Disclaimer: I don't own Storm Hawks or any of its ideas, characters, or anything else that comes out of its universe. So don't sue.
Chapter 1 - The Invitation
The calm night air blew through the sky as the Condor lazily ran its course, circling a small Terra near the edge of the charted Atmos. Its inhabitants slept easily as their ship rocked slightly back and forth in the calm breeze; the only noise that could be heard was the gentle snoring of a Wallop as the ship almost shook with each of his tremendous snores.
The silence was broken as a large man covered in black armor came down with a resounding clang against the Condor's cold metal landing strip; he stood tall and left his pack at the end of the Condor's landing strip.
He skulked in through the large hanger doors and began to walk down the halls looking for his target. It took him a few minuets before a small light from the kitchen caught his dark eyes.
As he peered into the room he had found his target, Aerrow. His master had been very clear in his orders; he was to find the sky knight and relay her message, he wasn't sure why but Nightcrawlers never questioned orders.
In his Master's new plan to rule the Atmos they were still a vital part of the Empire but he could tell that with her change of strategy the past few years she had other things on her mind. Many in the Empire thought that it was an excellent strategy and now the future of the Empire was secure and the glory of Cyclonia would be the only history of the Atmos.
Many of the Nightcrawlers under his command had been a little irked at the news but he kept them in check. They were a loyal group and they all knew that in the new Cyclonian plan they would still have a vital place. True to his thoughts now they were still Master Cyclonis's personal guard, but they were also the Terra's elite infantry, called in for only the most needed of missions.
He remembered his wife had told him one night, over a pile of sludge she called dinner, that now with the more peaceful Atmos they could start a family. She raved on and on about how she wanted a daughter like his master; he only shrived as he secretly feed his "dinner" to their track beast; a common pet in the Nightcrawler ranks.
He shook off his musings and went into the kitchen to complete his mission. The sky knight didn't even notice him as he leaned against the door frame.
"Personally I can't fathom what the Master sees in you" he said with an air of darkness that seemed to only exist in the voices of Nightcrawlers.
Aerrow fell to the ground from the table and stood back up quickly. He smirked as the flustered sky knight looked at him wearily. Aerrow had been unable to sleep and had sent to the kitchen for a snack.
Now he was starring at one of Master Cyclonis's Nightcrawlers. He wasn't sure what to think of this little intrusion, for the fast few years Cyclonia had done a complete 180 in their tactics and the Storm Hawks hadn't encountered hostile Cyclonian forces for years, let alone a Nightcrawler.
"What do you want?" he asked trying to gauge the reaction of his dark visitor.
"Well normally these days we wouldn't be…"
"Breaking in?" he asked.
"It was open" he replied quickly, trying not to hit him for cutting him off.
"Anyways, I'm here for a reason" he added.
""And that is?" Aerrow asked gesturing his hand in a circle.
"Master Cyclonis requests you're presence" he said with a sly smile on this dark face.
"And she couldn't call?" Aerrow asked trying to get a rise out of the static soldier.
"Very funny" he responded clearly not amused by Aerrows attempt at humor.
"I try" He added grinning. They may have no longer been warring with them but that didn't mean he couldn't have fun with him.
"Anyways she wishes to meet with you. Terra Draco, tomorrow night at ten. Don't be late" he almost spat at him.
"Why?" Aerrow asked trying to gain anything he could from the mysterious man is his kitchen so late at night.
"I am but a humble messenger" he replied sneering at the Aerrow beneath his dark hood.
"Sure" Aerrow replied as he stood up from his table.
"Master Cyclonis sends her elite troops to talk to a single sky knight all the time" he added as he put his glass in the sink.
"Apparently you're the exception" he said in a tone that Aerrow could tell showed that he knew very little.
"Despite her being on the up and up the past few years what makes her think that I'd come?" Aerrow asked trying to see what else the Nightcrawler had been told about the rendezvous.
"She said you might ask that" he replied with a sinister smile on his face.
"And?" Aerrow asked hopping this time he would actually be gifted with some information.
