Star Girl (3 page)

“To your far upper right, on the bulkhead console you will see a switch marked Canopy open/ closed pumpkin. Switch it to closed.”

“Rodger big daddy.” I hit the switch and my canopy starts to close. I see dad’s canopy closing next. I like my view right over dad’s helmet, forward, and excellent visibility to both sides also. We slowly rumble with a whine down the taxi way.

“Offutt control, this is Mike Romeo four requesting permission for takeoff on runway two seven zero.”

“Mike Romeo four, you are cleared for immediate takeoff on runway two seven zero. Hope you have a nice flight General Romero, and a very happy birthday to your daughter sir.”

“Rodger that control. Thank you.”

We roll out onto the end of the wide and very long runway, and dad straightens us out.

“You ready for this baby?”

“Punch it dad!”

          The whine increases to a shrieking howl, and then thunder erupts from behind us as the after burners light up. I’m pressed back in to the seat firmly, as we start to really get rolling, faster and faster very quickly. In just seconds we lift off, and dad pulls back on the stick to put us at a forty five degree climb.

“Yeah! That was great dad! Better than I thought even. Ha ha!”

“Good. Now let me give you a better view of the city.” He rolls us inverted, and the city is indeed all below us, above our heads.

“Ha ha!” It tickles me so much. This is indeed the greatest thing ever.

          Dad really gives me a great fun flight doing all kinds of aerobatic maneuvers, and explaining those that are complex to me. My favorite is the Immelman, where we climb to pure vertical and pull over to face any direction, rolling to level flight. It is over too quickly for me, even though it’s been an hour and a half. He makes a perfect soft touch down landing and we taxi back to the revetment.

“You are an excellent pilot dad. I proud of you.”

He gives me a thumbs up.

          On the way home I can’t stop gushing about how great that was.

“I am going to be a fighter pilot for the Air Force too, it is for certain dad! As soon as I can, I’m applying for the Air Force Academy. Will you help me?”

“Yes pumpkin. I think I could help you out there, just a bit.” He chuckles. “But you have to be serious about doing this, starting right now.”

“Okay dad. What do I need to do?”

“Get straight A’s, and then when you get to high school you need to take as much math and sciences as possible, and take college credit course too, so you have a good head start when you get to the Academy. It’s really rough on women there though, you have to remember that, really tough.”

“I’m tougher.”

          Of course I can’t wait to call Carly and tell her what I just did, and she freaks out.

“Oh MG! You were really in a jet fighter?”

“Sure was, a Phantom!”

“I always thought it was weird that you like to play with model airplanes, but I have to give it to you Steph, you got your shit together girl. You know what you want to do with your life already.”

“You’ll figure out what you want to do Carly, just think about it.”

“I want to marry a rich guy, so I don’t have to work. That’s what I want to do.”

“That’s not an ambition girl, that’s just plain lazy.”

“To each their own.”

Chapter 2

         
On my fourteenth birthday dad and mom, Mel, buy me flying lessons. I have already been up with dad in a T one trainer many, many times, and have mastered takeoffs, and landings already, as well as many of the flight regulations for military aircraft. Oh yeah, I can fly. The flight regulations for civilian aircraft are quite different of course, and so I do have a lot to learn in ground school. When we get to the actual flying I amaze my instructor by already being able to fully pilot the bird easily. I explain to him that my dad is a General in the Air Force, and that he has already taught me to fly jets. He’s amazed that a fourteen year old can be so skilled.

          I was so glad when dad married Mel, they are so good for each other. She is my mom now, as I don’t hardly have any contact with my biological mother. With my grandma and Grandpa Kilmer though, I still see them for every birthday. Grandpa Joe is very proud of me, and my dad for having me become a pilot. He flew in Air Force too, though he wasn’t a pilot. Dad and he always like to talk shop about SAC when they visit, and they really like Mel too. They never mention mother though, for that I’m glad.

          One day at my new high school, an obnoxious boy in chemistry class, who I’ve unfortunately known since first grade, shows me his lap-top computer where only I can see the screen, and he touches a button. It comes alive with a porno playing, and I frown with disgust. I’ve seen porn, and the only ones I half way enjoy are the girl on girl scenes, and it has to be with two girls who are both into each other, and are really enjoying the sex. This video is not my style, a lone woman being screwed by three big guys, and then I freeze in horror. I look close, and see that nasty woman is my biological mother.

He turns it off. “I recognized her. Sorry, I just thought you should know.” He isn’t trying to be mean, I can see the compassion in his eyes. “My aunt is a heroin addict, a thief, and a prostitute; it hurts.” He lowers his head.

I nod, and then I go to the bathroom to throw up.

          That evening I know I have to tell dad, just so he can be prepared if someone else tells him.

