Spring 1973
67th Fighter Weapons Squadron
US Air Force Fighter Weapons School
Nellis AFB
Las Vegas NV
Audrey was humming to herself as she and her class made their way to the hangers. Today's exercise was on dropping Snakes (Mk81 High Drag bombs). There were different techniques to dropping Snakes as opposed to the 'normal' Mk 82 Low Drag General Purpose bomb,. Today they'd work on dropping 25lb practice bombs that had the same aerodynamic properties as the Mk 81s.
Audrey was happy, as happy as she could remember being. Jabby had praised her as a very good instructor with a world of potential in her first and second quarterly evaluations. Her classes had gone smoothly, with no disruptions, unlike Gunner, who seemed to get the most challenging students. And her friendship with Will seemed to blossom, especially after the Audrey s birthday.
Will had invited her out for a show, dinner and dancing at the Flamingo Hotel and Casino. He said, "Get all glamoured up. I have a birthday night planned for you." Audrey took him at his word. She was waiting for him, dressed in a strapless black evening gown with a slit in the skirt up to mid thigh. Her makeup was a work of art by the cosmetologist, and the stylist had recreated Holly GoLightly's hairstyle from "Breakfast at Tiffany's" down to the tiara. Audrey was nervous, agonizing over what Will's reaction would be.
Will's car rolled up to the O club and was one befitting a fighter pilot, a 1970 Shelby Mustang GT500. Painted an aqua blue with white stripes on the side, it seemed far less menacing and threatening then if it had been red or black. He got out and was totally bowled over by Audrey's stunning beauty on display. He felt very under dressed in his black suit, white shirt and black tie.
As he approached Audrey, he drawled, "You are the vision of beauty tonight, Audrey". Audrey blushed a bright red at the compliment.
Will lifted the plastic box holding the corsage. "May I" he asked shyly. Unable to speak, Audrey just nodded. Looking at her dress, Will thought too dangerous to pin it on the usual place. He looked through the corsage box and with a sense of relief, found what he needed, a wrist strap. Carefully fixing it to Audrey's wrist, he relaxed and smiled.
The show at the Flamingo was fantastic, with Wayne Newton the headliner. Sitting at a table in the first row, Audrey was impressed with both his music and showmanship. When Wayne asked for all those celebrating birthdays to stand up, Audrey was the only one. So Wayne sang "Happy Birthday" for "the lovely young lady in the front row." to smiles and applause from Will.
Dinner was amazing. Will had ordered a Caesar salad, steak with mushrooms, mashed potatoes and green beans. Audrey chose seafood with a shrimp cocktail, grilled swordfish and tempura prawns, a baked potato and corn. Everything was perfect, and the conversation between them was lively and spiced with laughter.
After dancing for a while in the ballroom, (honestly neither of them knew how to dance, but they swayed to the music, with Audrey leaning against Will), they sat at the hotel's bar. The bar tender poured a split of champagne for both of them, as they sat and talked comfortably. Audrey was glowing from not only the dancing, but the warmth and connection to Will.
Audrey turned to Will and whispered, "Thank you for a wonderful birthday. It's the best one I can remember." Will turned his head to reply, but Audrey grabbed his face and kissed him fully on the lips for a full 15 seconds, twining her arms around his neck. She pulled back just far enough to rest her forehead on his.
"This was too wonderful." she whispered, tears welling up in her eyes.
Will was totally surprised. He kissed her again, and said at the end of it, "Anything for my favorite gal." He pulled her closer to his side and put an arm around her shoulders.
Audrey felt something like an electric shock at his touch. This was followed by a warm glow. Was this love?, Audrey thought. Or was this just passion run amok? Her mother had warned her about passion, and how it can override logic and reason, often leading to bad things happening. "It it's right, it can wait" were Janet's words. They appealed to Audrey's logical and objective side. I'm just going to enjoy this for now and I'll wait to see where it goes she thought.
Will's smile turned teasing "Y'all look mighty good for an old Witch" He grunted, as Audrey elbowed him sharply in the ribs. "What was that for?" he asked, in a tone of injured innocence.
Audrey's eyes flashed angrily, as smiled her most sweetly venomous smile. "You know perfectly well what that was for. I may be 22 now, but that does NOT make me as an OLD WITCH!" she said, in her most silkily menacing tone.
Will turned to her, his eyes wide and hands up in front of him, as if to fend Audrey off.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa! I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I apologize! I didn't mean it!" he sputtered, as he leaned away from her.
