Jordan Price was like most boys on New Holland. He dreamed of dancing in the sky like the Sky Dancers. To fly among the clouds under his own power. There is only one problem. Only women could be Sky Dancers, and Jordan was a boy. Then came the day that would all change

Chapter 1

Neo Amsterdam, New Holland, Netherlands System…

Fifteen-year-old Jordan Price walked along the sky paths of his hometown in a day dream state. Today had been a day among days. The Empyreal battle platform Ryuk had docked at the southern shipyards platform. This is the first time in over four hundred years that one of these massive space vessels had been to New Holland, let alone Neo Amsterdam. Everywhere he went he heard that the Empress Maiha Nakatoma was visiting the cloud city. That she was here to reinstate the Great Rosse Buurt Temple as one of the Empires temples.

Even as important as that was that was not what he was looking forward to. No what he hoped to see was the Sky Dancers. For as long as he could remember that was all he wanted to be. Being a Sky Dancer was in his blood. As far back as he could remember that was all he ever wanted to be, but he knew that his dream would never happen. Oh, he knew everything there was to being a Sky Dancer; he was raised in a family of them. There was only one problem Jordan Price was a male. Everyone knew that the symbionts would not bond with a male. Those fantastic symbiont Bio-suits would only bond to a female. This was common knowledge.

He had been told this from the time he could walk that he was not a real member of the family. That only the females of the family could carry on the family blood line. Jordan was not really surprised by this attitude among his family. Not when he was the only male still in the house. His mother actually told him that on the day of his majority he had to leave home. Not that Jordan really cared. He never knew his father, then again, no member of a Sky Dancer family ever did.

The problem was when a Sky Dancer reached twenty-five years they would go to the GBL and be impregnated with a random donor. That was the way of things for the Sky Dancers. There was no marriage or courtship, just walk in to the Gift of Life Bank and come out pregnant. The children of Sky Dancers never knew who their fathers were. They only knew their mothers. While female children were preferred as they stood a chance at continuing in their mothers’ footsteps males were never neglected. They just weren’t considered as a true part of the families.

The problem was that boys would never be able to fly like the girls. Oh, a boy could join the PDF as a fighter pilot and were often actively recruited just for that; they could never bond with a symbiont bio-suit. For most sons of Sky Dancers though they would become gas miners. Unlike most humans these boys could withstand the higher pressures of the lower atmosphere of New Holland. Unlike most Jupiter Class gas giants New Holland occupied the M-3 planetary position. Like most of the cloud cities of New Holland Neo Amsterdam was a gas mining outpost. But the real wealth was in the mining of Casper Crystals deep in the lower reaches of the gas giant’s lower atmosphere. The number of dead men and lost deep diver carbs was in the thousands if not hundreds of thousands.

That was where most of the Sky Dancer sons went. To the deep diver carbs and Cristal mining companies. Jordan had no desire to dive the depths of the gas clouds hunting for ghost crystals. No, he would leave Neo Amsterdam and New Holland all together. If he could not be a Sky Dancer, he would become a Death Dealer. He hadn’t shared his plans with his mother as she would not agree with is choice. He could hear her words now. ‘Sky Dancers do not make war. We are a peaceful people. Our place is among the clouds. Not down on the ground with normal humans. The way of the Death Dealer only leads to pain and death. Why would you shame our family in this way?’ It wouldn’t matter that Jordan could never be a true Sky Dancer.

Jordan was brought out of his depressing thoughts and daydreaming by a sudden impact from a ninety-pound human cannonball. “Hey big brother!” Jordan had to fight to keep his feet as he looked down at his little sister. There before him was a reminder of why he would never be a Sky Dancer. Even at ten years Raven was the perfect host.

“Hello little bird. So, what are you doing out here? You know that hatchlings aren’t allowed out in public without their guardian.” Jordan had a hard time keeping a straight face as Raven pouted.

“Mama sent me to collect you. It is almost time for Silvia to ascend. The candidates are even now gathering on the glass. This is going to be one of the most important of Bonding’s in four hundred years. They say that Empress Maiha is going to attend.” Jordan didn’t wish to rain on his sister’s happiness by telling her he didn’t want to go.

“Oh really. The Empress herself is going to be there you say? Well then, I guess we need to be going. Besides this will most likely be the last Bonding I will get to see.” Jordan took his sister’s hand and turned toward the city arena.

“What do you mean? You’ll be there for mine, won’t you?” Raven looked up at her older brother.

“I fear not little bird.” Jordan sighed he didn’t want to tell Raven the truth but knew that he had to. “No male family members over their majority may attend the Bonding’s. By the time, you’re ready to take wing I’ll have been out of the nest for five years. I can only attend now because Sylvia is on the glass. Come on little bird we don’t want to be late. I am sure mother already has our places next to the edge.”

“Oh, man does mama ever. We’re right on the edge. We are so close that our feet will be on the glass.” Raven’s excitement meant that their mother really did have a spot on the glass.

As the brother and sister worked their way to the city arena they passed a group of women dressed in the uniforms of Death Dealers. While Death Dealers were a common sight on Neo Amsterdam these four stood out. The first thing that set them apart from regular Death Dealer was their race. They were Drow elves. The second thing that set them apart was their unit insignia, it was a red triangle boarded in black with a snarling hounds head. These were the personal bodyguards of Empress Maiha. Everyone in the Empire knew of the Hell Hounds and here were four of them.

“So, the rumors are true the Empress really is here to see the Bonding.” Jordan whispered to himself. Before Jordan had time to understand the meaning behind the presence of the Empress’s bodyguards Raven pulled him on toward the arena. It wasn’t long before the two were standing next to their mother. Jordan just sighed as his mother gave him a less than pleased looked. “Sorry for my tardiness Flight Leader.”

“Your apology is accepted groundling.” Jordan bristled at the name groundling, like all boys of the Sky Dancers it was not a term of endearment. He hated being called groundling just like all the male offspring of the Sky Dancers.

The fact that his mother was also a Flight Leader made the hated name that more derogatory. He knew that his majority could not come soon enough form him. The day he turned eighteen he was off this planet. One way or another he would leave New Holland. The fact that they were in public was the only thing holding Jordan’s tongue. “Thank you Flight Leader.” He said through gritted teeth. “Has the hatching started?”

“No not yet, in fact your timing may even be better than most.” His mother never looked at Jordan. Her eyes were only for the symbiont eggs in front of his sister. “See there.” she pointed out at the glass arena floor. “Even now they begin to rock. Your sister will surely bond with a blue. She will make a fine Wing Second. Mark my words Jordan your sister will make our clan proud this day.”

