Mere minutes after Hunter left Adara's shop, he and the Storm Hawks were back on the Condor and holding a meeting. The seven of them stood around the round table on the bridge, Stork as far from Hunter as possible, and Aerrow was speaking.
"Alright. Did anybody find some useful information?" he asked.
"I got a map," Hunter offered, spreading it over the table. Aerrow nodded once and looked to the boys.
Junko said, "Uh, we found some people that said they saw Cyclonians flying over the terra earlier."
"Yeah," Finn put in, "and some super-hot chicks who were totally into me. I could've sworn I've seen one of them before, though..."
"Anyway," Aerrow interrupted. "Good job, guys. Which way were they flying?"
"North," said Junko with a triumphant grin.
"Alright. Stork, take us north. Hunter, if you would, you and Piper help him out with that map."
Hunter and the Storm Hawks he'd addressed nodded and did as told, and Aerrow directed, "Be on the lookout for any signs of Cyclonian activity."
...
Half an hour later, Stork's wavering voice came from the helm. "Uh, does this count as Cyclonian activity?" He pointed nervously out the front windows. Everyone looked up and followed the line of his slender green finger to the terra they were approaching.
There, the surface seemed to writhe and move on its own, so completely covered was it by vehicles and people dressed in the red and dark green of Cyclonia.
Twin cruisers, deep red and ribbed with silver supports, were tethered next to each other at a jagged sky dock protruding from the dark terra's face. Talons and Nightcrawler warriors milled over the black stone land, carrying out orders, surely, from Master Cyclonis herself.
In the center of it all stood a tower, its sides crumbling, once tall and regal but now decrepit and scarred by time and war. Its every surface was rock as black as the night, highlighted with veins of lava red and pocked with cracks and ugly dents.
A lone dragon circled above, a sole protector, endlessly carving its rounds in the sky above the structure, and weak light shone from the lowest levels of the tower where Cyclonians were taking shelter. Flame licked across the ground in the distance seemingly at random.
The scene was remarkably depressing on more than one level, and the Storm Hawks each felt a chill creep up their spine as they looked upon it.
"Whoa..." Finn was the first to speak.
"Uh, yeah, definitely Cyclonians," Junko confirmed.
Aerrow stepped up to the window, expression determined. "Let's go take down Cyclonis." he said. A hint of a smile pulled at his lips.
Piper's brows drew together with worry. Take down? They were only here to take her into custody. That's what Aerrow had meant to say, probably. Pipe shook her head to clear it and joined him at the window, and Aerrow turned his gaze to her.
"I'll bet Master Cyclonis is in the tower. We need a plan to get in there, get her, and get out. I'll let you work out the details," he said shortly, and stepped away to the center table.
Aerrow rested his fists on the tabletop and addressed his team: "Stork, I want you to stay here with Piper, Radarr and Hunter and keep the Condor ready to fly in case of trouble. Junko, Finn, you're with me. As soon as Piper's got a plan we'll have a briefing and take flight. Got it?"
The Storm Hawks nodded in return, Radarr leaping up onto Aerrow's shoulder with a pleased chirp.
"Aerrow, you're still unstable," Piper pointed out then. "Are you sure you can do this?"
"It doesn't matter whether I'm sure. Cyclonis has to be brought to justice," he replied, straightening up.
"But what if you lose control in the middle of the mission and blow your cover? That place is crawling with Cyclonians. They'd have you captured in a second!" Piper cried, taking an emphatic step forward.
Finn and Junko, sensing trouble, shrank away from their teammates. Stork was already standing a bit more nervously than usual by the helm. Radarr whined and jumped over to Junko's shoulder, where it was safer.
"That's a risk we'll have to take," Aerrow countered.
"But it isn't! Stay here and Stork and Hunter can keep an eye on you. I'll go instead. Everything is riding on this mission, Aerrow. You can't risk compromising us." Piper gestured with one hand as she spoke.
"This is personal, Piper! I have to go." Aerrow stepped forward, upset.
"At least let me come with you, then."
"No. I don't want something bad happening to you, again, because of me. I'm going."
"You can't. Not alone." Piper crossed her arms with finality. "I won't let you."
"You can't do that! I'm in charge here!"
"I still have authority."
"No, you don't! You're just the navigator, Piper. That's all! You have no authority!" Aerrow closed the distance between them, looking down on Piper only inches away as he spoke. His face was flushed with irritation. The boys gasped, and he ignored them.
