Tailspin, page 41
“Rusty, that’s coming in fast.” Her tone changed, eyes widening.
I wasn’t taken in; she was pretending to panic. She’d done this a billion times in much rougher conditions, I was sure. “We’re good, keep an eye on the RPM and air speed, bleed it off slightly by raising the nose.” She did so. “Good.”
We dropped some more. “Then, as we come in, you’ll need to flare. That means nose up more and you’re really trading air speed to slow our descent.”
She didn’t land on the ocean. Instead, she powered back up and took us back into the air. I caught her watching me. Yep, she was still assessing me and probably would all day. I smiled on the inside. I would prove to her I could do this, all of it. “Only difference is, if you do need to land. The ocean moves, so you have a little more to think about here than on flat ground.”
“Ahh, yeah,” I agreed and nodded.
“You think you can try?”
I smirked at her try. “I can overcompensate and crash. This seems pretty simple enough in concept.”
“It is.” She smiled at me. “I’m not worried at all.”
I’m glad she wasn’t, because I was. Slightly.
On her first countdown, I repeated everything she had done flawlessly and earned her grin. She settled back in the seat, resting her head. “The winds are supposed to get up in a few hours,” she said. “We’ll take a short trip out to North Defense up the dam, refuel and practice on the way over the water there.”
“Copy that,” I replied.
The flight over the ocean was fantastic. I hadn’t taken in as much as I should have when she brought us the first day, and the bigger helos didn’t give this view.
Malaki leaned into my shoulder, knocking the cyclic gently as she did. I straightened us out, rolling my eyes at her. “You love it up here, don’t you?” she asked.
I banked to keep us on the right heading and nodded. “Nothing like it,” I said. “I feel I can do anything, be anyone.”
“Because you can. Right now, you have every single job prospect in front of you. You could do anything. Anything at all. Be with anyone you wanted to.”
With her last words in my mind I focused on them. She’d meant that, and she meant not her.
“You can stop that right now.” I glanced at her.
“What?” She faked a laugh, brushing it away. “Thinking you might still leave me?”
“What can I do to prove I won’t?” I asked her curiously.
“I don’t know.” She sighed. “You have such capable people around you already, you’d have made your mark without me.”
“Maybe.”
“No maybe, you’re born for this like I am. You’re going places, Rus; I hope you see that.”
“I am,” I said with a lot more confidence than I felt. Her face flushed, and I smiled at her, then I pointed to our destination. “I’m heading right there.”
Malaki laughed. “You’re an ass.”
“And you’re an idiot for thinking shit all the time. Pack it in,” I teased and gently pushed the cyclic toward North Defense.
49
I hit the comms and connected with Flight Control for refueling.
Malaki sat back and let me do it—all of it. She didn’t instruct. She didn’t stop me from doing any of it.
It wasn’t long before we approached the dam’s first cascading waterfall, and my thoughts drifted back to my birthday on the beach. The excitement I’d felt for my future, the worry about what it all meant. My father, the life pack, the given tech, and the trust.
“Penny for them?” Malaki asked.
“Penny?” I bounced back at her.
“It’s an old saying. I’ll give you a penny for your thoughts. Have you really not heard that one before?”
I shook my head. “No. I like it, though.”
A moment passed before she prompted me again. “Good or bad?”
“Good,” I said. “I spent my birthday down there.” I pointed back towards the coastline and the beach. It stretched for miles, the sharp contrast of blue oceans to the dark sea defense wall also obvious from here. “It was one of those special days you just don’t forget, with people you don’t ever want to forget.” I kept low to the waterline, and every time the water was stopped by one of the dam’s funnels, I was more and more impressed.
We cruised alongside the massive construction that was the dam wall, and it gave us a much better view of the ingenuity behind it.
“How many turnways are there?” I asked Malaki. “It’s an engineering marvel.”
“From the mountain, they diverted all water to a valley. From there, they dug down each layer, so the drop gave the optimum range and it met the ocean cliffs perfectly. There are a hundred and forty-seven walls.”
“Amazing,” I said as I edged higher toward the next one. The swirling, tumbling water bellowing mist before us, I also didn’t want it anywhere near us. It would hamper our visibility. I kept as close as I could to see and experience more. There were lots of practiced, controlled engine stalls. Malaki never let up with them, different altitudes, over the forest on one side, then over the water, where the mist affected visibility. One after the other, after the other. Until my arms ached, and the headache spread across my temples.
