Chapter Seven
Hawkes checked his watch and squeezed his eyes shut for a moment. About an hour ago they had decided to get some sleep and had camped in one of the caves high up in the mountain, directly across MS-7990. He didn't know what this mountain was called but he didn't really care.
Scanning the area through his NVGs he watched the Chigs still patrolling the gun-nests.
Only by pure chance and the proverbial luck they had escaped the patrol's attack unharmed. After they had retreated to the higher regions of the mountain across their intended target, the Chigs had soon given up their search for them. It was as if they knew that without back-up and airborne support the Marines were going to die there.
But Hawkes didn't want to die. There had been a time in his short life where he had wished that some human or Chig would have snuffed out his life but not now. He wanted to return to the 'Toga in one piece, wanted to take a good night's sleep and maybe meet Chambers on a deserted flightdeck.
He had been lucky that she had reacted so ... what, understanding? Yeah, where Shane had used her strength, Megan had used her English politeness to tell him no-no. But then why had she kissed him? Oh, what the hell, he thought. Take 'em and leave 'em! He grinned at that. Yeah, and if I did she would probably kick my butt.
Hawkes turned his back and saw that Nathan was stirring uncomfortably in his sleeping bag. When the Marine had sat up he rubbed his unshaven jaws and looked around.
"What's up?" he inquired, creeping up to Hawkes. Nathan wished he could take a long hot shower and change into a clean uniform but that was out of the question. Being in Op meant that the Marines had to do without the amenities of civilisation.
Hawkes passed him the binocs and Nathan groaned when he saw that nothing had changed since the last time he had looked. They were still trapped, no way to reach the evasive EVAC co-ordinates to the west of MS-7990. Nathan opened his rucksack and searched through the MREs.
"You wanna trade Chile relleņo for Macaroni Cheese?" he asked and held up the USMC version of the Mexican chilli. Cooper shrugged his backpack off his shoulders and threw it down at Nathan.
"Help yourself," he said.
After Nathan had opened the MRE, grimacing at the smell of it, he came over to Hawkes.
"Ah, the feast of the Corps," Hawkes said, sniffing. "Smells like Chiggy shit and lasts forever!"
"You know, when McQueen gave Chambers this toffee bar I really got envious. Boy, what would I give for chocolate right now!" West said and munched his Macaroni Cheese.
"Coop?" Nathan asked after a while and Hawkes snorted as an answer. He was scanning the area for Chigs.
"I ... uh, know it's none of my business but is it something serious with you and Chambers, or what?" The other Marine almost dropped the binocs in surprise before he turned towards West.
"How da ya know?"
"Uh, well, I just happened to pass the flightdeck the other night ... and from the way you're acting kind of protective around her, it had kept me wonderin'," Nathan replied and saw Cooper blush.
"Chambers is a hell of a pilot ..." Coop answered curtly and Nathan rolled his eyes towards the night-sky.
"God, Coop. You talk as if she's one of our mates. I'm talking about serious petting on a flightdeck here," West retorted.
"Whadda ya think I should say, West? That she's making me feel a helluva lot of things I dunno even the words of?"
"That would be nice as a start," Nathan replied, grinning from one ear to the other.
"You become just like Wang, ya know, always sneaking around to get the newest rumours ... I like her," Cooper said and when Nathan rolled his eyes heavenwards again he added: "Ok., I like her a lot. So what? She's only on the 'Toga for a couple of days. And if McQueen finds out he'll grill me!"
"Never mind the ol' man now," Nathan dismissed Cooper's words with a wave of his hand. "What about you?"
Hawkes groaned and rubbed his unshaven cheeks impatiently.
"You know, West, they could need ya with the guys from the Loyalty Test Department ..." he said and after another incredulous look from Nathan, he added: "Ok., she is kinda beautiful and talks in this strange way but ..." he helplessly shrugged his shoulders. "She's different. I get these kinda feelings around her like she doesn't give a damn that I'm a tank. She knows, so what? I wanna be with her when the war is over," he looked sheepishly at Nathan. "Is that stupid of me?"
Nathan shook his head and squeezed Cooper's shoulder.
