Love Me Before Dawn

by Lindsay McKenna

  Tess compressed her lips which still tingled from Shep’s last kiss. She saw the crew being driven out to the bomber in a jeep. The bright blue flight suits of the two Rockwell people were brilliant in the sun’s blinding glow. Her heart hammered without relief in her breast as she watched the three of them descend from the vehicle. Shep was the tallest of the three. Tess wondered if this would be the last image she would have of him. The last time she would see him alive.

  Shep walked to the bomber, then stepped aside, allowing Faulkner to climb up the twelve-foot ladder which was located behind the front landing gear. He lifted his head, looking back toward the grandstand area. There were so many people in the ceremonial box that he couldn’t pick out Tess. He knew she was there. Reaching out, he momentarily touched the surface of the B-1. The satin white smoothness had been warmed by the sun’s rays, and it almost felt as if the bomber were pulsing with life beneath his hand. Shep gave the metal a slight pat of his hand and then ascended the ladder into the cockpit area.

  There was an air of unsettled tension in the cockpit as each of the three men went about his assigned tasks. Each had gone over his own particular job hundreds of times before. Shep climbed into the right-hand position, leaving his helmet and mask on the floor behind the seat for the moment. Together, he and Faulkner began the long list of preflight checks on all the systems aboard the B-1. The sun rose skyward; the heat in the cabin became uncomfortably warm. A small trickle of sweat ran down Shep’s temple. Finally the list was completed. Faulkner glanced at him.

  “Ready?”

  Shep grinned, reaching back and pulling his helmet out of the duffel bag. He placed the carefully made helmet on his head. “Ready, ready now,” he answered.

  Faulkner, who was ex-Air Force and had flown his share of missions in the B-52 SAC bombers, grinned. “Ready, ready now” was an old catch phrase used by SAC bomber crews. “Okay,” he said, turning and looking at Pete Vosper, the flight engineer who sat behind them at another console, “let’s go for all the marbles.”

  They strapped into the nylon harness, snapping the chin straps on the helmets closed against their jaws and clapping the oxygen masks across their faces. Shep lowered the dark visor to cut the sun’s blinding rays. He leaned forward, flipping on another row of switches. The tension became brittle in the last few seconds before the engines were switched on.

  Faulkner gave a thumbs-up to the crew chief standing beside the B-1 on the ramp. Immediately, the ground crew backed away. He looked at Shep. “Okay, let’s do it.”

  Shep nodded, pressing the button which would start all four engines. The auxiliary power units kicked in and suddenly, the four General Electric engines roared to life. The B-1 shuddered slightly as the two nacelles took the brunt of power pulsing through the engines.

  Shep smiled to himself—she felt good and steady. His hearing was tuned to the noise of the engines. It was well known that test pilots could almost psychically sense something going wrong by the most imperceptible pitch or change in engine sound. He glanced over at Faulkner.

  “Sounds good.”

  “Yeah. Readouts look good. Okay, give tower a call and we’ll get this show on the road.”

  “Roger.”

  Tess’s hands tightened until her knuckles turned white as the four huge engines were fired up. The roar seemed to shake the world around her. Automatically, as if someone had orchestrated the movement, everyone in the stands stood up in silent anticipation. The bomber was only a quarter of a mile away, and the engines effectively blotted out any further conversation. A small cry went up from some as the B-1 slowly began to roll away from the ramp area. Tess’s heartbeat quickened. The B-1 moved down the taxi strip like a beautiful belle at a ball. The sunlight gleamed off her skin with blinding brilliance. The long needle nose and the dark windows of the cockpit bobbed slightly as the tricycle landing gear moved over small depressions in the concrete toward the takeoff point.

  Tess moved her hands to her breast, her throat growing dry as the B-1 passed majestically in front of the reviewing stands. She had the wild urge to raise her hand and wave, knowing Shep was at the window closest to them. The wings of the B-1 were in full forward sweep position for the takeoff. One of the unusual features of the bomber was its wings, which could be swept back when the plane was moving at low altitudes to maintain its flyability.

  “God,” someone said behind her, “that’s a beautiful plane!”

