The Flin Wars Ch. 11

I bring you the next instalment of out exciting story, this one took a little extra time due to data loss, so I was not a happy individual at loosing over 4300 words. Needless to say, from disaster come rebirth and I shall always plow on. Besides life hits like a BITCH and I'm made of battle Tanium and depleted uranium, so I'm hard to kill.

As always, I am solely responsible for the content of this story and any mistakes are my own. Any resemblance to any person living or dead is purely coincidence. I will be throwing some Shabari and BDSM into this chapter so if this isn't your glass of whisky go read something else. As always if you do read and like what you're reading remember to vote, like and follow me. Be sure to leave a comment and as always please be respectful. Thanks for reading and enjoy my tale.

Enlisted Ranks fall into 3 areas, E-1 through E-3 are the lowest ranks in the Navy they are Recruit, Apprentice, and Seaman. They are broken down again into Seaman, Airman and Fireman classes. their rank badges have 1, 2 or 3 slashes in White for the Blue uniform or Blue for the White uniforms for SN. The others are just one color for either uniform with Green for AN and Red for FN.

The E-4 through E-6 are the Petty Officer ranks and are expressed as PO 3 to PO 1, they are broken down even further by their specific specialty field badges i.e. BM, AME, HT. etc. They are distinguished by a white or blue 'Crow' above 1, 2 or 3 V's that are in Red for the Dress Blues and Blue for the White uniforms.

The top ranks are the big 3, E-7, E-8 and E-9 and are known as Chief, Senior Chief and Master Chief. The Chiefs wear what's known as a fouled anchor. Chiefs have only and anchor, Seniors have one star added to their anchor and Masters have 2, There is a Command Master Chief, the CMC and is the highest-ranking enlisted man or woman at any command. There is also a CMCON or the Command Master Chief of the Navy and is the only Chief authorized to wear 3 stars. They generally wear Khakis for general wear, and Whites or Blues depending on the season. Their rank badges have their specific rating, the crow and 3 V's and what's known as a 'Rocker' above the badge and V's. It looks like a dome above the V's. If they have served for a minimum of 12 years without any major infraction on their record are entitled to wear gold stripes.

For every 4 years of service all enlisted wear a Service stripe in either White, Blue or Gold after 12 years of continues service. These stripes are worn on the left arm just above the wrist cuff.

I hope this helps explain some of the ranks I've used or will use.

Date: 232609.10

Time: 1028.17

Location: XO's Office Rm. 104

Bldg. 10 Boyington Field

I had just stepped out of my private head after spending the last 3+ hours going over the F/A-114E/F Model NATOPS Manual. 1150+ pages of fun and excitement. Yeah, right, no. I had sent the kids out to Hanger 222 where 6-114s sat under cover. For the next several weeks they would review the book, fly and study till their heads exploded. In the outer office I could hear a familiar voice speaking with Ms. Case. 'Knuckles you old goat, get your ugly ass in here and stop hitting on her.' I called out. 'Just exactually who you callin ugly Mr. Smartass?' He retorted pushing my door open and then closed and seating himself. 'I mean have you looked in the mirror lately? you wanna talk about ugly.' I plopped down in my seat and smiled at the 2 new stars on his anchor. 'And what's the big idea talking to the CMC and telling him I was turning down promotions? Jesus Christ John I was just fine and happy as a plain Chief and now I have these MC stars and have a shit ton more paperwork to put up with. And you know how I hate paperwork. Why couldn't you just leave well enough alone?' He gripped and bitched for another 10 minutes before he finally wound down.

'You about done pissing and moaning Kelly, because I have a shit ton to tell you and not a lot of time to do it in.' I gripped back then proceeded to lay out what I had found out so far and what I suspected was happening behind the scenes. After about 15 minutes I ran out of steam and sat back as he processed what I had told him, he asked a few questions, and I answered them. After another 10 or 15 minutes of back and forth I finally pulled a box of cigars out and tossed them to him, he pulled one out and lit it up smiling. 'So, what you going to do about all the crap going on around here?' I asked as he puffed the cigar a few times. 'I'll tell what I'm going to do Skipper. I'm going to go check in, change into my work clothes and then the children here are going to start suffering nightmares in the middle of the day Stalker. That's what I'm going to do, and you and Joker can starts handling the butt hurt reports and soothing the ruffled feathers because I'm going to start kicking some ass around here.' He said and made to throw the box back. 'Keep'm I got more.' I told him as he got up, flipped me a quick salute and walked out. I got up and walked through the short hall that connected Karls and my offices. Opening his door, I stood there smirking as he looked up from his computer. 'Well.' He said. 'Get ready for a shit storm Boss.' I told him and closed the door to go back to my own work.

