When Worlds Collide

 

Part IV: Clash of the Titans

 

 

 

Chapter 1: Preparation

 

 

"We’re gonna be rich!" John Robertson on board the Great Fox.

 

 

"Falco, you’re right, you are getting slow!" John teased through his com as he looped around Falco and chased him, firing his lasers. Three sparks spewed from the back of Falco’s new Warhawk-Class Arwing. Suddenly Peppy’s ship came out of nowhere, right behind John. John pulled hard left, sad he was being forced to disengage Falco. A concussion missile- a gift from the Rebel Alliance- spewed out of Peppy’s Arwing and John was "downed."

 

"Now look who’s slow Robertson!" Falco said, almost laughing for the first time since Fox’s death. But his amusement quickly ended as Chris came in to blow Falco out of the sky. Falco was declared "downed" now also. Now the mock battle was between O’Brien and Chris, and Peppy and Star. John landed his fighter next to the rest of the downed member’s ships.

 

"I’ve got five credits Star will kick your guys’ butts!" Cindy said as John landed. Cindy was now a qualified flyer too. She had taken piloting lessons along with Mary (check) to fill the last open slots for the fighters of the squadron.

 

"Traitor!" John teased to Cindy as he got out of his ship. The mock battle was between the Talon Team portion of the new Avenger Squadron and the Star Fox portion of the squadron. Since Cindy was part of the Talon team portion…

 

"I’m just stating a fact. Star could take on the entire Venom army single-handedly!"

 

"I wouldn’t go that far," Falco said as he got out of his Arwing, "but she is the best pilot the CA has!"

 

"You could say that again," declared Chris as he landed his just ‘downed’ ship next to John’s Arwing. Now the battle was down to a two-on-one.

 

O’Brien made wild turns and loops to shake Peppy, who was on his tail, and succeeded. He turned left and sped towards Star head on. It looked as if he was playing a game of chicken with Star. He began firing his concussion missiles and then turned off sharply as soon as two dual launches were made. Star, up to O’Brien’s tactics, shot the missiles out of midair and, instead of chasing O’Brien into the tangle of holographic buildings that could down her, she had Peppy get on the other side of the buildings. There were only two places you could exit the tangle of holographic metal and Peppy and Star flew around the two different sides, effectively boxing O’Brien in.

 

"Oh shoot!" O’Brien exclaimed as he realized his fatal mistake. He tried to maneuver inside the buildings for a while, hoping Star and Peppy would get tired of waiting for him to come out but he soon found this would not be feasible. He flew out of the maze-like tunnel of buildings and fired a nova bomb at Peppy. The bomb downed Peppy, not prepared for the exact moment of O’Brien’s departure from the buildings. Now he had to take on Star.

 

"This’ll be good," Falco quipped. "And funny" he added.

 

"Trust me O’Brien is a little better a dogfighter than me!" John exclaimed. "He’ll find a way to down your lover!" Falco blushed darkly. Apparently the information of him and Star’s relationship had gotten around to John somehow. Star, listening in through her com-link, quickly scolded John. John just as quickly silenced himself.

 

"Look who’s mommy shut you up!" Falco tormented. John moaned.

 

"O’Brien will win, you know," John said.

 

"If he’s such a good pilot then why did you have command of Talon Team and not him!?"

 

"Maybe the ranking system!? He was a lower rank than I was. A full lieutenant can only dream of being a squadron commander. Plus I’m a better leader," John said smiling smugly. While this exchange of words took place O’Brien had bunkered himself in the holographic buildings again. He found a space in the buildings where he could do constant loops and with the G-Diffuser functioning normally he did not feel the effects of the looping. He yawned.

 

"C’mone Star," he said after fifteen minutes, "I’m waiten’ for ‘ya!"

 

"Ugh! I know I shouldn’t be doing this but…" Star flew her fighter into the mess of buildings. She quickly got to the center of the mess and found where O’Brien was looping. Then to her horror he stopped the looping, went by her, and fired his lasers and a nova bomb while passing. Star swore and O’Brien raced against the fire on his tail to escape the buildings as Star was downed behind him. She ignored the fake buildings and fire and raced to the point where everyone else was gathered so she could watch O’Brien’s escape from a better point of view.

 

As she landed O’Brien’s fighter shot out from the fake but convincing flames that were all but touching his ship. He was out and not downed. However, he had failed to anticipate one thing. Star, just in case O’Brien was up to something cunning, had fired a timed mine onto O’Brien’s ship. Normally this would not be possible since the mines designed to take out starships could only be planted at close range but Star and O’Brien had been at very close range for just a few seconds- enough time to fire a mine.

 

A huge holographic explosion occurred, emanating from O’Brien’s ship. O’Brien actually screamed for a moment, his sub-conscious half-believing the huge and realistic explosion was real. O’Brien, now downed, landed his ship next to the rest of Avenger team.

 

 

"Nice trick, Star," O’Brien complimented.

 

 

"Your not so bad yourself," she said back, smiling. O’Brien had a severe crush on Star, although she did not return the crush by any means. She new he may have taken the smile the wrong way but she enjoyed tossing him a bone every once in a while just to cheer him up.

 

"Well," Star continued, "why don’t we go back to the Great Fox for some dinner!" Everyone licked their chops in anticipation of Star’s always-great meals. Mary was a bit jealous of her actually- not only did she have to be one great pilot, spy, and engineer, but she also had to be a good cook. ‘Boy is she lucky to have that kind of talent,’ Mary thought, knowing full well that the last thing she had tried to cook had come out looking more like rubber vomit than stove top. And that was supposed to be simple to make!

 

 

"More?" Star asked John, seeing he had cleaned his plate quickly and looked as if ready to start licking it. He nodded. His own personal favorite of Star’s meals was being served today, her famous (to him anyway) Spaghetti and Meatballs. Star enjoyed cooking this meal too because the herbivores at the table could simply take out the meatballs and eat the spaghetti. It was a lot easier for her to cook one meal instead of two. However much she enjoyed cooking she would rather be eating her meals than preparing them.

 

The table in the dining room of the Great Fox was no longer a little breakfast table. It was now a large dining room table, fitting ten people, one on each end and four on each side. It was still no meeting table though and was actually a little tight for all ten of them to eat there. If John’s personal upgrades to the Great Fox were good they still had one error- not enough eating space.

 

John had spent almost every cent he had inherited from his rich father to pay off the little remaining money owed on the Great Fox. In fact, not only did he do that, but he also upgraded the Great Fox. Actually, upgrade was an understatement. The ship was now a one kilometer long, three-quarters a kilometer wide and tall Super-Dreadnought. It still could be maintained by automation (by some miracle) and only required Rob64 (now upgraded- but personality chips untouched) and (optimally but not required) four other people to run the huge ship.

 

Every ship needed a captain, weapons controller, engineering commander, and a navigation pilot. But this ship also had some extras. It had a specialized and experimental Neural Computer Link System (NCLS). It was a helmet one wore to almost literally become one with a ship. The ship would become like an extension of your body. Any systems under control of the computer could be triggered and controlled with a mere thought. John had installed this system with Star and Cindy in mind- the two computer-spying gurus on board the ship. With a faster command-giving rate Star and Cindy could get the information they wanted quicker so they would be successfully traced to their location by enemy forces much less often. However, John still had to admit that he had thought of himself also in installing this system. John, always loving computers almost as much as his flying, thought he could use this system too. Sure, maybe for playing a few VR games but still- recreation was needed on board the Great Fox. This system could also prove useful in combat for John too. If he was going to stay behind and command the ship (which he was considering doing on their upcoming first mission) he might as well use the neural net system so he could have instant responses by the ship to his thoughts. No one had tried to use the neural up-links yet though, fearing them slightly. Nobody wanted brain damage. Although the links had never had a malfunction in the experiments the idea of them merging with your brain in a way scared even John a little. He planned to try them after dinner though.

 

The new and improved Great Fox not only had better internal systems but also had improved fighting capabilities. The ship had nearly twice the weapons it used to have. The ship now had sixty retractable laser cannons on its port and starport sides instead of the original thirty-five. Its two stationary forward light capital ship laser cannons were now upgraded to heavy capital ship laser cannons. The ship could also hold ten fighters and still have room for a small transport in its bays as well. Combat capability-wise the Great Fox was in tip-top shape.

 

Not only was the Fox herself upgraded but the fighters inside of her bays were new as well. A joint project between the Rebel Alliance and Cornerian Alliance (CA) had given birth to a new type of Arwing- the Warhawk. Combining the Rebel’s knowledge of superior weapons and the Cornerian’s knowledge of advanced computers and electronics the two sides had created a ship to be reckoned with. The Warhawk’s were equipped with three heavy blaster cannons, two ION cannons, and one all purpose missile launcher. The launcher could carry anything from concussion missiles to space bombs and had a fire rate twice as quick as other fighters. This compensated for the fact that the fighters had only one launcher since they could fire twice as quickly. The launcher could also lock on twice as quickly, thanks to the Cornerian’s QT-870 targeting computer, and ARS-700 sensor system. Not only did these ships have these advantages but they were also equipped with an advanced stealth suite. The fighters were a perfect blend of high-end electronics and weapons.

 

A non-combat related addition to the Great Fox was it’s many more recreational areas. Of one of these many recreational additions was a holodeck. The holodeck, although too small to stage mock battles larger than those on foot like the one they had just had at Cornerian Orbital 276, was a great addition to the Great Fox. Star had already played out fifteen different spy adventures in the holodeck and the others on board had uploaded a few of their own holo-adventures. The holodeck had a unique aspect of spinning and moving the walls of the room separate from the floor so that it appeared you had an endless amount of space to walk- in all unreality you did! Since the deck could not spin it’s walls fast enough to keep up with actual fighters the team had been forced to use a much larger holodeck at the orbital earlier for their practice dogfights. It was quite a toy and had become the crew’s favorite activity.

 

But their favorite activity still had to be eating Star’s meals.

 

"Did you guys hear about the attack on Mos Eisley?" Slippy said trying to start a conversation after a few minutes of silence.

 

"Mos Eisley was attacked again?" O’Brien asked, putting down his fork. "I thought Rogue Squadron mopped up the Imperials their days ago."

 

"Apparently," Slippy explained, "the Imperials had a secret base hidden underground that Rogue Squadron didn’t know about. And the worst part about it was that the Rogues lost the battle. The Empire controls Mos Eisley now!" Everyone stared at Slippy in shock from his last statement.

 

"Why didn’t we hear about this earlier Slippy?" Star asked as she and the rest of the team regained their composure.

 

"Well, no one else in Lylat- to my knowledge anyway- knows yet. I’ve got a few friends in the Rebel Alliance is how I found out before everyone else." Everyone looked at Slippy surprised someone like him could have any "contacts" within nations. "Hey I’m the best darn engineer in the fleet. I caught Wedge Antilles attention… so what?"

 

"You know Wedge Antilles?" Chris said in shock.

 

"We engineers keep in contact with each other more than you think," Slippy smirked, beginning to eat again.

 

"Yeah, talking only about unfathomably boring things, like how the hyperdrive works, all day long!" Mary quipped.

 

"You guys think that’ll be our first mission?" John asked, changing the subject back to the attack on Mos Eisley. "Retaking Mos Eisley with the Rogue’s help?"