"Nope, it's definitely not stupid, Coop."
Meg carefully tossed the blanket aside and sat up. Checking her watch, she could see that two hours had passed since she and the others had turned in. As she listened to the steady breaths of the others sleeping, she made her way down to the floor. Avoiding any sounds, she went to her locker and put her boots on. Then she took her rebreather flighthelmet and left the Cards' quarters.
"Is she gone?" Vanessa whispered and swung her head over the edge of her mattress to see Shane on the lower bunk. In the dim light she could just make out Shane's body shape.
"Yup," Shane said and in unison they left their bunks. Paul stirred beside them and shaking his head he grabbed his flight-gear which he had hidden beneath his bunk. In silence they left the quarters together with the British pilots and headed towards the mid-deck. Equipped with their M-590s and standard issue Marine combat gear they opened the hatch to the hangars and boarded the parked ISSCV while the RAF pilots mounted the Spitties. All was silent, the MP guards long gone. When Shane checked the com-channels and the HUD the com crackled into life and a voice announced:
"What took you so long?" For a moment she just sat there, staring at the light flashing to indicate that she was on-line to the bridge.
"Wild Cards, Queensix here. Do you copy?" McQueen inquired again and Shane cleared her throat.
"Copy, Queensix," she said and Vanessa shot her a surprised glance.
"Storm Leader has just left the Saratoga, repeat: Storm Leader on AWOL," McQueen stated. "Storm-Wing and Cards are to intercept her ..."
"Copy, Queensix. Intercepting AWOL!"
"Queensix out!"
"I'll be damned," Wang said and let out a sigh of relief. "How did the ol' man know we were going?"
"Intuition for one," Vanessa answered. "I guess he knew that Chambers would do something stupid like stealing one of the jets ..." she shrugged her shoulders and hit the propulsion buttons.
"Well, guys, I think we're in business," Shane said and grabbed the stick. "As long as Fleet-Com thinks we were sent out to retrieve an AWOL, they can't reprimand us!" Only minutes after the BC-48 jet had left the Saratoga, the ISSCV and several Spitties followed it to Nox.
"Storm Leader, here Ace of Hearts," Vanessa said over the com. "Return to the 'Toga immediately," she switched to a secured channel and continued: "Chambers, do you copy? Here Wild Cards, do you think you could go AWOL without us?"
"Copy, Wild Cards," Chambers announced, sounding a little bit surprised. "What are you doing here? You could be court-martialled for this!"
"You don't say!" Paul cut in. "Do ya think we'd leave you all the fun?"
After the skipchatter had died down, Meg had switched off the com and concentrated on her databars. The Cards' had transmitted her the last co-ordinates of Hawkes and West and they had decided that she should scan the area with her Spittie before they'd land to retrieve the MIAs. She was glad that the Cards and her own squad had followed her. It had been a spur of the moment idea to grab a Spittie and look for the MIAs herself but she had to do it. Five months back she had not been able to help her crewmates but now she was determined to rescue the two Marines.
Entering the ionosphere of Nox was an easy task, avoiding the satellite probes patrolling the atmosphere of the planet another one.
As soon as she had entered the atmosphere of the planet, Meg had to be on guard. Only a few klicks away from the MIAs' co-ordinates an aviator base of the Chigs was stationed.
Switching to CS she scanned the area with the GTS, the global thermal scan. In this eternal darkness it was hard to make out something down in the rocky terrain beneath her. She got as low as she would dare, almost scraping the rocks and hills by doing so. Squinting her eyes to search the ground beneath she almost overlooked the warning of her HUD. Three bandits were advancing rapidly on her and Meg hit the propulsions hard, grabbing the stick to her chest and sending her Spittie into a steep rise. When the Chigs engaged on her their first volleys of laserfire, she had already hit the thrusters and jinxed the jets.
West's head jerked up and directed his gaze towards the sky when the first gunfire exploded and lit up the dark sky above him. Hawkes woke up with a start when he heard the unmistakable roar of jet thrusters. Unlike West he hadn't bothered with taking a nap in the sleeping bag after they had changed watch, he had just sat back against a boulder, cradling his M-590.
