The Women Generals

PART I Holiday Lovers

Chapter 1

What was it (about her) that kept drawing my eyes to her? The shuttle bus had ten men and women. The ride was a good twenty minutes to the hotel. A few passengers were in conversation, the driver, earbuds in place, was swaying to a beat we couldn't hear. I managed several more glimpses of this intriguing lady who appeared to be on her own.

Arriving at the hotel the driver jumped out, unloaded our luggage and prepared to receive tips for his service.

All travel arrangements were organized by the tour group of course. My plan was to ignore the daily excursions and seriously study the beach. I so needed this break, out of the range of the cell phone. In fact, any phone. No one knew where I was except my lawyer recorded as next of kin.

My luggage was already in my room along with an invitation for welcoming drinks at the bar. Freshened up and off to find the bar. It was not a difficult challenge. Stepping out of the elevator I was given a drink by a handsome young fellow with a huge welcoming smile.

More than just my tour group were milling about in the lobby. The advertised discreet bar would be overwhelmed.

My eyes roamed but my interesting lady from the shuttle was not in evidence. At the rear of the lobby was the way to the beach. I saw a pool attached to a swim-up bar. Beyond was a stretch of beach and beyond an endless sea of blue. Oh yeah!

Another drink was thrust into my hand. Expecting the handsome young man with the beautiful smile, I turned around to face the lad. I was instead facing the interesting lady with an equally beautiful smile. She turned to leave saying something about enjoying the tours.

I won't be going on any I blurted out. She raised an eyebrow. I'm playing hooky. What an interesting idea I heard her mutter as she waved goodbye.

The elevator doors closed as I headed to my room for an uninterrupted sleep.

Chapter 2

The day was glorious. I headed to the beach. Passing the pool bar, I ordered a coffee and bun and surveyed the beach chairs for vacancies and furthest away from the gathering crowd. I dragged the chair to a nearby and empty palapa shade spot.

In and out of the blue waters all morning.

Around noon the pool man found me bereft of any appropriate liquid. I ordered two rum and ginger ale that were delivered forthwith.

Later, suntanned and sandy, I paused at the pool bar for a third drink. My siesta would be so good. Awaking to the Caribbean night I had missed the scheduled dinner. Foodstuffs were easily available. It wasn't long before I was back and tucked in for the night.

Chapter 3

Another glorious day! A few wispy clouds wandered along. Finding a chair was not difficult at all. Yes, the tour groups were on the move. I dropped towel, books, sandals 0and cover-up. My chair was truly marked as taken.

Exploration of the beach took the better part of the morning. Trudging up to the chair I saw a small umbrella protecting two plastic glasses. Rum and ginger, he remembered.

Ice was still floating so the delivery of said drinks had been well timed.

A brief thought flicked by; the service seemed very coordinated. It disappeared through the back door of my mind as I enjoyed the rum.

The ocean was so refreshing. I was in and out most of the afternoon and I had quite a reasonable tan by the time I gathered up my belongings and headed "home". The freshwater shower near the pool got rid of the salt and most of the sand. I noted the return of tour folk as the beach filled up and the pool bar was very busy!

A brief siesta refreshed me but I could feel a lingering fatigue. I had been so busy what with teaching, a never-ending supply of patients in the clinics and entirely too much bureaucracy. Hey, she admonished herself. She had two weeks of downtime to get rid of the resentment. Was it enough though?

Determined not to miss dinner tonight, she was actually early. She was drawn to the small bar planning on a quiet drink.

Chapter 4

The bar was busy but not full. A seat at the bar would be just fine. Her drink was on the bar in a flash and she tipped the bartender appropriately. He smiled back.

A voice she recognized entered the bar in the form of the interesting lady from the shuttle. While not turning to the voice she could follow the conversation. The interesting lady stopped, was heard to tell her companion to go on ahead. She touched my arm and asked if she could join me? Of course, and I signaled the bartender. Gin and tonic for her and a rum and ginger for me. He nodded and smiled since my second tip was more generous than the first. It turned out the lady's name was Abella. This woman was very content in her skin, carried her tall frame easily and radiated confidence. I told her my name and she smiled as she softly repeated "Tess". She leaned closer and said I'm playing hooky too. Her eyes twinkled above a sly smile. Our drinks finished she queried "join me for dinner"?

