To Earn a Star

By Marianne Orban

The year is 2054. Brenda Warrick, an aspiring young fighter pilot trainee for the USAF, dreams of earning the highest of all awards: the Star of Courage. A war bubbling in Australia may grant her the chance she needs, but does she have what it takes to overcome the disasters and tragedies along the way?

• Language: English
• Publisher: iUniverse
• Release date: Jan 14, 2000
• ISBN: 9781469708706

Marianne Orban

Of Belgian nationality, Marianne Orban lived in France, the USA, Germany, and Norway, which explains her being fluent in French, English, and German. Attending the Oslo International School, she is a student in her last year of high school. As a consequence of the pressure and support from friends, teachers, and family—all of whom enjoyed the story very much—she finally got around to publishing her first novel, To Earn A Star.

Book preview

One

The T-46 skimmed over the waves, less than 50 meters in the air, heading north at over Mach 2, 50 kilometers off the Californian coastline. Suddenly, a small black object the size and shape of a dinner plate flashed across the trainer’s path. The guns opened and fired, uncannily accurate, at the target; the plate instantly shattered.

The instructor sitting behind the pilot jotted something down into the small pad he held in his lap. He spoke into the speakers built into his helmet, addressing the pilot. Next target: bearing 241o.

Yes, sir.

She glanced down at the display in front of her, veering off sharply to the left. The target appeared, a plate similar to the previous one in size and shape. Something about it set off a silent alarm in her mind and she frowned, studying it carefully as she approached, only a fraction of a second away from hitting it. She remembered the pre- flight ‘rules’: only hit targets with non-US colors.

Thinking quickly, she moved her thumb slightly across the weapon controls, switching from bullets to lighting markers, and fired. The plate didn’t shatter but began glowing a neon yellow.

Behind her, where he could study her without being seen, the instructor nodded approvingly and jotted another quick remark down. We’ll call that a day. Back to the base, Brenda.

Brenda Warrick smiled behind her visor and turned the trainer around, towards the coast and San Francisco. A few minutes later, the city’s sharp skyline came into view. Lit up as it was by the setting sun, it looked almost as though it were on fire. Brenda snapped her gaze off the city and slightly further south, where the white military buildings of the Travis Air Force base stood near the ocean.

She flicked a couple of switches and prepared for landing, double-checking her position. It would be rather stupid to crash-land after such a good flight performance. She braced herself, landed the trainer fairly roughly and managed to bring it to a stop in the hangar. Still have to practice the landing. Ah well, at least I brought it down in one piece.

She initiated the shutdown cycle and unstrapped as the cockpit opened. She jumped out and pulled off the helmet, running a hand through her shoulder-length dark brown hair. The instructor came out of the trainer and smiled at her as he pulled his own helmet off. Brenda being just under average height, she had to look up slightly to smile back. Any good?

He nodded. Yes. You’re progressing fast, but give the landing sims a bit of practice. He glanced down at the still open pad he held and slammed it shut. I think we’ll give you tomorrow off.

He grinned at her as she executed a vague salute then walked away. Brenda was heading for her room when a squadron of F- 27s approached the base in perfect formation, beginning their landing cycle. She studied the sleek fighters enviously. The year was 2054 and she’d been in training for four years. When I finish this summer, I’m going to fly one of those. She waited a while longer, watching them land neatly and sighed. But before that happens, I have to learn to land the trainer properly. Keep working, Bren, or you’ll never get there. With that, she turned her back to the sun and walked towards the barracks.

Brenda pushed the doors to the cantina open, looking around the high-ceilinged hall; as this was the time of the day at which most of the base personnel had their dinner, it was fairly busy. A tall, blond man at a round table in one corner waved, catching her attention. She smiled as she recognized David Ferrak, her fiancé. He’d wandered in from Texas years ago, due to the fact that his family had moved around a bit before settling down in San Francisco. He was two years older than Brenda and already an accomplished pilot, but they’d hit it off nearly straight away when Brenda first arrived at the base. She wove a way between crowded tables until she reached him. He smiled at her, gesturing to the empty seat next to him, and called out over the din. We’ve been waiting for you.

She grinned, dropping a light kiss on his cheek. I know. She looked around at the others at the table. All of them were men, about David’s age and most of them flew F-131 fighter/bombers. Brenda smiled at them as she took her place. Thanks for your patience, everyone. She faked a look of penitence. I’ll try to complete target practice faster next time.

They laughed, all knowing fully well that it was nearly impossible to wrap up the practice in less than an hour, and ordered their supper from the waitress. One of the few F-27 pilots to mingle with this group, Kay Donovan, leaned forward and grinned at her. How’d it go?

She smiled at him, her light blue eyes dancing. Kay was the same age as her but he’d passed his final exams a year earlier due to his incredible piloting skills. He’d been accepted into one of the

base’s top squadrons, Gold squad, and had already been promoted to the rank of lieutenant.

It was okay, I think, she answered with a slight shrug. I only missed one of the targets but I definitely screwed up the landing.

Some of the pilots nodded approvingly and Kay leaned away. It’s not easy to get them all, so I’d say that’s pretty good, he said and paused. Then, with a teasing grin, he added: for a beginner.

Brenda glanced up, a grin and a sharp retort on the tip of her tongue, but the group’s supper arrived just then—bland in many ways but steaming hot—appealing to her hunger to spare the lieutenant. Forgetting the incident, everyone instantly dug in, starving after a long day’s work and doing after a long day’s work and doing their best not to notice the tastelessness of the concoction.

