"Beyond the Call of Duty"
Author: Hugo "Animal" Chikamori
E-mail: [email protected]
Rating: PG-15 (Some foul language, and some violence)
Classification: War Story
Spoilers: Shadow (Season 1)
Summary: Metalman is downed in hostile territory, Animal and Maverick are sent into rescue them prompting an
investigation into their actions due to their commander's
pushing for the Medal of Honor for Animal and for Metalman's deceased RIO, killed in action.
DISCLAIMER: The characters Harm Rabb, Jr., Sarah Mackenzie, AJ Chegwidden,
et al. belong (in concept if not name) to CBS/Bellisarius. No profit is being made from this story, nor is any infringement intended. Author's WINGS OF GOLD characters are also used, however they are under copyright. Top Gun characters are also used however they are the property of Paramount Pictures, Don Simpson/Jerry Bruckheimer et al. Likewise no profit or copyright infringement is intended.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: This is based on a different timeline than the original story "Ghosts of the Past". This story fits into the timeline set out for the Gold Wings; Blue Water story and features Liandra Kendall Gracen.
November 13, 1995
USS THEODORE ROOSEVELT (CVN 71)
INDIAN OCEAN
The calm warm air of the Indian Ocean ruffled Lieutenant Commander Hugo "Animal" Chikamori's hair as he looked out over the fan-tail. It was a beautiful day, but Animal did not feel like celebrating. His mood had noticeably soured over the past few days and it was still a month before he would set foot on soil again, due to the length of time between port-calls, thanks to the heightened tensions between the United States and North Korea.
The 1-MC blaring, "Lieutenant Commander Chikamori to Flight Ops ASAP" interrupted his melancholy contemplation. 'Oh crap.' Was his first. He didn't have time to contemplate a second thought as the 1-MC blared again. "That means YOU...ANIMAL..." Stifling a curse, he headed up to Flight Ops. He'd settle for killing Metalman later. About five to ten minutes later, when he had stepped through the door of the flight operations room onboard the carrier, he noticed Rear Admiral Pointer, Captain Henry Philip Middleton (CAG), Commander Barry David Harrison (the Executive CAG) as well as his usual wingman, Lieutenant Commander Pete "Maverick" Mitchell. Commander Ted West, the VF-41 CO as well as Commander Brad Thompson were also there.
"Good afternoon, admiral." Animal said as he stepped up to the admiral and stood at attention. "Lieutenant Commander Chikamori. We have a mission for you, the admiral said. "You have been asked by SpecOps to probe the North Korean air defenses."
Animal's blood chilled. That was no mission for sane pilots. They were asking for the pilots to hang their asses out to dry, probing the coast. There were SA6 and SA7 (handheld) SAMs and Zsu-23 Shilkas which were mobile anti-aircraft guns. The North Korean coastal defenses were formidable and woe be to the foolhardy pilot who dared to challenge those defenses.
"Lieutenant Commander, we need your skills to ascertain the readiness of the North Korean defense system that they have in place." The second commander stated.
"I don't particularly like the thought of hanging our sixes out in front of a hornet's nest." Animal replied, "We are risking not only a thirty five million dollar aircraft but we're also risking our lives too."
"Yes, that's understandable, Lieutenant Commander, but we need the most current up-to-date information on the missile emplacements and the gun sites so that we can structure our tactics." The commander said.
'Lovely,' Animal thought, 'the art of war micromanaged to the smallest detail'. "What are the details of the mission?" Animal replied, his eyes obsidian, not giving any clue to the emotions running through his mind.
"Commander, your aircraft and your wingmen are to get as close to the coast. One of your aircraft will be TARPS capable and the other two are to protect the TARPS aircraft. The information that we need is crucial to the success of this reconnaissance mission and you are enabled weapons-free at between waypoints 3 and 7." He said pointing to the dots on the map indicating those particular co-ordinate changes.
Animal growled. "Any indication, sir, about who is flying the TARPS?"
"Metalman has volunteered to fly the TARPS aircraft." The admiral said. "He is prepared to fly at 2200 hours. You will be briefed at 2100 hours and prepare to mount up by 2130. We want to be overhead waypoint one at 2215. You are weapons free at waypoint 3 through waypoint 7. Any other waypoint, call back to Mustang for authorization."
Animal twisted his face into a frown, but said "Yes, sir, understood, sir."
The briefing called to order, when Lieutenant Philip "Metalman" Burrows and Lieutenant Commander Troy "Divebomb" Anderson walked into the briefing room.
"Gentlemen." The admiral, Rear Admiral James Pointer Sr. stated. The admiral looked a dignified middle-aged gentleman, with a startling resemblance to Charlton Heston. He was a brown-shoe, a naval aviator, who had flown Skyhawks and Phantoms over Nam and he knew exactly what he was asking his men to do. It wasn't something that he wouldn't do himself, if he was allowed to. But admirals were not allowed under any circumstance to put themselves in harm's way. "This mission is crucial to our assessment of the enemy reaction-time. We will be flying a mission designed in such a way by Commander Harrison that will take our aircraft within stone's throw distance of the air defense emplacements along the coast of North Korea."
Divebomb looked over at Metalman with a piqued expression. "You volunteered US for this mission?" he complained.
"Hey, buddy, don't look at me..." Metalman griped. "I thought we were going to the ready-room to watch the Army-Navy game." He shrugged his shoulders. "I didn't know he wanted someone for a SUICIDE mission."
"So, is that why the admiral looked so confused when you kept on using football terminology during the TARPS briefing!" Divebomb grinned. Animal groaned and slapped his own forehead. Metalman and Divebomb were the Laurel and Hardy of the squadron; they never quit.
The admiral shook his head, looking over at Animal. "Do these guys ever grow up?"
"Not that I can tell, Admiral." Animal said, a sour expression on his face.
The briefing broke up about an hour later. Animal looked at his watch; the time being 1900 hrs. They had about two hours to kill before they had to gear up and prepare for their mission. But in two hours stress builds incrementally. Combat missions were stressful. No-one liked getting shot at and the anticipation of getting shot at was worse on the nerves than the actual event.
2130 hours
Grabbing flight gear and flight helmets, Animal and Scooter wrestled their g-suits on. Their MA-2 torso harness links jangled. Animal checked his Beretta to make sure that it was loaded and put it into his torso harness weapon holster.
"Admiral's gotta be nuts to send us up." Scooter muttered. "We got a one in twenty chance of coming back."
"Hey, Scoot, you gotta earn your pay...now let's start earning it...huh? Instead of belly-achin' about it." Animal retorted as he bent down to zipper the last part zipper of his g-suit. The hose dangled off of his leg restrained by a strap.
"Suck my wiener...Animal" Scooter complained, as Animal flipped him the bird in response. They headed for the flight deck. It was dark. "God, I hate night flying over water"
"If you wanted to fly only in the daytime and on land, you shoulda joined the Air Farce." Animal rejoindered. Their jocular banter somewhat disguised their nervous tension. "Naval Aviation at its finest..." Animal quipped.
"You must have been watching Top Gun again?" Scooter retorted. "I can't see two feet in front of my ing eyes!!!"
"Watch out for that F-14 in front of you." Animal said as they headed over to their Tomcat.
"Woah..." Scooter said as he narrowly ducked his head under an AMRAAM missile. "Damn, it's dark around here."
"The tip of the spear, the best of the best...that's us..." Metalman said as he walked by.
"He's full of it." Scooter said, flipping the bird at Metalman, who ignored it. "So he's flying the designated target tonight, right?"
"Yeah. Hate flying TARPS." Animal grinned. "It's like sticking your bare butt in a hornet's nest begging...'Sting me...sting me...'"
Maverick walked by along with his RIO, Goose (AN: Goose doesn't die in my fianc�e's fic nor will he in mine.) "I feel the need, the need for speed. Ah-hah"
"Ah hah..." Goose grinned, flipping a thumbs up at Animal and Scooter.
"Are you sure they're feeling alright?" Scooter asked pedantically.
Animal looked over at the cavorting Maverick and Goose. "Nope...concussion must have been worse than I thought." was his short response (referring to Goose's encounter with the canopy), as he finished the walk-around.
"OK...premount checks finished, Let's mount up..."
"Roger that..." With those few words, Scooter's pessimistic attitude disappeared and the consummate naval professional kicked in. "She looks like she's ready to fly."
Animal grinned at him. "So...let's go flyin'."
