Tiana DeLobo stretched her arms as the alarms awoke her.  Yawning, she decided to give these intruding ships no warning.  Her indecision was at an all-time low when she drowsily crawled into the cockpit.  She would blast whatever caught her eye.  One of her ears was flopped over with the weight of sleep.
 ì I need more sleep...î she growled.  Her teammates nodded.
 Maya Benttonson was her second in command, a bengal tigress in her prime.  She was an all-out skater and doesnít take any crap from anyone.  She just pulls back her fist and usually her opponents back down, with the exeption of a few, some who would beat her up, or hate her.
 The other member of Striker team blue was Artica Vulpin.  She was an arctic fox, who loved to make herself look just as she dreamed.  She was kind at heart, but like her comrades, couldnít care less about someone who ticked her off.
 They all were a little dazed when they got out into the air-space they controlled.
 ì Ready to rumble?î  Maya growled through her comlink.
 ì You bet!î  Tiana howled back.
 ì Theyíre going down!î Artica barked.
 With amazing speed and prowess, the three jets dropped behind the Venom forces.  Three nova bombs were released on the unsuspecting fighting squad, destroying all of the Venom cargo planes and jets.  The battle cruiser remained intact and the team, Striker Blue, immediately turned on it.   When they had dented it up, they called for back-up.
 ì Team Striker Green, come in.î Tiana DeLobo, leader of the team called for Rochelle Rotswin and Kia Malamo, the duo that made up the Striker Team Green.  Rochelle was a rottweiler with tons of experience and a fun-all around attitude.  Kia was an Alaskan malamute, small but agile with a good sense of humor.  Tianaís teammates, Artica Vulpin and Maya Benttonson, told her that they were going to be needed.
 ì This is us, whadda ya want?î  Rochelle asked.
 ì We need you to help us take out this cruiser. Get your domesticated butts down here!î  They often joked about themselves, with the dogs calling Tiana   ìWild Wolfî and Artica ì Fierce little Foxî,  and they calling the dogs calling them ìDomestic Dogsî
 ì Okay!î Kia was probably the least serious out of all the three teams.  They are as follows: Striker Team Blue, Striker Team Green, and Striker Team Red.  Together they were the Striker Force, and nearly unstoppable.  They patrolled a few thousand miles of space, and blew away anyone who ticked them off.  This was mostly Venom, but any Cornerian that got in their way was given little chance before being bombed to who knows where.  Some called the area a death trap, and it was usually avoided at all costs.  The Venomians were sometimes cocky, ( not to say some Cornerians werenít) and decided to risk the shortcut to Titania anyway.
 Kia and Rochelle arrived to help destroy the battle cruiser, it was slow moving, huge, and an easy target.  When it released several jets to combat the teams, they were met by the Red Team as well.
 ì Need to call us in too?î  Aria Savin asked.  Her fiance`, Pheonix Zebrinch laughed and made a few assorted comments of his own.  His bride-to-be rolled her eyes.
 ì Shut up Pheonix!î  Climber Merez yelled.  The blue parakeet fingered his lucky coin, and stuffed it in his pocket.
 Together the teams blew up the battle cruiser, and in celebration, didnít see the tiny jet leave it.

 Bethain Gikkist slipped out into space.  She sighed with relief as her small ratís heart beat less quickly.  She made it past Venom airspace to a small space station.   This hadnít been expected in a neutral zone!  The pilots had done major damage to a Venomian supply line, and it would take weeks to replace what had been lost.
 ì Bethain!  What are you doing here?î Asked Tarron Wisinski, the lizard guard and Bethainís love.  His scaled features were alight in curiosity.
 ìThe cruiser was destroyed by the so-called neutral pilots there!î  She was still panting heavily. ì There were three.. and then five...and then eight of them denting it up until one of them hacked our defenses, then they blew it up!î
 ì I must tell emperor Andross about this!  This was your first mission, and already itís a failure!î  Bethain began to whimper and weep. ì Itís okay Beth, Iíll take care of this.î  The lizard stormed off, grumbling to himself and leaving the little brown rat with a tiny black heart to cry.  Sucker, she thought, Tarron actually believed she was heartbroken.   What a moron, she thought, he believed every word I said.  She cackaled for a short time, then resumed her weak behavior.
 Bethain was a runt.  She had no friends or family that even cared about her, so she tuned all the people who actually trusted her over to Venom, simply to become   an insignificant ëGruntí as they called her.  She got her way by pretending to be weak and helpless,(except around Andross) therefore, most of the others hated her for this and told her so repeatedly.
 Tiana hated Bethain, and if she had known that she had been on the battle cruiser, she would have gone ballistic and combed every inch of the battle field until she couldíve destroyed the rat.  She hated her with a vengeance and would go out of her way to do anything that in the slightest upset the rat. This was the hate that had boiled over manty years, decreased, then all of a sudden became as bright as Solar.

