Minn: I'd just like to take this time to thank those who HAVE reviewed (*nudgenudge* to those who haven't). Just it really helps getting feedback. I like to know what I am doing wrong. What do you want to see? What do you think will happen? I'm very sociable with my readers so if you drop me a few lines, chances are I'll write back! (And who knows... I may even drop a hint or two... *wink wink*) I really like to know where you guys think this fic is headed... Hearing theories from others helps me know if I'm doing my job right in including enough foreshadowing and detail... yet not so much as to give away the plot twists. Anywho, I hope you enjoy. This time it's Piper's, Junko's and Stork's turn.
As an afterthought... I should point out that this chapter and (in all likelihood) the one after it will be very very short. Also, POVs between chapters will be changing around a lot, so (of course) the timelines between characters overlap, so it might seem that there are inconsistencies at times, but trust me... it's nowhere close to the fiasco that EFTFS was. I planned this out... like on paper. I drew a timeline and everything... so just trust me when I say that the character interactions are within the realm of the possible with relation to time. lol!
WhispertheWolf: Yes, I'm here! Mostly to remind everyone I'm watching for your reviews, too. And this time, I can even take partial credit on the writing! Yeah, I actually wrote part of this one, rather than just helping out with plotlines and editing. So yea me! (But it's still not much; most of the writing is still Minn's.)
Chapter 4: "I Had No Choice"
It was hard knowing that they just left. Not having the rest of the team with them... it didn't feel right. However, Piper knew that she couldn't dwell on it. This was her time to lead. Her other two teammates were counting on her.
It took some time to decide on where they would go. (For, indeed, where could they go?) Stork had suggested Vapos, but that was too risky. If any turned squad followed them there... it would open up a whole new problem with the location of Vapos known. Also, without Finn, there was no guarantee that King Agar would be willing to give his full aid. If a new war broke out... no... It was best to leave Vapos alone.
"What if there's someone who'd want to help us?" Junko suggested. "We should go to our friends."
Piper shook her head. "I'm not willing to take that chance. Who knows what squadron we can trust? After what happened before... the last thing we need is another threatening encounter."
No. What they needed was someplace remote. Someone who was separate from all of this. An independent agent who they could trust... of course. "Starling!" Piper said at once. If no one else would help the Storm Hawks, she would. Piper was thrilled at the thought of it.
"But how do we find her?" Stork asked.
Piper's spirits quickly faded away as she realized that there was no way to track down the lone Sky Knight. As far as Piper was aware, Starling had no set HQ for herself. The only way the Storm Hawks had ever made contact with her was through her skimmer's radio.
"We can call her radio . . ." Piper said hesitantly. She tried emitting a call to the Sky Knight's frequency... but no luck. Starling's radio appeared to be completely off-air.
So that was their last option gone.
For a while it looked like they had no other choice but to merely hide out on some uninhabited terra such as Amazonia or Terra Fauna. However, doing so was extremely undesirable. How were Aerrow, Finn and Radarr ever supposed to find their other teammates among hundreds of obscure, lonely terras? It would be nearly impossible. However, it looked like their only choice.
But Stork had one last idea.
"There is one other person," he said, "someone who lives apart from everyone else. And he's not likely to forget what we've done for him."
"Who?" Piper asked.
"Rinjiin."
Of course. Looking back, Piper was amazed that they hadn't thought of it earlier. Sky's End was located far away from all other terras, creating the ideal hiding place. Granted, though other Sky Knights had frequented Rinjiin in the past to help protect the dragons, such visits had dramatically decreased since the Dragon Knight's ship had undergone complete repairs and the Murk Raiders (as well as anyone else who might try to make a claim to the hatchlings) gave it up as a lost cause. Piper felt confident this was the right choice. Rinjiin wasn't about to forget the help they had given him with repelling the initial attack. However, there was one small thing holding the team back. Being so distant from all other terras, it was unlikely that they would be able to establish a strong radio signal. However, Piper felt that this wasn't something to fret over too much. She was confident that Aerrow would figure out where they were if he noticed the pattern in the absence of a strong radio wave. He was smart. He was determined.
"What do you think, Junko?" Piper asked.
Junko smiled. "I'd like to see the dragons!"
Piper turned to Stork, who was awaiting her order. "Stork," she said, "set course for Sky's End."
