In which Delilah Weaver tags along on a trip to a mysterious island in the Pacific with her Aunt Mason, where she meets a young soldier named Reg Slivko, and a giant 316,000 pound gorilla called Kong.
Started: March 2017
Status: Ongoing
Highest Rank...
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SLIVKO
"So, y'all ready for your first chopper ride?" Chapman inquires, referring to the flight from Athena to the island. I glance back at Miss Weaver and Delilah walking alongside the Major.
"It's not my first," Miss Weaver replies, a smug grin shaping on her lips. Word around the ship is that Miss Weaver took a trip to Saigon to take some photographs during the war. The fact that she's been to 'Nam makes her so much cooler to all us guys than she was before, being a lady journalist and all.
"Oh, right," Chapman grins back, a look of subtle admiration in his eyes. "This ain't your first time on a mission."
"Nope."
"How about you, Miss Delilah? You ready?"
My head jerks around involuntarily at the mention of her name.
"Um," she thinks. "I guess I have to be, right?" Her eyes wander up from the deck to me, staring at her, and for a moment she's caught in my gaze like a deer in headlights.
After reregistering that we ended our conversation on somewhat rotten terms, she sneers a bit at me, but I can tell she's forcing it. The corners of her lips are turning up in amusement as if we're playing some funny game.
I can't help but grin at Lilah's stubbornness as I turn away, trying to hide the fact that she is honestly the most interesting thing going on in my life right now. I've been at war a whole year, and I haven't seen a girl about my age since I was drafted right after I'd turned 18.
"Slivko," Chapman calls from behind.
"Yessir?" I reply, turning on my heels to face him. My hand jerks up from my side in a nearly-forgotten solute.
"Miss Weaver & her niece'll be ridin' with you, how bout that?"
"Sounds good, sir."
Chapman dismisses my solute and turns back towards the ladies. "Slivko here'll take good care of you two, I promise."
Delilah sighs, and Chapman rests his hand on her shoulder. Not gonna lie, I'm a li'l bit jealous of the Major.
"You'll be just fine. I promise you."
Something in her eyes flickers, and for a moment, she seems completely vulnerable. Vulnerable to his touch, vulnerable to the words, vulnerable to everything. Like the ocean breeze I've become so accustomed to could just blow her away, across the deck, and right into the sea. I don't think anyone else notices this but me, because next thing Chapman is patting her shoulder, and then Mason's, and then he nods at me.
Chapman moves on, looking for Mills, or Cole or someone I suppose. I can't help but grin knowing I'll get to be the one to fly Lilah.
"Err, um. So, I'll be your pilot today, it seems," I say to the ladies, trying to seem confident in my abilities. Not of flying the copter, of course. I've done that hundreds of times within the past year since I'd been deployed. It's the lack of confidence in my lady-wooing skills that worries me.