 

"Maybe," Star answered nodding, "maybe…"

 

 

"Good evening Star," a tall Jedi Knight said over Star’s room’s com-link. "I’ve heard of your new squadron. I called to ask of your new squadron’s help."

 

"Who are you?" Star McCloud asked, sitting alone in her room.

 

"Luke Skywalker, Jedi Knight," the rebel responded evenly. Star blushed at not recognizing him. "As I said," the Jedi said breaking the silence, "I require your squadron’s assistance. I’d like to retake Mos Eisley but my squadron cannot do it alone."

 

"I’m sorry sir but I can’t help you there. My squadron only accepts missions against the Earth humans… we’re called Avenger Squadron for a reason. We’re here to avenge Fox’s death."

 

"I’m aware of that," Skywalker said revealing a handful of credit slips, "but I’m prepared to reimburse you for the trouble of not attacking the Earthers…"

 

"How much?" Star asked.

 

"A 100,000 credits…" As the words escaped Skywalker’s mouth Star’s jaw almost dropped to the ground. A hundred THOUSAND credits just to assist a squadron in retaking a planet! For that much money most mercenaries were expected to take the whole damn planet single-handedly! But then Luke finished his sentence… Star’s jaw dropped lower. "For each of you," he said. That would total to a million credits he was giving them! Star quickly nodded her head that they would do it. She cut the circuit as Skywalker downloaded the coordinates where his squadron and theirs would meet.

 

 

Star walked briskly into the gym of the Great Fox where the entire crew was exercising. In order to keep in shape the crew met daily at 1300 hours in the gym. Star was late for some reason (which never happened unless something came up) and everyone looked at her inquisitively.

 

"Well boys and girls it looks like we ship out tomorrow," Star said. Everyone cheered; it was about time that they got some action after six months in dry-dock!

 

"What’s the mission?" Mary asked.

 

"We’re goin’ to Mos Eisley. John was right on what our first mission would be!"

 

"But Star, we’re only taking missions against those Earthers," Falco objected. "I mean after what they did to Fox what other mission can we accept! I mean I can understand if it was our second or tenth or six hundredth mission but our first mission? It kinda’ goes against why this squadron was formed!"

 

"He’s right, Star. The rebel’s better be offering us a hell of a lot of money!" Cindy said.

 

"Emphasize the word lot about a hundred times Cindy and you’ll know how much they’re paying us. We’re getting a hundred thousand credits," everyone gasped, "each," Star finished. John nearly fell down and grabbed onto a nearby railing.

 

"They’re paying us that much for one mission!?" Slippy asked. "That’s a lot of money for attacking one site. Pepper didn’t even pay us that much and we got rid of an entire army for him. Well almost got rid of them…" Slippy added. Everyone went silent at the mention of the old Star Fox team, led by the deceased Fox McCloud. Slippy’s eyes brimmed with tears remembering Fox.

 

John broke the silent reverie and tried to pick up the mood a bit. "Man oh man I can only dream about the renovations I’ll make on my fighter and quarters with that hundred grand!"

 

 

"I know," Star laughed, coming out of trance with a tear in her eye. She wiped her eye embarrassed to cry in front of the others. "Although I don’t know if I can improve my ship much more," Star said, bragging about the Arctic for what seemed like the millionth time.

 

"So what time will we rendezvous the rebels tomorrow?" Peppy asked. Normally it would take them longer to get to the rendezvous point right outside of Mos Eisley sensor range (a light year away from Tatooine) but Tatooine, the planet Mos Eisley was on, happened to be practically right next door to Corneria. That’s why when Slippy announced that the Imperials had taken Mos Eisley it alarmed the Avenger Team. Because the Imperials were only a short hop from Corneria, a very juicy, and relatively weakly militarized neutral prize for the power hungry nation.

 

"1900 hours and then we head straight for Mos Eisley for the attack," Star answered. We should begin the attack at around 0200 hours the next day. So everyone should take a nap before 1900 otherwise you may fall asleep in the cockpit and get you ass fried! I’d hate to have to bail all you guys out with my enormously superior skills!" Star quipped. Everyone chuckled.

 

 

Chapter 2: An Unlikely Turn of Events

 

"That’s no moon," Obi-Wan Kanobi, Star Wars IV, on board Millenium Falcon

 

 

"Well it’s 1900!" O’Brien said impatiently in his cockpit. He had always had trouble with patience. "Why aren’t they here yet!?"

 

"Just wait, O’Brien," Star ordered. "They’re allowed to be late! Especially for what they’re paying us!" Everyone grinned in anticipation of the check that would be given to each of them at the end of the mission. With luck a one million-credit check to be distributed among them evenly would be in their arms by 1200 hours tomorrow!

 

John was beginning to like being a mercenary since he was seeing the good side (if their was one) of mercineering. ‘Maybe Wulfe Litefoot had suggested me right on what path to follow in that jail cell back on Corneria,’ John thought. Not that Wulfe’s suggestion had had anything to do with John’s decision to become a mercenary.

 

Suddenly twelve X-Wings came out of hyperspace within a kilometer of the Avenger’s.

 

"Sorry we’re late," Luke said through his com. "We ran into some imperial resistance on the way. Those damned gravity well generators on those Impellor-Class Star Destroyers are annoying. They bring you right out of hyper if you cross one’s path. Good thing we took that SOB SD down, eh guys?" The Rogues cheered in the background.

 

"Anyway," Luke said, "welcome aboard Cornerians! It’s nice to have you guy’s along to watch our backs. We’re gonna need it going into Mos Eisley. Word is the Imperials fortified it since they took it over two days ago! I hear they got another whole Star Destroyer to defend the planet from orbit!"

 

"Actually, Luke, rumor is they may have reinforced it with three Imperial-Class Star Destroyers!" Wedge corrected.

 

"Well let’s hope that’s just a rumor, Wedge!" Luke said, worried that that much Imperial activity not only meant they’d have a hard time retaking Mos Eisley (and therefore Tatooine, Luke’s home) but also that it could mean the Imperials were up to something in the sector.

 

 

"Well, my wings ready to go," Star said.

 

"Ok. Hit the hyper on my mark," Luke said reaching for the hyper lever. "Now!" The twenty fighters and the Great Fox sped into to blue flames hyperspace, ready for the upcoming battle.

 

 

"What the hell?" Wedge Antilles said as the group came out of hyperspace prematurely. "We’re still an hour away from Tatooine!"

 

"Must be an Impellor ship," Luke said calmly, almost sighing. "Ok boys you know what to do. Search and destroy!"

 

"Luke, I’m not seeing it on scanners," another member of Rogue squadron said.

 

"That’s impossible. Impellor’s don’t have stealth technology!"

 

"Guys I hate to interrupt you," Star said looking at a small moon, "but I think we found something other than an Impellor-Class Star Destroyer. It looks like we stumbled upon an Imperial base. That moon must have a gravity well generator on it!" Star said as the twenty fighters and the Great Fox turned to face the small "moon."

 

"Oh, shit…" Wedge cursed. "There aren’t any moons out here Ms. McCloud."

 

"Then if it’s not a moon what the hell is it?" John said nervously. "The Imperials wouldn’t try to build a 3rd Death Star after the 2nd and 1st were defeated! Would they," John asked hopeful that the Empire had not built another one of their planet-killers.

 

"Oh crap," Cindy Carson said from her post in front of the sensor screen on the Great Fox. "Guys I’m detecting three entire wings of short-range TIE Fighter’s heading your way! Distance- 50 kilometers!"

 

 

"For the love of God not again!" a member of Rogue squadron said angrily.

 

"Does this ever end?!" another member screamed.

 

"Ok Rogues, hold together. Stay tight and follow my lead." Luke said as Rogue squadron formed up around him. "Avenger Squadron, you guys get the heck out of here. With the Great Fox’s new afterburner array it should be able to go as fast as your fighters should for the thirty minutes it will take to get out of here! According to my sensor readings the gravity well’s affects end at this point," Luke said downloading a nav point one hundred kilometers away into all of the Cornerian Avenger squadron’s computers. "You run for that point with the Great Fox while we hold off these TIEs!"

 

"Skywalker, are you insane?" Chris said. "That’s three wings of TIEs you’re talking about! That’s over a 180 fighters!"

 

"Just go… we’ve been through worse," Luke insisted.

 

"But-"

 

"Do as he says," Star commanded. "Head for the nav point he gave us."

 

"But Star we can’t just abandon them!" John objected.

 

"As your commander," Star began, "my duty comes to you first. Then it comes to others. Now in order to save your guy’s asses I order you to go to that nav point and engage your hyperdrives once you arrive there!"

 

"Yes ma’am," everyone said grumpily. The Great Fox initiated it’s 30 minute afterburner boost and the convoy, minus Rogue Squadron, headed for the nav point that would save their lives. Twenty-five minutes passed as the team heard Rogue Squadron’s communications in fighting the three wings of TIEs.

 

"Watch your back, Luke," one member said.

 

"Don’t worry I got ‘em!" Luke said as he looped his fighter to destroy the TIE. Then Luke got close enough to the Death Star to get a good reading on it.

 

"Avenger Squadron, come in!" Luke screamed.

 

 

"This is Avenger 1," Star said, "what is it Luke?"

 

"You guys, I found out where the Death Star is headed! It’s going to the Lupus system! I repeat it is heading for the-" suddenly static filled the line.

 

"Oh shit Luke’s been disabled!" A Rogue said as he saw Luke’s fighter being docked with an Assault Transport. Soon all the Rogue’s were disabled and boarded. The Rogue’s were captured…

 

"We’re at the nav point now!" Star screamed as solemnly as one could while screaming. "Set course for the Lupus System and open me a comm channel with them ASAP! We have to warn the RCN! Let’s get the hell out of here!" The eight fighter’s and the Great Fox went to hyperspace carrying information that could save a planet; if they got their in time.

 

Chapter 3: Informing their Majesties

 

"What are we going to do? What can we do? Sit and wait to die?" Alpha Female of Canis at her throne beside her husband.

 

 

"Did they find our destination?" a small Imperial admiral asked, turning to his first officer.

 

"I don’t believe so sir," the brigadier answered, looking up from his report.

 

"I detect unsurity in your voice brigadier," the admiral said. "It would be most unfortunate if you were wrong and did not inform me you could have been. That kind of incident is something that could cut your career short. And maybe your life if Lord Vader were to find our surprise attack was unsuccessful because of you."

 

"Well, sir," the brigadier said nervously, swallowing loudly, "it’s possible that starfighter that got within one hundred clicks of us got a good reading. But it’s unlikely sir!" the brigadier added seeing the admiral give him a threatening glare. "Even if it did it most assuredly did not get a message off to its escaping friends!"

 

"You had better hope so brigadier, or you may soon find yourself in Emperor Palpatine’s elite division; as a figurehead for their war-room!" the Admiral screamed angrily as the Brigadier of the Army cowered. "Get your filth out of my bridge before I report you to Lord Vader," the admiral threatened, turning to a young commander as the brigadier retreated from the bridge hastily.

 

"Commander I trust you plan to interrogate the rebels that we have captured?" the Admiral asked.