 That night, Tiana had a strange dream.  She saw a sight that made her scream inside.  On the ground were neat piles of dirt and some wooden logs above each pile. Tiana squinted to see if what she thought she saw was real.  Clear as day, were carved letters that horrified her.  Artica Vulpin; a good friend. Maya Benttonson; she fought for her life may she rest in peace. Kia Malamo; died for Keli. Keli Hiker; died for me.   And the last which terrified her the most, Tiana DeLobo.  She was afraid to look down at the grave, but when she did, there was nothing but an unfilled hole.  She relaxed a little, and heard something behind her.
 ìTime to join your friends...î
 Whirling around, she saw Bethain aiming a gun at her.  Bethain was no longer a runt, but a fat and rich vermin.  Tiana ducked and reached for her laser, to find all that was there was her dagger.  She picked it up and sprang at the rat, preparing to slash out Bethainís  throat.  As she was about to make the final cut, the rat tried to fire the gun.  Tiana kicked it out of the brown creatureís hands.  The rat looked on in fear, as the blade ripped open her throat with a quick, practiced motion.  Her mouth foamed red with blood, her eyes rolled back into her head, and her life dripped away. Bethain fell to the ground and tried to hold herself up with weakening arms.  After several muscle spasms, the rat laid lifeless on the ground in a puddle of thin, purplish blood. Tiana yelled with joy.  Bethain had been slain!

Chapter 2

 BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!  ì  Arrgh.î  Tiana awoke in her bed, panting.  Slamming down the snooze button, she prepared to sleep in for once.  As she flopped down on her pillow, it made a whiffing noise and the cotton flew in all directions.  She had ripped her pillow to shreds, looked in her paw, and saw the reason why.  Her dagger was in her hand, the silver blade shone brightly.  She must have picked it up off of her bedside table in her sleep.  Tiana laid it on a table next to her bed and went to the mess hall of the mother ship, Striker2. (The first one was destroyed, and was Tianaís first real design)  ì Stupid dreams.   Theyíre getting too realistic for my taste.î
 ì Good morning!î Kia smiled at Tiana.  Tiana dragged herself to the chair and slumped down.  Kia looked a bit worried.  ì Tiana?  Whatís wrong?î
 ì Nothing.î  Mumbled the depressed wolf.  What was she supposed to tell her?  What a wonderful morning Kia, I had a lovely dream last night, you were dead. Would you like to hear more about this enlightening experience?  Yeah, right.  That would be smooth.  Kia shrugged and ate some cereal.  If Tiana didnít want to talk, that was fine with this Alaskan malamute.  She chugged down her orage juice and picked up the newspaer.  For some odd reason she was never too fond of this.  The dog had always wondered why.
 Maya came down to breakfast cheerfully. She zipped down the stair, ornge and black stripeds whizzing by on black inline skates. She skated over and patted Tiana on the back.
 ì Another dream?î  Tiana nodded. ì Donít let em get to yaí.î  She grabbed some bacon and left to repair her ship, Tiger Strike.  The others all knew what was going on and left Tiana in her own world for the day.  Tiana began writing down complicated equations to get her mind off the dream.  That usually helped her to calm down and happy up.  By the next night, she had all but forgotten about it and was playing holographic chess with Artica.  Neither of them were really good, and preferred to play it as checkers.
 ì King me!î Tiana cried in triumph.  Tianaís comlink blared like a siren in her furry brown and black ears.  She dashed to the control room and answered the call.
 ì Yo, Tiana, can we drop by for a visit?î It was Climber Merez, the bright blue parakeet and his team, Aria and Pheonix.
 ì Sure thing, Iíll open the loading dock.î   Tiana answered.

