WARNING:  This story has been written and posted free of charge
solely for entertainment purposes.  Fox McCloud Jr, Falco
Lombardi, Peppy Hare, Slippy Toad, Venom, Corneria, Fara Phoenix,
General Pepper, Andross, and all other principle characters and
places created by Nintendo are copyright (C) 1993 Nintendo of
America Inc.  Used without permission.

     Star Fox is copyright (C) 1993 Nintendo of America Inc. 
Used without permission.  All characters and places created by
me, Theodore P. Perrotti, are copyright (C) 1995 Theodore P.
Perrotti. (However, feel free to use all of this story's
characters, events, and places as you wish as long as you abide
by the conditions described in the next paragraph.)

     This story may be redistributed, stored, or archived in any
way just so long as it is unaltered, this entire disclaimer
remains with it, and such action is taken free of charge.  In
short: DON'T SELL OR ALTER THIS STORY!  Also, please give me
credit if you use any of my creations.

     Parts of this story were based on characters, places, and
events in both the Star Fox video game and the Star Fox comic
which appeared in Nintendo Power.

     You may also notice a "Star Trek" influence in this story. 
This is no coincidence.  Specifically, this story has been
influenced by the original series episode "Mirror-Mirror", the
Next Generation two-parter "The Best of Both Worlds", and the
Next Generation novel "Dark Mirror".

     I welcome your comments.  Please e-mail them to me at
author@galaxycorp.com.
_________________________________________________________________

           Chapter 7: Revelations          

     AT FIRST, THERE WAS NOTHING BUT A JUMBLE OF IMAGES THAT HE
COULD NOT UNDERSTAND.  THEN, SOMETHING DEFINITE GRADUALLY
EMERGED.  A BEING HE COULD NOT IDENTIFY.  NONETHELESS, A FEELING OF
UTTER HATRED WELLED UP INSIDE OF HIM.  HATRED OF THIS THING, THIS
SHADOW THAT NOW STOOD SILENTLY BEFORE HIM .  IF ANYTHING IN THIS
STRANGE REALM HE NOW FOUND HIMSELF IN TRULY STOOD, FOR HE DIDN'T
KNOW WHERE HE WAS.  
     NEVER BEFORE HAD HE SEEN SUCH A PLACE.  THERE SEEMED TO BE
NOTHING IN IT BUT HIMSELF AND THIS SHADOW.  HE OPENED HIS MOUTH TO
ASK THE SHADOW WHERE THEY WERE AND WHAT WAS HAPPENING, BUT
NOTHING CAME OUT.  
     AFTER, OR PERHAPS DURING, THIS FAILED EXCHANGE, FOX SUDDENLY
FOUND HIMSELF IN FAMILIAR SURROUNDINGS.  HE NEVER SAW THE CHANGE
TAKE PLACE; YET IT OBVIOUSLY HAD.  HE, STILL IN UNIFORM, WAS SITTING IN A
LUSH, GREEN, GRASSY FIELD.  ALL AROUND HIM WERE FARMS WITH ANIMALS
GRAZING AND ROAMING ABOUT.  THERE WERE NO PEOPLE IN SIGHT OTHER
THAN HIMSELF.  AS HE CONTINUED TO SIT SILENTLY, HE LOOKED AHEAD AND
SAW A HOUSE.  HIS CHILDHOOD HOME.  AND HE FELT COMFORTABLE THERE.  
     THIS HOUSE WAS NOT A FARM, AS NEITHER OF HIS PARENTS HAD BEEN
FARMERS.  HIS FATHER WAS IN THE MILITARY, AND HIS MOTHER WAS WHAT
SHE PREFERRED TO CALL A "HOMEMAKER".  HE HAD LIVED IN MANY HOUSES
DURING HIS CHILDHOOD; SUCH WAS THE LIFE OF A MILITARY FAMILY.  BUT,
THIS WAS, THIS IS, THE ONLY ONE HE REMEMBERED.  
