Ch. 6: Weapons Free
The vixen plucked the Gatling Gun from the table and slipped a fresh clip into the receiver. There was something about the gun that she really liked. Maybe it was the rate of fire or maybe it was the bulky but elegant way that it looked. She had not fired it yet but it acted the exact same as the P32 except for the firepower. She has learned to fire it in short controlled bursts to keep it from "walking" upwards into the air as she held the trigger. She breathed in and unleashed a wall of bullets onto a target.
Falco walked into the Armory. He saw the vixen with a large weapon struggling to keep it steady, "Haha!" he laughed, "So gramps talked you into becoming one of us?"
"Yes I suppose that you could say that," she replied.
"You made the decision? Well if you can handle yourself on the ground you still need to learn how to fly. You better know how to fly your tank of a space ship when we go get McCloud. After he gets back maybe he can give you some training. He helped train me after all."
"What about you Falco?" You have your weapons permit don't you?" Krystal asked. She was proud of herself for earning them.
Falco was half insulted, "Of course I do! I all ready had this conversation with McCloud yesterday. But, I don't use them if I don't have to. I prefer the safety of the Arwing. But yeah I still carry the license around with me. You know what Fox told me just before he went down to be the hero?"
"What's that Mr. Lombardi?"
"That he hoped he would never have to use his guns again. Guess that didn't really work out for him!" Falco walked to the door of the range.
"Why did you come here?"
"No reason, just killing time," Falco walked out of the door and before it shut she heard him say, "Crazy kid! Always making me wait, always making me late," but Krystal sensed that he was more then just roaming around the ship. The falcon was seeking reassurance for the safety of his friend. Falco wanted nothing more to just get him back in one piece.
It was already getting late at this point. And the vixen had retreated back into Fox's room. She had to find a solution to warn Fox that he was being hunted. Back in her days at Cerinia she was in the early stages of transferring messages. It took a lot of energy, and even the eldest could only transport single words or still visions to others. Plus Krystal wasn't sure if this worked among the different race. It was a lot easier with the power of her Staff. The Staff possessed its own powers that helped her transmit messages. This is how she had done it to Fox when he had found it on Sauria. Fox didn't have the Staff this time around though. But she had to try something. She concentrated hard. She blocked out all other visions and only pictured the face of Fox McCloud.
"Let's just go a bit farther, just until the sunsets," Cyn talked to Rojas. They had been walking at steady pace all day, "Tomorrow we will be catching up to Destrophy!"
"Fine," Rojas was ok with the idea but still wasn't ecstatic about meeting Destrophy face to face, "How much farther to the Rail Gun?"
Cyn pulled the map out, "It looks just to be a little over 17 kilometers," they both walked deeper into the woods, on the track of their target.
Fox's mind raced with visions of his short term past. He remembered landing on Sauria. Saving the planet and meeting an attractive young vixen. Then crash landing on K6 and falling from the sky. And all the way back to where had had first pulled the trigger. "Fox," the vulpine's eye's shot open and he grabbed his chest. It was his name that was said inside his head. It had been like a loud whisper in his ear. His heart raced. He swore he could even feel the warm breath of the voice against his fur.
He was still in the tree that he had gone to sleep in hours before. His ears twitched and he froze still, not to let one small shake of the tree or one twig to fall down. They were voices, and soon the noise elevated to footsteps. He slowly unhooked his Blaster from the holster and cradled it in both hands. He turned his head to look below and saw two figures make their way past the bottom of the tree in which he slept. In Fox's greatest relief they continued in the same direction that he had been traveling. The vulpine immediately came to the conclusion that he was being fallowed the whole time.
After the voices went into the distance he jumped down from the tree and stared stalking the ones who had just been hunting him. It was getting dark now and Fox wanted to keep a safe distance. But as it grew darker he drew closer and closer. With his Blaster in his right hand and his sniper and acquired machine gun strapped to his back, he had a fair amount of firepower.
Until he was about 10 meters away slowly stalking his prey. He didn't want to kill these men. It was personal now. The vulpine wanted answers. He ran as fast and silently as possible. He tried to run on the balls of his feet to keep the heavy boots from slamming into the ground. If this was done correct there would be no sound emitting from the boots. Fox put the Blaster to the center back of the rear soldier.
