Disclaimer: The author of this story does not own the Star Fox franchise, or Nintendo, in any way, shape or form. Star Fox, and all related characters, are copyright of Nintendo.

Author's Note is at the bottom of this entry. And now, without further adieu, on with the story!!!!

Star Fox: Retribution

Prologue

Fox McCloud opened his bloodshot eyes and slowly pulled himself into a standing position. His right leg hurt hurt like Hell, and he had one of the worst headaches ever. It was as if someone had dropped an anvil on his head. Fox closed his eyes to clear his vision, and then opened them again, surveying his surroundings.

It was a disaster. A rather large body of a soldier was on the floor in front of him, multiple shots to his torso; there were scorch marks on the wall from blaster fire, the main power was out, and a fire seemed to be burning somewhere; the air was full of smoke. Fox coughed, ducking lower, the noxious fumes making him feel even more light- headed than he already was.

"What the hell happened to this place?" the vulpine mused. He didn't have to wait long for an answer, at that moment, his wrist communicator begin beeping persistently at him, which didn't help his sudden headache very much.

Fox pressed a flashing button on his communicator, and the shrill voice of Slippy immediately assaulted his ears with a wave of sound.

"Hey, Fox, Slippy here, how ya holdin' up?" Slippy asked good-naturedly.

"Well, better now that I'm awake, that last trooper was a bit of a handful," Fox groused, rubbing his temples in a vain attempt to sooth his aching head.

"How's Krystal doing?" Fox asked.

"Seems like our sensors are having a bit of trouble right now, you guys are quite deep into the base. Last markings of her position showed her all the way on the other side of the base from you, why don't you contact her and see how she's doing?" Slippy advised.

"Oh, great, I've been out that long?! Alright, I'll try and raise her on the com… Fox out," muttered the vulpine somewhat grumpily.

Fox reached over to his wrist com again, typing in Krystal's ID code, but stopped shortly, reflecting on their particular mission for a second.

It had been their first one in quite some time. Fox and Krystal had been sent to an underground facility on the planet of Zoness, a polluted travesty of a once beautiful planet. It had once been a sea resort, and housed a temporary Cornerian military outpost during the first war with Andross, but after it had fallen to the evil emperor's superior forces, it had become a stronghold, producing more machines for the ape's senseless destruction. Now the waters were so polluted that nothing could survive in them, so the planet had been lifeless, with no military or civilian organizations on it for years, the former settlements all destroyed during the first Lylat War. However, recent activity had been reported in the sectors E and Q near Zoness, and no other planets were near enough to have had any noticeable operations in those particular areas of the system.

The Star Fox team had been called in to action yet again because a group of mysterious insurgents had broken in, or gotten access to, the Cornerian military's Research and Development sector, and stolen a centuries-old biological weapon, known as Yellowcake, or Uranium Oxide. Fears within the military community were high that the group, known as the Black Paw, would use this deadly substance to manufacture a dirty bomb to be used against either military or civilian targets. The Black Paw didn't seem to really care who they hurt, as long as their message was spread.

Luckily, for all their force, these baddies really did seem to be amateurs when it came to covering their footsteps, and the Star Fox team had no trouble finding their base, buried beneath Zoness. The two best fighters on the team, Fox, and Krystal, had been tasked with going into the rather well spread out base, and retrieving the yellowcake, or possibly the dirty bomb, if production was that advanced for this group. They had a general idea of where the weapon would be produced or held, and so Fox and Krystal had split up, Krystal going to the labs, Fox to the storage areas.

The beeping of Fox's communicator snapped him out of his thoughts. Again, he pushed the button, and this time, Krystal's angelic voice filled his ear, worry straining it.

"Fox, can you hear me?! Please respond!!!" the vixen panted.

"I'm here, Krystal. What's going on? I was just getting ready to reach you." Fox stated..

"Oh, thank the Gods! I've been trying to reach you, I lost contact with you about ten minutes ago! What happened?"