Jordan looked out at where his mother had pointed. Sure, enough his sister was indeed standing in front of a blue symbiont. She would be second only to a gold, like his mother. Looking around the arena floor Jordan took in the twenty-two young women and where they stood. From the looks of things there would be five blues, eight reds, and nine slivers. Jordan could tell that this Bonding would be a very uneven distribution among the eight Flights. His attention was drawn to one symbiont egg though that was off to one side.

“Excuse me Flight Leader.” When his mother turned to look at him Jordan pointed to the lone egg. “Why is that one not with the other eggs?”

“It happens from time to time. That one is a black symbiont. Do you see how dark the shell is?” Jordan nodded his head. “Those will not bond with a host. If a candidate were to try bonding with a black it will kill them. So, we no longer take the chance and place those eggs where they will not find a host.” The idea of letting a symbiont dying went against everything Jordan was taught. “It is better this way.”

Jordan just kept his own thoughts to himself on the matter. His attention was once again brought back to the arena floor as the first cracks appeared in his sister’s egg. Just as his mother predicted it was a blue. He was surprised when the crowd roared at the sight of the blue symbiont covering his sister. What they did not know was that the symbiont could still kill his sister if she did not assert her will over the creature that would become her bio-suit.

It wasn’t long before it began to take her shape instead of a misshaped blob. Soon the tattle tale signs of his sister’s face began to appear. Soon there were more symbiont covered candidates. Once the first egg broke open the rest followed quickly. Jordan looked over at the raised platform where the Temple elders always sat. He was surprised to see the Empress Maiha along with the War Princess Alison standing there with the elders.

Jordan became so entranced with the sight of those two beautiful and powerful women that he started walking towards them. He no longer cared what was going down on the arena floor. In fact, he wasn’t even paying attention to where he was walking around the glass. He didn’t realize that his path would take him within two feet of the black egg. Not when there a mere fifteen feet above him was the embodiment of the Empire and his second greatest dream. Surrounding the Royal couple were ten Second Generation Death Dealers all members of the Hell Hounds.

“HEY KID GET OUT OF THERE!” someone scream just before the symbiont latched itself to Jordan’s leg. It took less than two seconds for the symbiont to cover Jordan completely. The last thing he heard was his mother and Raven scream in terror. They knew that death would surely take Jordan now.

At first Jordan, didn’t realize what was happening. Everything went black and all sound disappeared. It was only when the first tendrils of thick oily mass worked its way down his throat that he understood what was going on. He felt the oily substance working its way up his nose and into his ears. He then felt it tearing through his clothes and entering his rectum. He had heard his mother describe what a bonding felt like to his sister Sylvia enough times to finally figure out what was happening to him.

Against all odds, a symbiont was trying to bond with him. He knew that if he didn’t start asserting his will soon the symbiont would kill him. All the rage he had felt over the years at being treated as nothing more than a genetic material suppository rose to the surface. It fueled his will to live. Jordan began to fight back against the symbiont.

Time lost all meaning to Jordan as he fought for his life and dominance over the symbiont. If he survived the bonding, he knew he would have to show he was in control of it. He knew that the Flight Leaders would kill any bonded pair if the symbiont were to be the one in control. Sky Dancers maybe a peaceful people, but they would kill to defend themselves and others if a Sky Dancer posed a threat. The bio-suit symbionts may give Sky Dancers their wings they were also a double-edged sword. Not only did Sky Dancers have wings and could fly they were also extremely powerful.

What no one outside of the Sky Dancers knew was the pure raw power that came with symbionts. Symbionts were truly a wonder of the ages. They could turn an ordinary woman into a death welding terror in the skies. The first thing that symbionts bestowed on it host was their wings. With the wings came the strength of fifty grown men. The next was claws sharp enough to cut through space armor. The one thing that no one knew about outside of the Sky Dancers was the twin organs that the symbiont bestowed on a Sky Dancer. Those organs turned a Sky Dancer into a flying lighting rod.

Every Dancer had to learn to control that electrical power. They could throw lightning bolts up to three hundred feet at levels strong enough to melt through APS armor. The most powerful of Sky Dancers able to use this effect were the Golds. He would know this as his mother was more than just a Flight Leader she was a Gold. They were also the ones that would kill him if he could not control this symbiont.

So, Jordan fought with more than just his anger, and fear. He fought with a passion to be more than just a groundling. He was going to master the one color of symbiont that not even his mother would try. He would master the one color that all Flight Leaders feared. He would finally show them all that the sons of Sky Dancers were more than just genetic supply points.

When he started to see daylight again he knew he was winning. The next thing he knew was he could breathe with ease. Next his hearing returned. He could tell by the sounds of panic that surrounded him. With a surge of will and rage he forced his will on the symbiont. “I WILL LIVE! I WILL BE FREE! I AM MY OWN MASTER!”

Jordan had no sooner emerged from the symbiont than he pasted out. The boy had spent all his energy in doing what every Sky Dancer thought was impossible. He had tamed the deadly black symbiont. Only it was not a boy that emerged from the bonding. Lying there before everyone to see was a teenage girl.

Chapter 2

The birth of Thunder Hawk.

The first thing Jordan noticed when he woke up was that he was alive. “I did it, I beat the symbiont.” At first the timber and pitch of his voice didn’t register with Jordan. The second thing he noticed was that he was not in the arena on the glass. He was lying on his side in a hospital bed. As he tried to setup he felt something pulling at his back.

When he tried to see what, it was, something shifted on his chest. Looking down at his chest he was greeted by the sight of breasts. Slowly he placed his hand on the one on the left side of his chest. He squeezed and felt his own flesh being compressed. After doing the same on the right-side Jordan knew that something was very wrong. It was only when he really looked at the breasts on his chest that he realized he was covered in a black symbiont bio-suit.

With that realization came the reality that something was very, very wrong. Like all young men and women when confronted with something outside of their comfort zone he did what they all do. He screamed his head off and promptly passed back out. Unknown to Jordan at the time the force of his scream would bring help from an unexpected source.

Sister Sarah and Sister Katlyn of the Nightingale Sisterhood rushed down the hallway to the room from which the scream came. They knew what had just happened. They had seen it happen before among the earlier Second Generation Death Dealers. They knew that the Sky Dancer’s child had just woken to find that she was no longer a male. Gender shock was common in the early days of the Second Generations, and the Nightingale Sisters had become experts in the signs.

The two Sisters had been at the arena during the bonding. They had been on the Elders Platform with the Royal Couple. It was thanks to this position that they were able to get to the teen before anyone else. It was also their status as Nightingales that had stopped the Flight Leaders at first. They were certain that the Flight leaders would have killed the unconscious child. They kept screaming something about an out of control black symbiont and it being a mercy.