     SUDDENLY, HIS WARM FEELING OF BELONGING TURNED COLD.  HE GOT
UP, AND SAW LYING AT HIS SIDE A CARCASS.  IT SEEMED PERFECTLY WHOLE,
NOT TORN OR RENT IN ANY WAY.  JUST DEAD.  HIS HEART STARTED TO BEAT
FASTER AS HE QUICKLY SURVEYED THE FIELD, AND NOW SAW IDENTICAL
CARCASSES EVERYWHERE HE LOOKED.
     HE TURNED FROM THIS HORRIFYING SIGHT AND RAN TO THE FRONT OF
THE HOUSE, ONLY TO HAVE MORE CARCASSES MEET HIS EYES.  NO MATTER
WHERE HE TURNED, THERE THEY WERE, LIKE DEMONS HAUNTING A FANTASY. 
HE WANTED TO BE SAFE.  SO, HE WENT WHERE HE ALWAYS FELT SAFE.  HE
BOLTED THROUGH THE FRONT DOOR OF HIS HOME AND SLAMMED THE DOOR
SHUT BEHIND HIM.  HE JUST STAYED THERE, WITH HIS BACK UP AGAINST THE
DOOR, TRYING TO COMPOSE HIMSELF.  THERE WERE NO CARCASSES IN HERE. 
     A YOUNG WOMAN STEPPED OUT IN FRONT OF HIM.  HE FELT SOMETHING
FAMILIAR ABOUT HER, BUT DID NOT RECOGNIZE HER.  SHE SIMPLY TURNED TO
HIM AND ASKED, RATHER MATTER-OF-FACTLY, "DID YOU SEE ALL THOSE
CARCASSES OUT THERE?"
     THEN, EVERYTHING WAS DARK.  DARKNESS WAS ALL HE COULD SEE
AROUND HIM.  HE COULD NOT EVEN SEE HIMSELF.  THEN, HE HEARD A VOICE,
HIS MOTHER'S VOICE.  HE ONCE AGAIN TRIED TO SPEAK, BUT, ONCE AGAIN,
COULD NOT.  
     "I KEPT ASKING THEM THEIR LAST NAME,"  HIS MOTHER SAID
CRYPTICALLY, "BUT THEY WOULD ONLY RESPOND BY SINGING 'VEGNERE'."  
     WITH THAT, FOX FOUND HIMSELF STANDING IN THE KITCHEN OF HIS
CHILDHOOD HOME.  HOWEVER, HE WAS NOW STARK NAKED.  ALSO, HE SAW
EVERYTHING IN BLACK-AND-WHITE.  HIS MOTHER, LOOKING ALMOST LIKE A
TEENAGER, WAS SITTING AT THE KITCHEN TABLE, NOT TWO FEET AWAY FROM
HIM.  HIS FATHER WAS STANDING AT THE END OF THE TABLE OPPOSITE HIS
MOTHER.  NEITHER OF THEM SEEMED TO HAVE NOTICED HIM.  THEY WERE JUST
THERE, BOTH DRESSED IN YOUNG-PERSON'S CLOTHES.  HE COULD SEE THEIR
LIPS MOVE AS THEY FACED EACH OTHER, BUT HE COULD HEAR NO WORDS
SPOKEN.  
     OUTSIDE, A LAND-ROVER MOVED SLOWLY BY THE HOUSE, AND FOX
COULD AGAIN HEAR THAT SONG, "VEGNERE".  IT KEPT GROWING LOUDER THE
WHOLE TIME THE ROVER WAS IN SIGHT, THEN ABRUPTLY ENDED WHEN IT WAS
NO LONGER VISIBLE.  
     HE WAS IN THE SAME HOUSE AS BEFORE, BUT DID NOT FEEL SAFE OR AT
EASE.  HE FELT COLD AND FRIGHTENED, LIKE A YOUNG CHILD.  HE STARTED
TOWARD THE STAIRS, TOWARD ONE OF THE SAFEST PLACES A CHILD COULD
THINK OF: HIS ROOM.
     HE HAD ONLY TAKEN A STEP OR TWO WHEN HE WAS GRIPPED BY AN
UNDENIABLE URGE TO CHECK THE CALENDAR, WHICH HUNG ON THE WALL
BEHIND HIM.  THIS HE DID, AND WAS ASTONISHED TO SEE THE YEAR LISTED AS
2154.  IT WAS A YEAR LONG SINCE ELAPSED.  
     HE LOOKED AGAIN AT THE CALENDAR, AND WAS ONCE AGAIN SHOCKED. 