"Looks like these Black Paw thugs are better at hand to hand than we gave them credit for; one guy managed to knock me out, but not before I got him," Fox stated, trying to keep some semblance of pride about the matter.

"Well, I found the uranium; they've managed to produce the bomb, Fox. I need you to come help me get this out of here," Krystal said, worry tainting her voice.

"Alright Kry - -"

Fox was cut off abruptly by the sound of explosions and rapid blaster fire. Krystal came back to speak after a second. "FOX, please hurry! They've found me again! I can't hold them off too long! Head to Lab 10-F!"

The sound of static filled Fox's ears now, and a feeling of fear filled his chest. Instead of trying to respond to Krystal, Fox just started moving, limping as fast as his wounded leg allowed, ignoring the immense pain. If anything happened to her….

Flames and sparks danced and rained around him as he ran past collapsed forms on the floor, staying low under the smoke, his running body casting long, dark shadows along the walls, which were a sterile white, except for the stray scorch or blood splatter, undoubtedly Krystal's handiwork. He was starting to gasp for air, but he kept running.. The base was about a mile long, with several levels, and Krystal was on the other side.

After about six minutes, and many twists, turns, and staircases, all strewn with death and destruction, Fox found the entry to the labs. There was hardly any light here; power must have been lost all across the base. Fox had to rely on his naturally good night vision to see much of anything. Rooms and long, dark corridors passed by in a blur of speed and sound. Fox turned right at the sign saying Research, hoping and praying this led in the right direction, and there wasn't much farther to go.

Suddenly, the vulpine came to a stop in front of a small sign marked 10-F. He had a feeling that this was the right place. He went through the doorway; the door itself had been blasted off of its hinges and lay on the floor in the room, a good five feet away.

It was pitch black in the room, and Fox's fur stood on end, as he tensed for combat, adrenaline coursing through his veins. This was most likely a trap, but it didn't matter. Krystal was in danger, and he needed her, not just to complete the mission.

Fox searched cautiously, waiting for any movement. He inched forward slowly, searching carefully all around, until, suddenly, the lights came on at full brightness, temporarily Fox's sensitive eyes.

Krystal was standing by a large cylindrical object in the middle of the room. Fox smiled widely to see her unharmed, but that smile very quickly was wiped off his face when he saw her face full of pure terror. It was like a slap to the face for him.

He looked frantically for the source of the problem, but suddenly a foot plowed into the small of his back, sending him crashing to the floor, his head slamming on the cold tile floor, dazing him even more. He tried to get up and start swinging, but a swift kick to the stomach left him winded on the floor, gasping for breath.

The gray Wolf O'Donnell crept out of the shadows he blended so well into from behind Fox, Krystal charging towards him immediately, seeing her opening. She pulled out her staff to beat down the villainous lupine, but Wolf saw it coming and shot the rod out of her hands, then shot her cruelly in the shin a split second later, sending toppling painfully to the ground, a low cry emitting from her throat, blood pouring quickly from her injury onto the immaculate white background surrounding them.

Wolf again kicked the struggling Fox McCloud, who was struggling up, striking his already wounding leg. Fox howled in agony, collapsing again, but Wolf just walked slowly up to the front of Krystal, lifting her up, running a feeling hand along her body as he did. She struggled weakly, a low groan of protest leaving her lips, but he brought a hard fist down on her jugular, and she collapsed, coughing furiously, only to have Wolf pick her up yet again by the throat, his blaster's muzzle under her chin, a passive expression on his face. Fox slowly lifted himself up, gripping his leg in immense pain.

"Drop your weapon, Fox," Wolf commanded, flitting his eye over to the vulpine; in complete control of the situation.

Fox complied, loosening the holster, which housed his blaster, from his hip, where it fell to the floor he had occupied seconds ago. He stood there, tensely staring at Wolf.

"I'm not stupid, pup, kick it over!" Wolf growled, his grip tightening on Krystal's throat, who squeaked in protest, her chest heaving. There wasn't much she could do at the moment.

