Stars Fell on Trieste

by M. Alan Marr

  “Boeing zero charlie charlie, Atlanta Center, I say again, pilot’s discretion maintain flight level two-four-zero.”

  Chaz keys the radio. “Roger, PD to two-four-zero, Boeing zero charlie charlie.” He looks at Jen and offers some sage advice. “Jen, you’re a talented pilot, but you have no filter.”

  “Oh my God, I’m fired—am I’m going to be fired?”

  “Let me put it to you this way,” Chaz says, “how many 767 owners do you imagine tolerate insolence from their employees?”

  “Um, probably not so many.”

  “Probably not.” Chaz adds, “Including this one.” Chaz switches the autopilot from A, the captain’s autopilot, to B, the first officer’s autopilot. “You have the aircraft. Discretion to two-four-zero. Don’t bend my jet.”

  “Permission to be sarcastic?”

  “Granted.”

  Jen speaks as she adjusts her seat and dials in twenty-four thousand feet on the altitude selector. “I make one sassy comment.” Chaz looks at her. “A few sassy comments, and I’m in jeopardy of being fired, and now, now, I’m on the hook for a smooth landing, because we don’t want to upset the delicate aircraft owners.”

  “And Steve,” they hear from the cockpit door.

  Jen’s shoulders drop. “And Steve.” She sighs.

  Steve moves to the center jumpseat and buckles in. “I hear you got mouthy with Dev.” He leans forward toward Jen and adds, “Not a good idea.”

  “Definitely not a good idea,” Chaz agrees.

  “Definitely not,” Steve echoes.

  “All right!” Jen says nervously. “I’m sorry! Now will you let me fly the damn plane?”

  The landing in Atlanta is . . . okay. As the aircraft slows to sixty knots, Chaz takes over the controls, per normal, and taxis clear of the runway.

  Jen keys the radio. “Atlanta ground, Boeing one-zero-zero-charlie-charlie heavy, clear of eight left, request taxi to Corporate Jet Support.”

  “Roger, Boeing zero charlie charlie heavy, left turn on alpha, taxi to Jet Support.”

  Jen keys the radio. “Zero-charlie-charlie heavy, roger, alpha to Jet Support.”

  Chaz brings the beautiful 767 to a halt on the ramp. He shuts the engines down and then keys the PA and makes the announcement that the aircraft is secure and to disarm the doors.

  “I’ll get the forward doors,” Steve says, and then leaves the cockpit, while Chaz and Jen run the parking checklist. After the last item on the checklist, Jen looks nervously at Chaz.

  “Am I fired?”

  “I’ll speak to Dev, but I’d say probably not.”

  “Thanks.” Jen manages a smile. “It was nice flying with you.”

  “Just remember what I said.” And with that, Chaz unbuckles his seat belt and leaves the flight deck to meet up with Dev in the foyer. Steve approaches and disarms the L2 door.

  Dev looks at Chaz. “That was not your landing.”

  “You could tell?”

  “I know how you fly.” Dev smiles. “Wasn’t your technique.”

  “It was Jen,” Chaz says. “She was worried she was being fired after giving you attitude.”

  “She almost was,” Dev says.

  “I know.” Chaz nods.

  Jen’s voice comes over the PA. “All doors disarmed. Clear to open L2.”

  Steve overhears the exchange between Chaz and Dev as he opens the main cabin door. Franz arrives and takes over for Steve, who returns to the cockpit and closes the flight deck door behind him.

  “Jen, we’re going to have a chat.”

  “I know,” she says. “I need to reel in the sarcasm.”

  “Do you know you almost got fired?”

  “Yeah.”

  “I’ve flown them around long enough to know they are, hands down, the nicest guys any of us have ever worked for. Don’t put that in jeopardy.”

  “I won’t.”

  “And don’t for a minute think they won’t make a change.”

  Steve goes on to tell her about how supportive and respectful Dev and Chaz have always been, and even how Dev insisted Steve and his BBJ crew have more rest during a trip to Venice. Steve himself is now growing angrier and angrier over this incident.