VICTORY 213
CATAPULT ONE
2145 hours
Victory 213 was on the cat. Making preflight checks prior to the cat-shot, was de rigeur for the pilots of Carrier Air Wing 8. Lieutenant Commander Troy "Divebomb" Anderson was in the rear seat of the Tomcat. Looking over at the number 2 catapult, they saw Lieutenant Commander Hugo "Animal" Chikamori and Lieutenant Mick "Scooter" Doerksen. On Catapult 3, the waist catapult, Fast Eagle 109 manned by Lieutenant Commander Pete "Maverick" Mitchell, and Lieutenant Nick "Goose" Bradshaw sat waiting for a green light.
"So, ready for another wonderful day at the office?" Metalman asked with a grin.
"Yeah, I love going up there as a moving target, and not a sitting one."
"Let's just hope the guys can't shoot straight." Metalman retorted. "I'm looking about as forward to this as I do going to the dentist for a tooth extraction."
The catapult officer was crouching down, and the catapult fired. "Holy SH-OOOPH!!!!" Divebomb grunted as his body got slammed into the back of the ejection seat as the Tomcat was accelerated from zero to 340 mph in a heartbeat.
As a feeling of weightlessness came over them as the F-14 cleared the bow, Metalman grunted "Good cat.Good cat." indicating a clean cat-shot. The last thing an aviator ever wants to encounter is a cold-cat, a cat-shot that doesn't have enough power to get the aircraft airborne. The terror that one felt ejecting into the darkness was founded on well-grounded principles. Ejecting on a cold cat-shot was fraught with dangers. If you landed in the water, the carrier could probably run over you. If you landed on the carrier deck, you could probably break a couple of bones with the force of the landing as well as plausibly get sucked into the intake of another jet aircraft powering up for their catapult launch.
"MRRROWR!!!!" was Divebomb's only comment. "RRRRR-PHHHHT!!!!"
"Down boy!!!" Metalman retorted as he rolled the Tomcat onto a new vector.
Meanwhile both escort Tomcats, which were fully armed with air-air missiles, as well as two HARM anti-radiation missiles (aimed for SAM sites) were being launched. Animal came off the number two catapult, and joined up with Metalman, quickly followed by Maverick.
FAST EAGLE 102
XO'S BIRD
"Mustang, Fast Eagle One-Zero-Two, you're cleared on vector 294 degrees. Maintain angels 5 to waypoint Bravo."
"Roger, Mustang." Animal replied. The Tomcat's nose cone glistened in the moonlight. It would have been beautiful, if this was the Mediterranean, but this was Kim-Chi Station and this was combat. It was a situation where one did not have the time to sit and admire the landscape.
"Nose on." Scooter responded from the back seat. That meant the radar was active and was acquiring from the terrain. "No contacts."
"Roger that." Animal said, responding on the inter-cockpit communications band. "Gut check says that we're entering Indian country in five.We're gonna skirt the coastline then cut in and see if the bad guys are awake."
The three Tomcats cut along the coast for a few more miles. "Feet dry." Animal said as he pulled his Tomcat into a hard turn to cut inland.
"Holy smoking prairie oysters.we've been spotted.Batman." came Metalman's quip on the radio. "Looks like the natives are up and restless."
"Damn it, were we expecting to entertain today?" Maverick quoted facetiously.
Animal grunted. "I don't think the Koreans were expecting company either. Keep your head on a swivel, we may get bandits."
PEOPLE'S GUN EMPLACEMENT 14
NAMP'O, NORTH KOREA
Colonel Hoang Jae Yeong of the Democratic Republic of North Korea looked over at his radar operator. {"Find the aerial intruders. They must be somewhere within five miles of us."}
{"YES, Colonel."} was the quick response from the senior sergeant in charge of the Zsu-23 Shilka battery.
{"Colonel, I see them, They are inbound at a speed of over 400 mph. Do we track and shoot?"}
{"Of course we shoot them. They are on North Korean territory."}
{"Tracking them, they are within 10 miles of us. Firing."}
FAST EAGLE 102
JUST OVER NAMP'O, NORTH KOREA
"Holy SHIT!!!!" Animal rolled his F-14 in a frantic attempt to evade the hail of tracer rounds coming up at him from a Shilka firing at him from cover. "Watch it.We got triple-A on the ridge.to your nine o'clock."
"Damn it.I'm hit." came Metalman's shout over the UHF. "Hydraulics are going bananas, I can't seem to hold her together. Whose friggin' great idea was it to come down this way?"
"Mini-CAG." Animal snorted. "Maverick.can you take out the Shilka?"
"Roger.going around for another pass. Stay on Metalman's six and cover him."
"Got it." was Animal's response as he stuck on Metalman's wing.
"Lovely freakin' day, ain't it." Metalman said as he struggled with the controls in his Tomcat. "I've got lights going on all over the place over here. "Divebomb, you OK, back there?"
"Aside from the fact it stinks around here. I think I shat my drawers back there." He drawled.
"It was Mini-CAG.that guy couldn't find his way out of the latrine if they turned the lights out. Give me a little more altitude." Metalman growled, as he tried to keep the wildly pitching F-14 upright."
They were south of Namp'o now, as Maverick joined up on them.
"I can't hold her together." Metalman said. "Controls are freezing up. We're gonna punch out."
"We'll cover you.until the SAR gets in." Maverick said.
"Yeah, well, tell RABBIT when I get home I'm going to piss on him!!!!" Rabbit was the running name of the Mini-CAG.
VICTORY 213
SOUTH OF NAMP'O, NORTH KOREA
Metalman heard the radio call. "Mustang, Fast Eagle 102.Victory 213 is hit. He's punching out just south of Namp'o. Send Helo Extract. MAYDAY...MAYDAY...MAYDAY...Victory 213 punching out just south of Namp'o...Send SAR helo...ASAP."
Metalman did not bother hearing the rest of it, as he used the UHF to send a radio signal "Victory 213, punching out. EJECT EJECT EJECT. Say goodbye, Asshole." as he yanked on the ejection seat loops.
"Goodbye-asshole." said Divebomb facetiously. "SEE YOU ON THE DARK SIDE OF THE MOOOOOOOON!!!" as he got blasted out of the now canopy-less cockpit.
FAST EAGLE 109
SOUTH OF NAMP'O NORTH KOREA
"Fast Eagle 102, Fast Eagle 109, return to Homeplate, your mission is compromised."
"Fast Eagle 102.Mustang, Requesting SAR.for Victory 213. We are going to stay and cover him until SAR inbound."
"Negative, One-Zero-Two, your priority is to return to Homeplate," came the Mini-CAG's voice authoritatively. At that point Maverick felt like telling the MiniCAG what he could do to himself.
"I can't believe this.They're letting Metalman and Divebomb fend for themselves." Goose put into words the feelings that Maverick couldn't say out loud. Maverick nearly broke a few incisors grinding his teeth in frustration.
The F-14s obeyed the command of the mini-CAG and headed back to the TR.
ON THE GROUND
SOUTH OF NAMP'O, NORTH KOREA
Once Metalman was on the ground, he slid back the slide to chamber a round on his Beretta, and then buried his chute. He took off his helmet and tossed it away. All identifying marks he threw away as he could get new ones. If captured say only your name, rank, and serial number. What a crock of crap. He was in the worst possible mess that he could ever be in. He was alone, in enemy territory. All his friends were back on the carrier and he was out here in the Korean wilderness humping through territory which for all intents and purposes could harbor all sorts of NK soldiers all ready to take a piece out of him. Son of a gun...he muttered under his breath. He brought his pistol up the the ready position and sprinted across the path, into the bushes on the other side of the clearing. He chose to go southwest, looking at the compass on his watch. Metalman stumbled down the trail as he saw where his RIO had left his parachute...it was draped up in the upper branches of a tree. He kept his Beretta in his right hand. A snap in the bushes was heard and he just about nearly fired. Evidently it was an animal or something that was prowling around. He appeared to be rapidly growing paranoid. He muttered to himself 'I must be losing it...gotta make it to DMZ.' He kept hustling down the trail.
Metalman kept going down the trail, keeping his head swivelling to make sure that no-one snuck up on him. Eventually he reached the clearing which Divebomb was resting in, behind some bushes. He walked into the clearing with pistol in hand covering the location. Divebomb hearing some noise, hunkered down behind the bush, peering out. Metalman was unsure of the location. His pistol was out ready to fire if anyone leapt out. The RIO veered out of the bush, seeing a figure standing with a pistol about 500 yards away. In the dim light, he could barely make out a form, let alone identify it. He thought to himself 'I think I can make the shot, he's only 500 yards.' He levelled his Desert Eagle .50 Magnum and stood up saying," Drop the gun, asshole...or I'll plug you one...right now..."
