The Amulets of Power II the Kennedy WarsChapter 9
- 2 years ago
- 19
- 0
At the bunker, I found Suenee already in a discussion with a group of the local women. I didn't know what work she kept referring to, but it apparently involved a lot of discussions with the other women. I tried to get my shaving gear as quietly as possible so as not to disturb them and went to shave before the hot water was used up.
After shaving and putting my things up, I went in search of something to do as Suenee was still talking to the group of the local women. Actually, preaching was more like it. I couldn't understand her words, but the tone of voice was unmistakable to any one that had spent much time in church. Sawyer was glad to see me when I got to Operations.
"Can you type as well as you send Morse code?" he asked.
"Yes, why?"
"Sergeant Morris is all fumble fingered. Help him type out his report. I'm already helping Barlow, and the CO will need the typewriter for his own report shortly."
I sat down at the makeshift desk and looked at Sgt. Morris's report. He definitely had a problem and I started it all over while he checked what he had written and then checked what I had typed as I finished each page.
"Damn, Baker. You sure make it look easy. Where did you learn to type like that?" Morris asked after a time.
"In high school. It came in handy in 05B school and also when I took classes for 05H and 05K certification," I told him.
"I have trouble remembering Morse code," Morris told me.
"I learned it in the Boy Scouts," I told him.
"Yes. I was never a Boy Scout. There wasn't time on the farm for that."
"I spent summers at my grandfather's farm. He was retired. That's where I learned to shoot."
"Yes, I saw the target," Morris answered.
We were finished by 1100 hrs. and the CO took over the typewriter while I collated everything for Sgt. Morris and put the carbons in the burn box out of habit.
Shortly after that I went to eat, so I could relieve Meadows to eat. After that we sat around commo and talked shop for a while, as nothing was going on. At 1400 hrs. Meadows went to get some sleep and I took over the commo watch. We were still expecting a flight to come in to pickup the reports. It was 1430 when the first call came in.
"Golden Badger, Golden Badger, this is Dark Horse 37, over."
"Dark Horse 37, this is Golden Badger 3 Zulu, over."
"Badger 3 Zulu, this is Horse 37. We are about zero five out from your location. Is your Lima Zulu marked, over?'
"Horse 37, this is Badger 3 Zulu. Negative. Our LZ is not marked. I repeat our LZ is not marked. It will take a few mikes to prepare it. Can you circle, over?"
"Roger, Badger 3 Zulu. No problem circling. Be advised that you should prepare for two visitors, over."
"Roger, Horse 37. Understand two visitors. Stand by." I hurried over to Operations to let them know. You could just hear the chopper now as it approached.
I had to run to the bunker and retrieve my ruck and rifle, and then return to commo to put the radio in the ruck and get a smoke grenade. By the time I got to the front gate, Lt. Sykes had the security platoon formed up and ready to go. The CO and Sawyer were there also.
"Give me the smoke," Sawyer told me as I came up. We quickly made our way to the LZ at the bottom of the saddle, as I came back up on the radio.
"Black Horse 37, this is Golden Badger 3 Zulu. We will be ready to pop smoke in zero three. Do you have a visual on the camp, over."
"Badger 3 Zulu, this is Horse 37. Roger, we have a visual on the camp, over."
"Roger, Horse 37. I'll be popping smoke in zero one, stand by." I signaled Sawyer to pop smoke. He did and threw it out on the LZ.
"Badger 3 Zulu, I identify red smoke, over."
"Horse 37, roger. Red smoke. I am down wind of the smoke and will guide you in with flags, over."
"Roger, Badger 3 Zulu. Horse 37 starting approach."
Again we were surprised that it was a CH-47 that landed. We were even more surprised when a Green Beret Lieutenant Colonel and a Major got off of the chopper. They quickly joined us at a distance from the aircraft.
"Badger 3 Zulu, am I clear for take off, over?" came from the ship then.
"Roger, Horse 37. You are clear for takeoff, over," I answered, somewhat surprised.
"This is Dark Horse 37 taking off, out." and he was gone in no time. After the ship departed, it was possible to talk again.
"Good afternoon, Captain Warren. I'm Colonel Hawkins, XO of 46th Group," the Light Colonel said, "and this is Major Carlson our S-3."
