Fly Me to the Moon Pt. 04

"I'm glad that you are better. We've come a long way since Washington. How's your new partner?"

"She's OK," I said. "She saved my life."

"And blew out thousands of windows!" Linda laughed, I guess knowing she would have done the same thing. "How's the new craft coming along?"

"It got canceled for the wall but they're going to finish it anyways and keep it. They're going into the satellite business."

"Wow... I bet they never thought that would happen. Good for them."

After a few minutes more, we hung up and I went back to the paperwork I had been putting off for the longest time even though I knew it had to be done. Later that evening, I was done and walked out to the Hangar to my ship, its pale white-silver color greeting me in the relative dimness of the building.

I was surprised to find Mary there, wiping down the control surfaces inside as I entered the craft.

"Mary, working hard?" I asked as she continued to work.

"No, I thought I'd just... well, you know, getting things ready."

"Let me help you." I reached for her box of wipes.

"That's OK, I got it. What are we doing next?"

"The general is thinking of basing some ships in Australia and so we're going to work on that. Since they're going out of the country, we need permission from the Pentagon but I don't think there's going to be a problem."

"Cool, can't wait... I like Australia." She finished wiping everything down and cleaned up the cloths into her box, following me out of the spaceship.

*****

It took a month of political wrangling but it was finally approved and we were on our way south to establish a base with the Aussies at Richmond, about an hour's driving time outside of Sydney. We were greeted with open arms by the locals, fascinated with the concept of having spaceships in their backyard. We were going to share the facility with the venerable C-130 Hercules and bring an even greater economic impact to the area.

I liked the idea that it was close to Sydney rather than out in the outback, so to speak. The United States paid for all the improvements necessary to base the spacecraft there which included a new Hangar for ten ships, just in case, although I only thought we would base five there at any given time.

I thought our small group of ships would work well with their intelligence squadron.

We met with the wing commander and she welcomed us to what was now our base also. Within an hour of our arrival we were taking her to low earth orbit and showing her the ISS as well as Australia from space. The technology of the ship was wonderful, allowing us to fly at a moment's notice to anywhere on the globe. Our imminent arrival in Australia made our reach that much greater.

She understood the need for greatly increased security, all of which would be paid for by the US and we suggested flying their intelligence officers so that they would know what we could and could not do.

That night I had another nightmare, waking to a cold sweat and turning in the bed at the visiting officers' quarters where Mary and I were spending the night. I had hoped that it would be a thing of the past but not.

The next morning I awoke tired and sore, deciding to let Mary fly us back home when the wing commander invited us to Sydney. Except for the flyby we had done before going to Canberra, I had never been there and was interested in seeing the sights. We were assured that the ship was in good hands as we drove south.

It wasn't too much longer before we were in the city, admiring the what there was to see. We drove by the Opera House before going to the zoo. That was incredible, seeing all the exotic, to me at least, animals that lived in Australia. I loved the koalas, living teddy bears. I bought a toy one to bring back.

By the time the sun was setting to the west behind the Blue Mountains we were heading back to the air force base in Hawkesbury, a little tired but satisfied that our personnel would have a good place to stay when off duty. I decided that postings would be for six months at a time. We were assured that the facilities would be ready no later than in two months.

The next morning we left for Groom Lake, arriving an hour and a half later, slowing down over the Pacific so as to not leave a sonic boom across Southern California as we headed into the desert. Times were different from shuttle landings at Edwards when people welcomed the twin booms from the spaceship.

I kept my nightmares to myself, not wanting to ruin my flight readiness, knowing full well that Mary could fly without my help if necessary. I know that wasn't the smartest thing to do but I wasn't going to jeopardize my ability to fly. I loved my little spaceship and what it could do.

I took a cold shower in my quarters and then followed it with a warm one, rubbing my leg on the scars that would always be a reminder of what happened.

What Linda had done with her group saving Paris was what I thought should be the mission of the ships, thinking they belonged to the world, guarded by the United States. I wasn't sure that some countries would be as magnanimous as we said we were.

