This song, unlike most of the things I do with my fics, has nothing to do with Lylat Apocalypse. It's just a pretty song. If you don't like Billy Joel, then you don't have to listen to it. :) Have a nice read!

"I'm not an assasin, but I don't really think about who I kill. I'm not a martyr either, just a regular joe doing her job, so what if I kill a few bad guys, it'll make the world better anyway."- Major Virginia Fox, Cornarian Armed Forces
Narrated by Virginia Fox

"Grrrrr, that does it." I was competely frustrated with this new recruit. He couldn't hit the backside of a barn! I picked the blaster up and blew the target to pieces. The recruit looked scared and I shook my head. I was here to teach him, not punish.

"Here, you try it again. See how I held it? Keep your eyes open and keep your arms strait." I handed him the blaster and pushed a button, the target materialized at the end of the shooting range. He took the gun and aimed at the target. "Keep your eye open! Try and hold still! You'll never hit it shaking like that!" "This isn't gonna work", I muttered to myself. The recruit was really trying, but he needed more experience with short range before he took long range, which was were he was. I wrote on his sheet, "Needs more short range practice."

The bell rang for the end of the shooting session. "Saved by the bell", I said. After all the recruits left, the instructors followed. Except Lieutenant Goss Lombardi and I. "Hey Gin! How's your recruit doing", he asked. I picked the blaster up and shot at the target, again blowing it to pieces. "You know, I hate teaching people. The recruit? Let's just say... he needs a lot of help", I said and pushed the button again, then I tossed the gun to Goss. He caught it and took aim. "He couldn't hit the back side of a barn, if he aimed! But he really tried. That's good", I added the last part on, because there was a time when I wasn't all that good either.

I guess you'd like to know who I am. I'm Major Virginia Fox, or just Ginny. I live in the Lylat system, on Cornaria. I'm 18, have violet eyes, and am not very tall, next to Goss at least. I have long dark hair, usually tied up in a braid. I'm in the Cornarian Air Force, or CAF. Also I run parts of ground control which is basically, ground control. We go on missions and destroy small enemy bases, just blowing everything up. It's great, except it's very vigorous and hard. It takes skill and quick thinking. We train all our recruits in every armed and unarmed type of combat, it helps them immensly. It's a rough and tumble business, but somebody's gotta do the dirty work.

Goss was talking in Duriliian, which I didn't really understand. "Hey, speak normal. Unless you want me to think you're saying something you're really not..." He chuckled and spook Cornarian. "You goin' tonight?" I looked at him. "Of cource, they didn't appoint me leader for nothing." "Ohhhh, like you wouldn't get the position. Not with General Pepper behind you." I rolled my eyes. General Pepper was like my surrogate father. He practicaly raised my sister and me.

I didn't tell you about my sister, did I? Her name was Shay Fox, and she almost was a Grey, if she hadnt' turned up missing in action. Eight years ago, in the first few skirmmishes between Andross and the Lylat System, messages were delivered manually. Shay was one of those deliverers. Then after a particularly hard battle, an unimportant message was to be delivered by her, it never got there and Shay never did either. I haven't seen her since. She was only 19. And for some reason, I think she was indirectly murdered. I can't prove it though. Law is not my specialty.

"Did you?" "Huh, sorry, I wasn't paying attention." Goss caught me thinking. "Did you sign up for more recruits?" I chuckled and shook my head. "I thought it would be fun, but I would rather instruct those who know what they're doing." Goss laughed. Then he said, "Hey, I'm starved, wanna go back to my place for lunch..." I saw what he was getting at and scratched my head. "Gee, I don't know Goss. I'd better stay here, because.... well.... uh..... well..... the roof.. might... colapse... and you know... I... would need to help." He looked dissappointed and said, "Well, if you think so, we can stay here." "Nah, I have plans to...help..uh...fix the roof." I smiled and corrected myself. "No, just kidding. I'm eating lunch with the General today." Goss shook his head and smiled. "You and your stupid excuses. You should make a book, you'd be a millionair." I knew he was joking. I bid him fair well and left the long shooting range.

As I walked down the corridor, I thought about the mission tonight. It was a small fuel plant, located in the mountainous region of Cornaria City. Not many people live there anymore, so no one should be hurt by the blast, except the workers inside. Sounds cruel, but what they do to us when captured is even worse.

I lead and do most of the dirty work, taking guys out and finding all the safe spots, plus telling the others what to do. I carry the TW, or transport watch, which takes us to and from the building. I also say when to blast the place. The rest of the team includes electrician, who sets up the cameras for visual refrence of the pit crew, and his gunner, who covers him. The 'blast guy' as we call him, who sets up the explosives and his gunner. We have one blast guy tonight, for obvious reasons. Leaders usually have a gunner too, but I can't stand them, they're mostly newbies and ask a lot of questions, so I cover myself. That makes me a great shot. I'm not bragging though, it was a just statement.

I pulled out the piece of paper in my pocket and looked over the names of my crew. "Can't believe I got Goss again", I muttered. I really couldn't stand him on my teams very much. I don't know why, maybe because he's so bossy at times. The rest of the names were: Gair Ringdin, the electritian, Colt Ruger, his gunner. Martisan Saige, the blast guy, and his gunner, Aliana Remmington. Goss was appointed second leader. He's a step below me, so if I'm taken down, he takes over. He's also basically my gunner, even though I don't like them.

