Book 13: In A Spin     "In A Spin" Part 1

 
In A Spin is a continuation of Tammy's Tales and follows on from Deja Flew. Please note this is a work of fiction and any references to real people, real places or real heavily armed military units are for artistic purposes only!

 
Thursday 8th February 2018
 

Tammy had reached the start of February without any major issues, or fallout from previous endeavours. A call from Captain Marcus Wade had interrupted her civilian existence.

"How are you Lieutenant?"

"I was fine, but now I'm wondering what you have lined up for me, Marcus?"

"I should have you for insubordination?"

"Forget it and loosen up, otherwise my next call will be to Sean along with my resignation."

"Understood Lieutenant, Miss Smart, but as you guessed I do have orders for you, from the Colonel."

"Let me guess, I have to rescue a deposed leader from some far flung land?"

Marcus managed a laugh, albeit restrained. "Not quite, young lady, you have a two week career progression training course."

"Two weeks?"

"The first week is your college half-term, but the second week you're out of university. It's the last two weeks of February. I understand from your tutor that you're fully up to date."

"I'll have to thank him next time I see him. Okay, that's the when, but where is it? Don't think for one moment this means I'm agreeing to it."

"RAF Lossiemouth."

"That's not far, does this mean I could stay at home?"

"I would imagine so?"

"Okay, now what's the course for?"

"That will be in your induction pack, Lieutenant, which should be with you tomorrow."

Tammy put the phone down and checked her diary. The college was only shut for three days during half term week so she didn't have that first week completely free. Not for the first time her senior officers had missed the difference between the English and the Scottish systems, especially where education and law were concerned.

Their contempt for her non-military life went further, Marcus hadn't considered the impact on her business - as usual.

"Bugger!"

"Okay, what's up?"

"Sorry, Joey, but I'm going to have to ask you to scrub the time off you booked."

"At the end of the month?"

"Yes, I'm being sent on a course and I didn't tell him where to shove it."

"That's okay. I was going to spend a few days with mum but one of Dad's family wants to visit her at the same time and they creep me out."

"What are they after?"

"I don't know, mum finally refused to talk to any of that family after the trial. They insisted I was in the wrong and all the allegations were lies."

"Finally?"

"They got to her and kept at her, driving a wedge and pushing me out of her support. That lasted right up until the verdict was announced. Mum wanted to be there but was so hurt she wouldn't be any use to me, that's why I was in court without her on the final day. When that man was sent to Colchester they blamed me for his sins and turned on mum. That was when she truly realised his family had been manipulating her."

"The truth can be a fragile thing."

"Yeah, Tammy, like you ever tell me the truth about what you do?"

"That's a little different."

"Really?"

"Yes Joey, it is. In my case you're not a victim and I aim to keep it that way. The question is, though, why is this guy going to see your mum?"

"I didn't say it was a guy, it's his older sister, Barbara. Apparently they want to make amends and help Dad with his appeal, she says it's mum's responsibility to help."

"That does not sound good at all."

"No, so I'm staying out of the way. Mum won't be happy, but I really don't want to get involved."

"Okay, I fully understand."

"Have you sorted out a card for Maisie?"

"It's not her birthday yet?"

"Tammy, sometimes I wonder where you spent your teenage years? It's the fourteenth next week and the shops are running low on the cards!"

Tammy grabbed her jacket and bag and made a run for the door.

Friday 9th February 2018
 

"Tammy, have you ever had to camp?"

"In a tent?"

"Yes."

"No, why Maisie?"

"It was part of Army training, you are stuck out on the moors and expected to survive for a day or longer."

"On your own?"

"No, normally six plus in basic training."

"I hope you're not considering sending me on one of those schemes?"

"No, but didn't you say that you might need to do observations or intel gathering outside, not protected by having a desk between you and the real world?"

"Yeah, but what's this leading to?"

"You're outside, in the middle of nowhere and you need a wee?"

