One of Many Today
Who: Jake Mackenzie & James Chase When: After the arrival of Vice Admiral Pierce Where: Battlstar Avalon
James in his flight suit rushed to the hanger section when he learned Vice Admiral Pierce and his staff had arrived moments earlier. He was eager to see his wife again, and hoped to catch her before their duties separated them again. Avalon was already on notice for immediate action after their next jump. The raptors with the red painted tails were in view with people crowded around them. He saw the back of Vice Admiral Pierce's group heading toward the exit which would lead them into the main hull of the battlestar. He noticed that wounded which were brought from Sagittaron were being removed from one of the raptors, and his heart sank for a moment fearing the possibility Jill could be one of the casualties. He slowed for a glance and did not see her, but noticed an old friend.
“Jake, I'll be damned,” James grinned and walked over to greet him. “Did Jill pull some strings?”
Jake turned at the voice and set down the clipboard with the post-flight checklist to turn toward Jilleen’s husband. “James, it’s good to see you alive. I was on Saggitron leading an inspection team when the balloon went up.” He shrugged, trying to appear nonchalant about the whole thing. James needed to be told what had happened but Jake wanted to deny it just a bit longer if he could. “They were going to send me in as improvised infantry with the rest of the surplus, but someone told them I was still current with my flight status.”
He laughed knowing his wife would not leave an old friend behind to fend for himself if she could help it. “Viper jocks always catch the breaks,” James said. “Speaking of luck, Jill must have her job cut out for her now as the Aide de Camp for FORCECOM. As much as I want to welcome you back. Did you see where my wife went?” James started to look pass Jake to see if she could find her out of the crowd by chance she was not by the Admiral’s side, and didn’t notice the other man stiffen at his joke.
Damn. Jake had hoped for another minute or two of stalling before admitting what happened, but it wasn’t to be. “James...her Raptor didn’t make it, we were jumped by Raiders as we left Saggitron.” He brushed a hand over his eyes to wipe away a suspicious moisture as he confronted the fact that one of his oldest friends was likely dead, and forced himself to look at James head on. “Last I saw she’d lost an engine and was headed down...”
James felt the blood rush from his face as if his heart had stopped beating. It could not be true was his next thought. “No,” he shook his head. “No,” he looked the other way trying to force a different outcome by will. A second ago his worries had been lifted and actually relieved to find Pierce in charge of the forces because it meant his wife … should be with him.
“Oh frak,” he looked back at Jake with stinging moist eyes. “Those frakking ...” The grief was immediately replaced with anger.
“They’ll pay James, every one of the frakkers will pay.” Jake didn’t know how they’d accomplish that just yet, but if it took the rest of his life he’d see to it that the Cylons were wiped out. He took a deep breath and glanced around the hanger bay. Despite the circumstances it was good to be back aboard a Battlestar, where he belonged. The constant activity of flight operations was familiar and comforting, and if he tried hard he could almost imagine that the worlds hadn’t changed overnight.
James cleared his throat. “That’s damn sure.” It was not the right time for feel sorry for himself, he felt he had no right on this day when everyone aboard had lost someone or will soon. He wiped the corner of his eye and cleared his throat again.
“What’s your plan? Are you flying for the admiral now?” he asked.
“Haven’t a clue. This whole thing was a seat of your pants operation.” Now that the mission was over there was nothing stopping him from expressing his opinion...nothing except the grief of a husband who’d just lost his wife. It was a feeling Jake remembered well, and he wasn’t going to compound the situation by sending James off half cocked to go kill the poor Captain who’d come up with the operation to begin with. He shrugged again and stuck his hands in his pockets to keep from fidgeting with them. “I’ve got nothing but the clothes on my back, so what they do with me now is anyone’s guess.”
Hopefully the Powers That Be would stick him back in a Viper cockpit and let him kill toasters, but time would tell.
“I’ll see it that Major Taylor knows you’re available.” Taylor had taken command of the air group after Mackenzie was transferred. “Hell, you can come with me to the briefing. It might be a good thing for the rest of the pilots to see a familiar face.” James special ops unit was strictly a limited support element to the wing with its three custom raptors.
Jake ran a hand through his hair and a brief smile appeared on his face at the mention of seeing the other pilots. There would have been some transfers in and out since he’d relinquished command of the Avalon’s pilots, but he’d served with most of them for years. “Sounds good to me. I’ve got to finish the post-flight on my bird and turn it into the deck Chief and I’m all yours.”
He nodded. “Very good. I just need to make a quick call, and I will be right back.” James turned and walked away toward one of the launch stations. He didn’t have to make a call. For the moment he could not get Jill from his mind and just needed a moment on his own.