Author's Note: This story is dedicated to the men and women of vision at Disney who brought Tale Spin to life. In particular, it is dedicated to Jymn Magon, whose brilliance and leadership gave Kit, Baloo, Rebecca and all the rest their moment in the sun.
Any resemblance of places or events in this story to actual places or events is strictly coincidental, though not necessarily accidental.
GIRL TROUBLE
PART I
"What could go wrong next!" the big bear moaned, leaning back in his chair. "How could we possibly lose the port engine with no wind, no rain, no lightning, no pirates! What was Wildcat thinkin' when he checked the dang thing!" Even a routine run from New Fedora, it seemed, was destined not to be routine.
Kit Cloudkicker had heard this one before. "C'mon, Papa Bear - it's an old plane. But a good, one, a good one!" he hastily added, as Baloo shot him a glare that could melt an iceberg. "Things go wrong, sometimes there's no way to prevent it. Y' know Wildcat's the best mechanic around." The yellow seaplane was now listing dangerously. "Just be grateful we're so close to Louie's - we can touch down there and get it repaired. Six degrees port, we're about three miles out."
"Yer right kid. Hate to have to ditch 'er in the middle of the ocean. Man, no matter what happens, every time it looks like we're gonna get home early we end up at Louie's! And Beckers'll find a way to make this my fault, as usual!"
"She's not so bad." Kit said, smiling. "She just likes to yell at you for some reason. Say, I wonder if it's because-"
"Don't even THINK it, L'il Britches. She's just a fiery gal, that's all. Now let's land this old duck and get us some burgers."
The old yellow seaplane touched down, as it had so many times before, just off the floating pier at Louie's place. There was a noticeable wobble as the plane descended, and one wing slapped the water loudly as the plane touched down.
"Boy, those one engine landings are tough, L'il Britches. Really had to fight 'er down that time."
"Aw, you can handle a lot worse than that, Baloo." the cub said admiringly. "Once you've landed a plane with both the wings sheared off, somethin' like this is a piece of cake."
"Yeah, that sounds good, I wonder if Louie's got any of his triple-rightside-up chocolate surprise cake...."
Bear and cub strode up the pier towards Louie's. Several small brown monkeys jumped out to greet them. "Fill 'er up, guys." Kit told the simians. "An' the port engine's crapped out, too."
Louie's place was, as ever, a marvel of color and flash, tropical masks dotting the walls and tiki torches burning brightly. The red orangutan jumped up on the bar to greet his friends. "You're losin' your touch, Cuz!" he laughed at Baloo "I heard that landin' all the way in here!"
"Port engine died, monkey man. It's a meerkle I could bring 'er down in one piece!"
"Yeah, Cuz, you're a reg'lar Amelia Airhead!" the ape laughed. "How's it goin' shortstop?" he greeted Kit.
"Not bad Louie, thanks. Got any guava-mango punch and pepperoni pizza back there?"
"The usual for the pint-size navigator. Just don't ask for no anchovies, man! How bout you, Baloo? Back up the burger truck again?"
"Nah, how 'bout some triple-rightside-up chocolate surprise cake? And a Krakatoa-kiwi fizz."
"Comin' right up. Ba-wabba-bada-bada-wham-bam-dooo-dliay-oh!" the ape sang to himself joyfully as he prepared their drinks, arms flailing faster the eye could follow them. In the corner, someone began tinkling away at the old piano.
"Light crowd tonight, Louie." Baloo said, surveying the joint. Only a few patrons sat at tables, and no one besides Baloo and Kit at the bar.
"Yeah man, bidness been dead lately. Whooda thunk it, but ever since the air pirates stopped hittin' this area so hard, my take's gone down! Guess folks ain't so anxious to land if they ain't afraid to fly."
"How bout that, L'il Britches?" Baloo asked his friend. "Ever'body's good news is bad news for somebody, I guess. Kit?"
The boy was staring towards one of the tables, seemingly oblivious to Baloo. "Kit?" the big bear tried again.
"Louie! Who's THAT?" the cub asked, as he pointed to the table, mouth agape.
"Dunno, L'il Cuz!" Louie glanced around Kit's shoulder at the table. "Didn't see 'er come in."
At the table sat a young polar bear, perhaps fourteen or fifteen, and most decidedly feminine. She wore a plain grey shirt, which seemed out of place with her smooth, exotic features. As though aware she was attracting attention, the young bearess glanced up briefly from the papers laid out on the table before her, flashed a tiny, impossibly brief smile, and quickly looked back down.
"Kid, it ain't polite to stare. Kit? Kit?" Baloo finally grabbed his young charge's head gently with both hands and turned it around.
"She's Bee-YOO-tiful!" Kit sighed, propping his elbows on the bar and resting his chin in his hands.
"Uh oh!" Louie said, casting a smile in Baloo's direction. The pilot was looking at his navigator with concern.
"Awww! This can't be happenin' already!" he moaned to Louie.
"All downhill from here, 'Cuz! Better get used to it - yer life just got more complicated!"
"What're you guys talkin' about?" the cub asked dreamily, casting a furtive glance over his shoulder. With a flourish, the orangutan artfully set the two bears food and drinks in front of them.
"Never you mind, pint-size." Louie said, tweaking the boy's nose. "Eat your pizza - yer gonna need your strength!"
"Whaffa I offf yof for teh innfnnn, floofie?" Baloo, asked, wolfing down the last of his cake.
"Whazzat Cuz? Can't understand a word yer sayin'!" Louie asked.
"Sorry pal." Baloo replied, washing down his cake with his Krakatoa fizz. "I said, whadda I owe you for the engine?"