I looked over to her companion but she said no just us.

A table for two was offered. We nodded and were seated at the edge of the patio. Lively conversation stimulated the appetite, the food was tasty but I couldn't remember what I had been eating. She was that intriguing. Topping up the wine glasses we adjourned to comfortable chairs in the bar. Light conversation and stories rounded out our evening.

It was getting late, not that either of us had pressing appointments to meet. We caught the elevator together. What floor? Fourth I said. Me too.

Come and have a nightcap with me. I was about to decline but found myself propelled down the hall. She had an actual suite that was rather grand. What now I wondered. I knew perfectly well. I was being seduced and I liked it.

Chapter 5

Seduction is an art form. Abella was very talented and the journey was most enjoyable. Sex with a woman was something I decided I wanted many years ago. From the moment we kissed the clothing magically disappeared and the bodies 0reveled in new smells, soft skin, smiling eyes and rapid arousal.

No shyness. Pure orgasms. Sheer pleasure. We slept in each other's arms before I returned to my abode completely satisfied and mellow. Many evenings and some afternoons were spent in our oasis of love making and relaxing.

The rest of my break from reality went by entirely too rapidly. I caught my flight home without knowing whether I would ever see or hear from her again.

My colleagues noticed how relaxed I appeared. How was your holiday? Apparently, I resembled the cat who swallowed the canary.

PART II The Women Generals

Chapter 6

I was curled up with a good book. The heat from the fireplace and relaxing music accompanied me as thoughts of my holiday surfaced. The tingling in my thighs reminded me of the fast arousals and lusty orgasms we shared. And there was always time just to be close.

Evenings in the comfy chairs with our wine in the intimate bar was a time to catch up on the day's activities and funny stories. Occasionally the heat between us called for a rapid retreat to our rooms. Just through the door, the frantic needs left a trail of discarded clothing. Sometimes we never made it to the bed! Absolute lust as the end of our 2 weeks loomed over us.

Thankfully beautiful rugs cushioned us from cold ceramic tiles as we satisfied the primal ion. Wonderful laughs ensued as we surveyed the trails leading right to us. It was on the flight home I actually realized we had not explored our professional lives. She did know I was in a medical field of some sort.

I had not one clue about her.

But the memories of us brought smiles and a dampness down below. I retreated to my bed and completed the necessary act to orgasm. I slept through to my alarm.

Chapter 7

I don't know why I had set the alarm. I was not on call and the weekend was all mine. Force of habit I guess. The coffee maker, linked to my alarm time, was giving off a wonderful aroma. I snuggled down into the warmth of my bed determined to grab a bit more sleep time. Not happening. Come on get up said the coffee. Oh, all right muttered a small voice. I must say that new French roast was delicious. As I watched the news I shivered. Something had walked on my grave. Shaking off the omen, I dressed and went for a walk. Not too vigorous mind. I returned home with a French loaf and a new butter. He was always handing me something new to try. I would offer an opinion on my next visit to his Shoppe.

Chapter 8

As I headed back home I was suddenly aware of a lot of black smoke billowing skyward in the general direction of military airfield. Now I hurried. My phone was still ringing as I grabbed it from the table. The chief of staff calmly informed me of a crash near the airfield. It had come down in a residential area. I interjected saying I would be right in.

No, he said. There is no need. As I let that sink in, he said there were no survivors. Not from the plane nor those on the ground. The scene was under guard while civilian and military forensic teams searched for clues. I want you at the Prime Minister's briefing tomorrow morning.

And wear your uniform. He clicked off.

This time I had a mug of the potent coffee as I watched the TV coverage.

It was a remarkably coordinated and quiet scene. The guards were plentiful and had their backs to the wreckage. This was an unusual response and my mind recognized a similar scene from my early days in Afghanistan. It had been a drill. One designed to secure a weapon of mass destruction. The hair on my neck stood up, a sudden chill encased me.

What I was witnessing was no drill. There had been a terrible weapon aboard that downed aircraft.

