"From Sky to Ground"
"I f**king hate this job!"
Said the Canine as he was shot down in his Fighter by a Vemonian Tank and crash landed onto a highway in Corneria City where 6 more of them were rolling straight towards him. He barely managed to pull himself out of the wreck and began to pass out from losing his legs and thus blood loss before getting the chance to see an Arwing do a strafing run, destroying the tanks before they could roll over him. Darkness took Frost and he lost consciousness. He woke up a few hours later at Cornerian Command's, medical center to find doctors fitting him with robotic legs! Being told that these would greatly assist in battle, the Husky was impressed and promised to make good use of them.
After being patched up for other injuries, he and 15 other Dog Soldiers that were left of the CDF were being sent back out to the battlefield. Gathered outside the Command Building, a Communications Channel projector was set up to address Frost and others with General Pepper's head appearing after a moment.
"To the last of the CDF Ground Infantry of Corneria, its up to you to finish off the last of Andross's invasion force!" the Hound dog bellowed in a voice that always got people's attention, "Thanks to Star Fox, we have hope to bring peace to our beloved planet. All of Corneria is counting on you! Good Luck!"
The General then saluted and they all saluted back before about-facing and running to the 3 Ground Transports to their left. piling in with 5 to a transport. Then they rolled out to the combat zone. Frost and the squad he was with were in the transport that brought up the rear of the line and he and the others were getting ready, checking their weapons and lowering their helmet's green visors which activated a HUD that displayed their Light Plate Armor's status and their health, their Plasma Blasters' overheat bar-gauge, and a targeting reticule.
While on-route to the mission area, Frost could hear through the comms what the other Dog Soldiers were muttering to each other and they mirrored his thoughts.
"How do they get past the Defense Fleet?"
"They slaughtered most of us in just a few hours!"
"Where the hell is the Cornerian Army and its Fleet?!"
"I heard they were at Katina...damn...they even got past them too?!"
"GRRROWL! I hate Apes!"
"How...why is this happening?!"
Frost understood their fear but he wished they weren't so vocal about it but those were Cornerians for you, years of living in peace and suddenly some Ape betrays his nation and rallys others to the cause for petty revenge and makes peace lovers into weak soldiers who, despite being well trained and armed got easily overwhelmed and demoralized. Sudden explosions sounding and shaking the transport silenced them with the driver shouting back to them;
"Brace yourselves! LZ is hot! Get ready for rapid insertion onto the battlefield!"
Frost couldn't help but grin excitedly, he always hated having to fly in a Fighter, but this was his chance to show his true skill on the battlefield with his now metal feet on the ground. His tail couldn't help but show his eagerness and one of the Dog Soldiers he was sitting next noticed his less than sacred demeanor and was about to ask 'What the hell?' when a light shone in the back right corner on the transport filling the inside of the vehicle with red.
"Stand up and get ready to deploy!" shouted the driver
Frost and the squad stood up in a line as ordered, facing the closed ramp, steadying themselves with every jolt that the transport made as it hit either on or near an explosion. Frost could feel them slowing down and he licked his chops, still grinning. Then the light switched green and driver shouted;
"GO GO GO!"
Frost let out a bark of courage and ran out with the squad, laying down some suppressing fire from his Plasma Blaster as they ran around the transport which was also shooting from its double-barreled cannons mounted on the roof of the it. Laserfire and explosions blasted and rained all around them as the Husky beheld the scene before him. At least a dozen or more Vemon Tanks and a squadron of Vemon Fighters were on the grassy fields with little to no cover between them and the 15 Dog Soldiers and Frost. He knew their Light Plate Armor could only hold up to ballistic arms and barely anything laser-like and Andross's troops were using plasma weapons so...dammit.
"TAKE COVER!" barked Frost through his comms and over the loud sounds of battle
"Where?!" a couple of Dog Soldiers barked back
Thinking quickly, he checked to see if the Ground Transports were still active.
They were.
