Artificial Horizon - A César Fernando Basa x Reader story

III - Magnetic Bearing

The angle measured in a clockwise direction of a distant point, relative to magnetic north.

* * *

It is true that I am part of the PR Team of the company, a small department which isn't the main income generator but plays the role of ensuring that we're marketing better than the others so that passengers will choose our airlines among others. Hence, one may say that I shall not have any close interactions with the frontliners of our industry—which are the flight and cabin crews of every flight. In the contrary, it isn't the case. Our paths still cross one way or another in the confines of our offices than in our income-generating aircraft.

Long story short, I know much of the flight and cabin crew. Not much to be friends with them, but enough to be acquaintances than mere strangers. And at the very bottom of the list of the least interaction I have had been with the elusive Elian, despite knowing him in college as a senior; I have much more personal connections with the likes of Captain Antonio Mondigo and Captain Geronimo Aclan, who, like Elian, are on the roads to be promoted to the left seat with more hours garnered in their flight log.

Just as how Elian appears here in this strange dreamscape of mine as a man named César, here they are as well, with me wondering what will be different about them. Because, by the physical aspect, it is truly the two of them here—the foreign-looking Antonio Mondigo and the stern-looking Geronimo Aclan. The first thing that I hint different out of them are their uniforms in contrast to the pilot's uniform I usually see them in.

"Good morning, (Y/N)," both of them greet in unison, and in my surprise, all I manage to do is nod in return before drawing closer to where they are, and fix my shawl around my shoulders and frame.

"Ang tahimik mo yata ngayon," Antonio comments, causing me to flinch a little if my action is truly strange when this is all just part of a conjured dream. I'll even counter that it is them who are acting weird! He chuckles lightly. "Anong ginawa sa iyo ni César para—Aray!"

Geronimo pinches him by the arm, causing him to interrupt himself before being able to finish what he is to say. I didn't need to hear the rest as I already have a good grasp of the situation enough to embarrass me. Through gritted teeth, he whispers to the other, "'Wag ka talaga maghanap ng damay, o madadamay ako sa kung ano ang gagawin sa 'yo ni César."

I turn my attention to where César is seated across from them, and for some reasons, I can easily read his expression of a suppressed smile clearly thinking what he'll certainly be doing to punish his friends for whatever inappropriate words they seem to be exploiting at concerning me. And before it can get awkward, I am quick to ask, "Uhm, nakapag-almusal na ba kayo? O gusto niyo ng maiinom? César, bakit hindi mo naman inalok sila?"

César then looks at me, reaches out to hold my hand and explains with a smile, "Paalis na rin—"

"—kami," Geronimo adds. "Inuna na naming daanan si César dahil kailangan namin siya para mailayo ulit si Manuel sa asawa niya."

"Kakabalik pa lamang natin tapos—"

"Alam mo naman na sinasabi lang nilang bakasyon ito pagkatapos ng tatlong buwan nating destino sa Lahug, pero sa totoo lang ay pinatawag tayo para naman madestino rito sa Maynila."

Antonio turns to Geronimo with a slight frown. "Tapos inuna mo talaga akong puntahan kaysa kay César o kay Manuel, ano?"

"Hindi ako nagkamali na mas madali kang hatakin kaya inuna kitang puntahan," explains the other.

César's thumb lightly skims my knuckles. I can feel his curiosity and at the same time, underlying fear about what this 'recall' will actually mean. At that, I hold on to his hand, squeezing lightly and take the vacant seat next to him. He breathes in and out slowly before finally asking, "Sino ang nagpatawag ngayon?"