As the group of friends managed to get their Arwings out of the atmosphere, they found that this didn't quite make them safe. A pitched space battle was still ongoing, with Lylat forces heavily engaged with a rather surprising armada under Oikonny's banner...and several of them immediately began targeting the group once they entered space.
"Well that could have gone better!" Diane giggled playfully over the comms as she sent her Arwing into a spin around the first volley of shots, managing to deflect every single one before they could hit the group.
"So what now?" Jackie demanded irritably as she began shooting the closest, doing her best to inflict enough damage to make a path...somewhere.
"We need to get to the Great Fox," Sunset stated firmly as she swerved around one fighter that tried to crash into her, braking so she could get a few shots off before accelerating to catch up with everyone else. "If my folks are here, it'll be here, and it's the safest place this side of Solaar."
"Then we just need to find it," Raquel growled as she shifted rapidly between "high speed" and "high maneuverability" modes on her Arwing to pull maneuvers that left her pursuers baffled and crashing into each other. "Would it be towarrrds the back of the forrrmation orrr the frrront?"
"Depends on who's calling the shots of the space battle, and whether or not my folks are already planetside," Sunset allowed worriedly. "But we need to find out fast."
"I just had a crazy idea!" Pris called out with a somewhat crazed laugh.
"Oh dear..." Faris murmured worriedly as the 'field repair kits' attached to her fighter began shifting under her controls. "Be careful..."
"What's the idea?" Sunset asked curiously.
"Sync the reactions of your G-Diffuser to mine," Pris explained as she shot dangerously close to an enemy fighter, leading to its weapons fire exploding in the barrel due to the wake of her Diffuser's passage. "We'll spin around each other until we build up a ton of speed, then slingshot through the formation! Whoever finds the Great Fox radios the others!"
"That's insane!" Jackie barked out in shock.
"The systems can't handle strrress like that anymorrre than you can!" Raquel insisted worriedly.
"I knew you'd come up with something like this..." Faris groaned morosely.
"Sounds dangerous..." Sunset mused thoughtfully before grinning eagerly. "I'm in!"
"Or we could just run away with everyone else since more Aparoids show up!" Diane suggested thoughtfully. As she spoke, dozens of purple, butterfly like creatures descended on the two armadas heading for the planet below, sending most of the ships scurrying every which way. "Like they are now."
Pris pouted. "Well sure, if you want to do it the lame way..."
"How about the way that gets us all home safe 'n sound?" Jackie grunted as she jerked her ship to the side, just barely evading the descending Aparoid.
"So...since no one's shooting at each other anymore, maybe we could try calling the Great Fox?" Faris suggested diffidently.
At that moment, three Aparoids were obliterated by concentrated magical cannon fire, and a massive ship's prow moved into the space left behind. "Sunset, is that you?" a familiar stilted signal came through.
"Or they might be able to track me by my ACSU suit's energy wavelength, or my magical one," Sunset allowed ruefully with a wide grin. "It's me, Brobot! Can my friends and I get on board before things get worse?"
"Docking bay open," ROB stated firmly as the Great Fox turned to present the docking bay to the group. "I will get all of you to a safe distance until Fox and the others can regroup."
"Would have been awesome..." Pris grumbled under her breath as the group came in for landing.
Once everyone was aboard, it wasn't long before more fighters came to dock. To Sunset's surprise, she saw Krystal's ship alongside the four Arwings her father, uncles, and grandpa used in battle. "Is it that big?" she asked worriedly.
"It was once the Aparoids showed up," ROB clarified as he allowed Sunset to check the readouts on each ship as it came in. To her relief, none were even damaged. "Thankfully, the magitek upgrades made each fighter more than a match for a single Aparoid solo, even with Slippy at the helm. The scouting force has been completely eliminated."
"Scouting force?" Pris asked worriedly.
"It's the pattern the Aparoids followed last time," Diane explained with a frown. "First there's a scouting force, a small group that hits one or two planets to investigate...something, we don't know what. Not long after that, the main swarm comes in, thousands strong. Last time, something happened that caused them to withdraw, we don't know what."
"So the swarm is coming," Fox concluded with a firm frown as he entered the bridge with everyone else. "And we all need to be ready to face it...and whatever might come after." He turned to ROB. "Get in contact with General Pepper immediately. We're going to need a council of war as fast as possible."
"Already making contact," ROB stated firmly.
Sunset leaned over to Jackie. "Think you could contact your Gramps and get him involved on our side?" she whispered hopefully.
"If you get me a secure comline and some privacy, I'll see what I can do-" Jackie began.
At that moment, the com screen blinked. "Incoming communication..." ROB began before his voice trailed off. From the way his head moved, had he eyebrows, they would have raised.
Mental note, give him eyebrows at some point, Sunset thought to herself.
"...from Star Wolf," ROB finished.
"Seriously?" Fox demanded harshly. "What does he want?"
"...you could try asking?" Krystal suggested warily.
Fox was silent for a time. "Put him on screen," he growled finally.
The com screen lit up, and Wolf O'Donnell's silver furred face appeared. "Fox McCloud," he began coldly.
"What are you doing here, Wolf?" Fox demanded irritably.
"My business here is just that, my business," Wolf growled back. "I'd just rather not have to deal with dodging your fire while I deal with this, so consider this a courtesy call-"
With a groan, Jackie stepped forward. "Ah'm just fine, Gramps," she grumbled irritably as they both fell silent as she spoke up. "Ah'm already safe, so ya don't need to go down and get me."
"Gramps?" Fox and Krystal asked each other quietly in surprise, even as Falco struggled to stifle snickers.
