'So,' Kate asked, 'where did you and Cadet Beyda disappear too? I think the entire student population saw you slink out of the mess together.'

She'd heard the rumours. It'd be impossible not to. One of her objectives, sharing with Kallan James would be to find out if there really was anymore to the friendship between the cadets placed equal first in their class.

'Catching up,' Kallan offered blandly, turning away. The phrase didn't give her the satisfaction it should have.

'That's what we're calling it this year,' Kate asked, carefully watching her new roommate. They didn't know each other well. They hadn't been assigned a project or small group tutorial in common over their freshman year.

'No,' Kallan hid her monumental disappointment at the very obvious interest in her life. 'I believe that's still called entertainment. I just hope you do a lot less of it than my last roommate.'

'I heard,' Kate probed, wondering what caused the sudden change in Ryoko, 'she's a lot less choosy these days.'

'Committed,' Kallan faced the girl with a tight smile covering her face. 'I don't make judgements on how other people live their lives,' she continued with a tone of warning, 'even if I'm intimately aquatinted with all the facts.'

'What happened?' Kate asked intrigued by the unusual response to what should have been a through away line. 'You know,' she continued, hands on hips, 'I've just realised how much of Dylan's serious, aloof nature is rubbing off on you.' In the second half of last year, she'd been assigned several projects with Cadet Beyda and found him to be detached, withdrawn and extremely self-contained. Personally she couldn't see the attraction to his sorrowful brown eyes which didn't miss a thing and lacked any real expression. 'When we first started you were fun loving, jovial and flirted with all the boys, even if you didn't mean too. Now you have time for a select few and the only one you flirt with is Dylan, probably because he keeps you at the same distance he keeps everyone.'

'Dylan's not distant and aloof,' Kallan defended her friend with a little more feeling than she meant too.

Razing an eyebrow, Kate refuted the statement. 'Are you coming to the welcome party?' she asked suddenly.

Shaking her head, Kallan understood how her new roommate must see her and the group she socialised with. 'I guess we should at least attempt to socialize. We do stick together,' finding her trade mark humour, the cadet grinned, 'because none of us enjoy the drunken behaviour the rest of the cadets feel the need to exhibit when they let their hair down. I guess that'll have to change this year. I'm the only one majoring in oceanography, which means I'm going to be very lonely unless I increase my circle of friends. At this rate, I might find myself sitting by myself in class.'

'This,' Kate returned enthusiastically, 'brings me to the point I tried to make earlier. In spite of the rumours about your love life, or lack of one, we both need entertainment time. As tonight shows, even if there really is nothing between you and Dylan, you like to spend time with your friend, without company. I don't have a boyfriend, yet, but that doesn't mean I'm not looking.'

'Any favourites,' Kallan couldn't help the question escaping.

'Maybe,' Kate joined in the good natured bantering. It demonstrated the possibility of them becoming friends.

'If you want to know what they're really like,' Kallan hinted, 'I'll get the inside scoop from…'

'Dylan,' Kate teased.

'Luc, Tiny, Chadapa, Valesh,' Kallan added, 'but Bruce's information will probably be the best.'

'Takes one,' Kate snickered, 'to know one. I like the way you think and might just take you up on that offer.'

'What do you propose,' Kallan hid her grin but the mischief in her eyes couldn't be contained, 'you throw me out of the room on Monday, Wednesday and Fridays.'

'Leaving you the rest of the week,' Kate added with a genuine laugh. 'Seriously, are you going to continue using the sim until late at night?'

'Dylan's passed flight school,' Kallan fielded an amazed glance from her roommate. 'He promised to take me out in a real plane this semester so I don't crash the first time we're allowed to fly. I have to stay at the top somehow.'

'I'm beginning to see the attraction,' she joked, 'and here I though you just used that as an excuse to be together. No wonder you're the best in the class, with a private tutor.'

'I'm going to use all my charm,' Kallan commented, enjoying the foray into a decent feminine conversation, 'to see if I can swing a few sessions in the TB training cockpit.'

'You're kidding,' eyes wide, Kate gaped at the woman's audacity.