"Good afternoon, sir. Welcome to Camp B 457," the CO said. "Did you say 46th Group?"
"Yes, the orders raising us to Group came through a few days ago. Everyone is still getting used to the sound of it. We're here about your latest reports. Let's go somewhere a little more private before we begin."
"Yes, sir. Right this way, please," the CO answered and led the way up to the camp.
The CO and Sawyer took our visitors to Operations while I returned to commo to put up the radio. A short time later, I was called into Operations.
"Yes, sir," I said as I entered.
"Baker, the Colonel and Major Carlson want to talk to you about your radio," the CO told me.
"Yes, sir,"
"What we want to know, young man, is how do we get more like it?" the Colonel asked.
"I can't answer that question, sir. I don't know. I was issued it when I graduated from a 'Super Top Secret School'. The radio has no identification on it and neither do the manuals that came with it."
"Can we look at it?" he asked.
"Yes, sir. I don't see why not. Everyone here has seen it. It's sitting over in commo." We all adjourned to commo then, and the two officers inspected the radio.
"Is this all of it!" the Colonel asked in surprise.
"No, sir. There are other sub-assemblies in the shipping case, as well as manuals and spare parts. There is even an encryption unit for transmitting sensitive information. The school taught us how to maintain it up to and including depot level maintenance."
"That far?" the Major asked. "Have you had any trouble with it?"
"No, sir. It has worked just fine the entire time I have been here."
"You didn't use it before reaching here?" the Colonel asked.
"No, sir. When we graduated from that school, we were shipped out to SEA immediately."
"Who is we?"
"There were twelve people in my graduating class. We each received a radio before leaving."
"So there are eleven more - somewhere?"
"Yes, sir, as far as I know."
"All right, let's return to Operations," the Colonel said.
"Captain Warren, we need you to arrange to have your people pull guard around this bunker and keep everyone away from this area while we brief you. Following that we would like to talk to this young lady that you mentioned in your report last night," the Colonel said after we returned to the Operations bunker.
The CO left to arrange the guard while the rest of us waited. It was then that the Colonel noticed that I was still with them.
"Just what is the security classification of that of that radio, Sergeant?" he demanded.
"It's classified Top Secret, Compartmented and Password protected, sir," I replied. Both officers looked startled.
"That high?" he asked.
"Yes, sir."
"And you just let it sit in there?" he asked.
"Yes, sir. I'm the only one that can operate it. It won't function for anyone else, and no, I don't know how they did that. It wasn't explained to us."
"Can I assume that your security clearance is commensurate with that level of classification?"
"Yes, sir, you may."
"I understand that you are not an original member of this team. Is that correct?"
"Yes, sir. That is correct. I'm a replacement."
"Sir, I went to SUPTHAI to get a new radio operator when our previous one stepped on a punji stick. A change to Baker's orders had come in that morning from USARPAC assigning him to us," Sawyer told the Colonel.
"Direct from USARPAC?" the Colonel asked, startled.
"Yes, sir. Direct from USARPAC," Sawyer assured him.
"And your other radio operator, the Communications Chief?" the Major asked.
"SFC Meadows. He has a Secret clearance," Sawyer informed him.
"I take it that Sgt. Meadows doesn't use the classified radio then," the Colonel asked.
"No, sir. As I said before, I'm the only one the radio will function for and I'm the only one that uses it."
"All right, I guess you may as well stay then, as you'll be there for all of the reports and messages anyway."
Captain Warren had returned by now having set up the guard.
"What we are about to tell you must not go beyond this room, Gentlemen. You may consider it Top Secret, although we are still waiting for JUSMAG THAI to authorize us to classify it that high.
New characters appearing in chapter 10 and after: Phil Del Vecchio Captain, Bill met him in Bangkok, 5’-7”tall, 185 pounds, 36 years old, black hair, hazel eyes, very muscular Tweed SSG, Engineer, Bill’s friend from Cambodia, 5’-9” tall, 155 pounds, 32 years old, blond hair, blue eyes Carson SSG, Infantry, 5’-11” tall, 170 pounds, 32 years old, black hair, gray eyes Williams SSG, Infantry, 5’-9” tall, 150 pounds, 30 years old, Brown hair, hazel eyes Colby SSG, Artillery, 6’-0” tall,...
