Author's Note: Hey guys! Yes, I have finally managed to get something uploaded, and the first chapter was really a tester of sorts to see would it actually work and upload. It did, so here I am, writing away now, happy that I can now leave stories here! Yay! There's more to come, so stay tuned!
His first action was to nearly send a random Talon flying. Purely by accident, of course. Wasn't his fault if some stupid wannabe, desperate to impress, got in his way when he was running behind time.
His second action? Simply ignore said random Talon and merely stand and walk over him in order to keep going. The Talon in question yelled as a foot collided with his ribs, but hey, it was his fault that he didn't look where he was going, right?
Dark Ace swore angrily. Thanks to that idiot, he was now in more trouble than what he was originally with Master Cyclonis. She abhorred lateness as a rule, and with her already being in a bad mood….
"Out of my way, you useless fools. Can't you see I have matters to attend to?" Dark Ace had barely finished this statement when a tall, curvy magenta-haired woman approached him, pushing several men out of her way.
"Ace, you moron. You're over fifteen minutes late for the audience with Master Cyclonis! Where on Atmos have you been? Surely it doesn't take you that long to walk from your apartments, does it? Or have you been spending your time wallowing in self-pity after your latest defeat with the Storm Hawk boy?" she said with a sneer.
Ah yes. Ravess. As charming as ever, apparently.
"Me? Wallowing in self-pity? Never. And that latest defeat was due to you and your ape of a brother allowing the Storm Hawks to get away, if I remember correctly. As I recall, the Master herself blamed you for that, didn't she?" He looked at Ravess to see what effect his words were causing on her, and sure enough, her sneer had de-evolved to an angry grimace.
They were both walking down the dark, gloomy halls of the palace now, each step bringing them closer to the room were their Master, in a foul mod, was waiting for them. As she had been for the now past seventeen minutes.
"One day Ace, one day you will no longer be in favour with Cyclonis. And when that day comes, I shall be there, waiting to simply give you hell."
They had finished the walk and were now outside the door of the audience chamber. Neither moved, each to intend on winning this verbal war.
The Dark Ace smiled.
"You won't be there to see that day Ravess."
"And why not, may I ask?"
He paused, hand over the door knob.
"Because you will be sent away long before me. And it will be me who gets to make a mockery of you. So sit back and enjoy the ride while you still can."
He stepped through the door first and as he closed it, the last thing he saw was her furious face.
It was always so much fun with Ravess, and itwas sad to think that someday she will not be around anymore.
But then he saw her angry face in his mind and he realised that maybe he wasn't just as sad as he thought.
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The Dark Ace bowed, hand over chest as usual, before looking at the cloaked figure before him and speaking.
"Master. You wished to see me."
Her fingers hit buttons in a seemingly random pattern on her latest little machine; making a clicking noise every time.
Click. Click.
"You're late. By nineteen minutes, to be precise."
Click. Click.
"I am sorry, Master. Those idiots who call themselves "Talons" got in my way. I did come here as fast as I was able."
Click. Click.
"Excuses…. Excuses…. I don't care what happened, or why it did. All I know is that you are late, and I dislike lateness."
Click. Click.
"It will not happen again, Master." Dark Ace silently cursed all Talons to hell…. And to the wastelands.
"Good. Now, to business." She had stopped working on the machine now, and had instead turned to face him, her face partly concealed by her hooded cloak.
She walked over to a different piece of equipment, one which Ace could identify. It was a crystal powered sonar detector, rather like one that many pilot ships used for recon purposes have, only this one was built on a larger scale. More used fitted on a wall in the management rooms that regular scan the skies around Cyclonia.
"This picked up a rather…. Unusual frequency yesterday, Dark Ace. Something which we have never encountered before; or even heard of for that matter."
"Where did it pick up this frequency?"
"On the north-eastern border. I sent a dispatch of Talons, headed by Snipe out there yesterday as soon as this was made aware to me but they found nothing."
Dark Ace frowned. "Sounds weird. But what do you want me to do? If they didn't find anything then, chances are nothing will be found now-"
Master Cyclonis cut him off with a wave of her hand. "I know, but things have changed. The frequency is coming from a different place. South-eastern."
"That means its near Terra Grimius…." He trailed off. Terra Grimius was a place you didn't go to if you could avoid it. Half the men who had gone there had never returned. Those who did spoke of a dry, barren landscape. Not desert, more like mountainous and bog-like.
"Yes, your knowledge of geography astonishes me."
Wow. She definitely was pissed off. The sooner he got out of here, the better.
The Dark Ace grinned to himself. Next up to talk with the Master with Ravess herself, and boy did she have hell to pay for…. Pity that he couldn't stick around to watch the show.
"Your mission is simple, Dark Ace: Go to the edge of Terra Grimius, and if you find anything report back, and then attack. If you find nothing, just come back." She nodded her head in the direction of the door.
Ace took the hint. Walking slowly backwards, then bowing and straightening up he said "Yes Master. I understand. I will prepare to go at once."
He headed towards the door and before he opened it Master Cyclonis spoke.
"Oh, and Dark Ace?"
He turned towards her.
"Yes, Master?"
Her back was turned to him, her fingers resuming the frantic work of hitting more buttons.
Click. Click.
"Remember to be on time when you come back."
He nodded, bowed again and walked through the door, and the last thing to be heard was the endless click, click.
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Ravess was frowning at him.
"Finished? Can I finally go in now?"
He smiled, and gestured towards the closed door.
"She's all yours."
Ravess pushed past him, and went through the door and as she did so the Dark Ace laughed to himself.
Yes, it was a pity he was going to miss this one. Better get going though. The sooner he left, the sooner he would get back.
Walking back to the main hall, he called for several Talons to make sure that his skimmer was ready for him when he went down, and that he was stocked up on crystals.
He would enjoy going out and getting some fresh air, but it was unfortunate that he had to go to Terra Grimius. Of all places.
He swore again. Life was sometimes such a bitch.
Walking, he saw the Talon he had nearly sent flying, still holding his chest.
The Dark Ace chuckled.
Life's a bitch…. Especially for him…. He thought, smiling to himself.
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Well, that was a hell of a long chapter. Sorry about that, I guess I got carried away. At least it makes up for the shortness of chapter one!
If you like this story so far, please review. I am enjoying this, but I want to make sure that you guys are too! If you could also say what you like about it and why it would also help me out more!
Thanks for reading! Now for chapter three!