"We are currently in Venom airspace." Peppy claimed, punching furiously into a collection of buttons and screens that revolved around him in the Great Fox's cockpit. The Hare was still furious at Fox for his self centred and closed minded objections to what Peppy planned to do, but now wasn't the time to worry about him. Peppy knew as much as anyone that three people didn't have a hope in hell against the grand empire of Andross. What they were going to need was there own army, and Peppy only knew one man who could raise such a thing. Someone who was even more iconic than Fox McCloud, someone believed by many to be the true mastermind behind many of the rebellions, including the Wolf rebellion. Peppy finished attacking the various controls and turned to Slippy, who had been watching Peppy with only minor interest. "Right, If we attempt to land the Great Fox on Venom, we'll be tore apart by the planet's defence systems before we land, so I'll need you to keep it in close orbit as I pilot our Arwing down to the surface." Peppy ordered.
"But won't the defences target the Arwing then?" Slippy questioned. Peppy nodded.
"However, the small, nimble ship will be able to dodge the defences with greater ease." Peppy explained.
"However, there is the small problem that only one person can fit in that thing, so you'll have a hell of a time getting both of you out of there." Fox walked into the cockpit, a revived expression of determination across his face. A sliver of a smile crossed Peppy's face.
"Ah Fox, have we had a change of heart?" Fox smiled half-heartedly.
"Well if I'm going to die, I'd better take as many apes as possible." Fox claimed. Peppy nodded, as if approving Fox's claim.
"So what are you going to do about the seating problem?" Slippy asked. Peppy began stroking his chin.
"Well, we could tow the Wolfen with the Arwing, but that would seriously slow down the ship, and it probably won't be able to survive the defence system." Peppy thought out loud. Fox walked up besides Peppy, and pointed out of the window. Curious, both Peppy and Slippy looked out of the cockpit.
"Now these defences," Fox questioned. "Are they meant to look destroyed?" And sure enough, the defences, which the Great Fox had recently flown into view of, looked like little more than debris floating in the vas vacuum of space. The once great satellites, each filled to the brim with weaponry, were now nothing more than blobs of grey gliding aimlessly around Venom. The three looked at the destruction, unsure if this was good or bad thing. While it did leave a clear path to their goal, it did raise the questions of who did this, for what purpose and why hadn't Andross dealt with it?
"Do you think he's already been taken off the planet?" Slippy muttered quietly.
"Would explain how he could be behind the rebellions..." Fox added.
"We'll land the Great Fox on the planet, then find out if he's still there." Peppy claimed.
"And if he isn't?" Fox asked. Peppy smiled sheepishly and shrugged. However, before any answer could be made, the main screen of the Great Fox began flickering, and a deep voice began talking.
"Identify yourself dreadnought." The voice ordered. Fox look confused at the screen then turned to Peppy. Peppy guessed what Fox was going to say.
"He's blocking video, he's also messed with the audio."
"That I have, now identify yourself!" The voice ordered again.
"Ladies first." Fox sarcastically remarked.
"Just call me 'deep throat', now identify yourself!" The voice replied almost as sarcastically. Peppy held up an arm, signalling for Fox to be quiet. Fox grudgingly held back the comment he was about to unleash.
"I presume you destroyed the defence systems. I am Peppy Hare. With me are Fox McCloud and Slippy Toad." Peppy announced. There was a moment's silence. Then laughter.
"Slippy Toad? Couldn't come up with any famous frogs?"
"You don't believe the authenticity of the information I just gave you?" Peppy asked.
"Well I don't believe you if that's what you mean." The voice answered. "What I think is that Andross finally discovered that I destroyed Venom's defences, so he sent you lot to sort me out with your... pathetic tin can." Peppy sighed.
"No. We are here..." Peppy stopped mid-sentence as he looked worryingly at the radar. "Oh no..."
"What's this?" The deep voice questioned. "You brought along another battleship?"
"What?" Fox questioned in a worried voice.
"That ain't ours." Peppy explained. "That belongs to the Elite Squad."
