Author's Note: Prompt by CJ
Y is for Yarding
When Blade had assigned Windlifter to give the required OSHA training to the base's personal, he hadn't expected that the helicopter would show this level of…well of enthusiasm. Yes, he knew that Windlifter was a university professor the rest of the year. Yes, he knew that the helicopter didn't do anything by haves. And yes, he knew that the Skycrane sometimes had an unnatural obsession with the sound of his own voice…but this, this was taking things to an extreme.
"Windlifter?" Blade looked up at his lieutenant as he lowered another stack of logs onto the base's apron early on a Saturday morning. A stack of logs that joined many other stacks that were scattered across the space.
"Yes?" The Skycrane replied without skipping a beat.
"Where did all of these logs come from?" The brand-new Chief motioned towards the jumble of materials.
"My cousin's logging yard." Windlifter stated as though it was the most obvious thing in the world.
"And why are they here?"
"For training."
"Windlifter, elaborate."
"For the required OSHA Training."
Blade didn't bother stifling a groan. "Windy, you know that the smokejumper and the other aircraft are not going to arrive for another three weeks, right?"
"Yes."
"Then why is my apron covered in logs." Blade was quickly losing patience.
"Because I wanted to get all of the activities sorted out so could work out any kinks before I actually taught it." Windlifter replied flatly, not indicating that he sensed his superior's frustration in the least.
Blade was about to point out the Windlifter probably should have done those tests at home, or at least in a corner of the base that wasn't as critical to everyday operations, but he didn't get a chance because Cabbie in on final approach from his morning patrols. Once the big plane's wheels had come to a complete stop, he reversed and made a beeline to the two helicopters.
"I am getting too old for this." Cabbie grumble rolled up on mess. The old plane leveled an annoyed look at the helicopter. "I am going to grab a mug of coffee, and I expect a clear path to my hanger by the time I finish. I don't care how you do it, but I swear if I have a single log in my path when my coffee is done, I will swap every single package of kettle corn in our summer food order for white cheddar flavored popcorn."
With that, the twin-tailed aircraft left the two helicopters on the tarmac as he wove his way to the main hanger. Blade turned to follow him but was stopped by a concerned-looking Windlifter.
"You are not going to help?" A panicked expression spread across the Skycrane's face.
"This is your mess to clean up." Blade shrugged, then his expression changed to a smirk. "Besides, I am not particularly opposed to my popcorn having a cheese flavor."
Then Blade followed Cabbie to the hanger to join him for a cup of coffee. Windlifter didn't end up making the deadline, and true to Cabbie's word, there was no kettle corn on base that summer…unsurprisingly, Windlifter successfully learned his lesson and kept his teaching materials properly wrangled so his preferred movie snack could return the following year.
End Note: If you have an idea for the letter Z let me know...also if you haven't voted on whether you want me to continue this story or do that by Saturday as I will announce the final results in next week's story.