THE YEAR NOW READ 2160.  HE TURNED AGAIN AND SAW HIS PARENTS, NOW
OLDER.  WITH RENEWED VIGOR, HE RAN TOWARD THE STAIRS, LEAVING HIS
PARENTS BEHIND.  AS HE RAN, THINGS CHANGED AGAIN AND AGAIN, GETTING
OLDER EACH TIME.  
     IN THE HALLWAY, HE PASSED BY THE FAMILIAR YOUNG WOMAN,
LOOKING ROUGHLY TEN YEARS OLD.  SEEING HER MADE HIS HEART POUND
EVEN FASTER.  HE REACHED THE STAIRS AT SUCH SPEED AS TO HAVE TO GRAB
THE NEWEL POST WITH HIS PAW AS HE TURNED TO HEAD UPSTAIRS.  
     RUNNING UP THE STAIRS, HE COULD THINK OF NOTHING BUT GETTING
TO HIS ROOM AND ENDING THIS NIGHTMARE.  HE LOOKED UP AND SAW, BY THE
TOP OF THE STAIRS, THE SAME FAMILIAR YOUNG WOMAN.  ONLY, SHE LOOKED
SLIGHTLY OLDER NOW.  
     HE REACHED THE TOP AND CONTINUED TOWARD HIS ROOM.  THE
WOMAN FOLLOWED, ONLY A FEW STEPS BEHIND FOX.  HE RAN INTO HIS ROOM. 
IT WAS PITCH BLACK.  HE THEN TRIED TO CLOSE THE DOOR AS HE HAD DONE
BEFORE, BUT SOMETHING HELD IT OPEN.  HE FINALLY GAVE UP AND LEAPT
INTO HIS BED, PULLING THE COVERS OVER HIS HEAD AS A SHIELD AND
SILENTLY BEGGING TO WAKE UP. 
     HE HEARD THE DOOR OPEN FULLY, AND HEARD HER WALK INTO THE
ROOM.  HE JUST WANTED HER TO GO AWAY.  HER VOICE SOUNDED, "JUST SO
YOU KNOW, I'M GETTING OLDER, NOT YOUNGER,"  HE TURNED HIS HEAD AWAY
FROM HER.  KNOWING SHE WAS STILL THERE BUT NOT KNOWING WHAT ELSE
TO DO, HE EVENTUALLY TOOK THE COVERS DOWN OFF HIS HEAD TO LOOK AT
HER.  HE DID NOT GET TO SEE HER THIS TIME.
     The scene slowly began to break up in Fox's mind, as he slowly regained consciousness. 
As he did, he began to realize just how little sense the dream made.  He was not born until 2165,
and in 2154, his parents had not yet met.  They didn't even move into that house until the year he
was born.  Or so his father had told him, and he trusted his father implicitly.  AND WHO WAS
THAT YOUNG WOMAN?  WHY DID ONLY SHE SEEM TO NOTICE HIM?  WHAT HAD
SHE MEANT BY HER LAST STATEMENT?  AND WHAT THE HELL IS "VEGNERE"?
     Even after the "real world" had come into full view, he still remembered the dream vividly.
     In his office, the Commander chuckled and grinned from 
ear-to-ear.
     Fox was sitting in a detention cell.  Tad was in the cell to his left.  Fox's left arm felt
somewhat sore, so he started rubbing it with his right paw.  
     Then he remembered: They had managed to lock their tractor beam onto him during his
chicken game with the other Falco.  Some of the other Falco's shots may have hit his wing while
he was in the beam's grip.  He wasn't sure.  
     He put up quite a struggle once they had him on board.  KNOCKED TWO ARMED
SECURITY MEN COLD, he recalled, grinning ever so slightly.  After that, he had only vague
recollections of having been dragged somewhere, perhaps to this cell.  Then the dreams and the
waking up.  SOMEONE MUST HAVE SNUCK UP ON ME AND PUMPED ME FULL OF A
SEDATIVE.         
