Honor Thy Mother & Thy Father Ch. 26

Cliff laughed. "He's right about that. There are only two ways to get there, by air and by boat. The people that come by boat aren't allowed to come anywhere near the science stations. The boats don't anchor anywhere close enough for a snowmobile to make it without refueling several times. So if you stay with us, you are safe with a capital 'S.'"

"I am very happy to hear that Cliff. It makes breathing a lot easier."

As Cliff said, when the aircraft descended through the lower altitudes, the aircraft began to bounce around like a boat in a storm. However, when they passed through 3000 feet above sea level, the turbulence nearly disappeared. Minutes later the pilot landed the Globemaster on the McMurdo ice shelf, and reversed the engines. He did not use the braking system at all. One false move and the huge aircraft could spin like a top. It slowed to walking speed before the end of the icy landing sheet, and began moving towards the unloading area.

Cliff Reese and his men helped Callie deplane and walk a safe distance away from the aircraft. When they were finished, and she was standing on our own 2 feet, Harold asked the men to join him for a drink at one of the three clubs at McMurdo.

Cliff said they would be busy for the next five or six hours unloading the aircraft and getting cleaned up. However, if he wanted to meet them at the Observation club, at 0100 hours, it would be fine with them.

Harold and Callie waived goodbye, and followed their escorts to the vehicles waiting to take them to their dormitories. Callie was not thrilled with the word, "Dormitories." She remembered all too well what they were like in college.

Their first stop was at the Navy store to get outfitted for the Antarctic weather. It was 24° above zero outside, and everyone was wearing short sleeve shirts and shorts. She was wearing long pants a heavy blouse with long sleeves, gloves, and a coat, and she was freezing.

Callie asked the Navy Yeomen if everyone down here was crazy wearing such skimpy clothes on such a cold day.

She said, "Ma'am, to us this is a summer day. It's not cold here until it is -5 or -10 below zero. Then we put on long sleeve shirts and long pants. When he gets to 20 below zero, then we break out the heavy stuff. That is what you are going to get today, because you are not used to our weather. You would die from hypothermia if you were walking around like us."

Your orders came straight from Pacific Command Headquarters in Hawaii, to outfit all of you from head to foot, and send the bill directly to FBI headquarters in Washington.

She sent the five men with one of her aides and took Callie with her to dress her out.

The men were done rather quickly, because there was a large selection of clothing in their sizes. It took the yeoman a little longer to find clothes to fit Callie.

She walked out of the dressing area, fully clothe in her survival gear, and saw the look on Harold's face. In a preemptive strike said, "If you say one word Harold, I will forget everything I promised you, and kill you where you stand."

Harold didn't say one word, he did her one better. He stayed quiet, smiled, lifted his cell phone from his new parka, and took picture after picture, as she screamed and waddled after him.

"Chase, if you send those pictures, you are going to be eating your balls for breakfast."

"I didn't say a word Callie; that's all you asked of me. You didn't say I could not take pictures of you. Every couple on their honeymoon takes pictures. Now I'm going to hit this little button, which says Alan and Susan, and press send."

"DON'T YOU DO THAT TO ME HAROLD, PLEASE!"

"I'm sorry honey; the next time you don't want me to do something you will have to be more specific."

"I can never go home again. Alan will crucify me. I will never see my mother or sister again. I will have to hide for the rest of my life. I know he will find me. I will have to move around continually. Do you see what you just did to me Harold; you have just ruined my life forever."

"Callie, I did not know pregnancy affected higher brain functions. Did you read the pamphlet about things they have and do not have here in Antarctica? Do you remember there is no cell phone coverage here? "

"I didn't read that book Harold? That's what I have you for. Do you realize they sell guns here? I could go to that counter, buy one, and kill you, because of what you just did to me."

"Callie, they don't sell guns here, and I did not send the pictures to Alan. I believe that counts for something. You told me to remind you when you were not acting like a grown-up. Callie, you are not acting like a grown-up. You are acting like a child again; a very beautiful child, a child that I love, but a child out of control. I think I will take you to our room, and spank you."

"Okay daddy, I guess I earned that one, didn't I. I flew off the handle before I started thinking. I am sorry, I will try to do better the next time, and trust me there will be a next time."

