Title : Where The Sea Meets The Sky
Author : Jaggie 107
Disclaimer : JAG characters belong to DPB, CBS and Paramount. 'Sue Thomas, F.B.Eye' belongs to PAX TV - and I hope all parties will allow me to have fun for a little while, and replace them all when I'm done. Thank you.
Rating : G to PG-13
Thanks go to cbw; jtbwriter; beegirl, katydid13, ninjaturtle, capriceann, starryeyes10, kirsten, soonerfan, another tracy, tomcat-all, lori4, carol, eliv.thade, alicia5, fragmentpieces, kesh, claysmvl and chicmns for their reviews. As before, any reviewers I miss between posts will be added to the list for the next chapter!
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'ENSIGN 107'
USS SEA HAWK
SOMEWHERE IN THE INDIAN OCEAN
TUESDAY EVENING
"Okay, Mattie. You ready for this?" Harm spoke into his headset as he glanced in the mirror that gave him a view of the rear passenger. Mattie's expressive eyes, all he could see between the top of the helmet and the mask, were alight with enthusiasm; no sign of nerves at all.
"I'm ready!" Mattie responded, sitting in the RIO's seat, arms crossed, making absolutely sure that she didn't touch anything in the her part of the cockpit; she had remembered Mac telling her the story of the Admiral's surprise ejection from the back seat, and she wasn't planning on being the sequel.
Harm waved to the deck crew and signaled he was ready to take-off. The ramp rose behind the jet, taking the force of the heat blast from the engines as he pushed forward on the stick. The jet screamed as it took off, and from the rear seat Harm could hear a loud 'whoop' as Mattie squealed in delight. From the eagle's nest Mac and Ensign Walters watched as the jet left the deck and rose into the night sky.
EAGLE'S NEST
"Wow," murmured Louise Walters. This was her first carrier posting, and she was still awestruck at the talents of the pilots who were stationed on board. Mac turned to smile at the junior officer, who was a few years older than Mattie, but they had become fast friends and as Louise had been given the additional task of filling the teenager in on the finer points of becoming a Naval recruit, Mattie had soaked up everything she was told. 'Like a sponge,' had been the comment made to Captain Johnson, when he had asked for a report on the carrier's newest 'Ensign'.
"I guess that sum's it up, Louise," Mac agreed, watching as the jet became a speck, and then she saw Harm turn the jet ready to come back. Or so she thought! Suddenly the jet went nose-up and climbed to a higher altitude.
'ENSIGN 107'
AIRBORNE
Inside the jet, Mattie was 'whooping' some more! "Harm, this is amazing! Can we stay up a little longer? Please?"
"You're okay? No nausea?"
"I'm doing great! Can you do something more?"
Harm grinned, frankly amazed that Mattie had taken to flying in the jet so well, and so fast! Even some seasoned pilots he knew had been nose deep in bags for the first few of their training flights. The times he had taken Mattie up in 'Sarah' should have been indication enough that she had a natural talent for flying, and he had promised to help her attain her pilot's license when she was old enough, but he hadn't honestly expected her to want to stay up longer than a take off and landing routine. He had permission from the CAG to make a few moves in the jet, if Mattie was up to it, and at the present rate he was going to be able to show her the full repertoire, including some moves that were his alone and that had been programmed into training computers and not yet mastered by others. (He still held the 'Missile X' record on board the Sea Hawk!)
"Hang onto your hat, Mattie. We're doing a roll," Harm spoke, and swung the stick over at the same time, so the Tomcat dropped sideways and then did a complete roll, coming upright again.
"This is so cool! It's like 'Top Gun'!" Mattie laughed, quoting the name of the movie that she had watched over and over again; not just for the 'eye candy' as she and Jennifer called the actors, but for the technical details. (It was a good job their copy was on DVD, or the video tape would have been worn out in the first week. Harm also knew that Mattie was watching copies of lawyer movies too. It really would be great if she was to follow in his footsteps! It was obvious she already had the analytical mind to work out problems, and on her feet at that, so the combination of natural talent, a quick mind, and sheer enthusiasm, would get her far.)
"Hey," called out Harm, " ...where do you think Tom Cruise got the ideas from?"
Mattie's expression was priceless and Harm grinned back at her.
"You're kidding, right?" she asked.
"Maybe ..." Harm replied, leaving the word hanging. Mattie locked eyes with Harm in the mirror, and then she winked as she smiled.
"You're something else, Rabb!"
Harm winked back at her and Mattie laughed, whooping again as Harm suddenly turned the jet over, until they were inverted, able to see the carrier below them.