"Her response was to tell you that you would be sorry if you didn't come" he replied.
"Is that a threat?" Aerrow asked with a serious tone to his voice.
"Of course not" he replied trying to ensure he actually showed up the following night.
"It is only her opinion" he quickly added.
"If it's all on the up and up why come at night all cloak and dagger?" he questioned.
"That is our way" he replied, almost annoyed with his incessant questions.
"So, Terra Draco?" he asked, ensuring he had the right place.
"Yes, and come alone" he added.
"Yeah that will happen" Aerrow responded with a slight chuckle.
"So long as it's not that incessantly loud one it would be acceptable for you to bring someone" he said.
"Which one is the incessantly loud one?" Aerrow questioned.
"You have more then one?" He replied, obviously surprised at how squadron filled with these kinds of people could be so important to his Master.
"Well there's Junko, he is pretty clumsy" Aerrow said as her started counting off his squad on his fingers.
"Then there's Finn. He is definitely loud" he continued.
"Then there's…"
"The one the Master thinks is getting to "handsy" with you" he hissed back.
"Piper?" Aerrow asked almost surprised.
"That's the one" he replied smiling beneath his mask.
Aerrow frowned. He knew very well Piper and Master Cyclonis still had their differences after all these years but he never dear mention it to her or he risked waking up with purple hair, or green toenails. Still he couldn't understand why Cyclonis was concerned that there could be something romantic or at least physical between them.
"Why would she be concerned with who is getting "handsy" with me?" he asked.
"She wouldn't" he stated very firmly.
"But Piper would not allow this little meeting to happen, would she?" he added.
"Alright" Aerrow said.
"Besides you and the Master will have you're meeting in private, you're guest will wait outside with Mistress Ravess" he replied.
"Alright then. Tell her I'll be there" Aerrow said.
"You won't be sorry" he said.
"Let's hope not" Aerrow muttered.
With the conclusion of their conversation Aerrow followed the Nightcrawler to the hanger doors. Aerrow notice that indeed they had been left unlocked; he made a mental note to ask Stork about that.
"Listen Aerrow" the Nighcrawler said as he turned back.
"Our Master does not freely give precious time to many, you should consider yourself lucky" he added.
"I do" Aerrow replied.
Aerrow knew very well that Master Cyclonis did not very often venture into the public; well at least outside of Cyclonia. Since the change of pace and the apparent peace she was constantly heard from but rarely seen outside of her growing empire.
Aerrow had a few encounters with her over the years, some bad but many were those that could be called good.
"She is rather…" Aerrow said as he tried to determine a word that described her.
"Intoxicating?" his dark companion replied as her smirked at him.
"Yeah" Aerrow replied smiling.
"I mean…" he added quickly before his guest noticed the slip.
"I know very well what you mean" he said. Aerrow could swear he saw a smile under his dark hood.
"Perhaps if you put aside what you believe to be true the darkness will provide answers you seek" he added quite cryptically.
"That some ancient Cyclonian wisdom?" Aerrow asked, slightly amused by the warriors rather deep words.
"Yes" he replied.
"And it means?" Aerrow asked.
"If I told you that what would be the fun" he said smirking.
"You would do well to peer into that darkness and see what it hides" he added.
"And why's that?" Aerrow asked, now growing more intrigued.
"The second part of that ancient wisdom; all those who venture into the darkness find something that they will treasure" he finished.
"Treasure?" Aerrow asked.
"Figure it out yourself" he replied.
As their conversation ended the Nightcrawler ran to his pack at the end of the deck and strapped it on.
"Wait" Aerrow called.
"I'm sure the Master will be willing to chat more tomorrow night" he said.
"You should plan for a long visit" he added.
Before Aerrow could ask another question or even sprout another word he was gone. The Nightcrawler had jumped off the deck and could now be seen gliding into the night sky far in the distance.
Aerrow didn't know exactly what had just happened but he knew that he could get answers the next night. He returned to his room, ensuring to lock the hanger doors behind him and tried to salvage that night's sleep, he was going to need it if he was to stay up all night with Cyclonis tomorrow.