I reached General Pepper's briefing room and knocked. No one opened the door, so I leaned against it and listened. I could barely hear the voices, even though I have excellent hearing. "What do you mean he's declared war again?! This must be a fake! No sir, that's him all right. Um, sir, there's more." Whatever the private played, I didn't hear clearly, just mumbling. "Where's Virginia?"

I opened the door and saluted the General. "Right here sir." The private saluted me and left. I sat down. After a long silence, he looked up and said, "Virginia, Andross has declared war. I'm going to need you to do me........a favor." I put my chin on my hand thoughtfully. "I'm going to do something, and I need your help. The only way we can get rid of him is to call........the Star Fox and ask for help." My mouth dropped. I thought he'd never call on them again, after what happened almost 5 years ago.

Then I thought of something else. "What do you need my help for?" General Pepper looked up at me. "I need your help and your friend Major Reeve too. You two know the system like the back of your hands." He was right. Almost everyday we could, my friend Armala Reeve, or just Mal, and I flew around just having fun. My favorite planet is Zoness. Just recently I discovered an enemy base there. We're some of the best pilots in the CAF. Now it fits.

"You want us to help them? Can't they handle it?" General Pepper shook his head. He looked very stressed. I chuckled to myself, "I guess I would be too if the Lylat were under war." He looked at the moronic expression on my face and angrily said, "What? What is funny?" I was startled. "Nothing sir! I'll page Major Reeve and have her come down." Just then there was a knock at the door. "Come in", he yelled.

Mal causiously opened the door and stepped in. She saluted the General and sat down next to me. He explained our mission to us. "I'm going to page them and see if they are availible. You two go eat without me and come back later. I've lost my appetite."

We ate lunch in the cafeteria. Taking a private table, we discussed our thoughts. "I don't know why they can't go by themselves", Mal said. "They'll get lost. We have to show them through the system so they can take some of the major enemy bases out too. Help us out a little more." She nodded with mild understanding. "Did General Pepper tell you?" I shook my head. "Nah, I read between the lines. You know, I have a mission tonight. I wonder if Goss will take over...." Mal shook her head and chuckled, "He's pretty good Ginny, I wouldn't worry too much!"

"Yeah", I said dully, "I guess." I sighed and thought over the new mission Pepper assigned us again. It was my most important one yet. Then I got a strange sense that something was going to happen, somthing that would change my life...... I pushed it away. I got those all the time, but nothing ever happened. Still, I told myself to be extra careful, and was about to tell Mal when suddenly our names were announced over the intercom. We stood up and left the cafeteria.

We made it to Pepper's briefing room and couldn't find him. "Where is he Ginny", Mal asked quietly. She won't admit it, but she's scared of General Pepper. I think it's funny, because he's really a nice guy. He's just gruff when at the base. I listened for him, and heard him talking to someone. "Come on Mal, I hear him."

I lightly tapped on his office door and he responded with, "Come in." I opened the door and stepped in. Mal stood at the door as I walked up to Pepper's desk. "Virginia", he pointed at his laptop screen, "Meet Fox McCloud, leader of the Star Fox Team."

I like to discover things and understand what they really are. But I have a feeling that one of those discoveries is going to cost me my life. Even so, I'll still know what it really is before I die.-Major Virginia Fox, Cornarian Armed Forces

narrated by Fox McCloud

I knew General Pepper had an adopted daughter, but she actually caught me off guard. I don't know why, but I couldn't help looking at her lovely violet eyes and dark fur. Then I realized what I was supposed to be doing, so I saluted to her and she saluted back. Then she stepped back and stood at ease. The other woman appeared to be the same age as Pepper's daughter, but she was a canine. She also saluted and stood back.

Pepper spoke up. "Do you copy?" "Yes sir! We'll be there tomorrow morning." "Good. My guides will be waiting." The screen blipped out and we scattered. Peppy went to the living room to finish his magazine aritcle. Falco went back to the gym, he had been working out. Slippy went back to the shop area. He was working on a sub, I think.

I followed Falco to the gym. When I got there, he was sitting down on the bench. "Hey Falco", I said quietly. He jumped. "Yo, man...what'cha doin?" "Nothin", I responded. I sat down on one of the chairs. There was a lot going through my mind right now. I guess I just needed someone to talk to. Apparently, Falco didn't understand that. Falco laid down on the bench, positioning himself under the bar. "Fox, be my spotter?" I looked at the weight on the bar. "Are you sure you can do that much Falco?" He gave me a disgusted look. "Of course, why would I have it set that high if I couldn't do it?" I sighed and stood above him, and counted the reps. After he did 10, he stopped. Falco took a deep breath and thanked me. I said good bye and left.

I walked aimlessly through the corridors, just thinking to myself. After ten minutes, I was forced to stop. The corridor ended. I never knew Dad to like dead ends. I started to turn on my heal, when I noticed a door to my right. I went to open it, but it was locked. What is this door doing here? I asked myself.

I brushed my hand along the top of the door looking for a key. Something fell to the floor. "A piece of paper?" I looked at the code on it. A password, "for all of time..." What a weird password. I pocketed it and walked back down the corridor. It was late in the night and I decided to pursue the locked door later, because I needed sleep badly. I went to my room and put the piece of paper in the drawer next to my bed. Then I laid down on my bed and fell asleep. Unfortunatly, my dreams were plagued by the thoughts of what was behind that door.