“Could do with a break,” I said and rubbed over my eyes.
Malaki’s forehead scrunched, and her nose twitched. “We’ll land at the dam’s helo pad,” she said, pointing, but I had already spotted it. “We’ll take a good break there. They have a decent canteen for lunch, they’ll check over the helo, and we can head back to catch those rougher winds over the ocean on the way back.”
“Great,” I said and rubbed my head again. Today’s headache was getting to the annoying stage and I didn’t know how much more I could push.
“Headache?” To my nod, she asked, “Scale of one to ten?”
“Six,” I replied, though it was edging on a seven.
“I’ll ask one of the med nurses at the base for some relief for you. If it gets to eight, I’ll take over. Got it?”
“Yes, boss!” I said and turned to the internal mic where the dam’s flight control was monitoring our approach.
“Flight Control to Ice71, you are clear to land.”
I noticed what looked like fuzz leading up from the ground of the dam’s last main wall. Our helo drew in closer.
No, no, no, no! Apex screamed.
Pain seared through my mind, and I twitched the cyclic.
The helo nosedived, hard.
Malaki was fast. She yanked the controls from me as the engine stalled for real this time.
I could do nothing at all. Red seared my mind in pure fire.
Malaki ditched the collective; the wind was turning our blades as fast as she needed them to. This might have been unexpected, but she’d seized control of the helo without blinking.
“FC. Unexpected engine failure. Coming in hot,” she barked to Control. She glanced at me and added, “Send medical assist.”
“Medivac on route,” FC responded. Extra lights lit up around the helo pad. “Traction Control on standby.” The pain worsened, and I clenched my fists tight. Malaki never looked my way. She had to get us down, preferably in one piece.
“Traction not needed, save the energy.”
“Copy that, Dizzy101.”
Malaki’s eyes flickered over her readings as she brought us in. I never felt even the slightest bump.
In the distance fuzzy blobs moved towards us, the blades slowed, their gentle rocking, soothed me, my eyes half closing.
“Rus?” Malaki asked. “Ruslan, don’t you dare go to sleep on me!”
I turned to her; her face flushed when our eyes met.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered. “I pushed you too hard.”
“No doctors,” a voice said. Was that through the helo’s comms? Apex?
“Who is that?” Malaki asked.
“Please. Keep them away,” Apex said. “He just needs to get out, to walk.”
Malaki jumped out her door and palms up to the obviously still concerned medical team. When she had safely persuaded them to just give us space, she returned to my side of the helo and opened the door.
“You better be able to get out, or they are coming straight back,” she said and held out a hand for me.
I took it and hopped down. My feet hit the tarmac but didn’t wobble like I’d expected them to. “Walk,” Malaki said. “Come on, I’ll take you the long way around to the restrooms and canteen.”
“The helo?” I mumbled.
“Will be fine.” She held on tight to me. “I need to make sure you are.”
The fuzziness around the edge of my mind started to fade.
Better? Apex asked me.
Yes, I replied. What was that?
You’ve entered a strictly secure area. That was a Himatage shield. Highest level. I wasn’t prepared for it. I’m sorry.
It’s okay. I’m okay, I replied.
A glance at Malaki, though, told me she didn’t think I was. She stopped walking and leaned on a small wall before a flower bed. This area was nice, well planted with bright pink and yellow flowers, and dark and light contrasting green bushes. At the back there were small black and red trees. I guessed it was to blend in with the surrounding areas, which also sported this colorful display. No one would know this base was here unless they squinted.
“What was that?” she asked, echoing my question.
I leaned against the wall, too, and stared out at our helo in the distance. Several people milled around her, working, diagnosing, fixing.
If you tell her, she will know…. He trailed off.
You know what, she already knows someone spoke to her through the helo comms. What other choice is there but to tell her?
Lie? Apex asked.
I’m not lying to her. Ever. I glanced her way. “That was the effect of a Himatage shield. Highest level.”
“How do you even know what that is?” she asked seriously, her face paling. “That’s so highly classified, even I shouldn’t know about it.”
“But you do?”
“My father told me what it was,” she said, crossing her arms.
“What am I?” I asked her.
“I don’t know what you mean.” She shied away.