"Transport Drivers! Move your vehicles into a line side-facing the enemy and rotate your cannons in that direction! Soldiers! Use the transports as cover! HURRY!" he shouted to everyone and hoped they would listen despite him not being in command
Considering the situation, they obliged and did as directed. As the transports rolled into position the squadron of Vemon Fighters came for another pass, peppering the ground with laserfire, making some of the Dog Soldiers scatter and hit the dirt. Frost ran over to one that fell near him and helped him to his feet.
"KEEP MOVING, STAY BEHIND THOSE TRANSPORTS!" he barked and gave a confident smile and nod to the Dog Soldier who nodded his thanks and ran to join up with the rest who had taken cover behind the now vehicle-wall
Frost then sprinted to the end of the wall and peeked around the corner to see the enemy who were closing in at a fast rate depsite the continuing fire of the transport's cannons.
"Soldiers open fire on those tanks! Don't let them get close! Drivers! Direct your fire on that Vemon Fighter Squadron!" he barked and fired his Plasma Blaster at a Vemon Tank
Hoping that the combined fire of small arms against medium armor would be enough to destroy enough of them so as to buy time for the Ground Transport's cannons could take down the Vemon ships then switch back onto the tanks, Frost maintained fire and encouraged his fellow Dog Soldiers to do the same.
"C'mon boys! Show these Apes how Corneria's CDF fights!" he barked and that seemed to invigorate them into fighting better and harder
At least 4 Vemon Tanks exploded from the concentrated fire and by then, the gunners in the transports had finished the squadron off and turned their fire to the tanks but suddenly their cannons were blown off as a Garuda appeared out of nowhere on their right flank, hurling boulders and huge chunks of earth at the transports.
"GET OUT OF THEM!" shouted a Dog Soldier frantically to the drivers and gunners whom were already bailing their doomed vehicles
"What now?!"
"We're getting overrun!"
"Should we retreat?!"
"We'll be exposed!"
Frost growled and turned off his comms so he could think. Quickly checking how far the Vemon Tanks were from their position. It wouldn't be long now as he could see the glow of their cannons as they charged for a shot. He then looked at the Garuda encroaching on them and decided in that moment to do something really stupid and reckless but needed if he was gonna get these Dog Soldiers out alive.
"Soldiers! Shut the hell up and listen!" he barked, switching his comms back on, "Continue firing on those tanks! I'll take care of the Garuda! Don't give up! We can do this!"
With that, he ran at a surprisingly fast speed towards the giant robot thanks to his new legs but he didn't notice right now, his focus was too directed on saving his fellow soldiers. The Garuda detected him charging towards itself and hurled boulders and earth mounds at him still advancing quickly. Frost either shot or dodged the projectiles then leapt up into the air, shooting at the arms of the robot to stun it then landed in front of it, taking out a Grenade and throwing it right at the Garuda's head which explode once the Grenade hit it.
With a victories smile and bark as the whole robot blew to pieces, he turned to run back to his men who were either watching or shooting at the last 4 Vemon Tanks were literally trying to push through their wall of transports.
"Finish them with your Grenades!" Frost shouted into the comms and then ran to assist but was shot to the chest by a laser blast from one of the tanks that spotted him and was sent flying back and onto the ground
His HUD indicated the damage and it was now gone as he lay on the ground, stunned from the hit. Everything seemed to slow down around him as his vision was having a hard time focusing on what was on his visor and in front of him. Frost managed to sit up as he heard the echoy voices of the Dog Soldiers trying to get him to get up and he saw that the Vemon Tanks were blowing up from a volley of thrown Grenades. Then a Dog Soldier ran over to him and slung his left arm over his or her shoulder.
"You're gonna be ok sir." he heard the soldier say before he blacked out
5 minutes later...
"Ugh my head...ow..." groaned Frost as he rubbed his head finding his helmet was off and opened his eyes to groggily see a Dog Soldier who was tending to his armor and wounds, "Thanks man...ah...I owe ya one."
The soldier then looked sharply at him and growled, suddenly slapping him in the face! All of the other Dog Soldiers, who were tending to others, resting, or trying to repair the transports, stopped and stared in silent shock.
