Nathan Bridger didn't sit down. He hovered over the receptionist's desk, hoping he was making her uncomfortable. This wasn't her fault; he knew that. But he also knew she could help another naval officer if she wanted to, as long as that officer didn't ask her to betray her CO. He wasn't about to ask this yeoman to do that. No, he planned to stay squeaky clean on this one. He fought when he had to, when it was important, but this was so trivial as to be ludicrous. Of course, the admiral would never be happy unless Nathan appeared to care about the outcome and left sufficiently defeated. He couldn't make this too easy.

The door to the admiral's office opened and the pompous scow-skipper himself appeared. One look at his plastic smile and Nathan knew the man was going to play it dumb. O'Neill jumped to his feet and stood at attention. But predictably, the admiral pretended not to notice. He trained his beady eyes on Nathan.

"Why, Captain Bridger, what a pleasant surprise." The admiral extended his hand.

Nathan looked at it pointedly and then ignored it. "Surprise? Really? I had a confirmed flight plan for myself and two crewmen and not only are our itineraries gone, but no one can even verify the plans were ever made."

"Must be some clerical snafu."

Clerical snafu, my ass. Nathan scowled at him and then swept his hand sideways toward the steadfast O'Neill. "My communications officer, Lieutenant O'Neill."

The admiral turned his head, a bit too obviously, to the man who'd been standing at attention far longer than necessary. "Oh, didn't see you there. At ease, Lieutenant."

O'Neill relaxed, but he didn't sit again. He was playing this to the hilt. As if on cue, Lucas made it to his feet beside him. His stance wasn't anything military, of course, but it did play as respectful. Nathan wanted to wink at him again, but he quashed the impulse in order to stay in character. "And this is my Chief Computer Analyst, Lucas Wolenczak."

"Ah yes, the Wonderboy who nearly started an international incident."

Nathan rounded on him, putting his body directly in front of Lucas's to shield him from sight. He shook a forefinger at Overbeck. "Now just a damn minute there. He's saved my boat, the UEO, not to mention the entire planet several times over. And he did everything in his power to protect that code from a telepath who literally tore it from his mind. Don't you dare try to pin that on Lucas when the UEO knew about Clay Marshall and didn't do a damned thing."

"Yes, well," the admiral's tone was syrupy condescending now. "He wasn't supposed to have that code to begin with, was he?"

"That was McGath's fault! The man couldn't remember his own override code and emailed it to himself! And Lucas would never have seen it except that his Protection Council asked him to search McGath's files when he got kidnapped by terrorists! What's next, you going to condemn the kid for having a photographic memory? McGath admitted he should have had the code changed after the Camp Francis incident, but he didn't. If you want to blame someone, blame McGath."

The admiral gave a cool smile. Evidently, he relished watching Nathan lose his temper. He put up his hands, palms out. "Calm down, Captain. A little jumpy today, are we?"

Nathan gathered his wits. He hadn't intended to lose his temper for real, but he didn't regret it. He couldn't believe Lucas just stood there and took this in silence. How much damage had been done just having to hear this rehashed? The whole idea of this trip had been to get his mind off of that. With barely suppressed anger, he said, "Let's continue this in your office, please, Admiral."

Overbeck gave a sappy, patronizing smile then cast a glance at his yeoman. "Hold my calls, Betty."

Betty. He didn't even have the respect to call her by her rank or at least her surname in front of the captain of the UEO's flagship. Nathan couldn't decide who had been more slighted by his flippancy. He tried to catch Lucas's gaze as he hastily followed the admiral into his office. The teen looked a bit dejected, but when their eyes met, Lucas was the one to wink. Man, that kid is resilient.

The admiral had seated himself at a massive mahogany desk. Behind him stood a picture window with a magnificent view of the lush Hawaiian coastline and the sparkling blue Pacific. He folded his hands and peered down his haughty nose. "So why is it you think the UEO owes you transportation across the globe while you're on a six-day R&R?"

Stay cool. "I never said the UEO owed me anything, Admiral. My communications officer is attending a linguistics conference, which was sanctioned by the chain of command and judiciously scheduled at a time when he would be least missed on seaQuest. The fact that Mr. Wolenczak and I had planned to tag along was mere convenience. I have at least four months of leave accumulated, so what is the harm in taking a few of those days while my boat is parked under the ice to study penguins?"

"So you agree that the seaQuest is wasting time with this ridiculous penguin project?"

"I didn't say that!"

"Come now, Nate…"

"Nate"? He had never been on a first-name basis with the admiral, but not even his most intimate friends called him Nate. He couldn't tell if Overbeck was trying to get chummy or insult him. He didn't like either option. "Admiral, the seaQuest is a research vessel and I believe my support of that role is not only well-documented but one of the reasons I was given her command. Just because my presence isn't required for a particular research project does not mean I think it's a waste of time."

