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Star Fox: First Contact

Chapter 9: Blue on Blue

"Action stations. Action stations. Condition red is set. All pilots scramble."

ROB's voice blew out over the intercom, even as Miyu entered Hanger 1.

The shuttle was in a corner. Apart from that was a pair of Arwings. One hers, one Fay's. The drones were working overtime, loading nova bombs onto both ships, charging up their power systems, and performing maintenance checks. They were tasks that the team, Slippy most of all, performed themselves on a regular basis, but this was condition red. All pilots had to scramble after all.

And yet she hesitated for a moment beside her ship, taking a moment to take it all in. The team's Arwings were each customized to suit their user, but fell into three basic categories - Peppy and Slippy preferred armour over speed, hers and Fay's had light armour, offset by heavier firepower and speed, and Falco's and Fox's were somewhere in the middle. A glass cannon, was what some might have called her. And, in this moment, she reminded herself that launching now could easily get that cannon shattered. She looked at Fay's. Remembering her friend's words.

I…I can't, okay? I…look, that's a supercarrier. We go out there, we fight, we die. Not even we're that good. And I've got family on Corneria. I…I'm sorry...I

Miyu winced. She wished Fay was with her. She wished that her words didn't cut as deep as they did. But there was truth in her words, and the truth had a way of cutting through you.

"Action stations. Action stations. Condition red is set. All pilots scramble."

But so did ROB's. So, gritting her teeth, and noting that the drones had scuttled away, Miyu began to climb into her Arwing.

"Miyu!"

And stopped, her ears pricking. She turned around, and saw Fay running into the hanger, zipping up her flight suit as she did so.

"Fay?" Miyu whispered.

The poodle skidded to a halt, breathing heavily. "I…I was..." She paused for breath. "I wanted..."

"Fay, breathe before you speak."

"Action stations. Action stations. Condition red is set. All pilots scramble."

But speak quickly.

Fay, having regained her breath, looked at Miyu, and said, "look, just so you know, this is crazy. We're going up against the Cornerian Fleet to protect an alien that we barely know, that you shot, and even if we win, chances are the CDF will never hire us again."

Miyu nodded.

"And since you know that, and I know that, I…I just wanted to say that...that..." Fay paused, but not for breath. "That I'm sorry."

"You're sorry?"

"I should have had your back. Outside the med bay, on the bridge, heck, everywhere. And I don't know if we're going to win this, but...but I want you to know that you're my best friend, and there's no way I'm letting you go out there alone, and damn if it it isn't the right thing to do, so-"

Miyu hugged her. Briefly enough so that they didn't take up any more time. But long enough to let Fay know that there was nothing to forgive.

"Action stations. Action stations. Condition red is set. All pilots scramble."

ROB's voice echoed across the hanger. Miyu looked at Fay. Fay nodded. And both pilots scrambled into their Arwings. Just in time for Miyu to hear Fox's voice over their radio.

"Miyu, we're waiting on you here."

She climbed into the cockpit and lowered the hatch. "Roger wilco. Ready to launch."

"We?"

Miyu looked at Fay, whose cockpit was lowering as well. "There's going to be six of us, not five."

At first, no-one said anything. At least not until she heard Falco say, "great. So now we're back to being outnumbered ten to one rather than twelve to one. Wonderful."

Miyu smirked as she ran the flight sequence. "I knew you cared."

"Bite me."

Nervous laughter echoed throughout the team. Miyu looked at Fay and gave her a thumbs up. Fay returned the same. The final stage of the launch sequence occurred, as both hangers were de-pressurized. Before them, in the dark, lay the Epona. Hanging there like a behemoth, ready to swallow them whole.

Fox began to speak. "Launching in three...two...one..."

Miyu grit her teeth.

"Mark!"

Six Arwings launched from the Great Fox.

"All wings, form up."