Cyn felt the barrel dig into the protective armor. And a voice came with it, "Don't move!" It wasn't loud but it sounded very serious so he froze. Rojas turned around and was stunned. Neither of them had heard the target approach. Rojas couldn't get a look at the enemies face because he still hid behind Cyn, "Both of you drop your weapons," both soldiers had never dealt with such a situation, therefore both hesitated. Fox yelled not at the top of his lungs but enough to make him sound as a threat, "Now!" Cyn and Rojas let their guns fall to the ground.
"You must be Destrophy," Cyn said. He still didn't see the face of his attacker but who else would it be?
"Yeah that must be me," Fox said. He had no idea what he was talking about but he couldn't let the opportunity slip away from him. He had to keep a steady focus on both of them to make sure that they didn't pull a "fast one" on him, "Now you two are going to do exactly what I say. Is that clear?" Cyn and Rojas both nodded, "Ok, you are both going to stand parallel to each other and both facing me you will slowly remove your helmets," they both did as he said but Rojas acted to fast and got yelled at, "I said slowly!" Both soldiers stood in front of him and took off their helmets. Fox wasn't surprised when he saw two apes standing in front of him.
"You! You're Fox McCloud!" Rojas said in amazement.
"Yeah, what's it to you?" Fox asked with Blaster aimed between them. Rojas was about to say something but decided to remain silent. The vulpine knew that he had to keep a certain amount of fear evident to maintain their control, "Ok, that's what I thought. Now I am going to ask some questions. You will answer them to the very best of your ability. Yes?" Fox asked but assumed the answer before they could do anything, "Good," He said, "Now, I was sent here on a mission in search of a distress signal. You two know anything about that?"
Cyn nodded, "Yes, we are the remains of Andross's army. We attempted to recreate the once invisible force. We have set up a false beckon to replicate the effects of a Cornerian distress signal."
"Why?"
"We lure unsuspecting space craft in and shoot them down to harness their own technology and parts to rebuild our own alliance. Because of the planets thick foliage the radar waves make it impossible to see what going on here. Andrew…" Cyn was cut off.
"Andrew? You mean Andrew Oikonny?"
"Yes," Cyn said, "Andrew hopes to rebuild our valiant army and put the Lylat system under his control."
"Huh! A classic," Fox sneered, "My Arwing was shot down, by what?"
"Andrew invested his money in new Anti-Aircraft technology. I don't know much about the system besides the fact that it is called a Rail Gun. As far as my knowledge extends it fires super-dense rails of steel at high speeds to take down airborne enemy targets," Cyn answered with a shaky voice. He was afraid if he said the wrong thing that he would soon find himself lifeless on the ground, "It is still experimental technology."
"How's the pay boys?" Fox said and was half joking.
"Very good!" Rojas said excitedly.
"That was a rhetorical question," Fox said and his ears flattened into an aggressive position. He couldn't get to friendly with the enemy or he could risk losing their control.
"Yes, Mr. McCloud but what now?" Cyn said.
"What do you mean? What now?" Fox's ears lowered once again and he bared his teeth.
"Well as far as what you can do is that you don't have very many options. I don't see you getting out of here alive," Cyn said but the regretted it after looking at the fox's mean looking face but he still continued, "Our radio is broken and if our command center doesn't get an update from us soon they will come looking for us. And more importantly for you, command knows that you're here. But they don't know that it's a Starfox team member. If they were accidentally to find out, all of the planets forces would be here looking for you."
"Are you trying to intimidate me?" Fox asked with the Blaster now aimed right between Cyn's eyes.
"If we don't update soon, they will come," Cyn answered now with great confidence but it was then dropped back down by what the vulpine had said next.
"I see this going two ways for you guys. Its either you walk out of here alive or you go out in a body bag!" Fox said the last statement with anger. Fox knew that he was the one in charge and he wasn't going to be intimidated, "And your friend over there looks a bit more frightened then you. I think he will be the one to cooperate. And that leaves me with what I should do with you."
The Blaster was now right up to the Cyn's forehead and was almost touching it, "Don't shoot," Cyn said as he squinted his eyes, waiting for what was inevitable.