He waited to let his argument set in before continuing. "Forget me and Mr. Wolenczak for now. Is there any good reason to deny Lt. O'Neill a flight to Sapporo?"

"You mean, other than the fact that he's a security risk?"

"He is not a security risk! General Thomas spilled classified codes resulting in the destruction of three of our atmosphere regenerators and he wasn't even tortured."

"Yes, and he turned out to be a murderer."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Nathan shook his head. Overbeck was trying to distract him. "My point is that the general gave up codes simply to save himself from the mere threat of harm, and no one questioned his loyalties in the least. But Lt. O'Neill endured torture with a genetic energy weapon and encouraged Commander Ford to blow him out of the water just to protect seaQuest. How dare you accuse my people of anything!" He shook his finger at the admiral, dangerously close to violating his personal space.

Overbeck shrugged. The look on his face was probably meant to convey concern, but it came off as arrogant. "You don't think it looks suspicious for the captain of our flagship to suddenly and uncharacteristically request shore leave with the last two people who leaked classified codes, and head for the Asian Confederation, where the greatest concentration of our enemies just happen to reside?"

It wasn't hard to produce an exasperated sigh. "Japan, Admiral. Last I checked, they were our ally." This was more than he expected, even from Overbeck. "Look, what do you want from me? You want me to stay here and scrub all the heads on base with my toothbrush? Fine. But give my lieutenant transportation to the conference. I depend on his language skills and this is duty-related."

"What about the boy?"

"He can hang out at Waikiki or surf the North Shore. Hawaii is a vacationer's paradise. He'll be fine."

"So you're willing to stay here as long as I send your junior lieutenant to his little geisha party?"

Geisha party? Could Overbeck possibly be this dense? O'Neill was going to spend five days practicing God-knew-how-many languages, attending immersion seminars, and studying his brains out! But Nathan had already made the case for the conference. He wasn't going to repeat himself. Although he had every intention of finding a way around it later, he sighed and nodded. "Yes. You win, Admiral."

Nathan watched the victorious smile creep over those pompous lips. "I guess this proves you didn't have any conspiratorial plans brewing, then. Can't blame someone in my position for making sure."

You just implied I was involved in conspiracy and that my people were traitors. If you think I'm going to forget this, you're the fool. Nathan struggled to keep the bitterness from his face as well as his voice. He straightened his back and spoke in a formal tone. "Only someone who had something to hide would resent honest questions from his superiors." Not that you had any honest questions.

"Exactly. And since health regulations have effectively ended the longstanding navy tradition of using toothbrushes on our facilities, I've decided to decline your kind offer and let you and the computer whiz take the same plane to Japan."

How very magnanimous of you. Nathan half-wished to stay and scrub toilets. If any of the other admirals got wind of it (and Lucas would be sure they did), then Overbeck would be the one getting his security clearance checked. But, no. He'd accomplished his goal for now. He'd have to bide his time for payback. With an ingratiating nod and resigned sigh, he said, "Thank you, Admiral."

The admiral stood and headed toward the door, extending his arm across Nathan's shoulders. Yeah, right. Pat me on the back and we're all friends again. Nathan made sure he didn't turn his head enough for Overbeck to catch a glimpse of his face, because he couldn't hide his utter disdain while enduring the physical contact.

Overbeck exited the room first. O'Neill and Lucas both stood again, concern etched clearly on both faces. The admiral waved his hand like some benevolent ruler. "As you were." He walked to his yeoman's desk while Nathan gave Lucas an encouraging smile and wink and nodded his approval to Tim. The admiral spoke again, his voice oozing with false generosity, "Betty, dear, be a doll and arrange for these three gentlemen to be on the next available flight to Tokyo."

"Yes, sir," she replied. If she was hiding any disgust, she did it at least as well as Nathan did. She clicked away on her keyboard.

Lucas walked cautiously to Nathan's side with O'Neill following. Nathan didn't have to be psychic to see the hunger in Lucas's eyes to watch the yeoman work, but the kid restrained himself and didn't move toward the computer.

"Any flight, Admiral?" she asked.

"I believe that's what I said. Why? What have you got?"

She shook her head and her eyes widened. "It's… it's a B-29."

"You've got to be kidding. An antique like that? Can it fly?"

"Says here that it's the Fifi and she's going to Tokyo as a museum gift. Must be because it's the closest thing to the Enola Gay that the United States is willing to part with."

Nathan couldn't resist. "They're flying it to Tokyo? Wouldn't it be better off on an aircraft carrier?"

The admiral shook his head. "You got me. I'd think the jet fuel alone would be cost-prohibitive."

"It's not a jet. It's a propeller plane," Lucas said.

