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[fanfic] the world is not enough, chapter one
Author: hermonthis
Fandom: Storm Hawks
Title: The World Is Not Enough
Genre: general
Rating: PG-13
Link: fanfiction.net

Summary: It is how the world turns. It is the way of life. Friendships are struck, couples fall in love, and alliances are tested and broken. All good war stories know that.

A/N: The ridiculously dramatic title was inspired by Garbage’s song while I was listening to my James Bond anniversary CD.

The World Is Not Enough

Chapter One: There are no perfect men, only perfect intentions.



A violet-haired woman marched her way down the dusty road, past the cool shade of the surrounding trees, and towards the clearing where the Condor docked. Flexing her fingers, she curled them into tight little fists as she approached the laughing company that hung about the airship.

“Uh oh,” a male voice called out, not bothering to whisper, “hey man, it looks as if you’re in trouble this time.” The man in question, sporting bright red hair and a winning smile, turned his head to glance at the approaching woman. As if his face triggered some sort of mechanical device within her, the woman sped up her pace and before the unfortunate man could prepare himself, he was under siege.

“You idiot! How could you do something like that without telling me? Me! The one you’re supposed to tell everything to!”

The fierce young woman, who was a head shorter than the rest of the men in the group, glared at him with all the force her green eyes could muster. Poking him in the chest with one finger, he took one step backwards to stabilize himself before setting up his defenses. Looking around for support from his fellow teammates, he found none. They were all backing away in similar fashions. Inwardly, he groaned, he should have known better, both from them and from his wife.

“Hey, Sappho!” came the greeting from the first man who spotted her from the dirt road. Averting her eyes for a moment, he immediately blushed from the weight of her stare.

“Hey, Leo,” was her stern reply.

“Uh, I’m gonna take a hint and leave you two alone,” placing his hands in front of his as a shield against the terror known as female hostility, he gave a small parting wave and headed away from the Condor. As a last resort, his friend called out to him.

“Where are you going?”

“Raiding your kitchen!” And with that, he took off along with the rest of the squadron.

When he was sure they were alone to talk in private, Jay looked down at the woman in front of him – she raised a hand to her eyes to shield off the noonday sun. In all honesty, she was nothing to be scared of, starting with at the top with her well-conditioned violet hair, green eyes, and honeyed skin, this woman looked harmless. She looked like the kind of woman that could easily be pacified with a quick peck on the cheek and a heartfelt apology.

Well, that’s what it used to take to pacify her.

Before she could start railing on him in proper nagging fashion, he cut her off and apologized. Placing one arm around her shoulders, they headed for the shade underneath the Condor. Okay, he was sorry about this morning. He remembered what day it was but he was tired and honestly, woman, couldn’t he take a day off once in a while? In his defense, he promised that he would help her out in the afternoon and if she wanted, some of the other guys were willing to help too. He laid his hands on her upper arms and gave a little squeeze, and waited for her to say something.

God, she was making that face again, the one that made him feel like a bad guy. She was still mad as hell, but he could see that he had genuinely hurt her.

“You’re making this hard, you know.” She swallowed the hard lump that was stuck in her throat and clenched her hands tightly, her arms felt stiff as they hung at her sides. “I thought we had it worked out, the baby and everything, and now you’re backing out.” His brown eyes flashed with surprise.

“What?”

“I can’t take care of Aerrow by myself. I can’t fly on the Condor while you’re out on assignment.” Already reading his mind, she answered his next question. “I asked Starling to babysit while I talked to you, she’s good with him- you wouldn’t normally expect that from her.” He ignored her comment about the teenage girl temporarily.

“I can’t believe you’re accusing me of abandoning you.” He admitted, and he started to pace the ground in front of her. Belonging to the Storm Hawks was one thing, being their Sky Knight was another. Apparently, being a husband was an entirely new realm as well.