I went up to the room and checked my AK-47 and its magazines. Mike was there checking his weapon also. "You ever been in a firefight?" he asked, nervously. "No, have you?" I asked. "Me, neither," he answered, and sounded scared. "I wish that I had been able to sight this thing in," I told him. "They told me not to worry about that," he said. "Spray and pray is what they told me. You can't see shit at night." "I could see pretty well last night after the moon came up," I...
After breakfast at the PX cafeteria in the morning, I went over to finance. They went over my records, while Suenee went back to the room to wait for me. "Damn Sarge, you've been all over the place," the SP/5 clerk said before he got to the Command Sponsorship paper work. He went over that very carefully, and it took some time. "It looks like you have a bunch of money coming," he finally said. "This Command Sponsorship is effective from the date you got married, which was in...
It was nearly sundown when I heard the commotion coming from the front gate and went out to see what it was. The three Chiefs had returned with the holy man. He was an older man dressed as a Buddhist monk, but his rob was very faded and worn, and he seemed very agitated about something, as they came through the front gate. “What’s up?” I asked Tweed, as I walked up to him. “Don’t know yet. The old guy seems really upset,” Tweed said, as one of the interpreters came toward us. “What’s...
The unauthorized patrol returned just before sundown. They had two wounded with them and three extra weapons. "Doc" Walls was ecstatic. He finally had some real wounds to treat and not just the usual run of boils, bites, fevers, sprains and malaria that he saw here. Neither wound was life threatening, but in this heat and humidity, they needed to be treated promptly before they became infected. The CO took Lieutenant Tamusarit, the Platoon Leader and an interpreter into his office. They...
Wednesday the first of March 1967 dawned the same as every other day had. I spent the early morning hours after breakfast straightening up the radio room. It was something I had been putting off since the Teams had left on Friday, but I had decided to get it done this morning. About 1000 hrs 'the Radio' came to life all on its own for no apparent reason. "Any station, any station, this is Cowboy Tango 1 Alpha, over," I heard immediately. In my hurry to get to the radio, I tripped on a...
We filed out of the front gate toward the saddle. I handed Tweed the smoke grenade, as we hurried down to the LZ. In just under five minutes, I was in place and ready. I called the chopper again. "Air Cobra 17, this is Golden Badger 3 Zulu. I am popping smoke now," I told him as I signaled Tweed. "I identify green smoke. I say again green." "Roger, Air Cobra 17. I'm down wind of the smoke and ready to guide you in." The chopper that approached then wasn't a Huey either. I...
New characters appearing in the remaining chapters: Lieutenant Paribetra Thai Army Ranger, Suenee's cousin from Amulets II, 5'-10" tall, 155 pounds, 27 years old, black hair, brown eyes Phesila Tweed's girlfriend / wife, Governor's daughter, 5'-6" tall, 120 pounds, 20 years old, 36C-23-35, long shiny black hair, brown eyes, stunningly beautiful Monday was fairly easy, as there wasn't much going on. The CO arranged for Carson to get on a TSF flight on Tuesday that was going to...
Fields dropped me off at Ploenchit Road and continued back to the Team House, while I walked the few blocks to the Nana. I was soaked when I got there from Bangkok's heat and humidity. The air conditioning in the lobby felt really great. I went up to the room where I found Suenee talking to two of the women who worked at the hotel. The women left just after I arrived and Suenee took one look at me and said, "Shower." I knew better than to argue by now and collected my other clothes and...
The rest of the morning was pretty dull with only a few good bits of conversations to be captured. It wasn't until after lunch that we picked up the Attapu station again. John went to get Ernie while I recorded it. There was shouting again at both ends of the transmission. Ernie was laughing his ass off after he came in. They finally signed off, and Ernie eventually managed to stop laughing enough to talk to us. "What the hell is so funny?" John asked, as he turned from his receiver to...
