Ch 1: The Best-Laid Plans of Mice and Men Often Go Awry

A/N: For the challenges being hosted over at the Fanfic Bake-off. As such, the chapters for this fic won't exceed 300 words, as is the requirement for the entries for the Fanfic Bake-off.

Disclaimer: I do not own Storm Hawks.

Master Cyclonis was a woman of few words, but it was rare when she was rendered completely speechless. Sheer outrage and complete shock were the root causes of her tongue being glued to the roof of her mouth.

Two of her Talons stood at smart attention before her. Between them was a kneeling figure that was sporting a number of bruises. The satisfaction of the two soldiers seemed to slowly leak out from them as their Master remained silent. It was never a good thing when Cyclonis became quiet – it usually meant imminent doom.

Cyclonis swept herself off her throne, stalking towards her suddenly very nervous subjects.

"Let me try to understand something," Cyclonis said as softly, like velvet covered steel. "I thought I was very clear with my instructions, but apparently ..." Cyclonis gestured at the main subject of her displeasure, the person forced to kneel on the ground "... I was not very distinct in my instructions."

The Talon pair looked to each other, panic and confusion building in their eyes.

"B-but, we did just as you asked! You told us to catch the Storm Hawk that went to pick up the package!"

The calm before the storm finally broke. Cyclonis lashed her hand forward, and both of the Talons flinched. The both expected to be flung against the walls at any moment, but they sighed a breath of relief when they saw they weren't their Master's target.

She had a fistful of the prisoner's hair fisted in her grasp. "I said grab the female Storm Hawk, the only one! You were supposed to get me their crystal master, but what do you give me!?"

Cyclonis face was livid as she stared into the green eyes of her new prisoner. "You get me their goddamn Sky Knight!"