“You’re just keeping tabs on me,” I said with such accusation, I saw her wince. “You know a lot more about me than you’re supposed to! What am I? What am I really to you? To your family, or to them?”
Malaki’s eyes blazed. “I am not. I couldn’t.” Her fists curled, and I honestly thought she might hit me. I mean, I’d seen this wicked streak of hers before.
Instead, she stepped nearer to me, put her hands either side of my shoulders and stared into my eyes. She leaned in even closer. I could smell the soap on her skin, feel her breath tickle my ear. “Understand this now, as I will never say this ever again,” she said. “I do not stand with them. At all.”
Her words sank in. Had she really said that?
“Understand?”
“Do you report to anyone about me?”
She shook her head. “They would never get anything from me,” she said. Her hand lowered, and I felt her pinkie finger curl around mine. “They’d have to torture me. I promise you.”
“Is it safe to talk here?” I asked.
She shook her head and wrapped her arms around me to hug me tight. “I’ll find somewhere,” she said. “This is because you scared the living fuck out of me. I thought I was going to lose you.”
I returned her hug, finding her a little stiff in my arms at first. “It’s going to take a shitload to get rid of me. But the more you give me attention like this, the more people are going to think we’re an item.”
Malaki eased back. “Fuck ‘em,” she said and held on tighter. Gods, I adored her. This comfort I needed from her more than I’d ever admit.
“Nar.” With a laugh and a shake of my head, I pushed back. “I’m hungry, let’s eat.”
“That sounds good, but you’re really hungry?”
I patted my belly. “I have to eat. Body like this needs fuel.”
“Ugh,” she groaned.
“Then you’ll take me for a nice tour around the base before we leave.”
She cocked her head to the side but moved. “The canteen isn’t as nice as ours, but it’s got some decent soups.”
Apex? I asked. Is everything okay?
All good.
We need another chat at some point.
I know.
Do me a favor, take in everything about this place you can.
Why?
Just do it.
Malaki walked us to where a smell of meat came drifting by and my stomach growled in anticipation. “You really are hungry.” She laughed.
“First airman,” a voice came from behind her. She froze and then turned.
I followed her example and took in the older man standing in a crisp dark uniform before her. His eyes locked on hers and she snapped to attention. “Commander Mansk.”
His eyes softened. “A surprise that you were here. A notification came to me. You’d had some trouble on approach. That’s not like you.”
Her eyes flickered to me. “He rushed out without eating this morning. I was pushing him too hard.”
Commander Mansk then looked at me. “This is…?”
“Airman Korolyov,” she said.
When I obviously didn’t know how to respond or act around him, she added, “Apologies, he’s not military.”
“I can see that.” He laughed. “But he is yours?”
Malaki straightened up, and I saw her smile. “Yes, sir.”
“Better get him fed. Can’t have the man starving.” Commander Mansk looked my way. “Good to meet you, even if you aren’t military, airman.” He turned on his heels and left us.
Malaki let out a breath and visibly shrank. “Don’t ever mess with him.”
“Not good?”
She turned back the way we were heading. “No.” She sighed. “I didn’t even know he was here. He usually isn’t.”
“Something’s going on here,” I said in a whisper.
“You’re not kidding.”
The canteen was busy, and Malaki brought us both huge bowls of soup, bread to go with it on the side, protein bars and shakes to boot. “I don’t need mine, you can have it.”
“No dessert?” I asked.
She frowned. “Not here, sadly.”
We found a quiet table to sit, and I ate slowly, even though I really wanted to guzzle it all down.
“How long until we can be back in the air?” I asked.
“They usually don’t take that long with checks, but…” She slurped in some soup. “I’ve a feeling they’re making extra sure, especially with Mansk poking around.”
I had many questions, and I knew she had, too. She knocked my foot with hers under the table. “Talk me through autorotation.”
“Really? Don’t you think we did enough of that already for real?”
“Talk,” she ordered.
I did, and I went through all the other emergency procedures she asked of me.
Malaki put her spoon down and finished her bread. “A walk sounds good now,” she said, nodding at my empty bowl. “Bring our drinks.”
I followed her, knowing there had been no normal conversation over dinner, no friendship or banter. It was all work. Autorotation, what could go wrong, what to do, when to do it. We talked only basics, and I knew why. The base watched us. I saw people staring at us, and I wanted to get off here, now.
