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serious enough to take him off flight status for six months； and the Navy had assigned him to temporary duty as an instructor in Annapolis； where he was currently in the engineering department。 It was an assignment which Jackson regarded as one step above pulling oars in a galley。
Jackson was shorter than Ryan； and much darker。 He was the fourth son of a Baptist preacher in southern Alabama。 When they'd first met； the officer was still in a cast； and Jackson had asked Ryan if he might want to try his hand at kendo。 It was something that Ryan had never tried； the Japanese fencing sport in which bamboo staves are used in place of samurai swords。 Ryan had used pugil sticks in the Marines and figured it wouldn't be too different。 He'd accepted the invitation； thinking that his longer reach would be a decisive advantage； particularly on top of Jackson's reduced mobility。 It hadn't occurred to him that Jackson would first have asked a brother officer for a kendo match。 In fact； Ryan later learned； he had。 He'd also learned by then that Robby had the blinding quickness and killer instinct of a rattlesnake。 By the time the bruises had faded； they were fast friends。
For his part； Ryan had introduced the pilot to the smoky flavor of good Irish whiskey； and they'd evolved the tradition of an afternoon drink or two in the privacy of Jack's office。
〃Any news on campus？〃 Ryan asked。
〃Still teachin' the boys and girls；〃 Jackson said fortably。
〃And you've started to like it？〃
〃Not exactly。 The leg's finally back in battery； though。 I've been spending my weekends down at Pax River to prove I still know how to fly。 You know； you made one hell of a flap hereabouts。〃
〃When I was shot？〃
〃Yeah； I was in with the Superintendent when the call came in。 The 'soop' put it on speaker； and we got this FBI…guy askin' if we got a nut…case teacher in London playing cops and robbers。 I said； sure； I know the jerk； but they wanted somebody in the History Department to back me up mainly they wanted the name of your travel agent； I suppose。 Anyway； everybody was out to lunch； and I had to track Professor Billings down in the O…Club； and the superintendent did some runnin' around； too。 You almost ruined the boss's last golf day with the Governor。〃
〃Damned near ruined my day； too。〃
〃Was it like they said in the papers？〃
〃Probably。 The Brit papers got it pretty straight。〃
Jackson nodded as he tapped the cigar on Ryan's ashtray。 〃You're lucky you didn't e home parcel post； boy；〃 he said。
〃Don't you start； Robby。 One more guy tells me I'm a hero； and I'll flatten him 〃
〃Hero？ Hell； no！ If all you honkies were that dumb； my ancestors would have imported yours。〃 The pilot shook his head emphatically。 〃Didn't anybody ever tell you； that hand…to…hand stuff is dangerous〃〃
〃If you'd been there； I bet you'd have done the same 〃
〃No chance！ God Almighty； is there anything dumber than a Marine？ This hand…to…hand stuff； Jeez； you get blood on your clothes； mess up the shine on your shoes。 No way； boy！ When I do my killin'； it'll be with cannon shells and missiles you know； the civilized way。〃 Jackson grinned。 〃The safe way。〃
〃Not like flying an airplane that decides to blast you loose without warning you first；〃 Ryan scoffed。
〃I dinged my leg some； sure； but when I got my Tomcat strapped to my back。 I'm hummin' along at six hundred…plus knots。 Anybody who wants to put a bullet in me； fella； he can do it； but he's gonna have to work at it。〃
Ryan shook his head。 He was hearing a safety lecture from someone who just happened to be in the most dangerous business there was a carrier aviator and a test pilot。
〃How's Cathy and Sally？〃 Robby asked； more seriously。 〃We meant to e over Sunday； but we had to drive up to Philadelphia on short notice。〃
〃It was kinda tough on them； but they came through all right。〃
