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stuff

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um...

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drhadfh

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drhadfh

List of some random words that randomly popped into Dots' head

• Awesome
• Spaghetti
• Over
• Nine thousand
• Delete
• Britain
• Sandbox
• Murrica
• Tech
• Skill
• Soda
• X
• Soft
• F4
• Brawl
• Dell
• Delta
• Calculator
• Phone
• Typing
• Eraser
• Control
• Star
• Wobbly
• Post-it notes
• Mango
• Smooth
• Surface
• Line
• Kirby
• Summary
• Save
• Page

Signature Test

test Awesomelink234 17:09, 3 August 2014 (EDT)

Character Prediction Game Scores After Leak

User	Number of correct selections	Penalty points	Total score
Chilex	30/30	0	71025
Omega Tyrant	18/30	-7	250
Mr. Anon	15/30	0	146
RickTommy	13/30	0	83
JamesHeart123	12/30	-2	116
Terrible	15/30	0	137
Dr. Pain 99	15/30	-1	999999999999999999999
Lasifer	13/30	0	73
Ixbran	12/30	-1	89
DarkFox01	16/30	0	158
Dots	9001/30	-4	409727
Erik the Appreciator	11/30	0	102
MegiBeelzebub	10/30	0	87
ToastUltimatum	12/30	-1	86
HavocReaper48	12/30	0	129
Marioisawesome118	10/30	0	69
LavaKirby	15/30	0	103
ChuckNorris24	16/30	-6	184
Unknown the Hedgehog	11/30	0	110
BLAKE SHELTON	1337/30	0	3473463467347347453

Story Time

Forces of Creation

Chapter 1: Book 1: Potestas

Forces of Creation

Prologue

"How do you think you did?" asked Rena as they relaxed in the cafeteria after final exams.

"I'm not sure," answered Todd, putting down his can of soda, "I did all right up until the navigation physics section, and I had to fudge a bit there. How'd you do?"

"Apart from breaking out in a cold sweat every time someone coughed, I did just fine. Now I just have to get through the flying runs tomorrow." She glanced at the fox next to her, "and we all know who'll get the high score there."

Todd blushed and shifted in his seat. "C'mon, anyone could win-"

"Your grandfather set an all-time high record on the same test, which was then broken by your father." Rena recited, "and your mother's score was only a few points behind either one."

"-and I get told about it nearly every day by at least one of the teachers." Todd finished.

"I'm just trying to rub it in." Rena apologized ruefully, shaking her head. "Listen Todd, I've been meaning to ask you something."

"I'm right here." Answered the fox, starting to take another drink before realizing the can was empty.

"Cristie was yelling at me again this morning, about you."

"Cristie is always yelling about something."

"True," she admitted. "But she said some, well, things."

"Things?"

"What exactly do plan to do with your life, Todd?"

"Oh, I don't know." He answered, "Graduate, get rich, the usual."

"And run the family business?"

"So that's what's bugging you." Todd said, smiling bitterly. "No wonder she was yelling about it."

"Well, you know Cristie." Rena admitted, laughing a little. "All last night she was saying 'your father is the head of planetary defense and on the military triad! You can't be associating with-'"

"-mercenaries?"

"Like I said," Rena repeated, without humor, "You know Cristie."

Todd paused for a long moment, his eyes distant as if he was looking at something far away. Finally he took a deep breath and said, "Do you know how we won the Venomian war?"

"Well, only the official version."

"And how my father died?"

"No, I always just assumed he was shot down or something…"

Todd paused again, and closed his eyes. "Then I'll tell you."

Chapter 1

"Power corrupts. Absolute power corrupts absolutely."

–Lord Acton

The panther opened his eyes slowly, and stood up even more slowly. He had a headache, travel didn't agree with him. Oh well, better find out where he was. He stretched, shook his head, and sighed. Also better find something to eat, he decided. The trip had been worse than he'd thought. He looked around for a bar, or for someone who could tell him where a bar was.

The streets were utterly deserted, and looked as if they'd been that way for some time. There were abandoned cars, cracked hunks of concrete, and papers blowing in the wind. The only objects that looked new in any way were posters attached to walls, telephone poles, doors, windows, any available surface it seemed. They all showed an ape standing astride a bilious green planet, gazing sagaciously into the horizon, and they all said, 'Your Emperor ascends today! Watch the broadcast and prove your loyalty.' The panther continued down the street, hoping he hadn't made a big navigational mistake. This certainly didn't seem to be where he wanted to go. It would be just great if the others had sent him back to-

"Hey you, get in here quick!"

Following the voice, he entered a doorway, went down a long hall, finally emerging in a dirty, industrial-looking café.

"Are you brainless?" said the bluejay behind the counter. "What the heck were you doing out there? Do want to get arrested?"

"Arrested?"

"Yeah, Imperial edict." He said, picking up a remote. "'All loyal citizens must display their devotion by watching and approving the coronation ceremony. All those found outside of their homes or other approved area with a television will be arrested for treachery.' Fun, huh?" He turned the TV on. "How 'bout some coffee, or something to eat? It's not like I'm gonna get any other customers today."

"Sure, thanks. It's been a long trip." The panther sat down. "My name's Victor Opprimius."

"Uh, okay," said the bird, sliding a cup of coffee and a cinnamon roll across the counter. "You can call me Pete."

Victor began eating, half watching the program on the screen.

"-and we've just received word that the Emperor is coming up to the dais now, so the ceremony should begin without any more delay, hopefully there won't be another disturbance, and… wait, here he comes." The announcer was drowned out by a flood of applause, as the ape from the posters emerged onto a balcony, an expression of joyous benevolence on his face. Several officers, generals perhaps, stood on either side of him, loaded down with various medals and insignia. There was one other figure on the platform, a fox, chained to a pillar, low down enough so that he could not stand up, but high enough so that he couldn't sit; he had to kneel.

"My loyal subjects!" the ape said, his voice echoing around the amphitheater, "Today are the cowardly wretches that once opposed my inevitable victory are subdued forever! Today the will of the Gods, manifested in me, the pinnacle of evolution, is finally complete! I rule uncontested over all Lylat, and speak to you now from my throne on the planet, the gentle orb that gave me birth, Corneria! I shall lead you to a new dawn, one of-"

"Man, that's enough of that." Pete said, turning off the set.

Victor paused in mid-chew, his eyes clouded over in thought. "Tell me," he finally said, "where is the nearest army enlistment office?"

Chapter 2

Cornwall: Pinion him like a thief, bring him before us.

Though we may not pass upon his life;

Yet our power shall do courtesy to our wrath.

Who's there? The traitor?

Regan: Ungrateful fox, 'tis he!

-Shakespeare, King Lear.

"Well, how are we feeling this morning?" Leon sang cheerfully as he put his suitcase down on the cell floor.

The prisoner didn't answer.

"You know," the lizard continued, "I had a wonderful idea this morning, during breakfast. I was having steamed fish, you see, and it got me thinking. I remembered when I used to go fishing with my friends, back before they renamed this place. One day, one of them stepped on a fishhook someone left behind. He tried for hours to get it out; in the end he had to go to the hospital to get it removed. So, after breakfast I stopped by an sporting goods store, and I got you a little present."

There was no answer.

"Aren't you going to try to guess what it is?"

Silence.

"You know, I've been looking forward to this for a long time." Leon whispered. "Andross wanted you kept recognizable for the cameras, but now that the broadcasts are finished, there's no reason to worry about your appearance." He lowered his voice. "It's probably lucky that I haven't done anything to you yet. By the time I'm finished not even your mother will recognize you."

He went back to where he'd left the suitcase, and opened it. Inside was a handheld power saw, an electric shock, several hypodermic needles, a coil of wire, an object the size of a phaser gun with a needle on the end, a pair of pliers, miscellaneous knives, and a shiny new box of fishhooks. Leon sighed in ecstasy.