The following characters return from Part 1: Sgt. Bill Baker Radio Operator, 5'-10" tall, 170 pounds, 24 years old, Auburn hair, Hazel eyes MSG Sawyer Team Sergeant, 6'-6" tall, 275 pounds, 42 years old, black hair, brown eyes Suenee Sa Bill's girl friend and wife, 5'-2" tall, 108 pounds, 34C-23-35, 21 years old, brown eyes, long black hair, oval face, very cute Sophie MSG Sawyer's girlfriend, 5'-10" tall, 140 pounds, 38C-25-37, 25 years old, brown eyes, long black hair The...
I was awakened again by Suenee shaking my shoulder. There was barely enough light to see in the room. "You must return now," she said, when she saw that I was awake. I reached out and pulled her to me. She offered no resistance and came into my arms for a long kiss - but not too long. "Shower," she told me in a no-nonsense voice. We adjourned to the shower again. I was better prepared this time, but that water was still cold. We both showered and dried off. When I came out of the...
As Kennedy was finishing up with her racing scull, she heard a funny, startled sound from Deb and turned to see what it was. A man was standing a few feet inside the door of the boat house, watching the two of them. At least, Kennedy thought, it wasn't Agent Larkin. "Uncle Ferinc!" Deb said, obviously upset. "Niece, please go busy yourself elsewhere for a time. I will talk to you after lunch." Kennedy wasn't sure how old he was. He looked at times to be older than her father, other...
The following new character appears in this and other chapters: Phara Hemsamahan, Governor of Korat Province, Sonsri's father, 5'-7'' tall, 165 pounds, 45 years old, Black hair, brown eyes Keofeh house owner, Amulet devotee, an older woman about 5'- 0'' tall and rather thin. Black hair and brown eyes "You cannot do that! She is dedicated to the Amulets and is also my friend," Sonsri told him in a loud voice. On hearing this, the new guards shrank back in fear of touching one...
New characters appearing in the next few chapters" Luang Silapakom Bill's landlord and teacher, 5'-6" tall, 130 pounds, 53 years old brown eyes, black hair going gray John Bill's co-worked, MOS 98G (Voice Intercept Operator), 5'-9" tall, 150 pounds, 23 years old, blond hair, blue eyes, SP/4 Ernie Translator (Vietnamese), MOS 04B, 5' 8" tall, 160 pounds, 24 years old, brown hair and eyes, SP/5 The entrance to the Operations area was the red guard-shack we had been to last...
The trip from Bangkok back to Korat is about 260 km, more or less by road. We pulled out of Seri Court just after 0830 and made good time once we got out past Don Mung airport. We took the turn to Sara Buri and headed up Friendship Highway. I had a much better view of the trip from the elevated cab of the deuce and a-half then I had had from the pickup truck coming the other way. It was shortly after passing Sara Buri and before we reached the climb to the Korat plateau that I started to...
Kennedy tried to contain her excitement, but when you are eight, nearly nine, excitement is huge and the container is small. Mr. Glastonbury was wearing a friar's robe, something that had raised a few eyebrows when they stopped for gas. Kennedy had thought about getting out of the car herself and seeing what people thought of her Robin Hood costume, but decided that there was too much chance that they would laugh. Now, though, they were in the mountains and it was a nice day; the air was...
COL Page had returned to Lop Buri late on Friday and arrived at his office at 0900 hrs on Saturday morning. LTC Hawkins was waiting for him, as their quarters are next to each other, and he was aware that his boss was back. "Here you are, sir," LTC Hawkins said, as he entered his boss's office. "The top report is from last year and the bottom one is from March of this year. After you look them over, I'll tell you what was left out and why." "Left out? Do you mean that these reports...
Characters returning from Part 1 of the story: LTC Hawkins Executive Officer, 46th Group, 6'-1" tall, 185 pounds, 45 years old, brown hair, blue eyes MAJ Carlson S-3, 46th Group, 5'-9" tall, 160 pounds, 39 years old, sandy blond hair, gray eyes The road from the airfield was straight as an arrow and our maps showed that it intersected Highway 4 / 13 roughly half a mile before that road split. One part went through the town and was designated as highway or road 1, and the other part...
New characters appearing in the next several chapters: Short Round Friend of Bill’s, 5’-9” tall, 145 pounds, 21 years old, brown hair, gray eyes Ear Company clerk, tall thin young man, 20 years old, red hair and freckles SSG Williams, Willie S-2, 83rd RRSOU, 5’-8” tall, 170 pounds, 31 years old, very short blond hair, blue eyes First Sergeant Never named other than his rank, tall, thin, balding, reddish completion 44 years old Major Taylor Commander, HQ Co, 83rd RRSOU, 5’-4” tall,...
