Chapter 15: The Event

Jana walked over to the ATF as Elize climbed onto the wing and started to refit the cleaned filter. Jana looked surprised at Elize’s instant refusal.
“Why not?” She asked. Elize briefly glanced over her shoulders looking at Jana like she already new the answer before returning to fitting the filter.
“I don’t do parties, you know that.”
“You DIDN’T do parties, but you’ve changed a lot, why not give it a try?”
“No.”
“Come on, you’re the leader of the Talyn’s and Myrione’s guide while she’s here, you have to go!”
“I said no, Z I E, no!” Elize stated loudly. Jana took a deep sigh, feigning defeat she changed the subject.
“Why are cleaning Katas? I told you I would.”
“The deal was, if I talked to Myrione, you’d clean Katas.”
“Yeah, and you did, didn’t you?” Asked Jana as Elize replaced the plate covering the filter and pulled herself to her feet. Without saying a word she climbed over the fuselage and knelt down on the opposite side to her previous position.
“No, remember? She came to see me and I just froze. I didn’t talk to her, so you win the bet.”

Sighing again Jana scratched her head. Elize pulled the second filter from the ATF and started to climb off the wing.
“Look, you can’t let one bad experience taint your life; if I did I’d never have become a pilot.”
“No it took you what? Five tries?”
“Four.” Jana corrected in a slightly unhappy yet angry tone. “But that doesn’t matter, why not give it another shot.” She add, he voice instantly returning to normal.
“Because…” Elize trailed off, getting briefly lost in thought.
“I’ll put it this way, unless you agree to talk to Myrione I’m going to go leave this bay, find her, and tell her EVERYTHING!” Elize looked at her sharply.
“You wouldn’t”
“Since you got back from Entrin all you’ve done is mope ‘oh do I like her’, ‘oh, does she feel the same?’” Jana commented sternly doing bad impersonations of Elize. “Frankly Elize, I’m sick of it. So, either talk to her without running and hiding, or I tell her.” Elize slowly turned back to the filter in her hands.
“Fine I’ll go to your stupid party and talk to her then, happy?” Jana stern expression instantly transformed into a smile.
“Completely.” She turned and headed for the elevator, as she did her smile turned from happy to a sly. Once inside the elevator Jana turned and leaned against the back wall. “Kids…” She commented.

Shortly after Jana burst into Kurkis’ private office without ringing the door chime, once again with an unsettling smile on her face she slammed her hands hard on the desk. Unlike before however Kurkis was watching her.
“Cap’n I need another favour.” She remarked.
“You know, most people activate the chime and wait for me to say enter before charging in.” Kurkis remarked.
“I’m not most people.”
“Clearly.”
“I need intoxicants.” Jana remarked.
“Not while you’re on duty.” Kurkis replied.
“Not for me, for the party. I know you have some in the hold for special occasions.”
“And exactly how much do you need.”
“Five maybe six barrels.”
“Six barrels?” Said Kurkis with a hint of surprise and scepticism on his voice.
“I’ll replace what’s drank, don’t worry.”
“Hmm…” Kurkis sat back in his seat. “Fine, but it doesn’t leave the mess.”
“Agreed.”

For the next few days there was an air of excitement in the air of the Lyquon. The thought of the party had put everyone in high spirits. Jana has convinced Myrione to help her plan the party, a job the young Varlano soon found herself enjoying the job. This allowed Elize to play the avoiding game, spending most of her time with Katas. For her, the days passed all too quickly the party was soon upon her. Standing in her quarters Elize was looking at herself in a mirror in her bathroom, wearing a pair of dark pants and a white shirt she was very unsure of herself. She sighed as the sound of her door chime broke her train of thought.
“Enter.” She remarked exiting the bathroom. Her door opened and Jana entered wearing a black halter top dress. “Jana, what’s up?” Jana paused and looked at Elize’s apparel.
“You’re not wearing that are you?”
“What? What’s wrong with this?” Asked Elize looking at herself.
“It’s so… you.”
“Err… thanks…” Elize replied not knowing how to take the comment.
“Don’t you have a dress or something?” Jana paused. “Of course not look who I’m talking to.”
“Hey!”
“Come on.” Jana grabbed Elize’s hand and started to pull her to the door. “I think I’ve got a few things that’ll fit you.”

