Updated June, 2011: Added a little more to Aerrow's night on the town. He was a little left out the first time around. My apologies to the Aerrow fans out there. I hope the added scene makes up for my initial foolishness.
I originally created Stryker as a means to get my fic rolling. But he truly evolved into something more than original intention. Funny how that works.
So, secrets have been revealed, and now The Storm Hawks find themselves on a new mission to go into the center of enemy territory once again to face unknown danger...
Heart of Darkness...Hidden Objective
The Storm Hawks, following the acceptance of the new mission, were dismissed by Stryker to go and prepare themselves however they needed to before they set out the next day.
Unfortunately, they didn't even have the beginnings of a plan.
...
Aerrow found himself walking alone down a side street thinking about how to handle the mission at hand, coming up with nothing that seemed it would really work. Well, Aerrow thought as he stopped walking and sighed, winging it always seems to work out for us in the end.
As Aerrow was about to move on, a shape emerged from the shadows from the shadows and lunged at him. The glow of crystal energy formed around a weapon that was now advancing towards Aerrow's neck. Aerrow quickly reached over his shoulder and drew one of his blades, igniting his own crystal and bringing the blade around to block the oncoming attack.
"Good reflexes." A familiar sounding voice said, the shadowed figure took a jump back from Aerrow and sheathed her weapon. "Definitely improved from the last time we exchanged blows."
Aerrow could now see the person clearly as she stepped out of the shadows. "Starling!"
"Hello Aerrow." She said with a slight grin as she approached the young Sky Knight. "Heard you were around and I decided to see how you were."
"Most people call or come knocking at the door." Aerrow said as he leaned against a wall, an amused grin forming on his face.
"Now where is the fun in that?" Starling chuckled. Then she let the grin drop from her face, taking on a more serious expression. "I hear your going into Cyclonia again."
"We only just found out ourselves. How did you…" Aerrow said, a look of confusion crossed his face but he quickly shook it off. "Never mind."
"You need to be careful." Starling said, emphasizing the importance of her words.
"We were fine the last time." Aerrow said with a cocky grin.
"You were lucky the last time." She said, her voice serious. "Don't forget I was there to help you."
"So, are you thinking of joining us on our mission then?"
"Can't." She said as she frowned. "You're not the only one who gets called here for dangerous missions. I leave in just a couple hours."
"Where to?" He asked, but Starling only gave him a sharp look in response. "Right, secret mission. Gotcha." An uncomfortable moment of quiet passed between them before Aerrow broke the silence. "So what are you up to until you head out?"
"Not much." She said before adding with a grin. "But I could always do with some practice before heading out on a mission. Care for a couple rounds of sparring? There's a gym we can go to just around the corner."
"I guess I could be your punching bag for a few rounds." He said with a grin and followed her as she led the way to the closet gym.
Starling suddenly stopped mid-stride and turned around to face. "One more thing Aerrow, and this comes from experience." She fixed him with a hard stare. "Be careful with Stryker. He has a bad habit of doing whatever he thinks it will take to complete a mission."
"C'mon, he's a Sky Knight and works directly with The Sky Council. He's on our side." Aerrow said with a grin as he and Starling continued heading for the gym. "And he only gave us the mission, it's not like we're going to be working with him."
"Just be careful."
"Aren't we always?" he said with a grin.
She gave him an annoyed look as they reached the gym, quickly shaking it off as they entered. She was certainly not going to take it easy on him tonight.
...
Finn and Junko went out together to hit the local buffet restaurants, not even giving a moments thought tomorrow's mission.
"Why worry about today something that won't be a problem till tomorrow? Right Junko?" Finn asked, giving his usual grin to his friend.
"I guess, besides things always work out in the end." Junko stated, paying more attention to the food being prepared all around him than to smaller friend.
"Exactly my main wallop! Now onward! Ladies and food of different varieties await us to sample them my dear Junko. Let us be off!" Finn yelled to his friend in his best impression of what he thought was an appropriate battle cry for those nights' activities.
"Just as long as you don't get us kicked out again for singing any karaoke. I hadn't even started my meal yet at the last place." Junko said, hunger on his mind now.
"Oh please, those people have no idea what real singing is, if I had my guitar I would have totally wailed them out of their seats" Finn said walking off with his friend to what was sure to be another restaurant they wouldn't be allowed to come back to.
...
Back on the Condor, night had fallen; Stork was working on calibrating the steering wheel for the fifth time that evening. Don't need it coming off mid-flight as I'm pulling a hard turn, crashing into my sternum, where I would then suffer breathing pains that would cause me to collapse as we crash slowly into the wastelands. Assuming we don't crash into a mountain from someone, most likely Finn, pulling a lever causing the engines to explode and we all go down in a fiery blaze. Just a normal night for the merb pilot.