"Baby, as sure as the sun rises in the east, I know there will be a next time."

"Thank you for your confidence in me Harold. It's always a pleasure to know that your husband is rooting for you."

They were escorted to Building 122 and room C 34 for the remainder of their honeymoon. It had twin beds, a sink, and a shower that they shared with the adjoining room.

As Harold looked around their 150 square foot honeymoon suite, he turned and looked at Callie. Before he could say anything to her, she said, "Remember Harold, I wanted to do this when I was 21, adventurous, in-debt, and single. It was the perfect answer to all my problems."

Harold stood by the open door to their room. He said, "The ratio of men to women here in McMurdo is 800 to 1. If you put a red bulb outside this door, and stayed here for four months, took two guys an hour, at $100 a head, for a six hours day, you would have made $1200 a day, plus specials during your off time, you could have made $200,000 tax-free easy. "

Callaway threw her snowshoe at him, and yelled, "You pervert. Is that all you think a woman can do down here?"

He locked the door behind him and approached her carefully. "No there are other things a woman could do down here, but I could not think of one more pleasurable to do with you."

"Harold, go find a computer and play with yourself. I want to get some rest. Aren't you supposed to meet Cliff and his men soon anyhow?"

"I am sure I could find something to do if you're telling me to get lost."

"Do you see, Harold, I cannot pull the wool over your eyes. I am going to take a nap. Get lost Harold; call me when you're cell phone works."

"Can I bring you back to snack, or would you like to wait until breakfast?"

"Breakfast! What happened to dinner? "

"It's 23:00 local time, dear. The commissary is always open, and food is always available. I can bring you a snack, or I can take you there for dinner or breakfast or breakfast and dinner at the same time."

"When you come back from playing with yourself, or with the boys, we will go out to lunch."

Harold tucked her into bed, kissed her goodbye, and went to look for the only bank in Mac Town. It turned out to be open 24 hours a day seven days a week. It was closed on all Government and religious holidays. It didn't matter what religion, the bank was closed.

Harold walked into the bank, straight up to the cashier and told him what he wanted. The teller said to him, "Mister, if you have that kind of money to throw around, you shouldn't be here."

Harold asked if the manager was there. The young man said that he was alone for the next 40 minutes, while the manager was taking care of other business.

Harold asked him if they had Internet access and if so he could use it for a moment.

The clerk pointed to a computer, and Harold sat down by it.

Moments later Harold brought two sheets of paper to the clerk and asked him to read them, and look at the picture associated with the article.

When the clerk finished reading the article he looked up and asked Harold, "How many $200,000 checks did you want, sir?"

"I want six, no make that seven, the names will be put in later."

Harold walked out of the bank, straight to the Observation Club to see if Sergeant Reese and his men were there. They nearly knocked each other over walking through the front door.

"Perfect timing Harold," Cliff said, "where is the misses?"

"As I told you Cliff, this pregnancy is knocking her for a loop. She's taking a nap, and I'm just prowling around getting the lay of the land here. Your money is no good here, buy whatever you want; it is on me."

"Harold, you should not say that around hungry workingmen."

"Cliff, what you did for my wife today, meant more than you will ever understand. Eat up, get whatever you want, I will find us a table."

Over the next 90 minutes Cliff and his crew regaled Harold with their trials, and triumphs in loading and unloading these huge flying cargo machines. They talked about 'Old Shaky,' the C-141 Starlifter. It wasn't sexy; it just came to work every day, and got the job done. The new ultra-sophisticated C5/M Galaxy, which could carry 380,000 pounds of cargo to any point in the world nonstop. The workhorse, Hercules C-130's that every Allied nation used to move troops and cargo around their country. And when they started talking about their C-17, Short field takeoff and landing aircraft, they could not stop. If it were prom night, they would take it with them. They were that proud of it. It was the same thing you heard over and over again throughout the age of flight: pilots only borrow an aircraft. The mechanics, the people who work on the guts of the aircraft, own it.

There was a loud 'boo' from men off to their left, and Cliff said, "Who let officers into an enlisted man's club?"

Captain Marshall, the pilot of the C-17 who brought everyone to Antarctica earlier that day patted Cliff on the head and said, "Would you believe our club ran out of ice?"