"Oh. No loo?"

"Exactly."

"Hmmm, drop 'em and squat?"

"And risk getting your camouflaged outfit wet, and smelly? Smell is a dead give-away, especially to guard dogs."

"I'm not keen on wearing a nappy!"

"You wear a liner most of the time and, in case you hadn't noticed, I'm due my period again in a week and a half?"

"Yeah, okay Maisie, point taken but what's your solution? I guess there is one?"

A phone rang, the secure phone, so the cozy kitchen chat after lunch abruptly ended.

Tammy got there first.

"Video call at sixteen hours Zulu. Have laptop connected."

The caller rang off, Tammy repeated the words to her assistant.

"Okay, now what?"

"Now we wait, what were you going to tell me?"

"There's these devices that let a girl pee like a boy and some that store your pee in crystals!"

"I'm not sure whether to be amazed or upset?"

"I'll show you then we can decide which ones to keep in our go bags."

"Yes, Maisie, who's the boss here?"

When the time drew near, Tammy and Maisie carried what they needed downstairs. Fresh coffees in hand, Tammy and Maisie sat down in front of the laptop. Tammy checked her camera's angle and adjusted. A few moments later a tab opened, seemingly on its own then a ten count began. The countdown finished and the tab sectioned into three video screens. One screen held a woman in shadowy light and another held an older man apparently in an office. The third screen remained black.

"Tamara Smart is online, Sir." A woman's voice announced.

Tammy had smiled when she saw Dannigan on the second screen. The smile remained as she greeted him. "Good morning, Sir."

"Afternoon." Dannigan replied gruffly then looked up to his own screen and noted Maisie. "To you as well, Sergeant Staines."

Maisie nodded back. "Sir."

The third screen came up but the figure was concealed by shadows as well. "Online."

"Hello Cousin." Tammy grinned, recognizing Tiffany's voice.

Tiffany answered back. "Hey there."

Kimberly cut in. "Thank you for filing your reports, Ladies. Sergeant Staines, thank you for having a report added, but it wasn't necessary. Continue to file your reports with your country's service. Minus our involvement, of course."

"Yes Ma'am." Maisie replied then muttered. "Like I know who any of you actually are in the first place."

Dannigan was still glancing through papers but responded. "We're the good guys that do bad things to people desperately begging for karma to catch up to them."

"Well put, Uncle." Tammy chuckled. "And I'm still grateful you took on this problem child for a niece."

Tiffany giggled. "Watch out lil' cousin. Cause too many problems and you'll get sent out to deal with a 'logistical matter'. That's his way of saying a narco-cartel is getting more attention than they should."

"I've been behaving." Tammy countered.

Dannigan cleared his throat to get their attention. "Smart, Tammy, we need to debrief you. We're just now getting to you, as always; holidays are fiasco. Rest assured, we hadn't forgotten you."

"Understood, Sir."

"In your own words, go through the the operation, day by day."

Tammy began with how a seemingly random Police incident caused her and Maisie to join the multi-agency operation, expressing a surprise that it had escalated so quickly with resources being deployed with zero notice. Tammy was, however, very aware that she had to be a little circumspect when telling one intelligence agency about another's inner machinations, so left out the names of many of the key players she interacted with, referring purely by job title where necessary.

She'd been talking for fifteen minutes when she recounted receiving her deployment order.

"That's when I met up with Sierra Delta, Sir. We then embarked to Switzerland via my plane, you already have comms records for the flight."

Dannigan seemed to have been reading along, but still watching her on the screen. "Very good. Let's skip ahead. You retrieved the Assault Load-Out. All equipment functioned as expected?"

"Yes Sir, but I was surprised to be fitted with a camera." Tammy admitted.

Kimberly responded. "Any type of hostile engagement is monitored. Hostiles were definitely engaged on that operation. However, due to the nature of the operation; joint cooperation, warranted the body-cams. Your actions, up to a point, were within parameters."

