"War?" Peppy asked, eyes wide in shock. "Our forces are still recovering from the aparoid invasion. Corneria's military is weakened; we don't have the strength to combat Andross' army and the aparoids!"

Fox knew this was true. His new enemy had planned well for this moment; Corneria's forces were decimated when the aparoids first struck. Was it even possible to win a war against an enemy that had been increasing in strength since Oikonny's defeat on Fortuna? Suddenly, an idea formed in Fox's head. What about Beltino's self-destruct program? When deployed on the aparoid homeworld a year ago, it had succeeded in destroying the Aparoid Queen and every single aparoid in existence. "Beltino, could we use your self-destruct program to exterminate the aparoids once again? If we could wipe out this fraction of the enemy's army, we would have a larger chance of winning an outright war."

"Hmmm," the old toad murmured, deep in thought. "Unfortunately, the situation is different than it was a year ago. Before, the aparoids were controlled by a single entity, bound to its fate. Destroying the Queen meant destroying the entire colony." He paused, adjusting his spectacles on his stubby nose. "With the replication of hatchers from aparoid DNA, there is no longer a single entity governing them. Each hatcher must now be destroyed individually, and thusly, each aparoid as well."

"I see," Fox nodded. "This will make a war much more difficult to win."

"Surely the enemy planned for this," Krystal reflected, pacing across the conference room to stand beside Fox. "He has seen how we defeated the aparoids before and will not easily make the same mistake again."

"What about the military bases stationed on Katina and Fortuna?" Falco suggested. "We will need to pull all of our resources to Corneria City as soon as possible."

"I can do that, but if war is coming as soon as you say, our additional offenses may not arrive in time," Peppy replied. He shook his head, dreading that things would ever come down to this. "Star Fox, I know that Corneria demands so much of you, but could you aid our forces in the defense of the city? If we can hold the enemies back for long enough, help will come."

Fox glanced at his allies, looking for signs of approval or doubt. Falco nodded that he was in, and Katt leaned closer to him, unwilling to leave his side. Slippy reluctantly shook his head up and down, nervous but fully committed to following his friends into battle. Lucy smiled with a fire burning in her eyes. She must be desperate to prove that she is worthy of fighting alongside us. After this is all said and done, she will truly deserve to become a full member of the Star Fox team.

Lastly Fox turned to Krystal, his beloved vixen. I wasn't strong enough to protect you in the tunnels of Venom... I let you slip away into enemy hands, helpless to come to your rescue, he thought. The last thing he wanted was to put her life in danger by having her fight alongside him in the war for Corneria. He rose from his chair, standing face to face with her when she took the words out of his mouth.

"Fox, it was my decision to put myself in danger on Venom, not yours," she said gently. "Stop worrying about trying to protect all of us and let us take care of ourselves. I will follow you until the very end, no matter what happens."

The leader of the Star Fox team caught a glimpse of Panther's envious gaze before quickly turning away. "Alright, Peppy," he answered with authority. "You can count on us to aid your forces in battle. This is no longer about pay; it's about defending our home."

"Don't think that you are going to have all of the fun to yourself, pup," Wolf grinned as he rose from his chair. "Star Wolf will fight as well, if you will have us," he said as he looked to the Cornerian General for his approval. "Oikonny and his allies have caused enough problems for us and must be stopped."

Peppy hesitated for a moment but thanked his former rivals for their assistance. "Oikonny confirmed that he led Andross' forces in a stolen Wolfen. Your names have all been cleared; go now with the full trust of Corneria," he beckoned, dismissing the two mercenary teams. One by one, the members of the Star Fox and Star Wolf teams left the room until Fox was alone with Krystal, Peppy, and Beltino. He wanted to stay behind and speak to the two Cornerians in private.

"I trust Oikonny to be left in Corneria's hands," Fox told them, "but keep an eye on him at all times. I don't want him escaping after we've finally captured him." Addressing Beltino specifically, he said, "The first battle will likely take place outside the planet. I think it would be best that the Orbital Gate be relocated until the worst of the fighting is over."

The research director nodded in agreement as the four headed for the door to join the others. "The space station would easily be vulnerable to attack," he croaked, "and I still want to take a closer look at its weapons systems. If control of the gate was reclaimed by the enemy again, it could be used to terrible effect. I will have it moved to another location outside Corneria immediately while I work to learn more about its secrets."

