Fire in the Jungle
Captain James smoothed down the front of her ruffled fatigue blouse. She'd been more at home in the working uniform of Tan Son Nhut's huge hospital. She was excited about this temporary assignment to a firebase. She was being sent to firebase Ladybird for a few weeks to beef up their triage and trauma skills, teaching being a part of her job that she hadn't done in years. Two weeks out in the bush being the only female around excited Desi, but scared her at the same time.
Straightening her uniform cap, Desi walked slowly across the flight line, ignoring the glares she received from the enlisted personnel who were servicing the helicopters.
It seemed that Deseray was going to have company on this flight. A private, came to attention and saluted Desi. "At ease, private."
James returned the salute.
"Is this Lt. McKay's helicopter? Bound for Firebase Ladybird?"
The private nodded in agreement. "Yes, ma'am, it is. He will be here in a few minutes "
"Okay, okay." Desi thanked the young private as he set her bag alongside the medic's and waved him off with a smile.
Captain James sat up straighter, she was all alone in the chopper waiting for the pilot. She hated choppers with a passion, she hated this war.
Then the handsome, dark-haired pilot sauntered up.
"OK Waiting for a few more people then we'll saddle up!" He suddenly snapped off a salute as he realized that Captain James was an officer. "Ma'am. Sorry, ma'am, sir. Umm, ma'am." He blushed bright red, shoving his fingers through his hair repeatedly.
"It's okay, Lieutenant, really."
He grinned at her, admiring her female figure. "Sorry, really. We're just waiting for a platoon leader his medic and then we'll be off. I gotta preflight." He nodded at James.
Two other male figures approached the chopper pad. As they advanced toward the chopper, Desi noticed that one was a Lt. and one was a Spec. 4 wearing a medical insignia.
"Hey Johnny, Ready to take her up?" the young Lt. with dark hair and sexy brown eyes asked the chopper pilot.
"Umm Myron ..." Johnny tried to get his best friend to see the officer who was now standing near the front of the chopper waiting for a proper salute.
"What's the matter, buddy?" Myron asked as Desi came over and Johnny executed a perfect salute.
"Is the chopper jock the only officer around here that knows when and how to salute a superior officer?" Desi questioned.
Myron suddenly turned in the direction of the stern female voice.
"Pardon me, ma'am." Myron said as he saluted the new nurse. Desi slowly returned Myron's salute.
"I tried to warn you ole buddy." McKay chuckled, knowing that he now had a better then average chance to make time with the new Capt.
Doc Hock was lucky enough to have missed all of these going ons between the officers.
"Since we are all here now, lets get going." McKay said eagerly. "Here Capt. you may sit up front with me."
"Yeah, let's go before it gets too deep in here and even you can't fly this thing." Myron remarked.
Johnny helped Desi into the seat next to him. The others sat on the floor close to each other because the majority of the room was taken up by supplies.
"Ok everybody, here we go." Johnny bragged.
With a whine and a roar the chopper lifted off tail first. Johnny and Desi had headsets on, the others in the back did not. This way, Johnny could get some private conversation in with Desi. McKay began to work the controls.
"Oh," Desi said suddenly. "Lt. that is not one of your chopper controls. Please remove your hand from my knee."
"Sorry ma'am. My mistake." Johnny said as apologetically as he could.
"Lt. I think I will sit in the back with the others after all." Desi removed her headset and walked back and sat next to Myron.
Boxes of supplies tucked into every conceivable space didn't make for deluxe and the three GIs shoulder to shoulder across the middle of the cargo bay.
Doc Hockenbury sat next to Desi.
Goldman twisted around to make room for the Captain as she climbed over the center console and dropped gracefully to the floor. He'd seen McKay's wandering hand and hid a grin behind the stock of his rifle, amused at his roommate's unceasing attempts to impress members of the opposite sex.
"Sorry about Lt. McKay, ma'am."
James looked at him, noting the dark eyes dancing with mirth and the half-grin tugging at the corners of his mouth. "Been there, before, Lieutenant." She turned her head to the left where Doc Hock sat next to her, his long lanky body warm against her hip.
"I hear that you are a medic ,Specialist"
Hockenbury jumped, not having realized that the captain was paying him any attention . "Ah, yes, ma'am. A medic. Yes. Ma'am."
Goldman, miffed at all the attention his medic was receiving, cleared his throat.
Hockenbury nodded, leaning forward to hear Goldman across Captain James.
James turned, too, focusing her green eyes on the lieutenant's steady dark gaze.
James laid a soft hand on Goldman's forearm, leaning toward him as the chopper made a sudden right turn.
