The Conner Family Ch. 04

Ken kissed the top of head. "Then what?"

"There was only one place left to go for," replied Jen softly. "The golf course beyond the school."

"Then what?"

Jen answered, "Horse guided me to the golf course. Still could not see out my wind screen. Then I had my RIO, Lt. Alice Sweet, eject."

"Why?" asked Ken.

"Nothing more she could do back there," responded Jen as she snuggled against him. "At least she would be safely on the ground. And one less thing I had to worry about." Jen turned to look at him. "She would have stayed with me right to the end."

"Even if you had to fly it into the ground?" asked Ken.

"Yes," replied Jen softly. "She would." Jen turned and snuggled against him. "That's why we made a great crew. I trusted her and she trusted me." Jen sighed. "And that's why you and I always made a great team."

Ken kissed the top of her head. "I know." After a moment of silence, Ken asked, "So what next? After Sweet ejected."

"Horse suggested a couple of course changes," stated Jen. "To avoid a housing area near the golf course. Then he noted I was dropping to fast." Jen sat up and looked at Ken. "I thought about the parking lot in front of the school. But if I did put the jet down there, I knew the fighter was full of fuel and the weapons. Ken, the jet would have exploded on impact and I would have plowed right into who knows how many class rooms. And the explosion of the jet, the fuel, the wreckage. Never mind the ordnance which would have most likely detonated and killed nearly everyone in the school."

"I thought all ordnance and weaponry were not armed until deployed?"

"They are," stated Jen. "But in a crashing jet that's exploding with all the burning fuel, who knows what might have happened."

Ken sighed. "Hard decisions."

Jen pouted and her eyes got misty. "I could not let that happen. I was the pilot. I was responsible."

"What about you ejecting?"

"Ken," said Jen, looking pained. "I was responsible. Besides, what my parents ... our parents taught me ... us growing up, that we are responsible for our actions. I could not let the jet crash and kill anyone. And not the school. I could not do that. I knew there was a big chance I was not going survive. I knew I had to put the jet down hard. And away from the school."

Ken spoke softly. "I know Jen."

"About the same time Horse told me I was dropping too fast. So I played with the controls to gain some speed to make it past the school. Then I nosed it down to hit some trees. Trying to keep the explosion confined." She took a deep breath. "Then I punched out."

She leaned against him and buried her face at his chest. "I watched the fighter go into the trees and explode. A big fire ball came up at me. I didn't think I would make it." She took a deep breath. Then the fire ball got me. The next thing I remember was waking up to darkness. To noises." She started to cry. "Then ... then someone took my hand and ... and ... then you telling me you were there."

Ken just held her tight as Jen softly cried. "Then you told me," she sobbed, "not to go anywhere."

Ken held her close until she calmed quieted down. "Jen, by you doing what was necessary to save the people on the ground, the children in the school, by staying with your jet, risking your life, knowing what had to be done. You were a hero that day."

Jen hugged Ken a little tighter. "I stll don't feel like a hero. I did what was necessary."

"Knowing what you had to do," stated Ken. "Even knowing the risk."

"Yes," whispered Jen.

"And that, Sweetheart," stated Ken. "Is what heroes do. They step up knowing the danger. And do what they have to do. Just like you did."

Ken took the papers from her and set them on the bed between them. He then hugged her close. "Jen, you are going to have to do something very hard. Harder than crashing your fighter jet that day." He paused and added, "Harder than your recovery."

Jen just sighed and settled against him.

Ken reached over and turned her face up towards him so he could look into her eyes. "We will both go down there. So those students can meet a real life hero. Their hero. And Jen," he looked at her. "Then you let them say thank you."

Jen made to speak.

Ken continued. "Jen, that is something not everyone gets to do. Specially to someone that actually saved your life."

Jen leaned back against Ken. She took a deep breath and sighed. "You know I'll cry a bucket of tears."

"I'll bring plenty tissues."

Jen suddenly chuckled. She looked up at Ken. "Okay. When shall we go?"

Ken shook his head. "My schedule is posted on the wall in the office. Why not call them on Monday and set up something."

"Okay," replied Jen. She kissed him. "How long?"

"Jen, talk with them and see what they want," replied Ken. "Then block out the time. And add some extra days. We can take a little vacation while we're down there."

Jen leaned back against him and began to rub his chest. "I think I know one thing I want to do."

Ken reached up and ran his fingers through her hair. "You're letting your hair grow."

Jen nodded. "I've not had long hair since I went to flight school." Jen smiled at him. "I remember how much you liked my long hair." She then pointed at the closet. "I think I'll bring my helmet down and let the school have it."

"Are you sure?

Jen settled back against him. "Its not like I'll be needing it again."

"Jen, I think they would like that."

The End

"The Request"