"Exiting slipspace in thirty seconds."
"Bring main guns online."
"Powering sub-light engines."
"Shields at 57 percent and climbing."
Alex sighed as he watched his crew rush to prepare the ship. He felt a lump of guilt form in the pit of his stomach, as he though about all the good furs he would be sending to their deaths is a few seconds.
"Exiting slipspace in three…two…one."
Alex felt the ship give a small lurch as it tore a hole free of slipspace. A brief flash of green was soon replaced a single blue-green sphere surrounded by inky blackness, Well he thought here we go. "Status on the rest of the fleet," Alex barked.
"We're the first out of slipspace sir, the others should be here in a few seconds," Jacobs answered as he stepped next to Alex.
"Very well go to full active run, the enemy already knows were here so there is no point in hiding. Jacobs you take command of point-defense. Corporal Mia locate the aparoid fleet. Weapons how long before main cannons are charged"?
"Energy is building in the main cannons at a rate of five percent every three seconds currently at forty-five percent and rising."
"Admiral aparoid fleet located rising from the planet estimated time until they are in firing range three minutes."
"The rest of the fleet has arrived and are forming up on our position."
"Very well move us to engage the aparoid fleet, engine one-third," Alex said softly as he heard the ship give a low groan as it lurched forward.
"Full combat data on the enemy fleet is in they currently outnumber us at least five to one. No energy build up is detected within their ships."
My son you shall defend our home from these invaders and bring them into the swarm.
Yes father I shall do my duty.
A fox walked across the bridge as aparoids scurried around him as his fleet rose slowly up from the planet. Do they honestly think they can challenge us with such a pitiful fleet all ships move forward wait until their first shot then engage the enemy.
"Admiral all ships report main guns charged and ready."
"Good order all ships to launch a wave of rockets first, once the rockets have cleared the ships open fire with main cannons. Then begin an alternating firing pattern," Alex said as his crew went to work. "On screen," he barked. As the panels in front of him turned translucent thousands of tiny flares streaked toward the enemy ships. After a few seconds well over a hundred beams of plasma streaked by. Alex felt the ship shake and shudder as sub-sonic waves washed over his ship. "Give me 50 magnification on aparoid fleet." "On it sir." Alex smiled as the plasma washed over the aparoids draining their shields. As the shields flickered and died the rockets found a home. Alex watched as a fourth of the enemy fleet was encased in explosions. "Admiral energy spikes detected among the enemy fleet." "Alright order the fleet to spread out so we don't pose one big target." Alex felt the ship shudder as the micro-thruster maneuvered them around.
"The enemy if firing," someone yelled on the bridge as hundred of light point flared among the aparoid fleet and flew toward Alex's. "Evasive actions." Alex was nearly thrown to the floor as his ship jerked to one side as a plasma bolt streaked past their port side. "Damage report," Alex shouted. "Mostly superficial for our ship but we lost five ships in the fleet and another 20 sustained major damage." "Damn it," Alex muttered, "How much longer till the rest of the fleet arrives"? "Estimated two minutes." "Alright continue to charge main guns and have the fleet spread out as thin as possible while still maintaining a flat front to the enemy." "Yes sir."
It is only a matter of time, why do you resist? Prepare the siege laser I want to blow a hole through their fleet.
"Admiral massive energy build up within the enemy's main fleet"! "What on screen." Alex watched as three aparoid ships took positions around the enemy's flagship. As Alex watched a green pulse began to build within the ship. "Calculate trajectory for that shot now," Alex screamed and the green energy built to the breaking point and tore lose of the ship. Alex held his breath as the beam lanced toward the fleet and watched it burn half of a Fortuna ship away. Damn Alex thought as a voice yelled, "multiply slipspace ruptures, the rest of the fleet is here."
"Admiral we've exited slipspace and are in position to hit the enemy's flank."
As Crowe looked across the field of black flashes of super heated plasma flew from both fleets followed by several explosions. Crowe frowned as most of the explosions were among the coalitions ships. "Alright all ships open fire on the enemy fleet. After the first barrage launch all fighters and landing craft instruct them to head toward Corneria to secure as much of the main city as possible." "Yes sir." Crowe smiled as plasma streaked out from his fleet and enveloped a portion of the aparoid's fleet in white-hot energy. "Fighters and landing craft away Admiral," one of Crowe's bridge officers muttered as thousands of tiny engine flares appeared all over the fleet. "Alright," Crowe said softly, "contact all ships and move in on the aparoid fleet." Crowe waited as his crew sat in silence before he shouted, "Did I stutter ram both of our fleets down their metallic throats." Crowe watched his crew jump as the rushed to execute his orders. Crowe heard footsteps behind him as Bill walked up and stood beside his chair.
"Is everything in place," Bill asked.
"Yes," Crowe said softly as he bowed his head, "I've sent the fleet into an impossible battle just to tangle up their fleet for a little while if that's what you mean."