 Striker Team Red ate dinner with the other two teams.  They ate what they liked, the avians eating salads or vegetables, and the carnivores eating some red meat.   Each sickened at the thought of what the others were eating.  Afterwards they lounged in the rec-room and cleaned out their laser-pistols.  Tiana polished the dagger and slipped it into a leather sheath that she had made while being depressed.  It fit well on her blue-green silk belt.  She set the belt on a small table similar to the one next to her bed.  Pheonix picked it up and examined it.
 ì Whereíd ya find one like this?î He asked, his voice full of awe.
 ì Oh Iíve always had it, I  really donít know where it came from.î
  ì If Iím right, and I usually am, this is a very valuable peice of silver.î
 ì Silver?  I thought it was steel.î  The puzzled candid replied.
 ì No really, it isnít pure silver, but see that clear streak?  The one that runs the entire length of the blade?  Thatís a diamond.  Well, lots of little ones anyway.
 ìMmmhmmî Tiana looked away.  Yeah, Iím sure, she thought sarcastically.   A stare from the small finch shut her up.  ì You serious?î  The bird nodded.  Tiana shrugged it off and stuck the dagger in the sheath.
 
 Close to three AM, sirens rang.  Tiana moaned.  Not another one, she thought, sometimes keepiní this area clear is such a pain!  She slid out of bed and managed to get herself to the docking bay of Striker2.   She scanned the area and went out to hail the ships.  The ships were Invader 2s,  and the pilots swore at Tiana.  She said ìup yoursî to them and prepared for battle.
 Her team, Artica and Maya, followed close behind in a triangle pattern.  Arctic Storm, Articaís craft, went ahead to scout, since it was the fastest of the three custom-made ships.  She came back stressed and and the Arctic Stromís wing had busted off.  Having alot of trouble flying, Artica managed to get back to Striker2 for repairs.
 ìTiana, we need more back-up!î Maya yelled.
 ì I can hear you, you donít need to scream!  And I have a little suprise.î
 The tigress grinned.  ì And I bet Iíll like it, too.î
 ìYou got it.î  The wolfís aircraft plummeted into a dive as if it had been shot down.  It then jumped back into the sky, behind the twelve Invader2s  and shot them down with two nova bombs and some hyper lasers.. ì Woo-hoo! Did ya see that one?î  Tiana made a punch in the air to symbolize her victory.
 When she was diving, Tiana had hacked the computers of these Invader2s, so her ship wouldnít show on their radar screens, just as if her ship had been shot down.  The opposers would have no chance.  The erased data would have shown up after about one minute, and the Venomian jets would have known of Tianaís presence, but that never happened.
 ìLetís get back to the ship and get some sleep.î  Maya yawned.

