by Julie Tizard
Kathryn let go of Casey’s hand and reached over to Casey’s shaking thigh. She ran her hand slowly across Casey’s trembling knee. “You’re okay, Casey. You’re safe now and you saved the jet. Try to take deep breaths. The shaking will stop soon.” Casey reached over to hold Kathryn’s hand again as she tried to take deep breaths and calm herself down. They didn’t say a word to each other, but they were connected.
Kathryn pulled up to the squadron building. “I have to go to maintenance to impound the aircraft and the logbooks. I’ll call you later. Just go back to your quarters. Don’t let them schedule you for anything else today.”
“Okay.” She was reluctant to let go of Kathryn’s hand and leave the safety of sitting next to her. The shaking in her legs had stopped and her breathing was normal again. She got out of the truck, got her parachute and helmet, and went into the squadron building to face the music. She was apprehensive but held her head high.
*****
Kathryn was filled with deep pride watching Casey walk into the squadron building. She would be grilled about every detail and decision she’d made, and there would be a fair amount of second-guessing going on. Everyone in the building would be looking at her and would now know who Casey Tompkins was. The bottom line was that she had handled a very serious emergency with skill and courage, and she’d safely landed the jet.
Kathryn had other things to attend to, such as what the hell happened to that jet to cause this mishap? She met up with the maintenance superintendent, Master Sergeant Gutierrez, in the T-38 engine shop. They already had the melted brakes and tires removed and were installing new wheel assemblies as she walked up to the plane. There was some soot on the underside of the plane, but that would get cleaned off. The right engine access panel was open, and three engine specialists were carefully examining the engine gearbox section. Kathryn took a few photos as they disassembled the components and removed them.
“Oh wow, look at that,” one of the techs exclaimed.
“What is it, Sergeant?” Kathryn moved into position to see what they were looking at.
“See all that shiny silver stuff that looks like glitter? Those are metal shavings from inside the gearbox. The generator shaft was vibrating so badly it was disintegrating the whole gearbox. I’d say this jet had been minutes away from having the right engine blow up. And the shrapnel would have taken out the left engine as well.”
Kathryn looked at the mess of disintegrated metal and felt her heart clutch. Casey had been only minutes away from a dual engine failure and a loss of all flight controls. If she’d been close to the ground when that happened, she wouldn’t have even been able to eject. She would be dead now.
Kathryn couldn’t breathe. Her blood ran cold, then rage boiled up inside her. Who the fuck was responsible for this? She would have his balls and end his career, if she didn’t kill him first.
“Sergeant Gutierrez, I want the complete maintenance inspection history on this jet from the last three years, and get this to me ASAP.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
Kathryn had to see Casey right now to make sure she was all right. She called her office and told them she would be interviewing the mishap student pilot and to not interrupt her for the rest of the day. She normally didn’t speed when driving on base since base cops were everywhere, but right now she didn’t care if she got pulled over. Only one thing mattered—seeing Casey.
She ran up the stairs two at a time to Casey’s room. Just as she raised her hand to knock on the door, Casey opened it. Kathryn stepped inside and closed the door behind her. She threw her arms around Casey’s neck and held on to her as hard as she could. Casey’s arms circled Kathryn’s back, and she returned the tight hug. They held each other like this, pressing their bodies together for a long time. Kathryn finally pulled back a little and held Casey’s face in her hands, looking deep into her eyes.
“I was so afraid I might lose you, Casey,” Kathryn said in a choked whisper. She pulled Casey’s face down to her own and kissed her lips with a fierce hunger. Casey opened her mouth to take in Kathryn’s tongue, devouring Kathryn’s mouth as well. Their kisses were hot and desperate. They were in a frenzy of passion that kept them gripped together in a powerful need to connect. Kathryn knew what they both needed. They had to take each other and claim life again. Casey had cheated death, and now Kathryn had to consummate what she could no longer deny.