Thankfully the Nightingale Sisters never went anywhere without at least three Ida-ten Knights at their sides. So, when the two Daughters of the Dragon, three Black Swords of St. George, and the Child of Mars landed besides them in full combat mode the Flight Leaders backed off. Even as powerful as the Flight Leaders were they would not cross these Knights. Even here where the War of Succession had barely touched the people they knew of the powerful Knights of Ida-ten, and Second Generation Death Dealers.

Of the two Nightingales, Sarah was the younger but had more experience with Gender Shock than Katlyn so she took the lead. Katlyn had come to the Sisterhood flowing the end of the war, while Sara had been there from the start. She was bound and determined help this child. Sarah had her own personal reasons for helping this Sky Dancer. As Sarah entered the room she found the child laying on the floor out cold. “Katlyn, we’ll need the smelling salts. It seems that our new sister has just pasted out.”

“I’ll be right back Sarah, be careful of her wings. Those feathers are reinforced with carbon fiber nanotubes. They are sharp enough to cut through our bio-armor. And I have no desire to explain to the Mother Superior why you got one of your limbs cutoff while helping a hysterical child.” the younger Sister left to get the needed smelling saults.

Jordan had heard voices that brought him around before Katlyn could return. As Jordan opened his eyes he was greeted with the smiling face of an angle. “Oh, man I didn’t survive the bonding. I died on the glass. Are you here to take me to Paradise?”

Sarah giggled and shook her head no. “No I am not here to take you to Paradise, young Jordan you did not die. You survived your bonding with the black symbiont. Now let me help you up off the floor. You’ll be more comfortable on the bed.” Sarah told the teen as she pulled on Jordan’s hands.

“Then are you here to put me down?” Jordan asked with some fear. He knew that if the Flight Leaders found out that he was still alive they would kill him. Everyone knew that Blacks were deadly and had to be killed.

“No one will harm you child. You have the word of a Nightingale Sister on that. The Flight Leaders will not step foot inside this Temple. If they do, they shall face the Swords and Shields of Our Temple Guardians.” Unlike her fellow Sisters Sarah knew more than anyone else in the Temple of Ida-ten the attitudes of the Sky Dancers.

“Why are you helping me? Aren’t you afraid of the Flight Leaders?” asked Jordan in true amassment of this woman.

“I have my reasons Jordan Price, last son of the Price Family to still reside within the walls of that family’s home. As for fearing the Flight Leaders, they will find that they are not as powerful as they believe. Let them try our Guardians. They will find that not even their bio-suits can stand up to a Particle Projection Cannon or Plasma Pulse Laser.” Sarah knew all too well what this child faced.

“Please don’t take this the wrong way, but are you one of the Forgotten Ones, Sister?” Jordan saw the flinch in the nun’s face and twitch of her shoulders at his use of that term. He like so many had seen the very few candidates left on the glass. It didn’t happen often but it did happen. Usually when there were more candidates than there were symbionts. “I am sorry, Sister.”

“No need to apologize my young friend. You can only rely upon what you have been taught. No I am not one of the Forgotten Ones.” Sister Sarah smiled at the new Sky Dancer. “No, I left of my own free will. Just as you would have done in the next three years, my young friend.”

“Wait, you said that you left of your own free will, but you are not one of the Forgotten. So, just who are you? You talk like you know me or my family so you have to come from Neo Amsterdam. Just who are you anyway?”

“Yes, Sister Sarah, just who were you to know as much as you apparently do know about the Sky Dancers?” asked Sister Katlyn from the doorway.

Sighing Sarah looked over at Katlyn before answering that painful question. “Sister Katlyn, you did not know that I was originally from New Holland. I left shortly before my majority, very shortly. I left to join the Knights of Ida-ten. As for why I know so much about the Sky Dancers that is none of your concern groundling.”

Jordan picked up on the use of the term by the Nightingale nun. He knew right there just who was sitting beside him. Using the local slang and dialect Jordan made his thoughts known.

“So, tell me Lost Cousin have you found the peace of the stars welcoming or do you still dream of dancing among the clouds?” Jordan smiled at the pretty nun. He had heard the rumor about some of the Knights starting out in life as men but after going through the Second Gen. process becoming women. “Do the far reach clouds still call to your Blood?”

“More than the Darkness of the Lower Levels and the Casper Crystals will ever call to me. And yes, just like you would have done I left for the stars trying to find their peace. Which I have little bird.” The use of the endearment made Jordan drop the attitude. It also forced the youngster to look down at his body.

“I have joined the Sky Dancers. Haven’t I?” at first Jordan was excited at this prospect but the reality hit home of the cost. He was now a she and there would be no going back. “No I can’t join them, can I? They’ll see me as a threat to the Flights.”

“No, you cannot return to the nest little bird. Just as ALL Sky Dancers you most now take wing and to find your own way.”

“Where will I go? The Flight Leaders will try to kill me the moment I step foot out of this Temple. Forget about taking wing. The moment they see me in the sky they will attack. You know as well as I do they cannot let a black live. To them I will always be a threat. Why they fear the blacks so much no one knows but they do. You know this.”

Katlyn could only stand there is confusion as the two New Holland natives talked. Katlyn had been able to understand one in four words of the New Holland dialect. Then there was the rapid-fire way they were talking. In short, she and her AI were at a disadvantage.

Before either woman could answer the youngster’s question their attention was drawn to the room’s door. There stood a Flight Leader. Not just any Flight Leader but Helen Campbell, Supreme Flight Leader for Neo Amsterdam. “Because only a man can bond with the black symbiont.”

“Greetings Flight Leader Helen. Care to explain how you were able to enter this Temple?” the venom in Sarah’s voice was palatable to all in the room. “I would suggest you answer my question before I have the young man behind you remove your head.”

“Even after all this time you still hate me, my child.” The old woman sighed. At the look on Sarah’s face Helen got the hint. “I walked through the front door with an escort. The Reverend Father here is a close friend of the Sky Dancers.”

“That still doesn’t explain why you’re even here Helen. You have until the count of ten to explain. After that the Black Sword will escort your head from here. If you wish to try your claws, and electrical blots against him please feel free to do so.” There was no compassion in Sarah’s voice. What she didn’t want the other Knights to know was that she truly hoped the Flight Leader would try the Black Sword.

“Show respect to your betters’ groundling!” snapped Helen.

“MY BETTER! You are no better than the rest of the Sky Dancers mother! I may not have the firepower of the Guardians, but I am more than strong enough to handle the likes of you!” these unguarded words brought out the white elephant in the room.

