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She was hurting now。 As the numbness wore off she was hurting。 Her face felt like someone had used a steak hammer on it。 Like she had slid down the sidewalk on her cheekbone for a couple hundred yards。
〃e right about fifteen degrees or so and you'll be lined up；〃 Toad said。 〃You got fourteen thousand feet of concrete here； Rita； but I think we should try for a wire。〃 He reached up with his left hand and pulled the handle to drop the tailhook。 〃Just keep it lined up and descending wings level and we'll be in fat city。〃
〃Fuel？ How's our fuel？〃
〃About ten grand or so。 Just a little heavy。 Let's dump the fuel in the wings。〃
Rita reached with her left hand； up there under that blown…out quarter panel； for the dump switch on the fuel management panel。 〃I can't get it；〃 she said finally。
〃I'll get it。〃 Toad leaned across and hunted until he had the proper switch。
〃Landing checklist。〃
〃Okay； you got three down and locked； flaps and slats out； stab shifted； boards？〃 She put them out and added some power。 It took a while to get the plane stabilized on speed again。
〃Pop…up？〃 Toad murmured when she once again had everything under control。 〃Can you check the flaperon pop…up？〃 The switch was on her left console。 She had to lower her head and look as she rumbled with numb fingers。 〃Watch your wings；〃 Toad warned。
She brought the wings back to level。
〃Screw the pop…up；〃 Toad announced； figuring that she just couldn't ascertain the switch position。 〃It's probably still on。 Check the brakes。〃
This also took some doing。 She had to lift both feet free of the deck where her heels rested and place the balls of her feet on top of the rudder pedals； then push。 She had never before realized what a strain that put on her stomach muscles。 She was weak as a kitten。 She struggled and got her feet arranged and pushed hard。 They met resistance。 〃Brakes okay。〃 She would have to do this again on the runway if the hook skipped over the short…field arresting gear or she landed long。 For now she let her feet slide down the pedals until her heels were once again on the deck。
〃My mask。〃 She gagged。 〃Get my mask off！〃
Toad got her right fitting released just in time。 She retched and the vomit poured down over her chest。
Seeing Rita vomit and smelling that smell； Toad felt his own stomach turn over。 He choked it back and helped her hold the plane level until she stopped heaving。
〃Okay；〃 she said when she finally got her mask back on； 〃check your harness lock and we're ready to do it。〃 She took her hand off the stick and locked the harness lever on the forward right corner of the ejection seat。
〃Oh； poo；〃 Toad said。 She glanced his way。 He was reconnecting his Koch fittings。 〃Sort of forgot to strap myself back in；〃 he explained。
She ran her seat up as far as she could and yet still reach the rudder pedals。 This put her a face a little higher out of the wind； and in seconds she could see better； but only out of her right eye。 Her left was still clogged with blood。
〃You're ing down nicely； passing six thousand MSL； eighteen hundred above the ground。 Let's keep this sink rate and we'll do okay。 e left a couple degrees； though。〃
She plied。
〃A little more。 And gimme just a smidgen more power。〃
When she squinted and blinked a few more times； she could make out the runway。 There was a little crosswind and Toad had her aimed off to the left slightly to pensate。
The approach seemed to take forever； perhaps because she was hurting and perhaps because she was unsure if she could handle it at the bottom。 She would just have to wait and see； but it was difficult waiting when she was so cold； and growing colder。
She let the plane descend without throttle corrections； without wiggling the stick or trying to sweeten her lineup。 With three hundred feet still to go on the radar altimeter； she made a heading correction。 She was going to have trouble judging the altitude with only one eye； and she thought about that。 She could do it； she decided。 There was the meatball on the Optical Landing System。 She began to fly it； working mightily to move the throttles。 Still ing down。 on speed； lined up； across the threshold。 Now！ Throttles back a little and nose just so； right rudder and left stick to straighten her out。。。 oh yes！'
The mainmounts kissed the concrete。
The pilot used the stick to hold the nose wheel off as she smoothly closed the throttles。 She had no more than got the engines to idle when she felt the rapid deceleration as the tailhook engaged the short…field arresting gear。 The nose slammed down。 As the plane was jerked to a rapid stop； she applied the brakes。
She got the flap handle forward with her left hand； but knew she wouldn't be able to tug hard enough to pull the parking brake handle out。 Toggling the harness lock release by her right thigh； she got enough freedom to reach it with her right。
Toad opened the canopy。 As it whined its way aft a fire truck came roaring up and screeched to a halt with firemen tumbling off。
Canopy open； Rita checked that the flaps and slats were in。 Her left shoulder was aching badly now and it was difficult to make her fingers do as she wished。 One of the firemen ran out from the wheel well and made a cutting motion across his throat He had inserted the safety pins in the landing gear。
Both throttles around the horn to cutoff； engine…fuel master switches off as the RFMs dropped。 Then the generators dropped off the line with an audible click and everything in the cockpit went dead。 Exhausted； she fumbled with the generator switches until they too were secured。
It was very quiet。 She got the mask loose and； using only her right hand； pried the helmet off。 The pressor blades tinkled steadily； gently； as the wind kept them turning； like a mobile on the porch of your grandmother's house when you returned after a long absence。
A man was standing on the pilot's boarding ladder。 He looked at her and drew back in horror。
〃A bird；〃 she croaked。
She heard Toad give a disgusted exclamation。 〃Wipe it off her； man！ It's just bird guts。 It ain't her brains！〃