"Up to a point?" Maisie wondered aloud then caught herself. "Sorry."

Tammy shook her head to Maisie. "I left the room with Penny and went downstairs. I was not supposed to do that. I was charged with securing her."

"You had concern for a team-mate that you were unfamiliar with. Yes, you made a mistake and know it. There will be some remedial training planned for you." Dannigan said firmly.

Tammy chose her words carefully. "An opportunity to improve rather than punishment."

"You'll be expected to learn those lessons well." Kimberly stated.

Tiffany encouraged. "You can, you will."

"Become; and remove doubt." Tammy recited. Maisie shook her head as Tammy repeated the mantra.

Dannigan nodded. "Exactly. That said, you did well. Captain, take over."

"Thank you, Uncle, good day." Tammy said then Dannigan's screen went black.

Kimberly did take over. "You've gotten some jump-time in, good. You need range time as well. We'll see what can be done."

"Dive time is a problem. The conditions are horrid." Tammy stated.

Tiffany spoke up. "Get a dry-suit."

"I believe we sent one. If not send me the sizing information and we'll send one. Cold and crappy are to be expected, learn to work in it." Kimberly stated.

Tammy nodded. "Yes Ma'am."

Kimberly went on. "Sergeant Staines."

"Ma'am."

"During the 'working holiday' you'll get some special attention. Additionally, some time with a leading personal trainer for women has been arranged, Bella Falconi." Kimberly stated.

Maisie's eyes almost popped out. "BELLA FALCONI? REALLY?"

"I see you know of her, that's good, you'll be spending four days with her. Make the most of it." Kimberly said.

Maisie seemed to forget the environment she was in and loudly jumped into a state of elation. She could never have guessed she would be getting personal time with such a renowned expert. "I will, thank you Ma'am! Even if I can't put it on my sheet, it still helps."

"Not so fast, young lady. This is a professional arrangement and you will be able to list her program, you'll even get a certificate. It's convenient timing, she'll be guest lecturing for a service and will be in the area at the time. We made her an offer to give you a crash course." Kimberly explained.

Tammy smiled, glad that they were doing that for Maisie. She suspected it was also a means to keep Maisie away and occupied while Tammy would train and be evaluated.

"That covers everything for now. Continue as you have been, with improvements." Kimberly advised.

Tiffany waved. "Take care and get some fun in, lil' cousin."

"I'll try, big cousin." Tammy smiled.

The screens went black then an image of a dolphin appeared, jumping up then disappearing as the tab closed and the computer screen flickered twice. Tammy laughed, knowing it was Krystel's doing; deleting all traces of the contact.

"What was that?" Maisie asked.

Tammy giggled. "Just the old; we were never here, that never happened."

"You mean they erased things from the computer?" Maisie stared at the computer, wondering what had been removed.

Tammy stood up to go refill her cup. "Somebody was on my computer, Love?"

Maisie face-palmed. "For the love of God, you spies and the confusion you do."

"The joy of the self-employed. Who said anything about spies? You just won a styling course in a special competition." Tammy smirked and went upstairs carrying the laptop.

Maise shouted behind her, "yeah, where I was the only entrant!"

The courier arrived at five and Tammy, on this occasion, had time to unlock the shop door ready to sign for the package, she even had ID available in order to avoid a similar delay to the previous occasion. As it was, it was the same courier and he didn't say a word. Tammy quickly secured the shop and returned into the warmer interior.

"Okay, what's in there?"

"Hold on, Maisie, let's get into the office first, I have a feeling this will need to go into the safe."

The covering letter was simple enough, she was to report to RAF Lossiemouth ten days later for two weeks, Monday-Saturday, of helicopter training.

"Wow, that looks exciting!"

"No Maisie, this looks like trouble! Have you ever watched a helicopter pilot at work?"

"Er, no, but in the movies they make it look easy!"

