Dear Santa...it's Little AJ - Part 7/11
See part 1 for all disclaimers
20 minutes later
"You want to do what, Colonel?" Captain Ingles asked her in mild surprise.
Mac took a deep breath. "I would like to fly RIO with Lieutenant Commander Monarch, sir."
"Did Solo put you up to this?" Ingles asked as he crossed his arms across his chest.
"No, Sir."
"Have you ever been in a Tomcat before?" He asked as he felt himself start to consider her suggestion.
Mac felt the knot in her stomach grow. "Once, Sir."
"Who was flying?"
"Commander Rabb, Sir."
He rubbed his forehead and chuckled. "You're crazy enough to fly with Rabb?"
"I believe I am. If it helps your consideration any, I've flown in a MIG also, Sir." Mac commented.
"Let me guess, with Rabb."
"Yes, Sir."
"How did you survive these flights, Colonel?"
"Well, Sir, after the first one I felt lighter. The second ended too abruptly."
Ingles gave her a confused look. "Abruptly?"
Mac grimaced slightly. "We were forced to eject, Sir. It's classified."
"Give me a better reason, Colonel. Your COD will be here to pick you up in two days. Why can't you wait till then?" Ingles asked as he passed the small room.
"I promised a little boy to do anything I could to be home for Christmas, Sir."
"Who's the little boy?" Ingles asked as he softened some more to the idea of letting the lawyer RIO a Tomcat.
Mac reached into her back pocket and pulled out a picture of her, Harm, and Little AJ. She handed him the picture. "My godson."
Ingles looked at the picture and smiled at the sweet looking boy. Then he focused on Harm in the picture and noticed the happy carefree look in Harm's eyes. "What about your big boy?"
"I'm sure the Commander would be glad if I came home tonight, Sir," Mac said with mild calmness.
Ingles shook his head and handed her the picture back. "Colonel, what you're asking is not something we go around doing in the Navy."
"I know, Sir."
"We just can't hand out Tomcats to Marines who need a ride home."
"I know, Sir, but it's Christmas and shouldn't Commander Monarch be allowed to spend Christmas with his newborn son." Mac felt like she was arguing in front of a stubborn judge.
"I know it's Christmas, Colonel. If I could I would be in that RIO seat. But I have a job to do, where as you don't right now. You're just here on a layover till the COD can take you home. But I do need that Tomcat taken to Andrews for an upgrade. If it's late it will just leave me one plane down." Ingles paused. "So Colonel, you leave me with one choice."
"What's that, Sir?" Mac hopefully asked.
"Make sure your godson has a merry Christmas."
"Is that a yes, Sir?" Mac slowly asked.
"Yes, Colonel. You and Solo leave in one hour." Ingles laughed.
Mac smiled ear to ear. "Thank you, Sir. Permission to inform Commander Monarch."
"Permission granted, Colonel."
Mac snapped to attention. "Aye-aye, Sir."
"Dismissed." Ingles ordered with a smile.
"Yes, Sir, and Merry Christmas, Sir." Mac turned and walked to the door before Ingles called to her and she stopped.
Ingles smirked at her. "Tell Hammer if he doesn't kiss you under the mistletoe he will be disobeying a direct order."
"Yes, Sir." Mac blushed before she fully exited the bridge.
Mac quickly walked down the halls to the phones where she saw Solo talking on the phone. She stopped in front of him and smiled at him.
"Can you hold on, Cathy?" Solo asked Cathy over the phone. He waited for her answer and covered the mouthpiece. "Yes, Colonel?"
"How do you feel about having a Marine play RIO for the day?" Mac asked.
"Ma'am?"
"We leave in 56 minutes, Commander." Mac reported to the pilot.
Solo's eyebrows reached his hairline in shock. "How did you get him to agree?"
"I'll tell you during the flight. You just tell your girlfriend to expect you tonight," Mac said as she walked away from Solo.
"Yes, Ma'am," Solo said before he turned his attention back to the phone. "Cathy, honey, you're not going to believe this. But I'm coming home….I know, this Colonel talked the Captain into it….I think it's MacKenzie…Yeah, I know. She's on our Christmas list this year. Love you too, bye." Solo quickly hung up the phone and ran down the hall towards his quarters.
Ten minutes before take-off
"Come on Harm, pick up," Mac muttered into the phone as she impatiently tapped her foot.
{"The cellular customer you are trying to reach is unavailable at the moment." The customer-call electronic voice told her.}
Mac hung up the phone and looked at it with an evil glint. "He's probably in court anyway."
"You ready, Colonel?" Solo stood in the hall with a grin on his face.
Mac glanced at the happy pilot and met his grin with one of hers. "You bet ya, Solo."
Solo bowed like a gentleman. "You're chariot awaits, madam."
"Why thank you, kind sir." Mac laughed as she walked past him towards the flight deck.
Flight Deck
"Colonel, you sure you up to this?" Ingles asked from the bridge as he watched the Tomcat line up for takeoff.
Mac exhaled heavily. "I'm not backing out, Sir."
"Good." Ingles chuckled. "Just remember my order for Hammer."
"Yes, Sir." Mac laughed.
A few minutes later the Tomcat roared down the small carrier and towards the sky.
End Part 7