"Nuthin' Cuz' - my boys said one of yer' connections was loose. The vibrations from the engine caused it to fall out, only a matter of time. No trouble to fix at all."
"SEE, Kit? I told you Wildcat didn't check that engine out proper! Kit? Kiddo, you listenin' to me?"
"Wha? Oh, sorry Baloo, no, I'm not hungry." the boy replied, chin in hands, a smile on his face.
Baloo rolled his eyes at Louie. "Time to GO, L'il Britches." he said, standing up and turning to leave.
"Oh, Ok Papa Bear." Standing, the boy turned to look, but the polar bearess was gone.
"Sorry kid! Left about a minute ago, while you was in dreamland." Louie offered. "Weird, didn't hear anybody take off. Wonder who she came in with."
"Gonna JOIN me , L'il Britches?" Baloo asked impatiently, standing in the doorway. "We're gonna be late as it is!"
"Oh, sure Baloo." the boy scurried out after him. "See ya, Louie."
Rebecca was standing at the edge of the dock waiting when they pulled up in the Sea Duck. "Don't even bother this time, Baloo! I radioed Louie's and he said you were there!"
"Don't get yer balance sheets in an uproar, boss lady." Baloo said, jumping onto the dock. "Port engine crapped out - had to land at Louie's to get 'er repaired. Or perhaps Your Timeliness would rather I fly YOUR plane and MY navigator home with one engine?"
"S'true, Miz Cunningham." Kit said as Baloo helped him onto the dock. "We were early, but then we lost 'er. Baloo didn't have any choice."
Weeellll...." Rebecca was clearly more inclined to take her junior employee at his word. "Well, then, why did you lose the engine? Didn't Wildcat check it out before you took off?"
"That's what I aim to find out." said Baloo, striding purposefully towards the workshop.
Inside, Wildcat and Molly were playing with a set of toy animals. Baloo didn't even want to know whose they were. "Wildcat, I-"
"Baloo!" screamed Molly, jumping into his arms.
"Hey, pigtails. I gotta talk to Uncle Wildcat for a sec'." He set her down, and gently shoved her out the door.
"But Baloo - "
"C'mon kiddo, let's go play with my models for a few minutes." Kit grabbed Molly by the hand and led her towards the main building.
"Hey Baloo, wanna see my new warthog? See, he goes "Snork, snork, oink oink-".
"Wildcat, what's the big idea sendin' Kit an' me out with a bad connection in the port engine?"
"Oh, I checked the engines this morning, Baloo, they were all engines fine, purring like a big kittycat - "
"Wildcat, Louie's mechanic said there was a loose connection in the port engine, it was just a matter of time before we lost it. Well, we lost it right over the ocean! If we haddana been a few miles from Louies-"
"It wasn't loose when you left Baloo, no way, uh huh! Mebbe somethin' happened on the run somewheres."
Rebecca was standing in the doorway. "He sounds pretty sure, Baloo. Did anything unusual happen in New Fedora?"
Baloo scratched his head. "Naw, everything was peachy! We were ahead of schedule - Me! Ahead of schedule! I'm tellin' ya, nothing happened."
Wildcat was once again happily playing with the animals. Rebecca shrugged. "I guess it's just a mystery Baloo. Sometimes these things happen. At least no one was hurt. I don't think Wildcat would make a mistake about something like this."
"Yeh, I guess yer right Becky. Sorry Wildcat. Somethin' weird goin' on here...."
As the two bears were standing by the workshop, a pair of blue eyes peered out from the cargo hatch on the Sea Duck. Seeing the two kids disappear into the main building, the eyes, accompanied by a flash of white , slipped off the plane and disappeared around a corner of Higher for Hire.....
Kit was picking at his dinner. For some reason, he just didn't have much of an appetite. Baloo, in contrast, had wolfed down his meal in record time. "Whassa matter, L'il Britches? Aintcha feelin' well?"
"I'm OK Baloo, just not hungry for some reason." The boy rested his head in one hand, and absently stirred at his mashed potatoes with the other.
"Is..uh..is there anything you'd...uh..like to, y'know, talk about?" the big bear asked, shifting uncomfortably as he said it.
"No!" Kit said, hurriedly getting up from the table. "I think I'm gonna take a walk. I need to take a walk, I think. See ya' in a while." the cub quickly walked out the door.
"But kid -" the bear replied to Kit's departing back. "Boy, the kid's got it bad." He scratched his head. "Since he's not gonna finish his mashed potatoes...."
Kit walked along the harbor, hands in pockets, watching the sun sink and the lights of downtown Cape Suzette beginning to flicker on. "C'mon Cloudkicker, snap out of it!" he muttered to himself. He just couldn't figure it - why should a ten second look at some cub leave him feeling all....brain-dead like this? It's not like it's the first time he'd seen a girl cub..
"Hello." a voice cooed, to his left. Startled, Kit looked over. There, standing under a tree was the same cub he had seen at Louie's!
Nervously, he took his baseball cap off, twisting it in his hands, and took a stride towards the girl. "Uh, h-h-h-hello." he stammered, nervously. Darn! Sounded like a jerk!
"Hello." the girl said again. This time Kit could hear some sort of accent in her voice, he wasn't quite sure what it was. "I see you at Louie's, do you remember?"
"Uh, yeah, I g-guess so." the cub replied. "I seem to remember that. Are you - what are - do you live around here?" he'd heard someone say that, in a movie or something.
"Yes, live in.... Cape Suzette." the girl said, smiling. "You too?"
