12533/Two Birds in Hand

Two Birds in Hand
Date of Scene:	07 December 2020
Location:	JFK International Airport
Synopsis:	Dinah hires a pilot for her band
Cast of Characters:	Black Canary, Lady Blackhawk

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Black Canary has posed:
The issue with a tour is....getting from A to B. That's the pickle Dinah's in right now, as DD.

Plane went and got moved on her. It went to Denver. She's stuck here at JFK without a plane or pilot. Never fly commercial, but the record execs are too cheap to hire a jet. Dinah's playing cards with her band as she waits, and slaps down a five of hearts, with a cant of her head to Paloma Terrific. "Your move" she nods, and grins to Ditto. "Three on one. C'mon Lord Byron. ^You were saying you're good at gin rummy"

Her phone's on her thigh and she's glancing down to it with a sigh. Come on, plane, pilot, and...things. Dinah looks like an every day traveller, really. Not a famous rock star.

Instead, she's, well, she's irritated, waiting, and really sick of sitting here. Okay the cards and company are helping a bit, but the zeta beams, and the planes are pissing her off, because no, this Canary can't just bust out the cage and and fly off.

Down goes a two of spades, and Dinah mutters a few choice words. "Come on, come on" she says. "I swear, if our luggage is in Devner I will march up to their offices and talk with them"

Lady Blackhawk has posed:
JFK is a busy place, no matter what terminal you're in. She may not realize it, but others were aware of her plight and have already called in reinforcements. The 'others' meaning connections that were not from the rock-star part of her life.

A blonde approaches wearing a curious outfit. A black double-breasted jacket, pleated skirt that's way too short for a school dress code, and black go-go boots. Yes, go-go boots. A Captain's hat is perched on yellow, curly locks, and the white gloves could make her a limo driver. There's a logo on the cap as well, a black bird's head in a yellow circle.

Zinda got the call from a mutual friend not long ago, mostly because she was already in New York. Booted feet click-click-click on the tiles as she marches right up. "Miss Dinah Lance?" Her accent is thick, straight out of Georgia. "Ah'm yer ride. Y'all get yer gear an' follow me. Plane's a waitin'."

Black Canary has posed:
"You heard" Dinah says, "Pack it up guys, we can play on the plane, It's waiting. So you're not some dyded in the wool by the book private jet pilot huh?" Dinah jokes and smiles, "DD" she says using her stage name. "That's my name. Not other things" she says with a glance around the corner they were in and terminal, as Dinah hops to her feet.

Whoever called it in? Dinah's totally anonymously sending them tickets. "So, you are?

Dinah's Canadian, not American, but hey, she's toured, she's sung, and she knows musiccians. So the accent's not a shock. Not too far from Nashville, relatively speaking, same general area.

Kinda. Sorta. Dinah introduces her fellow passengers, in a whisper. No need to get mobbed.
$R"Lord Byron, Paloma Terrific and Ditto, and I. Points if you know hwo we are" she whispers, and points too for 'my passengers' as a response. Dinah's half expecting that really.

Lady Blackhawk has posed:
Zinda's gaze stays fixed on Dinah's eyes at the introductions, and she reaches up to tip her hat with a wide, southern smile. "Zinda Blake... THE Lady Blackhawk if yer a history buff. Seems we got a mutual friend in Gotham." Wink.

As the others are introduced, Zinda gives each one a nod in turn. Keeping her voice down, which takes some effort, Zinda offers. "Ain't y'all some sorta singin' group? Details weren't real clear on the call, 'cept that you were sorta stranded."

The pilot looks around for a bag to help with. She's not shy, and certainly not afraid of carrying her share.

"Follow me. We need to get to the -private- concourse."

Black Canary has posed:
"Yep" Dinah grins, "We are, so we got our luggage"

Which wasn't halfway in the Rockies. It's here, Dinah and co were using it to play cards on. Guitar cases are good for that, as Dinah shrugs. "Take your pick of things" Dinah nods, gesturing to the makeshift table. "We'll folow your lead"

Dinah leans on a wall and smiles. "So, was it a friend of mine who let you know I was stranded?" she asks with her mind already churning as to just who let it slip she was stranded. Gotham, huh? Babs is going to get a hey, you got me out of a bind from Dinah.

2That Lady Blackhawk?" Dinah grins, Oh, meeting two interesting people in a month. First Willow. Now Zinda. Hey, why not. Life's good or her as Dinah has no hat to tip. She does though fall in step with Zinda.

