[Chapter 2: Espionage]
Just a few minutes later, a squad of hostile frigate-class ships appeared from space. They started laying siege to the military base. "CODE RED EMERGENCY! ALL FDA UNITS MOVE OUT! THIS IS NOT A DRILL! REPEAT! THIS IS NOT A DRILL!"
Katt rushed to meet with the others. Zenth noticed his chance, and took the disk. "This will save me a lot of trouble…" Zenth then quickly rushed to meet the others in the hangar.
"Again!?" Fox exclaimed. "Alright, looks like we have to do this again!"
"Wait, Fox!" Slippy exclaimed. "Two of us could sneak on one of the attacking ships! He have two hover-cycles and grapplers, as well as a torch."
"You're right Slip. I'll go, who else?" Fox asked impatiently.
"I'll go with you Fox," Zenth agreed. "The rest of you protect the base!"
"Ok, Peppy, you're the leader for now," Fox turned to prepare for battle.
Fox and Zenth sped across the snow, toward the mammoth ships. "Zenth, we'll sneak onto one in the back," Fox devised. "You do have a pistol?"
"I wouldn't be any good with a pistol. I'm much stronger at close combat anyway, but I need you to cover me. There's no turning back now, so that's our plan," Zenth demanded. "Besides, I rather they feel my fury…"
"You should carry one anyway, Zenth. I've got a spare pistol I always keep with me, so I'll give you that later."
"Ok, Fox. I'd rather not, but you'd know better, wouldn't you?"
"Ok guys, let's fly above them so they don't have a chance to notice Fox and Zenth," Peppy commanded.
"Alright, Peppy," Falco agreed. "Fox and Zenth had better hurry!"
"Once we confirm which ship they board, I'll contact Taloon, and let him know," Fara replied. (You stay alive, Fox…)
"Alright, Zenth, slow down here," Fox commanded. Fox and Zenth slowed and prepared for their attack. "Ok, shoot the grappler at that ship and you'll be pulled up to it. You get one shot, make it count."
Zenth aimed very carefully. (I must make this shot… ) Zenth thought as he aimed very carefully. "Looks right…" Zenth took his risk shot. Zenth's shot was going just a bit above the ship, but a gust of wind placed the shot back on course. (Pure luck…) Zenth admitted to himself. He held on tight as he was swept onto the back of the ship. Before Fox landed, Zenth took out the disc containing the encoded message. He broke it in half, and hurled it off the ship. Fox landed soon after.
"Just one moment Zenth," Fox said after they both landed. Fox took out a radio and confirmed his location with Peppy. "Alright Peppy, make sure this ship doesn't come under fire, unless something should happen to us."
"Sure thing Fox. Don't go dying out there! I'll have Fara contact Taloon immediately," Peppy replied.
"Thanks Pep," Fox finished. "Zenth take this," Fox handed Zenth his extra pistol. "You'll find a use for it." Fox took out the torch and made an entrance into the ship. "Well, here's our door, let's go!"
Fox and Zenth dropped into the ship, where they were confronted by three guards. "Intruders! Get them!" one of the guards commanded.
"Not today my dear friends!" Zenth yelled as he drew his spear.
The guards drew their guns. "Oh my, a spear!" one mocked.
Zenth thrust the spear through the guard's heart. Blood spilled profusely from the wound. "Yes, a spear," Zenth replied calmly. Fox was able to shoot one of the other guards that had watched Zenth easily destroy the first guard. Zenth quickly drew his pistol and shot several times at the remaining guard, only wounding his arm. Fox killed the guard with a single shot to his head,
"Zenth, your fighting is just too much," Fox complimented now that danger had passed for the time being.
"Let's not waste time, we have to finish this. I still need you to cover me," Zenth replied.
"Right, Zenth. And move slowly," Fox commanded.
"They're armor is so strong… Are we even doing and damage?" Falco asked.
"Analysis shows that we are doing damage to them," Slippy replied. "If we keep this up, we will win."
One of the hostile ships was destroyed in a near-blinding explosion. "This will go faster once Fox and Zenth take over one of them. I wish they'd hurry," Fara said, half-worried about Fox.
"Fox can do it, don't worry, Fara. If you do want to worry, you should worry about what will happen if we don't start fighting harder," Peppy consoled.
"You're right Peppy, Fox will be fine," Fara agreed.
Fox and Zenth listened for any activity on the other side of a door. "You hear anything Zenth?" Fox whispered.
Zenth listened for anything. "There's definitely someone in that room. Be careful."
"Alright, Zenth. I'll go in first," Fox burst the door open and shot the guards that were in immediate view. A guard aimed a shotgun right at Fox. Zenth launched himself over Fox with his spear, and drove the spear into the guard's head. "Good job, Zenth."
"Not now Fox, I noticed one esacpe! He'll be sure to warn the rest," Zenth advised. "We're marked now…"
"So we are," Fox agreed. "We'll have to hurry then."
"Commander Lokan!" a guard reported in terror.
"What is it, private?" Lokan replied.
"Star Fox has broken into our ship! At least two of them are here!" the guard shrieked.
"Well, then our aerial fight will be a bit easier, as long as we hold them back, but still they must be stopped!" Lokan commanded. "If they seize control, this attack is a complete failure!"
Fox and Zenth heard a loud siren going off. "So much for a covert assault… We'll just have to rush them!" Fox warned.
"Alright, Fox. Let me go ahead for a while. You should stay as far back as you can, while still being able to aim good," Zenth suggested as he rushed into the next door. Guards were already rushing towards their location before the door opened. Fox and Zenth found themselves in a storage area. "Be careful, Fox. This is one deadly maze…"
They approached a corner, but as soon as they were within a few feet of it, two guards turned the corner, both ready to fire at any given moment. The guards immediately fired at Fox and Zenth. Fox shot down one guard, while Zenth killed the other with his pistol. "A gun at close range… That seems to be the only way this will ever be handy…"
"It's been, quiet…" Zenth mentioned as they continued through the maze. "We've been here a while, and only that one confrontation…" he whispered. They turned another corner, where five guards "greeted" them. Fox and Zenth fought hard, but before the last guard was downed, he managed to place a shot in Zenth's left arm.
"Zenth! You alright?" Fox asked worriedly.
"I'll live. I can still fight. We can't stop now; you know that. Besides, its not… so bad," Zenth lied as he tried to hold back a grunt of pain. "I'm still going ahead."
"Ok, Zenth. Be careful, though!" Fox warned.
"You just follow your own advise," Zenth replied. "You're more important overall."
"We are all equally important, that's why we're a team. Now let's go," Fox replied as he opened the next door.
The two were confront by a staircase, with a guard at the top. The guard already started firing upon them, as they entered. Fox immediately returned fire. The gunfight lasted for a few seconds only, until the guard was killed.
"Let me go ahead, Zenth," Fox demanded. Fox slowly made his way up the stairs. At the top was a door marked, 'Command Deck'. "This is where we need to get to. Expect it to be heavily guarded…"
Zenth drew his pistol, expecting to need it first. "Alright, Fox. We'll only leave their leader alive then?"
"Yeah. Get ready, like you said, no turning back," Fox said.
"Then, no regrets," Zenth finished. Fox opened the door. As expected the room was thoroughly guarded.
"Fools! You think you can so easily defeat us?" Lokan laughed evilly. "Make them suffer!"
End of Chapter 2. Continue or get some rest.
Contact this author at:
Zenth@sfx64.com