[Matt Wiser]

Next one, and Prada finds out about her sister....anyone recognize the shout-out?



335th TFS Offices, 1650 Hours Central War Time:


Major Wiser was in his office, going over some last-minute paperwork before going to the Officer's Club. Nothing major, he was glad to see, though he did wish that the elves would take care of it while he was out. He'd learned in his tenure as XO that the paper warriors could not be ignored, despite what one wished, and though they were not as numerous as they were in peacetime, that species of pest was still a problem. Colonel Rivers, rest his soul, had taught him some ways of dealing with bureaucrats, though no doubt every squadron and wing commander had the same attitude that he had: yank those pests from behind their desks, transfer them to the Army, give them rifles, and send them to the front lines. Or, if that wasn't possible, have them shoveling snow at someplace like Loring or Goose Bay. Ah, well, one could dream, he thought.

He'd finished with what was in his IN box and then went to work on something that had just come up, when there was a knock on the office door. “Yeah? Come on in and show yourself.”

Capt. Mark Ellis, the Exec, came in with a clipboard. “Boss, got a few things here.”

“What have we got?” Guru asked, looking up from a paper he had just filled out.

“Aircraft status report. We'll have twenty for the morning. And before you ask, Don's bird needs a hundred-hour check.”

The CO nodded. “Okay.....yours and Frank's just got out of that, right?”

“Right on that, Boss,” Ellis replied.

Guru thought for a moment. “All right, then. You get your bird back, and give the one you flew today to Kerry. Frank gets his back, and Don takes the other Euro One bird.”

“I'll let Don know, and he'll take care of that.”

“Good. What else have you got?”

“Supply requesitions,” the XO said. “The stuff we need to get Kerry's bird back in the air.”

Guru signed the forms. “Gladly. Now, get Ross to turn the scroungers loose. Give them the same list Supply's getting, and they have a hunting license. If the clowns in Supply deliver, well and good. If not...”

“Got you. And the usual rules apply.”

“They do. No felony arrests, no one gets hurt, and best of all, nobody gets caught.”

Ellis nodded. “I'll get him going.”

“Good.” the CO said. He put the papers he had been working on into an envelope and sealed it. “This goes out to Tenth Air Force in tomorrow's mail. DFC citations for Kerry and Pat for bringing their bird back.”

“They deserve it,” Ellis nodded. “Speaking of Tenth Air Force, that C-21 came in. Don took the gun-camera tapes and gave it to the crew. They stayed long enough to refuel, then took off back to Nellis.”

“Those were the originals, right?” Guru asked, and he saw Ellis nod. “Okay, so Yeager's people made copies. Our newsies get the word about the blackout being official?”

“Kodak Griffith said they did. Weren't too happy, but Ms. Wendt went to do a sit-down with General Yeager. I'll bet you the minute that blackout expires, they send the story to Sydney.”

“And L.A.,” Guru reminded him. “They also send stuff to CBS, remember?”

“Forgot about that,” Ellis said. “And the weather update. No change for at least five days.”

Guru read the sheet. “Swell. Forget about any stand-down for at least that long.”

“Too bad.”

“Some things you have to live with,” Guru said as he stood up. He glanced at the office clock. 1705. “Now we're off the clock.” He picked up the folder Sin Licon had given him. “Let's hit the Club. I need a cold one, and food.”

“And we get to watch Kerry and Pat get drunk, while they try and forget about nearly getting killed today,” the Exec said. By the tone of his voice, it wasn't a question.

“Something like that.”

“And you don't have to write any letters today.”

“That, I'll gladly drink to.”


When the CO and XO got to the Club, they found Colonel Brady already at the bar, and keeping an eye not only on several of his Marines, but also Kerry Collins and Pat McCorkle. “Colonel,” Guru said with a nod.

“Major,” Brady replied. “The Mess people won't be too long, which is a good thing. Right now, five of my Marines and your two are racing each other to get drunk. Seems your guys weren't alone in getting shot up today.”

Guru and Mark looked at each other. “Colonel, may I ask where?” Guru asked.

“Same area: Star Hollow Lake. They're protecting something important.”

“Or someone-sir.” Ellis said. “Could be an Army Commander.”

“That's what my intel thinks,” Brady said. “Anyway, that's for tomorrow. What's in the folder?”

Guru opened the folder and showed him. “I could have shown her on the ramp, but next to a shot-up bird was not the time or place.”

“Good thinking, Major,” Brady said as General Olds came in, and he was talking with several 335th aircrew. “What are you going to say?”

“First, sir, I need to talk with General Yeager,” Guru said as the barkeep came over. “Smitty, any Sam Adams come in?”