As we walked, Apex, inside my mind, asked me to look in certain directions. I complied with him as much as I did Malaki. The sun shone across the long grasses around the base. While Malaki walked without talking, it felt like I kept my eyes on everything observing it all, but it wasn’t me.
Something you’re not telling me?
Just in case we ever come back, Apex replied.
We rounded a corner and the helo came into sight. The sudden shadow from the building gave me a chill so I tugged my jacket tighter.
“Bumble’s ready,” she said, and let out a sigh. “We can leave.”
Every movement from Malaki as we approached the lead engineers echoed my own thoughts. Cautious, she waited for him to wave us over.
“Everything’s green,” he said. “Good to go.”
“Use the X1,” she said as we walked in closer.
I shot her a glare but complied.
Everything good?
Nothing untoward has been done, Apex replied. Really is all clear.
“All clear,” Flight Control said as Malaki checked everything off.
In minutes, she had us in the air and back out over the first dam drop, out past the Himatage shield. She watched me closely as she passed the barrier. I was okay this time.
I knew it was there, Apex explained. I was ready.
Can we talk in here? I asked him. Do you know if we’re safe?
Not safe, came his reply.
Fuck, I really needed to be able to do more.
I’ll work something out. Give me some time.
We don’t have a lot of time.
Malaki kept us on task for the journey back to base. “You’re meeting Justin later?” she asked.
I’d almost forgotten that. “Yeah,” I said. “Not too sure I’m looking forward to it.”
“I can come if you want?”
I shook my head. “This is just me and him.”
“Duking it out?”
“I don’t think so,” I replied. I wondered if he was really like that. No, Justin was way too calm and collected for that.
“Approaching Station Five,” she said a while later. “How’s the headache now?”
I thought about the nagging pain in the back of my head. “Four,” I replied.
“That’s much better.” She was nodding, but I saw her flush.
“What’s wrong?” I asked her.
“Is it the X1?” she questioned. “Maybe we should get you the eye upgrade first?”
I panicked. “You mean instead of the TAP?”
“If you’re struggling—yes.”
I thought about the pain, the constant effort to push it away. “That’s a huge, huge ask, Mal.”
“Headaches, or TAP? Are you sure you could keep up with me with that pain level?”
I wasn’t taken in; she was pretending to panic. She’d done this a billion times in much rougher conditions, I was sure. “We’re good, keep an eye on the RPM and air speed, bleed it off slightly by raising the nose.” She did so. “Good.”
We dropped some more. “Then, as we come in, you’ll need to flare. That means nose up more and you’re really trading air speed to slow our descent.”
She didn’t land on the ocean. Instead, she powered back up and took us back into the air. I caught her watching me. Yep, she was still assessing me and probably would all day. I smiled on the inside. I would prove to her I could do this, all of it. “Only difference is, if you do need to land. The ocean moves, so you have a little more to think about here than on flat ground.”
“Ahh, yeah,” I agreed and nodded.
“You think you can try?”
I smirked at her try. “I can overcompensate and crash. This seems pretty simple enough in concept.”
“It is.” She smiled at me. “I’m not worried at all.”
I’m glad she wasn’t, because I was. Slightly.
On her first countdown, I repeated everything she had done flawlessly and earned her grin. She settled back in the seat, resting her head. “The winds are supposed to get up in a few hours,” she said. “We’ll take a short trip out to North Defense up the dam, refuel and practice on the way over the water there.”
“Copy that,” I replied.
The flight over the ocean was fantastic. I hadn’t taken in as much as I should have when she brought us the first day, and the bigger helos didn’t give this view.
Malaki leaned into my shoulder, knocking the cyclic gently as she did. I straightened us out, rolling my eyes at her. “You love it up here, don’t you?” she asked.
I banked to keep us on the right heading and nodded. “Nothing like it,” I said. “I feel I can do anything, be anyone.”
“Because you can. Right now, you have every single job prospect in front of you. You could do anything. Anything at all. Be with anyone you wanted to.”
With her last words in my mind I focused on them. She’d meant that, and she meant not her.
“You can stop that right now.” I glanced at her.
“What?” She faked a laugh, brushing it away. “Thinking you might still leave me?”
“What can I do to prove I won’t?” I asked her curiously.
“I don’t know.” She sighed. “You have such capable people around you already, you’d have made your mark without me.”