USS SEA HAWK
SOMEWHERE IN THE INDIAN OCEAN
On the deck of the carrier, the duty LSO and the CAG were looking up.
"I hope that's Rabb flying, and not Miss Grace," said the CAG, not entirely sure that Harm wouldn't hand over the controls of the jet. By the length of time the two had spent in the air so far it was obvious that the teenager wasn't in the least bit bothered by the power of the jet.
"I don't think Captain Rabb would endanger anyone, sir," the LSO replied, " ...but I'd dare to say that whoever is flying, both of them are naturals."
"In Rabb's case, I can't dispute that, and from what I've seen of Miss Grace so far, I'm fast becoming part of her fan-club. I have no idea how they ended up together, but they're damn good for each other."
"Yes, sir, they are." The LSO nodded, and then watched as the jet was brought upright again, and began its turn back to the carrier. "Looks like they're coming in, sir."
"It's your deck. Carry on."
"Aye, sir."
EAGLE'S NEST
"Looks like they're coming in, ma'am," Louise pointed at the jet turning, and Mac nodded, aware of the extra time Harm and Mattie had spent in the air. It was doubtful that they would have stayed up so long if Mattie was unhappy, and there was a little twinge of envy that Mattie would have the small part of Harm's heart where his love of flying lay, if her natural abilities were so obvious so early on. Mac shook herself and dispelled the thought even before it took hold.
"I guess that's another pair of gold wings I'm going to be polishing some day," Mac mused, and smiled at Louise before turning her attention back to the descending jet.
"Ma,am, may I ask you a question?"
"Certainly."
"It's a mite personal, ma'am ..." Louise paused, and then shook her head. "No. I'd better not."
"Ensign Walters, ask your question. If I think it's too personal, I'll tell you." Mac crossed her arms and waited for Louise to talk.
"Well, ma'am, I didn't really like asking Mattie about her family, but I know the Captain isn't her real father."
"No, he isn't. At the moment he is in the process of obtaining full custody of Mattie, and then he will adopt her. Mattie is determined another Rabb will go through the Naval Academy."
"The Marines have pilots too, ma'am."
Mac laughed softly. "I've tried that tack already, but Mattie is bound and determined that she's going to Annapolis."
"You think you'll be outnumbered at home, ma'am?"
"I'm already outnumbered, Ensign. In my extended family, they are all Navy personnel."
"How's that, ma'am?"
"There is an Admiral who is the Judge Advocate General, a Captain, a Commander, two Lieutenants and a Petty Officer First Class, and not forgetting a precocious teenager or two. I'd say that puts the odds in their favor, wouldn't you?"
"I guess so, ma'am." Louise nodded at Mac, and then fell silent as they both turned to watch the incoming jet.
'ENSIGN 107'
AIRBORNE
"'Ensign 107', this is Sea Hawk, you are cleared to land." The LSO gave the authority to land as the deck was clear.
"Sea Hawk, this is 'Ensign 107', acknowledged." Harm radioed back and brought the Tomcat into line with the deck of the carrier. The jet came in and trapped perfectly. As before, it was a textbook landing, but as it was an unofficial flight, it wouldn't carry on to Harm's record on the Greenie Board, not that he was bothered in this instance.
Once Harm had brought the jet to an assigned stop and powered down the engines, the ground crew swarmed to their duty stations, readying the jet for its next duty, as Harm's ride with Jorgensen on their sortie. Harm and Mattie climbed down the steps and then Mattie turned to Harm and hugged him.
"That was amazing, Harm! You're the greatest!"
"So, still want to join the Navy?"
"Hah! More than ever!" Mattie high-fived Harm, and he dropped his arm across her shoulders as they walked away from the jet and back to the interior of the carrier, making their way to the changing room to get out of their flight suits. Mattie had been able to use Lieutenant Jorgensen's suit and helmet, and she returned them to the officer with another high-five and a huge smile.
Mac had made her way back down from the Eagle's Nest and she was stood inside the doorway of the briefing room, watching Harm and Mattie talking to Jorgensen. As always, Harm seemed to know when Mac was around, and he raised his head to look at her, smiling across the room in answer to the sign she made discreetly with her hand.
Too bad that he was due up in the air again ...
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To be continued
A/N:
1. Before anyone writes in, the aircraft listing is my own - based on Mattie being an honorary 'Ensign', and an aircraft listed as '107' - as I don't know how jets are listed on carriers. If anyone out there knows, please tell me - for authenticity in other stories. Thanks.
2. As a reviewer kindly pointed out, a civilian teenager in Mattie's capacity would never be on a carrier, on active duty, in real life, but that's what creative license is for! Thanks for reviewing, as always - it's what keeps me writing!