Kathryn moved her hands down from Casey’s face and squeezed her breasts as she kissed her. She took the top of Casey’s flight suit zipper and pulled it all the way down. She had to feel her skin. She pulled the flight suit off Casey’s shoulders, pulled up her T-shirt, and unhooked her bra. She stared for a long moment at perfect breasts with hard pink nipples beckoning her. She had to taste her skin now. As she felt the tender, warm flesh of Casey’s firm breasts, she lowered her mouth to suck them, first the right, then the left. Casey’s taut nipples felt amazing in her mouth.
Casey’s moans only fueled Kathryn’s heat for more. She peeled off Casey’s flight suit and boots, then her own, and pushed Casey back onto the bed. She was stunned at how beautiful Casey’s firm body looked. Her long legs and glistening center drew in Kathryn like an unstoppable force. She looked up at Casey’s face before she went any further. Casey’s eyes said yes. That was all Kathryn needed to know. She held Casey’s strong thighs open with her hands as she lowered her face to taste Casey’s essence. It was like gasoline on fire. Kathryn plunged her tongue into her and sucked on her hard clit. Kathryn was a starving woman and Casey was the food she hungered for. As Kathryn continued to devour her, Casey’s hips undulated in the unmistakable rhythm of life. She knew what Casey wanted and she wouldn’t tease her or make her wait. She slid her fingers into Casey’s wet center as she continued to lick her and was met with hot velvet clamping down on her fingers.
She explored Casey’s depths and accelerated her movements. The sounds emerging from Casey confirmed that she was giving her exactly what she wanted. She could tell Casey was close and she held nothing back as she plunged her fingers in deeper and faster. Casey’s orgasm broke like a giant wave on them as she shuddered and cried out. Kathryn didn’t stop until Casey’s trembling hands pulled her head up to kiss her. They melted into one another and became one as their kisses slowed down to tender caresses. Kathryn rested her head on Casey’s shoulder, feeling her powerful heartbeat. She would not allow herself to think about the possibility that this heart had almost stopped today.
*****
After catching her breath, Casey rolled on top of Kathryn. Her body was smaller than Casey’s, but she was firm and strong. She pressed her thigh into Kathryn’s center. She was met with slick heat and a throbbing clit. She moved her leg into Kathryn as she squeezed her breasts and sucked her nipples. Kathryn’s breasts were larger than Casey’s with prominent, erect peaks. She could suck on these beauties all day. Kathryn’s hips moved and her moans brought Casey’s attention back to the pulsing clit against her thigh. She started to slide down Kathryn’s body to feast on her, but Kathryn stopped her. “No. Stay on top of me. Please.”
Casey understood what Kathryn wanted, and the thought of it made a giant shiver run all the way down her body. She pulled Kathryn’s legs fully open and settled her legs between them. Her belly and breasts were pressed against Kathryn’s, and she slowly pushed her pubic bone into her center. Kathryn rocked her hips in response, wanting more. Casey released one of Kathryn’s full breasts and moved her right hand down her body to touch her hard clit. She slid her fingertips across the sensitive bundle to coat her fingers with hot lubrication, then she slowly entered her. Kathryn arched up in response and gasped as Casey filled her. She made long, slow strokes, pushing deeper with each movement. She felt Kathryn relax her inner muscles begging Casey for more. She happily obliged as she pumped harder. She let go of Kathryn’s other breast to move her left hand under her back as she gripped her shoulder. Kathryn was hers in this moment, and she wasn’t letting go of her for anything.
Kathryn wanted to be taken, and Casey was the woman who would give it to her. They continued writhing in their dance of passion until Kathryn’s body stiffened and she went silent. Casey continued pounding her until Kathryn cried out. Only when Kathryn put her hand on Casey’s arm did she stop pummeling her. They both collapsed in a sweaty heap, finally sated, and fully alive.
Just as Kathryn gently pushed Casey off of her, the phone on the nightstand interrupted them with a jarring ring. Casey was ignoring it as she started moving her hands over Kathryn again.