 

"Actually sir, his lord, Darth Vader, said that he wished to carry out the interrogations," the commander swallowed, "personally." The admiral grinned. The rebels would not escape them this time. Vader would get much information of the Rogue’s; the Admiral was sure of it!

 

 

"THIS ISN’T A GOD DAMNED JOKE!" Star McCloud said from the bridge of the Great Fox. The secretary to the Alpha Pair of Canis was on the viewscreen in front of her. She was having a hard time believing Star’s story and was not patching her through to the "extremely busy and preoccupied" Alpha Pair.

 

"I’m sorry ma’am but your going to have to calm down," the young male wolf said calmly.

 

"Listen very carefully Mr. Secretary… your world is under threat of destruction. We’re on our way to help. You need to mobilize your armed forces!"

 

"Ma’am I just can’t believe your story!" the secretary said turning to her computer. "You may be famed ever since everyone found out who you were but that’s not going to make it so every prank call you make is going to get through. The Imperials would never come back to Canis after we kicked them out-system so fast they’re buts got rope burn! And it’s extremely improbable to even suggest they’d build another Death Star. I mean they hardly have enough resources at this point to build a Super Star Destroyer due to the rebel’s attacks!"

 

"Listen I found it just as hard to believe but trust me when I say your world is in danger," Star said calmly.

 

"Listen, I know this is a mistake but," the secretary paused and he pushed a button. "Sir, Ma’am, could you both come out here please! We’ve got a possible emergency." Two voices acknowledged and Star sighed in relief seeing the two crowned wolves, the Alpha Pair, sit down in front of the vidcam.

 

"Your royal highnesses!" Star said, saluting. The Alpha Pair bowed their heads in greeting. "I have come to bring saddening news about the Galactic Empire and maybe the fate of your world." The Alpha Pair’s ears perked at the mention of both the Empire and fate of their world.

 

"Please," the female monarch said, "continue."

 

"Several hours ago my and Rogue Squadrons attempted an attack on Mos Eisley. Before we could arrive we were brought out of hyperspace by a gravity well generator. I am saddened to report that this well did not come from an Impellor-Class ship."

 

"Then w-what was it?" the male monarch asked, stuttering with fear for his people at what he guessed her next words would be.

 

"A Death Star," Star said as the monarchs embraced each other upon hearing the shattering news. They both knew the dreaded ship was heading straight for their world; why else would Star have contacted them?

 

 

Suddenly the secretary bolted upright. "Ma’am, sir! You’re not going to believe this are you?"

 

"We have to. The McClouds are a trusted and honored clan. They stand among the Great Packs in our eyes." The female monarch said. The Monarchs recovered their composure.

 

"We will prepare and mobilize the RCN immediately. We’re not going down without a fight!" the "king" said. "We will prepare an evacuation also… if we’re lucky we’ll be able to get three-fourths of the planets population off the planet before that thing gets within range. Well… how far away is it?"

 

"About 6 parsecs… umm… 18 light years I think," Star said.

 

"Can your nation come to assist?" the "queen" asked

 

"I’m afraid not…" Star said, almost ashamed that her country could not help. "My people believe we should conserve our forces just in case it comes to us…" Star trailed off.

 

 

"I understand," the king said, "we would have done the same thing. Well we had better get started… Alpha Pair out!" The screen went dead and Star turned away to face her crew.

 

 

Chapter 3: Evacuation and Mobilization

 

"Me, Red Fox, Wulfe, and Star together again. Who would have thought." Cyberwulfe at his cabin.

 

 

Emergency sirens blared in the cities of Canis as the populace did a poor job of "calmly" evacuating. Unfortunately like humans they had a tendency to panic under situations like these.

 

Cyberwulfe looked up from the painting he was drawing of his cabin as he heard the alarms in the faraway cities with his acute and bionically enhanced ears. ‘Not again,’ he thought, remembering the Cyborg Wars of his people’s past. He half-expected to see RCN fighters fly overhead firing their weapons and a big boom from somewhere nearby. But he didn’t. Instead a shuttle flew overhead.

 

As the landing pads came down and the shuttle touched down, just missing crushing his small cabin by a few inches, Cyberwulfe stopped painting. Three wolven officers stepped out of the Lambda-Class shuttle and Cyberwulfe took a step back, startled at the sudden intrusion of his privacy.

 

"Umm… Greetings," Cyberwulfe said as he approached the three officers.

 

"You’ve been drafted, sir," one of the officers said. "Every wolf that can fly has been."

 

"Excuse me? What’s going on?" Cyberwulfe asked, confused.

 

"Haven’t you heard? The Imperials are coming back to finish us off!"

 

"WHAT!?" Cyberwulfe dropped the paintbrush he was still holding and it fell to the ground with a small snap.

 

"Yeah and this time their packing more punch than a few SD’s!!!!" the second officer said. "They brought a whole stinking Death Star!" Cyberwulfe paused and turned around a few minutes in shock. After recovering he turned back.

 

"My orders, sirs?" Cyberwulfe asked, ready to serve at this grave news.

 

"Well since the RCN won’t allow any cyborg officers into it’s ranks yet you’ll have to link up with one of the incoming mercenary squads." The 3rd officer handed Cyberwulfe an electronic roster silently. "You can pick any of them. Being an ace has its advantages, eh sir?" Cyberwulfe smiled as he looked at the long list. He skimmed through several pages, but found no elite units he knew.

 

"I hope we don’t have all green mercenaries, officer!"

 

"Oh no sir, your not seeing Avenger Squadron, are you?"

 

"That’s an elite Imperial squadron!" Cyberwulfe screamed in surprise.

 

"No sir… we’ve got our own Avengers now. They’re led by Star McCloud," the 2nd officer said pointing to the Avenger Squadron listing.

 

"I had the pleasure of meeting her once… too bad she got revealed."

 

"You found that out?" the 3rd officer asked stepping forward, speaking for the first time.

 

"News travels slow in the woods but not that slow! Excuse me while I get my things." Cyberwulfe ran into his cabin and emerged with his Bible, a few civilian cloths and one military uniform and jumpsuit.

 

"That’s all you need?" the 3rd officer asked.

 

"Yep, reading, normal cloths, and work cloths." Cyberwulfe responded. "Now take me to the Great Fox… it’ll be nice to meet Star again." The four walked into the transport and it sped out of the atmosphere.

 

 

"You’re drafting me?!" Wulfe Litefoot exclaimed to the wolf on his computer screen. "Hey if you want me to help you, you have to have the dough! I’m not working for some piece of shit recruit’s wage!"

 

"Wulfe, you don’t seem to understand! We’re low on cash as it is!" the Secretary of the Royal Canis Navy said on the other line.

 

"Just why do you need me?"

 

"Canis is under attack… by a Death Star," the Secretary blurted out. Wulfe fur even seemed to go white at this news.

 

"When can I leave for Canis?" Wulfe said reluctantly.

 

"In one hour a transport will be arriving at the spaceport your residing in."

 

"Ok. Sir, I still demand a monetary prize. But since this is such an important defense I’ll give you a discount. Let’s say; §10,000?" (§ is the universally recognized symbol for credits… like $).

 

"Very well," the Secretary sighed. "Transfering the money to your account now," the Secretary General said pushing a button. The console beeped and Wulfe smiled.

 

"Ok now which ship will I be based on sir?"

 

 

"Excuse me, ma’am?" an electronic voice said in Red Fox’s shower room over the intercom.

 

"Who is it, computer?"

 

"A General Chang. He is the current residing secretary of the RCN, ma’am."

 

"I know. Can it wait?" Red said, reaching for the shampoo.

 

"It’s a Zulu Priority call ma’am!" Red Fox went white. Zulu meant only one thing… invasion alert.

 

"Tell him I’ll be at my comm monitor in a moment!"

 

"Yes ma’am."

 

Five minutes later Red Fox was seated in front of the monitor. "Computer, on screen," Red said. The screen lit up with life as the Secretary General of the Royal Canis Navy came onto the screen.

 

"Ah ma’am, greetings. I’m sorry to interrupt but this can’t wait," the largely built husky said.

 

"That’s perfectly fine. Who is it?" Red asked, getting straight to the point.

 

"Those Imperial sons a bitches I’m afraid," the general said, sipping his coffee. It was rather early in the day still and Red Fox had yet to have breakfast.

 

"What’s their fleet comprised of?" Red Fox asked, getting up and walking to her bookshelf to retrieve a book on Imperial Armaments as she talked.

 

"A Death Star with full escorts." Red stopped pulling out the book she had chosen and stood still as a statue.

 

"E-Excuse me, sir?" Red asked nervously, sure she had misheard.

 

"An Imperial Death Star. I realize this news must be shocking. I mean you didn’t here about it because you’ve been away from Canis recently. Plus we aren’t releasing this information to any foreign presses, only foreign leaderships. It’s understandable you haven’t heard."

 

 

Red Fox, now recovered from her shock, turned around and sat back down, book in paw. "Is she the standard Death Star or a new model?"

 

"As far as we can tell from Rogue Squadrons scanning information that was recovered it’s a new model. Upgraded with more modern weaponry and a more powerful planet-killer laser."

 

"Is it stoppable?"

 

"We think using the old torpedo down the tailpipe method will work again," the secretary said, shuffling in his seat.

 

"And if it doesn’t, sir?" Red Fox asked nervously.

 

"Then God be with us," the Secretary answered, fear filling his voice.

 

 

The Fleet was huge. Almost as large as the fleet that had been assembled to fight the Freedom Force that threatened Lylat so seemingly long ago.

 

Although no other military mights were helping with the defense many small powers who knew they would have no chance against the Death Star alone and even more Mercenaries joined the fleet. Civilian craft from small asteroid belt tugboats to huge spaceliners came to help willingly and they were outfitted with makeshift weaponry. A Rebel fleet too was on its way, although it would not arrive until almost the same time the Imperials would arrive.

 

The Rebels didn’t want to destroy the Death Star, for their hero Luke Skywalker was on board, although they were prepared to destroy the wretched ship if necessary. To that end one ship and it’s fighters would be assigned to attempting to dock with the Death Star amidst the chaos of the battle and get the Jedi out of the ship before it was destroyed. That ship would be the Great Fox.

 

"Coming out of hyperspace now, Star!" Slippy said, entering a few commands into his nav computer. "Three ships are modifying their courses toward us. They are approaching at hostile vectors." Star remained calm, knowing this to be procedure.

 

"This is Guard Dog 1, ship identify yourself immediately!" a voice said over the comm.

 

"This is the MSS Great Fox, flagship of the Avenger Squadron," Star said.

 

"Please give your registration code, class of ship, password, purpose for being in this system, and destination."

 

"Our registration code is DCC 124-8925-A and we are a customized advanced Super Dreadnought. Our password is 98302 point 932 dash 12. Our purpose is the defense of this system and the recovery of a Rebel officer during the defense. Our destination is the Nova Cat Capital Starship Squadron." Star paused for a moment, reviewing over her mind if she had all that correct. "Do we have clearance, sir?"

 

"Confirmed, change to heading 213.3, bearing 303." The RCN ships took escort around the Great Fox as it sped towards its destination.

 

Star got up from her command chair and walked to John, officially her second in command. He was manning the tactical panel with Falco and the two were arguing over whether they should put more power to shields or weapons during the battle.

