Part 39: ERIC

I woke in sick bay and an officer with the med department logo on his chest grinned at me.” Welcome back Mr. Olafson. How do you feel?”

“I feel fine. Why is it always me that wakes up in med, while others are fine?”

“You had a ruptured liver and internal bleeding, we also repaired a ruptured brain blood vessel, but you are fit for duty.”

“Thanks Doc.”

“Besides you are not the only one that came to Sickbay, we patched up seventy five casualties and two of your squadron comrades did not make it at all. So be glad you woke up.”

I swallowed hard and wished I hadn’t said that.

“They are waiting for you at Main Flight Control.”

I made my way down to the preflight deck, Commander Cotton, Har-Hi and a group of pilots stood there next to my Wolfcraft. It looked no longer shiny as it did when I got it, but was a torn wreck. There where scorch marks and parts of the armor had melted off. One of the Engine pots was completely gone; the other pot did not have the original alignment and hung there in an odd angle. Much of the bow section was stripped to the frame.

I snapped in attention.” Midshipman Olafson reporting Sir.”

Cotton made a waving gesture. “Pilots don’t do that Viking. We are just inspecting your machine and decide if we repair or scrap it and now since you are here we can debrief you as well.”

I relaxed a bit and said.” Sorry about returning the fighter that way, Sir.”

He looked surprised.” I am glad you returned it at all.”

“I am not in some sort of trouble sir, for returning your craft this way?”

“I trouble? Oh no Viking. It is not every day a fighter pilot makes ace, especially not on his first mission and now we have four new Aces in our squadron.

“Ace Sir?”

“You killed 12 enemy targets. The Carrier counts as one but you also killed 11 fighters. Any pilot that accomplishes 10 kills becomes an Ace. That’s a term with a long tradition. Pirate here blasted 29 during his first sortie, that’s a new record.”

Har-Hi grinned proudly and whipped on his toes.” Wait till you see entire Wolfcraft squadrons with Dai Pilots, Sir.”

“That is a scary thought indeed. If we had one or two more like you we would have cleaned house before lunch.” He then grabbed me by the shoulder. “I won’t fault you for what you did, because taking out the second carrier was crucial and had to be done, but making a jump that close to a star is suicide.”

“Aye Sir, I try not to do that the next time.”

He turned his head and said.” Blowdart, where are those jackets?”

A Lt came running.” Right here, Wildcat.”

He handed each of us a black leather jacket, on the back of it was a large logo of a stylized Wolf jumping away from a rendering of the Devastator and the words around the logo read:” Devastator Fighter Wing 12”

“You earned the right to wear those and if anyone especially your friend Clusen gives you any trouble wearing those I give you the direct order to let me know.” He then attached two ribbons on our chest display, a red ribbon with a small black cross.” This is the Ace ribbon, you earned it.”

As he did mine he stopped, turned and said.” Attention everyone. Our friend Viking here is a Medal of Honor recipient.”

Everyone saluted and as usual I didn’t really like it.” I thought Pilots don’t do that, Sir.”