A short time later in the mess hall and the sounds of Rune Hindside’s latest album filled the room. People stood around the room, some sitting on the many tables set up around it. Myrione was standing with Bale who was admiring the buffet style layout at the far wall of the mess. Next to the table were five steal barrels.
“Not a bad spread; and you got some intoxicants too.”
“Jana actually did most of the hard stuff, and the intoxicants were all her.”
“Where is she anyway?”
“I don’t know, she said she…” Myrione’s sentence slowed to a halt as she saw Elize enter being led by Jana. Elize was now wearing a long red dress. It had an open back and swayed gently as she walked.
“Wow.” Said Bale noticing Elize. “I’ve never seen her in a dress before, she looks…”
“Fantastic.” Said Myrione finishing Bale’s sentance. Myrione looked at the white strapless dress she was wearing straightening it up a little.
“Jana, I don’t feel right in this.”
“So what, you look great.”

Once Elize was freed from Jana’s grip she just stood still looking around nervously. Jana glanced around the room briefly before turning to Elize.
“Now hold on a moment, I’ll go get you a drink.” Jana walked away leaving Elize standing alone looking like she wanted to hide.
“I’ll be right back.” Said Myrione, unable to take her eyes off Elize. She quickly made her way over to her, Elize not noticing her until the last moment.
“Myrione…”
“Wow… you look, just wow.”
“You, you think so?” Elize looked at her dress. “It’s one of Jana’s, I don’t own any dresses.”
“Here you go you two.” Jana, seemingly appearing from nowhere, handed a glass to each of the girls, doing so with a large smile on her face. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I have a party to attend to.”

A moment of silence past between Elize and Myrione as Jana walked away, both looked at their drinks.
“I err… I haven’t seen you around. You’re meant to be looking after me you know.” Said Myrione.
“I know, sorry, I’ve been with Katas, I needed to think.”
“What about?” This question caused Elize’s mouth to dry up, instantly she downed the entire contents of the glass in her hand. A light burning sensation ran down her throat, Elize briefly gagged then coughed, looking at the glass.
“That’s sharp, what’s…” She looked over and saw the barrels. “Jana…”
“Are you okay?” Asked Myrione looking concerned.
“Yeah, I just didn’t expect intoxicants.”
“Thought you knew.” Myrione took a long deep drink from her glass.
“No.”
“Come on, let’s go sit down.” Myrione told Elize’s hand and headed for a seat.

As the party rolled on everyone was having a good time. Food and drink were shared among the party goer’s with Myrione and Elize having their share of both. After finishing her forth drink Elize sat back.
“Nerves are gone I see.” Said Myrione.
“Yeah, thanks to the intoxicants.” Elize replied with a smile.
“I best make this my last; I want to have my head at least partially straight for my sires tomorrow.” Elize chuckled, at Myrione’s remark.
“Yeah, me too.”
“Come on, let’s go for a walk.”
“Sure.”

The two left the mess hall leaving the music and chatter behind. They decided to head for the observation platform on the personnel deck. Stepping off the elevator they headed own the corridor.
“So tell me, that day when I came to see you and you froze, what was that about?” Asked Myrione. Elize stopped walking; Myrione did the same and looked at her. “Elize?” Elize closed her eyes and took a deep breath.
“It’s…” Opening her eyes she looked at Myrione. “Myrione I like you.” She finally blurted out, forcing the words out of her mouth.
“You like me?”
“Yes, a lot.” Stepping forward Elize took Myrione’s hands. “In the G-bike, when we were falling you told me you liked me. I don’t know if it was a spur of the moment thing or not. But, I like you too. I just didn’t have the courage to say it before.”

A smile appeared on Myrione’s face before she hugged Elize and kissed her. Elize quickly relaxed and returned the hug and the kiss, both happy to be in each others arms.