“Maybe.”
“No maybe, you’re born for this like I am. You’re going places, Rus; I hope you see that.”
“I am,” I said with a lot more confidence than I felt. Her face flushed, and I smiled at her, then I pointed to our destination. “I’m heading right there.”
Malaki laughed. “You’re an ass.”
“And you’re an idiot for thinking shit all the time. Pack it in,” I teased and gently pushed the cyclic toward North Defense.
49
I hit the comms and connected with Flight Control for refueling.
Malaki sat back and let me do it—all of it. She didn’t instruct. She didn’t stop me from doing any of it.
It wasn’t long before we approached the dam’s first cascading waterfall, and my thoughts drifted back to my birthday on the beach. The excitement I’d felt for my future, the worry about what it all meant. My father, the life pack, the given tech, and the trust.
“Penny for them?” Malaki asked.
“Penny?” I bounced back at her.
“It’s an old saying. I’ll give you a penny for your thoughts. Have you really not heard that one before?”
I shook my head. “No. I like it, though.”
A moment passed before she prompted me again. “Good or bad?”
“Good,” I said. “I spent my birthday down there.” I pointed back towards the coastline and the beach. It stretched for miles, the sharp contrast of blue oceans to the dark sea defense wall also obvious from here. “It was one of those special days you just don’t forget, with people you don’t ever want to forget.” I kept low to the waterline, and every time the water was stopped by one of the dam’s funnels, I was more and more impressed.
We cruised alongside the massive construction that was the dam wall, and it gave us a much better view of the ingenuity behind it.
“How many turnways are there?” I asked Malaki. “It’s an engineering marvel.”
“From the mountain, they diverted all water to a valley. From there, they dug down each layer, so the drop gave the optimum range and it met the ocean cliffs perfectly. There are a hundred and forty-seven walls.”
“Amazing,” I said as I edged higher toward the next one. The swirling, tumbling water bellowing mist before us, I also didn’t want it anywhere near us. It would hamper our visibility. I kept as close as I could to see and experience more. There were lots of practiced, controlled engine stalls. Malaki never let up with them, different altitudes, over the forest on one side, then over the water, where the mist affected visibility. One after the other, after the other. Until my arms ached, and the headache spread across my temples.
“Could do with a break,” I said and rubbed over my eyes.
Malaki’s forehead scrunched, and her nose twitched. “We’ll land at the dam’s helo pad,” she said, pointing, but I had already spotted it. “We’ll take a good break there. They have a decent canteen for lunch, they’ll check over the helo, and we can head back to catch those rougher winds over the ocean on the way back.”
“Great,” I said and rubbed my head again. Today’s headache was getting to the annoying stage and I didn’t know how much more I could push.
“Headache?” To my nod, she asked, “Scale of one to ten?”
“Six,” I replied, though it was edging on a seven.
“I’ll ask one of the med nurses at the base for some relief for you. If it gets to eight, I’ll take over. Got it?”
“Yes, boss!” I said and turned to the internal mic where the dam’s flight control was monitoring our approach.
“Flight Control to Ice71, you are clear to land.”
I noticed what looked like fuzz leading up from the ground of the dam’s last main wall. Our helo drew in closer.
No, no, no, no! Apex screamed.
Pain seared through my mind, and I twitched the cyclic.
The helo nosedived, hard.
Malaki was fast. She yanked the controls from me as the engine stalled for real this time.
I could do nothing at all. Red seared my mind in pure fire.
Malaki ditched the collective; the wind was turning our blades as fast as she needed them to. This might have been unexpected, but she’d seized control of the helo without blinking.
“FC. Unexpected engine failure. Coming in hot,” she barked to Control. She glanced at me and added, “Send medical assist.”
“Medivac on route,” FC responded. Extra lights lit up around the helo pad. “Traction Control on standby.” The pain worsened, and I clenched my fists tight. Malaki never looked my way. She had to get us down, preferably in one piece.
“Traction not needed, save the energy.”
“Copy that, Dizzy101.”
Malaki’s eyes flickered over her readings as she brought us in. I never felt even the slightest bump.
In the distance fuzzy blobs moved towards us, the blades slowed, their gentle rocking, soothed me, my eyes half closing.
“Rus?” Malaki asked. “Ruslan, don’t you dare go to sleep on me!”