“You would dare…” Supreme Flight Leader Helen Campbell never got to finish. The slap to the left side of Helen’s face put an end to all further commentary.

“Not only would I dare Supreme Flight Leader, I can. I am a battle proven veteran of the wars. Try me at your own risk. Now you will answer this little bird’s questions or I will pound the answers from you.” Sarah was beyond pissed off. She like all the sons of the Campbell line had been driven out days before their majority. They were most often found taking the most dangerous deep dive crab missions. They were always looking for the most valuable of crystals, the black heart crystals.

“Why do the Flight Leaders fear someone bonding with the black symbionts?” Jordan jumped at the chance.

“Because child no woman can handle the black symbionts. It takes an iron will fueled by an anger that women lack. That, and the physical strength to fight for control over the symbiont. Of all the symbionts, the blacks are the most powerful and the deadliest. There have only been seventeen pairings that have successfully happened between blacks and humans, all have been with males. You are the truth to the legends, young Jordan. A very uncomfortable truth; that the other Flight Leaders don’t want to get out, one that they are willing to kill to keep.”

“And what truth is that Supreme Flight Leader Helen?” asked Jordan.

“That only a man can bond with a black symbiont, which is but the first of some very uncomfortable truths. The next is that they are the most powerful and dominant of all the pairings. Next there is the fact that all black symbionts are male. Just like their hosts.” This fact grabbed the attention of everyone in the room. Most especially Jordan’s attention.

“What do you mean? Just look at me. I look just like my sister, and all the other Sky Dancers. I am a girl.” Jordan was standing up and point at his body. “How can having breasts, wide hips, rounded ass, small waist, and a flat crotch possibly say male?”

“Trust me Jordan Price you are still very much a male. You may appear as a female of our species but you are a male of it. In fact, you are the first male Sky Dancer in over seven hundred years.” Helen’s words had the ring of truth to them. So much so, that both Sisters of the Nightingale had activated their biometric scans to verify her statements. “The moment you cross paths with one Sky Dancer in season they will take to the air and you will give chase. Understand that you are no longer part of the Human race and species. That is another truth behind the legend.”

“So, you’re telling me that I may look like you but I’m not female?” Jordan asked.

“That is exactly what I am saying. It is also why I am here. Until you are of age we cannot let you near any other Sky Dancer.” There was real fear in Helen’s voice this time.

“Why?” asked Katlyn.

“He must learn to control his most basic drives and desires to mate. If he were to mate before he learns control he could very well kill both himself and the female. The discharge of their combined electrical charge would fry the female’s nerve system and cause him to blackout. If that were to happen at altitude the results would be fatal.” As Helen basically outlined the mating between Sky Dancers Jordan finally understood the fear of the female Sky Dancers.

“Wait are you telling me that I will want to mate while in flight?” Jordan asked in shock.

“Yes, my dear child that is exactly what I am telling you. If you doubt my word on this just look at the two Dancers outside waiting for me. One of them is in season the other is not.” Helen knew it was a gamble but she had to be sure.

With nothing to lose Jordan walked over to the window and looked out at the two Dancers. One silver and one red. The red dancer had a bluish shadowing to her. Jordan felt himself hardening with passion and a need to mount the young women. He looked down and saw that he was indeed ready to mate. Turning to face the Supreme Flight Leader the three women all saw his state of arousal and it did not bother Jordan.

“The red one will soon fly Flight Leader have you brought her for me?” Pure animalistic lust had filled Jordan’s voice.

“No Jordan I have not brought her here for you. You must regain control of your need to mate child. You are not yet ready to fly. Fight the symbiont child. Do not let it control you.”

The fear in Helen’s voice struck deep in Jordan’s heart. It took him a few minutes but he realized what was happening to him. The symbiont had taken control for just a few minutes and that was all it took. If he had let himself be driven by the need to mate he could have killed himself and the female Sky Dancer. It took Jordan a few minutes to regain control before he could speak without a lust filled voiced.

“How long will I be kept here?” Jordan asked.

“You can stay here in the Temple of course or you can leave and leave the planet for a while. Those are you only choices here Jordan Price. As I have said it has been over four hundred years sense a male Sky Dancer has walked Neo Amsterdam.”

“What if we shuffled him from one out post to another, mother?” Helen looked over at her one-time son. Sarah just smiled back at her.

“What are you thinking Sister of the Nightingale?” Helen had used Sarah’s title on purpose. She needed this to come from the Temple of Ida-ten, and not from the family of the Supreme Flight Leader.

“There are Temple of Ida-ten outposts in every major cloud city. We, the Knights of Ida-ten, can protect the fledgling until he is ready to fly. No one would dare to attack one of our temple outposts.” Sarah may hate and even want to kill her mother at times; but her duty as a Sister of the Nightingale over ruled her emotions. “You have the Word Bond of a Nightingale Sister, Supreme Flight Leader Helen Campbell.”

“Thank you, Sister Sarah, of the Nightingale Sisterhood. The Golden Halo Flight shall forever be in your debt. However, can your vaunted Knights of Ida-ten truly protect the fledgling? Can they really stand up to the firepower of a Sky Dancer?” the worry in Helen’s voice was palatable.

The two nuns started to chuckle before laughing out right. The young Black Sword of Saint Gorge didn’t even think twice before deploying his PPC and placing against the Flight Leader’s chest. “Your symbiont may give you the ability of flight and protect you against the depths of lower atmosphere but it is nothing compared to the raw firepower that Second-Generation Death Dealers and we Knights own.”

“BOY! Don’t even try to threaten me! I am…” Helen never got to finish her sentence. The snap crack and hum of a charging PPC was louder than a thunderstorm in the small room.

“IF you wish to keep your head Flight Leader I would shut the frack up. Let me explain to you just what is pointed at your chest. This is the Primary weapon of ALL Second-Generation Death Dealers, and Knights of Ida-ten. It is a twenty-millimeter Practical Project Cannon. The full impact of this weapon is kinetic, heat, and atomic. It is capable of punching through one hundred forty millimeters of composite ceramic fiber plate armor at over five hundred meters. Do you really think that your symbiont could stand up to that? Not even our own bio-armor can do that.”

The young Knight replaced the PPC with his PPL against her chest. “IF you think that is all we have to take down someone like you think again. This is our secondary weapon a twenty-millimeter Plasma Pulse Laser. Like the PPC it to can punch a big hole in CCF Plate armor. It may take a little more time but it will happen. We don’t play Flight Leader. You want to try us feel free to do so. Understand though that once we start, every last member of your flight shall become a target.”

