Sister Golden Hair Delight Ch. 16

Copyright @ calibeachgirl

All rights reserved, 2010

*

Maria's story....

The colonel and I walked along the side of the huge building on the San Diego base.

I remember looking at the moon and giving myself an almost silent sigh wishing I had made a better choice in life, that I had never met the colonel, that I never joined the Marines, that I had the chance for a family... and yet, I knew that I could not change what had happened in the past, the present was following its own path, and for me the future was still unknown.

Passing through the numerous security checkpoints we finally entered the conference room deep inside the building. Aside from the obvious need of the on-site members, six huge flat screens spaced along the wall connected them with various commands around the world.

We had brought along the ranking members of the FBI and CIA with us from Malibu. He was not surprised to find copies of his earlier proposal on the conference table being read by a different group of ranking officers including one flag officer representing his friend, Admiral Woodrell.

Two large screens covered one entire wall showing huge container ships moving across the Pacific. Other walls gave locations of the new radiation detecting buoys strung out along the ocean's surface. Several were marked in red and satellite photos were superimposed over the diagrams.

"Latest Intel has both container ships leaving Hong Kong and moving eastward toward us. Somehow, with everything else happening over there we missed them being shipped from North Korea.

The first has a scheduled stop at Honolulu which we believe will be a strike against Pearl while the other is heading toward Los Angeles. We have full sat coverage and will pick them up with Orions as they come into range. Colonel Crowell and Major Paras have been working closely with the FBI and the CIA on contingency plans if they get near the US coast. Our job is to make sure that won't be necessary.

The president has decided that Crowell and Paras will determine the plan of action. According to the briefs that they have brought from Malibu they have several scenarios for situations like this. Major, it's all yours."

I stood up and faced all the west coast admirals sitting there.

"Our first line of attack will be coordinated through the Task Force 70 carrier George Washington of the Seventh Fleet, Task Force 71 which covers Special Warfare and Explosive Disposal, Task Force 72 with the P3 Orions for reconnaissance and Task Force 74 with the Los Angeles class submarine Corpus Christi.

Our second line will consist of the Third Fleet with the Task Force 37 carriers Ronald Reagan and Abraham Lincoln and three Los Angeles class submarines now leaving from San Diego... Now here's what we're going to do..."

We left the conference several hours later and went outside to get some fresh air.

Moving over to a dark corner, the colonel took out his Blackberry and called Alessa. She must have answered rather quickly because he didn't have to wait more than a few seconds.

Standing right there in the silence, I could not help but hear the conversation and he seemed to forget I was there.

"Are you awake? Yes, I know it's two o'clock on the morning. Listen carefully... Get enough busses to evacuate everyone from our complex and head north on the 5... call Shenan and have him pick up the Gylers and meet you with his family at Redding... tell him you're all going to the new property I just bought.

When you get to Redding, have Holly get enough food to last about a week, make that two weeks. Make sure you take all the SUVs... Tell Philip 'code 7', remember that, 'Code 7'. Alessa, get everyone out now!"

The colonel was plowing through every protocol the Navy had in place regarding top secret information. Strangely, that had not bothered me as much as what he said next.

"I... I love you, Alessa, I loved you from the moment we had lunch that day... I needed to tell you that. Now, go!"

He knew that he had broken a huge number of security protocols but he didn't seem to care. He couldn't evacuate the entire Los Angeles area but he could get his people out... his woman out.

I had no family... the Corps was my family... he knew I wanted him to be my family and he would protect me as well as he could considering what was coming.

He sensed me coming up behind him and turned.

"Oh, it's you, Major. Has anything changed?"

"Yes and no. We have to go back. The ships are still coming on schedule but they want us to fly out to the lead carrier and be on site."

"What!!!??? You've got to be kidding! What can we do out there that we can't do here? This is crazy. Who do I talk to about this?"

"It's no use, I've already tried. Admiral Woodrell was adamant about it. He said that being on scene or at least much closer to the action would help us prove the system since we must stop those ships no matter what. You know that."

He was so angry I could see it even in the dim light.

