Quiet

Date/Timing: 19-20 January 2019
Setting: a helicopter, a private plane, the Sydney airport, another helicopter, the Sydney Shatterdome
Notes: Incorporates "Not My Problem" and "Whiskey"
.
Less than a half-kilometer from the helipad—
/BOOM
Fei Yen presses her face to the helicopter window.
The second officer twists around. 「Uh, ma'am—」
「Not my problem.」 Li-hua settles back in her seat, adjusts her pillow, and closes her eyes. 
Nang says, 「Aren't we in the air for only five minutes—」
「Hush,」 says Li-hua. 
「Sparklies!」 squeaks Fei Yen. 
「Oh, Heaven,」 Husband gathers her close—
The helicopter makes a quick turn. 
「/Daddy!」 
「Disney's launching fireworks.」 
Fei Yen squirms free. 「/Sparklies!」 
Li-hua fluffs her pillow. 「I've always wanted to ignore an impending disaster.」
The helicopter lights up green, pink, and blue. 
「Sorry to interrupt, Marshal,」 says the pilot, 「but we're beginning our descent into the airport. Safety belts on please, everyone.」
「Thank you, Officer.」 Li-hua hands her pillow to Nang and Nang tucks it into The Abyss. 
Husband gathers Fei Yen—
「/Dad-/dy!」 
「We're about to get on a new plane,」 he says. 
「But sparklies!」 
「You'll get a better view of the fireworks from the new plane.」 
Fei Yen scowls anyway. 
The helicopter lands without incident, hardly twenty meters from the private jet. 
Nang hops down first. 
Husband hands down Fei Yen who wiggles about and cranes her neck for a better view of the sky as he disembarks with a hand from the pilot. 
They nearly lose Fei Yen as Nang settles her back with Husband when she almost lunges from their arms, pointing heavenward. 「Purple sparkly!」 
「It's a lovely purple,」 agrees Li-hua. 
「This way, please,」 says an air marshaller. 
They follow them to the jet. 
Fei Yen throws herself excitedly in the direction of more fireworks—
The first officer says to Husband and Fei Yen, 「If you two would like to continue watching from the tarmac—」 
「Yes yes yes!」 
「—we won't be able to take off unless Disney stops.」 To Li-hua, 「Ma'am, would you ask Disney to put the show on hold for a few minutes?」 
「You'll have to speak with Marshal Nguyen,」 says Li-hua, climbing the stairs. 
Nang follows. 「Ma'am, I don't think the Nguyens have made it to the office yet.」
「They can deal with it themselves.」 Li-hua settles in her seat. 
Nang sits across the aisle, hands folded tightly. 
「I just signed away my authority over the area.」 
Nang, although pained, smiles. 「You have a very good point, Marshal.」 Stands. 「If you would excuse me.」 
「If you help them, Nang, we will have words.」 
Nang, near the back of the plane, waves around their mobile—"Hey, Chantell!" 
Li-hua grumbles to herself. 
"Yea, pretty, isn't it? So, we can't take off until it stops which, from previous experience, won't be until one party runs out of ammo or midnight rolls around." 
Li-hua has never loathed public decency laws before this day.
Nang's voice colours with a laugh. "Thank heavens for public decency laws, right? You have a sticky note nearby? I'll give you my guy's number—of course you have sticky notes, I'm teasing." 
Li-hua won't regret not sending 'Nang's guy' off on vacation before they left; that would have been cruel.
"You've got it? Great! "So yea, just give them a call, tell them you're the equerry for the week and that the Marshal and I would like to get going; that should take care of the light show." Nang laughs. "You're /very welcome. Bye!" Disconnects, exhales. 
Li-hua retrieves her pillow from The Abyss, tucks it behind her head.
Nang pads back, sits.
Li-hua side eyes. 