"Thank you both for all of your help," Krystal acknowledged as she and Fox turned to leave. "We will do our best not to let you down."

"Good luck team," Peppy called. "The Cornerian military will follow you to The Great Fox and set up a defensive perimeter there."

* * *

The Star Fox team, Katt, and Lucy flew back to The Great Fox, orbiting outside Corneria after their insightful meeting with Peppy. With three ships left behind on Venom, the six pilots had to double up so that they could all return to the aircraft carrier in one trip. Wolf and his team flew behind, h waiting for the Cornerian Army to arrive while Fox and his team met to discuss their own plan of attack.

"So what are we going to do about our two Arwings?" Falco asked impatiently as he entered the control room, followed closely by Katt. "And what about the Cat's Paw? We can't fight a battle without having enough ships to pilot."

Fox and Krystal flew together and were the first to arrive, standing in the control room waiting for the return of the others. "I'm not sure," Fox answered as Slippy and Lucy stepped from the elevator and paced down the hallway to join the other four pilots. To be honest, he hadn't thought about accommodating six pilots in only three ships.

"I'm comfortable driving a Landmaster once we are pushed back to the planet's surface," Slippy croaked. "I can stay and pilot The Great Fox until then, but that still leaves two of us."

"Katt, why don't you take the Sky Bunny," Lucy suggested. "I can stay here with Slippy until we arrive at the city. I wouldn't mind taking a sniper rifle and setting up on a building to pick off foes from a distance."

"Are you sure?" The pink furred cat hesitated. When Lucy nodded in reply, she purred in agreement. "Alright, I should be fine flying a new ship. It shouldn't be too complicated... but that leaves Falco or Krystal without an Arwing."

An irritated look formed on the bird's face at the mention of his name. "Now wait a minute, guys; you can't just leave the best pilot on the team without an Arwing," he boasted. Taking a step toward Fox, he elbowed him in the side humorously. "Why don't I take yours for a spin? You always knew I was the better pilot, right?"

"Actually," Slippy interjected, "I have a new experimental ship that I have been working on. It needs a test run, but I am positive that it will fly well." He reached for a small device in his pocket and pressed a button on it, summoning a holographic projection of a ship that appeared to be similar in design to an Arwing. It featured the same blue and silver colors with a smaller body frame, stretching longer from side to side than from front to back. Its multi-jointed wings supported numerous laser cannons and powerful rocket thrusters.

The five pilots stared at Slippy's creation in awe, but none were more captivated than Krystal. She paced toward the glowing hologram and took the device from the toad's hand, studying the ship as it rotated in horizontal circles before her.

"I have a feeling that she likes it," Lucy smiled. "It looks like a fast and powerful ship. What's it called?"

Slippy blushed, embarrassed that his friends were so impressed by his invention. "Oh, um... I haven't thought of a name for it yet," he stammered.

"The Cloudrunner..." Krystal murmured, as if only to herself. "The Cloudrunner," she echoed more audibly.

Fox could clearly tell that the vixen's interest in the ship came from its resemblance to the Cloudrunner dinosaur from Sauria. He was glad to see her so pleased with the aircraft and decided that it should belong to her. "Alright then, it's settled," he confirmed. "Krystal can fly in the new ship, while Falco and I take the remaining two Arwings." When he noticed the bird's discontent, he prodded back with his shoulder. "Like you said, we should save the Arwings for our expert pilots and save the beautiful new ones for the amateurs, huh?"

Falco grimaced for a moment, and then shrugged it off. "It's no big deal. I would rather fly a ship that doesn't still need testing anyway."

Suddenly Krystal spun around to face the controls of The Great Fox, staring ahead as if she saw something that Fox couldn't. "I sense that the enemy is approaching. We need to get out there and meet with the Cornerian Army and Star Wolf." The vixen deactivated Slippy's holographic projector and handed it back to him. "Thank you for letting me use your newest invention," she acknowledged. "I promise I won't let you down."

"Let's get going everyone," Fox called as he led the way from the control room down the hallway. "Be sure that you have all of the gear that you will need; I doubt that we'll come back for a break anytime soon." As he stepped into the elevator, he glanced at his belt to take inventory on what weapons and gear he carried. Two blasters, a couple grenades, and a jetpack, he observed. These should do me fine on the ground if I need them. The elevator stopped at the weapons room on the second floor and Fox held the door for his friends as they dispersed, searching for the supplies they needed.

