Enemy Territory
Summery: The Storm Hawks are all set to enjoy a festival when they receive word that Starling's gone missing during a mission, investigating rumours of rebellion in Cyclonia. So they set out to Cyclonia and into trouble
Disclaimer: All Publicly Recognizable Characters, Settings, Ideas, etc. are the Property of Nerd Corp. The Original Characters and Plot are the Property of the Author. The Author is in no way Associated with the Owners, Creators, or Producers of Nerd Corp. No Copyright Infringement is intended.
Chapter Fourteen: Escape?
Friday, 9:30 pm, Terra Cyclonia, Cyclonian Resistance's new Secret Base.
"You're certain you want to do this, Ray?" asked Tanager, one the base commanders.
"I'm sure," answered Ray, "You guys about ready to move out?"
"Aye, we're ready. If your friends are caught, at least the Cyclonians won't get us. They know how this is going to work?"
"They know that if the mission fails, the Resistance won't be coming up with another rescue mission. They're okay with it."
Tanager handed Ray two small bottles, "Well, my boy, I'll see you and your sister at the meeting place."
Ray nodded. Everyone in the base was moving again. Even Ray and Venn didn't know where, just in case they were caught alive.
He unscrewed the lid of one of the bottles and drank its contents, "What is that stuff, Ray?" asked Junko.
"Poison. It won't start to hurt until tomorrow and I've got the antidote."
"Then why are you drinking it?" asked Finn.
"In case I'm caught alive. I may not know where the new base is but I know where to meet Tanager. If me and Venn are caught alive, we may be used to lure him out. This will ensure we'll be dead by noon tomorrow if we're captured." He turned to Piper, "Ready?"
"Yeah, I'm ready," she replied, avoiding his eyes.
Finn raised an eyebrow. Piper had been acting weird since she and Ray had gotten back from recon, he'd never seen her so subdued.
"Hey, Piper, you okay? You've been acting funny since you got back and I don't mean funny ha ha, 'cause well...you never are."
"I'm fine," she assured, rubbing her neck.
"Is that a bruise?"
"Yes," announced Ray, "I threw her against a wall and choked her a bit when she suggested trying to help Aerrow during recon. The result would have been everyone in this base getting killed including my family, so I was a bit forceful."
"A bit forceful?! You choked her!" shouted Finn, shoving his index finger in the rebel's face.
Radarr growled and looked like he was about to tackle the blood-eyed man. He would have if Piper hadn't waved her hand, signalling that he was to stand down. He didn't attack, but his muscles remained tense.
Ray ignored him and turned to Piper gently placing a hand on her shoulder, "I am sorry, Piper, but we couldn't argue in the hallway. The guards might have heard. I hope you understand. I didn't want to risk my family going through what Aerrow has – that's what would have happened if you had tried to help or if we had argued and been caught."
"I understand."
"Chin up, Piper. One way or another, Aerrow will be leaving Cyclonia soon. His execution is scheduled for the day after tomorrow. Even if we fail, he won't suffer long."
"His execution?" Junko repeated.
"You're surprised?" asked Venn, "Don't worry," she laughed, throwing her arm around his shoulder, "We're not gonna fail."
***
Friday, 11:30 pm, Terra Cyclonia, Dakgar Point (just outside the prison walls)
"Piper, you sure you want to go in with Ray?" asked Finn as Piper handed Radarr the cloaking crystal the Resistance had given them. It was an apology for not being able to help them further if they were caught.
"It's all right. Besides, Radarr and Junko are coming with me. He won't be doing that again."
"All right, but umm..." He rubbed the back of his neck uncomfortably as he continued to fumble for the words, "You know the reason you're a good Storm Hawk is because you don't hesitate to put yourself in danger to help people, right?"
Piper smiled, "Thanks, Finn."
"Everybody ready?" asked Ray from a few feet away.
"You sure we need him?" inquired Finn with a sigh.
"Good luck, Finn," chuckled Piper with a wave of her hand as she walked towards Ray.
