Kalihn walked with Dr Dean through the downtown area of the town of Tress, Fortuna. It had been several months since Kalihn had escaped from the labs, and now Dr Dean was to tell him something very important, for he had now finished his training for the real world. ÒKalihn?Ó the old camel spoke, ÒYes Dr Dean?Ó Kalihn replied, ÒThough it pains me to say this, It is time for you to move onÓ Dr Dean looked at the ground, and watched as the grass grew, ÒDr Dean IÉÓ Kalihn started, but Dr Dean raised a hoof, ÒYou HAVE to move on, every day Venom agents are hunting for you, and IÉ I will only slow you downÓ the camel shed a tear and watched as it splashed onto the grass and became absorbed by the soil, ÒYou must find new friends, move on, make something out of yourselfÓ ÒIÕm not sure I want toÓ Kalihn replied and looked up into the sky, it held new promise for him now, but still it held the dangers for him also, and it was now he felt so small. ÒHere,Ó Dr Dean handed Kalihn a small envelope, ÒUse the money in here to buy yourself a shuttle ticket, and go anywhere, but donÕt stay hereÓ the sound of a twig snapping was heard nearby startled them, ÒGoÓ Dr Dean took of his coat and handed it to the trembling Kalihn, ÒRemember what I have told you to doÉ now GO!Ó Kalihn turned and ran away, he didnÕt know where he was running to, but he still felt as though he was free, though he thought it should feel better than the feeling he was having at the time. The Shadow of FlyerFox Father Lost Chapter One ÒNothing worse than waking up in the arms of the enemyÓ ~ Rudarius Cormack, Corneria. The world was spinning, twirling like a kaleidoscope, bright lights twisting and turning. Flyer shook his head and looked forward, he was moving down a dimly lit, brown hallway, and yet he wasnÕt moving his legs. As his sense slowly came back he realised he was being half dragged, half carried, and that whoever it was didnÕt know he was awake. Ò1É2É3!Ó one of the carriers said, and on cue Flyer was dropped to the ground, his fox-like features planted on the ground with a thud. Flyer saw his chance and whipped his arms and legs out, knocking the carriers to the floor, and almost as quick he grabbed a pistol off one of them and moved to rise, but the sound of a rifle powering up, and the press of cold metal on the side of his head dissuaded him. ÒNice try FlyerFox, but you move too slowÓ a familiar female voice spoke, ÒNow drop the pistolÓ. Flyer had no choice but to obey, for now. ÒAmber Squires, you back-stabbing, scum-worshipping two-bit piece ofÉÓ Flyer started to insult, but the rifleÕs butt connected with his temple and sent him reeling into unconsciousness once more. Vixette Fulvain sat reading a magazine in her old house, trying to ignore the sounds of some kids taunting her from outside. Since she was smart, at the age of 13, the younger Cornerians thought it would be funny to poke fun at her. The insults stung sometimes, but Vixette knew she was going to become something better. Vixette Fulvain was born on Corneria, and lived on the outskirts of Corneria City. Her mother ran away and her father was taken to Macbeth, and no she lived by herself. ÒGet away from here you little brats! Go bother an ice cream truck driver or something!Ó, well, not completely by herself, she lived with Fara Phoenix in the house. ÒHeya VixÓ Fara said as she placed her bag on the ground, ÒHi Fara, whatÕs upÓ Vix looked up from her magazine, ÒAnother day, another mission completeÓ Fara replied, and sighed as her mobile rang, ÒHello? What? Yes sirÓ Fara hung up and sighed again, ÒAnother mission?Ó Vix smiled, ÒYepÓ Fara grumbled and picked her bag up again, ÒSay, when I get back you wanna go for some ice cream?Ó ÒSure, IÕm gonna go for a walk in the forest now, IÕll see you when I get backÓ Vix put on her boots, and the two went their separate ways. ÒHello? sir?Ó a small voice crept into FlyerÕs mind, pulling it from the darkness. ÒIÉ I canÕt see!Ó Flyer gasped, and moved to rise, a sharp pain in his back stopped him, ÒYou need restÓ another childÕs voice told him, ÒDamnit, where am I, am I dead or something?Ó Flyer asked, ÒSorry sir, but your in Area 29Ó the first voice spoke again, ÒArea 29? WhatÕs going on? What the hell is Area 29?Ó Flyer spluttered as he reached into his right boot, ÒHe doesnÕt know, poor foolÓ, the second voice groaned, then Flyer popped a pill into his mouth, ÒWhat are you doing? I hope that isnÕt poisonÓ ÒNo, itÕll restore my sight quickerÓ Flyer replied, ÒGood, cause we ainÕt letting you get out of this that quicklyÓ the second voice again. FlyerÕs sight came back to him quickly, and what he saw confused him, standing over him were two children, as he expected, but both had haggard, worn faces on, and when he turned his head to the side, he saw in an adjacent cell, two fully grown soldiers, whimpering not in sorrow, but in fear. Flyer rose slowly and went to lean against a wall, but the first child, a cat, stopped him. ÒCareful you fool! those bars are electrified!