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erdills。〃
〃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 Aviator。
They had her in a semi…private room with a beautiful white…haired lady who was fast asleep。 Toad spent ten minutes talking to the floor nurse and the internist before be went in。 〃They say you're gonna be okay；〃 he told Rita with a grin。 She had a patch over her left eye。 Scratches and small cuts were visible on her cheek。
She raised a finger to her lips。 〃Mrs。 Douglas went to sleep a few minutes ago；〃 she whispered。 Toad stood at the end of the bed glancing uneasily at the shiny； stark hospital equipment。 Just being in a hospital made his leg ache。
〃Here；〃 she said； still whispering； 〃pull this chair over and sit down。 Have you had any dinner？〃 It was almost 10 P。M。
〃Uh…uh。 How you doin'？〃 He sat gingerly on the forward portion of the seat。
She shrugged。 〃Thanks for saving my bacon。〃
He waved it away。 〃What's wrong with her？〃 he asked； glancing at the sleeping Mrs。 Douglas。
〃Broken hip。 She fell in her kitchen this morning。 They're going to pin it tomorrow evening。 She's been in a lot of pain today。〃
Toad nodded vaguely and examined the sheets that covered Rita。 Hospital sheets always looked so perfect； even with a body between them。 Her hair was a mess。 They had cleaned it and made no attempt to pretty it up。 That's what's wrong with hospitals… your dignity is left at the front door on the way in。
〃That shirt you're wearing is the most horrid garment I have… What are those colors？ Chartreuse and mauve？〃
〃Beats me；〃 Toad muttered； glancing at his torso with distaste。 〃One of the corpsmen picked it out at the exchange。 He thought I would cut a dashing figure in it； I guess。〃
〃Dashing is not the word I would use。〃
They sat for a while； each trying to think of something to say。 〃Guess your helmet visor saved your eyes；〃 he said at last 〃Cushioned the impact。〃
〃It's amazing； when you stop to think about it。 I thought about it all the way over here in the ambulance。 The ambulance only goes ten miles over the speed limit； so everything on the road passes it。 Lights flashing； and everyone whizzing by。 So I had plenty of time to think about the odds。 It's amazing。〃