  “That baby was made to fly!” another said.

  Tess shut her eyes tightly for a moment, praying that they were right.

  *

  “Slats down,” Shep said.

  “Roger.” Faulkner nodded, guiding the bomber along with the rudders.

  Shep leaned forward, hitting the switch. “Flaps down,” he reported, leaning to the right and watching the flap on the right wing coming down. “Locked and in place.”

  “Roger. Left one looks good too.”

  Shep checked the lights that would verify that the flaps were locked in place. “Roger.” He made other final checks, aware of the power pulsing through the bomber. The tension had given way to an incredible sense of excitement. The sunlight had raised the temperature inside the cockpit to an uncomfortable level. Every man was sweating, but everyone ignored it.

  Faulkner kept his hand on the four throttles beneath his fingers, hitting hard left rudder. Slowly the B-1 halted and moved around in a semicircle beneath his guidance. Before them was an empty runway with a yellow center line down the middle. Faulkner aimed the nose of the B-1 straight down the line. “Okay, Shep, give tower a call. We’re ready to fly this bird.”

  Hitting the button on the control stick, Shep made the call. All ground communications were hooked into the loudspeakers so that those in the stands would know what was taking place.

  “Wiry nine-six to tower. Ready for takeoff.”

  “Tower to Wiry nine-six, affirmative. Winds are five knots west-southwest, visibility fifteen miles. You are cleared for takeoff. Good luck.”

  “Roger, Wiry nine-six. Thanks.” Shep grinned and gave Faulkner a thumbs-up. “You heard the man, let’s go.”

  *

  Tess put her hands against her mouth as she stood listening to Shep’s confident voice. Fear drenched her at the same moment a spiraling thread of hope spread through her. The stands quieted, and it seemed as if the entire earth was holding its breath in anticipation of the takeoff. The growling of the huge engines deepened. Every camera was on, all the photographers had their fingers poised over their shutter buttons, waiting,

  The B-1 started forward. The engines thundered even more loudly, the air literally vibrating with the power. The bomber quickly gathered speed as she continued down the runway. Tess held her breath as the bomber flashed by the reviewing stands. At least four thousand feet of the strip had been eaten up, and the aircraft was still thundering down the expanse. Tess’s heart ached. Suddenly the nose came up, lifting the nose wheel off the runway. A cheer rose from the crowd, and people screamed and yelled encouragement. Cries of happiness filled the air. The bomber was suddenly unleashed from the hold of the earth, her beautiful body launched skyward by the roaring jet engines. Sunlight glanced off her wings and nacelles.

  Tears ran down Tess’s cheeks as she watched the graceful bomber leap into the cerulean blue sky. People were jumping up and down with happiness. Someone came over and hugged Tess. Everyone was cheering as the white bomber climbed higher and higher into the sky, the jet engine noise diminishing as more and more distance was put between them. The landing gear remained down and locked, but it did not diminish the spectacle in the least.

  Fear receded in Tess as she stood there with thousands of other people crying and laughing. It had taken seven years to get the B-1 off the drawing boards and into the air. And now all she could do was watch it fly like a graceful gull through the blue of the sky. Dan Williams gave her a hug; he was grinning from ear to ear. “We did it!” he cried.

  More tears fell from her ey
es. Cy’s life had been devoted to that plane. He had worked unceasingly on the bomber for six of those seven years. An ache began in her heart, and Tess wished that he could be here to see his brainchild fly. Joy overrode her momentary grief. Shep was at the controls. He had taken over where Cy had left off. Cy had believed in the durability and design of the B-1. And so did Shep.

  *

  Tess drove back to Edwards Air Force Base with Dan to see the landing. Thousands of other people who wanted to see the B-1 make its first landing also made the trek. Dan cleared a path through the anxiously awaiting crowds to the stands where all the officials were gathering. The B-1 was being flown in a triangular flight pattern, climbing up to ten thousand feet and then descending for a landing at Edwards. Tess wondered how Shep was feeling at this moment. Excitement gripped her, and she discovered a new kind of joy entering her heart. He was where he loved to be, she thought, gazing up at the cobalt-blue sky.