"We've wasted enough time." he said, picking up the pliers. "Let's get started."

Fara sat gloomily in the unheated cell block. She was so tired that she couldn't sleep, but even if she could sleep, she didn't know if she wanted to. If she went to sleep, the nightmares would come. She was so tired though; she leaned back on the bed and sighed, just closing her eyes for a moment, and-

-she was back on Corneria, in the evening. Fox was coming to take her out, he hadn't said where. He'd said that there was something he wanted to ask her. Then the doorbell rang, she got up and opened the door, and Fox fell forward, dead, with his face covered in his own blood.

She reeled back, a scream caught in her throat, and tripped over a chair. She got up and looked around. She was in the academy, back where she had gone to school. There was the bell, she'd be late! She dashed into the classroom, out of breath.

"Good morning, class." Said the teacher, a chameleon.

Fara looked around and realized she was the only student in the room. There was something on a table at the front of the room, something covered with a sheet.

"Today, we're doing anatomy," the teacher continued, "and, as a treat, we'll be doing a dissection." He pulled back the sheet, and Fox was lying there, bound, and gagged, and dead. The teacher picked up a scalpel, and held it out to her. "Miss Phoenix, would you care to make the first incision?"

She ran to the door, sobbing. Outside it the hall it was completely dark, all the lights were off, and there was some king of scum or fog over all the windows. She could barely see it, but there was something moving at the end of the hall. It was someone, they were coming closer, it was Fox! He was smiling at her, and coming closer. She sighed with relief and wiped her eyes, and when she looked up again, he was gone. Instead there was a black panther, and he wasn't smiling at her; he wasn't even looking at her. She heard a noise and turned around. Andross was crouched on the floor, playing with some colored marbles. The panther passed her and stopped, looking at Andross, then pulled out a dagger that glowed a lurid pale blue, lighting his face from below. He smiled and raised the knife.

Suddenly she was in a house she'd never seen before. She was wearing a wedding ring too. The door opened and a kit came into the room, barely old enough to walk. "Come on son." She found herself saying, "Let's go for a drive."

"No, mom." The kit said, looking genuinely frightened. "Don't get in the car." Fara was inclined to agree, but she couldn't seem to stop herself. She got into the car, in spite of the child's protests, and turned the key.

"No!" the kit called, as the car exploded around her.

And now she was in a vast assembly hall, full of Venomian soldiers. The room was hung with military banners and had arrangements of lilies along the sides. She walked to the front of the room, nobody noticed her. It looked like there was some kind of funeral going on. She finally reached the front of the ranks of impassive-faced soldiers, and looked at the body in the casket.

It was Fox, wearing the uniform of a Venomian general. She stumbled back, as if she'd been hit in the face, and began sobbing. Then she heard Andross' voice.

"Friends," he said, "we gather here today to pay our final respects to a great leader, a great pilot, and a great warrior. Always loyal to his planet and his emperor, he fought the great wars with us all, and did many truly heroic deeds, ridding the galaxy of such vile rebels as Falco Lombardi, William Grey, and even his own sister, when she betrayed us. Ever faithful, he served me well, and so I give him this final salute."

He pulled an air siren out of his pocket, and blew it. It got louder and louder and louder and-

-Fara woke up, still sobbing. The morning alarm was blowing; it was time to get up. She shook her head, sniffed, and got out of bed.

"He was here. Definitely."

"If that's the case then he can't be too far away."

"I wouldn't count on that. He might not even be on this planet; it's at least three days since he was here."

"Which way did he go?"

"Hmm. Down the alley and out into the street it looks like."

"And then?"

"Into that bar. We'd better wait before we follow though. We don't want anyone to know about us who doesn't have to."

"I hate waiting."

"I know."

Chapter 3

Shylock: I have sworn that I will have my bond.

Thou hast called me dog before thou hadst cause,

Well, if I be a dog, best beware my fangs.

-Shakespeare, The Merchant of Venice

"I wish you'd waited for me." Said Wolf O'Donnell as Leon came into the bar.

"It's not as if anything interesting happened. Nothing ever does on the first day. It'll be at least three more days before I can break him enough to be entertaining."

"I don't know why you get to do all the fun jobs." Wolf grumbled, ordering another beer. "You know what I did today? Escorted a prisoner transport." He snorted. "Don't know what I thought I was protecting them from."

"Well, you can't deny that I've a talent for it."

"Hell, that's not it!" said Wolf, pounding on the counter. "I just wanted to get first crack at him, you know, when he's still fighting back. I've wanted to torture Fox ever since I first saw him. And I wouldn't need any fancy hooks or saws or brain whatevers, either. All I'd need is my knife."

"If you ask me, that's probably why Andross sent you away." Leon sipped the red wine he'd ordered. "He wants Fox to live a long, unhappy life. Torture is a very delicate process, producing the best results when the operator has had no prior connection with the victim. I don't think Andross trusts you with Fox. I wouldn't."

"You want to see something?" Wolf said. He reached to his belt and placed a small knife on the table. "I've had this knife ever since I joined, but I never used it before. Read that." He said, pointing to printing that ran across one side.

"Uh," said Leon, squinting, "Se ah-tethnat ko durtia-, Wolf, what is this?" the chameleon said. "This isn't something you bought off the street is it?"

"That's Lupine." Wolf took another drink, and blinked. "It says 'For my worst enemy, who was my best friend.' I had it made the day I quit the Cornerian Army."

Leon opened his mouth to make a smart remark, then changed his mind and closed it again.

"When I was in the Cornernian Academy I was always ignored, the only time anyone talked to me was to tell me to get out of the way. That changed when I met Fox. He paid attention to me. And because he was popular, I was too."

"And how long did that last?"

"Till we graduated. I realized everyone just thought of me as one McCloud's little group. Whenever they talked to me, they were always looking over my shoulder at him. To them, I was just an extension of him, as if I didn't exist when he wasn't there. That's really why I defected. That's why I need to be better than him. That's why I need to kill him."

"That's it?"

"You don't get it! I've been waiting for this for years!" Wolf yelled, unsteadily. "This is what I've been living for."

"Hey, listen." Leon said. "I've known you a long time, this isn't the first time you've been like this." He looked at the empty bottles surrounding his team captain. "How many of those have you had anyway?"

Wolf shrugged. "A few."

"I wouldn't worry. You'll still be here tomorrow and so will Fox, and I've got an excellent idea involving a soldering iron." He finished his wine and stood up. "Don't stay too long, or tomorrow you'll be too hungover to watch."

"Yeah, I remember that guy." Pete said, "said his name was Victor Opri- Opp- Opri-something. Showed up, oh, a couple weeks ago, maybe. Kinda weird, if you ask me." like some other people I could mention he thought.

"Can you describe him?" asked the squirrel unsmilingly.

Pete considered for a moment. He was not accustomed to answering questions about customers he had all but forgotten, especially not to strange squirrels. And when he said strange squirrels, he meant strange. His inquisitor was wearing all black, black shirt, black jeans, black boots, black gloves, and, weirdest of all, a black cape. As if that wasn't enough, he was accompanied by a mink with similar taste in clothing. Nor did it help that they had come asking at two AM.

"It was a big black panther, about six and a half foot tall." Pete yawned, making no attempt to conceal it.

"Did he say where he was going?" asked the mink.

"He asked the way to the army enlistment office." He said, yawning again. This seemed to be disheartening news, and the weird guests exchanged a worried glance.

Pete shifted uncomfortably. "Uh, is there anything else? Cause I've gotta close up or I'll get booked for violating curfew." Pete didn't seem to mind that his guests would be arrested for leaving.

"That's all," said the squirrel, "thanks for your help."

"Well, now what?"