Chapter 3

 The next couple of days were pretty slow.  Striker team Green went to their small mother ship, and the Red team went to their sleek and luxurious ship, The Javelin.  (Ariaís family is very wealthy.)
 The Blue team was alone.  Later, the alarm sirens blared and The team hopped to their feet to answer the message.
 ì State your name and any other ID please.î Maya stated with plenty of experience.  She was itching for some battle.
 ì This is Fox McCloud of Corneria.  Just passiní through.î  The tigress nodded.  Hmm, she thought, heís hot!  Artica walked in and giggled to herself.  Mayaís new monthly crush.
 Tiana heard the name Fox McCloud and calmly walked to the monitor.   Maya motioned for her to sit down.  ì This is Fo...î  Maya began.
 ì I know who he is!  Doesnít evíryone?î  Tiana snapped.
 ì Who are you?î Asked the red fox.
Tiana began: ì  We are Striker Team Blue.  No one messes with us, we keep this area... clean.î
 ì I see.î  Another voice in the background yelled out to Fox:  ì What are you doing?  We are being chased by some stinkiní Venomian units!î
 ì Venomian units?!?î Tiana yelled.  ì Weíll hail them.î  Tiana switched over to hail the Venomian units.ì State your name and any other ID please.î
 ì Bite me, you frigginí dog.î A ratís face showed up on the screen, looking innocent as day.  It was Bethain, and she knew Tiana hated to be called a dog.  Tianaís hackles went up and she growled long and low. It was a little wretch whom Tiana would enjoy slitting the throat of.  That would be a first, since Tiana doesnít really hate very many people with such strong feelings.
 ì You!?!?  I thought (and hoped) you were space dust!î  The wolfís blue eyes gleamed with hatred.  She slammed a fist on the monitor. ì I AM GOING TO CUT YOUR HEAD OFF AND USE IT AS A PENCIL SHARPENER!!!!!  Youíll be getting no warnings! TODAY YOU DIE!î  Tiana turned to her companions and pointed towards the hall.  ì Get in your ships and letís kick Bethís ugly butt.î
    By the time Tianaís group was in space, the Starfox Team was already  fighting the several dozen jets that were under Bethainís rule.
  Bethainís mother ship,  the Rattail, was huge vessel that really belonged to Jarron, but thinking the rat really loved him , had named it in her honor.  He had no idea he was the channel that Bethain used to get to Andross.
 ì Yes Emperor,î  Bethain said into the view screen, ì  We will kill two birds with one stone.  I took the liberty of gathering some of my favori.. I mean the best pilots we have to destroy both the Starfox Team and the Striker Force.  They will have no chance!î
 ì You had better hope so, your delicate throat depends on it.î  The deep voice of Andross boomed into the ears of the brown rat, who shook slightly.  He knew how she had gotten so far.  ì Now,î said the power-crazed emperor ì I want the Starfox team dead, I really donít care what happens to the others, keep them if you like, but  McCloud and his colleagues must perish.î  The rat gave a smart solute, and turned off the screen.  Bethain closed her eyes in thought.   She would surly die if the Starfox Team lived.  Or if she was lucky, she might be transferred to another area perhaps Area 6 or back to Titania.
 The chase was on.  An overwhelming number of ships poured out of the Rattail and sprayed space with lasers.  Using hacking technology, Tiana and Maya managed to tell the Starfox team what they were going up against.  Maya had helped Tiana quite a bit with the hacking.  Maya had been part of Venom for a little over a year, but when she met up with Tiana again, changed over to neutral.
 Artica threw back her head and laughed as the ship she had been pursuing exploded.  It had been a rival of herís back at the Academy, and she still had a scar above her left eye from where he pilot of that ship had cut her with some glass.  Luckily, it was mostly covered by fur.
 ìShoot! Heís on my tail!î  cried Slippy Toad.   Tiana soon sickened of his pleas and shot the five ships following the amphibian.  ì Thanks, whoever you are!î   Tiana smiled back, and soon felt a jolt as her ship was hit and her shields depleted.  She put the jet on auto-pilot and hooked up the small laptop to her monitor, then she typed up a series of codes.  ì Alright hot-shot, take a look at this!î
 Kimir Ghiknetz, the mule shooting at Tiana looked at his screen in shock.  Instead of radar, there was a picture a teen-age female wolf.  ì Nighty-night!î she said as a bomb appeared on the monitor.  It was counting down one minute!  The panic-stricken animal began to zigzag and spin out of control, banging into other ships out of formation and costing more even lives for Venom.  Just when the clock reached zero, he closed her eyes tightly and his ears went flat against his thick skull. Nothing.   He opened his eyes to see the mother ship of Bethain right in front of him.  Kimir screamed and tried to avoid the ship but she still rammed into the side at full speed.  Bethain cursed and sent out more ships to replace the damaged or destroyed ones.   With a cold heart she ignored the whining of wounded officers and pilots alike, then concealed herself into her dark room.  She requested to be left alone in her room overlooking the battle, and to be alone with her thoughts.
 Tiana laughed.  Stupid beast, she thought.  The bomb was a fake, itís only purpose being to panic the pilot into worrying him or herself out of control.  They had to be twenty meters away at most for the trick to work, but if they were shooting at her, they would be close enough.  Tiana fought alongside the Starfox team until the enemies retreated.
 ì Thanks!î Peppy and Slippy said in unison.
 ì Yeah whatever.î  Falco mumbled.
 Fox smiled. ì C-Ya.î
 ì Drop by again sometime.î Tiana waved and shot off back towards Striker2 with Artica close behind.  Maya reluctantly followed, leaving behind her new crush, Fox McCloud.