"Well, this isn't a film, this is real life, and it'll be a ruddy military chopper, not a civilian one."

"What model?"

Tammy opened up the thick folder that was the main part of the package. "The Puma. That's interesting."

"Why?"

"Two of the choppers that Smart Air operates are Super Pumas, Jim once told me that quite a few of the North Sea air firms run the Super Puma these days."

"So?"

"So I'll get myself a test ride; the rest of this folder can wait."

 
Monday 19th February 0745hrs
 

Tammy touched down at Millfield Airfield, to the East of Inverness, and taxied to the runway apron. It was strange flying her Czech Sport as all of her hours recently had been in the Epic, Jim had assured her that the plane was in perfect condition and she fully trusted the Smart Air maintenance team, and the pilots, with her life.

She'd booked the trip by telephone, but there was no tower to guide her in and Tammy guessed that a night landing wasn't advised. She could see a single vehicle parked next to a hanger but no-one was in sight. Tammy took her phone and called for a cab to collect her before completing her logbook for the flight.

As she stepped down she was met by a middle aged woman who looked her up and down.

"You must be Miss Smart?"

"Correct."

"How long are you going to be here? I'm not available after half-past four and I need to lock the gate."

"Err, as far as I know I'll be gone by four for sure, perhaps a little after?"

"Fine, that's fifty pounds."

Tammy reached into her shoulder bag and pulled out her purse before counting out the notes.

"Cash as requested."

"Good." She started to write in a log. "G-TYMS, is that a personalised one?"

"Err, yes, it was available."

"Hmmm. Here's your receipt. I hope you don't need fuel? We don't have a bowser here today, only on club days."

"No, I had a full tank half an hour ago."

A taxi drove in through the site entrance as Tammy walked away, putting the receipt away. The driver pulled up by her. "Miss Smart?"

"Correct, let's get going."

Ten minutes later she was deposited at the main gate of RAF Lossiemouth. Tammy had opted to wear her khaki uniform and had now put a beret on her hair, as well as an ID that was swinging from her neck.

"Lieutenant Smart." Tammy handed over her orders.

The RAF guard looked her over and Tammy thought she could detect a little displeasure in his voice, Tammy was clearly army but he couldn't see a regiment so erred on the side of caution.

"That's fine. Do you know where you're going?"

"The flight school."

"One hundred metres straight ahead then turn to the right. It's signposted but I might be able to find someone to take you there?"

"Thank you, but I'll manage." Tammy actually had a map and already knew her destination but she didn't have the time to correct the apparent Male Chauvinist Pig.

She reached the door of the flight school the same time as an RAF officer, he opened it for her.

"Thank you."

Her ID was quickly examined. "Lieutenant Smart? I'm Flight Lieutenant Johnson, welcome to Lossiemouth. Have you been here before?"

"No, but one of my planes has; a fake Sonaca was brought in here almost a year ago in a Hercules before heading to Farnborough?"

"Oh, that was you?"

"Yes, someone wanted me dead and it had to look like an accident, preferably over the sea."

"I see, has anyone made a threat on you since?"

"I could give you a list, but they're in a variety of prisons or deceased so I consider myself relatively safe at the moment."

"Good, because it's not a good idea to be looking over your shoulder all the time when learning to fly?"

"Indeed."

"I'm Joe, by the way."

"Tammy."

"Let's get into the classroom."

Tammy had expected to be alone but found half a dozen others sat waiting, she was the only female of the group and the only one not in a blue RAF uniform. Joe walked to the front.

"Good morning everyone, I'm sure you all have your own reasons for wanting to get into an overpowered eggbeater or perhaps your immediate superior insisted you did?"

That covered Tammy's reason for flying there during half term, and apparently the timing was a coincidence, not that Marcus would have looked at it that way.

"Firstly, I fully expect that everyone read the information pack that was sent out, and has signed it?"

