Chapter One: Descent
Three white and blue assault ships lie in rest, observing a distant green terraqueous orb.
James's ears flicked as his head bobbed to the beat of his team's theme song, rhythmically tapping his gloved fingers on the Arwing's dashboard. He turned a steel dial on the side of his watch device to increase the volume.
"How do you guys like it?" James smirked at the Arwing's clear hologram displays of Peppy and Pigma. "Pretty awesome right?" He stared through the ship's canopy glass, watching for any movement from the colossal green ominous planet ahead.
"Hm, sorry was just charting some maps, did you say something?" Peppy set the datapad aside.
"Oh c'mon! I spent a lotta credits on this, at least listen." James' ears flicked, he leaned back to cradle his head into his arms. He scratched his head from the irritating stuffiness of the Arwing. Jeez, when did he get so damn boring?
"It's not my kind of music, and I swear." Peppy let out a low chuckle as he shook his head. "You're terrible with money. Now, turn that music down we're supposed to take this serious."
Serious? What's there to be serious about! James thought.
"Please, I know. I mean." James pressed the button on his watch, turning off the music. "Did you guys see whatta I got a loan on?" He lax his shoulders before he kicked his steel boots onto the dashboard.
Peppy's eyes slanted, he let out a heavy handed sigh. "Yes, we just flew out of it." He huffed. "I'm surprised the military actually let you buy it, you don't even need the damn thing."
Who doesn't want to have a kick ass ship? He's such a bore.
"Ha! Do you know what people do when they see a dreadnought." James set his fist in front of his mouth, puckering his lips and blowing air through his hand; He made unsettling noises. "It's amazing to have big guns." When your small ones don't work. You just pull out the big boys and." James slammed his fist into his palm. "Boom! They're outta-here."
Peppy rolled his eyes. "Yeah, until they realize it can only shoot straight, then what?"
James nudged his sunglasses up towards face. "You line the bastard up and fire!" He smirked. "Easy."
"Hm, I still think it's strange they sold it." Peppy scratched his chin. "You sure it's just not a piece of junk they're making you pay for? It looks outdated compared to the others. And the insides are worse for wear." Peppy checked his radar on the side of his control panel. "You guys picking anything up? I can't tell."
"I told you to get it repaired!" James scoffed, "You're so damn stubborn." And a dumbass!
"I don't like robots, I told you." Peppy paused to take a breath."If someone going to do it right, it better be done by the hands of a person than some machine."
He's lame and hates robots, how are we friends!
"Oh, sorry to hear, but." James clenched up, moving his arms in stiff motions and attempting to speak like a robot, "I am James-9000, I have been assimilated to listen to your bitching. Beep-boop-bob."
Peppy chuckled with subtle smile across his face. "Come on we have to stay focused."
"Does not compute." James made more odd sounds. "Okay, enough of that, hey." He snorted, mimicking the sound of a pig. "Bacon, why so silent?"
"Unlike you I'm doing my job," Pigma said.
"Oh, man being air pickets so hard. Oh, no-wait. It's as hard as bird watching." I need to hang with better animals.
"Guys, movement twelve o'clock." Peppy set his hands on the control stick. "Looks like a carrier."
A red and white rectangular bulky ship with a box appendage advanced in their direction.
"Range modes engaged?" James received status reports confirmation from his allies. "Looks like an easy target." Who sends a carrier? No wonder they lost the war.
The ship stopped 700 miles away from where they were.
James pressed his helmet, opening a secure communication channel to the Great Fox. "Rob station at Macbeth." He received notification from the machine, telling him the dreadnought was on route. "That's a good robot."
Pigma breathed heavy as he shifted in his seat. "Should keep it close by, never know when you need the fire power."
"And risk my baby getting scratched? Nah."
"Guys, hold up. I think they don't see us," Peppy said.
Silence ensued besides the faint hums and bleeps of the controls. neither of them nor the carrier budged.
"Something not right." Peppy leaned forward, checking his blind sides. "We should back down."
"No!—I mean, no. we're here on a mission, we need to stay." Pigma grinned at James' hologram image display. "What would they say if we back down? We're Star Fox, we don't flee!"
"Yeah, he's right. You're just being paranoid." James popped his knuckles. "They're just bunch of dirty apes, doubt they can do anything." James' muscles tensed, his fur stood up. This is what I've been waiting for.