I turned to her; her face flushed when our eyes met.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered. “I pushed you too hard.”
“No doctors,” a voice said. Was that through the helo’s comms? Apex?
“Who is that?” Malaki asked.
“Please. Keep them away,” Apex said. “He just needs to get out, to walk.”
Malaki jumped out her door and palms up to the obviously still concerned medical team. When she had safely persuaded them to just give us space, she returned to my side of the helo and opened the door.
“You better be able to get out, or they are coming straight back,” she said and held out a hand for me.
I took it and hopped down. My feet hit the tarmac but didn’t wobble like I’d expected them to. “Walk,” Malaki said. “Come on, I’ll take you the long way around to the restrooms and canteen.”
“The helo?” I mumbled.
“Will be fine.” She held on tight to me. “I need to make sure you are.”
The fuzziness around the edge of my mind started to fade.
Better? Apex asked me.
Yes, I replied. What was that?
You’ve entered a strictly secure area. That was a Himatage shield. Highest level. I wasn’t prepared for it. I’m sorry.
It’s okay. I’m okay, I replied.
A glance at Malaki, though, told me she didn’t think I was. She stopped walking and leaned on a small wall before a flower bed. This area was nice, well planted with bright pink and yellow flowers, and dark and light contrasting green bushes. At the back there were small black and red trees. I guessed it was to blend in with the surrounding areas, which also sported this colorful display. No one would know this base was here unless they squinted.
“What was that?” she asked, echoing my question.
I leaned against the wall, too, and stared out at our helo in the distance. Several people milled around her, working, diagnosing, fixing.
If you tell her, she will know…. He trailed off.
You know what, she already knows someone spoke to her through the helo comms. What other choice is there but to tell her?
Lie? Apex asked.
I’m not lying to her. Ever. I glanced her way. “That was the effect of a Himatage shield. Highest level.”
“How do you even know what that is?” she asked seriously, her face paling. “That’s so highly classified, even I shouldn’t know about it.”
“But you do?”
“My father told me what it was,” she said, crossing her arms.
“What am I?” I asked her.
“I don’t know what you mean.” She shied away.
“You’re just keeping tabs on me,” I said with such accusation, I saw her wince. “You know a lot more about me than you’re supposed to! What am I? What am I really to you? To your family, or to them?”
Malaki’s eyes blazed. “I am not. I couldn’t.” Her fists curled, and I honestly thought she might hit me. I mean, I’d seen this wicked streak of hers before.
Instead, she stepped nearer to me, put her hands either side of my shoulders and stared into my eyes. She leaned in even closer. I could smell the soap on her skin, feel her breath tickle my ear. “Understand this now, as I will never say this ever again,” she said. “I do not stand with them. At all.”
Her words sank in. Had she really said that?
“Understand?”
“Do you report to anyone about me?”
She shook her head. “They would never get anything from me,” she said. Her hand lowered, and I felt her pinkie finger curl around mine. “They’d have to torture me. I promise you.”
“Is it safe to talk here?” I asked.
She shook her head and wrapped her arms around me to hug me tight. “I’ll find somewhere,” she said. “This is because you scared the living fuck out of me. I thought I was going to lose you.”
I returned her hug, finding her a little stiff in my arms at first. “It’s going to take a shitload to get rid of me. But the more you give me attention like this, the more people are going to think we’re an item.”
Malaki eased back. “Fuck ‘em,” she said and held on tighter. Gods, I adored her. This comfort I needed from her more than I’d ever admit.
“Nar.” With a laugh and a shake of my head, I pushed back. “I’m hungry, let’s eat.”
“That sounds good, but you’re really hungry?”
I patted my belly. “I have to eat. Body like this needs fuel.”
“Ugh,” she groaned.
“Then you’ll take me for a nice tour around the base before we leave.”
She cocked her head to the side but moved. “The canteen isn’t as nice as ours, but it’s got some decent soups.”
Apex? I asked. Is everything okay?
All good.
We need another chat at some point.
I know.
Do me a favor, take in everything about this place you can.
Why?
Just do it.
Malaki walked us to where a smell of meat came drifting by and my stomach growled in anticipation. “You really are hungry.” She laughed.
“First airman,” a voice came from behind her. She froze and then turned.
I followed her example and took in the older man standing in a crisp dark uniform before her. His eyes locked on hers and she snapped to attention. “Commander Mansk.”