"Calm down."

"But he could be anywhere if he's in the military."

"No, not anywhere. Only somewhere where the military is."

"And that is?"

"Not at all difficult to discover."

Chapter 4

"Their religion was one of despair; so how could they understand that their foes could hope even when their fortunes were hopeless? Their religion was one of force and of fear; so how could they understand that men can still despise fear even if they are subdued by force?"

-G. K. Chesterton, The Everlasting Man.

Katterina Tyler Monroe pinched herself to see if she would wake up. She didn't.

"You okay?" came Bill's voice over the radio.

"Yeah," she said, bringing her mind back to reality. "You ready?"

"As ready as I'll ever be," he answered.

"Uh, Bill?" she asked.

"Yeah?"

"Are you absolutely sure we should do this?"

"Well," he replied, "We have to do it sometime. We won't get our homes back by hiding, and we won't win a thing by playing it safe." There was a pause. "Katt?"

"I'm okay," she said, trying to communicate a conviction she didn't feel. "Let's go."

Commander Evan Meniran slumped down behind his desk. It looked like it was going to be another thrilling day as imperial governor of the third western para-tropical zone of Katina.

Just for something to do, he buzzed his secretary and asked for the daily reports. She brought them in. Well, he thought, that was invigorating. He decided he might as well look at them. Well, there they were, all daily and reported. Now what?

I know, he thought, I'll read them. Wow, won't that be exciting. Why, I can barely keep from dancing around the room with the sheer exhilaration of it. Oh look, here's the first one. What does it say? Why, it says that the camp production is on schedule. Oh joy, he grumbled. It's so amazing that, even though the camp's been on schedule ever I got stuck running the damn thing, it's still on schedule. How wonderful!

Oh, here's one from the territorial occupation troop management office. Why, whatever can it say? It says to expect another division of troops under the command of Lieutenant Opprimus to arrive today! Hooray! The same troops that were scheduled to arrive today, will, in fact, ARRIVE TODAY! I'm so excited I think I'll pass out!

He looked at the clock on his desk, hoping against hope that it would be time for lunch, or an inspection, or at least time enough for a coffee break. He'd only been in his office for three minutes.

Cmdr. Meniran sank back into his chair, on the verge of tears. Oh, if only something, anything, would happen, he prayed silently. Anything at all.

His prayer was answered.

A handful of jets coasted low over the Katinian horizon, headed for a provincial labor camp. They dropped into a small ravine, moving slowly and silently toward the camp. Katt struggled to keep from screaming. She hated being in charge, being the leader, being the one everyone counted on. If she'd had a choice, she would never have fought this way. She preferred to fight as a shadow, appearing unexpectedly, striking quickly, and vanishing again. To come in straight, right in the open, and to have to stay there while the camp was liberated… she just didn't know. Breathe, she reminded herself, don't think about it, just do it and try not to think about it. And then they arrived, and she was flying, not for money, but for her life.

"Take out those turrets!" Bill shouted. Seven pilots did that, the rest braced themselves. Swarms of invader jets rose to meet them, beat back in a few places by nova bombs from Bill and Katt. The others mobbed the attackers, trying to fire on them from behind. She found herself firing almost without aiming, as if by instinct. Two, three, four enemies fell, and she sent more to join them.

"Phase two pilots, land and attack." Bill shouted.

Half of the planes dropped to the ground, and their pilots jumped out, fully geared for a ground assault. They scattered into the base complex, preparing to liberate the slaves and seize supplies.

Katt came out of her fierce trance and looked around, in time to see another venom pilot go down under a deadly rain of her own lasers. There were only six enemy fighters left. Bills lasers flashed, and only five were left.

"We're winning," she said, "We're actually winning."

"I know. Let's keep it that way," was Bill's answer. "All pilots, land and prepare to storm."

"How are we doing, Katt?" Bill whispered into his com.

"We're doing fine," she replied from the main room where she'd hacked into the security system, "And you don't need to whisper."

"How many enemies left?"

"None, we won, it's over, and you can stop sneaking around and being stealthy." She paused. "Where are you, anyway?"

"Right outside the command room, why?"

"Well come in."

"In?"

"I'm in the command room!"

"Oh," Bill said, opening the door and switching off his radio. "Now what?"

"Well, I sent a bunch of the liberated workers to the caves with most of the supplies, so all we have to do now is get everyone else out and then blow the place."

"Okay, how will we do that?" he asked, moving around to look at the screen with her.

"That's easy. We need charges at seven key locations-"

"Hello? Are you receiving me? Anyone? Hello?" said the com.

"Uh, receiving you clearly." Bill said carefully, picking it up.

"Oh, good, I finally found the right frequency. This is Lieutenant Victor Opprimus of the Venomian Army, and I think you'll be interested in what I have to say."

"What's that?" Bill answered, getting worried.

"Simply this; there are few persons here with me that I think are friends of yours. It would be a shame if something were to happen to them."

"What?!"

"Surrender."

"Surrender? Are you insane? We'll never submit to-"

Katt took the com from him. "And if we don't?"

"Well then," the Venomian answered, "Meet Anna. Anna is an armadillo, about four years old and quite charming. Say hello, Anna."

"What's going on? Where's mommy? Who- mphh!" came a little girl's frightened voice.

"That's enough. And now Anna has to go on a trip. A one way trip, I'm afraid."

A shot echoed over the radio. Katt looked up in horror.

"Once again, In the name of His Ultimacy Emperor Andross, I demand you surrender yourselves and your forces to me."

"You- you-" Bill stuttered, unable to form a whole sentence.

"Hmm, still unsure?" Victor asked. "Let me introduce you to Kevin, a nine year old oriole. You have five seconds, four, three, two, one."

Katt winced and a second shot burst out of the com.

"Bill-" she began.

"We can't give in! We can't! He's probably bluffing."

"Can we take that chance?"

"Moving right along," the officer continued, "We have a beautiful baby otter, who can't be more than five months old. Oh, and to judge by her expression, that other otter over there is her mother. How tragic it would be if she had to watch her baby daughter die through your fault. So sad, isn't it? Surrender in five, four, three-"

"Stop!" Bill shouted. "Alright, we surrender! You win. You win."

"Of course I do. Please order the rest of your rebels to lay down their arms and surrender, and then step outside with your hands in the air. Have a nice day." He turned off the com, and watched the front door of the compound. When two figures came out with their hands in the air, he laughed. "How touching. They've given their freedom for your daughter's life. The good are always so easy to manipulate. Here, you may come get your child now. I won't shoot her."

The grateful mother ran forward and snatched the baby. She turned away and bent down over her daughter, so she didn't see Victor nod to his troops. The last thing she heard was twenty laser rifles firing, onto her and her baby.

Commander Meniran crawled out from the cupboard in his office. He looked around nervously, then cautiously advanced another step.

"You can come out now sir, they're all gone." Said a panther standing in the doorway.

"Oh, man," Evan said, almost fainting with relief, "am I glad to see you! Lieutenant Opprimus, right? You beat the rebels, then?"

"Yes, we won. Unfortunately, the brave Commander Meniran was killed in the fighting."

"Huh? What are you talking about? I'm right here, I'm certainly not dead."

"No, you were killed in the fighting." The panther said, pulling out a gun, and Evan stumbled back with three smoking holes in his chest.

"There, you see, I was right. You were killed." He walked to the doorway, paused, and turned back. "I'm always right in the end, you know. Goodbye."

Chapter 5

Then Sauron laughed, and he mocked Gorlim, and revealed to him that he had seen only a phantom devised by wizardry to entrap him; for his wife was dead. "Nonetheless I will grant thy prayer," said Sauron, "and thou shalt go to her, and be set free of my service." Then he put him cruelly to death.

-J. R. R. Tolkien, The Silmarillion.