New characters introduced in the next two chapters: Colonel Thuathao Senior Colonel, Thai Special Forces, Suenee's 'uncle', 5'-10" tall, 170 pounds, 48 years old, black hair going gray at the temples, brown eyes I arrived at the airfield while they were still unloading the C-130 aircraft, as it is only about a four mile drive. I pulled up on the unloading ramp near the plane and walked over to the Air Force Loadmaster who was supervising the unloading. "Howdy," I said as I...
This morning I shaved before going to eat, as I knew that Phillips had started the water heating after getting off guard and it would be hot by now. Also the cook had just arrived as I was getting off guard, and breakfast wouldn't be ready for a little while yet. Breakfast at around 0700 was very quiet and everyone took care of last minute things after that. Then they finished loading their jeeps with their rucks, ammunition, weapons and at least one five gallon can of water. De Foor came...
Arriving at the unit just after 0730 hrs, there was quite a surprise waiting for me. First, a good number of the students were there and looking at the surprise. Secondly, the cooks were there and making a late morning meal for the men present. Lastly there was what everyone was looking at. A new building had appeared, apparently overnight. It was located at the far end of our building from the road and was centered on the middle barracks and about 12 feet from it. It was a one story masonry...
The sex would follow her mood in the rest of the world. If she got into an argument with someone, I’d get turned on because I knew she’d take that out on me later. Then there was her work in the porn industry. That was both a source of horniness and frustration for her. It was a big source of frustration for her as it was a male dominated world, where the girl’s opinions are neither solicited or heard. The girls are just assets to be used as the men want. As Kiki she went along with that, but...
When we returned to our house shortly after midnight on New Year's day, Suenee seemed very distracted. I was sitting on the bed when Suenee came over to me. "Can we do something different tonight," she asked, but seemed worried. "Sure. What would you like to do?" I asked. "I ... I have been talking to some of the younger women, the ones that work in the bars," she said nervously. "They have told me that it is not a big thing to do." "What is?" I asked, confused. "Smoking,"...
The following new character appears in this and other chapters: Ratana Also called Noi, house girl, 5'-0'' tall, 98 pounds, 15 years old, 28A-20-25, long black hair, brown eyes, a thin quiet girl We found a small open air restaurant not far from our hotel and had a light lunch. During the meal Chanthra insisted that we change clothes before going to Wat Sala Loy. "Our clothing is wet from sweating and would not be appropriate for a visit to the Wat. It would also be best if we ride...
Back out on the village street, we continued toward the Wat, as the sun was close to setting. We reached the masonry walls around the Wat while the sun was still visible, making it about 1815 hrs. The walls had been painted or whitewashed at some time in the past, but portions of the paint was now peeling. There were gardens of various types of vegetables on both sides of the Wat and presumably behind it also, which were tended by the monks. We passed through the gate into the Wat and looked...
During the formation, MSG Sorenson checked everyone’s uniform and medals before the Major appeared, and he reported to him that everyone was present. The Major had a few words for us before we prepared to leave for the Airbase. “Nawng-awn should be a peaceful place. However, we will carry our weapons and six magazines of ammunition each just in case it isn’t as peaceful as it is supposed to be. We’ll be leaving for the Team House to draw weapons right after the formation.” He then turned the...
Friday morning, it was late before we got up and took Lesia to breakfast. Tweed, Phesila, and Dang were having breakfast when we arrived at the small restaurant near the hotel. We didn’t see anything of the Starlings until that afternoon. This morning there had been a notice on the bulletin board that there would be a formation at 1400 for both A-Teams. We didn’t have any shopping or touring to do, and just stayed in our rooms. Our daughters played together some and after lunch both took a...