All the airmen at Harold's table held their nose and said, "Booooooo."

Harold said to the Captain, "I have a feeling these men may have heard that one before."

"Sir, when you come down here, as often as we do, you have heard them all several times. Cliff, here, has even written some new ones that are old already."

Harold reached into his pocket, and took out one of the checks and folded it in half. He said, "Captain, I don't know how many people there are up in the flight deck with you, but on behalf of my wife and I, I would like to thank you for taking us with you on such short notice. If you would split this up equally, we would appreciate it."

Captain Marshall looked at the check and could not believe his eyes. "Sir, this is exceedingly generous. There is absolutely no need for you to spend this amount of money on the entire crew. We get paid for coming here; it's our job."

"Captain, it's not often that I have the opportunity to show my gratitude to people who save my life. Whether you realize it or not, today you did. That is less money than I make in one week's interest in the bank. Enjoy it, let your families enjoy it, and let my wife and I revel in the thought of you having fun."

"Thank you very much Mister Chase, I will make sure that everyone here gets a fair share."

"Captain that check is for the flight crew only; I am taking care of the loadmaster's crew personally."

"Thank you again Mister Chase, it looks like my wife is getting that new SUV she wants. I'm going to make a phone call."

Harold turned and looked at the six men seated behind him. "You men did the work that made my wife comfortable and eased her mind during the trip here. Her safety and well-being is my utmost concern. None of you knows who I am or who Callie is. You know my name is Harold Chase. What you don't know or don't remember is that 13 she years ago I sold a program to Microsoft for the tidy sum of $6 billion. While we have been sitting here talking I have made more money than all of you will make this year. I want you to take these and put your names where they belong. I want you to turn them over and put for deposit only, and your checking account number below it. This is a gift from Callie and me for the way you treated us. You didn't have to go as far out of your way as you did, but I want you to know that it is appreciated. Each of you has a friend for a lifetime. If you ever need anything, contact me. I live in Cottonwood Arizona. I have many friends there. They will know this story when we get home. They will know how to find me, and they will treat you like family. You will never go hungry and you will never go without work."

Cliff said, "Harold, all we did was make up the bed for your wife."

Harold replied, "2000 years ago, someone did that for pregnant woman, and look what happened."

Cliff's eyes opened wide and he said, "Oh God!"

Harold laughed and said, "EXACTLY."

After everyone at the table stopped laughing, Harold asked how long they would be staying.

Cliff said they would be there between four and six days, depending on how long it took the C-130s to bring the new equipment to the outlying science stations, bring the broken or outdated equipment back to McMurdo, have it boxed up, and loaded onto the aircraft.

Harold asked if anyone knew their way around well enough to act as a guide.

Six hands shot into the air.

Harold said, "You are all hired. Can I rent snowmobiles or another kind of transportation to take us to points of interest?"

Cliff smiled and said, "For another one of these, I can guarantee you air transportation around the continent."

"Do we just stay in the air, or do we land and walk around?"

"For that amount of money, you are the boss. If you want to land and walk around the South Pole, you will walk around the South Pole. If you want to walk around Mount Erebus, that's what you will do. Name your poison and it will be yours."

"Cliff, you sound like a man after my own heart. Arrange everything, and I will have a bank check with me for the gentleman involved."

The crew laughed again. "Harold, this pilot is no gentleman. Its 0245 hours, meet us at the flight line at 1200 hours, wearing your survival gear. It is going to be very cold where we are going."

"Should I arrange to have food brought to the aircraft?"

"No, we will take care of everything, just bring Callie, and be prepared for an adventure."

"I think I'll wake up Callie and take her lunch. This excursion sounds like a lot of fun."

After a quick stop at the bank, Harold returned to their suite and found Callie awake and raring to go.

"Well, this is a pleasant surprise!"

"Yes, I feel much better now. I don't know what was wrong with me, but whatever it was, it's gone now. Can we get something to eat?"

"Absolutely, I understand the chef makes an unbelievable penguin au gratin."

"That sounds delicious, I could eat a seal."

They went to the commissary and ate their fill of eggs, bacon, ham, and potatoes. Callie asked the chef why penguins were not on the menu. He informed her that it was against the Antarctic International Charter to kill any native species.