  “Look! There she is!” someone shouted ecstatically from the stands.

  Tess smiled, awed by the white speck that was growing larger and larger by the second. The B-1 was a graceful white charger thundering down out of the blue corridors of the sky toward the desert surface. Tess marveled at the skill with which the pilots brought her back down to the airstrip. The nose was high, the flaps on each wing extended and down for the landing. Scores of reporters surged toward the area where the press conference would be held after the crew emerged from the bomber.

  Tess remained at the edge of the open-air press conference. Dave Faulkner was the first to emerge from the bomber. A thunderous ovation began as the rest of the crew disembarked. Tess stood on tiptoe, trying to get a glimpse of Shep. He was there, walking with typical catlike grace, a grin spread from one corner of his mouth to the other. She laughed aloud, a rush of happiness surging through her. She had never seen his face glow with excitement like that before.

  The three men took the small step up to the microphones. Television cameras whirred to life, flashbulbs popped, questions were thrown at them. Tess marveled at the seemingly imperturbable attitude of the three men. They had flown the B-1 for one hour and eighteen minutes at two hundred fifty miles per hour with the gear down. The leading edge wing slats and trailing edge flaps were also left down. Faulkner summed the flight up with typical matter-of-factness.

  “There were only a few minor discrepancies of the kind you’d expect in the daily operation of any aircraft,” he said, “but other than those, the B-1 flew exactly as indicated in our flight simulator exercises.” He glanced over at Shep, grinning.

  “Major Ramsey!” a reporter called. “You’re the only military officer flying the B-1. How did you feel it handled?”

  Shep stepped forward, becoming more serious. “There were no surprises. I felt as if I’d flown the plane before.” He caught sight of Tess standing at the edge of the huge gathering. As he stepped away to allow Pete Vosper, the flight engineer, to answer the next question, he kept his eye on her. Tess looked beautifully radiant in her pale cream dress with the high neckline and long sleeves. Had it been over a year since he’d first seen her at the party? Her cheeks were flushed. He took off his dark glasses, trying to catch her attention.

  Their eyes met and locked. She smiled back, forming the word “yes” on her lips, and hoping he would know what she was saying at that distance. A full smile appeared on his face and he nodded.

  Tess waited impatiently outside the debriefing room at Ops two hours later. Inside, a special team of men comprised of engineers and troubleshooters from Rockwell and other companies were listening to the test pilots. It was Shep’s duty to run through any unusual sights, sounds, or feelings he had experienced in the B-1. Whether or not there was actual instrument proof that something had gone wrong didn’t matter. The test pilots were trained to hear, see, and feel discrepancies in any new aircraft. Gradually, the reporters drifted away and only a few diehards stayed around with Tess.

  *

  It was almost noon before Shep swung out of the door and into her path. She looked up, startled. He grinned and reached out, taking her into his arms. His mouth descended upon her lips, parting them with masterful insistence. Molten fire surged through her body. His mouth softened against her lips, tasting their honeyed sweetness. Finally he drew away, his gray eyes silvered with joy.

  “Was that a ‘yes’ I saw out there?” he asked.

  She nodded, unable to stop from smiling. “Yes.”

  Before she could say another word, Shep kissed her again. Several flashbulbs went off, startling her. He looked up, laughing. The reporters came forward.

  “What’s the occasion, Major Ramsey?” one of the men asked, hurriedly pulling out his notebook.

  “The lady has just agreed to become my wife.”

  The reporter smiled. “Say, aren’t you Mrs. Hamilton from Rockwell? The assistant to the design engineer, Dan Williams?”

  Tess shared a smile with Shep, feeling safe within the crook of his arm. “Yes, I am.”

  “Hey, this is news! Did Major Ramsey just propose to you?”

  She laughed. “Just before the flight.”

  “And naturally, you said ‘yes’?”

  “I did.”

  “No,” Shep corrected, leading her away, “she’s going to be saying I do very soon.”

  On the way home Tess began to relax. “How was it?” she asked, leaning back on the head rest.

  Shep captured her hand. “Great.”

  “You looked like a little kid up there at the press conference.”

  “I did?”

