Chapter Seven - part one

                      Chapter Seven

 New Lives with New Orders

     James and Sarah stayed around a lot longer than they had planned; ringing in the New Year together. Patricia's prediction proved true. General Davis seldom let them out of his sight after that kiss, not that he had before it either. Once they finally did leave, it was a quick trip back to the hill. James dropped her at the door and parked the car before escorting Sarah to the Mach One area. It was no great surprise to find a few cadets waiting around for their return. They said nothing, mostly out of fear of Sarah, but the grins and snickers said plenty. There was no hand holding or even a goodnight kiss when he dropped her off, but that didn't make the night any less special. James didn't get a lot of sleep that night. He spent most of the next day avoiding the squadron area and all the questions he knew would come his way, along with the teasing. It was only after the rest of the cadets began to arrive back on the Hill that he saw much of Sarah. In fact it wasn't until after church the next Sunday that they got to talk in private.

    They spent a good part of Sunday afternoon together, just talking about things. Things had changed for both of them in a major way. James had no doubt that he was much too interested in Sarah. The rules did allow relationships between cadets, but it could become a very touchy issue for cadets in the same squadron or even the same flight. Neither of them needed or wanted that sort of problem. Sarah did make it clear that she had feelings for James and wanted to see how those developed, but she wasn't going to risk complications with her career to find out. It took most of the month for them to get those things worked out. They would start dating after the graduation and admittance of the new class. That was still months away. Sarah would be a firstee and he would be a 3 degree. It would be easier to work out the change in their relationship then. He wouldn't be as restricted and she should have much more freedom, since she would be leaving the Academy within a year. Until then they would just continue to work together and attend services together on Sundays. Otherwise there would be nothing much different than if they hadn't been interested in each other at all. At least that was their plan.

    It was the first week in February before James faced the first new issue because of Sarah. Late one day, after classes were over he was summoned to the Superintendent's office. That had happened twice before, after minor incidents during his day, but this time there had been nothing he was aware of to cause it. The other two times he hadn't gone alone. This time when he arrived it was just him in the office, him and Colonel Roberts. He had only a very short wait before Lt. General McBride buzzed for him to come in. Colonel Roberts remained outside in her office to make sure nobody would interrupt. James stepped forward and closed the door behind him. It was only then that he realized that someone else was also in the office. It was General Davis. James immediately knew this wasn't going to be anything like what he had been expecting it to be.

    Lt. General McBride spoke from behind his desk. "Please take a seat Cadet Cooper. I suspect you already know that I wasn't the one who really wanted to see you today, but rest assured I do want to talk with you as well." James stepped forward and spoke carefully before taking the seat offered to him. "Sir, yes sir. I was wondering what had happened for you to call me in again. I wasn't aware of any problems." As he took his seat he turned to look directly at General Davis. "I think I now know what the issue is this time, but I am not certain of how anyone expects me to handle this differently." General Davis actually smiled and leaned forward to speak. "You have nerve son, most young officers I have met would be shaking in their shoes and afraid to speak if they had been summoned to a meeting like this. I respect that nerve, but you are very correct. We do have an issue that needs to be resolved." James showed no reaction at all; at least he hoped he didn't. His worst fears had just been confirmed. General Davis was going to request or maybe order him to stay away from Sarah.

   Lt. General McBride spoke up quickly. "Cadet Cooper, before we discuss that issue, I want to speak to you about a few things. I have been and continue to be very impressed with your performance under extreme conditions. Colonel Roberts has informed me of a lot of the 'minor' conflicts that you face almost daily. In spite of those constant distractions and the stress of dealing with them almost daily you have excelled. You are currently alone at the top of your class academically. I am told that your performance during physical training is always outstanding. The most impressive achievement to me however is your adaptation to military life. That is never easy for anyone in the beginning and yet you have made it appear easy. Despite your constant and open display of faith in god, you have proven yourself to be a total soldier. You obey orders without question and display an amazing understanding of the proper order of life in the military. I want you to know that regardless of what General Davis may say or want from you, you will have my complete support. You have proven yourself and you deserve no less from your commander." Then McBride looked at Davis, leaning back in his chair he spoke directly to him. "All right, I have had my say. The floor is yours, sir."

    James said nothing in reply to Lt. General McBride. This wasn't the time for that either. However, he now understood that this was all General Davis. That statement of support and the 'sir' tacked onto the end of the last statement made it very clear that McBride didn't approve of this. He was yielding to a direct superior. The only question remaining was what he was yielding and how much he would yield. James knew that it had to be something major or he wouldn't have made his displeasure with it so clear in front of any cadet. The Academy was a branch of the Air Force, but in many ways the cadets were separated from much of the real Air Force. Only after graduation would they become a true functioning part of the whole. While they did fall under military rules and discipline, they were effectively in an intensive and extended training program with very limited direct involvement with the operational functions of the Air Force. Apparently that wasn't true for him any longer. He was about to be dealing directly with the actual commander of the entire North American Air Force.

