"Well, that went…" Piper started.

"Bad," Aerrow suggested.

"Horrible," Starling concluded.

The three teens stood outside the door of the Sky Knight Council's war room on Terra Atmosia. Aerrow and Piper had presented the council with updates on the ongoing conflict concerning the Cyclonian colonies on Terra Nimbus, Terra Buster and Terra Zatracla. A new peace treaty had been made, but it was broken again before noon. It seemed peace was impossible.

The Cyclonians, despite losing Terra Cyclonia, still posed a threat to the entirety of Atmos. They were scattered for the time being, leaderless and low on resources, but their numbers and desire to avenge their lost homes were still plentiful. Their faith in their Master was unwavering.

Master Cyclonis inspired little love and ruled through fear and terror. But she had rode upon a wave of massive success despite her young age and had even brought lost prosperity back to Cyclonia. Through dark magic and crude trickery, Cyclonis had taken back territory lost by her ancestors centuries ago, establishing a new and stronger Cyclonia, independent of the rest of Atmos, winning unquestionable national favor. The royal line was held in high regard, and the desire for conquest still stirred within the hearts of the Cyclonians.

Surely, the Cyclonian refugees wouldn't listen to the military power responsible for wiping out their homes and occupying their terras. If only there was one person capable of commanding the remaining Cyclonians to lay down their arms.

"Gosh, it's so obvious," Piper realized, clapping her hand across her face.

"Pardon?" Starling said, raising a purple eyebrow.

"Master Cyclonis is the key to our trouble with the Cyclonian leftovers. If we can convince her to work with us, we can use her to ease the tension in the colonies. Terra Nimbus, Buster, Zartacla… All she has to do is convince them to play nice. They will listen to her, right?"

"Oh, you bet they'll listen. When Princess Psycho sounds the horn of war, they will answer the call, all right. We just defeated the Cyclonians. Atmos can't afford another war."

Aerrow butted in. "Let's not forget the fact that Cyclonis is a monster with buckets full of innocent blood on her hands. She cannot be allowed to go free for the crimes she committed simply because it is convenient for us now. Her punishment is long overdue."

"It's not about forgiving her for what she did. It's about using the tools we currently have at our disposal to establish peace. That's our prime directive. She won't rally a new army, even if she desired to. The Cyclonian forces are spent, more so than ours."

"Look, Piper, I know you trust her, but-"

"Can you please stop talking to me like I'm some naïve little girl? I've fought Master Cyclonis just as long as you have. I know what she's capable of. But you, the both of you, refuse to even consider my idea simply because Cyclonis was our enemy in the past."

Her companions watched her. Starling's gaze was hard. Aerrow seemed conflicted.

"She is still our enemy," Starling reminded her. "Even if I agreed to this plan, which I don't, we could never convince the Council to agree to it. It's a hard, hard sell, Piper."

"Wait," Aerrow interjected. "Piper makes a good point. We should use the fact that we have their master in our possession to our advantage. She is a bargaining chip. If the Cyclonians remain peaceful, we'll grant their precious queen more freedom."

"And if they don't," Starling followed, nodding along, before drawing a line over her neck with her finger while producing a macabre sound with her mouth for effect.

That was not at all what Piper had suggested. She didn't like where this was going.

"Wait, you mean we're holding her as a hostage now!?"

"She's already a prisoner of war. Being a hostage was always implied."

What Starling said didn't sit right with Piper but she made no further comment. She felt as if her friends already doubted her enough as it was. When navigating these waters, advocating for the rights of the worst person on Atmos, one had to be careful not to appear too sympathetic with them or one's true loyalties might fall into question.