Assault Gone Wrong
OneShot
Laser blasts raked the sides of Fox McCloud's Arwing. Launching into a side roll, he attempted to shake his pursuer. Glancing over his shoulder he recognized the ever too present glow of charging laser cannon. He jammed the throttle forward, pulling back on the control stick. His Arwing raced through a full flip, putting him behind his assailant. He held down the trigger, charging his laser cannons briefly before unleashing a fatal attack. The Aparoid disintegrated instantly. "Fourteen down, we're nearly clear." He spoke into his comlink, informing Krystal, Slippy, and Falco of his small victory.
"Make that all clear," Slippy replied, "We got the rest of them."
"Yup, easy as ever." Falco bragged.
"Good," Fox congratulated, "Now let's get back to the Great Fox before Peppy starts to wonder where we are."
The four intrepid mercenaries retracted the battle extensions on their wings and hit the throttle into space travel before blasting off into deep space. Within minutes the Great Fox came up on their radar. The magnificent ship stood out against the dark nothingness of space as they approached. Once they were within range Slippy opened up a comlink with the ship, "Peppy? We're back."
There was no reply.
Fox tried, "Peppy, it is the Fox team. We are reporting back safe and sound."
"PEPPY!" Falco yelled agitatedly through the mic, "TALK TO US!"
"Falco, that won't be necessary." Krystal condoned. "Fox," she continued, "I don't sense Peppy."
"Are you sure?" Fox asked
"Yes." came the foreboding reply.
There was a long silence before Fox spoke again. "Ok, we're going in. Slippy, open the bay doors remotely. Once we're in, shut them immediately, then prepare to fight on foot. Got it?"
"You think that the Aparoids captured the Great Fox?" Krystal asked concernedly.
"I know so. Look." Fox replied morbidly.
All four of the team looked in horror at the Great Fox, seeing the numerous Aparoid spawning portals clustered all over the majestic ship.
"Oh crap." Falco said in revulsion.
"Worse." Slippy replied, "I can't access the mainframe to the bay doors. We're gonna have to blast our way in."
"But then the airlock won't work. We'll be floating in the vacuum of space." Krystal refuted quickly.
"Not if we go in through the bay doors then manually open the airlock which opens directly to the catwalk which goes to the bridge." Slippy countered.
"Fox..." They both asked simultaneously
"We're going in." Fox replied grimly, "No matter the risk, we need to get Peppy out of there."
No one argued with Fox's decision.
Boosting ahead of the other three, Fox modified his cannon charge to beam. He hoped that he would be able to slice through the door, without damaging the rest of the ship too greatly. Charging, he carefully took aim, slicing through the door with as much precision as a butter knife on cardboard. Finally, a ragged chunk of metal drifted away from the Great Fox. "Come on in." Fox invited, as he flew his Arwing through the jagged hole. Once the three others were in, he put on an oxygen mask and jumped from his Arwing towards the door they were aiming for. "Fox, slow down." Slippy warned. "The door won't open unless you pressurize and gravitize this room."
"How do I do that?" Fox asked.
"You can't." Slippy replied. "I'm gonna need to fool the mainframe into thinking that this room is pressurized, because the hole in the bay door prevents this room from pressurizing."
"What if we close the auxiliary bay door?" Fox asked.
"That actually should work." Slippy replied. "I had forgot about that."
"Wicked!" Falco exclaimed, climbing out of his Arwing and launching himself towards Fox and the door.
"Closing the door now." Fox spoke.
As the auxiliary door snapped shut, Fox realized a fatal flaw. He watched in slow motion as the damaged auxiliary door slammed into the base of the bay. A large chunk of the door broke off. Fox winced as he heard the oxygen pumps begin to hiss, filling the room with air. Instantly the air was whisked out the gaping hole into the vacuum of space, taking all unanchored objects with it. Acting without thought, Fox quickly looped his arm through a mooring hook, bracing for impact. He watched helplessly as Falco was sucked out of mid-air and out into the never ending black. Seconds later he witnessed in horror as Slippy's Arwing was dragged across the bay floor and towards the hole. Slippy desperately tried to start the engine, but to no avail. The Arwing gathered up speed quickly, slamming into the jagged edges around the gaping hole. A large explosion rocked the hangar. Immediately red warning lights flashed on, the oxygen pumps stopped, and the hangar went dark.
"Krystal?" Fox weakly cried out between sobs. "Krystal."
I'm right here. A voice called out in his mind.
Fox whirled around searching for the voice. Suddenly a screech filled his mind, wreaking havoc with his brain. Fiery bolts of pain shot through his nerves, burning from the tip of his tail to his ears. Aparoids, help! Writhing in pain, he managed to grasp one last sentence from the madness. I'm so sorry, good bye...
Immediately the pain stopped. Fox lay mid-air, floating motionless, only held in place by the mooring hook he held. He watched with bitter laughter as his tears floated away from his face, and grouped in random patterns against the oxygen mask. Red lights continued to flash in the darkened bay.
Fox looked at the door to the catwalk which would lead him to the bridge. From there he could search the ship, destroy the Aparoids, and take vengeance. He could destroy them and their accursed race. He would rid the galaxy of the Aparoid menace for ever.
He glanced at the door again. They would praise his name. Fox McCloud, savior of the Lylat galaxy! He would live in peace, no longer as a mercenary fighting for whoever called first. He would move to Sauria, settle down with old friends.
He glanced at the door one last time then slowly took off his oxygen mask, and let go of the mooring hook, drifting off to meet his friends.