Again, Fox followed along with what he was told, kicking his trusty blaster over the floor, far out of his reach. Anxiously, Fox stole a look at Krystal, as much as it pained him. Tears were streaming down her face from her beautiful indigo eyes, fear and pain and sadness evident, screaming at him and breaking his heart in two.

"No one has to get hurt here, Wolf. Just tell me what to do, and I'll do it. No one needs to get hurt, that's not what we're here for," Fox said tiredly, a hint of desperation strangling his vocal cords. "We just need to get the bomb. You don't want innocent people getting hurt, do you, really?" he tried again.

Wolf tilted his head to the side, considering Fox's words. A small grin took over his face for a split second, before he said," You know, McCloud, you never did learn: Real mercenaries can't afford to have morals; you just do what you do to stay alive. Just act, never hesitate. I need this money just as much as you do!"

Wolf's finger tightened gently on the trigger, and a sudden flash of light illuminated the room, the loud blast leaving Fox's ears ringing. Krystal slumped down on the ground heavily in front of Wolf, her once beautiful body now lying broken on the floor. Fox screamed loudly while Wolf's face adopted a cold, heartless smile. Fox couldn't see. He couldn't think. He couldn't breath. He clenched his eyes shut, a mixture of rage, sadness, and adrenaline coursing through him. Wet, salty tears rained down onto the floor beneath him, mixing with the blood from his own wounds.

Fox began fumbling for the knife hidden in his boot, struggling to wrench it from its holster, but Wolf dashed stepped over to him, delivering a vicious uppercut that sent Fox reeling, his only defense flying from his paws. The thrice wounded vulpine lifted himself weakly off the ground, his broken nose leaking even more of the crimson liquid that kept his heart beating.

Fox's stupor was ended. He growled at Wolf, still had a trace of a grin on his face, pacing around him in a combat stance.

"It's a shame, really. Stupid bitch should've joined my team. I could've shown her how a real man operates," Wolf sneered, his one dark eye staring, his other, bionic eye burning into Fox's tear filled emerald ones.

Fox didn't reply; he couldn't, he just lunged at Wolf, tackling him to the floor. The insane lupine laughed as Fox put his hands around his throat, constricting his airflow, and attempting to end his life.

Wolf quickly brought up his leg, flipping Fox into the air, and off of him, a smile on his face.

"You'll have to do better than that, Star Fox," he laughed devilishly.

Fox just pressed in again, not caring about the damage that Wolf did to him. He just wanted to end this now. Wolf slammed his gloved fist into Fox's sternum, winding him. Fox fell yet again to the ground, landing on his back, his face a bloody, sweaty mess. Wolf wasted no time to grind his boot hard, down on Fox's throat, while Fox stared up helplessly. Fox gasped, trying to lift Wolf's cursed foot from his throat, but he was so weakened by the emotional and physical trauma, it was almost impossible.

Suddenly, a streak of blue came through the doorway, in Fox's peripheral vision. Wolf's foot, and Wolf, was gone a second later. Fox stood, sucking for air, as Falco Lombardi, and Wolf rolled on the ground, punching and grappling each other furiously.

Wolf grabbed a Fox's custom-made Star Fox battle knife and stabbed Falco in the chest viciously, kicking him aside. Fox's vision started to blur, and he could hear a voice ringing in his tortured mind.

"Fox! Fox!"

The animal screamed in agony, willing the voices to end, wanting his whole world to end; he needed the pain to be over. The voices got louder as Wolf walked over to vulpine, pressing Fox's own knife close to his throat. Fox's world starting shaking violently, and as he stared into the maniacal eyes of his arch rival, Fox did the only thing he could think of.

He woke up.

Chapter I

Fox McCloud, captain of the Star Fox team, sat up quickly in his sweaty, tossed about bed sheets. He gasped in shock and relief as he saw Krystal's azure face mere inches from him, a concerned look etched on it.

"I'm glad you're finally awake, Fox. You were having a nightmare. Do you need anything?" she asked him, worry heavy in her voice.

