Terachi Kaishaku: Yeah, I should be a little more active too. I've been letting my fics rot for quite a while now. I'll keep on looking for an artist, but I'd be more than happy to have you do the drawings. Whoops, my bad, originally I did make the admiral a he, but for some reason I felt the urge to go make and make the admiral a female fairy. I don't know where Marth is from, only that he's Altean.
Btw, on that note, I know Marth is an Altean but I'm making him a Hylian because I don't feel like writing the descriptions and such for another race.
Hero o Donuts: Unfortunately, in the realm of art, I'm also terrible. Yeah, I haven't come up with a conclusion about Marth's fate. The chapter was a bit short, and I'm trying to make 'em longer.
Janus Kameran: Well I hope you find the apology scene interesting. Yeah, Marth will remain at least egotistical while I decide his final fate
Zerath: Sorry for having made you wait so long for an update.
Yes, I haven't been updating for a while, and I hope all of you can find it in you to understand. I'm really busy right now, and these chapters do take a while to write. I will try to update as quickly as I can without compromising the quality of the story. Another poll sort of question, would you guys like the story to continue mainly with its focus on Link and Zelda or would you like some more focus on other characters, i.e. Mido, Ruto, Saria.
Also to clear something up. Last chapter you will notice that Nabooru was promoted to the ranks of Captain. Yet, even before that promotion she was addressed as Captain. That is because according to naval tradition, the commanding officer is always called the Captain no matter their real rank.
Nayru Lunar Base, Docking Cradle 16
A swarm of workers were clambering over the surface of the Freedom's Cry. Showers of sparks arced through the air as welders repaired hull and armor plate that had been damaged in battle. Others tested the vacuum seals of the hull. A crane was lowering a new 5 in. turret while a pair of workers stood on the hull, shouting directions to the crane operator. Nabooru came up to the ship and observed as another crane lifted up a new HF-29 Fighter into the hangar bay, where Chief Mechanic Darunia was directing operations. Impa met the captain at the base of the main ramp leading up to the ship.
"Repairs are proceeding ahead of expectations ma'am." Impa reported crisply.
"Excellent work." Nabooru praised.
"Command give us orders yet?" the executive officer inquired.
"Yes, they have. We head out in two days for the Northeast Continent. Our orders are to make a pre-emptive strike on the main IFC marshalling base for their attack on Onogoro Island, land reinforcements on the island, and then assist in the defense of the installation until Command sees fit to reassign us elsewhere." Nabooru informed, at the same time observing a file of army troops boarding the ship via another ramp
"I trust that you can handle things down here Lieutenant. If you need me, I shall be up on the bridge." Nabooru said, leaving Impa to supervise the ongoing work.
Sick Bay H.C.N.S Freedom's Cry
Zelda stood outside the door, glowering. She hated having to demean herself by having to apologize to someone who was obviously below her. There was no way she would have done it otherwise had her father not asked her to do so. After several more minutes of sulking, she went inside. She strode brusquely through the infirmary looking for Link's room so that she could go and get this over with.
Meanwhile, Link was sitting in his bed bored out of his mind. He knew that his friends were busy with the repair work, but hoped and prayed to the Goddesses that perhaps one of them would find the time to visit him and save him from this boredom. Hearing footsteps near his door, he felt as if his prayer had been answered and one of his friends was here. However instead of seeing the familiar face of one of his friends, he was looking at none other than Zelda Harkinian herself. He hoped to himself that perhaps she was just passing by on her way to visit someone else, but was disappointed when she turned into his room. He reached his left arm around the back to reach for the call button in case he should need assistance.
"Come to finish the job have you?" Link asked in a bitter tone. "I wouldn't put it past you to sink so low as to kill someone who's in a hospital bed and can't fight back."
Zelda flushed, and looked for a moment as if she was about to jump him and so Link was surprised when instead she opened her mouth to speak.
"I just came to say I was sorry." She mumbled, barely audible.
Link's ears perked up at this sign of weakness from Zelda.
"What was that you said? I couldn't hear you speak louder." He remarked knowing very well what she had said but not letting the chance go to rub it in.
"I said I was sorry alright!" she said much louder this time.
"What's this? The mighty Zelda Harkinian apologizing? This must be a first for you." Link grinned.
Zelda unfortunately didn't get the humor and was again barely unable to control her anger. Instead she was interrupted by a newcomer.
"Marth." Link said through gritted teeth.
"Marth!" Zelda cried, with much more enthusiasm than Link had.
"Ah, hello. I was just looking for Zelda and was informed she would be here, although I don't know why she would waste time with you." He sneered while wrapping an arm around Zelda.
"How are you feeling Link?" Marth asked innocently.
"Fine, thank you very much." Link replied with great restraint. He dearly wanted to pop Marth in the mouth and while he was at it, Zelda too.