“Dad, today a kid I’ve known since first grade showed me something that you need to be aware of.”

“Okay, what?”

“It was a porno, staring mother. Now we know what she’s been doing out in LA.”

He shakes his head sadly, “Doesn’t surprise me at all. Hey did this kid say anything to you?”

“He wasn’t doing it to be mean to me, just so that I was aware.”

“Oh.”

“I don’t have to visit her if I don’t want to, right?”

“No, that’s entirely up to you.”

          I’ve had my private pilot’s license for two years come this Christmas, and dad had graduated me to flying the RF four since I was fifteen. I love afterburners, they light up my life. Already I have four college credits classes behind me, and I am just in my junior year. We are at war now, with terrorists. The attacks they made were devastating to us. Some of the seniors are even talking of enlisting. All the other kids talk about driving, and the excitement of their new found freedom, or soon to be. I could care less about driving, and when some of my friends ask me if I’m excited, I tell them I am not. They get bugged by this, so I don’t tell them why. Then they’d really get pissed. Flying an F four Phantom is just light years beyond four wheels.

          After my junior year, I have enough credits to graduate, so I put in my application to the Air Force Academy just before I turn seventeen. Dad does his thing behind the scenes, which I appreciate, and of course I am accepted right away. So I start packing my bags.

          I am still friends with Carly, and I give her a call to tell her that I will be leaving soon.

“I’m going to miss you Carly. After the Academy and flight school, I’ll be assigned somewhere possibly on the other side of the world.”

“So, call me once in a while. Tell me what crazy stuff you’re up to. If I move, I’ll make sure mom knows to pass my number along to you.”

“I’ll do that girl. You’re still my BFF.”

“Ditto. So you’re off to Colorado first, huh?”

“Colorado Springs.”

“Try to stay away from the Middle East girl, that place is about to blow up.”

“Well I just might be the one dropping the bombs.”

“I hope not Steph.”

I don’t say anything, I know Carly is anti-war, and it’s not that I’m so much pro war, as I am a realist.

          Dad insists on taking me to Colorado himself in a T one, I fly there, and he’ll take it back alone. He has a car waiting to pick us up, and it takes us up the base of Pike’s Peak to the United States Air Force Academy. I get goose bumps as we pull up, I’ve been waiting for this moment a while. Dad escorts me to see the Commanding Officer personally. They shake hands like old friends, and dad introduces me. I come to attention. He tells me to be at ease and shakes my hand even.

“There’ll be plenty of time for that later young lady. Your father tells me that you already have almost five hundred hours on the Phantom, and well over a thousand on the T one.”

“Yes sir.”

“Flight school will be a breeze for you then. However to get there, you must graduate the Academy first. We expect great things out of you Romero.”

“Yes sir.”

          Dad leaves, and the Commander passes me off to a Captain who takes me to join the other cadets being given haircuts. I have kept my hair regulation length and style since I started flying with dad, so the barber tells me that I don’t need a cut. I tell him that I could still use a trim, so he gets it nice and fresh for me. Next we are taken for our uniform issue, and that takes hours. Finally we are shown to our dorm rooms, and told to store our civilian clothes into plastic bags in the room, and to label the bag with our last name and last four digits of our serial number. I like my new uniform, and in the body length mirror on the wall of my dorm I make sure it is sharp. I have two roommates who I barely get to learn their names before all of us being called to form up in the courtyard. So Kelly, Debbie, and I rush down to get in formation as the drill sergeant barks instructions to us.

          Now it becomes just like in the movies, our sergeant acts real tough and mean. Yelling at anyone face to face if they didn’t do just as he said, when he said it. He marches us for a bit, and then he double times us over to the chow hall. After dinner we march back to the dorm, and he explains how he demands our uniforms and dorm rooms kept. No food is allowed in the dorms at all. He promises us if he finds contraband, we will all suffer.

          Then he tells us all to hit the showers, and then to hit our bunks, as morning will come early. The girls’ dorms are on the top level of the building, and the only men allowed are the Sergeant, and any inspecting officers. I go grab a shower, and can’t help but notice my roommate Debbie’s sexy body. Her face is very cute and pretty too. I am seventeen and one of the youngest cadets for sure, and I am still a virgin. I never even tried to get another girl’s interest after Carly, none excited me. This girl Debbie is a different story all together. However, that sort of behavior will get me washed out for sure. I’m here to become an Air Force officer.

          Before the mandatory lights out, the three of us talk, getting to know a little bit about each other.

“I’m from Sacramento.” Kelly, a fiery red head tells us. “Always wanted to be a pilot, and I will be.”

“Don’t take no for an answer.” I encourage.

“Damn straight girl.” Debbie agrees.

“Where are you from Debbie?” Kelly asks.