The following characters appear in the rest of the story: Captain Paribetra Thai Army Ranger, Suenee's cousin from Amulets II and III, 5'-10" tall, 145 pounds, 28 years old, black hair, brown eyes, he has been promoted in the intervening years Lergong Pengdith Captain, Thai Army Rangers, 5'-8" tall, 135 pounds, 35 years old, black hair, brown eyes Captain Tamusarit, Thai Special Forces, returns from Amulets II, 5'-9" tall, 138 pounds, 32 years old, black hair, brown eyes, He too...
"Must you wear the guns here in town?" Chanthra asked looking at me with a frown on her face. That stopped me dead in my tracks. I had never considered not wearing them. Having a weapon at hand had become a way of life for me over the last nineteen plus years that I had been in the Army. It had been reinforced significantly in Korea during the war, and became a way of life when I joined Special Forces a short time after leaving Korea. "Is it necessary, my Champion Mike?" she asked again...
I had just started to open the shipping case in the commo bunker when Meadows came in. “I want to see what this thing looks like,” he told me, as I opened the locks on the case and removed the top. The main unit was in the middle of the case surrounded by foam and the other modular units. Spare parts, manuals and tools were in the bottom under these units. “Are you just running code here?” I asked Meadows. “Yes, that’s all we can do with the GRC-109. What will that baby do?” “You can run...
Characters introduced in Chapter 5 “The A Team”: SFC Meadows -Senior radio man SFC Morris and SSG Hadley - Heavy and light weapons SSG Tweed -Engineer and demolitions SFC Walls and SSG Johnson - Medics SFC Barlow and SSG Engles - Intelligence Captain Warren and 1st Lieutenant Sykes - Commander and XO MSG Sawyer - Operations and Team Sergeant The Thai Special Forces (TSF) Team: 1st Lieutenant Tamusarit - Commander Sergeants Mon and Thu - TSF NCOs The airfield was still on a...
It was 1300 hrs before the chopper was ready to go. “Funny,” the Operations Sergeant told us, “that bird came limping in early this morning, but maintenance couldn’t find anything wrong with it, and they went over it with a fine tooth comb. They even took it for a test flight. Nothing - not a glitch to be seen, behaved like a perfect lady. Anyway, you’re ready to go. They’ll be on the pad out front in five minutes. They’re refueling now.” The CH-47 that landed a short time later was painted...
The following characters are seen in the first two chapters: Sgt. Bill Baker Radio Operator, 5’-10” tall, 170 pounds, 24 years old, Auburn hair, Hazel eyes MSG Sawyer Team Sergeant, 6’-6” tall, 265 pounds, 42 years old, black hair, brown eyes Suenee Sa Bill’s girlfriend, 5’-2” tall, 108 pounds, 34C-23-35, 21 years old, brown eyes, long black hair, oval face, very cute Sophie MSG Sawyer’s girlfriend, 5’-10” tall, 140 pounds, 38C-25-37, 25 years old, brown eyes, long black hair The...
The following new character appears in this chapter: Prince Krom Luang Wongsa Dhiraj Snid Thai Physician and Diplomat, 49th son of King Rama II, 5’-7’’ tall, 165 pounds, 47 years old in 1855, a receding hair line going gray and brown eyes As we neared the camp headquarters building, we could see a very impressive looking coach parked outside of it along with a number of horses that were larger than the normal Thai horses. We also saw that their tack appeared to be of very expensive...
At home that evening, I gave Tweed a general outline of what went on during our meeting with Colonel Page. I didn't disclose what was in the letter or who it was from, as the Major had asked me not to. "So what did you do all day besides wait for us to get back?" I asked, as I finished my explanation. "Oh, I spent some very informative time with Sergeant Daniels. I originally went to see him to find out what he might have of local interest. I got more than I bargained for," Tweed told...
The following new characters appears in this the last chapter: Sisuda Captain Prawit's future wife, 5'-2'' tall, about 100 pounds, 32B-21-30, 20 years old, long black hair, brown eyes Master Sergeant Sunsarn Master Sergeant 1st Class, Custodian of the Ranger Museum, 5'-7'' tall, 140 pounds, 48 years old, black hair going gray, brown eyes Ratana Sunsarn's wife, a descedant of the original Ratana, 5'-2'' tall, 112 pounds, 34C-24-34, 42 years old, long black hair, brown...