“Casey, answer the phone.”
“I don’t care who it is. I only want you.”
“It could be important. Please answer the phone.”
Casey reluctantly reached for the offending device and answered it. “Hello, Captain Tompkins speaking…Yes, ma’am, I understand.” She hung up. “Well, fuck, I have to go over to the wing commander’s office. Goddamn it.”
“What did they say?”
“It was the wing commander’s secretary, and she said I had to report to him ASAP. Crap. I hope he’s not going to second-guess everything I did today too. And just when I had you right where I wanted you.” She reached for Kathryn’s face to kiss her some more.
“Casey, we have to stop. You need to get dressed and get over there now. You do not keep the wing commander waiting.”
“Okay, okay, I’m going, but will you please stay here until I get back? I’d really like to continue this.”
Kathryn heard the sound of voices outside Casey’s door in the hall and suddenly felt very exposed. What if someone saw me leave her room? We’d both be crucified.
“I think I need to go, Casey. They’ll be looking for me at my office, and I have to get back to my safety investigation.” She got off the bed and put on her flight suit and boots.
Casey felt crushed as Kathryn hurried toward the door. “Kathryn? Will I see you again?”
“Sure you will. I just need to go. I’ll call you later.” She stopped and turned toward Casey. “I’m so happy you’re okay.” Then she turned, cracked open the door to make sure no one was looking, and slipped out like a thief in the night.
Casey was left standing naked and alone in her room with the scent of Kathryn on her fingers. She had gone from elated to devastated in a millisecond.
Chapter Thirty
Kathryn felt like a coward sneaking out of Casey’s room. She thought she’d made a clean escape when she heard behind her, “Hi, Captain Hardesty.”
She turned to see a young lieutenant she had flown with last week. “Hi, Lieutenant Rogers. What are you doing today?”
“Emergency procedures sim, ma’am,” he said as he rushed off toward the simulator building.
What the hell was I thinking? This is madness. I’m going to get us both court-martialed and kicked out of the Air Force. And what must Casey think of me now? That I treated her like a quick fuck? Shit!
Kathryn continued to beat herself up as she drove back to her office, then she went back to the maintenance hangar. She had a feeling this near crash was the result of some very bad decisions, but she had to find proof before she could say anything. She would get to the bottom of this no matter how many heads rolled.
“Captain Hardesty, I’m glad you’re back. I’ve got some interesting documents to show you,” Master Sergeant Gutierrez said. “First, look at this gearbox shaft.”
Kathryn examined the heavy metal pieces he handed to her. “It broke as we were removing it from the jet. This thing had maybe a few minutes left before it broke apart in the air.” It had the classic seashell look of extensive metal fatigue over ninety percent of the surface with a fracture zone on the last ten percent. How long had we been flying this jet in this condition? This shaft failure would have caused catastrophic engine and gearbox damage.
“When was the last time this component was inspected, Sergeant?”
“Almost two years ago, ma’am. Here are the maintenance history records.” He handed her a thick folder with tabs for each major aircraft system and orange Post-it Notes in two places.
As she studied the marked sections, she noticed that prior to two years ago, this gearbox shaft had been inspected and documented every year. “Was an inspection missed?”
“Look at the other marked section, ma’am. The inspection schedule protocol was changed from annual to biannual a little over two years ago as a cost saving measure.”
“Who was the idiot who did that? Some headquarters bean counter?”
“No, ma’am, it was a local maintenance decision by the deputy chief of maintenance based on a recommendation from some captain in the base budget office. He estimated that we could save one hundred and twenty man-hours per year by extending the inspections to every other year.”
“Save one hundred and twenty maintenance man hours? That comes out to maybe six thousand dollars, and this part costs at least three times that much to replace. That was complete stupidity to change that inspection schedule, and why in the world did the budget office recommend an aircraft maintenance change?”