Piper was at her charts, coming up with plans for the best possible infiltration routes. Making intricate plans with a hundred percent success rate, and theorizing on what exactly Cyclonis was truly capable of with a crystal in her chest, what kind of modifications had she made? The possibilities of how this could be applied were racing through her brain. Then she let out a disgruntled sigh, plopping down into her chair.
Stork's ears perked up at this, stopping him in his work on the steering assembly. "I know that sigh." Stork said, putting aside his tools for a moment. "That is the 'why am I working on these carefully laid out plans when they will be ignored or forgotten when it comes to go time' sigh, right?"
"Guilty as charged." Piper said, a little embarrassed at how predictable this kind of thing was. "Sorry if I'm disturbing you."
"Oh I'll probably redo the entire mechanism again anyway before I head back to my room for tonight. And for what it's worth, your plans are good for one thing at least."
"What's that?"
"It's lets me know I'm not the only one who knows how doomed we truly are in this situation." Stork said with a very sincere tone of voice.
Piper just looked at him, knowing he was complimenting her in his own way, but feeling a bit worse because of it. "I think I'll just head to bed for now. Goodnight Stork, make sure everything is locked down after the guys get back."
"Oh I plan to lock everything up tight before I go to bed, whether the others are back or not by then doesn't matter to me. Just so long as The Condor is secure. Goodnight anyway though Piper, make sure to check for Atmosian bed fleas before you turn in, their bites can get very infected overnight." Stork said, twitch in his eye as with every time he thought of returning to his own bed fear a small colony had moved in while his back was turned.
The others returned while Stork was in the middle of reassembling the drive levers. After he was finished he secured The Condor with his usual 5 check routine of every lock on board before heading back to spend a half hour fumigating his room before sleep.
...
Sky General Stryker stood before the Sky Council at the special late night session. "Did you inform them of everything that was deciphered off the data crystal, Sky General Stryker?" The head member of the council asked down at Stryker from their elevated chairs and podiums. "Do they know the dangers they face?"
"I can assure you, members of the council, that I have informed The Storm Hawks of all relevant information." Stryker said, and thought to himself, they don't need to know all of it, nor do you. "They leave tomorrow on this mission, they seem confident of their success, at least the leader does anyway."
"Then we are left only to hope for their safe return from an accomplished mission." Said one of the lesser members to the right side of the Head councilor. "If not, we are then left to your contingency plan Stryker."
"I guarantee this most noble council, if The Storm Hawks fail, I shall personally lead the assault on Cyclonia with every ounce of fire power we can muster to stop their plans." The general bowed low, covering the smile spreading across his face. When he stood again the smile was gone replaced by his usual calm appearance. "If you will excuse me, it is late and I do not wish to keep you longer than necessary."
The council members one by one got up and left and Stryker made his way back to his office, personal aide in tow. "Sir, Sky General Striker, sir. A question, if I may?" The aide asked, feeling confused.
Stryker waited till they were safely inside the sound dampening walls of the office before acknowledging his aide." Yes? What is it?" He asked, already knowing the question.
"I'm just curious, sir, to know why you didn't tell The Storm Hawks everything, and why you lied to the council that you did? Sir." The aide asked, afraid he may have asked too much.
"It's quite simple really, but first, what do you think of The Storm Hawks?" Stryker asked, again knowing what the response would be.
"They are courageous and surprisingly skillful for being so young. I doubt there are many who aren't aware of there adventures by now. Sir." The aide replied, wondering why he had been asked such a question.
"That's exactly it. Everyone knows them, and their deeds." Stryker said, venom in his voice. "They are practically known by everyone in the Atmos, feared by the Cyclonians, They have fought toe-to-toe with Dark Ace and Cyclonis. The problem is though, when I stepped into that room today, they had no idea who I was. I am a Sky General, all should know me, and I should be leading the charge. Not these punk kids who found a ship and decided to play heroes." Stryker was shouting very loud now, anger apparent by the veins bulging on his bald head." But, soon, thanks to some careful planning, and a small gift I have prepared, I shall remove two annoyances from my sky." The Sky General smirked, and began a low laugh, the aide was now very unsure of what the general meant, but decided it best to leave it be.
"Besides," Stryker continued," If they are truly as great as everyone seems to think they are, then they should be fine." He turned his back on the aide now, facing out his large window watching night cover the terra. His Smile reflecting back at him in the window, as night filled the room with darkness.
...
All was silent on The Condor, everyone sleeping soundly.
Beep...Beep...Beep...
Too much? Too little? I must know, and only you can tell me. Review, it's not just a pretty button the screen, it holds the path to glory..