  “Are you kidding?” Jen says. “He really did that?”

  “He did,” Steve says, bristling. “And just remember how you got this job. They hired you over someone else because they knew you were going to be unemployed. And between you and me, the other candidate was better qualified. So trust me when I say I will protect their interests. I will not put either of them in the position of having to fire you, or anybody. I’ll do that myself!”

  Harrison climbs the crew stairs and opens the cockpit door.

  Steve shoots Harrison a dagger-like glance. “Give us a minute, Harrison.”

  Harrison knows that tone. He closes the cockpit door and turns to walk down the hall, but sees Chaz and Dev standing in the foyer area. Harrison, not wanting to get in anyone’s crosshairs, quietly goes down the crew stairs.

  Chaz hears raised voices in the cockpit and holds out his hand to have Dev wait for a moment.

  “What’s that?” Dev says quietly.

  “Steve’s reading Jen the riot act.”

  “The what?”

  “Serious dressing down of a subordinate,” Chaz says quietly.

  “Ah.” Dev smiles. “I guess we won’t have any further problems.”

  Chaz sees Annette approaching from the aft section. “Welcome to Atlanta.”

  “It’s been a while, Mr. Chaz.”

  Steve’s voice comes over the aircraft PA. He still sounds irritated. “Harrison, go outside and meet the ground crew, please.”

  Dev looks at Chaz. “The admonition continues.”

  Inside the cockpit, Jen is almost in tears. She’s not going to cry, though. She screwed up, she knows it, and now she’s being dressed down by her chief pilot. This is just business.

  “I understand,” Jen says sincerely. “And I promise, it won’t happen again.”

  “I’m dead serious, Jen,” Steve warns. “And if they want to base this aircraft in Tijuana, it better be the best idea you ever heard.”

  Jen puts on a happy face. “Olé.”

  The cockpit door opens and Steve strides out first. He nods to the gentlemen, who are preparing to depart, subtly letting them know he has taken care of the situation. Steve leaves the aircraft and goes down to meet with Harrison and the ground crew.

  Jen leaves the cockpit and walks smartly up to Dev and offers an apology.

  “Sir, I’m really sorry I was sarcastic. It’s a . . . part of my personality that has gotten me in trouble before, and I apologize. I really didn’t mean any disrespect.”

  “Very well,” Dev says evenly.

  “And . . . I just want to say thanks, for giving me this opportunity. I know you hired me over the other guy because I was going to be out of a job, and . . . well, I think that’s a pretty awesome thing to do.”

  “We take care of each other here, Jen,” Dev says. “You’ll understand as you get to know us better.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  Steve returns to the cabin from outside.

  “Steve,” Dev says, “until we figure out where we’re going to base our operation, I’d like to keep you guys here in Atlanta.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  Dev momentarily glances to Jen. “I have it on good authority you guys would prefer condos over hotel rooms while you’re here.”

  “I wonder what gave you that idea,” Steve says, knowing exactly where it came from.

  “We’ll set you guys up at the W Hotel in Midtown initially. Then, tomorrow, we’ll get to work finding you more suitable lodgings. I’ll have someone get in touch with you.”

  “Meanwhile,” Chaz says, “can we get the whole crew up here?”

  Jen takes the cue and gets on the PA from the flight attendant station. “Crew to the upper galley, please. Crew to the upper galley.” She pokes her head out the main cabin d
oor and does a loud four-finger whistle to get Harrison’s attention, and then waves for him to come up.

  “Ladies and Gentlemen, the maiden voyage was a great success,” Chaz says. “I want to thank all of you for your hard work.” He adds, “I promise you, this is just the beginning of a big adventure.”

  As Dev and Chaz walk down the airstairs, Chaz notices a very weathered De Havilland DHC-2 Beaver floatplane parked on the ramp. The large single-engine propeller plane stands tall since it is on hard ground with the landing gear extended below the pontoons. It looks even bigger given the old radial engine in the front.

  “Hey, look.” Chaz points. “That’s our floatplane. I recognize the tail number.”

  Dev is about to say something about the old floatplane’s gritty appearance. “What is that thing?”

