'You're sure about this,' the academy doctor paused, eyebrow raised.

An old fashioned syringe hovered over the exposed inner arm. Although she'd explained what she wanted and the request within her rights, it didn't sit well with the physician. He'd taken the time to understand the two hundred odd freshman cadets, their physical, social and emotional needs. Paying special attention to the female complement, he never though this one would request his services so early in her studies. It felt off.

'Yes,' not a hint of hesitation intonated the young woman's voice. 'I've thought this through and come to the decision on my own. No one is coercing me. I have personal reasons for wanting this.'

'Your father and I did our residence together, Kallan,' John Deegan allowed his green eye's to mimic those of his long-time friend. It gave him time to place the injection back into the sterile tray.

Afraid the cadet sitting on his examining table made her decision due to peer pressure he attempted to play the patriarch. Kallan James came to the notice of every lecture and tutor within a week of commencing at the academy. Tough, tenacious and dedicated, she had the stuff to make it all the way. John Deegan knew how proud Sean felt of his little girl.

'I know my father would be very disappointed,' Kallan sighed, closing her eyes. She could hear her father's voice, not lecturing but asking her to reconsider. 'Becoming sexually active before at least an engagement, it's not in his beliefs.'

'While it is in yours,' Dr Deegan demanded an answer. The quietness of the question forced Kallan's orbs to open and study the man standing before her. She saw intrigue, not disappointment.

'I'm not compelled to tell you why I've made this choice,' she shot back, 'but I will, out of loyalty to my father. I have a very long path before me, one I can travel with a friend who not only understands but shares the same potential. I'm not planning to be promiscuous. I have a single person in mind and consequences resulting from any relationship are not an option for either of us. I'm just ensuring I don't get caught. Can you imagine me returning home, a dropout and pregnant when I had to fight to get here, especially as I wouldn't dream of hurting his chances even if mine have been crushed.'

Accepting defeat, John smiled sadly. 'Then I hope you've chosen well.'

'I think so,' Kallan returned, determinedly. 'I haven't made a rash decision or an easy one. There's no room for romance in my plans for years.'

'I hear the gossip, Kallan,' Dr Deegan once again picked up the syringe. 'Ask the young man to come in and have a check-up. He has a reputation, which I don't think is entirely deserved but you can never be too careful. For the next month, you'll have to use a barrier method as it will take that long for the hormone to reach the required levels. '

Plunging the bevelled needed deep into her flesh, the doctor injected a tiny amount of fluid. This method proved the only one available to correctly place the implant. The miniscule tube held a time released medicine, allowing Kallan to deepen her friendship.

'It's done,' he withdrew the metal, discarding it into a special receptacle. 'Come back for a blood test in a month to ensure the implant is functioning correctly.'

'Thank you,' Kallan spoke quietly as she replaced her sleeve.

'By the way,' Dr Deegan called as she scooted out the door, 'I think you've chosen well and I'm glad we had this talk. It's put my mind at rest.'

'Do you think my father would be as understanding?' she asked hesitancy in her wavering tone.

'He'd be a fool not to appreciate all the needs of a young woman in your position,' John Deegan remarked. 'As physicians, we're trained to treat patients holistically. As father's, we want to protect our children. You're chosen a path which is able to give you the best opportunity of fulfilling your both your wants and needs. So yes, I believe Sean would understand but not be enamoured of your decision.'

'Thank you,' trade mark grin placed firmly on her face, Kallan's thoughts mirrored the doctors. Better still, he wouldn't tell her father despite the association between them. 'It really is a good decision, for both of us.'

'Yes,' John rubbed his chin watching her disappear down the corridor. He realised how much Sean's daughter had grown in the six weeks she'd been here. 'I think it might be a life changing one for both you and Cadet Bayda. I just wonder how long it'll take for the pair of you to realise the depth of the bond you're willing to initiate.'

'Where'd you disappear too?' Chadapa asked.

Kallan managed to make it from the doctor's office to her ethics class by the skin of her teeth. She'd cut out of the previous lecture at the first possible opportunity. Timing it to the second, she'd almost run her errand without detection. Dr Deegan's concern elongated the consult causing her to arrive out of breath for the group tutorial.

'It's not like you to be late,' added the Cadet they called Tiny because of his enormous size. African by decent, he stood over two metres tall and one hundred and fifty kilos of solid muscle.

'I'm here now,' she used her trade mark grin to deflect attention as the small group entered the study hall behind their class mates.

Only the final member gave her a piercing look. Their friendship had become strained over the last twenty four hours. Finding their assigned table, Dylan managed to procure a seat beside his friend. Waiting until they had their project well underway, he whispered, 'you did it.' Nodding, Kallan bit her lip and continued to work on their combined assignment, not yet ready to talk about her earlier activities.