“Sorry, Major,” Smitty replied. “Only two bottles left.”

“Then Bud,” Guru said. “And one for the Exec.”

Smitty nodded, and produced the bottles. “Here you go, Major.'

“Thanks,” Guru said. He paid the barkeep, then glanced over at his two people. “How many have they had?”

“Working on their second already, Major,” Smitty said. “Each.”

“No more until they get something to eat,” Guru said firmly. He turned to Collins and McCorkle. “Hear that?”

“Loud and clear, Major,” Collins said, Capt. Ryan Blanchard, the OINC of their Combat Security Police detachment, nodded agreement. She was his girlfriend, and she would watch him like a hawk.

McCorkle grumbled, “Yes, sir.”

“Good,” Guru said as General Yeager and his people came in, with the news crew following. “Those guys are still the stars today.”

Ellis nodded. “Well, Boss, maybe we can get Ms. Wendt to talk to Kerry and Pat-that is, before they get too drunk.”

“Or when they're sober,” Guru said. He noticed that Goalie, Kara, and the rest of his flight had gotten a table. “Colonel, if you'll excuse me, I need to get started on my own 'Stress reduction.' It's been a hell of a day.”

Brady nodded. “It has been that, Major.”


Guru went over to the table and sat down. “Well, don't know whether to be pissed or be thankful. Or both.”

“Why's that, Boss?” Kara asked as she got started on her first beer.

“Pissed that General Yeager and his people got into a fight, or thankful that General Dugan hasn't called.”

“Better if it's both,” Hoser said. “Uh, Boss.”

“I'll drink to that,” Goalie said, and she poked her pilot in the arm.

“Guess I will,” Guru said. “Hell of a day.” Then he started on his beer. “Any newspapers come in on the C-141?”

Sweaty nodded, then produced the papers. “USA Today, Stars and Stripes, L.A. Times, take your pick.”

Guru and Goalie shared the L.A., and passed the sports page to Hoser. “Anything in USA Today that leaps out?”

“More protests in West Germany,” Kara said. “They had 100,000 in Dusseldorf.”

“Same thing here,” Guru said. “100,000 also in Munich.”

Heads nodded at that. “Good,” Dave Golen said from the table next to the CO's. “Only a matter of time.” And General Olds, who was sitting with Dave, nodded his agreement.

“Hear, hear,” several people said.

Just then, the mess people arrived. “People, we've got either grilled pork chops or Salisbury Steak, with all the fixn's,” one of the local restaurateurs turned Marine Mess Officer said. “Come and get it.”

After people got what they wanted, the CBS Evening News came on. Unlike the previous day, this was a slow news day, even with the war going on, though coverage of the protests in West Germany-and now in Belgium and Holland as well, led the news coming from overseas. And the brewing affair in Philly over Senator Proxmire's aides finding themselves in very hot water over back-channel contacts with the Cuban Embassy in Paris.

“How long until Proxcreep gets the heave-ho?” Cosmo asked from a table where she and Revlon were talking with Ms. Wendt and her crew.

“Hope he gets the message,” said Don Van Loan. “Time for him to take a hike.”

“I'll drink to that,” Cosmo said. As an astronomy major, she had very good reason to loathe the Senator' who had a fondness for cutting NASA budgets, while others despised him for his anti-military attitude.

“Same here,” Kara said.

After Walter Cronkite signed off, the bartender turned the TV to ESPN, where a rerun of ABC's Wide World of Sports was playing. “Well, that's that,” Goalie said. “Slow day in the big picture.”

“But not for us,” Guru nodded.


A few minutes later, as the clock wound towards 1800, Colonel Brady went to the bar and rang the bell. “People, we've got exactly one hour left before the twelve-hour rule kicks in, and there are a few people here who have a right to get happily loaded. First, several folks from either the Marines or the 335th came back with shot-up birds, and well, you people have a right to get sloppy drunk. You've got an hour left, so make the most of it!” The tent roared with laughter. “Major Wiser? You've got some Air Force business, I believe?”

Guru nodded, then went to the bar. “Thank you, sir. Well, Kerry, Pat? You guys did good, bringing your bird back after some kasha-eating son of a bitch put a few flak holes in it. And take my advice, from someone who's been there, done that? Be glad you're not camping with the Resistance. Or, worse, holed up somewhere, waiting for Jolly Green to get you, evading, or a lot worse, behind barbed wire, eating Kasha and Borscht. So drink up!”

“Glad to, Major,” Collins said.

“Just remember: you're on the flight schedule in the morning. So remember twelve-hour, and hit the sack when Doc calls curfew.”