"Let's go to the communications area; I want to send Dycke a note that we arrive safely, and are setting out on the adventure of a lifetime."

"We are; when we you going to tell me?"

"You are already here. Your adventure has already started. If you didn't realize that, you are in big trouble."

She wanted to hit Harold, but it made no sense. He would not feel a thing under layers of clothing, and the big jacket he was wearing.

At 1200 hrs. Callie and Howard arrived at the flight line, where their six guides were waiting for them. They walked them out to a Canadian built de Havilland Otter, a twin-engine turboprop aircraft with wingtip mounted external fuel tanks, for extended range.

They saw the woman walking around the aircraft, taking coverings off the pitot tubes, looking inside the engine cowlings, checking the skis on the landing gear, and feeling the leading edges of the propellers.

Howard asked, "Who is she?"

Cliff responded, "That's Max, she's our pilot. If you call her Maxine, you will wind up on your ass."

Callie laughed. "A woman after my own heart; watch this."

She started to walk towards the plane when Harold yelled, "Callaway remember you're pregnant."

She turned to him and said, "According to my marriage license, my name is Chase, you idiot."

She walked over to Max and said, "Maxine, my name is Callalily. If you call me anything at Callie, I will break you in half."

Max was about to throw a wrench at her, until she finished her sentence; then she broke into laughter. "I guess those bums put you up to this, didn't they?"

"Actually, it was my own idea. I didn't think I would find a woman in charge of anything down here. I'm glad to meet you Max."

"What the hell are you doing down here, Callie?"

"Actually I'm here for two reasons: This is my honeymoon, and I am escaping people who want to kill me and my husband."

"Would you mind expanding upon the second part just a little bit?"

"My husband, Harold, is a computer geek. He and another genius have come up with a way to eliminate global warming 10 years after the changes are put into effect. Certain people are not happy with them. They want both of us eliminated, with extreme prejudice."

"I can think of a few companies who would be unhappy with you offhand. A few countries might be unhappy with him also."

"That's why we are down here at the bottom of the world, with four FBI babysitters keeping an eye on us."

"Who the hell are they going to protect you from down here? Everyone's a scientist or part of the National Guard as part of "Operation Deep Freeze." The FBI guys probably have more guns on them then there are on the continent."

"That's a very comforting feeling, when do we take off?"

"The airplanes ready, I'm ready, are you ready for the trip of a lifetime?"

"If I can get laid on the South Pole, it would be something I could tell Alan about, and shove it in his face."

Max laughed. "I wouldn't recommend it. It's normally 30° below zero there. The Docs would have a field day treating your pussy for frost bite."

"How about my husband's dick?"

"He would be nice and cozy inside you. He would not have any problem at all."

"It doesn't seem quite fair, does it?"

"Why are you worried about getting laid? The guys told me you're already pregnant."

"Just because I'm pregnant doesn't mean I'm not horny all the time."

"Some of the single girls make a fortune in the five months they are here. It's amazing they can do their regular jobs, on the little sleep they get during their off hours."

"My husband said that to me when we got to our room. I thought he was joking."

"Callie, men are men wherever they are. They will pay for a piece of pussy regardless of its age or condition. The hottest selling item at the commissary is condoms. The government subsidizes them so they are cheap. It keeps the pregnancy and disease rates here near zero. Let's go flying, all this talking about sex is getting me wet."

They were signing out for their flight around the continent, when their FBI contingent showed up in their survival gear. Agent Morris said, "You didn't think you were leaving without us, did you?"

"How much trouble can we get into down here?"

"I'm not worried about you getting in trouble; I'm worried about us getting in trouble for losing sight of you."

"Yes, I can see the Director getting very upset with the four of you, if we got into a snowball fight, and one of us got hurt."

"Mister Chase, it is still not worth our jobs."

Max started the heaters on the oil as everyone climbed in to the aircraft. She said to the 'newbies', "Flying down here is always an adventure. Your seatbelts never come off. We could be in level flight one second, and 500 feet up or down the next. There are bags in the seat in front of you for your convenience. Use them and don't mess up my airplane. You will clean it up when we get back, not me."