Fox pulled away his Blaster but still kept it level with the ground. Just incase. He couldn't take any chances. With left hand he reached to his small back pack and pulled out the radio he still had. He handed it to Cyn, "You are going to make a call for me. Tell your command center that you have hunted me and killed me. If I hear one word that gives me away," Fox raised the pistol to his head again, "then you are the lucky one who get's to go home in a body bag."
Cyn considered both options he had. If he did lie to command they wouldn't be to happy with him if they found him alive and the target had already escaped from the planet. But then again right here, right now, there was an angry vulpine with a Blaster aimed to him forehead, a feat that he would surely not survive. Cyn made his decision and hoped it would work, "Alright," he said the held down the button to talk, "command this is 1-3. Do you copy?"
A couple seconds later a voice came over the radio, "1-3 this is command we copy. Haven't heard from you in a while. We were beginning to suspect the worse. How is search for Destrophy going?"
"We…" Cyn paused and looked at the vulpine. Fox tightened his grip of the pistol and put his finger on the trigger, ready to fire if he needed. The Class D Blaster was aimed right as his head, "We need immediate back..." But he didn't get to finish. A bolt of supped heated plasma struck him in the head and he dropped to the ground and lay lifeless. Fox turned his Blaster to the chest of the other soldier that still stood.
Rojas stood completely frozen in fear, "Wait! Don't fire! I'll do anything you say!"
The radio flickered with a voice and Fox motioned with the end of his gun for Rojas to pick it up, "Think about it. Don't make the same mistake your friend did."
Rojas picked the radio out of the hand of his fallen comrade. He shuddered and took a deep breath in and spook coolly and calmly, "Sorry command, we had to do a minor repair job on the radio."
"Roger that 1-3. What is your status?"
"Target is down command we have brought down Destrophy! What are our new orders?" Rojas asked.
The radio soon answered, "That's great to hear 1-3! Don't collect the body. It is to stay there until farther notice. You are clear to come back to HQ for some R and R. Please acknowledge."
Rojas looked at the fox and the vulpine shook his head, "No," Fox whispered, "Tell them that you are going back to look for 2-4. I know for fact they haven't found them yet."
Rojas nodded. "Negative command, Cyn and I are heading back to point 45.98 to look for 2-4."
"If you want 2-4, over and out," with that Rojas shut the radio off.
"Good job, now what to do with you…" Fox lowered his Blaster.
Rojas still spooked spoke out, "Don't…"
"Relax, I'm not going to shoot you," Fox said while pulling off his backpack. He cut off some of the extra dangling straps from his pack, "Go to that tree," Fox pointed the Blaster at Rojas and motioned for him to cooperate. Rojas did just so and put his back to the tree. Fox grabbed each one of his hands and tied them together so he was wrapped around the tree. The vulpine stepped back, "Eventually they will find you," Fox put the pack onto himself and holstered his Blaster. He pulled out the LSR2 and ran off toward his objective. It was almost dark now and with everyone thinking he was dead and the night shielding him, he would be at the point soon. It was still 16km away but he wanted to make there. And he wanted to make it there tonight, "make sure I don't hear you," Fox yelled back at the soldier.
The next few hours were purely uneventful for the vulpine. He only stopped to rest a few times and besides that he ran at a steady jog. The darkness now made him fell so safe. Nothing except the soldier he had tied up knew he was alive. But just to be safe he wanted now to get out of this place as fast as he possibly could. If the patrols did manage to find him earlier then he had anticipated, the whole army would be after him.
If he got to what now he knew was called the Rail Gun while it was still dark, it would be a huge advantage. But if he didn't, he might have to wait another day. But he was still glad that he had the power of the LSR2. If the Rail Gun was in a valley like he suspected it would nice to be able to look down at it. He focused of his HUD and laughed. Eight kilometers to go, and he wasn't tired and had at least 6 hours of night left.
He took a drink from a canteen and ate some rations. He needed all the energy and power he could possibly get for the last rush ahead. It wasn't surprising how far he had made it in this night. He had kept a steady pace. It had taken him days to get half way and now only hours to get the rest of the journey. He got up and cradled his sniper and bolted at a fast jog toward his target watching the waypoint distance slowly decrease. The dark was so safe.