Audrey almost burst out laughing, seeing how Will was backpedaling as fast as he could, struggling to extricate himself from the situation.
Her smile lost its venom, and her voice lost its menace as she teasingly asked, "So how are you going to make it up to me, Will Robinson? After all, I am the birthday girl." as she pouted a little bit. He's not off the hook yet! She thought.
Will disentangled himself from Audrey, and stood up. He reached down to touch her shoulder, and drawled, "Ah'll be right back" as he turned and left the bar.
Audrey sat back, confused. Had she really hurt his feelings that badly? Did he have to get away to regain control of his temper? She sipped her glass of champagne. When he comes back, I'll apologize for being so mean to him she thought.
Will came back after a few minutes, holding a small box. He said, "A friend of mine saw something like this in Furano, where he's stationed in Fuso. He found a shop that did custom work, so I had one made for your birthday. Ah hope y'all like it." He then handed the box to Audrey.
Audrey took the box, looking at it curiously. It was totally ordinary, wrapped in bright paper. She carefully peeled off the paper and opened the box. Inside was an item, swathed in bubble wrap. She carefully took it out and unwrapped the item. She gasped, looking at what she held.
It was a figurine of a Witch in an AD-1 Striker, leaning forward on a take off run, the magic circle beneath it . The striker was exquisitely detailed, with the green camouflage paint job, outlines of all the access hatches and panels, and the regulation Liberion Air Force insignia, including squadron markings for the 112th Tactical Fighter Squadron. The Witch in the striker had her helmet off, her red hair, fox tail and ears flowing back in the slipstream, and when Audrey looked closely, she could she could see the figurine's green eyes and freckles. With a shock, she realized that this was her! She was so touched, she not only forgave him for his old Witch remark, she rewarded him with another big heartfelt kiss that he returned enthusiastically.
Will's birthday was a month or so later. Audrey used a contact that Juggs had picked up in Brittania and had managed to get a new Rolex Oyster Chronograph Daytona for him as a surprise. It was a BIG surprise and they both celebrated enthusiastically.
Their friendship deepened as time went on, with both Christmas and Valentine's day were even more wonderful. Audrey was wondering if he was going to declare if he wanted their friendship to move to the next level. She was thinking of how her family would receive him. Her mom would be enthusiastic, but her father would be more cautious. She wasn't sure how her sisters would react, but she was hoping they'd like him as well.
Audrey's train of thought was interrupted by frenzied activity happening at the far end of the row of hangers.. She realized that was the hanger area for the 303rd SAR squadron. They were always either training or conducting rescue operations. She had a profound respect for the pilots, para-rescue jumpers and air crews of SAR. She'd seen them go into Neuroi held territory to rescued downed pilots and witches, always unarmed, relying on stealth and speed. When the Neuroi advanced on the downed flier, they called for the nearest CAS, plane or Witch for help. More often than not, a FAC would respond as well, just to manage the traffic over the rescue area. Audrey herself had responded to a few SAR support calls, often wishing she had more ordnance to drop on the Neuroi, as SAR went in to make their pickup.
Something was going on, as an SAR chopper lifted off and headed northwest. An ambulance, with lights flashing drew up near the helipad and the paramedics jumped out, and turned to look northwest as well.
Lt Col Danielle "Danno" Green, the Squadron XO, strode out of the back of the hanger and announced, "Listen up everyone! All flight operations are suspended as of now, till further notice! All instructors and students are to report back to their classrooms! We will notify you when flight operations resume. That's all for now."
Audrey ordered her students back to their classroom, designating the senior student to make sure everyone got back and was accounted for. She joined the throng of instructors around Danno, who were clamoring for answers. There was a loud, piercingly sharp whistle from the back of the crowd that silenced all chatter.
J.J. raised her voice, asking "What's going on, Danno?"
Danno looked around, making sure there were only instructors in the throng around her.
She said, "Okay, this is unofficial, but there may have been an incident at Range 63 Bravo this morning. That's all we know right now. Now let's just keep to business and do our best to kill the rumor machine, We'll get the official word out when we know something definite." She clapped her hands sharply. "OK people, let's get back to our classes now "
Audrey turned and started walking back to the classrooms with the other instructors. Her blood chilled at the mention of the word "incident". That was an indicator that bad things have happened. The sight of the SAR helo heading out northwest towards the test and training range was an added indication that something really bad had happened. Looking around at the crowd of instructors, she noticed that Sandra Miller was missing. That's right, she thought Sandy was having her check ride this morning. Come to think of it, wasn't she going to be doing some runs at Indian Springs Airfield? Audrey had to think for a moment of where Indian Springs Airfield was located. The airfield was located in...Range 63 Bravo! OH GOD NO! NOT SANDY! She thought. Audrey looked around and discovered that she wasn't the only one to realize that fact. The shocked looks and whispers indicated that everyone shared the same thought.
