IT'S THE NAVEL LIFE FOR ME...
Author: Daferge
The characters in this story and the events of all the Tenchi Muyo shows are property of AIC and Pioneer. I have neither created them, nor do I own them.
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chapter 11...
( Day six - North Atlantic )
The sky was clear and the sea was calm...
So far, so good!
Tenchi studied the deck below...
It seemed a large portion of the ship's crew were on deck to see what was going to happen...
Smiling, he picked up the bridge mike...
" I know every one wants to watch... But some one needs to be steering the ship... "
Half a dozen of the figures on the deck quickly hurried off...
Washu looked up and smiled...
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On the horizon, a small dot began to get larger...
Hitting a switch on a communication box...
" Radio room, this is the bridge... "
" Bridge, Radio room, Ayeka here... "
Tenchi noted that Ryoko didn't bat an eye... He wasn't surprised... Seems they weren't taking any chances with this...
" Rodger... Do we have contact?... "
" Contact is on line four... "
Tenchi smiled and pressed the button marked 'four'...
" ... to Foxhouse One... Repeat... This is Eagle Nine to Foxhouse One... "
Tenchi's mouth was open as he looked at Ryoko, who was biting her lip to keep from laughing... Her eyes WERE laughing...
" Foxhouse One?... "
Ryoko just shook her head... She pointed at the mike in his hand...
Sighing Tenchi pressed the mike button...
" Eagle Nine, this is... "...
Tenchi looked at Ryoko, who'd turned away from him... She seem to be having a fit...
Shaking his head he continued...
" Foxhouse One... Over... "
The aircraft was now close enough to identify... A C-141 Air Force Transport... which commenced a slow circle of the ship...
" Rodger, Foxhouse One... Where do you want these packages?... Over... "
Ryoko seemed to be calming down...
" Eagle Nine... Have the packages been prepared for splashdown?... Over... "
" Rodger, Foxhouse One... "
Ryoko was smiling at Tenchi... Tenchi sighed...
" Keep your fingers crossed... "
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Washu had joined them on the bridge, her small portable laptop rested on the railing... She was typing data in ( wind direction, etc ) and studying the readout... The calm seas were a help, as were the winds...
Tenchi had brought the ship to 'ahead slow'...
The C-141 had move off to a reasonable distance to make it's run... They'd lifted to a slightly higher altitude for the drop... As per Washu's directions...
After several minutes, the C-141 passed overhead and Washu raised her hand...
Tenchi lifted the mike and pressed the button...
" Eagle Nine, prepare to drop the packages on my mark... "
Washu smiled and dropped her hand...
" MARK!!!... MARK!!!... MARK!!!... "
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They watched as a small object exited the back of the aircraft... Soon another appeared...
Small white blooms appeared, parachutes... Two large parachutes for each 'package'...
The aircraft then did a slow, low pass of the ship... So slow that Tenchi was afraid they might stall and crash...
" Eagle Nine is everything OK?... "
" Rodger, Foxhouse One... Just doing visual comformation... "
Tenchi glanced over the rail to see a number of the crew waving at the plane... Several were waving un-navy issue items and at least one was holding her shirt open...
" Eagle Nine!.. Suggest you return to nest... "
" Rodger, Foxhouse One... ", came the sad reply...
The C-141 did a turn to the west, but waved it's wings 'goodbye' as it headed home...
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Everyone's attention was now on the packages floating down...
Until they landed directly ahead of the ship...
Washu closed her laptop and smiled...
Slowly the ship approached the first 'package'...
" All Stop... "
The ship slowly slid past the first spread out parachute...
On deck Ryoko and Kiyone stood with cables and hooks...
Swinging the hook around, Ryoko tossed it onto the parachute...
Pulling on the cable, the hook caught the chute and pulled it towards the ship...
Soon the soaked chute was hauled in and with the help of as many crew members who could grab the cloth, the large 'package' was lifted aboard onto the aft helo-pad...
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By the time the first 'package' was aboard, the ship had coasted next to the second 'package'... This time it was Kiyone who tossed the hook, the results were the same and the second 'package' was soon aboard...
Tenchi spoke into the mike again...
" Steering?... Return us to our previous speed and course... "
" Yes, Sir... "
Tenchi turned to Washu and smiled...
" Shall we join the rest of the 'girls'?... "
to be continued...
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