Finn and Venn took off on their Switchblades, while Piper, Ray, and Junko activated their chroma crystals; each of them took on the appearance of high ranking Talons.
Piper was a lieutenant, named Aireen. She had been chosen for not only her rank but because she was about Piper's height and weight and had blond hair, brown eyes and a hooked nose. Both Junko's and Ray's disguises had also been chosen due to similar body types. Junko was Sergeant Anil, a beefy man with dark blue hair and eyes. Ray was Captain Zephyr. Piper smiled at the memory of the Captain's last encounter with the Storm Hawks. He had been the one to chase them into Terra Deep and seemed to have gotten a new scar on his left cheek to remind him of the encounter.
"Captain, Sergeant, Lieutenant, we weren't expecting you till morning," said the guard at the gate as the trio (well, quartet, really but the guards didn't know that) approached.
"We decided to come early," snapped Ray, "Open the gate."
The large stone slabs that served as gates for the prison opened and the friends entered. All of Dakgar Point was a prison, due no doubt to the fact that it was a very small point. It consisted of five levels, with the top being the only entrance. The building was built into the point with only ten metres between the outer wall and the main building.
As they approached the main door the guards opened it without needing an order, probably due to the fact that 'Zephyr' looked really, really ticked off.
Piper only wished that getting out would be as easy as getting in. She glanced briefly at the crystal detectors in the guards hands. Loon was full of useful tricks. Good thing the rebels had saved him.
Radarr walked ahead of the group, looking around corners in order to alert to his friends to any danger, not that there was any with the three so well disguised. They went straight to the basement level, level five – where Aerrow was being kept.
"This is it," announced Ray as they arrived at the last corner. Once they turned, they would be in the corridor where Aerrow's cell was.
"Wait for the signal," Piper ordered Junko before turning the corner with Ray.
Piper walked to the end of the hall while Ray stopped in front of the cell.
"Open the door," barked Ray.
The guards looked at each other, "We don't have the key, sir."
In fact, only three people did: Lady Moon, Dark Ace, and Master Cyclonis. This was a fact that Captain Zephyr should have been well aware of. The guard's hand went to the radio in his ear.
Piper activated the device in her pocket.
"Arrgh!" shouted all the guards in the corridor as their radios sparked briefly.
She ran at the closest guard, whacking his head with her staff. Meanwhile, Junko had run around the corner, knuckle busters glowing green as he punched Talon after Talon. Piper knocked out any who tried to run from her end. Ray was holding the two guards at the door at bay, but just barely. One – he could handle. Two was a bit much for him. Fortunately, he didn't have to keep it up for long, as about ten seconds after the fight started, Junko came charging past. Ray blinked and his opponents were down for the count.
"Glad we brought him," said Ray as Junko finished the last of the guards.
"How are you doing with the lock picking, Radarr?" asked Piper as she approached the cell door.
A series of frustrated growls followed this question.
"Sure you don't want me to try?" asked Junko.
"Definitely not," said Ray, "See this crystal on the door?" saying that he pointed to a purple crystal embedded in the middle of the door. "It's a type of shield crystal. Even a Wallop can't punch through and if you did, it would trigger an alarm. See those blinking green lights near the handle? Force this door open and you'll trigger an alarm. Picking it might too, but I doubt it. If Radarr can't get the door open in ten, we'll try your method; maybe those knuckle busters of yours will work."
Piper turned to the Wallop, "Junko, keep an eye out on that end for any Talons. We don't know when there's supposed to be a shift change."
Junko nodded and Piper turned back to Ray, who nodded and went to keep look out on the other end of the hallway.
It took Radarr another five minutes to open the lock. They didn't hear an alarm, but that didn't rule out a silent one.
Piper and the invisible creature bolted into the room. Junko was about to follow when Ray held up his hand, reminding the Wallop that he was still on lookout duty.
"Oh my God, Aerrow!"
The Sky Knight was lying face down on the floor at the back of the cell. Despite the dim light, she could see the lines crisscrossing his back. The left side of his face was visible, which allowed Piper to see the tickle of blood on his forehead, the black eye and swollen face.