Audrey saw one of the paramedics with the ambulance, reach in for the microphone. He appeared to listen, and then spoke a few words. Putting the mic back in the ambulance, he waved at his partner. They both got back into the ambulance, and drove away slowly, with no lights or sirens. This was another sign that something terrible had happened. Even though Audrey was not religious, she found herself silently saying a prayer for Sandy.
Class the rest of the day was difficult, as both students and instructors just went through the motions, all while whispering rumors and gossip. After the students were dismissed, Audrey and all the other instructors were called into a conference room by Colonel Washington,
"All right, settle down everyone." Colonel Washington started. "These are the facts as we know them right now. At about 0830 this morning, there was an incident on Range 63 Bravo involving Captain Sandra Miller. SAR found her and airlifted her directly to University Medical Center, where she is in ICU in critical condition. An Accident Investigation team is arriving tonight from Wright-Patterson. I will appoint 2 members of the staff to act as observers and liaison to the Accident Investigation team. Flight Operations for the squadron are suspended, pending the end of the Accident Investigation team's mission here. That's all for now." In an informal tone, she continued. "Sandy's still alive, so let's hope for the best. Continue on with ground classes and let's keep it together people."
Everyone clustered around Captain Cassandra "Sassy" Jackson, offering reassurances, support and help. It had been one of the open secrets of the squadron that Sandy and Sassy were more than just friends and colleagues. Neither had any family, so they had gravitated towards each other. Sassy was in shock, barely acknowledging the hugs, and offers of help and reassurance. Gunner firmly took Sassy's arm and steered her out of the room, talking about driving her to University Medical Center.
Audrey walked back to the BOQ in a daze, her thoughts swirling around her. How could this happen to Sandy? She's far too good of a flier to plow a hole in the desert! What happened? She thought. She wasn't in the mood for any dinner, and just simply showered, changed and lay down. Soon, she was asleep.
Audrey felt like she'd been sucker punched by a speeding train, as she woke from laying across the ground. The canopy of trees above her were cracked and broken from her hard landing. Her AD-1 strikers were battered, bent, broken and covered with holes. She realized that she didn't crash, she had gotten shot down by a brush with a Neuroi beam weapon. She extricated her legs, thankful they at least were intact. She took off her helmet and tossed it aside. Looking around for her weapon, she saw the old Browning's barrel was bent and twisted at a wild angle. Audrey heard rustling in the brush and the heavy thumping foot steps of Neuroi walker units nearby. She reached into her shoulder holster and drew her snub nosed.38 revolver, the fear of getting caught by the Neuroi threatening to choke her as she fought to calm down and think clearly.
Audrey startled awake. Disoriented, she looked around wildly, before realizing that she was in her room at Nellis' BOQ. Sweating profusely, she lay back and worked to get her breathing under control.
She sat up on the edge of the bed, still sweating. It had been years since she relived the nightmare of being shot down, but this time was the most vivid and real seeming. Checking her clock, she was amazed that it was still before 2230. She went to her bathroom, and splashed some cold water on her face, as much to wake her up as to confirm that here and now was real. The dream was so real and vivid, it was hard to believe it happened years ago.
Audrey sat back down on her bed, still shaking. There was no way she was going to go back to sleep. Making a decision, she got dressed, then picked up the phone and dialed a number.
It was answered on the first ring with a sleepy drawl "'lo?".
Audrey answered, "Will, it's Audrey. Can you meet me at the bar in the O Club? I need to talk to someone."
Will answered, now fully awake. "Something happen, Audrey? I'll be over in 20 minutes."
Audrey picked up her wallet and keys. By habit, she put on her dog tags and chronometer. She left her room, and walked to the O club bar. She took a seat at the bar and told the bartender, "Max, I'm waiting for someone." He nodded and went about his work, keeping an eye on the entrance.
Will came striding into the bar less than 15 minutes after talking with Audrey, an expression of concern on his face. Audrey looked at Will's expression and decided then and there. She couldn't lay this burden on him, it wasn't fair or right to do so. This was her problem and she had to deal with it herself. She pasted on a smile and turned to Will.
