Carry Me Home - A LEGEND trilogy (Marie Lu) fanfiction

30. Day

Three years into living in Antarctica, I was asked if there was something that I would like to do. Like, if I wanted to learn something — or whatsoever. Eden was ecstatic, telling them that I wanted to be a doctor or a scientist or something along those lines. But for some reason, I just shook my head and told them, "I want to fly a plane."

Flying never truly interested me. As a child, with how poor we were back then, the thought of such a career opportunity was too much. Even if I had passed my Trials — which I didn't — grades, skills and family status would matter. Yet, when I was given the chance, I just blurted out my interest out of nowhere. As if among all the things, it was the one that reminded me of something that had been goddy lost inside my fogged up head.

Like, there had been a time when I'd ridden an airplane in a crisis. And it had been a major turning point that shifted me from a criminal to who I am for the Republic today.

The Antarcticans were all like, "Okay. Great." Adding on, "We'll just need to ensure that your latest surgery will not render your dream futile." So they went on with the requirements to be a pilot, telling me that most had been set up to the airliners' criteria. For leisure and military purposes, though, it was more about the safety of the pilot. And I was like, "I can wait until I'm all cleared. I will not start studying if I won't even be allowed to do so."

It took another year for them to finalise everything. Surgery was a crucial criterion; especially heart surgeries. For me who'd been experimented and had undergone a major surgery in the past few years, they were wary that it would go against their requirements. But off I went, and I spent the next years earning flight hours, studying in ground school, garnering one license after another, and advancing through multiple types of aircrafts.

When I and Eden received the news that we were heading back to the Republic, I was pretty much robbed of my wings. I'd grown accustomed to the routine of flying over Antarctica, with the military's acceptance of me using its private planes. Jets are only used for routine practices, and with no wars going on, they've stayed mostly in hangars to be flown only for routine check-up. So, right before we jumped on a plane and headed back to the Republic, I grabbed Eden with me for one last flight.

I'd gained clearance to be allowed to do so. They'd given me the authority to use that four-seater plane. When you're living at such a part of the globe enveloped in ice, you have to de-ice for every flight, and with the advancement of technology, aircrafts have their own de-icing systems as well.

"Are you sure you know how to fly this thing?" Eden asked me with a light laugh.

I'd sat next to him, taking the left side. I'd just finished a walk-around, ensuring everything was ready. Shutting the door next to me, I took the check-list to proceed with the start-up and set the frequency on the radio before putting on the headset. "Come on! Nothing to be afraid of! Aren't you a trained mechanic?" I teased.

He blushed. Eden always blushes whenever I remind him of how much I trust his abilities. "Mechanic, yes. But, pilot? No."

I took the bunch of papers that I'd brought along. Checking through them for any other problems. I was only going to proceed on with my usual route so I'd be using the same flight plan; but there had been the weather still and all others to think of. "Trust me. I have my license." I fished my license out of my wallet and handed it to him before checking on the time and logging it. "Airline transport pilot license. See? You may hold on to it if you think it will make you believe that I can really fly this thing. Have some little faith, will you?"

He breathed in and out heavily. "Daniel."

"Just don't step on the pedals or hold on to the yoke," I reminded upon clearing the last on the checklist and kept a hand by the throttle. Once my request for taxiing had been approved, I turned to Eden with a smile. "Just relax, will you?"