Chapter 3: Squadron Log

Nerd Corps own Storm Hawks

^^^If I did, I wouldn't leave SH as a cliff hanger.

Aerrow had to literally drag Piper out of the wastelands. He sent Junko to take Finn's body to the Atmosian morgue on Terra Atmosia.

Aerrow put his arms around Piper. "Piper, it's going to be okay."

Through sniffles she replied, "No it's not Aerrow. All I wanted was to say sorry and I never got the chance. The last thing he heard me say was to keep living. I didn't do it. He died in my arms Aerrow. He died in the arms of the person who wanted him gone."

"Piper, just….just think about all the GOOD times you've had with Finn. Those memories will last forever. Come here."

He wrapped her in a tighter hug, stroking her hair to calm her down. "It's going to be okay Piper. Tell you what. Why don't you get some rest. In the morning if you don't feel any better, we'll go to Tropica okay?"

She thought, 'Finn's favourite place.'

"Alright."

Aerrow left to go to the bridge and help Radarr with some of the repairs. Piper left to go to her room.

When she passed by Finn's room, something in her felt drawn into the room. Like…there was a stone unturned. She quietly snuck into his room making sure that nobody saw her.

She kept rummaging through his stuff. She didn't know exactly what she was looking for but she knew there was something here that may or may not reveal itself to her.

She looked in just about ever drawer, closet, under his mattress, under his bed, everywhere. Except….by his teddy bear Finnster. Piper rolled her eyes and remembered the day she gave him the teddy bear.

*Flashback*

"I'm six years old! I don't know how to build a fort."

Piper said, "Well you should! You're a guy and how come Aerrow can build a fort?"

"I don't know. Maybe that's because I have a life Miss. Know-it-all."

Piper whipped a small rock at Finn and said, "Shut up."

"Oooo. You said shut up! I'm going to tell-"

"Tell who? Your mommy? Woops! That's right! You don't have one!"

"Neither do you Broken Pipe."

"For the last time! My name's not Broken Pipe, it's PIPER. P-I-P-E-R. Piper. And what's your name Finnegan?"

"No! It's Finn."

Aerrow walked right in front of the two and said, "Shut up. Both of you. If we're going to survive the night in the storm we have to build SOME kind of make shift fort."

"Fine," they grumbled.

"Piper, I need you to start building a fire and Finn, you'll come with me and collect some branches."

"Okay. At least I'm away from Broken Pipes!" He snickered and walked away leaving Piper with steam coming out of her ears.

Piper quickly picked up a rock and was about to hurl it at Finn. "And no Piper, don't use that rock as a weapon against Finn."

Piper almost crushed the rock into little bits of dust.

She stormed off to collect some stones and sticks.

"Aerrow, why can't we live in a dumpster for tonight? I don't want to sleep outside where the storm can reach me."

"Well, all I know is that you won't want to live in a dumpster unless you want people to think you actually live in garbage."

"At least we'll have a roof over our heads."

"Finn, we're trying our best. All we have to do is stick together and we'll find a way out of this mess. I promise."

*Nighttime*

The three were huddled under their make shift tent of branches.

Thunder rumbled closer and closer to Terra Atmosia and rain didn't seem to touch the kids at all. All were sound asleep. Except for Finn. He lay awake staring at the triangle top of their "tent". He wished his mom were here to rock him to sleep and to come into his room when the thunder bothered him, but nobody was there to do that for him.

He picked himself off the hard ground and looked around. Then…he saw it. A teddy bear right by Piper's sleeping form. He thought, 'She's asleep. She doesn't really need it.' He quietly wriggled the teddy bear out of her arms, cuddled it close to him, and feel asleep.

"FINN WAKE UP!"

He rolled over and squished the teddy bear underneath him.

"What," he mumbled.

"YOU STOLE MR. BEAR AWAY FROM ME!"

"No. I BORROWED him. I was going to give him back after the storm was over."

Piper tried in vain to pull the bear from underneath Finn's body. She finally got ahold of an arm and yanked and yanked, and finally, pulled him out making Finn roll face first in the dirt.

"Hey! You pushed me!"

"No I didn't. I was trying to get my teddy bear back."

"But it's still dark out here. I can't go to sleep without my mommy here and I have nobody else to make me feel better."

"You have us…"

"That's different."

Piper suddenly felt sorry for Finn. Maybe she shouldn't have been so harsh on him. Well…she could sleep through the storm without Mr. Bear and besides, she didn't really play with Mr. Bear anymore. She decided she'd be nice. Just this once.

She looked at the bear and then to Finn who lay awake staring at the roof, again.

She reached out her hand. "Here Finn."

"What?"

"I want you to have Mr. Bear."

"Really?"

"Yes. And if anybody asks, I didn't give him to you."

"Okay. Thanks Piper."

He showed a beaming smile at the bear. "Now your new name is the Finnster!"

Piper rolled her eyes. How much more idiot could one Finn have?

*End of flashback*

She put Finnster aside and saw it. Was this what her heart was drawing her to? Finn's….squadron log? Maybe this was the answer to console her. She was going to regret doing this…..