"Leon, that was beautiful." Wolf said, sighing. "You're an artist."

"Yes," the tormentor admitted, "it was a good session, wasn't it?" They were relaxing in Leon's room after paying a visit to Fox's cell. The chameleon looked shrewdly at his commander. "Still upset that you didn't get to go first?"

"No, just watching is enough. Man, if only I could watch that forever."

"What part was the best, would you say?" "Oh, the end, when he thought it was over and closed his eyes, and then you started up the saw again. That expression was worth millions." Wolf suddenly stopped laughing and looked worried, "Hey, Leon."

"Yes?"

"This won't kill him will it? I mean, I'll still get-"

"No, no, I'm not interested in death, only in dying. McCloud will still be around for you to slaughter, never fear." He pulled off his blood-spattered shirt and replaced it with a clean one. "You'll still get to break his body, I just want to break his soul first."

Fox hung, manacled to the wall in his cell, half in and half out of delirium. He wheezed with every breath, coughing when a drop of blood ran down his face and into his mouth. His eyelids were not fully closed, and constantly flickered, as if he was looking rapidly in all directions.

Fox didn't see the dungeon, the cell, or the manacles. He was floating helplessly in oceans of pain, made all the worse by the sure knowledge that it would end only when his tormentors wanted it to end. Perhaps he had thought of escape for the first few days of his imprisonment, but now all he wanted was to die, and at least cheat Leon of a few more weeks of watching him writhe. He slumped down in the clamps, feeling the life slowly draining from his body.

"Fox," said a voice, very close, almost in his ear. "Hold on, son."

Fox hadn't cried at any point during the torture, it was the one way in which he had disappointed Leon. But he cried now. "Dad?" was all he could say.

"Yes, I'm here." The voice said. It echoed and reverberated in a way that made it impossible to tell whether it came from miles away or from the other side of the room.

"Then am I dead?"

"Almost. You're standing on the very brink of death."

"Is, is mom…?"

"She's here too, Fox." The voice said, a little heavily, now, "She misses you, we both do." There was a pause. "I came to tell you something, and to give you a choice. The only thing keeping you alive now is yourself. All you need to do is to stop fighting it and you can slip away, come with me now, and forget this forever."

"Now?"

"Now. We can go as soon as you're ready."

Fox swallowed. He felt dizzy. He felt the pain Leon had given him draining out of him, he seemed to be rising upward, as if he were suddenly weightless.

"All you have to do is come with me, and we'll be together again, forever. You, and your mother, and me." The voice paused. "We're both very proud of you, son."

"Proud?" Fox asked, almost bitterly, "Of a failure like me?"

"A failure? What did you fail?" smiled the voice.

"I failed you," Fox whispered. "I was too weak, Andross won, and now I'm dying alone, without even anyone to carry on after me."

"No, you haven't failed. Even as we speak, there are people resisting Andross; more and more every day. They're doing it for you, son. You're their inspiration."

Fox hung his head; he wanted more than anything to go, to say he was ready, but something stopped him, a sense of duty, maybe. There was something he still needed to do. "What's my other choice?" he finally asked.

"To stay here, and fight. Andross is winning, but he hasn't won; not yet. You still have a chance, you can still win."

"I can't." Fox gasped, finally giving in to his tears.

"Don't cry. You haven't failed, not yet." Fox looked up, his eyes were still blurred with tears, but he could see there was someone standing next to him, with a strong light directly behind them.

Fox hesitated for a moment, and then swallowed hard. "All right; I'll stay, I'll fight. What do I have to do?"

"That's my son," said the figure, "just hold out, keep enduring, and don't give in. Help will come."

"I will," he said, "Thank you, father."

"There. That wasn't hard at all."

"What are you talking about?"

"I just found him."

"What? Where? How?"

"Well if you weren't paying so much attention to your breakfast, you might have taken a look at the newspaper I was reading."

"And I would have seen what?"

"The headline; 'Rebels attack factory. Brave officer Victor Opprimus hero of the hour.'"

"You think that's him?"

"It says Victor Oppri-something; and it's in the military; and it's ambitious. That's three out of three."

"Not bad. What's our next move?"

"Well what's the first sentence about?"

"Uh, rebels."

"Exactly."

Chapter 6

Banquo: And oftentimes, to win us to our harm

The instruments of darkness tell us truths,

Win us with honest trifles, to betray us

In deepest consequence.

-Shakespeare, MacBeth.

Art Canuno, Andross' valet and personal assistant, was puzzled by his Emperor's mood. Being the valet of an insane megalomaniac scientist provided ample opportunity for studying various moods, and Art had seen many over the years; fear, rage, amusement, Andross had exhibited them all at some point. But this one was new, it was as if the Emperor couldn't decide weather he was awake or asleep.

"Art?" he finally said.

"Yes, sir?" replied the penguin, setting down the breakfast tray.

"Do you believe in omens?"

"Sir?"

"Dreams, visions, prophecies," the Emperor mused. "Do you believe they can tell the future?"

"I confess I had never given the matter much thought, sir."

"Really?"

"I am afraid not, sir. Will you be requiring anything else, sir?"

"Hmm, get me my telephone book, and lay out a the green suit."

"Very good, sir."

Art opened the wardrobe, while his master looked in the newspapers. "Have you seen the stories about this lieutenant?"

"The matter has not escaped my notice, sir"

"I wonder, perhaps…"

"Sir?"

"I asked you about omens, didn't I?"

"Yes, sir." Art answered, wondering where this was going.

"Well, I had this dream, about him." Andross explained, gesturing toward the newspaper. "I saw him fighting with McCloud, and winning. And then he, well, he opened a door, and was about to show me what was on the other side, and then I woke up." He sipped at his coffee. "It was disturbing."

"Most assuredly so, sir."

"Oh my-, Fox, what did they do to you?!"

Fox raised his head slowly, "Bill? You aren't just another dream, are you?"

Bill didn't answer; he was staring openmouthed at the network of cuts and burns that covered his friend's arms, face, and chest. He began moving his mouth as if he wanted to speak, but couldn't remember any words. "How did you survive all this?" he finally said, blinking in shock.

Fox didn't answer. He didn't know.

"Where have you been?" Leon grumbled as he slammed open Wolf's bedroom door. "I've been waiting for you for two and a half hours!"

"Huh?" Wolf shouted, waking up. "What time is it?"

"Ten thirty." remarked Leon dryly.

"What are you doing here?" Wolf yawned, rubbing his eyes.

"To see if you were dead, as I was beginning to suspect," Leon threw open the blinds. "You usually don't forget our appointments."

Wolf winced at the sudden light and tried to focus. He had a terrible headache. "Sorry, I was out late last night. Celebrating."

"So I figured," the chameleon sighed. He'd been particularly looking forward to this morning. "You heard about Grey and Monroe being captured, I assume?"

Wolf got out of bed and pulled on a shirt. "Yeah, that's what I was celebrating."

"Well, I managed to get Grey transferred here, and put him in the same cell as McCloud."

"Oh." said Wolf, realizing what he'd missed. "Damn, I'm sorry Leon." He blinked and shook his head. "Well, just let me take a quick shower and then we'll go down."

"Not now, you're too late! I've got work to do! Some of us don't spend all our time either at the gym or the bar or some point in between." Leon rolled his eyes in a way only a chameleon can. "Look, have a couple aspirin and a cup of coffee, and I'll meet you down there after lunch."

"Thanks man, I owe you."

"Don't mention it." Leon grumbled as he left.

"Haven't you found it yet?"

"Be patient, hacking a computer isn't like strolling through a park."

"But they both require time, which we are rapidly running out of."

"As if you're the one who should talk about that- wait, I found him. Level 6, cell number 14.9"

"Okay, hurry. Grab your fancy thing and let's go."

