General Viking walked out a few minutes later and walked over to the barracks where Sam was housed. He walked in to see her sitting up but writing.
“General.” She went to stand.
“Stay where you are, Captain. How are the leg wounds?”
“Fine, Sir. What can I do for you?” He sat down on the bunk bed next to Sam.
“Captain, what happened this morning with Colonel Bauer?” Sam looked at him in shock.
“Sir, how did you know?”
“I hear things.”
“Oh... when I walked into your office, Colonel Bauer asked me why was I late with my report. I told him that you gave me an extra week to write it up since I was stuck in the infirmary.”
The general nodded.
“I said to the colonel that the printer was out of ink and we had to wait for the next shipment to arrive. The shipment was ink cartridges and paper, which we also ran out of...he didn't believe me. I said to the colonel that Sergeant Wilson, in supply, was waiting for both paper and cartridges since he ordered them a month ago and that they were in this week’s supplies delivery. General you, can ask Sergeant Wilson about it, Sir, and confirm that I spoke to him about it last week.”
“I will do that Captain...is there any reason for Colonel Bauer to have a grudge against you Captain?” Sam thought about it.
“The only thing I can think of, Sir, is when I received my promotion and medals, but I think it, really, has to do with my husband, Colonel Jack O'Neill.” General Viking thought about what Sam said.
“Why your husband, Captain?”
“Remember, Sir, just before our first briefing when I told you and Colonel Bauer about my husband and the way the colonel looked and sounded.... jealous because my husband is a hero. Add to that what I’ve accomplished. To me it sounds like.... I'm not sure, Sir. Why did you ask, Sir?”
“I've noticed things have been happening in the past few days and it has to do with you and Colonel Bauer.”
“I've notice it also, General. I spoke to number of personnel about it. On Christmas day and this morning some of the personnel overheard Colonel Bauer having words with me. They didn't like the way the colonel is targeting and treating me. I told them that I can take care of myself and that I didn't want any of them to get into trouble...They all said that they are watching out for me while on the ground, while in the air it’s for each other. I told them that I appreciate what they are doing, but to stop before you get wind of anything.”
“I understand, Captain. Thank you for telling me. You should have come to me before this.”
“Sir, I can take care of myself. I can't be running to you every time Colonel Bauer has a go at me. I'm an officer in the Air Force. I can handle it, Sir. If I can handle my husband, I can handle Colonel Bauer.”
“Alright, but I am going to have a talk to Colonel Bauer about what happened this morning, Captain.”
“There’s no need, Sir.”
“Captain, he knew very well that I gave you an extra week on your report.” Sam raised her eye brows.
“Really? Then I guess he also knew that there was no ink cartage and paper, Sir.”
“Yes, he did...not a word, Captain.”
“No problem there, Sir.”
“Good.” Then he stood up.
“Take care of your legs, Captain. You’ve got a flight tomorrow.” Sam smiled.
“Yes, Sir, no more hand to hand training ‘til after the mission.”
“You do that, Captain.”
“Yes, Sir.” He walk out of the barracks while Sam picked up her pen and continued writing.
The next day Sam was flying with some of the others for another bombing run. They were successful and all returned to base. Later that evening, Sam walked into the general’s office.
She gave him her report. “Thank you, Captain.”
“Yes, Sir, this time there were no MIGs after us.”
“That’s always good news. Have a good evening, Captain.”
“Yes, Sir.”
She walked to the door and stopped when she heard “Happy birthday, Captain.”
Sam turned around and smiled.
“Thank you General. how did you know?” He showed Sam his calendar. It had Sam name and birth date on it. She recognized the writing.
“Do you know who did this?”
“Yes, Sir. It was my husband, Sir.”
“I see. Dismissed.” Sam turned and walked out of the office.
She was walking back to the barracks when one of the women walked over to her.
“Hey, Sam, want join me in a drink?”
“Not tonight. I'm off to bed.”
“Come on. It’s just one drink.” Sam rolled her eyes.
“OK, just one.” Sam followed the lieutenant to the mess hall where it was dark.
“Why are the lights out?” Sam asked, then they were suddenly turned on.
“Surprise!” the room full of people shouted.
“What the..?.” Then they sang ‘Happy Birthday’ to her, which made her laugh, and then a cook pushed a cart out and over to Sam as she stepped further into the room. What she saw on it was a birthday cake, with blue Jell-O on top, candles and her name done in white icing.
When the group finished singing, they all clapped and cheered her on as Sam closed her eyes and blew out the candles.
“Wow, talk about some surprise, who's idea was it?”
“Your husband Ma'am” the Mess Hall Sergeant, cook said.
“What, Jack. but how?” Someone passed Sam a drink.
“He sent me a letter and ingredients to make a cake and boxes of blue Jell-O and candles with instructions Ma'am.” Sam smiled happily.
“Trust Jack to do something like this.”
“Well Ma'am?” He passed Sam a knife and she cut into the cake. Everyone clapped and cheered her on.
“Well thank you all for this surprise. I see that Jack sent other items as well” when she saw packets of potato chips, dip, drinks and other food.
“As my husband would say: ‘there is no party without cake’, so eat, drink, and have fun, and just one more thing.”
She raised her mug, “To friendship and peace, let’s hope this war will end soon so everyone can return home to our families and friends... to peace.”
“To peace!” Everyone clapped and they started talking to Sam while the sergeant cut up the cake.
General Viking was walking to his quarters when he heard party noises coming from the mess hall so he went to check it out. He looked through the window door to see personnel eating, drinking, and having fun. He could see a cart with cake on it. He watched as Sam blew out the candles and listened to her speech.
