Hey hey! Hope everyone's staying healthy and taking precautions. I know they've been moving our shifts around like crazy at work over here, but hey, we'll get through it. In the meantime I finally buckled down and finished chapter five! Thanks as always for the reviews, they really do make a writer's day. Alright, let's kick it!
o-o-o-o-o-o
"What do you mean they were fighting?"
"I mean they were fighting! What else?"
Sally's voice was a whisper but her tone was forceful all the same. The others were in the workshop making last minute preparations for the trip, much too far for them to hear her, but Sally Acorn wasn't one to leave things to chance. They were in danger of losing light, and chaos hunting was hard enough during the day; it would be torturous under the pitch black of a new moon. Last she saw, Tails and Rotor were working on mounting the targeting computer back into the X-1 while Antoine, with Bunnie's assistance, reacquainted himself with the Tornado I's controls. With everyone else otherwise occupied, she'd taken the opportunity to grab Sonic and spirit him away into the house.
"What would Tails and Knuckles have to fight about? I was the one snapping at the guy the whole time," Sonic questioned.
"I don't know, I really don't. They said they were just sparring, but trust me Sonic, you don't get the look in the eyes that they had if all you're doing is 'just sparring'. You've been in combat enough times; you know what I mean."
Sonic took a glance outside the glass door toward the workshop, as if looking in the general direction of his brother would somehow give him an answer. Loathe as he was to admit it to himself, he did know what she meant.
"Well what do you want me to do, Sal? I mean, I can talk to Tails about it, but who knows if I'll be able to get a straight answer out of him. Plus, we should probably wait until we're done with the mission."
Sally remind quiet, as if trying to solve a puzzle she didn't have all the pieces to.
"And hey," Sonic added, trying to fill the silence, "maybe they really were just messin' around."
"Maybe," the princess conceded, "But the whole scene just felt...off. I could practically feel the...the vitriol. And really, the thing that gets me, Sonic, is that Tails had Knuckles pinned. Absolutely pinned! Don't get me wrong, Tails is a good enough fighter, but I can't think of anyone who could keep Knuckles held down for very long, Freedom Fighter or not, and Tails had him laid out."
Sonic had to admit that did sound strange, especially if the two had been as heated as Sally seemed to think. Knuckles, above all else, had near-Herculean strength, and possessed the fighting skill to use it. It wasn't like him to let himself get completely incapacitated, even if it was just a sparring session.
"Don't worry, Sal, I'll check in on him. But listen, I've known Tails for a long time; he's a reserved kinda guy. If you keep prodding him, he'll just be more likely to keep things to himself. If he wants to tell us, he'll tell us in his own time, but if not...we just gotta trust him."
Sally let out a long exhale. "You're right, you're right," she responded begrudgingly, now looking out the window herself, "But we're a team, y'know? It just doesn't feel right keeping those kinds of things from each other. Not that I blame Tails, of course, but I just feel obligated. Is that wrong?"
Sonic's usual smirk was back now in full force, "Nah, Sal! You kiddin'? You're our leader, it's natural for you to be worried! You just gotta know when it's time to worry, and when it's time to...worry worry. Know what I mean?"
Sally chuckled, "I think I do. Thank you, Sonic."
"No prob. And, hey, look, if you say something weird was going on, I believe ya. You're the most observant person I know, Sal. Just because we're not gonna press Tails about it, doesn't mean we can't...you know, keep a lookout and make sure everything's still right-side-up. You're right: we're a team."
"You might have a career in conflict management, Mr. Hedgehog," Sally teased.
"Pfft, I manage conflict every time I bust Robotnik's toys up! It's what I do best!"
A quick buzz interrupted their banter - Sally's communicator. Sonic looked over her shoulder as she checked it, and was met with a small picture of Bunnie next to the text:
Where'd y'all get off to?
"Looks like we're being beckoned," said Sally as she stood, "I suppose we should get back; we'll be leaving soon."
"Gotcha. Where is our emerald, again? Somewhere in the central territories, yeah?"
"Right. In the Marble Garden region, if Knuckles' directions are accurate."