Chapter 9

I attacked the alarm as it announced the day's beginnings. A coffee and bagel sufficed so I then put on my uniform skin. I straightened the uniform jacket all the while very aware of the power the rank represented. A special position had been created to provide me the rank of major general. For all intents and purposes, I was an invisible Surgeon General.

My car pulled up outside as I closed and locked my door. The driver saluted and held the door for his charge.

I reviewed the rules and orders associated with this situation and subconsciously noted a surveillance car parked across from my humble abode.

We arrived on time for the Prime Minister's special briefings annex. It was 0700. As I entered I was given a special ID card to be clipped to my jacket and escorted to my seat at the great table. An aide offered a coffee and I gratefully accepted a steaming brew.

Most of the officers I recognized. A few officials and American top brass I did not know.

The heavy doors were opened.

The PM strode to the head of the table.

To my utter surprise, a handsome woman also entered and was seated several places to the left of the PM. The Chief of Defence and the Minister of Defence rounded out the attendees.

My holiday lover caught my eye and nodded.

What was going on?

When had a downed plane ever launched such a gathering? Never was the answer to that. Never.

Chapter 10

The briefing began with the Chief of Defence outlining what turned out to be an international incident of huge significance.

A movie type of espionage plot was revealed. Surely this was not actually happening here and now? Everyone wanted to keep a tight lid on this one. The TV coverage had indeed been sparse. Almost ho-hum.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs had entered quietly and was now seated to PM's right. He looked anything but comfortable.

And so, what had unfolded in the wee hours of this day was leading the free world into WWW III.

That's all.

It seems that a major leader, known for a lack of tact and discretion, had blundered into a no-win political firestorm. The gauntlet had been thrown down. Events had been put into motion before gauntlet time. The enemy had carefully planned and orchestrated situations that he knew would draw out the bravado of the said leader. The "nuclear pissing contest" has led to a tenuous standoff between two nuclear powerhouses. It only needed a spark.

Hence, today's mind-bending actions. Intelligence wonks had been very busy and supplied confirmed intel about major breaches in several layers of the country's security fence. Several allies confirmed said intrusions. It was obvious that while those countries' leaders expressed displeasure at this leader's bumbling, the intelligence community still shared important information.

The essence of the intel was ulcer-inducing.

Some time ago several highly trained combat pilots had been turned without anybody the wiser. At some point, other agents got their hands on a nuclear warhead. We reckoned it was obtained from a country which gave only token attention to nuclear security. The origin and storage site of the warhead were unknown but it had been added to the aircraft's missile complement. Also the aircraft and the two pilots had manipulated an invite to take part in a neighboring country's airshow. The plane was staged through this country's military bases in such a way that it arrived the evening prior to the show. It seems no one questioned why a seemingly armed aircraft from another country was on our sovereign territory. Radioactivity detection had to be greatly reduced by, presumably, special shielding that was to be removed prior to arming. The airshow was completed. Great interest in the slick maneuvers exhibited by the pilots threatened to delay their departure. Since timing was critical, air to air refueling had been arranged in order for them to reach the as yet unknown target. The remains of the aircraft would clearly identify the country of origin. An all-out conflict between east and west would establish a superiority for all to see. These facts were unknown to the intelligence community initially. A rapidly arranged diplomatic ceasefire should minimize damage to the planet not to mention the rest of us. We hoped.

Fate can screw up the best-laid plans.

As the aircraft rolled to the runway, received clearance to enter the runway and take off, the aileron and rudder controller seemed to have a slight delay in response noted one pilot to the other. The tower also heard the conversation.

The plane was climbing fast and almost vertically when it was seen to seemingly hang in the air. A stall situation certainly. It entered into a flat spin. The lack of altitude precluded any form of recovery.

Unfortunately, a residential area near the airfield became a large crater with fiery debris destroying several homes and cremating the occupants.

Chapter 11

During the coffee break, the holiday lovers finally got to know their respective professions. Tentative at first, the two women re-established their friendship. They were called back to the table to solve the difficult tasks of managing this crisis.