"Excuse me?!" said the soldier who slapped Frost and took off the helmet to reveal a stunningly beautiful German Shepard with long brown hair and green eyes "Who the hell are you calling 'man'?!"
Frost's jaw dropped in shock from being slapped then surprised from his mistake...if not a pleasant one.
"Uh...sorry about tha-" he started to apologize before the girl grabbed him by the muzzle, clamping his mouth shut and glared at into his eyes angrily
"You're lucky you're the reason we're all still alive or I would rip off your tail and shove it down your throat!" she barked making some of the other Dog Soldiers back up with a whimper or laugh at Frost's mistake
The Husky just stared with worry and yet admiration for this she-dog's fiery demeanor and couldn't help but smile despite being threatened though his tail quickly tried to hide under the transport he was leaning against's treads. The German Shepard then saw that their was no fear in the Husky's blue eyes and was confused for a moment but then she turned her head as she felt a hand on her shoulder.
"C'mon Geneva." said the Dog Soldier "He saved our asses here. Cut'em some slack?"
Geneva looked back to Frost and nodded, letting him go but still looked pissed as she walked away to check on some of the other soldiers. Frost stood and was quickly approached by the squads, thanking him and giving him fist bumps as well as friendly punches to the shoulders and arms. Not used to getting this much praise, the blushing Husky didn't know what to do other than nod in thanks. At that moment, a Cornerian Air Transport flew into view and soon landed. The massive boarding ramp was dropped and out came, with 2 bodyguards, General Pepper himself!
"Attention!" shouted Frost on trained instinct and his fellow Dog Soldiers quickly stood in line, all 21 that were left which included the drivers and gunners of the disabled Ground Transports
"At ease CDF!" called out the General to which some of the more injured soldiers sat down on the ground rather suddenly, "...ahem hm. Private Frost Husky!"
"Yes sir?" replied Frost, stepping forward, looking the old Hound dog in the eyes while slinging his Plasma Blaster over his shoulder
"I was told by Private Geneva Shepard that you held these dogs together and led them to victory?"
"We survived sir...wouldn't call it a victory with what we faced but..." said Frost looking back at his fellow soldiers who looked beaten and ragged then saw Geneva who looked away after she was spotted watching him
"Still! You suffered only minor injuries yes?"
"Yes sir." said the Husky, looking back at General Pepper, deciding to try and talk to Geneva later
"Good...at least you are all still alive and we can patch you all up at the medical center at Corneria Command and Private Frost Husky, you are hereby promoted to Sergeant for your brave and heroic deeds and all these Dog Soldiers are under your command."
The last of the CDF cheered for him and Geneva just smirked having looked back at the General and the lucky dog who was stupidly brave enough to save them all. Frost's jaw dropped but he quickly stood at attention.
"Thank you sir! I promise to do the Cornerian Republic proud!" he said and saluted, smiling proudly for himself with his tail wagging excitedly
General Pepper smiled and nodded, returning the salute before shouting over the cheering and barking Dog Soldiers;
"Quiet down now! Once you are ready, you will be shipped out tomorrow to the frontlines at Katina where Husky and Bulldog Squadrons are being overwhelmed and require assistance! You will be briefed while on route now move out!"
"But sir!" called out Geneva, "What about Corneria?"
"Do not fret! Thanks to Star Fox, Andross's Forces were pushed back so they will not return anytime soon." replied the General with a proud smile
With that, Frost and his Dog Soldiers double timed it into the Air Transport. He couldn't believe he had been promoted this quickly for just going above and beyond his duty and paygrade it was almost too unthinkable but he didn't care.
PROMOTION BITCHES!
Just as he reached the boarding ramp, the Husky was stopped by General Pepper.
"A word please." said the General in a hushed tone
"Yes sir?" asked Frost, coming close to hear him
"What shall you call your now Platoon, Sgt.?"
Frost thought for a moment then grinned and dropped his Plasma Rifle into his free hand making General Pepper jump back a bit.
"The Line Holders Platoon." and cocked his rifle with a satisfying powering-up sound