"Yeah, but they have numbers, and this is off, something not right...guys—guys!"
Can't run from prey, my friend. This is what I live for.
James checked his radar, narrowing his eyes as a devilish grin stretch across his muzzle. Two large dots blipped on his radar from behind. "Welp...should of seen that coming." Good, more targets. He took in a deep breathe of the lukewarm air. His blood rushed through his veins. Come on, make a move!
"They're pincering us in!" Peppy's shaking hand flipped his engines on. A light blue flame shot out of the burners. His ship bolted towards the carrier. "We've got to move!"
Really? He really did. James tittered, shaking his head and speaking below his breath, "Dumbass."
James flipped their engines on. He jolted back into his seat, leaning himself forward as he pushed the control stick. Pigma followed, lingering behind.
"I'm the one who's in charge remember!" James checked his radar, clumps of smaller dots homed in on their position. "It's about time we got some action." James clutched the control stick, shoving it forward. He passed Peppy, heading dead on towards the carrier. His heart raced as his blood pulsed. I'm free from the monotony.
"Should be easy, you guys hit from behind, I got the front!" James set his tense finger above the control stick button. "Let's see what they can do."
The carrier opened its right hatch, reviling missiles.
James hit it with a few pot shots, dismantling the armed rockets before they could fire off. Bits of steel shrapnel burst out of the missile tubes.
The ship's exposed limb rocked from the bombardment of blue lighting fast lasers. The hatch's sheet of metal came crashing down as it shut.
No you don't! James's tense finger slammed a red button on the peak of the control stick, sending a smart bomb into the carrier's appendage.
Blinding flash of white was followed by a blue tinge explosion. He winced for a moment from the flash of light. James flicked his ears from the sudden burst of sound, and his ship swayed from the shock wave.
The marred carrier went lopsided as its arm collapsed into shrapnel of searing metal. Tines of white electricity danced in circuits from its damaged appendage.
James snarled, peeking at his radar. The blotch of dots narrowed in on him. He smirked at a yellow blip, heading dead on into the fray. "Like old times, huh?"
"Not now! I'm busy!" Peppy's hologram flashed red.
"Tchah, this is nothing" James set his crosshair on the ship's left arm, fixating on the square hatch. Hurry up! He smirked as it opened its latch, revealing lesser assault ships. James' sweaty finger thrashed the trigger on the control stick, two symmetrical blue hue beams shot out.
Each ship existing the carrier's runway became scrap in a matter of seconds to the arwing's piercing shots.
The carrier's hatch crawled to shut. James sent another bomb into the arm, causing the inside to burst open. Debris and crew members shot out of the ship, drifting out into the emptiness of space.
The hull shook side to side sudden sparks shot out from where its arms used to be. The ship took a sharp right turn, heading back to Venom.
Dumbass. James' crosshair fixated on the exposed engine.
His stern fingers rapped against the trigger, repeatedly striking the plastic.
Beams of blue punctured the hull of the carrier, blooming holes on the entrance and exit.
James' smirked as the carrier became engulfed in flames from the atmosphere.
He snapped out of his trance. "Focus on the fighters, doubt they can take a shot." James pushed forward on the stick, before heaving it to the side. The Arwing pivoted into a half-roll, heading directly into the fleet.
Don't worry buddy, I gotcha.
Sweaty paws clutched the jittering stick, James let out heavy pants as his heart thrashed against his chest. His ship made a bee-line towards Peppy who had five pursuing ships dead on his tail. He blinked, ear perking up from the blip of his radar. He glanced at it, noticing two red dots trailing behind him.
He leaned into the right side of his cockpit as he made quick sharp turn to avoid their slow red lasers.
His gloved hands rattled from the control stick vibration. He clenched his teeth, sucking in the dry air.
"Too easy."
His blue eyes settled on his radar once more, nothing but a small gap separated them. His paws clutched a latch to his left, nudging it down. James glanced at the blips, homing in on him. Come on! He slammed the control stick to the sides, dodging their barrage of lasers.. Sweat trickled down his forehead.
The dots were right on top of him, his ship rocked, and his body thrashed against his seat from the impact shot. Gotcha! James slammed the lever down and shoved the control stick down, cutting off his ship's thruster flames and making the ship dip.
The enemy ships bolted ahead into his sights. James pulled both the lever and control stick up. He lined up his sights on one, pressing the trigger.
