With the Bolse Defense Outpost destroyed, all that stood between Team Star Fox, the Cornerian armada, and Venom itself was the aerial defense field in Sector 6. With the battle being against an entire defensive armada of fighters, stations, and other unknown defenses, the Ar-Wing team would have to be backed up with the Great Fox and its weaponry. This didn't sit entirely well with everyone.
"I get that we need the Great Fox's firepower to deal with the capital ships in the inner air space," Fox allowed grimly, "but I don't like bringing Sunset any closer to Andross and his forces than we have to...and with Wolf and his team already going after the Great Fox at Bolse, this feels too close."
"Agreed," Krystal confirmed worriedly. "I'm just glad Wolf seems to think I'm the source of Slippy's new developments. With any luck, Andross will think the same and won't go after her."
"That's not much in the way of luck today even if that is the case," Falco pointed out. "You'll be aboard the Great Fox with Sunset. Same danger either way, and Andross wouldn't think twice about using Sunset to get to you if he thinks you're the source."
"That would not end well," Peppy murmured thoughtfully.
"Talk about an understatement," Slippy pointed out ruefully. "Venom's atmosphere is filled with an unknown energy reaction...which the Great Fox's scanners are picking up as somewhat magical in nature, though not the same type as Sunset and Krystal use. I don't know what would happen if we took the Great Fox or Sunset into the atmosphere, but it's something we definitely shouldn't try!"
"So we won't," Fox stated firmly. "We take out Sector 6, and then the Wings go in without backup. And...hope for the best."
With the plan decided - if somewhat uncertainly - the group made their way into Venom airspace. The Great Fox's secondary weapons were just as powerful as its old primary weapons had been, blasting through the larger fortifications at a distance as the Ar-Wings flew ahead, taking out the smaller ships and the mine fields. The Great Fox focused on taking down the capital ships as they moved deeper, though refraining from using any of the larger firepower to avoid drawing attention from Venom.
Krystal had her hands full keeping Sunset from trying to assist in the battle, holding the filly tight in her lap as she struggled and wailed. There may not have been anywhere else for her, but in the midst of a battle of this scale obviously wasn't the right place for her. Thankfully, the Great Fox was still far from being fully infused with magical energy, making it easy for Rob to simply redirect Sunset's angry magical flailing into the ship's circuitry.
When the missiles started coming up from the surface, all four Ar-Wings focused on taking them down before they could get too close, with some backup from the Great Fox's smaller guns. The surplus of materials Slippy was able to produce with Sunset's magical energy had enabled adding even more weaponry onto the Great Fox to back up the fighters, and now was the best time to deploy it.
As they got closer, Andross himself came on the comms. "Ah, the son of James McCloud," the ancient ape observed dryly, his voice urbane and composed. "You've made some changes to those tin cans since what he flew...and you're using a most interesting energy source, one I've investigated in the past. But I never found anything of this potency in my explorations. Wolf may be on the wrong track, but I know that no mere Cerinian had this level of output. So the question remains...where did you find it? And how did you learn to weaponize it so fast?" He chuckled darkly. "I can see in your faces I've struck a nerve. You don't want to tell me. In that case, I'll enjoy showing you that even at this level you are no match for me...and taking those tin cans apart piece by piece to find your secrets, even if I must continue to taking you apart piece by piece..." His wicked laughter echoed louder. "And then...I'll make those fools pay for doubting me. The answers to my research are in your hands, and I will claim them..."
As the communication cut off, Falco cut in. "Rob, get the Great Fox out of range now!" he ordered firmly.
"But-"Krystal interrupted.
"Do it, Rob!" Fox and Peppy ordered simultaneously.
"Withdraw to Solaar orbit!" Slippy ordered firmly. "We'll signal when we're ready for pickup!"
"Orders confirmed," Rob replied as the Great Fox turned to leave Venom air space.
"DAAADYYY!" Sunset wailed as the ship moved out of communication range.
"So that's it," Slippy murmured over the comms as they moved in further towards Venom. "Andross was researching bio-weaponry as a way of weaponizing magical energy on a scale that simply didn't exist before, which we've unwittingly managed to do. Whatever happens, we can't be captured here."
"Then we won't," Falco declared firmly. "We'll tear everything here inside out, including Andross!"
Fox remained silent as the others discussed what they had to do, remaining silent even as the last defense of Venom's air space - a massive bio-metal sphere armed to the teeth that seemed to phase into reality at the last possible defense point - engaged the group. As they opened fire and eventually destroyed it, Fox was left with only one question.
Krystal was from so far beyond the Lylat system that she didn't even know what a handshake was, and yet her people had been space capable. So how under the Twin Stars had Andross learned of Cerinia? As part of his 'research'? But why? And when?
As Fox led the charge into Venom's atmosphere, he knew that question would haunt him. It was only a theory - more a hypothesis, really - but he couldn't shake the feeling, given what Krystal had told him, that Andross had something to do with the destruction of Cerinia.