Sonic let out a whistle, "Man, haven't been there in a while. Beautiful countryside, though - plenty of ruins to ramp off."
"Planning on doing some ramping during our specially assigned mission?"
"Only if the situation calls for it!"
Another buzz met the duo's ears, and Sonic looked over Sally's shoulder to see the new message.
If y'all don't get back soon I might think you're up to something...inappropriate ;)
"Bunnie!" Sally gasped. This time it was Sonic's turn to laugh hysterically.
As they returned to the workshop, it seemed like the time to deploy was near. The hangar in particular was a buzz of activity. Rotor and Tails had seemingly finished their work on the X-1, and were huddled with Antoine and Bunnie around a metal table, the atlas spread out before them
"I 'ave had experience with ze President before," Antoine said, apparently addressing Rotor specifically, "He iz a reasonable man, I do not zink it will be a problem."
"Well...if you're sure," the walrus responded, his inflection signaling that he wasn't quite satisfied with the answers he was getting.
"What's the deal?" Sonic questioned as he and Sally approached the group.
"Monsieur Rotor iz 'aving concerns about ze location of our emerald."
"Knuckle's circle has a United Federation military base inside it," Rotor continued, "It's probable that they've already recovered the emerald and are keeping it under lock and key there, and...I dunno, it just worries me. I've seen how their foreign relations operate and I don't like thinking about a military being so...jumpy."
"We have an alliance with the U.F., it shouldn't be an issue," stated Sally.
"Zat iz what I 'ave been saying!"
"But you know how things get, Sal; a piece of paper doesn't mean anything when things get tense." Rotor responded, "What if they refuse to hand it over? It's not like Antoine and Bunnie can just take it by force."
"Then we get Uncle Chuck or someone on the horn and just tell 'em we've got reason to worry about Robotnik makin' a move," Sonic interjected, "He's as much of a threat to the U.F. as he is to us, after all."
"The Chaos Treaty is a legally binding document," Sally added, "If the U.F. denied us access to the emerald when we are under clear threat from a terroristic enemy, they would be subject to severe sanctions from the other nations party to the agreement, plus it would greatly harm their relations with the Acorn Kingdom. They can't afford to make a fuss about it."
"And zey will not," Antoine declared, and turned to Rotor, "Trust me, my brother, it will be eazy as a cake!"
"Fine, if you're all sure," Rotor said, a sheepish smile forming, "Guess I was just being paranoid."
"Nah, man. Paranoid's good when you're messing around with chaos emeralds. You never know what might happen," said Sonic, "Tails knows all about that, don't you, bud?"
The group's attention shifted to the fox, who at some point had stopped paying attention and was intently focusing on the map.
"Bud?"
"..."
"Yo...Mobius to Tails?"
"Oh! Sorry, I was...what's up?"
A collective chuckle resonated among the group as the kitsune startled, but Sonic didn't miss Sally giving him the briefest of glances from the corner of her eye.
Maybe there is something going on with the guy… he thought, but we can't get into it now; we don't have time.
"Ah, don't worry about it, man," said Sonic, "I think it's about time we all stop yappin' and get to work! Sal, you ready to do this thing?"
"So long as everyone else is."
"Alright, well, we've only got one runway," Tails advised, "so Antoine, you and Bunnie head out first, Rotor and I'll follow behind. Sonic, can you lock the shop up when you guys leave?"
"You got it, hoss!"
"Alright, looks like we're all set," Sally commented, "Freedom Fighters, let's do it to it."
"Sal! That's my thing!"
o-o-o-o-o-o
Even in times of strife, tumultuous uncertainty and no small amount of danger, a king's duty is, first and foremost, to his people.
It gave Max comfort to be among the mundane - the normal. After the past few days of painstakingly discussing all manner of horrid eventualities and bearing the heavy weight of potential conflict, visiting Spring Yard Elementary was the closest thing to paradise the royal could imagine. As part of a citywide philanthropic program, the school which donated the most money to children's hospitals in the kingdom would receive a day off from normal classes to attend a party in celebration, and the king himself was the keynote speaker. 'Kids Helping Kids', the initiative was called, and it was one of Max's favorite times of the year every year.
