"Flight Romeo Foxtrot four one, requesting Arcology landing location," Dylan Beyda took over the duties of co-pilot as the heliplane from the Marine Research Centre approached the massive edifice.
"You're cleared to land at IRO pad 6 on the West side, Captain Beyda," answered a rather jovial, accented, masculine voice.
Beside Dylan, Kallan's hands remained on the yolk as she assessed, then avoided all the air traffic in the area. The closer they came to the mile-high structure, the greater the number of vehicles swarming around its base. Piloting a small craft to land on the designated pad required both skill and concentration. The newly minted Captain James had flown to this location many times before. She appeared calm and in control to the three men in the craft.
"Roger, Jesse," Dylan smirked at his teammate, wondering why the pilot was on com's duty. "We've got a couple of passengers from Sydney Rescue Base on board. Any word on who's going to fly them home?"
"Stand by," Jesse said, obviously checking for instructions.
"A friend?" Kallan allowed an eyebrow to rise.
"Teammate," Dylan stated succinctly. A puzzled expression covered his face. "I wonder why the Commander's got him on Com's? Jesse's a pilot. He'd hate being trapped in the tower."
Kallan shook her head. As a pilot, of both air and sea craft, she'd hate being grounded. "Does he fly off the handle like other's in his team at the slightest provocation?" she questioned humorously.
"Jesse," Dylan responded, surprised. "Straight arrow. Never known him to disobey an order."
"Come in Romeo Foxtrot Four One," Jess called, returning their attention to the landing sequence.
"Go ahead, Jesse," Dylan acknowledged the transmission.
"Sydney's sent a craft. Those divers are to transfer to pad 3," the Texan drawled, dryly. "Hey, Dylan, it looks like you managed to tick the Commander off again. Orders are, you're to report to HQ immediately. The Chief says you know what's expected."
Taking her hand from the yoke to cover her microphone, Kallan teased "I gather there's nothing new in that Captain." She remembered the incident where Dylan lost his temper, dove off the Gilligan, swam for the shore to let off some steam, only to realize the craft was heading in the opposite direction.
Her companion gave her a withering look. He'd understood her taunt. Managing to keep her humour contained, Kallan recalled her first meeting with the man seated beside her. He'd managed to turn her well-ordered world upside down with his inclusion in the Master Dive class at the last minute. At first there had been a cautious rivalry between them. It didn't take long to understand there were alike in many respects and even more well matched. Suddenly their relationship shifted, turning into something much more personal. The next few days would give them time to determine exactly how deep the emotional attachment and if it had any chance of long term success.
"Hey, Dylan," Jesse sounded put out, "you with one of those female types. We thought you were on assignment."
In spite of her best intentions, the Com's officer heard Kallan's comment.
"Captain James is our pilot," Dylan stated, his tone turning frosty.
"Well, Captain James," Jesse's voice sounded suggestive, "Captain Wong will be awaiting your arrival. Your orders are to report directly to IRO headquarters."
"Understood. We're on final approach now," Kallan turned professional, reminding the boys they were on an open com. "Romeo Foxtrot out."
Ozzy grinned from the back seat, enjoying Dylan's seething. "Looks like you're going to have some competition for Skippers attention, Trimmer. I'd keep her close while you've got her."
Blue snickered. "Yeh, better keep her away from this Jesse," he teased. "With that Texan drawl, I bet he pulls the ladies."
Dylan muttered something under his breath about Jesse keeping his hands to himself. He couldn't believe how possessive he felt. Kallan spared him a glance as she initiated the landing sequence before placing a gentle, calming hand on his arm. He looked up, captured her gaze for an instant before she returned her complete attention to piloting the heliplane. This, Dylan knew, could prove the most difficult and dangerous element of the flight. Captain James need to keep her attention focused on the job.
"I survived Flight School," Kallan responded, finally allowing her amusement to colour her voice as she settled the plane onto its pad. Pulling her headset from her ears, she turned to face the two men in the back seat. "Believe me Blue, as the only woman in the class, I learnt to navigate the testosterone."
"You were the Top Gun," Dylan replied, remembering the research he'd done on his dive instructor, hoping to find a chink in her armour. Then Captain Kin Lee Wong reminded him of the fact a few days later.
Five days ago, he thought, I can't believe I only met Kallan five days ago. It seems like a lifetime. Now that I have her here at Arcology, even if it's for a few hours or days, I intend to use them to my advantage. I'm not letting her go without following this thing between us to its conclusion.
Allowing a long, low whistle at the achievement, Blue couldn't hold back his delight, "bet that showed those flyboys a thing or two."
Kallan grinned, "what do you think Ozzy."
"If your greeting on Gilligan was anything to go by," the man frowned, remembering the icy rebuff, "this Jesse hasn't got a chance. Just remember to invite me to the wedding, you two. Then I can say I was responsible for getting you together."
Dylan spluttered which caused Kallan to laugh and continue teasing the sometimes too serious Captain. "Sure," she stated easily, elbowing Dylan in the ribs. "How does next weekend sound," she teased, before opening her door and exiting the Heliplane.
"Ten days, Trimmer," Ozzy teased, clapping Dylan on the back. As he climbed out of the craft, he couldn't leave the stunned man without yet another comment. "Think you've got what it takes to get use to a ball and chain in that time frame."
"Hey," Dylan wasn't quite fast enough to question the Australian. He'd slammed the door after escaping the vehicle. A little embarrassed, Captain Beyda wondered what Bruce knew that he didn't.
