24 Aug 2015

PROMPT:  Fog

Rebecca Beegle, writer/storyteller

A grey morning with fog.  Staff Sgt. Edwards holds a large notebook in his hands.  He signs his name with a flourish in the notebook.  Airman Roberts walks over.
At the edge of the stage stands another Sgt. with an M-16 rifle.  He watches everything carefully.
SGT. EDWARDS
You check the cockpits, Roberts.
ROBERTS
Ready for the stick actuators.
Edwards smiles.
SGT. EDWARDS
Who we strapping in this morning?
ROBERTS
Parthum and Douglass.
SGT. EDWARDS
Think they can squeeze their egos in?
Parthum and Douglass, Air Force captains in flights suits and carrying helmets enter.  They go to Roberts and Edwards.
PARTHUM
How’s my plane, Edwards?
SGT. EDWARDS
My plane is fine, Captain Parthum.  Pre-flights complete.
PARTHUM
That’s my name sprayed on the cockpit.
SGT. EDWARDS
And mine’s on the other side.  ‘Til you sign your name in the log, it’s my plane.
ROBERTS
I don’t even know why we had to do a pre-flight.
DOUGLASS
So that when and if we ever have to fly this mission for real, we won’t have to think about it.  We’ll just do it.
SGT. EDWARDS
But... shouldn’t we think about it?
PARTHUM
You’re not here to think, Edwards.  There are people in Washington who are paid a lot more money than you and I make, to do the thinking.
SGT. EDWARDS
Yes, sir.
PARTHUM
Give me the book.
Edwards hands Parthum the note book.  Parthum thumbs through it and stops near the end.
PARTHUM
Fuel leak?
SGT. EDWARDS
Mid-shift cleared it.  I inspected and signed off the red ex when I got here this morning.
PARTHUM
Ok.  Anything else?
SGT. EDWARDS
We had nav out after the sortie yesterday.  Captain Hanson complained about the radar.
DOUGLASS
Hanson’s an idiot.
SGT. EDWARDS
That was the tech’s opinion.  Couldn’t duplicate.  No defect noted.
PARTHUM
(with a smile)
Full a gas?
SGT. EDWARDS
We put in forty-five thousand gallons of JP4.  No centerline tank for this mission, just wing external tanks.
PARTHUM
It’s not like were taking off.  Just taxi down to E.O.R., hit the burners for three seconds and taxi back.
ROBERTS
This is so stupid.
PARTHUM
What’s your problem, Roberts?
ROBERTS
(indicating the guard)
There’s a guy with a gun standing over there.
PARTHUM
Ensure the two man concept.
ROBERTS
Or what?  He’ll shoot us?
PARTHUM
I doubt he’d shoot you, Roberts.  Just throw you to the ground, put the business end of that rifle to the back of your head and wait for the MPs to come and haul you away.
ROBERTS
That’s ridiculous.  It’s just an exercise!  This is all pretend!
PARTHUM
Sgt. Edwards?
SGT. EDWARDS
Roberts, we talked about this!
ROBERTS
(growing more agitated)
It doesn’t make any sense!
SGT. EDWARDS
This is how every exercise ends.  The elephant walk.  We load out everything that will still fly.
ROBERTS
And destroy the planet.
DOUGLASS
(a bit of glee)
Nuke ‘em til they glow!
PARTHUM
(rebuking his back seater)
That’s enough, Douglass.
(turning to Sgt. Edwards, indicating Roberts)
He gonna be alright?
SGT. EDWARDS
I think we’re all a little on edge.  Been a long two weeks.
PARTHUM
You’re first time over here?
SGT. EDWARDS
Yes, sir.
PARTHUM
You’ll get used to it.
SGT. EDWARDS
I’m not sure I want to get used to it.
PARTHUM
You’re a good man, Edwards.  A good crew chief.  You keep this plane in the air.
SGT. EDWARDS
And today they loaded it with a real nuclear weapon and I’m going to kick the tires and light the fires.
PARTHUM
And I’m going to taxi it down to the End of Run way.
SGT. EDWARDS
And if we were really losing the war...
PARTHUM
I’ll do my best to drop that bomb wherever they tell me.
ROBERTS
Women... and children...
SGT. EDWARDS
But today, we’re just practicing the end of the world.
PARTHUM
Yup.
Parthum takes a pen from his flight suit and signs the notebook.  He hands the notebook back to Edwards.
Parthum heads off stage opposite where he entered.  Douglass follows, the Edwards, then Roberts.
End of play.