He scrapped one target before making haste with the other. He dashed passed the remnants of the ships.
"I need some help!" Peppy cried out over the communications channel. Lasers rained over him, connecting to his wings.
"I'm here, pull up!" James came behind the squadron, letting Peppy maneuver out of his crosshair. He shot them down one by one with a single shot.
Peppy throttled his engine, setting himself 10 klicks away from James."Guess sitting on my ass is mak-" He pulled away, cutting himself off from James as eight light fighter ships tracked him.
"Where's Pigma?" Peppy asked, sweat beat down his forehead. "We need back up!"
"Being a slob!" James thrust through space as four ships were right on his tail. "Told you we didn't need a third!" He slammed the breaks to let the ships pass him one slammed into him, exploding on impact. His cockpit flashed red as blaring alarms set off. He set his crosshair on the remaining forces, making quick work of them.
Damn it! Damn it! He slammed his boot against the floor, jiggling the controls, and flipping switches. "I'm dead in the water!" His body tensed, breathes shorten, and eyes widen. "C'mon baby don't you do this to me." He leaned over to his right to check his ship's status. The display blinked red in the back, showing no response from his engine.
"Heh...guess fighting pirates isn't the same as a military." James stared up out of his canopy. His eyes lax, and his muzzle half opened with a subtle smile. "Peppy?"
Pigma's display popped up, he snorted.
"Sorry James, this is nothing personal."
He shot at the James' crippled ship, targeting the wings before the cockpit.
"It's just business, you should understand."
James snarled and grit his teeth, letting bits of lukewarm crimson drip out. Pressure built in his head from pulsing veins. He fixated on the Arwing's shield indication, plummeting towards red. His short breathes seeped through his redden fangs. I'm dead to this motherfucker.
The arwing protective sheet became mottled from the blazing shots. The metal withheld, but indention pressed deeper into the hull. James' erect ears flicked from the obnoxious siren and sudden thunderclaps against the ship. The canopy's blue glass spider webbed, making a cracking sound as fissures streamed down it. The arwing drifted towards Venom.
"You know what it is to be a mercenary." Pigma's irritated finger lingered over the control sticks trigger. "It's all about the pay, not how you g-"
"You forgot about me!" Peppy shot at Pigma from behind, aiming for the engines. He missed, but instead connecting to the hull with rapid fire.
"Dammit, how!" Pigma's Arwing accelerated, burners turning red and unsteadily shaking from the blazing stress.
Peppy thrust his wingless ship towards Pigma. He peeked over at his ship's engine status, watching the red bar creep up towards its limit. "I may not be the best pilot out there, but I'm sure as hell not the dumbest!" He perused Pigma's Arwing unable to connect a single shot or keep track of the fast darting ship.
James' Arwing became drawn into Venom's gravitational pull, plummeting into the toxic planets ozone. Flames and green smog engulfed his ship.
Blood boiled from the heat, sweat drenched his simmering body. He panted, inhaling the scorching heat into his dry mouth and burning lungs.
His body slammed against the controls the jutting lever and stick. Sudden sharp piercing pain flooded his mind, choking out all other senses.
James clung onto the searing plastic desk. His gloves liquefied, melding into it. He fixated onto a picture of his wife. The paper going limp and turning to char.
His ears perked from the harsh sound of metal being torn asunder.
The canopy glass rattled as more fissures ran further down.
James' blistering blood shot eyes settled on Peppy's video feed.
"Don't give up! Tr-"
"Peppy, I always wanted you to know," James' voice lost strength.
"W-what is it?"
"You're.."
" A."
James smirked, chuckling.
"Punk-ass bitch."
The Arwing plummeted into the planet's rocky dune surface.
. . .
"James! James, come on...do you hear me...James!" Peppy cried out, "No!" His Arwing chased Pigma's darting ship, firing off quick burst of lasers.
Please make it, c'mon James!
"Oh, how dramatic, Should of let me shoot him." Pigma pulled and heaved the control stick, shifting and sidestepping the hail of lasers. He crashed the control stick down, heaving it up and slamming the accelerate lever.
Pigma's ship looped behind Peppy's, firing off at him.
"I'm...getting stale..." Peppy's clutch around the joggling control stick. His eyes peeked on his shields status. The indicator dropped below yellow an inch away from red.