Visiting the schools took him back to a time when his own little girl had run excitedly through halls much like this one. Back then, when Sally had reached the age to attend classes, he and her mother had seriously considered the possibility of homeschooling and private tutors, fearing that her status as a royal might earn her resentment or even hostility from her peers - or, God forbid, the faculty - should she attend an institution. It was Alicia that eventually convinced him that, if Sally was to one day rule over the kingdom, it wouldn't do for her to be seperate from the populace. She would have to learn how to deal with the criticism from a young age, or she never would.
And Sally, bless her, not only never once complained, she handled it with aplomb. Teasing came and went, as it does for all children, but Sally Acorn demonstrated her natural leadership ability and personability from a young age. He attributed that to Alicia; in the end, she knew what was best for her daughter. And though King Maximilian couldn't be prouder of the outstanding young woman Sally had grown into, he also couldn't help but look back wistfully on those days, when the largest problems he had to worry about his daughter facing were passing tests or dealing with boys.
But we can't turn back time, can we, old boy? he thought to himself She doesn't need me to worry, she can handle things on her own now.
The good times of old will always fade, but are eclipsed by the joy of the future - an old echidna proverb, if he remembered correctly. It gave him comfort in this ever changing world, and as he looked back on his life to this point, he couldn't help but find it true.
The king's royal guards dressed in plain clothes for this occasion, with only a small insignia on their button-ups to indicate their status, so as not to disrupt the educational atmosphere. They guided him through the lobby and into the main office, where he was met with a predictable, but not unwelcome, amount of enthusiasm.
"Your Highness!" greeted Principal Crest, a small but nevertheless confident woman of some sort of avian species, falcon most likely, "It's an honor to have you at our institution. Thank you so much for taking the time to come visit us."
She punctuated the greeting with a respectful bow, after which Maximilian smiled and took her hand in a firm shake.
"The pleasure is mine, Principal Crest," he responded warmly, "Speaking to the future of our nation is one of the most gratifying experiences I could think of. I wouldn't miss it."
"Well, the children have worked very hard this year, they've been looking forward to your visit all week," she beamed, "They're out at the sports fields right now for game time, but we'll bring them into the auditorium at 2:00 for the speech. Is there anything I can get you while you wait?"
"No, Ms. Crest, I'm perfectly fine; thank you for the offer. But would you mind if we headed to the auditorium? Not to cause any alarm, but it would be best to get a look at the space beforehand, for security purposes."
"Oh," the woman responded with slightly raised brows, "Is there any trouble?"
"Just a precaution, ma'am, nothing more," one of the guards, a ferret who looked to be in his mid-30s, added, "Standard kingdom security protocol is to have guards posted throughout the premises. We don't foresee any issues, but you can never be too thorough, especially when concerning children."
"Of course, of course! I'll show you the way. It's just down this north hallway…"
The king let his eyes wander as he followed Ms. Crest and his guards through the hallways. It was an older building, he noted, with slightly narrow corridors and walls that had faded only the tiniest bit since their last coat of paint. It made Maximilian feel at home, in a way. Unlike the rigid sterility that many new, state-of-the-art edifices tended to exude, Spring Yard felt warm, lived-in, awash with fond memories and countless stories imbued in each ceiling tile or water fountain.
He idly wondered how many futures had been set aloft in these halls. How many people's lives had been shaped by lessons taught in structures just like this? Perhaps that was another reason Max enjoyed visiting schools: so much hope, so much potential. He was glad he could contribute to that directly, even if it was only in the form of a 10-minute speech.
The security sweep, as promised, was relatively standard and brief, and select guards posted themselves at the exits while school staff worked on audio levels and the king scanned through his speech once more. The auditorium was large enough, an open expanse of seating in front of the stage, plus a single balcony on the back wall. Spring Yard was not among the largest schools in Mobotropolis, but no school within the city limits of the nation's capital could really be considered small.