"'Just the navigator'?" Piper's voice grew dangerously soft. Her eyes met his, and Aerrow could see deep hurt and anger reflected in their amber depths. He knew he'd just made a big mistake. He wished he could just snatch back his words from the air, but what was said was said and he couldn't change it. He tried to apologize:
"Well, no, I didn't mean—you're not just—Piper, come on, that's not what I meant."
The rest of the team stood stock-still, not wanting to interrupt. Hunter looked quite uneasy, as if he wanted to say something, but he kept his mouth shut.
Piper just held Aerrow's gaze for a long time, staring coldly into his regretful emerald eyes. She could see his desperate apology written all over his face, but all she felt was emptiness and hurt.
Just the navigator.
She'd spent years with Aerrow, gone through so much, conquered impossible challenges, grown to love him dearly, and he thought of her as nothing more than 'the navigator.' That really and truly disappointed her so, so much. She felt tears come to her eyes and scolded herself for acting so ridiculous. He was just a stupid teenage boy, she tried to convince herself. A kind, bright, caring, funny, strong, handsome, stupid boy.
She knew it was useless, though. He had no excuses.
Piper held his gaze a heartbeat longer, then whispered, "I'll have your plans ready in an hour." And she turned and stalked from the bridge. Aerrow was left standing guiltily in the middle of the room.
The tension lingered, and then Finn said, "Dude, you really goofed this time."
Aerrow sighed heavily and ran both hands through his hair. "I know," he answered miserably.
"Shouldn't you go talk to her?" Junko asked weakly.
Aerrow shook his head. "Leave her alone for awhile. She needs space," he said.
Hunter opened his mouth to say something, changed his mind, and perched on the edge of the center table, arms crossed. He blew a long strand of violet hair out of his eyes—a motion once not necessary, but since that fateful day when the Raptors attacked, his whole appearance had become messy and rugged and overgrown. He understood why Stork was wary of him; he looked like a ruffian. The others hadn't trusted him with anything weightier than a map, yet, either.
Perhaps this was the prime time to speak up and give them reason to do so, he thought abruptly. If the navigator wanted somebody to keep an eye on the Sky Knight, there was always him. Who else was there? Hunter really doubted that Piper would leave the fate of Atmos in the hands of the Wallop and the squirrelly kid.
She seemed to trust them, though. Hunter decided to let the matter rest this time. The Storm Hawks didn't need a newcomer encroaching on their mission right now. At the moment, there wasn't much to do but wait. Aerrow was ordering Finn and Junko, "Prepare to fly, guys. We've got to be ready to go as soon as possible."
The slouchy Merb and the blue lemur-rabbit creature took seats near the control board. Hunter stayed where he was as the boys left the bridge for the hangar bay. Then Aerrow glanced at each of them before he said, "Stay here. Radarr, Stork, keep an eye on him." He jerked a thumb toward Hunter, who tried not to be offended. Aerrow then followed Finn and Junko out.
As soon as the door slid shut, Stork looked to Hunter, eye twitching. "Are you working for Master Cyclonis? Here to infiltrate our team and tear us apart from the inside? Hmm?"
Hunter frowned. "No."
"Then...are you really a shapeshifting crystal monster who's here to kill us all?"
"Nope."
"Are you sure?"
"Pretty sure."
"I still don't trust you." Stork crossed his arms and perched on the edge of the control board, keeping a narrow-eyed stare on Hunter, who just sighed.
...
Piper sat at her desk in her room, staring at the sheet of gray paper in front of her. She was having trouble coming up with a really solid plan, not to mention warring emotionally over Aerrow's insensitive outburst. She couldn't focus.
What was there to plan, anyway? The guys had to go in, capture Cyclonis, and get out. That was it.
Piper crossed her arms and sat back in her creaky metal chair. They didn't need a plan. They didn't need her. She remembered the time she'd pretended to leave them, then spied on them to gauge their reactions. What if she left for real this time? Aerrow would never forgive himself, she knew.
Or wouldn't he?
Piper sighed and buried her head in her arms.
Who cared? She was just the navigator, after all.
Another part of her mind spoke up then. Aerrow had been upset. He wasn't thinking about what he was saying. He probably hadn't meant it in an offensive way, he was just irritated. Piper was completely overreacting. She'd made a big deal out of nothing, and now everyone was upset.