"K-K-Krystal?!" Fox almost shouted, still in shock from his horrible dream, swiftly moving to enwrap the vixen in a tight embrace. She didn't hesitate, wrapping her own arms securely around his back, feeling his heart beating rapidly against her similarly rapid breast.

"Thank God you're still alright! It was horrible!" Fox whimpered, an ashamed tear rolling down his cheek.

Krystal made a hushing noise and softly traced a finger on his cream colored muzzle, wiping the liquid pain away from his shimmering emerald eyes, which were gazing into her own cerulean eyes deeply. Emotions filled her mind; it was impossible for her not to be this way around him.

"Krystal… I'm tired of this. I've been having these dreams for a week now! And I'm always worried sick about you guys, wondering if we'll all be okay. When do you think they'll stop?" he asked her, shame in his voice.

"Well, I can't tell you, but, Fox, we're at peace, finally, thank the Gods. The Aparoids and Anglars are both gone, and for now, the system's at peace. Nothing is going to happen to any of us," Krystal reassured him, kissing his nose softly, while running her hand soothingly through the white streak of fur between his ears.

"You know, I think it's about team that the team goes on a little vacation, Fox. Maybe to Sauria or somewhere even more exotic. And maybe," Krystal broke off suddenly, clearing her throat softly, a tiny, undetectable trace of nervousness in her voice. She swallowed, finishing, "maybe, you and I could go somewhere, just the two of us?" Fox grinned widely, obviously liking the idea, happy about Krystal's words and ideas, very much excited to spend more time together, the vixen was becoming more and more intriguing to him; the more he grew to knew her, the more he wanted simply to have her by his side.

"Do you think anyone else heard me, Krys?" he pondered, deciding he'd try calling her something more personal.

"No, I don't think so. Slippy and Amanda seem to be still asleep, and they're on the other end of the ship, and Falco never wakes up for anything," she stated. "Besides," she added, "you aren't quite that loud. Sound can't carry quite that far," she said, winking slightly at him, and brushing her finger quickly across his knee.

The vulpine's face suddenly became quite red, blushing furiously, as his now wide awake mind came to a startling realization: he was only in his boxers. His blush deepened as Krystal looked down, giving him a devious smirk, arching her eyebrows suggestively at him. Fox's face took on yet another shade of red, his face like a tomato as he pulled the covers back up around him, reluctantly pulling away from Krystal for a second to perform the maneuver.

Krystal just giggled and, blushed a little bit, the beads in her hair swinging in time with her head as her chest heaved with laughter. He was so cute to her when he was nervous.

"You're sure you're alright, Fox?" she asked again, still worried, although a small bit of amusement had crept into her voice from the sight of Fox's reactions.

"Y-y-yeah, Krystal, really. Thank you!"

Fox offered her a sheepish grin, and then looked at the clock. It was already 0530. Fox had revelry on the ship set at 0630, and he didn't think he'd be able to sleep again. He stretched, Krystal moving back a little bit to give him room.

"Well, I suppose now is as good a time as any to get ready," Fox sighed, sad about his lost hour of sleep.

"I think I'm going to take a shower, Krystal. I'll see you at the bridge in around an hour," Fox stated, ready to start his day as best he could. Krystal smiled and nodded, turning to leave.

"Oh, and Krystal?"

The blue vixen turned, a questioning look in her eyes.

"Yes, Fox?" she asked.

"Thanks again," he said gratefully.

Krystal just smiled and turned, closing the door respectfully behind him.

________________________________________________________________________

Exactly one hour later, Fox walked onto the bridge. The orange vulpine was wearing in his favorite pair of silver boots, green flight pants, and a green shirt, with his white captain's vest over it. Krystal, the blue vixen, and team telepath shuffled in behind him, clad in her older flight suit, a form fitting blue.

They smiled, examining each other for a second, before each realized they were staring, and blushed and looked down. The doors opened again, and in shuffled the green Slippy Toad, team mechanic, and his wife, Amanda Toad.