And it wasn't long before the student body came in to fill those seats. Max stood with Principal Crest behind the curtain, out of view of the students, but he could hear the pure excitement in their voices, no doubt boosted by their recent physical activity. It brought the ever-present smile on his face into a full grin; he wasn't sure when the last time was that he was so excited to address a crowd.
"Children! Children!" Crest announced with authority as she stepped to the podium, "I hope you've had a fantastic day so far. Mr. Finch tells me the baseball game was particularly...competitive?"
This earned a bit of laughter and some cheering from the children, plus some lighthearted bickering from some boys in front. Max couldn't suppress a snicker. Competitive indeed.
"It's been well deserved," the principal continued, "You've all worked so very hard and thanks to you, some less fortunate children's lives are going to be just a little bit easier. I'm sure you're all looking forward to our special guest this afternoon, so I won't waste any more time. Spring Yard Elementary, would you please give a warm welcome to His Highness, King Maximilian Acorn!"
The room erupted into the sort of cacophonous mirth that could only be produced by sufficiently stimulated schoolchildren. As the king reached the podium, and began his address however, the din was quieted with a chorus of shushes, and beyond that, not the faintest hint of sound was heard from the throngs.
"Students of Spring Yard Elementary," he began, "First thing's first, I would like to say how much of an honor it is to be able to join you this afternoon. Thank you, sincerely, for allowing me to be your guest today. And thank you furthermore, for the wonderful work you have done for the Kids Helping Kids program.
"I say this with no exaggeration: the work you have done here, combined with the work of all the other schools in the city of Mobotropolis, will, in a very real sense, change the lives of children and their families. These are people who have suffered at the hands of debilitating illness, whose lives have seen great sorrow, and whose hearts have been put through immense trial. But thanks to efforts like yours, these families can be reminded that they are not alone, that they are not without help, and that there is a ray of light even in the darkest hour.
"But furthermore, that is what I see in you all as well. I'm sure you've heard something like this before, but it bears repeating: you are a light of hope for us all. You are the future of the kingdom. You are the future of Mobius. From time to time, you might hear people tell you that you are too young, too inexperienced to make a difference - that you are insignificant. Do not accept those lies.
"Because I can tell you, in my time as ruler of this kingdom, I have seen some of the most extraordinary things there are to see accomplished by ones whose strength of will and determination far eclipse such trivial matters. You've proven that you have the potential to be among such people, and now I ask you:
"Will you realize this potential?"
o-o-o-o-o-o
Penn paced along the front of Green Hill Base's main building, his eyes frequently flitting up to the parking lot and just as quickly redirecting them to the sidewalk in front of him. It wasn't like the general to show this type of impatience, but all the troops at the base knew what it meant when he did, so they gave him a wide berth for the time being, and spoke to him only when spoken to.
At long last, he heard a soft hum in the distance, which turned into a rumble, and was eventually accompanied by the sound of an engine. He lifted his eyes toward the lush, flowing landscape that bestowed upon the region its name, and spotted a nondescript black sedan being escorted by a G.U.N. vehicle down the lone isolated access road.
As the vehicles crossed into the parking lot, Penn marched toward them with a gait that was only a hair shy of a jog, his brow furrowed in anger and worry. Before the convoy had even come to a complete stop, he was there, and not a moment later did the back door of the sedan open, revealing one Sir Charles the Hedgehog.
"Penn, what the devil is it?" he said, hastily stepping out of the car, "I haven't received any reports of casualties so I have to assume the recovery mission wasn't a wash. I'm very curious as to what could be so important that you'd call a royal meeting on such short notice."
"The recovery was most definitely not a wash, Charles; that's what we need to discuss," Penn responded curtly, "Where is the king? I requested he accompany you."
"He's giving a speech at an elementary school as part of that children's hospital initiative. I left a message to his aid to inform him as soon as his obligation is finished."
"And you didn't think to inform them that this is an urgent matter?", Penn's expression was even harsher now, his voice laced with barely concealed fury.
"Well I can't very well tell them that in good conscience if I'm not privy to that information myself, can I?"
