FIRE ON HIGH
“Fire On High” is a work of fiction, and any resemblance to any person living or dead is purely coincidental. All characters and settings © Tigermark 2003-2018 unless otherwise noted. Request permission before using them, please.
The characters of Anatol Altaisokova and Melinda Altaisokova are my names for characters © Max Blackrabbit. They appear in this story with his permission. The characters of Brandy, Maxwell, Tonya and Zig Zag are also © Max Blackrabbit and appear here with his permission. Events and information relating to Tonya, Anatol, and their family are presented here, but are not to be considered canon to those characters or any other story but this one. ZZ Studios, and all characters associated with ZZ Studios, James Sheppard, and Marvin Badger © James Bruner and appear here with his permission. Although characters from and events referring to Zig Zag the Story appear here, this story is not canon to that one, and the author will disavow any knowledge of this story. Wanda Vixen © Chris Yost and appears here with his permission. Sabrina Mustidalae © Eric W. Schwartz and appears here with his permission. This story is not canon to Sabrina Online the comic, or Sabrina Online the Story, either. Matt Barstock, Angie Rockwell, Intermountain Charter, The Bitch, and her crew, and Jerry Kitt © Silver Coyote. See their story HERE. Gail Rutherford © me and is not canon to any other story involving ZZ Studios. Gabrielle Ryder and Jean LeBrun © Aslaug, from her Transitions stories. See them at her site, The Axe Shed, available from the links page. Aramis Dagaz is© his player and appears here with his permission.
Author’s Note: Lewiston, Maine’s airport, identifier KLEW, is actually uncontrolled. That is, it has no control tower. Poetic license was used for this story, so Alex and company talk with a control tower whilst aviating there.
Chapter 102
Reborn
It was early on Wednesday when Alex and Corrie met up with Duncan at Kentiger. Loni was already at her desk, but Billy hadn’t come in yet. Duncan was waiting as the two felids walked in, already involved in conversation.
“So, the apartment is working out well?” Alex asked.
“So fah,” Corrie answered. “It’s a quiet area, and theah’s only the othah apahtment, as it’s a duplex. Me stuff is due heah by Monday.”
“Good. Oh, good morning Duncan,” Alex said in greeting to the leopard.
“G’day Duncan,” Corrie called.
“Good morning you two. Ready to head for Keesler?” Duncan replied.
“Good morning Alex, Corrie,” Loni called from her desk.
The two answered Loni’s greeting and then replied to Duncan.
“Hi Loni. Yep, we’re ready,” Alex responded.
“Hi Loni,” Corrie added.
“Great! Let’s get going,” Duncan said as he walked over to kiss Loni goodbye.
Alex and Corrie walked back out to their vehicles and got their travel bags and then went to the locker room. Corrie had her own locker right beside Alex’s. They donned their flight suits and picked up their helmets, g-suits, harnesses, and pilot’s gear bag. They then walked out to meet Duncan at one of the Kingairs. The leopard was already doing the preflight, so Alex and Corrie got their gear situated.
Since this was not a charter, Duncan could fly the Kingair single pilot. Alex and Corrie decided not to let him sit up front alone. They agreed to take turns sitting in the right seat while the other one sat in the seat right behind the cockpit.
Presently, Duncan came in, shut the door, stowed the chocks, and got in the left seat. Corrie, who was taking the first turn in the right seat, watched as he did the cockpit checks and nav setup.
“Ready for engine start,” Duncan declared. He opened the side window and called, “Clear Prop!”
The Pratt & Whitney PT6A turboprop spun up quickly. He repeated the procedure for the other side, having Corrie call out the standard warning.
Once the taxi checklist was done, Duncan called ground control and got them moving. There was an American Express Bombardier jet in front of them for takeoff, so they held back as the twin jet regional airliner got to the end of Runway 22 and took off. After a couple of minutes, the tower called them.
“Kentiger Two Nine, you are cleared onto the active, Runway Two Two.”
“Bluegrass Tower, Kentiger Two Nine copies cleared onto the active, Runway Two Two.”
Duncan moved the twin turboprop out and lined up on the centerline. He verified his heading and called for takeoff.
“Bluegrass Tower, Kentiger Two Nine awaiting clearance for takeoff, Runway Two Two.”
The controller responded quickly. “Kentiger Two Nine, you are cleared for takeoff, contact Departure Control on one two zero point seven five, good day.”
“Kentiger Two Nine, rolling,” Duncan called as he pushed the throttles and set prop pitch for takeoff power. They accelerated smoothly and lifted off, heading South. The flight to Keesler would take about an hour and a half. The three relaxed into the routine of flying, with both Duncan and Alex fielding questions from Corrie about fixed-wing operations and the Kingair.