"Sergeant Baker, you and Sergeant Tweed see me immediately after we all check in!" the Major said in a strained voice when he had recovered from the sight of Suenee and Phesila standing outside the hotel with our children. Captain Tamusarit had already walked over to Suenee and greeted her and Phesila with a traditional Thai greeting. "Sawat Dee krup," he said with a smile, as he waied. "Sawat Dee ka," both women replied with a wai and a smile. "It is good to see you again, Suenee...
The following new named character appears in this and other chapters: Sergeant Chuang The Sergeant from Sonsri's guard detail, 5'-6'' tall, 125 pounds, 30 years old, brown eyes, black hair I led the horses back to the open shed-like structure where the water buffalo had previously been kept. One glance inside convinced me that it was not ready for the horses to occupy it. I unsaddled them and took the saddles to the area under the house where they would be dry and reasonable cool...
Things remained quiet for the next week and a-half. The 25th was Christmas, and while it felt a lot more like Christmas up here in the mountains, there was no big celebration. The cooks had received extra food on this week's shipment, and prepared a very nice meal for us on Christmas, but there was no real celebration, no trees or gifts. Of course the Thais don't really celebrate Christmas, but they were happy to join in eating the extra food provided. Payday, the 31st, was on a Wednesday...
Starling had left Operations when I returned, but was soon back with the pieces of his Army Green Class A uniform. Suenee took them and placed them on the chair that she had been sitting on. "I will have these ready when you come on payday for your wedding," she told him. As quietly as she had spoken, the Major had picked up on it, and turned to look at both of them. "What wedding?" he asked. "Sergeant Starling and my student, Noon, will be married on payday when he returns to Chiang...
The following new characters appears in this and other chapters: Ronnaring Corporal, Clerk, Ranger Trainee, 5'-4'' tall, 120 pounds, 24 years old, black hair, brown eyes Kwaikai Lance Corporal, Clerk, Ranger Trainee, 5'-3'' tall, 117 pounds, 22 years old, black hair, brown eyes Jatuporn Sergeant, Ranger Trainee, 5'-6'' tall, 130 pounds, 31 years old, black hair, brown eyes Prawit Wongsuwan Captain, Ranger Trainee, 5'-4'' tall, 140 pounds, 32 years old, black hair, brown...
The following new characters appears in this and other chapters: Kampon Sukondhapatipak Senior Colonel, Royal Siam Army, 5'-8'' tall, 175 pounds, 48 years old, black hair with a touch of gray, brown eyes Werachon Adireksombat Major, Royal Siam Army, 5'-9'' tall, 165 pounds, 34 years old, black hair, brown eyes "What have you done NOW?" the Governor roared rising from his seat upon seeing us in the doorway, again without so much as a Sawat Dee or a wai. "Several of the...
The following character appears in this chapter and the remainder of the story: Chatchai Sarikalya Lieutenant, a tall thin young Officer, 23 years of age, one of the Platoon Leaders The roosters were very vocal again this morning, and we were up early. On arriving at our area on the camp, I found far fewer men there today than yesterday. Still there were a number of them there and the Sergeants already had them in groups of ten, but hadn't started any processing yet since I had all of...
We continued until about noon. The cart only made three or four miles an hour where the road was in good condition, which wasn't always the case. There were a few places where it was so bad that we had to get out, and push the cart from the back while Ute encouraged the buffalo from the front. Thankfully those places were few, but less bad spots than that were frequent. Around noon, Ute pulled the cart off the road, and under the shade provided by some tall trees and stopped. "We stop...
On returning home on Saturday afternoon after the briefing and the meeting in the backroom of the club, Suenee announced that she, Phesila, and the children would be leaving on Tuesday, the 14th, for Chiang Rai by train. "By train!?" I asked, shocked. "Yes, there is a train to Chiang Mai that we can take from here in the afternoon. We will go as far as Lampang on it. It will be morning when we arrive there. There is a local train that goes from Lampang to Chiang Rai on Monday, Wednesday...
We left the hotel following that for a restaurant which turned out to be the largest and most expensive one in Pak Chong. It was certainly more impressive than the places where we had eaten previously. The building was masonry with a wooden second story. There were many types of meat on display such as roast chicken and duck, there was red barbecued pork cooking over coals still. Just the smells were delicious. There was also the smell of freshly cooked rice and the other items being...