Tammy reached into her bag for the folder. She now knew rather too much about the RAF and their SOPs, especially in the event of an emergency. She offered the pull-out signature page to the Flight Lieutenant as he passed her.

"One question before we start, how many of you can fly fixed wing?"

All bar two put their arms up.

"To those who raised your hands, well done, you hopefully know how to plot a course, handle communications, deal with changing weather and fully understand the rules regarding flight. You also know how to keep a plane in the air and how to land it safely. In order to fly a helicopter you should consider any actual flying experience as redundant for the duration of this course.

"In many respects the non-aviators here have an advantage, they won't have to be told, over and over again, that flying a helo is nothing like flying fixed wing. My tolerance is good, better perhaps than it should be, but if anyone tells me that it's different, consider yourself on a warning. Take the piss and you're out, and don't forget to take your ego with you? Understood?"

Tammy had been warned many times that Smart Air's helo pilots were something special and a half hour chopper experience a week earlier, flying with Jim as his second pilot, had rammed that into her. She began to wonder whether flying in had been a good idea, even if it had saved her well over an hour on the road.

"Your folders contain a good physical description of how a standard, or perhaps typical, helicopter behaves in the air, but I also have a short video to reinforce this. Once again, the non-flyers will find this easier."

Tammy watched the video, although she'd already seen an edited version on Youtube; Jim had suggested she immerse herself in as many training videos as possible.

They broke for coffee and Joe took Tammy to one side once they had a mug each.

"I have detailed personnel files for each of the RAF, including psych profiles, but I know almost nothing about you, Tammy?"

"That's fairly common for those I come across."

"You're not special forces though?"

"Strictly speaking, no."

"As far as I can see you don't have a military licence?"

"No, just a private pilot's licence with multi-engine and full avionics."

"So that doesn't explain why you're on this course? Don't take this wrong but I wasn't given a choice."

"That makes both of us, Joe, I have no idea why they decided this was a skill I needed?"

"Even if your father owns a helicopter company?"

Tammy didn't like that, despite his earlier comment, he'd still dug into her history and perhaps her reply was a little sharp? "I'm a part-owner myself!"

"Apologies, so why hadn't you taken private lessons?"

"It wasn't a necessity. If it helps, my father is only now taking lessons to get his PPL. I've had my PPL for nearly a year."

"I see, did the company operate fixed wing?"

"No, my planes are the first ones that have been based with Smart Air."

"A little birdie tells me that you flew over Christmas when civilian ATC was down?"

Tammy looked straight at him and smiled "That little birdie had best not be a Nightingale. I take my privacy very seriously, both personal and operational."

"I see, no, I don't know anything about a nightingale, this was a very senior officer in London who tried to describe you."

"Ah, he didn't sound American did he?"

"Aberdeenshire I think, it doesn't matter and I shouldn't have raised it. Apologies Lieutenant."

"Indeed, apology accepted."

The rest of the morning consisted of a site health and safety briefing including a full emergency plan explanation. This was followed by a quiz, the scores were read out.

"And the highest score goes to Lieutenant Smart, who isn't even in the RAF, or even a full-time soldier?" He tactfully omitted that she was the only non-male. "What's the secret?"

Tammy decided to counter the room full of testosterone. "I part own a helicopter company at Wick Airport plus I've flown into and out of several military and civilian bases over the past twelve months. Fortunately I also had advance sight of the emergency plan, it was in my folder in the annexes."

"It was in everyone's folder, but I guess one or two assumed that the plan for their local airfield would be the same here? Wrong. Tell us, Lieutenant, how often have you flown a helicopter?"

"I have taken the controls once, for about ten minutes total, that's all. I might add that was after I received my orders to report here, up till then I had only been a passenger."

"You mentioned military airports?"

"Yes, I did, but we're not here to examine my fixed wing experience or check my logbook, are we?"

Tammy had a guess at Joe's reasoning for asking those last questions, even after she'd already shut him down. There were at least three MCPs in the room and their egos were huge. They had clearly made an assumption about Tammy and Joe wanted to avoid any animosity.