"Yes, I do... I just thought I was through with flying out to carriers and being in the military... I'm sorry, Maria, I didn't include you in that. I'm not the young fool I used to be."

"I have some other bad news for you. They've activated the IRR rules and you've been extended."

"Ah, c'mon... what can I do in the Corps that I can't do outside? This is ridiculous. Who do I talk to?"

"I'm sorry but with the war on terror, if you're considered vital you're called back... I'm hoping it might be a short duration duty."

Damn it, I couldn't believe it... if he's back in the military even longer then there was no hope for me at all. I hated my life! I hated my life! I hated my life!

I turned half-away, not wanting him to the see the desperation in my face.

Crowell stood there in the dark, fuming. We knew that the eight year requirement had not been met yet and so his IRR status was still in effect. Stupidly, he must have thought what he was doing would require them to leave him in place in Los Angeles.

Now, breaking my heart once again, he had just declared himself to Alessa.

"Colonel, please, we need to get back. They're waiting for us." I walked away from him wiping the tears from my face with my sleeve.

He doggedly followed me back into building. His anger was barely under control when he met Admiral Woodrell and Major General Richard Church. Woodrell motioned us to take a chair, hoping as a friend, to break the news of his recall in the best possible light.

I had begun to worry. I was scheduled to get out early next year. If they called both of us for a longer contract, our enlistment could just last forever. If that had been the case, I would have gone over his head and transferred somewhere else. I didn't care where so long as it was away from them.

"Jim... I'm sure that Major Paras has already told you the news. I know that this is very inconvenient for you, especially at this time of your personal life."

The admiral leaned over and put his hands on the table, biding for time.

"Jim, I know all about Alessa and what this might do to your relationship with her."

The admiral gave a wary sideways glance at me. My eyes were red and he felt he knew why.

"I'm sorry but the president has decided that you must be in the chain of command for this operation. He has the greatest respect for your abilities and told me to give you this."

The Marine Corps general handed the colonel a large envelope embossed with the seal of the White House and a small jewelry box.

"Go on, open it up."

Inside were general's stars, shining in the room's light.

Crowell carefully opened the envelope and pulled out a group of papers and began reading the cover letter signed by the president himself. He reread the letter four times, not believing what he was seeing. Not only was he being recalled to active duty but the president had directed that he be promoted to brigadier general and in charge of the mission.

At one time, I was sure, in his military career he would have welcomed this opportunity with both arms but now... with his business incredibly moving forward at such a fast pace... and Alessa... what about her? How was this going to affect her? Honestly, at the time I didn't care how I was going to affect her but now, I'm ashamed how I had felt then.

"Major Paras, you have also been promoted to Colonel due to your work with Crowell."

He handed me a similar small case holding colonel's eagles but evidently I didn't rate a letter from the president.

"We'll need you to leave at first light. We've a couple of Hornets ready to fly you out to the Reagan. Major... that is, Colonel Paras, you've never flown to a carrier before so might as well make the trip during the daylight.

Without giving away the situation, General, you may call Alessa and tell her what's happening. As far as how long... we don't know but hope that it will be quick and to the point. I'm really sorry, Jim, I know you didn't want this and could have done it without coming back in but the president thinks otherwise."

Alessa's story....

"Jimmy?" As quiet as the bus was, it was still a bus and I pressed the Blackberry hard against my head trying to hear him.

"Alessa, darling... I have some very bad news. My enlistment in the Marines has been extended for a while. Major... I mean, Colonel Paras and I will be gone for at least a week which is why I had you take everyone north. I'll explain everything later.

I'll be on the Reagan with Paras for that time; we'll be out somewhere in the Pacific. I'll call you each chance I get but don't call me; it will break all kinds of security measures. Is everything alright? Where are you?"

"We're just north of Sacramento and have joined up with Bill and his family. He picked up the Gylers and I've got them on the bus with me. Jimmy, what's going on?"

"Darling, I can't tell you now, maybe never but when you get settled in at the cabin, stay there... keep CNN on somewhere the whole time. I've got to go; I'm flying out to the carrier in a few hours... Alessa?"