Chapter 4

 Tiana sat in the rec room, curled up on the sofa, and surfed the channels of the Lylat Television stations.
 She grumbled to herself as she changed channels.î News, news,news,news, why do they call it ënewsí when itís so old?  All it ever is is about Andross anymore.î She yawned loudly and switched off the TV.  She then picked up her laptop and began to scan the areas.   Zilch.  It would be a few long days before anything would happen.  Artica walked into the room and saw Tiana bored and sitting there.
 ì Arenít you supposed to be going out with Kyer?î  Tiana jumped up.
She groaned ìAw man, I completely forgot!î  She ran to her room to get ready to go to the nearby planet of Fortuna.

 Kyer Wrenning sat waiting by his jet outside of Fortuna base.  He was supposed to be with his girlfriend, and his tail twitched impatiently.  His dark mane, for which all maned wolves are known for, had bristled in the cold winds.  He smiled when he saw her jet land, and she ran over.
 Tiana began to spill out her story of why she wasnít there on time and it was all muddled together.  ì SorryIímlateIcompletelyforgotanditwasnítmyfaultand..î  A gentle kiss from Kyer quieted her.  ì I missed you.î
 ìMe too.î The maned wolf replied.  His green eyes stared into her soul, he loved her.  ìI have a little something for you.î  He opened his paw to show there was nothing in it, closed it, and opened it again, revealing a blue Austrian crystal on a silver chain.  He then fastened it around Tianaís neck.  ì To celebrate our yearís relationship and our twenty-first date.î
 ì And I have something for you.î Tiana reached in her bag, and gave Kyer something he loved and couldnít live with out.  Chocolate covered strawberries, imported from Earth.  Probably as expensive as the necklace.  Kyer popped a few into his mouth and chewed.  ì Mmm....î  Tiana grinned in a silent laugh.  Just then, some Venomian invaders flew overhead.  A deep voice over a loud speaker blared around them.  ìALL PILOTS TO YOUR JETS QUICKLY! VENOMIAN UNITS AT 9:00!î
 Tiana turned quickly.  ì Letís show these pilots what theyíre against.î She glanced at the sky.  These ones hadnít come through her teamís area.  Smiling, she called her teams and friends to bust up the one-thousand ships.  They meant business.