It wasn't long before he was there. The distance on his HUD still read just a little less than a half kilometer but Fox smiled he could see the base from where he was and he could see the large Rail Gun. The area was rocky and had a lot more elevation change now. He was one side of the valley and the Rail Gun was on the other.
Fox looked at it. He was level with it but below the two positions was a 25 meter tall ledge. It was traversable and it wouldn't take long to climb. The other side was grass and his edge was shale sand like ledge. It would do. It was possible and above all it would happen.
Just like Fox had suspected the only place that they could put it would be at the edge of a clearing just into the trees except on the top of a hill. It was very dark but his HUD illuminated the whole area. The green of the vision sometimes would blur and it came across the lone light that light at the small base. He loaded a tracer round into the rifle and snapped the bolt closed. The scope swept the area. 2 small rectangular buildings and 2 tanks, if it was approximately 4 infantry to an armored vehicle plus the driver and who knows how many people it took to operate the huge Rail Gun that reached just to the top of the trees making it undetectable to radar sat at the base. And there also could be supporting infantry.
"Great," Fox whispered. He counted this all up and sighed, "Over 15 people… if I'm right."
The 5 tracer rounds could take down the tanks if he shot them in the exact correct spot. He still had 21 rounds of shredder too. Fox thought to himself, "It might be enough, if I don't miss or I am wrong. But what to do? If I go straight into the base right now I will be able to set the bomb that I have but that leaves me with what to do with 20 angry bad guys. If I take them out from here they may be able to kill them all if they don't hide or I run out of ammo. But they still might be able to call for back up before I can get the charge onto the Rail Gun. And that still leaves the tanks."
The vulpine focused the sniper to almost the full cycle of the zoom function and looked over the tanks. The weak spot was usually were the main gun met the rest of the vehicle. It was where the ammo bay was located and when you hit the ammo what happens to the tank? It explodes. The place where he needed to strike was such a small spot too, but what if it didn't work? He would be out a round and the ricochet may alert someone on the base before he could reload, not to mention the tracer in the night sky. That wouldn't be a big deal though.
Fox's heart pounded like a drum, he knew he had to get rid of the tanks first. He breathed in and flicked the safety off. He placed the crosshairs on what may as well been the neck of the tank and fired. The tracer of the bullet flew through the air and hit the spot were he was aiming with the utmost accuracy. With a sigh of relief the tank turned to fire immediately on impact of the round. Fox pulled back the bolt and the spent shell popped out just in time for the chamber to receive a new one, and it was another tracer. Fox had to take out the last 1 with speed and grace before the base would become too alert and learn of him and his location. But with god-like speed the last tank soon found a tracer round piercing through the air and striking it right in the neck.
Lights at the base flickered to life as troops poured out of the building. Some went to the tanks only find out that the duo had been destroyed. Others went to the Rail Gun and more still went out of the base slightly and mounted large machine guns on the ground.
Fox flicked his night vision off. He could see the whole base now, clearly too. Fox slipped a shredder round into the LSR2, "It's go time," he whispered it so lightly that only if some one was standing right beside him could here it. He placed the sniper at the targets chest and fired it dropped he reloaded another dropped. It went like this for 10 rounds until he saw no one at all with 10 lifeless figures on the ground. The troops were no naïve. They needed surmountable degree of training to catch up to him.
It was now or never. Fox ran like the wind with the sniper at his back and the machine gun in his hands. He knew he needed the quickness and firepower. It took him 4 minuets flat at a full out run. He splashed through the small creek that was at the bottom of the short valley. Fox felt the water splash onto his combat pants, jacket and even as high as his muzzle. The coolness of the water felt good. Even up and down the slopes didn't seem to even phase the vulpine. Adrenalin fueled him now and he came close to the base he started a slow walk with the machine gun at his shoulder. He moved it all around not leaving a single direction unattended by his watchful eye and the end of his weapon.
Two men ran in front of the Rail Gun controls in attempts the get behind the cover of the AA gun. But it was futile. The vulpine fired the weapon in two controlled bursts and they both dropped in a mid run.