"Right, broadcast this message on all channels, the back door is open repeat the back door is open," Bill said as he turned to leave the bridge.
"Where are you going Grey," Crowe shouted, "Your place is on the bridge."
Bill stopped and turned around at the exit, "no my place is in a fighter." With that he left the bridge.
"Alright you heard him take us to the planet and activate the cloak," Fox said as he left the cockpit and walked to the bunk area. When he entered he saw Falco and Katt checking weapons and armor while Zavis appeared asleep as he sat near Krystal's dormant form.
"Any real reason you insisted we bring my wife on this mission," Fox asked as he walked up to Zavis.
"You'll see don't worry, anyways what do you think of those black ops Crowe saddled us with," Zavis asked?
"Well I've never met any of them but I'm sure Crowe wouldn't have sent them if they weren't good soldiers. But if you want my opinion we should leave the squirrel to guard the ship and take the two foxes with us," Fox said.
"Bit of species favoritism," Zavis asked as he cocked and eyebrow.
"No, squirrels are just more jumpy in my opinion," Fox said quickly.
"Entering planets atmosphere," a voice said over the intercom. Fox raced to the cockpit followed by Katt and Falco. Zavis stayed put and muttered, "Not long now Krystal, not long."
As Fox entered the cockpit he looked out the front view port to see the city engulfed in chaos. Explosions and gunfire flashed at every corner. Several drop ships attempted to land but were blasted out of the sky by colossal aparoids who in turn were destroyed by a pair of Katinain broadsword fighters. Fox held his breath as their ship jerked left and right as it dogged energy fire as it neared the main aparoid complex. When they reached the main building the pilot circled the building looking for a landing zone.
"There," Falco yelled, "we can land there."
Fox looked to where Falco had indicated and nodded his head, "Good call Falco, set us down there." The ship swung around and squashed several aparoids as it touched down on the LZ.
When Zavis felt the ship set down he gently patted Krystal's paw. "Now," he muttered and after a moment Krystal's eyes flew open and black light poured out of them.
Fox shook his head as he checked the motion sensor to see the number of enemies he and his team would have to fight to enter the base. "There's no way, the sensor's almost completely red," Fox said as the aparoids began to converge on the ship as it's cloak finally dropped. As if by magic the sensor flared bright red then showed a calm blue as aparoids burst from within all around the base. Fox just stared as Zavis rushed toward the exit ramp yelling for the others to follow. As the group exited the craft Fox issued the order for the black ops, while the squirrel took up a defensive position the two fox took point as the group moved toward the base. As they descended into the base a sense of unease began to creep over them all as they found only silence and mauled aparoid bodies.
"This is why you had us bring Krystal isn't it," Fox asked Zavis in a low voice.
"Yeah, the aparoid inside of her magnified her abilities enough for her to disrupt most aparoid's minds and give them the self-destruct impulse."
"What aparoids are strong enough to resist her," Fox asked after a moment?
"Fur forms," Zavis said quickly as they descended further into the honeycombed base.
As the group moved down a long hall Fox got a tingle at the back of his neck for just a brief instant. Fox knew something was up so he yelled for the group to hit the deck. Everyone but the black ops foxes dropped and were spared from the plasma that flooded the hall at chest level. Fox looked up to see the two foxes smoking corpses fall to the ground. As he looked down the length of the hall a python stood at the end and appeared to be holding an Arwing's main cannon. Zavis stood slowly as he extended the landmaster's main cannon from his arm.
"Well Zavis have you missed me," the python yelled down the hall.
"You wasted a fur form on Kiba, I thought you aparoids were smarter than that," Zavis responded.
As the aparoid-Kiba prepared to fire again his arm froze up as his finger touched the trigger.
What the.
Miss me bug boy.
What, no, your body is mine, know I know why you stopped fighting me well it's not going to work this body is mine I tell you mine.
Well for now the arm is mine and that means we can both burn in hell.
Zavis saw the aparoids arm jerk slightly as it prepared to fire. Kiba he thought thanks, before he opened fire and watched his friend vanish in a burst of light. "Come on," Zavis sighed and the group continued downward into the base. After what felt like hours the team meet a door that wouldn't open.
"Well now what," Falco gripped, "the foxes had the explosives and they got fried from the plasma. Besides how do we know this is where Pepper is"?
"He's here," Fox and Katt said at the same time.
"Move back," Zavis said as he re-extended the landmaster gun and aimed at the door. Fox and the other took shelter behind Zavis and he fired a round into the door. White-hot metal flew in every direction as smoke billowed around the team.
"Zavis you ok," Katt asked?
"Yeah just took a small nick it'll be fine," he muttered as small lights flashed around his chest and arms.
"Well," Fox gulped, "This is it."
"Yeah," Falco muttered.
"Everything's on us again ain't that a great," Katt said sarcastically.
"Then lets end this," Zavis said as the group walked through the smoke.
Authors notes: Ha ha I'm evil, sorry but you got one more chapter to go, hang in there everyone might get a little rough after this.