Unlikely Union

[Jack Ryan]

Having finally gotten to what she believed was a presentable state, Katie rushed out of her quarters, sealing the door behind her quickly, before sprinting down the corridor to the meeting, quickly checking her watch. 5:15AM
"Bloody hell! I'm late!" finally arriving at the meeting hall, she slipped in quietly, and tried to get to a free back row seat with no one noticing.

Robert D'Souza was already seated at a dim corner, toying with his datapad, he had expected the corporal to be late. The hour was very difficult, but he had chosen it because he knew that both their shifts started at 8.00 hours and he wanted to have a long talk
He spotted her as she dashed into the room and sat in the backrow, smiling, he moved to where she was seated, and surprised her by a "you are late"

Turning bright red, Katie looked up to see the few pilots who were present looking at her. (new line) "Umm. Sorry Sir... I.. Um.. Slept in?"

"Not a problem, I can't expect everyone to be like me and not sleep", he grinned again as he took a seat

Still glowing bright red, Katie took a seat, and stared at the floor, thoroughly embaressed.

Robert, still smiling, said, "Relax, this is not a business meeting, but a personal one. The purpose? I like to know about people, especially the newer recruits, so that I can work and fight alongside them well"

"Yes sir..." Katie said, and raised her head from the floor, her cheeks returning to a fleshy colour, instead of the beetroot red they were.

"Well, do tell me something about yourself."

"Well, Um.. I was a Molly. Until my fam'ly passed 'way, then ah floated aroun' for a while... Heard about the Order, and came up here."

"A molly? I am a corsair by birth, can you live with that?"

Katie clenched her fists for a moment. "Of course ah can..." Katie thought about how her father was killed by the corsairs, when he was bringing back food to the family, in his freighter.

"If that is any comfort to you, I have never killed a molly in battle"

"Tha's good..." Katie unclenched her fists.

"Why did you want to join the Order?"

"Nothin' left to dae with my life..." Katie sighed. "That, and it seemed like a guid cause."

"Does it still seem like a good cause to you?"

"Aye."

"You are not asking anything," Said Robert with a smile," I am not untouchable ya know"

Katie blushed a bit, and whispered to herself for a moment, before speaking. "Well... What about you then? Why did you join?"

"Nomads destroyed a shipment I was protecting, they destroyed me too. I was saved by a miracle, researched, and here I am"

"This has become, my life, and I am willing to give anything to it"

A little it distured by this, Katie asked: "Researched?"

"I flew into nomad territory, accessed the order databanks, risked mind control"
"I was very passionate about it back then"
"Well...that is for me. How do you rate yourself as a fighter?"

"Decent" Katie smiled. "I've been told I'm a crack shot with a Razor.

"I see, Where did you pick up your skills from?

"You don't survive on yer own oot in space at 17 with no fightin' skills."

Robert laughed, a ringing one. He was enjoying this conversation.
"How did you come about in the order primary?"

"I was in tha Advanced Trainin' Group, after Friesener spotted me."

"That old grumpy?"

"He isn't tha' bad..."

"Isn't he?"
"We don't get along, he is too strung up with himself"
"Any wingmates with whom you did training?" Said Robert after a pause

"Umm..."
"Jeremy Hunter... Christopher... Lovejoy..."

Robert nodded. "Competent pilots they are. And I have had a chance to cooperate closely with Lovejoy"

Katie chuckled. "As huv I! We danced together at the ball a few months ago..."

"Ah, I did nothing there except drink more beer", Robert says, a smile on his face yet again.

Katie... Giggled. For the first time in months.

They sat silently for some time after this. Robert studied her face...It seemed beautiful

Katie looked up at the Commanders face, and giggled a little bit, before suddenly realizing how handsome his face was, handsome enough to break through her deep-set hatred for Hispanian faces.

Robert's eyes roved over her face, and their eyes met.
Their eyes stayed locked for a moment, before Katie became embaressed again, and looked away.

Robert came out of the trance like situation he was in, as Katie blushed and looked away.
That felt dangerous...and amazingly delightful, thought he.
Katies heart was beating fast, and she started sweating a bit, and wasn't really paying attention to what was said.
They began talking again, about military matters, formations, battles, politics...everything, and time passed...
Robert was talking about a particular upset with the hunters...when he noticed Katie was sweating and looked unwell. Alarmed, he asked, "are you alright?", and leaned over and touched her forehead.
Katie shivered as Roberts palm touched her forehead, and felt funny all over for a second. "Yeah... I'm alright..."

"You sure you do not require medical attention?"

"Mmhm." Katies heart was beating even harder, he was still touching her forehead.

"She seems alright...something is bugging her", Robert thought to himself
He withdrew his hand, relieved.

Katie sighed, and cooled down a bit, now that Robert was not in such close proximity to her.

Robert was just about to say something when his datapad buzzed.
He took it out, there was a message, from Lovejoy. It read, "I am leaving the order pal, was good flying with you"
The datapad fell from his hands, and he unleashed a long stream of profanities in Hispanic.

Katie looked at him, confused. "Is... Something wrong?"

Robert's face was still angry, he looked at Katie, and said savagely, "Lovejoy left us!"

Katie seemed hurt a little, she had liked Lovejoy. "Oh..."

Robert sat down heavily and covered his face with his hands..."Damn him..." he whispered


Katie sighed, and stood from her chair. She walked over to Robert, and placed her hands on his shoulders, gently massaging them.

Robert grabbed her hands...and put them in between his own. "Thank you" was all he could manage. Slowly, he regained composure
Katie sat back down.

"Damn, this jeopardizes our plans", he whispered, half to himself.

"Plans?" Katie asked, intrigued.

Then his datapad vibrated again. He took it out shakily, expecting more bad news, nothing of the kind. It was from Augustin Joule, and it read, "Admiral Kelt has given us Corporals Will Clayton and Katie macdonald to continue our mission"

"More news?" asked Katie.

Robert just looked at Katie for a long time...and then he smiled, a small smile.
"Hold on", he said

Katie blinked, and smiled.

and looked through his datapad for the information that he needed, for many minutes he did that, when he was done, he typed in Katie's number and sent it.

Katies datapad buzzed, in her back pocket. Katie turned around to get it, and slowly read the message.
Katie grinned once she had finished reading, and unable to control herself, threw her arms around the Commander, yelling: "Thank you thank you thank you!"

The commander stood stiffly, as the happy corporal unleashed a hug on him. He stood for a moment, sharing the happiness, then gently pushed her away.

"Remember whose place you are taking, do not fail us, and me", he said slowly.
Adjusting her uniform, Katie regained composure, and realized most of the hall was looking at her.
Feeling a tad embaressed, Katie said. "Of course sir, I won't let you down sir.

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