"It's a wonder we even have the right fuel for a dinosaur like that," O'Neill added.

Nathan glanced at his traveling companions. "Dinosaur or not, it's big enough for all of us and it's going to Tokyo. What do you say? Want to ride a piece of history?"

"If you're game, I am," said Lucas.

O'Neill didn't look so sure. Nathan couldn't say he blamed him, but he could always put the lieutenant on the commercial flight once they were out of the admiral's earshot. The lieutenant managed a tight-lipped nod. "Whatever you say, Captain."

The admiral looked amused. "Well, I've got to grant you this: the crew of the seaQuest hasn't lost its spirit of adventure."

Nathan couldn't decide if it was real or faked, but he no longer cared. He just wanted to get out of there. With a few more clicks of the keyboard, Betty the yeoman had their flight confirmed.

* * *

"Thanks for playing along, Tim, but you don't have to fly with us," Captain Bridger said. They were out of the UEO admin building and headed toward Hickam AFB. "You can hop on over to H-N-L and wait for the All Nippon."

To say Tim was not keen on flying a propeller plane, let alone one that old, would be an understatement. But Captain Bridger had gone to an enormous amount of trouble to get them all a flight together and he didn't have the heart to abandon them. Besides, taking the commercial flight meant there would eventually be a bill and he couldn't bear to think of the captain paying any more hell because of this trip. He and Lucas couldn't hear all of the conversation between Overbeck and Bridger, but the walls weren't thick enough to hide raised voices and what they did hear had been painful to listen to. And yet, even after all that, the captain was now as cheerful as he'd ever seen him.

"Thanks, sir, but like you said, how many chances will I get to ride a piece of history?"

"It is rather irresistible, isn't it?"

Tim wasn't going to answer his rhetorical question, so he was thankful when Lucas butted in. "Do they name all planes like we name boats? I mean, I never thought about it before, but this is the first plane I'm flying whose name I know."

"I don't know, Lucas," Bridger replied. "I'm not sure the air force bestows command to planes the same way the navy bestows command of ships and submarines. Pilots don't usually live on their planes either. I suppose we navy men get a lot more personal with our vessels."

"Well, we know the air force isn't very good at it," Lucas said with a smirk.

"Fifi," Tim interjected with a grin. "Sounds more like a French poodle."

"Yeah," Lucas laughed. "And Air Force One for the President. Not very creative."

"All right, you clowns," Bridger said good-naturedly. He ruffled Lucas's hair. "No more cracks about Fifi. She's got a longer service record than the rest of us combined and she's going to get us where we want to go. Respect your elders."

* * *

The B-29 had been out of military service for over half a century, but the government had bought her back from the Commemorative Air Force to present her as a gift to Japan. Fifi had landed without a hitch on Hickam's longest runway nine months ago only to hide in a hangar ever since. Air Force Colonel David Black felt sorry for the old girl. Gathering dust in a hangar or a Japanese museum just didn't seem a fitting end. Of course, there wasn't much else to do with her but to cut her up for scrap. She was too expensive to fly and maintain anymore.

Colonel Black had convinced himself that General Denton's top-secret plans would give Fifi the kind of honorable end she deserved. She'd been waiting all these months for the right moment. It wasn't hard to make excuses to the museum for a plane her age. Parts had to be custom-built and fewer and fewer mechanics knew how to keep those parts put-together and running. And very few pilots ever bothered training to fly prop planes anymore. Of course, Black could fly her at a moment's notice, but the museum didn't need to know that.

He'd been summoned from Edwards eight hours ago. He waited now, checking over their equipment. The general insisted that all the standard safety gear be aboard and in good condition, to keep suspicion down when it was found in the wreckage. It was Black's job to be sure the crash left as little evidence behind as possible, but there was no way to predict what might get thrown free or otherwise left unburned.

The other two men of his hand-picked crew had just arrived. A co-pilot was all he really needed, but the general had deemed it important to have an extra man who could play steward to their 'special guest' from the UEO. Colonel Black had chosen Klein and Slate carefully, based on flight and paratrooper experience, as well as unquestioning loyalty. Neither of them knew anything about the general's top-secret plans yet, but Black had every confidence they'd follow orders when the time came.

A beep sounded from his pocket and he removed the Secured Satellite Radio and depressed a button. "Black." He listened intently to General Denton's instructions, committing them to memory. "Three? Not a problem, sir." Thirty seconds passed while he listened. "Chicken. Affirmative." Four minutes later: "Understood, General." Six seconds after that: "Thank you, sir. See you at the debriefing."

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Author note: While the Fifi is a real, airworthy B-29, my use of her is completely fictitious. If anyone has any experience that could improve my details, please post a review or PM me. I am researching as much as I can, but for many things, I'm just guessing and there's no way all my guesses will be right.