The fighters got into hexagonal formation. Peppy and Slippy at the front, Miyu and Fay at the sides, Fox and Falco at the back. The idea was that the heaviest armoured Arwings would take point, the fastest would be at the flanks, ready to peel off, and the last two ready to deploy where needed, along with allowing Fox a wide view of the battle zone. Under normal circumstances, in various space engagements against pirates and Imperial Guard remnants, it had served the Star Fox Team well. But, as Miyu reminded herself, these were hardly normal circumstances.

She could see the Epona even clearer now. The word "huge" didn't do it justice, as it was larger than any class of ship she'd seen - by her estimate, over a klick long. If Whinnyham wanted to destroy the Great Fox, she could destroy it just by ploughing her ship through it, and not suffer any damage. But Whinnyham wouldn't do that, she told herself. She wanted Efi and the Equinox's flight recorder. Far easier to just shot their Arwings out of the sky and be done with it.

But will her pilots fire?

The Star Fox Team were celebrities for a reason, having won the last two Lylat Wars for Corneria. Maybe clearer heads would prevail.

"Opening channel, ship-wide," Fox said.

As Whinnyham's face was super-imposed onto part of her cockpit's HUD, Miyu supposed they'd find out.

"Fox, what the hell are you doing?" Whinnyham asked.

"You know what."

Miyu wanted to jump in. She suspected that most of the team did. But even Falco knew when to keep his mouth shut.

"Fox McCloud, this is your last warning," Whinnyham said. "Return your ships now, stand down, and prepare to transfer the alien into my custody."

"No. You can have the flight recorder. You can have the Equinox. But that's it."

Whinnyham looked ready to explode, but she spoke softly, and deliberately. "Star Fox Team, I am ordering you to stand down, under the authority of the Cornerian Fleet and-"

"We don't take orders from you."

Whinnyham looked taken aback, but only for a moment. The moment after that...

"You are making a grave mistake."

She signed out, terminating the feed. It was only at this point that Miyu realized how tightly she was gripping her Arwing's joystick. How her finger was rubbing the fire button.

"So..." Falco began. "Did we rattle the sabre enough?"

Miyu looked at the Epona. It just hung there. Doing nothing. Maybe they had, she realized. Maybe...

"No. We didn't" Peppy said.

Miyu's eyes widened. Even at this distance, she could see hatches opening up in the ship - pricks of light against its grey hull. And from them came fighters. Dozens of fighters. Likely the ship's entire fighter wing.

"Um, guys?" Slippy stammered.

Fox said nothing. No-one did.

"So," Falco said. "Ready for a little blue-on-blue action?"

Miyu winced - a term for friendly fire. An eventuality she didn't want to come to pass. But the Cornerian fighters were forming up into squadrons - six squadrons of ten, by her reckoning. They were outnumbered ten to one. And even with their Arwings...

"Fox?" Fay whispered.

"Hold fire. Do not fire unless fired upon."

"What?!" Falco yelled.

The Cornerian fighters were closing in on them.

"Team, scatter. Keep moving, but repeat, do not fire first."

Miyu grit her teeth. Across the formation, she glanced at Fay. She could see her head bob slightly, as she shot off towards the flank.

A moment after that, Miyu did the same. Shooting through the darkness of space. She saw a group of Cornerian fighters peel off and come straight toward her.

"Fox, got Defenders in my kill zone."

"Miyu, repeat, do not fire."

Miyu, clutching the joystick for dear life, rubbed her thumb on the fire button. One on one, this would be no problem. But against this many?

Come on, break.

She was flying towards them. They were flying towards her.

Break.

None of the fighters were firing. Not even the lead fighter, heading up the tip of the spear.

Break, damn it.

The fighters got closer, and closer, and closer. None of them firing. None of them slowing down.

Break!

Miyu yelled and swerved to avoid the Defender. The Defender, along with the rest of its squadron, did likewise. Through her rearview camera, Miyu could see that they were reforming to engage in pursuit.

Alright then, let's play fetch.

She hit the Arwing's boosters. Artificial gravity prevented her from being splattered as g-forces kicked in. She let the booster cooldown and adjusted her snub to oversee the kill zone. A kill zone where nothing was actually being killed, as fighters danced in the airless night.