“It was your decision to take a leave from work,” he pointed out, emphasizing his statement with a single finger. “We agreed that you would take several months off.” Sappho sighed heavily and crossed her arms in front of her chest. As diplomatic as he was, he was missing the point.

“It’s not just about me, it’s about you! When are you going to come home?”

“When the skies are safe.”

“And they have been,” she urged, gesturing with her outstretched hands. He stopped pacing and tried to reason with her. How do you explain to someone the small, nagging fears inside your head that told you repeatedly, that something big was going to happen? How do you introduce the rumours and the conspiracy theories that the trade talks between terras have been going exceedingly well, almost too well when it came to Terra Cyclonia? And last week’s crystal mining disaster on Terra Lyn had something to do with illegal smuggling circles.

“I don’t think so, Sappho.” She rolled her eyes, and then her stomach grumbled. He eyed her wearily but she brushed him off with a wave of her hand.

“Not the rumours again.” He frowned when she let out an exasperated sigh. “Jay, we know the economy’s been in a rut for a couple of years, but that’s all it is- a rut. You know the Sky Council won’t believe you if you said Terra Cyclonia wants to start a war.” He started to speak but she interrupted. “Even if you do have the Interceptors on your side.”

The frown hadn’t left him. “You haven’t eaten, have you?”

“No, and don’t change the subject on me,” she protested when he placed a hand on the small of her back and ushered her towards the house in a hurry. “Stop that, Jay! I’m trying to tell you something!”

“We can talk inside the house,” their pacing slowed down when she refused to comply. Turning around, she placed her hands on his chest to stop him. “We have to talk about Aerrow.”

“I’m listening.”

Her voice was soft and comforting, but even so, her words hurt him inside. “You can’t be the perfect man, you know. You try so hard to be this great leader to the Storm Hawks – to be a good father – you can’t do everything at once.” She despaired when Jay threw back his shoulders in an attempt to make himself bigger, to look more confident.

“You’re not a god, Jay. Stop trying to be one.”

It was nearly an hour before the couple made it back to the house, and when he finally came through the back door, Leo was full of dread over what had transpired between his best man and Sappho, but he was too busy with the frozen yogurt to mention it to the other guys.

Sure, he knew Jay all right. Who didn’t know the Sky Knight of the Storm Hawks? And Sappho – Mrs. Sky Knight? Well, she was one hell of a lady, that much he was sure.

“Leo, are there any more of those in the fridge?” Pointing towards his bowl, Starling hefted the baby onto her other hip and looked out the window. No sign of Aerrow’s parents yet.

“Don’t worry about it,” he reassured her, and headed off to the freezer to grab two cups of frozen yogurt for her and the kid. “Those two may argue, but they always pull through.” Offering his chair over to her, he picked out two spoons and placed it on the table. “Besides, it’s normal marriage stuff.”

She laughed and gave a little shrug. Starling didn’t know much about husbands and wives (well, besides her own parents) but she did know when things weren’t so happy in Condor-land.

“Spoon for the tyke?”

“No thank you, he’s too young.”

“Oh yeah.” He left the utensil on the table. “So, how do you like the Interceptors?”

The teenage girl shifted in her seat for several moments, trying to find a way that allowed her to eat lunch while holding the baby at the same time, and when the older man tore off the paper lid for her, she smiled and dug into the yogurt.

“It’s good. I’m learning a lot about becoming a Sky Knight, and everyone is really nice.” A confused look passed over her face when Leo started snickering to himself. “What?” He waved her off and said it was nothing. No fair, she protested, he was picking on her!

“No, not at you,” Leo snickered again and earned a reprimanding glare from the violet-haired teenager, “I was just thinking about Jay’s new apprentice.” They haven’t met him yet. What was his name again? Lenore? Leopold?

“Horace.” Sappho corrected him, shaking her head at her friend’s utter lack of remembering names. Giving the pair a bright smile, she picked up Aerrow from Starling’s hands and gave him a kiss on the cheek before raising him up and sniffing his diapers.