〃You got a family to worry about。 Jack；〃 Jackson pointed out。 〃Leave that rescue stuff to the professionals。〃 The funny thing about Robby； Jack knew； was his caution。 For all the down…home bantering about his life as a fighter pilot； Jackson never took a risk he didn't have to。 He'd known pilots who had。 Many were dead。 There was not a single man wearing those gold wings who had not lost a friend； and Jack wondered how deeply that had affected Jackson over the years。 Of one thing he was sure； though Robby was in a dangerous business； like all successful gamblers he thought things over before he moved his chips。 Wherever his body went； his mind had already gone。
〃It's all over； Rob。 It's all behind me； and there won't be a next time。〃
〃We'll put a big roger on that。 Who else am I gonna drink with？ So how'd you like it over there？〃
〃I didn't see very much； but Cathy had a great time； all things considered。 I think she saw every castle in the country plus the new friends we made。〃
〃That must have been right interesting；〃 Robby chuckled。 The flyer stubbed out his cigar。 They were cheap； crooked； evil…smelling little things； and Jack figured that Jackson puffed on them only as part of the Image of the Fighter Pilot。 〃Not hard to understand why they took a liking to you。〃
〃They took a liking to Sally； too。 They got her started riding horses；〃 Jack added sourly。
〃Oh； yeah？ So what are they like？〃
〃You'd like 'em；〃 Ryan assured him。
Jackson smiled。 〃Yeah； I imagine I would。 The Prince used to drive Phantoms； so he must be a right guy； and his dad's supposed to know his way around a cockpit； too。 I hear you took the Concorde back。 How'd you like it？〃
〃I meant to ask you about that。 How e it was so noisy？ I mean； if you're doing mach…2…plus； why isn't all the noise behind you？〃
Jackson shook his head sadly。 〃What's the airplane made out of？〃
〃Aluminum； I suppose。〃
〃You suppose the speed of sound is faster in metal than it is in air； maybe？〃 Jackson asked。
〃Oh。 The sound travels through the body of the airplane。〃
〃Sure； engine noise； noise from the fuel pumps； various other things。〃
〃Okay。〃 Ryan filed that away。
〃You didn't like it； did you？〃 Robby was amused at his friend's attitude toward flying。
〃Why does everybody pick on me for that？〃 Ryan asked the ceiling。
〃Because it's so funny。 Jack。 You're the last person in the world who's afraid to fly。〃
〃Hey； Rob； I do it； okay？ I get aboard； and strap in； and do it。〃
〃I know。 I'm sorry。〃 Jackson eased off。 〃It's just that it's so easy to needle you on this I mean； what are friends for？ You done good； Jack。 We're proud of you。 But for Christ's sake； be careful； okay？ This hero shit gets people killed。〃
〃I hear you。〃
〃Is it true about Cathy？〃 Robby asked。
〃Yep。 The doc confirmed it the same day they took the cast off。〃
〃Way to go； pop！ I'd say that calls for another a light one。〃 Robby held his cup out； and Jack poured。 〃Looks like the bottle's about had it； too。〃
〃It's my turn to buy the next one； isn't it？〃
〃It's been so long； I don't remember；〃 Robby admitted。 〃But I'll take your word for it。〃
〃So they have you back in airplanes？〃
〃Next Monday they'll let me back in a Tomcat；〃 Jackson replied。 〃And e summer； it's back to the work they pay me for。〃
〃You got orders？〃
〃Yeah； you're looking at the prospective XO of VF…41。〃 Robby held his cup up in the air。
The executive officer of Fighter Squadron 41； Ryan translated。 〃That's all right； Rob！〃
〃Yeah； it's not bad； considering I've been a black shoe for the past seven months。〃
〃Right out on carriers？〃
〃No； we'll be on the beach for a while； down at Oceana； Virginia。 The squadron's deployed now on Nimitz。 When the boat es back for refit； the fighters stay on the beach for refresher training。 Then we'll probably redeploy on Kennedy。 They're reshuffling the squadron assignments。 Jack； it'll be good to strap that fighter back on！ I've been here too long。〃
〃We're gonna miss you and Sissy。〃
〃Hey； we don't leave till summer they're making me finish out the school year and Virginia Beach isn't all that far away。 e on down and visit； for crying out loud。 You don't have to fly。 Jack。 You can drive；〃