Chapter Four - part one

       Chapter Four

    A World Away

    This was the first time that James had gone to a new deployment and assumed a new command at the same time. He would be arriving a few short weeks before the Warhawks were to be deployed. The squadron pilots had just completed training on the new F/A-48's that they would now be flying. James would be arriving at the base while they were still on a final leave before being deployed. He would have a few weeks time to get ready before his new squadron actually returned to duty. Once they did he would have only a few days at best to get things in full working order. That short turn around wasn't the only issue James was facing though. He would also be meeting new officers and he would be building a new command structure inside the squadron too. The former squadron commander and the top five officers in it had either left the Air Force or had been reassigned during or immediately after their training on the F/A-48's.  Three of those six had remained in the Air Force, but had been sent to fill critical spots in other F/A-48 squadrons who had lost senior pilots for various reasons.

   The result was that James would be getting a squadron made up of mostly very young and very inexperienced pilots. Eight of the fourteen pilots under his new command were still 1st Lieutenants. The rest of those remaining were new Captains. He was also getting five completely new additions to the squadron too. Thankfully those additions were all more senior officers who already had experience flying an F/A-48. He would be getting one more Captain, two Majors, and two Lt. Colonel's to fill out the squadron. Beyond their ranks, James still had no information about them. That was one reason he was arriving early; while everybody else was still on leave. It would give him time to go over all the records; time to talk with their former instructors and former commanders too. Those new officers should be arriving before the newly trained pilots returned from leave. James would have a little time to talk with them and try to build his new squadron command structure before the entire squadron was fully formed up again. James had been promoted and was now a full bird Colonel. He was the youngest one currently serving in the United States Air Force. Sarah had been advancing on what was considered to be the current 'fast track' and was now a Lt. Colonel and squadron commander too. That made her another very young squadron commander.

   When James arrived, he was quickly escorted in to see his new commanding officer. That had been a pleasant surprise for James. His new commanding officer was now Lt. General Katherine Ann Madison! She was to soon become a four star and would assume control of the entire European Air Command when she did, but for the moment she was on special assignment at this small base in Germany. While James was happy to have someone he knew as his commanding officer, he was also concerned as to why she was there. This small base had seldom warranted more than a full Colonel in command. It was common for a Colonel to be in charge there just prior to moving up in rank or moving out of the Air Force. The fact that a rapidly rising three star general, who was about to assume a major command, was based in such a spot said a lot about possible situations in that spot. James knew that she wouldn't have been there waiting for his arrival unless something serious was going on. He had done some of his own investigating, but he had found nothing in the news or intelligence reports available to him that gave a hint of what it might be. He knew he would probably know as soon as he was escorted into her office and the door was closed behind him.

   She was much the same as he remembered her. Her hair was now almost totally white, with only a hint of silver. She was still an amazingly beautiful woman who looked too young for all that white hair. Katherine had come around her desk and welcomed James with open arms. He had expected a formal salute or handshake, but he received a hug and even a light kiss on the cheek. He saw a distinct twinkle in her eyes after that kiss on the cheek. That alone was enough to make him wonder just what he was walking into this time. She quickly moved back to take her seat and still smiling spoke. "Oh sit down! I just wanted to see if you were still the same hard headed young cadet I remembered from the Hill. I remember a cadet who didn't have enough sense to be afraid, because he had enough faith to make fear impossible. You haven't changed a much.  You impressed me the first time I saw you and then you went on to surprise and impress me even more soon after that. I have followed your entire career since we first met, and I can tell you that you still manage to surprise me. You have come far in a very short time, though I know for you it must sometimes seem like an eternity since you started at the Academy." Then she laughed.

   James had taken his seat, but he wasn't smiling, or laughing, and he wasn't happy. James had a very strong feeling that this wasn't going to be a simple reunion of old acquaintances. He also wasn't trying to hide his feelings. He had learned long ago that it was a waste of effort with this woman. She could read people like an open book. She was here for a reason and so was he! James wanted to hear what those reasons were before they did anything else. He had too little time and too much to get done to waste even a few moments with small talk.  Katherine Madison stopped laughing and spoke in a more authoritative voice. "It seems that you have changed after all! You are still as fearless as before, but you have learned how to control a situation much better. You know I shouldn't be sitting behind this desk. It should be a more senior Colonel speaking to you, the new Colonel about to take over. You want to know why I am here and you want to know now. That is good, but I want you to understand something first. While I like you and respect you very much, I am still the one in command here. You have shown yourself to be a very capable commander. That is why you have jumped ranks so rapidly, but you are still just a newly raised Colonel. I wear the stars! Are we clear on that?"

   James finally smiled again and spoke. "Yes Ma'am! I never doubted that you were in command. I just want to know what you intend to command me to do. I might not even care if it was only me, but I will soon have the final responsibility for a squadron of very young and inexperienced pilots. You are in command of and responsible for all of us, but I am still the one who will in all probability be leading these young people into whatever awaits us. You may wear the stars Ma'am, but I carry the burden of those young lives." This time Lt. General Madison just shook her head. After a moment she spoke again more softly this time. "You may have changed on the outside Colonel Cooper, but you haven't changed much on the inside. I think it is about time that you did though. This is going to be a lot different duty assignment for you. You have been in some spots where the whole world seemed to be resting on you, but this time I doubt they will even be looking at you at first. That doesn't mean you won't be in just as critical a position. It just means that you will be working in the dark not in the spotlight... at least for a little while."

   James was getting more troubled as she spoke, but she wasn't done yet, so he remained silent. Her voice grew even softer as she went on. "James, this has been a relatively easy duty in the past and could remain one, if not for all that has begun to happen in the world. You have seen a lot of it up close and been a key part of some of it, but things are moving much faster now. The whole world is in an economic crisis. The people fear the future and many fear a return to the past too. The people are scared and they don't know where to turn for help. We in the military are just a small part of things, but we may soon become a much larger part of things. I think you already know that soon the militaries of the world will be called out to either maintain or restore order in ways they have never been called on to do before. They are already doing that right now in many places. I am here for only a short time, a few weeks. It is my job to see that you are ready to assume this command and understand what is required of it when I leave it to assume the entire European Command."