The clouds were thickening up, but there was no rain forecast until Friday. Alex hoped they could get headed back North before that changed.
# # #
At just before 0900, the door opened and Kathleen all but danced in. Loni could have sworn she saw stars in the collie’s eyes and little hearts floating around her head.
“Well, good morning Kathleen. I see your date with Rich went well.”
“Hmmm? Oh, yes, very,” the collie said a bit absently. She had stopped midway between the counter and the hallway down to her office. Loni stood up and went to her. The collie still seemed a bit spacey, unusual for her.
“You okay kiddo? Rich didn’t do something stupid like spike your drink or something, did he?”
Kathleen seemed to come to herself and looked sharply at Loni.
“What? Oh no, nothing like that! He was wonderful. Polite, kind, smart, funny. He’s an old friend of Col. O’Whitt, and I think he taught him very well on how to treat a lady.”
Loni smiled and led the twitterpated collie over to her desk.
“Okay, have a seat and spill. What happened on your date?”
Kathleen sat down and gathered her wits. “Huh, okay, better. We went to dinner, this neat little sushi place on the South side. We ate and talked. Did you know he’s ex-Air Force, too? Anyway, we hit upon video games, and talked for what seemed like hours. Then we went back to his place and played some video games, and then I drove home.”
Here the collie giggled. “He’s so shy. He went to kiss me goodnight and almost missed! I think he’s adorable. We’re going out again Friday night.”
Loni sat back, grinning. “Well, I wonder what shape our young ferret will be in when he comes in today?”
“Why, what did you two do to him?” Billy asked as he came in the door. His grin and tone told Loni he was teasing.
“It wasn’t me Billy, it was this little heart-stealer here,” Loni replied without missing a beat. Kathleen blushed scarlet to her ear tips, although her tail never stopped wagging.
“Hey, I didn’t steal anything! It was freely given.”
Just then the door opened, and Rich walked in. He took one glance at the keen, bright-eyed, felid looks Billy and Loni were giving him, and grabbed Kathleen’s paw.
“C’mon Kath, run! Col. O’Whitt always told me looks like that mean a trap!”
He only took two steps before turning back around as everyone laughed.
“Well Rich, you’re in fine form. Alex has taught you well,” Billy managed to get out around his laughter.
“Yes Rich, continue to treat the young lady right,” Loni added. Kathleen blushed brightly, her eyes shining as she looked at Rich.
“Er, hi Rich, good morning,” she managed.
“Yes, yes it is. I hope you had as good a time as I did,” Rich stated, and then blushed also at how that sounded. Kathleen gushed right over it.
“Wonderful.”
Billy arched an eyebrow and mock-gruffly interjected. “Alright, enough of this. Kathleen, I have notes from Corrie on what’s needed. I want you to put together an interview checklist for prospective pilots. I’m working on the rough draft for the job announcement to put on the web sites and trade papers and magazines. I’ll have you look at that for proofing in a bit. Rich? Quit shanghaiing my admin so she can get some work done.”
Both Kathleen and Rich grinned at him and said, “Yes sir.” Then they quickly pecked each other on the cheek and went to head their separate directions.
“Freeze!” Billy called. “If you’re gonna kiss, f’goodness sake kiss! What was that?”
“Workplace decorum,” Loni stated, grinning. “Of which Billy has little. Let’s get to work.”
Loni pointedly turned her back and began to wake up her computer. She even more pointedly made a motion with her paw to indicate Billy should turn away also. He harrumpfed and turned toward his office.
Behind them they heard a loud smooch. Billy just grinned and kept going.
# # #
Duncan had just shut down the engines and went to the back to get the wheel chocks. The CIA maintenance crew had swarmed the aircraft as soon as the props stopped turning, bringing the fuel truck up and checking the aircraft. Duncan muttered something about ramp ninjas as he went by. Corrie and Alex retrieved their things and got off the aircraft. Standing there to meet them was an odd assortment of furs in Corrie’s view. The stocky bulldog she knew. Allaistor looked almost smug. Beside him giving a toothy grin was an opossum in white coveralls. A bald chihuahua in a dark suit and a slim, tall tigress in dark slacks and a pale blue button-down shirt rounded out the quartet.
“Coo, quite the welcoming committee,” she quipped as they started down the door steps off the Kingair.
“Heh. You have no idea, Chopper Gal. I’ll introduce you.”
Alex stepped up to the group, Corrie right with him. He offered a paw to Allaistor first.
“Allaistor, how is she?”
The bulldog grinned, shaking the offered paw. “Better’n ever, Colonel. We can’t arm ‘er, but the next time ya go outside the U.S., ya got enhanced radar detection and a flare and chaff pod in place o’ the drag chute bay.”
Alex grinned. He never used the landing parachute, a leftover from Stripes One’s F5B heritage. It was too time consuming and an added expense that civilian airports rarely if ever supported.
