Chapter 26
Bill watched as the other five members of Husky Squadron arrived, one-by-one to the bar he had invited them to. Each had been sworn to secrecy, and each had no idea what Bill had in store for them.
He gulped down the rest of his whiskey and walked out into the main area of the bar, waving to his pilots. They returned the wave, and silently headed over to the secluded, nondescript corner Bill was sitting in. All were in regular civilian garb, instead of the flight jackets they would usually wear.
Bill waited until they were all seated, then began talking quietly.
"This needs to be kept quiet. Earlier tonight, I learned that Matthew Keeler and Blaze Walters were alive and uncaptured on Macbeth."
At this both Ben and Fuzzy gave Bill hopeful glances.
"Sorry boys, only Keeler and Walters were confirmed alive." The other two pilots nodded sadly, but made no further gesture or comment.
"Are we going in?" Asked Terry.
"High Command hasn't authorized a mission, but yes, we are going in. Some arrangements have been made for tomorrow, and I'll go over the details with you when we're a bit closer to the launch time. This is a very dangerous mission, and I'm not ordering you to come along, just asking for volunteers."
At this, all his pilots made noises of acceptance.
I should have expected as much. We're Huskies. Bill thought.
"So everyone's in? No-one has any plans for the next week or so?"
"Hey, who has plans?" Said Benny. "What plans could be more important than this?"
The other pilots roared their agreement.
"All right, keep it down!" Bill held up a warning finger. "This isn't going to be easy. This bar isn't the time or place for mission planning, so I've got it all set out for you. Here's what we do…"
As the Sun of the Lylat System began to climb higher into Katina's sky, six pilots casually traveled together through the Katina City base, mixing inconspicuously amongst the other military personnel. None of them were wearing identification tags, rank or unit patches, and all had their helmet visors down.
They came to a branching corridor. Wordlessly, three of them went down the path on the right and the other three went left. Bill Grey, the one walking at the head of the latter pilots, signaled for the others to halt. He walked to a window and peered out.
Two transports and the six surviving fighters sat on the launchpad, apparently fuelled and unattended. Bill turned back and nodded at his two followers. Together, they walked past a pilot's briefing room, a ready room, and a walkway before emerging onto the launchpad. The whole time they had passed nobody.
"All right, Benny, Fuzzy, go and activate the systems on the two transports. I'll rev up two of the fighters, but don't start engines until the signal."
They nodded and headed off to the two big transports. Each had heavy duty shields and hull, with rapid-fire lasers on pintle mounts to the sides and rear, and a fixed medium laser cannon to the fore. They were perfectly suited for the ground assault Bill had in mind.
The plan was for two fighters to escort the two transports to Macbeth, arriving under the cover of a routine Long-Range bomber strike. Benny and Fuzzy would fly the transports, while Bill and Francine would provide fighter escort. Terry and Perry would be manning the weapons. Perry was especially useful as a former commando- he was one crack shot.
A cough behind Bill caused him to turn. Sticks Cordan, Gus Burke and Derek Zeeman, the three squadron leaders of Bill's command, as well as Fara Phoenix and 6 survivors from Fang, Demon, Bulldog and Lightning squadrons had silently walked out onto the launchpad.
"Sticks… Guys, what're all of you doing here?!" Bill asked in surprise.
Cordan smiled and glanced out at the ships powering up on the launchpad. "The Admiral happened to leave a datacard unattended in his office. You didn't think you'd be leaving without us, eh?"
"The Colonel needs his men." Added Zeeman. The stallion pointed at Bill. "You need our help. There's no denying it."
"Besides, we've been getting bored down here." Gus, the kangaroo with the country drawl, yawned. "We've been waiting to get some payback for Macbeth."
"And I'm tired of sitting at home, doing administrative jobs whilst pilots are out there dying." Fara stared out into the sky. "I'm tired of waiting for Fox. I have to do something which really helps this war effort."
Bill raised his paws. "Hold on there, guys. This is a Husky Squadron mission to rescue fellow Huskies. You don't need to endanger yourselves."
"We're not endangering ourselves." Said Sticks. "We're protecting you and your men."
"And we owe your pilots our lives." One of the two Lightning Squadron survivors chimed in.
"That's right, and now you need to keep your lives." Bill made a gesture of exasperation. "Listen, I don't need any of you on my conscience for this mission. It's too dangerous."
Gus snorted. "That's why we're coming. How do you think it would stand if Husky squadron were wiped out and the only remaining Wing Commander left on the Archangel went down with it?"
"Then Sticks would get the job." Replied Zeeman.
"ALL IS LOST!" Cried Gus. Sticks could only reply with a 'Hey!'
Bill found a grin coming to his face despite himself. "Is there anything that'll keep you back?"
"No." Was the reply in unison.
Bill sighed deeply and glanced at the ground. For a moment all were wondering what he was going to do, when he suddenly burst out giving orders.
"All right, Sticks, Gus, Derek and Fara, power up the other four fighters. You six from their squadrons, get into the transports and help in any way you can. Gunnery, support, mechanics, anything. I want us all ready to leave in ten minutes, let's move it!"
Perry, Francine and Terry emerged onto the launchpad to find six fighters and two transports powering up, all sporting full crew and pilots.
"Uh, did we miss something?" Asked Francine as she ran to her fighter.
"Bill! What's going on?" Shouted Perry.
"Some friends came to help." Bill shouted back. Some of the extra pilots waved.
"That's Sticks… Bill?! You made them come?!"
Bill shook his head. "They came of their own accord, and do you really think I could stop them?"
Perry though a moment. "Point taken. Where are those guys
from the other squadrons going?"
"They'll be manning the guns with you." Bill replied. "What's the loot?"
Perry pointed at the two crates Francine and Terry were pulling out. "Plenty of small-arms, rifles, automatics, snipers, laser cannons, launchers, grenades, medikits and of course the tracker."
"Good." Bill clambered into his cockpit and flicked some switches. "Get them loaded onto the transports, we go now!"
Perry nodded and ran back to the crates, helping the other two pilots push them up the ramps into the waiting transports.
Bill checked all his systems, making sure all lights were green. Then he started his communications.
"This is Husky Leader, all craft report!" This is it. Back in my element.
"Husky Five, Standing by."
"Bulldog Leader, standing by."
"Fang Leader, standing by."
"Demon Leader, All systems go."
"Starfox Five…" Fara giggled. "Ready for action."
"This is Husky Four, All systems go."
"Husky Twelve here, ready for launch."
"All right." Bill felt himself relax as he began working his starfighter's controls. His movements were natural to him- it was what he was best at. "Aim for the clouds. Go full throttle after me." Bill activated his repulsor engine and felt his craft begin to float upwards. He noticed all the ships around him doing the same. Bill pulled the nose of his fighter up so that it was aiming straight up.
Then he started the main engine and pumped in full throttle.
Around him, the other starfighters and the two transports accelerated away from the base, all headed for the same distant point- Macbeth.
In the control tower overlooking the Katina City Base, a young Traffic Control officer began relaying data to her superior.
"Eight unscheduled launches from Bay 22-K. Sir, what's that about?"
The supervisor, a middle-aged raccoon, smiled sagely. "That one's confidential. Forget you ever saw it."
The young officer paused, before nodding and returning to her work. "Understood sir."