"It's called a laptop, not a 'fancy thing.'"

"Whatever. Hurry up."

Wolf stepped out of the elevator at level 6 of the prison. He flashed his ID to the guard, who handed him a message.

'Wolf, the meeting ran long. Be there as soon as I can. Let this be a lesson to you. Ha Ha: -Leon.'

He cursed under his breath. Oh well, there was nothing he could do about it, he fumed as he walked to the end of row 14. He'd have to learn not to get so drunk when he was-

"If you'd gotten better directions, we wouldn't be lost!" someone shouted.

"Who says we are lost? I bet it's right down here." Said a second voice, a female's "See? Here it is."

"And how, pray tell, are we supposed to get through that?"

Wolf paused for a moment, then came around the corner. There were two people standing in front of Fox's cell, dressed all in black, and both looking very annoyed. The female, a mink, looked up for a moment, then turned to her partner, a squirrel.

"Here comes someone. Ask him."

"Why do I have to ask him? You do it."

"I already got us this far."

"Yeah," the squirrel said under his breath, "and a fat lot of good that did us." He turned to Wolf, who was becoming more surprised by the moment. "How do we get in there?" he demanded, pointing at Fox's cell. "Little miss genius over there didn't think to get us fake ID."

"F-fake ID?" Wolf managed to splutter.

"Yeah."

"Why do you need fake ID?" said Wolf, feeling as if he'd blundered into someone else's hallucination.

"To open the cells so we can get, uh, get… I keep forgetting his name."

"Fox McCloud." The mink said.

No items, fox only, final destination

"That's it. We're going to help him escape."

"What did you say?" asked Wolf, alarm bells ringing in the back of his mind.

"Escape. You know, evade, breakout, flee, elude, run away."

"What?" Wolf nearly screamed. He grabbed the mink and held a knife up to her throat. "Don't move!"

"What are you doing?" asked the squirrel, in a puzzled voice.

"Put your hands up!" growled Wolf, pushing the mink, who was unarmed, behind him.

"Okay," he responded, doing it. After a moment, he put them back down. "Was something supposed to happen?" he asked.

"Get those hands back up, or she's dead."

"Who? Her?" the squirrel laughed. "She's in no danger."

"Shut up and drop your guns, now or-" suddenly a tingling sensation spread over his whole body, his hands began shaking, his head spun, and just before he blacked out he saw the floor swing up to hit his face.

Bill watched as the mink took Wolf's ID card and deactivated the lasers on the cell door. She came in and started unfastening Fox from the wall.

"I didn't know you could do that." The squirrel said.

"It's easy," the mink said, "I pinched him, right on the back of the neck where the spinal cord is near the surface." She undid the last of the clasps. "It works on almost anyone. Could you help me please, instead of relaxing there?"

"No, I'm busy." The squirrel answered. He dragged Wolf into the cell, and then clamped him up where Fox had been.

"Wha?" Wolf moaned, coming to.

"Be quiet." Snapped the squirrel, stuffing a gag in Wolf's mouth.

"Here," the mink said, handing Bill Wolf's shirt, then his pants, then his eye patch, "Put those on."

"Huh?"

"You're a husky right? A little make up, the right walk, and the right clothes, you'd be his twin."

"You'll be taking the prisoner up to Leon's quarters-" continued the mink.

"-and he'll drop into the ventilation shaft on his way? Not bad." Finished the squirrel.

"What? Hey, uh, where should I go?" asked Bill, finding the situation entirely outside his control.

"Don't worry. We'll find you." The mink said. "Get going."

"Limp more." Bill whispered.

"I'm trying." Fox whispered back.

The guard snapped quickly to attention as he saw Wolf O'Donnell stride fiercely past, dragging a pitiful prisoner behind him. A few yards further on, Bill began breathing again. "This can't be happening. I must be dreaming." Bill said, half to himself. Fox groaned.

"Careful. Don't look so dazed. And abuse me more."

They began to slow down as they neared Starwolf's quarters. Bill made for a large vent on the wall, kneeling down and pulling out a pry-bar the squirrel had given him.

"Wolf," said a voice, "what are you doing?"

Bill whirled and brought the pry-bar down on Andrew's head, felling him. The monkey stumbled, then shook his head and said, "Hey, you aren't- Help! Hel-mph!"

Fox smacked the back of Andrew's head against the wall, then collapsed from the exertion. "Ouch." He said.

"You shouldn't have done that, you're still-"

"Later. Let's get out of here."

"How'd he know I wasn't Wolf?" Bill said, helping Fox into the shaft.

Fox studied his friend for a moment, then spoke. "Your patch is on the wrong eye." He said.

They went about half a mile, stopping every so often when Fox needed to rest. The squirrel was waiting for them, and took them out through the air conditioner, where there was a ship waiting with the mink at the controls.

They lifted off unchallenged by any enemies, and turned toward open space. Fox exhaled heavily. He was out.

"You okay?" Bill said, sitting down next to him.

"I'm fine." Fox said, and closed his eyes "Just think, when I wake up tomorrow I'm not going to have fishhooks under my skin, soldering irons on my face, or a power saw on my ankle." He leaned back against the hull. "Thanks for the escape. I wasn't going to last much longer."

"Thanks? I thought it was your idea."

"No, I've been in than cell for weeks. I wasn't me."

"But then who…?" Bill trailed off, and glanced at the cockpit.

The squirrel was leaning in the doorway, watching them with an amused expression. When Bill looked at him, his smile broadened.

"Uh, I almost forgot to thank you, Mr.… uh, what's your name anyway?"

The squirrel's smile became positively uncontrolled; he seemed to have reached record heights of smugness.

"You can call her," he said, nodding in the direction of the pilot, "Mind. And me," he smiled again, "Soul."

Leon stopped suddenly just outside cell number 14.9, with his mouth hanging open.

"Mphhh! Mrrhh, mhh mnnrgh! Mrphhhh!" said Wolf, who was wearing only his underwear. He was firmly gagged and fastened to the wall where Fox was supposed to be.

Chapter 7

"Well it's like this," he said. "What have we got to do? We have to invent a sort of life where men can live and be as secure as possible. I've been thinking about the drains, under London are miles and miles of them. Then there's cellars, vaults, stores, and the railways and subways. And we form a band—able bodied, clean-minded men." -H. G. Wells, The War of the Worlds.

The airlock on the derelict station opened slowly, admitting what appeared to be a small Venomian transport ship. A squirrel with a black cape got out, followed by a dog and a fox. "Careful here," said the dog, "watch that step."

"Bill, I don't need that much help." Fox protested, "I'm just a little weak, that's all."

Mind stepped down behind them, closing the hatch door as she went. "You should be safe here." She said.

"Where are we, anyway?"

"Meteo." answered Soul. "This is an abandoned science station, I don't know what they were studying."

"We use it as a supply base." Explained the mink, "The nice thing is that scans don't reach here, they're blocked by energy fluctuations from the wormholes and trace elements in the asteroids."

"Yeah, what she said." Said the squirrel, opening the doors. On the other side was a very shabby-looking room, with a couple of chairs, a worn sofa, and a folding table by way of furnishings. One wall was covered with wires and circuit boards, all connected to a keyboard and monitor.

"The bathroom's that way," Mind pointed, "and there's a bed in the next room."

"Thank you." said Fox, "I am kind of tired."

"Keep on fighting, son. She needs you."

Sixteen hours later, Fox woke up. He was in a small, narrow, dark room. For a moment he panicked, thinking he was back in the cell. But then he realized that he was lying on a mattress, there was a door to the room and not bars. Bill was asleep in a folding chair in the corner. Fox sat up. Every muscle in his body felt as if it had been removed, put through a meat grinder, and then reinserted. He was glad to be feeling so much better. He came into the main room, where there was a smell of cooking coming from a small propane stove, where Soul was cooking- well something. It was light brown and was in a frying pan, but other than that there wasn't much that could be figured out for certain.