And on a subtle note, a little of that cute Major was in there too, for some reason.

I was rudely shaken from my plagued dreamscape by this awful beeping sound. Then I realized it was my alarm clock. I threw it across my room, and it landed with a satisfying thud. I got out of bed anyway, we had to be somewhere near Lylat by now. I had slept in the clothes I wore yesterday, so I changed first. I left my room, and I thought about those weird dreams I had. My thoughts drifted from that damn door to....that Major. "Why was she there?" I thought. She must be important in helping us. And from somewhere, General Pepper expected us to come up with two Class B Arwings. Unless he had two up his sleeve. "Well, let's just hope he does, or they have some good ships." I thought.

It was still early when I arrived at the docking bay. For some reason I went here instead of the bridge. I almost turned around when I saw a slight glow. It was coming from behind an Arwing, mine to be exact. I expected Slippy to be back there, but he wasn't. My mouth almost hit the floor. And as soon as I saw it, the glow dissappeared, and I whispered, "Dad......"

I stood there for minutes probably, but it seemed like hours. "Why is he coming back now?" I silently pondered. Then I heard Peppy calling for me. I left the docking bay, and decided to push this from my mind, and leave it to ponder later. I heard Peppy again. "Fox! Where are you?"

I ran to the bridge. There on our bigscreen AV, was General Pepper. The guides were not with him. Pepper spoke, "Star Fox, you're here, good. My guides are on their way. They should arrive shortly. They have Class B Arwings, so you don't need to worry about that." If Pepper knew what I was really worring about, he'd faint.

I answered, "Okay, when they arrive, we'll set a course for Corneria." Slippy spoke up, "Hey Fox, two unidentified arwings just entered the docking bay." I looked at Slippy. "And Fox," Pepper said quietly, "Please take care of My Virginia, make sure she comes back. Make sure you all come back." I nodded. He smiled, "Good, now go and save Lylat", Pepper said deftly and the screen blipped. Falco, who had been silent all morning finally said, "What a demand."

I looked at Falco. He was staring at the floor by Slippy's feet. I looked where he was and grinned. "Hey Slip, there's a gigantic spider by your feet", Falco said slyly. Slippy actually jumped into the air and screamed. I covered my ears. He ran around stomping his feet and screaming. Falco, Peppy and I all covered our ears and laughed. None of us heard the guides enter.

When I finally noticed one, they had their ears covered too. I grinned and ran up to Slippy, "Okay Slip! We get the picture! You already killed him, so stop!" He looked around on the floor, "Falco! There isn't a spider here!" Falco burst out laughing until there were tears in his eyes. I noticed that only one of Pepper's guides was laughing too. The other was just grinning.

When she noticed my gaze, she stopped laughing and saluted. The other one saluted too. The rest of my team then followed suit. I walked up to them and introduced the team. I pointed to Peppy, "This is Peppy Hare, that is...." Falco was still chuckling. "That's Falco Lombardi." Their eye's lit up, "Any relation to a Goss Lombardi?" Falco scowled. "Yeah, he's my cousin. The lousy prick....", he grumbled. They looked at each other and smiled. I finished the introductions, "And here is Slippy Toad." Slippy nodded and went back to glaring at Falco.

The dark furred one spoke first. "Nice ta' meet ya'll." I immediatly noticed her southern accent. South Cornerian Islands, was my guess. "Well, I'm Major Fox, call me Ginny. An' this is Major Reeve, I call her Mal, but she wants ya'll to call her Armala." We all shook hands, and there was an uncomfortable silence afterwards.

ROB64 broke the silence. "We are entering outer Lylat, and nearing Cornaria." Ginny and Armala looked around. I explained. "That's ROB64, he basically runs the Great Fox." They nodded. We all talked for a while, getting aqainted. ROB broke in again. "We have reached inner Lylat. Your ships are ready." Everyone jumped up and ran to the docking bay. The team led the way with the guides following. I looked at Ginny. She grinned and winked. I grinned back.

Alarms went off in my head. But they were good alarms, the ones that say, "Be careful not to get distracted." You know, those kinds. We got to the docking bay and jumped into our Arwings. We shot out one by one and flew towards Corneria. My first major mission had begun.

(To anyone who really cares: I'm writing the middle part, where they go through all of the sectors and planets(like the game), but I found it was a big waste of space and time. Nothing importent happens. So if anyone wants to see what happened in there, email me and I'll send it to you. shillian@hotmail.com Thank you! As of now, I will pick it up right after they completed Area 6. Virginia's ship has lost it's shields and power.)

I looked at Ginny's shields and understood her dilema. She'd never make it to Great Fox. There was only one choice and I made the dicision. "Land on Venom." There was a shocked silence over the coms. Ginny finally said, "Okay. Where?" "Wherever there arn't any fleas. I'll cover you, GF will be right behind us." No one said anything until we entered Venom airspace. Then the coms were buzzing with warnings and other things.

I followed Virginia and covered her, but I was distracted by whoever was on my tail. I barrel rolled and flipped and heard the familiar voice, "Very impressive Fox, but you'll have to do better than that!" Star Wolf was here. "Great", I muttered.