Penn clenched his fists, and looked ready to retort, but thought better of it. "We don't have time for this. Come with me."
He led the hedgehog through the doors of the main building and along a twisting maze of gargantuan hallways, alcoves, and offices. Some were ordinary, even mundane, like the break room with its droning soda machine and kitchen countertops, or the open maintenance closet with its scattered supplies and breakers on the wall. But Sir Charles knew exactly where they were going, and it would be far from the warm familiarity the main building provided.
It took a while, and the silence stretched on the entire way through the endless doors and halls and stairs, but finally the duo reached an elevator and stepped inside. The general entered a code into the keypad above the control panel, and accessed a small door below the lowest buttons, revealing more basement sublevels. He pressed the lowest one, B5, and the lift began its descent. Penn remained stoic as ever, but there was a quiet intensity in his eyes, one that was distinct from his usual grouchiness. This wasn't military-born gruff, Charles noted, this was real.
Eventually, after navigating yet another sprawling expanse, they reached their true destination. Penn entered a final keycode, and he and Charles were granted entrance to the war room. There were a handful of men already waiting for them, some wearing tactical gear, but most had defaulted to more casual attire. The hedgehog could only assume these were the team Penn had led out to Robotnik territory earlier that day.
"Gentlemen," Penn greeted them with the quickest of nods, "Sir Charles Hedgehog."
"It's a pleasure," Charles stated warmly.
"Sir, not that we don't appreciate Sir Charles' company," one spoke up, a wolf, "But wasn't the king supposed to be here as well?"
"The king...has other business to attend to," Penn responded, quite a bit of strain evident in his words, "He's a busy man as of late."
Charles turned to address the men, "Rest assured, I'll relay all necessary information to King Maximilian once I return to the palace."
"No need," Penn interjected, "I fully intend to have a separate conversation with him as well. This is vital information; we can't simply rely on sending this kind of intel through the grapevine as if it were some high school rumor."
"Well pray tell, what is it then?" Charles questioned, letting a definite note of annoyance creep into his tone.
Penns eyes shifted to his men, and they all shared knowing glances. Charles heard the clattering of plastic wheels on the cement floor, and turned to see a racoon rolling a chair beside him.
"Take a seat, Sir Charles, and we'll get down to the matter at hand," Penn replied.
Charles did as instructed, and with the tap of a keyboard, Penn activated a large wall-mounted screen in the center of the far wall. It displayed a still frame of a video, black and white, the camera focused on an expanse of forest from slightly above the treeline.
"This is the video log from the Robotnik drone we downed earlier this morning," Penn elaborated, "We've had our computer scientists working on decryption software day and night for the past three months, so to finally get some usable data from one of those things was quite the breakthrough. This particular log was from three days ago. We scanned the footage in this particular time frame in order to find...what you're about to see."
The video jumped to life, and the camera slid through the air above the trees with frightening agility. The movements seemed to be erratic, without purpose, until a shrill beep sounded through the speakers, and the camera made a sharp dive into the brush.
There it found a young boy, feline in species, who couldn't have been more than 5 or 6 years old, carrying a bag on his back that seemed to be filled with what looked like berries. He stopped, eyes wide upon seeing the robot, and whirled around in retreat. He might have gotten three good steps in before another robot darted from the shadows, ensnaring the child in its brutal metal appendages. Charles could feel his own heart racing, and he absently realized his mouth was hanging open, but his focus remained firmly on the video.
The child's screams echoed throughout the space, captured by the tinny microphones embedded into the droid. He struggled and fought rather impressively, but the metal monstrosities easily outmatched him. Eventually, the first drone approached the struggling child and extended a rod outward. It contacted the kitten and sent a heavy shock through him, but still he screamed. The sound sent chills down the elder hedgehog's spine.
"STOP! STOP! STOOOOOOOP!" the young voice screeched as his captors lifted him high above the trees, "HELP! MOMMY! MO-"
The screen went dark as Penn closed the file, and the horrifying silence that filled the chamber was almost worse than the screams themselves.