The threat form the Black Sword left Helen without doubt that the Knights of Ida-ten really could and would destroy her Flight. Without turning to look at Sarah, Helen asked her what was really on going through her mind. “Tell me Markus did you at least find peace before you took up the mantel of Nightingale, and Second Generation Death Dealer?”

“I found my way mother and I found my peace. Now I suggest you leave. Don’t worry the Temple of Ida-ten will protect and teach the fledgling. I do have one piece of advice for you before you go. Never again walk through the doors of our Temples to demand something from us. You do so at your own peril. We the Knights of Ida-ten owe nothing to the Sky Dancers of New Holland. As far as we are concerned you and the other Flight Leaders are nothing more than parasites on the people of New Holland.” Sarah let her feelings flood her voice.

“One more question and I shall leave you my child. How many of your brothers are among the ranks of the Death Dealers, and Knights?”

“Only one other has joined the ranks of the Death Dealers mother. Johnathan is a member of the medical core for the Forty Fifth Calvary Regiment on Bitter Frost. The others are all deep dive crab drivers still here on New Holland. Have no fear mother we have not forgotten our lessons at your knee. We are healers and have not taken up the Sword as you so feared. Now go before I forget why you really came here.”
Helen gave the nuns a small bow and left. She knew that she was not welcomed here. As were all the Sky Dancers of New Holland. This was not their Temple and the Orders here were Warriors.

Once they were alone Jordan looked over at Sarah. “Am I truly to be shuttled from Temple to Temple?”

“Yes, Jordan it is the best can do for you right now. Other than sending you off planet which has been overruled by the Supreme Flight Leader.” Sister Katlyn said form off to the side.

“It should be MY choice to make not yours or theirs. As far as I’m concerned time on another planet would be for the best. Besides I might enjoy seeing another world.” Jordan said defensively.

“Jordan, I know that you feel you have the right to leave New Holland. The problem is that is not an option right now. If we attempt to get you off planet that will bring about a fight between the Flights and the Knights of Ida-ten. A fight that would leave far too many of OUR family members dead on the battlefield.” Sara laid out the truth of the matter for the young Shy Dancer.

“They are not MY family, Sister. They through me away as if I was trash before I was even off the glass. I heard the screams for my death from my own MOTHER. As for the Supreme Flight Leader, she can drop dead.” The smack to the face was faster than Jordan expected.

“You will hold your tongue fledgling. You may have a conquered a black, but we have faced death on the battlefield. Until you do fledgling you will mind your elders, understood?” Sara’s slap and rebuke forced Jordan to turn his eyes away from her.

“Yes, Sister Sara. I shall obey the orders of Flight Leader Helen of the Golden Halo Flight.” Jordan held his head down in shame at daring to argue with a Sister of the Nightingale.

Sara cupped Jordan’s chin and raise his face to look him in the eyes. “I understand your pain little bird, far more than any other Sister. Now is not yet your time to spread your wings and take flight. Understand?”

“Yes, Sister Sara. So, where will I go now?”

The pitiful tone in Jordan’s voice pulled at the strings of the two Nightingale Sisters’ hearts. They could see the rejection by his family had deeply hurt the teen. So, when Brother Daniel of Saint Gorge started to chuckle they all turned to him.

“You, my young friend, will join us in OUR quarters and be welcomed as one of our own. Unlike the Sky Dancers, we shall teach you the Ways of the Samurai, and of the Blade. The Knights shall become your teachers, and your family. Welcome home young Thunder Hawk.”

Chapter 3

Taking wing.

For the past four months Jordan, had been shuttled from one Ida-ten Temple to another. At each stop the two Nightingale Sisters and their escorts had been his only companions. Each day that he had the chance Jordan would fly around the courtyards of the Temples. With each flight, he would go higher and faster. By the time, they had reached Neo Rotterdam Jordan was breaking the sound barer.

It was in Neo Winterswijk, that he finally unlocked his electrical powers. The lightning strike shocked the teen into a power dive. He had seen his mother unleash one of her strikes when he was ten, and her strike held nowhere near the power of his. Also, not only was his ten times more powerful, it was more direct. The thunder crack rolled across the city from one end to the other, while the lightning lite up the day time sky brighter than high noon. He was so shaken from the unexpected release that he landed in the courtyard of the Temple.

When the Temple elder asked him if he was alright, Jordan replied. “Did that really come from me?”

“Yes, young one. That thunderbolt did indeed come from you. Now, let us begin your training in controlling that power.”

By the time, Jordan was ready to transfer to the Temple in Neo Workum, he had control over his thunderbolt to a point. He knew what he needed to do to release one and how long it took to recharge for another strike. He still had problems aiming his powerful blast, but that would come with practice. Every day he would spend more and more time flying.

On the day, they were to transfer Jordan took off and flew ahead of the transport shuttle. No sooner had he cleared the city’s edge than the local Sky Dancer Flights rose to chase him. In a panic Jordan stroke his wings for all they were worth. In seconds the Flights began to fall behind. Soon only the Flight leaders were chasing him. With a surge of pure fear Jordan pushed himself even harder as twin bolts of lightning streaked passed him.

What Jordan didn’t realize was one lightning bolt had hit home. All he felt was energized like never before. As his fear rose, so did his anger. When the Flight Leaders refused to break off pursuit Jordan looked back in anger. When the next three lightning bolts came they, all hit him. To Jordan’s amazement he was still alive and even felt the need to release his power in defiance. Not wanting to hurt the Flight Leaders Jordan aimed off to their side and fired.

The shockwave from his thunderbolt was so powerful all three Flight Leader tumbled in the sky. Its flash was so bright it lit up Neo Winterswijk in the evening darkness, over seventy kilometers away. The thunderclap echoed across half the hemisphere. The clouds that the bolt was directed at peeled away down to the lower atmosphere. What fight was left in the pursuing Flight Leaders left them, and they to fell away.

That one blast would have far reaching consequences. Word would spread from Flight to Flight, city to city. For the first time in four hundred and eighty years there was a MALE Sky Dancer. A male Sky Dancer who was in control of a BLACK symbiont. Even as Jordan fought off the Winterswijk Flight, his escort was racing to catchup they were recording the fight. Word of Jordan’s existence would spread faster that lightning in the lower levels of Neo Amsterdam’s atmosphere.