A long-absent sense of optimism filled the three Storm Hawks. Here was a small ray of hope.
Rinjiin was waiting for them as the Condor landed on the small red terra. Piper had hailed him once they were within radio range, and he clearly anticipated their arrival anxiously. As the squad left their ship, Piper shook hands warmly with Rinjiin, but the Dragon Knight was confused at the lack of Storm Hawks before him.
"Where is the rest of your team?" Rinjiin asked, his greeting smile fading as he realized the other members were absent.
Piper's smile also faltered slightly as Stork and Junko fidgeted behind her.
"We... had to split up," Piper remarked simply. In a clear display of sympathy (yet... more like disappointment) Rinjiin sighed sadly yet decided not to dwell on this unfortunate bit of news.
"Well, at least you're here now." Rinjiin spoke with a tone of optimism which gave Piper hope. She smiled back at him while the team behind her followed suit.
"So," Piper opened as the Storm Hawks followed Rinjiin to his ship, which rested silently on the rocks. "I'm guessing you know the details of what has been going on."
"True..." Rinjiin answered slowly. "Though I live apart from most of the main channels, I do hear tales of what has been happening within the Atmos. It saddened me greatly when I received news of recent developments."
The conversation came to a break while everyone entered the ship single-file through the porthole, but it quickly picked up again when all had entered. "Regardless," Rinjiin continued. "I'm glad you decided to come here."
Piper and Stork were focused on Rinjiin while they made their way to the bridge, but Junko had been glancing around the corridors, naturally taking an interest since he had been the one to perform most of the repairs last time they had been here. However, as he observed some of the mechanical work they passed, his attention was called to a key point of interest.
"Hey, uhh... Rinjiin," Junko stuttered a bit, knowing he was cutting off the conversation he had lost track of. His three companions turned to him as he spoke up. "Uhh..." Junko paused again, not exactly sure how to phrase his question delicately. "I couldn't help but notice... but the hydraulic pipes connected to the wing structure look like they're damaged."
Piper and Stork turned to the Dragon Knight, curious why he wouldn't mention such a thing. "The ship can't fly?" Piper clarified, questioning Rinjiin.
"It is some minor damage," he replied, though he looked slightly unnerved. "Nothing to worry about... easily repaired. It was a clumsy accident on my part while training with the little ones. Grazed a cliff with the wings... Now, if we could move on to the bridge..." Rinjiin seemed to end the conversation there, and for the most part Piper and Stork let it drop, but Junko eyed the damage curiously one last time before jogging slightly to catch up with the others. That damage looked internal...
As the team followed Rinjiin onto the bridge, a sudden thought occurred to Piper. "If you're open to attack..." the navigator asked, trying to make her question sound more innocent than it was, "...have you contacted anyone to give you some help?"
Rinjiin eyed Piper curiously, yet she seemed sincere in her trust. "No," he answered simply. "Knowing what the circumstances are, I would rather not associate with other squadrons just now. Besides, as I said, it's nothing to be concerned over." Rinjiin finished his answer testily, and Piper felt ashamed as if she had unfairly cross-examined her friend.
"Um... one question, though," Stork added hesitantly, seeing that Rinjiin had been put in a bad mood. "Where are the dragons anyways?" Piper paused in thought as she reflected on Stork's words. That was right. When she thought about it, they hadn't seen a single hatchling. That was odd, considering how sociable they were...
"We have been training hard," Rinjiin stated, trying to be more friendly yet clearly put on edge at being questioned so much. "It isn't easy raising dragons and they need their rest. Now, is there anything I can offer you? I'm afraid my stores are a little low at present but I can find a few things..." Rinjiin trailed off and tried to tidy up the bridge a little, distracted by the mess. For indeed, the room didn't look much better than the last time the Storm Hawks had been here. There was a couch near the corner which Piper and Junko seated themselves on quietly, while Stork remained standing. They were positioned immediately in front of the right eye of the dragon ship, and Piper looked out onto the cliffs surrounding the terra contemplatively. It was only after a couple of minutes passed that she realized that Rinjiin had joined her in gazing out at the sky.
"Ummm... Rinjiin?" Piper asked tentatively. He seemed to have been lost in thought.
