Junkyard Ghost Ship by Jamie McFarlane

Author:Jamie McFarlane [McFarlane, Jamie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: military, SF
Amazon: B0B41M3PH9
Publisher: self-published
Published: 2022-08-02T00:00:00+00:00

17

CATCHING JELL-O

“All hands, we’re on final approach to the Air National Guard base. Please find a seat and buckle in. The temperature in Tucson is ninety-eight degrees and dropping. We’ll have you on the ground by 1900.” The announcement came from the disembodied voice of one of the pilots who’d remained sequestered in the cockpit for the duration of the trip.

“Wake your lazy butt up, already,” Darnell said, elbowing AJ, who was only lightly dozing.

“You need to learn how to be nicer to me,” AJ said, refusing to open his eyes. “And it’s just like a pilot to think anyone cares about the approach. Tell me when we can disembark, then you’ll have my interest.”

“It’s a wonder I didn’t think to drop you out of an aircraft sooner,” Darnell said. “Eventually, you’d screw up that chute and my life would get a whole lot simpler.”

“See, that’s what I’m talking about,” AJ said. “Did you miss a meal or something? I’m pretty sure that cake eater was offering refreshments. Should have been right up your alley. Maybe he had a scone or something.”

“You saw me eat a scone exactly once,” Darnell argued. “And I’m not apologizing. It had orange frosting and cranberries and was delicious.”

“I bet you wouldn’t even have to apply for OCS,” AJ said. “Just have that same conversation with Colonel Baird, she’ll hand you your bars right then and there.”

Fortunately for everyone around them, the flaps of the military transport lowered and the cabin noise increased considerably. The airplane was coming in hotter than a normal civilian flight and the impact on the tarmac jarred the passengers and squealed the tires as brakes bled off excess inertia.

“I bet these boys go through some rubber if that’s how they hit these landings every time,” Darnell clucked, having already forgotten his squabble with AJ.

Without civilian traffic to contend with, the transport taxied to the hangar where AJ noticed activity had picked up considerably from when they’d left. More importantly, he saw Jayne’s familiar figure standing to the side of the hangar away from the hustle and bustle. She was searching the plane’s windows and when she saw him, her face lit with recognition and joy. “Sonnovagun,” he said quietly.

“Good to see Amanda up and moving around,” Darnell said, leaning over AJ and straining to locate Lisa. “Damn, buddy, that’s a fine pair of women we’ve got waiting for us.”

A pang of guilt tugged at AJ’s conscience as he thought about how Pam, his first wife, had once waited for him to come home. But that feeling faded when he found Jayne’s smiling face once again.

“It sure is,” he agreed.

“I’ll be escorting our new guests from the plane,” said the Army captain. “We want to make sure they understand that the United States of America considers their security and personal safety a national priority.”

AJ glanced at Perantop, the eighteen-inch-tall female, and could tell that she was having none of it. She started a low keening sound, something she did when under stress.

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