By midafternoon I had handled 15 calls from check in to the Maint. O who had called several times complaining about Knuckles. I had told him if he didn't like what was happening, he could always request reassignment to Black water base or Kessel 225. These were just 2 of those garden spots that seem so easy to get to but impossible to leave. I took a little time to stroll out to Hngr. 222 and see how the kids were getting along. I found Beth sitting up in one of the cockpits, from the way she was sitting I could tell she had the book on her lap. Climbing up the maintenance ladder, I could now see she had the book open to the fuse/breaker section. Of all the pain in the ass sections, she had chosen one of the top 3. She looked up at me and I could see that her eyes were starting to glaze over. 'How the hell do you remember all this shit Sir?' she asked as I reached in, closed her book and helped her out.

'All you need to really remember are the basic ones, the rest are just there to drive you crazy.' I told her. 'Out, go rest, leave the book alone tonight just have a drink or two, get a good night's sleep then pick it up yet again in the morning.' 'How do you remember all this crap Sir?' She asked holding up the book. I walked down the stairs and waited for her at the bottom. 'Who says I've mastered that book you've got in your hands Ensign?' I answered and left her standing in the middle of the hanger and headed back to my office.

At 1600 I had my driver take me over to the Maintenance area, from the amount of people still running around I could tell that Knuckles was cracking the whip hard. I didn't get out and finally had him take me over to Karls to pick my girls up. Dinner that night wasn't the best I'd ever had but it wasn't the worst either as Karen and Flower tried their hand yet again at cooking. Angala was home schooling the both of them during the morning and teaching them home making skills in the afternoon. Both girls were like sponges and sucked up whatever Angala taught them I was happy to learn.

It was finally the weekend once again and I was in my office reviewing training progress and looking over the testing procedures for the training flights coming up over the next few weeks. Instructors would be taking the kids up in F model 114s and letting them wring it out over either range 16 or 23 where you had very little to bump into besides air, water and ground. Flower came into my office trailed by a older woman. 'Master, Mistress Klingman.' She said and I quickly got up to greet her. 'Commander, I hope you don't mind my dropping in like this unannounced.' She said and shook my hand. 'No please sit can I get you anything to drink or eat?' I asked. 'Thank you, no.' She replied and smiled. 'You're like my husband, always hiding in his office, and if he's not in his office or at some meeting, he's flying, even on the weekends.' I smiled back. 'I'm afraid it's the bane of all Naval Officers Ma'am. Meetings and paperwork.' We both laughed as she looked at my 'I love me' wall, and nodded as she saw someone, she knew also then stopped at the picture of Karen, Flower and myself. 'Who is that Commander, I recognize you and your Flin slave but who is the young lady?' She asked and stood up to look at the picture better.

I smiled. 'That's my daughter Karen Ma'am.' I said. 'Oh, please call me Susan, may I call you John?' She asked. 'Please Susan and thank you.' I said. 'Karen was rescued from a Flin life pod, after an attack on 231908, about 45 days ago I think.' I stopped there leaving the situation of her rescue unspoken and knowing that even though she was an Admirals wife, everything I could have possibly told her was above Top Secret, and I had given my word to Loki, about who I would speak to about this. Susan pulled out a personal comp unit and brought up a picture. 'John, I'd like for you to look at this picture and tell me if the young lady and Karen look alike.' She said and handed me the unit. I spent the next several minutes looking back and forth and wrapping my mind around how close both looked. 'My daughter, Jennifer, she was 15 in that picture if I remember.' Susan said as I handed the comp unit back.

'12 years ago, she, our granddaughter and her husband, were on their way to 18 Scorpii, when they disappeared. My husband's ship was among the first to arrive and begin looking. They did find parts of the ship and out son in law but Jennifer and her 2-year-old daughter, were missing.' I had been on more than a few SAR missions like this, sometimes we found survivors alive, sometimes we didn't. I could see Susan still looking at the picture of the 2 of them standing there smiling. 'Just out of curiosity Susan what was your granddaughters name?' I asked. She laughed and looked up at me. 'Believe it or not John, it was Karen.' We both laughed and I thought quickly. 'Would you like to meet her? She's out in the living room right now.' I said and got up to lead her out.