Chapter 5

 The Venomians were winning.  Tiana was awaiting her companions arrival, and Kyer had already left to fight.  She sighed and climbed in her cockpit.  It was time for her to make a few marks on the Venomians.
 Ten minutes later, Tiana noticed her friends and teammates coming to the rescue.  Arctic Storm had been repaired and flew better then ever.  Artica contacted Tiana.  ì Well, weíre all here, why are we defending this place anyway?î
 ì Cuzí if Venom takes it over, we wonít have airspace to guard!  Corneria owns it and really doesnít care.  They used to, but they figured to leave us alone due to the number of Venomian ships we destroyed.   Venom would never let us stay!î
 Artica nodded and proceeded to pass the message on.   Maya whipped by Tiana and was being chased by ten enemy jets.  ì Arrgh!  Help me!!!!!î  Tiana shot down several units before being shot at herself.  She looped around, but ten more ships resumed chase!
 When it looked like Corneria had won, two dozen more troops came in.  After ten hours fighting, Corneria surrendered.  They landed their jets and all were taken hostage.  All but one, who never listened anyway.  Tiana flew back to Striker2 and began repairs.  She made it quick, because she knew she would be chased.  She left her mothership with a few supplies and such, and headed to Corneria.
 ì Well,î she thought out loud, ì Iíve fought beside my team, but I feel very empty right now.î
 At Corneria, Tiana docked her jet and rented an apartment to stay at.  Her eyes no longer held much of a shine, but had turned a dull shade of grayish blue.  Tiana blamed herself for not winning that battle.  She tripped over her own feet  and held her aching head.  With no allergies or ever having a migraine, she wondered how her head could hurt so much.  She hadnít eaten alot in a few days and had lost a considerable amount of weight.  She went from 137 lbs to 120, and when she did eat, it wasnít much.  She was in a depressed mood as she walked down the streets of Corneria city.  A crocodile ran down the street, and bumped into Tiana.
 ì Hey, watch it!î  the croc snapped, and then pushed the teenager into a wall.  Tiana replied with her fist.  The croc stumbled backwards as the wolf passed him by.  I wonít take that!  The croc was enraged, and proceeded to grab the wolf in a headlock.  Tiana kicked him in the leg and he bent down howling in pain.  Tiana gave him a roundhouse to the face and then flipped him.  She picked him up by the collar of his T-shirt and lifted him to eye level.
 ì I donít like you.î  She threw him up against a wall.  Tiana walked away with her tail held high.  It boosted her self esteem to do that, but she still had her main enemy, Bethain.  How she would love to kill her for what she was put through.   When she slept that night, she had another strange dream.
 Bethain was taunting her, calling her a rabid wolf who shouldnít be allowed in school. Tiana had to go to the nurse of the high school just to make sure she wasnít rabid, but by the time everything was said and done, it was too late.  The rumors had spread, so until the next year, Tiana had only Maya , Artica, and six other friends who knew she wasnít really diseased at all.
 Tiana woke up with a killer headache.  She had tried to put those memories out of her mind.  But something about those cruel eyes of the rat had intimidated her.  It was unusual to have blue eyes for a rat, but Beth did.   They were't pretty, but  were cold and dead looking, and she often could stare someone down with those ice colored eyes.  Tiana closed her eyes at the thought, and realized that all the rat had ever wanted was to make someoneís day miserable.  She had probably always known it, but refused to let the thought sink through.  The ugly beast had gotten to her, and made her weak.  She had taken it out on a punching bag, which she had broken open in a matter of minutes.
 Tiana still blamed herself for letting Beth get to her, and again for letting her friends get captured.  As she walked to a restaurant to get something to eat, a shadow moved and shot the she-wolf in the side.  Tiana fell to the ground, it was a small wound from a small gun.  Everything went dark.  She awoke in a hospital to find her family standing over her.
 ìSheís coming back into consciousness!î A nurse yelled.
 ì Well, must be on my way!î  Tiana jumped to her feet in a hurry and got out of the bed.  ì I gotta find my friends.î  the doctors nodded knowingly as she paid the bills.

Chapter 6

 Maya was in pain.  She held her tired head with one hand, it hurt like crazy!  Just moments ago Lindan Thoams, a black crow and annoying Venomian officer, had slammed the tigressís head up against a door.  The crow had laughed and done it again to the weakened tigress.  The great cat bit down hard on the wing of the dastardly  creature and let out a battle cry before ramming into the bird.  The  crow simply pulled out a phaser and aimed at the feline before him, but the spy that had shotten Tiana grabbed Lindan from behind and forced him to put down the phaser.  She spoke in a raspy tone, for the Fortuna weather had gotten to her.  ì Not yet, dark one, sheís bait.î  Mayaís vision was blurry, but she did see a dark outline of someone dash though the cell door, followed by the pouting crow.  Maya would remember the scrawny figure wearing a black miniskirt and crop-top.  She had had short ears and a whip-like tail.  Maya guessed that the mystery person was a lioness or puma.  And a tall and stupid feline at that.
 ì Come on stupid.  You are leaving with the fox.î   The crow paw-cuffed the cat and led her into a cage on a black cargo ship.