Ó ÒWell, that adds another great event to an interesting dayÓ Flyer groaned, ÒWhatÕs your name kiddo?Ó the second child, a dog, asked, ÒKiddo? WhatÕs going on?!Ó Flyer snapped, ÒOh yeah, you must be feeling pretty confused about thisÓ the cat sat down and sighed, ÒWe were part of Annex Squadron, the first group to go and fight Andross after he killed James McCloud. Of course, we ended up toasted, and weÕve been lab subjects for AndrossÕ scientists ever sinceÓ ÒThat explains how you got here, but how come youÕre only children?Ó Flyer rubbed the side of his aching head, ÒAndross had successfully figured how to swap the brains of his subjects, we are the successesÓ the dog shook his head, ÒThe last two of the SquadronÓ the dog shed a tear and then turned his head back up to Flyer, ÒWhatÕs your story? You arenÕt dressed like a normal pilotÓ ÒIÕm not a normal pilotÓ Flyer replied while looking at the bars, ÒIÕm part of the Special Forces Team known as ÔThe Pirate KillersÕÓ ÒYou must be proud to have a name like thatÓ the cat laughed, ÒRight kiddo, but whatÕs your name?Ó the dog interrupted, ÒSorry boys, but you wonÕt be finding out!Ó Amber SquireÕs voice span into FlyerÕs ears, and before he could do anything, the two pilots were shot into the electric bars. ÒYou bitchÓ Flyer narrowed his eyes and spat, ÒWeÕll have time for insulting each other later, you have a vid-screen meeting with AndrossÓ Amber replied smugly, ÒAnd donÕt bother trying to escape, this base is impossible to get intoÓ ÒWhat about getting out?Ó Flyer asked, ÒThatÕs twice as hardÓ Amber smiled and switched off the electricity, letting the two bodies hit the ground, ÒWhy does Andross want me so bad?Ó Flyer asked, ÒI mean, my clone tried to kill me because of it!Ó ÒYouÕll see. But unfortunately, I have a subject on Corneria to pick upÓ Amber laughed, and walked away, leaving Flyer with ten guards, ÒI take it you guys heard about my escape attempt?Ó Flyer asked, Chapter Two ÒAndross is the meanest, most horrible creature in the system. But the worst part isÉ heÕs damn uglyÓ ~ Falco Lombardi, StarFox. Flyer had to wait two hours before he was finally to see Andross on the vid-link, after a slight malfunction occurred, but in truth Flyer had kicked the machine as hard as possible. As soon as the all clear was given, AndrossÕ ugly mug appeared on the screen. ÒHello again KalihnÓ Andross laughed, ÒI havenÕt seen you since I possessed your team mate and got him to shoot you!Ó ÒWith a tranquilliser dartÓ Flyer reminded, ÒYes, well, he had some controlÓ Andross muttered, but then resumed his laughing, ÒIÕm betting you want to know what I have in store for you!Ó ÒYou win that one AndyÓ Flyer smirked, expecting Andross to bellow in anger, but unusually, he let it pass, ÒWell, firstly let me tell you how you came to beÓ Andross took a deep breath and began, ÒYour parents were both poor wretched souls, who laid you on my Fortuna labÕs doorstep before fleeing into the night. I had you raised normally at first, but then I decided to have some fun with you, after all, you were an unwanted baby. I had you messed around with, and made you look more like a fox. I had you cloned, and then added some metal to your arms.Ó ÒThanks a bunchÓ Flyer remarked sarcastically, ÒIÕm not done with you yet. I let you escape, let you get a firm position in CorneriaÕs Army, and now, IÕm going to add some of my genes to your body, mix them up, and then swap brains with you!Ó at this Andross laughed, while Flyer gaped uncontrollably, ÒI hope it fails and you die!Ó Flyer cursed, ÒThat is all, IÕll be having the injections done to you tomorrow, have a good rest now!Ó and at that the screen went blank. ÒStupid old apeÓ Flyer cursed again, and smashed Vixette trudged through the forest on her way back to her house, she had gone a long way out, and Fara would be back soon. The sun had sunk and she was walking in darkness, the native animals starting their nocturnal cries. Vixette wasnÕt afraid, she knew there were no dangerous animals in this particular forest, but the risk of meeting a stranger made her apprehensive. As she neared the edge of the forest she heard a groan, like an animal in pain. At first, she thought it was the wind, but it persisted, and moaned out the words Ôhelp meÕ. She crept closer to the source of the sound and saw a silhouetted figure caught in what appeared to be a spring loaded trap. ÒAre you alright?Ó Vixette whispered cautiously, ÒHelp me,Ó was all the figure moaned, ÒOkay, IÕm coming over, is there anything you need me to know?Ó Vix asked as she approached, ÒYesÉ My name, Amber SquiresÓ the figure spoke, and now in full view Vixette could see who she was, ÒH-hello Amber, my nameÕsÉÓ Vixette stammered to introduce, ÒVixette FulvainÓ Amber finished, struggling not to smile, ÒHow do you know my name?Ó Vixette began to walk backwards, ÒIÕve met your fatherÓ Amber smiled, catching Vixette off-guard, ÒM-my father?