  “It is called a De Havilland Beaver. You could land this plane in the Arctic.”

  “Looks like it already has,” Dev half jokes.

  They walk over to the floatplane and climb up on the pontoon to look inside. Dev frowns at the simplicity of the basic analog panel. “This thing actually flies?”

  “Not only that, but it lands on water,” Chaz says, quite condescendingly.

  “Oh, really?” Dev says. “Is that why they call it a floatplane, Mr. Jen?”

  Steve approaches. “Did you guys buy this?”

  “Yeah, what do you think?” Chaz says.

  “De Havilland Beaver, nice.” Steve smiles. “Wait, stay there. I’ll take a picture.”

  Dev and Chaz stand on the pontoon and pose for the photo, which Steve snaps with his iPhone. He looks at the result and nods. “Nice beaver shot,” he jokes.

  Steve and Chaz both start laughing. Dev doesn’t get it.

  Chaz tries the door to the plane, but it’s locked. “Guess we need to stop by the lawyers’ for the keys.”

  Harrison, Franz, Milo, and Jen bring down the boys’ Louis Vuitton luggage collection from the 767 and load it into the waiting car. They see the three guys at the floatplane.

  “Look over there,” Harrison says to Jen, gesturing with his head toward the floatplane.

  “Whoa.”

  “They must have bought that for you, Jen,” Harrison jokes.

  “What?” The beaver joke registers a half second later. “Oh, very funny.”

  Chaz and Dev jump down off the pontoon and continue talking with Steve.

  “Mind taking on an additional aircraft to your duties?” Chaz says.

  “Not at all,” Steve replies with a smile. “I’ll make sure she’s always in proper working order.”

  “Could definitely use a paint job,” Chaz admits.

  “I’ll take care of that,” Steve says. “What color?”

  “White is fine. Looks like that used to be a blue stripe down the side.”

  Steve nods. “She’ll look brand-new in no time, Chaz.”

  Chaz and Dev shake hands with Steve and then depart the airport. Steve and the rest of the crew continue their work postflighting the 767.

  As Dev and Chaz are driven home, they look out the windows.

  “Wow, it’s been a while since we’ve been here.”

  “It has,” Dev says.

  “I’m looking forward to a relaxing evening at home. Well, your home.”

  “My home is your home.”

  “It will be good to relax.”

  “Yeah,” Dev says. “Flying around in that jet is very stressful.”

  They start laughing.

  “I love our crew,” Chaz adds. “They’re the best.”

  “Me too,” Dev says. “Every one of them. Well, maybe not Jen.”

  Chaz jabs Dev. “Be nice.”

  “I’m joking. I actually really do like her. And I think she’ll fit in nicely.”

  “She has a tougher job than you realize. Jen’s the only female pilot on the crew. She has something to prove. Her . . . sassiness, is her way of showing the boys she can handle whatever they throw at her.”

  “I think that’s true.”

  “But she’s not going to sass you, that’s for God damn sure.”

  “Also true.”

  ***

  Chaz has the driver stop at the law firm so he can sign the paperwork and collect the two sets of keys to the floatplane. The attorneys are very excited to hear about their trip, and they take the opportunity to talk about some financial details. Chaz is certain they initiated the conversation so they could bill them both for an extra hour of consultation.

  Returning to the Gillespie building penthouse, Chaz and Dev open up all the doors to the terrace to ventilate the place with fresh air. They change into jeans and T-shirts and enjoy the solitude.

  The concierge calls on the phone a little while later. At nearly the same time, Chaz receives a text from Steve.

  “Is he still here?” Dev says into phone. “Oh, I see . . . Yes, please bring it up.” Dev hangs up the phone and approaches Chaz.

  “Steve just texted,” Chaz says. “The aircraft is secure. They’re just arriving at the W.”

  “Excellent.”

  “What do you think, give them some time off ?”

  “Yes, I think they’ve earned it.”

  “They’ve been going non stop for three weeks now.” Chaz texts a reply. “I’m telling them to take the next week off-duty to settle in. Then we get to work.”

