Chapter Four
The Great Fox hovered closely to the ground's surface as its large cargo doors slowly open. The landmaster appeared from the grand doors, a heavy tank built by Slippy years ago and has aided the crew in missions many times before. It had similar weapons to that of their planes known as arwings, only it had stronger amour and limited hovering abilities. Using the underbelly rockets to gently fall to the ground, the value of such a vehicle to the team was incomprehensible.
The minute the tank touched down on the arid, cracked desert surface the top hatch flew open and climbing out was a very annoyed Falco, who looked back down into the hole as he moved out and away from it. Ranting he jumped down, holding a rather large blaster in both of his hands, goggles over his eyes and a red bandana was draped around his neck to protect him form the blowing sand. "Dam Slippy, couldn't you have built that bigger? Man that was one cramped ride! Can't believe you forced us to do that Fox, makes me wondered if you've finally accomplished one of your life long dreams.
"Stop ya belly achin', cause I didn't see you offer a lick in buildin'er!" Jumping out of the hole after Falco was the green toad. He too had goggles over his eyes and a black bandana to protect himself from the sand, but instead of a large blaster the toad carried a scanning system in his hands and a small pistol at his side.
Having a problem getting out of the tank was the old hare, who struggled with getting to the hole and finally fell to the ground with a plump. Falco could only chuckle at the sight while Slippy rushed to help Peppy up. Peppy wore goggles and a green bandana as well, but unlike the other two he carried a medical kit incase they did meat up with one who was hurt and a small side pistol.
"Okay Falco, knock it off. Anyway wasn't it YOUR hand that was getting a bit too friendly back there?" Fox's voice rang though the intercom link between all four members of the team as he remained in the tank being elected as the best driver, a title he held with pride and rubbed in Falco's face at least once in a while. It was decided earlier on the way to the cargo bay that he drives the tank, while the other three move ahead looking for any indication for a way to get blow the surface.
"Let's just get to work," Falco muttered back to Fox, not saying anything in his defense knowing that he was now fighting a losing battle and rathered to change the topic then lose at the topic.
As the troop moved slowly a head, the desert wind kicked up plenty of sand into the faces of Falco, Slippy and Peppy, which made Fox feel quite lucky that he was in the window-less tank. Little talk was spoken over the intercom as it was time for work to be done, desperate unpaid work to be precise. Rarely did they work without any kind of payment but because this was more for personal interest, the group of mercenaries carried on with no complaint about their lack of funding. Anyway the man that normally pays them could be dead by now, killed in the destruction of Corneria.
The Great Fox left to orbit the planet and save on fuel while the group was exploring and as it took off, a feeling of being totally alone nearly overwhelmed Fox and his crew. It was creepy, exploring the deserted surface of Katina as he remembered how lively it once looked and how much life the planet had on it. That thought once again brought to the space captain a feeling of death and the incomplete feeling of never knowing what really happened.
Picking up more and more, the wind started to kick up sand and violently beat against the side of the tank. Hearing it Fox feared for the safely of the others realizing that this was the beginning of a stand storm, but before he could warn the crew a badly muffled Slippy voice entered his ear though the intercom.
"I'm getting' really weird readin's here Fox, like somethin' is in ta sand'p ahead," Looking though the tank's small view screen he could see the sand that Slippy was referring to and as he looked at them harder he noticed that there was something really odd about it. It didn't look a live, nor did it look natural or like any of the rubble surrounding them. It a was sand lumps, but the shape and size wasn't like any other sand lumps they've seen.
Slowing down the tank so that he wouldn't run it over and possibly crush what ever made those lumps, Fox responded to the entire group through their communication line, "okay guys lets check out those lumps and then head back to the Great Fox. These winds are getting too brutal and it's best to just wait for the storm to clear before we continue." The fox watched on his viewing screen as Falco rushed ahead with his blaster, being the first to investigate it as he had the best weapon out of all the members on foot. Following at a decent distance was Slippy before Fox rolled in with his tank along side. Peppy brought up the rear feeling that if his services are needed he'll dash to the front, but there was no need for a badly armed man to rush into a possibly dangerous situation.
As the falcon came close to the first of at least twenty lumps of sand, a rather strong arm reached out from underneath it and latched itself tightly to his foot. Falling Falco yelled out in surprised yet regained himself quickly and fire his blaster at the lump in defense. As he did so, the hand's grip fell limp and quickly followed was the lump and it was quickly realized in the group that these lumps were really people in a camouflage of sorts.
The other lumps quickly jumped up and revealed many creatures that were hiding under them, holding modified blasters. A fire fight broke out, Falco scrambled back to his feet and started to wildly fire at the attackers while dodging the many bullets sent his way. Despite his excellent training and skill, the large numbers of the group quickly over took him and he received a blast directly to his chest. In seconds Falco, the ace pilot, fell to the ground in a electric shock and twitched a few times before laying limp in the sand as the others continued the fight around him.
Fox and the rest of the crew had no time to react as the bullets flew their way, now that they have neutralized their first target. Slippy threw down his scanner to reach for his side pistol but wasn't quick enough as he soon received a shot from behind, knocking him forward and out on the ground. Peppy though was able to take shelter behind the tank and fired out to the attackers with the deadly accuracy that his long time experience had with his pistol.
Firing a few shots then going back to behind the tank, Peppy kept this up for several minutes into the fight and was falling into a nice rhythm. In the tank Fox fired the large tank's bullets at the foes, hitting many of them at once white their shots bounced off the strong shields of the tank. It looked like the firepower and strength of the tank could be enough to survive the large numbers the remaining StarFox crew faced but as Fox grew some confidence in their survival rates, one of the attackers got close enough to slap a circular mechanical device on the side of the tank. It was an anti-tank electrical mine, used to send large amounts of electricity through tanks and sort circuit them.
In seconds the entire tank became full of electricity and the unsuspecting Peppy, who was taking shelter behind it, was immediately blasted away from the tank and laid still on the ground where he landed. Fox on the other hand, quickly was able to leap out and away of the tank yet was met by the large attacking force. Not willing to surrender, he quickly rose his blaster to fire but the group hit him first and he too then finally fell to the ground in defeat before everything became dark.