 

"Gentlemen," Star said, intruding on their conversation, "I’d hate to interrupt but I need to see you both in the Captains Lounge. Falco and John looked at her inquisitively but followed her orders nonetheless.

 

"So what is it?" Falco, officially the 3rd in command, said as he and John entered the Lounge that was situated directly off of the bridge.

 

"We have 3 new temporary members coming into our squadron guys."

 

"Star I can’t fit any more ships on the flight deck!" John, who was in command of handling the flight deck, objected.

 

"I know that, but your going to have to find room somewhere. Maybe we can convert one of the cargo holds into a backup bay."

 

"Star that’ll cause havoc with the-" Falco started to say.

 

"Sorry but the fleet doesn’t have enough room for all these fighters. Even keeping them grounded only for refueling is causing a huge strain on the fleet. We need to take in more fighters."

 

"Well I can keep some grounded only for refuel," John said, shrugging.

 

"No we can’t," Star said. "I’m afraid we’re running low on fuel; and cash. I can’t afford any more fuel right now and we only have enough to refuel four ships 15 times. And the Death Star won’t arrive for another day, so we’d have to refuel those new ships at least 20 times till then!"

 

"Very well," John said, pacing around the room in thought. "I can create on-hull fighter latches for the 3 new fighters! Slippy should be able to build them with the materials we got on board!"

 

"Good thinking John."

 

"Who’re these new pilots all the sudden?" Falco asked.

 

"A Wulfe Litefoot, Cyberwulfe, and," Star looked at her list not knowing the last one, "Red Fox."

 

"Oh great! A mercenary that makes Andross look good, a freak, and someone that makes Obi-Wan Kanobi look normal!" Falco said in frustration.

 

"It’s not like your any better, bird-brain!" Star scolded.

 

"Uh oh I see a discrimination lawsuit coming!" John quipped. Star laughed but Falco merely glared at both of them.

 

"How can you be so calm! We’re taking on a freak show!"

 

"Falco, for once in your life, shut you beak," John said in a low, tight voice.

 

"Hey I’ll accept the mystic but those other two scare me! I’ve heard stories about what they do to anyone they even don’t like the smell of!"

 

"Well for Wulfe," Star shrugged, "half those stories are probably true." A chill ran down Falco’s spine. "But it’s not like he’s gonna kill you cause you stand a way he doesn’t like!"

 

"Well what about the other one! Some cyborg! Hell in just about every race that’s experimented with those things they’ve gone violent and evil! I won’t work with no stinking unintelligent piece of metal."

 

"Shut your mouth!" Star slapped Falco. "I’ve met Cyberwulfe and he’s Reverant and very religious, two things you’ll never be! He’s quite the gentleman! Especially compared to you, you feathered freak!" Star screamed angrily as she stomped out of the room.

 

John made a tsk sound and said, "when will you ever learn Falco?" John exited the room as Falco held his still sore face.

 

 

"This is Reinforcement Squadron to MSS Great Fox, permission to land?"

 

"This is Great Fox, V-45, come up on our port bow and dock with docking clamp. Wulfe, Red Fox, come into our docking bay." Rogers were heard over the line as the ships maneuvered to dock or land.

 

"Star I’ve got a contact coming out of hyper less than half a kilometer away!" Slippy exclaimed in surprise. "Looks like some sort of daredevil coming out that close!"

 

"Enemy of friendly?" John asked from over Star’s shoulder.

 

"Friendly… identifying craft as… it’s Rita Star!!! She’s back!"

 

"Oh thank God… I thought she’d never come out of her depression for a while their…" Everyone was silent.

 

"This is Rita Lashette!" a feminine voice said over the communications speakers. "Permission to dock on your hull? My fighter can stay suspended on the docking clamps of the ship, it’s designed for that."

 

"Ok Rita, come on in." Star turned to John. "John, pressurize the docking collar."

 

"Yes ma’am," John said, seemingly oblivious to the fact that he was no longer in the military as he pressurized the docking collar with military efficiency.

 

"We’d better get down to the docking corridor. Inform our other new members to meet us there," Star ordered as she got out of her seat.

 

 

"Miss Lashette, what on Corneria did you do to your fighter!?" John exclaimed, surprised at the heavy damage he could see through the viewport on Rita’s fighter.

 

 

"Umm… I got into a tussle with Wolf," Rita said, smearing Wolf’s name like it were the nastiest word in the dictionary.

 

"Rita you didn’t!" Star exclaimed. "You can’t just go putting your life on the line just because of Fo-" Star was cut off.

 

"Just because of Fox! How dare you say just because of Fox! He’s a great man and you’re his sister for the love of Christ!"

 

"Was, Rita, was," Falco said quietly, a tear in his eye.

 

"Shut up!" Rita screamed coldly. Her face melted quickly though. "I’m sorry," she mumbled. "It’s just…" Rita couldn’t continue.

 

"We know Rita," Star said, putting a comforting paw on her shoulder.

 

"So," Rita said, clearing up a few tears and forcing herself to speak boldly, "who are these new members?"

 

"You mean Wulfe and them? They’re not here yet… they’re on their way though," John said.

 

"No I think she meant you and your group, John," Star said turning to Rita to explain the new members.

 

"Well we combined Star Fox and the old Talon Team into one squadron. I’m sure you’ve heard the name."

 

"Yeah, the Avengers," Rita said quietly. "No need to repeat its purpose. It’ll just turn me into a sensitive bitch again," Rita said, trying to muster a smile.

 

She hated being so melancholy yet she couldn’t not be melancholy. In a way she had lost her brother, her friend, and her lover at the same time when Fox died. She didn’t have much left except for Star, but they weren’t very close. Star had never grown up with Fox and Rita due to her training and they were more like distant cousins than sisters because of that. Without the telepathic bond Star and Fox had she always felt left out too, since Fox could always have known what Star was doing at the academy while she couldn’t.

 

Suddenly three figures appeared in the hallway, walking steadily forward, two of them, the wolves from what John could see of their outlines, arguing while they walked.

 

 

"You think that won the rebels the battle over…" Cyberwulfe was saying. But he stopped when he saw the group ahead.

 

"Ah, Star! So good to see you again!" Cyberwulfe greeted as he hugged Star. "Allow me to introduce ourselves," Cyberwulfe said to the audience, noticing their was an extra in the small crowd. "I am Cyberwulfe," Cyberwulfe said putting his paw over his chest, "and this here is my esteemed colleague and brother Wulfe Litefoot," he said pointing to Wulfe on his right, "and this here is Red Fox," he said pointing to Red Fox on his left.

 

"Nice to meet you all," John and the others from his squadron said, shaking their hands. Falco, still sore from Star in more ways than one, reluctantly shook hands with the three. John wondered if Falco would be a problem.

 

"I believe we’ve met, Mr. Robertson," Wulfe said, bristling slightly at spotting the former captain in the CRAF.

 

"Uh oh," O’Brien said under his breath. The tenseness of the air could have been cut with a knife. Star quickly spoke up, averting a disaster by a few seconds.

 

"Why don’t we all head for the Entertainment Room so we can get to know each other better. Nothing like a good game of Chinese Checkers to aquaint yourself with someone, eh?" Star said, muttering as to how she would keep this squadron together as she walked down the corridor with the large group behind her.

 

Chapter 5: Bad Blood

 

"It’s was all a blur really, Wolf just bounced on me. I showed him who was the asskicker though," Rita Lashette, at the Academy years ago.

 

 

"Now, Skywalker, you are mine at last," a dark figure said in front of Luke Skywalker. They were in his prison cell, although Luke was not chained.

 

"Your alive?" Luke asked.

 

"Amazing the works of cloning," Vader said, grinning beyond his mask. "They managed to cleanse the light side of the force that you so cleverly sabotaged me with earlier."

 

"I’ll never tell you anything Father," Luke said, bowing his head.

 

"Did you get off that message to that Cornerian ship, Luke?" Vader asked threateningly.

 

"I’ll never tell you Father. You should know your own son."

 

"Guards!" Vader called, "bring me the brainwave scrambler! Now I don’t want to have to torture you Luke. I still think that together we can rule the galaxy. Give in to the Dark Side Luke! With it you cannot fail! Embrace your hate, your anger, and you shall be cleansed of this disease you call the Light Side!"

 

"Never," Luke said, "Never! I will never join you. You didn’t have the guts to kill me last time father and I don’t believe you will this time either."

 

"We shall see young Jedi, we shall see."

 

 

Rita was in the gym, alone, punching a punching bag with rage and fury coming from deep within her soul. She was talking to herself as she punched.

 

"First," Rita said, punching the bag, "I’m gonna cut off the son of a bitches toes." She was obviously speaking of Wolf. "Then I’m gonna cut off his fingers, one by one! Then I’ll sever his arms and then his legs, no painkillers for that bastard!" Rita screamed hitting the bag so hard her paw went right through it. She moved onto another one but before she could continue she had the feeling she was being watched.

 

"Who is it?" Rita asked, hearing a scurrying. ‘Stinking paranoia,’ Rita thought, ‘ever since the Academy…’ Rita put the thought out of her mind and began punching again.

 

"You know, Rita, it’s not too late to come back to me," a voice said from behind her. She turned around with lightning speed to see the face of her greatest adversary and enemy, Wolf O’Donnel.

 

"How the hell did you get on board!?" She screamed. "For that matter how the hell did you get in system!?"

 

"That’s of no matter, I just want to talk about," Wolf said sitting down on a bench some ten meters away, "us."

 

"Star, John, can anybody hear me?" Rita screamed, not believing she left her comm badge in the lockers. "Computer intruder alarm!" Nothing happened.

 

"I disabled it," Wolf said. "Just for us."

 

"Your sick," Rita said.

 

"Don’t turn this into the Academy, Rita. I’m not a scraggly cadet anymore." Rita immediately bristled and went into combat stance.

 

"You take one step closer to me I’ll kick your ass harder than I did in the Academy!"

 

"Come now Rita, it doesn’t have to be like this," Wolf said, getting up and approaching her as he unzipped his jacket, exposing a white T-shirt. He looked very threatening, but Rita was confident she could handle him. Wolf knew how to fight, but not as well as Rita.

 

"You killed my lover," Rita screamed with rage as tears fell, "and you expect me to love you!? You’re a twisted son of a bitch Wolf!"

 

"I am your only lover!!!!" Wolf screamed angrily. "I love you more than the stars themselves, the moon, the sun!"

 

"Then why’d you try to rape me you bastard!"

 

"Because I loved you darling!" Wolf said approaching Star with his arms wide. Star wasn’t about to even let Wolf get by with a hug. She immediately delivered a kick to Wolf’s crotch with her steel-toed boots.

 

"May it never work again," Rita said.

 

"Why you little BITCH!" Wolf screamed, keeling over in pain. He quickly recovered and fell into attack stance himself. "You want to fight first, let’s fight."

 

"You’ll never get a second thing Wolf!" Rita screamed with rage, kicking high at Wolf’s face. Wolf grabbed her leg and ducked, pulling her over him. Rita landed on the ground with a bang. She quickly got up. Wolf began another advance.

 

"What the hell is going on here? Who is that?!!!" John screamed in the doorway. Wolf turned in horror, realizing someone had come in. With this distraction Rita kicked him in the head with another high kick. Wolf fell to the ground, still conscious.

