Chapter Four - part five

   Once they were out of the room Lt. General Madison had ordered that she and James weren't to be disturbed. She resumed her seat and smiling spoke directly to James for the first time since the meeting had started. "Well now you know where the problem is and I assume you know what the problems are too. You have seen all of the intelligence we have. Russia wants to take control of one or both of those nations. They don't need direct control of either of them. All they need is a foothold, a base located within the nation. That will give them the power they need to advance even further in other places. We are on the opposite side of Germany, so Russia can effectively ignore us unless we can make them notice us. Germany has no interest in being noticed. They have problems of their own to deal with. Now I want to hear what you think of all of this and what you think should be done. We can't afford to let them gain a foothold. Poland is already leaning heavily back towards Russia, which now appears to be the strongest power in the region. NATO has become little more than a paper tiger to Russia, if even that. A failure on our part now will be catastrophic to our entire position in Europe."

   James nodded as she spoke and when she stopped he sighed deeply. She was correct in her own assessment of the current situation. The problem was that James wasn't sure what if anything they could do. Taking a deep breath he offered what little he could to the discussion. "I fully agree that we must not let Russia gain more footholds in Europe or we may soon lose control of much of Europe. That said I am not sure that we have much control of Europe now. Ma'am from what I can tell; most European governments are already on the verge of collapsing. The only real strengths seem to be in places where the government has taken almost complete control of everything. Those nations are effectively standing on the people to maintain the control they do have, but even there it is getting harder for them to maintain control. As for the two nations we just spoke with? Well Austria is more stable and less likely to just cave in to Russia. They are very proud and independent, but the economy isn't that much better there than anywhere else. I think that, over time, they could be convinced to form an alliance with Russia to strengthen their economy. That alliance could be used by Russia to eventually gain full control, but that will take a long time. The Czech Republic is more likely to be in immediate danger, but some of the leaders still remember what a boot on their neck feels like. It will take a lot to make them forget that feeling. The real issue there is that the people may decide that being under a Russian boot is still better than starving or freezing."

   James stood up and paced across the room a couple of times before turning back to face Lt. General Madison. She was just sitting and watching him in silence. She seemed to be waiting for him to finish. James shook his head as he continued. "Ma'am, I don't see any good way for us to approach this at the moment. Unless Russia moves troops in a directly threatening way, anything we do will look like we are the aggressor and help them. I do believe our focus should be more on the Czech Republic than Austria, but I don't think either of those is the final goal for Russia. I think they want to gain control of Poland and are using these two as distractions. Poland is actually in worse economic and political shape that Austria and maybe even the Czech Republic. Poland has a slightly stronger economy, but the Czech Republic still has a strangle hold on opposition to the government. Poland has control of the people, but they can't hold it if the people get too cold and hungry. At the moment I just don't see a good viable approach for us to use in removing the threat of a Russian take over. They can use food and fuel to starve and freeze these smaller nations into submission. Armies can't feed people or heat their homes either, so we can't supply those needs with military force.  I am not sure what if anything we can do."

   James had stopped pacing and was standing directly in front of the desk. He was now the one that was watching and waiting. If she had expected him to provide a quick solution or any solution at all then she should be very disappointed. She showed no sign of any emotion at all. After a moment Lt. General Madison spoke softly. "Please sit down, James." After he was seated again she continued. "You have a very good picture of the situation. We have been looking at this for months and have decided much the same things that you have just said. In the end that changes nothing for us though. We still have to try and stop this slow, steady Russian advance into Europe. I fully agree that it will be difficult to do with military force. I think that may soon change though. If Russia does continue to squeeze the food and fuel supplies, the people won't stand still. They can't or they will start to die. They will demand action and those demands will become violent. That is where I think we can do some good. I think Russia will try to step in as a savior to the people. I also think they will try to move in the military when they do. If we can prevent the military from moving in, while also restoring some order, then we will have a chance. We can be the good guys for a change."

   She leaned forward and grinned. "I know you don't want to hear this, but I think this is going to play out a lot like it did in South Korea. That is one reason we thought of you. You handled that very well, almost perfectly. You used force, but you held back until the perfect moment. Then you didn't rush in and just shoot things up. You moved in silently and without doing any real damage you eliminated the threat." James started to speak, but was waved down. "Oh, I know it could easily have gone much differently! I know that you also risked your own career to do what you did. That is also why we think you are the right man for this situation. James you have been here only a few days and yet you have a better grasp of what is really going on than many of the politicians and diplomats who have spent their lives here. Maybe there is nothing you can do. Maybe there never will be... but if an opportunity does come along we think you will not only see it, but that you won't be afraid to take it!" James shook his head and laughed. Then he spoke.