"Marth come on, lets go. I don't want to waste my time here anymore." Zelda told Marth looking up at him sweetly.
"Hold on, just a minute." He said dismissively. "So Link how are the ribs feeling?" Marth said putting light pressure on the bandages over Link's ribcage, causing Link to gasp soundlessly in pain.
Zelda watched as her boyfriend teased Link and for a moment, felt compassion and sympathy for the young man in the bed as he lay helpless, his face showing the shocks of pain.
"Marth come on, lets go." She said more firmly, leading Marth out, while Link still winced from the lingering sting of the pressure that Marth had applied.
Link sat in his bed and flexed his fist as if to go out and hit Marth, but realized doing so in his current condition would be foolish. He hated both of them, he thought to himself. Marth, for always being so full of himself, and taking advantage of those who couldn't protect themselves, and Zelda for being so arrogant. She always walked around with a sort of "don't touch me I'm better than you" aura, and her beauty only served to reinforce that notion
Although, for a moment Link could have sworn that he had seen pity in her eyes. No, couldn't be, must've been a trick of the light or something. Besides she was so cold hearted that it would be impossible for her to exhibit an emotion such as pity unless it was pity for herself probably, Link thought to himself.
Nayru Lunar Base Docking Cradle 16
Two days later, the repairs and upgrades to the ship had been completed and now the ship was preparing to depart on its new mission. Technicians scurried about detaching power lines running from the surrounding support areas to the ship. Ramps were retracted and the reactor was brought online. At several of the other docking cradles, the same activities were occurring as the other ships detailed to the same mission prepared to depart.
Bridge H.C.N.S Freedom's Cry
"Mido, take us out of the cradle." Nabooru ordered from her command chair.
Mido lightly manipulated the levers on his console and the ship slowly ascended under its own power.
"Alright, head towards Crater Door 14, take us out and put us into a holding position while the rest of our taskforce forms up." Nabooru continued.
Slowly the Cry turned and began to move passing other ships that were under repair or construction. The massive doors mounted inside the crater slowly retracted and Mido angled the ship up and applied power to lift the ship out of the massive hangar bay. After clearing the door by several hundred meters Mido leveled off the ship and brought it to a standstill hovering over the moon.
From other craters several other ships emerged, four Tyrol Class Destroyers, and two Savior class Cruisers. The accompanying ships arrayed themselves into an escort formation around the Cry.
"Helm, flank speed to Hyrule itself. Begin atmospheric re-entry in sector alpha-3 coordinates 388.3 and 283.1." Nabooru commanded using the route that command had recommended as being the easiest way to hit the IFC base and continue on towards the Hylian base at Onogoro Island.
Sick Bay H.C.N.S Freedom's Cry
The automatic doors to the sickbay slid open with a whoosh to reveal a healed Link accompanied by Navi.
"So glad to be out of that place." Link said with relief to his friend.
"Well if you don't want to go back, then you'd better watch out then." Navi warned.
"Yeah, don't you think it's a bit ironic that the most bodily injury I've sustained wasn't at the hand of our enemy but at the hands of someone who's supposed to be on our side." Link groused.
"Just like the saying goes, 'It's not the trained professionals you have to watch out for, its those amateurs who are the most dangerous.'" Navi laughed.
"So where are we headed?" Link inquired curiously.
"Saria says we've got orders to go planetside to Hyrule itself. We're making a raid on an IFC base and then proceeding to our base on Onogoro Island that controls the entry point to the Northeast Continent. By the way, briefing starts in twenty minutes." Navi replied.
"Well I'm going to get something to eat first then." Link said hurrying off towards the cafeteria.
"Men, the only thing they think about is food." Navi complained as she ran off to catch up with her friend.
Onogoro Island, Hylian military Installation
The base on the island had undergone rapid change. Bunkers had been dug and reinforced, bomb-proof shelters had been dug for the base's aircraft. Supplies were being laid in for a long siege. A trickle of reinforcements flowed in as transports from the mainland Northeast Continent landed periodically at the installation. Technicians carefully examined the base's radar system to ensure that it was in working order, while troops were dispersed on the beaches and hills with binoculars and radios and orders to report any sign of an IFC incursion.
Bridge H.C.N.S Freedom's Cry
The Cry was beginning its descent into the atmosphere. The ship was angled slightly downwards as to reduce friction when the ship passed through the atmosphere.
"Sensors, anything happening?" Nabooru inquired looking pensively at the clouds and wondering if an IFC taskforce lay in ambush under them.
"No ma'am long and short range are giving no returns on hostile contacts." Zelda informed the Captain
"Descent complete Captain, leveling off now." Mido called out as the ship broke through the clouds and was now over the seas.