Author : Jaggie 107
Disclaimer : JAG characters belong to DPB, CBS and Paramount. 'Sue Thomas, F.B.Eye' belongs to PAX TV - and I hope all parties will allow me to have fun for a little while, and replace them all when I'm done. Thank you.
Rating : G to PG-13
Thanks go to cbw; jtbwriter; beegirl, katydid13, ninjaturtle, capriceann, starryeyes10, kirsten, soonerfan, another tracy, tomcat-all, lori4, carol, eliv.thade, alicia5, fragmentpieces, kesh, claysmvl and chicmns for their reviews. As before, any reviewers I miss between posts will be added to the list for the next chapter!
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
'ENSIGN 107'
USS SEA HAWK
SOMEWHERE IN THE INDIAN OCEAN
TUESDAY EVENING
"Okay, Mattie. You ready for this?" Harm spoke into his headset as he glanced in the mirror that gave him a view of the rear passenger. Mattie's expressive eyes, all he could see between the top of the helmet and the mask, were alight with enthusiasm; no sign of nerves at all.
"I'm ready!" Mattie responded, sitting in the RIO's seat, arms crossed, making absolutely sure that she didn't touch anything in the her part of the cockpit; she had remembered Mac telling her the story of the Admiral's surprise ejection from the back seat, and she wasn't planning on being the sequel.
Harm waved to the deck crew and signaled he was ready to take-off. The ramp rose behind the jet, taking the force of the heat blast from the engines as he pushed forward on the stick. The jet screamed as it took off, and from the rear seat Harm could hear a loud 'whoop' as Mattie squealed in delight. From the eagle's nest Mac and Ensign Walters watched as the jet left the deck and rose into the night sky.
EAGLE'S NEST
"Wow," murmured Louise Walters. This was her first carrier posting, and she was still awestruck at the talents of the pilots who were stationed on board. Mac turned to smile at the junior officer, who was a few years older than Mattie, but they had become fast friends and as Louise had been given the additional task of filling the teenager in on the finer points of becoming a Naval recruit, Mattie had soaked up everything she was told. 'Like a sponge,' had been the comment made to Captain Johnson, when he had asked for a report on the carrier's newest 'Ensign'.
"I guess that sum's it up, Louise," Mac agreed, watching as the jet became a speck, and then she saw Harm turn the jet ready to come back. Or so she thought! Suddenly the jet went nose-up and climbed to a higher altitude.
'ENSIGN 107'
AIRBORNE
Inside the jet, Mattie was 'whooping' some more! "Harm, this is amazing! Can we stay up a little longer? Please?"
"You're okay? No nausea?"
"I'm doing great! Can you do something more?"
Harm grinned, frankly amazed that Mattie had taken to flying in the jet so well, and so fast! Even some seasoned pilots he knew had been nose deep in bags for the first few of their training flights. The times he had taken Mattie up in 'Sarah' should have been indication enough that she had a natural talent for flying, and he had promised to help her attain her pilot's license when she was old enough, but he hadn't honestly expected her to want to stay up longer than a take off and landing routine. He had permission from the CAG to make a few moves in the jet, if Mattie was up to it, and at the present rate he was going to be able to show her the full repertoire, including some moves that were his alone and that had been programmed into training computers and not yet mastered by others. (He still held the 'Missile X' record on board the Sea Hawk!)
"Hang onto your hat, Mattie. We're doing a roll," Harm spoke, and swung the stick over at the same time, so the Tomcat dropped sideways and then did a complete roll, coming upright again.
"This is so cool! It's like 'Top Gun'!" Mattie laughed, quoting the name of the movie that she had watched over and over again; not just for the 'eye candy' as she and Jennifer called the actors, but for the technical details. (It was a good job their copy was on DVD, or the video tape would have been worn out in the first week. Harm also knew that Mattie was watching copies of lawyer movies too. It really would be great if she was to follow in his footsteps! It was obvious she already had the analytical mind to work out problems, and on her feet at that, so the combination of natural talent, a quick mind, and sheer enthusiasm, would get her far.)
"Hey," called out Harm, " ...where do you think Tom Cruise got the ideas from?"
Mattie's expression was priceless and Harm grinned back at her.
"You're kidding, right?" she asked.
"Maybe ..." Harm replied, leaving the word hanging. Mattie locked eyes with Harm in the mirror, and then she winked as she smiled.
"You're something else, Rabb!"
Harm winked back at her and Mattie laughed, whooping again as Harm suddenly turned the jet over, until they were inverted, able to see the carrier below them.