“Eww. Do you really have to do that in front of us?” The woman gave Leo a meaningful glare.

“When you’re married and have children, you learn a thing or two.” He snorted.

“Thanks to your matchmaking, I’m already halfway there.”

Rolling her eyes, she dumped Aerrow into Jay’s arms, told him that he needed to change his diaper, and washed her hands in the sink before donning an apron and set some pots on the table. When Leo asked what she was cooking, she threw one hand up in the air and said ‘macaroni casserole, steamed vegetables, and turkey.’

Jay returned to the kitchen with a freshly powered babe in his arms, followed by the rest of the Storm Hawks. Soon, Aerrow was starting to fuss with all the attention around him and Jay had to relinquish his hold to the admiring throng. Oooh! Ibis crooned, hugging the child close to her breast, his hair is so soft! And look at his tiny feet, so adorable! No, Leo, it’s not your turn yet. Besides, you’re all sticky from the yogurt.

“Hey man, I don’t think you’re going to get your son back.”

“I know.” A chuckle.

“Okay everyone,” Mrs. Storm Hawk commanded, “clear the table and bring the chairs from the living room into the kitchen. The casserole’s almost done.”

A blond-haired woman suggested, “We’re not going to fit, not all of us. I’ll take Jack and we’ll eat in the living room.” She winked at Starling. “Want to join us, Starling? It’s no fun at the grown-up table. C’mon, we’ll even throw peas at each other.” The young girl politely refused.

“You’re not seriously going to Terra Rex, are you?” Leo asked when everyone had settled down and were tucking into their food with ravenous hunger. Sappho watched their exchange with daggers in her eyes while Jay tried his hardest to ignore his wife’s disapproving looks. Pushing some peas around on his plate, he gave a noncommittal shrug. She continued to eat her food in silence, lifting the fork with her right hand and cradling a curious Aerrow in the other.

Leo slapped a hand to his forehead and leaned forward onto the table, clicking his tongue against the roof of his mouth. “I can’t believe you’re doing this to us.”

“Doing what?” Starling’s distinct accent cut into the conversation. Looking from one adult to another, she tried to guess the source of the tension amongst the three Storm Hawks. “What is it, Sappho? What’s Jay doing?” The older woman sighed and opened her mouth to speak.

“I’m going to have a talk with Harrier, that’s all.” More than one person snorted.

“Yeah, we’ve heard that before.”

Instinct told her that things were going to get heated, so Sappho got up from her chair and asked the teenager to accompany her upstairs to Aerrow’s bedroom where she could nurse him, where she wouldn’t be able to hear the inner workings of the Storm Hawks and the conspiracy theories that were floating about in her husband’s head. Taking her cue and feeling very young, Starling followed her.

“Is he always like that?” she whispered as they walked up the stairs. The older woman didn’t slow down in her climb but answered nonetheless. “Sometimes. Mostly. Jay has this habit of not being able to let go.” Opening the door to the nursery, she placed Aerrow inside his crib and took out the clean cloth she used for nursing. Settling down on a chair, she caught the awkward looks coming from the girl. Compared to other teenagers, Starling was very mature for her age. But at times like this – Sappho couldn’t help but smile – she was reminded of how young the Interceptor apprentice really was. Fifteen was it?

“Yes?”

“Maybe I should leave. I seem to be intruding on something private.” The other woman laughed.

“Starling, you make me sound like I’m forty years old, or something. Come here, sit down, and we’ll talk about your apprenticeship.”

“How do you do it?” The girl finally asked the question that had been on her mind since this morning. “How do you handle everything?” By this time, the baby had begun to suckle, and Starling felt embarrassed that she was witnessing what she considered to be a very personal moment. Silence hung in the air for a few minutes, and she studied the woman’s face – youthful, in her mid-twenties, she was concentrated on her child because there were worry lines on her forehead – and Sappho’s green eyes came in contact with hers.