It wasn’t until Jordan slowed down that his escorts could match his speed. The pilot of the assault shuttle keyed his mike. “You really earned your call sign, Thunder Hawk. Over”

Jordan reached up to his headset and keyed his mike. “Sorry about that, Blue leader. I hope my blast didn’t cause you any problems? Over”

Jordan heard chuckling before Blue leader answered him. “Youngster, that blast was a ride and a half. I’ve dealt with turbulence before, but nothing like that. Just what the hell was that, Thunder Hawk? Over”

“It’s called a thunderbolt, Blue leader. Um… that was the biggest I’ve ever released though. To be honest I was just so mad I didn’t think about controlling the strength of the blast. Say, can you tell me our air speed? Over”

“Thunder Hawk, when we get to Neo Workum, we need to have a talk. We’re currently pushing five hundred and thirty-two miles. If you hadn’t slowed down, we would have had a hard time catching up. We had you on radar pushing mac two. Over”

Jordan knew he had been gaining speed and power with every day he flew, but he had no idea he could go that fast. As he thought about how fast he had gone, Jordan realized he could go faster. How much faster he had no clue as to. What he did know was the faster he went the
more electrical power he stored up and recharged. He could even now feel the massive amounts of energy stored inside him.

Jordan knew deep down inside that he could release another blast like the one he just released. He could even release one even stronger. One so powerful that it could blow a hole in the side of a Texas Class Battleship, possibly even a Battle Platform. It was no wonder the Flight Leaders were afraid of him. There was a downside to all that all power though. Jordan could feel it. If he released everything at once like that, it would kill him.

Jordan flew on to Neo Workum in silence. He had a lot to think about. He had fought back against the ruling class on Neo Amsterdam. The city council of Winterswijk, may not have sent the Sky Dancers after him, but they had still tried to kill him. Three full flights of Sky Dancers, and only the Flight Leaders could keep up.

Their lightning bolts, instead of knocking down or killing him, had only fueled his power. At first this filled him with dread until he flew through an upper atmosphere storm cloud. The first lightning strike left him dizzy. The second left him feeling high. By the third strike, Jordan was drunk on power. Jordan now knew WHY his mother and oldest sister always took to the air during lightning storms.

Realizing he was not ready for this kind of rush Jordan climbed out of the clouds. The last lightning strike as he cleared the clouds sent Jordan into a euphoria filled orgasm. During his flight through the storm he had failed to notice his ever-increasing sexual arousal. So, the sudden release of sexual tension was the strongest the young man ever experienced. Never had young Jordan felt such a strong sexual release in his life. Even as he was leveling off Jordan realized the danger mating while in flight held for him and his partner.

“If I ever get the chance, I’ll have to be the one in control. I could very well kill my partner if I don’t control her as well as myself.” As Jordan talked to himself he never realized that his mike was transmitting everything he said to his escorts.

Sister Sara, listened to Jordan words, and to the tone of his voice. She could tell that Jordan had just had his first sexual release sense his transformation. It had scared the boy in more ways than any warning the Supreme Flight Leader could give. She could also tell that he was more than a little drunk on power. She had talked Jordan into wearing a bio-monitor while he flew, so she could keep take of his vital signs. The bio-monitor had quiet working after the second lightning strike in the storm, but she could see the changes in his blood chemistry after the first strike.

Sara turned to Sister Katlyn. “We’re going to have our hands full once he realizes just how powerful he has become.”

“Sister Sara, you have a gift for understatement that reviles Reverend Mother Die Etsu.” Both women chuckled at Katlyn’s left hand compliment. “Right now, we need to figure out how we’re going to keep young Jordan from flying through any more storms. You know he is going to want that feeling again and again. And as powerful as our Guardians are, they are no match for that kind of raw firepower. I managed to get readings on the lightning bolts of the Flight Leaders. Even we can stand up against those, but what young Jordan fired off was off the scale. Those thunderbolts of his rival a Navel Class PPC.”

“Sweet Goddess! Are you sure about that, Sister Katlyn?” Sara asked in pure amazement.

“Sister Sara, I double checked her readings and her figures. That blast is equal to one of the main gun PPC’s for a Texas Class Battleship.” Both nuns looked over at Brother Timothy of the Children of Mars. Of their six Guardians, he would know best. His hobby of studying artillery design had been put to great use during the last Succession War. “I believe that the only main guns that would surpass the young lady’s firepower belong to a Shinigami Battle platform.”

“GOOD LORD! That kid packs the firepower of a battleship! Why the HELL are we letting her just run around?” asked the shuttles copilot.

Sara had to hold in her anger over the copilot’s stupidity. Thankfully the pilot didn’t have that problem. “Shut your FRACKING PIE HOLE STIEN! Until you know what is going on or one of the Nightingale’s tells you to do something just sit there and help me fly this tub.”

The young lieutenant looked over at his senior officer and closed his mouth. For whatever reason, they were flying cover for the kid he had no reason for knowing. Turning his attention back to the weapon and targeting controls. Stein felt that if the kid turned on them he would at least make the attempt to fight back.

Like all MV-17A assault shuttles this one was armed with four, turret mounted pules cannons, two chin mounted seventy-millimeter chain guns, and four wing mounted seven-inch rocket pods. Even at this range Stein knew he would only have one chance if the kid went rouge. Stein wasn’t going to let that chance slip past him.

For the next two hours, the flight crew held their place just over one hundred feet at Jordan’s six o’clock. Sara and Katlyn watched the long-range sensors for any sign of deviation from the norm. They to now understood the danger their young charge presented. If they could not teach Jordan control he would be far too dangerous to be released from the Temple of Ida-ten. As they approached Neo Workum Jordan flew in a tight circle to the near the shuttle.

Chapter 4

Family ties.

As had been their practice the assault shuttle would fly in front of Jordan blocking any radar signals. This was done to cloak Jordan’s arrival at the Ida-ten Temples. Once again, the maneuver worked to perfection. Jordan’s feet had no sooner lighted upon the Temple’s landing pad then a monk in plain white robes trimmed in gold approached.

During his time with the other Orders of Ida-ten, Jordan learned that each color of robe meant a deferent Order. The Children of Mars wore blood red robes trimmed in black. The Daughters of the Dragon wore blue with gold trim. The Swords of Saint George, wore black trimmed in red. The monk that stood before them now was a Brother of Balance.

Sara walked up to the monk. “Greetings, Brother. We have a postulant seeking shelter and training. Will the Brotherhood of Balance set the scales to rights?”

“The scales of balance are always set to rights in pursuit of justice, Sister. As for your postulant, she must first face her past.” The monk’s reply brought a frown to Sara’s face.

“May we know as to what crime she must answer?” Sara like the others wanted to know what the monk was talking about.

“Her family wait for her at the entrance to the Temple. The Law is clear in this matter, Daughter of the Nightingale. The child must face her family and claim her independence.” The monk’s answer caught Sara, Katlyn and their escorts off guard. They were all members of the same Temple. There should have been nothing standing in the way of their duty to Jordan.