'No,' Kallan's green orbs twinkled. 'By the end of the year, I guarantee I'll have logged at least twenty hours in TB-1's simulator and twice that in TB-4. I've already memorised the manuals for both vehicles.'

Kate found a chuckle, 'just let me know when you plan to go, and I'll make sure my entertainment is out of here by the time you get back. In the meantime, let's look at our timetables.' Going to her study area, she pulled up the class schedule so they could compare calendars.

'Well,' Kallan looked disappointed, 'that's not going to work for me, unless you're going to spend the evening in the library.'

'Which evening would you like that to be?' Kate tormented. 'I get the evenings you're in the sim, on the firing range, learning to fly a real plane and the weekend excursions with the Honour role. It doesn't take much effort to stay at the top,' she allowed an eyebrow to arch skyward.

Kallan gave the young woman a glare. Only now, speaking to another student, did she appreciate the amount of extra work she considered normal. It also gave her a new appreciation of Dylan's work ethic, which matched hers.

'There's always the old Victorian Method the ladies in my novels use,' Kate hinted, realising she'd lost her roommate to an internal predicament. When Kallan realised, her expression questioned Cadet Brown, who laughed and filled her in. 'When a Lady entertained a gentleman, not her husband, she'd leave a lit candle outside the door to welcome him in. He'd extinguish the candle to say they were busy and light it again on his way out.'

'I see you go for the subtle method,' Kallan responded, trying to hide her sudden mirth. 'I'm sure no one else would understand such an antiquated system that indicated when you're sleeping with another cadet.'

'Not to mention,' Kate returned with a chuckle, 'it's against fire regulations.'

Fighting the urge to make a comment about generated heat and fraternisation, one look at her roommate had Kallan in stiches of laughter. Kate knew what she'd been about to insinuate. Whatever reservations Kallan held about this year, disappeared in that moment. Between Kallan, Kate and Dylan, they most defiantly work something out.

Dylan sighed, entering what would be his quarters for the rest of the year. He didn't have the same level of confidence Kallan displayed in their ability to make them work. Leo arrived back from break first. Traditionally that person got to choose their cot. Naturally he'd selected the bed by the window leaving Dylan the noisy bed sharing a wall with the raucous corridor. Looking at his unopened kit, Cadet Bayda wondered if he could just pick up his gear and take one of the unused rooms down the hall.

He'd arrived back at the academy in time to find his room allotment, change from traveling to working uniform and get to the mess for evening meal. Now he began the arduous task of unpacking as the curfew chimes sounded. Layered between his civilian clothing, he mother slipped a framed picture taken in Hawaii. Smiling, Dylan remembered the night he danced to the rhythm of a four piece band with Kallan in his arms. It seemed a lifetime ago.

Fat chance of that happening any time soon, he lamented. Placing the pleasurable memory in his bedside draw, he stood the photo of Danny and his mother on top of the night stand.

'You're Mama called,' Leo stated with a scoff. His roommate returned from the shower, dressed for slumber.

'Thank you,' Dylan answered politely, unwilling to be drawn into a discussion.

In spite of her inhibitions, he'd walked Kallan to her quarters, whishing he could accompany her inside. She'd opened the door without a backwards glance. Dylan heard Kate's initial gambit and wondered if he should just stand up to Kallan's rules. Sighing heavily, he knew that would never happen. The time to change the basis of their friendship had come and gone. Dylan had only himself to blame. After all, he'd been the one to make the decision and let her return to the Academy alone.

Confused Leo climbed into his bed, watching the other cadet continue to unpack. Without a word, he moved silently around the room. Finally striping down to shorts and a t-shirt, Dylan climbed into his cot.

'Goodnight,' Dylan stated in a neutral tone. He didn't feel in a friendly mood. Turning out the light, he wondered if this stilted exchange would set the mode for the rest of the year.

'Bounanotte,' Leo responded quietly, at a loss to explain Cadet Beyda's actions. Still it wouldn't bother him enough to lose sleep over it.

'So,' Kallan asked at breakfast the next morning, 'how did last night go.'