 

 

"One to beam up," Wolf mumbled as he sat up straight. "Goodbye my love. Until we meet again," Wolf said as red particles engulfed him.

 

"Who was that!?" John asked, standing alone in the doorway.

 

"Oh thank you John!" Rita said running towards him from the other side of the expansive gym. "I couldn’t have held him much longer, he’s a better fighter than I thought!"

 

"Who was it, Rita!" John asked, frustrated.

 

"Wolf O’Donnel, murderer, rapist, all around bad guy," Rita said.

 

"Oh I heard about that incident… sorry," John said looking down. "Did he try it again here?"

 

"Apparently. Sadistic son of a bitch thinks I love him and am in denial about it. He’s living in his own little world. A world where I love him," Rita said with disgust.

 

"How the heck did he get on board!?" John asked, more screaming than asking.

 

"Who knows… all I know is only the terran humans have beaming tech, so," Rita said, fear in her voice.

 

 

"So we’ve got a ship behind our lines, probably cloaked," John said, almost to himself. Rita nodded. "Well isn’t that just peachy," John said.

 

"I-I need to go to my room," Rita stuttered, visibly shaken by this second encounter with Wolf. "Excuse me," she said, walking fast to her room as John told Star over the comm about the problem.

 

 

"What do you mean we can’t find the ship!?" Falco screamed, leaning forward on Stars desk.

 

"It’s using too advanced tech. Commands solving the problem by ordering all ships to maintain yellow alert at all times with shields up," Star explained.

 

"Star, there’s gotta be some way," Chris said from the other side of Star’s office.

 

"There isn’t," Cyberwulfe said for Star. "Cloaked ships aren’t that easy to spot."

 

"Well it’s just like your kind to say we bio’s don’t know shit isn’t it, Cybie?" Falco snapped.

 

"What did you say?" Cyberwulfe said, turning rather threateningly.

 

"Shut your god damned mouth Falco before your beak gets knocked off!" Star screamed.

 

"Don’t worry," Cyberwulfe said, "I’m not irrational like this feathered pincushion of prejudice is over there."

 

"Oh so now us ‘bios’ aren’t rational?" Falco said, seeming to be begging Cyberwulfe to kill him.

 

"I think he meant you exclusively idiot," Cindy said quietly.

 

"Oh now you guys are siding with the cyborg?" Falco said, seeming to want to make enemies today. "Next thing you know you’ll side with Mr. Death and Ms. Mystic over here."

 

"What!?" Red Fox and Wulfe Litefoot screamed at the same time. Wulfe immediately began to approach Falco, muscles bulging.

 

"You don’t know the meaning of death shit-for-brains," Wulfe said in a low, threatening voice. John tugged at the collar of his uniform, feeling the tension in the room smothering him.

 

"Now lets all just calm down," Slippy said coming in between Wulfe and Falco, putting his hands out. John almost laughed at the sight of this little frog trying to hold off one behemoth and one agile bird with only two hands. Wulfe backed off but it was not over yet.

 

Suddenly a trophy came off Star’s case. "It won’t be damaged, Star," Red Fox said, following the trophy with her eyes. It charged toward Falco as the avian ran for his life down the hallway. A loud crash was heard down the hall as the sound of something breaking broke loose.

 

The group ran to the kitchen, where the trophy had chased Falco, and discovered the bird in a pile of broken plates.

 

"I’ll replace them," Red Fox said. "And to make this complete," Red said, looking at the ceiling. It began to shake and suddenly the ceiling above Falco broke a small baseball-sized hole now in it. Green sewage began to land on Falco’s head. John had never seen a being move so fast. Everyone laughed, even the depressed Rita, as Falco ran for the showers at his fastest, sewage decorating his plumage. It was cruel but no one could deny Falco deserved it.

 

Red quickly sealed the hole with her powers and the squadron made their way to the recreation area. Cindy had a code that allowed them to spy on the shower area of the ship. Red Fox fixed the sewage system to be linked with Falco’s shower before he got to his room. Star would change the shower coding soon to combat Cindy’s espionage but for now selling videos of Falco showering with sewage would suffice. Embarrassment on top of humility, how perfect for Falco.

 

Falco worked quietly on his fighter, cleaning the cockpit while muttering to himself. Falco didn’t like being messed with, and this went too far. They thought he was some hotheaded hotshot, eh? He’d show them a hotheaded hotshot! He vowed he would get revenge, and he would get revenge soon.

 

 

"This is patrol flight one, we’re headin’ into the asteroids!" Falco said into the comm of his fighter as it sped towards the desolate asteroid field with his five wingman, Red Fox, Cyberwulfe, John, O’Brien, and Wulfe.

 

"Confirmed Patrol 1, find us any enemy scout fighters if you can. They may be hiding in those asteroids. We’ll lose sensor contact with you in 3, 2, 1." Static filled the line as communications were interfered by the asteroids, and a three-kilometer long asteroid blotted out Lupus, the Canis’ star.

 

"John, O’Brien, switch to private channel, could ‘ya?" Falco asked. John being the flight leader could have overridden this request, but wanted to hear what Falco needed to say so badly.

 

"Sure," came two responses. "Private line open."

 

"I accidentally turned our flight recorders off before the mission, guys. We can smoke these guys, just one shot, right down their tailpipes, and nobody will know any better. It was a Venom patrol, right you two?" Falco said, thirsting for revenge.

 

"What?!" John screamed. "You didn’t hear that O’Brien. Neither did I! Falco drop it, now!" John screamed, arming his missile launcher.

 

"After what those cyborgs did to your race O’Brien, your gonna let it go!? And, John, after what that mercenary, Leon, did to your parents, your gonna let the coldest-blooded of all of us get away!? Are you two nuts?"

 

"I think you got it backward Falco," O’Brien said.

 

"And there’s no way I can let the mystic go… not after what she did to me!"

 

"Falco, stop it!" John screamed, dodging an asteroid. "You’re scaring the shit out of me!" Suddenly Falco’s fighter broke formation and sped towards Red Fox’s fighter.

 

"Falco," Red said on her main comm line, "what the hell are you doing? Your on a collision course!" Falco’s fighter continued to speed up, closing to within half a click of Red Fox. "Falco your on collision! Turn port, turn poooort!" Red Fox screamed, banking hard right and clipping her wing on Falco’s craft as it passed. Red’s fighter spiraled out of control, into an asteroid.

 

"Code Able! Fire on Falco, all fighters, open fire!" John screamed painfully through his comm. Laser fire erupted and a grand dogfight began. Despite the odds, Falco kept outmaneuvering and outgunning his opponents.

 

"You asked for it John!" Falco screamed, firing a concussion missile, this time no longer in a simulation. John’s fighter took heavy damage as the missile hit, and he began to spiral out of control, towards a small asteroid a kilometer away.

 

Alarms buzzed in John’s fighter as he desperately tried to eject. After realizing the ejection controls were fried, he concentrated on regaining control of his fighter. He pulled up a mere five feet away from the asteroid and sped off towards space again, having regained control of his craft.

 

"I surrender," Falco said, bowing his head.

 

"I ought’a shoot you down where you are, murderer," John said as he took escort around Falco’s Warhawk Arwing.

 

"I didn’t mean to kill anyone," Falco said, weeping as he spoke. "I just wanted to give her a scare! But she god damned banked toward the way I was turning off! And when I realized I had killed her I panicked. I knew I couldn’t surrender," Falco broke into tears and began blubbering incoherently.

 

"Well she may not be dead," John said unconvincingly, heading toward the asteroid in which Red Fox’s fighter had exploded. He came up within feet of the small hundred yard wide asteroid and began skimming its surface.

 

Then he found the wreckage. The fighter was in shambles, completely destroyed and mauled over.

 

"She’s dead," John said quietly. He had known Red before meeting her on the Great Fox and anger, fear, sadness, and rage swept through him. "I don’t have visual confirmation," ‘thank god,’ he thought, knowing whatever was left had to look bad, "but from the looks of the wreckage…" John mumbled something no one could here over the line.

 

"Someone, help, anyone," a voice came over the line. John smiled as he recognized the voice.

 

"Well Falco, maybe we can overlook this incident after all," he said, piloting his craft toward a spot in space where it appeared Red Fox had ejected. John was confused at the fact that she was able to eject though. A spiraling fighter can’t eject, so it was quite a fluke Red had been able to escape. John docked with the escape pod and headed home, escorting Falco’s fighter as he went.

 

 

"He did what?!" Star screamed in her office, stomping loudly up to Falco, rage and hate in her eyes as she approached. Falco cowered as if he had been struck by the look in her eyes as everyone on the team, temporary and permanent members, watched.

 

"Just like I said," John repeated, "he played a game of chicken with Red Fox. Course she wasn’t playing, only him, but still," John shrugged.

 

"You little revenge-seeking pissant!" Star screamed at Falco, the end of her nose coming only inches away from the end of his beak as she snarled and showed her teeth to him. Falco cowered more, at one point wondering if Star would make him her next meal.

 

"Star, I think he’s learned his lesson," John said reluctantly. "Falco just wanted to scare Red real bad, he didn’t mean any harm. He also meant to scare us when he talked about shooting them down. It was all a huge fiasco!"

 

"Caused by him," Star said, turning away from and pointing to Falco. She walked to her desk and sat down.

 

"Star," Cyberwulfe said, "he did sabotage us." Cyberwulfe sounded as if done, but continued. "But John’s right. He has learned his lesson and it was an accident."

 

"Ok," Star agreed, pausing. "Falco, this is going to cost you at least. I’m slapping you with a Mercenaries Compensation Fine (MCF). You’ve broken part of your contract. I believe you owe me §500. Also you’re going to have to pay for a new fighter for Red Fox and repair any damages you caused."

 

"O-o-k," Falco stuttered. "I didn’t mean to hurt anybody or thing Star!" Falco said, tearing up (a rarity for Falco). "Honest!"

 

"I know," she said, sympathizing but only to a point. "But you have to learn to hold that temper Falco! It almost got someone killed today! In fact John would be dead right now too if it weren’t for him being able to pull up at the very last moment! And next time, god forbid there be a next time, surrender from the start and explain what happened! I swear I thought you’d be smarter than that! Where’s the brains, Falco?"

 

Falco nodded and got up to leave.

 

"One more thing Falco," Star said. "You’re confined to quarters until 0600 tomorrow." Falco nodded and exited with his head bowed in shame.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chapter 6: Capture, Torture, and Protection

 

"Rita held strong… never let him touch her… and me… and the other guys helped. But… he just kept coming and coming! They tortured us for our protection of Rita…" John Robertson, crying through his statement to the RCN.

 

 

John sat in the ship bar, with the new members in the squadron sitting by him at the barstools. Red Fox was serving the drinks, using her powers, a rather amusing thing to watch, as she drank.

 

"So your from Canis?" Rita asked of Red Fox, surprised.

 

"What?" Red asked. "You don’t know we’re canids just like these fella’s?" she said, pointing to Wulfe and Cyberwulfe.

 

"Well of course, but I never thought fox’s were native to Canis," Rita said. "I always thought we came from Corneria," Rita said, referring to John, Red, and herself.