"Oh! Uh, yeah, I, uh, live just right down there - " Kit pointed back towards Higher for Hire, now a few dozen yards or so down the shore. "I don't think I've seen you at school, have I?" Kit began to relax slightly - this was just a kid almost his own age after all! He was just noticing how cute her little black button nose was, how it seemed to-
The girl coughed. "No, I go to - private school?" she half asked, as if unsure of the vocabulary.
"Oh." Kit said, disappointed. No wonder he hadn't seen her before. "Uh, what were you doing at Louie's?"
"My fazzer is, what you say, a peelote? Fly planes?" For some reason he couldn't fathom, Kit found her mangling of English utterly charming. "We stop for gas."
Weird, Kit hadn't remembered seeing another plane - and he certainly hadn't seen her father at the table. He frowned.
"I, must say, how is it, good night?" she said. "My father like me to not be out after darkness, yes?"
Momentarily panicked, Kit searched his head for something to say. She couldn't leave already! "Will not your - fazzer, be worry about you?" the girl asked, with a smile.
"Oh, uh yeah, I guess." Kit replied. "He's not - never mind, long story. Um, I'm Kit, by the way. Kit Cloudkicker!"
She smiled again, buckling the cub's knees. "I am Sasha." she said, holding out her paw. "Good night, Keet."
"Uh, n-n-n-night!" he stuttered, grasping her warm paw gently. With a gentle tug, she extracted her hand and slowly walked away. Kit stood, staring at the bearess' back until it disappeared into the dusk, and then down at his own paw, still held out where she had released it.
"Where's that kid?" Baloo asked himself, glancing at his watch. "Gettin' dark out, don't know where 'is head's at lately." He heaved himself out of his chair and walked out the door. To his surprise, Kit was sitting on the dock, staring out at the water.
"Kit! What the heck are ya doin' out here? I didn't even know you was back yet. C'mon inside!"
"Oh, hi Baloo." the cub said absently. "No thanks, I just had one."
"Kid, what's with you? It's almost nine. Come on inside and stop this silly talk." He walked over and gently tapped the boy on the head.
"Sure, Baloo, whatever you say." Kit replied, standing and walking into Higher for Hire with a small smile on his face.
"Well, don't wait for me or anythin' kid." the pilot muttered, following him.
The cell was spare and cramped - six feet by six feet, a small sleeping bench protruding from one wall, no mattress. There was no other furniture - only a thin, dirty polar bear in a tattered prison uniform, who sat on one end of the platform, knees drawn up around his head.
"Dinner time!" Said a voice from outside the door. The figure on the bed didn't look up. "What's the matter? Not up to your gourmet standards?" the voice sneered, sliding a plate of four raw turnips and a slab of moldy bread through a slot in the door. "Good enough for traitors, Walschinsky. Enjoy it."
With a dispirited sigh, the figure uncoiled himself, and wearily reached down for the tray. He took a bite of bread and immediately spit it out. He fell back onto the platform and covered his face with his hands.
"One man's traitor is another's hero, yes?" he said to no one. "Oh, my beautiful, my little one, where are you tonight? If I could see your smile once more I could face another lifetime of this torture..."
It had been a constant struggle for Kit to keep his mind in his body during school all day. Other things kept trying to intrude, block out the teachers. Kit couldn't afford any more trouble with his teachers, he knew that much. He wasn't sure he could come up with another hundred words on grammar.
At last, the day ended, and he was free to let his thoughts wander as he walked home from school. Ernie had asked him to go to the malt shop with some of the Jungle Aces, but he had begged off - he just wasn't in the mood. What was wrong with him? Why couldn't he think straight? He knew why - it was that girl, that white cub. Buy WHY? Why couldn't he stop thinking about her?
He decided to take the long way, and walk along the harbor. He loved the harbor - watching the planes coming and going, the boats scurrying across the water - it made him feel free. And maybe there was another reason he wanted to walk here today....
To his shock and amazement, there she was - right under the same tree she had been under yesterday! Had she been waiting for him? No, she just likes the spot, the view. "Probably wishes I'd stop bothering her." he thought to himself. Nervously he approached her, and, to his enormous relief, she smiled!
"Hello, Keet." she said slyly.
"Uh, hi Sasha. No books?"
"Oh! No, I left them at home already. My school, she's over early, yes?" That accent again! Where had he heard it before?
"This is, um, a beautiful spot, isn't it?" he asked her, looking at her feet.
"Very nice. This is a beautiful city, I am very glad to be here. I fear, as you say, I know little about it. Maybe you can show me some of the... sights, yes?"
Kit's heart raced. "Yes! I mean, sure, I wouldn't mind, if you'd like to. I have some time right now, if you - "
"That would be very nice, thank you. I have, as you say, some time also."
"Oh, well, OK then! Let's go!"
The next hour was a blur in Kit's mind, even as it was happening. He remembered showing Sasha the fountain square, downtown. He remembered the statue in Khan Park. He remembered the airfield - why had he taken her to the airfield? Most of all, he remembered that she spoke very little, which was a problem, as he tried to fill all of the silences himself, and he had long since run out of interesting things to say. He was glad he couldn't remember any details about that!
Remarkably, the white cub seemed not to mind any of it - She walked along with a small smile on her face, occasionally asking a question or two about the city. Soon, Kit looked up to find that he had walked her back to the harbor, and Higher for Hire was just a few yards ahead.
"Uh, I live here, right over there." he said pointing.
"You live with man who is not your fazzer?"
Kit laughed - it felt good! "Yeah, you could say that. We're partners. This is Higher for Hire, it's an air cargo business. Becky - Rebecca Cunningham - she's the owner. Baloo - that's the man who's not my father - is the pilot, and," he paused for effect, "I'm the navigator!"
"Goodness!" the girl exclaimed. "So young! Is this not a difficult thing for you?"