"They're bombing us out?" he asked and joined West at the lookout. West dropped the binocs to his chest and shook his head.
"They're in a dogfight with another jet ..." he said and rubbed his eyes. From what he had been able to detect, the jet had looked like a BC-48 jet. Slowly, he let the knowledge sink into him that he had only seen one friendly and he was wondering where the hell the others were.
"Shit!" Hawkes exclaimed at his side. He had raised his own binocs to his eyes and watched the airfight. "They got him!"
Both Marines watched as the jet dropped head-on like a stone. Shortly, before the impact the pilot forced the jet into a level position. Behind the bend of the hill, the jet vanished and West and Hawkes heard the loud crash of the impact. For some minutes they heard nothing, when suddenly they witnessed a loud explosion, a high column of fire rising into the night-sky. Hawkes exchanged a look with West.
"I'm going to have a look!" Coop said and straightened himself. He checked his M-590 and tucking the K-bar into its sheath at his calf, he exchanged a glance with West.
"Be careful and look alive!" West said, extending his hand towards him. Cooper took it and for a short moment they just stood there.
"O.k., let's hack!" Hawkes said and adjusting his NVGs, he vanished into the darkness.
Slowly, he made his way to the crash-site, ducking for cover behind some rocks and boulders. When he had rounded the hill, he could see the site where the jet had exploded. Several Chigs were examining the debris which was still burning and smouldering. Carefully, he put the binocs to his eyes and watched the Aliens as they picked up a flighthelmet lying around on the ground. Through the binocs Cooper could see that a blue and red cross of a Union Jack was flashing in the dim light of the torches. Hawkes closed his eyes for a moment then put the binocs away again. Checking and loading his M-590, he took aim carefully, gazing through the TS. Slowly, he edged the trigger of the rifle, pushing slightly.
The gun-fire downed two Chigs at the same time and for a moment Cooper was confused. He had only aimed at the Chig holding the helmet. When another Chig fell to the ground, gas escaping from the wound with a furious hiss, he shook off the surprise and downed two more. Suddenly he heard the unmistakable sound of a smart grenade advancing rapidly onto the Chigs and he ducked his head behind the boulder. The ground shuddered and pieces of metal and ooze rained down on Cooper. He raised his head and squinting over the rim of the boulder, he could see that the patrol was history. He was still staring at the remains of the dead Chigs when he heard the soft thud of footsteps coming up from behind him. He rolled down on his back, his M-590 aiming at anything which was coming his way.
"Bulldog!" he shouted, ready to fire the second he would get the wrong password.
"Chesty!" A voice shouted back and Cooper let out a sigh of relief. He had recognized the voice.
"Shit, Chambers, I almost killed ya!" he exclaimed and cocked the rifle to the ground. Meg stepped out of the shadows and squatting down in front of him she gave him a crooked smile.
"Well, hello to you as well, Coop. I thought you and West would like to have a ride home," she said and tucked the gun into the holster beneath her arm. Cooper watched her as she rubbed some muck from her cheek, smearing her face even more.
"No: thank you, Meg, for saving my ass?" she asked saucily. Hawkes made a grab for her and took her into a tight embrace.
"Meg, you scared the hell outta me," he whispered against her lips before he crushed them with a kiss. Meg groaned as she felt his tongue conquering her mouth and she yielded to his raging, desperate kiss. She held on to him for dear life, cupping his face with her hands, reassuring herself that he was alive.
Man, it was good to see her again. He had really believed he would die on this damn' planet. He took her into a tight embrace again and squeezed her shortly.
"Well, that's more of a welcome," she whispered hoarsely and traced the lines of his cheeks with a shivering hand. Lord, she was so relieved that he was still alive and at that moment she wanted nothing more than cuddle up to him and listen to his steady heartbeat beneath her hand. Cooper pushed her slightly away from him and his gaze travelled over her face, taking in every curve of it.
"Hey, Coop, do you copy?" Nathan inquired over the com and Cooper let out a deep growl, he gave Meg a last, hard kiss and readjusted the mike.
"Yup, Nathan, I hear you loud and clear!" he announced.