USS SEA HAWK
SOMEWHERE IN THE INDIAN OCEAN
On the deck of the carrier, the duty LSO and the CAG were looking up.
"I hope that's Rabb flying, and not Miss Grace," said the CAG, not entirely sure that Harm wouldn't hand over the controls of the jet. By the length of time the two had spent in the air so far it was obvious that the teenager wasn't in the least bit bothered by the power of the jet.
"I don't think Captain Rabb would endanger anyone, sir," the LSO replied, " ...but I'd dare to say that whoever is flying, both of them are naturals."
"In Rabb's case, I can't dispute that, and from what I've seen of Miss Grace so far, I'm fast becoming part of her fan-club. I have no idea how they ended up together, but they're damn good for each other."
"Yes, sir, they are." The LSO nodded, and then watched as the jet was brought upright again, and began its turn back to the carrier. "Looks like they're coming in, sir."
"It's your deck. Carry on."
"Aye, sir."
EAGLE'S NEST
"Looks like they're coming in, ma'am," Louise pointed at the jet turning, and Mac nodded, aware of the extra time Harm and Mattie had spent in the air. It was doubtful that they would have stayed up so long if Mattie was unhappy, and there was a little twinge of envy that Mattie would have the small part of Harm's heart where his love of flying lay, if her natural abilities were so obvious so early on. Mac shook herself and dispelled the thought even before it took hold.
"I guess that's another pair of gold wings I'm going to be polishing some day," Mac mused, and smiled at Louise before turning her attention back to the descending jet.
"Ma,am, may I ask you a question?"
"Certainly."
"It's a mite personal, ma'am ..." Louise paused, and then shook her head. "No. I'd better not."
"Ensign Walters, ask your question. If I think it's too personal, I'll tell you." Mac crossed her arms and waited for Louise to talk.
"Well, ma'am, I didn't really like asking Mattie about her family, but I know the Captain isn't her real father."
"No, he isn't. At the moment he is in the process of obtaining full custody of Mattie, and then he will adopt her. Mattie is determined another Rabb will go through the Naval Academy."
"The Marines have pilots too, ma'am."
Mac laughed softly. "I've tried that tack already, but Mattie is bound and determined that she's going to Annapolis."
"You think you'll be outnumbered at home, ma'am?"
"I'm already outnumbered, Ensign. In my extended family, they are all Navy personnel."
"How's that, ma'am?"
"There is an Admiral who is the Judge Advocate General, a Captain, a Commander, two Lieutenants and a Petty Officer First Class, and not forgetting a precocious teenager or two. I'd say that puts the odds in their favor, wouldn't you?"
"I guess so, ma'am." Louise nodded at Mac, and then fell silent as they both turned to watch the incoming jet.
'ENSIGN 107'
AIRBORNE
"'Ensign 107', this is Sea Hawk, you are cleared to land." The LSO gave the authority to land as the deck was clear.
"Sea Hawk, this is 'Ensign 107', acknowledged." Harm radioed back and brought the Tomcat into line with the deck of the carrier. The jet came in and trapped perfectly. As before, it was a textbook landing, but as it was an unofficial flight, it wouldn't carry on to Harm's record on the Greenie Board, not that he was bothered in this instance.
Once Harm had brought the jet to an assigned stop and powered down the engines, the ground crew swarmed to their duty stations, readying the jet for its next duty, as Harm's ride with Jorgensen on their sortie. Harm and Mattie climbed down the steps and then Mattie turned to Harm and hugged him.
"That was amazing, Harm! You're the greatest!"
"So, still want to join the Navy?"
"Hah! More than ever!" Mattie high-fived Harm, and he dropped his arm across her shoulders as they walked away from the jet and back to the interior of the carrier, making their way to the changing room to get out of their flight suits. Mattie had been able to use Lieutenant Jorgensen's suit and helmet, and she returned them to the officer with another high-five and a huge smile.
Mac had made her way back down from the Eagle's Nest and she was stood inside the doorway of the briefing room, watching Harm and Mattie talking to Jorgensen. As always, Harm seemed to know when Mac was around, and he raised his head to look at her, smiling across the room in answer to the sign she made discreetly with her hand.
Too bad that he was due up in the air again ...
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
To be continued
A/N:
1. Before anyone writes in, the aircraft listing is my own - based on Mattie being an honorary 'Ensign', and an aircraft listed as '107' - as I don't know how jets are listed on carriers. If anyone out there knows, please tell me - for authenticity in other stories. Thanks.
2. As a reviewer kindly pointed out, a civilian teenager in Mattie's capacity would never be on a carrier, on active duty, in real life, but that's what creative license is for! Thanks for reviewing, as always - it's what keeps me writing!