 Tiana had begun to plan her attack on the rat.  She had found clues, such as what the puma had left in her pocket.  It had to be a trap, so a plan was definitely necessary.   Her friends were being held at a space station, so she decided she had to go there.  If they werenít being fed, it had been about a week since they had last eaten.   Tiana took the WolFlight and headed out to the old station.  When she got there, there was no one to stop her.  The docking bay was open and seemed welcoming.  Yeah right, Iím really going to walk right in.  Tiana muttered to herself.  She went just inside the docking bay, put her ship on auto pilot, and jumped as high as she could.  Managing to wrap a paw around a hole in a duct, she cut it open with her dagger and slipped inside.  It was a tight squeeze, but she watched as her ship slowed to a stop and was surrounded by enemy troops.
 ì  Captain Gikkist, come in, over.î  A gnu pilot said into his comlink.
The rat flipped the switch to her own com-link and replied.  ì Yes?î
 ì We have captured the ship, and itís empty!  The wolf is nowhere to be found!î  Peering out of his cell, Pheonix yelled to Bethain:  ì To bad, even as a lone wolf, she seems to always beat you.î
 ìShut up bird!î  The angry rat fired a laser at the finch and he fell to the ground, dead.
 ìPheonix!î  Aria wept over the slain body of her fiance`. ì You are no more than a beast!  Your mother was a beast, and your father too!  You delight in killing the helpless and you are a murderer!î  Too choked up to say anything more, she his her eyes from view of the rat.  Bethain went up to the crying hawk, gripped her beak shut, and held her laser before the raptorís eyes.
 ì You want no mercy?  Iíll show you no mercy!î  Bethin gripped Ariaís head as tightly as she could, then her blue icy eyes shimmered with glee.  She put the laser so close to Ariaís eyes, that it was almost touching hte eyeball.
 She fired right before the golden eyes of the red-tailed hawk, and Ariaís sight went white, then black.  The rat kicked her with heavy boots, and left.
 ì I donít understand.  Why not just break her scrawny neck and be done with it?î  asked Lian, the best friend of Bethain.
The brown rat parted her lips in a sinister smile.  ìBecause that is what she wanted me to do.î  She laughed, and Lian joined in.

 Tiana crawled inside the ducts and saw a fork in them.  She held on to the necklace Kyer had given her and chose the left duct.  She silently made a small hole in the duct and saw a few cells taking her phaser, she broke the duct open.  She checked the cells, all were empty but one, Pheonix lay dead, and Aria was crying over him.
 ì Aria!î  Tiana raced over to comfort her friend.
The hawk looked over at the wolf. ì Who is it?î
 ì Canít you see me?î
 ì I canít see anything.  Iíve...Iíve  been blinded.î   Aria got up and felt her way to where the wolf was.  ì Pheonix is gone, a rat killed him.î  She made a pause. ìShe blinded me with her laser.  I overheard them say that this was Gikkistís last chance to not mess  it up, and that they were taking the prisoners to the cargo room.î Tiana led the hawk out of the room and to the cargo hold.
 ì Stay here. Iím going to take care of this.î Tiana left the hawk in the hall near the room she was about to enter.
 
