Chapter 3: What do you want us to do?
Aerrow, Radarr and Piper made their way back to the entrance of the cave. Luna had told them the way out and then left them to get the crate of energy crystals and a crate of supplies back to the Condor. Aerrow had radioed in and told Junko to get to the engine room to prepare the engine for a different, but equally, arrival of crystals. Aerrow had also learnt, to his disappointment, that Finn had woken up from his hypnotized state.
"Aerrow, are you sure were going the right way?" Piper asked turning to Aerrow who was intently gazing at the mass earth and rock that these people had to a sanctuary.
"Just keep walking Piper. We'll get to the exit fast enough if we just keep heading straight." Aerrow replied reaching up behind him to pet Radarr who was slouched lazily over his shoulders. "You still hanging in there buddy?" he asked as Radarr let out a little sigh of boredom.
"Aerrow look!" Piper squealed as she ran forward to where a small shaft of sunlight peeped through the entrance of the cave.
"See, I told you we'd find the way out soon enough!" Aerrow said smiling as they approached the entrance of the tunnel.
"Look." Piper exclaimed as they left the cave behind and walked out onto the Terra, "There's the Condor. Look there's Stork at the helm." Piper said waving their helmsman.
"Yeah, Stork looks happy, which is weird!" Aerrow said looking a bit confused, "Stork usually looks like he's about to break into one of his famous mind worms attacks!" he added remembering the last time they'd left Stork in the Condor alone.
"Forget about it. It's good to see Stork happy for once." Piper chimed running up the Condor's landing platform, and into the hanger bay.
"You run ahead Radarr, I'll be up in a sec." Aerrow reassured his furry friend as he urged him off his shoulder. Aerrow watched as Radarr ran up the ramp and into the hanger bay. He turned away to face the Terra. It wasn't fair to Luna's people. They were living I almost total darkness with little food and water. The Cavernians were grateful to the Storm Hawks for their promise to rid their Terra of the Cyclonian Talons, but Aerrow still didn't feel right about taking some of their precious supplies.
"Aerrow? Are you alright?" Came Pipers voice from behind him. Aerrow swung around to find himself face to face with a very worried looking Piper.
"I'm fine Piper!" Aerrow lied, of all the things that had happened today, he didn't need a worried Piper on his back.
"You're no good at lying Aerrow!" Piper explained giving a little giggle.
"I thought I was pretty good at it, since you believed me when I told you that a stray flying bolder hit your room and destroyed your crystal collection." Aerrow remarked only just realizing that he'd just blurted out what he'd been doing the other night while Piper was in the shower.
"I guessed you were lying. Anyway, what's the use in fighting each other? We have a Terra to protect so let's do it!" Piper chanted raising her right fist into the air.
"You took the words right out a' my mouth." Aerrow said flashing Piper a cheeky grin.
Aerrow watched as Piper strode back into the Condor. He quickly followed, not wanting to be left behind.
As Piper and Junko sorted out the crystals below, Aerrow sat uncomfortably at the table on the bridge. He watched as Stork put the Condor into flight mode and readied for takeoff and Radarr started to search for any oncoming crafts using the Condor's periscope. Aerrow wanted to do something about the problem on Terra Cavernia, but to be honest; he hated it when he ran into Master Cyclonis' Talons. Just then a sound came from in the corridor. Aerrow got up from the table to see who was making all the racket. Only to find Finn struggling to keep his balance as he wandered through the ship.
"Finn! What's up?" Aerrow asked innocently.
"What's up? I'll tell you what's up? You and Piper hypnotized me and left me with Stork and Junko whilst you, Piper and your stupid little ferret went off to a creepy Terra and got to hang with the locals. That's what's up!" Finn yelled at Aerrow.
"Finn, we warned you," Aerrow explained, "and you didn't listen. So you paid the consequences."
"Tell me Aerrow do you have an interest in girls 'cos if you don't then explain to me why you left me here. I swear Storks mind worms are true 'cos there's something funny going on here!" Finn yelled a tad quieter than the first time.
"Finn, don't mention mind worms in front of Stork. You know he'll chase you round with that anti-mind worm stuff that smells like…I'm not even going to say it." Aerrow replied to Finn's taunt.
"Good point." Finn said trying to keep his voice down so that Stork didn't hear the word 'mind worms'.
"Yeah, and I'm sorry about the hypnotizing you thing." Aerrow apologized laying a hand on Finn's shoulder.
"It's okay, I'll forgive you. So long as I get to play my rock, in the Condor whenever I like and however loud I like." Finn asked putting out his hand to shake on an agreement with Aerrow.
"I don't know about that Finn. Piper needs to study and your rock is...um…very…um…loud." Aerrow tried to find the words to say to Finn without hurting his feelings.
"Fine," Finn agreed, "so what are we actually doing here anyway?" he continued to ask looking out of the bridge windows that were behind Aerrow.
"We're here to stop the Master Cyclonis' Talons from wiping out an entire village of people." Aerrow explained to Finn, who now had a very frightened look on his face.
"You mean...those Talons?" Finn asked pitifully as he pointed out of the windows behind Aerrow at the swarm of about a hundred Cyclonian Talons being lead by Ravess and Snipe.