A name went through my head. "Ginny, were are you?" She didn't answer. I looked for her ship, and found it. She had landed and was proceding to shoot ships with her blaster. "Don't look at me like that Fox", she said, "I know what I'm doin'." Armala spoke up for probably the second time since we met her. "You always know what you're doing." Then she was quiet. Both of the she's.

I concentraited on getting Star Wolf out of here, so I could go after Andross. At the mention of his name, I finished Andrew's ship and he crashed, screaming all the way. "Geeeez, that's annoyin'. Andrew, did anyone ever tell you you're annoyin'", Ginny said. I heard Falco chuckle, and did so myself.

Andrew didn't have a smart retort, instead he jumped out of his ship and shot at Ginny. She took one shot and his blaster was silenced, then so was he. Leon saw Virginia and her ship unprotected. He immediatly nosedived and shot relentlessly at her ship.She jumped back, but her ship exploded and she was sent flying. I shouted and went after Leon. He lost his shields and crashed nearby. He jumped from his ship and ran before it exploded. I looked for Ginny, but she was gone.

"Tsk tsk Fox, we have your little girlfriend. Come and get her....if you dare", Wolf said menacingly. He then laughed and he and Pigma flew away. I thought quick. "Peppy, come with me. Falco, Armala, and Slippy, you three stay here and fight off any ships that come close to the vicinity." For once, Falco didn't protest. He only murmured, "Good luck guys." Slippy also wished us good luck. We flew after Star Wolf. I have no idea how they got her, but I was going to get Ginny back.

"Ginny has always been in control. When all hope was lost in a matter, she was the one who would come in and take control, and resolve it. That's how she always was and will always be."- Lieutenant Goss Lombardi, Cornarian Armed Forces

Narrated by Virginia Fox

I had no idea where I was, but I could tell it wasn't nice. All around me, there were groans and people crying out. I thought a few seconds and remembered my ship blowing up. I have a funny thing where I will remember something, even if I was flying through the air. Which I just remembered I had flown though the air. I checked for broken bones, and found only bruises and a nasty cut on my right shoulder. It didn't hurt bad, so I figured it wasn't severe.

I looked around for the first time. I was in a cell. A Venomian cell to be exact. The glowing bars in front of me assured no excape, unless they were shut off from the outside. The hard metal bed I was sitting on didn't provide any comfort. Of cource not, why would they? Duh. The cell wasn't very big. I couldn't see around me, only through the bars, the walls were solid. There was no window. Nope, definatly not the Ritz.

I frowned. Someone stood in front of my cell. I looked at the Venomian guard. He looked familiar. I looked harder. Then I realized my mistake. SHE looked familiar. She said nothing, and started typing something into a little box on my cell. My brain kicked into 5th gear.

The bars dissappeared and I got a full view of the guard. It had to be. The guard smiled. Her short blond hair was left down. She had on a Venomian uniform, which didn't do much to reveal her good figure. She wore black gloves and her name patch said "Grey". I did a double take on the name patch. Grey. She motioned for me to come and I did. I was still a little dumbfounded, but I knew who I was following. My sister. Shay. She was alive.

I wanted to know what had happened these last eight years, but she quieted me and said nothing. I followed along. We got to a room with survailance camaras. Shay sat down at one. She began typing and one screen showed two Wolfen fighters entering Docking Bay 4. She typed some more and another screen showed the entrances to the cell. A fox and a rabbit entered silently and crept through the now dark interior. She typed again, and another screen popped up. I recognized Fox and Peppy, but I didn't say anything. I also recognized the camealion whistling while he walked down the corridor.

He was carrying a suitcase and swinging it slightly. Shay gasped. She jumped up and pulled me with her. She led me back to my cell. Silently, she mouthed, "Please, forgive me." I stared at her. The bars went back up and she ran.

Not long after Shay left, Leon appeared. A sly grin was on his face. "Ah yes. I do believe I recognise you, young vixen. Stand up and put your arms and feet in the consols." I stared at him. I was doing too much staring lately, so I looked away. I didn't see him pull the tazer until it was too late. A split second later, I was on the floor holding my stomach. "Don't mess with me. Just do as I tell you and say what I want and I'll be gone."

I looked at him again. He aimed the tazer to my head. I reluctantly stood up and put my arms and legs in the consols. He smiled, dismantled the bars and came in. He opened his suitcase and looked around. I got a peek in it too, but I wasn't really scared. I had endured torture before, I can handle it now.

Leon held up an electric screwdriver. My eyes widened. "So....young vixen. How's the weather on Cornaria?" I scowled at him. He started the screwdriver up, and jammed it into my right arm. I clenched my teeth in pain. He seemed perplexed that I did not scream.

I had been taught a long time ago, that pain only blocks the mind. If you think of something else, it doesn't hurt as bad. You wouldn't believe how much that helps when you're on a mission and are injured. You don't leave, you complete the job and then you get help. I had to be carried out of one mission. That's why only the best perform with me.

Leon threw the screwdriver away and picked up a tazer. I glanced at it wearily. I hated those things. "Are you going to talk? Or am I going to have to FORCE it out of you?!" With that he went tazer happy on me. I hate those things, and this is why. The tazer hits you, and it stings, burns, tingles and lingers. And if I could have doubled over in pain, I would have. I forced this out between clenched teeth, "No... I.... won't..... talk.... not now.... or... ever.... You'll.... have to... kill me.... first." He glared at me and picked up a table saw.