“Hmm? What was that again, dear?” Gesturing with one hand, Starling obeyed the woman’s invitation to watch Aerrow’s effort to stay awake while falling asleep at the same time. He was cute, she admitted, with a chubby face, half-lidded eyes, and a shock full of bright red hair.

“Was he born with that color?” Aerrow’s mother nodded.

“He was an easy birth. No complications at all.”

“That’s good.” To her surprise, the other woman laughed and Starling sat down in her chair again.

“You’re so young, Starling. Sometimes I forget how old you are with the way you act around us Storm Hawks. How do I handle being a mom? I don’t know, I really don’t know.” There was a brief moment of wiping the remains of her milk from the baby’s face before she continued. “If I hadn’t gotten pregnant, I still would have been on duty. I would have been happy sailing those skies.”

Sappho took a look at her surroundings, at the four walls that made up her baby’s home and sighed. Sure, she was glad to be a mom, but she hardy felt ready for it. If she hadn’t become a Storm Hawk, starting a family at her age would have been fine, probably recommended, but as fate would have it, she was part of a squadron. And she married Jay. She sighed. Lord, she had never met a man so serious about his role as a Sky Knight. (Well, maybe except Harrier.)

“You’re worried about your husband aren’t you?” The woman nodded silently, and motioned with one hand to toss the soiled napkin into the laundry basket. “He’s a very honourable man.” That comment elicited a low chuckle.

“Sometimes. I worry a lot about him when I can’t be with my squadron. And when he goes on these meetings with the other Sky Knights and I’m not there – it’s lonely. I have to wait for him to come home.” In all honesty, she felt like a fisherman’s wife, constantly waiting for news that the ships were coming into dock safe and sound.

“Is Birdee a good teacher to you?” The girl’s eyes lit up and the woman noticed with amusement as Starling straightened her spine, squared her shoulders, and raised her chin in proper military fashion. Yup, this girl was going to be a good choice as a Sky Knight one day. She could only hope that when Jay’s apprentice finally arrived, he would have the same determination and discipline as this girl did. Starling was very level-headed, a good asset to have, especially when Sappho herself tended to fly into fits of passion.

“She’s strict in her orders, but I like that. She lets me train with the team, but she hasn’t given me an assignment yet, not even with a partner.” But what Starling wanted most of all was to prove that she could handle a mission, as small as it was, and show the Interceptors that despite her lack of experience, she was determined to make it as a Sky Knight.

In a moment of comfort, Sappho reached out and patted the girl’s hand with her own. By this time, Aerrow was well in the land of slumbers and the woman was able to lean forward, sitting on the edge of her chair without fear of waking her son.

“You listen to me, Starling. I know your mother wants me to keep an eye out for you, but you’re a mature young lady and I know you can take care of yourself. Learn as much as you can from your Sky Knight, and don’t be afraid to ask for help once from the other crew members. We’re all friends here. In a couple of weeks, the other apprentices will arrive and you won’t be the only one left, you’ll have other kids to learn with.”

Starling nodded. I know.

“I wish you could stay a little longer here, but I know you’re waiting until Birdee returns from Terra Glockenchime.” She paused. “Don’t forget that we’re all in this together, we have to keep an eye out for each other, understand?”

“I understand.”

“Promise me you’ll be a good girl or else your mother will kill me?” Starling cracked a smile.

“I promise.”

Sappho stood up and stretched her back, taking a sly glance at the clock near the baby crib. Half an hour gone. “Good! Now it’s your turn to carry Aerrow!” And with that, the two women made their way back downstairs and joined the rest of the Storm Hawks.


* * *
Notes: So, we start off with the original Storm Hawks, a teenage Starling, baby!Aerrow, and mention of a young Dark Ace.

Trivia:
Sappho - Greek poet who wrote "Hymn to Aphrodite"
Ibis - a long, legged waddling bird
Jay - Bluejay: self explanatory

There is a fun fact about Leo's name origins as well, but that's for another time.