“We must find a better way.
“That brings us back to where we started, to the events of the last few weeks. In that time, we have averted two wars without the loss of a single American life. The first was a war that could have started by mistake, by two nations who each believed the worst of each other. Each believed the other was massing troops on the border to attack; each was tempted to strike first and gain the upper hand. Two nations in the street at High Noon, each waiting for the slightest move that would cause them to go for their guns.
“Under our Open Skies policy we flew reconnaissance aircraft along the border and took photographs, the best our technology could provide. We gave those pictures to both sides, showing them that there were no troop concentrations, there were no plans on either side for an attack. The tension in that area faded away.
“This was the best way to end a war, not by sending large numbers of American boys to die in far-off lands but by removing the cause of the war before it ever started.
“We have also made it clear that we will not tolerate wars of aggression. A nation that tries to overrun and conquer its neighbors will face the wrath of American bombers. We will not tolerate the strong forcing the submission of the weak.
“Let us be clear about this. We do not rule the world. We do not say to others, this you will do, this is how you will live, this is who will rule you. We do not demand they love us, we do not even ask that they like us or agree with what we are or how we live. We merely say to them, live in peace and let others do the same. For if you want war you will be an enemy of America and America no longer makes war on its enemies, it destroys them.
“When a small war in a far-off land threatened to expand to a much larger conflict, just as the war in Europe expanded ten long years ago, we made that point clear. We simply reminded those responsible for starting that conflict of the motto of Strategic Air Command. 'Peace Is Our Profession.' We do not rule the world, we do not wish to and we will not make the attempt. We will just keep the peace.
“Tomorrow the American people have a choice. They can vote for a never ending commitment of American troops in far-off lands, fighting wars in sweaty jungles or the icy wastes, a policy that will send our sons back to the hell of Archangel. Or they can vote that Peace Is Our Profession and live behind the sword of Strategic Air Command and the shield of the oceans and our fighter defenses.
“Thank you and good night.”
President Dewey leaned back from the microphone and stretched. Then he quietly left the radio broadcast room and made for his official limousine. The poll figures looked bad but there was only one poll that mattered. The one tomorrow.
Ban Masdit Village, Recovered Provinces, Thailand.
The small convoy pulled to a halt in the street, dust swirling around the vehicles, a few curious dogs sniffing cautiously around to see who these new arrivals were. A jeep, five trucks. Sergeant Yawd leaned back in the rear seat “How did you get the transport Ell-tee?”
“Just told the motor pool sergeant that I knew all about his little sidelines and if we got transport, he'd have a week or two to get straightened out before we did an audit.”
“What was he up to?”
“I don't know. I let him fill in the blanks for himself. Obviously there's something he doesn't want investigated. There usually is.”
“What's going to happen to us Ell-tee? Back to truck guard duty?”
Sirisoon shook her head. They'd spent weeks garrisoning the river before being pulled back and replaced by a unit from the Eleventh. That was when she'd had her orders direct from General Songkitti in an envelope that included news that her sword had arrived and was in safe keeping for her. That had surprised her, privately she'd put her chance of getting it back at no more than 50:50. “We're being constituted as a ready alert platoon. There'll be one at each base from now on. The General says it's to make sure we don't get caught like this again.” She looked at Yawd out of the corner of her eyes. “You're stuck with me as well. General says, too many junior officers got killed leading from the front to replace me. By the way, I've been meaning to ask. When did I stop being Ma'am and become Ell-tee?”
Yawd looked embarrassed. “Well, errr.” He waved a hand in front of her, “Ma'am just came with the configuration so to speak. You earned the right to be our Ell-tee.”
“Ah, so.” The imitation Japanese made them both laugh. “Sergeant, the men have had a hard time. We've got two hours or so, let them wander around as they wish.” Yawd cleared his throat. Sirisoon carried on smoothly. “Under the supervision of their corporals of course. Reassemble in two hours.”
Yawd smiled contentedly. There was something very satisfying about seeing a young officer taking the first steps to becoming a good officer. “And you Ell-tee?”
“Got some personal things to get from the store over there.”
Sirisoon set out for the village store, easy to pick out as it was the largest frontage. Yawd followed her and settled down in a chair by the door, happy to relax in the sun. Sirisoon went inside; there were indeed some personal things she needed to get.
The store was typical of its kind, an uneven wooden floor, dusty despite the owner's wife sweeping it twice a day. Goods piled around in no particular order, some new, some old, some valuable, some junk. She searched through the shelves before she found what she needed. The counter where the shopkeeper and his assistant stood was by the door. The assistant was a young girl, probably the shopkeeper's daughter for most stores like this were run by the family. Sirisoon went over to them to pay.
There was another woman there, a young mother with a child. Sirisoon put her purchases on the table and dug out the money to pay for them. As she did, she absent-mindedly shifted the rifle hanging over her shoulder and moved the sawback bayonet on her belt. The child ran past her, to his mother and Sirisoon looked down at him, smiling as she picked up her goods. The young boy made a choking noise and buried his face in her mother's skirts. The woman grabbed him and swung him around, putting herself between her child and the stranger who stood in the store. She glared at Sirisoon, trying to erect a visual barbed wire fence to protect her child. The young shop assistant was staring at Sirisoon, something close to horror on her face. Sirisoon picked up her purchases and left. As she stepped through the doors, she heard the voices from inside the store.
“Lord have mercy on us. Did you see her eyes? Real killer's eyes!”
''Shush, she'll hear you.”
Outside, Sergeant Yawd fell in beside his officer his voice quiet and fraternal. “Welcome to the club, Ell-tee.”
Nellis Air Force Base, Las Vegas, Nevada.
The crew slid into their accustomed places and started reading off the long check-list before take-off. The cockpit was hot, stiflingly so, and nobody on the flight deck wanted to delay getting off the ground and up into the cool air high above.
“It's hot out here.” Major Clancy was running through the electronics list, reading it as per regulations.
“We'd better get used to it; we're going to be out here from now on.”
“Confirmed then?”
“Yup. Just came through. The whole 100th is transferring from Kozlowski to Nellis. The base has got to be expanded to take us but as soon as it's done, we'll be basing out of Nevada. Facing west across the Pacific, not east across the Atlantic.”
“We're staying here?” It was the voice they already associated with Texan Lady although Dedmon still privately believed it was somebody playing a joke. Or perhaps just his imagination. He talked to his aircraft, every pilot did, and it was quite possible he was imagining the responses. But then why did others hear what he heard?