Nang shrugs helplessly. 「I didn't feel like hanging around in a plane for three hours.」 Glances around. 「Albeit a very nice plane.」 
「You will have committed the Shed's tier two staff to memory before arrival?」 
「Of course, ma'am—」
「「Daddy, there are no more sparklies?」」
Nang cheers weakly, 「Yay, Chantell!」 Grins. 「They'll have a /wonderful first full day.」
The second officer lets themselves into the cabin from the flightdeck. 「We should have clearance to take off soon, ma'am.」 
「Thank you, Officer,」 replies Li-hua.
They call down the stairs, 「Sir?」
「「We're coming!」」 calls Husband. 
「「Daddy!」」 scolds Fei Yen. 「「Sparklies!」」 
Nang leans back. 「And we're quickly reminded that it's two hours past Fei Yen's bedtime.」 
「「—getting on the plane now, love.」」 
「「Daddy, no! Dad-dy! DADDY!」」
Husband ducks into the plane—
Fei Yen starts to cry. 
—one hand cradling her head. 
She sobs, reaching for the door. 
""The snow glows white on the mountain tonight~""
The second officer smiles apologetically, starts on detaching the stairs—
""—to be seeeeen~""
Fei Yen wails.
""A kingdom of isolation~""
「Is that "Let It Go"?」 asks Husband, settling her in her carseat. 
""—like I'm the queen~""
Nang sighs, 「I believe it is.」
""Couldn't keep it in, heaven knows I try—""
The door /thumps closed. 
Li-hua chuckles.
The pitch of the engines rises and the plane rolls forward.
Fei Yen glowers, red-faced and wet-eyed. 
「「We'll be taking off momentarily. Seatbelts, please.」」
Husband double checks the carseat. 
Fei Yen scowls—
「You can see the sky out your window,」 says Li-hua—
Fei Yen presses her face as close to the window as she can. 
The plane comes to a stop—
「More planes!」 squeaks Fei Yen. 
「This is a regular traffic jam,」 says Nang. 
「The airport manager must be thrilled,」 says Li-hua. 
Husband snorts—
The engine revs and, in moments, they're in the air, taking a wide turn to reach the proper vector. 
Nang touches Li-hua's arm. 「You may want to look out the window.」
Li-hua shades the glass, peers out. 
Nothing but Hong Kong at night—
A flash of light from Disney—a bloom of gold—
- 「FARE WELL XIONG !!!」 -
「Daddy! Look! It's /Typhoon!」 squeals Fei Yen.
「Oh dear.」
Li-hua sits back, smiling to herself, fluffs her pillow, and settles down for her first good sleep in four years.
.
Nang squeezes her wrist. 「Sorry to wake you, ma'am, but we're about five minutes from the airport and landing.」
「Thank you, Nang.」
「Good morning, Mummy!」
「Good morning, Nuji. Did you sleep well?」
「Mmm!」 Fei Yen reglues her face to the window. 「That's Sydney?」
「Yes, it is.」
「Pretty!」
Nang tucks snacks and storybooks into The Abyss.
「There are Triplets in Sydney?」
「Yes, there are Rangers for you to play with.」
「Triplets!」 Fei Yen claps and bounces.
Li-hua smiles, fastens her seatbelt while her husband manages her darling.
The plane sets down with a gentle bump, taxis to an out-of-the-way corner of the airport.
The second officer opens the door, lowers the stairs, and leads the way to the tarmac; the pilot takes up the rearguard. It's a short walk to the waiting PPDC helicopter.
""Marshal Xiong!""
Li-hua slows, glances over, pointedly does not stop.
"Petra Morrow-Cross, /Guardian Australia."
"Good morning, Mx."
"What brings you to Sydney, Marshal?"
"A brief change of scenery. We like to keep ourselves fresh." 
"How long will you be staying?"
"Until Marshal Nguyen feels it's time to return to his roots."
"What does—?"
Li-hua inclines her head toward the helicopter. "If you'll excuse me."
""Wait! What does that—?""
Helicopter engines wipe away the rest of the reporter's words.
Li-hua smiles to herself as she climbs aboard and claims her seat.
「This part of town hasn't changed much since last time,」 observes Nang, looking out the window as the helicopter gains altitude.