His heart froze, sinking into despair. His mind numbed, losing focus.
The abrupt sounds of lasers striking his hull made his body tense up.
Peppy snapped his shaking paw onto the accelerator, using his other hand to align himself up in Pigma's flight path.
He blinked, setting his gaze onto a blissful picture of his family. Their smiles seared his mind.
Fox, Lucy...I'm sorry baby. I love you.
The Arwing's cockpit alarm cried out as red lights flashed. He took in a slow heavy breath, tensing up.
A droplet of tear bloomed, making a mad dash as it crashed into his lap.
He yanked the accelerate down, killing his thruster.
"Wait, shit!" Pigma pulled up on his control stick and back on the accelerator. "You idio-"
I broke my promise, Vivian.
Pigma's Arwing reared up, crashing its bottom hull to Peppy's pristine canopy.
The glass smashed inwards, denting and cracking. A metal pole slammed forward, fracturing the top of Peppy's skull. Fresh blood gushed out of the gash. His vision blurred as black specs appeared in his peripherals. The taste of hot iron flooded his mouth, making him cough gasping for air, and splattering crimson over his flight suit.
Get it tog- Peppy grunted, wincing from the surging agonizing pain. His limbs refused to budge, laying idle.
The Arwing spiraled, rattling from the violent momentum and nosedived into Venom's toxic atmosphere.
"Sorry James, I failed again." Peppy groaned, blood streamed into his right eye, turning his vision red. He grunted, shifting his head to face his family's picture. The sharp harsh wracking pain went numb.
Guess...dying isn't so bad?
The blaring alarms droned, sparks shot out from loose wiring causing flames to arise.
"...Guess I'll be seeing you soon Vivian...I've missed you." His tense body gave out, letting himself go limp. He shut his heavy eyes and smiled.
"...Lucy, Fox..."
Peppy chuckled.
"Sorry about the promise." He inhaled through his dry throat, but coughed up blood from the searing air. "Not the first one I broke..."
"Sorry it's going to be the last."
His ears pinned back, resting against his blemished unkempt fur.
His body wilt, leaning forward. He moved his heavy mouth, but his words didn't come out.
His mind subdued sunken by woe
His body descended becoming dormient against his seat.
His soul stoked the inner will to live, but snuffed out.
Breathes shallowed, and body ceased to move
The world around him became an empty void.
. . .
A gruff voice called out, echoing. "James, I told ya boy."
"I'm sorry Papa."
"Sorry not going to cut it. You can't run and say sorry."
"I got scared."
"That's not an excuse. Now pick up your rifle, and try again. You're not running anymore."
Abrupt sparks of flashing white light made James' eyelids twitch. He moaned, ears flicking from the sound of water dripping against the cockpit's floorboard. His eyes half opened, lids fluttering. Scorching air seeped into is crumbled lungs each breath seared his inflamed throat.
The sound of the oxygen tank hissed, masking the faint sound of the ship's warning alarm. His faded eyes struggled to move, settling on the cracked canopy.
Dark green fog seeped into the cockpit, turning the air pungent putrid smell.
"Holy-shit I'm alive!" James shot up, glass shard from his sunglasses crumbled onto his lap. He maniacally laughed, grunting and collapsing back into his seat.
How the hell did I make it!
James leaned forward, setting his right hand on his knee. He moved his left, stopping from a tug. He pushed forward once more, but retracted back in his seat. James faced his spindling arm.
Jutting metal stabbed through his paw.
Blood oozed from the laceration, staining the ground.
James moved the numb tendon, transfixing on is idle fingers. He narrowed his brows and sweat beat down his face. He concentrated, attempting to move his unresponsive limb.
"Great, now how am I supposed to fondle tits with one hand." He smirked, letting out a quick heavy sigh. James' vision blurred, he blinked, rubbing his red dry eyes. His heart slowed and body slanted.
He pulled once more, gritting his teeth and shouting in pain. His flesh peeled as it separated. Tissues and bones jutted out. James stopped, he took in more breathes, letting in the toxicity of the gas.
His body tensed, writhing in place from the sudden mind seizing agony.
Move damn it move!
The taste of blood seeped through his mouth. His aching lungs seared from the noxious gas.
James' body stiffen, eyes and limbs became heavy.
Not yet...
James's quivering hand reached for his holster.