Krystal grabbed a jetpack and a blaster for herself, while Falco retrieved a jetpack and a machine gun. Katt retrieved the same equipment as her feathered friend, and together the four pilots descended to the lowest floor. Lucy and Slippy, who stayed behind at the control room, would obtain their own supplies when they flew to the planet's surface, Fox reflected. The elevator doors opened, and he set the pace to a steady run as he led the way to the hangar bay.

He turned to the right when the hallway opened, slowing his pace as Krystal followed while Katt and Falco headed for their ships. Slippy's workroom was located beside the hangar, through a sliding door at the far end. Fox thought that the least he could do was to escort the vixen to her ship before they departed, flying into a battlefield of uncertainties. He slowed his pace to a walk as he reached the metal door, pausing so Krystal could enter first.

Slippy's workroom, as usual, was a cluttered mess of spare parts and blueprints. The space was fairly large, with room enough for an Arwing or two to rest among the inventive toad's disarray of tools and scrap metal. The Cloudrunner stood before Fox and Krystal, glistening with a fresh coat of paint in the center of the room. From what Slippy said, the ship had never been test-flown, and Fox was anxious for Krystal's safety.

"Don't worry, I'll be fine," the vixen read his nervous thoughts and addressed them. In a more serious tone, she added, "Good luck out there, Fox. Even I cannot foresee the full strength of the army that approaches; they will hit us relentlessly without mercy."

"Fly fast and fight hard," he murmured. Studying Krystal up and down, he realized that she was not carrying her magical staff with her. "Where is your staff?"

Krystal reached down into her right boot and drew the staff that was concealed within it. "This was how I managed to escape from the research facility near the aparoid homeworld," she winked and let the staff slide back down her leg into its makeshift sheath. Before she climbed into her new aircraft, she wrapped her arms around Fox, who staggered slightly with surprise. "Be careful out there, will you?" She whispered in his ear.

He returned her embrace, wishing that he did not have to leave to fight the inevitable war that waited for them outside The Great Fox. "You too, Krystal," he sighed. "Let's not keep Falco and Katt waiting any longer," he joked as he helped his friend climb aboard and into the Cloudrunner. With one last glance, he turned his back and disappeared through the door back into the hangar bay. Fortunately, Slippy was clever enough to install another exit inside his workroom, allowing for the entrance and exit of ships directly from it. Finally, Fox climbed into his own Arwing beside Falco and Katt and strapped himself in.

"Took you long enough, lover boy," Falco complained as he checked his Arwing's systems and prepared for takeoff.

Fox tried his hardest not to blush through his cockpit as he scanned the various computer monitors inside his ship. Ignoring the comment, he contacted Slippy and Lucy through his ship's communicator. "We're all ready for takeoff," he spoke as the lift locks surrounding his ship released with a series of clicks. Fox engaged the Arwing's thrusters as the doors opened and the three ships soared out into space. "Alright team, let's move!"

Fox led the way as the three ships, joined by Krystal in the Cloudrunner, circled around The Great Fox toward the armada of Cornerian cruisers assembled outside. Wolf, Leon, and Panther hovered at the back of the group, acknowledging the Star Fox team as they arrived.

"How good of you to join us," Leon intimidated, soaring toward Falco's Arwing. "You took so long I almost thought you got scared and weren't coming."

"Shut your trap, lizard," the bird retorted. "The enemy is close now, so how about you focus your aim on them instead?"

A loud whistle came from Panther, clearly impressed by Krystal's new aircraft. "You're looking as good as ever," he growled seductively. "Why don't we cover each other in this fight? I'll protect you," he added with a jab at Fox, still blaming him for Krystal's capture.

"I don't need protection, thank you very much," she insisted, "if you recall, I escaped from the hands of the enemy myself. I think I'll fly alongside Fox; we tend to make a pretty good team."

Fox smiled at her response. Throughout her service on the Star Fox team, he was finally beginning to understand that Krystal was not in need of a bodyguard. Though she may at times seem fragile, she was becoming one of the best pilots and marksmen in Corneria. She was strong willed and somewhat reckless, but that attracted Fox to her even more.