Kit blushed at her characterization. "Nah, I've been foolin' around with maps and compasses since I was a little kid. It's no problem." He paused and coughed, as though gathering his strength. "Uh, Sasha, I , you know, really enjoyed our walk today, it was great!"
"Yes, I am having a nice time as well. You are a very good guide."
"Oh! Thanks. Would you - I mean, maybe, sometime, would you maybe want to go to a movie? There's a great adventure serial down at the Paragon."
The girl smiled. "Yes this sounds like I enjoy it, thank you for idea. I go!" With that, she turned and started walking away.
Kit was startled. "W-wait! I meant, y'know, go with me!"
The girl turned, a full grin on her face, absent any of the slight ruefulness that had graced her smiles before. "I know, silly Keet! I have a joke with you! Of course I will go to movie with you!"
Kit's mouth was agape for a moment. Then he laughed aloud. "Oh man, you had me.... How about tomorrow? About the same time?"
"That would be nice. Meet me under our tree, Keet Cloudkeecker. Good bye!" Without another word, she turned and was gone.
Kit watched her for a moment, then stood, hands in pockets. Had he dreamed this whole afternoon, or had it really happened?
Baloo had been loading Fandango Mangoes for tomorrow's run for about an hour - amazing, they'd managed to keep their very first client despite losing their initial shipment! - when he saw Kit walking down the shore towards him. He stopped a short ways down the water.
Baloo frowned and squinted. That cub - wasn't she the one from Louie's? That was odd. Quite a coincidence, that she lived in Cape Suzette too. He wiped the perspiration off of his brow and walked over to Rebecca, who was checking off the shipments on her clipboard.
"Whaddaya know about that?" he asked her, gesturing towards the two cubs, who were standing and talking.
Rebecca followed his gesture. A look of surprise, then a smile crossed her face. "Who's the young lady, Baloo?"
"Search me Beckers. Never saw 'er before two days ago. We ran into her at Louie's, then here she is today in Cape Suzette. Weird. Knocked Kit right on his landing gear when he laid eyes on 'er, tho'."
"Get used to it, Baloo! You're living with a teenager."
"Don't call him that!" Baloo admonished.
"Why not? He's thirteen now, Baloo, he's not a little boy anymore. Looks like he's figured out there's more to life than airplanes..."
"Yeah, and it's all trouble...." Baloo muttered.
Kit had separated from the girl now, and was moonily walking towards them. "Hey L'il Britches, whose yer friend?" the grey bear asked.
"Hi Kit!" chimed in Rebecca.
The cub, appearing to take no notice, kept walking. Baloo reached out a burly arm and stopped him in his tracks. "Oh, hi Baloo, Becky. Nice day, huh?"
"Moon's out early." Baloo grumbled.
"Your friend is very pretty, Kit." Rebecca smiled at the boy, prompting a rousing blush on both cheeks. He ducked under Baloo's arm and scurried into the bedroom. "Lotta homework!" he shouted over his shoulder.
Rebecca put her hand over her mouth, trying to stifle a laugh. Baloo simply shook his head. Weird, that girl showing up right here......
Isaac Walschinsky couldn't figure out which was worse - the quiet, dark nights, with the only sound to interrupt your thoughts the scurrying of rats across the floors, or the days - twelve hours in the bitter cold, slaving away with hammers and chisels on some rock pile or other meaningless task, all the while bound in leg irons. All in all, it was not a prospect that left a man keenly looking forward to the next dawn.
Walschinsky looked around him. There were perhaps two dozen polar bears, in various states of emaciation and ill health, slowly, laboriously lifting their hammers and crushing rocks. There were perhaps a half dozen guards, all warthogs, walking the perimeter of the work area, rifles in hand. Periodically one of them would stop to berate one of the prisoners for slacking, sometimes using the butt end of his rifle for embellishment. Not a lot of security, Walschinsky thought - but then, with hundreds of miles of arctic wasteland in all directions, escape was death.
"Eyes front, Walschinsky!" a hulking guard barked from behind Walschinsky's right shoulder. "This is not a sightseeink tour!" Walschinsky sighed, turned and lifted his hammer. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the prisoner adjacent to him furtively glance in his direction, arching an eyebrow slightly.
Slowly, almost imperceptibly, the two prisoners inched their way towards each other, hammering a ll the while. Finally, they stood a few feet apart, hammers in hand.
"Isaac!" the other man hissed quietly, raising his hammer over his head. "Free Bird has reported in - " he brought the hammer down with a crash on a large granite boulder in front of him, barely raising a welt on it's surface.
Walschinsky raised his hammer. "What news?" he whispered. Crash!
"He has visited the nest. The eggs are not there!" the man whispered.
"No - TALKING!" said a voice from behind. Snarling, the guard brought the butt of his rifle down on the man's back, causing him to fall to his knees, gasping for air. Turning, he glared at Walschinsky.
Walschinsky turned away, knowing better than to risk a confrontation. When you hold no cards, you don't raise the bet. Eyes forward, he continued to work. The guard withdrew.
They were gone! How was this possible? Who else knew of their existence, much less their location? He couldn't have picked a more obscure hiding place. Was there a traitor in the movement? This was very bad, very bad indeed.....
Baloo yawned, stretching his arms over his head. He donned his sleeping cap and rolled into bed. Kit lay on the small bed beside him, models of airplanes and blimps hanging over his head. The boy was staring at the ceiling, arms behind his head. "Wish you were comin' on that mango run tomorrow, L'il Britches. Nothin' more boring that a produce drop."
"Yeah, me too Papa Bear. Beats sittin' in school all day. Uh, I'm gonna go to a movie after school tomorrow, OK Baloo? I'll be home a little late."