An electronic voice came over the intercom in the hall. "Leon Powalski, please report to the infimary." Leon glanced around and said, "Infirmary? What for?" He packed his suitcase up and walked out of my cell. The bars appeared and my consols were unlocked. I fell to the floor and favored my right arm. All throughout my midsection, the burning feeling came in waves and I felt nauseaus. In my opinion, only one thing hurt worse than a bad tazer tangle. That was when I lost my arm.

In a mission a year or so back, I was waiting for a teammate to meet me. I didn't see the sniper who was above me. At the last moment, I noticed him and brought my left arm up in a feeble attempt to save my head. It worked fortunatly for my head, but my arm was less fortunate. I do remember watching it sizzle and fall off. One of those memory things I have. I took the sniper out with one shot, and I guess I fainted, because I remember waking up and seeing the roof of the ware house we were in.

The team mate never did show and as it turned out, the sniper had taken him out. I took longer than usual to recover as an advanced electronic limb replaced my left arm, from slightly above the elbow down. I was able to get this replacement because my upper arm muscles were saved.

As I thought about this, I was unconciously moving my left hand around. That was the hardest part. Learning to move it again. A whole new set of impulses sent from my brain to move it, and I had to learn them. I hated that. Just sitting in therapy, trying to move it around. And recently, I just got out of therapy. The worst part of my tazer 'bite' was over, and it was lingering.

I looked up. Shay was back. I jumped up and ran to the bars. They disappeared and I stepped out of my cell. Shay widened her eyes at my new wound. "I hate tazers, okay? I just thought you'd like to know that, so someday I can attack Leon with a tazer. And an electric screwdriver." I pointed to my right arm, which I was still favoring.

Shay looked worried. But she didn't speak. She pointed to her ears, then her mouth. "Huh", I whispered. She pointed again to her ears, and cupped her hands to make a sort of megaphone. My shoulders fell. "Geeze", I whispered. I knew then. "How Shay?" She shrugged and shook her head. I sighed.

Then Shay handed me a blaster. I grinned. She motioned for me to follow her again, and I did. I liked blasters, although this kind wasn't the type I generally used. I cradled it in my left hand, and covered the back of us. I guess I expected to see someone, but the only people I saw were the ones in the cells.

The people in the cells were in terrible condition. Most hadn't been fed for a long time, and their bones jutted out here and there. Some were coughing, some coughed blood and mucus up, some were all bloody. And one had a stump, which looked like it had been a leg recently. I forced myself to look away and vowed to let them free before I leave Venom. If I get off of Venom.

We got to the computers again, and Shay sat down. She typed something in, and I read it. he's in cell T 31. I looked at her. "Who?" She pointed to her name tag. Chris! Of cource! I knelt beside her, "Where is cell T 31?" She handed me a map. I feebly grabbed it with my right hand. On it also was the password to his cell. Hmmm, not to far away, I thought. I jumped up and quietly walked towards the T cells. I hoped they were this way. I hoped.

Narrated by Fox McCloud

I stopped Peppy. "What was that", I whispered. Peppy strained his ears. "I don't know, let's find out." We silently crept along and peered around corners. Someone was standing in front of an unbarred cell. Someone who looked familiar. "Hey! Ginny", I whispered to no one in particular. The one who was supposed to hear it didn't. He wasn't anywhere in sight. I turned around. "Peppy.... where'd you go...." I said this louder than was meant to be.

A hand clamped down on my right shoulder. My blood froze. There came a whispered voice in my ear, "Watch what you're doin'." My blood flowed again. It was Ginny. I turned around, and she was grinning. "I did that to a recruit once, and he almost died. It taught him a bit though." I nodded. "Just do me a favor, don't do that again." She chuckled, "Okay okay, I won't." We smiled and then we both looked away.

Ginny handed me a small piece of paper. On it was a map. She was whispering, "Do you remember Chris Grey? He's here, in cell T 31. I think it's this way." She turned in a direction and looked up. On the top of the doorless doorway, it said, "T CELLS" I nodded. The three of us walked quietly. Ginny stopped and turned around suddenly. "You guys start letting others out. I'll get Chris." She gave me the password and ran off, down the hallway and around the corner. Peppy and I set to work releasing prisoners.

The prisoners were in terrible condition. Some couldn't walk, and some were already dead. I recognized one of my old school friends. He was dead, but that didn't mean he hadn't suffered. I said a quick prayer and moved on. I supposed that a war does bring death. I wished that the people who agreed to start the war could have seen this.

As I thought about that, I felt kind of weird. I think it was because I had let Ginny go alone. Something else told me that she could handle herself, but I still felt a little uneasy.

We worked for almost a half an hour, and Ginny still wasn't back. All the prisoners were free. I looked in the direction she had gone, and stood nervously. Peppy said gravely, "Fox, do you want me to look for her?" I looked at him sharply. Then I calmed down. "I'll do it." I walked quickly in the direction Ginny had gone and I peeked around the corner.

There were more rows of cells, and far down the corridor was Ginny. She was engaged in a fight with Wolf O'Donnell, and Leon was watching, taunting her. Leon noticed me, which distracted Wolf enough for Ginny to get a good punch in. He stood up and brandished a knife. Ginny struggled to stand up and I ran to her. "Fox...", she said weakly. I knelt beside her, I could see Peppy at the end of the corridor, and Wolf grinning, waving his knife around, Leon was no where to be found, which worried me, he could be anywhere.