His ears moved, homing in on muffled quick footfalls.
Not yet...
He set the cold steel muzzle against his trapped wrist. James fixated on his clouded marred canopy.
Cold sweat beat down his face.
"...Three..."
Their heavy steps advanced in on him.
"...Two..."
James' pupils quivered, and his muzzle left half open.
He shut his eyes.
Clenched his fangs.
He inhaled, holding his breath.
"...One..."
An earsplitting sound rung, reverberating against the walls
Flesh sizzled as fleck of dying orange appeared above the singed charred fur.
Laden faded eyes, narrowed on the stretching string of pink exposed skin.
His gun trembled in his heavy paw, finger nuzzling the trigger.
The darkness consuming his peripheral vision, bled in like fog.
His pistol pushed against his fingers, escaping his clutch, and landing with a thud.
His father's voice rung out, "Pick up your rifle, and try again!"
His voice cracked, faltering as he spoke, "I'm too scared."
James' arms went limp, he fixated on the string of tissue. His body trembled.
Do your duty as a man!
He nudged himself close to his wound, resting himself against the bar.
James collapsed his back, jerking his arm free from his tomb. He crashed his back against his seat, convulsing and gasping for air. He rested his sore arms on his lap, and shut his eyes once more. He mumbled.
"Running away like always."
The world around him went silent, his vision blacken and blurry.
Someone in a heavy space suit pried open his canopy. They raised their side arm at James.
...You're right Dad, I'm no hero...
.
. . .
Sounds of fire crackled, bits of soot rose. Plumage of smoke engulfed Peppy's battered arwing.
Peppy grunted, lifting his limp chest up. He gazed at his cracked canopy, withholding the toxic clouds. He let out a heavy purgative sigh. "Thank goodness I got rabbit feet." He chuckled, but stopped when a sharp pain stabbed his chest. Both his hands clutched his red shirt.
Guess I'm not that lucky.
He moved his legs, wincing from an abrupt shot of pain from his left ankle. "Dang." His eyes trailed back up at the smog. "Live through hell only to end right back in it." Peppy set his arms on his ship's seat belt, unbuckling it. He clamped his eyes shut, grunting from twinge in his chest.
"I'm cracked like an egg." He set his gloved hand on his forehead, jolting when he touched the gash, and sucking air through his teeth. He leaned back in his seat, letting his arms dangle to the side of him.
Pepper gave us the order..traveled to Venom, watched it. Peppy raised a brow, musing on his thoughts.
"Yeah, it's all there." He let out another heavy sigh. Peppy shut his eye from the sudden pain in his chest. I've got to take it easy.
Grumbling sounds of his stomach caught his attention. He halfway opened one eye.
"And starving to boot." He scooted his rump, letting himself to the right side of the Arwing. He set his paw on his helmet, pressing a button on the side. Static hummed through his ears. He flicked his hand up, before waving down through the air. "Welp..."
"Always look on the bright side of life." His nose twitched, taking in the smell of burnt flesh. He removed the glove from his right hand, tracking his fingers against the left side of his burnt charred cheek. "Maybe I won't have to buy a custom to scare the kids."
Peppy shut his eyes and toothily smiled. "Maybe I'll be able to keep my promise." He leaned over to snag his pinned up picture of his family. He glazed over their smiles before he reached over and grabbed James' picture.
His ears sprung up, moving side to side homing in on muffled heavy rushing foot steps.
...Maybe I won't be...
Peppy set his hand next to his blaster's holster strap. He shook his head "No point, just be gunned down like a dog."
Their footfalls stopped in front of his canopy.
He set his hands in the air and lowered his head. "I'm going to cooperate." He coughed up blood. "I'm armed, but know I can't win..."
"Tell me what to do and I'll do it," Peppy pleaded.
A faint silhouette appeared from the fog. They stepped forward with their assault rifle raised.
"Come out with your hands up!"
"I'd love to, but I got a bad case of a broken ribs. Look." Peppy pulled his pistol out, dangling it up in the by the end of its grip. "I mean no ha-"
"Yeah because you bastards are cornered now!" An armed soldier in the back yelled out.
"Shut it soldier." The one down in front ordered. "We're coming in, do you have anything to protect yourself from the air?"
"No."
"Okay." The blurred figure behind the cracked glass ordered two other soldiers to go back to the convoy. "We'll make sure you make it out alive."