"Yes, Jimmy?"

"Alessa, I love you and we'll get married at Christmas in Hawaii if I get back."

The phone call finished from his end.

Marry me!!! If I get back?!!! Oh, God, what was Jimmy doing? And what was he doing going to an aircraft carrier?

I felt like he was saying goodbye and I would never see him again; turning to the window I began to cry, not knowing at the time how right I had been.

Early morning, Sunday, July 22rd, 2007 Carrier USS Reagan, 280 miles west of Hawaii, Pacific Ocean

Maria....

Leaving San Diego in a supersonic fighter plane held none of the fascination that it should have for me. The plane raced westward into the still dark sky and I gripped the side of the cockpit so hard that my hands were white. My breathing was so rapid that the pilot, Bob Osborne, turned down the cockpit communications waiting for me to calm down. It was a very quiet three hour flight to Pearl and then a half-hour more to the Reagan.

Although the general had made numerous carrier night landings, this was my first time in a fighter plane. Although I had calmed down a bit, I was sure Lieutenant Osborne could hear my still labored breathing as we approached the huge Nimitz class carrier.

"Colonel," Osborne said, "if you look over at about two o'clock, you can see the Reagan. We'll be done in a few minutes... please make sure that you're still buckled in correctly. Thanks for flying Marine Air."

The postage sized ship rapidly grew in size, until it was all I was interested in, wanting to get down on the deck and off the plane. I realized flying in a supersonic fighter was very different from flying in the general's comfortable, secure Gulfstream.

As our plane caught the arresting cable, the stop jerked me forward, and my three hour 40 minute supersonic ride was over, thank God.

"Welcome to the Reagan, Colonel. Hope you enjoyed the ride."

"uhhhh... yeah... thanks, Lieutenant. I'll let you know when I'd like another."

"That's OK, Colonel... we're to wait until you and the general are finished with your mission. Do you need any help unhooking your straps?"

But before I could answer, the support crew had already unhooked the safety belts and my oxygen connections. They told me to keep my helmet.

"Well, Colonel, how did you like your first landing on a carrier?"

"General... something not to be forgotten... something to not be repeated."

"Kinda hard getting home, then." He seemed to take a sly pleasure at my discomfort. It was ironic that a Marine officer was unhappy flying at a thousand miles an hour miles above the ocean.

A tall but strongly built officer approached us and saluted.

"I'm Commander Mike Hunter, General Crowell, Colonel Paras. Please follow me."

He led us into the warren of decks and passageways that made up the interior of the huge floating city. More than 5000 men and women were living and working inside the ship. Eventually, we reported to the Captain of the ship, David Grande, and Admiral Vincent Woodrell who had preceded us by a few hours.

"General James Crowell and Colonel Maria Paras, reporting, sir!"

"At ease, at ease. The Lincoln is steaming toward our intercept sites. Hopefully, it won't come to that but we still must get a boarding party onto those ships to make sure that your information is correct. The president, naturally, is throwing everything we have at this, although I'm hoping that it won't be necessary... however, the Admiral tells me that you've never been wrong. In this case, that's too bad."

"Admiral, Captain... I'm sorry, too, if it turns out to be true. It means that our enemies have access to weapons that are impossibly dangerous and the means to obtain them. We're going to stop them here and then take care of them there."

"Well, until our Orions have the ships on sight, we're relying on the satellites for their positions... by tomorrow, I believe, we'll be able to take action. Why don't you and the colonel get settled in, and I'll see you at 0900 hours, tomorrow morning."

"Yes, sir." With two snappy salutes, we started to leave the wardroom.

Hunter spoke up. "Allow me to escort you to your cabins."

As many times as Crowell had been on board Nimitz class ships, it still was a huge three dimensional maze to be crossed. I, having never been aboard one, would have been totally lost. Hunter and an ensign carrying our travel bags led the way to the cabins further in the rabbit warren.

A short while later, Hunter showed Crowell his cabin.

"You'll have to share with me this trip out, General. Ensign Plooming will escort you wherever you need to go."

"Yes, I'd like to take a look around, thanks."