"That...is why I called you in, Sir Charles," Penn finally said. His voice was thick with anger once more, but this time directed at the large, now blank, monitor in front of them.
"So…" it was all Charles could do to keep his voice steady, "Those 'unconfirmed reports'…"
"Are now very much confirmed," the racoon finished.
After a beat, Charles rose quickly from his chair, and strode over to the front of the room where the general still stood. Their eyes locked together.
"General Penn," the hedgehog said, "On behalf of the Acorn Kingdom, I owe you the sincerest of apologies. We have brushed aside your insistence of this threat for far too long, and now not only have children been harmed, but the whole of the nation may be in grave danger as well."
"Apology accepted, Charles," Penn replied, "But that is not where my concern lies at the moment. We have, according to the reports, at least ten children imprisoned behind enemy lines, and who knows what the hell that doctor is planning to do with them. I need the approval of the king for an immediate rescue effort."
"No, you don't," Charles returned, "Without the king present, I represent the royal palace in an official capacity. As I said, general, we have turned a blind eye to this for far too long, but no more. You have my authorization to mount any rescue operation you see fit.
"See to it that the king and the rest of the royal council are kept updated on the developments through the usual channels, and that we are consulted before the mission is launched. Once we have a plan, and a solid one, we can move in. I understand the situation is pressing, but there are lives at risk. I don't want to risk any more casualties by jumping in blindly."
"Of course," Penn replied, the faintest glimmer of hope and relief in his eyes, "Thank you, Charles. You're a good man."
"Yes, well, I need to get back to Mobotropolis. Max should be back soon, and I'll need to fill him in, unless you still want to…?"
"No, no," Penn responded, "I'll have my hands full here. It's best for you to let him know. We'll be in touch."
Charles nodded, and was prepared to make his exit, when a thought struck him as he reached the door.
"Penn?" he questioned, "Should we involve the Freedom Fighters?"
A silence not unlike the previous one engulfed the room once again, and Penn seemed to carefully consider his options.
"That's something I would like to discuss further with the king, if you don't mind," he finally offered, "But, yes, I suppose it would be for the best. The doctor isn't just grabbing children up to display in a trophy room; he has to have a plan, and they have extensive experience with Robotnik. Have them report to me after they've returned from their current operation."
"Will do."
As Charles exited the war room, he could already hear the general barking orders into his phone, but he had his mind on other matters. How could they have let this happen? The Acorn Kingdom, the nation that so intensely prided itself in putting its citizens first and foremost, had grown complacent. They'd foolishly taken the reprieve from Robotnik as a gift, rather than as the harbinger of doom it had proven to be.
As he was led back the way he came by what appeared to be a private or some other lower rank, Charles activated his communicator and immediately redialed a familiar number.
"Hello…? Yes, it's Sir Charles again. Listen, I need to speak to King Maximilian. It's urgent."
o-o-o-o-o-o
"Shug, you meant what you said to Rotor, right? You really think we won't have any problems?"
The biplane was now well on its way through the skies of the Acorn Kingdom, en route to Fort Drummond, a small but sufficiently fortified military installation on the western side of the United Federation. It had been a while since Antoine had sat in the pilot's seat, but the sensation of gliding through the clouds welcomed him back with open arms; it was like he'd never stopped.
"Do not worry, m'amour!" he assured his partner, "Like ze princess said, we are at peace with ze UF; zey may 'ave ze big guns, but we 'ave priority. Plus, I am to be sending a hailing signal before zey even see us. We will be in and out in a jiffy!"
Bunnie let his words assure her, but she couldn't relax, not completely. Things were getting mixed up, and she didn't need to be a military officer or a monarch to see it. Even disregarding all the hush-hush attitudes about Robotnik's silence, she couldn't help but feel there was tumult brewing within her own team! Sonic and Sally rushing off to have their own discussion right before a mission was odd enough, but she didn't miss the way they tread lightly around Tails and his strange behavior when they got back. Bunnie may be the fighter of the team, but she was more clever than the others might have given her credit for.