Metalman spun around with the gun," shit..." That single North American word, caused both pilot and RIO to start, luckily throwing their shots off. The .50 Magnum bullet smashed into the tree behind Metalman, while Metalman's Beretta round tore through the branch beside Divebomb's head. " Holy crap....you scared the hell out of me."
" Metalman?" was Divebomb's stunned reply. " I gotta be seeing things...."
" No, man, you're not...we'd better didi our asses out of here, because this place is gonna be crawlin' with NKs. They must have heard our shots." Metalman said, nervously looking around.
Metalman put Divebomb's arm around his shoulder and helped him up. They hobbled over to the edge of the clearing and vanished into the night.
(1/2 an hour later)
The two exhausted fighter crewmembers staggered along and just about nearly ran into a guard-house. There was a single soldier half-asleep in the guard house. Metalman motioned Divebomb to stay out of sight and went in. The startled soldier could only give a startled " oh..." as Metalman smashed his jugular with a knife-edge blow. The soldier's larynx was crushed and he strangled to death slowly. Now, this meant that Metalman was armed with an AK74 and three rounds of ammunition. He stepped out of the guard house and gave the all-clear sign as Divebomb came out of the bushes. They continued along the route.
Metalman said to Divebomb who was gasping, as the pains ran up and down his leg. " I think we'd better rest. Stay in this location for the next two hours."
" Yeah, I can't go on...My leg's on fire." Divebomb gasped out. " I think I sprained it even worse."
FAST EAGLE 102
WEST OF NAMP'O
" Crap, Maverick, I can't see a flare." Animal said, his voice trying hard not to betray his worry.
" He could be down in enemy territory." Maverick said, " If he shot off a flare, it'd attract NKs like flies."
" We can't do much more...I'm almost bingo fuel. Let's hold for ten more minutes." Animal said.
" Do we have enough to get back?" Maverick asked, clicking his oxygen mask to his face.
"Animal, we need to get those guys out, but we don't have enough fuel....We're just three minutes short of bingo fuel..." said Scooter. "I don't know if those guys will hang on much longer..."
"We're staying for as long as we can. If we can, we'll try and remain on station a little after bingo...Because most of us know they build in a reserve." Animal decided to radio back in...the response was negative, a demand for them to return to the carrier.
" Damn..." swore Animal as he said to Maverick, " Crap...I don't want to leave Metalman and Divebomb out here alone."
" He's a naval aviator, he'll know what to do..." Maverick said, "I'll tell you something...though. After we deplane, I'll let you in on it...Meet me at the mess..."
Animal growled. "Mustang, Fast Eagle 102 and 109. Feet wet. Inbound Homeplate."
"Roger that." was the brief response.
"Cowards." Animal muttered venomously. 'The Mini-CAG was really the toast of the party.' Animal thought with a growl. 'The bastard sent out men into harm's way and kept himself happily at home. Evidently that screwed up reject hadn't completed a combat mission yet. He had managed to weasel out of many a combat mission by indicating that his aircraft either was malfunctioning or he had some mysterious form of flu.
(15 minutes later)
As the Tomcat's wheels hit steel deck, the F-14 snagged a three-wire and was rudely yanked to a halt. Scooter muttered "Oh...my head..." he grumbled. "Where're my teeth?" the RIO made an attempt to grope around the back cockpit.
Animal taxiied the Tomcat to the edge of the carrier deck and brought it to a halt, well out of the way of Maverick's descending F-14. Once Maverick had trapped aboard the USS Theodore Roosevelt, the two flightcrews joined up and headed down to the mess to get something to eat. After taking a shower, Animal changed into khakis and joined them at the messhall. The mood was sober, they had left behind (on orders) two of their own. Maverick and Animal ate their meal, the atmosphere subdued. "You said you wanted me to meet you in the mess. You had something to talk about?" Animal inquired of Maverick.
Maverick's voice lowered to a whisper. "You know my job as the squadron intelligence officer, right?"
Animal involuntarily lowered his own voice. "Yeah...so?"
"It just happens that there is some serious cowpies flying. I could get in serious crap for telling you this, but the special forces are planning to insert a team onto foreign soil to recon the area just for intelligence gathering purposes. They want to test the reaction time, get in an actual combat training mission."
"And?" Animal queried puzzled.
"That gives us a good enough reason to ride with them. They have the weapons, the skills and are able to give us enough cover to rescue Divebomb and Metalman."
Animal gave Maverick a hard look. "You know, that as the XO, I am duty-bound to report the fact that you told me." he paused, favoring Maverick with a sizing-up stare. "But I'm going to sit on this. If anyone asks me, I'm going to say I didn't hear anything."
Maverick knew the chances that Animal was taking with this entire thing. Animal could end up being stripped of rank and thrown in the brig for the better part of his life. Fort Leavenworth prison was not a comfy place to be in. As a matter of fact, so could he, for flapping his gums on the entire subject of rescuing the two downed aviators using the SEAL team.
"We will have to get the admiral's okay on the whole deal." Animal said dourly. "If it flies, then we're in the clear."
RADM POINTER'S OFFICE
"What gave you that idea?" the admiral asked, looking over at the two aviators. "If we send in a SEAL team, under auspices of a SAR mission, we are going to just make trouble for ourselves." The admiral pointed out as he looked over at a map of Namp'o. "The North Koreans have not co-operated for years. They are spectacularly capable of causing trouble for us. What makes you think that your mission can succeed in rescuing those two downed aviators."
"Sir." Animal said. "The SAR beacons aren't transmitting. Divebomb and Metalman are down on the ground, somewhere between two mountainous regions of North Korea. They aren't going to be able to get out without air support. Sir, unless we plan on abandoning them, we have to get them out."
"And Lieutenant Commander Mitchell, your take on this?" the admiral nodded to Maverick.
"Mine is the same, sir." Maverick said. "We need to get them out, sir before the North Koreans capture them."
"I tend to agree with you, Lieutenant Commanders," he said looking at both of them. "You get them out and I'll cover the both of you from getting any flak from the Joint Chiefs."
"Aye-aye, sir." They both didn't speak the unspoken words. 'If you don't get them out, don't come back.'
"Good luck, gentlemen."
Animal replied. "Yes, sir." His only thought being. "We're gonna need every bit of it that we can get."
HANGAR DECK
" Hey, Mav..." a fellow down by the SH-60 Seahawk waved. " We're over here." When Animal and Maverick got up closer to the fellow, Animal's jaw nearly dropped open. This fellow was nearly a splitting image of Charlie Sheen. The Charlie Sheen clone extended his hand, " Hi, I'm Lieutenant Dale Hawkins, leader of Seal Team 4. So, you're the guy that's a friend of this downed aviator, huh?"
" Yeah, Lieutenant Commander Hugo Chikamori," Animal said, as he extended a hand to shake Lt. Hawkins' hand.
" Pleasure to meet you, sir." He was respectful. " I know Lieutenant Commander Mitchell. He and I went to OCS together. Great guy, better friend you could never have..."
" That's great..." Animal replied. " So, what's the deal, here..."
" Well, we have two heavy MGs, a couple of small arms and a few explosives. All in all we can raise some serious boocoo dinky-dau with these NKs. Keep the bad guys off our guys so that we can make the pick-up. sir. We can really confuse the shit out of the NKs."
Animal looked at him, square in the face," So, what would you like Maverick and myself to carry."
" Well, sir, you've probably handled this baby..." he picked out two M-16s. " The clip is pretty easy to handle and the A2's a lot better than the A-1; less likely to jam and can take a lot more abuse. We got five guys carrying HK5MKs. Solid looking weapon, not likely to jam. Our two MG's are a single M60 and a M82 Light 50. The light 50 takes care of snipers behind cement walls. Blows a foot diameter hole through 6 inch thick concrete and slightly smaller through thicker. No sniper can get away from that weapon." And he picked up his weapon. " I carry the Stoner...stitch-machine. This baby will single-fire, triple-shot, and full-auto, rock n'roll."
Animal said," So, how many guys are there?"
"We've got twelve guys in total, and you two, so that makes fourteen. We'll be heading out in half an hour. So just grab that gear over there and put it on and we'll have ourselves a real fun time, sir..."
