Shadow Fox

Organisation: Freelance mercenary team
Primary Members: 5: Vasili Ilyushin, Crystal Shadowfire, Katina, Volody Tupolev, Komari Gray
Supporting Member(s): 1: Selene Darkon
Leading Member(s): None. All members are considered equals and can make decisions for and speak on behalf of the entire team.
Colours and Insignias: Blue and red are the primary colours of the team. Standard insignias are a black Kyuubi (a 6 tailed fox) and a red five pointed star.
Area(s) of Expertise: Special Forces operations; espionage, intelligence, assassination, covert search and destroy, search and rescue, precision demolitions, etc.
Military Vehicles: 14: One spacecraft carrier, 10 starfighters, 2 Light Strike Vehicles, 1 multi purpose combat vehicle
Headquarters: Mobile base of operations in the form of their spacecraft carrier.
Known Allies: Star Fox, Vertigo, Cornerian Armed Forces, Nikolai Kulikov
Known Enemies: Black Skull Corsairs, Venomian Remnant, Star Wolf, Shadow Hunters
Special Resources: Nikolai Kulikov (independent arms dealer), Milo Kazin (information specialist), New Cerinia
Primary Area(s) of Operation: Lylat System (and surrounding regions), Thundercloud Galaxy
Cost to Employ: Varies, is negotiable though dependent on mission(s) asked of them, hazard pay and other expenses. However, price is seldom less than 50,000 per member of the team involved. It is possible to hire any number of the team members instead of the full team all together.

History: A small, elite team of special forces mercenaries that despite their relatively recent appearance on the widespread stage of the underground world of the mercenaries, they have more than thoroughly demonstrated their skills and abilities on one mission after another to a multitude of employers and have already built a solid reputation. Although they are capable of handling nearly any kind of military or para-military task, they specialise in the demanding and exhausting field of the special forces operative. Espionage in maximum security facilities, assassination of very well protected military and/or government leaders, sabotage of classified, experimental, and/or top secret research and development, search and rescue, and search and destroy deep behind enemy lines with little to no support are the fields of expertise of not just the individual members but the team as a whole. Air/space combat with starfighters is their second of two primary fields and they are capable of carrying out any combat mission that a full squadron of strike fighters can be expected to carry out; from air superiority and interception to close air support and precision ground strikes.

Shadow Fox was formed several years ago by Vasili Ilyushin, Crystal Shadowfire and Katina when the three of them were working alongside with several fellow mercenaries and friends as part of a task force hired by the Cornerian Government prior to the Anglar Wars. The three mercenaries had formed a sub group within the larger group of mercenaries that specialised in cover operations and special forces missions, as well as a three ship cell of starfighters that served as the lead group for the larger mercenary group's air and space forces. The radio call sign for the three ship cell, and later the group when on foot became Shadow Fox, which later would serve as the name of the soon to be formed independent team. The three core members operated with the larger group of mercenaries for approximately two years, after which the larger group began to disband as the individual mercenaries and small groups of them began to strike off on their own. The three members of the Shadow Fox strike group decided to stay together and work as a small, independent team and after departing the company of their comrades they set about organising themselves. It was during this time that the team's fourth member, Volody Tupolev joined with them and formed the first incarnation of Shadow Fox as a freelance team.

Initially, the team started out with just what personal vehicles and weapons the individual members personally possessed, but over a rather short time they were able to acquire several more, most notably their mobile base of operations, the spacecraft carrier which would become known as the Shadow Dragun a few months before their first major mission as a team. Following the conclusion of their first mission and in fact being the payment for said mission, the team's now standard starfighter, the Starfire would become part of not just the military hardware but the 'signature' of the team as well.