「That's because most of the region's construction capacity is going to build Temporary Zealand,」 says Husband.
「Moving more than four million people in three years,」 murmurs Nang. 「Even /I don't want to touch those logistics.」
Fei Yen furrows her brow. 「They're moving?」
「Because the people in charge of their country think they'll be safer living in a new place.」
「But, Jaegers?」
「New Zealand can't afford a Jaeger of its own and the Australians might not always arrive in time to protect them.」
Fei Yen crosses her arms. 「Everyone should have Jaegers.」
Li-hua smiles. 「If only more important people agreed with you, Nuji.」
「They should listen to you, Mummy.」
「Some of them still do.」
「Good.」
""We'll be touching down in a moment, Marshal,"" announces the second officer.
And so they do.
Officer du Croz, waiting just outside the rotor wash, bows, greets, "Good morning, Marshal." To Nang: "Officer." To Husband: "Sir." To Fei Yen. "Miss." A beat and a grin. To Yutu: "Bunny."
Fei Yen beams.
"Welcome to Sydney."
"Good morning, Officer, and thank you," Li-hua replies. "I wasn't expecting you to be the one to welcome us."
"I pulled age on our ADC."
Li-hua snorts.
Husband stops beside her, resettles Fei Yen on his hip. "I hear congratulations are in order."
du Croz chuckles. "Little Eleanor finally made her debut. I have pictures—" Pulls his mobile—
"We should wait until we are in a less breezy place, Officer."
du Croz snaps straight. "Of course, ma'am. Follow me, please, and I'll show you to your accommodations."
"If you would, I would rather head directly to my temporary offices."
"Certainly, ma'am. Right this way."
"Thank you."
He ushers them inside and they stroll across the 'Dome.
「It's remarkably quiet,」 remarks Nang.
「There is a distinct lack of triplets,」 Li-hua replies dryly.
「But you said Triplets!」 whines Fei Yen.
「There are Rangers, sweetheart, but none of them are triplets.」
「They'll still play?」
「I'm sure they will, Nuji,」 says Li-hua with what is almost a smile.
Fei Yen, reassured, cheers.
They travel in silence for a while.
["Just through here, ma'am." du Croz indicates a door. "Mr Xiong, Mx Xiong, Bunny, if you'll wait here a moment, I'll escort you to your quarters shortly." 
"Excellent plan," says Husband. 
"Bai bai," adds Daughter. 
du Croz smiles, presents a warmly decorated space. "Officer Lo, this will be your desk—"]
Nang casts a critical eye over the space before assuming Chantell's seat.
"—and your office is through here, Marshal."
"Thank you, Officer." Li-hua steps past du Croz, around the neatly kept desk, and sits {down behind it}.
"All the regularly tools should be where you expect them," says du Croz. "There's also a bottle of whiskey behind the dictionaries—specifically the /Macquarie—if you should feel the need. Thomas asked me to convey you are to help yourself."
"Thank you, Officer—" Li-hua settles a little lower in Thomas's chair, a glint in her eye. "—but I doubt I shall be needing it."
du Croz shifts, clears his throat. "Well, then, I'll stop wasting your time, Marshal."
"It's been a pleasure, Officer."
du Croz bobs his head, glides through a turn, and exits.
Li-hua leans back in her seat and basks in the quiet.
Category:Ficlet
Category:Skeleton Key
Category:Cultural Exchange
Category:Xiong
Category:Xiong's POV
Category:Xiong (ficlet)
Category:PPDC staff
Category:Fei Yen
Category:Fei Yen (ficlet)
Category:Mr Xiong
Category:Mr Xiong (ficlet)
Category:Nang
Category:Nang (ficlet)
Category:Du Croz
Category:Du Croz (ficlet)
Category:Nguyen (mention)
Category:Sydney Shatterdome (setting)
Category:Chantell (mention)
Category:Wei triplets (mention)
Category:Ficlets with images
Category:HK Dome vs Disney
Category:Fei Yen is a toddler
Category:Ficlets with merges
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