 

"No, no, you got it wrong either way," John began, swigging his drink of non-alcoholic brandy. It was a poor imitation of the real thing. "Could I have a refill of the real thing?" John said. Red Fox gave him a disapproving look, knowing of his true age like everyone on board. "C’mone Red! You’ve always been so disapproving… just one. I think a deserve it after today."

 

"We all do," Wulfe added as he saw Red give into as the brandy rose from the counter, levitated. "Give me a shot too!"

 

"Heathens," Cyberwulfe commented quietly. Everyone smiled at Cyberwulfe’s reverence. Then smiling, "Now don’t you all go getting knocked out drunk… I won’t carry you out of here." Everyone nodded.

 

"Ya’see," John began, taking a sip, "there are two types of canids; the Earth Canids and the Alien Canids. Now the ‘aliens,’ as the humans like to call anything not themselves, are what Wulfe, Cyberwulfe, and Red Fox are. You and me’s origins are Earth. Our ancestors were genetically bred to fight, much like Cyberwulfe was modified to fight by being changed into a cyborg." Cyberwulfe bristled. "Oh, sorry, no offense meant," John said.

 

Cyberwulfe relaxed and said, "None taken," knowing that it was not an insult. Being around Falco had made Cyberwulfe very tense about comments.

 

"Anyway, for some odd reason the Canids from the Lupus system evolved just like us. It’s a strange oddity, really. There are a few minor differences, but nothing major. So really Corneria has it’s own Fox’s and Dog’s and so does Lupus. Odd isn’t it?" John asked.

 

Rita nodded her head. "This one’s for Wolf," Rita said, taking a rather large drink of whiskey. Everyone held back laughing at the comment, knowing Rita meant it not as a joke. "I’m gonna hurt him one’a these days. I’m gonna hurt him bad," Rita promised, pounding her chest lightly from the burn of the drink going down.

 

"So, John," Wulfe said, attempting to be friendly since they had to be (Cyberwulfe was forcing him), "how have you been since our last, umm…" he paused choosing the right words. "Encounter," he finished.

 

"Fine… I upgraded this old piece of junk into something halfway as modern and respectable as a military ship! Halfway that is," John said kicking the bulkhead under his seat and then seeming to go into a private reverie as he stared off into space.

 

"John, snap out of it," Red said.

 

"Yeah you’re reminding us of Peppy," Cyberwulfe said, not being able to resist despite his own "old" age.

 

"Damn your 40 or more yourself Cyb…" John said, chuckling softly.

 

"Yeah and I live quite a while longer too," Cyberwulfe responded, drinking his apple juice.

 

"Funny I can’t help envying your kind," John said, getting up to stretch. He was getting awfully cramped.

 

"Well living long isn’t all glory," Cyberwulfe said as John sat back down. "We get the ‘privilege’ of putting up with crap longer…" John chuckled.

 

"Well you don’t know how lucky you are… I’ll die by a hundred like most Cornerians… but you…" John shook his head.

 

"Why am I out of all of this!?" Rita asked humorously. "They live long?"

 

"Hundreds of years…" John almost whimpered. "They get to be scary wise old codgers," John said humorously. "They have ‘Great Packs’ which make up the wisest of their elders. It’s also a designation for an honorable family… the McClouds are one. You should feel lucky Rita." John put his drink down as he saw Wulfe and Rita stretch and sit back down, and Cyberwulfe toying with his cybertronic attachment controls.

 

"Are you guys cramped?" John asked nervously.

 

"Yeah," Wulfe said, "and it’s getting f-ing hot!" John checked his computer-linked chrono.

 

"Well it’s not… I’m hot too… it feels like a jungle!"

 

"Oh my god!" Rita screamed as six armed humans and a wolf beamed into the bar.

 

"Your mine, love," Wolf said, grabbing Rita and beaming out. Wulfe passed out, along with Red Fox.

 

"Have to stay awake," John said to himself, looking at Cyberwulfe who had just fallen. "Oh crud if a cyborg can’t take this gas…" John collapsed on the floor.

 

Dripping resounded in the room. John had just awoken and was still face down in a puddle. John turned over to see Rita standing above him.

 

"Your awake," she said, "good."

 

"What happened?"

 

"Nerve gas," Rita explained, "they captured only us five, not the others."

 

"Well aren’t we just the lucky ones," John said. "We get the grand prize! An all night, all expenses paid visit on the worlds most esteemed stealth torture ship!

 

"John we have to get out of here," Rita said with urgency. "Do you have any idea what he’ll… they maybe even… will do to me?" Rita screamed, almost in panic. "I can’t take that psychologically right now… maybe, factually speaking, some other time God forbid but not god damned after losing Fox! I can’t take it John," Rita began to cry as John got up.

 

"Don’t worry now," John said, resting Rita’s head on his shoulder. He felt awkward but it was all he could do. No one else was awake yet.

 

"You!" a human guard said at the prison cell gate, "commander Wolf wishes to see you. I hope you enjoy his… hospitality," the human smiled wickedly, knowing Wolf’s intentions of raping her and making her bow down before him.

 

"Go to Hell!" John screamed at the guard. "Why don’t you pick on someone your own size puny human!"

 

"Puny!? Not with a gun I ain’t!" the human said, pointing a strange looking blaster at John. He walked into the large jail cell and grabbed Rita, dropping his keys.

 

"NO!" John screamed, kicking the guard in the face as he kneeled over to pick up the keys he had dropped. The guard landed a few feet away, blood spewing from his mouth but still conscious as he hit the jail bars.

 

"Stupid animal," the guard said to himself, pulling out his gun and aiming.

 

"I’m no stinking barnyard animal you bastard!" John said, kicking the guard in the teeth, knocking him out, before he could fire. "Now if you don’t mind, we’ll be leaving this hellhole!" John began to pick up the keys but heard the electronic "beeew" of a blaster charging.

 

"I wouldn’t try that Star Fox…" Wolf said demonically. "Whoops! He’s dead isn’t he?! I forgot!" Wolf began laughing maniacally. Rita looked with hate toward Wolf.

 

"John, make me a promise," Rita said, still staring ahead while standing by John.

 

"What?"

 

"If he takes me, shoot me dead. Please."

 

"I can’t do that," John said quietly. "I’m going to protect you, not kill you."

 

"You’ll die doing so," Rita said quietly. "It would be nice to see Fox again anyway," Rita said quietly. "Better than having him," Rita trailed off unable to continue.

 

"Rita, Rita!" Wolf said approaching. "I’m not going to let the only one who got away from me kill herself! You know I respect a woman who can get away, and fight. Not only is it a challenge but it shows strength, something so many women and men don’t have anymore." John grabbed the blaster from the guard and pointed it at Wolf so fast he had no time to respond.

 

"One move and we’ll blow each other to kingdom come," John said. Wolf nodded ferociously exposing his teeth.

 

"Get away from her," Wolf said. "Now!"

 

"Go screw a cow!" John screamed, shooting. He missed as Wolf returned fire, hitting the wall and not John.

 

"Put the gun away Robertson," Wolf said. "There’s no need for us both to die in this honor duel your playing out here!"

 

"Oh you realized that’s what I was doing… I’m surprised you illiterate piece of shit!" John fired again, standing still, and hit Wolf’s arm. Wolf tasted blooded as he bit on his naturally thin tongue to prevent screaming. He returned fire and the weapon hit John in the leg. He fell with a thud to the ground as Wolf ran and walked in a combination over to John, holding his arm.

 

"Give me the gun, John," Rita said. John threw Rita the gun and she pointed it to her head. "I’d rather be dead than be raped by the looks of you. Hold on Fox, I’m coming," she said as she pulled the trigger. A loud bang resounded and John covered his eyes.

 

Wolf had shot the gun out of Rita’s hand.

 

 

"They’re just gone?" Star asked. Falco nodded, now being 2nd in command and required to be at the meeting despite his "grounding."

 

"They simply disappeared," Peppy said. "No trace of anything except maybe some cramping gas."

 

"Shit," Star said more to herself than the assembled crew at the long briefing table. "You guys know we didn’t just lose some friends here. The RCN is going to be suspicious we lost so many of their people. I don’t care what they say about me being one of the Great Pack members!" Everyone nodded.

 

"How long until the Death Star arrives?" Star asked.

 

"53 hours, 51 minutes," Slippy said checking his laptop for confirmation, "give or take a few minutes."

 

"So we can try to find them for the next… what would you say Falco, 36 hours till battle preparation begins?"

 

"More like 30," Falco corrected. "The RCN runs a pretty tight ship," Falco said, aware of the irony in his statement.

 

"But Star how are we going to find them!?" Chris complained. "It’s like finding a needle in a haystack! A cloaked needle!"

 

"We could do some hacking," Cindy said, licking her chops.

 

"Wouldn’t work without a location," Star countered. Cindy nodded.

 

"Why don’t we just run a stinking net through the area!?" Falco screamed in frustration.

 

"That’s ridiculous!" Mary screamed back.

 

"Actually," Slippy said considering the idea, "that’s not too bad of an idea." Everyone stared at Slippy. "We could run an anti-polarized field between two ships. In theory the ‘net’ would depolarize any ships shields that it passed through, and it would temporarily lower any affects the shield has. Since cloaks are simply disguising shields," Slippy shrugged.

 

"We’d have to get the RCN’s permission," Chris, the other engineer, said excitedly, "to do that since it would lower the shields of the friendly ships we passed over, but it could just work! It’s insane, troublesome, improbable we’d find them, and downright unorthodox, but it could work!" Chris screamed, happy they could find their friend.

 

The group dismissed as they contacted other ships to help them search for the cloaked ship while Star contacted the RCN Secretary of War.

 

 

"You know Rita," Wolf said, "why don’t you just give in. I mean I’m not ugly, I’m not really that cruel if you get to know me, and I’m fighting for a gray side of the war. You know nobodies an enemy or evil… we’re all fighting for our nations."

 

Rita spat in Wolf’s eye. "I don’t care if Venom is evil or not, you are!" Rita screamed, tied up to a board vertically.

 

"Come now darling!" Wolf said, caressing Rita’s face. "You do love me somewhere in there, don’t you?"

 

"I don’t think love is the right word. Try hate," Rita said, frustrated. They’d had this same argument fifteen times now. But Rita was happy to keep Wolf contemplating their "relationship" as long as he didn’t start than thinking about raping her again. She was too vulnerable right now to resist and her fear enveloped her at the thought. She had to keep him busy until either his time was up or help arrived. He only had thirty more minutes.

 

"Is it hot in here, my love," Wolf asked. Rita began to panic.

 

"You know Wolf," Rita said, trying not to grimace when she told the biggest lie of her life, "I may like you deep down."

 

"Oh, is that so?" Wolf asked, distracted again.

 

"Maybe," Rita stressed, lying even with that stretch on the word.

 

"Well then maybe we should wait," Wolf said, "until tomorrow. I hate to rush relationships," Wolf said. Rita grimaced. His idea of a rushed relationship was pretty warped. "Well Rita," Wolf said, caressing the bottom of her muzzle, "goodnight." Rita tried to smile, thinking maybe if she did more lying tomorrow she could avert it another day.

 

"Goodnight, Wolf," she said as she was untied by the guards and walked to her joint cell with the others. "You bastard," she finished when she was out of earshot.