"Nice to let me know, Hawkes. I thought the Chiggies got ya!" West said sarcastically. "You been taking a nap?"
"Nope! I've been waltzing with a couple of Chigs. By the way," he flashed Meg a devilish smile. "Guess who's waltzed along with 'em!"
He heard Nathan's groan over the com.
"Don't tell me that was Chambers' jet we saw ..."
"Positive, West," Meg said into Cooper's mouthpiece. "We'll join you in ten mikes!" Nathan had to wait less than ten minutes when he caught sight of Chambers and Hawkes running towards his hide-out. When they had reached him, panting and flushed, he shook his head.
"You wanna break the planet's record of cross-country racing or what?" he asked.
"We got another patrol directly on our heels," Meg said and took in several deep breaths. "I think they didn't take it lightly that their mates are dead."
The Marines took up their rifles and scanned the area while Meg sat down and rummaged through her rucksack. She set up the radio and switched to a secured channel.
"Ace of Hearts, Storm Leader speaking," Meg announced and checked the Global Positioning System. "Found the two lost lambs. Repeat: found the lost lambs. GPS giving position on three-five-six!"
"Copy, Storm Leader, extraction in 0345 hours," Damphousse replied and Shane thumbed in the numbers into her database before heading the ISSCV towards the rendezvous co-ordinates.
"What about your ride?" Paul asked over the com.
"Negative, Joker. I think I'm owing the British government about three-hundred thousand quid for smashing it!"
"Hell, you making a habit out of it?" Wang asked and the Marines laughed at that.
Chapter Eight
The Marines were surprised to find the flightdeck-bay deserted. After their stunt they had at least expected to be cartered off by MP-guards without so much as a 'welcome back'. West and Vansen exchanged a look with each other as they stood in the hangar, unsure what to expect.
They all started when the hatch was opened and Ross and McQueen entered, followed by a sheepy looking nine-eight.
"Ten-hut!" Vanessa shouted and the Wild Cards stood to attention and saluted their COs awkwardly. Commodore Ross walked along their line-up, inspecting each Marine and RAF pilot closely as he passed them. Nervously, Hawkes shot McQueen a glance from the corner of his eyes but the Colonel just stared straight ahead with a stony face.
"What the hell did you think you were doing?" Ross asked suddenly. "Stealing USMC gear and going AWOL will be persecuted with severe penalties!" The pilots tensed at that.
"Do you know what time and nerves it did cost me to persuade Fleet-Com that this was NOT a black Op? I risked my ass for you idiots!"
"Sir, I can explain, Sir!" Chambers stepped forward. "The five-eight suspected that this officer was AWOL and tried to retain her. By executing their orders they picked up the MIAs as well ..."
"DON'T GIVE ME THAT PILE OF CHIG SHIT, Flight Lieutenant!" Ross roared. "I know the five-eight better than you! They deliberately disobeyed Fleet-Com orders, stole a Navy Vehicle and started a guerrilla war back on Nox. And if that isn't enough they corrupted the nine-eight as well!"
That's it then, Hawkes thought. They would probably be discharged from the Marine Corps dishonourably.
"As much as I agree with Fleet-Com to reprimand you severely, I have persuaded them to keep this whole Op compartmentalised," Ross said. "If one of you even breathes as much as a word about what happened down there you will be praying to go waltzing with the Chigs. UNDERSTOOD?"
The Marines and RAF pilots hesitated for a moment before they shouted in unison:
"SIR! YES, SIR!"
After Ross had left the flightdeck, McQueen came over and some groans were heard coming from the Marines. McQueen had always a way to make them uncomfortable if he thought they had screwed it. The silence drew on, making the Marines even more edgy. They were all tired and wished they could take at least a shower before turning in but when McQueen was in one of his moods it was better to keep your heads level and clear.
"Five-eight," he started and then a cold blaze out of blue eyes scanned the nine-eight. "98th, you heard Cdr. Ross and I second every word of him. If you ever make such a stupid stunt again without informing me beforehand I gonna serve you to the Chigs for breakfast!" After another warning look, he nodded his head towards the hatch to the dockingbay.
"Take a shower and turn in, Marines. Dismissed!"