Goldman nodded, appreciating her gentle touch. It had been SO long
Captain James smoothed down the front of her ruffled fatigue blouse. She'd been more at home in the working uniform of Tan Son Nhut's huge hospital. She was excited about this temporary assignment to a firebase. She was being sent to firebase Ladybird for a few weeks to beef up their triage and trauma skills, teaching being a part of her job that she hadn't done in years. Two weeks out in the bush being the only female around excited Desi, but scared her at the same time.
Straightening her uniform cap, Desi walked slowly across the flight line, ignoring the glares she received from the enlisted personnel who were servicing the helicopters.
It seemed that Deseray was going to have company on this flight. A private, came to attention and saluted Desi. "At ease, private."
James returned the salute.
"Is this Lt. McKay's helicopter? Bound for Firebase Ladybird?"
The private nodded in agreement. "Yes, ma'am, it is. He will be here in a few minutes "
"Okay, okay." Desi thanked the young private as he set her bag alongside the medic's and waved him off with a smile.
Captain James sat up straighter, she was all alone in the chopper waiting for the pilot. She hated choppers with a passion, she hated this war.
Then the handsome, dark-haired pilot sauntered up.
"OK Waiting for a few more people then we'll saddle up!" He suddenly snapped off a salute as he realized that Captain James was an officer. "Ma'am. Sorry, ma'am, sir. Umm, ma'am." He blushed bright red, shoving his fingers through his hair repeatedly.
"It's okay, Lieutenant, really."
He grinned at her, admiring her female figure. "Sorry, really. We're just waiting for a platoon leader his medic and then we'll be off. I gotta preflight." He nodded at James.
Two other male figures approached the chopper pad. As they advanced toward the chopper, Desi noticed that one was a Lt. and one was a Spec. 4 wearing a medical insignia.
"Hey Johnny, Ready to take her up?" the young Lt. with dark hair and sexy brown eyes asked the chopper pilot.
"Umm Myron ..." Johnny tried to get his best friend to see the officer who was now standing near the front of the chopper waiting for a proper salute.
"What's the matter, buddy?" Myron asked as Desi came over and Johnny executed a perfect salute.
"Is the chopper jock the only officer around here that knows when and how to salute a superior officer?" Desi questioned.
Myron suddenly turned in the direction of the stern female voice.
"Pardon me, ma'am." Myron said as he saluted the new nurse. Desi slowly returned Myron's salute.
"I tried to warn you ole buddy." McKay chuckled, knowing that he now had a better then average chance to make time with the new Capt.
Doc Hock was lucky enough to have missed all of these going ons between the officers.
"Since we are all here now, lets get going." McKay said eagerly. "Here Capt. you may sit up front with me."
"Yeah, let's go before it gets too deep in here and even you can't fly this thing." Myron remarked.
Johnny helped Desi into the seat next to him. The others sat on the floor close to each other because the majority of the room was taken up by supplies.
"Ok everybody, here we go." Johnny bragged.
With a whine and a roar the chopper lifted off tail first. Johnny and Desi had headsets on, the others in the back did not. This way, Johnny could get some private conversation in with Desi. McKay began to work the controls.
"Oh," Desi said suddenly. "Lt. that is not one of your chopper controls. Please remove your hand from my knee."
"Sorry ma'am. My mistake." Johnny said as apologetically as he could.
"Lt. I think I will sit in the back with the others after all." Desi removed her headset and walked back and sat next to Myron.
Boxes of supplies tucked into every conceivable space didn't make for deluxe and the three GIs shoulder to shoulder across the middle of the cargo bay.
Doc Hockenbury sat next to Desi.
Goldman twisted around to make room for the Captain as she climbed over the center console and dropped gracefully to the floor. He'd seen McKay's wandering hand and hid a grin behind the stock of his rifle, amused at his roommate's unceasing attempts to impress members of the opposite sex.
"Sorry about Lt. McKay, ma'am."
James looked at him, noting the dark eyes dancing with mirth and the half-grin tugging at the corners of his mouth. "Been there, before, Lieutenant." She turned her head to the left where Doc Hock sat next to her, his long lanky body warm against her hip.
"I hear that you are a medic ,Specialist"
Hockenbury jumped, not having realized that the captain was paying him any attention . "Ah, yes, ma'am. A medic. Yes. Ma'am."
Goldman, miffed at all the attention his medic was receiving, cleared his throat.
Hockenbury nodded, leaning forward to hear Goldman across Captain James.
James turned, too, focusing her green eyes on the lieutenant's steady dark gaze.
James laid a soft hand on Goldman's forearm, leaning toward him as the chopper made a sudden right turn.
Goldman nodded, appreciating her gentle touch. It had been SO long