Will approached Audrey, saying "Audrey! Ah got here as fast as Ah could! Are you okay?" his concern lacing his voice.
Smiling brightly, Audrey replied in a light, cheery voice, "I'm sorry for calling you at such a late hour. No, I'm fine, really I am. You need to get home and to bed. You're flying tomorrow, so you need to get some sleep."
Will moved closer to Audrey and pulled her into a close hug.
He whispered in her ear, "Y'all ain't fine. Y'all are shaking and sweating. Y'all feel cold and y'all are almost as pale as a ghost."
Turning to the bartender, he said, "Max, can we get the lady a cup of hot chocolate, please?" Will then guided Audrey to a seat at a nearby table.
"Sit." he said in an authoritative commanding voice. Audrey sat and Will brought her the cup of hot chocolate Max had made. "Drink it slowly and breathe" he said in the same commanding tone.
Audrey slowly drank the hot chocolate and breathed deeply. The hot chocolate seemed to warm her all the way to her toes. That and the deep slow breathing seemed to settle the shaking of her hands, and push the fear she felt back into the recesses of her mind, Will sat close to her, an arm around her shoulders and talking quietly about his day. She felt ashamed for being so weak. She was a Strike Witch, a warrior who had faced down the Neuroi. She bowed her head, tears slowly trickling down her cheeks.
Will spoke up "Audrey? Can you tell me what's going on? I'll help you as much as Ah can."
Audrey drew a deep shuddering breath, and let it out slowly. Should she tell him? Would he be so macho as to contemptuously jeer her for being so weak, foolish and selfish? She looked more closely at hem, and saw only concern and worry. She made a daring decision, she would tell him and hope her faith in him was not misplaced.
"It's been a really bad day, Will. Apparently one of the instructors was on her check ride, and she crashed. SAR flew her directly to University." Will's eyes went wide. University was the only Level 1 trauma center in the area. If she was flown directly there, it must have been really bad. Audrey continued, "As of this afternoon, she was in ICU in critical condition. The Accident Investigation team got here tonight and are starting in the morning."
Audrey bowed her head, her hair hiding her face.
In almost a whisper she continued. Will had to lean close to hear her. "I didn't have any dinner. I just couldn't eat anything. I just changed and went to bed. But I started having dreams, really bad ugly horrible dreams. I remembered when I had gotten shot down by the Neuroi in Nam."
Will was shocked. Audrey had never mentioned anything about getting shot down before.
Audrey's voice dropped to a tremulous whisper. ."It was so real, that I could feel the bruises, smell the jungle, hear the Neuroi tramping through the brush looking for me. Do you know what happens to Witches that are captured by the Neuroi?"
Will shook his head, steeling himself for something ugly and brutal.
Audrey's voice became higher as her fear returned."The Neuroi experiment on captured Witches, trying to find the source of their magic. They'll keep them alive and awake, while dissecting them, often for days or weeks sometimes even months, trying to find how they use and control magic. I couldn't let myself be taken alive. I was fortunate that the Marines found me before the Neuroi did."
By this time, Audrey was sobbing. With an effort and the help of a few handy napkins, she managed to stop and looked directly as Will.
"I'm sorry I called you at such a late hour. This is my problem and I need to deal with it myself. When I called, I was desperate for someone to talk to about this. But now I realize that putting this on you isn't right or fair. You're flying tomorrow, and I need to let you go home and get some sleep. I apologize for being so weak, foolish and selfish. I'll talk to you later." she said quietly, as she stood up to leave.
Will stood instantly and blocked her way.
Wrapping her in a close hug, he drawled in her ear, "Ah'm here now. Throw it all on me, Ah got broad shoulders. There is nothing to apologize for. Just tell me what you need. Ah'll give as much as Ah can. You are a Strike Witch and a Warrior woman, but y'all are still human, and every human needs help, especially those of us coming back to 'the world'. So, please sit down and tell me all about it. I've got a couple of big ears" and he smiled at that. "And Ah've been known to be a decent listener."
He turned to Max, and said, "Max, can y'all get the lady another hot chocolate, please?" Max just nodded and parked another cup in front of Audrey.
Audrey drank the hot chocolate. The warm weight of the cup in her hands and the hot sweetness of the chocolate were like an anchor to reality to her. The words came, first hesitantly and guardedly, but quickly became a flood of partial sentences, and sharp declarations. Will just listened, with only an occasional reassurance or question to clarify a point. Audrey poured everything out, all of her fears, hurts and humiliations to Will, sobbing the whole time. She couldn't stop it, even if she wanted to. Will kept the hot chocolate coming and continued to listen.