The big bear looked over. "A movie, huh? Goin' with anyone special?" Kit blushed again. "It's OK, L'il, Britches, ya don't hafta be embarrassed! You kin tell ol' Baloo." The cub greeted him with silence. Baloo switched off the light.
They lay in the darkness for a moment or two. "What's 'er name, kiddo?"
"Sasha." Kit answered, smiling in the dark. "She's - real nice, Baloo. We took a walk around the city today."
"She's that same cub who was at Louie's, right?"
"Yeah, she was at Louie's. She was there with her Dad -he's a pilot too."
"I don't remember seein' him at Louie's."
"I dunno, I guess we missed him, Papa Bear."
The bear shrugged in the dark. "Where'd you meet her? After Louie's I mean.
"I saw her when I went for that walk, after dinner. She was over by the harbor."
"Lucky thing you ran into her, so close to home, huh kid?"
"I guess. Whatever. She's nice enough, we're just gonna go see a movie. I was gonna go anyway."
"Sure kid, whatever you say. G'night."
"Night Baloo." Kit said. "Wanted to see that movie for a long time.", he muttered, into his pillow. Stifling a chuckle, Baloo rolled over and fell asleep.
Isaac lay on his sleeping platform, staring up at the ceiling. His body ached, but he could not fall asleep. Sometimes it seemed as if he never slept, just lay down at night and stood up in the morning. Lately, he had found he had stopped having any dreams, at least so he could remember. Was that worse than the screaming nightmares which usually accompanied his slumber? Isaac wasn't sure.
Suddenly, he heard a small noise, near the door to his cell. By the dim light sneaking in through the bars, he could see a small object on the floor that hadn't been there before. Warily, he sat up in bed, listening for movement in the corridor. Nothing. Quickly, he rolled out of bed and snatched the object. It appeared to be a small piece of paper, crumpled into a tiny ball. Silently as he could, he unfolded it and spread in flat with his fingers.
Eyes straining in the dim, he struggled to read see the paper. There was writing on it, tiny lettering...."Baby bird has flown." Quickly, he placed the paper on his tongue and swallowed.
Baby Bird has flown? WHY didn't _anyone_ do what he told them? And what did this have to do with Free Bird? Was there a connection?. And WHO had slipped him this note?
Isaac crawled back into bed, his mind a whirl. Things were not turning out like he'd planned. Clearly, it would be prudent to be prepared for something to happen soon....
"What were you doink?" Lt. Plodder demanded as the guard trooped back into the security room and sat at the desk.
"Though I heard a noise out there in block seven, Lieutenant." the Sargeant replied. "Just wanted to make sure there was nothink fishy goink on."
"Polar bear scum! Even when they're prisoners they show you no respect." Plodder growled. "Traitors, the lot of them. All of them should be locked up."
"Yes, sir, all of them locked up." the Sargeant replied, softly. "Traitors....."
Kit and Sasha walked slowly along the harbor, neither saying much of anything, both watching the ships slowly traversing the azure water. Higher for Hire was just ahead. Kit stopped, and pointed at the Sea Duck. "That's our plane, right there. She's a beaut, ain't she?"
Sasha squinted, and nodded. "Yes, she is very pretty. She is, "Sea Duck", you say?
"Yep, that's our baby. She's a vintage job. Superflight 100 engines, too. Got me an' Baloo out of a lot o' jams. '
"Jams?" Sasha asked, confused.
"Oh, you know, pickles. No? Tough spots, danger, you know, saving countries and fighting pirates, that kinda thing."
A glint flashed in the white cub's eyes. "You do all thees as you... run the cargoes?"
"I guess we do more than run cargoes. It always starts out real normal, and stuff just kinda seems to happen, and it all tailspins outta control. I kinda like it tho'. See, Baloo an' me, we're not really just pilot and navigator, and Becky - Miz Cunningham, she's not really just our boss... I guess it's complicated." He smiled at the girl. "Did you enjoy the movie?"
"Yes, your 'Flash Nelson', we don't see him where I... I've never seen him before. Very exciting."
"Um, where _are_ you from, anyway?"
"We come from... Upper Tibal."
"Upper Tibal? Really? Gee, we've never been there." Kit puzzled in his mind, he was sure he'd heard that accent. "How long have you lived in Cape Suzette?"
The girl shifted her feet. "Not very long. We come for ze beautiful weather, yes? Very nice weather - warm and sunny. Is very cold where I come from."
Baloo, reclining on the hammock under the Sea Duck's tail, caught Kit's glance and waved cheerily. How long had he been watching?? "Uh, you wanna come inside for a few minutes?"
"Yes, I would like that Keet."
The two cubs walked into Higher for Hire, Kit warily casting a few looks at Baloo. "Don't follow me!" he thought. "Don't follow me, don't-"
"Hello!" Rebecca Cunningham said from behind her desk as the two cubs entered. "Aren't you going to introduce your friend, Kit?"
"Oh, sure, Miz Cunningham. This is Sasha, Sasha this is Miz Cunningham, she's our boss." the two ladies gracefully shook hands and exchanged greetings.
"An' I'm, Baloo, ace of the skies, at yer service!" the pilot trumpeted, entering the room, doffing his hat and executing an elaborate bow. Kit buried his face in his hands.
"Hello, Mr. Baloo. It is a pleasure to meet you at last."
"Huh?" the pilot replied. "Whatcha mean, Princess?"
"Oh!. Only, Kit, he has told me much about you. About your fighting the pirates, and all the rest."
"Oh he _has_, has he? Whatcha tell her, L'il Britches?"
Sasha smiled at Kit. "L'il Britches? What is this 'L'il Britches'?"