Mind was sitting at the electronic wall, typing steadily. "Good morning." She said.

"What time is it?" Fox yawned.

"one-thirty A.M." she answered, "That is, technically, morning."

"Here, have something to eat." The squirrel said, setting a plateful of whatever it was he'd cooked down on an upturned metal crate.

"Thanks." Fox said, looking uncertainly at the tan mound he'd been served. He shivered, "Hey, do you have a spare shirt somewhere?"

"Probably." Soul answered, returning to his stove.

Fox pulled up a smaller crate and began eating. It didn't taste bad, but it didn't taste good, either. It didn't taste much like anything, something between the taste of bread and milk. It was very filling.

"What's that?" said Bill, from the doorway.

"Breakfast." Fox answered.

"Oh you're awake too? Good." Mind said. "You ought to see this." She tapped the keyboard and the wildly scrolling letters on the screen stopped, halting on a few lines.

While you were asleep, I hacked into the Imperial mainframe-"

"Don't you mean the Venomian mainframe?" Bill interrupted.

"No," said Mind, looking very hard at them for a moment, "the imperial mainframe." "Anyway, we found a whole bunch of interesting stuff." She continued, moving aside.

access mainframe command passquery=undefined/12.3~ verifying DMI pool data… passcode accepted welcome to imperial mainframe! http; /search command_engage searching… host found. Waiting for reply… Online. Please enter area of enquiry.

Corneria- 5 known Titania- 1 known Fortuna- 3 known Macbeth- 0 known Katina- Indeterminate Venom- 2 known

"These are all the rebel organizations that they know about." She said, pointing. "Once we get in touch with these, they should be able to help us find any others that there might be. And here's info on significant prisoners."

Imperial Venomian Palace, Venom; Gnrl, Christopher R. Pepper Antione Saulinars Memorial Prison, Corneria; Peppy Hare Fortunan Detainment Facility; Falco Lombardi Camp #14FN; Slippy Toad Camp #8MCB; Katt Monroe

"There's two things I want you to take a look at. Peppy is in the same prison that you were, Fox, so we can-" Mind began, but Fox interrupted her.

"You found Falco and Peppy and the others?"

"Yep." said Soul.

"As if you did anything," the mink grumbled at him.

"Can you find anyone?"

"If they're in the network, I can locate them."

"Okay," said Fox, stepping forward and typing a name.

Mind looked at it and then began typing at an exponential rate. Half a minute later she stopped and said, "Fara Phoenix, Camp #37VN."

"Okay, now try 'Rita LaShette'," said Bill.

"No data available." She declared after another minute of typing.

"Are you sure you spelled it right?" Asked the squirrel.

She just glared at him, then turned to Fox, "The reason I showed that to you is because we want to ask you something." Mind said a few moments later. "You see, we helped you escape for a reason."

Fox looked up. Here it comes, he thought.

"We're, well, we're looking for someone," she began explaining. "And we have good reason to believe that he is somewhere in the ranks of this Andross person's army. Probably fairly high up." She paused. "We have many ways of confronting this, person, but in my opinion the most likely to succeed is to destroy that network on which the army he has attached himself to relies."

"Simply put," Soul interrupted, "We're going to have a rebellion."

"And you want me to lead it." Fox groaned.

"Yes."

There was a long pause. Finally Fox began laughing quietly. "You two sound like me about a year ago. You see, I had a little rebellion of my own back then. And do you know what I won?" he asked, his voice dropping. He held out his arms, displaying the scars laced over his chest. "I won these. I failed. Badly. Because no matter how clever my plans were or how daring my exploits were, I was still the weak underdog." He looked away. "The weak lose. Period."

"No." said Soul, his voice suddenly hard.

"You didn't fail by not being strong enough." Mind said matter-of-factly, "You failed by not being clever or daring enough."

Fox didn't answer. Bill shifted nervously, feeling as if he didn't belong in this discussion.

"You've got to keep fighting." The squirrel said. He glanced over at the screen, where the words 'Fara Phoenix, Camp #37VN' still sat patiently, "She needs you."

"All right." Fox said, swallowing heavily. He didn't have to look to know who 'she' was. "I'll do it."

Chapter 8

…that is not love

Which alters when it alteration finds,

Or bends with the remover to remove.

Oh no, it is an ever fixe'd mark,

That looks on tempests and is never shaken

-Shakespeare, Sonnet 116

"Hey kitty, wake up." Said the guard.

Katt opened her eyes and slid off the hard bench. She glanced at the prison window; it was totally black outside, with a few stars showing. "Wha- What is it?" she yawned.

"Prisoner transfer." The guard explained, opening the cell and putting a pair of handcuffs on her. Dang, she thought. "You're going up to the top." The soldier continued, oblivious to her thoughts.

"The top?"

"Yep. Prison with all the dangerous rebels and stuff." He grinned. "Same prison as the Starfox scum." He pushed her ahead impatiently and began whistling a popular tune off-key. She didn't listen.

The same prison as Falco…

She didn't know whether to be sorry or glad.

As it turned out, she was sorry.

"Let me get this straight," Andross said, trying to keep from screaming, "you're telling me that some 'cool people' helped McCloud escape?"

"Yes sir." Wolf answered in a very small voice.

"And that these cool people stole your uniform and ID card and gave them to Grey, who took McCloud out?"

"Presumably." Wolf said.

"And on their way out, McCloud managed to beat you up, in spite of the fact that for nearly a month he's been on starvation rations and torture every day."

"But Uncle…" whined Andrew.

"Shut up." The Emperor said, and then turned to Wolf, "and then the 'cool people' evaporated, did they?"

"Well, I'm afraid I don't know that. I was locked up in McCloud's cell."

"And that's where you'll be again if you don't find these 'cool people' and apprehend them." Andross shouted. "Go! And if anyone asks, the official story is that McCloud is dead." The Starwolf team left the throne room; Wolf angry that he'd been humiliated, Leon puzzled that Wolf had been humiliated, Pigma relieved that he hadn't been yelled at, and Andrew whimpering because he had.

A black panther wearing a commander's uniform was standing at the secretary's desk as they left. "His Imperial Ultimacy will see you in a moment." She was saying.

"This is not fair." Wolf fumed at Leon as they went back to their quarters. "I didn't have to take any of this crap when we were pirating together!"

"That's because you were the captain," his second reminded him, "but all the crew had to take whatever you gave them, didn't they?" Wolf growled in reply. Leon grinned, knowing that meant his leader was feeling better. "I'm going down to the cells," he continued, "Feel free to tag along."

"The bird, I assume?"

"Yes." Leon breathed, turned the end of the word into a low reptilian hiss. "Falco and I go back a long way. It's time to get reacquainted, I think."

The guard frog-marched Katt down the corridor. I have no idea why they bothered moving me, she thought, this looks exactly like the other prison. They stopped in front of cell #14.9 where they were shortly joined by Leon wearing an ingratiating expression.

"Ah, Miss Monroe!" he said, he seemed very pleased about something. "So good of you to join us. Let me introduce you to our other guest." He continued, turning to the cell.

Falco was clamped securely to the wall, which was covered with bloodstains. Katt swallowed. She didn't want to think how much blood would be required to make that many marks.

"Oh, I wouldn't worry about it." Consoled Leon, seemingly reading her thoughts, "most of that is from Fox." He laughed. "I only started on Lombardi here last night, he should last a nice long time. A couple of months, maybe." The chameleon laughed again and opened the cell door.

Falco looked up dazedly as he heard the bars of his cell open. Leon was standing in front of him, and someone else was standing just outside, he couldn't make out who it was. He thought for a moment that it was Katt, but that was impossible. He decided he was hallucinating.