After 4 more mugs of hot chocolate, both of them were surprised when Max gently reminded them that he had to close the bar in 15 minutes. Both Will and Audrey stood up to leave. Will extended his hand to Audrey as he said. "Let me drive you back to the BOQ." Too fatigued and conflicted to argue, Audrey just nodded.
The ride back to the BOQ was only a few minutes, but it seemed like an eternity to Audrey. Will drove silently, leaving it to Audrey to say something. Arriving at the BOQ, he got out of his car, and opened the door for Audrey.
Audrey got out and turned to go, not looking at Will. She felt so embarrassed and ashamed. She had poured out all her fears, hurts, embarrassments and humiliations to Will. He probably thinks I'm some weak pitiful excuse of a Witch. I feel so weak, foolish and selfish! She thought. She was surprised as he pulled her into a warm embrace. She found herself leaning on his chest, drinking in his warmth, strength and steadiness. Will's hand came up and started stroking her unbound hair. He brushed a kiss on her forehead and that was enough to blow away what little composure she had. She burst into tears, her body wracked by her sobs. Audrey grabbed Will and hung onto to him, as if he was the last life preserver she'd ever see. An irreverent part of her mind noted that she had forgotten to put on a bra when she got dressed, and her embarrassment increased dramatically when she realized how closely she was holding Will to her chest. Like the gentleman he was, Will never gave a hint that he realized how under dressed Audrey was, but continued to be that tower of warmth, strength and solidity she desperately needed.
Audrey drew away from him reluctantly, as her sobbing slowed and she started blushing furiously, thanking whoever that it was dark in front of the BOQ. She wiped her eyes, and looked up at Will.
"Thank you for coming and listening to me being so weak, selfish and foolish. Thank you for the hot chocolate and for being there when I needed someone. I'm sorry to call you so late, when I knew you were flying later today. I owe you so much, and I don't know how to repay you." she whispered.
Will brushed her cheek with his hand, and she leaned into the touch.
"Audrey, y'all don't owe me anything. A friend called for help and I was lucky enough to be there and able to do something." He smiled that slow unhurried smile that Audrey loved. "Call me later today and we'll have dinner. In fact, if you need me, call and I'll get to you as soon as Ah can. Ah just wanna make sure y'all are okay." He pulled her close for a passionate kiss. "Get some sleep and see how things look in the light of day. Just know that you're one of the strongest people Ah've ever known, and you can beat this thing. And Ah'll be right there with you every step of the way, because Ah love you."
WHAT!? Audrey's mind screamed. Her head snapped up and she stared at his face, looking for any sign that he may be kidding or joking. Nope, not a one. In fact he seemed unusually serious and intense.
She hugged him again, and whispered, "I love you too" She turned her face up to him and said loudly "I think I'll be okay now. You need to get home and get some sleep. Can't have you doing the zombie bit during preflight." She turned him towards his car and gave him a gentle push.
"Go home, I'll be fine." she said in a lighter voice.
Will turned his head towards Audrey, that slow unhurried smile spreading across his face.
"Y'all be fine? Y'all sure don't look long, thin and narrow." Audrey threw up her hands, doing her best not to burst our in giggles.
"Go home!" she yelled at him with a smile. He got in his car and drove off. Audrey stood there and watched as his tail lights vanished in the distance.
Audrey didn't remember getting back to her room at all. One moment she was watching Will's tail lights disappear into the darkness, the next she was standing by her desk. As she was getting undressed for bed, she wryly noted that she hadn't been wearing a bra. Just as I thought, I forgot to put on a bra when I got dressed tonight! Ah well, as least Will was gentleman enough not to notice or mention it. She was so exhausted and wrung out, that she fell into a deep dreamless sleep almost instantly.
In the morning, all of the instructional staff was called into a conference room by Colonel Washington. Looking serious and grim, she announced in a flat voice "Ladies, I want to announce that Captain Sandra Miller suffered cardiac arrest as a result of her injuries, and passed away at 0430 this morning. Lt. Colonel Green will coordinate all the paperwork for Sassy, who has been named as next of kin. Sassy has also been placed on bereavement leave as of today. I want Captain Gains and Johnson to gather all of Captain Miller's personal effects. The funeral will take place on Saturday noon at the base chapel and you are all welcome to attend. Burial will take place at the base cemetery after the funeral with full military honors. I've appointed Captain Carlson from the Admin Squadron and Major Grimes from the Maintenance squadron as liaisons and observers to the Accident Investigation team. Also, classes are canceled for today. Gunner, Squeaky, Boings and JJ, I'd like to speak to you after this meeting. Dismissed ladies."