Ginny stood up. She was cut and bleeding. I don't know how she could do it, but she pulled a knife out of her pocket and stood in a ready stance. I placed my hand on my blaster and backed up. Somehow I got the picture that this was Ginny's fight, this is what she did for a living and I shouldn't interfere. They began to fight.

I looked at my opponent. He was bigger, stronger, and was in better condition than I was. I did a quick mental check. This was my hardest physical fight. I brandished my dagger, and moved to a ready position. I blocked all distractions, including Fox. He attacked first.

Wolf jumped at me, stabbing, and I easily blocked and dodged, which is what I did for most of the fight. Block and dodge, wear him out. He jumped quicker and quicker, until his moves were almost lightning fast. I didn't understand how he was still going so fast. It took a lot to keep dodging, however, and he got a good stab in, going for my right chest, which was unblocked, but hitting my right arm. I could feel the blood running down my arm. I hoped he didn't get an artery. The blood was flowing like water, and my right jacket sleeve was filling with blood. I felt almost faint, and realized I had to do something, or Wolf would win.

I attacked. I did a front jump kick, with the dagger blade against my wrist, until the last moment before impact, I released it, but missed, and was sent to the floor with Wolf's dagger in my upper left leg. I fell on the dagger, and the it was pushed in father. I could first feel, then hear the blade penetrate my bone. It cracked and I felt it splinter like a piece of dry wood. The blade broke at the hilt. I winced, then cried out, "Ahh..ahhhhhhh."

I lay there, pitifuly looking up at Wolf. I looked around for Fox, and saw he was having his own fight with Leon. I don't know when he got there, but this looked to be a hell of a fight. Both were bleeding, Leon from his nose and lip, and a nasty cut on his exposed arm. Fox, his lip was bleeding, and he had various cuts on his face and body.

For the moment, Wolf seemed to be more interested in Fox and Leon's fight than me, so I took advantage of it. I slightly relaxed, then observed my surroundings. We were in the T cells, and somewhere down further, was T31. He would have to wait. I looked down the other way.

My trained eyes knew what to look for, and I noticed movement. A slightly taller figure moving in the distance. Something about it told me it wasn't Shay, but someone else. I looked harder, and realized I knew her from somewhere, but where? She pulled a blaster and aimed at Fox and Leon. Then, before I could even think to do something, she fired, and Leon was left smoking on the ground. I raised my brows, then I quickly turned my attention back to Wolf. He had another dagger. I groaned and found mine.

Wolf motioned for me to stand up. He seemed to understand too, that this was a fight to the death. I raised myself, and got in an third level ready. He seemed a little confused, and I realized something. He's only a second level dagger fighter. I'm a fifth level. I knew more than he did. That confused look I got from using a higher ready. It confused him and made him vulnerable. I attacked, ignoring all pain.

Wolf blocked, and tried to stab my side, but I did another advanced move, and left him speechless and weaponless. I smiled, "Well well well. Look at what we have here. Not so tuff without your dagger huh? I know you're only a second level. Well, you should have read more up about me. I'm a few levels higher, and I can kill you instantly, just with the flick of my dagger." He glared at me. There was just no scareing him. His next move, however, caught me off gaurd, and if it wasn't for Fox, would have killed me.

Wolf moved lightning fast, with yet another dagger, although I still think it was a pocketknife. He jumped at me, and I had nowhere to go. As the nanoseconds passed like hours, he came closer and closer, with that deadly blade. Then, I saw Fox. The rest was a blur, as we were all knocked down.

I heard Fox, then I heard Wolf. It was that woman I saw down the corridor. She was standing right above us, with a blaster. Fox sat up and looked at Wolf. "Did you do that on purpose, or was it me you were aiming at?" She smiled and shook her head. "Come, there isn't much time left. This isn't very powerful. He'll wake up soon."

I pushed myself up, but not without tremendous effort. My arm wasn't bleeding anymore, but in my leg, I could feel pieces of bone jutting into my muscle. I tenderly put pressure to it, as I sat, and I realized it wouldn't work. I couldn't walk. I swore under my breath and said to myself, "Get up! Get up you wuss!" I pushed myself to my feet. I felt faint, but held myself up. I felt even more faint, and the last thing I remember, was the ground rushing to my face.

"One enemy dead, one civilian saved. That's how I look at it now."- Major Virginia Fox, Cornerian Armed Forces

I watched Ginny fall, then felt like doing so myself. But she was obviously hurt, so I quickly got to her side. She was breathing, but she was very injured. The woman we met knelt by her, and handed me a first aid kit. "I figured I'd need this." She suddenly came alert to something behind me. I looked. Peppy. "PEPPY", I whispered joyfully. He quickly ran to Ginny's side too. She groaned and started to wake up.

I took her right arm and wrapped a crude bandage around it. It had stopped bleeding a while ago, but this was to protect against infection. Then I looked at her left leg. The blade was still in the wound, and I wasn't about to take it out. The woman handed me a long thin piece of metal, "Will this do for a splint?" I nodded. Then I put it against her leg, and wrapped it up.