Kit looked as if his face was going to erupt in flames. "That's just, it's just a friendly name, like, 'pal' or 'buddy', RIGHT Baloo?" The cub shot a searing glance at the pilot.
"Oh, yeah, right kiddo, like 'pal', right."
"Sit down kids." Rebecca said, seeing an opportunity to bail the boy out. "I'll get you some cookies and hot chocolate."
"Thanks Miz Cunningham." Kit said, glad for the distraction. The two cubs sat at the table.
"How old are you, honey?" Rebecca asked, setting the cookie jar on the table.
"Fourteen and a half." the white cub replied.
Baloo creased his brow at Kit. The boy opened the cookie jar and handed Sasha a cookie. "Here Baloo." the boy said, handing the big bear two. "You look hungry. Stick these in your mouth."
Rebecca poured the steaming liquid into two mugs, handed them to the cubs and then filled one for herself, sitting at the table. "Do you go to school with Kit, Sasha?"
"No, Ms. Cunningham, I go to a private school."
Odd. The girl didn't dress like the private school type. Rebecca should know, she'd been one herself. "Are you in the eighth grade?"
"Yes Ms. Cunningham."
"Mmmff." said Baloo, cookie crumbs flying out of his mouth.
"I really must to leave, I'm afraid." Sasha said, slurping her hot chocolate daintily and standing.
"So soon?" Rebecca asked
"Yes, my fazzer, he worry about me, so I going home early."
"I'll walk you outside." Kit said hastily, standing.
"Nice to have meeting you." Sasha bowed slightly to Rebecca, then Baloo, and turned to occompany Kit outside.
"Good bye Sasha, nice to meet you too." Rebecca said
"Yeah, see ya Darlin." Baloo chimed in. The two cubs walked out, Sasha turning to wave as they did.
Baloo scratched his head. "Strange girl, huh Beckers?"
"I thought she was very sweet. And Kit certainly thinks so too, Baloo."
"You ain't kiddin'. Gonna have to get him lead shoes just to keep his feet on the ground at this rate."
"Oh come on now Baloo, are you telling me you never had a crush on someone at that age? An 'older woman', beautiful, exotic accent..."
"Yeah, that is exotic ain't it. I wonder where she's from. Oh well, couple of days he'll fergit he ever knew 'er. I'm gonna take me a nap, rest up for bed later." the bear said, heading up to the bedroom. Rebecca watched him go, shaking her head.
Kit and Sasha strolled down the dock. "Wanna see the Sea Duck before you go?" Kit asked her.
"Sure, Keet." The two bears walked through the cargo door and up to the cockpit. Kit sat in the pilot's seat and Sasha sat on the arm of Kit's chair.
"Sorry 'bout Baloo!" Kit said with a shake of the head.
Sasha laughed. "Sorry for what? I think he is very sweet - and charming. And I think he thinks you are very special, for a man who is not your - father." she said, pronouncing the last word carefully.
"He's _something_, that's for sure." Kit swiveled in Baloo's chair, running his hands along the instrument panel. "I'm gonna be a pilot some day, just like he is..."
"I'm sure you will. I can see in your eyes it is true. And now I must go, Keet. Perhaps I will see you tomorrow?"
"Same time, same tree!" he answered with a grin.
The sun was out -this was indeed a rarity in Grelspach People's Prison Camp. The blazing orb took some of the bite off of the chill, but the rays reflected off of the all-consuming snow pack with devastating brilliance, causing all of the laborers to squint and cover their eyes during their work shifts. For Isaac Walschinsky, this meant a blinding headache at dusk, to go along with his usual assortment of aches and pains.
As he trudged back to his cell after his twelve hour shift, he tried to think through his headache, attempting to place together the events of the last few days. The more Isaac thought about it,. the less he thought that the two covert messages he had received were coincidence. The world just didn't seem to work that way.
He tried not to assume the worst , but it was hard to think otherwise. Clearly, the most simple explanation was that someone, somehow had discovered the locations of both Baby Bird and the nest, and had recently visited both. But that was too horrible to think about. There must be another explanation, somewhere...
Sgt. Krupp grabbed his arms and guided him into his cell. Another day in paradise. Isaac lay back and closed his eyes, trying to block out the blinding glare from the day's sun that was still visible, even behind closed eyelids. After a few moments, he heard the slot in his cell door slide open, and saw Krupp's face on the other side of the bars. The glare was a little better now. To his surprise, there was an orange on the tray next to the turnips and moldy bread - how was this possible? Fresh fruit for a prisoner? He looked up at the bars, and Krupp briefly met his gaze, then walked away. Greedily, the white bear pounced on the orange and devoured it, leaving no scrap of pulp or juice unconsumed. Incredible, it tasted so good!
Panting from the frantic exertion of devouring the orange, he sat back. He looked at the tray, then at the cell door. Pursing his lips, he reached out for the orange peel, and devoured it in two bites, grimacing. Better safe than sorry.
Kit was amazed at how much easier it had become to talk to Sasha , although he still found that he was doing most of the talking. The white bear mostly listened, smiled occasionally, and looked out over the water, off into the distance. The edge had come off of his jitteriness; he was still a little awestruck by her presence, when he thought about it, but there were at least stretches where he could forget, for a while, and just relax.
They had traipsed what had become their favorite route; downtown, around the fountain, through Khan park, stopping to look at the goldfish in the pond, and back to the harbor, a mile north of Higher for Hire, strolling slowly over that last mile along the water. On the way back, Kit had decided to try something truly bold - he reached out for Sasha's paw and tentatively grasped it. When she didn't object, he firmed his grip, and they clasped hands for the rest of the walk. Sasha didn't seem to mind.