Fox looked at the controls to the large weapon. It was a consol in the open. The consol was small, so he assumed it could be operated by a single person. But it was outside therefore was exposed to the elements. There he would set the charge. The vulpine leaned down and set the one sensor bomb that he had just at the base of the control consol. When he heard steps behind him, with no hesitation he jumped without even looking behind him. Bullets riddled the consol that he had just been in front of. But there was a problem. His back was still to the enemy once he had come out of his roll.
Fox landed on his shoulder and with out even turning he pulled the trigger in, letting the gun fire blindly behind him. He held it with one hand as if it were no lighter then his Class D Blaster. The vulpine let the trigger off and heard the body strike the ground. He turned and was satisfied with his Spartan-like movement. It was amazing and Fox himself stood paralyzed, admiring his work.
Then it struck him that he still had a job to do. It was time to go home. It was time to destroy the thing that had destroyed his Arwing. It would feel good to avenge the death of his fallen fighter. Fox placed the charge under the control panel. He didn't want anyone to find it even after he left. It would be hard to disable. If the D22 explosive device is removed from its resting place before it is disabled it would also explode. Win, win situation unless someone had the skills to disable it which was unlikely but possible. So Fox put it in a place that was still hidden but he could observe it if necessary, he had too make sure that no one got near it.
Fox press a button on the charge that would synchronize it with his HUD. This way he would be able to tell when it is going to explode. His hands dance across the D22. It successfully armed and the numbers on his HUD ran down. It had been set to 10 minuets. That would give him enough time to get a far distance. But which way to go?
A voice came from nowhere it was coerce and scratchy but it was still legible. It still made the vulpine spin around baring his small machine gun. Fox shook his head. He should have known better, "Roger Rail Team! Back up is on the way! We understand that you have Destrophy at your location. We have multiple supports and armor teams coming your way. ETA: 5 minutes," the voice originated from a fallen soldier's radio.
"Agh! No time!" Fox said. He bolted back down the grassy hill and through the valley back to his side. Just as he came to the top of the shale he heard engines. It was still dark but the sky was beginning to lighten, but just to be safe he lay down at the top of the ledge and watched the new troop movement clear the base. Some kicked in doors and others checked the dead bodies. The 5 additional tanks took a strong defensive position.
Fox glimpsed at the decreasing numbers of his HUD. It still read 4 minuets. A lot can happen in that amount of time. It was taking to long. Fox had to make sure that the base would be destroyed.
He snapped a shredder round into the rifle. If he tried really hard he could hit the charge he had placed. And it defiantly would explode. There was no question about that. And if the troops discovered the D22, they might run. This would leave more tanks and infantry to fight him. Or one of the troops did have the skills to disable the bomb it would be a futile attempt for Fox. Leaving him out of contact of the team and to find his own way out, solo. Then what would he do? "No!" Fox told himself, "No chances, get your tail out of here!"
It was the right thing to do. He had to shoot the D22. He breathed in and held his breath in place. He tried as hard as he could to nail the target. Fox put it right in the center of the crosshairs. He referred to his HUD twice, checking the range and wind. It had to be a perfect shot. Fox just hoped that it would hit.
The rifle snipped. The shredder round pierced through the atmosphere narrowly missing the bow of a tank and struck the D22. Immediately after pulling the trigger the vulpine looked away. Fox knew it would be bright. The power of the charge light up the whole night sky. It illuminated the tree line and the valley bellow it and even the position where fox was lit up slightly. The vulpine flattened his body not letting the light expose him even though he was at an extreme distance his training told him to stay hidden.
After the initial explosion Fox put his eye back up to the scope. Night vision was not necessary. The forest the Rail Gun sat under burned. The tall AA weapon toppled over destroying 2 of the armored vehicles and damaging another. The rest of the base was in total confusion. Some soldiers were engulfed by the flames and shrapnel. The others that had kept their distance fired wildly in ever direction, hoping that their bullets would find the mark of what they didn't know was Fox McCloud. Of Destrophy to them.