By now Ginny was wide awake. "Fox...Hey, Ah know you." The woman looked at her. "No you don't. You can't. Don't tell anyone you saw me here." Ginny nodded as she sat up. Peppy and I went to help her, but she refused. "I gotta do this so I can be sure I get out of here." She struggled to stand up, and eventually she did. She talked softly to the woman. "Linden.....you gotta get out of this place." Linden looked down. "I don't know if I can without getting caught." She went to help Ginny, and she accepted the shoulder to lean on. I looked at Peppy, and he shrugged. I missed what they said next, but I followed them down the corridor. Linden stopped at the computer consols. "Commere", she said, "Help me block the entrances and open the cells."

Linden and Ginny sat a opposite computers. "I got the entrances, you get the cells", Linden said. Ginny nodded. I stood there and watched them. "Entrances........blocked. Gin?" Ginny fiddled around with more buttons, then said, "Okay, cells open."

Linden jumped up and ran down the corridor, almost knocking us down. Ginny looked worried. "Ah was about to say something to her." I looked at her, and almost paid attention, but I was distracted. You would think she was not very pretty, but at that moment, I felt strangly attracted to her. "Fox? Hello?" I shook my head. "What?" Ginny sighed. "If you can't even pay attention the first time, why waste time sayin' it again." She went back to watching the monitors. I mentally kicked myself. "Why why why", I asked myself. Then I asked again.

Ginny stood up. How she did, I can't tell you. I went to her to help, but she declined. "I can walk. I've been in worse conditions and got out. Come on, Linny wanted us to follow her." We moved along slowly towards where Linden went.

Ginny finally did let me help her, but I could tell she wasn't putting her full weight on me. I had a feeling I didn't have a chance with her. She didn't seem like the type who would date, or even look at guys. I sighed to myself and turned my concentraition back to Ginny. "Fox", she whispered. I looked up, and there, standing right in front of us, was Andross himself. I glared at him. He was the one who killed Dad, and now he was before me. I could feel all of my pent up anger rising. All he did was laugh.

"So, Fox McCloud", Andross taunted, "You must be James' son. Hmmm, well, lets see if you die quicker than he did!" He pulled a blaster out from behind his back, but Ginny moved quicker. From somewhere, she got a blaster, had it in her hand and fired it quicker than you could blink. Andross grabbed his chest where the fatal wound was. "That was incredbly easy Fox", she murmured.

Andross stammered, "You.... can't........ kill me........ this easy....... I'll....get..yoouuu......" Then he was quiet. I looked at Ginny. She pocketed the blaster. Then Linden dropped down from the ceiling, scaring me slightly. She handed Ginny something, then ran off. "Linny, Lin", Ginny called. She stared in her direction for a few seconds, then looked down a what Linden had handed her. It looked like a watch. She smiled softly and pushed some buttons.

"Did ya'll land your Arwings somewhere round here", she asked. I looked at Peppy, then said to Ginny, "Yeah, it's around here. We hid them." She nodded and pushed a button. "Okay guys, this is gonna sound weird, but this", she pointed to the watch, "Is called a transport watch. I use em all the time on my missions...." She stopped and listened to something. I listened too. I heard what sounded like footsteps. She reached for Peppy, then grabbed me.

Ginny pushed a button, and we were sent into this warp like thing. I couldn't move or speak, but Ginny could. She kept ahold of us, and I guessed she was supposed to. I stared at her, and she noticed it. She stared back, but looked confused. I looked away. That was why she didn't seem to be responding to my advances. She didn't know, either that, or she's a no nonsense kind of missionaire. Quite professional in my opinion, but I would make sure to get her AV number before I left.

After about thirty seconds, the warp started disappearing. We were left standing in front of two Arwings with nobody around. Ginny smiled. "Ah guess you guys picked a good spot." I nodded and smiled. I took charge of the situation then. "Okay, now lets go see how Falco, Slip and Armala are doing." I realized then that Ginny didn't have an Arwing. I thought for a second, then decided she'd fly with me. It would only be for a few minutes, but those few minutes... with her.... I told her and she nodded, and I assumed she didn't realize this one either, but I didn't mind. She was still as beautiful as when we left, if not more now.

We climbed into the Arwings and started them up. When I sat down, I noticed blood on my jacket. It was probably from Ginny, I softly shuttered from the memory of her wounds, but I thought about it, and realized that Ginny was on the other side of me the whole time. "Where did that come from", I thought to myself. I shook my head, then started the Arwing up. I felt much more comfortable in my Arwing, and I finally lightened up. "Alright guys, let's rock and roll!"

Falco happened to be in the area when I said this and he said, "Fox! Peppy! Thought'd I'd never see you guys again! Where's Ginny?" She smiled and said, "Right here Falco. How's Mal?" "We'll find out later Ginny. First we have to get back to the Great Fox and get you help," I said. Ginny flopped back in her small space and sighed.

We both had helmets on, Ginny must have found the spare I had back where she was sitting. I opened a private channel to her. "Hey, how ya doing?" "I'm not sure." "Well, we're almost to Great Fox, so you'll be okay. Hey, you know what we never did?" Ginny jumped. "I didn't! NO!"