Neither cub had spoken for a few moments, when Sasha suddenly turned to the brown cub and smiled. "You know what I would like?"
Kit, his thoughts concentrated on the electric sensations in his paw, was jolted out of his reverie by the sound of her voice. "What's that?"
"I would like to go on a _run_ with you and not-your-father, in your Sea Duck." she said smiling.
"Really? You want to go on a cargo run with me an' Baloo? Don't you fly all the time with your Dad?"
"My father, his job is very boring." she said. "He doesn't like to take me with him, so I rarely get a chance to fly. Besides-" she grasped Kit's paw in both of hers,"I want to see you fly your Sea Duck. I think it makes you very happy."
"We -I- love to fly. It's what I live for." Kit said. "Tomorrow is Saturday, we have a delivery in Pazooza, if you'd like to come-"
"Oh Keet, I would love to! I've never been to Pazooza. Will your Baloo or Ms. Cunningham mind?" Kit grimaced for a moment. "Oh, if this is going to be difficult-"
"No, never mind." the boy said resolutely. "Just be at Higher for Hire at 7:00 in the morning, and I'll take care of the rest. It'll be great!"
"I don't know Kit, after that last time, I'm not sure if I want to.."
"Puh-leeze, Miz Cunningham? She reeaalllly wants to fly with me - with us - , she won't be any trouble, I promise!"
Baloo sat back, eating a banana, and watched the conversation with a slightly bemused look on his face.
"What about that whole mess with what's his name, that Vendercyle boy, whatever his name was..."
"Aw, that was different, Miz Cunningham! That was an adventure - this flight is gonna be strictly routine!" Baloo arched an eyebrow. "Besides. Oscar VanDerSnoot an' me got our pictures in the paper, and he got into the Jungle Aces! It worked out great!"
"You know Kit, it's not always a good thing to get your picture in the newspaper."
"Aw c'mon Beckers, give the kid a break!" Baloo finally interjected himself into the conversation. "If I can handle Don Karnage and every crook on the seven seas, I think I can handle one fourteen year-old cub. Besides," he said, standing and smiling in Rebecca's face, "ain't you never been young before, Becky?"
"Weeellll.....all right, I guess she can fly. But I want a permiss-"
"Yes!!" Kit shouted, as he and Baloo exchanged a slap of hands.
Rebecca groaned and began loading her briefcase. Why was it always two against one around here? "Three children." she thought. "I'm a single mother with three children..."
Baloo and Kit were sweating in the morning sun as they loaded the cargo - fifty crates of postage meters - into the hold of the Sea Duck. Wildcat was sitting atop the port wing, the engine cover open. Kit glanced at his watch: 6:50.
"Um, thanks for stickin' up for me last night Papa Bear." he said as they loaded the last of the cargo and headed for the cockpit to perform the preflight checks. "Sasha really wanted to fly with us, an'-"
"Don't sweat it, L'il Britches." Baloo plopped down in the pilot's seat and stretched. "I been there."
"Er, well.. there's just one thing....."
Baloo yawned and looked over at the cub. "What is it, L'il Britches? Spit it out!"
"Um , if you wouldn't mind, well, not calling me 'L'il Britches'...."
"Kit!" Baloo was surprised. Kit could immediately see that he'd hurt the bear's feelings.
"No! That's not... Y'know, I really like it - a lot. It means a lot to me, actually." Kit said, blushing. "But maybe just not when Sasha's around..."
Baloo smiled "Oh, I get it. OK, if that's what you want. that's what you got..._Ace_!"
"Thanks Baloo!" the cub said, jumping up and giving the grey bear a quick hug. "I'm gonna go wait for Sasha outside."
"No problem kid, I'll do the pre-flights." He stuck his head out the window, just as Wildcat slammed the engine cover. "How's the port engine, Wildcat?"
"Tippy-top shape, Baloo. Rarin' as a fiddle, and fit to go."
"Better be." he muttered.
Sasha was strolling down the waterfront when Kit emerged from the Sea Duck. She wore a small khaki backpack along with her grey shirt. "Hello, Keet!" She smiled as she approached.
"Hi Sasha. Great to see you. You look, um, nice today."
"Thank you!" She said, extending her hand, which the brown cub eagerly took in his own.
"G'mornin', beautiful!" Baloo boomed, sticking his head in greeting. "Welcome aboard!"
"Thank you sir." replied the white cub.
"Names Baloo, honey. Only one I ever needed. Sirs and Misters don't sound too good on a pilot, if ya ask me."
Baloo reached down and helped first Sasha, then Kit into the cockpit. Kit assumed his seat and Sasha settled in behind his chair. Baloo started the engines and set the mix. "Course to Pazooza set, ace?" he asked Kit.
"Course plotted and ready, skipper!"
"Pull chocks?"
"Pull chocks!"
With a roar, the yellow seaplane turned, zoomed out into the open water and into the sky, headed for the cliffs.
"Fraid this little joyride isn't gonna be too excitin' for you, Sasha. Standard issue cargo run, I'm afeared." He guided the Sea Duck through the cliffs.
"That is all right, Mr. - Baloo. I'm sure it will be quite exciting enough for all of us."
"Pazooza's pretty neat, tho'." said Kit. "As long as you don't hafta make any deadlines at the sweepstakes office, huh Baloo?"
The big grey bear chuckled. "Yeh, kiddo, our routine trips have a way of bein' more excitin' than we think they're gonna be. Howz that sound to you, Snowflake?" he turned to the white cub.
"Unexpected excitement is the most exciting kind."
"Hah! Guess that's true, snowy."
"Clear of the cliffs, skipper. Twenty -nine degrees north-northwest."