Ó Vixette stopped, this was getting very creepy, ÒHe tried to escape onceÓ Amber laughed and raised a pistol, not thinking to pause, but firing a tranquilliser pellet into VixÕs arm. The world span. Vixette ran. It seemed like hours, the way the tranquillisers worked, and yet they were seconds. Stumbling, she reached her house, and systematically knocked everything to the floor. Cups, magazines, radios. They all fell, and then Vixette dived into the darkness that the drugs created, and as she fell she thought she heard her fatherÉ Fara arrived an hour later and saw the mess of the house, and the words scrawled in dustÉ ÔVenomÕ ÔfatherÕ and ÔhelpÕ. ÒCrapÓ Fara swore, and grabbed her mobile, she immediately dialled up the rest of the StarFox team, but no one answered, after she let Great FoxÕs phone ring 20 times. Fara decided she couldnÕt wait for them to answer, they were probably out getting drunk. She thought of who else could help, and after a few minutes of deliberation, she decided upon the Pirate Killers. She hoped at least they were at the base. ÒWhat?Ó Finord read the note on the fridge, ÒGone on a mission?!Ó ÒThis is looking badÓ Rudarius said as he zoomed in on the tracker, ÒHeÕs in Area 29Ó ÒArea 29?Ó Finord asked, ÒWhere the hell is that?Ó ÒMacbeth, and itÕs an impregnable base tooÓ Rudarius looked at his feet, ÒThe only place I havenÕt been in Lylat, bar several mercenary bases, but I havenÕt a need to find themÓ ÒOh greatÓ Finord sighed, ÒWhereÕs the rest of your team?Ó ÒZaphir and Joseph?Ó Rudarius raised an eyebrow and smiled, ÒTheyÕre on a romantic getaway. The love-birds have poor timing I must sayÓ ÒGreat againÓ Finord wheeled over to Rudarius and looked up at him, ÒWeÕll have to get him ourselvesÓ ÒThatÕs obviousÓ the Doberman groaned, ÒBut I think weÕll need a group of at least four to get this one doneÓ ÒWhy?Ó Finord asked, ÒWell, to be honest itÕs a four member operation. YouÕll need to stay outside the base, disabling their security points, while myself and two others rescue Flyer, and maybe others into the bargainÓ ÒGreat, where are we going to get two members?Ó Finord asked. Suddenly a knock on the door startled them, and in walked Fara, ÒHi Finord, are the others here?Ó Fara asked hurriedly, ÒSorry, their out on a campaign missionÓ Finord sighed, ÒWe meet again Fara PhoenixÓ Rudarius held out a paw, ÒWhat? I havenÕt seen you beforeÓ Fara asked, befuddled, ÒAt least not looking like I do right nowÓ Rudarius added in, ÒI still donÕt get itÓ Fara shook RudariusÕ paw, ÒThatÕs because IÕm a special agent, freelance mainly, but at the moment IÕm on CorneriaÕs sideÓ Rudarius took his paw back, ÒThe nameÕs Rudarius CormackÓ ÒRightÓ Fara shook her head in confusion, and suddenly realised what she was there about, ÒOh yeah, IÕm sorry, to have bothered you twoÓ she made to leave but Finord wheeled into her way, ÒWait a second, tell us whatÕs upÓ Finord insisted, ÒFine, fine. Though IÕm not sure youÕd be able to help. My room-mate has been taken by AndrossÕ forcesÓ Fara explained, ÒBut IÕm not sure how to find herÓ ÒWe can help with thatÓ Rudarius spoke, ÒThereÕs a base on Macbeth that holds the records for where all the prisoners of Venom are keptÓ ÒReally?Ó Fara asked, but then gave a cautious look, ÒWhatÕs the catch?Ó ÒHelp us bust a friend out of the same base?Ó Finord asked, ÒWell, as long as you guys will help me get Vixette backÓ ÒVixette? You must mean your friend. Sure thingÓ Rudarius agreed, ÒBut now all we need is at least on more for the groupÓ he then moved over to his bag that was on the kitchen table, and took out a bundle of files, ÒThis prisonÕd have to be pretty lock-tight, and I canÕt reach the other members of my team. WhoÕs gonna be crazy enough to help?Ó ÒAha!Ó Rudarius pulled a particular file out from the bundle, ÒI think IÕve found someone fitting that descriptionÓ Rudarius showed them the label on file, it was marked ÔRedVixenÕ. Chapter Three ÒWeÕre all a little madÓ ~ Zaphir Down, Corneria. If you had been walking through downtown Corneria City that day, youÕd ask to mistaken, for youÕd think you saw a vixen, dressed in baggy jeans, a tight top and jacket, with a tattoo of a crescent moon, and six pointed star on her right forearm. Nothing unusual about that, except that this vixen was arguing with a floating metal sphere, and the most strange part was, the sphere was answering her. ÒIÕm getting sick of this ArchimordÓ the vixen addressed the sphere, which was actually a droid, ÒI donÕt care, IÕm not telling you Red, and IÕm not leaving either!Ó Archimord replied with a metallic ring. Archimord had followed RedVixen as long as she could remember, and the droid was always whining, and to top it off, Red had no idea of her past, and this droid wouldnÕt tell her either. ÒStupid tin canÓ RedVixen muttered, and received an electric shock from Archimord, ÒOuch! Quit that!Ó, Red rubbed her arm, and as she walked along, she grabbed an apple from a stall, ÒHey!Ó a shopkeeper called, ÒYou have to pay for thatÓ ÒNo I donÕt!