She and Radarr ran to his side and, as gently as she could, put his right arm around her shoulder as she hoisted him up. It was then she saw the burn, the symbol of Cyclonia on his chest.
"Master Cyclonis is going to pay for that," she hissed amongst Radarr's growls. She started dragging Aerrow out of the cell and was halfway there when he moaned and opened his eyes.
"It's okay, Aerrow, I've got you. We're getting you out of here."
"Shouldn't have come," he mumbled.
"Would you have left us?"
He didn't hear her speak, he had fallen unconscious again.
"Aerrow!" shouted Junko when he saw the Sky Knight.
He ran to his friends, forgetting lookout duty. Ray sighed and shook his head. This was why he had insisted on coming; these kids and Sky Knight Squadrons in general, tended to let their hearts rule their heads.
Piper reluctantly allowed Junko to take Aerrow from her. Aerrow's eyes fluttered briefly and he moaned as Junko touched the marks on his back. The Wallop's eyes widened at the mark on the chest.
"What did they do to you?" He seemed on the verge of tears and Ray decided to interrupt the reunion.
"Guys? We need to keep moving. Garbage shoot's this way."
Radarr ran ahead of the group. This time, whenever he saw Talons, he would lightly tap Ray's or Piper's leg, depending on which was closer, telling them the number of Talons. The two humans would then turn the corner and, still disguised, walk up to the Talons and knock them out with a sudden hit to the head. Radarr too knocked out a few guards by jumping into the air and delivering a swift kick to the cranium. Fortunately, there were never more than two or three guards in one spot so they were able to find the garbage shoot on the fourth floor without incident.
"Ready, Junk—"
"Aaaaaarrrrrroooooo," wailed the alarms.
"I think that guard shift we were worried about happened," stated Ray casually.
Piper glared at him as if to say 'You think?' before turning back to Junko, a small yellow crystal in her hand.
"It will only last about ten seconds," she told him, holding it out.
Junko was bathed in a yellow light and his and Aerrow's body became smaller, and smaller until they were about two inches tall. Piper picked them up and handed them to Radarr. She opened the shoot and the creature jumped in, carefully holding Junko and Aerrow in his hands.
"You're next," she said to Ray.
"Good, 'cause about five Talons just found us." Ray blinked when the Talons suddenly started getting bigger. Quickly, he threw a stun crystal; it blew just as he stopped shrinking. Piper picked him up by the scruff of his shirt and tossed him into the shoot. She threw another stun crystal to take care of six new arrivals and used the crystal on herself as she dived head first down the open shoot before she got too small to reach it. She tumbled down and into two, now very large wallop hands.
"Hey, Piper," greeted Junko as she started getting bigger.
Piper wobbled slightly as the garbage transport Stork and Starling had stolen started up and flew into the clouds below.
"You got him!?" called Finn as they neared the cloud line. He and Venn were flying next to the transport on a pair of Switchblades, ready to fight off any attackers.
"We got him! He's in bad shape, but he'll live!" replied Piper.
Finn sighed in relief.
***
"How's he doing?" asked Starling.
Aerrow was lying on top of a nice, clean blanket in a bed of soft garbage being cradled by Junko, who was trying to prevent his friend from being thrown against the wall whenever their transport moved suddenly. Radarr sat perched on the Wallop's shoulder, gazing down at his best friend. Piper was kneeling over him, tending his wounds as best she could. She had bandaged the gash on his chest, the cut on his forehead and had just finished re-splinting his arm.
"Guys! Duck!" warned Finn over the radio.
Stork piloted the ride back into the clouds. They flew just above the cloud line ready to duck in case any Talons flew nearby. They had considered going into the wastelands, but Venn and Finn, who had flown ahead, said it was crawling with Talons. Besides the constant shaking of their transport, attempting to dodge flying rocks and monsters would not have been good for Aerrow.