The issue came to a head on the return journey from BabalouIsland yesterday. Theresa Mayer shocked everyone by announcing this to be her last day at the Academy. The third year Cadet would be moving in with her recently graduated partner. Expecting their first child later in the year, she couldn't be more pleased with the idea of becoming a mother.

'That's not going to be us,' Dylan manoeuvred Kallan away from the others to whisper his concerns. He didn't want to be caught in the same situation as his parents. The young cadet needed time to examine the implications of an unprotected physical relationship before they got that far.

'I'll take care of it,' she promised. Agreeing with his sentiment, Kallan didn't want to talk about it where they might be overheard.

'Hey you too,' Eui effectively stopped them slinking away, 'any one would think those rumours about you were true.'

'Which one,' Kallan attempted humour fooled the Korean Cadet but not Dylan. Disgusted, he walked away.

'Something I said,' Eui looked concerned.

'No,' Kallan's gaze watched Dylan head for the bow of the boat and some thinking time. 'Something's affect some people more deeply than others.'

'I didn't realise the relationship with Kim had become that serious,' Eui pumped for information. When Kallan refused to answer with anything but a polite smile, the young Cadet tried to justify his interest. 'We sort of thought…well I've heard…'

'Just spit it out,' Bill Watson approached quietly. Using a nod of his head, the second year motioned towards Dylan's lonely form. 'I've known Dylan for a while. We attended flight school together last year.'

'Dylan's already a pilot?' a stunned Kallan asked.

'Got beat up pretty bad in an accident,' Bill expanded, 'it took the rest of the year to recover his strength but he still finished the course, second in his class.' Watching the young blonds eyes return to the lonely figure, Bill added, 'he needs a friend like you Kallan, someone to challenge him as rest of us can't. In many ways, Dylan's a real loaner, even when he's surrounded by those he's closest too. I believe both of you appreciate honesty over veiled innuendo. You wouldn't be the first to conceal a relationship with someone just a dedicated and determined by letting everyone think you're dating civilians.'

'So that's the new gossip,' she quipped, imploring Bill not to go further.

'Hey, everyone,' Dylan called pointing to one side of the launch, 'dolphins off the port bow.'

The cavorting creatures captured everyone's complete attention. Before turning to admire the antics, Dylan's gaze speared Kallan's. It promised they'd speak later but for now he'd heard every word and meant to keep his distance to save both their reputations.

Returning to Arcology, they cancelled the pre-booked flight simulator practice. Kallan revisited Virgil Park alone, sitting on the same bench in an attempt to recapture the closeness of two evening before. Unable to share his thoughts or find the words, Dylan went to the dojo for a workout. Exercise always helped him think clearly. He needed to consider the step they'd planned to take, feeling it wouldn't be too late to back out now.

Kallan took the decision into her own hands, getting the implant at the first opportunity. Until the moment the needle plunged into her arm, a sexual relationship with Dylan remained merely a concept. Bill's quietly spoken words echoed through her mind. Cadet Beyda rarely smiled and kept a physical distance from almost everyone. His intently analytical personality might prove a stumbling block to others. Being so much like her brother Cathol, Kallan understood his need to isolate himself while he reconsidered their pact.

The enormity of her resolution suddenly left her feeling confused. There'd be none of the small touches lovers gave each other in public. Any intimacy needed to be locked securely behind closed doors. They'd even have to limit the knowing glances and time they spent in each other's company. Kallan's years with her brother left her able to read more into Dylan's silence than he'd expected, while her openness gave Cadet Beyda the same advantage.

'Kallan,' Chadapa called his voice sharp. Obviously he attempted to get the attention several times, 'you sure you're OK?'

'Just thinking,' she looked wildly at the work strewn about them. Her mind considering the project at top speed, she suggested, 'we should change this around a bit. What do you think if we…' Taking the visual display they'd been working on, she began to move items around on the touch screen.

The three young Cadets allowed her to explain. 'That's unique,' Tiny scratched his head when she'd finished, 'and wouldn't mean any more work. I can see why you're top of the class. I'd never have thought of that!'

'I like it too,' Chadapa grinned, 'I'm glad we managed to get both of you in our group. Maybe some of those brain cells will migrate.'

'Not a chance,' Dylan offered with a hint of sarcasm, 'I going to need all of mine.'

'Back to work,' Kallan grinned, as Chadapa and Tiny groaned at Dylan's now well acknowledged long term goals. 'Or none of us will graduate this class, let alone become Thunderbird pilots.'

'We have three days before we present,' Dylan took over, his latent leadership qualities coming out. 'We'll meet again on Wednesday night in the library to go over the final draft. Until then we have our individual assignments so let's not waste any more time.'

'Like Kallan's got the sole right to stare into space,' Tiny teased, reminding the group of her earlier moment, 'cause you're the only girl in the group.'

