Scout Force (46 page)

      
The crew chief came over with the personnel ladder and helped Kelly and Major Brown get unhooked from the fighter.
 
They dropped down from the fighter and walked into the squadron equipment room.
 
Janey and her flight were lined up inside the door on their knees and bowing for him, “Oh mighty ex-fighter pilot, we bow and scrape before you.”

      
Kelly helped them up off the floor and laughed with them, saying, “I guess some folks owe me a beer or four.”

      
LTC Matthews entered the room and said, “A beer or five, I believe.”

      
Major Brown piped up, “A beer or six, that was one hell of a ride I went on.”

      
LTC Matthews said, “Kelly, get your captain and meet us at the Officers Club tonight about 1900.
 
We’ll celebrate the successful test and bid farewell to Antares.
 
We’ll need to leave in two days for Tau Ceti if we are going to beat the Bolivar back.
 
It’ll be good to knock back a few and swap space stories.”

      
Kelly looked around at the warmth in the faces and said he would ask the captain.

      
Kelly changed out of his flight gear and headed for the Vigilant.
 
Angie caught up with him.
 
“Hey guy, that was some fantastic flying today.
 
If you could have stayed in the Fighter Force, I think you would have been a major force in fighter tactics.
 
Your off-axis tactics are so hard to defend against.
 
I recorded all your engagements and have been studying them.
 
I’m not as good as you, but I’m practicing.”

      
“Tonight, don’t drink too much.
 
I’d like you to come to my room again tonight so I can say goodbye properly.”

      
“Well, I have at least six beers to drink tonight.
 
I’ll make sure to snack all night so I don’t disappoint you.”

      
Angie looked to make sure no one was around and gave Kelly a quick kiss.
 
She turned and hurried off to the flight line.
 
Kelly went back to the Vigilant and told the captain about the party.
 
Janey had already invited him and he was looking forward to it.

      
The captain asked how his flight went.
 
Kelly told him, with sweeping hand gestures, about smoking his entire old flight and the squadron commander.
 
LCDR Timmons laughed and mumbled as he walked off, “Once a fighter pilot, always a fighter pilot.”

      
As 1900 approached, the captain stuck his head in Kelly’s quarters and said it was time to go.
 
Kelly closed down the terminal, where he was double-checking some personnel actions that were to go for the captain’s approval.
 
They could wait until tomorrow.

      
They found the nearest waiting shuttle and rode over to the Officers Club.
 
When they got there, the party was already going strong.
 
Angie met Kelly at the door, handed him a beer, and gave him a kiss.
 
Janey did the same for LCDR Timmons.

      
Major Brown came over with the ancient ceremonial red fuzzy high top hat of dubious origin.
 
He indicated that LCDR Timmons should put it on and that he was being made an honorary member of the fighting 68th.
 
Kelly started laughing, because he had been through this particular ceremony himself.
 
Major Brown took LCDR Timmons’ beer, handed it off to someone, and stood on a chair to get everyone’s attention.
 
Kelly and Angie stood back.

      
“We’d like to bring everyone’s attention to the presence of an outsider in our midst, begging entry into our august body.
 
I present to the Fighting 68th an insecure Fleet officer incapable of going into space by himself, a so-so officer, and a miserable human being wishing to improve his lot in life by sharing the company of the finest, deadliest, craftiest, fighter pilots in the known universe.”
 
A loud cheer erupted.

      
“I offer up, for your consideration, one LCDR Edgar Timmons.
 
LCDR Timmons comes to us as a fellow warrior against the K’Rang.
 
He is, unfortunately, burdened by having had to accept a former member of this august body into his crew and somehow turn him into a proper Fleet officer.
 
Now we all know how ineffective this former member of the venerable 68th was and still is today, but it is a task that may make LCDR Timmons worthy to grace our presence.
 
Pilots of the Fighting 68th, what say you?”

      
A resounding nay boomed through the club followed by gales of laughter.

      
“LCDR Timmons, the Fighting 68th has spoken.
 
Even though we don’t want you, all the other squadrons in Fighter Force voted before us and they don’t want you either.
 
I guess we’re stuck with you.
 
Members of the Fighting 68th, fill your glasses.
 
Thank providence that we are not currently subject to the damn Fleet regulations against alcohol on ships.
 
Fill your glasses and toast our newest honorary squab, Edgar Timmons.”

      
At that point every glass in the room was raised in the air and the contents thrown at LCDR Timmons.
 
The captain, dripping from all manner of drinks, had just been initiated into the Fighting 68th.

      
The soaking was followed by every 68th officer in the room passing by, shaking hands, and welcoming him.
 
The executive officer came over last.
 
He walked up to LCDR Timmons, shook his hand and slapped the 68th’s patch into his hand.

      
“Welcome, Ed.
 
If the reports of your trials and tribulations dealing with Kelly are halfway true, you will make a fine addition to the squadron.”

      
LTC Matthews came over and took the hat back.
 
He handed it to the petite brunette that was Angie’s wingman.
 
“Ed, I hope you didn’t mind our initiation ceremony, but it’s our little way of saying welcome.
 