Fox gave an impatient sigh; the group was still waiting on team member to grace them with their presence. A good fifteen minutes later, Falco Lombardi, the team's ace pilot, stumbled into the room, clad in attire similar to Fox's, without the vest.

"Nice of you to join us, Falco," Fox smirked, using his slightly dry sense of humor. Falco just grumbled under his breath, moving towards his chair on the bridge. He hadn't been in good spirits since his former love interest, Katt Monroe, had turned him down, after saying she didn't want to settle down and start a family with him. In an ironic way, it was funny; Falco had given her that answer since their relationship began during the Lylat Wars.

Fox just looked on, wondering how long he was going to mope; but then he remembered what had happened with him and Krystal.

After the Aparoid War, Fox had removed Krystal from Team Star Fox, he had felt too afraid about her wellbeing after the latest adventure, she had come too close to death several times for Fox's personal comfort. Upset, Krystal had gone and joined the Cornerian Air Force, and when the Anglars invaded scarcely a month later, she and Fox had ended up fighting side by side, like old times, both realizing the errors of their ways; Fox was just concerned for her, and she had been too upset to see it.

After the war, Fox had attempted to get back in touch with her, but she had disappeared, and Fox went into a deep depression, until Krystal had showed in Great Fox airspace asking to rejoin; apparently the military was the same for her as it was for the rest of the team, boring.

Fox had asked her forgiveness again and again, as she had done to him; they had reconciled, and now their relationship was just as good, if not even better, than how it had been before the Aparoid war. Despite all they had been through, they still cared very deeply for each other, and their feelings for one another grew stronger day by day, even if they were still too shy to admit how they really felt to one another yet.

Fox was pulled from his silent reverie by the sound of beeping; someone was trying to raise the Great Fox on the video and sound system. Fox quickly jogged over to his chair, and pressed a button on his laptop, allowing the person access to speak with the famed mercenary group.

Peppy Hare, General of the Cornerian Forces, and a trusted father figure, and former member of Star Fox, looked at them all fondly. However, there was something more than happiness in his face, Krystal could sense worry.

"Hey, Pep, how ya holdin' up?" Fox asked casually, sitting down in his chair, resting his head on his hand, and staring intently at Peppy's hologram.

"It's really great to see you guys, and I'm doing quite well, thank you Fox. However, the Lylat system is regrettably, once again endangered. We've spotted movement around Planet Venom, Fox, and it looks like Dash Oikonny, Andross Oikonny's grandson, is moving to re-arm the forces of Venom once again," Peppy said, anger displayed on his wizened features.

"Dammit…." Fox sighed. Most of the Lylat system had trusted Dash when he took over Venom after the war with promises of rebuilding, with efforts to aid the galaxy.

"What would you like us to do, General?" Fox asked formally.

"For now, I want you guys to come back to Corneria, we have new weapons, and planes for you guys to try out. And, there are a few animals looking to join the team, if that would be okay. You guys will need all the help you can get, I think!"

Fox smiled slightly. New toys and members couldn't hurt anything.

"Alright, General, Team Star Fox is en route," he said, saluting as he cut the connection.

Fox frowned deeply immediately after he ended the conversation; the Oikonny family and McCloud family had had a rather nasty history with each other, and he didn't really want to get into yet another conflict, not so soon after the Anglar invasion. He began to go into a deep reflection, about he and his team's history.

Shortly before Fox's third birthday, a bomb had killed his mother, Vixy McCloud and not too much longer after that, Andross Oikonny had an arrest warrant issued in connection to Vixy's tragic death. Andross fled Corneria, setting up a small colony on the dangerous planet of Venom with a small band of followers.

James McCloud had gone in pursuit of the evil genius and followed him to the planet along with the original Star Fox team: Peppy Hare, James, and Pigma Dengar. They were en route Andross's base, however, Pigma betrayed Peppy and James, and left them to die. Peppy managed to escape, but not before seeing James' fighter plane crash into the planet, where it immediately went up in flames. No one could have survived.