Unfortunately, the latest warning from Finn had come too late, and a rain of red crystal energy descended on the heroes.
Despite being in the clouds, the Talons continued to fire widely, actually managing to hit the roof of the cockpit.
"Take that and that!" shouted Venn with an evil cackle as she shot down two Switchblades.
"Oh no you don't!" yelled Finn when he saw another pair of Talons fly towards the garbage transport.
"We need to lose these guys!" shouted Piper, "Stork, the wastelands!"
Stork drove the transport through the clouds, only to find another three Talons waiting to greet them.
"There they are!" shouted one.
"Great, now we have six Talons to deal with and reinforcements aren't far behind," murmured Stork.
"Stork, take us back up!" ordered Piper, "At least we won't have to deal with the flying flaming rocks above the clouds," she added under her breath.
"Finn and Venn need help!" shouted Starling.
She jumped off the transport and activated her purple glider. Nimbly, she flew through the air towards a Talon, avoiding the blasts from his ride. She swung her nun chuck and the blast of purple energy knocked him off.
Smiling, she landed on the Switchblade and decided to show the Talons a thing or two about flying. Piper watched the fight from the transport, momentarily pushing aside her concern for her Sky Knight in an attempt to lead the battle.
"Piper!" shouted Ray, as he knelt beside Aerrow, "Aerrow's starting to wake up! I'd like to give him a sedative to keep him under."
Piper nodded and Ray withdrew a syringe from a pouch on his belt.
"Piper, there's a cave ahead in one of the points just a bit lower then where you guys are now," Venn announced over the radio, "The entrance is usually covered with clouds so it should be a good place for you guys to hide. Ray knows where it is. Finn and I will keep these guys distracted while you hide."
"Everyone, close your eyes," ordered the crystal mage.
She withdrew two fist-sized yellow crystals from her bag and banged them together. A bright yellow light lit up the skies.
Once it died down, leaving the Talons momentarily blinded, Stork lowered the transport while Ray climbed into the cockpit, "Stork, hang a left after the next point. The entrance is just on the other side of it."
Stork did as ordered. Once they rounded the bend, he realised they had a problem. He could see the top of the entrance; it was just above the cloud line like a little flag saying 'Look, Dark Ace, a hiding place! The Strom Hawks may be hiding here!'
"We'll have to try it," moaned Ray, "Finn, Starling, Venn. The top of the entrance is visible. Make yourselves scarce but be ready."
Junko cradled his friend, wishing that being a Storm Hawk was fun again. Where was Mr. Bitsy when you needed him?
"It'll be all right, Aerrow," he whispered as Stork flew the transport into the cave.
Stork took a deep breath to calm his shaking nerves. If Aerrow was any indication of what awaited the carrier pilot in the event of capture, he was going to ask Ray for a spare suicide pill.
He turned to look back at the entrance. 'We're doomed.'
Kestrel was there on her Switchblade, staring at the group.
"Cadet!" came the Dark Ace's voice from several feet above the entrance, "Where did the garbage transport go?"
Kestrel tore her eyes from Piper and answered.
***
Unknown day, Unknown time, Unknown place.
Aerrow opened his eyes to the dark gloom of a gray stoned cell. He was chained to the wall, hands above his head, his feet firmly planted on the ground. 'Was it a dream...? I thought Piper...' His mind froze. There was Piper, chained to the wall on his right. The restraints held her in a standing position, but she was too weak to support herself and blood dripped from her wrists. Her clothes were torn and there was a large gash on her forehead. Junko and Finn were lying on the floor, a few feet from their leader, surrounded by a pool of violent-red blood. Junko lay on top of his best friend, as if trying to protect him. Blue eyes looked up at Aerrow, but they were wrong, glazed, and empty.
"Finn! Finn!" shouted Aerrow his voice cracking. His chains clinked as he pulled them wildly. "Wake up! Junko!"
"They're dead," announced a cold voice from the shadows on Aerrow's left.