"Colonel, if you'll come with me, I'll show you to your cabin."

He took my travel bag, letting me carry my laptop case. Several minutes later, he showed me to a cabin a little further in the ship.

"I hope that you'll be comfortable. I'll be your escort, while you're here, if you don't mind."

Hunter was excited to meet me. As I eventually found out, since he was very young, strong women dominated his life. At first it was his mother and then his younger sisters.

When he had to join the Navy for the money, the discipline of military life continued his need. Every paycheck went directly to his mother in San Diego. And although he had risen through the ranks by correctly following orders, he knew there were still officers above his rank filling his need for direction.

His submissive behavior toward the women in his life would greatly impact both Alessa's and my lives. To me, it had just been another insult to my personal life.

Now I had crossed paths with his, a Marine officer no less. Now I know that he was thinking if he could somehow convince me to allow him some time with me.

I probably should have jumped overboard, instead.

"Thank you, Commander. I'd... I'd like that. Please sit down while I put these away. What's it really like, living on a ship like this?"

"Oh, it's good and bad. You get a lot of clean air to breathe and when there's an actual mission you feel like you're doing something. Otherwise, you're constantly training for a war you hope never happens. How about yourself?"

"It's about the same, except onshore. Crowell runs a very tight ship with the military side of the installation but the business side is a little looser. Sometimes, we're on duty 24/7 for days at a time until some crisis is over. The fact that no one knows there was a crisis is a testament to how he's handled it."

"But, there are a number of people working there, right? Or, does he take credit for the whole thing, moving his career along?"

"Oh, no! He never takes credit for anything! He had been out of the Marines for a while... at least until this morning when he was recalled. The higher ups acknowledge that he's the prime mover but he's done everything he can to help everyone's career succeed and be financially secure in case something happens so their families are taken care of.

We've lost a few people over the years and he's taken each and every loss personally, for he's the one who decided to send them in."

"He sounds like a wonderful man."

"Yes, he is... enough about that... what about you?"

"I grew up in a small town in West Virginia, out in the coal country. My father's family were coal miners. My mother told me to get out and join the Navy. This is going to be my last tour out here, though; I'd like to settle down with an intelligent strong woman to start a family. I would like to think I would serve her in whatever she wants."

There should have been a loud alarm ringing in my head by that time but my unhappiness with the general clouded my judgement.

"So, you don't have a girl?"

He was pretty smart and good looking. He seemed to like a structured life... hmmm... intelligent strong woman... serve her in whatever she wants... I still don't know what I was thinking other than I was so damn tired having men control my life. At the time, Hunter seemed like a good alternative the way I was feeling.

"No... this life is not good for meeting someone or romance... too many military divorces because of separation and finances. I don't want that to happen to whoever I would fall in love with... I want someone to give me guidance."

He was dropping hints right and left and they sank into my subconscious, controlling what I did.

"Where did you grow up?" he asked. "There was something before the Marines, I'm sure."

"I grew up in Los Angeles... it was fun but became impossible to do anything, after a while. You couldn't afford a house, there's still a lot of racism, you know, the usual.

I joined the Marines, more to get out from under my father's thumb. He had some serious old world ideas that were crushing me... I didn't want to get married at 17 and have five children. So as soon as I could I left.

Although I'm stationed in Los Angeles, he still doesn't want to talk to me and it's been fifteen years, now I don't... uh... let's talk about something else, shall we?"

"I apologize. I didn't mean to bring you there. Please forgive me."

His expression was the saddest I had ever seen that didn't involve someone dying and for a moment it looked like he thought I was going to hit him.

"Well, may I suggest we could talk about tomorrow or we could take a walk around the deck... the view from the fantail is incredible."

By that time I was so tired worrying about the fate of the world and my own life that I needed to do something away from all the military trappings present.

"Yes, let's do that... I've had enough business for one day, and everything's in place... nothing I can do now except wait. It's up to others to keep track of things for a while."

Hunter gave me a headset for ear protection and took me out onto the flight deck. After carefully walking around the various aircraft, he extolled the various features of each type.