April 24
The morning sky hung heavy and gray with impending rain. We broke camp quickly to get our gear and the tent packed before it could get wet.
I heated some soup on the camp stove and served it in our coffee mugs. “Not exactly the breakfast of champions, but it’s hot and should last us until lunch.”
“It’s still more than I’ve had some mornings,” Jim commented.
“You seem distracted, Jim. Is there anything wrong? Anything I should know about or that I can help with?”
“Nothing is wrong, trust me. I’ve got some major decisions coming up in the next few days, is all, and I need to concentrate on them. As for anything you can help with,” he hesitated, “we’ll discuss that after we leave the Soo. While we’re there, please be careful, and if you need me, I’ll be easy to find.”
*
We drove in silence for another hour before coming to the outskirts of Sault St. Marie. Not much further was our destination, a large two-story office complex.
“That doesn’t look much like a military base,” I remarked.
“It wasn’t, but it is now,” Jim said. “When the troops showed up, they took over this empty building as housing, mess hall, and command center all in one place. From what I saw during the few hours I was here, it seems to be fairly efficient, if a bit disorganized.” He parked near the entrance, and we showed our IDs to the guard.
“Ah, lights! Must be generator time,” Jim said. When I looked confused, he said, “Much like Moose Creek, the base generator is running only a few hours a day to conserve fuel. At least we’ll have the elevator for you to get to the second floor without having to use the stairs.” My feet throbbed at the thought of climbing a flight of concrete steps and my claustrophobia woke up at the thought of getting in the elevator with questionable power. I was torn.
The doors slid open on the second floor and I breathed easier. Jim led me down a hall to a desk manned by a Corporal Donna Cook.
“Colonel Andrews!” She stood and saluted. “We didn’t expect you back so soon. Major Hogan will be pleased.” Corporal Cook lifted her phone to announce his arrival. “Please go right in,” she said with an unasked question in her eyes as I limped past, following Jim.
Major Daniel Hogan was a large man, slightly shorter than Jim and a bit overweight. With jet black hair and dark blue eyes, he was an attractive man and had an air of command about him.
“Colonel Andrews, it’s good to see you again.” The major stood and shook Jim’s hand. “I take it the rescue mission was a success?”
“Yes it was, Dan. Your men performed admirably,” Jim replied. “I’d like to introduce you to First Lieutenant Allex Smeth.”
I saluted.
The major was stunned. “I thought Lt. Smeth was a man, Jim.” He saluted me back. “I can’t say I’m disappointed though.” He gave me a warm smile. “Please, have a seat.” We both sat in the comfortable wing chairs across from the major. The former business office was spacious and decorated with fine furniture.
“My name is actually Allexa, Sir, however I go by Allex,” I said, returning his warm smile.
“What’s your AOC, Lieutenant?”
“Public Affairs, Sir, with a specialty in civilian Emergency Management.” I knew this would come up at some point and I had practiced my response. If I was asked to work, I would at least know what I was doing.
“Is there a spare office I can use for a few days, Dan?” Jim asked. “I need to formally issue Sgt. Pitchner’s new orders and do some debriefing before we head back to Sawyer. And we’ll both need temporary quarters.”
“Certainly. With all the space we have here, most offices come with quarters attached. Female quarters are located on the main level, as well as all male enlisted personnel,” the major said.
“Where is the EOC located, Major?” I asked. When he looked confused, I clarified, “The Emergency Operations Center?”
“Well, it was down the hall. Without anyone to run it, we closed it down.”
“Then it needs to be re-opened while we’re here and the adjoining quarters given to Lt. Smeth,” Jim said.
“That office doesn’t have quarters.”
“Then find an office that does, Major Hogan,” Jim insisted. “Lt. Smeth was just rescued from being tortured by a psychopath, who took sadistic pleasure in breaking her toes one at a time. She can barely walk and I will not have her subjected to traversing flights of stairs. Is that clear?”
*
“You were a bit hard on him, Jim,” I said when we were alone.
“Not really. Besides, rank has its privileges, and even though this is his command, I still outrank him. A little push now and then reminds everyone of that.”
“Well, thank you. I wasn’t looking forward to the walk. Plus I didn’t like the thought of being so far away from you.” When I realized what I had just said, I looked away, feeling a blush coming on.
“Do you really want to reactivate the EOC?” Jim asked.
“Why not? It’ll give me something to do while you’re busy and I might as well do something useful.”
We had been assigned offices on the same floor, at opposite ends of the hall. Two privates had brought up our duffels and set them in the corridor outside the rooms.
“I think the first thing I’m going to do is find the laundry facilities and wash all of my clothes. My jacket still has river mud in the seams and it’s itchy,” I said to Jim. I left him in his rooms and made my way to Corporal Cook’s desk to make friends.
“Corporal Cook, hello, I’m Lt. Smeth.”
She looked at my outstretched hand in shock, and then shook it. “You’re Lt. Smeth? We thought you were a man.”