The Sky Knight felt his blood freeze. He didn't feel sad, just numb, like his brain wouldn't compute the information. He felt like he was watching a movie that he was merely an observer in the cell. He couldn't deal with this situation and had to focus on something else. He turned to see blood red eyes staring at him. The soft sound of leather boots on stone met his ears as his hated enemy stepped out.
"The Merb and Interceptor are next," said the Dark Ace with a wave to the wall on Aerrow's left, where Stork and Starling stood, they were, like Piper, being held up only by the shackles digging into their wrists.
"No...Guys, wake up!" Aerrow looked around the cell and spotted a tail of gray fur in the corner. The rest of the co-pilot was hidden in shadow.
"You've been asleep for hours, so I had your friends entertain me. Hope you don't mind. I expected their screams to wake you, but you slept through the whole thing. Some Sky Knight you turned out to be, sleeping while your squadron dies right in front of you." The Dark Ace chuckled as he stepped in front of Aerrow, "You must be hungry."
The Dark Ace forced open Aerrow's mouth and shoved a piece of meat in it. "Swallow."
Aerrow tried to spit out the offending food, despite his hunger.
"Swallow or I wake up the Merb."
Aerrow swallowed.
"Good?" asked the Dark Ace pleasantly.
"What was it laced with?"
"Nothing, it was just a piece of meat, though I can't say from what animal."
"Why?"
"I don't know what it's called, but its pelt is over there," he said, pointing to the gray-furred tail.
"Radarr!" shouted Aerrow bolting upright.
"Rrrraa?" questioned Radarr, as he looked up at his Sky Knight from the foot of the bed.
"Aerrow, calm down," said Piper gently, "You'll tear your stitches. Lie down," she ordered, placing a hand on his shoulder and pressing down.
Aerrow didn't move and Piper decided not to force the issue. She eased the pressure but didn't remove her hand, "You just had a nightmare. We're okay. Everything's fine." (1)
Radarr ran up the bed and glomped his best friend. Aerrow flinched slightly.
"Radarr! Aerrow's wounds are ten—"
"It's fine," said Aerrow as he started running his fingers through Radarr's fur, assuring himself that this wasn't the dream, that Radarr was really in his arms... well, arm – his left was in a cast.
"What happened? Where are we? What time is it?"
"We rescued you. Cave in an uninhabited point on the outskirts of Terra Cyclonia, figure the Talons won't look for us here. It's ten thirty, Sunday morning. You've been unconscious for a day and a half. Ray gave you a sedative while we were being chased, but it was only supposed to knock you out for twelve hours. We were worried but Myna, she's the doctor the Resistance arranged to meet us here, said considering what your body had been through it wasn't surprising.
"She plugged an os crystal into your cast. It's not as good as a nil crystal but the cast can come off in two weeks and you can move your arm without crippling yourself. You had a collapsed lung. Myna's been using a pulmo crystal to help heal it. It's not healed yet, but if we use it six hours every day, it should be healed by the time your cast comes off. Once you're feeling a bit better, you can use the pulmo crystal yourself, but for now, either Myna or I will be using it on you. The rest of your wounds were pretty superficial, but they'll scar, especially the burn."
Aerrow removed his hand from Radarr and gently fingered his chest where the branding iron had been placed.
"Totally worth it. So everyone's fine?"
"Yes, Aerrow, we're all okay."
"The mission?"
Piper sighed and rolled her eyes, "The mission's a success. Ray and Venn are here and we'll fine tune our communication methods. But there's not much left to do. You made sure you didn't know more than you needed to, so your capture didn't set us back much. Ray's gonna want to go over what you told Lady Moon. We'll stay here another day or so then head back to Terra Vapos."
Aerrow nodded and laid down. Radarr positioned himself on his Sky Knight's chest, careful to avoid the still healing gash and burn. Aerrow smiled and laid his right hand on his friend's back.
***
"He's awake," announced Piper as she pushed aside a curtain and entered the section of the cave she and the others had been sleeping, eating, and generally living since their escape.
Everybody jumped to their feet, "Can we see him?!" asked Finn.