It was at this time that the "great" rush on the gates was supposed to take place and although there were supposed to be two million people attending, the numbers were just a tiny fraction of that amount, just a few thousand if that many. It was just as well, the Mojave is an unforgiving place and survival in the desert is sketchy if you're not completely prepared.

Max sent a couple of helicopters to the fence to see that everything was OK and was happy to hear that people had left to the south back to Las Vegas. Things were quiet again.

*****

By the time Christmas arrived, we had positioned ships around the country, in Scotland, in Australia and Diego Garcia, sharing space with B-52s and B-2s.

*****

"Hey, stranger," I said to Max that night in bed, reaching for his arm and rolling over to kiss him. "I've missed you, you know."

"Hey, stranger, yourself. You're the world traveler, seeing the sights. I hear you have a lot of fans in Australia... been giving rides to space."

"Seemed like the thing to do. Didn't cost anything and we've a base there now. Can't have too many friends," I said, looking at him in the dimness of the night. For some reason, Creedence was running through my mind... 'Green River'.

"Kiss me," I asked as I moved closer. I could feel the hair on his arms as he covered me.

*****

One of the things I had instituted was a mandatory two hour low level flight each week to keep everyone fit.

Mary and I flew one week in early February along the southern border about five hundred feet high when I saw something that caught my eye. "Look," I said, "down there."

Two men were beating a woman and when they saw us, opened fire. I pulled the ship up to a thousand meters, making us an impossible target. They left the woman on the ground and ran to a blue van, heading back to Mexico.

"Bastards," I muttered, preparing to stop them but there was only way to do that. I pinpointed the back of the van and opened fire; the back ceased to exist and the vehicle skidded to a stop on the sandy road.

We returned to where the woman had been left, slowly coming down until we were just feet from the ground. We could see now that she was pregnant and in the process of giving birth.

"Shit," Mary said, heading out the airlock to the woman who in her last act on earth, gave birth to a baby girl.

"Oh, my," she said, holding the now crying baby in her arms. "Don't cry, baby, you're OK now."

I shut the ship down and hopped down to the sand, my footprints adding to those already there. "Is she?"

"Yes... we were too late for her... but not the baby." Mary held up the little girl, as if offering her to me.

"Damn," was all I could say, looking at the poor woman still on the desert floor, her only crime wanting a better life for her unborn child.

A bullet winged its way off a large boulder, followed closely by two others. "Oh, crap," I said. "Quick, into the ship!"

We jumped into the ship and closed the airlock, Mary flicking switches, quickly lifting us up into the air to about 500 meters. I was more than mad now and brought the ship around, facing the two of them far below us.

"Die, stupid mother..." I obliterated where they had been standing, leaving only a depression in the now dark glassy sand, a small amount of steam rising from the desert.

We slowly landed the ship back where we had left the woman's body and with kindness, carried her into the ship. We flew to where the van was and carefully looked it over but saw no one else there so we atomized it and flew back to Area 51. I wasn't sure what I was going to tell Max.

I told the surprised sergeant in charge of maintenance to check for bullet holes, not sure if we had been hit or not.

*****

"A baby?!!"

"Yes," I answered... "and we're going to have to bury the mother. I don't know her name but the baby is Pacifica."

"Pacifica... like the ocean?"

"Yes, it means peaceful." I held the baby tighter to me, wondering what he was going to do.

"I know what it means. How are you going to take care of it?"

"Her... not it. I'll think of something; I'm a Marine."

*****

I wasn't sure if he was happy or not but I was adamant about keeping the baby, lost soul that it was. I called Alessa and asked her if she could get me a birth certificate and I had one at the end of the week, signed by her doctor on staff, naming me as mother and Max as the father. I didn't know what I was going to do, though, keeping the child at Groom Lake wasn't exactly the best of circumstances and yet I knew I couldn't give her up.

I contacted the Exchange at Nellis and arranged to have a crib, baby clothes and baby formula sent out as soon as possible.

