"Master, I seriously don't believe we're ready for a full blown attack," Ravess pressed.
"Ravess, I believe we are. The new recruits, how are they?" Cyclonis said.
"They're not ready!" Ravess barked. "With all due respect, Master, a few more weeks! We need time!"
"Atmos will not just lay down at our feet, and with Aerrow still alive, we need to strike hard, and strike fast. Give them no time for retaliation. We take the major terras first: Terra Glockenchime, Saharr, Blizaris, and Aquos. With these bases covered, the rest will be easy."
"And the Murk Raiders? What of Terra Deep?" Ravess asked.
Cyclonis glanced at Ravess without turning, a teasing look on her face. "We strike them a deal: If they help with the attack, we leave them alone."
"And if they don't?"
"We kill every last one of them."
"Do you intend to keep your promise?"
"I'll kill them all anyways," Cyclonis said offhandedly. Ravess smiled.
"Excellent," the sharpshooter said.
"Dark Ace has already been informed of the plan. Tomorrow, at dawn, we assemble on the main terra. I won't be going."
"Why not?" Ravess asked; it wasn't like Cyclonis to miss out on an opportunity like this. Cyclonis turned fully. Ravess let out an audible gasp.
A large bulge was starting to grow from Cyclonis's belly. The girl looked tired. No wonder she hadn't been talking much.
"Now you know," Cyclonis whispered.
"Who's the...oh." Ravess had a sudden realization. Dark Ace. Of course. Well, at least Cyclonia had an heir now. Cyclonis walked slowly towards Ravess.
"Most everyone knows by now. You're one of the last to find out. So no need to conceal. That's why I'm not going."
"Alright."
"Ravess, you look like you're going to have a heart attack."
"I would say that appearences are deceiving."
"You are dismissed."
"Master," Ravess said, bowing, and backed out of the hall. Cyclonis leaned tiredly against her work station. I need more sleep. I wish queens had maternity leaves. Word had gotten out somehow; some Talon grunt who had seen her, probably. The entire kingdom knew now. It was inevitible.
Father would have found me a prince, a man of great title, Cyclonis thought. Yet I have my prince right here. Right here.
The door opened.
"Master."
"Dark Ace."
"Piper, hand me that wrench."
"Hmm?"
"Piper, the WRENCH!!"
"What?"
"PIPER!"
"What, Stork?"
Stork slid out from under Finn's skimmer, which had been having a few problems lately. "Piper, are you even listening?" Stork asked.
"What is it?" Piper said quietly.
"WRENCH?"
"Sorry, Stork. I'm a little preoccupied, aren't I?" Piper said, handing the Merb the desired item. Stork blew black hair from his face.
"Understatement of the century," he muttered, sliding back under the craft again. Piper let out a long sigh. Suddenly, she burst into tears. Stork was in such a rush to get out, he banged his head against a pipe and let out a yelp. Piper started laughing, then crying again.
"Piper! Calm down!" Stork said, massaging his head. He got up and watched as Piper's slim frame was racked with sobs.
"He loves me! And all I can do is sit here crying! I'm so STUPID! STUPID, STUPID!"
"Piper, calling yourself stupid won't make him come back!" Stork said. Piper stopped immediately.
"I live right next to him, and yet he's never seemed more far away," Piper whispered. Stork was about to try and comfort her when the intercom blared.
"Starling, incoming in five...four...three...two..." Finn's voice blared. Right on cue, a purple skimmer dove out of the clouds. She landed easily on the strip, converted to bike form, and pulled into the hanger bay.
"How are you Piper? Stork?" the Interceptor said cheerily. That is, until she noticed the gloomy looks on both of their faces.
"Aerrow?" Starling whispered to Stork.
"How did you know?" the Merb said sarcastically. Starling walked over to Piper and put a plated arm around the girl. Piper looked up and smiled.
"Hey, Starling. What is it?"
"We have a problem. The liberation of Atmosia has to happen, and fast. The Cyclonians are planning to attack the largest terras in Atmos."
"But we're still waiting for the other squadrons to help!" Piper exclaimed.