His eyes softened. “A surprise that you were here. A notification came to me. You’d had some trouble on approach. That’s not like you.”
Her eyes flickered to me. “He rushed out without eating this morning. I was pushing him too hard.”
Commander Mansk then looked at me. “This is…?”
“Airman Korolyov,” she said.
When I obviously didn’t know how to respond or act around him, she added, “Apologies, he’s not military.”
“I can see that.” He laughed. “But he is yours?”
Malaki straightened up, and I saw her smile. “Yes, sir.”
“Better get him fed. Can’t have the man starving.” Commander Mansk looked my way. “Good to meet you, even if you aren’t military, airman.” He turned on his heels and left us.
Malaki let out a breath and visibly shrank. “Don’t ever mess with him.”
“Not good?”
She turned back the way we were heading. “No.” She sighed. “I didn’t even know he was here. He usually isn’t.”
“Something’s going on here,” I said in a whisper.
“You’re not kidding.”
The canteen was busy, and Malaki brought us both huge bowls of soup, bread to go with it on the side, protein bars and shakes to boot. “I don’t need mine, you can have it.”
“No dessert?” I asked.
She frowned. “Not here, sadly.”
We found a quiet table to sit, and I ate slowly, even though I really wanted to guzzle it all down.
“How long until we can be back in the air?” I asked.
“They usually don’t take that long with checks, but…” She slurped in some soup. “I’ve a feeling they’re making extra sure, especially with Mansk poking around.”
I had many questions, and I knew she had, too. She knocked my foot with hers under the table. “Talk me through autorotation.”
“Really? Don’t you think we did enough of that already for real?”
“Talk,” she ordered.
I did, and I went through all the other emergency procedures she asked of me.
Malaki put her spoon down and finished her bread. “A walk sounds good now,” she said, nodding at my empty bowl. “Bring our drinks.”
I followed her, knowing there had been no normal conversation over dinner, no friendship or banter. It was all work. Autorotation, what could go wrong, what to do, when to do it. We talked only basics, and I knew why. The base watched us. I saw people staring at us, and I wanted to get off here, now.
As we walked, Apex, inside my mind, asked me to look in certain directions. I complied with him as much as I did Malaki. The sun shone across the long grasses around the base. While Malaki walked without talking, it felt like I kept my eyes on everything observing it all, but it wasn’t me.
Something you’re not telling me?
Just in case we ever come back, Apex replied.
We rounded a corner and the helo came into sight. The sudden shadow from the building gave me a chill so I tugged my jacket tighter.
“Bumble’s ready,” she said, and let out a sigh. “We can leave.”
Every movement from Malaki as we approached the lead engineers echoed my own thoughts. Cautious, she waited for him to wave us over.
“Everything’s green,” he said. “Good to go.”
“Use the X1,” she said as we walked in closer.
I shot her a glare but complied.
Everything good?
Nothing untoward has been done, Apex replied. Really is all clear.
“All clear,” Flight Control said as Malaki checked everything off.
In minutes, she had us in the air and back out over the first dam drop, out past the Himatage shield. She watched me closely as she passed the barrier. I was okay this time.
I knew it was there, Apex explained. I was ready.
Can we talk in here? I asked him. Do you know if we’re safe?
Not safe, came his reply.
Fuck, I really needed to be able to do more.
I’ll work something out. Give me some time.
We don’t have a lot of time.
Malaki kept us on task for the journey back to base. “You’re meeting Justin later?” she asked.
I’d almost forgotten that. “Yeah,” I said. “Not too sure I’m looking forward to it.”
“I can come if you want?”
I shook my head. “This is just me and him.”
“Duking it out?”
“I don’t think so,” I replied. I wondered if he was really like that. No, Justin was way too calm and collected for that.
“Approaching Station Five,” she said a while later. “How’s the headache now?”
I thought about the nagging pain in the back of my head. “Four,” I replied.
“That’s much better.” She was nodding, but I saw her flush.
“What’s wrong?” I asked her.
“Is it the X1?” she questioned. “Maybe we should get you the eye upgrade first?”
I panicked. “You mean instead of the TAP?”
“If you’re struggling—yes.”
I thought about the pain, the constant effort to push it away. “That’s a huge, huge ask, Mal.”
“Headaches, or TAP? Are you sure you could keep up with me with that pain level?”