Andross was a brilliant scientist and speaker, though, and soon, he had amassed a military thousands strong, using the science of bioengineering, and recruited many other planets for his cause, rallying against the perceived injustices of Corneria, and the Lylat system, twisting or forcing the other planets into doing his dirty work through pure military might and intimidation.

A new Star Fox team, with an 18 year old Fox, Peppy, the only remaining original member, and Fox's academy friends Slippy Toad, and Falco Lombardi, began a crusade against Andross's evil forces, until Fox had single handedly destroyed the ape, who had mutated horribly into a giant form of himself.

But it wasn't over, because a few years later, on Planet Sauria, a distress call was given; the planet had been split into several pieces. Fox had been sent on a wild chase across the planet's surface, using the powers of Krazoa Spirits to repair the planet. It was there that Fox had encountered Krystal, a beautiful vixen, on the search for the truth of her parent's death, and the destruction of her home planet, Cerinia.

After Fox had freed Krystal, it was revealed that Andross had been alive, regaining strength, and had destroyed Cerinia and its entire solar system, causing an uncountable number of deaths, as well as attempting to destroy Sauria.

Fox had defeated Andross again above Sauria, after the assistance of Falco, who had been missing for years, and dramatically appeared when Fox was almost beaten, aiding him in his struggle until the beast was subdued again.

Afterwards, Fox had searched everywhere for the mysterious vixen who had intrigued him so; it was her staff that he had used in his journey to help Sauria. He didn't find her on the planet, and returned, broken hearted, to the Great Fox, when a surprise message played on the ship's com system: It was Krystal. She wanted to thank Fox for his bravery in person. Fox hadn't wasted time in offering Krystal a spot on his team, and she had accepted immediately.

Not long after that, the Aparoid War began, and Andrew Oikonny, Andross's nephew, had rebuilt an army of Venom, which was swiftly cut down by an even greater threat: Aparoids. The fear inducing creatures had torched through most of the Lylat System, until Fox and his team had destroyed their homeworld, but not before the 'bugs' had completely leveled Corneria City.

And, sadly, just a few months after that conflict, with Corneria still reeling, the Anglars had appeared. Fox and his group of friends had swiftly ended that fight, and for about a year, the system had been, thankfully at peace.

Fox snapped out of his thoughts yet again; he had been zoned out about five minutes…

"I really need to sleep," the vulpine mused quietly.

"ROB, set a course for Corneria," Fox ordered.

The Great Fox, Team Star Fox's mother ship, abruptly changed course.

"How long do we have until we reach Corneria, ROB?" Fox asked.

"Calculating… The time to enter Corneria airspace from current location is approximately seven hours."

"Gotcha," Fox said, standing up from his chair. That was more than enough time to catch up on his precious sleep.

"Krystal," Fox said politely, turning to look at the beautiful vixen behind him," I'm putting you in charge for right now; I need to sleep to be in top position to meet with all the generals about what our plan should be, about this Dash character" Fox said, making a slight choking motion as he spoke of talks with the generals; Fox was not known for his fondness of discussions.

Krystal giggled out an "Aye, aye, Captain!" as Fox left the bridge, heading back to his room for some well deserved shut eye. Once opening the door, Fox literally collapsed on his bed, sleep taking him before his head could hit the pillow.

Author's note: Well guys, I'm back! I know, it's been a while, in fact, it's been far too long. I just had nooo idea on what to do with any stoires, in fact, this is the first thing I've written for pleasure since last updating my other story, Path of a Hero. I must sadly say that that story is currently on Hiatus. I have no idea where to go with it. If someone else would like to continue it, by all means, go ahead.

I have a good feeling about this story, though. Writing again felt AMAZING, and I already have ideas on what to do for the next few chapters. Just wish me luck, that I may not lose my so far good progress, (if I do say so myself ;) )

Well, that's it for now, I expect another chapter to be added to this relatively soon, just keep your eyes open..

I appreciate your support greatly. God bless.