Black Cell

Chapter 5: Assault

The craft dropped out warp as I tapped my claws against my cheek, what Solomon had said about Zero had me worried but I pushed it out of my mind.

"Fox, when I set my ship down, I need to speak with you alone." I nodded and Solomon set the craft down. Amethyst kissed me and she walked off as I walked with Solomon, we walked around the bay and then out into the station.

"What would you like to talk about Solomon?" He was silent for a moment and then we stopped.

"Why have you decided to come back to the Cell, Fox?" I thought about the question and then answered him.

"I felt alone; I needed a family if you will." Solomon looked at me curiously and I put my paws behind my back.

"You consider this family?" He raised his paws and I nodded.

"Yes, I consider this all, even you and this station." I placed a paw on his shoulder and he took it in his. The leopard looked me in the eye and he smiled.

"Thank you." He moved his paw on my shoulder and his smile turned to a frown. "What is this?" I heard him ask and he took a small device off my shoulder. "Fox, get in the base right now. Come on!" He yelled and we ran to the docking bay. "Power up the defensive shield!" Solomon yelled into his Comm.

Almost immediately there was thunder and lightning in the sky, explosions began lighting up the shield and u heard turrets power up as we ran around the halls in the base. Solomon opened a door and we were in the main control room; Calyx and the others were already in there

and Solomon gave out orders.

"Ok, I need you three to get in the turrets and start defending the station. He said pointing at Zima and the two tigers. "Fox, you and Calyx need to get to the weapons room and get equipped." I nodded and Amethyst looked at Solomon.

"What am I going to do?"

"Stay here with me; I'll need your help."

I ran with the panther to the weapons room and Calyx's mouth dropped, rows upon rows of armaments lined the walls and I knew exactly what I needed. I picked off a Styr Bullpup and grabbed a box of ammo, I slung the gun onto my shoulder and also I took an energy sword and a shotgun for close combat.

"Wow, I don't even know where to start." Calyx said and I smiled.

"We might need some incendiary weapons so get a rocket launcher." He nodded and I saw him easily lift the launcher onto his back. Calyx also took rounds for the launcher and I heard turrets light up as my Comm blinked.

"Fox, Crimson Cell is here and they are deploying troop carriers, I'm sending down to you a squad to fight off the invasion." Solomon said and I nodded. I laid my gear down and walked over to where some armor was.

"Calyx, you'll need this." I tossed him a modified stealth suit and he looked at me.

"This seems kind of weak."

"It is almost the same as mine; it can take a rocket blast so you'll be fine." I said and I also tossed him a helmet. I slipped mine on and the HUD in front of my eyes flicked on as I slung the shogun over my shoulder. I cocked the Bullpup and threaded the clips of ammo into a belt; I also stocked up on shotgun shells just in case. I heard a sounding of footpaws and a team of ten Black Cell walked up to us.

"Fox McCloud, we are under your control." I heard through my headset. They were dressed as I was: Black stealth suits, helmets, and varying weapons.

"Ok guys, let's go." We ran out of the room and to the main docking bay, the shield was under severe stress and I sighed as Calyx stood beside me.

"So, what do we do?"

"Spread out, if the shield goes down, we're in for some Hell." The team did and I piped my Comm to the main control room.

"Solomon here."

"This is Fox, how are we doing?"

"The shield is almost down, most of the turrets are offline and the troop carriers are starting to mass. I fear that this is the result of a well planned assault on us."

"Put Amethyst on."

"Fox, are you ok?" Her face appeared on the HUD and I smiled.

"No, when the shield goes down I'll be swamped. This may be the end Amethyst."

"Fox! How could you say that?" There was a massive rumbling and I saw the shield give out.

"Because we have no shield." She looked at me and mouthed the words: I love you. Her face vanished and I rerouted my Comm signal back to my team. "Here they come, fire at will." Calyx was setting up the launcher and he had a sniper rifle on his back.

"Ok, bring em on." The panther said as he lay down with the sniper rifle out. We were on a high ledge in the docking bay and then I heard the landing of troop carriers. The shelling had stopped and I felt the tension in the air.

My HUD was linked to a scope on my Bullpup and I saw the Crimson Cell members at a distance, it was like they were waiting for something. Their ranks were perfectly aligned and I frowned.

"What are they waiting for?" I whispered and Calyx shook his head.

"I don't know." He was looking through his scope but he had not fired.

Then it happened. The ranks (I estimated about a hundred or so troops), move forward and Calyx loosed of a shot.

"Oh shit, they are shielded." He whispered and the ranks broke apart as they fired. Lasers filled the bay and Calyx pulled the hammer back on the rocket launcher; he set it to auto and he lay back down with me. I was firing off rounds and he joined me as the launcher tracked targets. I shot my rifle dry and I ejected the clip as a rocket streaked off, it slammed into a group of Crimson Cell and they were blown back. I zoomed in on my HUD and they did not move.

"Fox to team, use heavy weapons if you have them, that is the only way to crack their shields." Explosions rocked the bay and the launcher to my right was loosing off rounds when it detonated. I was felt the heat wash over me and I was blown off the ledge, I fell to the docking bay floor and I hit the ground.

I heard the rocket launcher I had set up explode and to my horror, I saw Fox fly out into space.