You are now one of us.
 
If you're ever in a tight spot and the 68th is around, you’ve got a lot of friends that will come to your aid.”

      
Kelly found a towel and handed it to LCDR Timmons to dry off.
 
Janey took it and got the spots he couldn’t see.
 
Kelly handed him a new beer to replace his that had been misplaced during the ceremony.

      
He looked at Kelly and said, “You could have warned me.”

      
“Sorry, boss, I didn’t know this is what they intended, but I might not have warned you anyway.”
 
Kelly and Timmons both broke out laughing.
 
They grabbed their female companions and worked their way around the room.

      
Kelly drank all six beers for his exploits earlier in the day.
 
Each smoked pilot brought him a beer in turn.
 
The ladies gave him a kiss and the guys shook his hand.
 
John Kanakis tried to kiss him, but Kelly ducked that one.

      
It was good to be back with his old squadron mates, but Kelly liked the Scout Force.
 
Even though LTC Matthews offered to intercede with Fighter Force to rescind his dismissal, Kelly politely turned him down.
 
Kelly was where he needed and wanted to be.

      
The party went on for hours.
 
Angie patiently monitored his alcohol consumption and made sure he had plenty of food to help soak it up.
 
When Kelly finished his sixth beer, she drug him off to her room to give him a proper goodbye.

      
Kelly woke up alone in her bed the next morning.
 
He had barely roused himself when she crawled back in, “I just got up to get breakfast started.
 
It will be ready in about 30 minutes.
 
Can I just lay here in your arms until them?”

      
Kelly didn’t say anything, just pulled her up against his side, and hugged her.
 
They lay there, luxuriating in each other’s warmth.

      
“Kelly, I’m leaving with the squadron tomorrow.
 
We will be on Gagarin until our next deployment.
 
We’ve been told the battle group will be going into the yards to have their engines adjusted to protect against those torpedoes.
 
Of course, we won’t necessarily ship out with the Bolivar next time.”

      
“You know they are going to leave the gates between the two systems active.
 
I heard they might run a shuttle between the two systems.
 
I understand the local transport unit is getting S-660s and they are space capable.
 
Maybe you could hop the shuttle and come visit or maybe I could come back and see you.”

      
“Angie, I’d love to have you come visit.
 
I’d like to come visit you on Gagarin.
 
I’ll have to see how my patrol schedule will work out.”

      
They lay in each other’s arms until breakfast was ready.

      
The next day, Kelly and Timmons were on hand to bid farewell to the 68th.
 
They managed to get a few moments alone with their ladies amidst the orderly chaos of a squadron lift off.

      
“Kelly, I was serious about us seeing each other.
 
If you can break free from those other ladies that are after you, come see me.
 
The CO just told us that we will be on Gagarin for at least six months.
 
As long as your folks’ transport gate is there, you might as well take advantage of it.”

      
“I’ll see what I can do.
 
We’ve been held here on Armstrong for the test.
 
We are past due to go out on patrol.
 
When we do, it will be for at least a month.
 
We’ll work something out.”

      
Kelly kissed Angie goodbye.
 
He watched her walk over and fall into her Squadron formation.
 
LTC Matthews called them all to formation, gave a safety speech and ordered all personnel to their ships.
 
The crew chief and pilots walked to their fighters, the pilots mounted up, and taxied out.
 
Angie and Janey waved as they moved out.
 
When the fighters all took off in four-ship flight formation, the crew chiefs and the rest of the squadron boarded three transport craft and also took off.
 
In 30 minutes they would be in the Tau Ceti system.
 
Kelly and Timmons walked back to the Vigilant to prepare for their upcoming patrol.

      
That night, as he was about to turn in, Kelly checked his messages.
 
The first message was from his bank.
 
It showed an increase in his pay from the previous monthly statement.
 
Kelly checked the calendar and realized he must have received a seniority pay increase.
 
His next message, which was from the bureau of personnel, confirmed it.
 
He could always use more credits.

      
The next message was from Tammy.
 
The space-going dry dock carrying her and the new shuttles would be arriving on Tuesday.
 
She asked if he knew anything about a shuttle service to Tau Ceti.
 
Kelly laughed and replied to her message with information on the new transport gate.

      
She must have been sitting at a terminal, because her response came back almost instantly.
 
In a few seconds an indicator on his screen told him that he had an incoming video conference request.
 
It was from Tammy and he accepted.
 
He had just come out of the shower and was wearing only a towel, but she would only be seeing him from the waist up anyway.

      
The video conference program became active and a window showing Tammy’s smiling face appeared on the screen, “Kelly, it’s so good to see you again.”

      
Kelly could see she was using a terminal in a public area of the ship.
 
He reached behind him and pulled on a shirt.

      
“Hey, I’ll be back on Tuesday.
 
They are going to use my ship for maintenance training for a few days.
 
I’m being given a few days off.
 
I’d like to go back out to the lake.
 
Would you be able to take some time off?”

      
Kelly said, “I'm swamped at the moment.
 
We're preparing for patrol and I don’t know if I can take any time off.
 
My evenings will be free by the time you get here, though.”