"Fox, they're all over me! Request weapons free!"

Airless, but thanks to radio, not soundless.

"Negative Falco, do not fire first."

"Fox, fighter in my kill slot. Should I pursue?"

"They're all over me!"

"It's near miss after near miss here!"

"Damn it, I can't shake them!"

It was Fay's voice that she heard. She quickly located her Arwing, and sure enough, the Defenders were trailing her. Some of their snubs glowing. Charging their lasers for a lock-on.

"Fay, adjust heading, two-two degrees X, eight degrees Y, eleven degrees Z."

"Miyu?"

The lynx kicked her thrusters. "Bowling time."

Fay had got the hint. She brought her Arwing up to Miyu, following her coordinates - a must for navigating in three-dimensional space. Miyu began charging her laser.

Locking on.

On her HUD, a red square appeared on the lead Defender fighter. Which would have been fine, if not for a) it being part of the Cornerian Fleet, and b) that some of the Defenders had locked onto her as well.

"ROB, patch me in," she said.

"Affirmative." A second passed, before ROB said, "transmitting fighter-carrier feed."

"Admiral, Arwing is locked on! Do I have a fire order?!"

"Negative Jackal Leader, do not fire first."

"Ship coming in from above. It's locked on."

"Hold your fire Jackal Six."

"Damn it, this is insane."

"Admiral, requesting weapons free!"

"Negative Jackal Three, do not fire first. Repeat, do not fire first."

Whinnyham's voice echoed in her ears. No-one wanted to fire first. If it came to lasers being traded, Whinnyham didn't want to be held accountable for triggering hostilities, and being held accountable for the deaths of the Star Fox Team. But neither did Fox, or any Star Fox member want to take on a supercarrier and kill thousands. In principle, they could stand down. But in practice, it was only a matter of time before a collision occurred, and things spiraled out of control from there.

"Admiral, the Arwing hasn't dropped its lock."

Miyu frowned, and muted the feed. "Fay, you copy?"

"Copy. They're still locked on."

"Fire your boosters. I'll take them."

"Miyu, you're not thinking of actually firing are you?"

Miyu remained silent, and adjusted her heading so that she was on a collision course to the lead Defender.

"Miyu!"

The lynx winced. She wondered what was going through the pilot's mind. Maybe they were wondering what was going through hers. Maybe they were wondering why she deactivated her lock, but was still coming towards them.

You want to fire, fire. My shields can take it. She bit her lip. I hope.

The Defenders were coming towards her.

Come on, break.

Not firing.

Break.

The lead fighter was still locked onto her.

Fire, you bastard. Fire. Fire.

The glow on the Defender's snub was so very bright...

Fire!

The glow faded. Miyu yelled, and swerved out of the way, scattering the Defenders. She fired her boosters again, this time not to escape, but to do a 180. To keep at least some of the Defenders in her kill slot.

To what end?

Whinnyham's face appeared on her HUD. So did Fox's.

"We've had a dozen near misses already," Whinnyham said. "Stand down now, or I'll order my fighters to engage."

Miyu glanced out of her cockpit. The fighters were still darting around.

"Recall your fighters," said Fox. "Or I'll order my team to open fire."

Whinnyham looked ready to pop a vein. "Listen you reprobate, if you think-"

"Unidentified ship detected. Distance: one-twenty."

ROB's voice came in over the feed. Whinnyham looked aside, and was talking to someone off-screen, before the line cut.

"ROB?" she asked. "What's this about a ship?"

"Unidentified. Distance: one-ten."

"What?" Peppy yelled. "Why are we only detecting it now?!"

"Unknown. Inference: cloaking technology. Computation in error: ship estimated of dimensions one point eight klicks in length, and point eight klicks wide."

Miyu frowned. If ROB's analysis was correct, then the amount of power required to generate a cloak...it would be insane. Or require technology that no-one in the Lylat system possessed.

"What's the ship's point of origin?" Fox asked.

"Indication: extra-solar."