Ó Red replied cheekily, and then laughed, much to the chagrin of the shop keeper, who drew a shotgun, ÒUm RedÉÓ Archimord warned, ÒYouÕd better pay himÓ ÒNuts to that ideaÓ Red didnÕt notice the laser dot trailing up to her neck, ÒHow much?Ó a voice asked the keeper, Ò20 sub-creditsÓ the shop keeper replied, and the sound of credits passing was heard, ÒIt appears you have a friendÓ Archimord clicked, ÒWhat? Who? Is he good looking?Ó a shock followed ÒI said quit that!Ó ÒHiÓ the figure held out a paw, ÒThe nameÕs Rudarius CormackÓ ÒRedVixenÓ Red smiled and placed the apple core in his paw, and received a third shock from Archimord, ÒYes, anyway. I have a need of your servicesÓ Rudarius threw the apple in a dustbin, ÒI need a fourth member on a mission of importanceÓ ÒOh no you donÕt!Ó the droid shot up between the two, ÒYou ainÕt getting her killed!Ó ÒSure he is!Ó Red laughed and pushed Archimord away, ÒSo what exactly will I be doing?Ó ÒYouÕll be assisting in two rescue attemptsÓ Rudarius replied, ÒCool, who are my team-mates?Ó Red asked, ÒMyself, Finord Krill, and Fara PhoenixÓ ÒThe Fara Phoenix?Ó Red asked excitedly, she so wanted to meet Star Fox. ÒThere is only one Fara Phoenix, RedVixenÓ Archimord sighed, ÒStupid rubbish can. Ow! Sure, IÕd be glad to join!Ó Red grabbed RudariusÕ paw and shook it vigorously, and as they walked back towards the base, Archimord whispered into Rudarius ear, ÒYou do know about her problems and such?Ó ÒYou mean the healing tattoo, latent but untrained telepathic powers, and the fact she can get very angry and go out of control?Ó Rudarius whispered back, ÒDid you say that? Or did I read your mind?Ó Red interrupted. Flyer sat in his cell awaiting the next day, praying that his friends would find him, or at least that he would die so that Andross wouldnÕt fill him with his bloated presence. Flyer looked across the cells, they were all filled with children, and he wondered, what fate befalls them? Flyer recognised half the children as the ones heÕd saved from Doppelganger, the others could have been from anywhere, even Venom. Flyer then wondered to himself Am I just a child? Awaiting AndrossÕ experiments? Maybe I just didnÕt grow up. Oh Dr Dean, IÕve failed you. FlyerÕs attention was aroused by the sound of one of the blast doors opening, and the sounds of protest. When the sources of the sounds came into full view he saw two lizard guards, struggling to hold onto a young vixen. One of the soldiers broke away and opened the cell door, keeping his laser rifle trained on Flyer. ÒSend her in. And you donÕt move there!Ó the lizard hissed, ÒLet go of me you jerk!Ó the vixen swung her elbow into the chest of the guard holding her, and made to run, ÒNice tryÓ the second lizard aimed his rifle at her, but in a split second he was against the electric bars, his life draining. The vixen didnÕt even falter in her run, and ran through the doors. Flyer grabbed the rifle off the lizard he had killed and grabbed the one still alive, pressing the barrel on the neck, and moved to leave. But standing in the doorway, in an almost similar position was Amber Squires, holding the vixen around the neck, her pistol placed against her temple. ÒDamnit!Ó Flyer threw the guard to the floor, and Amber let the vixen walk over to Flyer, ÒSorryÓ she said gingerly, ÒThatÕs okay, we wouldnÕt have gotten out anywayÓ Flyer sighed and threw his gun to the lizard, who crawled over to Amber and then rose up, his rifle primed, ÒThe nameÕs FlyerFoxÓ ÒVixette FulvainÓ Vixette introduced herself, ÒOkay, youÕve been introduced each otherÓ Amber spat and shot both of FlyerÕs knees with her pistol, ÒBitchÓ Flyer growled through gritted teeth, and fell onto his face, he must have struck something when he fell, as he once more drifted into darkness, ÒThis is becoming a habitÓ he mumbled. ÒTeam, meet RedVixenÓ Rudarius introduced them. They were all standing in front of an unmarked hangar. The droid coughed. ÒOh, sorry. And ArchimordÓ ÒThank youÓ ÒPleased to meet youÓ Finord smiled, but was slightly befuddled by the floating sphere, ÒUh, you too ArchimordÓ ÒSame hereÓ Fara casually replied. Red just laughed. ÒUm, sheÕs not all her is she?Ó Finord whispered to Rudarius, ÒNot all in this system anywayÓ Rudarius whispered back, ÒSheÕs come from another system, which was colonised a long time ago, thatÕs why she has a droid and we donÕtÓ ÒUh-huh?Ó Finord shook his head, it was starting to ache, ÒSo what are we doing at this old hangar?Ó Archimord enquired, ÒI hope we arenÕt taking a biplane!Ó ÒUm, noÓ Rudarius replied, and then pressed a button at the door, and it slowly rose, ÒQuite the oppositeÓ when the hangar door finally opened, they saw a huge black, sleek ship, the size of a transport, only so much different, ÒItÕs experimental of courseÓ ÒI get to drive first!Ó RedVixen yelled and ran up to the stairs leading into it, ÒThat was the whole ideaÓ Rudarius smiled, ÒAre you mad?!Ó Archimord asked, ÒNo, we need someone to get us through, and fast, which means via some Venom space stations. This baby can go very fast, and Fara usually only drives Arwings, so I figured that RedVixenÕd do fineÓ ÒAnd youÕre leading this mission?!