"A Display of Honors"
Prologue:
Previously: In Chapter Three: "Nightmares Of A Broken Promise"
Navy Fighter Pilot, Captain Jennifer Ann Conner, while engaged in a training mission, while assigned to the Naval Air Station at Pensacola Florida, severely injured when her fighter jet, loaded with fuel and weapons, suffered multiple bird strikes and both engines failed while she was flying over the crowded Florida Navy Base. Then her jet fighter began to fall from the sky. She could have ejected like she had ordered Lt. Alice Sweet, her Weapons Officer or RIO to do and then allowed the jet to fall and possibly crash into any of the bases crowded buildings, like other pilots had in the past. Then have her fighter hit an occupied building, such as an office. Or perhaps a cluster of homes. Or as most likely in her case: the Base's crowed Elementary school on that early morning where classes had just begun.
Instead - she flew on alone - in her unpowered jet - seeking a safe place to put the fighter down even if it meant aiming her plane at a safe spot and staying with the jet to ensure the jet crashed away from anything and everyone and - losing her life in the process. The crowed area of the Navy Base offered almost no place large enough for the jet to safely crash in. Except for a span of trees just beyond the base's Elementary School. When it came time - she aimed her crippled jet downward towards the trees and when sure where her jet fighter would hit - only then she ejected at the last possible moment.
Previously:
From Chapter One: "A Gift On Christmas Eve" & Chapter Seven: "Miracles In The Storm"
The now medically retired, former Navy Fighter Pilot, Captain Jennifer Ann Conner due to the events as described in Chapter Three, had returned to her home arriving late on December 23rd. Then on Christmas Eve she learned the truth of her upbringing. She had been one of two babies discovered in some wreckage after an F-3 tornado had ravaged their home town just over four decades ago. A long search for missing children was conducted, yet those two babies had remained unnamed and unclaimed. Thus, in time, they were officially adopted by the two couples who found them on that tragic day and they were raised as cousins. Those two children were very close through out their early lives and into adulthood. And they still are.
Note: This Is A Rewritten Story - After my computer and many valuables and family treasures were stolen from my apartment while I was in the hospital recovering from surgery. BIG SIGH! Crap happens. It's how you deal with it later that shows what type of person you are. I much prefer traveling the higher road instead of stepping into the darkness of rage and hate. And let them be Judged by a Higher Power. But as always it is best to read the entire series in order.
"A Display of Honors"
"The Conner Family - Ch-09"
It was now early February and medically Retired Navy Captain Jennifer Ann Conner, with the aid of her cane, stood with her best friend and fiance, Kenneth. Though she had been medically discharged she could, like any Veteran, still wear her old uniform with her service ribbons and medals at ceremonies and at other certain occasions. Like today. And today it was expected of her to be in her full uniform.
She currently wore her blue winter uniform with her awards and service ribbons displayed and the gold shoulder boards and arm bands of the rank Captain. She was standing, with the assistance of her cane, in the semi-darkness at the left side of the stage behind the side curtains.
Beside her, holding her left hand stood Ken, her life long best friend, whom she was raised with as her cousin and now he was her soon to be future husband.
She was still amazed that even though they had known each other all their lives, unlike other men, he still looked beyond the scars, injuries and burns that she had received only last year. Not very far from this school. And without hesitation, he held her left hand with her three missing fingers. He only saw the person - his cousin - the friend - that he had grown up with.
She could hear the not so soft murmurs of voices coming from the members of the audience. Earlier she had sneaked a peek to see the crowd and had discovered that the auditorium was filled to capacity. Even the balcony was full. And she had spotted Her Mom and Dad sitting in their reserved seats in the front row. Behind them in the second row were Ken's Mom and his sisters Susan and Pam with their husbands and children. With them in the second row was her brother Brian and Heather and her son. Also in the second row was Emma Harris and her twin daughters Tabitha and Samantha.
Jen was pleased that the Navy had allowed her to include Emma and her girls on her 'guest list.' The Conners all knew that her husband James, a Major in the Marines, was currently deployed over seas. Emma had been like another one of her cousins or a sister to Ken growing up with his family after her parents had been killed. And whenever the Conner girls got together, Emma, without hesitation, had always been included.
She smiled. The response she had received by email was 'Absolutely! - Major James Harris is a good Marine. His family is more than welcomed.' A letter arrived a few days later confirming the Admiral's permission.
When she told Emma she had given her a copy of the Admiral's letter and email. She sighed. Ken made copies for everyone in the family.
Jen smiled. Emma, James and their twins were family. And James, was a long time friend of Ken. And Emma was a friend of Pam's since kindergarten. And they and their twin daughters, Samantha and Tabitha had always been considered part of the Conner's extended family.
She closed her eyes. The entire family was here except for Emma's husband James, a Marine Major currently on duty in his current deployment aboard a Navy Aircraft Carrier in the Mediterranean. She knew, that as the Senior Marine aboard, he would be in charge of ship security and in over all command of any precision assaults the Marines would be required to conduct.
She took a breath and sighed in remembrance. She had flown enough air support missions to know what was involved in those types of 'boots on the ground' operations James and his Marines would be involved in. Now they had all learned that he had been rescheduled to be the Base Commander at another location in Afghanistan. His rotation for leave at home had been canceled.
What now surprised her was the three television crews that were set up in the rear of the auditorium. She had expected the students and their parents but not the local news crews to be present. She focused a little more on the TV crews.
At one camera she saw that there were three individuals in the blue uniforms of the Navy. She sighed shaking her head. Crap, she thought: Now she was going to be on the Navy News.
She then chuckled. James would most likely see this aboard ship on the daily Navy News Program.
Then Jen had a sudden idea. Maybe she could get Emma and the twins all up on stage. And let them say 'Hi' to their Dad.
Jen had also noted that there were a pair of empty, reserved seats next to her parents. She had no idea who they were for.
She took a deep breath and sighed again. She had thought this was going to be more of a 'Meet & Greet' rather than a full scale - on stage - presentation.
The Navy had provided them transportation down to Florida on a military transport. And it was a bumpy ride - but the kids all thought it was fun. She smiled. The idea of them flying on a Navy plane. And the children, one at a time, all got a chance to go up to the flight-deck for a bit. Which had made the flight even more exciting for them. Even the adults had a chance to visit the control-deck.
During the flight, the pilot, a Captain Tom Armstrong, he had quickly informed her that he was not related to the Astronaut. He had even allowed her to take the co-pilot's position for while. He even let her 'fly' the transport for a few minutes. They had talked about the differences of long distance cargo hauls and jet fighters and the required precision of a full power landing on the limited space of an aircraft carrier's flight deck.