Lady Blackhawk has posed:
For her part, Zinda finds something with a shoulder strap and something with a handle before heading off down the concourse. "Yeah, Ah'm THAT Lady Blackhawk alright, sugah." she quips back with a grin. As the small procession heads towards a less-used part of the airport, Zinda glances over at the other blonde. "Double D? Would've never guessed." Deadpan.

Zinda flashes a badge to get them onto a ramp that leads directly down to a tarmac, where a cute little private jet is waiting. It's also black, and the logo on the tail matches her jacket and cap.

"An' jus' so ya' know, Ah ain't never been confused with a 'by the book' pilot." Not since stealing that ME-109 back in the day. "Ah do sorta fly nice an' smooth when Ah got passengers, though. Jus' nicer that way. Let's get yer gear stowed."

There's a military-looking man standing by the plane. He opens the door and lowers the stairs when they approach. "Thanks, Charlie" Zinda offers.

Black Canary has posed:
Well that settles that then. Dinah can't help but laugh, in a good natured way. "So you're a do loops and make the flight fun sorta pilot?" she wonders, giving her bandmates a look. "See, see" Dinah observes and trails after Zinda.

Nodding to Charlie, Dinah pokes her head inside the plane, "Alright, let's get on our way. You need me to sit in the right seat and do anything?" Dinah offers. Yeah, she's a pilot..kinda revealed that one. Oops.

Dinah waits, more to be directed where to go. Not that she'd trust her bandmates to fly, or talk to the airport, really. Kennedy ground got enough on their plates.

"Buckle in, guys" Dinah calls, and does a quick headcount. Everyone's aboard. All the luggage is there, too. All looks good to Dinah.

Lady Blackhawk has posed:
Again with that infectious smile. Zinda hands the bags that she's carrying to Charlie, who takes custody of anything the band doesn't want to carry on themselves. Charlie is a big guy... looks like a former Marine, with the haircut... and things get stowed in pretty good order.

"Sure thing, sugah. Strap in, an' don't touch nothin' while I run mah pre-flight."

It doesn't take long before Captain Blake closes the door and climbs into the pilot's seat. The cap gets hung on a hook, and once the second engine fires up she pushes the 'Seatbelts' button.

In a proper radio voice, she speaks to the tower. "Kennedy Tower, this is Bravo Oscar Papa five, zero, niner requesting takeoff clearance. Over?" While she waits on clearance, Zinda flashes her copilot another grin. "Miss Gordon said somethin' 'bout you bein' a pilot." she offers in a low voice. "Better strap in, Miss Double-D, an' hang on. She ain't an F-15, but this lil' gal' can move when she needs to."

Clearance is granted, and Zinda taxis out.

Black Canary has posed:
Right seat sat in, strapped in, and keeping her mouth shut, Dinah just grins and plants her feet on the floor. No sense in kicking the rudder and making a hard left towards MSG. That's where their tour ends. In...ah whenever her record company remind them of that one. Dinah just sits back and grins, watching Zinda. Pilots recognize the little tells and subtleties and Dinah's impressed, "I'll just relax herejust tell me what needs doing and I'll do it" she offers. See, she's part of a team up here on the flight deck.

And she's gazing out the winddshield and nodding appreciatively too. Listening in on the tower and Zinda's comms, Dinah smiles, glancing over her shoulder and waits for a moment to talk. "Babs is right. Got my license and I can fly most things"

Of course, if anyone looked into her...wel...that'd show the breadth of what she can fly.

Dinah folds her hands in her lap, waiting.

She's waiting to ask questions. Like, hey, you're a good pilot, what's the deal, what's up with Charlie, and you want to fly us around for the rest of our tour? All good questions,

Lady Blackhawk has posed:
Zinda's hands work on automatic while she carries on banter with the tower. Yeah, she's definitely done this before and she knows this plane very well. Running the taxiway is second nature to Zinda, and once they get clearance she keys the intercom mic.

"We're next, so y'all hang on back there. We got a seven-four-seven behind us who's sorta in a hurry..."

The little jet makes the turn onto the runway and Zinda doesn't hesitate. Throttles forward, the jet accelerates quickly and she keeps accelerating while the gear raises.

It's a fast climb, definitely not like a civilian airliner. Zinda flies with one hand on the yoke and the other on the throttles like a combat pilot. Once clear of Kennedy air space, she offers. "You wanna bring us around to course two-nine-oh? Jus' level 'er off at Angels 10."