Behind me, I heard the explosion of Andross's head base. Something must have triggered it, but I didn't know what. I got my answer from Ginny. "No! Shay! I set it to blow up! I can't believe it! I never forgot anyone. Never. Nooooooo!" I was very confused. Peppy and I were the only ones that went in. Unless she was talking about Chris. I didn't know what I should tell Bill then, but I would be the first to tell him. But who was Shay?

I stared at my hands. In all of my mission experiences, I have never felt like this before. The emotions coursed through my body like lightning. First, shock. Then anger. Then regret. Finally remorse and a weight pressed my heart. To my knowledge, the only flesh and blood left to me in the whole wide universe was dead. If I had a distant cousin out there, they didn't make themselves very known. I felt the Arwing bump and looked up. We were at Great Fox.

I waited for Fox to open the cockpit, then I managed to heave myself out of the small space behind his seat. He reached his hand down to me and I took it greatfully. He was looking at me weird again, and I was confused. I didn't have time to decode his mental messages. I managed to get out of the ship with his help. Then Fox did something that surprised me. He picked me up and carried me. I looked at him and he softly smiled. I looked away.

Fox carried me to a room and laid me on the bed. I looked around, and was surprised again. This was his room. Peppy, Slippy, Falco and Mal came in right after Fox, and they were all inquiring about my condition. Peppy carried a med-kit. He asked me some questions about my injuries. "Is anything bleeding right now?" I shook my head, "I don't think so." He nodded. "What hurts?" I laughed. Peppy gave me a where's-your-serious-stuff look. I stopped laughing, but kept the grin. "Okay okay. My right arm. It hurts. My right leg. That hurts a lot. And some other various bruises that still hurt."

Peppy nodded and did the best to remove the crude bandages and replace them without hurting me, but it was almost impossible. After he finished, I added to the list. A major headache. I made a stupid joke about being a Major with a major headache, and Peppy gave me another where's-your-serious look. Fox just grinned. Then everyone left. Except Fox. He remained.

Fox sat down by the bed and talked to me. "Well, urr...." I smiled at him and he stared at his hands. I wasn't confused anymore. But I decided to wait to let him know. "If you wondered, Shay was my sister. She was put in the MIA folder eight years ago. I found her just hours ago." I stopped. Then I sighed. "You know Bill Grey?" Fox perked up, "Sure, he and I were best buds in high school and the acadamy. Haven't seen him in a while though." I nodded. "Okay. Well, Bill's brother Chris, he is.... or was married to Shay. She must have become trusted after a while, considering she couldn't hear." It was Fox's turn to look confused. Then I told him where I saw her, and explained her condition. Then he didn't look so confused.

We talked for maybe ten minutes, but it almost seemed like hours. I'm not a talker, but I found Fox was so easy to talk to. We have a lot in common: we're both great pilots, we like the same books and magazines, and both of our parents are dead. Well, I know one of mine is dead, but the other might as well be too. There are others too, but I didn't find them out, because we had reached Corneria.

We arrived on Corneria in the middle of the night, but that didn't stop a huge crowd of military people from coming out to greet us. The civilians would see us the next morning. I refused to be carried off of Great Fox. I walked off, with a great limp, but the crowd cheered just because I could walk. I waved my arms and they settled down, but most were still chuckling. I was too, I thought it was funny. Don't ask me why, people have always said I was a mix between a cynicist and a realist.

I made it to the ambulance, which carried me to the hospital. I hated hospitals, but they would be necessary to my survival at this moment. I knew the extent of my injuries, and I also knew they could be fatal if not treated. I talked to the EMT's while they did prep treatment. One gave me something to knock me out. I thought of Fox. He is nice, but he seems so shy. I also thought of Shay and Chris, but I realized the weight had been lifted off of my heart. I hadn't know her true status for the past eight years, but now I know her true fate. I thought once more of Fox, smiled and fell into unconciousness.

Epilogue

I looked at the poem. He wrote that? How sweet. I sat down at my desk and took a pen and paper out.

I looked at her poem. She does like me. She really does. I put the loose leaf in my night stand drawer. I would keep it forever.

Note from ME: If anyone wonders, the prisoners got out fine. Out of the 57 there, 2 died after they got to Corneria, the rest were hospitalized and released. Shay and Chris were never found. Fox told Bill of this, and Bill admited he felt the same way Virginia did. They are at peace, and doing fine. Virginia was also hospitalized, treated and after 2 weeks, was released.

Note to the Fara lovers out there: I hope you aren't offended by Ginny. Let me explain something. First, I didn't even know she existed until after I started Lylat Apocalypse. I considered a plot change, and almost took it out, but decided that it's a free country and I can write whatever I please. Sorry if this bothers anyone, but if you don't like it, don't read it.

Note-Star Fox, Fox McCloud, Peppy Hare, Falco Lombardi, Slippy Toad, Bill Grey, Wolf O'Donnell, Leon Powalski, Pigma Dengar, Andrew (can't spell his last name yet), General Pepper, Andross and James McCloud are all property of Nintendo(I think). I didn't ask permission to use them, and I'm not making any money for this. However, Major Virginia Fox, Major Armala Reeve, Lt. Goss Lombardi, Linden O'Donnell, Chris Gray and Shay Fox are copyright of ME!!! If you wanna use em, drop me a line, I'll see what I can do for ya(chances are I will let you use them, but I like getting feedback from my readers) Email shillian@hotmail.com Comon'! someone email me! I can't be that bad of a writer!