"Well, here we go again," Wolf murmured as he approached in his Wolfen, disturbing Fox from his thoughts.

"Yea, I guess so," he replied to his rival. "Thanks again for coming to our aid; it was something that you didn't have to do." Fox tensed when he spotted several ships in the distance, slowly coming into focus as they lined up across from the Cornerian cruisers ahead of him.

"Enemy fighters have approached," a Cornerian pilot barked from his position at the head of the fleet. "My scanners indicate that their front line consists mostly of Venomian fighters, followed by battleships and a line of carriers. I can also identify squadrons of bombers hovering in their midst, accompanying ships that I don't recognize as part of Oikonny's fleet... Scanners indicate that they're new Venomian spacecraft, from planet Venom itself based on their structure."

"What?!" Fox gasped. "The Venomian natives have chosen to ally themselves with Andross' army?" He should have known that they would break their truce with Corneria after the events that transpired on their home planet, but he only hoped that they wouldn't join Andross' rebel forces so soon. Should I even call them Andross' forces? Fox reflected. Our new foe seems to be in command of his old army now...

As the opposing army came into range, their overwhelming numbers became clearer. The Cornerian Army was outnumbered almost five to one it seemed, and surely outmatched. "Cornerians, prepare your ships for combat. When the enemy engages, we will charge their frontlines," the commander signaled his troops. Suddenly, the first waves of Venomian fighters hurled themselves at the Cornerian Army, and the vacuum of space outside planet Corneria became a single mass of ships, meshing and clashing with one another.

"Star Fox, attack!" Fox growled as he engaged his thrusters and soared into the fray. Falco, Krystal, and Katt followed, joined by Star Wolf as they combatted the first wave of Venomian fighters. Laser fire flashed past Fox's vision as he swerved out of harm's way, locking on to a squadron of enemy ships as he pursued them. "Enemy ship down!" He called to his friends as he destroyed the first of them with a series of rapid Arwing lasers.

He continued onward into the mass of small black ships, searching out another target when a Cornerian cruiser sped in front of him, perpendicular to his flight path. It was followed by three enemies, but before Fox could take them down a familiar silver aircraft burst into view. A volley of green lasers alternated from its cannons, striking the enemies from behind and destroying them with a small explosion.

"Thanks again for the ship!" Krystal called to her toad friend piloting The Great Fox as she flew by. "She flies and fights like a true Cloudrunner!"

"Fox, look out for the enemies behind you!" Lucy warned.

Fox glanced at his radar monitor and realized that the hare was right; a patrol of Venomian fighters had snuck up behind him, firing lasers in his direction as he maneuvered back and forth to avoid being hit. One of Oikonny's ape soldiers fired a rocket his way, chasing after him as he weaved through swarms of friendly and enemy ships alike. I can't outrun it, he decided and jerked the Arwing's two joysticks toward him, causing his ship to do a loop. While upside-down, Fox watched as the missile and three enemy spaceships passed underneath him before completing his maneuver.

Now he was the pilot in pursuit, fully charging his Arwing's guns and releasing a lock-on beam to follow them. In several seconds, the sphere of red energy struck its target, destroying all three of the Venomian ships at once. Engaging his ship's thrusters, Fox charged the enemy ranks until he could detect their battleships in the distance. "Star Fox, focus your fire on the battleships. Distract the armada's fire so the Cornerian cruisers can take out their numbers."

"Gotcha," Falco replied. "Engaging the battleships!"

Looking to his radar, Fox positioned himself at the head of his team, counting the three indicators of Falco, Krystal, and Katt. Wolf, Leon, and Panther were swarmed by enemy signals and the Cornerian Army still appeared to be heavily outnumbered. It felt that for every one fighter the Cornerian forces destroyed, another two took its place on the battlefield.

"Fox!" A sudden alarm from Lucy awakened the leader of the Star Fox team to his current position. A thin purple laser was headed his way, almost a second from impact when he pressed a button and his ship did a barrel roll. An electromagnetic force field surrounded the Arwing, repelling the attack back into space.