I called the baby "Cify" and did my best to keep her happy, holding her to me. If anyone thought something different, they were quiet about it. I hoped that Max would come around. I knew that he loved me and this was important to me... to us.

When Mary and I had to inspect other facilities, I made arrangements for other women to watch the baby until we returned. Life had gotten so much more complicated. I considered retiring from the service but I loved flying my ship.

*****

Christmas soon approached and I looked forward to Cify's first holiday. I always thought Christmas was the best holiday for it was the only time that everyone was nice to one another... more so, they went out of their way to be nice.

I was rocking the baby in my arms, watching the umpteenth playing of "It's a Wonderful Life" when Max came in with a decorated tree about three feet tall in one hand and a gaily wrapped box in the other.

"Well," he said, somewhat embarrassed, "after all, it is Christmas." He put the tree down on our table and then placed what had to be a gift next to it. "Merry Christmas," he harrumphed, somewhat surprised at himself as he greeted us.

"Merry Christmas," I replied, looking at him, the tree and the box.

"Just a little something for Cify... you know, Christmas and all."

We had a quiet evening, the pine scent filling the room and then it was time to eat dinner. I put the baby in the stroller and wheeled her in front of us as we went to get something to eat.

The dining hall was full of people, some already eating, others still in line. I went to our usual table, moving a chair to make room for the baby when three women walked over.

"Can we see the baby?" the first one asked, standing back several feet, not wishing to approach without permission.

"Of course," I said, lifting the child up and passing her over. The baby opened her eyes for a moment, gurgled, and then closed her eyes, sucking her thumb.

"She's beautiful..." the second one said, timidly touching the baby's arm for a moment as if afraid.

Max appeared with our dinners and the three snapped to attention, saluting.

"At ease," he said, placing the dishes down on the table and returning their salute. "Merry Christmas."

"Uh, Merry Christmas, sir. Thank you, sir. Excuse us."

The women disappeared into the crowd standing nearby, leaving us alone.

"Looks like the baby has a fan club," he finally said, sitting down and watching me put the baby back in the stroller.

I felt good, thinking that he had indeed accepted the baby into our lives. I felt sorry for the woman who had died in the desert, knowing she would never have a Christmas with her daughter and vowed to take care of the child as much as I could.

Just then Santa wandered into the room, giving a hearty 'ho,ho,ho' to everyone, followed by several airmen pushing carts filled with red envelopes that I knew were full of fifty dollar bills that Max had gotten from Vegas the last time we were there, his personal gift to each and every one.

Alessa had made an agreement with the L'eggs hosiery company to supply the empty containers to model our spacecraft and everyone got one of those also.

And then, over the loudspeakers, played the love song from Fireball XL-5: "I wish I was a spaceman, the fastest guy alive..." People stood and applauded, laughing with the music.

The lights dimmed and dance music was played. I made sure that the Marines on guard duty were rotated out so that everyone had a chance to party.

*****

The new year approached quickly but quietly as if the problems of the world had disappeared. I was happy, Max was happy and the baby seemed to be happy. In the back of my mind I wondered if we were ever returning to the moon. I knew we would, just not when.

Our trip to the border had resulted in one thing: flight crews were now carrying weapons for personal protection, even though the ships were equipped with the most deadly power outside of nuclear weapons.

Our next inspection tour took us to Diego Garcia and we expected to stay there at least one day at the tropical base. Outside of the beaches there wasn't much to see and we visited with our and the Air Force personnel stationed there for the war on terror, as it were. It seemed to go on forever. Was I losing my edge? I didn't know and it worried me.

We walked around the ships and inspected each on on the inside, looking to see if they had been cleaned like Mary had done ours. Two were, three weren't. I made a quiet but emphatic discussion with each crew to maintain their ships since they were irreplaceable.

I could tell that one crew, surprisingly enough, had an attitude with simple maintenance and I was looking to replace them as soon as possible.

I sent a message to Max to send a new crew out and arranged for the recalcitrant pilots to be sent back to the States with the next transport out. They were angry, insubordinate in attitude toward me. Their careers were over.