Ó Archimord blurted, ÒPity they gave him an AI huh?Ó Red laughed as she stepped into the ship, Archimord whirred after her, and a zapping sound was heard, ÒI canÕt figure out who is worseÓ Fara said, ÒSameÓ Finord added, ÒIt doesnÕt matter, we just need to get on with this missionÓ Rudarius rolled his eyes, and led the rest onto the black ship. Chapter Four ÒA team that gets along usually succeeds in their mission, but the team that doesnÕt usually get over their problems once the fighting startsÉ usuallyÓ Finnius Krill, special forces team, ÔThe Pirate KillersÕ, Corneria. ÒMissed us again!Ó Red laughed as the ship darted through the invaders that attempted stop her. Red was making it hard for the enemy by looping, u-turning, and generally creating havoc, but it wasnÕt helping the team either. ÒMy lunch is trying to be digested twiceÓ Rudarius gagged as the closed in on Macbeth, ÒItÕs not that badÓ Fara remarked, but then again, she was a seasoned pilot. ÒIÕve crashed worse than thisÓ Finord stated, ÒReally? What happened?Ó RedVixen asked, not looking where she was flying, ÒUm, you havenÕt noticed?Ó Archimord whirred, as he bounced of the walls, ÒOh, I thought he got that doing something elseÓ Red grinned sheepishly, ÒSomething elseÓ Archimord grumbled to himself, ÒWATCH OUT!Ó ÒWoah!Ó Red narrowly missed hitting a space station by mere centimetres, and the scrape jolted the ship around, ÒShould I drive now?Ó Fara asked Rudarius, and Rudarius saw she was enjoying herself, ÒI donÕt think we should botherÓ Rudarius groaned, ÒWeÕre almost there, I hope she knows how to land thoughÓ another jolt, and Rudarius was on his back, ÒIÕm getting too old for thisÓ ÒHow old are you anyway Rudarius?Ó Finord asked, ÒOver 30Ó Rudarius didnÕt like talking about his age, ÒOver?!Ó Red laughed, this time looking straight ahead, ÒThat could mean anything from 30 to 100!Ó ÒJust concentrate on flyingÓ Finord ordered, ÒAw lighten up a little! IÕve flown more planes than youÕve had grilled fish!Ó RedVixen stated proudly, ÒShe flies a lotÓ Archimord stated, ÒObviouslyÓ Fara commented, ÒOtherwise weÕd already be deadÓ ÒSteady on!Ó Red called out again, ÒI see that big ball of dirt you call Macbeth cominÕ up!Ó ÒOn radar?Ó Rudarius asked, ÒNo, on the big screen!Ó and sure enough, Macbeth loomed in front of them, suspended in space, ÒRight, make a landing half an hourÕs walk away from these Co-ordinatesÓ Fara ordered, and handed Red a piece of paper, ÒRighto!Ó Red laughed, and shot into the atmosphere. Flyer came too for the third time that day, and when he tried to move, he found himself unable, fortunately he could see. ÒH-hello?Ó Flyer looked around, and then down, and saw himself bound in heavy chain, ÒWelcome back FlyerÓ Vixette half-smiled, ÒI-I-I canÕt move!Ó Flyer panicked, ÒYeah, they chained you up, so you wouldnÕt get awayÓ Vixette stated, ÒGet them off me!Ó FlyerÕs eyes widened with fear, ÒSettle down, settleÓ Vixette gestured to Flyer in an easing motion, ÒI canÕt! I hate having no freedom of movement!Ó Flyer was sweating, ÒOkay, okay, just calm down. Why exactly do you fear it so much?Ó ÒIÕve been in a poor situation, with no freedom, for almost 16 yearsÓ Flyer gasped, his breath going harder, and he was starting to freak Vixette out, ÒWhat do you mean?Ó Vix asked, ÒIÕve been a test bat for AndrossÕ scientists before, and theyÕre going to do it againÓ Flyer started straining against the chains, ÒWhat did they do to you?Ó she asked, ÒIÕm not really a fox, if you havenÕt noticed, IÕm a bat. They made me look like this! They put metal in my arms! The cloned me!Ó Flyer screamed, and started shouting words with no meaning, and no amount of calming could stop him, ÒFlyer! Flyer! Snap out of it!Ó Vixette yelled, ÒFlyer?Ó a voice in a cell down the far end piped up? ÒHe looks like a bat I once knew, his name was KalihnÓ ÒDr Dean?Ó Flyer suddenly stopped, and looked up to the cell that contained an old crumpled form of a camel, ÒKalihn?Ó the old scientist gave a gasp of shock, ÒKalihn?Ó Vixette asked, ÒYou said your name was Flyer?!Ó ÒThey captured you? Oh godÉÓ both Flyer and Dr dean spoke the same words at the same time, ÒI suppose you know what theyÕre going to do to you?Ó Dr Dean asked sorrowfully, ÒDonÕt ignore me!Ó Vix yelled into FlyerÕs ear, ÒYeah, the brain swapping with AndrossÓ Flyer sighed, ÒAnd timeÕs running outÓ ÒWhat?!Ó Vixette gasped, ÒWhoÕs the lovely vixen you tried to escape with earlier?Ó ÒThe nameÕs Vixette Fulvain, and helpÕs on the way!Ó ÒWhat do you mean?Ó Flyer asked, ÒIÕm friends with Fara PhoenixÓ Vixette proudly announced, ÒFara who?