'Karen, baby there's someone I'd like you to meet.' In said as we walked into the living room. Karen got up from the couch and walked over to us. 'Baby this is Mrs. Klingman, she's the only person that Mrs. Murphy answers to in the pecking order around here.' I said. 'Susan this is my daughter Karen.' Susan reached out to shake Karens hand. 'Hello Karen, it's a pleasure to finally meet you in person.' She said as Karen blushed. 'Thank you, Mrs. Klingman, it's a pleasure to meet you too.' Karen replied and then took on a strange look as she looked closer at Susan. 'Baby you, okay?' I asked. 'Huh? yeah daddy I'm okay.' Karen said in an off voice. To me it looked like a distant memory had resurfaced and she wasn't sure what it was. 'Umm, daddy, will Mrs. Klingman be coming to the open house in a few weeks?' Karen asked. Susan looked at me and then back at Karen. 'Of course, I'll come, if I'm invited that is. I'll even drag my husband out of his hidey hole just so you 2 can hide in yours John.' Susan said chuckling and I joined her.

She let go of Karens hand and we walked to the door and shared a quick goodby as I returned to where Karen was still standing. 'Baby you, okay?' I asked. 'Daddy why do I feel like I should know her.' She said and I hugged her. I knew I would have to have Karen take a DNA test as soon as possible.

About 10 days had gone by and we were now in the middle of taking the kids out to show them what real power and speed was like and what they would be getting themselves into. I walked out to Sam for my third trip of the day, as Billy followed by a young AN was giving her the quick check over. I hadn't learned her name yet, but it looked like I soon would. I was being followed by Voodoo, Ens. Sidney Grant, My temporary GIB for today's flight. She followed me as I started my walk around giving Sam my own once over. I was concerned about the weather and what we would be flying back home in. 'Billy, fire up the APUs.' I called out as I checked the port wing flaps. 'Roger that Boss.' He said and scampered up the ladder, a few seconds later I heard the familiar whine. At the bottom of the ladder, at attention stood the young lady in question. 'Sir, Ma'am. Any gripes or concerns Sir?' She asked after saluting me. 'Nope.' I said as I read her name tape. AN Sills, C. She reached behind her and pulled Sam's book out and opened it to the correct page. 'Please review the page and sign line 26 Sir.' She said and waited as I gave it the once over, making sure everything was correct then scrawled my signature to the page.

'Thank you, Sir, have a good flight.' She said and placed the book back as we climbed up to the cockpit. Billy helped Sidney get seated as young Miss. Sills clambered up to assist me. She hooked my ankle cables up and then after I had sat down my comms, O2, G suit connection, left waist and shoulder belts. I started my prestart checks and armed my seat as she checked me over quickly. 'Looks like you're good to go Sir.' She said and I looked up at her. 'What's your first name kid?' I asked. 'Umm, Cindy Sir.' She said looking a bit nervously. 'Well Cindy up here you can call the pilot by their call sign.' I told her. 'For Billy, he's always going to call me Boss or Skipper, you can call me Stalker or Sir, got it.' I said. 'Uh yes Sir Commander.' She said and then climbed down as Billy moved forward to check me over himself. 'Good to go Boss.' He told me and we fist bumped, and he slid down and pulled the ladder away.

I fired up the engines and waited for everything to settle down. I looked over my right shoulder and could see the gathering clouds, from what the weather guessers had said it would be a 6-8 on the severity scale. 'We're gonna be bumping along on the way home Voodoo.' I told her. We were headed to Range 16 to let the kids wring the jets out and see what they could do with real speed and power. I could see her look over her shoulder. 'Oh, joy a 90-minute flight back in the soup boss.' She replied and went back to playing switchology in the back seat. '44, 02 you ready to go Witch?' I called out. 'We're ready here Stalker, let's turn and burn.' Lt. Stevie Taylor and her back seater Ens. Adam 'Axe' Klingman waited several spaces down. 'Castle tower, Castle 02, taxi takeoff please.' I said and busied myself with the final checks as they gave me the info I needed. 'Roger, 02 rolling.' I said and began to taxi to the active runway. 'Ready for canopies?' I asked. 'Ready Boss, rails clear.' Voodoo said as I closed us up and readied for flight.