Luc groaned, rolled his eyes and stated, 'the less said.'

'Lee Wu,' Chadapa mouthed to a confused group. They all knew the very studious individual by reputation. 'He's determined to beat the two of you this year for Honours.'

'Both Tiny and Ryoko managed to get the singles,' Bruce give the African cadet a malicious glare. 'I got Kallan's secret admirer.'

'You're sharing with Joseph Ng,' Kallan at least saw the humours side of that.

'Chadapa and Valesh can speak Hindi to their hearts content,' Ryoko teased, indicating the two Indian cadets shared a room.

'Well,' Dylan finally entered the conversation, 'it'll be an interesting year.'

Luc looked to Kallan, requesting she fill them in. 'Dylan's sharing with Leo Macchetta.'

'OK,' Luc managed a slight smile, 'so I didn't get the worst end of the bargain then.'

'Thanks,' Dylan managed. 'What about Kate?'

Only Kallan understood the undercurrent in his loaded question. 'I think it'll work out. Anything,' she teased, glancing towards Ryoko with a taunting grin, 'has to be better than last year.'

'I believe,' Ryoko returned, 'you're right.'

Snorting, Bruce turned to Tiny and Ryoko, 'you two will just have to let us know when you're entertaining. That way we can use the empty room. No use it going to waste.'

'No way,' Kallan glared at the roguish Australian, 'I know what you do on other people's bunks. It took me two days to requestion new sheets. Ryoko and Tiny would never live it down. Besides,' she waved her spoon, 'somehow Lt Antonov found out about the night I spent elsewhere. If I'd gotten a fraternisation citation…'

'Hey don't blame me,' Bruce acted wounded, 'Hotshot here told the Lieutenant himself.'

'If I remember correctly,' Chadapa grinned, 'Dylan only confirmed the fact Kallan didn't sleep in her own bed, and you actually made the assumption they spent the night together.'

'Any time you need to do some entertaining,' Ryoko glanced at her old roommate understanding it would never happen, 'just let me know. I'm sure Tiny and I can arrange something for you.'

'Thanks,' Kallan managed to keep a straight face as she rose with her empty tray and started to walk away. 'I might need it later this year. After all, getting over Aaron will require someone from my gym class to offer a little distraction to mend my broken heart.'

'Who's Aaron?' Bruce asked the question one's everyone's mind. They all turned their attention to Dylan.

'You know that long term boyfriend everyone is saying Kallan broke up with over the holidays,' Dylan hinted to draw away any insinuations.

'Are you saying,' Luc swallowed hard spearing Dylan with an astounded expression, 'that's actually true.'

'I wouldn't take the chance of telling you anything about Cadet James private life,' Dylan's tone warned, abruptly leaving the group.

'Any truth in that,' Luc turned to Ryoko, his agenda well known among his friends.

'Some guy with an Irish accent came the weekend Kallan had leave last year,' Ryoko shrugged her shoulder. 'I know she left with him and Dylan. Dylan spent the weekend in Hawaii with his family. When Kallan came back, well, you all know what happened.'

'Isn't there any chance of those two getting together,' Chadapa asked, 'or am I the only one who sees how much they need someone?'

'If they spent a night together,' Tiny chipped in, concerned for his friends, 'and nothing happened, it never will. I guess they really do just have a very close friendship.'

He'd always hoped, somewhere along the line, that spark necessary for temptation would flare. To the best of his ability, he couldn't see a sign of attraction. At one point, the lack of casual touch between Kallan and Dylan intrigued him. Until he realised Dylan self-restraint and reserved nature didn't invite familiarity, with anyone. Often his body language consisted of crossed arms and legs, almost as if he protected himself from hurt. Tiny began to look at the friendship in a whole new light. He knew Kallan to be strong, determined and able to get her way with her winning personality. While she often flirted exclusively with Dylan, Cadet James didn't actually display any partiality towards him.

Been there, Tiny reminisced, watching a girl I thought would never care for me. Kallan's so head strong, if she wanted Dylan, she would have had him by now. I never thought it'd be Kallan who'd not interested. Funny, but I don't think anyone else sees it that way.