"Indeed, and I'd like to remind all of you that operational matters from your own units remains there, we take operational security very seriously here."

They broke for lunch and that was taken in a side room off the officers' mess.

Tammy was found by Joe as she finished her dessert.

"We have a problem."

"And?"

"The course is having to be relocated to No. 28 Squadron at RAF Benson, we have been advised of a threat and non-essential personnel have to leave."

"Where is RAF Benson? I'm not familiar with the base?"

"Oxfordshire, it's home to Joint Helicopter Command and has a great training facility."

"Okay, I'll have to refuel at least once on the way, after I fly home for clean knickers?"

"Weren't you staying on base?"

"No, I thought I could fly in."

"When we had notification that you were coming from Thurso we issued orders informing you this was residential, didn't you receive it?"

"No."

"Well, you'll have to resolve your underwear problem with the base stores when you arrive, the Herc leaves in forty five minutes."

"A Hercules to Oxfordshire?"

"Yes."

"Are you sure I can't fly myself?"

"Sorry, that's out of my hands."

Tammy went to her bag and retrieved her phone.

"That won't work, we've blocked phones due to the security alert."

Tammy engaged satellite mode and called Smart Air.

"Can you retrieve my Czech Sport please, it's at Millfield."

"What's going on, Tammy?"

"Sorry Jim, I wish I knew. My spare keys are on the hook."

"Got them, leave it with me, does your father know?"

"Not yet, can you pass the message on please?"

"Understood."

Tammy killed the call, Joe was still stood there.

"Mobile phones are blocked, how did that work?"

"It worked just fine, and it will work just fine when I call my security-cleared fiancée in a minute. What is this security alert?"

"It's an alert and you still haven't explained why your phone works?"

"It was designed to work if the terrestrial networks failed. My managers insisted."

"What's your real role here?"

"What's the security alert?"

"My office, now!"

Tammy lost her phone into her bag and picked up her coffee before leaving the table. She followed the Flight Lieutenant into a building next to the mess, then up a flight of stairs. He held the door open for her.

"Please sit, Miss Smart."

"Fine, but my rank is Lieutenant. I hope this is going to be a two way conversation?"

"That depends."

"In which case I'll have a taxi back to my plane?"

"Just who the hell do you think you are?"

"Right now, Lieutenant Tamara Smart. Sometimes plain old Tammy Smart."

"Your military record showed no basic training, no initial assignment, nothing except you went straight to a special regiment. That reeks of half a story?

"Okay, my rank is an aid, it helps me in my work."

"Which is?"

"Doing whatever is necessary to protect this country. Isn't that your job description too?"

"It's not how I would put it and in your case that's pretty vague. Who do you work for?"

"Myself."

"That is ludicrous. Who, really?"

"Myself, I'm a business woman."

"Who has the same security clearance as myself?"

"I do a lot of business. I'm pretty sure my clearance is higher than yours, to be honest. Now, what is this alert?"

"A Liberian flagged trawler limped into Fraserburgh last night. Once it was in the harbour the crew were all found to be Russian. The vessel was searched, in case of stowaways apparently but no fish was found. A rescue tug is now on the way into our territorial waters to recover it and the Russian Consulate in Glasgow is spitting feathers because the vessel was searched without the Captain's permission."

"Okay a diplomatic incident, even though the search team really did not need permission to board the vessel? This is probably a case of left and right hands not talking to each-other and the Russians taking full advantage of the mess? Where is the rescue tug?"

"Directly in the flight path out of here for our primary reconnaissance flights, about ten miles out. You did know that Lossiemouth is the home of the Quick Reaction Alert Force North?"

"Ah, snappy title but I can see your problem."

"Indeed, so we have ceased all non-essential launches and locked down all communications."

"You can't stay like that?"

"Indeed, but we're waiting for the Royal Navy to assist."