“By the way sir,” Allaistor continued. “This is Ted Blancovich, th’ Palest Possum in Poughkipsee. We served together on Okinawa, servicin’ Hercs. He n’ his crew are top notch.”
Alex shook paws with the opossum. “A pleasure. If Allaistor says you’re top notch, that’s really saying something. Thanks for taking such good care of Stripes One.”
“You’re welcome, Colonel, anytime,” Ted replied in a medium tenor voice. Now Corrie chimed in, shaking Allaistor’s paw.
“Allaistor, thank you for taking care of Alex and Stripes One. I knew a right propah Marine would. And you too, Ted. Two right propah Marines can do anything!”
Alex had all he could do to stifle a laugh as both furs looked like they would melt into the pavement. He quickly moved on, allowing the two to quickly head into the hangar to hide the blush they were developing. The chihuahua, quite a bit shorter than Alex, still looked him in the eye as he offered a paw to shake.
“Colonel O’Whitt, Jon Livingston, CIA. We saw each other last time, but never really met. I’m the section supervisor at Langley. Thank you so much for your service. You saved Natasha’s life and her mission. Is there any chance you’d be interested in doing that on a regular basis?”
Alex was in mid-pawshake. He held the grip for emphasis as he looked steadily into eyes that almost appeared dead. Like looking into the eyes of a shark.
“Thank you, but no, not interested. I’m very glad I was able to help, and save a friend, but I’m most glad I lived through it. Folks who play your games usually don’t for very long.”
The canid glanced at Corrie, who gave him a neutral felid stare.
“I can understand that. Again, I thank you, and the nation thanks you. May you have a safe flight home.”
With that, he released the pawshake and retreated into the hangar. Both Alex and Corrie then turned to Natasha.
“Don’t mind him,” the tigress said, snickering. “He’s mad at how much the repairs cost.”
With that, she swept Alex into a friendly hug, which he returned. She then turned to Corrie.
“Hello, you must be Corrie. Alex talks about you almost nonstop. I’m Natasha Shannon, old friend and absolutely no threat. I’m so happy for you. Alex is one of the greatest guys I know, you treat him well.”
Tasha offered a paw to Corrie. The lioness looked at her neutrally for a moment, and then grasped the paw firmly.
“Natasha, Alex has said many good things about you as well. I should be mad at you for nearly getting him killed, but he’s a grown male, he knew what he was doing. It’s a pleasah. May I call you Tasha as well?”
Tasha smiled broadly. “I insist…oh my! Is that an engagement ring I see?”
Corrie now grinned and flashed the re-sized ring, now on its proper finger. “Yeah. He did a bonzah proposal on a mountain top in West Virginia.”
Tasha all but gushed. “Oh, I’ll bet! He said he planned to when the time was right. So, when’s the wedding? Jon and I want to come and give him a hard time.”
Here Alex joined in. “We’re not sure yet, but not too long off. We’ll be sure to let you know.”
“Er, Jon the chihuahua with the stick up his arse who just left?” Corrie asked, looking confused.
Tasha looked aghast at her for a moment, and then burst out laughing, as did Alex. Corrie just arched an eyebrow and waited. After a moment the two tigers got themselves under control.
“Ah, oh dear, that was good. No Corrie, my boyfriend and Alex’s fellow pilot at the Tigerkahts, Jon Foertch. Alex probably calls him Jedi,” Tasha said, wiping her eyes.
Corrie “oh’d” and grinned. That was a name she’d heard of. Just then Allaistor stuck his head out of the hangar.
“Colonel? She’s ready for ya.”
Alex nodded and the three headed inside, Alex and Corrie carrying their bags and gear. The sight nearly took their breath away. Stripes One was not only completely repaired, she was cleaned and polished to a gleaming white and black. The two long range drop tanks, also painted white with black stripes to match the wings, were mounted on the hard points under the wings. Allaistor and Ted stood together, and the bulldog held out a clipboard.
“Colonel, th’ aircraft is ready for your inspection, as is the maintenance logbook.”
Alex stepped forward and took the clipboard. “Proceed, Gunny.”
The three went over everything with a fine-toothed comb, insuring everything had been completed and was up to standard. Alex then initialed and signed off the inspection.
“Thank you, Gunny and Blancovich. I am ready to do an acceptance flight.”
“Yes sir!” the bulldog and opossum intoned. Everyone began to move as Alex went to his gear and began to suit up. In a few minutes a tug arrived and proceeded to pull Stripes One out of the hangar. Despite the cloudy day, the aircraft gleamed like a new dime. Once outside, the wheels were chocked, and the aircraft was fueled.
“Just the internal tanks. We don’t need the drop tanks filled until after the acceptance,” Alex called. The badger doing the fueling, another one of the CIA crew, gave him a thumb’s up.