"Two at a time," said a tall, blonde woman, Myna, from her seat on the floor, "Not including Radarr, since I don't think an army of wallops could drag that fur ball out."
"Junko and me first!" said Finn as he ran from the room towards Aerrow's.
"Dude, about time you woke up," greeted Finn as he threw back the curtain that gave Aerrow some privacy.
"Hey guys, where are the others?"
"Outside waiting for their turn. Myna said two at a time, not including Radarr. He hasn't left your side since Myna finished the surgery to fix your lung and man, did we have a hard time getting him out for that!"
Aerrow started chuckling then thought better of it, "So what happened while I was...indisposed?"
***
Piper stared at her former friend. Kestrel's head was just above the cloud line, staring at Piper's fiery orange eyes with her own green ones. Piper tried to read her face, but it was blank.
'Please don't give us away, please,' begged the crystal mage mentally. Kestrel wasn't supposed to be there. It was Friday night, or Saturday morning, Piper wasn't sure which. But Kestrel was supposed to be in school. What had she been doing out there?
"Cadet! Where did the garbage transport go?"
Kestrel turned her head to look at the Dark Ace. "That way, sir," she said, pointing down and to the Dark Ace's left. "They ducked into the clouds."
Piper heard the Dark Ace and Talons fly away. Kestrel turned back to her, nodded, and flew off.
Piper shook her head, wondering why Kestrel had done that. After the Dark Ace and the others flew away, the group waited half an hour before making a run for it. Starling, Finn, and Venn had had an easy time hiding since they had been dressed as Talons and Venn had known a few places nearby where the smaller crafts could hide.
***
"Foot of the bed, Radarr," ordered Myna as she held up a pale purple crystal. Radar sighed but did as requested.
"Finally, I get to meet a conscious Aerrow of the Storm Hawks. Pleasure, now stay still." Before Aerrow could reply, she activated the crystal in her hand and Aerrow was bathed in a purple light. He could feel it working in his lungs.
"You guys will have to get your own crystals once you leave to help with your recovery. I'm sorry, but the Resistance can't spare these."
"I understand. Thank you,"
The two didn't say another word for the next three hours. Myna wasn't the talking sort and Aerrow...Aerrow had a lot to think about.
"Well, that's all for now," announced Myna suddenly, as she rose from her seat.
"Does that mean I can speak to him now?" asked Ray from the entrance.
Myna nodded and walked past him. Smiling he turned to Aerrow, "I need to know what you told Lady Moon."
"You choked Piper."
Ray rolled his eyes, "And stopped her from getting herself and my family killed. I'm sorry I had to do it."
"You'd do it again."
"If we were in a similar situation? Yes, of course. Can we move on?"
Aerrow glared, but nodded.
"Good, now what exactly did you say to Lady Moon?"
It was another half hour before Aerrow was done with his story. Ray thanked him and rose from his seat to leave.
"One more thing," said Aerrow.
"Yes?" asked Ray turning.
"Finn said you wrote poetry. Do you study it too?"
"Of course."
"Does the line 'my head is bloody but unbowed' mean anything to you?"
Ray paused as he lit a cigarette. He inhaled deeply and exhaled the foul smelling smoke. "It's a line from a poem called Invictus by a man named Henley. It goes like this:
Out of the night that covers me,
Black as the Pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.
In the fell clutch of circumstance
I have not winced nor cried aloud.
Under the bludgeoning of chance
My head is bloody, but unbowed.
Beyond the place of wrath and tears
Looms but the Horror of the shade,
And yet the menace of the years
Finds, and shall find me, unafraid.
It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishment the scroll,
I am the master of my fate;
I am the captain of my soul"(2)
(1) I got you! I got you! Hahaha. Seriously show of hands, who thought I'd killed Finn, Junko and Radarr?
(2) The poem is called Invictus and it's by William Ernest Henley
Okay guys I really do want answer a yes or no will do, same deal as before 5 request gets the epilogue up on sat, six as soon as I get six otherwise last one up on Sunday.