She flipped open the pages. Wanting to respect Finn's privacy, she opened to the very back of the book.

Squadron Log: 5:18pm

Why do I even keep a squadron log? I don't know. Maybe it's to….I dunno. I'm out of ideas.

Piper rolled her eyes. He didn't even write an idea down. Idiot.

Today….I was watching home movies with the crew. And mine was (obviously) THE best. If I may say so myself. Do you know how much effort I put in to making my hair look good? Stork's movie was uhhh…. How should I put this…interestingly paranoid. We've run into almost all of the things we SHOULD avoid on Atmos and NOW he tells us? Piper's movie was just BORINGGGGGG. UPCHUC? I upchuc when Junko cooks. Trust me. Anyways I'll skip the other movies. What the point is is that Aerrow was right. It's not the brave and the brilliance that makes a squadron. It's the people you're with. Your family. Man, I can't believe I'm even writing this….but…I've decided to be nice and write something nice about everyone in our squadron.

Aerrow: My big bro and best friend. He always rescues me from an attack with Piper. He can always be someone to talk to when you need it. He's just got all the qualities a Sky Knight could ever have. Always a team leader, always pushing us to our limits to the point where you want to throw a boulder at him, and telling us to never give up. He's always there to protect us.

Piper: Do I even have to say?

Piper thought, 'Oh great. Here come the insults.'

She's smart, brave, and well, funny. She's unlike any of the girls I've ever seen in the quadrant. She's willing to go out and face Cyclonians. Maybe even death. BUT LOOK AT ME NOW! LAUGHING IN THE FACE OF DEATH. All thanks to Piper. If a girl can stand up to the challenge, then so can I…I'm not gonna let HER stand me up. I've learned a lot of things from her. How to use my resources, how to use different crystals, how to throw better insults…okay forget the last part even though it's true. But, she's also got the heart of an older sister. Always looking out for you and telling you to do your best.

Junko: HAHA! My other best friend. Even though Junko is ALWAYS, YES, ALWAYS….. Taking the VERY LAST piece of chocolate cake almost every time we buy it, he never gets mad at you. If you ask me, I'm off the hook right there. I know this one is short for a best friend but he is the best softie, kind, giant wallop anyone could ask for in a best friend.

Stork: Even though he's got paranoia all the time, he always rescues me when I run into something I'm not supposed to. He's got the remedies even though they sometimes stink, look terrible or, even, taste terrible. And I have to say he's an AWESOMEEEE carrier pilot! Man you should watch him zoom through and bang through those Cyclonians like there's no tomorrow! Although, he can cut the act when Junko always manages to collide on me, and I'm stuck at the bottom of the pile.

Radarr: Dude… you don't have to tell me twice. Playing charrades with you stinks. I'm terrible at it, and so are you. You're really good at checkers though and someday I WILL DEFEAT YOU!

People of Atmos: At first you were scums who wouldn't let the Storm Hawks become a squadron because you thought of us as kids. But look at us now baby! And to repay us…you make us action figures. Chicka cha. Just kidding. Yeah know? Just playing with you. Heh-heh. Ahem. Okay. Just needed to get that out there. Anyways. In the toughest of times, you always had our backs and kudos to Starling who always believed in us from the start. AND I AM NOT A Squirrly kid Starling. Don't jug a book by it's cover.

Jug a book by it's cover? I think it's supposed to be JUDGE. Oh well. That was Finn for you. Sometimes couldn't get his grammar right.

Squadron Log: Out

Piper almost felt her heart break in two at the last sentence. Someday he would defeat Radarr in checkers but….he never would. Reading everything in his log gave her some consolation. Maybe this is what Finn WANTED her to see, she didn't know.

She took the book with her and walked to the bridge. Only Aerrow was there.

"Aerrow…"

"Yeah? What's up Piper?"

"I…I need to show you something."

She walked over and placed the book in Aerrow's waiting hands. "Wait…this is Finn's squadron log. Are you sure you should be looking at this?"

"I think he wanted me to see it. Just read it."

"There's nothing dirty in there Is there?"

"No."

He sat down on the sofa and patted a place next to him for Piper. They both read it through.

After reading it for about the third time, Aerrow asked, "Should we tell the crew?"

"I think it's best."

He got up and offered a hand to her. She took it willingly and intertwined her fingers in his. It was the only way to keep herself steady and not falling over.

The past couple of days had been quite a blur. She wished this didn't have to happen, but, it did. And as Finn said, 'You can't undo the past no matter how much it has been damaged.'

Piper took in a deep breath. She wasn't going to be a baby and cry again. For about the millionth time that day.

Aerrow could see her fighting the tears. It showed in her eyes. "Piper, it's okay to cry. Everyone's been taking it pretty hard but, no matter how many times you two have fought over something stupid, you two were probably the closest at heart. He was like a brother to you wasn't he?"

She nodded.

"I just don't want to think of him gone anymore Aerrow."

"We all wish the same thing Piper. We'll be strong for him. And get the Dark Ace for him."

She gave a small smile. "Okay."

He squeezed her hand reassuringly. "Someday we'll get the Dark Ace. And you never forget that someday, we'll see Finn again. I promise."