Audrey joined JJ, Squeaky and Gunner in gathering around Colonel Washington. "Ladies, I'd like all of you to fly a "Missing Witch" formation over the base cemetery Saturday afternoon. Gunner, please coordinate with Nellis ATC. It will be between 1300 and 1500. Boings, you and JJ pack up all of Sandy's stuff in her desk and locker. All of it goes. I'll settle the statement of charges with Supply later. Pick up boxes as needed from Supply. When you're done, seal them, sign and date them and then notify Supply for pick up. Any questions?"
Everyone shook their heads. "Dismissed ladies."
Audrey and JJ went to Supply to get boxes. They decided that Audrey would pack up Sandy's locker and JJ would do her desk. With the help of an airman from the squadron's security detachment to cut the lock, Audrey carefully removed Sandy's name tag from the locker door. There wasn't all that much to pack. Just 4 pairs of shoes, 2 pairs of sandals, one full flight suit, 2 flight jackets, 2 flight helmets, 2 pairs of sunglasses, a hair brush, and a handful of hair ornaments. The last things to go in the box were the mirror on the inside of the door, and the photos of Sandy and Sassy that were tacked up on the inside of the locker.
After notifying Supply that Sandy's effects had been packed and were ready for pick up, Audrey got a message slip from the Admin office. The message was from Will, and said that he'd be at the O Club at 1730 and asked her to join him for dinner. Audrey noted the time of the message and figured he made the call before take-off. She decided to call him later when he landed. She needed to ask him about what he said last night.
At around 1530, Audrey called the 66th Squadron instructor lounge.. The phone was picked up on the first ring. "Instructor lounge, 66th Fighter Weapons." growled a gravelly male voice.
Audrey said, her voice sounding steadier and more confident than she felt. "I'd like to speak with Captain William Robinson, please."
"Wait one" growled the voice. Audrey heard a muffled "Yo Danger! Some chick wants to talk to you! Hope she looks a good as she sounds!"
Will's voice came on the line. "Robinson here" he said, in a businesslike tone
Audrey said "Will?"
Will's voice changed to a concerned tone instantly. "Audrey? Howgozit? Are you okay? What can I do?"
"I'm fine, Will. Just wanted to let you know I'd love to have dinner with you tonight. Today was better than yesterday, but it still sucked. I think I need to talk." Audrey answered, trying to keep the nervous quaver out of her voice.
"Dinner is on. As Ah said last night, if you need to talk, Ah've got a couple of big ears and all the time you need. Ah'll see you there at 1730, okay?" answered Will, sounding relieved.
Audrey hung up and went back to her room. She took a shower, shampooed and conditioned her hair. Drying her hair, she then carefully brushed it out, realizing that it now came down to her mid back. She debated on dressing up or not. No she thought. I'm not going to hide behind all that stuff. I want him to see me with no makeup, no perfume, no fancy dress! I want him to see the basic, fundamental real me when I ask him if he truly meant what he said last night. After gathering her hair in a hasty ponytail, she put on a bra, green bikini shorts, ankle socks, a pair of running shoes, her squadron t-shirt and baseball cap. She stuffed her wallet and keys in her purse and headed to the O Club.
Audrey arrived at the O club and headed straight for the bar. She was feeling nervous, jittery, uncertain and afraid. Just one drink to take the edge off she thought. She went up to the bar and waved at Max.
"Wild Turkey and Seven, Max" she said.
The drink arrived and Audrey checked her chronometer. Will should be here in another 30 minutes. She picked up the drink, and drank it in one slow long drink. It took a few minutes, but she noticed the world slowing down, as a warm glow suffused her and her nervousness faded to the back of her mind.
Audrey walked out to the lobby as Will came in the door. He greeted her with a hug and light kiss. If he noticed the alcohol on her breath, he gave no indication. Dinner went quickly. Will ordered his usual steak, but Audrey decided on Caesar salad. His head snapped around, as if he heard a tone from his radar warning receiver that he'd been painted by an enemy targeting radar. This was unusual for Audrey and the change put him on guard. His expression didn't change, but he let Audrey guide the conversation during their meal.
