Dia jumped off the rock, spinning and facing the stranger in a defensive pose with one arm up to block. Her combat instincts were still running on high priority since the last battle with the Protean Armada. Instead of a rebel alien she found a teenage boy, much her same age, looking at her with an eyebrow raised.

He stood a few inches taller than her with a dark brown jacket, lighter brown shirt, and a pair of cameo green pants that were tucked into large black boots.

"Whoa...chill out there Miss Williams..." the young Hawkins said with a reproachful look.

Dia sighed and relaxed her stance, "Sorry about that. I've seen too much action as of late."

The boy also relaxed, "Whatever..." he said while looking away from her.

Dia raised an eyebrow at his attitude. "And call me Dia."

"Sure. My name's Jim." He said and held out a hand.

"Pleasure." Arcadia said and shook his hand. "So where do you plan on taking me?"

"Not really sure, let me go get my board." He walked over to a work shed and emerged a few seconds later with what looked like a modified board.

She looked at it with questioning eyes, "Did you modify that? I've never seen one like it."

Jim looked up with a smirk and a feel of pride, "I built it myself. I started making them when I was eight."

Dia was whole heartedly impressed, "That's spectacular!" She walked closer to the board to look at it. "I wish I was good at mechanics. It would come in handy so many times. Alas, I'm stuck with yelling orders and working the riggings."

"Of a ship?" Jim asked her, moving the board so she could look at it better.

"Yes, I'm the Second Mate of a Captain. I travel everywhere with her." She stood from her ogling and picked up her own board.

"That looks brand new." Jim looked at it with interest.

"Yeah, I just earned enough to buy one for myself." Dia smiled down at the board before putting it on the ground. "So, lead the way."

"We'll take some easy runs first then." Jim said with a smirk. He put his on the ground as well and jumped on, taking off from right next to her.

Dia could barely feel the heat of his engine, it zoomed by her so fast. With a look of shock, Dia followed after him.

Jim lead her through some canyons that were nearby, the day having the perfect amount of sunshine for surfing. Both surfers kept next to each other as they went through the caverns.

"Now come on Jim, give me something difficult!" Dia yelled.

"You asked for it Dia!" Jim said and sped his board up. He raced forward taking a sharp left at the next fork in the canyon. "Watch yourself here! I don't want my mom yelling at me for killing a customer."

"Bring it!" Dia yelled back, feeling her adrenaline pumping and her competitive side rising.

The two teenagers wove through the canyon, dipping in and out of small ravines, and dodging through odd rock formations. Five miles later both of them emerged from the canyon and landed at the top, getting off of their boards and panting from the exhilaration.

"I'll give you...one thing..." Dia managed to get out between breaths, "You're a damn fine rider."

Jim gave her a grin as he also fought to catch his breath, "Thanks...for noticing..."

Dia gave him a thumbs up before flopping down to the ground and lying down. "I'm just gonna...catch my breath...ja?"

"Yeah..." Jim mimicked her motions, falling to the ground on his back, "Sounds like...a plan..."

After resting for a few minutes Jim's curiosity got the better of him, "So...where'd you learn to ride like that?"

Dia propped herself up on her elbows and rose an eyebrow at him, "Well, this is my first time really riding, but I was basically raised on a ship so reading air currents and such is easy for me."

Jim was honestly impressed. He looked at her as he stood from the ground, "It's beginning to get dark, if we want to make it back in time we'd best leave now. Before the sun sets and we have to walk back."

Dia groaned. Her body was aching from the exercise of surfing but he didn't even seem fazed by it. She went to stand but found her leg asleep. As her body began to fall to the side she was caught by a pair of strong arms. Dia blushed at the contact, Jim's arms having wrapped around her waist to prevent her from falling, and looked up at him to find him blushing as well.

"You okay there?" Jim asked and looked slightly away from her in embarrassment.

"Erm, just fine. Really." Arcadia smiled and stood on her now tingling leg. "Well, back to the Inn then, yes?"

Jim snapped out of his shy demeanor and nodded, "Yeah, just follow me."

He walked over to his board and took off, Dia not far behind.

Within half an hour they were back at the Inn and exhausted. Jim landed his board next to the workshop as Dia landed and took hers into her arms, ready to carry it up the stairs.

"Thanks for showing me the canyon." Dia called to Jim as he walked back over.

He gave her a grin, "It was no problem Dia."

"Jim!" A sudden voice brought both teens looking to the front door. "Where have you been for so long?! I was worried sick. Not to mention I need some help in the kitchens!" Sarah Hawkins stood at the open front door looking slightly frazzled, and hadn't spotted Dia yet.

Jim blushed again at the attention from his mother as she walked briskly over to him and placed her hands on her hips in an intimidating manner. He stuttered while trying to come up with an excuse but he came up short so Dia decided to step in.

"Ah, Miss Hawkins," Dia said in the same tone she used with Amelia and gained the mother's shocked attention, "I'm so sorry to have kept your lad out for so long. Had I known he was required back here I would have had him back sooner. He was out showing me the course of the canyons and I ought to say I was most impressed." Jim blushed and looked at Dia oddly, never having heard her talk in such upper-class jargon, "To compensate for my recreational demands, feel free to charge an extra night's worth of credits on my card."

Now both Jim and Sarah looked at her in disbelief. Dia just offered them a smile as she moved to go inside, "And to help with the immediate issues please allow me to help you in the kitchens Miss Hawkins. Well, as soon as I put my board away."

As Dia walked up the stairs she could barely make out Sarah speaking to Jim in an awed tone, "I like that girl..."

To which Jim faintly responded, "Yeah..."