Falco watched with unwavering attention as the battleship left hyperspace. He sat in a chair that looked out of the cockpit, his hands in his lap indented. Before him he could see the stolen dreadnought.
"There they are." Falco muttered to himself. He then set his glare upon the floating debris. It took a second for it to click with Falco what the debris was. "They destroyed the defence system? THEY DESTROYED THE DEFENCE SYSTEM?" Falco stood up immediately. The bird was temporary shocked by the sheer fact a group of three could destroy an entire planets defence system so fast. Falco shook of the shock fast. He slammed his palm down on a button in front of him, turning on the speakers that littered the battleships corridors. "All men to your ships! Were taking back that dreadnought, if that be in pieces or not is a different matter. All I know is if these rebels aren't blown to hell and back, then all of you will be. By me." Falco's voice echoed around the ship as the monkey soldiers scrambled to the hanger and their ships. "Oh, Pigma, stay here, I can't afford to be covering your ass all day."
"We are fucking doomed!" Fox shouted, watching as red dots flew out of the larger red blob on the radar. Slippy babbled to himself in the corner, evidently scared witless. Peppy swore to himself, and then began walking away from the cockpit. "Where are you going old man?" Peppy turned his head to look at Fox.
"You and Slippy get this thing to the ground, I'm going to take care of the Elite squad." Peppy claimed.
"With what! You're going to fly that Arwing into the waiting hands of Lombardi and his flunkies!" Fox argued.
"I need to buy us time somehow, we've come to far to be stopped."
"Leave them to me." All three heads cranked towards the screen. "I can deal with them." The deep voice claimed.
"Can you?" Fox asked with a disbelieving tone to his voice. "And who are you? Superman?"
"If you truly are useful to the cause, then you will find out in due time." Then, with that, the connection was severed.
"Do we trust him?" Fox asked.
"Well, he did destroy the planet's defences." Slippy reasoned. Before a reply could be made to the statement, a large shockwave shook the ship. Peppy grabbed onto the side of a control panel for support.
"They've opened fire." Peppy exclaimed.
"Well duh." Fox sighed angrily. The ship shook violently a second time. "This is ridicules, I'm not putting my life in the hands of a nameless shit!" Fox stormed out of the cockpit. Slippy looked at Peppy worryingly.
"Should we stop him?"
"I don't think we can."
"Concentrate all fire on the dreadnought!" Faco shouted into his communicator as he flew parallel to the Great Fox, taking a shot at it when possible. His men flew in an oval like pattern around the ship, shooting at it until the last second, where they pulled up and turned around and attacked again. The attack was going smoothly, too smoothly for Falco to be comfy.
"We've got two fighters heading towards us from the planet." One of Falco's soldiers cautioned.
"From Venom? Identify the make of the fighters." Falco ordered.
"There way too battered up to identify." The soldier responded. Falco scoffed.
"Well if they cause any threat, blow them up." Falco retorted. He then returned his attention to destroying the Great Fox, for a short while at least. Before long an Arwing burst out of the Great Fox's hanger and set to work eliminating the Elite Squad. Falco smiled to himself. "Ah McCloud, I was waiting for you to turn up."
"Lombardi, pleasure as always." Fox replied. "I'll be with you as soon as I destroy the rest of your squad."
"So this really is the son of James McCloud." Interrupted the same deep voice that Fox heard in the Great Fox. Once again the screen showed nothing but static.
"Who's this? Are you in one of those... things coming from Venom?" Falco question, his tone implying that he demanded an answer.
"Yeah, how do you plan to defend us in those?" Fox questioned, looking at the near destroyed ships that were now entering the fray.
"Watch and learn pup." The voice ordered. Connection with the ship was once again severed.
"Freak." Fox scoffed.
"Destroy those pitiful sites!" Falco sternly ordered his squad.
"Errr... sir..." One of Falco's grunts nervously replied. "You a..are aware those ships are em...empty?"