After dinner, both of them had coffee. The warm glow from the drink was fading and Audrey's nervousness was returning with a vengeance. She was torn. She wanted to hear the truth about last night from Will, but she was afraid that it was just a slip in the moment and it didn't mean anything. Audrey couldn't say what she wanted, so she kept sipping her coffee and looking down at her cup.
Will moved his chair next to Audrey. Taking hold of her chin gently, he turned her face towards him, looking directly into her eyes.
With his slow unhurried drawl taking on a businesslike tone, he said. "Audrey, Ah think Ah know what y'all wanted to ask me. Y'all want to know if what Ah said last night was real.'
Audrey steeled to hear his denial, trying to focus on her logical and objective side. He's going to say it was a slip in the heat of the moment and that he realized that he made a mistake in saying it. She thought miserably. She could feel her world collapsing around her.
Will continued in that slow unhurried businesslike drawl. "Ah just wanted to say that Ah mean it more now than Ah did last night. Y'all are the most magnificent woman Ah've ever known. Ah don't care if. you're weak or strong, wise or foolish, generous or selfish. It's all part of you and what made you the woman you are today. And Ah love all of you. Ah do love you so much and Ah am so happy and pleased to tell you so. So does that answer y'all's question?"
Audrey's nervousness, tension, uncertainty and fear vanished in an instant. The weight and grip on her heart released instantly, leaving her feeling light headed, almost like negative Gs. She burst into tears, sobbing with relief. She hugged Will, and sloppily kissed as she unabashedly cried. Through her sobs, she blurted out. "I love you too!" She grabbed for spare napkins, doing her best to clean up and regain her composure. "I'm sorry I'm such a mess. I didn't mean to break down like this." as she kept crying with relief while trying to clean up, to the cheers of nearby patrons.
Will smiled that slow unhurried smile of his. "How about some dessert, Audrey? Ah hear they've got some killer chocolate triple fudge cake with ice cream. Would y'all like some?"
Dessert was even more wonderful than it was advertised to be. Audrey was so embarrassed that she couldn't keep from crying through it all. When they parted after dessert, Audrey couldn't stop kissing him and hanging on to him as if he'd dematerialize and vanish as if he had never been. After repeated reassurances, hugs, and kisses, with a promise to call tomorrow, Audrey reluctantly let Will go home.
Audrey almost floated back to her room. What had started as the worst evening of her life, turned into the best evening of her life. The lightheadedness she had before left her feeling giddy, almost euphoric, and she laughed out loud just to express her joy and happiness. She undressed and laid down, thinking the euphoria would keep her awake. But the toll on her energy and the Wild Turkey and Seven she had was too much to overcome and she was snoring in minutes.
The rest of the week dragged on, the somber mood permeating everything. The students were uncertain and confused, but the instructional staff stuck to the ground curriculum and drove the classes forward. The squadron was still grounded, as the Accident Investigation team plowed through their work. There was no word yet, but the seven member team spent most of them time at University Medical Center, the base hospital and in the hanger reserved for their use.
On Saturday, Audrey, JJ, and Squeaky reported to the squadron's main hanger at noon. Gunner was already there, and she briefed them on the current mission. It was relatively simple. They would take off when the Colonel notified them that the burial procession reached the base cemetery. Nellis ATC had cleared the area over the cemetery from 1200 to 1500. Once airborne, Gunner would be flight lead. They would form up in a 'finger-four' formation, with Gunner as lead. Audrey on her right wing, Squeaky on her left, and JJ on Squeaky's left wing. When they were to do the fly-over at the cemetery, they would drop to 500 feet, slow to 250 knots. Squeaky would pull up out of formation and then bank hard right and form up on Audrey's right wing as they flew over the cemetery. After the fly-over, they would return to base, land and do a quick debrief.
The mission went off smoothly without a hitch. After landing and locking their Strikers in their cradles, everyone went home. Everyone was quiet, preoccupied with their own thoughts. Audrey didn't know Sandy well, but Sandy had always been cheerful, friendly and helpful during Audrey's first days as a new instructor. She wished she had gotten to know Sandy better.
Instruction had taken on a new routine, with no flight training. Nothing of note happened during the next few weeks. Classes graduated, and there was a lull, as new classes for the summer awaited confirmation of the student's attendance. The instructional staff caught up on paperwork and other administrative tasks as well as other official personal matters.
Some six weeks after Sandy's crash, Colonel Washington called an all staff meeting. Coming into the conference room, Audrey saw another officer on the stage along with Colonel Washington. Colonel Washington came to the dais, and as everyone filed in and took seats, she began speaking.