Life Efi's, Miyu reflected. Another generation ship? She frowned - why would a generation ship need cloaking?

"Distance: one-hundred."

Whinnyham's face appeared back on the HUD. She looked ready to explode. "You called in some friends, Fox?"

"Me? What about you?"

Whinnyham looked taken aback. "You mean...no. You can't lie your way out of this one Fox…"

"Distance: ninety."

"...but it doesn't matter how many ships you bring in, I'll beat you. So stand down now, or I'll order my forces to-"

"Alert - ship has launched missiles."

Fox didn't say anything. Whinnyham didn't say anything. Miyu didn't say anything. No-one did.

"Analysis," Fox whispered.

"Three missiles. Targets Great Fox, Epona, and Equinox."

"Fox," Whinnyham murmured. "What's your plan here?"

Fox didn't answer.

"Fox McCloud, I repeat, what is your game here?"

"Ship is reducing velocity. Missiles on course. TTI, five minutes, thirty-two seconds."

If it's slowing, does that mean it wants to maintain distance between us and its targets? Miyu wondered.

Fox spoke out over the intercom. "We can start shooting at each other," he said slowly, "or we can take out those missiles."

Whinnyham remained silent. Miyu grit her teeth.

"Miyu?" whispered a voice.

"Efi? How'd you get this channel?"

"It's them, Miyu. It's...oh God, I think it's them."

"Efi, what are you talking about?"

"TTI, five minutes, twenty-two seconds."

"Whinnyham, either get out of the way, or come for the ride," Fox said.

Whinnyham sighed. "Alright," she said. "Let's go hunting."

In spite of everything, Fox smirked. "Knew you'd see reason."

"TTI, five minutes, fifteen seconds."

"Star Fox Team, form up," Fox said.

Miyu lingered for a moment. Waiting for Efi to say something. But no words were forthcoming, and she had to concentrate. Across the battlefield, sixty-six fighters arranged into their own squadrons. Sixty Cornerian Defenders, plus six Star Fox Arwings. It only took a few seconds.

"TTI, four minutes, fifty-seven seconds."

But seconds they could barely afford to spare.

Whinnyham's image appeared on the HUD. "Jackal Squadron, Hyena Squadron, Dingo Squadron, engage M1. Shepherd, Kitsune, Werewolf, engage M2. Star Fox, you have M3."

Three pings appeared on the HUD, each corresponding to Whinnyham's designations for the incoming missiles. Pings that were getting very close, very fast.

"Fox, we're talking orders from this blowhard?" Falco asked.

"TTI, four minutes, fifty seconds."

"Good for us," Fox said, and Miyu could tell he was addressing his team and Whinnyham at the same time. "Star Fox, on me!"

Not a word was uttered as the Star Fox Team fired their Arwings' thrusters ignited. Sending the mercenary pilots screaming into the airless night.

And sixty Cornerian fighters doing likewise.

A/N

I'm going to use this opportunity to address some broader comments from reviews:

-In case anyone else is wondering, the language Efi is speaking is indeed Latin, or, rather, being 'dubbed' into Latin in the same manner that Lylat is being 'dubbed' into English. Choice for this was because a) wanted to use a root language, to add to a sense of antiquity, b) using a pre-existing language would give it proper structure rather than me making up random words, and c) didn't have the time or skill to make up my own language.

-I'm not sure where the idea of the human character and Fox being in a relationship was implied in the leaks, since we have about two images from said leaks, both of which are profile pics. But, um, no. Not happening.

-The guest review talking about "Ego" (I'm assuming that's a typo) is, I'm assuming, a troll post, but on the oft-chance that it isn't, then, um, no. If you think that's the kind of dialogue that should come out of Efi's mouth, then there's a strong chance I've failed in conveying the type of character I wanted to. And similarly, the idea of aliens mistreating humans...again, may not have made this clear, but the Warden entering the Atlas system was humanity's only contact with an alien species in this plot thread. Humans can't "react poorly to aliens treating their kin," because the only 'mistreatment' they've had so far was nearly being wiped out via xenocide.