Unsure what Kallan eluded to, Dylan made up his mind then and there. If I don't ask her to stay with me, then we might never see each other. My schedules a nightmare at the best of times and I want to spend every spare moment with Kallan. I wonder if Kallan knows why or how long she's going to be staying at Arcology. I need to make use of every second we're not working to see where this thing's heading. I know I'm not going to let a relationship with her go without a fight. I've never felt this way about anyone before and after that conversation on the flybridge of Gilligan, I'm sure she feels the same way.
"Kallan," Dylan hurried to exit and catch up with the woman. His eyes held something that made Captain James pause. Deep in those chocolate spheres the colour had turned molten, heated by a passion he couldn't yet express.
She answered with a curious glance, but stopped moving towards the cargo hold.
Blue and Ozzy had alighted, coming around to the rear hatch. A young pilot awaiting their arrival hurried onto the pad, indicating they should collect their gear and change to another craft situated on different landing site. Dylan took the opportunity to hold her back and have a quiet word. It couldn't be as private as he'd like but he needed to take this opportunity before Captain Kin Lee Wong took Kallan to whatever meeting she'd been called to Arcology to attend.
"Are you flying back tonight?" Dylan managed to whisper past the lump threatening to close his throat.
Shaking her head, Kallan wondered what to tell him. "My orders weren't that specific. I'm here for a few days. At least I think I am." Shrugging her shoulders, Kallan added in a tone filled with unease, "after that, who knows where I'll end up."
Taking her hand, Dylan placed his contact details and the address of his apartment in her wrist com unit. Every IRO officer was assigned one at their commissioning. "Stay with me, Kallan, while your here. I want to take every opportunity we can to be together. The rest we'll work out."
"I'd like that," her cheeks coloured. Both knew the words meant much more. Finally finding her humour, she suggested, "maybe Ozzy called it."
"Maybe," Dylan couldn't get the image of a Hawaiian wedding out of his mind. The identity of the bride and groom crystal clear. "Ten days, it's a big call."
"Are you asking me something, Captain," Kallan asked, a little stunned at the seriousness of Dylan's words. Never before had her heart beat this fast nor felt like it could burst from her chest. We, she recalled every word and action between them, haven't done anything to give him such hope, or me. Five days and it seems like more. Oh, be honest with yourself, Kallan James. Tonight, you'd like to do what you couldn't on Gilligan with the others on board. That's why it took exactly three seconds to agree to stay with Dylan at his place tonight, and most probably every night you're at Arcology.
"When I ask, Kallan," Captain Beyda stated at his authoritative best, those molten chocolate eyes boring into the woman before him, "you won't be in any doubt I've posed a question."
"When," she tested, swallowing hard at the implication.
"Kallan," Dylan took her arm and started them in the direction of the rear hatch. "Get your duffle, you've got a meeting and I have to present my certificate to the Commander. I can see Lee waiting for you at the edge of the airfield. With the calls he's received from the pair of us over the last few days, I'm sure he's curious to see how we've gotten along."
"You called Lee?" she asked, picking up her pack.
Heading towards the older Asian man, Dylan chuckled. "Yes. I wondered why you were stuck on an assignment in the middle of the ocean without using your skills."
"A question I've been asking myself recently," she responded. The sudden change in conversation unnerved her, and yet Dylan continued to act in a completely professional manner while they were in working uniform, except the guiding hand on the small of her back. He'd done this before, while on Gilligan. One moment, when they had the chance, their conversation could be extremely personal with small touches that meant nothing and everything at the same time. A moment later, duty called and they became IRO Officers.
"I have the feeling Ziggy knows more than he's telling," Dylan commented. Coming to stand by his mentor, Captain Beyda offered a traditional Japanese bow to the older man. "Lee," he stated respectfully.
"Dylan," Captain Wong returned the greeting. "Kallan," he held out a hand. She shook it with a wide grin.
"I didn't expect you to collect me personally," she teased. "I would have thought you had more important obligations."
Grunting, he stated with a straight face, "and so I do. TB4 requires all my time and attention if I want to keep her from the young one's like you."
The obvious affection between Captain's Wong and James didn't surprise Dylan. He'd rather expected it after their conversation a few days previously. What did shock the young officer, was the range of emotions Lee allowed to cross his face when speaking with Kallan. While she knew of his background, growing up on the Hawaiian Islands with three siblings, Dylan realised, apart from her public profile, he knew very little about Kallan's family and childhood.
Something, he considered, I'll have to change in the coming days. Until then, I have an assignment to complete.
"You're gone quiet Dylan," Kallan said.
"Sorry," he smiled. "Thinking."
"Is that what that was," Lee teased in his straight-faced way.
"Afraid so," Dylan managed a slight smile. Making a move towards the IRO building, he gave the pair a salute. "Give me a call when you're finished with your meeting's, Kallan. I know a great restaurant overlooking the Arcology concourse. We'll talk then."
"Where," the older Asian man rebuked, "do you think you're going, Captain Beyda."
"Sir," he looked a little startled. "I'm to report to Commander Thurman's office immediately."
"Captain James and I will take you as far as the IRO building," Lee eyed the younger man. It took him less than a second, watching the pair interact on the tarmac to understand they'd formed a very close relationship. Even now, neither Kallan nor Dylan wanted to separate.
This, Captain Kim Lee Wong suspected, will cause more than a little trouble for their respective Commanders. I'll watch and wait and see how this develops. I suspect from Dylan's protectiveness towards Kallan, I know. I just wondered how they will cope and keep their relationship discreet when neither will be able to tell the other about their assignments. Both the Main Thunderbird team and their Backup counterparts sign contracts ensuring their confidentiality. Not that Kallan will be able to keep her new position a secret for long. By the end of the year, she'll be splashed across the front page of every copy of the New World Times for weeks on end.