“Will do, Boss,” Pat McCorkle grinned.

Guru nodded, then turned to where General Yeager and his people were seated. “General? Your young pups proved themselves in the air-to-ground arena, and today? They showed us what they can do air-to-air. And sir, you may have set a record for the longest gap between kills. Because, people? He got a Yak-28 recon bird in that little furball. So, General? Here's to number 12.5.” Guru raised his beer botle.

“Just in the right place at the right time, Major,” Yeager replied in his West Virginia drawl. “You're probably glad the Chief of Staff hasn't chewed your ass over the phone.”

“Chewed his ass yet.” Sweaty muttered.

Preacher nodded, then said, “There's always tomorrow.”

Kara shook her head. “Remember, guys, it's Frank we want packing for Goose Bay.”

“We know that,” Sweaty shot back. “It's just, well....surprising the Boss hasn't gotten an over-the-phone ass-chewing.”

“Maybe General Tanner calmed him down,” Goalie ventured.

Guru went on. “General, one of your pups made ace today. Prada? Stand up and be recognized.” Prada did, and Guru said, “You got number five today, and no matter what happens from now on, you're a certified, card-carrying aerial assassin, and for damn sure, no one can take that away from you!”

“Thanks, Major,” Prada said to the roar of the crowd.

“Enjoy the moment, Captain,” Guru said. “Now, some 335th business. Cosmo? Revlon? Stand up.”

“Uh-oh,” several people muttered.

“You two splashed the only MiG to get away from the F-20 furball,” Guru said, and there was some applause at that. “Now, that gives you two three kills. Two more and not only do you two make ace, but you'll be the only all-female ace team not just in the 335th, but hell, probably the whole Air Force for all we know. This place will rock when that happens. But one piece of advice: when you get to number four? No trolling for MiGs! You might just run into somebody looking for his fifth. So be careful, you two.”

The two looked at each other and grinned. “Noted, Major,” Cosmo said.

“That's good. Colonel?” Guru said, yielding the floor to Colonel Brady.

“Thanks, Major. Now, people, in case anyone's curious, no bad weather for a week. So we''ll be hitting things pretty hard until then. You've got fifty minutes until twelve-hour, so drink up!”


Major Wiser went and got another beer, then went back to his table. “Need to talk to General Yeager, then Prada.” He picked up the folder.

“What's in the folder?” Brainiac asked.

Goalie knew, but said nothing. “Be glad you don't know. Yet.” That answer made everyone at the table curious.

The CO nodded. “You'll find out when I get back.” He went over to General Yeager's table, where the news crew had finished talking to his people. “General,”

“Major,” Yeager nodded.

“General, right now, I'm glad I haven't gotten an angry phone call from either General Dugan or General Cunningham.”

“For his exploit today?” Ms. Wendt asked.

“Something like that,” Guru said. “General, I need to show you something,” He indicated the folder. “Privately, sir.”

Yeager nodded, and the two went to the bar and found a couple of empty stools. “Major?”

“Sir, my Intel was going to show Prada this on the ramp, but next to a shot-up bird was not a good time or place,” Guru said. He opened the folder.

Yeager studied the contents, then frowned. “She needs to see this Now.”

“Sir, may I suggest having Colonel Brady here? He's been there.”

“You mean Hanoi?” Yeager asked, and he saw Guru nod. “Good idea, Major.”

Guru went and talked to Colonel Brady for a moment, then the two went back to the bar. Then General Yeager brought Prada over. “What's this about, sir?” She asked.

“This,” Guru said as he opened the folder.

Prada looked at the folder's contents. A brief cover letter from DIA, then a copy of an artcle from a Cuban propaganda magazine. It showed two female American POWs, one brown-haired, the other blonde. Both had bruising on their faces, and were wearing long sleeved prison pajamas. And both were familiar to her, the brown-haired one very much so. “Daria.....she's alive.” Prada looked at the date on the article. April, 1987. “Seven months ago..”

“Your sister's alive, Captain,” Brady said. “Now you know. My family didn't know I was alive until Christmas, 1970, when the Viets let me write my first letter home.” He looked at the photo again. “Who's the other one?”

“Jane, her WSO,” Prada replied. “God...right now I don't know whether to be happy or worried.”

Brady knew what his family had gone through from January, '68 until March 14, 1973, when he had been released in the third increment of POWs from Hanoi. “Either one can be graded as correct.”

“Long pajama sleeves,” Guru noted. “Trying to hide the scars.”

“You picked that up, Major,” Yeager said.

“Read a few books on the subject, sir,” Guru replied. “And from SERE.”