  “Steve’s never really off-duty.”

  “I know. So does he. But that comes with the territory.”

  “We did good hiring him.”

  “For sure,” Chaz replies. “Who was that on the phone?”

  “The concierge. Apparently, we have a delivery.”

  The elevator rings. Chaz and Dev look out the open foyer doors toward the private elevator vestibule. The concierge steps out carrying a covered dish. Dev approaches and takes it from him. “Thank you.”

  “My pleasure, Mr. Caelestis.”

  The concierge steps back into the elevator and the doors close.

  “What is that?”

  Dev lifts the lid, revealing a beautiful gateau au chocolate.

  “Oh my God, that plate is from the airplane,” Chaz says, then his eyes light up. “They waited to go to the hotel until this was ready.”

  “It’s still warm.”

  “We don’t pay them enough.”

  “They didn’t do this for the pay,” Dev says. “They did it because they like us.”

  “I’ll get the forks.”

  Dev and Chaz don’t know it, but Franz actually prepared three gateaus; one for them, and two for the rest of the crew to share.

  The ‘days off’ are really just ‘days not flying,’ because there is definitely work to be done.

  Dev contacted a relocation specialist, and tasked them with finding condos for the crew. After receiving the call, Steve, like any good captain, delegated that task to Jen and Harrison, so he could focus on the airplanes.

  Steve spends most of the first days off at the airport working with executives at Jet Support, contracting services for their newest airport tenant, the enormous 767, and the floatplane. Accounts are set up, badges issued, mechanics interviewed, access list drawn up, all catering connections, airport-specific issues reviewed, and all Jet Support-related details set. Jet Support’s mechanical division is tasked with stripping and repainting Chaz’s floatplane, but the paint work can’t begin until Steve officially changes the aircraft’s registration number. Their promise of getting the job done on schedule will go a long way toward a healthy future of a company seeking to be the permanent host facility to the largest corporate jet in Atlanta.

  Harrison and Jen brought the flight attendants along to meet with the relocation specialist, who was well prepared, with several corporate housing options, in the form of rental properties, furnished and available. Three condo buildings and two houses made the list. Jen nixed the house idea outright. No one was particularly interested in that option, but Jen was the first to say it. Firmly.

  As for condo renta
ls, the group was shown the three properties; one had four units immediately available, and the others had two units apiece. The crew agreed they should stick together, and the first property is unanimously chosen for its comfort level, midtown location, and month-to-month terms. Each unit is a fully appointed condominium with two bedrooms and two and a half baths, quality furnishings, and upscale decor. Of the available floor plans, Franz had the forethought to suggest Chief Pilot Steve should get one of the larger two-bedroom units with a den so he could have a dedicated office, and enough living space to host crew meetings. The rest of the crew agreed on that point.

  Harrison called Steve with the results of the field trip. Steve, weighted down with airplane things, deferred to their judgment, the only caveat being Steve’s condo is to be readied last; he wants the rest of the crew taken care of first.

  Since the crew believes Steve would most likely cast shade on the idea he should be given a larger upper-floor condo, Harrison tactfully overrides that possibility by simply not telling him about it. The two-bedroom units in this building were more expensive than the others they looked at, but offered the most in terms of comfort and convenience by far. Franz and Milo obviously plan to share a unit, since they are married. Harrison and Annette surprised the others by taking their relatively new relationship public and moving in together. The thought is that the money being saved by needing one less condo makes up for the increased cost and Steve’s far better unit. Like most ‘secret’ and discreet relationships, everyone knew what was going on, even though they pretended not to notice.

  The relocation specialist already had Dev’s executive-level approval as head of the LLC, so now it was Harrison’s job to sign the paperwork. He annotated Steve’s request that his would be the last unit moved into. The relocation specialist might have been surprised at Steve’s edict, but the Oasis crew was not. This was just one example of Steve’s leadership style. All of the units would be professionally cleaned over the next few days, with the crew taking occupancy as the units become available. Steve’s, of course, would be reserved for last.

  ***

  Three days later, the entire crew had fully moved into their new condos, including Steve.