  “Yes. But only I saw it.”

  “Good,” he said, relief evident in his voice. “Have to keep the proper image and all.”

  Tess laughed. “If they had seen the sparkle in your eyes, it would have been a dead giveaway.”

  Shep squeezed her hand gently. “Did you worry much, honey?”

  “At first,” she admitted hesitantly. “But after I saw her lift off, I stopped. She’s so lovely, Shep.”

  He compressed his mouth. “She’s solid, Tess. I’ve never flown a plane exactly like that.” He looked over. “Cy and his team did one hell of a fine job of bringing her off the blueprints and into the air. We owe him a lot. The whole country does.”

  She leaned over and rested her head on his shoulder. “I love you,” she said softly. “More than ever, Shep.”

  He gave her a quick kiss on the hair. “Listen, lady, as soon as we get home and I get cleaned up, we’re going Christmas shopping.”

  Tess smiled. “Is that an order, Major Ramsey?”

  “Absolutely.”

  “You really don’t need to get me anything, darling. I have you. I don’t want anything else,” she protested, meaning it.

  *

  Tess lay down on the couch while Shep took a well-earned shower and changed. The past few days had been hard on her, and sleep had been haphazard at best because of her fear for him. Eyes aching with tiredness, she let her thick lashes slowly close. The last sound Tess heard before she fell into a heavy slumber was the shower being shut off.

  *

  Shep quietly entered his home. Darkness had fallen and despite the warmth of the day, the wind was cutting through his light jacket. Whistling softly, he tiptoed from the kitchen into the darkened bedroom. When he had emerged from the shower, he’d found Tess sleeping soundly on the couch. Not having the heart to awaken her, he had gently picked her up and carried her to the bed, allowing her to sleep.

  Now he turned on the small lamp which sat on the dresser opposite the large bed. Taking off his jacket, he walked over to the bed and carefully sat on the edge of it, watching Tess. A tender smile touched his mouth as he reached out, pushing stray tendrils from her forehead. Her skin was a translucent peach color, dark shadows still in evidence beneath her auburn lashes. A small frown formed on his brow as he continued to lightly stroke her satin cheek. Her skin was warm and pliant beneath his fingertips, reminding him of the incredible softness she carried wit
hin her heart. Taking a small velvet box from his shirt pocket, he set it on the bedstand.

  It had been one long, exciting day for him. For Tess it had been a day of unbelievable stress. Shep glanced around the quiet room and listened to her soft breathing. They had made love here eighteen hours earlier, neither sure that he would come back from the flight. Shep leaned over, placing a kiss on her forehead. It hadn’t been his turn to die. He was alive. And Tess loved him as much as he loved her. And now all he wanted to do was sleep with her at his side. Carefully he pulled the comforter from her shoulders and began to undress her.

  Tess moaned, partially awakened as he slid the dress off her shoulders and removed the sleeves from her arms. Her large drowsy eyes opened and she raised her hand to protect herself from the light of the lamp. “Shep?” she whispered thickly, her voice husky with sleep.

  “Everything’s okay,” he reassured her gently, pulling her upright and into his arms. “I’m just getting you undressed so we can go to bed.”

  Tess mumbled incoherently, her head resting heavily against his shoulder. Within minutes she was free of the clothing. Shep spoke in a quiet, soothing tone to her, easing her beneath the covers. Turning out the light, he shed his clothes, watching her return to the healing folds of slumber.

  *

  Sunlight cascaded into the light green bedroom. Tess stirred, instinctively nuzzling against Shep’s jaw. Her arm and leg were thrown across his body, and she relished the hard warmth of his flesh against her own as she awoke. His hand lifted, lightly stroking the thick mane of her hair.

  “It’s about time,” he said, humor tinging his low tone. “Do you realize it’s almost ten o’clock?”

  Tess stretched languidly, reaching up, searching for his mouth. She wasn’t disappointed as he rolled over, pinning her carefully beneath his body. His mouth moved against her parting lips, eliciting a response from her. A low purr sounded in her throat as she reacted to his masterful touch, pulling him down upon her. He drew away after the heady, drugging kiss.