Prada nodded as she scanned the photo and the accompanying article, which had been translated. “Says here they 'confessed' to attacking civilian targets, My ass.”

“Look, Prada,” Yeager said. “Your sister's had SERE training, and she'll get through this.” And so have you, he said to himself. “And there's this: you might qualify for a transfer under the 'Lone Survivor' rule. Your sister's a POW, and you're flying combat. If you get captured, they might put two and two together...”

“What do you mean, sir?”

“I can have orders cut transferring you out of the 474th and sending you to Edwards to be an F-20 IP. You're a combat veteran, a fighter ace, and you've done your bit for God and Country. I'd like to meet your parents one day, but I sure as hell don't want to do it handing them a flag.”

Prada nodded. “General, I don't know what to say.....I need to think about it, and if I can, talk with my folks.”

Guru wondered, “Red Cross can arrange that, can't they?”

“They should,” Brady said. “I'll check with the Red Cross office on the base. They opened a week after we got here.”

“Prada, I know you want to get back into the fight, but a year away from the war zone as an IP means you'll be passing on your experience, and making sure people know how to fly and fight in the F-20,” Yeager said. “When you do come back, you won't have missed a damn thing, because chances are, this war won't be over this time next year. Chances are, we'll be on the Rio Grande, with next stop Mexico City, and there'll still be plenty to do.”

“Yes, sir,” she replied. “Can I wait until we get back to California? I need to think it over, and talk with my folks, if that's possible.”

“Your call,” Yeager nodded. He understood what she was thinking, and knew that some time away from the war zone would probably be best. IP duty wasn't exactly safe, with the potential for accidents, but it was safer than combat.

“Thank you, sir,” Prada smiled. “Now, if you'll excuse me,” she waved to Smitty. “I need to get slightly drunk.”

The three senior officers looked at each other, then at her. “Understandable, Captain,” Yeager said. “You've got forty-five minutes before twelve-hour.”

Prada smiled. “Then, sir, I need to get started.”


Guru went back to his flight's table, and sat back down. “First time,”

“What?” Kara asked.

“Telling someone their MIA loved one is a POW. Quinn's sister is in the Caribbean version of the Hanoi Hilton,” Guru spat. “Shot down over Cuba, and was MIA until recently.”

“So that's what was in the folder,” Sweaty nodded.

Guru nodded back as he finished his beer. “Yep. The good thing: her sister's alive. The bad? She's a 'guest' of Fidel.”

“And we've all got friends POW or MIA,” Goalie reminded them.

The CO grimaced. “That we do.”

Kara then got up and went back to the bar. She got another beer, then went to the pool table. She laid down her money, and the Marine who was there laid down his. It didn't take long for her skills to show, and the Marine wound up paying.

“I see the Queen of the pool tables is holding court,” Ms. Wendt said as she came over. “Might just challenge her one of these days.”

“Your money,” Guru reminded her. “You've been warned previously.”

“I know, Major. But still....”

General Olds stood up. “I'll give her another crack at me.”

“Oh, shit,” Guru said as the General went over to the pool table. He showed his money, Kara showed hers, then both went at it. This time, as with the previous occasion, General Olds' skills were superior, and after Kara paid him, she came back to the table in a fit of the sulks.

“Well?” Sweaty asked.

Kara shook her head. “I have got to beat him before he leaves.” she grumbled.

“Like I said, Kara. Go to the bar, get yourself another beer, then come back and try again,” Guru told her.

“Gladly.” She then went to the bar, got another beer, and downed half of it before she returned to the pool table. General Olds had returned to his table, and Kara proceeded to defeat another Marine. Then a male AF Major wearing MAC insignia on his flight suit challenged her, and came away with his wallet lightened by $50.00. “Next!”

“She always like this?” Ms. Wendt asked.

“Only after she loses,” Goalie said. “Which ain't often.”

Guru looked around, and saw that Prada's friends had joined her at the bar. One of them, Clancy, he thought, was going through Pepsi like it was nothing. Only when Smitty told him they didn't have much left did he lay off. While Pruitt and Prada were talking, and he gave her a hug. Guru then turned, and found General Olds and Dave Golen engaged in a serious conversation, with much hand-waving. SEA against the Yom Kippur War, he knew. Then the bar bell rang.

“Twelve-Hour now in effect!” Doc Waters said.

People flying the next morning turned in their drinks and got something nonalcoholic, and kept things going until 2100, when one of the Navy flight surgeons with MAG-11 rang the bell. “Aircrew Curfew, people!”

Those on the flight schedule the next morning got up and headed off to their billets to get some sleep. It wouldn't be long until Zero-dark-thirty, and another day of flying.