There were obviously different channels that the bases ran on. Or else he would have heard the broadcast through his own radio. This could be bad. Fox would wait at his position. He had to keep an eye on these troopers. By the sound of the radio that the fallen trooper had, there was a lot more power on this planet. There had to be really. This was the gathering place for all of Andross's tropes, well Oikonny's now. Since they had not all been cleaned up 8 years ago, there would probably be a huge power on this planet, "Yuck!" Fox thought in his head, "K6."
The Great Fox's scanners couldn't have missed that. He had to give them some time. It was still very early. Falco wouldn't like to get up but he will. Fox continued to watch the Rail Gun station. It was amusing watching them run around trying to regroup. Andross's troops have always been so unorganized.
Just incase there was a problem, Fox was taught to always have a backup plan, a plan B. But his options were so very limited. If for some reason the Great Fox missed the power signature. What could he do if that was the case? He would have to find a solution to contacting the Great Fox, and the radio he had didn't have that type of range. The only other solution that came to the mind of the vulpine was to steal one of the enemy ships. He hoped it wouldn't come to this though. The LSR2 ammo would not hold out for ever. He still had the D Class Blaster but that could only get him so far.
"Nah," Fox thought to himself, "It won't come to that. I just gotta wait awhile. They will get here. And they will drag me home. Falco won't be happy about the early wake up though," Fox continued to observe the troops movement. He chuckled watching them scramble.
If that was Corneria's army they would have found secure positions a long time ago. The only thing that evened out the odds of the two military forces was the fact that Andross's military used what have to become known as "Dirty Tactics". Things such as stealth technology and sometimes he would even send massive amounts of men to fight an insignificant force. Once they had outnumbered friendly ground forces 10 to 1 and air craft at 5 to one. I was effective but not efficient. In the long run this was a very stupid thing to do.
Corneria had adopted what was now known to them as "Stock Compatibility". This was something that Andross never caught onto. It could also be called "Backwards Compatibility". Stock Compatibility was giving all the troops and aircraft similar or if not the exact same weapons. If you were on the ground combat zone this allowed troops to share ammunition without having to coordinate the caliber to their weapons, making easy and safe exchange ammo. Ships could salvage compatible parts off others. Like to take another's weapons and make them their own. Therefore making two damaged ships into one good one. If both were the same it made the repairs easy. The Cornerian army was also as organized as to do a weapons swap. This swapped all the weapons on a battle field for brand new ones.
Andross however never did this. He made his own weapons. Each one was unique from all the others. They hadn't been mass produced. Though these new weapons often surpassed the ones of Corneria, they were in disrepair. Each gun was unique and could not salvage parts off another. Not to mention that Andross had dozens of different types of ships if not 100. When they broke down, parts of others could not salvage to repair the weapon. If you broke down you were basically screwed if you were a part of Andross's Army. Most of his fighting space craft were junkers anyway.
Fox continued to watch the base. Awaiting the hissing and whining of the Arwing fighter's engines. It could be a little while but they would get here.
"Stupid Fox! Stupid Cyn! Go be the hero Cyn yeah, get yourself killed. Leave me here!" Rojas had gotten passed the stage of fear and sorrow for his friend and was now angry. I seemed selfish of Cyn to leave him hanging. He had just managed to get the straps that the mercenary had tied him with cut. It had taken a very long time but he spun hid back around the tree until the friction and jagged bark finally worked it's was through the straps.
He leaned down a picked up one of the two machine guns. Neither of them had ammo because the fox had taken both the magazines out. He reached into a compartment on Cyn's armor and pulled out a fresh clip and shoved it into his gun. Rojas kicked the body of Cyn, "Idiot!" He said allowed.
Rojas had no working radio. Command surely knew by now that Destrophy was still alive. They probably thought that he was dead or lying or that he had made a collation with Destrophy. If Andrew knew that it was a member of Starfox, or the leader of Starfox they would have sent everyone out there to find him. Rojas didn't want this. He pulled the receiver of the gun back loading the first bullet into the chamber. It was personal now, he had killed Cyn.
Rojas was mad. If he would have to die to kill Fox McCloud, so be it. It was his kill. Rojas was no longer struck by fear and all the questions had been cleared from his mind. Destrophy was going down. Rojas checked his map and headed toward the Rail Gun. He was sure that the Rail Gun had been destroyed too, "How's the fox getting out of here? He ain't got nowhere to go!" Rojas talked to himself, "He's mine!"