Black Canary has posed:
"Angels 10, course two niner zero" Dinah confirms and nods, "You do the throttles, I'll point the nose" she grins, resting her feet on the pedals. All planes are, fundementally, the same, fly with stick and rudder.
$RDinah begins a slow, gentle turn then smiles to herself, and tightens the turn, bringing the nose up, and kicking the tail out just a little. "Keep the speed up" Dinah nods, "I got this, if I overdo it, grab the yoke"

True, but Dinah's flown things from military to civilian to Alpha Flight's stuff, and pulling a 40 degree banked turn with the nose reaching for the heavens is simple enough for her. Spying the altitude she laughs.

"Can we go straight up in this thing?" Dinah calls, though she's only half joking. "Full power, I'm gonnna get us up to ten and sit up there"

And....once on course, back comes the yoke as Dinah's gunning for ten thousand as fast as possible? Speed limitations? Yeah, no. Not when flying with Zinda. Dinah adjusts the nose a little keeping it in a steady, if....somewhat rapid climb and hunches her shoulders a tiny bit, staring out the windshield. Dinah's enjoying this too much.
#-1 ARGUMENT OUT OF RANGELevelling the climb off just a bit, Dinah's gonna hear it from her band, but...nobody in the back's puked yet.So Dinah's not flying that badly. Stil though she grins, she could show off, but that climb to ten, nah...

Fine. One, one showy maneuver, just one...as Dinah is considering which to do. She's not sure this thing will like loops or aieleron rolls any. And Dinah likes living too much to end up in the ground in a crater thanks, so she's saving her hot dogging for another chance. Like impersonating an F-15 from climbout to ten thousand wasn't showy enough, Dinah?

Lady Blackhawk has posed:
Zinda watches the instruments as Dinah takes over the yoke and rudder, keeping her hand on the throttles. "Yer doin' jus' fine, sugah." she replies. "But she ain't a combat bird. You wanna fly one of THOSE, Ah ken' set you up for another time." Dinah angles the nose up and Zinda eases the throttles forward so the little jet doesn't stall. It may not be a combat jet, but it's fast and nimble all the same.

"Ah cut mah teeth on piston-engine racers, back in th' day. Got mah first taste of combat in a stolen '109. An' before y'all ask about how Ah was in the Big War AND still lookin' this good, all Ah know is that it was some sorta time jump."

"So how's a rock star get to be a combat-rated pilot?"

Black Canary has posed:
"Not just a rock star" Dinah admits with a grin. "Your plane" she adds with a nod, her Canadian accent coming out now, "Knowing the right people" she admits. Which is as close to saying to Zinda, hey, I'm in Alpha Flight, as she can say. Which is good, and Dinah listens, "Ah, so you're a good pilot, good to know" she nods and settles back again. Zinda's plane, Dinah's just gonna sit back, relax and enjoy the flight. And yes, her seat is in the upright position.

See. Dinah's following the safety rules. Kind of. If her get the hell away from JFK trick was looked over...

So she nods, "I've flown a lot of things, I know how to fly a lot of plane types, yours is a fun one. If I want a go in a military jet I just talk to the right folks"

Lady Blackhawk has posed:
Lady Blackhawk takes over the flight yoke, and after the plane is level and on course she sets the autopilot. She handles it with all the casual expertise of a commercial pilot, but there's a sparkle in those blue eyes. "Oh honey, Ah got a LOT more exciting birds back home than this one. Vintage birds... Mustang, Corsair, even a Messerschmidt for ol' time's sake. An' some newer jets."

Does Zinda get the Alpha Flight reference? Well she may -seem- pretty clueless, but Dinah is met by a knowing smile.

"Ah've flown a few rides in combat jets, mahself. After Ah jus' came back all of a sudden, everybody was trippin' over themselves to be nice to me. So Ah'm checked out in most Air Force birds that ain't classified. Officially speakin'."

"You lose your tour plane, then? What's up with that?"

Black Canary has posed:
Dinah sighs, "Airline shifted the plane we were gonna use and sent it from JFK to Denver, thankfully our luggage wasn't on it. So instead of a nice 73 ride, we get a nicer ride, and poor souls get to enjoy airline food." Dinah shrugs and shakes her head, "Never fly commercial, company decided hey, not gonna pay for a jet, Ashes on Sunday get to fly first class. Yeah see how that worked out? Ah I'm in the same boat. Right people, right connections" she grins. "You know Babs, huh? Wait, you're that Zinda? You missed Thanksgiving, Babs put on a feast, fun times" Dinah nods keenly, one ey on the instruments.