Animal looked toward a pile of black BDUs, and some black neoprene scuba-gear. " Put the scuba gear over the BDU's. Yep. It's a dry suit, so no problems, sir...Your BDUs won't get wet and the suit will dry out in air."
"OK, sounds good to me." Animal grinned as he and Maverick started putting things on."
Animal said, "Do you guys have Berettas, because, I forgot to bring my pistol."
" Yep...sir, we got them...they're in the equipment bag. We'll be swimming into the area where they were dropped and then humping ten miles inland. "
Lt. Hawkins grinned..." Up for some hiking today...sir?"
"Only because it's my friends who are in trouble, Lieutenant."
" Well, let's go get them... sir." Lieutenant Hawkins grinned as he looked over at Maverick. "2 and a halfer, huh?"
"That's right." Maverick responded grinning. "Maybe we might even get some more chest-cabbage after this."
The crew headed over to the SH-60 where the helo was waiting on the elevator to the flight deck. The elevator to the flight deck activated as the SEALs loaded up the helo.
LATER
Animal and Maverick and Seal Team 4 were dropped off just 1/2 mile from shore. The water was cool, but not cold as they swam towards shore. Once on shore, they buried their dry-suits and put on black BDUs, Grabbing weapons, and hooking grenades onto their utility belts, they calmly spread out.
Animal gave a sign saying that he picked up a trail. There were three prints along the ground in his night-vision scope. They gradually grew warmer as they followed the trail. Then Animal saw the NK soldier, he had an AK74. Animal slowly took a knife from his scabbard. It was a serrated knife and he motioned that he would take the soldier.
" Are you sure about this?" whispered Lt. Hawkins..." I can have someone else do it..."
" Swift, Silent and Deadly...No worries..." Animal seemed to blend into the night. Then as Maverick watched a dark form rose up behind the NK, yanked his neck back and a quick motion was made as something dark spurted from the NK's neck. The North Korean was dead even before he hit the ground.
" Man, he's good..." asserted Lt. Hawkins. He was impressed. " He's like a fucking ninja."
" He's got a black belt in Karate and Judo." Maverick grinned, " I've never seen it used though to kill..."
" Well, this is a dangerous situation we're in. Mav, people die on these missions." Lt. Hawkins said. " The job's to get your boys out, we're the ticket." The dark shape motioned them over.
" Let's go..." Animal said," The trail's getting cold." They hustled onwards. They finally came to the same clearing that the two pilots had been in before. There was a dead soldier in the guard house. Metalman had managed to kill the guy and take his weapons. " Good work..." Animal muttered approvingly. " Better him, than you..."
METALMAN AND DIVEBOMB'S POSITION
Metalman looked over at Divebomb. They both had their AK-47s at the ready. They had managed to walk to this clearing and had hunkered down to look over the area and watch for North Korean activity. They hadn't been there more than fifteen minutes when they noticed bushes rustling. In plain moonlit view thirty North Korean soldiers had walked into the clearing. A platoon of North Koreans. Just what they had needed to brighten a cheery night.
"We're in deep trouble." muttered Divebomb softly as he looked over at Metalman. Metalman nodded soberly. This probably would not be one situation that they would be able to get out of. Hunkering down some more, they aimed their AK47s and prepared to wage a hopeless battle.
(Seal Team 4)
Lt. Dale Hawkins grinned at Animal. The clearing was visible from the location, it was about 2200 meters away and SW. They could see the location. The sun would be rising in 2 hours and it would be light. They would have to extract before then. " Let's hope they stay in that location." Animal nodded an affirmative. They headed towards the clearing as they positioned their weapons at the ready.
(Seal Team 4)
They were 500 yards from the clearing when a bunch of shots broke out. The deep staccato bark of the AK74s blending in with the crisp crack of a Beretta pistol. The Seal Team figured, " Damn, a firefight..." Abandoning all semblence of stealth, they unsheathed their rifles and headed at a run towards the firefight.
" Extract helo, extract point at point Alpha Bravo Six. Confirmation code 32Alpha Zulu Mike... We need an extract ASAP, serious firefight." Lieutenant Hawkins barked into his com.
" Roger, inbound ETA 15 minutes..."
" Expedite Extract, Expedite..." The lead SEALs reaching the firefight, unleashed a devastating fire from their HK5KRs on the NK platoon. There were thirty North Koreans and 12 SEALs. Animal unleashed a barrage of 5.56 rounds from his M-16 cutting down two NKs who were trying to stealthily creep up on Divebomb.
An NK spun around as the force of the AK-74 round hit him and collapsed to the ground, the blood splattering on the ground. Shouting orders in Korean, what appeared to be an officer, yelled painfully as another bullet from an M-16 creased his cheek, the next one blowing off the top of his head as the officer slumped, his cranial matter spilling onto the ground in a bloodstained heap.
One of the SEALs cooked a grenade tossing it at the North Koreans. It exploded within the crowd causing several NK fatalities. Metalman fired a AK74 round back at the NKs who fired back full-force. They could hear a helo inbound. One of the door-gunners in the SH-60 fired a M-60 back, 5 NKs fell mortally wounded. A NK stood up with a SAM aiming for the helo. The NKs laid down a barrage of fire to keep the heads down of the rescuers and SEAL team.
" Shit..." Divebomb said..." He aimed his Desert Eagle .50 at the NK holding the SAM, standing up, his index finger tightening around the trigger to fire three rounds at the NK, who was hit, dropping the SA-7 launcher.
The NKs fired back at Divebomb. A round tore through Divebomb's shoulder spinning him around, and a second tore through his chest and out his back. Divebomb fell heavily to the ground, as Animal in a seething rage, pulled the pin out of a grenade, cooked it and threw it at the NKs. As it exploded, Animal charged the NKs, his M-16 at full automatic, the rifle bucking in his hands. A NK stood to try and stop the charge with an AK74 and Animal jammed the M-16 in the NKs chest and fired three rounds, tearing out a chunk out of the NK's chest. There was a faint scream as Animal finally running out of ammo, clubbed the last NK soldier in the head with a major league home-run hit with the butt of his M-16. The last NK collapsed in a heap, as Animal, a crazed expression on his face, pulled out his serrated combat knife and jammed it through the North Korean soldier's heart. The SH-60 landed and two combat medics jumped out, as the helo extraction site had been secured.
" Metalman..." Divebomb's voice was faint as if it came from a tomb..." If I die, you gotta write my momma...tell her how it was...man...we were a team, no matter what..."
" Yeah...I will, man..." Metalman said, his voice calm, but gripping Divebomb's hand like a vise..." But Divebomb, you're not going to die on me...you're gonna get better and we're gonna kick ass on these guys..."
"We got pressure in the pneumothorax...his pulse rate is rapid and fluttering...shit!!!" the medic yelled out. The medics tried to stabilize him, but his wounds were serious so they made him as comfortable as possible, as they moved him to the helo.
The combat medics ran a stretcher over to Divebomb and Metalman�s position as Metalman stood up to usher them over. Divebomb was eased onto the stretcher as the medics did their work. They tried to stop the bleeding as the stretcher was eased onto the helo. But the pink froth around Divebomb�s mouth indicated a severe chest trauma which probably would prove their efforts were for naught. But saving lives were the medic�s duty, and try they would.
The SEALs loaded up at the front and Mav, Animal and Metalman sat in the back with Divebomb as the helo lifted off bound for the TR.
ON THE HELO
BACK TO THE TR
The medics continued their fight to save Divebomb on the way back to the carrier, "We got a collapsing lung!!! Pressure on the heart..." the lead medic shouted over the beating of the rotor blades.
"Try to relieve the pressure."
"Pulse rate is up..."
"HANG ON...GODDAMNIT!!!!" Animal yelled..."DON'T YOU DARE FALL ASLEEP....MAN!!!"
" Metalman..." Divebomb whispered..." I don't think I'm gonna make TR..." he whispered as he gripped all three of his friends..." I can't seem to feel anything...I'm so cold..."
" Hang on...shipmate...we're getting there..." Animal said, his voice choking..." You're gonna be all right, the doc's gonna fix you up..."
Divebomb chuckled weakly..." Thanks...I'd like that..." he whispered...Maverick gripped Divebomb's shoulders..." We're gonna party when you get better, shipmate...we ain't gonna be able to hold the party until you get there..."
