"This is a Boeing C-17 Globemaster, nicknamed the Moose."
Darcy gaped up at the plane and felt the dizzying rush of pure, unadulterated love. It was the same sort of feeling she had the first time she saw the trebuchet. "It's huuuuuge."
It was a family day at the airbase for the Fourth of July holiday, and "Uncle" Rhodey, being awesome, had invited 10-year old Darcy to be his guest. The base rolled out dozens of their planes and helicopters and the crews were showing them off to the visitors. Darcy thought she was in heaven, until she saw the C-17, and then she knew she was.
With a hand on her shoulder -- because she was too awestruck to look where she was going -- Rhodey steered her closer to the plane. "It's not nearly as big as the C-5, but in my opinion, the C-17 is an ideal heavy lift craft," Rhodey had on his lecturing voice, which usually Darcy tuned out, but this was actually interesting and she hung on every word. "It's far more flexible and responsive to changing situations on the ground, whether for tactical support, or rescue/recovery during natural disasters -- doesn't need a long runway, has a quick operational turnaround, good efficiency."
He held a hand open towards the winged behemoth and gestured broadly as he spoke. "It's 174 feet long, with a wingspan of 170 feet, and it's 55 feet high. It can carry around 170,000 pounds of cargo, or a hundred paratroopers." He glanced down at Darcy and smirked. "Or a tank."
"It's the most beautiful thing I've ever seen," Darcy sighed lovingly. One of the other Air Force guys nearby with his little kid on his shoulders gave her a skeptical look. She ignored him, because the plane was huge and beautiful and nothing else mattered in the world.
He waved to the Sergeant standing just inside the hold. "Okay, now I know the pilot and I got his permission to take you up to the flight deck. Remember what I told you about the controls -- you know, the buttons and switches?"
She nodded soberly. "Touch them all." The Sergeant snickered.
"Lord, help me," Rhodey muttered, looking up at the ceiling. "Touch none of them."
"Yes, sir." Darcy grinned. "Touch all of them."
We’ll Run Like We’re Awesome by @themonkeycabal
Chapter 9 - Here's to the Halcyon