Wolf went completely still. "And what are you doing on the Great Fox, Jacqueline?"
"Visiting a friend at her place?" Jackie countered with a playful smirk as she leaned casually against Sunset.
Wolf turned to stare at them for a time, then let out a rueful sigh that was half groan. "This is going to complicate things..."
"Save the complications fer after the Aparoids are dealt with," Jackie suggested firmly. "Plenty o' time ta figure out how ta be friendly rivals instead o' bitter enemies."
"Somehow I can't see that happening as long as Pigma's working for you, after what he did," Fox growled at Wolf.
"Then it's a good thing he isn't anymore," Wolf snarled angrily. "Not when he's willing to sell out to an infestation."
"He's working with the Aparoids?" Diane gasped in surprise. "Why?"
"We'll go over that once your grandfather is in the loop," Wolf stated bluntly. "I don't want to say it more than once."
Nice job, Tatsu. Hey got a minute?
Yay! Things are going once more! (I say this because I don't really read blogs, and don't know what goes on IRL for the author.)
i really wanna set up a betting table. i really do. but i can't on this authors channel.
Oh this is interesting
Thank you my friend for the great stories, who says you have to go outside to have fun? Am I right people?
✋ (don't leave me hanging...)
Given that Wolf confirmed he's not Jackie's grandfather, I'm going to say he's her granduncle since he's too young to be a great grandfather.
Awesome seeing a bunch of your stories getting updated again! Welcome back!
Even in Alt U's slippy gets crapped on.
10420074
When did Wolf confirm he wasn't her grandfather?
10420079
Hey, they know he's immensely skilled as a mechanic. But he's self-admitted he's the worst pilot on the team.
Good to see things have settled at last for you.
10420087
Hey, you have a minute? I have an idea.
10420087
If Wolf wasn't confirming he wasn't Jackie's grandfather, and in fact was her grandfather, then to have the line make sense, it should read your other grandfather, meaning either her paternal or maternal one depending on which one Wolf is.
So great to see this story back. Now to remember who is the analog for who in Equestria Girls. I can spot Pinkie, Rarity, and Rainbow Dash.
10420135
Could just be that he was referring to himself in the third person like Trixie does. Elders do that sometimes.
10420140
But why emphasize your in that sentence?
Aparoid Pigma, though...
I like the relation with Wolf and Jackie
10420135
Dianes ganpappy is General Pepper...
10420135
He was addressing Diane there, referring to General Pepper.
10420135
Wolf IS actually Jackies gramps, she confirmed it...
10420165
Okay. I was just confused because gramps can be used to refer not only to one's own grandfather, but also their granduncle, great grandfather, and even a male elderly friend of the family. I should probably see if I can find where she specifically uses grandfather or grandpa when referring to Wolf.
10420169
last chapter or the chapter before that...
10420169
i just back checked, it was in the chapter 'Racing Danger'..
Iiiin a manner of speaking.
Glad to see this is back, I really can't wait to see where this goes.
nice work and welcome back.
10420151
Huh. Forgot that actually was italicized. Thought that was just you doing it to emphasize the word. My bad.
In that case, no clue. Could be a different grandfather?
Good to hear from you again.
10420238
He was addressing Diane, talking about her Grandfather, General Pepper.
10420135
He was replying to Diane with that sentence, so he meant her Gramps, not Jackie's. Logical, since I remember Diane has General Pepper in that role.
10420087
Make that “In all known creation” and you’ll get how bad Slippy truly is.
10420283
Aaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, my bad.
10420071
🤚
Especially with everything going on with the world right now!
As much as I would love for Wolf to be the Gran Pear of this uni just for him to be voiced by Shatner, I'm guessing he's the local Granny Smith's "problem"?
...yeah, I completely forgot Jackie and Diane had important grandfathers, but still a nice chapter.
10420136
I think it was Diane=Pinkie, Jackie=AJ, Pris=RD, Faris=Fluttershy, and Racquel=Rarity?
You live!
Though did Raquel crash in some parts of the chapter?
Raficki say it best:
10420184
Like I said, Gramps can mean more than just grandfather, though it does eliminate the family friend. He could still be a granduncle who she considers her grandfather more than her actual grandfather is/was, or he could be 1 or more generations further up the tree than her mom/dad's dad.
A new update...? FINALLY!!! (What took you so long?)
10420335
thank you!
Nice update, especially getting the start of Star Fox and Star Wolf working together against a common foe. I can't wait to see how Sunset and her friends get dragged into the war despite their families trying their best to keep the girls out of the fighting.
10420074
He was talking about Pinkie’s Grandfather. I don’t remember her name in doc, but you know I’m talking about the poodle girl
Thank you I enjoyed this
10420877
probability of getting the Twi analog in this is high...
I have a feeling he didn't want to deal with Star Fox when it came to his Granddaughter. This will make awkward meetings for a while. (sweatdrop)
Baby verse
10421638
No bet. The off-site blog for this story's artist includes a purple (lab)rat and her older purple and green reptilian brother.
10426735
thats not what i meant, i meant that this situation that Shimy is in, this Assault, will somehow lead to her meeting with a Twi, since she didnt in the Academy...
10420980
Diane.
I just realized you gave Zeke (the Zephyr Breeze stand in) more character than the actual character has.
That being said, I have no problem seeing Zephyr as a very protective younger sibling.
Zeke going as far as getting six Arwings? I see it. I like it. And I want to see what happens after the briefing Wolf is going to give.
Recently came across this, and I thought everyone here might enjoy it:
10434692
Thank you