As Junko, Stork and Radarr sat next to each other on a plush, brocade bench outside the hangar bay they'd been pulled into, an enormous amount of noise could be heard from behind the thick steel wall behind their heads.

"So, it is safe to assume that you are the Storm Hawks?" The tall, statuesque General Keltar paced in front of them, trying to decide whether or not to inform the Chancellor of his accidental discovery.

"Well, yeah... who else would we be?" Junko offered peaceably. The veteran warrior eyed the young Wallop suspiciously, gartering a nervous laugh from him, then turned his knowing gaze to the Merb at his side.

"Where is the rest of your squadron, Merb?" His tone carried only a tinge of respect. Perhaps he was angry because he was taken by surprise when the Condor came into view, and therefore felt embarrassed by the fairly unexpected visitors. Perhaps he was upset because he'd shot the Storm Hawks' ship full of holes, and they were supposed to be meeting the Chancellor. No one can say for sure, but something about the young squad mates sitting in front of him made the general feel uneasy.

"Out." The pilot's short, curt answer drew the general's attention.

"Out where?"

"Out and about." The Onyxian realized he wasn't going to get a straight answer from him, so he turned once more to the Wallop.

"Where?"

"Um... I don't really think I should tell you..." Junko answered nervously. Keltar smiled evilly.

"Really? And why is that?"

"Well, 'cause you shot up the Condor..."

"That's going to be fairly hard to prove in a few hours." The general evoked an unexpected reaction from the Merb pilot.

"What are you doing to our ship!?" Keltar's surprising response was to laugh loudly.

"Your ship is being repaired, as per the Battle Fleet's standard operating procedure..."

"You're fixing the Condor? Ooh! Can we see?" Junko joined in.

"No!! You're too much of a security risk!" Keltar yelled at them angrily, quietly muttering to himself as he went over a few things in his head.

"I'm afraid you're going to have to stay here for now. I'm afraid we're also going to have to place you under guard. That way, we can keep an eye on you until I sort this out." The general turned to a pair of young soldiers and clapped his hands together commandingly, signaling to them to join him near the Hawks.

"These men will be escorting you, should you require relief or refreshments." The general turned and yelled something down the hallway. Stork's ears perked up a bit as he heard Onyxian being spoken.

"I'm afraid I must return to my duties elsewhere. Can I trust that you'll stay out of trouble while I'm gone?" He eyed them playfully, as if coaxing them into misbehaving. The three gulped nervously as he wandered down the hallway, going deeper into the ship.

...

"C'mon, Max... why can't you admit you had fun for a change?" Starling pestered the Onyxian as he flew Coltemach silently. He hadn't said a word to anyone since their fairly embarrassing encounter with the Storm Hawks, and she had a hunch that he was upset over the whole ordeal.

"Because my definition of 'fun' is not being naked in an open field with my mate's friends traipsing around in the woods close by. That's why." He replied angrily.

"Oh, don't be that way, Max. You know you enjoyed what we did just before that." She cooed in a sing-songy voice. To her relieve, he chuckled sultrily.

"Well, I couldn't help it... that was fun..." He replied, chuckling a bit more. He smiled as she joined him.

"Well, if you promise to play nice, you might get some more when we get back..."

"Really? Well, I just hope you can keep up..."

"Uh, guys, that's kinda creepy..." Aerrow suddenly cut in, suppressing the urge to vomit.

"Aerrow, maybe we should stay out of it..." Piper suggested, trying not to upset either of the older pair.

"Yes, maybe you should..." Max glared pointedly as he stared at the trio flying behind him. As he turned to face forward, he noticed nothing but open sky.

"Where the hell's the Condor?" He demanded somewhat angrily. Piper checked over her maps.

"It should be right here."

"Really!? No shit!" The Onyxian retorted.

"Max, calm down. With these clouds rolling in, it's possible we've just missed them. Let's have a look around, shall we?"

"No, I have a better idea. You..." He turned to the Skimmers and Heliscooter behind him. "... stay here and wait for us to return. If we find them, we'll send you the coordinates."

"Max, why should they stay behind? What's to say they shouldn't go look for the ship and we stay behind?"

"But, I... but..." The warrior sighed in defeat.

"Fine, I don't care."

"C'mon. Don't be that way. You just wanna get me alone with you, don't you?" She cooed softly, nibbling on his ear as he moaned lightly.

"W-well, yes, I- ahh..." He leaned into her embrace as she wrapped her arms around his chest and bit down harder, licking and sucking on his earlobe as she gently sunk her teeth into the sensitive flesh. He shuddered a bit at the feeling, slightly releasing his grip on the controls as his moans of pleasure grew louder. She saw this, and stopped immediately.

"C'mon, Max... you can wait until we get back to the ship... that way, we won't crash into the Wastelands." Suddenly, a loud air horn could be heard some distance away, closing on them rather quickly.

"What is that?" Piper asked worriedly. A ship bearing Onyxian Battle Fleet markings caught up with them, and Max immediately recognized the identification numbers: the Nightmare.

"That's the Nightmare, the Chancellor's transport when he needs to land. I wonder what it's doing all the way out here."

"Nightmare calling Grey Ghost. Come in, please." A feminine voice broke out over the radio.

"What!?" Max demanded suddenly.

"Max!? It is you! Good. We've been looking for you-"

"Well, get in line... I'm supposed to be meeting with Krellyn."

"Then, I suppose it's a good thing I'm here, wouldn't you say?" Hearing the Grand Marshall's voice, Max's posture immediately straightened stiffly.

"Marshall, I... I didn't recognize your voice."

"It's alright, Max. Mine's not the one you shouldn't forget." As the Storm Hawks listened through the radio static, a deep, proud voice came over it.

"Zral, Maximillian." Max nearly let go of Coltemach's handlebars as Chancellor Kvelt's voice crept onto their frequency.

"Chancellor! To what do I owe this tremendous honor, my lord?"

"I've been hearing reports of a young Sky Knight squadron that has shown much promise against the Cyclonians. I thought that I should see these younglings for myself. I set out this morning with the intention of greeting them personally, but such an encounter has eluded me so far." The aged Kvelt coughed lightly into the mike. Max's expression flooded with worry.

"Sire, are you ill?"

"No, young one. I'm merely fatigued from the long journey. It is nothing a night of rest will not cure."

"My lord, I can assure you, the Storm Hawks would be more than happy to have you aboard their ship. I will have the preparations made immediately."

"That will be difficult, Maximillian, especially since I have your ship."

"What do you mean, my lord?"

"I mean General Keltar had a chance run-in with the Condor. I'm afraid your pilot strayed a touch too far toward our flight path."