They all gave a united sigh of relief and made their way to their quarters. But, although they had all felt tired, after they had taken their showers, both squads were still too excited to turn into their bunks, especially when Mullen and Wang gave their own special play-act about the Op on Nox. Meg watched as Mullen dramatically described his dogfight with a Chig fighter when she caught sight of Hawkes who was sitting on his bunk. She walked slowly passed him, careful not to draw any attention of the Marines to herself and opened the hatch.
It took only minutes before Hawkes arrived on the deserted flightdeck and when he spotted Megan leaning against the wall, hiding away from the door, he stepped over to her and they kissed hungrily.
After a while they drew apart and sat down on the floor, hugging each other softly. Hawkes had picked up her hand and caressed it gently. He toyed the signet-ring on her middle finger and when Meg noticed she smiled sadly.
It was time to say good-bye, she thought. To Hawkes as well as to Woolfe. Especially to Woolfe and the others of her old squad.
"A very dear friend gave me that ring once. He said it would keep me safe," she pulled the ring off and put it into his palm. "I want you to have it," she said sadly. "Think of it as a heirloom from a tankbrat and her tanks ..."
Hawkes knew that this was some kind of important ritual for her and although he couldn't find words to ask her about it, he appreciated that she had chosen him. It made him kinda special, he thought.
When she looked up, she saw Cooper smiling down at her. Chambers drew his head towards her and put a soft kiss onto his cheek. She knew this was their last time together. She wanted to tell him so many things but she remained silent. She couldn't find the words to tell him that she liked him, he could probably not relate to it anyway and she didn't want to be hurt again, not now after she had made up to her squad by rescuing the two Marines.
Cooper brushed his lips over her mouth, encircling her neck. It was strange not to feel the navel beneath his finger but he could feel her pulse quickening in the same drumming rhythm as his own.
"Meg," he whispered, "Uh, I ..." he broke off when she met him with a level gaze.
"I know," she replied softly. "I like to be with you ..."
<
Cooper smiled at that and nodded his head.
"Yeah, I like it as well," he answered shyly. They kissed again more seriously then, and missed the sound of footsteps coming from the corridor.
When McQueen entered the flightdeck, he stopped dead in his tracks. The picture of the kissing couple disturbed him but he watched the two silently nevertheless until Hawkes looked up and rushed to his feet immediately. Nodding towards the hatch he dismissed the young IV but when Chambers passed him, he held her back.
"Chambers, we have to talk! In ten minutes at my quarters!" he simply said and turned towards the hatch.
Megan inhaled deeply before she knocked on the hatch to McQueen's quarters. When she had sneaked out of the lockerroom, Hawkes had given her a disturbed look but she had smiled at him reassuringly. She wished she would feel this assurance right now. McQueen opened the hatch and with a nod of his head he ordered her in. Meg looked around for something to brace her on, but the Colonel's quarters were almost bare. After McQueen had slowly walked over to the port, his back to his godchild, the young woman felt at a loss. She had expected him to be furious, yelling at her but until now he had remained silent.
"Sir?" she asked nervously and finally McQueen turned around. He scanned her with a cursory glance and when his eyes fell on her left hand, noticing the missing ring, he felt somewhat relieved. Ever since she had worn Woolfe's RAF signet-ring it had been a constant reminder of the hell she had gone through on some deserted planet.
"You have said good-bye ..." he stated matter-of-factly.
"Yes," she said slowly and raised her head to look at her uncle. She could see that he was disturbed by all the things which had happened. But most of all she could see the real concern in his eyes and she suspected that it was not solely because of her but of Hawkes as well. "I have said good-bye to the seventy-two ... It took a long time but I've finally managed ..." she replied.
"What about Hawkes?" the Colonel inquired sternly. "Have you said good-bye to him as well? He's just a kid, Meg. He cannot understand that you needed someone to get over the deaths of Woolfe and the others. He probably thinks he's in love with you when all you wanted was a bit of comfort to forget your lost ... love."
Chambers stared at him for long moments then she started to laugh bitterly. McQueen watched her in terror as she slumped down on a chair, laughing and crying at the same time. He feared that she had finally lost her grip.