"They helped me out at Christmas, that was Russians too."

"I take it that you are referring to when HMS Monmouth intercepted a boat off Anglesey?"

"Maybe."

"So which agency are you working for?"

"At Christmas, three of them, plus myself. Take your pick. Anyway, I thought I could fly in each day, which is why I don't have any spare knickers with me."

"Sorry about that, we did sent a notification that it was a residential course, shortened to eleven days for those with existing pilot licences."

"I never received anything after the initial pack."

"That's always a problem when non-RAF personnel are involved. That C130 is going to leave without you if you don't get down there."

"I suppose I could just go home?"

"Maybe, Lieutenant Smart, but you won't get on another of our courses if you do. Also, just think about the report your superior will receive, stating that you refused an order?"

Tammy reluctantly agreed and Joe escorted her to the plane, boarding using the tailgate. She wasn't totally surprised at the seating arrangements, having seen the web seating in documentaries and movies from the previous century, but guessed this was not going to be an executive service. An orderly followed her onto the plane and handed her a pair of ear defenders and a handbag sized plastic box in a fetching shade of NATO green.

"You'll need these."

The orderly stepped off the plane and Tammy took a look around the sparsely occupied flight. Apart from the course members there were only three she hadn't seen so far that day and Tammy was the only female. A reduction in light levels, plus a rumble via her shoes, indicated that the tailgate was being lifted. She already had her harness on and decided now was a good time to put the defenders over her ears. A few on the opposite bank of seats didn't appear to have the headphone style of defenders but Tammy could just see blobs of colour, suggesting they were using in-the-ear plugs.

She now took a look inside the plastic container and quickly spotted a wee funnel, a topic Maisie had raised a week or so earlier. Tammy put the cap on the container and took a better look around the plane, in particular for any sign that indicated a toilet given that she hadn't use the loo for several hours. The best she could see was a canvas shrouded area by the cockpit door. She hadn't seen that on the C-130 she rode in for her jump training on the island.

She could feel they were moving but she had no windows to the outside world, a change in noise, even through the ear defenders, indicated they were picking up ground speed and Tammy made an assumption, this was confirmed a few seconds later when the ground noise stopped as the wheels left the runway.

She reached for her bag, tucked under her legs, and retrieved her phone. Her first message was to Joey to update her, with apologies. Tammy had expected being able to check into the office on her way home a few times during the course.

Her next message was to Maisie, with a quick explanation. As Maisie now had a secure phone of her own Tammy used the secure messaging app installed by the security service. The other passengers were watching Tammy tap away but clearly wasn't expecting the phone to have a connection to the outside world.

Joey simply acknowledged the text message whereas Maisie asked if there was anything she could do? Tammy asked that she called Marcus and let him know. She lost her phone into her bag, having muted any notifications, not that she could have heard anything.

She closed her eyes and did her best to get comfortable on the webbing seat. She had no idea how long her eyes had been closed but felt someone walk past so took a look. The guy went behind the canvas screen, obviously for wee. She reached for her phone and found a recent missed call, plus a text message. It was twenty minutes since her message to her fiancee.

Marcus: "Sgt Staines called me, where are you going?"

Tammy: "South. There was a change to my course plans?"

Marcus: "I sent that out on Friday night."

Tammy: "No courier arrived and the post doesn't arrive until late morning, so I went to a residential course with no clean underwear, or clean anything. What was wrong with a phone call?"

Marcus: "You'll cope."

Tammy "I'm quite happy to be put on a charge for telling you, Captain Wade, that I don't think you care one jot about me?"

She gave up with the conversation and locked the phone but kept it in her hand. Tammy looked up and saw several pairs of eyes looking at her. She ignored the audience and went to drop her phone into the open bag but changed her mind as the plane rode over turbulent air. A whine from the engines and she felt the C130 climb before levelling out. A conversation was being attempted on the far side of the compartment, although it was close to shouting given the environment. Tammy's ear defenders weren't one hundred percent effective, but she could do no more, so she closed her eyes.