"Return fire!" Fox commanded as his team spread out to focus the nearest battleships from the side. "Flank them on each side and aim for their midsections!" Swinging around to fire at the first battleship, he positioned his Arwing so that his guns were pointed at the enemy's exposed middle section and pressed his triggers rapidly, unleashing a multitude of shots that penetrated the ship's defenses. When he became too close to continue firing, he ducked underneath the enemy ship as Krystal fired from the other side, passing above it at the same time. The battle cruiser could not withstand the barrage of the Arwing and the Cloudrunner, collapsing inward as it exploded.

"Well done," Krystal called as the two soared past each other. "I told you we make a great team." Though they were at war with possibly their toughest enemy yet, Fox could not help but feel warm inside at the vixen's words. He wanted to reply, but an alarmed voice broke through his communicator.

"The Cornerian forces are overwhelmed; we have already lost nearly fifteen percent of the fleet. We have to retreat to the planet!" The Cornerian military lieutenant barked as he and his fellow pilots were forced backward toward The Great Fox.

Fox studied the battlefield and realized that there was no way that they would win this part of the fight. The Cornerian fleet was heavily outnumbered, and their forces were being spread thin across the large battlefield. They had to rely now on the strength of the Cornerian Defense Force on the planet's surface. "Alright. Star Fox and Star Wolf teams, retreat! Escort The Great Fox through the atmosphere!" He signaled to his teammates to back away from the battleships, circling around to follow the Cornerian forces. The remains of some dozen Cornerian cruisers hovered in space, damaged or destroyed to be left behind by the survivors as Fox soared past The Great Fox, maneuvering to avoid stray missiles and lasers that flew past him.

Suddenly, a multitude of grey markers appeared on his radar ahead of him. Squinting, he could see nothing but the planet Corneria ahead of him until a single Venomian stealth bomber materialized, blocking his escape route. One by one, more stealth ships appeared until an entire wall of enemies pinned down the Cornerian fighters, surrounding them on both sides.

"The enemy has blocked our escape!" Slippy croaked from within The Great Fox, soaring helplessly toward the new wave of hostile ships. "They're everywhere!"

As missiles and rockets bombarded from the stealth squadron, the Cornerian fleet scattered and engaged their new targets. "Break through the stealth bombers while avoiding fire from behind," the Cornerian leader commanded. "We have to reach the planet to receive reinforcements!"

Fox spun through waves of rockets and fired back into the crowds ahead of him, refusing to back down. "They must have expected our surrender and planned to flank us from behind!" He alerted his comrades. "Falco, Katt, Krystal, protect The Great Fox and punch a hole through their barricade. Focus your fire at the center of the line and push the remaining bombers aside to create a pathway!" Laser fire streamed from behind, reminding Fox that the enemies behind them were closing in. He boosted his ship onward toward the planet's surface while attacking the wave of stealth ships, destroying several of them with the backup fire of Wolf.

"These fools don't know when to give up," the leader of the Star Wolf team growled. "Leon, Panther, focus your fire on the enemies behind us. Buy us more time to take out the bombers!"

While the two pilots looped around to engage the fighters to the rear, The Great Fox's two main guns began charging with energy. "Out of the way!" Lucy called as she and Slippy fired a succession of powerful beams into the center of the flanking stealth squadron, creating a gap wide enough to fly through. "Follow us," the hare ordered as The Great Fox led the way. The remaining stealth bombers broke their formation and surrounded the Cornerian Army on the sides, firing at them as they retreated toward the planet's surface.

Fox followed Slippy and Lucy, leading the pilots of the Cornerian army as they fled. He gazed over at The Great Fox, noticing the numerous injuries the aircraft carrier had taken from the line of stealth bombers that flanked them. "Lure the fight toward Corneria City," he ordered as his Arwing's exterior burst into flames from the transition into Corneria's atmosphere. "Keep the battle focused on us and away from the civilians." He thanked Peppy silently that he had the foresight to evacuate the city before the war came, even though the Cornerian General did not have this purpose in mind at the time.

When the crystal clear waters surrounding the city became visible, Fox studied his radar to identify how large the opposing forces were. Many small grey arrows trailed behind his allies, followed by even larger circles, representing Venomian fighters and battleships. A convoy of carriers positioned themselves at the rear flank of the army, surely to launch reinforcements whenever they hit the city. "Slippy, find someplace safe to land The Great Fox and get in your Landmaster immediately. We will need you to provide anti-air fire and destroy some of the enemy ships as they get close," Fox commanded.