She sighed again, but this time more relieved than despairing. She would apologize to Aerrow when she saw him next. They'd iron out this whole stupid issue and go on like they'd always had: a near-perfect team. That was a better plan than going on with terrible friction between them. Piper nodded to herself and bent over the paper again, determined.
...
For the next hour, Aerrow cleaned and repaired his Skimmer and his energy daggers, sitting against the wall of the hangar bay while Finn and Junko prepared similarly across the room.
They left him alone with his tumultuous thoughts and the pit in his stomach, trying to focus on the task at hand rather than his harsh words earlier. As soon as he'd shouted at Piper he'd regretted it. He hadn't meant the statement in such a way, but it had come across all wrong and wounded his relationship with the most reliable member of his team.
He needed to smooth things over before he left, Aerrow knew, or he'd have a heck of a time trying to concentrate with such a burden on his mind. He pulled his Timepulse indicator from his pocket and checked the time. Nearly an hour had passed already. Piper would be delivering her plans momentarily, and then he and the boys would be off. He had to do something now.
Aerrow drew in a deep breath, sighed, and pushed himself up from his seat on the floor. "I'll be right back," he told Finn and Junko, who looked up curiously and nodded. Aerrow sheathed his newly polished daggers and left the hangar bay through the single sliding metal door. He started off through the maze of corridors toward Piper's quarters.
...
Piper stood, rolled up the sheet of paper with her freshly inked plans, and stepped out into the hall heading for the hangar bay. She checked her Timepulse indicator crystal. Right on time.
...
Aerrow and Piper strode through the ship, heading in opposite directions, each with unease on their minds and apologies ready on their lips. They rounded corners, walked corridors, and turned around the final bend at the exact same time, colliding with one another with a startled yelp on Piper's part and a move toward twin daggers on Aerrow's.
When they took a heartbeat to assess the situation they both calmed. Aerrow let out a sigh and let his hands drop from his dagger handles. Piper straightened from her defensive stance cleared her throat.
"Sorry," she said weakly.
"Uh, no, that's okay." Aerrow shrugged.
Then they met each other's eyes, amber to green, and unsaid words and emotion passed between them. Both Storm Hawks had deep apology written over their features. Aerrow was the first to speak.
"Piper, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have shouted at you, and what I said was uncalled for, and I really didn't mean it the way you think. I didn't. You're so much more to me than just a navigator."
Piper's eyes shined with emotion. "I know you didn't. I'm sorry too, Aerrow. I overreacted. A lot. This is my fault."
"It's not, Piper, really. I think we've got to share the blame on this one." He smiled hesitantly.
Piper felt a smile of her own start to spread, and she burst into relieved laughter. For some reason tears filled her eyes. Aerrow stepped up to her and embraced her tightly. She hugged him back, enjoying the relief and happiness flooding through her and the simple feeling of Aerrow's arms around her. They stayed that way for a time, neither really wanting to end the moment of warmth and security they shared.
Finally, though, Aerrow pulled away, his hands still at Piper's shoulders, and said, "I should get back to the hangar. It's almost time to go. Do you have your plans ready?"
Piper sighed, a bit disappointed. She felt a strange desire to stay with Aerrow here, together, with nobody bothering them, but she knew it was a silly thing to long for.
She answered, "Yes." She held up the rolled paper still in her hand, slightly crumpled where she'd been holding it tightly. She half-smiled, embarrassed. "Here."
His hands fell from her shoulders as he took it from her, and he nodded without unrolling the paper. Piper noticed he didn't double-check her plans, and a warm feeling of gratitude bloomed in her. It was a small sign of his trust in her, she knew, and she appreciated it.
"Thanks," Aerrow said, then paused. "You know, I guess you can come if you want. I'd rather you not, but, I mean...if you need to keep an eye on me...I—I mean my condition." He sighed, frustrated at his awkwardness. "If you need to make sure I don't lose control, I won't stop you. That's what I meant."
Piper laughed, "I know what you meant, and...I'll stay here. You said before, you don't want anything bad happening, so I—I'll trust you on this one. And I'll trust Junko and Finn to make sure you don't get killed."
Aerrow held her gaze for a moment, unsure. Then he nodded. "Okay. Thanks, Piper." He glanced behind him, down the corridor. "Now come on, we've got to get going. The Cyclonians on the surface may have spotted us already. We need to move fast."
They took off toward the hangar.
...