"Lord," she said after she had calmed herself and watched McQueen who still stared at her. "Do you really believe I just traded one tank for another? Oh, Mac, you should know me better than that! Yes, I loved Woolfe and he loved me. But not as you think!" She closed her eyes for a moment and thought about the last time when she had seen the big tank alive. "Even when he asked me to wear his ring I knew he only saw the mother in me. He never even so much as hinted at me that he wanted more than friendship. Woolfe was my ... son, a big one, yes, but nevertheless I only had maternal feelings for him. He needed my protection just as the others in my squad ..." Megan said and hugged herself.
"Cooper is different. He doesn't see me as his surrogate mother. And he makes me feel different ..." she smiled sadly and searched for words. "Uncle Mac, for the first time I feel like a woman, like a normal human being and not like some freak you can call names. If you think me selfish for wanting to cherish this feeling then to hell with it. I like Coop, I like him very much, don't you see that? Not because he's a tank or because he reminds me of Woolfe. I like him because he makes me feel special ..."
McQueen was deeply touched by her words. He had never imagined that Megan would think of herself as a freak. But then again he knew how cruel people could be, he had heard too many names and innuendoes over the years himself and he could only try to imagine what Megan had been gone through.
"I'm sorry, Meg," he said and squatted down in front of her. Megan smiled sadly and took his hand and brought it to her cheek.
"Promise me that you take good care of him. He looks up to you and the thought that he'll be with you ..." she broke off when McQueen frowned. "I know he's a Marine and that he doesn't need someone to fret over him but to think that you'll look after him makes me feel better. You were right though, he helped me get over the deaths of Woolfe, Thurston and Carter because I was able to save someone who is very close to me. I failed the last time but not this time ..."
Epilogue
A day later the Wild Cards led by McQueen accompanied the number 9-8 squadron to the flight deck where the transporter waited. The corridor to the bay was crowded and after another quick glance towards McQueen who was walking in front of him, Cooper reached out towards Meg and squeezed her hand gently. Their eyes met for a moment.
They both were aware of the fact that they wouldn't see each other for quite a while, if ever. But they had remained silent, never voicing the feelings they felt for each other. Both afraid of what would happen during this war. On the flightdeck Hawkes nodded towards the Flight Lieutenant and her Lieutenants.
It was noisy, the Cards exchanging last minute addresses with the pilots. When Meg stepped through the hatch she turned around to have a last look.
She owed Cooper much, she owed them all very much and she knew that. But she also knew that she had to come to terms with the deaths of her crew-mates first before she would be able to face the Cards and especially Hawkes again.
They exchanged a last long look and Megan mouthed 'see ya', before the hatch of the transporter was sealed. The Marines retreated to the middeck lounge and watched the starting craft. Nathan stepped beside Cooper after the propulsion lights of the RAF transporter had long vanished into the vast darkness of space. He reached up and put a hand onto his shoulder and squeezed it.
"It is always difficult to say good bye ..." he said and Cooper turned to face him.
"Yeah, especially if you've never learned how to do it," Cooper replied shyly and Nathan gave him another pat on the shoulder.
"There are no lessons in saying good bye, Coop. In-Vitro or not we all have problems with it," he replied. "But at least you know that she's safe, you know where she is. I wish I could say the same about Kylen."
Cooper turned and watched his friend. When he had first met Nathan he had thought that he was a milksop, always pining away for his lost love. But right now he could somehow understand how West felt. Seeing Chambers off had torn something inside of him, something which felt strange and yet familiar. He still had to come to terms with this particular feeling but he knew that he was not alone. Nathan squeezed his shoulder again knowingly and smiled sadly before he left him alone.
Hawkes stared out of the port and watched the stars blinking. He wished he was never forced to say good bye to Nathan or the others. They had become a family to him and he did not want to loose them and ever being alone again. But if he and Chambers would survive this war, perhaps he wouldn't be alone anymore.
He turned away from the portwindow and came face to face with McQueen who had just as silently watched the departing ISSCV. The Colonel gave him a short understanding nod, then left the middeck.
© Una Fritz 1997
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