     He looked again to his left, and saw Tad fast asleep.  MUST HAVE DRUGGED HIM,
TOO.  BUT WHY ARE THEY KEEPING US ALIVE?  THEY COULD HAVE KILLED US
OUT THERE EASILY!  Not that he wanted to die, but their killing him and Tad would have been
more consistent with what he'd learned about these people.  They were up to something, but what?
     He looked around for a way out, but his paws were cuffed to a metal ring protruding from
the wall.  As in the detention areas kept by his own people, the cell entrance was sealed by an
energy field, meant to keep everything except air from getting in or out.  Or, at least that was true
of his people.  He wasn't at all sure these people would allow for such circulation.  In his people's
detention cells, the field merely repelled anyone foolhardy enough to touch it.  These fields were
probably deadly to the touch.  The binders not only impeded escape, but probably also served to
keep prisoners out of reach of the field, lest they be killed before information can be extracted
from them. 
     Then, there was a commotion out in the hallway that lead to the detention block. 
"ARRRGH!" the Alternate Falco screamed repeatedly as two armed guards dragged him in and
flung him into the empty cell to Fox's right, then left.  From behind the open door, Fox could see
two other armed men standing guard.  Fox watched as the Alternate Falco writhed in pain on the
cell floor, wondering what had been done to him to put him in this state.  He wasn't exactly feeling
sorry for the guy, but wondered nonetheless how someone could be caused such extreme agony.  
     "That's why you don't see much overt disobedience on this ship, Capt. McCloud,"
observed someone from across the room, "I wonder if they'll let him live."  
     Fox was surprised to hear another voice, and looked up quickly in its direction.  Across
from his cell, and a few cells down, Fox saw a young man standing near the entrance to his cell,
watching the other Falco intently.  The man's paws were similarly bound. 
     "Who are you, and how do you know my name?"  Fox whispered, feeling more than a
little paranoid.  IN THIS PLACE, YOU HAVE TO BE PARANOID JUST TO SURVIVE.  
     "I'm a pilot, like you.  They think I'm part of the revolution.  So, they want to pump me for
information.  Their last attempt was this morning.  That they think I have information is the only
reason they haven't yet killed me for treason,"  he said, then added, "You and the amphibioid aren't
from my side of the hole, are you?"
     THE REVOLUTION, HUH?  THEY MUST REALLY BE BUGGING ANDROSS
NOW!  MAYBE MY TALKS WITH THE OTHER PEPPY DID SOME GOOD AFTER ALL! 
"No, we aren't," Fox conceded, "But how did you know that or my name?  And these cells are
probably bugged, so please whisper." 
     The young man simply chuckled.  He didn't care if anyone heard them or not!
     "For starters, your uniform's different from the crew's.  Also, our Fox McCloud was quite
notorious, before he vanished."  explained the man.  "As for him,"  he said, referring to Tad, "No
one from this side would dare fight ship's security.  He's lucky he only got sedated."  "ME, TOO,"
Fox thought to himself.  Fox wasn't sure why, but he believed this man.  Perhaps, he just needed
to believe someone here.
     "Oh, of course.  I should have known,"  Fox replied.  "But what did you mean about
wondering if they'll let him live?"  Fox inquired, pointing at the Alternate Falco.  
     "Now I know you're not from my universe!"  he commented, "You see, he disobeyed an
order from the Commander.  Usually, that's punished by death.  But, I suppose a pilot of his
calibre can get away with things others can't.  Instead of killing him, they're just torturing him."
     By now, Tad had regained consciousness.  However, Fox was too absorbed in the
conversation to notice him.  "What are they doing to him?"  Fox asked, glancing at the other Falco
as he spoke.
     "Pain transmission,"  the man explained offhandedly, "Each and every one of us has a
receptor implanted in our brain as children, to ensure loyalty to the SpaceForce.  They also act as
homing beacons to pinpoint your location. Do you have such an implant?"
     "I have an implant,"  Fox explained, "All SpaceForce members in my universe do.  But,
our implants work only to enhance our ability to learn and retain languages, to better communicate
with new races we encounter."
     The man laughed.  "My SpaceForce isn't nearly so accommodating to people.  Either they
learn our language or they die."  
     The casual tone with which the young man spoke those words disturbed Fox.  DAMN IT! 
DON'T YOU CARE ABOUT ANYTHING?  He set his anger aside and asked,  "What order did
he disobey?  Do you know?"