Krystal woke and sat up in the bed. It was still dark but something had woken her. It was a thought wave of satisfaction and fulfillment and even a bit of amusement. She focused on it. It was Fox and he was ready to come home. She smiled and jumped out the bed. Krystal pulled down the grey sweater in witch she had slept in. The vixen walked out the door heading to the room of Peppy hare. She felt comfortable talking to him. He was gentle and was more of a father figure then anything else. She tapped on the door. Soon Peppy came out with tired eyes.
Peppy adjusted his glasses, "Krystal, what can I do for you?"
"It's Fox. He is ready to come home now."
"Are you absolutely sure?" Peppy wanted to confirm this fact. There was no point in sending down shuttles if they would just get shot down.
ROB came over the comm. channel, "The Great Fox's sensors indicate a power spike of that matches the waves of a D22 Sensor Bomb Explosive Charge. It had been pinpointed to match the location of the AA gun."
Krystal gave Peppy an exited look, "Ok," Peppy said to Krystal and pressed a series of buttons by the door. The whole ship lit and soon other people's voices came over the comm. channel.
"Hey! What gives?" Falco was irritated.
Soon another came on too, "Yeah Peppy what's going on?" It was Slippy but he still sounded tired, like he had just woken up.
"Gear up team. We're going to get back our boy! You have 5 minuets to get to your Arwings," Peppy turned off the comm. channel, "You can fly that ship of your's right? Because that's the only thing we have that will bring Fox back," Krystal nodded and Peppy continued, "Good, get to the shuttle bay and bring this with you. You might need it," Peppy handed Krystal his own Class C Blaster.
Falco jumped out of his bed and slipped into his flight suit. Witch was his usual leather jacket and pants. He grabbed the Blaster on his nightstand and holstered it. It was time to get his wingman back. He didn't walk but ran to the hanger when he arrived Slippy was already there.
"How'd you manage to get here so fast?" He asked smugly.
"I got up and got dressed," Slippy yawned. He still sounded like he had just got out of bed. He rubbed his eyes.
"Ok, whatever. Where's the blue fox?" Falco asked just as she came through the door. Because she still wore Fox's clothes she didn't have a holster for the Blaster.
"I'm right here Falco," she said
"Good, here's is what is going to happen. Myself and Slippy here are going to fly our Arwings. Since they don't have the room to carry more then the pilot, you have to fly back my wingman. Don't worry me and Slip will cover you in the Arwings. Try your best not to get shot down, ok?" Falco was smug but he was to the point.
"I'm sure I'll be fine," Krystal answered even though it wasn't much of a question. But she was still a little nervous.
Peppy's voice came over the ships intercom, "Ok team lets move out. Get seated and prepared. Expect a cold reception. Falco and Slippy, keep close to Krystal. We can't have her shot down."
Krystal stepped up the ramp and into her ship. It was larger then the small nimble Arwing fighters. The ship was completely unarmed, and it lacked the G-diffuser systems that the Arwings had. This meant it took some maneuvering to get it into the atmosphere of the planet. She knew how to pilot it though. The ship was roomy too. Well, it was roomy as compared to the Arwings. There was a small room with 2 seats besides the pilots. The passenger seats had no seatbelts, only two rails to hang onto.
She pressed the ignition and the ship hummed at the engine started. The vixen pulled back on the controls and spun the ship around pointing it toward the hatch of the Great Fox. The ship jumped forward as the throttle was pushed forward. But she saw both Arwings burst out from each side and spiral. They were much faster then her ship.
"Alright! Let's do it!" Slippy said on the comm. channel.
"Don't get over confident. There are still going to be bogeys," Falco assured Slippy. "And above all we have to protect Krystal's ship. Got it?"
"I can do that," Slippy said.
The three ships began the decent into K6's atmosphere. Krystal lagged behind the other two mercenaries slightly because of the size and drag of her ship.
"Entering the planets atmosphere," Slippy tapped at the controls for the Arwing, "ETA to Fox's last known position: 5 minuets."
"Take the safeties off your Wing Blasters Slippy. Expect company," Falco adjusted the G-diffuser on his shuttle and changed his angle of attack.