'I get special dispensation,' Kallan growled back only half joking, 'as a woman my brains capable of multitasking, unlike your poor male specimens.'

'Kallan,' Dylan gripped her leg under the table as the rest of the class prepared to leave. He felt the need to get her attention and talk.

'Later,' she shook off the hold. His attempt to attract a response, almost a possessive gesture, the exact action she wished to avoid. Wondering if he realised what could happen if someone glanced back at them, Kallan sighed. Reluctant to repeat the disaster of last night and not yet ready to talk about her decision or the implications, she hurried to join a group of female cadets.

At evening meal, Dylan found her surrounded by classmates. She hadn't saved him a seat beside her, let alone at the same table. Slipping in next to his good friend, Bill Watson, the second year cadet sent him a silent query which his refused to answer. He remained quiet throughout the meal, drawing the wrong kind of attention.

'Looks like Kallan's making new friends,' Tiny remarked with a frown the next morning, sitting down between Dylan and Chadapa for their first class of the day. Usually the woman in question occupied the seat.

'You noticed the girls sticking together since the big welcome party,' Valesh remarked from the bench behind them. 'I might as well be in India the way they're ignoring us.' Chadapa, from the same contentment gave his agreement.

'Kallan's not like the other girls,' Tiny added. Embarrassed, he fielded looks from several male cadets who'd heard the comment with disbelief. 'I mean she seems to like everyone and treats us all the same.'

'Competing with four brothers will do that to you,' Dylan explained, only to receive several envious glares. No one questioned the friendship. Many presumed it'd turn into something far more complicated.

'No wonder she's as tough as nails,' Bruce, the only Australian cadet currently at the academy, stated as the lecturer entered, effectively ceasing further discussion.

Not until they'd agreed to meet the next evening, did Dylan get a chance to corner Kallan. After evening meal, she scooted back to her quarters with Leila Reeves. He prepared to wait her out, his door slightly ajar. The moment she exited her room, Dylan joined his friend.

'What happened to Leila?' he asked.

Ever the observer, he watched the female contingent make Cadet Reeves the centre of their attention over the last few days. Kallan seemed to lead the charge, leaving Cadet Beyda to wonder why. Something happed taking up most of Kallan's spare time. He now understood it had nothing to do with their pact.

'One of the male cadets didn't take no for an answer,' she hissed. The anger expressed on Kallan's face openly displaying her reaction to the horrendous event.

Charging down the passageway, she didn't wait for Dylan. He caught up, catching hold of her arm. Swinging her around, he offered, 'I'm sorry,' in a voice filled with regret and laced with a portion of anger.

The look she gave him asked why.

'It's about respect,' he hoped she understood. The moment she accepted his words, the fury left her and she deflated before his eyes. A single glance and they'd been on the same page. 'Is there anything I can do?'

'No,' she obviously hated the fact, 'there's not really anything anyone can do.'

'Kallan,' he eyes said they needed to talk.

'Soon,' she offered with a sadness he'd never witnessed in her green orbs. 'I'm trying to get her to report it, to get the female contingent cohesive enough to stamp out this behaviour.'

'This isn't an isolated event' surprise infused his disbelief.

'I wish it were. Mostly it's just the guys trying it on but occasionally it goes too far,' Kallan wanted to say more but found the whole incident terrifying. 'Dylan,' attempting to move away from him, Kallan's vulnerability shone through her usually tough exterior, 'if I'd gone to that party, it might have been me. There are more than ten male cadets for every female…'

Aware of their exposed position, Dylan didn't care. He took Kallan into his arms, offering comfort. In the middle of the accommodations wing hallway, he lent in and planed a platonic kiss on her golden locks.

'I think they had a list,' several overheard conversations suddenly made complete sense. The person on the top of that agenda, the one considered inaccessible, never attended the party. Kallan's actions proving she anticipated the threat to her safety. 'I'm never going to allow you to be put in that position.'

That brought a smile to her face as she pulled away. 'Thank you. I might be naive but I'm not stupid. I hope I'm never in need of you, or anyone rescuing me.'

'Sometimes,' Dylan found a rare moment of humour, 'a gentleman likes to save the girl. It makes him feel good about himself!'

'Sometimes a girl just needs to be a girl,' she added softly, wiping the sudden tears from her eyes. Touched by his consideration, Kallan hinted, 'Ryoko has plans tonight.'

'Team meeting first,' he let her go, reluctantly. 'Kallan,' just her name got his message across.

'I'm OK now, Dylan,' she stated, silently thanking him for his support.

'I don't want to be the one picking up the pieces,' he stated firmly. 'If you feel threatened, I want to know. There are more of us willing to defend a young lady's honour than deflate it.'

'You'll be the first to know,' she shot back, 'I promise.'