“More like four times the cost savings to replace this part, ma’am, not to mention the expense of the damage to the rest of the engine. Right now, we’re looking at over one hundred grand to repair this jet.”
“Thanks, Sergeant. Keep me informed if you find anything else.” Kathryn would get to the bottom of this disastrous decision and make sure the higher-ups knew exactly who was responsible.
“Captain Hardesty, I went through the computer, and we have thirty-two other T-38s that have gone over a year without the gearbox shaft being inspected. I’ve told my guys to put everything else on hold and start inspecting those other jets as soon as possible.”
“We’re going to have to ground all those jets until we’re sure they are safe to fly. The T-38 squadron commander and the wing commander are going to shit bricks when they hear I’m grounding half the fleet. Get me the tail numbers of the jets that need inspections, and I’ll write up the temporary tech order to ground them. Let me know what you find with those other jets. Thanks, Sergeant.” Kathryn rushed out of the maintenance hangar to go tell the wing commander, then inform the flight safety office at the Air Training Command headquarters. This was not going to go over well.
*****
Casey stood outside the wing commander’s office looking at the plaques on the wood-paneled walls. Willie had a long and distinguished history, and it was all displayed here in this imposing-looking office.
“Colonel Johnson will see you now,” Mrs. Rogers informed Casey.
“Thank you, ma’am.”
Casey stood up to her full height as she walked into Colonel Johnson’s office. His wood desk was enormous with his official flags behind his giant chair and his personal airplane models and awards decorating the walls. She stopped in front of his desk standing at attention. When he turned to look at her, she saluted. “Captain Tompkins reporting as ordered, sir.”
“At ease, Captain. Please take a seat.” He seemed cordial, friendly, and not angry. Casey was suspicious and nervous. A junior officer’s goal in life was for the wing commander not to even know who she was. It was certainly not in her plans to be sitting in his office having to explain her actions in an aircraft emergency.
“I understand you had some excitement on your solo flight today. I just wanted to talk to you about this.” Is this a trick? Why is he being nice?
“Can you tell me what happened today?”
“Yes, sir. I lost my right generator with no crossover and had to do a no flap, full stop landing.”
“Can you tell me why you demanded immediate landing clearance from the tower?”
“I felt a vibration on the right side of the plane where the gearbox is located, and I thought I needed to get on the ground as soon as possible in case there was any further damage to my jet. Was I incorrect, sir?”
“No, Casey, you weren’t. As a matter of fact, your instinct to land immediately was exactly the right thing to do. I’ve been info
rmed by aircraft maintenance that the gearbox was on the verge of disintegrating and you would have been in a much more dangerous situation if you’d kept flying. Your decision to land the jet was absolutely correct and you landed that jet like an experienced IP. I wanted to meet you and tell you that you did a great job today. You keep up the good work in training, and I’ll be keeping my eye on you.” Stunned, Casey stood up and shook his hand.
“One last question, Casey. I heard you on the radio during your emergency and you didn’t sound nervous or scared at all. Were you?”
“No, sir, I wasn’t. I just kept hearing my IP’s voice in my head, ‘Fly the jet, fly the jet.’ So I guess I was just focused on that.”
“Is that Major Prewitt you’re referring to?”
“No, sir. I was hearing Captain Hardesty’s voice.”
“I see. Well, good job, again, Casey. I’m proud of you. You’re dismissed.”
She saluted, did an about-face, and walked out of his office hardly believing what she had just heard—the commander of the entire flying wing was proud of her.
She was practically floating as she left the wing headquarters building when she rounded the corner and ran right into Kathryn.
“Casey! Are you okay? What did Colonel Johnson say to you?”
“He said I did a good job today and that he would be keeping his eye on me. I can’t believe it.” She wanted to pull Kathryn into a big hug, but other people were standing around. She could only look and smile at Kathryn.
“Casey, that’s great. Colonel Johnson is a good guy, and if he called you in to tell you that you did a good job, well, that really means something.”