"Twenty-niner, gotcha." Baloo turned slightly and gave Kit a sly wink. "Take the stick for a while, OK ace? I'm gonna head back and get us some sodas."
Kit puffed out his chest, smiling gratefully at Baloo. "Roger that skipper, I've got the wheel." he turned and gave Sasha a grin, which she returned. Baloo, heading into the hold, tripped over Sasha's backpack. She snatched it away hurriedly.
"Oops! Sorry honey, didn't see that there. Hope ya don't have any breakables in there."
"No, I am sorry Baloo, I shouldn't have left it there, very careless of me. No, no breakables inside."
Isaac Walschinsky was not a great believer in intuition. He was an engineer, a scientist, first and foremost. He hadn't asked for so many people to turn their lives over to him - it had just kind of happened.
Still, after so many brushes with death, all-or-nothing scrambles, and covert missions, he had grown to accept that sometimes things happened which the mind could not predict, but the soul was expecting. It was wrong to always evaluate a situation based on the facts. Sometimes, you had to trust your gut. And Isaac Walschinsky's gut told him that something important was going to happen today.
The only problem was, he had no idea what it was. That was the trouble with your gut - it was never very specific. But today he felt a new vigor in his legs, a new sharpness in his mind. He had dreamed of his little one last night. It was the first dream that he could remember for many weeks - hardly surprising he would dream of her, what with the news he had received, but still.
"Back to WORK!" Sgt. Krupp's voice jolted him out of daydream. You couldn't afford to daydream if you wanted to survive in this place. Krupp advanced on him, rifle raised. The white bear cowered, awaiting the blow. Krupp paused, lowered the rifle and walked away with a sneer. Exhaling, Walschinsky raised his hammer and resumed his labors.
"Thirty miles south-southwest of Enchilada Island, skipper. Keep this heading."
"Roger that."
Kit surveyed the sky before them. "Pretty good cumulonimbus out there, Baloo. Whaddaya say I hit the clouds for awhile?"
"Hit the clouds?" Sasha asked.
Baloo chuckled. "Yeah sure, knock yerself out kiddo."
Kit reached under his sweater and pulled out his airfoil. He unstrapped from his chair, grinned at Sasha and headed into the cargo hold.
"Where is he going?" the girl asked, confused. "And what is that - board?"
"Ya wouldn't believe it if I told ya, Snowflake." the pilot answered with a laugh. "Just watch."
Baloo opened the rear hatch, Kit grabbed the rope and with a press of a button and a flick of the wrist, soared out into the huge, puffy clouds.
"Waa-HOO!" he bellowed, a spray of white vapor shooting out from under his board.
"I don't believe it!" the girl gasped, mouth agape.
"Told ya darlin'. Kit's head's been in the clouds the last few days anyway, his body may as well be there too."
Kit was exhilarated. What a day! Perfect cloudsurfing conditions. It just didn't get any better than this.
In the cockpit, Sasha continued to watch Kit's aerial acrobatics in stunned silence. Baloo looked over at her. "Kit wouldn't want me tellin' ya this, Snowflake, but he's showin' off for you. Actually, he's pretty nuts over ya if ya ask me."
Sasha frowned, not the reaction Baloo had expected. "Yes, I know Baloo. He is....very sweet boy."
"Oh, you know, doya?" Baloo laughed. "So, ya like him too then, do ya?"
"Yes, I - like him, very much." A tear formed and gently rolled down her cheek.
"Whassa matter, Sasha? Did I say somethin' wrong?" Baloo asked, concerned.
"No, is nothing Baloo. I am sorry. I...I... have something in eye."
Baloo frowned, and glanced back at Kit. "That's long enough, I think. Kid starts to make mistakes when he gets tired." Baloo reached out and signalled to Kit, then pressed the button to retract the tow rope. Within moments Kit was back in the cargo hold and the doors were closed. "Sure yer alright, Snowflake?"
Sasha peered back at Kit, who was walking grinning towards the cockpit, board under his arm, and puffing with exertion. The girl looked down. "Yes, I am all right, thank you. I am all right...."
Kit retracted the board and stowed it under his sweater. With a grin at Sasha he leapt into his chair and strapped in. "Man, what a perfect day for cloudsurfing! I coulda stayed out there all day!"
"Yeah, but you woulda left yer friend in here all day with nothin' but ol' Baloo for company! And I thought you liked the girl!" The pilot looked back at the girl. "What'd ya think about that, darlin'?"
Sasha placed a hand on Kit's shoulder. "Is it not - dangerous?"
"Nah, I've doin'' it since I was a kid. It's the best! Maybe I can teach you how to do it sometime, Sasha. Sasha?" He asked again, after the girl did not reply.
The white cub was leaning against the bulkhead, a forlorn expression on her face. "I am all right, Keet, I just feel a little... tired."
"Oh! OK, no problem." The boy looked at Baloo with concern, and the big bear shrugged.
The Sea Duck flew along in silence for a time, as neither her crew of guest said anything. Finally, Baloo turned to the girl.. "You feelin' better, Sasha?"
The girl smiled wearily and nodded. Kit was distinctly uncomfortable for some reason. He turned to his maps. "Baloo, we're gonna need to change heading. We need a twelve degree turn to the west."
"Roger that, kid, twelve degrees west." From behind, they heard Sasha unzip her pack. As Baloo prepared to turn the Duck, she finally spoke.
"I am sorry, very very sorry." She said in forlorn voice. Bear and cub turned. The white cub held a small pistol in her hand. "I am going to have to ask you to take the plane to Thembria."
STAY TUNED FOR THE CONCLUSION IN PART II, COMING RIGHT UP!