The sky spat out the Condor next to the hollow shell of Cyclonia.

'We made it!' Piper gasped.

'Don't sound so surprised,' said Aerrow, clapping Stork on the shoulder, 'not when we've got the best helmsman the sky's ever seen.'

Stork let out a nervous laugh. 'Don't celebrate yet; something'll go wrong. You'll see. Especially with -'

'Let's not,' Aerrow cut in, grimacing. 'Let's just pretend like that's not a problem for now, okay?'

Stork shrugged.

Piper crossed her arms. 'We have to acknowledge it eventually. We may have accepted it, but -'

She was interrupted by an explosion of cannon fire; the Condor lurched to the side, and they all grabbed hold of something to steady themselves.

'Told you,' Stork muttered amidst their shocked yells.

'Is it Talons?' Finn asked, 'why're they shooting at us?'

'It's not like they know,' Piper shot back. 'And I don't think it's them.' She pointed out of the window where an airship sporting a huge, grinning skull face at its bow loomed over the Condor.

'Murk Raiders?' Aerrow exclaimed.

'But... they were on our side!' Finn said incredulously.

'Not anymore they're not,' Piper replied.

'Stork,' Aerrow said, 'we're in no position for a fight with these guys. Get us out of here.'

'You're running away?' Finn asked. 'Dude, that's not like you.'

'Feel like a battle after all we've been through?' Aerrow retorted. 'I don't know about you but I'd rather see some friendly faces.'

'If there are any left. Who knows how many people have abandoned us? Who knows how many more will?'

'Don't say that, Finn,' Piper scolded, 'no one's going to abandon us.'

'You don't know that.'

'Finn!'

He shrugged. 'I'm just saying; things aren't looking good.'

She scowled at him and Finn threw up his arms in mock-surrender.

'Would you two stop fighting?' Aerrow sighed. 'This situation's bad enough without you two squabbling like kids.'

Starling rubbed at her temples.

'I don't know what to say.'

'They were your squadron, Harrier,' she whispered, 'you'll feel this loss more than anyone.'

He slumped into the chair opposite and hid his face in his hands.

'Harrier, I - oh God - I'm sorry.'

'I should've been fighting with them. They died without their sky knight, Starling - how can I bear this shame?'

She reached over and placed a hand on his arm. 'There's no shame to bear; this was not your fault. Don't blame yourself for something you had no control over.'

'I should've died with them.'

'But you didn't. Dammit, Harrier; that's a good thing.'

He shook his head and stared up at the ceiling, watching it as if he could see the stars through the layers of metal above him. 'When will it end?'

She didn't - she couldn't - answer.

'You were right,' he sighed. 'Remember what you said before? This'll end with us imprisoned or killed. You were right.'

'Don't,' she said.

'You believed it before.'

'I was wrong, Harrier. You were right; our people - your people - are still here, the resistance is still here. Maybe we're not strong, but we are here.'

'We are dying - my people are dying. How many more will be slaughtered before we give up?'

'So that's what you want to do? You want to give up?'

'Yes.'

'Then all of those people will have died for nothing.'

He glared at her. She shrugged and drummed the table casually with her fingers; they sat for a moment in silence. He huffed, crossed and uncrossed his legs as she avoided his withering gaze, bouncing her leg as she paid particular interest to the wall behind him.

'I suppose,' he ventured, 'I suppose you're right.'

She met his eye. 'I really am sorry about your squadron, Harrier,' she said softly. 'I know how it feels. You've lost your family, your purpose; you think nothing's worth it anymore. I know you want to give up, and I know I've said the same in the past. You convinced me otherwise. The fact is, Atmos needs us. It needs us to keep going and keep fighting; we need to act like we still believe we can win. So, put on your brave face, pull up your big boy britches, and restore that stiff upper lip of yours because we're fighting until we die.'

He nodded pensively. 'Starling,' he said, 'do you still think they won't come back?'

She pursed her lips. 'Stranger things have happened.' She sighed. 'Like you said; the Storm Hawks are the best squadron of our time. But I can't help thinking the worst... I just hope I'm proven wrong.'

'Something's wrong,' Stork muttered.

'Something's always wrong with you,' Finn said glumly.

'No; look down there. It's Terra Atmosia.'

Aerrow, Finn, and Piper moved to the window.

'Oh no,' Piper whispered.

The beacon tower was unlit. It was clear Terra Atmosia had been completely devastated; window panes stood empty of glass, houses had collapsed in on themselves, and clouds of black smoke trailed into the sky. The streets were strewn with broken glass and decaying food and bodies that had been left to rot where they fell. There was no sign of life; not even a bird flew over the terra.

'It's a graveyard,' Aerrow choked. 'What the hell's happened here? What's going on?'