Bother Robert of the Black Swords of Saint George stepped around Sara and Katlyn. “By whose orders do you dare to override a Nightingale?”

“This is a House of Balance, Black Sword. WE, do not answer to you or the Nightingale Sisterhood. WE answer to the Law.” There it was for them all to see. The Brotherhood of Balance would always stand by the letter and spirit of the law. After all it was their Order’s mission to enforce the law of not only the Empire, but also the planet they were on.

Only Jordan didn’t understand what was going on. “Um… Sister Sara, what is going on?”

Sara sighed and looked over at Jordan. “It seems your family has come before this Order to lodge a complaint. Until that complaint is cleared the Brothers of Balance cannot allow you or us to enter their walls.”

“I thought this was a Temple of Ida-ten?”

“We are, young one. The problem though is these Temple belongs to the Order of Balance, and is a Hall of Justice. As such we must abided by the Tenants that rule here.” The monk’s answer did not set well with Jordan, but he knew that the other members of Ida-ten would not go against the monk. He watched as the monk turned to Sara. “Will you come this way?”

Sara and Katlyn just nodded their heads and took Jordan by the hand. As they led him towards the front of the Temple Jordan worried over what would be his fate. The last City Council had sent their Flight to kill him, would his mother and sisters finish what they could not. Sara picked up on Jordan’s reluctance to follow.

“Don’t worry, little bird, you are still protected by the Daughters of the Dragon. The Brothers of Balance are merely following their Tenants. They may have to hear your family out, but they will not go against the Tenants of our Order to see that out. As their name suggests, they seek to find balance in all things. Correct Brother?”

The monk chuckled and smiled over his shoulder at Jordan. “Sister Sara is correct, Jordan Price. Not even the Reverend Father Timothy would order another Order to break their word of Honor. So, a simple Brother such as myself have no sway over the matter.” As the monk explained this to Jordan he felt relieved. “After you have talked with your family, just ask the Blood Red Knight at the door to send for Brother Alex.”

“Thank you, Brother Alex.” Jordan could see that the young man may have been a monk but he was still a man. This was the first time sense his awaking in the Temple back in Neo Amsterdam he was forced to reconcile his appearance. At all the other Temples were Jordan had stayed he had been surrounded by either the Nightingale Sisters, or Daughters of the Dragon.

Sister Katlyn had been using her medical monitors the entire time as they walked toward the main entrance. She spotted Jordan’s spiked heart rate and elevated blood pressure. Next, she noticed that Jordan was trying to place as much distance between himself and Brother Alex. Katlyn opened a secure channel to Sara.

“Sister Sara, we might have a problem.”

“What are you talking about, Katlyn?”

“Run a scan over Jordan. I think we might need to set him down and have a long talk about his appearance.”

“Why?” Sara’s one word question causes Katlyn to sigh. “What am I missing Katlyn?

“Sara, stop and really look at young Jordan. Do you see a male or female?” Katlyn’s question had the desired effect on Sara.

“Oh shit! You’re right. No matter where he goes from now on, even among the Temples, all people will see is a beautiful female Sky Dancer. Okay, leave it to me. I’ll sit down with her after evening prayers.”

Sara cut the connection and turned her attention to the three Sky Dancers waiting for them at the main entrance to the Temple. Unlike Katlyn, Sara could tell that these three women and preteen girl were all related to young Jordan. The Golden Flight Leader was none other than Ileana Price, Jordan’s mother. The two blue Sky Dancers had to be his older sisters, Sylvia, and Katheryn. The preteen girl had to be Jordan’s baby sister Raven. Even Katlyn could tell that this was a family.

Jordan may have cold feelings for his mother and older sisters, but he still loved his baby sister. Kneeling Jordan held out his arms as Raven ran to give him a hug. Raven shown no fear as she hugged the teenage girl that was once her brother. Stepping back Raven looked up at Jordan and smiled asking the one question his mother didn’t want her to. “Are you coming home Jordan?”

“That is up to mother and our older sisters, little bird.” Jordan’s answer caught Raven by surprise.

“But you’re a Sky Dancer now. You don’t have to leave the nest.”

“She is a black Raven. Step away from your sister please?” Ileana Price may not be able to act the way she wished, but she wasn’t going to endanger her youngest daughter at the hands of a black.

“Go on little bird. No need to anger our mother or sisters.” Jordan gave her one more hug then a gentle push towards his family.

“At least you understand your place in life.” Mumbled Katheryn behind Jordan’s mother. The problem was Jordan could hear Katheryn.

“If you think you’re my better, sister feel free to try me. Before you do remember I CONQUIRED a black. You’re nothing more than a pitiful blue.” Jordan had been thinking long and hard about what Supreme Flight Leader Helen Campbell had told him four months ago. The fight earlier in the day had shown Jordan the truth of Helen Campbell’s words.

Jordan’s taunt had the desired effect on his oldest sister. She flipped out and moved to smack him. Jordan’s speed and strength caught Katheryn by surprise as he grabbed her arm in mid-swing. When Katheryn tried to use her lighting on Jordan he just laughed as the rush came over him. This one act struck fear into the hearts of his family.

“I told you Katheryn, you’re nothing but a pitiful blue. I took four direct strikes from Flight Leaders. You’re nowhere near their power, and mean nothing to me. I CONQUIRED A BLACK! Do you have any idea of what that means? Truly any idea?! Let me give you an example.” Jordan let Katheryn go and stepped back. Seeing what Jordan was about to do Sara stepped in to keep things peaceful.

“Jordan, remember your promise. Not here, not in the garden, not inside the Temples.” Jordan gave Sara a hurtful look but did as she asked. “Thank you my young friend. I know that you want to put your sister in her place, but this is not the time or the place.”

“How dare you speak to me in that manner groundling.” The smack to Katheryn’s face shut the Wing Second up fast.

“You are no more my better than any other Sky Dancer Katheryn. Understand that here in these walls only the Reverend Father can over-rule one of my orders. As it is now, we are only here because of his orders.” Katlyn, felt she had to be the one to control the situation. She could already tell that Jordan and Sara were ready to kill.

“Excuse my daughters, Sisters. It seems that I failed in their instruction in the ways of proper Temple etiquettes. The fault is mine, and mine alone.” Ileana Price humbly bowed to Sara and Katlyn. “I hope that you will be better able to correct Jordan’s poor behavior. As I will be taking my Wing Second to task once we leave here.”

Ileana’s words left no doubt as to who she blamed for the embarrassing situation caused by her children. Taking the hint Jordan bowed to his mother. “Please excuse my inexcusable behavior, Flight Leader. You taught me better manners than that.”