Chapter 7

 The base stank of death.  Tiana set out to find this murderer.  Bethain.  Pheonix was dead, thanks to her.  Anger flowed through the wolf, and it gave her more strength.    She glanced into the room through a hole in the wall and saw Bethain aim a gun... at a teenage zebraís head.  The young herbivore fell to the ground with a squelching of blood.  No!  Tianaís anger built up, she clutched the dagger and began to pant.  Beth shot at Climber next, but only hit a wing.  But the bird was smart, and pretended to be dead.  Tiana broke through the door stabbing wildly with her dagger.  It hit Beth in the shoulder and tore out a chunk of flesh.  Beth screamed in agony and clutched her wounded shoulder.  The wolf pulled the rat up to her face and slit hard and swift  across the ugly verminís eyes.  Screaming and yelling for help, the rat fell to the ground, blindly crawling about.   Tiana just laughed.
 ì Look whoís the helpless one now.  Many good people have been blind, but I guess you arenít one of them.î   Tiana glimpsed to the door and saw Lian running. The dark colored mouse was in a panic.  Thinking of only herself, Lian tripped over a a pipe that had been broken in Tianaís war-path.  She fell down, cursing,  and when she got up, a long-legged fox-like creature wearing a dark cloak and a black helmet was looking down on her.
 ìUh, hello?î  Lian asked in a weak tone.  She could feel the sweat trickling down her face, and her shirt was soaked.
 ì Nope, goodbye.î   The red colored animal whipped out a phaser and pressed it firmly to the mouseís forehead.  The mouse uttered a cry that was muffled by the paw of the animal above her, and she closed her eyes in an attempt to drown out the pain of the weapons sharp tip against her skull.  With one fatal shot, she could have been dead, but he reconsidered, and shot her in the stomach instead.  Squealing in pain, Lian fell to the ground, clutching her torn skin and blood-matted fur.  ì That oneís for Pheonix.î   He left the mouse to die a slow and painful death.  Lian rolled into a tight ball and held her legs to her chest. She looked at a blood-stained paw, then at the stomach that was all bloody, then she took her dagger from itís scabbard, and pressed to her own throat.  Then it was over...
 Tiana had been following the mouse, and was very surprised to run into the dark stranger.  Immediately, she flipped him, and his helmet rolled off.
Tiana stared in shock. ì Kyer?!?î
 ì Ow, Tiana, whyíd ya flip me?î  He got up anf broshed his fur back, but it slid into itís usual, untidy, position.
The wolf blushed under her fur.  ì Sorry, It was a mistake.î  She turned and pretended to cough, but it was really a laugh.
 A shadow moved through the halls.  The puma shot Aria in the back and slid back into the darkness of the hall.  The puma dispised these tiny tasks.  What a waste of time!
 Aria crumpled to the ground.  Tiana looked away from Kyer to see the hawk fall to the floor.
 ìAria!  No!î  Tiana slid to her twice wounded friendís side.
 ì I guess Pheonix and I might will be together after all.  Find Avianti Tirian, heís mí cousin and he will help you form a new team...î
 ì A new team?î Tiana was puzzled.  Where were Maya and Artica?
 ì Didnít you know?î  Artica and Maya have been taken to another place, and Keli and Kia escaped early on with Kyer...î  The hawk became out of focus, and started to become limp as she painstakingly lowered herself to the ground, moaning in pain.
 ì Hey!î Climber yelled to the maned and grey wolves.  He was sent home to his middle class home on Corneria soon after.  Tiana, Climber, the wounded Aria and Kyer left the base, but before they did, they put the dead bodies in a room and sealed it tight. The remaining Venomians were also sealed in a room, to suffocate as the air supply was cut off, and Tiana made sure there was no way out.  The puma whom had  shotten Aria and Tiana  was already on her way to Titania to get new orders as soon as she had fired her pistol at  the hawk.  Tiana cut the power to the base before she Aria, Climber, Kyer, and three other survivors left the base forever.

Chapter 8

 ì Please, just kill me, I canít live like this.î  Bethain asked the Polar bear Venomian officer beside her.  He seemed aggravated by the rat and even in the almost pitch dark, he could see and was sickened by the sight of her cut open eyes.   Blood was caked over her face and she looked like she was a corpse.
 He sighed, thinking of his children on Venom, knowing he may never see them again.  He had only seen them once in that past year, he was just too busy, and hadnít cared.  but now, he realized that they would miss him, and he knew that maybe he  could have gone to their birthdays, or come home...
 ì Gods... why didnít I...?î
 He looked to the side, Bethain was weeping uncontrollably. It drove him nuts.  ìYou know we donít have any weapons, but why should I let you take up the oxygen in here?  We are running out...î  With those words, he twisted the ratís head as hard as he could until he head a snap and her body landed on the ground.  He kicked it away and turned his head from her.  He breathed more shallowly and watched his sixteen fellow officers as they stared at him.  He grabbed the head of the wildebeest who looked at him distrustfully with disgust sitting across room and repeated the move on the poor creature.   ì  Now,î he said, tossing the body in a heap with the dead rat ìConserve the air.  Weíll need it...î
The End
 

  An extremely large thank-U 4 reading my story.  This is only  the first one I have done about Tiana and her team(s).  There are three others to complete the quartet about her piloting, relationships, and all-around Lylatian life.
 All of the characters mentioned in this story are mine, with the exception of any affiliated with Nintendo Inc.ô

~WolFire~

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