   "You seem to think I am a lot more than I am Ma'am. But you also keep saying we. Who is this 'we' you keep repeating? I have gotten used to the politics, the hidden agendas, and intrigues that seem to be a part of military life for an officer, but I still would like to know who is holding my strings. I want to know who is trying to make me dance to the song they pick out. Can you and will you tell me that?" Now she laughed and shook her head slowly as she sat back in her chair to study him. After a moment she spoke. "One of those who believe in you is General Kendrick. I believe you remember him. He has never taken his eyes off of you. He will be moving up to head the North American Air Force Command soon. Right now he is in charge of intelligence. He is the one who thinks you are the only one who might be able to help here. Trust me when I tell you that a lot of thought and prayer went into this decision. James we aren't trying to pull your strings. All we are trying to do is position you where we believe you can do the most good."

   She hesitated and then stood up to move around to face James who stood up too. Her voice was no longer so commanding. It was almost timid now. "James, I told you the first time we met that I serve the Lord my God before all others. That is still true. Things are moving rapidly all across the world towards something major. The people of the world are in trouble and the governments are no longer able to truly help them. I believe that God is moving to help them. The only question is will the people let God help. When you started at the Academy nearly twenty years ago things looked very bad. In many ways they have only grown worse since then. There have been some changes that weren't bad though. James when you entered the Academy the government and the military were trying very hard to completely remove God from themselves. The government has almost succeeded, but the military has slowly been turning back towards God. I admit that we still have a large number of enlisted coming in each year that aren't interested in God. I will also be the first to tell you that many of them soon develop a very real interest in God, because of what they do and what they see going on every day in the military. I have also seen something even more hopeful happening. The people in command positions are becoming more Christian. The number of actual Christians is still far too low, but those who are openly followers have moved up and are moving into control in spite of their faith. I and others believe this wasn't by accident. We believe that God is moving His own into place to take command when they must. You want to know who holds your strings. I think God holds them!"

   She reached out and placed a hand on his shoulder and smiled as she spoke in a more familiar tone of voice. She sounded much like she had when she had spoken to cadets at services at Jack's Valley. "James, we don't expect you to work miracles or save the world. We just think that you have the right set of skills and the right attitude for this job. You also have something that few others have enough of. You have an absolute sort of faith that seems to only grow stronger when it is tested the hardest.  Let's pray together about this James." She bowed her head and began to pray as James did the same. "Our Father in heaven, we come to you now for guidance and wisdom. Father you alone know what the future holds for us. You alone have the answers we so desperately need. Father, I pray today that you will provide those answers and guide our steps as we move forward. Father, I pray that you will continue to bless and to use this young warrior who stands before you. We have already asked much of him and much he has given Father, but now we must ask even more of him. Many of us have watched him as he has walked the path that we and you have laid before him. We have seen him stumble sometimes, but we have never seen him waiver or fall. He has been an obedient and faithful servant. I lift him up to you now and ask for your blessings upon him as he once more steps forward to do his duty; for his country and for his Lord. Guide his heart and mind Father. Take him where he must go and show him what he must do. We have brought this man here to do our work, but we pray that you will make his work your own. We pray all this in the name of our Lord and savior, your son, Jesus. Amen."

   James said nothing more than a soft 'Amen'. He took a deep breath again and nodded. Then he spoke softly. "Katherine, if I may call you that?" She smiled and nodded. "Katherine, you have put me into a very difficult place during a very difficult time. I will do all that I can do. I will pray that God has heard your prayers and will grant them, but I am just a man Katherine. I am no better or worse than any other man or woman. You look at me and say you don't expect me to work miracles and yet you have asked me to do nothing less than that. I hope you haven't put your faith in me instead of God, because if you have... I will fail. I thank you for that prayer, but I ask that you pray for the people instead. I go where I am sent and do what I must. Though I have sometimes forgotten God, God has never forgotten me. I know that no matter what happens it will be according to His will and that is enough for me. If it isn't enough for you then you have greater problems than these we have spoken of to deal with. Now I need to get ready to take command of my new squadron, if you will excuse me I better get to work on that."