Divebomb looked meaningfully at all of them..."Thanks...guys...save...me...a...
beer..." his voice was weaker..." You guys...are the best...you were always there...with me...Thanks...I'm going home now..." his head lolled forward, and a stream of red blood came out of the side of his mouth as he let out his last breath.
The medic said," I'm sorry, Lieutenant," to Metalman, " He's gone..."
Metalman let out a scathing expletive. He wanted to hit something, but he just couldn't feel anything. He was numb. The death of his RIO went beyond omprehension. It shocked him into stunned silence. As he looked over the limp body of his former back-seater, a cold expression came over his visage that would stay there for the rest of his life. He would never let anyone get that close again.
USS THEODORE ROOSEVELT
RESCUE HELO
The helo landed on the flight deck. Animal got off, stomped off, rather, snarling that the Mini-CAG had better be somewhere else or otherwise, he would be well within grounds to shoot the bastard. Luckily for the Mini-CAG, he was nowhere to be found that morning.
WHITE HOUSE
1600 PENNSYLVANIA
WASHINGTON DC
The SECNAV approached the President with a folder of two US Naval Officers. �He has the highest recommendation of the CNO on this matter. He saved these men from a potential bloodbath.� He paused for an indeterminate moment. �The CNO recommends the Medal of Honor.�
�Was there any reason why they were there in the first place?� the President asked as he looked over Lieutenant Commander Hugo Chikamori�s and Lieutenant Commander Troy �Divebomb� Anderson�s military records �We have a situation...an aviator was killed, another who disobeyed direct orders, as per his air wing XO�s report ,and a SEAL team was where they shouldn�t have been. I�d like to get to the bottom of this. If you can find out why this happened, and who is at fault, then I will sign this award recommendation.� he looked at the SECNAV intensely. �Find out what happened.�
�Yes, Mr. President.� the SECNAV replied. �I�ll get my best JAG people on this right away."
�Alexander, I know that aviator who�s on report did the right thing," the President said. �If anyone deserves that medal, that aviator does. Now, find out for me...the details...�
Alexander Nelson, the Secretary of the Navy looked at the President. �I�ll do my best.�
�No...Alex. Do what�s right.�
CARRIER AIR WING EXECUTIVE OFFICER�S QUARTERS
USS THEODORE ROOSEVELT
�Lieutenant Commander Chikamori, why did you choose to ignore my orders to return to the ship? You ignored orders, made a foolhardy choice...and we are short of a crewmember as a result of this. Instead of courtmartialling your sorry ass, the admiral is putting your name in for the Medal of Honor. Isn�t that a miscarriage of justice.� Commander Barry Harrison, the Assistant CAG said sarcastically as he looked into Animal�s impassive face.
�I have nothing to say...sir.� Animal practically spit out the word �sir� with as much venom behind the voice as he could. �Everything you want is in my report.�
�There�s nothing in your report about my giving you orders to return to the carrier."
�Selective deafness...sir.� Animal retorted. �I also put in a recommendation, sir. With due respect...� Animal�s thoughts indicated otherwise. �That your request...led to our abandoning Lieutenant Burrows and Lieutenant Commander Anderson to certain death. And it was only by sheer circumstance that we were able to rescue them, so, sir...I�m going to ask you this. Were you planning a rescue, or were you just planning on leaving them to rot in hell...sir.�
Blustering...�You have no rank here...to speak to me in this manner, Lieutenant Commander,� the Commander growled. �I�ll have your oak leaves for insubordination.�
�Go right ahead...Commander...� Animal snarled, about faced and exited the commander�s office.
JAG HEADQUARTERS
FALLS CHURCH, VA
"Lieutenant RABB!!!" Rear Admiral Drake snapped as Lieutenant Rabb and Lieutenant j.g. Meg Austin entered the office. "After that wonderful fiasco with the submarine hi-jacking, I've been asked by the CNO to put you on the investigation regarding the Medal of Honor intended for two aviators, one deceased on board the USS Theodore Roosevelt. Now it seems that one of the aviators had a tiff with the Assistant CAG on board the TR. The Assistant CAG has filed a complaint and a charge of insubordination. This counter-balances the Medal of Honor citation. We want to know the reason behind both the citation and the complaint. It would be in your best interest to employ Commander Lindsey in this profile as well. I have put in for a transfer as an legal assistant to the CINCPAC and as of this my duties end at JAG. It has been good serving with you, Lieutenant Rabb, Lieutenant JG Austin. Find out what is going on with this investigation into the events that transpired a few weeks ago."
"Yes, sir." Lieutenant Rabb said. "We will, sir." Nodding, the two officers about-faced and paused as RADM Drake growled. "The Heineman case has been postponed, but I need the preliminary arguments tomorrow. The Theodore Roosevelt is docking in Okinawa in a week's time. You can start your general investigation then."
"Aye-aye, sir." Was Lieutenant Rabb's reply.
NAVAL AIR FACILITY ATSUGI
KAMISEYA, KANAGAWA-KEN
HONSHU, JAPAN
"Welcome to Atsugi, Lieutenant Rabb." The Lieutenant Commander grunted a perfunctory greeting to Lieutenant Harmon Rabb and barely acknowledged Lieutenant jg. Meg Austin standing by Harm.
Meg looked rather annoyed, but kept her peace. The flight line was busy. Members of the VF-154 Black Knights of CVW-2 scurried around, the resident carrier air wing at Atsugi was getting ready to deploy to replace CVW-8 at Kim Chi Station. Harm looked around at the VF-154 Tomcats. He was reminiscing about his carrier accident from 5 years ago that had lost him his wings. Now he had his wings returned to him and he was wearing them proudly on his service whites. Lieutenant j.g. Meg Austin looked at him wryly as Harm struck a pose unconsciously. He did cut an imposing figure with those striking shoulder-boards on his shoulders. His six-foot four frame was lanky, and muscular.
"Thank you, Commander Preston." Harm said. "Is there a way that I can contact the individuals involved in the Namp'o incident?"
"They're onboard the TR." Lieutenant Commander Preston replied. "One of them is the most decorated ace in the Navy. But they're not in much of a talking mood."
"Oh, well, they'll talk." Harm replied. "I used to be a pilot. Aviators will talk to other aviators." His tone however wasn't hopeful. After a helo flight to Naval Station Yokosuka, they stood at the bottom of the gangplank. As they walked up, the ensign that was on watch duty hailed him. "Lieutenant Rabb and Lieutenant jg. Austin, requesting permission to come aboard.SIR!" It was tradition to treat the watch officer with respect, no matter what his rank. "Permission granted, Welcome aboard sir," the Ensign said. His watch was ending in twenty minutes and these officers seemed to be legit.
"Where is the CAG's office?" Harm asked the ensign.
"Level 3, 4th Bulkhead back, sir. 3-4 S, sir." The ensign replied.
LATER
After a few wrong turns, Meg grumbled. "How does one ever find their cabin?"
"You develop a sense of direction pretty quickly. Ever heard the tale of Seaman Raymond LaFitte? Lieutenant?" Harm grinned. "He spent his entire cruise trying to locate his cabin?"
Meg snorted. "That's a tall tale, Harm and I know it."
"Well, Seaman LaFitte is a Chief now." Harm grinned. "and see, here he is. How ya doing, Chief."
"Fine, sir. By the way, sir, where is engineering again?" The blue-eyed, blond-haired Chief was tall, and he looked at Harm with a grin. Meg groaned. Harm seemed to like playing with her mind.
CAG'S OFFICE
"Sir, we need to speak with the pilots who were involved in the Namp'o incident. The president wants a full debrief on the situation, since he is considering their actions Medal of Honor material." Harm replied to the CAG's inquiring stare.
"Well, Lieutenant. You'll have to locate them. They're squaring away Lieutenant Commander Anderson's gear, right now to ship back home to Oklahoma." Captain Henry Middleton grunted. "I don't think they're in much of a mood to talk to a JAG investigation."
"Where is Lieutenant Commander Anderson's stateroom?" Harm asked. "Sir?"
"I'll walk you over to it." The CAG got up out of his seat and ushered the two other officers out the door before him. They walked down the corridor.
"Lieutenant Commander Anderson was a good man and so is Lieutenant Commander Chikamori." Meg noticed Harm's face go suddenly pale, when he heard the latter name.