"No time. We hit, now. I'll help."
"The Dark Ace..."
"Aerrow's better, we have no time to lose. Atmosia, and fast." Stork nodded and ran for the helm. Piper and Starling dashed after him. They met up with Junko and Aerrow along the way. The red head had changed into dry clothes, thank goodness.
"Starling! What's up?" Junko asked. Starling explained the situation. Once at the helm, with Stork setting a course, Starling spread out a map.
"They're concentrating on Terra Saharr and Glockenchime. We need to liberate Atmosia, now, before we can help the others. If the symbol of Atmos remains in Cyclonian hands, the war may not turn out in our favor."
"War? What war?" Stork asked.
"This one. The Cyclonians started it with the attack on Atmosia. And WE have to end it," Starling said, pounding the table with her fist to make a point. The others nodded and got serious. Three tense hours passed before Stork announced that if they went any closer, the Talons would see them. Piper had devised a plan.
Junko and Finn were to be the diversions. With the Talons chasing the two around the terra, Aerrow, Radarr, and Starling could sneak in to the control center, located where the old city hall had been. If they could succeed in getting a few concerned citizens on their side, and free the prisoners in the jail, the terra could be theirs by sunset.
Everything went according to plan. Junko and Finn took off, shouting swear words at the Cyclonians, who tore after them, waving their weapons. Aerrow and Starling had glided down onto the terra, unspotted.
"There," Starling whispered, pointing at a large building, a Cyclonian flag waving on the roof. Aerrow took out his swords, Starling her nun chucks, and Radarr bared his teeth. The three crept to the back of the building. Three guards.
"We can take 'em," Aerrow said. Radarr chirped. Starling nodded before running out.
"HEY! YOU! Over here!" she shouted. The Talons raced after her. She rounded the corner and led them right to Aerrow. The Talons paused.
"Oh no," one of them muttered.
"Oh yeah!" Aerrow said, before jumping forward. With a few quick slashes, a pile of three unconscious Talons was all that was left of the guard. The three Storm Hawks strode confidently inside.
The hall had been given a paint job; the once silver blue walls were now black and red. No guards. Starling motioned towards the sign that pointed towards the stairs. It read "DUNGEONS". Aerrow, Starling, and Radarr walked down the stairway, the darkness steadily increasing, and the smell steadily worsening. Starling covered her nose; Radarr gagged. Aerrow let a small cough escape him. They arrived in a dim hallway, lined with cells. Inside, men cowered in the corners. Aerrow turned on his sword.
"Whoa," he said. The strongest and youngest men on the terra had been locked up. He sliced the lock on the nearest cage. The occupant stood and walked forward.
"Who are you?" the boy said; he couldn't have been older than Aerrow. He had fierce grey eyes and short, black hair.
"I'm Aerrow, a Storm Hawk. We're here to help." The boy smiled.
"Good. My name's Maverick. Good to meet you. We could use some assistance."
"Starling," Starling said, introducing herself. "And this is Radarr." Said Sky Monkey chirped.
"HEY! Let us out!" a few men shouted. Aerrow and Starling got to work, cutting bars and locks. They were almost done when...
"You there! STOP!" Five Talons tore down the hall after them. Maverick growled and lunged forward. A cloud of dust rose up, grunts and yelps coming from within. When the dirt settled, Maverick was wiping his hands on his pants. All five Talons lay in a crumpled heap around him.
"Wow. Nice skills," Aerrow said. The others nodded.
"Maverick was in training to be a Sky Knight before they got him," one of the prisoners said.
"Yeah, I want to build up the Red Eagles again. I heard a lot about you at the academy. I'm home on break. Looks like it was my bad luck to be here when the Cyclonians attacked," Maverick said to Aerrow. The red head smiled.
"You guys, grab their staffs," Starling said to the ex-prisoners. They walked forward and took the crystal staffs that had belonged to the Talons a mere five minutes ago. They smiled.
"Payback time," Maverick said.
"Now who wants to kick some Cyclonian BUTT!?" a man shouted. They started up the stairs.