Colonel Washington said, "Ladies, this is Colonel Arrington, senior officer of the Accident Investigation team. Colonel Arrington has informed me that his team has completed their investigation and are preparing to file their final report. Colonel Arrington has shared that report with me, and after reading it, I feel these findings needed to be shared with you ladies. I'll let Colonel Arrington explain what they found and how it may affect you. Colonel Arrington?"
Colonel Arrington stepped up to the microphone. He was of average height and build, looking like an academic. The lights shown on his balding head, as he fished out a pair of reading glasses, and shuffled the papers on the dais before him. Adjusting his reading glasses, he began to speak in a mild tenor voice.
"Good afternoon, ladies. I am here to present the conclusions of my team's investigation of Captain Sandra Miller's incident of about 6 weeks ago. We believe that during a touch and go approach at Indian Springs Airfield, Captain Miller collided with a large bird. This bird, apparently turned out to be an 80 pound Canadian Goose. Captain Miller was at about 300 feet altitude, with an airspeed of about 250 knots when she collided with the bird. Apparently this impact hit her in the left side of the face, fracturing both C-2 and C-3 vertebrae as well as seriously bruising her spinal cord. Because of her injuries, her Striker lost power and control, landing hard beside runway 1A at Indian Springs. The tower crew alerted SAR, which arrived in 10 minutes. They recovered Captain Miller, stabilized her as best they could and airlifted her to University Medical Center, where she died of her injuries without regaining consciousness."
Colonel Arrington shuffled his papers, adjusted his glasses and continued. "We were lucky to recover the voice and flight data recorders from Captain Miller's Striker. One of our significant questions was, did Captain Miller deploy her shields? Examining the flight data recorder showed a significant drop in magic used by the Striker seconds before the collision. We also examined Captain Miller's medical records. They showed a steady drop in shield effectiveness over the last three flight physicals, and that Captain Miller barely met minimum standards for shield effectiveness during her last flight physical a year ago."
Colonel Arrington paused, as if he was about to deliver unpleasant news. He said, in a dry, objective tone that hid his anguish. "After gathering all the data we could, we spent a significant amount of time analyzing it. From our analysis, we conclude that the bird appeared in front of Captain Miller too close to take evasive action. With only a few seconds to react, she attempted to put up her shields. Unfortunately, Captain Miller's magic capacity had degraded to the point where her shield were not effective, even when she pulled magic from her Striker. The bird crashed through her shield and then crashed into her, causing the crash. My team's final conclusion is that this was an accident, compounded by the diminished magic capacity of the Witch, which led to her death." He stepped down from the dais and sat down.
Colonel Washington took the dais again. In a somber voice, she said, "Thank you for that summation of your report, Colonel Arrington." Turning back to the crowd before her, her voice and manner became stern and commanding. "Ladies, I'm sure you're all as dismayed by this news as I am. Therefore, I am ordering new policies put into place immediately. Anyone on flight status will get a full flight physical to be completed no later than close of business this Friday. This will include a full work up of magical capacity and utilization. If anyone is found to be within 10% of the minimum standards for magic capacity, you will be grounded, no exceptions. Furthermore, quarterly testing and evaluation of magic capacity and utilization will commence for all Witches assigned to Fighter Weapons. General Jablonski has been informed of the findings of the Accident Investigation team and fully backs and supports these policy changes. Any questions, ladies? No? Dismissed."
Audrey's flight physical was scheduled for Wednesday, and the flight surgeon put her through the wringer. She was gratified that her physical condition remained the same from her physical two years ago, even though she gained some seven pounds. She breathed a sigh of relief when she discovered that her magic capacity and utilization had held steady as well. She'd be able to stay on flight status!
That evening, Will took her out to dinner at the Dunes. Since flight operations wouldn't be restored until the testing of all the Witches was complete, Audrey decided to have a couple of drinks to unwind from the emotional roller coaster of the past couple of months. She got silly and giggly over dinner, even if it was tempura prawns.
Will finished his steak and said, "Audrey, Ah've got ta go to the Pentagon next week. TAC command has summoned me for something, but no one knows what's going on. It may be about the new generation of fighters that are coming on line for acceptance testing, or it may be about something else entirely. Just know that Ah'll be back and that Ah still love you."
Impulsively, Audrey threw her arms around him and gave him a deep passionate kiss. "That's right, you'd better come back to me or I'll bomb and strafe the Pentagon until they send you back." she whispered fervently.