"Alright, call the crew to general quarters. Ensign Ruto, you will brief the pilots on their mission. Lieutenant Impa, systems check on all weapons. Ensign Zelda if anything gets within 200 kilometers I want to know right away." Nabooru called out.
Briefing Room H.C.N.S Freedom's Cry
The pilots filed into the room and settled down in the chairs.
"Navi, I was just in the middle of dessert." Link whined.
"Will you shut up already about the food?" Navi shot back in a whisper.
"But I'm hungry." Link continued.
"Do you want me to put you back in the infirmary, because I swear if you keep going on about the food I will." Navi said mock threateningly causing Link to back down.
Just then Ruto walked into the room and the whispers halted.
"As you all know, we will be launching a strike at he IFC base near Onogoro Island. Your job is to suppress the enemy defenses and to distract their fighters." Ruto began.
A projector whirred and an overhead map of the area appeared on a screen behind Ruto.
"As you can see, there are three runways at this as well as numerous hangars. Defenses are pretty formidable but satellite photos reveal a gap here." Ruto indicated with a pointer where there was no sign of a surface to air missile launcher or gun emplacement.
"The strike will proceed as follows. The EF-14s will launch as well fighters and the dropships. For this mission the fighters will be carrying four air to air missiles, and two rocket pods, while the dropships will be fitted with ground strike weaponry. First two flights of four HF-29s will approach the base from the southern side. The enemy will launch fighters and our flight will lead them back to towards the EF-14s where the rest of our fighters will be waiting. The enemy will know the EF-14s are there somewhere because they will detect the radar emissions but because the fighters will have their radars off they won't know they are there. Using the radars on the EF-14s we can extend the range of our missiles and hopefully savage their fighter formations. Once that is done, all fighters will proceed to the gap indicated previously and clear a landing zone. The three dropships from the Cry will land Lieutenant Kitana's Marine Unit and the fighters will provide cover until the recall signal is given." Ruto said, indicating each step of the plan with her pointer.
"Any questions?" Ruto stated looking at the assembled mass of pilots and crewmen.
"Very well then, man your craft." She ordered.
The pilots filed out of the room. On the way out, Link was accosted by the female Zora.
"Link I know you've just spent the last few days in the infirmary and you might not be at the best of your abilities, but try not and mess this up too much ok? I spent quite a while thinking up of this plan." Ruto teased.
"I'll be flying fine, thank you very much." Link replied with mock indignation.
"Don't worry, there's a reason why they put a second control stick in the HF-29, so the RIO can take over if her pilot just cant cut it." Navi said continuing along Ruto's line.
"Don't I get some kind of sympathy?"
"No." the Zora and the Fairy replied in unison, giggling.
"Seriously though, you two must get to the hangar." Ruto replied.
The three separated with Ruto heading back to her post on the bridge while Link and Navi headed to the hangar.
Hangar H.C.N.S Freedom's Cry
The hangar was abuzz with activity. Weapons specialists were checking the hardpoints of each fighter making sure each missile or rocket pod was attached securely. Fuel hoses were wound up as pilots clambered into their craft. On the number one catapult, the first EF-14 shot off into the blue sky as the second taxied to the shackling point for the number two catapult.
Link and Navi who were by now in their gear were climbing the ladder to their fighter. Lowering the canopy the two began the pre-flight checklist as ground crewmen removed the chocks under the wheels of the fighter. On the right, the neighboring HF-29 began moving forwards as the ground crewmen began directing the fighters into position for launch.
The movement on the flight deck had to be carefully choreographed by the ground crewmen as there were few things more dangerous on a warship than a deckload of fully fuelled and armed craft. Two by two the fighters began roaring off the catapults and into the Hylian sky.
Soon it was Link and Navi's turn and they felt the familiar lurch as they were thrown out of the hangar bay in mere seconds. Banking the fighter smoothly, Link eased his fighter into formation with the others.
Meanwhile those fighters from the accompanying ships detailed to support this strike formed up also as the dropships launched and flew a racetrack pattern around the Cry waiting for the fighters to create the hole so that they could move in.
Link was the leader of one of the flights of four detailed to play as bait and at the head of a diamond formation streaked down the heading for the IFC base and for the first time in several days, felt he was back where he belonged.
I know, not a lot of action, but all action would be boring. Besides this story is written to emulate the reality of war which includes periods of rest as well as brutal combat. I also needed to show that after 20 chapters that Zelda and Link are getting closer together, well maybe a tiny bit. As you can see, there is definitely action set up for the next chapter. I hope you enjoy this one, and please, please, please leave a review even if you don't like the story. All I ask is that you be constructive.
Next Time on Legend of Zelda Freedom's Cry:
The Hylian plan for the counterattack is carried out and a pitched battle ensues. Meanwhile, Hylian Intelligence uncovers whispers of a plan by the IFC to draw out the remaining military might of the republic and crush it, thus ending the war.