaw's back. It was dying but stared at Krystal with raw hatred. It roared, charging her with its claws. Then Cody jumped from one of the ruins stabbing it in the back with his bayonet.

The creature shook. Cody clung to his rifle for dear life. The bayonet slipped and he fell several feet onto his left side shattering several ribs and his left arm. Yet he kept fighting. Krystal fired again and again. Liberator and Evan cornered the creature. The booming chatter of the 50 cal and roar of the minigun was too overwhelming, ending the Deathclaw for good.

The battle was over. Both groups looked at each other. Fay was freaked out. "What was that thing it looked like a demon trying to devour us?"

Liberator laid down his 50 cal to pick up Cody. "Look I'll give y'all a history lesson later right now I got two soldiers one half eaten and the other half dead."

Cody continued coughing blood rolling down from both his nose and mouth. "Easy Cody have some whiskey and a stimpack you more than earned it."

He handed the flask to Cody. Cody drank a few swigs down. "Thanks, General its already kicking in."

Cody used the stimpack almost immediately the bleeding from his mouth and nose stopped. On the outside of his body bruises and bleeding cuts disappeared from his skin. His arm and ribs were still broken.

Fox was uneasy, he was sickened by Liberator but at the same time, he got a feeling he didn't know his whole story. The group of 14 Minutemen and Settlers were in horrid shape. In fact several of the remaining Minutemen were emaciated.

He breathed through his suit's respirator. "You've been through hell, haven't you? We'll take you to the Great Fox and get you cleaned up before heading to Corneria. There you'll get medical treatment. As for Cody, I will place him in Krystal's care till we arrive."

Liberator heard a snarl from Fox near the end of the sentence. He answered. "Alright, then I know you have qualms with me but don't take it out on these poor people on Cody or my troops."

Fox activated his communicator. "Peppy send the shuttle down here immediately we got several who are sick and others heavily wounded."

"Copy that Fox." Answered the old Hare.

On short notice, the shuttle landed its ramp door opened. While the group went into the shuttle Krystal carried Cody back to her Arwing. As the flight went on Krystal did her best to ease his pain as she sensed rib shards puncturing his lungs. Everyone safely made it to the Great Fox's hangar. Peppy and ROB greeted them warmly. Peppy's ears flattened to the back of his head when he saw how many wounded there were. Both groups entered the decontamination chamber. A vapor poured in removing the radiation.

The Star Fox team went to their rooms to change out of their suits. Most of the Minutemen were looking for a place to rest. ROB carried Josh to another part of the ship. The rest of the team got out of the rooms now wearing their normal clothes. Fox turned to Liberator. "Are you afraid of us you haven't gotten out of your armor?"

The old ghoul answered. "I can't even if I wanted to."

He turned his back to the team showing the mangled valve on his back. Slippy scanned Liberator getting his vitals along with much more information. The toad looked in disbelief. "Your 228 years old?"

Liberator smirked. "Us Ghouls don't age like y'all do, but we do age mentally. You see Josh was mauled by what are called Feral Ghouls. Over time for some of us brains and minds slowly go until we're nothing more than feral craving any flesh we can get our hands on. Don't fret with me though."

He placed one of his 44s on the coffee table. "I'll blast my brains out before I go Feral."

Fox started to feel a bit more empathy. "Ahem changing the subject how long have you been General of the Minutemen?"

Liberator let out an embarrassed chuckle. "Um, a few hours by now. Yeah, we got our asses handed to us since Quincy and the responsibility of rebuilding the Minutemen has fallen upon me. Speaking of my troops where's Josh?"

Fox answered. "ROB is giving Josh first aid. Those Ferals he came across tore huge chunks out of him, even bones. He'll make it within an hour or two, but I don't know how much will have to be amputated. Now for Cody, I need to know exactly what drug cocktail you've been using."

The ghoul had a look of guilt. "Mainly Mentats Psycho and Jet."

He then gave them samples of the chems which Slippy took for testing and analysis. Fox clasped his paws. "Ok everyone get into lines we'll help you clean your clothes and clean up. No offense but the smell combined with lack of hygiene must be addressed I know you have been through a lot, but you'll feel a lot better."

They got into lines. Each of the Minutemen and Settlers felt so much better. Fox could tell that warm water was a luxury to them. Most of the grime was lighter than expected and didn't take long for most to get clean. The only two left were Cody and Liberator. Slippy worked hard on repairing the valve. He gathered Fox Krystal Fay and Miyu to help him pry the valve open. "Ready one two three."

The valve slowly opened. When it finally gave way, the armor creaked and groaned. Liberator stepped out. The under-armor body glove he wore was beyond worn out. For the first time in so long, he felt air on his skin. It was alien to him. Everyone teared up Liberator never thought this day would come accepting that this was his fate the rest though from the horrid stench of Ghoul trapped in armor for over two hundred years. Falco was knocked unconscious. The only one who wasn't affected was Cody since he was still asleep.

Peppy shouted at the top of his lungs. "FOR THE LOVE OF LYLAT GET IN THE SHOWER!"

Slippy started spraying bleach in and out of the armor. Liberator went into the shower carefully undoing the body glove. It was so frail it just chipped away like paint. He gave up and chose to scrub it off. In the process, his skin began to peel and bleed profusely. "I NEED STIMPACKS AND BANDAGES NOW!"

Fox turned to Krystal. "Go to our bathroom and get a bath ready for Cody I'll help Liberator."

The Blue Vixen gently picked him up. When the bath was ready, she woke him up. "Need something, ma'am?"

"Bath is ready." She answered.

He took his helmet off causing his long black hair to fall. When Krystal helped him remove his cloak, ashes, dirt, and dried blood fell onto the floor. His uniform was not only slick with sweat and blood, but it was also caked from over three years of combat. Besides standing in the rain he never washed it. She lowered him into the tub. The water almost immediately turned black and red. Krystal had to drain the water and finished using the shower head.

"Your cloak and uniform are rotted you need new ones."

She dried him off and wrapped him up in one of her pink robes. When she carried him back to the living room Falco broke out laughing.

"You look ridiculous Mama's boy."

Cody just ignored him. Happy to finally be clean after so long. ROB announced. "We have reached Corneria."