Ó Dr Dean asked, ÒSheÕs a very important pilotÓ Flyer explained, ÒIÕve met her, fought along-side the team sheÕs onÓ ÒReally? You meanÉÓ Dr Dean asked, ÒI found friends, I joined the Cornerian Military. IÕm a special forces soldierÓ Flyer smiled, ÒYouÕve made a nameÓ Dr Dean, ÒYouÕve done me proudÓ ÒOkay, okay, IÕm confused. Camel, and bat. You sound like youÕre related thoughÓ Vixette interrupted, ÒI never met my parents, and Dr Dean helped raise me. He freed me from AndrossÕ labs on Fortuna. Although he was the one who did most of the tests, he was like my father, and he freed me. ThatÕs all that countsÓ ÒHmmm, circumstances uniteÓ Amber Squires sprang out from almost nowhere, ÒOh great, the bitchÓ Flyer cursed, ÒI thought itÕd take awhile for you two to recognise each otherÓ Amber laughed as more guards appeared, ÒWhat do you want?Ó Vixette asked, ÒAnd whereÕs my father, you said youÕve met him beforeÓ ÒI wouldnÕt bother asking any questionsÓ Amber growled, ÒYouÕre about to dieÓ ÒWhat?!Ó Vixette gasped as the cell door opened and soldiers grabbed her arms, ÒAndross wants to what makes you so smartÓ Amber explained, ÒLeave her alone!Ó Flyer struggled to rise, but his knees buckled, ÒIÕm warning you!Ó ÒYou arenÕt going to get a chance once youÕre in AndrossÕ bodyÓ Amber laughed, and closed the cell door. Shortly outside the base, three amusingly dressed figures stood out of camera range. ÒWhatÕs the use of this suit?Ó Fara asked, seeing that she was dressed like a nun. RedVixen was dressed similar, though she had a large hat on, which seemed to wobble. Rudarius was wearing a priestÕs outfit. ÒWell, simply put. Did you ever hear about the preacher named Morgan Tetzel?Ó Rudarius smiled, ÒOnly a little bit, about how he was the greatest preacher Venom ever had, but I heard he diedÓ Fara replied, ÒHe did, I killed himÓ Rudarius started to walk towards the base, and the other two followed, ÒBut I took his place, and have been doing this for awhile. Lucky for me he was a Doberman as wellÓ what Rudarius didnÕt want to tell them was that Morgan was his brother. ÒInterestingÓ FinordÕs voice crackled into the intercom. He was stationed in the transport, watching all activity via the baseÕs security systems. And when you guys are ready to do some rescuing, just remember I canÕt disable the whole system in one go. ItÕll have to be done one sector at a timeÓ ÒGot itÓ Rudarius replied. ÒWho goes there?Ó A voice cam across through an intercom, which Rudarius found rather crude for a heavily armed base. ÒMorgan Tetzel, with two of my preaching sistersÓ Rudarius announced, ÒWith plans to settle the souls of those insideÓ ÒCome right on inÓ the voice replied after a brief pause, and the small door on the huge metal gates opened. Greeting them at the door were three lizard guards, ÒWelcome toÉ argh!Ó the lizard started, but RedVixen silenced the three of them in less than a second, ÒI hope no-one noticed,Ó Rudarius commented, ÒNo one didÓ Finord chuckled in response, ÒRight, this is where we split upÓ Rudarius announced, acting like an officer, ÒFinord, you direct me to the main consoleÓ ÒRightÓ Finord crackled over the link, ÒGood. Fara, you, Red and Archimord find Flyer, and rescue the other prisoners in his cell zoneÓ ÒRightÓ the team had already taken their disguises off, and Archimord had floated out of the hat Red had been wearing. ÒSee you when we get back!Ó Red waved to Rudarius as they split up. Chapter Five ÒLife is fleeting. Unless of course you know a trick or twoÓ ~ Andross, Supreme Ruler of Venom. ÒHow much further?Ó Rudarius asked his dolphin team-mate, ÒAboutÉ the next left should do itÓ ÒRightÓ Rudarius panted, and burst around the corner, straight into a force of four armed guards, ÒWhat the?Ó the first guard raised his rifle, but was kicked directly in the face, ÒIÕve been a karate teacher as wellÓ Rudarius laughed as he somersaulted over the guards and plugged the rear guard in the back with two laser shots to the head, ÒGet him!Ó the remaining guards lowered their rifles and blazed away at level 5, catching Rudarius off-guard, and forcing him to fall back into the computer room. Swiftly, Rudarius slammed the door shut, and barred it so that none could get in. ÒOkay, IÕm in position, how about at your end?Ó ÒGreat, greatÓ Fara replied, obviously not amused. RedVixen just laughed. ÒRight, IÕm going to search for Vixette nowÓ Rudarius typed in a few commands. Of all the things Rudarius could do, the worst was typing. Soon, the monitor flashed up with a picture of Vixette, her statistics, and her location. ÒGood news Fara! SheÕs right here in this base! In sector 21-DÓ Rudarius called, ÒReally! Great! WeÕre almost at FlyerÕs cell, and weÕre at sector 21-C!Ó Fara replied happily. Rudarius smiled to himself, but was distracted as a small dent appeared in the door behind him. Flyer sat quietly in his cell, he and Dr Dean had not spoken much since they had taken Vixette, and both were worried. Dr Dean coughed heavily and lay on the ground. ÒDr Dean?!Ó Flyer yelled, ÒI-IÕm fineÓ Dr Dean replied, ÒNo youÕre not! I gotta get us out of here!Ó ÒIf you break out Kalihn, go yourself. IÕm too old, and will only end up dieing soon anywayÓ ÒAt least youÕll die with me at your sideÓ Flyer gritted his teeth and thought, Not now. ÒIÕm not your father KalihnÓ Dr Dean reminded, ÒYou may not have given me life physicallyÓ Flyer looked up with tears in his eyes, ÒBut you gave me freedom. And I couldnÕt have really been considered alive if I didnÕtÓ Flyer nodded and then yelled out, so all could hear, ÒYou are my father!