"Right on it," the toad croaked. "Lucy and I will take them out from a distance, but there are so many of them! We're so heavily outnumbered!"

Fox knew the odds of success as he soared absove the city outskirts, weaving between bright silver skyscrapers heading for the center. I only hope that we can last long enough for the Katina and Fortuna reinforcements to arrive, he thought. Come on Bill, don't let me down...

Finally, they reached the city center and hovered above it, flying in circles around the landing pad below them. The Cornerian Army joined them, dispersing throughout the city to cover the entire area. The defense force was already in position, many flying in battle cruisers and others with sniper rifles and homing launchers on the ground. Though the Cornerian defenses were strengthened, they still appeared to be no match for the Venomian army.

"I guess here is where we make our final stand," Wolf growled grimly. "Star Wolf, fight your hardest and never back down! Don't show any signs of weakness!"

A shadow loomed over the city as the Venomian army approached, gathering in the skies like storm clouds. In seconds, they would swarm the entire city and Corneria would become the largest battleground Fox had ever seen in his lifetime. "My friends, we have come so far together," he acknowledged as he examined the skies. "If it all ends here, I want you to know that I couldn't have been more proud of the team that I flew beside."

"Fox, don't talk like that!" Falco interrupted. "If we can hold them off long enough, reinforcements will arrive!"

"Yes, but how can we be sure that we will survive until then?" Krystal asked solemnly. Changing her tone, she shouted, "Get ready for battle! The enemy is approaching!"

One by one, hundreds of Venomian battleships spilled into the city and Fox broke formation, charging into the enemy hordes with his ship's guns blazing. There was no way that he was going to let the enemy invade his home without a fight; he was determined to give it his all as he pursued enemy fighters, destroying them with rapid series of Arwing shots. Laser fire flashed from many directions as he rolled to avoid being hit, flanking a Venomian battleship from the side. With one charged beam to its midsection, the battleship fell from the sky and crashed against a towering skyscraper with an explosion.

A squadron of enemy fighters locked on to Fox's position and he dove underneath an arch, maneuvering between several buildings in an attempt to shake them off. "Blasted apes, get off my tail!" He spat as he rolled to deflect several lasers headed his way. Looking to his radar, he detected two missiles approaching from behind and jerked his ship upward. Reaching the height of the tallest skyscraper, he pointed his ship downward and dove toward the ground with the missiles still in pursuit. Just when he thought he could go no further without scraping the underside of his Arwing against the ground, he pulled up and adjusted so that he flew parallel to it. The missiles behind him couldn't turn as quickly, crashing into the ground and exploding without hitting a target.

One by one, the three enemy indicators on his radar began to vanish. Glancing behind him, he realized that Slippy was on the ground in his Landmaster, picking off the fighters as they passed by. "Nice shooting," Fox called as he searched the skies for another target. In the distance, he spotted two Cornerian fighters being chased by four Venomian fighters. Engaging his thrusters, he soared across the landing platform at the city's center and locked on to the fighter in the middle of the pack. His Arwing's lasers charged, changing in color from red to green to blue before releasing a beam that chased its target down. The unsuspecting enemies didn't have a chance to escape before they were all destroyed by the single attack.

"Thank you sir," one of the Cornerian pilots barked as the two fighters dispersed into the crowds.

"How's everyone doing?" Fox asked for a status update on the fight. He could tell that the reinforcements were helping, but the Cornerians were still losing numbers. Friendly and enemy ships alike fell from the skies in masses as the battle raged on, while the growing clouds of smoke made flying increasingly difficult.

"Everything is looking fine on my end," Falco reported.

"I'm fine here as well," Krystal affirmed. "The Cloudrunner is flying steady."

A Wolfen flew by, rapidly firing at a fleeing squadron of Venomian fighters. Wolf and his team must be doing alright as well, Fox reflected, and my team is holding their own. "Is this all that the enemy has in store for us?" He asked. Realizing that he might have spoken too soon, the Venomian carriers appeared from the outskirts of the city. Their red frames glinted against the light of the sun as they spread out across the city center and opened up, releasing a multitude of yellow and black discs into the air.

"What are those?" Falco asked in astonishment. "Could they be what I think they are?"