What had been a simple case of admonishment turned into anger on my part. More than anyone I knew how important the ships were to the future of the planet.

Sadly, it came to this and the two ex-pilots were escorted out by Marine guards to the brig until the arrival of the transport.

Two hours later a replacement team arrived deadheading on a ship from Area 51, aware of what had happened and promising that it wouldn't happen with them.

"You know that you probably can't kick them out of the military, right?" asked Mary.

"Yeah, but they're finished with us. That was really stupid, that's all I can say."

I sat down, tired from what had happened. It wasn't supposed to happen, there was supposed to be an esprit de corps in our little group that was sorely missing in those two.

Mary put her hand on my shoulder. "Don't worry, it's over," she said quietly.

We left the room and headed back to the visiting officers' quarters, not feeling like going home until the next day.

*****

Flying around the globe could lead to a serious case of jet-lag but the time involved was so short that it never occurred. I felt so much better when we arrived back at Groom Lake and I was in bed with Max, my arm stretched across his back, listening to his breathing as he slept. If something happened to him I knew I would miss that.

Valentine's Day was just a few days away and I wanted to get Max something special... but what? He seemed to have everything, personally and professionally.

I wracked my brain trying to come up with something, embarrassed that it was so hard for me. I subtly asked if there was anything he would like and he said "nothing", he was happy as could be.

I needed to think. There had to be something... and then I had it: a fossil dating from the time that our ships were created, only six of us would know the significance.

I made arrangements to obtain a K/T core sample from York Canyon in New Mexico that marked the end and the beginning. It was unique and personal for the two of us. It was just the thing and I went to bed that night with a smile on my face, knowing that I had found what I wanted.

The sample arrived, containing the tiny bits of shocked quartz and iridium from the asteroid. It was a nice sample about 20 cm in diameter with the boundary layer running diagonally through the center. Whoever had prepared it had done a superb job and I was very happy.

Later that night, I gave it to him, wrapped in Barney the Dinosaur paper and stood there watching him as he unwrapped it. A great smile appeared on his face and he thanked me with a loving kiss.

He pulled a small box out of his pocket and gave it to me, still smiling as I looked at it. Inside was a small polished dark rock set in a ring with four diamonds surrounding it. "It's from the moon," he said, "only one in existence."

I kissed him in return, wondering when he had found time to fly back unless he had picked it up when we retrieved the ships.

******************

Our lovemaking took on a new emotion as we entered our second year of marriage. Pacifica was now walking and was something to chase around our quarters. Her dark hair was in sharp contrast to my blonde curls but it didn't bother me, knowing full well her heritage. I didn't know if I was going to tell her she was adopted or not. I didn't know her medical background so there was no pressing reason in that aspect and I have been there for her as much as possible. It was something I was going to have to talk to Max about.

Mary and I were making an inspection of the Hawaiian group. Since everything that had happened in the desert I had required all flight crews to be armed while on duty. It was necessary to fly at least once a week to remain fully charged. The ancient technology was incredible, still working after all these years and it was our responsibility to maintain it as best as we could. That included keeping the ships cleaned after every flight. Word had gotten out about Diego Garcia and while I was sorry I had to react as I did I made no excuses for the two pilots who lost their positions, a shame, really, for now getting a chance to fly the spaceships was considered the ultimate berth in the military.

Landing at Hickam we met with the base commander to pay our respects as was expected. Our duties had become more militaristic as the year had gone by and we were being used in the war against the terrorists more and more. The ability to vaporize your enemies was a powerful weapon.

We met with our small squadron in their Hangar. Their biggest complaint were the false alerts given in Honolulu about incoming missiles which terrified the local population and would soon make the program worthless.

When the alert came in they had no choice but to scramble all ships into low orbit looking for the incoming attack and since nothing was really happening it was all futile.

After our meeting Mary and I went to Waikiki looking for souvenirs. I wanted to get something for Max and Pacifica. We eventually found a small shop that sold Hawaiian shirts and I bought matching blue shirts for the three of us. Mary bought herself a sarong that was a soft green and accented her eyes.