Ó Suddenly, and explosion diverted their attentions, and three lizard guards flew across the room. Then, came walking along to vixens, one Fara, the other one Flyer had never met before, and also, there was a ball following her. ÒCareful, the bars are electrifiedÓ Flyer warned, his strength gaining, ÒThere you are FlyerÓ Fara smiled as she glanced around, ÒHiÓ Red smiled as she shut the power off to the bars ÒThe nameÕs RedVixen, and this here floating ball of metal is ArchimordÓ ÒPleased to meet you er, bothÓ Flyer replied, ÒDonÕt you get any ideas about her mister!Ó Archimord hissed at Flyer, who leaned back in shock, ÒIgnore him, heÕs just a whining hunk of junkÓ Red giggled, and promptly received another electric shock ÒOuch!Ó ÒSay, this is Sector 21-DÓ Fara realised, ÒWhereÕs Vixette?Ó ÒShe said she knew you. She was taken by the soldiers, it appears as though theyÕre gonna open her upÓ Dr Dean hoarsely replied, ÒOh my god! Finord, give me directions to the surgery rooms!Ó Fara shouted into her comm-link, ÒRight on!Ó Finord replied, and Fara ran from the cell area. ÒLetÕs get you out of hereÓ Archimord whirred and mover towards the door, but was sent spinning after he opened it, a hole in his side. ÒStupid thingÓ Amber Squires growled, and changed the aim on her rifle, firing at Dr Dean, striking him in the head, and killing him instantly, ÒYou stupid bitch!Ó Red yelled, and drew her rifles, Flyer just sat there gagging in horror, ÒFight me up close coward, cause either way I can kill you in a heartbeat! At least youÕd have more of a chance fighting paw to pawÓ Amber threatened, ÒYouÕre on!Ó RedÕs eyes flared bright red and she lunged at the Red Panda. RedVixen fought with the fury of ten lions, and hooked her right fist at AmberÕs head. Amber was skilled, and more calm, and so easily avoided the swing, but was unprepared for the left fist uppercut dealt by Red. Amber retaliated as best she could with a leg sweep, knocking Red onto her back. Red moved to rise, but felt a kick strike her chest, causing her to almost throw up. Another kick followed, and Red was battered immensely, into a state of near defencelessness, but rose again quickly, countering with a roundhouse that made AmberÕs head spin. And so the two fought, Red with her blind rage, and Amber with her calculated blows. Just as Red looked to be gaining the advantage, Amber drew her knife, and slashed at RedÕs throat. Red quickly stepped back, but tripped on Archimord, as he lay inoperative on the ground. ÒYou came close girl, but not close enough!Ó Amber laughed as blood dribbled from her lips, and she brought her arms down in a blurring arc, Red wincing before they fell. Then nothing. Red opened her eyes and looked up, to see Amber panting, an extreme look of pain in her eyes, Flyer holding a chain around her neck, twisting it round and tying it to the bars. ÒArchimord?Ó Red looked at the droid, who suddenly sprang up, the hole no longer existent, ÒIs she gone?Ó the droid asked in a dazed manner, ÒWhy you! You almost got me killed! You utter fool!Ó Red yelled, ÒWeÕd better get out of hereÓ Flyer advised as he took Dr DeanÕs body from the cell and slung it over his shoulder, ÒStrange, but I was shot in both my legs, and yet I can walk!Ó Flyer shook his head in confusion, Red just giggled, ÒBaggage collected, weÕre moving out!Ó Red chirped into the comm-link. ÒFara!Ó Vixette sighed in relief as her friend untied her, ÒIt came pretty close!Ó, Vixette was right, the head doctor was about to open her head up, without anaesthetic, and the saw he was using was still whirring. When Vixette was untied she asked, ÒWhat about Kali-I mean Flyer?Ó ÒWeÕve got it under controlÓ Fara reassured her, and helped her up, ÒYou mean Star Fox came?Ó Vix asked, ÒNope, just two lunatics, a crippled dolphin, and meÓ Fara replied, and they ran back out, nearly colliding with the other two, Flyer holding a dead body. ÒLetÕs goÓ Flyer suggested. TheyÕd passed some lockers, and once again Flyer had retrieved his sword and pistol. ÒHey guys!Ó Rudarius called, ÒMeet you at the entranceÓ ÒRight!Ó the others with comm-links responded, and rushed out. At the entrance, Rudarius was sporting an arm injury, but apart from that he was extremely worried. Looking outside, the others saw the forms of 30 infantry units, and two tanks, which was more than they could take on. ÒLooks like they sent a lot to keep us indoors!Ó Flyer remarked, and primed his laser pistol to level 6. ÒLetÕs take Ôem!Ó RedVixen eagerly smiled, ÒI donÕt think so!Ó Archimord zapped Red, ÒCouldnÕt you have gotten Star Fox?Ó Vixette asked, picking up a rifle from one of the guards at her feet, ÒHey Finord, weÕre being held up, could you radio for help?Ó Rudarius asked, ÒCanÕt theyÕll track me, and I wonÕt be able to fly this planeÓ Finord replied, ÒAlright you lot! Get your sorry Cornerian asses out here! Or we open fire!