Try as she might, Meg couldn't get anything out of him, until they approached the stateroom. Knocking on the closed door, they heard a clipped. "Come in." They walked in to see 5 boxes of items, scattered around the stateroom, in various stages of being filled. Three officers were sorting out items. One a tall 6'2" officer looked up at them with a look of irritation at being disturbed. The other, a black-haired Caucasian officer with gold oak leaves looked up with an inquiring glance. The other, an Asian in crisp khakis with gold oak leaves on the collar points didn't even bother looking up, until Harm said. "Animal?" Harm's face looked like he had seen a ghost or a friend whom he hadn't laid eyes on for a long time.
The officer that Harm called to, looked up, his deep brown eyes, almost obsidian, looked up and casually spoke. "Harm...Harmon Rabb?"
"Animal?!" They were both up on their feet.
"Hammer!!!!" They grasped each other on the shoulders. "Damn, buddy, it's good to see you," Lieutenant Commander Hugo Chikamori growled. "Where the hell have you been? I haven't seen you since the Persian Gulf. Say, what has it been, six years, since Pensacola and four since the Persian Gulf?
And now what the heck are ya? A legal weenie? Didja tell the CAG to go screw a toad?"
"Naw." Harm looked self-conscious. "It's not something that I like to talk about. What do ya say we go talk about it elsewhere? I'm in the middle of an investigation right now and that's what I need to talk to you about. Let's go grab a drink at the bar."
"Who is she?" Animal asked indicating Meg with a slight bit of interest.
"She's Lieutenant J.G. Meg Austin. She'll be talking to the others involved in the incident."
Animal and Harm walked out of the stateroom, leaving the officers in the stateroom looking at each other with a confused look. "Investigation?"
Maverick asked. "Investigation for what?"
OFFICER'S MESS
TWO DAYS LATER
USS THEODORE ROOSEVELT
NAVAL STATION YOKOSUKA
"They've nominated you for the Medal of Honor, Animal," Harm said, flipping over the dossier. "Based on the information that they've collected on the incident from the other people involved, you did everything right."
Animal sighed. "Not everything, Hammer. I lost Divebomb."
"Animal, look at it this way. You went in and you got them out. If you hadn't, there would be two dead officers now instead of one." Harm said. "You have to look at it this way if you want to remain sane and functioning."
"Easy to say." Animal snapped.
"Animal, I've been there." Harm said. He sighed looking Animal full in the face. "Let me tell you about 4 years ago." He paused. "I was coming home, inbound to Mustang, and it was dark. Pitch black, like black ink. Seas pitching like crazy. Was one mile inbound when needles tells me to go dirty so I drop the wheels and I'm at three-quarters of a mile. Then my vision goes completely fubar. Couldn't see anything. My vision was blurring. Even blinking didn't help. By that time, I was below glide path. They yelled at me to increase power, to wave-off, but it was too late. I hit the ramp. The back end of my aircraft was engulfed in flames. I pulled the loops and got out, but Mace.he bought it."
Animal remembered Mace, his jocular laughter, the quiet confidence that Mace displayed in the backseat of the F-14. He was a consummate RIO. A true professional. Just like Divebomb. The two officers were silent for a long moment as each remembered.
"So, what options do I have?" Animal asked Harm.
"Well, the Navy brass seems to think that you did the right thing. They say that it was initiative and courageous.and that's what they term it, gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty." Harm grinned. "Hell, it was downright heroic going after a full platoon of NK regulars."
"No it wasn't!" Animal grunted.
"It wasn't?" Harm asked confused for a moment.
"I was just fucking pissed off!" Animal said. Harm stared at Animal in shock due to the incongruousness of the statement, then the hilarity hit him. The both of them were laughing fit to fall off their chairs. That was how Lieutenant jg Meg Austin found them as she walked into the mess hall to see the two officers sitting on the floor holding their stomachs.
She walked over.and said "Ahem? Sirs?"
"Yes, Lieutenant?" Animal said, once he had managed to be able to keep a straight face for more than a second before being set off again by Rabb's snorts of laughter.
"We have all the evidence that we need to submit to Admiral Drake." She said. "And he'll administer it to the CNO who'll in turn send it to the President. Harm, I need to talk to you about something, it's regarding the statements made regarding the Assistant CAG."
"OK." Harm replied. "Animal.let's have a talk again sometime later on."
"Sure." Animal replied. "You might want to have a talk with Metalman, he's pretty choked up about Divebomb too."
"Yeah." Harm said. "I will."
NAVAL AIR FACILITY ATSUGI
KAMISEYA, KANAGAWA, JAPAN
The VF-154 Black Knights were getting their aircraft prepared when Lieutenant jg. Midori O'Malley looked over at her driver. "Say, is the Kitty Hawk heading for Kim Chi Station?"
Lieutenant Liandra Kendall Gracen looked over at her RIO, "Yeah, looks like it. At least that's our orders as far as CINCPAC gave us." CINCPACFLT, his official title, was Commander in Chief Naval Forces Pacific Fleet. He was a three-star based out of NAVSTA PEARL HARBOR, Hawaii. Lieutenant Gracen nestled herself into the cockpit of the F-14A Tomcat. The whine of the Pratt & Whitney TF-30 turbofans became a steady roaring, which was a whine through her bone-dome. Looking around at the cockpit she grinned, as she pulled on a set of Nomex flying gloves. Short and petite though she was, she was one good fighter pilot, and in CVW-2, Lieutenant 'Sass' Gracen was reputed to be one of the best of the best. "Well, Dori, here we go again." She grinned. "Chocks out, we're ready to roll."
"Promise me, I won't see my lunch again? It goes down once, it should be enough." Grinned Midori as she flipped a few switches in her RIO's station. "Nose is cold, nothing radiating."
The F-14 taxied to the runway under Sass's deft touch. The F-14 was a caged beast waiting to be unleashed. It seemed to strain and pull.as Sass eased it up by the runway. "Knight 116, Runway 27 Right, VFR clearance, enroute to the CV-63."
"Roger.that, Knight 116. Have a good flight."
Clipping their oxygen masks to their HGU-33/P flight helmets, the F-14 crew prepped before releasing the brakes on the F-14. A kick in the back followed by mind-numbing g-forces accompanied their run-up down the runway.
Sass eased back on the stick and the F-14 was airborne. "We're outta here." As she looked back at Midori through the rear-view mirror conveniently located on the frame of the canopy, she saw her RIO give her a thumbs up.
"Seen your lunch yet?" Sass grinned.
"No, and don't start on that." warned her RIO. Sass kicked the F-14 into a 6G turn to port. "See our carrier down in the distance?" Sass asked facetiously. "Or do we have to fill out a set of prescriptions?"
"Ha ha, very funny." Midori replied. "I see it, contact 20 miles. 30 degrees portside. 23 knots. Looks like it's hauling six. I take it it's desperate to get somewhere?" Midori resumed her read of the radar screen.
"Only to Kim Chi Station." Sass replied. Radioing Civic, the fighter crew began their descent to the carrier.
"Descent Angels 1.8," reported Midori as she looked up. Sass was concentrating on the carrier's meatball.
"Knight 116, say your state?" came the radio call from the CIVIC.
"2.4 to splash." Midori heard Sass respond.
"Stay clean through Angels 1.4, we'll call your dirty."
'Roger." Sass said.
The next radio call came "Knight 116, dirty up."
"Roger. Hook down, gear down, three down and locked," reported Sass.
"Knight 116, you're at three-quarters of a mile, call the ball."
"Knight 116, Tomcat ball 2.2."
"Roger, Knight 116, Steady power." Sass eased the throttle slightly forward. Their Tomcat cleared the stern, and the gear hit the deck, and the F-14 was promptly yanked to an abrupt halt as the Tomcat managed to trap a clean three-wire.
"Great start to a deployment, Sass." Midori said flipping a thumbs-up at Lieutenant Gracen.
"Thanks." Sass said as she started to deplane after they taxied over to their allotted parking spot.
USS THEODORE ROOSEVELT
NAVAL STATION YOKOSUKA
"Metalman, there was nothing that you could do." Harm responded. "I saw the autopsy reports. The bullet went right through his chest cavity. Even if you had gotten him back to the carrier, there was only a one in five million chance that something could have been done for him."
Metalman glared at Harm. "And you're saying that it was enough that I just comforted him as he died? I could do absolutely nothing for him.�
"Metalman, we've known each other for four years previous to my leaving for JAG. Trust me...you have to let him go. There was nothing that anything short of a miracle could have done for him and it's no use beating yourself up over it." Harm said as he paced around the room. "You've been nominated for the Silver Star based on what you did."