The trip over to the runway took a few minutes as we headed for 09R, 44 was right on my tail. We barely stopped on the active to request permission to take off. 'Castle 02 flight rolling.' I said and lit the 'cans'. Almost at once we were at takeoff speed and lifting into the air. The F/A-114 Warhammers had been heavily upgraded with the E/F models. New Engines, Avionics, Weapons systems, ECM suite and other upgrades had once again given us a decided edge in combat. 'Tower, 02 airborne at this time.' I called out. '02 contact departure on B channel, have a good flight sir.' the replied. I switched and continued my climb and left-hand turn.

'Departure, Castle 02 flight of 2 with you on primary.' I called out. '02 radar contact, continue left hand turn to 147, climb and maintain two five thousand, contact range 16 control on C channel when 5 minutes out. Have a good flight 02.' they told us. '147, maintain angles 25, range 16 on C when 5 out. 02 clear.' I read back and turned Sam over. 'Your bird Voodoo, take us to 16.' I told her and let go of the stick. 'Got it Stalker.' She said and I looked everything over yet again and finally did something I don't normally get to do when I was flying Sam. Relax. For the next 70 minutes I looked around and just let the kid maintain everything that needed to happen. Off and on I would bring up the weather updates and calculate what we would be hitting on the way home. It didn't look good.

A small ping went off in my helmet letting me know that we were 5 minutes out. 'Voodoo call us in.' I told Sidney. 'Yes Sir. Range 16 control, Castle 02 flight of 2 request entry into the range over.' She said. 'Castle 02, range 16 you are cleared entry, be advised Castle 22 and 31 are in area C, stay clear of that area. All other areas are open at this time. There is a weather advisory for your base and is approaching this area also. Over.' Range control told us. 'Where to Stalker?' Voodoo asked. I just smiled. 'You're driving kid, you get to pick.' I told her and sat back. 'Range control, Castle 02, we're going to head for area Bravo, over.' She said. 'Roger that 02 flight, you are cleared to area Bravo, have fun.' I smiled yet again as I remember hearing those very words just 8 years ago.

Once in our assigned area Witch and I let the kids wring the fighters out and get the feel of how these monsters moved and grooved. Stevie was like me, having come from a fighter group in an active hot area, and had 51 kills. She was there to show the new pilots what the Flin were doing to try and counter our tactics and the new fighter upgrades. Both kids were finding out that with the raw power available they could stand the fighters on their tails and go up like the laws of gravity had been repealed. We did have them do specific maneuvers at specific speeds to get certified for the model.

2 hours later it was time to head for home plate even though we still had plenty of fuel for another 90 minutes of fun. An hour ago, 22 and 31 had checked off the range leaving us more or less alone. I hated to do this but the weather reports coming in were becoming less and less favorable. 'Okay knock it off, knock it off. Axe take us out of here and don't forget to check us out.' I called out. 'Roger that Stalker.' He said and we took up the proper heading and started for home.

45 minutes later we had gone from 9/10th vis to barely 1/10th vis and the lightning flashes were starting to really pick up, I had turned the instrument lights up to full bright so we could see them after each flash. The bad part was that the base was reporting heavy rain and near gale force winds from time to time. I was now keeping my hand close to the stick, and I had switched my attack radar to tactical to keep a better eye on Witch and Axe. '02 44 what's your pos?' Axe asked. I was now happy the kid was thinking. '2500 off your port wing Axe.' I told him. 'Roger that boss.' He replied. 'We fly in this shit Boss?' Voodoo asked as we bounced around yet again. 'Oh, hell yes, this and things a whole lot worse. Especially when making planet fall on some of the more exotic moons near gas giants.' I tell her and nearly grab the stick as a gust of wind really bounced us around. 'SHIT, that was a good one Boss.' Sidney said and checked every gauge over as did I.

I watched the counter wind down and I really just wanted to get on the ground and call it a day. After 3 flights in one day, I was ready for a shower and a stiff drink or 2. Less than 15 minutes later we were completely on instruments, in 0/0 vis and I had taken over. 'Follow me through on the controls and keep scanning your instruments, Sidney.' I said and started our descent. 'Castle flight, Castle approach, be advised we are on ILS only, use runway 20L wind is 223 at 30 gusting 50 from time-to-time, heavy rainfall has caused ponding on the runways and taxiways. Use extreme caution during landing and taxing.' They told us and started talking 44 in. I followed Witch down and just before landing I broke off and went around to set up my own landing profile. I would be landing hotter than normal due to the weather to give me better flight control and just in case I had to go around.