Mr. Giles had asked Kennedy if she would drive; what started out as a favor became the thing to do as they drove across the US. Day and night seemed meaningless. Mr. Giles wanted to stop for gas only; Kennedy was amused that he had no problem with her using her debit card to pay for it. If you needed something to eat or a comfort stop, you rushed inside and did whatever business it was that you had to do. The two other girls were English and half the time their conversation seemed...
Kennedy tried not to let her chest stick out. It was, she thought, just a small embarrassment, but it was an embarrassment nonetheless. At barely thirteen she looked only slightly more like a woman than she had at ten or twelve. She'd grown a foot, true enough. Her breasts were now visible -- at least to her mother, who'd insisted on dragging Kennedy to Macy's to buy bras. Afterwards, Kennedy was struggling with the changes to her body and the only advice in her universe was coming from...
Kennedy trailed her oars in the water. Behind her Marian was still breathing hard after their latest run. "That was nice," Marian said, catching her breath. "It was," Kennedy agreed. They'd worked out signals so that Marian could be ready when Kennedy changed pace. The coaches were still having cat fits about Marian not matching Kennedy stroke for stroke, but the "slow it down" admonishment was never going to fly as good coaching advice. "Kennedy," Marian started to say. Kennedy...
Kennedy straightened out from the curve and set her car in line for the next corner. That another car, drifting along behind her, had to make the choice between hitting her or backing off made no mind to her. She set up easily for the corner, drifted around it, then accelerated away, now far ahead of the next nearest car. A few seconds later she took the checkered flag. Only two laps, but hey, a race is a race! Winning wasn't just anything, it was everything! She loved driving these...
The next morning Kennedy was waiting for Mr. Glastonbury when he came into the practice room. "Sir," Kennedy asked diffidently, "did a Slayer die last night?" He looked at her curiously. "Yes. The Watchers Council let me know early this morning. Why?" "I felt her die. It was like I was her. Then I was in this other place..." "They would have told me if you'd been Chosen," Mr. Glastonbury mused aloud. "I think I was only half-chosen, sir. Some black woman, I mean, she was...
Kennedy finally let go of Ruby's cold hand and stood up. Pipes was crouched next to his wife, doing what Kennedy had been doing -- crying and holding her hand. She looked around the room. Victoria was being sick in a corner, heaving over and over again, uncontrollably. Harriet was pale and trembling, sitting next to her mother, who must have fainted, as she was lying on the ground. Mr. Glastonbury was standing with a phone in his hand, talking into it. She curled her lip in distaste....
The next morning seemed to dawn unusually early, and it was only because Kennedy hadn't done anything strenuous that she was awake when Amy knocked on the door to their room. The two of them joined a half dozen others, including Cindy. Kennedy laughed at Cindy's backpack. "Is it still full of rocks?" "Five more pounds than last year." Several of the girls hefted Cindy's pack and shook their heads in wonder. It was a good workout and Kennedy and Amy were back in the cabin before any...
Kennedy kept busy during the summer, trying not to think about the camp she couldn't attend or the friends she couldn't see. Twice she went to play poker in Manhattan with Pipes and the others, each time using a different route, a different way to get there. It was a little like being grounded, but this was by her own choice. Instead of doing what she truly wanted, she buried herself. She worked out, she studied, she read books for pleasure, and she watched TV more than she ever had...
Kennedy got another hour of sleep before it was time to get up, but she was awake when Amy came to wake her. They showered again, both holding each other's eyes. "I was scared the other night," Amy told Kennedy. "Scared for you. I saw you stagger. I thought you were shot." "It was a dart from a tranquilizer gun. It didn't work." "I don't pretend to understand what went on, after that. I saw you standing there, so brave... but so alone. I wanted to run out and grab you and drag...
Kennedy stood in line for the busses once again. Deja vu, right? She smiled to herself. Last year she had tried to show herself as brimming over with self-confidence, while in reality she was terribly shy and nervous. Well, summer camp had fixed all of that. To make her day perfect, she saw Ferinc with a girl in tow. The girl was supposed to be twelve now, but she looked more like eight or nine. Ferinc didn't hesitate about cutting in the line. He went right up to Kennedy and presented the...