"Is it true what the scuttlebutt is saying? That Animal is up for the Medal of Honor?" Metalman asked.
Harm looked over at Meg, she nodded.
"Yeah." Harm said taking a deep breath. "He is."
"Good." Metalman said. "I've never seen anything like what he did. He went berserk. I wish he'd killed them all."
"Lieutenant?" Meg said. "According to the reports, he did."
"I guess, I didn't see it." Metalman said. "I was busy putting my friend on the helo. I didn't get a clear view." His face looked haunted as he looked over at Harm and at Meg. �I lost my RIO...on the ride back. A good man died for a bunch of bullshit. If Animal is up for the Medal of Honor, I hope to heck, he gets it, because if it wasn�t for him, a lot of us wouldn�t be here."
USS THEODORE ROOSEVELT
NAVAL STATION YOKOSUKA
Lieutenant Harmon Rabb Jr. stood up, his lanky tall frame dwarfing the shorter Asian Lieutenant Commander. �Animal. From what we�ve heard so far, the situation is in the hands of the JAG who will forward the report to CINCPAC and then from there it will go to the CNO. And presumeably, somewhere along the line, the President will take a look at it.�
�Thanks, Hammer...� Animal said sighing, as he took a deep breath. �I damn near took a poke at the Mini-CAG. That sonuvabitch did absolutely nothing. If we had flown low cover on our boys, we would have managed to get them out...with a SAR extraction. Divebomb didn�t have to die."
�You also probably know that Commander Harrison has put a charge of insubordination into the Judge Advocate General. Now, I don�t know who�s now in temporary charge over at the Judge Advocate General, but it seems that the ball is in Commander Lindsey�s court. He may be talking to you about the charge.� Harm indicated, looking at his folder.
Animal raised an eyebrow. �Figures...Harrison would do this.� he grunted. �Guy never had the stomach for combat. Tell you the truth, it makes me sick to see him pontificate on how this matter could have been prevented. Sort of makes me thankful that I didn�t bother eating breakfast, because with this guy�s �holier than thou� schtick, I�d probably be seeing it again."
USS THEODORE ROOSEVELT
NAVAL STATION YOKOSUKA
Lieutenant JG Meg Austin looked dumbfounded at Commander Barry Harrison. �Sir, you can�t be serious...� the young Lieutenant JG said stammering �Lieutenant Commander Chikamori risked his life to get his men out and you�re slapping him with a dereliction of duty charge and insubordination to boot?�
�Are you doubting the veracity of my charges? Lieutenant?� the commander looked imperiously at the young Lieutenant JG. �Are you saying that junior officers can disobey the orders of their superior officers with impunity. He was given a direct order and chose to disobey it. End of discussion. Lieutenant. Now if you will excuse me, I have some work to do.� The tone of the commander left no mistake that she would be up on charges of insubordination should she continue with her questioning.
Meg turned. �By your leave, sir,� her voice an imperceptible snarl.
�Dismissed...Lieutenant JG. And I would watch your tone...� the commander gave her a stony look.
Meg�s mind churned. She had talked with the young Asian Lieutenant Commander and he was very accomodating in his information, however Commander Harrison evidently was hiding information valuable to her case. As it stood, Lieutenant Commander Chikamori would probably end up in Leavenworth, but if she could manage to figure out what was behind the Commander Harrison�s cold-shouldering of her investigation, she could probably discover the true reason.
USS KITTY HAWK
KIM CHI STATION
�Sass. We got radar tracking us.� Midori growled as she scanned the radar in the rear display console of the F-14A Tomcat.
�Rear scan?� Sass asked...as she craned her head around to take a look.
�No...� replied Midori.
�Switching to IRST� (Infra-Red Search and Track) Sass said as she flipped a switch on her instrument panel. �Oh crap...we got an NK MiG 29 down in the waves...� she muttered as she cranked her F-14 Tomcat into a descending turn. �Mustang, Knight 116, engaging bandit...�
�Roger that...you are weapons green...cleared to fire...�
Sass reversed direction on the bandit and rolled her F-14 to get her nose and radar onto the Fulcrum. �He�s a slippery devil.� she muttered as she got an affirmative grunt from her RIO Midori O�Malley. �How�s the �winder?�
�Not getting anything, wanna try the �SLAMMER and see if it�s tracking?� Midori looked like Linda Blair, trying to crane her neck around 180 degrees to try and see if there were any more bandits.
�I�m getting tone, I�m getting tone...� Sass repeated as she looked at a beautiful shot. �Fox One, Fox One...� The Slammer dropped from her aircraft, igniting and setting a beautiful white trail of condensation as it rocketed away towards the MiG. It was a short trip as it slammed into the MiG at high speed.
�Congrats, Sass...� Midori said in a jubilant tone, �We�re MiG killers.�
�One of the few in the Navy...� Sass replied. �How many of them are there?�
�About a handful. 4 or 5...no maybe about 7 or 8.� Midori said as they executed a victory roll.
BACK ON BOARD
USS KITTY HAWK
After catching a three-wire on the way back, Lieutenant Liandra �Sass� Gracen looked over at Midori as the commander of their squadron grinned at them from across the desk.
�You�ve earned a trip back to Japan for a breather. Spend some time. A few questions will probably be asked. The MiG incident has caused a JAG investigation and presumeably there will be some enquiries.� Commander Les Bennett grinned. �You both will be slated to receive the Distinguished Flying Cross. I put you in, and you�ve been approved.�
�Thank you, sir...� was Sass�s reply as she looked over at CDR Bennett with a dumbfounded look. �When do I leave for Atsugi, sir?�
�Tomorrow, 0730 hours. You�ll take a fully armed F-14 Tomcat, along with a wingman, your choice.� Commander Bennett replied. �Have you made a choice or do you need some time to make a decision on who your wingman is?�
�Yes, I have already made a choice, sir.� Lieutenant Gracen replied. �I choose Lieutenant Benton to be my wingman.�
�Very well, Lieutenant Gracen. Your request is duly noted. I�ll inform Lieutenant Benton of your request to have her be your wingman.� Cdr. Bennett replied as he gave her a look of dismissal. Lieutenant Gracen snapped to attention and about-faced to step out the door.
�Congratulations, Lieutenant Gracen, Lieutenant JG O�Malley on the DFC.� grinned Commander Lester Bennett, winner of the Navy Cross, and two awards of the Distinguished Flying Cross.
Sass grinned back at Midori. Approved leave back in Japan could be fun. But considering that idiot of an aviator named Lieutenant James �Junior� Halloway got two weeks in the brig for coming back to the drunk tank for a drunk and disorderly, she vowed to keep their little excursion to Atsugi tame and proper. Besides she didn�t drink to begin with.
USS THEODORE ROOSEVELT (CVN-71)
NAVAL STATION YOKOSUKA
Commander Lindsey looked over at the young Lieutenant Commander. �You know that the dereliction of duty and insubordination charge is a serious one. It could very well end your Navy career.�
�Yes, sir.� Animal looked at him with hard eyes. �But I stand by what I did. If I had to do it over, I�d do the same thing. One of my friends is alive today because we went in and got him out. Otherwise, we�d be holding a funeral for both of them.�
�You do know that we will be having to ground you until the end of this investigation, Lieutenant Commander. As of now, you are no longer on active duty pending investigation.� the commander said. �But I agree with you on one point. I don�t think that you were at fault and I�m going to do my darndest to get to the root of this mess.�
Animal looked as if he was going to say something, but Commander Lindsey looked warningly at him. �Don�t say anything to the press, don�t say anything to anyone but your attorney. Lieutenant Rabb and myself will be co-chairing the defense counsel. Lieutenant JG Austin will be assisting.�
MCAS FUTEMMA
JAPAN
�Captain Sarah Mackenzie, reporting as ordered, sir.� A young pretty, brunette Marine wearing khaki shirt and service green pants replied as she looked at Lieutenant Colonel John Farrow, her commanding officer.
The tall officer looked over at the Marine Captain as he said firmly, �Do you wish to go to law school? Mac?�
�Yes, sir.� the Marine Captain replied standing at stiff attention. It was her dream to go to law school and to serve in a capacity. After Bosnia, the young Marine had her fill of combat situations and she wanted to get into a situation where she wouldn�t have to watch her back constantly. After serving with distinction in Bosnia, she had come back to Japan to serve under Colonel Farrow again. As much as she hated leaving his command, he had pushed her to apply for law school and after many months she had succeeded. She would now pursue her lifelong dream of becoming a lawyer.