Following their second mission, in which the team forged an alliance with the legendary Star Fox team, Komari Gray joined the team as a primary member, and an advanced android known as Selene Darkon joined in a support role. Komari added her demolition skills and piloting prowess to act as a 'full' fifth member of the team and would participate directly in all missions of the team from this point onwards, while Selene would not be a part of combat operations or operational missions, at least not from the same viewpoint as the other five. Selene would oversee operations of the Shadow Dragun and run the ship while the team was both on board and away during missions as well as during any combat scenarios. She would also function as battlefield support by using the Dragun's weapons and equipping the team in the field with supplies, weapons, ammunition, and vehicles using the Dragun's tractor beam arrays.

During combat and other operational missions, each team member generally focuses on one or two areas of expertise that they specialise in and while in general each member is competent in other fields, they tend to focus on their specialties and let their comrades cover other areas. Between the various fields of expertise covered by each of the five members, any deficiency of one or two is covered by the others, allowing them to effectively negate any individual weaknesses through working as a combined team.

Long range precision shooting and all aspects of starfighter combat are handled by Vasili Ilyushin. Although Shadow Fox does not have a team leader, when the team flies combat missions with their starfighters, the team assumes a strike group formation with Vasili acting in a leadership role. This is due mainly to increase cohesion and the combat capabilities of the team as a whole due to the military tactics and maneuvers the team usually employs.

Specialising in multiple heavy weapons such as large caliber sniper rifles, anti-armour weaponry and close air support, Volody Tupolev is one of two fire support members and the main heavy weapons expert. When the mission calls for heavy support in covert operations, his computer and security slicing skills are called into play, where he can generally slice through any electronic barrier or countermeasure in the team's way.

For fighting up close and personal, the enigmatic vixen known only as Katina dominates the battlefield with precision pistol marksmanship and hand to hand combat techniques. She, along with Crystal Shadowfire are the main infiltration and convert internal operations specialists. She also maintains contacts with many of the team's allies as well. Assassination is also another specialty...when ever the team needs to eliminate high ranking enemy personnel protected under heavy guard, Katina is the natural choice.

Covert infiltration and espionage as well as intelligence collection and precision sabotage is carried out by Crystal Shadowfire, the team's resident psychic. Between her paranormal abilities and her own natural prowess for stealth and concealment she has a natural talent for covert infiltration operations. She's also a competent marksman and sharpshooter, and while she usually fights in very close quarters, she carries a special purpose battle rifle that can switch roles from close quarters firefights to long range sniping should the need arise during a mission.

Rounding out the team's capabilities is Komari Gray. For any kind of demolitions work, from small scale precision work to full out building demolitions, Komari can handle anything. Custom built explosives, optimised for each individual mission requirement as needed is her strongest point and all the members of the team carry and deploy specially made explosives as part of their regular combat gear. Heavy fire support is also a specialty, and she along with Tupolev provide the team's high volume, heavy fire and anti armour support when the need arises.

Perhaps rather uniquely for a team such as this, Shadow Fox has no set leader. All members of the team, even Selene Darkon are considered full equals and all can speak on behalf of the team, accept or decline missions and generally make any decision for the team as they see fit. Of course, the members will all get together to talk over matters and discuss any missions accepted/declined and other details pertaining to the team as a whole, but Shadow Fox never had nor curently has the need for anyone to act as a leader.

Currently the team pries the spacelanes of the Lylat System and occasionally some regions of the Thundercloud Galaxy. Not long ago, the team has set up a small, unofficial 'base' of sorts in the Corneria City spaceport in Docking Hanger 44. It is here where the Shadow Dragun is most frequently docked and where one can find anywhere from one to all the members of the team when they're not out on a combat mission. Provided one can meet their 'financial requirements' and are asking for a mission that genuinely asks for their specialised skills, this is the most common and likely place one can make contact with the team and hire their services.

*****
My Star Fox universe fan team, Shadow Fox. For hire, if you can afford the service contract and fees. XD

All due credit to Nintendo where needed. Everything not Nintendo is Copyright to me
Drawing of the fox emblem by tyrannus36. Colour and conversion to a battle ensign by me