"Oh," Rinjiin said, looking a little taken aback. "My apologies. Do you... mind if I take my leave for a moment? I will return briefly." Without any explanation, Rinjiin had left the bridge, leaving the Storm Hawks behind. Piper narrowed her eyes after him as he left. Something was off. Rinjiin was acting very absent minded – almost nervous. Stork and Junko exchanged a confused look, but Piper turned back to the window, deciding that it was probably their presence which had placed such a strain on their friend. She sighed sadly as she turned her attention towards the opening of a large cave opposite the ship. Could nothing go right for them?
However, Piper was pulled out of her thoughts when she spotted something coming out of the cave she had been staring at. It was one of the dragons. But... it looked like it was limping. Piper rose from her seat and Junko and Stork followed after her, wondering what had caught her attention. Piper pressed one hand against the glass as she watched the small creature turn its face toward the sunlight, an indication it had been cooped up inside for too long. Yes... it was definitely hurt. There was a white bandage wrapped around its leg, and a patch pressed over one section of its wing. Piper's face fell at the discovery, and the dragon made a discovery of its own as it turned away from the light and realized the Condor was parked on its home. It looked distressed at the realization for some reason and turned to the dragon ship with an awful expression. It was that reaction which alerted Piper that something was very, very wrong. It wasn't a look of confusion, worry, or anxiousness, though all of those were included as secondary emotions on the dragon's face.
It was a look of fear.
Why would the dragon be afraid? What could it possibly have to be afraid of? The dragon gazed with wide eyes straight at the ship, almost as if he were staring directly at Piper. Warning her...
"Junko... Stork..." Piper addressed her teammates quietly, though they had seen it as well. Something had happened here.
It was at the peak of this realization that Rinjiin had re-entered the bridge. Piper turned to face him, concerned and confused while her teammates stood beside her.
"Rinjiin," Piper addressed him seriously. "What happened to the dragons?"
Rinjiin looked surprise, but the expression lacked any trace of sincerity. "What... do you mean?"
"They're injured!" Piper cried out, annoyed at the act of ignorance. She gestured with a wave of her arm in exasperation towards the window, where other hatchlings could be seen gathering outside.
"It was..." Rinjiin hesitated, in an obvious attempt to find an excuse "...a training incident..."
"The same one that crippled your ship?" Piper asked skeptically and with deep sarcasm. "Rinjiin, what happened here? Why are the dragons afraid? What are you afraid of?"
But suddenly, the same thought seemed to have hit all three Storm Hawks at once, and Piper's eyes widened at the sudden thought. "What were you doing just now?" Piper asked Rinjiin carefully, as Stork and Junko tensed beside her. Rinjiin was silent, but his face was firm. "Rinjiin," Piper repeated, a bit more forcefully this time. "Who were you contacting?"
Rinjiin remained silent, but the shame in his expression was response enough.
"Let's go, guys," Piper muttered quietly to her team in deep disappointment, but just as they moved for the door, Rinjiin intercepted them.
"No!" he shouted, blocking the way, and holding a staff that none of the team had noticed until now. "No!" Rinjiin repeated, though it was less in a menacing tone and more in one of pure desperation. "I can't let you leave."
Piper moved to grab her crystal staff, but cursed herself when she realized it was left aboard the Condor. Sure, Junko had his Knuckle Busters... but were they even really willing to fight their friend?
"Why?" Junko asked, speaking up in disbelief yet also with strong resolve. "Why are you doing this?"
"You don't understand!" Rinjiin pleaded. "They threatened the dragons! My little ones! I was helpless to protect them!" None of the Storm Hawks were prepared for the passion with which Rinjiin spoke. "They wanted me to help them," he explained, yet remaining strong in his position. "I did not want to, truthfully! But then... they realized how to make me more compliant..." Rinjiin's face darkened and the Storm Hawks got chills at his words. Did another squad really do this? Did they really go that far? It didn't matter which team it was – the fact that one squad was willing to act this far meant that many others would act without reservations either. "They destroyed the ship! They suspected you might come here," Rinjiin continued. "I had no other choice."
"You always have a choice!" Piper protested. "So it was either us or the dragons? Rinjiin, didn't it ever occur to you that we could help?"