They were loading Rita into an ambulance and the crash crew was filling out paperwork when a gray navy sedan screeched to a halt near the fire truck。 Jake Grafton jumped out and strode toward Toad as white smoke wafted from the auto's engine partment。
〃Looks like you were in a hurry；〃 Toad said； and managed a grin。 He was sitting； leaning back against the nose wheel； too drained to even stand。 He felt as if he had just finished a ten…mile run。 The crash chief tossed the captain a salute and he returned it even though he wasn't wearing a hat He obviously had other things on his mind。
〃How's Rita？〃
〃Gonna be okay； I think。 When they looked at her they thought she had brains and eyeballs oozing out everywhere； but they got most of it cleaned off。 Never saw so much shit。 Must have been a damn big bird。 They're taking her over to the hospital for X rays and all。〃
Jake Grafton deflated visibly。 He wiped his forehead with a hand； and then wiped his hand on his trousers； leaving a wet stain。
〃How e you didn't answer me on the damned radio？ I about had heart failure when you started doing whifferdills。〃
〃I'm sorry； sir。 I disconnected my plugs and got a little unstrapped so I could reach over and fly the plane。 Rita was sorta out of it there for a little while。〃
Jake climbed the pilot's ladder and surveyed the cockpit。 He examined the hole left in the plexiglas quarter panel by the late buzzard or eagle or hawk。 〃She e around okay？〃
〃Came to and landed this thing like it was on rails。 Real damn sweet； CAG。 Never saw a better landing。〃
A sailor drove up aboard a yellow flight…line tractor。 He swung in front of the plane and backed a tow bar toward the nose wheel。 〃Well；〃 said Jake Grafton as he made a quick inspection of the Athena antennas； all of which seemed to be firmly in place； 〃you better zip over to the hospital and let them check you over too。 I gotta get this plane put someplace private。〃
〃Uh； CAG； you're still gonna let us fly the prototypes； aren't you？ I mean； it wasn't like we tried to hit that bird or anything。〃
Jake looked at Toad； slightly surprised。 〃Oh；〃 he said； 〃you two are my crew。 If the doctors say you can fly。 Now get over to the hospital and find out。 Better get cleaned up too。 You look like you've been cleaning chickens and the chickens won。〃
〃Yessir。 You bet。 But； uh； I don't have a ride。 Can I take your car？〃
〃Aw； Toad； you're gonna get that bird goo all over the seat。〃 He glanced at the car。 Smoke was still leaking out。 It was junk。 〃Keys are in it。 But be careful…it's government property。〃
Amazingly enough； the car engine actually started after Toad ground on it awhile。 Jake had driven about forty miles at full throttle； about a hundred miles per hour； so he shook his head in wonder when the transmission engaged with a thunk and Toad drove away trailing smoke。
15
The base dispensary contained an emergency room； but no other hospital facilities。 After Rita Moravia was cut out of her flight gear； cleaned up and examined by a doctor； she was taken to a hospital in Reno； seventy miles away。 Toad Tarkington arrived at the dispensary as the ambulance was driving away。
〃Oh； Doctor；〃 the corpsman called when he saw Toad ing through the door； 〃here es the other one。〃
The doctor was only a year or two out of med school； but he had already acquired the nuances of military practice。 〃In here。〃 He gestured to an examining room。 A corpsman followed them in and closed the door。 〃Strip to the skin；〃 the doctor said。 〃How do you feel？〃 He grasped Toad's wrist and glanced at his watch。
〃Okay； Doc。 The pilot took the bird hit。 I just got splattered。〃
〃Did you bee hypoxic； pass out； inhale any feathers or anything like that？〃
〃No； sir。 I just peed my pants。〃
The doctor checked his watch again； then looked at Toad with raised eyebrows。
〃Not really；〃 Toad said； suddenly aware that he was no longer in the pany of his peers。 〃Sorry。 How's Moravia？〃
The doctor was still all business。 〃Blurred vision in her left eye； some bruises and cuts； nothing serious。 But she's an excellent candidate for a major…league infection。 I gave her a large dose of penicillin and sent her to the hospital in Reno for X…rays and observation。 She can stay there until we're sure she's okay。〃
〃And her eye？〃
〃I think it'll be okay。 They'll look at that in Reno。〃
The doctor spent the next five minutes examining Toad。 He peed in a bottle and gave a blood sample。 The corpsman gathered up his flight gear。 Toad insisted it all be put in a duffel bag。 He stood holding his flight suit； which already had a hen…house smell。 〃What am I going to do for clothes？〃
〃Got any money？〃
He dug his wallet from the chest pocket。 〃Fifty…three dollars。〃
The doctor added fifty dollars of his own money to Toad's fortune and sent the corpsman to the exchange for underwear； trousers； shirt； and tennis shoes。 〃Should be open until nineteen hundred hours。 You can make it if you hurry。〃 Toad gave the enlisted man his sizes and expressed a few opinions about color and style。 The corpsman flashed Toad a wicked grin as he headed for the door。
An hour later Tarkington had talked the doctor into loaning him one of the navy sedans belonging to the dispensary。 He was on his way to the parking lot in his new duds when he met Jake Grafton ing in。
〃You okay？〃 the captain said。
〃Yessir。 Just fine。 Thought I'd grab a little liberty。〃 Toad gave Jake back the keys to the sedan he had used to get to the dispensary； and displayed the keys to his borrowed vehicle。 〃I think your car's had it。 Want to e with me？〃
〃Where you going？〃
〃Reno。 That's where they took Rita。〃 He told Jake what the doctor had said。
Jake begged off。 He still had security arrangements and phone calls to make。 〃Call me from the hospital and tell me how she is。 I'll be at the BOQ。 Leave a message at the desk if I'm not there。〃
Jake watched Toad drive away toward the main gate； then went into the dispensary to see what the doctor really thought about Rita's left eye。 She needed two great eyes to fly。 Better than the doctor or even Toad； Jake Grafton knew what flying meant to Lieutenant Rita Moravia； U。S。 Naval Aviato