He remembered what she said about having fun and boosting morale when they get a chance. He knew Sam was right and could see every one needed to have fun after what they all been through. He was just about to leave when everyone stopped talking. Sam was talking to two of the guys when everything got quiet.
Sam turned and saw Colonel Bauer walk into the room. “What is going on here?”
“It’s a birthday celebration, Sir” one of the lieutenants said.
“What? Where did you get this food?” he said looking at the sergeant.
“It was sent to me, Sir, with instructions.”
“I want this mess cleaned up and all the food thrown away. You’ve got five minutes.” he said in his best ‘colonel’ tone.
“Sir, it...”
“Do it now.”
“Come on. Let’s clean up” Sam said as she walked to the food table.
“No we will not do this, we need this party to relax” one of the majors said.
“Are you disobeying an order, Major?” Sam walked over to the major and shook her head.
“Captain.”
“I know, come on.”
Then they all heard another door open and every one turned to see General Viking walking into the mess hall.
“Colonel.”
“General, I was breaking up this party.”
“I can see that.” He looked around.
“Who’s idea was this party?” Sam stepped forward.
“It was my husband's idea, Sir. He sent all the food and drinks for tonight's surprise birthday party.”
“I see.” He walked around to where the food and drinks were with every one looking at him. Sam walked over to the cake and put a slice on a plate and picked up a fork. Then she walked over to the general who was looking at a bowl which was full of punch. He turned around to see Sam standing there.
She passed him the plate.
“It’s birthday cake, Sir.” He took it and tried a small bite.
“Not bad, but blue Jell-O?” Sam smiled.
“Jack knows I love blue Jell-O, Sir.”
“Not bad.”
“Yes, Sir.” He turned around to look at the others.
Sam got a lieutenant’s attention and she look down to the punch then back up then look at the general and back again. The lieutenant understood and put some punch in a cup.
“General, Sir.” He turned around.
“Drink, Sir?”
“Thank you, Lieutenant.” Then he took a sip.
“Not bad.”
“General are you going...?”
“To enjoy this cake and drink. Colonel, you should do the same.”
“But, Sir.”
“Colonel, I could make that an order and for heaven’s sake, relax for once.”
“Yes, Sir.” Someone passed him slice of cake.
“So, Captain, care to tell me how on Earth did Colonel O’Neill manage to get all of this here without my knowledge?” Sam smiled.
“Sir, next time you see my husband, you should ask him.”
“I'll do that, Captain.” Sam laughed and everyone began talking and starting to relax.
Three days later, Sam was flying again over Iraq when they were fired upon from below, so Sam and the others took them out on their way to the target area.
When they got there, they blew up the fuel tankers and trucks carrying weapons. When the mission was complete they return to base.
Then the next day they were sent out when ground patrol spotted MIGs in the no fly zone, so Sam and five others went out to investigate. When they arrived, there were six MIGs and they started firing at Sam and the others. With permission from the general, they started firing back. Sam managed to take down two and the others managed to take down three and the other two bugged out.
“That was strange” Sam said.
“Why’s that. Captain?” the general asked.
“Well, Sir, we haven't heard of or seen any MIGs in the past two weeks, then six MIGs appear in the no fly zone.”
“I'll look into it, come on back. Job well done.”
“Yes, Sir.” Then they headed back.
Two days later they were flying out again to do a recon. They had been in enemy territory for an hour when MIGs showed up.
“General, we’ve got MIGs on our six, Sir.”
“How many, Major?”
“I count ten...eleven, Sir. They’re firing at us.”
“You’re cleared to engage.”
“Yes, Sir.” They played cat and mouse for over an hour.
Sam managed to knock four out of the sky. She noticed that there were two of the MIGs after her so she flew down close to the ground with the two MIGs behind her then she flew up and between the mountains and trees. While going through the mountains, Sam managed to go under a bridge, the two MIGs tried and they hit the bridge and blew up. Sam flew back up and helped take out another two.
“Where the hell are these MIGs coming from?” Major Young asked when more showed up.
“Not sure, Sir” Lieutenant Johnson replied.
Sam managed to take out four more. When the others also managed to knock out most of the others, Sam noticed that the MIGs were coming from one particular direction.
After she and the others manage to knock more of them out, “Major, the south west.”
“Captain?”
“Turning south west.” Then he noticed Sam was heading south west.
“Captain Carter, what are you doing?” Major Young asked.
“That's where the MIGs were coming from, six more heading this way.” Then the others followed Sam until they encountered the MIGs.
They managed take them out, as well. When they flew for few more minutes, more MIGs showed up so they managed to take care of most of them. Sam got one on her tail so she flew low and fast. When she flew down close to the ground, she saw the base.
“General, I found the base. Please advise.”
“Copy that, Captain. What’s the situation?”
“Got a bogie on my tail and another dozen ready to take off, Sir.”
“Stop them at all costs, Captain.”
“Yes, Sir.”
Sam flew low and fired on the first two jets which caused them to explode and stopped the others taking off. When she flew past she managed to fly high with the MIG behind her. When it was close enough, she quickly dropped her speed causing it to fly past her; then she quickly speed up and took the plane out.
Then she turned around, flying over the base firing on it blowing up fuel tanks, buildings and aircraft.
“General, this is Carter mission complete.”
“Good work, Captain. Return to base.”
“Yes, Sir.” Then Sam rejoined the others and they all flew back to base.
Author's Notes: Feed back, yes please
DISCLAIMER: All publicly recognisable characters, settings, etc, are the property of their respective owners. Any original characters and plots are the property of the author. No money is being made from this work. No copyright infringement is intended. ... [ read more ]