"No!" Rinjiin denied vehemently. "They're too strong for that! It's quite clear how far they're willing to go. I'm afraid it is a losing battle that you are fighting. If they ever found out that I tried to act against the treaty, I – " But Rinjiin was suddenly distracted by something that caught his attention though the window. The Storm Hawks turned around in curiosity and gasped as they saw a handful of skimmers descending towards the terra. But that wasn't all. The dragons had grown agitated and fearful, flocking towards the windows of the ship, trying to flee inside, but also facing the Storm Hawks through the glass, warning them of what was coming.
"It is too late, now," Rinjiin said, defeated.
"No it's not!" Piper denied, turning back to face the Dragon Knight. "Rinjiin, let us pass!"
"No!" he still resisted. "I have to protect my dragons!"
The skimmers had landed.
"Rinjiin, we don't want to hurt you!"
"No! I must!"
The hatchlings were banging on the glass.
"Rinjiin!"
With a thundering smash, the dragons had shattered the window of the right eye, causing shards to fly everywhere as chaos ensued. The Storm Hawks fell to the ground as the dragons swarmed inside the bridge. Some covered Rinjiin while others grabbed the Storm Hawks with their claws and flew them out of the devastated room. However, they couldn't get far. Weakened by what had happened to them, they merely glided the Storm Hawks down to the ground and then collapsed, exhausted. Piper looked down at them with pity, but Junko and Stork were already on the move. The unidentified skimmers were stationed nearby, and the Storm Hawks would have to make a sprint for it if they hoped to reach the Condor. Piper followed her teammates closely, dazed and moving fast with the adrenaline coursing through her. However, she couldn't help but look back as she realized who it was pursuing them.
It was the Rebel Ducks.
They had betrayed them.
Piper dashed into the Condor just as Stork fired up the engines. They were safe. They made it. However, the Rebel Ducks were not giving up without a fight. As the Condor lifted into the air, so did the skimmers of the Ducks. Junko mounted his blaster as Stork prepared the pilot controls. Piper dashed to the radio, hoping that if they could send any signal, now would be the time.
"Aerrow," Piper called in quickly. "Aerrow, please respond! The Rebel Ducks have turned—" Piper was cut off for a moment as the ship was blasted from the side, the multiple skimmers too numerous for Junko to fend off completely. "Repeat!" Piper almost yelled into the radio. "The Rebel Ducks of Gale have turned on us!" The Condor was blasted again, and Piper fell to the side as the floor sloped away from underneath her feet. Knowing that she had to help, she ran to the other blaster that was normally manned by Finn. Together with Junko's help and Stork's piloting skills, they were able to turn the fight in their favour, and after being forced to dodge numerous bolts, the Ducks gave it up as a lost cause, and retreated back to Sky's End.
Piper sighed in relief as the last of the skimmers vanished into the clouds, and turned to her teammates with a sad half-smile. "Good job, you two."
But no one felt like it was a victory.
"I hope," Junko said, hesitating a bit. "That Rinjiin will be okay..."
"Umm..." Stork countered seeming a bit sarcastic. "Considering he was more than willing to turn us in, I'm not too concerned about him."
"True, Stork," Piper said sadly, dismounting the blaster and gathering around the center of the bridge with her companions. "But I can understand why he did it. He wanted to protect what was closest to him."
Stork huffed dismissively, as if that was no excuse, though the understanding in his eyes conveyed the truth that he knew that the Dragon Knight couldn't be blamed.
"I hope the dragons will be okay..." Junko spoke up again.
"Don't worry, Junko," Piper reassured him. "As far as the Ducks could see, Rinjiin had done what they wanted him to. They'll have no reason to..." But taking herself by surprise, Piper realized she couldn't finish her sentence. Her throat seemed to close up on her, and she paused as the full comprehension of how messed up things had gotten fell on her.
"Piper?" Junko asked gently, but the navigator simply shook her head, ashamed.
"Let's just fly away from here," she replied emptily.
Stork had been fidgeting the entire time, but turned to the controls, setting a route back towards central Atmos.
Piper turned away from her team, meaning to head to her room, but Junko stopped her near the door, sensing his friend could use some comfort. He placed a large hand on her shoulder, looking at her in a thoughtful gaze that didn't often show itself on the Wallop's face.
"It'll be okay, Piper," he assured her. "We'll get through this."
But Piper sighed, and looked down at the floor. "I wish I could believe that."
And she exited the bridge.