“So I gathered,” I laughed. “I was hoping you could help me with a few things. May I call you Donna?” She nodded. “Thanks. Where is the laundry, Donna? I really need to clean my clothes.”
I had checked the power schedule and saw I still had a couple of hours. I dragged my duffel to the elevator and descended to the first floor, and following Donna’s directions, found the facilities. I loaded two washers, then slipped into the restroom and changed into a sweater and jeans, putting the clothes I had been wearing into the wash. I sat in one of the metal chairs, propped my feet up on another, and leaned my head back, closing my eyes. It had been an exhausting day and it was only early afternoon.
“Hey!” someone shouted at me, slapping my feet off the chair. I almost passed out from the pain. “Are you a civilian or are you out of uniform? And keep your feet off the furniture!” the angry voice continued.
I stood on my good foot and looked at the soldier in front of me. I checked his chevrons and then his name tag. “Sergeant,” I said, putting my hat back on so the rank was clearly visible.
He had the decency to look embarrassed. “My apologies, ma’am! I didn’t know we had guests.”
“I’m here with Colonel Andrews, Sgt… Wilkes,” I said, glancing again at his tag.
“You’re Lt. Smeth?” he said in awe. “We all thought you were a guy.”
“I keep hearing that.”
“Is there anything I can do for you, ma’am?” he asked with a complete reversal of attitude.
“As soon as I finish folding my uniforms, I’m going up to my office. I’m reopening the EOC and I’ll need to staff it. Do you have access to the service records?” I hobbled over to the dryers.
“Oh, yes, ma’am!” he stared. “You’re limping. Did I hurt you?” I heard the concern in his voice; technically, he had assaulted an officer.
“No, Sergeant, I was already injured.” I stuffed my folded clothes into the duffel, leaving out one set. “Why don’t you meet me in my office, 11B, in forty-five minutes, with some of those service files?” He scurried out the door, and I stepped into the restroom to change.
*
After hanging my few clothes in the closet, I opened the adjoining door to my new office. What a disaster! There were two desks and only one chair, which looked very uncomfortable. The one file cabinet had a drawer missing and there were papers on the floor and dust on everything else. And not one computer.
Sgt. Wilkes knocked and entered. “Wow, this is a mess,” he said looking around.
“It sure is!” I agreed. “Any suggestions? Like a broom and a few trash cans?”
He set the files he was carrying on one of the desks, and said “I’ll be right back.”
I picked up a few of the papers off the floor and looked through them. Apparently they were all from the office’s previous tenant and nothing military. I continued to pick them off the floor and stack them on the desk. A few minutes later Wilkes was back with two privates, a trashcan, several rare plastic bags, a broom, a bucket, and some dust cloths. How he got all that in such short time, I didn’t ask. We set to work.
Inside of an hour the place was clean, all the trash had been removed, and I had a new chair.
“Let’s take a walk, Wilkes, down to the old EOC and see what was left there,” I said to my new right hand.
“I can’t believe I smacked your injured foot, Lieutenant,” he mumbled.
“Don’t worry about it, just don’t do it again. I may hit you back!” I said. I opened the door down the hall that was closed as the EOC three months ago. There sat three silent computers. “Why aren’t these in use?"
“Maybe because there’s no internet,” Wilkes responded.
“They’re still good as word processors.” I turned them on, one at a time. “They all have the latest operating systems. Can you get them moved to the new office?”
*
I sat with one computer on, the monitor blipped with balls bouncing as the screen saver. Wilkes had also retrieved two printers and some paper. I started going through the files he had left and made notes on who might be likely candidates for a new job. I was interrupted by a knock on the door. Jim opened it and stepped in.
“Looks like you’re settling in,” he said.
“Not really, only cleaned up a mess and moved the computers down. How’s it going on your side?”
“Paperwork, paperwork, and more damned paperwork,” he said, sitting in the other chair. “Dinner is in fifteen minutes in the officers’ mess. Care for a cocktail?” He produced our liquor bottles and two glasses.
“Are officers allowed that, or should you lock the door?” I asked.
“We’re allowed. Besides, if I locked the door someone might think….you know.”
“Is the major over the shock that I’m not a man?” I asked with a chuckle. “And why is it everyone here thinks I’m a guy?”
“That’s my fault, sorry. When I was organizing the rescue I referred to you as Allex, and that’s more a masculine name,” he informed me. “I must admit that since we showed up, you are the hot topic of the entire base.” I frowned at him, sipping my drink. He leaned on the desk. “Allex, everyone knows what you’ve been through, and they are all amazed at your resilience. Quite frankly, so am I.” He looked at me for a bit then looked away.
“These drinks need ice,” I said, clearing my throat. “I think tomorrow I’m asking Wilkes if he can find a small fridge for my room. I’m finding he’s the ‘Radar’ of this base.” I smiled thinking of the TV series M*A*S*H.
“Wilkes! He is so enamored with you he would steal it from Dan’s office for you,” Jim chuckled. “Come on, Lieutenant, let’s go to dinner, then we’ll come back here for our evening cribbage game.”