     "Yes, I know.  Some of my 'friends' told me when you were first brought in here.  He's
being tortured because he tried to kill you."
     A stunned look came onto Fox's face.  "What did you say?  He was ordered not to kill me? 
But I'm his enemy!"  Fox whispered loudly, "And I don't have any more strategic information than
any other 'Force pilot!  Why spare me?"  He paused, then asked, "Who gave the order?  Who's the
Commander?"
     "Haven't you guessed yet?  The Commander is the ruler of the Lylat system: Emperor
Andross.  As for why he issued the order, I don't know."  
     In a way, Fox had suspected Andross would turn up sooner or later.  In the Alternate
universe, the other Fox had been Andross' best friend.  Well, probably the closest thing to a best
friend Andross ever had, anyway.  IF ANDROSS SOMEHOW FOUND OUT THAT I KILLED
THE ALTERNATE FOX, HE MAY WANT TO KILL ME HIMSELF.  BUT, HOW COULD
HE HAVE FOUND OUT?  WE WERE STUCK BETWEEN DIMENSIONS WHEN IT
HAPPENED, AND NO ONE ELSE WAS THERE!  Fox decided he couldn't have found out,
and threw the thought away. 
     Also, why had Tad been spared as well?  To the best of his knowledge, the Alternate
Andross had never even met Tad, either this one or the Alternate one.  He was about to ask that
when he finally noticed that Tad was awake. 
     He rephrased the question in his mind.  "Why were we spared?"
     "I told you, I don't know why," the man said impatiently, then added, "Neither of you."  
     "I don't know, either, Fox,"  said Tad, "It just doesn't make any sense."
     Fox was surprised.  It was the first time since Slippy's death that Tad had addressed him by
his first name.
GUESS HE REALIZES THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO WORK TOGETHER TO GET
OUT OF THIS.   The two guards returned.  However, this time, one of them headed for the
young man's cell and grabbed him by the arm.  The other went to the other Falco's cell and
plucked him off the ground.  The other Falco had stopped screaming and thrashing a couple of
minutes before and was just lying there, silent and motionless.  
     Standing up,  Fox said to the young man as he was being led away, "Just more thing:  Why
did you talk to us?"
     "Why not?  As soon as this is over, I'm dead anyway."  Fox sat down again.  DEATH. 
YEAH, THERE'S SURE BEEN A LOT OF THAT LATELY.  
     "So how do we get out of here?"  Tad asked.  
     "I don't know,"  Fox replied, staring at Tad as if he had suddenly grown a second head.  
     "Something wrong?"  asked Tad.
     "I don't think so.  I'm just not used to your being civil to me.  Back on the station, you
wanted to kill me." 
     "Ah...Well, I've had a lot of time to think things over.  Seeing our friends die made me
realize that I shouldn't go around hating people.  Life's just too short to waste on something so
unpleasant."
     Fox was skeptical, but didn't want to discourage the potential reconciliation.  So he simply
said, "Oh."
     "Not convinced, are you?"  sighed Tad, "Oh, well.  I guess it will take some time to
convince you.  I'm willing."
     At that moment, two guards burst in.  Draped on their arms was General Pepper.  They
deposited him in a cell at the other end of the room.  Tad and Fox turned their attention his way.
     "General!"  Fox exclaimed, no longer caring if he were overheard.  The General looked as
if he had just been put through the wringer.  Twice.  General Pepper gave no response.  
     Fox turned back to Tad and said, "I don't know how we're gonna get out of here, but we're
taking him with us.  Even if I have to carry him piggy-back."  Tad nodded in agreement.
     Fox then added, "And we're going to have to try to destroy this ship in the process.  The
more damage we can do, the better."     Tad rested his head on his hand, and said, "Blowing
up one of those Supernova torpedoes ought to do the trick."
     "Yes, but how do we find them?" asked Fox.
     "We'll find them.  They're toward the middle section of the ship, right?  At least we know
to start there.  And once we find them, I can hot-wire them."
     Fox looked at him.  "I picked up a few things about electronics from my brother,"  Tad
explained.  
     Fox nodded and said, "Now all we have to do is figure out a way out of these cells."