meet Ethan. A part of her wanted
to. A larger part of her didn’t. He was enlisted. She was a warrant. The two
could never legally mix. Mouth quirking, Sarah figured if her commanding officer
ever found out, he’d take great pleasure in getting her into plenty of trouble.
He was a lousy leader, interested only in protecting his career and making
colonel. He didn’t care what he had to do to get it, either. She’d seen him step
on too many other pilots to make himself look good. Him and that damn yearly
budget he kept holding in her face. Keep costs down....
Sarah swore Donaldson was an accountant wearing Army green. He
felt his path to the next rank was achieved by cutting costs. And by doing that,
he was willing to order a medevac flight to wait instead of flying into the fray
to save a man’s or woman’s life. Sarah clenched her teeth, all her warm, fuzzy
feelings about the poem dissolving in the reality of her life. Every day for her
was getting harder and harder to work under the major’s command. And today she
had to go over to the office and see Donaldson.
Sarah’s stomach automatically tightened when she saw Major
Donaldson, his red hair close-cropped, working at his desk. She quietly entered
the office, quelling her anxiety. Donaldson’s thin face snapped up. His eyes
were small and close together, and he rapidly raked her with an angry
glance.
Coming to attention in front of his desk, Sarah reported
in.
“At ease, Chief Benson,” he growled, jerking out a sheaf of
papers from another stack on his neat, organized desk. He threw the sheaf, and
it slid to her side of his desk. “You know what this is?”
Swallowing hard, Sarah tucked her hands behind her back. “Yes,
sir. It’s a budget, sir.” She wanted to roll her eyes, but if she did, he’d gig
her on it and probably write her up on insubordination. Any little excuse would
send her CO into a fit of glee as he caught her in some infraction. It would
then go into her service jacket, her personnel file, and it would always be
there. Such things could stop her from getting her next rank. She had to play it
cool and remain detached even though she was breaking out in a sweat, feeling
like she was flying into a firefight to rescue wounded men.
“Damn straight it is.” He glared up at her. Jabbing an index
finger down at the thick group of papers, he said, “This squadron is very close
to hitting its maximum number of repairs, Chief Benson. You, of all people, need
to know that.”
Sarah kept her face neutral. There was no way she was going to
blow back on her CO. “Yes, sir. Thank you, sir.”
Donaldson lifted his lip in a sneer.
“We’re probably damned lucky you got set out for four days.
That’s four days I know I’m not going to have to have our mechanics section
repair one of our birds you flew.”
“Yes, sir.”
Tapping the papers, Donaldson hissed, “When you get back on the
flight roster, you damn well better stop your stupid risk taking. You hear me? I
will not lose my colonel’s leaves because of you.
Dismissed!”
“Yes, sir!” Sarah snapped to attention, turned on her heel and
headed out the HQ door and into the main area of Operations.
Her heart was pounding. Donaldson reminded her of the past—of a
horror she didn’t want to revisit. She wiped her mouth, walking straight,
shoulders squared and chin up. Sarah had learned a long time ago never to show
anyone she was scared. It just brought more crap raining down on her.
As she headed out the main doors to go back to her tent area to
rest, she thought of Ethan. God, she couldn’t get involved with him. She had to
keep her head in the game. Donaldson was just aching to bring her down. Nail her
ass to the deck. Embarrass her. No, she had to focus.
* * *
On the third morning, Sarah slept until nearly 0900,
which shocked her. The trauma she’d endured was far deeper than she’d initially
realized. And as she opened her eyes, she automatically looked toward the
to. A larger part of her didn’t. He was enlisted. She was a warrant. The two
could never legally mix. Mouth quirking, Sarah figured if her commanding officer
ever found out, he’d take great pleasure in getting her into plenty of trouble.
He was a lousy leader, interested only in protecting his career and making
colonel. He didn’t care what he had to do to get it, either. She’d seen him step
on too many other pilots to make himself look good. Him and that damn yearly
budget he kept holding in her face. Keep costs down....
Sarah swore Donaldson was an accountant wearing Army green. He
felt his path to the next rank was achieved by cutting costs. And by doing that,
he was willing to order a medevac flight to wait instead of flying into the fray
to save a man’s or woman’s life. Sarah clenched her teeth, all her warm, fuzzy
feelings about the poem dissolving in the reality of her life. Every day for her
was getting harder and harder to work under the major’s command. And today she
had to go over to the office and see Donaldson.
Sarah’s stomach automatically tightened when she saw Major
Donaldson, his red hair close-cropped, working at his desk. She quietly entered
the office, quelling her anxiety. Donaldson’s thin face snapped up. His eyes
were small and close together, and he rapidly raked her with an angry
glance.
Coming to attention in front of his desk, Sarah reported
in.
“At ease, Chief Benson,” he growled, jerking out a sheaf of
papers from another stack on his neat, organized desk. He threw the sheaf, and
it slid to her side of his desk. “You know what this is?”
Swallowing hard, Sarah tucked her hands behind her back. “Yes,
sir. It’s a budget, sir.” She wanted to roll her eyes, but if she did, he’d gig
her on it and probably write her up on insubordination. Any little excuse would
send her CO into a fit of glee as he caught her in some infraction. It would
then go into her service jacket, her personnel file, and it would always be
there. Such things could stop her from getting her next rank. She had to play it
cool and remain detached even though she was breaking out in a sweat, feeling
like she was flying into a firefight to rescue wounded men.
“Damn straight it is.” He glared up at her. Jabbing an index
finger down at the thick group of papers, he said, “This squadron is very close
to hitting its maximum number of repairs, Chief Benson. You, of all people, need
to know that.”
Sarah kept her face neutral. There was no way she was going to
blow back on her CO. “Yes, sir. Thank you, sir.”
Donaldson lifted his lip in a sneer.
“We’re probably damned lucky you got set out for four days.
That’s four days I know I’m not going to have to have our mechanics section
repair one of our birds you flew.”
“Yes, sir.”
Tapping the papers, Donaldson hissed, “When you get back on the
flight roster, you damn well better stop your stupid risk taking. You hear me? I
will not lose my colonel’s leaves because of you.
Dismissed!”
“Yes, sir!” Sarah snapped to attention, turned on her heel and
headed out the HQ door and into the main area of Operations.
Her heart was pounding. Donaldson reminded her of the past—of a
horror she didn’t want to revisit. She wiped her mouth, walking straight,
shoulders squared and chin up. Sarah had learned a long time ago never to show
anyone she was scared. It just brought more crap raining down on her.
As she headed out the main doors to go back to her tent area to
rest, she thought of Ethan. God, she couldn’t get involved with him. She had to
keep her head in the game. Donaldson was just aching to bring her down. Nail her
ass to the deck. Embarrass her. No, she had to focus.
* * *
On the third morning, Sarah slept until nearly 0900,
which shocked her. The trauma she’d endured was far deeper than she’d initially
realized. And as she opened her eyes, she automatically looked toward the
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