It was clear that diplomatic staffs had been involved ever since the crash and as we now learned, Interpol had provided a warning of suspected nuclear weapon theft. The why was not obvious nor was the target. The general consensus around the table was that whatever or whoever was a target, the planning had to involve outside forces and high-level military cooperation. But the scenario did not have any resemblance to a well thought out, crisp military operation. That observation was remarked upon by most of the high-ranking officers at the table. Both Abella and Tess agreed.

Abella was a nuclear physicist with a vast knowledge of how the warheads could be carried and launched. Tess, on the other hand, was a highly trained surgeon. She was the expert on the human body's response to radiation exposure. Both were or had been in the world of espionage.

More information was coming in from the crash site. Very little radiation had so far been detected. Everyone looked at each other. That made no sense.

Chapter 12

Carefully garbed for radiation exposure the group was taken to the camouflaged site of the crater. Numerous aircraft pieces had been moved to a large hanger with a reconstruction plan in place. No black box had been found. Abella had noted the age of the aircraft. It was not a new strategic fighter. Its age would almost preclude any ability to carry, never mind launch a nuclear warhead of any significant size or weight but an early Tomahawk could be fitted to strengthened pylons. The senior military personnel seemed to have come to the same conclusion. One could almost see all the light bulbs over their heads start to glow. This crash, while not deliberate had been part of some kind of diversion or feint that went awry. By whom and why? That question was to be answered by the intelligence branches. The Prime Minister was notified of this conclusion. That initial group at the great table had presented a plausible explanation for the findings. Abella and Tess could be excused but be available as more evidence accumulated.

Chapter 13

It was a foregone conclusion that Tess would provide accommodation. The planned stay at officer's quarters was canceled and the driver whisked them to Tess's home having secured Abella's belongings from the officers' quarters. As the driver held the car door open and saluted Tess. As she returned the salute, he said quietly, the other car had gone. She nodded.

As the women collapsed onto the comfy sofa they burst into gales of laughter about this unexpected coincidence. Drinks asked Tess? Scotch or bourbon suit your fancy? Bourbon will do nicely Abella replied smiling broadly. As Tess returned with the tray of drinks and some water, she leaned over and kissed her friend. Bourbons in hand, they retired to Tess's large, very comfortable bed.

The bourbon took a back seat while sexual ardor left over from that wonderful holiday carried on. Abella was more aggressive at this meeting and Tess was curious as what was in store for her. She did not have long to wait.

After a lingering kiss, Abella gently raised Tess's arms over her head and held her wrists with one hand. The other began to caress her breasts, her neck and slowly moved down over her belly. Tess's nipples were erect and Abella teased them with a warm soft mouth and tongue. She watched Tess's face and eyes as her other hand brushed the wet, hot sex. Tess arched her body clearly wanting more. Abella pushed her thigh onto the willing and swollen lips and Tess moaned while grinding her sex against the now wet and slippery thigh. Go in, go in she pleaded. Abella, already wet and aroused, entered Tess. The vagina throbbed against the exploring fingers. It was enough to bring Tess to the edge and with a small cry, the orgasm began. Abella, who had held back to satisfy Tess could do so no longer. Her own orgasm caused her to match thrust to thrust and her wetness flowed over Tess. With cries of passion, the two women reached full orgasm together. Collapsed in each other's arms they marveled at what had just happened. Abella, still short of breath, started to say "never before..." Tess gently placed a finger on Abella's lips and whispered: "me either".

Sleep came to both.

Chapter 14

The dawn light gently woke Tess. Abella was still sound asleep. The phone vibrated. Tess answered the call from her Chief of Staff and was requested to use the secure line. The extremely unsettling news was arising from the investigation into the crash. Things were also moving quickly on the international front, Tess was to again wear her uniform and to bring General Sochas with her. He rang off before he could hear Tess sputter "General who"?

Sochas said Abella from the bedroom door. Sochas.

Who are you, really, wondered Tess? She felt a pang of sadness and now the seeds of distrust.

The two Generals were admitted to the Briefing Room. Most around the table were the same group but two others were introduced as major CIA agents just brought in from Indonesia. The intel was shocking. And the fallout could indeed lead to WWW III.