"What?" Before any further comments could be made, a rain of laser fire descended upon the squad. Falco slammed his fist against the control panel. "Diversionary tactics. I should have seen it coming, it was a common tactic in the Wolf rebellion." Falco scolded himself. He then addressed his squad. "Return fire! Kill the bastard!" The elite squad pulled upwards, towards where the laser hailed from. "I'll deal with the McCloud."
Fox, momentarily distracted by the recent events catalysed by the mysterious helper, crank his neck upwards in an attempt to see the unidentified saviour. Unfortunately this left Fox open to a blast from Falco's ship. Fox swore at himself for letting himself put his guard down so easily, and then flew towards Falco's ship, firing constantly. Falco smiled.
"Round two begins." He muttered to himself. He flew past Fox, the two ships barely missing each other. Fox turned sharply left and began turning back towards Falco, but Falco looped around and at Fox. Fox's Arwing took various shots to its underbelly as Fox continued turning. "We won't let you stop us killing your team again McCloud!" Falco taunted over the communicator as he broke of his attack, avoiding crashing into Fox's ship (because we know what happened last time). Fox watched Falco's ship with anticipation. He just needed to get behind that thing. Unfortunately, Falco must have been thinking the same thing, as he looped around once again and began to give chase to Fox's Arwing. Fox desperately tried to shake the bird off his tail with a series of sharp turns, barrel rolls and close collisions with the rest of the Elite squad, all of which were busy trying to destroy and being destroyed by Fox's mysterious ally. However, Falco managed to match Fox's every move, even killing some of his own men to keep chasing Fox.
"I hope you realise persistence isn't a favourable quality." Fox remarked. Falco simply made a 'hm' sound in reply. Fox dared a quick glance over at the Great Fox, which resulted in Falco getting a clear hit to the Arwing. The Great Fox had flown away from the battle and was steadily making its way to Venom. At least Slippy and Peppy would be safe, until the Elite squad land on Venom that is. Fox took another hit.
"Damn it!" Fox shouted loudly, slamming his fist down on the control panel and accidentally broadcasting the message to everyone near by via the communicator.
"What is it Fox?" Peppy questioned almost instantly, as if he was waiting for a message from Fox the whole time.
"Say, do you have any idea how to shake asses off your tail?" Fox asked, not actually suspecting any advice.
"Whose ass is on your tail?" Questioned a disturbed sounding Slippy. His comment was ignored completely.
"Fox, listen carefully." Peppy ordered. "Press the little yellow button with the downwards facing arrow and pull upwards." Fox did as he was told. The ship somersaulted and ended up flying behind Falco. Both Fox and Falco were startled and confused.
"What the heck?" Falco blurted out (I can't believe I put that in). Fox smiled widely.
"I am in your debut wise old man." Fox announced to Peppy.
"Well, I'm just passing on what your dad taught me." Peppy admitted. Fox's smile sank slightly. Fox shook his head slightly and growled. He was getting distracted when he had Lombardi served up to him on a silver platter (which sounds appetising). Fox began firing unmercifully at Falco's ship. Lombardi began shouting obscenities down the communicator and flying in a similar fashion to Fox when he was being chased. Falco realised he couldn't escape Fox, and that his ship was incapable of pulling off the somersault Fox's ship did, so he swallowed his pride and shouted down the communicator.
"I need ships to get this scum of my tail!" There was a short pause before Falco got a reply.
"Sir, we can't." A soldier claimed.
"WHAT? Why the fuck not!"
"Well, General Dengar ordered a retreat so we may pursue the Dreadnought again." Falco's mouth dropped open.
"Dengar has the nerve to order MY men around?" Falco took another shoot to the back. The bird swore again and opened a communication channel with Fox. "Sorry pup, but I've got a pig to fry." Falco then flew back towards his ship. Fox, realising if he was to follow for much longer he would be up against a battleship, broke off his chase. Fox took a quick moment to search for any signs of his secretive ally. It wasn't long until he realised they had obviously left around the same time as the Elite squad, and then Fox himself left to follow the Great Fox to Venom and meet up with the highly respected General Pepper.