Thank you for reading and reviewing. Again, these are one shots...episodes that are not directly linked, but share a common theme.
Disclaimer: I don't own...
And a Happy Thanksgiving to all.
Chapter Title: I Wish I May, I Wish I Might
"I don't understand how I let it happen," he hissed angrily, "Wild Bill drops us in the middle of the desert, and then I find out my GPS isn't working!"
Flint and Lady Jaye were resting under the simple sunshade they had constructed, taking surveillance photos of the Cobra camp below, waiting for the heat of the day to pass.
"It's going to be fine Flint…," she soothed, taking her time in snapping a couple more shots.
"But how are we going to find our way back to the rendezvous point? In my infinite wisdom," he growled, "I didn't even pack a compass."
"Relax Flint, once night falls, I can use the stars to navigate us. It's North, right?"
"Yes…but, are you sure?" He eyed her doubtfully.
"But, of course," she smiled with confidence.
"I sure hope you're right about this," he muttered, glancing meaningfully toward the camera, "We need to get this information back to the Pit, ASAP."
"And we'll get it there."
Flint nodded darkly, "We'd better, or Duke will have my head on a stake."
The Joes had been gathering Intel on some unusual Cobra activity. They had managed to pinpoint the location to a remote area of the Mojave desert but what exactly they were doing there was vague, at best. Duke had sent the two of them on an overnight intelligence gathering mission to collect whatever information they could about Cobra's latest venture.
As Lady Jaye pressed her eye to the viewfinder once more and began adjusting the lens to focus, her thoughts drifted to two days earlier, back at the Pit. It had been late and she had curled herself into a corner with an old copy of Wuthering Heights when she suddenly spotted Dusty trying to sneak out.
"Where are you going?," she had lifted her head and asked casually.
"What!? Oh, it's you Lady Jaye," Dusty let out a breath in relief, "You gave me a start."
"And you haven't answered my question," She sat up, cocking an eyebrow, "So, where are you going?"
Dusty relaxed and gave her a sheepish grin, "Just out to look at the stars."
"Really?," she said with surprise and then longing as she turned her head to stare at the darkness outside. She had done stargazing with Dusty before. She turned her eyes back to him. "Could I go with you,?" she asked softly.
He looked at her quizzically, "You really want to?"
She nodded her head.
Dusty broke into a wide grin. "In that case, you bet..," he whispered, motioning to the door. "But, let's get out of here before we run into anyone else."
"Thanks Dusty," Lady Jaye flashed a bright smile.
She quickly stuffed her book in a pocket and jumped off the ledge of the window seat. The two of them slipped out the door and into the darkness. Lady Jaye followed him in silence. When Dusty had decided they were far enough away from the lights of the Pit, he found a comfortable spot and then sank into the cool sand, patting the spot beside him. As Lady Jaye took a seat, he leaned back, crossing an arm behind his head. They gazed in silence for a few minutes and then Dusty began to speak, softly, naming the constellations.
"That's Orion's belt," he pointed, "and Cassiopeia…and The Little Ursa. That's where you find the Polaris, the North Star. If ever you're lost, you can find your way by navigating with that star."
"Oh, how?" Lady Jaye had asked with interest, and he had happily explained.
"True North lies directly under that star. If you ever need to go north, just find it and follow it."
Just find the North star and follow it, she told herself.
Lady Jaye had just finished the roll of film. She wound the film then opened the back and popped the cartridge out. Slipping it to Flint who put it carefully in his shirt pocket, she placed a second roll in the camera and then closed the back with a snap. The camera whirred softly, locking the film in place.
"Think we should get some more photos of that strip they're building?"
"Definitely. And make sure you get plenty of all the guards and their locations."
"Already did."
"Good."
They took turns with the camera, taking shots of various activities and strategic locations.
"How about that over there?," Lady Jaye pointed to the far side, where a line line of dust was being kicked up by some vehicle travelling across the sand.
"No problem," Flint quickly snapped several shots.
The morning passed quickly and they had soon taken all the pictures they needed. Not a whole lot was happening down below, other than busy construction work. They both agreed that it looked like Cobra was building a new base. The remaining hours passed slowly. Sometimes they talked quietly with one another, sometimes they dozed.
Finally the sun set and they slipped out from underneath their shelter. They quickly brushed the sand from their BDU's and shook it out of their hair. They were glad to be able to stretch their stiff limbs, glad to move more than a few inches in any direction.
Silently, they packed up their gear, making sure to cover any remaining evidence that they had ever been there.
The first star appeared in the sky.
They headed back in the general direction until the Little Dipper became visible.
"There's the Polaris," Lady Jaye murmured softly, gauging her location carefully.
Flint came up beside her and lay a hand on her shoulder, "Where?," he whispered in her ear.
She was very aware of his warm hand. "That one," she pointed, "last star on the end of the handle."
"North Star, right?"
She nodded, "We need to bear a little more to the left."
"Lead the way."
She began walking, her eyes drawn again and again to the starry host above until she was filled with starlight and stories and tales of old. Soon she began speaking, her voice rising and falling with a soft Irish lilt.
Comrades, leave me here a little, while as yet 't is early morn;
Leave me here, and when you want me, sound upon the bugle horn.
'Tis the place, and all around it, as of old, the curlews call,
Dreary gleams about the moorland flying over Locksley Hall;
Locksley Hall, that in the distance overlooks the sandy tracts,
And the hollow ocean-ridges roaring into cataracts.
Many a night from yonder ivied casement, ere I went to rest,
Did I look on great Orion sloping slowly to the West.
Many a night I saw the Pleiads, rising thro' the mellow shade,
Glitter like a swarm of fire-flies tangled in a silver braid…
She turned to him and blushed deeply, "I'm sorry. I guess I got a little carried away."
He stared, wide eyed, "How come you never told me?"
"Told you what?"
"That you loved the stars."
Lady Jaye shrugged, "You never asked, I guess."
"I'm sorry I never did," he said deeply moved, "That was beautiful."
"I didn't write it," she laughed softly.
"I know…I know…It was Tennyson."
"Aye 't was," she grinned, speaking now in a thick brogue, "Locksley Hall t'was."
"Aye, it was," he grinned, in a good ol' American accent and then his voice softened and deepened, "But you're the one who brought life to the words."
"It's just something I do," she shrugged modestly.
"I'm glad you do," he took her hand and squeezed it, "You'll have to tell me more later."
"That, I'd love to do," she grinned.
Lady Jaye kept an eye on the Polaris. Staying directly underneath, she managed to lead Flint back to the rendezvous point in just under two hours.
He crossed his arms over his chest and turned to her. "Well, I'm impressed," he admitted, "I'm guessing you learned the poetry in Bryn Mawr, but where did you learn how to navigate by the stars?"
"Dusty taught me," she laughed at his morphing expression.
"I should have known," he ran a hand through his hair, "T'was quite the experience, my dear."