    General Davis wasn't smiling. He shook his head while still looking at McBride. Then he turned his full attention to James. Still without any sign of a smile he began. "The first thing I need to make clear is that I am not focusing on you. I want both of you," he looked back at McBride, "to understand that Sarah is my one and only concern. Patricia and I were never able to have children. Sarah is an only child and she is as much a daughter to me as she is to my brother. She is the reason I am here today." He paused for a moment. "I saw the way she was looking at you and frankly I am deeply concerned. I was aware of you before we met at the party. I wasn't aware of the two of you together though. That puts everything in a whole new light for me. I gave up an entire day of my time to come out here to deal with this, a day I don't have to spare. I just spent two hours of that day debating about this issue with Mike." He looked over at McBride. Then he continued. "Cadet Cooper, I want to know from you, what do you have in mind concerning Sarah? I saw the way you two were looking at each other. I am reasonably sure what I saw, but I want to hear it from you."

    James nodded, but said nothing for a while. He just sat and studied the man in front of him. So far he was just facing a concerned father figure. General Davis hadn't shown any sign of involving his rank, not yet. James knew that would probably happen before this was over. Still there was nothing he could do to avoid that, not without telling him a complete lie or simple turning his back on Sarah. James took a deep breath. He had no real choice. He couldn't lie, that was a sin, even a white lie was, though he had told those and likely would again. Nothing about this would be white though, not if he lied about his feelings for Sarah. It would be as black as the blackest night. Since he couldn't lie like that and wouldn't walk away from her, he would have to stand and face whatever came his way. He spoke very softly when he was sure of what he had to say. "Sir, I wish I knew. I like Sarah. I respect her. I am interested in her. How far any of that goes or will go... I do not know, sir." That was all he said. All he could say. It was the simple truth, a truth that he had been struggling with since even before that kiss New Year's night.

    James doubted that General Davis would believe him or accept that answer even if he did. His concern was for the well being of the only child he had ever had. He would expect and demand a definite answer and it was very doubtful that he would tolerate one that kept James involved in Sarah's life. There was no point in explaining that he hadn't kissed her before or since that one kiss. Oh, he wanted to kiss her. He had lost sleep thinking about that kiss, but it hadn't happened again. He was almost afraid to kiss her. That first kiss had been very special. He thought it had been special for both of them. James wasn't sure if it would be the same if they kissed again. He wasn't sure he wanted to find out, not yet. He waited and watched as General Davis studied him. Finally General Davis spoke. "Are you in love with her?" James couldn't keep from smiling. He shrugged as he spoke quickly. "Sir, I just tried to tell you, I don't really know how I feel about her or how she feels about me. I care about her and I want to get to know her better. I want to find that out. Sir, I cannot say that I love her anymore than I could say that I don't."

    James stood up and took another deep breath. "I will say this. I care too much about her to do anything that might cause her problems. I wish I could say the same for her, but I am afraid that she has already proven that she will risk far too much to help me. Sir, I would do the same for her if I could, but since I cannot... well I will just try to not do anything that will make matters worse. That doesn't mean I will stay away from her though. That wouldn't be right or fair. Not to me and not to her. With respect, Sir; if you have something to say to me then say it. If you order me to stay away I will, but I will tell her that I was ordered to stay away." James saw both men stiffen and continued quickly. "That is not meant as a threat. I simply won't lie to her when she asks, and she will ask! Now if you intend to give me an order I would appreciate it if you would do it. I am late for training and I have extra work due in two classes. I see no point in dragging this out any further, Sir."

    This time it was McBride who spoke. "Sit down, Cadet Cooper. I appreciate your courage, but this is not the time or the place for it." James sat down and remained silent as he listened to the two men. McBride spoke first. "Bill, this isn't something you can handle by giving orders. I am truly sorry that I didn't consider this before I placed him in Mach One, but it is far too late to change it now. The connection has been made and now there is just no way to stop this. Leave it be or it will be worse, no matter how it turns out in the end." General Davis shook his head and stood up. Looking at James he spoke to McBride. "Mike, you keep an eye on things, a close eye." Then he stepped over and extended a hand to James. James stood again and took it. General Davis spoke while holding his hand firmly without even beginning to shake hands. "Son, I respect your honesty and your courage. Now understand this. If you hurt Sarah, intentionally or otherwise; there is no place on this earth that will be beyond my reach. I won't give you any order concerning seeing her or not seeing her. I will however expect you to remember that you are in the United States Air Force and abide by the rules it has. I think you are aware of what that means. I also want you to remember that I am just her uncle. Her dad will be much harder on you than me." Then he gave a firm handshake to James before turning to do the same with Lt. General McBride.  He walked out without another word spoken. James watched him leave and then looked over to Lt. General McBride. The lack of any salutes said volumes to James. This was still a personal matter... for the moment. McBride just looked at him a moment and then dismissed him without any further words. James arrived back in the squadron area and changed as quickly as possible. He didn't have time to think or even worry about what had just happened. He was late for training. When he got there it was Sarah who was in charge. He spent the next two hours wishing her uncle had just had him shot... it would have been a faster and less painful way to die. She made him pay dearly for arriving late when she was the one in charge of training.