The small round objects fell to the ground as four arms protruded from each one, clenching to the sides of buildings and to the roads below. Their glowing yellow bodies became encased in honeycomb barriers and dark insect-like creatures began spawning from within them. "Aparoid hatchers!" Krystal exclaimed. "Everyone, look out! Hatchers have been airdropped within the city! We need to focus our fire on eliminating them before the aparoids overrun us!"

"But we can't afford to let the Venomians go unchecked," the leader of the Cornerian Army barked. "If we focus all of our firepower on the aparoids, we will be destroyed by enemy ships!"

Fox lowered his ship to engage the first of the aparoid hatchers. "Star Fox, Star Wolf, concentrate on destroying the aparoids and the hatchers while the Cornerians tend to the Venomian fighters," he ordered. Aiming his guns at a hatcher clinging to the Cornerian Defense Force headquarters, he fired a series of laser rounds to destroy it, careful not to damage the building itself.

"So now we are taking orders from Star Fox?" Leon complained. "Since when did you become the leader of Star Wolf?"

"Just do as he says!" Wolf barked back. "All that matters now is that we destroy these bugs before they overrun us!"

Fox flew for another hatcher resting on the landing pad in the middle of the city, thankful for his rival's support. There are no longer any divisions among us, he reflected on the unified effort of Star Fox, Star Wolf, and the Cornerian Army. We are united in one cause, fighting for the safety of Corneria and our own survival. Once Fox was in range, he released a charged shot at the hatcher clinging to the landing pad, destroying it with a single blow.

As he circled around, he noticed that the streets were now crawling with aparoids. Crawlers scurried across the ground, grappling with Cornerian soldiers as they sprayed gunfire to repel them backward while larger aparoids approached from behind. Two massive spider-like insects with four legs fired green energy orbs into the crowds, exploding as they struck their targets.

Enraged, Fox dove for the mass of enemies and unleashed a volley of Arwing lasers downward, wiping the roadway clean. Though more of the large four-legged creatures fired at him, they were destroyed in their tracks, crushed underneath the treads of Slippy's Landmaster.

"Take that!" The toad cried in triumph as he continued on, rolling through hordes of aparoids and firing laser rounds at the enemies in the skies.

Suddenly, a series of purple plasma rings hurled themselves in Fox's direction. He swerved sideways, almost crashing against the side of a building as he corrected his flight pattern. Glancing in the direction of his attacker, he realized that an aparoid moth had taken chase, following him as he soared upward away from the streets. "Is anyone near the Lunastone Hotel?" He asked his friends, hoping that someone would be near his position. He was just above the hotel ruins, still a pile of debris and rubble where the building once stood.

"On my way," Katt responded. In a matter of seconds, the Sky Bunny flashed past Fox and engaged the fluttering enemy behind him. Before he could even loop around to assist, a red smart bomb exploded from the pink ship's guns, striking the moth's body. An explosion of crimson light consumed the enemy, destroying its wings and causing it to fall to the ground, defeated.

"Thanks, nice work Katt," Fox acknowledged his ally and continued on, searching for another target.

The Sky Bunny soared below him, turning away to engage hatchers on the ground. "You're welcome," Katt replied. "Lucy, your ship is something! I might not want to give it back by the time this is all over!"

"Very funny," the hare rolled her eyes while laying atop the Cornerian Defense Force headquarters, shooting enemies from above with a sniper rifle. "Just make sure to bring it back in one piece, will you?"

As Fox soared through the city, weaving his way among the buildings looking for aparoid hatchers, Krystal flew beside him in the Cloudrunner. "The leader of the Venomian army is here among us," she murmured. "I cannot see him, but I sense his presence. I have a suspicion that his ship has a cloaking device and he plans to reveal himself soon, so we need to be on the lookout. If we can take him down, we can turn the tide of war in our favor."

"Alright," the leader of the Star Fox team nodded. "Krystal, focus your full attention on locating this pilot. The Cornerian forces cannot hold the enemy back much longer." Through the smoke and flames rising from the Cornerian skyscrapers, Fox could tell that his allies were losing their grip on the war consuming the city. Aparoids swarmed the roadways and filled the skies, accompanying the combined forces of Andross' rebel army and the reinforcements from Venom. How much longer will we be able to hold on? Fox asked himself. Will the cavalry arrive before it's too late?