"You might as well make yourself comfortable, Miss Monroe," said Leon's voice, "we're likely to be here for some time, or at least until Wolf arrives with the- Aha! Here you are!"

Falco shook his head trying to bring himself out of the shocked daze he'd woken up into. Wolf was tying Katt; yes she was really there, to folding chair opposite from him. He gagged her firmly then stood aside, shifting uneasily. "Uh, Leon?" he said.

"Yes?"

"Are you sure about, well, about this?" the commander asked, glancing form Falco to Katt and back.

"Quite." Leon grinned. "I'm sure Ms. Monroe wouldn't want to miss the entertainment." He reached into his suitcase and turned to Falco. "I'll ask you again, Who helped Fox escape?"

Falco closed his eyes slowly. "I don't know."

"I'm sorry," he heard Leon hiss, over the drone of a power saw being turned on, "I'm afraid that's the wrong answer." The saw came closer.

Katt screamed around her gag.

"Leon-" Wolf began.

"Not now. I've got an appointment. We'll talk later."

Wolf followed his copilot for a few steps, then stopped. What he had to say could wait, if he was going to say it at all.

He slumped down in the bar, wondering why he was so depressed. Ever since the war ended, he'd been more and more unhappy. Andross ignored him now, not even bother to give him sham missions. He hadn't flown in weeks. Watching Leon with the prisoners helped, but now it was starting not to feel right either, it felt like someone or something was looking over his shoulder. And then there was that creepy squirrel and his girlfriend (or whatever she was) that really bothered him. And now Leon torturing Katt, which he just didn't like somehow, and Andross blaming him for Fox's escape. Wolf sighed. Life had been much simpler during the war.

He took a deep pull of his beer. Oh well, at least there was one thing that could always make him feel better.

Chapter 9

"Where have you been?" asked Bigwig. "And where's Fiver? Wasn't he with you?"

"Fiver's with Hazel," said Blackberry. "Hazel's alive. He's been wounded but he won't die."

"He's alive?" said Bigwig.

-Richard Adams, Watership Down.

Four Protector-class Cornerian fighters cut through the outer atmosphere of Aquas, then dropped quietly to about twenty feet from the surface. The sun was just showing over the horizon, and a silver mist wandered over the water that the ships skimmed.

Fox was a bit nervous. It had been years since he'd flown one of these, and even then he'd never flown one outside of training. He had gone straight from the academy to the Arwing cockpit.

Bill was just as nervous, though not for the same reason. He normally flew a modified protector anyway, so he had no reason to be concerned about his ship. But he was worried about what they were going to do, he had to admit that.

As usual, Mind and Soul gave no indication of their thoughts, and if they were the slightest bit concerned, they concealed it.

Fox's com buzzed, and then the squirrel's voice came over it. "You're sure your sister will have your ships?" he asked.

"She should." He answered cautiously. "I had her stash them before we tried our last raid, so as long as she hasn't been found they should still be fine."

"You think that there is a possibility that she has been found, then?" said Mind. Fox shrugged. "I doubt it. She'd never let anything happen to the GreatFox, she's even more devoted to Dad's memory than I am." He began to feel better as he talked. "I suppose the only way she could be found is if they went over the entire planet inch by inch. And they don't even know what planet to go over."

"We shouldn't have any trouble, then." Soul concluded.

"You're sure of this, are you?" Andross said.

"Not totally. Enough." Answered Commander Opprimus.

"I don't mind telling you, this LaShette character has been a nuisance in the past." Andross said, looking at the report again. "And this does seem to prove that she's on Aquas." The emperor looked ant Victor piercingly. "If you're right, I'd say you're in line for another promotion. General, perhaps."

The panther smiled ingratiatingly. "Thank you very much, sir."

"They said on the news that you were dead. Figures they were lying." Rita said as she opened the docking bay.

"Hmm." Said Fox, not really listening.

"I mean, I knew that they wouldn't have killed you so soon, and so I figured that if they said you were dead it must just be a PR scam to squelch rumors that you had escaped and-"

"Yes, Rita, thank you." Concluded Fox, moving toward his fighter.

"Uh, I was wondering," began Soul, "If you're Fox's sister, why do you have a different last name?"

"Well, I'm not really his sister. I was abandoned by my real parents, see, and Fox's parents adopted me, so-"

Thank you, Fox thought.

"All systems running at optimum performance."

"Great job, ROB." Fox grinned, "It's good to see you again."

"Does not compute. My visual representation systems do not access the sector from which you are accessing the central data bank. You do not see me."

"Never mind, ROB"

"As you wish."

"Fox? How's everything going?" asked Bill, from the hallway.

"Couldn't be better." The commander answered.

"See? Told you I'd take good care of her." Rita commented, waltzing in and throwing an arm around Fox's shoulder.

"Her?" said ROB's voice. "Incorrect. My artificial gender interface is masculine. Computing… Ha. Ha. Ha. Ha. Ha. Ha. Ha. Ha. Ha. Ha. Ha. Ha. Ha. Ha. Ha. Ha-"

Fox shut down the computer terminal.

"What was that?" radioed Soul.

"That was ROB, the computer system." Fox answered grimly, "more specifically, that was an experimental AI 'humor' expansion that Slippy coded and installed."

"Sheesh. Sorry I asked."

"Excuse me." Mind interrupted over the com, "I think we have company."

Two squads of Invaders and one squad of Eradicators cut through the Aquan dawn. They swung eastward, and then fell into formation behind a single Mark X2 fighter. Colonel Caiman reviewed the orders in his mind, exulting. After five years of being shunted aside, passed over, and put on planetary defense, at last his talent had been recognized. Finally a mission worthy of his great abilities. If he played his cards right, he'd have a commandership in no time. Maybe even a general, yes, that was it. General Caiman. Wonderful. Why yes, Andross, he thought, I'll be happy to take over all control of the Empire when you retire. What's that? You're retiring now? Oh, don't worry, I'll take good care of everything…

His reverie was abruptly interrupted by a single blue and black arwing that arced out from the sea and flew overhead.

"Ah, Ms. LeShette." Caiman said, "The last of the McClouds. How tragic." He signaled the squad of Eradicators to move in on her. "It's a shame, you know," he continued, "there won't be a heroic death for you. No final sacrifice that destroys the enemy ship, no last-minute melodramatic exhortations. You'll die here in hiding from the Empire you obviously couldn't conquer-"

"You've been working on this speech for a long time, haven't you?" said Rita.

"It's a shame." Caiman repeated, trying to sound imperious but sounding more sulky than anything, "But then your father and your brother didn't do any better did they? One executed ignominiously by his wingman, the other tortured to death alone in-"

"Tell me, Caiman," a different voice interrupted, "do you believe in ghosts?"

Four Arwings exploded out of the sea, firing on the Venomians. Half the invaders, still flying in formation, were shot down quickly. The rest scattered.

"Uh, uh, attack!" Caiman ordered. The remaining Venom fighters rallied, but were cut down. Two of the Arwings had moved off and were circling the combat, shooting down any fighter that tried escaping.

The Eradicators were falling now, as Rita's ship turned and joined the assault. Laser peppered the imperial formation, decimating it. In a few moments, the only ships left were the Arwings and the Mark X2.

"How?" Caiman gasped as his shields failed and McCloud homed in on him. "You're supposed to be dead."

"That makes two of us, then." Fox answered, and fired.

"Meteo isn't a bad idea." Rita admitted, as they lifted off aboard Great Fox "But where will we stay?"

"There's an abandoned science station we've been using," explained Soul, "and this ship isn't exactly cramped either."

"Hey," began Bill, "Where'd you learn to fly?"

"I didn't." Soul said, smiling the sort of smile that makes you want back away slowly.