Lady Blackhawk has posed:
With the autopilot engaged, Zinda can focus more on her copilot. "Ashes on Sunday, hmm? Ah think Miss Babs set mah ringtone to one of yer songs." She laughs softly, nodding. "An' yeah, Ah'm THAT Zinda. Ah got stuck in Sheboygan with engine trouble fer Thanksgiving."

Unbuckling, she half-turns towards Dinah, then. "Tell you what, sis. If y'all need transport for yer tour, just look no further than Blackhawk Air. Ah'll donate the jet an' mah time. We'll figure out somethin' for th' fuel."

Black Canary has posed:
Dinah grins. "And for that, Blackhawk Air, you'll get VIP all areas passes. Just don't touch the guitars" she advises and grins. "Hey, I'm not that bad of a flyer. Nobody's puked in the back yet, so I'm not that reckless. So" Dinah says with a glint in her eye. "You get all access passes for the tour, and you may well get a call when we need flying. Official airline that carries Ashes on Sunday. Has a ring to it doesn't it?" Dinah grins and tilts her head a litle. "No, I don't have the tickets on me. They're in the luggage, and no, you're not allowed to dig through it. Hey, Paloma, you got your stack of VIP tickets?" she grins and sighs. "Hey. You weren't stuck in Jersey. Take the consolation that you had engine trouble, but you weren't in Jersey so..." Dinah giggles, and groans.

"Such a Babs thing to do. I need to talk to her before she finds her way into my phone and messes with my ringtone too. I'd tell her not to. But she'd just see it as a challenge no doubt. Because...why not. That's like telling me not to play guitar"

Lady Blackhawk has posed:
Lady Blackhawk sits back in the pilot's seat, tossing her head back in a hearty laugh. "VIP passes? Y'all got yerself a deal, sis. An' Ah trust you, so there's no rush to spit out tickets right now. Us blondes gotta stick together, after all." Her voice lowers a bit, then. "Also gives us an excuse to hang around together a bit. Y'know, in case one of them 'missions' come up mysteriously..." She even adds an eye-shift that's not entirely theatrical.

Zinda's upper lip twitches at the mention of Babs and she keeps her voice low. "Yeah, Ah'm still figurin' out how to do more than call people on that souped-up thing she gave me called a 'phone'. Got mah... survival gear'... in th' hold. So Ah'm all set."

Black Canary has posed:
"Oh hell yeah" Dinah nods keenly and grins. "We blonds stick together. Like, birds. Birds of a feather" she adds. Or, of Prey, too. Hopefully Zinda will catch on.
F
"You get your tickets when we land, and we can get to the hold. And just for the record. I know this is on the CVR. Jet engines are not giant shredders" she jokes and nods, keeping an eye on the instruments. "Seriously. Knew a guy who had his forms all written up to be a captain for a big airline. He left the papers in the engine shed, and they were doing a test run up. He never did get hired" Dinah nods keenly, trying not to laugh at the misfortune of jet engine vs several bits of job security.

Lady Blackhawk has posed:
Zinda nods vigorously to that. Yeah, she definitely gets it, alright. "Oh yeah, sis. Gotcha." Wink. "An' if that fella couldn't keep track of his papers, maybe it was all fer the best, anyway." She shrugs, then. "Not that Ah'm necessarily one to dot all the I's an' cross th' T's. Hell, Ah flew all through the war with a pilot's license under an assumed name. Wasn't legal until Ah went through the time shift."

Black Canary has posed:
Yeah but you don't use your plane as a paper shredder. And you let me fly it, So" Dinah grins. "As for that thing Babs calls a phone, I have the problem of I touch it and I've told it to do fifty things and have no idea what I'm doing. I think we gotta sit down with her and ask, right?" Dinah shrugs, pulling her feet back as she nods sagely. "See. Flying's elaxing. Sorry guys, no meal service. Hope you brought snacks."

Lady Blackhawk has posed:
"Well Ah ain't gonna leave the cockpit to go an' make up a sweet potato casserole. But Ah'm a pretty damn good cook, if Ah say so mahself." She flashes a grin at Dinah and even finger-guns, then. "Breakfast has sorta become mah specialty, if ya know what Ah mean. Who says bachelors can't cook, anyway?"

Black Canary has posed:
"If you got a kitchen good enough to make that somewhere on this plane. Sure, I'm not quite sure you can put a grill on my seat and cook like that, but..." Dinah shrugs keeping an eye on Zinda, then one on the instruments as they fly on. "So, breakfast's a specialty? Alright, fine. Beats eggs and toast any day, though I was going to sit with my band for a while mind, but I'll come back once they are setttled. Well. More settled.