The Seventh Member of the Storm Hawks

Jor's Confliction

Groggily Nika awoke in the infirmary, her blue eyes scanning the empty room, her mind slowly remembering the events before but it was very foggy to her. Where was everyone? With a grunt, she sat up and let her bare feet touch the floor – wait bare feet? Instinctively, she lifted her feet back onto the bed, not wanting to touch the cold metal floor, however she was left with no choice but to go find whoever was in the Condor. "Hello?" She called, a pair of feet came running quickly after and stopped at the door – Aerrow. The redhead looked at Nika breathlessly, stunned that she was standing on her own though her attire was bit too much of a blood rush to the head – shorts that showed off her legs and a tight-fitting t-shirt. "Hey! Stop staring!" Nika scolded with red cheeks, as she covered herself – hoping it was Piper that had changed her. Aerrow blinked and sheepishly rubbed the back of his head, "Sorry. How you feeling?" He apologised before raising an eyebrow, he was angry with Nika until he saw her awake, he couldn't stay mad at her. "Apart from being slightly cold, I feel alright." She replied with a small smile, Aerrow strode over to her and engulfed the brunette in a hug – his arms around her waist as he leant his forehead on hers. "I..." He started before trailing off, Nika's eyes looked into his waiting for him to finish. "You what?" She asked, trying to get him to continue. "I want you to tell me everything." He said, a slight truth to what he really wanted to say but there were questions he needed answered – his heart ached at the thought of Nika hiding more from him, almost to the point where he felt that she couldn't be trusted. No, he trusted her - she had her reasons, he argued with himself. Nika looked up at him alarmed, leaning away from him – Aerrow looked at her gently before picking her up bridal style and sitting her on the bed, taking her hand in both of his, her other hand over her mouth. "Please, I can't let you get hurt again." He pleaded, Nika's eyes glassed over before she decided to let out her story.

Jor, despite the Third-Degree Burner's best efforts to get into contact with the Storm Hawks, was growing increasingly frustrated at the lack of progress. It had been little over a week since he arrived at Terra Saharr but the constant barrage of Cyclonis whispering evil thoughts was making him go insane – the promise if he reached Nika and convinced her to abandon her mission to recapture Yaris, she would stop. He was slowly losing his ability to overpower Cyclonis as she would often make him say what she wanted to say, it was as if she possessed him and he desperately wanted it to stop. He tore into the tent where Burner was seated with a radio, he turned to see a ticked off Jor and sighed. "Sorry, nothing." He answered, tensing at the sight of the royal – something felt off about Jor, but he wasn't sure what.

"...And that's everything." Nika finished, miserably wiping her eyes not seeing Aerrow's reaction, she didn't want to see it either. While he still held onto Nika's hand, he was ticked off at her – she hid so much from him and he didn't know. "Why, why didn't you tell me about that?" He asked, his voice shaking between hurt and anger. "Aerrow... I would've but-." Nika started before Aerrow snapped his head up and interrupted her. "No. Why, spare me of the 'but's!" He said loudly, Nika flinched away from him. "Well here it is. I was scared that if you knew that there was a chance that my father was possibly working for the Cyclonians then you wouldn't have-." Nika replied raising her voice, seeing Aerrow take his hands away from her broke her heart but she was determined for him to hear her out. "I can't believe this!" He yelled, this just had to be the time everyone poked their heads around the door wondering why the new couple were yelling. "Aerrow, do you realise how bad I felt when I found out?! That my own father could have been part of the reason why this war continued?!" She shouted, the Storm Hawks gasped at Nika's outburst – was she a traitor as well?

Aerrow shook his head and turned his back, the squadron ducking away out of sight as he left the room leaving Nika hiccupping sobs as she stood with clenched fists. "I can't do this anymore." She cried before running out of the infirmary to her room – she was going to leave and this time she wasn't going to be the weakling that got captured and neither would she return. She expected Aerrow to understand, understand that Nika wasn't on the Cyclonian side, like her father could've possibly been. Angrily she packed away her belongings, she wasn't thinking straight but being the somewhat impulsive person, she is when her feelings get the better of her – she just wanted to run and get as far away from Aerrow as possible. "Nika?" Junko's voice called timidly, he stood at the door of the brunette's room feeling sick when he saw her bag with some of her belongings being shoved into it. "Where are you going?" He asked, Nika shut her eyes tightly and didn't dare to face Junko – fearing that seeing his pained face would make her think twice about her decision. "I need to leave Junko. There are things I need to do on my own." She answered with no emotion in her voice, despite the sharp tugs at her heart telling her otherwise. "Please... don't go." He cried sniffing, he wanted to ask why but he couldn't find himself able to speak. "I have to, I'm really sorry." She replied, giving him, a short hug then left for the hangar.