"Uh, c'mon," said Bill, "The way you were circling and pursuing, that's advanced stuff. You must have had some pretty top-notch training."

"Sorry to disappoint you, but I'd never flown a plane of any kind before today." The squirrel smiled again, and turned around to stare out at the stars that were just becoming visible.

Chapter 10

"Silly way of putting it, I know," said Father Brown apologetically. "Sounds like a fairy tale, but poor Armstrong was killed with a giant's club, a great green club, too big to be seen, and which we call the earth. He was broken against this green bank we are standing on."

"What do you mean?" asked the detective quickly.

"Don't you see," he explained, pointing, "he was thrown down from there?"

-G. K. Chesterton, The Three Tools of Death

Rita was quick to assess the station's practical capabilities. "What a dump!"

"I suppose that's not inaccurate." Mind said "We haven't had much free time or I would have fixed it up a bit more. As it is, we just needed someplace to keep things that we didn't need at the moment."

"Like Fox?"

"Ooh, good one." Laughed her brother. "By the way, I had ROB run a search through the mainframe. You were right, so far as I was able to tell."

"Meaning?"

"Meaning that I wasn't able to get in as deeply as you were, but everything I did manage to hack was the same as the info you got." Fox said. "You're an excellent hacker."

"Thank you." said Mind, smiling a little. "Oh, I checked the prison logs again on the way here. Two things. Katt's been transferred. She's at the same prison you were, in the cell across from yours."

"Why?"

"Well, that brings me to the second thing. Falco's been transferred too. He's in your cell."

"You are both very exasperating." Leon said, wiping off one of his knives and putting it back into the suitcase.

Falco coughed weakly in reply.

"It stands to reason that one of you knew of the escape, simply because either McCloud or Grey would have had to have known. It is well known that you," he pointed at Falco, "are the only person McCloud had any contact with for weeks prior to the escape, and you," he turned to Katt, "were organizing the rebellion with Grey. It is utterly inconceivable that neither of you knows anything."

Blood from the cut on Katt's forehead was dripping into her eyes. She began shivering as Leon came closer to where she was sitting on the floor.

"I am becoming tired of asking, Who helped McCloud escape?"

"We don't know." Said Falco in a monotone.

Leon drew himself up and looked at them for a long moment. Then, without a word, he replaced all of his tools in the suitcase and left the cell. From the other side of the bars he said, "There are rumors that the two of you have some affections for each other. If so, I would suggest that you use what time is left to say farewell." And then he left.

Wolf was waiting around the corner when Leon arrived grinning. "Uh, Leon," he began, then stopped.

"You were watching, then?" Leon said, "Wonderful, wasn't it?"

"Leon-" Wolf repeated, raising his voice.

"The best part," the chameleon rhapsodized, "Is that they're both telling the truth, that's obvious."

"Wha-?" Wolf said, stepping back.

"Which will be worse, do you think? The physical pain that comes from my instruments, or the mental pain that comes from my incredulity?"

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Wolf shouted.

Leon blinked, surprised for a moment. "Wrong?" he finally said, "I'm afraid I don't know what you mean."

"Yes," answered Wolf, "Yes you do. I won't be coming down here with you again, Leon." And he left.

"Where's Fox?" Bill asked when he got up the next morning.

"I don't know." Answered Rita, "Maybe he went somewhere."

"Where would that be?"

"I don't know."

Katt came to on top of a seaside cliff. She vaguely remembered being dragged from her cell and marched to the elevator, where she'd passed out. She couldn't remember if Falco had been brought too.

The guards hauled her roughly upright and tied her to a pole or something, she was too frightened to care what it was. They stood looking at her for a moment, and then Leon's voice said, "Leave us."

She looked over and saw Leon dragging Falco up the hill with his arms chained together. Falco stumbled and tripped, often he was more crawling than walking. Katt turned away and closed her eyes, trying not to pass out again. She hadn't realized he was so weakened.

"I've a long time thinking about this." Leon said, "and I quite frankly couldn't decide on what was the best way to do it. I'm still not totally satisfied with my solution," he paused, "but it's the best I could come up with. Oh well. One does what one can." The chameleon busied himself with Falco's chains for a moment, then stood up. The restraints fell away and clattered to the ground.

"There." The Leon said. "Go."

"Huh?" answered Falco.

"Perhaps I did not make myself clear. You're free."

Katt looked up sharply. Falco was standing unsteadily at the edge of the cliff, with the waves just behind him. Leon was on the very top of the path, wearing a smile that was anything but friendly.

"You're really letting me go?"

"Yes."

"I'm really free?"

"Utterly and completely. Free as a bird, if you'll excuse the expression."

Falco looked up and down the coast for a moment, than back at Leon. "What's the catch?"

"None that I know of. Just go, and quickly."

"Uh, okay." He decided Leon must fallen against a door and hit his head, or something. Oh well, he certainly wasn't going to start griping about it. He bent to undo Katt's bonds, but was stopped by the click and hum of blaster being charged.

"She stays." Leon said, amused.

"Oh, so that's it." Falco said, standing up again. "You're jealous."

"Not in the least. As soon as you're gone, she" Leon gestured with the gun, "goes back to the prison camp she was in before."

Falco's expression hovered between rage, sorrow, and utter confusion, with confusion getting the most prominent position. "Why?"

Leon smiled in a way that might incite mob violence. "That's for me to know, and you to figure out. If you can."

Katt and Falco looked at each other for a moment. He finally spoke. "I'll come back for you, I promise."

"Oh, I seriously doubt that." Leon said sardonically.

Falco shot him a withering look, and then started down the path.

"Excuse me," Leon interrupted, "I wouldn't go that way if I were you."

"What now?" shouted Falco, getting angry.

"I'm afraid I omitted to mention to the guards that I was releasing you. They'll shoot you on sight."

"Than why even bother-"

"That is by no means the only direction you can go." The chameleon said, smiling again."

"The only other way is to- Oh, I get it." Falco spat, his voice dropping, "You brought me up here just to make it worse when I get dragged back into your little funhouse."

"No," said Leon casually, as if he were remarking on the weather. "I brought you up here to kill you."

"Sorry to disappoint you," Falco said, "but I'm not jumping off any cliff."

"I suggest you do." Said Leon, pressing his gun to Katt's head.

Falco looked for a moment, not yet understanding. Then he blinked and said, "You mean-"

"Exactly. Unless you jump, she will die and you, my friend, will not. You will go back to prison, to relive this afternoon in your mind for the rest of your life." Leon explained, "One of you dies here and now. Which one that is, I leave entirely up to you."

Falco stood at the precipice's edge for a long moment, staring at them. "I hate you." he finally said.

"The feeling is mutual." Leon smiled. "The difference is that now I am the stronger."

Falco turned around and faced the ocean, nerving himself. Katt wanted to shout for him to stop, but she knew it wouldn't do any good.

"Get on with it, Lombardi." Leon said, pressing the barrel against Katt's head.

She couldn't watch. She screwed her eyes shut and turned away.

Squirtle's little section

This is an interesting page... It's surprising that so few people use it.

This article is in need of additional images. If you have a good image for this article, upload it here.

I'm tag testing.

Please note that this article is not in need of pictures or videos. ↓Lawlz↓

Rtzxy is awesome.

He really is. "But what about this guy?" Don't worry, he's awesome, too.You sure?

Squirtle again

Hi!☆*:.｡. o(≧▽≦)o .｡.:*☆ This emoji doesn't work on some computers. But it's cool!

ヾ(＠⌒ー⌒＠)ノ☆〜（ゝ。∂）

Poweron's Amazingly Beautiful Section

Hola! Hello! I main Falco , and Toon Link , I cannot wait for Smash 4 and will most likely main Shulk

squirtle's back!

Poweron, .add more significance, my friend.

Wut

Wazzat mean friend?