The Seventh Member of the Storm Hawks

Promises

The Dark Ace's boots clicked in the hallway as he made his way to Master Cyclonis' chamber, dreading the news he had to deliver to her – he had failed and in his mind, and he also failed Cyclonis - there was no excuse. "Welcome Dark Ace." She grinned maliciously, she already knew he had failed and was not one bit pleased. "Master Cyclonis, I have failed you." He simply spoke bowing to her, she frowned at the reminder but composed herself. "No matter. I have something much better planned." She turned to her crystal device, the main piece being the white crystal which she had been working on. Dark Ace raised an eyebrow but knew better than to interrupt her, unlike a puffing guard who had burst in.

"Master Cyclonis." A guard addressed, bowing to the fourteen-year-old – she paused silently cursing the guard for interrupting her. "This better be important." She hissed, the guard gulped forgetting why he entered the room in the first place. "We have captured... captured..." He stuttered, Cyclonis groaned at the lack of information and hastily turned. "Spit it out." She glared harshly pointing her staff at the trembling guard. "P-prince Jor has been captured." He shouted waiting to be struck, he opened his brown eyes realising there was no pain. "Is that so?" She smiled evilly, "Dismissed. My plan is all falling into place, I just need this crystal and Nika to complete it."

Jor, a bloodied and dirty mess, was chained by the wrists and ankles as he sat on the stiff bed. For months he had been in the Wastelands, finally leaving the twisted remains of the ship in hope of finding a means of escape. He managed to climb up a terra, not realising it was Cyclonia where he was swiftly captured and thrown into a cell. He sighed and looked to the bars, wondering how his sister was. "I am so sorry sis..." He muttered, he thought about how he could escape but he was helpless – exhausted, malnourished and weak, no state to escape. The sound of someone entering the prison snapped his head up, Dark Ace smiled down at the Yarisian – almost tauntingly. "Where is my sister!" Jor shouted, standing up – too fast for himself that he swayed. "She is with the Storm Hawks, but I have plans for that to change." Dark Ace roared with laughter, shoving Jor onto the bed and watching as familiar blue eyes glared at him, this would be a good way to toy with the eighteen-year old's emotions, laughing when he saw the family resemblance, "That's the same look that little Nika would give me." Jor intensified his glare unable to stand up. "I wouldn't get too excited, she will be paying you a visit very soon." He smirked, Jor had the same facial features as his sister – easy to see that they were related, same light brown hair and bright blue eyes and full lips. "Over my dead body!" He yelled, the chains rattling as he furiously thrashed, the Dark Ace rolled his eyes rather fed up with teenagers. "You are in no position to make those sorts of remarks." He called casually, turning as the iron door slammed shut. "Make yourself comfortable, you have the rest of your life." He chortled, laughing as he disappeared.

Aerrow had remained a vigil at Nika's side, according to Stork – she was improving and would be awake any hour now – it was just a matter of when exactly. Finn carefully observed Aerrow from the door, Aerrow held her hand tightly – his eyes watching every twitch her face made as she ever so slowly regained consciousness and now again he played with the brunette's fingers as if they were glass. Piper had navigated the squadron around Atmos, only occasionally running into trouble but it was nothing major though they worried for the Dark Ace attacking them to get Nika. He sighed when Junko crept up beside him, trying not to disturb Aerrow, and Finn's spying. "How's he doing?" Junko whispered, Finn looked at the Wallop from the corner of his eye. "Worried sick, he's only left to eat and shower." He answered quietly, "C'mon. He will kill us if he found out we were spying." The pair left the doorway, by this point Aerrow was starting to worry again – it had been three days and she hadn't once moved.