I bring you the latest instalment of my story, there is going to be more sex in this one and I'll answer a few of the questions that I've left open in some of the preceding chapters. I'll more than likely leave a few questions open in this one. As always, I am solely responsible for the content of this story, and any mistakes are my own. Yes, I do spend some time thinking on these before writing it down. My father told me that each story has a beginning, a middle and an end. I'm not near the end but I am in the middle someplace. Thanks for the teachings, Dad. Any resemblance to any person living or dead is purely coincidental, and if you don't like what I write please go someplace else. If you do like this story, remember to vote and follow me and leave a comment. Thank you.
I do like to be reminded that I was military all those years ago and when I could walk without pain. I wouldn't trade my time for a million dollars. Here are a few more explanations to help you understand just what the fuck I'm talking about sometimes.
I do use the NATO/Military phenetic alphabet, because some letters sound so close together that if miss understood, especially in the heat of battle could lead to a major screwup. Of course, some major screwups have led to battles being won vs. lost. So here it is.
A - Alpha, B - Bravo, C - Charley, D - Delta, E - Echo, F - Foxtrot, G - Golf, H - Hotel, I - India, J - Juliet, K - Kilo, L - Lima, M - Mike, N - November, O - Oscar, P - Papa, Q - Quebec, R - Romeo, S - Siera, T - Tango, U - Uniform, V - Victor, W - Whiskey, X - X-ray, Y - Yankee, Z - Zulu.
Military time is much easier than most make it out to be, from midnight, 0000.00 hours to noon 1200.00 hours is expressed and spoken just like normal. Up until 1200 time is spoke or written as 0400 hours or whatever time it is. After 1200 you begin to add whatever time, it is to 1200, thus 4:23 pm would be written or spoken as 1623 hours. This way of telling time has been used by the US Navy sense 1920, the US Army started using it July 01, 1942. 22 years after the Navy.
To those of us who have served, the words Military Intelligence is a contradiction in terms, especially when you've been out on a mission and what you're actually seeing barely resembles what you were told you were going to see. Now days Recon sats provide real time photos or radar pictures of a given area, vs the photo recon bird that had to fly out and back then have the photos developed and interpreted before they could be passed to those who would make the plan to brief those who would actually do the mission. While all of this was happening, your enemy has either moved your target out or more defenses into your line of travel. Either way you trip might be a bust. Strangely enough Hum Int or Human Intelligence is still some of the best intel that can be had. The human eyes and mind can see and remember things that a photo or a Sat bird just can't see, hear, smell or feel.
Date: 322410.15
Time: 1548.44
Location: Boyington Field
I pulled back on the stick and shallowed out my sink rate as I lightly touched down on 02R then took the second highspeed turn off and headed for the parking tarmac. I knew Billy would usually be waiting for me at my spot but at this moment he right behind me. I followed the yellow shirt directors. God it was good to be back after 3 and a half days of white-knuckle time with the kids during their first time landing a high-speed monster on the confines of a flight deck. I spent the majority of my time in the observation blisters watching the kids do controlled crashes and touch and goes on a carrier flight deck over and over again. Luckly, I didn't have to divert anyone back planet side or to the orbital platform because they just couldn't grease it on in and catch a wire.
The fact that it only took less than 3 and a half days to get 28 new kids' carrier qualified must have been some kind of a record, I'd have to look it up later this week. I slowed to a fast walk and popped my canopies open then my face plate. Ahhh, unrecycled air tinged with burnt JP-5 and hydraulic oil was a great way to be welcomed home. I pulled into my spot and shut Sam down, Cindy placed the ladder against Sam and scampered up to release me and Billy who was riding in the back seat. 'Sir, PO Lowe.' She said and helped me unhook then helped Billy. I bumped fist with her, which was something Billy had finally managed to teach her, now if he could just get her to call me by my call sign, I'd feel better.
Billy and I climbed down and popped open the travel pod, he pulled our bags out and sat them by Sam's nose awaiting pick up. We did a walk around looking for any damage that might have happened on our decent. 15 minutes later we didn't find any which was a good thing. I watched the rest of the flight land or park and knew that while 11 F model 2 seaters had gone up, 18 kids would be coming in by shuttle as the instructors flew the flights up and down. In a few weeks each would have his or her own fighter and AI and be doing this all over again solo. Between now and then they would be spending long hours either in the simulator or doing launches and landing here or out at Aux field Tavern, which was on the southern continent. Out there the kids could drop and fire "White and Green" ordinance without much fear of hitting anything other than the ground or the drones that were used for target practice.