“You have nothing to apologize for young Thunder Hawk. It is your older sisters that owe you an apology.” With that Ileana reached out and gave her child a hug. Whispering in his ear. “Do not trust Katheryn. Her Flight Leader sent the Wings of Winterswijk to attack you this morning.”
Jordan had learned enough control over the past four months to keep his surprise from showing on his face. Now, he knew who had broken the treaty between the Sky Dancers and the Temple of Ida-ten. He also knew that not all of the Flights felt the same towards him. As Ileana stepped back Sylvia stepped forward to hug him, Jordan smiled and excepted the hug.

“Welcome to the clouds, little sister.” Sylvia giggled into Jordan’s ear. “I thought I would have to wait eight more years before being able to say that. I can’t wait for our first flight together.”

Both Sara and Katlyn were using their medical monitors as lie detectors. They could tell that all but the oldest sister was truthful in their feelings towards Jordan. It was the oldest sister that Sara informed their guardians to target if things got out of hand again. They also knew that Jordan needed to release the energy that was currently filling Jordan to his limits. He was still holding a good deal of the power from the storm strikes. This fact worried the two nuns.

Using her internal commlink she linked to Jordan’s headset that he still wore. “Go for a quick flight with your family, Thunder Hawk. Don’t worry we’ll have you covered.” Jordan smiled at his family.

“Then why wait. First one to the South end crab docks wins.” Just as he hoped his two older sisters took off at full speed. Jordan just waited until they were past the outer wall of the Temple grounds before he even took wing. His mother just stayed where she was. She had already heard the reports of Jordan’s speed and power.

Jordan let his two sisters rush ahead of him until they were over the center of Neo Workum. That was when he put on the steam. Within seconds he closed the distance. At that point there was no way his sisters could get away from him. Three second later Jordan blasted past his sisters in a flash of black. Jordan speeded over the deep dive crab docks at just under mac one. Once he cleared the docks Jordan started to climb. His sisters tried their best to catch up but failed.

Once Jordan reached his set limits Jordan leveled off and aimed a thunderbolt at a distant cloud. He knew why Sara and Katlyn had sent him on this little flight. Now, was the time to show his sisters why even Flight Leaders feared him. Holding out his hands to direct the blast at the far-off cloud, Jordan released the pinned-up energy.

The blast caught both of his sisters off guard. Never had they seen or felt such a massive surge of power. The thunder crack rolled across all of Neo Workum miles away. The flash of light was blinding and seen from the docks. Sylvia tumbled through the air as the shock wave reached her and Katheryn. Katheryn had been all set to unleash her most power lighting strike when Jordan put on his little show. Katheryn quickly decided that if her Flight Leader want the Black Sky Dancer dead, then she would have to do that herself. If her one-time brother could unleash this type of power, she didn’t want to be on his bad side.

Jordan, swung down to hover in front of his two sisters. “Shall we have a game of follow the leader?”

Both sisters could already tell that Jordan wanted to show off. So, they accepted his challenge with Sylvia waving for him to led off. Both sisters figured that their new sister hadn’t had time to prefect her control over turns, climbs, dives, and lops. They would soon lean the error of assuming. Jordan quickly set off at a more leisurely pace, just over two hundred miles’ pre-hour.

Both older sisters had to use all their skill and strength to keep up with their younger sibling. Katheryn, being the oldest had more experience than Sylvia had a slight edge on her, but for some reason Jordan was out pacing and out performing them both. What neither sister knew was Jordan had been trained by the VTOL pilots for the Children of Mars, and Blood Red Knights. Those men and women showed Jordan no mercy as they had chased him through the skies of Neo Amsterdam. The very painful paintball hits from the chain-guns made sure Jordan learned his lessons.

When you’re trained by combat veterans who believe in extreme training methods you learn your lessons. Jordan was the only pupil for these veterans. So, he received more guidance than was normal. The speed at which Jordan took turns or climbs over buildings was shocking to his two older sisters. With every maneuver, Jordan made they were sure they would catch him, but time and again they failed.

Jordan flew over the outer wall of the Temple a full ten minutes ahead of his sisters. Ileana could tell by the way her one-time son landed she had just handed her oldest children a resounding defeat. Raven on the other hand just stood there staring in amazement. Her big brother was faster and quicker than her oldest sister Katheryn. Something that was only possible for the Flight Leaders. Everyone knew Katheryn Price was the fastest, most maneuverable of all the Blues and Wing Seconds on Neo Amsterdam. Jordan just couldn’t have beaten her, but he had.
Ileana hugged her child. “I see that you put your oldest sister in her place. Well done, Jordan. Now, get inside and continue with your training. Trust these Knights, learn your lessons, and make us all proud. Remember, child you are a member of the Price family. We do not have the money or power of the High Families, but we never turn our backs on family.”

“What of Katheryn, mother?” Jordan smirked.

“She follows the orders of her Flight Leader as a good Wing Second should. You are a threat to that woman’s power and control, daughter. She will be forced to come to you sooner or later. Ronda King is a spiteful bitch with designs on being the next Supreme Flight Leader.”
This little tidbit of information was all Jordan and the Knights of Ida-ten needed know. They now all knew who was behind the attack and the reasons why. Jordan heard their approach first and turned to watch as his sisters came over the wall and land in the courtyard.

Katheryn was the first to speak. “WHERE in the name of all the flies did you learn to maneuver like that?! I’ve never seen anyone take the square at that speed before! What where you doing two-ten, two-twenty? And that dive over the watchtower! My GOD are you crazy?!”

Jordan’s mother screamed at the top of her lungs when she heard this last one. “YOU BUZZED THE WATCHTOWER?” when Jordan blushed his mother just looked at the heavens then turned to Sara. “Sister, please instill some discipline in my child?” she pleaded.

The members of the Temple who had been watching over Jordan all chuckled at hearing this. They knew that he was of the most self-disciplined of people they had ever met. Even as young as Jordan was he had a true sense of right and wrong. Jordan’s blush just turned even darker.

After promising his mother to never buzz the watchtower again Jordan hugged his sisters and said good-bye. He stood and watched as they all took wing with his youngest sister being carried by his mother. He knew that Sky Dancers were strong, but seeing his mother just take off with his baby sister hanging off her back drove that point home.

“Jordan, are they going to fly all the way back to Neo Amsterdam?” Asked Sister Alexia of the Dragons Daughters.

“You better believe it, Sister Alexia. And, yes, my family will carry little Raven all the way.” Jordan giggled at the thought of a fledgling traveling by any other method. “Trust me on this Sisters, and Brothers. No self-respecting Sky Dancer would allow someone else to transport one of their children between cities.”

-to be continued-