 

 

It was morning. ‘How did it get to be morning already?’ Rita thought as she got up. Wulfe, Red Fox, and Cyberwulfe were awake now too for the first time since they’re arrival. The gas had a worse affect on them obviously. The Lupus Canids all found it very hard to move but were managing.

 

"Don’t worry," Red Fox comforted, "we won’t let them take you this time. There are more of us this time!" The security chief standing guard personally at the gate snuffed, obviously not believing the group could fend off his guards.

 

Steps were heard down the hallway. With each step Rita’s heart pounded faster and more nervously, until finally the steps were almost deafeningly loud and Wolf appeared at the gate.

 

"Today we play Rita," Wolf said, smiling wickedly. Rita began to back to the wall of the expansive 15x15 cell. Wolf opened the gate only to meet a metal fist from Cyberwulfe. Wolf staggered back as blood dripped from his nose.

 

"Touch her, you die," Cyberwulfe said threateningly.

 

"One finger and I’ll kill’ya," Wulfe chimed in, standing beside Cyberwulfe.

 

 

"Don’t get near mutt, or I’ll kick you in the nuts," John said, standing next to the other two.

 

"Don’t try bringing any assistants, we’ll beat them up real bad too," Red Fox said, standing up beside John.

 

"I should kill you all," Wolf said, drawing his blaster. "But I won’t." He put his blaster away. "Step aside vermin!" he ordered, walking through only to meet the gaze of Red Fox. He began to levitate and move backwards. He kicked in the air like a toddler being picked up when he didn’t want to be, and screamed, "Constable! Do something you idiot!"

 

The security chief moved his legs to find he had no traction. John began to laugh and soon the entire cell cropping was laughing. Laughing was heard corridors down and it resounded against the walls.

 

Finally Wolf pulled his blaster back out and pointed it at Red Fox, shooting her in the chest. She fell backward, hurt badly, a lung punctured. Blood came from her mouth. Rita tended to her and begged the others to stop, but they refused.

 

Wolf had an unexpected response to him shooting Red Fox. He landed with a resounding thud, falling ten feet.

 

"Shit you broke my leg!" Wolf screamed. The chief, not being hurt by the fall, walked over to Wolf.

 

"You broke both legs sir!" The chief said.

 

"Aw, shit," Wolf cursed. "Will they heal quickly?" Wolf said, not worried about his walking ability. ‘Sadistic bastard,’ Red Fox thought, grimacing in pain and disgust now. "Your next, bitch!" he said, pointing to Red Fox… Red Fox got nauseous and gagged. Red’s wounds were already almost healed, and Wolf stared in amazement as she staggered up onto her hard metal bed with Rita’s help.

 

"Sure, with QuickHeal you’ll be on your feet in one day," the chief said, answering Wolf’s question and giving him a nasty look. "You better not be mistreating this here girl," the chief said to Wolf, pointing to Rita. "Under Article XII of the Permuda Act, you can’t rape or torture her. Only interrogate and annoy." Apparently the chief was a halfway decent human.

 

"Aw, stuff it," Wolf said. The chief began to argue but Wolf growled threateningly, scaring the chief into submission. They had bought one more day… one more day for Rita.

 

 

Chapter 7: Rescue

 

"We’ve found them! Repeat, Great Fox this is Nautilus! We’ve found those S.O.B.’s!" Nautilus reporting in to Great Fox for search report.

 

 

Rita awoke to the sound of footsteps in the morning. She turned face up on her hard pillow in the cell and saw Wolf standing above her. He had come early while everyone else was asleep. Rita almost screamed to awaken the others but decided not to, knowing her new friends would only get themselves killed.

 

Without a word Wolf yanked Rita off the bed by her arm, twisting it painfully. Rita yelped quietly in pain as Wolf muttered about how he was fooled by her. He had found Rita’s scam of delaying her rape…

 

Rita began to fight as they walked down the corridor. Wolf held her tighter but she got away, running in no particular direction. A doctor walked passed her in the hallway and injected a tranquilizer as she ran. In a few seconds she was out like a light.

 

 

"Where the hell did you take her!?" Wulfe screamed, almost tearing the bars of the cell off with his bare hands.

 

"Wolf took her earlier today. An hour ago while you were asleep," the chief security officer said.

 

"Oh God," John said silently to himself and then to the guard, "Sir, you have to stop it! Please! Please, sir, please," John begged. "Don’t let him do this to her!"

 

"I don’t have a choice in the matter. I can’t stop him because he has diplomatic immunity," the chief said, a look of extreme distaste on his face.

 

"Please," Red chimed in. "You heard what he said to me earlier!" Red began to cry in fear.

 

"I know your government doesn’t condone this sir!" John screamed at the terran.

 

"We don’t, love of Christ we don’t!" the chief said, then mumbled, "I could let you save her…"

 

"Excuse me?" John asked.

 

"Listen, I’m gonna let you out for a drink of water, but only one of you can go since it’d look suspicious if all of you did," the chief said quietly. "I don’t need to tell you this is treason so don’t tell anyone I was a part of this! Please!" John nodded. "Ok here’s a map," the chief said, taking out his pad computer and handing it to John. The map with John’s location was already loaded. "Wolf’s keeping her here," the chief said, sticking his hand through the bars and pointing at a small room on the map. "So you need a drink of water!?" the chief said loudly as John whispered a thank you. "Well you can wait till your meal, maggot!"

 

"But sir!" John argued back, "I need water. I haven’t drunk in almost a day. Your people forgot to give me water rations all day yesterday!"

 

"Very well," the chief said, opening the metal barred door and letting John out. "Knock me out, now," the chief said quietly. John punched the chief, and he fell unconscious. The chief had timed the escape perfectly, no guards were around and the cameras were out for diagnostics.

 

John made his way down the relatively empty corridors with his blaster in holster. He tried to act like one of the visiting Venom officers on the ship since he was in civilian mercenary cloths, but within minutes he had a security posse’ on his back despite his efforts of disguise. He was still about five minutes away from Wolf’s quarters. He only hoped he’d get there in time…

 

 

"Now shall we do this slow," Wolf said toying with Rita’s necklace. "Or fast, my bitch?" he asked beginning to take off his jacket.

 

"Slow, slow!" Rita screamed desperately, licking her chops nervously wondering if help would arrive. She was in a near-hysteria and could only pray someone was on their way.

 

 

"Very well," Wolf said putting his jacket back on. "Now, my love," Wolf began, smiling putridly, "do you think I’m handsome?"

 

"You’re a pig," Rita said matter-of-factly.

 

"Wolves are supposed to look good," Wolf said, "funny. Your sense of beauty must be warped."

 

"I think yours is," Rita said, remembering some of Wolf’s comments yesterday.

 

"Ah, ah, ah," Wolf said, shaking his finger. "Wrong answers. I’m sorry but I’m going to have to take this fast." Rita began to look for something, anything, to defend herself with. She was tied to Wolf’s bed, and he was currently standing in front of it. Wolf crawled onto the bed, but Rita, her legs being untied, kicked Wolf squarely in the face. Rita being a champion Kick Boxer caused Wolf to stagger backwards and then regain his balance, unzipping his jacket.

 

"Ah, you stupid, miserable," Wolf began to swear worse than a sailor as he took of his jacket.

 

"Beeeew!" the unmistakable sound of a charged blaster came from behind Wolf.

 

"Stop right their Wolf," a voice said. Wolf froze, his jacket halfway off. He quickly put it back on.

 

"Ah," Wolf said turning, "the ever-present thorn in my side, Mr. Robertson. Leon will enjoy killing you almost as much as he enjoyed killing your parents."

 

"Shut your filthy f***ing mouth Wolf!" John screamed in anger, his hand trembling in anger, rage, fear, and general adrenaline rush.

 

"Here’s what I’m gonna do. I’m gonna f*** this whore, and gonna make you watch," Wolf said, smiling as if he were giving John a precious gift. Rita gagged at the statement, and John simply stared at him in disbelief.

 

"You are one stupid warped idiot Wolf!" John said with hate.

 

"You know I’m beginning to hate you Robertsons as much as the McClouds…" Wolf said, hand on blaster.

 

"Good," John said, threatening Wolf with his gun further by walking up to him and pointing it to his head. "Grab that gun and die, Wolf," John said, growling deeply. Bangs were heard at the locked door as the ships security teams tried to work it open.

 

"You know you can’t win John. Here’s the deal," Wolf said, trying to act friendly. "You put down the gun and let me rape this bitch," Wolf said, still upset Rita had "betrayed" him (in his mind anyway). "Then I’ll let you go… all of you except her."

 

"Go to hell," John said, pulling the trigger. But in the millisecond of time between the trigger being pulled and the shot escaping the blaster the ship shook violently, and John lost his balance, hitting the floor with a large smack. Wolf grabbed his gun, and turned to Rita.

 

"I hope you like this," he smirked maliciously.

 

"No!" Rita said. "Have me… just don’t hurt anyone else!" Wolf thought it over, but before his twisted mind could make the decision the door busted away as flames erupted from the hallway from a bomb to open the door.

 

"Well Miss LaShette," Wolf said as a guard told him they had decloaked by accident, "until another day." Wolf stomped out into the hallway as he let his guards handle his prisoners.

 

 

"Unidentified ship, identify yourself and we will hold our fire!" Star McCloud’s voice came over the comm of the bridge of the UTSS Boldly Forth.

 

"Canis Navy ships, hold your fire," Captain Ramirez, sitting in his command chair, said over the comm. "We are a diplomatic envoy for the United Terran cause!"

 

"Then why were you cloaked?" Star asked.

 

"We were afraid you would open fire, like you just did, when we entered Lupus System, Ms. McCloud!" the captain responded, Wolf grinning from behind the Captain, Star not seeing this because of the audio only comm frequency.

 

"You’re a liar, Rimerez!" Star hissed through the comm.

 

"Nevertheless under the flag of peace you may not open fire on our vessel without first allowing us to retreat peacefully. Now I expect you to escort us out-system,"

 

"So you can ambush us?" Falco screamed outrageously from his position behind Star in his own seat.

 

"No, Mr. Lombardi," the human captain said quietly. "So we can keep from being intercepted by our enemies."

 

"What enemies?" Cindy asked from the computer controls seat.

 

"The United Worlds of the Milky Way, formerly the United States of Earth, and before that the damned United States of America that started it all," the captain muttered.

 

John smiled knowing Earth History quite well for being a member of a race that had just discovered Earth. The United States was an old Earth SuperNation in the 21st century. WWIII broke out, called "The War to End all Wars" and the "Last Great War" by the humans, due to the Extended Yugoslavian Conflict late in the first decade of the "new millenium." War absorbed the world as the two major sides, the Russian Conglomerate Allies (RCA), and WWTO (WorldWide Treaty Organization, an advanced and far reaching form of NATO (North Atlantic Treat Organization)) battled it out, in primitive rocket space battles, and rather large ground battles.