Some time later, Garret set his empty glass down and glanced at his watch. He smiled at Brenda and David, the only two remaining from the group. One by one, the other members of their small group had retreated to their bunks—or to the night shift. 2300. Time for me to leave the scene, too; I’m on scouting duty early tomorrow.

Sleep well, Garret, Brenda said with a smile as they shook hands.

He left and Brenda turned to smile at David, kind of sad that the US has to be at war again, isn’t it?

It’s not really war yet, though.

Well, it’s so close you guys are on the lookout all the time. The actual declaration hasn’t happened yet, but it’s only a matter of days if you ask me.

And this’s the part I hate most—waiting without doing anything. Although the politicians say the ‘issue’ can be resolved without the use of violence, you don’t need to look hard at the armed forces to realize that’s just political bull.

She nodded and sighed, taking a sip from the half-empty glass in her hand. I don’t understand it. Times change, technology changes, people change, but politicians still think the same way as they did fifty years ago and a hundred years ago.

Yeah, you’ve got a point there, Bren.

Brenda stared down into her small glass, swirling the last few, sticky drops of the amber-colored liquid in it, before smiling at David. Shall we desert this place as well?

He nodded and stood, offering her his arm. I’ll walk you back to your place.

She slipped her arm through his and they strode out of the room and into the night. The long alley leading from the cantina to the barracks was only dimly lit in order to avoid presenting a luminous—and thus obvious—target to approaching enemy vessels; another sign of pre-wartime preparations. However, this generated plenty of shadows and increasing the sense of paranoia some people were prone to. Brenda leaned her head against Dave’s shoulder and half-closed her eyes. He smiled down at her. So what’ll you be doing tomorrow?

She made a face. I’ve got to study for the tests in June. She paused, looking down at the paved ground. Maybe I’ll give the landing sims some work to do, too.

David nodded. You’re right. Better train hard if you want to make it.

Yes. To be among the best…Like you, Dave, she added.

You’ll earn your Star soon enough. I know it.

She smiled and fell silent as she thought of the particular medal for courage under fire; the bronze, silver and gold Star of Courage awarded only to the best pilots. Yes, I’ll earn my star, no matter the time it takes. They reached the small apartment Brenda shared with Carrie Sunder, another candidate studying to pass the exams. She slipped a card through the slot in the door. The tiny light above the slot blinked from dull orange to bright green and the door unlocked and slid open. Brenda turned to face David, smiling. See you tomorrow, then.

He leaned down, kissing her softly before smiling. Yup. Sleep well, honey.

Two

Brenda sat cross-legged in a chair at an angle to the table in the living room the next day, her hair up in a loose ponytail, wearing a loose shirt and baggy pants. She was alone, Carrie studying the practical aspects of piloting that day. Half a dozen books were spread over the surface of the small table, open and lying at various angles to each other, along with three notebooks all covered in the same scrawl. None of these were currently in use, though. Brenda had one open book lying on her right knee and copied notes into a fourth notebook on her left knee, a pen in her right hand and an apple in the other.

She sighed as she finished the apple, tossing the core in the general direction of the trash can without even looking up. A clean, sharp thud made her smile inwardly but not look up. She turned the page and smiled as she realized it was the end of the book. Finally! Brenda slammed book and notebook shut and tossed them and the pen onto the table before standing and stretching.

She glanced at her watch Just past 1700. If I time it right I can use the simulators for an hour or so between the younger class and the janitor. She changed into her dark gray trainee flight suit and grabbed her helmet and key-card, slamming the door shut behind herself as she walked quickly down the alley.

Much later, for the nth time, the sleek F-27 headed towards the base at full speed, the off-white buildings coming into view quickly. Barely glancing away from the view in her HUD, Brenda flicked a few switches and throttled down to a speed suitable for landing. She nudged the fighter into position and landed it much more smoothly than the first few times.

"All right!"

Also for the nth time, the screen of the simulator went black, reflecting her helmeted image back at her. She grinned at it and hit the hatch button. I think that’ll do for today. The cockpit slowly opened and she jumped out, pulling her helmet off and tossing dark hair away from her face.

She studied the time on her watch and smiled as she walked out of the building.

Suddenly, the bell on the wall at the far end of the mess hall rang, the neon panels in the ceiling switching to flood the room with red light. For once without exception, everyone in the cantina fell silent and looked up. Sirens all over the base commenced their single-tone wail in the background. One officer burst into the cantina, instantly drawing all the attention to himself.

Everyone to your fighters! Trainees get to the transports and off the base…Now!

Suddenly serious, the pilots at her table nodded their good-byes at Brenda and poured out the door along with the other occupants of the cantina. Brenda joined the last few trainees in their jog to the army transports waiting at the gates. As she settled into her seat, a younger student looked at her, worried.

Will they make it? he asked.

She smiled back at him reassuringly. Of course they will. It’s their job, remember.

Brenda had a clear view of the base as they drove away at full speed. Suddenly, all the lights and sirens of the base shut off, leaving only an uneasy silence and the distant drone of the fighters as they took off and headed towards the still unseen danger, vanishing into the silent night. Brenda’s lips tightened into a thin line and she whispered, I hope so…

The men ran to their fighters, climbing in with practiced ease. David pulled his helmet over his head and scanned the small display screen for more details about what was going on as his weapons officer took his place behind him and flicked the guns on, half turning around. What’s up?

We’ve got two squadrons of F-39s and one of B-128s heading full this way. Our squad’s job is to divert one of the F-39 squads and get rid of them. Assigned defense leader is Gold Leader, Kay’s squad commander. He strapped in and flicked a couple of switches before turning the fighter. "The