She woke with a full bladder and wondered whether she could last until they landed? Her phone told her that another hour had passed, she guessed there was at least another hour to go, possibly longer as she had no idea of their airspeed. The main issue was that she couldn't hold her wee that long.

She squirmed in her seat and decided she had no choice. Tammy left her bag on the floor but took the green box with her. Behind the canvas she found a bucket, someone else might call it a comode but to Tammy it was simply a pee bucket and her nose objected. Committing herself to the inevitable Tammy took the simple device out of the box and unzipped her fly. An unwelcome flashback crossed her mind but she got on with the task whilst using one hand to hold herself upright, mentally praying for no turbulence. She wrapped the device in a napkin included and tucked it away in a leg pocket then made herself decent before walking back to her seat, praying that she didn't need to repeat the experience anytime soon.

Once the buckle was engaged she settled to try to doze off again.

A sudden change in engine noise stirred her and Tammy could feel the plane dropping, or at least her stomach did. The Hercules levelled and Tammy wondered if they were anywhere close to their destination. Suddenly she heard the flaps engage followed by the nose sinking, thirty seconds later a hefty bump confirmed her return to terra firma. A touch of reverse thrust killed most of the forward momentum and the plane soon turned off the runway. Now she had no idea where they were.

A clunk was followed by a whine as the tailgate dropped. Her fellow passengers had released their harnesses so Tammy did likewise. They were retrieving sacks from a pallet box whereas she only had a handbag. A minibus dropped them at an accommodation block with printed instructions to reconvene in the training mess in twenty minutes.

It seemed everyone was having to bunk two to a room but she was the sole female on the course so ended up on her own. A number of Tesco carrier bags sat on the lower bunk, a note was on the top.
 

 
Tammy quickly stripped and showered, rinsing out the wee funnel, before putting on the new undies. She had to put the same fatigues back on but hoped to resolve that soon. She just made the RVP feeling a little fresher.

"Welcome to our recently arrived trainees from Lossiemouth. I'm Captain Goody and I am the course co-ordinator. Unfortunately I know nothing about you so could you please give me a thirty second update on why you're here?"

Tammy was clearly going to be last as she was bypassed twice, not a huge surprise given that she was the only female.

"Finally, who the hell are you and why are you here?"

"Lieutenant Tammy Smart. I eat senior officers for lunch, I should add that I'm hungry."

"I've heard that name somewhere before?"

"My nemesis at RAF Wattisham tried to put me into the guard room but he's now doing a stretch in Colchester."

"I'd suggest that you're left alone, but why are you here Lieutenant?"

"Good question, my Colonel decided it would be a good idea but my guess is that it came from somewhere else, I will find out eventually. I do have a PPL and I would have flown myself down here if given the choice, so at least I didn't have to wait around for a flight home."

"That sounds like you're a territorial?"

"No. I work for me and have the convenience of a rank as an irregular regular. It wasn't my idea, but they haven't got rid of me yet, plus they seem to like me in Downing Street and Buck House, no gong yet though."

"I'm concerned that you'll be a liability here, and that causes me a huge issue with safety?"

"I'll be good, I can follow orders and I want to learn! I'm just not going to keep my mouth shut if I see hypocrisy or maltreatment. That's me, I'm knowingly contemptuous apparently, Sir."

"If you are going to blow your mouth off, do it privately, I do not want this course upended by your ego, Lieutenant. Understood?"

"Sir."

They were dismissed with instructions to report at 0800 the following day. Tammy had three offers of evening entertainment, she ignored the first two.

"If you want to get into my knickers, I'm on my way to the stores so they can measure you at the same time?"

Several chuckles were heard, but the offers stopped with that. Tammy could have sworn she heard herself being referred to as a 'frigid bitch', but that wouldn't do any harm at all under the circumstances.