Chapter 8

Deal me a New Hand

Of all the blasted placed to send a sailor. The maintenance shack of an air force base in the blasted desert. Shipwreck thought as he sauntered into the Nellis Air Force Base maintenance hanger assigned to the Joe and Tommy teams.

"Holy mutha a St. Patrick" A very Irish, very feminine voice along with the sond of metal hittling the concrete floor pulled Shipwreck out of his thoughts and drew his attention to the firm, feminine rear sticking out of the engine of a Sky Striker.
A few seconds later, he saw the reason for the outburst, a wrench was lying on the ground just below the engine. He leaned down to pick up the wrench and as he stood, he found his head connecting with the feminine rear and landed on his own.

"Ompf" was his only reaction.

"What the?" Leading Seaman Caitlin O'Malley looked down at the American sailor sprawled out on his rear in front of her, holding the very wrench that started this. "Aye, are ye alright?" She asked as she reached down to help the sailor up.

"Yeah, I'm fine. You're the mechanic?" Shipwreck asked incredulously as he looked up at what he thought was the oil-smudged face of an Irish angel. The light behind her acting like a halo lighting up her bright red hair and fine alabaster porcelain skin.
From his position on the ground, Shipwreck was almost sure he was looking at an angel. Of course, he could've hit his head and not known it. And of course, his filter-less parrot clearly saw something.

"squawk, shipwrecks in love, squawk."

"Can it you blasted bird. I just met the lady." Shipwreck reached up and grabbed the beak of his feathered frenemy.

"Shipwreck, is it? Well, I can definitely see that. Yer a bit wobbly." The redhead laughed a deep, husky, hearty laugh as she reached down to help Shipwreck up.

"Sometimes, yes." Shipwreck laughed as well.

"And who might this be?" She angled her head towards Polly.

"Oh, this is Polly" Shipwreck held out and hand as the parrot landed on it.

"I'm Leading Seaman Caitlin O'Malley, Royal Navy." She smiled and Shipwreck felt like his entire day was lit.

"Chief Petty Officer Hector Delgado, or Shipwreck".

"I think I like Hector. Such a strong name." She smiled again. "So what brings ya to my neck a da woods."

"I've been sent to help you out Though a lotta good I can do. I'm a sailor."

"Aye, so am I, but, I can fix these babies." She laughed. "What do ya do in the Navy. Asides from being knocked on your arse?"

"Squawk, Not much, Squawk".

"Can it, Bird" Shipwreck grabbed Polly's beak. "Actually, I'm a gunner's mate."

"Aye, I can see why you'd be confused. I have no need fer a gunner's mate." She stuck her hands on her hips. "So, yer bird, she always says what she wants?"

"Actually, she's a he. And yeah, pretty much." Shipwreck laughed.

"Well, I like 'im." She laughed again. "Ah, well, since yer here, I could use some help. Ye can hand me tools while I get this baby here back in flyin' shape. Poor girl is not feelin so well. Are ye, baby?" She patted the nose of the skystriker.

"What's wrong with her?" Shipwreck asked.

"She seems to be havin' a wee bit a indigestion." Shipwreck looked at her quizzically. "Her fuel injection system isna injecting properly."

"Oh." Shipwreck just laughed. He thought it was cute how this lady treated the plane like it was her children.

Across the base

Ace pulled into the parking area next to the operations building for the 414th Combat Training Squadron[i]. He looked over at his passenger. Squadron Leader Megan O'Leary looked well-rested, despite being awake till all hours of the night making love
with him. Next to winning the next big hand and flying a Skystriker through the air at mach 2, Ace couldn't think of a time when he'd felt so exhilarated as he did with the Irish pilot. Sighing, he thought about how this time would be short. Sixweeks
would never be long enough with this lady. She was damn near perfect for him. She loved flying as much as he did and damned if she wasn't one helluva poker player. Basically, she was him, only prettier. He reached over and squeezed her hand, smiled
and leaned across the seat to press a kiss to her lips.

"Hey, Ace!" A feminine voice called from behind him, pulling him from the embrace and causing him to turn around to face the voice.

"Kerry!" Ace's smile grew as he saw his commander's daughter walk up, her green flight suit clearly showing her newly minted wings. He and Hawk had planned to attend her flight school graduation at Vance Air Force Base, but, that wasn't for another three
weeks. Why was she standing here with wings on her flight suit. "What are you doing here?"

"I graduated flight school early and now, I'm here to surprise my dad, take part in Red Flag and see my boyfriend." She smiled.

"You have a boyfriend? That's great! When do we get to meet him?" Ace smiled and quickly realized he was forgetting someone. "Oh, Lieutenant Kerry Abernathy, let me introduce you to RAF Squadron Leader Megan O'Leary."

"Aye, it's a pleasure ta meet another lady militr'y pilot" Megan reached out her hand to shake the younger woman's hand.

"Good to meet you do, Ma'am."

"Graduated early, did you?" Ace smiled. "Does your father know you're here?"

"He should, he set it up." Kerry smiled. "Since I'll be joining the team after I finish advanced flight training at Luke in the F-15 and the Joe's ranger school in the next six months, he thought it would be good to have me take part in this exercise."

"Well, that's great."

"If ye haven't trained in the aircraft, how are ye gonna take part in this exercise?" Megan scowled.

"I trained Lieutenant Abernathy on the skystriker while she was still in the Air Force Academy." Ace looked at her flightsuit and saw the new nickname. "Stink bomb? Do I want to know?"

"Oh, it's actually funny. I had an issue with one of my flight instructors. So, I left a stink bomb in his plane one day. Took four days for them to air out the plane and his flight suit." Kerry laughed.

"Why the hell did you do that?"

"He wanted me to perform a barrel roll his way, and well, I had trouble with it. But, I could do it your way without a single problem. " Kerry shrugged. "So, how's Ginny?" Kerry's eyes narrowed in suspicion as she looked at Ace.

"She was transferred to Aviano, Italy and last I heard was engaged to a navy pilot aboard the Forrestal"

"Ah. I wondered what was going to happen there." She smiled and then leaned over and whispered. "This lady is much prettier than Ginny." She laughed. "Oh, well, time to go see Dad and report in."

[i] The 414th Combat Training Squadron is the actual unit designator for the United States Air Force's Exercise Red Flag. It is part of the 57th Wing which is currently commanded by one of the USAFs first female fighter pilots: Brigadier General Jeannie
Leavitt, USAF.