“Born and raised in Phoenix. I’m a desert rose.” She snickers.

“Pretty and sweet, but watch out for those thorns.” I tease.

She giggles and nods.

“So have you always wanted to be a pilot too Debbie?”

“Of course. I love flying, and I already have my private pilot’s license.”

“Nice job girl. Me too!”

“Oh yeah? How many hour do you have, and on what?”

“Well I only have two hundred hours on the Cessna one seventy two.”

“Ahh, I got you beat girl. I have three hundred and fifty on the Piper Cub.”

“But I have a thousand plus hours on the T one trainer, and almost five hundred on the F four Phantom.”

“Excuse me? Wait, there’s no way!”

“My dad’s a pilot in the Air Force. He started me out young.”

“You’re serious girl, you fly fighter jets already?”

“Yeah. You are so going to love it.”

“What does your dad fly?” Kelly asks.

“Anything he wants.” I giggle. “He’s a General, just got his second star last summer. He’s the Commanding officer of SAC headquarters at Offutt air base.”

“Holy shit! So he really taught you to fly when you were a kid?” Debbie finally believes me.

I nod with a smile.

“I love him already, he isn’t looking to adopt is he?”

“I’ll let you know.” I wink.

“You know one or all of us could see some combat, if the war is still going on by then.” Kelly reminds.

“Perhaps, but that is some years off. I don’t think it will last that long.” Debbie is optimistic, I like that about her too, along with everything else.

          The morning regimen is to form up for inspection outside, while the sergeant inspects the dorms. Then he inspects us, and we double time to the chow hall. After breakfast we march to the main campus courtyard, where we are dismissed for classes. Day one; all of our companies are given indoctrination all day long, breaking for an hour lunch in formation again, and for dinner we are free on campus to do as we wish. Lastly we are each given our own class schedules, and told to form up again with our drill sergeant in the courtyard.

          He drills us for an hour until we are cut loose to go over to the chow hall again, and eat dinner. We all have to eat breakfast and lunch a certain way. Very disciplined, eating as a squad with the sergeant instructing the squad leaders he has chosen, on how to order the conduct of the meal. The only part I can’t stand, is when they tell us to pray, and to pray for war. Dad had told me about this tradition, and to just pretend. So I pretend to pray for war. It’s stupid though. I mean just who in hell are we praying to for this crap anyhow?

          Once back in the dorm we have several hours until lights out, and this will normally be study time. This second night, we talk some more, really getting to know each other better. Of course we wind up talking flying again, as that is all of our passions and dreams. Kelly listens closely, and asks many questions about piloting so she can gain a tiny edge as she says to us. Both Debbie and I are more than happy to help.

“So airspeed, and angle of attack are the most critical elements to always consider.” She looks for verification.

“Yes, exactly. You don’t want to create a stall condition under your wings, where you lose all lift, and fall. That is not flying, that’s just dropping like a rock.”

“Since each aircraft is different; that stall speed will also be different, right?”

Debbie fields this one, “Right, but stall speed also varies with the angle of attack and airspeed, that’s part of the overall flight envelope of each aircraft.

“Exactly.” I agree. “To qualify on a bird, you will have to get to know the full flight envelope. In other words you will be quite intimate with any birds you qualify on. Well, short of super-sonic aspects that is.”

“Have you ever punched past Mach one Stephanie?” Debbie has a twinkle in her pretty eyes.

“No, dad wouldn’t let me. He couldn’t even do it anywhere near civilization.”

“Maybe someday.” She winks.

“Bet on it.” I grin back.

“Oh, I bet afterburners are so much fun.” Debbie muses.

I give her my patent jingle, “Afterburners light up my life.”

They both bust up laughing.

“You’re bad.” Debbie shakes her head giggling.

          The next day we start our classes proper, and right away I can see that I will be very busy studying in the evenings. There is so much to learn, and so quickly too, as the schedule is much more fast paced than a normal college. Fortunately my college credit courses I took in high school apply here, so I am technically taking my sophomore year courses to start with.

          Our dorm pretty much stays out of trouble with the drill sergeant, until one day he finds some candy wrappers in the trash, and he goes ballistic. The whole company is made to run until we all puke, and that is instead of breakfast. It was a bad start to the day, but soon classes fill our time nicely. I like learning interesting things, even very complex interesting things. Sure there are some classes I don’t enjoy as much as others, but I still pay close attention, and truly think about the subject.

          The first two semesters go by quickly in just nine months’ time, and I ace all my classes. I am so happy, and especially since we all have thirty days furlough before the next school year begins. I am met by dad at my dorm, and he tells me to get my things, and he’ll have me fly him back to Omaha. We pull on to the air field and I see a great surprise. I get out and do my usual through inspection of the new bird before I call it.