As they waited, Ted eased up to him. “I’ll be your crew chief, Colonel. Call me Blanco, please. Roary asked me to. Says he can’t get up and down the ladder like he used to.”
Alex gave him a grin. “None of us can. That’s fine, Blanco.”
The opossum gave him a toothy grin in return and pointed. “I think the aircraft is the least of your worries, sir.”
Alex looked over to see Corrie and Tasha engaged in animated conversation. They weren’t yelling, and neither one’s tail was fluffed or waving in agitation, so he assumed the chat was friendly. The tiger shook his head.
“You’re probably right, no telling what those two will come up with together while I’m gone. Let that be a lesson, Blanco. When you care for strong femmes, you’d better be a strong male.”
“Yes sir!” was all Blanco said in return.
The fueling done, Alex began at the left front inlet and did a complete preflight, pulling static probe and angle of attack sensor covers, and gear pins. Those he stowed in the fueling hatch cover. He then climbed in and settled into the seat, carefully settling his tail into its cradle and readjusting everything that had been moved in his absence. He fastened his belts, connected his comm line, oxygen, and g-suit. He then began his cockpit preflight.
He pulled the gear and canopy jettison pins and put them in the box by his right elbow. He then turned on the battery switch and set up his comm and nav radios. Blanco then went down and removed the ladder and made his way out front for engine start.
Alex went through the procedure for engine start and then control checks. At the end Blanco gave a salute, Alex returned it, and the opossum moved out and away. The tiger then called ground control for clearance to taxi. In a few minutes he’d pulled out and taxied to the runway. The tower called him first.
“Stripes One, Keesler Tower, no registration number needed, you are cleared for takeoff at your discretion.”
Alex grinned in his mask. Sometimes it was good to have friends with some pull.
“Keesler Tower, Stripes One copies cleared for takeoff. Rolling on Runway Two One.”
He moved the sleek jet onto the runway. As soon as he was lined up, he whispered to himself.
“Let’s see how good a job they did, ol’ Gal.”
He punched into afterburner without stopping and rapidly accelerated. By half way down the runway he was gear-up and climbing away, he then called into one of the offshore Military Operations Areas that the NOTAMs said was empty. He could see the shoreline as he angled out over the water, see the waves breaking on the nearby beaches. He climbed to twenty thousand feet and began a set of standard maneuvers and systems checks. By the end of thirty minutes, Alex was quite satisfied that everything on the jet was back to normal. Stripes One had been reborn. Alex set the autopilot to take him back to Keesler as one of the final checks. It responded flawlessly as he called clear of the MOA. Setting up for approach let him further test flaps, slats, and the landing gear. As the landing lights came on, he was reassured that everything was right with Stripes One.
He touched down on the numbers of Runway Two One back at Keesler and followed the Follow-Me truck back to the hangar. As soon as he stopped and shut down, Blanco had a pair of ladders in place, as well as the chocks. He brought up the acceptance form and maintenance log for Alex to sign, then passed them to him to put in the box with the other aircraft documents. Alex didn’t even get to stand up, as they began fueling his internal fuel tanks as well as the drop tanks. Corrie, dressed for flight in her flight suit, g-suit, harness, and helmet in paw climbed into the rear cockpit.
“Our crew is storing your bags in the belly pod, Sir,” Blanco informed him as he swung back to assist Corrie in getting strapped in and connected.
Alex looked over to see Duncan and Allaistor climbing aboard the Kingair in preparation for their flight back to Lexington. They turned and waved before Duncan shut the door. It was only a couple of minutes before the props started turning.
In the meantime, Blanco finished assisting Corrie with getting situated. Alex felt the opossum clamber back down the ladder, and in a second both were removed.
“Hey Luv, how did she do?” the lioness asked over the intercom.
“As you would say, apples. Hope you didn’t get bored waiting,” Alex responded.
“Nah, Tasha was good company. She seems like a great fur, and she wished us well several times. I’m looking forward to meeting this Jedi of hers,” Corrie replied.
“He’s a great officer and pilot, and a good friend. Hey, they’re done fueling, looks like it’s time to go,” Alex answered. He’d noticed the crew disconnect the fuel lines from the internal tanks and the drop tanks and close them. Now Blanco stepped up beside the aircraft.
“Colonel, Miss Corrie, it’s been a pleasure. If we meet again I hope it’s under better circumstances.”
“Bye Blanco,” they both said. Alex added, “Thanks for everything.”
The opossum gave them a very toothy grin and went to help Alex with the engine start and control checks. In a few minutes, they were rocketing down the runway, riding their afterburner trail into the air.
As they climbed out, Alex called out, “Goodbye Keesler, next stop, Columbus!”
End of Chapter 102