"FOX!" I yelled and I saw him twist around as his body shot to the docking bay floor, it was quite a drop and when he hit, I felt as though we had already lost. I saw that Fox had fallen onto his back and he was not moving. I quickly got on the Comm and I contacted Solomon.

"This is Solomon."

"There was an accident, Fox fell." I said and his face frowned.

"He fell? Explain Calyx."

"The launcher detonated beside us and the explosion blew him off the high balcony that we are on. He fell…" I said morosely and the leopard's frown deepened.

"How are we doing over there?"

"The tide is turning, we have disabled the Crimson's Cell's shield by using explosives but they seem to still be coming." I replied and a laser shot pinged off close to my head. I ducked and I slung the sniper rifle onto my back as I ran down to the docking bay floor; there lay my vulpine friend. His body was twisted in a strange way and knocked on his helmet with my paw, laser fire echoed around me as he did not move. "No Fox, wake up, please, wake up Fox." I shook him and his life signs were gone.

I had lost my friend, my brother, my comrade. I took the sword from his belt and I slipped it into mine as I picked up his body.

"Calyx to team, Fox is down and I am ordering a retreat." I ran into a hallway and only a few members were left, they ran by me and I ran with them. The Crimson Cell was behind us as I stopped them. "Take Fox to Solomon, I'll deal with them."

"Sir, are you sure?" Someone asked and I lit up the laser sword.

"More than ever." They ran off and I pressed my body to the corner, I waited for the Crimson Cell and when they ran past the corner, I lashed out. They were caught by surprise and I yelled as they fired. "Die you fuckers!" I screamed and my sword was everywhere, my armor was taking direct hits but I didn't care as I moved throughout the hallway. Dead Cell members lay behind me and I took a grenade off a Cell member as I tossed it, the fire stopped and screams echoed as I took my revenge. "Go back to Hell where you were spawned!" I screamed and I dashed headlong down the hallway, slashing, cutting, striking anything that moved.

By now, there were only a few Cell members left and a bloodlust was in my eyes as I took a Crimson weapon, it was a large pistol and with my other paw around the sword, I screamed as I shot back into the docking bay. Crimson Cell members were trying to escape and when they saw me, they really started running.

"YAAAHHHH!" I shot one in the head while throwing my sword, the keen blade sliced through one's leg and it was sheered off as he fell to the ground screaming. The pistol thundered in my paws and then there was one. I walked over to the wounded Cell and I hauled hi up, my claws digging into his fur.

"Please…please don't kill me." I vaguely heard his words and I took off my helmet, his body was shaking as I bared my teeth and he struggled.

"Calyx! Put him down!" I heard someone yell and I turned around. Solomon was running with four other Black Cell and I growled, it was a bit ethereal and I placed the pistol to the head.

"He deserves to die, they killed Fox!" I yelled and Solomon put a paw on my shoulder. Tears were starting to form from my rage and the leopard looked at me with his golden eyes.

"He's not dead." The words seemed to penetrate deeply and I dropped the whimpering animal.

"He's not! How could he be alive?" His fall was a nasty one and Solomon took the pistol away from me.

"He's alive Calyx, he wants to see you." Solomon waved his paw and the Crimson was hauled up. "Take him to sick bay and patch him up. You'll tell us where the Crimson Cell base is." The whimpering animal was led off and Solomon and I walked to where Fox was held.

He was in the sick bay and I ran over to him, the others were also around Fox and he was in bad shape.

"Hey Cal."

"Fox, how did you live?" He coughed and a trickle of blood ran down his muzzle.

"I'm in rough shape buddy. I don't think I'll make this one."

"But you can't go, not after all we've been through!" I said and I clasped his paws. He smiled weakly at me and I saw Amethyst; she was sitting down in a chair with her muzzle in her paws, her body was shaking slightly and I let him go. I walked over to the lupine and I touched her head. "Amethyst…"

"What Calyx?" Her voice was tinged with anger and I took her paws.

"Amethyst." Fox called weakly and I walked her over to him. He took her paws and more blood leaked down his muzzle as she started to cry. "I think it's time…just remember that I will always love you no matter what." Fox closed his eyes and he breathed his last as Amethyst let out a scream of anguish. I happened to be the closest so she buried her face in his chest and cried hard. I gently rubbed her head and Zima took Amethyst's paw as she took the lupine from me.

"Come on Amethyst." She was going to comfort the female and I let her go. Mishkin and Janus were there and they looked quite solemn.

"He was a great friend, almost a father to me." Janus said and Mishkin sighed.

"And I saw him die a second time, this time I knew there would be no return." He whispered and took my friend's paw once more.

"You were a great friend Fox; your memory will not be forgotten."

Author's Note: Well, that's it. I know that this story is short compared to my others but I have decided to end it now. If you liked it, tell me, if you want to nail me to a wall, flames are encouraged. Here's an update on what the future holds: I'm still working on The System but it might be a while before I update it. I am thinking of a story idea called Blood of the Father, any ideas would be appreciated. And this is still up in the air but NintendoShawn and I are working on a story called StarFox Legends, I don't know if he will keep that up though. Until later,

Silver Meta Dragon

Great Fox 1