Tails had been quiet since he, Sonic, and Sally had returned from Angel Island. Well, quieter than usual, at least. Tails was a pretty soft-spoken kind of person, speaking out when needed but otherwise tending to keep to himself. Bunnie had always attributed that to whatever happened to the fox before Sonic found him all those years ago. But she spent enough time around Tails to know what the difference was between his usual introvertedness, and what felt like a conscious effort to remain in the background.
It wasn't that she didn't trust her teammates - her friends, but if there were secrets to be kept, there was likely trouble to come with them. More things lurking in the shadows. More things to worry about. And the absolute last thing the Acorn Kingdom needed was more trouble.
"Bunnie!" Antoine shouted with a note of alarm.
"What is it, shug?"
"We 'ave trouble!"
As if on cue, three Robotnik drones buzzed past the plane in the opposite direction, firing laser blasts as they screamed by. Luckily, Antoine's flying experience held true, and he was able to evade the initial attacks. Bunnie immediately reached for the blaster at her waist, and fired off a few shots in the direction of the drones as they circled back behind the plane.
"What are they doing out here?" she hollered, "We're not even near Robotnik territory!"
"Zey must have seen us near ze border!" Antoine shouted, dodging another blast aimed at the left wing, "Zey probably 'ave us identified as an easy target! Hah! Zey must not know Antoine D'Coolette and Bunnie Rabbot!"
From the corner of her eye, Bunnie spotted another drone drawing beside the Tornado, she spun, sensing her opportunity.
"Keep her steady, hon!" she shouted, and fired a blast directly into the robot's core. The drone shook with the force, and erupted into flame as it descended into the landscape below. One down.
The two behind continued the barrage, causing the plane to buck and weave as Antoine maneuvered it around the deadly laser fire. The drones, owing to their small size and light weight, outmatched the Tornado in speed and agility, making a clear shot with the plane's onboard weapons a daunting task, and the chances of another bot coming within range of Bunnie's blaster were slim at best.
"Hold on tightly!", Antoine shouted as the plane made a sharp descent into the valley below. Their pursuers followed deftly, even as the coyote weaved through the rock formations and scattered trees that dotted the areas surrounding the bottom.
As the plane shifted to navigate a knife flight between a cliff face and a particularly large oak, the chase was nearly ended when the Tornado's wing brushed an outcrop, knocking some rocks loose and sending a jarring clatter through the aircraft. The stunt served its purpose, however, as one of the robots was unprepared to clear the gap, and had to slow down and momentarily back out of the chase.
That was all Antoine needed. He jerked the plane into a violent wingover, and found the displaced drone within his sights. The bot was no match for the assault of the Tornado's machine guns, and was shredded to pieces before it even met the ground. Two down.
The final bogey would prove much more difficult to shake. Now a 1-1 fight, previous misdirection tactics proved to be useless, and though the Tornado was doubtlessly a marvel of engineering, it wouldn't hold up for much longer with the aggressive evasion tactics Antoine had been employing thus far.
Bunnie was just about to line up another shot with her blaster, but before she could even level her weapon, the whistle of a projectile rang out, and the last drone was engulfed in a spectacular fireball. As Bunnie whipped around, ready to ask Antoine if he had fired the rogue missile, an burst of static came from the communications system, followed by a voice, calm and even:
This is Sierra Alpha hailing Tornado I. You folks looked to be in some trouble, hope it's alright that we cut in.
Two fighter jets, not dissimilar in design to the Tornado X-1, and decorated in the deep navy and crimson of the United Federation flag, appeared on either side of the Tornado. The two Freedom Fighters allowed themselves to breathe a collective sigh of relief.
"Oui, we are most grateful," Antoine responded, his smile audible in his words, "Zis is Antoine D'Coolette and Bunnie Rabbot of ze Acorn Kingdom Freedom Fighters. We are en route to Fort Drummond regarding a matter of national security."
Roger that, Tornado I; we'll be glad to give you an escort the rest of the way.
"See? What did I tell you m'amour?" said Antoine over his shoulder, "Nothing to worry about!"