 

The "Last Great War" ended when the RCA, forces being overrun in Moscow and Be-Jeing, desperately used their stockpile of nuclear weapons to eliminate "everything and everyone." The RCA failed Delta Force commandos from the United States disabling the launch sequence at the last moment. But not before over forty nuclear weapons had been launched. Most of the world’s major cities were destroyed. LA was now a contaminated dump; New York City, Ontario, and Quebec were now nothing but giant heaps of ash; nothing at all remained of Whales in England; and the capital of every major country was crushed under over a megaton of nuclear explosion. This day, December 31st, 2037, was deemed the Day of Sadness by the terrans. To this day the Terrans still had a day of grieving for the billions of innocents who died. A short period then followed, that lasted about fifty years as mankind’s great nations were rebuilt, deemed The Time of Struggle by the humans.

 

After that things began to (arguably) go uphill for the race. A new world was now built, and with mankind’s newfound discovery of the Latilus Interplanetary Drive in 2089, allowing mankind quick travel between the planets of their solar system, but still horribly long inter-system trips, things appeared to be going good for the Intra-System space-faring race. But it was only an illusion. Quickly small wars broke out like a rash across the world. By 2268 their had been a total of three new World Wars, bringing the new grand total up to six great wars, each outdoing the last in ferocity and impact. Luckily no nuclear weapons were ever used in these wars. Mankind had learned their lesson.

 

In 2268, on December 31st to honor those who died in the Day of Sadness, a treaty was organized and passed by the Western Communist Nations (WCN) which changed the confederated nation into a unified SuperNation, now called the People’s Human Republic, or PHR. They were more powerful than any nation in mankind’s history so far, and the nations not signing the treaty feared the massive threat.

 

However a group of "rag-tag" and "barbaric" nations had severed contact all together with the PHR when it was formed. The United States refused to join it stating that "communism is the most ineffective government ever to be built and we will have no part in your government. We prefer Democracy." The president then spit on the Constitution of the Republic as he refused to sign it. The US and many off their allies then formed their own SuperNation led by the US. This new nation was then called the USE (United States of Earth) and a Cold War began between the PHR and the USE.

 

This "cold" war lasted for nearly 250 years until war was finally declared three years ago, in February of 2510. In the Battle of Terra, the most famed ground theater in terran warfare so far, that lasted nearly a year, the UW struggled to keep their half of the jewel called Earth. But unfortunately the UW (then still the USE) were kicked off Earth by the PHR, in a grand evacuation called "The Great Exodus." The UW vowed to return to retake their rightful place back on Earth (a.k.a.: Terra). A new secondary home world was established on Alpha Centauri Prime, a very hospitable world, for the struggling UW. So far the UW had held their ground… barely. Alpha Centauri had fallen into the UT’s hands on two separate occasions, but thanks to certain fleet admirals quick-wittedness the UW was quickly able to recapture their Base of Operations on each of the occasions.

 

A little over a year ago many PHR citizens began calling themselves "the only united terrans," considering the nations of the USE not united due to them not being communistic. Thus the name "UT" or "United Terrans" was born for the nation. It is now more commonly called the UT than the PHR, their ships even having the acronyms UTSS (United Terran StarShip) before their name. The USE, feeling they needed a new "warname" to represent themselves (and never being out-done), and knowing the old name reminded their people too much of the long and wasteful Cold War with the PHR, decided to call themselves the UWMW, or the "United Worlds of the Milky Way." This name was supposed to symbolize their position as a race open to all races across the galaxy, actually mocking the new name of their enemies, showing they were proud to not be a unified race of humans, but a unified race of sentient beings. The UW currently has more outside supporters, but the UT currently still controls Mother Terra herself with an iron fist, and the UW was in serious turmoil.

 

That didn’t mean they couldn’t step up their attacks into Lupus though.

 

"Very well," Star said, "but I’ve come to be aware you ‘accidentally’ picked up a few of our crew members a few days ago. I’d appreciate it if you turn them in to us."

 

"Ah," a rather prejudice human said in the background, "I do believe picking up some farmyard trash." Star began to growl, but the human captain quickly got a cap on his blow-cover crewman.

 

"I’m sorry ma’am," Ramirez said to Star, "but some of my crew still harbor anger and prejudice toward you. Many of us think you as dumb as the animals back on our home world, Earth." Star stared into the comm, aghast at the audacity of the humans to think that way. Lylatians never thought that way! They had grown up in a society unaware of racial prejudices due to their already wide versions of life. The only exceptions were those of ethnic, and cybertronic prejudices, and of course the ever-present fear of the "Hybrids," any Lylatian that is of mixed breed with another entire family of animal. Even in Lylat prejudice against any non-hybrids was rare and the hybrids were such a minority one would be lucky (or unlucky) to even see or hear about one.

 

"Well," Star said, clearing her throat and bristling up, "I can understand your attitude," Star continued, almost gagging.

 

"Some of us think you should be slaves, you know," the captain smirked.

 

"Well sir!" Star said, trying to avert a fight over the line, "I believe we should get moving!"

 

"Very well," Ramirez said over the line. "Let’s get underway. We’ll hand over the prisoners- I mean guests- shortly through our transportation devices."

 

"Good," Star said, a bad feeling developing in the bit of her stomach as she got nauseous from speaking to one of these despicable United Terrans.

 

 

Rita sat in her room, alone. She had gotten away, almost unscathed. But emotionally she was in shambles. There was only so much a women could take at her age, or any age for that matter. ‘Why does that stupid freak have to be obsessed with me!’ Rita thought of Wolf. She put down the tissue box she was holding and got up to stretch. Her tail hit the lamp while she was doing so and it fell with a loud crash, shattering into pieces.

 

"Oops," she said to herself, blushing as Cyberwulfe knocked on the door to make sure everything was ok. "Things are just fine," Rita said through the door, but Cyberwulfe insisted she allow him to help. She ordered the computer to unlock the door and Cyberwulfe walked in, bible (as seemingly almost always in times of strife) in hand. He quickly saw the mess on the floor and set the book down on the dresser, helping by getting a broom to clean the mess up while Rita got a dustpan.

 

"So how’d you…umm…do this?" Cyberwulfe asked as they cleaned the sharp shards up off the carpeted floor,

 

"Ah my stupid tail knocked it over," Rita mumbled.

 

"At least you have a real tail," Cyberwulfe said. Rita tilted her head curiously, but then noticed the well-covered wires that made Cyberwulfe’s "tail."

 

"Oh I never noticed, sorry," she said quietly.

 

"Oh don’t be! It’s nice when someone doesn’t take specific notice that I’m a cyborg." Rita smiled as Cyberwulfe brushed the last of the shards into the dustpan, pushing so hard on the broom in order to filter the shards out of the carpet, Rita thought it would break. Either that or the metal floor underneath the carpet!

 

"Well it must be at least a little neat," Rita said to Cyberwulfe.

 

"It has its advantages," Cyberwulfe said, shrugging, "but it also has many disadvantages. There isn’t anything I wouldn’t give to be… whole again!" Rita nodded as Cyberwulfe left her quarters, leaving his Bible their on purpose as Rita picked it up. It had always comforted her as a kit, why not try here…

 

 

*To Readers/Editors/Friends I send this to before it gets distributed and/or finished:

 

My God this book is getting long!!!!!! I’m not NEAR done! J

 

 

Chapter 8: The Discovery

 

"You mean, h-he, he could be alive!?" Rita Lashette and Star McCloud on board Great Fox.

 

 

"This is the prison ship UTS Barkley, we are delivering The Third to your ship for implantation of control device!" a voice said over the comm to Ramirez’s ship. The Barkley was cloaked, so no one would see the docking sequence transferring the UT’s new secret weapon to their ship.

 

"Confirmed Barkley, come up on port bow, and watch out for that heavy cruiser escorting us! I’d hate to lose The Third!" Ramirez said through the bridge’s comm systems.

 

 

"Roger sir, docking now!" Ramirez smiled. If this experiment was a success, soon they’d have an entire fleet of ace fighter pilots at his nations disposal!

 

 

"This is the UWS Protector," Captain Christopher Smith of the fifth United Worlds fleet said through his comm, "we are here on a mission of peace! Request immediate audience with General Secretary of the Canis Navy and the new Avenger Squadron!"

 

"UWS Protector, you’ll understand if we keep our weapons on lock on shields up while we escort your ship, right?" came the intercepting guard ship’s response.

 

"Yes, yes, just let me talk to the Avenger’s and your military leader!" Smith screamed through his comm. "It is of grand importance! I am carrying a Cornerian Backup Squadron on board, a diplomat from the world, and a dignitary so please act with haste!"

 

 

Avia Flyr, the "dignitary," walked down the corridor of the Great Fox, with two science officers behind her, glad she was finally home after her extended leave on a Cornerian Diplomatic Envoy. She had been sent to protect it while it gathered support for the Cornerian Cause throughout the galaxy, a long and boring mission.

 

She gazed at the new additions to the Great Fox in awe. It was incredible enough when her ship was panning across the Great Fox’s surface but inside it was unimaginable! Luxurious was quite an understatement, although somehow the ship didn’t come across as either snobby or incapable of fighting, and it still retained and improved on it’s actual fighting ability with it’s new additions. Technology had changed with the Cornerian’s alliance to the Rebels ever since Avia had been to her home (or near it at least). Avia was glad to see it had changed for the better (in some moments of history technological development made countries weak because of certain weaknesses in their "Higher-Tech" weapons that could be exploited).

 

Suddenly a male avian approached her. She recognized him immediately.

 

"FALCO!" she screamed, running up to him and hugging him tightly. Falco hugged back.

 

"Nice to finally see you again Avia!" Falco said, blushing.

 

"You too," she said doing the same. Then she saw a shadow pass over Falco’s face.

 

"Do you know what’s happened?" he asked. "Has anyone told you?"

 

"Oh, yeah, they have," Avia said, seemingly not caring about what had happened.

 

"Avia the man is dead!" Falco screamed, "And you can’t even spare some remorse!?" Falco’s eyes filled with tears.

 

"Oh yeah," Avia said, cursing at herself for forgetting Falco didn’t know what she knew. "Actually that’s what I’ve come here about…" she muttered.

 

"What?" Falco asked.

 

"He’s alive," she blurted. Falco’s beak hung open in mid-word of asking what.

 

"Alive?" Falco asked, blubbering. The rest of the group came up in the hallway to greet Avia, Falco having run ahead. "Fox is alive!?" Falco screamed questioningly, but louder.

 

"Would I lie to you, Falco?" Avia asked.

 

"FOX IS ALIVE!" Falco screamed for joy, hopping into the air and hitting the bulkhead by accident. "OW!" Avia laughed as the others, hearing Falco’s rather loud statement, started talking among themselves in a loud chatter.

 

"What is this about Fox being alive?" Peppy asked above the other voices.

 

"Well we’ve found that Fox is alive," Avia said quietly as everyone hushed.

 

"Do you have proof?" O’Brien asked.

 

"Yes…" Avia said quietly. "Disturbing proof, but proof. I have his bodies."

 

"What the hell?!" Cyberwulfe screamed, then realizing he had cursed, put a hand over his mouth. "Oops…" Everyone chuckled, as Cyberwulfe laughed even at himself.

 

"Bodies!?" Chris asked in fear.

 

"Here, let me show you…" The science officers behind her uncovered the first body. It was Fox… everyone was hushed, anticipating the uncovering of the second body.

 

The other officer uncovered the second body… it was… FOX! Unmistakably, absolutely FOX! A loud chatter developed again.