Ó a soldier called out, ÒGo suck on some dirt!Ó Fara responded, and shot a laser out, striking home on a lizard, ÒWe warned you! OPEN FIRE!Ó. The beleaguered team hid behind whatever cover they could get, and put their heads down as a barrage of laser shots struck of pieces of the surroundings. Slowly, the number of laser shots diminished, till silence came. ÒFinord? WhatÕs going on out there?Ó Fara asked, ÒI think you should see for yourself!Ó a friendly voice cut in, ÒFinnius?Ó Rudarius asked, ÒIn the blubber!Ó Finnius chirped, ÒBut how?Ó Rudarius asked again, as several figures walked in through the door, ÒEasyÓ Lyn smiled, ÒFinord left a noteÓ ÒFara!Ó Fox ran in and gave his girlfriend a hug, ÒYou had me worried!Ó ÒHey LynÓ Flyer smiled and climbed over the cover, to his friends, who now had all assembled in the doorway, ÒIÕve thought a lot, and I think itÕs time you were told about meÓ ÒAbout timeÓ Tourican replied, ÒBut first we have a burial to makeÓ Flyer looked back at the body of Dr Dean lying on the ground, ÒSureÓ Lyn smiled, and holstered her pistol, ÒOh, and Falco? You have to have gotten a kill ratio of 0!Ó ÒWhy you little! I got moreÉÓ Falco yelled before Lyn switched off her comm-link. Chapter Six ÒGoodbye is the hardest word to say in any languageÓ ~ Anonymous. ÒGoodbye Dr DeanÓ Flyer knelt at the grave of his half-father, and looked out across the snow capped mountains of Fortuna Back to where it all started, he thought. ÒHey man, after hearing your story, IÕm surprised you wanna stay in the teamÓ Tourican placed his wing on FlyerÕs shoulder, ÒNah, IÕve got nothing to lose by staying, but by going, I could lose you guys as friendsÓ ÒHe has a pointÓ Vixette smiled, ÒI hope weÕll be seeing you sometime soonÓ Lyn said to Vixette, ÒYou can bet on itÓ Vixette smiled even wider, ÒI just wish the computer hadnÕt been wrecked. I mightÕve found if my father was alive or notÓ ÒBuck up kidÓ RedVixen sighed, ÒAt least you can remember most of your pastÓ ÒThanks for your help Red, you too ArchimordÓ Flyer shook RedÕs paw, ÒThatÕs cool. I need no more thank youÕs now. I got myself some experimental aircraft as paymentÓ Red beamed and pointed at the new craft. ÒOkay. GuysÓ Flyer smiled, ÒI want none of you to tell anyone about my story, okay?Ó ÒSureÓ Finnius said, ÒSame hereÓ Lyn nodded, ÒI wonÕt tell a soulÓ Finord smiled, ÒDefinitelyÓ Tourican yawned. The rest of those gathered agreed, ÒGood, cause now IÕve got the last part to tell you allÓ Swiftly through the night a dark figure ran, he had little time before the shuttle left for Corneria and he didnÕt want the soldiers to find him till he was safely away from them where they couldnÕt follow him. Ducking between the shadows he ran, using anything to shade him from street lights, the light rarely catching his fox-like features and only barely ever fully. For what seemed like hours of ducking, crawling, remaining silent he made it to the shuttle station with five minutes to spare, which was fortunate for him because of his fate if he had of failed to get there in time. Boarding the shuttle he smiled, his last hurdle was almost over. In full light of the shuttles passenger compartment he was visible, a bat with brown fur and black hair whose face bore a striking resemblance to a fox, it was little wonder that the stewardess didnÕt greet him when he got on. Checking his ticket he found a seat, an economy seat next to what seemed to be a Lemur shaking himself senseless, obviously it had not confidence about flying. Sitting down and buckling himself in he found his reason for coming onto this shuttle, a small crumpled envelope with a brochure and form, a way to escape his life and move on, his last chance at a half-decent life. ÒWelcome aboard the shuttle ÒTrue-flightÓ this is your Captain speaking,Ó a crusty old voice cut through his chain of thought, ÒWe hope you enjoy your flight, and let me assure you that we have never once been attacked in space by Venomian forces. Now please prepare for lift-off and leave you seat belt on till the light above you goes out, thank you for listeningÓ Never been attacked, thereÕs always a first time, thought the bat cynically. Now I need a new name, he continued, but what? Thinking for a little longer he came up with the name he would use, Flyer. The End FlyerFox *AuthorÕs note: Thanks for reading. I would like to thank the following, as the Trilogy would not have been completed without them. Thank youÕs got to Vixette Fulvain, for the use of her character of the same name; RedVixen, for the use of her character of the same name; Finnius Krill, for the use of Finord and Finnius Krill; Lyn Veaver for the use of her character of the same name. All other characters not mentioned belong to me, as does the title ÔThe Pirate KillersÕ if you want to use any of the characters in this story, e-mail the creator, or me, if I created them. Fox McCloud, Falco Lombardi, and Star Fox are licensed to Nintendo. Thank you for reading. The Pirate Killers WILL return!