�Congratulations on your acceptance to law school at Yale. You received a scholarship to go there so you have four years to study, whereupon you will be relegated to the Marine Corps reserve. After you get out, you are obligated to serve the JAG Corps for a minimum of two years to repay the Marine Corps for sending you to law school.� Lieutenant Colonel Farrow intoned.
�Thank you, sir,� was all that Captain Mackenzie could get through the lump in her throat. The Colonel was a good leader and she was going to miss serving him.
USS THEODORE ROOSEVELT
NAVAL STATION YOKOSUKA
�Hey, Metalman.� Animal yelled over the noise of the hangar deck. The taller thinner man looked over at the shorter Asian officer with a wry smile, with not much joy in it.
�Yeah...I heard you were grounded...� Metalman looked over at his friend.
�Yeah...it�s a crock. But have to obey the commander.� Animal said. �They�ve decided to put me on restrictive duty until this whole mess is sorted out.�
�Me...I�m on restrictive duty, due to emotional stress...so they say. All I wanna do is go out there and blow up a few North Korean MiGs.� Metalman grumbled, �Give me a RIO that can put up with the things I do and I�ll be able to get things done up there.�
Animal snickered. �Anyone who is able to put up with the things you do, is a couple of fries short of a Happy Meal .� He grinned at Metalman as the other officer looked rather insulted.
�Seriously...� Metalman said. �I hope they get through this investigation. There�s a few things that I promised Divebomb that I would do.� He looked grimly at his friend. �Payback.� he intoned in a low voice.
Animal looked at Metalman with a hard look. �Metalman. You got to let it go...If you keep eating yourself up over this, you�re going to self-destruct. You act in an unauthorized manner, endangering the security of the United States, and I will have to recommend to terminate your flight-status. � he paused slamming his right fist into his left palm. �Damnit, Metalman, your RIO is dead...You need closure, NOT revenge.�
Metalman looked coldly at Animal. �My closure is revenge.� he growled as he turned on his heels and walked away. Animal could only watch helplessly as he watched his best friend in turmoil.
OFFICER�S MESS
NAVAL STATION YOKOSUKA
The young asian RIO grinned at Sass across the table. �Nice to be on the ground again, isn�t it.� Lieutenant JG Midori O�Malley said, looking at Sass with a rather evil grin.
�Shut up...Dragon .� Sass snidely retorted, looking at Midori. �Nobody asked you.�
It was a crowded officer�s mess for that time of afternoon, considering that it was just after noon. Usually it was dead quiet but there seemed to be a quiet bustle of traffic in there. It was a short time later that Midori suddenly seemed to choke on her drink.
�Hello...what have we here???� she asked in an admiring tone, her gaze staring past Sass and arousing her driver�s curiosity.
ELSEWHERE IN THE OFFICER�S MESS
NAVAL STATION YOKOSUKA
LCDR Pete Mitchell, also known as Maverick stood drinking a Sangria, as he watched his friend Lieutenant Nick � Goose� Bradshaw circulate around the bar, just as he did at the Navy Fighter Weapons School, trading barbs with friends and acquaintances.
His eyes gazed around the room and settled on the tall JAG officer, Lieutenant Harmon Rabb Jr. and another officer wearing the SEAL trident, a Lieutenant Commander, whom he had not had an introduction with. They were heading towards the table, a mile-wide grin on the face of the tall JAG officer.
�Afternoon, Lieutenant Commander Mitchell,� the JAG officer said. �Animal told me that you would be here.� His gaze was searching. �Do you mind if we join you for a drink?�
�Not really,� the aviator replied. �So, what brings JAG to Yokosuka?� Maverick inquired �We�ve got the best pilot in the squadron grounded, but that�s no loss to the JAG Corps, is it? The legal weenies want to get to the bottom of this and get rid of who was responsible for the screw-up or at least that�s what they�re trying to do.�
�Commander, all we�re trying to do, is dig out the truth and make sure that whoever managed this heroism is recognized and rewarded.�
�Lieutenant...if heroism is what you want, look at the two who have to live with what happened.� Maverick said. �One of our friends is dead, the other has to deal with a �rampage� that he went on; justifiable or not, he still feels responsible for his actions� Maverick looked over at Harm. �There are no heroes, Lieutenant.�
Harm and Maverick�s eyes met, a volatile mixture. �Well, thank you for your frankness, Commander,� Harm said as he looked over at the lieutenant commander. �But it�s not the view held by the commander-in-chief. He�s looking to award the Medal of Honor and he wants nothing to stand in the way of that.�
�That may be so...Lieutenant.� said Maverick briefly, �But that remains to be seen.�
�Yes, certainly.� Harm said taken aback by the vehemence in Lieutenant Commander Mitchell�s voice. This he had not expected.
OFFICERS MESS
NAVAL STATION YOKOSUKA
JAPAN
�What?� Sass asked as Midori�s eyes went wide open.
�A drop dead gorgeous pair of Navy men, that�s what...� Midori stated. �One�s a lieutenant commander in khakis, the other�s a lieutenant in whites.�
�Oh, my...Jamie??? and Harm???� Sass was flabbergasted, her jaw dropping open. The youngish lieutenant commander was standing there with another set of naval officers. Lieutenant Commander James Curran, United States Navy SEAL was very laid-back, and unassuming. Harm was easily recognizable. He was jawing back and forth with a shorter United States Navy officer in service whites and shoulderboards. �I�m going over there...� Sass promptly announced as Midori�s mouth fell open as she could only whine.
�Hey, I saw them first.�
Sass gave her a hard look. �No you didn�t, the Lieutenant Commander�s been my friend since I was eighteen, the Lieutenant, since I was eleven.�
Sass�s RIO followed quickly behind her as the two made their way up to the mass of naval officers hanging around that �one� table. As they drew closer, Sass just barely heard her RIO mouth, �Omigosh, that�s Maverick Mitchell and Goose Bradshaw.�
Maverick looked over to see the startled face of his sister�s daughter. The lieutenant commander grinned widely as he hugged her. �Hello Liandra, Nice stripes you have there.� He looked at the young lieutenant grinning up at him.
�Hi, Sir.� she grinned. �Or can I call you Uncle Mav� she teased her uncle.
Maverick�s RIO and best friend, Lieutenant Nick �Goose� Bradshaw elbowed him. �You didn�t tell me Lia was in the Navy now.� Turning to Sass, Goose asked, �What�re you doing in Yokosuka, Liandra?�
�Actually, Uncle Nick,� Lia grinned. �I�m on leave,� she replied, being interrupted as Midori coughed. � Uh, we�re on leave, that is...� she half-turned to indicate Midori who stood behind her.
Another familiar voice interrupted. �No, I think what my esteemed colleague meant was, what are you doing in the Navy?� Sass looked up to see blue eyes, which she hadn�t seen for quite some time.
�Well...I am currently on leave, Lieutenant Rabb,� she replied at Harm�s question, �Midori and I earned it.�
Midori coughed, with an edge of sarcasm. �Yeah...earned it the hard way...�
SEAL HEADQUARTERS
NAVAL STATION CORONADO
�Commodore...Chegwidden. � Admiral Curtis Feldwyn II stared at a slightly balding, tall, and hard-bitten looking flag officer. � I see that you are on temporary assignment to the SPECWAR community as a JAG Liaison officer. Now, I don�t know why a JAG Liaison would have to be such a high-ranking officer, but we�re happy to have you.� The Admiral�s gaze went up Chegwidden�s chest from the Navy Cross, to the SEAL trident on his chest.
�So, when did you complete BUD/S?� This was Basic Underwater Demolition SEAL training, the 26 week basic course of SEAL instruction. In Commodore Chegwidden�s class in 1963, the dropout rate was 92%, the highest of any SEAL class.
�1963, sir. Came in 1st in my class, sir.� Commodore Albert Jethro Chegwidden replied, looking at the admiral. �Spent two tours in-country, and did a few things...� he grinned self-deprecatingly.
�Oh, hell, I know your rep. I know you�re a player in the SPECWAR community...Commodore...What did JAG send you over for...AJ?� the Admiral growled, grinning at AJ.
�A SEAL team was sent into retrieve a fighter crew that was shot down in North Korean territory. � Commodore Chegwidden stated firmly as he locked eyes with the admiral. �I have been ordered by JAG to ascertain the degree of the SEAL team�s involvement in this incident.